'With the victory in Maharashtra and Haryana, the question which needs to be asked is why the government was reluctant to share names of these people, because there is a possibility that they may have been funding the BJP's election campaign.'

Although the Haryana police claim to have solved the sensational Rs 100 crore bank heist case in Gohana town of Sonipat, the family of the robbery's alleged mastermind refuse to believe the cops. The family of Mahipal Banwala, the alleged mastermind who was found dead in his car, refuse to believe that a strong self-made man like him could never have committed suicide.

UNICEF India on Saturday unveiled a song, 'baap wali baat', to mark the International Day of the Girl Child. The song puts the spotlight on men for ensuring empowerment, safety and realisation of dreams for girls across the country.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's cleanliness drive should be about Indians keeping themselves and their surroundings clean. It cannot be a day-long or time-bound campaign, Sulabh founder Bindeshwar Pathak tells Upasna Pandey.

Senior science journalist, Dinesh C Sharma told rediff.com that the way ahead would require higher public awareness and discourse on these factors and building advocacy for reversing such government policies

The Leaders for Tomorrow programme teaches leadership skills for social action on college campuses.

'Since last year, over 50,000 Sikh farmers have been evicted from Kutch district and Narendra Modi's government has done little other than giving assurances.' 'We are today at a point where Sikhs continue to move out of the country in large numbers and nobody is ready to address the real concerns of Sikhs.'

Despite the freeze on diplomatic ties between India and Pakistan and protests against the fair, traders at the recently concluded four-day Aalishan Pakistan exhibition did brisk business, reports Upasna Pandey.

The Bharatiya Janata Party is keen to return to power in Delhi but not at the cost of losing its high moral ground, says Upasna Pandey

Former RAW Additional Secretary Jayadeva Ranade tells Rediff.com's Upasna Pandey that India needs to be extremely cautious and watchful of the estimated 35-40 Indians who may have joined the ISIS in Iraq and may return to the country.

The dust has not yet settled on the public inconvenience and outcry over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the country's premier health centre All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Delhi for a routine check-up on August 24. But medical superintendent Dr DK Sharma insists "there was minimal inconvenience of a few minutes" in an interview to Rediff.com's Upasna Pandey.

'The way to pay tribute to Guruji would be to continue on his path and principles and be steadfast on true and genuine practice, which I want my students to learn from me.' Nivedita Joshi, who overcame her physical ailments thanks to yoga guru BKS Iyengar, speaks to Upasna Pandey about his legacy.

'It has done a disservice to the cause of Muslims... Modi also spoke of Muslims progressing with the Quran in one hand and a computer in the other, which I think is welcome... I wish he had spoken his mind on the issue of communal discord much earlier and shown swiftness in nipping it in the bud,' says former AAP leader Shazia Ilmi.

Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi says her ministry is working on four core areas of "safety, education, employment and confidence building," which are critical for the 58 crore women population in India which includes over 41 crore in rural areas. She also lays out the detailed roadmap for her ministry including setting up of one stop rape crises centres, hostels for working women among others.

Kashmiri Pandits complain that the Jammu and Kashmir government has simply cowered to hardline sentiments and that the real reason for canceling the pilgrimage was not due to ecological concerns but because of religion. Upasna Pandey reports

Confrontation between the Sikh bodies of Punjab and Haryana has become more political than religious, says Rediff.com contributor Upasna Pandey.

The recent decision of the Union government asking United Nations Military Observer Group on Kashmir to vacate a government-provided bungalow in New Delhi, is garnering mixed reactions in Kashmir. While many feel there would be no real impact if the UNMOGIP was to close its main offices in Srinagar, there are others who believe that the UN would continue to have a critical role till the Kashmir issue is resolved.

The captains of Indian industry described Narendra Modi government's maiden budget as one with "the right intent and in the right direction".

Activist and journalist Madhu Kishwar on Smriti Irani and the controversy over the four-year course offered by the Delhi University.

The positivity over Narendra Modi's election speech in Jammu is unanimous, but it comes with guarded optimism as many would like to wait and watch to see how the new government actually manages the 25-year-old issue, says Upasna Pandey