Was humiliated, had no options left: Pradyut Bordoloi on quitting Congress

IANS | March 18, 2026 10:37 AM

Guwahati, March 18 (IANS) Senior Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Wednesday said he was “deeply hurt” and “left with no option” but to resign from the Indian National Congress, alleging repeated humiliation and a lack of a conducive environment within the party’s Assam unit.

Stakeholders call for holistic export cluster rejuvenation with focus on MSMEs

IANS | March 18, 2026 10:34 AM

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) Stakeholders have emphasised the need for a holistic and balanced approach to rejuvenation of export-oriented industrial clusters, integrating infrastructure upgradation with capacity building, technology adoption, and improved market access, it was announced on Wednesday.

I-PAC raid row: SC to hear ED plea alleging interference by Mamata Banerjee today

IANS | March 18, 2026 8:09 AM

New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a plea on Wednesday filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), alleging interference by West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee during its search operations at the office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain in Kolkata.

From shop to factory: Bihar man saw his fortunes grow under PMFME scheme

IANS | March 17, 2026 11:41 PM

Patna, March 17 (IANS) The Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of micro-enterprises by promoting formalisation of the sector, is bringing notable change in lives of people and also motivating others to walk down a similar path.

Religious freedom in South Asia: India's pluralist framework in troubled neighbourhood

Narender Kumar | March 17, 2026 9:44 PM

New Delhi: Freedom of religion and belief is among the most fundamental of human rights. It safeguards human dignity, allowing individuals to practice their faith without fear and enabling diverse communities to coexist peacefully. Nowhere is this principle more significant — and more contested — than in South Asia, a region that is home to some of the world’s oldest religions and an extraordinary mosaic of beliefs including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism. While most South Asian nations constitutionally seem to guarantee religious freedom, the lived reality for many minorities reveals a more troubling picture shaped by politics, historical grievances, and social tensions.