Liz Mathew

4 weeks ago | indianexpress.com | Liz Mathew

On high alert amidst tensions between India and Pakistan, Uttarakhand Friday took a series of preventive measures and put the health sector on alert. The security along the Char Dham Yatra route has also been beefed up. In an interview with The Indian Express, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami speaks about the measures taken by the border state. Excerpts:* How are you preparing in light of the high tensions with Pakistan? We have held high-level review meetings. We are on high alert.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Liz Mathew

The BJP may have taken the Opposition by surprise by announcing enumeration of castes in the much-awaited Census exercise, but there is some disquiet in ranks of both parties over the measure. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been pushing for a caste census for some time now, the party was able to keep a lid on differences because the prospect of this seemed remote. Plus, it was seen as an effective tool to keep the BJP on the back foot.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Liz Mathew

Union Minister of State Anupriya Patel, who leads the Apna Dal (Soneylal), has been demanding a caste census, in Parliament as well as at meetings of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Patel, a key BJP ally in Uttar Pradesh, has argued that the caste enumeration is needed to address social and economic inequalities.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Liz Mathew

Having blindsided the Opposition, particularly the Congress, with the announcement of caste enumeration in the Census, the BJP is working on a multi-pronged strategy to counter any projection of this as a vindication of the Opposition’s stand. Making the announcement Wednesday, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw stressed that while the BJP government had taken the call to count castes in the Census, the Congress at the Centre had dodged this in the past and used it merely as “a political tool”.

1 month ago | indianexpress.com | Liz Mathew

Indians cutting across religious lines stood united despite the “hurt” the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 25 tourists and a local pony-wallah, had caused, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said. “Jo ghatna hui, isme saara desh aahat mein hai (the entire country is hurt by what happened). But we stood united, irrespective of the religion we belong to,” Singh told The Indian Express.