<ul><li>Thousands of women came together to form a human chain and stand up against the patriarchal traditions of the <keyword id="453325" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sabarimala-temple">Sabarimala Temple</keyword> in the southern Indian state of Kerala. </li><li>The 620 km ‘Women’s Wall’ pledged to uphold ‘Renaissance values’ and to ‘stand for the equality of women’. </li><li>The chief minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan and the state’s health minister, KK Shylaja, were also a part of the peaceful protest. </li><li>The event is being dubbed a historic moment for feminist politics, not just in the state, but in India.</li></ul>Not just the general public, but politicians and celebrities alike, rallied together as the New Year began on January 1 to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/womens-wall-in-kerala-vanitha-mathil_in_5c2b47d8e4b0407e90858ba2">stand up against</a> the patriarchal norms of <keyword id="6384180" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sabarimala">Sabarimala</keyword> temple, where women of all ages were recently allowed to enter as per the Indian Supreme Court’s <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/supreme-court-of-india-lifts-ban-women-of-all-ages-can-now-enter-sabarimala-temple/articleshow/65993339.cms">judgement</a>. The ‘Women’s Wall’ stretched across 620 kilometers, which is thrice the length of Singapore’s coastline, passing through all the districts of Kerala — a southern Indian state and the location of Sabarimala Temple. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The 15-minute event is being perceived as a ‘defining’ movement for feminist politics in the country where progressive Hindu organisations also came to give their support. The men also formed a wall parallel to the ‘Women’s Wall’ to show their solidarity towards gender equality and women’s rights. The participants of the ‘Women’s Wall’ made a pledge at the event which read, “We are taking the pledge that we will uphold Renaissance values, we will stand for equality for women, we resist the attempts to make Kerala a lunatic asylum, and we will fight for secularism.” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 The peaceful protest was organised by the ruling party, CPI(M) and included members from more than 176 other socio-political organisations. The resistance Even when the Sabarimala Temple was originally deemed <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/protestors-flock-as-this-indian-temple-finally-opens-its-gate-to-women/articleshow/66257966.cms">open to women of all ages</a>, protestors flocked to its gate in resistance. The original ‘traditions’ dictate that women between the ages of 10 to 50 years are barred from praying at Lord Ayyappa's shrine. Since October, the local tribal community, devotees and local organisations have wreaked havoc by not allowing women of childbearing age to get past the temple’s gates. Any women who have tried to ream past the mob in order to enter the temple has either had to turn back due to fatigue from fighting off the protestors, has been cut off from the gates from being outnumbered, or had stones thrown to keep them from progressing. The local police have been trying to aid the women trying to trek up to the temple, sometimes even in riot gear, but hasn’t had much luck. According to the state’s chief minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, two women did break through the gates and <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/sabarimala-temple-live-updates-shrine-shut-for-purification-after-2-women-enter-1971269">prayed at the temple</a> — but immediately after, priests shut down the hill shrine to perform ‘purification rituals’. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, appears to have taken the side of the conservative protestors. In an <a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/pm-modi-ani-interview-triple-talaq-sabarimala-issue-smita-prakash-1421336-2019-01-01">interview</a> with ANI, he pointed to the fact that certain temples do not allow the entry of men, though he did not cite any specific examples. His political party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has previously spoken out against the Supreme Court’s decision in favouring women’s equality. Even Amit Shah, the current spokesperson for BJP, has come out to <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1056133606186409990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1056133606186409990&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cnn.com%2F2019%2F01%2F01%2Fasia%2Findia-kerala-chain-intl%2Findex.html">state</a> that the fight in Kerala is one between the ‘people of faith’ and an ‘oppressive’ state government. Here are some pictures from the one of the largest human chains in the world- 
	
	
	<div type="Slideshow" msid="67414637" hostid="261" title="In photos: The great ‘Women’s Wall’ that erupted an Indian state to fight for gender equality" firstImageMsid="67414638" slideCount="8"></div>

‘Women’s Wall’ thrice the length of Singapore’s coastline is standing up against patriarchy in India

<ul><li>The Supreme Court’s verdict to allow women of all ages to enter the <keyword id="453325" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="sabarimala-temple">Sabarimala Temple</keyword> came into effect today.</li><li>During the past week, protestors and the local tribal community have flocked to the shrine in order to protest the verdict and prevent women from entering. </li><li>While the law was passed to propagate equality, the locals cite that it’s encroaching their <keyword id="63214" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="religious-freedom">religious freedom</keyword>.</li></ul>The Sabarimala temple finally opened its doors to women today but they’re are being <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/two-women-devotees-reach-sabarimala-temple-sent-back-by-protesters-1933319" data-type="tilCustomLink" style="">turned around</a> before they can even reach the gates. The verdict passed by the Supreme Court last month allowed women of all ages to worship Lord Ayyappa's shrine citing Article 14, that everyone should be equal before the law. But the matter at hand seems to be pivoting from equality between genders to religious freedoms and tribal rights. On the ground, the local tribal community along with their supporters have been gathering to protest. So far, women have been turned out at the base of the hill where the temple is located and stones have been pelted at cars approaching with women on board. Even the women police that’s been deployed in the area are facing backlash for doing their duty. What seems to be the problem? The Sabarimala temple is the pivotal place of worship for the tribal community living in the Attathodu area where the shrine is located. According to the chief of the tribal community in the region, VK Narayanan, the issue is that the restrictions that have been placed on women of a certain age as a part of their customs. He added that considering menstruating women ‘impure’ is a Dravidian custom. Even before Wednesday, many organisations were citing disruption and ‘mass suicides’ as a likely outcome if women of menstrual age are allowed to enter the shrine. This isn’t the first time that India has had to face a crisis of conscience where the choice is between bringing about equality or upholding tradition. Triple Talaq, up until recently, was legal in India. Having been cited as ‘unconstitutional’ it was abolished in 2017 highlighting that such a tradition was not integral to religious practice. (Image source: IANS)

Protestors flock as this Indian temple finally opens its gate to women

Politics is India is not boring. It is packed with pompous statements, lots of action and really interesting characters. Recipe for a full-blown Bollywood flick (talk about cliches). But, this year, it is time to move beyond freudian slips, scandalous remarks and attempts to alter history by our politicians. In 2018, some our ministers and lawmakers took it upon themselves to directly challenge science—yes, believe us someone did. Here is a rundown of the six biggest political gaffes of 2018, number 6 is bound to leave you spellbound (sarcasm intended). 1. “Would you take a used sanitary napkin to a friend’s place?” 
	
	
	
	
	
	
 
 <div type="image" title="efaa30db5b7de12ca0eadfc8c0eaa76c" msid="67320975" hostid="261"></div> India’s textile minister, <keyword id="6612" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Smriti-Irani">Smriti Irani</keyword> while expressing her ‘personal’ opinion on Supreme Court’s judgment on allowing the entry of women of all ages into Kerala’s <keyword id="6384180" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="sabarimala">Sabarimala</keyword> temple that bars women of menstruating age to enter the premises, <a href="https://m.telegraphindia.com/india/would-you-take-a-blood-soaked-sanitary-napkin-to-a-friends-house-smriti-irani-on-sabarimala/cid/1672406">asked</a>, ‘Would you like to take a used sanitary napkin, steeped in menstrual blood, and walk into a friend’s home? You would not.’ She later took to twitter to clarify her comment by citing Zoroastrian traditions. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">Since many people are talking about my comments — let me comment on my comment. As a practising Hindu married to a practising Zoroastrian I am not allowed to enter a fire temple to pray.&mdash; Smriti Z Irani (@smritiirani) <a href="https://twitter.com/smritiirani/status/1054722071236931585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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 2. ‘Mohanlal’ Karamchand Gandhi? Errr..not really 
 
	
	
	
	
	
	
 
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 In April 2018, Prime Minister <keyword id="6354477" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</keyword> was <a href="http://www.atimes.com/article/modi-getting-reputation-gaffes-historical-errors/">trolled </a>for getting <keyword id="6355532" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="mahatma-gandhi">Mahatma Gandhi</keyword>’s name wrong - not for the first, but the third time. This time it happened while the prime minister was addressing a gathering in Bihar’s Champaran district. PM Modi made a similar slip while addressing a political rally in 2013. Mahatma Gandhi’s full name is — Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, however PM Modi accidently addressed him as as “Mohanlal” Karamchand Gandhi. “Why run after politicians for job? Graduates should get cows and milk them”—said one Indian chief minister 
 
	
	
	
	
	
 
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 The controversial Chief Minister of Tripura, Biplab Kumar Deb has now been crowned as the king of gaffes in India. He seems to have been a serial offender and was even reprimanded by his party’s senior leadership for a series of brazen statements. In a bizzare comment, he suggested that graduates in India should not run after ministers and political parties to get a job rather they should get cows and milk it to earn one million in 10 years. ‘Many trips to bar. Oops, abroad’: Opposition leader <keyword id="5268" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rahul-Gandhi">Rahul Gandhi</keyword> 
 
	
	
	
 
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 The president of Indian National Congress Rahul Gandhi was in an embarrassing situation while addressing lawmakers in the Parliament. What he aimed was for a snarky remark against his arch-political rival Prime Minister Modi. However, ended up being the butt of several jokes. D<a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-pradhan-mantri-ji-bar-mai-jate-hain-i-mean-abroad-rahul-gandhi-s-gaffe-leaves-pm-modi-laughing-2639481">uring his speec</a>h in the lower house of the Parliament in July 2018, he made a faux pas by saying “the Prime Minister took many trips to BAR. Reacting to some smirks and giggles - he immediately corrected himself and said “I mean abroad…” He mixed up the Hindi word ‘bahar’, which means outside, to the english word bar - where one generally goes to loosen up and have a good time. While Gandhi promptly clarified the whole situation made several politicians including the prime minister, who burst into laughter. A light Parliamentary moment, indeed! Biplab did it again! Revisiting historical facts about Rabindranath Tagore 
 
	
	
	
	
 
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 Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb— who we earlier dubbed as the ‘king of bloopers’ once said that nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore rejected the Nobel Prize as a mark of protest against the British Empire. In fact, Tagore never declined the award that he received in 1913 for his work ‘Gitanjali.’ He further added, Tagore was awarded with “Biswosrestho” (world’s best) award for Gitanjali. ‘Ducks raise oxygen level in water bodies’ - No prizes for guessing who said that! 
 
	
	
	
	
 
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 In another major gaffe, the Tripura chief minister claimed that ducks can raise oxygen levels when they swim in water bodies. Yes, yes this is a scientific fact, but it still became news because of the bizarre comment. He said, “When ducks swim in water, oxygen level automatically increases in the waterbody. It (oxygen) gets recycled. Fish in the water will get more oxygen. They also benefit from bird droppings. Thus, pisciculture will benefit and fishes will grow faster, that too in a completely organic way,” reported NDTV.

Oops, they did it again: Here are 2018’s most memorable gaffes made by Indian politicians

<ul><li>The 19th session of the Kerala Assembly has been curtailed which was originally slated to end on April 8. </li><li>According to the last official <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coronavirus-update-two-more-people-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-kerala-11583852482247.html">estimates</a> from the government said almost 3910 people are under observation. </li><li>Kerala Chief Minister <keyword id="6356705" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="pinarayi-vijayan">Pinarayi Vijayan</keyword> on Thursday launched a new app to track the COVID-19 guidelines of the Kerala Health Department. </li></ul>Out of all 81 people infected by <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> in India, 17 of them are from Kerala making it the epicenter. The state government has been taking measures to contain the virus like shutting schools, cinemas and more. The deadly virus has claimed more than 4000 lives worldwide and has infected around lakh people. Around 4000 people under observation in Kerala According to the last official <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/coronavirus-update-two-more-people-test-positive-for-covid-19-in-kerala-11583852482247.html">estimates</a>, 3910 people are under observation, and quarantined in the state. And, 270 more are in hospitals spread across central-southern districts Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Ernakulam. Cancel marriages and religious gatherings: Kerala CM Vijayan Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged people to cancel weddings, religious gatherings and other events that involve mass gathering. “This is also a season of religious festivities. But we should avoid holding large festivities and marriages. At least, they should be reduced to mere rituals and limit the people in attendance. In Sabarimala (which opens for a few days in March), people should avoid going for the pilgrimage, but the rituals in the temple will be allowed to continue,” Vijayan said after a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday (March 10). Kerala Assembly session curtailed till Friday <div type="image" title="Thiruvananthapuram: Security personnel help Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan a..." msid="74610607" hostid="261"></div>

 Amid the coronavirus scare across the country, the 19th session of the Kerala Assembly has been curtailed. Vijayan said on Thursday that it would be appropriate if the business advisory committee of the Assembly decided to end the session. Before the session started on Friday morning, the committee decided to end the session after dealing with the listed business for the day. The session began on March 2 and was originally slated to end on April 8 after holding 27 sittings. Kerala launches new app to track coronavirus Vijayan also launched a new app to track the COVID-19 guidelines of the Kerala Health Department after two fresh cases of coronavirus cases were reported yesterday (March 12). The app can be downloaded from the Google play store. This facility would be available on feature phones via SMS alerts. Coronavirus hits tourism in Kerala <div type="image" title="kerala tourism." msid="74610576" hostid="261"></div>

 The city’s bountiful tourism industry however has been hit by the virus scare. “In February and March, we get a good number of tourists from the Far East and South Africa. As Kerala reported its first coronavirus case in January, things began to turn bad. Today, when our tourist destinations should register about 80 per cent hotel occupancy, the current figure is zero. With India now suspending visas till the middle of next month, nothing more needs to be said,” said Jose Pradeep, secretary of Kerala Travel Mart. (With inputs from IANS) SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/topic/coronavirus">coronavirus: Latest News, Articles on coronavirus | Business Insider India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/what-is-the-meaning-of-pandemic-epidemic-outbreak/articleshow/74587579.cms">What is the meaning of pandemic and how is it different from an epidemic or an outbreak</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-travel-ban-india-on-lockdown-till-april-15/articleshow/74586131.cms">Coronavirus travel ban: India on lockdown till April 15</a>

Coronavirus: Kerala remains the epicenter with 17 infected; assembly sessions curtailed

<ul><li>Intense violence has tainted Kerala' politics in recent years.</li><li>Simmering tensions between the UDF, LDF, and the BJP may affect voter turnout.</li><li>If people decide to avoid voting to stay safe, it may skew the results.</li></ul>The southern state of Kerala, famous for its scenic backwaters and high literacy rate, has seen one of the most violent election campaigns in the country. If people decide to sit at home to avoid getting caught in any sort of violence, it may skew the results in favour of one party or the other. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019/kerala/news/violent-end-to-vibrant-poll-campaign/articleshow/68987461.cms">More than 30 people</a>, including a policeman, were injured at Thiruvalla where the activists of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) clashed on the last day of the campaign (April 21). That was only one of the many violent clashes that have caught headlines in the state that boasts of 94% literacy, according to the 2011 census. Sitaram Yechury, the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), better known by its acronym CPI(M), said that the party had 13 workers in the last one year. However, police <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/kerala-rss-workers-murder-data-reveals-record-of-political-killings-1733728">records verified by NDTV</a> showed that 14 people from the RSS, BJP, and the left parties have been murdered for political reasons since February 2018. The count of similar deaths between 2000 and 2017 escalates to over 170, according to the same report. The increasingly restive political air in Kerala only shows how tight the fight is going to be. 26 million voters are enlisted for voting on April 23, the <keyword id="2211307" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Third-phase-of-polling">third phase of polling</keyword> in the ongoing elections for the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian Parliament. The voter turnout in the state was a record 73.6% in 2014, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/elections-news/election-2014-kerala-records-73-6-per-cent-voter-turnout-highest-since-1991-556911" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">the highest since 1991</a>. The United Democratic Front led by the Indian National Congress bagged 12 seats while the remaining eight went to the LDF led by the communist party-led coalition. However, the BJP is expected to be a strong contender this time around, more than it has been ever before. The threat from the BJP is seen as the strongest in some regions that have strong Hindu majority, where people are peeved by a 2018 Supreme Court verdict that allowed <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/supreme-court-allows-women-to-enter-sabarimala-temple/articleshow/65989807.cms">women into the Sabarimala Temple</a>. Tradition did not allow women of menstruating age into the temple until the court verdict. The <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/elections/lok-sabha-elections-2019/kerala/news/will-do-everything-to-protect-sabarimala-shah/articleshow/68971697.cms">BJP and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh</a> (RSS), milked the issue and kept the anger alive to turn it against the incumbent Parliamentarians. Hindus make up for only 54% of the state’s population, according to the 2011 Census, compared to 80% nationally. 26% of Kerala’s population are Muslims and 18% are Christians. However, the RSS has had a strong support base in Kerala for years but the <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/rss-strengthening-base-in-kerala-number-of-shakhas-rising/articleshow/57147070.cms">hindu natioanlist organisation</a> is now stronger in the state than ever before. The odds of BJP getting more votes than before are higher but <a href="https://www.timesnownews.com/elections/article/opinion-poll-for-lok-sabha-election-2019-live-times-now-vmr-survey-for-bjp-congress-narendra-modi-rahul-gandhi/384850">most opinion polls</a> have still pegged it as a two-way fight between the UDF and the LDF in the state. A big factor working in favour of the LDF is the <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/kerala-will-set-an-example-in-rebuilding-rehabilitation-pinarayi-vijayan/articleshow/65481744.cms">elevated reputation of state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan</a>. He won accolades for effectively managing a devastating flood in the state in 2018. The state also has a long history of leftists dominating state politics. Kerala’s first chief minister in 1957, EMS Namboodiripad, was one of the world’s first communist leaders to head an elected government. On the other hand, UDF led by Congress is trying to squeeze the BJP out by supporting the protests against the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple. “Well, you cannot afford to write off the votes of the majority in times of political interest,” <a href="https://qz.com/india/1601119/election-2019-congresss-tharoor-battles-modis-bjp-in-kerala/">Congress leader Shashi Tharoor</a> fighting to defend the state capital Thriuvananthapuram told Quartz. The margin for error has shrunk significantly for Tharoor who swept the seat with 100,000 more votes than the second candidate in 2009. By 2014, it had shrunk to 14,000 and this time it is expected to be even tighter. Given that tensions are running high, voter turnout may become a deciding factor. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/lok-sabha-election-2019-3rd-phase-polling-live-updates/liveblog/68999100.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">LIVE BLOG: Voting in 117 constituencies underway</a>

Voter turnout may be tested in India’s most literate state that has seen one of the most violent election campaigns

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/50352890.cms" />Every year has its own share of controversies and interesting twists and turns play a crucial role in the events. The year 2015 was no exception either. This year too, the country had its incidents, incidences and things that cropped up as aftermath, making some of them hot cakes in terms of news this year. 
 
As we close in on wrapping up the year, here’s what made the headlines in 2015 and shaped the country’s opinion both, socially and politically, sometimes ushering in major change in perception about the country in the world’s eyes. 
 
<keyword id="3119826" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Award-Wapsi">Award Wapsi</keyword> This must have been the most significant event of the year and happened right before the <keyword id="175111" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bihar-elections">Bihar elections</keyword>. Award wapsi, a movement of sorts, was started a little while after murder of rationalist thinker and writer M M Kalburgi in Karnataka. Writers Nayantara Sehgal and Uday Prakash were among those who set the tone. This year, the biggest literary event was not a book release or something, but more like a writer standing up for his right to speak what he sees as truth. The writers were chided for siding with Congress party since most of them received awards during the tenure of Congress government. 
 
National Herald case 
Apart from Award Wapsi, this was another headline grabber which almost made demi gods out of Congress first line leaders. AICC Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi made an appearance in court over murky National Herald assets usurping case, which cost the country quite dearly since Congress stalled the discussions over some crucial issues such as GST in parliament, over ‘vendetta’ politics. 
 
Modi Pakistan-Afghan visit 
Towards the end of the year, the Prime Minister who has been jocularly targeted for his trips aboard sprang up a surprise and visited his counterpart in Pakistan absolutely out of turn, thus catching everyone by surprise. His move was both appreciated and criticized in equal measures by those who love him, and by those who simply didn’t like this approach. But, it looks like the White House seems to have welcomed this new found bonhomie between neighbours who have been sworn enemies over several issues. 
 
Shah Rukh, Aamir Khan’s (controversial) intolerance remarks 
This year when people spoke of social and cultural differences, they were targeted on social media and how! Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan who spoke against the rising incidents of ‘intolerance’ and the subsequent fear that has been the result of this, they were targeted badly for everything they said and did. Many from Bollywood including Raveena Tandon, Madhur Bhandarkar and Anupam Kher condemned these remarks made by the two Khans. The issue still simmers on. 
 
No women in temples, so what! 
It started with Ayyappan temple in Sabarimala, Kerala where a trustee said they would put scanners soon to keep menstruating women from visiting temples and angering the gods. Soon after, BJP leader Pankaja Munde in Mumbai seemed to have agreed with this line of thought. She asked, in all calm tone, yes women have not been allowed to visit temples in particular days. So what?! This irked feminists and people across the social media, who ensured their spoke their minds against this medieval stance against menstruating women. 
 
Meat ban during Paryushan Parva 
The BJP government in Maharashtra banned meat during the Jain fasting period called Paryushan Parva. This angered people from across social strata, who were sure that the BJP was driving a wedge between communities that ate meat and those that didn’t consume meat. This was called a social experiment of the worst kind, which would have repercussions on people’s food habits where forced opinions would mean democracy had ceased to exist even in people food habits. 
 
Sadhvi Prachi 
In keeping with the continued tradition of letting lose a volley of abuses and irrational statements, asking people to go to Pakistan if they were opposed to the ideologies of BJP government which predominantly upheld Hindu values and the way of life, that an alternate faith was next to impossible. Sadhvi Prachi being just a representative of all those medieval thoughts and barbaric mindset, kept the newspapers busy with her idiosyncrasies while BJP leadership failed to rein her in. 
 
Yakub Memon 
Hanging of 1997 Mumbai blast main accused Yakub Memon, who was held guilty by courts in 2007 the country witnessed some tense moments and swift working by the courts even on the previous night he was to be hanged on July 30. 
 
Though his death didn’t create a law and order situation, international media lost no opportunity to ensure this incident was bracketed under ‘intolerance’ towards Muslim brethren. 
 
Bihar elections 
This was the single most significant incident that probably indicated the image of BJP was on a journey downhill. Having doled out goodies in form of packages, and most engaging and intense campaigning by the who’s who of BJP including Amit Shah and PM Narendra Modi, the MahagatBandhan with Nitish Kumar and Lalu at the helm held people’s hopes. That is where exactly their votes went too. But in the run up to event, there was a lot of bad blood that spilled forth. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Political controversies that made headlines in 2015

·In TN, the Congress and DMK combine is expected to win more than 25 seats, according to four out of five polls ·In Andhra, four exit polls predict that YSR-C will win over 15 seats, whereas TDP will be lucky to get ten. ·In Kerala, Congress and UDF are expected to win 15 seats, according to most polls. ·Almost all exit polls suggest that BJP will over 20 seats in Karnataka. <keyword id="58687" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharatiya-Janata-Party">Bharatiya Janata Party</keyword> (BJP) may be headed for a big win in the Northern states, but in four out five Southern states, it seems to have made fatal mistakes. BJP’s partner limps in Tamil Nadu As per exit polls, in Tamil Nadu, BJP bet on the wrong horse. Their coalition partner, AIADMK (All India <keyword id="294965" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dravida-Munnetra-Kazhagam">Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam</keyword>) is expected to win fewer than 10 seats. Only News 18-IPSOS poll believes they will win 14 seats, while India Today-Axis poll believes they will win anywhere between zero to four! Congress’ partner DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) on the other hand, has been a clear favourite. Four out of five polls say that they will win more than 25 seats, while two of them will say that they will win more than 30 seats. Naidu’s fury Both Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and BJP could have gained from an alliance, a second time around. But that was not to be. TDP head Chandrababu Naidu broke away from National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as his state was not given special status. BJP also failed to forge another alliance in the state. Most polls believe that YSR Congress (YSR-C), headed by Jagan Reddy could be a net gainer as electorate is exasperated with BJP and TDP alike. Four exit polls predict that YSR-C will win over 15 seats, whereas TDP will be lucky to get 10. Only Today’s Chanakya believes that TDP will get 17 seats. Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), which is headed by K Chandrasekhara Rao, known as KCR, is expected to come back with a thumping majority. Rao will hold most seats in hand and will be more valuable for the formation of a federal front, rather than <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/elections/lok-sabha/india/chandrababu-naidu-meets-rahul-gandhi-to-meet-mayawati-akhilesh-in-up/articleshow/69384210.cms">Naidu who has been meeting</a> every non-BJP leader in New Delhi. Kerala’s Temple Run-ins In Kerala too, BJP which had no allies in place, is expected to report a dismal performance, and would be lucky to retain the single seat they won last year. This time around, experts said that there is a <keyword id="6354642" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Modi">Modi</keyword> wave which vanished after allowing women to enter <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/2-women-entered-a-hindu-in-india-breaking-a-decades-long-ban-2019-1?IR=T">Sabarimala temple</a>. BJP’s arch rival Congress which struck a deal with United Democratic Front (UDF) is expected to win 15 seats, according to most polls. The only good news for BJP comes from Karnataka. Almost all the exit polls suggest that BJP will over 20 seats in the current elections, leaving the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular combine with less than half of it.

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‘Women’s Wall’ thrice the length of Singapore’s coastline is standing up against patriarchy in India

Prabhjote Gill

Protestors flock as this Indian temple finally opens its gate to women

Prabhjote Gill

Oops, they did it again: Here are 2018’s most memorable gaffes made by Indian politicians

BI India Bureau

Coronavirus: Kerala remains the epicenter with 17 infected; assembly sessions curtailed

Navdeep Yadav

Voter turnout may be tested in India’s most literate state that has seen one of the most violent election campaigns

Sriram Iyer

Political controversies that made headlines in 2015

Preetam Kaushik

God did not deliver south India for BJP while a lost friend cost them dear

Katya Naidu