Tharoor said, "There is an extraordinarily striking metaphor expressed by an unnamed RSS source to a journalist, that, 'Modi is like a scorpion sitting on a Shivling, you can't remove him with your hand & you cannot hit it with a chappal either'."

Nearly 7,000 people gathered in Northern Indonesia Sunday to witness the inauguration of 'Little India Gate', the first-of-its-kind structure in the country which recognises the contribution of Indian community in the development of Medan city.

India played a "positive" role in restoration of democracy in Maldives by "exerting pressure" on the ruling regime, and the new government in the island nation would be "sensitive" towards New Delhi's "concerns", former Maldivian President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom said Sunday.

The Supreme Court is likely to hear Monday a batch of pleas challenging the Allahabad High Court's 2010 verdict by which the disputed land on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid area in Ayodhya was divided into three parts.

Sri Lankan Parliament's speaker on Sunday recognised Ranil Wickremesinghe as the country's prime minister, saying he has "obtained a mandate to secure democracy and good governance , in a major relief to the embattled UNP leader who was sacked by President Maithripala Sirisena in a dramatic move on Friday night.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday presented his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe two handcrafted stone bowls, made from rose quartz and yellow quartz stone sourced from Rajasthan, and dhurries woven by master weavers of Uttar Pradesh.

Police Sunday took into custody Rahul Easwar, president of the 'Ayyappa Dharma Sena', for his alleged provocative statement related to the entry of women into the Lord Ayyappa Temple at Sabarimala.

A wanted criminal, carrying a reward of Rs 50,000, was arrested following an encounter with police near Lachuiya dam, an official said Sunday.