Page 1001 - Politics
PM Modi's foreign policy behind Pak's isolation at OIC: Sushma Swaraj
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that India's dominance and prestige has increased across the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Hitting out at the Opposition for questioning Prime Minister Modi's foreign visits, Swaraj said the BJP-led government's foreign policy is the reason behind the isolation of Pakistan at Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Abu Dhabi."India's dominance and prestige in the world has increased under the leadership of Modi ji in a way like never before. It was said before 2014 that the Arab world will not be visible anywhere under foreign policy of Modi ji," she said while speaking at the BJP's manifesto release event."India was invited as a chief guest by Saudi Arab in Jenadriyah festival. Biggest of all is OIC invite. This is only Islamic countries organization. We have isolated them (Pakistan) among their own friends," she added.Swaraj was invited as a 'Guest of Honour' to attend the meeting of OIC in Abu .
Take notice of 'seditious' campaign by NC, PDP: Panun Kashmir to ECI
Panun Kashmir, an organisation representing Kashmiri pandit migrants, Monday appealed to the Election Commission to ban candidates of the NC and the PDP from contesting the Lok Sabha polls as they were running a "seditious and secessionist" campaign in the valley. The campaign launched by the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party that accession of Jammu and Kashmir with India was conditional and abrogation of Article 370 will lead to separation of the state from India is preposterous and has seditious connotation, the organisation said. "NC and PDP have embarked upon a brazenly seditious and secessionist campaign. They are virtually acting as over ground flanks of Pakistan and the separatist establishment in Jammu and Kashmir," Convenor of Panun Kashmir Agnishakher said. "We appeal to the EC to take notice of the seditious nature of the election campaign launched by NC and PDP in Jammu and Kashmir and ban their candidates from contesting the forth coming Parliamentary ..
Prospects of BJP candidates in Rajasthan poor: Gehlot
Targeting the BJP leadership over its candidate selection in Rajasthan, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Monday said all the four union ministers contesting Lok Sabha polls in the state are in a "weak position" as the public is "unhappy" with them. Gehlot said Prime Minister Narendra Modi made first-time MPs minister and people are "fed up" with them in five years. Prospects of union ministers contesting Lok Sabha polls in Rajasthan are poor. Ticket of one minister, CR Chaudhary, was dropped and rest of the ministers- Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in Jodhpur, PP Chaudhary in Pali, Rajyavardhan Rathore in Jaipur rural and Arjun Ram Meghwal in Bikaner are in a weak position. There is resentment among the public against them, he claimed while addressing a rally here. "Those who won elections for the first time were made ministers whereas four-time MP Dushyant Singh, the son of former chief minister Vasundhara Raje was not given a chance. This is the state of affairs in BJP which is going to lose ..
Will welcome IT search party, says Chidambaram
Senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram said that he will welcome an Income Tax (IT) Department team if they raid his residences in Tamil Nadu's Sivaganga district and also in the state capital.
Israel to shut West Bank, Gaza crossings on poll day
Israeli authorities announced on Monday that the Army would close all border crossings into the occupied territory of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip ahead of the general election on Tuesday.
SC agrees to look into TikTok row
The Supreme Court on Monday said it will look into the order passed by the Madras High Court directing an interim ban on the video mobile application 'TikTok'.
Merkel to host May for Brexit talks Tuesday: Berlin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will host Theresa May for talks on Tuesday, on the eve of a crucial EU summit when the British premier is hoping to convince the bloc to grant her a new Brexit extension to June 30. "The chancellor and the British prime minister will have an exchange of views on Britain's exit from the EU as well as on Wednesday's special summit of the European Council," said Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert. The spokesman noted that the final decision on May's request will be made by all 27 remaining members of the EU. But there are "always good reasons in such difficult and highly charged situations in Britain and the EU 27 to first talk to each other before the first deadline," he said. Berlin also stressed the importance for the bloc's remaining members to speak with one voice on whether or not they will accept May's request for a new extension. "Decisiveness and unanimity is essential at the European Council summit of government leaders," stressed Seibert.
TN CM recalls 2G scam, questions Raja's nomination in LS polls
Taking a dig at DMK over the issue of corruption, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday raked up the 2G spectrum scam and said the appeal against acquittal of former Telecom Minister A Raja and others was pending and they "will get what they deserve." The AIADMK Joint Coordinator was canvassing votes for M Thyagarajan, his party's candidate for the April 18 Lok Sabha elections from the Nilgiris constituency, where Raja has been fielded by the DMK. Hitting back at DMK president chief M K Stalin for raising the issue of corruption in his campaign meetings, the chief minister said "Raja was lodged in Tihar jail" in connection with the 2G spectrum allocation scam. Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and other accused in the case were acquitted by a special court in December 2017 for lack of evidence. The CBI and the Enforcement Directorate have since moved the Delhi High Court challenging their acquittal. "The CBI has appealed (against the acquittal). They will get what is due ..
Congress on path of resurgence in UP: Raj Babbar
"The Congress is clearly on the path of resurgence. The change is palpable on the ground and after a long time Congress workers are enthused. We are on the comeback path in Uttar Pradesh," says UPCC President Raj Babbar.
Muzaffarnagar riots: UP govt yet to give permission to withdraw cases
The Uttar Pradesh government has not yet permitted the district authorities to withdraw any of the Muzaffarnagar riots cases that it had decided to take back, an official said on Monday. According to prosecution sources, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government, which had announced last December that it would 44 cases, only sought permission in about a dozen cases. Dushyant Tyagi, the district government counsel, told PTI that the permission to withdraw the riot cases from the court had not been received so far. The counsel said the prosecution had not been approached yet in most of the cases pending in the sessions court. Communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar and adjoining areas in August and September 2013 had claimed 60 lives and displaced over 40,000 people. Several BJP leaders, including Muzaffarnagar MP Sanjeev Balyan, Bijnor MP Bharatendra Singh, MLAs Sangeet Som and Umesh Malik, have been named in 125 cases. State minister Suresh Rana and Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi are also
Jobs, black money missing in BJP manifesto: Congress
Tearing into the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) election manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress on Monday said important issues like jobs, GST, black money and demonetisation were missing from the whole announcement exercise.
Nationalism BJP's inspiration, inclusion philosophy and governance mantra: Modi
Asserting that nationalism was the BJP's inspiration, inclusion its philosophy and good governance its mantra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the party aimed to make India a developed nation by 2047, 100 years after Independence. The "Sankalp Patra" (document of resolve) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had 75 definitive, time-bound targets for the country, Modi said after releasing the party's manifesto for the Lok Sabha polls starting April 11. "The manifesto highlights three major points -- nationalism is our motivation, inclusion is our philosophy and governance is our mantra. "We want people to hold us accountable. Hence, we have set out 75 goals to be achieved by 2022," he added. The BJP manifesto was a "multi-layered and multi-dimensional" document that addressed the expectations and aspirations of all sections of the society, the prime minister said, adding that it contained "jan ki mann ki baat". It aimed to make India a developed nation by 2047, on the ...
Over 78 lakh voters to decide fate of candidates from 6 Lok Sabha seats in J-K
Over 78 lakh voters, including nearly 38 lakh women, would decide the fate of dozens of candidates from the six Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir, which are going to polls in five-phased election beginning Thursday. They include over 4.25 lakh new voters and 159 transgenders, State Chief Electoral Officer Shailendra Kumar told PTI. He added that 47,216 are PWD (people with disabilities) voters and 1,433 VIP voters. Kumar said a total of 11,316 polling stations - 5,450 in Jammu region, 5,307 in the Kashmir Valley and 559 in Ladakh - would be set up to enable 78,42979 electorate, including 37,75,227 women, and 159 transgenders to exercise their franchise. Among the new voters who were inducted into the final list within a short period of three months beginning December 2018, over 2.60 lakh are in the age group of 18-21 years, the officer said. "This was the biggest exercise undertaken successfully by the state election commission. The final list was published in February this year," .
BJP using Ram Mandir in manifesto to sharpen communal polarisation: Yechury
The mention of the Ram Mandir in the BJP manifesto is no surprise, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said Monday, alleging that the saffron party has been using it for the last 30 years in a bid to "sharpen communal polarisation." Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday released the manifesto, titled 'Sankalpit Bharat, Sashakt Bharat' (Determined India, Empowered India), which includes including expeditious construction of a Ram temple, a firm hand in dealing with terrorism and doubling farmers income in the next three years. "Is this a surprise? For the last 30 years, every single 'jumla ghoshna' of theirs has included construction of the Ram Mandir... This point was continuously being repeated. Every election they did it. Their whole agenda is that of sharpening communal polarisation and hoping that it would garner them some votes. But they are sorely mistaken," Yechury told reporters. "Their only target is to consolidate the Hindutva communal vote bank. But this time that is not
BJP rookie to take on Cong veteran in Bangalore South
The stage is set for a high stakes battle in Karnataka's Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, considered a BJP stronghold, where the saffron party's Tejasvi Surya, a newcomer, will take on Congress veteran B K Hariprasad. Union minister Ananth Kumar had held the seat since 1996. Kumar passed away last year and the BJP has fielded Surya (28), who is a lawyer and party's youth wing leader, this year. The BJP's choice of candidate came as a surprise to many in the party who were expecting Kumar's wife, Tejaswini Ananth Kumar, to get the ticket. Dismissing reports of differences within the party unit over his nomination, Surya exuded confidence that the BJP would once again retain the seat. "It takes time for things to settle down when a fresh development takes place. After a roadshow of party president Amit Shah, things have changed. I am getting support and blessings of senior leaders including V Somanna and Ashok," he said. "They have also been campaigning for me. I am expecting ...
HC issues notice to J-K govt over highway traffic restrictions
The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Monday issued a notice to the state government on a plea seeking striking down of the ban on movement of civilian vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway on Sundays and Wednesdays. A division bench of Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Tashi Rabstan issued notice to the state government on a public interest litigation filed by former IAS officer Shah Faesal, through his counsel advocate Tassaduq Khwaja. Faesal, in his PIL, has sought quashing of the order passed by state government last week, according to which the movement of civilian traffic on National Highway 44 between Udhampur and Baramulla has been banned on Sundays and Wednesdays to allow safe passage to security forces convoys. The ban came into force on Sunday. The division bench directed the petition be listed for next hearing on Tuesday. Faesal, the 2010 batch UPSC topper, resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in January this year to protest unabated killings in ..
Repeating winning act tough task for MPs in Nashik LS poll
Sitting Shiv Sena MP Hemant Godse will be up against not only NCP candidate and former parliamentarian Sameer Bhujbal but also an uncomfortable fact in Nashik's Lok Sabha poll history. Since 1952, people of Nashik have never re-elected a sitting MP except in 1971 when the Congress' Bhanudas Kavade managed to retain the seat after winning it earlier in 1967. Godse had defeated NCP leader and former deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal by 1.87 lakh votes in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. In the 2009 general elections, Godse was second to Sameer Bhujbal by a margin of over 22,000 votes. In 1952, Govindrao Deshpande won from Nashik but was defeated in 1957 by BK Gaikwad of the Scheduled Castes Federation. Deshpande made a comeback as parliamentarian from Nashik in 1962 before his death the following year necessitated a bypoll which was won by Congress strongman YB Chavan, Maharashtra's first chief minister. Kavade, who held the seat in 1967 and 1971, lost to Vithalrao Hande of ..
Axing of articles 370, 35A will lead to Azadi: Farooq
Reacting to the BJP's commitment to abrogate articles 370 and 35A of the Constitution, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah said on Monday that the move will pave the way for 'Azadi' for Kashmir.
Court adjourns JNU sedition case till July 23
A court here on Monday adjourned the hearing in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) sedition case till July 23, while giving more time to the Delhi Government to decide on the issue of granting sanction or not.
Madras HC quashes land acquisition for expressway
The Madras High Court on Monday cancelled the land acquisition announcement for the controversial eight-lane expressway between Chennai-Salem at a cost of about Rs 10,000 crore.