Page 1032 - Politics
UK, US, and France warn Syria not to use chemical weapons
Britain, France and the United States are warning the Syria against using chemical weapons on opponents of the government. The foreign ministers of the three countries say in a joint statement that Syria's past use of such weapons "cannot be disputed." They say they will "act strongly and swiftly" in the event of any future attack. The statement was released ahead of the two- and three-year anniversaries of chemical weapons attacks in Syria for which the three nations vow to hold the perpetrators to account. They also renewed demands for a negotiated political settlement to the conflict in Syria. The government of Syrian President Bashar Assad has denied using chemical weapons against opponents. International investigators have confirmed that the weapons have been used but stopped short of accusing specific perpetrators.
Trump confirms will skip 'boring' correspondents' dinner
President Donald Trump confirmed Friday he will skip the "boring" White House correspondents' dinner later this month, saying he'll hold a rally instead. Trump, who launches almost daily verbal attacks on what he considers a hostile media, has missed the two previous sessions of the annual get-together in Washington. Asked if he'd go to this year's gathering, on April 27, he told reporters at the White House that "the dinner is so boring and so negative that we're going to hold a very positive rally." Trump said his rally, in a still undecided location, will be "a big one." Appearances by presidents at the black tie occasion have previously been a tradition. However, Trump has a uniquely combative relationship with the media, which he denounces as "fake news," except in a handful of cases, including his favoured Fox News network. Last year the correspondents' dinner ran into controversy when the keynote speaker, comedian Michelle Wolf, tore into White House staff, especially press ...
EC issues show cause notice to Meghalaya Minister A L Hek
The Election Commission has issued a show cause notice to senior BJP leader and Meghalaya minister A L Hek for using an government vehicle while campaigning for saffron party candidate in West Jaintia Hills district, an official said Friday. Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer FR Kharkongor said a showcause notice was issued to the Health Minister A L Hek based on an inquiry report received from sector officer and the police wherein he was directed to give a reply within 48 hours. Using a government vehicle while campaigning for a party candidate is a violation of the model code of conduct. On Wednesday, Hek went to Khanduli village in West Jaintia Hills district to campaign for BJP candidate Sanbor Shullai. Photograph of Hek with the official vehicle were doing the rounds on social media and reported in a local vernacular paper. According to the CEO, election officials have seized over Rs 50 lakh unaccounted cash in Meghalaya. The biggest seizure was made in South West ...
Over 12 lakh electors to decide fate of 12 candidates in Srinagar LS seat on April 18
Over 12.95 lakh electors will exercise their right to franchise and decide the fate of 12 candidates, including former chief minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah, in the Srinagar parliamentary constituency on April 18 in the second phase of the general elections, officials said Friday. The constituency is spread over 15 assembly segments, comprising three districts of central Kashmir Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam. According to the figures provided by the chief electoral officer of the state, the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat has 12,95,304 registered voters 6,67,252 males, 6,27,282 females, 744 service voters (728 males and 16 females) and 26 transgender voters. The election authorities have set up 1,716 polling stations in the constituency. The 12 candidates in the fray are Farooq Abdullah of the NC, Sheikh Khalid Jehangir of the BJP, Nazir Ahmad Lone of the Rashtriya Jankranti Party, Irfan Raza Ansari of the J&K Peoples Conference, Abdul Rashid Ganie of the J&K National ...
Retd military officer told me in 2017 that Modi will create
Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy stoked a controversy Friday, claiming a retired military officer had told him in 2017 that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would create a 'story of a conflict between India and Pakistan' and 'mislead' the people to seek votes. His remarks invited a furious reaction from the BJP, which said the Chief Minister had committed 'treason' by not disclosing the information beforehand. "Two years ago a retired military officer had told me Note down my words that before the Lok Sabha election a story of conflict between India and Pakistan will be created and this man (Narendra Modi) will again mislead the people of India to seek votes. He had told me two years ago itself," Kumaraswamy claimed at an election rally at Koppa in Chikkamagaluru. He said BJP was seeking votes in the name of the security of the nation, but questioned whether it meant that there was no security in the nation for the past 70 years. Kumaraswamy appealed to the people not .
Guj LS poll: Cong says Shah hid Rs 25 cr loan detail in
The Congress Friday accused BJP national president Amit Shah of concealing facts in his poll affidavit submitted along with his nomination papers for the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat. The Congress' candidate from the seat, CJ Chavda, demanded that Shah be disqualified. District Election Officer S K Langa rejected Chavda's plea. During the scrutiny process held at Gandhinagar on Friday, Chavda raised an objection about Shah's candidature, claiming the BJP chief's affidavit did not reflect a loan of Rs 25 crore taken in 2016 after mortgaging property. According to Chavda, when Shah was fighting Rajya Sabha polls, he had declared that he had mortgaged his property in 2016 for getting a bank loan of Rs 25 crore for his son Jay Shah's company. "Rs 25 crore is a significant liability which has not been mentioned in the latest affidavit. Shah's nomination form should be rejected for wilful and deliberate non-disclosure," Chavda said in his written submission, which was eventually
Take 'decisive' action against Yogi, Naqvi for 'Modi ki Army' comment: Cong to EC
Congress on Friday urged the Election Commission to take cognizance of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi's "Modi ki Army" comment and take a "decisive" action to deter others from making such a statement. Its chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala alleged that those who have trampled upon the democracy are challenging constitutional authorities. The EC should take action against them, failing which people will come forward and "take control", "like Lord Krishna did", he warned. If the EC does not take action against the two leaders, Surjewala said, his party would "remind" the poll panel of its responsibilities. At an election rally in Ghaziabad on April 1, Adityanath had described the Indian Army as "Modi ji ki sena" to make a distinction between the Army's response to terrorists under the Modi government. Three days later in Lucknow, Naqvi was caught on camera making a similar comment. He, however, tried to wriggle out of the ...
EC expresses "displeasure" over NITI Aayog VC's remarks against Cong's NYAY
The Election Commission Friday expressed "displeasure" over NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar's remarks against the Congress' proposed NYAY scheme. In a communication sent to Kumar, the EC asked him to be cautious in future while making statements. On March 27, the poll panel had sought Kumar's response on his remarks in which he had attacked the Congress over its minimum income guarantee promise. The EC had felt that since Kumar is a bureaucrat, his remarks were prima facie violative of the model code. Kumar is learnt to have told the Election Commission that he spoke against Congress's Nyuntam Aay Yojna (Nyay) scheme as an economist and not as part of the policy body. At a press conference here on March 25, Congress president Rahul Gandhi announced that 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs 72,000 each annually as minimum income if his party comes to power.
EC replaces Andhra Pradesh chief secretary
: The Election Commission Friday removed Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Anil Chandra Punetha from the post and appointed senior-most IAS officer L V Subrahmanyam of the 1983 batch in place of the former. This is the second major blow to Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu as the EC had removed two of his most- preferred top bureaucrats from their positions during election time. Also, the ECI directed that Punetha, scheduled to retire from service May-end, be posted to a 'non-election' position.' Punetha, toeing the ruling TDPs line, had filed a writ petition in the Andhra Pradesh High Court on March 27 challenging the EC order transferring the Director General of Intelligence A B Venkateswara Rao. In the petition, he contended that the EC did not have any 'untrammelled powers' to interfere with the course of administration that is unconnected to polling. ''The EC cannot engage in unchecked, arbitrary and uncanalised exercise of power. The EC order suffers from the vice of
Rahul's name has come up in AgustaWestland case: Smriti Irani
Senior BJP leader Smriti Irani Friday sought to corner Congress president Rahul Gandhi over the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers case, latching onto an Enforcement Directorate charge sheet which has reference to senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and 'family'. "Rahul Gandhi's name has come up in the AgustaWestland case. Besides, his relations with some others involved in the scams related to 2G spectrum are also in the open," the Union minister told newspersons on the last day of her two-day visit here. The Congress has termed the Enforcement Directorate's supplementary charge sheet a "cheap election stunt" to divert the people's attention from the "imminent defeat" of the Narendra Modi dispensation in the Lok Sabha election. Irani is pitted against Gandhi in the Amethi Lok Sabha seat. The Congress leader is also contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Wayanad in Kerala. Addressing a meeting of BJP's backward caste cell at Malik Mohammad Jaisi research centre in Jais, the Union minister ...
Rahul should renounce SPG cover if terror not an issue: Swaraj
Union Minister Sushma Swaraj Friday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi's reported remarks that terrorism was not an issue and asked if that was the case, he should renounce his SPG security cover. "He (Rahul Gandhi) says job is an issue not terrorism. I want to tell Rahul Gandhi ji, if terrorism is not an issue and there is no terrorism in the country, then why do you go around with SPG security? From the period of assassination of (former Prime Minister and Rahul's father) Rajiv Gandhi till now all your family is under the security cover of SPG. If you feel that terrorism is not an issue then I want to tell you, you write it and give that you do not need SPG security because you feel there is no terrorism in this country and you are not afraid of anybody," shesaid. At an election meeting here, Swaraj referred to the air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan's Balakot following the Pulwama attack and said opposition parties who do not have faith in Prime Minister ..
No one can abridge constitutional rights of people of J-K: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Friday asserted the people of the state were the rightful owners of Jammu and Kashmir and no one can abridge their constitutional rights. Addressing a public meet at Chak Dhara in Fakirgujri on the outskirts of Srinagar, the NC president said the people of Kashmir have never allowed any one to subdue them. "In the coming times, we will keep up with this historical proclivity of ours. New Delhi has time and again betrayed people of the state by back-pedalling on the assurances it gave from time to time on restoring autonomy," he said, adding "the people of the state are the rightful owners of Jammu and Kashmir and no one can abridge our constitutional rights". Referring to the order banning civilian traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway for two days a week, Abdullah sought its immediate revocation. "Never in history have the state highways been closed for civilian traffic, even during the most tumultuous times witnessed by the
JMM changes candidates in 2 Odisha assembly seats
The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) Friday said it has changed candidates in two assembly seats of Odisha. The party had earlier announced names of candidates for one Lok Sabha seat and five assembly segments in the state. The JMM replaced Sunder Mohan Singh with Phagu Hansdah as the party candidate for Bangiriposi seat and Sunaram Tudu with Ramchandra Murmu for Rairangpur constituency, a party statement said. Three other assembly candidates are Mahesh Chandra Hembram (Saraskana), Kalinga Keshari Jena (Moroda) and Sebeyan Aind (Birmitrapur). The party has fielded Sibu Soren's daughter Anjali Soren from Mayurbhanj (ST) Lok Sabha constituency. Polling for Lok Sabha and assembly will be held simultaneously in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
Report says US count none of Pak F-16 fighter jets missing; IAF sticks to its stand
A US count of Pakistan's F-16 fighter jets has found that none of them are missing, contradicting India's claim that one of its war planes downed a Pakistani F-16 during an aerial dogfight on February 27, a leading American magazine reported, even as the IAF on Friday stuck to its stand and said it had conclusive proof. Two senior US defense officials with direct knowledge of the situation told the Foreign Policy magazine that American personnel recently counted Islamabad's F-16s and found none of the planes missing. "The findings directly contradict the account of Indian Air Force officials, who said that Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman managed to shoot down a Pakistani F-16 before his own plane was downed by a Pakistani missile," the report said Thursday. "It is possible that in the heat of combat, Varthaman, flying a vintage MiG-21 Bison, got a lock on the Pakistani F-16, fired, and genuinely believed he scored a hit," the report said. The report said that evidence also ...
International court prosecutors says US has revoked her visa
The prosecutor of the International Criminal Court said Friday that her US visa has been revoked, in what appears to be evidence of a crackdown on the global tribunal by the Trump administration. In a statement confirming the revocation, Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda's office stressed that she "has an independent and impartial mandate" under the court's founding treaty, the Rome Statute. "The Prosecutor and her office will continue to undertake that statutory duty with utmost commitment and professionalism, without fear or favour," the statement said. Bensouda's office said that the revocation of her visa shouldn't have an impact on her travel to the US for meetings, including regular briefings at the UN Security Council. The US has never been a member of the ICC, a court of last resort that prosecutes grave crimes only when other nations are unwilling or unable to bring suspects to justice. Bensouda is expected to brief the Security Council next month on her investigations in Libya. The .
J-K govt announces holidays on poll dates in 6 LS constituencies
The Jammu and Kashmir government Friday announced public holidays on poll dates in six parliamentary constituencies in the state. As per a government order, the government has notified five days as holidays under section 135 B of the representation of the People Act 1951. The order also declared the poll day as paid holiday for every eligible voter employed in any business, trade, industrial undertakings or any other establishment. Daily waged and casual workers eligible to vote shall also be entitled to the holidays and wages on the poll day in a particular area, it said. According to the notification, the polling day of April 11 will be a holiday in Baramulla parliamentary constituency (PC) comprising districts of Baramulla, Kupwara Bandipora and Jammu PC comprising Jammu, Samba, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Srinagar PC comprising three districts of Srinagar, Budgam and Ganderbal and the Udhampur PC consisting of Udhampur, Kuthua, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts will ...
Jaitley questions Rahul's silence on chopper scam
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday questioned Congress President Rahul Gandhi's "silence" on the Enforcement Directorate chargesheet in the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland VVIP chopper deal case, which mentioned that kickbacks were paid to "important political persons" of the then ruling party and others.
'Nyay' will kickstart Indian economy: Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that the party's proposed Nyay scheme would "kickstart the economy to full steam" and bring it back on the rails.
EC allows ministers, MLAs to take part in Jallianwala Bagh event
The EC Friday allowed chief ministers, cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs and other politicians to participate in the functions which would be organised to commemorate the centenary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Punjab CEO S Karuna Raju said. With the Model Code of Conduct in place in view of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, Raju said the Election Commission of India has conveyed its approval on the condition that the ministers and lawmakers must confine themselves to "extolling the achievements of the martyrs, glory of the Indian state and so on". "Under no circumstances, it should become a platform for political campaign/ political mileage," the Chief Electoral Officer said quoting the conditions laid down by the ECI. On the harvest festival of Baisakhi on April 13, 1919, a large number of civilians had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh near the Golden Temple in Amritsar when troops under the command of British officer Reginald Dyer, fired on the crowd. A number of people had jumped into a
Erdogan says Russia missile deal to go ahead after US suspension
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to go ahead with a deal to purchase Russian missiles despite Washington's suspension of Turkey's participation in a US jet programme because of security concerns over Russian deal. Turkey's agreement to buy the Russian S-400 system has further tested its relations with Washington, stoking US concern about Erdogan's burgeoning relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. United States officials have repeatedly warned of the risks the Russian system would pose to Western defences and the lack of interoperability with NATO hardware. Relations between NATO allies US and Turkey were already on shaky ground over issues including US support to a Syrian Kurdish militia viewed by Ankara as terrorists. The US said on Monday it was halting all deliveries and joint work with Turkey on the F-35 fighter jet programme if Ankara insisted on the deal. "The S-400 process is complete," Erdogan said on Friday, adding that the first delivery of the system