Page 1038 - Politics
SP promises Ahir regiment; calls for 'mahaparivartan'
The Samajwadi Party released its vision document on Friday, promising constitution of the Ahir (Yadav) regiment and calling for "mahaparivartan" (grand change). Releasing the 16-page document, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said the future of the country should be better for all sections, including farmers and Muslims. "It is our vision document for party leaders and workers, and will be utilised for answering the BJP," he said at the party headquarters here. The vision document, carrying the photographs of Akhilesh Yadav, his father and SP patron, Mulayam Singh Yadav, read: 'Samajik nyay se mahaparivartan: Ek nayi disha, ek nayi ummeed' (grand change through social justice: One new direction, one new hope). It also carried socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia's quote: "The fight against poverty is a farce till there is discrimination on basis of caste and sex." The last page of the multicoloured pictorial vision document carries an appeal: "Vote for 'mahaparivartan' (grand change)". Akhilesh .
Jaitley questions Rahul's silence on ED charge sheet in chopper scam
BJP leader Arun Jaitley on Friday questioned Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's "silence" on the Enforcement Directorate charge sheet in the AgustaWestland VVIP choppers case which has reference to senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel and 'family'. Addressing a press conference at the party office, Jaitley said the Congress should answer as to who were referred to as RG', AP' and FAM' in documents cited by the ED. "Right to silence is for accused not for the one who is dreaming to be the country's Prime Minister," the BJP leader said adding if no reply is given in case of such serious allegations, the country is "entitled to presume that no reply could have been given". Contending that evidence is "over-whelming and needle of suspicion is clear", Jaitley said he is demanding political answers to the allegations. "The more you suppress the truth, the more it spreads so it is necessary that reply be given by the Congress," the Finance Minister added. The initials were allegedly mentioned in ...
LIP MLA Simarjeet Bains to contest from Ludhiana LS seat
The Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) Friday named Simarjeet Singh Bains as its candidate for the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat. The LIP is a constituent of Punjab Democratic Alliance that also comprises outfits like the Punjabi Ekta Party led by Sukhpal Singh Khaira, and the BSP. The announcement was made by LIP MLA Balwinder Singh Bains at a public meeting here. The 48-year-old Simarjeet Singh Bains is the sitting MLA from the Atam Nagar assembly segment in Ludhiana. He had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Ludhiana. The Congress has already announced that its sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu will be its candidate from the seat, whereas the SAD and Aam Aadmi Party are yet to announce their nominees. Polling on 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab will be held in the final phase on May 19.
NAB conducts raid at Shehbaz Sharif's residence to arrest his son
Pakistan's anti-graft body Friday conducted a raid at the residence of opposition leader in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif to arrest his son in a corruption case, a media report said. A National Accountability Bureau (NAB) team conducted the raid on a house, believed to be that of Shehbaz Sharif's residence, allegedly because his son 44-year-old Hamza was "not cooperating" in the assets beyond means case. The team had gone to arrest Hamza on the basis of evidence against him in the assets beyond means and alleged money laundering case, the report said. "NAB officials had gone to the residence with an arrest warrant and the Supreme Court had stated that the accountability bureau did not require to inform any accused prior to arresting them," the NAB said in a statement. In addition to the assets beyond means case, Hamza is facing an inquiry into the Ramzan Sugar Mills case, the Dawn newspaper reported. According to the NAB, Hamza and his younger brother Salman Shehbaz being ...
'Will create mass movement against cover-up of Kashmiri Pandits' genocide'
An organisation of displaced Kashmir Pandits Friday vowed to create a mass movement against the alleged cover-up of the community's genocide and the denial of their basic rights under the international and domestic laws. The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) also criticised national and regional political parties including the Congress, the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for failing to give justice to Pandits. "We will create a mass movement against the cover-up of genocide of KPs and the denial of their basic rights under international and domestic law", GKPD Chairperson Moti Kaul said. "I will kick off a nationwide tour and interact with the community members, media, political representatives from all parties and other stakeholders," he added. This mobilisation of support is designed to create a movement against the cover-up of Kashmiri Pandits' genocide, he said further. Kaul stressed that for the last 30 years, governments have failed to ...
Modi threw out his guru Advani, is this Hinduism, asks Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of humiliating BJP veteran L K Advani, saying disrespecting one's guru is not Hindu culture. Gandhi's swipe at Modi over the treatment meted out to Advani follows the BJP patriarch's blog published Thursday where he said the BJP never considered its political adversaries as anti-national. "BJP talks of Hinduism. In Hinduism, guru is supreme. It talks of guru-shishya tradition. Who is Modi's guru? Advani. Modi just kicked Advani out ('Joota marke stage se utara')," Gandhi said. The remark was a veiled reference to Advani not getting Lok Sabha poll ticket from Gandhinagar, from where BJP has fielded party president Amit Shah instead. "2019 (polls) is a battle of ideologies and the Congress ideology of brotherhood, love and harmony will win against Modi's hate, anger and divisive ideology." The Congress chief also said he was not bothered by the criticism of the Nyay minimum income scheme promised ..
BJP supporters hold rallies in America
Supporters of the BJP in the US have organised a number of rallies and events in several American cities ahead of the general election in India. While a group of Indian-Americans organised "Chowkidar March" in New Jersey, NRIs4Modi group organised a car rally in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC this week. "There is so much enthusiasm among the NRIs to bring back the Modi government," said Krishna Reddy, president of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) after participating in a "Chowkidar March" in the Indian-American dominated areas of New Jersey. People from different backgrounds joined the march with placards written in multiple languages like Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi, Telugu, Tamil, Kannnada and Malayalam, he said. Some of the meetings were addressed by senior BJP leaders over phone or video conferencing. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and BJP leader Kailash Vijayvargiya addressed a gathering of 500 NRIs at 'NaMo Sangam' meeting in San Francisco. Sunil Deodhar addressed a ...
Congress lodges model code violation complaint against BJP
The Congress has lodged a complaint with the Election Commission alleging that the BJP candidate for West Tripura constituency, Pratima Bhowmik has violated the model code of conduct by making statements about the Indian Army and Balakot airstrike. Bhowmik is also the general secretary of the Tripura unit of BJP. Vice-President of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee, Tapas Dey in a letter to Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Sriram Taranikanti on Wednesday wrote that Bhowmik said Indian Armys "brave steps" and Balakot airstrike in her speech at Kalinagar village of West Tripura district on March 31 last. Dey alleged that Bhowmik said the credit for the Balakot airstrike should go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is violation of mode code of conduct. "She has violated the model code of conduct and the instructions of the Election Commission of India. We are concerned that these statements would turn out to be counter-productive for the spirit and essence of democracy and
SC refuses to grant interim stay on electoral bonds scheme; to take up matter on Apr 10
The Supreme Court Friday refused to grant interim stay on the electoral bonds scheme of the central government on funding to political parties and asked the petitioner NGO to file an appropriate application for it. The Centre told the top court that the scheme was launched to prevent black money flow into political funding. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna said the issue requires a detailed hearing and, therefore, it will take up the plea on April 10. "You have not filed an appropriate application for interim stay. You file the application, we will take up the matter on April 10," the bench told advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the NGO, Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR). During the brief hearing, Bhushan alleged that thousands of crores of rupees were anonymously being given to political parties through electoral bonds. Bhushan said he is seeking an interim stay as a recent survey has suggested that 95 percent of electoral .
ED charge sheet a 'cheap election stunt' to divert attention from Modi's imminent defeat: Cong
The Congress said on Friday that the Enforcement Directorate's supplementary charge sheet in the AgustaWestland VVIP Chopper scam case was a "cheap election stunt" to divert the people's attention from the "imminent defeat" of the Narendra Modi dispensation in the Lok Sabha election. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said a "panic-stricken" Modi government is using "rehashed insinuations" through its "puppet" Enforcement Directorate, which it dubbed as "Election Dhakosla" (sham) for "manufacturing lies". "A single uncertified page leaked by ED of a purported charge sheet is a cheap election stunt to divert attention from imminent defeat of Modi government. The ED has become 'Election Dhakosla' of a government manufacturing a lie a day," he told reporters. "All these rehashed insinuations and lies were bundled out earlier too through a set of pliable media. Ultimately, they failed in an international court and were rejected as trash. A panic-stricken Modi government and its
Amit Shah to begin his campaign with road-shows
BJP president Amit Shah, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Gandhinagar, will start his campaign with two road-shows here on April 6, his party's foundation day. The road-shows will cover several areas of western part of Ahmedabad city which falls in the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency, said Gujarat BJP president Jitu Vaghani. The first road-show will start from Sarkhej on the outskirts of Ahmedabad Saturday morning and will end at Haveli in Vastrapur. In the evening, Shah would take part in another road-show which will pass through Sabarmati area. Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is also slated to address poll meetings at Anand, Vadodara and Ahmedabad Saturday, Vaghani said.
Electoral Bonds issue: SC slates matter for hearing on April 10
The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned till April 10 hearing in the plea challenging the validity of electoral bonds.The top court bench was hearing a petition filed by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) challenging the validity of electoral bonds, unlimited corporate funding, and transparency in political funding.A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi was of the view that the matter requires a detailed hearing and hence, slated it for further consideration on April 10.During the course of the hearing, Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner said that thousands of crores of rupees are flowing into ruling party coffers from anonymous donors adding that anonymity of electoral bonds has ensured that majority of these go to the ruling partyReplying to the advocate, Attorney General KK Venugopal, appearing for the Centre said that Bhushan is making an election speech. Electoral bonds curbed black money.On Wednesday, the Union of India (Finance Ministry) filed
UP: BJP leader makes people pledge to vote against Cong, SP-BSP alliance
BJP leader Parmeshwar Lal Saini made electorates of Sambhal constituency pledge to vote against the Congress, Samajwadi Party and BSP alliance in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections.Addressing a gathering of people here on April 4, he appealed them to vote only for the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the upcoming elections, alleging that the opposition parties are "anti-nationals" who speak the language of Pakistan.He also asked people to pledge to empower women and revolt against those who do not say Vande-Matram.Bharatiya Janata Party on March 22 fielded Parmeshwar Lal Saini from the Sambhal parliamentary seat, replacing Satya Pal Singh.Uttar Pradesh goes to polls in all seven phases from April 11 to May 19. The counting of votes will be held on May 23.
573 candidates file nomination forms for 26 Guj LS seats
A total of 573 candidates have filed their nomination papers for the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, where elections will be held in a single phase on April 23. The state will see a direct contest between the BJP, which swept all 26 seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and the Congress, which has not entered into an alliance with any party. The last date of withdrawal of nomination forms is April 8. "A total of 573 candidates have filed their nomination forms for 26 Lok Sabha seats of the state. On the last day of filing nominations, which was Thursday, 313 candidates submitted their forms," Additional Chief Electoral Officer Ashok Manek said. The scrutiny of the forms is underway, he added. In 2014, the Congress had given the Porbandar seat to the NCP. Among the main contenders this time are BJP national president Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, Union minister and Dahod MP Jasvantsinh Bhabhor, the Congress' leader of opposition in the Assembly Paresh Dhanani and Babu Katara, .
Oppn's agenda is to remove me from power, promote dynastic
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday slammed the opposition parties alleging their only agenda was to dislodge him from power and promote dynastic politics. Addressing a rally in western Uttar Pradesh which goes to polls in the first phase on April 11, he targeted the Congress accusing it of being against the welfare of the backward classes and termed its poll manifesto a "dhakosla patra (sham document)". "The opposition's only agenda is 'Modi hatao' (remove Modi). Their only intention is to promote 'vansvaad' (dynastic politics)," he said. The prime minister also accused RLD chief Ajit Singh of "forgetting" the atrocities against people and not "raising his voice for self-interest". The Rashtriya Lok Dal is in alliance with the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party in Uttar Pradesh. Modi charged the opposition parties with spreading canard in Saharanpur, Kairna, Muzaffarnagar and the entire western Uttar Pradesh that Saharanpur was their "new laboratory". "But remember, when ...
'Self first, country last' for Modi, Shah: Chandrababu Naidu
TDP president and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu Friday latched onto veteran BJP leader L K Advani's blog to attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it was "self first and country last" for him. "Advani's remarks in the blog reflected his anguish. For him, country came first, party second and self last. It's reverse in the case of Modi. For Modi and (Amit) Shah, it is self first and country last. The ideals of Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee no longer have value in the BJP," Naidu, an erstwhile ally of the BJP, said. In his blog, Advani has said his party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-nationals" or "enemies". Advani's comments assume significance as top BJP leaders, including Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, have been attacking opposition parties with anti-national barbs in the aftermath of the Balakot air strikes. Addressing a sit-in in front of Ambedkar's statue in Vijayawada and condemning recent Income Tax Department ...
Modi behind everything to demoralise Opposition: Kharge on K'tka IT raids
Lashing out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi while reacting to Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy's complaints of alleged harassment by Income Tax officials, senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that Modi was behind it to demoralise the Opposition."This is going on for a while. In the past, he used CBI, ED and Income Tax departments. He is doing everything to win elections and to demoralise the Opposition. In a democracy, he must not do these things yet he is doing so because he has lost hope. But, we will fight and win the elections," Kharge told ANI.He also asserted that Congress will form a JPC to probe the Rafale deal after it is voted to power."There is corruption in Rafale deal and there must be a probe on how the contract was not given to public sector but to the private sector. We will form an inquiry committee and a JPC will investigate the matter," Kharge said.He also alleged that "chowkidar" allowed the bank defaulters to flee from India after ...
US special envoy for Afghan meets Qureshi
US special envoy for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad met Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi here on Friday after holding delegation-level talks on the Afghan peace process.
Bengal neglected its voters' priorities: Survey
Voters' priorities in West Bengal have largely been "neglected by the government in power" said a survey released on Friday, as responders rated the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool's performance on three counts as "below average" on three key issues -- employment opportunities, agriculture loan availability and higher price realisation of farm products.
NAB conducts raid at Shehbaz Sharif's residence
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday conducted a raid at the residence of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President and opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif to arrest his son Hamza in the assets beyond means case.