Page 1050 - Politics
Goa CM holds high-level meeting with police officials
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant Wednesday held a meeting with senior police officials to discuss various issues, including the law and order situation and tackling drug peddling in the state, said a government spokesman Thursday. This was the first meeting of senior police officials presided over by Sawant after assuming charge on March 19. "Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday held a comprehensive review meeting with senior officers of Goa Police which was attended by Director General of Police Pranab Nanda besides others," said the spokesman in a statement here. "All aspects concerned with law and order situation in the state were discussed for evaluating the best approaches to ensure priorities of police," he said. At the meet, special emphasis was given on eliminating drug peddling in the tourist state, the spokesman said. "Other aspects like security, crime, traffic and police welfare were also discussed during the meeting," the spokesman said. Sawant took over
Rahul Gandhi files nomination from Wayanad in Kerala, says want to send a message of unity
With sister Priyanka Gandhi by his side, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday filed his nomination from Wayanad in Kerala and said he is fighting the Lok Sabha polls from a second seat in the south besides the party bastion Amethi in the north to send a message of unity and that "India is one". In a bid to reach out to the Left, Gandhi, 48, also said he wouldn't say a word against the state's CPI(M)-led LDF government during his campaign and that he would "absorb all its criticisms with happiness". The Left is is miffed with Gandhi's candidature from Wayanad. Wayanad will witness a triangular contest with Left Front constituent CPI's P P Suneer and BJP-backed NDA candidate Thushar Vellappally also in the fray. Gandhi, who was also accompanied by senior Congress leaders K C Venugopal and Mukul Wasnik, submitted the nomination papers before district collector A R Ajayakumar at Wayanad district headquarters in Kalpetta. Hundreds of workers of Congress and other allies in the ...
Modi to address election meetings in Kerala on April 12
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address election meetings in Kerala on April 12, BJP State chief P S Sreedharan Pillai said Thursday. "The Prime Minister will reach Kerala on April 12. He will attend two programmes--one at Kozhikode and another at Thiruvananthapuram," Pillai told PTI. This is the first visit of Modi to Kerala after the Election Commission issued a notification on March 19 kick starting the poll process in 97 seats spread across 13 states where phase two of the Lok Sabha polls will be held on April 18. Around ten union ministers would arrive in the state in the coming days to campaign, a senior party leader said. "Union Textiles minister Smriti Irani will reach the state on April 9, while External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj will be here on April 11," he said. Party sources said Home minister Rajnath Singh will reach the state on April 13 and on April 15, Transport minister Nithin Gadkari will campaign for the party. Defence Nirmala Sitharaman is ...
If re-elected, Modi will destroy Constitution: Mamata
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said if Prime Minister Narendra Modi returned to power after the Lok Sabha elections, he would destroy India's Constitution and democracy by taking away people's voting rights.
Kamal Nath to contest Chhindwara Assembly seat
Chief Minister Kamal Nath would contest the Chhindwara Assembly seat in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress announced on Thursday.
UP Dy CM slams Patnaik govt for failure to eradicate poverty
Slamming the BJD government for failing to eradicate poverty in Odisha in its 19-year-long tenure, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Thursday said the poor had become poorer in the state due to rampant corruption. While other states enjoyed the fruits of development, Odisha remained backward and its poor had turned poorer as the Naveen Patnaik government failed to take any step to eradicate poverty since it took over in 2000, Sharma said addressing BJP's election meetings at Nuapada. Alleging that several BJD leaders, ministers and candidates contesting the upcoming simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state are facing corruption charges, he said Odisha continues to be stung by poverty and backwardness because of all pervasive corruption. Funds provided by the BJP-led government at the Centre for construction of toilets were swindled, Sharma alleged adding that all centrally sponsored schemes were made victims of corruption and financial .
Few incidents of attacks on minorities cannot become symbolic of a nation: Dalai Lama
India is a land where religious harmony has existed for ages and a few incidents of attack on minorities cannot become symbolic of the nation that it is, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama Thursday said. Reacting to a question on attacks on the minority community in India, including the recent incident in Gurgaon where a mob of over 40 persons had recently pelted stones at the house of muslim family, the spiritual leader said there are always "a few mischievous people", but that does not mean it a symbol of that nation. "A few incidents (of attack on minorities) cannot become symbolic of the nation that we are". "There are always a few mischievous people, but that does not mean it a symbol of that nation," he said while addressing a press conference here. A mob of over 40 persons had recently pelted stones at the house of Mohammed Akhtar in Bhup Singh Nagar area in Gurugram and had also beaten up members of his family, in an attack triggered by a game of cricket on Holi. The ...
AAP, Cong resume talks to discuss seat-sharing formula for Delhi
The Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party have resumed talks to discuss the seat-sharing formula for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, sources said Thursday. The speculation of a tie-up between both the parties got a boost after AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh met All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Delhi P C Chacko Wednesday evening. The ruling AAP has proposed to give two seats to the Congress, which has instead demanded three - New Delhi, Chandni Chowk and North East Delhi, sources in both the parties claimed. "The two leaders discussed the seat-sharing formula, with the AAP offering two seats to the Congress," a source said. Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit, however, at a party programme, gave a cryptic reply showing her reservation against alliance with the AAP. "Rest assured we will remain as we are," Dikshit said when asked about possibility of the Congress's alliance with the AAP for the Lok Sabha polls. Chacko will convey the offer ...
BJP never saw those who disagree with it as foes: Advani
In an implicit criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP President Amit Shah, BJP veteran L.K. Advani on Thursday said the BJP never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "enemies" but only viewed them as "adversaries".
'Nyay' scheme conceived only after consulting experts: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Thursday that the ambitious 'Nyay' scheme was finalised only after consulting experts. The Congress, if voted to power, guarantees to deposit Rs 72,000 annually under the scheme to poor Indian families, Gandhi said, addressing a poll rally here. The Congress leader said he was here for the long haul and was "not interested in telling lies like Prime Minister Narendra Modi". Gandhi said the promise of Rs 72,000 to the poor families per year under the Nyay scheme was made only after speaking to experts. The Congress chief said implementation of the scheme will not affect the economy. The scheme will be a "surgical strike on poverty", Gandhi said. Lies get exposed, Gandhi said. While the Congress wants to work for the people of India, the BJP just makes hollow claims, he added. Targeting Anil Ambani on the Rafale deal, Gandhi said the industrialist lacks expertise in defence manufacturing, his businesses have failed and he has no money ..
For Cong, 'anti-nationalism is not a crime', says fmr leader
Former Congress leader Sham Lal Sharma Thursday said "anti-nationalism" was not a crime for the party as he hit the campaign trail for the forthcoming general elections after joining the BJP. The two-time Jammu and Kashmir minister and former vice-president of the state unit of the Congress also hit out at the party for its "dangerous" manifesto. "When out of power, the Congress makes promises which are either unimplementable or dangerous in nature. I am sure the country will not oblige them again," said Sharma at an election rally in Akhnoor border belt while campaigning for BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma. "There are clear divisive points in the manifesto which will divide the county and not unite it," added the leader who resigned from the Congress after many decades and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last week. He said that it appears that the manifesto released by the Congress was prepared by a religious organisation. "Some of the ideas are very dangerous for the ...
Assam govt declares dry days during elections
Assam government has declared dry day for 48 hours - from 5 pm when the campaign ends to the time when the polling concludes on a day - in all the three phases of Lok Sabha elections in the state. As per the declaration, dry day would be in force in the constituencies where elections would be held on April 11, 18 and 23, an official release said Thursday. In the first phase, the 48-hour period of liquor ban would be between 5 pm of April 9 and the same time of April 11. Similar system would be followed in the two other phases. Dry day will also be in force on the day of counting on April 23. There would be total ban on sale of any intoxicant during the dry days, the release said. Steps will also be taken to prohibit sale of liquor in areas adjoining constituencies concerned to prevent movement of liquor from those areas.
Twitter stops blocking French government's ad campaign
Twitter said Thursday it has stopped blocking French government ads calling on people to vote after it came under fire from authorities for being overzealous in applying a law aimed at banning fake news. The social media company modified its policy after executives met with French government officials, saying it has now decided to authorise such ads "after many exchanges." The French government had planned to use the #OuiJeVote or "Yes I vote" social media campaign to encourage voter registration and urge people to cast their ballots in the European parliamentary elections set for May 26. The campaign reportedly intended to promote its message using sponsored tweets. However, the government said Twitter refused the ads because even though the company modified its conditions in February to comply with the fake news law, it couldn't meet the law's transparency obligations. The law, championed by President Emmanuel Macron and adopted last year, is aimed at curbing false information ...
Sheila Dikshit rubbishes talks of alliance with AAP in Delhi
Former Chief Minister and Delhi unit Congress president Sheila Dikshit on Thursday once again rejected all talks about an alliance between her party and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the city-state where seven Lok Sabha seats are at stake."What alliance? All these discussions are going on just in media. That's it," she said.Commenting on the demand of full statehood to Delhi, she said, "This (full statehood) can only be given after an amendment in the Constitution. Earlier, we tried for it too but the Central government did not accept it."The Congress party has repeatedly rejected the overtures made by AAP for an alliance in Delhi. AAP has sought to form the alliance to arrest the division of anti-BJP votes in order to defeat the BJP which won all seven Lok Sabha seats in 2014.All seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi will go to polls in a single phase on May 12. The results will be announced on May 23.
EC collecting details regarding Prakash Ambedkar's reported remarks against the Commission
The Election Commission of India is gathering details regarding the comments reportedly made by Prakash Ambedkar against the poll body, an official said here on Thursday."It has come to our notice that such an incident has happened. We are taking inputs from the collector of Yavatmal. We will take all facts into consideration before taking appropriate action," said Shirish Mohod, Deputy Chief Electoral Officer, Maharashtra.Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh chairperson and grandson of BR Ambedkar, Prakash Ambedkar, on Thursday came into spotlight for threatening to take action against the Election Commission of India (ECI) if his party is voted to power.While addressing a public gathering at Yavatmal, Ambedkar called the Election Commission biased and slammed the organisation for directing political parties to not talk about the terror attack in Pulwama."I would like to know why we are not allowed to talk about the Pulwama terror attack when it is permitted under Constitution. Let our ...
This will be India's last election if Modi is re-elected: Mamata
Stepping up her poll offensive, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi will "throw away" the Constitution to make India a totalitarian regime if he is re-elected and the upcoming Lok Sabha election could be the last one in that case. Banerjee also asserted she will never allow National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Bengal and asked who has given Modi and BJP president Amit Shah the right to decide who will stay in the state or leave. The BJP, which has been mainly targetting Banerjee's Trinamool Congress in its high-pitched campaign in West Bengal for the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls, has repeatedly talked about bringing in an NRC in the state on the lines of neighbouring Assam. Addressing an election rally in this north Bengal town in Cooch Behar district, where polling will be held on April 11 in the first phase, Banerjee also challenged Modi to win more than 125 Lok Sabha seats in the general elections across the country. She claimed
CPI fields 9 LS poll candidates in Uttar Pradesh, CPI(M) to extend support to SP-BSP-RLD alliance
The Communist Party of India has fielded nine candidates for the Lok Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh and has plans to nominate candidates in a couple of more seats in the state, a party leader said Thursday. On the other hand, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has made it clear that it will not field any candidate in Uttar Pradesh, and will instead extend support to the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in the state. CPI's Uttar Pradesh unit Secretary Girish said, "At the commencement of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, our leaders approached all the secular parties including the Congress, and the SP-BSP-RLD alliance, since our only target is to defeat the BJP." "Since none of the political parties gave us any concrete assurance, we had to field as many as nine candidates in the state. The party will field two to three more candidates," he said. Apart from senior CPI leader Atul Kumar Anjan who will fight in Ghosi Lok Sabha seat, the party has fielded candidates in Robertsganj, Khiri, Banda, ...
Saudi Arabia grants Iraq loans as consulate opens
Saudi Arabia's trade minister announced a one-billion-dollar aid package for Iraq during a visit to Baghdad on Thursday, pledging stronger bilateral ties as the kingdom competes with rival Iran for influence over Iraq. Majed al-Qasabi also inaugurated a new Saudi consulate in Baghdad, one of four planned branches to open in Iraq after decades of no diplomatic links between the two countries. Speaking to reporters alongside Iraqi Oil Minister Thamer Ghadban, Qasabi said the relationship had entered "a new phase". "There's no doubt that this exchange, this discussion, is a two-way street that will strengthen these ties," said Qasabi, wrapping up a two-day visit. Saudi Arabia would provide Iraq with USD 1 billion in loans for development projects, said Qasabi, plus USD 500 million to boost exports and a gift of a 100,000-seat sports stadium to be built on Baghdad's outskirts. A joint Saudi-Iraq business council also proposed dozens of opportunities in Iraq for Saudi private investors and
Cong picks 'tainted' ex-MP for Dahod, a greenhorn for Bharuch
In a surprise move, the Congress has selected Babu Katara, a former BJP MP with a controversial past who joined the party in 2017, as its candidate for the tribal-dominated Dahod Lok Sabha seat of Gujarat. For the Bharuch seat, the opposition party has chosen Sher Khan Pathan, a political greenhorn who is yet to win any election in his career. The names of both the candidates, who filed their nominations Thursday, were announced by the Congress Wednesday night. With this, the Congress has announced candidates for all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, which will go to the polls in a single phase on April 23. Katara (58) is a two-time BJP MP from Dahod (ST), a seat he won in 1999 and 2004. In 2007, Katara was arrested at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi for allegedly trying to smuggle a woman and her teenage son to Canada on the passports of his wife and son. Following his arrest on human trafficking charges, Katara was expelled from the Lok Sabha in .
BJP never regarded those who disagree with it as "anti-national, enemies" : L K Advani
Veteran BJP leader L K Advani said Thursday that his party has never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national" or "enemies" but only as adversaries. His views assume significance at a time when the BJP under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah have made the issue of national security a key plank for the general elections and have often accused its political rivals of speaking the language of India's enemies like Pakistan. Many BJP leaders have also often used terms like "anti-national" to target opposition leaders. "The essence of Indian democracy is respect for diversity and freedom of expression. Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries," the 91-year-old leader wrote in a blog ahead of the BJP's foundation day on April 6. In a blog written almost five years after he wrote the last piece on its web page, Advani added,"similarly, in our ...