Page 106 - Politics
Cong calls Modi "very big salesman", BJP asks it to respect peoples mandate
The BJP and opposition members on Monday traded barbs in Lok Sabha with Union minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi asking rivals of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respect people's mandate while the Congress attributed the saffron party's win in the general elections to Modi being a "very big salesman". Selected by the BJP to initiate the debate on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President's speech to Parliament, Sarangi, the debutant MP from Odisha, showered praises on Modi and compared him to Swami Vivekanand, prompting Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury to retort later that he should not compare "monk and monster". Sarangi, known for his humble life style, also raised nationalism pitch during his nearly an hour-long speech and questioned if those who do not believe in Vande Mataram and raised slogans like 'Pakistan jindabad' and 'Afzal Guru zindabad' have any right to live in India. He also asserted that "tukde-tukde" gang will not be tolerated. He said criticising Modi is like ...
CM joins issue with BJP, says 'Grama Vastavya' not political
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday said his'Grama Vastavya' (overnight stay in villages) programme was not a 'political gimmick', even as the BJP Monday dismissed it and said the people need relief from the "daily streetfight" between Congress and JD(S) leaders. Dismissing the initiative as a drama, BJP state unit chief B S Yeddyurappa alleged that the chief minister was wasting crores of rupees in the name of 'Grama Vastavya'. Hitting back at Yeddyurappa, Kumaraswamy said, Grama Vastavya is not a political gimmick, it can be done only with "freedom of conscience", "humanity", and a will power to solve problems with a "motherly heart". 'Grama Vastavya' is aimed at taking administration to the people. Rejecting Yeddyurappa's allegation that crores of rupees were being spent on the programme, Kumaraswamy said spending on him during the Grama Vastavya was only limited to travel cost, and basic facilities for stay at a government school. Pointing out that at Chandaraki ...
Jagan assures transformational governance, asks officials to
Farmers welfare, improvement in education and healthcare sectors would be the top-most priority of his government, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said Monday. Committing himself to delivering a transformational governance with transparency as its hallmark, he said there should be no "corruption". Inaugurating the first two-day conference of district Collectors under his government, aimed at setting the agenda for the administration, he asked the bureaucrats to go full blast against anything thats illegal. This government is not going to support any illegal activities or looting (of public money). Say no to illegal activities, say no to looting, say no to sand mafia, say no to gambling dens. Say no to any sort of corruption. This is my humble request, Jagan told the state bureaucrats. Stressing that they are all here "to bring about transformation" and transparency should be visible in every step of the government, the Chief Minister wanted Andhra ...
Portfolios allocated to two new ministers
: Ten days after inducting two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh into the ministry, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Monday allocated portfolios forthem. The chief minister also appointed S R Srinivas as Primary and Secondary Education Minister. While Shankar has been given the portfolio of Municipalities and Local Bodies, Nagesh gets Small Scale Industries, an official gazette said. S R Srinivas from JD(S), who was holding the Small Scale Industries portfolio, has been given the charge of Primary and Secondary Education, it said. The Primary and Secondary Education Ministry was with the Chief Minister after lone BSP MLA N Mahesh quit from the cabinet in October last year and there was growing pressure on Kumaraswamy from within, especially from JD(S) state chiefA H Vishwanath to appoint a minister. Kumaraswamy on June 14 had expanded his cabinet by inducting the two Independent MLAs in an apparent move to givestability to his 13-month old wobbly government. The ...
JD(U) MLA joins ruling NDPP in Nagaland
The lone JD(U) MLA in Nagaland joined the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) here on Monday. JD(U) MLA and Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation, G Kaito Aye along with his supporters and some other leaders joined the NDPP in the presence of Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. Confirming the news chairman of North East Executive Council of JD(U) and also the Convenor of Nagaland unit of the party, Senchumo NSN Lotha said that the party is aware of its legislator joining the ruling NDPP. Nonetheless, he said that the party would respond to the development only after in-depth consideration. With the JD(U) MLA joining the NDPP, the strength of NDPP in the 60-member state Assembly has gone up to 21 while its alliance partner BJP has 12 MLAs. An Independent legislators also supports the NDPP-BJP alliance government. The Opposition NPF has 26 MLAs.
Pompeo meets Saudi rulers on Iran crisis
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo met Monday with Saudi Arabia's rulers as he sought to coordinate with allies over soaring tensions with Iran. On a day trip scheduled after Iran shot down a US drone, Pompeo flew into the Red Sea city of Jeddah and met with King Salman at his palace. "You are a dear friend," the king told Pompeo as he shook hands with the top US diplomat and his aides. Pompeo later opened talks with the powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman. The top US diplomat was due to fly later Monday to the United Arab Emirates. Both Saudi and Emirati leaders advocate a tough US approach against regional rival Iran, whose downing of the unmanned drone prompted President Donald Trump to order a military strike before changing his mind. Pompeo, speaking to reporters as he left Washington, called Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates "two great allies in the challenge that Iran presents". "We'll be talking with them about how to make sure that we are all strategically ...
Hooda rejects BJP leader's claim of his exit from Congress
Former Haryana Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday rejected BJP leader Krishan Bedi's claim over his exit from the party."Krishan Bedi, Anil Vij or Khattar sahab, they do not see anything else but Hooda, they even dream of me during the night," he told reporters here.Hooda lost from Sonipat seat in the recently concluded elections, while his son Deepinder Singh Hooda too lost to Arvind Sharma of the BJP from Rohtak, a known Hooda bastion.Haryana, where 90-Assembly seats are at stake, is scheduled to vote in October this year.
UK PM hopeful reveals his naughtiest time in India with 'bhang' lassi
UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt, who is going head to head with Boris Johnson in Britain's prime ministerial race, on Monday revealed his naughtiest act took place during a backpacking tour of India when he had some 'bhang' lassi. The candidates to replace Theresa May as the next British Prime Minister face the Conservative party's 160,000 members in a postal ballot to decide between Hunt and Johnson and the contest is getting increasingly heated between the contenders. "When I was backpacking through India, I once had a Bhang Lassi - which is a kind of cannabis lassi - that's the naughtiest thing I am prepared to confess to on this programme," Hunt said on a television interview when asked about his naughtiest act. Hunt, who challenged Johnson to engage in more open debates with him, said it was important for both candidates to lay out their agenda clearly. "On the question of debates, he is being a coward. It is cowardice not to appear in head-to-head debates," he said in reference
Suspected mastermind of Ethiopia attacks shot dead
Ethiopian police have shot dead a security chief suspected of orchestrating a deadly bid to overthrow the regional Amhara government, with possible links to the murder of the army chief, state media reported Monday. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's office had named Amhara security chief Asaminew Tsige as the chief suspect in an "attempted coup" in the region that left its president, top adviser and attorney general dead on Saturday. A few hours later in what the government said appeared to be a "co-ordinated attack", the army chief Seare Mekonnen was killed by his bodyguard at his home in Addis Ababa. However, details of links between the two attacks and their ultimate motive have not been made clear. "Asaminew Tsige, who has been in hiding since the failed coup attempt over the weekend has been shot dead" in the regional capital Bahir Dar, state broadcaster EBC reported. While observers say there were no telltale signs of a concerted national coup, the unrest is a major blow for Abiy, who
Insisted on passing women's reservation bill in ongoing session: TMC
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien said on Monday the party had insisted at the all party meeting last week that the women's reservation bill be passed in the ongoing session of Parliament. The TMC spokesperson said he was happy that the proposal was been endorsed by the Congress. "At the all-party held on June 16 (Sunday), Trinamool Congress insisted that the Women's Reservation Bill be passed in this session of #Parliament Glad the Leader of the Opposition in RS today, Ghulam Nabi Azad, endorsed the same," O'Brien tweeted. Earlier in the day in Parliament, Azad slammed the BJP-led Union government for its failure to pass the women reservation bill in the Lok Sabha and spending half of the money on the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao and the Swachh Bharat schemes on advertisements.
Britain is a 'steadfast friend' of India: UK minister
The UK is a "steadfast friend" of India and the new British Prime Minister who takes over from Theresa May will ensure that strengthening the bilateral relationship is on the top of his agenda, secretary of state for work and pensions Amber Rudd said Monday. The senior Conservative Party MP and minister in the UK Cabinet, who was the chief guest at the first-ever India Day at the Houses of Parliament complex in London, welcomed the event to launch UK-India Week 2019 as an important reminder of the need to be more ambitious with India-UK ties. "I do hope that Jeremy Hunt will be our next Prime Minister and I know that he takes relations with India very seriously and it will certainly be top of his in-tray," said Rudd, in reference to the ongoing prime ministerial contest between UK foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt and former foreign secretary Boris Johnson. "UK-India Week is a wonderful reminder of the ties the UK and India share. There is a need to be ambitious from the UK's side, but ...
Cong mulls options on action against party MLA; Khuntia
AICC incharge of party affairs in Telangana R C Khuntia Monday took exception to MLA Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy's critical remarks against the leadership, as the party considered its options on taking action against him. The leadership has taken a serious view of his "indiscipline" and were contemplating suspending him, Congress sources said. However, Congress planned to take legal opinion on the mater in view of the argument that the anti-defection law may not apply if he is suspended, they said. Rajagopal Reddy,MLA from Munugode,recently blamed Khuntia and state Congress president N Uttam Kumar Reddy for the party's poor showing in the December 2018 Assembly elections. He had hinted at joining the BJP. The Disciplinary Action Committee of the Congress in Telangana has issued a show-cause notice to him and reported the matter to the party high command. Appropriate action would be taken after his reply is received, he said. "Everything cannot be explained. But I said ...
'Youth Congress to urge Rahul to not leave party president post'
With uncertainty looming over whether Rahul Gandhi will continue as Congress president, workers of Youth Congress will, on June 26, will make an appeal in front of their leader to not leave the post, sources said on Monday.Though there was no official comment on the matter, the sources said that as many as 4,000 to 5,000 workers will make the appeal to Gandhi, who had, on May 25, offered to resign from the post of party president following Congress poor performance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.President of Youth Congress Keshav Yadav told ANI, "The workers will gather at his residence in New Delhi. We will assure him of our support."Vice president of the Youth Congress B Shrinivas echoed similar sentiments."As many as 12 crore people have voted in favour of Rahul Gandhi. He must not quit from the post of president," said Shrinivas.Later, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had unanimously rejected Rahul Gandhi's offer to resign as the party chief.According to the sources, Gandhi ..
Jharkhand mob lynching: Opposition attacks BJP-RSS combine
The BJP-RSS combine on Monday came under attack from political parties over the lynching of a Muslim youth with leaders asking whether this was the "New India" Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised during the elections.Several leaders lincluding former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and PL Punia criticised the Central government over the lynching of 22-year-old Tabrez after he was allegedly forced to recite "Jai Shri Ram" and "Jai Hanuman".PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti tweeted, "Tabrez Ansari was lynched to death in BJP ruled Jharkhand. A Hindu mob thrashed him ruthlessly because he refused to chant Jai Sri Ram. Is this NDA 2.0's New India? Yeh kaunsa tareeka hai sabka vishwas jeetnay ka?"Owaisi said such incidents are not going to stop as the BJP and RSS have increased hate against Muslims in the society."Incidents of mob lynching are not going to stop because BJP and RSS have increased a sense .
India, Brunei vow to step up trade, investment
India and Brunei Monday reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral ties and resolved to step up trade and investment. The 7th Foreign Office Consultations between India and Brunei Darussalam was held here with the Indian side led by Secretary East Vijay Thakur Singh and the Brunei side led by Hajah Siti Norishan Haji Abdul Ghafor, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Brunei government. The consultations provided an opportunity to review the entire gamut of bilateral relations, including political, trade and investment, defence, cultural and people to people contact, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. The two sides also exchanged views on regional and multilateral issues, it said. Both sides expressed satisfaction on the regular political-level exchanges and the current state of relationship and cooperation, the MEA said. They agreed to explore cooperation in energy, health and pharmaceuticals, higher education and agricultural sectors. A presentation was ...
Iraq appoints ministers but govt still incomplete
The Iraqi parliament approved three new ministers on Monday, but the post of education minister remains unfilled eight months after Prime Minister Adel Abdel Mahdi was appointed. The legislature gave its backing to Abdel Mahdi's picks to head the defence, interior and justice ministries. President Barham Saleh handed Abdel Mahdi the task of forming a new government last year, following the country's hard-fought victory over the Islamic State group, as several coalitions were jockeying for preeminence. A veteran of Iraqi politics and an economist by training, Abdel Mahdi, 76, was regarded as sufficiently independent to be able to assemble a government despite fractures in the ruling elites. He also has the backing of both Washington and Tehran, two key Iraqi allies who are themselves bitter enemies. But he has faced a complex task building a government which faces the enormous challenges of rebuilding a country ravaged by three years of fighting IS. Abdel Mahdi won parliament's backing
Adhir Ranjan stokes controversy with his 'naali' remark, apologises
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury stoked a controversy on Monday with his "naali" (drain) remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha, with the BJP launching a scathing attack on him and his party, saying this "arrogance" will finish them. Later, Chowdhury, the Congress leader in the LS, clarified that his intention was not to insult the Prime Minister and he regrets if Modi was hurt by his comment. Speaking during the debate in the Lok Sabha on the 'Motion of Thanks' to the President's address, Chowdhury said he made the "naali" comment in response to some BJP leader's comparison of Modi with Swami Vivekananda which provoked and angered him. However, Chowdhury had made the remark soon after BJP minister Prahlad Joshi had said that at least BJP members don't say "India is Indira and Indira is India". Chowdhury's "nalli" remarks were later expunged by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, but BJP working president J P Nadda reacted strongly to these remarks, saying they ...
Trump tells other countries to protect own Gulf shipping
- President Donald Trump on Monday told other countries to protect their own Gulf oil shipments, declaring that the United States has only limited strategic interest in the "dangerous" region. In a pair of tweets, Trump said US aims regarding Iran boil down to "No Nuclear Weapons and No Further Sponsoring of Terror." As for Iran's threats to shut sea lanes used to transport a large portion of the world's oil exports through the Persian Gulf, Washington is not concerned, Trump said. Stating that the United States is now the world's biggest energy producer, thereby weaning itself off decades of dependence on Middle Eastern oil, Trump said "we don't even need to be there." And the US military should not be depended upon to keep the narrow sea routes along Iran's coast free. "Why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation," he asked. "All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been a dangerous ...
Trinamool opposes EVMs, demands ballot paper
"We oppose voting via EVMs. I along with party demand that ballot paper should be brought back," TMC's Saugata Roy said in Lok Sabha.He was participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address to the joint session of Parliament."This government has returned to power. We have to obey that for five years. Constitutionally it is acceptable. But, there is a doubt about the results of the election," he said.He asked how the BJP President, one day before the results were out, said "we shall get 300 seats" and his party got 303 seats."How come immediately after the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka the BJP was trounced in the local body election? There is a doubt that the EVMs have been manipulated," he said. "That is why we want these EVMS to be jettisoned and bring back the ballot paper as it has been done in many countries."Rejecting the idea of One Nation, One Election, Roy said it was an effort to straitjacket the Indian political system under one roof."We shall .
Bombay HC notice to 3 new ministers on plea challenging their appointment
The Bombay High Court on Monday issued notice to newly inducted Maharashtra ministers -- Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Jaydutt Kshirsagar and Avinash Mahatekar, seeking their response to a plea challenging their appointment.A division bench of Justices SC Dharmadhikari and Gautam Patel was hearing a petition filed by advocate Satish Talekar challenging the appointment of the three leaders as ministers in the Devendra Fadnavis government since they were not members of either House of the state legislature.Assembly polls in Maharashtra are due in October this year.The court asked the leaders to file their reply within four weeks.Patil, who was the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, had resigned from Congress. He was given the Housing portfolio.Kshirsagar, who quit NCP to join Shiv Sena, was made the Employment Guarantee and Horticulture Minister.Republican Party of India (A) leader Avinash Mahatekar also took oath as a minister.