Page 1079 - Politics
AAP accuses BJP of violating MCC by campaigning using taxis
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has filed a Model Code of Conduct (MCC) violation complaint against BJP accusing it of advertising on commercial taxis in the run up to the general elections.AAP has alleged that some public service vehicles are being used for political advertisement by BJP and were spotted plying in Delhi. It also mentioned that such advertisement was in violation of the Delhi Transport Policy."Delhi Transport policy also forbids political advertisement through any vehicle which is being used for transporting passengers," the letter reads.In its letter, AAP has also given the number and image of a car which it claims was spotted on April 2, carrying an advertisement of the BJP in Delhi.The Model Code of Conduct is a set of instructions and guidelines to be followed by political quarter and candidates contesting polls for the conduct free and fair elections. It came into force on March 10 after the announcement of election schedule by the EC.Seven phase elections will begin ..
Congress hatched conspiracies to defeat BR Ambedkar, says Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday accused the Congress of "neglecting" architect of Indian Constitution BR Ambedkar and plotting various conspiracies to "defeat" the Dalit icon."Recall how the Congress treated architect of our Constitution, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. How he got neglected? Congress plotted many conspiracies to defeat him. Congress did everything possible to have Babasaheb defeated. It conspired to have his memory erased from the public mind. It is important that youth of today knows about these facts," he said at a public rally here where Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan, son of party president Ram Vilas Paswan, is in the fray.The Prime Minister claimed that the Congress remembered honouring its own family members, but "forgot" about Ambedkar. It was due to BJP's efforts that Ambedkar was posthumously awarded the country's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna, he said.In a veiled reference to Congress party's manifesto, which promised to amend the AFSPA .
Indian Army inflicts several casualties on Pak troops, destroys 7 military posts: officials
Indian Army Tuesday destroyed seven Pakistani military posts across the Line of Control in retaliation to the continued ceasefire violations by them for the fifth day, said officials. This inflicted several casualties also on Pakistani troops, they added. Seven Pakistani posts across the LoC in Rakhchakri and Rawalkot forward areas of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) were destroyed, they said, adding there have been several causalities also on the Pakistani side. Three Indian villagers too were injured at Shahpur border area in Poonch district Tuesday in the shelling by the Pakistani army, the officials added. Pakistan's Inter-Services Public Relations admitted three casualties among their troops at Rakhchakri in Rawalakot of the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. An Indian Defence spokesperson said the Pakistani army began violating ceasefire early Tuesday. The spokesperson said the Pakistani troops violated the ceasefire at 11.30 am with mortar and artillery shelling and firings by small ...
Bengal Congress wants Priyanka Gandhi to campaign in Bengal
The West Bengal Congress Tuesday said it wants party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to campaign in the state for the Lok Sabha polls. "In our list of start campaigners in Bengal, we have the name of Priyanka Gandhi. We have requested the party high command to send her for campaigning in Bengal," state Congress president Somen Mitra told PTI. The list of star campaigners also includes AICC president Rahul Gandhi and his predecessor Sonia Gandhi. Rahul Gandhi has launched the party's poll campaign in West Bengal on March 23 from a rally in Malda district. After failure of seat sharing talks with CPI(M)-led Left Front in West Bengal, the Congress has decided to contest the poll alone in the state, where polling will be held in seven phases beginning April 11. West Bengal will be witnessing a four cornered contest - Trinamool Congress, BJP, Congress and Left Front.
LS polls: Nara Lokesh meets potters, handloom weavers
Spearheading his campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Andhra Pradesh Information Technology (IT) minister Nara Lokesh on Tuesday reached ground zero to meet potters and handloom weavers of Mangalagiri constituency.Wearing a yellow shirt (yellow is symbolic of TDP), Lokesh interacted with potters and also watched them work. He then proceeded to meet handloom weavers.Lokesh had filed his nomination paper on March 23 to contest from Mangalagiri constituency in Amaravati in the ensuing Assembly polls, while his father N Chandrababu Naidu will contest from Kuppam seat in Chittoor district for the seventh consecutive time.TDP supported the BJP-led government after 2014 Lok Sabha elections but withdrew the support in March last year over the issue of special status to Andhra Pradesh.In 2014 assembly elections, Naidu-led TDP won 103 seats and YSR Congress Party bagged 67 seats. BJP had won only four seats and the Congress could not get even a single seat.Elections to the 175-member .
EC writes to MoCA, Railways over 'lackadaisical approach' in enforcing Model Code of Conduct
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday wrote to Ministries of Railway and Civil Aviation over 'noncompliance of lawful instructions and lackadaisical approach towards enforcing the model code of conduct'."The Commission expresses its serious displeasure over the non-compliance of its lawful instructions and lackadaisical approach towards enforcing the Model Code of Conduct," the EC said while directing the MoCA to convey the same to Air India.EC also directed the MoCA to take action against the officer-in-charge and the same is to be reported to the commission.While pulling up the Ministry of Railways, the EC said, "The Election Commission decided that disciplinary action be taken against the officer-in-charge and report of the same to be submitted to it in a week."This comes after the ministries asked the Election Commission to provide more time for filing a reply to the poll body's earlier concerns over violation of the MCC.On March 27, the poll body had written to both ..
I have no desire to become PM: KCR
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday said that he has no desire to become the Prime Minister.
Kanhaiya welcomes promise of scrapping sedition law in Cong
Former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who shot to fame after being booked for treason following his participation in a gathering where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised,Tuesday welcomed the promise of scrapping the draconian sedition law made in the Congress manifesto released by its president Rahul Gandhi. The draconian law, which was introduced by the British imperialists, has always been misused. It was misused against Bhagat Singh and Mahatma Gandhi. After Independence, it has been misused to throttle any number of writers, artists filmmakers and thinkers. "The latest instance of its misuse we saw in BJP-ruled Assam, where peasant leader Akhil Gogoi was booked under this law just because he raised a voice against the Citizenship Bill", Kumar said in Begusarai, where he is in the fray as CPI candidate. He, however, added it is going to be a long process. First the Congress has to come to power to fulfil such a promise. Even after that, it ...
Modi blasts Congress over failure to rein in terror, raising
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday tore into the Congress-led UPA, blaming its "appeasement politics" for the failure of law enforcement agencies to rein in terror activities when it was in power and claiming it raised the "bogey of Hindu terror" to "misdirect" investigation. He also blasted the opposition parties for seeking proof of military operations against terror camps in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, saying they appeared more like spokespersons for Pakistan than political parties representing India. Kicking off his Lok Sabha poll campaign in Bihar with two back-to-back rallies in Jamui and Gaya, where candidates of his alliance partners-- LJP and JD(U)-- are in the fray, the prime minister assailed the Congress over a host of issues, including its failure to quell terrorism and lack of development. He also hit out at National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for advocating restoration of the post of prime minister in Jammu and Kashmir, wondering ..
Foreign Secretary visits Russia
Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale held talks with Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov in Moscow covering a range of bilateral and regional issues including the evolving situation in Afghanistan. Gokhale visited Moscow from April 1-2. The Ministry of External Affairs said both sides reviewed the implementation of the decisions of the 19th annual bilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Vladimir Putin here in October last year. The talks also covered preparations for the next bilateral summit and cooperation under Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Russia-India-China trilateral grouping and other bodies. "There were wide-ranging discussions on evolving situation in Afghanistan," the MEA said. The foreign secretary also met Deputy Minister of Foreign Sergey Ryabkov and discussed regional and international issues including those relating to disarmament and non-proliferation. "Foreign Secretary's meetings were in-depth and productive, ...
AINRC chief hits out at Pondy CM on statehood issue
Former Chief Minister and founder of AINRC N Rangasamy Tuesday hit out at the Congress government headed by V Narayanasamy on the issue of statehood for Puducherry. "It is amusing that Narayanasamy now feigns to be champion of statehood for Puducherry although he could have procured the status when he was Central Minister in the previous UPA government," Rangasamy said while campaigning for AINRC Lok Sabha nominee K Narayanasamy here. Rangasamy alleged that V Narayanasamy had put obstacles to all steps taken by him to persuade the Centre to grant statehood for Puducherry.
LS poll: AAP pledges support to SP-BSP-RLD candidate in Ghaziabad
With an eye to dent the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday announced it will support Suresh Bansal, the joint candidate of the SP-BSP-RLD combine from the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha seat. The decision of the AAP, which is not contesting this seat despite having fielded a nominee in 2014, is to ensure the defeat of the BJP, a senior party office-bearer said. "AAP's line is clear, that is to remove the Modi-Shah duo from power," party's western Uttar Pradesh unit convenor Somendra Dhaka told PTI. He said Bansal had reached out to AAP's UP in-charge Sanjay Singh and after discussions the decision was taken by party leadership and workers. "Last time we had got around one lakh votes, which means we have presence and supporters in Ghaziabad. We fought the mayoral elections here recently and got good number of votes," he said. Dhaka said an understanding has also been reached with the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) for supporting Jayant Chaudhury in Baghpat and Ajit Chaudhary in ...
Congress says states to be partners in Nyay
The Congress on Tuesday said that its ambitious Nyay scheme will be successfully implemented if the party is voted to power and it will cost about five per cent of total expenditure of state and Central governments.
NPP files plea against Nagaland Speaker's decision
The National People's Party (NPP) has filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, challenging the Nagaland Speaker's decision to approve the merger of two party MLAs with the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDDP), an NPP official said on Tuesday.
Mamata should tell her view on Omar Abdullah's statement :
Rajya Sabha member and leading journalist Swapan Dasgupta Tuesday sought to know West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's viewson the statement made by National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on J&K having a separate prime minister and wondered whether she supports it. "National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah was present during the January 19 rally by Mamata Banerjee. I would like to ask her what is her view reagrding Omar Abdullah's recent statement demanding a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir. "Does she support that statement? If yes what are her views on it, if no then what is her view," Dasgupta, who is affiliated to BJP, said. Omar Abdullah had on Monday said that NC will strive hard to restore the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a president and a Prime Minister. The statement, which was made at a rally at Bandipore in north Kashmir, had evoked sharp condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. BJP favours ...
BJP to meet the Congress fate in elections: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati Tuesday predicted defeat of BJP in the Lok Sabha elections like Congress suffered in the past for betraying dalits and minorities and benefitting the rich. Kicking off her party's election campaign in Odisha at a rally here, the BSP supremo held both the BJP and the Congress responsible for the miseries of weaker section of the society and also growth of terrorism in the country. She scoffed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "Mein Bhi Chowkidar Hun" campaign and said it can not further mislead the people. Dubbing Modi's campaign as a "Drama", Mayawati said the people have now understood to what extent this govenrment can deliver. This drama is not going to help the BJP get the popular mandate in the ensuing polls. "Both Congress and BJP have failed to contain terrorism from across the border. Both are equally responsible for the terror activities, Mayawati said. "Where is Achhe din as promised by Modi. The Achhe din has come for ..
Will make office of NSA, National Security Council accountable to Parliament: Cong
The Congress on Tuesday said if voted to power it will make the office of National Security Advisor as well as the National Security Council accountable to Parliament, and define their powers under the law. In its 54-page Lok Sabha polls manifesto titled "Congress Will Deliver", the party also promised to establish the office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to be the principal adviser to the government on matters relating to defence. "National security is dependent on a sound defence policy, a sound foreign policy and wise leadership. National security is not enhanced by chest-thumping or exaggerated claims," the Congress said, laying out its vision for the country's security. The party asserted that it will reverse the "trend" of declining defence spending under the NDA government and ensure that it is increased to meet the requirements of the armed forces. "We will expedite all modernisation programmes of the armed forces in a transparent manner," the party said. In its ...
Cong's manifesto unimplementable, agenda of India's balkanisation: Jaitley
The BJP Tuesday slammed the Congress's poll manifesto as "dangerous and unimplementable", and sought to corner the opposition party over the national security issue on its promise of repealing and reviewing certain laws, alleging that it was an agenda of India's "Balkanisation". Senior BJP leader and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley took a swipe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, wondering if his "friends" from "tukde tukde" gang drafted the parts of manifesto dealing with issues of Kashmir and national security. The BJP began using "tukde tukde" gang to refer to students accused of raising anti-India slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in 2016 and has generalised the phrase to attack those it accuses of sympathising with Maoists and separatists. Addressing a press conference, Jaitley took aims at the Congress's stand on issues of national security and promises on economy, saying, "When out of ignorance, he (Gandhi) makes unimplementable and dangerous promises, I am sure the ...
Won't allow change in Article 370: Congress manifesto
The Congress has promised that it won't allow any change in constitutional position on Article 370, will review AFSPA and reduce presence of armed forces in the Kashmir Valley if it wins the Lok Sabha polls.
Union minister Hegde, 33 candidates file nominations in Karna
Union Minister Ananth Kumar Hegde and Congress working president Eshwar Khandre are among 34 candidates who filed their papers Tuesday for 14 Lok Sabha constituencies which will go to the polls in the second phase on April 23. A total of 34 candidates have filed 41 nominations, poll officials said, adding that cumulative nominations filed stands at 139 from 99 candidates. Among 99 candidates, who have filed their papers till date, 95 are men and 4 women, they said. Hegde, a sitting BJP MP from Uttara Kannada, is seekingre-election from the same seat. The Union Minister of State for Skill Development andEntrepreneurship, who filed his nomination in the presence offormer Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, is pitted against JD(S)' Anand Asnotikar. Asnotikar is a former BJP Minister who had lost as JD(S) candidate from Karwar in the 2018 assembly polls. KPCC working president Eshwar Khandre, who is sittingMLA from Bhalki, filed his nomination from Bidar Lok Sabha constituency .