Page 108 - Politics
IAF achieved military objective in Balakot op; Pakistani side did not come into our airspace: Dhanoa
Pakistani Air Force side did not enter into Indian airspace after the Balakot airstrike, Air Marshal B S Dhanoa Monday said while asserting that the IAF "achieved its military objective" in the operation while Pakistan did not. He said this in response to a question at a press conference held during a day-long event at the Gwalior Air Base to mark 20 years of the Kargil War. "They didn't come into our airspace. And what was our objective? Our objective was to strike the (terror) camp and we have done that. We have achieved our objective. Their (Pakistani) objective was to hit our army places. They could not and that is the bottom line," he said. Dhanoa asserted that the IAF achieved its stated military objective but the Pakistani side did not. "But none of them (PAF side) crossed the LoC into our side," he told reporters. The IAF Monday also organised a seminar on 'Air operations in Kargil war, lessons learnt and way forward' at the Gwalior Air Force Station. The Air Force had struck .
'...Film abhi baki hai': says Mukul Roy as MLA, 10 Zila Parishad members join BJP
Taking a dig at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader Mukul Roy used the popular oneliner "yeh trailer hai, film abhi baki hai" as one more TMC MLA, and 10 Zila Parishad members including their chief joined the BJP here on Monday."Yeh trailer hai, film abhi baki hai (This is just a trailer, the film is yet to begin)," Roy said.Adding insult to Banerjee's injury, MLA Wilson Champramary, Dakshin Dinajpur Zilla Parishad President Lipika Roy along with 10 Parishad members joined BJP in presence of BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya and Mukul Roy at party headquarters here.Former MLA and Congress leader Viplav also joined the BJP.Speaking at the occasion, Vijayvargiya reiterated his claim that Trinamool Congress leaders' joining will take place in seven phases like Lok Sabha polls. "I have told you that joining will take place in seven phases. It is the extension of the first phase," he said.Meanwhile, Mukul Roy said that the TMC leaders joining the BJP are an "extension .
Trump says other countries should protect own Gulf shipping
President Donald Trump on Monday said other countries should protect their own Gulf oil shipments, and defined US aims regarding Iran as "No Nuclear Weapons and No Further Sponsoring of Terror." In a pair of tweets, Trump said the US did not even need to be in the Gulf because it had become the world's largest energy producer. "So why are we protecting the shipping lanes for other countries (many years) for zero compensation. All of these countries should be protecting their own ships on what has always been a dangerous journey," he wrote.
Iraqi official: Parliament approves 3 key Cabinet ministers
Iraq's deputy parliament speaker says the legislature has approved three Cabinet ministers whose posts have been vacant since the formation of the government in October. Hassan al-Kaabi told The Associated Press that the parliament approved Najah al-Shammari for defense minister, Yassin al-Yassiri as interior minister and Farouq Amin Othman for the post of justice minister. The three were sworn in on Monday. Al-Kaabi said election of education minister has been postponed as the current candidate didn't get enough votes. In October, Iraq's parliament voted to confirm Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi's new government while leaving the four Cabinet posts unfilled, underscoring the discord plaguing Iraqi politics. Abdul-Mahdi had earlier proposed others for the posts but his proposals were rejected by other groups until an agreement on the new names was reached.
Centre committed to promoting all Indian languages equally: HRD Minister
"Our government is working hard to promoting all Indian languages and taking all necessary steps to strengthen them," Nishank said in Lok Sabha during Question Hour.The Minister was responding to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who sought to know from the government whether it was going to make Hindi compulsory.In response to another query by BJP's Preetam Munde on whether the government will consider including Urdu under its three-language policy, besides Hindi and English, the Minister said, "Be it Tamil, Urdu or Sindhi, the government is promoting each language. All languages will be given due respect."He clarified that the National Education Policy is still in a draft stage, adding that it is kept in the public domain to receive suggestions."The Government is open to receive suggestions on the policy from the members and any other stakeholders," he said.Nishank said that after studying the current education system for two years, the Kasturi Rangan Committee has submitted a draft on .
CPI(M)-Congress stages protest, walkout over cut money issue
The MLAs of Congress and CPI(M) Monday staged a walkout from the West Bengal assembly protesting against the ongoing "cut money scam" and demanded inquiry into the incident. Shouting slogans against the Trinamool Congress government over the cut money issue, legislators of both the parties came down to the well and demanded that the government set up an inquiry commission to look into the issue. Seeking an explanation from Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on the matter and return of the cut money, the MLAs staged a walkout from the House. "We demand setting up of an inquiry commission to look into this issue of cut money. We want to know who has taken the money," Congress chief whip Manoj Chakraborty told reporters outside the House. The opposition MLAs were carrying posters and placards bearing 'Cut Money means Chief Minister". After protesting outside the assembly for sometime, they re-entered the House and participated in the proceedings. Reacting to the protest, ...
Pompeo in Saudi Arabia, Iran threatens more US drone attacks
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held talks Monday with the Saudi king and crown prince after days of mounting tensions following the downing of a US drone last week and after President Donald Trump pulled back from the brink of retaliatory military strikes on Iran. Iran's naval commander, meanwhile, warned that Iranian forces would not hesitate to act again and shoot down more US surveillance drones that violate Iranian airspace. The US denies the drone, valued at more than USD 100 million, violated Iranian airspace. Trump said he backed away from planned strikes after learning that 150 people would be killed but that military action remained an option. On Monday, Pompeo held separate talks with King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi port city of Jiddah to discuss the escalation with Iran. Pompeo wrote on Twitter that he had a "productive meeting" with King Salman and discussed "heightened tensions in the region and the need to promote maritime security" in ...
Rebel AAP MLAs seek more time from speaker to reply on charge under anti-defection law
Rebel AAP legislators Devender Sehrawat and Anil Bajpai, facing charge of defection to BJP, presented their written submissions to the secretary of the Delhi Assembly on Monday and sought deferment of personal hearing before the Speaker on the issue. The hearing is scheduled to take place on Tuesday. Notices were issued to the duo on a petition of AAP MLA and party spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj accusing them of joining the BJP ahead of recent Lok Sabha polls. In their replies, Sehrawat and Bajpai said that the newspaper clippings annexed with Bhardwaj's petition were "illegible" and demanded that they be provided typed and translated copies so that they are able to submit their response on the charge of defection. "....I request you to defer the hearing on June 25 and grant me six weeks time from the date of supply of clear typed and translated copies of the petition and annexed documents," Bajpai said in his written submission to the Delhi Assembly secretary. Citing the same reason, .
'EVMs should be jettisoned':TMC member
TMC leader Saugata Roy Monday demanded the government do away with electronic voting machine (EVM) and bring back the ballot system, as Danish Ali of BSP also questioned the reliability of these machines. Speaking on the Motion of Thanks to President's address in the Lok Sabha, he said it did not talk about critical issues like farmer suicide, Rafale deal, killings in Kashmir, unemployment and freedom of press, especially in the context of raids on NDTV. "EVMs should be jettisoned. I am opposed to EVMs. Ballot papers should be brought back," Roy said in the Lok Sabha. He questioned how BJP leadership "knew" in advance the number of seats they were going to win in the Lok Sabha elections. Roy said BJP President, a day before the election results were announced, declared that his party will win 300 seats. The party won 303 seats. "How is it possible?" His speech was interrupted by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey who objected to Roy raising the issue of EVMs in the House saying that
TN CM chairs cabinet meeting
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Monday chaired a meeting of his cabinet. There was no official word on what was discussed in the meeting, though a tweet on Palaniswami's Twitter handle, @CMOTamilNadu, said the cabinet meeting was held with him presiding. The meeting comes ahead of the 23-day Assembly session on Friday which is expected to be a stormy affair. The DMK, which is expected to raise issues like the water scarcity in many parts of the state including here, besides the Cauvery dispute, has already given a resolution seeking Speaker P Dhanapal's removal. The resolution was given on April 30, hours after the Speaker issued notices to three AIADMK MLAs, who have sided with rival leader TTV Dhinakaran, for alleged anti-party activities.
Reply to issues raised during Zero hour and special mentions
Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu Monday asked the concerned ministers to reply to members on issues raised by them during Zero as well as through special mentions within 30 days. Naidu said the Leader of the House, the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, and he himself have been watching and also receiving feedbacks from the the members that they subsequently are not getting replies of Zero Hour Submissions and Special Mentions made in the House. "You need not give instant replies on the same day. But, sometimes when the Minister is there and if the matter is so important and the minister is familiar with the matter, I give the permission and the Minister responds to that," the Chairman said in Rajya Sabha. Otherwise, the practice is that the minister should respond in writing to the members, he noted. "So, I suggest to the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs as well as to the Leader of the House to discuss with the concerned ministers and see to it that hereafter the ...
Return 'our old India' with a culture of love;keep your 'New
Tearing into the BJP-led, government, Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Monday said under the 'New India', humans are afraid of humans, those glorifying killers of Mahatma Gandhi are in the ruling party and hatred and lynchings are at its peak. Speaking on the motion of thanks to the President's address in Rajya Sabha, leader of the opposition, Azad, said unemployment is at all time high and henious crime like rape on minors are abnormally on the rise. Launching a scathing attack on the government and its policies, Azad said a party could win elections on divisive policies but the "Nation stood defeated". He demanded: "Keep your New India to yourself but return our old India where there was a culture of love and ...where there was no lynching and no hatred...Where Hindu and Muslims used to feel the pain of each other." Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House during Azad's address. Referring to the President's speech on Mahatma Gandhi's 150th anniversary ...
China to not allow Hong Kong protests to be brought up at G20
Beijing would not allow the Hong Kong protests to be brought up at the G20 meeting, a top Chinese Foreign Ministry official has said, in response to the statement by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo indicating that Donald Trump may raise the recent mass demonstrations with Xi Jinping during their meeting."We will not allow Hong Kong issues to be discussed at the G20 summit," CNN quoted Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zhang Jun Zhang, as saying on Sunday."Hong Kong affairs are Chinese domestic affairs, any foreign force has no right to interfere in this," Zhang added.Xi and Trump are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of G20 summit in the Japanese city of Osaka, to be held from June 27 to 29.The meeting holds significance as the US and China are locked in a bitter trade dispute, which has seen both the sides increasing tariffs on each other's imports after the earlier talks aimed at resolving the matter failed.A series of mass protests were carried out in Hong Kong over the ...
BJP govt helped private telecom firms at cost of PSUs: Congress
Congress on Monday launched a scathing attack on the central government, accusing it of helping private telecom companies at the cost of public sector undertakings (PSUs)."Problem is malice of BJP Govt to help pvt telcos at the cost of PSUs," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted in a reply to Congress leader Milind Deora's tweet."All private telecom companies are pumping in finance, but BSNL is barred from taking loans. There is zero capital investment in PSUs by the government," Surjewala said.When Congress was in power, he said MTNL posted a net profit of Rs 7,838 crore in 2013-14, while the telecom company suffered a loss of Rs 3,290 crore in 2019 during the BJP rule."If BJP government can help private entities like ILFS, IDBI and GSPC by investing public funds in them, then why not BSNL or MTNL?" the Congress spokesperson asked.In his tweet, Deora had said, "Two PSUs, same problem.
Sri Ram Sena J-K president joins NC
State president of right-wing group Sri Ram Sena, Rajiv Mahajan, joined the National Conference on Monday and pledged to work towards the agenda of party founder, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, of strengthening the bonds of amity and inclusiveness. "The National Conference is the only party in the state that has withstood the test of time and kept the flag of secularism aloft," Mahajan said after joining the party in the presence of provincial president Devender Singh Rana and other senior leaders here. He expressed hope that all right-minded people would come together and strengthen secular forces to foil the machinations of "divisive elements" who were creating a wedge between various segments of the society. These divisive elements would never succeed in their "nefarious designs", he said without naming anyone. He also expressed hope that their polarising tactics would fall flat before the strong will of the people, who stand for peace, tranquillity and regional unity. Mahajan said ...
Cong LS leader apologies for calling PM Modi 'naali' over his comparison with Swami Vivekananda
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday apologised to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he called him 'Naali' when a BJP MP compared him with Swami Vivekananda.Chowdhury said that he did not have the intention to hurt the Prime Minister."It is a misunderstanding. I didn't say 'naali'. If Prime Minister Modi is upset with it, then I'm sorry. I had no intention to hurt him. If the Prime Minister is hurt I will personally apologise to him. My Hindi is not good, by 'naali' I meant channel," Chowdhury told media persons here."I got enraged when a BJP member tried to humiliate Swami Vivekananda by comparing him with Prime Minister Modi. Swami Vivekananda's name was Narendranath Datta. He was trying to equate Narendranath Datta with Narendra Modi equal, which was vehemently opposed by me," he said."In order to establish my argument, I said you are comparing Ganga and 'Naali.' I did not have any kind of remotest intention to dishonour, disrespect and humiliate my ...
Waziristan: Staring at the sun
Waziristan [Pakistan], Jun 31 (ANI): "They stopped me at a checkpoint. They stopped me and my friends and started harassing us as they usually do with all the PTM members. They told us to stop our campaign, our activities on social media. Told us we were not supposed to be in the street and that, if we needed food, we could eat the dust. Then, they made all of us standing in the heat staring and the sun with open eyes, for a long, long time. As a punishment, they said".This was happening yesterday in Bannu, Pakistan. More or less at the same time, a Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's fact-finding team that was trying to reach the area to investigate on what is now know as 'Khar Qamar massacre' has been stopped by the Army who imposed the curfew on the whole area. Again, we shall say, because since the May 26 Waziristan has been under curfew almost all the time. The facts are well known, everywhere except in Pakistan of course, because the local press has been ordered not to give ...
Two party workers murdered by 'criminals attached' with TMC: CPI(M)
The CPI(M) Monday alleged that two of its workers were murdered by "criminals attached" with the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal and claimed that there is clear complicity of the administration in denying justice to the victims. On June 22, Tajimul Karim was killed in Amdanga in the North 24 Parganas district. On the same night another Left worker, Nizamuddin Mandal was shot dead at point blank range in Mathurapur in South 24 Parganas district. "Tajimul Karim, an active worker of the party had been forced to live away from his home for quite a long time facing murderous threats. "In the wake of the Lok Sabha election results violence, he had returned home. Nizamuddin also played an important role during the electoral battle and was the polling agent of CPI(M)," a statement from the CPI(M) politburo said. It said the TMC has not drawn any lessons from the widespread opposition to their politics of violence and this continues unabated against the CPIM) and the Left. "Though the ...
Mayawati opens new chapter in love-hate relation with allies
A doughty survivor of the rough-and-tumble of politics, BSP president Mayawati has manoeuvred her way deftly through the many ups and downs of the game -- making and breaking alliances depending on the political mood of the day. On Monday, the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo brought the curtains down on her party's alliance with the Samajwadi Party (SP), forged to fight the BJP in the Lok Sabha in Uttar Pradesh. The 'gathbandhan' between the arch rivals did not bring the expected returns and the much discussed bonhomie with the SP, under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, has predictably ended. Mayawati declared on Twitter, "... in the interest of the party (BSP) and movement, the party will contest all small and big elections on its own strength (henceforth)." Though the alliance did not come up to her expectations in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BSP won 10 seats, a big gain from the zero in 2014. The SP just managed to maintain its tally of five seats though it faced humiliating defeats
J&K 'back-to-village' programme getting massive response:
The Jammu and Kashmir government's 'Back to Village' programme which started last week is getting a massive response, specially from people in the militancy-infested areas, an official spokesperson said Monday. The participation by people from the areas which escaped due attention owing to various administrative exigencies too are quite encouraging, said spokesperson on the fifth day of the programme, aimed at taking governance to the doorsteps of the rural and remote areas. "People in 'gram sabhas' convened by the visiting officials shared their feedback about government schemes with them and sought redressal of their grievances. They also raised issues of urgent attention which had not been factored in the developmental paradigm so far, the spokesperson added. He said senior officers are staying put in remote areas like Jurniyal in Gurez town along the Line of Control to militancy-hit Dadasara in Tral or Hirpora in Shopian areas. "The aim is to bridge the gap between the achievable .