Page 1092 - Politics
Congress approaches EC over BJP's 'misuse' of Doordarshan, pvt TV channel
The Congress on Monday moved the Election Commission against the BJP's alleged "misuse" of Doordarshan in broadcasting certain speeches by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and for using "Namo channel" as a tool for political campaigning. The opposition party's delegation, comprising senior leaders Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, also made a representation to the Election Commission (EC) seeking necessary directions to Jharkhand's chief electoral officer and relevant authorities for immediate suspension or transfer of election officers and agents with pending criminal cases and complaints of serious nature. "We have made three representations to the EC. First representation is that there are some officials (in Jharkhand) that have charges of bribery and undue influence against them," Sibal said. "The other two representations are related to the misuse of Doordarshan by the BJP in broadcasting certain speeches made by the prime minister and the use of a particular channel which has ..
Metro phase IV: Delhi govt seeks clarification about approvals and funding pattern
The Delhi government has raised objection with the Centre over the latter's approval of only three of the six metro phase-IV corridors and change in the ambitious project's funding pattern, an official said on Monday. "The government has sought clarification over the number of corridors approved by the Centre. The Delhi government had approved all the six corridors of the phase IV, while the Centre gave clearance to only three of them," a senior government official said. "Even in the three corridors approved by the Centre, the funding pattern has been changed. So, clarification was sought how and why the number of approved corridors were reduced and funding pattern was changed," he said. The Aam Aadmi Party government has also sought clarity over the compensation to be paid for land acquisition, the official said. The Centre had approved three corridors of phase IV at an estimated cost of Rs 24,948 crore. The share of the Centre and the Delhi government in it was pegged at Rs 4,154 ...
Odisha Mahila Congress president manhandled at party office
Odisha Mahila Congress President Sumitra Jena Monday alleged that she was manhandled by some people at the partys state headquarters here on Sunday. "Some outsiders took me inside the party state headquarters on the pretext of holding discussions. Later, they locked me up and attacked me," Jena wrote in her complaint to the police. Jena was sitting on a dharna protesting the denial of party tickets to women candidates when she was allegedly manhandled by some people. Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik described the incident as "unfortunate" and said he was not present in Bhubaneswar during the incident. Patnaik has set up committee to probe into the allegations of Jena. The committee comprised senior leaders Ananta Sethi, Chiranjib Biswal and Manas Choudhury.
Yogi insulted martyrs by calling Army Modi's sena: Cong
The Congress on Monday accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of usurping the Army's valour by calling it "Modi's Army" and said it was an insult to our slain jawans and officers and a violation of the Election Commission's (EC) norms. "Adityanath's usurpation of the Army's valour by calling it Modi's army is an insult to our martyrs as also to the valour and sacrifices of our bravehearts. "It is a flagrant violation of the institution of the Election Commission. From the prime minister to chief ministers -- they (BJP) are trampling upon the mandate of the country, fearing an imminent defeat in the 2019 (Lok Sabha) election," Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said. Accusing Adityanath of trying to divert the attention from the real issues concerning the people, the Congress leader said he was "a zero-performance chief minister" and that is why he was hiding behind the sacrifices and valour of the armed forces. "He is guilty for the death of nearly 400 ...
Farmers insist on use of ballot papers in Nizamabad LS seat
Some ryots, who have filed papers from Nizamabad, Monday said they would insist on use ofballot papers, a day after the Election Commission declared it would use EVMs for conduct of polls in the Lok Sabha seat where 185 candidates including over 170 farmers are in the fray. The farmers had filed their nominations from Nizamabad, where Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K Kavitha is seeking re-election, protesting the alleged failure of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi to ensure minimum support price for turmeric and red jowar (sorghum). They are also demanding setting up of a turmeric board. A section of farmers said "We want paper ballot, they say they will use EVMs. This is not fair. We will undertake agitation..." With 185 candidates, including the farmers, in the fray for the April 11 elections in the state, the Election Commission has issued instructions to the CEO, Telangana to make arrangements for conductof elections to the Nizamabad constituency .
CM harps on 2G case, accuses DMK of "scientific" corruption
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami accused the DMK of "scientific corruption," and said people will know who indulged in graft after the verdict is pronounced by court in the appeals over the 2 G Spectrum case. Alleging that the DMK top leadership was concerned only about its family interests rather than the people, he said if "Stalin (DMK president) intends breaking up the AIADMK and dislodging the government, he will only get failure as gift." Campaigning for Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker M Thambidurai, who is seeking re-election from Karur constituency, Palaniswami said Stalin should "learn," to maintain dignity in his political speeches. Against the backdrop of DMK attacking his party by levelling a slew of corruption allegations, the chief minister said, "it is the DMK members who indulged in scientific corruption." Palaniswami said,"the appeals in the 2G spectrum case is being heard by the court and people will know who indulged in graft after the verdict is ...
BJP urges EC to not involve Bengal police chief, top officers in election process
The BJP Monday urged the poll panel to not involve top officials of the West Bengal government, including Chief Secretary Moloy De and state police chief Virendra, in the election process, alleging that they were working on behest of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A BJP delegation including Union Ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and the party's general secretaries Arun Singh and Bhupender Yadav met top officials of the Election Commission and submitted a memorandum. In the memorandum, the party said, "Violence continues to brew as if law and order never existed. The workers of BJP are threatened and intimated." The BJP demanded that central forces should be deployed in all 42 constituencies in the state. "Posting of paramilitary officers must be carried out solely by the special police observer in a transparent and unbiased manner and this must be done immediately. Central forces must be directed to carry out flag march in all constituencies in the state," it ...
Pluralism ethos of India;PM attempting communal divide:Owaisi
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Monday accused Narendra Modi of "dividing" Hindus and Muslims on the religious line to win elections for the BJP, which he said did not behove the Prime Minister's position. Addressing a public rally in Indora in Nagpur in support of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) nominee, Owaisi said "pluralism is ethos of Hindustan". His remarks came hours after Modi in a rally in Wardha in east Maharashtra accused the Congress of branding "peace-loving Hindus" as terrorists and insulting those who follow the religion. The VBA is headed by Owaisi and Dalit leader Prakash Ambedkar. The front has said that it would contest all the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Calling Modi for a debate, Owaisi asked whether Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was a terrorist or not. "Today, we can see what kind of language Modi is using despite being the prime minister of the country. The so-called 'chowkidar' (watchman) is spreading hatred between Hindus and ...
Rahul promises directly-elected mayors
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday took a dig at the Narendra Modi government over its smart city project, saying that real smart cities are built by good leaders and promised that a Congress government will move to have directly-elected mayors.
BJD denies ticket to Finance minister S B Behera
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Monday announced the names of 10 candidates - one for Lok Sabha and nine for Assembly, denying ticket to state Finance minister Sashi Bhusan Behera. The party has renominated sitting MP Bhartruhari Mahtab again from the Cuttack Lok Sabha seat. Mahtab is a five-time MP from the seat. Former minister Arabinda Dhali replaced Finance minister S B Behera as the party's candidate for the Jaydev assembly segment. The BJD has also denied renomination to sitting MLA and party's founder member Debashis Nayak. He has been replaced by a woman leader Sunanda Das, who joined the BJD earlier on Monday. Das was earlier with the BJP. Sitting Moroda MLA and former minister Pravin Bhanja Deo has been replaced by Raj Kishore Das, who joined BJD few days ago after quitting BJP. Bhanja Deo resigned from the regional party as well from the post of BJD's Mayurbhanj district president. Rairangpur MLA Saiba S Hansda has been replaced by a woman leader Basanti ...
Outfit claims Faesal's resignation not accepted by govt, demands inquiry
A Dogra outfit on Monday claimed that the government has not accepted the resignation of Shah Faesal from Indian Administrative Service though he has floated a political party after announcing his decision to quit in January, and demanded a high-level probe into the "delay". "Even after more than three-and-a-half months, Shah Faesal's resignation has not yet been accepted by the government," the outfit Team Jammu's Chairman Zorawar Singh Jamwal told reporters here. Singh said that Faesal tendered his resignation from civil services on January 9 this year and had launched his party -- Jammu Kashmir People's Movement. "But his resignation has not yet been accepted for the reasons best known to the administration whereas resignation of another IAS officer Farooq Shah was accepted within a week's time and order issued in this regard," he said. Alleging that some government employees were promoting Faesal and actively participating in political activities, Jamwal demanded a probe into why .
Bengal CEO office refutes opposition allegations
Amidst allegations from the opposition parties that the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal is being partial towards the state's ruling party, an official of the CEO's office on Tuesday said that they are doing their job.
Cong leader Sunita Laxmareddy joins TRS
In yet another setback to the Congress in Telangana ahead of Lok Sabha elections, party leader and former minister Sunita Laxmareddy joined the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi Monday in the presence of its working president K T Rama Rao. Rama Rao claimed that the Telugu Desam Party was finished in the state as evident in its decision to not contest the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana (for the first time since its formation in 1982). With leaders like Sunita Laxmareddy joining the Congress, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Congress has also come to be a thing of the past in Telangana, he said. The Congress in Telangana is faced with a crisis of sorts as 10 of its MLAs among the total 19 have announced their decision to leave the party and join TRS since the beginning of March. Several other key Congress leaders at the district level have also joined the TRS.
AIMIM speed breaker to development of Hyderabad: Modi
: Describing AIMIM as a 'speed breaker to the citys development, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday said there is need to 'wake up' the Chandrasekhar Rao-led state government on its tie up with AIMIM. He also alleged that while car- the poll symbol of TRS is with KCR, AIMIM holds the steering. "In the last five years, development can be seen on only one side of Musi river, while on the other side of Hyderabad the situation is as it was earlier. The central government wants to speed up Hyderabad's infrastructure development and Metro (rail) network in Old City also, but there is a big speed breaker in the form of Majlis (AIMIM)," Modi said in a poll meeting here. Without naming the Owaisi brothers who are critical of Modi, the Prime Minister said they don't know the 'language of development' and only target him (Modi) day and night. "This Chowkidaar does not allow them to sleep at nights," he claimed. Alleging that KCR's focuses only on the development of his family ...
Brazil president visits Western Wall with Netanyahu in first
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro visited the Western Wall alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday, becoming the first head of state to do so with an Israeli premier. The site, one of the holiest in Judaism, is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community. Such visits can be seen as granting tacit approval to Israeli sovereignty over the site. An Israeli foreign ministry spokesman said it was the first time a sitting head of state had visited there with an Israeli prime minister. The two men approached the wall and placed their hands on its stones during the brief visit in rainy weather. Bolsonaro's visit follows a similar one by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on March 21, when he became the first high-ranking American official to visit the Western Wall with an Israeli prime minister. Bolsonaro has expressed his strong support for Israel and spoke of being moved by a .
Omar wants 'Wazir-e-Azam' title back, scoffs at PM
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he will work to restore the titles 'Wazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister) and 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' (head of state) in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering an angry reaction from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Humbled by PM Modi's attention to my speeches: Omar
National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Monday said he was humbled by the attention paid by Narendra Modi to his speeches after the prime minister hit out at the Congress over his remarks advocating a separate "Sadar-e-Riyasat" (president) and PM for Jammu and Kashmir. "I'm humbled by the attention PM Modi pays to my speeches & very grateful to the social media cell of the BJP for highlighting my speech today, especially by WhatsApp'ing it to journalists. Your reach is far greater than mine," Abdullah wrote on Twitter. He was reacting to Modi's remarks made during a speech in Hyderabad, in which he cornered the Congress and the grand alliance parties demanding to know if they supported the NC leader's pitch for a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir. At an election rally in Bandipora district of north Kashmir on Monday, Abdullah said the NC would not allow any attacks on Jammu and Kashmir's special status and would strive to get back what was "infringed ..
EC orders removal of senior Jharkhand police officer from sensitive post
The Election Commission Monday ordered transfer of a senior Jharkhand police officer, earlier accused of interfering in elections, from a sensitive post and said that he be attached to the state resident commissioner in the national capital. In a letter to the Jharkhand chief electoral officer, EC said Anurag Gupta is holding the post of of ADG, Special Branch in the state, a position considered as a "sensitive assignment" for the purpose of conduct of elections. The EC said, Gupta should report to the Resident Commissioner, Jharkhand at Delhi by Tuesday afternoon. The poll panel also made it clear that the IPS officer should not be allowed any leave and given duty which entails visit to Jharkhand till the completion of the election process. Last year, cases were registered against Gupta in matters relating to "interference in elections, misuse of official position and breach of conduct/service rules." The state will have Lok Sabha elections in four phases, with the first phase on ...
I have blessings of father Yashwant Sinha: Jayant
Union Minister of state for Civil Aviation, Jayant Sinha, who has been re-nominated by the BJP for the Hazaribagh Lok Sabha seat, Monday said he has the blessings of his father Yashwant Sinha and was optimistic about his parents voting for him on May 6. "I have the full blessings of my father Yashwant Sinha. I have no political or personal differences with my father and mother, and had their blessings when I started my campaigning a few days ago, Jayant Sinha told PTI in an interview. After all they are my voters and will vote for me, he said. He was replying to a question that his three-time MP father extensively campaigned for him in 2014, resulting in his emphatic win and this time he (Jayant Sinha) has to go to the electoral battle alone following Yashwant Sinha quitting the BJP over differences with the party leadership. On February 20, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha had said that time has not (yet) come to answer this question when asked whether he would ...
British MPs debate Brexit alternatives for new round of Parliament votes
British lawmakers on Monday continued to debate possible alternatives to UK Prime Minister Theresa May's European Union (EU) divorce bill, already rejected three times by the House of Commons. In what will be seen as a softer Brexit option, a Customs Union with the EU is believed to be the most popular of the ideas under consideration. A common UK-EU Customs Union would allow businesses to move goods around the EU without tariffs but its membership would bar the UK from striking independent trade deals after Brexit including with countries like India. Many Brexiters on the Conservative benches, including within the Cabinet, are vehemently opposed to accepting such an option. In the first set of indicative, non-binding votes held last week, none of the many alternatives including revoking Article 50 to delay or cancel Brexit or call for a second referendum on Brexit had emerged as a clear frontrunner. Other options on the table include leaving the EU without a deal on April 12, the .