Page 1093 - Politics
J&K: Omar Abdullah's demand intended to create 'separatists psyche', says Jaitley
Taking on former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, Union minister Arun Jaitley Monday said his demand for revival of the post of prime minister and president in J&K is intended to create a "separatists psyche" and asserted that new India would never allow any government to commit such blunders. Earlier in the day, Abdullah said his party, National Conference (NC), would not allow any attacks on Jammu and Kashmir's special status and would seek restoration of terms of accession of the state, including the provision for 'Sadr-e-Riyasat' (president) and Wazir-e-Azam (prime minister). Abdullah is the Vice President of the National Conference (NC). The two mainstream parties -- NC and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti -- in Kashmir are increasingly losing their identities, Jaitley said in a blog. "The separatists and the terrorists want a part of the State to segregate from India. India will never accept this. "It has already given a loud and clear message both to ...
Rahul promises change in 'city administration' if voted to power
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday promised changes in the way the city administration is being run today "to improve the quality of life in cities" if voted to power."To improve the quality of life in our cities, we will move to directly elected Mayors with 5 years terms and elected councils," he said in a tweet."The administration will be run by multidisciplinary teams of specialists and experts accountable to Mayor and the council," he said.Taking a dig at BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for promising 100 smart cities within five years, he said: "Real smart cities are built by good leaders."On Sunday Rahul had tweeted: "Today, there are 22 lakh job vacancies in the government sector. We will have these vacancies filled by March 31, 2020. Devolution of funds from the Centre to each state government for healthcare, education, etc., will be linked to these vacant positions being filled."The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be conducted in seven phases from April 11 to .
CPM leader VS Achuthanandan resurrects 2011 'Amul Baby' barb at Rahul Gandhi
In the backdrop of Rahul Gandhi choosing to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, CPM leader and former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan termed the Congress president 'Amul Baby', asserting that he has an "attitude of approaching situations without understanding them."He said that if Rahul contests from Wayanad, Left parties will have to fight both BJP and Rahul Gandhi."I called Rahul Gandhi 'Amul Baby' earlier, because of his attitude of approaching situations without understanding them. What will happen in Wayanad if Rahul comes? Left parties will fight against Rahul and BJP," Achuthanandan wrote on Facebook.The senior leader said that Rahul contesting from Wayanad proves his argument that BJP is their main enemy, wrong."But what will be the condition of Congress? Their argument that BJP is their main enemy will be proved wrong. That's why I called him 'Amul Baby' which is relevant now also," further read his Facebook post.Congress had announced that Rahul will be ...
BJP most hopeful of doing well in Bengal: Shahnawaz
National spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shahnawaz Hussain said on Monday that the saffron outfit is most hopeful about its chances in West Bengal in the coming Lok Sabha elections as the party has formed an "alliance" with the people of the state to free them from the misrule of the Trinamool Congress.
Togadia's party to field 11 candidates in Gujarat
To dent the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) prospects, former Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Chief Pravin Togadia's newly launched Hindustan Nirman Dal (HND) will field 11 candidates in Gujarat in the Lok Sabha elections.
NSUI, ABVP trade barbs over April Fools' Day
A war of words ensued between the NSUI and the BJP-backed ABVP on Monday, with the two taking potshots at each other over the April Fools' Day. The Congress-affiliated students' outfit wrote letters to President Ram Nath Kovind urging him to declared April 1 as "Modi Fools Day". It said, in the last five years Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "fooled the people of the country" and "played" with its future. Hitting back, ABVP's Shakti Singh, who is also the DUSU president, said the NSUI has always done the job of fooling students and the Congress has been fooling the country. "Rahul Gandhi has been declared national fool," he said.
Modi to address election rally in Manipur on April 7
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address an election rally in Manipur on April 7, state BJP spokesperson Chongthan Bijoy said Monday. BJP president Amit Shah will address an election rally in Manipur on April 5, he said. Modi will address a public rally at Hapta Kangjeibung, in Imphal town, said Bijoy. Manipur has two Lok Sabha seats - Inner Manipur and Outer Manipur. The voting for the Outer Manipur seat will be held on April 11 and Inner Manipur on April 18 respectively. Benjamin Mate is the BJP candidate for the Outer constituency and R K Ranjan is the party nominee for the Inner seat.
IAF jets scramble to push back PAF fighters
The Indian Air Force (IAF) scrambled fighter jets on Monday morning after four Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets and a UAV were spotted flying close to the Punjab border.
IAF scrambles Sukhoi-30 jets after sighting Pakistani drone
The Indian Air Force on Monday scrambled two Sukhoi-30 fighter jets after sighting a Pakistani drone along the Indo-Pak border in the Khemkaran sector in Punjab, official sources said. Two Pakistani F-16 fighter aircraft were also seen close to the border after the incident. The sources said the Sukhoi-30 MKI jets were deployed soon after the Pakistani unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was seen hovering over the border. The drone soon retreated to the Pakistani side after the jets were scrambled. There have been a series of incidents of Pakistani drones coming close to the Indo-Pak border in various areas in the last four weeks following the Balakot air strikes. Last month, a UAV which intruded into Rajasthan's Ganganagar was shot down by the Army. Also last month, a Sukhoi-30 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile. Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated after Indian Air Force ...
Congress raises issue of Shah's 'false' affidavit
The Congress on Monday demanded action against BJP President Amit Shah for allegedly furnishing false affidavit regarding his assets to the Election Commission (EC) in his nomination papers.
Is it not Cong and BJP who ruled country for long: Rao
Hitting out at the Congress and the BJP, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Monday alleged that the two parties spoke as if someone else is responsible for the problems in the country though it was they who ruled the country for the longest period. "You are listening (to) Rahul Gandhi, Narendra Modi... One says you are 'chor' (thief).Other says, no, I am not...Why are they fighting...we have to get confused. There is a trick. Who ruled this country? It is Congress and BJP," Rao, who is also president of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, said. "Did anyone else rule? For short time, others were there. They (Congress and BJP) did not let them live. Five-six years... Congress, BJP ruled the country overall. As if someone else ruled the country, as if someone else is responsible, they indulge in war of words and we have to vote for one of them like buffoons," he said, addressing a election meeting at Godavarikhani. What change would come if people voted out Modi and ...
BJP confident of breaching BJD's citadel of coastal Odisha
The BJP is confident of making inroads in coastal parts of Odisha, the ruling Biju Janata Dal's stronghold, where the party has been strengthening its base and received a further boost with several grassroots leaders joining it recently, a senior BJP leader said Monday. The BJP, which has traditionally drawn votes from the tribal parts of western Odisha, had won one Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 general elections and was at the second position in nine other constituencies out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The BJD had won the remaining 20 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Two years later, in 2016, the BJP put up a strong show in Odisha's local body polls, winning 297 of the state's 849 zilla parishad seats, and was at the second position behind the ruling BJD in the overall tally. A senior BJP leader who is looking after the party's affairs in Odisha, said post-2014, the BJP replaced the Congress as the party that could challenge the ruling BJD in the state. He claimed that the ...
Mamata, Modi start campaigning in Bengal from Wednesday
Both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will launch their Lok Sabha campaigns in West Bengal on the same day - Wednesday. Modi is slated to address two rallies in opposite parts of the state - Siliguri in north Bengal and in Kolkata, BJP sources said. Banerjee, on the other hand, will kick off her party's poll campaign with a public rally at Dinhata in Cooch Behar district, also in the northern part of the state. The prime minister's first rally on Wednesday at Siliguri will be held at a ground belonging to the Railways near New Jalpaiguri railway station. The second public meeting is slated at the Brigade Parade Ground in Kolkata. Modi will address two more rallies in north Bengal on April 7 and 10, party sources said. Banerjee was initially scheduled to kick off her poll campaign from April 4 but it was advanced by a day in a plan not to cede even an inch to the BJP, as Modi is holding two rallies that day, a senior Trinamool Congress leader
Yogi's 'Modi ji ki sena' remark earns opposition wrath
Yogi Adityanath's remark dubbing the Indian Army as "Modi ji ki sena" (Modi's army) during an election campaign for the BJP created a political firestorm on Monday with the opposition leaders attacking the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister for "insulting and humiliating" the force. Amidst the opposition attack on Adityanath for his remark, the Election Commission has also asked the district magistrate of Ghaziabad to submit a report so that it can be checked whether there was any violation of Model Code of Conduct as it has already asked political parties to "desist" during their Lok Sabha poll campaigns from indulging in any propaganda involving defence forces. Hitting out at opposition parties over a host of governance issues during a rally on Sunday, Adityanath, while campaigning for sitting MP and Union minister V K Singh in Ghaziabad, said what was "impossible" for the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party is possible under the BJP rule. "Congress ke log ...
All polling booths of West Bengal not sensitive: special
West Bengal may have problems in some parts as alleged by the political parties, but all the polling booths were not sensitive as per their claim, special central police observer for the state Vivek Dubey said Monday. Stressing that the Election Commisson of Indias primary objective was to hold free and fair elections in West Bengal, Dubey said political parties can make claim but they also have to provide evidence to prove their point. The people of West Bengal have only one demand- they want to give their vote in a free and fair manner. The election commission will ensure that, Dubey told reporters here. There are problems in West Bengal and so the election commission has decided to go for a seven-phase polling. But this is not correct that all the booths of the state are sensitive. The political parties can make claim but they will have to give evidence in support of their allegation," the IPS officer said. On whether central forces would be deployed in all the ...
Activist Chowdhary Talib Hussain joins PDP
Activist Chowdhary Talib Hussain, who led campaign for justice in the Kathua rape-and-murder case, Monday joined the People's Democratic Party (PDP) here. Hussain was welcomed into the party fold by PDP president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, a party spokesman said. He said Hussain, a crusader for tribal rights, has championed the cause of the community vocally and has spearheaded the movement for political empowerment of the youth in the tribal community. "Hussain is an energetic and hardworking activist from the area who joined the PDP with an aim to serve people of the state. He will contribute immensely for the growth of the party in the area," the spokesman said. Welcoming him into the party, Mehbooba urged all members of the community to unite as one single unit to prevent further assaults on the rights of the community. Taking to Twitter, Mehbooba said Hussain had worked tirelessly to ensure justice for the Kathua rape victim at the cost of his personal ...
Indore LS ticket suspense continues, Mahajan attends meetings
Even as the suspense over BJP's candidate for the Indore Lok Sabha seat continued, its 8-time MP Sumitra Mahajan Monday went about attending meetings with party workers as part of the poll campaign. A BJP leader said Mahajan, who will turn 76 on April 12, was guiding the party cadre during these meetings. The Lok Sabha speaker has held the Indore Lok Sabha seat uninterrupted since 1989. Meanwhile, three organisations belonging to the Vaishya community here have written to Mahajan expressing their wish that she be fielded from here for a ninth time. However, there is speculation that like party patriarch LK Advani (91) and veteran leader Murli Manohar Joshi (85), she too might be axed from the BJP's poll list this time. There is also talk that local MLA and Indore mayor Malini Gaud might be given the party's ticket in place of Mahajan. The BJP has so far announced candidates for 18 out of the state's 29 seats.
Engineer appointed to check noise pollution during LS polls campaign
Punjab's Chief Electoral Officer S Karuna Raju Monday appointed an engineer of the state pollution control board to monitor noise pollution caused by loudspeakers or any sound amplifier for publicity during campaign for the Lok Sabha polls. "There should be no use of loudspeakers, public address system or loudspeaker or any sound amplifier between 10 pm and 6 am," Raju said in a release. The CEO said use of such sound system whether fitted on vehicles of any kind whatsoever, or in a static position were prohibited for public meeting, general propaganda during the above mentioned hours. He said the Election Commission of India has issued detailed instructions regarding the use of loudspeakers or any sound amplifier for publicity by candidates during the general election. Raju said loudspeakers being used beyond the given hours would be confiscated along with all apparatus. Political parties candidates or any other persons using loudspeakers on moving vehicles shall intimate ...
Will strive to bring back 'President', 'PM' post in J-K: Omar; Modi condemns remark
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Monday said his party will strive hard for restoring the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a 'Sadar-e-Riyasat' (President) and 'Wazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister), a statement which evoked sharp condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing a rally at Bandipore in North Kashmir, Omar, a former chief Minister, said his party will not allow any attacks on J and K's special status and will work to get back what was "infringed upon" including the coveted posts of Sadr-e-Riyasat' (president) and prime minister for the state. Modi condemned Omar's remark and demanded to know from the Congress and the 'grand opposition alliance' parties if they supported the NC leader on the autonomy issue. Addressing a rally in Secunderabad in Telangana, Modi asked the 'Mahagathbandhan' leaders to make their stand clear on the issue. Modi said there were media reports that Omar has stated there should be a separate prime minister for ...
Facebook's move shows Cong's real 'character': Javadekar
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday alleged that Facebook's move to remove 687 pages and accounts linked to the Congress' social media cell had exposed the grand old party's real "character". "Facebook took a strong move by removing 687 pages because Congress people were doing inauthentic behaviour. Congress made fake accounts and groups to push lies. The development shows Congress party's character," Union minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters at the party office here. Javadekar, the BJP's poll in charge for Rajasthan, accused the Congress of using fake accounts to propagate lies. Pointing out that Facebook had also shut down 103 pages, groups and accounts originating in Pakistan and linked to employees of the Inter-Service Public Relations department of the Pakistani military, Javadekar alleged that both the Congress and the Pakistan Army were doing "similar work". The social media giant said on Monday it had removed 687 pages and accounts linked to the Congress and a smaller ..