Page 1128 - Politics
PM's Mission Shakti address didn't violate model code of conduct: EC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on the successful test-firing of an anti-satellite missile did not violate the model code of conduct, the Election Commission said Friday night. The EC took the decision based on the report of a committee of officers which found that the prime minister did not violate the provision of 'party in power' in the poll code. "The committee has, therefore, reached the conclusion that the MCC provision regarding misuse of official mass media...is not attracted in the instant case," the commission said, citing the report of the committee constituted to look into the case. Model code of conduct is in place for the April-May parliamentary election and some state polls. India shot down one of its satellites in space on Wednesday with an anti-satellite missile to demonstrate this complex capability, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced, making it only the fourth country to have used such a weapon. Declaring India has established itself as a ..
Russia highlights 'non-directedness' of India's anti-satellite test against any country
Russia on Friday highlighted "the non-directedness" of the anti-satellite weapons test conducted by India against any specific country and New Delhi's reassurance of continuance of foreign policy to prevent the deployment of weapons in outer space. India shot down one of its satellites in space on Wednesday with an anti-satellite missile to demonstrate this complex capability, making it only the fourth country after the US, Russia and China to have used such a weapon. "We noted the test of anti-satellite weapons conducted by India on March 27, as a result of which an Indian spacecraft -- a target -- in a low earth orbit was hit by an interceptor ballistic missile," the Russian Foreign ministry said in a statement. "We highlight the non-directedness of this test against any specific country declared by the Indian leadership, as well as the reassurance of the continuity of New Delhi foreign policy to prevent the deployment of weapons in outer space and thereby the development of an ...
KCR joins issue with PM on surgical strikes, claims UPA I
Taking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the issue of surgical strikes, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Friday said such "strategic attacks" are never disclosed and claimed 11 similar strikes were made during the UPA I regime when he was a Union Minister. Addressing an election rally in Nalgonda district hours after the Prime Minister launched BJP's campaign in the state, he alleged Modi was spreading 'lies' against the TRS government for the sake of votes and political gains. He also mocked at Modi over his 'chowkidar' (watchman) slogan, saying Chaiwala has gone and Chowkidar has come. "...surgical strikes happened eleven times when I was in the Union Cabinet. They are strategic attacks which are never disclosed. They do it, we do it," said Rao, who was a member of the UPA cabinet till 2006 when he resigned from it over the issue of separate statehood for Telangana. Referring to the recent air strikes on JeM terror camps in Balakot in Pakistan, the ...
Rahul promises to scrap Niti Aayog, revert to Planning Commission
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday said his party, if voted to power, will scrap the Niti Aayog and replace it with a "lean" Planning Commission. Gandhi said the Niti Aayog, set up by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he assumed power in 2014, served no purpose other than making marketing presentations for the PM and "fudging data". "If voted to power, we will scrap the NITI Aayog," he said in a tweet. "We will replace it with a lean Planning Commission whose members will be renowned economists and experts with less than 100 staff," he said. The Planning Commission, set up in 1950 under the Congress government, was replaced by the Niti Aayog by the Modi dispensation. The Congress is seeking to revert to the original structure of the government think-tank.
AAP needs alliance in Haryana not Delhi: Kejriwal
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal on Friday said his party needs an alliance with the Congress in Haryana, but not in Delhi, for the Lok Sabha elections. Speaking to a TV channel on the sidelines of an election rally in Vijaywada, Kejriwal said the party is capable of winning all seven seats in Delhi on its own. "It is in Haryana that we need the support of the Congress. I don't understand why they are not forming an alliance with us in Haryana," Kejriwal told NDTV. He also held a meeting with Punjab party workers in Delhi and asked them to dispel any rumours related to alliance with the Congress. According to sources, the AAP wanted to contest on three seats in Punjab, two in Haryana and five in Delhi. But due to looming uncertainty, the AAP announced all seven candidates in Delhi, eight in Punjab and is waiting for a response from the Congress over an alliance in Haryana. On March 13, the Delhi chief minister had appealed to the Congress to join the proposed alliance ...
Rahul accuses PM Modi of passing on people's money to 'industrialists'
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls people 'mitron' (friends) and people like Anil Ambani, Mehul Chowksi and Vijay Mallya as 'bhai' (brother)."The Prime Minister takes money from people and gives it to the people, whom he calls (bhai)," he said while addressing an election rally."Have you heard Prime Minister Modi's speeches? When he talks to you, he calls you 'mitron'. Why does he call Anil Ambani and Mehul Choksi 'bhai'? Mehul bhai, Anil bhai, Lalit bhai, Vijay bhai. Mitron se paisa lete hain aur bhaiyon ko dete hain (He takes money from 'mitron' and gives it to 'bhaiyon')," Rahul said.The seven-phased Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held from April 11 till May 19. The result will be announced on May 23.
Cong files complaint with EC against Tejasvi Surya for his 'anti-India' remark
Congress party on Friday filed a complaint with the Election Commission against Tejasvi Surya, BJP candidate from Bangalore South Lok Sabha constituency, for his alleged remark that those who are not the supporter of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are 'anti-India.'Tejasvi Surya is alleged to have said, "If you are not with Modi, you are anti-India."The 28-year-old lawyer Tejasvi Surya, who was chosen by the BJP as its candidate for Bangalore South Lok Sabha seat, said the candidature comes with a mix of "surprise and a sense of gratitude."Earlier, the lawyer-turned-politician had expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah for choosing him as the party candidate.Karnataka will go to polls in a single phase on April 18.
NCP challenge on all Gujarat seats worries Congress
The Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) decision to contest on all 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat is worrying the Congress.
SC to hold final hearing in National Herald tax case
The Supreme Court on Friday fixed April 23 for the final hearing of the petition filed by Congress President Rahul Gandhi, UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and senior Congress leader Oscar Fernandes challenging the notice relating to tax assessment for the year 2011-2012 related to the National Herald and Young India transactions.
People will teach BJP lesson for unfulfilled promises: Hooda
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda claimed on Friday that the people were waiting to teach a lesson to the BJP for allegedly failing to fulfil the promises made before coming to power at the Centre and in Haryana. "Before the (2014) polls, the BJP made tall promises. But after coming to power, they failed to fulfil these. Now, the people are waiting for the polls to teach them a lesson," Hooda said at a public meeting at Jagadhri in Yamunanagar district. He was speaking during the Congress' six-day 'parivartan' (change) yatra in the state, which was also attended party chief Rahul Gandhi. Senior leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, who had remained conspicuous with his absence during the yatra so far and had also not attended the meetings of the party's coordination committee, was also present. Other senior Congress leaders from the state who were present included Randeep Singh Surjewala and state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar. Bishnoi claimed that the Congress would win all the 10 Lok ...
CM persuades independent candidate to withdraw in Hingoli
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has come to the rescue of ally Shiv Sena's Lok Sabha nominee from Hingoli, Hemant Patil, by prevailing on independent candidate Shivaji Jadhav to pull out of the race. Sources close to the chief minister said that Jadhav, a Supreme Court lawyer, agreed to withdraw from the poll fray. Jadhav had reportedly approached both the Congress and Sena for ticket from Hingoli, however, the Congress fielded Subhash Wankhede. Wankhede, then with the Shiv Sena, had lost in 2014 to youth Congress leader Rajiv Satav.
11 surgical strikes carried out during UPA regime: KCR
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday claimed that 11 surgical strikes were carried out by India when he was a Minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
BJP's time is up, Mamata-led secular govt to come to power:
Senior Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee Friday said the time has come to form a secular government led by party supremo Mamata Banerjee at the Centre in place of the one headed by Narendra Modi. The BJP-led NDA government in the past five years has done nothing apart from spreading hatred and dividing the society on religious and caste lines, alleged Abhishek Banerjee, considered number 2 in the Trinamool Congress. The coming Lok Sabha poll is a battle between Mamata Banerjee and Narendra Modi, he asserted. "The time is up for BJP government. They won't return to power this time. We should work towards formation of a secular government at the Centre led by Mamata Banerjee. We have to free this country from BJP's reign of fear," he said addressing an election rally here in Purulia district. Mamata Banerjee has been the prime mover of an anti-Bharatiya Janata Party front. The TMC, which is vying to play a major role in the formation of the next government at the
AAP to release manifesto by end of next month
The Aam Aadmi Party plans to release its manifesto by the end of next month with a focus on issues related to women safety, health and education, senior party leader Gopal Rai said. The national capital votes on May 12 to elect seven MPs. Stepping up its campaign for full statehood for the Union Territory, the Aam Aadmi Party has set up a "war room" at its headquarters, which has been connected with the "war rooms" in all seven Lok Sabha constituencies of Delhi. Rai said the focus of the manifesto would be on the issues related to women safety, health and education. A member of the manifesto team said they have been asked to come up within a week with the core issues related to the three topics. Rai said the preparations for the polls are in full swing and the party was trying to establish direct contact with the people at the grassroots level. On the AAP's central "war room", the party's Delhi convenor Rai said one of the foremost tasks of the team at the Central office is to seek ...
People living near IB are India's first line of defence: Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from Udhampur-Kathua constituency, Friday said people living in the border villages are India's first line of defence. Singh will take on the grandson of erstwhile Maharaja Hari Singh, Vikramaditya Singh, and former BJP minister Choudhary Lal Singh in the Udhampur-Kathua parliamentary constituency, where polling will be held on April 18. Singh, who is the sitting MP here, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had ensured decisive retaliatory action against Pakistan, which the people living along the border would testify to. Addressing a series of public meetings in the border villages close to International Border (IB) in Kathua and Hiranagar sectors, Singh said, "None other than the people living in the border areas are India's first line of defence against the enemy for 24 hours, 365 days a year." Singh said no person other than the borderline villagers could appreciate the concern with which the Modi Government had ...
MPs reject May's EU withdrawal deal for 3rd time
The United Kingdom Members of Parliament on Friday rejected for the third time Prime Minister Theresa Mays European Union withdrawal agreement, throwing Brexit plans into more confusion.
LS polls: Seven candidates file nominations in Gujarat
Seven candidates, including two sitting BJP MPs, filed their nomination papers Friday for the next month's Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat, a senior official said. Though the notification to file nominations was issued on March 28, all the seven candidates submitted their papers Friday, said a release issued by the state Chief Electoral Officer S Murli Krishna. Those who filed their papers included Union minister and sitting BJP MP from Dahod, Jasvantsinh Bhabhor, and BJP MP from Vadodara Ranjanben Bhatt. One Shankar Amaliyar of the BJP also filed his candidature from Dahod (ST) as a dummy candidate for Bhabhor. In Surendranagar, BJP nominee Mahendra Munjpara along with his dummy candidate Shankar Koli submitted their nomination papers to the district election authorities, said the release. Piyush Dhameliya of the Real Democratic Party filed his papers for the Surat seat. Independent candidate Bhavna Jadeja submitted her papers for the Jamnagar seat, said the release. The ...
Dispel rumours of alliance with Cong: Kejriwal asks Pb AAP leaders
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal Friday met members of the party's Punjab unit here and asked them to dispel rumours of any alliance with the Congress in the state for the Lok Sabha polls, sources said. Kejriwal held the meeting at his residence with AAP Punjab chief Bhagwant Mann, eight of the 13 Lok Sabha candidates declared by the party and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha Harpal Singh Cheema. "The meeting was to dispel rumours surrounding an alliance with the Congress in Punjab and to clarify that there would be no such alliance between the AAP and the Congress," party sources said. During the meeting, the names of the five remaining candidates were discussed along with the campaign strategy, the sources said. The eight names announced by AAP so far include Justice Zora Singh (retd) from Jalandhar, Baljinder Singh Chaundha from Fatehgarh Sahib and Peter Masih Cheeda from Gurdaspur, Bhagwant Mann from Sangrur, Ravjot Singh from Hoshiarpur, Sadhu Singh from ...
Pakistan openly facilitating Khalistani separatists
Pakistan has openly started facilitating Khalistan separatists by pumping in millions of dollars to revive the anti-India movement following their futile attempts at propagating anti-India sentiments in the West.During the Pakistan Day celebrations held at the Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canadian Senator Salman Attaullahjan of Pakistani origin invited prominent proponent of Khalistan, Sukhminder Singh Hansra.Hansra, who openly advocates for Khalistan and is a leading figure in the separatist movement in Canada, was provided with a platform to spew venom against India.Praising Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, Hansra openly thanked Islamabad for supporting their satanic movement, which has seen zero support from the Sikhs living world over.Hansra said, "Imran Khan has brought a way of Politics," while relentlessly criticising Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.While Hansra's presence at the event irked the Indo-Canadian community, Pakistan, on the other hand, has been relentless in ..
19 candidates in the fray for Manipur polls
Altogether 19 candidates will be in the fray for the two Lok Sabha seats in Manipur. No candidate withdrew the nomination papers on Friday, the last date of withdrawal.