Page 1159 - Politics
Mamata promises to revive Planning Commission, probe note ban
The TMC will work for the revival of the Planning Commission, institution of a judicial inquiry into demonetization and a review of the GST if the opposition alliance is voted to power in the Lok Sabha polls, its manifesto released by party supremo Mamata Banerjee said Wednesday. Banerjee, a prime mover behind the efforts to cobble together an anti-BJP alliance of opposition parties, said she is not fighting for "chair" and that her aim is to rid the country of the "reign of fear". The West Bengal chief minister also said the 100-day work provision under MNREGA, the government's flagship employment scheme for the rural poor, will be extended to 200 days a year and the wages doubled. "Why was demonetization carried out? We want a judicial probe monitored by a former Supreme Court judge...We will bring back the Planning Commission and ensure that it strengthens the federal structure," she told a press conference after releasing the manifesto. The 67-page manifesto has ...
China defends its policies in Tibet; says Tibet's GDP grew by 191 times in 60 yrs
Countering US' criticism of its governance in Tibet, China on Wednesday defended its polices and highlighted major economic development and improvement of lives of people in the remote Himalayan region since a failed uprising against Beijing's rule 60 years ago. Releasing a white paper on Tibet showcasing the region's development under the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) here, Tibet's executive vice governor Norbu Dondrup denied there was any significant support for Tibet as a separate political entity. "The issue of Tibetan independence does not exist," he told the media. About 150 Tibetans committed self-immolations in different parts of Tibet since 2009 calling for the return of 83-year-old Dalai Lama from his exile and improvement of human rights in the Himalayan region. The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet, crossed the border into India following a failed uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet on March 31, 1959. China says Tibet for centuries has been its territory
Ready to contest anyone: Digvijaya on Bhopal LS seat
Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, who is contesting the Bhopal seat in the ensuing Lok Sabha election, on Wednesday said he is ready to face any contestant from the BJP."I am ready to face anyone. I will accept whomsoever BJP will field against me. I have no issues at all," Singh told media persons here when asked about reports of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's name being pitched against him.Admitting that it will be a tough contest, Digvijaya thanked Congress president Rahul Gandhi for fielding him from the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat.Meanwhile, Digvijaya also addressed party workers in Bhopal and slammed the NDA-led central government over the Indian Air Force's airstrike on Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) camp in Pakistan's Balakot.He said BJP leaders were giving different numbers of terrorists killed in the attack.Digvijaya told party workers that BJP has one sole agenda of spreading hatred between Hindus and Muslim."In this country, if there is somebody who ..
Need to address gaps in international space laws: Pak after India's A-SAT test
There is a need to address gaps in international space laws, Pakistan said hours after India successfully tested its anti-satellite (A-SAT) missile on Wednesday.However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised that India's feat is only for its own defence needs and not for use against any country.He also assured the international community that this test does not violate any international treaties or law and that India remains committed against the arms race in space."We believe that there is a need to address gaps in the international space laws with a view to ensuring that no one threatens peaceful activities and applications of space technologies for socio-economic development," Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.Pakistan further went on to state that "boasting of such capabilities is reminiscent of Don Quixote's tilting against windmills," apparently referring to the English idiom 'tilting at windmills'.On Wednesday, India announced the successful testing of its ...
Cong's T Jeevan Reddy wins Legislative Council poll in Telangana
The Congress has managed to secure its presence in the state legislative council as the senior party leader T Jeevan Reddy was elected to the house from Karimnagar-Adilabad-Nizamabad-Medak graduate constituency on Wednesday.Reddy defeated his rival Mamindla Chandrashekhar Goud, supported by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), by a margin of 39,430 votes.The party was to lose its presence in the upper house of the Assembly as the term of two of its MLCs, Mohd Shabbir Ali and Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy would come to an end by Saturday.TPCC spokesperson Gudur Narayan Reddy told ANI: "The election results of the Telangana Legislative Council clearly show that the people of the state are fed up with the ideology and functioning of the KCR government. It is a clear signal that the people of Telangana have shifted their support towards the Congress."All the three candidates supported by the ruling TRS, including two sitting members of the Legislative Council, lost the elections held on March .
India on edge before Modi delivers 'important message'
India was on edge for a nerve-racking 32 minutes on Wednesday, waiting anxiously for an "important message" to the nation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. As time slowed to a tedious crawl, imagination hurriedly took wing. Yet another surgical strike? India's Osama bin Laden moment? A fresh demonetisation exercise? What could it possibly be? Speculation swirled about what message the prime minister could give amid the hustle and bustle of a gruelling Lok Sabha election. TV anchors heightened the suspense when they repeatedly insisted that the prime minister cannot make any policy announcement when the model code of conduct was in force for the election. It began with a tweet by Modi at 11:23 am: "I would be addressing the nation at around 11:45 AM - 12.00 noon with an important message. Do watch the address on television, radio or social media." As the appointed hour came and went with no sign of the prime minister on their screens, debate intensified -- in homes and offices, buses .
AP locks horns with ECI over transfer of 3 police officials
The Andhra Pradesh government Wednesday Wednesday filed a petition in the High Court against the Election Commissions directive ordering the transfer of state Director General of Intelligence and two district Superintendents of Police. Though the government immediately complied with the ECI directive on Tuesday night, it filed a plea challenging the order, even as the ruling Telugu Desam Party cried foul. It cancelled Tuesday night's order and issued a fresh government order Wednesday afternoon retaining the DG Intelligence in his post while transferring out the two SPs. The ECI order took a political hue with Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu protesting the manner in which the intelligence chief and two district SPs were ordered to be transferred and kept out of election duties. Camping in Kurnool for electioneering, Naidu dashed off a seven-page letter to the ECI alleging that its action was "prima facie hasty, biased, undemocratic and suffers from the principles of ..
Women get raw deal in J&K, only 2 file nominations in 4 seats
Of the 62 candidates who have filed nominations for the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir so far, only two are women. Jammu and Kashmir has six parliamentary constituencies. The state will vote in five phases -- April 11, 18, 23, 29 and May 6. Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, who till recently led the state government, has announced to contest the polls from the Anantnag seat but is yet to file her nomination papers. "Only two women have so far filed their nomination papers in four Lok Sabha constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir," an official said. Kanta Andhota, a former MLA and leader of the Dogra Swabhimaan Sangathan will contest from Jammu seat, while Meenakshi will be in the fray as an Independent in Udhampur constituency. Notifications for Anantnag and Ladakh Lok Sabha constituencies are awaited. Six women, including PDP chief Mufti, had contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014. A total 113 candidates were in the fray.
BJP asks disgruntled leaders to pull out of LS race
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), part of the ruling combine in Bihar, on Wednesday asked two senior party leaders who had filed nomination papers as Independent to pull out.
Pakistan PM under attack over Afghan comments
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has come under attack for reportedly suggesting the setting up of an interim set-up in Afghanistan for peace talks to succeed.
BJP did not split MGP, its MLAs came to us: Goa CM
Hours after two out of three MLAs from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party split the legislative unit and merged with Goa's ruling BJP, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Wednesday said his party was not responsible for the split.
'Nyay' has scared BJP, PM Modi: Rahul
Taking potshots at the Modi government over rising unemployment and for "destroying" the country's economy, Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday, the 'Nyay' income guarantee scheme would be a surgical strike on poverty and its announcement has ensured the BJP's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections.
Oppn raising clerical objections, not bothered about national security: Jaitley on 'Mission Shakti'
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday slammed the opposition's criticism over the timing of announcement of 'Mission Shakti' as "clerical objections" and asserted that these parties were not at all bothered about national security. Taking on the Congress, Jaitley accused that the erstwhile UPA government of not granting scientists permission to build the country's own anti-satellite missile, saying it lacked "capability and clarity". Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, he said when India had test-fired the Agni-V missile in April, 2012, then DRDO chief V K Saraswat had said that India could now develop an anti-satellite missile but the government had not given its nod. Targeting the Congress, he said those patting their own back for India's strategic missile programme were doing so for wrong reasons. "If they want to rectify the Balakot (air strike) mistake, it is the opportunity for the opposition to do so and stand in support of our scientists," he said, ...
Andhra CM slams EC over police officials' transfer
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday protested against the manner in which the Election Commission (EC) transferred three police officials, saying the order was biased and violated the principles of natural justice.
Madras High Court declines interim relief to Vedanta
The Madras High Court on Wednesday declined interim relief to Vedanta Ltd to take up maintenance work at its copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi.
India had anti-satellite missile capability in 2007, but no political will: Ex-ISRO chairman
Former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair said on Wednesday that India had the anti-satellite missile capability more than a decade ago but there was no political will at the time to demonstrate it. He said when China shot down an ageing weather satellite by launching a missile in 2007, India had the technology to undertake a similar mission. "...now (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji has taken the initiative and he had the political will and courage to say that we will do this. We have now demonstrated this to whole world," Nair told PTI. He had headed the ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), Space Commission and was Secretary in the Department of Space from 2003 to 2009. Nair joined the BJP in October 2018. Asked if India could have demonstrated the anti-satellite missile capability in 2007 itself, Nair said "certainly", but it could not be done due to absence of "political decision" to go ahead with it at that time. "Now, Modiji has courageously taken the decision," he said. The ...
Rahul takes potshots at Modi, Shah hits back
A war of words erupted on Wednesday between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah and Congress President Rahul Gandhi after India successfully tested its anti-satellite missile A-SAT.
Modi breached model code of conduct: Yechury
The CPI-M on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating the Model Code of Conduct by announcing an Indian scientific achievement in space amid an election campaign in which he himself is a candidate.
People must know about BJP's 'jumlebazi', Priyanka tells Cong workers
Campaigning in her brother Rahul Gandhi's parliamentary constituency, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Wednesday asked party workers to reach out to the villages and expose what she called was the BJP's "jumlebazi" or empty rhetoric. Priyanka Gandhi, who arrived here via Lucknow to hold a dialogue with the booth level presidents as part of the party's 'humara booth, humara gaurav' campaign, remained closeted with representatives of Amethi for around two hours at the A H Inter College in Musafirkhana. This marked the beginning of the second phase of her election campaign in Uttar Pradesh. Clad in a blue cotton sari, microphone in her hand, the Congress leader took centre stage among local leaders, taking feedback from them. The Amethi constituency has long remained a Congress stronghold. In the interactive session, Priyanka Gandhi told workers to reach out to villages in order to respond to the Bharatiya Janata Party's 'jumlebazi' and "expose the reality before the ...
No Nawada ticket for Giriraj, Shah fields him from Begusarai
Despite MoS Giriraj Singh's disappointment, BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday announced his candidature from Begusarai Lok constituency instead of his current Nawada constituency in Bihar.Shah said, "Mr @girirajsinghbjp will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai of Bihar. I have heard all his things and the organization will solve all his problems. I wish him good luck for the election".Giriraj had earlier said, "I am sad only because of Bihar BJP leadership. This decision (of fielding from Begusarai) was taken without taking me into confidence. My self-respect has been violated.""I was hoping to contest election from Begusarai in 1996 and 2014. However, the party leadership said Bhola Singh wants to contest from Begusarai. I was fielded from Nawada (then)," he told ANI.One of his rivals from Begusarai constituency will be former president of JNU Students' Union Kanhaiya Kumar who has been fielded by CPI. Kumar joined student politics through All India Students' Federation