Page 1368 - Politics
Cong claims Choksi seeking registration of new company in UK, targets Modi govt
The Congress claimed on Sunday that fugitive diamantaire Mehul Choksi has applied for registration of a new company in the United Kingdom and asked the Narendra Modi government how serious were its efforts for his extradition. Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said Choksi had applied for the registration in the UK of his company with its principal address in Dubai (UAE) only three days ago and asked whether the Modi government knew about it. He also released purported documents in support of his claim. Claiming that the Modi dispensation was facing an imminent defeat in the coming parliamentary election, the Congress leader said the government must tell the people if it knew about Choksi's move. "Also, if agencies like CBI and Enforcement Directorate(ED) made any effort to extradite him," he told a press conference. The Congress spokesperson also alleged that a "powerful person", who benefited from Choksi, was protecting him. "Who has benefited from Choksi and who is this important, ..
Cong calls EC's scheduled announcement of poll dates "Modi's vidai parv"
The Congress on Sunday took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hours before the EC's scheduled announcement of dates for the Lok Sabha polls, saying it was the first day of his "vidai parv" (farewell festival). "It's first day of Vidai Parv of Modi ji. Voters are ready," said AICC spokesperson Pawan Khera. The Election Commission (EC) is set to announce schedule for the high-voltage Lok Sabha elections, which is likely to be spread over seven to eight phases in April-May. "The farmers, unemployed youth, small traders, they all were waiting for this day. Don't know why Modi ji delayed this, (may be) to cut the ribbons for projects that started in Congress regime," Khera said. The poll panel is scheduled to give poll dates in a press conference scheduled this evening at Vigyan Bhavan here. The term of the present Lok Sabha ends on June 3. Khera said a new government will take over to rectify the "mistakes" made by Modi's government. Elections are not an end for the Congress, these ..
BJD to field 33 pc women candidates in upcoming LS polls
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Sunday said the BJD would field 33 per cent women among its candidates in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, terming the move a "benchmark for women empowerment" in the country. Making the announcement at a rally in Kendrapara, the Biju Janata Dal president said the "historic step" would lead the way in empowering women. "If India is to lead the world, if India has to compete with countries like America and China and become an advanced nation, women empowerment is the only answer," he said. Patnaik's decision would mean that the ruling BJD will field women candidates for at least seven out of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in the state. At present, there are three women Lok Sabha MPs from Odisha. The BJD had won 20 of the 21 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. Patnaik, however, did not make any such announcement for the assembly polls which is slated to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls. Odisha's 147-member assembly has 12 women MLAs at present. In November ..
Five senior officers reshuffled in J-K
In a minor administrative reshuffle, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has ordered transfers and postings of four Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and one Kashmir Administrative Service (KAS) officers, an order issued by General Administration Department (GAD) said. According to the GAD order issued Saturday, IAS officer M Raju will be the new excise commissioner, replacing Talat Parvez Rohella (KAS), who was transferred and posted as secretary to the government, higher education department. Raju, managing director to J&K projection construction corporation, would hold the charge of post of excise commissioner in additional to his own duties till further orders, it said. Sarita Chauhan (IAS), commissioner secretary to the government higher education department, was transferred and posted as commissioner secretary to the government, school education department. Ajeet Kumar Sahu (IAS) has been transferred and posted as commissioner secretary to the government, public health ...
AAP's mega campaign for LS polls launched; full statehood to Delhi is central theme
The ruling AAP in Delhi launched its mega campaign for Lok Sabha polls, with full statehood as its central theme, staging a protest near BJP headquarters here over the issue on Sunday. The Lok Sabha election will decide the fate of the country and also of Delhi, which was badly hurt during the "dictatorship" of the BJP-led dispensation at the Centre, said AAP convener Gopal Rai. AAP volunteers and its frontal organisations protested near BJP headquarters on the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg, demanding the party to clear its stand on full statehood to Delhi. AAP will stage a similar protest outside Congress headquarters on Akbar Road on the issue on Monday. Rai said the people of Delhi were eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates, and added it will give them relief from the "autocracy" of the Modi government and its policies. "Full statehood is the only way to end the autocracy of the Centre. It is central theme of AAP's mega election campaign because we feel it ..
Iran demands Pakistan acts 'decisively against terrorists'
Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has demanded Pakistan act "decisively against anti-Iranian terrorists" in a phone call with the country's premier, Tehran said, a month after a bloody attack on security forces. Iran says a Pakistani suicide bomber was behind the February 13 attack that killed 27 Revolutionary Guards in its volatile southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchistan. A Sunni jihadist group, Jaish al-Adl (Army of Justice), which Tehran says operates mostly out of bases in neighbouring Pakistan, claimed responsibility for the blast. Iran has accused Pakistan's army and intelligence agency of sheltering the jihadists and summoned the country's ambassador in the wake of the attack. Rouhani in the phone conversation Saturday evening with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan called to maintain good ties and pointed the finger of blame at Tehran's traditional regional and international foes. "We shouldn't allow decades of friendship and brotherhood between the two countries be ...
OBC community seeks guv's intervention for 27 pc reservation in govt jobs in J-K
An organisation representing socially and educationally other backward classes sought intervention of Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday in redressal of their long-pending demands, including 27 per cent reservation in government jobs. The organisation, All Jammu and Kashmir OBC Mahasabha, also demanded inclusion of the community leaders in the state backward commission and political reservation and due representation in the local bodies and panchayats. "We have faced discrimination over the past 72 years from the successive state governments which only provided us with two per cent reservation against the recommended 27 per cent reservation by the Mandal Commission and the Supreme Court," a convener of the organisation said.
Swaraj says BJP will turn up poll heat on air strike sceptics
The BJP will use leaflets to ask people whether they would vote for parties that questioned the valour of the country's armed forces in connection with the February 26 air strike and the aerial engagement with Pakistan fighter jets the next day. Speaking at a gathering of the BJP's women workers here on Sunday, senior leader and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj signalled that the military action against Pakistan after the February 14 Pulwama attack would be a poll issue for the ruling party. "We should ask questions about whether our jawans should count the dead bodies (after dropping bombs on terror camps) or return safely after carrying out the air strike. BJP workers should ask counter-questions to those who raise doubts about the impact of our air strike," Swaraj said. The February 26 air strike is at the centre of a political slugfest with some opposition parties demanding that the Narendra Modi government furnish proof of its efficacy in terms of terrorist .
2 Pakistani-origin ISIS brides lose British citizenship: Report
Two Pakistani-origin sisters from London are believed to be the latest set of mothers to lose their British citizenship for marrying into the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group in Syria. Reema Iqbal and her sister, Zara, have five boys under the age of eight between them and are being held in a Syrian detention camp. Reports of them losing their right to return to the UK after losing their citizenship rights come as it was confirmed that Bangladeshi-origin Shamima Begum lost her three-week-old baby in a Syrian refugee camp days after her British citizenship was similarly revoked. 'The Sunday Times' quoted legal sources to say that the Iqbal sisters, from east London, have had their British nationality rights revoked for marrying into an ISIS terrorist cell. Their parents are from Pakistan, so the UK Home Office would argue they are eligible for Pakistani nationality instead. Their five sons, however, are likely to remain British citizens. The newspaper report says the two women ...
'UPA Plus Plus' will form govt at Centre: Pilot
Asserting that the Congress is "gaining momentum", Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and state Congress president Sachin Pilot has exuded confidence that "UPA Plus Plus" will secure the mandate to govern in the coming Lok Sabha election. He claimed the NDA is becoming weaker and the BJP, having lost three states in assembly polls last year, had to compromise to form coalitions for Lok Sabha polls. The BJP lost power to the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Pilot's home state, Rajasthan, in December. "The Congress party is gaining momentum by aligning with many more parties in various states, therefore, the UPA Plus Plus will be a formidable alliance which will be defeating NDA in the coming Lok Sabha election," Pilot told PTI. Raising questions on the performance of the Modi government, Pilot, a former Union minister, said it should make itself answerable on its performance to people. "The current ruling dispensation is not confident enough of its performance. Therefore, Ram .
Melania Trump 'mistook former female Australia FM for partner'
Australia's former foreign minister says she was mistaken for the spouse of a politician by US First Lady Melania Trump, in her latest comments on the subordinate role of women in conservative politics. Julie Bishop has been vocal about the treatment of senior female politicians since she stepped down after the ouster of former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull last year. Bishop, who was Australia's first female foreign minister and deputy leader of the Liberal Party, is among several senior politicians from the centre-right government set to quit parliament at upcoming national elections amid expectations of an opposition win. She told a talk in Adelaide Saturday that Melania thought her partner David Patton was Australia's foreign minister, instead of her, after President Donald Trump stuck up a conversation with him, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported. "Melania, standing by, assumed David was the foreign minister and she said to me: 'Julie, will you be coming to my ...
End politicization of armed forces: Amarinder
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday called for an end to politicization of the armed forces for political gains.
TRS ahead of rivals as campaigning picking up in Telangana
Fresh from its landslide victory in the December 2018 Assembly elections, a confident Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) is ahead of its rivals as the campaigning is picking up for the coming Lok Sabha polls.
Amid heightened tensions, Indian team's visit to Pak for Indus River basin inspection postponed
Amid heightened tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad, a reciprocal visit by the Indian team to Pakistan for inspection of projects in Indus river basin this month has been postponed, senior officials said Sunday. During the 115th meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission held in Lahore from August 29-30, 2018, both the commissioners had agreed to undertake the treaty-mandated tours of the Indus basin on both sides,the official said. The tour of the Pakistani side was originally scheduled in October 2018 but was postponed because of local bodies elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Subsequently, the Pakistani team visited India in the last week of January to inspect projects in the Chenab basin in the state. Pakistani Indus Commissioner Syed Mohammad Mehar Ali Shah and Indian Commissioner PK Saxena along with respective advisers visited the under-construction Indian hydropower projects in Chenab basin namely Pakal Dul (1000 MW), Ratle (850 MW) and Lower Kalnai (48 MW). The delegation ...
BJP has a direct fight with Cong in all seven LS seats in Delhi: Vijay Goel
Union minister and senior BJP leader Vijay Goel on Sunday said his party had a direct fight with the Congress in the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi and the AAP will bag the third place in the national capital in the upcoming general election. "People will vote to form a government at the Centre, so our fight in Delhi is with the Congress. Who will vote for Arvind Kejriwal and the AAP, which has no say in the formation of the next government in the country," Goel told PTI in an interview. The former Delhi BJP chief, who was termed by party president Amit Shah as the "eighth" Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP, is a probable from the Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha seat, currently held by Union minister Harsh Vardhan. Goel is currently a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan. "In the coming Lok Sabha election, the BJP will have a direct contest with the Congress. The people of Delhi are disenchanted with (Chief Minister) Arvind Kejriwal. The BJP will again win all the seven seats in the national ...
EC set to announce Lok Sabha election schedule
The much awaited 2019 Lok Sabha election schedule will be announced on Sunday evening.
LS poll: Pawar's re-entry into poll fray to be watched keenly
At least three Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, including the one which NCP chief Sharad Pawar will contest despite his earlier decision of withdrawing from electoral politics, will be keenly watched in the upcoming general polls. Besides Madha Lok Sabha seat from where 78-year-old Pawar is likely to contest, the other constituencies such as Nagpur and Solapur will also be in the limelight. Pawar, currently a Rajya Sabha member, had earlier announced he will not contest the Lok Sabha polls, but recently changed his decision. He said some of his party colleagues were insisting he contest the Lok Sabha poll from Solapur's Madha seat, currently represented by party leader Vijaysinh Mohite Patil. According to a political observer, prime ministerial ambitions have always been associated with Pawar, but the veteran politician earlier said he was not eyeing the top post. "Pawar may still win from Madha, but it may not be a cake-walk," the observer said. The former Union ...
As lull prevails along LoC, army anticipates 'shallow infiltration' by terror groups
As a lull prevails along the Line of Control (LoC) with Pakistan after a fortnight-long exchange of heavy fire, the army is on high alert anticipating "shallow infiltration" by terror groups to target troops and military installations, officials said on Sunday. The officials, who are keeping an eye on developments along the 740-km LoC stretching from Poonch in Jammu region to Kupwara in north Kashmir, claimed that Pakistan, having faced severe reverses during the recent heightened tension, might resort to its age-old "shoot-and-scoot" warfare technique by sending terrorists into the Indian side and cause some damage. In the past, "shallow infiltration" has been carried out by terror groups, in which either some army men were killed or damage was caused to an army installation, the officials said. They feel that terrorists were very much present along with the border populace in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and could be used for carrying out such attacks. Many a time, they come ...
Israel strikes Hamas targets in Gaza over rocket: army
Israeli aircraft struck Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip early Sunday after a rocket from the Palestinian enclave hit the Jewish state, the army said. "Fighter jets and aircraft struck several military targets in a Hamas compound in the northern Gaza Strip in addition to two Hamas vessels," a statement from the army said. The attacks were in response to a rocket fired from Gaza late Saturday "in addition to the continued violence emanating from the Gaza Strip," the army said. The rocket hit an open field in Israel's Eshkol region, causing no casualties or damages, a local government spokeswoman said. A security source in Gaza said a Hamas site in the northern Gaza Strip was hit as well as fishing boats west of Deir al-Balah in the central part of the enclave. The source denied the boats belonged to Hamas's armed wing. No one was injured. Gazans have been launching balloons carrying explosive devices at Israel and stepping up attempts to damage the border fence on a daily basis for more
Political parties in UP reach out to young voters
With young voters likely to play a key role in the Lok Sabha polls, political parties in Uttar Pradesh have set their sights on them and are trying to reach out with various programmes and campaigns. A spokesperson for the ruling BJP said the party believes young voters not only actively participate in the electoral process, but also act as a catalyst for others to cast their votes. With 'Mera Pehla Vote Modi Ko (my first vote for Modi)' campaign, the BJP hopes the young electors will help it replicate its 2014 performance. As per Election Commission date, there are 14.40 crore voters in Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha. The count of first time voters stands at approximately 45 lakh, of which 16.75 lakhs are in the age of 18-19 years. "The BJP was rather early in reaching out to the young voters. The party had run a Young Voters' Campaign from October 7-11. The campaign was run by BJP's youth wing BJYM (Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha)," UP BJP media coordinator Rakesh .