Page 1426 - Politics
IAF jet shoots down Pakistani military drone in Bikaner
A Sukhoi-30 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force on Monday shot down a Pakistani military drone in Bikaner sector of the Indo-Pak border using an air-to-air missile, government sources said. The Pakistani drone was detected by a ground-based radar station and minutes later one of the Sukhoi-30 jets deployed in the area to keep an eye on Indian air space shot it down, they said. The Pakistani military drone was targeted at around 11:30 AM in Bikaner-Nal sector in Rajasthan, the sources said. It was the second unsuccessful attempt by Pakistan to send a spy drone inside India in the last six days. A Pakistani drone was shot down by India on February 27 along the Indo-Pak border in Kutch in Gujarat. The Indian Air Force has kept all its bases in Western sector on maximum alert after India carried out a strike on the biggest terrorist training camp of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pakistan's Balakot on February 26. Pakistan had attempted to retaliate by unsuccessfully targeting a number of military ..
Delhi BJP faults AAP govt for procuring 1,000 e-buses
The BJP Monday faulted the Delhi government for deciding to procure 1,000 e-buses, claiming the infrastructure to run the battery-operated vehicles was not there in the city. The AAP government on Saturday approved a proposal to add 1,000 low-floor AC electric buses to the national capital's public transport fleet, making Delhi the first city in the country to have such large number of environment-friendly vehicles. Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari attacked the AAP government saying it always accused Modi government of obstructing it from functioning, and still it managed to go for such a large number of e-buses. "After, four years now Kejriwal government is going to procure 1,000 e-buses, although he always accused Modi government of stopping it from working," Tiwari said in a press conference. He also alleged "corruption" in procurement of buses. The AAP dismissed the allegations as "laughable", while giving point wise answers to charges made by the BJP "BJP is making laughable ...
Former BJD MP Jay Panda joins BJP
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, former Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Baijayant Jay Panda on Monday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here in the presence of Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Juel Oram and other senior party leaders.
Amit Shah to launch BJP LS campaign in Telangana on March 6
BJP Chief Amit Shah would launch the party's campaign for the coming Lok Sabha elections in Telangana with a meeting to be held at Nizamabad on March 6, state BJP president K Laxman said here Monday. Shah would attend the party's cluster meeting at Nizamabad, he told reporters here. "National president Amit Shah ji is going to come for the meeting to be held on 6th in Nizamabad cluster. Along with this meeting, he is going to start the election campaign in Telangana," he said. The party has divided Lok Sabha constituencies in the state into different clusters. Laxman said there was no leader in other parties who could match Prime Minister Narendra Modi and added that though people voted for TRS in the assembly elections, they wanted to see Modi as PM again. On TRS working president K T Rama Rao's comments that TRS would ensure a better deal for Telangana by winning 16 Lok Sabha seats (of the total 17; leaving Hyderabad held by AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi), Laxman ...
Modi indicates more action to follow air strike in Pakistan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday indicated that last week's air strike in Pakistan won't be India's last such action against terrorism emanating from the neighbouring country. Addressing a gathering here, Modi said he will target them (terrorists) "even if they hide in the bowels of the earth". "If one work gets over, our government doesn't sleep, but gets ready for another," Modi said, in a veiled reference to the February 26 air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan. The remark elicited a loud roar of approval from the crowd. "We won't lag behind when it comes to taking big and bitter decisions," he said. Modi asked opposition leaders not to malign India's armed forces and desist from giving statements which may hog limelight in the Pakistani media. "What our opposition leaders say become headlines in Pakistan newspaper today," Modi said. Taking a tough stance on terrorism, the PM asserted that he will find out those responsible for such acts in India "even if they ...
Use common sense, Modi tells Oppn on his Rafale remarks; Cong demands apology from PM
Asking opposition parties to use common sense, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday slammed them for questioning his statement that the presence of Rafale fighter jets would have given greater firepower to the IAF during the February 27 aerial engagement with Pakistan. As the political dogfight over Modi's remarks escalated with the Congress demanding an apology from him for trying to portray the Indian Air Force as being weaker without Rafale, IAF chief Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa declined to comment on the statement that the French jets would have made a difference. "I said if Rafale was acquired in time it would have made a difference (during the February 27 dogfight), but they(opposition parties) say Modi is questioning our air force strike," Modi said, addressing a gathering in Jamnagar in Gujarat. "Please use common sense. What I said was if we had Rafale at the time (of aerial dogfight), then none of our fighter jets would have gone down and none of theirs saved," he added. ...
Karnataka MLA quits Congress, set to join BJP soon
The Congress, an ally in Karnataka's ruling coalition, got a jolt on Monday when its legislator Umesh Jadhav resigned from his assembly and was set to soon join the opposition BJP.
In New India, terrorists red eye will be taken out: Assam Minister
Praising Prime Minister Modi's move to retaliate against the Pulwama terror attack, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday called for "pulling out the eyes" of the terrorists.
Pak govt yet to ban JuD, FIF; Announcements on freezing assets an eyewash
Mumbai terror attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa and its wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation have not been banned by Pakistan despite its announcement a fortnight ago and the two organisations continue to be only in the list of groups under watch. According to the website of the Pakistan government's National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA), which was updated on Monday, Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF) are organisations under watch by Ministry of Interior under section 11-D-(1), Schedule-II of the Anti Terrorism Act 1997. The NCTA website says the notification regarding JuD and FIF putting them under the list of organisation under watch was issued on February 21. However, before that the website had said that both JuD and FIF were placed on the watch list in January 2017. On February 21, Pakistan government had announced that it had banned the JuD and FIF, amid intense global pressure to rein in the militant groups following the February 14 ...
Road and stadium named after P A Sangma on his third death
A road and a stadium in Meghalaya were named after former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma on his third death anniversary on Monday. Participating at a function to pay tributes to Sangma, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma announced that the stretch of road from Araimile to Ballonggre has been named as P A Sangma Road while the Dikki Bandi Stadium was renamed as P A Sangma Stadium. A memorial lecture was also held at the district auditorium here which was attended by the chief minister, Home Minister James K Sangma and chief adviser to the government DD Lapang. Conrad and James are the son of late P A Sangma. Recalling the vision of his late father for the development of the state as well as North East region, Conrad said that the inputs which were given by his father to during many informal meetings are being helpful for the children and the political leaders of the party at present. He also announced that a Research Centre on Garo Culture would soon be set up at Babadam under ...
Trump claims Cohen hearing may have hurt North Korea summit
President Donald Trump is suggesting that a congressional hearing Democrats arranged with his former personal attorney may have contributed to his failure to reach a deal with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump left his summit in Vietnam with the North Korean leader last week without reaching an agreement after Trump said he wasn't willing to give in to Kim's demand to lift US sanctions at this time. After sending his national security adviser, John Bolton, to the Sunday talk shows to paint the summit as a success, Trump lashed out at Democrats in a tweet Sunday night, criticizing their decision to hold the hearing featuring his former lawyer Michael Cohen while he was overseas. "For the Democrats to interview in open hearings a convicted liar & fraudster, at the same time as the very important Nuclear Summit with North Korea, is perhaps a new low in American politics and may have contributed to the 'walk,'" Trump tweeted. "Never done when a president is overseas. Shame!" The .
BJP focuses on organisational work ahead Lok Sabha polls
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari said the party is more concerned about organisational work than candidate selection as it prepares for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Ticket seekers in the party are sending their applications through district presidents and the party is seeking feedback from different sources on selection of suitable candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats here, Tiwari told reporters on Monday. "We have already activated our organisation from the top level to the booth level by holding meetings of Panch Parmeshwara (booth level workers) and in-charges of Shakti Kendra (unit of four booths), Mandal, district and state level in-charges," he said. The BJP won all the seven seats in 2014 Lok Sabha polls and is working hard to retain them. Amid reports of replacement of sitting candidates, new aspirants have emerged seeking party ticket for the seven seats. "There is no harm in party leaders seeking ticket to contest elections. It is perfectly fine. Deserving candidates ...
Pak promulgates law to implement UN sanctions against individuals, groups
Pakistan Monday promulgated a law to streamline the procedure for the implementation of the UN sanctions against individuals and organisations, amid mounting pressure from the global community to rein in the terror groups operating on its soil and curb their financing. The move also comes amid tensions with India following a suicide attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14 by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. India handed over a dossier to Pakistan to take action against the JeM, as pressure mounted on Islamabad to take action against individual and organisation listed by the UN Security Council as terrorists. In a statement, the Foreign Office Monday said that the government issued the UN Security Council (Freezing and Seizure) Order, 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Pakistan's United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Act, 1948. "The objective of the UNSC (Freezing and Seizure) Order 2019 is to streamline the ...
Former union minister Dhananjay Kumar passes away
Former minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, Venur Dhananjay Kumar, passed away at a private hospital in Mangaluru Monday after a prolonged illness. He was 67. Kumar is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. "Former union minister Dhananjay Kumar is no more," the state Congress, of which he was a member, said in a tweet. A four-time Lok Sabha member, Kumar served in various capacities in the Vajpayee government, holding the portfolios of civil aviation, finance and textiles, the latter two as minister of state. His journey in the electoral politics began from 1983 when he first became an MLA from BJP. In 1991, he created a history of sorts when he defeated senior Congress leader Janardhana Poojary and since then was elected as Lok Sabha member of Mangaluru for four successive terms. During the BJP rule in Karnataka, he remained close to then chief minister Yeddyurappa and made an exit from the party to join Karnataka Janata Party, a front started by his ..
DMDK-AIADMK deal likely by Tuesday
AIADMK coordinator and Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said here on Monday alliance talks with the DMDK were on and a decision would be known either by Monday or Tuesday.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq expresses concern over Indo-Pak tension
Moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq Tuesday expressed grave concern over the current Indo-Pakistan tension. "War is no solution to the problems between India and Pakistan, especially for the resolution of the Kashmir dispute and its precarious offshoots," the Mirwaiz said here, addressing workers of his Awami Action Committee,a constituent of the Hurriyat. The Mirwaiz termed the ban on the Jamaat-e-Islami as undemocratic. The Hurriyat chairman also opposed any attempt aimed at diluting or tinkering with Article 35A.
Sensitive data 'theft'; TDP demands case be transferred to AP
: The Telugu Desam Party Monday demanded that the case relating to the alleged theft of sensitive data of Andhra Pradesh government be transferred to the state from Telangana forthwith as per the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code. As the alleged theft happened in Andhra Pradesh, the case should be transferred to the state as per the CrPC, TDP politburo member Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy and general secretary Varla Ramaiah told a press conference here. Lashing out at Cyberabad Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar for disclosing details of the investigation into the case, the TDP leaders claimed that Telangana state has no jurisdiction over the case. "Even the Telangana High Court pointed out to this," they said. The TDP leaders maintained there was nothing confidential about the data that was stored by IT Grid company in Hyderabad as "everything is available in the public domain". "Details of beneficiaries of government schemes, the voters' list...everything is ...
Newly elected KHADC members to take oath on Wednesday
The newly elected members of the Khasi Hill Autonomous District Council will take oath on Wednesday, officials said Monday. Meghalaya Governor Tathagata Roy has summoned the first session of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council on Wednesday and the 29 newly elected KHADC members will take oath on that day, District Council Affairs department commissioner and secretary T Dkhar said. The election to the post of the chairman will be held on March 8, he said. East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner, Matsiewdor War will administer the oath taking ceremony as well as conduct the election to the post of chairman of the council, Dkhar said. In the February 27 elections to the tribal council, the ruling National Peoples Party won seven seats while its ally the UDP won six seats, the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party two seats and the PDF one seat.
After Pulwama, IAF received indication of air strike option to avenge terror attack: sources
The IAF's massive pre-planned day-night exercise in Rajasthan's Pokhran desert close to the Pakistan border on February 16 underwent certain changes in its format following the Pulwama attack after the government considered an air strike option across the LoC which was carried out 10 days later, official sources said Monday. The exercise 'Vayu Shakti' involving over 140 fighter jets, military helicopters as well as a variety of missiles demonstrated the capability for short notice missions with pinpoint accuracy. Though it was a pre-scheduled exercise, the IAF top brass knew the government was considering using the air power to avenge the Pulwama attack on February 14, making the drill a dress rehearsal for aerial strike to target Pakistan-based JeM, top government sources said Monday. They said the IAF even incorporated certain changes in the format of the exercise after receiving an indication from the government about a possible role for the Indian Air Force(IAF) to carry out a ...
Kerala BJP flays 'opportunistic alliance' between CPI-M and Congress
The Kerala unit of the BJP on Monday slammed the CPI-M strategy of lending support to the Congress in states where it is in direct contest with the saffron party in order to "ensure a secular government at the Centre".