Page 1450 - Politics
Pondy CM presents vote-on-account
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy Saturday presented vote-on-account in the Assembly for 2019-2020 earmarking Rs 2,703.63 crore to government departments, amid a protest by opposition parties. The assembly reconvened by Speaker V Vaithilingam adjourned sine die after passing the vote-on-account bill and transacting other scheduled business. Chief Minister V Narayanasamy presented the vote-on-account even as all the 14 legislators belonging to the opposition- AINRC (seven), AIADMK (four) and three nominated members belonging to the BJP- protested the government's decision not to present a full-fledged budget. The Bill passed amid opposition protest earmarked Rs 2,703.63 crore to the government departments to meet their expenditure from the consolidated fund in the next five months for fiscal 2019-2020. The opposition members rushed towards the Speaker's podium to protest the presentation of the vote-on-account. They squatted on the floor in the well of the ...
Samjhauta Express services restored; Train to run from India on Sunday: Railways
The Samjhauta Express will leave for Pakistan from Delhi on Sunday after the two neighbours agreed to operationalise services at their ends, a senior railway official told PTI. The announcement came a day after Pakistan released Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. The official said the first train from India will leave on March 3. While Pakistan had cancelled its services right after an air strike by the Indian Air Force, India cancelled the operations of the Samjhauta Express on February 28. The train will start running from the Indian side on Sunday, while on the Pakistan side it will leave Lahore on Monday on its return journey. On the Indian side the train runs from Delhi to Attari and from Lahore to Wagah on the Pakistan side.
Hold polls to make India strong, not to fulfil a family's wish to make prince PM: Shah
Polls should be held to make India and its economy strong, to give Pakistan a befitting reply and not to fulfil a family's wish to make its "prince" the prime minister, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Saturday in a veiled attack on Congress and its president Rahul Gandhi. Shah, while addressing the BJP's 'Vijay Sankalp' bike rally here, also slammed the opposition for raising doubts over the recent air strike on a terrorist camp in Pakistan. "Elections should be held in the country to make the country and its economy stronger. To take the country's pride to the sky...to strengthen the security...to give a befitting reply to Pakistan...in the interests of 50 crore poor...and not just to fulfil the desires of ageing leaders who wish to become the prime minister or a family that wishes to make its prince the PM," Shah said. Amid the cheering crowd, he praised Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who returned from Pakistan on Friday, saying he came back to India after shooting down Pakistan's
PTI Exclusive: US seeks information on Pakistan's potential misuse of F-16s
The US is seeking more information from Pakistan on the potential misuse of American-made F-16 fighter jets by it against India in violation of the end-user agreement, the State Department has said. The Indian Air Force on Thursday displayed parts of an AMRAAM beyond visual range air-to-air missile as evidence to "conclusively" prove that Pakistan deployed US-manufactured F-16 fighter jets during an aerial raid targeting Indian military installations in Kashmir after India's anti-terror operation in Balakot . Pakistan on Wednesday categorically said that no F-16 fighter jets were used and denied that one of its planes had been downed by the Indian Air Force. "We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information," a State Department spokesperson told PTI when asked about report that Pakistan has violated end-user agreement with the United States in this week's border clash with India. "Due to non-disclosure agreements in Foreign Military Sales contracts, we cannot discuss the
Three killed in Pakistani shelling on LoC
Three civilians were killed in heavy shelling by the Pakistan Army along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district, officials said on Saturday, the clashes later spreading to Rajouri district.
Qureshi says Indian pilot not released under 'any pressure'
Pakistan was not under "pressure" or "any compulsion" to release Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday, a day after the IAF Wing Commander returned home. India has been maintaining that the Pakistani decision is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions. Pakistan was under intense pressure from the US, the UAE and Saudi Arabia to de-escalate the tensions with India in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack and release the Indian pilot. In an interview with BBC Urdu, Qureshi said: "We wanted to convey to them (India) that we do not want to increase your sorrow, we do not want your citizens to be miserable, we want peace". Varthaman returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero's welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down. Qureshi dismissed the notion that the captured IAF pilot was released owing to pressure or as a compulsion. "Pakistan will not allow anti-state elements to .
Modi to visit Amethi on Sunday, his first since 2014
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public meeting and lay the foundation stone of an ordnance factory unit in Amethi, the parliamentary constituency of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. The constituency is being given a saffron hue ahead of the visit, during which the prime minister will launch several projects in the constituency which has remained loyal to the Gandhi family for long. This would be Modi's first visit to Amethi after coming to power in 2014. He visited the neighbouring Rae Bareli constituency, represented in Lok Sabha by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in December. According to official sources, Modi will address a public meeting in Kauhar area of Gauriganj and will launch some projects besides laying the foundation stone of a new unit of the Munshiganj Ordnance Factory, where assault rifles will be made in collaboration with Russia, on Sunday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Amethi earlier this week to review preparations for .
US, Taliban to resume talks
The talks between the United States and Taliban representatives will resume on Saturday after the two-day break.According to Tolo News, the talks were called off for two days for consultation between working groups of the two sides.The talks are likely to further discuss the US forces' withdrawal from Afghanistan while ensuring the country's territory is not being used as a threat to any other country, a comprehensive ceasefire and direct talks with the Afghan government.Taliban at multiple occasions have denied direct talks with the government. However, the Afghan President Ashraf Ghani-led government has expressed a desire to directly hold talks with Taliban "for sustainable peace" in Afghanistan."This has been decided that Afghans should make their future government by their own. There are issues such as elections, prisoners and the blacklist, which should be discussed," said Mohammad Daud Abidi, head of Afghan People Peace Jigra.The new round of talks was started on February 25 ...
AAP names six LS candidates for Delhi
Amidst strong speculation that the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) could tie up for the Lok Sabha elections, the AAP on Saturday announced the names of candidates for six of the seven parliamentary constituencies in the national capital.
Banning Jamaat-e-Islami can have dangerous ramifications: Mehbooba
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti warned on Saturday that banning the Jamaat-e-Islami will have "dangerous ramifications".
Carrying 'special message', Saudi FM to visit Pak today
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir will visit Pakistan on Saturday, carrying a 'special message' from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman, reported Samaa TV.Adel will hold discussions with his Pakistan counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi on the escalated tensions between India and Pakistan.The Saudi Foreign Minister was earlier expected to visit Pakistan on Thursday, but the visit was delayed due to unexplained reasons.Notably, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman recently visited both India and Pakistan. In his bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MBS had described terrorism as a 'common concern'.
US, S. Korea to suspend large-scale military exercises
The US and South Korea will suspend two large-scale joint military exercises this year, American officials said, as part of President Donald Trumps efforts to maintain the truce he struck with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Pakistanis demand Nobel Peace Prize for Imran Khan
A motion was submitted in Pakistan's National Assembly Secretariat on Saturday calling for Prime Minister Imran Khan to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in "de-escalating" tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Hold polls to make India strong, not to fulfil prince's desire to be PM: Shah
Polls should be held to make India and its economy strong, to give Pakistan a befitting reply and not to fulfil the desire of a 'prince' to become the prime minister, BJP chief Amit Shah said here on Saturday in a veiled attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Shah, addressing BJP's 'Vijay Sankalp' bike rally here, slammed the opposition for raising doubts over the recent air strike on the terrorist camps in Pakistan. "Polls should be held to make the country and its economy strong and to give Pakistan a befitting reply and not to fulfil the desires of ageing leaders and a family's prince to become the prime minister," he said. On the Indian Air Force's air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammad training camp early Tuesday, Shah said, "The opposition is doing politics by raising doubts over the recent air strike on Pakistan-based terrorist camps." He criticised Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav over the issue. "During Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rule, ...
BJP will win more seats in 2019 LS polls than it had won in 2014
Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday exuded confidence that the BJP will win more seats in this general elections than it had won in 2014. "The BJP had won 282 seats in the last Lok Sabha elections and we are confident that the number of seats won by the party will be higher than this in the upcoming elections," Javadekar told reporters here. He said it is the Modi government that can take on terrorism and provide a strong leadership to the country. Javadekar was in the city to participate in the BJP's pre-election bike rally. He rode pillion with former Rajasthan minister Arun Chaturvedi. The bike rallies named as 'Kamal Vijayi Sankalp Vahan Rally' were organised across the state by the party. Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcast Rajyavardhan Rathore and other leaders also led rallies in other parts.
AAP announces candidates on six out of seven seats in Delhi for LS polls
Ending speculations of an alliance with the Congress, the Aam Admi Party announced saturday names of party candidates on six of seven seats in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a press conference here, Delhi AAP convener Gopal Rai said Atishi will contest from East Delhi, Guggan Singh from North-West Delhi, Raghav Chadha from South, Dilip Pandey from North-East, Pankaj Gupta from Chandni Chowk and Brijesh Goyal will contest from New Delhi seats. Rai said the candidate for West Delhi will be announced soon. The six candidates were earlier appointed as in charge on the respective Lok Sabha seats. During a meeting of 'Mahagathbandhan', leaders at NCP chief Sharad Pawar's residence last month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi had refused a proposal for alliance between his party and the AAP, citing opposition from its Delhi unit leaders, Rai added.
Kim Jong-un leaves for Pyongyang after Vietnam visit
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un left Hanoi on Saturday for Pyongyang by train, after concluding a historic state visit to Vietnam, following his failed summit with US President Donald Trump earlier in the week.
J&K fast-tracks staff recruitment for 5 new medical colleges
The Jammu and Kashmir government is fast-tracking staff recruitment for the five new medical colleges being set up across the state, officials said.
Indian pilot not released under any pressure: Pakistan
Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman was not freed by Pakistan due to any pressure or compulsion, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Saturday.
Puthiya Tamizhagam gets one LS seat from AIADMK
The AIADMK has entered into an electoral pact with Puthiya Tamizhagam (PT), which will allow the latter to contest from one Lok Sabha constituency in Tamil Nadu, Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said on Saturday.