Page 1465 - Politics
Cabinet approves ordinance for reservation to IB residents in J&K too
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Ordinance, bringing persons residing in the areas adjoining International Border within the ambit of reservation at par with persons living in areas adjoining the Line of Control.
SAD seeks probe by sitting judge in Behbal Kalan incident
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal Thursday accused the Amarinmder Singh government of "misusing" the SIT, set up to probe the Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan firing cases, to settle "political scores". The Shiromani Akali Dal president made the allegation, demanding the transfer of probe either under the supervision of a sitting apex court judge or by an independent agency. "In the light of the brazen politicisation of the probe by the Congress government, we demand that the probe be handed over either to a sitting judge of the Supreme Court or to an independent investigative agency," said Badal. "Only then can a fair probe be conducted into these incidents," he added. The real motive behind the entire Congress exercise is not to unravel the truth but to weaken the Sikh institutions like SAD and render the Sikhs leaderless, he said. Condemning the alleged harassment of Akali leader Mantar Singh Brar by the SIT, Badal said it was being done under political instructions to target Akali ...
Be wary of social media, mindless warmongering: JD(U)
The ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, an ally of the BJP, Thursday cautioned against "social media jingoism and mindless warmongering" that are being mistaken for bravery. Invoking Mahatma Gandhi, JD(U) national vice president Prashant Kishor said #SayNoToWar, which has been trending on microblogging site Twitter ever since tension with Pakistan escalated, is not cowardice. #SayNoToWar is not cowardice. The Father of the Nation was opposed to any war and he certainly was no coward. In fact, he was one of the bravest that humanity has ever seen. Social media jingoism and mindless warmongering should not be mistaken for bravery," the poll strategist-turned-politician tweeted. Kishor was inducted into the JD(U) by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the national president of the party, in September last year. Although an alliance partner of the BJP since the 1990s, Kumar has maintained an independent stance on a number of key issues like the Ram temple. Having snapped ties ...
Samjhauta Express suspended from March 3
CPRO Northern Railways on Thursday announced that the Samjhauta Express from India has been suspended with effect from March 3, till further notification.An official announcement highlighted the "cancellation" of the bi-weekly train Delhi-Attari-Delhi till further order. However, Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday had said that the Samjhauta Express that runs between Delhi and Attari will run as per schedule, amidst reports that Pakistan had halted the service of the train.The Samjhauta Express, or the peace train, is a bi-weekly train that runs on Wednesday and Sunday between Delhi and Attari in India and Lahore in Pakistan. It comprises six sleeper coaches and an AC 3-tier coach.The train departs from the Old Delhi Railway Station at 11.10 pm on Wednesday and Sunday. On its return journey from Lahore, the train arrives in India on Monday and Thursday.A day after India carried out air strikes on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber ...
CM Kejriwal welcomes Abhinandan's release announcement, asks Pak to destroy terror camps
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that the news of Wing Commander Abhinandan release is delightful news but asked Pakistan to destroy terrorist camps based in their country. He said, "Pakistan PM has announced that he will release Wing Commander Abhinandan. This is delightful news. Abhinandan's family and the whole country is waiting for him impatiently.The Chief Minister further said that Pakistan needs to act terror camps running in Pakistan."Now, I expect that Pakistan will destroy the terrorist camps active in Pakistan. Then, the condition between the two countries will improve," he added. Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's addressing booth workers of Bharatiya Janta Party, the Chief Minister said, "People did not like Prime Minister Narendra Modi wasting time for addressing booth workers. People thought PM should think about making the country and jawans strong not booths." Abhinandan, flying a MiG -21 Bison fighter plane, was chasing ...
Sushma Swaraj departs for UAE for OIC meet
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday left for a two-day visit to the UAE to attend the 46th Foreign Ministers Meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).Swaraj will address the plenary of the two-day 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the 57-member body. She has been invited by UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan to address the OIC meet."A significant honour for India. EAM @SushmaSwaraj departs for Abu Dhabi for 46th Foreign Ministers Meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. For first time ever, India has been accorded 'Guest of Honour' status. EAM to address Inaugural Plenary & hold bilateral meetings," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.Swaraj, who will be attending as a 'Guest of Honour' despite Pakistan's objections, will underscore India's long and historical relationship with the OIC member countries, sources said on Thursday.India considers its bilateral ties with the UAE as ...
British MPs back May's plan to delay Brexit
A day after British Prime Minister opened up the possibility before parliament to delay Brexit, British Members of Parliament on Wednesday (local time) voted in favour of the plan.According to Deutsche Welle, more than 500 Members of Parliament voted to endorse May's three-step plan that foresees Parliament voting a second time on a revised version of May's Brexit deal by March 12.If the Parliament rejects the newly negotiated deal with the European Union on March 12, a vote on March 13 will take place to decide whether the British Parliament agrees to exit from the EU without a deal on March 29.According to May, the vote on March 14 on the extension of the Brexit deadline would take place if the House rejects leaving the EU without a deal on March 13."If the House, having rejected leaving with the deal negotiated with the EU, then rejects leaving on March 29 without a withdrawal agreement and future framework, the Government will on March 14 bring forward a motion on whether ...
Yeddyurappa's remark reveals 'deceitful and shameless motive' of BJP: Cong
Congress leader K C Venugopal Thursday said former Karnataka chief minister B S Yeddyurappa's remark that India's preemptive air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan would help the BJP win 22 Lok Sabha seats in the state revealed the "most deceitful and shameless motive" of the party. "To use the supreme valour and commitment of armed forces for petty political gain is totally shameful and condemnable. The statement made by Yedyurappa has clearly revealed the most wicked political agenda well supported by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi and (BJP president) Amit Shah," the Congress general secretary said in a statement. Venugopal said the whole nation is proud of the supreme duty carried out by the armed forces and using their service to the nation for electoral gains is a "dubious agenda carried out by Modi and Shah" across the country. "When the nation needs to stand in a single voice to support our armed force and their fight against terrorism, Modi and Shah is busy with political ...
Mamata demands details on IAF air strike
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Thursday claimed conflicting reports have surfaced in the international media about the Indian Air Force (IAF) air strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) training camp in Balakot across the Line of Control, and urged the central government to clear the air regarding the details of the strike.
Cabinet clears amendment of Article 370 clause for SC, ST quota
The government on Thursday gave its nod to the promulgation of an ordinance for giving reservation benefits to SCs and STs in Jammu and Kashmir by amending a clause of the contentious Article 370, which gives special status to the state. The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. "It will serve the purpose of application of relevant provisions of the Constitution of India, as amended through the Constitution (Seventy Seventh Amendment) Act, 1995 and Constitution (One Hundred and third Amendment) Act, 2019 for Jammu and Kashmir, by issuing the Constitution (Application to Jammu and Kashmir) Amendment Order, 2019 by the President under clause (1) of Article 370," he said. The ordinance will have to be promulgated by the President.
Pak politicians back PM Imran's peace initiative
Pakistan's political leaders Thursday supported Prime Minister Imran Khan's peace initiative to defuse rising tensions with India in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, saying war was not a solution to problems between the two countries. Prime Minister Khan said Thursday Pakistan was ready for talks with India on all issues including terrorism, maintaining that dialogue is the "only way" for peace and stability in the region. Chairing a Cabinet meeting, Khan briefed the members about the latest developments in the Indo-Pak relations following the February 14 Pulwama terror attack which killed 40 CRPF soldiers. Almost all political leaders, who spoke during the joint session of Parliament convened to discuss the security situation, said that war was not a solution of the problems. They, however, said Pakistan should fight back if a war was imposed on it. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz representative and joint opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif in his speech fully supported the ...
Brexit: UK Opposition prepares for second referendum
Britain's opposition Labour Party will back another referendum on the UK's exit from the European Union (EU) following a defeat of its alternative Brexit plan in parliament, its leader Jeremy Corbyn said on Thursday. The Labour Party's motion for the UK to remain part of an EU customs union was defeated by 323 votes to 240 during the session on Wednesday, leading to party leader confirming previously announced plans to push for a public vote on the government's Brexit proposals. "We will back a public vote in order to prevent a damaging Tory Brexit or a disastrous no deal outcome," Corbyn said, following the Commons defeat on Wednesday evening. "We will also continue to push for the other available options to prevent those outcomes, including a close economic relationship based on our credible alternative plan or a general election," he said. However, not all sides of the Labour Party are in favour of such a course of action, exposing the deep divisions that remain across the UK's ...
Amarinder offers to receive IAF pilot at Attari
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday expressed his desire to receive Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Varthaman Abhinandan after he is freed on Friday.
Kejriwal lambasts Yeddyurappa for remarks linking air strike in Pak to political gains
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Thursday slammed Karnataka BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa for his remark that India's preemptive air strike on a terror camp in Pakistan has created a wave in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Kejriwal also raised question whether the tension between the two countries was orchestrated by the BJP for reaping political benefits. "Former BJP CM Yeddyurappa's statement has come that 40 Jawans have been martyred now we will win 22 seats. I want to ask them how many Jawans you want martyred for 300 seats, how many women widowed, how many corpses you want how many families will you destroy. Shame on such a party and the government," Kejriwal said in the Delhi Assembly. Yeddyurappa on Wednesday said India's preemptive strikes on terror camps in Pakistan has created a wave in favour of PM Modi and will help the party win over 22 out of 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. "The country cannot tolerate that when their is tension with Pakistan our Prime Minister .
Vital installations put on high alert in Odisha
The Odisha government sounded a high alert across the state on Thursday and tightened security at important installations, including ports, airports and missile-testing ranges, in the backdrop of the heightened tension between India and Pakistan. "We have already strengthened the security at several vital installations and an adequate focus is laid on security along Odisha's coastline," Chief Secretary A P Padhi said after holding a review meeting here. Apart from Odisha DGP R P Sharma, officers of central agencies like the Coast Guard, paramilitary forces -- CRPF, BSF, CISF and others -- attended the meeting held in view of the situation arising in the aftermath of the February 14 terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had issued an advisory to the state for making elaborate security arrangements. Sharma said he had already issued directives to all the district ...
Japan,Germany ask India,Pak to exercise restraint, say Pak should take strong counter-terror steps
Amid Indo-Pak tensions, Japan and Germany have urged the two countries to exercise restraint to ensure that the situation does not escalate and have asked Pakistan to take strong measures to counter terrorism. German Federal Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, in a statement, said "every effort must be made to ensure that terrorist organisations, which are known to have their base in Pakistan, are not only not able to carry out their nefarious deeds there, but are in fact combated". And also, once the evidence is furnished, that those responsible for the terrible attack in Kashmir are held to account and do not walk free, he said. Noting that the situation in Kashmir "is not how we would wish it to be", Maas said it is now up to both Pakistan and India "to use the utmost circumspection to ensure that this does not lead to a confrontation between the two countries". In a statement, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said his country strongly condemns the terrorist attack on February 14, 2019
Gudur Narayana Reddy,Jeevan Reddy Cong candidates for MLC
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N Uttam Kumar Reddy Thursday announced party leader Gudur Narayana Reddy and former minister T Jeevan Reddy as the partys candidates in the MLC elections. Narayana Reddy, treasurer of TPCC, is the candidate under MLAs quota, while Jeevan Reddy is the nominee from graduates constituency in the election to fill the vacancies in the Legislative Council, according to a party release. Narayana Reddy has submitted his nomination to the legislature officials Thursday accompanied by Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader in the Assembly M Bhatti Vikramarka, Congress sources said. The election is being held to fill five vacancies in the MLAs quota and the ruling TRS has already fielded nominees from four seats, while leaving one seat to its ally AIMIM. TRS has a strength of 88 in the 119-member House. An independent MLA and the MLA of AIFB have also announced support to TRS. AIMIMs strength is seven. The Congress has 19 MLAs in the ..
No politics over jawans' blood, but nation wants to know what happened in Balakot: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said lives of jawans are much more valuable than electoral politics, but the nation has a right to know what actually happened at Balakot in Pakistan following the IAF's air strike there. Citing foreign media reports that not much damage was done by the Indian Air Force's pre-emptive strike on terror camps at Balakot, she said, "The Force should be given an opportunity to come up with facts." "After the air strikes, we were told there were 300 deaths, 350 deaths. But I read reports in the New York Times and the Washington Post which said no human was killed. Another foreign media report said only one person was injured," Banerjee told reporters at the state secretariat here. She said, "We have the right to know, people of this country want to know how many were killed (at Balakot). Where the bomb were actually dropped? Was it dropped on the target?" Government officials had said on Tuesday that in a pre-dawn strike, the IAF bombed ...
India produces evidence of F-16 use in Pakistani raid
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Thursday presented the wreckage of AM-RAAM missile as a conclusive evidence that Pakistan had used an F-16 fighter aircraft to target military installations in Jammu and Kashmir, and said that one of the F-16 aircraft had been shot down in an aerial engagement on Wednesday morning.
BJD, Cong furious over bifurcation of East Coast Railway to create new zone headquartered at Vizag
Odisha's ruling BJD and opposition Congress Thursday strongly criticised the Centre's decision to bifurcate the the Bhubaneswar-headquartered East Coast Railway to create a new zone with its headquarters at Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam. The Railway Ministry Wednesday created the new zone -- South Coast Railway -- giving it a portion of the Waltair division of the East Coast Railway. The portion of Waltair division taken away will now be part of the Vijayawada division, Railways sources said here. Terming the Centre's action a "conspiracy", Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik accused the BJP-led Central government of discriminating against the state. Patnaik threatened the Congress will launch an agitation against the decision. BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said, "It is a betrayal with the people of Odisha. They will give a befitting reply to the BJP for working against the state's interest." The BJP, however, maintained the new south coast zone was formed as