Page 1479 - Politics
SC declines plea for e-registration of attack on Kashmiris
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to pass any order on a plea for online registration of complaints of attack on Kashmiris, triggered across the country in the wake of Pulwama terror attack, and the setting up of a helpline.
IAF pilot captured by Pakistan after air combat; Pak F16 shot down, India loses a MiG 21
An IAF pilot was captured by Pakistan after an air combat Wednesday during which the two sides said they shot down each other's warplanes that followed an unsuccessful attempt to target Indian military installations in retaliatory strikes that sparked fears of war. The aerial engagement between India and Pakistan for the first time since the 1971 war marked a dramatic escalation of confrontation prompting world leaders to urge the two neighbouring countries to exercise "utmost restraint". India said it shot down a F-16 warplane of Pakistan while it lost a MiG 21 during the fierce engagement between the air forces of the two countries along the Line of Control(LoC). Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan sought to defuse the escalating tension by saying war is futile and can lead to unknown consequences while making an oblique reference to the nuclear weapons that both countries possess. "I ask India: with the weapons you have and the weapons we have, can we really afford a miscalculation?
India-Australia cooperation; appropriate action plan needed
An appropriate action plan should be prepared to tap opportunities for cooperation between Australia and India, especially Telangana, in education, agriculture, tourism, IT and other areas, Chief Secretary S K Joshi said here Wednesday Joshi said this while meeting an Australian delegation. The delegation was led by Northern Territory Government Education and Workforce Minister Selena Uibo, a state government release said here.
BJP holds preparatory meeting for coming Lok Sabha polls
BJP in Telangana Wednesday held a preparatory meeting for the coming Lok Sabha polls with the party in-charges for parliamentary constituencies. A strategy would be finalised to make the party emerge as a strong force in Lok Sabha elections, BJP leader Chinta Samba Murthy told reporters. The meeting evaluated the party's position in various constituencies, he said. Though the electorate in Telangana voted for TRS in the recent Assembly elections, national issues, including national security, would become the main issue in the Lok Sabha polls, he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a nationwide video conference for party workers Thursday, he said. Bike rallies would be organised in the state on March 2, he said, adding that all these steps would help strengthen the party. A meeting with district unit presidents would be held on Thursday, he said. BJP leaders, including the partys election in charge in Telangana, Aravind Limbavali, attended the meeting on ...
Opposition joint statement good news for Pakistan: Javadekar
The ruling BJP on Wednesday rejected the joint statement of 21 opposition parties that it was politicising the sacrifices of armed forces, saying such remarks are being used by the Pakistani media to show that Indian parties are not united in the fight against terror. Addressing a press conference here, Union minister and BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said the allegation levelled by the opposition is "baseless". He said the joint statement of the opposition parties was being used by the Pakistani media to project that the Indian polity was not united in its fight against terror. "Who is happy (with the joint statement)? Pakistan, its army and its media," Javadekar said. He also showed a clip of a Pakistani news channel to drive home his point.
Amarinder reviews Punjab security with Army, cautions against rumours
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reviewed security arrangements in the state with with top officials of the Army, the BSF, the ITBP and the Punjab Police and appealed to people in the border areas to be wary of rumours in the current tense situation between India and Pakistan.
Armed forces update PM on latest security scenario
The chiefs of the armed forces Wednesday updated Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the security situation after Pakistani aircraft violated Indian airspace and an Indian pilot was taken into custody by the neighbouring country, sources said. The meeting of the chiefs of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force is their second with PM Modi in 24 hours. On Wednesday evening, the three chiefs met the prime minister at his official residence and updated him on the latest security scenario, the sources said. Earlier in the day, top security and intelligence officials went into a huddle at the prime minister's office in the wake of fresh developments that followed India's airstrike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp in Pakistan. National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, senior officials of the Navy, the Army and the Air Force and other officers had met to discuss the current security situation, they said. Top defence and security officials had later briefed the prime minister on the latest ...
BJP charges CPI(M) state secy with making anti national
: The BJP in Kerala Wednesday accused CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan of making "anti-national" remarks against India's critical air strikes in Pakistan 's terrorist camps and demanded the immediate cancellation of the Left party's recognition. While speaking in a party function in Idukki Tuesday, Balakrishnan had allegedly said the IAF strike in Pakistan was to create a war-like situation before the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls and to sabotage the election. As the polls were round the corner, the BJP, foreseeing defeat, was trying to create communal polarisation and create hatred against Muslims, he had reportedly alleged. BJP state chief P S Sreedharan Pillai said Balakrishnan had made the remarks while global nations and other states in the country had showered praise on the IAF for its critical move. He also demanded that the CPI(M) leader withdraw his statement and tender an apology at the earliest and said the saffron party would launch ...
Andhra CM calls for protests against Modi's Vizag visit
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) would participate in the protests against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to this port city on Friday.
BJP flags Cong leaders' Pulwama remarks
BJP national spokesperson Nupur Sharma on Wednesday said remarks of Congress leaders, since the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, were unbecoming of national political discourse and tantamount to questioning the commitment and sacrifice of armed forces.
Three Pakistani jets unsuccessfully targeted key Indian military installations in Kashmir: Sources
Three Pakistani fighter jets entered into Indian air space at 9:58 AM on Wednesday targeting key military installations in Rajouri and Naushera in Jammu and Kashmir, as they sought to retaliate India's pre-dawn counter-terror strike a day earlier deep inside Pakistan, official sources said. Though three Pakistani jets violated Indian air space, the package of the aircraft deployed by Pakistan Air Force for the operation was "significantly large" as it comprised a fleet of JF-17 and F-16 combat aircraft, the sources said. Sources said the Pakistani jets targeted the Indian Army bases in Krishna Ghati and Nangi Tekri and an ammunition point in Narian. However, the bombs dropped by the Pakistani jets fell in un-inhabited areas. Minutes after Pakistani jets violated the Indian air space, the IAF's Combat Air Patrol (CAP), comprising MiG-21 and other jets engaged with the enemy aircraft, successfully thwarting their attempts to bomb a number of key military installations in Naushera and ...
'India praying for you', Navjot Sidhu hopes for safety, early return of IAF pilot
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who counts Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan as a friend, on Wednesday prayed for the well-being and early return of captured Indian Air Force (IAF) pilot Abhinandan Varthaman.
Rising tension can lead to serious consequences; India, Pak should exercise utmost restraint: EU
The European Union (EU) Wednesday said that rising tension between India and Pakistan has the potential to lead to "dangerous consequences" for the two countries and the wider region and called for utmost restraint. European Union Commission Vice President Federica Mogherini said in a statement, "Following the recent terrorist attack in Pulwama, tensions along the 'Line of Control' between India and Pakistan have escalated militarily during the last days. This has the potential to lead to serious and dangerous consequences for the two countries and the wider region." On Wednesday, an IAF pilot was in Pakistani custody and a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down as fears of war darkened India-Pakistan relations with the Air Force repulsing retaliatory attacks from the western neighbour. Mogherini, who is also the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, said the EU expects both countries to "now exercise utmost restraint" and avoid any further ...
EU's Mogherini urges 'utmost restraint' in India-Pakistan crisis
EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini on Wednesday called on India and Pakistan to show the "utmost restraint" in their escalating confrontation as fears grow of all-out conflict between the nuclear-armed rivals. "We expect both countries to now exercise utmost restraint and avoid any further escalation of the situation," Mogherini said in a statement after both countries said they had shot down each other's warplanes.
IAF pilot in Pak custody; Pak F16 shot down as clouds of disquiet darken over India, Pakistan
An IAF pilot was in Pakistani custody and a Pakistani fighter jet was shot down on Wednesday as fears of war darkened India-Pakistan relations with the Air Force repulsing retaliatory attacks from the western neighbour. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan tried to defuse the tension by saying war is futile and can lead to unknown consequences while making an oblique reference to the nuclear weapons that both countries possess. The Pakistan Army retracted its earlier statement that two Indian Air Force pilots were arrested and in the evening said it had "only one" pilot in its custody. "There is only one pilot under Pakistan Army's custody. Wing Comd Abhi Nandan is being treated as per norms of military ethics," Pakistani military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said in the evening. IAF sources identified him as Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman. A day after India bombed Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp in Pakistan, it was a morning of developments moving with dizzying
Cong list for Odisha polls likely by March 10
The Congress in Odisha is likely to announce candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha and assembly elections by March 10, AICC screening committee chairman for the state V.D. Satheesan said here on Wednesday.
India summons Pak DHC; Demands immediate, safe return of IAF pilot
India on Wednesday demanded immediate and safe return of its IAF pilot Abhinandan, captured by Pakistan after an aerial confrontation, and strongly objected to the neighbouring country's "vulgar display" of an injured defence personnel in violation of international norms. Summoning Pakistan's Acting High Commissioner Syed Haider Shah to lodge a strong protest at "the unprovoked act of aggression" by Pakistan including targeting of military posts, the External Affairs Ministry said the envoy was clearly told that India reserves the right to take "firm and decisive action to protect its national security". India also made it clear to Pakistan that no harm should be caused to the Indian defence personnel, the External Affairs Ministry said. Pakistan captured Wing Commander Abhinandan following a fierce engagement between air forces of the two sides along the Line of Control in which a Pakistani jet was downed. IAF also lost a MiG 21 jet in the engagement. Soon after, Pakistan Army ...
AAP govt lying over deletion of voters' names: BJP leader
The issue of mass deletion of voters' names was raised in the Assembly on Wednesday, with Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta charging the Aam Aadmi Party government of "hiding" a reply of the chief electoral officer (CEO) of Delhi. Gupta alleged that the reply was hidden by the AAP government because it exposed the "lies" of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that over 24-lakh voters' names, especially of Bania, Purvanchali and Muslims, were deleted since the last Assembly elections. The AAP leaders, including Kejriwal, had been hitting out at the Bharatiya Janata Party over alleged mass deletion of voters' names in Delhi in collusion with the Election Commission officials. As per the data presented by Gupta in the House, 11,54,332 names were deleted and 18,44,711 names were added from 2015-2018. "Thus, 6,90,379 names were added during these four years. This figure exposed the lie and propaganda of the chief minister," Gutpa said at a press conference. "The lie of Arvind Kejriwal about ..
India should tread cautiously, focus on getting pilot back: Former IAF brass
India, having sent its message with Tuesday's air strike, should now refrain from any escalation and tread carefully keeping all diplomatic channels open as a Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF) was in Pakistan's custody and bringing him back was among the top priorities, former IAF officers said on Wednesday.
UK calls on India, Pak to show restraint, asks for de-escalation
Britain is deeply concerned over rising tensions between India and Pakistan, Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday, urging both the nuclear-armed nations to exercise restraint to avoid further escalation. Tensions between India and Pakistan rose Wednesday after Pakistan claimed it shot down two Indian fighter jets over Pakistani air space and arrested a pilot. The Pakistani claim came a day after Indian Air Force carried out a pre-dawn air strike on a terror training camp inside Pakistan. The strike was the first by the IAF inside Pakistan after the 1971 war. "The UK is deeply concerned about rising tensions between India and Pakistan and urgently calls for restraint on both sides to avoid further escalation. We are in regular contact with both countries, urging dialogue and diplomatic solutions to ensure regional stability," prime minister May said. In response to an urgent question on "The situation in Jammu & Kashmir" tabled during the weekly Prime Minister's Questions ...