Page 1493 - Politics

Amarinder to camp in border areas for 3 days; high alert sounded

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will camp in the border areas of Punjab for three days starting Wednesday as part of confidence-building measures undertaken by the state government in the wake of the Indian Air Force (IAF) surgical strikes across the Line of Control (LoC) on Tuesday.

Keeping tab on post-attack developments: Election Commission

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is keeping a tab on developments in the country post the Pulwama terror attack and the government response to it in form of air strikes, a top poll panel official said Tuesday. Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, speaking to reporters here, said the ECI is duty-bound to carry out the mandate given to it by the Constitution. Lavasa was replying to a query on whether the ECI's schedule for general elections would be affected after the February 14 Pulwama bombing and subsequent government response to it. The poll officials held a press conference here after reviewing preparedness in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections. The press meet was held hours after the Indian Air Force conducted air strikes against terror camps in Pakistan. "The Election Commission does keep a watch on all the developments which take place. And we are duty-bound to carry out our mandate which has been given by the Constitution," Lavasa said. He said Voter ...

Qureshi briefs Pompeo on India's air strikes inside Pakistan

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi spoke to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Tuesday and apprised him about the Line of Control "violation" by the Indian jets, a media report said. In his telephonic conversation with Pompeo, Qureshi said India is "jeopardising the peace in South Asia for its political purposes and elections", state-run Radio Pakistan reported. He said that Pakistan is desirous of peace in the region, but will not compromise on its territorial integrity. Qureshi told Pompeo that the Indian "aggression can disturb joint efforts to establish peace in Afghanistan" as he expressed hope that US will play its role in the region. India bombed and destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest training camp in Balakot in Pakistan's restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, about 80-km from the Line of Control (LoC), early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders. The air strikes came 12 days after the JeM carried out a suicide .

15 years ago US took note of JeM's major terror training camp in Balakot

Fifteen years ago, the major terrorist training camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed in Balakot in Pakistan found a mention in a purported secret US Defence Department file leaked by WikiLeaks. The memorandum talks about a Pakistani national Hafez K. Rahman, a Guantanamo Detainee, who was 20 years old and born in Gujrar, Pakistan, who turned out to be a jehadi. The January 31, 2004 document, signed by Major General Geoffery Miller of the US Army says Rahman received training in Balakot, Pakistan, a location known to house a "training camp that offers both basic and advanced terrorist training on explosives and artillery." It says Rahman has admitted to volunteering to fight jihad against the US and its allies, remaining after the events of September 1lth to continue to fight, and receiving training from the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). The JEM espouses Jihad against the US and is directly supported by Al-Qaida, Gen. Miller wrote. It says Rahman was influenced by extremist Mullahs in Pakistan and ..

Govt, oppn spar over Dhangar quota in Maha Legislative Council

The Maharashtra Legislative Council Tuesday witnessed uproar over reservation for the Dhangar community with opposition parties alleging that the government was "playing politics" on it. The state government, however, said Dhangars would be given quota without it affecting the reservation provided to Scheduled Tribe communities in Maharashtra. Leader of Opposition in the Council Dhananjay Munde demanded a resolution on Dhangar quota through a point of propriety but it was disallowed by Council chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar. Following this, several opposition MLCs rushed to the Well of the House demanding that a resolution be brought to provide quota to the community. Cornering the government on not providing reservation to Dhangars under the ST category, Congress MLC Harisingh Rathod said the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena combine was fooling the community and was playing politics. Replying to the opposition, state Revenue Minister Chandrakant Patil said the Dhangar community ...

Air strike: Odisha cabinet praises IAF

The Odisha cabinet on Tuesday passed a resolution praising the Indian Air Force (IAF) for destroying terrorist training camps in Pakistan.

PM-KISAN: Centre asks Odisha CM to provide list of farmers

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh Tuesday sought from the Odisha government, the list of the state's 32 lakh farmers, eligible for benefits under the Centre's PM-KISAN scheme. Hitting out at chief minister Naveen Patnaik for the delay in furnishing of the data, Singh said at least 12 lakh farmers from the state will be benefitted under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. However, the state government has provided a list of only eight lakh farmers and there is no information about the rest, Singh said here after inaugurating a Kisan Mela and several research facilities at the National Rice Research Institute. If the bank details of the farmers are not shared with the Centre, how can they benefit, Singh rued. Therefore, the state government should share the complete data with the centre to ensure that the farmers are not deprived of the benefits, he said. Shedding its initial hesitation, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government had on February 21 decided to ..

Political parties laud IAF for air strike on Pakistan's terror camp

Parties across the political spectrum on Tuesday hailed the air strikes carried out at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp in Pakistan, saying such a step was necessary for defeating terrorism.After the IAF planes returned safely from Pakistan, the government decided to call an all-party meeting to apprise them about the developments. From the government's side, the meeting was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Arun Jaitely and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj."I am happy that all people across party lauded the Indian Air Force for their operation and have also ensured their support to the government in all anti-terror operations," Sushma Swaraj told ANI.After the meeting, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said, "We have appreciated the efforts of the forces, they always have our support to end terrorism. We will always support our security forces to uproot terrorism and terrorists coming from outside."He added, ...

NSA, IAF monitored operations from Air Headquarters: A timeline of events

National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and IAF Chief BS Dhanoa worked throughout the intervening night of February 25 to the early morning hours of February 26 monitoring final stage operations that carried out aerial strikes inside Pakistani territory of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. "The NSA and the IAF Chief were awake throughout the night and into the next day as they were monitoring the entire movement of Mirage fighter aircraft which had to go inside Pakistan along with the Sukhoi 30s operating from Halwara and Bareilly air bases sitting inside the Air Force war room inside the Air Headquarters," government sources told ANI. In response to the terror attack in Pulwama twelve days ago that killed 40 CRPF soldiers, top decision makers in the Government green lit an air operation to conduct aerial strikes on Pakistan Army supported terrorist camps, particularly that of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror camp in Balakot deep inside Pakistani territory in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region which was teaming

May offers MPs choice to vote on no-deal or delayed Brexit

British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Tuesday MPs would be given a choice to vote on no-deal Brexit or a delayed departure from the European Union (EU) if her deal is rejected in a meaningful vote in mid-March.

HC dismisses PIL against renaming of Allahabad to Prayagraj

The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the decision of the state government to change the name of Allahabad as Prayagraj. The PIL filed by Allahabad Heritage Society and others was dismissed by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Govind Mathur and Justice Yogendra Kumar Srivastava. "The material which has been placed before us giving the reasons for change of name by the state government cannot be said to be without basis, and the same clearly reflects a policy decision of the state government," the court observed. "The petitioners have not been able to place on record any material to demonstrate that the decision taken in this regard is wholly unreasonable, arbitrary and is based on irrelevant considerations, or that the same is violative of any constitutional or statutory provision, so as to bring the same within the parameters of the limited scope of judicial review in such matters," it said. There is also nothing on record to ..

Swaraj speaks to counterparts in US, China, Singapore, Bangladesh, Afghanistan: Sources

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Tuesday spoke to her counterparts in the US, China, Singapore, Bangladesh and Afghanistan and briefed them about the pre-dawn strike on the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist training camp in Pakistan, official sources said. In her telephonic conversation with US Secretary of Mike Pompeo, Swaraj explained the reasons behind the strike and conveyed that the action was specifically targeted at the JeM camp. She also spoke to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and apprised him about the "non-military, pre-emptive air strikes", the sources said. They said she also briefed her counterparts from Singapore, Bangladesh and Afghanistan on the strike. Separately, Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale apprised the envoys of all major countries including from the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom, the sources said. Envoys of Sri Lanka, Maldives, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Turkey and Indonesia were also briefed about the air strike. The MEA's respective .

Airstrike done as Pak didn't take action on terror-related activities: V K Singh

Union minister and former Army chief V K Singh Tuesday said India had to conduct airstrike on a Jaish terrorist camp in Pakistan as Islamabad was given several opportunities to take action on terror-related activities promoted from Pakistani soil, but it "did not". Asked about Pakistan's reaction that Islamabad now has a "right to respond in self-defence", Singh, said, "I have nothing to say on that, but whatever they do, they should do it after thinking carefully." India struck Jaish-e-Mohammed's (JeM) biggest camp in Pakistan early Tuesday in a major "preemptive" action killing a large number of terrorists and trainers of the Pak-based terror group preparing to carry out suicide attacks in this country, a top official said. "Pakistan was given several opportunities and told to take action on terror-related activities promoted from its soil. They did not take action," Singh told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. "The expected action did not happen from their (Pakistani) ...

Telangana Cong leaders hold discussions on LS poll candidates

Congress leaders in Telangana Tuesday discussed selection of candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections and also the MLC polls in the state. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N Uttam Kumar Reddy, MLC Mohd Ali Shabbir and other leaders attended the deliberations. The party had earlier invited applications from those aspiring for tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls. The leaders would continue consultations with the party leadership in Delhi to finalise the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, party sources said. The party leaders on Tuesday also discussed the candidates for the MLC polls -- to be elected by MLAs and graduates. Reddy said in a release that former minister Sunitha Laxma Reddy has been appointed as chairman of a party panel which will decide strategy for MLC elections from the teachers' quota. MLA D Sridhar Babu has been appointed as the members of the committee that willl decide the party strategy for MLC elections from ...

Western Naval Command, Guj on alert after air strike in Pak

The Western Naval Command here is on "high alert and fully prepared" to tackle any eventuality after India's air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan, an official said here Tuesday. Police in Gujarat, which borders Pakistan, also issued a "high alert" across the state following the air strikes. The Mumbai Police are also on a high alert following the air strikes, the official said. "The Western Naval Command remains alert 24X7. Now, it is fully prepared to deal with any untoward situation in the wake of the air strikes in Pakistan," he said. Celebrations were held in Mumbai and adjoining Thane after the air strikes. In Mumbai, Muslims gathered in suburban Bandra to celebrate the air strikes. In Thane, people distributed sugar to passersby to express their happiness over the attacks. Mumbai, the financial capital of the country, has been one of the most preferred targets for terrorist organisations and has witnessed several terror attacks, including explosions in Mumbai ...

Odisha congratulates IAF for air strikes on Pak terror camps

The Odisha government Tuesday congratulated the Indian Air Force for carrying out air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan. A resolution congratulating the Indian Air Force was passed at the Cabinet meeting here chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, chief secretary A P Padhi told reporters. The state Cabinet started its business by lauding the efficiency and ability of the IAF, Padhi said. Earlier, the chief minister had praised the IAF over its successful air strike inside Pakistan. "Salute the #IndianAirForce for pre-dawn air strike on terror camps in defence of our Nation. #JaiHind," Patnaik tweeted. As television channels informed about the IAF air strike inside Pakistan, there was celebrations across the state including at the villages of two Odia CRPF personnel who were among the 40 killed in the Pulwama terror attack. The residents of Shikhar village assembled to celebrate the attack. "I am happy that India has attacked the terror camps. The people indulged in ..

Kamal Haasan meets Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi

Actor turned politician Kamal Haasan Tuesday met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here and discussed prevailing political situations in the country, party leaders said. AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said Haasan had a courtesy meeting with Kejriwal. Hasan launched his party Makkal Needhi Melisma in Tamil Nadu last year. Kejriwal was one of the political leaders who attended launch of Haasan's party in Madurai. Also, the Delhi chief minister had visited Haasan earlier coaxing him to join politics. Sources said, the Aam Aadmi Party(AAP) is in touch with Haasan over possibility of supporting his party in Tamil Nadu. The AAP could extend support to Haasan in Tamil Nadu or may also have an alliance with his party, they claimed.

At all-party meet, leaders laud IAF, assure govt of support in any anti-terror action

Speaking with one voice, leaders of various political parties on Tuesday congratulated the Indian Air Force for its "clean" pre-dawn operation against a terror camp in Pakistan and assured the government of their support on any anti-terror action by it. The leaders were speaking at an all-party meeting convened by the government, where External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj briefed them about the operation that destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed's terror training camp in Balakot in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Swaraj later said she was happy that representatives of all parties lauded the Indian Air Force action and extended support to the government by rising above politics. "I am happy that all representatives of political parties in one voice first congratulated the Indian Air Force and also assured the government of their complete support always on any action taken by us against terrorism and displayed unity by rising above politics without distinguishing between the ruling or

Pak terror camp attack: Nobody should be able to take India as a soft power, says Sunil Mittal

Hailing air strikes on Pakistan-based terror camps, industry leader Sunil Bharti Mittal Tuesday said that no body should take India as a soft power. He also said the government will take an appropriate action as it has now taken whenever its people are attacked. "India has to ensure that we are not taken lightly by any external forces; and what India needs to do, it will do... in that sense as a citizen of India, (I) will always be wanting India's position on the world stage be held high. Nobody should be able to take India as a soft power. Whenever such issues will arise, obviously the govt will take appropriate action as it is taking," Mittal told reporters here reacting to reports of air strikes on terror camps in Pakistan by the Indian Air Force fighter jets across the Line of Control (LoC).

Terror funding case: NIA raids 7 places in J&K including top separatist leaders

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out searches at seven locations in Jammu and Kashmir, including residences of several separatist leaders, in its probe into a terror funding case and recovered letterheads of various terrorist organisations as well as documents relating to recommendations for visa for admission in Pakistan educational institutions, officials said.