Page 150 - Politics
Tripura: IPFT threatens alliance partner BJP over attack on its supporters
Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), the alliance tribal partner of ruling BJP in the state, has threatened to think of another alternative over the allegations of its supporters of being attacked by the saffron cadres.During a press conference, IPFT spokesperson Mongal Debbarma said: "Despite BJP and IPFT being alliance partners in the government, we are being regularly attacked with weapons. Houses are vandalised besides threats.""We have tolerated them a lot and maybe in the coming days, we have to think of some other alternative. We want this to stop immediately or the IPFT shall get prepared to agitate against it or face it," he said.Narrating about the alleged attacks by BJP cadres on IPFT supporters, he said: "On the midnight of June 14, a section of BJP goons in Gandacherra attacked the house of our leader Premsadhan Tripura. We have also noticed attacks in Ambassa on the house of our AGM Jibanjoy Reang. His house boundary and other properties were vandalised by a ...
Trump to hold extended talks with Xi on sidelines of G20 in Japan next week
US President Donald Trump Tuesday said he will hold an extended meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Osaka, Japan next week, amid the ongoing trade war between two of the world's largest economies. Trump met with Xi at the previous G-20 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last December. The two leaders discussed the trade dispute and tariffs, as well as the US opioid crisis. "We will be having an extended meeting next week at the G-20 in Japan. Our respective teams will begin talks prior to our meeting," Trump said in a tweet Tuesday morning. Trump's tweet came after his telephonic conversation with Xi. During their telephonic conversation, the two leaders discussed the importance of levelling the playing field for US farmers, workers, and businesses through a fair and reciprocal economic relationship, the US side said. This includes addressing structural barriers to trade with China and achieving meaningful reforms that are enforceable and ...
India to host international workshop on piracy related issues
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) will be co-hosting an international workshop from Wednesday that aims to deepen knowledge on issues related with piracy and armed robbery, the maritime agency said. The two-day workshop has been organised in cooperation with the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP) Information Sharing Centre (ISC). The ReCAAP is the first regional Government-to-Government agreement to deal with piracy and armed robbery at sea in Asia. Presently, 20 countries are members of the ReCAAP. India played an active role in setting up and functioning of the ReCAAP ISC along with Japan and Singapore. The Centre has designated the ICG as the focal point within India for the ReCAAP "The workshop also aims to deepen the knowledge of participants on various issues related with piracy and armed robbery such as international laws, prosecution process, forensics and emerging threats," a statement said. A total of 31 ...
Investment in aerospace, defence sectors will boost India-France strategic partnership, says Ambassador Alexandre Ziegler
More investments in the field of defence and aerospace will boost the strategic partnership between India and France, Alexandre Ziegler, French Ambassador to India, said here on Tuesday (local time).Speaking on the second day of the Paris Air Show, the Ambassador said: "I look forward to supporting all your efforts in the establishment of long-term and win-win cooperation in the aerospace and defence sectors.""French aviation and defence industries have chosen India and will invest in this goal. This choice was evident at the Aero India air show in Bangalore last February. With 49 French companies present, and a lot of military and civilian aircraft, France was, by far, the foremost foreign participant in the exhibition," he said.Ziegler added: "French industrial facilities in India, big and small, which we are strongly supporting, are indeed flourishing, and this is good news, especially because more and more Indian companies are also investing in France, like for instance Motherson,
Opposition accuses Maharashtra govt of leaking Budget
Opposition parties staged a walkout and boycotted the presentation of the state Budget, accusing Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar of "leaking" it on his Twitter handle on Tuesday.
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury: From street fighter to Congress leader in LS (Profile)
Maverick, aggressive, and controversial, five-time MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has for long been considered the strongman of West Bengal's Murshidabad district, where he kept the Congress flag flying for decades, and won against all odds from Baharampur in the recent Lok Sabha polls.
Almost all members of 17th Lok Sabha take oath
Almost all newly elected MPs including those who were not able to take oath on Monday, were administered oath on Tuesday by Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha Virendra Kumar.Led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as many as 313 newly elected MPs has taken oath on Monday as members of the 17th Lok Sabha.Prominent among BJP MPs to take oath were Ravi Kishan, Maneka Gandhi, Hema Malini, Varun Gandhi, Sakshi Maharaj, Nisith Pramanik and John Barla.Slogans like "Mandir Vahin Banayenge" (temple will be built there) were raised after Sakshi Maharaj, the BJP MP who won Unnao seat in Uttar Pradesh, took oath as a member of the Lower House.Hema Malini concluded her oath with "Radhe Radhe! Krishnam Vande, Jagat Guru," which led to the thumping of tables and chants of "Radhe Radhe" in the House.Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav from the Samajwadi Party (SP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) Kanimozhi and president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Asaduddin Owaisi also took an oath.Sonia
Mandaviya says will urge new MPs to pedal to Parliament
Union minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya, who more often cycles to Parliament, says he will encourage more members to pedal to the House, a cause pushed by a little-known group of parliamentarians, Climate Club. The club fellowship has risen to 46 and it needs to be strengthened, Mandaviya, who rode a bicycle to Rashtrapati Bhavan last month for taking oath as a minister, said. "We have a Climate Club in Parliament...There was a time when 8 to 10 MPs used to come to Parliament on a bicycle and the number of its members has reached 46 ... Now I have to strengthen it and rope in new MPs to the Club," said Mandaviya, a Rajya Sabha MP from Gujarat. Newly developed flats for MPs in the vicinity of Parliament House are ready for allotment and that would also help in promoting pedalling to the House, the shipping minister observed. Talking about how he started cycling to Parliament, he told that when he became Rajya Sabha MP he was allotted a flat at Swarna Jayanti Sadan. He used to wait for a .
Sukhbir questions speaker's move of appointing 5 MLAs who left AAP as members of committees
The opposition SAD Tuesday questioned the Punjab Assembly speaker's move of appointing five MLAs, who had quit the AAP, as members of various Vidhan Sabha House Committees. Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal claimed that the move of Speaker Rana K P Singh was against "all the rules of ethics and morality". Legislators H S Phoolka, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Baldev Singh, Nazar Singh Manshahia and Amarjit Singh Sandoa had quit the Aam Aadmi Party this year. "But the speaker has appointed all five legislators to various House Committees. This is against all the rules of ethics and morality. The SAD will use all means at its disposal to oppose this undemocratic decision," said Sukhbir in a statement here. The Punjab Vidhan Sabha speaker on June 14 had appointed several legislators as chairmen and members of various House Committees for 2019-20. Among them, the names of these five legislators also figured in. While Khaira was appointed as member of the committee on papers .
Mamata not to attend PM's meet on simultaneous polls; Cong, Oppn yet to decide
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will not attend a meeting of chiefs of political parties called by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the possibility of holding simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections, while the Congress and most opposition parties are yet to decide on their participation. Modi has invited the heads of all political parties which have at least one member either in the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha for the meeting on Wednesday to discuss several issues, including the "one nation, one election" idea, celebration of 75 years of Independence in 2022 and the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi this year. Banerjee on Tuesday excused herself from the meeting, while asking the Centre to prepare a white paper on "one nation, one election", instead of doing it "hurriedly". With 22 Lok Sabha members, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Banerjee, is the fourth-largest party in the Lower House of Parliament, along with the YSR Congress, which also has 22 ...
JDS chief questions delay in allocating portfolios to new
JD(S) state President A H Vishwanath Tuesday took strong exception to the delay in allocationof portfolios to two Independent MLAs R Shankar and H Nagesh,who were recently inducted into the Ministry. "The Chief Minister gave the opportunity to independents, oneamong them is from backward class and the other a Dalit. Ithas been four-five days (since swearing-in), they are now Ministers without portfolio. How could it be?" he asked. Speaking to reporters here, he said "Their portfolios should be announced. Let them work." Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday expanded his cabinet, inducting two Independent MLAs in an apparent move to give stability to his 13-month old wobbly government. The exercise was seen as a move to ensure that the two independents don't jump ship once again towards BJP. Shankar was inducted from the Congress' share and Nagesh fromthe JD(S) quota in the ministry. Under the coalition arrangement, out of the total of 34 ministerial positions, Congress and
French aviation, defence industries have chosen India: Envoy
Describing itself as a "true partner", France on Tuesday said its aviation and defence industries have chosen India for investment and strengthening the strategic partnership which has "full political support".
Mehbooba calls on J-K Guv Satya Pal Malik
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday called on Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik at the Raj Bhawan here. The former chief minister shared her views about the present political and socio-economic situation in the state with the governor, an official spokesperson said. "They also discussed various issues relating to the growth and development of the state," the spokesperson said.
Kamal Nath govt depriving tribals of their rights: Chouhan
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tuesday accused the Congress-led government of depriving the tribals of their Constitutional rights. Chouhan made the allegation while addressing a protest organised by Barela tribals from Sehore district in Tatya Tope Nagar area here for demands like granting of land rights. "The state government is driving the tribals out of their land which they have been tilling for years for livelihood. If any government tries to snatch the rights of tribals, it will have to face consequences," he said. Earlier in the day, the administration stopped the protesters from staging a sit-in in Tatya Tope Nagar area despite having a prior permission. Enraged over this, Chouhan visited the spot, Bhadbhada from where he led the protesters to the scheduled venue of the protest by sitting in a tractor. Chouhan later led a delegation of tribals that met the chief minister and submitted a memorandum of their demands. Meanwhile, the ...
Will scrap curricula not helping students' career growth: Goa
The Goa government will scrap scrap those educational curricula that do not provide vertical career growth for students, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said Tuesday, adding that providing jobs to youth was one of the important issues facing his administration. He was speaking at a function to commemorate the anniversary of Goa Revolution Day. "The government would scrap those educational curricula which do not provide vertical mobility to students in their careers," Sawant told the gathering. Sawant said everyone wanted a government job, which was not possible, adding that focus must be on creating opportunities in the private sector. He said, "We need to provide jobs to youths in the private sector and for that we need to train them. Under the Skill India initiative, youths in the state would be made industry ready".
Notices of Election issued for Rajya Sabha by-polls in Gujarat
Separate 'notices of election' were issued for by-polls to two Rajya Sabha seats in Gujarat Tuesday, to be held on July 5. Returning Officer C B Pandya issued notices announcing by-elections to two seats which fell vacant due to the election of Smriti Irani and Amit Shah to the Lok Sabha. Both had been elected to the Upper House from Gujarat in 2017. Pandya, a deputy secretary at the Gujarat Legislature Secretariat, has been appointed as the Returning Officer. As per the notices, the last date of submitting nomination papers is June 25. Scrutiny of papers would be conducted on June 26 and the last date of withdrawal is June 28. If more than one candidates remain in the fray, polling will be held separately on July 5 between 9 am and 4 pm. Results will be declared at 5 pm the same day. Irked by the EC's decision to conduct separate polling for the two seats, which has diminished the Congress' chances of winning at least one of them, the state unit of the party has already
5-time Bengal MP Adhir Chowdhury appointed Cong LS leader
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a five-time parliamentarian from West Bengal, was appointed as the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, while Kerala MP K Suresh was made the party's chief whip in the lower house, party sources said on Tuesday. Chowdhury's name was cleared by the top party leadership and a letter of his appointment was handed over to the Lok Sabha secretariat in the afternoon. The MP from Baharampur constituency in West Bengal's Murshidabad district said he was grateful to the party leadership for considering him and entrusting the huge responsibility to him. "It is a stupendous task. The party has entrusted a very big responsibility on me and I would try to fulfil that with full earnestness," Chowdhury told reporters after his appointment. "I am a foot soldier of the party and have fought for the rights of the common man. I will continue this fight in Parliament by raising issues concerning the common man," he added. Suresh, a Dalit MP from Kerala's Mavelikkara ...
Xi tells Trump China and the US will 'lose by fighting'
Chinese President Xi Jinping called for cooperation in a phonecall with Donald Trump on Tuesday, confirming he would meet the US leader at the G20 summit amid a bruising trade war. "China and the US will both gain by cooperating, and lose by fighting," Xi told Trump, according to a readout by Chinese state broadcaster CCTV.
BJP continuing bid to topple govt, tried to bribe JDS MLA:CM
After a lull, the fear of 'Operation Lotus' to topple the government returned to haunt the coalition government with Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Tuesday accusing the BJP of attempting to bribe one of his party MLAs. Addressing a public meeting at a village in Ramanagar, Kumaraswamy said relentless efforts have been made to pull down the government and he knew who have been behind it. To back his claim, the chief minister recalled that when he was on the way from Ramanagara to Bidadi, one of his MLAs called him at about 11 pm on Monday. "The MLA said that half-an-hour ago a BJP leader called him. The leader said the government's fall was imminent by tomorrow evening. Already nine MLAs from Congress and the JD(S) have signed. The leader told him that if he (MLA) agreed he would dispatch Rs 10 crore at his location," the chief minister alleged. Kumaraswamy said the MLA was shaken badly after the BJP leader told him to join them. "This is going on continuously. They have .
State honoured with appointment of Nadda as BJP's working chief: Himachal CM
Himachal Pradesh has been honoured with the appointment of former Union Health Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda as the working president of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said here Tuesday. Addressing the party workers at the BJP headquarters-- Deep Kamal--Thakur said heading the biggest political party of the world after belonging to a state that had a population of just 70 lakh was a real honour. Nadda had a vast experience and had served the government and the party at different levels, he said, adding that the BJP would continue winning people's trust and serving society by building a strong, developed and inclusive India under Nadda's able leadership. Thakur said, "It is a matter of honour for the state and its people that the state today has representation both in the government as well as in the party at the Centre." Nadda had been made the working president of the BJP while Anurag Thakur has been made the Minister of State at the Centre, he said ...