Page 1525 - Politics
Jaya birth anniversary: AIADMK flags off 'achievement' propaganda vehicle
Distribution of welfare aid, gold rings to newborns and medical camps marked the 71st birth anniversary celebrations of late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa by the ruling party across Tamil Nadu on Sunday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah hailed the late leader for her services to the people. Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam led the celebrations by cutting a 71-kg cake at the AIADMK headquarters here. Later, they flagged off a propaganda van aimed at reaching out to people with the "achievements of the AIADMK and the state government". A compact disc of the party's propaganda songs, titled "Ammavin Arasu" (Jayalalithaa's government), was also released. Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, the coordinator and co-coordinator of the AIADMK, garlanded a statue of Jayalalithaa at the party office, distributed sweets and released a souvenir marking the occasion. Palaniswami also launched a statewide drive to plant 71
Protests intensify in Itanagar over PRC row, Dy CM's house vandalised
Protests over the permanent residence certificate (PRC) row further intensified in Itanagar with the protesters going on a rampage on Sunday. They set on fire the private house of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, burnt various vehicles and vandalised even police and fire stations in the capital.Security has been beefed up in and around important buildings and the residences of important politicians including Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Protesters even tried to march towards the CM residence, but security forces foiled their bid.Many people are said to have sustained injuries in the stone pelting.The protest got violent after one person was killed in the police firing on Friday night. The district administration has called in the army to maintain law and order in the city.Locals are protesting after the state government appointed Joint High Power Committee (JHPC) recommended granting PRC to six communities, who have been living in Namsai and Changlang districts of the state for ...
Ex-Union Min Kishore Chandra Deo joins TDP
Former Union Minister Kishore Chandra Deo Sunday joined the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh. TDP president and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu formally welcomed Deo and his followers into the party at a function here in the afternoon. Deo, who served as Tribal Affairs and Panchayat Raj Minister under Manmohan Singh, quit the Congress recently alleging there was no respect for seniors in the party. The TDP is expected to field him for Lok Sabha in the ensuing election from Araku (ST) constituency in Visakhapatnam district. Deo served for five terms as Lok Sabha member and one term in Rajya Sabha. Speaking on the occasion, Naidu said Deo had a blemish-less political career spanning over four decades. "He brought respect to politics with his dignity. His joining the TDP is indeed a happy occasion," he added. Deo said Naidu was committed to the development of AP. Recalling his association with TDP founder N T Rama Rao, he said he would work together with ...
PM-KISAN has 'double' launch in Kerala, leads to Centre-state spat
The launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Kerala on Sunday became embroiled in controversy as it was done at two separate places: one by the state government and the other one by Union Minister K.J. Alphons.
Naamdars who ruled for 55 yrs never thought about Amethi's devp: Irani
Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani Sunday hit out at the Congress alleging that the 'naamdars' (dynasts) who ruled for over five decades, never thought about the development of Amethi. She also alleged that Amethi MP Rahul Gandhi does not think about his constituency, and is instead moving across the country and spreading lies about Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In an apparent reference to Congress, Irani said, "The naamdaars (dynasts) who ruled for 55 years, have never thought about development of Amethi and about farmers." While mentioning various welfare schemes of the Centre, she said when the son of a poor person becomes prime minister, the "'naamdaars' find it difficult to digest". "The efforts made by the governments of Modiji (at the Centre) and Yogiji (in the state), have resulted in benefits reaching 3.80 lakh famers within 23 days of announcement of Kisan Samman Nidhi. "The MP from Amethi never raised the problems of its people in Parliament. People like these have .
Remain calm and do not believe in rumours: J-K Governor to people
In a bid to end the simmering 'war hysteria' in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the valley, Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday appealed that people should remain calm and not believe in rumours "circulating widely" to vitiate the atmosphere. He also clarified that the induction of para-military forces should only be seen in the context of conducting elections and should not be attributed to any other cause. "People should not believe in rumours, which are of extreme nature and circulating widely in some quarters. They should remain calm. These rumours are unnecessarily creating an atmosphere of fear in the minds of people, leading to stress and disruption to normal life. Rumours about curfews and other actions should not be believed," the governor said in his appeal. He said "some security-related actions" were being taken after the February 14 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel lost their lives when a terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group blew himself next to a ...
Keep details of troop movement under wraps: Railways to zones
Days after the Pulwama terror attack, the railways directed its zonal offices to keep confidential the details of movement of troops and military equipment through trains, to plug any leakage of information. The railways issued the directives through a letter dated February 16, two days after 40 CRPF personnel were killed in a suicide attack by a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist, in one of the deadlier terror attacks on security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. The directive said that information regarding the movement of trains for transporting troops and heavy equipment such as tanks and artillery guns be kept under wraps. "No information regarding movement of military special trains shall be given to anybody. Calling in the name of or posing as a senior railway official, defence or intelligence official. "All concerned divisions of zonal railways are hereby directed to sensitise all the station masters, controllers and station staff in this regards immediately. Any violation in these ...
Rajnath visits injured J&K Police DIG at AIIMS
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday visited the AIIMS trauma centre here to inquire about the health of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Amit Kumar, who was injured in a counter-terrorist operation in Pulwama.
Modi to interact with 1 cr party workers through video conference
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will interact with over 1 crore Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers and volunteers from 15,000 locations across the country on February 28 in what the party claimed would be the "world's largest video conference".
Iran: Detained American not held on security charges
Iran says an American detained last July is not being held on security-related charges. Michael White, 46, was arrested after travelling to Iran to visit a woman he met online. His family says he was arbitrarily detained. Iranian officials say he was detained in connection with a private complaint. Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Panahiazar told the semi-official ISNA news agency Saturday that "there is no security or espionage issue on the table." White is the first American to be detained in Iran since President Donald Trump took office. He worked as a cook in the US Navy and left the service about a decade ago. Iran has detained a number of dual citizens from Western countries on security charges, using them as leverage in negotiations.
BJP to launch Kamal Jyoti outreach programme on Feb 26
Stepping up its efforts to retain power at the Centre, the BJP will launch a beneficiary outreach programme-- Kamal Jyoti Sampark Parv-- on February 26 across the country, a party leader said Sunday. The saffron party will showcase the various welfare and developmental works undertaken by its governments at the Centre and the states with party chief Amit Shah likely to participate in a programme to be held in Ghazipur district of eastern Uttar Pradesh. "The programme will be held across the country on February 26, with BJP chief Amit Shah likely to participate in the programme in eastern UP's Ghazipur district," UP Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) media coordinator Rakesh Tripathi told PTI. The programme will be held from 5 to 6 pm and more than one crore lamps in shape of lotus flower (the election symbol of the BJP) will be lit, he added. The lamps will "signify the light and brightness in the life of the beneficiaries of various welfare schemes of the government", he said. "Through ...
As crucial LS polls near, alliance woes for the BJP mount in UP (News Analysis)
At a time when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is firefighting growing friction and hostilities with its partners elsewhere in the country, its relationship with its allies in the politically crucial Uttar Pradesh seems to be heavily strained.
Unfortunate Pulwama attack being politicised: UP BJP general secy
Uttar Pradesh BJP general secretary Pankaj Singh on Sunday said it is "unfortunate" that the Pulwama terror attack is being politicised and urged political parties to keep their "individual flags" aside and stand together under the tricolour. He also said the entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Uttar Pradesh politics did not pose any challenge to the BJP. The Congress last month had appointed Priyanka Gandhi the general secretary for Uttar Pradesh (East). The BJP banks on the hardwork of its workers, vision of its leadership, and the party firmly believes in the ideology of nationalism, Singh said. "It is very unfortunate that the Pulwama terror attack is being politicised by the opposition. In these circumstances, the nation expects from political parties to rise above party lines, keep their individual flags aside, and stand together under the national tricolour and hold on to it," Singh told PTI in an interview. Dismissing any challenge to the BJP in the state, he said, "There is no .
Arunachal Deputy CM's house torched
Mobs protesting against the permanent resident certificate (PRC) continued their violence spree in Arunachal Pradesh on Sunday, burning down the house of Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, authorities said.
PM-Kisan scheme historic step for empowering farmers: Naqvi
Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Sunday described the 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' scheme as a historic step towards empowerment of farmers and said it will help double their income by 2022. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the PM-KISAN scheme in Rampur on Sunday. Naqvi said the scheme will give wings to the aspirations of crores of hardworking farmers of India, according to a statement. Under the scheme, Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. A first instalment of Rs 2,000 was credited to over one crore farmers Sunday and the rest of them will get the money in the coming days. Naqvi said the Modi government's policy of "development with dignity" has served every needy section of society as it is committed to welfare of villages, farmers and the youth. "Our government has taken several major reformist steps for welfare of the farmers which has transformed their lives," he ...
Army has resolved to eradicate terrorists, their harbourers: Modi (Roundup)
Asserting that the killing of 40 CRPF troopers in the February 14 Pulwama terror attack will keep inspiring the country "relentlessly" to uproot the base of terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the Army has resolved to wipe out "terrorists and their harbourers".
Modi launches PM-KISAN scheme, over 1 cr farmers get 1st instalment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday launched the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme transferring the first instalment of Rs 2,000 each to over one crore farmers, as he slammed the opposition alleging they "remember farmers once in 10 years -- just before elections". Initiating the electronic transfer of Rs 2,000 each, he said the first instalment of money under the scheme has been deposited in accounts of 1.01 crore farmers and those who have been left out will get it soon. "The first instalment of money under the scheme has been deposited in the bank accounts of the farmers directly...those who have been left out will get it soon," Modi told the gathering at the Fertiliser Corporation of India ground here. The Prime Minister also interacted with a select group of farmers, representing different states, through video-conferencing and took a swipe at his political rivals. "They remember farmers once in 10 years -- just before elections. They get fever of loan
Iran's president faces calls to resign over economic crisis
As Iran marked the 40th anniversary of its Islamic Revolution, a white-turbaned Shiite cleric at one commemoration targeted President Hassan Rouhani, a fellow clergyman, with this sign: "You who are the cause of inflation; we hope you won't last until spring." Already lashed by criticism over his collapsing nuclear deal and renewed tensions with the U.S., the relatively moderate Rouhani faces anger from clerics, hard-line forces and an ever-growing disaffected public that now threatens his position. Iranian presidents typically see their popularity erode during their second four-year terms, but analysts say Rouhani is particularly vulnerable because of the economic crisis assailing the country's rial currency, which has hurt ordinary Iranians and emboldened critics to openly call for his ouster. Though such a move only has happened once in the Islamic Republic's four-decade history, the popular discontent heard on streets throughout Iran now could make it possible. "I don't care who ..
Former Congress leader Kishore Chandra Deo joins TDP
Former Union Minister and Congress leader V. Kishore Chandra Deo on Sunday joined the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) along with his supporters.
Cong 'instigating' people in Arunachal: Rijiju
Union minister Kiren Rijiju Sunday accused the Congress of instigating the people of Arunachal Pradesh to protest against the move to grant permanent resident certificates to six communities living in the state. Rijiju also said Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has clarified that the state government was not bringing the bill on PRC but only tabling report of the Nabam Rebia-led Joint Hight Powered Committee comprising members and student organisations. "It means the state government has not accepted it. In fact, Congress is fighting for PRC but instigating people wrongly," he tweeted. Rebia is a cabinet minister in the state government. Rijiju alleged that the Congress has supported and "instigated" non-Arunachal Pradesh STs in Lekang area to fight for PRC but in Itanagar "misguided" the innocent people. "From the beginning I have strongly urged the state government not to grant PRC unless people are convinced of full protection of indigenous rights. We must stand ...