Page 1532 - Politics
Omar thanks Modi for speaking for Kashmiris
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday for speaking in favour of Kashmiris.
Naga students demand immediate political solution
Scores of students belonging to the Naga Students Union Delhi (NSUD) held a protest rally on Saturday in the national capital demanding "immediate" political solution to the two-decade-old Naga peace talks.
'PM should set foot in AP only after fulfilling promises made'
: Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu Saturday said that he should set foot in the state only after fulfilling all the promises he had made. "Modi is coming to Visakhapatnam on March 1. He should set foot in the state only after fulfilling all the promises made to us," he told Telugu Desam Party leaders during a teleconference. The TDP had organised protests in the state when Modi visited Guntur on February 10, his first to the state after the Telegu Desam Party severed ties with the NDA. The Chandrababu Naidu-led party quit the BJP-led alliance, protesting the "injustice" done to the state post-bifurcation. "With what face is Modi coming to Andhra Pradesh?" Chandrababu had then asked. The Chief Minister charged the BJP with betraying the state by not granting Special Category Status for five years. "(Congress president) Rahul said the same in Tirupati yesterday. He clearly promised to give SCS to Andhra .
Tension grips Kashmir as govt launches crackdown on separatists, arrests 150 people
Tension mounted in Kashmir on Saturday as the government launched a massive crackdown on separatists and detained over 150 people, mainly from the Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, including its chief Abdul Hamid Fayaz, ahead of a hearing in the Supreme Court on Article 35-A of the Constitution. Though police termed the action as routine saying that leaders and potential stone pelters have been picked up in the past, officials privy to the development said this was the first major crackdown on the Jamaat-e-Islami. The hearing on Article 35A, which provides special rights and privileges to natives of Jammu and Kashmir, is likely to take place in the apex court on Monday. The Jamaat-e-Islami has in the past been touted to be the parent political party of the Hizbul Mujahdeen, but the organisation has always maintained that it is a socio-religious group. Heightened tension was palpable and people were seen in groups on streets even as security was tightened. Orders issued by some ...
Youth Cong activists stage anti-Pakistan protest in Jammu
Dozens of Youth Congress activists Saturday staged anti-Pakistan protest here over the Pulwama terror attack, demanding immediate and stern action against the perpetrators of the crime. The protesters set ablaze an effigy of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. They appealed to the people to oppose the nefarious designs of divisive forces bent upon to divide society on communal lines. The protest was led by state Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib. The activists assembed at the Exhibition ground and shouted slogans against Pakistan for "supporting" terrorism. "We pay our tributes to the jawans who achieved martyrdom in the attack and stand with their families. We urge the government to take stern action immediately against those behind the incident," Chib told reporters. He criticised Khan for seeking proof of his country's involvement in the attack and claimed that he is dancing on the tunes of his Army and the ISI. "The attack was carried out with a twin objective to spread ...
Three UK ministers back Brexit delay
Three British cabinet ministers have signalled that they will back plans to delay Brexit if MPs vote down Prime Minister Theresa May's proposal for a new deal with the European Union.
Telangana CM to induct two women ministers
Under flak from various quarters for not giving representation to women in his cabinet, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday announced that he would induct two women ministers.
Delhi power consumers' number up 71.92% in 10 years
In the last 10 years, power purchase in Delhi has grown 55.38 per cent and the number of electricity consumers 71.92 per cent, according to the Economic Survey Report of 2018-19 tabled in the Delhi Assembly, here on Saturday.
Akhilesh meets CRPF martyr's family in Prayagraj
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday met the family members of Mahesh Kumar Yadav, a CRPF trooper martyred in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.
Congress "nervous, jittery" to face LS polls in Pondy: AIADMK
The AIADMK in Puducherry Saturday said the Congress had become "nervous and jittery" to face the coming parliamentary elections in the union territory after the alliance between the AINRC and the Dravidian party. AIADMK Legislature party leader A Anbalagan termed as an attempt to "hoodwink the people" the recent dharna by union territory chief minister V Narayanasamy against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi. Anbalagan told reporters here that after the main opposition AINRC led by N Rangasamy, joined hands with the AIADMK for the Lok Sabha polls, the Congress was feeling "nervous and jittery" and was having "butterflies in the stomach." He also said the AINRC, which had been allotted the lone Lok Sabha in the union territory would retain it.
Khaira to meet Punjab Assembly Speaker to receive notice on his disqualification
A day after Speaker Rana K P Singh accused him of evading notice on the issue of his disqualification from the Punjab Assembly, Bholath MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira Saturday rejected the charge and said he will meet the Speaker next week to receive the notice. "I want to clarify that I have not received any notice. Neither at my village home address nor at Chandigarh address," the MLA claimed. Khaira, who was ousted from the post of Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly last year, claimed that he was not running away from notice or any action. "I will meet the Speaker next week to receive the notice. I am not running away from notice or any action," he told reporters here. On Friday, the Speaker had informed the House that Khaira did not accept the notice sent through registered posts. Rana K P Singh said he would get the notice published in newspapers and then would decide as per law. The notice was issued to Khaira after petition filed by Leader of Opposition Harpal Singh Cheema, .
DMK calls for applications from Lok Sabha, assembly bypoll aspirants
The DMK on Saturday announced application forms for those wanting to contest in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls and the bypolls to be held for 21 vacant assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu would be available from Monday.
Government doesn't want to accept employment crisis: Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday alleged that the Central government is not accepting the "employment crisis" in the country, and said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should discuss the issue with youth.
'Modi ji needs love', says Rahul Gandhi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs love, said Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday while recalling the moment when he hugged the leader in Parliament during the Monsoon Session last year."If somebody hates you, go and hug that person. Believe me, it's magic. Talk to that person nicely and then see what happens. When I hugged Modi ji, I felt that he was surprised to see that he too was loved. I don't hate Modi ji. I hugged Modi ji to end hatred. The reality is Modi ji needs love," Rahul said while interacting with the university students at 'Shiksha, Disha aur Dasha' event in Delhi.On February 13, in his last speech in the 16th Lok Sabha, Modi took a dig at Gandhi while referring to the hug the Congress President gave to him in House in July last year during the No-Confidence Motion."For the first time, I understood the difference between hugging and piling on," Modi had quipped. Gandhi, after making a speech, had walked across the House and hugged a seated Modi, to his utter ..
Vietnam arrests ex communications ministers for corruption
Two former communications ministers were arrested in Vietnam Saturday for mismanaging public funds over their alleged roles overseeing the purchase of a loss-making TV firm that would have cost the state millions of dollars. Truong Minh Tuan and Nguyen Bac Son are under investigation for "violation of regulations on the management and use of public capital causing serious consequences," the Ministry of Public Security said. Their arrests come amid an unprecedented anti-corruption drive that echoes China's crackdown on graft. Dozens of bankers, businessmen and officials have been jailed in Vietnam since 2016 when the campaign took root. Some observers say the drive is politically motivated. Tuan and Son are accused of illegally approving the purchase of private television company Audio Visual Global (AVG) in 2015 by the state-run telecommunication firm Mobifone. AVG and Mobifone did not go through with the purchase in the end but officials said it would have caused $300 million worth ..
Myanmar army warns against changing 'essence' of constitution
Myanmar's military Saturday said they would thwart attempts by leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party to alter the "essence" of the country's controversial constitution, putting the army and civilian administration on a collision course over the politically-charged issue. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) dominated 2015 elections ending decades of military-backed rule. But because of a 2008 charter scripted by the military, the NLD was forced into an uneasy power-sharing agreement. The constitution grants the armed services control of security ministries and a quarter of unelected parliamentary seats. That hands the military an effective veto over constitutional change. But the NLD-dominated parliament voted earlier this month to form a cross-party committee to look at reforms of the charter, a key campaign pledge. The party will be allocated 18 out of 45 seats on the panel, the military will have eight and the remainder will be divided between other parties. There has been no ..
UK ministers warn PM to get her deal now or delay Brexit
Three members of Prime Minister Theresa May's cabinet warned Saturday that Brexit must be delayed if she cannot persuade the British parliament to back her EU divorce deal next week. Business minister Greg Clark, work and pensions minister Amber Rudd and justice minister David Gauke wrote an article stating their opposition to leaving the European Union on March 29 with no deal. May is currently scrambling to secure changes to the divorce text she struck with the bloc in November, hoping to win the support of MPs who last month rejected the deal by a massive margin. "If there is no breakthrough in the coming week, the balance of opinion in parliament is clear -- that it would be better to seek to... delay our date of departure rather than crash out of the European Union on March 29," the ministers wrote in the Daily Mail newspaper. They added: "Beyond the next few days, there simply will not be time to agree a deal and complete all the necessary legislation before March 29." But they .
HIGHLIGHTS AT 1710 HOURS
Following are the top stories at 1710 hours Top Stories DEL 24 RJ-MODI Peace in the world not possible if terrorism continues: PM Jaipur: Paying homage to CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Saturday peace in the world is not possible if terrorism continues. DEL18 OIC-INDIA-INVITE India invited as 'Guest of Honour' to OIC meet, Sushma Swaraj to attend New Delhi: In a significant move, India has been invited to the inaugural plenary of the foreign ministers' conclave of the OIC, a powerful grouping of Muslim majority nations, and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will attend it in Abu Dhabi next month as the 'guest of honour'. MDS1 KA-AEROINDIA-FIRE Fire erupts at parking lot of Aero India show, 100 cars gutted Bengaluru: A major fire broke out Saturday at the parking area of the Yelahanka Air Force station, where the 12th edition of Aero India is underway, official sources said here SPD4 SPO-KOHLI-INDOPAK Kohli on Indo-Pak World .
Punjab Police sets up helpline number for Kashmiris facing threats
The Punjab Police has set up a helpline number to deal with the complaints lodged by Kashmiris, especially students in the state. The toll-free helpline number 181 will ensure prompt and effective response for Kashmiris facing any kind of harassment or trouble in the state, according to an official release issued here. The helpline will have a special desk dedicated to resolve problems of Kashmiris. It will promptly respond to and address any complaint of harassment or intimidation of people/students belonging to Jammu and Kashmir. The victims can call on 181 or send an SMS or WhatsApp message on 76961-81181. They can also fax their complaint on 0172-6626181 and e-mail it to "mailto:help@181pph.com" \nhelp@181pph.com, according to the release. On Friday, the Centre had asked all states to ensure security of people belonging to Jammu and Kashmir amid reports that some of them were attacked in different parts of the country in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, which left 40 CRPF ...
Our fight is against terrorists and not Kashmiris: Modi
Asserting that the fight is against terrorists and not Kashmiris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday vowed the Pulwama terror attack perpetrators would have to pay as he appealed to people to have faith in armed forces, his government and blessings of Maa Bhavani. Addressing a BJP rally here, Modi also took a dig at Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, saying "it is the time he stands true to his words". Modi said peace in the world is not possible if the factory of terrorism continues like this. "There is consensus in the entire world against terrorism. We are moving ahead with strength to punish the perpetrators of terrorism," he said, referring to the February 14 terror attack in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. "Stern action against those who live in India and push separatism has been taken and will be taken. This is a changed India, this pain will not be tolerated. We will not sit quiet after suffering this pain. We know how to crush terrorism. This is an India of new ...