Page 1533 - Politics
Shah blasts SP, BSP for destroying cooperative movement
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Saturday lashed out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) during an event here on Saturday.
Tinkering with constitutional provisions applicable to state a dangerous trend: Lone
People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Saturday said Governor Satya Pal Malik should not tinker with the constitutional provisions applicable to Jammu and Kashmir and asked him to desist from taking any decisions that can have far reaching consequences. Lone, who was a minister in the erstwhile PDP-led coalition government from the BJP quota, said the Governor's or President's rule is a temporary measure to carry on the day-to-day routine functions of the government. "The governor is not expected to take major policy decisions, which is the prerogative of an elected government alone. In no way, the governor or the president can or should tinker with the constitutional provisions, which permanently affects the constitutional relationship of the state of J&K with the Union," Lone said. He said tinkering with the constitutional provisions applicable to the state by the governor's administration is a dangerous trend, which will have "serious repercussions so far as ...
Defence Minister, three services chiefs to meet India's Defence attaches across the globe on Monday
The meeting is happening at a time when India is trying to diplomatically isolate Pakistan over its direct support to terror groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed for carrying out attacks against India."The two-day conclave will begin on Monday where the Defence Minister and the three services chiefs along with other senior officials in the security establishment will address the Defence attaches," Defence sources said.The officers are likely to be asked to put across India's viewpoint on the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism against India and its role in terror attacks including the one in Pulwama where 44 troops were killed in a suicide bomb attack. India has 44 defence attaches of the rank of Colonels and Brigadier rank officers from the three services who look after defence ties in their respective country of posting. The two-day conclave would also see the detailed discussion on ties with important countries in the world including the US, Russia and other friendly nations.Representatives ...
Maha plans to make Mumbai, Thane kerosene-free in 2 months
The Maharashtra government plans to make Mumbai and Thane kerosene-free in the next two months, Kailash Pagare, Rationing Controller for the two cities, said Saturday. He said demand for kerosene had gone down considerably in the two cities and stood at 1,896 kilolitres (kl) against 5,839 kilolitres in June last year. The drop in kerosene usage had saved the government Rs 12.14 crore as it cost Rs 19.5 per litre, Pagare informed. He said the demand for kerosene, which stood at 50,000 kl in 1993 and 40,000 kl in 1996, was now on the decline because of increase in LPG connections to lower income group (LIG) families.
Blasts, gunfire strike Nigeria as voters head to polls
A town in northeast Nigeria was on Saturday reportedly struck by blasts and gunfire as voters across the country headed to the polls for the general election following a last-minute postponement of the vote a week ago.
Venezuela: China strategising a way to deal with Guaido
China, which has invested US $50 billion through oil-for-loan agreements in Venezuela over the past decade, is strategising a way to deal best with self-proclaimed Venezuela President Juan Guaido, reports South China Morning Post."At the top of everyone's mind (at the Chinese embassy and in Beijing) was the degree to which goodwill should be shown to and accepted from Guaido," said a Chinese diplomat in Caracas. According to the reports, Guaido has always been critical to Caracas's relations with Beijing. China's envoys in the Caracas are holding late-night conference calls with Chinese officials to prepare a strategy for getting along with Guaido.China, whose connection with the opposition forces in Venezuela's opposition National Assembly is minimal, have many oil projects in running in the country which is in political crisis since January. "China has sought informal dialogue with the Venezuelan opposition in recent years to ensure productive relations in the event of a ...
Nodal police officers appointed in all states, UTs for Kashmiris facing problems
All states and Union Territories have appointed nodal police officers to resolve problems of Kashmiris who are being targeted in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, officials said Saturday. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has also asked all states to ensure security of Kashmiris who were reportedly attacked in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and Jammu city in the last few days. The details of these nodal police officers have been uploaded on the MHA website http://www.mha.gov.in"www.mha.gov.in In its advisory sent on Friday night, the MHA has conveyed to the state governments and Union Territory administrations to take all necessary steps to prevent any act of assault, threat, intimidation, social boycott etc., against Kashmiris as well as minorities in accordance with the order of the Supreme Court. The ministry said the central government is concerned about the reports of incidents of assaults and harassment against residents of Jammu and Kashmir, ...
British Ambassador to Vietnam optimistic over US-North Korea talks
British Ambassador to Vietnam Gareth Ward on Saturday expressed optimism over the upcoming United States and North Korea Summit.Ward posted a video of a cheerful parade in Vietnam and wrote that he is hoping the "positive atmosphere outside will encourage progress on denuclearisation at the talks.""Good luck to @MOFAVietNam in its preparations for the United States and North Korea summit. Today's parade outside my Residence looks cheerful. Let's hope a positive atmosphere outside will encourage progress on denuclearisation at the talks," tweeted Ward..
Chidambaram targets Jaitley over Hooda's appointment
A day after Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley slammed the Congress over Lt. General (retired) D.S. Hooda's appointment as a member of the committee on national security, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram hit back saying the BJP needs no one as it has Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Centre extending militaristic approach to northeast: Chidambaram
Former Finance Minister and senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram on Saturday dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take action against Meghalaya Governor Tathagat Roy over his remarks to boycott Kashmiri goods. He said that the Central government was extending its "muscular, militaristic approach" to the northeast which it failed to show in Jammu and Kashmir.
Jihadi Jack wants to return to UK, says misses his mum
A British Muslim convert, dubbed Jihadi Jack, has become the latest member of the Islamic State terrorist group to urge the UK government to allow him to return to the country, saying he is missing home and his mother. Jack Letts had travelled to Syria in 2014 and was later captured by the Kurdish-led YPG the group fighting against Islamic State (ISIS) when he fled Raqqa, the de facto capital of the terror network. The 23-year-old from the city of Oxford was interviewed by the UK's ITV News channel this week from a prison cell in Syria, where he is being held after being charged by the YPG with being a member of the ISIS. "I miss people mostly, I miss my mum. Five years I haven't seen my mum, two years I haven't spoken to my mum. I miss pasties. And 'Doctor Who'," he said, in reference to food and TV shows from the UK. "I feel British, I am British. If the UK accepted me, I would go back to the UK, it's my home. But I don't think that's going to happen," said Letts, who holds dual ..
Modi govt strengthened cooperatives movement, extended 3 times more help to farmers: Shah
Claiming that his party has strengthened the cooperatives movement in the country, BJP president Amit Shah said Saturday the Modi government has extended three times more help to farmers when compared to the previous UPA government. "The previous UPA government of Sonia (Gandhi) and Manmohan Singh had extended loans worth Rs 23,635 crore to farmers through cooperatives, while the present Modi government has extended a help of Rs 72,051 crore which is three times more," Shah said, addressing the Sahkarita Sammelan of his party here. "In five years, the Sonia-Manmohan government being run with the support of SP and BSP managed this... Can you imagine how much the cooperatives movement has been strengthened in the country (after that)," he asked. The BJP president also took a dig at the Congress president, saying "Rahul baba makes fun of us, says farmers debt has to be waived. We have done and shown in Uttar Pradesh; you (Congress) had promised in Karnataka that Rs 48,000-crore worth ...
Omar thanks PM Modi for speaking against attacks on Kashmiris
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Saturday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for breaking his silence on attacks against Kashmiris in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack and expressed hope that such incidents would not recur. "Thank you @narendramodi Sahib. Aaj aap ne hamaray dil ki baat keh di (you have conveyed the feelings of our heart)," Abdullah tweeted. Addressing a rally at Rajasthan's Tonk district, the prime minister said, "Our fight is not against Kashmiris." "It's been a more than a week since the terrible attack in Pulwama & more than a week that Kashmiris have been bearing the brunt of the public anger. Perhaps finally after PM @narendramodi Sb has spoken these forces targeting Kashmiris will stop in their tracks," the NC leader said.
Pak writes to UN rights chief over alleged violations in Kashmir
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has written a letter to the UN rights chief over alleged human rights violations in Kashmir. Qureshi said his letter to UN High Commissioner for the Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday was a follow up on his letter dated December 16, 2018 over "the deteriorating human rights situation" in Kashmir. He said India blamed Pakistan after the Pulwama attack to divert global attention from the issue. Qureshi's remarks came amidst fresh Indo-Pakistan tensions over the attack in Pulwama on February 14 that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. "I wish to underscore that Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally recognised disputed territory," he said. "The issue of Jammu and Kashmir remains an outstanding item on the agenda of UN Security Council," Qureshi said. He said that the troubling situation in Jammu and Kashmir also warrants attention from the international humanitarian law perspective, especially the four Geneva Conventions. India maintains ...
SIT for Jiram Valley attack: Raman takes potshots at Cong govt
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister and BJP leader Raman Singh Saturday criticised his successor Bhupesh Baghel of Congress over setting up an SIT to probe the 2013 Jiram Valley naxal attack which was investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He also accused the Congress government of not keeping the promises it had made to the people ahead of elections last year. Speaking to reporters at the Madhya Pradesh BJP office, Singh BJP would once again come to power under Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre. Singh said the BJP did well in Madhya Pradesh, though not Chhattisgarh, and secured more votes than the Congress which came to power last December. "We have been winning 10 out of 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh in the past few elections and this time also we will win comfortably. The present government came to power on tall promises but has failed to fulfil them. In just 60 days they are exposed," Singh told reporters. Terming the Chhattisgarh ...
Peace in the world not possible if terrorism continues: PM
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. Speaking at a rally in Rajasthan's Tonk district, he said a strong consensus has been reached against terrorism today and the entire world is with the families of those killed in the Pulwama attack. "Not just India, the entire world is with you (families). Have faith in soldiers and the government," he said Peace in the world is not possible if terror factory continues to go on like this. Today, there is a consensus against terrorism. We are moving ahead with strength at every front, Modi said while addressing the Vijay Sankalp rally. The Kashmiri youth is also disturbed by terrorism and "our fight is not against Kashmiris". They are with people of the country, he said. Modi said stern action has been taken against separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, and a "free hand" has been given to the Army. "Believe in army jawans
Panic grips Kashmir Valley following raids
Panic gripped Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley on Saturday in the wake of raids which resulted in the detention of dozens of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) cadres, including its top leadership.
NC activists protest against harassment of Kashmiris outside valley
The National Conference Saturday took out a protest march here against the intimidation and harassment of the people of Kashmir outside the valley and demanded such attacks be immediately stopped. Scores of NC activists, led by party general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, assembled at the party headquarters 'Nawai-Subah' here and took out a protest march. They shouted slogans against the attacks and harassment of Kashmiris outside the valley and demanded it be stopped immediately. The protestors marched towards TRC Crossing where they were stopped by a heavy contingent of police. Speaking to reporters, Sagar asked whether the attacks on Kashmiris were part of any "political conspiracy". "Kashmiris are being targeted across the country. Do they not think of us as Indian citizens? Why are Kashmiri students being targeted? Is it a political conspiracy? Is it being done to help some win the elections as J-K is the only Muslim-majority state in the country?" he said. Sagar said the party ...
Inter-state coordination meeting discuss strategy for LS Polls
An inter-state coordination meeting of top police, prohibition and excise officials of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry Saturday decided on various preventive measures, including steps to check smuggling of liquor, in the run up to the coming Lok Sabha elections. In a bid to ensure smooth conduct of the polls, the meeting discussed common issues such as movement of contrabands across the borders of the states, issues of coordination among the neighbouring districts and pending non- bailable warrants (NBWs), official sources said. Director Generals Police of Tamil Nadu K Rajendran, Kerala Loknath Behra and Puducherry Sundari Nanda besides senior police officials of all the states participated in the meeting along with the Commissioners of Excise and Prohibition of the respective states, the sources said. Besides strengthening the check posts and intensifying patrols to prevent smuggling of liquor, the meeting decided to initiate special drive to execute the ..
AAP MLAs slam Delhi LG for restricting works
A day after Delhi Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal listed out the achievements of the city government during the ongoing Budget Session, AAP MLAs on Saturday accused him of creating hurdles and restricting works laid out by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.