Page 1537 - Politics
Congress to offer comprehensive farm loan waiver, may cost Rs 2 lakh crore
The Congress will give a comprehensive loan waiver to farmers at the national level if it comes to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, party sources said on Friday.
Factionalism within local NCP comes to fore at Pawar's program
Two factions of local NCP workers created a ruckus at a party program at Phaltan in Maharashtra Friday. The incident took place in the presence of party supremo Sharad Pawar. A video of it went viral on social media. The area comes under the Madha Lok Sabha constituency, from where Pawar is likely to contest the election this time. The video showed that when Kavita Mehetare, a local NCP leader, rose to address the party workers, followers of Shekhar Gore, another leader, started shouting slogans. They were not happy because Gore or any other leader from his faction was not given the opportunity to speak, while Mehetare, who leads another camp, shared the dais with Pawar. As Gore's supporters protested, workers from the opposite camp too raised slogans. Pawar was seen standing up and trying to pacify the workers. "We wanted to speak about the injustice I and my supporters have faced. We just wanted to express ourselves and since that request was turned down, my supporters .
Upgraded infrastructure to boost trade: Tripura governor
Tripura Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki Friday said BJP-IPFT government's decision to go for upgrading infrastructure for better connectivity with neighbouring Bangladesh would boost trade and commerce. The waterway between Sonamura in Tripura and Daudkandi in Bangladesh is a part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'HIRA' (Highways, I-ways, Railways and Airways) concept of development, Solanki said inn his address on the opening day of the budget session of the Assembly. "Waterways connectivity with Bangladesh... in the long run, will boost trade and commerce and also make industries in Tripura viable and competitive," he said Measures taken as part of the plan would also develop the state as a logistics hub in the North East, the governor said. Apart from the waterway, the extension of Agartala- Akhaura rail link and construction of Maitri bridge over river Feni in South Tripura district would facilitate transportation of goods and passengers with Chittagong and Mongla ...
State govt's top agenda Naga political issue: Neiphiu Rio
Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio Friday told the state Assembly that the Naga political issue is at the top of his governments agenda. Rio also asserted to undertake all possible measures to bring a congenial atmosphere to facilitate expedited political negotiations. "All section of the people have been crying out for reaslisaiton of an early political solution and this government has committed that we will undertake all possible measures to bring a congenial atmosphere that facilitates the political negotiations to be expedited," he said during the debate on the Governor's address. On Opposition members objecting to the governor quoting January 31 Consultative Meeting resolution on Citizenship Amendment Bill, the CM said "objecting to this resolution is not an objection or opposition to the government or the Governors address but it is in fact rejection of a resolution of the civil societies and tribal organization." He said the opposition NPF had boycotted the ...
India has more options than war to punish Pakistan: Former Army vice chief
India has more options than just war to deal with its unruly neighbour Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, former Vice Chief of Indian Army Lt. General Arvinder Singh Lamba said on Friday.
IAEA says Iran adhering to terms of nuclear deal
Iran has been adhering to a deal with world powers limiting its nuclear programme, the UN atomic watchdog said Friday, as diplomatic wrangling continues over the future of the accord. The latest report from the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that Iran was still complying with the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with global powers under which Tehran drastically scaled back its nuclear programme in return for sanctions relief. The IAEA's latest report showed that over the past three-month period, Iran's stock of heavy water had risen from 122.8 to 124.8 metric tonnes and that it held 163.8 kg of enriched uranium, up from 149.4 kg in November. Both levels are within the limits foreseen by the JCPOA. Last week European states rejected a call from US Vice President Mike Pence to follow the US lead in withdrawing from the Iranian nuclear deal.
France holds out over start of EU trade talks with Trump
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - France expressed reservations on Friday about proposed trade negotiations with the United States, diplomats said, while other EU countries supported talks with Washington that could ward off punitive U.S. tariffs on European cars.
Justice Sing takes oath as first Lokayukta of Nagaland
Justice Uma Nath Singh, former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court was sworn in as the first Lokayukta of Nagaland on Friday. Nagaland Governor, P B Acharya administered the oath of office to Justice Singh at the Raj Bhavan here. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Opposition Leader, T R Zeliang, Cabinet Ministers, MLAs and Government officers attended the swearing in ceremony of the new Lokayukta.
Lone MP's vote on citizenship bill debated in Nagaland House
The issue of the lone Nagaland Lok Sabha MP's vote on the contentious Citizenship Amendment Bill in the Lower House of Parliament last month came up in the state Assembly Friday. Opposition Naga People's Front (NPF) asked in a starred question whether Tokheho Yepthomi, the MP of ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), voted in favour or against the Bill. Replying to the question, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said, the CM's offices does not keep record of voting in Parliament. Rio is heading the People's Democratic Alliance government in partnership with the BJP in the state. The Opposition members, however, were adamant in asking the government to make its position clear on the Bill. Rio then quoted from a statement of the MP that he was not present in Lok Sabha when the bill was passed on January 8 and the NDPP had not issued any directive to him on the Bill. The Bill seeks to provide citizenship to minorities of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh after ..
Uma Nath Singh sworn in as first Meghalaya Lokayukta chair
Former Chief Justice of Meghalaya High Court Uma Nath Singh was sworn in on Friday as the chairperson of Nagaland's first Lokayukta.
SAD rejects Cong claims on conversion of CCL gap into loan
Opposition party SAD Friday rejected the claims of the Congress government that the previous SAD-BJP regime converted about Rs 31,000 crore of cash credit limit gap into long term loan on its last day. "No file after the code of conduct came into effect (during 2017 assembly polls), (was signed). Neither my office, I am quite sure that nor the then CM office took any decision on CCL (after code of conduct was announced), Akali leader Parminder Singh Dhindsa said while addressing media in the press gallery of Punjab Assembly here. Dhindsa was the finance minister in the previous SAD-BJP regime. I do not know why they (Congress) were claiming that the file was signed on the last day (of SAD-BJP tenure) let them give the facts so we should know about it, claimed Dhindsa. In the House, the Finance Minister in his speech while presenting state budget for 2019-20 on February 18 had said, "While the previous government inflicted several wounds on the state's fiscal, the unkindest cut of ...
Deputy Speaker election: TRS reaches out to AIMIM, Cong, BJP
The ruling TRS Friday reached out to its ally AIMIM and also the opposition Congress and BJP to make the Assembly Deputy Speaker election an unanimous affair. The TRS leadership held consultations with the leaders of Congress, BJP and AIMIM Friday evening, official sources said. While the AIMIM and BJP have agreed for an unanimous election,the Congress said it would convey its final decision Saturday morning though the main opposition has also in principle agreed to the proposal, the sources said. TRS has 88 MLAs in the 119-member house, while its ally AIMIM has seven MLAs.
BJP spreading rumours about burqa wearing child lifters: Mamata
In a veiled attack at the BJP, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday claimed that attempts were being made to disturb peace in West Bengal, with "burqa-clad men" being sent to streets to create panic amid rumours of child lifting. The TMC chief, addressing an official function here in Hooghly district, said the Pulwama terror strike could have been averted if correct steps were taken on time. Without naming the BJP, she said attempts were being made to disrupt peace with the intention of creating a divide among people on the basis of religion for political benefit. "I run a government and I am saying this with full responsibility. I have got information that they have purchased burqas and are creating panic among people spreading rumours about child-lifters. Just when the elections are knocking on the door, they are spreading such rumours," she alleged. "They are giving money to the people and making them wear burqas. When the scared locals beat up that person taking him/her as ...
Assam govt notifies IGP Hiren Nath as Surrender &
Assam government has notified Inspector General of Police (SB) Hiren Nath, as Surrender and Rehabilitation Officer, an official release said on Friday. Nath has been made responsible for proper implementation of the Revised Scheme for Surrender cum Rehabilitation of Militants in Assam, it said. The government has also notified Nath as chairman of the screening committee for proper implementation of the scheme in the state of Assam. "These two notifications have come into force with retrospective effect from February 1 until further order," the release added.
PMK chief hosts dinner for CM, his Cabinet colleagues
Days after inking a poll pact with the ruling AIADMK, Pattali Makkal Katchi founder S Ramadoss Friday hosted a dinner at his farm house near here for Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his Cabinet colleagues. The PMK chief had his first meeting with the ruling party top brass after the agreement and discussed poll preparations over dinner at his Thailapuram residence, about 135 km from here, PMK sources said. AIADMK signed a poll deal on February 19 with the PMK allocating to the latter seven Lok Sabha seats and one Rajya Sabha nomination in the current year. Besides Palaniswami, AIADMK coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, ministers including P Thangamani, S P Velumani, C Ve Shanmugam and K P Anabalagan were present at the sprawling farm house. When the Chief Minister and his deputy arrived along with their Cabinet colleagues, they were accorded a warm reception by Ramadoss and his son Anbumani, who is the Dharmapuri Lok Sabha MP. Ramadoss explained the ..
Parliamentary panel to summon Facebook, WhatsApp besides Twitter
Besides Twitter, the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) will also summon Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram to hear them on alleged bias towards certain type of posts, panel chief Anurag Thakur said on Friday.
MLAs try to corner Khattar govt on host of issues including farmers
Opposition MLAs tried to corner the Khattar-led government on a host of issues, including the farmers, which saw sharp exchange of words in the treasury benches in the state assembly during the resumed debate on the Governor's Address here Friday. INLD and Congress MLAs also targeted the Khattar government on the issue of Aravallis, claiming that it has decided to amend the Punjab Land Preservation Act (PLPA), which could favour private builders, as the move would open up more land for real estate development as construction activity could be allowed in areas where it was previously disallowed due to enforcement of PLPA. Senior INLD leader and Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, former chief minister and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Congress' Anand Singh Dangi and Raghubir Singh Kadian were among the opposition legislators to raise the issue of farmers. They alleged that the ruling BJP had not extended full benefits of the Swaminathan Commission Report and cheated ...
Ruling TRS announce four nominees for council polls
The ruling TRS in Telangana on Friday announced four nominees for the biennial elections to the state legislative council, while leaving one seat to its ally AIMIM. TRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said state Home Minister Mohd Mehmood Ali, president of Kuruma Sangham Yegge Mallesam, TRS leader Seri Subhash Reddy and former MLA Satyavati Rathod were the TRS nominees for the election to be held on March 12, TRS sources said. The biennial election to the council would be held to fill five vacancies which arise consequent to the retirement of five members on March 29, according to a communication issued by the Election Commission. Rao has decided to leave the fifth vacancy to its ally, the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM, the sources said. Owaisi thanked Rao and TRS working president K T Rama Rao on twitter for giving the seat to his party. TRS won 88 seats out of the total 119 in the recent Assembly polls. The ruling party has also got the support of an ...
IUML gets one Lok Sabha seat from DMK
The DMK and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) on Friday reached an electoral agreement whereby the latter gets to contest in one seat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
No plans to politicise Pulwama attack for votes-Divya Spandana
The Congress' social media head Divya Spandana Friday said the party had no intention of politicising and using the Pulwama attack to garner votes. Speaking at an interactive session here, she claimed mainstream media in the country was under pressure and journalists had no editorial freedom. "I don't think on this particular incident (Pulawama), there was any sort of garnering votes. In fact our party leader Rahul Gandhi at a press conference said we support the government... there was no politicisation in this particular incident. But then it was imperative for us as the opposition to raise these questions. This is what people were asking online and this is what media was also writing about," she said when asked if the Congress party will try to translate people anger on the incident into votes. "I don't think we raise them to channel any anger towards BJP or Prime Minister or to garner votes. At the end of the day, it is people to decide but I don't think we strategise