Page 1538 - Politics
Number of voters in Telangana goes up by 14 lakh
The number of voters in Telangana has gone up by over 14 lakh since the Assembly elections held in December last year, officials said.
Jaitley defends govt raising issues with RBI, says country more important than institutions
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Friday stoutly defended the government raising demands, such as increasing liquidity, with the Reserve Bank of India, saying the country is more important than institutions. He also made a vehement pitch for a government being elected with a clear majority in the coming general elections so as to provide stability to the economy and not force a change of guard within six months. Speaking at the Global Business Summit here, he said the announcements made in three to four months ahead of elections or after the elections are aberrations and focus must be in long term direction of policies. Quizzed about the unprecedented move by the government to get RBI to discuss issues of its concern by citing a never-used-provision, Jaitley reeled out instances of central bank governors being forced to resign during Congress regimes and his predecessor P Chidambaram not being on talking terms with two Governors. "Raising an issue of interest to the economy which ...
Those involved in attacking Kashmiri students sacked from Yuva
Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray said Friday that the organisation has sacked those who assaulted Kashmiri students in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. The students, studying at Dayabhai Patel Physical Education College, were attacked Wednesday night by members of Yuva Sena, the student wing of the Shiv Sena. "The party has sacked those involved in the act. Jammu and Kashmir is a part of India and no Indian, or for that matter, nobody should face the brunt of anger that is towards terrorism. We understand the angst but it must be against terror, not innocent people," Aditya Thackeray tweeted Friday. A video of the incident had gone viral on social media and a police case was registered. As per one of the victims of the attack, they were asked to say 'Vande Mataram', slapped and abused. The attackers also asked them to vacate their rented accommodations within four days. Yuva Sena secretary Varun Sardesai had said Thursday that
Police officers discuss smooth conduct of election, LWE
Senior police officers of six states Friday attended a meeting here to discuss issues related to smooth conduct of the general election, Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and movement of criminals into each others territory, officials said. The senior police officers of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Telangana and West Bengal attended the inter-state coordination meeting for smooth conduct of elections here. Senior officers of CRPF and BSF also attended the meet. Addressing at the meeting, Odisha DGP RP Sharma emphasised on inter-state cooperation during upcoming election to tackle challenges posed by left wing extremists. Sharma urged the police officials of other states to share intelligence inputs about Maoists with each other. The Odisha DGP hoped that this meeting would help in sharing of real time intelligence as well as check the cross border movement of criminals to a great extent. "Strategies can emerge to check illegal transportation of contraband, ...
Opposition parties disappointed with vote-on-account budget
The opposition Congress, TDP and the BJP in Telangana expressed disappointment with the vote-on-account budget presented by the TRS government on Friday, alleging that it fell short of expectations. "There is no financial discipline in this state. The actual figures are nowhere near what was projected," Congress Legislature Party leader M Bhatti Vikramarka told reporters. State BJP president K Laxman hit out at the ruling TRS for deciding to implement its farm loan waiver scheme in instalments. The move would make the farmers bear the burden of interest on their loans, he alleged. Though the state government admitted having got Rs 70,000 crore from the Centre, the ruling party went on alleging that the NDA government (at the Centre) did not help the state, Laxman said.
'LG's address in Delhi Assembly disappointing, lifeless'
Calling the address of Delhi Lt. Governor Anil Baijal in the Assembly "highly disappointing, lifeless and misleading", Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta on Friday said there was no commitment, newness and determination to lead the Government in the speech.
AAP stages walkout in Punjab Assembly
The main opposition party, AAP, staged a walkout in the Punjab Assembly after the Speaker did not allow a discussion on the Maur bomb blast in the House on Friday. Seven people, including five children, were killed in the blast in Maur Mandi town of Bathinda district on January 31, 2017. The explosion took place near the poll campaign venue of Congress candidate Harminder Singh Jassi. The issue was raised by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Jagdev Singh Kamalu, from the Maur seat, during the Zero Hour of the ongoing Budget session. Kamalu accused the government of having failed to nab the culprits and give compensation to the victims' families. When Speaker Rana K P Singh did not allow any discussion, all AAP MLAs stormed into the Well of the House and raised slogans against the Congress government. Later, they staged a walkout. Earlier, Akali MLA Bikram Singh Majithia accused the state government of not providing winter uniforms to students of government schools. "It is an important issue. .
Withdrawing security of protected persons 'non-sensical, vindictive in nature': PDP
The PDP Friday criticised the government for its decision to withdraw security of protected persons in the state, terming it "non-sensical and vindictive in nature". "The approach adopted by the authorities is vindictive in nature and that those at the helm are turning their eyes away from reality without any compunction. There is also chaos and confusion prevalent within the system," PDP general secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura said here. He said on one side the government claims to have taken away the security of separatists like Syed Ali Geelani, Yasin Malik and Shabir Shah and on the other side these leaders claim to have never received any security cover. "The government must come clear on this," Hanhura added. He also expressed concern over the "war hysteria" being created between the two countries post the Pulwama attack and termed the decision to stop water flowing to Pakistan and diverting it to other states "a real worrisome decision which can have far reaching ...
SC to hear on Feb 26 pleas seeking review of Rafale verdict
The Supreme Court will hear on February 26 the two petitions seeking review of its December 14 verdict that had dismissed pleas challenging the deal between India and France for procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets. The review petition has been filed by former Union ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie as also activist lawyer Prashant Bhushan. The hearing of the pleas will be conducted in chambers and not in open court. The trio said the top court had relied upon "patently incorrect" claims made by the government in an unsigned note given in a sealed cover in the court. Sinha, Shourie and Bhushan have claimed that the judgement was based on "errors apparent on the face of the record" and non-consideration of subsequent information which has come to light would cause a grave miscarriage of justice. Besides seeking review of the judgement, they have also sought hearing of the plea in an open court. The top court will also hear the petition filed by AAP's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay ...
EU working to strengthen partnership with India in combating terrorism: Envoy
Condemning the February 14 Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF personnel, Ambassador of the European Union to India, Tomasz Kozlowski on Friday said the EU will continue to strengthen its cooperation with India in combating all sorts of terrorism.
Pakistan MP calls for peace, praises Kumbh
Advocating peace in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, a Hindu MP from Pakistan on Friday expressed hope that India and Pakistan would move forward in the direction of friendship.
BJP asks EC to stop Marandi from using JVM symbol, flag after
The BJP Friday sought a direction from Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer L Khiangte to ask Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) not to use its election symbol, flags and collect donations in the name of JVM as Assembly Speaker Dinesh Oraon termed the merger of JVM along with six MLAs with the BJP as legal. Heading a party delegation, BJPs state unit General Secretary Deepak Prakash met the state election officer and urged to restrain Babulal Marandi, who heads the JVM, from using JVMs election symbol, flags, banners, platforms and collection of donations in the name of JVM after the speakers confirmation of JVMs merger with the BJP as legal, a party statement said here. Prakash further said that Marandi should respect the speakers verdict. An official statement said after the BJP delegation apprised the CEO of their demand and the latter said that he would inform the matter to the Election Commission, New Delhi. The speaker had on February 20 said he found it legal the
MP industry body member who met Rahul gets trolled, offers to
Peeved at being targeted on social media for meeting Congress president Rahul Gandhi, an office-bearer of the Association of Industries Madhya Pradesh (AIMP) has offered to resign. AIMP executive committee member Sanjay Patwardhan said in his resignation letter that some members of the association were making indecent comments about the meeting. Patwardhan, 52, who runs a factory in the Polo Ground industrial area here, participated in 'Apni Baat Rahul ke Sath' programme earlier this week where Gandhi interacted with MSME entrepreneurs. In his resignation letter to AIMP Thursday, Patwardhan said, "I am not a member of any political party. I did not take part in the programme as the member of any industrial body, but in my personal capacity. "Not only AIMP's general members, but some executive committee members too are saying baseless and absurd things on social media (about the meeting). Because of a person of very small stature, a national party's president is being ...
Pak won't get a drop of water if it exports terror: Gadkari
Reiterating his warning to choke Pakistan's water supply, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Friday said the neighbouring country won't get "even a single drop of water" from India if it continues to export terror. The senior BJP leader was addressing a meeting of party workers of Jabalpur region here. "(Pakistan PM) Imran Khan and others in that country are saying: how can India stop water to them? Remmeber, if you continue to support and export terrorism to India, Pakistan won't get even a drop of water. Remember this," Gadkari said. He said India was planning to build projects on three rivers flowing into Pakistan to use its share of water. "Our government will stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan," he said. The minister's remarks came amid anger in India over the Pulwama terror attack, for which Pakistan-based Jaish-e- Mohammed has claimed responsibility. Gadkari recalled the Indus Water Treaty, a water- distribution treaty between India and Pakistan ...
EU stands firm beside India in fighting terrorism: envoy
The European Union (EU) has affirmed that it is strongly beside India on combating terrorism and there were no differences between them on the issue, it's envoy said here Friday. Referring to the February 14 terror attack by the Jaish-e-Mohammed at Pulwama that left 40 CRPF jawans dead, EU Ambassador Tomasz Kozlowski said its members had strongly condemned the incident and "and as a partner of India, we reaffirm our solidarity". He said the EU stood by India in fighting terrorism and against any terror act regardless of the motivation. Kozlowski told reporters that the Jaish-e-Mohammed had been listed by the EU as a terror outfit along with Lashkar-e -Taiba and several others. "EU has an autonomous terrorist list. We have our own procedures independent of the UN," he said. The UN Security Council had on Thursday condemned in the "strongest terms" the "heinous and cowardly" terror attack perpetrated by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed in Pulwama. Kozlowski said India and ...
Rath Yatra flagged off for March 3 NDA rally at Patna
Top NDA leaders here Friday flagged off a Rath Yatra to galvanize public support from every nook and corner of Bihar for the ruling coalitions rally next week where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to share the stage with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. The Rath Yatra was flagged off from the state headquarters of the JD(U), which is headed by Kumar, in presence of senior party leaders besides Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi, who is from the BJP and minister Pashupati Kumar Paras, who is the state president of Paswans Lok Janshakti Party. The rally will be historic and break all previous records of turnout at the historic Gandhi Maidan, Modi told reporters on the occasion. The mammoth rally would serve as a befitting reply to the opposition which has been involved in a smear campaign against the NDA, both at the Centre and in Bihar JD(U) national general secretary Ram Chandra Prasad Singh said on the occasion. Prime minister, Kumar ...
Rahul continues charge of PM's photo shoot post Pulwama strike
Sticking to his charge that the Prime Minister continued his photo shoot after the Pulwama terror strike, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said Narendra Modi should be "ashamed of himself" for not calling it off. Three and a half hours, my friends, three and a half hours he made a movie of himself. Making a movie, smiling and laughing were more important to him than helping the families of those who died," he alleged at a public meeting in this temple town. The charge first made by Gandhi in a tweet Thursday was vehemently denied by the BJP which called it a lie and slammed the Congress for indulging in "petty politics". Gandhi also accused Modi of waiving Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of powerful businessmen while not writing off the debts of poor farmers. Sounding the poll bugle in the state, he said the Congress would accord special category status to Andhra Pradesh if it was voted to power in the coming Lok Sabha elections. Referring to the Pulwama blast, he said: ..
BJP slams Congress for sponsoring caste analysis of martyred troopers
The BJP on Friday slammed the Congress for politicising the Pulwama terror attack and accused it of sponsoring a report on the caste analysis of the CRPF personnel who died in the attack on February 14.
Rahul has asked Congress CMs to revoke amendments to land acquisition act: Jairam Ramesh
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has asked the chief ministers of Congress-ruled states to revoke amendments made to the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (LARR) Act, 2013, in order to stop exploitation of farmers, former Union minister Jairam Ramesh said on Friday.
BJP chief mocks and attacks 'Mahagathbandhan'
BJP president Amit Shah Friday took potshots and attacked the proposed "Mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties and said if it comes to power, there will be a new prime minister on each day of the week. Addressing party workers, Shah said the 'grand alliance' was not good for the country. The mahagathbandhan was just a "front of the corrupt people to grab power" and does not have any ideology, leader or programme, Shah, who was in Palakkad to review his party's poll preparedness for the Lok Sabha elections, said. Taking potshots at the proposed opposition front, Shah said every day of the week, there would be a new Prime Minister, if they came to power. "I will tell you who will become the Prime Minister if the Opposition comes to power. On Monday, Akhilesh Yadav will be the Prime Minister, on Tuesday it will be Mayawati. Wednesday will be for Chandrababu Naidu and Thursday for Deve Gowda and Mamata Banerjee will the Prime Minister on Friday. On Saturday it will be DMK ...