Page 1543 - Politics
PM must say what he was doing in initial 2 hours after Pulwama attack: Cong
Stepping up its attack on Narendra Modi, the Congress said Friday the prime minister must say what he was doing in the initial two hours after the Pulwama terror strike and alleged that he was either "completely oblivious" to the incident or "insensitive". The opposition also alleged, citing DD News footage, that the prime minister addressed a rally in Uttarakhand at 5:10 pm via phone. The BJP has dubbed the Congress's allegations as "shameful" and rejected the charges, saying the opposition party exposed its "true colours" after it kept a "facade" of standing with security forces and the government following the terror strike. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, at a press conference, said the prime minister not only addressed the press conference but continued with a photoshoot at the Corbett National Park in the hours following the Pulwama terror strike in which 40 CRPF jawans died after a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the paramilitary force's ..
Modi's photos shared by Rahul were shot in morning: BJP
The BJP Friday dismissed Congress president Rahul Gandhi's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended a photo-shoot allegedly hours after the Pulwama attack on February 14 as "fake news", asserting that photographs were taken in morning. "Rahul Ji, India is tired of your fake news. Stop sharing photos from that morning to shamelessly mislead the nation. Maybe you knew in advance of the attack but people of India got to know in the evening. Try a better stunt next time, where sacrifice of soldiers isn't involved," the BJP tweeted. The BJP took on Gandhi after the Congress chief called Modi "prime time minister" and said he continued shooting for a film in Uttarakhand even three hours after news of the Pulwama terror strike came in. He also attached photographs of Modi attending the photo-shoot and taking a boat ride in the scenic hilly state.
Pulwama not a poll issue, but can't be ignored: Paswan (IANS interview)
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan says the NDA does not want the Pulwama attack and subsequent developments to become an election issue but "it cannot be ignored" as he made it clear that the government "is as serious as the people of the country" after the terror attack.
Pak has 69 banned groups, it sponsors half of India's proscribed outfits: Documents
Pakistan is the epicentre of terrorism with a long list of outlawed organisations, including the latest to be banned Jamaat-ud-Dawa, and the country abets and aids almost half of the proscribed groups in India, according to official documents. Pakistan's National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) has so far declared 69 terrorist organisations as banned. However, it has turned a blind eye to major militant groups such as the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and the Al Badr operating in Jammu and Kashmir, the documents state. On Thursday, Pakistan banned the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, amid intense global pressure to rein in the militant groups following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers. The JuD's network includes 300 seminaries and schools, hospitals, a publishing house and ambulance service. The two groups have about 50,000 volunteers and hundreds of other paid ...
Rahul sets out on foot to Balaji shrine
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday set out on foot on a pilgrimage to the Lord Venkateswara Temple shrine here.
PM Modi departs for India after concluding his South Korea visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday left for India after wrapping up his two-day visit to South Korea during which he held talks with the country's President Moon Jae-in, unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi and addressed the Indian diaspora. Prime Minister Modi, who arrived here on a two-day visit to strengthen India's strategic ties with South Korea on Thursday, held "constructive" talks with President Moon on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, energy, space, start-ups and people-to-people exchanges. Modi also met First lady Kim Jung-sook. He received the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 for his contribution to international cooperation and fostering global economic growth. Modi along with President and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon unveiled a bust of Mahatma Gandhi at the prestigious Yonsei University in Seoul on Thursday. Modi visited South Korea on the invitation of President Moon. This was his second visit to the Republic of Korea ..
PM Modi asks global community to 'unite and act' to eradicate terror networks
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that the time has come for the global community to "unite and act" to completely eradicate terror networks and their financing supply channels as he identified radicalisation and terrorism as the biggest threats to global peace and security. Modi, who is here on a two-day visit to South Korea, expressed his gratitude for South Korea's support following one of the worst terror attacks by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group that killed 40 CRPF soldiers in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on February 14. Addressing the media after his talks with President Moon Jae-in, Prime Minister Modi said that the time has come when the world, going beyond the talks, should "unite and act" against terrorism. Later, speaking at an event after receiving the prestigious Seoul Peace Prize for 2018 here, Prime Minister Modi said that like Korea, India has also suffered the pain of cross-border strife. "Our endeavour towards peaceful developments has
Poll bonds legalised crony capitalism, ban corporate donations: Ex-CEC (IANS Interview)
The electoral bonds are a regressive reform that has further worsened the "problem of cronies running the country", says former Chief Election Commissioner S.Y. Quraishi, who favours a complete ban on corporate donations to parties.
India And ASEAN To Play Significant Role In New Emerging World Economic Order
Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu, inaugurated the 4th India-ASEAN Expo and Summit 2019 in New Delhi yesterday. Addressing the inaugural session, Suresh Prabhu reaffirmed India's commitment to the path of mutual progress and prosperity and said that terrorism knows no boundaries; it needs to be addressed through collective reaffirment towards promoting regional peace, stability and development. In this fight against terrorism and mindless violence, events like India ASEAN Expo and Summit acquire a unique significance, as it epitomizes our faith and commitment towards a path of shared prosperity, progress and peace.
Indian-Americans mourn Pulwama terror attack victims
Over 300 Indian-Americans gathered at the India House here to express their solidarity and mourn the killing of 40 Indian soldiers in one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. At least 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed on February 14 in a suicide attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror group. A condolence meeting was organised by India Culture Center Houston and Indian-American Community of Greater Houston during which the terror attack in Kashmir unanimously. They urged that all nations need to stand together with India and the US in their fight against those carrying out such "brutal crimes". Officials present at the prayer meeting were Deputy Consul General of India Surendra Adhana, district representatives of US Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, representatives of Congressman Al Green, Congressman Dan Crenshaw and FortBend county judge K P George. They read statements from US lawmakers strongly ...
Colin Crowell to face Parliamentary panel in India on Feb 25: Twitter
Twitter on Friday confirmed that Colin Crowell, Global Vice President of Public Policy for Twitter, will face the Parliamentary Committee on Information Technology (IT) on February 25.
Telangana announces Rs 25 lakh to kin of Pulwama attack victims
Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Friday announced Rs 25 lakh financial assistance each to kin of the 40 CRPF troopers killed in the February 14 Pulwama terror attack.
What was PM doing 2 hours after Pulwama attack: Congress
Raising questions on what Prime Minister Narendra Modi was doing in the immediate aftermath of the Pulwama attack, the Congress for the second day on Friday asked why he failed to mention the attack and its victims while addressing a rally in Rudrapur district of Uttarakhand just two hours later.
J-K govt moves SC seeking transfer of 7 Pakistani terrorists from Jammu jail to Tihar
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday moved the Supreme Court seeking the transfer of seven Pakistani terrorists from Jammu jail to Tihar prison here on grounds that they were allegedly indoctrinating local prisoners. A bench of Justices L N Rao and M R Shah sought a response from Centre and the Delhi government on the plea. Jammu and Kashmir government's standing counsel Shoeb Alam said terrorists belonging to various organisations need to be shifted out of Jammu jail as they were involved in the indoctrination of local prisoners. If not Tihar, they can be shifted to other high security prisons in Haryana and Punjab, he said. To this, the bench said it will hear the matter and asked Alam to ensure that a copy of the notice is served to the seven terrorists also. A day after the Pulwama attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred, the Jammu and Kashmir government had moved the apex court to shift a Lashkar-E-Taiba terrorist, Zahid Farooq, out of Jammu ...
North Korea asks UN to help address food shortage
North Korea has asked UN aid agencies for help to address a looming food crisis after figures forecast a sharp drop in crop production for this year, a UN spokesman has said. Pyongyang has told the United Nations that it is facing a shortfall of 1.4 million tons in food production this year, including crops of rice, wheat, potato and soybean. "The government has requested assistance from international humanitarian organisations present in the country to address the impact of the food security situation," said UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. UN agencies are holding talks with Pyongyang "to take early action in order to address humanitarian needs," he said. Some 10.5 million North Koreans, or 41 per cent of the population, are in need of food aid, according to UN figures. The appeal from the government came ahead of a summit next week between President Donald Trump and leader Kim Jong Un to agree on steps toward ending Pyongyang's nuclear and ballistic missiles program. North Korea is ..
Mueller report over Russian interference expected within weeks
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is expected to deliver a report in the coming weeks on results of his ongoing investigation into the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election, the media reported.
India, South Korea sign MoU on counter-terror cooperation
The MoU was inked in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South Korean President Moon Jae-in after the two sides held delegation-level talks."I express my gratitude to President Moon for his condolences on the Pulwama attack and support against terror. The MoU signed between the two countries today will further take forward our counter-terrorism agenda," Modi said after a joint statement was issued by the two countries.The Prime Minister, who is a two-day visit to South Korea, said to boost bilateral cooperation in defence production, a roadmap has been agreed to by the two sides on defence technology and co-production."The defence sector is an important part of our growing partnership with South Korea. An example of this is the induction of K-9 Vajra artillery guns in the Indian Army," he said on the concluding day of his visit.The first batch of South Korean-made K-9 self-propelled howitzers were delivered to the Army last year. The induction of 100 long-range guns is ...
Pulwama attack aftermath: Trade comes to a halt at Attari border
In the aftermath of India withdrawing Pakistan's Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status, businesses across Attari border have come to a halt.The traders told ANI that the Indian importers and manufacturers have cancelled all the orders to neibhouring Pakistan and are also demanding the return of advance payments."After February 14, all the trading with Pakistan was stopped. At present, 200-250 trucks without goods are parked near the border after the government imposed 200 per cent Regulatory Duty (RD) on non-essential Indian imports," said Sukhbir Singh, a trader from Amritsar."This move of the government of introducing higher Regulatory Duty is making difficult for traders to pay their monthly instalments of tire and trucks. The Centre must re-think on its decision. This move has also affected the food outlets situated near the border areas," said Sharan Singh, a trader from Amritsar said.The MFN status to Pakistan was given by India in 1996. Most Favoured Nation status is given to an ...
IOC takes away 2 quotas, spares 14 at Delhi shooting World Cup; NRAI says thanks
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided against withdrawing all the Olympic quotas from the shooting World Cup here and revoked just two after visas were denied to Pakistani shooters in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack. Within hours of International Shooting Federation (ISSF) President Vladimir Lisin's declaration that all the 16 quotas have been revoked due to the situation with Pakistan, the IOC said the Olympic qualification status has been withdrawn from only the men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol event. This event had two spots on offer. "The IOC restricted the withdrawal of recognition as an Olympic qualification event to the 25m rapid fire pistol competition in which the two Pakistani athletes were supposed to participate," the IOC said in a statement after its executive board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. "This happened in the interest of the other 500 athletes from 61 countries participating in the other events who are already in India for their competition,"
BJP on Cong roping in ex-Army Commander: 'Duplicitous' stand of Cong on surgical strikes exposed
The ruling party said it hopes that the Congress will now give credit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government for the surgical strikes of September 2016 on terror launch pads across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).The Congress party yesterday said its President Rahul Gandhi yesterday is setting up a 'Task Force on National Security' to prepare a 'vision paper' for the country and it will be led by Hooda."The irony can't be missed that after questioning the existence and veracity of surgical strikes, the Congress has roped in an Army officer who was part of planning and execution of the operation," BJP leader Nalin Kohli told ANI.Hooda was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command when the surgical strikes were carried out on September 28, 2016 following the deadly terror attack on Army camp in Uri in Kashmir 9 days earlier."We are hopeful that with his (Hooda's) presence, they (Congress) will give credit to PM Narendra Modi and