Page 1561 - Politics
Farmers' body firm on Feb 21 strike, rejects Odisha's plea
Rejecting the Odisha government's plea to refrain from the strike call on February 21, farmers' body Navnirman Krishak Sangathan (NNKS) Wednesday said it would go ahead with the agitation without troubling the high school exam schedule that begins the day after. The dawn-to-dusk 12-hour bandh by the farmers on Feb 21 demanding price, pension and prestige will not be a hindrance to smooth conduct of the matriculation examination. The authorities already made it clear that question papers will reach the exam centres on Feb 22 morning," NNKS Convenor Akshay Kumar told reporters here. Kumar said NNKS, Odisha's leading farmers' body, has given a 12-hour strike call on Thursday after the state government ignored their demands. The NNKS has been threatened by the state government to call off the strike in the name of the matric examination. The police forces have been deployed across the state to take action against the agitators during the strike. However, people of Odisha ...
Congress, CPI(M) alliance talks in Bengal hit two-seat hurdle
The Congress' Bengal unit is miffed with CPI(M) as both the parties are keen on contesting Raiganj and Murshidabad Lok Sabha constituencies, leading to an impasse in seat-sharing talks between them. The Raiganj and Murshidabad parliamentary seats are held by the CPI(M). These are the only two seats that the Left has in West Bengal, its erstwhile stronghold. A senior Congress said, "We want to contest in those two seats. Raiganj and Murshidabad have always been stronghold of the Congress. The CPI(M) won them in 2014 due to four-cornered contest." The CPI(M) has to be practical and need to understand that it can't win these two seats without the support of the Congress. The political situation has changed a lot since 2014, another Congress leader said. The CPI(M) on the other hand does not want to relinquish the seats and Mohammed Salim and Badaruddoza Khan, its MPs from Raiganj and Murshidabad seats are keen on contesting the seats this time too. "These two are our seats. If we let go
BJP leader wants case against KCR for not having women in
A senior BJP leader in Telangana Wednesday hit out at Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for not inducting women members in his recently expanded Cabinet and sought registration of a case against him. Speaking to reporters here, the saffron party's former MLA G Kishan Reddy also said even Islamic Countries have women ministers whereas Telangana has been deprived of one. Chandrasekhar Rao, popularly known as KCR,had on Tuesday expanded his two-member Cabinet with induction of ten members. None of the woman members could make it to the Council of ministers. Rao's first Cabinet also did not have a woman minister. "Even in Islamic nations there are woman ministers. But, in our state we don't have woman minister. People including women expected that at least this time a woman will be made minister (by KCR)...it is unfortunate not having a woman minister," Reddy said. "Why this indifferent attitude towards women.I request the SHE Teams to book a case against KCR for the injustice
Quota decisions address J&K's 'long pending' demands: BJP
Hailing the Centre's decision to approve 10 per cent quota for the general category poor and the provision for SC/ST reservation in promotion in government jobs in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP Wednesday said Modi dispensation has addressed a "long-pending demand" of the state's residents. The Union Cabinet had given its nod to both these decisions in its meeting on Tuesday. The state is currently under the President's rule. Union minister Jitendra Singh, the Lok Sabha member from Udhampur, said the 10 per cent quota for the economically weaker sections will benefit the deserving poor. The reservation in promotion for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes will help addressing a section of society which had been long struggling for it, he added. Singh told reporters that these decisions show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "extremely sensitive concern" for the peripheral state. In the last 65 years, no earlier government had ever taken an initiative on these lines, he claimed. These ...
Manjhi would get due respect if he chooses to return to NDA:
The BJP on Wednesday said former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi would get due respect in the NDA if he chose to return to the coalition which he had walked out of a year ago. Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai said this in the backdrop of recent posturing by Manjhi who has been playing hardball for a respectable number of seats within the opposition Mahagathbandhan for his Hindustani Awam Morcha. We have enormous respect for Manjhi. Even when he left us and joined the opposition camp, we expressed no bitterness. If he feels that he is being sidelined in the Mahagathbandhan, let me assure him that he will get due respect in the NDA if he chooses to return, Rai told reporters here. The Bihar BJP president also said the NDA in Bihar has finalized a seat-sharing formula taking into account the parties that are already in the coalition. If more people join us, then things would be reworked. As per the formula, the BJP and Chief Minister Nitish Kumars JD(U) would be ...
Pak briefs Indonesian, Polish, South African, Kuwaiti envoys on situation after Pulwama attack
Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua in separate meetings on Wednesday briefed Indonesian, Polish, South African and Kuwaiti ambassadors about the regional situation following the Pulwama terror attack. The briefing was part of efforts by Pakistan to highlight its position on Kashmir and ties with India after the Pulwama attack by Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. In a series of tweets, Foreign Office spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal said Janjua briefed the ambassadors of Indonesia, South Africa and Kuwait on the prevailing security situation in the region in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. She also met Polish Ambassador Piotr Opalinski and expressed concerns on the safety of Pakistani nationals in India and Kashmiris, he added. Several briefings have been held for resident ambassadors in Islamabad since the Pulwama attack on February 14.
Amit Shah to address 'Panna Pramukh Sammelan' in Jammu on Sunday
BJP president Amit Shah will be in Jammu this Sunday to address a convention of the party's booth-level workers ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, a party spokesperson said. All arrangements for the 'Panna Pramukh Sammelan' have been finalised at a meeting chaired by general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul at the party headquarters here, the spokesperson said. He said Kaul discussed the details of the event, being addressed by Shah here on February 24, with the party leaders allotted with the responsibility to oversee various arrangements. Kaul said the gathering would also pay homage to the paramilitary personnel who lost their lives in the the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama. "Shah will be specifically talking to the 'Panna Pramukhs' (booth-level workers) about party programmes and the upcoming general elections. "All other party leaders also need to be ready to take the opportunity to learn important skills from the vast organisational expertise of the national ...
BJP agreed to share CM's post for alliance: Shiv Sena minister
In a major revelation that virtually spills the beans on the highly-publicised electoral alliance between the Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party, top Sena leader and Maharashtra minister Ramdas Kadam said on Wednesday that the pact was finalised "only after the BJP agreed to share the Chief Minister's post".
Russia to deliver S-400 air defence system in July: Turkey
Russia will deliver the first batch of S-400 air defence system to Turkey in July and the missile systems will be activated in October, officials here said on Wednesday.
What Modi said in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack
After the February 14 terror attack in Pulwama that left 40 CRPF troopers dead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been repeatedly attacking Pakistan and giving signals that the neighbour may have to pay a heavy price for it.
Congress to approach Lok Sabha polls as polls in 29 states
The Congress will be approaching the coming Lok Sabha elections not as one election but as polls in 29 different states while also attacking the BJP-led government at the Centre on its promises, performance and failures.
Governor lauds Haryana's "transparent, graft-free governance"
Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya on Wednesday lavished fulsome praise on the Manohar Lal Khattar government in his budget address to the state Assembly, and said it had ushered in bold reforms and provided transparent governance during its four-and-a-half year tenure.
BJP will regret fooling people of Delhi: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) here on Wednesday questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) stand on full statehood for Delhi and said the BJP will regret fooling the people of Delhi and will not find any escape for its deception.
Saudi Arabia sees USD 100 bn investment opportunity in India: Crown Prince
Oil-rich Saudi Arabia sees an investment opportunity of USD 100 billion in India in various sectors, said visiting Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Wednesday here. Addressing the media along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the crown prince said Saudi Arabia has already invested USD 44 billion in India since the visit of Modi in 2016 to the Gulf nation. He also lauded India's strength in the information technology (IT) and said Saudi Arabia too was investing a lot in the sector. "We understand that there are opportunities for more than USD 100 billion investment in India...We want to strengthen investment and economic ties to ensure useful returns for both countries," the crown prince said. He informed that Saudi Arabia has invested in India in petrochemicals and diversifying into other sectors. "We want to increase cooperation with India as it will give a new direction to our relationship," he said. Later T S Tirumurti, Secretary (ER) in Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters
Kirti Azad says Congress men looted booths for his father;
The BJP on Wednesday took a dig at cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad for his faux pas when he told a gathering of the Congress that workers of the party used to loot booths for his late father. Azad, whose father Bhagwat Jha Azad was a member of the Indira Gandhi cabinet and had served as the Chief Minister of Bihar in the 1980s, had made the utterance at Darbhanga, his parliamentary constituency, on Tuesday a day after he was inducted into the Congress by Rahul Gandhi at New Delhi. A two-term MP from Darbhanga, Azad who had been associated with the BJP for over a decade was suspended from the party in 2015 after he made accusations against Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Cricket Association during the period it was headed by the latter. Azad has admitted that booth capturing is a part of the Congress culture. Never were such electoral practices resorted to while he was with the BJP. He used to win ...
Saudi Arabia increases India's Haj quota to 2 lakh after Modi-Salman talks
Saudi Arabia on Wednesday increased India's Haj quota by 25,000, the third hike in three years, taking the number of pilgrims from the country who can perform Haj to 2 lakh. The decision was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with visiting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman here. While T S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the MEA, said the implementation of the enhanced quota will depend on logistical and other things, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said it will be effective from this year. "At our request, Saudi Arabia has decided to increase the quota for Haj pilgrims from India to 2 lakh. This gesture is deeply appreciated," Tirumurti told reporters at a briefing on the talks. Naqvi hailed the decision and thanked the prime minister, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, the crown prince and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. "This is the third hike in consecutive years. When the ...
Complicity of Pakistan in Pulwama attack was underlined at PM's talks with Saudi Crown Prince: MEA
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday agreed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the "need for creating necessary conditions" for resumption of Indo-Pak talks as the Indian side underlined Pakistan's "complicity" in the Pulwama terror attack, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.S Tirumurti, Secretary (Economic Relations) in the Ministry of External Affairs, while briefing the media on the talks between Modi and Mohammed bin Salman, said, "complicity of Pakistan in Pulwama (attack) was very much underlined" and that both the leaders condemned the terror strike in the "strongest terms.""They agreed on the need for creating necessary conditions for any resumption of (Indo-Pak) talks," he said. The Saudi Crown Prince appreciated the consistent efforts made by PM Modi since May 2014, including his personal initiatives to have friendly relations with Pakistan, Tirumurti said.He said both the leaders underlined the importance of comprehensive sanctioning .
Mehbooba shouldn't turn into 'aasteen ka saanp', says Giriraj Singh
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Wednesday asserted that former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti should not turn into an 'aasteen ka saanp' (should not bite the hand that feeds her) in reference to her recent statements on the Pulwama terror attack."I just want to tell Mehbooba Mufti that she should stop loving Pakistan. If India feeds her, she should side with the country. She should not bite the hand that feeds her (aasteen ka saanp)" he told ANI.Singh's remark comes a day after Mufti said Imran Khan "deserves a chance" as he has "recently taken over", following the Pakistan Prime Minister's televised statement on the recent Pulwama terror attack which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel on February 14. Earlier today, Mufti reiterated her stance and said Pakistan should be given the proof it sought in connection with the dastardly terror attack."It is true that whether it was Pathankot attack or Mumbai attack they (Pakistan) were given proof but they did not take ..
Cong MLA JN Ganesh held in Gujarat, to be produced in court on Thursday
Congress MLA JN Ganesh was held in Gujarat's Somnath city and will be brought to Bengaluru later today, Karnataka Home Minister MB Patil confirmed on Wednesday.Speaking to media here, Patil said Ganesh, who has been accused of 'assaulting' Congress MLA Anand Singh last month, will be produced before the Ramnagar court on Thursday."Congress MLA JN Ganesh was held by our police at 2 pm in Somnath, Gujarat, today. He will be brought to Bengaluru later today and will be produced before Ramnagar court tomorrow," said Patil.Ganesh and Singh allegedly got into a heated argument last month at a resort near Bengaluru where the Congress party had sequestered 76 lawmakers to protect them from poaching by the BJP, following which Singh was admitted to the hospital.An MLA from Kampli, Ganesh was suspended by Congress' Karnataka unit general secretary VY Ghorpade on the directions of state unit president Dinesh Gundu Rao.Ever since the brawl took place, Ganesh had been absconding.
'Shiv Sena accepted alliance after BJP agreed to equally share CM post'
The Shiv Sena on Wednesday said the party finalised the alliance with the Bharatiya Janta Party after the BJP agreed to equally share the post of chief minister. Speaking to ANI, Shiv Sena MLA Ramdas Kadam said the BJP should break the alliance with Shiv Sena if they don't comply with the proposed chief minister formula."When BJP President Amit Shah met Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray in Matoshri, it was decided that the chief minister will be from BJP for two and a half years, while for the rest of the period, a Shiv Sena leader will be chief minister, irrespective of who wins how many seats. Now someone says that chief minister should be from the party that has more MLAs. So, if they (BJP) don't like this then they should break the alliance," Kadam said.Earlier, Shiv Sena Chief Uddhav Thackeray was seen pacifying his party workers and telling them that they have come to an agreement that the Chief Minister will be from Shiv Sena after Maharashtra assembly elections.In a joint ...