Page 1563 - Politics
Punjab to bring law to regularize contractual employees
The Punjab government Wednesday announced to bring a special legislation for regularizing services of contractual employees, a move seen as a counter to the allegations of non-fulfilment of employees' demands faced by the Amarinder Singh-led dispensation. There are over 30,000 employees in various departments including education, irrigation, who have been working on contractual basis in the state. "We have decided to bring a resolution for regularization of the contractual employees," Chief Minister Amarinder Singh said in the House, winding up the discussion on the Governor's address in the ongoing Punjab budget session. Pointing out that the legislation enacted by the previous government had to be withdrawn as the Punjab and Haryana High Court had threatened to strike it down, as it had done in the case of Haryana, Singh announced the decision to enact a special legislation for regularization of the contractual employees. The chief minister said it was the bounden duty of his ...
It seems PM Modi is not in mood to give befitting reply to Pakistan: Hardik Patel
Patidar leader Hardik Patel Wednesday said it seems Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not in a mood to give a befitting reply to Pakistan in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack. Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on February 14 in one of the deadliest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir when a Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Pulwama district. "I can say with confidence that PM Modi is not in a mood to give befitting reply to Pakistan because there is a difference in his thinking, policy and ideologies," Patel said in a press conference here. "When intelligence agencies had alerted that a big incident could happen in Jammu and Kashmir, then why were the CRPF personnel were sent via road," he posed. More than 2,500 Central Reserve Police Force personnel, many of them returning from leave to rejoin duty in the Valley, were travelling in the convoy of 78 vehicles when they were ambushed on .
Putin warns US over deploying missiles in European nations
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said he would deploy missiles capable of striking the US if Washington decides to station missiles in European nations within striking distance of Russia.
J&K state passing through most difficult phase: Farooq
National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah Wednesday said Jammu and Kashmir was passing through the most difficult phase due to political instability and governance deficit, and the people were looking towards the party with hope. The NC also announced former state chief secretary B R Kundal, who joined the party at a function here Wednesday, as its candidate for the Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha constituency. "The state is passing through the most difficult phase due to political instability and governance deficit in recent years and therefore the people are looking towards us with hope," the National Conference president said. He said the party would strive to assuage their political aspirations and instill a much needed sense of security. Abdullah exuded confidence that given Kundal's vast and varied experience as a top bureaucrat, he would enjoy massive support of the people in the upcoming polls. He described Kundal a versatile administrator and said that having served in all the ...
South Korea important partner of India's key initiatives, says PM ahead of visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday described South Korea as an important partner for India's key initiatives such as 'Make in India', and said as fellow democracies the two nations share values and vision for regional and global peace. Modi is leaving for South Korea this evening on the invitation of President Moon Jae-in. This will be his second visit to the Republic of Korea and second summit meeting with President Moon. In his departure statement, he said his visit is reflective of the importance "we both attach to our relationship". "We regard the Republic of Korea as a valued friend, a nation with which we have a Special Strategic Partnership. As fellow democracies, India and the ROK have shared values and a shared vision for regional and global peace," the prime minister said. As fellow market economies, our needs and strengths are complementary. South Korea is an important partner for our 'Make in India' initiative as well as in our 'Start Up India' and 'Clean India' ...
Russia will retaliate if threatened by US: Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday reinforced that Moscow would deploy "tit-for-tat and asymmetric measures" if the US stationed missiles in Europe."I've already said and I want to repeat, and this is vital, I repeat this especially, that Russia is not planning to be the first to deploy these missiles to Europe. If they are indeed manufactured and sent to the European continent, and the US has these plans...this will sharply deteriorate the situation in international security and create serious threats for Russia as it takes up to 10-12 minutes for certain types of these missiles to fly to Moscow," Putin said in his State of the Nation address on February 20."This is a very serious threat for us. In this case, we will be forced, and I want to stress this, we will be forced to envisage tit-for-tat and asymmetric measures," TASS further quoted Putin as saying.The Russian leader's statement comes in the wake of the US suspension of obligations towards the Intermediate-Range ...
Interim budget passed in Sikkim Assembly
The Sikkim Assembly Wednesday passed the interim budget of Rs 3566.29 crore for six months of the financial year 2019-20 and two bills. The House was then adjourned sine die. Sikkim goes to the Assembly poll along with the general elections later this year. Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling, who also holds the finance portfolio, had presented the interim budget for Rs 3566.29 crore on Monday, the first day of the two-day session. Tuesday being a holiday in the Assembly, Speaker K N Rai put the interim budget and the two bills for voting by the members on Wednesday and they were passed by voice vote. The two bills are the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Sikkim Prohibition of Beggary (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The first bill seeks to insert two new sections in the Sikkim Regulation of Transfer of Land Act, 2005, to ensure protection of land belonging to members of the Limboo community. The other bill that follows a Supreme Court order, ...
India's new envoy to China presents credentials to Prez Xi
India'a new ambassador to China Vikram Misri presented his credentials to Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday. Misri, a 1989-batch India Foreign Service officer, succeeded Gautam Bambawale who retired in November last year. The 54-year-old Indian diplomat presented his credentials to President Xi in a special ceremony held at the Great Hall of People here, the Indian Embassy said on Twitter. Since he took charge last month, Misri has been meeting various Chinese officials, discussing Sino-India ties. Before his appointment to China, he served as India's envoy to Myanmar. Misri, born on November 7, 1964 in Srinagar, has served in various capacities at the headquarters of the MEA as well as in the Prime Minister's Office. He has also served in various Indian missions in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America. Misri took the charge of the country's envoy at a time when India and China are trying to deepen their cooperation in various areas, leaving behind the 2017 Doklam standoff ..
Pakistan bus made to drive over flag in Punjab
In a unique protest on Wednesday, a Pakistani bus was made to drive over the country's flag on a highway near Amritsar to show anger against the army and its government for supporting terrorist activities in India.
3 lawmakers quit Conservative Party to join breakaway group
Three lawmakers from the UK's ruling Conservative Party have resigned to join an independent group founded by former Labour MPs, according to a statement made public on Wednesday.
Chhindwara MLA quits to pave way for Kamal Nath's election
Congress MLA Deepak Saxena Wednesday resigned as Chhindwara MLA, clearing the way for Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to contest the by-election from this assembly seat. Nath had taken oath as the chief minister of the state on December 17 last year. As per the rules, he has to get elected to the Assembly within six months. Talking to PTI, Saxena said, "I have resigned as MLA from Chhindwara to make way for Nathji to fight the bypoll." "I tendered by resignation to the state assembly Speaker today," he added. Kamal Nath, the nine-time MP from Chhindwara, was earlier thinking of contesting the by-election from Sausar in Chhindwara district, his aide said on the condition of anonymity. However, the chief minister changed his mind and decided to fight from Chhindwara as he thought that if he contests from Sausar, a little known assembly seat in his district, the BJP may run a campaign to defame him saying that he was running away from his home turf, he added. Nath .
Rahul, Priyanka attend prayer meeting for slain CRPF jawan in UP
Congress president Rahul Gandhi and general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday attended a prayer meeting for CRPF jawan Amit Kumar Kori, who was killed in the recent Pulwama terror attack. Congress general secretary in-charge of western Uttar Pradesh Jyotiraditya Scindia and Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar were also present at the prayer meeting held in Shamli district. "Congress President @RahulGandhi and General Secretary In charge UP East Smt. @priyankagandhi attend the prayer meeting of martyr Amit Kumar Kori and share their grief with the family," the party said in a tweet. Rahul and Priyanka paid tributes to the slain soldier. They were also seen consoling the members of the bereaved family. "In these moments of grief, we are with you... His (Kori's) father told us that he is sad, but at the same time proud (of his son). And I want to say that we are sad, but at the same time we are proud that a family of this country gave ...
'Alliance with PMK gives AIADMK a booster dose for TN bypolls'
The electoral pact between Tamil Nadu's ruling AIADMK and the PMK is a booster dose to the former in the bypolls for 21 assembly constituencies expected to be held along with the Lok Sabha polls, say political analysts.
Patnaik not interested in Odisha's development: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday said his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik has "betrayed the people" as he is not interested in the development of the state. Addressing party workers at Bhawanipatna in Kalahandi district and later at Nachuni in Khurda district, Adityanath called for a change in the state government to make Odisha prosperous. He said Odisha can also develop like Uttar Pradesh if a BJP government is installed in the state. "Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is not interested in development of the state, rather in his personal agenda. He (Patnaik) has betrayed the people of Odisha," Adityanath said and called up the people to end the 19-years of BJD rule in order to make the state prosperous. He criticised Patnaik for not implementing the Centre's popular welfare schemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM-Kisan. "The poor people have been deprived of the benefits being given by the BJP-led central government," the UP CM said. Slamming the Odisha ...
Three MPs quit UK PM May's party over Brexit
Three MPs resigned from British Prime Minister Theresa May's ruling Conservative party on Wednesday over what they described as a "shift to the right" on issues such as Brexit. Anti-Brexiteers Anna Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Heidi Allen wrote to May, informing her of their decision just hours before she heads to Brussels to seek concessions from the EU on a withdrawal agreement to get it passed through Parliament before the March 29 deadline. May, who is now left with an even shakier majority in the House of Commons than before, said she was "saddened" by her colleagues' move but insisted the government was on the right track as she made her appearance for the weekly Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament. The three MPs, who will now join the breakaway Independent Group created by seven Opposition Labour MPs who had resigned earlier this week, said Brexit has "re-defined the Conservative Party - undoing all the efforts to modernise it" and there had been a "shift to the ...
Odisha govt disrespecting freedom fighters: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said the Odisha government is disrespecting freedom fighters by not providing land for a Paika Rebellion memorial at Barunei proposed by the Central government.
India, Spain discuss Pulwama terror attack, issues of bilateral and international importance
India and Spain discussed the recent terrorist attack in Kashmir and reviewed the security situation in the region, as External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj held talks with her Spanish counterpart Josep Borrell on issues of bilateral and international importance. Swaraj, who arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day tour of the European nation, also discussed issues of economic importance like industrial and technological cooperation, the civil use of nuclear energy, transport, the rail industry and renewable energies was explored, according to an official statement by the Spanish Foreign Ministry. Swaraj was warmly received by Borrell at the Viana Palace, his official residence, ahead of the meeting. The meeting, which was their third in five months, took place following a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President of the Government of Spain Pedro Sanches on December 1 during the G20 Summit in Argentina, and after Borrell's trip to New Delhi to take part in the Raisina ..
Senior IAS officer resigns in J-K, likely to join politics
Senior IAS officer Farooq Ahmad Shah has resigned from service in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said, amid reports that he is likely to join the National Conference ahead of the Lok Sabha and state Assembly elections. Shah, a 2004-batch IAS officer, who was presently posted as Secretary Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and flood control with additional charge of administrative secretary, department of disaster management, relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction, has applied for voluntary retirement from service, officials said. IAS officer Khurshid Ahmad Shah was given assignment of the charge of the posts held by Farooq Ahmad Shah with immediate effect, an order issued by the General Administration Department said. Over the past couple of days, there have been reports that Faroq Ahmad Shah, 57, is likely to resign from the government service and planning to join the NC ahead of the upcoming elections. On Jan 9, IAS officer Shah Faesal, who has been in the limelight since ...
Haryana Assembly pays homage to Pulwama terror attack martyrs
Haryana Assembly members on Wednesday passed a resolution in the House, strongly condemning the terrorist attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir and urged the central government to give a befitting reply to the enemy for the ghastly act. The members resolved to donate one month's salary to the next of kin of CRPF personnel killed in Pulwama on February 14. The House was unanimous that the suicide bombing was a Pakistan-supported terrorist attack. It expressed its deepest condolences to the bereaved families and was unanimous that the "Government of India give a befitting reply to the enemy for the Pulwama terrorist attack." The session began with the House paying tributes to personalities, martyrs and freedom fighters who passed away between the end of the winter session in December last year and the beginning of the budget session on February 20. Leader of Opposition and senior INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala said his party MLAs have decided to donate one-month salary to ...
Congress, DMK to seal Lok Sabha poll pact
The DMK and the Congress on Wednesday said they have finalized an agreement to jointly contest the Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.