Page 1585 - Politics
Cong backs CSAT-hit aspirants' demand for 'compensatory attempt'
The Congress on Monday backed the demand of about 2.5 lakh civil service aspirants who have been asking for a compensatory attempt to appear for the examination, saying the government should immediately address the issue. The opposition party also assured the protesting students that as soon as it is voted to power, it will take a relook at the entire process and ensure there is no bias. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi, in a statement, said 2.5 lakh affected aspirants have been protesting to get a compensatory attempt to appear for Civil Service Exam as at least four attempts were disturbed owing to "abrupt and frequent" alterations in pattern of the all India civil service exams after the introduction of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) in 2011 prelims. "The Modi government is hell bent on turning India's demographic dividend into demographic disaster," Chaturvedi said, alleging that the government was "anti-youth". The NDA government in its five years of governance has .
Increase time for exercising franchise: BJP to poll officer
BJP's Telangana unit Monday asked the state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) to increase the time given for voting and at the same time avoid polling on a Friday. In a memorandum submitted to the CEO Rajat Kumar a copy of which was released to the press, the BJP delegation led by its state BJP president K Laxman said the time allotted for polling should be increased as the generation of VVPATs consumes some time. Also, certain EVMs develop technical problems which need to rectified, it said. Alleging that the slips issued by BLOs (booth-level officers) were misused at various places or that the details on the slips issued by the BLOs were not clearly visible, the party said a proof of identity like a voter ID card or a driving licence should be insisted upon while voting. Also, the BJP requested the CEO to avoid polling on a Friday as some voters would leave the city for a weekend holiday. Meanwhile, BJP national secretary RP Singh, talking to reporters, said there was a ..
BJP's alliance with Shiv Sena beyond politics: Modi
BJP's association with the Shiv Sena goes beyond politics and is bound by a desire to see a strong India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday after the two parties agreed to contest the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections together. He said the decision to contest together strengthens the NDA significantly. "I am sure our alliance is going to be Maharashtra's first and only choice," the PM tweeted. "Inspired by the vision of Atal Bihari Vajpayeeand Bal Thackeray, BJP-Shiv Sena alliance will continue working for the well-being of Maharashtra and ensuring the state once again elects representatives who are development oriented, non corrupt and proud of India's cultural ethos," he wrote. He also said the BJP's association with the Shiv Sena goes beyond politics. "We are bound by a desire to see a strong and developed India," Modi said. Ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena, whose relations have been strained for quite some time, Monday announced a tie-up for the coming Lok Sabha ..
Finance panel holds parleys with civic body members,parties,
The 15th Finance Commission, which is on a visit to Telangana, Monday held detailed discussions with political parties, officials, representatives of local bodies and others here on various issues. Telangana governments Chief Secretary S K Joshi and other officials welcomed the Commission Chairman N K Singh and members of the panel at the international airport in the city. The Commission met representatives of the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and had detailed discussions on several issues highlighted by them and also sought by the Commission, an official release said. Citing information on PRIs provided by the state government, it said the Telangana Panchayat Raj Act was enacted to strengthen local self-governance in the state. "The FC-XIV had recommended grants for only gram panchayats out of 3 tiers of PRIs. The State Government wasasked about its views onthis arrangement," it said. The Commission also met the representatives of the UrbanLocalBodies (ULBs)of ...
Govt should reconsider introducing Citizenship Bill again: Athawale
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Monday said the Narendra Modi government should reconsider introducing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament again as it is connected with the sentiments of the people of the northeast region. Athawale's remarks came a day after BJP president Amit Shah announced in Assam that the party will reintroduce the bill in Parliament if voted to power in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Addressing reporters here, Athawale said, "We should think about the sentiments of the people of the northeast region." "We should and reconsider introducing the bill again because the sentiments of the people of northeast are also very important and that is the stand of my party (Republican Party of India - Athawale)," he said. "If the people of northeast are opposing the bill, definitely as a member of the NDA, I can discuss with the prime minister if any changes can be made to it," the minister of state (MoS) for social justice and empowerment added. Athawale said .
Those in public life must speak 'in sync' with people's sentiments: Cong on Sidhu row
Amid a political row over Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's remarks in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack, the Congress on Monday said those in public life should speak and act "totally in sync" with the people's sentiments. Sidhu came under fire for his remarks wherein he asked whether an entire nation could be blamed "for a handful of people". Forty Central Reserve Police Force personnel were killed when a Jaish-e-Mohammed suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district last week. Responding to a question on the controversy over Sidhu's remarks, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: "There is of course complete freedom of speech in this country, but everybody especially in public life, a 'karyakarta' or otherwise, owes it to himself and to the nation to speak, act, express, totally in sync with and in keeping with the public sentiment." "I don't think anyone of us have that freedom to ...
Govt curtails tenure of officer who wrote against railway minister
The Centre on Monday curtailed the tenure of Union minister Jitendra Singh's OSD after the railway ministry objected to his article casting aspersions on Railway Minister Piyush Goyal and questioning the wisdom of senior government officials. According to a Personnel Ministry order, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved premature repatriation of Sanjiv Kumar, a 2005-batch officer of the Indian Railway Personnel Service (IRPS), it said. The move comes a month after the railway ministry had written to the personnel ministry, asking for Kumar's immediate repatriation for "breach of official decorum and misconduct". Kumar is the Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Singh, the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office.
India, Argentina reiterate commitment to fight terrorism
Condemning the Pulwama terror attack of February 14, India and Argentina on Monday reiterated their commitment to fight terrorism in all its forms and underscored the need to ensure that terror outfits do not get access to any weapon of mass destruction (WMD), technologies or finances.
SP, BSP, Congress stand for 'Sabka Vinaash': Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday said while the BJP's motto was "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas", the opposition SP, BSP and the Congress in the state stood for "Sabka Vinaash" (destruction of everyone). His comments came when a discussion on the budget was underway at the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly. "SABKA stands for SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) and Congress. Our Sabka slogan speaks about development of all. Their Sabka speaks about destruction of everyone...We stand for Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas. Yours is Sabka Saath, Sabka Vinaash," Adityanath said intervening the discussion. Taking a dig at the Congress, he said, "Every citizen of this country is proud of our traditions. If the Congress had tried to take pride in the country's traditions, it would not have come to its lowest tally in the state and the country. This situation has come as the Congress had insulted the culture and traditions of the country." "When you want to garner votes, you .
Morari Bapu announces Rs 1 lakh for families of deceased CRPF men
Spiritual leader Morari Bapu has announced financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the martyred CRPF jawans in the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. In a statement issued here, Bapu said, "Over 40 jawans of the CRPF lost their lives in a cowardly terror attack. I pay my tributes to the martyrs." He said he will give Rs 1 lakh each to the families of the fallen sodiers and Rs 25,000 each to the injured personnel. "On this occasion, I would request all political parties to unite and not indulge in any politics," he said.
RAIC signs trilateral agreement with Indian groups to boost cultural ties
To promote cultural ties between Russia and India, the Russian Association for International Cooperation (RAIC) on Monday signed a trilateral agreement with Friendship Society of India and the India-Russia Foundation. Talking about the cooperation between two countries, Sergey Kalashnikov, Chairman of the Presidium of the RAIC, said, "We know that India is developing very fast. And this development (signing of agreement) covers technical sphere, different humanitarian aspects, and we are confident that our ties are really the ties of strategic partners." "I am confident that today's meeting will give impetus to multi-dimensional and multi-level ties between Russia and India," said Kalashnikov, who is also a member of Federation Council, the upper house of Federal Assembly of Russia. Before the signing of the trilateral agreement, the RAIC as well as the Indian friendship groups had a meeting with President of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, who is a ..
K C Palanisamy plea in HC for fair elections in AIADMK under EC watch
The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response of the Election Commission (EC), Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam on expelled AIADMK leader K C Palanisamy's plea seeking directions to ensure free and fair elections in the AIADMK including removal of the two leaders from party posts. Justice Yogesh Khanna issued notice to the EC and the two top leaders of AIADMK seeking their stand on the petition of Palanisamy, who has sought that Palaniswami and Panneerselvam be removed from the posts of joint coordinator and coordinator respectively in the party. Apart from that, the petition also seeks directions to the EC to de-recognise any amendment made to the party's constitution or by-laws after the demise of J Jayalalithaa in December 2016. Palanisamy, represented by senior advocate N Hariharan and advocate Anwesh Madhukar, moved the high court after the EC disposed of his representation seeking the same reliefs. The poll panel on October 31 last year, ..
Raytheon wins $1.5 billion UAE air force contract
ABU DHABI (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates on Monday awarded Raytheon Co. a 5.7 billion dirhams ($1.55 billion) contract to supply its air force with platform systems to launch missiles, a UAE military spokesman said.
Can't support decision to withdraw security to separatists in Kashmir: Sajad Lone
Chairman of Peoples Conference and former minister Sajad Gani Lone Monday said he "cannot support" the decision to withdraw security to separatists in Kashmir, noting his father was killed months after his security was "lowered". The security cover of six separatist leaders, including Sajad Lone's elder brother Bilal Lone, was withdrawn Sunday, a decision that comes in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. "It is their (government's) decision (withdrawing security to separatists) but personally as far as I am concerned, I have lost my father and I cannot support it because I will never support violence of any sort against anyone," Sajad Lone, son of politician-turned-separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone, said. The elder Lone, a prominent Hurriyat leader, was assassinated in 2002 during a rally to mark the death anniversary of former Mirwaiz of Kashmir Moulvi Mohammad Farooq in Srinagar. Moulvi Farooq, father of Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar ...
Is waving the national flag a crime in Bengal, asks BJP's Dilip Ghosh
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh Monday alleged that Trinamool Congress and other parties were opposing "strong action" against Pakistan and questioned whether waving a national flag is a crime in the state. "When the entire country is demanding that Pakistan should be taught a befitting lesson, the opposition parties and TMC have opposed strong action" Ghosh alleged. Reacting to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's allegation that BJP-VHP-RSS were trying to foment trouble in the state by using the Pulwama attack, he wondered whether waving a national flag on the street is a crime in Bengal. "I want to ask the chief minister whether waving a national flag and shouting slogans in favour of 'mother India' is a crime in Bengal," he said. West Bengal, Ghosh alleged, has become a hub of "anti-national activities" and the TMC government has been unable to stop it. Ghosh wondered what had stopped the state government from announcing compensation for the CRPF jawans from Bengal, .
India wants Pulwama revenge now: Amarinder, says get 2 for every Indian soldier killed
Demanding an "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday wanted coercive action against Pakistan now in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, saying India should get two of them for every soldier killed in the carnage. Asserting that the entire country was "fed up" with the senseless killings of Indian soldiers in Kashmir, Singh said the coercive action could be military, diplomatic or economic, or a combination of all the three. Calling for the death of two "of them" for every Indian soldier killed in the attack on the CRPF convoy last Thursday, Singh said it's clear that the Pakistan Army was calling the shots, with Prime Minister Imran Khan also a "plant" of the military. "We should get 82 of them since 41 of our men have been killed," asserted Singh, a former army captain, while demanding an "eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth". Singh said it was for the Centre to decide what action should be taken, but it was clear that some measures ..
Pakistan will be very important country in future: Saudi Crown Prince
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman on Monday affirmed his country's strong ties with Pakistan, saying it will be a very important country in the coming future, as Islamabad rolled out the red carpet for the royal and honoured him with its highest civilian honour.
'Will decide way forward after studying SC order in detail'
: Sterlite Copper Monday said it would go through in detail the Supreme Court order, setting aside the NGT directive to reopen its plant at Tuticorin and consult its legal team before deciding on the future course of action. The apex court refused to allow reopening of Vedanta's Sterlite plant, which was at the centre of massive protests over pollution concerns, but granted it liberty to approach the Madras High Court against the Tamil Nadu government's order to shut it down. "The order by the NGT has been set aside solely on the grounds of maintainability, but we have been granted liberty to approach the Madras High Court for suitable remedy. In view of the above, after going through the Supreme Court order in detail, in consultation with our legal team, we will decide our way forward on this matter," Sterlite Copper CEO P Ramnath said in a statement. Tuticorin district collector Sandeep Nanduri welcomed the judgement and said the plant would remain shut as per the ...
Trump lashes out at officials involved in Russia probe
President Donald Trump is suggesting that key officials involved in the Russia probe were engaged in "treasonous" behaviour. Trump is lashing out on Twitter at former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, whose new book details his concerns about potential foreign influence over the president, and current Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who initiated special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Trump says McCabe and Rosenstein "look like they were planning a very illegal act, and got caught." In an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," McCabe, who was fired last year by the FBI, described Rosenstein as having raised the prospect of invoking the 25th Amendment to remove Trump from office.
BJP MLA slams 'backstabbers' who celebrate death of Pulwama
Telangana BJP MLA Raja Singh, whose comments have often triggered controversies, has hit out at backstabbers who talk about celebrating the deaths of security personnel following the Pulwama attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given a free hand to the Army to deal with the situation in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed in a terror attack, he said, addressing a gathering organised by Hindu Janajagrati Samiti in Dhuliya in Maharashtra Sunday. A video of his speech was released by him to the media. But, Modi ji, we request with folded hands. The free hand which you gave to the Army, give us a free hand for 10 minutes. Backstabbers and terrorists are there outside the country, many terrorists have taken birth inside the country also, he said. Singh, MLA from Goshamahal in Hyderabad, claimed that such anti-nationals had been blocked on social media. He said FIR has been registered against 96 people and that some were ...