Page 1588 - Politics
Former JK CMs Mehbooba, Omar urge Centre to ensure safety of Kashmiris, appeal for harmony
Former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti Monday issued a joint appeal for maintaining communal harmony across the country and urged the Centre to ensure safety and security Kashmiris in other states. The appeal came in the backdrop of reports of attacks on Kashmiris in some parts of the country following the terror incident, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed on Thursday. The two leaders underscored the need to maintain communal harmony across the country. By attacking, terrorizing, intimidating Kashmiris, the youngsters of Kashmir are implicitly being told that they have no future outside of the valley, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said. "Intimidating Kashmiris was aimed at creating a wedge between different communities in India, they said. We should not allow terror to divide us. By using such incidents to divide us, we fall into the trap of those behind the attack on CRPF soldiers; we are wittingly or unwittingly .
Pakistan confers highest civilian honour on Saudi Crown Prince
Pakistan on Monday conferred its highest civilian honour on Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman at the end of his two-day visit to the South Asian country.
Delhi traders demand boycott of Pakistani, Chinese goods
Infuriated at the Pulwama blast, retailers from across the national capital on Monday called for boycott of Pakistani and Chinese goods from being sold in the markets and observed a general "bandh" as a mark of respect to the martyrs.
110 feet-tall national flag hoisted at Raipur rail station
A 110-feet National Flag was hoisted at Raipur railway station in Chhattisgarh on Monday as a tribute to 40 soldiers martyred in last week's terror attack at Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir.The ceremony was attended by Raipur MP and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ramesh Bias along with party cadres.The event witnessed a huge crowd amid heavy deployment of police force. On August 15 when India celebrated 72nd Independence day, a 1,100-feet tri-colour was unfurled at Surat in Gujarat. .
Pulwama attack shows time for talks with Pakistan over:PM; Shah says sacrifices of jawans will not go in vain
As calls for retaliatory action over the Pulwama terror attack grew, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said time for talks with Pakistan is over while BJP chief Amit Shah asserted that the NDA government would not let the sacrifices of jawans go in vain. The assertions by the two top BJP leaders came on a day when the party's estranged ally Shiv Sena said it was time to "attack" Pakistan to seek revenge for the killing of 40 CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that the prime minister's assurance of taking the perpetrators to task should reflect in his actions. The attack was carried out by a lone suicide bomber of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) on February 14 when he rammed his explosives-laden vehicle into a CRPF bus convoy in Pulwama district. Union Minister of State for External Affairs Gen(retd) VK Singh said India will choose the time and place for retaliation and that it will be "properly planned and well thought of". "Any war, war-like or punitive action ...
Abe mum on Trump's claim of nomination for Nobel Peace Prize
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe kept quiet Monday over President Donald Trump's claim that he had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize, but praised him and emphasised he did not deny doing so. Trump's assertion Friday that Abe had nominated him for the honour and sent him a copy of the letter has raised questions and criticism in Japan. Questioned in parliament, Abe praised Trump for his dealings with North Korea but said, "In light of the Nobel committee's policy of not disclosing recommenders and nominees for 50 years, I decline to comment." Neither the prime minister nor his spokesman denied Trump's comment. "I never said I didn't" nominate him, Abe said in response to a follow-up question by Yuichiro Tamaki, a lawmaker for the opposition Democratic Party for the People. Tamaki said in a tweet Monday that he was concerned such a nomination would "send the wrong message to North Korea and the rest of international society." Junya Ogawa, another opposition lawmaker, cited ...
Amit Shah meets Uddhav; Sena-BJP may announce pact to continue
BJP president Amit Shah Monday met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray here amid indications that the two sparring allies are all set to retain the tie-up for the ensuing elections. Soon after landing here from Jaipur, Shah met senior BJP leaders at a luxury hotel here and drove to Matoshree, the Sena chief's residence in suburban Bandra. The two leaders are slated to address a joint press conference later Monday night where a formal announcement on continuation of the alliance is expected, a senior BJP leader said. The BJP and the Shiv Sena, who have had a strained relationship for over four years despite being partners in the central and the state government, took the decision a year after the Thackeray-led party passed a resolution to go solo in the forthcoming elections. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the two parties along with their allies had won 42 out of the 48 seats. The BJP had bagged 23 seats, while the Shiv Sena had emerged .
Sterlite Copper plant will be closed permanently: Thoothukudi DM
Sandeep Nanduri, Collector of Thoothukudi on Monday informed that Vedanta Limited owned Sterlite Copper plant will be closed permanently.Addressing the media here, he said, "Removal of waste from the Sterlite plant will be stopped. The plant will be closed permanently and no work will be done. The police force deployed near the plant will be gradually reduced."His statement came after the Supreme Court on Monday set aside National Green Tribunal's (NGT) order of December 15, 2018, which had allowed Vedanta Limited owned Sterlite Copper plant at Thoothukudi to reopen.The apex court said NGT did not have jurisdiction to entertain Vedanta's appeals against Tamil Nadu government.In addition, the judicature has also asked CBI to conduct a fair and impartial investigation into the police firing that killed 13 persons during the anti-Sterlite Copper plant protest last year.The bench further stated that Vedanta has the liberty to approach the Madras High Court with its plea for reopening of ..
Salve exposes Pak military courts at ICJ, says judges don't even need law degree
India on Monday tore through the "opaque proceedings" of Pakistani military courts which try civilians against the international norms, saying the judges, who tried Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, are not required to have judicial or legal training or even a law degree. India's plea at the International Court of Justice came as the top UN court began a four-day public hearing in the case of Jadhav, 48, who was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage. Ex-solicitor general Harish Salve, who represented India, said that a foreign detainee has the right to life, the right to a fair trial and an impartial judiciary. "However, Pakistan has sentenced 161 civilians to death in their military courts in opaque proceedings in the last two years," Salve said. International standards require that military courts like all courts must be independent, impartial and competent, and must respect minimum guarantees of fairness, he said. "Pakistani military courts are ..
No blame game on Pulwama attack: Gen V.K. Singh
Union Minister Gen V.K. Singh on Monday said it was not the time to indulge in a blame game on the Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir without having knowledge of all aspects.
332 killed, 6,310 women face atrocities in MP in last 73 days
In the past 73 days, Madhya Pradesh has witnessed 332 murders and 6,310 women faced various atrocities, Home Minister Bala Bachchan stated in the Assembly, here on Monday.
Modi wave hasn't waned, BJP hopes to win more than 22 LS seats
BJP's Karnataka chief B S Yeddyurappa Monday said the 'Modi wave' has not waned across India and the party in Karnataka hopes to win more than 22 seats in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's popularity has not waned. His wave is still on across the country. There have been no major and chain agitations against his rule. In Karnataka, we are hoping to win 22 Lok Sabha seats," he told reporters here. On media reports that some Congress leaders are planning to join the BJP, Yeddyurappa said he has no knowledge about it, but would wait for any such developments. Yedyyurappa, however, refused to make any comments on the issue of audio clip about a purported conversation in which he is allegedly trying to lure a JDS MLA through his son, to topple the Congress-JDS government in Karnataka. Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy had recently released the audio tape and later announced a probe by the Special Investigation Team, a move opposed by BJP which is ...
Narayanasamy-Bedi standoff: Cong asks Centre to intervene
Amid a turf war between Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, the Congress on Monday alleged that the LG's actions were detrimental for good governance in the Union Territory and asked the Centre to intervene in the matter. Senior Congress leaders Ahmed Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mukul Wasnik and Anand Sharma have written to Home Minister Rajnath Singh, bringing to his notice the alleged "acts of ommissions and commissions" of the Lt Governor in Puducherry. Narayansamy has been holding a dharna outside the LG's residence in Puducherry since February 13 to protest what he called the "negative attitude of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi" in approving 39 proposals of the government. The Congress leaders asked Singh to intervene in the matter, alleging that Bedi's actions were becoming detrimental to the peace, progress and good governance of Puducherry. The Congress leaders also attached Chief Minister Narayanasamy's letter to Bedi in which he has aired his grievances
Hurriyat Conference leader asks JK govt to withdraw security personnel from his residence
Senior Hurriyat Conference leader Maulana Abbas Ansari Monday asked the Jammu and Kashmir government to withdraw security personnel posted at his residence. His statement comes a day after security cover of six separatist leaders, including Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, was withdrawn, a decision that comes in the aftermath of the Pulwama terror strike in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. In a letter to the police's security wing, he said personnel deployed at his residence be withdrawn forthwith. "We will not provide any kind of accommodation to the security personnel henceforth, " the Hurriyat Conference leader said. A spokesman of the Ansari-led Ittehadul Muslimeen said it was the government's decision at that time to provide security and today, it is their decision to remove it. "It's not an issue for us. With or without these police personnel at Hurriyat leaders residences, all remains the same. Hurriyat leaders had never asked for it," the spokesman said. He claimed that Hurriyat ...
BJP calls for probe against NC, PDP leaders for alleged anti-India statements
Senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta Monday called for a probe against NC and PDP leaders for allegedly making anti-India statements. "The BJP criticises the role of mainstream political parties which are giving anti-India statements and mislead the innocent Kashmiri people. The role of all such leaders from the National Conference and the PDP should be thoroughly examined and the culprits should be put behind the bars," Gupta said in a statement here. His statement came a day after NC president Farooq Abdullah said the people of Kashmir are not responsible for the Pulwama terror attack, but such type of incidents will continue till the "Kashmir issue is resolved politically". Gupta said there was a need to formulate a policy to check the role of all those elements who were providing any type of assistance to "anti-national elements". He hailed Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik for withdrawing the security of separatist leaders. He said it is
NPP will snap ties with NDA if Citizenship Bill is brought again: James Sangma
Meghalaya Home Minister James P K Sangma Monday said the ruling National People's Party (NPP) will snap ties with the NDA if the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is brought again and passed as it is "harmful" to the indigenous people of the northeast. Sangma's statement came a day after BJP president Amit Shah announced in Assam on Sunday that the BJP will bring the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill again if voted to power. "Our (NPP) president was very clear when he said that if the bill is passed, we will break ties with the BJP. We would like to reiterate that if the bill is brought again and passed, we will break our ties with the NDA," the senior NPP leader told PTI on the sidelines of a programme here. "The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill is very harmful to the region. We will keep opposing the CAB in whatever format it comes in. Our stand is very clear on that," he said. "We must all fight against it unitedly (in the northeast region) and we will continue to fight against it. ..
Don't abandon us, Syrian Kurds tell Europe
A top Kurdish official has called on Europe not to abandon Syrian Kurds once the battle against the Islamic State group is over and to help set up an international force to protect them from Turkey. European powers "have a political and moral responsibility" to the Kurds, Aldar Khalil told AFP in a interview in Paris, warning that the Kurds would seek the protection of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad if failed by Europe and the US. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have been leading the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria for the past four years, backed up by air strikes from a US-led coalition of powers. With IS's self-declared caliphate now in ruins, the Kurds fear being left at the mercy of Turkey after the US declares mission accomplished in the final battle for the jihadists' last holdout. Turkey considers the SDF to be a terror group and is threatening to invade the area under Kurdish control. Khalil appealed to Europe for protection. "If they (Europe) ..
EU states ponder Trump demand to take back IS fighters
US President Donald Trump's demand that European countries take back their nationals fighting in Syria is receiving mixed reactions, as nations pondered how to bring home-grown Islamic State extremists to trial. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas told ARD television Monday that German nationals have the right to return, but that it's almost impossible to collect evidence in conflict-torn Syria. Maas said late Sunday that "we need information, we need investigations. All that is not in place, and as long as it isn't, I think this is extraordinarily difficult to implement." Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said it's "one of the greatest challenges ahead of us for the upcoming months." He told reporters in Brussels that "our major endeavour now should be not to allow them to come back to Europe.
Yogi Adityanath reiterates India's resolve to wipe out terrorism from the country
The entire nation is determined to ensure that the supreme sacrifice made by CRPF jawans does not go waste, said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday.Yogi, who visited the residence of Pulwama martyr Jaydev Singh at Chhapaiya village in the district, said: "India's fight against terrorism will continue with full force. We are determined to wipe out the menace of terrorism from the country.""Our fight against terrorism is a fight for all of us. I reiterate what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that we will not let the sacrifice of our beloved martyrs go waste," Chief Minister Yogi told ANI.Yogi also paid tribute to the martyr by garlanding his picture. Chief Minister Yogi was accompanied by senior officials of the state government. "For all those who are responsible for this atrocious attack will get a befitting reply. Very stringent punitive actions will be taken against the perpetrators of Pulwama terror attack," he said.The state government has already ...
Uttar Pradesh: Dargah Ala Hazrat urges Muslims not to give shelter to terrorists
Dargah Ala Hazrat here on Monday urged the Muslims to not give shelter to any terrorist in their homes.The Dargah released a statement that read, "There is no place for terrorism in Islam, and the Muslims do not give shelter to any terrorist". Condemning the terrorist attack in south Kashmir's Pulwama, Sajjad Nusheen Subhan Raja Khan said, "The incident of Pulwama embarrassed the humanity. I appeal to the government to end the terrorism."Dargah's spokesperson Nasir Qureshi said, "Our dargah supports the martyrs' families in their grief. Those are shedding the blood of innocents are the enemies of Islam and they are defaming our religion across the world."The Dargah's directives read that the Muslim community should be united against those involved in terrorists activities.As many 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Awantipora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district in a terror attack orchestrated by Pakistan-based and Pakistan backed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed on February 14.The convoy .