Page 1589 - Politics
No hand shake, only 'namaskar' from Indian delegation to Pak counterparts at ICJ
Members of the Indian delegation at the hearing of Kulbhushan Jadhav case at International Court of Justice (ICJ) here snubbed their Pakistani counterparts by refusing to shake hands with them, reflecting the heightened chill in the bilateral relations in the wake of Pulwama terror attack.A curt 'namaskar' (gesture with folded hands) was all that the senior Indian diplomats Deepak Mittal, Joint Secretary heading the Pakistan Division in the External Affairs Ministry, and Venu Rajamoney, India's Ambassador to the Netherlands, offered when Pakistan's Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan wanted to shake hands ahead of the hearing.This was the clear reflection of increased chill in the Indo-Pak ties in the aftermath the killing of nearly 40 CRPF personnel in ghastly Pulwama terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.The attack in Awantipora was orchestrated by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) which is based in Pakistan and backed by Islamabad.48-year-old former naval officer, Kulbhushan ...
RSS trying to create panic in Bengal, my phone is always tapped: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday alleged that BJP and RSS are trying to create panic in the state and have also hired 'Gorkhas' for it. She even alleged that her phone is always being "tapped"."Since last two days, I have been watching RSS pracharaks coming on the road and trying to create panic. RSS did the same thing in Hooghly also yesterday. They are outsiders who come and create violence between Hindus and Muslims," Banerjee said while addressing a press conference here."RSS has hired certain Gorkhas... They (Sangh Parivar) are misleading the people. It is a game planned by RSS," she added.Raising questions over the ghastly terror attack in Pulwama on February 14, she said: "The government had inputs from intelligence agencies on Feb 8 that such attacks might happen before elections. Why no action was taken? Why 78 convoys were still allowed? I have an intelligence report... My phone is always tapped as you all know. I have got evidence; will give it when the .
Mamata demands Modi government's ouster for failing to prevent terror attack
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday slammed the Modi government for politicising the Pulwama terror attack and demanded its ouster for failing to take precautionary measures despite an intelligence alert of a possible attack.
Bloodshed will only stop when Centre overhauls its approach to J-K: Mehbooba
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti Monday expressed condolences to the families of soldiers killed in the Pulwama encounter, saying the bloodshed will only stop when the Centre overhauls its approach to Jammu and Kashmir. "Deepest condolences to the families. This bloodshed will only stop when GoI (Government of India) overhauls its approach (rather lack of it) towards J&K," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said in a tweet. She expressed the need to "stop the obsession with Pakistan" and "set our own house in order". "Lets drop the obsession with Pakistan and get our own house in order. The current attitude will only worsen the situation & polarise the nation (sic)," she added. Two Jaish terrorists, including a Pakistani commander of the group being investigated for his role in the February 14 CRPF bombing, and an Army major were among the seven people killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Monday, officials said. At least six security ...
My phone is being tapped: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that her phone is being tapped by Central agencies.
Swaraj meets her Moroccon counterpart, discusses ways to enhance bilateral cooperation
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj met her Moroccon counterpart Nasser Bourita on Monday and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in a number of areas including defence and security, counterterrorism and trade and investment. Swaraj arrived on her maiden visit to Morocco from Bulgaria on Sunday. She is on a four-day three-nation tour to Bulgaria, Morocco and Spain as part of India's efforts to strengthen ties with these countries and expand avenues of cooperation. "Sushma Swaraj met with Foreign Minister of Morocco Nasser Bourita. Productive discussions on enhancing cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, counterterrorism, Science and Technology, tourism, culture and consular issues," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Swaraj also handed over to Bourita a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed to the country's King Mohammed VI. "EAM Sushma Swaraj handed over a letter from PM Narendra Modi, addressed to His ...
'SC order has brought relief&solace to people and those killed
Welcoming the Supreme Court order, setting aside the NGT directive to reopen the Sterlite plant, an activist of the movement against the copper unit said it has brought 'relief and solace' to people in Tuticorin. Those in favour of the company being reopened however said they would collectively move the Madras High Court as per the avenues made available by the top court. Anti-Sterlite movement activist Fathima Babu said people were relieved on hearing about the apex court decision. "It is a big relief and solace for the people and family members of those people who lost their lives during the agitation. I saw quite a lot of enthusiasm among the people of Tuticorin. We welcome the Supreme Court's decision,"she said. Fathima Babu said the state government had stood its ground during the movement and should now bring the matter to its logical conclusion. "It has to initiate criminal proceedings against the company, besides making them clean up the entire place and provide ..
AAP plans movement, eyes all 7 LS seats
With a goal to win all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, form a grand alliance government at the Centre and get statehood for Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is planning to launch a mass movement ahead of the general elections.
Sikkim govt ready to sponsor education of Pulwama martyrs'
Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling Monday said the state government would like to sponsor education of the children of 40 CRPF personnel martyred in the terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pulwama district last week. However, this will be possible only if the central government agrees to the proposal, Chamling said in the assembly, without elaborating. The chief minister said his government has also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 3 lakh each to the next of kin of the CRPF personnel killed in the attack on February 14. Members of the Sikkim Assembly also paid tribute to the martyrs and observed two-minute silence as a mark of respect to them.
While condemning terror attack, BJP, Cong needle each other
The ruling BJP and the main opposition Congress traded barbs in the Gujarat Assembly Monday as they condemned the February 14 terror attack on a CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir. While the BJP claimed the "unresolved" Kashmir issue was the root cause of today's situation, the opposition party raked up the release of terrorist Maulana Masood Azhar. Legislators cutting across the party lines condemned the terror attack in Pulwama last week in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. The Gujarat government has called a five-day session of the Assembly from today to present a vote-on- account instead of a full budget due to the coming Lok Sabha polls. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government was taking all necessary steps to wipe out terrorism. "This House, in one voice, condemns the terror attack on our jawans. All the political parties have come together to fight terrorism. Every citizen of this country is with our soldiers. People ...
Two in police custody for murders of Kerala Youth Congress workers
The Kerala Police on Monday took two persons into custody in connection with the murders of two Youth Congress workers at Kasargode on Sunday night.
Stop blaming China, Pakistan: Chinese media to India
India must self-introspect its anti-terrorism policy rather than blaming Pakistan for the Pulwama suicide bombing and China for blocking efforts to list Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar as a terrorist without proof, said a Chinese state-run newspaper.
Pulwama attack: Odisha traders observe market shutdown
Markets and business establishments remained closed across Odisha in accordance with a Bharat Bandh call given by the Confederation of All India Traders.
Mamata questions timing of Pulwama attack
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday questioned the timing of the Pulwama terror attack, asking whether the government wanted to go to war when Lok Sabha elections were round the corner. She also accused the BJP and RSS of fomenting communal tension in the wake of the terror assault that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers. "When elections are knocking on the door you are trying to stage a war... a shadow war. Amit Shah and Narendra Modi are delivering political speeches. Even after such a big mishap you do not resign taking responsibility and are instead delivering political speeches," she told a press conference. The Trinamool Congress supremo also wanted to know why a large convoy of CRPF personnel was allowed to move on the highway despite the government having intelligence inputs about a possible terror strike. "The government knew of the matter. Intelligence inputs were there. Then why so many people had to die? why no action was taken?" Banerjee ...
AAP to launch campaign demanding full statehood for Delhi, calls meet to decide strategy
The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday announced it is going to launch a campaign to demand full statehood for Delhi, saying it has decided to go to the people's court as it "did not get justice" from the Supreme Court. Delhi Labour minister and senior AAP leader Gopal Rai also attacked the central government, alleging it does not want corruption to be reduced in Delhi and hence control over Anti-Corruption Branch has been taken away from the Delhi government. The AAP has convened a meeting of all of its legislators and Delhi office bearers on February 23 to decided a strategy for the statehood campaign. "In the past four years, the Centre has tried to disrupt so many initiatives taken by us for the benefit of the residents of Delhi. We tried to resolve the issues at multiple levels but did not get any positive results. We even knocked the Supreme Court's doors but did not get justice," Rai told reporters. The AAP dispensation has been unhappy over the Supreme Court decision to refer the ...
MP Assembly adjourns after paying tributes to Pulwama martyrs
On the first day of the Budget session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly on Monday, the House was adjourned after paying tributes to the CRPF troopers who died in a terror attack in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on February 14.
HC initiates contempt proceedings against Ker Youth Congress prez, 2 others over flash hartal
The Kerala High Court Monday initiated contempt proceedings against Youth Congress president Dean Kuriakose and two others for calling a flash hartal to protest against the twin murders of party workers in Kasaragod district. Observing that the hartal by the Youth Congress amounted to contempt of court, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Hrishikesh Roy and Justice A K Jayasankaran Nambiar directed issuance of notice to Kuriakose, Kamaruddin and United Democratic Front (UDF) Kasaragod district chairman A Govindan Nair. The bench had in January banned 'flash hartals', making it mandatory for any organisation to issue a notice of at least seven days while calling for hartals. When the case came up Monday, the bench pointed out that people who call for hartals are also responsible for the damage caused to public and private property when it is observed. It directed the state government to file a detailed report on the damage incurred, if any, and pointed out that the government can
Elected CM on the road, poll loser ruling Puducherry: Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday termed it a "travesty of democracy" that an elected Chief Minister was sitting on the road while a person who was defeated in the Delhi elections is ruling Puducherry as Lt. Governor.
Saudi Arabia vows to try to "de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan
Saudi Arabia on Monday vowed to try to "de-escalate tensions between India and Pakistan in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman prepares to head to New Delhi from Islamabad. The terror attack happened when a suicide bomber blew up an explosive-laden vehicle near a convoy of CRPF buses in Pulwama district on Thursday, killing 41 CRPF soldiers. Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir met Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Monday. Officials said that Qureshi briefed him in detail about the situation after the Pulwama attack in Kashmir. Tensions have been mounting between the two nuclear-armed neighbours amidst war of words and diplomatic brinkmanship over the attack. "Our objective is to try to de-escalate tensions between the two countries, neighbouring countries, and to see if there is a path forward to resolving those differences peacefully," Jubeir told the media. He ..
Indian forces will give befitting reply to Pulwama attack: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah said on Monday that Indian security forces will give a befitting reply to the "cowardly" terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 49 CRPF troopers lost their lives.