Page 1592 - Politics
Pakistan summons its envoy in India for consultations
Pakistan on Monday summoned its High Commissioner in India, Sohail Mahmood, for "consultations" following diplomatic tensions between the two countries after the suicide bombing in Jammu and Kashmir killed 49 CRPF troopers.
Shiv Sena, BJP set to declare seat-sharing pact
Ruling allies BJP and Shiv Sena are set to announce seat-sharing arrangement for the ensuing elections in Mumbai later Monday, senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut said. BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Matoshree, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's residence in suburban Bandra Monday and seal the alliance, another Sena leader said. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai last week, fuelling speculation that the bickering ruling alliance partners in Maharashtra and at the Centre may come together ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Senior Sena leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray, have been maintaining that the party will contest the polls independently. "Today evening Uddhavji and BJP national president Amit Shah will announce the seat-sharing formula for the Lok Sabha elections which are a couple of months away," Raut told PTI. The Sena in January last year announced its decision of going solo in future elections. However, the
Alliance landscape set for change for LS poll in Telangana
The electoral alliance landscape appears set to change for the Lok Sabha elections in Telangana amid indications that the Congress may go it alone, and CPI and CPI(M) may join hands. In the December 7 Assembly poll, the Congress had forged "Prajakutami" (People's Front) along with the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS). But this pre-poll alliance came a cropper at the hustings with the Congress bagging only 19 seats and the TDP two in the 119-member House. The CPI and TJS drew a blank. The Telangana Rashtra Samiti was swept back to power securing 88 seats. Sources in the Congress said on Monday the party is likely to field own candidates in all the 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in the State. "It seems the Congress wants to contest all the seats," a senior Congress leader told PTI. Some Congress leaders had blamed tie-up with the TDP, led by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, for the poor performance in the ...
Another TDP MP quits party, joins YSR Congress
In yet another jolt to the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, its Lok Sabha member from Amalapuram quit the party Monday and joined the main opposition YSR Congress. Pandula Ravindra Babu, who represented Amalapuram (SC) constituency in East Godavari district, met YSRC president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy and formally joined the opposition party. He is the second TDP MP after Anakapalli MP M Srinivasa Rao to join the YSRC in the last one week. Chirala MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan had last week quit the TDP to join the Jaganmohan Reddy-led party. A former Central services officer, Ravindra Babu was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2014. As there was talk that the TDP may not field him again from Amalapuram, he was said to be unhappy. "I am happy to have joined the YSRC. It is like homecoming for me," Babu said after meeting Reddy. He criticised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for "ditching" the people of AP in the name of a special economic package after several ...
White House defends Trump's emergency declaration
The White House has defended President Donald Trumps declaration of a national emergency at the southern border with Mexico and sought to clarify his contradictory statements about its necessity, amid mounting legal challenges and objections from Congress.
Akhilesh attacks Modi govt over soldiers' deaths
Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav sought to corner the Narendra Modi government on Monday over the death of soldiers, asking "why the government is waiting and watching". "Till when will the three day period of mourning keep getting extended? Everyday we get news of the brave martyrdom of our jawans while smiling BJP politicians accompany their funeral processions. Why is the govt waiting and watching?," he said in a tweet. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister also tagged a news report with the headline -- "Four Army personnel including Major martyred in encounter with terrorists in Pulwama" -- with his tweet. Yadav had, on February 15, visited the house of slain CRPF personnel Pradeep, one of the 40 victims of the Pulwama terror attack, in Kannauj and paid condolences. The SP leader also took to Twitter on Sunday to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government after the Delhi-Varanasi Vande Bharat Express developed a technical snag. "After the inauguration, fumes were .
PM Modi, Argentina President hold bilateral talks at Hyderabad House
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Argentine President Mauricio Macri held bilateral talks at the Hyderabad House on Monday during the latter's ongoing three-day visit to India from February 17 to 19.This will be followed by delegation-level talks and an exchange of agreements between India and Argentina.Macri's visit coincides with both the nations marking 70 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between New Delhi and Buenos Aires.Prime Minister Modi, along with President Ram Nath Kovind, had earlier accorded a ceremonial reception to Macri and the First Lady, Juliana Awada, on Monday. This was followed by the laying of a wreath at Raj Ghat by the Argentinian President as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi.After the exchange of agreements, Macri is scheduled to address the plenary session of the India-Argentina Business Forum at Hotel Taj Mahal before meeting with President Kovind in the evening.He is slated to leave for Mumbai on February 19, from where he will return to ...
Shiv Sena, BJP to announce pre-poll alliance for LS polls: Sena leader Sanjay Raut
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray and BJP president Amit Shah will announce on Monday a pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Sena leader Sanjay Raut said.Talking to ANI, Raut said the two leaders will address a joint press conference in Mumbai later today during which the announcement will be made.Shiv Sena, which is part of the BJP-led governments at the Centre as well as in the state, has been bitter with BJP lately.Sources from both the parties, however, refused to disclose the seat-sharing formula for the general elections.Shiv Sena has been firm that the alliance for the Lok Sabha polls could be firmed up only if BJP was ready to announce the seat-sharing formula for both the general and Assembly polls in Maharashtra.During the party's national executive meet in January last year, Shiv Sena had resolved to fight the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections on its own. In the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, BJP and Shiv Sena contested as alliance partners and won 41 seats out of a ...
MP Assembly passes unanimous resolution on Pulwama attack
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly Monday passed a unanimous resolution condemning the Pulwama attack on February 14 in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed. On the first day of the session, the House also condoled the demise of senior leaders, including former defence minister George Fernandes and ex-Goa governor Bhanu Prakash Singh among others. The House also paid tributes to former MLAs Jitendra Singh Bundela, Ghanshya Patidar, Lokendra Singh Tomar, Mohan Singh Bundela and Krishna Vallabh Gupta. As the House assembled, Speaker Narmada Prasad Prajapati mentioned about the death of Fernandes, Singh and the former MLAs as well as the Pulwama terror attack. Chief Minister Kamal Nath, recalling his long association with Fernandes, said "I got an opportunity to learn a lot for him." Nath also recalled the contribution of former Goa governor Singh. The MP CM strongly condemned the cowardly act of terrorists in Pulwama and said "the country will always remember their sacrifice and this
Punjab MLAs to donate month's salary to families of CRPF martyrs
Punjab Assembly on Monday resolved to donate one month's salary of each legislator to the next of kin of CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama attack. A resolution to give one month salary by each MLA was adopted unanimously by the Punjab Assembly here. The resolution was moved by Congress legislator Parminder Singh Pinki. Forty CRPF personnel were killed and five injured on Thursday 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.
Curfew continues for fourth day in Jammu, relaxation likely later
Curfew continued in the winter capital Jammu for the fourth consecutive day on Monday following violent anti-Pakistan protests, with authorities likely to relax the restrictions later in the day after reviewing the law and order situation, officials said. All examinations, scheduled for the day, were postponed as educational institutions across Jammu city remained closed, while over 150 people were taken into preventive custody over the past couple of days to ensure peace, the officials said. A curfew was imposed in entire Jammu city on Friday following massive anti-Pakistan protests and sporadic incidents of violence over the terror attack in Pulwama district of south Kashmir which left 40 CRPF personnel dead on Thursday. "Curfew is in force in the entire city and is likely to be relaxed after a fresh review of the situation later in the afternoon," District Development Commissioner, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar told PTI. He said the situation was "well under control" and there was no report .
TN Law Minister welcomes SC order on Vedanta
Tamil Nadu Law Minister C.Ve. Shanmugam on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court order allowing Vedanta's copper smelter plant in Thoothukudi to remain closed according to the state government's order.
After tough posturing, Sena and BJP to seal alliance
Tottering on the brink for months, the Shiv Sena managed to bulldoze its way with the BJP, paving the way for a pre-poll alliance for the Lok Sabha and in all probability even the Assembly polls later in the year, party sources said on Monday.
BJP MP Kirti Azad joins Congress
Cricketer-turned-politician and suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad on Monday joined the Congress in the presence of party President Rahul Gandhi.
Large crowd throngs Major's home as mortal remains arrive home
Major Chitresh Bisht was to come home later this month for his marriage. He did come but in a coffin wrapped in the national flag. The Bisht household in Nehru Colony echoed with wails as the Major's mortal remains were brought home on Monday morningfrom the army hospital in the city where it was kept on Sunday. A large crowd comprising Army men, policemen, politicians, relatives, friends and people in general throngedthe young army officer's home to pay their last respects as his coffin borne by Army men entered the gates. His distraught mother wept inconsolably near the coffin as his father SS Bisht, a retired police officer, tried to comfort her even as he fought back his own tears. Just a day after Pulwama terrorist attack in which 40 CRPF men were brutally killed, the 31-year-old Major Bisht was killed while defusing a mine along the LoC in Nowshera sector of Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir. The family was preparing for the officer's marriage on March 7 when it was ...
Puducherry CM denies LG's allegation that agitation politically motivated
Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy, who has been heading a dharna here since February 13 to protest the "negative attitude of Lt Governor Kiran Bedi" in approving 39 proposals of the government, on Monday denied her allegation that the agitation was "politically motivated". The protest outside the Raj Nivas entered the sixth day on Monday. Narayanasamy has accused Bedi of not approving his government's 39 proposals for welfare schemes, including one for a free-rice scheme, and on administrative matters. Bedi had, in her letter to the chief minister on Sunday, pointed out that she had cut short her public engagements in Delhi and returned to the Union territory to hold a meeting with him to avoid inconvenience to the people of Puducherry "due to your politically motivated agitations". Denying Bedi's charge, the chief minister said the dharna did not have a political motive and the aim was to ensure that the people's demands were met. Bedi had also stated in a WhatsApp message ...
India, Pak to face off in ICJ over Kulbhushan Jadhav's case
India and Pakistan are set for a showdown at the International Court of Justice which will commence on Monday a four-day public hearing in the case of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage. India moved the ICJ in May in 2017 against the "farcical trial" by the military court of Pakistan against 48-year-old Jadhav. Jadhav, a retired Indian Navy officer, was sentenced to death by a Pakistani military court on charges of espionage and terrorism in April 2017. India first approached the ICJ on May 8, 2017 for the "egregious violation" of the provisions of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963 by Pakistan by repeatedly denying it consular access to Jadhav. A 10-member bench of the ICJ, which was set up after World War II to resolve international disputes, on May 18, 2017 had restrained Pakistan from executing Jadhav till adjudication of the case. The ICJ has set a timetable for the public hearing in the ...
8 BJP mandal heads in Palghar quit amid tie-up talks with Sena
Eight mandal unit chiefs of the BJP in Palghar district of Maharashtra have resigned amid apprehension that the Lok Sabha seat here, currently held by the party, may be given to the Shiv Sena as part of pre-poll alliance for the upcoming general elections. Palghar BJP unit chief Pascal Dhanare said on Monday that eight mandal presidents of the party in the district have resigned and four more are likely to follow suit. "They resigned on Sunday to protest any possible move by the party to give the Palghar Lok Sabha seat to the Shiv Sena," he told PTI. Dhanare warned that all the BJP office-bearers in the district, including taluka presidents, would quit if the seat was given to the Shiv Sena. The eight resignations have come amid speculation in local BJP circles that the Palghar constituency may be given to the Sena as part of the seat-sharing arrangements between the two parties ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. The seat was earlier represented by senior BJP leader Chintaman
Kamal Haasan calls for plebiscite in Kashmir, terms PoK as 'Azad Kashmir'
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan has batted for a plebiscite in Kashmir and questioned the government as to what they are "afraid of".At an event here on Sunday, the Makkal Needhi Maiam leader Haasan said, "Why India is not holding a plebiscite in Kashmir? What are they (government) afraid of?"Referring to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) as 'Azad Kashmir', he said: "In Azad Kashmir, they are using Jihadis' pictures in trains to portray them as heroes. That is a foolish thing to do. India too behaves with an equal amount of foolishness, it is not a correct thing to do. If we want to prove that India is a far better country then we should not behave like this. That is where politics begins, a new political culture begins," he said.Talking at length about Kashmir and problems plaguing in the region, Haasan said that if India and Pakistan "behave well", the Line of Control (LoC) will be under check.He added, "Why do soldiers die? Why should those guarding our home (border) die? If ..
Sterlite plant re-opening: SC sets aside NGT order; asks TN govt, Vedanta to approach Madras HC
The apex court asked the Tamil Nadu government and Vedanta to approach Madras High Court on the issue.A bench headed by Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman set aside NGT's order on grounds that the plea of Vedanta before the tribunal was not maintainable.The apex court said NGT did not have jurisdiction to entertain Vedanta's appeals against the Tamil Nadu government to close down the Sterlite plant.The Tamil Nadu government in its appeal against the NGT order had sought that the tribunal order be set aside on grounds of it being "erroneous".The tribunal failed to consider the data, documents, and evidence furnished by the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board to show that Vedanta had irreversibly polluted the groundwater in and around Thoothukudi district, the government has contended.The state government had closed Vedanta's Copper plant six days after 13 people were killed in police firing against people who were protesting against the plant on grounds that it polluted the ...