Page 1632 - Politics
Delhi vs Centre: It's 'tareekh pe tareekh', says an unhappy AAP after SC verdict
It's "tareekh pe tareekh", the Aam Aadmi Party said Wednesday using Bollywood actor Sunny Deol's iconic dialogue to express unhappiness over the Supreme Court referring to a larger bench the issue of who controls services in Delhi after hearing the matter for "four years". The Aam Aadmi Party shared the video of the actor's dialogue from Bollywood movie 'Damini' on its Twitter handle with a caption-- "tareekh pe tareekh" (hearing after hearing) and hashtags of #DelhiVsCenter and #Services. The dialogue 'tareekh pe tareekh' has virtually become synonymous with the plight of litigants who have to wait for years for justice due to delays in the judicial process. AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh also shared the video on Twitter. Talking to reporters at the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP's Delhi convener Gopal Rai said, "We respect the court's order, but four years have gone following 'tareekh pe tareek'...." The AAP leader sought to know as to who should have more ...
Pakistan SC wraps up Memogate case against Hussain Haqqani
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday wrapped up its eight-year-long proceedings in the Memogate case against the country's former Ambassador to the US Husain Haqqani, saying that now it is up to the state to decide whether it wanted to take action against him.
Himachal to rename medical university after Vajpayee
The BJP government in Himachal Pradesh on Thursday introduced a bill in the Assembly proposing to rename an upcoming medical university after its leader and former Prime Minister, late Atal Behari Vajpayee.
CBDT chairman Sushil Chandra appointed new Election Commissioner
CBDT Chairman Sushil Chandra was appointed as the new Election Commissioner on Thursday, just ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, making the poll panel a three-member body once again.
PM on two-day visit to South Korea Feb 21-22
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a two-day visit to South Korea on Feb 21-22 when he will hold talks with President Moon Jae-in on a host of issues to strengthen strategic ties and also be conferred the Seoul Peace Prize.
Sena-BJP are "best couple": Munde's jibe on Valentine's Day
NCP leader Dhananjay Munde took a jibe at the BJP and Shiv Sena on Valentine's Day, calling them the "best couple" who continue to be together despite constant bickering. The BJP and Sena are in alliance in Maharashtra as well as at the Centre. However, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party has been frequently taking potshots at its saffron partner in the last few years. It is also uncertain if they would form alliance for the coming Lok Sabha polls. "Could there be a best couple than this? They are still together despite everyday bickering between them for the past five years," Munde said in a tweet with a hashtag "Valentinesday". "...how much do they love each other, don't they?" said the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Council.
Even ex-French president says 'chowkidar chor hai': Rahul
Taking the Rafale row to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday claimed that even a former French president agrees that the 'chowkidar' (watchman), a term he often uses for Modi, is a thief. Gandhi also alleged that Modi conducted "parallel negotiations" with Dassault Aviation, the company which makes Rafale, on the multi-billion dollar fighter jet deal. Addressing a rally at Dharampur in Gujarat's Valsad district, Gandhi pooh-poohed the NDA government's Rs 6,000 a year income support scheme for farmers, saying a Congress government would offer a better scheme for the poor. The rally was mostly attended by members of local tribal communities. The Congress chief repeated his refrain "Chwokidar Chor Hai" (the watchman is a thief) to attack Modi. As he said "Chowkidar" and paused, the audience chanted "Chor Hai". He then asked people to say it in Gujarati, ("Chor Chhe"), making them chant the slogan with him. "The defence ...
J&K Guv directs commanders for immediate "security management" of all important installations
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik has directed immediate enhancement of surveillance and review of the security management of all important installations and establishments in the state, in the aftermath of a major terror attack on a CRPF convoy, killing at least 18 personnel in Pulwama on Thursday. He has also said such terror attacks will not deter the resolve of our security forces and people. The governor strongly condemned the attack on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) convoy in Pulwama, in which at least 18 personnel were killed and many injured. He has urged all the security forces' commanders to enhance surveillance on every front and directed the District and Divisional Civil and Police Administration to immediately review the security management of all important installations and establishments, an official spokesperson said. Malik has conveyed his grief and sincere sympathy to the families of the brave soldiers, who lost their lives in the attack, and prayed ..
Pence demands EU allies leave Iran nuclear deal
US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday demanded that European Union allies leave the Iran nuclear deal and warned of further US sanctions on Tehran. Speaking at a conference in Poland attended by Israel and senior Arab leaders, Pence denounced Iran as the "greatest threat to peace and security in the Middle East" and accused the clerical regime of plotting a "new Holocaust" with its regional ambitions. Pence denounced a new initiative by France, Germany and Britain to let European businesses keep operating in Iran despite renewed US sanctions. "It's an ill-advised step that will only strengthen Iran, weaken the EU and creates still more distance between Europe and the United States," Pence said. "The time has come for our European partners to withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal and join with us as we bring the economic and diplomatic pressure necessary to give the Iranian people, the region and the world the peace, security and freedom they deserve," he said. As Iran's clerical ...
Egypt parliament extends president's term limits
Egypt parliament has overwhelmingly approved constitutional changes to remove term limits for President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, allowing him to stay on power possibly until 2034. The changes are part of a package of amendments that will be further examined before final approval in the chamber and a national referendum. On Thursday, 485 lawmakers in the 596-seat body backed the amendments. Parliament Speaker Ali Abdel-Al said they would now be discussed by the Constitutional and Legislative Affairs Committee for 60 days before being put to a referendum. The national referendum will likely take place before early May, the start of the Muslim Holy Month of Ramadan.
Rahul condoles CRPF personnel's death in terror attack in J&K, Cong targets Modi govt
Congress president Rahul Gandhi condoled the killing of CRPF personnel in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and said it had left him "deeply disturbed". "I'm deeply disturbed by the cowardly attack on a #CRPF convoy in J&K in which many of our brave CRPF men have been martyred and a large number wounded, some critically. My condolences to the families of our martyrs. I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured," he tweeted. At least 18 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday in a suicide attack, when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in, one of the worst terror strikes in the state since the Uri attack in 2016, officials said. Paying his party's homage, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala also accused the Narendra Modi government of compromising national security and said the list of terror attacks continued unabated
Union Minister dismisses Narayanasamy's dharna as election-eve
Union Minister of State and BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan Thursday made light of the dharna being staged by Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy against Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, saying such agitations were common occurrence in the run up to elections. Such agitations were clear indication that the elections were round the corner, he told reporters here. Narayanasamy and others are on the dharna in front of the Raj Nivas in Puducherry since Wednesday demanding that that the Lt Governor accord sanction to 39 government proposals, including a free rice scheme, pending with her. To a question on DMK chief M K Stalin extending support to the dharna, Radhakrishnan likened it to seasonal Australian migratory birds flocking to India and returning later. On BJP's alliance for Lok Sabha polls, he said negotiations were on with a few parties. "There will not be any problem in the alliance talks," he said without elaborating further.
6.1 lakh more voters in Delhi's electoral roll than in 2015: Officials
There are 6.1 lakh more voters in the electoral roll of the national capital than what it was in 2015 and representatives of various political parties have been informed about it, officials of the Delhi CEO office said Thursday. The AAP has been alleging "deletion" of names of 30 lakh voters, particularly of Purvanchali, Muslims and Bania communities, since the 2015 assembly election in Delhi and attacking the BJP claiming its hand behind it. "Representatives of recognised national and state-level political parties, including the AAP, Congress, BJP, CPI, CPI(M) met yesterday in the office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) here to discuss various issues relating to the electoral rolls and the upcoming general elections," a senior official of the CEO office said. The representatives of the political parties were apprised of the status of electoral rolls for the period 2015 to 2019, he said. The Delhi CEO office has also issued a statement on the meeting. "It was informed that 17,54,356 ..
Karna assembly passes finance bill; relief to ruling coalition
In a relief to the Congress-JDS government, the Karnataka Assembly Thursday passed the Finance bill amid the ongoing political turmoil that had kept the ruling coalition on the edge over its numbers. It was passed without discussion amid uproarious scenes with BJP members staging protests over the attack on party MLA Pritam Gowda's house at Hassan and alleging that JD(S) workers were involved in theattack on the directions from the Chief Minister. They also raised slogans "down down goonda government." While presenting the budget, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy had also sought approval for vote on account towards expenditure up to July 31, 2019. The passage has dispelled doubts raised about it after several disgruntled Congress MLAs skipped the legislature party meetings and the assembly session defying party whip. There were also reports that the BJP may go all out to defeat the Finance bill, taking advantage of the discord within the Congress and the shaky coalition and
TDP LS MP quits party ahead of polls, joins YSR Congress
In yet another jolt to the ruling Telugu Desam Party in Andhra Pradesh, its Lok Sabha member from Anakapalli, M Srinivasa Rao, quit the party Thursday evening and joined the opposition YSR Congress. He also resigned from the MPs post and sent a letter to the effect to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. The MP's resignation comes a day after Chirala MLA Amanchi Krishna Mohan left the TDP to join the YSR Congress. In his resignation letter to TDP supremo and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Srinivasa Rao did not give any reason for leaving the party but said he would continue to serve the people of the state and fight for their rights. Srinivasa Rao has been reportedly sulking over not getting any assurance from the party on fielding him from the Bhimili Assembly constituency in the coming elections. He was elected to the Assembly from Bhimili when he made his political debut in 2009 as a candidate of the erstwhile Praja Rajyam Party of actor Chiranjeevi. From 2012 to ...
Congress, BJP governments letting loose state terror: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday targeted the Congress once again and slammed it for invoking the National Security Act (NSA) against Muslims for alleged cow slaughter in Madhya Pradesh.
AAP keen on alliance with Congress in Delhi: Mamata
The Aam Aadmi Party is keen on an alliance with the Congress in Delhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claimed Thursday. It is now up to the Congress to reciprocate, she said. "Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi chief minister and AAP chief) wants an alliance with the Congress in Delhi," Banerjee, who is also the Trinamool Congress chief, told reporters. Banerjee said she respected the decision of political parties which cannot take a call on pre-poll alliance because of political compulsions. Earlier in the day, Kejriwal said the Congress had "more or less" declined to have an alliance in Delhi. He also said the BJP will benefit in a three-cornered fight in the national capital. Kejriwal's remark came a day after he had participated in a meeting with opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi.
Jaish militants attack CRPF convoy in Kashmir, kill at least 18 personnel
At least 18 CRPF personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Thursday when a Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the bus they were travelling in, one of the worst terror strike in the state since the Uri attack in 2016, officials said. 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 the Srinagar-Jammu highway in Awantipora area of the district. Police said the terrorist driving the suicide vehicle was Adil Ahmad from Kakapora in Pulwama who joined the JeM in 2018. The casualties are likely to go up. The terror group has claimed responsibility for the attack that took place about 30 km from Srinagar, they said. Over 20 people were injured in the terror attack, which reduced the bus to a mangled heap of iron. Body parts could be seen strewn around the area. "It was a large convoy and about ...
Pregnant Bangladeshi-British schoolgirl who joined ISIS in Syria now wants to return to UK
A pregnant Bangladeshi-British teenager, who fled London in 2015 to join the Islamic State terror group in Syria, says she is not the same "silly" girl now, but wants to return to the UK as she is worried about the health of her unborn child. Shamima Begum, 15, was one of three British schoolgirls who ran away from their homes in the UK in 2015 to be jihadi brides, causing much concern in the country on the impact of online radicalisation, especially among the youth. Speaking from a refugee camp in Syria, Begum, now 19, has lost two children, told the Times newspaper that she was nine months pregnant and wanted to return to the UK for her baby. She said she remained scared her unborn baby would become ill in the refugee camp after she fled the jihadists' last remaining enclave in Baghuz, eastern Syria. "That's why I really want to get back to Britain because I know it will be taken care of - health-wise, at least," she said. She said she should be giving birth "any day now". "I'll do .
BJP MLA, former Goa deputy CM Francis D'Souza dies
Former Goa deputy Chief Minister and current BJPMLA Francis D'Souza died Thursday evening, his party said. D'Souza, 64, was undergoing treatment at a private hospital near here after undergoing surgery for cancer in the USA. With his death, the BJP's strength in the 40-member Goa assembly comes down to 13. "I am deeply saddened by the news...I extend my deepest sympathies to his family. May the departed soul be at peace," said South Goa BJP MP Narendra Sawaikar on Twitter, announcing the news of D'Souza's death. State BJP spokesman Damodar Naik said D'Souza died at the hospital. "We lost an iconic leader who started his career from scratch as councillor and rose to a topmost post," Naik said. "He is an icon for all the upcoming leaders as to how a person should be, and he was loyal to the party till his last breath," he said. D'Souza had been dropped from the current Manohar Parrikar-led Goa government along with Pandurang Madkaikar on health grounds when he was being ...