Page 1634 - Politics
Woman Congress worker kisses Rahul Gandhi on stage in Gujarat
Congress president Rahul Gandhi was taken by surprise when a woman kissed him on cheek ahead of his rally in Gujarat's Valsad district Thursday. The woman told media that it was a spontaneous gesture and had nothing to do with the Valentine's Day fervour today, adding that the Congress chief was "like her brother". She planted a kiss on Gandhi's cheek after climbing onto the stage along with other women party workers to garland Gandhi before his public rally here. The woman, who appeared to be in her late 60s, claimed that she was a senior Congress worker. Asked if she kissed the Congress president because today is Valentine's Day, the woman, who identified herself as Kashmiraben, replied in the negative. "I am a senior party worker from Surat. I am also a Parsi. I am in the Congress for over 48 years now. I am Rahul Gandhi's well-wisher. He is like my brother," she said. "I am very excited that he is here," she added. Kashmiraben exuded confidence that Rahul Gandhi will ..
SC judgement a big loss to AAP, says BJP
The BJP on Thursday described the Supreme Court verdict on the tussle between the Delhi government and the Centre over sharing of powers as a big loss to the Arvind Kejriwal government and asked the chief minister to apologise to the top court.
30 years on, Russia views Afghan war with pride
When the last Soviet tanks rumbled back home across a bridge on the border with Afghanistan 30 years ago, the withdrawal was hailed as a much-anticipated end to a bloody quagmire. Since then, Moscow's view of the war has changed radically. As Russia prepares to mark Friday's anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal, many see the 10-year Soviet war in Afghanistan as a necessary and largely successful endeavour. Just like the ongoing Russian campaign in Syria, the Afghan war is widely perceived as a legitimate action against U.S.-backed militants. And in a twist of history, Russia also has emerged as an influential power broker in Afghanistan, mediating between feuding factions as it jockeys with Washington for influence in a country where a U.S.-led coalition has been fighting for more than 17 years. Ata Mohammad Noor, a former warlord who fought Soviet troops and served as governor of the northern Balkh province from 2004-2018, attended a meeting last week in Moscow that brought together .
Fighting is no solution: Dikshit to Kejriwal
Soon after the Supreme Court delivered a split verdict on the issue of the transfer and posting of Delhi government officers, Congress city unit chief Sheila Dikshit on Thursday advised Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that fighting is no solution.
BJP ally Jankar to contest LS poll on his party's symbol
Maharashtra Animal Husbandry Minister Mahadev Jankar, whose Rashtriya Samaj Paksh (RSP) is an ally of the ruling BJP, said on Thursday that he would contest the Lok Sabha election either from Baramati or Madha seat in the state on his party symbol. Jankar said he would make an announcement about the constituency on February 24 when the RSP will hold a mega convention in Mumbai to show the party's "strength" ahead of the polls. He said during the event, his party would also reiterate its demand for reservation for the Dhangar (shepherd) and Muslim communities. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will inaugurate the convention, Jankar told reporters here. RPI(A) chief Ramdas Athawale and Shiv Sangram leader Vinayak Mete, whose parties are allies of the ruling BJP, will also attend the convention, he said. Jankar said he has demanded six seats - Baramati, Madha, Parbhani, Hingoli, Amravati and North East Mumbai - for the Lok Sabha elections. "I am aware that my party's demand .
Rahul continues diatribe against Modi over Rafale jet deal
Taking the Rafale row to Narendra Modi's home state, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Thursday claimed the prime minister conducted "parallel negotiations" with Dassault Aviation on the French fighter jet deal. Addressing a public rally in Valsad district of Gujarat, Gandhi also claimed that the Modi government refused to waive farmers' loans but wrote off Rs 3.5 lakh crore debt of "15 top industrialists". Attacking the prime minister over the Rafale jet deal, Gandhi said, "The slogan 'chowkidar chor hai' (the sentry is the thief) is also famous in France and even former French president also says 'chowkidar chor hai'." "The Defence Ministry and the Air Force said Prime Minister Narendra Modi conducted parallel negotiations with Dassault Aviation on Rafale deal," Gandhi claimed. Criticising the government's incentives announced in the interim budget, he promised that if the Congress comes to power at the Centre, it will give more than just Rs 17 per day in the income ...
Delhi vs Centre: SC verdict split on control of services, refers matter to larger bench
In a setback to the AAP government in Delhi, a two-judge bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday gave a split verdict on the contentious issue of who should control administrative services but appeared to agree that the Centre has the final word. In view of the differences, Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan referred the matter to a larger bench of the apex court. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party has been accusing the Centre of appointing such officers who create hurdles in the works of the AAP government, termed the verdict as "unfortunate" and said it was ironic that a chief minister can't have power to appoint even a peon in his office. The two judges, who were hearing pleas on six matters pertaining to a long-running conflict between the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the AAP government in the national capital, gave a unanimous order on the remaining five issues. Both judges agreed that the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) will have control over ..
Turkey rounds up 52 Syrian IS suspects: state media
Turkish authorities on Thursday detained 52 suspected Islamic State (IS) group jihadists in northwestern province of Bursa as part of a crackdown on the militants, state-run Anadolu news agency reported. Police launched raids at five addresses in the Osmangazi district to round up the suspects who were all Syrian nationals, Anadolu said. IS are blamed in Turkey for a spate of terror attacks, including a 2015 bombing on a peace rally at a train station in the capital Ankara that claimed 100 lives. Turkey has stepped up the fight against the jihadists and allowed a US-led international coalition to launch air raids on the group's bases in Syria from its soil.
CAG has allowed itself to become a joke: Chidambaram
Former finance minister P Chidambaram on Thursday slammed the CAG report on the Rafale deal as "useless", saying the institution has allowed itself to become a "joke". The report contains no useful information or conclusion and its motive is to hide the truth, the senior Congress leader told reporters. He reiterated his party's demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe into the deal, saying only it can call for all relevant records. The CAG is not God, he said, apparently rejecting the ruling BJP's contention that the national auditor's report should be the final word on the contentious issue. "The CAG allowed itself to become a joke and an honourable government in future will restore the prestige and credibility of the institution," Chidambaram said "If you thought those 33 pages will bring to light the hidden aspects of the deal and explain matters relating to numbers, pricing, delivery etcetera and comment on correctness and propriety of transaction, you will be ...
TDP MP to join YSR Congress
In another blow to the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) in Andhra Pradesh, party MP Avanti Srinivas on Thursday decided to switch loyalties to the main opposition YSR Congress Party.
Congress to tie-up with Left in Bengal
Notwithstanding talk of a post-poll alliance, the Congress is all set to tie-up with the Left against the ruling Trinamool Congress for the Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal where it won 4 seats with a vote share of nearly 10 per cent in 2014.
Thai court to hear case against party behind princess political bid
Thailand's constitutional court on Thursday said it would hear a case to dissolve the party which proposed a princess for prime minister, an ill-fated candidacy which threatens to sink the election strategy of the powerful Shinawatra clan. The Thai Raksa Chart party nominated Princess Ubolratana for premier last Friday, a bombshell move bringing Thai royalty to frontline politics for the first time since the 1932 establishment of a constitutional monarchy. Hours later the princess's brother -- Thailand's powerful king Maha Vajiralongkorn -- scuttled her political ambitions, hitting out at the attempt to bring her into politics as "highly inappropriate" and against royal traditions. In the days since, chaos has enveloped Thai Raksa Chart, which falls under the tutelage of Thaksin Shinawatra, a divisive billionaire ex-premier who sits at the heart of Thailand's bitter political schism. On Wednesday the Election Commission (EC) handed the case for dissolution of Thai Raksa Chart to the ..
SC says L-G has power to set up inquiry commission, gives split verdict 'services' issue
In a blow to the Arvind Kejriwal administration, the Supreme Court on Thursday held that the Lieutenant Governor (L-G) has the power to set up an inquiry commission, but gave a split verdict on the issue of jurisdiction on control of "services" in the national capital.A division bench comprising Justices AK Sikri and Ashok Bhushan differed on whether the L-G or Delhi government has control over "services" which includes transfer and posting of bureaucrats in the national capital.Delivering a split verdict, the two judges held that the matter be heard and decided by a larger bench.Justice Bhushan observed that the issue of "services" was totally outside the purview of the Delhi government.On November 1 last year, the apex court had reserved its verdict on pleas challenging notifications related to control over "services", setting up of a commission of inquiry and the issue of jurisdiction over the Anti-corruption Bureau.The bench unanimously held that the Centre/L-G has the power to ...
US lawmakers introduce bill to fund government, prevent shutdown
US lawmakers have introduced a bipartisan spending and security bill to prevent a second government shutdown days before the Friday midnight deadline.
U.S. group says Trump trade tariffs cost businesses $2.7 billion in November
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. businesses paid an additional $2.7 billion in tariffs in November 2018, according to data from a coalition of U.S. business groups fighting President Donald Trump's trade tariffs.
Britain's PM May could face another Brexit defeat in parliament
LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May could face a defeat in parliament on Thursday over her plan to renegotiate the Brexit deal, undermining her pledge to the European Union that, with changes, she can get the agreement approved.
How Corporate rivalry is impacting national interest (Rafale investigation Part I)
A recent European Union intelligence sharing exercise with India has revealed that Lockheed Martin, the US-headquartered company which manufactures the F-16 fighter jets, has been up to mischief mongering on the Rafale issue.
Kjeriwal has declared war on SC: BJP
The BJP Thursday accused Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of "declaring war on the Supreme Court" and said it is considering filing contempt of court proceedings against him. After Kejriwal slammed the apex court's split verdict on the contentious issue of division of powers between the Delhi government and the Centre over control of services as "against the constitution and democracy and an injustice to people of Delhi", BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said his remarks were "the biggest attack on the apex court in political history". The judgement is a "big defeat" for Kejriwal, he asserted and demanded an apology from him for criticising the order. While delivering the verdict, a two-judge bench comprising Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan, however, agreed upon matters pertaining to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), setting up of commissions of inquiry and land revenue matters among other issues. BJP spokesperson and Supreme Court lawyer Nalin Kohli said the verdict makes it ...
Decision on quota stir likely in evening, says Gujjar leader Bainsla
Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla said Thursday a decision on ending the protests over a government quota for his community may be taken in the evening after studying the bill passed on the issue in the Rajasthan Assembly. The Rajasthan Assembly has passed a bill giving a five per cent quota in government jobs and educational institutes to the Gujjars and four other communities agitating for it. The Gujjar protests led by community leader Bainsla entered its seventh day in the state even after the passage of the bill Wednesday. IAS Neeraj K Pawan handed over a copy of the bill and the resolution passed by the Assembly and government-issued notification to Bainsla at Malarna Dungar in Sawai Madhopur, where he is sitting along with his supporters since last Friday. "Any decision will be taken after examining the bill and the notification. The decision may be taken in the evening," Bainsla told reporters. The Delhi-Mumbai rail line and several highways and roads are blocked due to the ..
Privatising small airports not the right approach: GMR official
Privatising small airports would not be the right approach for the government as they need to be viable in terms of passenger size and growth projections, a senior official of GMR Airports said. "If the government wants to look at privatising small airports, in my view that is not the right approach. The right approach would be that they look at privatising more profitable airports, which now they are doing," Sidharath Kapur, executive director and board member, GMR Airports, said at CAPA India Airports Summit 2019 here. The Central government has invited bids for privatisation of six airports -- Lucknow, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Guwahati, Mangaluru and Thirvananthapuram. These airports are currently under the control of the Airports Authority of India (AAI). "I think there is always a minimal size where an airport is viable (for privatisation)," Kapur said. "The cost recovery models of these assets demand that there should be certain minimum traffic size. I guess 2.5 million to 3 million ..