Page 1639 - Politics
Pak, Saudi to sign 8 MoUs during Prince Salman's visit
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia will sign at least eight MoUs during Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's visit to the country, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said on Wednesday. The Prince is scheduled to arrive on in Pakistan on Saturday on a two-day trip. Qureshi addressing media in Islamabad said that the two sides had done proper homework ahead of the visit, which will probably be the biggest trip by a Saudi royal, in terms of composition and number of entourage, in the history of relations between the two countries. "We hope that at least eight MoUs will be signed during the high-powered visit," he said. Saudi Arabia is our close and trustworthy friend and the relations with the visit of Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman will be improved further, he said. He said that back-to-back visits of Prime Minister Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia also helped to improve the bilateral relations.
Rahul holds key election preparedness meetings
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met heads of the party's frontal organisations and departments, as well as AICC secretaries, urging them to take the party's pro-poor message to the people. In the meeting with heads of party's frontal organisations and departments he stressed on inclusion of all sections of the society. Gandhi asked the office-bearers to ensure greater participation of youth and women in leadership roles, a party statement said. In his meeting with AICC secretaries, Rahul Gandhi received feed back on various issues relating to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He emphasised the need to take the pro-poor message of the party to the people. Meanwhile, the Congress president appointed Ashok Kumar Kodavoor as president of Udupi DCC and K Manjunatha, president of the Kodagu DCC.
Citizenship Bill set to lapse, protesting outfits happy in Tripura
Tribal outfits and other organisations in the BJP-ruled Tripura expressed happiness on Wednesday over the Centre's failure to get the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Bill passed in the Rajya Sabha on the last day of its session before the general election. Students' organisations, political parties and individuals opposing the bill said the collective movement of all against the legislation had won. Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, however, claimed that a section of the people had misled others about the contents of the bill. The North East Students Organisation (NESO) said the bill was not passed in Parliament since the people of the region and other parts of the country were united against it and supported their fight. "We got results in our favour due to a unified and joint effort of the people from north-east and other parts of the country. We are grateful to everyone who have supported us," NESO joint secretary Upendra Debbarma told reporters. The NESO, an umbrella ...
AAP leaders meet Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer
A delegation of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Wednesday met the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi reiterating its claim of deletion of names of a large number of voters from the electoral roll in an "illegitimate" manner. The party leaders stressed that they strongly believed the names of "millions" of people have been deleted from the voters' list in an "incorrect and illegitimate" manner, the party said in a statement. The CEO agreed to the party demand that special camps be organised in the city within a week to add back the names that have been deleted "wrongfully", claimed the statement "The Aam Aadmi Party said that if the voters are being informed that their voter registration has been deleted from the voter list, then they are fulfilling social obligation. This work should be primarily done by the Election Commission so that people can restore their votes. This awareness campaign should have been started by Election Commission in the first place," it said. The CEO Delhi has ...
Ajit Pawar meets Raj Thackeray
A day after he advocated a tie-up with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for the Lok Sabha elections, NCP leader Ajit Pawar Wednesday met its chief Raj Thackeray here. The meeting between Pawar and the MNS chief, who have in the past engaged in verbal sparring, took place at Thackeray's residence, NCP sources said. The meeting lasted for about one and a half hours, they said. Ajit Pawar had Tuesday pitched for an alliance with the MNS to ensure there is no division of votes as opposition parties take on the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena combine. The Congress and NCP are at present busy stitching together a coalition of opposition parties in Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh's 80. The NCP has five members in the current Lok Sabha while the MNS had drawn a blank in the 2014 polls. The Raj Thackeray-led party had supported the BJP but put up candidates against the Shiv Sena.
Rajasthan govt to make amendments for EWS quota
The Rajasthan government on Wednesday announced that it will make required amendments to provide 10 per cent reservation in government jobs and education for the economically weaker sections in the general category. The government also announced to increase the creamy layer ceiling for OBC reservation to Rs 8 lakh from the existing Rs 2.5 lakh per annum. Energy minister B.D Kalla informed the House that the state cabinet in its meeting held on Tuesday decided on both the issues. "The state government has decided to provide 10 per cent quota as approved by Parliament on January 14, 2019 for the economically weaker sections (from general category). The government will make necessary amendments in the rules," he said. He said the Centre had on September 13, 2017 increased creamy layer ceiling for OBC reservation to Rs 8 lakh per annum. On the similar lines, the Rajasthan government will also increase the limit to Rs 8 lakh from existing Rs 2.5 lakh, he said in the Assembly. The state ...
Farooq Abdullah hits out at Centre, governor admin over administrative hq in Leh
National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Wednesday lashed out at the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir Governor S P Malik-led administration, saying the people were being "denied" their rightful share in the newly constituted Ladakh division. Abdullah said the people of Kargil were "being punished only to pursue the agenda of divisive politics". "All along, it was decided that the division headquarter will be positioned on a rotational basis between Leh and Kargil and all the departments to be divided equally between the two districts. But the incumbent government issuing an SRO in favour of only one district has severely dented the genuine aspirations of people in Kargil and adjoining areas," he said. Asserting that the decision was taken keeping in mind the upcoming Lok Sabha and the assembly elections, the NC president said the BJP in "desperation is misusing the governor administration who, without taking cognizance of the aspirations of the people in Kargil, is acting ...
Deve Gowda says he had offered to resign from LS after Modi's win but PM asked him to continue
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda said in Lok Sabha Wednesday that he had offered his resignation as a member to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BJP's win in 2014 as he had said that he would quit if Modi gets more than 276 seats in the elections. Modi, however, asked him to continue as he was one of the more senior members of the House, he said in his speech during the last sitting of the 16th Lok Sabha which saw leaders of different parties including the Prime Minister sharing their experiences and views. The JD(S) leader also referred to the Congress' return to power in 2004 and said its then president Sonia Gandhi was unable to become the prime minister, to which Gandhi, who sat near him, quickly replied that "I didn't want to". Deve Gowda then corrected himself, saying this was not her desire. Referring to the 2014 polls, he said, "In the elections there is some exchange of words. If you (Modi) get more than 276 seats, I am going to resign. This is what I said." When ..
Pakistan plans 'massive' social media crackdown
Pakistan plans to launch a "massive" crackdown targeting hate speech and extremism on social media, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said on Wednesday as he boasted arrests have already been made. "A mechanism to this effect (launching a crackdown) has been prepared in consultations with the security agenciesIn the next few weeks we will launch a massive crackdown," he said while addressing a seminar here. Chaudhry regretted that certain elements through fake accounts on social media are resorting to hate speeches and issuing edicts. He said these elements will be brought to book. "This week we have made some important arrests on the basis that they used social media to issue fatwas and advance their extremist narratives and threats," he said, adding that the state will not allow extremists to dictate their narrative by use of force. "Only the state has the power to use force or violence. Any individual cannot be allowed to the same," he said. He said enforcement of relevant laws ..
US charges former Air Force intel officer with spying for Iran
The US Justice Department charged a former air force intelligence officer Wednesday with spying for Iran, saying she eposed a US agent and helped the Revolutionary Guard develop cyber targets in the US military. US officials said Monica Witt, who worked for years in US Air Force counterintelligence, had an "ideological" turn against her country and exposed US intelligence operations against Tehran.
Chauhan meets MP CM, points to law & order
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan met his successor Kamal Nath at the state secretariat here on Wednesday to discuss issues like problems of farmers and the law and order in the state.
Audio clip row: Govt-Oppn stand-off over SIT probe continues
The stand-off between the government and the opposition continued on Tuesday over an SITprobe into an audio clip involving BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa in a purported conversation to lure a JD(S) MLA in his alleged attempt to topple the Congress-JDS government. The BJP stuck to its strong opposition to the SIT and the ruling coalition refused to budge from its position that only a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe should be held. A meeting of floor leaders called by Karnataka Legislative Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar to resolve the issue failed to break the impasse. When the House met for the day after the Speaker's meeting with floor leaders, BJP criticised the government for being "stubborn", with Opposition BJP leader B S Yeddyurappa saying his party was opposed to an SIT probe. "We are open to a house committee or privilege committee or an inquiry by a judge, but the government is stubborn," he said. Another BJP leader Madhu Swamy said his party was open to an ...
Oppn leaders gather for 3rd time in a month in a show of unity; gun for Modi
Opposition leaders gathered on Wednesday for the third time in less than a month in a show of unity and mounted a blistering attack against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, saying the two should be "ousted" in the coming elections as they are a "threat" to democracy and constitutional values. In fiery speeches at a mega rally, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted the situation in the country is "more dangerous" than emergency while her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal said people should not repeat the mistake of making a "class 12 pass out" as prime minister and they should back an "educated" leader. Besides Banerjee and Kejriwal, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, Sharad Yadav of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), NCP's Sharad Pawar, DMK's Kanimozhi, ex-Arunachal chief minister Gegong Apang, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury, CPI leader D Raja and Samajawadi Party(SP) leader Ram ...
Protest against interrupted power supply in J-K's Bhadarwah
Hundreds of people staged a protest Wednesday against the alleged failure of the administration to restore power supply in Bhadarwah town of Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir. The protesters were agitated over Jammu Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar Verma's claim on Tuesday that power supply was restored by up to 90 per cent in the snowfall effected Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar districts and rest would be restored by Wednesday. Calling the statement as "irresponsible", the protesters, who assembled at Seri Bazar, area alleged the entire region was reeling under darkness after heavy snowfall on February 6 and demanded action against for his "misleading information". "The Amar Chashma transmission tower which broke down due to heavy snowfall has not been repaired till date. The statement of the divisional head is a cruel joke with the people of Chenab Valley," General Secretary, Shri Sanatan Dharam Sabha Bhadarwah, Neeraj Singh Manhas said. Manhas, who was leading the protest, said ...
Rahul Gandhi in Ajmer on Thursday
Congress president Rahul Gandhi will address All India Congress Seva Dal Maha Adhiveshan in Rajasthan's Ajmer on Thursday. The two-day 'adhiveshan' is being organised after 30 years. "Gandhi will speak on the last day of the 'adhiveshan'. He will come to Ajmer from New Delhi, and will leave for Gujarat after the event," Lalji Desai, Seva Dal chief organiser said.
INLD forms its new student wing
The Indian National Lok Dal has formed its new student wing ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. INLD president and former chief minister Om Prakash Chautala unveiled the banner and logo of the INLD Students' Organisation (ISO), and addressed the youth wing of the party, according to an official release issued Wednesday. He assured them that whenever the INLD would be voted to power, it would ensure that all young boys and girls get employment according to their qualifications. Rambir Singh Badala was appointed as the state president of ISO and Arjun Chautala, son of Leader of Opposition Abhay Singh Chautala, was made the national in-charge of the student wing. "Om Prakash Chautala also expressed satisfaction over the hard work that the party workers had invested in strengthening the party and said that he himself has been a worker and hence knew that they were the backbone of any organisation," the release said. In October last year, Om Prakash Chautala had dissolved the INLD's student wing
Rahul's lies on Rafale deal exposed, he should apologise: BJP
Congress president Rahul Gandhi's "lies" on the Rafale aircraft deal have been "exposed", the BJP said Wednesday, and demanded an apology from him after the CAG in its report said the deal was 2.86 per cent cheaper than what the UPA government had negotiated in 2007. BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also cited the Supreme Court order which had said there was "no occasion to doubt the process" of the Rafale deal, to assert there is nothing left for Gandhi to question the deal but he has been peddling lies and fake information by misrepresenting facts. At his press conference earlier Wednesday, Gandhi had criticised the CAG report for not mentioning the "dissent note" by negotiators and claimed that it was not worth the paper it is written on. The government's argument on price and faster delivery of Rafale jets has been demolished, Gandhi had claimed. Hitting back, Prasad cited the CAG report to say that the deal signed by the Modi government was cheaper and will ...
Rahul distributed fake facts based on lies on Rafale: BJP
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday hit out at Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying he was distributing fake facts based on lies and misrepresentation of facts on the 36 fighter jet deal with France.
Rahul places Congress ahead of others, says 2019 will shock Modi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said the Congress alone spoke for the whole of India within the opposition ranks and predicted that the 2019 Lok Sabha election outcome will stun Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
CAG report on Rafale could have been manipulated: Shiv Sena
The Shiv Sena Wednesday questioned the veracity of the Comptroller and Auditor General's (CAG) report on the Rafale jet deal, saying it could have been manipulated. The Sena is the BJP's alliance partner in Maharashtra as well as in the Centre, though it frequently attacks the saffron party. Speaking to the media here, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande asked why the Union government did not accept the demand of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe into the fighter jet deal. Opposition parties led by the Congress in the past had called for a JPC probe. The CAG report submitted in the Parliament earlier in the day said the deal negotiated by the NDA government to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets was 2.86 per cent cheaper than the UPA's 2007 negotiation. "There is a possibility of manipulation in the CAG report as has been in the case of other institutions. "The CBI and ED have been misused in the past.The BJP is doing what the Congress did," Kayande alleged.