Page 1650 - Politics
Karna assembly speaker compares himself to rape survivor
: Karnataka assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar Tuesday compared himself to a rape survivor having to undergo repeated questioning as he referred to repeated charges against him being part of the controversial audio tapes, over which government has constituted an SIT. The speaker made the intervention during the discussions in the assembly over the Special Investigation Team probe into an audio clip showing 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 Speaker, pointing to repeated reference to charges against him, said his "situation was like that of a rape victim, as they too are supposedly questioned about the incident repeatedly." Kumaraswamy on Monday had announced a comprehensive SIT probe into the audio clip. He had accepted an "advice" by an emotional Speaker to constitute SIT to probe the episode to "establish the truth" as his name has also been dragged with the charge that .
Issues of govt employees, teachers to be addressed soon: Punjab Guv
Punjab Governor V P Singh Badnore Tuesday said the state government was "seriously concerned" about the grievances of its employees including teachers, assuring their issues will soon be "addressed effectively". Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Lok Insaaf Party (LIP) members staged a walkout over separate issues soon after the Governor's address began. The SAD members spoke against the government over farmers' suicides and "non-fulfilment" of poll promises. The LIP members objected to the Governor reading out the speech in English and demanded that he speak in Punjabi. The Governor expressed the state government's commitment to take to its logical conclusion the probe into the desecration of religious texts in 2015, saying nobody involved in it will be spared. In his address on the opening day of the Budget Session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Badnore said the government has taken and shall continue to take all possible steps to fulfil its commitments despite severe financial ...
Rahul puts 41 seats in UP under Priyanka, 39 under Scindia
Congress president Rahul Gandhi has placed 41 Lok Sabha constituencies in Uttar Pradesh under the charge of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and 39 parliamentary segments under Jyotiraditya Scindia, a party statement said Tuesday. Priyanka Gandhi and Scindia were appointed AICC general secretary in-charge UP east and UP west respectively in January and took charge last week. Among the constituencies placed under Priyanka Gandhi's charge were the key seats of Lucknow, Amethi, Raebareli, Sultanpur, Gorakhpur, Varanasi, Phulpur, Allahabad, Barabanki, and Kushinagar. Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Moradabad, Ghaziabad, Mathura, Pilibhit, Dhaurahra, Kanpur, and Farrukhabad, were some of the key constituencies placed under Scindia's charge. A day after making her debut in Uttar Pradesh's political arena as Congress's general secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Tuesday got down to business, holding a marathon strategy session at the party office in Lucknow to script her party's victory in the upcoming ...
West Bengal govt appoints Meena as additional CEO
The West Bengal government Tuesday appointed Onkar Singh Meena as the additional chief electoral officer (ACEO), a notification said. Meena has been appointed as ACEO and ex-officio secretary of the Home and Hills department, it said. Meena, who was in-charge of the Housing department, was replaced by Khalil Ahmed, it said. Ahmed would also hold additional charge of commissioner of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and the secretary of the Fire and Emergency department, the notification added.
'Little to no change' in N Korean capabilities: US general
The commander of US forces in South Korea said Tuesday that he had seen "little to no verifiable change" in North Korea's military capabilities. President Donald Trump met North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last June in a bid to resolve tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear program, and the two signed off on a vaguely worded document in which Kim pledged to work towards "the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula." General Robert Abrams, the new head of US Forces Korea, said the summit had helped dial down tensions on the Korean peninsula, but had not led to substantive changes. "Little to no verifiable change has occurred and North Korea's military capabilities," Abrams told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "Further, North Korea's conventional and asymmetric military capabilities along with their continued development of advanced conventional systems remains unchecked. These capabilities continue to hold the United States, the Republic of Korea and our regional allies at risk." Abrams
Gujjar stir continues, Cong leaders say Rajasthan govt set to announce proposal to end impasse
The Gujjar community agitation for five per cent reservation in jobs and education continued on the fifth day Tuesday even as some Congress leaders claimed that the state government will announce a proposal Wednesday to break the deadlock. The agitators continued to block rail tracks and highways, causing inconvenience to common people. On Tuesday, they blockaded Chaksu town, about 40 km from here on National Highway 52, police said. The blockades on the Agra-Jaipur-Bikaner National Highway-11 in Dausa district, state highway in Nainwa of Bundi district, Malarna road in Sawai Madhopur and the Karauli-Hindaun road at Budla village in Karauli district continued. "Apart from the routes that were blocked till yesterday, agitators have laid a blockade at Chaksu town of Jaipur district. No untoward incident has been reported so far. The law and order situation is under control," Director General of Police (Law and Order) M L Lathar said. The North Western Railway informed through a bulletin
Punjab Assembly pays tributes to departed eminent personalities
The Punjab Assembly Tuesday remembered several eminent personalities from different walks of life who had passed away since the last session of the House. Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who is the leader of the House, was also present when the departed personalities were being remembered. The House, after the Governor's address on the first day of the Budget Session of the 15th Vidhan Sabha, paid tributes to former Union Defence Minister George Fernandes, ex-Punjab Ministers Dalip Singh Pandhi and Gobind Singh Kanjhla, freedom fighter Chanan Singh, martyrs Constable Mukhtiyar Singh, Gunner Lekh Raj and Lance Naik Sukhchain Singh. Former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was also present in the House. Speaker Rana Kanwarpal Singh proposed that tributes be paid to all those members who had passed away since the previous session. After the obituary references to the eminent personalities, he passed a resolution for conveying the condolences of the House to their respective ...
BJP workers will be given identity cards: Das
BJP workers will be given identity cards in Jharkhand to enable them to take up the problems of the common people in government offices, Chief Minister Raghubar Das said Tuesday. "Workers of BJP will be issued I-cards so that they can go to any government office and take up the work of the common people," Das said while addressing the partys Shakti Kendra Sammelan at Harmu ground here. Das also said that widows belonging to the poor would be given houses, street lights and drinking water would be provided in rural areas. The chief minister said farmers having less than one acre would also get Rs 5,000 from the state government and Rs 6000 from the central government, totalling Rs 11,000 per year. The state government had earlier announced to give Rs 5,000 per year to farmers who have less than one acre to up to five acres to purchase seeds or fertilizer from next fiscal with the upper limit being five acres. Reminding the party workers against unstable governments that .
Turkey detains more than 700 over alleged links to coup bid
Turkish authorities detained 729 people in nationwide raids Tuesday over alleged links to a group blamed for a failed coup in 2016, the Ankara public prosecutor's office said. Officials had sent to authorities in 75 provinces the names of 1,112 people under investigation over suspected ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen and his movement, it said. Gulen is accused of ordering the attempted putsch, a claim he strongly denies. Forty-five of those arrested were in the capital Ankara, a judicial source, who did not wish to be named, told AFP. "We do not know whether the provincial authorities detained or summoned all of the individuals whose names were given," the source added. The Ankara public prosecutor's office, which leads the coup investigation, said 130 people on the list of suspects were deputy police chiefs still on active duty. They are suspected of having obtained questions before sitting the 2010 exam to become inspectors, it added in a statement. Turkish ...
Stand-off between ruling coalition and Oppn over SIT probe
The stand-off between the government and opposition continued in the assembly Tuesday over an SIT probe into an audio clip showing 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. Kumaraswamy on Monday had announced a comprehensiveSIT probe into the audio clip. He hadaccepted an "advice" by an emotional Speaker Ramesh Kumar to constitute SIT to probe the episode to "establish the truth" as his name has also been dragged with the charge that he had been "booked" for Rs 50 crore. During an intervention in the discussions Tuesday, the Speaker, pointing to repeated reference to charges against him said his "situation was like that of a rape victim, as they too are supposedly questioned about the incident repeatedly." The Speaker called for a meeting of floor leaders on Wednesday to resolve the issue, as the BJP stuck to its strong opposition to the SIT, saying it could be used for ...
NDA govt has failed to live up to expectations:Cong
The Congress' Telangana unit Tuesday alleged that the NDA government has failed to live up to expectations generated by the BJP before the 2014 general elections. Congress' Telangana president N Uttam Kumar Reddy asked partymen in the state to gear up for the coming Lok Sabha polls to ensure the party's victory. Reddy, who held a teleconference with the party cadre, said they should work for the victory of the Congress to make party chief Rahul Gandhi the Prime Minister. The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee has been holding meetings of various party committees since the last couple of days to prepare the party machinery for the electoral battle. The party is also accepting applications from leaders aspiring to contest the polls. Opposition leader in the assembly M Bhatti Vikramarka had yesterday indicated that the candidates for the Lok Sabha elections were likely to be finalised by the end of February. Congress had contested the December seven Assembly elections in .
BSF, Pak Rangers hold flag meeting along IB in Jammu
The BSF and the Pakistan Rangers Tuesday held a flag meeting along the International Border (IB) here and vowed to maintain peace and tranquillity along the IB. On the request of the Pakistan Rangers, the sector commander-level meeting was held on the IB in Suchetgarh area of Jammu, a BSF spokesman said. The BSF delegation comprising 16 officers was led by P S Dhiman, DIG BSF, Jammu Sector. Brig Amjad Mehmud, Sector Commander Chenab Rangers, Sialkot, Punjab, led the Pakistani delegation comprising 14 officers. It was the first sector commander-level meeting between the two border guarding forces after tension prevailed along the IB in Jammu last month. During the meeting, commanders of both the forces, inter alia, discussed various issues, including cross-border firing, presence of suspects in border areas and other routine issues related to border management, the spokesperson said. It was decided to re-energize instant communication between field commanders, whenever required, to ...
SP Odisha unit threatens to oppose Adityanath's visit to state
Condemning the incident of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav being stopped at Lucknow airport, the SP's Odisha unit Tuesday threatened to "oppose" Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's proposed visit to the state next week. Terming the Lucknow airport episode as "illegal and undemocratic", Samajwadi Party Odisha unit president Rabi Behera claimed that the BJP is a "scared of growing popularity" of Akhilesh Yadav and hence they "directed" the police to detain him at the airport. "This is unconstitutional and dictatorial. Samajwadi Party Odisha unit will oppose Yogi's Odisha tour," Behera said in a statement. He said the SP Odisha unit will meet on February 15 to discuss on how to oppose the visit of Adityanath to Odisha. "Samajwadi Party Odisha Unit will avenge the dishonor and disrespect to their national president by opposing Yogi in the state," he said.
Odisha finalises name of Lokayukta chairperson
The name of the chairperson of the Odisha Lokayukta has been finalised by the selection committee on Tuesday, a top state government official said. Chief Secretary A P Padhi said the selection committee at its meeting on Tuesday presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik unanimously finalised the name of the Lokayukta chairperson. Asked about the name of the Lokayukta chairperson, Padhi said: "The state government will announce the name after getting the governors approval." The selection meeting was held under the chairmanship of the chief minister which was attended by Assembly Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, High Court Chief Justice Kalpesh Satyendra Jhaveri, chief secretary AP Padhi and General Administration department secretary, AK Meena at the State Guest House here. Padhi said that the selection committee will finalise the name of the other five members of the Lokayukta Committee in its next meeting. The chief secretary had .
Shah meets Guj BJP leaders to review LS poll preparations
BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday held a closed door meeting here with party leaders from Gujarat to review its Lok Sabha poll preparations. Party sources said Shah asked leaders to ensure BJP retains all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Shah also met former Unjha MLA Asha Patel who recently quit the Congress and the state Assembly and joined the ruling party. Patel told PTI that it was just a courtesy call. Gujarat Chief minister Vijay Rupani, Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, state unit president Jitu Vaghani, state BJP in charge Om Mathur and other leaders were present in the meeting held at the city circuit house.
'Historic blunder' if BJP loses Lok Sabha polls: Fadnavis
The BJP's defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls would be a "historic blunder" and would pave the way for a "non-decisive" government that would push the country back by 50 years, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Tuesday. He was speaking at a party function organised here. "It will be a historic blunder to defeat BJP in the 2019 general election. The 2019 election is not for BJP but it is important for Bharat," Fadnavis claimed. "If the BJP loses, a non-decisive government of 2009-14 (when Congress-led UPA was in power) will be repeated and India will go back by 50 years at least," he claimed, asking the gathering if they wanted such a scenario. Hitting out the opposition parties' poll chant "chowkidar chor hai (the watchman is a thief)", he said those who had done wrong were afraid of the "chowkidar". Chowkidar is a term often used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to describe himself and his style of governance. However, the Congress and its chief Rahul Gandhi
UDAN a game changer for aviation sector, says official
The regional air connectivity scheme has been a game changer for the aviation sector and 1 crore people will be travelling under the scheme after one year, a senior civil aviation ministry official said Tuesday. The scheme -- Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik (UDAN) -- seeks to connect unserved and underserved airports as well as make flying more affordable for the masses. As many as 675 routes have been awarded under three rounds of UDAN. Out of them, 138 have been operationalised, according to data compiled by the ministry. Speaking at an event here, Civil Aviation Secretary Pradeep Singh Kharola said UDAN has become a game changer for the aviation industry and 23 new places have been connected. "After one year, we will almost have 1 crore people travelling under UDAN...," he added. He was speaking at a gathering organised for MPs to thank them for their support to UDAN and it was also attended by representatives from various airlines, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Pawan Hans, ...
Uttarakhand to bring stringent law against spurious liquor
Facing widespread criticism over a hooch tragedy that left over 100 people dead in the state and neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, the Uttarakhand government on Tuesday announced a house committee would probe the incident and it would also enact a stringent law against spurious liquor.
There will be BJP flags in houses across India: Javadekar
As BJP kicked off its ambitious 'Mera Parivar, Bhajapa Parivar' campaign on Tuesday, Minister of Human Resource Development Prakash Javdekar said soon there will be BJP flags hoisted in houses on every street across India. "Within few days you will see that across India, in every street, there are BJP flags. You can see it from afar. This campaign will run for the coming 10 to 15 days and it will reach everyone. This kind of campaign is unique. We started this campaign in the bypolls. We have achieved good amount of success in it," he said. "From today onwards, the BJP has started a campaign 'Mera Pariwar, Bhajapa Pariwar'. As part of this, workers will hoist the flag of the BJP at their respective homes and put party stickers on their houses and vehicles. The stickers have on it - 'phir ek baar, Modi sarkaar'," he said. The exercise will last till March 2 and the saffron party aims to hoist its flag in five crore homes of its workers and sympathisers across the country. BJP sources ..
'Is this democracy?' Mamata as Akhilesh is stopped at Lucknow airport
Hitting out at the BJP after Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav was stopped at the Lucknow airport, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Tuesday took a veiled dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying though he advise everyone on democracy but was running a "dictatorship" himself. Talking to reporters at state secretariat 'Nabanna', Banerjee said the country has never witnessed such a "dangerous situation" before. Yadav said he was stopped by authorities at the Lucknow airport in a bid to prevent him from visiting Allahabad, where he was scheduled to take part at an event in Allahabad University. Without naming the prime minister, the Trinamool Congress supremo said "though he is giving advice to everyone on democracy but was running a dictatorship and not allowing opposition parties to hold their programme". Referring to BJP president Amit Shah's rally in West Bengal just after he recovered from swine flu, she said, they came from outside and talked on issues like swine ...