Page 1654 - Politics
Cong, BJP war of words over Rafale turns uglier
The war of words between the Congress and the BJP over the Rafale issue turned uglier Tuesday as Rahul Gandhi accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "treason" and acting as Anil Ambani's middleman, prompting the ruling party to claim that he worked as a lobbyist for foreign firms. The Gandhi family has a history of "looting" the country, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said in a counter-attack, adding that it was height of "shamelessness and irresponsibility" that the Congress president "abused" the "honest" prime minister Modi. Firing a fresh salvo at Modi, Gandhi released to the media an email dated March 28, 2015 purportedly written by Airbus executive Nicolas Chamussy to three recipients with the subject line "Ambani". Quoting from the email, Gandhi claimed that Ambani was aware in advance of the Rafale deal before India and France announced it in 2015 during Modi's visit to the country and said that it was in violation of the Official Secrets Act. Modi's action "puts him in ...
Airport incident smacks of Centre's involvement: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday alleged that the Centre was "involved" in preventing him from flying to Allahabad from the airport here. At a hurriedly convened press conference here, Yadav claimed Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's remark, that the visit could have triggered violence, is a cover to hide nervousness and the incident shows how "scared" the government is. "I think the government at the Centre is also involved in stopping me. State police cannot enter airport as its security is in Centre's hand," he claimed. The former chief minister claimed that the state government could not have stopped him inside the airport. "This is work of the Centre. I think government at the Centre is also involved in stopping me. The state police cannot enter airport as its security is in Centre's hand. Despite this police reached there and stopped me without any written order," he said. Yadav said he was stopped from boarding a flight to Allahabad to attend a students' union ...
Erosion of J-K's special status responsible for mistrust towards New Delhi: Sajad Gani Lone
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone Tuesday said the erosion of Jammu and Kashmir's special status is responsible for the growing alienation and mistrust towards New Delhi. "It is a matter of promises made decades ago. It is a part of a set of special provisions offered to the people of the state in order to be part of India. People ignorant of history pass it off as concessions to the state," Lone said in a statement. He said tinkering with the constitutional provision will have serious consequences, adding that Article 35-A is not just a matter of legality but of trust between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. He said fiddling with Articles of trust like 35A intensifies the challenges faced by the state. "The state is facing challenges from forces who are not satisfied with the current level of distinctiveness and are rather disappointed by the gradual erosion of the special status and believe in a separate identity," he added. Lone said the Article 35-A and Article 370 are ..
12 parties meet to discuss People's Progressive Agenda
Leaders and representatives from across political parties met Tuesday for a round-table conference to discuss 'People's Progressive Agenda for India' (PPA). The PPA builds on the Common Minimum Programme of 2004 in collaboration with an independent organisation - Samruddha Bharat Foundation- to reassert the fundamental principle of one person-one vote, one vote one value and to reclaim constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and rights, as well as a life of dignity and security, a statement issued by the foundation said. The meeting, held at the Constitution Club here, saw participation from 12 parties including the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Loktantrik Janata Dal(LJD), Communist Party of India (CPI), Samajwadi Party and Swabhimani Paksha, it said. The PPA aimed to address the needs and aspirations of the vulnerable and marginalised sections like scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, other backward classes and overcome ...
Cambodia PM blasts 'interference' as EU trade deal threatens
Cambodian premier Hun Sen warned against interference in the country's affairs Tuesday, his first comments since the European Union launched steps to cancel trade benefits that would hammer the local garment industry. The bloc announced Monday it would begin a process of intensive monitoring to decide whether to suspend duty-free preferences under the "Everything But Arms" (EBA) deal. The move would deal a crippling blow to Cambodia's robust garment and footwear industry, which exports more than USD 4 billion worth of products to the bloc. It comes after repeated warnings from Brussels and in response to elections in Cambodia last year held without the opposition after the Supreme Court dissolved the party in the run-up to the vote. Cambodia is the EU's sixth largest garment supplier and the industry currently employs more than 700,000 workers, according to the country's factory association. Analysts say Hun Sen, who has ruled Cambodia for more than 34 years, is eager to retain the ...
Reports on black money are available for Par panel members: FM
Finance Minsiter Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the reports on black money are available for members of a Parliamentary committee, after some members of the panel claimed that the reports are not being shared with them. The issue was raised by BJD leader B Mahtab during the discussion on Finance Bill and he was supported by TMC member Saugata Roy. Mahtab alleged that the government has restrained the Standing Committee on Finance Chairman from sharing with the panel members three reports on black money. In response, Goyal said the reports are available for the members, but not available for putting in public domain. The minister also said the figures are different in the reports and there is no credible conclusion. He cited various communications from the Lok Sabha Secretariat and said the reports are now property of the Secretariat. Congress leader Veerappa Moily is the chairman of the panel. The UPA government had commissioned in 2011 the studies by the Delhi-based ...
Amit Shah visited Goa to collect Rafale files from Parrikar's bedroom: Congress
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national President Amit Shah's "real" mission during his Goa visit on Saturday was to take away files related to the Rafale deal from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's bedroom, Goa Congress spokesperson Jitendra Deshprabhu alleged on Tuesday.
Congress stages walkout after government accuses it of misleading people on Rafale
The Congress on Tuesday staged a walkout from the Lok Sabha after the government rejected its demand for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Rafale fighter jet deal and accused the opposition party of "misleading" people on the issue.
DMDK to finalise poll alliance by month-end
DMDK Deputy General Secretary L.K. Sudhish said here on Tuesday the party will finalise electoral alliance by the end of this month.
Singh terms "mahagathbandhan" of opposition parties as "thag
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh Tuesday termed the "mahagathbandhan" (grand alliance) of opposition parties as "thag bandhan (alliance of cheats). Singh, who is now the BJP national vice president said the opposition leaders were forging "mahagathbandhan" as they are afraid that the BJP will return to power again. "... UPA mein khalbali machi hei (there is commotion in UPA). SP, BSP and Congress had looted the country and the people saw it before 2014 ... Mamata Banerjee and Chandrababu Naidu are also forging 'thag bandhan' to challenge Narendra Modi as another five years of Modi rule will clear the path for jail of corrupt leaders," he told a rally here. Addressing the BJPs Shakti Kendra Sammelan at Harmu ground here, Singh asked the BJP workers to "remain alert" and termed the Lok Sabha elections as "dharam yudh" (contest of righteousness). He accused the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal of "disrespecting" institutions like the CBI and ...
Will take up with centre,demand to ban video sharing app; Govt
The Tamil Nadu government Tuesday assured members in the assembly that it would take up with the Centre, the demand for a possible ban against a video-sharing app, which reportedly misleads children and youth. Information Technology Minister M Manikandan said the government would respond to concerns expressed by various stakeholders, including political leaders in the state. He was responding to Manithaneya Jananayaka Katchi (MJK) MLA M Thamimun Ansari, elected to the Assembly on the AIADMK symbol, who raised the issue on the floor of the House today. Ansari allegedly that the social media app was misleading children and youth and expressed apprehensions that it could even lead to law and order problems and sought government action to ban the app. Responding to Ansari, Manikandan said "political leaders and many others have been expressing concern" over the app. "We will take up the matter with Centre to take action (possibly banning it)," he said. He also recalled that ...
Reliance Defence rejects Rahul's charges, says 'proposed MoU' cited by him not on Rafale
Reliance Defence on Tuesday said the "proposed MoU" mentioned in a purported email cited by Congress president Rahul Gandhi in his fresh allegations on the Rafale deal was a reference to its cooperation with Airbus Helicopter and had "no connection" with the fighter jet contract. Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "treason" and violating the Official Secrets Act by acting as Anil Ambani's "middleman" in the Rafale jet contract, citing an email to claim the businessman was aware of the deal days before India and France finalised it. "Purported email being referred by the Congress Party is regarding the discussion between Airbus and Reliance Defence regarding Civil & Defence Helicopter Programs under 'Make in India'," a Reliance Defence spokesperson said in a statement. Gandhi released to the media an email dated March 28, 2015 purportedly written by Airbus executive Nicolas Chamussy to three recipients with the subject line "Ambani". He claimed the email ...
No terror incident under NDA govt: Madhav
Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav on Tuesday said the NDA government has given India a "sense of security" and there has been "no terror incident" in the country in the last five years. The BJP national general secretary said the surgical strike carried out by the Indian Army in 2016 had conveyed a strong message to terrorists. "We have given a sense of the security to this country. We have ensured a strong security setup in the country," Madhav told reporters on the sidelines of an event here. " ...there has been no terror incident in this country in the last five years," he said. Comparing the NDA with the previous governments, Madhav said, "Earlier Pakistani terrorists used to come inside (our country), engineer terror attacks and kill civilians." He added that no terrorist was allowed to enter India and carry out an attack during the NDA government's tenure. "Instead we entered their country and taught them a lesson," Madhav said. "By undertaking the surgical strike, we have conveyed a
Modi has committed treason, revealed defence secret to private entity: Rahul
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of treason, alleging he violated the Official Secrets Act and divulged information about the Rafale deal to a private business entity.
Saudi-led military coalition chief Raheel Sharif calls on Pak PM
Pakistan's former army chief Gen Raheel Sharif, who is heading a Saudi Arabia-led Islamic military coalition, on Tuesday called on Prime Minister Imran Khan and exchanged views on regional peace and stability besides discussing matters of mutual interest. Saudi Arabia acquired the services of Gen. Raheel, who retired in November 2016, as head of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) in 2017. The IMCTC was cobbled together in December 2015 to combat terrorism . Sharif, who is considered to be close to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, is leading a delegation of IMCTC - the 41-nation military coalition - to Pakistan. During the meeting, Khan and Sharif "exchanged views on regional peace and stability besides discussing matters of mutual interest", state-run Radio Pakistan reported. Sharif, who arrived in Islamabad Sunday ahead of the Saudi crown prince's maiden two-day trip starting February 16, has been busy meeting political and military bigwigs since then. He
J-K guv's admin forms panel to decide on divisional setup in Ladakh
The Jammu and Kashmir's governor's administration has formed a high level committee to determine the scope and size of division level offices, their staffing and location for the newly constituted division for Ladakh region. The Jammu and Kashmir administration Friday created a separate division for Ladakh, which had been part of the Kashmir division till now. Ladakh will now have a separate divisional commissioner and an Inspector General of Police (IG) with a full administrative and revenue division at par with Kashmir and Jammu divisions, an order issued by the administration said Friday. "It is with this in mind that the government decision included the formation of a committee of very senior officers of the state to determine the location and scope and size of division level offices, their staffing, size and most importantly, their location," an official spokesperson said Tuesday. This committee will submit it's report "in a very short time" after interacting with all the ...
Top U.S. officials arrive in China for trade talks as deadline looms
BEIJING (Reuters) - Top U.S. officials arrived in the Chinese capital on Tuesday ahead of high-level trade talks as the world's two largest economies attempt to hammer out a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline and avoid another escalation of tariffs.
Khalistan groups behind Amritsar grenade attack: Minister
The Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) and the International Sikh Youth Federation (ISYF) were involved in the November 2018 grenade attack at a weekly congregation of the Nirankari sect in Punjab's Amritsar district, Parliament was told on Tuesday
Punjab Government committed to pursue sacrilege cases: Governor
In what could spell more trouble for the Shiromani Akali Dal, Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore on Tuesday declared the government's "commitment to pursue and take to their logical conclusion" investigations into the sacrilege cases and the false cases registered during the previous regime.
UDF boycotts assembly proceedings over Jayarajan issue
The Congress-led UDF Tuesday boycotted proceedings on the last day of the Assembly session after the Speaker declined to allow discussion on the CBI charge sheet filed against CPI(M) leaders P Jayarajan and T V Rajesh. Despite protests by the opposition parties, the Assembly was adjourned sine die. The opposition party members, led by Ramesh Chennithala boycotted the session, saying their adjournment motion should have been allowed as a person accused in a murder case was present in the House. "A sitting MLA has been named in the charge sheet. How can a political party functioning in a democratic manner get involved in a mob killing?" Chennithala asked. He alleged that 27 political murders had taken place in the state since the Pinarayi Vijayan government came to power four years ago. "If we can't present this issue in the assembly, then why are we coming here? Is this democracy? it is a serious issue.. We decided to protest.. We express our strong protest," he ...