Page 1663 - Politics
Obama promised to carry forward peace after me: Dalai Lama
Former US President Barak Obama promised to Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama that after him, he would carry forward the promotion of world peace and non-violence, said the elderly Buddhist monk on Monday.
Leader of Oppn, 59 Congress activists arrested in Kolkata during protest on chit fund scam
Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Abdul Mannan was arrested Monday along with 59 Congress activists for staging a protest against "delay in action" in chit fund scam cases at Metro Channel here, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had recently held a sit-in over CBI's attempt to grill Kolkata Police chief. They were later produced before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in-charge, Judge Keya Sarkar, who granted them bail on a personal bond of Rs 300 each. A senior police officer said the Congress workers were initially persuaded to stop the demonstration, as they did not have permission to hold the protest at Metro Channel. When the agitators did not relent, the police had to use force to disperse the crowd, he said, adding that several Congress activists, including Mannan and Youth Congress leader Rohan Mitra, were arrested. The Youth Congress Monday convened a sit-in demonstration at Metro Channel area, in the heart of Kolkata, seeking immediate arrest of those involved
SC refuses to entertain BJP plea challenging ban on loudspeakers in West Bengal
The Supreme Court Monday refused to entertain a plea of the West Bengal BJP seeking to overturn the 2013 ban enforced by the Mamata Banerjee government on the use of loudspeakers in the state between February and March due to the 10th and 12th board examinations. A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan and Justice Sanjiv Khanna expressed unwillingness to allow the plea, leading senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi to withdraw it. "Counsel for the petitioner seeks leave of this court to withdraw the writ petition. The writ petition is dismissed as withdrawn," the court said. At the outset, the bench questioned the move of the party to assail the order saying "You are challenging an order of 2013?" "Yes, but it is applied every year," the lawyer said, adding that the apex court had recently allowed the party to move the state government afresh to seek permission to hold 'rath yatra' and without the use of the loudspeakers, they (rath yatra) would be of no value. "We are not saying that you are coming .
Pak finance minister hopes ties with India will improve after polls
Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar Monday expressed hope that ties with India will improve after the general elections as he underlined the need to increase regional trade and improve relations with neighbouring countries. The finance minister in his address to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Peshawar talked at length about his vision to build trade relations with all neighbouring countries. He said experts mostly from the western world rightly believe that increase in the regional trade including between Pakistan and India is important. But added that it was not immediately possible due to Pakistan factor in Indian elections. "As far as the east (India) is concerned, it seems that (there can be no progress) until elections are over in India. Half of their election campaigns are based on anti-Pakistan rhetoric, so right now they are busy with that. Once the elections are over, we hope that their behaviour will be better," he said. The Indo-Pak ties strained after the terror
Exclusive: Venezuela's Maduro seeks OPEC help against U.S. sanctions - letter
MOSCOW/LONDON (Reuters) - Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro has sought OPEC support against U.S. sanctions imposed on his country's oil industry, citing their impact on oil prices and potential risks for other members of the producer group.
BJP, JCC(J) MLAs accuse C'garh govt of targeting Oppn leaders
Opposition MLAs Monday protested in the Chhattisgarh Assembly accusing the Bhupesh Baghel government of "misusing" police to "target" their leaders and workers. BJP and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) MLAs sought a discussion through an adjournment motion notice which was rejected by the Assembly speaker. Raising the issue after Question Hour, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik alleged that the Congress government was deliberately targeting opposition leaders and trying to create an atmosphere of fear and terror in the state. "After the formation of new government in the state, BJP leaders and worker are being threatened with jail and are being implicated in false cases," Kaushik said. He urged the Speaker to accept their notice for adjournment motion and allow discussion on the issue. Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J) MLA Dharmjeet Singh said the Congress had got a mandate to carry out welfare works and not to target leaders of opposition parties. He
Cash-strapped Pak close to ink deal with IMF, says finance minister
Cash-strapped Pakistan's Finance Minister Asad Umar said on Monday said that Islamabad was close to striking a deal to secure financial support from the IMF following Prime Minister Imran Khan's meeting with the global lender's chief Christine Lagarde in Dubai. Pakistan's close ally the UAE has offered USD 3 billion to support its fragile economy. Saudi Arabia committed USD 6 billion to Pakistan as part of a bailout package to help shore up Islamabad's dwindling foreign currency reserves. Pakistan also reportedly received financial assistance from China. Addressing the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries in Peshawar, Umar said a deal with the IMF looks imminent and that there was a convergence of views between the two parties on the need to implement structural reforms in the country, reiterating Khan's remarks in the aftermath of the meeting Sunday, Geo TV reported. "There has been a decrease in the difference we had with the IMF. The IMF has changed its position... It seems we
BJD MP questions why reports on blackmoney not made public
Biju Janata Dal MP Bhartruhari Mahtab on Friday alleged that the government has "restrained" the Standing Committee on Finance chairman from sharing with the panel members three reports on black money. During the debate on the interim Budget 2019-20 in Lok Sabha, Mehtab said the Finance Ministry has also refused to make them public under Right to Information (RTI) citing breach of privilege of the House. Pointing to Veerappa Moily (Cong), who is the chairman of Standing Committee on Finance, Mehatab said even Moily has been restrained from sharing information with the members of the committee and questioned the motive behind it. The UPA government had commissioned in 2011 the studies by the Delhi-based National Institute of Public Finance and Policy (NIPFP) and the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER), and the National Institute of Financial Management (NIFM) in Faridabad. The study reports of the NIPFP, NCAER and NIFM were received by the government on .
Vatican receives delegation from Venezuela's Guaido
A delegation representing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido has meet with Vatican officials as the Holy See weighs a request from socialist President Nicholas Maduro to intervene in the country's political crisis. The Vatican said Monday that officials from the Secretariat of State expressed Pope Francis' proximity to all Venezuelans who are suffering. Spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said "the grave concern was underlined that a just and peaceful solution be urgently sought to overcome the crisis, respecting human rights and seeking the good of all of the inhabitants of the country and avoiding bloodshed." The Vatican didn't say who participated. Secretariat of State Cardinal Piero Parolin is the Vatican's former ambassador to Caracas. Maduro has asked the Vatican to help launch talks. Francis has said both sides must request external mediation.
Priyanka Gandhi logs in to Twitter
Logging into the social media with a Twitter profile on Monday, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi has amassed over 1 lakh followers and the count is increasing every second.
Interim Budget sign that government is afraid of not returning to power: TDP
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Monday said that the Interim Budget 2019-20 was an attempt to woo the voters and an indication that the Central government was afraid of not coming back to power.
MP CM Kamal Nath meets Naidu, accuses Centre of dividing institutions like RBI, CBI
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath Monday accused the Centre of dividing important institutions like the RBI and the CBI and vowed to expose it. Nath met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who is on a day-long protest here, and expressed his solidarity, according to an official statement. Naidu is on dharna against the central government for not granting special category status to Andhra Pradesh as envisaged in the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. While recollecting the proceedings of Parliament as Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Kamal Nath said he was not only the witness to the debates but also to the commitments made in Parliament for special status to Andhra Pradesh. "Non-fulfilment of the commitments made in Parliament is injustice to the people of Andhra Pradesh," he said. Describing the situation in the country, Nath said not only important institutions like the RBI, the CBI and the judiciary are divided, even the society is divided today. "This ...
Gen. Raheel Sharif-led IMCTC delegation arrives in Pakistan on first visit for talks
A delegation of the Riyadh-based Islamic military coalition against terrorism, headed by former Pakistan Army chief General (retd) Raheel Sharif, arrived here for the first-ever visit to the country for talks with the top Pakistani leadership on issues like counter-terrorism. The trip by head of the 41-nation military coalition comes ahead of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's visit to Pakistan on February 17. 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. A special plane carrying the delegation arrived at Nur Khan air base in the federal capital on Sunday, the Express Tribune reported. Quoting sources, the report said, during the two-day visit, the visiting delegation is likely to hold key meetings with the civil and military leadership of the country. The military officials are expected to meet ...
Naidu broke people's trust, his delusional politics about to end: Shah
With Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu sitting on a daylong fast here, BJP president Amit Shah Monday said the Andhra Pradesh chief minister knows that his political fortunes are declining rapidly and so he was back to theatrics in his desperation for grabbing headlines. In an open letter to people of Andhra Pradesh, Shah accused Naidu of breaking their trust and said he is going too far by "personally" attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Naidu's "delusional politics" is about to end, he said, adding that the BJP has full faith in 'Satyameva Jayate' (truth prevails). The TDP leader had recently taken the name of Modi's wife in attacking him. Naidu claimed he did so as the prime minister had referred to his son in targeting him in a rally. Naidu's daylong fast demanding special status for his state on Monday became a rallying point for the opposition, which got together for the second time in less than a month to present a united front against the government. In his ...
China upbeat on U.S. trade talks, but South China Sea tensions weigh
BEIJING (Reuters) - China struck an upbeat note on Monday as trade talks resumed with the United States, but also expressed anger at a U.S. Navy mission through the disputed South China Sea, casting a shadow over the prospect for improved Beijing-Washington ties.
Congress candidates for Telangana likely by Feb-end
The Congress party may announce its candidates for the coming Lok Sabha elections by February-end, a senior party leader in Telangana said on Monday.
Sack Tripura minister for 'indecent behaviour', demands Left Front
Tripura's opposition Left Front on Monday demanded state Minister Monoj Kanti Deb be sacked for "touching" his woman ministerial colleague in an "indecent manner" during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here on Saturday.
Yogi warns 'exemplary punishment' to guilty in hooch tragedy
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Monday warned that exemplary punishment will be given to those responsible for the deaths in the hooch tragedy, while saying "some people' were trying to vitiate the atmosphere in the state. Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the governor for his address to the joint sitting of the state legislature, the CM said the government will delve into the details and find out who were playing with the lives of the poor. "Some people are trying to vitiate the atmosphere of the state. The incident (hooch deaths) is unfortunate. Whosoever will be found guilty, he will get such a punishment that it will set an example for conspirators," he said in the state assembly. The chief minister alleged that in the past four cases of deaths due to consumption of spurious liquor, involvement of Samajwadi Party men were found. "The accused in similar cases in Azamgarh, Hardoi, Barabanki and Kanpur were of the SP," he said. On the Ram temple issue, ...
Cow important part of India's culture; vital element of rural economy: PM Modi
Extolling her as a mother, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said cow has been an important part of India's tradition and culture and his government has taken several steps to improve the health of cattle. Addressing a gathering after his first visit to Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir, he praised the people of Mathura-Vrindavan, saying 'gau sewa' is a tradition in the area, drawing loud cheers from his audience. They also raised slogans like 'gau mata ki jai' during the speech. Modi stressed his government has created a "security cover" to ensure good heath of children and mothers during the past 55 month of his rule. "But there is another mother, who has been nourishing us for ages. I want to express my gratitude to her from the land of Gokul. That mother is 'gau maa'. We cannot repay the debt of cow's (gau mata's) milk. Cow is an important element of India's tradition and culture," he said. He said his government has started the Rashtriya Gokul Mission to improve the health of ...
Need to weed out bogus voters among issues raised by parties
Political parties in Andhra Pradesh raised various issues with the Election Commission of India at Vijayawada Monday, like the need to weed out bogus voters and ensuring a foolproof voters list without depriving eligible voters the right to exercise their franchise. Opposition parties also objected to the distribution of post-dated cheques by the government to beneficiaries of various welfare schemes, saying it amounted to inducement of voters. Parties also wanted the ECI to count at least 10 per cent of the VVPAT slips to ensure they tallied with the votes polled on EVMs. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa, Deputy Election Commissioners Umesh Sinha, Sandeep Saxena, Sudip Jain and top EC officials interacted with representatives of parties as part of their two-day visit to Andhra Pradesh to review the preparedness for the coming elections to the Lok Sabha and the state Assembly. While the ruling Telugu Desam Party pressed for use .