Page 1665 - Politics
Rajasthan Assembly passes Bills to scrap minimum education criterion in panchayat, civic polls
The Rajasthan Assembly on Monday passed two bills which seek to end the minimum education criterion for panchayat and civic polls candidates. The House passed by voice vote the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and the Rajasthan Municipality (Amendment) Bill, 2019. The previous Vasundhara Raje-led government had introduced education criterion in 2015 which required a candidate to pass class 10 for contesting zila parishad, panchayat samiti and municipal elections. For contesting elections for Sarpanch of a panchayat in scheduled and other than scheduled areas, it was mandatory to pass class 5 and 8, respectively. Replying to the debate on the Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Amendment Bill, 2019, Panchayati Raj minister Sachin Pilot said that the present government is committed for development of every section of the society. "Sarpanches awarded by President, Vice President were declared ineligible due to the provisions in the previous Act. The Act was against the basics of the .
J&K govt seeks SC's nod to seek adjournment of hearing on pleas challenging Art 35A
The Jammu and Kashmir government Monday sought permission from the Supreme Court to circulate a letter to parties for adjourning upcoming hearing on pleas challenging the constitutional validity of Article 35A, which provides special rights and privileges to natives of state, saying there was no "elected government" in the state. The apex court is scheduled to hear during the week the petitions challenging the Article 35A. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was told by lawyer Shoeb Alam, representing the state government, that he was seeking its nod to circulate the letter to parties for getting the scheduled hearing deferred. "On the day of listing, the undersigned (Alam) shall be requesting for an adjournment in the matter since presently there is no elected government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and the state is under President rule. "The present matter involves a sensitive issue regarding a challenge to Article 35A of the Constitution of .
PDP's Fayaz Mir appeals PM to return mortal remains of Afzal Guru, Maqbool Bhat
PDP leader and Rajya Sabha member Mohammad Fayaz Mir Monday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to consider returning the mortal remains of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and JKLF founder Mohammad Maqbool Bhat to their respective families. Mir made the appeal in a letter to the prime minister, saying he was sure that the alienation of Kashmiris would come down by several notches if the Centre decided to return the mortal remains of Guru and Bhat. "How can dead bodies of two Kashmiri men, who lost their dignity in gallows, be a threat to a democracy like India? Is the collective conscience of India sans the collective conscience of Kashmiris. "I can with utmost responsibility say that should the Government of India decide to act upon this request, the animosity of Kashmiris and their sense of alienation can be brought down by several notches," the PDP parliamentarian wrote in the letter. Mir said there was nothing disrespectful in seeking the return of mortal remains of Guru
PM 'opened door' for Ambani to steal: Rahul
The Congress on Monday cited a media report claiming that the government waived anti-corruption clauses in the Rafale deal to call for a probe into "who paid whom", with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi "opened the door" to allow industrialist Anil Ambani to "steal" Rs 30,000 crore from the Air Force. The all-out attack on the government came after a report in The Hindu newspaper claimed the Rafale deal between India and France involved "major and unprecedented" concessions from the Modi dispensation, with critical provisions for anti-corruption penalties and making payments through an escrow account dropped days before the signing of the inter-governmental agreement (IGA). "NoMo anti corruption clause. The Chowkidar himself opened the door to allow Anil Ambani to steal 30,000 Cr. from the IAF (sic)," Gandhi tweeted, tagging the report. The government, as well as Ambani, whose company is offset partner under the deal, have strongly refuted ...
Russia: Venezuela hasn't asked for military assistance
A senior Russian diplomat says Venezuela hasn't asked Russia for military assistance amid the South American country's political crisis. Alexander Shchetinin, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Latin America department, said Monday that Moscow hasn't received any such request from Caracas, according to Russian news reports. Asked to compare the situation in Venezuela to Syria, where Russia has waged a military campaign to shore up President Bashar Assad's government, Shchetinin said "there is a big difference" between Syria and Venezuela but wouldn't elaborate. At the same time, the Russian diplomat strongly warned the US against making calls on the Venezuelan military to drop support for President Nicolas Maduro, saying it represented an "unthinkable meddling into foreign affairs of a sovereign nation.
College trust cancels Mevani event; principal quits in protest
A local college cancelled its annual day function Monday, after its trustees got protest calls against Dalit leader and Independent MLA Jignesh Mevani being made the chief guest. Slamming the decision of the Brahamchari Vadi Trust, which runs the HK Arts College, principal Hemant Shah resigned from his post, claiming the trust "compromised on the freedom of expression" and gave in to threats by student leaders of a political party. Mevani is an alumnus of the college. The trustees denied access to the auditorium, located on the campus, due to which the event had to be cancelled. "Because of threat calls made by BJP goons, trustees of HK Arts college, Ahmedabad I graduated from cancelled the annual function where I was invited as chief guest. Was going to talk about life and mission of Babasaheb (Ambedkar). Salute to Principal Hemant Shah who resigned on moral ground," Mevani tweeted. Mevani accused the trustees, some of them Padma awardees, of "not standing up against ..
Lone's Peoples Conference announces candidates for two LS seats in J-K
Peoples Conference led by separatist-turned-politician Sajad Gani Lone on Monday announced it will field a former PDP leader and a businessman on two Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir. The party's central election committee finalised the names of Raja Aijaz Ali for Baramulla Lok Sabha seat and Irfan Reza Ansari for Srinagar seat, a spokesperson of the Peoples Conference said. The state sends six members to the Lok Sabha. Raja Aijaz Ali, a former IGP, recently quit the PDP and joined the Peoples Conference. He unsuccessfully contested the 2014 assembly polls on a PDP ticket. Irfan Reza Ansari, a businessman, is younger brother of former PDP leader Imran Reza Ansari. The brothers had joined the Peoples Conference soon after Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the state assembly in November last year. Peoples Conference will be a breath of fresh air in comparison with the status-quo politics of National Conference and the PDP, the spokesperson said. "We will serve the people with ...
Cong to play on 'front foot' in UP, aim is to form govt in state: Rahul
Asserting that Congress will "play on front foot" in Uttar Pradesh, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday said he and his party will not sit idle till it forms a government in the state and that is the mandate given to Priyanka Gandhi and Jyotiraditya Scindia. During a roadshow that marked his sister Priyanka's first public event after being appointed as national general secretary with charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, the Congress president said he has asked her and Scindia, who has been made general secretary for western UP, their mandate is to bring a government in the state that will ensure justice for all. "Their aim is definitely the Lok Sabha elections, but also to bring a Cognress government here," he said. Asking crowd to repeat his "chowkidar chor hai" (guard is the thief) barb against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in connection with the Congress party's corruption allegation in the Rafale fighter jet deal, Gandhi alleged that the prime minister has "stolen" money from Uttar .
Shah's Goa meeting a 'flop show': Congress
Failure of BJP-led governments, both at the Centre and in Goa, to provide concrete assurances vis-a-vis resumption of mining activity in the coastal state, led to the "flop show" at the party workers' meeting addressed by BJP President Amit Shah on February 9 near Panaji, Goa Congress spokesperson Urfan Mulla said on Monday.
Vote for Modi will be wedding gift for this Hyderabad youth
He doesn't want guests to bring any gifts on his wedding but his only request to them is to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the coming general elections.
Threat to democracy, nation under Modi: Chandrababu Naidu
Charging the Centre with betrayal by not granting special status to Andhra Pradesh, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday claimed there is a threat to democracy and the country under the Narendra Modi-led BJP regime.
Number of vehicles more than doubled in Shimla in last 14 years
Number of vehicles plying on the roads of Shimla has more than doubled in the last 14 years, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the state assembly on Monday. Replying to a question regarding the government's plan to minimise traffic congestion in Shimla, the CM said a committee headed by principal secretary (transport) had already been constituted to prepare 'Shimla Mobility Plan'. He said, "Shimla is an internationally known tourist destination and traffic jams in the city at a regular interval are a matter of concern." Several steps have been taken to check traffic jam but the number of registered vehicles and the number of vehicles plying daily on Shimla city roads have more than doubled in the last 14 years, he added. He said the number of registered vehicles in the city has risen to 77,939 till date from 31,228 in 2005. Similarly, the estimated number of vehicles plying daily here has increased to 1,65,878 compared to 66,617 in 2005. On being asked if the ...
Pompeo visits Hungary, to raise concerns about China, Russia
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is in Hungary on the first leg of a five-nation European tour on which he'll raise concerns about China and Russia's growing influence in Central Europe. Pompeo is to meet in Budapest on Monday with Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban to stress the importance of promoting democracy and the rule of law. Officials say he'll make the case that such steps are key to countering Russian and Chinese efforts to pull Hungary and other countries in the region away from the West. The officials say Pompeo will point to Central Europe's reliance on Russian energy and the presence of the Chinese high-tech telecom firm Huawei, particularly in Hungary. The officials weren't authorised to publicly discuss Pompeo's travel and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
PM Modi to address women SHGs in Yavatmal district on Feb 16
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sound a poll bugle on February 16 from Pandharkawda town in Yavatmal district of Maharashtra at a rally of women members of Self Help Groups (SHGs), Union minister Hansraj Ahir has said. The PM would address members of SHGs operating across the east Maharashtra district and might declare some welfare schemes for them, the Union Minister of State for Home told reporters Sunday night. "Preparations for the PM's visit have already been started. This is the place from where PM Modi is set to sound the bugle for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections," said Ahir, who represents Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat of which Pandharkawda is a part. Ahir said over three lakh women are expected to attend the rally. The prime minister had in the past addressed women SHG members from adjoining Ghatanji tehsil through a video link, he said. Yavatmal, which is a part of the extended cotton belt in the Vidarbha region, used to be called as the "suicide capital of
China says US aims to 'stir up trouble' with naval sail-by
China accused the United States of trying to "stir up trouble" on Monday by sending two US guided-missile destroyers near disputed South China Sea islands. The two warships sailed near the Beijing-claimed Spratly Islands earlier Monday as part of what Washington calls "freedom of navigation operations", Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily press briefing. The US is "determined to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create tension and undermine peace", Hua said. She urged the US to cease the "provocative actions". The sail-bys -- conducted by USS Spruance and USS Preble -- occurred as both sides started crucial trade talks in Beijing this week, seeking to avoid an all-out trade war between the world's two biggest economies. Beijing asserts nearly all of the South China Sea as its territorial waters, while Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts. The US and its allies periodically send planes and warships near South China Sea ..
Naidu accuses NDA government of dividing country, spreading hatred among masses
BJP-led NDA government at the Centre is dividing the country and building a hatred campaign among the people of the country, said Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu here on Monday.Naidu, who is observing 'Dharma Porata Deeksha,' a day-long protest for justice, demanding special category status for his state, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not implementing the provisions under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014."The present Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NDA government are dividing the country. They are building a hatred campaign among the people. Ultimately, they want political gain, but it can't be. Prime Minister Modi is not implementing the provisions of the bifurcation Act," he told ANI."They are launching personal attacks and humiliating the people. The government is misbehaving. They are responsible for all these things," he said.Asked if the 'dharna' was another forum for the opposition unity, the TDP supremo said the political parties are showing
Chowkidar chor hai: Rahul at Cong roadshow with Priyanka in Lucknow
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday reiterated his stand on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as "chowkidar chor hai" and said the party would not sit idle until a government based on Congress ideology is formed in Uttar Pradesh.Massive enthusiastic crowds gathered to see Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi as they embarked on a roadshow, which also flags off Priyanka's electoral campaign as the General Secretary of eastern Uttar Pradesh.As the roadshow halted for a while, Rahul took the microphone and said "chokidar chor hai" and the crowd repeated the same chant.Attacking the Prime Minister, Rahul said: "The country's 'chowkidar' looted the people of Uttar Pradesh, the Air Force and others in the country. Chowkidar chor hai!"He added, "Uttar Pradesh is the heart of the country. I have appointed Priyanka and (Jyotiraditya) Scindia as UP general secretaries. Their aim is Lok Sabha but also to form the Opposition in Vidhan Sabha. I have told them to fight against the injustice that UP has ...
Egypt parliament to vote to extend el-Sissi's rule this week
Egypt's parliament has rescheduled for this week its vote on proposed changes to the constitution that would allow President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi to stay in office well beyond his current term, which ends in 2020. Parliament spokesman Ahmed Saad el-Din said on Sunday that the legislature would hold the crucial vote on Wednesday, instead of a scheduled meeting on February 17. The 596-seat assembly had given its preliminary approval to the changes last week. The motion is near-certain to be overwhelmingly approved by the legislature, which is packed with el-Sissi's supporters, but the amendments would also need to be put to a national referendum to become law. The proposed amendments also include the introduction of the role of vice president and the reintroduction of a Senate, or upper chamber.
Himachal Pradesh CM loses temper at Cong leader's jab in Assembly
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur lost his temper in the state Assembly on Monday while replying to a question on expenditure incurred on Jan Manch Programmes (JMPs) when Leader of Opposition Mukesh Agnihotri taunted him, saying such a scheme was also taken up during the Congress' rule. Answering a question asked by Congress MLA from Rampur, Nand Lal, during question hour in the ongoing budget session, the Chief Minister lost his temper when Agnihotri said, "JMP is not a new concept, such type of programme with 'Prashashan Janata Ke Dwar' name was also held during the Virbhadra Singh-led Congress government." At this, the chief minister, who is known for handling situations with calm, lost his temper and addressing Deputy Speaker Hans Raj, who was in chair in the absence of speaker Rajiv Bindal, said, "No member can intervene like this. You have provided me time to speak and no member can intervene time and again like this." While this was ensuing, Nand Lal said ...
US sails 2 warships close to disputed island chain in South China Sea; angers Beijing
The US sailed two guided-missile destroyers close to the disputed islands in the South China Sea on Monday to challenge China's excessive maritime claim, drawing the ire of Beijing which accused Washington of trying to "stir up trouble". The USS Spruance and USS Preble sailed within 12 nautical miles of the Spratly Islands as part of what the US Navy calls a "freedom of navigation operation," CNN reported. The move angered Beijing at a time when the US and China ton are locked in a trade war and are negotiating a deal ahead of a March 1 deadline when US tariffs on USD 200 billion worth of Chinese imports are expected to increase to 25 per cent from 10 per cent. Reacting to the US' move, China accused Washington of trespassing in its territorial waters. The US is "determined to stir up trouble in the South China Sea, create tension and undermine peace", Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a press briefing. She urged the US to cease the "provocative actions". The ...