Page 1691 - Politics
CM releases audio clip on "toppling" bid, Congress to crack
The political war over charges of horsetrading escalated in Karnataka Friday with chief minister H D Kumaraswamy releasing an audio clip in which state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa is puportedly trying to lure a JDSMLA for destabilising the coalition government. Yeddyurappa, who is at the vortex of the row over his alleged bid to poach the ruling coalition MLAs for the past few weeks, was quick to dismiss the clip as "fake" and a "concocted story". On a day of sudden twists and turns, the Congress decided to crack the whip and initiate action against four rebel MLAs of the party under the anti-defection law after they skipped a legislature party meeting here. Lawmakers Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra, who have remained defiant and skipped the CLP meetings on January 18 and Friday despite a whip, would face action, CLP leader Siddaramaiah told reporters. They were also among those absent from the assembly since the budget session began ...
Odisha Assembly logjam resolved after all-party meeting
The impasse over various issues, including chit fund scam, which paralysed the Odisha Assembly for five days on the trot, was resolved Friday after an all-party meeting. The meeting, convened by Speaker P K Amat, resolved to bring back normalcy in the House and allow passing of the The Odisha Appropriation (Vote on Account) Bill, 2019. Earlier, Amat had adjourned the Assembly thrice owing to pandemonium. The opposition Congress and BJP members were agitating in the well of the House for five consecutive days. The uproar began in the House as soon it assembled at 10.30 am. While the BJD MLAs shouted slogans against the Centre for its "gross apathy" towards Odisha, the opposition Congress and BJP members demanded a discussion on the farmers' issue as well as sexual assault of minor girls in the state. Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra told reporters that the Congress had urged the Speaker to initiate discussion on unemployment and farmers issues. "The government did ...
TN to unveil Farmer Producer Organisation policy shortly
The Tamil Nadu government proposed to unveil a new farmer producer organisation policy shortly, aimed at promoting agro-processing industries, deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam said Friday. The new policy was in line with the food processing policy unveiled by the government recently, he said, while presenting the budget for 2019-20. "The Tamil Nadu Farmer Producer Organisation Policy is proposed to be unveiled shortly and will strengthen the promotion of agro-processing industries," he said. Works for setting up 10 Food Processing Parks across Tamil Nadu were "in progress", he said, adding "..private investors are also keen to invest in the agro-processing sector." "A French company has signed a memorandum of understanding to invest Rs 2,000 crore to set up an integrated food processing park near Chennai," he said. The government would continue to promote setting up of mega agro-processing parks to generate more non-farm employment opportunities for people who are ..
Cong, JD(U) to vote against Citizenship Bill in Rajya Sabha: NESO
A platform of tribal student bodies of the north east Friday claimed that it had the support of different political parties, including the Congress, the JD(U), who have promised to vote against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 in the Rajya Sabha. The bill, which is being opposed by majority of the student bodies and state governments in the region, had been passed in Lok Sabha on January 8. North East Students Organisation (NESO) joint secretary Upendra Debbarma said that a 15-member NESO delegation, led by its chairman Samuel Jirwa, met Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, Janata Dal (United) leader Prashant Kishor, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Rawat among others during a visit to New Delhi early this month to garner support against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. "All of them have assured us that they are with the indigenous people of Tripura and the north east... They have assured us that they will not allow the .
You people grow tea, I make tea, Prime Minister Modi tells mammoth crowd in Jalpaiguri
Striking an emotional chord with the locals at his hugely attended public meeting here at Mainaguri on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi saidIn an apparent reference to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, an upbeat Prime Minister Modi also said: "Come to Jalpaiguri and see the support for BJP." "TMC is the Communist part two," he said.Prime Minister Modi, who was speaking after inaugurating the new High Court circuit bench in Jalpaiguri, said: "Congress, Trinamool Congress or Left is not concerned about the people's welfare. All the facilities provided to the people of Bengal are being facilitated by the Central government."Stating that Jalpaiguri circuit bench of Calcutta High Court would benefit the local population, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "Brothers and sisters, 20 years ago this project was initiated but your demand for ages has finally been fulfilled today.""Now the people of Jalpaiguri will get justice in Jalpaiguri itself. They won't have to go to Calcutta High Court .
BJP plans its own 'Diwali' for government scheme beneficiaries on Feb 26
Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar on Friday urged the beneficiaries of central and state government schemes, including One Rank One Pension, to light lamps outside their homes on February 26 to celebrate Kamal Jyoti Utsav, a pre-poll programme organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party on the lines of Diwali.
AAP demands live telecast of Pb Assembly Budget Session
A delegation of the Aam Aadmi Party MLAs on Friday met the Punjab Assembly Speaker and urged him to allow live telecast of the proceedings of the forthcoming Budget Session. The delegation was led by Leader of Opposition Harpal Cheema and MLA Aman Arora. The Budget Session of the Punjab State Assembly will begin here from February 12. The AAP leaders contended that a live telecast of assembly proceedings be allowed on the lines of the both Houses of Parliament and a number of state assemblies. They said this will improve the functioning of elected representatives on the floor of the House. "Since public money is involved in running the Assembly, hence people have a right to know as to how their elected representatives function and conduct themselves in the House. This would also help ensuring transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government machinery and the Opposition as well," Arora opined. Arora further said that in recent times some members of the House ...
Will campaign against BJP if mining not resumed: Goa mining dependants
Expressing disappointment with their meeting on Wednesday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Goa Mining People's Front has now threatened to take the battle to the ruling BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha and by-polls to two Assembly seats.
Modi govt wrote off 3.5 lakh cr debt of industrialists: Rahul
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday mocked the Modi government for announcing support of Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmers when it "wrote off" Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of 15 big industrialists. Gandhi also reiterated that the PMO was directly involved in conducting negotiations with the French side on the Rafale deal. The Congress would ensure minimum income guarantee for the poor if elected to power after the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, he said. Addressing a Kisan Aabhar Sammelan (thanksgiving rally) here, the Congress president said that the BJP hailed the announcement of the cash support for farmers in the Lok Sabha when the interim Union Budget 2019-20 was presented. "They were hailing the decision, but announced only Rs 17 assistance per day to farmersOn one hand, the government wrote off Rs 3.5 lakh crore loans of 15 big industrialists, but gave Rs 17 per day to farmers. "If you divide that amount further, it comes down Rs 3.5 per person," he told the ...
Despite split, Chautala family feud continues to play out in public
The family feud in the Chautala family continues to play out in public despite the INLD's split, with senior leader Abhay Chautala accusing his elder brother, Ajay Chautala, of selling party tickets in the 2014 elections. "Ajay shook hands with many of our opponents who belonged to different parties. He entered into a quid-pro-quo arrangement with them by extending help to them in the 2014 Vidhan Sabha polls in return of the favour they extended to him to help his son, Dushyant Chautala, in the Lok Sabha polls (from Hisar) the same year," Abhay told reporters after a party meeting here on Wednesday. Abhay Chautala had also accused his elder brother of back-stabbing the party. "The INLD could have come to power in the 2014 assembly polls. Earlier, kept a few thing under wraps in the party's interests. However, we must now tell that Fatehabad, Ateli and Ballabhgarh seats were sold for Rs 50-lakh each," he had told party workers. Ajay Chautala and his father and Indian National Lok Dal ..
Govt handing out doles for votes, alleges Oppn during Budget
The opposition on Friday accused the government of bringing a populist budget aimed at garnering votes in Lok Sabha polls due this summer. Initiating the debate in Lok Sabha on the Interim Budget amid protests by the Congress on the Rafale issue, Biju Janata Dal(BJD) leader Tathagata Satpathy alleged that the government was "completely following misdeeds and modus operandi" of the previous Congress government. Taking a dig at the government, he said the underlying message of the budget appeared to be "tum mujhe vote do, main tumhe paise dunga" (You give me vote, I will give you money), a reference to doles announced by the government for different classes. Everything this government has done has been aimed at the super rich, Satpathy charged. In an apparent jibe at Finance Minister Piyush Goyal, who was present in the House, he said a number of senior Cabinet ministers in the government are from the Rajya Sabha while those from the Lok Sabha have been ignored. Lok Sabha .
Separate division for Ladakh: Omar promises two more for Chenab valley, Pir Panjal if voted to power
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Friday said he will grant status of division to Chenab valley and Pir Panjal region if his party was voted to power in the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir later this year. The former chief minister was reacting to state government's decision to grant status of Division to Ladakh region, consisting of Leh and Kargil districts. "After the elections of 2019, should the people of J&K repose faith in @JKNC_ , our government will grant division status to Chenab valley & Pir Panchal regions as already laid out in our regional autonomy promise," Omar tweeted. In a major decision, the Jammu and Kashmir administration Friday created a separate division for Ladakh, which was 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 ...
Amit Shah dares SP, BSP and Congress to clear stands on Ram temple
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah on Friday dared the Samajwadi Party (SP), the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Congress to clear their stands on the Ram temple construction.
Congress flogging a dead horse on Rafale deal: Nirmala
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday hit out at the Congress over its attack on the government on the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying the party is flogging a dead horse to keep the issue alive.
London pushes to take Saudis off EU dirty money blacklist: sources
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain is leading a group of European Union states who are trying to block an EU plan to include Saudi Arabia and 22 other jurisdictions on a blacklist of countries that pose money-laundering and terrorism financing threats, sources said.
Manjhi rubbishes rumour of his return to NDA
Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) president Jitan Ram Manjhi Friday scotched rumour of his quitting mahagathbandhan and returning to NDA and termed such unverified reports as a "conspiracy" to malign his and his party image. He made it clear that he is with RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Grand Alliance in Bihar which comprises of RJD, Congress and RLSP besides his party HAM. Manjhi's criticism of dharna by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee against CBI action against Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar early this week had triggered speculation of his end of inning in the mahagathbandhan and return to the NDA. There is no truth in it (rumour about his joining NDA). Disinformation is being spread as part of a conspiracy to malign my and my party image, Manjhi said. Manjhi, who was made chief minister by Nitish Kumar in 2014 later fell out with his mentor and formed his party HAM. HAM joined hands with the BJP in 2015 Bihar polls but with return of Nitish Kumar in ..
Raj BJP takes out massive protest against ruling Cong "for failing to keep farm loan waiver promise"
Hundreds of BJP office bearers and workers courted arrest on Friday during a statewide agitation against the ruling Congress "for not keeping its farm loan waiver promise". In Jaipur, nearly 10,000 BJP workers took out a rally from the state BJP headquarters to Civil Lines Crossing in the city, led by state party president Madan Lal Saini and MP Ramcharan Bohra. Former state ministers Arun Chaturvedi, Kali Charan Saraf and sitting MLAs Ramlal Sharma and Ashok Lahoti also participated in the agitation. Police said, "The protesters shouted slogans against the government, tried to cross barricades laid by the force and courted arrest. They were released later." BJP spokesperson Vimal Katiyar claimed that around 1 lakh BJP members, including 10,000 leaders, office bearers and workers in the state capital, were arrested in Rajasthan, protesting against the government for not fulfilling its promise of farm loan waiver. However, DGP (law and order) Mohan Lal Lather said around 1,500 people ..
Europe not to be trusted: Iran leader
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Friday that Europe "cannot be trusted", a week after the EU launched a trade mechanism to bypass US sanctions on Tehran. "These days there's talk of the Europeans and their proposals. My advice is that they shouldn't be trusted, just like the Americans," he said at a meeting with air force officials, his website reported. "I'm not saying we shouldn't have relations with them. This is about trust," he added. Britain, France and Germany last week launched a special payment mechanism called INSTEX to help save the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers. It would allow Tehran to keep trading with EU companies in spite of US sanctions renewed after Washington quit the accord last year. Tehran has cautiously welcomed INSTEX as a "first step", but US officials said the new entity would not have any impact on efforts to exert economic pressure on Iran. Khamenei also accused Europe of hypocrisy over human rights, criticising France's .
Telangana BJP slams KCR for not forming full Cabinet
The BJP in Telangana Friday found fault with the ruling TRS for not forming a full Cabinet even over 50 days after the government assumed office, claiming that principles of the Constitution emphasise on putting in place a council of ministers. "The government is being run by officials, there is no cabinet. It's not a delay of one or two days... After four days, it is going to be two months since KCR (Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao) assumed office," BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao told reporters. After his party's spectacular victory in the December 7 assembly elections, Chandrasekhar Rao took over as Chief Minister for a second term on December 13. Mohd Mehmood Ali was the only minister to take oath of office along with him. It is a "new record in India" that there has been no full Cabinet in close to two months and a "matter of shame" for Telangana, he claimed. The BJP spokesperson said Article 163 of Constitution talks about council of ministers to be in place
Rahul ramps up Rafale attack after media report, says PM guilty
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday demanded answers to questions raised by a media report that the PMO conducted parallel negotiations on the Rafale deal, saying it is now crystal clear that the "watchman" is the "thief" as he ramped up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It is an open and shut case, Gandhi declared, citing a report in The Hindu newspaper claiming the Defence ministry raised strong objections to "parallel discussions" conducted by the Prime Minister's Office during the negotiations over the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal between India and France. As the report drew fresh battle-lines with the BJP and its ministers terming Gandhi's allegations another "lie from his lie manufacturing factory" and opposition leaders speaking out against the deal, the Congress president brought in his brother-in-law Robert Vadra and senior leader P Chidambaram to make his point. "Whatever inquiry you want to do, you do it. You implement the law. Robert Vadra, P ...