Page 1694 - Politics
Defence Ministry had not objected to pricing part of Rafale deal, says former Defence Secretary
The Defence Ministry had given a dissent note to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) over sovereign guarantee aspect of the negotiations in the Rafale fighter deal but it had nothing to do with pricing issue, the then Defence Secretary G. Mohan Kumar said on Friday."It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions," Kumar told ANI when asked if he remembered the context of the note."The context is there in the newspaper. Whatever has been brought out (in the newspaper), it has nothing to do with pricing. Negotiations are not just for pricing but other things also. It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions," he elaborated.Kumar, who was the Defence Secretary from 2015 to 2017, spoke shortly after Congress President Rahul Gandhi cited the media report to contend that PMO and Defence Ministry were not on the same page on Rafale negotiations. Gandhi has been alleging that the pricing of the fighter plane, under the deal for procuring 36 aircraft ...
Then French PM had written to Indian government backing the Rafale deal obligations
New Delhi (India), Feb 8 (ANI): At a time when the government is facing backlash for not getting sovereign guarantee from France in the Rafale jet deal, it is emerging that the then French prime minister had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that their government would fully back the obligations made by their firms in the contract."I hereby confirm that the government of the French republic is fully committed in doing whatever is necessary to make sure that Dassault Aviation and MBDA of France, each in their own respect, do their utmost to fully respect their obligations in accordance with aforesaid inter-governmental agreement and annexed supporting protocols," said the letter in possession of ANI.The letter was written by the then French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on September 8, 2016."The contacts between our two governments defined in particular the terms of the inter-governmental agreement which determines to our mutual satisfaction the framework and ...
SC dismisses Tejashwi plea challenging govt order to vacate bungalow
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav's petition challenging the Bihar government's order to vacate the bungalow allotted to him while he was the deputy chief minister.The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi also slapped a fine of Rs.50, 000 on the RJD leader.The bungalow was allotted to Tejashwi in 2015 after his appointment as the deputy chief minister in the Nitish Kumar-led government in the state. However, he continues to occupy the bungalow even after the Kumar-led Janata Dal (United) broke the alliance with the RJD.The bungalow was reassigned to present Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi in 2017 after the JD(U) formed a coalition with the BJP.
'Chowkidaar' vigilant as Congress leaders try to dodge judiciary: PM
Calling himself as the 'Chowkidaar' (watchman), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday stated that he is on alert as Congress leaders are trying to dodge the judiciary."There are cases going on against almost every member of the Congress. The situation is such that they are all out on payroll today (Congress ke parivaar ke namdaar parivaar ke karib-karib har sadasya ke virudh aaj adalaton mein maamle chal rahe hain, halat ye hai ki parivaar ke zyadatar sadaysa aaj zamanat pe bahar hain ya agrim-zamanat lekar baithe hain)," Prime Minister Modi said while addressing a rally here."Chowikidaar is on alert amid their (Congress leaders) strive to avoid judiciary (Kanoon se bachne ki inki koshisho ke beech, Chowkidaar alert hai). He is working towards taking out all their hidden secrets," he added.Taking a dig at the Opposition's call for a grand alliance, Prime Minister Modi said, "Such people are becoming a part of the Opposition's grand alliance today, who earlier parted ways from ...
Manohar Parrikar dismissed MoD's fear that negotiations over Rafale were weakened by calling it an "over reaction"
Government on Friday dismissed a media report that claimed that Defence Ministry officials had raised concerns over the direct involvement of Prime Minister's Office in the Rafale deal and said that the report failed to publish response of the former minister Manohar Parrikar's response to the note by the MoD over negotiations over the Rafale deal.According to the document accessed by ANI, the media report had given half picture of the full story as it did not highlight the file noting of the former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who had dismissed concerns raised by the officials of his ministry in the Rafale aircraft negotiations saying that the fear was an "over reaction." He also called for further consultations to clarify any points.A media report published on Friday claimed that the Defence Ministry officials had raised concerns over the direct involvement of prime Minister's Office in the Rafale deal saying "parallel discussion by the PMO had weakened the negotiating position
J-K highway closed for 3rd consecutive day; stranded people protest in Jammu
Jammu-Srinagar national highway, an all weather road link between Kashmir and rest of the country,remained closed due to heavy snowfall and landslides for the thirdconsecutive day Friday, triggering protests by the stranded people in Jammu. Over 1500 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying essential supplies are stranded at various places on highway fromLakhanpur in Kathua district to Banihal belt of Rambandistrict. "The highway is closed for the third consecutive daytoday due to multiple landslides and snowfall.No traffic has been allowed on highway fromJammu," police officials said. Due to landslides and snowfall, the highway has becomefragile for the vehicular traffic and in various other sectors it has become slippery, they said. Apart from snowfall in Jawahar tunnel and Patnitopareas, there were landslides in Ramban district, they said. The men and machines of BRO are working to clear thehighway of landslides and shooting stones, occurredat Marog, Battery Chashma, Anokhi fall and ...
Rafale secrets tumbling out of Parrikar's bedroom: Goa Congress
The Goa Congress on Friday made a renewed pitch for a probe into the contents of an audio tape, in which Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane had claimed that former Defence minister Manohar Parrikar had stashed files related to the Rafale deal in his bedroom.
Omar Abdullah asks those aligned with BJP to explain report on purported Defence Ministry note
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Friday said he would like to see how those aligned with the BJP would explain reports that the Defence Ministry had protested over the mechanism being adopted by the PMO for the Rafale deal. He had tagged a document, purportedly of the Defence Ministry, which was published as part of a news report by The Hindu. According to the article, the ministry had raised strong objections to "parallel negotiations" conducted by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) with the French side. "I'd like to see how this one is explained by the talking heads aligned to the BJP. @PMOIndia 'weakened the negotiating position of the Ministry of Defence & the Indian Negotiating Team' as per this note in a MOD file that went up the the Defence Minister," the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister claimed. The National Conference was an ally of NDA when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the prime minister but shifted to UPA-II in 2009.
Karnataka govt has released Rs 5,450 crore so far for farm
The JDS-Congress government in Karnataka has released Rs 5,450 crore so far towards farmers loan waiver scheme, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy said Friday. Presenting the ruling coalition's second budget in the assembly here, Kumaraswamy, who holds the finance portfolio, said it had benefitted about 12 lakh farmers. He also announced that "Ayushman Bharat" scheme of the Centre would be combined with "Aroygya Karnataka" and it would be renamed as "Ayushman Bharat Karnataka. "Besides 61.5 lakh existing beneficiaries, it would be extended to another 52 lakh people, Kumaraswamy said. BJP members led by B S Yeddyurappa, who have been disrupting the proceedings since the budget session began on Wednesday alleging that the government lacked majority, staged a walkout. Congress members, on their part, held placards, criticising the BJP's alleged attempt to topple the coalition government. BJP members also protested against Kumaraswamy's charge that Yeddyurappa had spoken about ..
Kumaraswamy releases audio clips on alleged "toppling" bid,
In a dramatic move hours before presenting the state budget, Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday released an audio clip of an alleged conversation of state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa to lure a JDS MLA to destabilise the coalition government in the state. Yeddyurappa described the clip as "fake" and a "concocted story". In sudden twists and turns, the Congress also decided to crack the whip and initiate action against four rebel MLAs under the Anti- Defection law after the legislature party meeting here just before the session commenced its sitting. Briefing reporters, CLP leader Siddaramaiah said he would meet the assembly speaker Ramesh Kumar and urge him to take action against Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra. He said barring the four and J N Ganesh, all other lawmakers attended the CLP meet. Two MLAs Roshan Baig and B C Patil, who also did not participate, had taken prior permission, he said. Ganesh is declared absconding after
PMO directly involved in Rafale negotiations, PM guilty in scam: Rahul Gandhi
The Prime Minister's Office was directly involved in negotiations with the French on the Rafale deal and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was guilty in the scam, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said on Friday in a fresh attack on the government over the fighter jet agreement. 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 PMO during the negotiations over the Rs 59,000 crore Rafale deal between India and France. "I want to speak to every member of the armed forces of this nation... Here, it is absolutely clear that the prime minister has stolen Rs 30,000 crore of your money, bypassed a process, and given it to his friend Mr. Anil Ambani," Gandhi said at a press conference. The government, as well as Ambani, have strongly denied any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Gandhi aslo r ead out from a document, purportedly from the Defence ...
People should be wary of 'mahamilavat': Modi on Oppn alliance
Taking potshots at the attempts to cobble up a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) against the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday asked people to guard against the 'mahamilavat' (highly adulterated) regime if his party wasnt voted back. In his maiden public rally after BJP lost power in the state last year, Modi said top Congress leaders were embroiled in legal tangles. "Most members of the (Gandhi) family are either out on bail or have obtained anticipatory bail," the Prime Minister said, during the rally at Kodatarai in Raigarh district. "I have come amidst you to get a new mandate for a new India," Modi said. Voters have to be on guard against the 'mahamilavat', he added. India's poverty has started to decline due to efforts of the BJP-led government, Modi said. By opting out of the Ayushman Bharat scheme, the Congress government in Chhattisgarh has deprived poor of healthcare, Modi said.
Envoys of four nations, including Maldives, Sudan, present credentials to Prez
Envoys of four nations, including Maldives and Sudan, Friday presented their credentials to President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhavan, an official statement said. The envoys who presented their credentials were Shalar Geldynazarov, Ambassador of Turkmenistan, Gabriel P Sinimbo, High Commissioner of Namibia, Aishath Mohamed Didi, Ambassador of Maldives and Ahmed Yousif Mohamed Elsiddig, Ambassador of Sudan, the statement issued by the president's office said.
Political decision on Deutsche-Commerzbank merger should be made by May: magazine
BERLIN (Reuters) - Berlin and Brussels will decide on a potential merger between Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank before the next European Union elections in May, WirtschaftsWoche magazine reported on Friday, citing an unnamed source.
Congress to intiate action against 4 rebel MLAs under
Cracking the whip, the Congress Legislature Party Friday decided to initiate action against four party rebel MLAs under the Anti-Defection Law, CLP leader Siddaramaiah said. Briefing reporters after the CLP meet, Siddaramaiah said he would meet the Assembly Speaker Ramesh Kumar and urge him to take action against Ramesh Jarkiholi, Umesh Jadhav, Mahesh Kumathali and B Nagendra. He said barring the four and J N Ganesh, all other lawmakers attended the CLP meet. Two MLAs Roshan Baig and B C Patil, who also did not participate, had taken prior permission, he said. Ganesh is declared absconding after an alleged brawl with a lawmaker colleague at a resort recently. Siddaramaiah said the four MLAs had sent letters to him, saying they could not attend the entire budget session of the assembly. "It is the unanimous decision of the CLP that I should go ahead with further action against them under the Anti-Defection Law," Siddaramaiah said. He said sufficient opportunity was given ..
Defence Ministry had not objected to pricing part in Rafale deal, says former defence secretary
The Defence Ministry had not objected to involvement of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) over sovereign guarantee aspect of the negotiations in the Rafale fighter deal, the then Defence Secretary G Mohan Kumar said on Friday, clarifying that the dissent note had nothing to do with pricing issue."It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions," Kumar told ANI when asked if he remembered the context of the note."The context is there in the newspaper. Whatever has been brought out (in the newspaper), it has nothing to do with pricing. Negotiations are not just for pricing but other things also. It was about sovereign guarantees and general terms and conditions," he elaborated.Kumar, who was the Defence Secretary from 2015 to 2017, spoke shortly after Congress President Rahul Gandhi cited the media report to contend that the PMO and the Defence Ministry were not on the same page on Rafale negotiations.Gandhi has been alleging that the pricing of the fighter plane, ...
EU rejects renegotiating Brexit deal as British PM arrives in Brussels
European Union (EU) has once again warned British Prime Minister Theresa May that it will not renegotiate the Brexit agreement as she reached Brussels in an attempt to persuade EU leaders to agree to make important changes as per UK Parliament's demands.According to CNN, European Commission's president, Jean-Claude Juncker, on Thursday stated that the EU could only "add wording" to the Political Declaration about what they aim for in their future relationship.The president of the European Council, Donald Tusk, mulled what a "special place in hell looks like" for those who promoted Brexit, "without even a sketch of a plan guiding, how to carry it out safely".Tusk made these remarks after meeting with Ireland's Prime Minister, or Taoiseach, LeoVaradkar on Wednesday.Last year, British lawmakers voted in favour of an amendment that seeks to reopen negotiations with the European Union over the Northern Ireland backstop, an insurance policy to avoid a hard border with Ireland, in case the ..
SDF to field new faces in 50 pc Assembly seats: Chamling
The ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) plans to field new faces in 50 per cent seats in the upcoming assembly polls in Sikkim, Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling said. The party also proposes to give 30 per cent tickets to women, he told reporters Thursday. There are 32 Assembly seats in Sikkim where the Assembly polls were last held in April, 2014. Chamling, who is also the SDF president, said the party will declare its candidates soon after the announcement of poll dates by the Election Commission. The 68-year-old chief minister said he will contest from Namchi-Singhithang constituency in south Sikkim. "Why should I change my constituency? I have been contesting from this seat for the past 40 years. It is for the eighth time that I will be contesting from Namchi," he said. On the Yangang-Rangang Assembly constituency, which the SDF lost in the 2014 bypoll after the CM had vacated the seat following his victory from two constituencies, Chamling said the SDF will win from the seat .
US: Longest serving Congress member John D Dingell Jr passes away at 92
Longest-serving member of Congress in the history of United States, John D Dingell Jr who used his power in the House of Representatives to expose government fraud and defend the interests of his home state Michigan's automobile industry, died on February 7 at the age of 92.A Michigan Democrat, Dingell announced in 2014 that he not seek a 30th full term in Congress and was succeeded by his wife, Debbie Dingell, reported The Washington Post.The office of Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced the news of Dingell's demise stating that he had complications from prostate cancer.The then-President Barack Obama awarded Dingell with Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country's highest civilian honour, in November 2014."It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of John David Dingell, Jr., former Michigan Congressman and longest-serving member of the United States Congress."Congressman Dingell died peacefully today at his home in Dearborn, surrounded by his wife Deborah. He ..
Naidu to hold agitation in Delhi, hires 2 trains for protestors
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu will hold "Dharma Porata Deeksha" in Delhi to protest against the central government for alleged non-cooperation in fulfilling Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act and other promises like special status.Two trains have been hired by the Andhra Pradesh government for more than Rs 1 crore, which will start from Anantapuram and Srikakulam."Government of Andhra Pradesh has decided to hire two special trains with 20 compartments each from South Central Railways, Secunderabad, i.e., starting one (1) train from Ananthapuramu and another from Srikakulam to reach New Delhi by 10.02.2019 to transport interested Political parties, organizations, NGOs associations, etc.. to participate in one day Deeksha (Protest) at New Delhi on 11.02.2019 to be led by The Chief Minister," stated the government release. The statement further revealed the budget for the trains that will help to facilitate the protest stating, "Government after careful examination .