Page 1703 - Politics
US approves sale of two missile defence systems to India to protect aircraft flying President, PM
The US has agreed to sell two advanced missile defence systems to India for two Boeing-777 Head-of-State aircraft for an estimated cost of USD 190 million, a decision that will enhance the security of the planes flying the president and the prime minister. According to the Pentagon, the sale will support the foreign policy and national security of the US by helping to strengthen the US-Indian strategic relationship. The Trump administration approved the purchase of the two systems known as Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasures (LAIRCM) and Self-Protection Suites (SPS) for an estimated cost of USD 190 million, the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a notification to the Congress on Wednesday. The US decision came after the Indian Government recently made the request for LAIRCM and SPS, given the high-level threat to the prime minister and the president. The defence systems, which would bring the security of 'Air India One' at par with that of 'Air Force One' used ..
HP govt spent Rs 2.31 cr on Jan Abhar Rally, CM tells state assembly
The Himachal Pradesh government spent Rs 2.31 crore on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Jan Abhar Rally which was organised at Dharamshala in December last year, marking the first anniversary of the Jai Ram Thakur-led government here. In a written reply to Congress MLA from Kinnaur Jagat Singh Negi's question, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur told the state assembly on the fourth day of the ongoing budget session that Rs 2,31,41,187 was spent by the state government on Jan Abhar Rally. A total of 441 government and 63 private buses were hired for the event, he said, adding no private school bus was hired for the same.
Mamata advocates new industry policy if government at Centre changes
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Thursday a new industrial policy would be formulated if there was a change in the government at the Centre after the Lok Sabha polls. "After the change in the government after elections, there will be a new industrial policy. Many industrialists left India. I urge them to come back and invest in the country," Banerjee said at the fifth edition of the Bengal Global Business Summit that began at New Town near Kolkata on Thursday. Claiming that the perception of the state had changed after 34 years of "misrule" of the Left Front, the Trinamool Congress chief said there were no working days lost now. There are availability of talented and skilled workers, land map and land-use policy, and policies for the IT, textiles, tea gardens, micro, small and medium enterprises, and big businesses in the state, the chief minister said. Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani, JSW group chairman Sajjan Jindal and many others were present at the business
UK leader May is in Brussels seeking Brexit breakthrough
British Prime Minister Theresa May reopened talks with the European Union leaders on the Brexit agreement on Thursday and was bracing for a clash with senior EU officials during a day of divorce negotiations. May was welcomed by European Commission Jean-Claude President Juncker in a glum, stiff handshake ceremony that underscored the simmering tension between the U.K. and the other 27 EU member states. With the planned departure date of March 29 closing in, May is expected to be stonewalled by the EU officials when it comes to reopening the legal withdrawal agreement which was already endorsed in November before the U.K. Parliament overwhelmingly rejected it. The gap between both sides was already yawning, but European Council President Donald Tusk exacerbated the frosty climate on Wednesday by wondering aloud what "special place in hell" might be reserved for those who backed Brexit while having no idea of how to deliver it. Highlighting the sensitivities, a public welcome appearance
AINRC to contest lone Lok Sabha seat in Puducherry
AINRC founder and former Puducherry Chief Minister N Rangasamy Thursday announced that the party would contest the lone seat in the union territory in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. However, the alliance with the BJP which the party had forged during the Parliamentary polls in 2014 would continue, he told reporters here. "The alliance AINRC had worked out with the BJP during the last Lok Sabha polls in 2014 and won continues without change," he said. Speaking on the sidelines of AINRC's ninth founding day celebrations, Rangasamy who is leader of the opposition in the territorial assembly, said the party's nominee for the polls would be announced "at the appropriate time." On the tussle between Lt Governor Kiran Bedi and Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy, he said the latter had "wasted precious time by finding fault with Bedi on administrative issues knowing full well that in a union territory the Lt Governor had more powers than an elected government under the ...
PDP slams J&K Governor for calling it 'a sinking ship'
The PDP on Thursday accused Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik of undermining the dignity of his constitutional office, a day after he called the party 'a sinking ship'.
Karnataka Assembly adjourned over BJP ruckus
Uproar and protest by BJP legislators against the JD-S-Congress coalition government on Thursday forced the Karnataka legislature, comprising Assembly and Council, to adjourn.
During LS debate, Sena laments 'step-motherly' treatment by
NDA ally Shiv Sena on Thursday lamented it is being given "step-motherly" treatment by senior partner BJP which has led to questions about its continuance in the alliance. Participating in the debate on the motion of thanks to the President's address in Lok Sabha, Sena leader Anandrao Adsul chose to vent out his party's grievances against the BJP and said that while the NDA government at the Centre has done several commendable works, some mistakes have also been committed. "It is time for introspection," he said. He said Sena was a happier alliance partner when Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L K Advani and Bal Thackeray were at the helm of affairs. He questioned claims of the government that note ban has benefited the economy. Adsul, whose party is an ally of the BJP in Maharashtra also, said that farmers, small traders and labourers were the worst hit as they were deprived of much needed cash to meet their day-to-day requirements. Adsul said the Sena feels that it is being meted
Cong slams Modi govt in LS, accuse it of weakening
The Congress Thursday accused the Modi government of weakening constitutional bodies, using probe agencies against rivals and inflating figures to mislead people about its work and claimed it used the President's address to Parliament for political goals. Participating in the debate in Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being arrogant, not consulting Cabinet colleagues on key decisions and alleging he cannot see the good works of past Congress governments because of "hatred". It is one thing to make a speech and thump the desk to laud it and another to save the country and democracy, he said, referring to Modi, who was present in the House. Kharge also mocked the government's announcements for farmers in the budget, saying it has done nothing for the agriculture sector so far and was now making promises with an eye on the general ...
Nepal, India review trade treaty
Senior officials from Nepal and India met on Thursday in Pokhara to review the trade treaty between the two neighbours. The Indian delegation is led by Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, Joint Secretary (South Asia), Department of Commerce, while Ravi Shankar Saiju, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies is leading the Nepalese delegation during the two day meeting. This is the second Nepal-India Joint Secretary-level meeting to review the trade treaty that was signed between the two countries in 2009. During the two-day meeting, India will respond to Nepal's proposal of updating treaty submitted in the first meeting held in New Delhi in August 2018, officials said. Nepal has requested India to help reduce its increasing trade deficit through free access for its products in Indian market. In April last year, India and Nepal agreed to review trade treaty to further promote trade and investments between the two countries.
President's address was compilation of PM's speech: Kharge
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday accused the government of using the President's address to the joint session of Parliament for political "gains" and dubbed it a compilation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches in rallies.
RS proceedings disrupted for fourth day
Rajya Sabha proceedings were Thursday disrupted for the fourth day in a row amid protests by opposition parties, including RJD, BSP, TMC, SP and Congress, over roster system for reservation in universities. As soon as the House resumed proceedings at 2 PM, Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu asked members to begin the discussion on motion of thanks on the President's address to Parliament. In the meanwhile, opposition members were on their feet and sought a discussion on the issue of roster system under Rule 267. The rule provides that all business of the House is suspended for taking up discussion on a particular issue. SP member Javed Ali Khan demanded discussion on reservation issue under Rule 267 of the House while other opposition members raised slogans. When the Chairman did not heed to their demand saying the discussion on Motion of Thanks would go on, opposition members--RJD, SP, BSP, TMC and Congress-- trooped into the well protesting over introduction of roster system in
Maha govt plans to beautify Gateway of India
The Maharashtra government has initiated a plan to clean, restore and beautify the iconic Gateway of India in South Mumbai. Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao Thursday chaired a meeting here on the issue. It was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and others. The governor asked BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta and architects to prepare a project plan within a month. Fadnavis said the government was working towards protecting historic monuments while maintaining their original glory. The Gateway of India is an arch monument built during the 20th century. The iconic structure, which overlooks the Arabian Sea, was erected to commemorate the visit of King George V and Queen Mary at Apollo Bunder to Mumbai. The foundation stone of the monument was laid on March 31, 1913 and its construction was completed in 1924. It is built in Indo-Saracenic style.
Syrian Prez Assad not enemy of US: Tulsi
Democratic presidential aspirant and the first Hindu lawmaker in the Congress Tulsi Gabbard has said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "not the enemy" of the US and the war-torn country does not pose a "direct threat" to America. Gabbard, 37, who recently announced her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, has previously been criticised for meeting with Assad in 2017. The Syrian leader is believed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians in the ongoing brutal civil war. "Assad is not the enemy of the United States because Syria does not pose a direct threat to the United States," Gabbard, elected to the House of Representatives from Hawaii, said Wednesday on MSNBC. When pressed over whether Assad, who has been accused of using chemical weapons on his own people over the course of a more than five year civil war, is an adversary of the US, Gabbard said "you can describe it however you want to describe it. My point is ...
NH project: Ker govt to put pressure on Centre for more
: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday said the state government would continue to exert pressure on the Centre seeking more compensation for people whose land was acquired for the much-awaited National Highway 66 project. Extending support to the government over the issue, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said the national highway was essential for the development of the basic infrastructure of the southern state, but urged the government to ensure fair compensation. Replying to an adjournment motion in the Assembly on the issue, Vijayan said it would be difficult for the government to implement the compensation package which it had announced for the state projects, in the case of the national highway. "At one stage, the Centre had taken a stand that it was not possible to acquire land in Kerala due to the exorbitant price of the land. But, the state government had convinced them that the density of population had made the land value high in the .
Rajya Sabha adjourned for the day amid bedlam
The Rajya Sabha was on Thursday adjourned for the day amid sloganeering by the opposition soon after it met at 2 p.m. after an earlier adjournment.
Odisha cops withdraw protest after DGP's assurance
A confederation of Odisha police personnel on Thursday withdrew protest after it was assured by the state government that its demands would be fulfilled. The agitation, called by the Odisha Police Havildar, Constable and Sepoy Mahasangha, was withdrawn after discussions with Director General of Police, R P Sharma. "We have withdrawn the agitation after the DGP requested us to do so. He assured us that the government will fulfil our demands by Thursday evening," Mahasangha president Santosh Satpathy told reporters. The Mahasangha's demands included abolition of contractual appointment, provision of all types of allowances for contractual policemen and medical insurance benefits. Earlier in the day, about 60,000 members of the confederation were seen discharging their duties wearing black badges.
About 15.7 lakh public grievances against govt departments in 2018
Around 15.7 lakh public grievances were received last year against various central government departments, Union minister Jitendra Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Of these, 14.98 lakh were disposed of and nearly 8.4 lakh grievances were pending, he said in a written reply. In 2017, around 18.66 lakh public grievances were received of which 17.7 lakh were disposed of, said Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. As many as 14.83 lakh such plaints were received by the central government on an online platform -- Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS) -- in 2017. Of these, 12.62 lakh were resolved. "Regular review meetings are held to monitor both disposed and pending grievances in the respective departments and also in Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India," the minister said.
RSS trying to capture institutions: Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that the RSS was trying to capture the institutions of the country and his party's governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh will remove the organisation's loyalists from the system. He also launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a "coward" and challenging him to a debate on issues such as national security, Rafale and the economy. "I know his (Modi) character after fighting him for five years. He is a coward. When someone stands up to him, he runs away," Gandhi said at the party's minority cell convention here. The Congress chief said fear was writ large on Modi's face. "He now knows you can't rule India by dividing people," he said in his speech in Hindi. "The image of Narendra Modi is finished," Gandhi declared. He alleged that the RSS was attempting to capture institutions, from the judiciary to the Election Commission. "We have not merely formed governments in Rajasthan, Madhya ...
General elections more about coalition politics than referendum on PM Modi: Ruchir Sharma
The upcoming general elections are more about coalition politics than a referendum on the performance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose primary concern should be to stop the Opposition from getting united, global investor and writer Ruchir Sharma has said. In his latest book, Democracy on the Road: A 25-Year Journey Through India, Sharma offers an insightful account of how India and and its democracy work. The book, published by Penguin Random House, is a result of his extensive travels through India where for the last two decades he has chased election campaigns across every major state, travelling the equivalent of a lap around the earth. The book is an attempt to give people a taste of what life is like in small towns of India. Giving the readers a feel of it.This has never been done anywhere. Not even in America where books have been written on one election campaign or about just one leader. Rarely have books been written on an entire journey which involves 25 years, Sharma ..