Page 1712 - Politics
Turmoil in Manjhi HAM, national spokesman and state prez
Former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhis Hindustani Awam Morcha plunged into turmoil on Wednesday when its state president Vrishan Patel and national spokesman Danish Rizwan resigned from the party launching vitriolic attacks against each other. Minutes after Rizwan tendered his resignation and shared its copies on the social media, accusing Patel of misusing party funds, the state president announced he too was quitting HAM as he was upset with Manjhi criticizing dharna by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, as it was against Mahagathbandhan line, and his failure to take action against the national spokesman, who was hobnobbing with the NDA. Rizwans resignation came three days after he had termed Rahul Gandhis Patna rally, wherein Manjhi had taken part, as a flop and urged the HAM leader to reconsider alliance with the Congress claiming that poor turnout and mismanagement reflected poorly on the state of affairs in that party. Manjhi, who has so far not ...
HC junks frivolous PIL seeking intra-party polls supervised by ECI
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday dismissed a PIL seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (EC) to conduct and supervise the internal polls of regional and national political parties, saying it was a "frivolous" plea. "Don't come with such frivolous petitions," a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice V K Rao said to the petitioner who runs an NGO in Delhi. The plea for holding intra-party elections was filed by Arvind Kumar who claims to run an NGO -- Jan Chowkidar -- based in South Delhi's Kalkaji area. In his petition, filed through advocate Setu Sharma, Kumar has referred to various regional political parties where one family has dominated the leadership for years and said that such practices "breed nepotism and corruption". The bench, however, declined to entertain the plea, saying "how can you ask EC to control intra-party elections" and dismissed the petition.
Air India boss Pradeep Singh Kharola to steer Civil Aviation Ministry as secretary
Air India chief Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed Civil Aviation secretary, a year after he came on board the national carrier, as part of a minor top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected on Wednesday, according to an official order. Kharola, a 1985-batch IAS officer of the Karnataka cadre, was in November 2017 named the chairman and managing director of Air India Ltd. He took over the reins of the debt-ridden national carrier on January 9, last year. It was under Kharola's tenure that the government last year came up with the proposal to sell off 76 per cent of its stake in Air India. However, the proposal was later put on hold due to unavailability of possible buyer. The Air India has a debt of about Rs 55,000 crore. The government has started the process of restructuring the national carrier to help it reduce its debt. Kharola has been appointed as the Civil Aviation Secretary in place of Rajiv Nayan Choubey, who superannuated on January 31. Choubey, after his retirement, ..
German Cabinet backs compromise in abortion dispute
Germany's Cabinet has approved legislation that would loosen but not scrap a ban on doctors "advertising" abortions, an attempt to bridge a divide between the country's governing parties. Chancellor Angela Merkel's junior governing partners, the center-left Social Democrats, wanted to remove the ban from Germany's criminal code. It provides for a fine or a prison sentence of up to two years. But Merkel's center-right party insisted it should stay. Under a compromise reached last week, the ban will formally remain in place but doctors and hospitals will be able to say on their websites that they perform abortions, which they can't at present. The German Medical Association will establish a central list of doctors and clinics performing abortions. Merkel's Cabinet approved the change Wednesday. It still requires parliamentary approval.
NATO leaders to meet in London in December
The leaders of NATO's 29 countries will gather in London in December for a special meeting to mark the alliance's 70th anniversary, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced Wednesday. Stoltenberg tweeted that the British capital was "the ideal setting to mark 70 years of transatlantic military cooperation, as the home of NATO's first HQ back in 1949". NATO chiefs will be hoping to avoid the high drama of last year's summit in Brussels, when US President Donald Trump launched a blistering attack on allies, in particular Germany, for not spending enough on defence. There had been talk of holding the leaders' meeting in Washington -- where NATO's founding treaty was signed -- but, amid fears of a new transatlantic bust-up, foreign ministers will gather in the US capital in April instead. Estonia also offered to host the December meeting. "The meeting in London will be an opportunity for Allied heads of state and government to address the security challenges we face now and in the ...
US general asks Pak to cease its behaviour undermining regional stability
Pakistan's actions are often a source of "frustration" to US' regional efforts in Afghanistan, a top American general has said as he asked Islamabad to cease its behaviour undermining stability and play constructive role in achieving peace in South Asia. During a Congressional hearing, Commander of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel told the lawmakers on Tuesday that militants operating out of Pakistan and Afghanistan continue to threaten Afghan stability as well as stoke tensions between Pakistan and India. "We look to regional actors such as Pakistan to cease behaviour undermining regional stability and play constructive role in achieving peace in Afghanistan as well as the whole of South Asia," General Votel told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. In his testimony, General Votel said that Pakistan has taken positive steps to assist Special US Representative of Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad in support of Afghanistan reconciliation by facilitating talks with the .
Police detain Yasin Malik during protest
Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was detained by police on Wednesday during a protest march in Srinagar.
Four defiant Cong MLAs absent themselves from assembly
Striking a defiant note, the four Congress MLAs who had failed to turn up at the January 18 CLP meeting, remained absent on the first day of the Karnataka assembly session, which began here Wednesday. The MLAs -- Ramesh Jarkiholi, MaheshKumtalli, Umesh Jadhav, and Nagendra -- did not ascribe any reason for not attending the opening day's session. On Tuesday, a whip had been issued to all MLAs of the ruling JDS-Congress coalition to be present in the assembly on all days of the budget session. The whip was seen as a move by the ruling coalition to pre-empt any plans of disgruntled Congress MLAs on the radar of BJP to stay away from the assembly and pose a threat to the stability of the government. Meanwhile,former chief minister and Congress Legislature Party leader Siddaramaiah served a second notice to the MLAs who did not turn up for the CLP meeting. While thefirst notice was served on January 28, the second was given on Monday. "Yes, Siddaramaiah has served notices on .
Mamata can't escape consequences of her acts: Amit Shah
BJP President Amit Shah on Wednesday warned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her attempts to block the entry of BJP workers and leaders into the state and said she cannot escape the consequences of her actions.
Scindia takes over as AICC general secretary, resolves to strengthen party
Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia Wednesday took charge as the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge for Uttar Pradesh West with a "resolve to strengthen the party in the state". Scindia's appointment was made along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who was made the general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh East, on January 23. Eastern Uttar Pradesh is home to the constituencies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Soon after assuming the new charge at the Congress headquarters here, Scindia performed a 'Ganesh pooja'. He later met some party workers, including those from western Uttar Pradesh. Scindia shared a video of the prayer ceremony on Twitter and said, "Took over as Congress general secretary after doing 'Ganesh pooja' at the AICC office, with the resolve of strengthening the party in the state." He said the Congress has a good opportunity to come back in the reckoning in Uttar Pradesh by winning a number of Lok ..
Reject 'politics of revenge' President Trump tells Democrats in State of the Union speech
A defiant President Donald Trump Wednesday vowed to build a controversial wall along the US-Mexico border to stop illegal immigration and sought an end to the "politics of revenge", as he appealed to the divided Congress to bridge differences to avert another costly government shutdown. President Trump in his second State of the Union address demanded an end to "partisan investigations" into his presidency, touted economic gains during his first two years in office as well as legislative wins on issues like criminal justice reform. In his 82-minute address, the 72-year-old Republican president warned that deepening partisan tensions undermine America's progress. The annual State of the Union (SOTU) address is the keynote prime-time speech by the president to the Congress in which he sets out his legislative agenda and national priorities for the next year and highlights his achievements to the American people. Trump's calls for reconciliation were met with mostly stone-faced silence ..
Robert Vadra appears before ED for questioning
Congress President Rahul Gandhi's brother-in-law Robert Vadra on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with its probe into a money laundering case.
PDP breaking up, nobody should take Mehbooba seriously: Governor
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik said on Wednesday that nobody should take former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's statements seriously as her PDP was breaking up and she was trying to save the party by commenting against security forces and the country's political system.
Ex-Army chief J.J. Singh joins SAD (Taksali)
Former Indian Army chief and former Governor Gen J.J. Singh joined the SAD (Taksali), a party of expelled leaders of the Akali Dal, here on Wednesday.
Australia cancels residency of politically connected Chinese billionaire
A prominent Chinese billionaire political donor has been stripped of his Australian residency and barred from returning to the country after scrutiny of his Communist Party ties, media reported Wednesday. Huang Xiangmo was reportedly left stranded outside of Australia after Home Affairs cancelled his permanent residency and rejected his application for citizenship. The prominent property developer has donated millions to Australia's two main political parties and been photographed with key figures including former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and opposition leader Bill Shorten. But he has come under scrutiny for alleged links to the United Front Work Department -- a Communist Party-linked body accused of neutralising opposition and buying political influence around the world. Asked about Huang's case, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would not comment on such "sensitive matters", but added "the government has always acted consistent with the advice that we've received and ...
HC questions allotment of huge extent of land to commercial institutions in TN
The Madras High Court has questioned the action by Tamil Nadu authorities in allotting huge extent of land to commercial institutions when steps were being initiated to evict encroachers from government lands in the state. Justice S M Subramaniam made the observation while disposing of a petition from the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), deemed university, seeking to order the state government to allot a further 41.92 acres of land at Katpadi in Vellore district to it. Justifying the rejection order passed by the Revenue Secretary, the judge said, "the writ petitioner is a private institution. The petitioner had already been assigned with land by the government of Tamil Nadu to an extent of 98.80 acres from and out of the said assignment of the land, the writ petitioners are making profit by running the institution." The petitioner, VIT, being a profit making institution can purchase "patta" lands for development of its institution, he said. Observing that when the state is ...
BJP launches 25 raths in Raj to collect suggestions from public for election manifesto
The BJP on Wednesday flagged off a fleet of 25 'raths' for its 'Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat, Modi Ke Saath' campaign in Rajasthan to seek suggestions from the public for the party's Lok Sabha election manifesto. The 'raths' carrying suggestion boxes will travel across all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state. Union MoS for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore launched 25 specially designed vehicles. "The raths will travel across all the Lok Sabha constituencies. The public will be able to drop their suggestions for the party manifesto in the boxes in the 'raths'. The suggestions will be forwarded to Rajnath Singh in New Delhi for inclusion in the manifesto," Rathore said. "India has a large young population and we are inviting the youth and every citizen of the country for giving their suggestions. The government has always maintained a two-way communication with the public, be it for policy-making or any other programme," he said.
Corruption has been core agenda of Congress: BJP
Launching a fresh attack on the Congress, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Wednesday alleged that corruption has been the core agenda of Rahul Gandhi led party.Sharpening his attack, he said that the Congress party has displayed posters of two "accused" outside their office, one of their president Rahul Gandhi and the second of Priyanka Gandhi's husband Robert Vadra - who is appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today in connection with an alleged money laundering case.Vowing to make "revelations" that will rattle the Congress, Patra alleged that Vadra got kickbacks from a petroleum deal in 2009 during UPA 1 and also received a huge sum from a defence deal."Gone are those days when Vadra possessed only one property in London, reports say he has eight properties in London," he claimed.He alleged that Vadra, along with the help of his close aide Sanjay Bhandari, used the money received from kickbacks for purchasing a mansion in London's Branton Square.The BJP spokesperson ..
Modi, Naveen muzzling tribal rights: Rahul
Stepping up his attack on the Modi government at the Centre and the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said they are not working for farmers, tribals and dalits in the state and accused them of muzzling tribal rights.
BJP disrupts Karnataka Governor's address (Third Lead)
The 10-day Budget session of the Karnataka legislature began on a stormy note on Wednesday with BJP legislators disrupting Governor Vajubhai Vala's address to the joint sitting.