Page 1714 - Politics
Congress will win both LS, Assembly polls in UP: Scindia
Congress General Secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia on Wednesday said the party will not only win the coming Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh but also the Assembly polls in 2022.
Not seriously contemplating 'extensive reforms' in CBI: Govt
The government is not seriously contemplating bringing extensive reforms in the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said Wednesday. "No," said the minister in a written reply in Lok Sabha in response to a question whether the government was contemplating extensive reforms in the CBI. The assertion assumes significance as the central probe agency had been in news for some time due to bitter fight between its two former top officers -- ex-CBI chief Alok Kumar Verma and the then Special Director Rakesh Asthana. Both Verma and Asthana had accused each other of corruption. Meanwhile, the government had on Saturday appointed former Madhya Pradesh police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla as the CBI chief. The post of the CBI chief fell vacant on January 10 when Verma was removed by a high-powered panel headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Air India chief Pradeep Singh Kharola to steer Civil Aviation Ministry as secretary
Air India chief Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed Civil Aviation secretary 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. He has been appointed in the Civil Aviation Ministry in place of Rajiv Nayan Choubey, who superannuated on January 31. Choubey has taken over as member in the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), that conducts civil services examination to select officers of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) among others. Besides this, senior bureaucrat Radheyshyam Julaniya has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Sports, in place of Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar. Julaniya, a 1985-batch IAS officer, is serving in his cadre state ...
Fear rules country today, claims Chidambaram
Fear rules the country today and there is a danger that the Constitution will be replaced by a document inspired by Hindutva, claims senior Congress leader P Chidambaram. The former Union minister of finance and home says this scenario will be the end of the 'idea of India' given to us by the founding fathers, adding to restore that idea will require nothing less than another freedom struggle and another Mahatma Gandhi. He makes these comments in his new book "Undaunted: Saving the Idea of India", a collection of his essays published last year. According to the Rajya Sabha member, an economy derailed can be put back on the rails and a society divided can be healed and united but one thing cannot be fixed if it is broken, and that is the Constitution and the constitutional values embodied in that document. At present, every value of the Constitution is under attack - freedom, equality, liberalism, secularism, privacy, scientific temper, etc., he says. "There is a clear and present ...
Trump credits himself with averting major war with North Korea
US President Donald Trump gave himself credit for averting a "major war" with North Korea as he touted his achievements during the annual State of the Union address on Wednesday. Trump raised fears of war with North Korea in 2017 when he threatened to rain "fire and fury like the world has never seen" on the hermit nation because of the threat it posed to the US. But during his prime-time address, Trump said he would hold a second summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un later this month in Vietnam. "If I had not been elected president of the United States, we would right now, in my opinion, be in a major war with North Korea," he said during the address that lasted for more than 80 minute. lans for a second summit have been in the works since the two leaders' historic talks last year. Trump and Kim's meeting last June in Singapore was the first ever between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. While Pyongyang has not conducted any atomic or ballistic missile tests ...
Venezuela's military blocks humanitarian aid shipment
Venezuelan military officers blocked a bridge on the border with Colombia ahead of an anticipated humanitarian aid shipment Tuesday, as opposition leader Juan Guaido stepped up his challenge to President Nicolas Maduro's authority. The opposition-dominated National Assembly had earlier warned the armed forces, which make up much of Maduro's power base, not to cross a "red line" by blocking aid. Guaido, who proclaimed himself acting president on January 23 -- sparking an international crisis -- claims that up to 300,000 people face death if the aid is not delivered. "You know there's a red line, you know well there's a limit, you know that medicines, food and medical supplies are that limit," lawmaker Miguel Pizarro said in a message to the military. Maduro, though, said humanitarian aid would be the forerunner of a US-led invasion, insisting that "no one will enter, not one invading soldier." Venezuelan military officers used a tanker truck and huge shipping container to block access .
LS adjourned for day after paying homage to sitting BJD member
The proceedings of Lok Sabha were adjourned for the day on Wednesday after paying obituary to sitting BJD member from Odisha Ladu Kishore Swain. As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan informed members about the demise of the Biju Janata Dal member in Bhubaneshwar on Wednesday morning. The MP from Aska was 71. He was a member of the Odisha Assembly from 2004 to 2009. Swain was a member of the parliamentary committee on Rural Development and OBCs. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi were among members present when the obituary reference was made. Now, the debate on Motion of Thanks to the President's Address to the joint sitting of Parliament is likely to continue on Thursday. Prime Minister Modi is expected to reply to the debate.
BJP legislators disrupt Karnataka Governor's address
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 its joint sitting.
Will end factionalism in Nashik Congress: Shevale
Newly-appointed Nashik district Congress president Tushar Shevale has said that ending factionalism in the party unit will be his priority ahead of Lok Sabha and Maharashtra assembly elections. Shevale, who replaced Rajaram Pangavhane as part of the organisational changes made by party president Rahul Gandhi, Tuesday took charge at the party office here. Nashik Lok Sabha constituency is currently represented by Hemant Godse of Shiv Sena. "My first priority is to end the internal differences and groupism in the party unit," Shevale told reporters Tuesday evening. Nashik was represented by the Congress for last time in 1998 when the seat was won by Madhav Patil, before the 1999 split that led to formation of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by Sharad Pawar. The constituency comprises assembly segments of Sinnar, Nashik East, Nashik West, Nashik Central, Deolali and Igatpuri.
Japan stops journalist going to Yemen
The Japanese government has ordered a veteran freelance journalist to surrender his passport to prevent him from going on a reporting trip to Yemen. The decision came amid debate in Japan about whether journalists should be prevented from going to war zones after the capture and release of a Japanese reporter in Syria last year. Kosuke Tsuneoka, 49, told local media that immigration officers stopped him at Tokyo's Haneda airport on February 2, citing an order for him to surrender his passport. Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Tuesday the government issued the order to "a male Japanese national" at Haneda airport. When asked whether the action violated Tsuneoka's right to travel, Kono said the journalist had the right to legal recourse. "I wish to express my utmost respect to journalists who are reporting in dangerous places," Kono said, while declining to disclose other details. Tsuneoka was about to leave for the war-torn nation via Qatar and Sudan. The rare step came amid mixed views
India bans J&K terror outfit Tahreek-ul-Mujahideen
The Home Ministry on Wednesday said the government has banned Tahreek-ul-Mujahideen (TuM), a separatist group in Jammu and Kashmir.
Flight operations suspended in Srinagar due to bad weather
Flight operations were adversely affected on Wednesday at the Srinagar international airport due to bad weather, officials said.
Indonesia sentences Briton to 6 months for slapping official
A British woman has been sentenced to six months in prison on charges of slapping an immigration officer on the Indonesian tourist island of Bali after missing her flight due to an expired visa. Video showing Auj-e Taqaddas purportedly cursing and hitting an officer at Bali's international airport went viral last year. She was sentenced Wednesday and has decided to appeal. The footage appears to show the 43-year-old throwing a lengthy tantrum after being asked to pay a fine of USD 4,000 for overstaying her visa and missing her flight. She was charged with violent behaviour against a government official. During the trial that began in December, Taqaddas, who pleaded not guilty, said the video had been edited.
BJP may take up scams to stem Congress-NCP tide (IANS Special)
Politics is the game of possibilities where all stakeholders play their games to keep opponents on their toes. They use all the instruments at their disposal to prevent possible electoral tie-ups and spoil political fortunes.
BSP-SP failed to win 11 seats in UP in last four LS polls
There are 11 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh which the prospective partners in the coming polls--Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Samajwadi Party (SP)--have never won since 1999.
This is next battle of US' democracy: Stacey Abrams responds to Trump's SOTU address
Former Georgia House Minority Leader Stacey Abrams on Tuesday (local time) took on US President Donald Trump over a number of issues ranging from government shutdown, voting rights, climate change, national security and the administration's immigration policies.Delivering the Democratic response to Trump's State of the Union (SOTU) speech, Abrams, who narrowly lost the race for Georgia governor last year, pitched for fundamental election reforms, when the country is undergoing "a time of division and crisis".She assured that the Democrats would take the task of ensuring the right to vote for every American citizen."This is the next battle for our democracy, one where all eligible citizens can have their say about the vision we want for our country. We must reject the cynicism that says allowing every eligible vote to be cast and counted is a power grab," Abrams was quoted by The Hill as saying."Let's be clear, voter suppression is real. From making it harder to register and stay on ...
Trump admired Modi's governance: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that before becoming the US President, Donald Trump admired Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his governance."When Trump was contesting the election in 2016, he said that the way the Indian government was working under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, the same way the US government will work," Adityanath said here while addressing a rally on Tuesday.The UP chief minister was scheduled to address two rallies in West Bengal - one in North Dinajpur district's Raiganj and the other in South Dinajpur district's Balurghat. However, the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government declined permission to Adityanath's chopper to land for both the rallies in the state.Attacking Banerjee, he said, "You have seen Mamata saving a corrupt officer in Saradha chit fund scam. There cannot be a more shameful and condemnable act (than this) in a democracy."Adityanath's reference was in connection with Banerjee sitting on dharna against a CBI ..
Trump wants 'largest ever' legal immigration, stands firm on border wall (Roundup)
President Donald Trump has said that he wants immigrants to come to the US in "largest ever numbers" legally, as he declared during his State of the Union address his determination to build the controversial border wall to deter illegal immigrants and smugglers.
Cong, BJP MLAs demand cancellation of Question Hour to discuss
The proceedings of the Odisha Assembly was disrupted on Wednesday as opposition Congress and BJP MLAs raised the farmers issue and demanded the cancellation of the Question Hour. Speaker P K Amat adjourned the House till 3 PM in two phases, first for one hour and later till post lunch session. Soon after the House made obituary reference to Aska MP Ladu Kishore Swain, the BJP and Congress members raised farmer issues and Mandi irregularities. They rushed to the well of the House demanding cancellation of Question Hour for a discussion on the issues. The treasury bench members on their part stood near their seats demanding Special Category status for Odisha. The House also condoled death of freedom fighter and former MLA Priyanath Dey.
Opposition BJP MLAs in K'taka disrupt Guv's address in legislature
Opposition BJP in Karnataka on Wednesday disrupted Governor Vajubhai Vala's address to the joint sitting of the state legislature here. This is the first session after the cabinet expansion in December and political turmoil that engulfed the state following the alleged attempt by the BJP to topple the government by poaching disgruntled legislators of the ruling JD(S)-Congress coalition. As soon as the governor started his customary address to the joint sitting, BJP members entered the Well of the House, asking him not to deliver the address. "You are made to read lies, so please don't read it," BJP members said. However, Vala continued with his speech, even as BJP members intensified their sloganeering. "We don't want a bundle of lies to be read. Down down... the government that has lost majority and trust," they shouted. As the BJP's protest intensified, the governor said he is concluding his address, and it should be deemed as read. Vala read out the last paragraph of his ...