Page 1726 - Politics
Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day
Pakistan on Tuesday observed Kashmir Solidarity Day, with top leaders extending their support to the people in the Valley and to finding a just and peaceful resolution to the issue. President Arif Alvi in his address in the Legislative Assembly in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir asked the Indian government to uphold the rights of the Kashmiri people. He reiterated Pakistan's "unflinching solidarity" with the people of Kashmir, Radio Pakistan reported. "We reassure our Kashmiri brothers and sisters that we will remain consistent in our principled position on Kashmir. The entire Pakistani nation stands with its Kashmiri brethren in their valiant struggle to achieve the legitimate right to self-determination." Prime Minister Imran Khan criticised India for its alleged atrocities in Kashmir. He said seven decades have passed and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir remains unresolved. Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who is in London, in his message said "the ...
Mamta calls SC verdict moral victory
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court verdict in a CBI plea against Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar and described the order to the CBI not to arrest him a "moral victory".
SC verdict a moral victory for CBI: Ravi Shankar Prasad
Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Tuesday hailed the Supreme Court judgment directing Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before CBI in the Saradha scam as a moral victory for the probe agency. He also stressed that there was no need to politicise the issue."This order was given by the Supreme Court to investigate the conspiracy angle and also the money laundering angle. This investigation must be done in a fair manner. Let's not politicise it. This is a great moral victory for CBI," said Ravi Shankar Prasad.He also said that Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and other opposition leaders are silent on the Saradha chit fund scam which was a "huge loot" of the money of small investors."Today we have to ask larger questions on behalf of the party. Lakhs of small investors were cheated and looted of their money. Is it not our moral obligation for an investigation? Why is Mamata Banerjee silent on this? Why are the other ...
Kamal Haasan describes union budget as "self-serving"
Describing the union budget 2019-20 as 'self-serving,' Actor-politician Kamal Haasan Tuesday said it sounded in parts "like the legitimate version of money for votes." The Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) president said the promises made to farmers "might look impressive" but that it would amount to a "paltry sum," when broken down to per diem. Union Finance Minister Piyush Goyal had presented the NDA government's interim budget last Friday. "Economic experts will easily be able to pick holes in this budget. But what is obvious even to the common man is that this budget sounds in some parts like the legitimate version of money for votes," Haasan said on micro-blogging site Twitter. Without referring to any particular announcement, he said "all the promises in this interim budget made to the middle class and the farmers might look impressive prima facie but if broken down to per diem/day allowance, it would amount to a paltry sum." Among others, Goyal had announced that farmers .
UP govt invokes ESMA in all departments, corporations for 6 months
The Uttar Pradesh government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) banning strikes in all departments and corporations under it for a period of six months. A notification to this effect was issued by Chief Secretary Anup Chandra Pandey Monday night. The move comes in the wake of a strike call given by certain government organisations from February 6 demanding implementation of the old pension scheme. The ESMA, as it is commonly known, gives the police right to arrest without a warrant anybody violating the Act's provisions. In an official release issued here, the government said strikes have been banned with immediate effect in any public service including corporations and local bodies. Under the Essential Services Maintenance Act, 1968, employees in a long list of "essential services" like post and telegraph, railway, airport and port operations are prohibited from going on strike. The Act mandates imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or fine ...
SC order victory of democracy, Mamata must resign: Vijayvargiya
BJP National General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya Tuesday thanked the Supreme Court for directing Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to appear before the CBI, saying it was a "victory of democracy" and demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The apex court Tuesday directed Kumar to make himself available before the CBI and "faithfully" cooperate with the agency in investigation of cases arising out of the Saradha chit fund scam probe. "The SC verdict is a victory of democracy. Mamata Banerjee should immediately tender resignation," Vijayvergiya told PTI. The apex court also said that no coercive steps, including the arrest of the Kolkata Police chief, will take place during the course of investigation. The state government and the state police have repeatedly created hurdles during the investigation, he alleged. A CBI team had gone to Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's residence in the city on Sunday to question him in connection with ...
Trinamool protests disrupt LS proceedings; House adjourns till
Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted again on Tuesday as belligerent Trinamool Congress members engaged in sloganeering against the government over the standoff between the CBI and the Kolkata Police. The House was adjourned till 2 PM even as papers were laid and members raised various issues during the Zero Hour, which went on till around 12.30 PM. Earlier, the Question Hour was washed out and the proceedings were adjourned till noon. Soon after the Zero Hour commenced, members from the Trinamool Congress trooped into the Well shouting slogans against the CBI and the government. The incident involving the CBI and the Kolkata Police in Kolkata on Sunday has escalated into a bitter political slugfest between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP. Various Opposition parties have also come in support of West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who is sitting on a dharna. Members from the TDP, SP and the Congress were also in the Well. Some ...
Lamba wants to quit party, finding reasons: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that party MLA Alka Lamba wanted to quit the party and was finding reasons to do so.
UP Budget Session: Oppn members hurl paper balls towards podium during Guv's address
Opposition members hurled paper balls towards the podium as Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik addressed a joint sitting of the state legislature on the Budget Session first day on Tuesday. As soon as the governor began reading out his speech, opposition members started raising anti-government slogans and shouted 'Rajyapal Wapas Jao (Governor Go Back)'. They soon started hurling paper balls towards the podium which were deflected by members of the staff using cardboard files. Amid the din, the governor kept reading out his speech, which highlights various welfare and development schemes, besides achievements of the Uttar Pradesh government. The annual budget will be presented on February 7 by Finance Minister Rajesh Agarwal. The session is likely to conclude on February 22.
Odisha BJP women's wing launches campaign against Naveen Patnaik govt
The BJP women's wing in Odisha has launched a state-wide campaign against the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government to highlight the "atrocities" against women and the state government's alleged complicity.The BJP's women wing has alleged that the "anti-women policy" of the Naveen Patnaik government has led to increased crimes against women.Under the campaign titled "Jabab Maguchhi Odisha" (Odisha is asking for answers) starting from Tuesday, a "Jabab Maguchhi Rath" will be passing through all the 147 constituencies of the state to portray the alleged atrocities against women."The Rath will travel in all the 147 constituencies of Odisha, where we will be showing the video we have made on a girl who was gang-raped and killed by the BJD goons in 2011," said Lekhasri Samantsinghar, state general secretary, BJP."Law and order is completely devastated in Odisha, crimes against women are happening every day and the government is sleeping over it since 19 years," she said."In many cases, the ...
Mamata welcomes SC verdict, terms it 'moral victory'
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday welcomed the Supreme Court's verdict in a CBI plea against Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar that ordered against his arrest and termed it a "moral victory".
No TA/DA for Army officers :Defence Ministry wing issues order, backtracks after uproar
Following an uproar by army officers, a wing of the Defence Ministry on Tuesday backtracked on its February 4 notification which stated that it will no longer process travelling and dearness allowance (TA/DA) and advances and claims of the officers."Due to insufficient funds available under temporary and permanent duty heads of Army officers, no TA/DA advances and claims can be processed till receipt of sufficient funds under the relevant heads," said a statement from the principal controller of defence accounts PCDA (officers) on Monday. It had also said that facility of Leave Travel Allowance (LTC) will continue.After the notification, Army officials started an uproar on social media and subsequently the PCDA removed the information from its website.Clarifying on the issue, the Defence Ministry spokesperson said "Funds in any specific head may fall short momentarily. These are only temporary and resolved routinely through reappropriations as in the instant case.""The hype created is
Mamata has put democracy in peril in West Bengal: UP Deputy CM
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya Tuesday alleged that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had put democracy in peril in West Bengal and sought to know if Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar was an office bearer of her party TMC. Maurya's remarks came in the backdrop of Banerjee staging a "Save India" dharna (sit-in) in Kolkata since Sunday night insisting that the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with chit fund scams was tantamount to stifling the spirit of "Constitution and federalism" in the country. "I feel that in West Bengal democracy is in peril. Someone occupying a constitutional post is violating the federal structure of the country. This certainly does not augur well for the democracy of the country," Maurya told PTI here in an interview. Banerjee owes an answer to the nation on "whether Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar is a TMC MP, MLA or an office bearer of her party", he said. Seeking an answer from the West Bengal ..
UK: PoK representatives embarrassed, asked by Pakistani diplomat to leave conference on Kashmir
Representatives from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) had to face embarrassing moments here on Monday as they were asked by a Pakistani diplomat to leave a conference held to vent Pakistani propaganda on Jammu and Kashmir on Monday.The representatives were told by the diplomat that they were a "security risk" at the event attended by Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in the Committee Room of House of Commons in London.Apart from a few other Parliamentarians, there were some members of PoK Assembly and Pakistan National Assembly. The audience overwhelmingly consisted of British Pakistanis and British Kashmiris from PoK who needed no lecture on the Jammu and Kashmir dispute.A delegation of Kashmiri nationalists from the platform of Jammu Kashmir National Independence Alliance also went to attend the Conference.Mahmood Kashmiri, Chairman of JKNIA and other office bearers, former Councillor Ghulam Hussain, Dr Misfar Hassan and Sardar Amjad Yousaf are peaceful people and went ..
BJP leaders not being stopped from entering oppn-ruled states: Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has denied that BJP leaders are being stopped from entering opposition-ruled states by their chief ministers.On Sunday, BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's chopper was refused permission to land in West Bengal's South Dinajpur where he was scheduled to address a rally.Talking to ANI, Naidu asserted on Monday, "No one is blocking anyone."Attacking the BJP, he said, "Don't behave high-handedly.If someone has behaved vulgarly then the person should be answered in the same language."The chief minister criticised the Modi-led government and said, "The BJP at the Centre has done nothing for the people of Andhra Pradesh. The BJP to out to insult and humiliate people of Andhra Pradesh."After being denied permission to land his helicopter in West Bengal on Sunday, Adityanath addressed the "Gantantra Bachao" (save democracy) rally through a telephone call.In his address, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister slammed his West
Mamata continues sit-in, SC hearing on CBI plea awaited
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continued her sit-in on an arterial city road on Tuesday even as all the stakeholders awaited the Supreme Court verdict over the CBI's plea against Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar.
BJP to ride its Sabarimala success in Kerala
The Bhrataiya Janata Party's stand in the Sabarimala issue trying to protect the tradition of the famed temple will in turn help the saffron party open its account in the Lok Sabha from Kerala, a top party leader said.
30 countries officially recognise Guaido as Venezuela's interim President
A group of 11 Latin American countries and 19 European Union member nations has recognised US-backed National Assembly speaker Juan Guaido as the interim President of Venezuela, after incumbent Nicolas Maduro failed to comply with an ultimatum calling for a snap presidential election.
LS polls: Rahul to meet Congress office bearers, strategise
Congress President Rahul Gandhi will meet party general secretaries including newly inducted Priyanka Gandhi on Thursday followed by a meeting of state party chiefs on Saturday to chalk out the roadmap and strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Trump's presidency will be 'stained in blood' if US intervenes militarily in Venezuela: Maduro
In a stern warning, embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said that US President Donald Trump risks "staining his hands with blood" if he attempts to pursue military action in his strife-torn South American country.Maduro said that if Trump was physically in front of him, he would reply to him saying, "Stop, stop Donald Trump, stop there, you are making mistakes that you are going to stain your hands with blood and you will leave the presidency stained with blood," CNN reported, quoting Spanish channel LaSexta Sunday.The Venezuelan President made the comments after Trump said last week that military action in the South American nation "was an option", because of the "horrible things that were happening in that country."Calling for mutual respect, Maduro cautioned Trump "not to repeat Vietnam in Latin America." Taking a jibe at the US President, he said: "So we have to go through a war to reconsider our relationship and our respect?"Maduro also defied calls from other ...