Page 1737 - Politics

Anything can happen until polls are announced:Nitish

Deftly side-stepping queries on the face-off between the West Bengal government and the Centre, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said Monday "anything" can happen in the country until the Lok Sabha elections are announced. He, however, firmly ruled out the possibility of the Modi government making an attempt to dislodge Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee from power in view of the crisis. Kumar pointed out that unlike in the past, "when Congress governments at the Centre used to clamp Presidents rule at will," now there were clear guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court. On Sunday, an all-out war broke out between the Centre and the Mamata Banerjee government, with the West Bengal leader beginning a sit-in protest at a city landmark over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with chit fund scams, insisting it stifled the spirit of "Constitution and federalism". "What is happening between the CBI and the West Bengal government ..

Yes, BJP used me in 2014: Anna Hazare

Fasting activist Kisan Babural alias Anna Hazare said on Monday that he was "used by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)" to win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Both Houses of Parliament adjourned over CBI row

The CBI-Kolkata Police row Monday washed out proceedings in both houses of Parliament, even as Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed the developments in West Bengal as "unprecedented" and warned that the Centre has powers to take action. After repeated adjournments, both the houses were adjourned for the day. In the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress members were joined in their protest by members of the Congress, BJD, NCP, SP and RJD who spoke out against the Centre over developments in West Bengal, with many of them alleging that the Narendra Modi government was misusing the CBI. West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC leader Mamata Banerjee Sunday began a sit-in protest in Kolkata over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with chit fund scams. A CBI team, which went to Kumar's residence in the city's Loudon Street area, was denied permission, bundled into police jeeps and whisked to a police station on Sunday. Amid noisy protests by Trinamool ...

Congress loan waiver functions are wasteful: AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday dubbed the Congress government's loan waiver functions in Punjab as a "wasteful extravaganza without substance" and said that it won't heal the festering wounds of the farmers in the state.

DMK chief Stalin backs Mamata

The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu Monday extended support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 'fight' to "save democracy" amid her ongoing face-off with the Centre and the CBI. DMK President MK Stalin nominated his sister and Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi to meet Banerjee in Kolkata, where she is on a sit-in against the Centre, and extend support. Stalin spoke to the TMC supremo over the phone and wished her success in her ongoing protest, the party said. In a dramatic showdown with the Centre, Banerjee embarked on a sit-in Sunday night to protest against the "insults" she faced at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah. She went on the protest hours after a CBI team that had gone to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund scams was detained in a rare face-off between the police establishments of the Centre and the state. On Monday, the DMK said Stalin spoke to Banerjee over the phone. "DMK President ...

No political crisis in Goa as long as Parrikar is CM: BJP MLA

As long as Manohar Parrikar is the Chief Minister, there will be no political crisis in Goa, Deputy Speaker of the Goa Assembly and BJP MLA Michael Lobo said on Monday in a Facebook post.

Delete 60 lakh duplicate votes, conduct LS polls in Telangana and AP on same day: Jagan Reddy to CEC

YSRCP President Y S Jaganmohan Reddy Monday urged Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora to conduct the parliamentary elections in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on the same day as many people are registered to votes in both the states. At the meeting, Reddy also sought deletion of about 60 lakh duplicate votes allegedly created by the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP)-led government in Andhra Pradesh. He also complained to Arora that Chandrababu Naidu's government has allegedly parked Rs 4,000-5,000 crore ill-gotten money in all 175 constituencies in the state for distribution to voters during the elections due in April-May. "The TDP government is doing everything in its power to subvert democracy and steal the election. I met the CEC and informed him about the various ways in which the current government is undermining the electoral process. I requested him to intervene in the matter and ensure free and fair elections in the state," Reddy told reporters after the meeting. After the ...

Opposition protests against removal of burqa, black dupattas in Jharkhand

Opposition parties protested in the Jharkhand Assembly on Monday against the forced removal of burqas and black dupattas worn by women during an event attended by Chief Minister Raghubar Das in Giridih district.

EC has supervised free and fair elections for 7 decades: Pranab Mukherjee

At a time when the Opposition has raised questions on the autonomy of the Election Commission, former President Pranab Mukherjee has described the EC as "a truly unique body" that has supervised "free and fair" polls for the past seven decades.

Uproar over CBI action in West Bengal derails LS

The Lok Sabha on Monday witnessed uproar as opposition parties led by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) protested vehemently against the CBI raid in Kolkata, calling it a misuse of the agency against political opponents, forcing Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to adjourn the House for the day.

UK recognises Venezuela opposition leader as acting president p

Britain on Monday recognised Venezuela's opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader after President Nicolas Maduro rejected a demand by several European powers for fresh elections. "UK alongside European allies now recognises @jguaido as interim constitutional president until credible elections can be held. Let's hope this takes us closer to ending humanitarian crisis," Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in a statement on Twitter.

CBI's conduct smacks of unprofessionalism: BJD

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday said the conduct of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) smacks of unprofessionalism.

BJD backs WB Bengal CM, dubs CBI move 'coloured with political motives'

The ruling BJD and the opposition Congress in Odisha on Monday backed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the alleged misuse of the CBI by the Centre and claimed that the federal probe agency was being "used as a political weapon" ahead of the general elections. Support from opposition leaders from across the country poured in for Banerjee who began her sit-in protest at the heart of Kolkata on Sunday night over the CBI's attempt to question the city police chief in connection with chit fund scams, insisting it stifled the spirit of "Constitution and federalism". The BJD in a statement said, "Institutional integrity of the CBI has to be restored. We are a mature democracy and professionalism should be maintained." Even in Odisha, sudden action by the CBI had come just before panchayat elections in the past, it said, adding, "Now, before the general elections, the move smacks of unprofessional conduct and is coloured with political motives." Hitting out at the BJP, Odisha ..

LS adjourned for the day amid noisy protests by TMC

The Lok Sabha Monday was adjourned for the day following protests and sloganeering by Trinamool Congress members over the alleged misuse of the CBI in West Bengal. Soon after the House met at 2 PM, members of Trinamool Congress trooped into to the well and started raising slogans like "Chowkidar chor hai" and "CBI tota hai" (CBI is a parrot)" Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar made a plea to agitating members to go back to their seats, stating it was time for motion of thanks on the President's address. Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said the CBI matter is already in the Supreme Court and let the apex court decide. The House was adjourned for the second time till 2 PM after the Zero Hour went on for around 25 minutes. Members of the Trinamool Congress, who alleged that the Centre was misusing the CBI to politically capture West Bengal, trooped into the Well during the Zero Hour. Members from other parties, including the TDP, SP and Congress, were also .

Rahul's tweet most re-tweeted during Interim Budget

Twitter on Monday said it recorded over eight lakh Interim Budget-related conversations in the four-day period (January 31-February 3) in which a tweet by Congress President Rahul Gandhi became the most re-tweeted.

Don't play cricket with nation's future: Shivraj tells Rahul

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan on Monday took a jibe at Rahul Gandhi for his "back foot-front foot" comment at a Patna rally, and said that the nation was not a cricket field and the Congress President should not play with its future.

Trump says he 'does not necessarily agree' with intelligence agencies

US President Donald Trump has said he does not always agree with the conclusions of his intelligence chiefs and pointed out past intelligence failures as a reason to reject their assessments of the threats posed by Iran and North Korea. Trump rebuked his intelligence chiefs last week after his director of national intelligence and leaders of the CIA and FBI testified before Congress on global threats and contradicted the president on Iran, North Korea and ISIS. During a Congressional hearing last week, top American spymasters Dan Coats, National Intelligence Director, and Gina Haspel, CIA Director, told lawmakers that Iran was abiding by the 2015 nuclear deal. Trump said he disagrees with the assessment of his intelligence leaders that Iran is abiding by the nuclear deal. He claimed that Iran is going ahead with its nuclear weapons programme. He also said the national security advisers' false assessment on Iraq led the US to engage in a war that it should never have been. The US' ...

Ireland resisting UK attempts for bilateral border talks - Irish minister

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Ireland has resisted attempts by the British government to open up bilateral talks in relation to the use of technology to keep the border on the island of Ireland open after Brexit, Irish Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe said on Monday.

NDA doors closed forever for Chandrababu Naidu: Amit Shah

BJP President Amit Shah on Monday said the doors of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) were closed forever for Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.

If you can't look after family, how will you serve nation: Gadkari to ex-ABVP workers

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said that party workers who fail take care of their families cannot look after the nation.Gadkari was speaking at an event of former workers of BJP's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) here on Saturday. "Party workers should fulfil their domestic responsibilities first. Those who cannot do so, cannot manage the country," said Nitin Gadkari."I have met many people who say that they want to devote their lives for the sake of the nation and the party," said Gadkari. He also said that many people among them say that they have families and their business have been ruined."I say to such people to first look after their family and take care of the family members. Those who cannot manage their homes, cannot look after the country," said Gadkari.The minister is known for implicitly targeting his own party and its policies by his statements in public. Gadkari recently claimed that people appreciate only those politicians who fulfill their ...