Page 1750 - Politics
Will oppose citizenship bill, Centre must withdraw it: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said Saturday her party would oppose the citizenship bill and demanded that the Centre withdraw the contentious legislation. Banerjee called Prime Minister Narendra Modi the "grandfather of corruption" and alleged that he was a "demon" gulping everything in the country, starting from judiciary, media and even democracy. "The Centre will have to withdraw the citizenship bill. There is no question of supporting it. We will oppose it. We will not let him (Modi) succeed," she said. The chief minister dared Modi to put her behind the bars. "What will he (Modi) do because I am saying this? Will he get me murdered? Or will he threat me using the agencies? I am ready to be in jail but will not bow my head. I have always held my head high." Banerjee was reacting to Modi seeking the TMC's support for the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019, at a rally in North 24 Parganas district. The TMC supremo said she ...
Report: Iran's president supports Venezuela's government
Iran's official IRNA news agency says President Hassan Rouhani has his expressed support for Venezuelan embattled President Nicolas Maduro. IRNA's report on Saturday says Rouhani met with the Venezuelan envoy to Tehran, Carlos Alcala Cordones, and voiced his support for Maduro's government. "We believe the people of Venezuela though unity and standing by the government will defuse the pressures by Washington," Rouhani is quoted as saying. Rouhani describes what he termed as U.S. intervention in Venezuela's internal affairs as "very ugly". "Americans basically oppose popular revolution and independent nations," added Rouhani, according to the report. Iran has been a key supporter of Venezuela's government since 1999 when the late populist President Hugo Chavez came to power in Caracas. Both countries are members of OPEC and have had numerous economic agreements.
Unfortunate that Koli community was used as vote bank: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday told a gathering of Kolis in Gujarat that it was very unfortunate that the community was used as a votebank in the past. The gathering at Chotila town in Surendranagar district, 65 km from here, was organised to felicitate community leader Kunvarji Bavaliya who was elected in a bypoll recently, a government press release said. The prime minister addressed the gathering through a recorded eight-minute video. "The Koli community is present all over India and is also present in Gujarat and Mumbai in large numbers. The community members have qualities like they are very hard working and have social unity," the release quoted the prime minister as saying. "It is very unfortunate that the community was just used as a votebank for so many years," he said. Modi said they had worked for uplift and development of every community. "The Koli community is still lagging behind in education. Many more such caste gatherings need to be organised to bring awareness
Russia to pull plug on nuclear arms pact after US does same
Following in the footsteps of the U.S., Russia will abandon a centerpiece nuclear arms treaty but will only deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles if Washington does so, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday. U.S. President Donald Trump accused Moscow on Friday of violating the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty with "impunity" by deploying banned missiles. Trump said in a statement that the U.S. will "move forward" with developing its own military response options to Russia's new land-based cruise missiles that could target Western Europe. Moscow has strongly denied any breaches and accused Washington of making false accusations in order to justify its pullout. The collapse of the INF Treaty has raised fears of a repeat of a Cold War showdown in the 1980s, when the U.S. and the Soviet Union both deployed intermediate-range missiles on the continent. Such weapons were seen as particularly destabilizing as they only take a few minutes to reach their targets, leaving no .
Shukla first IPS officer from MP cadre to be appointed CBI chief
New CBI Director Rishi Kumar Shukla is the first officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre to be appointed to the coveted post, officials said Saturday. Fifty-eight-year-old Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer who had served as the Madhya Pradesh Police chief for nearly two-and-a-half years, was on Saturday appointed the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), established in its current form in 1963. The founder-director of the agency, D P Kohli, an IPS of Uttar Pradesh cadre, had served as Inspector General of Police of Madhya Bharat, which later emerged as Madhya Pradesh after being merged with Vidhya Pradesh and Bhopal states. "Shukla is a no nonsense officer and a hard task master. He will do his duty with full commitment, integrity and sincerity as has always been maintained by him all though his career," said a senior IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, posted in intelligence agency in Delhi, requesting anonymity. He is known for ensuring quick investigations into cases of
Central Africa peace deal reached in Khartoum: Govt
The government of Central African Republic said Saturday it had struck a peace deal with armed groups in Khartoum in a bid to end years of fighting that has killed thousands. "A peace agreement has been reached..." the government of President Faustin-Archange Touadera announced on Twitter just a day after African Union-sponsored talks between the two sides were suspended amid concerns over amnesty. "This agreement should be initialled tomorrow (Sunday) and its signature will take place in Bangui in a few days," said the Tweet. On his own Twitter account, African Union Commissioner for Peace and Security Smail Chergui confirmed an accord had been reached between the government and 14 armed groups, even if certain details still have to be ironed out. "I am humbled to announce that with the exemplary cooperation I received from both the Government of the CAR and the 14 armed groups, we have secured a peace agreement today in the interest of the people of CAR." One of the world's poorest .
Time for Modi's exit has come, but he is not mentally ready to go: Mamata
Launching an all-out attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday said the time for his exit has come, with only a month to go for the announcement of fresh Lok Sabha polls, but he was not "mentally ready" to go.
New CBI chief appointment triggers fresh war of words between Kharge, govt
A fresh war of words broke out Saturday following the appointment of Rishi Kumar Shukla as CBI chief, with Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge alleging that selection criteria was diluted, but the government hit back accusing the opposition leader of trying to "manipulate" the process to include officers of his choice in the shortlist. Kharge, a member of the panel that decided on the appointment, sent a dissent note to Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the criterion in selecting the CBI director was diluted to include investigation experience only and not experience in investigating anti-corruption cases. In the two-page note, he said the three-member committee, chaired by the prime minister and in which he is a member along with Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, has violated the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPE) that governs the CBI and the Supreme Court judgements. "By including officers who do not have experience in investigating anti-corruption cases, committee is in ...
Rahul alleges Modi helped Ambani through Rafale deal
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday reiterated his allegation that Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped businessman Anil Ambani through the Rafale deal. Gandhi cited a media report which claimed that the deal was a lifeline for Ambani's Reliance Group. "Merit according to Modi," the Congress chief tweeted and tagged the report to reiterate his allegations over the Rafale deal. Gandhi has been accusing Modi of helping Ambani make a profit of Rs 30,000 crore by favouring him in the deal. The government has denied any wrongdoing in the fighter jet agreement with France. Ambani has also strongly rejected all allegations.
Interim budget by PM Modi-led govt failed to energise demoralised people of Goa: Congress leader
Congress legislator Chandrakant Kavlekar on Saturday said that the Interim Budget presented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government was dismal and failed to energise demoralised people who have been victims of the BJP government's faulty policies and actions.Calling Interim Budget as an election gimmick, Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly, Kavlekar said: "This budget is just an election gimmick and BJP's another 'jumla'.""The industries have been dying due to faulty, selective and biased policies; the revenue is sinking thereby increasing taxes and levies. Each Goan is burdened today with a loan of more than a lakh," Kavlekar said on being asked to respond on the interim budget.He attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government claiming that the interim budget was far from the reality of this country.He further said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has been working relentlessly for only 15 industrialists for the last four years.Meanwhile, Kavlekar dared ..
K S Alagiri appointed as Tamil Nadu PCC new president
K S Alagiri was appointed on Saturday as the new president of the Tamil Nadu Pradesh Congress Committee. Congress president Rahul Gandhi also appointed H Vasantha Kumar, K Jayakumar, M K Vishnu Prasad and Mayura Jayakumar as new working presidents to assist him. "The party appreciates the contribution of outgoing TNCC president Thirunavakkarasar," a statement issued by the Congress said. Gandhi has also appointed Mariyam Bibi and Miani Dalbot Shira as working presidents for Andaman and Nicobar Islands Mahila Congress and Meghalaya Mahila Congress. The Congress chief formed the Election Committee for Lakshadweep TCC and appointed national conveners and zonal coordinators. He also made some other appointments in the AICC SC Department for Pradesh Congress Committees of Delhi, Gujarat, Tripura, West Bengal and Chandigarh TCC.
BJP to launch month-long exercise to seek people's suggestions for its manifesto
The BJP will launch a month-long exercise on Sunday to seek over 10 crore suggestions from people across the country which, the party said, will be a basis of its "sankalp patra" (manifesto) for the upcoming Lok Sabha election. The party's media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni, in a statement on Saturday, said BJP president Amit Shah and senior leader Rajnath Singh, who is the head of the party's manifesto committee for the polls, will launch the programme Sunday. The exercise has been named 'Bharat ke mann ki baat, Modi ke saath". "We are starting this programme with the belief that it will prove to be the biggest cooperative exercise to draw outlines for a country's future," Baluni said, adding the BJP will reach out to people across the country through various means to seek their views. People's aspirations and expectations have been a key basis of the Modi government's works and it has been able to improve the living standard of crores of families, he claimed adding that it ...
Posters depict Modi as Mahishasura; Cong distances itself
A day ahead of a rally by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi here, the Bihar Congress on Saturday disowned posters where Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been depicted as Mahishasura. The posters, which have been allegedly put up by Congress supporters, have drawn the ire of the Bharatiya Janata Party. It also depicts Gandhi as Lord Rama and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as Goddess Durga, who had slain the demon king Mahishasura. A case has been registered by a local resident at a civil court here against Gandhi, state Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha and other party leaders for allegedly hurting "Hindu sentiments" by coming up with posters that depicted party leaders as Hindu deities. "This is not a Congress poster. We cannot be held guilty for deeds by people who claim to be our supporters but are not bound by the party discipline," Jha said. "We would try to find out who has come out with such a poster. If he is found to be in any way associated with the party, strong action will be taken," Prem ...
Modi to inaugurate development projects in J-K on Sunday
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday to lay the foundation or inaugurate various development projects, including two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Jammu and Srinagar divisions and the University of Ladakh. He will also visit the famous Dal lake in Srinagar during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir. The prime minister will lay of the foundation stones of two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Vijaypur and Awantipora, a statement from his office said. The Union Cabinet had recently approved setting up of the premier hospitals in the border state. Setting up of new AIIMS would transform health care facilities, health education and training in the region, it said. Modi will also lay the foundation stone of northern regional centre campus of Indian Institute of Mass Communication in Jammu. University of Ladakh will also be launched by the prime minister. It will be the first-ever university in the Ladakh region of the ...
Kharge tried to manipulate CBI chief's selection criteria: Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is a member of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led panel, tried to "manipulate" the criteria for selection of CBI chief with the ulterior motive of accommodating officers of his choice in the short-list of candidates, Union Minister Jitendra Singh claimed Saturday. He also hit out at Kharge for "giving his own version" of the panel's deliberations to the media. "Kharge tried to manipulate the objective criteria, based on independent and impartial assessment, to select CBI Director...He wanted to include some officers of his preference in the short-list of candidates," Singh, the Union Minister of State for Personnel, told PTI. The minister said Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, who is part of the committee along with Modi and Kharge, fully endorsed the objective criteria applied for selecting the head of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Earlier in the day, the government named former Madhya Pradesh Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla ..
Iran in 'successful test' of new cruise missile on revolution anniversary
Iran announced the "successful test" of a new cruise missile with a range of over 1,350 kilometres on Saturday, coinciding with celebrations for the country's 1979 Islamic revolution. "The test of the Hoveizeh cruise missile was carried out successfully at a range of 1,200 kilometres and accurately hit the set target," Defence Minister Amir Hatami said, quoted on state television which broadcast footage of its launch. "It can be ready in the shortest possible time and flies at a very low altitude," he said. Hatami described the Hoveizeh as the "long arm of the Islamic Republic of Iran" in defending itself. It is part of the Soumar group of cruise missile, first unveiled in 2015 with a range of 700 kilometres, according to the minister. The Hoveizeh unveiling was part of an arms exhibition titled "40 years of defensive achievements" held in Tehran. Friday marked the beginning of 10 days of celebrations of the Islamic revolution that ousted the pro-Western shah. Iran has voluntarily ...
"Coalition govt in coma; doubtful if CM will present budget"
: BJP in Karnataka Saturday today took a dig at the constant squabbling between ruling Congress-JD(S), saying it was in a 'coma' and expressed doubts whether Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy would even present the state's second budget on February 8. Senior party leader and former Deputy Chief Minister claimed that 20 to 25 disgruntled MLAs of the alliance were out of the reach of their leaders and the coalition government was in a 'coma'. He referred to Kumaraswamy's reported statement at a JD(S) legislature party meeting that he was not a chief minister for the last seven months, but 'just a clerk'. "Whether he will present the budget or not, it is a doubt for us," he said. He reiterated that the BJP would not make any attempts to topple the government and asked both parties not to blame the saffron party for not being able to control their MLAs. "About 20-25 Congress-JD(S) MLAs not having trust in their party have been roaming around, away from the reach of their party .
Gujarat Congress MLA Ashaben Patel quits party
In a blow to the Congress in North Gujarat, Unjha MLA Ashaben Patel here on Saturday tendered her resignation from all the posts, claiming the state leadership was ignoring her and unable to contain groupism.
PM: Algerian President Bouteflika, 82, to run for 5th term
Algeria's prime minister says 82-year-old President Abdelaziz Bouteflika will seek a fifth term in this year's election through a letter to the Algerian people in the coming days. Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia told a press conference Saturday about his "strong belief" that Bouteflika will run in the North African nation's April 18 election. He says "all signs show it and with a little bit of analysis we can easily understand that he's in and that it's only a matter of time." Ouyahia added that he thinks Bouteflika remains "the best candidate" despite ailing health. The Algerian leader is partially paralysed from a stroke and is rarely seen in public. Two other candidates, former Prime Minister Ali Benflis and Ret. Gen. Ali Ghediri, have already declared they are running for president.
Cong leaders visibly shaken by budget: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Saturday claimed Congress leaders were visibly shaken by the Budget proposals presented in Parliament when they should have been happy if they sympathised with poor famers. "Unkey chehron ki hawaiyaan udd gayi," he said, using a Hindi expression. "If the Modi government did something good for poor farmers and you claim to be their sympathisers, the budget should have brought a smile to your face instead of making you sad," Shah said. The BJP referred to Mallikarjun Kharge, the leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, and party chief Rahul Gandhi. "Why didn't the relief announced for small and marginal farmers bring a smile to your face. What is your purpose in politics, he asked. The BJP chief alleged that the Congress' sole aim was to grab power. He said the Centre will spend Rs 75,000 crore to provide income support of Rs 6,000 per year to every small and marginal farmer. He said 12 crore farmers will benefit by the move. The Congress had criticised the ...