Page 1753 - Politics
Former Union Minister Kushwaha injured in police lathi-charge in Bihar
Former Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha and half-a-dozen RLSP activists were injured in a police lathicharge on Saturday during a protest in the Bihar capital.
Russia suspends nuclear missile treaty after US move
President Vladimir Putin on Saturday said Russia was suspending its participation in a key Cold War-era missile treaty in a mirror response to a US move the day before. Moscow and Washington have long accused the other of violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces agreement, which was signed in 1987 and resolved a crisis over Soviet missiles. President Donald Trump last year announced plans to withdraw unless Russia fulfilled its obligations. "Our American partners have announced they are suspending their participation in the deal, and we are also suspending our participation," Putin said of the agreement, following a US deadline for cooperation. Putin said during a televised meeting with foreign and defence ministers Sergei Lavrov and Sergei Shoigu that Russia would no longer initiate talks with the US on disarmament. "We will wait until our partners have matured enough to conduct an equal, meaningful dialogue with us on this important topic," the president said. Brokered by US .
BJP takes exception to Naidu's outbursts, calls him 'assembly rowdy'
A day after Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu lashed out at a BJP legislator in the assembly, the saffron party on Saturday called him an "assembly rowdy" and alleged that he was in "deep frustration". "A frustrated, defeatist Chandrababu Naidu has threatened BJP MLAs Vishnu Kumar Raju & Manikyala Rao in Andhra assembly y'day that @BJP4Andhra leaders will not be allowed to move in the state for exposing TDP," party spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao tweeted. The Bharatiya Janata Party is planning a privilege motion against Naidu, Rao added. "Chandrababu Naidu's behaviour in the assembly reveals that his madness has reached peaks. He is in such deep frustration that he behaved like a 'assembly rowdy'," Rao alleged. Naidu had strongly criticised BJP's floor leader, P Vishnu Kumar Raju, in the assembly on Friday when the latter tried to defend the Centre after the chief minister accused the Narendra Modi government of discriminating against south India in allotment of ..
Former MP Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla appointed CBI director
Former Madhya Pradesh Police chief Rishi Kumar Shukla was on Saturday appointed the chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a fixed tenure of two years, according to a Personnel Ministry order. Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer, is at present chairman of Madhya Pradesh Police Housing Corporation in Bhopal. He has been appointed in place of Alok Kumar Verma, who was removed from the post of CBI Director on January 10. Shukla was recently transferred from the post of Director General of Madhya Pradesh Police to the police housing corporation. The appointment comes following two meeting of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led selection committee held on January 24 and February 1. Shukla's name was short-listed during the second meeting of the selection committee held on Friday. The development assumes significance as on Friday, the Supreme Court had said it was "averse" to the arrangement of an interim CBI Director and the Centre should "immediately" appoint a regular chief
Shah asks Rahul to clear stand on Ram temple
BJP President Amit Shah on Saturday asked Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to clear his stand on the Ram Temple issue saying his party was creating hurdles in its construction.
Centre will use technology to seal B'desh borders in Bengal, Assam: Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said the Centre will use technology to seal the international borders with Bangladesh in West Bengal and Assam through an integrated border management system. Alleging that Bangladeshis are illegally entering West Bengal, he said the Centre had sought land from the state government to fence off the border with Bangladesh but is yet to receive it. "Now, we have decided to use technology to seal the international borders with Bangladesh in the two states using a comprehensive integrated border management system," Singh said at a rally at Falakata in Alipurduar district of north Bengal. The move will help check infiltration as well as smuggling and other border crimes, ensure the safety and security of the country amid a changing demographic profile of West Bengal, he said. Coming down heavily on the ruling TMC in the state, he said, "As per records, the maximum violence takes place in West Bengal. Neither Ma, Mati nor Manush (referring to ...
Ex-BSP MLA joins Congress in Madhya Pradesh
Former BSP MLA Usha Choudhary Saturday joined the Congress after meeting Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath at his residence here. Besides Choudhary, who had represented Raigaon seat in Satna district, retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer Azad Singh Dadas also joined the ruling party. Former Leader of Opposition in MP legislative assembly Ajay Singh, who took the duo to the chief minister, told PTI that they have taken membership of Congress.
Kushwaha injured as RLSP leaders clash with police in Bihar
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha and several other party leaders were injured in a clash with the police here Saturday after they were prevented from marching towards the Raj Bhavan. The condition of Kushwaha, the former Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development, is all right, although he has been advised rest, hospital sources said. Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) had organised a 'Aakrosh march' on Saturday against the Nitish Kumar government to press for its demand of educational reforms in the state. The RLSP programme was organised on the occasion of the birth anniversary of late Jagdeo Prasad, the tallest leader of Bihar from the Kushwaha community, considered to be the party's primary support base. Armed with 'lathis' (sticks) and raising slogans denouncing the state government for failing to do the needful on the party's charter of demands on educational reforms, the RLSP leaders came to blows with policemen at the Dak Bungalow crossing, about two kilometres
Turkey's Erdogan congratulates Qatar on Asian Cup victory: source
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday congratulated Qatar which defeated Japan in the final of the Asian Cup, in a telephone conversation with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, a presidential source said. Qatar shocked four-time champions Japan 3-1 to win their first Asian Cup title on Friday, three years before the resource-rich Gulf nation hosts the World Cup in 2022. Erdogan, whose country is a regional ally of Doha, congratulated the emir on "Qatar's success in football and championship of 2019 Asian Cup", the source added. Qatar and Turkey have reinforced their extremely close ties in recent years. Doha has been isolated from its neighbours and former allies -- including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain -- since June 2017 over accusations it supports terrorist groups and seeks closer ties with Saudi arch-rival Iran. Doha denies the allegations. But Ankara backed Doha and was at the forefront of nations to supply the Gulf state with food and ...
TMC govt has imposed 'TTT' -- Trinamool Tolabaji Tax in West Bengal: PM
Hitting out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said she was not extending the social and developmental schemes of the Centre to this state and accused her government of imposing an 'extortion' tax -- Trinamool Tolabaji Tax (TTT).Addressing a big rally here, PM Modi also targeted Mamata for preventing central investigating agencies into West Bengal, questioning what the Chief Minister was worried about if she had nothing to hide.In his speech, PM Modi also slammed the recent joint rally of around 20 parties, organised by Mamata in Kolkata, saying those whose kith and kin are facing corruption charges got together despite differences just because they are worried on account of crackdown on corruption being undertaken by him."They are showering curses on me just because I am going after corruption... Corrupt people don't like Modi. That is why central investigating agencies are not allowed in West Bengal," the Prime Minister ...
RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha allegedly injured in police lathi-charge
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha was injured at Jan Aakrosh rally on Saturday which he alleged was due to police lathi-charge."Police resorted to lathi-charge at the behest of Nitish Kumar. I am injured, I was hit on the head. Our colleagues too sustained injuries during the lathi-charge," Kushwaha said.Police resorted to lathi-charge during RLSP Jan Aakrosh rally which was also attended by Kushwaha.The RLSP chief said he and his colleagues sustained injuries during the lathi-charge and alleged that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was behind it.Speaking to reporters, Kushwaha accused the Janata Dal (United)-led government of not providing proper education facilities to the poor.Kushwaha was the ally of Nitish Kumar government a few months back.More details are awaited.
Rishi Kumar Shukla new CBI Chief
The government on Saturday appointed Rishi Kumar Shukla, a 1983-batch IPS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, as new chief of the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Congress slams Akali for 'silence' on Rs 6,000 farm support
The Punjab Congress on Saturday slammed the Shiromani Akali Dal for its "silence" on the Rs 6,000 annual support scheme announced for the farmers in the interim Union budget, daring the BJP ally to justify that the "meagre" amount could help address the farm crisis. Accusing the BJP government of insulting the farming community with the Rs 500-per month support, the Congress asked the Akali Dal to leave the ministerial post in the Union cabinet on the farmers' issue. "On each and every issue, you can always find the statement or tweet from the Akali Dal. But, ever since the budget has been announced, not even a single word has been uttered by it. Neither (Parkash Singh) Badal 'sahib', Sukhbir (Badal) nor minister 'sahiba' (Harsimrat Kaur Badal) made any statement on it," Congress state president Sunil Jakhar said while addressing the media here. "This silence itself shows that Akali Dal has kneeled before the BJP government at the Centre," Jakhar said. The Gurdaspur MP said he wanted .
Cong to contest all seven LS seats in Delhi: Sheila Dikshit
Ruling out alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress' Delhi unit chief Sheila Dikshit on Saturday said her party will contest all seven parliamentary seats in the city and the process of selecting "winnable" candidates has started. The party candidates will be a mix of old and new faces as well former MLAs, she told reporters here. The assertion by Dikshit comes amid recurring speculation over possibility of an alliance between the Congress and the AAP for Lok Sabha polls. "No it's over with," Dikshit said when questioned about the possibility of alliance with the AAP. The AAP too has asserted that it will independently contest elections in Delhi, Punjab and Haryana. The party may have some loss or benefit in absence of an alliance and the Congress will pay attention to it, she said. "We will contest all the seven seats ourselves. A lot of names are there but we need winnable candidates. There will be some old faces, some new ones and some former MLAs," said the former Delhi ...
Ram temple should be built at the earliest: Shah '
BJP president Amit Shah Saturday said a Ram temple should be built in Ayodhya at the earliest and dared the Congress to spell out its own stand on the issue. The Kumbh fair is on and it is only natural that the demand for a Ram temple is being raised, he said at a meeting of the party's booth-level workers here, virtually launching the BJP's campaign in Uttarakhand for the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP's stand has always been clear on the issue and I want to declare today that the Ram Temple in Ayodhya should be built at the earliest. Will Rahul Gandhi too define his stand on the issue?" Shah said to loud cheers of Jai Shri Ram. At the Parade Ground meeting, the Bharatiya Janata Party chief also hit out at opposition attempts to forge a 'mahagathbandhan', or a grand alliance, for the parliamentary elections just months away. He accused the Congress of putting up obstacles to the temple's construction through its lawyers in the Supreme Court. Shah was referring to a plea in 2017 by Kapil ..
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra may campaign in K'taka too for LS polls: H K Patil
Newly appointed Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who has been given the charge of the party in eastern Uttar Pradesh, may campaign in Karnataka too during the Lok Sabha polls, its state campaign committee chairman H K Patil said Saturday. The campaign for the general elections will kick-start early and the dates will be announced soon, he said. "Our party chief Rahul Gandhi will campaign. We will also invite Priyanka Gandhi Vadra," Patil told reporters here. The party's manifesto exercise is going on and all committees relevant to electioneering are already in place, he said. The Gandhi family has strong links with Karnataka as it is one state which has stood by the party in times of its political adversities. In 1999, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had first campaigned in Karnataka's mining belt, Bellary, where her mother Sonia Gandhi was contesting her first Lok Sabha election against BJP's Sushma Swaraj. About the Congress' campaign strategy, Patil said the focus will on ...
Following are the tope foreign stories at 1700 hours:
Following are the tope foreign stories at 1700 hours: FGN5 US-INDIANSTUDENTS-TRAP Eminent Indian-Americans, media question US govt's modus operandi in detaining 129 Indian students Washington: Eminent Indian-Americans and some media outlets have questioned the modus operandi of the US government in the detention of 129 Indians in the "pay-and-stay" university visa scam, saying "trapping of innocent students" is a "crime, illegal and immoral". By Lalit K Jha FGN3 US-INDIANSTUDENTS-HOTLINE Indian embassy opens hotline for students detained by US authorities Washington: The Indian embassy in the US has opened a 24/7 hotline to assist 129 Indian students arrested by the American authorities in the "pay-and-stay" university visa scam, officials have said. As many as 129 Indians are among the 130 foreign students arrested for enroling at a fake university allegedly to remain in the US. By Lalit K Jha FGN6 PAK-CHINA-LOAN China to provide USD 2.5 bn loan to Pak to boost foreign cash ...
Mamata Banerjee resorts to violence because of your love for me: PM Modi in Bengal
In a scathing attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "resorting to violence" against the BJP cadres because she is "scared" of the party.Addressing a huge rally here in West Bengal, he also made a strong defence of the Citizenship bill which is being attacked by Mamata and some other parties of the North East."When I saw the attendance here (at the rally), I realised why 'didi' (Mamata) resorts to violence. It is the love you shower on me that scares didi (Mamata) and that is why she resorts to violence," Modi told the gathering."Those who pretend to be saviours of democracy indulge in killing of innocent people," he added while attacking Mamata.The BJP has been accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress of West Bengal of targeting and killing its cadres in the state.The Prime Minister's remarks came less than a week after vehicles used to ferry audience for BJP chief Amit Shah's rally in East Midnapore were vandalised by ...
UAE firm says it bought 3 tons of Venezuela gold
An investment firm in Abu Dhabi says it has bought some 3 tons of gold from Venezuela amid that country's political turmoil. Abu Dhabi's Noor Capital posted a statement on its website early Saturday acknowledging the purchase after being called out in a tweet Thursday by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida. Noor Capital said it "does not engage in any illegal or prohibited transactions," saying its January 21 purchase was handled "per international standards and laws in place as of that date." It added: "Until the situation in Venezuela stabilizes, Noor Capital will refrain from any further transactions." The United Arab Emirates is a strong ally of the U.S., but has faced increasing criticism from American lawmakers over its conduct in the war in Yemen.
Uttarakhand PM's priority: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Saturday said Uttarakhand is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's priority and urged people of the state to help the party win all the five Lok Sabha seats in the coming general election as they had done in 2014. "Uttarakhand is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's priority. It is his vision which has been behind the makeover of Kedarnath (devastated by flash floods in 2013)," Shah said addressing BJP's Trishakti Sammelan at the Parade Ground here. "The all-weather road project launched by the prime minister will make it possible for people to visit Himalayan shrines centres of faith for millions of Indians living in the country and abroad," he added. Shah said the "double-engine" government provided by Modi at the Centre and Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat had fast-racked all-round development of the state. Rawat government's biggest achievement has been the elimination of corruption, he said and asked booth-level BJP workers to publicise the development work ...