Page 1754 - Politics

Rishi Mishra quits JD(U), joins Congress in Bihar

JD(U) leader Rishi Mishra Saturday quit Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumars party and joined the Congress saying that it had become "difficult" for him to remain in an alliance which included the BJP. Rishi, whose grandfather Lalit Narayan Mishra was one of the tallest Congress leaders from the state in the 1970s, was inducted into the party at its state headquarters -- Sadaqat Ashram -- in the presence of Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Madan Mohan Jha. "We are glad that Rishi Mishra has returned home. His presence will strengthen the party," Jha said. "For the past 18 months, I had been living in suffocation. I have no problems with Nitish ji but it was extremely difficult for me to face the people of my constituency as I had fought the assembly polls against the BJP and now my party was in alliance with it," Mishra told reporters. Mishra had contested unsuccessfully from Jale segment in Darbhanga district in the 2015 assembly polls, a year after he ..

Cong betraying the youths of Rajasthan: Rajendra Rathore

Rajasthan Deputy Leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore on Saturday accused the Congress government in the state of betraying the unemployed youths. Rathore said the unemployment allowance scheme has several riders, making many unemployed youths ineligible for it. "The chief minister announced to raise monthly allowance of Rs 3,000 for boys and Rs 3,500 for girls but there are several 'ifs and buts' in the scheme and therefore all will not be benefitted," Rathore said. "The Congress has promised unemployment allowance to educated unemployed youths. In Rajasthan, every sixth persons is unemployed. There are nearly 33 lakh unemployed candidates who have studied upto senior secondary and if all such unemployed youths are given the allowance, the burden on the government would be of Rs 1,166 crore per month but the government is spending only Rs 2 crore per month," he told reporters at the BJP office here. Rathore said Congress has betrayed the youths. Similarly, he alleged, farmers plight

Alliances prove our strength: Shah on SP-BSP coming together

BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday took a potshot at opposition parties forming alliances for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, saying that the alliance in Uttar Pradesh between SP and BSP proves BJP's strength.Addressing BJP booth workers at the Trishakti Sammelan, Shah said: "The aunt-nephew in Uttar Pradesh, who never saw eye-to-eye, united and came together on one platform. That itself speaks volumes about our strength, they had to unite because of us".He further attacked the opposition parties, saying that they might actually benefit from chanting the name of God as many times as they talk about removing Prime Minister Narendra Modi.The BJP president said that while in most other parties, the candidates for posts like party president and Prime Minister are chosen from a particular family, the BJP gives opportunities for common people to become the Prime Minister.Shah hailed the work done by the Modi government in the last five years, citing the Ayushman Bharat scheme as a ...

Rs 17/day not sufficient for farmers: TRS

The Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) on Saturday dubbed the Centre's interim budget as an "election-based budget," adding that the scheme to provide Rs 6000 per annum for farmers, which boils down to Rs 17 per day, is not enough to address their plight.Speaking to ANI, TRS MP Kalvakuntla Kavitha said the new scheme launched for farmers of the country was inspired from Telangana's 'Rythu Bandhu' scheme, which is providing better incentives to farmers in the state.She said the TRS government, in its previous term, had provided Rs 4,000 per acre for every farmer twice a year and the party had promised to increase the amount to Rs 5000 per acre.Kavitha said that while the BJP government's scheme will help the country's farmers, the Rs 6000 per annum layout would not suffice and urged the Centre to increase the layout."It's an election based budget, just released two months before the election, I doubt how much of it can be implemented. I only want to tell people of the country that the ..

Even after 50 days, KCR keeps everybody guessing on cabinet

Even 50 days after taking over as Telangana Chief Minister for the second term, K. Chandrashekhar Rao is keeping everybody guessing on formation of a full cabinet.

Uttar Pradesh farmers call off protest

Hundreds of farmers gathered at DND flyway called off their protest on Saturday after the Uttar Pradesh government promised to look into their demands.

Modi attacks Congress over MP-Rajasthan farm policies

Attacking the Congress' loan waiver policy as a farce, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said "a historic step has been taken for the welfare of farmers, labourers and youths in the country, referring to the Union Budget for 2019-20.

Congress to file nationwide FIRs on malicious campaign against Priyanka

Targeting the BJP for triggering a "malicious campaign" on social media against Priyanka Gandhi, the Congress on Saturday said the party will file FIRs in all state capitals seeking police action.

Building collapses in Syria's Aleppo killing 11

Syria's state news agency SANA says a building damaged during years of war in the northern city of Aleppo has collapsed, killing 11 people. SANA said the five-story building collapsed early Saturday, killing most of those who were inside and only one person was rescued alive. The report said the building is in the eastern Salahuddin neighbourhood once held by rebels. Aleppo had been divided for four years starting in the summer of 2012 between a government-held west and a rebel-held east. In 2016, the Syrian army launched a months-long offensive that eventually brought the whole city under government control. Syria's nearly eight-year conflict has left more than 400,000 people dead and left broad parts of the country destroyed.

Bihar cabinet gives nod to 10% quota for economically weak

The Bihar cabinet has approved a draft bill on providing 10 per cent quota in government jobs and educational institutions to the economically weaker sections among the general category, a state government official said Saturday. The official, who did not wish to be named, said that the draft bill was approved in a cabinet meeting late Friday night which was chaired by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The bill would be tabled before the bicameral state legislature during the budget session beginning February 11, he added. The Narendra Modi government has introduced the quota for the economically backward among the general category vide a constitutional amendment. The quotas have so far been implemented in Gujarat and Jharkhand both states ruled by the BJP. A few political parties, such as RJD, DMK and AIMIM, have, however, been opposed to the quota. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose JD(U) is an ally of the BJP and has supported the quota, had said last month that his ...

Karnataka CM, BJP in war of words over don's arrest

Karnataka BJP Saturday hit out at Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy for claiming credit for the arrest of underworld gangster Ravi Pujari from Senegal and asked him to show "some guts" and stop crimes in the state. It also took a dig at Kumaraswamy by referring to him as "Anna" (big brother), as the chief minister is usually referred to. The party also asked the chief minister show his "virility" by arresting Congress MLA J N Ganesh, absconding for nearly a week since he was booked on an attempt-to-murder charge after he allegedly assaulted lawmaker Anand Singh during a brawl at a resort here. Reacting to the BJP barb, Kumaraswamy questioned why the party did not get Pujari arrested when it was in power. He assured action against Ganesh in accordance with law. Pujari, facing more than 30 cases, including a 2009 murder case, in Mangaluru was arrested on January 19 from Senegal. "CM @hd_kumaraswamy claiming credit for arrest of criminal Ravi Poojari by West African police is like ...

Modi pitches for citizenship bill, claims ground slipping from under Mamata's feet

As a raucous debate rages on over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a strong pitch for the contentious piece of legislation on Saturday, insisting it would bring "justice and respectability" to those who faced religious persecution. Modi, who took his electoral battle to strident critic West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's turf, launched a blistering attack against the state's ruling TMC, accusing it of orchestrating violence targeting BJP workers and claiming she had become jittery due to people's love for his party. "India got Independence after splitting it into pieces. People thought they can make a living in the country of their choice, but there they faced atrocities and torture because of communal malice...Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and Parsis. "It was because of this that we brought the Citizenship Bill. These people have no place to go other than India. Should they not be given justice and respectability? I ask the TMC to support the Bill ..

Gujarat: Congress MLA Asha Patel resigns

In a major blow to the Congress in Gujarat ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, one of its legislators resigned on Saturday as a member of the state assembly.Unjha MLA Asha Patel handed over her resignation to the Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi earlier today. However, the reason for her resignation is yet to be ascertained.Asha was the only MLA to have defeated seven-time legislator and former minister Narayan Patel in the assembly elections held in December 2017.

BJP MPs feel now they have talking points after the Budget proposals

On the backfoot after the Hindi heartland losses, BJP MPs now feel the Interim Budget for 2019-20 with sops for farmers, middle class and the unorganised sector has given them some talking points that would tilt the balance in their favour in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Separatists cool to Modi's J&K visit, BJP upbeat

While the Bharatiya Janata Party in Jammu and Kashmir is upbeat about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the state tomorrow, others including mainstream parties and the separatists do not expect much from the visit.

Gujarat Cong MLA Asha Patel quits

A Congress MLA in Gujarat, Asha Patel resigned as a member of the assembly and from the party membership Saturday on account of "infighting". Patel, who represents Unjha constituency in Mehsana district, submitted her resignation to Gujarat Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi in Gandhinagar this morning. The Speaker has accepted the resignation. Patel's exit is seen as a blow to the Congress as she had snatched Unjha seat from the BJP in 2017 assembly polls. Unjha is one of the seven assembly constituencies that are part of Mahesana Lok Sabha seat, currently held by the BJP. Of the seven segments, the BJP holds four while the Congress three, including Unjha. Patel has written a letter to party president Rahul Gandhi announcing her resignation. "I have resigned from the party due to prevalent infighting and because the leadership has been ignoring me," she told reporters. Patel also claimed that her representations regarding the state of affairs in the Gujarat unit have not ..

Pak women in J-K appeal to Modi for providing travel documents to return home

A group of women from Pakistan, who came to Jammu and Kashmir with their husbands under the rehabilitation policy for militants, Saturday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan for travel documents to return home. They claimed that they have not been provided the permanent resident certificates as promised. In 2001, NC vice-president and then chief minister Omar Abdullah had announced a rehabilitation policy for the youths of Jammu and Kashmir who had gone across the LoC for arms training but had renounced militancy and wanted to return home to lead a normal life. "Since the time we came here with our husbands and children under the rehabilitation policy announced by the Omar Abdullah government, we have not been provided the PRC document," the women said in a statement. "On the contrary, FIRs have been registered against us and we are now unnecessarily caught in court cases," they said. The women, coming from different parts of the Kashmir ..

French yellow vest protesters back on the streets

France's yellow vest protesters are taking to the streets to keep pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron's government, for the 12th straight weekend of demonstrations. Multiple protests are planned Saturday in Paris and other cities to denounce Macron's economic policies, seen by critics as favouring the rich. This week, demonstrators in the French capital are planning to pay tribute to the yellow vests injured during clashes with police. The government says around 2,000 people have been injured in protests since the movement began Nov. 17, including at least four serious eye injuries. Separately, 10 people have died in road incidents related to yellow vest actions. France's Council of State has ruled Friday that security forces have a right to use controversial high-velocity rubber ball launchers for crowd control.

Tejashwi Yadav writes to Bihar CM about deteriorating law and order in state

Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday wrote to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar raising the issue of deteriorating law and order situation in the state."It seems that anti-social elements have been presented with a free run to go about their business fearlessly. Many incidents of broad daylight contract killings, political killings, rapes, abductions for ransom and different organised crimes backed by people close to the establishment are getting reported from all parts of the state these days. Hapless and helpless citizens of the state have already concluded that there is no rule of the law in the state and thus nobody is safe," he wrote in the letter today.Further substantiating his stance, Yadav asserted: "Not only desolated areas of the far-flung parts but the capital of the state too has become the centre of such activities and elements. Powerful elements close to the ruling coalition are reportedly backing not only criminals but are also involved in the ...

Talks hosted by Russis will not help in peace process, says Afghanistan

Afghanistan has said that peace talks being hosted by Russia next week will not help the peace process and that Moscow should respect an Afghan-led and owned peace process, amid reports that the Taliban have refused to meet with Afghan government representatives at the meet.The meeting will be held in Moscow on Tuesday, February 5.Afghan Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Sebghat Ahmadi said: "Holding such meetings will not help us in reaching peace. We did not and do not see such meetings as necessary and will not attend this meeting," TOLO News reported."We hope that Russia like other countries will express its commitment on recognizing Afghanistan's role as leader and owner of the peace process," Ahmadi added.The Afghan High Peace Council (HPC) said they support any action that facilitates face-to-face talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban."No doubt, we welcome the moves which are being taken for starting peace negotiations, facilitating peace process and ...