Page 1783 - Politics
Paswan pays rich tributes to Fernandes
Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party president Ram Vilas Paswan Wednesday recalled various facets of firebrand socialist George Fernandes as he paid rich tributes to him at a party event here. Fernandes passed away Tuesday following prolonged illness, Paswan recounted incidents of Fernandes' support to the cause of the poor and workers even as it meant taking on his party's MP and also told reporters that once he gave him USD 500 for his first trip to London in 1982, using his contacts abroad to make the visit successful. The LJP leader was with Fernandes in different political parties, all drawn from socialist ideology, and they were also cabinet colleagues in different governments. He said Fernandes never sat in a plane's business class and had removed the gate at his residence to facilitate people's visit to meet him. "George sahab will always be a source of inspiration for me," Paswan said, adding that it was the personality of the late leader that helped him choose his next ...
Take stringent action against persons radicalising youths in J&K: DGP to police
Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbagh Singh Wednesday directed officers to book elements involved in radicalising youths in Jammu and Kashmir. During an interaction with policemen in Baramulla district, the DGP emphasised the need for the force to deal strictly with elements involved in the radicalisation of youths and pushing them towards terrorism. He directed the police officers to identify and book the persons involved in these activities. Singh complimented the personnel for the appreciations and the laurels they had won in their fight against terrorism. He said the efforts and achievements of the state police have been recognised across the country and at the highest level of the government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had praised Jammu and Kashmir police during the DGPs' conference in Gujarat, he recalled. Singh said Baramulla police had brought peace with no active militant surviving in the district. "It has come as a big relief to the people. The police and the Army need .
Chickens have come home to roost on spectrum policy
The Government is considering scrapping the 16-year instalment policy for spectrum purchase.
Nepal declares 2,807 security personnel as martyrs: PM Oli
The Nepal Government has declared 2,807 security personnel, killed during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, as 'martyrs', Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli said on Wednesday. At a programme organised in the national capital on the occasion of Martyrs Memorial Day, Oli said that the meeting of the Council of Ministers had declared 2,807 security personnel of the Nepali Army, Armed Police Force Nepal, Nepal Police and National Investigation Department 'martyrs'. The entire country on Wednesday paid tribute to those who made sacrifices in the past seven decades of democratic struggle. Those killed while fighting with the Maoist guerillas include 1,448 from Nepal Police, 1,018 from Nepal Army, 318 from Armed Police Force and 23 from the National Investigation Department, according to government data. "The peace process is finally coming to an end after a decade-long Maoist insurgency and another decade of political transition," said Oli. "We can only move forward, not backward. It won't be ..
U.S., China launch high level trade talks amid deep differences
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and China were set to try again on Wednesday to dig out from a damaging trade war with a new round of high-level talks aimed at bridging deep differences over China's intellectual property and technology transfer policies.
AIADMK not inclined to tie up with BJP
The ruling AIADMK on Wednesday invited applications from candidates aspiring to contest the Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry even as it made it clear that party cadres were strongly opposed to a tie-up with the BJP.
Incompetent, corrupt government in Odisha: Pradhan
Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said there is a stagnant, incompetent and corrupt government in Odisha since the last 19 years.
Next meeting of PM-led panel to pick new CBI chief on Friday: Kharge
The next meeting of the selection committee, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to pick the new CBI director will take place on Friday, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also member of the panel, said Wednesday. The last meeting of the panel took place on January 24 but it remained "inconclusive". "The next meeting of the panel on selection of the CBI chief will take place on February 1 at around 6 PM," Kharge told reporters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads the three-member panel with Kharge and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi as its members. In the last meeting, Kharge had sought details of dossiers of all the eligible officers for the post.
Congress party fought British, RSS begged for mercy: Rahul Gandh
The Congress party is the organisation that fought the British while the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders begged for mercy, said Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday.Speaking here at the Yuva Kranti Yatra, Gandhi said, "The Congress party is the organisation that fought the British while the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders begged for mercy.""The RSS is confused because they think that they are bigger than India. The RSS leaders think they are the authority and source of knowledge in this country. They are absolutely wrong. It's the people of this country who are the source of knowledge." he added.Continuing his tirade against the BJP and RSS, Rahul said, "Both the RSS and BJP wanted Congress-mukt-Bharat, but, even the BJP leaders have told me that they want to join the Congress. Our party is not just an organisation, it is a representation of the country. The Congress party's history and BJP-RSS' history is very different. We protect truth and they protect ..
WB Education Minister's car vandalised, TMC to protest on Feb 3
State Education Minister Partha Chatterjee's car was vandalised by miscreants on Wednesday.As a mark of protest, TMC as decided to hold a public meeting under its state Transport minister Suvendu Adhikari on February 3 at the same place."(BJP president) Amit Shah and his brigade want to destroy democracy; these are their tactics. He has no support from this place," senior TMC leader Sishir Adhikari told ANI.TMC on Tuesday alleged that the BJP hired goons to vandalise vehicles parked near the venue of Amit Shah's rally in East Midnapore.TMC leader Madan Mitra said that the BJP hired goons to conspire against his party. "Beginning of the end of BJP as a whole has already started. It has started in Bengal. BJP has hired some hooligans from Jharkhand. They are doing this because they have no other issues," said Mitra.The vehicles used for ferrying audience for Shah's rally in East Midnapore on Tuesday were vandalised by some miscreants when these were parked outside the rally venue.BJP ...
Will lay foundation stone of Ram Temple on Feb 21: Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati
Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati said the 'dharam sansad', after a three-day meeting here, decided that foundation stone for the temple will be laid on February 21.He said the saints and those mobilized for the effort would not be deterred by arrests or any other kind of obstacles.The decision came a day after the government approached the Supreme Court for permission to restore the "excess" land surrounding the disputed portion in Ayodhya to Ram Janambhoomi Nyas.The government, in a petition, sought direction for releasing to the Nyas 67 acres, which it had acquired about two-and-a-half decades back, leaving untouched 0.313 acres of disputed.Union Minister Prakash Javadekar later said the government "wants to give the land back to Nyas to build Ram temple there".He said the government expects the sanction to be given immediately as there has "too much delay" on the issue which is 70-year-old."The government has in-principle decided to restore the land" to the Nyas, Javadekar told ...
Kisan Khet Mazdoor Congress holds protest
Hundreds of workers affiliated to the Kisan Khet Mazdoor Congress (KKMC) held a protest here on Wednesday against the BJP government's "anti-farmer policies".
Mamata dares PM to prove painting charge, accuses BJP of trying to run parallel govts in states
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday dared the Prime Minister to prove the BJP's charge that she had got money from selling her paintings to chit fund owners, as she launched a no-holds-barred attack on the rival party accusing it making false allegations to make "Begalis fight Bengalis". "Half-educated leaders from Delhi" without having any knowledge about the culture and customs of West Bengal were levelling allegations against her government, Banerjee alleged, hitting back at the BJP a day after its chief Amit Shah at a public meeting in East Midnapore district targeted her government's functioning. Shah had alleged Banerjee's paintings were bought by tainted chit fund owners for crores of rupees. Banerjee on Wednesday said that the BJP leaders have no courtesy and her party has issued defamation notice over their "baseless" allegations. Vowing to continue her fight, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief said she has never bowed to anybody's threats. She alleged the
Govt versus Opposition in Budget session
The government is expected to make a host of populist announcements in the Budget session of Parliament starting Thursday during which the Opposition is likely to corner it on a range of issues, including the contentious Rafale fighter jet deal and alleged agrarian distress. The session, which will end on February 13 and will be last one of the present government, will begin with an address by President Ram Nath Kovind to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Finance Minister Piyush Goyal will present the interim budget on Friday and the government may announce a number of welfare measures aimed at various sections of society, as the ruling BJP-National Democratic Alliance readies itself for the general election, likely in April-May. The government will make efforts to pass contentious bills on citizenship and triple talaq, even as stiff opposition to these proposed legislations has denied them the parliamentary approval so far. Some BJP allies like the JD(U) have also
Israel Aerospace enters follow-up missile deals with India for $93 million
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) said on Wednesday it forged $93 million worth of follow-up agreements with India to provide naval surface-to-air missile systems.
Note ban brought down land prices, helped youth buy cheap houses: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the demonetization exercise helped bring down prices of houses and made them affordable for the youth.
Different PM every day of the week if opposition comes to power: Shah
Mocking opposition parties for not naming a joint prime ministerial candidate, BJP president Amit Shah Wednesday said there will a different PM every day of the week if their grand alliance comes to power. Shah met booth-level party workers in Lucknow and Kanpur, putting them into election mode in Uttar Pradesh. "The opposition should spell out who its prime ministerial candidate is," Shah said, addressing a meeting in Kanpur. "If the 'gathbandhan' (alliance) takes shape, Mayawati will be the prime minister on Monday, Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday, Mamata (Banerjee) on Wednesday, Sharad Pawar on Thursday, Deve Gowda on Friday and (M K) Stalin on Saturday, and Sunday will be a holiday," he told party workers. "They are out to bring change and do not have a leader," he mocked. "The BJP has four Bs -- 'Badhta Bharat' and 'Banta Bharat' (an India on the move), Shah said. Those who are forming an alliance have four Bs -- 'bua' (aunt), 'bhatija' (nephew), 'bhai' (brother) and 'behen' ...
BJP, TMC hold protest against violence after Amit Shah's rally
The BJP as well as the ruling TMC in West Bengal Wednesday organised protests here and in other parts of the state against the violence that took place in East Midnapore district's Kanthi area following a rally by BJP president Amit Shah. The saffron party's state leadership has decided to inform the Election Commission (EC) about the clashes. The full bench of the EC led by Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora is scheduled to arrive here in the night on a three-day visit to review the preparedness for the Lok Sabha polls in West Bengal. They will also hold a series of meetings with officials of the state's chief electoral office and political parties on Thursday. Following the clashes in Kanthi on Tuesday Home Minister Rajnath Singh had called up Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and expressed serious concern. The Trinamool Congress took out a protest march in Kanthi during the day against the clashes Senior BJP leaders Mukul Roy and Sayantan Basu took out a protest march from the ...
Congress putting roadblocks in way of early solution to Ram temple issue: Amit Shah
Accusing the Congress of trying to put roadblocks in the way of an early solution to the Ram temple issue, Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah on Wednesday reiterated the commitment of his party for a grand Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Finance Commission panel to look into Rs 31,000 crore Punjab food account issue
With the Punjab government seeking a waiver of the Rs 31,000 crore food account issue, the Chairman of the 15th Finance Commission on Wednesday announced the formation of a committee to find ways of settling the matter.