Page 1801 - Politics
India-Japan-US ties key to Indo-Pacific stability: Philanthropist
A stable relationship between India, Japan and the US will be the key to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, according to an eminent Japanese philanthropist.
Rahul visits Goa Assembly
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday paid a surprise visit to the Goa Assembly on the first day of its three-day budget session.
Patnaik condoles demise of George Fernandes
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday condoled the demise of former defence minister George Fernandes, saying it is a great loss for the country, politically as well as intellectually. The 88-year-old former union minister and socialist leader died in New Delhi on Tuesday, after suffering from a prolonged illness. "Deeply saddened at passing away of former Union minister and stalwart leader George Fernandes. It is a great loss for the nation, both politically as well as intellectually," Patnaik wrote on Twitter. "Pray for his soul to rest in peace and my condolences for his family and followers," he said. Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram also expressed grief on the demise of Fernandes. "Deeply saddened by the passing away of former Defence Minister Shri George Fernandes. A veteran socialist leader, an Anti-Emergency crusader and a man of immense courage, his death leaves a big void in Indian Polity," Pradhan, the Union Petroleum Minister, said ..
China calls US charges against Huawei 'unjustified repression'
China on Tuesday alleged that the US was subjecting Chinese companies to "unjustified repression" in response to Washington's criminal charges against Huawei, accusing the tech giant of banking fraud, stealing trade secrets and evade economic sanctions on Iran.
"Gandhiji had said he will leave Delhi if govt insisted on
Declining to toe the government's stand that he required security, Mahatma Gandhi had told the authorities that he would leave Delhi if protection was insisted upon, Kalyanam who was secretary to the father of the nation said. Although there were warnings to Gandhiji from the government -several weeks ahead of his assassination - that he faced threat to his life, the man who steered the nation's freedom movement told the authorities that he does not want security. January 30, the day of assassination of Gandhi in 1948 is observed as Martyr's Day. "Gandhiji said I dont believe in security, I dont want security, if you want me to have security, I will leave Delhi and will go somewhere else," Kalyanam told PTI. Had Gandhiji agreed to have security, people might have been frisked and his assassination could have been averted, he said. Asked on memorable incidents with Gandhiji, the 96-year old recalled that Gandhiji had admonished a railway station master once for telling ..
Jobless George slept on footpaths in his 'karmabhoomi' Mumbai
Like lakhs of hopefuls, George Fernandes had come to Bombay (now, Mumbai) aged barely 19 looking for a job and spent many a nights on the mean streets, fighting roaches and rodents, but never complaining, old-timers reminisced.
Goa budget session begins; Cong boycotts governor's address
The opposition Congress boycotted Goa Governor Mridula Sinha's address to the House on the first day of the state Assembly's budget Session on Tuesday. Members of the opposition wore black bands on their arms as a mark of protest, claiming that their "voice was not being heard by the BJP-led state government". As the House assembled for the day and Sinha got up to address the members, Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar stood up to raise the point of order. He said the governor should not be allowed to address the House as the "voices of opposition were not being heard by the government". He said the Congress had last week demanded that the current session be extended from the scheduled three days to 10 days, which was not approved by the state government. Kavlekar further said that the governor should first address the issue of governance and the "collapsed" state administration. As Speaker Pramod Sawant did not allow the point of order and the governor continued ..
George Fernandes, defence minister, socialist leader, passes away after prolonged illness
George Fernandes, a lifelong socialist despite his political adventurism that included Cabinet posts in two ideological opposite governments where he ousted Coca-Cola in 1977 and oversaw the Kargil war in 1999, died Tuesday. He was 88. Fernandes was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, which had forced him out of the public eye for several years, and had recently contracted swine flu, his long time associate, Jaya Jaitly, said, adding that he died at his residence here. Fernandes, who was born to a Christian family in Mangalore, Karnataka, burst into national limelight when as a firebrand trade unionist in Mumbai he organised a Railways strike in 1974 that brought the country to a standstill. Ironically, he became the Railways minister in 1989 under V.P. Singh's National Front coalition government, comprising mostly Left leaning parties. Despite being a staunch critic of the RSS, Fernandes joined the BJP-led NDA government under Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 1998 and 1999, in .
Will withdraw support if reservation demand not met: SBSP issues ultimatum to BJP on 10% EWS quota
Uttar Pradesh minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ally Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief Om Prakash Rajbhar on Tuesday showed disagreement with the Centre's recent decision on giving 10 per cent reservation to economically weak section of general category in education and jobs.While speaking to ANI, Rajbhar gave an ultimatum to the government till February 24 to make amendments in its decision, failing which his political party will withdraw its support to BJP in Uttar Pradesh."There are poor in every category, what about them? When will they (BJP) implement report on a division of reservation to backward classes? Will wait for the BJP to do the work till February 24 if they fail to do so, we will give divorce to the BJP," he said.A few weeks ago, Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati too stated that the reservation should also be extended to the poor, who belong to the various minority religious groups."Reservation to the poor, tribals, Dalits should not be confined to the ..
A very dynamic leader: Politicians condole death of George Fernandes
Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari, and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee among others on Tuesday expressed grief over the demise of former Defence Minister George Fernandes.Fernandes passed away on Tuesday at the age of 88. He was the Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government when the Kargil War broke out between India and Pakistan in 1999, and India conducted its nuclear tests at Pokhran in 1998. Besides that, he also held several ministerial portfolios including communications, industry and railways."I'm sorry to hear about the passing away of former Parliamentarian and Union Minister, George Fernandes. My condolences to his family and friends in this time of grief," Rahul Gandhi wrote on Facebook.Former Defence Minister and senior Congress party leader A K Antony also expressed grief over Fernandes' demise."I would like to express my condolence on the sad demise of my old ...
Mueller probe close to being completed: US official
Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election is "close to being completed", acting Attorney General Matt Whitaker has said.
Tributes pour in for Fernandes
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi along with many others from across political lines paid homage to former Union Minister George Fernandes, who died on Tuesday after prolonged illness.
Want to be born as a Vietnamese if there is rebirth, George
"If there is a rebirth, I would like to be born as a Vietnamese," the late leader George Fernandes had once said. Addressing the annual conference of Karnataka Planters Association about one and half decades ago in Bengaluru when he was the Defence Minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee cabinet, the Mangaluru-born described Vietnamese people as a disciplined, committed and determined lot. Noting that Vietnam had a large share of the world coffee market, he remarked: "I am not grudging that; I am an admirer of Vietnam", and heaped praise on the Southeast Asian country and its people for their rapid progress, "If there is a rebirth, I would like to be born as a Vietnamese", Fernandes said. They are ready to die for their commitment." Fernandes had said he was India's first Defence Minister to have visited Vietnam. He noted that three million Vietnamese had been killed in conflicts with the US, France and China. According to him, Vietnam was leaving India behind in per ...
Fernandes rose above identity divide to leave an indelible mark on national politics
A firebrand trade unionist and socialist, George Fernandes belonged to a rare bunch of political leaders who rose above caste, religious and regional identities to leave an indelible mark on Indian politics. Born in Mangalore in a Christian family in 1930, he was a staunch anti-Congress leader. His tie-up with the BJP in mid 1990s was crucial in ending the saffron party's isolation in alliance politics as many 'secular' parties followed his cue and propelled it to power twice under Atal Bihari Vajpayee's leadership. His underground crusade against the Emergency catapulted him among the leading opposition figures. A photograph of Fernandes, with his shock of unkempt hair, raising a manacled hand in defiance remains one of the most enduring images of those times. Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, Fernandes' colleague for years in several socialist parties, said his unimpeachable commitment to democracy and willingness to go to any length to propagate his cause was an inspiration to him ..
Trump accepts Pelosi's invite for State of the Union on Feb 5
US President Donald Trump has accepted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's invitation to deliver his State of the Union address on February 5, putting Trump on track to deliver his primetime speech to a nation still reeling from the longest government shutdown in history.
George Fernandes' last rites to be held tomorrow: Jaya Jaitly
The last rites of former Defence Minister George Fernandes, who passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 88, will be performed on Wednesday, said social activist and former Samata Party president Jaya Jaitly.Jaitly is currently at Fernandes' residence here."We are waiting for his son, who lives in the US. His last rites will be performed tomorrow. His body will be embalmed and put at his residence," she told media here.Saket Max Hospital got a call from Fernandez's residence on Tuesday morning. A team of doctors from the hospital was rushed to his place. However, till the time doctors reached his place, Fernandes was already dead.Fernandes had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease for a long time and was down with swine flu for the last few days as well.He was the Defence Minister in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government when the Kargil War broke out between India and Pakistan, and India conducted its nuclear tests at Pokhran.First elected to the Lok Sabha in 1967, ..
Kovind, Modi pay homage to Fernandes
President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi along with many others from across political lines paid homage to former Union Minister George Fernandes, who died on Tuesday after prolonged illness.
Locals pitch-in to build house for MLA living in hut in MP
Politicians are often associated with wealth, but a newly-elected MLA in Madhya Pradesh presents a different picture as does not even have a proper house, but will soon get one thanks to people in his constituency. Looking at Sitaram Adivasi's plight, who along with his wife lives in a thatched hut in Sheopur district, the people of his constituency are now donating money to get a proper house constructed for him. The 55-year-old BJP leader became a first time MLA after defeating Congress' local heavyweight Ramniwas Rawat from Vijaypur constituency in Sheopur in the Assembly polls held in November last year, and is waiting for his first salary. According to a state government official, an MLA gets Rs 1.10 lakh gross salary in Madhya Pradesh. Dhanraj, a resident of Piprani village in the constituency, said they felt ashamed that their MLA lived in a slum-like dwelling. "That is why we are donating money and also collecting from others and building a two-room house for ...
US slaps sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company
The US has slapped sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil company that would potentially cost the country USD 11 billion in revenues, a move that seeks to force President Nicolas Maduro to give up power after the opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president. The sanctions on Monday prohibit most American businesses from engaging in transactions with the oil company, Petroleos de Venezuela, SA, or PDVSA. The Trump administration officials said the financial penalties are expected to block USD 7 billion in assets and result in USD 11 billion in export losses over the next year for Venezuela's government, starving it from its most important source of revenue and foreign currency. Last week, the Trump administration recognised Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of the National Assembly, as his supporters took to the streets to demand new elections. Maduro has cut ties to the United States and has demanded that all American diplomats leave the country. US National ...
Ex-Union Minister George Fernandes dead at 88
Former Defence Minister George Fernandes, long-time socialist and a trade unionist, who fought the Congress all his life died on Tuesday after prolonged illness. He was 88.