Page 1812 - Politics
Gadkari's remarks reflect voices within BJP over PM's failure:
A day after Union minister Nitin Gadkari said leaders who fail to realise promises made to people get "beaten up" by the public, the NCP saw his remarks as an expression of voices within the BJP against "Narendra Modi's failure" as the prime minister. NCP's national spokesperson Nawab Malik on Monday claimed Gadkari was also trying to establish himself as an alternative to Modi "as the BJP was going to lose" the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. "The way Gadkariji has become outspoken after the Assembly polls in the three states (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh), it indicates there will be no Modi and BJP government after the polls," Malik said. NCP's ally Congress had last month emerged victorious in the elections in these three Hindi heartland states, dislodging the BJP from power there. "Somewhere, voice is being raised within the BJP over Modi's failure. Since the BJP is going to lose, he (Gadkari) is trying to establish himself as the alternative to Modi," Malik
Bahrain court upholds life sentences for opposition figures
Bahrain's highest court has upheld life sentences for a prominent Shiite cleric who led a now-shuttered opposition party and two of his colleagues. The ruling on Monday targeted Sheikh Ali Salman, who headed the Al-Wefaq political party and was a central figure in Bahrain's 2011 Arab Spring protests. A court in June previously acquitted Salman and his two colleagues of spying charges. Bahrain's Supreme Court of Appeals later overturned that verdict and found them guilty in November. Both state-aligned media and activists reported the ruling by the Court of Cassation. Bahrain is an island nation off the coast of Saudi Arabia that's home to the US Navy's 5th Fleet. The kingdom has been in the midst of a yearslong crackdown on all dissent and opposition.
Madurai protest against Modi reflect mood of nation: TDP chief
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Monday said that the protest against Prime Minister Narendra in Madurai reflect the mood of the nation.
Ex-Starbucks CEO aims to oust Trump in 2020
Billionaire former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz said in a TV interview that he is looking into running against Donald Trump in 2020 as an independent presidential candidate. "I am seriously thinking of running for president," Schultz told the CBS news show "60 Minutes" late Sunday. The self-described "lifelong Democrat" said he "will run as a centrist independent outside of the two-party system." According to Schultz, 65, "We're living at a most fragile time." Not only is Trump "not qualified to be the president," but Republicans and Democrats "are consistently not doing what's necessary on behalf of the American people and are engaged, every single day, in revenge politics." Schultz grew up in a working class neighborhood in New York City, but made his fortune when he moved to the northwestern state of Washington in the 1980s and built Starbucks into a global coffee shop behemoth. Schultz blamed both parties for the country's $21.5 trillion debt, which he portrayed as "a reckless ...
Tulsi Gabbard hits back at critics, says she is targeted for being Hindu
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard has hit back at critics who accuse the Democratic presidential hopeful of being a "Hindu nationalist", saying questioning her commitment to America while not probing non-Hindu leaders creates a "double standard" that can only be rooted in "religious bigotry". Gabbard, the four-term lawmaker said from Hawaii, wrote an op-ed for the Religious News Services on Sunday, describing the campaign against her, supporters and donors as "profiling and targeting of Hindu Americans and ascribing to them motives without any basis". The 37-year-old on January 11 announced that she would be running for the White House in 2020. In the hard-hitting piece, Gabbard, the first Hindu elected to the US Congress, noted that she has been accused of being a Hindu nationalist. "Tomorrow will it be Muslim or Jewish Americans? Japanese, Hispanic or African Americans?" she asked. "To question my commitment to my country, while not questioning non-Hindu leaders, creates a double ...
Assam assembly sees disruptions amid citizenship bill protests
Noisy scenes prevailed in the Assam assembly on the opening day of the Budget Session on Monday, with opposition parties shouting slogans against the controversial citizenship bill. Amid demonstrations, the House was adjourned for 45 minutes. Soon after Governor Jagdish Mukhi ended his tribute to Assam's legendary singer-composer Bhupen Hazarika for being conferred the 'Bharat Ratna', AGP president Atul Bora raised the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill issue. The Congress, the AIUDF along with AGP MLAs held up placards demanding scrapping of the bill. The opposition members then rushed to the well of the House, as the Governor read his speech, following which it was adjourned by Speaker Hiten Goswami for 45 minutes. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, passed in Lok Sabha on January 8, seeks to provide Indian citizenship to non-Muslims from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Several outfits in the north east have opposed the bill, claiming it would undermine the ...
Adityanath misleading country of Ram temple issue: Rajbhar
Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj Party chief and Uttar Pradesh minister Om Prakash Rajbhar Monday accused Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath of "misleading" the country on the Ram temple issue. The BJP has its governments at the state and the Centre "who has stopped them from building the temple", he said. Referring to the chief minister's claim during an interview to a channel that the temple issue can be resolved in 24 hours, Rajbhar told reporters: "BJP which is in power at the centre has not been able to find a solution to Ram temple issue in the past five years...what will the chief minister do in 24 hours." "... The party is in power both at the Centre as well as state..who has stopped them from building the temple. Adityanath is misleading the country on the issue," he said. During the interview, Adityanath had reportedly asked the court to give its verdict soon "or else hand over the issue to us and we will resolve the Ram Janmabhoomi dispute within 24 hours. We won't take 25 hours." To a .
Sri Lanka's central bank chief sees investor sentiment stabilising
COLOMBO (Reuters) - Investor confidence in Sri Lanka is stabilising after the country repaid a $1 billion sovereign bond in mid-January, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Governor Indrajit Coomaraswamy told Reuters on Monday.
Gadkari has shown mirror to Congress: BJP
Bharatiya Janata Party leaders have backed Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for his recent remarks about politicians who show dreams but fail to fulfil them, will get thrashed by the public. "Gadkari has shown the mirror to the Congress. The party didn't fulfil the promises it made to the people. That is why they are at 44 seats today in the Lok Sabha. Our government has completed all the promises we made," BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain told ANI.Another BJP leader G. V. L. Narasimha Rao said comments by Gadkari were being twisted for political benefit "He (Gadkari) was hinting at the Congress, which only gave slogans of 'Garibi Hatao' but did not do anything for poverty alleviation and towards Rahul Gandhi who makes empty promises," Rao said. On Sunday, Gadkari while addressing a rally in Mumbai had said, "People like politicians who show them big dreams but those (politicians) who don't fulfil the dreams... are thrashed by people. Therefore, one should only commit what they can fulfil.
BJP flays Vaiko for holding black flag demo against PM
The BJP in Tamil Nadu Monday flayed MDMK founder Vaiko for holding a black flag demo against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Madurai visit, saying it was done for his own "promotion". The protest was not reflective of the people's sentiments, BJP state unit President Tamilisai Soundararajan said. Modi's visit, where he laid the foundation stone for an AIIMS facility at Madurai, was aimed at the development of southern Tamil Nadu, she said and questioned what Vaiko had done for the region in the past as an MP. She also took a dig at his vow to make MK Stalin the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, seeking to remind him of his bitter rivalry with the DMK President in the past. "Your black flag protest is for your own publicity and it does not reflect Tamil Nadu people's sentiments," she said in a statement. "People will not forgive those who showed black flags to the Prime Minister who had come for (launching) public welfare schemes. The BJP will also not tolerate .
Kamala Harris kicks off 2020 presidential campaign
Indian American Senator Kamala Harris has officially kicked off her campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination at a rally where she warned that the US and the world were at "an inflection point" in history and called on all Americans to "speak the truth about what's happening".
Bahrain Shiite opposition leader loses appeal against life sentence
Bahrain's supreme court, whose verdicts are final, on Monday upheld a life term for Shiite opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman for spying for Gulf rival Qatar, a judicial source said. Salman, who headed the Shiite Al-Wefaq group, was convicted in November of "communicating with Qatari officials... to overthrow constitutional order", a ruling rights groups have called a travesty. Salman's aides Ali al-Aswad and Hassan Sultan, who had been sentenced to life in absentia, also lost their right to appeal. Both men are former MPs and currently reside outside of Bahrain. Qatar has repeatedly denied accusations of conspiring against Bahrain with Salman. Bahrain and Qatar have been locked in a bitter regional dispute since June 2017, when a Saudi-led boycott of Doha was enforced over allegations it was cosying up to regional arch-rival Iran and supporting radical Islamist groups. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates banned their citizens from travel to Qatar. Ruled for more than .
Secret talks being held with military to oust Maduro: Guaido
Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido has confirmed that talks are being held "discreetly" with the military to oust President Nicolas Maduro."We have been in talks with government officials, civilian and military men," Guaido told The Washington Post."This is a very delicate subject involving personal security. We are meeting with them, but discreetly", he added. He also lauded the decision of Venezuela's Defence attache to US of extending his support to Guaido amidst the political turmoil.Protesters and sympathisers with the opposition leader's cause have been handing out flyers to local police to support them and not Maduro."We're asking them to stop going out to the streets to repress us. We're asking them to come out to support us," The Washington Post quoted a social worker in Venezuela, Manfredo Gonzalez, as saying.The National Assembly President has further mentioned that the process of naming "foreign representatives" is underway.Adding to this, the USA ...
Expelled Srikant Jena writes to Rahul Gandhi, raises issues concerning Odisha
Expelled Congress leader Srikant Jena on Monday wrote to Congress President Rahul Gandhi raising questions on various issues related to Odisha, including the Rs 2 lakh crore mining scam in the state.Jena told ANI, "I have asked Rahul Gandhi about his stand on issues of illegal mining, social justice in the Odisha. The kingpin of illegal mining is the PCC president. Is Congress really serious about fighting corruption? Why doesn't he say anything? He should clarify as he is indulging in doublespeak."Jena's letter also points out that the party should declare its decision to select the chief ministerial candidate from SC, ST and OBC communities in Odisha.The expelled leader had on Wednesday accused the Odisha Congress president Niranjan Patnaik of being corrupt.On January 21, Jena had accused party president Rahul Gandhi of yielding to the Patnaik family and mining mafias in Odisha.Jena also claimed to expose Gandhi so that the Congress President would "not be able to show his face in ..
Ranjan Daimary among 15 convicted in Assam serial blast case
A Special CBI judge here on Monday convicted 15 people, including National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) chairman Ranjan Daimary, in the October 30, 2008 serial blasts across Assam, saying the quantum of punishment would be pronounced on Wednesday.
Former Odisha minister Chaitanya Prasad Majhi passes away
Veteran tribal leader and former Odisha minister Chaitanya Prasad Majhi died at a hospital here on Monday morning following brief illness. Majhi (90) was admitted to the Capital Hospital here where he breathed his last, his family said. He is survived by wife and four daughters, including BJD Rajya Sabha member, Sarojini Hembram. A prominent tribal leader from Mayurbhanj district, Majhi had penned some books on tribal language and culture. Leaders of political parties and distinguished persons, including Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan have condoled Majhi's demise. "Majhi was a veteran tribal leader, organiser and an able administrator and had contributed immensely for the development of Odisha and tribal people," Patnaik said in a condolence message. Stating that Majhi had also served as a Union minister in late Indira Gandhi's cabinet, Patnaik said he was liked by one and all irrespective of ...
Barring journalists from R-Day event attack on press freedom: Guild
The Editors Guild of India on Monday condemned the way some journalists were stopped from entering the Sher-i-Kashmir stadium in Srinagar during the Republic Day function, calling it "shocking" and a "state-sponsored" attack on press freedom.
Reject natl parties, Owaisi tells Dalits, Muslims, Adivasis
All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi asked Dalits, Muslims and Adivasis to come together and reject national parties in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Speaking at a rally of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Sunday in Kalyan in the district, he said it was time for the "deprived" to hit back rather than continue "suffering" as was the case in the past 70 years. The Vanchit Bhaujan Aghadi is an outfit floated by the AIMIM and the Prakash Ambedkar-led Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM). He said Babasaheb Ambedkar had laid down equal rights for all citizens of the country. He took a dig at the Congress and the ruling BJP and claimed the two parties had got elected on the votes of the "deprived" classes but had only meted out injustice to them. The AIMIM president said the country needed a "pehredar" (guard) rather than a "chowkidar" (watchman), a term Prime Minister Narendra Modi often uses to describe himself and his role. Congress chief Rahul Gandhi .
Hegde's tweets shows lack of culture: Dinesh Gundu Rao
Hitting back at BJP leader Anant Kumar Hegde over a heated Twitter battle, Congress leader and Karnataka Chief Dinesh Gundu Rao said that Hegde's tweets show "the lack of culture".He said, "It is very sad that he talks like this. It is a very sad reflection on the type of people who hold top positions in this government. He always uses provocative language. That is probably what his party asks him to do. But to stoop to such low levels and make personal remarks, it shows the lack of culture. It is demeaning not only of himself but also his office. I hope BJP leaders tell him and advise him to not speak like this."Union Minister of State Anant Kumar Hegde on Sunday said that "if a Hindu girl is touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist." Addressing a gathering at Kodagu in Karnataka, Hegde said: "We have to rethink about priorities of our society. We shouldn't think of caste. If a Hindu girl is touched by a hand, then that hand should not exist.
Ready to step down: Karnataka CM Kumaraswamy
Agitated Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Monday said that he is ready to step down after Congress MLAs, who are in coalition government with Kumaraswamy's JDS, reportedly said "Siddaramaiah is their leader'.He said, "Congress MLAs say Siddaramaiah is their leader, Congress leaders have to watch all that issues, I am not the concerned person for it. If they want to continue with it, I am ready to step down. They are crossing the line. Congress leaders must control their MLAs."This comes after some Congress legislators, such as ST Somashekar, MTB Nagaraj, in a program on Sunday, said that they only consider former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah as their leader and not HD Kumaraswamy.Reacting to the issue, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said that there was nothing wrong with the concerned MLAs expressing their opinions, but the party considers Kumaraswamy as the best Chief Minister.He said, "Siddaramaiah has been the best Chief Minister. He is our Congress ...