Page 1816 - Politics
Netanyahu warns Hezbollah chief of Israel's "lethal" power
Israel's prime minister warned the head of Lebanon's Hezbollah of his army's "lethal" power on Sunday, in reaction to Hassan Nasrallah cautioning the Jewish state against further strikes in Syria. "The lethal striking force of the IDF (Israeli army) stands facing Hezbollah," Israel's premier Benjamin Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. In an interview with Beirut based al-Mayadeen television on Saturday, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah had warned Netanyahu that Syria and Hezbollah could "at any moment" decide to "deal with ... Israeli aggression." "Don't make an error of judgement and don't lead the region towards war or a major clash," Nasrallah said, stating that Hezbollah possessed "high-precision missiles" capable of hitting anywhere in Israel. Israel's army has since 2013 claimed hundreds of attacks on what it says are Iranian military targets and arms deliveries to Tehran-backed Hezbollah, with the goal of stopping its main enemy Iran from entrenching itself ...
Cabinet may soon approve relief package for farmers
The Union Cabinet is expected to soon approve a relief package for farmers grappling with falling prices of their crops and to tackle distress in the farm sector, according to sources. The likely relief package is seen as an attempt to assuage the farming community's discontent ahead of the general elections. "...the agriculture ministry's proposal on addressing income deficit syndrome of small and marginal farmers is on the agenda (at the Cabinet meeting)," a source said. Meanwhile, the Cabinet has deferred its meeting which was scheduled for Monday, as per sources. The agriculture ministry has recommended several options to provide both short and long-term solutions to address agrarian distress. However, a final call will be taken in the Cabinet meeting as a huge cost is involved, they said. One of the options proposed is waiving interest on crop loans for farmers who pay on time, costing an additional Rs 15,000 crore to the exchequer. There is also a proposal to completely waive ...
Daggubati Venkateswara Rao's son to join YSRC
Former Andhra Pradesh Minister and TDP founder NT Rama Rao's son-in-law Daggubati Venkateswara Rao Sunday called on YSR Congress President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and said his son Hitesh would be joining his party "very soon". A release from YSRC quoted Daggubati as saying that his wife Daggubati Purandeswari's continuance in BJP would not hinder the prospects of his son as it was a conscious decision taken and if need be she may "quit" politics. As of now there was no such eventuality and no pressure from any side, the former MLA said. On reports that Parchur Assembly seat would be given to Hitesh in the coming AP assembly elections, Daggubati said, "it will be the party (YSR Congress) decision and his son will abide by whatever the party says." Praising the YSRC leadership,Daggubatisaid he was impressed with his (Jagan) style of functioning. He alleged that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu was holding deekshas, (party programmes) using government ...
Oppn unity nothing but 'bina dulhe ki baraat': Shivraj Chouhan
Likening Opposition unity to "bina dulhe ki baraat" (a wedding procession without the groom), former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said rival parties don't have a leader to match Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Chouhan, who was recently appointed as the BJP's vice president, said Modi was a popular leader and the party would win the 2019 general elections under his leadership. "Opposition unity is nothing but a 'bina dulhe ki barat, iska koi neta nahin hai' (a wedding procession with the groom, they don't have a leader). They are coming together for their survival," Chouhan told PTI in an interview. Asserting the Oppostion does not have a match for Modi, Shivraj said all BJP leaders were standing behind the prime minister to ensure the party's victory. "There is no leader in the Opposition who can match Modiji. We all are standing behind him and will win this election. Today, Modiji is not only my leader but the leader of the entire country," Chouhan ...
Maduro open for talks over political crisis
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday said he is open for talks with the international community, especially with United States President Donald Trump, over the ongoing political crisis in the South American nation.During an interview with CNN Turk on Sunday, Maduro urged member countries of the European Union, including Spain, France and Germany, to withdraw their ultimatum calling for re-elections in Venezuela within the next eight days.Maduro said that opposition leader Juan Guaido had breached the constitution by declaring himself to be the Interim President of the nation last week.The US, which has recognized Guaido as leader, had on Saturday urged the world to "pick a side" on Venezuela and financially disconnect from Maduro's government.On Saturday, France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom called on President Maduro to hold a "free and transparent" snap election. If he fails to do so within eight days, they threatened to recognise Juan Guaido as the country's ...
Haryana's Jind assembly by-poll to take place on Monday
Elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth and peaceful voting on Monday for the crucial by-poll for Jind assembly constituency.As per reports, as many as 48,000 voters out of a total of 1,71,113 eligible to vote belong to the Jat community while the remaining others belong to Brahmin, Punjabi, and other communities. A total of 21 candidates are in the fray.As many as 1, 71,113 people, including nearly 80,000 women, are eligible to vote. At least 158 polling stations have been set up, of which 67 are located in rural areas.Prominent political leaders like senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala, the late Hari Chand Middha's son and ruling BJP candidate Krishan Middha and INLD's Umed Singh Redhu are in the fray.Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) and Returning Officer, Jind assembly constituency, Virender Sehrawat said: "Krishan Lal Middha has filed nomination from BJP, Randeep Singh Surjewala from Congress Party, Umed Singh Redhu from INLD party and Digvijay Singh ...
Abuse me as much as you want but don't mislead farmers: PM Modi to Opposition
Thrissur (Kerala) [India], Jan 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday appealed the Opposition to not mislead the farmers if they are not happy with the Centre. He, however, said that the Opposition can abuse him as much as they want."I request the opposition parties to not mislead the farmers of this country. If they are not happy with the Centre then they can abuse me as much as they want," said the Prime Minister while addressing the last State Convention of BJP Yuva Morcha here at Thekkinadu Maidan.Criticising the opposition parties for having hatred for him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said: "The opposition parties are bankrupt when it comes to any constructive and positive agenda for the development of the country. All they have is hatred for Modi. Their day begins with abusing Modi and ends with abusing Modi.""Congress or the Communists have zero regards for any institutions. For them, only they are right and every institution including the armed forces, police, CBI ..
TMC to fight LS polls in 14 States
The All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced that the party will fight upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 14 States including Odisha.Addressing media persons here, TMC leader Derek O'Brien said: "We are ready to fight elections. The TMC will fight coming Lok Sabha polls in 14 states including Odisha. January 19 was a historic day as all anti-BJP parties united on that day. In 2019, the BJP will be finished."While talking about West Bengal, the TMC leader said: "In West Bengal, we will fight on 42 Lok Sabha seats."In December last year, while addressing an event in Mumbai the BJP president Amit Shah had said that the party was aiming to win 23 seats out of the 42 in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal.In the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP had won only two seats--Asansol and Darjeeling--in the state.
Modi slams Cong, Left parties, says they have no respect for
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday slammed the Congress and the Left parties, saying they had no respect for institutions, including the Election Commission and that their talk about democracy was the "biggest joke". Modi, who was addressing a huge Yuva Morcha rally here, also referred to the political killings in Kerala and equated it with those in Maharashtra He said the mindset of the Emergency still lived in the minds of many Congress leaders. "Congress and communists talking about democracy is the biggest joke. What is happening in some parts of Kerala.. political workers are killed just because their ideology is different from the communists," he said. The prime minister this culture has now spread to Madhya Pradesh, where BJP workers were being attacked. He said the Congress was even questioning the election commission. "Be it Congress or communists, they have zero regard for any institution. For them every institution, the armed forces, police, CBI, the CAG, ...
Controversial Bihar MLA takes part in Congress road show
Controversial Independent MLA Anant Kumar Singh on Sunday took part in a road show by the Congress here to galvanize support for Rahul Gandhis rally on February 3. The Mokama MLA, who wore a red tilak and dark sunglasses in his trademark style and is desirous of contesting Lok Sabha election from Munger, rode the same vehicle as Akhilesh Prasad Singh Congress Rajya Sabha MP and the chief of the states committee for Lok Sabha poll campaign. Waving at curious journalists, the 'bahubali' MLA from an assembly segment of Munger said categorically "that he will be in the Lok Sabha fray as a Congress candidate." Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who has maintained that his proximity to the Mokama MLA was on account of "family relations," however, sought to distance himself from Anant Singhs claim saying "a decision on who will be given a party ticket and from where will be taken by the party high command." Notably, Singhs induction into the Congress may put the opposition Grand ...
If demand of trifurcation of OBC reservation not met, will fight all 80 LS seats: Rajbhar
Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief and UP minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said Sunday that if his demand of implementing the trifurcation of reservation for the OBCs is not met, his party will contest on all 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state. Rajbhar said that this is not his resentment, but his right. "The UP government is yet to implement the trifurcation of reservation for the backward class, extremely backward class and most backward class," he told reporters here. "If it does not fulfil our demands by February 24, then we will contest 80 Lok Sabha seats on our own," he said. On a question about entry of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra into politics, the minister said, "It will not make much difference. Yes, the enthusiasm among Congress workers has gone up.
White House hopeful Kamala Harris says she can unify country
Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris says she's the kind of leader who can unify the country and would fight for the needs of all Americans. The first-term California senator, who announced her candidacy on Monday, planned a speech at a rally in Oakland, her hometown, later Sunday, as she outlines her campaign and introduces herself to the nation. "I'm running for president because I love my country. I'm running to be a president by the people. Of the people. For all the people," according to prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press. The appearance at a plaza outside City hall was intended to portray her candidacy as the latest chapter in a lifetime of advocating for all people and to promote a message of unity. She began her career as a prosecutor in Oakland and later became California's attorney general. "My whole life, I've only had one client: The people," Harris says in her prepared remarks, echoing the words she has used in courtrooms and has adopted as her ..
Rahul to address farmer meet during Chhattisgarh visit Monday
Congress president Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to arrive in Chhattisgarh capital Raipur Monday to address a convention of farmers. During his day-long visit, Gandhi will take part in a programme, titled 'Kisaan Abhaar Sammelan', to be held at Rajyotsav Mela ground in Naya Raipur at 2 pm, said a party spokesperson here Sunday. Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and AICC in-charge of Chhattisgarh P L Punia Sunday took stock of the preparation for the function meant to express gratitude to people and farmers for voting the party to power in the state, he said. This will be the Congress chief's first visit to Chhattisgarh after his party formed the government last month. The Congress had posted a massive victory in the November assembly polls, winning 68 of the total 90 seats and ending the 15-year-old BJP rule. During the function, beneficiary farmers will be distributed loan waiver certificates, the spokesperson added. A large number of farmers from across the state, including the
'Listen to Europe,' Dublin tells UK MPs ahead of Brexit votes
British MPs seeking to pressure Prime Minister Theresa May this week to renegotiate her Brexit deal should heed EU warnings that it will not succeed, Ireland's foreign minister warned Sunday. Simon Coveney said attempts by Brexit supporters to remove or set a time-limit on a controversial "backstop" clause on the Irish border would never be accepted by Brussels. "Listen to what people are saying in Europe," he told BBC television, saying May's Brexit deal was "a balanced package that isn't going to change". "The European Parliament will not ratify a withdrawal agreement that doesn't have a backstop in it, it's as simple as that," he added. He was speaking ahead of another showdown between May and the House of Commons over Britain's withdrawal from the EU, which is scheduled for March 29. MPs this month rejected the divorce agreement she struck with the bloc last year. One Tuesday night, in a series of votes on parliamentary amendments, they will set out what they want her to do ...
Dikshit accuses BJP, AAP of reneging on promises; says Cong will win all LS seats in Delhi
Delhi Congress president Sheila Dikshit Sunday accused the BJP and the AAP of reneging on promises made to the people of the city and said her party would win all the Lok Sabha seats in the national capital in the upcoming polls. People still remember the development Congress governments brought to the city, Dikshit, a three-time chief minister of Delhi, said and added that the ruling AAP does not know how to work. "They voted for the BJP and the AAP in previous elections but got lies and hollow promises in return," she alleged. Accusing the AAP of making tall claims instead of working for the people, she asked people not to vote for it in the Lok Sabha elections. "The Lok Sabha polls are very important, do not vote for a party that tells lies and makes promises only," she said. She asserted that the Congress was on the rebound in Delhi and people wanted it to form the next government at the Centre. "This large gathering rekindles hope that the Congress will win all the seven seats in
Lanka's new constitution a non starter, says Rajapaksa
Sri Lanka's Opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa has said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government lacks political capability and does not have adequate support in Parliament to pass the new Constitution, which he claimed that if introduced will divide the country. He also reiterated his demand for a fresh poll in the island nation. "The current government lacks political capability to enact the proposed new Constitution. They have no support in parliament to pass that," Rajapaksa told reporters on Saturday. "This is a Constitution which aims to divide the country," he said, adding that the government has failed to deliver their promises made in elections and made it unpopular. "We want a general election," he said. Sri Lanka's former strongman, who attempted to overthrow Wickremesinghe with the help of President Maithripala Sirisena last year, has been attacking the prime minister's move to introduce a new Constitution after a report prepared by the Panel of Experts for the ...
NRC a "waste paper", should have been linked to voters list: Gogoi
Former Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday described the National Register of Citizens (NRC) a "waste paper" and said it should have been linked to voters list. "The whole exercise by spending crores of rupees to update the NRC for detecting illegal foreigners have been wasted. The process was started in 2013 and in five years they (the BJP government) could not publish a correct NRC," the senior Congress leader said. The NRC is a "waste paper and has become valueless now", Gogoi told a press conference here It should have been linked to the voters list till January 2019. Those over 40 lakh people left out of the complete draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) are still in the voters list and they will cast their vote, he said. "We (when Gogoi was the chief minister) had impressed upon the Centre that a similar NRC updation exercise has to be taken up in all states and not exclusively in Assam," Gogoi added. Regarding the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, he said it has ..
Rahul has put chameleon to shame in changing colour: Sakshi Maharaj
Attacking Rahul Gandhi, BJP MP from Unnao constituency Sakshi Maharaj said Sunday the Congress president "has put even chameleon to shame" in changing colour. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a programme here, he said, "Congress president Rahul Gandhi sometimes becomes a 'janeudhaari' (one who wear a sacred thread) pandit, sometimes he becomes a Shiv bhakt, and sometimes he tries to do something else. He has put even the chameleon to shame in changing colour." Sakshi Maharaj also asserted he will be contesting from Unnao till the time he is in active politics. Asked to comment on reports of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra planning to take a dip in the Sangam during the ongoing Kumbh Mela, the BJP MP said, "A person who had termed Lord Ram as imaginary is calling himself a Shiv Bhakt. Those who called saffron-clad seers terrorists, why are they talking about going to Kumbh. This is because politicians have realised that people who speak ...
Won't allow corruption as long as I am 'chowkidar', says Modi
Dubbing the opposition as a "corrupt house", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said in the last four years, people in Delhi have made him a "chowkidhar".
Modi, Nitish may share stage at Patna rally on March 3
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may share the stage with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan here on March 3 at a rally where the NDA will sound the bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state. The announcement was made Sunday at a joint press conference by the JD(U), the BJP and the LJP. Kumar who heads the JD(U) and Paswan who is the LJP chief, have given their consent for attending the rally, while an invitation was being sent to Modi, the NDA leaders said. Notably, the NDA rally will be held exactly a month after Congress' "Jan Akanksha Rally", which will be addressed by Rahul Gandhi. It will be his first public meeting in Bihar after becoming the party's national president. Asked whether their rally was aimed at giving a "reply" to Gandhi, the NDA leaders said they were not bothered about the Congress president. They said that BJP president Amit Shah will also be requested to attend the rally, where workers of all the three NDA ...