Page 1824 - Politics
India celebrates 70th Republic Day; highlights Mahatma's life
India Saturday celebrated the 70th Republic Day with a grand military parade and exhibition of its history, cultural diversity and strategic weaponry at the Rajpath -- the city's centrepiece boulevard -- in the presence of thousands of spectators including foreign dignitaries and the country's top political and military brass. South African President Ramaphosa was the chief guest at the 90-minute celebrations marking the anniversary of the day when the world's biggest democracy was declared a republic in 1950. A total of 22 tableaux, 16 from states and union territories and six from central government ministries and departments, were part of the cultural parade, the overall theme of which was "life and ideals" of Mahatma Gandhi. Ramphosa's presence at the event was significant as India is celebrating 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation, who had spent 21 years in South Africa before returning to India to join the freedom struggle. The parade began after President Ram ...
West Bengal celebrates 70th R-Day
West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi unfurled the tricolour and took the ceremonial salute as the state celebrated the 70th Republic Day on Saturday.
Andhra, Telanagana celebrate R-Day
Patriotic fervour and enthusiasm marked the 70th Republic Day celebrations in the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Saturday.
Lanka Tamil leader questions Rajapaksa's statues as Opposition leader
The leader of Sri Lanka's main Tamil party has questioned the legitimacy of Mahinda Rajapaksa's position as the leader of the main Opposition in Parliament. The Tamil National Alliance's objection came even as Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has already announced Rajapaksa as Opposition leader. R Sampanthan, the TNA leader and the former leader of the opposition, stressed that Rajapaksa being recognized as the leader of the second largest group in parliament had raised questions. Rajapaksa is a member of President Maithripala Sirisena-led United People's Freedom Alliance (UFPA). Sirisena, who leads the UPFA, is a part of the government, how could his party also sit in Opposition at the same time, he asked. There is a clear case of constitutional conflict over Rajapaksa's appointment as the main Opposition leader. Sampanthan said that his TNA remains the second largest group after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Front. Sampanthan held the position of the main Opposition .
Navjot Kaur Sidhu seeks Cong ticket from Chandigarh
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's wife and former MLA Navjot Kaur Sidhu has staked claim to the Congress ticket from Chandigarh in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. With Navjot throwing her hat in the ring, the number of contenders for the Congress ticket from the Union Territory has reached three. Former railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and ex-Union minister Manish Tewari have also been vying for the ticket from Chandigarh. Presently, BJP MP Kirron Kher represents Chandigarh. Navjot Kaur Sidhu, former MLA from Amritsar (East) and former chief parliamentary secretary, submitted her application to the Chandigarh Territorial Congress Committee on Friday. "I am submitting my application for your consideration to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from the constituency of UT Chandigarh. All the record of my work is attached. I hope you will consider my request and give me an opportunity to serve the people of the beautiful city," she wrote to Pradeep Chhabra, president, Chandigarh
'Pak intruder shot dead along IB in JK's Samba'
A Pakistani intruder was shot dead Saturday by Border Security Force personnel along the International Border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. An intruder was noticed by the BSF personnel manning a border outpost at Check Faqira area around 1 PM and asked to surrender, they said. They said the intruder was gunned down by the jawans near the fence after he ignored repeated warnings to surrender. The body of the deceased is yet to be retrieved, they said adding further details are awaited.
Gadkari, Rahul chat during R-Day parade
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who had been in the news for seemingly calling on the BJP's top brass to own responsibility for the losses in the recent Assembly polls, was seen chatting with Congress President Rahul Gandhi during the 70th Republic Day celebrations here on Saturday.
Cong will form govt in Goa after state bypolls, claims Chodankar
Goa Congress chief Girish Chodankar Saturday claimed his party was in touch with five MLAs of the ruling coalition and would form government in the state after the upcoming assembly bypolls in two seats -- Shiroda and Mandrem. Talking to PTI, he said his party was in touch with five MLAs from the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition, whose support the Congress will take to form government once they pull out of the ruling dispensation. Although dates for the by-election to two assembly seats have not been announced so far, they are likely to be held in the next couple of months. "We have in our mind the five MLAs who would be with us to form the government after the upcoming bypolls," Chodankar said. "In order to form the new government, the Congress would take support of these legislators once they withdraw from the current coalition government," he added. The Congress is currently the principal opposition party in Goa Legislative Assembly with 12 MLAs. Last year too, the opposition party ..
Malaysia cancels $20 bn China-backed rail project
Malaysia has cancelled a $20 bn rail project being built and financed by China after failed attempts to lower the price, a Minister said on Saturday.Economic Affairs Minister Azmin Ali said Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's government made the decision to scrap the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) at a cabinet meeting, the South China Morning Post reported.The project was being built by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) and was 85 per cent financed by the Export-Import Bank of China.The cancellation of the mega project is the second by the Mahathir Mohamad government since it came to power in May last year. In August, his government cancelled a China-backed project, a natural gas pipeline in the East Malaysia state of Sabah.Azmin Ali, briefing reporters on the latest cancellation, said: "The cabinet decided to scrap the project because the cost of development is too high, and we do not have the financial capability at the moment."When it was awarded to CCCC in 2016 by ...
I'm proud of my father: Abhijit Mukherjee on father's Bharat Ratna
Former President Pranab Mukherjee's son Abhijit Mukherjee on Saturday expressed happiness at his father being conferred with the nation's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, and said he is proud of his father who has been in public life for 50 years."It is a very good feeling and I feel very proud as a son. He has been in public life for 50 years and served India in various capacities. We are thankful to the people of India and the government," he said.The announcement of Bharat Ratna to the former President was made by the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Friday.Mukherjee was the President from 2012 to 2017 and his political career spanned about five decades, during which he held various key posts in the Congress as well as in the governments of Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P V Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh.
With great enthusiasm, India celebrates 70th Republic Day
With great enthusiasm and fervour, all states across the country hoisted tricolour flag in parades as a part of the 70th Republic Day celebrations. Union Ministers Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari unfurled the tricolour at their respective residences in the national capital while Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah unfurled the tricolour at the party office.Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel took part in the Republic Day celebration in Raipur. In Odisha, Governor Ganeshi Lal marked his presence during the celebration in Bhubaneswar.Border Security Force (BSF) personnel exchanged sweets with their Bangladeshi counterparts at Fulbari along the Indo-Bangladesh border near Siliguri in West Bengal.Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit unfurled the national flag in Chennai at the event attended by Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy CM O Panneerselvam while Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan hoisted tricolour in Vijayawada.Saints at Ardh Kumbh Mela in ...
U'khand celebrates Republic Day
A slew of flag hoisting ceremonies were held across Uttarakhand on Saturday to mark the 70th Republic Day. The main programme was held at the Parade Ground in the state capital where Governor Baby Rani Maurya unfurled the tricolour and took the ceremonial salute of the police and paramilitary personnel. Earlier, the Governor hoisted the flag at the Raj Bhawan and called upon people of the state to contribute their "100 per cent to nation building". "I greet people of the state on this great occasion when happiness automatically spreads all around," she said. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat hoisted the tricolour at his official residence in the morning to mark the occasion. He paid tribute to the country's Constitution makers for giving people a democratic system. "We should remember and pay tribute to our Constitution makers for giving us a democratic republic," he said after unfurling the national flag at the CM residence. Accompanied by Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt, Rawat ..
Violent protests, frequent hartals lower Kerala's image: Guv
Kerala governor P Sathasivam Saturday pitched for a united approach towards rebuilding the state devastated by last year's deadly monsoon floods and cautioned against narrow politics and violent protests derailing the efforts and lowering the state's image. In his Republic Day address after unfurling the national flag here, he said protests and frequent hartals only disrupt normal life and lower the image of Kerala, in a veiled reference to the recent violent agitations over the entry of women in Sabarimala temple. While praising the central and state governments for taking up various development works, he said the state needed a "sincere political unity" in deciding the areas that deserve priority in rebuilding. "At a time when the economic, social, environmental, cultural, political and even psychological impact of the floods remains difficult to measure, what we need is united action that avoids unnecessary controversies. We also need to ask ourselves how we could afford to allow ..
On R-Day, unprecedented gesture by India for Mauritius PM
In an unprecedented gesture, India on Saturday accorded the status of 'Special Guests' to Mauritius Prime Minister P.K. Jugnauth and his wife Kobita at the Republic Day celebrations here, official sources said.
India gifts 30 ambulances, 6 buses to Nepal on Republican Day
India on Saturday donated 30 ambulances and six buses to Nepal and extended its support to the country in achieving prosperity. India's gesture came as it marked 70th Republic Day. India's Ambassador to Nepal Manjeev Singh Puri handed over keys of the ambulances and buses to the recipient organisations amidst celebrations in Indian Embassy premises, Katmandu on Saturday. Since 1994, the Government of India has gifted 722 ambulances and 142 buses to various organisations across Nepal to expand access to healthcare and educational services in Nepal. Ambassador Puri also distributed cash to the kins of war veterans from the Gorkha regiment and gifted books to 53 schools and libraries across the country. Puri unfurled the Indian national flag and read out the message delivered by the president of Indian to the nation on the occasion of the Republic Day. "Government of India will extend support to government of Nepal in attaining its goal of 'Samriddha Nepal ra Sukhi Nepali' or 'Prosperous
After war of words with Parrikar's nephew, Minister calls him 'childish'
A day after a video of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's nephew went viral in which he is seen accusing Union Minister of State for AYUSH and BJP MP Shripad Naik of ignoring party workers, the latter on Saturday termed the comments as "childish" and "indisciplined".
J-K: Pak violates ceasefire along LoC
Pakistan troops again violated ceasefire along the line of control in Poonch sector of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, as India celebrated its 70th Republic Day.This comes a day after Pakistani army violated ceasefire at four locations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri sectors of the state on Friday.Since the beginning of the year, Pakistani troops have been on a daily basis targeting the sector which adjoins the international border.Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Governor S P Malik in his Republic Day speech commended security personnel for effectively neutralising terrorists and protecting the residents in the border areas."Our security forces carried out effective operations to neutralize the largest ever number of terrorists in a year. We salute the army and police jawans who lost their lives in action," Malik said.He also assured that the government was taking adequate measures to check infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan."Our neighbouring country continues to
MP govt working to curb migration from villages: Guv Patel
The Madhya Pradesh government is taking steps to curb migration from villages by developing basic amenities there, state Governor Anandiben Patel said Saturday. She was addressing a gathering after reviewing the 70th Republic Day parade at the Lal Parade Ground here. "Madhya Pradesh is a state with a rural economy as 70 per cent of population live in villages. The new government is going to start work on roads, electricity, water, health, education and employment to stop the migration from villages to cities," Patel said. She added village level schemes would be prepared in this direction. "The new government will change today's situation in many areas like corruption, crime, atrocities against women, kidnapping of children etc. In the coming year, MP would get an identity of a well-ruled state," she said in her address. The governor said the state government would work with speed in education, health, malnutrition and employment in the next five years. Mentioning the ...
Can Priyanka match Modi's oratory? Scales more evenly balanced (Column: Political Circus)
Is Priyanka Vadra the brahmastra (the ultimate weapon) of Rahul Gandhi directed only at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or is one of the Congress president's targets also the Samajwadi Party (SP)-Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) combine in Uttar Pradesh?
On India's R-Day, Pakistan targets Indian Army on LoC
On India's Republic Day, Pakistani troops fired at and shelled Indian Army positions on the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district.