Page 183 - Politics
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana CMs to meet in Amaravati on June 17
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy and his Telangana counterpart K Chandrasekhar Rao will meet here on June 17, sources from the YSR Congress and Telangana Rashtra Samithi said Friday. They are expected to carry their negotiations forwardon resolving bifurcation-related issues between the two states, according to the sources. Rao, who is also the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) chief, is coming to the Andhra Pradesh capital for inviting his counterpart for the inauguration of Kaleswaram irrigation project on June 21. After he took over as Chief Minister on May 30, Jagan, YSR Congress president, began talks with Rao on resolving post-bifurcation issues, official sources said. "These are not formal talks, yet they are certainly a way forward," the sources said.
'Surprised' by Sreedharan's opposition to Delhi govt's free travel scheme for women: Sisodia
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Friday said he was "surprised" by former DMRC chief E Sreedharan's opposition to the Delhi government's proposed free travel scheme for women. In a letter to Sreedharan, Sisodia asked him to reconsider his stand and "bless" the AAP dispensation to go ahead with this progressive step. The deputy chief minister said due to proposed free scheme for women, the Delhi Metro's revenue will increase and ridership will go up, and more women will use the public transport. Opposing the AAP government's proposed free travel scheme for women in the Delhi Metro trains, Sreedharan urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to the proposal as it would set "an alarming precedence". "I am surprised and pained to read your letter addressed to the prime minister, in which you have opposed the Delhi government's proposal to bear the cost of allowing free ridership for women in the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) trains," Sisodia said in the letter. He also ...
Pak claims India refused to let its train cross border to bring 200 Sikh pilgrims
Pakistan on Friday claimed that India refused to let its train cross the border and bring some 200 Sikh yatrees to Lahore for Jore Mela festivities. "Pakistan had issued visas to some 200 Indian Sikhs to attend the Jore Mela (death anniversary of Guru Arjun Dev jee) and they were due to arrive here by a Pakistani train on Friday. But the Indian government refused to allow the Pakistani train to enter its territory to bring the Sikh yatress here," Amir Hashmi, spokesperson for Evacuee Trust Property Board, told PTI. "We remained in touch with the Indian authorities at the border regarding letting the Pakistani train cross the border to pick the awaiting Sikh yatrees but they plainly refused," Hashmi claimed. He said the Indian authorities gave no reason for their refusal. The ETPB is a government department that looks after the affairs and holy places of minorities in Pakistan. "We have protested the Indian decision. Since the Pakistani High Commission (in Delhi) had issued visas to ...
Will strengthen Congress in UP, no alliances: Scindia
AICC General Secretary in charge of western Uttar Pradesh, Jyotiraditya Scindia, said here on Friday that strengthening the Congress organisational structure was the top priority of the party in UP.
300 farmers submit memo, demand industry in Singur
Close to 300 farmers in West Bengal's Singur, which had witnessed a violent anti-land acquisition stir over a decade back, signed a memorandum and submitted their land ownership bills demanding reindustrialisation in the area, a state BJP leader said.
Senior IAS officer briefs civil servants of Gambia
The challenges IAS officers face in the 21st century are no different from those of the 20th century which is "commitment to the larger public good against all odds", senior bureaucrat V Srinivas told a delegation of civil servants from Gambia during a special training programme. The motto I am ethical, I am accountable and I am the IAS is reflective of India's constitutional values that are deeply rooted in high moral tones with a universal dimension, he said. Srinivas and former cabinet secretary Ajit Seth addressed a 27-member delegation comprising permanent secretaries and deputy permanent secretaries of Gambia on 'Transparency and Accountability in Governance' at the National Centre for Good Governance in Mussoorie. The centre is conducting a special training programme for the senior civil servants from Gambia under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme. In the chairman's remarks, Seth said the Right to Information enables improving governance in India by
Russia warns against 'hasty conclusions' over tanker attacks
Russia warned Friday against jumping to conclusions over the attacks on two oil tankers in the Gulf of Oman after US President Donald Trump blamed them on Iran. "We consider it necessary to refrain from hasty conclusions," the Russian foreign ministry said, calling for a thorough international investigation. "We strongly condemn the attacks no matter who is behind them," the ministry said in a statement. "We are concerned by tensions in the Gulf of Oman," it said, calling on all parties to show restraint. Two vessels were struck by explosions on Thursday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz some 25 nautical miles off Iran's southern coast, the second attack in a month in the strategic shipping lane. Moscow also thanked Iran for help in rescuing 11 Russian crew members from one of the vessels, the Front Altair. Washington has blamed the attacks on Iran, with Trump saying the incident had Iran "written all over it." The latest incident raised new fears of conflict in the ...
BJP team meets WB Governor, seeks his intervention to resolve medical sector crisis
The BJP demanded immediate resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee from her Home and Health portfolios and sought the intervention of Governor K N Tripathi to resolve the impasse in the state's health sector which continued for the fourth day on Friday. "The governor should talk to the chief minister immediately and exercise his power as constitutional head of the state to resolve the impasse and restore peace," senior BJP leader Mukul Roy told reporters after meeting the Tripathi at Raj Bhavan here in the evening. Roy, who headed the BJP delegation to the governor, said the TMC has unleashed a "reign of terror" in the state, which has resulted in restlessness in all walks of life. Roy claimed restlessness also prevailed across the state, from Darjeeling to the Jangalmahal and from north Bengal to south Bengal. "The chief minister should leave her ego and arrogance and resolve the stalemate immediately in the interest of the people. Please don't complicate the ...
BJP begins 2-day round-the-clock sit-in against JSW land sale
The BJP Friday started its two-day round-the-clock sit-in here protesting the sale of 3,667 acres of land to JSW Steel at a "throwaway" price and governments insensitivity to the victims of an alleged ponzi scheme fraud besides the prevailing drought situation. "Our agitation pertains to three issues sale of land to JSW Steel, IMA Jewels ponzi scheme scam,drought situation," BJP state president B S Yeddyurappa said addressing the gathering at the Anand Rao Circle, venue of the protest. Yeddyurappa alleged that the government decided to sell 3,667 acres to JSW Steel at Rs one lakh per acre without consulting the people of the state soon after the Lok Sabha election. He said people will not agree with the decision. Speaking about the farm loan waiver, the BJP president said "Our main contention is that the farm loan waiver has been dumped in the cold storage. They (government) said they would waive loans of Rs 46,000 crore but so far not even Rs 3,000 crore loan has been .
PM gave me chance to serve nation by spreading education
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given him an opportunity to serve the country through the spread of education and contribute to the building of a New India of his the vision. Pokhriyal who visited Haridwar for the first time after assuming office hoped that he would be able to serve the country as HRD minister as per the prime minister's vision. Thousands of supporters led by state Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik and MLA Yatishwaranand accorded a warm welcome to Nishank who worshipped the holy Ganga at Har ki Pauri ghat. "I have taken blessings of mother Ganga and Lord Shiva. I hope to rise to the expectations of the prime minister," he said.
Oppn asks AAP govt to listen to Metro Man Sreedharan, review free travel ride proposal
Armed with Metro Man E Sreedharan's strong-worded criticism of the AAP government's plan to provide free commute to women in Delhi Metro trains, the opposition BJP and Congress Friday demanded a review of the decision to implement the proposed scheme. Earlier this month, the Arvind Kejriwal government had announced that it would make commute for women in public buses and metro trains free. Sreedharan, the first managing director of Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, opposed the AAP government's proposed scheme, saying it would set "an alarming precedence". Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari concurred with the concerns raised by Sreedharan and said that the Kejriwal government should pay heed to him and review its proposal. "The point raised by the former Delhi Metro chief could not be ignored as he has said that it will lead to inefficiency and a bankrupt Delhi Metro. So, free ride proposal for women in Metro trains must be reviewed by the ...
Modi-Imran exchange pleasantries during SCO Summit in Bishkek
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan exchanged pleasantries on Friday during the SCO summit in Bishkek, official sources said. Modi exchanged usual pleasantries with Khan in the Leaders' Lounge at venue of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit here, they said. Both Modi and Khan were here to attend the annual summit of the SCO. The exchange of pleasantries came over two weeks after Khan and Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi wrote separate letters to their Indian counterparts, pushing for restarting the bilateral talks. India has not been engaging with Pakistan since an attack on the Air Force base at Pathankot in January of 2016 by a Pakistan-based terror group, maintaining that talks and terror cannot go together. Khan had also made a telephone call to Modi on May 26 and expressed his desire to work together for the betterment of people of the two countries. On his part, Modi said creating trust and an environment free of violence and
Twitter, Instagram users go 'blue' in support of Sudan
In a bid to raise awareness about the current volatile situation in Sudan, social media users in large numbers have turned their profile picture blue.
PM Modi announces USD 200 mn line of credit for Kyrgyzstan as two sides sign 15 pacts
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced a USD 200 million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan after wide-ranging talks with Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov as the two sides upgraded their ties to the strategic partnership level and signed 15 agreements, including one to eliminate double taxation. Prime Minister Modi and President Jeenbekov held one-on-one restricted meeting followed by a delegation-level talks during which the two sides discussed on stepping up their bilateral engagement to the next level and exploring new areas of cooperation. Later at a joint press statement, Modi announced the USD 200 million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan and said the two sides have decided to upgrade their ties to the Strategic Partnership level. Prime Minister Modi also said that the two sides have prepared a five-year road map to increase the bilateral trade. He said that the two countries share views on several issues and they have signed 15 agreements, including on the Double Taxation .
Paswan appeals to minorities to support NDA
Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan Friday appealed to SC/ST, OBCs, minorities and other weaker sections to strengthen the NDA, saying the alliance would win the hearts of all sections of people through its work in the next five years. Paswan also hit out at the opposition for levelling allegations about electronic voting machines being manipulated during the elections. The union minister was here to review the Food Corporation of India's performance in the southern region. "We have complete confidence that in the next five years we would be able to deliver progress to all the sections and win hearts in such a way that every Indian would forget supporting any other alliance in the future but would be solidly behind NDA alone," he told reporters here. "The LJP appeals to the SC/ST, OBCs, minorities and other weaker sections to strengthen the hands of the NDA and our Prime Minister," he added. Taking potshots at the opposition over EVM tampering .
Aviation Minister offers hope as Jet Airways sinks deep
Amid dwindling hopes of Jet Airways' revival, Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday exuded confidence that a solution would be found for the defunct carrier.
Democrats name 20 presidential candidates for 1st debate
As many as 20 Democratic presidential candidates have qualified for the first debate scheduled to be held later this month ahead of next year's elections.Prominent names which were announced by the Democratic National Committee were former Vice President Joe Biden, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, California Senator Kamala Harris and Hawaii Representative Tulsi Gabbard.New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, who have been at loggerheads with President Donald Trump over immigration, also made the cut, CNN reported.In order to qualify for participating in the debate, candidates have to achieve 1 per cent in at least three qualified polls or receive campaign donations from 65,000 unique donors, including 200 donors each from 20 different states.The first round of debates will take place on June 26 and 27 in Miami.Four Democrats could not make their way into the list of first debate due to less traction of their respective campaigns. They were Montana ...
Goa CM urges Mines Minister to restart mining in state
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday met Union Minister of State for Mines Prahlad Joshi and requested his intervention to restart mining in the coastal state, which was banned by the Supreme Court last year.
'Metro Man' Sreedharan requests PM not to agree to Delhi govt's free travel scheme for women
Opposing the AAP government's proposed free travel scheme for women in the Delhi Metro trains, its former chief E Sreedharan has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to agree to the proposal as it would set an "alarming precedence". He said the"disease" will spread fast to all other metros in the country, making them dependent on state government for subsidies. In a letter to the prime minister, Sreedharan, popularly called 'Metro Man', said if the Delhi government is "so keen" to help women commuters, it can pay the cost of their travel directly to them rather than making travel free on metro trains. The proposed move will push the Delhi Metro into "inefficiency and bankruptcy", he said. The former Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) chief has also sought Modi's intervention in the matter. Reacting to Sreedharan's letter, the ruling AAP said although it disagrees with it, it welcomes his viewpoint on the issue, saying that metro will not suffer any losses due to the proposed ...
SCO summit condemns terrorism, seeks global cooperation
In a boost to India's efforts at highlighting Pakistan's support to terror activities in India, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on Friday condemned terrorism in all its forms and said threats like cross-border terror require special attention for which constructive cooperation of the entire international community was needed.The Joint Declaration adopted at the end of the eight-member grouping also noted that security threats which are cross-border in nature, like terrorism, require special attention, close coordination and constructive cooperation of the entire international community."The declaration is a strong statement against terrorism and is endorsed by all SCO member-states," said Joint Secretary (SCO) in the External Affairs Ministry Madhumita Hazarika Bhagat, said in her briefing to the media.Earlier, in his address to the plenary session of the SCO Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a veiled attack on Pakistan saying countries supporting and ...