Page 1862 - Politics

Malaysia PM cites Trump to defend Israeli athlete ban

Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on Tuesday defended Malaysia's ban on Israeli athletes, likening it to US President Donald Trump's plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border. Malaysia sparked a row with Israel after saying it would not allow Israeli swimmers to compete in a tournament later this year that serves as a qualifying event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics. "Every country has the right to accept or refuse entry of anybody," Mahathir told a press conference in Vienna on Tuesday. "You can see that in America now they are erecting a very high wall to prevent Mexicans from going to America," he said. "We have the same idea, that people who are undesirable for our country will be kept out of our country," Mahathir added. Last week Israel said the decision was motivated by "rabid anti-Semitism" on Mahathir's part. Mahathir, now 93 and in his second stint as premier, has in the past attracted criticism for verbal attacks on Jews. Last week he denied accusations of anti-Semitism,

'Beti bachao' scheme is 'Modi bachao, ad chalao': Rahul

Congress president Rahul Gandhi Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that his favourite 'Beti bachao, beti padhao' campaign is nothing but an advertisement spree to save himself. "Modi Bachao, Advertisement Chalao," he said on Twitter, sharing the link of a media report on the scheme. The news report cited official data to claim that Modi launched 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao' on January 22, 2015 with two related aims but four years later, figures show that its main aim has been publicity as over 56 per cent of the funds allocated under the scheme were spent on "media-related activities".

Jogesh resigns as Sundergarh MLA, Cong strength falls to 14

Jogesh Singh, the MLA of Sundargarh in poll-bound Odisha, Tuesday resigned from the Odisha Assembly, two days after quitting the Congress. Singh met Odisha Assembly Speaker PK Amat and submitted his hand-written resignation letter to him. With the resignation of Singh, the number of Congress MLAs has come down to 14 in the 147-member House. Replying to a question, Singh said he has not yet decided which party he would join. "I will consult my supporters in Sundergarh before taking any decision," he said. Jharsuguda MLA and OPCC working president Naba Kishore Das has also resigned from the party on January 16. Though Das has announced to resign as an MLA, he is yet to meet the Speaker. Earlier in November, 2018, Koraput MLA Krushna Chandra Sagaria had quit the membership of the Assembly. On January 18, Jogesh Singh sent his resignation to AICC president Rahul Gandhi on 'moral grounds' after he was suspended by the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) for alleged ...

RS poll case: Ahmed Patel gives list of 43 witnesses to Gujarat HC

Congress leader Ahmed Patel's counsel Tuesday submitted a list of 43 people to be examined as witness in a petition challenging his election to the Rajya Sabha from Gujarat in 2017. Patel's lawyer P S Champaneri submitted the list, which includes the names of over half-a-dozen MLAs, in the court of Justice Bela Trivedi of the Gujarat High Court. The list also included the then Congress MLAs, who had voted for BJP candidate Balvantsinh Rajput in the Rajya Sabha election, as well as the then chief electoral officer, officials of the Election Commission of India, and counting agents. The high court Tuesday also directed petitioner Rajput to submit a list of material in support of his allegations that Patel's election to the Rajya Sabha was invalid. Rajput, who has challenged Patel's election to the Rajya Sabha from the state in 2017, had last week submitted a list of 43 witnesses to be examined by the court in support of his claim. The Gujarat HC had framed six issues, including whether .

Trump's shutdown proposal faces uncertain fate in Senate

President Donald Trump's proposal to reopen the government, sweetened with immigration provisions aimed at mollifying Democrats but which have alienated some conservatives, is headed for Senate action, its prospects uncertain. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will try to muscle through the 1,300-page spending measure, which includes $5.7 billion to fund Trump's proposed wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, the sticking point in the standoff between Trump and Democrats that has led to a partial government shutdown now in its 32nd day. Meanwhile, another missed paycheck looms for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. Senate Republicans late Monday unveiled the legislation, dubbed the "End The Shutdown And Secure The Border Act," but its passage this week is by no means certain. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority in the chamber but need Democrats to reach the usual 60-vote threshold for bills to advance. No Democrat has publicly expressed support for the proposal Trump announced ..

Indian envoy assures India's support to UK post-Brexit

India will contnue to extend continued support to the UK following Britain's exit from the European Union, Indian High Commissioner to the UK Ruchi Ghanashyam has said.

Govt sensitive to quota demand: Sachin Pilot

Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot Tuesday said the state government was sensitive to the demand of reservation in state jobs and educational institutions for Gujjars and four other communities. He said the government will resolve the issue through dialogue instead of violence or cane-charging. Speaking on the issue raised by deputy leader of Opposition Rajendra Rathore during Zero Hour in the assembly, Pilot said the previous BJP government had passed a bill providing for reservation benefits to Gujjars and four other communities in jobs and educational institutes. But it did little to implement the law, he added. He said the people will not forget that 72 persons lost their lives in the BJP regime during the reservation agitation in the state by Gujjars. Pilot sought to assure the House that it was an important issue and the present government will make efforts to resolve the reservation issue under the legal ambit.

Sri Lanka's new Constitution falls short of expectations: Tamil party

Sri Lanka's Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) has said it will reject any attempt to formulate a new Constitution, claiming that the proposals which have been announced so far fall short of an acceptable solution for the Tamils in terms of the devolution of power. The TELO, a constituent of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), in a statement said that the party stood for a federal solution based on the concept of fully fledged self determination for the Tamils in the north and east, but the current proposals are aimed at preserving the unitary character of the island. The Tamil party's opposition comes days after Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Saturday said the new Constitution would not change the unitary nature of the country. Wickremesinghe's comments came in the wake of his political opponents headed by opposition leader Mahinda Rajapaksa alleging that his government is drafting a new Constitution to appease the main Tamil political party - Tamil National Alliance ..

Giriraj wonders if Syed Shuja is affiliated to ISI, ISIS

Attacking the Congress over claims of hacking of EVMs made at a London press conference, Union minister Giriraj Singh Tuesday wondered if Syed Shuja, who levelled the allegations, was affiliated to ISI or terrorist organisation ISIS. "It is scary that the agenda of Pakistan and China was sponsored and supervised by a top Congress leader. Once out of power, the Congress wants to kill democracy in the country. We have seen it earlier during the Emergency," Singh said in a tweet. The BJP leader said Shuja's claim and the Congress's "EVM drama" reminds him of a statement of Sitaram Kesri, the late Congress chief, that "one family will destroy India". Can Shuja, who claims to be a cyber expert, be affiliated to ISI, Pakistani spy agency, or ISIS with an aim to weaken democracy in India, he asked. A day after the self-proclaimed cyber expert alleged that the BJP had won 2014 general election by rigging Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), the ruling party described the event a ...

BJP's rebel councillor Vishnudutt Sharma elected as Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation

In an embarrassment to the BJP, the party' rebel councillor Vishnudutt Sharma (Laata) was elected as the Mayor of Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) by defeating the BJP's official candidate and Acting Mayor Manoj Bharadwaj by one vote in the bypoll held on Tuesday. Sharma was supported by the Congress and some independent councillors and some of the BJP councillors apparently cross-voted, leading to his victory. The BJP has majority in the board. "Of the total 90 votes, one vote was rejected. Sharma got 45 and Bharadwaj got 44 votes. After the counting, Sharma was declared elected," Returning Officer Arvind Saraswat said. BJP's official candidate Manoj Bharadwaj was the acting mayor. "I was supported by Congress, some of the BJP and independent councillors and I thank them," Sharma told reporters after the declaration of the result. When asked whether he will join the Congress, he said he will take a decision on this later. "My priority will be on the development of Jaipur," said ...

Germany, France sign new accord pledging deeper ties

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday deepened their bilateral ties with the signing of a new friendship treaty that the two powerhouses hope will give fresh impetus to their position as the linchpins of the EU.

Lok Sabha battle will be tough for BJP: Balyan on SP-BSP alliance

Former Union Minister Sanjeev Balyan admitted on Tuesday that the 2019 Lok Sabha polls will be a tough battle for the BJP, specially in Uttar Pradesh after the formation of the SP-BSP alliance.

Protests force cancellation of K'taka govt seminar

Protests by BJP and some pro-Kannada organisations, citing the three-day mourning announced for the death of Siddaganga Math head Shivakumara Swamiji, forced the cancellation of a Karnataka government seminar on Tuesday. The seminar titled 'Conversations of the Constitution', which was organised by the state social welfare department and a television channel, was called off after the first session, Karnataka Social Welfare Minister Priyank Kharge said. Former vice president Hamid Ansari, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, BJP MP Rakesh Sinha, retired Supreme Court judge Santosh Hegde, student leader Kanhaiya Kumar, social activist Medha Patkar, film actor Prakash Raj and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were among the prominent speakers. A highly revered seer known for his stellar contributions in the field of education and social service, Shivakumara Swamiji died at 111 on Monday. Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumarasamy had announced one-day government holiday on Tuesday and a three-day state ..

Rajasthan government failed to keep word on unemployment allowance, loan waiver: Javadekar

Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday hit out at Congress-ruled Rajasthan government for its failure to implement unemployment allowance and loan waiver promises.

Second edition of TN Global Investors Meet to begin tomorrow

: The second edition of the Tamil Nadu government's ambitious two-day Global Investors Meet, aimed at showcasing the state's potential business opportunities and wooing investment, will begin here Wednesday. Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to inaugurate the event which is the first major event for the AIADMK government after the demise of late chief minister J Jayalalithaa, under whose stewardship the maiden edition was held. According to the Guidance Bureau, which acts as the nodal agency between investors and the state government, the objective of the event is to position Tamil Nadu as the investor's choice besides showcasing its potential business opportunities. Over 250 companies from 10 countries would be taking part in the event at Chennai Trade Centre, sources said. Trade body Confederation of Indian Industry is the organising chamber partner and the government had allocated Rs 75 crore to conduct the event. A 45-member United Kingdom business ...

Attended London hackathon in personal capacity: Sibal

Stating that he attended the EVM hackathon in London in his personal capacity, Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Tuesday called for a probe into the allegations made by a "cyber expert" including hacking of EVMs for the sake of free and fair elections.

Presence of US senator's guard during meeting with PM Khan irks Pak Senate panel

The unusual presence of the personal security officer of top US Senator Lindsey Graham during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan here has irked a Pakistani parliamentary panel, which termed it a disgrace to the country. Republican Senator Graham from South Carolina met Khan here on Sunday amid reports that Islamabad is pressing for a meeting between the Prime Minister and President Donald Trump to reset bilateral ties and help revive negotiations to end the 17-year brutal war with the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan. Senate Standing Committee on Interior chairman and former interior minister Rehman Malik said the members wanted to know why Senator Graham's personal guard was allowed to remain present during the meeting with Prime Minister Khan and directed the interior secretary to submit details on the matter, Dawn newspaper reported on Tuesday. Malik said the presence of the US guard during the meeting with Khan was a disgrace to the country. Graham reiterated

Deputy CM must have performed yagna to "escape" from case:DMK

DMK President M K Stalin Tuesday continued to target Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam over conducting a 'yagna' at his office in the Secretariat, saying the AIADMK leader must have performed it to "escape" from a case in the Supreme Court. Irked over the fresh attack, the ruling AIADMK ridiculed Stalin for raking up the issue, saying it amounted to being "childish." On Sunday, Stalin had claimed that the 'yagna' (havan) might have been conducted to get the "Chief Minister's post." Speaking at a Gram Sabha meeting in Karur district Tuesday, Stalin said with the coming Lok Sabha polls, "there are chances that the Assembly elections will also be held along with it." "Because, the case relating to 11 MLAs including Panneerselvam is hanging in the balance in the Supreme Court. That is why he performed a yagna at Fort St George two days back. He performed it to somehow escape (from the case)," Stalin claimed. Stalin was apaprently indicating that a possible ...

Mahagathbandhan is of 'greed and lust', has 9 potential PM candidates: Amit Shah

BJP president Amit Shah Tuesday launched his party's Lok Sabha polls campaign in West Bengal as he scoffed at the proposed grand alliance of opposition parties as that of "greed and lust" and which has nine potential prime ministerial candidates. He claimed bringing in 20-25 leaders on one stage would not serve any purpose as Narendra Modi will become prime minister again. He said that out of the 23 leaders, who attended the Brigade parade ground rally, nine of them were potential prime ministerial candidates. Shah, however, did not name anybody. "But, we have only one prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi," he told a BJP rally here, three days after Brigade ground gathering of the opposition at Kolkata. Shah, while kickstarting 'Ganatanatra Bachao Yatra' in Bengal, vowed to overthrow the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government in the state. Asserting that the Modi government was committed to legislating the citizenship bill, Shah wondered whether West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata ...

BJP MLAs create uproar in Raj Assembly, demand implementation of 10% quota to economically weaker sections

Opposition MLAs Tuesday created an uproar in the Rajasthan Assembly, asking the state government to implement 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections as notified recently by the Centre. The BJP MLAs stormed the well of the House and shouted slogans, demanding the government to clarify its stand on the reservation issue. Soon after the House started the debate over the motion of thanks on the governor's address, BJP legislator Kiran Maheshwari referred to the reservation bill passed in Parliament. She said the Centre has provided 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections but the state government has not taken any decision on its implementation. She claimed that the people were agitating in various parts of the state over the issue. State Energy Minister B D Kalla said Rajasthan's Congress government in 2003 had passed a resolution for providing 14 per cent reservation to the economically backward classes (EBCs) but the BJP at the Centre has now ...