Page 1887 - Politics

Pakistan should stop meddling in Kashmir affairs: Owaisi

AIMIM chief and Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday lashed out at Pakistan, saying that Islamabad should stop meddling in the affairs of Kashmir as the state will always remain an integral part of India."Pakistan should also stop meddling in Kashmir affairs. Kashmir is and will always be an integral part of India. Even Kashmir youth is an integral part and I hope IAS officer Faisal Shah won't join those two parties. Let him sought out his own political journey that is what Kashmir requires. You don't want Kashmir political journey to be controlled by Babus or IB officers sitting in Delhi," he said.Owaisi was replying to a question from the audience during a panel discussion where he said that irrespective of whether the BJP or the Congress is in power at the Centre, none has a policy or vision to bring back normalcy in Kashmir."What we do is that we wait for normalcy and then forget about Kashmir, and whenever there is trouble in Kashmir, we immediately react. I feel ...

PM slams anti-BJP rally held in Kolkata, says Opposition not happy with transparent governance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday slammed the political parties which came together at a Kolkata rally, saying they would not be able to get away with their "misdeeds" by forming alliances.He contended that the parties trying to form a 'maha gathbandhan' for the Lok Sabha elections were those which were not happy with his "transparent governance and anti-corruption stance"."This is a fight between optimistic thinking and pessimistic attitude, a fight between development and corruption, a fight between public and the mahagathbandhan," Modi said at a event here while the leaders of about 20 parties were attending an anti-BJP rally in Kolkata.Questionining the basis of their unity, he said participants of the rally are those who want to save themselves."They have all gathered there and are shouting 'bachao, bachao, bachao'," Modi said."They may form as many alliances as they want to, but they will not be able to get away with their misdeeds," he said."They may get space in ...

Mamata's Kolkata rally: Who said what (Snippets)

Following are the snippets from the speeches of various leaders at the rally of anti-BJP parties at the Brigade Parade Ground here on Saturday.

Watch hours at Jammu Airport to be extended

The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has decided to extend watch hours at the Jammu Airport, an official spokesman said on Saturday. "The AAI has decided to extend the watch hours upto 9.00 pm at the Jammu Airport. This decision will provide much-needed boost to various sectors particularly tourism. Pilgrims to the famous shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi bould be benefited," the spokesman said. Presently, the runway watch hours at the airport are from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. Watch hours in aviation refers to the operational period for flight services at an airport. In a communique to the state government, the AAI has conveyed its preparedness to handle extended watch hours at the Jammu Airport, the spokesman said. "As and when the airlines submit their flight schedule, the AAI will permit these operations," the spokesman said. He said the extension in the watch hours would enable flights to take off and land at the Jammu Airport during the late evening hours, thereby increasing the number of .

BJP dissidents calls for ousting Modi-Shah

Disgruntled and previous stalwarts of BJP like Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shorie, who held important position in the past NDA government of Atal Bihari Vajpayee,joined ranks with opposition leaders Saturday to call for ousting Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah. Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie, all members of the NDA cabinet under Vajpayee but, have fallen out with the present leadership, shared dais with senior opposition parties leaders at the rally which launched an attack on Modi and Shah. Shatrughan Sinha, sitting BJP MP from Patna Sahib, called for changing the government in the 2019 Lok Sabha election and said he was not afraid of being removed from the ruling party. He insisted he would continue to "show mirror" to the party and call "a spade a spade". Sinha, who has been at odds with his party over several issues and has criticised the demonetisation exercise and the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax, said he ...

BJP ready for assembly and parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir: Jitendra Singh

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said Saturday his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was ready for assembly and parliamentary polls in Jammu and Kashmir. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here in the hilly Ramban district, he said, "It is not in my control to say when the elections will take place or whether parliamentary and assembly elections in the state will be held together." "The Election Commission is an independent constitutional body and will take a decision on the schedule of the elections in the state on its own after a review... The BJP is ready for the elections, even if it is held today," he said. Jammu and Kashmir is currently under President's rule. Accusing the previous governments of neglecting the hilly districts of the state, the Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office said, "Development of hilly and far-flung areas, including the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, is the priority of the central government." Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ..

PDP expels senior leader Altaf Bukhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday expelled its senior leader and former Finance Minister, Syed Altaf Bukhari, from the party for anti-party activities.

CG officer dies while undergoing diving training

An officer of the Indian Coast Guard has died after suffering near drowning on January 15 while undergoing diving training here, a Defence release said Saturday. Assistant Commandant Mohit Dalal, 28, was posted on board Indian Coast Guard Ship Rajvir based at Port Blair and was attached to Diving School, Naval Base, Kochi for 'Ship's Diver' course. Following the near drowning, he was immediately admitted to the naval hospital, INHS Sanjivani, where despite their best efforts, doctors were unable to revive him and he died late evening on Friday, the release said. Rear AdmiralR J Nadkarni, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, along with senior officers of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, laid wreaths in homage to the officer at a solemn ceremony at the Ernakulam Government Hospital, Saturday, it said. Mohit Dalal is survived by his parents and a younger brother. The last rites would be conducted with full military honours at his hometown, Narela in New ...

Resolve to make Modi PM again: Gadkari to BJP workers

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari Saturday asked BJP workers to resolve to make Narendra Modi the country's prime minister again in 2019. It was the BJP's might that has compelled the bickering opposition parties to come together, Gadkari said at the inauguration of the national convention of the party's Scheduled Caste Morcha here. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will work with full determination to make Narendra Modi the prime minister again, he said. "I want to ask you to make a resolution to work with full conviction and strength so that in the coming elections we once again form BJP government with full majority and make Narendra Modi prime minister again for doing justice to backward sections and making India prosperous, progressive and powerful," Gadkari said. The Union Transport Minister's statement comes after his recent remarks wherein he apparently asked the BJP leadership to take responsibility for setbacks in the Assembly polls. He, however, denied that he ever targeted the ..

Kashmiri Pandits stage protest outside Raj Bhavan in Jammu

A group of Kashmiri Pandits staged a demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan here Saturday to mark the 29th anniversary of their exodus and demanded a blueprint for their return to Kashmir Valley and rehabilitation. The protest was organised by the All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) and was attended by a members of other socio-political organisations of the community. They submitted a memorandum to Governor Satya Pal Malik enlisting their various demands, ASKPC president Ravinder Raina said. He alleged that the community had been deceived with "false and hollow promises" of return and rehabilitation by successive governments. He demanded that the government immediately come out with a blueprint for the return of the community to Kashmir with honour and safety. "Pending this, the community should be declared as internally displaced," he said. All India Kashmiri Pandit Conference president H N Jattu reiterated the demand for an immediate blueprint for their return. On this day in

Modi to emerge stronger after 2019 polls: BJP

The BJP Saturday said the people had a choice between a "corruption-free" NDA under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a "power-hungry" coalition of parties which cannot take him on single-handedly. BJP national general secretary Saroj Pandey was referring to the Opposition attempts to forge an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, on a day several parties held a show of strength at a rally organised by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. She claimed that Prime Minister Modi enjoys unstinted support of the people and would emerge stronger after the 2019 general elections, winning more seats than the NDA's present tally. "People stand like a rock behind Prime Minister Modi. He is sure to bounce back even stronger after the 2019 polls as the alliance headed by him is bound to win even more seats than it has now," Pandey told reporters here. People have no doubt that of all political parties, only the BJP under the leadership of Modi is capable of taking the country to ...

Twenty three political parties come together in "oust Modi" campaign

Twenty three political parties, including the Congress and major regional parties like SP, BSP and DMK, came together on Saturday at a mega rally under the auspices of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to throw the gauntlet at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for defeating him in the coming general elections but kept the daunting issue of their prime ministerial candidate to be decided after the elections.

Saudi Crown Prince must be 'dealt with' to improve ties: US senator

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has become an obstacle in improving the US-Saudi ties and must be "dealt with", US Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of President Donald Trump, said here on Saturday.

Shatrughan Sinha may face action, BJP calls him 'opportunist'

Actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha is likely to face "action" for attending the opposition rally in Kolkata as the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP) on Saturday said it will take "cognisance" of it.

Anti-BJP parties to take EVM issue to EC

Demanding withdrawal of electronic voting machines (EVM) in the coming general elections, 23 anti-BJP parties on Saturday decided to form a four-member committee to prepare a draft on EVM issues to place before the Election Commission (EC), said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Karnataka Congress MLAs hold party meet at Bengaluru resort

The Congress MLAs in Karnataka, who have been herded to a resort outside the city to keep them away from being poached, on Saturday held a meeting to discuss the political situation in the state.

New Constitution won't change unitary nature of Lanka: Wickremesinghe

Sri Lankan 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 (TNA). Addressing a gathering at Galle town, he said, "The United National Party (UNP) would not agree to abandoning the unitary state (of Sri Lanka)." On January 11, Wickremesinghe tabled in Parliament a report of experts on drafting a new Constitution. Stressing that the new Constitution is still a long way ahead, the prime minister said, "We have no new constitution or even a draft". What was contained in the report was ideas from all parties, he said, adding, "Without two-third support in the constitutional assembly we cannot draft a new Constitution." The Rajapaksa camp has also been accusing that the new ..

Around 20 parties project unity at rally with an aim of ousting Modi government

Leaders of around 20 non-BJP parties, joined by BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha, on Saturday came together at a rally organised by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee here and pitched for unity for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to oust the Modi government.With Mamata anchoring the show, leaders from parties like Congress, DMK, TDP, JD(S), NCP, Samajwadi Party, BSP, RJD, AAP, National Conference, RLD and AIUDF attacked the BJP-led NDA Central government and singularly targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi.However, parties like TRS, BJD and the Left chose not to attend the rally which was significantly attended by Shatrughan Sinha, actor-turned-Lok Sabha member of BJP, along with former BJP ministers Yashwant Sinha and Arun Shourie.The speakers at the rally pitched for changing the Prime Minister and expressed confidence that it would happen if the opposition parties stick together and jointly take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls due by May this year.Shatrughan Sinha, Yashwant Sinha,

BJP youth wing rally at Ramlila Maidan Sunday

The Delhi unit of the BJP's youth wing will hold a rally on Sunday at the Ramlila Maidan where young workers will take a pledge to aware people at the booth-level about schemes and policies of the central government and to re-elect Narendra Modi as the prime minister. The 'Yuva Vijay Sankalp Maha Rally' comes two weeks after the party hosted a grand 'khichdi feast' at the Ramlila Maidan to connect with Dalits, Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari said Saturday. Tiwari said that on the one hand the trust of the people of Delhi in BJP is increasing and on the other India is emerging a great power in the world under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Important political resolutions connected with the interest of the people of Delhi and the country will be moved in this rally. Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and BJP National Vice President Shivraj Singh Chouhan will address the rally in the presence of former Yuva Morcha president Anurag Thakur and current Yuva Morcha president

Oppn leaders form Committee to look into EVM manipulation

A four-member committee of opposition party leaders has been formed after reports of EVM manipulation by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday. In addition to evaluating the functioning of EVMs and finding ways to stop any malpractice, the committee will suggest electoral reforms to the Election Commission before the Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee added. The announcement was made after the West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo hosted a tea party here for the top leaders of 14 opposition parties who participated in her united opposition rally. The committee, comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi (Congress), Akhilesh Yadav (Samajwadi Party), Satish Mishra (Bahujan Samaj Party) and Arvind Kejriwal (Aam Aadmi Party) will submit its recommendations to the EC for implementation and will press for wider use of VVPAT, she said. National Conference (NC) chairman Farooq Abdullah had called the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) "chor ...