Page 2162 - Politics
Bulandshahr violence: Ex-bureaucrats slam CM, Modi; Yogi says thank my government
A group of former bureaucrats came down heavily on the Uttar Pradesh BJP regime and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the Bulandshahr mob violence saying "politics of hate has taken the most dangerous turn" even as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said his government should be "thanked" for defeating a "political conspiracy" to spread anarchy through communal violence in the state.
Guv rule 'autocratic', not an alternative to elected govt: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Wednesday called for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying governor's rule was not an alternative to an elected government. The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar also said governor's rule was "autocratic rule" and that his party was pressing on the present Jammu and Kashmir administration for polls in the state as soon as possible. Speaking at a function to welcome two former PDP ministers into the National Conference, Abdullah said, "We believe that an elected government would be able to deliver in a better way." "The National Conference (NC) has been impressing on the incumbent administration to hold elections as soon as possible," he said. Former PDP leaders Basharat Bukhari and Peer Mohammad Hussain joined the NC at Abdullah's residence. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister hoped that their inclusion will help salvage people from the current tumultuous times in the state. "We have to show steadfastness and maintain .
Rath yatra: Cal HC hears state govt, BJP; order tomorrow
The West Bengal government on Wednesday told the Calcutta High Court that intelligence reports expressing apprehensions of breach of communal harmony were the reason for denial of permission to BJP's 'rath yatra' rallies in the state. Countering the state government's stand, BJP counsel S K Kapoor alleged that the denial of permission was pre-determined and without any basis, adding that "in the worst days of the British period Mahatma Gandhi held the Dandi March and nobody stopped him" but "now the government here says it won't allow a political procession". The matter will be taken up for hearing again Thursday, when Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty said he will pass an order on the petition moved by the BJP challenging the state government's denial of permission to its rally. Kapoor told the court that the state government has not put forward any objective data to bolster its claim and was trying to forcibly stop a political party from holding processions, which is a ...
Chouhan, Digvijay have got govt bungalows as per rules: Nath
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath said Wednesday that his government has allotted official residences to Digvijay Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan as per the rules. Nath was speaking to the media after chairing a meeting at the state police headquarters where he directed top police officers to ensure that policemen get their weekly-off. "Digvijay Singh and Shivraj Singh have been allotted government residences according to the rules," he said to a question. The Madhya Pradesh High Court had last year forbidden the government from allotting government residences to former chief ministers. The court had directed the government to get such bungalows vacated. Digvijay Singh, former Congress chief minister, had consequently vacated his bungalow at Shyamla Hills, but now the new Congress government has reallotted him the same bungalow in his capacity as a Rajya Sabha member. The government has also allotted Chouhan, Nath's predecessor as chief minister, a huge bungalow .
Reports of BSP-SP alliance just rumours: Congress leader
Congress leader Pramod Tiwari Wednesday termed as "rumours" the reports of the BSP and the SP joining hands for the 2019 polls. He said Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati and Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav had not officially announced their alliance so far. Responding to a query, the former Rajya Sabha member added that the Congress did not want division of votes against the BJP in the upcoming general elections. "As per my information, neither Mayawati ji nor Akhilesh ji have officially announced about it (alliance). I think these are all rumours...I want to thank Mayawati ji and Akhilesh ji for supporting Congress in forming governments in Rajasthan and Madya Pradesh," he told reporters here. "As far as Congress is concerned, it does not want division of votes against the BJP," he added. Tiwari also hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had Sunday termed the previous defence deals by the Congress government as "tainted" and dubbed Italian ..
Congress is cunning, has humiliated democratic instutions:
In a stinging counteroffensive against the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday the opposition party had "humiliated" institutions important to democracy like the Army and the CAG. Modi also hit out at the Congress for its continued diatribe against him over the Rafale deal after the Supreme Court's verdict holding there was no wrongdoing. "If you thought they (the Congress) only had a problem with EC and EVMs, now wait. They have humiliated the Army, CAG and every institution important to our democracy," he said during an interaction with polling booth level BJP workers of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry through a video conference from New Delhi. He was apparently referring to the Congress questioning the veracity of the surgical strikes targeting terrorist launch pads in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and for contesting the Comptroller and Auditor General's finding of Rs 1.86 lakh crore loss to the exchequer in the coal scam. Congress president Rahul Gandhi ...
After Governor's rule, President's rule comes into force in JK from midnight
After completion of six months of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday, the state will come under President's rule from midnight paving the way for the union cabinet to take all policy decisions related to the militancy-hit state. President Ram Nath Kovind signed the proclamation for imposition of central rule in the state, which plunged into a political crisis in June after the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government was reduced to minority following withdrawal of support by the 25-member BJP in the state. The gazette notification issued Wednesday said the President has received a report from Governor Satya Pal Malik and after considering it and other information, he was "satisfied" that President's rule in the state was needed. "In pursuance...of the proclamation issued...by me under article 356 of the Constitution of India, I hereby direct that all the functions of the Government of the State of Jammu and Kashmir and all the powers vested in or exercisable by the Governor
BSP makes light of reports on alliance
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Wednesday sought to make light of reports that the party was keen on keeping Congress out of a proposed alliance it will tie up with the Samajwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha polls.
Guj CM hits back at Gandhi for 'woke up' remarks
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Wednesday hit back at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks that his party had managed to "wake up" chief ministers of Assam and Gujarat who have waived farm loans and unpaid rural power bills, respectively, in their states. Rupani dubbed Gandhi's tweet as an "over-enthusiasm" due to the Opposition party's recent victory in the assembly elections held in three states. "The Congress party has managed to wake the CMs of Assam & Gujarat from their deep slumber. PM is still asleep. We will wake him up too," Gandhi had twitted. On Tuesday, the BJP government in Assam announced the approval of Rs 600 crore farm loan waivers, which it said will benefit around eight lakh farmers of the state. Simultaneously, the party's government in Gujarat announced a complete waiver of Rs 625 crore in unpaid electricity bills, under its one-time settlement scheme for over six lakh people living in rural parts of the state. The state government .
BJP holds civil disobedience demonstration in Bengal, clashes with police
Bharatiya Janata Party activists on Wednesday held a 'civil disobedience programme' in West Bengal's Howrah district to protest against the denial of permission to the party's proposed Rath Yatra and accused the state government of "undemocratically impeding" their political programmes.
US: Freedom of speech principle covers Khalistani referendum campaign
A US-based Sikh group's call for a referendum on Khalistan would come under the country's "bedrock principles" of freedom of speech, according to a State Department spokesperson.
Rajasthan BJP workers stage protests against allegations by Rahul on Rafale
Rajasthan BJP workers on Wednesday staged a statewide protest against "baseless allegations" made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi on the Rafale fighter jet deal and submitted a memorandum to district collectors across the state.
Government should be praised for nipping Bulandshahr conspiracy in the bud: Adityanath
On a day a group of former civil servants attacked his government on the Bulandshahr issue, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday said that the violence was a "political conspiracy" and far from being slammed his government should actually be "praised" for nipping the "conspiracy" in the bud.
HC dismisses appeal against removal of encroachers from land assigned for MRTS railway project
Giving the green signal for the much-awaited Phase II of the Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS), the Madras High Court Wednesday dismissed an appeal against a single judge bench's order directing the Tamil Nadu government to evict 97 encroachers from a land required for the project. "The learned single judge had deeply analysed the facts and circumstances of the case and has passed a detailed and well-considered order, which needs no interference at the hands of this court," a bench comprising Justice R Subbiah and Justice P D Audikesavalu said in their order here. The bench dismissed the appeal filed by Annai Indira Gandhi Hut Dwellers Welfare Association of Velacherry, who had challenged a December 29, 2003 state government order, cancelling a 1992 Government Order for allotment of one cent of land (about 450 sq feet) each to the 97 people and allotted the property to the railways. Noting that only an order was passed and no land assigned, the Court said the government has got equal ..
South African police issue arrest warrant for Grace Mugabe
South African authorities issued an arrest warrant for Grace Mugabe, the wife of Zimbabwe's former leader who was accused of assaulting a woman in Johannesburg last year, South African police said Wednesday. The warrant follows a long legal process during which a South African court this year ruled that the government acted illegally in granting diplomatic immunity to Mugabe when the alleged attack was first reported. It also marked another setback for Grace and Robert Mugabe, who have kept a mostly low profile since the former president was forced from office in November 2017. Robert Mugabe, whose command over Zimbabwe once seemed impregnable, is now 94 years old and ailing. "I can confirm that a warrant for the arrest of Grace Mugabe was issued last Thursday. We are following the Interpol processes," said South African police Brig. Vishnu Naidoo. Whether Zimbabwe would assist South African authorities with any extradition request is in doubt, though the arrest warrant means Grace ...
TRS working to form front without BJP, Congress
Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MP and Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's daughter K. Kavitha on Wednesday said TRS is working to form a federal front for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections that would not have either Congress or BJP in it.
Rahul, Sonia should not attend TMC's oppn rally, feels WB Cong
The West Bengal Congress is of the opinion that the party's national president Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should refrain from attending the proposed opposition rally to be held here by the TMC in January. The Congress should instead send a party leader to the rally just for the sake of representation, sources in the party said on Wednesday. West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee, who was invited to the swearing-in ceremony of Kamal Nath, did not attend the programme and sent party MP Dinesh Trivedi instead. The Congress' state unit leadership, including West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Somen Mitra will meet Rahul Gandhi in New Delhi Thursday to discuss the party's strategy in the state in view of the Lok Sabha election next year and organisational matters, sources said. "We feel that Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi should refrain from attending the January 19 rally. They should instead send just a representative in a tit for tat for what
BJP will get zero seats like 'rosogolla': Trinamool hits back at Amit Shah's Bengal plans
Taking a dig at BJP chief Amit Shah over his claim of winning at least 23 Lok Sabha seats from Bengal in the 2019 elections, Trinamool Congress Wednesday said the party should rather focus on retaining the two seats it has in the state. Reacting to the Shah's claims, Trinamool's Derek O' Brien said that the BJP chief and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were involved in only "big talk". "Sitting in Mumbai and Delhi and giving these big statements. The BJP has two seats in Bengal and their first priority should be to hold on to these two seats, because if they don't watch it they will get zero seats like rosogolla," he said. O'Brien added that while the BJP is talking about winning more seats in Bengal, recent bypolls in the state have shown that their vote share is decreasing. BJP, which won 30 per cent of the votes last time, managed only 20 per cent this time, he said. "Now they are claiming that they will win many seats in Bengal. When it comes to numbers and figures they are the ...
EU probes hack of 'thousands' of diplomatic cables
The EU announced an urgent investigation on Wednesday after hackers with possible links to China accessed thousands of sensitive diplomatic cables. In the latest embarrassing data breach to hit a major international organisation, the New York Times reported that hackers using similar techniques to the Chinese military gained entry to EU communications. The cables from European Union diplomatic missions around the world reveal anxiety about how to handle US President Donald Trump as well as concerns about the behaviour of China, Russia and Iran. The leak, discovered by cybersecurity firm Area 1, recalls the publication by Wikileaks of a vast haul of US State Department cables in 2010, though in the EU case the trove is much smaller and consists of less secret communications, the NYT reported. EU officials said they have begun a probe into the leak, which comes with Europe on high alert for malign online activity in the run-up to key parliamentary elections in May next year. "The ...
Newly-elected sarpanches of J-K panchayats call on PM Modi
A delegation of 48 newly-elected sarpanches of panchayats from Jammu and Kashmir called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday and sought his assistance for the development of the state. Led by chairman Shafiq Mir of All Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Conference (AJKPC), an apex body of panchayat leaders of the state, the delegation thanked Prime Minister Modi and conveyed its appreciation to him for empowering the institutions of local self-governance through the successful and peaceful conduct of panchayat elections in the state. Modi conveyed his best wishes to the newly-elected representatives and exhorted them to strive for the welfare and upliftment of people. He said the government is committed to the empowerment of the people, and will stand shoulder to shoulder with the local government representatives for the welfare of the state, to fulfil the aspirations of the masses. Modi assured them of the government's full support for making the Panchayati Raj model a success, and .