Page 2169 - Politics
US ambassador to UN calls for support for new Mideast peace plan
The outgoing US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley on Tuesday called on Israelis and Palestinians to back a US peace plan to be unveiled in early 2019. Without revealing details of the plan, drawn up by President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, Haley said it was far longer than past proposals and included elements that would have previously been "unthinkable." "Unlike previous attempts at addressing this conflict, this plan is not just a few pages, containing unspecific and unimaginative guidelines," said Haley, who is due to leave her post at the end of December. "It is much longer. It contains much more thoughtful detail. It brings new elements to the discussion, taking advantage of the new world of technology we now live in," she told a regularly session of the Security Council on the Middle East. "It embraces the reality that things can be done today that were previously unthinkable," she added. "The critical question is whether the response will be any ...
BJP raking up Bofors to hide own wrongdoing in Rafale: Gadgil
Senior Congress leader Anant Gadgil Tuesday alleged that the BJP was raking up the Bofors case even after 30 years to hide its irregularities in the Rafale deal. Late Rajiv Gandhi did not mislead the Supreme Court over Bofors like the present regime did regarding Rafale deal, he said. Gadgil, who is the party's spokesperson, said that in April 1987 late Rajiv Gandhi told the Lok Sabha that if the names of allegedmiddlemen in the Bofors deal were given by the opposition, his government would punish them. "The opposition had demanded a JPC probe, which the then government accepted," he said. He recalled that the JPC had scrutinised several documents and did not find anything suspicious. "If a JPC was appointed for Bofors, why is the BJP scared of doing the same for Rafale?" he asked. Gadgil said after the Kargil war, many defence personnel said Bofors guns were the best. "I am told that there were more than 50 cars and 15 two-wheelers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ...
Trump directs Pentagon to establish 'Space Command'
US President Donald Trump issued an order on Tuesday directing the establishment of a "Space Command."
No clarity on whether Gujarat will get AIIMS or not
Although some political leaders in Gujarat claimed that the Centre has cleared a proposal to set up AIIMS in Rajkot city, an official release by the central government did not mention name of any city in the state that will get this facility. Senior BJP leaders, including the party's state unit chief Jitu Vaghani and Energy Minister Saurabh Patel congratulated people of Rajkot saying the Centre has given a clearance to establish All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the city. "In Ahmedabad, the state government has provided various medical facilities. In Surat also world-class medical facilities are available. In such circumstances it is good that an institute like AIIMS is being established in Rajkot," Vaghani told reporters in Jasdan in Rajkot district. Talking to reporters in Gandhinagar, Saurabh Patel said, "I would like to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for giving AIIMS to Rajkot." However, a Press Information Bureau (PIB) release issued on Monday .
India destined to be major powerhouse of global economy: Manmohan Singh
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday said that India is destined to be a major powerhouse of the global economy despite difficulty and hurdles. Taking a dig at his critics for calling him a silent prime minister, Singh said he was never afraid of talking to the media and rather interacted with the press very regularly. He also revealed that he was not only an "accidental prime minister" but also an "accidental finance minister" of the country as the post was denied by I G Patel, the former RBI Governor and his immediate predecessor in the RBI. Singh was made the finance minister in 1991 by the then Prime Minister P V Narasimha Rao, who is credited for changing the course of the Indian economy and bringing in market liberalisation. The former prime minister said that no government could change the course of the economy and broadly followed the path set by him as a finance minister in the Narasimha Rao-led government. Speaking at the launch of his 6 volume book series called ...
Pak violates ceasefire along LoC in J-K's Poonch
Pakistani troops Tuesday violated ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir by resorting to unprovoked firing on forward posts, officials said. The firing by Pakistani troops from across the LoC attracted strong and effective retaliation by the Indian Army, they said. The officials said there was no immediate report of any casualty. The ceasefire violation was first reported in Digwar sector late this evening and later spread to Kerni sector, they said. The exchange of firing between the two sides was still going on when last reports were received, they added.
AIKS to hold protests for loan waiver and better remuneration
Buoyed by the announcement of farm loan waiver by Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh governments, Left-affiliated All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Tuesday said it will hold another round of protest in the rural parts of the country to press for a complete loan waiver across the country and guaranteed remunerative crop prices.
CPI(M) asks Mamata to clearly say if BJP Rath Yatra will be
CPI(M) politburo member Surya Kanta Mishra Tuesday said if West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is really serious in fighting the BJP, she should clearly say whether the saffron party's proposed Rath Yatra will be allowed in the state. The Trinamool Congress, Banerjee's party, and the BJP are both sides of the same coin, Mishra alleged while addressing a rally here. He said, "Mamata Banerjee should clearly say whether the Rath Yatra would be allowed or not. Why can't she say it clearly? Why only officials of the state government are saying it?" The Mamata Banerjee government had on Saturday denied permission for the BJP's 'Rath yatra' programme on the ground that it might cause communal tension before the Lok Sabha polls due next year. The BJP has moved court against the decision. It is due to the TMC and its policies that have helped the BJP gain ground in the state, he claimed. Mishra urged people not to get fooled by the "mock fight of TMC and BJP" and said it
Direction to conduct civic polls only to SEC not authorities: TN govt
The Tamil Nadu government Tuesday submitted in the Madras High Court that the direction to conduct the local body elections was only to the State Election Commission and not to government authorities. Aryama Sundaram, senior counsel appearing for the state government, made the submission during arguments before a special bench, comprising Justice M Sathyanarayana and Justice M Sundar. It was constituted to hear a contempt plea filed by the DMK against the government and State Election Commission for not complying with a court order directing that the local body polls be completed by November 17, 2017. Sundaram said the state government officials cannot be held under contempt for disobeying the court order in connection with local body polls as the ordinance passed by the government mandated conducting the elections only after completing the delimitation process on the basis of 2011 census. Moreover, the direction was only to the Tamil Nadu State Election Commission (SEC) and not to ...
President's rule to be imposed in J&K from Thursday
President's rule is set to be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir from Thursday as the Governor's rule expires in the state on Wednesday, after six months, said government sources.
Kamal Nath shouldn't go Shiv Sena way: CPI on 'outsider' comment
The Communist Party of India (CPI) asked newly-elected Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath to not "follow the ideals" of the Shiv Sena, as moving from one state to another for employment was a common phenomenon. Nath had told reporters after taking office on Monday that his government would provide incentives to industries that give 70 per cent of their jobs to those from his state and indicated that migrants from Uttar Pradesh get employment at the cost of the local population. "Kamal Nath should not follow the ideals of Siva Sena of Maharashtra. He is a leader of (the) Congress. He must understand tradition of (the) Congress. (The) Congress can't go for parochial ideals," said CPI general secretary Atul Anjaan, who originally hails from Uttar Pradesh. Anjaan said despite the fact that the most number of prime ministers were elected from Uttar Pradesh, it remained one of the poorest states in the country. "(Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi is also elected to the Lok Sabha from UP. ..
Pak seeks 'just durable and peacefully negotiated' solution of Kashmir issue: Qureshi
Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Tuesday that his country was looking for a "just durable and a peacefully negotiated" solution of the Kashmir issue. Qureshi made the remarks while addressing the participants of National Security and War Course at National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, according to a statement issues by the army. "While safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity of the state we are maintaining credible national security capabilities to deter aggression," he said while highlighting the cardinals of Pakistan's foreign policy, challenges as well as opportunities. Pakistan was "seeking a just durable and a peacefully negotiated solution of the Kashmir dispute," the foreign minister said. He said Pakistan was working to "take the war against extremism and terrorism to its logical conclusion, promoting economic stability through inclusive growth, integrating with major regional initiatives and global economy, pursuing friendly and ...
J-K Guv chairs security review meeting in Udhampur
Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday chaired a meeting to take a detailed review of various security-related issues, including counter infiltration and counter-terrorist operations, at the Headquarters of Northern Army Command in Udhampur.During the meeting, the governor took note of details of the counter-infiltration and counter-terrorist operations undertaken recently, according to an official statement.Along with the governor, the meeting was attended by senior officers of the State, police, Army, Central Police Forces (CPF) and Central Intelligence Agencies (CAG).The governor, during the meeting, reiterated the vital importance of the laid down Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) initiated by the Army and all security forces to avoid incidents of civilian casualties and collateral damages. The governor also laid emphasis on the crucial importance of sustained collaborative action between the Armed Forces and the State police with the civil administration in ...
Interim CBI chief M Nageswara Rao elevated to Additional Director rank
The interim chief of Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) M Nageswara Rao was promoted to the rank of an Additional Director by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet.Rao was appointed as interim chief of the CBI after the government stepped in between the fight of CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana that took place at midnight of October 24. After his appointment, the Centre had sent both Verma and Asthana on a leave with immediate effect.While giving him certain powers as interim chief of the CBI, the Supreme Court had asked him not to formulate any key policy decisions until it hears the petition regarding the feud between Verma and Asthana.
Vajpayee's portrait to be installed in Parliament's Central Hall
A life-size portrait of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will be installed in the Central Hall of Parliament.
BJP lists new rath-yatra dates
The BJP has set new dates for its proposed 'rath yatra' in West Bengal and is awaiting the high court's nod to conduct it, a party leader said Tuesday, days after being denied permission by the ruling Trinamool Congress. The 'rath yatra', touted as the "save democracy rally", is now being proposed to held on Saturday, next Monday and Wednesday, said state Bharatiya Janata Party vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar. The dates have been communicated to the Calcutta High Court and the hearing is expected to be held on Wednesday. "We have already prepared three dates for 'ganatantra bachao yatra (save democracy rally)' from Cooch Behar on December 22, from Kakdwip in South 24 Parganas district on December 24 and from Tarapith temple in Birbhum district on December 26 to protest against the Trinamool Congress government's decision to deny permission for the rath yatra," he said. "We are waiting for the court's verdict and we are hopeful that the court will do justice", Majumdar said. The ...
Farmers to go on strike on Jan 8, 9
The All India Kisan Sabha Tuesday called for 'Gramin Bharat Bandh' on January 8 and 9 to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "non-committal" stand on farm loan waiver. In a two-day meeting the Central Kisan Council has taken a resolution to call a two-day Gramin Bharat bandh on January 8 and 9, Ashok Dhawale, president, AIKS, said. The AIKS is a CPI(M) affiliated farmers' organisation. "The bandh is in protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's non-committal stand on farmers' loan waiver issue and rural distress the country has been facing in the last four and half years of the BJP rule," he said. Dhawale said the landlessness issue is another major problem in rural areas, and alleged that the adivasis and Dalits have borne the brunt of the Modi government's anti-farmer policy. The AIKS's Gramin Bharat bandh has been supported by the Bhumi Adhikar Sabha, an outfit demanding land for poor farmers for agricultural purposes. "Not only farm loan waiver, the government also has to ..
RBI, Centre should find ways to work in harmony: Manmohan Singh
Former Prime Minister and seasoned economist Manmohan Singh opined that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and central government should find ways to work in close coordination and harmony."The strong, independent Reserve Bank of India has to work in close cooperation with the central government. So I do hope and pray that Reserve Bank and the Government of India would find ways and means to work in harmony with each other," Singh told reporters after the launch of his book 'Changing India' in the national capital.Earlier, Singh had noted that the resignation of Urjit Patel as the governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was a "severe blow to the nation's economy."In a written statement released soon after Patel's resignation, Singh, who himself was RBI Governor from 1982 to 85, said, "I have known Dr Patel to be an economist of high repute and also someone who cared deeply about India's financial institutions and economic policy. Dr Patel's sudden resignation, at a time when the ...
S Korean Foreign Minister arrives in India
South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha arrived here on Tuesday on a two-day visit to the country.She is in India at the invitation of External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to co-chair the ninth meeting of India-Republic of Korea (ROK) Joint Commission."Marking spirit of friendship & closer engagement. Foreign Minister of Republic of #Korea Kang Kyung-wha arrives in Delhi on a 2-day visit at the invitation of EAM @SushmaSwaraj to co-chair the 9th #India-RoK Joint Commission Meeting," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle, posting a picture of the South Korean Foreign Minister.During the visit, the South Korean Foreign Minister will meet Swaraj at the Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan on Wednesday afternoon, following which they would co-chair the meeting. Press statements would be given by the two ministers after the meeting."The two foreign ministers will review the progress in multifaceted cooperation under the Special Strategic ...
Not just PM, I was also accidental Finance Minister: Manmohan Singh
Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that he was not only an 'accidental prime minister' of India but also the country's accidental 'finance minister.'"I have been termed as an accident prime minister of the country, but I think that I was also an accidental finance minister," he said after the launch of his book 'Changing India' here on Tuesday.Former Prime Minister Singh went on to add that while he was criticised for being a "silent" prime minister, he never shied away from speaking to the press."People say I was a silent prime minister, but I think these volumes (his book 'Changing India') speak for themselves. I was not the prime minister who was afraid of talking to the press. I met the press regularly. In every foreign tour, I had press conferences in the plane or after landing," he noted.Singh further noted that when he was India's Finance Minister in 1991, he was successful in helping turn a crisis into a "great opportunity.""Life has been a great adventure ...