Page 2170 - Politics
Guj govt's energy bill waiver mere 'lollipop', says Sidhu
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu Tuesday termed the Gujarat government's move to announce complete waiver of Rs 625 crore energy bill dues as a mere "lollipop". Calling the Modi-led dispensation at the Centre as the "government of the rich", he also raised question marks over demonetisation and Rafale deal. Sidhu was campaigning at Jasdan in Rajkot district of Gujarat, where a bypoll is due to be held on December 20. The Congress has fielded Avsar Nakiya against BJP's Kunvarji Bavaliya. Terming the BJP as "anti-farmers", he lauded Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for the farm loan waivers in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. "Listen Narendra Modi and (Gujarat chief minister Vijay) Rupani, these farmers are kings...but you have made them beggars. When you stare at defeat, you talk about Rs 650 crore electricity waiver. You are giving a lollipop, with nothing inside the wrapper," he said during the rally. The Vijay Rupani-led BJP government in Gujarat Tuesday announced a ...
Zoramthanga announces dry days during X'mas, New Year in Mizoram
Chief Minister Zoramthanga-led Mizo National Front (MNF) government has decided to declare dry days from next Friday to January 14 across the state. Wine shops will remain shut throughout this period.
Interim CBI Director Nageshwara Rao promoted to Additional Director
CBI interim Director M. Nageswara Rao, who holds Joint Director post, was on Tuesday promoted to the rank of Additional Director, Ministry of Personnel said.
Cong's 'misinformation' campaign impacting def establishments' credibility: BJP on Rafale row
The BJP on Tuesday attacked the Congress, saying its "misinformation" campaign on the Rafale deal was impacting the credibility of the defence establishments in the country. Talking to reporters here, BJP national vice president and Rajya Sabha MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe alleged that the Rahul Gandhi-led party was making a mountain out of a molehill. "It is very unfortunate that (the act of) spreading this kind of information... Indulging in this kind of irresponsible allegation-mongering, is unfortunately impacting our defence establishments as well," he said. Referring to Manohar Parrikar, who was a defence minister in the Modi government till last year before he returned to Goa as the chief minister, Sahasrabuddhe said defence establishments were being led by "unimpeachable" leaders like Parrikar. "Unfortunately, the Congress party is very very irresponsibly indulging in this allegation-mongering... We find that the party is trying to build up some kind of courage out of confusion and .
Modi's campaign for BJP to benefit us, says Odisha Cong
The Odisha Congress Tuesday welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi to campaign for the BJP for next year's assembly elections in the state, claiming it would actually benefit the opposition party. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Odisha on December 24 and address a public meeting at Khurda. He is also scheduled to visit IIT, Bhubaneswar on the same day, BJP sources said. "The BJP has lost in more than 70 per cent assembly constituencies where Narendra Modi has campaigned during the recent elections in five states. It will be better for us if he campaigns for his party in Odisha also," Patnaik said. "We welcome Sri Modi to campign more aggressively in Odisha," Patnaik told reporters on his return from Chhattisgarh where he attended the swearing in ceremony of Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel of the Congress. Asked about the prospects of the Congress in the Assembly elections in the Biju Janata Dal ruled Odisha due next year, the OPCC president said the ...
BJP, Congress promise to waive farm loans in Odisha
The opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday promised to waive all farm loans in the state, if they are voted to power in the 2019 elections.
CPI-M asks Odisha govt to announce bonus on MSP for paddy
The Odisha CPI-M unit Tuesday took a a dig at both the BJP-led NDA government at the centre and the BJD government in the state for the debt woes of farmers and asked Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to announce bonus over the MSP on paddy for them. The Left, Congress and other parties have been targeting the BJP-led government at the Centre over farm distress, which has snowballed into a major issue ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year. Communist Party of India(Marxist) state secretary Ali Kishore Patnaik said in a statement that it is a "betrayal" by the Central government to raise the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of a quintal of paddy by only Rs 200 to Rs 1750. We demand that the MSP of paddy be raised to Rs 3,000 per quintal, Patnaik said adding that the CPI(M) had decided to stage a dharna near Raj Bhavan here on January 5 to press for its demand. The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha, he said, cannot escape its responsibility by blaming the Centre on the MSP for
Was not a PM afraid to speak to press: Manmohan
In an apparent dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is yet to hold a press conference, his predecessor and Congress veteran Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said as a Prime Minister, "he was never afraid of speaking to the press".
Russia to boost security if US quits INF Treaty: Putin
Russia will have to take additional measures to boost its security if the US withdraws from the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday.
JMC mayor meets Governor, shares action plan to make Jammu clean and green
Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta Tuesday met Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik here and briefed him about his action plan to make the city "clean and green". This was his first meeting with the governor after being elected mayor of the JMC on November 15. Gupta, a senior BJP leader, won in the Urban Local Bodies elections held in the state after a gap of 13 years. He called on Malik at the Raj Bhavan and shared with him his action plan to make Jammu "clean and green", besides ensuring round the clock provision of basic civic amenities to the people, an official spokesman said. He said the governor stressed on ensuring cleanliness in the city and directed Gupta to take steps in making Jammu beautiful and pollution free.
Industry, experts hail Delhi's draft electric vehicle policy
Several industry leaders and experts in electric mobility on Tuesday welcomed the Delhi government's draft "Electric Vehicle Policy 2018", which aims to ensure adoption of 25 per cent e-vehicles among new registrations by 2023.
Turkey supports UN plan for new Syria constitution
Turkey supports an expected UN plan to form a Syrian constitutional committee and rewrite the country's constitution, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.
Ram temple issue echoes in BJP parliamentary party meeting
With Hindutva organisations ramping up pressure on the government to bring a law to build Ram temple in Ayodhya, Home Minister Rajnath Singh Tuesday asked BJP lawmakers to be patient on the issue. At the BJP parliamentary party meeting, Ravindra Kushwaha and Hari Narayan Rajbhar, both of whom represent Lok Sabha constituencies from Uttar Pradesh, said people keep asking them as to when the temple will be built, sources said. The MPs, whose comments drew support from some other parliamentarians, enquired about the government's stand on the issue. Singh, who was addressing the meeting, told them that everyone wants a Ram temple at the site where Lord Ram is believed to be born and asked party MPs to be patient. "Dhairya rakhiye (Keep patience)," he was quoted as saying by sources. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not present in meeting, nor was party president Amit Shah. Hindutva organisations, including the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh, have in the past few months intensified their ...
PDP expels two senior leaders for anti-party activities
The Peoples' Democratic Party Tuesday expelled two senior leaders -- Basharat Bukhari and Peer Mohammad Hussain -- for alleged anti party activities. The two leaders were expelled by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on the recommendation of disciplinary committee headed by vice president Abdul Rehman Veeri, a party leader said. He said Bukhari and Hussain were facing charges of indulging in anti-party activities and found guilty by the disciplinary committee. Bukhari, a two time MLA from Sangrama, is elder brother of slain journalist Shujaat Bukhari who was shot dead along with two personnel security officers by LeT terrorists in June this year. He was law minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He was made Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister in the coalition government led by Mehbooba Mufti. Hussain, a former MLA from Shangus constituency, was a minister during PDP -Congress coalition government in 2002. Although he did not contest elections .
Campaigning ends for Jasdan assembly bypoll in Gujarat
Campaigning for by-election to the Jasdan assembly constituency in Gujarat came to an end Tuesday evening, setting the stage for voting on December 20 with both the Congress and the BJP sounding confident of winning the seat held by former Congressman Kunvarji Bavaliya. Bavaliya had won from Jasdan in the 2017 assembly polls on a Congress ticket. In July, he quit the Congress and also resigned from the assembly, and joined the ruling BJP, which immediately made him a Cabinet minister. Bavaliya's resignation necessitated the bypoll in Jasdan, located in Rajkot district, around 200km from Ahmedabad, and he is now in the fray as the BJP candidate. The Congress has fielded Avsar Nakiya, a district panchayat member, from the seat where result will be announced on December 23. Senior state Congress leaders and party's Gujarat in- charge Rajeev Satav besides a host of MLAs campaigned for Nakiya. The opposition party also brought in Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu as .
Govt orders panel to identify new tourism projects in J-K
The Jammu and Kashmir government Tuesday ordered to constitute an official panel to screen and identify new tourism projects in the state under the Prime Minister's Development Package (PMDP). The State Administrative Council (SAC) under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik ordered the constitution of the committee, an official spokesperson said. The committee has to complete the screening and identification of projects by the end of December, he said. It will be headed by the administrative secretary of the Planning, Development and Monitoring Department and the members will include administrative secretary, Forest, Environment and Ecology Department, administrative secretary, Tourism Department and director Tourism of both Jammu and Kashmir divisions, the spokesman said. Jammu and Kashmir has received Rs 2,000 crore under the PMDP for the development of new tourist circuits and tourism infrastructure over the span of five years.
Are we trying to send message that are we worse than school kids: Mahajan to protesting MPs
Amid the ongoing commotion in the Lok Sabha over several issues, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan Tuesday said she often receives messages that schools function better than Parliament and wondered whether these disruptions go on to indicate that the behaviour of the members are worse than school kids. As the House re-convened at noon for the second time, members of the AIADMK, the TDP and the Congress started protesting again. The Congress, demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), continued sloganeering on the Rafale issue. The BJP members demanded an apology from Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The TDP members were demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh while the AIADMK MPs were protesting against a dam on the Cauvery river. Amid the din, the National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2018 was introduced in the House. Upset with the disruption of proceedings, Mahajan said the members were well aware that this was an important session as elections will follow. She said the ...
China will not seek to dominate: Xi Jinping
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday vowed that his country will not develop at the expense of other nations, in a speech marking 40 years since China introduced major economic reforms.
Chaos over Rafale continues in Parliament, stalls proceedings (Roundup)
Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were disrupted for the sixth consecutive day on Tuesday over various issues, including the Rafale fighter jets deal.
Iraqi parliament confirms 3 new ministers, 5 others unfilled
Iraq's parliament confirmed three ministers to Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi's government on Tuesday but left other key posts, including ministers of Defense and Interior, vacant as an impasse over the appointments threatened to stretch into its third month. The confirmations came two days after Abdul-Mahdi's controversial nominee to head the Interior Ministry returned to his former posts as the chairman of the Popular Mobilization militias and national security adviser to the prime minister. Falih al-Fayadh retook his seat at a National Security Council meeting on Sunday after he was sacked from his positions by caretaker prime minister Haidar al-Abadi in August for political behaviour. Al-Fayadh has been at the center of the deadlock surrounding Abdul-Mahdi's appointees. His nomination to run the Interior Ministry has the backing of the largest Iranian-aligned bloc in Parliament, which includes representatives of the Popular Mobilization Forces. The PMF were formed in 2014 to stop