Page 218 - Politics
At first Cabinet meeting, Jagan warns ministers against indulging in corruption
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Monday chaired the first meeting of the state Cabinet and warned his colleagues against indulging in corrupt activities.The meeting, held at the Secretariat, lasted for almost six hours.Briefing media persons after the Cabinet meeting, Information and Public Relations Minister Perni Venkatramaiah said that Chief Minister Reddy has instructed all his Cabinet ministers to study their departments and their performance in the past."If no corruption is found, then that is okay. Otherwise, such corrupt practices should be cleansed," he said, adding that the Chief Minister has dropped more than enough hints that he was not going to tolerate corruption at all."The Cabinet has discussed the formation of judicial commission, modalities, and execution of judicial commission's recommendations. The Chief Minister has warned his Cabinet colleagues not to indulge in corruption. If any such allegations come up, such minister will be suspended," he .
Take up struggles on public issues to strengthen BJP:Laxman
BJP president in Telangana K Laxman Monday asked partymen here to focus on the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections to emerge as an alternative to the ruling TRS before the next Assembly elections in 2023. Laxman was speaking at a party meeting of Secunderabad parliamentary constituency, said the BJP can be strengthened by agitating on people's issues. "It is important to win the GHMC polls due in 2021 to emerge as a major player in 2023," a BJP release quoted Laxman as saying. He also told the party leaders to expose the friendship between TRS and AIMIM. Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy, who is the party's Lok Sabha member from Secunderabad, said an MP can also fight on issues concerning the state, according to the release. Buoyed by its impressive performance of winning four of the 19 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana, Laxman had earlier announced that it would make efforts to emerge as the "viable alternative" to the Telangana Rashtra .
PM asks top officials to come out with five-year plan for each ministry, impactful decisions
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday asked top bureaucrats to prepare a five-year plan for each ministry with well-defined targets and milestones in sync with the people's mandate in the election to change the status quo and improve quality of life, officials said. In a meeting with secretaries of all ministries, the prime minister said each ministry should come out with an "impactful decision" for which approvals will have to be taken within 100 days, they said. The prime minister said people were yearning for a better life and the government must focus on ensuring ease of living, and asked the officials to begin work on making India a five-trillion dollar economy. "Modi said that the huge expectations of the people should not be viewed as a challenge, but an opportunity. He said the mandate reflects the will and aspirations of the people to change the status quo, and seek a better life for themselves," a government statement said. The meeting was also attended by union ministers ...
Iran warns over 'economic war' waged through US sanctions
Iran's foreign minister warned Monday of the consequences of waging "economic war" against the Islamic republic through US sanctions, saying those conducting and supporting it could not expect to "remain safe". "One cannot expect an economic war to continue against the Iranian people and that those waging this war and those supporting it remain safe," Mohammad Javad Zarif said at a joint news conference in Tehran with his German counterpart Heiko Maas. "The only way to decrease tensions in the region is to stop the economic war," he added, noting Germany and the European Union could have an "important role" to play in defusing the situation. Iran signed a landmark nuclear accord with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States in 2015, leading to sanctions relief in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme. But the US administration of President Donald Trump has imposed sweeping sanctions on Iran and, according to Tehran, waged an "economic war" against it after ..
Fight against terrorism at heart of our priorities: French minister
The fight against terrorism is at the heart of France's priorities and the country will stay alongside India in this battle, French Minister of State for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean Baptiste Lemoyne said on Monday.
Sanjay Raut meets UP CM ahead of Shiv Sena chief's Ayodhya visit
Ahead of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray's proposed visit to Ayodhya, senior party leader Sanjay Raut Monday called upon Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. "Met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today regarding the proposed Ayodhya yatra of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray. The talks were held in a positive atmosphere, and Yogiji welcomed the yatra of Uddhavji," Raut tweeted. The Shiv Sena chief along with the 18 newly-elected Lok Sabha MPs of his party will visit Ayodhya on June 16 to offer prayers to Lord Ram. "Uddhav Thackeray will visit Ayodhya on June 16," Rajya Sabha MP and party spokesperson Sanjay Raut had tweeted on June 7. This will be Thackeray's second visit to the temple town in the last seven months and the first after declaration of the Lok Sabha poll results. Shiv Sena, a BJP ally, had earlier announced that Thackeray and the newly-elected MPs will visit Ayodhya before the start of Parliament session to make a fresh pitch for the construction of .
Pb CM directs DCs to ensure no open borewell remains in state
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday directed all deputy commissioners to ensure no open borewell remains in the state, amid ongoing efforts to rescue a two-year-old boy stuck in a 150-foot-deep borewell in Sangrur district for over 100 hours. Fatehvir, the only child of his parents, fell into the unused borewell while playing near his house in Bhagwanpura village around 4 pm Thursday. "Have directed all DCs to ensure that no such open borewell exists in any of the districts and have asked them to submit a report within 24 hours," the chief minister tweeted on Monday. Meanwhile, opposition parties such as the SAD, AAP and BJP Monday hit out at the Congress-led government for the "unprofessional and tardy" rescue operation. The parties alleged that the rescuers lacked requisite expertise and technology in dealing with such an emergency situation. SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal said, "The results would have been very different had the chief minister acted speedily and called in ..
Bengal on boil due to TMC, BJP turf war
West Bengal is virtually on the boil, thanks to a bloody tussle between the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the resurgent BJP over the political turf, clearly in view of the next Assembly elections slated two years from now.
BSF jawan injured in mine blast along LoC
A BSF jawan was injured in a mine blast along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Monday, officials said. The injured is hospitalised and out of danger, they said. The jawan, whose name has not yet been disclosed, was on patrolling duty at the time of the incident, they said.
Venkateswarlu appointed as Chief Secretary to Tripura govt
U Venkateswarlu, Additional Chief Secretary to Governor of Tripura, Kaptan Singh Solanki, was on Monday appointed as the Chief Secretary to the state government.TK Chakma, Secretary to the Government of Tripura, will hold the additional charge of Secretary to the Governor of Tripura.The new appointments come over a week after a major reshuffle in Tripura Cabinet when state Health Minister Sudip Roy Barman was removed from the state cabinet. The charges held by him were allocated to Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb and his deputy Jishnu Dev Varma.Barman held multiple portfolios and had the charge of the Minister of Health and Family Welfare, IT, Science and Technology and Public Work Department (Drinking Water and Sanitation).According to a notification issued by the Tripura government, the Chief Minister will hold the charge of PWD (DWS), Industry & Commerce (IT) and Health & Family Welfare.The deputy chief minister has been given the charge of Science, Technology ..
Minister Puri draws flak for 'distasteful' tweet
BJP leader and Union Minister for for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri's attempt at cracking a joke at the dwindling influence of the Congress in the country's polity seems to have not gone down well among many Twitter users.
Bengal on the boil, Mamata should resign as state Home Minister: BJP leader
Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy on Monday claimed that seven of his party workers have been killed in West Bengal since the Lok Sabha poll results were announced and demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's "immediate resignation" from the post of the state's Home Minister.
Expansion of Kumaraswamy's ministry postponed to Friday due to Karnad's demise
Expansion of Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy led Council of Ministers has been postponed to Friday following the demise of veteran actor and screenwriter Girish Karnad on Monday.Earlier in the day, the state government announced three-day state mourning and one-day public holiday to mourn the death of the veteran actor. Karnad, 81, passed away after a prolonged illness here.The oath-taking ceremony for the ministers was scheduled to take place at 11:30 am on Wednesday.The ministry expansion is widely seen as a measure to quell growing dissent within the Congress-JDS coalition that threatens the stability of the government.According to sources, two independent legislators H Nagesh -- Mulabagilu MLA and R Shankar -- Ranebennur MLA, both supporting the coalition government, are expected to be inducted in the ministry.Former state minister and senior Congress leader Ramalinga Reddy may again take oath as a minister, sources said.Currently, there are three ministerial vacancies out of which .
All ministries must focus on steps to improve ease of living: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday interacted with all Central government Secretaries at his residence here and stressed the need for focussing on steps to improve the ease of living."The mandate (of 2019 elections) reflects the will and aspirations of the people to change the status quo, and seek a better life for themselves," an official statement quoted Prime Minister Modi, as saying.Prime Minister Modi said that India's progress in 'Ease of Doing Business' should reflect in greater facilitation for small businesses and entrepreneurs. He said that each ministry of the government should focus on 'Ease of Living'.He said the Indian voter has outlined a vision for the next five years, and "this is now an opportunity before us." "The huge expectations of the people should not be viewed as a challenge, but an opportunity," he said.Prime Minister Modi also recalled his first interaction with the Secretaries in June 2014. He said the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections have been ...
Mamata claims 2 not 5 died in clashes, says won't let Bengal turn into another Gujarat
Asserting that the Trinamool Congress "will not let West Bengal turn into another Gujarat", Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said two persons were killed during Saturday's clashes and not five as claimed by the BJP, which, she alleged, was trying to incite violence and topple her government by spreading "fake news". She saw the MHA advisory to West Bengal as part of "games played from behind the scenes" and said the state chief secretary has already replied to it. "They (BJP) are spending crores of rupees to spread fake news through social media. The central government and (BJP) party cadre are trying to incite violence in the state... we will not let Bengal turn into another Gujarat," a combative Banerjee, who had a war of words with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the general elections, told reporters at the state secretariat. The chief minister also accused the media of "insulting" the state by disseminating wrong information at the behest of the saffron party, while ...
Government compulsorily retires tax officers on extortion, bribe, sexual harassment charges
The Government has compulsorily retired almost a dozen senior tax officers on charges ranging from extortion, bribe and sexual harassment.
Mamata should resign if she can't maintain law and order: Roy
Senior BJP leader Mukul Roy Monday demanded the resignation of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee claiming she has failed to maintain law and order in the state. Roy maintained that even though a lawless situation prevailed in the state, the Bharatiya Janata Party would not work towards dismissing the government or seek President's Rule as Banerjee would seek sympathy votes if Article 356 is imposed. "She is saying that some police officers are not following orders. If she can't maintain law and order then she should immediately resign from her post as Chief Minister and Home Minister," Roy told reporters here. His comments come in the backdrop of Banerjee's claim that there were a few police officers in the state who were not taking action against people trying to incite violence. Roy, who was once the number two in the Trinamool Congress, switched over to the saffron camp in 2017, and is considered as a key strategist behind the stupendous performance of the BJP in the ...
100 hours on, toddler still stuck in Punjab borewell
A two-year-old boy remained stuck in a 150-foot-deep borewell in Punjab's Sangrur district on Monday, amid mounting anger over the delay in retrieving him even after over 100 hours since he fell into it. One of the rescuers said the depth of the parallel borewell, dug up to rescue the child, was more than the level at which he was stuck and it led to unwanted delay. An ultra-sophisticated, high-density drilling equipment had been pressed into service to detect the exact direction and distance through sensor, district Deputy Commissioner Ghanshyam Thori said. Even as frantic rescue operation was underway to pull out the toddler, a large number of people assembled around the site and several of them raised slogans against the state government for the delay. Villagers held a protest and blocked the Sunam-Mansa road for sometime, as they blamed the district administration for not being able to bring out the child despite four days. Heavy police was deployed around the site to prevent any .
PM to pitch for decisive action to deal with terrorism at SCO Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to pitch for strong and decisive action to deal with terrorism when he addresses a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in Bishkek on June 14. Modi, who will be on a two-day visit to the Kyrgyz capital from June 13, will also hold a series of important bilateral meetings, including with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit, Secretary(West) in the External Affairs Ministry A Gitesh Sarma said. This will be Modi's first participation at a multilateral forum after coming back to power following huge mandate in the Lok Sabha polls last month. SCO, considered a powerful grouping, represents around 42 per cent of the world's population and 20 per cent of the global GDP. Modi is expected to pitch for strong and decisive action to deal with terrorism, an official said. While briefing reporters on Modi's visit to Bishkek, Sarma said India will flag concerns about terrorism but ...
Chinese media blames Hong Kong demo on collusion with West
Chinese media on Monday blamed foreign interference over the huge protest that brought central Hong Kong to a standstill at the weekend, accusing opponents of the city's pro-Beijing government of "collusion with the West". Organisers say more than a million people marched through the streets of the territory against a proposed new law that would allow extradition from Hong Kong to mainland China. Opponents of the legislation say it would erode precious freedoms in the city and leave dissidents at the mercy of Beijing's opaque justice system. The Chinese-language edition of the nationalistic Global Times dismissed Sunday's mass demonstration, one of the biggest shows of public anger since Hong Kong was returned to Chinese rule in 1997. "It is very noteworthy that some international forces have significantly strengthened their interaction with the Hong Kong opposition in recent months," the paper said, describing the exchanges as "collusion". The editorial pointed to meetings between ...