Page 2185 - Politics
Justice derailed in anti-Sikh riots case due to Gandhi family: Harsimrat Kaur Badal
It was due to the patronage given by Gandhi family to the perpetrators of 1984 anti-Sikh riots that justice was derailed, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries Harsimrat Kaur Badal said on Monday.Launching a scathing attack on UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi soon after the conviction of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Badal said: "Look at the extent of patronage where one accused is being sworn in as Chief Minister, the other accused is being given life sentence by the court.""This is the extent of political patronage of Gandhi family. I think the Gandhi family has a lot to answer for. Today I demand an answer from Rahul Gandhi who said a few days ago that Congress had no hand in genocide," added Badal."It is Sajjan Kumar today. It will be Jagdish Tytler tomorrow, then Kamal Nath and eventually, the Gandhi family will be answerable. I demand that action must be taken against Sonia Gandhi who must have been in compliance ..
Maldives President Solih holds talks with Swaraj
Maldives President Ibrahim Mohammad Solih met with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to discuss bilateral ties between the two South Asian countries here on Monday.The official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs took to Twitter saying, "Reinvigorating traditionally strong and friendly relations. EAM @SushmaSwaraj called on President of #Maldives @ibusolih Warm and productive discussion on all aspects of bilateral ties, including development cooperation, human resource development & people-to-people exchanges."Earlier in the day, the Maldivian President received a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in the National Capital and then participated in a wreath-laying ceremony.Later, Solih is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House and exchange agreements.
Chandigarh: Punjab CM hails HC verdict convicting Sajjan Kumar
Terming it a case of justice finally delivered to the victims of one of the worst instances of communal violence in independent India, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday welcomed the conviction of Sajjan Kumar in the 1984 riots case.Reacting to the Delhi High Court judgement awarding life term to the former the Congress MP, Singh asserted that the conviction vindicated the stand he had been taking since those dark days of the violence perpetrated on thousands of innocent Sikhs in the wake of the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.Commenting further on the High Court verdict, the chief minister said, "The reversal, by the High Court, of the earlier acquittal of Sajjan by a trial court had once again proved that the judiciary in India continues to stand tall as a pillar of the nation's democratic system".Hailing the long-awaited verdict, Singh also said that he had been naming Sajjan Kumar, along with a few other former Congress leaders including ..
Kamal Nath sworn in as Madhya Pradesh CM
Congress leader and nine-time Chhindwara Lok Sabha MP Kamal Nath was on Monday sworn in as the 18th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. He was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Anandiben Patel at the Jamboree Maidan in Bhopal.The swearing-in ceremony was attended by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Andhra Pradesh Chief N Chandrababu Naidu, former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, and a host of other opposition leaders. Two prominent opposition leaders-Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati-were conspicuous by their absence.Earlier in the day, Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot were sworn-in as Rajasthan Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, respectively at Albert Hall in Jaipur. They were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Kalyan Singh.Further, Bhupesh Baghel will be administered the oath as the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh at 5 pm on Monday.In the recently concluded Assembly elections the results of which were
Italy coalition agrees on new budget, expects EU approval
ROME (Reuters) - Italy's coalition government has agreed on the "numbers and contents" of the budget it will propose to Brussels in an effort to avoid disciplinary action over its plans to hike deficit spending next year, a League party spokeswoman said on Monday.
Chhattisgarh CM's swearing-in venue changed due to rain
Incessant rain in Chhattisgarhs capital since Monday morning has led to a change in the venue of the swearing-in ceremony of the new chief minister, an official said. The oath taking ceremony of Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel as the new CM has been shifted from the Science College grounds to Balbeer Juneja Indoor Stadium in Budhatalab area here in view of rainfall, the official told PTI. Arrangements are being made for the programme at the new venue where it is scheduled to take place at 4.30 pm, he said. According to the weather department, cyclone Pethai has affected the weather of Chhattisgarh and that has resulted in rainfall in the capital. "In view of cyclonic storm 'Pethai' over Bay of Bengal off Andhra coast, light rainfall over Raipur is likely to continue till Monday evening. There is forecast of light rainfall over the state capital during the next 24 hours," said Prakash Khare, Director, Meteorological Centre, Raipur. Light to moderate rain in the state ...
Kamal Nath sworn in as MP CM ending 15 years of BJP rule
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, who steered his party to victory in Madhya Pradesh, was on Monday sworn in as its 18th Chief Minister, bringing to an end 15 years of BJP rule in the state which had become the saffron party's stronghold.
Parimal Rai to be new Goa chief secretary, Parida appointed advisor to Chandigarh administrator
Senior bureaucrat Manoj Kumar Parida, who is the chairman-cum-managing director of Delhi Financial Corporation (DFC), has been appointed as the advisor to Chandigarh Administrator, an official order has stated. Outgoing Advisor to Chandigarh Administrator Parimal Rai, a 1985-batch IAS officer, has been transferred as the new chief secretary of Goa. According to the order issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, Goa Chief Secretary Dharmender Sharma, 1988-batch IAS officer, has been transferred to Delhi. However, the order does not mention his new assignment. All three IAS officers have been transferred by the ministry with immediate effect. Parida, a 1986-batch IAS officer, held several key posts in the Arvind Kejriwal government. 1987-IAS batch officer Vijay Kumar Dev was appointed Delhi chief secretary in November, superseding Parida. Parida has been home secretary, principal secretary (PWD), principal secretary (urban development) among others.
India, Maldives to deepen Indian Ocean security cooperation, boost trade
India and the Maldives on Monday agreed to deepen cooperation to maintain peace and security in the Indian Ocean region as New Delhi extended lines of credit worth $1.4 billion to to the archipelago nation following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih here.
AAP Convenor in Chhattisgarh quits
The convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Chhattisgarh, Sanket Thakur, has resigned from the post accepting moral responsibility for the party's failure to win any seat in the Assembly election.
Cong playing with nation's security: Javadekar
Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar Monday charged the Congress with playing into the hands of those who are trying to undermine the nation's security. "The Congress is playing into the hands of those who are playing with the security of the country... This is a sin. The party needs to apologise for the same to the country and the army," Javadekar told news persons here. Alleging that during the previous Congress governments no defence deal had been finalised without the involvement of middlemen, Javadekar said the Congress did not support the Rafale deal as no intermediary was involved in the process. The union minister said after the Supreme Court's clean chit, all the lies of the Congress party had been exposed. "The Congress raised allegations against the BJP government in the Rafale deal as it (Congress) was itself neck-deep in corruption, whereas there has not been a single scam in the present central government's tenure. "The actual pain of the Congress is 'how come their ...
PDP leaders protest in Secretariat against civilian killings
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders on Monday protested inside the Secretariat here against the killing of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district by security forces.
Kamal Nath sworn in as MP CM
Congress veteran Kamal Nath was on Monday sworn in as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh after his party won the Assembly elections, ending 15 years of BJP rule.
Kamal Nath sworn in as Madhya Pradesh chief minister
Congress leader Kamal Nath was sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Madhya Pradesh here Monday. Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office to Nath, 72. The governor had on Friday invited Nath to form the new government in the state. The Congress on Thursday named Nath, the nine-time Lok Sabha member from Chhindwara, to head the state Congress Legislature Party, after hours of hectic parleys held by party chief Rahul Gandhi with senior party leaders. Nath, who has held several portfolios in the Union cabinet, was appointed the Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee president on April 26 and was at the forefront in steering the party to a win in the November 28 Assembly polls. The results were declared on December 11. The Congress, which won 114 seats, has secured support of 121 MLAs, including SP (1) and BSP (2) legislators and four independents, to cross the majority mark of 116 seats in the 230-member Assembly. The BJP, which ruled the state for 15 years, got .
Sri Lanka PM Wickremesinghe's reinstatement calms markets; cabinet in focus
COLOMBO (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee strengthened on Monday while bond yields dropped as a seven-week political crisis appeared to ebb after President Maithripala Sirisena reinstated the premier he had initially sacked in a widely criticised move.
India, Maldives to deepen cooperation for Indian Ocean security
India and the Maldives on Monday agreed to deepen cooperation to maintain peace and security in the Indian Ocean region following delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih here.
India extends USD 1.4 billion assistance to Maldives
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced USD 1.4 billion financial assistance to Maldives after he held extensive talks with President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during which both sides vowed to deepen security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. The two countries also inked four pacts, including one on visa facilitation. "We held successful talks in a cordial atmosphere. We vowed to strengthen ties," Modi said in his press statement, with Solih by his side. He also said the security interests of the two countries were intertwined and both sides will work together to further strengthen cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. "We will not allow our countries to be used for activities which can be harmful to each other's interests," Modi asserted. The prime minister said India is extending USD 1.4 billion as budget support, currency swap and line of credit for the social and economic development of Maldives. "We want greater trade ties with Maldives. There are increasing ...
Canada mulls cancelling Saudi arms deal over Yemen, Khashoggi murder
Canada is looking into ways to cancel a giant 2014 weapons deal with Saudi Arabia, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Sunday, as criticism mounts over the kingdom's role in the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the Riyadh-led war in Yemen. Trudeau had earlier said that it would be "extremely difficult" to withdraw from the contract, signed by the previous conservative administration, "without Canadians paying exorbitant penalties." But as evidence emerged of direct Saudi involvement in Khashoggi's murder on October 2, Canada in late November announced sanctions against 17 Saudi nationals linked to killing. "The murder of a journalist is absolutely unacceptable and that's why Canada from the very beginning had been demanding answers and solutions on that," Trudeau said Sunday in an interview with CTV. "We inherited actually a (Can) dollars 15 billion contract signed by (former prime minister) Stephen Harper to export light-armored vehicles to Saudi Arabia," he said. "We are ...
Gehlot, Pilot sworn in as Rajasthan CM, Deputy
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was sworn in as Chief Minister of Rajasthan for a third time while Sachin Pilot took oath as Deputy Chief Minister at the Albert Hall here on Monday.
Congress must explain why it spread lies about Rafale deal: Irani
Amid the row over the Supreme Court verdict on Rafale jet deal, Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday demanded an explanation from the Congress as to why it tried to play with matters of national security and create doubts about the credibility of the Indian Air Force by spreading "constant lies" in the last one year.