Page 2186 - Politics
Neither Sajjan Kumar was given ticket, nor he holds any office: Congress
Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal on Monday said that neither Sajjan Kumar - convict in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot case -- was given a ticket by the Congress, nor he does not hold any office.Refuting allegations against the Congress party for saving the accused of Sikh massacre, Sibal said, "Sajjan Kumar wasn't given any ticket by our party and he doesn't hold any office."Earlier in a day, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader and Delhi MLA Manjinder Singh Sirsa told ANI, "Court has accepted that prominent Congress leaders were involved in the Sikh massacre. Court has also agreed to the fact that they had political patronage that protected them."Sirsa also criticised Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for taking a side of party leaders like Jagdish Tytler and Kamal Nath who were accused in anti-Sikh riots incident case.Notably, the conviction of former Congress MP, Sajjan Kumar came at a time when Congress emerged victorious in three major states.Further defending Kamal .
Agrarian crisis dominates, set to influence 2019 general elections (2018 In Retrospect)
Agrarian crisis emerged as a major political concern in 2018, fuelled mainly by a fall in crop prices and a poor procurement mechanism which will provide opposition parties a common ground to rally against the BJP ahead of the next year's general elections.
US Sikhs thank PM Modi for Kartarpur corridor
The American Sikh community has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for realising the "long-cherished dream" of Sikhs by opening the Kartarpur corridor, which will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian pilgrims to the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on November 26 laid the foundation stone for the Kartarpur Sahib corridor which is expected to be completed within six months. The much-awaited corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of the Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak - with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district. It will facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims, who will only have to obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, established in 1522 by Guru Nanak. "We the Sikh diaspora are thankful to Narendra Modi and his government for realising the long-cherished dream of Sikhs in India and abroad and laying the foundation ...
PM Modi holds talks with Maldivian president
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday held wide-ranging talks with Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih with an aim to begin a new chapter in bilateral ties which came under strain under the previous regime in Male. Solih arrived here Sunday on a three-day state visit, his first foreign trip after assuming charge of the top office in the island nation a month ago. Modi had attended Solih's swearing-in ceremony on November 17. "PM @narendramodi warmly received President @ibusolih ahead of delegation level talks. During his visit to Maldives for the President's inauguration in November, PM had extended an invitation to President Solih to make a State Visit to India," MEA Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj called on Solih and discussed bilateral and regional issues of mutual interests. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated after then president Abdulla Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had ...
Cong 'knowingly' misleading people on Rafale jet pricing:Sitharaman
In a scathing attack on the Congress, Defence Minister Niramala Sitharaman Monday alleged that the opposition party was "knowingly" misleading people over the Rafale jets' pricing. Lashing out at the Gandhi family for alleging corruption in the defence contract, she said "amazing audacity" was shown by them "in not listening" to the Supreme Court's verdict in the Rafale deal case. "The Congress is knowingly misleading people on the pricing of the Rafale jets," Sitharaman told reporters at the BJP office in Mumbai. "The stance of the country's 'first family' in not listening to the apex court's order on the Rafale deal case petition can be termed as, with due respect, amazing audacity," the minister said. She was speaking as part of the BJP's move to hold pressers in 70 cities across the country on Monday to attack the opposition party against the backdrop of the Supreme Court's verdict on the controversial Rafale jet deal. Sitharaman said, "We've given the price to the CAG, in a ...
Sitharaman defends Rafale deal
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday targeted the Congress for "knowingly misleading" the people over the pricing of the Rafale fighter jets and hinting at corruption in the deal.
Non-Congress parties hail Sajjan Kumar conviction
Non-Congress political parties on Monday hailed the Delhi High Court ruling holding Congress leader Sajjan Kumar guilty in the 1984 killing of Sikhs and sentencing him to imprisonment for life.
LS adjourned till 2 pm amid din over Rafale, other issues
Lok Sabha proceedings were adjourned for the second time Monday amid din as belligerent Opposition members sought to raise Rafale, construction of a dam across Cauvery river and other issues. As soon as the House met for the Zero Hour, more than 30 members from the Congress, the AIADMK and the TDP trooped into the Well, holding placards and shouting slogans. A few members from the ruling BJP were seen standing at their seats and displaying placards, demanding an apology from Congress President Rahul Gandhi for allegedly lying with respect to the Rafale deal. Despite the ruckus, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan continued with the proceedings. Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad introduced a bill to make the practice of triple talaq a penal offence even as it was opposed by the Congress. Besides, a report of the Standing Committee on External Affairs was presented and papers laid by various ministers. Members also raised various other issues. Around 15 minutes into the Zero Hour, ...
BJP challenges Mamata's decision to not allow Rath Yatra in WB
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday filed a writ petition in West Bengal High Court challenging the order of Mamata Banerjee government, which denied the permission to the party to hold Ratha Yatra in the state. The court will hear the plea on Tuesday.The court has directed them to serve a copy of the petition to the state.Earlier on Saturday, BJP state unit president Dilip Ghosh said, "We tried to convince West Bengal government and held talks with TMC on the order of the court. But they refused to accept our request for Rath Yatra."Ghosh was also critical of the three-page response issued by the state government, which stated that the permission for the 'Rath Yatra' was denied considering that the move could cause a chaotic situation across the state by disrupting the movement of traffic."Since the West Bengal government has accepted the fact that Rath Yatra cannot happen here as there will be law and order problem in the state, then what is the duty of the police ...
We will fulfil our responsibility: Rahul to people of Rajasthan
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday thanked the people of Rajasthan for believing in the party and vowed that the state government will fulfil its responsibilities. His remarks came after senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was Monday sworn in as the chief minister of Rajasthan at a ceremony here, while Sachin Pilot took oath as a cabinet minister. The party announced that Pilot will be the state's deputy chief minister. "Thanks to the people of Rajasthan for believing in the Congress. Congratulations to the leaders and workers of the Congress for the success of their struggle," he tweeted. "It is an honour for the Congress party to serve Rajasthan. We will fulfil our responsibility," he added. Gandhi also tweeted photographs from the swearing-in ceremony and of a bus in which top opposition leaders were seen sitting with him. The leaders included Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, DMK president M K Stalin, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and Loktantrik ...
Taliban say they're meeting US officials again on Monday
The Taliban say they are holding "another" meeting on Monday with US officials, this time in the United Arab Emirates and also involving Saudi, Pakistani and Emirati representatives in the latest attempt to bring a negotiated end to Afghanistan's 17-year war. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid offered no further details. Khalil Minawi, director of Afghanistan's state-run Bakhtar news agency, also confirmed the meeting. He said on Twitter that officials from the United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan and the UAE held meetings Sunday ahead of "the Pakistani-sponsored U.S.-Taliban meeting." While Afghan officials are not expected to attend Monday's meeting, their presence in the UAE is a significant step in efforts to get the two sides talking. So far, the Taliban have refused to hold direct talks with the Afghan government, calling it a puppet of America and insisting only on negotiating with the U.S. While the U.S. State Department has neither denied nor confirmed previous meetings ...
Saudi condemns US Senate's 'interference' in Khashoggi's murder
Saudi Arabia on Monday denounced the US Senate's resolutions to end American military aid for a Riyadh-led war in Yemen and to blame the country's Crown Prince for the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Canada mulls canceling Saudi arms deal over Yemen, Kashoggi 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-armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia," he said. "We are ...
Canada mulls cancelling Saudi arms deal over Yemen, Kashoggi 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-armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia," he said. "We are ...
Ashok Gehlot sworn-in as Rajasthan CM, Sachin Pilot his deputy
Ashok Gehlot took oath as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan, while Sachin Pilot was sworn-in as his deputy at the historic Albert Hall on Monday.Gehlot and Pilot's swearing-in ceremony was attended by several senior Congress leaders, including party president Rahul Gandhi and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.A phalanx of opposition leaders including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, DMK president MK Stalin and NCP president Sharad Pawar also attended the oath-taking.However, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati were not among the attendees.In the recently-concluded Assembly election in Rajasthan, Rahul Gandhi led-Congress had bagged 99 out of 199 seats to wrest power from the BJP in the state. Rajasthan assembly has 200 seats, but election on one seat was put off due to the demise of one of the candidates.
Gehlot sworn in as Rajasthan CM, Pilot Deputy CM
Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was sworn in on Monday as the 12th Chief Minister of Rajasthan, while the party's state president Sachin Pilot took oath as his deputy at a ceremony here.
Gehlot sworn in as Rajasthan CM
Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot was Monday sworn in as the chief minister of Rajasthan at a ceremony here, while Sachin Pilot took oath as a cabinet minister. The party announced that Pilot will be the state's deputy chief minister. Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh administered the oath of office to Gehlot and Pilot in the presence of Congress president Rahul Gandhi and former prime minister Manmohan Singh at the Albert Hall here. Several leaders from the Congress and its alliance partners from across the country attended the event. The governor said on the suggestion of Gehlot, Pilot will be deputy chief minister of Rajasthan. Outgoing Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje, NCP's Sharad Pawar, LJD leader Sharad Yadav, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, DMK leader M K Stalin, JMM leader Hemant Soren, JVM leader Babulal Marandi were among others who were present at the ...
LS adjourned till noon amid uproar
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 50 minutes Monday amid sparring between treasury and opposition benches over the Rafale deal issue. As soon as the House took up Question Hour, members from the AIADMK, TDP and Congress rushed to the Well raising slogans. While the AIADMK was raising issues related to construction of a dam over River Cauvery, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) was demanding special status for Andhra Pradesh. Congress members raised the issue of government's stand in the Supreme Court over the Rafale deal and accused it of misleading the top court. Standing at their benches, BJP members raised slogans such as "Rahul Gandhi apologise" and "Rahul Gandhi chor hai" to counter the Congress offensive. After nearly five minutes of slogan shouting from both sides, the House was adjourned till noon around 11.10 AM. Monday is the fifth sitting of the Winter session. While on day one on Tuesday last, the two Houses were adjourned for the day after
Let SC say if Centre misled judiciary on Rafale: Subramanian Swamy
Amidst the controversy surrounding the Supreme Court's verdict on Rafale deal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lawmaker Subramanian Swamy said that Supreme Court should decide if Centre had misled the judiciary and whether the error made in the affidavit was mala fide.Reacting to Congress leader Anand Sharma's statement that Center had deliberately misled the apex court, Swamy told ANI: "Sharma is no one to say anything on the Government's intentions. It is for the Supreme Court to decide or to say that you misled us or your error was mala fide in Rafale affidavit. At first, Prime Minister Narendra Modi should order a probe to see who drafted it whether it was a bureaucrat or our politician."Swamy's remarks came after discrepancies were pointed out in certain paragraphs of the apex court judgement on Rafale issue. Congress President Rahul Gandhi had raised questions over the claims of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) examining the CAG report, claiming that PAC Chairman Kharge had seen no .
No more Papu, Rahul now Pappa: Athawale
After Congress gained victory in three states in the recently concluded Assembly elections, Union Minister and Republican Party of India (Athawale) chief Ramdas Athawale said that Congress president Rahul Gandhi has evolved as a mutual leader and he is no more a 'Pappu', but has become a "Pappa" (dad).Rahul Gandhi is often trolled as "Pappu" on social media platforms. Also, in the past, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders like BJP MP Devajibhai had faced severe criticism for calling Congress president Rahul Gandhi 'Pappu'.Responding to an electoral defeat of BJP in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan, Ahthwale said, "People who used to call Rahul Gandhi a Pappu should know that he has become a Pappa (dad) now. I have a suggestion for him that he should marry soon to become a Pappa. After all, he has marked a victory in three states,"Athawale further said that Prime Minister Modi has nothing to do with the party's defeat in the three states. It is a defeat of the BJP, not the .