Page 2213 - Politics

Rahul tried to mislead public, should apologise: Rajnath on Rafale verdict by SC

Congress president Rahul Gandhi tried to mislead public over Rafale deal for political benefit, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday in Lok Sabha after the Supreme Court dismissed all the petitions seeking a court-monitored probe into the deal.Demanding an apology from Gandhi, Singh said that the Congress president maligned country's image globally."Congress President tried to mislead public for political benefit, and maligned Indian image globally, he should apologize to the house and to the people of the country. He thought 'Hum to doobe hain sanam tum ko bhi le doobenge'," Singh said.Following an uproar over Rafale verdict by the top court, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till December 17.Earlier in the day, the apex court dismissed all petitions pertaining to multi-million dollar Rafale fighter jets deal.The judgement comes as a major vindication for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who was personally accused of corruption by the Opposition Congress.The SC bench, headed by ...

Congress insists on JPC on Rafale deal

The Congress on Friday accused the government of trying to hide its "theft" in the Rafale deal behind a court ruling that did not wish to intervene in a defence deal and persisted with its demand for a JPC inquiry into the purchase of fighter jets from France.

Rafale issue rocks Parliament; Govt seeks apology from Rahul

Buoyed by the Supreme Court clean chit to the Rafale jet deal, the government Friday launched a counter-offensive on the opposition in Parliament, seeking an apology from Congress chief Rahul Gandhi for "misleading" the nation. The two Houses were adjourned for the day amid sparring between the treasury and the opposition benches on the issue. In the Lok Sabha, during the Question Hour, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar demanded an apology from the Congress and Rahul Gandhi following the top court verdict on the jet deal. Amid slogan shouting between the two sides, the House was adjourned for nearly 40 minutes during the Question Hour. When the House reassembled at noon, Home Minister Rajnath Singh demanded that Rahul Gandhi should apologise on the floor of the House for "misleading" the country on the Rafale deal issue. He said, Gandhi's allegations have "damaged" the reputation of the country in the international fora. In the Rajya Sabha, Leader of the

There will be consequences if you violate Tibetans' rights: US to China

The legislation, passed unanimously, comes amidst the Trump administration imposing massive trade import duties on China that has started impacting the Chinese economy

Rahul should apologise to people and soldiers: Amit Shah after Rafale verdict

Buoyed by the Supreme Court dismissing all petitions asking for a probe into the Rafale deal, BJP president Amit Shah Friday said the order is a slap on Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's politics of lies and asked him to apologise to the country and its soldiers for putting national security at risk. There is no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of 36 Rafale jets from France, the court said on Friday. It is not the job of the court to deal with the comparative details of the pricing, it stated. Shah asserted that the apex court order "exposes" the campaign of misinformation of the Congress chief. Stating that his party was ready for discussion on this issue, Shah challenged the Congress to debate the issue in Parliament. "I welcome SC order on Rafale. The truth has won. An attempt was made to mislead people using lies. Rahul Gandhi should apologise to the nation and the Army. He has put the national security at risk," Shah said at a press conference at the ..

All campaigns against Rafale must end now: Ravi Shankar Prasad

Union Minister of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad while reacting to Supreme Court's order dismissing all petitions against the Rafale fighter jets deal, urged that all campaigns should now be stopped on the matter."I would only urge one thing today. All the campaigns against Rafale must end now because the country's strategic interest is more important," said the Union law minister.He further said the country needed effective fighter planes to reinforce the strength of the Air Force which was pending for a long time.Expressing his gratification over Supreme Court's order, the senior Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, "Rafale deal was completely fair, transparent and honest. Supreme Court has given the decision upholding the entire deal."The three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justice S K Kaul and K M Joseph of the apex court has dismissed all petitions pertaining to Rafale fighter jets deal on Friday by stating that there is no need to conduct an ...

BJP ministers attack Congress after SC's Rafale judgement

BJP ministers on Friday came down heavily on the Congress for carrying out a misleading campaign on the Rafale fighter jet deal, with Home Minister Rajnath Singh rejecting the opposition party's demand for a Joint Parliamentary Probe on the issue.

Brexit deal not up for renegotiation, EU tells May

European Union leaders have refused to give UK's Prime Minister Theresa May a lifeline over Brexit, saying that the withdrawal agreement is "not open for renegotiation", despite her appeal to them to help her salvage the deal by putting a 12-month limit on the unpopular Irish backstop.

Kamal Nath to take oath as 18th CM of Madhya Pradesh on Dec 17

Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath will be sworn in as the 18th chief minister of Madhya Pradesh on December 17. Governor Anandiben Patel invited Nath, 72, to form the new government in the state, after he met her at the Raj Bhavan here Friday to stake claim to form the government. "As the leader of the single largest party, I appoint you as the chief minister of under Article 164 of the Constitution and invite you to form cabinet," she said in a letter to Nath after their meeting which lasted around 50 minutes. Talking to reporters outside the Raj Bhavan later, Nath said the swearing-in ceremony will take place at the Lal Parade Ground in Bhopal at around 1.30 pm on December 17. Nath, who has held several portfolios in the Union cabinet, will be the 18th chief minister of Madhya Pradesh after the state was formed on November 1, 1956. The nine-time Lok Sabha member from Chhindwara was Thursday night elected as the leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP). Nath met the ..

Trump calls India a true friend, highlights steps taken to boost ties

Diplomat Alice Wells' remarks came at a farewell reception hosted by the State Department in honour of the outgoing Indian Ambassador to Navtej Singh Sarna

SC judgement on Rafale incorrect: Prashant Bhushan

Prashant Bhushan, lawyer-petitioner in the Rafale jet deal case, on Friday termed as "totally incorrect" the Supreme Court judgment junking the plea for a court-monitored probe into the purchase of the firghter aircraft. He said the ruling was against the interests of people and that they would continue their campaign on the issue.

Rahul Gandhi tarnished India's image, must apologise: Rajnath

The government on Friday accused the Congress of misleading the nation on the Rafale jet deal and tarnishing the country's image internationally, and demanded an apology from its President Rahul Gandhi.

Pradhan hits back at Odisha minister for citing failure in Ujjwala Yojana

The false political campaign of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government against Ujjwala Yojana shows their fear about the rising popularity of the scheme among the poor families in the state, Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan said on Friday."The false political campaign of BJD/Government of Odisha against Ujjwala Scheme shows their fear about the rising popularity of Ujjwala Scheme among the poor families in the State. I will request them to cooperate to make Odisha 100% smoke-free state and not to do politics over a sacred scheme. Let's not forget that Odisha had 19 lakh LPG connections till May 2014 which has increased to 72.5 lakhs including 41 lakhs BPL gas connections as on today," he said.Pradhan's statement came in response to the letter written by Odisha Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surjya Narayan Patro citing the failure of Ujjwala scheme in the statePradhan also urged the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha to help the

Dhinakaran aide quits AMMK, joins DMK

In what could be perceived as a setback to rival AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran, one of his key aides and a disqualified party MLA joined the MK Stalin-led DMK Friday. V Senthil Balaji joined the DMK in the presence of its President MK Stalin at the party headquarters Anna Arivalayam here. The defection assumes significance as it comes amid reports that Dhinakaran, AMMK founder, is finding it hard to keep his flock together in the backdrop of the October Madras High Court verdict upholding Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal disqualifying 18 AIADMK MLAs. Dhanapal disqualified them last year for revolting against Chief Minister K Palaniswami. Reports claim that not all the disqualified MLAs are happy with Dhinakaran's decision to not to appeal against the Madras High Court order upholding their disqualification. Balaji, Transport Minister in the previous 2011-16 AIADMK government headed by the late J Jayalalithaa, was elected from Aravakurichi in the Assembly polls held .

US-backed forces retake IS hub in east Syria: monitor

Kurdish-dominated forces backed by air strikes by a US-led coalition retook full control of a key jihadist hub in eastern Syria on Friday, a war monitor said. The Syrian Democratic Forces secured Hajin, the largest settlement in what is the last pocket of territory controlled by the Islamic State group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "After a week of heavy fighting and air strikes, the SDF were able to kick IS out of Hajin," Rami Abdel Rahman, the head of the Britain-based monitoring organisation, said. The operation was completed at dawn, he said, a day after SDF forces fanned out across the large village in the Euphrates valley. The last IS fighters on Thursday were confined to a network of tunnels and the edges of Hajin, which lies in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, about 30 kilometres (18 miles) from the border with Iraq. The area held by IS is sometimes referred to as the "Hajin pocket", the last rump of a once-sprawling "caliphate" the group proclaimed in 2014

Rafale issue rocks RS; House adjourned till Monday

The Supreme Court order on the Rafale jet deal issue Friday rocked the Rajya Sabha which witnessed intense sloganeering by the ruling BJP and opposition Congress members leading to adjournment of House proceedings. Amid noisy protests, Leader of the House and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was heard saying that the Opposition has been demanding a debate on the jet deal and so the question hour should be suspended to take up the issue. Besides the two major parties, members of the AIADMK and the Samajwadi Party too raised slogans in support of their respective demands. No sooner the House assembled for the Zero hour, members of the Samajwadi Party raised slogans relating to the recent violence in UP's Bulandshahar district while AIADMK members trooped into the well over the Cauvery river water issue. Buoyed by the clean chit given by the Supreme Court on the Rafale jet deal, members of treasury benches were heard raising slogans demanding an apology from Congress President

All campaigns against Rafale deal must end after SC judgement: Law Minister

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Friday welcomed the Supreme Court's judgement in the Rafale fighter jet deal and urged that all campaigns against the Rafale deal must end now as the country's strategic interest is more important. The apex court dismissed all the petitions seeking a direction to the CBI to register an FIR for alleged irregularities in the procurement of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France and said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the multi-billion dollar defence deal. "I am very happy that today the Supreme Court has given the decision, upholding the entire Rafale deal. "...I would only urge one thing, that all campaigns against Rafale must end now because the country's strategic interest is more important," Prasad said on the sidelines of an event organised by industry body CII. He further said that the country needed effective fighter planes to reinforce the strength of the Air Force. "This has been pending for a long time." "The entire ..

Jaitley demands discussion on Rafale, RS adjourned for day

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday demanded a discussion on the Rafale deal in the Rajya Sabha as the upper House was adjourned for the day amidst sloganeering and noise.

Truth always triumphs, SC order exposes Rahul: BJP chief Amit Shah

The Supreme Court's order on the Rafale deal "exposes" the campaign of misinformation against the government headed by Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, BJP chief Amit Shah said on Friday while asserting that the "truth always triumphs". In its ruling on a batch of petitions seeking a probe into the deal, the apex court said there was no occasion to doubt the decision-making process in the procurement of the 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France. In a series of tweets, Shah said the court didn't find anything wrong with the process nor did it find any commercial favouritism in the deal. "On the contrary, the SC held that govt had no role in selecting offset partners & found no merit in the demand for a probe based on mere perception of individuals," he said. "Truth always triumphs! Court's judgment on the Rafale deal exposes the campaign of misinformation spearheaded by Congress President for political gains," he added on Twitter. The apex court's order raises obvious questions on the

Kamal Nath to be sworn-in on Dec 17

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister-designate Kamal Nath will be sworn-in at a ceremony here on December 17, said the 72-year-old veteran Congress leader, himself, outside the Raj Bhavan here as he came out after meeting Governor Anandiben Patel.