Page 2220 - Politics

Rafael deal: Congress MP sports yellow vest to express solidarity with HAL workers

Congress MP Sunil Jakhar, who moved an adjournment motion notice in Lok Sabha over Rafael Deal on Thursday, wore a yellow vest to express solidarity with workers of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).The opposition parties including the Congress, have been questioning Anil Ambani's Reliance defence as the choice of the offset partner, despite having no experience in the airspace sector.Notably, the Rafael deal was signed between India and France under former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government in 2012. During that time, India planned to buy 18 off-the-shelf jets from France's Dassault Aviation along with 108 others that were supposed to be assembled by the state-run HAL in Bengaluru. However, when Prime Minister Narendra Modi came to the Centre, India signed an agreement with France for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in a fly-away condition as part of the upgrading process of Indian Air Force equipment. The estimated cost of the deal is Rs 58,000 crore.Since then, .

Rajasthan CM likely to be annoounced shortly

The chief minister of Rajasthan will be announced shortly, said senior Congress leader from the state Ashok Gehlot who is considered front-runner in the race for the top post."An announcement will be made shortly," said Gehlot to ANI when asked whether any decision has been taken on chief ministership."We have left the decision to the Congress president," he added.Gehlot's comments came after he met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders here.Asked to comment on violence witnessed in some places allegedly by supporters of PCC president Sachin Pilot, he said: "I appeal to workers to maintain calm, they have worked very hard, whatever decisions will be taken will be binding on all. Rahul ji is talking to and consulting all leaders."While Gehlot is being seen as the front-runner for the chief ministership, supporters of Sachin Pilot allegedly indulged in violence and arson at some places in Rajasthan, apparently unhappy that their leader may not make it."This is a democracy; ..

Differences either get settled or Governors make way: Jaitley

Admitting to differences with Urjit Patel, who quit as RBI Governor, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday said the government is the sovereign body for managing the economy and RBI Governors have exited if differences were not settled.

Former IAS officer B B Vyas takes oath as UPSC member

Former IAS officer Bharat Bhushan Vyas took oath of office as member the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Thursday, a government statement said. Vyas, a 1986-batch Jammu and Kashmir cadre officer, was administered oath of office and secrecy by Chairman UPSC Arvind Saxena. A graduate in Botany, 61-year-old Vyas served in state and Centre in various capacities and retired as the chief secretary, Jammu and Kashmir. Before assuming charge as member, UPSC, he was serving as adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir governor.

KCR rewards Mahmood Ali for loyalty

Telangana Chief Minister and Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K. Chandrashekhar Rao has rewarded Mohammad Mahmood Ali once again for his loyalty by inducting him into his cabinet.

Decision to grant PRC to non-tribals after receiving panel

Arunachal Pradesh government on Thursday said a decision on providing Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) to non-tribals would be made only after receiving recommendations of a panel set up to look into the issue. Around 300-400 households of non-tribal communities have settled in Namsai and Changlang districts of the state several decades ago and they have been demanding the PRCs. However, tribals last week demanded that the PRC should be granted to non-tribals only after receiving the report of the Joint High Power Committee (JHPC). "The government will ensure that any decision will be arrived at only on the recommendation of the JHPC, and the PRC, if so issued, will be done without compromising on the rights of the indigenous people," Government spokesman Bamang Felix said. The state government has set up the JHPC, headed by Environment and Forest Minister Nabam Rebia, to look into the issue and it is now holding consultative meetings with all stakeholders in ...

Britain's May sees no 'immediate breakthrough' at EU

British Prime Minister Theresa May warned she expects no "immediate breakthrough" on her Brexit deal at Thursday's EU summit Thursday and confirmed she would step down before the 2022 general election. "I don't expect an immediate breakthrough but what I do hope is that we can start to work as quickly as possible on the assurances that are necessary," she said on arrival for talks with the 27 other EU leaders to try to find a way to make the controversial deal palatable to the British parliament.

Voice of America protests Pakistan move to block its content

US public radio Voice of America (VOA) on Thursday called for Pakistan to lift a block on two of its websites, in Urdu and Pashto, as concerns grow over freedom of speech in the country. "In the interest of press freedom, VOA calls upon those responsible for blocking our content to immediately remove these constraints," said Amanda Bennett, the director of VOA, in a statement to AFP. "Any attempt to block our websites deprives Urdu and Pashto speakers in the region access to a trusted news source," she continued, adding that the organisation was "troubled" by the block. The VOA Urdu website has been partially or fully blocked since early December and the site for VOA Deewa, the Pashto language service, since late October, she said. The websites have been irregularly accessible in Islamabad in recent days. Pakistani information minister Fawad Chaudhry told VOA the block was in place due to "false and prejudiced reporting". "The stories they were doing were only projecting a particular

Poll results prove Ram Temple or communal polarisation doesn't cut ice with people: Sinha

Former Union minister Yashwant Sinha on Thursday said there is a "great deal of agrarian distress" in the country that may have reflected in the voting pattern in the recent assembly polls, but asserted it will be a "grave error of judgement" to call Assembly results a trend-setter for Lok Sabha elections. Sinha, who has been a vocal critic of the current Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership and the government and had quit the party in April, also said that the election results, especially in the three Hindi heartland states, have "clearly proven" that Ram Temple issue or "communal polarisation" does not cut ice with the people. His comments came after the Congress wrested power from the BJP in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Congress had made farmers' issues a major poll plank. Interacting with reporters at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia here, Sinha claimed "agrarian distress" has emerged as a "major issue" in the country, and the polls, perhaps, ...

Ashok Gehlot appeals to Cong workers in Raj to maintain peace

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot Thursday played down reports of infighting among Rajasthan Congress leaders for the post of chief minister and appealed to party workers to maintain peace, saying the decision of the leadership on it will be acceptable to all. "I appeal to workers to maintain peace. Today, the party needs its workers. The Congress president has already credited the workers for their hard work in ensuring the party's victory in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh," he told reporters here. Gehlot and Rajasthan Congress President Sachin Pilot are vying for the post of chief minister in the state where Congress ousted the BJP from power. Gehlot's message to Congress workers in the state came soon after Pilot made a similar appeal to them for maintaining peace and discipline while upholding the party's dignity. There were reports that Congress in parts of Rajasthan indulged in violent protests while favouring their respective leaders for the post of chief ...

MNF chief submits to Mizoram Guv list of elected members to be sworn in as ministers

Mizo National Front (MNF) chief Zoramthanga Thursday submitted to the governor the names of elected members who would be sworn in as ministers, the secretary of the MNF legislature party, Lalruatkima, said. He, however, was tight-lipped on the number of members to be sworn in as ministers. The MNF president Zoramthanga would be sworn in as the chief minister of Mizoram at the Raj Bhavan here at 12 noon on Saturday, along with his council of ministers. Mizoram Governor Kummanam Rajasekharan formally invited Zoramthanga on Wednesday to form the next government after receiving the signed notification of the result from Election Commission officials. Lalruatkima said the swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan will be followed by Bible reading and prayer by Rev Lalhmingthanga, the Chairman of the Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC). The MKHC is a conglomerate of leaders of 16 major churches in the state. The Leprosy choir would present "Hallelujah Chorus" during a function where the

Yemen government, Houthis agree to truce in Hodeida: UN chief

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday said Yemeni government representatives and Houthi insurgents had agreed to a ceasefire in the embattled city of Hodeida.

Gehlot emerges top choice for Rajasthan CM, Pilot asks supporters to be calm

Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on Thursday emerged as Congress President Rahul Gandhi's pick as the Chief Minister in Rajasthan, with state Congress President Sachin Pilot apparently giving up after putting up a spirited claim for the post.

Nepal, China agree to boost bilateral ties

Nepal's Foreign Secretary met China's Foreign Minister here on Thursday to boost bilateral cooperation and discuss issues of mutual interest, officials said.

If made CM, will take stakeholders into confidence unlike Parrikar: Goa Dy. Speaker

Deputy Speaker, Goa Legislative Assembly and BJP MLA Michael Lobo on Thursday said if he is given the opportunity to become the Chief Minister, he would take all stakeholders into confidence before taking decisions which impact state economy, unlike incumbent Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.

Congratulations to KCR Garu: PM tweets as TRS chief takes over reins of Telangana

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday took to Twitter to congratulate Telangana Rashtra Samithi chief K Chandrasekhar Rao for taking oath as Telangana chief minister for a second consecutive term. "Congratulations to KCR Garu on taking oath as the CM of Telangana. Best wishes for his tenure ahead," the PM said. KCR, as Rao is popularly called, steered his party TRS to a thumping victory and took over the reins of India's newest state for a second straight term Thursday. In the December 7 elections, the TRS won 88 seats in the 119-member assembly. Congress-led People's Front ended up with a tally of mere 21.

After Scindia, Kamal Nath meets Rahul, Sonia

As the race for chief ministership intensifies, senior leader and Madhya Pradesh Congress president Kamal Nath, a strong contender for the post, Thursday evening met party chief Rahul Gandhi at his residence where UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present. Nath leads the race along with party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia who has also strongly staked his claim on the post of Madhya Pradesh chief minister after the party wrested the state from the BJP which was ruling it for 15 years. Kamal Nath's meeting took place after Scindia met Gandhi. During the meeting, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were also present at Rahul Gandhi's Tughlaq Lane residence. Gandhi also met the top contenders for the CM's post in Rajasthan - Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot earlier. He had met the central party observers for Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh - K C Venugopal and A K Antony, along with AICC in-charges for the two states - Deepak Babariya and Avinash Pande, amid a flurry of parleys for ...

Delhi units of BJP, Cong to boycott Assembly silver jubilee function

The Delhi units of Congress and BJP Thursday decided to boycott the silver jubilee function of AAP-dominated Delhi Assembly, close on the heels of BJP veteran L K Advani expressing inability to attend the event. The Delhi Assembly is holding the function to mark the 25th anniversary of its first sitting on December 14, 1993. The party will boycott the function to be held on December 15, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said, adding that an all-party "celebration committee" should have been constituted to hold the function. The BJP, which has four MLAs in the Delhi Assembly, will also boycott the function, said Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Vijender Gupta. Maken, who was the youngest MLA of the Delhi Assembly in 1993 and also the youngest Speaker of the House, alleged that politics has prevailed over institution-building and decency in the past four years in Delhi. Party sources claimed that Maken did not get any invite for the event. "Sheila Dikshit ji, who was chief minister ...

BJP sticks to Rath yatra programme, says will wait for govt nod on dates

The BJP Thursday said it will stick to its 'rath yatra' programme in West Bengal but will launch it only after hearing from the state government on the new dates. The BJP held a meeting with Chief Secretary Malay Dey, Home Secretary Atri Bhattacharya and state Director General of Police Virendra during the day as directed by the Calcutta High Court. After the meeting at the Lalbazar police headquarters here, state BJP president Dilip Ghosh said, "We informed the state government that we want to organise our programme the way it was scheduled. Only the dates will be changed." The 'rath yatra', touted as a "save democracy" programme, was scheduled to start on December 7 from Coochbehar but could not as the state government denied permission on grounds that it might cause communal tension. "The programme will start the day the state government give us permission. The government representatives listened to us and said they will inform us at an appropriate time," Ghosh said. Apart from ...

Recent Assembly polls show BJP not invincible, can be beaten: Omar

The recent assembly poll results have demonstrated that the BJP is not invincible as there is "anger" among people over several of the Centre's policies, including on agriculture, rising fuel prices and demonetisation, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said Thursday. Abdullah said the results made it clear that there is anger and a feeling of alienation among the people and the Centre has been unwilling to accept this reality. He also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he should listen more and talk less. "Modi ji talks a great deal, which is not wrong, but people who talk more, listen less. "The prime minister does not listen as much as he should. Otherwise, the mass anger due to agrarian distress, demonetisation or rising fuel prices among others will not have led to humiliation for the BJP in the assembly polls," Abdullah said at an event here. The BJP lost the assembly elections in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. "The ..