Page 2264 - Politics
VP Naidu pushes for greater parliamentary exchanges with Russia
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu held a meeting with the Chief of the Russian State Duma (or Parliament) Vyacheslav Volodin here on Monday, wherein he laid stress on increasing exchanges at the parliamentary level to expand mutual understanding between the two nations."Our bilateral interaction in every conceivable area is excellent. There is however still considerable scope for broadening our interaction and cooperation at the parliamentary level," Vice President Naidu, who is also the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, said during the meeting."We must encourage greater exchanges at the parliamentary-level to improve mutual understanding. It is necessary that India-Russia Friendship Groups in both Parliaments interact on a more regular basis," he said.Vice President Naidu invited observers from Russia for the general elections in India which are scheduled in 2019 and noted, "Very happy that Indian election commissioners and their deputies have been participating as observers in the ...
Jaitley targets Rahul after Mallya extradition order
With a London court ordering the extradition of Vijay Mallya, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Monday targeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi, saying that he should introspect on "every falsehood" spoken on this subject.Jaitley while speaking to ANI said it was the Congress which created a system in which people like Mallya can "prosper".He described Monday's development as a "proud moment" for India and said it is a signal to all others who think that they are powerful and can hide after cheating the country. "Wherever in the world you hide after cheating the country, India will find you out," the Finance Minister said.Attacking Congress, he said it's "campaign was why you are not able to get him (Mallya) back. They (Congress) were the culprit in getting him loan..."Congress has been targeting the Government in sustained manner over the Mallya issue and even alleging that he was helped by the government in sneaking out of the country."This judgment also should give a lot of room to .
Patel's resignation sends shock waves, seen as dissent
Reserve Bank Governor Urjit Patel's sudden resignation on Monday sent a shock wave across political and business arena as the country saw it as a mark of dissent and a clear danger to the credibility of the central bank.
WB govt trying to delay meeting on 'rath yatra': BJP
West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh on Monday accused the state government of "trying to delay" a meeting to discuss the party's proposed 'rath yatra' by giving "lame excuses". A division bench of the Calcutta High Court had on December 7 directed the West Bengal chief secretary, the home secretary and the director general of police to hold a meeting with three representatives of the BJP by December 12, and take a decision on the 'rath yatra' by December 14. "The state government is deliberately trying to delay the proposed meeting with the government officials on the 'rath yatra' campaign. It is giving lame excuses. We will inform the high court about the development," Ghosh said. "The TMC government actually wants us to cancel the yatra and that is why they are using delaying tactics," he added. Ghosh had on Sunday claimed that the Trinamool Congress-led West Bengal government has not responded to requests by the BJP for the meeting. He had alleged that a senior police officer had
May to address MPs on probable Brexit vote delay
British Prime Minister Theresa May will on Monday address MPs amid reports she is set to postpone a parliamentary vote on her Brexit deal in a U-turn on the eve of what was expected to be a crushing defeat. The pound fell sharply against the dollar on the reports, which increased uncertainty over whether Britain will agree any terms with the EU before it leaves the bloc in March next year. Meanwhile the European Court of Justice ruled that Britain was free to halt withdrawal from the bloc unilaterally, raising hopes of those who want the whole process cancelled. May faced a huge rebellion of her own Conservative MPs over the withdrawal agreement she struck in Brussels last month, while opposition parties are also against her. Many of them want her to renegotiate the deal, noting the prime minister is due at a Brussels summit later this week. May held talks this weekend with leaders including EU President Donald Tusk and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, prompting speculation she was ...
RBI employee union expresses shock over Patel's resignation
The All India Reserve Bank Employees Association has expressed shocked over resignation of central bank governor Urjit Patel,saying one of the trigger points could be transfer of reserves to the government. Patel, 55, who took over as the 24th governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on September 5, 2016, resigned Monday citing personal reasons. "The news has come as a shock for us. Patel's resignation cannot be a sudden thing,"the employee union said. It claimed the recent dispute between RBI and the government on issues such as transfer of surplus funds to the government could have lead to his resignation. "Transfer of RBI surplus to the government is one of the biggest bone of contention between the two. A committee was to be set up jointly by the RBI and the government to look into transfer of reserves to the government. We think one of the trigger points could be appointment of members of the committee," the union said. In its November 19 meeting, RBI's board had .
BJP is a sinking ship: Gaurav Gogoi
Senior Congress leader and party in-charge of West Bengal Gaurav Gogoi Monday said BJP is a "sinking ship" and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "misrule" has left a trail of crises in India. Gogoi's comment follows the resignation RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha from the union council of ministers and RBI Governor Urjit Patel during the day. "Not just the resigantion of RBI governor Urjit Patel. If you see in the last few months several top functionaries of the government has resigned. Today a senior minister of the government resigned from the post. This only shows that NDA is a sinking ship as people are very well aware that BJP won't return to power in 2019," Gogoi said. Hitting out at the Modi government, he said it is destroying every institution of the country "be it RBI or CBI". "The central government had either tried to capture those instititions or have tried to destroy them. This is condemnable," he said. Continuing his attack, Gogoi said an ideology based .
Former Megalaya CM Lapang joins National People's Party
In a shot in the arm for the National People's Party (NPP) in Meghalaya, five-time former chief minister D D Lapang on Monday officially joined the ruling party. National president of NPP and Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma welcomed Lapang at a function here, and said his joining has added "tremendous value" to the party and will be an inspiration for its ranks and files. "His experience, wisdom and knowledge will guide the party to grow further, as we propagate the agenda of raising the concerns of the people of Meghalaya and the north-east," Sangma said. Sidelined by the Congress ahead of the polls last year, Lapang did not contest the elections from Nongpoh in February. "I am pained to see the kind of treatment that was meted out to Lapang... The Congress party did not appreciate even one per cent of his contribution," the CM said. Sangma said he was also "pained" by the "use and throw policy" adopted by the Congress. Lapang, who quit the Congress in September, said he
Trinamool MP quizzed by CBI in Saradha scam
Trinamool Congress MP and party General Secretary Subrata Bakshi was quizzed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday in connection with the ongoing probe of the multi-crore 'Saradha' chit fund case.
Patel's resignation wrong for govt, economy, RBI: Swamy
BJP MP Subramanian Swamy Monday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dissuade RBI Governor Urjit Patel from leaving, saying his resignation would be wrong for the government, economy and the institution at this time. The prime minister has to persuade Patel that he cannot leave in larger public interest, he said. "His resignation at this time would be wrong for the government, economy and the RBI. The prime minister should call him and find out what could be the personal reasons and dissuade him from leaving. This is what I think the PM should do," Swamy said. Asked about his differences with the Finance Ministry, Swamy said it always happens whenever an "independent, non-rubber stamp" RBI governor is there.
Urjit Patel's resignation beginning of economic emergency: Mamata Banerjee
Terming the resignation of RBI governor Urjit Patel as "unprecedented", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Monday said economic emergency in the country has begun. Banerjee, who attended the opposition meeting here, hit out at the Centre over Patel's resignation saying it was a matter of "great shock". "This has never happened before. This is unprecedented. We are deeply concerned. The RBI is the custodian of public money. The credibility of all institutions is being destroyed. This is a financial and economic emergency," she said in a tweet. Banerjee alleged that political emergency was ongoing in the country and with the resignation of the RBI governor financial emergency has also begun. "BJP is behaving like a dictator. Political emergency already exists everywhere. They are threatening every political party and so many leaders sent to jail. If the RBI governor also has to resign, its a matter of grave concern for the country. With this, financial emergency has also ...
Rahul involved in corruption: BJP
The BJP Monday alleged that a money trail of bribes went to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's bank account as it cited a news report which claimed he and Priyanka Gandhi had rented out their farmhouse to the firm of Jignesh Shah, prime accused in NSEL case, when the UPA government was probing the multi-crore scam. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, at a press conference, claimed that no action was taken against Shah because of the rent agreement between him and Gandhi. "This is a clear case of corruption. He is neck deep in corruption. Rahul Gandhi should answer," he said. There was no reaction from the Congress to these allegations. He said that according to the news report, the farmhouse in Delhi's Mehrauli area in the name of Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, was rented out to Shah. The report claimed that the farmhouse was rented out in 2013 when the UPA government was investigating National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL), a company promoted by FTIL, for alleged market ...
Kushwaha quits NDA, govt slamming Modi; BJP rebuts charges
RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha Monday severed ties with the BJP and resigned from the Union council of ministers, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of reducing Cabinet to a "rubber stamp", "betraying" backward classes and giving Bihar only "jumlas". Making the announcement a day ahead of Parliament's winter session, the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party leader from Bihar said he is open to joining the opposition alliance, which includes Lalu Prasad's RJD and the Congress. Though the decision was expected, it did not go down well within his own party with both the RLSP MLAs in Bihar saying they would remain in the BJP-led NDA. The Bihar BJP came out with a point by point rebuttal of the allegations levelled by Kushwaha, the former minister of state for HRD. Kushwaha sharply attacked Modi on a host of issues in his resignation letter, which was also released to the media. He said he felt "betrayed and dejected" by the prime minister's leadership and alleged that "fixing" political ...
Israel becomes member of global watchdog on money laundering
Israel on Monday became a full member of the global financial watchdog on money laundering and terror financing, officials said, after having previously been blacklisted by the organisation. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said that membership of the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) would make Israel part of the group of countries "leading the global battle against money laundering and terror financing." Membership of the FATF would also present Israel "as a safe and attractive place for investments" from around the world, Shaked said. FATF president Marshall Billingslea welcomed Israel on becoming the group's 38th member, noting its "rigorous assessment of its measures to combat money laundering and terrorist financing," which enabled its membership. Israel's "experience and perspective will make a valuable contribution to our work to prevent the misuse of the financial system," Billingslea, who is also the US assistant treasury secretary for terrorist financing, said in
May likely to delay vote on Brexit deal
UK Prime Minister Theresa May is likely to postpone Tuesday's key parliamentary vote on her Brexit plan, the media reported on Monday, amid predictions that she would suffer a "significant" defeat that could threaten to end her premiership and topple the government.
Sidhu on road to recovery
Punjab minister NavjotSinghSidhu, who was advised complete rest by doctors after he injured his vocal cords during 17 days of intensive campaigning, is getting better, an official spokesperson said here on Monday. "The nodules and abrasions in his throat have been cured and bleeding has stopped completely," he said. Doctors at a private hospital in New Delhi had suggested Sidhu longer intervals between words and no heavy pitch for next one week, he added. Punjab's local government, tourism and cultural affairs minister was the Congress' star campaigner and addressed over 70 public meetings in 17 days ahead of elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Telangana. Doctors had told Sidhu that he was on the brink of losing his voice, a Punjab government release had said. The 55-year-old former cricketer and television personality, known for his quick wit and oratory, was also in Pakistan on November 28 on its prime minister Imran Khan's personal invitation to attend the ...
UK court orders Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya to be extradited on fraud charges
LONDON (Reuters) - Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya should be extradited from Britain to India to face fraud charges resulting from the collapse of his defunct Kingfisher Airlines, a London court ruled on Monday.
Went on motorcycle to show how peaceful Hyderabad is: Owaisi
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi said he went to Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao's residence riding his motorbike on Monday as he wanted to show how peaceful Hyderabad is to those who talked about driving him away.
Stage set for final phase of J-K panchayat polls
Stringent security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful and free and fair polling in the ninth and final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections to be held on Tuesday, state chief electoral officer Shaleen Kabra said Monday. The voting will begin at 8 am at 452 polling stations in Kashmir division, Kabra said. He said 346 polling stations have been categorized as hypersensitive in this phase. As many as 430 candidates are in the fray for 55 sarpanch and 138 panch seats while 68 sarpanchs and 433 panchs have been elected unopposed in this phase, he said. Kabra said an electorate of 68,745 will be voting for sarpanch constituencies and 20,688 for panch constituencies. "Photo voter slips have been distributed among the voters to inform them of their polling station," he said. The nine-phased panchayat elections commenced on November 17, recording 74.1 percentage polling in the first phase across the state. The eighth phase was conducted on December 8 and ...
Maha: BJP snatches Dhule civic body from NCP; fractured
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured a comfortable win in the 74-member Dhule Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra Monday while voters gave a fractured mandate in the Ahmednagar corporation. Elections to the two civic bodies in the state were held Sunday. Counting of votes was completed Monday evening after which the state election commission announced the results. BJP won 50 out of 74 seats and gained control of the Dhule civic body for the first time, earlier being ruled by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Congress and NCP alliance won 14 seats, Shiv Sena, AIMIM, Samajwadi Party and independents won two seats each, while one seat went to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). A front floated by BJP rebel and local MLA Anil Gote could win only one seat. The election in Dhule drew more attention because of Gote's allegations against the BJP leadership for giving tickets to several leaders from the Congress and NCP with alleged criminal background. Reacting after the ...