Page 2266 - Politics
BJP govt taking country on 'wrong path': Manmohan
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh alleged Monday the BJP-led central government was taking the country towards a "wrong path" and the nation's freedom could be under threat due to its actions. He said the Congress had played an important role in strengthening the country's freedom, but "during the last four and a half years, the BJP laid emphasis on things which could adversely affect India's history". "This can again endanger country's freedom," he said. Manmohan Singh was speaking at the re-launch 'Navjivan', a Hindi newspaper that was first launched in 1919 by Mahatma Gandhi but was closed several times during the British regime. "I want to appeal to the people that they should understand how the present government is taking the nation on a wrong path and there is a need to strongly fight against it," he said, adding former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru had once said that "Freedom is in peril, defend it with all its might." He said Punjab had played a vital role in the fight ..
RBI spokesman says Deputy Governor Viral Acharya has not resigned: CNBC TV18
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Reserve Bank of India deputy Viral Acharya has not resigned, a spokesman from the RBI clarified on Monday following speculation that Acharya would also step down following governor Urjit Patel, television channel CNBC TV18 said.
Semi-finals to 2019 LS polls: Parties in hectic parleys ahead of results for five states
Hectic political parleys marked the eve of counting of votes for five state assemblies, billed as semi-finals before the 2019 national polls, with the Congress asserting that the mandate from Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telengana and Mizoram on Tuesday would send a "clear message" against the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. Rejecting the exit-poll results, most of which have forecast gains for Congress in at least four states including a clear majority in Rajasthan, the BJP leaders said the final results should be awaited even as they sought to de-link the state polls from the next year's Lok Sabha elections. However, the stock markets reacted negatively with the benchmark Sensex plummeting by over 700 points on Monday, tracking the exit poll results. On the other hand, opposition parties appeared emboldened with Upendra Kushwaha's Rashtriya Lok Samta Party quitting the ruling NDA (National Democratic Alliance) to join their ranks on a day when a number of non-BJP
Will stand by TRS, says Owaisi after meeting KCR
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi Monday said the TRS will form the next government in Telangana on its own strength and his party will stand by it and its chief K Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR). After a three-hour long meeting with Rao a day ahead of counting of votes polled in the December 7 assembly elections, he discounted a scenario where his party would back out if BJP goes with TRS and said KCR was also confident of victory. "On behalf of my party I met caretaker chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. I am pretty sure and confident and KCR 'saab' is (also) confident...that people of Telangana would once again bless KCR to the Chief Minister's post and he will form a new government based on his own strength", he told reporters here. Asked if MIM would back out if BJP goes with TRS, Owaisi said "such a scenario would not be there. BJP had five seats (in the dissolved assembly), it will decrease...you see tomorrow by noon". His remarks came in the backdrop of BJP hinting that ..
HC seeks govt reply on PIL against extensions to Maha DGP
The Bombay High Court directed the Maharashtra government on Monday to reply to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the extensions granted to state Director General of Police (DGP) Dattatray Padsalgikar. A bench of Chief Justice Naresh Patil and Justice M S Karnik also directed the government to give its view on whether the PIL, filed by Thane-based lawyer R R Tripathi, was maintainable. The reply is to be filed within a week. Padsalgikar was due to retire on August 31 this year but he was granted an extension of three months. On November 30, he again got an extension for three more months. Government lawyer Abhinandan Vagyani argued that the state government has the power to grant extensions, and the extensions granted to Padsalgikar were approved by the Union government.
Focus on making session beneficial for govt, country: Modi to NDA
A day ahead of Parliament's Winter Session, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Monday asked the BJP and its allies to make use of the last full session before the Lok Sabha polls, saying their focus should be on making it beneficial for the government, country and people. Following a meeting of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told reporters that the ruling alliance leaders stressed on the need to make the session constructive and to push the government's legislative agenda. Asked about what Modi said, he said, "The prime minister said this session will continue into 2019. In a way this is the last session of our (government) five years' term and so this should be used to make it very beneficial for the government, country and people." Tomar said the NDA wanted to engage with the opposition to ensure that the session was productive. Asked about the Shiv Sena's demand that the government bring a law for constructing the Ram temple .
BJP seeks proof or public apology from Omar over claims of threats to MLAs in J-K
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP Monday described as "serious" the statement by National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah that some MLAs were threatened by investigating agencies during an unsuccessful attempt by the two-member Peoples Conference to form a government in the state. "Dragging the names of the country's prestigious investigation agencies like the NIA and the CBI in the alleged threatening of MLAs is a serious matter and Omar Abdullah should come out with proof or seek public apology for indulging in such level of politics," state BJP president Ravinder Raina said. Raina was reacting to a statement by the former chief minister who had earlier alleged that several MLAs were threatened to join the Sajad Lone-led group. Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik had abruptly dissolved the Assembly on November 21 after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival NC and the Congress. This was followed by another bid from Lone which claimed ..
Modi hails Urjit Patel for bringing financial stability
Calling him a thorough professional with impeccable integrity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said RBI Governor Urjit Patel, who quit on Monday, steered the banking system out of chaos and brought financial stability.
Urjit Patel quits as RBI Governor, setting off a crisis
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Urjit Patel resigned from his post on Monday with immediate effect, citing "personal reasons", setting of a major crisis in India's politico-economic sphere.
Bangladesh set for poll campaign
Political parties in Bangladesh will begin campaigning on Tuesday for the December 30 general election with the main opposition BNP crippled as its leader and ex-premier Khaleda Zia remains in jail for corruption. The election commission (EC) is expected to complete allocation of symbols for the parties on Monday evening. "The poll symbols are being distributed today so the candidates and their supporters can launch the campaign from tomorrow until December 28 midnight - the timeline set by the commission," an EC spokesman said. He said the commission simultaneously issued directives for executive magistrates and law enforcement agencies to stay alert to prevent any untoward situation during campaigning while the army would be later deployed to aid the civil administration. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's ruling Awami League and several of its allies in the incumbent grand alliance government are contesting the polls on the party's traditional 'boat' symbol across 300 constituencies, ..
Re-polling conducted in Rajasthan's Karanpur constituency
Re-polling was held at a booth in Karanpur Assembly constituency of Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district on Monday. The centre witnessed 86.92 per cent voter turnout during the polling which was conducted from 8 am to 5 pm, the chief election office said in a statement. The Election Commission of India (ECI) had directed that re-polling be held at polling centre number 163 due to technical problems, Chief electoral officer Anand Kumar said. In 2013, re-polling was conducted at eight centres in six constituencies of the state. Polling in 199 out of 200 constituencies was held on December 7 in the state and counting of votes will take place on December 11. Alwar's Ramgarh constituency will vote later due to the death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) candidate Laxman Singh.
RBI Governor Urjit Patel steps down, stuns markets
MUMBAI (Reuters) - Reserve Bank of India Governor Urjit Patel resigned for "personal reasons" on Monday, a decision analysts linked to intense pressure on the central bank from the government to ease regulatory curbs.
Tyrannical Modi regime has unleashed financial emergency: Congress on Urjit's exit
Attacking the Narendra Modi government over RBI Governor Urjit Patel's resignation, the Congress on Monday said the "tyrannical Modi regime" had unleashed a de facto financial emergency in the nation and that the integrity of another institution had been "denigrated".
Mamata polishing her prime ministerial ambitions as political violence in WB continues: Supriyo
Union minister Babul Supriyo Monday alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was "polishing her prime ministerial ambitions" in Delhi at a time when "political violence" in her state was continuing unabated. Supriyo, who represents the Asansol Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal, claimed that in an attack by a local Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader on Sunday, a BJP worker, Sandip Ghosh, was killed while four others were injured. "It is shameful that Mamata Banerjee is polishing her prime ministerial ambitions in Delhi while attacks on BJP workers and political violence continues unabated in her state," he said in a press conference. TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was among the top leaders of over a dozen opposition parties, which met here as part of attempts to forge an united front to take on the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls next year. Supriyo said, "The killing of one worker is overshadowed by another in West Bengal. Political violence in six years .
BJP Parliamentary party meeting to be held on December 13
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary party meeting will be held on December 13.This comes as the winter session of the Parliament is set to kick off tomorrow.Earlier in the day, the BJP-led Central Government held an all-party meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The all-party meeting took place in the Parliament premises here.The meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and several opposition leaders, including Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja among others.The meeting was called to ensure a smooth conduct of the Parliament session which is slated to take place from December 11 to January 8.The session usually starts in November, but due to the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, and Mizoram it was delayed.The Winter Session also holds significance since it would be the last full-fledged Parliament session before the Lok Sabha elections in
2 ex PMs, many chief ministers take part in grand opposition meet, SP-BSP skip
Leaders from as many as 18 key opposition parties, including two former Prime Ministers and many present and past chief ministers, are taking part in a crucial meeting being held before the starting of Parliament's winter session in Delhi.The crucial meet also comes a day before the declaration of assembly poll results in the five states.Former Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh (Congress) and HD Deve Gowda (JD-U), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (TMC), Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu (TDP), Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal (AAP), former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah (NC), DMK president MK Stalin, RLD chief Ajit Singh and CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury are some of the leaders taking part in this meet.Also present in the meeting are Tejashwi Yadav (RLD), former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren (JMM), former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi (HAM), Babulal Marandi (JVM), Badruddin Ajmal (AIUDF) and senior politician ...
Winter Session of Parliament: PM Modi urges parties to engage in constructive discussion
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged the floor leaders of all parties to ensure constructive discussions in both the Houses of Parliament during the Winter Session, beginning on Tuesday."The government is ready to discuss all issues of national importance on the floor of both the Houses of Parliament," Prime Minister Modi said in his address to the floor leaders of all parties in the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha.Addressing the floor leaders, PM Modi said, "The government is always receptive to the issues raised by all political parties." The Prime Minister also encouraged them to strive to create a constructive atmosphere during the Winter Session and collectively address the issues related to people's welfare."It is a prime responsibility for all of us to contribute to the service of the nation and its people by ensuring smooth functioning of the Parliament," said Prime Minister Modi. The Winter Session of Parliament will have a total of 20 sittings spread over a period of ..
Vijay Mallya to be extradited to India
Vijay Mallya is to be extradited to India, ruled the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Monday.The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) welcomed the decision. On Sunday, a joint team of the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), led by CBI Joint Director A Sai Manohar, had left for the UK for the court proceedings.Mallya is facing money-laundering charges to the tune of Rs 9000 crores and left India in 2016, following which, India initiated extradition proceedings against him.
Flurry of activity in Hyderabad a day before counting
A flurry of activity was witnessed here on Monday, a day ahead of the counting of votes for the assembly elections, with the BJP hinting at supporting K Chandrasekhar Rao's TRS in forming the government if it fell short of a majority and AIMIM pledging support. The Congress-led 4-party People's Front, meanwhile met Governor ESL Narasimhan and requested that the alliance be treated as a "single entity" in the event of a hung assembly. Though most exit polls have forecast an easy win for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi, some predicted a keen contest between it and the Congress-led "Praja Katumi", which also comprises the TDP, CPI and the newly formed Telangaja Jana Samithi. Counting of votes will be taken up on Tuesday morning to decide the fate of 1,821 candidates trying their luck for 119 assembly seats. BJP national spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao noted that most exit polls have predicted that the TRS would retain power and they were likely to be on the mark. When asked .
Modi seeks cooperation for winter session, Congress wants JPC on Rafale
Prime Minister Naredndra Modi on Monday sought cooperation of opposition parties in smooth running of the winter session of Parliament as the Congress sought a JPC probe into Rafale deal, discussion on "misuse" of EVMs and discussion on problems concerning farmers.