Page 2269 - Politics
Road, rail traffic disrupted in Tripura over Citizenship Bill
Road and rail traffic was disrupted in Tripura on Monday as the INPT -- the state's oldest tribal-based party -- blocked the highway and railway line demanding the withdrawal of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016.
J&K BJP expels former MLA for anti-party activities, indiscipline
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP Monday expelled its former MLA and senior leader Gagan Bhagat for indiscipline and anti-party activities. In August, Bhagat was suspended for three months on the recommendation of the disciplinary committee of the J&K BJP for his role in the alleged abduction of an ex-serviceman's daughter. Going against the party line, the MLA had on December 3 moved the Supreme Court challenging the dissolution of state Assembly by Governor Satya Pal Malik calling it "unconstitutional and undemocratic". "In view of his continued indiscipline, anti-party and anti-Jammu activities, J&K BJP president Ravindra Raina has expelled Gagan Bhagat from the party with immediate effect," party chief spokesperson Sunil Sethi told PTI here. "Bhagat has neither followed the instructions of the discipline committee nor showed the discipline expected of a member of the BJP," Sethi added. Sethi urged the party cadre and the people of R S Pura constituency-- represented by
Elaborate preparations for vote count in Mizoram
The Election Commission has made elaborate arrangements to count the polled in the Mizoram Assembly polls on Tuesday, an official said on Monday.
Patnaik expresses happiness over Rahul's support to Women's Reservation Bill
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Monday expressed happiness over Congress president Rahul Gandhi's support to 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. Gandhi has written to Congress-ruled states' chief ministers to pass resolutions supporting passage of women reservation bill in Parliament. Patnaik had earlier written to his counterparts in other states seeking their support to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. "I am glad, he (Rahul Gandhi) has done that. I hope other parties do this as well," the Odisha chief minister told reporters here. Patnaik had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 4 urging him to initiate steps to ensure reservation for women in Parliament and state legislatures. The Women's Reservation Bill, which seeks to reserve 33 per cent of seats for women in Parliament and in all assemblies, was passed in the Rajya Sabha in 2010, but lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th ...
Owaisi reaches Telangana CM's house on bike
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi reached Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao's official residence on his motorbike on Monday for a luncheon meeting with him ahead of the declaration of Assembly election results.
Israel accepted into global financial watchdog group
Israel says it has been accepted as a member in a global money laundering and terrorism financing watchdog group. The Financial Action Task Force is an intergovernmental group of some 35 countries based in Paris that sets international standards on terror financing and money laundering. Israel says Monday that its acceptance into the group will allow it to take an active role in global policy-making on the issues. In a statement, the FATF said Israel's "experience and perspective will make a valuable contribution to our work to prevent the misuse of the financial system." The group has in the past given Israel's archenemy Iran ultimatums over terrorism funding, warning of deeper economic isolation if it doesn't comply.
We have to cooperate with each other in public interest: PM to Oppn on House functioning
The government and the opposition have to cooperate with each other for the smooth functioning of Parliament which is in the public interest, Prime Minister Narendra Modi told an all-party meet Monday convened ahead of the Winter session. He also assured the opposition that the government was willing to discuss all issues, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said quoting the prime minister at the meeting. The government is also learnt to have suggested that both the Houses could work late to transact important legislative business and discuss important issues. Tomar said the prime minister was of the view that both the government and the opposition have to cooperate in running the House smoothly as it was in the interest of the people. The minister said Modi also told leaders from various parties that the government is willing to discuss all issues. The Centre will bring a supplementary demands for grants in the session through which it will seek Parliament nod for ...
Former Cong MLA Swaran Lata joins NC
Dealing a blow to the Congress ahead of the parliamentary and assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, its MLA Swaran Lata Monday joined the National Conference. Lata was vice-chairperson of social welfare board during the NC-Congress coalition government which ruled the state between 2009 to 2014. She joined the National Conference (NC) in the presence of party vice-president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah at the party headquarters. Lata was elected Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) on a Congress ticket in the 1987 state polls, from the reserved Bar Brahamana constituency in Jammu district. Welcoming the leader into the party fold, Omar said his father and party president Farooq Abdullah was desirous of attending her joining programme, but could not make it as he had to go to Delhi to attend a crucial meeting of opposition parties. "I welcome her on behalf of the party president, myself and other leaders and workers. When our government was in power, I had got an ...
Rahul Gandhi like Alibaba surrounded by 40 thieves: BJP
The BJP Monday alleged that the money trail of bribes goes to Congress president Rahul Gandhi's bank account and likened him to Alibaba surrounded by 40 thieves. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra cited a news report claiming that Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra rented their premises to a man accused of corruption. "Rahul Gandhi is personally embroiled neck deep in corruption," Patra said while addressing a press conference at the party office here following the news report. He also called him "Alibaba surrounded by 40 thieves", referring to the popular folk tale from "Arabian Nights - One Thousand and One Nights". There was no immediate response from the Congress to Patra's allegations. According to the news report, a farmhouse in Delhi's Mehrauli area in the name of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi was rented to an accused in NSEL "scam", he said. "This property was rented out to a scamster by Rahul Gandhi," Patra said, adding that corruption and the Congress are synonymous .
Congress congratulates RLSP chief Kushwaha for resigning and telling 'truth' to power
The Congress congratulated Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief Upendra Kushwaha Monday after he resigned from the Union council of ministers and walked out of the BJP-led NDA. Kushwaha announced his resignation this morning, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi failed to fulfil aspirations of the people and he was "dejected" and "betrayed" by his leadership. "Congratulations to Kushwaha ji for telling the truth to the power. Let's build a new Bharat," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted. He said Kushwaha rejected the prime minister and decided to walk out of the NDA as he was distressed by the harassment of farmers, youth, women security and poor by the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Kushwaha had been targeting the BJP and Kumar, a key ally of the ruling party, for weeks. He said while he has quit the NDA, his other options are open. Sources said Kushwaha is likely to meet Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and may also attend the opposition meeting slated this ...
Won't allow parliament to function if govt doesn't bring bill on Ram temple: Shiv Sena MP
BJP's ally the Shiv Sena Monday said it would not allow Parliament to function during the winter session, starting Tuesday, if the government does not bring a bill for the construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Shiv Sena MP Chandrakant Khaire said that he made these remarks at the all-party meeting called by the government before the commencement of the winter session. The meeting was also attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Shiv Sena has been demanding that the government brings a bill in Parliament for construction of Ram temple. If the government does not do so in the winter session, starting tomorrow, our party would not allow Parliament to function," Khare said after the meeting. Meanwhile, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar skirted the questions on whether the government would bring a bill for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying that was not the agenda of the all-party meet. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray, ...
Upendra Kushwaha leaves NDA, resigns as minister
Rashtriya Lok Samta Party (RLSP) chief Upendra Kushwaha pulled out of the NDA on Monday and tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government, saying "the promise of providing Bihar with a special package has been the biggest jumla". He also expressed deep disenchantment with the BJP and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing them of trying to destroy his party."BJP continuously tried to harm our party. Nitish Kumar along with the BJP also tried to do the same. Both, Nitish and BJP insulted me and called me 'neech'," said Kushwaha while announcing his exit from the NDA.Kushwaha, who also quit as the Minister of State for Human Resource Development, targeted the Prime Minister, saying: "Narendra Modi ji could not meet the expectations of the people of Bihar. Nothing was done for special status. Bihar is still where it was earlier. Education and health system is non-existent. Nothing was done for Bihar."In his resignation letter, addressed to Prime Minister Modi, ...
India test fires Agni-V missile
India successfully test fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable ballistic missile Agni-V off the Odisha coast on Monday.
Stalin meets Kejriwal prior to opposition parties meeting
DMK President M K Stalin Monday met Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, hours before the meeting of opposition parties. The chief minister is expected to participate in the opposition parties meeting for the first time. Sources in the AAP said during the 20-minute meeting held at the Chief Minister's residence here, Stalin stressed on the opposition unity ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president also asked Kejriwal to drop his "resistance" against the Congress and come together to strengthen opposition unity to remove the BJP-led government at the Centre, sources added. Kejriwal is also expected to meet TMC chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee prior to the opposition parties meeting later in the day.
We cannot give a "pass" to Saudi Arabia: Haley on Khashoggi killing
The outgoing United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said that Washington cannot give "a pass" to Saudi Arabia for the murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi.In an exclusive interview to The Atlantic on December 7, Haley told the magazine's interviewer Uri Friedman: "The whole situation with Khashoggi is we can't give them a pass. And the reason is you have Saudi government officials that did this in a Saudi consulate."Noting that Saudi Arabia is a "complete partner" of the US and has helped in fighting with Iran, Haley pointed out: "I think that the main thing is: No, we don't condone this; no, we're not going to continue to be your partners if you continue to use thuggish behaviour. But you know what? That country is our complete partner when it comes to fighting Iran, and our only real partner when it comes to fighting Iran, so it's a balancing act, but you have to do both," Haley reiterated.When Freidman asked Haley if the US can speak out and at the ...
Russian delegation meets PM Modi over monitoring of 2019 parliamentary elections
A Russian delegation led by the Chairman of the Russian State Duma Vyacheslav Volodin met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss monitoring of the 2019 general elections.Earlier in the day, Volodin also met with Vice President Venkaiah Naidu who welcomed the Russian observation mission to monitor India's Lok Sabha elections."In 2019, the parliamentary elections will be held [in India], and we will be glad to welcome observers from Russia," he said.Naidu also stressed that the Indian leadership was paying significant attention to the development of the Indian-Russian relationship.The Russian parliamentary delegation is also expected to meet the speaker of the Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan.Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force said that the Indian and Russian military aircraft is also expected to start the second edition of the joint Aviaindra 2018 exercise in Rajasthan on Monday.The first phase of the drills was held in the Russian city of Lipetsk on September 17 to 28."A ...
AAP raises mass deletion of votes, EVM tampering at all-party meet
The Aam Aadmi Party Monday raised the issue of alleged mass deletion of votes in many states and demanded paper ballots in place of voting through electronic voting machines at the all-party meeting convened ahead of the Winter session of Parliament. Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh voiced concern over the reports of mass deletion of votes in states, including Delhi, where he claimed "huge" number of votes of Purvanchali and Bania communities were removed from the electoral rolls. "Lakhs of votes of Bania and Purvanchali people have been deleted in Delhi. Such deletions have also been reported from other states. Were these illegal Bangladeshis who were removed from the voters' list?" he told PTI. The AAP leader also alleged that the sanctity of polls was "under question" in view of "manipulation" of the electronic voting machines (EVMs). "I demanded paper ballots for the coming elections as there are reports about EVMs being found at highways and the house of a political leader," Singh ...
TRS will form next govt on its own strength: AIMIM chief
: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi Monday said 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. Owaisi said he will meet KCR (Rao) Monday afternoon adding this is "our first step towards a larger goal of nation building." "I'll be meeting Telangana's caretaker & next CM of Telangana, KCR sahab @TelanganaCMO at 1:30 PM today. Inshallah hell form government on his own strength, and Majlis will stand by him. This is our first step towards a larger goal of nation building," the Hyderabad MP tweeted. AIMIM contested eight seats in the December 7 Assembly elections as against the seven in 2014 polls, and supported the TRS. Owaisi had also canvassed and organised public meetings in support of TRS in the run-up to the December 7 Assembly elections. Counting of votes will be taken up on Tuesday.
Shaken by corruption, Peruvians back major government overhaul
Shaken by a string of high-profile corruption scandals, Peruvians overwhelmingly approved a government overhaul that among other things sends all members of Congress packing by 2021. Three of the four constitutional reforms proposed by President Martin Vizcarra were approved by nearly 80 per cent of voters in a Sunday referendum. Sick of a do-nothing Congress with leading legislators tainted by corruption and scandal, 78 per cent of voters approved a measure banning consecutive re-election, according to official results with more than half of the vote counted. That means that all 130 members of Peru's single-chamber legislature will be out of a job when their mandates end in July 2021. Also approved were reforms on the way judges are chosen, and tighter campaign financing laws that include criminal penalties for violators. However more than 81 per cent of voters opposed a proposal to return Peru to a dual-chamber legislature -- a sign of how disgusted voters are with the current crop .
Agni-5 missile test-fired
The missile has a strike range of over 5,000 kms, which will enable India to balance out China's military muscle.The missile has a payload capacity of 1,500 kg of high-explosive warhead and once inducted in the military, India will join an exclusive club of countries like the US, Russia, China, France and Britain which have intercontinental ballistic missile capabilities.