Page 2331 - Politics
Macron leads crisis meeting after anti-government riots
French President Emmanuel Macron led a crisis meeting on Sunday after anti-government protests in Paris that left 263 people injured and widespread destruction around the capital. Macron met with the prime minister, interior minister and top security service officials at the presidential palace in Paris after flying in from the G20 summit in Argentina. He earlier visited the Arc de Triomphe, a monument to France's war dead, and other scenes of violence where he paid tribute to the police but was also booed by sections of the crowd. Paris police said 412 people were arrested on Saturday during the worst clashes for years in the capital and 378 were still in custody. A total of 133 had been injured, including 23 members of the security forces who battled rioters for most of the day in some of the most famous parts of the capital. "I will never accept violence," Macron told a news conference in Buenos Aires before flying home. "No cause justifies that authorities are attacked, that ...
Cong names Avasarbhai Kanjibhai Nakiya as candidate for Gujarat Assembly seat bypoll
The Congress on Sunday named Avasarbhai Kanjibhai Nakiya as its candidate for the Jasdan Assembly byelection in Gujarat scheduled for December 20. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has approved the candidature of Nakiya as party candidate for the ensuing bypoll to the Legislative Assembly of Gujarat, the party said in a statement. Kunvarji Bavaliya on Friday had filed his nomination for the Jasdan Assembly byelection. The bypoll was necessitated after Bavaliya, who won from Jasdan on a Congress ticket in last year's assembly polls, resigned as MLA on July 2 this year. On the same day, he was inducted as a cabinet minister in the BJP government led by Vijay Rupani. The notification for the byelection was issued on November 26 by the Election Commission. While polling in Gujarat will be held on December 20, votes will be counted on December 23.
UK's Labour will try to topple May if Brexit deal rejected
Britain's opposition Labour Party ramped up the pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May Sunday, saying it will call a no-confidence vote if Parliament rejects her Brexit deal on December 11. May is battling to persuade skeptical British lawmakers to back the deal her government and the European Union reached last month. Rejecting it would leave the UK facing a messy, economically damaging "no-deal" Brexit on March 29. Labour Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer said it's "inevitable" that Labour will bring a motion of no-confidence in the government if Parliament rejects the Brexit agreement. "If she's lost a vote of this significance after two years of negotiation, then it is right that there should be a general election," Starmer told Sky News. If May's government lost a no-confidence vote, it would have two weeks to overturn the result with a new vote by lawmakers. If that failed, Britain would hold a national election. Politicians on both sides of Britain's EU membership debate oppose the
If BJP forms govt in Telangana, Owaisi will have to flee from Hyderabad like Nizam: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday hit out at AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi saying he will have to "run away' from Hyderabad just like the Nizam if the BJP comes to power in Telangana. "If BJP forms government in Telangana, I can tell you that Owaisi will have to run away just like Nizam was compelled to run away from Hyderabad. BJP will give security to all but will not allow those who spread anarchy", he said. Addressing an election rally at Tandur town of Vikarabad district, Adityanath also claimed that Owaisi's party did "only Muslim appeasement politics".
Expelled Akali leaders to float new political outfit
Expelled SAD leaders Ranjit Singh Brahmpura, Rattan Singh Ajnala, his son Amarbir Singh Bonyand Sewa Singh Sekhwan on Sunday said they would float a new political outfit based on the Akali Dal's old constitution, which was framed in 1920. Addressing media persons here, they said the name of new party would be announced in a few days and that it would be similar to that of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD). They said the new outfit's constitution would be based on the Akali Dal's old constitution, which was framed in 1920. SAD led by Sukhbir Singh Badal had distorted the old constitution, they alleged. During the press conference, Brahmpura, MP from Khadoor Sahib, and Sekhwan said a "big announcement" would be made made by them on December 14, which is also the day when the SAD was formed in 1920. The expelled SAD leaders trained their guns at Sukhbir, accusing him of causing irreparable damage to the SAD and its cause. Talking about the Kartarpur corridor, Brahmpura said credit for the ...
Raje's 'misrule' will ensure BJP's ouster in Raj: Pilot
Congress leader Sachin Pilot Sunday said people of Rajasthan will vote out the BJP in the Dec 7 polls due to the "misrule" of the Vasundhara Raje government, which had failed to curb inflation and corruption. The Rajasthan Congress chief was in Dholpur, the home turf of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, to launch his election campaign in the eastern part of the state. He addressed meetings in Todabhim constituency in Karauli, Dausa, and in Jamwaramgarh, Virat nagar, Amber and Chaksu constituencies of Jaipur district. "The Vasundhara Raje government was busy in giving contracts of Bajir (sand mines) and liquor to their people while public at large kept suffering due to total misrule of this government," Pilot said at a public meeting here. "PM (Narendra Modi), UP CM (Yogi Adityanath) are holding rallies in the state but people have decided to vote out the BJP in the December 7 elections," he added. Stressing that Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) days were "over", Pilot said a new Rajasthan
Guj constable recruitment exam cancelled after paper leak
A written exam for recruitment of Gujarat police constables was Sunday cancelled hours before it was scheduled to commence after authorities learnt that the paper had got leaked, an official said. As many as 8.75 lakh candidates were scheduled to appear for the exam which was to start at 3 pm at 2440 centres across Gujarat, the official said. Taking cognisance of the incident, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has directed the state Home department to take immediate action whereas the opposition Congress has demanded setting up of an SIT under a sitting high court judge while alleging that "people of the ruling party" are behind the incident. The examination was called off hours before it was scheduled to start after it came to light that the question paper was leaked, said Vikas Sahay, chairman of the Lokrakshak Recruitment Board (LRB), the body that conducts the examination. "Somebody sent me a list of answers, and they were answers to the questions set for the examination.
Trump to end Nafta before vote to revise pact with Canada, Mexico
President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after the G-20 summit in Argentina that he will formally notify Congress of the termination of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in the "near future", according to a Dow Jones Newswires report made available to Efe on Sunday.
Changes to PRC rules will be unacceptable: Cong, People's Conference
The Jammu and Kashmir Congress and People's Conference Sunday said any changes in the procedure for granting permanent residence certificates (PRCs) in the state would be "unacceptable". Earlier, senior BJP leader Kavinder Gupta had said the state administration was contemplating to simplify the procedure for grant of PRCs and a timeline should be fixed for its issuance under the Public Services Guarantee Act. The National Conference, one of the state's major political parties, had also said earlier on Sunday that will oppose any move aimed at changing the procedure. "Any changes to the PRC (rules) are unacceptable to the Congress party," a party spokesperson said here. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee warned that any changes to the PRC rules would not be in the state's interest and would have serious implications. "This step will invent another problem in the state which has to be avoided in the larger interests of peace," the Congress spokesperson said. He said as ...
Love for PM Modi increasing in the country: Jitendra Singh
Union minister Jitendra Singh said Sunday the BJP-government at Centre was leading the nation on the path of growth and development, while claiming that the love of the people for Prime Minister Narendra Modi is increasing with each passing day. Addressing a meeting of the BJP's newly elected presidents, vice-presidents and councilors of municipal committees from Jammu region at the party headquarter here, he said the results of the urban local body polls and the ongoing panchayat elections are acting as "booster dose" for the party activists. "Other political parties only looted the resources of the country whereas the Modi government has led the nation on the path of growth and development. The love of the people for Modi is increasing day by day due to the pro-public approach of government," Singh, the Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office, said. Claiming that the BJP would form government in Jammu and Kashmir after the Assembly elections, the party's state president ...
Protesters block Jammu-Akhnoor highway alleging malpractice during counting of votes
Scores of protesters blocked Sunday Jammu-Akhnoor highway alleging malpractice during counting of votes at the end of the sixth phase of the Jammu and Kashmir panchayat elections, officials said. The residents of lower Ambvillageblocked the highway at Batehra in the outskirts of Jammu, claiming that the officials on election duty declared the BJP supported candidate winner even as he was trailing by three votes at the end of the counting for sarpanch elections, the officials said. "The counting of votes was carried out thrice and I was leading with three votes. I had got 786 votes against the nearest rival who had got 783 votes. But, the rival candidate was declared winner by one vote," Darshan Singh, a candidate in the polls, said. Singh, who was leading the protesters alleged that the officials declared the result at the behest of BJP leaders. The protesters burnt tyres on the road to press for reelection but later dispersed off peacefully after senior officials visited them, the ..
Bangladeshi ex-PM's nomination papers cancelled
Bangladeshi ex-Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's nomination papers for contesting in the general elections slated for December 30 were cancelled on Sunday.
TRS chief accuses Naidu of distorting facts on Hyderabad
TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao Sunday accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu of distorting facts over Hyderabad's development and said he needed a "mental check up". "Chandrababu Naidu says he built Hyderabad. Quli Qutub Shah who built the city would commit suicide (if he is alive and hears this). Was Charminar (monument) also built by Naidu? I don't understand," he told an election rally here. "Would anybody talk like that? I think he should be examined to check to see whether he is mentally fit," Rao, the caretaker chief minister of Telangana, said attacking Naidu. While Rao in his campaign meetings had been accusing Naidu of having claimed to have built Hyderabad, the latter has clarified that he only said he had put the Telangana capital on the world map and that Cyberabad (IT district here) was his brain child. The TRS is going it alone in the December 7 assembly elections while the TDP is part of the Congress-led People's Front. Turning up the ...
Sidhu feels pride on being clicked with Khalistanis: Shivraj Chouhan
Days after a picture of Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu with a pro-Khalistan leader Gopal Singh Chawla surfaced in media, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday said that the Congress party and its chief Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of it.While addressing a rally in poll-bound Rajasthan, Chouhan said, "Navjot Singh Sidhu feels pride in clicking pictures with Khalistanis. Congress should feel ashamed; Rahul and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi should feel ashamed. Is this your nationalism?"Sidhu's photograph with the Khalistani leader was clicked during his visit to Pakistan for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur corridor. However, the Congress leader downplayed his appearance in the picture saying, "There was so much love in Pakistan that every day probably 10,000 pictures were clicked with several people there (in Pakistan). Among them, who is Gopal Chawla or Cheema I don't know."Stepping up his attack on the party, .
Former Pak premier Gilani meets Oli
Former Pakistan premier Yusuf Raza Gilani on Sunday called on Nepal's Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli during which they discussed the peace process of the Himalayan nation and regional issues including SAARC, a senior Nepalese official said. During the meeting, the Nepal's Prime Minister underscored the need to make SAARC effective, Oli's press coordinator Chetan Adhikari said. The former Pakistan premier is currently in Kathmandu to attend the Asia Pacific Summit 2018. "Nepal wants to handover the SAARC leadership by holding the conference as soon as possible, PM Oli said while reiterating his commitment over the regional body. We will always try to make SAARC effective," Oli said. SAARC is a regional body founded in 1985, comprising Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The 19th SAARC Summit, which was to be held in Islamabad in 2016, was cancelled after India decided not to attend it following a terror attack on an Indian Army base in ...
Our support to PDP was only from outside: Farooq Abdullah
National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah said on Sunday that his party's support to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) of Mehbooba Mufti to form the government in the state was only from "outside" and to save the Article 35A and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution."We didn't want to form the government because we wanted to enjoy power, but we wanted to protect all that which the Governor is doing now. We wanted to defend Article 35A. The government would not have sustained for long. It was to be toppled one day and elections had to be held," said Farooq Abdullah during a media interaction."PDP, NC, and Congress have different paths but we came together. Why? You see the condition in which J&K Bank is today. It would never have been the case had our government been there. We also want to save Article 35A and Article 370," he said.He stressed that 'autonomy' is the right of Jammu and Kashmir and the state will take its autonomy. He reiterated his stance that Pakistan ...
Now Pak FM sees Indian 'design' in his googly remark
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Sunday claimed that by dragging his 'googly' comments against the Sikh community was a deliberate attempt to 'misrepresent and mislead' by the Indian government.Foreign Minister Qureshi on Sunday afternoon took to Twitter saying, "Dragging my comment towards "Sikh sentiments" is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent & mislead. What I said was strictly with ref to bilat.interaction with the Indian Govt. We have deep respect for Sikh sentiments & no amount of distortions or controversies would change it.""In deference to the long-standing desires of our Sikh brethren, we have decided to open Kartarpur corridor. We have taken this historic initiative in good faith and will carry it forward in good faith," he added to his tweet thread.On November 30, the Foreign Minister claimed that Prime Minister Imran Khan has "bowled a googly at India by opening the Kartarpur corridor." He made these remarks at a ceremony held in Islamabad to ...
Why didn't Cong make Indian Army's valour public, asks Rajnath
Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday accused the Congress party of suppressing the valour of Indian Army by not making their feats like "surgical strikes" public. "The people of the country have the right to know about the feats of Indian Army, which the Congress did not let it happen when in power at the Centre," said Singh, while addressing a press conference here.The Home Minister, who was in Rajasthan to address election rallies in favour of the BJP candidates, said, "Why Congress president Rahul Gandhi is now talking about the surgical strikes, which took place when his party was in power at the Centre? Why didn't they make the Army's valour and efforts public? People have the right to know the achievements of the Indian Army. Rahul Gandhi is suddenly realising this now."In response to the Congress' demand for a joint parliamentary probe into Rafale deal, the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, "Now when they have taken the matter to the Supreme Court, then they ...
Sabarimala row: BJP MPs seek Guv's intervention
A four-member delegation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament (MP) on Sunday met Kerala Governor P Sathasivam seeking his urgent "intervention and appropriate action" to restore "peace and tranquillity in Sabarimala temple."The delegation also submitted its complaint to the Governor with regard to the difficulties faced by the devotees and lack of facilities in Sabarimala. They have requested Sathasivam to 'treat the matter as SOS (International Morse code distress signal).Earlier today, the BJP MPs delegation held discussions with the state BJP core committee members on the Sabarimala issue and also addressed the grievances of the devotees. The team is also scheduled to meet the members of Pandalam Palace and Thantri family in Pandalam town later today.On November 27, BJP president Amit Shah had appointed the four-member delegation to take firsthand account of ongoing agitation outside Sabarimala temple."The delegation will also assess the atrocities being ...
Owaisi will flee from Telangana if BJP comes to power: Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that if the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power in Telangana Asaduddin Owaisi of All India All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) will have to flee from the state as Nizam left Hyderabad.Addressing an election rally at Tandur, Vikarabad in Telangana, Adityanath said, "If BJP comes to power in Telangana, I assure you Owaisi will have to flee from Telangana the same way as Nizam was forced to flee from Hyderabad. BJP will give security to all but will not allow anyone to create anarchy."Talking about public welfare initiatives of the Central government, Chief Minister Yogi said, "You have seen the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is working for the development of all without any discrimination of religion, region or language.""Two crore people were given affordable houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) but the people of the state could not get the benefit of the same as the