Page 237 - Politics
Telangana Congress begins 36-hour hunger strike against MLAs' crossover to TRS
The Congress unit of Telangana launched a 36-hour hunger strike here on Saturday in protest against the crossover of their 12 legislators to Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).The demonstration saw the participation of state party president Uttam Kumar Reddy, M Bhatti Vikramarka and other MLAs and MPs of the party."The basic objective of the hunger strike is to infuse faith into the mind of the voters who voted for the Congress party and protest against the undemocratic measures being adopted by TRS to retain power in the state," Congress leader V Hanumanth Rao told ANI."The party has filed a case against the 12 members of Congress party who defected to TRS party and when the verdict is still pending in the court, the twelve members have no right to merge with TRS in the state," he added."Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao is scared of the opposition, therefore, he is resorting to such undemocratic means," asserted Rao.He further explained that after the hunger strike, the ...
Clash breaks out between police and BJP supporters in WB
A clash broke out between the police and BJP supporters on Saturday afternoon in Gangarampur area here.Many BJP supporters and one police sub-inspector sustained injuries. They were rushed to a nearby hospital.The incident took place after police officials allegedly tried to stop the victory rally of BJP MP and state unit party president Dilip Ghosh, who won from Medinipur parliamentary constituency in the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls."We are carrying out "Nagrik Abhinandan Yatra" everywhere. They have voted for us and it is our responsibility to thank them. The police is not letting us carry out 'Yatras' anywhere. They have imposed Section 144. They are stopping us which is why clash broke out," Ghosh told ANI after the incident."TMC workers are taking this opportunity to attack us. Our workers and police officials sustained injuries. This incident took place due to autocratic behaviour of state government," he said.Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had explicitly said ...
Modi's LS poll campaign filled with 'lies, poison and hatred':
Stepping up his attack on the prime minister on the second day of his visit to Wayanad, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Narendra Modi's Lok Sabha election campaign was filled with "lies, poison and hatred", but his party stood for truth, love and affection. Gandhi, who is in his constituency on a thanksgiving three-day visit after being elected to the Lok Sabha, addressed party workers at Kalpetta, Kambalakkad, Panamaram, Mananthavady Pulpally and Sulthan Bathery. A large number of Congress-led United Democratic Front workers, women and children thronged the route in all the places in the six receptions addressed by Gandhi, on the second day of the visit. Launching a scathing attack on the Prime Minister, Gandhi said Modi "uses hatred, anger and lies", which are his "weapons". The Congress will continue to fight the "worst sentiments" the Prime Minister represents, he said. "At the national level, we are fighting poison. Modi's campaign was filled with lies, poison, .
BJP workers, police personnel clash in Bengal, many injured
Several BJP workers and police personnel were injured on Saturday, after clashes broke out between the two sides over a victory rally being taken out by the saffron party at Gangarampur area of North Dinajpur district. BJP workers "forcibly took out" the procession 'Abhinandan Yatra' without taking any permission from the authorities concerned, a police officer said. When police personnel tried to stop the rally, irate BJP workers clashed with them, following which a number of people from both sides suffered injuries, he said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday said victory rallies will not be allowed by any party in West Bengal, including the ruling Trinamool Congress. BJP state president and MP Dilip Ghosh, who was a part of the rally, alleged that the TMC government is disallowing such processions, as it is afraid of the saffron party's rise in the state. "We have won 18 seats in West Bengal and our vote share has also increased 40.5 per cent... We wanted .
Kejriwal govt gave benefit to discoms by asking tenants to install separate meters: Cong
The Congress' Delhi unit Saturday alleged the AAP government coaxed people living in rented accommodations to install separate power meters, following which the DERC increased the fixed charges benefitting the discoms. At a press conference, the party's Delhi unit president Sheila Dikshit alleged the Arvind Kejriwal government "enacted a drama of installing lakhs of meters to benefit the power companies". "Electricity bills used to be nominal before. In the name of fixed charges, the government collected crores of rupees and gave it to power discoms," she alleged. The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) is the competent authority for fixing power consumption rates in the national capital. The Delhi Congress' working president Haroon Yusuf accused the AAP government of "befooling people" and getting them install lakhs of power meters in JJ clusters, unauthorised colonies, and elsewhere. "After the meters were installed, the fixed charge component of power tariff was raised ..
After Lok Sabha poll debacle, AIADMK legislator raises demand for 'single leader' to steer party
AIADMK MLA V V Rajan Chellappa on Saturday strongly pitched for a single "charismatic" leadership to steer the party, saying the present arrangement of dual power centres impeded quick decisions. The leader's remarks come in the backdrop of the party's dismal performance in Lok Sabha polls. The AIADMK currently has two top posts of co-cordinator and coordiantor held by Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam. Chellappa, a former city Mayor, is the first party leader to openly bat for naming a single leader to the top party post of general secretary like the practice during the days of late leaders M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. Lack of a charismatic leadership after the demise of Amma was also among the reasons for the Lok Sabha poll debacle, he said. The MLA's demand is perceived to have put the cat among the pigeons in the ruling party where the talk of division in the ranks has emerged again. After the polls, the AIADMK vigorously wooed cadres who had ...
5 newly inducted ministers in AP designated as Deputy CM's
: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy Saturday designated five newly-inducted ministers as Deputy Chief Ministers in line with the announcement he made at the YSR Congress Legislature Party meeting on Friday. The Chief Minister also allotted portfolios to all the 25 new ministers who were sworn-in earlier in the day. Pamula Pushpa Sreevani (ST), Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose (BC), Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas alias Nani (Kapu), K Narayana Swamy (SC) and Amzath Basha (Muslim) have been designated as Deputy CMs. Bose, who was a minister under Jagan's father, the late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy as well, has been given the crucial Revenue department, while Narayana Swamy got Excise and Commercial Taxes. Basha was allotted the minority welfare department, Sreevani Tribal Welfare and Nani has been given health and medical education, which the Chief Minister announced as one of his top-most priorities. Like his father, Jagan also made a woman the Home Minister. Mekathoti .
Nepali journalists protest against Media Council Bill; demand immediate withdrawal
Hundreds of Nepali journalists on Friday held a massive rally here demanding immediate withdrawal of the proposed Media Council Bill that aims to curtail press freedom by imposing strict penalty on media outlets. Nepal has proposed the new media bill aimed at imposing a hefty fine of up to Rs 1 million on media outlets found guilty of damaging anyone's reputation, raising alarm among journalists who say the government seeks to punish the press in the name of regulation. The new Media Council Bill aims to replace the existing Press Council Act and will have more authority to issue hefty fines and give the government more say in the hiring and firing of the council members. The journalists, who protested under the banner of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), held the rally carrying placards and also encircled streets in front of the Kathmandu District Administration Office. Similar protests were also held in other parts of the country that was organised by the FNJ. "The ...
Munda, Rao set to be elected presidents in two AAI elections
Turning a deaf ear to suspension threats from the world body, the Archery Association of India will go ahead with two separate polls simultaneously in New Delhi and Chandigarh Sunday, which will lead to election of two presidents in a bizarre scenario. Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda and retired IAS officer BVP Rao, who earlier held the AAI top post before the Supreme Court last month set aside his election, are thus set to be elected uncontested with their respective executive members in the two separate elections. It now remains to be seen whether the World Archery suspends AAI and bars the Indian team from competing under the national flag at the upcoming World Championships, as warned by the WA secretary general Tom Dielen. The Indian archery team begin its World Championships campaign on Tuesday, aiming to seal quota places for 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Former Jharkhand chief minister Munda is in the fray in the elections to be held in New Delhi, while Rao is contesting .
Defiant Sidhu fails to assume charge at new ministry, kept out of consultative groups
Punjab Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and was allocated a new portfolio on Thursday, failed to assume his new charge, it was learnt on Saturday.
17 Darjeeling councillors join BJP
Seventeen councillors of the Darjeeling municipality joined the BJP Saturday, giving the saffron party a majority in the local body, party leader Mukul Roy told reporters. Addressing a press conference when the councillors were formally inducted in the party, Roy accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of using police to harass the elected members and their supporters. "Our battle to save democracy in the state continues. People's mandate went against the chief minister in the Lok Sabha polls, but she is now using 'police raj' to harass BJP workers and supporters," he said. In the 32-member Darjeeling municipality, the Bharatiya Janata Party now enjoys a majority, he said, noting that two seats are vacant in the body. The BJP will organise a big demonstration in the hill state in the coming days, Roy added. BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya, who is the party's incharge for the state, also targeted Banerjee for her alleged attack on various institutions. Darjeeling .
Mamata responsible for rise of BJP-RSS in Bengal: Somen Mitra
West Bengal Congress president Somen Mitra Saturday blamed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the rise of BJP and RSS in the state, saying had she not pusued policy of "blatant minority appeasement", the saffron party would not have gained footing here. WBPCC chief further said that Banerjee who had been poaching leaders of the opposition parties was now facing difficulty to protect own existence, hinting at exodus of Trinamool Congress leaders to the BJP. Talking to reporters here Mitra lambasted Banerjee for "weakening" the opposition unity which helped the BJP in the general election. In the non-BJP camp, the TMC, CPI-M and Congress fought separetly in Bengal. The BJP bagged 18 Lok Sabha seats in Bengal out of a total of 42, only four less than TMC. Congress managed to win two seats, down from four in 2014. CPI-M which ruled Bengal for 34 years, drew a blank. Buoyed by the massive victory, the saffron party's leaders have been asserting that they will overthrow the ..
Jagan assumes charge of secretariat office; enhances salary of ASHA workers to Rs 10,000
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy Saturday asserted his government is committed to providing honest and effective administration. Soon after formally assuming charge of his office at the state secretariat here, Jagan signed a file enhancing the monthly salary of ASHA (social health activists) workers from Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000. He also promised the government employees that his Cabinet, in its first meeting on June 10, would take decisions on granting interim relief and on scrapping Contributory Pension Scheme. State Chief Secretary L V Subrahmanyam, Principal Advisor to Chief Minister Ajeya Kallam, Director General of Police (in-charge) Gautam Sawang and a host of YSR Congress leaders and secretariat employees greeted the chief minister on the occasion. Later, the chief minister addressed a meeting of all government secretaries and heads of departments where he outlined his party's electoral promises and his priorities. "People have elected this government with a lot
Kashmiri Pandits leave for Kheer Bhawani pilgrimage
Six buses carrying about 240 Kashmiri Pandits left for Kashmir from here this morning on an annual pilgrimage to Kheer Bhawani temple, whose logistics is being taken care of by the Jammu and Kashmir government.
Sudan forces arrest protest leaders after deadly crackdown
Security forces have arrested two prominent rebels and an opposition leader, aides said Saturday, just days after a bloody crackdown stifled hopes for Sudan's swift democratic transition. The men were arrested after they held meetings on Friday with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who was in Khartoum on a mission to revive talks between Sudan's ruling generals and protest leaders on who should lead the country's next governing body -- a civilian or a soldier. It comes just days after Monday's crackdown by men in military fatigues on a weeks-long sit-in that left dozens of demonstrators dead. Witnesses say the assault was led by the feared Rapid Support Forces (RSF) who have their origins in the notorious Janjaweed militia unleashed in the conflict in the western region of Darfur in 2003 and 2004. The generals seized power in April after they ousted longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir on the back of months-long protests against his three-decade rule. Since then they have resisted ...
Twin leadership no reason for LS poll debacle: Palaniswami
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Joint Coordinator Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Saturday refuted that the party fared badly in the Lok Sabha polls owing to twin leadership.
US envoy says Israel has 'right' to annex West Bank land
The US ambassador has said Israel has the right to annex at least "some" of the occupied West Bank, in comments likely to deepen Palestinian opposition to a long-awaited US peace plan. The Palestinians have rejected the plan before it has even been unveiled, citing a string of moves by US President Donald Trump that they say show his administration is irredeemably biased. They are likely to see the latest comments by US ambassador to Israel David Friedman as new nail in the coffin of a peace process that is already on life support. In the interview published by the New York Times on Saturday, Friedman said that some degree of annexation of the West Bank would be legitimate. "Under certain circumstances, I think Israel has the right to retain some, but unlikely all, of the West Bank," he said. Senior Palestinian official Saeb Erekat has said any such policy would be tantamount to "US complicity with Israeli colonial plans." The establishment of a Palestinian state in territories, ...
Odisha Governor not to host 'At Home' party
Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal has decided not to host the 'At Home' party at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Independence Day this year, showing solidarity with the people affected by cyclone Fani.
Hindi words on name boards of central govt offices blackened
The Hindi text on the name boards of central government offices here including the BSNL and Airport, was blackened, police said Saturday. The matter came to light this morning, they said adding the text in English was left untouched. The incident comes in the backdrop of the raging controversy over the three-language formula initially proposed by the Centre, which the opposition parties in the state termed as an attempt of "imposing" Hindi. Principal opposition party DMK and others had stoutly oppposed the move and insisted that only two-language formula should continue. The cantonment and airport police have been informed about the incident. A case has been reigstered, police said. Police have warned of severe action against those involved in vandalising name boards.
Karnataka cabinet expansion on June 12, says Kumaraswamy
Expansion of the Karnataka cabinet would take place on June 12, Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy announced Saturday, in a much expected move to quell growing dissent within the Congress-JD(S) coalition that threatens the stability of its government. Kumaraswamy made the announcement in a tweet after meeting Governor Vajubhai Vala, which comes after weeks of consultations between the chief minister and Congress leaders amid coalition worries compounded by the Lok Sabha poll rout. "Today, I met the honourable governor and requested him to give time for the cabinet expansion. He has fixed June 12, Wednesday, 11.30 am to administer oath," Kumaraswamy tweeted. The cabinet expansion or rejig was in the offing after the humiliating defeat of the Congress and JD(S) in the Lok Sabha election, in which both the parties barely survived the Modi wave, getting one seat each. The BJP swept the polls, capturing 25 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka. Independent candidate Sumalatha Ambareesh, ...