Page 2379 - Politics
Consensus eludes JPC on Citizenship Amendment Bill
Bangladeshi nationals including Hindus should not be granted citizenship as proposed in the Citizenship Amendment Bill, opposition members Tuesday suggested saying India is a secular country and nationality should not be granted on the basis of religion, sources said. The suggestion was given by the Congress and other opposition members at a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the bill which is chaired by BJP MP Rajendra Agrawal, a source who was present in the meeting said. The bill seeks to grant citizenship to people from minority communities -- Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians -- from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan after six years of residence in India instead of 12 even if they don't possess any proper document. "The members have given various suggestions and the panel will decide in its next meeting which amendments will have to be taken up for consideration. The amendments for the bill have to be passed by the committee through ...
People would need visa for Hyderabad if not for Patel: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said had there been no Sardar Patel, people would have required a Pakistani visa to go to Hyderabad.
Cong-LF stage walk out from WB House as Speaker dismisses
There was pandemonium in West Bengal assembly Tuesday as the opposition Congress and Left Front staged a noisy walkout after protesting strongly against Speaker Biman Bannerjee for dismissing discussion on their no confidence motion against the TMC government for want of time. Soon after the motion was moved in the House, the Chair asked the opposition Congress and Left Front members, who were supporting the motion, to stand up. With altogether 37 members out of the total 294 members in favour of the motion, it was admitted by the Speaker. During recess the Business Advisory Committee of the House discussed on whether the motion could be discussed Wednesday in the House due to its tight schedule and decided against it since there was lack of time. When the speaker announced this after the recess, members of both the Congress and Left Front vociferously protested against the Speaker's decision. Leader of the Opposition Abdul Mannan and LF Legislature Party leader Sujan ...
Katarpur Corridor may become harbinger of Indo-Pak peace initiative: residents
A religious corridor linking a revered Sikh shrine on the bank of Ravi river here with India's border district of Gurdaspur has the potential to bring "hope and peace" between the two countries, feels people on both sides of the border on the eve of its ground-breaking ceremony. The foundation stone laying ceremony of the corridor between Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak, and the international border with India will be held here Wednesday. Prime Minister Imran Khan, senior politicians of Pakistan's Punjab province and a host of top officials will be attending the event at Narowal around 120 Kilometers from Lahore. The foundation stone of the corridor on the Indian side, from Dera Baba Nanak in Punjab's Gurdaspur to the international border, was laid Monday by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. "We have fought a lot in the last 70 years. There was no gain from those fights by either India or Pakistan. It is now time we begin .
Ram Temple: VHP delegation meets J-K Guv, submits memorandum
The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) Tuesday submitted a memorandum to the state Governor Satya Pal Malik, as it seeks to drum up support for construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. A VHP delegation led by its state president Leela Karan called on Malik at the Raj Bhavan here and submitted the memorandum, an official spokesman said. He said the delegation conveyed on behalf of Hindus of the state that a law should be passed by the central government for construction of the temple at Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya and submitted a memorandum in this regard.
'Ram Rajya' in UP jails: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav said Tuesday there was literally "Ram Rajya" in the state jails, a day after a video showing inmates having alcohol went viral on social media. "As the CM (Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath) has become a star campaigner of his party in other states, 'Ram Rajya' has come in UP jails. He intends to bring such 'Ram Rajya' in the state, in which all the facilities are available to inmates inside jails. This is the biggest example of 'sabka saath sabka vikas!" Akhilesh said. The video of a Raebareli jail had gone viral on social media, which purportedly shows one of the inmates calling someone using a mobile phone to order liquor and another threatening a person to get money. Six jail officials have been suspended for failing to check the clandestine entry of liquor and firearms inside the prison. "After assuming the charge of the state, the CM had said that criminals would either leave the state or go to jail. They (criminals) never left the state and
Maratha quota report: Chavan accuses Maha CM of rule wordplay
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan Tuesday accused Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of interpreting the rules of the State Backward Class Commission as per his own convenience in connection with the report on Maratha reservation. The state government and the opposition are at loggerheads over the tabling of the SBCC report on Maratha reservation in the legislature. While the opposition has demanded that the report be tabled in the legislature, the state government is keen to place only the Action Taken Report (ATR) along with the bill to provide reservations to the Maratha community. Speaking to reporters, Chavan said SBCC rules in Marathi specify that the "report" needs to be tabled along with the ATR in the House. However, he added, the English translation of these rules state that the "annual report" and the ATR needs to be tabled. "Fadnavis has conveniently chosen to use this loophole (difference in terminology in the two languages) in the rules ...
Former Srinagar SSP Riyaz Bedar joins NC
Riyaz Bedar, a retired officer of the Jammu and Kashmir Police who had served as the SSP of Srinagar, joined the National Conference (NC) Tuesday. Former Senior Superintendent of Police Bedar joined the NC in presence of party vice-president Omar Abdullah at a function held at the party headquarters here. According a warm welcome to Bedar, who belongs to Pattan constituency of Baramulla district, Omar said the party will benefit from the professional capabilities of the new entrant. "The party will surely benefit from his experience in public service. The doors of party are open to every right thinking person who wants to contribute to development of the state and securing its special character," Omar said.
Mizoram goes to poll tomorrow, preparations underway
After high-octane campaigning, assembly election in Mizoram is set to take place on Wednesday with as many as 209 candidates in fray for the 40-member Mizoram Legislative Assembly.The state will be witnessing a single phase election and results will be declared on December 11.The Congress party, which has been in power in Mizoram since 2008, is eyeing a third consecutive term in the state.In the previous election in 2013, Congress had fielded 40 candidates while it won 34 seats, whereas Mizo National Front (MNF) secured only five seats after contesting 31 seats. Mizoram People's Conference (MPC) had contested on eight seats but it managed to bag only one.Both Congress and MNF are contesting all 40 constituencies this time, while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is fighting in 39 seats.Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla is contesting from two seats - Serchhip and Champhai South. In Serchhip, Thanhawla will be contesting against Zoram People's Movement's (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate ...
Cong promise of farm loan waiver in MP a 'gimmick': Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Tuesday dismissed as a "gimmick" the Congress promise of a farm loan waiver if voted to power in the state and asserted the announcement will not affect the poll outcome. Chouhan said his government has already taken a slew of measures for the welfare of farmers in the state, which goes to the polls Wednesday to elect a new 230-member assembly. The BJP leader dismissed reports that farmers are holding back their paddy produce to reap the benefit of debt write off promised by the Congress in its manifesto and said procurement has been slow as harvesting began late in the state. Asked what impact the farm loan waiver promise of Congress will have on the polls, Chouhan said the opposition party's assurance to cultivators was just a "gimmick" and it would not have a bearing on the election outcome. "It (promise) won't cast its shadow on polls because the loans won't be waived in real term. They promised a loan waiver of Rs 58,000 crore ..
Congress believes in divisive politics: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday hit out at the Congress accusing it of playing divisive politics whereas the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pursues the path of development.Addressing a rally in Alwar's Tijara, Adityanath said: "The Congress only works towards dividing the country. They give poison to people in the name of religion and caste. On the contrary, the BJP works only for good governance.""We want to ask Congress that they have ruled the country for so many years yet people did not get the necessary resources such as gas connection, electricity connection, etc. Even the roads were damaged but as soon as Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, people got gas, every poor got electricity connections," he added."Unlike the previous government (Congress) we don't offer Biryani to the terrorists, we only offer them bullets," the chief minister added.The 200-member Rajasthan Assembly is scheduled to go to polls on December 7 and counting of votes will be held .
PM takes dig at Akbaruddin Owaisi over 'CM has to bow before us' comment
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday sought to appeal to Telangana pride when he referred to AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi's recent remark that whoever became the chief minister of Telangana or undivided Andhra Pradesh had to bow before his party. Addressing a poll rally at Mahbubnagar, Modi asked the people whether they would vote for someone who bows at the feet of some leader. "A leader recently said whoever became the chief minister of Andhra Pradesh-Telangana had to be at his feet (kadmon ke neeche). You fought for Telangana for your self-respect. Will you want a CM who bows at the feet of some leader instead of the people of Telangana," he asked. Owaisi made the remarks during an election rally here Friday. Seeking re-election from Chandrayangutta segment, he had said (previous) chief ministers have always sought the support of All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) and the party would be the kingmaker again in the upcoming elections. "Whoever becomes the chief ...
Pakistan to invite Modi for Saarc Summit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be invited to Pakistan for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) summit, a senior Foreign Office official said on Tuesday, raising hopes of a possible thaw in bilateral relations amidst the goodwill over the opening of Khartarpur Corridor.
Can PM provide security to women, citizens if not to Delhi CM: AAP
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not being able to provide security to the Delhi Chief Minister, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday questioned Modi's claim of protecting the nation and women.
Bihar assembly passes GST Bill amid ruckus created by
The state Legislative Assembly on Tuesday passed the Bihar Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2018 with voice vote amid pandemonium by the opposition over an another issue pertaining to "deteriorating" law and order situation. The Assembly could not transact any business in both the sessions except for passage of the Bill on GST. The House proceedings lasted for eight minutes during pre-lunch session while the post-lunch session could barely run for 17 minutes. The central government has already got the amendments passed by the Parliament over GST and states have to ratify them as the state government had brought an ordinance due to the fact that the state legislature was not in session. As the House assembled in the post-lunch session at 2 PM, the opposition members from RJD, Congress and CPI(ML) rushed into the well of the House raising slogans against the Nitish Kumar government and demanding discussion on the adjournment motion moved by them on law and order ...
BJP manifesto promises 50 lakh pvt sector jobs, unemployment allowance in Rajasthan
The BJP rolled out its Rajasthan poll manifesto on Tuesday, promising 30,000 new government jobs every year, 50 lakh employment opportunities over the next five years in the private sector and an allowance for the educated jobless. It also held out a possibility to farmers of doubling their income, helped by a new Rs 250-crore fund to encourage rural start-ups. The manifesto for the December 7 assembly polls said illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya Muslims would be identified and expelled, and Hindus who had to leave Pakistan offered citizenship. The manifesto unveiled here by Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his cabinet colleagues Prakash Javadekar and Arjun Ram Meghwal. The document, called 'Rajasthan Gaurav Sankalp', also mentioned efforts to check cow smuggling in the state. Raje said the Eastern Rajasthan Canal project, which addresses the irrigation and drinking water problem in 13 districts of eastern Rajasthan, will be taken up .
BJP will lose in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan: Mamata
Accusing the BJP-led central government of not keeping its electoral promises and making the lives of traders and businessmen miserable, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said the saffron party will lose the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Modi's 'victim-hood politics' to hide incompetence: Congress
Holding Prime Minister Narendra Modi solely responsible for lowering the political discourse in the country, the Congress on Tuesday accused him of pursuing "politics of victim-hood" in order to hide his incompetence and non-performance of his government.
'Mahagathbandhan' is a band of thieves, says Amit Shah in Rajasthan
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Tuesday labeled the proposed Mahagathbandhan (united opposition) a "band of thieves", saying they accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of corruption while in reality it is the Opposition that plundered the nation's wealth in the past through their corrupt governance.Addressing an election rally here, Shah compared the 'Mahagathbandhan' to a band of 40 thieves, who were thrown out of the villages they looted by a newly-appointed 'chowkidar' (Prime Minister Modi)."All of them united and told the villagers that the chowkidar is the thief. The villagers beat them up and banished them from the village. On the one hand, this Mahagathbandhan is a unity of those who loot wealth of the public through corrupt means. On the other hand, there is the Narendra Modi government that has safeguarded the nation," Shah said.Shah further mounted an assault on the Congress, saying that corruption under its rule spanned from outer space to below the ...
Wickremesinghe proposes all-party meet to decide Sri Lankan poll
Ousted Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday suggested an all-party meeting to decide holding fresh elections.While attending 'Sathyagaraha' conducted by the civil society groups against the violation of the Constitution, Wickremesinghe stated that Sri Lanka's Constitution must be protected at all times, reported Daily Mirror Sri Lanka."Political parties can discuss and decide on having an election, but it is essential that the Constitution is followed when doing things. The Constitution has been kicked aside for the first time and a 'Sathyagaraha' is being held against it, while protests are being held all over the country. The struggle to ensure the rule of law and to preserve the constitution must continue," he asserted.Thanking the organisers of the 'Sathyagaraha,' Wickremesinghe signed on a public petition against the appointment of a new Prime Minister and government.