Page 239 - Politics
Telangana: After replacing Cong as second largest, AIMIM to demand LoP post
All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday said his party will demand the leader of opposition post in Telangana assembly since Congress is no longer the second biggest party."We would request the Speaker of Telangana to give our party the leader of the opposition post because we have 7 MLAs in the state, making us the second biggest party. In Delhi BJP has been given the post even though they have just 3 MLAs out of a total 70, we will meet the Speaker soon," Owaisi said.The statement by Owaisi came after 12 of the 18 Congress MLAs on Thursday crossed over to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao's Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS).Owaisi said the decision of the Congress MLAs to shift their loyalty to TRS was justified as the law allowed them to do so."The law allows them to change their loyalty if there is a two-thirds majority... there is nothing wrong in Congress leaders choosing to join TRS.""Congress still has time to introspect, they should ...
Tripura forms panel to examine all political violence cases
Tripura's BJP-IPFT government has decided to examine all cases of political violence in which family members of those killed are seeking proper investigation so that culprits are punished. The government has formed a three-member probe committee headed by Law Minister Ratan Lal Nath which will provide its recommendations after completion of the investigations, a government notification said. Besides Nath, the panel has Law Department Principal Secretary DM Jamatia as a member and Home department Additional Secretary Devananda Reang as the convener. However, the CPI(M), which was at the helm in the state for 25 years before the BJP-led government came to power in March 2018, is apprehending that the panel was formed to harass the party members and will not look into the incidents of violence that took place in the past one year. "The state government has decided to examine all cases in which the victims died due to political violence long before and the family members of .
Maldives to confer its highest honour on PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be conferred with Nishan Izzuddeen, the Maldives' highest honour accorded to foreign dignitaries. Modi will reach Maldives on Saturday for his first bilateral visit after returning to power."President @ibusolih has announced his decision to confer on PM of India H.E. @narendramodi the Maldives highest honour accorded to foreign dignitaries, 'The Most Honourable Order of the Distinguished Rule of Nishan Izzuddeen' during PM's visit today," Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid tweeted on Friday.PM Modi's visit to the island nation is significant as it's the only country in South Asia that he did not visit during his first term as the Prime Minister.He will also have a halt in Sri Lanka on his way back, underlining his government's continued commitment towards its 'Neighbourhood First' policy.During his visit to the Maldives, the Prime Minister is scheduled to hold talks with President Ibrahim Solih, Vice President Faisal Naseem and Speaker of the Majlis, ...
US to end Turkey's participation in F-35 programme over Russia deal
The US government has ordered the termination of Ankara's participation in the F-35 jet programme if the Turkish government doesn't back down from its S-400 missile deal with Moscow, in its most severe warning to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's administration yet.
Modi's LS poll campaign filled with 'lies, poison and hatred': Rahul
Continuing 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. On his first visit to his constituency after being elected to Lok Sabha, Gandhi addressed party workers at Kalpetta, Kambalakadu and Panamaram during a roadshow on Saturday. A large number of Congress-led United Democratic Front workers and women thronged the route. Congress general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Congress chief Mullappally Ramachandran were with Gandhi in his special vehicle. Though it rained heavily in parts of the constituency Friday, the weather did not play spoilsport as it was bright and sunny till this noon. Gandhi said Modi "uses hatred, anger and lies" which are his "weapons". He said his party will continue to fight the
India rejected negativity, voted positivity in polls
In a veiled message to the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the people of the country have completely rejected negativity and their vote in the Lok Sabha elections reflected positivity for making a new India.He also said that the people's mandate in these elections will force the world to look at the country with more respect and expectations."The people of the country have reflected positivity and completely rejected negativity in these elections. They way 130 crore people have come forward with a new spirit and positive attitude to make a new India in this election, it has forced the world to look at India with more respect and expectation," Modi said at a public meeting, his first after taking oath for a second time as Prime Minister, after offering prayers at the famous Sri Krishna temple here.He said, "In these elections, the country has seen that the people are the masters. Political parties, political pundits and pollsters could not sense the mood of .
25 new ministers inducted into Jagan's Cabinet in AP
In what the YSR Congress called a "socially-inclusive Cabinet," 25 new ministers were Saturday inducted into the Y S Jaganmohan Reddy's Council of Ministers in Andhra Pradesh. In line with his electoral promise, Jaganmohan Reddy gave Cabinet berths to seven legislators from the backward classes, five from the Scheduled Castes, one each from the Scheduled Tribes and Muslims, and four each from the Kapu and the Reddy communities. The Kamma community, which dominated the previous Chandrababu Naidu Cabinet, got just one berth now. The Kshatriya and the Vysya communities also got one berth each. State Governor E S L Narasimhan administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at a glittering public function adjacent to the Secretariat at Velagapudi in capital Amaravati. The 26-member Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, has three women members; two from the Scheduled Castes and one from the Scheduled Tribes. Jagan brought back senior leaders Botsa Satyanarayana, Pilli ...
PM Modi to lead main event of International Yoga Day in Ranchi
The main event of the fifth International Yoga Day on June 21 will be held in Ranchi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the programme.Around 30,000 people are expected to participate in the main event.On June 13, a curtain raiser to the main event will be held in Ranchi, which will be attended by several dignitaries from the state, besides the yoga organisations and yoga gurus.Ministry of AYUSH has requested the stake-holding Ministries and Departments of the Central Government, State Governments and other related institutions to work in a coordinated manner to observe the day.The Centre along with state governments has been organising various yoga programs and campaigns on June 21 since it was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015.Last year, around 50,000 people participated in International Yoga Day event organised in Dehradun-based Forest Research Institute.The first International Day of Yoga was observed all over the world on June 21, 2015. On this day ...
China getting assertive in Indian Ocean, says new book
China is building a string of influence - military and political -- in the Indian Ocean region and much will depend on how India counters this assertiveness of its neighbour and demonstrates itself as a power in the maritime zone which it claims to be its own.
If Rahul wants to leave, he must find replacement: Moily
Senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily on Saturday said Rahul Gandhi should reconsider his stand of resigning from the party post and suggested that the latter should first find a suitable candidate before quitting."The question is people are raising their voices in some states, the discipline is being broken. The party cannot remain in a relaxed state in such a time. Rahul Gandhi is still the president and he will have to take a tough stance and even if he wants to leave he will have to make sure he hands the role to the right person," Moily told ANI here.Moily's statement comes after Gandhi offered his resignation at the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting in Delhi on May 25 following the debacle in Lok Sabha elections. The CWC had unanimously rejected the offer and passed a new resolution which authorised Gandhi to revamp the organisation.He added that, there was dissent at the time Rahul's mother Sonia Gandhi took over the reins of the party, but later her tenure as the party .
25-member Andhra Pradesh cabinet sworn-in
Andhra Pradesh's new cabinet comprising 25 Ministers was sworn-in here on Saturday.
Odisha Governor not to hold 'At Home' party
Odisha Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal will not hold the 'At Home' party on the occasion of Independence Day this year expressing solidarity with the people affected by cyclone Fani, an official said Saturday. "In solidarity with people affected by Cyclone Fani in the state, Hon'ble Governor has decided not to hold the 'At Home' celebration on the occasion of Independence Day-2019," a Raj Bhavan spokesman said. The move comes in view of the devastation caused by the extremely severe cyclonic storm that ravaged coastal districts of Odisha and killed at least 64 people after making a landfall in Puri on May 3. As part of ongoing practice, the governor hosts 'At Home' party at Raj Bhavan on Independence Day and Republic Day on August 15 and January 26 respectively every year. Dignitaries including the Chief Minister, Chief Justice of Orissa High Court, judges, Assembly Speaker, ministers, MPs from Odisha, MLAs and distinguished persons from different spheres of life are invited ..
Naxals torch bus in C'garh after asking passengers to alight
Naxals torched a bus in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, after asking the passengers to alight, police said Saturday. The incident occurred late Friday evening between Kutru and Farsegarh villages when the private passenger bus was on its way to Bedre from Bijapur town, a senior police official said. Around a dozen Maoists, some of them armed, stopped the bus belonging to Jai Bhawani Travels, and set it ablaze after allowing passengers to get off, he said. None of the passengers or crew was harmed in the incident. However, the bus was completely damaged in the incident, the official added. Security forces have rushed to the spot and combing operations to apprehend the Naxals involved in the incident were underway, he said. As Maoists are observing 'Jan Pituri week' from June 5, vigil in Bastar region has been stepped up, the official said. Bastar division comprises seven districts, namely Dantewada, Bijapur, Bastar, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Sukma and Kanker. The outlawed
Kerala as dear to me as Varanasi, says Modi in Guruvayur
Having won a massive mandate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said political parties and pundits failed to gauge the public mood ahead of the Lok Sabha election and thanked the electorate for reposing confidence in the saffron party. In his first public engagement after leading the BJP to a grand victory in the general election, retaining power for a successive term, Modi said he made Kerala his first stop after the win despite having no MP from the state since it was as dear to him as his constituency Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh. Terming the just concluded Lok Sabha election to 542 seats as a "festival of democracy," Modi lauded and thanked the electorate of Kerala for their contribution to it. The country has seen that "people are God" in elections, he said. "Political parties and political pundits could not gauge people's mood. So did those involved in conducting (poll) surveys. But people gave a strong mandate for the BJP," he said and thanked the voters for choosing his ...
Lanka president hits out at committee probing Easter Sunday attacks
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena has publicly taken to task the parliamentary select committee on the Easter Sunday jihadi attacks, saying he was opposed to top officials testifying on national security matters before the media. Sirisena's outburst is set to trigger another conflict between him the executive and parliament the legislature, analysts said. Sirisena on Friday called for an emergency Cabinet meeting and said he stand opposed to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) probing the attacks summoning intelligence officers and disclosing intelligence information to the media. "I am completely opposed to senior intelligence officers being questioned openly in parliament. This exposes very sensitive national security information," Sirisena said. Among the officials questioned so far are the Defence Secretary, intelligence chief, police chief and former defence secretary. The president said that those who have appeared before the PSC so far are former officers or ...
Modi uses poison of hatred to divide India: Rahul in Wayanad
On the second day of his visit to Wayanad, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday renewed his attack against Narendra Modi, alleging that the Prime Minister is using "poison of hatred" to divide India."At the national level, we (Congress leaders) are fighting poison. Mr Narendra Modi uses poison. I am using a strong word but Mr Narendra Modi uses poison of hatred to divide this country. He uses anger and hatred to divide the people of this country," Gandhi said during a roadshow in Kalpetta town of Wayanad.After conceding to his party's defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, Rahul, for the first time, alleged that Prime Minister Modi used "lies" during the election campaigning. "He uses lies to win elections," Gandhi said.The Congress president, who termed Lok Sabha elections as a fight to protect the constitutional values, said Modi represents the "worst sentiments" of the country."He represents the worst sentiments of this country. He represents anger, he represents hatred, he ...
Venezuela's Maduro says border with Colombia to reopen
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Friday ordered the reopening of the country's border with Colombia in western Tachira state, near where international aid refused by Caracas has amassed. The economically-devastated South American nation is suffering from shortages of food, medicine and other essentials amid a power struggle between Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who has been recognised as interim president by more than 50 countries including the United States. Announcing the reopening of the frontier on Twitter, Maduro said: "We are a people of peace that strongly defends our independence and self-determination." The leader, however, did not say whether crucial border bridges, closed since August 2015 after two Venezuelan soldiers were wounded by suspected smugglers, would be unblocked. Maduro in February ordered the total closure of land frontiers with Brazil and Colombia, as well as sea and air links with the Netherlands Antilles in the Caribbean. Guaido wanted to .
Rahul unable to digest PM Modi's victory in LS election: Bandaru Dattatreya
Senior BJP leader Bandaru Dattatreya on Saturday slammed Congress president Rahul Gandhi and said that he is still unable to digest Prime Minister Narendra Modi's victory in the recently concluded Lok Sabha election."Rahul Gandhi is still unable to digest Modi's victory in this country because of Modi's policies and his affection towards all... But Rahul Gandhi is unable to digest the truth and he says that Modi has created hatred. Hatred is created by Congress party in its 50 years. There is no hatred in this country," Dattatreya told ANI here."During Ramzan, peaceful atmosphere was there. Hatred is nowhere. (It is) only in the minds of Nehru family and Rahul Gandhi's family, there is hatred towards the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he added.His statement comes after Rahul Gandhi, while addressing people in Nilambur, said, "The current government and Mr Narendra Modi spread hatred in the country and the Congress party knows and understands that the only way to combat hatred .
J-K: BSF jawans secure borders amid heat wave conditions
International borders of Jammu and Kashmir are reeling under intense heatwave conditions with the mercury crossing 45-degree mark. The rise in temperature has added to the woes of the Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel, who despite the blistering heat are executing their duties with complete alertness."We give our 100 per cent in every weather to protect our country. It is our duty to protect the country. To beat the heat, we have facilities such as chilled drinking water, glucose and a fan at the border posts. We also have dry food which we can use at the time of crisis. We can survive on dry food for at least 4 to 5 days," said a BSF Jawan, deployed at a border of Jammu and Kashmir.It is worth noticing that several states of northern and central India have been witnessing intense heat, with the mercury soaring over 50 degrees Celsius in some parts of Rajasthan.The MeT department has predicted that Heatwave conditions are likely to continue in the north and central India next ...
'Defiant' Sidhu fails to assume new charge
Punjab Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and got a new portfolio on Thursday, failed to resume his new charge, it was learnt on Saturday.