Page 2405 - Politics
Cong can't live without power: MP CM
With only four days left for Madhya Pradesh assembly polls scheduled for November 28, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday launched a high-voltage attack on the Congress. "The Congress party cannot live without power," he said.Addressing a poll rally in Mhow, Chouhan said, "The Congress party has been like a fish, living without water for the past 15 years as they have not been in power since then. Moreover, they have been angry for the last 13 years as the son of a farmer has been the state's Chief Minister."Elaborating upon the work that has been done by his government for the welfare and development of the state, he said, "We have left no stone unturned for the development of the state. We make policies for the welfare of small farmers which will benefit them along with the bonus they get."Lashing out at Rahul Gandhi led-Congress, he claimed that Congress gets angry when his government works for the benefit of the poor and elderly.He said, "The Congress party gets angry
Romanian Foreign Minister arrives in India
Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Teodor Melescanu arrived here on Saturday on a four-day official visit to the country. His visit coincides with India and Romania completing 70 years of diplomatic relations.Welcoming the minister in Romanian language, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle, "Bun venit domnule ministru! Foreign Minister of Romania @teodormelescanu arrives in Delhi for an official visit. FM Melescanu will meet EAM & Deputy NSA. India & Romania celebrate 70 years of establishment of diplomatic relations this year."On November 26, Melescanu will be meeting External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan. During the visit, the Romanian Foreign Minister is slated to deliver a lecture on 'Going global vs. staying local: Romania's agenda as a connector between Europe and Asia' at the Observer Research Foundation, according to the MEA. He will conclude his visit on November 27.Melescanu assumed ...
Europe heads off Gibraltar spat to save Brexit summit
European leaders resolved a last-minute dispute over the future of Gibraltar on Saturday, clearing the way for a summit to approve the Brexit deal. Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez withdrew a threat to boycott Sunday's European Council just hours before Britain's Theresa May was due in Brussels. The British premier plans to meet EU leaders Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Tusk, even though diplomats say the agreement is ready for EU leaders to approve. Ahead of her arrival, diplomats had scrambled for an unexpected intense final round of discussion, after Spain insisted on keeping a veto over future changes to EU ties with Gibraltar. Then Britain issued a statement saying it would continue bilateral talks with Spain after Brexit on March 29 -- and Sanchez relented. "I have just announced to the King that Spain has reached an agreement on Gibraltar," he told a news conference. "The European Council will therefore be held tomorrow. Europe and the United Kingdom have accepted Spain's ..
Brexit deal under fire as critics gather in Belfast on EU summit eve
Opposition to a draft Brexit deal due to be approved by EU leaders dominated a conference on Saturday of the Democratic Unionist Party, the Northern Irish party whose support is vital to Prime Minister Theresa May's government and EU exit plans. Ahead of a speech by Britain's former foreign minister Boris Johnson -- a staunch critic of the tentative agreement -- DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds warned May that she must abandon her proposal for a so-called backstop arrangement for Northern Ireland. "The DUP wants a deal with the European Union... we understand that businesses, families and communities want certainty," Dodds said. "But it is not this deal. It is not a deal at any price. Prime Minister -- bin the backstop," he urged May from the annual conference, this year coming the Sunday's special EU summit to sign off the plan. The DUP's 10 MPs have propped up her government ever since she lost her majority in a 2017 election and was forced to turn to the fiercely pro-Brexit, unionist .
Russian FM mocks British army chief over IS comparison
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday mocked the "intellectual capacities" of Britain's army chief for calling Russia a bigger threat than the Islamic State group. "In regards to the words from Britain's chief of the general staff, we can't stop someone from showing what his intellectual capacities are," Lavrov said through an interpreter at a media conference in Portugal. "I've already heard a lot of statements like this from the United Kingdom's defence minister," he said. "We can't influence British government decisions on the people tasked with running their armed forces." Lavrov's acerbity was in response to General Mark Carleton-Smith, the head of Britain's army, telling the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "Russia today indisputably represents a far greater threat to our national security than Islamic extremist threats such as Al-Qaeda and (IS)." Carleton-Smith said that "Russia has embarked on a systematic effort to explore and exploit Western vulnerabilities, ...
Kejriwal gives Rs 1 crore to kins of Delhi Police martyrs
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday handed over a cheque of Rs 1 crore each to the families of two martyred policemen despite most of his party's MLAs saying that Delhi Police be exempt from getting the compensation.
ED summons TDP MP after raids at residence, offices
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials on Saturday conducted searches at the residence and offices of former Union Minister and TDP MP Y.S. Chowdary here for alleged financial irregularities, asking him to appear before the agency on November 27.
IS attack kills 24 US-backed fighters in east Syria: monitor
The Islamic State group has killed 24 US-backed fighters in two days in an attack launched from its embattled holdout in eastern Syria, a war monitor said Saturday. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Kurdish-led alliance backed by the US-led coalition is battling to expel the jihadists from a pocket in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor on the Iraqi border. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said the jihadists broke out of that pocket on Friday to attack a nearby village where SDF fighters and coalition advisers are based. "IS launched a broad attack on the village of Al-Bahra next to its holdout, taking advantage of the fog," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. Abdel Rahman said 24 SDF fighters were killed in the attack, and violent clashes continued to rage on Saturday as coalition air planes carried out air strikes in the area. Twenty-seven IS jihadists were killed in clashes and air strikes in the same period, according to the Observatory, which ...
Don't agree with MLAs' demand to exclude Delhi Police from ex gratia scheme: Kejriwal
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said that he disagreed with his party legislators' demand to exclude Delhi Police from the ambit of the AAP government's Rs one crore ex gratia scheme, and asserted that the force is his "family". AAP MLAs had demanded on Wednesday that the chief minister remove Delhi Police from the list of beneficiaries of city government's scheme of giving compensation of Rs one crore to the kin of slain security personnel, alleging that the force "betrayed" the people. Criticising the "attitude" of the Delhi Police in cases of attack on Kejriwal, the Aam Aadmi Party legislators had said that it puts a question mark on "impartiality" of the force. At an event in Palam here on Saturday, Kejriwal paid floral tribute to Delhi Police constables Birendra Singh and Deepak Kumar, who died while on duty. He also met the families of the two constables and handed over Rs 1 crore cheque to them. Kejriwal claimed that he has been attacked twice in the last one month. On .
HIGHLIGHTS AT 2215 HOURS
Following are the highlights at 2215 hours: Top Stories: MDS15 KA-BUS-2ND LD ACCIDENT At least 30 killed as bus falls into canal in Mandya district Bengaluru: At least 30 passengers, most of them women and children, were killed when a speeding private bus in which they were travelling plunged into a canal in Karnataka's Mandya district Saturday, officials said. ELX 10 MP-POLL-MODI-INDIRA Modi targets Indira Gandhi, says 'garibi hatao' was false promise, bank nationalisation a fraud Mandsaur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi targeted the late Indira Gandhi on Saturday, saying her famous slogan 'garibi hatao' was a "false promise" and bank nationalisation was a "fraud" in the name of the poor. ELX 9 MP-POLL-LD-RAHUL Modi 'betrayed' people on promises of jobs, 'depositing' Rs 15 lakh in accounts: Rahul Sagar/ Damoh/ Tikamgarh: Congress chief Rahul Gandhi said Saturday Prime Minister Narendra Modi has betrayed the people, claiming that he had not fulfilled promises of providing two crore ...
Modi, top BJP leaders to campaign for Dec 7 polls in Telangana
: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other top leaders will address the party's campaign meetings for the December 7 assembly polls in Telangana, state BJP president K Laxman said Saturday. Modi will address public meetings at Nizamabad and Mahabubnagar on November 27, he told reporters here. The Prime Minister would address another campaign meeting on December 3 at the Lal Bahadur stadium in Hyderabad,he said. BJP president Amit Shah would participate in BJP's campaign in Telangana Sunday. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath are also likely to visit Telangana for the campaign, he said. Shah had kicked off the party campaign with a public meeting at Mahabubnagar in September and subsequently addressed two more rallies in the state. BJP is going it alone in the Assembly polls. The party had five MLAs in the state assembly, which was dissolved on September 6 and it hopes to substantially increase its strength in the coming ...
Theft committed by watchman in Rafale deal has landed France in trouble: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday, alleging that the "theft" committed by "our watchman" in the Rafale deal had even put the French government in trouble. Taking to Twitter, Gandhi claimed that the people of France were now demanding a probe into the Rafale fighter jets deal with India and that the matter was being discussed the world over. "The theft committed by our watchman has now put the French government in trouble. Now, even the French public is demanding an investigation into the Rafale deal," he said in a tweet in Hindi. There was no official comment from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on the issue. The Centre and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have rejected the corruption charges in connection with the deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from a French firm. Gandhi cited a news report that a French NGO, fighting "economic crimes", had filed a complaint not just seeking a clarification on the conditions under which the ...
Harmonious coexistence hallmark of Assam: Sonowal
Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said Saturday that his government was committed to make the state stronger with the help of all communities and ethnic groups. There are sections of people as well as organisations who are trying to spread misinformation but the government would not do anything against the interests of the people of the state, the Sonowal said on Saturday on the occasion of 'Lachit Divas' commemorating the victory of Ahom rulers over the Mughals, led by its general Lachit Barphukan. "The present BJP-led state government has adopted a humane approach and an uncompromising stance towards governance since the beginning and in the future as well, the government would not do anything against the interests of the people of the state," Sonowal added. The state government was committed to ensure equal development of all the 68 lakh families of the state and had adopted zero-tolerance against corruption, he said. In the case of terrorism also, the state ...
Ahead of VHP's show of strength in Ayodhya, Thackeray mocks Modi govt over Ram temple
Arriving here ahead of Sunday's VHP rally for a Ram temple, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray asked the Narendra Modi government to wake up from a Kumbhakarna-like slumber and declare the date for its construction. I have come here to awaken the Kumbhakarana, he said Saturday, indirectly comparing Modi, or his government, to the Ramayana character known for sleeping for months at a stretch. Today's Kumbhakarna has been sleeping for the past four years," he said. The town turned into a virtual fortress with multiple layers of security and deployment of drones as people began arriving here for Sunday's 'Dharam Sabha', being organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to push for the construction of the Ram temple. The Sena leader is also urging the government to bring legislation or an ordinance for building the temple on the disputed site in Ayodhya, but he has not linked his own two-day visit to VHP event. The VHP claimed three lakh people, including seers, will attend its public meeting,
No 'Modi Magic' in LS polls this time, UPA will form govt at centre: Virbhadra Singh
Senior Congress leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Saturday claimed that 'Modi magic' will not work in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections and the UPA will will form government at the Centre next year. He claimed that many "anti-people decisions" of the BJP government at the Centre have disappointed the people of the country. Hitting out at Chief Minister Jairam Thakur, Singh said, "The BJP government in the state is now about a year old, but still there are no signs of development and the people are being misled in the name of development." "Prime Minister Narendra Modi's magic will not work this time in the general elections. The Congress will win all the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh. The next government in the centre will be of UPA, and the people are eagerly waiting for the elections," he told reporters in Kangra Accusing Thakur of focusing on development of a particular area in the state, Singh said, "Till now, the BJP-led state ...
TRS lashes out at Congress
The ruling TRS Saturday slammed the Congress over UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's attack on it for allegedly failing to meet people's aspirations. Telangana became a reality not because somebody gave it, Telangana Rashtra Samithi MP B Vinod Kumar said. "When KCR (TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao) undertook fast unto death, (then UPA government) announced on December 9, 2009 (about formation of Telangana). It would have been better had you implemented properly. But, you withdrew due to pressure from Seemandhra and some influential people. Because of that, hundreds of youths committed suicide in the state (in support of Telangana)," he told reporters. The congress party would realise on December 11 (the day of counting in the coming Assembly polls) what Telangana people are thinking, he said. TRS leader and minister in the caretaker government T Harish Rao asked why Sonia Gandhi made no mention of industrial incentives that were reportedly promised (at the ...
Doval condemns attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi
National Security Advisor Ajit Doval on Saturday strongly condemned the terror attack on the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's Karachi city. Three heavily-armed suicide bombers stormed the Chinese consulate in Pakistan's largest city on Friday, killing four people including two policemen, before being shot dead by security forces. Doval expressed condolences over the attack and strongly condemned it as a terrorist act, said a Chinese foreign ministry statement issued at the end of the 21st round of Special Representatives' talks on the border issue held in China's Chengdu city on Saturday. Doval and Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi led both sides at the talks. In his remarks, Wang stressed that such attacks on diplomatic missions cannot be tolerated. "Terrorism is a common threat facing all countries in the world. The international community should work together to advance counter-terrorism cooperation," the statement quoted Wang as saying. He said both China and ...
Rajasthan Congress complains to EC against BJP president Shah
The Rajasthan Congress on Saturday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against BJP President Amit Shah accusing him of flouting the model code of conduct by "provoking voters against the opposition party" in the poll-bound state during his recent Bikaner rally.
Cong-JDS coalition Govt functioning effectively; Parameshwara
: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and congress leader G Parameshwara Saturday rejected a senior party colleague's remarks that the Congress-JD(S) coalition government was yet to 'take off' and said it has functioned effectively in the last six months. He was responding to comments by senior Congress MLA Satish Jarkiholi that the government was yet to "take off". "There is no need for us to react to personal opinions. Our government has functioned effectively in the last six months," Parameshwara told reporters here. The deputy chief minister said that if any Congress legislators had any problem or no work had taken place in their constituencies, they could always bring it to the notice of the chief minister,himself or the Congress state president. Echoing the demand for cabinet expansion and concerns about developmental works expressed by several Congress MLAs, Jarkiholi on Fridayhad said that the government was yet to 'take off.' The MLA had said there was a demand for ..
Winter session of Odisha Assembly adjourned after only 5 days
The winter session of the Odisha Assembly continued for five working days as Speaker Pradip Amat adjourned the proceedings for an indefinite time.