Page 2412 - Politics
Maldivian Foreign Minister arrives in India Saturday on four-day visit
Foreign Minister of the Maldives Abdulla Shahid will arrive here Saturday on a four-day visit, with an aim to repair the bilateral ties which came under severe strain during the previous government in the island nation. Officials said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will hold extensive talks with Shahid on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had attended the swearing-in ceremony of Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on November 17 in Male. During their meeting, Modi and Solih vowed to renew close ties and friendship between the two countries and agreed on the importance of maintaining peace and security in the Indian Ocean region. Solih, as the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate, had surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in the presidential election held on September 23. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for ...
Kartarpur corridor will act as bridge between peoples of India, Pakistan: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday hoped the Kartarpur corridor would act as a bridge between the peoples of India and Pakistan that might lead to a better future as he referred to the fall of the Berlin Wall to underline the importance of people-to-people contact. On the occasion of the birth anniversary of first Sikh Guru Nanak Dev, the prime minister referred to the Partition and said, "What has happened in 1947 has happened." He said the issues between the governments and the armies would continue and only time will show the way out. Underlining the strength of people-to-people contact, the prime minister said,"Had anyone ever thought that the Berlin Wall would fall. May be with the blessings of Guru Nanak Devji, this Kartarpur corridor will not just remain a corridor, but act as a bridge between the peoples of the two countries." Modi was speaking at a function to mark the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev at the residence of Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal
Government to observe remembrance anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh massacre
Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma has said that Jallianwala Bagh will undergo redevelopment as part of remembrance of 100 years of the massacre that took place during the British rule.
OBCs got reservation because of BSP's agitation: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati claimed Friday that Other Backward Classes (OBCs) got reservation because of her party's efforts. Addressing a campaign rally here, Mayawati said during the VP Singh government at the Centre, the BSP launched a countrywide agitation for the implementation of Mandal commission's report, but the BJP and Congress opposed it. It was because of BSP's efforts that OBCs got reservation, she said. Both the BJP and Congress were working against the interests of OBCs, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and trying to weaken the laws enacted for the welfare of these communities, she alleged. The poor sections of upper castes should also get reservation, she said. Targeting the Narendra Modi government at the Centre, Mayawati claimed that traders were unhappy with the way the GST and demonetisation were implemented without prior preparation. The two exercises affected the country's economy, and poor fiscal policies of the Centre led to ...
Sitharaman to Rahul: Meet Antony to understand Rafale buy process
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday said Congress president Rahul Gandhi is "misguiding" people on the Rafale fighter aircraft deal with France and advised him to approach her predecessor A K Antony of the Congress to understand the process of defence procurement. Gandhi has repeatedly alleged a mega scam in the Rafale fighter jet deal and accused the Modi government of favouring a private company in offset contract related to the Rs 58,000-crore defence agreement with Paris. The government has vehemently denied Gandhi's charges. "If he contacts and holds discussions with former Defence Minister (and Congress leader) A K Antony on process of procurement in the Rafale deal, he will understand it," she told reporters here. The BJP leader was replying to a query about Gandhi making the controversial deal a big issue in the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. "But his intention was not to understand it. His intention is to misguide people over Rafale deal, so wherever he goes he ...
In Kerala LDF, JD (S) minister Thomas to be replaced by Krishnankutty
The national leadership of the Janata Dal (S) on Friday decided to replace Mathew T. Thomas, State Minister for Water Resources, with party veteran K. Krishnankutty, said a national leader of the party in Bengaluru.
'Mother of Telangana' Sonia says Congress paid price for creating new state
United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Friday said the Congress carved out Telangana state, though it had to pay a political price for it.
Krishnankutty to replace JD-S Kerala Minister Mathew Thomas
The national leadership of the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) on Friday decided to replace Mathew T. Thomas, state Minister for Water Resources, with party veteran K. Krishnankutty, said a senior party leader.
SC should send Army to Ayodhya if necessary: Akhilesh Yadav
In a ground-breaking statement, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Friday urged the Supreme Court to take note of the situation in Ayodhya and call the Army, if needed, to keep it under control.Talking to reporters, Yadav said: "The BJP does not believe in either the Supreme Court or the Constitution. The BJP can go to any extent. The kind of environment there is in Uttar Pradesh, especially in Ayodhya, the Supreme Court should take notice of it and bring Army, if necessary."The statement comes ahead of a mass gathering by organisations such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and some Hindu activists and saints in Ayodhya over the weekend to build up pressure on the central government for a Ram temple at the site of the razed Babri mosque.The mega show will coincide with a two-day visit of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray to Ayodhya.His statement comes following the increased demand for an early court decision on the construction of Ram
Pakistan to open Kartarpur corridor next year
The Pakistan government on Friday decided to open the Kartarpur corridor next year on the occasion of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, while briefing the National Assembly today, said that the government decided to open the Kartarpur corridor in 2019, an official statement said.The response came after India on Thursday issued a Note Verbale to the Pakistan government urging it to develop a corridor with suitable facilities in its territory from the International Border to Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib.Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is slated to inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony of the facilities at the crossing on the Pakistan side on November 28.Kartarpur is a small town in Narowal district, situated about 4 kilometres from the Pakistan-India border, where Guru Nanak Dev spent the last 18 years of his life. Subsequently, Gurdwara Darbar Sahab was built at the site on the Pakistan side and Gurdwara Dera Baba Nanak in ...
'I understand Hindi': Sitharaman upset with reporter's 'sarcastic' query on surgical strike
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman took offence Friday at what she described as the "sarcastic tone" of a reporter's question about the 2016 surgical strikes carried out by the Army on terror launch pads across the LoC. During a press conference here, a reporter asked her as to why the NDA government was "tom-tomming" the operation two years later. "I got hurt by the way...in a very sarcastic tone you asked the question," an upset Sitharaman said. "The word you used....'bin bajaye (tom-tomming)...I understand Hindi...." During the ongoing campaign for Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, BJP leaders including party president Amit Shah have repeatedly referred to the surgical strikes of September 2016 in which the Indian Army destroyed terrorist launch pads by crossing the Line of Control. The reporter had asked her whether it was desirable to go public about the operation and if it was in the soldiers' interest, and whether the Congress governments had never carried out such ...
Yeddyurappa dubs Kumaraswamy a 'non-serious" CM, as govt
: As the Congress-JD(S) coalition government completed six months in office on Friday, state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said its survival for six months itself was a big success of the "non serious" Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy. The government, he said, has neither any directionnor goal, and alleged that Kumaraswamy has spent half of his days in office by visiting temples and the other half by passing time in posh hotels. "The big achievement of this government, which has completed six months in office, is making false promises to the people. Its six months survival itself is a big success ofChief Minister H D Kumaraswamy," Yeddyurappa said. He demanded to know why farmers were committing suicide 'on a daily basis', if the government, as claimed, had taken steps in the last six months to alleviate the sufferings of the people. "Even today farmers committed suicidein Mandya and Kalaburgi. Most shocking is that the farmers who arecommitting suicide are holding the chief .
Two-state solution to avoid apartheid state: Palestinian FM
The world must help resolve the Israel-Palestinian issue by backing a two-state solution to avoid the creation of an apartheid state, Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki said on Friday. "The Palestinians are still waiting for the international community to try to resolve the Palestinian problem that has been created by the international community," with the foundation of Israel in 1948, Maliki told the MED Dialogues conference in Rome. "Unfortunately, none of you is taking serious, credible and responsible steps to solve the problem," Maliki told the assembled European and Middle Eastern leaders. Maliki slammed the US administration of President Donald Trump "which has really sided with Israel, taken the wrong side of history, of justice." The Palestinians have already vowed to block Trump's peace plan and severed ties with his administration after his December decision to move the US embassy in Israel to Jerusalem and declare the city Israel's capital. The Palestinians also .
Dubey sends privilege notice against Veerappa Moily to Speaker
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has sent to Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan a privilege notice against Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance chairman Veerappa Moily for allegedly tweeting details of proceedings of the panel, and claimed the information shared by the Congress leader was not correct, sources said Friday. Dubey, who is also a member of the panel, was referring to a tweet by Moily in which he had claimed that the "Agriculture Ministry briefed the committee on the impact of demonetisation on agriculture". "This is the first official acknowledgment by the government about the burden our farmers had to bear because of the ill-conceived idea of note ban," Moily had tweeted. However, the Twitter account, which Dubey claimed belonged to Moily, did not carry the blue verification mark. Dubey has termed that Moily has tweeted incorrect information and said sharing the information of the proceedings was violation of the Lok Sabha norms. In the privilege notice sent to the Speaker, .
PM Modi brings shame to 'chowkidars': Rahul Gandhi
Training guns on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the Prime Minister has brought shame to word "chowkidar" (watchman).Gandhi, who often uses the word 'chowkidar' in reference to the Prime Minister, said that the situation is such that whenever the word is uttered people immediately respond and say "chor hai" (is a thief).Previously Gandhi scion had used the slogan "Gali gali mein shor hai, Chowkidar chor hai' to insinuate that the Prime Minister indulged in acts of corruption.Elaborating on this, Gandhi said: "Wherever you go and say the word "chowkidar", there comes a reply "chor hai". I want to apologise to the chowkidars of the country because it is not your mistake, you all are not thieves, you all are honest and hardworking. Only one person has brought disgrace to you. The Prime Minister of the country has defamed all the chowkidars".Attacking Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Gandhi said: "On the one hand, there is ..
Ruling party's responsibility to maintain public discourse civilised: Cong
The Congress on Friday sought to the blame the BJP for lowering public discourse in the country and said the onus of maintaining civilised debate lies with the ruling party. The party's reaction came following criticism of remarks by its leader Raj Babbar who had compared the Rupee's falling value against the US dollar with the age of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari alleged that a spate of "offensive" statements against former and current Congress presidents had emanated from the BJP leaders. "The statements which have emanated from the Prime Minister and downwards. Personal, offensive, salacious statements against the former Congress president, the current Congress president. It assaults me to repeat those statements but people who have made those statements, they have been rewarded with Rajya Sabha (nomination)," he told reporters at the party office here. He said that Congress believes that the public discourse should be civilised but the .
BJP lodges complaint with EC against CP Joshi for his remarks
The BJP on Friday lodged a complaint with the Election Commission against senior Congress leader C P Joshi for his casteist remarks during a poll meeting in Rajasthan. Joshi had reportedly said Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP MP Uma Bharti and Hindu activist Sadhvi Ritambhara are from "lower castes" and know nothing of Hinduism. He had also said it is the Brahmins who are learned and know of Hinduism. Though Joshi on Friday apologised for his comments, the BJP rejected the apology, saying the remarks "insulted" Indian culture and the Hindu religion, and dared Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to expel him from the party. "The comments made by the Congress leader (Joshi) based on caste, section and religion in an election rally are violation of the model code of conduct. So, a complaint has been lodged with the Election Commission," BJP Rajasthan election cell convenor, Nahar Singh Maheshwari, said in a statement here. Polls in Rajasthan are scheduled on December 7. "There is
Sonia, Rahul attack TRS chief Rao for "family rule" in T'gana
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday attacked TRS chief and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for running a "family rule" in Telangana and "failing" to respond to the aspirations of people of the state. In a show of strength by the Congress-led opposition alliance, leaders of its constituents-- the TDP, Telangana Jana Samiti and CPI-- shared the dais with them at an election rally at Medchal on the city's outskirts. Sonia Gandhi, on her maiden visit to Telangana after the formation of the state in June 2014, recalled the problems the Congress party faced due to its decision to bifurcate Andhra Pradesh. She said despite being aware of adverse political consequences, the Congress went ahead and created Telangana, and paid the price in the elections that followed. "It (carving out Telangana) was not an easy task. It was no small decision. But former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party decided to
DCW chief Swati Maliwal comes under fire from AAP for tweet rebuking Somnath Bharti
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal, a close associate of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, was trolled by her party members after she rebuked AAP MLA Somnath Bharti for allegedly using objectionable language against a television anchor. "I strongly condemn Somnath Bharti's misogynistic and shameful statements against a female reporter. I believe NOIDA Police has filed an FIR in the matter. Law shall now take its course. I strongly feel people in public life should control their anger!" Maliwal tweeted. The police had registered an FIR on Wednesday against Bharti on a complaint by the woman anchor. Reacting to Maliwal's tweets, Bharti hit back saying she came out with a judgement on him watching a 20-second video and questioned her if she would seek similar action against leaders from the ruling party at the Centre. Raghav Chadha, AAP leader and party's Lok Sabha in-charge for south Delhi Lok Sabha constituency, took an aim at Maliwal saying he hoped that she will
No Brexit is not an option, warns Theresa May
Britain faces "more division" and "uncertainty" if a draft Brexit deal falls through, Prime Minister Theresa May warned on Friday, but refused to rule out resigning if Parliament voted down the divorce agreement with the EU. May on Friday took to the airwaves for a second time in days to reach out for public support over her controversial Brexit withdrawal deal with the European Union (EU). In a phone-in BBC radio show, she reiterated that the agreement she had finalised was the best possible outcome and that the EU would not be offering a better deal even if it is defeated by MPs in the House of Commons next month. "If this deal doesn't go through we are back at square one. What we end up with is more uncertainty and more division," she warned. "My job is to persuade people. I believe this is the right deal for the UK. My job is to persuade people in Parliament of that view. "Personally, there's no question of no Brexit because the government needs to deliver on what people voted for