Page 242 - Politics
Russia plans to deliver S-400s to Turkey in two months: Official
Russia will begin delivering S-400 air defence systems to Turkey in two months, the head of state-owned defence conglomerate Rostec said on Friday. "Everything is on track with the Turks. I hope that we will begin to deliver in about two months," Sergei Chemezov told NTV channel, according to Russian agencies. "The credit money has been spent, the technology was produced. And we completed training of all the military personnel," he said. Turkey's S-400 purchase has ruffled feathers in the US, and Pentagon officials warned of "devastating consequences" for the NATO member which also plans to buy F-35 fighters from the US. Washington wanted Turkey to opt for American Patriot missiles instead of the S-400 system, but President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Russia made a better proposal. He said this week Turkey was "determined" to buy from Russia. Russian agencies reported that the purchase concerns four systems valued at USD 2.5 billion.
First in N-E: EC declares Sangma's NPP as a national party
The Election Commission on Friday declared National People's Party (NPP), a tribal-centric political party, as one of the national parties.
BJP didn't use military feats to win polls: Madhav
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav said on Friday the party did not use military achievements to win the general election and claimed that it would remain in power even in 2047, the centenary of Independence. "We got a massive victory because we succeeded in stopping communal unrest, corruption, building a strong India and introducing financial stability in the last five years," Madhav said. "Our party did not use military achievements to make it to the Parliament." The Bharatiya Janata Party leader was addressing the party's victory rally at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here. "The BJP government, under (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi ji's stewardship, will go a long way. We are confident that the party will still be in power in 2047, when the country will celebrate the centenary year of Independence," Madhav said. "Nationalism is in the BJP's DNA." He claimed that the BJP would surpass the Congress and become the longest-serving party in power at the Centre. At the rally, Tripura Chief .
Imran Khan writes to PM Modi, offers talks to resolve all disputes
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday said Islamabad wants talks with New Delhi to resolve all differences, including on the Kashmir issue, according to a media report, a day after India said there will be no bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek next week. In a letter to Modi congratulating him on his second term as the prime minister of India, Khan said talks between the two nations were the only solution to help both countries' people overcome poverty and that it was important to work together for regional development, the Geo TV reported. Khan said Pakistan desires the resolution of all problems, including that of the Kashmir issue, the report said. Meanwhile, sources in New Delhi said the Pakistani prime minister has sent a letter to Modi, congratulating on his election victory, but did not clarify when the letter was received. This is the second time after Modi was ...
Algerians rally for change after presidential polls scrapped
Hundreds of demonstrators packed the centre of the Algerian capital on Friday calling on the interim president to quit a day after he called for dialogue aimed at fixing a new date for elections as soon as possible. A vote planned for July 4 was cancelled Sunday in the face of widespread protests as demonstrators who forced the ouster of veteran president Abdelaziz Bouteflika in April continued to demand a broad political overhaul. Algeria's constitutional council said it was impossible to hold elections to choose a successor to Bouteflika after the only two candidates were rejected. Interim Algerian president Abdelkader Bensalah on Thursday urged the political class and civil society to hold an "inclusive dialogue" aimed at fixing a new date for elections "as soon as possible". But demonstrators who flooded central Algiers for the 16th consecutive Friday continued to demand change in the North African country, chanting "we're fed up with these rulers". They also called on Bensalah ...
Serbian FM scolded for 'defacing' USD 100 bill
Belgrade's top diplomat on Friday drew criticism from the US embassy for writing a nationalist slogan -- "Kosovo is Serbia" -- on a USD 100 bill as part of a social media campaign this week. The online trend has seen Serbs scrawl the phrase, which reflects Belgrade's denial of the independence of former province Kosovo, on foreign currencies and post images of the bills on social media. Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic also played along and was seen in an Instagram photo grinning and holding up a USD 100 note, which features a portrait of Benjamin Franklin on one side, with the phrase written in pen. The US embassy was not as amused. "Instead of defacing the great American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin, Minister Dacic might want to reflect on his ideas: 'Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors'," it said in a statement when asked to comment. Dacic defended the move, telling local newspaper Blic: "This is our politics, I say this all the time, why shouldn't I ...
Five Deputy CMs, 25 ministers to be inducted in Andhra Cabinet on Saturday
Twenty-Five Ministers and five deputy Chief Ministers are expected to be sworn-in on Saturday in the Andhra Pradesh cabinet led by Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy.Arrangements for the swearing-in ceremony are being made at the state secretariat.Out of the 25 ministers, eight will be allotted to leaders from OBC community, five from SC, and one from ST, YSRCP announced.Around 60 per cent of the ministries are expected to be allocated to OBC, SC, ST and minorities. YSRCP has given prominence to the Kapu community by allotting four ministries. Other than that Reddy, Kamma, Kshatriya and Vysya communities are expected to be allocated one ministry each.YS Jaganmohan Reddy on Friday held a meeting of YSRC legislative party. During the meeting, he announced that 25 ministers will take charge tomorrow.He also announced that his cabinet will comprise five deputy Chief Ministers from five different communities -- SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Kapu.Reportedly, his cabinet will comprise a majority
Amit Shah's security tightened (Reissuing)
Within a week of his taking over as Union Home Minister, the security of Amit Shah has been reviewed by Delhi Police which has deployed an "additional component" of its personnel at the residence of the BJP leader who already enjoys 'Z-plus' category of protective cover.
Cases lodged against BJP leaders for violating govt order
Police on Friday registered suo motu cases against the BJP's North Dinajpur district leadership for taking out victory rallies in violation of a West Bengal government order banning them. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had on Thursday said victory rallies will not be allowed by any party in the state, including the ruling Trinamool Congress. The BJP held two such processions during the day at Raiganj and Kaliyaganj in the district, the permission for which was denied by the administration, police said. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh, who was a part of the rallies along with Union minister Debasree Chaudhuri, however, asserted that the party will "continue to hold victory rallies in the state despite the prohibition". Chaudhuri had won the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat on a BJP ticket. Sub-Divisional Officer of Raiganj, Rajat Kanti Das, said the district administration had turned down permission for the rallies on Thursday night. "Two separate suo motu cases have been registered
INLD MLA Balwan Singh Daulatpuria joins BJP in Haryana
In a fresh setback to the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana, its sitting MLA from Fatehabad constituency Balwan Singh Daulatpuria joined the ruling BJP on Friday. Daulatpuria announced his decision to quit the INLD at a meeting of BJP workers in Fatehabad. He was welcomed into the BJP fold by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The BJP's Haryana unit chief Subhash Barala and newly elected MP of the party from Sirsa, Sunita Duggal were also present in the meeting. The INLD, which is led by former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala, has been hit by a series of desertions ever since the party witnessed a vertical split last year owing to feud in the Chautala family. The Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) was formed by Dushyant Chautala, the grandson of Om Prakash Chautala. As many as eight INLD legislators have deserted the party in recent months and joined BJP, JJP and the Congress. A few months ago, Daulatpuria had filed a petition before the Assembly Speaker ...
Political policy of direct purchase in Telangana, says Singhvi
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday condemned the move of 12 Congress MLAs merging with the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) and alleged that this was possible due to money power.Addressing a media briefing, Singhvi told ANI: "A political policy has been followed in Telangana since last one year -- direct purchase. It is an unfortunate context but if there's such commercialization, it is the negative aspect of it.""All that happened in Telangana was possible due to money power. We condemn it but it is the reality of the new pattern brought in by the ruling party and the Chief Minister there," said Singhvi.Earlier in the day, 12 of Congress MLAs met Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and sought the merger of the group with the ruling TRS.The MLAs met the Speaker at his residence and submitted a memorandum claiming that the decision to merge with the TRS was taken at a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP), a claim the state Congress president N Uttam ...
BJP workers protest over removal of PM Modi's portrait from circuit house in Guna
BJP workers on Friday protested against the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's photo from the Circuit House here.According to BJP workers, the Prime Minister's photo was removed from the government-owned guest house after the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was enforced.They claimed that it has been more than a week since Modi was sworn-in as the Prime Minister for the second term but his photo was not put up in the Circuit House till now.BJP workers alleged that the Congress government headed by Chief Minister Kamal Nath is intentionally not putting up Modi's photo inside the guest house.
Rajasthan Brahmins bash Congress for poor representation in LS polls
At a time when the Congress is combating the worst-ever faction feud in Rajasthan, the Brahmins in the state have sounded the war bugle against the party, alleging that the 85 lakh-strong community in the state had switched allegiance to the BJP because the Congress didn't give Lok Sabha tickets to deserving Brahmin candidates.
Mamata not to attend 'fruitless' NITI Aayog meeting
Making it clear that she would skip the upcoming NITI Aayog meeting, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it was "fruitless" for her to attend the deliberations as the body has no financial powers and the power to support state plans.
Trump heads home to US after Europe visit
US President Donald Trump departed Ireland for home on Friday, wrapping up a five-day trip to Europe that included visits to Britain and France to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Trump departed Shannon Airport in western Ireland bound for Washington following his first visit to the country since taking power in January 2017. He reportedly squeezed in a round of golf at his luxury coastal resort, and met local schoolchildren, on Friday before heading home aboard Air Force One. During his largely on-script trip, which included a state visit to Britain hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, the controversial president lauded the "unbreakable" bonds between Europe and the United States. Trump joined a host of other world leaders in northern France on Thursday, as well as thousands of well-wishers, to pay tribute to the ever-dwindling number of veterans of the 1944 D-Day landings that turned the course of World War II. That followed a gathering in Portsmouth, southern England, the previous day .
MoS Home Kishan Reddy accorded rousing welcome in Hyderabad
Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy was accorded a grand reception by BJP leaders and activists Friday as he arrived in Hyderabad for the first time after assuming charge of his new responsibility in Delhi. BJP president in Telangana K Laxman and other leaders greeted him and he left for the state party office at Nampalli from the Begumpet airport in the city in a rally. Scores of party workers cheered him. Reddy, who was elected to the Lok Sabha from Secunderabad here, assumed charge as a Minister of State for Home last week. Reddy had served as president of BJP in Telangana and also as party's floor leader in the Legislative Assembly.
Cong deserves Leader of Opposition post in Lok Sabha: Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Rajya Sabha member and senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi on Friday said that the Leader of Opposition position should be allotted to the Congress party in the Lok Sabha.Singhvi also said there is no rule of having minimum 10 per cent MPs in the Lower House for the party a get the Leader of Opposition's position. The Congress party is currently short of two MPs to meet the 10 per cent norm.Talking to ANI, Singhvi said: "Regarding the Leader of Opposition (LoP) status in the Parliament, nowhere it says that if a party's strength is 10 per cent of the total number of seats in the House, only then a party will be granted the LoP status. There is no such bar by an executive order."Detailing further on the issue, he said: "An Act to deal with salary and allowances of Lok Sabha enacted in 1977 only mentions the single largest party as the opposition party and nowhere mentions 10 per cent to be the criterion for the same. The rule that the party with a minimum of 10 per cent ...
Delhi government sets 2020 deadline for WiFi, CCTVs
The Aam Aadmi Party government's flagship CCTV project, which is to start from Saturday in the national capital, has the deadline of April next year, while the city government has set September 2020 to be the deadline for providing free WiFi facility to Delhiites, according to the Outcome Budget.
Imran writes to Modi, says Pak wants talks with India to resolve all disputes
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in a letter to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi on Friday said Islamabad wants talks with New Delhi to resolve all reconcilable problems, including the Kashmir issue, according to a media report, a day after India said there will be no bilateral meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Bishkek. In a letter to Modi congratulating him on his second term as the prime minister of India, Khan said talks between the two nations were the only solution to help both countries' people overcome poverty and that it was important to work together for regional development, the Geo TV reported. Khan said Pakistan desires the resolution of all problems, including that of the Kashmir issue, it said. This is the second time after Modi was re-elected to power that the Pakistani premier has expressed his desire to work together with India for the betterment of their peoples. Tensions between the two countries worsened after the Pulwama ..
Core group of ministers meets at Rajnath's residence
A core group of ministers on issues related to parliament session met at the residence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here on Friday ahead of the first session of the new Lok Sabha. Home Minister Amit Shah was among the ministers who attended the meeting which comes days before the parliament session beginning June 17. According to sources present in the meeting, discussions were held on coordinating with MPs during the upcoming session, updating the newly elected lawmakers about parliamentary procedures and constitution of parliamentary standing committee. The session will go on till July 26. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi earlier Friday met Congress Parliamentary Party chief Sonia Gandhi, seeking her party's cooperation for smooth functioning of the Parliament session. Joshi's visit to Gandhi's residence is part of the government's exercise to reach out to the opposition. The meeting lasted around 15 minutes, sources said. Joshi has also met Leader of the Opposition