Page 2432 - Politics
Winds damage national flag at Fort St George
: The national flag atop the Fort St George housing the Secretariat here was partially torn by strong winds Wednesday and was immediately replaced by the Corps of Military Police of the Army. "The flag got torn by the squall and there was a high-tension electricity cable passing by the flag mast. However, the tricolour was replaced," a defence public relations official told PTI. The flag is hoisted at 6 am and brought down at 6 pm every day by the military police which has been maintaining the flag mast for decades. The centuries-old British era Fort St George houses establishments of the Indian Army and the offices of the Archeaological Survey of India and a museum run by it. The over 100-foot high flag mast at the entrance to the fort was set up during the times of Elihu Yale who was the Governor of Madras during 1687-1692 and was rebuilt in early 1990s.
AAP MLAs ask Kejriwal to remove Delhi Police from govt's compensation scheme for slain personnel
AAP legislators demanded Wednesday that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal remove Delhi Police from the list of beneficiaries of the government's scheme of giving compensation of Rs one crore to the kin of slain security personnel, alleging that the force betrayed the people of the country. The AAP MLAs in a letter to Kejriwal also criticised the "attitude" of Delhi Police in cases of attack on him, saying it puts question mark on "impartiality" of the force. The move comes a day after a 40-year-old man threw chilli powder at Kejriwal outside his office at the Delhi Secretariat. "Besides you, attacks on AAP leaders and workers take place and the attitude of Delhi Police in such matters raises question over its impartiality," they said. The compensation of Rs one crore announced by the Delhi government for families of slain security forces personnel was intended for those who honestly and dedicatedly discharge their duties handed over to them by the government. "In all these incidents (of .
We will continue our battle till Kumaraswamy govt is brought
Declaring the beginning of its battle against the Congress-JD(S) coalition government in Karnataka, the BJP Wednesday said it would continue the fight till the H D Kumaraswamy-led administration is brought down and people get justice. Attacking Kumaraswamy on farmers' issues, the state BJP chief and former chief minister B S Yeddyurappaclaimed that the Congress too was regretting its decision to support him, just to keep BJP out of power. "You speak about BJP that has 104 MLAs, lightly. Kumaraswamy, from December 10 assembly session will begin inBelagavi. As a responsible opposition, it's our duty to keepbefore people your political drama and the developmental workyou have done so far," Yeddyurappa said. Addressing a protest meeting here, he said the BJP would organise a "huge" agitation by gathering over one lakh farmers, at Belagavi. "For the last five months we kept quiet, with an intention to give time to the new Chief Minister, but now after six months- people are ..
Video showing Kamal Nath seeking '90 per cent' voting in Muslim areas goes viral
A video purportedly showing Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath asking Muslim leaders to ensure as much as 90 per cent voting for his party from Muslim-dominated areas has gone viral ahead of the November 28 Assembly election in the state. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has launched an attack against the main opposition party over the issue, saying it only cared for Muslim appeasement. The Congress, on the other hand, dubbed it a conspiracy by the saffron party to divide voters on communal lines. In the video, Nath is purportedly heard saying that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the BJP have only one message for the voters -- a vote for Narendra Modi means a vote for Hindus -- and "agar Musalman ko vote deni hai, to Congress ko vote do (vote for the Congress if you want to vote for Muslims)." "This is their politics....We will deal with them later...They will try to provoke you, but you will have to bear everything till the day of voting," the Congress leader ..
Pak army chief asks India to place its 'stock in peace and progress' through dialogue
Pakistan Army Chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday said his troops are combat-hardened and ready to defend the country as he asked India to place its "stock in peace and progress" through dialogue. Gen Bajwa, who visited the Line of Control (LoC) and interacted with troops for the second time within a month, said that "lately there has been increase in Indian cease fire violations and rhetoric of provocative statements by their military leadership", according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the army. "We are a professional and combat-hardened Army ready to defend our motherland. It would be better if they realise this and place their stock in peace & progress through dialogue," Gen Bajwa said. He was also briefed about the situation along LoC, the ceasefire violations and response by Pakistan Army. On October 25, Gen Bajwa visited Sarpir and Pandu Sectors at the Line of Control where he interacted with the Pakistani troops. The ties between ...
Manmohan was remote-controlled by Sonia & Rahul: Vijayvargiya
BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya Wednesday alleged that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was remote-controlled by Sonia Gandhi and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. He also alleged that during Manmohan Singh's tenure, the economic condition of the country worsened. "As a prime minister, Manmohan Singh was remote-controlled by Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi," Vijayvargia told reporters here. "As a prime minister, Manmohan Singh used to take decisions in which there was a possibility of benefit to some people. Under his rule, corruption worth Rs 11 lakh crore took place," the BJP leader said. Vijayvargiya said Manmohan Singh should clarify whether he was "working under pressure of some people". "Manmohan is an economist. But during his tenure as the PM, the economic condition of the country worsened. During his rule, inflation and fiscal deficit increased and investment in infrastructure also declined." During a rally in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday, Prime .
PM Modi to address rally in Rajasthan's Alwar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address a public rally in Alwar district in poll-bound Rajasthan on Sunday, party officials said. The rally in Alwar, which has 11 Assembly constituencies, will be the first major poll-related meeting in the state after the declaration of the names of candidates for the December 7 elections. "Preparations for the PM's proposed rally on November 25 are in full swing. People from all constituencies will participate in the meeting," Sanjay Singh, BJP district president, said on Wednesday. The PM's visit is seen as the saffron party's move to strengthen its position in Alwar, where the party had faced defeat in the Lok Sabha bypolls earlier this year. Apart from Alwar, the party had also lost the Ajmer Lok Sabha seat in the bypolls, and Modi's last meeting in the poll-bound state was in Ajmer on October 6, just before the code of conduct came into force. In the 2013 Assembly elections, the BJP had won nine out of 11 seats in Alwar but one of its sitting ..
Calibrated effort in Modi regime to weaken democracy,alleges Manmohan; BJP hits back
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday accused the government of making a "careful, well-thought-out calibrated effort" to weaken democracy and lamented that the credibility of institutions like Parliament and the CBI was being "systematically denigrated". Singh levelled the allegation at a news conference in Indore ahead of the Assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh on November 28. The BJP rejected Singh's charge while the Prime Minister's Office(PMO) did not react. The BJP alleged that Singh's Congress-led government in its 10-year rule had always put pressure on institutions like the CBI while the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi "respects" institutions and does not interfere in their functioning. "Nobody is harming or weakening any institution. It is our government that is giving them independence to express their views and in economic policy. Singh should know that there are always difference of opinion and there are multiple options in research allocation," BJP ..
Telangana MP Reddy to join Congress after quitting TRS
Telangana Member of Parliament K. Vishweshwar Reddy who quit the states ruling TRS will be joining the Congress, party sources said on Wednesday.
RBI-Finance Ministry relationship very delicate: Manmohan
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday expressed concern over the rift between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Modi government, adding the relationship between the central bank and the Finance Ministry is "very delicate". Addressing a press conference ahead of the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, the former Union finance minister said the two should work in "coordination and harmony." "The relationship between the RBI and Finance Ministry is very delicate," he said. Harmony and coordination between both was essential for the country, he added. "The RBI governor and finance minister have a delicate relationship. Both have to work together. Although the job of running the country rests with the government, (a) specific responsibility is given to the RBI governor by the RBI Act. There is a need to recognise inter dependence of the two entities and work in harmony," he said. "I am happy with the efforts being made to bring reconciliation. Both need
Israel steps up boycott fight after Airbnb settlement ban
Israel is threatening vacation rental company Airbnb with high taxes and legal repercussions over its decision to remove listings from Jewish West Bank settlements. The threats step up Israel's fight against a global movement advocating for boycotts over the country's treatment of the Palestinians. Israeli Tourism Minister Yariv Levin said Tuesday that Israel will seek to impose "very high taxes" on the company in order to restrict its operations in the country. He also says Israel will encourage hosts in settlements to sue the company to make it "pay" for its decision. Airbnb's decision on Monday sparked outrage among Israeli officials and settler leaders, but was welcomed by Palestinian officials and human rights groups that had long pressured the company to end its contentious West Bank settlement listings.
Modi govt gave independence to institutions: BJP
The BJP Wednesday rejected former prime minister Manmohan Singh's charge that the Modi government was weakening democracy, saying its dispensation draws views from all stake-holders and has given bodies like the RBI independence to express their opinions. Hitting back at Singh, the BJP said his government in its 10-year rule had always put pressure on institutions like the CBI, while the dispensation led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi "respects" institutions and does not interfere in their functioning. At a press conference in Indore, Singh had said that the credibility of institutions has been systematically denigrated under the current government which, he claimed, is making a "careful, well-thought-out calibrated effort" to weaken democracy. "Nobody is harming or weakening any institution. It is our government that is giving them independence to express their views and in economic policy, Singh should know that there are always difference of opinions and there are multiple options
Political rivals want me eliminated: Kejriwal on chilli powder attack
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleged Wednesday his political rivals were conspiring to get him eliminated, a day after a man flung chilli powder at the AAP supremo outside his office in the Delhi Secretariat. The chief minister's spectacles broke but he was not injured in Tuesday's attack. Kejriwal claimed he was attacked four times in the past two years. He said this during his visit to Sonipat in Haryana where he handed over anex-gratia cheque of Rs 1 crore to the family of martyred BSF jawan Narender Singh. "During the past two years, there have been four attacks on me. This is not a minor issue. I think in India's history, there must not be a single example when a chief minister faced attacks on four occasions in two years. So, it is clear that such attacks are not taking place, but they are being carried out," Kejriwal told reporters here. He was asked who would he blame for Tuesday's attack. The chief minister claimed that the AAP government in Delhi has carried out lot .
Chilli powder attack on Kejriwal stage-managed: Tiwari
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Wednesday alleged the chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was stage-managed.
Iran welcomes 'new European initiatives' for non-dollar trade
LONDON (Reuters) - Iran on Wednesday praised European efforts to maintain business with Tehran despite U.S. sanctions, citing "constructive meetings" with British and French officials in Tehran this week on setting up a way to conduct non-dollar trade.
British, EU leaders to meet as Brexit deadline looms
British Prime Minister Theresa May told skeptical lawmakers on Wednesday that rejecting her divorce deal with the European Union would mean uncertainty and division, before a meeting with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to help finalize the Brexit agreement. The UK and the European Union agreed last week on a 585-page document sealing the terms of Britain's departure, but are still working to nail down agreement on future relations before EU leaders meet in Brussels on Sunday to rubber-stamp the package. But May is under intense pressure from pro-Brexit and pro-EU British lawmakers, with large numbers on both sides of the debate opposing the divorce deal. Brexiteers think it will leave the UK tied too closely to EU rules, while pro-Europeans say it will erect new barriers between Britain and the bloc, its neighbour and biggest trading partner. May fended off a barrage of criticism from both opposition and government legislators Wednesday during her weekly Commons ...
Other parties trying to kill me: Kejriwal on chilli powder attack
A day after Arvind Kejriwal was allegedly attacked in the Delhi Secretariat, the Delhi Chief Minister said that other parties are trying to get him killed as they fear that public would soon start asking them why they failed at achieving the kind of development the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has achieved in the national capital."I had been attacked four times in the last two years which is not a small thing. I think that in the history of India, such a thing has never happened. It is obvious that these attacks are being planned. These people want to get me killed because the way in which development has taken place under my government, no government has been able to do that. They are scared as the public has started questioning and comparing other states with the Aam Aadmi Party government," he told reporters here on Wednesday.Meanwhile, workers and leaders of the AAP took to the streets to protest against the attack and alleged that the Delhi Police in coordination with the Bharatiya ...
No fair investigation by Congress in 1984 anti-Sikh riots, says RS Prasad
Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the Congress party of not conducting a fair investigation in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.The senior BJP leader asserted that the special investigation that led to the sentencing of the perpetrators was set up by none other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government."BJP wanted to assure the Sikhs, especially those whose families had suffered, that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) would probe the cases fairly, without any unnecessary interference, and take action against the guilty.", Prasad said.Targeting Congress party's Madhya Pradesh state unit chief Kamal Nath, the Union Law Minister alleged that the Congress leader was removed as the party's in-charge for the Punjab Assembly polls following protests by the Sikhs.On Wednesday, a Delhi court awarded death penalty to convict Yashpal Singh and life sentence to Naresh Sehrawat for murdering two ...
Konda Vishweshwar Reddy likely to join Congress
Lok Sabha member of Parliament Konda Vishweshwar Reddy has announced that he would soon join the Congress party. His declaration comes following his meeting with Congress president Rahul Gandhi.His statement comes a day after he resigned from the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) citing "disappointment" at various levels."Having resigned yesterday, I requested a meeting with Rahul Gandhi and he was gracious enough to meet me today. I explained some of the problems at my constituency to him and he promised to look into them. I have great hope that what TRS having promised could not achieve in my constituency, we can achieve that through the Congress party. The meeting was extremely productive. I am really happy to meet Rahul Gandhi ji. I hope to join the party on 23rd or whatever date party decides," Reddy said after meeting the Congress president here today.Telangana assembly elections are due on December 7 and Reddy's resignation has come as a major setback to the TRS.In his 3-page ..
Amid Sri Lankan political turmoil, UNP to 'fast until death'
United National Party (UNP) General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam informed that the party will be holding a series of protests and fasts until death in order to express their disapproval against what it called an "unconstitutional instate of a new government."Kariyawasam further said the protests will be held in Kandy on November 24, in Kalutara on November 27, in Colombo on December 3 and at Kiribathgoda on December 4, 2018.The UNP General Secretary accused the state officers who approved spending for new ministers saying they would be answerable for the illegal acts. He mentioned, "There is no legal value for the spending carried out by the ministries as there is no government at the moment as announced by the Speaker," the Daily Mirror reported.The trade unions and professionals supporting UNP were supposed to hold Sathyagraha at the Vihara Maha Devi Park today [November 21]. This would be converted to fast until death if the need arises, notified UNP MP Ajith P Perera.Further .