Page 2440 - Politics
BJP bags Rishikesh mayor seat, Congress ahead in Haldwani
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has bagged the prestigious mayoral seat of Rishikesh, officials said on Tuesday.
Cong offered less seats to BSP in MP, Mayawati on failed alliance bid
BSP supremo Mayawati Tuesday accused the Congress of conspiring against her party by offering it less seats leading to the alliance between the two parties for the Madhya Pradesh polls not taking off. The state is scheduled to go to polls on November 28 and results will be declared on December 11. "The Congress is on weak ground in Madhya Pradesh. That is why it had proposed an alliance with the BSP in the state. (But) under a planned strategy and conspiracy, the Congress wanted to finish off the BSP and offered (it) very low number of seats (in the alliance)," Mayawati said Tuesday. She added that the Bahujan Samaj Party had a strong base in Uttar Pradesh, MP and several other states, and after being offered less seats (by the Congress), her party decided to go it alone in MP. She did not specify the number of seats the Congress had offered the BSP for MP polls. The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister was addressing a rally at the BHEL Dussehra Maidan here. She said a desperate and ..
Jailed Bangladeshi photojournalist freed on bail
A prominent Bangladesh photojournalist accused of criticising his country's government during a television interview was freed from the Dhaka Central Jail on Tuesday, four days after a court granted him bail, authorities told Efe.
Bangladesh photographer freed after months in detention
Award-winning Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam was released from prison Tuesday after more than 100 days behind bars, in a closely watched freedom of speech case. The 63-year-old Alam was arrested on August 5 for making "false" and "provocative" statements on Al Jazeera television and Facebook during student protests. He was freed from Dhaka's main jail Tuesday after being granted bail last week. Alam told AFP he hoped his release would "signal freedom for many others" also detained during the massive student demonstrations. "It is a fantastic feeling to be free in a free country, breathing free air. But I hope for freedom for everyone else," he said. He was held under controversial internet laws which critics say have been wielded by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stifle dissent and harass journalists. Alam spoke briefly to reporters after he came out of prison to describe conditions inside jail, Alam's close associate Rezaur Rahman told AFP. The photographer had .
Nagrota terror attack: NIA chargesheet names JeM chief's brother, 13 others
The NIA on Tuesday named Pakistan-based UN-designated terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammad's (JeM) deputy chief Maulana Abdul Rouf Asgar, the brother of outlawed organisation's founder Maulana Masood Azhar, and 13 others in its chargesheet in 2016 Nagrota terror attack case.
J-K panchayat polls: 71.1% voter turnout recorded in second phase
Voting for the second phase of panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir ended with 80.4 per cent of voter turnout in Jammu division and 53.2 per cent in Kashmir division, while overall voter turnout of the state was 71.1 per cent.As much as 72.3 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Ramban, 77.9 per cent in Kishtwar, 81.7 per cent in Doda, 83.5 per cent in Rajouri, 84 per cent in Udhampur, 27.4 per cent turnout in Ganderbal, 44.8 per cent in Kashmir Valley, 66.3 per cent in Leh, 70.5 per cent in Kupwara and 75.2 per cent in Kargil.Over 2.37 lakh voters out of 3.31 lakh voters exercised their franchise in spite of threats to life and limb.Speaking to ANI, Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik said that no poll-related casualty was reported in any part of the state."Good thing is there was no poll-related casualty. Villagers want their share of development; it will strengthen democracy in villages. Till now politics of Kashmir was in urbans' hands, now it will bring a new ...
WB Minister resigns after heated argument with Mamata
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and West Bengal Fire and Housing Minister Sovan Chatterjee on Tuesday resigned from both the posts after a heated argument with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.Chatterjee is also likely to resign from the post of Mayor tomorrow.Meanwhile, State Urban Development and Municipal Affairs minister Firhad Hakim has taken charge of both departments.Allegedly, Chatterjee was spending more time with a woman with whom he is alleged to have an affair, and the happenings in his personal life did not seem to go down well within the party.If sources are to be believed, the problems had emerged in the party from quite some time. However, the final trigger was pulled on Tuesday, resulting in the minister tendering his resignation.
Kejriwal attack: Police says chilli powder 'fell unintentionally'
The Delhi Police have released a statement after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was allegedly attacked at the Secretariat on Tuesday with chilli powder.As per the statement, the chilli powder, which was found on the floor of the Delhi Secretariat, was not thrown but had fallen "unintentionally" from accused Anil Kumar Sharma's pocket. The accused has already been detained by the police for questioning."Sharma had gone to the Chief Minister's office to submit a complaint with a staff member's reference. After handing over the complaint to the minister, he bent down to touch his feet during which Kejriwal's security persons intervened and his spectacles fell down," reads the statement."Subsequently, security personnel moved him aside and found him carrying a pouch in his hand which apparently contained chilli powder, which later got torn," the statement read.New Delhi Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Madhur Verma said that Sharma had entered the premises with an authentic pass. ...
TRS parliamentarian Vishweshwar Reddy resigns from party
In a major setback to the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) ahead of the December 7 assembly elections, its parliamentarian Vishweshwar Reddy has resigned from the party on Tuesday evening.In his 3-page letter to TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao, Reddy alleged that the party has compromised on its principles by giving more power and prominences to the people who were against the ideology of the party in the Cabinet.He regretted that the party was getting distanced more and more from the people which it had once represented, adding that the government was becoming inaccessible to the people."I feel people who had fought for Telangana and shared a common ideology, including me, are no longer needed in the party," he said.Reddy also mentioned that he will always respect KCR for his struggle for separate Telangana but is deeply pained at the current situation."KCR Garu, I will always respect you for your struggle for separate Telangana and history will remember you always as a leader who ..
Ambassadors of India, China call on Maldives Foreign Minister
Akhilesh Mishra, the Indian Ambassador to the Maldives, called on the newly-appointed Foreign Minister of the Maldives, Abdulla Shahid, on Monday."Ambassador of #India to the Maldives H.E. Mr. Akilesh Mishra calls on Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid. Discussed close cooperation between India and the Maldives, and upcoming visit to Delhi by the Minister," the official Twitter account of the Maldives' Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted.On the same day, the Ambassador of China to the Maldives Zhang Lizhong met with the Foreign Minister in a separate meeting."Ambassador of #China to the Maldives H.E. Mr. Zhang Lizhong calls on Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid. Discussed on-going Chinese projects in the #Maldives and future cooperation including Minister's upcoming visit to Beijing," the official handle further tweeted.The meeting between Shahid and Zhang come amidst media reports which state that the Maldives is set to pull out from the Free Trade ...
Hizb-ul-Mujahideen operative arrested for killing J-K police officer
Delhi Police arrested a Hizb-ul-Mujahideen operative, who was earlier associated with the Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday for allegedly killing a sub-inspector of Jammu and Kashmir Police, officials said. The man, identified as Ansar Ul Haqe, a resident of Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, allegedly hatched a conspiracy to kill the sub-inspector with his girlfriend after finding out that she knew the policeman, they added. On October 28, the bullet-ridden body of 30-year-old Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir was found in Chewa Kalan area of Pulwama district, Pramod Singh Kushwah, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell), said. The victim, Mir, who was working with the CID department, was returning home in his car when he was allegedly abducted by terrorists and killed, he said. Mir had been warned about a possible attack on him and even his superiors had told the officer against venturing into his village. The Delhi Police learnt about the possible hideouts of the accused. However, the .
CPI leaders visit DMK chief Stalin to cement ties for LS poll
Communist Party of India general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy along with senior leaders of his party visited DMK president M K Stalin here Tuesday and discussed the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Led by Reddy, CPI Rajya Sabha MP D Raja, state secretary R Mutharasan visited Stalin days after CPI(M)'s top leader Sitaram Yechury had called on the DMK chief. The discussion centred around the Lok Sabha polls and "strengthening," the DMK-led alliance of parties in Tamil Nadu to dislodge the incumbent governments at the state and the Centre, party sources told PTI. On November 13, Yechury said his party had decided to be a part of the DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu for the 'forthcoming' polls. DMK senior leader T R Baalu, party Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi were present during the meeting.
US air strikes in Somalia killed 37 militants: Pentagon
US air strikes in Somalia killed an estimated 37 fighters from the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab, the US military said Tuesday. The two air strikes were carried out Monday near Debatscile, the military's Africa command said in a statement, adding that the "air strikes did not injure or kill any civilians." It said the first "precision strike" killed 27 militants in a "planned and deliberate action." The second strike killed another 10 fighters. The US military said the strikes were "conducted in support of the Federal Government of Somalia as it continues to degrade Al-Shabaab." Last month, the US military said it had killed 60 Shabaab fighters in a single air strike, the largest since an air raid on one of the Islamist group's training camps that killed around 100 fighters in November 2017. Air assaults and missile strikes have increased in recent months against Shabaab, an Al-Qaeda affiliate fighting to overthrow the internationally backed Somali government in Mogadishu, which .
Congress' 'soft Hindutva' won't work in MP, says BJP
Calling Congress' pitch for "soft Hindutva" in Madhya Pradesh "gimmickry" which would not be able to hoodwink people, the BJP on Tuesday said it is all set to return to power because of his government's development works, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's popularity and its organisational strength.
Pakistan issues over 3,800 visas to Sikh pilgrims
Pakistan has issued over 3,800 visas to Sikh pilgrims ahead of the 549th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, the Pakistan High Commission here said on Tuesday.
India, Singapore decide to ramp up defence cooperation
India and Singapore Tuesday signed a revised Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) to further strengthen the military cooperation between the armed forces of the two countries, officials said. The pact was signed before talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her Singaporean counterpart Ng Eng Hen in Visakhapatnam. Officials said the two countries also renewed a bilateral agreement for the conduct of training and exercises for the Singapore armed forces in India. In the talks held under the framework of the Defence Ministers' Dialogue, Singapore supported India's keenness to be part of the maritime patrols along the Straits of Malacca with Singapore, they said. The Singapore side also conveyed to India that it looks forward to the inaugural conduct of the trilateral maritime exercise with Thailand in the Andaman Sea. Officials said the two countries also agreed to step up intelligence and information sharing in the areas of maritime security, and resolved to expand counter
BJP has political links with BJD: Mishra
Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, Narasingha Mishra Tuesday came down heavily on the BJP and asked whether Amit Shah had not called up Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking the BJD's support. The senior Congress leader raised the question while speaking during the post lunch session of the Assembly after House remained adjourned over BJP members allegation that Mishra has secret pact with Naveen Patnaik, who is also the president of the ruling BJD. The House witnessed three consecutive adjournments as the BJP members created a din in the House saying that the secret understanding between the Leader of Opposition and the chief minister has been "against interest of the state." Rejecting the BJP's allegation, Mishra on the other hand accused the saffron party of having "political links with the BJD." "We want to know what was BJP's demand for disrupting the proceeding. They have no demand, but the House has been stalled for politics," Mishra said adding .
Manoj Tiwari says chilli powder attack on Kejriwal if not fabricated is condemnable, demands probe
Delhi BJP president Manoj Tiwari Tuesday said if the chilli powder attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal outside his office in the Delhi Secretariat is not fabricated, then it is condemnable and sought a high-level inquiry into it. However, he said that the deputy chief minister's statement equating this incident with that on the Signature Bridge during its inauguration on November 10 shows that it is only a drama. "If the incident is not fabricated, then it is certainly condemnable. But the statement of the deputy chief minister that this attack is like the attack at the Signature Bridge shows that this is only a drama. "It seems that this attack has been carried out at the instance of the chief minister to divert attention from AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan's attack on me and also to cover-up the sins of the AAP," Tiwari alleged. He said that non-violence is the best way to oppose in democracy. "For expressing opposite views, adopting such methods is completely wrong. We demand a ...
Rajnath takes a dig at Rahul over his temple visits
In a veiled attack on Congress president Rahul Gandhi over his visits to temples in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh Tuesday said the one "who has been visiting temples in a bid to win elections these days doesn't know how to sit" there. Addressing an election rally here, Singh also accused the Congress of trying to win votes by instigating social, casteist and religious sentiments, instead of focusing on humanity. "The one who has been visiting temples in a bid to win the elections these days doesn't know how to sit in the temple...at times he sits on knees and sometimes stands up," Singh said. "Where were they earlier? Such people don't win by visiting temples," he said. Singh said although the BJP has declared Shivraj Singh Chouhan as its chief ministerial face, the opposition party was yet to announce a CM face. "But it is a mystery who will be the Congress's CM face. There is a marriage procession, but nobody knows who the groom is," he said. The ...
Allegations against NSA in CBI controversy, Rafale deal raises doubts on govt: Yechury
CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury Tuesday said allegations against the National Security Adviser (NSA) in the ongoing controversy involving the CBI and also the Rafale deal has raised doubts over the BJP-led government's role in the two cases. "NSA's name has now surfaced in connection with the CBI fiasco and earlier as the lead negotiator in the corrupt Rafale deal. Is there still any doubt that the strings of the deals do not stop at the NSA but lead directly to his boss?", Yechury tweeted. The internal feud in the CBI turned murkier on Monday with senior officer MK Sinha dragging the names of NSA Ajit Doval, Union minister Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary and Central Vigilance Commissioner KV Chowdhury over alleged attempts to interfere in the probe against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana, who has been divested of his duties and sent on leave along with his boss Alok Kumar Verma. There was no response from the officials against whom Sinha had levelled the charges.