Page 2473 - Politics
BJP accused of attacking CPI(M) workers and MLA in Tripura
The opposition CPI(M) in Tripura has alleged that 35 of its party workers, including the MLA of Kamalassagar constituency, were attacked in different parts of the Bishalgarh sub-division on Friday. CPI(M) workers Saturday took out processions in Agartala against the alleged attack on Friday. The party, in a statement issued on Friday night, alleged that the ruling BJP workers attacked their supporters, activists and leaders in different parts of the Bishalgarh sub-division, including the MLA of Kamalasagar constituency, Narayan Chowdhury. The ruling BJP said that the CPI(M)'s allegation was false and baseless. "This is their propaganda model to give false statement to turn false into truth. Nothing such has happened in Bishalgarh," the BJP spokesperson in Tripura, Ashoke Sinha, said on Saturday. "Our chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb has strongly directed police to be neutral and take appropriate actions against the hoodlums, irrespective of any party affiliations. The ...
BJP pledges Rs 265 bonus for MP farmers with up to 5 acres land
The BJP on Saturday said it would give a bonus of Rs 265 to farmers with up to 5 acres of land in Madhya Pradesh, and also pledged to announce a new salary framework for state government employees.
RLSP ultimatum to BJP over seat-sharing in Bihar
Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) chief and Union Minister Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday gave an ultimatum to the BJP to ensure by November 30 "respectful" seat-sharing in Bihar for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Secrecy around illnesses of Sonia Gandhi, Parrikar not comparable: Surjewala
The cloak of secrecy surrounding the illnesses of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and former Congress President Sonia Gandhi are not comparable, Congress National Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said here on Saturday.
PM Modi departs for Maldives to attend Ibrahim Solih's swearing-in
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday left for a day-long visit to Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih."Pursuing the policy of Neighbourhood First! On his first visit to our maritime neighbour, PM @narendramodi emplanes for #Maldives to attend the historic swearing-in ceremony of President-elect @ibusolih. The last visit by an Indian PM to Maldives was in November 2011," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar wrote on his Twitter handle.This will be Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the Indian Ocean archipelago.Upon his arrival in Male, Prime Minister Modi will attend Solih's swearing-in ceremony at the National Stadium. He will also separately meet with the 54-year-old leader, before departing for India later in the evening.Yesterday, in his departure statement, the Prime Minister congratulated Solih for his victory in the Maldivian presidential elections in September and added that the recent polls in the island
Will form govt with absolute majority: Ajit Jogi
Ruling out the possibility of tying up with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or the Congress to form the government in Chhattisgarh, former state chief minister and Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) founder Ajit Jogi on Saturday asserted that his party's alliance with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Communist Party of India (CPI) would get absolute majority."Our (JCC, BSP and CPI) alliance is very strong and is fully confident of getting an absolute majority in the state," Jogi said at a press conference here."We will not extend support to BJP or the Congress. Our alliance is capable of forming a government," he added.On September 20, BSP supremo Mayawati, at a press conference, nominated Jogi as the chief ministerial candidate. A pre-poll alliance between the BSP and JCC was also announced on the same day. Around eight months prior to this, Jogi too had reportedly said that he would contest from the Rajanandgaon seat against incumbent Chief Minister Raman Singh.However, ...
Trump asks reporters to behave after Acosta row
President Donald Trump has played down a court decision that forced him to restore the press pass credentials of CNN's correspondent Jim Acosta and threatened to walk out of future press briefings if reporters do not act with "decorum". The press pass of Acosta, CNN's White House Correspondent, was suspended last week after an altercation he had with President Trump during a news conference. The White House had accused him of placing his hand on an intern. Acosta and the CNN has denied the allegations. A federal US court on Friday ordered the White House to immediately reinstate the press credentials of Acosta in a ruling seen as a major victory for mediapersons. Trump played down the ruling, saying it wasn't "a big deal". But, he said, "people have to behave", adding his staff were "writing up rules and regulations" for the press to abide by, including sticking to the agreed number of questions. "If they don't listen to the rules and regulations we'll end up back in court and will ...
J-K Panchayat polls: Ramban records 69.4% voter turnout
Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir has, so far, recorded a huge voter turnout of 69.4% in the ongoing first phase of Panchayat polls in the state.By 12 noon, 35% turnout was reported from Kupwara, 42% from Bandipora and 36.5% from Baramulla.Kathua and Rajouri clocked almost 63% turnout.Polling is underway in seven districts of Jammu, six districts of the Kashmir Valley and two in Ladakh region.As many as 427 candidates are in the fray, battling for 536 Sarpanch Halqas and 5,951 candidates for 4,048 Panch wards in this phase.The leading regional parties- National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP)- are boycotting these elections over Article 35A."It was a wrong decision by the PDP and NC to boycott the elections and people have come out in large numbers and answered militants and separatists that people want development," Shabbir Ahmed Khan, former Congress party leader in the state, told ANI.Despite boycott calls and terror threats, people came out in large numbers .
Imran Khan cites Hitler to defend 'U-turns' in politics
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday justified taking 'U-turns' in politics. Khan, even cited the example of former German dictator Adolf Hitler to support his argument that a politician who does not take 'U-turns' according to the situation is not a real leader."Hitler and Napoleon (Bonaparte) suffered huge defeats and caused losses as they did not take U-turns," Geo News quoted Khan, as saying.Khan was interacting with journalists here when he made these comments."If you are walking and there is a wall in front of you, then you will have to change and find another way and a leader who does not know how to take U-turns is not successful," Khan was quoted by a journalist who attended the interaction.The Prime Minister's comments have drawn sharp criticism."Imran Khan is Hitler and is taking U-turns to avoid losses," said Pakistan Peoples' Party leader Khursheed Shah.He asserted that the prime minister was sending a message that Hitler had failed because he did not take a ...
Iraq's president visits Iran weeks after US renews sanctions
Iraq's President Barham Salih began a visit to Iran on Saturday, where he pledged to improve relations less than two weeks after the US restored oil sanctions that had been lifted under the 2015 nuclear deal. Iran, which has had major influence over Iraq since the 2003 US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, is hoping to maintain exports to its neighbour despite the renewed sanctions. Iraq is Iran's second-largest market after China, buying everything from food and machinery to electricity and natural gas. At a joint briefing after their meeting, Iran's President Hassan Rouhani said they discussed increasing trade in electricity and oil products and the establishment of free trade zones along the border. He said they also discussed joint oil projects and improving transport links between the two countries. Trade between the two countries was some USD 7 billion in 2017, and they have vowed to boost it to USD 8.5 billion this year. Rouhani said it could eventually reach USD 20 ...
BJP seat offer for LS election 'not respectable': Kushwaha
NDA ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha said Saturday the BJP's offer of seats to his party for the 2019 general election was "not respectable". He did not disclose the number of seats offered to the RLSP, saying he would not speak about it before a seat-sharing agreement is reached by NDA constituents in Bihar by November 30. Kushwaha, the Union minister of state for HRD, was speaking to reporters after the RLSP state executive meeting here. The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level. Kushwaha appears to have picked up the word "neeche" from the statement and took it as an insult to himself as the RLSP chief was the topic of discussion. He alleged that the remark was tantamount to calling .
1 dead as car drives through protest in France
A 50-year-old man taking part in nationwide protests against rising fuel prices in France died on Saturday after he was hit by a car that accelerated through a human roadblock in the country's southeast, Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said.
Those who have lot to hide will fear CBI: Jaitley
In the wake of the Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments withdrawing the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and probes, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said those who had a lot to hide would fear the central agency. He was speaking to reporters here after releasing the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) manifesto for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. The Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal governments have withdrawn their "general consent" to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct raids and investigations. The agency would now need permission from the respective state governments to carry out any investigation in these states, except those ordered by the courts and against central government officials. "It is only those who have a lot to hide will take the step of saying let the CBI not come to my state. There is no sovereignty of any state in the matter of corruption," Jaitley said in response to a query. "It is believed that Andhra's
Govt schemes seeking to destroy class, caste barriers: Prasar Bharati chairman
India is now taking "giant strides" in various fields with several government initiatives seeking to destroy class and caste barriers, Prasar Bharati Chairman A Surya Prakash said Saturday. Delivering the first convocation address at the JSS Science and Technology University here, he said there is a new spirit of positivism in the air and the label 'Made in India', which was a matter of derision 50 years ago, now commands respect. "I also see a positive energy among the youth and the engagement of young citizens in larger public causes and national campaigns," Prakash said. "India is now taking giant strides in various fields and is attaining global recognition for its efforts to forge ahead. There are several government initiatives now which seek to destroy class and caste barriers which impede human progress," he said. Schemes such as MUDRA, Start-Up India and Stand Up India seek to smash the psychological barrier and empower even the poorest of the poor in the most backward of ...
Will waive-off all Chhattisgarh farmers loans: Rahul
Charging the ruling BJP with creating two Chhattisgarhs, one of the rich and the other of the poor and exploited, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday assured that farmers' loans would be completely waived-off within 10 days if his party came to power after the assembly elections in the state.
Cong asks Goa governor for spl session to prove majority
The Congress demanded Saturday that Goa governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority. The Congress has been claiming that the state government is in disarray in absence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar from office on account of medical reasons. Addressing reporters here, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said the party would raise this issue during the upcoming winter session of Parliament and also before President Ram Nath Kovind. The Congress had submitted representations to the president and the Goa governor, claiming that the party had requisite number of MLAs to prove majority in the 40-member House. "Goa is a classic case of fraud being played on the people of Goa by the governor and the BJP at Centre," Surjewala said. "We will put pressure on the central leadership of the BJP in winter session and also before the president for our demand to summon a special session .
Rouhani sees Iran-Iraq trade rising to $20 billion per year from $12 billion
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran and Iraq could raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion.
Congress pits Jaswant's son against Raje in Rajasthan (Lead, correcting intro)
The Congress on Saturday released its second list of candidates for the Rajasthan Assembly polls, pitting Manvendra Singh, the son of BJP veteran and former Union Minister Jaswant Singh, against Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje in her traditional Jhalrapatan seat.
Digest for domestic stories for week Nov 10 - Nov 16, 2018
As Delhi's air quality remained severe on Saturday, authorities extended till November 12 the ban on construction activities, industries using coal and biomass, and entry of trucks, while the CPCB issued show cause notices to police departments and officials of Delhi-NCR over "non-compliance" of the Supreme Court order on sale and bursting of fire crackers. New Delhi: Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday took a dig at the Narendra Modi dispensation, saying many people knew the cost of the Rafale fighter aircraft deal but the government considered it a "national secret" that could not be revealed to the Supreme Court. Jammu: An Army soldier was killed Saturday in sniper fire by Pakistani troops, while two BSF personnel were injured in cross-border firing along the Line of Control in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. Sunday Patna/New Delhi: Union minister and RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha Sunday attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over reports that two ...
Rouhani sees Iran-Iraq trade rising to $20 billion per year from $12 billion - TV
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Saturday Iran and Iraq could raise annual bilateral trade to $20 billion from the current level of $12 billion, in remarks carried live by state television.