Page 2486 - Politics
Kerala government will abide by SC verdict: Kerala CM
An all-party meeting was called by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday to discuss various aspects concerning the issue of women entering into the Sabarimala shrine. However, the opposition parties in the state- Congress and the BJP- walked out of the meet.The Chief Minister reiterated that the state government does not have any objection, perhaps, it respects Apex Court's verdict that allows entry of women of all ages in the temple. He also affirmed that the state has no option but to implement the Supreme Court order.Earlier this week, the Supreme Court stated that it will not put any stay on its decision and women will be allowed to enter the temple when it reopens tomorrow.The meeting was called two days after the Supreme Court decided to review its verdict allowing entry of women of menstruating age inside the holy shrine.The opposition parties in the state have opposed the SC verdict, calling to preserve the ban.The temple will open for Mandala Pooja Mahotsavam on .
RSS-linked outfit demands action against 'fake tribals'
Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram (VKA), which is affiliated to the RSS, took out a march here Thursday to press various demands including a crack-down against those who use fake certificates to hog benefits meant for the tribals. The march was taken out from Jijamata Udyan to Azad Maidan in south Mumbai. VKA activist Govardhan Munde said that thousands of non-tribal persons have availed of benefits of schemes for tribals. Fake caste certificates of such persons should be revoked, he said. "The government has identified 11,000 fake tribals so far. We suspect the number could be much higher," he said. Many of these bogus tribals have got government jobs, he said, further claiming that communities such as Manerwarlu, Tadvi Bhill and Machchimar Koli do not fall in the tribal category. Other demands included expediting of awarding of forest rights, documentation of tribal arts, formation of a research centre to study and preserve folk arts and erection of memorials of tribal warriors ..
BJP will not gain sympathy from Parrikar's illness: Regional party
The BJP will not be able to gain any sympathy from Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar's illness in the yet to be announced by-elections necessitated by the resignation of two Congress legislators who joined the BJP last month.
'No guarantee' by French govt is latest skeleton in govt's Rafale cupboard: Rahul
The Congress on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of compromising national interest on the Rafale issue, with party chief Rahul Gandhi alleging that the latest skeleton to tumble out of the "Rafale cupboard" is that there is no guarantee by the French government backing the deal. The Congress also accused the prime minister of accepting in the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by him, the higher benchmark price' of Euro 8.2 billion instead of Euro 5.2 billion for the 36 aircraft, despite objections by the defence acquisition council and the then defence minister Manohar Parrikar not approving it. The opposition party also charged Modi with waiving the condition of arbitration between India and France by converting it into an arbitration between the supplier company Dassault and Indian Government, as also changing the venue of arbitration from India to Switzerland. Gandhi asked if the Rafale jet deal can be called a "Government to Government" contract, as there ..
"Italian agents" forced religious conversions: Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday stoked a controversy by making a veiled attack against former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying "agents from Italy" facilitated religious conversions of local tribals when the party was in power in the state. Addressing a campaign rally here for the second phase of Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Adityanath said, "Italy se ayatit saudagar" (agents imported from Italy), undertook "anti-national" activities like conversion of tribals in the state. His "Italy se ayatit saudagar" remark was a veiled reference to the origins of Sonia Gandhi. Attacking Congress for appeasement of "minorities, Adityanath said the 'anti-national activity of religious conversion' reached its peak when the party ruled the state. "Anti-national activities were at its peak. Dilip Singh Judeo (late BJP MP) took this menace head on and stopped Jashpur from becoming another Bastar," Adityanath said, "The Hindu society offers milk even to snakes despite ...
Sidhu to campaign for Cong in poll-bound Chhattisgarh from Friday
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu will start campaigning Friday for the Congress in Chhattisgarh where second phase of polling will take place on November 20. The cricketer-turned-politician is among the several star campaigners selected by the Congress for poll campaigning in Chhattisgarh. I will start campaigning tomorrow in Chhattisgarh, Sidhu said on Thursday. The Congress leader said he will be campaigning for three days in the poll-bound state. The first day is packed with five rallies, he said. Before his visit to the state, Sidhu paid obeisance at the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu. The first phase of voting in Chhattisgarh was held in 18 of the 90 Assembly seats on November 12. Polling for the remaining 72 seats will be held on November 20. Sidhu has also been asked to campaign for six days each in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.
Mizoram civil societies, parties hail EC move to replace poll officer
The Election Commission's move to replace S B Shashank as Mizoram's chief electoral officer on Thursday was welcomed by political parties as well as the civil societies that had spearheaded a movement to seek the poll officer's ouster. The order came after a non-governmental organisation, Coordination Committee, the apex body of civil societies and students' organisations in the northeastern state, had launched an agitation demanding Shashank's ouster, following a row over allowing Bru refugees in Tripura to cast votes from there. "We welcome anybody as state CEO, except Shashank, who was working against the interests of the Mizo people by making an all-out effort to register Bru voters in the Tripura relief camps without following established procedures," Vanlalruata, chairman of the committee, told PTI. Earlier in the day, the EC announced that IAS officer Ashish Kundra was being appointed as the state's chief electoral officer with immediate effect. Vanlalruata added the civil ...
'Watchman sold out', Congress sharpens Rafale attack against Modi
The Congress on Thursday raised its Rafale 'scam' pich, accusing Prime Minister Modi of sabotaging country's interest for the sake of his cronies and alleging he fixed a higher benchmark price for the French fighter jets.
Watchman sold out, Congress sharpens Rafale attack against Modi (Lead correcting intro)
The Congress on Thursday raised its Rafale 'scam' pitch, accusing Prime Minister Modi of sabotaging country's interest for the sake of his cronies and alleging he fixed a higher benchmark price for the French fighter jets.
French PM warns of 'no-deal' Brexit risk
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe on Thursday cast doubt on the possibility to ratify a draft Brexit deal after a series of resignations by ministers made hard for British Prime Minister Theresa May to sell the divorce accord with the EU.
Over 50 people have sought Cong LS ticket from Latur: Deshmukh
As many as 52 people have sought the Congress ticket from Latur for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, party MLA Amit Deshmukh said Thursday. The Latur seat, represented by former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil seven times between 1980-99, is now a Scheduled Caste reserved constituency following delimitation. Patil lost the 2004 LS poll to BJP's Rupatai Nilangekar who in turn was defeated by the Congress' Jaywantrao Awale in the 2009 polls. The seat is currently held by BJP's Sunil Gaikwad. Deshmukh Thursday said the 52 people who had come forward to seek a Congress ticket from the seat were highly educated and qualified professionals. "The state (Congress) leaders were presently surprised with the manner in which party workers from Latur attended the meeting called by state unit chief Ashok Chavan to discuss the party's preparedness and probable candidates for each of the constituencies. This gave the party hopes to wrest the seat again," Deshmukh said. The BJP has made rapid ...
Kushwaha invokes Modi's attack on Priyanka Gandhi in his campaign against Nitish
Stepping up his campaign against Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his alleged 'neech' remark, RLSP chief Upendra Kushwaha on Thursday sought to draw a parallel between his attack on the JD(U) chief and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's targeting of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in 2013. The Union Minister, who has accused Kumar of referring to him as "neech" (lowly) - a charge rejected by Kumar-led JD(U), took a dig at Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi over his defence of the chief minister over the issue. In a series of tweets, Kushwaha asked if Modi was "wrong" in his attack on Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who is sister of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, over her "neech rajnitii" (lowly politics) jibe against the saffron party during the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. She had used the term "neech rajniti" to attack the BJP, and Modi, then his party's prime ministerial candidate, had invoked his backward caste origins to accuse her of targeting his background. Kushwaha upped .
India refits Maldivian Coast Gurd ship
India Thursday handed over to Maldivian Coast Guard one of its ships after carrying out major refit on it, the Indian Navy said. Maldivian Coast Guard Ship (MCGS) Huravee successfully completed her refit at Naval Dockyard ,Visakhapatnam, and the ship was formally handed over to the island nation, a Navy spokesperson said The handing over of the ship comes two days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays a day-long visit to Maldives to attend the swearing-in ceremony of new Maldivian president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Modi's visit is seen as an indication of an attempt by New Delhi to mend bilateral ties, which nosedived during the outgoing Abdulla Yameen government. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen and the relations deteriorated further after he imposed emergency in the island nation on February 5 this year. Maldives is an important country for India's maritime security and there have been concerns in India over China's growing influence over the country in the last ..
Singapore hands over Asean presidency to Thailand
Singapores Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong handed over the presidency of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) to his Thai counterpart Prayut Chan-ocha at the conclusion of an annual summit on Thursday.
CPI-M demands SC-monitored SIT probe into Rafale deal
Stepping up the attack on the Modi government over the Rafale fighter jet deal with France, the CPI-M on Thursday alleged "mega corruption" in the acquisition and demanded a Supreme Court- monitored SIT probe.
Sri Lankan lawmakers fight in Parliament amid crisis
Sri Lankan lawmakers scuffled in Parliament on Thursday, a day after a no-confidence motion was passed against now disputed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in the latest escalation of the political crisis that has left the country without an agreed Prime Minister or Cabinet.
Hooda asks Congress workers to gear up for next year's polls
Senior Congress leader and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday asked his party workers to gear up for next year's polls to oust the Manohar Lal Khattar government from power. Hooda told the workers to be present in large number at the seventh phase of his 'Jankranti Yatra', which will start from Barwala in Hisar, on November 25. "(Lok Sabha) Polls are round-the-corner. It should not come as a surprise if they (the ruling BJP government) decide to opt for holding the Vidhan Sabha polls (due by October 2019) along with the parliamentary elections," he said. Hooda accused the BJP of not keeping its promises made to the people in Haryana. "The government has failed to fulfill its promises dashing hopes of the public. It has failed on all fronts and now people are eager to bring the Congress back to power," he said. "Prices of fertilisers and pesticides and diesel have risen, putting a burden on the farmers," the former chief minister said. Asked to comment on ..
BJP will trace, drive out infiltrators after 2019 polls: Shah
BJP chief Amit Shah Thursday said his party would trace and drive out infiltrators from the country after winning the 2019 general elections under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Addressing a poll rally, Shah said infiltrators were coming to India since 1971 and formed the "vote bank" of opposition parties like the Congress and TMC. Shah said after 40 lakh people were left out in the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam, leaders like Congress president Rahul Gandhi, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee, TDP president Chandrababu Naidu and Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav "whined as if their granny had died". "All of them (objected to the NRC). As if their granny died. Why were they all in pain?" he said, accusing Gandhi of being more concerned with the human rights of "infiltrators" than victims of bomb blasts carried out by these "intruders". "Let the Congress cry, we are not going to stop. You elect Narendra Modi's government in .
Shiv Sena questions PM Modi's silence over Rafale deal
Questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence over the Rafale aircraft deal, the Shiv Sena Thursday said it has led to further "suspicion" among the people about something being amiss in it. The Sena sarcastically said people will now believe there was no Rafale scam in the Defence ministry like there was no irrigation scam in Maharashtra. The party claimed the Opposition had raised suspicion over something being hidden in the Rafale deal and over the government's intentions. "The prime minister has remained silent till the end and by placing details of the Rafale deal in a sealed enveloped and submitting it in the Supreme Court, it (the government) has given more room for suspicion. How will anybody know if the envelope contains the truth or is an empty one?" it questioned in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana'. The Centre Monday submitted price details of the Rafale fighter jets in a sealed envelope in the Supreme Court. Government sources said the Centre has submitted ..
President Kovind to pay 3-day visit to Vietnam from Sunday
President Ram Nath Kovind will pay a three-day visit to Vietnam beginning Sunday with a focus on deepening bilateral cooperation in key areas of defence and security, trade and in offshore oil exploration. Sharing details of the visit, Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Sanh Chau said Kovind will address Vietnam's national assembly, and will become the second foreign leader to achieve the rare honour after Chinese President Xi Jinping. "We are looking at further bolstering the time-tested relationship between the two strategic partners," the envoy told reporters. Kovind's visit comes less than a month after Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong became the country's new president following the death of incumbent president Tran Dai Quang. Trong became the first leader to hold both the powerful posts since founding father Ho Chi Minh in the 1960s. Chau said both sides will aim to bolster cooperation in a number of sectors including defence and security, trade and investment, ...