Page 2505 - Politics
No electoral understanding with BJP: MNF
The Mizo National Front (MNF), which has been under fire from other political parties for allegedly being close to the BJP, Tuesday said it did not have any electoral alliance with the saffron party and would never go for one as the ideologies of the two parties were "completely different". There was also no chance of a post-poll alliance between the MNF and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) or a coalition in the event of a hung Assembly, MNF senior vice-president Tawnluia said during a meeting in Khawzawl town on the Mizoram-Myanmar border. "The MNF is for protecting Christianity, but will never condone Hindutva," he said. Tawnluia added that the Congress had formed a coalition with the BJP to be in power in the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) since May last and the Zoram People's Movement's (ZPM) chief ministerial candidate, Lalduhoma, had formed an alliance with the saffron party earlier. The Congress had to publicly announce that it was no longer an ally of the BJP in the
Those in power have contempt for Nehru, we must honour him by safeguarding democracy: Sonia
Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that the Nehruvian legacy was being "undermined" by those presently in power who have "contempt" for the country's first prime minister for all that he did to build an India which they want to change for the "worse". Speaking at an event to relaunch Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's book 'Nehru-The invention of India', Gandhi said Jawaharlal Nehru, as India's first prime minister, "consolidated democracy and entrenched the basic values of India's polity -- values to which we are still proud to lay claim." "What are these values. Shashi Tharoor summarises them as the core pillars of Nehruvianism -- democratic institutional building, staunch pan Indian secularism, socialist economics and foreign policy of non-alignment. These values were integral to a vision of Indianness that is fundamentally being challenged today," she said on the eve of Nehru's birth anniversary. "We all know as Shashi Tharoor has just said that this precious legacy is .
Koregaon-Bhima violence: Ambedkar seeks to summon CM before
Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh leader Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday sought to summon Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis and government officials before the Koregaon-Bhima violence inquiry commission here. Appearing before the commission in his capacity as a lawyer, Ambedkar represented M N Kamble, one of the witnesses to the violence. Kamble has demanded that Fadnavis and some government officials should be examined before the judicial commission. The commission, headed by Justice (retired) Jai Narayan Patel and with former state chief secretary Sumit Mullick as its member, was formed by the Fadnavis government in February. "Our demand is the commission should summon and examine government officials, right from the investigating officer who is probing the violence case to Fadnavis," said Ambedkar. "If the responsibility (for the violence) is to be fixed, all these decision-makers needs to be examined," he said. Ambedkar also demanded that certain documents such as ...
Nehru's precious legacy is being undermined daily: Sonia
Hitting out at the ruling BJP for undermining the legacy of first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday called upon people to fight to safeguard countrys democracy.
Sacked Lankan PM Wickremesinghe receives boost after SC stays dissolution of parliament
In a major boost to sacked Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, the Supreme Court in a landmark ruling on Tuesday overturned President Maithripala Sirisena's controversial decision to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5. The apex court's decision deepened the political crisis in the island nation after president Sirisena fired his coalition prime minister Wickremesinghe on October 26 and installed former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new premier. A three-member apex court bench, including country's chief justice Nalin Perera, delivered its verdict after two days of deliberations on as many as 13 petitions against and five for Sirisena's November 9 decision to dissolve Parliament. The apex court said Sirisena's dissolution of Parliament will be suspended until December 7 and it will consider all the petitions filed on the President's decision next month before giving a final ruling. The Supreme Court ruling means Parliament can be
Beijing dismisses 'hearsay' on muslim internment
China defended its internment of Muslims in the country's northwest as a terror prevention measure on Tuesday, calling on the international community to reject "hearsay" and believe its official line. Up to a million Uighurs and other Chinese Turkish-speaking minority groups have been placed in political re-education camps in the Xinjiang region, according to a group of experts cited by the United Nations. After originally denying the existence of the centres, Beijing has repeatedly described the camps as vocational "training centres" that were built to help people drawn to extremism to stay away from terrorism and allow them to be reintegrated into society. But the programme has faced rising criticism outside the country - notably from the United States and human rights groups. "We hope our journalist friends and our other foreign friends will take into consideration the information and briefings on the situation given by the Chinese authorities," said China's Foreign Minister Wang ..
Modi govt bent on ruining country: Punjab minister
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal Tuesday alleged that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narenda Modi was bent on ruining the country. He also blamed the Modi government for "wreaking havoc" for the economy through decisions like demonetisation and GST. "After the independence in 1947, we built a nest, which is India. We got independence after toils and sacrifices...It did not come easily. But sadly, instead of protecting it, the prime minister is bent on ruining the country," he told reporters here. Badal said they (Congress) never anticipated that the people currently calling the shots at the Centre would destroy the "good works" carried out by his party in the last 70 years. Alleging that the BJP was politicising the country's institutions like the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the CBI, the Supreme Court, the CAG and the Election Commission, Badal said the Congress always focused on the politics of development.
Saudi king to resume domestic tour amid Khashoggi fallout
Saudi King Salman will resume an unprecedented domestic tour next week, the royal court said Tuesday, as the kingdom grapples with an international crisis over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The 82-year-old monarch visited central Qassim province and the neighbouring region of Hail last week in what observers call a "listening tour", his first since ascending to the most powerful throne in the Middle East in 2015. The king is now set to visit the "northern regions of the kingdom" next week to "inspect the condition of citizens and inaugurate a number of development projects", the official Saudi Press Agency said citing the royal court. It added that the industrial city of Waad al-Shamal would be among the stops to inaugurate "mining and industrial projects". SPA said the king is also set to address the Shura Council, a top advisory body, on Monday, in his first public comments since the murder of insider-turned-critic Khashoggi on October 2 in the Saudi consulate in ...
Coalition air strikes killed 28 in eastern Syria: monitor
Air strikes by the US-led coalition have killed 28 people in an eastern Syria holdout of the Islamic State group on the Iraqi border, a war monitor said on Tuesday. Those killed in the village of Al-Shaafa on Sunday included 22 civilian members of IS families, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor said. "On Tuesday, 22 bodies of civilians were retrieved including nine children, as well as the remains of six other people not yet identified," Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said. "The strikes targeted IS homes in Al-Shaafa," he said, inside a last pocket under jihadist control in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor. The bodies could not be retrieved earlier because air raids were ongoing, he said. A coalition spokesman did not immediately reply for a request for comment, but has previously said that it would investigate any credible claims of civilian casualties. The coalition has been backing a Kurdish-led alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces fighting
CNN sues Trump, top White House aides
CNN on Tuesday announced filing a lawsuit against President Donald Trump and several of his aides, seeking the immediate restoration of its correspondent Jim Acosta's access to the White House.
Gaurav Gogoi urges Bengal Congress to bolster party infrastructure without looking for alliances
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday urged the party's West Bengal unit to work on strengthening its infrastructure to fight the 2019 General Elections on its own instead of looking for alliances with other political forces.
Failed politics compelling Rahul to make Rafale deal controversial: Jaitley
Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Tuesday said the Congress President's failed politics is compelling him to resort to 'falsehood' and 'petty hair-splitting' to make the sensitive Rafale purchase defence deal controversial. Jaitley also said that it was the Congress-led UPA which delayed the purchase of the Rafale aircraft which was necessary to improve the combat ability of Indian Air Force. He was responding to allegations made by Gandhi that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has admitted to "theft" in the Rafale deal before the Supreme Court and to changes in the contract without asking the Air Force. In a series of tweets, Jaitley said that 'falsehood' cannot be a substitute for "failed politics" of Gandhi. "UPA delayed the Rafale purchase, much required for improving the combat ability of Indian Air force. Is Rahul Gandhi's failed politics compelling him to render India's sensitive defence requirements controversial?" Jaitley questioned. The Centre on Monday .
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court stays dissolution of Parliament
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court on Tuesday stayed until December 7 the dissolution of Parliament by the President, granting interim relief to political parties that had urged the apex court to junk Maithripala Sirisena's decision.
Govt school teacher suspended in Rajsamand
A senior teacher was suspended and five other government employees were served show-cause notices on Tuesday for laxity in election related duty in Rajasthan's Rajsamand district, officials said. District Election Officer Shyam Lal Gurjar in an order suspended senior teacher Mangugiri Goswami, who was posted at a government school in Ajitgarh, for not attending an election training program. The officer also served show-cause notices to five others for delay in appearing for an election training program. The employees had reached the training session one hour late.
India, EU agree to deepen cooperation to deal with terrorism
India and European Union have vowed to step up cooperation in effectively dealing with terrorism, extremism and radicalisation. The issue figured prominently during India-EU annual counter terrorism and political dialogue in Brussels on Monday. "The discussions focussed on the terrorist threats in Europe, South Asia and the Middle East. The EU and India underlined the importance of continuing the progress made in defeating Da'esh," said a statement by the EU. It said both sides agreed to find ways to enhance cooperation to counter violent extremism and radicalisation as well as to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threats. "Exchanges further touched on tackling terrorist use of the Internet and countering terrorism financing," the statement said. "Finally, the EU and India had a fruitful exchange on multilateralism, underlining their full support for the United Nations, the Global Counter Terrorism Forum and other multilateral fora," it added.
J-K: 2 terrorists killed during infiltration attempt
Two terrorists were killed on Tuesday while attempting to infiltrate in Keren sector of Kupwara district.The operation is still in progress as of now.On Sunday, a terrorist was gunned down by police in Handwara town in Kupwara district. He was later identified as a member of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).One Army personnel also lost his life in the ceasefire violation by Pakistan at the Line of Control (LoC) in Naushera sector on Sunday.On September 23, the security forces had foiled an infiltration bid and gunned down two terrorists in Tangdhar sector of Kupwara district in the state.As of November 6, security forces had gunned down as many as 200 terrorists this year in the state, with 30 neutralised in October alone.
Pakistan terrorist shot dead, war like stores recovered
A heavily-armed terrorist was killed by the Indian Army on Tuesday in the Aknoor Sector of Jammu and Kashmir.The forces recovered five pistols, 10 pistol magazines, 60 bullets of pistol, one AK assault Rifle, two AK Rifle magazine with 234 rounds of ammunition, fifteen hand grenades and twelve fuzes for IEDs.The entire area has been cordoned off and search and destroy operation is still in progress.The timely intercept of the intrusion of the terrorists with the cache of arms, ammunition and other warlike stores has thwarted any possible untoward incident, planned by the terrorist during the scheduled elections in the state.The Indian Army is carrying out relentless and robust anti-infiltration operations in the state to break the backbone of terrorism and nip the designs of anti-national elements and the enemy to foment trouble South of the Pir Panjal ranges in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sri Lanka SC stays Sirisena's proclamation to dissolve Parliament
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka on Tuesday issued an interim order staying the proclamation issued by President Maithripala Sirisena to dissolve the country's Parliament.The Daily Mirror Sri Lanka reported that a three-Judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena and Justice Prasanna Jayawardene granted leave to proceed with the 13 fundamental rights petitions filed by several political parties seeking the court order against the President's order of dissolving the Parliament and call for snap elections scheduled on January 5, 2019.The Court was to deliver its verdict on the legality of the snap polls on Tuesday.The decision of dissolving the country's Parliament was taken by the President Sirisena after two weeks of sacking the former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replacing him with the former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.The petition also requested the Court to suspend the January 5 snap polls until a verdict regarding
PM Modi to inaugurate KMP expressway on Nov 19: Khattar
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway and the Ballabhgarh Metro Link, and lay foundation stone of Haryana Vishwakarma Skill University in Palwal on November 19. He said on the same day, the prime minister will address a public meeting near Farukhnagar crossing in Gurgaon, where he would dedicate various projects to the people of the state. Asserting that the BJP government in the state has carried out equitable development in the state in last four years, Khattar said Haryana bagged first place in the country for Gramin Swachh Survekshan this year and Karnal city bagged first place in the state in urban ranking and 42ndplace in the country. He said that in order to give the message of cleanliness on 'Gurupurab', the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev, on November 23, 11,000 lamps would be lighted in 20 schools of Karnal Municipal Corporation. On Delhi Chief Minister Arvind ...
Rs 75 commemorative coin to mark 75th anniversary of Tricolour hoisting by Bose
The government Tuesday announced it will release a Rs 75 commemorative coin on the occasion of 75th anniversary of hoisting of Tricolour for the first time by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Port Blair. A notification in this regard has been issued by the Ministry of Finance. "The coin of seventy-five rupees denomination shall only be coined at the Mint for issue under the authority of the central government on the occasion of '75th Anniversary of Hoisting of Tricolour' for the first time by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose at Port Blair," said the notification. The 35 gram coin will be composed of 50 per cent silver, 40 per cent copper, and 5 per cent each of nickel and zinc. This coin will bear the portrait of 'Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose' saluting the flag on the background of cellular jail. A numeral 75th along with inscription anniversary will be depicted below the portrait. There will be inscription in both Devanagari script and English saying 'First Flag Hoisting Day'. On December ...