Page 2530 - Politics
VHP to hold public rallies for legislation on Ram Mandir in Ayodhya
The Vishva Hindu Parishad will hold public rallies in all parliamentary constituencies to urge the government and pressure political parties to bring a legislation for the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, its working president Alok Kumar said Saturday. Kumar also praised the UP government's decision to rename Faizabad district as Ayodhya and linked it to national pride. "There was a king's road and a queen's road, there was a Hardinge Bridge in Delhi. They were renamed to Rajpath, Janpath, and Tilak Bridge by then Congress government. Restoring the old names or changing the names of places named after people who have attacked India is a sound thing to do for restoration of national pride," he said. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced at a public meeting on Tuesday that Faizabad will be renamed as Ayodhya. Kumar said they are meeting religious and social leaders, who in turn are meeting the governor of their states to tell them that people want Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The .
Sri Lanka's ousted PM's party to challenge Parliament's dissolution
Sri Lanka's ousted Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's party, the United National Party (UNP), said on Saturday it would file a case in the Supreme Court against the early dissolution of Parliament by President Maithripala Sirisena.
Turkey shared Khashoggi tapes with Saudi Arabia, US: Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday said that recordings related to Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi's death have been passed on to Saudi Arabia, the US, the UK, Germany and France.
BJP's Chander Mohan Gupta set to be new mayor of Jammu, Purnima Sharma deputy mayor
Senior BJP leaders Chander Mohan Gupta and Purnima Sharma Saturday filed their nomination papers for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor, respectively, in the Jammu Municipal Corporation. Elections to the posts are scheduled for November 15. BJP swept the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) polls winning 43 out of the 75 wards. Elections to the corporation were held last month after a gap of 13 years. Gupta, a treasurer in the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit, had won from Ward No. 33, while Sharma, a vice president in the party's state unit, successfully contested the urban local body elections from Ward No. 1. Civic body elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in four phases between October 8 and October 16. The BJP nominated Gupta as its mayoral candidate and Sharma for the deputy mayor's post at a meeting at the party's headquarters here, a party spokesman said. The meeting was attended by all the elected councillors of the BJP, he said. BJP Jammu unit president and councillor, Baldev .
'Centre assures free flow of funds under PMDP to JK'
Centre is committed to ensure free flow of funds under prime minister's development package (PMDP), provided Jammu and Kashmir government fulfills the requisite formalities for sanctioning the projects and achieving the progress, a senior officer said Saturday. Additional secretary, ministry of home affairs, Gyanesh Kumar, said this at a review meeting while taking stock of the implementation of the Rs 80,068 crore special PMDP package in the state, an official spokesman said. Reiterating the commitment of the Centre for fast-track development of Jammu and Kashmir, Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Rajnath Singh are personally keen for the development of the state and are constantly monitoring the special package that was announced by Modi in the year 2015. He called upon the administrative secretaries to pay special attention to the implementation of the special package and ensure time bound completion of the projects which have been taken in hands, the ...
BJP's ally in UP slams campaign to rename cities
The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), a constituent of the coalition government in Uttar Pradesh led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, on Saturday slammed the BJP's campaign to rename cities as a "drama" aimed at diverting the attention of the people from the real issues.
Delhi BJP claims Kejriwal in Dubai with 'hidden agenda'; AAP dismisses allegation as 'outlandish'
The Delhi BJP on Saturday attacked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his foreign visit, alleging that he has travelled to Dubai with "a hidden agenda", but the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) dismissed the charge as "outlandish". Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari tweeted about Kejriwal's trip on Friday night hitting out at him for leaving the city at a time when Delhiites were facing air pollution crisis. Questioning the motive behind the chief minister's visit, Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta told reporters on Saturday that Kejriwal "suddenly" left for Dubai on November 8 by Air India flight and will be back on November 11. He alleged that the information about the visit has been "hidden" as there is something wrong. However, AAP spokesperson Raghav Chadha said in a press conference that Arvind Kejriwal has gone "abroad" to attend a family function of his IIT batchmate. He denied BJP charges as outlandish. But the BJP persisted with its attack as Gupta asked, "Why is Aam ...
Campaigning for 1st phase ends in Chhattisgarh; Shah, Rahul trade barbs (Roundup)
With the campaigning for the first phase of the Assembly elections ending in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, BJP President Amit Shah and Congress chief Rahul Gandhi traded barbs at each other over what they had done for the benefit of the state.
UK ex-minister says other officials may resign over Brexit
A former UK minister says others may step down from the government to protest Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan. Jo Johnson told BBC radio Saturday it is up to members of Parliament to take a stand. He said that if others decide to resign, "good on them." Johnson, the younger brother of Boris Johnson, stepped down as a transport minister Friday and called for a second Brexit referendum. He said May's Brexit plan would damage Britain's national interest. He said the plan is so different from what had been promised during the 2016 referendum that a second vote is needed. May has rejected all demands for another vote, saying the 2016 vote in favor of leaving the European Union is definitive. Difficult negotiations between Britain and the EU continue.
BJP MPs from Goa meet Parrikar, enquire about his health
All the three BJP Members of Parliament from Goa Saturday met ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar at his private residence here and enquired about his health. Vinay Tendulkar (Rajya Sabha MP), Shripad Naik, the North Goa MP who is also a Union minister, and South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar met Parrikar this morning. The ruling party parliamentarians were accompanied by senior BJP leader Datta Kholkar and one of them said it was a courtesy visit during which no political issue was discussed. "We met him to enquire about his health. He is doing fine now," Sawaikar told PTI, claiming the meeting with Parrikar was a courtesy visit. The Lok Sabha MP said there was no discussion on political issues during the meeting. Parrikar, 62, has been recuperating at his private residence near here since October 14 when he returned to Goa after being discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Since then, the chief minister has held a series of meetings with .
Macron hosts Trump amid row over European defence
French President Emmanuel Macron attempted to defuse a row with visiting US counterpart Donald Trump on Saturday, hailing the "great solidarity" between their countries after Trump blasted his proposals for a European army. The two leaders held talks at the presidential palace in Paris ahead of World War 1 commemorations taking place in the shadow of a new nationalist surge worldwide. Their body language was markedly less warm than during Trump's last visit to Paris in July 2017, underscoring a general cooling in relations which were further strained by a late-night tweet by Trump attacking Macron. Appearing anxious to appease Trump, who has accused the EU of failing to pull its weight on NATO spending, Macron said he shared his view that "we need a much better burden-sharing within NATO". His calls for closer European integration on defence would mean "more Europe in NATO", he argued, later patting Trump's knee affectionately. Trump, who appeared more aloof, described himself and ...
Congress plays soft-Hindutva in MP, offers gaushalas, spirituality, Sanskrit
Playing soft Hindutva in Madhya Pradesh, the Congress on Saturday promised to build gaushalas in every gram panchayat, establish a new department for spirituality, opening of new Sanskrit schools besides loan waiver for farmers and a Made-in-MP programme to boost industries.
Rahul accuses PM Modi of insulting Cong leaders with 'urban Naxals' remark
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi by accusing him of insulting Congress leaders like Mahendra Karma and Narendra Kumar Patel, who fell to the bullets of Naxals in Chhattisgarh. "Our leaders in Chhattisgarh have made the real sacrifice by standing up against the menace of Naxals," said Gandhi, while addressing a poll rally at Naxal-affected Jagdalpur."A few days back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about Naxals. But the real sacrifice was made by the leaders of Congress party. Our people have sacrificed their lives for the country and Chhattisgarh as well. Congress leaders like Mahendra Karma and Chhattisgarh Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel lost their lives here. By his statement, the Prime Minister has insulted Karma ji and Patel ji."Only recently Prime Minister Modi had accused the Congress of backing "urban Naxals" who, he said, have ruined the lives of poor Adivasi youths in Chhattisgarh. During a rally at Jagdalpur, PM Modi ...
Cong releases 'Ram-Narmada-gaumutra' manifesto for MP polls
Attempting to portray a "soft Hindutva" face with references to Lord Ram, Narmada river and cow urine, the Madhya Pradesh Congress released its manifesto on Saturday for the upcoming assembly election on November 28. Titled "Vachan Patra", it was released at a press meet in the presence of state Congress president Kamal Nath, state campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh. The 112-page manifesto promises an "adhyatmik vibhag" (spiritual department) in the state, as well as plans to promote the Sanskrit language. It speaks of developing the "Ram path" -- a mythical route taken by Lord Ram during his 14-year exile -- and the commercial production of 'gaumutra' (cow urine) and 'kanda' (cowdung cakes). It talks of setting up 'gaushalas' (cowshed) in every village panchayat and making arrangements for the upkeep of injured cows. It states a host of measures for the conservation of the Narmada that is considered holy by the Hindus. The party ...
Raman has broken all development records in Chhattisgarh: Shah
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has broken all records of development during his tenure, BJP president Amit Shah claimed Saturday, and sought to know what the Congress has done for the state. Once counted among laggards, Chhattisgarh has now emerged as one of the most developed states in the country under the leadership of Singh, who became the chief minister in 2003, he said. Shah asked BJP workers to ensure Singh's victory by at least 70,000 votes from Rajnandgaon assembly seat from where the chief minister is seeking a re-election. The BJP chief was addressing party workers after holding a roadshow here as the election campaigning for the first phase of polling on November 12 came to a close this evening. Eighteen assembly constituencies spread across eight Naxal-affected districts, including Rajnandgaon, will vote in the first phase of polling. Shah said for 10 years, Singh kept developing Chhattisgarh single-handedly, but in the last five years, he, along with Prime ...
Campaign ends for first phase of Chhattisgarh polls, Naxal issue dominates
A high-decibel election campaign dominated by the Naxal issue with nearly half a dozen attacks by Left wing extremists during the period came to end Saturday evening in 18 Assembly seats spread across eight Maoist-affected districts of Chhattisgarh that will go to polls in the first phase on November 12. The BJP, which has won three consecutive elections in the state, and the Congress fielded their top leaders for the campaign, with Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, BJP national president Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath seeking to woo voters with rallies and road-shows on the last day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a rally on Friday took on the Congress, accusing it of backing "urban Naxals" who, he said, were "remote-controlling" the Maoist insurgency in this region and ruining the lives of poor tribals. The Congress, however, alleged that it was an attempt to hide the "failure" of the BJP government in combating Naxalism and bringing development to the state.
Turkey shared Khashoggi recordings with Saudi, US and others
Turkey has shared recordings linked to the murder last month of journalist Jamal Khashoggi with Riyadh, Washington and other capitals, President Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday. "We gave the recordings, we gave them to Saudi Arabia, we gave them to Washington, to the Germans, to the French, to the English," he said in a televised speech. "They listened to the conversations which took place here, they know", he said. Officials added that no written documents had been shared. Khashoggi was last seen entering the consulate on October 2 to obtain documents for his forthcoming marriage. After repeated denials, Saudi Arabia finally admitted the 59-year-old had been murdered at the mission in a "rogue" operation. However, Erdogan has accused the "highest levels" of the Saudi government with ordering the hit, while some officials have pointed the finger at the all-powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Some Turkish media and officials have said Ankara possessed an audio recording of the ...
Renaming UP cities a 'lollipop' from BJP to lure voters: Sena
The Shiv Sena said Saturday the renaming of cities in Uttar Pradesh by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was a "lollipop" to lure voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls next year. The party, in an editorial in its mouthpiece 'Saamana', also slammed the chief minister over his announcement about the construction of a statue of Lord Ram, saying the government was playing the Ayodhya card to mislead people as it has failed on all fronts. "Yogi Adityanath has announced that a statue of Lord Ram will be made in Ayodhya. He has also renamed Faizabad (district) as Ayodhya and had earlier rechristened Allahabad as Prayagraj. However, the demand of hundreds of martyred kar sevaks was for a Ram temple, not his statue," the party said. "However, the government only gave a new name to Faizabad and a statue. This is a lollipop given by the BJP in view of the upcoming general elections," it added. The Sena demanded that the government formulate a new law in Parliament to pave the way for the construction
Jihadists kill 8 Syria troops near truce zone: monitor
Jihadists have killed at least eight Syrian government troops near a planned buffer zone around the country's last major rebel bastion, a monitor said on Saturday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack took place late on Friday in the north of Hama province near the planned buffer zone around rebel-held territory in neighbouring Idlib. The attack was led by fighters of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance led by Syria's former Al-Qaeda branch which is the dominant force in Idlib, the Britain-based monitoring group said. "An assault by HTS targeted a Syrian regime position on the outskirts of the de-militarised zone" and was followed by clashes in which eight regime forces were killed, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP. Two jihadists also died. The de-militarised zone was announced by rebel backer Ankara and Damascus ally Moscow in September to separate government troops from rebel fighters in Idlib and adjacent areas. Under the deal, the rebels were supposed .
I don't accept my expulsion from INLD: Dushyant Chautala
Haryana MP Dushyant Chautala Saturday refused to accept his expulsion and that of his brother Digvijay Chautala from the INLD, claiming that the party's national executive had not met and no sack order issued by president Om Prakash Chautala. Amid a widening rift in the Chautala family, Dushyant Chautala said only the Indian National Lok Dal's national executive or a committee headed by the party president could take action against him. But he claimed the working committee meeting called by his father Ajay Singh Chautala on November 17 in Jind could suspend or expel any leader. Definitely, if the committee unanimously takes action against anyone. It is supreme, he said, answering a question at his first press conference here after the crisis. The young Chautala claimed he heard about his expulsion only through the media. On November 2, an INLD press release quoting their grandfather Om Prakash Chautala had announced the expulsion of the two brothers following an inquiry which found ...