Page 254 - Politics
Cong serves notice to R'than MLA over remarks against Gehlot
The Congress Thursday issued a notice to its MLA from Rajasthan's Todabhim over his remarks against Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot after the party drew a blank in the recent Lok Sabha elections in the state. Todabhim MLA Prithviraj Meena had on Wednesday said Gehlot should bear responsibility for the party's election drubbing and be replaced by his deputy Sachin Pilot as chief minister. The Congress also issued an advisory asking its leaders to refrain from making statements in media or on social media that can "hurt the party's dignity". At the AICC briefing in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the concerned MLA, who raised the issue of the chief minister's resignation, has been served a notice by Congress Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pande and others have been warned against making such remarks in public. The structure of the 133-year-old party is such that it handles the issues at the local level in the state, he said. "We do not make any compromises on internal ...
Chinese delegates met External Affairs Minister, held talks with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul
A Chinese delegation headed by a Communist Party Politburo member met External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar here on Thursday and discussed bilateral and economic ties between India and China."Happy to meet Chinese Communist Party Politburo Member and Guangdong Party Secretary, Mr. Li Xi today. Discussed bilateral relations. Urged that Guangdong take the lead in balancing India-China economic relations," the External Affairs Minister tweeted.The eight-member Chinese delegation also UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence.The delegation was received by senior Congress leader Anand Sharma.Sharma told ANI, "This meeting was on the behalf of the party to party exchange between the leadership of the communist party of China and the Indian National Congress (INC). Li was accompanied by Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan and other senior leaders.""We exchanged views on the relations between our two countries, which the INC deeply values .
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to lead Indian delegation for G20 ministerial meeting in Japan
Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal will be leading the Indian delegation for the G20 Ministerial meeting on Trade and Digital Economy, which is slated to held on June 8 and June 9, 2019, in Japan."The Minister will discuss developments in the global trade situation, WTO matters and digital trade. He will also hold dialogue with other participating Trade Ministers on current international trade and investments. For the first time, Ministers of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Commerce will participate in a joint session on Digital Economy at the G20 Ministerial Meeting," a release of Press Information Bureau (PIB) said."The G20 Trade Ministers deliberations will form part of the G20 Summit Leaders agenda in the formal discussions and will also be a part of the Summit Declaration. Ever since G20 was formed India has been actively participating in the meetings. Although there are no binding commitments in G20, it sets the agenda for ...
Sidhu divested of Local Govt dept, gets Power portfolio
Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is at loggerheads with Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, was Thursday divested of the Local Government department and was given the Power and New and Renewable Energy portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle. The portfolio rejig took place hours after the first state Cabinet meeting following the Lok Sabha elections. Singh on Thursday evening rejigged the portfolios of most of his ministers. Sidhu's tourism and cultural affairs portfolio was also taken away, as per an official statement. Barring four ministers, there are some changes in the portfolios of all the others as a result of the reallocation. The chief minister said this will help further streamline the government and bring more transparency and efficiency.
Hit officials with shoes if they don't respect you: BJP MLA tells party workers
A BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh on Thursday told his party workers to hit government officials with shoes if they do not respect them."If government employees don't respect our workers, then take off your shoes and hit them because there is a limit to patience," said Lalitpur MLA Ramratan Kushwaha said at a party event.The BJP leader was addressing a gathering of party workers during a 'Karyakarta Sammelan Samaroh' here."I have information about bureaucrat and police officials with SP and BSP ideologies, who misbehaved with our workers during the elections, threatened our volunteers and asked them to join their party. They should stay wary," said the BJP leader."Keep in mind I do what I say," Kushwaha warned.
AU suspends Sudan until civilian-led authority established
The African Union (AU) suspended Sudan on Thursday, demanding a "civilian-led transitional authority" to resolve an entrenched and bloody crisis. Calls for the AU to take action had mounted after Monday's crackdown on protesters who had camped outside army headquarters in Khartoum. Sudanese authorities admitted dozens were killed when security forces stormed the long-running sit-in. But an opposition-linked doctors' group said Wednesday that 40 bodies had been pulled from the Nile, sending the death toll to at least 108. "The AU Peace and Security Council has with immediate effect suspended the participation of the Republic of Sudan in all AU activities until the effective establishment of a Civilian-led Transitional Authority, as the only way to allow the Sudan to exit from the current crisis," the AU posted on Twitter. Patrick Kapuwa, the chairperson of the AU's Peace and Security Council, said the military leadership that took control after the ouster of long-time president Omar ...
Putin says time to 'turn the page' in UK ties after spy scandal
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Moscow and London should mend fences after the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in Britain. "There's a need to finally turn this page -- linked to spies and assassination attempts," Putin told heads of global news agencies at an economic forum in Saint Petersburg. "Global issues related to national interests in the economic and social spheres and global security are more important than games of security services," the Russian president said. Putin added that Skripal was not a "Russian spy." "It was not us who spied on you," Putin said. "It's your agent, not ours. That means you were spying on us." Skripal is a former double agent, who sold secrets to Britain and moved there after a 2010 spy swap. Last year Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent in the English city of Salisbury, the first use of chemical weapons in Europe since World War II. London says the military grade nerve agent ...
National Executive meeting of JD (U) to be held on June 9
The National Executive Meeting of the Janta Dal United JD (U) party leaders will held on June 9 under the chairmanship of JD (U) chief and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.JD(U) National Secretary Ravinder Singh said that the membership of a party lasts for three years. The members were inducted on June 5, 2016, and now on June 9, a meeting will be held to induct the members for the next three years. The final decision on the selection of the members will be done by July 9.The state president of JDU in Bihar Vashishtha Narayan Singh has directed every MLA, MP, MLC, office bearers and national, state and village level officials of the party to initiate the process of induction into the party by June 8.
Post LS loss, Priyanka holds meeting with Scindia, Babbar to discuss Congress' future in UP
Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday held discussions with President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress committee, Raj Babbar and other general secretaries, including Jyotiraditya Scindia, to build the party again at the block level, post its defeat in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, sources said.The meeting took place on Tuesday at Priyanka's residence and last for around two-and-a-half hours.Congress Legislative party leader Ajay Kumar Lallu was also present.In the meeting, the party placed two observers to gather ground reports about the reasons for Congress president Rahul Gandhi's defeat to BJP's Smriti Irani in Amethi Lok Sabha seat, sources added.The sources said that in the meeting the leaders discussed the challenges ahead for the Congress and how it will move forward with just seven MLAs and one MP (UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi from Amethi) in Uttar Pradesh.They added that Priyanka will soon start visiting ...
More troubles for Cong, two-third MLAs in T'gana seek merger with TRS, Sidhu targets Amarinder
In mounting troubles for the Congress after the Lok Sabha debacle, two-third of its 18 MLAs in Telangana Thursday sought merger of their group with the ruling TRS while a defiant Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu fired a fresh salvo at Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and skipped a key Cabinet meeting. With barely few months left for Haryana Assembly polls, a rift within the state unit of the Congress also came to the fore as some MLAs loyal to former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda trained their guns at state chief Ashok Tanwar for the poor showing in the state in the parliamentary elections. There is already disquiet within the Congress unit in Rajasthan, where a blame game over the party's rout in the desert state has begun between Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and his deputy Sachin Pilot. Similar reports are also coming from Madhya Pradesh, where the ruling Congress is struggling to keep its flock together and save its government, which is being run with the support of the BSP ..
Prashant Kishor meets Mamata; may work to fine-tune TMC's strategy for 2021 Bengal polls
Poll strategist Prashant Kishor met West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee here on Thursday, raising speculation about working with her in the near future to help her foil the BJP's growing influence in the state and maintain her grip on Bengal for the 2021 state polls. Accompanied by TMC MP and the chief minister's nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, Kishor had a discussion with the CM at Nabanna, the state secretariat, for nearly two-and-a-half hours, sources said. They said Kishor agreed to work with her if she so desired. While leaving Nabanna, Banerjee did not speak to anybody from the media about her meeting with Kishor. Attempts to reach out to the leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by Banerjee, to know about the outcome of the meeting did not bear any fruit. The TMC supremo left for Nimta in north Kolkata to meet the family members of a party leader who was killed late Tuesday evening. A BJP worker is among the two persons arrested by the police in connection with the ...
Cong MP Gaurav Gogoi asks Amit Shah to ensure relief for ex-Army man declared foreigner
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi Thursday expressed concern over the detention of a former Army man as a foreigner and sought Home Minister Amit Shah's intervention to get him relief. In a letter to Shah, Gogoi said retired subedar and decorated Kargil War veteran Mohammad Sanaullah has been in a detention centre after a foreigners tribunal in Assam declared him as foreigner on May 28. "I write to you to express my concern over the detention... I sincerely want relief for former Army officer Mohammad Sanaullah and the process should be correct where only genuine Indian citizens find security and foreigners excluded," he said. The MP from Assam's Kaliabor said many media reports indicated inefficiency on the part of government officials involved in the case. "I request you to look into the matter and initiate an enquiry to ensure that they do not continue to perform their duties in this manner. People of Assam are looking towards the government of India for justice," Gogoi said. After his ...
Meet every voter, Pawar tells workers ahead of Maha polls
With the Maharashtra Assembly elections nearing, NCP chief Sharad Pawar Thursday urged his party men to visit every voter in their area. He was speaking at a meeting of the party's leaders and workers from Pimpri, Chinchwad and Bhosari Assembly segments in Pune district. The former Union minister said the workers should not feel dejected by the Lok Sabha polls results, and start preparing for the Assembly polls. The party would give opportunity to young faces in the election, likely to be held in September or October this year, he said. The NCP could win only five seats, including four in Maharashtra, in the Lok Sabha polls. "Only 98 days are left for the Assembly polls...So, start working from today itself," an NCP statement quoted Pawar as saying. Workers should be ready with list of voters in their respective areas and meet each of the electors, he said. "Keep track of whom you met and whom you could not. Collect information about each family and personally meet the ..
I cannot be taken for granted, says Sidhu
Skipping a Cabinet meeting, Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu, who has been under fire from Chief Minister Amarinder Singh for the Congress's poor performance in urban areas, on Thursday said his department has been singled out and that he cannot be taken for granted."We swim and we sink together... It is a collective responsibility. My department has been singled out publicly. One must have the ability to see things from the right perspective. I cannot be taken for granted. I have been a performer throughout. I am answerable to the people of Punjab," he told reporters here."Urban seats had a pivotal role in Congress party's win in Lok Sabha elections in the state. Chief Minister gave me the responsibility of two districts in Punjab--Tarn Tarn and Amritsar. We won big in these two districts," Sidhu said.On being asked about Sidhu's statements denting the party's electoral prospects, Singh had said, "I think it has cost us Bhatinda. Sidhu is the minister of urban development and we ...
Jitendra Singh meets J-K police chief; discusses Amarnath Yatra preparations
Union minister Jitendra Singh Thursday held a discussion with Jammu and Kashmir Governor's adviser K Vijay Kumar and state police chief Dilbagh Singh on the current situation in the state as well as the arrangements for the forthcoming Amarnath yatra. "The Centre is committed to ensure incident-free Amarnath Yatra. Like last time, this time too there will be zero tolerance towards terrorism," he told PTI. Vijay Kumar and Dilbagh Singh had called on the Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office here. "Discussed the current situation in the state as well as arrangements for the forthcoming Amarnath yatra," the minister later said. The 46-day-long yatra to the Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas will begin on July 1, the day of 'Masik Shivratri', and conclude on August 15, the day of 'Shravan Purnima'. Over 1.10 lakh devotees have so far registered for the annual pilgrimage. Union Home Minister Amit Shah was on Tuesday given a detailed presentation on the situation in
DRDO chairman meets Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chairman G Satheesh Reddy on Thursday called on Defence Minister Rajnath Singh here.The Minister was briefed about 'Make in India' initiatives in Defence and DRDO's contribution in this direction. Singh was also presented a model of the A-SAT missile.DRDO is working in various areas of military technology which include aeronautics, armaments, combat vehicles, electronics, instrumentation engineering systems, missiles, materials, naval systems, advanced computing, simulation, and life sciences. It is the premier organisation for Defence research in India.
Punjab cabinet gives nod to sports varsity ordinance
The Punjab cabinet Thursday approved the Punjab Sports University Ordinance-2019, paving way for the establishment of the institute in Patiala. A cabinet memorandum to this effect was presented by the sports and youth services department for the consideration of the cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here. The proposed institution will focus on sports education and training besides offering professional and academic leadership to the institutions dealing in physical education and sports sciences, an official spokesperson said. The state-of-the-art university will serve as a centre of excellence for sportspersons and focus on innovation and propagation of research in sports. The chief minister had announced to set up the university in June 2017. Subsequently, a steering committee was set up under the chairmanship of International Olympic Committee member Randhir Singh to finalise its modalities. The Punjab cabinet also gave in-principle approval
Paddy transplantation date advanced to Jun 13 in Punjab
Paddy growers in Punjab can transplant their crop from June 13 instead of the earlier date of June 20, the government said Thursday. In a notification issued here, the government advanced paddy sowing date to June 13 following requests from various farmers' organisations who had been complaining of high moisture level in the crop because of late sowing. Acceding to the demand of farmers' organizations, the state government, on the directive of Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, has taken the decision to prepone the date of paddy transplantation from June 20 fixed last year to June 13 this year, an official release said.
Putin says Russia prepared to drop START treaty
President Vladimir Putin on Thursday said Russia was prepared to drop a nuclear arms control agreement with the US, known as New START, if there was a lack of interest in renewing it. "If no-one feels like extending the agreement - New START - well, we won't do it then," Putin said at an economic forum in Saint Petersburg, referring to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty. "We said a hundred times that we are ready (to extend it)," Putin said, lamenting that Washington was "not conducting any talks" on the issue with Moscow. "There is no formal negotiating process. And in 2021 everything will end." The treaty was signed by US President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev in Prague in 2010. The agreement, which caps the number of nuclear warheads well below Cold War limits, is set to expire in two years' time. Together with another agreement known as the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) treaty, New START is considered a centrepiece of superpower arms ...
Trump says will decide on new tariffs on China after G20
US President Donald Trump said that he would wait until after a G20 meeting in Japan at the end of the month before deciding whether to impose new tariffs on China. "I will make that decision over the next two weeks, probably right after the G20," Trump told reporters in northern France, adding that he would hold talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the summit on June 28-29.