Page 2548 - Politics
Renaming Ahmedabad being considered, says CM; Dy CM says name is "symbol of slavery"
The Gujarat government said Thursday that it was considering renaming Ahmedabad as Karnavati. Speaking to reporters in state capital Gandhinagar, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said the name change could be effected before the Lok Sabha elections. Rupani's statement comes days after the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh announced renaming of Allahabad and Faizabad as Prayagraj and Ayodhya, respectively. "People have been demanding for long that Ahmedabad be renamed as Karnavati. The government is considering this demand. Consultation process has been started (to find out) if legally we can do it. After consultations we will take a concrete step," the chief minister said. Asked if it could happen before Lok Sabha elections or after, he said, "Before the elections." Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel said the name Ahmedabad is a "symbol of slavery" and needs to be changed. "We have started the process of getting legal and other approvals like the nod of the Centre," Patel said. "The name ...
Noteban is biggest failed monetary experiment: Ajit Pawar
Senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar Thursday termed demonetisation as the "biggest failed monetary experiment". On the second anniversary of demonetisation, he also said that people would give the ruling BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party) a "befitting reply" in 2019 general polls. "Finally everyone is realising the impact of the biggest failed monetary experiment, conducted at the cost 1.3 billion Indians. "People of this country will never forget this & give a befitting reply to the BJP in May 2019 #DestructionByDemonetisation," the former deputy chief minister said on Twitter. On November 8, 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced a ban on the use of bank notes in denominations of Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 with immediate effect as a measure to choke black money.
DMK slams Centre over note ban on second anniversary
DMK Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the second anniversary of demonetisation alleging it was a "one-man made disaster" for the country with the economy getting hit irreversibly. Ruling AIADMK, however, appeared to be guarded in its reaction, saying the people's verdict on demonetisation would be known only after the next year Lok Sabha elections. With ally Congress alleging note ban as a biggest scam, DMK president M K Stalin in a tweet said: "People were brought on streets with their money declared illegal. "Indians stood in endless lines & many died outside banks, millions of jobs were lost, small industries shut & the economy hit irreversibly. #DestructionByDemonetisation is a one man made disaster for India," Stalin, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Tamil Nadu assembly, tweeted. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, said whether the people have accepted demonetisation or not will be known only after the Lok Sabha ...
China displays new tactical modern weapons at its air show
China has displayed a host of its latest tactical weapons, including a new intelligence radar, anti-ship missile as well as an unmanned missile boat, at an air show this week in Zhuhai city as it flexed muscles in the disputed South China Sea leading to tension with other nations located on its rim. The exported versions of the 609-intelligence radar and CM 401 anti-ship missile, which are serving in the People's Liberation Army (PLA) in border and coast defence, are on display for the first time at the air show, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Thursday. State-run Global Times reported that a Chinese firm has also unveiled its unmanned boat with reconnaissance and attack capabilities, which is the first of its kind in China. The 609-intelligence radar is able to detect long-range early warning of stealth aircraft such as the US F-35, tactical ballistic missiles, and targets close to space, according to its developer, the 14th Institute of the China Electronic ...
TDP to finalise its candidates for Telangana polls soon
: The Telugu Desam Party will finalise its candidates for the coming assembly elections in neighbouring Telangana in a day or two, state unit president L Ramana said Thursday. As part of the 'grand alliance' with Congress and other parties, the TDP is expected to be allotted 14 out of the 119 seats in the Telangana Assembly. Talking to reporters after a meeting with party supremo and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu here Thursday afternoon, Ramana said a list of proposed candidates had been submitted to Naidu for approval. Our main objective is victory (in polls) rather than the number of seats. We will touch double-digit in the second Telangana Assembly and play a crucial role, Ramana said replying to a question. Party sources indicated TDP was concentrating only on seats where it has a possibility of victory. Claiming that the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samiti had lost the confidence of the people, Ramana expressed confidence that the Maha Kutami (grand .
Maratha political outfit formed
A section of Maratha agitators fighting for the cause of reservation Thursday announced formation of a political outfit that will contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra. The new outfit 'Maharashtra Kranti Sena' would be headed by Suresh Patil who claimed to have been working with 'Maratha Akrakshan Sanghrsh Samiti' for the last ten years. Talking to PTI from Satara in western Maharashtra, around 260 kms from here, Patil said he and his supporters took the pledge to form the new party and work for the community at historic Raireshwar temple where Chhatrapati Shivaji had taken the oath to form 'Swarajya' in 17th century. He said Maratha organisations like Sakal Maratha Samaj (SMS) and Maratha Kranti Morcha (MKM) that have been spearheading the agitation for quota in jobs and education, have opposed the new outfit. "But we are not using the word 'Maratha' in the name of our political party. We hope they (SMS and MKM) drop their misgivings about us and join the .
Modi govt trying to capture RBI: Chidambaram
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday accused the Narendra Modi government of trying to capture the Reserve Bank of India to tide over its fiscal crisis, warning that any such move would be catastrophic. "The government stares at a fiscal-deficit crisis. The government wants to step up the expenditure in an election year. Finding all avenues closed, in desperation, the government has demanded Rs 1 lakh crore from the reserves of RBI," the former Union finance minister said at a press conference here. If RBI Governor Urjit Patel stands his ground, the Centre is planning to issue a direction under Section 7 of the RBI Act, 1934, directing the apex bank to transfer Rs 1 lakh crore to the government's account, he claimed. Section 7 of the RBI Act gives special powers to the government to issue directions to the RBI governor on issues of public interest. Chidambaram alleged that the government had packed the central bank's board with handpicked nominees and was making every ...
European Parliament hosts exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi
A week-long photo exhibition on the life of Mahamata Gandhi has been inaugurated in the European Parliament here.
Congress announces fifth list for MP polls
The Congress Thursday released its fifth list of 16 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, taking the total number of declared candidatures to 229. The announcement came a day after the Congress released its fourth list of 29 candidates for elections to the 230-member Assembly. The Congress announced its first list of 155 candidates on November 3 in which it renominated 46 MLAs. A day after, it announced the second list of 16 candidates. On Monday night, the Congress announced a third list of 13 candidates. With Thursday's announcement, the name of just one Congress candidate for the Manpur seat is awaited. In the current assembly, the Congress has 57 MLAs. The Congress has been out of power in Madhya Pradesh since 2003. The incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is seeking a fourth straight term.
Demonetisation tarnished image of India globally: Congress
Stepping up their attack on the second anniversary of demonetisation, the Congress on Thursday asserted that the exercise which the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government undertook in 2016 tarnished the image of India globally."Demonetisation tarnished the image of India globally. India was made to look like we were run on black money. But, the Prime Minister is still in denial (mode). He won't even apologise once," senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said at a press conference here.Sharma said that the onus falls directly on Prime Minister Modi for whatever happened in the country following 'notebandi'. "On this day two years ago, the Prime Minister had taken a wrong and insensitive decision. Whatever happened in the country after that, the onus falls directly on the Prime Minister," he said.Observing that the demonetised notes were nothing but the hard-earned money of the citizens of India, Sharma said: "The demonetised currency was people's money. Importance of cash can be ...
Change names of Aurangabad, Osmanabad: Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena on Thursday reiterated their demand to change the name of Aurangabad to Sambhaji Nagar and to rename Osmanabad as Dharashiv."The demand for the renaming of Aurangabad and Osmanabad into Sambaji Nagar and Dharashiv is not new to Shiv Sena. It has been our long-standing demand," Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande told ANI, echoing what her colleague Sanjay Raut had said earlier in the day.The Shiv Sena's demand for the name change of the two places in Maharashtra goes back to decades."It has been raised several times but faced sheer opposition from Congress and NCP because they wanted to appease of Muslims voters," Kayande added.Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani also indicated that his government is mulling over to change the name of Gujarat's Ahmedabad to Karnavati after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government of Uttar Pradesh changed the names of the state's two districts."We are contemplating changing the name of Ahmedabad to Karnavati, the talks of which have been going .
Demonetisation a 'shrewd scheme' to help PM's 'suit-booted friends': Rahul
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that demonetisation was a planned "brutal conspiracy" and a "shrewd scheme" to convert the black money of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "suit-booted friends". On the second anniversary of demonetisation, he also said that there was nothing innocent about this "scam" and claimed that drawing any other meaning out of it was an insult to the intelligence of the nation. Gandhi's remarks came after former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's scathing assessment of the demonetisation exercise. He said the "scars and wounds" it caused are getting more visible with time and the decision's second anniversary is a day to remember how "economic misadventures" can roil the nation. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley made a strong defence, saying demonetisation resulted in formalisation of economy and increased tax base, with the government earmarking more resources for the poor and infrastructure development. "Note ban was a premeditated brutal conspiracy. ...
Modi government bows to US sanctions on Iran: CPI-M
The Modi government has cravenly accepted the US sanctions on Iran because it is locked into a strategic embrace with Washington, the CPI-M has said.
TRS steps up attack on AP CM, says he conspired against T'gana
Ruling TRS Thursday intensified its attack on TDP, a partner in the Congress-led "grand alliance" for the coming Telangana assembly polls, alleging that its Chief N Chandrababu Naidu indulged in "conspiracies" against the interests of the state. TRS leader and minister in the caretaker government T Harish Rao, who addressed an open letter to Naidu, claimed that the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister "conspired" against Telangana in irrigation, power and other sectors, a charge repeatedly made by the ruling party leaders in recent days and rejected by the opposition parties. "Chandrababu Naidu is tooth and nail opposed to Telangana people and the formation of Telangana state. He did not tolerate Telangana movement. He cannot accept the word 'Telangana'," Harish Rao, a nephew of TRS president and caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, told reporters. In the letter, he listed 19 issues or alleged betrayals by Naidu against Telangana's interests. These included Naidu's ...
MP polls: BJP leader weeps after not figuring in 3rd list
Senior BJP leader and former Union minister Sartaj Singh Thursday wept openly after his name did not figure in the third list of party's candidates for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. Singh (77) is a two-time MLA from Seoni-Malwa seat in the state's Hoshangabad district. The BJP Thursday released its third list of 32 candidates, leaving only six seats, in the 230-member MP House, for which no names have been declared so far. These are Seoni-Malwa, from which Singh is a sitting MLA, Panna, Lakhnadoun, Bhopal North, Mahidpur and Garoth. Sitting among his supporters, the Sikh leader tried to conceal his tears by covering his face for a few moments. According to a supporter of Singh, the BJP has told the veteran MLA that he would not be nominated from Seoni-Malwa. Singh was earlier dropped as MP PWD minister along with state Home minister Babulal Gaur in June 2016 reportedly due to old age. When contacted, Singh refused to divulge his next move and said that he
Normalcy returns in poll-bound Mizoram
Normalcy was restored in poll-bound Mizoram on Thursday after two days of protests by NGOs and civil society groups demanding the ouster of the incumbent Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) and reinstatement of ousted Principal Secretary (Home).
Mizoram polls: Debutant NPP to contest in 8 seats
The National People's Party (NPP) will contest eight seats in the Mizoram elections on November 28, party national secretary Lalrina said Thursday. The NPP was launched in Mizoram by its president and Meghalaya chief minister, Conrad Sangma, on September 29. Lalrina told PTI that the NPP candidates would be filing their nominations either on Thursday or Friday, which is the last date of filing nominations. "Former parliamentary secretary Hmingdailova Khiangte, who recently resigned from the state legislature after being denied ticket by the ruling Congress, would be NPP's candidate for Tuirial seat in Kolasib district, located on the border with Assam," Lalrina said. NPP state unit convener Lianzuala will contest from the Dampa constituency, while a retired Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer, B Suanzalang, will try his electoral luck from Champhai North seat. Former president of the erstwhile underground Hmar People's Convention (HPC), Hmingchungnunga, would be the NPP's nominee in ..
Morocco invites Algeria for direct talks
Rabat, Nov 8 (IANS/MAP) Overcoming decades of political differences, Morocco's King Mohammed VI has invited regional rival Algeria for a direct dialogue in what can be seen as a thaw in ties between the two countries.
BJP releases 3rd list for MP, drops Babulal Gaur, Kailash Vijayvargiya
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday released the third list of 32 candidates for Madhya Pradesh with the party deciding to drop 10 sitting MLAs including former Chief Minister Babulal Gaur and its national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Chandy questions BJP's "shrill silence" on demonetisation
: AICC General Secretary, Oommen Chandy, Thursday questioned the BJP's "shrill silence"on the impact of demonetisation and sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the pain caused to the common man. The BJP government 'celebrated' the first anniversary of demonetisation as "Anti-Black Money Day" without explaining how it helped the country, he said. However, on the second anniversary Thursday, the saffron party was maintaining a "very shrill silence", Chandy, a former Kerala chief minister, said in a Facebook post titled "Demonetizationan economic disaster!" There is no talk about the "Anti-Black Money Day" or the lives and livelihoods lost in the immediate aftermath of the demonetisation, he said. The Prime Minister neither made himself available to be questioned, nor did he apologise for inflicting so much pain on the common people and severely crippling our economy, especially the small and medium enterprises, the Congress leader added. The Prime ...