Page 2603 - Politics
No formal invite was sent to President Trump to visit India: Official sources
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had extended an invitation to US President Donald Trump to visit India at his convenience but no formal or written invite was sent to him, official sources said Wednesday. The clarification by the sources came two days after a White House spokesperson said Trump was honoured by Modi's invitation to be Chief Guest of India's Republic Day but is unable to participate due to scheduling constraints. "We have noted the statement made by the White House about the visit of US President Donald Trump to India. It may be recalled that during the visit of Prime Minister to the US in June 2017, he had extended an invitation to President Trump to visit India at his convenience," said a source. The source further said "no formal or written invitation was extended as it is a normal practice between two countries to make informal enquiries before extending a formal invitation." The source said high-level exchanges are important element of India-US strategic partnership ...
Congress never gave due respect to Sardar Patel, forgot him: CM Chouhan
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday accused the Congress party of not paying due respect to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the first Home Minister of independent India."Congress never gave due respects to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It forgot him, who unified India. I congratulate the Prime Minister that he unveiled the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel today. That is the true tribute to him," Chouhan said at an event here.The Chief Minister said that it was unfortunate that Sardar Patel could not become the Prime Minister of the country.He said, "Had he not been there, India wouldn't have been unified. Had Kashmir been in his hands instead of Jawaharlal Nehru, its one-third part wouldn't have been with Pakistan. It was unfortunate that Sardar Patel wasn't a Prime Minister. What Congress did to him, need not be said again."Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 182-metre tall 'Statue of Unity' as a tribute to the iconic .
Rly scraps flexi fare in some trains, reduces fares during lean season in others
In a huge relief for passengers, railways has scrapped flexi-fare in 15 premium trains completely, while the scheme will no longer be applicable in 32 trains during lean periods. It has also reduced flexi fares from 1.5 to 1.4 times the base ticket fare in 101 trains, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said Wednesday. On September 9, 2016, the railways had introduced flexi-fare for premier trains: 44 Rajdhani, 52 Duronto and 46 Shatabdi Express trains. Under this, the base fare increases by 10 per cent with every 10 per cent of berths sold, subject to a prescribed limit. There was no change in the existing fare for first AC and economy class. "As a gift to passengers this festive season, Railways has decided to reduce Flexi Fares from 1.5 to 1.4 times the base ticket fare, and to completely remove Flexi Fares from trains with less than 50 per cent occupancy," the minister tweeted. "Win-Win Situation: The reduction of Flexi Fares is going to benefit both the passengers that can now avail ...
TRS a 'family party', says Ram Madhav
: Dubbing TRS as a 'family outfit,' BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav Wednesday said the K Chandrasekhar led-partywas apprehensiveof losing the assembly elections, had it been held along with the general elections in 2019. Addressing BJP booth level workers at Armoor in Nizamabad district, he said people had given a five year mandate to the Chief Minister. But he 'gave up' in just four years. "Now what is the guarantee that you (KCR) will not run away (if you come to power) after four years?" he asked. "Why are we going for elections in four years? Because KCR is apprehensive that he will not win if the assembly elections are held along with Lok Sabha elections in 2019," he said. Madhav alleged that the double bedroom housing scheme announced by the TRS government had become an unfulfilled promise. He said the Modi government had taken the initiative of providing a house to every poor family in the country by 2022. "The BJP government had promised five crore houses to ...
SC observations on Rafale price critical: Congress
The Congress on Wednesday said the Supreme Court move to seek more information from the Modi government about the pricing and deemed advantages in the Rafale deal was "extremely critical" and asked what the Centre was hiding.
Mamata remembers Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday paid tributes to Indira Gandhi on her 34th death anniversary and lauded the former Prime Minister's contribution to the nation's economic development.
Chidambaram slams Centre for invoking never-used clause of RBI Act
Slamming the government for using for the first time a clause of the RBI Act, former Union finance minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday alleged that the NDA dispensation is "hiding facts" about the economy and is "desperate". In a series of tweets, the senior Congress leader said the governments he was a part of in the past had never used Section 7 of the Reserve Bank of India Act, under which a direct order can be issued by the government to the central bank to carry out its wishes in "public interest". "We did not invoke Section 7 in 1991 or 1997 or 2008 or 2013. What is the need to invoke the provision now? It shows that government is hiding facts about the economy and is desperate (sic)," he said. Referring to a statement issued by the government, which said extensive consultations on several issues take place between it and the RBI from time to time, Chidambaram asked if it contained the truth alone, why was it necessary to issue the statement? "Obviously, the government has ...
Kharge slams BJP on Sardar Patel issue
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge Wednesday slammed BJP for using the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel for their "vested interests." BJP remembering Patel was an "electiongimmick", Kharge told reporters at Hubballi. The Congress leader said, "Every year BJP remembers a different freedom fighter--sometimes they remember Patel, sometimes Gandhi for Swachch Bharat Abhiyan and sometimes they remember Dr B R Ambedkar and Subhas Chandra Bose. These are all their election stunts. They never had respect for those who fought for the freedom of India." Kharge claimed that 15-20 years ago BJP offices never hadphotos of Sardar Patel and Bose except those of RSSleaders such as Golwalkar. It was only Congress which respected all freedom fighters, he added. Kharge said every year he paid tribute to Patel on September 17 and celebrated the occasion as liberation day for Hyderabad-Karnataka region, which was under the control of the Nizam of Hyderabad who wanted ...
Seoul, Pyongyang to discuss joint bid for 2032 Olympics
South and North Korean officials will discuss on Friday the possibility of submitting a joint bid for hosting the 2032 Summer Olympic Games, the South Korean Ministry of Unification said on Wednesday."The government is going to discuss during at these talks the issues related to exchanges and cooperation in sports, primarily, the issue of joint (bid for) hosting the 2032 Summer Olympic Games of South and North (Korea) as well as the joint participation of South and North Korean athletes in the 2020 Summer Olympics and other international sports events," the ministry said in a statement.The negotiations will be held at the initiative of North Korea.In September, North Korea and South Korea agreed to send a joint team to the 2020 Summer Olympics as well as to work on preparing the joint bid for the 2032 Olympic Games. According to media reports, Seoul and Pyongyang may be included in the joint bid as possible hosting cities of the games.The situation on the Korean Peninsula has improved
CM Rawat pays tributes to Patel on birth anniversary
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat Wednesday paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel on his birth anniversary and recalled his contribution to the country's unification post independence. He said the 'Statue of Unity' unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Gujarat's Narmada district Wednesday was the most fitting tribute to the country's first home minister. "The Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue at 182 metres, which has been unveiled by the Prime Minister, is in keeping with Patel's tall political stature, " Rawat said. "After the Independence of India, without even a drop of blood being shed and without any gunshots being fired, Patel ensured that 550 princely states became part of the country," he said. Rawat also participated in the 'Run for Unity' along with senior party leaders on the occasion, including pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt, party state in-charge Shyam Jaju and former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank.
S Korean President receives 'Modi vests' as present
Prime Minister Narendra Modi presented South Korean President Moon Jae-in 'Modi Vests' after he appreciated the style of the apparel.Moon Jae-in tweeted, "Prime Minister @narendramodi of India sent me some gorgeous garments. These are modernized versions of traditional Indian costume, known as the 'Modi Vest', that can also be worn easily in Korea. They fit perfectly".In a series of tweets, Moon Jae-in appreciated and thanked Modi for the gesture while reminiscing his India visit."During my visit to India, I had told the Prime Minister @narendramodi that he looked great in those vests, and he duly sent them over, all meticulously tailored to my size. I would like to thank him for this kind gesture," the South Korean President tweeted.He further congratulated the Prime Minister for winning the Seoul Peace Prize.Talking about Modi's tweet in the Korean language, after winning the peace prize, Moon Jae-in said that he was moved by the Prime Minister's thoughtfulness.Moon Jae-in tweeted, .
Sardar Patel banned RSS, claims Congress
On the 143rd birth anniversary of freedom fighter Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Congress party said that Patel, the first Home Minister of independent India, strongly opposed the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).The Congress wrote on its official twitter handle, "Had Sardar Patel been alive today, he would have taken another strong decision for the welfare of the country."In its post on the micro-blogging site, attaching an old newspaper clipping of 1948, the party wrote, "The RSS and its ideology has created a danger for the identity of the country."Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "Ironic that a statue of Sardar Patel is being inaugurated, but every institution he helped build is being smashed. The systematic destruction of India's institutions is nothing short of treason."Gandhi was referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiling the 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat as a tribute to the freedom fighter.The Congress president said, "Sardar Patel was a patriot, ..
Section 7 of RBI Act empowers govt to issue directions to Reserve Bank
Section 7 of the RBI Act, hogging headlines following reported differences between the North Block and the Mint Street, empowers the central government to issue directions to the Reserve Bank in public interest. The Section 7 (1) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, however has never been invoked by the government so far. The Finance Ministry, located in the North Block here, has cited the never-before-used power of issuing directions to RBI Governor to seek a resolution to differences with the central bank, sources with knowledge of the development said. Section 7 pertains to management. "The Central Government may from time to time give such directions to the Bank as it may, after consultation with the Governor of the Bank, consider necessary in the public interest," says Section 7(1) of the RBI Act, 1934. Further, Section 7 (2) gives the government powers to entrust the running of the RBI to its Central Board of Directors. "Subject to any such directions, the general ...
Israel defends Trump amid synagogue shooting criticism
Israel's envoy to the memorial ceremonies for the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting victims says it's "unfair and wrong" to link the tragedy to President Donald Trump. Naftali Bennett, the Israeli minister for diaspora affairs, lauded Trump's support for Israel and his denunciation of anti-Semitism, saying: "With President Trump, we never have to worry if he has our backs." His comments late Tuesday came as Trump paid a visit to Pittsburgh amid accusations that the president's fiery rhetoric had contributed to the climate of violence. Top elected officials avoided him and one of the families of the 11 victims asked not to meet him. Israel's envoys to the United States and the Union Nations have also tried to distance Trump from the attack.
Rouhani tells Iranians to brace for hard times under U.S. sanctions
GENEVA (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has warned Iranians they face hard times when new U.S. sanctions take effect on Sunday but said the government would do its best to alleviate them.
UN envoy meets Lankan prez, discusses political crisis
Amidst the political turmoil in Sri Lanka, a top UN envoy here met President Maithripala Sirisena Wednesday and discussed the prevailing political crisis, days after he sacked Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and replaced him with former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa. United Nations Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer met Sirisena days after UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed "great concern" over the deepening political crisis and called on the country's government to respect democratic values and constitutional provisions and process. The President's office said that during the meeting, Sirisena assured Singer that the government has taken all the steps in accordance with the Constitution, the Colombo Gazette reported. Sirisena said that the country is executing its functions within a democratic framework and appreciated the assistance given by the UN. Expressing her views, Singer said that the UN is ready to provide every possible assistance to Sri Lanka in the future as
Sushma Swaraj holds talks with Amir, PM of Kuwait, raises Indian community's concerns
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj Wednesday called on Kuwait's top leadership, including Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and discussed a range of issues to strengthen the bilateral ties, besides raising the Indian community's concerns. Swaraj arrived on Tuesday in Kuwait from Doha where she met Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Monday and discussed ways to move forward on the roadmap set by the top leaders of the two countries. "EAM Sushma Swaraj called on the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. Hailed the role of Kuwait in the region. Noted the positive developments in bilateral ties and raised issues of concern to the Indian community," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. "EAM Sushma Swaraj called on Prime Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Jabar Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah. Discussed issues of bilateral concern and explored avenues for enhancing and further strengthening economic and investment cooperation," ..
Dilbagh Singh appointed full-time DG of JK Police
Dilbag Singh was appointed Wednesday as the full-time director general of the Jammu and Kashmir Police as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court, officials said here. Singh took over as interim chief of the state police force on September 6 after his predecessor S P Vaid, caught in a verbal duel with the new Jammu and Kashmir administration, was shunted out and posted as transport commissioner. The name of Singh, a 1987-batch IPS officer, was cleared by the State Administrative Council headed by Governor Satyapal Malik here. A panel of three names for the post was submitted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) last week. The Supreme Court on September 20 had made it clear that Singh will continue in office till the UPSC scrutinises and provides a panel of three police officers for regular appointment of the police chief. Singh will continue to hold the post of director general of prisons as an additional charge. Vaid was posted as Transport Commissioner, a post which was ...
CBI Row: Additional SP moves Delhi HC
Additional Superintendent of Police (SP) SS Gurm on Wednesday moved the Delhi High Court in the ongoing bribery case against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana to quash a First Information Report filed against him by the probe agency. In the petition, Gurm has alleged that Asthana was "misleading" and the CBI was trying to protect him.Asthana came under scrutiny after the CBI filed an FIR against him for allegedly accepting a bribe from a businessman, who was linked to Moin Akhtar Qureshi case. He was heading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that was investigating Qureshi's case.Before being sent on leave by the government, Asthana had moved the Delhi High Court against the FIR by citing section 17 A, which made it compulsory that before setting up an enquiry or investigation under Prevention of Corruption (PoC) Act against the government servant, an approval of the sitting government or department will have to be sought.In his petition, Gurm has claimed that he had vetted the ...
Dilbag Singh confirmed as J&K police chief
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Wednesday confirmed Dilbag Singh as the full time Director General of Police.