Page 2609 - Politics
Successful night trial of Agni-1 ballistic missile
A night trial of India's indigenously developed nuclear-capable Agni-1 ballistic missile with a strike range of 700 km was successfully conducted Tuesday from a test range off Odisha coast as part of a user trial by the Army, defence sources said. The launch of the surface-to-surface missile was undertaken as a part of periodic training activity by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) from Dr Abdul Kalam Island to consolidate operational readiness, the sources said. Describing the trial as successful, they said all mission objectives were met during the test. The trajectory of the trial was tracked by a battery of sophisticated radars, telemetry observation stations, electro-optic instruments and naval ships from its launch till the missile hit the target area with accuracy, they said. The sleek single-stage missile, powered by solid propellants, was launched Tuesday at about 8 pm from a mobile launcher from launch pad 4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR), said the sources. Agni-I ...
Mulayam turns up at Shivpal's party office, stumps Akhilesh camp
Seen recently on many occasions with his son and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav surprised many on Tuesday by turning up at his younger brother Shivpal Singh Yadav's recently-formed Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (PSP) in the state capital.
Vice President Naidu to visit Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu will begin a three-nation visit Wednesday to Botswana, Zimbabwe and Malawi, during which he will hold talks with top leaders of these African countries, meet business groups and interact with the Indian diaspora. Naidu will be accompanied by a high-level delegation for the six-day visit, the Ministry of External Affairs said Tuesday. The delegation will include Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar, two MPs and senior officers of the Union government, it said. Naidu's official engagements will include meeting presidents of the countries; holding bilateral meetings with his counterparts and delegation level talks; and interacting with business groups and Indian communities, the ministry said in a release. In Botswana, the vice president will inaugurate the Global Expo Botswana 2018 together with his counterpart in that country. The expo will see participation of 25 big Indian companies and business houses covering .
US slams removal of Pak ban on JuD, FIF
The US on Tuesday said the recent removal of the ban on Hafiz Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawa and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation runs counter to Pakistan's commitment to the FATF and would jeopardise the country's ability to meet its commitments to fight terrorism under the UN Security Council resolution. Mumbai attack mastermind Saeed's JuD and FIF are no longer on the list of banned outfits in Pakistan as the ordinance that proscribed them under a UN resolution has lapsed and the new Imran Khan-led government did not extend it, a media report said last week. "The expiration of the ban on JuD and FIF runs counter to Pakistan's commitment to work with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to address weaknesses in its counter-terrorism financing regime," a State Department spokesperson told PTI. The spokesperson was responding to a question on the recent lapse of the ordinance that led to lifting of the ban on the two outfits. "As we have said before, the United States is deeply concerned that
Parties condemn Chhattisgarh Naxal attack; govt says will respond in befitting manner
The Congress Tuesday targeted the Centre and the Chhattisgarh government over the Naxal attack in the state, saying they are accountable for it and demanded Chief Minister Raman Singh's resignation. The Centre said that the cowardly attack would not be able to weaken its resolve in rooting out Naxalism and giving a befitting reply to them. Condemning the attack, the Congress expressed its condolences and claimed people are determined to oust the Raman Singh government in the state in the coming elections. While Congress president Rahul Gandhi said the attack in Dantewada district had saddened him, the party's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala paid tributes to the deceased and termed the BJP government in the state "incompetent and worthless". Two policemen were also injured in the attack near Nilawaya village, about 450 km from the state capital Raipur. Raman Singh described the ambush as a cowardly act by Naxals who are against democracy and development and have acted out of ...
India, Italy condemn terrorism, its state support
India and Italy on Tuesday condemned terrorism in all its forms and called for strong measures against the perpetrators following a bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Guiseppe Conte.
CEO asks DEOs to take action on those disturbing election
TelanganaChief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar Tuesday directed Collectors, district election officers and commissioner of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, to take action as per law, against those causing disturbance to any election public meetings. The CEO told them that he was receiving a number of complaints that election meetings held by political parties, were being disturbed or obstructed, an official release said. Kumar said the DEOs may invoke relevant rules and provisions of IPC, CrPC etc to see that political meetings are held peacefully in the period leading up to the December 7 assembly polls. Meanwhile, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson SravanDasojuTuesday found fault with the reported comments of the CEO that the services of policemen from Andhra Pradesh would not be utilised for the elections, Hyderabad is the joint capital of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for 10 years as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, Dasoju ...
Not declaring CM face in MP part of strategy, says Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said his party has not declared its chief ministerial candidate in Madhya Pradesh as part of its poll strategy even as he showered praised on Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, considered to be in race for the post. Gandhi's comments came in the backdrop of the BJP's charge that the Congress was "headless" in the state, where assembly polls would be held on November 28. "Under our strategy we have not declared the chief ministerial candidate in Rajasthan or Madhya Pradesh," he told reporters during an informal chat here. Gandhi, who was on a two-day campaign of Madhya Pradesh, was asked why his party had not projected a face against BJP Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was seeking a fourth term in office. "Both our leaders have qualities of their own. Kamal Nath, the MP Congress president, has vast political experience and Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress chief whip in the Lok Sabha, is young and energetic," said Gandhi, with ...
Lack of clarity on surrender of HNLC gen-secy: Mukul Sangma
Leader of Opposition in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Mukul Sangma Tuesday asked the state government whether it is following standard operating procedures to ensure that "homecoming of militants" do not "result in mushrooming or regrouping of militant outfits". Referring to the recent surrender of the self-styled general secretary of the banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council(HNLC), Cheristerfield Thangkhiew who claimed to have retired from the post in the outfit, he asked whether the state government has given a direction about the parameters of surrender. "When a member of a banned outfit is saying he is retiring and he comes without a weapon so where is the weapon and what is the way of surrendering and whether the government has given a direction that these are the parameters," the former chief minister said. He alleged that there was a "complete lack of clarity" on the stand of the present state government with regards to how the surrender took ...
Giriraj dares Rahul to come out in support of Ram temple
Union minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday threw a challenge to Congress president Rahul Gandhi to come out openly in support of the Ram temple at Ayodhya instead of visiting shrines across the country. The BJP leader also reiterated that the "Hindus are running out of patience". He first made the statement on Monday after the Supreme Court deferred the hearing on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute till January. "Instead of visiting one temple after another, Rahul Gandhi should come out and proclaim his support for building a Ram temple at Ayodhya and declare that every Congressman will back the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. Let us see if he has the courage," Singh told reporters here. "I do not know whether Gandhi is indeed a Hindu. If he is, what is his gotra (clan)? (I do not know) whether he observes the dietary restrictions which are mandatory for Hindus to follow. But I would like to remind him that in the Ramayana there is a verse that says that one who is opposed to Rama ..
Newly-elected JMC corporators take oath
The newly elected corporators of Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) took oath of office at a swearing-in ceremony here Tuesday. The ceremony was administered by Divisional Commissioner Sanjeev Verma. The 75 corporators of JMC, including 27 women, took oath in English, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi and Sanskrit. Congratulating the elected members, the divisional commissioner urged them to meet the aspirations of the people and develop Jammu. The ceremony was attended by Members of Parliament, Legislators, District Election Officer, Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, Jammu Municipal Corporation Commissioner Arvind Kotwal, senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh, heads of several departments besides returning officers.
India, Italy resolve to expand defence, trade ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte Tuesday agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, trade, energy and infrastructure even as they condemned those providing safe havens to terror groups and supporting cross border terrorism. In their wide-ranging talks here, the two leaders also underlined that connectivity initiatives must be based on internationally recognised norms and standards, rule of law, and inclusiveness, seen as an oblique reference to China's Belt and Road Initiative. A joint statement said Conte reiterated Italy's support to India's intensified engagement with the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) which strengthens global non-proliferation efforts. Referring to defence cooperation, it said both sides recognised the need to broad base defence ties and make them "enduring and mutually beneficial". Italy has been pushing for strengthening of bilateral defence ties which were hit by the AgustaWesland choppper scam, being ...
India's clout in UN increasing: V K Singh
India's clout in the United Nations has been increasing in the last four and half years, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said Tuesday, citing examples of the adoption of International Yoga Day and the country's election to the UN's top human rights body. Singh, while speaking at a function organised by the Indian Federation of United Nations Association here, said India has made a rich contribution to world peace. India is one of the largest troop contributors to the United Nations Peacekeeping Mission and country's troops has done fantastic and disciplined work abroad to bring peace to conflict ridden countries, he said. Under the Modi government's foreign policy, India's clout in the UN has been increasing in the last four and half years, Singh said. "In the last four and half years, our ministers have visited all the 193 member countries of the UN. The effectiveness of this policy was visible when Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to UN member countries to ...
Two Jaish-e-Mohammed militants killed in Tral; sniper rifle recovered
A Jaish-e-Mohammed module was neutralised in South Kashmir Tuesday after at least two terrorists from the outfit were killed by security forces and an M-4 carbine was recovered, which was possibly used for carrying out sniper attacks on security forces, officials said. Two bodies were recovered after a day-long encounter that broke in Chaanketaar village of Tral in Pulwama district, they said. The body of one more militant was expected to be retrieved from the rubble, they said. The intelligence inputs as well as the material seized from the encounter site showed that the terrorists belonged to JeM, they added. While the identity of the slain terrorists was not ascertained immediately, social media was abuzz that one of those killed was the nephew of Maulana Masood Azhar, the chief of outlawed Jaish-e-Mohammed. The security forces have also recovered M-4 Carbine rifle from the encounter site which was possibly used by the group to carry out sniper attacks on security forces, they ...
Amid rumours about health, Parrikar chairs official meeting
Amid speculation surround his health, ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar late on Tuesday chaired a meeting of the state Investment Promotion Board at his private residence near Panaji.
Constitution under attack from BJP, RSS: Rahul
The Indian Constitution is under attack from the BJP and the RSS, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said here, the birthplace of B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution. The BJP rejected his allegation and said it was the Congress which has disrespected the constitutional bodies for decades. "This is Ambedkarji's land. Ambedkarji poured his heart out, gave his life and applied his might in making the Constitution. As a result, India has a beautiful Constitution. It was the gift of Ambedkarji," Gandhi told a public meeting in the poll-bound Madhya Pradesh after paying tribute at the memorial of Baba Saheb. "I remember him here today. The Constitution is under attack. The CBI director is removed at 2 am, the Supreme Court judges hold press conference saying they are not being allowed to work and mention Judge Loya," he said. "The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) keeps mum when a BJP MLA rapes a woman in Uttar Pradesh," the Congress leader charged. "When ...
All women should be allowed inside Sabarimala:Rahul; stand at variance with Cong's Ker unit
Congress President Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said women of all age groups should be allowed to enter the Sabarimala temple, a remark that was at variance with the stand taken by his party's Kerala unit and which created ripples in the southern state. Gandhi, however, acknowledged that his opinion is different from that of his party on the "emotional issue" after the Supreme Court last month lifted the ban on entry of women of menstrual age to the hilltop shrine of Lord Ayyappa in Kerala. "It is a very emotional issue and my personal thinking on the matter is different from my party's Kerala unit," Gandhi told a select group of journalists in Indore in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. "My personal view point on the issue of Sabarimala temple is that men and women are equal. All women should get permission to enter into the temple. However, my party's Kerala unit's view is that it is a very emotional issue for both men and women, he said. "Therefore, my personal opinion and my party's Kerala ...
Akhilesh backs Naidu's efforts to bring non-BJP parties on
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday extended his party's support to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's efforts to bring non-BJP parties onto a single platform to take on the BJP-led NDA. The SP leader spoke to Naidu over phone and stressed the need for saving the country from "dictatorial tendencies," a release from the Telugu Desam Party here said. "Secularism is under threat. The BJP is damaging the federal spirit and democratic values are being destroyed. There is every need to bring all parties, opposed to BJP ideology, together," the release quoted the Samajwadi party leader as telling the TDP supremo. While appreciating Naidu's efforts to bring non-BJP parties onto a single platform, Akhilesh Yadav said his party would support such moves. "With the image you have at the national level, you should bring all non-BJP parties onto a single platform," he added. The SP leader also "praised" Naidu's ...
Take steps to strengthen security grid in Kashmir: K Vijay Kumar,
Every possible step should be taken to strengthen the security grid in Kashmir, adviser to the governor, K Vijay Kumar, said Tuesday during a review meeting with police officials here. Kumar visited the police headquarters in Srinagar and chaired a meeting to review the overall security scenario in the Kashmir division, an official spokesman said. DGP Dilbag Singh and senior police officers briefed the adviser on the security scenario and other issues related to it, he said. During the meeting, Kumar conducted a comprehensive review and also discussed various measures undertaken to further enhance the security in the Kashmir Valley, the spokesman said. There is always a scope for improvement and every possible step in this regard must be taken to strengthen the security grid in the state, the adviser to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, Kumar, said. The meeting was attended by the DGP, ADGP Law, Order and Security Muneer Ahmed Khan, IGP Kashmir S P Pani and range DIGs of the Kashmir ...
BJP picks probable candidates for assembly polls in Raj
The BJP core committee on Tuesday prepared a list of probable candidates for the upcoming Assembly election in Rajasthan where polls are due on December 7. A discussion on panel of candidates would be held with the party chief Amit Shah in New Delhi on Wednesday, a party spokesperson said. He said during the two-day meeting, the core committee discussed probable candidates for all the 200 assembly seats in the state. Panels have been formed and now further discussion would be done with the party chief on Wednesday, he said. The final decision on the candidates would be taken up by BJP's parliamentary board, he added. The meeting was attended by union ministers Arjun Ram Meghwal, Gajendra Singh, party vice-president Om Mathur, state BJP chief Madan Lal Saini, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. Earlier this month, a suggestion meeting on the names of candidates was done in Ranakpur and Jaipur. So far, the party has received nearly 7,000 applications from interested persons for contesting ..