Page 2638 - Politics
Congress workers hold protest outside CBI office in Lucknow
Congress workers led by UPCC president Raj Babbar on Friday demonstrated near the CBI office here and courted arrest as part of the opposition party's nationwide protest against the Centre's move to divest the investigating agency's director Alok Verma of his powers. All roads leading to the CBI office were barricaded and the protesters were stopped by a large posse of policemen on their way to the CBI office. The Congress workers carried banners and placards and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and blamed it for problems in the CBI. The BJP says that Narendra Modi works 18 hours a day for the country, but he works to increase the corruption, Babbar said. Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said Babbar and other partymen were taken to the Cant Kotwali police station. The Congress has described Verma's removal as "illegal, unconstitutional and illegitimate". It has alleged that the CBI director was sent on leave to stop him from launching a probe into .
Haryana plans 5 cities of 5K hectares each alongside KMP-KGP expressways: Khattar
The Haryana government plans to develop five new cities of 5,000 hectares each alongside two major expressways -- Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) and Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal (KGP) -- to boost industrial, commercial and housing activities in areas bordering the national capital, its Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said Friday. Addressing a real estate conference organised by realtors' body NAREDCO, Khattar said the state government would also reopen the licensing process for group housing projects under the affordable segment. "We have prepared a draft plan to develop five big cities alongside KMP and KGP expressways covering 185 km. It's in pipeline and (corridor) is being considered," the chief minister said. Each city would spread over a minimum area of 5,000 hectares and will be developed as industrial, economic and commercial corridor, Khattar said, adding that there would also be provision of housing, providing business opportunities for realty firms. The chief minister said his ..
India should understand geopolitical realities of Nepal: Yechury
India should understand the "geopolitical realities" of Nepal, CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury said on Friday as he met Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli here. Yechury arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday on a visit to Nepal at the invitation of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal(CPN). He is also likely to call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari, CPN chairman Prachanda, senior party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and General Secretary Bishnu Prasad Poudel. Speaking at a programme in the capital, Yechury lauded the ruling CPN for moving forward at a time when Communist movements have witnessed setbacks worldwide. Yechury said India should understand the "geopolitical realities" of Nepal, adding that India should not misinterpret the Himalayan nation's relations with her northern neighbour China. Despite defeat in recent elections, the people's movement recently launched at the initiative of three Communist parties of India is gaining momentum, he claimed. A secular democratic republic system ..
EU slams curbs on 'freedom of expression' during Pakistan elections
The European Union slammed "undue" restrictions on freedom of expression during Pakistan's election season this summer in a report released Friday, saying the crackdown led to considerable self-censorship of the media. The pivotal election has been branded "Pakistan's dirtiest", after widespread claims in the months leading up to the vote that the powerful military was trying to fix the playing field in Khan's favour. The army and Khan, a former cricketer who captained Pakistan to World Cup victory in 1992, have denied the claims. "Comprehensive analysis of the media's output, however, reveals that editorial policies were carefully calibrated to downplay issues relating to the army, state security structures and the judiciary," said the EU Election Observation Mission's final report on the July polls. The monitors also said that during the campaign season senior editors received "intimidating phone calls", while also noting curbs on the distribution of "broadcast and print outlets, ...
BSP comes out with second list of 29 candidates in MP
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) issued its second list for 29 seats for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections Friday. With this, the Mayawati-led party has so far announced 51 candidates for the 230-member Assembly. Last month, it had declared its first list, dashing the Congress's hope of an alliance. "We are going to fight all 230 seats in MP," state BSP chief Pradeep Ahirwar told PTI. The party has so far nominated 40 new faces and the candidates include Brahmins, Thakurs and members of other upper caste communities too, he said. The BSP has four MLAs in the BJP-ruled state which will go to the polls on November 28.
Suspect arrested over mail bombs: official
Federal agents have arrested a suspect in connection with at least 12 suspicious packages and mail bombs sent to top Democrats and liberal critics of President Donald Trump, an official confirmed Friday. "We can confirm one person is in custody," a US Department of Justice spokeswoman tweeted, announcing that a news conference would be held at 2:30 pm (1830 GMT). Several US media reported that the suspect was taken into custody for questioning in Florida.
India, Myanmar agree to deepen cooperation on border security
India and Myanmar on Friday agreed to act against insurgent groups operating within their territories and to strengthen cooperation on international border management.
Modi has failed electorate, eroded voters' faith: Manmohan
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh Friday accused his successor Narendra Modi of failing the electorate and eroding voters' faith as he attacked him for his silence on incidents of communal violence, lynching and cow vigilantism in the country. He alleged that the environment in the country's universities and national institutions like the CBI have been vitiated under the Modi government. Singh was speaking at the launch of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's book "The Paradoxical Prime Minister" here. "In 2014, Narendra Modi was elected 14th prime minister of India on the back of many lofty promises he made to the people of India. In the past four years, Modiji and his government have failed the electorate and eroded their voters' faith," he said. Citing the book, he said Modi is a paradoxical prime minister and Tharoor has demonstrated it in his "superbly written and devastatingly accurate book". "He (Modi) has spoken of being a prime minister for all Indians but he...presides over ..
More suspicious mail targets Trump critics
Authorities on Friday recovered two more potential explosive devices, one addressed to Democratic Senator Cory Booker and the other to former Director of national intelligence James R. Clapper Jr.
Former Sri Lankan prez Mahinda Rajapaksa becomes new Prime Minister amid political drama
In a dramatic political development in Sri Lanka, former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa was on Friday sworn in as the new Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena after his party abruptly quit the ruling coalition. Visuals of the former president Rajapaksa taking oath as the premier were released to media and was shown on TV channels. The sudden development came after Sirisena's broader political front United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) announced that it has decided to quit the current unity government with prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's United National Party (UNP). Mahinda Amaraweera, agriculture minister and the general secretary of the UPFA, told reporters that the UPFA decision has been conveyed to Parliament. The unity government was formed in 2015 when Sirisena was elected President with Wickremesinghe's support, ending a nearly decade-long rule by Rajapaksa. Sirisena, who was Rajapaksa's minister of health, broke away from him to contest the presidential ...
US official says Putin invited to visit Washington next year
US National Security Adviser John Bolton says Russian President Vladimir Putin has been invited to visit Washington next year. Bolton said on Friday in the ex-Soviet nation of Georgia: "We have invited President Putin to Washington after the first of the year for, basically, a full day of consultations." He says no date has been set. Bolton noted that Putin and US President Donald Trump are set to meet in Paris when they attend November 11 events marking 100 years since Armistice Day. Putin and Trump held a summit in Helsinki in July amid sharp differences over the Ukrainian crisis, the war in Syria and the allegations of Russian meddling in the U.S. 2016 presidential election.
Rahul leads protest outside CBI HQ, courts arrest (Roundup)
The Congress, led by its President Rahul Gandhi, on Friday hit the streets across the country over the government's move to divest the powers of CBI Director Alok Verma, slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a chowkidar who turned out to be a "thief", saying he can run, but cannot hide from truth in the Rafale deal.
Show us proof that Parrikar is fit and fine: Goa Congress
The Congress Friday alleged that the BJP was keeping the people of Goa in dark about the health of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar and sought "proof" that he is fit and fine. Talking to reporters here, Goa Congress spokesman Jitendra Deshprabhu said the ruling party has been repeatedly telling "lies" that the CM will soon join office. Deshprabhu said if needed his party will approach court, seeking directions to the government to release a health bulletin on Parrikar. The 62-year-old chief minister is suffering from a pancreatic ailment and is currently recuperating at his private residence near here after being discharged nearly two weeks ago from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi where he was admitted for a month. "Goa BJP chief Vinay Tendulkar has now said that he (Parrikar) will resume office in November. Since the month of March, the BJP has been saying he will resume office soon," Deshprabhu said. "What does this mean? Is he currently on leave or ...
TMC founder member Pankaj Bandyopadhyay passes away
A founding member of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Pankaj Bandyopadhyay passed away at a city hospital on Friday after a prolonged illness, family sources said. Bandyopadhyay, also former leader of the opposition in West Bengal assembly, was 72. He is survived by his wife and a daughter. "He was suffering from old age related ailments for quite sometime," a senior TMC leader said. Bandyopadhyay joined the Congress during late 1960s and became an MLA from Tollygunge constituency in 1972 and 1996. He switched over to the TMC when it was formed in 1998. One of the closest aides of TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, Bandyopadhyay was elected from the same constituency in 2001. He was the chairman of the party's policy-making body for several years since the inception of the TMC. Bandyopadhyay was elected the leader of the opposition, a post he had held till 2006. However, he retired from active politics in that year. "Saddened at the passing away of one of Trinamool's founder ...
Global textile expo will be a model to the world: Minister
: The three-day international textile exhibition beginning here from January 27 would be a model to the world, Tamil Nadu Minister of Handloom O S Manian said on Friday. Speaking at a function as a prelude to the exposition, he said the handloom sector, next to agriculture, has been growing in terms of production and export and this is the first time a state government is organising such an exhibition. There would be 600 stalls in the show that is expected to attract 300 importers and buyers from different countries, he said. Stating that chief minister K Palaniswami has raised the problems being faced by textile exporters with the central government, Manian said the state government was also periodically discussing the issue during the council meeting on goods and services tax. State minister of municipal administration S P Velumani said the government has allocated Rs 2 crore for conducting the exhibition.
Lankan prez Sirisena's party quits coalition govt: minister
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena's party on Friday withdrew from the ruling coalition, a senior minister was quoted as saying by the media. The unity government of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) was thrown into a crisis after former president Mahinda Rajapaksa's new party pulled off a stunning victory in local elections in February seen as a referendum on the ruling alliance. The United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) withdrew from the government, UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera was quoted as saying by Daily Mirror news. "The UPFA left the coalition government," he said. Last week, it was reported that Sirisena accused his senior coalition partner the UNP of not taking seriously an alleged conspiracy to assassinate him and Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the former top defence ministry bureaucrat and brother of ex-president Mahinda Rajapaksa.
CM turns emotional again, says he is alive to serve people
Making an emotional appeal to voters in the party strong hold of Mandya, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy Friday said he is living to serve the people of the state, who are his biggest asset. Hitting out at the BJP for repeated attacks on his government, Kumaraswamy said the power that he enjoys is by the grace of god and support of Congress MLAs and only they have the strength to take it back. "I had to go to hospital (because of ill health) day before yesterday. I won't say what was the reason, but the day I betray my people, even though I'm alive I'm likedead," he said. Kumaraswamy said he is not here to make money, as he said people were his "asset" and sought their love and affection. "I have said several times in election rallies that Iwould have died during my Israel visit, but I have come back alive. How long I'm alive is not important for me.By utilising the power given to me by god, I want to serve every family. That's the only challenge in front of ...
Kushwaha meets Tejashwi Yadav
Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) president Upendra Kushwaha on Friday met RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav in Arwal district. The meeting assumes significance as earlier in the day BJP president Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced in the national capital that their parties will contest equal number of Lok Sabha seats in the state and the RLSP and LJP will remain with the NDA. A picture of Kushwaha and Tejashwi Yadav's meeting has been shared by the RJD on its mobile app. Though the details were not immediately available, Kushwaha meeting the top leader of rival combination on a day Shah talked about seat-sharing arrangements in the NDA assumes political significance. Shah told reporters in New Delhi that an announcement on the number of seats of NAD allies in Bihar, including Upendra Kushwaha's RLSP and Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP, will be declared in two-three days. To a question about whether Kushwaha, whose equation with Kumar is far from cordial, will
18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs to appeal in SC
The 18 disqualified AIADMK MLAs in Tamil Nadu on Friday decided to appeal in the Supreme Court against the Madras High Court order upholding the Tamil Nadu Speaker P.Dhanapal order disqualifying them.
MoD sends spokesperson on leave after distasteful tweet
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) on Friday appointed Col Aman Anand as its acting Official Spokesperson after the incumbent Spokesperson, Swarnashree Rao Rajshekhar, proceeded on leave. Col Anand is at present the spokesperson of Indian Army.Rajshekhar's departure comes on a day when she posted a distasteful tweet to former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash questioning the privileges that top military brass enjoys. Rajshekhar is from Indian Defence Accounts Services. The MoD Spokesperson post is traditionally held by Indian Information Services (IIS) officers.On Friday, Rajshekhar responded to a retweet by former Navy Chief, Admiral Prakash, highlighting misuse of flags by civilian officers. This tweet had a visual of a car having the flag of Internal Financial Advisor (IFA) attached to Indian Army's Western Command. Since bureaucrats are not entitled to such privilege reserved only for top military brass, the visual went viral on social media.Responding to Admiral Prakash's tweet, ...