Page 2655 - Politics
Yechury to visit Nepal Thursday
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury will visit Nepal Thursday to hold discussions with the leadership of the ruling Nepal Communist Party. Yechury along with party's central committee member Jogendra Sharma will visit the Himalayan nation between October 25 and October 30 to hold wide-ranging talks with NCP leaders as well as the country's Prime Minister K P Oli and President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, a party statement said. The visit comes at the invitation of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
Left parties hold hearing on Rafale deal; Bhushan alleges CBI director 'removed to thwart probe'
Left parties and activists Wednesday upped the ante against the Modi government over the Rafale deal with a leading lawyer alleging that the CBI Director Alok Verma was "removed" to thwart a probe by the agency into the procurement of the fighter jets. CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy also slammed the government's decision to "remove" Verma in a "midnight coup". Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Wednesday dismissed as "rubbish" allegations by opposition parties, including the Congress, that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal. During a 'Public Hearing on Rafale Scam' here jointly organised by seven Left parties, leaders said a nation-wide agitation would be launched to take the message home to people to "demand accountability". The government has been strongly rejecting all allegations levelled against it in connection with the Rafale deal. During the hearing, the parties, including the CPI, the ...
BJP activists wave black flags at Ker CM over Sabarimala issue
A group of people, stated to be BJP workers, waved black flags at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Wednesday protesting the LDF government's decision not to seek review of the Supreme Court order lifting the ban on entry of women in 10-50 age group into Sabarimala temple. Vijayan was returning to Thiruvananthapuram after addressing a convention of the ruling LDF held here to explain the stand of the state government on the women's entry issue when the BJP workers staged the protest at Umayaneloor near Kottiyam in the district, police said. Waving black flags, the group of 10 people raised slogans and attempted to block the Chief Minister's convoy, police said they detained one person in connection with the incident. BJP and several groups of Sabarimala devotees are up in arms against the CPI-M led LDF government over its decision to implement the Supreme court verdict allowing the entry of women of all age groups into the Lord Ayyappa devotees.
'Govt move to remove CBI chief wrong as he has fixed tenure'
: AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Wednesday claimed that the government's move to remove the CBI Chief and his deputy was wrong as the CBI director has a fixed tenure in office. "According to Section 4 of the Delhi Police Establishment Act, you cannot remove the director. He has a fixed tenure. A high-power committee has nominated him. If CVC says it has recommended and (government) removed him, we would like to know what section (of law) it is," he told reporters here. The action taken by the government is completely illegal and wrong, he claimed. With the move, a message goes out in the country that the government is not standing by the fight against corruption, "but is standing by a corrupt officer", he said. The government's decision to remove feuding CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana is based on the CVC's recommendations, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said Wednesday, asserting that it is absolutely essential to restore the agency's ...
Hry Roadways employees strike to continue, fresh round of talks with govt fail
The deadlock continued between the Haryana government and roadways employees, who are on a strike for the last nine days, as fresh round of talks failed Wednesday. The strike would continue, roadways union leaders said after talks failed between the Haryana Roadways union and a high-level government delegation led by Transport Minister Krishan Lal Panwar. The Coordination Committee of the roadways union remained adamant that the state government rollback its decision to hire 700 buses of the private owners under kilometre scheme. After the talks ended here this evening, the Transport minister told PTI that the state government offered to reconsider its decision to run 190 private buses as the tenders were yet to finalised. During the talks, the union leaders alleged irregularities in the allotment of tenders for the remaining 510 buses. "We told them that entire process was transparent and there were no irregularities or any attempt made to benefit anyone. Still, the government ...
Will work for BJP's win in assly polls; Swami Paripoornananda
: Noted religious guru Swami Paripoornananda, who recently joined BJP, Wednesday asserted that he would work for the party's victory in the December 7 assembly polls in Telangana and that the state would become the saffron's party's 'gateway to the south.' "When I go to the people, there are lakhs who admire me, like me. So I am sincerely saying once again that I have not come for any posts, responsibilities or any show-off. As a person clad in saffron, I would like to do my work with focus," he told reporters on his maiden visit to the BJP Telangana unit's headquarters here after joining the party. Swami Paripoornananda, a prominent figure in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, had joined BJP on October 19 in Delhi in the presence of the party Chief Amit Shah. He is expected to campaign for the party in the December 7 assembly elections in the state. Swami Paripoornananda, who heads the Sri Peetham at Kakinada in Andhra Pradesh, was in the news in July after being externed ...
CBI chief Alok Verma sacked for seeking to probe Rafale scam, alleges Cong
The Congress Wednesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of interfering in the working of the CBI and alleged that its Director Alok Verma was "sacked" to stop him from probing corruption in the Rafale 'scam'. Congress President Rahul Gandhi also alleged that the prime minister "broke the law" and "bypassed" the Chief Justice of India and the Leader of Opposition, who were part of the panel that selected the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) chief. There was no immediate reaction from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on the allegations. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, however, dismissed as "rubbish" the allegations that Verma was removed because he wanted to look into the Rafale fighter jet deal and said the decision was based on the Central Vigilance Commission's (CVC) recommendations. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the Modi government has put the "last nail" in the independence of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) by removing Verma. "Systematic ...
CBI mess because of PM's desperate Rafale cover-up: Congress
The opposition Congress on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Modi accusing him of "a desperate cover-up attempt" over the Rafale deal and pushing the country's premier probe agency, the CBI, into complete disarray.
J-K govt approves setting up ACB to tackle corruption
The Jammu and Kashmir government Wednesday approved setting up of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) for tackling corruption in the state in an effective manner, an official spokesperson said. The decision to set up the ACB was taken at a meeting of the State Administrative Council, which met under the chairmanship of Governor Satya Pal Malik here. "To tackle and eradicate corruption in the state in a more effective and meaningful manner, the StateAdministrative Council (SAC) gave nod for setting up the first-ever Anti-Corruption Bureau in the state," the spokesperson said. Briefing about the significant decision, state Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam said the establishment of a full-fledged ACB would do away with the shortcomings and multiplicity of roles in the existing anti-corruption mechanism operational in the state. He said ever since the placement of the state under the governor's rule, the administration has been single-mindedly pursuing the agenda for improving delivery of .
Priority of govt is providing better medical facilities: CM
Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das Wednesday said that providing better medical facilities to the people is the priority of the state government. The Chief Minister said this while addressing a seminar on medicinal plants for health and culture organized by 'Health Bharti' at Ranchi Press Club here. "Positive work is being done in health sector since the formation of the government. Construction of Homoeopathy College in Godda is completed. Soon this college will be inaugurated. Construction of Ayurvedic College in Chaibasa is in progress. The building of the Yunani College in Giridih is ready," Das said. Das said that a healthy society will create a prosperous and developed state, adding the state government has focus on healthcare. "Five acres of land has been identified at Itki (in Ranchi) for 50-bed Ayush Hospital. A proposal to the Union Government has been sent in this regard. The Central Council of Yoga and Naturopathy have been given a place in Ranchi for ...
US Secret Service intercepts 2 'potential explosive devices' sent to Obama, Clinton
Two "potential explosive devices" sent to the homes of former President Barack Obama and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton were intercepted and proactively detonated, the US Secret Service announced Wednesday. US news network CNN also said that it has evacuated its New York bureau over a suspicious package. The secret service said it had intercepted two "suspicious packages" addressed to Obama and Clinton on Wednesday. "The packages were immediately identified during routine mail screening procedures as potential explosive devices and were appropriately handled as such. The protectees did not receive the packages nor were they at risk of receiving them," the agency said in a statement. "Both packages were intercepted prior to being delivered to their intended location," it said. Officials "proactively detonated" the device, and determined that it contained explosive powder and "had the components of a bomb," it said. The package intended for Obama was intercepted in
Tata Trusts deny patriach Ratan met UK PM Theresa May
LONDON (Reuters) - Ratan Tata, patriarch of the Indian Tata family, did not meet Prime Minister Theresa May a few weeks ago, Tata Trusts said in a statement, after a government source told Reuters last week that the pair and business minister Greg Clark had recently met.
Beijing protests over London's plans to send warships to South China Sea
Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed protest on Wednesday over plans of the United Kingdom Royal Navy to send warships to the disputable South China Sea and urged the UK to refrain from provocations in the region.Earlier in the week, Royal Navy's chief Philip Jones told the Financial Times newspaper that the United Kingdom should "showcase" support for its allies in the Asia Pacific region and send warships to sail through the disputable waters in the South China Sea."The Chinese side expresses its utmost concern and strong protest over the statements of the UK side made in this article ... We urge the UK side to pay serious attention to the concerns of China and stop such provocative actions," Chinese Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman Hua Chunying said at a briefing.The passage of the UK warship near the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea in September has already damaged the relations between China and the United Kingdom, the spokeswoman noted.The Asia-Pacific region is the ..
NATO plans to conduct cyber exercises: Secretary General
NATO nations are planning to conduct exercises to test their cyber capabilities, which are an integral part of any modern military operation, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday, without providing further details."Cyber is an integrated part of any military operation today. And of course we will exercise cyber - exactly what kind of cyber capabilities we will exercise I think I am not going into it now," Stoltenberg said at a briefing.He also recalled that NATO had earlier "decided to integrate what we call national cyber effects - it is also called offensive cyber.. into NATO missions and operations.""We will of course use these national cyber effects in compliance with international law but we need also these capabilities in the modern and more demanding security environment," Stoltenberg stressed.At the Brussels Summit in July 2018, NATO leaders agreed to create a Cyberspace Operations Centre as part of NATO's strengthened Command Structure. They also agreed ..
Packages with "potential explosive devices" addressed to Clinton, Obama found
A "suspicious" package believed to be containing an explosive device was found in the vicinity of Clinton residence in Chappaqua in New York on Wednesday morning (local time).The official Twitter account of FBI New York stated, "We are aware of a suspicious package found in the vicinity of the Clinton residence in Chappaqua, NY, and our JTTF has engaged with our federal, state and local partners to investigate. As this is an on-going investigation, we will have no further comment at this time."Meanwhile, the US Secret Service tweeted that it had intercepted two suspicious packages addressed to the residences of former US President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton.The Secret Service released a statement which mentioned, "Late on October 23, 2018, the Secret Service recovered a single package addressed to Former First Lady Hillary Clinton in Westchester County, New York. Early this morning, October 24, 2018, a second package addressed to the ...
CNN evacuates New York offices after receiving suspected explosive device
The evacuation comes shortly after the Secret Service confirmed that similar devices were sent to former United States President Barack Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.The New York Police Department (NYPD) is responding to a suspicious device discovered at the Time Warner Center in New York, where the news channel is located, and evacuated the offices as a precaution.Meanwhile, Sarah Sanders, The White House Press Secretary condemned the "attempted violent attacks" against Obama and Clinton. "We condemn the attempted violent attacks recently made against President Obama, President Clinton, Secretary Clinton, and other public figures. These terrorising acts are despicable, and anyone responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The United States Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are investigating and will take all appropriate actions to protect anyone threatened by these cowards," read a statement from the White House.In a ..
Tata Trusts denies patriach Ratan met UK PM Theresa May
LONDON (Reuters) - Ratan Tata, patriarch of the Indian Tata family, did not meet Prime Minister Theresa May a few weeks ago, Tata Trusts said in a statement, after a government source told Reuters last week that the pair and business minister Greg Clark had recently met.
CBI director's removal illegal: Sharad Yadav
Opposition leader Sharad Yadav Wednesday hit out at the government over CBI Director Alok Verma's removal, saying it is "constitutionally, morally and politically wrong and illegal". He said in a statement that the decision was in violation of rules laid down by the Supreme Court that only a selection commission, comprising the prime minister, the chief justice of India and the leader of the largest opposition party can decide on suspending or removing the CBI chief. "Whatever has been done in the late night by the government is constitutionally, morally and politically wrong, illegal and tantamount to interference in the functioning of the independent body," Yadav said. A late-night order on Tuesday from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana, who were at loggerheads, on leave. Yadav alleged that Verma was removed as he was collecting documents relating to the Rafale aircraft deal.
Cong announces list of 40 candidates for Mizoram polls
The Congress Wednesday announced the names of all its candidates for the November 28 Assembly polls in Mizoram, where Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla will contest from two constituencies. The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress selected the candidates and the party's general secretary in-charge of the CEC, Mukul Wasnik, made the announcement. Lal Thanhawla will contest from the Champhai South (ST) and Serchhip (ST) seats -- both reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. Mizoram is the only north-eastern state and among the few states in the country currently under the Congress rule. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is seeking to oust the Congress from Mizoram. The nomination-filing process will start on November 2 in the north-eastern state and the last date for filing papers is November 9. The 40-member Mizoram Assembly will go to the polls on November 28 and the results will be announced on December 11.
Centre sanctioned projects worth Rs 9,000 crore: Himachal CM
The Central government has sanctioned development projects worth Rs 9,000 crore in the past 10 months for Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Wednesday.