Page 2657 - Politics
Cong leaders making false statements: Rajendra Rathore
Rajasthan Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rajendra Rathore Wednesday accused Congress leaders of "making false statements" and "misleading the people". Speaking at a press conference here, Rathore said Congress chief Rahul Gandhi was trying to deceive the people with statements which were not backed by facts during his address in Jhalawar today. Rathore said Congress leaders do not understand basic politics and can go to any extent to come to power. The Congress chief's public meetings were only for "show" as most of the people present there were ticket-seekers for the upcoming assembly election, he claimed. He said it seemed the Congress chief was unaware of the NCERT report where Rajasthan stood second in education. During BJP rule, 78,000 teachers were appointed, he said, adding that the Congress on the other hand was trying to stall the appointment of 26,000 grade-3 teachers. He said the selection process was complete, but the Congress wrote to the Election Commission to not allow .
No corruption charge against previous Cong govt, present regime acting out of vendetta: Hooda
Former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda Wednesday claimed that there was no corruption charge against the previous Congress government in the state and accused the present BJP regime of acting out of "vendetta" and slapping cases. The BJP had made alleged irregularities in the land deals during the previous Congress a major poll issue. "Our government ruled for 10 years, but there was no corruption charge. The present government acted out of vendetta and slapped cases. They registered these cases to divert public attention from their own failures," the two-time former chief minister told reporters while addressing a 'meet-the-press' programme here. Hooda and 33 others had been chargesheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in a case of alleged corruption in Manesar land deals worth over Rs 1,500 crore, in which around 200 farmers were alleged to have been cheated. Hitting out at the Manohar Lal Khattar government, Hooda said, "The claims of zero-tolerance ...
MMTC tenders to sell and export 50,000 tonnes sugar
HAMBURG (Reuters) - India's state-run trading company MMTC Ltd has issued an international tender to overseas buyers to sell and export 50,000 tonnes of Indian white crystal sugar, European traders said on Wednesday.
SAD, AAP demand sack of Punjab minister who sent indecent messages to woman bureaucrat
Punjab's opposition parties, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), on Wednesday asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to 'unmask' his cabinet colleague who had allegedly sent indecent messages to a woman Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
Cong-JDS coalition will win by-polls despite initial hitches:
Expressing confidence about Congress-JD(S) victory in the November 3 by-polls, former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah Wednesday said both the parties would work for the coalition's win despite "initial hitches". "See for many years both parties have fought against each other, so there will be initial hitches. But it will be OK... everyone will work together in the election," he told reporters at Mysuru. Stating that the perceived lack of understanding between workers of both parties would in no way affect the election results, the Congress leader sought to know why anyone would support the BJP. "If there is some other candidate I can understand, but in this case, it is only between BJP and Congress-JD(S) alliance," he said. Bypolls for three Lok Sabha constituencies- Shivamogga, Ballari and Mandya-- and two assembly constituencies-- Ramanagara and Jamkhandi will take place on November 3. The counting of votes will be on November 6. Congress has fielded candidates in ...
Goa CM Parrikar is expected to rejoin office in November: BJP
The BJP in Goa Wednesday said Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, whose extended absence from office due to ill health has sparked demands of temporary replacement, is likely to resume duty next month. The state unit Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) president Vinay Tendulkar, however, conceded the pace of administration in the coastal state has "slowed down" in absence of the chief minister. Earlier in the day, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) president Dipak Dhavlikar demanded that Parrikar hand over his charge to "any of the senior ministers" till he recovered from illness. He also said the people of Goa were complaining about the "collapse" of administration in absence of Parrikar. The MGP is one of the two regional constituents of the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government--the other being the Goa Forward Party (GFP). Notably, GFP chief and Cabinet minister Vijai Sardesai had last week said that the CM's ailment was affecting his work and that of the state ...
BJP ally wants CM Parrikar to give up charge within a month
Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), an ally of the ruling BJP in Goa, on Wednesday demanded that the ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar give up his charge within a month, failing which it will take "further decision." MGP President Dipak Dhavalikar said the patience of the people is running out and they want some solution to the "current crisis" caused by the illness of Parrikar. Parrikar, 62, has been unwell for the last few months. He is currently recuperating at his home here after his discharge from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi. Dhavalikar said the people of the state have been complaining about the "collapsed administration" due to long absence of the chief minister. "Since he (Parrikar) is recuperating at home, he should hand over the charge to any of the senior ministers till he recovers," the leader of MGP said. MGP, with 3 MLAs, is supporting the 14-member BJP, in the 40-member Goa Assembly. The Parrikar-led government is ...
Maldives opposition moves closer to impeaching speaker
The Maldives opposition moved closer Wednesday to impeaching the speaker of parliament, a staunch loyalist of outgoing strongman President Abdulla Yameen who was defeated in last month's election. An alliance of opposition parties has collected signatures from 55 MPs, or roughly two-thirds of sitting lawmakers, for a petition to oust Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed. The speaker has survived a number of impeachment motions since taking office in 2014 under Yameen, who ruled the Maldives with an iron-fist before losing to an opposition candidate on September 23. Mohamed was one of Yameen's few remaining loyalists. Parliamentary officials said the impeachment motion would be put to a vote on November 8, nine days before Yameen's term ends. Yameen declared a state of emergency, suspended the constitution and ordered troops to storm parliament when Mohamed faced impeachment in February. The president rounded up his opponents and jailed dissidents before lifting the emergency declaration 45 days ...
Athawale hopes BJP, Shiv Sena will fight 2019 LS polls together
Union minister Ramdas Athawale expressed the hope Wednesday that the BJP and the Shiv Sena would contest the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) would win more than 300 seats in the general election. The Republican Party of India (RPI) chief, who is in talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over fighting the upcoming Telangana Assembly polls and next year's Lok Sabha election, also expressed willingness to contest the parliamentary polls from the Mumbai South Central seat. The RPI had submitted to the BJP a list of 40 seats it wished to contest in the December 7 Telangana Assembly election, Athawale said. Claiming that the Dalit-Muslim "alliance" in Maharashtra will benefit the BJP and RPI, he said not all Dalit and Muslim voters supported Prakash Ambedkar and Asaduddin Owaisi, whose outfits had joined hands. Athawale claimed that the Shiv Sena would suffer "massive" defeats if it chose to go alone in the Lok Sabha and Maharashtra
US official: Explosive device found at Clintons' NY home
A US official says a "functional explosive device" was found at Hillary and Bill Clinton's suburban New York home. The official says investigators believe the explosive is linked to one found Monday at the compound of liberal billionaire George Soros. The official wasn't authorized to publicly discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity. The device was discovered early Wednesday morning at the Clinton's home in Chappaqua, New York. Police in New Castle, New York who cover Chappaqua say they assisted the FBI, Secret Service and Westchester County authorities in "the investigation of a suspicious package.
India's MMTC tenders to sell and export 50,000 tonnes sugar: traders
HAMBURG (Reuters) - India's state-run trading company MMTC Ltd has issued an international tender to overseas buyers to sell and export 50,000 tonnes of Indian white crystal sugar, European traders said on Wednesday.
India's MMTC tenders to sell and export 50,000 T sugar: traders
HAMBURG (Reuters) - India's state-run trading company MMTC Ltd has issued an international tender to overseas buyers to sell and export 50,000 tonnes of Indian white crystal sugar, European traders said on Wednesday.
CBI director Verma and special director sent on leave; Verma challenges govt decision in SC
In an unprecedented shake-up in CBI's 55-year-history, both the CBI Director Alok Verma and Special Director Rakesh Asthana were stripped of their powers and sent on leave in dramatic overnight action by the government after their worsening feud sparked a serious crisis in the country's premier probe agency. As the government went into damage control mode, Joint Director M Nageswar Rao, a 1986-batch Odisha cadre IPS officer, was appointed to look after the "duties and functions" of the director with "immediate effect" as an "interim measure". Immediately after taking charge around midnight, Rao ordered transfers of a dozen officers with one of them being sent to Port Blair and also constituted a fresh team to probe bribery and extortion charges against Asthana. Most of the officers shifted were part of the probe teams against Asthana, a Gujarat cadre IPS officer. A late night order Tuesday from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent Verma
Govt, opposition engage in verbal duel on removal of CBI director
Opposition parties Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the government over the removal of the CBI director with the Congress describing the decision as the "last nail" in the independence of the agency but the Centre defended its move as "absolutely essential" to maintain CBI's institutional integrity. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley also asserted that the government's decision to send Alok Verma and his deputy Rakesh Asthana was based on the recommendations of the Central Vigilance Commissioner. A late night order on Tuesday from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent Verma and Asthana, who were at loggerheads, on leave. Leading the attack against the government on the issue, Congress president Rahul Gandhi alleged that Verma was forcibly sent on leave as he was collecting documents relating to the Rafale 'scam', adding the country and its Constitution were in danger under the ruling dispensation. "Modi govt buries the 'last nail' into .
CBI row: Stalin calls Centre's move to elevate Rao an 'undeclared emergency'
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief MK Stalin on Wednesday termed the central government's move to elevate Nageshwar Rao as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) interim director an "undeclared emergency" imposed in the country.Addressing the media, Stalin asked the Centre whether the decision to appoint "controversial officer" like Rao as CBI's interim director, was initiated to cover up the alleged Rafale fighter jets scam."Is this move initiated to cover up Rafale scam investigations? This shows an undeclared emergency has been imposed in our country. Appointment of a controversial officer like Nageshwar Rao is nothing but to ensure that CBI remains the caged parrot of the BJP government," Stalin said.He added, "Several complaints were sent to the CBI director against Nageshwar Rao and there are reports that the CBI director Alok Verma wanted to initiate investigations into allegations against him."Amid the war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ...
BJYM two day national conference from Oct 27
: With the BJP aiming to increase its strength in the December 7 Telangana assembly elections, the party's youth wing BJYM would organise its two day national conference here from October 27. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) chief and MP Poonam Mahajan performed the 'Bhumi Puja' for the event, along with party MP Bandaru Dattatreya, BJP General Secretary P Muralidhar Rao and MLC N Ramachander Rao at Parade Grounds here, the venue, Wednesday. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh would inaugurate the event, to be attended by delegates from different parts of the country, on October 27. BJP Chief Amit Shah will address a massive public meeting on October 28, the concluding day of the event, Ramachander Rao told PTI. About two lakh people are expected to participate in the public meeting. "The meeting will definitely have its impact on Telangana elections," Ramachander Rao claimed. Several national leaders, including Union Ministers and Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states, ..
AAP rebel group threatens to set up own organisational structure
The rebel faction of the AAP's Punjab unit Wednesday criticised the party's announcement of new office bearers and threatened to set up its own organisational structure if the appointments are not scrapped by November 1. The development comes a day after the warring factions held talks here to iron out differences ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The members of the two groups had described the meeting as "positive" and "fruitful". "On one hand they hold unity talks and then they issue a press release making announcements of new district presidents. We are hurt and saddened by this decision. It should not have happened," rebel faction leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira told reporters here. "With these appointments it is clear they want to appoint their own men," he claimed. "This decision raises a question about their intention (to patch up). They should scarp these appointments if they want to have an honest dialogue with us," he said. Following a meeting of its core committee Tuesday,
Pakistan secures $6 billion loan from Saudi Arabia
Pakistan secured loans up to USD 6 billion from Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the ongoing Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh.A statement released by Pakistan's Press Information Department (PID) stated that Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan held bilateral talks with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.The release also mentioned that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between both the sides. "A MoU was signed between the Finance Minister Asad Umar and the Saudi Finance Minister, Muhammad Abdullah Al-Jadaan. It was agreed Saudi Arabia will place a deposit of USD 3 Billion for a period of one year as balance of payment support.""It was also agreed that a one year deferred payment facility for import of oil, up to USD 3 Billion, will be provided by Saudi Arabia. This arrangement will be in place for three years, which will be reviewed thereafter," mentioned the statement which was released on October 23.Saudi Arabia further
Mayawati expresses concern over developments in CBI
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Wednesday expressed concern over the developments in the Central Bureau of Investigation, where reciprocal accusations forced the government to send the top two officers of the agency on "leave".
France vows 'punitive measures' if Riyadh role in Khashoggi murder 'proven'
France will take "punitive measures" if Saudi Arabia is "proven" to be behind the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, government spokesman Benjamin Griveaux said Wednesday, adding that Paris would first have to verify Riyadh's involvement. "In the event that Saudi Arabia's responsibility is proven, we will then draw the consequences and take punitive measures," Griveaux said after a cabinet meeting, while emphasising that Riyadh's role would have to be "corroborated by our intelligence services" first.