Page 2708 - Politics
Pakistan has emerged stronger from "tribulations": Army chief
Pakistan has emerged stronger from the "tribulations" though the fight against terrorism "is still on", Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa has told Italian military leaders. Gen. Bajwa, who was in Rome on a visit, called on Italian Defence Minister, Dr. Elisabetta Trenta, Chief of Italian Army Lt. Gen. Salvatore Farina and other senior military officials, the Inter Services Public Relations, the media wing of the army said Wednesday. Gen. Bajwa's discussions focused on enhancing bilateral defence and security cooperation including potential joint initiatives, the statement said. "The Italian leadership was highly appreciative of the role played by Pakistan in regional stability and also towards global security," the ISPR statement said. "They maintained that Pakistan is well on its way towards a prosperous future and that Italy and Pakistan will benefit by building on the existing relationship between the two countries," it said. Asked about the success formula in war against ...
DMK discusses strategy for 2019 general elections
The DMK on Wednesday discussed its strategy for the 2019 general elections, said party President M.K. Stalin.
Maoists call for boycott of Telangana polls
Maoists on Tuesday called for a boycott of the Telangana Assembly elections scheduled for December 7.
Few women, none from "banned" age group in Sabarimala as its
The iron gates of Sabarimala temple opened Wednesday for the first time since the Supreme Court allowed women of menstrual age to enter the shrine but by all indications none from the "banned" age group could make it to its hallowed precincts amid a welter of protests and violent clashes. Women journalists were heckled, their vehicles smashed and young female Ayyappa devotees turned back as hordes of Hindu right activists besieged the road leading to the hill-top temple, abode to Lord Ayyappa, its eternally celibate deity, officials said. Chaos and mayhem ruled supreme on the road leading from Nilackal, the gateway to the shrine, to Pamba in the foothills from where the devotees start the arduous treck to Sabarimala, as activists of Hindu fringe groups fought pitched battles with police, leaving many injured and bleeding. Incensed over Kerala's Left Front government's decision not to file a review plea against the Supreme Court's September 28 landmark order, protesters .
Not afraid of any threats from 'those who want to take my life': Parkash Badal
The Akali Dal patriarch and former chief minister Parkash Sigh Badal Wednesday said he was not afraid of any threats from "those who want to take my life", as he accused the Congress of backing "such elements" to foment trouble in Punjab. His comments come after the Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday arrested three men associated with the Sikh militant group, Khalistan Liberation Front, for allegedly planning to target him. Badal said he would consider a "great fortune and a matter of honour" to lay down his life for the cause of peace and communal harmony in Punjab, especially for strengthening the bond between the Hindu and the Sikh communities. "These elements, who have always the backing, secret and not so secret, of the Congress party, are still active in Punjab. This unholy combine is bent upon forcing the Sikh masses into the deadly bloodbath of the 1980s from which Punjab and the Sikhs have not yet fully recovered," he said. Badal said he considers "no price too high' to save the .
Parliamentary delegation of Tibetan govt in exile meets CM, governors in four states
A parliamentary delegation of the Tibetan government in exile in India Wednesday said more than any other country, it is India which can play a role in addressing the Sino-Tibetan issues, even as the group's leader asserted that the its administration had "deep faith" in its middle-way approach to the situation. Youdon Aukatsang, and two other parliamentarians in the four-member delegation that visited four states -- Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan -- in the past 20 days, interacted with reporters here and shared their experiences of meeting political leaders and the public in general in these states. "We met with governors, chief ministers, speakers, lawmakers and other political leaders in various states as part of an outreach campaign launched by the Tibetan Parliament in Exile this year. All the states were very receptive to the message that we sought to convey to them, particulary the leaders in Gujarat," Youdon, head of the delegation, said. The four lawmakers reached ...
'Fun Run' in Port Blair
A 'Fun Run' marked the launch of a sports, arts and cultural development program in the Andaman and Nicobar Island capital on Wednesday. The run was organised by Tribal Development Council of Port Blair and New Delhi YMCA. The 3km run took over 200 participants to the historic Cellular jail and through the crowded Port Blair market before coming back to the stadium. The 'Fun Run' was on the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Khelo India project where tribal and youth of rural India are given a platform to excel. While thanking New Delhi YMCA, Rasheed Yusoof, Chairman of the Tribal Development Council, said: "It was just the beginning. Better things are in store.
Akbar's resignation victory of #MeToo movement: Left
The Left parties Wednesday said Union minister M J Akbar's resignation was a victory for the #MeToo movement and the protests carried out by them against the journalist-turned-politician. The CPI and the women's wing of CPI-M, however, said Akbar should have resigned early and the action has come "too late". "I think the Modi government was compelled to ask M J Akbar to resign from the Union ministry as the #MeToo movement gained momentum in the country. He should have resigned on the first day when his former colleagues made sexual harassment allegations against him," CPI general secretary Sudhakar Reddy said. Slamming Akbar for the delay in tendering his resignation, he said, "It is too late". CPI Secretary D Raja said, "The resignation can be called a moral victory for all those women who have suffered such sexual harassment". He said the social atmosphere in the country was such that women can get the confidence to speak up against the sexual harassment faced by them. The Left ...
Cong has 3 CM candidates in Madhya Pradesh, each pulling others down: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday sought to mock at the Congress challenge to the BJP's 15-year-rule in Madhya Pradesh, saying it has three chief ministerial candidates with each pulling others down and that it cannot think of the state's development. In an video interaction with party workers of five Lok Sabha seats, Modi claimed that more than a dozen Congress leaders were also nursing chief ministerial ambitions in the state which, he added has been transformed from "bimaru" (sick) to "bemisal" (unparalleled) by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government. He said the Congress was issueless in the poll-bound state and had become desperate due to all-round development works of the ruling state government. In desperation after finding no issues to oppose the BJP, the Congress used photos from Pakistan and Bangladesh to target the state government and also resorted to "fake news", he alleged. Modi said he saw on a TV programme that over 90 per cent of first time girl voters, who had ...
BJP to contest all 40 seats in Mizoram: Amit Shah
Mizoram would celebrate Christmas under the BJP-led state government, said Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Wednesday, adding the party would field candidates in all the 40 Assembly seats of the state where polls are due on November 28.
AIADMK puts up brave front on founding day; blasts DMK on
Beset by graft cases filed by DMK against its senior leaders, including the Chief Minister K Palniswami, AIADMK celebrated its 47th foundation day by launching a spirited counter attack on its arch rival,calling its chief M K Stalin "the embodiment of corruption." At the main event at the AIADMK headquarters here, Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam hoisted the party flag and garlanded statues of its founder M G Ramachandran and his successor J Jayalalithaa. Fisheries minister D Jayakumar launched a no holds barred attack on DMK, raking up the Sarkaria Commission report that led to the dismissal of the DMK government in 1976. He was responding to reporters' queries on DMK's charges of corruption in award of road contracts by Palaniswami, over which the Madras High Court has ordered a CBI probe. The DMK had moved the court against Palaniswami and a few of his ministerial colleagues, alleging corruption. For the last two years, the founding day celebrations have been
Goa Cong MLAs' switchover a setback for BJP: Khurshid
Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid Wednesday said switching over of two Goa Congress MLAs to the BJP is a "setback" for the saffron party as the latter speaks of "principle politics", but practicises something opposite to it. "You can call it a setback (for us) but I believe it is a setback for the BJP as they speak of principle politics. They complain that everything was wrong before they came to power and now everyday we see them function in a manner that is extremely questionable. "MLAs that go today can come back tomorrow, who were there (on opposition benches) can come here (ruling side)..is that the kind of politics that we want?" he said. "It is sad that those we have cherised and worked with leave Congress and go to the BJP at this time when everybody is thinking of leaving BJP and coming to Congress. Let us see how things turn out," Khurshid told reporters after visiting the College Square Puja Marquee. Two Congress MLAs from Goa, including a ..
BJP dividing society: Akhilesh Yadav
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of "dividing the country and society as the colonial British did during their rule."
Yameen calls for peace, prosperity in Maldives
Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen on Wednesday called on all fellowmen to maintain peace and prosperity within the nation and urged the new leadership to put the interests of the country above their own.
Yogi meets BJP leaders in UP's Gorakhpur, asks them to prepare for 2019 polls
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday asked BJP leaders here to start preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls by seeking feedback on the government from the people and working on verification of booths. The CM also held a meeting with BJP presidents of all districts in the Gorakhpur, Basti and Azamgarh divisions, and asked them to start preparing for 2019 without delay. He informed them of the possibility of a visit to Gorakhpur by Amit Shah in November. "All district presidents should take feedback of government and run a campaign to increase the number of voters and also work on verification of booths. An awareness among people is also needed regarding the government's welfare schemes," Adityanath said. He told party members that motorcycle rallies would be taken out on November 17 in all parliamentary areas, and that the CM, the deputy CM and the national president of the BJP were likely to participate in them. The chief minister stayed at the Gorakhnath temple the whole day. .
BJP manifesto, 1st candidates list in less than week in T'gana
The BJP plans to release in less than a week its election manifesto and first list of candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana. BJP sources said the party's national leaders were expected to hit the campaign trail in last week of this month. "Our manifesto is under works. We will be formally releasing it in about three to four days", Telangana BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao told PTI. The party expected to release its list of candidates for the 119-member Assembly elections in two phases -- the first by October 21 and the second one a week thereafter, he said. BJP is going it alone in the elections. In the 2014 poll, it had bagged five seats in alliance with the TDP, which won in 15 constituencies. This time, TDP, Congress, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti have announced they would be forging an electoral alliance. The TRS has stolen the march over other parties in releasing its list of candidates and election manifesto. Caretaker Chief Minister and ...
Trump tells AP he won't accept blame if GOP loses House
Facing the prospect of bruising electoral defeat in congressional elections, President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he won't accept the blame if his party loses control of the House in November, arguing his campaigning and endorsements have helped Republican candidates. In a wide-ranging interview three weeks before Election Day, Trump told The Associated Press he senses voter enthusiasm rivaling 2016 and he expressed cautious optimism that his most loyal supporters will vote even when he is not on the ballot. The AP asked Trump "if Republicans were to lose control of the House on November 6th or a couple of days later depending on how long it takes to count the votes do you believe you bear some responsibility for that?" "No, I think I'm helping people," Trump said. Elaborating, Trump added: "And I will say that we have a very big impact. I don't believe anybody's ever had this kind of an impact. They would say that in the old days that if you got the support of a president or if
Rampal Jat quits BJP over farmers' issues, joins AAP
BJP leader and Kisan Mahapanchayat founder Rampal Jat joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Wednesday after accusing the saffron party of "neglecting" farmers' issues. "Issues of farmers were being neglected in the BJP government. I have been raising issues to make farmers self-reliant and Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had said that there will not be any difference in words and deeds, but issues were neglected," Jat said at a press conference after joining the AAP. He said development of the country was not possible without focusing on the farmers' issues and alleged that they were "being neglected" under the BJP rule. He said that ideology of AAP matches his thinking so he joined the party. The farmer leader who has been demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission and Farmers' Security Act said people of the state "want to get rid of the BJP and the Congress and the AAP was a strong alternative".
Chinese mining firm successfully test-fires supersonic missile; may sell to Pakistan: Report
A Chinese mining company has claimed to have successfully test-fired a supersonic missile, touted as a potential competitor to the Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos missile, according to the official media here. The test conducted on Monday at a discreet location in North China verified the launch, power and flight control systems, state-run Global Times reported while indicating that Beijing's all-weather ally, Pakistan could be one of its buyers. All parameters for the supersonic flight of the HD-1 missile achieved their estimated values, it quoted a statement released by Guangdong Hongda Blasting Company located in southern China. "The test flight shows that the HD-1's core components are now mature, with its aerodynamic design, materials and overall structure already proven viable," Wei Dongxu, a Beijing-based military analyst, told the daily. Hongda independently invested in and developed the HD-1 missile, the statement said. Wei said the mining company's move to build and test .
Akbar's resignation "victory of truth": Congress
The Congress Wednesday termed as "victory of truth" the resignation of union minister M J Akbar following charges of sexual harassment against him. Congress spokesperson Priyanka Chaturvedi said she saluted those women who stood on their charges against the minister bravely despite the "brazen" stance taken by the government. "This resignation is a vindication of the power of truth. More strength to India's women," she said. "The resignation of MoS External Affairs MJ Akbar after serious charges were levelled against him by senior women journalists who worked with him is a vindication of the power of truth even if it began with one brave person speaking up," she said. The Congress leader hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for what she said was his "silence" in the matter. "I salute these women who stood their ground despite the brazen stance of the GoI, silence of the PM who speaks about women empowerment, the arrogant misuse of power by deploying a battery of lawyers against ..