Page 2714 - Politics
Politician's son waves gun: BSP distances itself from issue
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Tuesday distanced itself from the incident involving a former BSP Member of Parliament's (MP) son brandishing gun outside Delhi's Hyatt Regency.Speaking to ANI, BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria said that the incidence has nothing to do with the party and voiced for a proper investigation into the matter."Whosoever he is, a proper investigation should be done and action should be taken. The incident does not have any connection with the BSP. He is neither a leader nor a member of the BSP," Bhadoria said.Earlier in the day, a complaint was filed under the Arms Act against Ashish Pandey, the son of former MP from BSP, Rakesh Pandey for pulling out a gun during a brawl at the foyer of the Hyatt Regency Delhi.In the video, the accused, who the police say is Ashish Pandey, is seen wearing a black T-shirt and pink trousers and waving a gun to intimidate a couple. The video caused an outrage on social media even as the identity of the gun-toting man had not been .
Korean War memorial to be built in New Delhi
New Delhi [India], Oct 16 (ANI): India and South Korea have agreed to build a Korean War memorial in New Delhi.The central government has even designated a place to build the structure in the national capital and only some administrative clearance is required, South Korean ambassador Shin Bongkil said."Basically, both sides (India and South Korea) have agreed to build a Korean War memorial in New Delhi. The government has already designated a place for it," the envoy said.Shin further said that the memorial would be established by the end of next year."We need a design. Both India and South Korea has a war veteran association. Korean Government love to invest in war memorials," he said.
Congress loses votes if I make speeches: Digvijay Singh
A video of senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh surfaced in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday in which he says that his only work in the upcoming assembly elections in the state is to make "no speeches" and not to campaign as "Congress loses votes" if he makes speeches.
Jaitley takes 'clown prince' jibe at Rahul, counters him over Rafale offset
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday again called Congress President Rahul Gandhi a "clown prince" and countered him over the Rafale fighter jet deal, saying that Dassault Aviation has said that only three per cent of offset may come to the business house being named by Congress leaders.
U.S. Senate will not vote on new North America trade pact in 2018: McConnell
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate's top Republican said on Tuesday that senators will not vote to approve a revised North American trade pact in 2018, leaving the issue to the next Congress.
Top US diplomat says Saudi back probe into missing writer
Top US diplomat Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that Saudi leaders supported a "thorough" probe into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi on an outwardly friendly visit to the kingdom whose reputation has taken a beating. President Donald Trump dispatched his secretary of state on the urgent mission to Riyadh to defuse a crisis over Khashoggi, an insider turned critic of the conservative monarchy who was last seen on October 2 when he entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul to sort out marriage paperwork. Turkish officials say that Khashoggi, who lived in exile in suburban Washington, was killed inside the consulate. The Turkish foreign ministry announced that Pompeo, who said little in Riyadh about any progress he may be making, would head on to Ankara on Wednesday for talks. Pompeo met in Riyadh with the top leadership of Saudi Arabia including Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who not long ago basked in international praise for his domestic reforms but whose reputation has ...
NSUI prez quits after sexual harassment charges
NSUI national president Fairoz Khan has stepped down from his post following charges of sexual harassment, sources in the Congress said Tuesday. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has accepted his resignation, the sources told PTI. Khan, who hails from Jammu and Kashmir, submitted his resignation Monday evening, saying he quit keeping in mind the party's interests. According to sources, Khan said in his resignation letter that he has decided to step down since the charges against him are hurting the party's image. He, however, denied the allegations levelled against him by a woman, who is a party worker from Chhattisgarh. When asked about the resignation, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari, at an AICC briefing, said Khan has resigned on moral grounds but this does not mean he is guilty. The party will take action when the charges are confirmed, he said. "The present NSUI chief on moral grounds has tendered his resignation. But that does not mean he is guilty. When the truth comes out ...
Kejriwal failed to control pollution: Tiwari
Hours after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Tuesday imposed Rs 50-crore fine on the Delhi government for not acting against polluting steel pickling units in the residential areas of the national capital, the BJP said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has failed in controlling pollution.
India, Tanzania decide to ramp up bilateral cooperation in diverse sectors
India and Tanzania on Tuesday decided to expand cooperation in areas of blue economy, cyber security, trade and investment and exploration of mineral resources, officials said. In their talks, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj and her Tanzanian counterpart Augustine P Mahiga also agreed to consider an investment treaty, an extradition pact and an agreement on mutual legal assistance as well as an MoU for cooperation between customs agencies of the two countries. The talks were as part of the ninth session of the India-Tanzania Joint Commission on Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. "The Joint Commission reviewed the entire spectrum of bilateral relations covering excellent government-to-government relations, strong business ties, impressive development partnership cooperation and people-to-people relations," it said. The MEA said energy, infrastructure and mining were areas identified as promising sectors for cooperation. "In the light of Tanzania's membership of the ...
'Clown-Prince' Vs 'Court J ester': Bitter Cong-BJP battle over Rafale turns personal
The bitter war between the Congress and the BJP over Rafale deal on Tuesday saw more name-calling with the opposition party dubbing Finance Minister Arun Jaitley as a "babble blogger" and dismissing his "clown prince out-clowning himself" barb at Rahul Gandhi as "hollow rants of a court jester". Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala attacked Jaitley accusing him of "banging" the economy by his "incomprehension". Taking to Twitter, he said the country needed a finance minister and not a "babble-blogger". "Hollow rants of a Court Jester' - Mr Jait-Lie' won't change the truth that- You bang the truth to hide ineptitude, You bang the Rupee by your mismanagement, You bang exports by your incompetence, You bang the Economy by your incomprehension. "India needs a FM, Not a Babble Blogger'," he said on Twitter. In a statement, Surjewala said, "Arun Jaitley's desperation to stay relevant as a Court Jester' to Modi Sultanate' is making him stoop to a new level every day. Abuse', ...
Congress workers deface Modi's posters in Lucknow
Uttar Pradesh Congress workers defaced posters of Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Tuesday over the continued rise in the petrol and diesel prices. Led by party leader Shailendra Tewari, the workers smeared black paint on the posters of Modi in Hazratganj area this evening, Congress spokesperson Anshu Awasthi said. The party workers took the step to protest the continued rise in the prices of petrol and diesel, he said. It was also done to expose the BJP which has failed to fulfil its promise made during the 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign that petroleum products will be sold at Rs 35 per litre during its tenure, he added. Awasthi claimed that an RTI reply had recently revealed that the Modi government was selling petrol and diesel to other nations at around Rs 34 and Rs 28 per litre respectively, far cheaper than the fuel prices in India. He said the Centre is not concerned with the common man's problems.
'Akbar's continuation as minister sends out wrong message'
Demanding an "impartial and fair inquiry" into the multiple sexual harassment allegations levelled against Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs MJ Akbar, Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC) penned a letter to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister for Women and Child Development Maneka Gandhi and National Commission for Women (NCW) stating that Akbar's continuation in the ministry sends out a wrong message that the Centre is apathetic to these serious concerns."We are deeply dismayed that despite the long list of complaints involving the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, no formal inquiry into the complaints comprising of serious charges of sexual harassment has been instituted at any level in the government. Rather, motives have been attributed to the complainants," IWPC's letter read."In the light of such shocking allegations, we hope that your government will rise to the occasion and institute an impartial and fair inquiry into the process in ..
Stop dividing India and I will stop opposing you: Rahul to PM
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said he would desist from opposing Narendra Modi the day the prime minister stopped "dividing" the country and started helping the poor. Campaigning for his party in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi again attacked Modi over his alleged proximity to businessmen, saying he worked for a handful of rich people. Addressing a public meeting here in Morena district, he said, "Someone said yesterday that Rahul Gandhi opposes Narendra Modi. I say that I do not oppose for the sake of opposing, there is a reason. "I will stop opposing Narendra Modiji the day he starts helping the shopkeepers, labourers and the poor. The day he stops the work of dividing the country, I will stop opposing Modiji." Accusing Modi of working for "15-20" rich people, Gandhi said, "Until Modi talks about justice, waives the loans of farmers, stands with the labourers, whatever the rest of Hindustan says, Rahul Gandhi will stand against him, because I believe you people are ...
Russian, Pakistani soldiers to hold military drills next week in Pakistan: report
Russia and Pakistan will hold military drills at a training range in the mountains of Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province from October 21 to November 4, a Russian military official said Tuesday. Russian-Pakistani military drills "Friendship 2018" will be held in the mountains of Pakistan from October 21 until November 4, head of the Russian Southern Military District Vadim Astafyev was quoted as saying by the official Tass News Agency. Pakistan's defence ties with Russia have moved past the bitter Cold War hostilities in recent years and the chill in the relations between Pakistan and the US has further pushed the country towards Russia and China. The joint drills of units of the Russian and Pakistani armed forces will be held at the training range of the National Counter-Terrorist Center in the Pakistani city of Pabbi in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. More than 70 mountain shooters from Karachay-Cherkessia will take part in the drills, Astafyev said. The servicemen from the two ...
Setback to Congress in Mizoram as party leader resigns
Ruling Congress continues to get setbacks in poll-bound Mizoram as former Minister and senior Congress leader Buddha Dhan Chakma on Tuesday left the party and is likely to join the BJP soon.
Amid mounting attack over sexual harassment charges, Akbar praises Modi govt
Union minister M J Akbar, who is facing allegations of sexual harassment, Tuesday praised the Modi government's efforts towards poverty alleviation and hit out at the Congress for its "continued campaign of defaming India". "A Brookings study says that about 44 people are coming out of poverty every minute in India. A large credit goes to Modi Government's implementation of National Food Security Act which covers 80 crore people. But Congress cannot see this and continues its campaign defaming India," Akbar, who is Minister of State for External Affairs, tweeted. The National Food Security Act 2013 was during UPA's tenure. Amid allegations and mounting demand for his resignation, Akbar has dug in the heels and refused to quit. He had slapped a criminal defamation suit against journalist Priya Ramani, one of the first to make the charges against Akbar.
BJP 'murdering' democracy in Goa: Cong
The Congress Tuesday accused the BJP of "murdering democracy" and democratic traditions in Goa after two of its MLAs quit and joined the ruling party in the state. Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari also accused the BJP of misusing the official machinery and probe agencies to break other parties, and claimed similar things have also happened in some other states. "What has happened in Goa now and what has happened in other states before, clearly shows that the BJP has killed democracy and democratic traditions. It continues to do so by misusing the official machinery and probe agencies in an attempt to break other parties," he told reporters. Tewari said, "The government is misusing the official machinery and this is a perfect example of how to run a government by creating an atmosphere of terror, fear and intimidation." Two Congress MLAs from Goa, including a former state party chief, joined the BJP Tuesday, dealing a blow to the opposition party in a state where the saffron ...
Pompeo to hold talks in Turkey Wednesday: Ankara
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will hold talks in Turkey on Wednesday, the Turkish foreign ministry said, after a visit to Riyadh where the top American diplomat was discussing the case of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Pompeo will meet his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu to discuss bilateral and regional issues including Syria, the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. The statement did not refer to the disappearance of Khashoggi after his visit to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on October 2 to receive documents ahead of his wedding. Before his visit was confirmed, Cavusoglu earlier said Pompeo would inform Turkey about his meetings in Riyadh as the US and Saudi Arabia seek a way out of the crisis. Pompeo on Tuesday met with Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The disappearance has led to international outrage with questions remaining unanswered. The Turkish leadership has yet to publicly accuse Saudi Arabia in the case but government sources
Kirodi Lal Meena asks Pilot to clear stand on reservation to Gujjars, Meenas
Ahead of the state elections in Rajasthan slated for later his year, senior BJP leader Kirodi Lal Meena Tuesday asked state Congress chief Sachin Pilot to clear his stand on reservation to Gujjars and Meenas in the state. Meena, who is a five-time legislator and seen as the patriarch of the Meena community, said Sachin Pilot "was already a chief minister for the Congress" so he should clear his stand on reservation to Gujjars and Meenas. "His father Rajesh Pilot had got ST category status to Gujjars so the state Congress chief should clear his stand," Meena told reporters. "Though, people might ruin the Congress dream of coming into power, Sachin Pilot, who is apparetly the party's CM candidate, should clarify on the reservation issue," Meena said. Gujjars are not covered under ST category in Rajasthan whereas Meenas get the benefits under the category.
Shatrughan Sinha performs 'rajyabhishek' of Tejashwi Yadav
Disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha Tuesday visited a Durga Puja 'pandal' here along with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and placed a 'tilak' on his forehead, calling it "rajyabhishek" (coronation). The Patna Sahib MP, who has often been critical of his own party and the Narendra Modi-led central government on many issues, was seen along with the RJD heir apparent at the Puja pandal in Dak Bungalow Road. Before departing, Sinha told reporters, "Tejashwi is young and endowed with leadership qualities. My best wishes and blessings are with him and thus, I peformed his 'rajyabishek' hoping that he carries Bihar forward". The actor-turned-politician also sung the opening lines of an old Hindi song "ab tumhare hawale watan sathiyon" (the nation is now in your hands). Tejashwi (29), son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, is the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly. "Shatrughan Sinha is like my guardian. He is an old friend of my father. I am humbled by his blessings and the high ...