Page 2716 - Politics
Rahul Gandhi makes veiled attack on PM over Akbar issue
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi while apparently referring to the allegations of sexual harassment against Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar. "Modiji says 'beti padhao, beti bachao' but it so happens that when complaint against his minister comes, he keeps quiet," Gandhi said while addressing a public meeting in Joura area of Morena district of Madhya Pradesh. The Congress leader did not name any minister but was apparently referring to Akbar who is in the thick of a storm because of allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by a number of women journalists. Akbar, a former journalist, has rejected the allegations against him and has filed a defamation case against one of the complainant journalists. Gandhi, in his address, went on to attack Modi over various other issues. "When an Uttar Pradesh MLA rapes a woman, UP CM Yogi (Adityanath) keeps quiet and the prime minister keeps quiet. Their true ...
French, German Foreign Ministers discuss Khashoggi case with US State Secretary
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his German counterpart Heiko Mass on Tuesday discussed the recent disappearance of Saudi Arabian journalist Jamal Khashoggi with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo."On Khashoggi case, I have already spoken several times. The facts that are being discussed are very serious, and we told this to the Saudi authorities with great firmness. We want the most clarity on the facts that have happened ... This morning we also discussed this serious issue of protecting expression and freedom of press with Mike Pompeo, " Le Drian said at a press conference following a meeting with his German counterpart.The French foreign minister underlined that the relations with Riyadh might change depending on the results of the probe into the disappearance of the opposition journalist.Khashoggi, a columnist for The Washington Post, went missing in Turkey on October 2. According to the journalist's fiancee, he was invited to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul but never ..
Macron appoints loyal backer as Interior Minister
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday named Christophe Castaner, one of his main backers, as the new Interior Minister, replacing Gerard Collomb in his latest Cabinet reshuffle.
Cong against Ram temple in Ayodhya, alleges Telangana BJP
Attacking Congress over its leader Shashi Tharoors remarks on Ram temple, the Telangana unit of BJP Tuesday alleged insulting Hindus had become a chronic habit of the party. Tharoor's remarks clearly establish that the Congress was against Ram temple in Ayodhya, state BJP chief spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao told reporters here. He also took exception to Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's reported remarks that he can relate to Pakistan more than South India. "Congress has made it a chronic habit to insult Hindus every time, he alleged and challenged Congress President Rahul Gandhi and Telangana Congress chief Uttam Kumar Reddy to define "who is a good Hindu and who is a bad Hindu." He charged the Congress with trying to swing both ways by sending Rahul Gandhi to temples and leaving "pseudo intellectuals" like Tharoorand Siddhu to "insult Hindus and Indians," Rao alleged. Tharoor, the MP from Thiruvananthapuram, kicked up a row with his remarks Sunday that no "good" ...
Amit Shah to kick off Mizoram poll campaign on Wednesday
BJP president Amit Shah will kick off party's campaign on Wednesday for the November 28 assembly elections in Mizoram. Shah would address BJP's statewide booth level workers meet at R. Dengthuama Indoor Stadium in Aizawl where he would kick off the party campaign for the upcoming election to the 40-member Mizoram legislative assembly, state BJP unit president Prof John V Hluna told PTI Tuesday. Shah would induct Dr Buddha Dhan Chakma, a ruling Congress legislator who resigned from the state assembly Tuesday, in the meeting in the presence of BJP election in charge of Mizoram Himanta Biswas (Finance Minister of Assam), Nagaland deputy chief minister Y. Patton and other leaders on Wednesday. Shah would also inaugurate the BJP office in Aizawl before the meeting, Hluna said. Mizoram is slated to go to vote on November 28. Mizoram is the only state in the entire North-East where Congress is in power at present. BJP leaders have been asserting that they would make all ...
HP Cong to hold Dalit rally in Mandi soon: Sukhu
The Himachal Congress will soon hold a state-level rally in Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur's hometown Mandi against the ruling BJP's "anti-Dalit" policies, HPCC chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said Tuesday. Talking to PTI on the sidelines of the Congress state executive meeting, Sukhu alleged that Dalits of the state were feeling neglected due to the ruling government's 'anti-Dalit' policies. All these issues will be highlighted in the Mandi rally, the exact date of which will be announced soon, he added. In reply to a question regarding his stand on the view of conducting Parliament and Assembly elections simultaneously in Himachal, he suggested that Thakur-led government first hold all local bodies elections on a single day in the state. "Thakur is issuing statement in support of conducting Parliament and Assembly elections simultaneously in Himachal but local body elections are being held in the state on different dates, he said. Addressing the executive meeting, party's scheduled ...
TN BJP stages protest against Sidhu
Taking exception to Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu's reported comments that he can relate to Pakistan more than South India, BJP's Tamil Nadu unit Tuesday staged a protest here demanding action against the Congress leader for drawing such comparisons. Leading the protest near the Chennai collectorate, BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned the remarks and demanded that Sidhu apologise. At a literature festival in Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh held recently, Sidhu reportedly said he can relate to Pakistan more than South India. "We condemn this. Congress minister Sidhu should apologise for insulting Tamil, its culture and people.. Why should he mock our language and food by comparing it with Pakistan," BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan said. She also hit out at DMK president M K Stalin, MDMK's Vaiko and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi's Thol Thirumavalavan for not taking up the issue. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra Sunday took a dig at Sidhu, ...
UP Cabinet clears proposal to rename Allahabad
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Tuesday adopted a proposal to rename the historic city of Allahabad as Prayagraj, a move opposed by the opposition parties in the state. But the state government said it is restoring an old name for the city. Today, the BJP government has rectified the mistake made by Akbar," a state BJP spokesperson said. Keeping in view the feelings and emotions of the people, Allahabad has been renamed Prayagraj by our government. Five hundred years ago the name of the place was Prayagraj as it is at the 'Triveni Sangam' (a confluence of three rivers)," Adityanath said later in Gorakhpur. "Those who are opposing this are not aware of their history, culture and traditions and we can't have hopes from them, he told reporters during at visit to the Budhiya Mata temple in Gorakhpur. There are many Prayags on the bank of the sacred rivers coming from the Himalayas but this place is Prayagraj (the leading one among them)," the chief minister said. The proposal will now go to the
India, UAE decide to boost defence ties
India and the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday agreed to deepen their defence cooperation in a range of areas including military-to-military exchanges, training of personnel and defence production, officials said. The decision was taken during talks between Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the UAE's Minister of State for Defence Affairs Mohammed Ahmed Al Bowardi Al Falacy. The defence ministry said the ministers undertook a review of bilateral defence cooperation and deliberated upon measures to further enhance bilateral exchanges. "They recognized that deeper bilateral defence cooperation has been emphasized by the leadership of both countries as a central element in the expanded India and UAE strategic partnership," it said in a statement. Officials said two sides discussed a range of issues and decided to enhance cooperation in areas of military-to military exchanges, training and tie-ups between defence industries of the two countries. The UAE minister will visit Hindustan ..
No decision yet on Phoolka's resignation: Punjab speaker
Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana K P Singh on Tuesday said no decision has been taken yet on the resignation of AAP MLA H S Phoolka from the House. "We have received the resignation of Phoolka and it is being examined," Singh told reporters at village Raqba, about 30 km from here. He was there to attend a function organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. Phoolka, MLA from Dakha constituency, resigned as legislator on October 12, expressing unhappiness over the Punjab government's alleged "failure" to initiate action against former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and retired DGP Sumedh Singh Saini in sacrilege incidents. He said his resignation would put pressure on the state government to act on the report of the Justice (retd) Ranjit Singh Commission, which was set up to probe cases of desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures. According to the report, Badal and Saini were "aware" of the planned police action in Kotkapura
S Africa opposition calls bank fraud claims 'madness'
South Africa's radical opposition EFF party claimed on Tuesday that fraud claims against a top leader were politically motivated to discredit it ahead of crunch polls due in 2019. The far-left Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), led by Julius Malema, is embroiled in a row raging around the collapse of the VBS Mutual bank which has particularly hit poor and rural clients. A central bank probe into the failure said $130 million (112 million euros) was stolen over three years and named EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu's brother as a beneficiary. The report, titled "The Great Bank Heist", described the bank as "corrupt and rotten to the core". It implicated 52 other individuals as well as Brian Shivambu who is an active member of the EFF, South Africa's second largest opposition party in parliament. Malema distanced the party from the scandal in a two-hour media briefing at party HQ in Johannesburg. "The EFF has not been mentioned in any wrongdoing," said Malema, accusing the local media .
Congress will lose votes if I campaign: Digvijaya Singh
As Congress is gearing up for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections to oust the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, senior leader Digvijaya Singh on Tuesday said that his party will lose votes if he campaigns or gives speeches in public events.While speaking to his party workers, Singh said: "Jisko ticket mile, chahe dushman ko mile, jitao. Aur mera kaam kewal ek, koi prachar nahi, koi bhashan nahi. Mere bhashan dene se toh Congress ke vote kat te hain, isliye main jata nahi (Whoever gets ticket, even if rivals, make sure that they win. There is only one work for me that I abstain from public events and not campaign for the party because my speeches cuts Congress votes.)," he said.From his statement it was not clear whether Singh was being sarcastic or serious. Pradesh Congress committee president Kamal Nath told ANI, "I don't know in what context he made the statement".Recently, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati said that Singh was a ...
Two Congress legislators in Goa quit, join BJP
Hours after resigning as members of Goa Assembly, Congress legislators, Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte, on Tuesday joined the BJP in the presence of Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
Former Chinese military chief expelled from CPC
China's ruling Communist Party (CPC) has expelled former military chief General Fang Fenghui from the party and his case has been transferred to a military court over graft accusations, the military announced on Tuesday.
Jaitley repeats 'clown prince' jibe at Rahul
Dismissing the charge that he had met absconding scamster Nirav Modi, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday again called Congress President Rahul Gandhi a "clown prince" and ridiculed him for "building false narratives" on different issues, including the Rafale deal.
Amarinder trying to push Punjab into dark days of militancy, alleges Sukhbir
The Shiromani Akali Dal Tuesday lambasted Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, accusing him of trying to push Punjab into the dark days of militancy by "encouraging radical elements" which are hell bent on dividing the country and disturb the hard-earned peace in the state. "About 25-30 years back, people could not come out of their houses During terrorism, thousands of people lost lives, industry fled, business destroyed. At that time there was an atmosphere of terror. Captain Amarinder Singh was creating similar atmosphere (of the state), now," SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal alleged. "Amarinder is bringing those forces forward which had only single agenda of dividing the country and disturb peace in Punjab," he further alleged while talking to reporters here. "Twenty five years back, Congress had raised such forces to create a rift between Hindus and Sikhs and that pushed Punjab into dark days. Similar forces are being supported by Amarinder just to weaken the Akali Dal," Badal ...
AAP govt, Centre spar over Delhi Metro Phase-IV
The AAP government and the Centre are at the loggerheads over Delhi Metro Phase-IV with the former saying it "assumed" that the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry would fund the project as asserted by Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri earlier. On several occasions, Puri has asserted that if there is no decision from the Delhi government on Metro Phase-IV, his ministry will take a final call. "Hardeep Singh Puri ji had said that he would provide funds himself (for Metro Phase-IV), we thought they would be doing so," Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters. He was asked about Centre's allegation about no nod from the Delhi government for Metro Phase-IV in the last three-four years. Earlier in the day, Puri while addressing a gathering at an event said the Delhi government has not provided its financial nod to the Metro Phase-IV in the last three-four years. However, the Union minister assured that the Centre will not let the citizens of Delhi suffer due to non-clearance from
Municipal polls end peacefully in J&K (Roundup)
The fourth and final phase of municipal polls ended peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday with a dismal 4 per cent voting in Srinagar district and an equally poor 11.3 per cent voter turnout in neighbouring Ganderbal district.
SSDF demands sedition case against Mehbooba
Activists of Shiv Sena Dogra Front (SSDF) Tuesday staged a protest here, demanding registration of a sedition case against former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for saying slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Manan Wani was a "victim of relentless violence". Led by their leader Ashok Gupta, dozens of SSDF activists took out a rally from Rani Park here. They raised slogans demanding registration of FIR against all those who came forward in support of Wani, who along with his associate was killed in an encounter in Kupwara district on October 11. "We demand registration of sedition case against former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and others for supporting terrorism. He was a terrorist and had quit his studies to wage war against the country," Gupta told reporters. In a tweet yesterday, Mehbooba called for withdrawal of cases against three Kashmiri students studying in Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and described Wani "a victim of relentless violence in Kashmir". "Pushing youth to the wall
Pompeo discusses Khashoggi's disappearance issue with Saudi Arabia
United States Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo on Tuesday met Saudi King Salman and Foreign Minister al-Jubeir in Riyadh. During the meetings the two sides discussed the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and it was agreed that there is a need for a thorough, transparent, and timely investigation in the case."Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo met today with Saudi King Salman in Riyadh. The Secretary thanked the King for Saudi Arabia's strong partnership with the United States. The Secretary and the King discussed a number of regional and bilateral issues. The Secretary also thanked the King for his commitment to supporting a thorough, transparent, and timely investigation of Jamal Khashoggi's disappearance," Spokesperson Heather Nauert said.In a separate press statement, US State Department said that during his meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister al-Jubeir, Pompeo reiterated US concerns over Khashoggi's disappearance."The Secretary thanked the Foreign Minister for his .