Page 2724 - Politics
Rahul raised hue and cry over arrest of 'urban naxals': Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Monday accused Congress chief Rahul Gandhi of raising a "hue and cry" over the arrest of "urban naxals", who allegedly plotted to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and said the government would not tolerate those who speak about dividing the country. He alleged that the Congress, when in power, undermined the country's security. "The Maharashtra government arrested urban naxals and found through their email exchange that they wanted mortar guns and machine guns. They were plotting to kill Modi," Shah said, speaking at a BJP workers' gathering at Rewa in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh. "But when they ('urban naxals') were arrested, Rahul baba (Rahul Gandhi) and company raised hue and cry," he said. "The slogan 'Bharat tere tukde honge, Inshallah ek hazar, ek hazar' was raised at JNU (Jawaharlal Nehru University) but Rahul baba says there is freedom of speech. Naxals were arrested, but he saw (it as an issue of) freedom of speech," he added. Asserting that ...
People of Rajasthan will not give Cong another chance: Raje
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said on Monday that people of the state will not give the Congress another chance as it failed to understand their sentiments in its previous dispensations. She claimed that Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has accepted failure of his previous government in the state and its ministers. "The Congress was good at making false promises and doing talks whereas the BJP has worked on ground for development of the state," the chief minister said. Raje made the remarks during a meeting of the party workers at Ranakpur in Pali district. The meeting was attended by BJP workers from 35 Assembly constituencies, including Jalore, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Chittorgarh, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Barmer districts. Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Arun Chaturvedi said the party workers were upbeat about the works done by the BJP government in last five years. He said party workers from four divisions of the state will be coming to take part in another meeting on ...
Probe #Metoo allegations against Akbar, he should step down till investigation is over: Press bodies
Several media bodies on Monday demanded an "impartial probe" into all allegations of sexual misconduct against Union minister M J Akbar and said he should step down from his post till such an investigation is completed. Indian Women's Press Corps (IWPC), Press Club of India, Press Association and South Asian Women in Media issued a joint statement saying that Akbar is a "senior functionary of the government and his response should reflect the responsibility that is thus bestowed on him". Allegations against Akbar have been levelled by several women journalists under social media campaign #Metoo against sexual misconduct. The Minister of State for External Affairs has denied the allegations and on Monday filed a private criminal defamation complaint against one of the scribes, Priya Ramani. "We the undersigned journalist organisations have been deeply concerned over the overwhelming complaints of sexual harassment in the media," the joint statement said. "We recognise that sexual ...
Meghalaya CM invited for 'Statue of Unity' inauguration
The Gujarat government has invited Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma for the inauguration of the 'Statue of Unity' dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which is set to be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 31, officials said Monday. The formal invitation was handed over in person by Gujarat Health Minister Nitinbhai Ratilal Patel who called on Sangma at his office at the secretariat here Monday, they said. "Patel has formally handed over an invite to the chief minister to attend the ceremony on October 31," a senior official at the Chief Ministers Office told PTI. He said the chief minister has assured Patel of his presence at the function unless there is any other emergency situation which demands the chief ministers presence. The 182-metre tall statue, which is touted to be the tallest statue in the world, will be unveiled by the PM on birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, the first Home minister of the country.
Will not back out on promise of action in sacrilege cases, will bring cuplrits to book: Punjab CM
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday asserted that he will not back out on his promise to bring to book culprits of the Bargari sacrilege case and subsequent incidents of firing at Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in 2015. The sacrilege incidents had led to massive protests in different parts of Punjab three years ago and two people were killed in the firings at Behbal Kalan. Police had also allegedly fired at protesters to disperse them in Kotkapura. Rejecting allegations that the situation in Bargari, where anti-sacrilege protesters have been staging a sit-in since June 1, had got out of control, Singh said his government was prepared to deal with any situation. He also said some people with vested political interests were seeking to politicise the sensitive issues. On Sunday, the protesters had organised a function to observe the third death anniversary of the two victims killed in the alleged police firing in 2015. They had given the government a 15-day ultimatum on October 7 to
Parrikar will not quit as CM, to continue work: Goa BJP President
Ailing Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will not resign as the head of the BJP-led coalition government, Goa BJP President Vinay Tendulkar said on Monday, ruling out "rumours" that the former Defence Minister was likely to step down from his post due to ill-health.
Pak PM Imran Khan to embark on first visit China from Nov 3
Prime Minister Imran Khan will embark on his first visit to China on November 3 and is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and other top leaders and discuss ways to boost defence ties as well as the controversy-hit China-Pakistan Economic Corridor projects, according to a media report on Monday. Prime Minister Khan's visit to China, Pakistan's "all weather" ally, will come ahead of a visit to Islamabad by officials of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for formal discussions on a bailout package for the cash-strapped country. The IMF delegation is expected to visit Pakistan on November 7, Finance Minister Asad Umar said last week. The US has said that the debts accrued on the CPEC projects were to blame for Pakistan's current economic crisis. Both China and Pakistan have rejected Washington's statement. The three-day visit to China will be the cricketer-turned-politician's third foreign trip since assuming office in August. He went on an official visit to Saudi Arabia and
Gandhi, Tharoor may not want but nation wants Ram temple in Ayodhya: BJP
The BJP Monday accused the Congress of using its leaders to build a momentum against the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, asserting that "the temple will be built at the Ram's birthplace". Union minister Prakash Javadekar attacked Congress president Rahul Gandhi and its leader Shashi Tharoor for his reported comments that no good Hindu would have wanted to see the temple built by demolishing a place of worship, a reference to razing down of the Babri mosque in December 1992. "Ram is the ethos of the nation. People want and have fought for a Ram temple for 500 years after it was destroyed. What Shashi Tharoor is saying must be the view of Rahul Gandhi and his that they do not want the temple at the Ram's birthplace," he told PTI. He said it was astonishing and shocking to hear from Tharoor that a "real Hindu" would not wish temple at the Babri mosque site. "Ram temple will be built only at Ram's birthplace. It is so natural. It was Ram temple which was destroyed and all proofs .
Trump to send Pompeo to Saudi Arabia over missing journalist
US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he spoke to Saudi King Salman over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and will send Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss the situation with the monarch.
Busy ITO intersection gets Skywalk, Delhi ministers ignored
Ignoring the representatives from Delhi's elected government, Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri on Monday inaugurated the Skywalk at ITO here.
Ensure Goa Assembly is not dissolved by 'foul play'.: Cong to Prez
The Congress in Goa on Monday urged President Ram Nath Kovind to ensure that the state Assembly is not dissolved by "foul play". Goa Pradesh Congress Committee chief Girish Chodankar, in a petition, briefed Kovind about their earlier pleas to Governor Mridula Sinha about staking claim to form government in the state and said it is imperative that the President issues instructions and guides the governor, so that there is no constitutional over-reach to seek dissolution of the Assembly. The Congress is the largest party in the 40-member Goa Assembly with 16 MLAs, while the Parrikar government has the support of 23 MLAs. Accusing the BJP of acting "power hungry" in Goa, the Congress had on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar step down and it be allowed to prove majority by convening a special session of the Assembly. Parrikar, 62, has been ailing since mid-February and has been treated at different hospitals including those in Goa, Mumbai and the US. He returned here .
Parrikar may try to dissolve Goa Assembly: Congress to President
After knocking on the doors of Goa Raj Bhavan several times, the Congress on Monday wrote to President of India Ram Nath Kovind, urging him to keep a check on possible "constitutional overreach" by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who it alleged is trying to seek dissolution of the Assembly by foul means.
Taiwan invites pope to visit after historic China deal
Taiwan has invited Pope Francis to visit the island in a move aimed at deepening ties with the Vatican after the Holy See signed a historic deal with Beijing. Vice president Chen Chien-jen made the invitation during an audience with the pope ahead of the canonisation of Pope Paul VI on Sunday, Taiwan's presidential office said in a statement. Pope Francis asked Chen to send his greetings to President Tsai Ing-wen and "indicated that he would pray for Taiwan", the statement added. In footage aired on local TV, Chen told reporters that the pope "smiled" when he was invited to visit Taiwan. The presidential office said they had no further detail on his response to the invitation. The landmark agreement last month on the appointment of bishops paved the way for a rapprochement between the Vatican and China. That raised questions over the future of official ties between Taiwan and the Holy See -- the island's only official ally in Europe -- as China makes a concerted effort to poach its ...
Two days before Sabarimala doors open, BJP holds massive show
Chanting mantras of Lord Ayyappa and waving party flags, thousands of BJP workers Monday trooped into the Kerala capital demanding that the Left Front government file a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict allowing female devotees of menstrual age to offer prayers at the shrine. With the contentious issue fast acquiring political overtones, BJP workers and sympathisers, including a large number of women, laid a virtual siege to the state secretariat in a massive show of strength against the government which has said it would enforce the apex court's order and not go for a review. The protesters, some clad in black and many others carrying garlanded pictures of the eternally celibate deity, had begun the "Save Sabrimala March" from Pandalam in Pathanamthitta district to Thiruvananthapuram, a distance of around 90 km, on October 10. Addressing the gathering outside the secretariat, BJP general secretary P Muralidhar Rao assailed Chief Minister Pinarayi ...
Rahul confident Congress will return to power in MP, tears into Modi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday exuded confidence that the party will return to power in Madhya Pradesh and tore into Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his "empty slogans" that he said have not helped farmers, women and small traders.
'Remarks distorted': Tharoor on his remarks on Ram temple
After stirring a controversy with his recent remarks against the construction of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya, Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Monday clarified his stance claiming that his comments on the Ram temple were distorted.Tharoor took to Twitter and wrote, "I condemn the malicious distortion of my words by some media in the service of political masters. I said: "most Hindus would want a temple at what they believe to be Ram's birthplace. But no good Hindu would want it to be built by destroying another's place of worship."Insisting that it was his personal opinion, the Congress leader claimed that he was not speaking on behalf of his party."I was asked for my personal opinion at a literary festival and gave it as such. I am not a Spokesperson for my party and did not claim to be speaking for @incindia," he wrote.As per reports, Tharoor had earlier said, "No good Hindu would want a Ram Temple to be built by demolishing somebody else's place of ...
Yamuna cleaning project yet to get NOC
As many as five different state departments are yet to give a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Yamuna River cleaning project resulting in a delay in the implementation of the action plan for reviving the polluted river.People associated with the project are of the view that the government is doing their part but other bodies, like water corporation, associated with the plan are not doing their job properly.An ENT surgeon Devasheesh Bhattacharya, who is associated with the cleaning project of Yamuna, stated that the Uttar Pradesh government had released Rs 460 crores for cleaning the river but water board did not make proper use of the money.He further stated that if we want to save the river then, individually, we should take a vow to not make the Yamuna dirty."UP government had given 460 crores for Yamuna cleaning. It had sent the money to water corporation but no good use was made of the money. The government spends enough on the project but we hardly notice any change on the .
Lal Thanhawla claims Cong will make hat-trick of win in
Mizoram chief minister and state PCC chief Lal Thanhawla Monday exuded confidence that the ruling Congress party would make a hat-trick by winning the November 28 state assembly polls for the third consecutive terms. Lal Thanhawla told the ruling party workers that despite former home minister R. Lalzirliana and former health minister Lalrinliana Sailo leaving the party and joining the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) camp, the people of Mizoram still held hopes in the Congress. He said that the Congress workers were upbeat everywhere and had confidence to win at least 30 seats. The election to 40-member Mizoram assembly is slated on November 28. Stakes are high for the Congress in Mizoram as it would be a tough challenge for it to retain the only government in the entire North-East. Lal Thanhawala has been heading Mizoram Congress government continously since 2008.
Akhilesh slams Yogi govt over proposed move to rename Allahabad as 'Prayagraj'
Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav Monday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government's proposed move to rename Allahabad as Prayagraj, stating that the present dispensation wanted to show their work only by "renaming". Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during his visit to Allahabad on Saturday had announced that there was a proposal to rename the city as Prayagraj ahead of the 2019 Kumbh Mela. In a Twitter post Monday, Yadav said today's rulers were trying to show that they are working by just changing the name of Allahabad. "... They have even re-named Ardh Kumbh to Kumbh. This is toying with tradition and belief," the former UP CM tweeted. However, reacting to Yadav, Energy Minister and government spokesperson Shrikant Sharma claimed that the belief of people were hurt when the city was named Allahabad. "Some persons are objecting to renaming Allahabad as Prayagraj. The objections are baseless. It is the right of the government to rename any city. If needed, we will rename more cities
BJP leadership pressed hard for strengthening grass-root level democracy in J&K: Raina
Ahead of the panchayat elections, Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit chief Ravinder Raina Monday said the Central and state party leadership pressed hard for holding such elections to boost grass-root level democracy in the state. Addressing a meeting of senior party leaders here, he said the BJP was geared up to contest the panchayat elections slated for November 17. "It is only due to the dedicated efforts of the Central and state BJP leadership that has pressed hard for these elections to strengthen the lowest level of democracy," Raina said. The BJP leader said the party was all set to sweep the urban local body polls and carry the momentum to the upcoming panchayat polls. Raina asked party workers to work hard and formulate a strategy to achieve the BJP's target of "Panchayat to Parliament".