Page 2730 - Politics
Cong, AAP circulating fake news about Ramesh Bidhuri: BJP
The BJP's Delhi unit Sunday accused the Congress and the AAP of circulating fake news about its South Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri and trying to create an atmosphere of fear in the city. A "photoshopped" image of a newspaper cutting that surfaced on social media recently claims that Bidhuri made a statement against migrants in the city. "The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are misusing the photoshopped image for political gains," Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari alleged in a statement. He alleged that the AAP and the Congress were indulging in "cheap politics" to create an atmosphere of fear in Delhi, especially among migrants. A photoshopped image appeared some days ago. Fake news is being circulated about Bidhuri saying people belonging to UP and Bihar should be driven out of Delhi, a Delhi BJP statement said. Some political leaders and journalists shared it on the Internet to create fear and confusion among people, it alleged. Addressing a press conference along with Bidhuri, Tiwari ...
Ailing Parrikar arrives in Goa, his health parameters stable
The health parameters of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who returned from Delhi on Sunday, are stable, his office said.
Akbar calls charges wild and false, mum on quitting (Roundup)
Defying widespread calls for his ouster over multiple charges of sexual harassment, Union Minister M.J. Akbar on Sunday termed the allegations "wild and baseless" and questioning their timing and vowed to take legal action against the accusers.
Israeli PM threatens Hamas with severe punishment
The Prime Minister of Israel on Sunday threatened the Gaza Strip's Hamas government with severe punishment if it does not halt the weekly mass protests near the boundary fence separating Gaza from Israel.
SC verdict on Sabarimala against the devotees: Kerala Varma Raja
The recent Supreme Court verdict on Sabarimala is against the devotees and central government should make necessary amendments to protect the rights of the believers, Kerala Varma Raja, head of Pandalam royal family Sunday said here. The Pandalam royal family for ages has been closely interlinked with the lore of Lord Ayyappa, the presiding deity at Sabarimala. During the annual mandalam festival at the temple between November-January, the male head of the family has privileges to perform certain ceremonies. "Pandalam royal family follows the rights and rituals of Sabarimala temple. As far as the verdict is concerned, it is against the devotees. We have moved the Supreme Court against this. We will take appropriate step after analysing the outcome of the petition," Raja told media in a press meet. Raja was here to take part in the protest march organised by Ayyappa Dharma Protection Committee against the September 28 verdict of the five-judge constitution bench, which had in its 4:1 ..
M J Akbar rejects allegations of sexual harassment; links them to LS polls
Union minister M J Akbar Sunday termed allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him by several women as "false, fabricated and deeply distressing" and said he was taking appropriate legal action against them. Hours after returning from a trip to Africa, the Minister of State for External Affairs issued a statement, virtually rejecting calls for his resignation from the post and seeking to link the allegations against him to the upcoming Lok sabha elections. There have been mounting demands for his removal from the Union council of ministers after multiple women, as part of the #MeToo movement in India, came out with accounts of alleged sexual harassment by the 67-year-old Akbar when he was a journalist. "The allegations of misconduct made against me are false and fabricated, spiced up by innuendo and malice. I could not reply earlier as I was on an official tour abroad," he said in the statement. "Accusation without evidence has become a viral fever among some sections. ...
Biman attacks Mamata for Durga puja inauguration spree, spends
Left Front Chairman Biman Bose on Sunday came down heavily on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for going on an "inauguration spree" of Durga pujas, and criticised her government's expenditure over the annual immersion carnival held on Red Road. The state is reeling under a "crisis-like" situation and common people are burdened with economic issues, while Banerjee is busy organising the Red Road Carnival, Bose told reporters after a Left Front meeting here. Seventy-five Durga Puja committees will participate in this year's 'Durga Puja Bisarjon (Immersion) Carnival', which the CM has asserted as an event to showcase the tourism potential of Bengal. Bose also took exception to the Durga pujas Banerjee has been inaugurating in the last few days. "She has embarked on an inauguration spree three days before the start of 'Devi Paksha' (Mahalaya). This had never happened in the past. "She is inaugurating Durga pujas and taking part in festivities while people are ...
Cong demands KCR answer why he advanced TL assembly elections
Congress Sunday alleged that the ruling TRS had not fufilled any electoral promise and demanded that caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao explain why he dissolved the assembly nine months ahead of schedule if people were happy with the government's performance. Addressing a meeting at Gandhi Bhavan here, Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee President N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that the KCR government has disappointed all sections of society with its 'misrule' for four-and-a-half years. Sensing the rising dissent and anger among people towards the government, KCR (as Rao is popularly known as)dissolved the Assembly to advance the elections, a party release quoted Uttam Kumar Reddy as saying. "If everything was going on well, then why did KCR not complete his full term?" Uttam asked. Reddy alleged that all sections of society, including women, youth, students, Dalits, Girijans, BCs, Muslims and others were feeling betrayed by the TRS government and were waiting ...
J-K youth important stakeholders in peace process: Guv Malik
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday said the state's youth were the most important stakeholders in the peace process and it was essential to engage them regularly and effectively. The governor said this during an interactive session --- 'Kashmir Youth Dialogue' -- organized by the Jammu Kashmir Youth Alliance at Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here. Malik said it was important that the youth were given momentum in right direction to channelise their creative, intellectual and innovative energies and talents in a productive manner. Conveying the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure free and fair elections in the state, he said the students are torchbearers for emerging societies and urged them to partake in the democratic process as leaders and participants to shape the new future for the state. Malik assured full support of the state and central administration for the overall development of the youth. The governor also participated .
J&K administration discussed welfare of Kashmiri students in AMU with UP govt: Governor
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Sunday said his administration has taken up the matter related to the wellbeing of Aligarh Muslim University students from the Valley with the Uttar Pradesh government. The governor's remarks came a day after three AMU students from Kashmir were suspended and booked for sedition after they allegedly tried to hold a prayer meeting for Hizbul Mujahideen commander Manan Bashir Wani, who was killed in a gunbattle with security forces in north Kashmir on Thursday. Malik was speaking with youths during an interactive session 'Kashmir Youth Dialogue' organized by the Jammu Kashmir Youth Alliance here. "The governor assured the youth that his administration has taken up the concern for the wellbeing of Kashmiri students in the Aligarh Muslim University with their administrative counterparts in Uttar Pradesh so that they can carry on with their studies in a safe and secure environment," a government spokesman said. The spokesman said Malik also ...
Modi has delivered blows to the economy: Cong
The Congress Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the falling rupee and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "monumental mismanagement" of the economy and delivering blows to it. The opposition party said in 2014, Modi had promised to strengthen the rupee if he became prime minister and said he would bring it to the level of 40 per dollar. Addressing a press conference at the party office here, senior Congress leader Anand Sharma pointed out that the rupee had, on more than one occasion, crossed 74 to a dollar, whereas the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had left it at 59 to a dollar. "There has been a monumental mismanagement of the Indian economy under the BJP-led NDA government. They have been busy, the prime minister in particular and his Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, either making false claims, or embellishing and manufacturing numbers just to mislead the people," he said. A nation could not have a sound economy if it was not attracting ..
RLSP stands with NDA, committed to make Modi PM again: Kushwaha
Union minister and Rashtriya Lok Samta Party chief Upendra Kushwaha has dismissed speculation he would exit the ruling NDA, asserting his party stands committed to the alliance and is working to ensure a second five-year term for Narendra Modi as prime minister. Kushwaha emphasized his party will take forward its "Halla Bol, Darwaza Khol" campaign with full determination to ensure representation of every section of society in higher judiciary. In an interview to PTI-Bhasha, he said, "The NDA alliance is moving forward strongly, we are and we will remain committed to making it even stronger." Asked about his remark that milk from Yadavs and rice from Kushwahas can help prepare delicious "kheer" (rice pudding), the minister of state for human resource development said, "The remark was taken out of context. The message was for society, this was not a political comment". He said if every section of society contributes some ingredients to prepare kheer, it will help cement the social ...
Saudi threatens to retaliate against any sanctions over Khashoggi disappearance
DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia on Sunday warned against threats to punish it over the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last week, saying it would retaliate against any sanctions with tougher measures, as international criticism increased.
Trump says Mattis 'could be' leaving as US defence chief
US President Donald Trump said in an interview airing Sunday that Defence Secretary Jim Mattis "could be" leaving, referring to him as "sort of a Democrat." Mattis, seen as one of the steadiest but also more independent members of Trump's cabinet, has served as a low-profile counterweight to the president in his often abrasive treatment of US allies. In an interview to be aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," Trump was asked whether he wanted Mattis to leave. "It could be that he is. I think he's sort of a Democrat, if you want to know the truth," Trump said, according to an excerpt released by CBS. "But General Mattis is a good guy. We get along very well. He may leave. I mean, at some point, everybody leaves." Trump said he had lunch with Mattis two days earlier and Mattis, a retired Marine four-star general, had not told him that he was leaving. The exchange on Mattis came after Trump alluded to upcoming changes in his cabinet, which last week saw the surprise resignation of Nikki ...
Maken to launch 'Lok Sampark Abhiyan' Monday
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Ajay Maken will launch the 'Lok Sampark Abhiyan' (public outreach campaign) on Monday from the New Delhi Parliamentary constituency, a party spokesperson said Sunday. The programme will be launched at 4 pm at Sant Ravidas Chowk, Pyarelal Road near Karol Bagh MCD Zonal office of the constituency, DPCC chief spokesperson Sharmistha Mukherjee. During the programme, the party workers will carry out a door-to-door campaign to apprise people of the "failures and unfulfilled promises" of the Modi government at the Centre and the Kejriwal government in Delhi, she said. Two booklets -- pertaining to "false promises made by the Modi government and corruption in Kejriwal government" -- will be distributed among three lakh Congress workers in Delhi to "expose" both the dispensations, Mukherjee added. The booklets were released by the Congress on Sunday. The workers will also collect donations from every block for the party fund, Mukherjee ...
CPI joins JCC-BSP alliance for Chhattisgarh elections
The Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (JCC) on Sunday announced an alliance with the Communist Party of India (CPI) in order to strengthen their foothold in the Naxal-hit Bastar region of the state.The move comes in the wake of the JCC joining hands with the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to challenge the incumbent Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been in power for 15 years in the state.Speaking to ANI, JCC leader Nitin Bhansali said, "The CPI have a very strong presence in Bastar, they also have a connection with the Dalits and the labourers. We recently announced that we will partner with the CPI for two seats, Konta and Dantewada. Our alliance is also getting stronger; three like-minded parties are going to contest the elections. Victory looks increasingly assured now.""Our (JCC, BSP, CPI) mission, vision and opposition is the same and we are fighting for the same objective - to liberate the people of the state from the 15 years of BJP misgovernance," he added.He further .
More than 1.2 lakh toilets to be installed for 2019 Allahabad Kumbh: Yogi
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led state government will install more that 1,22,000 toilets ahead of upcoming Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.He said that the decision has been taken to spread the message of 'Swachh Bharat'."Preparations for 2019 Allahabad Kumbh have been satisfactory so far. We will finish all the preparations by November 30 this year," Adityanath said."More than 1,22,000 toilets will be installed for 2019 Allahabad Kumbh. We want to spread the message of Swachh Bharat during Kumbh," he added.This comes at a time when the Uttar Pradesh government is planning to rechristen Allahabad as Prayagraj before the Kumbh Mela.Kumbh Mela will begin in Allahabad on January 15, 2019.
PM Modi's silence on #MeToo unacceptable: Congress
As the 'Me Too' movement gains momentum in India, Congress Party on Sunday questioned why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not spoken on the matter yet, adding that his silence is "unacceptable."Addressing a press conference, Congress leader Anand Sharma said the nation and women are waiting for the Prime Minister's stance on the matter."The person who swears by 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' and talks of women's dignity has chosen to be silent. A Prime Minister who speaks on every issue has not said anything on this. His silence is unacceptable. This is a matter of the dignity of the post of Prime Minister and of the government. The nation and women are waiting for his views on this matter," he said.Sharma further claimed that despite the banking system of the nation weakening, unemployment crisis peaking, and current account deficit consistently increasing, Prime Minister Modi still claims that India is the fastest growing economy.Further sharpening his attack on the state of the ...
AAP to launch campaign to tackle its financial crisis
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will launch a nationwide campaign on Monday to tackle the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) ongoing financial crisis, cabinet Minister Gopal Rai said on Sunday.
Alleging harassment of whistle-blower, MLA quits party
Goa Forward Vice President Trajano D'Mello resigned from the party after accusing the BJP-led government of brazenly backing the fish mafia in the state, adding to the state's political turbulence.