Page 2736 - Politics
IS militants abduct scores of civilians in eastern Syria
The Islamic State group stormed a settlement for displaced people in eastern Syria and abducted scores of civilians in the latest attack by the extremists on civilians, a US-backed Syrian force and a war monitor said on Saturday. The area in Syria's eastern Deir el-Zour province has been witnessing days of intense clashes between IS and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces amid bad weather and low visibility. The SDF said in a statement that the fighting on Friday in the Hajin camp for the displaced left 20 IS gunmen and "several" SDF fighters dead. It added that IS gunmen seized civilians by force and took them to areas in the last pocket of territory they control in the region. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors Syria's war, said as many as 130 families were abducted by the extremists. The Observatory warned that IS might kill them. The Observatory said the families are mostly made up of foreign women, including widows of IS members who had been .
Political campaigns conclude as Pakistan set for by-polls
Political parties in Pakistan have concluded their weeks-long campaigns for the country's by-elections scheduled for Sunday in 35 constituencies of the National Assembly or lower house of the country's Parliament and four provincial Assemblies.
Country realising Modi failed to fulfil promises: Tariq Anwar
Former NCP leader Tariq Anwar on Saturday said people of the country are now realising that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has failed to fulfil the promises he made during the 2014 election campaign. He said Modi has failed to fulfil his promises to bring back black money in 100 days, create 2 crore jobs for people, pay remunerative prices to farmers as per recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission Report and ensure safety of women. Speaking at a seminar here, titled 'Social Media - Challenges to Society', Anwar also claimed that a large section of the media has not been able to highlight the "failures" of the Modi government properly. "On Rafale and other issues, the media is not playing its proper role and things are not coming out and that is why the role of social media has become important. I am happy that the social media is playing a good role in exposing this government's failures," he said. Last month, Anwar quit the Nationalist Congress Party following party chief Sharad ..
Scaling up campaign on Rafale,Rahul says party will fight in
Escalating his high-pitch campaign against the Modi government over the Rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday asserted that his party would fight on the issue in "every street" in the country. Gandhi also accused the Modi government of destroying the "strategic asset" state-run aerospace company HAL and told its employees that "Rafale is your right." Giving a new twist to his strident Rafale campaign, Gandhi sought to reach out to present and former HAL employees, alleging that "temples of modern India are being attacked and destroyed; we cannot allow it to be done." "Rafale is your right; you are a 78-year-old company. You have the experience to build the plane," the Congress president said at the event held at Minsk Square near the HAL headquarters, after hearing the former and present employees. "You have worked now for more than 70 years. Ifsomebody thinks that they can build their future on top ofyour graves, that is also not going to be allowed," he ..
Raj govt relaxed land allotment policy for Pak Hindu migrants day before before poll code kicked in
A day before the model code of conduct came into effect in poll-bound Rajasthan, the BJP-led state government relaxed its policy for allotting residential plots to Pakistani Hindu migrants. The Urban Development and Housing department had rolled out a policy on allotment of land to Pakistani Hindu migrants in May, and a fresh circular was issued on October 5 to amend it. Under the amended policy, Hindu migrants from Pakistan would be able purchase land at a concessional rate anywhere in the state. The state government will conduct a lottery to allot residential plots. It will benefit 200-250 Pakistani Hindu migrants. Land will be allotted to them after a 25 per cent concession on reserved prices, Urban Housing and Development (UDH) Minister Srichand Kriplani told PTI. The department amended the policy after it received several memorandums seeking changes in it. UDH Joint Secretary Rajendra Singh Shekhawat said the condition that residential plots would be allotted in only those ...
Bangladeshi newspaper editors protest digital security law
An influential body of newspaper editors in Bangladesh on Saturday criticised the government for a new digital security law that they say will stifle constitutionally protected freedom of speech and curtail press freedom. Members of the Editors' Council told a news conference in the nation's capital, Dhaka, that they were not pleased that the bill was made a law despite their objections. President Abdul Hamid approved the bill, known as the Digital Security Act, despite promises by three Cabinet ministers and an adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that they would address the journalists' concerns about some disputed provisions. Shyamal Dutt, editor of the Bhorer Kagoj daily, said protesters would form a human chain in Dhaka on Monday to demand changes to the law. The Editors' Council had postponed a street protest last month after the country's information minister said officials would look into the journalists' concerns. "There is a Parliament session soon. We hope they will keep
BJP wants eradication of militancy in Valley: Kavinder Gupta
Senior BJP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Kavinder Gupta Saturday said his party wanted eradication of militancy in the Valley, asserting that "any person who is involved in anti-national activity has to be killed". He also opposed dialogue with Pakistan on Kashmir. Gupta congratulated the people of Uri township of north Kashmir's Baramulla district for defying the poll boycott call and threats of terrorists by turning up in large numbers in the third phase of the ongoing local body elections. "A militant is a militant and his killing by Army forces is commendable," he said in a statement referring to the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Manaan Bashir Wani. Wani, who was pursuing PhD in Allied Geology at Aligarh Muslim University, was killed in an encounter along with his associate in Kupwara district on Thursday. He had quit studies and joined the ranks of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit in January this year. Referring to a statement by Mehbooba Mufti, Gupta .
Malaysia's Anwar wins parliamentary by-election: poll officials
Anwar Ibrahim won an overwhelming mandate in a parliamentary by-election on Saturday, setting the stage for his return to frontline Malaysian politics and sealing the once-jailed opposition figure's remarkable resurrection. Figures from the Election Commission showed he got more than 71 percent of the total votes cast in a seven-way contest that included a former aide who lodged the sodomy charges that landed Anwar in prison for a second time in 2014.
No mail over threat to PM Modi: Delhi Police
Delhi Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik has not received a mail carrying a life threat to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an officer said on Saturday.
Trump: Will act if Saudis behind journalist's disappearance
US President Donald Trump on Saturday warned that his administration would inflict "severe punishment" on Saudi Arabia if the kingdom was found to have played a part in the disappearance of dissident journalist and Washington Post contributor Jamal Khashoggi.
Rafale deal 'largest defence scam' in India's history: Bhushan
Calling Rafale deal the "largest defence scam that the country has seen", Lawyer and activist Prashant Bhushan Saturday hoped the CBI would act on the complaint made by him and two others against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the matter. Speaking at an event organised by the Mumbai Press Club, the Supreme Court lawyer said if the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) failed to follow due process and register a preliminary enquiry (PE) or an FIR, he will take the case to the court. A PE is the first step of a probe by the CBI where the agency assesses whether the allegations have enough material for registering an FIR. The Rs 58,000-crore Rafale fighter jet deal has been at the centre of a raging political row with the Congress accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of wrongdoing. The government has rejected all allegations. Responding to questions on whether the Rafale deal was similar to the Bofors scam of the 1980s, he said the .
Cong claims majority in Goa, wants Parrikar to step down
Accusing the BJP of acting "power hungry" in Goa, the Congress on Saturday demanded that Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar step down and it be allowed to prove majority by convening a special session of the state assembly. Congress leaders Pawan Khera and Goa PCC chief Girish Chodankar claimed that the BJP is not removing Parrikar from the chief minister's post fearing that he might "spill the beans" on the Rafale fighter jet deal. The opposition party also accused the BJP of "betraying" the people of Goa and "killing governance" in the state. "Power hungry BJP first murdered democracy in Goa and is now killing Governance there. The clamour for power has cemented a corrupt, callous and cheat BJP to the CM Chair in Goa. The BJP has no constitutional right to continue in power in Goa, even for a single day," said Khera. The opposition party alleged that the BJP "usurped" power in Goa through backdoor. "People of Goa had given the mandate to the Congress. Governor Mridula Sinha should ...
Punjab drug menace: Police to go after proclaimed offenders
As part of measures to tackle the drug menace in the state, Punjab Police on Saturday said they would launch a crackdown on proclaimed offenders, including those who have fled the country. A decision in this regard was taken at a joint meeting of the Special Task Force (STF) on drugs, Intelligence Wing and Bureau of Investigation (BoI) held in Mohali. It was chaired by DGP Suresh Arora. DGP STF Mohd Mustafa, DGP Intelligence Dinkar Gupta and other officers of the agencies attended the meeting which was convened to review action against drugs, an official release said. The meeting focused on synergizing the efforts of the district police, Intelligence Wing and STF and proposed a series of other initiatives to intensify efforts against drugs. Police officers discussed preventive detention of traffickers from whom heavy recoveries have been made, the release said. Directions were given in the meeting to expedite seizing drug smugglers' properties which have been acquired through illegal .
Rafale row is conspiracy against national security: Naqvi
Amid the Rafale row, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Saturday termed the controversy a "deep-rooted conspiracy" against national security and flayed Congress dubbing it as a "skeleton of corruption." Naqvi's comments come against the background of Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and his party stepping up attack against the BJP-led NDA government over the Rs 58,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal alleging corruption and favouritism. "..Rafale controversy is deep-rooted conspiracy against national security," Naqvi said. Apparently indicating the Congress, he said the aim of the "conspirator," would be exposed soon. Dubbing the Congress party as a "skeleton of corruption," the minister told PTI "under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, transparency and honesty is at the forefront of the system." "Thats why the champions of corruption are frustrated and they are trying to fabricate...to mislead the people of the country (on the Rafale deal)." On the sidelines of an .
Hanuman Beniwal to launch own party on Oct 28
Jat leader and Independent lawmaker from Khinvsar in Rajasthan Hanuman Beniwal said Saturday he will launch his party at a rally in Jaipur on October 29. Beniwal said he is discussing with BJP rebel Ghanshaym Tiwari and other leaders to offer an alternative other than the BJP and the Congress to the people of Rajasthan. Beniwal, who held a meeting in Bhopalgarh area of Jodhpur Saturday, said he is considering to field candidates of his yet-to-be-launched party on all 200 assembly seats in the state for the December 7 election. "At our Jaipur rally, we will announce the party name and a strategy will be planned to contest all 200 assembly seats. For this, talks are on with Tiwari and other leaders who are not happy with the BJP and the Congress," he said. Alleging that the Congress and the BJP shield each other from allegations of corruption, Beniwal said people are fed up with the two parties and want an alternative. Beniwal has been travelling through Jat-dominated districts of ...
Kejriwal should immediately dismiss Gahlot, Jain: Tiwari
Describing the Arvind Kejriwal government in Delhi as "most corrupt", the BJP on Saturday demanded dismissal of its cabinet Minister Kailash Gahlot over the alleged tax evasion of Rs 120 crore.
Scaling up campaign on Rafale,Rahul interacts with HAL
: Escalating his campaign against the Modi government over the Rafale deal, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday accused it of destroying the "strategic asset"state-run aerospace company HAL and told its employees that "Rafale is your right." Giving a new twist to his high-pitch Rafale campaign, Gandhi sought to reach out to present and former HAL employees, alleging that "temples of modern India are being attacked and destroyed; we cannot allow it to be done." "Rafale is your right; you are a 78-year-old company. You have the experience to build the plane," the Congress president said at the event held at Minsk Square near the HAL headquarters, after hearing the former and present employees. He said it was "completely ridiculous" for the government to say that HAL did not have the required experience. Gandhi told the gathering that he understood "deeply" that they were pained and hurt and "this is as important to me as any corruption or anything that has ...
Rahul takes Rafale battle to HAL doors
Taking the Rafale battle to the doors of HAL, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said that the Modi government has "insulted, hurt and destroyed" the future of the public sector undertaking by depriving it of the offset contract with the French aircraft manufacturer Dassault.
Arunachal Dy CM asks pary workers to gear up for next yr polls
Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Saturday exhorted the party workers to gear up for the elections, both parliamentary and Assembly, due next year. Speaking at the BJP 'mandal' coordination meeting in Chongkham Assembly constituency, Mein underscored the need to put in more efforts to improve the coordination within the 'mandal', a party release quoted him as saying. He said that the coming elections would be fought with Pema Khandu as the chief ministerial face and that there should be no confusion on that front. He also informed that the BJP state unit president Tapir Gao would contest as the party candidate for the Lok Sabha polls from Arunachal East parliamentary constituency. He said that if people invite him he is ready to visit any interior place to get a firsthand experience of the development needs and issues. Speaking on the occasion, party chief Tapir Gao emphasised on the need to spread awareness about the programmes and policies of the ..
Centre's policy on Kashmir diabolical: Yechury
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Saturday said the Centre's policy on Kashmir is "diabolical" and the "alienation of the people of the Valley is almost complete". The BJP-led government at the Centre is using the disturbances in Kashmir to "get going its process of communal polarisation," Yechury said. He was referring to the spar between cricketer Gautam Gambhir and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Twitter over Hizbul Mujahideen's top commander Mannan Bashir Wani being gunned down by security forces in an encounter. "I do not know much about their (Abdullah and Gambhir's) personal comments. The situation in the Valley is really very, very grave. Alienation of the people of the Valley is almost complete," Yechury told reporters at the CPI(M) office here. "(The) situation in the Valley has deteriorated in the last few years. More soldiers and people have been killed...The policy of the government at the Centre on Kashmir is not a failure, but diabolical," he ...