Page 2793 - Politics
Mizoram will reject Congress, build 'Congress-mukt N-E: Ram Madhav
BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav on Friday said his party is confident that people of Mizoram will elect a non-Congress government in the assembly elections in December, fulfilling the saffron outfit's target to build a "Congress-mukt (free) Northeast".
Twin city agreement between Delhi and Moscow
The Delhi government Friday signed a twin city agreement with the Moscow adminstration for cooperation in multiple sectors including education, tourism, transport and environment. Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Moscow government minister Sergey Cheremin signed the agreement for working together in the education, culture, healthcare, e-governance, tourism, and transport sectors for three years. On the occasion, Sisodia said the agreement will further strengthen the relationship between the two cities. On his part, Cheremin said that Delhi and Moscow are "great partners". "India and Russia are strategic partner for many decades," he said. "We have worked hard to develop this strong relationship," Cheremin said. He also said that both the cities will cooperate actively in the management of transport, tourism, healthcare among other areas. AAP ministers Satyendar Jain, Kailash Gahlot, Rajender Pal Gautam were present during the signing of the agreement. Senior officers, .
S-400 deal shows highest level of trust between Russia and India: Russian official
Russia's decision to sell the sophisticated S-400 Triumf air defense missile system to India by 2020 testifies to the highest level of trust and understanding between the two strategic partners, a top official of a Russian industrial conglomerate said Friday. India and Russia concluded the USD 5 billion S-400 air defence system deal, notwithstanding the US warning that the agreement would be a "focus area" for it to implement punitive sanctions against a nation undertaking "significant" business deals with the Russians. The deal was sealed during the visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin for the annual summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday. "The agreement to supply S-400 to India opens up a new era in the history of military-technical cooperation between the two countries," Rostec chief Sergei Chemezov told the media while reacting to the deal. The agreement testifies to the highest level of trust and understanding between India and Russia, he was quoted .
Pawar calls meeting to discuss candidate selection for LS
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Sharad Pawar has called a two-day meeting of leaders of the state unit of the party here to discuss selection of candidates in Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha polls. The meeting will be held Saturday and Sunday, said NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik. The party has already demanded 50-50 seat-sharing formula in its talks for alliance with the Congress, Malik told PTI. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha constituencies. In 2014 elections, the two parties had an alliance; the Congress had contested 27 and NCP had contested 21 seats then. Pawar will discuss the current political situation in the 21 Lok Sabha seats the party had contested in 2014 and discuss the process of selection of candidates, Malik said. The party has also called leaders from Jalna, Aurangabad, Dhule and Ichalkaranji, as it will stake claim to these four seats which the Congress had contested in the last elections, Malik said. Ichalkaranji is presently represented by ...
Six killed in rebel attack on DR Congo military post: army
A rebel attack on an army post in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo left six people dead, civilian and military sources said Friday. The Ugandan Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) is suspected of having carried out Thursday night's attack in the city of Beni, which sits near the DRC border with Uganda. The raid is thought to have targetted General Marcel Mbangu but instead killed four other soldiers and two civilians, said the sources. "We were in the middle of a meeting," said one military source who did not wish to be named. An AFP photographer in Beni saw the bodies of two civilians with machete wounds. The ADF is a militia created by Muslim rebels to oppose Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni but which also operates in the DRC. They are held responsible for a string of attacks in the region, including another carried out at the end of September in Beni that left 20 people dead. In all, they are thought to have killed at least 700 civilians -- and 15 Tanzanian peacekeepers -- in a ...
Russia-India trade up by 20%, continues to grow: Putin
Russia and India intend to increase coordination, including in the United Nations, BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and the G20, as well as in the fight against terrorism, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday."We agreed to increase cooperation in multi-sided venues, in particular, in the UN, in BRICS, SCO, and the G20. We will closely coordinate our work to strengthen security and cooperation in Asia, jointly fight such modern challenges and threats as international terrorism, drug trafficking, cross-border crime," Putin said after talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Talking about trade relations, President Putin said trade between Russia and India increased by 20 per cent in the first seven months of 2018 and continues to grow after surging 21 per cent to over $9 billion last year.At one point, we set a task of increasing annual trade to $30 billion by 2025, and the volume of mutual investments to
US authorities poisoning atmosphere of Russia-US relations: Ryabkov
The United States is "poisoning" the atmosphere of Russia-United States relations with new unfounded accusations against Russia, taking a dangerous path to fuel tensions between the two nuclear powers, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.US Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers announced on Thursday that the United States has filed charges against seven alleged Russian military intelligence officers for taking part in a conspiracy to hack US, Canadian and international organizations."We regret to see how the US authorities continue to poison the atmosphere of Russia-US relations with new portions of baseless accusations against Russia, which some other NATO countries rush to repeat on orders from Washington. The Western public is again being threatened by Russian hackers, this time allegedly involved in breaking into computer networks almost all over the world," Ryabkov said in a commentary.According to Ryabkov, Washington continues to feed the ..
Trump says anti-Kavanaugh protesters are paid professionals
President of United States Donald Trump said on Friday that some of the people protesting against his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh are receiving money from political activists such as billionaire Democratic contributor George Soros."The very rude elevator screamers are paid professionals only looking to make Senators look bad. Don't fall for it! Also, look at all of the professionally made identical signs. Paid for by Soros and others. These are not signs made in the basement from love!" Trump said in a Twitter message.Activists, including female survivors of sexual assault, have in recent days been confronting senators as they enter elevators in the US Capitol and in Senate office buildings. The protests come as the Senate prepares to hold a vote over the weekend on Kavanaugh's nomination.On Thursday, more than 100 protesters were arrested during a demonstration against Kavanaugh in the atrium of one of the Senate office buildings.
Politics should be done for country's development, not to stop anyone: Rajnath
Attacking the Opposition plans for a grand alliance to checkmate BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said politics should be done for development of the country not to stop anyone.
Mizoram will elect a non-Congress govt: Ram Madhav
BJP general secretary in charge of the north east Ram Madhav Friday expressed confidence that poll-bound Mizoram will elect a non-Congress government, thus leading to a "Congress-mukt North East". Mizoram is the only state in the North East region which is under the Congress rule at present. The assembly election in Mizoram is due in December. "We are very confident that the voters of Mizoram will reject the Congress and will elect a non-Congress government in the (ensuing assembly election). In that sense, it will be a 'Congress-mukt' North East in terms of government," Madhav said at the India Today Conclave East 2018 here. "The Congress party, whether it will remain or not, is not in my hand. It is in the hands of (Congress chief) Rahul Gandhi," he said. Asked about the secret of Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) success in the North East, Madhav said, "It is through the good democratic practice of reaching out to the people". Earlier this week, the BJP leader had said in Aizawl ...
Narasimha resigns as ASG
Additional Solicitor General P S Narasimha has tendered his resignation citing personal reasons. He has asked the government to relieve him of his responsibilities from December 15 when the Supreme Court goes for a winter break. Narasimha had recently lost his father and he often goes to Hyderabad to tend to his ailing mother. Sources close to him said he decided to quit as the government's work in the top court should not suffer. They said it is now up to the government to decide on the resignation. Recently, Sandeep Sethi had stepped down as additional solicitor general. From 11 additional solicitors general during the UPA-II rule, the strength of the law officers have dipped to six.
Govt cannot let anyone promote violence, says Rajnath on activists' arrests
In the midst of a raging controversy over the arrest of five activists with alleged Maoist links, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said Urban Naxals were not a big threat but maintained that the government cannot allow anyone to promote violence.
Congress launches agitation over Sabarimala issue
The Congress on Friday launched a protest demanding the filing of a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple. The party's protest comes close on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching agitations, criticising the LDF government for not filing a review petition against the verdict. Inaugurating the Congress' protest at Pathnamthitta, which saw participation from a large number of women, Opposition leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the RSS-BJP and the state government were 'cheating' Hindus. Sabarimala should not be made into a "war zone", said Chennithala as the Congress hardened its stand against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala. He also said that the LDF government had initiated "hasty" steps to implement the apex court's order. "There are many other court orders which are yet to be implemented," he said. Chennithala, who had asked the Centre to bring in a ..
Shehbaz Sharif arrested in housing scam
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif was arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Friday in a Rs 14 billion housing scam case.
Odisha BJP wants Modi to contest from Puri in 2019
The BJP Odisha unit on Friday said that party leaders and workers want Prime Minister Narendra Modi to contest from the Puri constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
China slams US election meddling charges as 'malicious slander'
China on Friday rejected as "malicious slander" US Vice President Mike Pence's allegation that it was meddling in American elections even as it voiced its desire to reach "some compromise" with America to end their escalating trade war. In a blistering speech at a think-tank, Pence on Thursday alleged that China has mounted an unprecedented effort to not only meddle the upcoming US polls, but also shape the public opinion of the country. Pence claimed that China wants a "different American President" and is using more "proactive and coercive" methods to interfere in America's domestic policies and politics. He accused the Chinese government of orchestrating an aggressive military, economic and political campaign to expand its influence inside the US and across the world. Reacting to Pence's allegations, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying in a statement on Friday said any "malicious slander" on China is futile. "The relevant speech made unwarranted accusations against ..
Cong colluded with Naxals to stay in power in Chhattisgarh: Shah
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Friday accused the Congress of forging "ties with Naxals" to remain in power in Chhattisgarh before 2003. The BJP government in the state had succeeded in containing the Maoist menace, Shah said, addressing a tribal convention at Narharpur in the insurgency-hit Kanker district. Targeting the Congress ahead of the state Assembly polls over various issues, he challenged the opposition party to an open debate on its development track record. The convention marked the conclusion of the Atal Vikas Yatra campaign launched by Chief Minister Raman Singh to highlight the achievements of his 15-year rule. "Chhattisgarh once reverberated with the sound of bullets.... I have no hesitation in saying that the earlier Congress government (before the BJP came to power in the state in 2003) had forged ties with Naxals to stay in power. We broke that nexus and cracked down on Naxals. "Entire Chhattisgarh is gradually getting rid of Naxalism and ...
Ignoring US threat, India, Russia ink deal on S-400 missile system
Brushing aside US threats of sanctions, India and Russia on Friday concluded a deal for supply of S-400 Triumf long-range surface-to-air missile system giving a substantial boost to air defence capabilities of the Indian Air Force.
Interpol president reported missing during trip to China
The president of Interpol, a former senior Chinese security official, has been reported missing after he travelled to his native country at the end of September, a French judicial official said Friday. Meng Hongwei's wife reported Friday that she had not heard from her 64-year-old husband since he left Lyon, France, where Interpol is based, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of an ongoing investigation. The French official said Meng did arrive in China. There was no further word on Meng's schedule in China or what prompted his wife to wait until now to report his absence. In a statement, Interpol said it was aware of reports about Meng's disappearance and added "this is a matter for the relevant authorities in both France and China." The statement noted that Interpol's secretary general, and not its president, is responsible for the international police agency's operations. News of the investigation into Meng's disappearance came during a ...
'No positivity' about Parrikar's health: Goa Dy Speaker
There is "no positivity" about health condition of ailing Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who is currently admitted in the AIIMS in New Delhi, BJP MLA and Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo said on Friday.