Page 2819 - Politics
Anti-quota group SAPAKS to contest Assembly polls in MP
SAPAKS, an anti-reservation organisation in Madhya Pradesh, announced Tuesday that it is entering electoral politics and would contest all 230 Assembly seats in the year-end elections in the state. Former IAS officer and patron of SAPAKS, Hiralal Trivedi, has been made president of the new party, it said. "On Tuesday, we have formally announced formation of a political party -- SAPAKS Party. It will contest all 230 seats in the state. We will soon announce our candidates," Trivedi told reporters. The party's 'organisation general secretary' Suresh Tiwari said that former IPS officer Vijay Wate, former IAS officer Veena Ghanekar, former state health department director K L Sahu and Betul-based industrialist Rajiv Khandelwal have been appointed as vice presidents. "Our main plank in assembly elections would be opposition to recent amendments in the SC/ST Act which are against the Supreme Court's verdict. We are also against reservation in promotion of government employees.
Farmers were committing suicide before we came to power in UP: Yogi
Refuting allegations that farmers were enduring hardships under the BJP government, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Tuesday lashed out at political opponents saying "those who had earlier exploited the ryots were now shedding crocodile tears for them." "Farmers were committing suicide before we came to power in Uttar Pradesh. They were lathi charged when procuring seeds and fertilisers. Those who exploited farmers are today shedding crocodile tears," the chief minister told news persons here. Speaking on the Bharatiya Kisan Union-led (BKU) farmers' agitation, the CM said he had sent two state ministers to Delhi three days ago to handle the situation. "Some of their (farmers) issues have already been taken care of by our government, like loses caused by stray cattle and old vehicles," he said, elaborating on the initiatives taken up by his government. He reiterated that his government would not desist from taking any step for the welfare of ryots. "Never has so much relief
Gandhi sacrificed life for harmony, truth; PM working against his ideals: Rahul
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi's ideals of adherence to truth and communal harmony, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of dividing the country and making false promises. Addressing a rally here to kick off the Congress's programmes in the 150th birth anniversary year of the father of the nation, Rahul Gandhi once again targeted Modi over the Rafale fighter jet deal. "Every day the prime minister fights against those things (ideals) for which (Mahatma) Gandhi sacrificed all his life, took three bullets. Gandhiji talked about uniting the country. Modiji talks about breaking up the people of the country," the Congress chief said at Wardha in Maharashtra, where Mahatma Gandhi's Sevagram Ashram is located. The prime minister pitched one religion against another, one community against another and spread hatred among people, Rahul Gandhi alleged. "Gandhiji insisted on (always) speaking the truth...I want to ask you, when Modiji made the promise of ...
Truck hits minimum wage protesters in Michigan; several hurt
Several people were injured Tuesday morning when a pickup truck collided with a group of protesters calling for the right to form unions in Flint, Michigan, in what police said appears to be an accident. Police Chief Tim Johnson said he doesn't believe the crash near a fast-food restaurant was intentional and that the driver "seemed pretty shaken up" afterward. Johnson initially said four or five people had non-life-threatening injuries, but later said eight were hospitalized. The pickup was later hit by a utility truck. It was dark at the time of the crash. Michigan Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer was among those participating in the protest. She wasn't injured and a post on her Twitter account says she's "incredibly sad that so many people were hurt." Whitmer and Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, a Republican, are battling for governor. The protests are part of an effort to elect pro-union candidates in the November general election. Walkouts are planned ..
Padyatras mark Gandhi Jayanti in Uttarakhand
Padyatras were held in all the assembly constituencies of Uttarakhand Tuesday to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 149th birth anniversary with Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat leading the Yatra in Doiwala and Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt in Haldwani. It was part of the party's decision to mark 150th year of Gandhi's anniversary which would culminate on October 2, 2019 in a special way at the national level, state BJP media head Devendra Bhasin said. The padyatras are aimed as much at propagating Gandhi's message of truth, non-violence and cleanliness as at creating awareness about the public welfare schemes launched by the Centre. In every constituency at least 150 party workers will participate in the padyatra covering a distance of 10km per day, Bhasin said. Earlier, the Chief Minister garlanded Mahatma's statue at Gandhi park and attended similar programmes held at the state BJP office to mark the occasion. He also garlanded the picture ofLal Bahadur Shastri at another function to ...
Afghan council seeks Pakistani cleric's help to end war
A prominent Pakistani cleric says an Afghan delegation has asked him to mediate between the Kabul government and the Taliban to help resolve the 17-year-long war in Afghanistan. Maulana Samiul Haq runs a religious school, the Haqqania seminary in the town of Akora Khattak in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders Afghanistan. Many Taliban figures studied there. Haq's seminary says he met with the Afghan representatives on Monday night. Haq told the Afghan representatives he also wishes to see an "end to jihad, end to bloodshed and freedom of Afghanistan with supremacy of Islam." He suggested a secret meeting between Afghan religious leaders and the Taliban, "without US and Pakistani interference." The Afghan delegation included former governor of Nangarhar province, Ataullah Lodin, government peace committee member Qasim Haleemi and others.
Congress can only save people: Mukul Sangma
Former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma Tuesday claimed that the Congress is the only alternative and relevant party to save the people. The senior Congress leader alleged that the BJP and its allies are a "threat" to present democracy in the country. "There is no alternative party except the Congress for the people of this nation. In the days to come, the Congress is the only relevant party," Mukul Sangma, who is also the Leader of Opposition in Meghalaya Assembly told reporters here. Sangma, who is also the North East Congress Co-ordination Committee chairman said the Congress will prevail upon the people of the country the "lies" the BJP has been telling since assuming office in 2014, so that they can make the correct and informed choices in the 2019 elections. "What have the Government of India done to the North Eastern states when they came to power except than withdrawing all the special plan assistance which has affected these states to a great extent?" he ...
Hry Guv hails Modi, says PM realised Mahatma Gandhi's vision
Haryana Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya lauded Narendra Modi on Tuesday, saying the prime minister has realised Mahatma Gandhi's vision by implementing schemes such as 'Swachh Bharat' and 'Make in India'. The Governor also hailed Modi for realising Gandhi's vision of all-round development and upliftment of the poor. The Governor was speaking at the Raj Bhavan hereafter paying floral tributes toMahatma Gandhi and former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on the occasion of their birth anniversary. "Prime Minister NarendraModi has realised the vision of Mahatma Gandhi by implementing various schemes such as Swachh Bharat,Ayushman Bharat Yojana, Make in India, Digital India, Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana and Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao," he said. Hailingprogress done by Shastri as the prime minister, the Governor saidIndia has not only become self-sufficient in terms of food security, but also capable of exporting food grains and providing food security to other countries. "Lal Bahadur Shastri ...
India will be ODF soon: Sulabh Founder
India has so far achieved around 93 per cent of sanitation coverage and will be Open Defecation Free (ODF) in a couple of months, said the Founder of Sulabh International, a social service organisation, on Tuesday.
SE Asia urges Myanmar to hold military accountable for Rohingya crisis
Myanmar's neighbours in Southeast Asia have urged the country to hold those responsible for the Rohingya crisis "accountable", Singapore said Tuesday, in a rare call for justice from within the region. Around 700,000 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar's western Rakhine state have fled across the border to Bangladesh since August last year following a military campaign that allegedly involved murder, rape, torture and razing villages. The UN has accused Myanmar's military of committing "genocide" against the Muslim minority. As global pressure has mounted over the atrocities, Myanmar formed an "Independent Commission of Enquiry", which is chaired by former Philippine deputy foreign minister Rosario Manalo -- but gave no details of the commission's remit, powers or how long it would take to complete its investigation. Critics have blasted the commission for its toothlessness after Manalo said her commission will not be "blaming" or "finger pointing" anybody. Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian
Will not allow any project that affects TN: State govt
With the Centre awarding oil and gas exploration contracts to Vedanta and ONGC reportedly in blocks of Tamil Nadu, the state government Tuesday said it would not allow any project "affecting" the citizens, while opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) announced a protest against the "fascist" Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government. Of the oil and gas exploration areas awarded under India's maiden open acreage auction, mining mogul Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Limited has bagged 41 of the 55 blocks offered in OALP-1. The firm is at the centre of a row in Tamil Nadu, following the closure of its Sterlite Copper plant in Tuticorin over environmental concerns, even as 13 anti-Sterlite protesters were killed in police firing in that town on May 22 and 23. Vedanta Limited has reportedly won contracts for two Cauvery offshore blocks, while State-run ONGC has bagged one in Cuddalore district. Tamil Nadu has also witnessed protests by farmers, citizens and political parties against hydrocarbon
Defiant Italy says no turning back on budget despite EU "threats"
ROME (Reuters) - Italy defied pressure from Brussels and its euro zone partners on Tuesday to water down ambitious budget plans, threatening to sue EU officials it said were to blame for a deepening sell-off on Rome's financial markets.
US commitment to NATO 'iron-clad': Mattis
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Tuesday sought to reassure European allies rattled by President Donald Trump's rhetoric, insisting that America's commitment to NATO is "iron-clad". At a press conference in Paris, Mattis said "actions speak loudest", adding: "The US has acted, showing that our commitment to the transatlantic alliance remains iron-clad." He stressed that US lawmakers have not cut military spending in Europe "by a single cent, instead maintaining once again the highest levels of commitment since the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall". Some NATO members are concerned about Trump's commitment to the alliance and have bristled at his repeated criticism of European allies for not spending enough on their militaries, particularly Germany. Parly, speaking alongside Mattis at the French defence ministry, told reporters that "Europe is not part of the problem, Europe is part of the solution". "The United States is making sharing the burden a priority. It is also a French ...
PM Modi celebrates Gandhi Jayanti with school children
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met school children during Sarva Dharma Prarthana Sabha at Gandhi Smriti on the occasion of the 149th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.Earlier today, Prime Minister Modi also paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation at Raj Ghat.While addressing the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Convention (MGISC), Prime Minister Modi stated that the sanitation coverage in rural areas has increased rapidly after his government came to power in 2014.He also added that until now as many as 25 states of the country have declared themselves open defecation free (ODF)."The result of this "Janbhavna" is that the radius of rural sanitation before 2014 was approximately 38 per cent, but today it is 94 per cent. The number of ODF villages has surpassed five lakhs. Twenty-five states of India have declared themselves free from open defecation," he said.United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi also ..
US Defense Secretary warns of 'tough fight' to oust IS
The US-led military alliance battling the Islamic State group faces "a tough fight" to oust the jihadists from their last holdouts in Syria, US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Tuesday. While the extremists have lost almost all of the self-declared "caliphate" they held across Iraq and Syria four years ago, Mattis warned that destroying the group completely was "still going to take some time". "Make no mistake about it, as ISIS has collapsed inward, in their own way they have reinforced the centre as they've been forced into what is now less than two percent of their original territory," Mattis told reporters in Paris. "So it's going to still be a tough fight, I don't want anyone to be under any illusions," he added. "We will be successful but it's still going to take some time." Last month the military chief of France, which has troops in the US alliance fighting IS, estimated the jihadists would lose their last Syrian territory by January. Francois Lecointre predicted "the end of ..
Government working to realise Bapu's vision on sanitation: Sitharaman
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi government believed in Mahatma Gandhis vision on sanitation and was working to realise it.
Left parties condemn lathicharge on farmers at Delhi-UP border
Left parties on Tuesday condemned police lathicharge on farmers at Delhi-Uttar Pradesh border as the farmers tried to enter the capital to reach Mahatma Gandhis samadhi at Rajghat.
Protests against Neelum-Jhelum hydro power plant intensify in Muzaffarabad
Anger against local government and Islamabad has snowballed into a simmering outrage in the Muzaffarabad city of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).A large number of residents carried out a protest march and shouted slogans against Pakistan and China, accusing them of looting their resources.The locals are deprived of even drinking water as the River Neelum is drying up due to the construction of a dam.The locals, led by traders and activists, carried out protests and a shutter down strike against the administration, which, they claim, has acted against the interest of the common people.Demonstrations, strikes, and protests have, however, become a part of the PoK's political circuit but have remained unsuccessful at forging anything concrete for the people of the region.Dejected with just sympathies given by the administration, activists say they are mulling over knocking at the doors of international organisations.A local activist, in his speech, said, "It is futile to demand your ...
BJD believes in deeds, not in mere words: Patnaik
Continuing his tirade against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik quipped that unlike the Centre, his party believes in working for the welfare of the people by fulfilling the promises.While accusing the BJP of failing to carry out a single promise made in its election manifesto, Patnaik asserted, "We believe in deeds and not in mere words. For instance, our government came up with its own food security scheme as the National Food Security Scheme (NFSA) was not at all effective for the people of this state. Our party workers will go from door to door and inform the people on how we have been neglected by the central government."Patnaik's tirade against the BJP, ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha and assembly elections, came at the flagging off event of the Biju Janata Dal's Jan Sampark Padayatra from Jharana Sahi in Bhubaneshwar.The party's month-long campaign will see party workers reaching out to people
Gandhi's birth anniversary celebrations in Netherlands
The Indian Embassy on Tuesday launched celebrations leading up to Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary in the Netherlands and released commemorative stamps to mark the occasion.