Page 303 - Politics
Rafale replica erected outside IAF chief B S Dhanoa's residence
A replica of the Rafale fighter jet has been erected outside Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa's official residence which is situated opposite the Congress party's headquarters. Earlier, a model of a Sukhoi Su-30 was set up at the same place, but that was replaced by a Rafale fighter jet a few weeks ago, official sources said. The Congress has been alleging massive irregularities in the Rafale deal and has been targeting the government over selection of the Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Defence as an offset partner for Dassault Aviation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the procurement of a batch of 36 Rafale jets after talks with the then French President Francois Hollande on April 10, 2015, in Paris. The final deal, worth Rs 56,000 crore, was sealed on September 23, 2016. The government has rejected the allegations by the Congress and other opposition parties. The first Rafale aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in September. Weeks after India's Balakot strikes, IAF chief Dhanoa .
Congress scores over BJP in Karnataka local body elections
Days after its dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections in the state, the Congress on Friday bagged more seats in Karnataka's 56 urban local body elections than the opposition BJP and its ruling coalition partner, the JD-S.
Plum portfolios assigned to many first-time ministers in Modi government
The Modi government on Friday assigned plum portfolios to many of the first-time ministers in a sign that the newly-elected regime wants to use fresh thinking when it comes to important policy decisions. First time ministers such as S Jaishankar, Amit Shah and Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' have been assigned the important ministries of External Affairs, Home and Human Resource Development, respectively, according to a government press release issued on Friday. Another first-timer Anurag Thakur, 44, one of the youngest in the Modi government, has been given the plum post of Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs. Similarly, 53-year old Nityanand Rai -- who is Bihar BJP President with no experience in the central government -- was made Minister of State for Home on Friday. Rai would be junior minister in the Home Ministry under BJP chief Amit Shah, who is also taking a ministerial position in the central government for the first time. G Kishan Reddy -- who won the Lok Sabha ...
Amit Shah congratulates Modi for approving major changes in PM's Scholarship Scheme
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for approving major changes in the PM's Scholarship Scheme under the National Defence Fund."I congratulate PM @narendramodi ji for approving major changes in the PM's Scholarship Scheme under the National Defence Fund. It reflects Modi government's sensitivity and commitment towards ensuring the well-being of those who protect our nation against all odds," tweeted Amit Shah.In his first decision after being sworn-in to head the government for a second term, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had made national security an important plank in the elections, on Friday approved a major change in the 'Prime Minister's Scholarship Scheme' under the National Defence Fund. The rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs 2000 per month to Rs 2500 per month for boys and from Rs 2250 per month to Rs 3000 per month for girls.The ambit of the Scholarship Scheme has been extended to the wards of State Police ...
Shanahan to call out China over South China Sea
US Acting Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan said he will call out China in a speech Saturday over its militarisation of manmade islands in the South China Sea and broader use of coercion to advance its national interests. He said his broader message to the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference will emphasize what the US has done to expand its commitment to the Indo-Pacific region, against the backdrop of China's growing influence and massive military buildup. Speaking to reporters just before he stepped into a meeting Friday with Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, Shanahan said he wants to foster a better military relationship with Beijing, but can't ignore the communist giant's military development on the manmade outposts. "They argue that it's defensive, it looks like it's a bit overkill," said Shanahan. "Surface-to-air missiles, long runways, I mean, seems excessive." His remarks underscore America's frayed relations with China, as the Trump administration wages a trade war ...
As defence minister, major challenges await Rajnath Singh
As India's new defence minister, Rajnath Singh's most crucial challenge will be to speed up the long-delayed modernisation of the three services besides ensuring overall coherence in their combat readiness. His another challenge will be to ensure peace and tranquillity along the frontier with China while developing required military infrastructure to deal with any possible Chinese hostility. As he takes charge of the ministry just three months after India carried out air strikes on a terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot, it is expected that he will continue with the policy of hot pursuit in dealing with cross border terrorism. Containing infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir from Pakistan will be another key focus area. As the Defence Minister, Singh will face the challenge of strengthening the combat capabilities of the Army, Navy and the Air Force due to changing regional security matrix and geo-political dynamics. The forces have been pressing for equipping ...
Govt to present Budget 2019-20 on July 5
The newly appointed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the full Budget for 2019-20 on July 5 in the Lok Sabha. This will be first full Budget of Modi 2.0 government. In view of the general elections, the interim Budget for the current fiscal was presented by the then Finance Minister Piyush Goyal. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in its first meeting has approved the summoning of the 17th Lok Sabha on Monday, June 17, 2019 and subject to the exigencies of Government Business, the session will conclude on Friday, July 26, 2019, an official statement said. The Rajya Sabha will be convened on Thursday, June 20, 2019 and subject to exigencies of government business, the session will conclude on Friday, July 26, 2019, it said. The Union Budget for 2019-20 will be presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday, July 5, 2019 at 11.00 am and after presentation/laying of the Budget, the respective Houses will be adjourned for the day, it said. Besides, the ...
India, Australia, Japan, US call for open Indo-Pacific region
India, Australia, Japan and the US discussed cooperation in the areas of connectivity and infrastructure development at Bangkok on Friday and reaffirmed their commitment towards a free, open, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region.
Jaishankar becomes first Foreign Secretary to be Foreign Minister
Former IFS officer S. Jaishankar created history on Friday as he became the first former Foreign Secretary to become External Affairs Minister.
US, Aus, India, Japan hold consultations on free open and inclusive Indo Pacific
Officials of the US, Japan, Australia and India met in Bangkok on Friday to hold consultations on their collective efforts for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their shared commitment to preserving and promoting the rules-based order in the region, where China is flexing its muscles. In November 2017, India, the US, Australia and Japan gave shape to the long-pending "Quad" Coalition to develop a new strategy for keeping the critical sea routes in the Indo-Pacific free of any influence. China has been trying to expand its military presence in the Indo-Pacific, which is a biogeographic region, comprising the Indian Ocean and the western and central Pacific Ocean, including the South China Sea. China claims almost all of the South China Sea. Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have counter claims over the sea. During their meeting in Bangkok, the four nations reaffirmed their shared commitment to preserving and promoting the rules-based order in ...
Modi meets Nepali Prime Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met his Nepali counterpart K.P. Sharma Oli and the two leaders expressed satisfaction at the progress that has been achieved in implementation of bilateral projects and initiatives.
Both SAARC and BIMSTEC important for regional cooperation: Lanka Prez
Regional groupings SAARC and BIMSTEC are both regionally significant blocs which could facilitate greater cooperation among member nations, Sri Lankan Maithripala Sirisena said Friday. He also said Sri Lanka has a neutral foreign policy and maintains friendly relations with all countries. Sirisena's comments came during a media interaction while replying to a question on whether SAARC (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) is losing relevance due to frosty relations between India and Pakistan. He was here to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's swearing-in ceremony. "I believe both SAARC and BIMSTEC are regionally significant organisation. I believe it is very important that countries cooperate among each other," he said. "Such cooperation leads to better bilateral relations and it strengthens trade and economic relations. Therefore, SAARC and BIMSTEC are both important regional organisations," the Sri Lankan president said. On whether he will contest the upcoming ...
BJD, Congress criticise PM Modi for "ignoring" western Odisha
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inducted only one of the eight BJP MPs from Odisha, the ruling BJD and opposition Congress Friday accused him of having ignored the western region of the state. "By inducting one of the eight elected MPs in his new council of ministers, Prime Minister Modi has let down the people of western Odisha. Not a single MP from the region has been included in his ministry," BJD leader and minister Sushant Singh told reporters here. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, in contrast, has included five MLAs from western Odisha in the state cabinet, according due importance to the region, Singh said. Senior Congress leader and MLA from Bolangir, Narasingha Mishra, alleged that the BJP leadership ignored western Odisha, as done by the BJD government in the state. "There are five BJP MPs from western Odisha, but none of them found a place in the new ministry... Modi has proved himself to be anti-tribal," Mishra said. He added that Sundergarh MP Jual ...
Change of photographs at Modi's Twitter handles
The pictures in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Twitter profiles have undergone a change. Modi, who was sworn in as Prime Minister for a second term on Thursday, has put the photograph of him bowing to the Constitution at Parliament's Central Hall in his official Twitter handle. His personal handle carries the image of him acknowledging the cheers and support of the crowd at the BJP headquarters on the day the Lok Sabha poll results were announced. The prime minister had addressed a meeting of the ruling alliance members at the Central Hall after he was elected as their leader on May 25. He along with 57 ministerial colleagues took oath on Thursday.
India accords highest priority to links with Bangladesh: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said India accorded the highest priority to its relations with Bangladesh and the two nations have demonstrated great maturity and patience in the past five years in resolving a number of complex pending issues such as demarcation of their land boundary.
SC warns Maharashtra for overruling its order on EWS quota
The Supreme Court on Friday virtually threatened to initiate contempt proceedings against Maharashtra government officials for apparently attempting to override its stay on 10% quota for EWS category students in admissions to postgraduate medical and dental courses for the current academic year.
Decision on cabinet expansion or rejig to be taken soon: K'taka Cong chief
Karnataka Congress president Dinesh Gundu Rao Friday said a decision on a cabinet expansion or reshuffle in the state government will be taken at the earliest. The Congress in Karnataka over the last two days had gone into a huddle to avert a potential crisis to the one-year-old HD Kumaraswamy ministry and discussed about a possible cabinet rejig to address the dissent within. Of the total 34 ministerial positions in Karnataka, the Congress and the JD(S) have 22 and 12 ministers respectively.Currently three posts are vacant -- two from JD(S) and one from the Congress. "Nothing on it (cabinet) till now, as the chief minister is in Delhi. Once he is back we will talk to him....I can't say anything more, it will be decided at the earliest," Rao told reporters here in response to a question. During a series of meetings, Congress leaders, including general secretary K C Venugopal, deputed by the party high command, have discussed the reasons for the Lok Sabha poll drubbing, the need for
In Karnataka civic polls, Congress wins 509 of 1,221 wards, BJP gets 366
Congress won the highest number of seats in civic polls in Karnataka on Friday, in some good news for the beleaguered party which was routed in the state in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections. While Congress bagged 509 of the total 1,221 wards in 56 urban local bodies (ULB) for which results were declared, the BJP got 366 wards, the state poll panel said. The JD(S), which fought the polls alone, won 174 wards. Independent candidates emerged victorious in 160 wards, the BSP got 3, CPI(M) 2 and other parties secured 7. The Congress and JD(S) who are in alliance in the state had decided to go to the polls separately and had asked their local leaders to decide on tactical arrangements at the ground-level depending on the local situation. Results were declared for 217 wards of seven municipal councils, 714 wards of 30 town municipal councils and 290 wards of 19 town panchayats. Congress won 90 wards in the municipal councils, while the BJP and JD(S) won 56 and 38 wards, ...
Less RS members in Team Modi 2.0 as more LS winners rewarded
The representation of Rajya Sabha members in the second Narendra Modi government has dropped from 19 to 11 as those who fought tough battles in the Lok Sabha polls have been rewarded handsomely.
Cong hails victory in local body polls in K'taka
The Congress Friday hailed its victory in local body elections in Karnataka saying it was glad that people changed their mind soon after the Lok Sabha elections, but raised the issue of efficacy of EVMs. Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said while EVMs were used under the central Election Commission, those used during the local body polls were under the state chief electoral officer (CEO). "A resounding win for Congress in the Urban Local Body Polls held on May 29th in Karnataka, a month after LS Polls on April 19/23. "In LS polls, EVM's under Central Election Commission used. In ULB polls, EVM's under State CEO used. Glad that people changed their mind and chose Congress," he said on Twitter. The Congress won the highest number of seats in civic polls across Karnataka on Friday, a turnaround for the party in the state where it was routed in the just-concluded Lok Sabha elections. While Congress bagged 509 of the total 1,221 wards in 56 urban local bodies (ULB) for which .