Page 546 - Politics

Central forces colluding with BJP: TMC hits back over Kolkata violence

After BJP accused TMC of perpetrating violence in Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee's party has hit back by accusing the central forces of acting in collaboration with the BJP.Earlier in the day, BJP president Amit Shah had said that he escaped safely after clashes erupted at his Kolkata roadshow on Tuesday only because CRPF was deployed in the area."The central forces are working in cahoots with the BJP in West Bengal," TMC spokesperson Derek O'Brien claimed. Addressing a press conference, he showed pictures of West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh is seen with personnel of the central force to corroborate his accusation. "They were walking together and saying 'vote for BJP'," Derek alleged.The two parties also sparred over vandalisation of Ishwar Chandra Vidya Sagar's statue on during the BJP rally. Derek O'Brien and his party said BJP workers were behind the incident, a claim refuted by Amit Shah at his media address."There were slogans being raised, 'Vidyasagar Shesh, Where is the Josh?' ..

Without 'made in Ludhiana', India cannot challenge 'made in China': Rahul Gandhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 'destroying the strength of Indian economy' and said without 'made in Ludhiana', India cannot challenge 'made in China'."Narendra Modi has destroyed the strength of the economy and the people with the implementation of demonetisation. But I want to tell you that without made in Ludhiana, India cannot challenge 'made in China," Gandhi said while addressing an election rally here. "You have to understand how much the chowkidaar has looted you. Demonetisation was a financial madness of Prime Minister Modi. Don't know what he had in dinner at around 8 pm that he took such decision which destroyed the backbone of our economy," he said. Gandhi scion called unemployment the biggest challenge faced by the youths today. "The biggest challenge today is unemployment, the second challenge is farmers poor condition. Who will create job opportunities? Without empowering micro small and medium enterprises ...

Shah Mehmood Qureshi says US denied visas to 3 senior Pak officials

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the United States imposed visa restrictions on three senior Pakistani interior ministry officials because of a row over the repatriation of deportees.Qureshi on Tuesday told the National Assembly's Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs that visa curbs had been applied by the US on three officials of the Interior Ministry, Dawn reported.The officials who are facing visa restrictions include an additional secretary and a joint secretary of the interior ministry, as well as the director general passports.The sanctions have been put in place after a row between the two countries over the deportation of dozens of Pakistanis, currently in the US, because of visa overstay and other allegations.Qureshi said the US authorities intended to deport more than 70 Pakistanis, but the government had asked them to fulfil legal requirements.The US has over the past 18 months deported over 100 Pakistanis, all of whom were accepted back. It is the first

'Namo-Namo' will go out, 'Jai Bhim' will come: Mayawati

Expressing confidence that incumbent BJP would be ousted from power at the Centre in these elections, BSP supremo Mayawati said that voters will vote out "Namo-Namo" (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and vote in "Jai Bhim" (BSP)."I am confident that people will vote out 'Namo-Namo' from power at the Centre and will bring in 'Jai Bhim'," said Mayawati while addressing an election rally here on Wednesday.She also asserted that Congress's NYAY scheme is no solution for eliminating poverty, and said that if voted to power her government will give permanent jobs in government and non-governmental sectors to the poorest in the society."Congress party promises to give Rs 6000 per month to the poor which is not a solution for their poverty. Congress has not found any permanent solution to eliminate poverty; such measures will hardly be of any help. If voted to power our government will give permanent jobs to the extremely poor families in the society in government and non-government sectors," ...

Iran officially halts select commitments under 2015 nuclear deal

Iran has officially halted some of the commitments under the landmark 2015 nuclear deal signed with world powers, following an order from the country's National Security Council.The development implies that Iran will no longer have any limits for the production of enriched uranium, ISNA news agency reported."Stopping programs related to compliance with the ceiling for production of enriched uranium as well as the unlimited production of heavy water at the Arak facility are programs seriously pursued as stressed during the first 60-day period related to Iran's first step in response to the US withdrawal from the nuclear deal," an official from the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI) said.The country had recently announced partial withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear decision, a year after the United States unilaterally pulled out of the agreement. The announcement meant that Iran would stop exporting enriched uranium stocks as against what was stipulated by the 2015 agreement. It ...

Yogi plays religious card

Seeking to play the religious card, Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday alleged that the West Bengal government tried to ban Durga Puja to accommodate Muharram procession."The whole country, including Uttar Pradesh, observed Durga puja and Muharram together. No violence took place in my state as I had given prior warning to people. Why could not West Bengal do the same? TMC government here is very undemocratic. I am sure that after May 23, a nationalist government will be formed and will rule West Bengal," he said.Later addressing a press conference, Yogi Adityanath said Banerjee was against idol worship and had attempted to ban Durga Puja twice which she could not succeed.Adityanath's statement came just days before nine seats are scheduled to go to polls in West Bengal on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.

CPM says vandalisation of Vidyasagar's bust 'despicable', demands EC probe

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday strongly condemned the vandalisation of the bust of 19th-century social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and demanded the Election Commission to launch an investigation into the violent clashes during BJP president Amit Shah's roadshow."During Amit Shah's roadshow, a statue of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was vandalised. We condemn this despicable act. Vidyasagar was an icon of the Bengal Renaissance. He was a leader in modernising our society and gave a thrust to our national freedom. This is a serious matter," CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.Describing the incident as a "serious matter", Yechury said CCTV footage should be examined by the EC, adding that the poll body should take "appropriate punitive action" against perpetrators."EC should take cognisance of this serious matter. The CCTV footage should be investigated. If the police were not doing its job properly, they should be probed and action should ..

Strict action against those involved in Punjab 'sacrilege' cases: Rahul

Intensifying his attack on the SAD-BJP alliance in Punjab, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday promised strict action against those involved in the 2015 desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib. Recalling his previous visit to the Punjab town, where the first incident of sacrilege took place and two people died in police firing at protesters, Gandhi said, Your 'dharm' was disrespected. Strict action will be taken against the perpetrators, he promised. I give you a guarantee on this. The row over the 2015 incidents continues in Punjab with the Amarinder Singh-led Congress government, blaming the previous Shiromani Akali Dal-Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state for it. At another rally on Tuesday, Rahul Gandhi's sister and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi had also tried to corner BJP's ally SAD over the issue. The Congress focus on the desecration religious scriptures comes at a time when the BJP has renewed its attack on the party over the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, both .

Rahul warns of strong action against Behbal Kalan firing culprits

Taking the SAD-BJP combine head-on over the sacrilege issue, Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday warned of strong action against the culprits behind the Bargari and other cases of desecration of the holy scriptures.

Bernie Sanders zeros in on Joe Biden as his favorite foil

Bernie Sanders is quick to slam Joe Biden's past support of free trade deals and the Iraq War. He is warning him against a "middle ground" approach to addressing climate change. His campaign sends fundraising appeals with a simple, foreboding subject line: "Joe Biden." In his nearly three weeks as a presidential candidate, Biden has become Sanders' favourite foil. No one seeking the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination has been as aggressive as the Vermont senator in highlighting episodes from the former vice president's past to sow skepticism in the party's progressive base. The strategy is reminiscent of Sanders' approach to the 2016 Democratic primary, when he relentlessly slammed Hillary Clinton as an establishment pawn. And it's a reminder that, even when Sanders lags in the polls, he is often most comfortable when he's taking on top Democrats, hoping that such attacks will energize his most loyal supporters. That was easy to do in 2016 when he was the sole outsider candidate .

Adventist church says leaders, 21 others arrested in Burundi

The Seventh Day Adventist Church has accused the Burundi government of "harassment", saying that two of its local leaders and 21 others had been arrested in recent weeks. "For more than six months, the Burundi government has increasingly harassed and abused the Seventh-day Adventist Church by imprisoning, beating, and intimidating Seventh-day Adventist church leaders and members," the church's United States-based president Ted Wilson said in a statement this week. He said that on Friday last week, the president of the Burundi chapter of the church Pastor Lamec Barishinga and local field president Pastor Lambert had been detained - after the arrests of 21 other church members since early May. The two leaders were detained after Bujumbura refused the church's attempts to fire Barishinga's predecessor who is close to the government, a local pastor told AFP late Tuesday on condition of anonymity. "It is to put pressure on them," the source said. Joseph Ndikubwayo was fired in November ...

Virulent abuses become the staple of election speeches

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's re-election bid was likely to have hinged on subjects he has tried to showcase during his tenure -- ease of doing business, cutting red tape and the big heave-ho that was delivered to the Indian economy. The term used to describe him early into his prime ministership was "Disruptor". Nationalism was meant to be the muscular padding that kept the vote bank safe. But, General Election 2019 will be known for the virulent abuse-fest that it has become.

US consular staffer in Turkey remains jailed as spy trial resumes

A US consular staffer was ordered to remain in custody by a Turkish court on Wednesday after the latest hearing in his trial on espionage charges -- part of a growing rift between Washington and Ankara. Metin Topuz, a Turkish citizen and liaison for the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), tearfully denied the charges against him, saying: "I didn't commit any crime," according to an AFP reporter in the court. Topuz was arrested in 2017 and accused of contacts with police and a prosecutor suspected of ties to US-based Muslim preacher Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara says ordered an attempted coup in 2016. "All my contacts with those in high-ranking positions of the state at the time were entirely part of my work as a translator and assistant liaison officer at the DEA. I am innocent," he said, tearfully. US embassy charge d'affaires Jeffrey Hovenier told reporters outside the courthouse that they had "seen no credible evidence of any criminal wrongdoing on the part of Metin Topuz". "We

TMC broke Vidyasagar's bust, Mamata trying to divert attention

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday accused TMC of breaking the bust of social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar and said his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee is trying to divert attention by spreading canards against BJP. "We condemn the incident that happened yesterday. Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was one of greatest sons of India and a social reformer. It was the TMC which broke his bust and it now blaming BJP to divert the attention," Adityanath said at a press conference here. The TMC and Mamata Banerjee government are trying to divert attention from her wrong doings by using this incident, he said. Asked whether President's Rule should be implemented in Bengal, Adityanath said the situation in the state is moving in the direction where there has to be central intervention. He also urged the EC to take stern action against violence in the ongoing poll and said it should not remain a mute spectator.

Mahagathbandhan gathering of opportunists, its leaders interested only in becoming PM: Mahesh Sharma

BJP leader and Union minister Mahesh Sharma has described the "mahagathbandhan" of non-BJP parties as a gathering of "opportunists" who have no ideology of patriotism, growth or development and are interested only in "their pound of flesh". Sharma also called them "private limited companies" unable to stand with the expectations of people. In an interview to PTI, he said the leaders fighting BJP do not want a strong government at the Centre, so that each one of them can have an opportunity to sit on the chair of the prime minister. More than 20 regional parties had come together during a rally hosted by the Trinamool Congress in Kolkata in January, vowing to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in Lok Sabha polls. More such rallies were planned as a non-BJP front of regional parties started taking shape. But the idea tapered off amid signs of differences among the leaders over seat-sharing and PM candidate. Several regional leaders, including N Chandrababu Naidu, Mamata Banerjee, ...

Chinks appear in BJP's armour ahead of battle for Parrikar's Panaji

For the first time in a quarter century, when late Manohar Parrikar's writ ran large over the Goan capital, the BJP appears to be facing a tough battle to retain the prestigious Panaji seat which the party has held since 1994.

Masala bond corrupt deal, not good for Kerala: Congress

Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday said the Rs 2,150 crore masala bond is a corrupt deal that will be financially detrimental for the state.

Modi 'unfit' to hold PM's post: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) President Mayawati on Wednesday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure had been full of violence and hence he was "unfit" for the office he holds.

Kremlin says concerned over escalating Iran tensions despite Pompeo claims

The Kremlin Wednesday expressed concern that tensions over Iran keep escalating despite assurances from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during a visit to Russia that Washington was not seeking war. "So far we notice the continued escalation of tensions around this subject," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, a day after Pompeo met with President Vladimir Putin. "We are saddened to see the decisions taken by the Iranian side," Peskov said, while arguing that Washington has been provoking Iran. Speaking in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Tuesday, Pompeo assured Russia that his country did not want war with Iran, despite a spike in tensions that has seen the Pentagon dispatch nuclear-capable bombers to the region. But Peskov sought to play down those statements. "There were no assurances from Pompeo," Putin's spokesman told reporters. "And one can hardly talk about some sort of assurances. There is an obvious situation which unfortunately tends to escalate further." Washington

Congress has fielded two batsmen to take blame for poll

Asserting that the Congress will be losing the Lok Sabha elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday claimed that the party has fielded "two batsmen" to defend the "naamdar" (dynast). In a veiled dig at Congress leaders Mani Shankar Aiyar and Sam Pitroda, Modi said they were tasked by the party to take responsibility for its poor poll show. "One says 'hua to hua' (it happened, so what) on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, while the other one, who has been behind the curtains after abusing me during the Gujarat elections, is attacking me again," the prime minister said. While Pitroda faced the wrath of Congress president Rahul Gandhi for his remarks, Aiyar in an article raked up his controversial "neech" remark against Modi, saying his comments turned out to be prophetic. Referring to the huge gathering at the meeting, Modi said it was a "live example of what would happen on May 23". "The Congress has understood this very well. That is why it has started preparing for the ...