Page 620 - Politics
BJP trying to spread communal hatred for votes: Babbar
Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Raj Babbar Wednesday accused the BJP of diverting people's attention from development issue and trying to spread communal hatred for garnering votes. Canvassing for party candidate Supriya Shrinate in Maharajganj seat, he said most of the development works were done during the Congress rule and his party is the real voice of the poor, backward and the downtrodden sections of the society. "The BJP is trying to divert people's attention from development issue and are trying to spread communal hatred and seeking votes," Babbar said at an election meeting in Maharjganj district. "Only the Congress is capable of carrying out development works for people belonging to all castes, religions and geographical areas... only the Congress can take the country ahead on the path of development," Babbar said. Shrinate said she entered politics to fulfil the dreams of his late father Harshvardhan Singh who had been elected MP from Mahrajganj twice. "The district is facing .
Congress will probe Rafale deal if voted to power: Rahul
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said the Rafale deal would be probed if his party came to power after the Lok Sabha elections and claimed the inquiry would throw up two names - that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and industrialist Anil Ambani. Gandhi once again challenged Modi for a debate on the Rafale deal at any place "except Ambani's residence" and maintained the prime minister would not be able to face the country as truth in the deal would surface. Addressing a poll rally here, Gandhi also raked up the 1999 release of Pakistan-based terrorist Masood Azhar to attack Modi over the issue of nationalism. Raising questions over why the contract related to Rafale was awarded to Ambani, Gandhi asked Modi to come clear on why the fighter jet was purchased at Rs 1,600 crore (per plane) from France by the NDA govement as against Rs 526 crore negotiated by the Congerss-led UPA regime. "You (Modi) won't be able to debate with me on the issue for 15 minutes...you won't ..
LDF govt "soft" on terrorism, says BJP
Alleging that the CPI(M) led LDF government in Kerala was "soft" on terrorism, a delegation of BJP leaders Wednesday met Governor P Sathasivam and submitted a memorandum. The saffron party leaders, including V Muraleedharan MP and BJP state president P S Sreedharan Pillai met Sathasivam at Raj Bhavan here and sought a probe against the state government, alleging that it has not taken any action into certain reports on terrorism. In a release, BJP said the government failed to follow the directions on human trafficking to Yemen and some other reports on weapons trading in the backdrop of sand mining. "The Special Branch had given a report in relation to a matter of around 10 people travelling to Yemen. The Centre had even given special instructions to stop travel to that country and even suggested that action be taken against the recruitment agencies. However, the state government failed to follow any of the instructions," it said. The party also alleged that there were ...
Work in tandem to combat terror threat, illicit trade: India
Recent terror incidents in India, New Zealand and Sri Lanka have thrown a challenge in the area of Customs administration in Asia-Pacific region, India said today and urged the nations to work in tandem to combat the menace. Addressing the 20th Conference of the Regional Heads of Customs Administration, Chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) Pranab Kumar Das stressed on timely cooperation to tackle the threats posed by terrorism. "The Customs administration needs to work in tandem with other national and international security agencies to address terrorism," Das, who is also regional vice chair of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) Asia/Pacific, said. Spelling out the focus areas while presenting regional perspective of the WCO, he said the terror incidents in Afghanistan, India, New Zealand and more recently in Sri Lanka "have thrown a challenge and highlighted a pressing need for a greater co-operation and timely cooperation and considered
We work for all but feel bad when they say won't vote for lotus: Maneka on her remarks on Muslims
Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who had stirred a controversy by asking Muslims to vote for her as they will need her once the Lok Sabha elections are over, on Wednesday said her remarks were taken out of context. Busy electioneering here for the May 12 polling, the BJP leader said she had only stressed that while working she never gives any importance to caste and religion but feels bad when people say that they will not vote for her as they do not want to vote for "lotus". "Wherever I've gone, I've thought of all religions and castes. When we work, we work for all and that time nobody is concerned about lotus, but when it is time to vote and people tell us that they will not vote for me because they don't want to vote for the lotus symbol, it feels very bad," she said. Maneka Gandhi was banned by the Election Commission from campaigning for 48 hours last month for her remarks. "It was totally out of context..... You have heard my speeches," she said. Asked as to why she has swapped ...
Voting underway for South African general election
Millions of voters in South Africa are heading to polling booths on Wednesday to cast their ballot in the national and provincial elections.Incumbent president Cyril Ramaphosa, who assumed power last year, has promised to crack down on corruption in the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The party faced a steep decline in support in the last local election in 2016, when it lost some key cities to opposition parties, reported CNN.The Nelson Mandela party is also facing challenge from an insurgent radical party from the left, led by a former ANC member Julius Malema.ANC also faces widespread apathy among voters born after apartheid, known as the born-free generation.Despite the said challenges, opinion polls have predicted that ANC will again win a majority, according to media reports. However, analysts believe that its margin of victory will fall."I think the ANC is going to be the biggest loser in this election because the ANC is not going to enjoy the majority as it has been ...
Sudan protesters threaten civil disobedience after army delays
Sudanese protest leaders on Wednesday threatened to launch a nationwide campaign of civil disobedience after accusing the country's military rulers of delaying the transfer of power to a civilian administration. Thousands of people remain camped outside the military headquarters in Khartoum nearly four weeks after the armed forces toppled autocratic president Omar al-Bashir as demanded by a months-long protest movement. The two sides are grappling over whether an overall ruling council that would replace the existing army council -- made up solely of generals -- should have a civilian or military majority. Last week the Alliance for Freedom and Change protest group handed over its proposals for a civilian structure, including executive and legislative bodies, that it eventually wants to rule Sudan after replacing the generals. The 10-member military council late on Tuesday said it agreed to the overall proposals, but had "many reservations". The protest leaders said on Wednesday that .
Thai junta-backed party needs allies after election count
Thailand's army-backed party needs allies to get enough votes to allow coup leader Prayut Chan-O-Cha to cling to power, according to election results released late Wednesday that were immediately challenged by anti-junta rivals. The Junta-linked Palang Pracharat party now has 115 seats in the lower house, only 11 votes shy of a majority in the combined parliament thanks to 250 military-appointed senators. The results were announced more than a month after the March 24 vote, the first election since the junta seized power in a 2014 coup. It was held under new rules crafted by the generals, including the creation of appointed senators who can vote for prime minister. Despite the booked-in advantage, the lower house results leave Palang Pracharat needing coalition partners. The most obvious candidates are Bhumjaitai and the Democrat Party, which both have more than 50 lower house seats. Officials from both parties said Wednesday they have yet to reach a decision. "The party is split," ..
SP-BSP-RLD alliance's prospects to improve in next 2 phases of LS polls: Mayawati
Rubbishing the BJP's claim that it was doing good in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, leaders of the opposition BSP-SP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh said on Wednesday that on the contrary, its prospects were improving day by day. "Our (electoral) prospects are improving... the prospects of the opposition alliance will further improve in the remaining two phases of the Lok Sabha polls," BSP chief Mayawati said at joint rally with SP chief Akhilesh Yadav here. RLD chief Ajit Singh also addressed the rally at the Azamgarh Muslim Education and Welfare Trust ground. The BSP supremo said ever since the 'mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance) was formed, "BJP leaders have lost their sleep." Mayawati appealed to the voters to ensure a historic win for Yadav, who is the joint opposition candidate from the seat held by the Samajwadi Party in the outgoing Lok Sabha. After SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's appeal to voters to back his son, Mayawati said, "You all should ensure victory of Akhilesh
Delhi chief electoral officer issues notices to Dikshit, Chacko
The Delhi poll body issued notices on Wednesday to Congress' North East Delhi candidate Sheila Dikshit and AICC in-charge of Delhi unit P C Chacko over allegations that Congress workers are getting forms filled from people in the name of the Nyay scheme, officials said. The Delhi poll body received a complaint about the Congress party workers getting forms filled across the city for the Nyay scheme, which is part of the party's Lok Sabha election manifesto, they said. Following the complaint by a person, the notices were issued by the Delhi chief electoral officer to three-time chief minister Dikshit, who is contesting the Lok Sabha election from North East Delhi and Chacko, seeking their replies within 24 hours. "The Congress party is not in power and the scheme is an election promise. So how can they get forms filled? The complaint says that they are luring people to vote for the party in the name of the scheme," an official said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said its minimum
Thanga's view exposes AMMK-DMK ganging up to topple govt: CM
A day after AMMK leader Thanga Tamilselvan sought DMK's help to dislodge the AIADMK dispensation, Chief Minister K Palaniswami Wednesday said the remark has exposed the tie-up between the two parties to topple the state government. Palaniswami emphasised that he had mentioned in several of his poll rallies that the rival leader T T V Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and DMK had been working together to bring down the AIADMK government. "I have already stated in several meetings that DMK and AMMK have been working together to topple the government and break up the AIADMK and Thanga Tamilselvan's remarks has now exposed it and confirmed that my stand was true," he told reporters here. He claimed the AIADMK will win the bypolls to 22 Assembly seats and continue to govern with majority belying the claims of DMK chief M K Stalin that DMK will win the bypolls. "People know that Stalin's dreams will not fructify," he said. Tamilselvan, AMMK's progaganda secretary ...
Ambala Lok Sabha seat: Selja, Kataria focusing on 'nukkad' meetings
As the voting day is drawing closer, candidates from Ambala (reserve) constituency, including BJP's sitting MP Rattan Lal Kataria and his main rival Kumari Selja of Congress are focusing on 'nukkad' meetings across the constituency to have a direct connect with the electors. Since 1967, the seat has witnessed a direct contest between the Congress and BJP. The Congress has won the seat nine times while the BJP has been successful on six occasions.Bahujan Samaj Party was the only non-Congress, non-BJPoutfit to have won the seat in 1998 after an alliance with Indian National Lok Dal (INLD). The state will go to polls on May 12. BJP has its MLAs in all the 9 nine assembly segments including Kalka, Panchkula, Ambala Cantt, Ambala City and Yamunanagar. BJP candidate Kataria has contested from Ambala four times and won twice in 1999 and 2014. While Congress' Selja won it in 2004 and 2009. In 2014 she was nominated for Rajya Sabha. "Delayed payment" of sugarcane farmers and "illegal mining", .
Political parties demand rollback of toll tax on Srinagar-Jammu highway
Political parties in Kashmir Wednesday demanded an immediate rollback of the toll tax being levied on vehicles on the SrinagarJammu National Highway, saying the move would put the people of the valley under duress. A newly constructed toll plaza on the four-lane highway at Sangam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district was recently made operational to collect toll tax from vehicles passing through it. In a statement, NC spokesperson Imran Dar urged the governor's administration to suspend the tax levied at the Charsoo toll plaza near Awantipora. "The highway is still incomplete with some bridges still under construction. The economic activity in Kashmir has hit its lowest ebb in the last four years and the decision of levying an exorbitant toll tax will inadvertently put the people under duress," Dar said. Expressing dismay over the decision, the NC spokesperson said it was "unjust and unfair" to levy taxes on people when the highway was not yet fully functional. "The state government ...
Priyanka challenges Modi to fight last 2 phases on demonetisation
In a show of Congress strength, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday took out a a roadshow in the capital and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight the last two phases of elections on issues like demonetisation, in a reposte to his challenge to her party to contest the remaining polls on late Rajiv Gandhi's legacy.Huge crowds accompanied Gandhi, who rode on an open vehicle with the party candidate and former Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit in North East constituency to cheering party workers and common people as she waved at them and accepted their greetings.Making short speeches enroute the show that carried on for about three hours, Gandhi challenged Modi to fight the last two phases of Lok Sabha elections on the basis of demonetisation, Goods and Services Tax (GST) and "failed" promises he made to the youth of the country."Modi ji came to Dlhi five years back but I was born here. I know every corner of the city. Delhi people are bored of your speeches, Modi ji. I, a ...
Cong's Lovely releases manifesto for East Delhi, promises toll-free number to connect with citizens
Congress candidate Arvinder Singh Lovely Wednesday released a poll manifesto for East Delhi constituency and promised launching a toll-free number to "directly connect" with the citizens to enable them raise their issues and concerns with him. Addressing a press conference here, Lovely said that he will work on basic issues like water shortage, pollution, unemployment and garbage pile up which have been "neglected" by the BJP and AAP. Asserting that he is reaching out to people in every single part of the constituency, the Congress candidate said his fight was against twitteratis, who, he claimed, are not aware of ground issues of the people in the constituency. Lovely's opponents, BJP's cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir and AAP's Atishi Marlena are quite active on Twitter. "I am a people's man. I know problems of this constituency inside out and people know me as well," he said, adding if elected, he would launch a toll-free number to seek suggestions and know problems of ..
Rahul slams PM on Rafale, says didn't coin 'chowkidar' slogan
Alleging Prime Minister Narendra Modi carried out parallel negotiations with France for the Rafale fighter jet deal, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Wednesday accused him of insulting the martyrs by "committing a theft" in the multi-crore defence contract. Gandhi said Modi is looking "depressed" these days as he has sensed he is going to lose the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, whose last phase will be held on May 19. "Officials of the Indian Air Force wrote that Narendra Modi held parallel negations with France. Chowkidar was holding direct dialogue with the manufacturer of Rafale Dassault...Chowkidar now explain to the country why you committed a theft?" he said at an election rally here. He continued, "Jab Aapne (Modi) Chori Ki Thi, Tab Aapke Dil me Kaun Si Bhawana Thi? Tab Aapne Socha Ki Aap Bhind Ke Yuvaon Se Rojgar Chhin Rahe Ho. Nahi. Tab Aapne Socha Aap Shaheedo Ka Apmaan Kar Rahe ho, Nahi. Ye Batein Aapne Nahi Sochi. Magar Narendra Modi ji, Nyay se Koi Nahi Bach ...
One BJP & Yuva Vahini worker should be present at each booth: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday asked for the presence of at least one worker of the BJP and fringe group Hindu Yuva Vahini at every electoral booth on polling day. In a joint meeting of the BJP and Hindu Yuva Vahini workers here, Adityanath told them to bring people to the booth and make them vote. During the meet, in which 15 out of 115 booth presidents were absent, the BJP leader asked the party workers to become active instead of the formality of merely working on paper. The chief minister told them to do door-to-door campaigning, have voter lists and resolve poll-related issues... "Booth is the primary unit for winning election and PM Modi says when each worker and booth president wins his booth, election would be won," Adityanath said. "One BJP and one HYV worker each should remain present at every booth, he said. "If you could ensure 70 per cent polling, the city (Gorakhpur) could give a lead of at least 1.5-2 lakh to the party nominee." "When the ...
Political killings: J&K Governor reviews security
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Wednesday reviewed security in the state and expressed concern over the killings of political workers by militants.
J-K guv tells officials to remain accessible to people
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik Wednesday directed administrative secretaries of all government departments to remain accessible to the public. "To promote public outreach and speedy grievance redressal, the governor has directed the administrative secretaries to remain accessible to the public," said Girdhari Lal, Deputy Secretary, General Administrative Department in an order issued Wednesday. Lal said the department had time-to-time directed the administrative secretaries not to fix any meeting during the time allotted for grievance redressal. "Once again, the department impressed upon the administrative secretaries to keep two hours from 1 pm onwards on a daily basis for the redress of grievances," Lal said.
Rajnath slams Congress at Gurugram rally
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh targeted the Congress as he addressed a poll rally in support of BJP candidate Rao Inderjeet Singh here on Wednesday.