Page 63 - Politics

Cordiality missing in current political discourse: FM Nirmala Sitharaman

Sitharaman made references to Vaghul's frequent run-ins with the political executive

LIVE: Looked up to her for support, say wrestlers after PT Usha's criticism

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Create awareness than ridicule: Cong slams PM Modi over 'suicide note' joke

The Congress on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a joke made by him involving a suicide note, with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra saying that the PM and those laughing heartily at his joke ought to educate themselves better rather than "ridicule" mental health issues in an "insensitive" manner. Prime Minister Modi, while speaking at a media channel conclave on Wednesday, narrated a joke about a professor reading a suicide note by his daughter and remarking how she had got a spelling wrong despite his efforts for so many years. The joke was made by the prime minister while also remarking that the editor-in-chief of the channel had started speaking well in Hindi. In a tweet in Hindi, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said thousands of families lose their children to suicide and "the prime minister should not make fun of them". Tagging the video of Modi's joke at the conclave, Priyanka Gandhi in a tweet said, "Depression and suicide, especially among the youth IS NOT a laughing

BJP preparing young team to lead Karnataka's development in next 25 yrs: PM

"The biggest difference between the BJP and other parties is of approach. The BJP is working on the roadmap of development of India in the next 25 years. Our rivals' agenda is to grab power"

100% certain they will lose: Yediyurappa hits out at Shettar, Savadi

Hitting out at both the BJP deserters, Yediyurappa said, "I call on the people not to cast a single vote for Laxman Savadi and Jagdish Shettar, as they betrayed the BJP"

Advantage for BJP if Rahul, Priyanka campaign in Karnataka: CM Bommai

Bommai further said "the Congress leaders talk of social justice but the incumbent BJP government hiked the quota for the SC/ST communities as well as introduced internal reservations

Gehlot mocks Raje after former Rajasthan CM's 'milk-and-lemon' remark

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Wednesday mocked his predecessor Vasundhara Raje after she rejected allegations of collusion with him. BJP leader Raje last week rejected allegations of collusion with Gehlot as a lie and said milk and lemon juice do not go together. Speaking to reporters during his visit to Bikaner, Gehlot said his government did not stop schemes of the previous BJP regime and even carried forward its Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project. "We do not stop their schemes but our (previous Congress regime) schemes were stopped by the former government (BJP dispensation) and this is the difference between 'milk' and 'lemon'," Gehlot said. The senior Congress leader also highlighted the state government's various works, schemes and programmes and exuded confidence of the Congress returning to power in the assembly elections, due later this year. Raje last week said a lie was being spread as part of a conspiracy. "Can milk and lemon juice ever mix?" she had asked dur

Stopped from entering mill: Raut calls it attempt to hide irregularities

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday alleged that the police stopped him from entering the premises of a sugar mill at Daund in Pune district, where he wanted to go to pay floral tributes at the statue of the late founder of the sugar factory. The incident occurred at Bhima-Patas Cooperative Sugar Mill at Daund, around 75 km from Pune city. The Rajya Sabha member was later allowed to enter the premises with a couple of others, the police said. Raut dubbed the incident as an attempt to hide the irregularities in the factory. The sugar mill is controlled by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Rahul Kul. Last month, Raut had written to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, levelling allegations of misappropriation of funds worth Rs 500 crore against Kul, and demanded a probe against him by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). On Wednesday, when Raut's motorcade reached the gate of the sugar mill, it was stopped by the police. Visuals showed the police at the gate asking peopl

Cong has failed to deliver its promises made to people: Rajasthan BJP chief

Rajasthan BJP president C P Joshi on Wednesday charged that the Congress has failed to deliver on its promises made to people in the run-up to the last assembly polls and exhorted his party's social media and IT cell to draw a plan to counter the ruling dispensation. He asked members of the social media and IT cell to strengthen the party's support base across the state ahead of the assembly polls slated for later this year. Addressing a workshop, he asked them to prepare a road map for the coming 200 days and hailed them as "cyber warriors". He charged that the Congress dispensation has failed to deliver on its promises made to people in the run-up to the last assembly polls in 2018 and asked his party cadre to work towards defeating it. Amit Malviya, the national head of the BJP IT cell, said that in the era of social media, such workshops should be organised from time to time.

Brazenly intimidatory statement: Cong slams Shah's remarks on K'taka polls

The Congress on Wednesday termed Home Minister Amit Shah's remarks that Karnataka will be afflicted with riots if the grand old party comes to power as a "brazenly intimidatory statement", and accused him of "issuing threats" during the election campaign. Addressing a public meeting on Tuesday in Karnataka's Belagavi district, Shah said the development of the state will be on the "reverse gear" if the Congress forms the government. "If the Congress comes to power, dynastic politics will be at an all-time high and Karnataka will be afflicted with riots," the home minister had said. Hitting back at Shah, Congress general secretary in-charge Communications Jairam Ramesh said, "This is a brazenly intimidatory statement. The Union Home Minister having allegiance to an organisation banned by India's very first Home Minister is now issuing threats during an election campaign when staring at certain defeat." The Congress had slammed Shah on Tuesday as well over his reported remarks that th

CM KCR is more dangerous than Atiq Ahmed, says Telangana BJP chief

He said while Atiq Ahmed threatened people with guns, KCR is using police to threaten and 'Dharani' to harass common man

BJP slams Kejriwal for Rs 45 cr home renovation, calls him 'maharaj'

Over Rs 45 crore was spent on renovating Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence, the BJP said on Wednesday while alleging that expenditure of such a big sum was a pointer to the ideological "renovation" of the AAP founder who claimed to promote honesty and simplicity when he entered politics. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra slammed the Aam Aadmi Party leader as a "maharaj" and said even kings will bow to Kejriwal for his choice of "superior" products in the residence and his "lust for luxury and comfort". He also alleged that Kejriwal offered Rs 20 crore to Rs 50 crore to media houses to not highlight the story but news channels and newspapers ignored the offer. One of the eight new curtains purchased for the residence cost over Rs 7.94 lakhs while the cheapest was Rs 3.57 lakh, Patra told reporters. Citing documents, the BJP spokesperson said marbles worth over Rs 1.15 cr were brought from Vietnam while Rs 4 cr was spent on pre-fabricated wooden walls. This is the story o

When arrogance of party is sky high, voices are crushed: Priyanka slams BJP

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday slammed the government over the protests by top wrestlers here, and asked whether it wants to save the culprits in the matter. The Congress general secretary also said that the pleas of the sportspersons, who enhance the country's honour were being ignored, and asserted that "when the arrogance of a party and its leaders" is sky high then such voices are crushed. Her remarks came after India's top wrestlers on Tuesday intensified their protest against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and asserted that they won't leave the protest site until the WFI president, who is facing sexual harassment charges, is arrested. The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notices to the Delhi government and others on a plea by seven women wrestlers alleging non-registration of an FIR over their sexual harassment allegations against the WFI president, saying these are "serious allegations" requiring its consideration. Expressing support for the protesting wrestler

Delhi mayoral poll today to witness direct fight between AAP, BJP

The mayoral election in Delhi on Wednesday will be a direct contest between incumbent Shelly Oberoi from AAP and BJP leader Shikha Rai. The polling will be held at the Civic Centre the headquarters of the MCD. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is the ruling party in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Oberoi was elected Delhi mayor on February 22 in the fourth attempt since the earlier elections were stalled amid a ruckus over voting rights being given to nominated members. She had defeated BJP's Rekha Gupta by a margin of 34 votes by polling 150 votes. Gupta got 116 of the total 266 votes polled. The post of mayor in the national capital sees five single-year terms on a rotational basis with the first year reserved for women, the second for the open category, the third for the reserved category and the remaining two again for the open category. The city gets a new mayor after the end of a financial year. Incumbent Oberoi will continue to hold charge till a new mayor is elected, ..

Failure of police: Shivpal Yadav slams Yogi govt on Atiq Ahmed killing

Atiq and Ashraf were killed on April 15 night while being taken for a medical checkup. They were shot dead at point-blank range by three miscreants posing as mediapersons

Sena says no need to take Maha BJP chief seriously on Fadnavis as 2024 CM

"BJP's high command is in regular communication with Fadnavis and he himself has asserted that Eknath Shinde will be the chief ministerial face (of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance) in next year's elections"

Amit Shah plays down pre-poll surveys, says BJP will win Karnataka polls

Shah also expressed confidence that the BJP will form the government by obtaining simple majority

A devotee in the backroom

For those who closely follow recent Indian politics, this book is important - as much for what it says as it is for what it doesn't say

Obituary: Parkash Singh Badal, a consummate politician, passes away

Badal's foray into politics began as sarpanch in his native village, Badal. He was 29 and the year was 1947

Abhishek starts new campaign, says BJP's narrative won't dictate politics

Senior TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday said polls to 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal will be held on the issue of development and not on the "communal" narrative propagated by the BJP. Banerjee, who earlier in the day launched a mass outreach campaign Trinamool ey Nabajowar' (new wave in Trinamool) from Cooch Behar district with an eye on the upcoming rural polls in the state, said that the TMC aims at building people's panchayat in the state. "The next Lok Sabha elections in West Bengal will be held on the issue of development. It will not be held on the issue of communal polarisation, which the BJP wants. They have to be defeated. We will fight for rights of the people of the state," he said while addressing a rally as part of the campaign. Lok Sabha polls in the country are due in 2024. Banerjee, the TMC's national general secretary, commenced the mass outreach campaign at a temple in the Dinhata assembly constituency. He spoke to locals and heard of their ...