Page 638 - Politics
Fadnavis defends PM, says Bofors "scandal" was a reality
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday said former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was a martyr, but maintained nobody can deny the reality of the Bofors "scandal" in the country. Fadnavis was responding to a query related to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark on Rajiv Gandhi at a poll rally last week in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Targeting Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Modi had said "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrastachari number 1' (corrupt number 1)". "Why we (the BJP) would not consider him a martyr?" he told reporters replying to a query related to Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991. "The Prime Minister has expressed the reality. Nobody can deny the reality of Bofors scandal in the country. The skeletons of this scandal are still tumbling out of the cupboard," the Maharashtra CM said. About Maharashtra politics, he said though his party BJP and the Shiv Sena were not on good terms for sometime, they .
Rajnath campaigns in west Delhi
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday addressed a public meeting in West Sagarpur area of West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency for BJP's West Delhi candidate Parvesh Singh.
Nations must secure better future for Gaza: Israeli diplomat
Rome, May 6 (IANS/AKI) The international community needs to strive for a brighter future for those living in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli diplomat said on Monday after a weekend of deadly violence that began during protests at the ongoing Israeli blockade of the area.
Ram Madhav's remarks show BJP in depression: Congress
The Congress on Monday took a dig at BJP over senior party leader Ram Madhav hinting that the BJP would need allies for comfortable majority in the Lok Sabha, saying that statements of its leaders give an impression that the party is in "electoral depression".
Sadhvi Pragya a terror, murder accused: Swara Bhaskar
Actor Swara Bhaskar on Monday hit out against the BJP for fielding "terror and murder case accused" Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur as its candidate from the Bhopal Lok Sabha consituency.
Modi does not respect anyone but himself: Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi disrespected his mentor L.K. Advani as he removed him from the BJP's centre-stage, indicating that Modi "does not respect anyone but himself".
SP to support AAP in 2 Delhi seats & BSP in rest
The Samajwadi Party said on Monday it would support the Bahujan Samaj Party in Delhi and also the Aam Aadmi Party in two seats. As per directions of the top leadership, the SP workers in Delhi will work for the BSP candidates, the spokesperson of the Samajwadi Party's Delhi unit, R S Yadav, said in a statement. "We will also support New Delhi and North West Delhi(reserved) candidates of the AAP as the BSP has not fielded its candidates there," Yadav added. The BSP has fielded Sanjay Gehlot (East Delhi), Rajvir Singh (North East Delhi), Sita Sharan (West Delhi), Shahid Ali(Chandni Chowk) and Siddhant Gautam (South Delhi).
LS polls: City to have 17 only women-staffed booths; 10 in East Delhi
As many as 17 booths will be set up with an all-woman staff for the Lok Sabha elections in the national capital, of which 10 would be set up in East Delhi constituency, a top poll official said Monday. Elections in Delhi would be held on May 12 and over 1.43 crore voters in Delhi are on the electoral roll -- 78,73,022 male and 64,42,762 female. "We will be setting up 17 special booths across the seven parliamentary constituencies, staffed only by women, from a presiding officer to other staff. East Delhi constituency will have the maximum 10 such booths," Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh said. It was planned that each of the seven Lok Sabha constituencies have one such booth at least. "Five other constituencies will have one only women-staffed booth each, while one constituency will have two such booths," he said. A total of 13,819 polling stations will be established at 2,696 locations in Delhi, with a model polling station in each of the 70 assembly constituencies. The establishment of only ..
Karkare never used "Hindu terror" phrase, says Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Monday said his state's former ATS chief Hemant Karkare had never used the term "Hindu terror" and disapproved of the offensive remark made by the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate Pragya Singh Thakur against the martyred police officer. Karkare, as chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), had led the investigation into the 2008 Malegaon bomb blast case, in which Thakur is an accused. Thakur is the BJP's Lok Sabha candidate from Bhopal, where she is pitted against Congress leader Digvijaya Singh. "Karkare had never ever used the 'Hindu terror' word. This word had been used by three persons Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, the then Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and NCP chief Sharad Pawar," he told reporters here while replying to a query. Singh, a former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, has in the past denied coining the phrase 'Hindu terror'. Fadnavis was on a visit to Indore, which is home to around 3 lakh Marathi voters. ...
IPS officer, who is husband of BJP candidate, transferred by EC
The Election Commission on Monday ordered the transfer of an Indian Police Service officer, who is the husband of the BJP's Sirsa candidate in Haryana. Acting on complaints by the Congress and the Jannayak Janta Party, the EC ordered that Rajesh Duggal, husband of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sunita Duggal, be posted outside Hisar and Sirsa constituencies, an official said. Rajesh Duggal is currently posted as the commandant, 3rd batallion of the Haryana Armed Police in Hisar. Notably, Hisar lies near the Sirsa Lok Sabha constituency, where Sunita Duggal is pitted against Indian National Lok Dal sitting MP Charanjeet Singh Rori and state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar. Earlier, the Congress had submitted a complaint to EC against Rajesh Duggal, accusing the IPS officer of misusing his power to influence the voters of Sirsa and demanded his transfer. The Jannayak Janata Party had accused Rajesh Duggal of deputing police officers to assist his wife in the elections. Sunita ...
EC clean chit to PM Modi in two more cases: Sources
The Election Commission has given clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in two more cases, sources aware of the development said Monday. The Congress had alleged that he held a "roadshow" in Ahmedabad on April 23 and the sources said the commission has concluded that Modi did not violate the model code and the election law. They said that the commission has also cleared Modi for his April 9 speech at Chitradurga in Karnataka where he had reportedly asked new voters to dedicate their vote for the heroes of the Balakot air strike. On the same day, he had made a similar appeal in Ausa in Latur district of Maharashtra. The EC had given a clean chit to him in that case as well, but one of the election commissioners had given a dissenting view in the matter. Though the commission has so far not made the two decisions public, with these decisions, Modi has been given a clean chit in eight matters. The poll authorities in Gujarat are learnt to have maintained that prima facie no ...
After LS results Yeddyurappa will step down from party post: Congress leader
Congress leader Belur Gopalakrishna on Monday claimed that post Lok Sabha polls results BJP in Karnataka will witness a turmoil, which will force party's state chief BS Yeddyurappa to step down from his post.Gopalakrishna told ANI, "It is true that there will be turmoil within the BJP. BS Yeddyurappa will have to step down".Speaking further about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement against former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he said, "Everyone knows the politics of six decades and realise as to who has contributed and served the nation best. Social media is worst in spreading hatred. Prime Minister Modi's statement shows BJP's real face."Earlier on May 5, Karnataka's BJP unit president B S Yeddyurappa had stirred speculation about the stability of the Congress-JDS alliance government, saying that "anything" could happen in the state politics after the bye-election results are announced on May 23.
On polling day, Rahul Gandhi cancels Amethi visit; Smriti says insult to people
Union Minister Smriti Irani on Monday hit out at Congress president Rahul Gandhi for cancelling his visit to Amethi on the polling day, which she said is "an insult to the people" of the constituency."Rahul Gandhi has once again cheated the people of Amethi. I did not know that Rahul Gandhi could become so egotistic that he will not appear on the polling day. At least, he should have not insulted the people of his constituency. The person who can lie on the matter of his tours should never be trusted by the people," Irani said while speaking to ANI.In response to Irani's statement, Congress MLC Deepak Singh said: "Smriti Irani is frustrated as she is losing her deposit in Amethi. Her allegation shows that people have given mandate in favour of the Congress. People of Amethi told Rahul Gandhi to look after the country and they will look after Amethi. This is the reason Rahul Gandhi did not come to Amethi today."Irani has faced Rahul in Amethi Lok Sabha seat for which the polling took ..
Himachal CEO directs Kangra election officer to take action against Congress' Pawan Kajal
Himachal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Devesh Kumar on Monday issued a direction to the Kangra Election Officer regarding a violation of Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by Congress candidate Pawan Kajal in the parliamentary constituency.Election printing material pertaining to Kajal was seized by the flying squad of the Election Commission (EC) and the matter was forwarded by the Kangra district officer to the State Election Commission on May 3.The CEO urged him to take "prompt action" against the offender."If any case of publication of election pamphlets, posters in violation of the provisions of the section 127A of the Representation of People Act (RPA), 1951, is brought to your notice, initiate prompt action against the candidate. Such cases must be pursued vigorously in the courts concerned." Kumar said.Single-phase polls in Himachal Pradesh will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Rahul slams PM Modi for remarks against father
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday expressed astonishment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comment against his father Rajiv Gandhi.Addressing an election rally at Chandni Chowk Parliamentary Constituency here, Gandhi launched a scathing attack on PM Modi and said: "You speak bad about me and I will still send you love. Say whatever you want to, but keep one thing in mind that I hugged you in the Parliament last year and that hug will now destroy you on May 23."While addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh on May 4, PM Modi had hit out at Rahul Gandhi, saying: "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1'." He was apparently referring to Bofors scam, in which Rajiv Gandhi was an accused.Continuing his tirade against Modi, he accused him of taking away the money from the pockets of the poor people and handing it over to Anil Ambani. "Now that he has been caught, he has now come up with a new idea of calling himself ...
Cong weakening fight against terrorism: Rajnath
Home Minister Rajnath Singh Monday accused the Congress of weakening the fight against terrorism in the country. He also raised the issue of review of articles 370 and 35A. Singh that when former chief minister Omar Abdullah had demanded a separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP had promptly responded by saying that time had come for their review. "I was shocked when the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that there must be two prime ministers in India. One should be for Jammu and Kashmir and the other for rest of the nation," Singh said. "We responded promptly saying that time has come to review Article 370 and 35A, which give special rights to Jammu and Kashmir and whether we need to remove it or not. The time has come to review it," Singh said. He was addressing a rally here to canvass support for party's West Delhi candidate Parvesh Verma, Singh asserted that Naxalism will be eliminated by 2022-23, and the Modi government is capable of protecting the ...
Ex-BSF jawan moves SC over rejection of nomination
Tej Bahadur Yadav, thedismissed Border Security Force (BSF) jawan, moved the Supreme Court on Monday challenging rejection of his nomination papers by the Election Commission to contest Lok Sabha polls from Varanasi.
Anantnag poll mostly peaceful but total turnout only 9%
Voting in Jammu and Kashmir's restive Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency - which went to polls in an unprecedented three stages - ended on Monday with the heavy security ensuring a largely peaceful election, but the turnout not even reaching double figures.
Escalating confrontation, Democrats to hold AG in contempt
Escalating the confrontation with US President Donald Trump's administration, the Democrats moved on Monday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt after he refused to turn over to a Congressional panel the entire report of a probe into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
Bar PM Modi from campaigning: Congress
The Congress on Monday demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be barred from election campaigning for calling former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi "corrupt".