Page 656 - Politics
Peaceful 3rd phase in Anantnag challenge for security forces
Security forces on Sunday started their deployment to meet the toughest challenge in the three-stage Anantnag Lok Sabha polls - securing polling stations and voters from militant attacks during Monday's final phase in Shopian and Pulwama districts.
Congress says Modi 'sick' for calling Rajiv Gandhi corrupt
A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Rajiv Gandhi a "corrupt" politician, Congress leaders on Sunday described Modi as a "sick man" and "psychopath" for attacking the former Prime Minister for electoral gains.
Why is Rahul so disturbed if integrity issues of Rajiv Gandhi Govt are being questioned: Jaitley
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday wondered why Congress President Rahul Gandhi gets disturbed when integrity issues of his late father Rajiv Gandhi-led government are raised and the 'Q' connection in the Bofors gun-deal is questioned. In a series of tweets, Jaitley said that Rahul Gandhi thinks that "dynast" does not have to answer any question even though he can attack Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- a man of utmost integrity. Responding to comments of Modi that Rajiv Gandhi's life ended as bhrashtachari No 1," Rahul Gandhi had tweeted: "Modi Ji, The battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you. All my love and a huge hug" Jaitley in his tweet said: "Why is Rahul Gandhi so disturbed if the integrity issues of the Rajiv Gandhi government are raised? Why did Ottavio Quattrocchi get kickbacks in Bofors? Who was the Q' connection? No reply has come." Modi, addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, had .
51 Lok Sabha seats go to polls in 5th phase on Monday; Rajnath, Sonia, Rahul in fray
Nearly nine crore voters will decide the fate of 674 candidates, including political bigwigs Rajnath Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Smriti Irani, in the fifth phase of polling on Monday in 51 Lok Sabha constituencies in seven states. The stakes are high for the ruling BJP and its allies as it had swept 40 of these seats in 2014, leaving just two for the Congress and the rest for other opposition parties such as the Trinamool Congress (seven). Voting will take place in 14 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 12 in Rajasthan, seven seats each in West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, five in Bihar and four in Jharkhand. In Jammu and Kashmir, polling will take place in Ladakh constituency and Pulwama and Shopian districts of Anantnag seat. The Election Comission has set up 94,000 polling stations/booths and made elaborate security arrangements. In the fifth and smallest phase, total 8.75 crore voters will decide the fate of 674 candidates. With this phase, election will be over in 424 seats and ...
Modi's 5 yrs 'most traumatic, devastating', should be shown exit door: Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be shown the exit door as his five-year rule has been "most traumatic and devastating" for India's youths, farmers, traders and every democratic institution, his predecessor Manmohan Singh said Sunday, noting that the "will of one person" cannot be imposed on a diverse country like India. Singh, in an exclusive interview to PTI, dismissed the notion that there was a wave in favour of Modi and asserted that the people have made up their minds to vote out the government that "does not believe in inclusive growth and is only worried about its political existence at the altar of disharmony". In one of his most fierce attacks on the Modi dispensation, Singh alleged that the past five years only witnessed "stench" of corruption peaking to "unimaginable proportions", adding demonetisation was perhaps the "biggest scam" of independent India. Incidentally, the BJP campaign in the run-up to the 2014 elections had centred on various alleged scams, including in
Film personalities come together in support of PM Modi
A number of film personalities attended a programme on Sunday to extend their support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's bid to come back to power. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj was the chief guest at the programme, titled "Celebrities with NaMo", held at the BJP headquarters here, the party said in a statement. Among those who attended the event were Boney Kapoor, Jaya Prada, Prahlad Kakkar, Poonam Dhillon, Babul Supriyo, Sai Kumar, Babu Mohan, Manoj Tiwari and Kavitha, it added. Some of them like Jaya Prada and Supriyo are members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
BJP candidate from West Delhi Parvesh Singh Verma issued notice by poll body
West Delhi sitting MP and BJP candidate Parvesh Singh Verma was Sunday issued a notice by the Delhi poll body for allegedly seeking votes in the name of soldiers, officials said Sunday. According to the notice issued by Returning Officer Azimul Haque, Verma also used some "objectionable" words for a particular community to seek votes, which is in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The BJP candidate was also accused of using unparliamentary language against his opponents while addressing the crowd on April 30, the notice said. Verma had allegedly told the gathering that Prime Minister Narendra Modi exacted revenge for the Pulwama attack before the 'terahvi' (13th day of mourning period) of the martyred soldiers. In an advisory issued in March, the Election Commission had said, "Parties/candidates are advised that their campaigners/candidates should desist, as part of their election campaigning, from indulging in any political propaganda involving activities of defence ...
First phase of MPTC, ZPTCelections to be held on Monday
: The first phase of polling for elections to Mandal Parishad Territorial Constituencies and zilla parishad territorial constituencies will be held on Monday and all arrangements are in place, officials here said. They said that in the first phase, polling would be held for 2,097 MPTCs. A total of 7,072 candidates including 1,666, are in the fray. the officials said that with regard to ZPTC, polling would be held for 195 segments, for which 883 candidates, including 193 independents, are in the fray. The elections will be held from 7 AM to 5 PM, while in Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas, it would start at 7 AM and conclude at 4 PM, they said. Unanimous elections had earlier been held for 69 MPTCs and two ZPTCs. The Telangana State Election Commission had last month released the election schedule for 5,817 MPTCs and 539 ZPTCs and announced that the first phase polls would held on May 6, the second on May 10 and the third on May 14. Around 1.56 crore voters are ...
Polio officer killed by gunmen in NW Pakistan
A polio officer was killed by unidentified gunmen on Sunday in a tribal district of northwest Pakistan. The 35-year-old official, Abdullah Jan, was on way to his home when the gunmen opened fire on him in Mamond tehsil of Bajaur district near Pak-Afghan border, police said. He was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. The administration has started investigation into the incident to know about the causes behind the murder. Pakistan is one of the three countries, along with Afghanistan and Nigeria, where polio is still endemic. Militant groups have killed nearly 100 polio workers and their guards since 2012 on the pretext that they could be Western spies.
Sudan mediators propose 2 transition councils: protest leader
Sudanese mediators facilitating talks between the army rulers and protest leaders have proposed the country have two transition councils, with one led by generals overseeing security, a protest leader said Sunday. The mediators' apparent proposal comes as talks over forming an overall governing council remain deadlocked, with the existing military council and protest leaders offering differing visions, after president Omar al-Bashir was deposed last month. "There is a proposal (from the mediators) to have two councils, one led by civilians and the other by military," said Omar al-Digeir, a senior opposition leader and member of the umbrella protest group the Alliance for Freedom and Change. "The (new) military council (which will also include civilian representatives) will be looking at issues concerning the security aspects of the country," he told AFP. The "exact job description" of both the councils has yet to be decided, he said. "No final decision has been taken yet." Thousands ..
2 French tourists go missing in Benin near Burkina Faso
Authorities in the West African nation of Benin say that two French tourists are feared to have been kidnapped in a wildlife park near the border with Burkina Faso. The tourists failed to return from a game drive in the Pendjari National Park on Wednesday, according to the organisation that oversees the wildlife reserve in the country's north. Interior Minister Sacca Lafia said the body of an African man who was fatally shot was found Friday in the park. Another government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of a lack authorisation to speak to journalists, said authorities believe the victim could be the tourists' driver. Islamic extremists have expanded their reach in Burkina Faso, and there are fears they are infiltrating the north of Benin and neighbouring Togo.
Greece: Protests held against Pakistani forces after Baloch women, children abducted
On Sunday, the Greece chapter of the Baloch Republican Party (BRP) organised protests in Athens against the recent abductions of Baloch women and children during Pakistani military operations in Balochistan, according to a press release.The operations allegedly took place in Balochistan's Mashkay, Awaran and Naseerabad areas on Monday. Furthermore, BRP Greece Chapter's President, Aslam Kiyyazi, claimed that the Pakistan Army abducted four Baloch women along with their five children during the military operation."A few days ago, Pakistani forces abducted several women and children in Awaran and Mashkay. Some were released while others are disappearing till date," Kiyyazi said during the protests.He further urged the international community, including human rights organizations, to break their silence over "the Pakistani state atrocities in Balochistan," adding that the Pakistani army will "advance its atrocities across the world if treated with silence in Balochistan today."The Afghan .
Pained at PM's attack on late Rajiv Gandhi, says Pitroda
Senior Congress leader Sam Pitroda Sunday condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for terming former PM Rajiv Gandhi as corrupt. Speaking at a poll rally in Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, PM Modi, attacking Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, accused the latter's father, former PM Rajiv Gandhi, of being corrupt. "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrastachari number 1' (corrupt number 1)," Modi had said. Hitting back, Pitroda Sunday said, "The baseless comments that the country's current Prime Minister has made yesterday about former premier Rajiv Gandhi makes me feel ashamed as a Gujarati. I belong to the same Gujarat where Mahatma Gandhi was born." Speaking to reporters at the Indore Press Club, Pitroda, who is the chief of the Indian Overseas Congress, said, "I am pained to see people hailing from Gujarat (referring to PM Modi) falling to such an extent that they lie in such a way about a dead person." Pitroda (77) was a ...
Not offered any money to join BJP, claims Gandhi Nagar MLA Bajpai
Amid the AAP accusing the BJP of indulging in horse-trading ahead of the Lok Sabha election here, its Gandhi Nagar lawmaker Anil Bajpai, who recently joined the saffron party, denied that he was offered money to switch allegiance. During a press conference held at the Delhi BJP office, Bajpai also alleged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had used a "derogatory" word for him during a recent meeting, which triggered his dissension within the party. "Chief Minister Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said that big money was being offered in an attempt to 'buy' AAP MLAs. I reject the charge," he said in the presence of senior BJP leader Vijender Gupta. Accusing the BJP of indulging in horse-trading, Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Wednesday had alleged that seven of his party MLAs in the national capital have been offered Rs 10 crore each to join the saffron party. Kejriwal, during a press conference at the AAP headquarters earlier in the day, had claimed ..
Everything PM said about Rajiv Gandhi was true: Javadekar
Hitting back after Congress president Rahul Gandhi attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for calling his father "corrupt number 1", the BJP on Sunday said every single word the PM had said about Rajiv Gandhi was true and that the Congress chief was rattled due to his party's imminent defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. At a press conference, Union minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Javadekar cited the former prime minister's remarks about the 1984 riots to accuse him of "supporting" the massacre of Sikhs. He also claimed that he was surprised at the reactions of Rahul Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra over the prime minister's remarks. Addressing a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh's Pratapgarh on Saturday, Modi accused the Congress of harping on the alleged corruption in the acquisition of Rafale aircraft only to tarnish his image. "Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'bhrashtachari no. 1' (corrupt number 1)," Modi ...
Indian passport holders are asked if they are from 'Modi ke Hindustan': Shah
BJP president Amit Shah on Sunday said that Indian passport holders going anywhere in the world are asked if they are from 'Modi ke Hindustan' since the country is now identified globally with Prime Minister Narendra Modi."During the last five years, Modi ji has enhanced the stature of the country. You go anywhere in the world with an Indian passport and people will ask if you have come from 'Modi ke Hindustan'," he said at an election here."You have heard the slogan 'Modi Modi' in America, Russia, China, England, France or wherever he went. This slogan is not just a mark of respect to Narendra Modi but respect for 125 crore Indians," Shah said.The BJP chief also said infiltrator from every part of the country will be kicked out if BJP comes to power again."Forty lakh infiltrators have been identified. Rahul Gandhi, Mamata 'didi', Sharad Pawar, Sitaram Yechury, DMK, Chandrababu Naidu asked why they (infiltrators) are being kicked out. What will they eat? What is about their human ...
Panamanians go to the polls to elect a new president
Panamanians went to the polls Sunday to elect a new president after a campaign dominated by concerns about corruption. "Voting begins," Panama's Electoral Tribunal tweeted. Some 2.7 million people are eligible to vote. Social Democrat Laurentino Cortizo was favored to win, with pre-election polls giving him a 10-point lead over his closest challenger, former foreign minister Romulo Roux of the Democratic Change party. Independent Ricardo Lombana was a close third in the polls. Sunday's winner will succeed Juan Carlos Varela, who is unable to stand for re-election as Panama's constitution limits presidents to a single five-year term. Corruption scandals played a significant role in election campaigning in a country struggling to shed its image as a money-laundering paradise following the Panama Papers scandal three years ago. Equally damaging was the admission by Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht that it had paid USD 59 million in bribes in Panama between 2010 and 2014 to secure ..
From Bofors to sub, Congress a saga of scams: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Congress saying first it was Bofors, then helicopter and now the submarine scam has been unearthed.
No more politics, use land productively: Singur farmers
Over two years after they got back possession, farmers in West Bengal's Singur now demand "no more politics" with their land but have exhorted the government to "make it cultivable or use it for productive purpose".
Always loyal, traitors never: Maduro praises Venezuelan troops following failed coup
Following the failed uprising against him, Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro praised Venezuela's military, which supported the embattled President amidst the political crisis in the Latin American nation."Venezuela has a #FANB (National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela), perfectly trained, prepared and cohesive. We are not a weak or helpless country, we have a military power that guarantees peace and national defence. Always Loyal, Traitors Never!" Maduro tweeted.The military has stayed loyal to Maduro despite the opposition's claim of being in touch with high-ranking military defectors, who support National Assembly head Juan Guaido. The opposition leader proclaimed himself as the President of the nation during protests in January this year. His claim was swiftly recognised by the United States, who accept Guaido as the official interim President of the nation.Guaido's claim is also supported by over 50 nations, while Maduro is backed by countries like China, Russia and Turkey