Page 665 - Politics
Graft allegations against Rahul, Priyanka baseless: Shatrughan Sinha
Congress leader Shatrughan Sinha on Saturday said that graft allegations against party president Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi in defence deals were baseless and hyped in the wake of ongoing Lok Sabha elections."I think these things are being hyped in the wake of ongoing Lok Sabha elections. Everything is baseless as there is no research, study backing these allegations. Nobody believes such baseless allegations," said Sinha who recently joined the Congress party from the BJP.Sinha said the BJP is staring at the defeat in the elections and such tactics only reflect the frustration of the party.Further hitting out at the BJP, Sinha termed demonetisation as "the biggest scam.""The record of the BJP government is tainted by many scams. The biggest of these is demonetisation. The government could not recover a single paisa of black money. What was the government's intention behind demonetisation," he asked.Refuting the reports of displeasure in the Congress over his wife contesting on .
AAP's Punjab MLA Amarjit Sandoya joins Congress party
The sitting Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Roopnagar Amarjit Singh Sandoya on Saturday joined the Congress party in the presence of Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh.Singh welcomed Amarjit to the party's fold and said it was Punjab government's initiatives in the last two years that had encouraged the opposition MLAs to join the Congress."We have got a major boost from the wave of the exodus from members of various opposition parties in the state. It is a clear endorsement of our government's path-breaking initiatives over the past two years," said Chief Minister Singh while speaking to reporters here.He said that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal's oppressive style of functioning had forced the leaders of his party to join the Congress."Arvind Kejriwal's autocratic style of functioning and the chaos in the state wing of the party were making its legislators feel suffocated. They are motivated to shift to the Congress because of our focus on the state's development," he said.Singh urged .
Govt yet to consult us on talks with PepsiCo: farmer groups
Farmers' organizations alleged Saturday that the Gujarat government had yet to consult them or the cultivators sued by PepsiCo India for growing a 'protected' variety of potato in its discussions with the company. PepsiCo has decided to withdraw the cases filed against nine farmers in Gujarat following an outcry. "The Gujarat government, after making itself a mediator in this controversy, has not consulted the farmers sued by PepsiCo and has not involved any farmers' organizations in the discussions it is holding with PepsiCo India," farmers rights groups said in a joint statement. They also said they would intensify their agitation, if the government, as reported by an English daily, tried to persuade farmers not to grow the variety of potato for which PepsiCo is claiming Plant Variety Protection (PVP) rights, or tried to persuade farmers to sell the produce only to the company. "Why should the government try to persuade the farmers when they have not committed any ...
If Yechury calls Ramayana, Mahabharata Hindu violence, he should remove Sitaram from his name: Raut
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut Saturday advised Sitaram Yechury to drop his first name after the CPI(M) general secretary said Hindu epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana were replete with "violence". Raut also asked Yechury if he would term as "violence" the action of security forces while defending the country against Pakistan-backed terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. "If Sitaram Yechury calls Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu violence, then he should remove Sitaram from his name," Raut added. In an article for the CPIM mouthpiece, People's Democracy, Yechury had said the BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur as its candidate from Bhopal is an expression of its efforts to consolidate the Hindutva "communal" vote bank. Yechury also took on Narendra Modi for his claim that Hindus can never be violent, alleging that the Prime Minister erases Indian history replete with gruesome battles and wars. "It is a fallacy to say that Hindus cannot engage in violence," Yechury had said. Raut said, ...
Grand alliance treating voters as commodities: PM Modi
Stepping up his attack on 'Mahagathbandhan' (grand alliance), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday termed the alliance partners as 'contractors' of vote bank and accused them of treating voters like commodities to gain power."Be it SP, BSP or Congress, they ditch their principles to gain power. They calculate people as vote bank. They talk about transferring votes like money is transferred from one account to another," Prime Minister Modi said at an election rally here.He said: "They are acting as contractors. They say - I have 50 people, take them and give this to me instead. Another says I have 200, take them and give me this particular. They are trading groups of society. They promise to transfer their votes. O Mahamilavatis! There is a huge difference between people and money."Prime Minister Modi said that the people will not accept "such parties and their leaders" as the conscience of the people has awakened.He asserted that the alliance will fail in the election and claimed .
PM Modi gets clean chit from EC for mentioning Abhinandan in speech
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday gave a clean chit to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for mentioning the name of Indian Air Force (IAF) Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman at a rally in Gujarat's Patan district."The matter has been examined in detail in accordance with the extant advisories, provisions of the Model Code of Conduct. After examination, the Commission is of the view that in this matter no such violation of the extant advisories/provisions is attracted," the electoral body stated on Saturday.While addressing a poll rally, Prime Minister Modi had said that he had warned Pakistan of consequences after Abinandan was detained."When Abhinandan was captured by Pakistan, I said (to Pakistan) that if anything happens to our pilot, then we will not leave you," he said.Earlier, the EC had directed political parties to advise their candidates and leaders to desist from displaying photographs of the defence personnel in advertisements as part of their election campaign
SP-BSP alliance pitting one caste against another for petty political gains: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah Saturday lashed out at the SP-BSP alliance, alleging that it was indulging in divisive politics and pitting one caste against another for "petty political gains". Addressing an election rally in Fatehpur, he said, "Erstwhile governments of SP and BSP would divide people on caste lines and would not focus on development. The Yogi Adityanath government and the Narendra Modi government have shifted the focus entirely to development without any caste discrimination." Hitting out at the Congress, he said, "The biggest achievement of the Modi government is that of securing the nation against terrorism. During Sonia-Manmohan rule, terrorists used to enter Indian at will and even cut heads of our soldiers like that in case of (Lance Naik) Hemraj (Singh), without any response from then silent PM Manmohan Singh." "After the Pulwama terror attack, Indian Air Force went deep inside Pakistan to Balakot and killed terrorists and destroyed their bases. Modiji has a strong .
Army not Modi's personal property; NDA govt released Azhar: Rahul's counter to BJP on nationalism
Taking the BJP's nationalism narrative head-on, Congress president Rahul Gandhi Saturday said the Indian Army is not Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "personal property" and accused the saffron party of compromising in dealing with terrorism, citing JeM chief Masood Azhar's release during the previous NDA rule. Asserting that terrorism is a huge issue, he said the Congress will deal with it "more sternly" than Modi and alleged that the BJP was using the armed forces for political mileage. Gandhi, while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, said Modi insulted the Army by saying UPA's surgical strikes were video games. His attack on Modi came a day after the prime minister said the Congress conducted surgical strikes only "on paper" and the leaders of the opposition party thought those were akin to video games. It was a BJP government that had released Azhar and sent him to Pakistan, Gandhi said. "Who had sent him to Pakistan? He is being designated, but who sent ..
Darbar move employees to get special passes to ply on Jammu-Srinagar highway
Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir Saturday said special passes would be provided to the vehicles, carrying 'darbar move' employees, to ply on Jammu-Srinagar national highway during restrictions on Sunday. Only security convoys are allowed on the highway twice a week -- Wednesday and Sunday -- from 4 am to 5 pm to facilitate their smooth movement. The restriction was clamped on April 7 in view of the deadly terror attack in Pulwama on February 14 that left 40 CRPF personnel dead. However, the administration lifted the restrictions on civilian traffic movement between Srinagar and Baramulla stretch of the highway from May 2. "The vehicles carrying the (darbar) employees will be provided special passes in view of restrictions on Sundays on the highway for movement of Army and other convoys," Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Sanjeev Verma said. Verma was reviewing the travel arrangements for the employees move to summer capital Srinagar, where the darbar move offices including civil ...
Amit Shah denounces oppn leaders for 'advocating' scrapping of sedition law
BJP chief Amit Shah Saturday denounced opposition leaders for advocating scrapping of sedition law and said people who raise "tukde tukde slogans will remain in jail till the Modi government is there. Addressing a rally in the national capital, he said, "Kejriwal doesn't say it, but he wants the sedition law should go. Later, when someone will spy on us at the behest of Pakistan, under which charge will you send them to jail?" "Recently, slogans of 'Bharat tere tukde honge' were raised in JNU. The Modi government sent such people behind the bars for sedition. "If you scrap the sedition law, how will you send such people to jail?"shah asked. "The Modi government's Pak policy is clear. If they hurl a brick at us, we will launch a mortar at them," he said. He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to make their stand clear on the demand for a separate prime minster for Kashmir. "Kashmir is the crown of India. No one can take it away from India
Cong will pay heavy price for inducting BSP's Guna candidate in the party, warns Mayawati
BSP chief Mayawati Saturday said the Congress will pay a "heavy price" for inducting her party's Guna Lok Sabha candidate in the Congress. Earlier last week, the BSP's Guna candidate Lokendra Singh had opted out and joined the Congress while extending support to the party's sitting parliamentarian Jyotiraditya Scindia. "The Congress will have to pay a heavy price for this when time comes. Due to similar acts, we brought down the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government," she said. The BSP supremo said the Congress government in the state had misused official machinery to pressurise Singh to withdraw in favour of Scindia. Addressing a rally here, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister dubbed both the BJP and Congress as "casteist and capitalist" and said the BSP would never enter into an alliance with either of them. "You (BSP workers) should be ready that we will never contest elections in alliance with the BJP and Congress, both of which are casteist, capitalist parties," she said. Mayawati .
Campaign ends for five Lok Sabha seats in Bihar
Campaigning for five Bihar Lok Sabha seats -- Sitamarhi, Madhubani, Muzaffarpur, Hajipur and Saran -- concluded on Saturday for the fifth phase of the seven-phased elections on May 6.
BJP indulging in politics of fear and hatred: Akhilesh
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "cheating" the country in the name of his caste and the BJP is indulging in the politics of "fear and hatred", Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged Saturday. He also attacked the saffron party over the cancellation of dismissed BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav's nomination from Modi's Lok Sabha seat Varanasi. "The BJP is indulging in the politics of fear and hatred", while the mahagatbandhan (SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh) is bringing people together, Akhilesh Yadav said at an election meeting in Bahraich. He also said, "The prime minister is cheating the country in the name of his caste". Akhilesh Yadav claimed that the BJP used to call the prime minister "backward, and now (is calling him) as extremely backward." "If you check the papers, you will find nothing," he claimed. The SP chief alleged that the BJP had cheated the people and "now, the public will seek an account (hisaab) from it". "The government which could not work for the people .
15 crorepatis in fray in May 6 Bengal elections
Out of 83 candidates across parties contesting from the seven West Bengal seats in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections, 15 have assets worth over Rs 1 crore, while 23 have declared criminal cases against themselves, a study said on Saturday.
Campaigning ends for second phase of LS polls in Jharkhand
Campaigning for the four Lok Sabha seats going to polls in the second phase of elections in Jharkhand on May 6 came to an end on Saturday evening. A total of 65,87,028 electorate will decide the fate of 61 candidates. Among the total electorate, 31,44,679 are female voters and 83 belong to the third gender, the Election Commission said in a release here. Polling will be held between 7 am and 4 pm in Ranchi, Hazaribagh, Koderma and Khunti (ST) Lok Sabha constituencies on Monday. Union minister Jayant Sinha is seeking re-election from the Hazaribagh constituency as a BJP candidate. Congress candidate Gopal Sahu is pitted against him. Two-time MP and CPIs Jharkhand unit secretary B P Mehta is also in the fray from Hazaribagh. The BJP has fielded former chief minister Arjun Munda from Khunti, Sanjay Seth from Ranchi and Annapurna Devi from Koderma, replacing its sitting MPs Karia Munda, Ramtahal Chaudhary and Ravindra Rai respectively. Annapurna Devi, who quit the RJD and ...
Mamata condemns attack on Kejriwal
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Saturday condemned the attack on her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal and said attack on opposition leaders signals that the BJP has lost the Lok Sabha election and have become desperate. Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party chief, was slapped by a man during a roadshow at Moti Nagar in New Delhi constituency. "Political vandalism. Political goondaism. Political vendetta. Maligning and attacking Oppn leaders show that BJP have lost the election and are making desperate attempts. We condemn the attack on @ArvindKejriwal We are all with you, Arvind," Banerjee whos is also Trinamool Congress supremo, said in a tweet. TMC's leader in Rajya Sabha Derek O' Brien also condemned the incident and claimed that the BJP's desperation proves that the saffron party is on its way out. Kejriwal was atop an open jeep when the man jumped onto it and slapped him. He was taken into custody.
Oppn using Muslims as vote bank, creating fear of Modi among minorities: Dinesh Sharma
Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Saturday accused the opposition parties of trying to create fear of Prime Minister Narendra Modi among the minorities to garner their votes and using the Muslims as their vote bank. Attacking the Samajwadi Party (SP), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Congress, Sharma, while addressing an election campaign here, said, "The opposition tells the minorities that the BJP will harm them if it comes to power again, which is not correct." "The BJP and the prime minister follow the principle of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (together with all, development for all)," the deputy CM said, adding that all schemes of the government is for every citizen without any discrimination. He further accused the SP, BSP and Congress of using the Muslims as their vote bank and not working for their welfare. "The SP, BSP and Congress have used the Muslim voters as their vote bank and none of them has ever done anything to educate them. These parties deliberately did .
Naidu to henceforth give complete priority only to TDP
: Claiming that the Telugu Desams 'victory' in the just-concluded general elections to Lok Sabha and the state Assembly in Andhra Pradesh was a certainity, its president N Chandrababu Naidu Saturday said he would henceforth give complete priority only to the party. "We will win this election for sure. There need not be any doubt about it. How many seats we win and the majority we secure is important now," Naidu said. He started an exercise on Saturday to review the partys performance in each Lok Sabha constituency and the seven Assembly segments under it. Addressing the Rajahmundry Lok Sabha constituency leaders and workers, Naidu regretted that he could not devote adequate time for the party because he had spent more time building the systems in the state. "Henceforth, my complete priority will be for the party. I will allot 2-3 hours daily for party affairs. I will personally monitor all constituencies every three months, he added. Continuing his attacks on Prime ...
Prakash Raj begins week-long campaign for AAP, asks people to reclaim republic
Actor Prakash Raj on Saturday began his week-long campaigning for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the national capital on Saturday and urged people to come together to reclaim the republic.Prakash Raj is also contesting in the Lok Sabha elections from the Bengaluru Cental Lok Sabha seat as an Independent candidate."I am very happy, proud and I feel meaningful in this journey in Indian politics to be with AAP. I am not from Aam Aadmi Party, but I am one of those Aam Aadmi which look upto to the ideology and the work done by this party and this is what made me here. I am here to support such candidates, such party, which is fighting for a change in this election compared to other parties, on their report card. On the issues of health, education, their vision and on based on their work," he told media here."This is what we need, this is my gesture, and my belief, that different people with different thought processes but love for the country come together to make this democracy, to reclaim .
EC refuses to approve Delhi govt's decision to declare holiday on Parshuram Jayanti
The Delhi government Saturday said the Election Commission has refused to approve its decision to declare a public holiday on Parshuram Jayanti on May 7. According to a Delhi government spokesperson, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accepted the demand of several social organisations and granted approval for a public holiday on this occasion. Delhi, which sends seven MPs to Parliament, goes to polls on May 12. "The Election Commission has declined to approve the Delhi government's decision to declare a public holiday on Parshuram Jayanti on 7th May," he said in a statement. It is regrettably informed that the EC refused to allow the implementation of the government's decision, it stated.