Page 683 - Politics
Over Rs 1,000 cr released in advance for states affected by Cyclone Fani: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said over Rs 1,000 crore had been released in advance for the states affected by Cyclone Fani. Addressing an election rally here, he said the government was with the people in times of crises. A detailed review meeting was held and he had been given the latest updates on Cyclone Fani, Modi said as the extremely severe cyclonic storm hit Odisha on Friday morning. "Lakhs of families are affected by a cyclone in the coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry and the Centre is in touch with the state governments. I got the latest update from officers sometime ago and also held a detailed review meeting yesterday. More than Rs 1,000 crore have been released in advance," Modi told the rally in Rajasthan's Hindaun town, located in Karauli district. He added that the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Coast Guard, the Navy and the Army were engaged in the relief works. "I want to assure the people of .
PM Modi, Raje wish Gehlot on his 68th birthday
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot turned 68 on Friday and leaders across political parties, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former state chief minister Vasundhara Raje, wished him. "On his birthday, I convey my greetings to Rajasthan CM Shri @ashokgehlot51 ji. Praying for his good health and long life," Modi tweeted. Raje and several other leaders also greeted the chief minister. Rajasthan Congress president and Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot also wished Gehlot on his birthday, saying his contribution for the state's development has been incomparable.
In Cong rule, farmers won't face jail for loan default: Rahul
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Friday said no farmer will be jailed for not repaying loans if his party comes to power at the Centre. He also said under the Congress rule, the country's youth will not have to obtain any permission for the initial three years to run a business. "When Congress government comes to power in 2019, no farmer will be sent to jail for not repaying bank loans, he said at an election rally here. Gandhi said if his party was voted to power at the Centre, 22 lakh youth will be given government jobs in a year and 10 lakh others will be recruited in panchayats. "There will be no need for the youth to take any permission to run a business for the first three years," he said. On the Nyuntam Aay Yojana (Nyay) scheme, which the party plans to introduce if voted to power, Gandhi told the male members in the gathering, "Don't get angry. The Nyay money is going to be deposited in the bank accounts of women. Rs 72,000 a year and Rs 3.60 lakh in five ...
Rise of the Right in Bengal will be a novel phenomenon
Mamata Banerjee's prime ministerial ambitions may have been severely jolted by the violence during the West Bengal elections which has recalled, according to a polling officer, what used to happen in Bihar a decade or so ago.
Centre effects senior-level bureaucratic rejig
As many as 10 additional secretaries have been appointed in various central government departments as part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre. IAS officer Vijoy Kumar Singh has been appointed additional secretary and financial adviser in the Ministry of Textiles, an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel said. Currently, he is the joint secretary at the Department of Personnel and Training. Anurag Agarwal has been named additional secretary and financial adviser in the Ministry of Power. Agarwal, at present, is the joint secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Meenakshi Sharma, a 1988-batch officer of the Indian Audit and Accounts Service, has been appointed director general (tourism). She, at present, is additional director general (tourism). IAS officer Sanjay A Chahande has been named textile commissioner, Ministry of Textiles. He is currently deputy director general, Unique Identification Authority of India, Mumbai. Ravi Agrawal, joint secretary ..
Now India enters Pakistan take on terrorists: Manoj Tiwari
Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari on Friday said that India, which for years faced the menace of terrorism, was now giving a befitting reply to terrorists across the border by entering Pakistan.
I pray for future of this great nation: Robert Vadra on Sadhvi's remark that caressing cow helps control BP
"I pray for the future of this great nation," said Robert Vadra, Priyanka Gandhi's husband, on Friday taking a jibe at BJP candidate in Bhopal Lok Sabha consituency Sadhvi Pragya Thakur.Vadra took to Facebook to take a dig at the Malegaon blast accused over her remarks that caressing a cow from the back towards the neck helps in curing blood pressure issues."Well, what can I say? I pray for the future of this great nation. The future of our next generation is in our hands. Let's move forward not backward," he said.Vadra urged the voters to "use their vote sensibly".The Election Commission of India (ECI) had on May 1 barred Thakur from campaigning for 72 hours for seeking votes on the religious lines and thereby violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).So far, Thakur has been served three notices by the ECI for violating the MCC on various occasions.Thakur had made headlines for multiple controversial statements made by her since her candidature from Bhopal was announced by the BJP .
Secularism is intact in India because of Hindus: Yogi Adityanath
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 3 (ANI): Asserting that Hindu terrorism is not even a word, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that secularism is intact in India because of Hindus.He said that the Congress party should apologise to the nation for linking Hinduism with terrorism.In an exclusive interview to ANI, Adityanath said, "Hindu terrorism is not even a word. By linking Hindu with terrorism, Congress has disrespected the country's culture, tradition, and legacy. It should apologise to the nation."He said unlike Pakistan where secularism is in "shambles", In India "Secularism is intact because of Hindus. Congress is maligning the image of India on a global platform."When asked on BJP's decision to field Pragya Singh Thakur from Bhopal, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that the 2008 Malegaon blast accused, Pragya is the perfect answer to Opposition's Hindu terror allegations. Pragya Thakur still has charges against her under the UAPA (Unlawful ...
Libya: Death toll rises to 392 in Tripoli fighting
More than 390 people have lost their lives and over 1,900 are wounded due to the fighting between UN-backed government forces and Khalifa Haftar's army in Tripoli since April 04, according to the World Health Organisation.Libya has been largely divided into two factions ever since the death of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The Libyan National Army-backed parliament controlled the east of Libya, while the UN-backed interim Government of National Accord (GNA) governs Libya's western region from Tripoli.Around 50,000 people have also been displaced, ever since Haftar launched his campaign to take over GNA-controlled Tripoli in early April, as per Xinhua.Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Serraj on Thursday said there will be no cease-fire until Khalifa's forces "return to where they came from," during a cabinet meeting.As the situation escalated, countries like India, Nepal, USA removed their peace-keeping forces from the region. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has repeatedly called
Protect farmers' fields as that is nationalism as well: Priyanka to PM
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra advised Prime Minister Narendra Modi to protect the fields of farmers on Friday, saying that is nationalism as well. "You are protecting people from Pakistan's aggression. This is a big achievement. Everyone is happy. But you should also protect the fields of farmers. That is nationalism as well," she told an election meeting here in support of her mother and the Congress candidate from Rae Bareli in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls, Sonia Gandhi. "Loving people also means respecting them. If they are saying something, you (PM) should listen to them as their voice is the voice of democracy. What kind of nationalism is this that you ignore farmers, youngsters and women?," the Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh said. "When you demonstrate for your rights, your voice is curbed. Why is this done? Because the government is afraid of your power. They know that they did not honour any of the promises they had made in the last five ..
China-India border tensions persist but they prevent escalation: Pentagon
Border tensions between China and India persist but the two countries have thus far prevented these disagreements from escalating to a level similar to the 73-day long Doklam standoff, the Pentagon has told the US Congress in a report. In its annual report to the Congress, the Pentagon said that as part of its "active defence" strategy, China's leaders use tactics short of armed conflict to pursue China's strategic objectives. Activities are calculated to fall below the threshold of provoking armed conflict with the United States, its allies and partners, or others in the Indo-Pacific region. "These tactics are particularly evident in China's pursuit of its territorial and maritime claims in the South and East China Seas as well as along its border with India and Bhutan," the report said. China is engaged in hotly contested territorial disputes in both the South China Sea and the East China Sea. Although Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, Vietnam, the Philippines, ...
Former Kerala Finance Minister dead
Former Kerala finance minister V Viswanatha Menon passed away at a private hospital here Friday, his family said. He was 92. He is survived by his wife and two sons. He had been undergoing treatment at the hospital here for age-related ailments. Menon, a former Communist leader, served as the Finance Minister in the CPI(M)-led LDF government headed by E K Nayanar in 1987. He had also served as Member of Parliament twice. Menon entered politics during his student life at the age of 13. As a student, he fought against the British rule. Earning the wrath of the authorities, he was suspended from Sri Rama Varma High School. Later in 1947, he expelled from Maharajas College, Ernakulam, for protesting against the call to hoist Kochi royal's flag along with the Indian flag. Menon also served a three-year jail term for various political reasons including the Edapally police station attack case in 1950. He went underground for more than two years after the police station attack ...
Amit Shah's election rallies in Jharkhand cancelled
BJP president Amit Shahs three election rallies in Jharkhand on Friday have been cancelled due to the cyclonic storm Fani which slammed the coast of neighbouring Odisha, a party leader said here. Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das, Bihar Health Minister Mangal Pandey and Ajsu party president and former deputy chief minister Sudesh Mahto will address the rallies, BJP Jharkhand unit Spokesman Pradip Sinha said here. "The election rallies by party president Amit Shah ji in Koderma, Khunti and Ranchi have been cancelled, Sinha said here. Shah was scheduled to address the rallies ahead of the May 6 polling for the three Lok Sabha seats. While former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda is BJPs candidate from Khunti Lok Sabha constituency and pitted against Kalicharan Munda of the Congress, Sanjay Seth of the saffron party is fighting against former Union minister and Congress candidate Subodh Kant Sahay in the Ranchi seat. The BJP has fielded Annapurna Devi from Koderma ...
25 US lawmakers urge Trump admn not to terminate GSP benefits to India
The US should not terminate the GSP programme with India after the expiry of the 60-day notice period on Friday, a group of 25 influential American lawmakers has urged the US Trade Representative, warning that companies seeking to expand their exports to India could be hit. The Generalised System of Preference (GSP) is the largest and oldest US trade preference programme and is designed to promote economic development by allowing duty-free entry for thousands of products from designated beneficiary countries. On March 4, President Donald Trump announced that the US intends to terminate India's designations as a beneficiary developing country under the GSP programme. The 60-day notice period ends on May 3. On the eve of the end of the notice period, the 25 US lawmakers made a last-ditch effort to convince the Trump administration from going ahead with its decision. The 25 members of the US House of Representatives in a passionate letter urged US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer ..
SC to hear DMK plea against TN Speaker on Monday
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear on Monday the DMK's plea against Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker's notice for disqualification of three AIADMK MLAs, who extended support to rival leader and AMMK founder TTV Dhinakaran.
Those contesting 37, 38 seats aspiring to be PM: Yogi on Mahagathbandhan
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 3 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday hit out at 'Mahagathbandhan', saying that their leaders aspire to become Prime Minister, even as they are contesting on just 37-38 seats."At least 272 seats are needed to become the Prime Minister. Only the BJP has this capacity. Those who are contesting on just 37-38 seats, will they become Prime Minister?" Yogi told ANI in an exclusive interview."Those times are gone. People now want a stable government," he asserted when drawn attention towards H D Deve Gowda, who was made the prime minister in 1996 when the United Front- a conglomeration of non-Congress and non-BJP regional parties- decided to form the government.Mayawati, the BSP supremo, last month had said that she would use her experience as former UP Chief Minister "if we get an opportunity."When asked about Mayawati's claim that the next PM would be from UP, Adityanath said, "Modi ji is from UP. He contested the last election
Dias is not for singing 'bhajans' but to attack opposition: Yogi on EC notice
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 3 (ANI): Do we go to the dais to sing devotional songs? We go there to defeat the opposition party and hit out at them, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Friday."Bhajan karne ke liye jaate hai kya manch pe? Ukhad dene ke liye aur apne virodhi ko gherne ke liye manch pe jate hain," Adityanath told Smita Prakash ANI.Adityanath was referring to the show cause notice issued to him by the Election Commission (EC) over his recent controversial remarks while campaigning for Lok Sabha elections."Our work is to highlight the opposition's weakness in front of the people. We do not mind it even when Congress or Samajwadi Party (SP) 'abuse' us during their election campaigning. If we revert, why are we called wrong?," Adityanath told ANI while sharpening his attack on the opposition.The EC had on May 2 served a notice to the UP Chief Minister over his 'Babar ki aulad' remark made during a rally in Sambhal on April 19.Yogi claimed how he once
If Yechury has problem with Ramayan,Mahabharat he should change his first name 'Sitaram', says Shiv Sena
Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut lambasted CPM's Sitaram Yechury for his remark that "Ramayana and Mahabharata are specimen of Hindu violence.""What is the meaning of Hindus being violent? Ramayana and Mahabharata conveyed one central message - victory of good over evil, truth over falsehood. Ram, Krishna and Arjuna are symbols of truth. If this is the meaning that they interpret then tomorrow they will say that our Jawans fighting against Pakistan is violence. When we defend ourselves against Pakistani acts of terrorism in Kashmir, is that violence?" said Raut."Sitaram Yechury's ideology is his own ideology. His ideology has only one objective, i.e., to attack Hindus and make oneself the premier secular person," he added."If Sitaram Yechury calls Ramayana and Mahabharata Hindu violence, then he should remove Sitaram from his name. He should also change their candidate Kanhaiya Kumar's name as his name is also Krishna's name," the Shiv Sena leader contended.Four phases of election are now
Pak obsessed with India as 'perceived existential threat'; uses terrorists as tool: ex-CIA director
Pakistan, obsessed with India as a "perceived existential threat", has created terrorist groups to be a tool against India, a former top American spymaster has said. Former CIA acting director Michael Morell, in a podcast discussion with Kurt Campbell and Rich Verma on Thursday, alleged that Pakistan is one of the most dangerous countries in the world. Pakistan has "created terrorist groups to be a tool" in their struggle against India, Morell said. Campbell, the former Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs and Verma, the former US Ambassador to India, now regularly host 'The Tealeaves' Podcast of the Asia Group. "What they don't realise is that it's impossible to keep those terrorist groups under control. And that eventually comes back to bite you. You know, I believe that Pakistan, at the end of the day, maybe the most dangerous country in the world," Morell said. Morell who played a key role in the Abbottabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden -- the al-Qaeda chief and .
Veteran lawmaker poised to win Panama presidential election
Voters go to the polls to elect a president on Sunday in booming Panama, with anti-graft candidate Laurentino Cortizo the favorite to succeed incumbent Juan Carlos Varela. Cortizo, a 66-year-old businessman and cattle rancher who campaigned on an anti-corruption ticket in a country tainted by Latin America's Odebrecht bribery scandal, heads into the election with a commanding lead in opinion polls. A Democratic Revolutionary Party candidate, Cortizo has 36 percent support. His closest challenger, former foreign minister Romulo Roux of the Democratic Change (CD) party, has 26.2 percent. There is no second-round runoff in the Central American state's presidential election, so the candidate with the most votes on Sunday wins. Cortizo, a veteran politician known popularly as "Nito," said he wants to "rescue and transform Panama" and "leave a legacy" untainted by corruption. "Hear me well, so that later they can't say they didn't hear it, we are going to do without stealing," he told ...