Page 699 - Politics
Factories of terrorism are still operating in Pakistan: PM Modi
The factories of terrorism are still operating in Pakistan, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday, adding that "they are looking for an opportunity for us to lose the focus."Addressing a poll rally here, Prime Minister Modi talked about recent Easter Sunday attack that rattled Sri Lanka while reminding the public of the past such attacks in India."We recently saw what happened in Sri Lanka. The situation was almost similar in India prior to 2014. We cannot forget the blasts that had happened in Ayodhya and Faizabad. We cannot forget the days when blasts would happen at some place or the other on every other day," he said."In the last five years, such news has stopped coming. But this doesn't mean that terrorists have been finished. The factories of terrorism are still operating in our neighbourhood," said the Prime Minister.He also asserted that one of India's neighbours only exports terrorism while accusing the opposition parties of being soft on terrorism."They only have ...
Ex-BSF man's nomination cancelled in Varanasi
The Election Commission has cancelled the nomination of former Border Security Force trooper Tej Bahadur Yadav, who was set to contest from the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
JD(S) minister says his party workers might have voted for BJP, remark irks Cong
Karnataka minister G T Deve Gowda on Wednesday said that his party JD(S)' workers in Mysuru and elsewhere might have voted for the BJP, underlining the unease between ruling coalition partners. The Congress and the JDS had fought the Lok Sabha elections together, but the seat sharing understanding was marred by differences between members of the two parties which had been bitter rivals before they joined hands to form government. "There were some differences between the two parties. Take Udbur for example. People fought like there any panchayat election. "Those who were in Congress voted for Congress and those in JD(S) voted for the BJP. Similar things happened elsewhere too," Gowda told reporters in Mysuru. Gowda added that if the two parties could have combined their strength, there was no scope for the BJP to win even five seats out of 28 in Karnataka. He also pointed out that coalition should have been formalised much earlier for better coordination and results. The statement ...
Sitaram Yechury writes EC, alleges misuse of official machinery by PM Modi
Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of Communist Party of India (Marxist) CPI (M) on Wednesday wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging misuse of the official machinery by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for electoral gain in the Lok Sabha elections.In the letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner, Sunil Arora, Yechury has also expressed concern regarding the manner in which the ECI is dealing with the complaints regarding the violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Through the letter, Yechury informed the Commission, "a web magazine has published an article showing the manner in which government infrastructure and machinery has been brazenly used by the Prime Minister's Office for securing information from various ministries, as well as, concerned state and district administration to provide inputs for preparing his election speeches.""The article also provides documentary evidence to this effect," Yechury said.The CPI (M) ..
BJP offered Rs 10 cr each to our 7 MLAs: AAP
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday accused the BJP of indulging in horse-trading and said that it offered Rs 10 crore each to at least seven of its MLAs for joining the saffron party ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
BJP of misusing government machinery: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati here on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of misusing the government machinery to influence elections and slammed the Election Commission (EC) over its silence.
If granted full statehood, Delhi will become 'as bad as UP, Bihar': Ajay Maken
Senior Congress leader and party candidate from the New Delhi constituency, Ajay Maken, says full statehood will be a disaster for the national capital and the law and order in the city will become "as bad as Uttar Pradesh or Bihar". Maken said Delhi being the national capital is "fully" funded by the Union government and that the tax burden on its people will increase if it becomes a state. "The salary of the Delhi Police alone is Rs 8,000 crore per year. The Union government spends more than Rs 3,000 crore a year on five-six super specialty hospitals in the city. The local administration doesn't have to pay a single penny," he told PTI. Petrol prices in Delhi are the lowest as compared to all other metros in the country because the central government bears most of the cost of fuel subsidy, he said. "Why should the people of Delhi pay more tax just because Arvind Kejriwal wants more power?" the Congress leader asked. "It will be a disaster for Delhi. The city will become as bad as ...
NYAY scheme an answer to BJP's wrong policies: Rahul Gandhi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi Wednesday termed the NYAY scheme as an answer to the wrong policies of the BJP government which have "annihilated" the country's economy. Addressing an election rally for party candidate Kaiser Jahan at the Gulzar Shah ground in Biswan, the Gandhi scion slammed the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Demonetisation and GST together annihilated the country's economy. The NYAY Scheme of the Congress is the only answer to the poor people affected by the wrong policies of the BJP," the Congress chief said. "Modi ji favoured a group of 15 people by giving them Rs 5,55,000 crore but the Congress will take this amount back from them and use it for benefitting 25 crore poor families of this country," he added. Talking about the plight of farmers, Rahul Gandhi said the monetary help being offered to them in the name of seeds and fertilisers is no less than a joke. "Our Prime Minister helped Anil Ambani by giving him the ...
Loan waivers will make farmers lethargic: Khattar
The BJP's no-loan waiver policy for farmers will not have any political impact in Haryana in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who believes that such schemes only make hardworking people lethargic. Khattar, who is the first BJP chief minister of Haryana, also says that Congress's Nyay scheme has no shadow budget and can only be implemented if all other schemes are closed. "There will be no negative impact of the no-loan waiver policy. The farmers have matured. Rather than providing them loan waivers, we have made efforts to improve their profits. The prices of the crops have been set at much higher rates. We have announced aids to them but not waivers. Farmers are happy with our initiatives to make their business profitable... They had never seen this kind of money," 65-year-old Khattar told PTI in an interview. "The farming community in Haryana wants to eradicate the reasons for their economic downfall. Once you get something for free,
Cong moves EC against alleged misuse of PMO for Modi's poll campaign
The Congress Wednesday moved the Election Commission against alleged misuse of the Prime Minister's Office to collect information in advance about places where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to campaign. The opposition also asked the poll watchdog to issue directives against the holding of a rally by Prime Minister Modi in Sagar in Madhya Pradesh on May 6. The Congress claimed that the rally in Sagar could influence polling in adjoining Damoh parliamentary seat. Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi, speaking outside the EC, said the party made two representations to the poll watchdog, including one on the alleged misuse of government machinery for campaigning. The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) is "misusing" the NITI Aayog and asking it to write letters to the district administration of those places where the prime minister is scheduled to campaign in the next few days, he claimed. In the letter, details of places such as its cultural significance have been sought, Singhvi
Maharashtra Naxal attack: Rahul condoles killing of 15 security personnel
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday expressed his deepest condolences with the families of those killed in the Naxal attack in Maharashtra. At least 16 persons, including 15 security personnel, were killed in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district Wednesday, police said. The blast followed Naxals torching 25 vehicles belonging to a road construction contractor earlier in the day. "I am saddened to hear about the attack on security personnel inGadchiroli district in Maharashtra," Gandhi said on Twitter. "I express my deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives," he said. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also paid homage to those killed the attack. "In this hour of grief, me and the Congress party stand with the families of the martyrs. The whole country is against the violence perpertrated by Maoists. We will defeat this violent ideology together," she tweeted.
Despite tall talk, Modi govt learnt no lessons from Pulwama: Cong on Naxal attack in Gadchiroli
The Congress on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led government over the Naxal attack in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, saying that despite its "tall talk" no lessons from Pulwama have been learnt. Senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel said the country needs preventive action, accountability for this failure and not 'jumlas' (rhetoric) and lectures. At least 16 people, including 15 security personnel, were killed in an IED blast triggered by Naxals in Gadchiroli district Wednesday, police said. The blast followed Naxals torching 25 vehicles belonging to a road construction contractor earlier in the day. "We condemn the brutal terror attack on our jawans in Maharashtra. India stands firmly behind their families, well wishers & friends in this hour of grief," Patel tweeted. "Once again terrorists have targeted the convoys of our jawans. Clearly despite their tall talk no lessons from Pulwama have been learnt. It is a wake-up call for state and central governments," he said, referring to the ...
Even those contesting on 8 to 20 seats harbour dreans of becoming Prime Minister: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday took a swipe at opposition leaders claiming that even those leaders whose parties are contesting in a limited number of seats now harbour dreams of becoming prime minister.Addressing a poll campaign rally, PM Modi said, "Today even those contesting on 8 seats, 20 seats and 40 seats also want to become prime minister. They should know that even to become the leader of the opposition more than 50 seats are required."He also attacked the Congress by asserting that the party is contesting at the lowest number of seats despite being in power for very long."One of the special characteristics of this election is that the Congress, which ruled for the longest after independence and has many former ministers and chief ministers is in such a condition that it is fighting on the least number of seats in these elections," said PM Modi.Prime Minister also asserted that he has been continuously working with the single aim of putting right all those things ..
Mueller objected to AG's depiction of Russia probe
US Special Counsel Robert Mueller wrote a letter to Attorney General William Barr in March objecting to his early description of the Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election that appeared to clear President Donald Trump on possible obstruction of justice, the media reported.
Mamata silent on Omar's 'separate PM remark' as she's concerned about her vote-bank: Amit Shah
BJP president Amit Shah on Wednesday claimed that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was silent on NC leader Omar Abdullah's 'separate Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir' remark as she was concerned about her vote bank."Omar Abdullah said recently that there should be a Prime Minister in Jammu and Kashmir. Is it possible that you have two prime ministers in a country? We want to know from Mamata didi that what is her stand on Omar Abdullah's demand. But she will not break her silence as she is concerned about her vote bank," Shah said at a public rally here.He reiterated that Kashmir will remain an integral part of India even if the BJP was not in power."I want to tell Rahul Gandhi, Mamata didi and Omar Abdullah. Today, we are in power and Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister. He will continue to hold his post in the coming days as well. But, if a day comes when the BJP is not in power, our workers will fight to ensure that Kashmir remains an integral part of India," Shah ...
No proof of India using Afghan soil against Pakistan: US
The US on Wednesday said it does not have the "evidence" that suggests that India is using Afghan soil to perpetrate terrorism in Pakistan.
BJP attempting to 'buy' seven AAP MLAs at Rs 10 crore each: Sisodia
Accusing the BJP of indulging in horse trading, AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Wednesday alleged that seven of his party MLAs in the national capital have been offered Rs 10 crore each to join the saffron party. The BJP however rubbished the claim terming it "bizarre allegation" and a "desperate bid to gain attention". Sisodia alleged the BJP had earlier too tried to "buy" AAP MLAs and they were given appropriate response by the public, and claimed that this time also they will get a befitting reply. "Since the BJP does not have any development issue to raise, it has now come down to indulging in horse trading by attempting to buy seven of our MLAs at Rs 10 crore each," he said. Sisodia also hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his comment that 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs in West Bengal are in touch with him and will desert their party once the BJP wins the general elections. "It does not suit the prime minister to make such comments. He (Modi) should .
Centre , J-K administration making mockery of democracy: JKNPP
The JKNPP Wednesday expressed displeasure over the delay in holding assembly elections in the state and accused the Centre and the state administration of making a mockery of democracy by denying the people their right to choose a government. A meeting of the Election Commission to decide the possible dates to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir remained inconclusive Tuesday even as the poll panel decided to approach legal experts on the issue of President's rule in the state. The 'full commission', comprising Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora and fellow commissioners Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra, met in New Delhi to discuss the stand of Jammu and Kashmir administration which wants the election to be held sometime in November. The state administration had approached the EC last week, saying it is not in favour of holding assembly polls in the near future in view of the ongoing tourist season and the forthcoming Amarnath Yatra in the Valley, which will begin on July ...
Maduro slams Pompeo's Cuba claims
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro dismissed US Secretary of States Michael Pompeo's claim that the embattled President was planning on leaving the South American nation, but was convinced not to do so by Russia.Speaking to CNN, Pompeo alleged that Maduro's plane was parked on the runway, and he was prepared to depart to Cuba on Tuesday before being talked out of it by unnamed Russian officials.Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova had earlier refuted the Secretary of State's claim. "Washington tried its best to demoralize the Venezuelan army and now used fakes as a part of information war," she said.Maduro branded Pompeo's claims to be "craziness," calling them "lies and manipulation.""Please, Mr. Pompeo, you're not being serious," Maduro said, in a televised address where he slammed the latest overthrow attempt.Venezuela saw one of its bloodiest days in recent times on Tuesday, after opposition leader Juan Guaido declared he was "beginning the final phase of ...
Congress moves EC against PM's May 6 rally in MP
The Congress on Wednesday petitioned the Election Commission (EC) seeking its direction against Prime Minister Narendra Modi's election rally to be held in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh, on May 6.