Page 707 - Politics
German Parliamentarian meets AYUSH Secretary
The member of German Parliament, Robby Schlund, on Tuesday met the Secretary of the ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy), Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha here.During the discussion, Robby who itself is an Ayurvedic practitioner underlined the need to enhance cooperation between India and Germany in the field of alternative medicine including Ayurveda and Homeopathy.Meanwhile, the Secretary of AYUSH Kotecha informed German Parliamentarian about the steps taken by the Ministry to popularise the traditional system of medicine in India and worldwide.
World communist movement suffering from 'ideological bankruptcy': Prachanda
The world communist movement is suffering from "ideological bankruptcy", Chairman of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' said on Tuesday. Prachanda made the remarks on the eve of International Labour Day on May 1 at an event in Kathmandu where he honoured former minister for science and environment and trade union activist Ganesh Shah. Speaking on the occasion, the former prime minister asked all the workers to "take the side of socialism standing against the imperialist forces." "The world communist movement is suffering from ideological bankruptcy," Prachanda said, without explaining. "The international community is not only suffering from political fascism but also from economic fascism as a handful of capitalists are taking control of 90 per cent of world assets," said H Mahadevan, Deputy General Secretary of World Federation of Trade Union. Trade Unions can be powerful weapons in the hands of workers to change the world social
Ex-Congress MLA Bhisham Sharma joins BJP
Expelled by the Congress last week for engaging in "anti-party activities", former Congress MLA from Delhi's Ghonda Assembly constituency Bhisham Sharma on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
BJP failed to tackle J&K, Maoist problems: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed the Narendra Modi government saying that its constant "torture and violence" on the locals had turned Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) into a "burning fire pit".
EC imposes fresh ban on Azam Khan from holding rallies
Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan was on Tuesday barred from campaigning for 48 hours for his provocative remarks against poll authorities in Uttar Pradesh and making communal statements, officials said. This is the second time this month that the EC has imposed a ban on him. The fresh ban will come into force at 6.00 AM Wednesday. Earlier he was barred from campaigning for 72 hours for his 'khaki underwear' jibe at BJP candidate Jaya Prada.
INLD MLA, JJP leader join Congress in Haryana
Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA Naseem Ahmed and Jannayak Janata Party leader Mohammad Illyas joined the Congress in Haryana on Tuesday. While Ahmed is the MLA from Ferozepur Jhirka, Ilyas is a former INLD lawmaker from Punhana (Mewat) who recently joined the JJP.
Priyanka breaks silence over not contesting from Varanasi
Breaking her silence over reasons for not contesting Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress General Secretary for UP-East Priyanka Gandhi Tuesday said she had the "responsibility of looking after 41 seats and could not focus on just one". "I didn't pull out...I took the advice of all senior leaders of our party and the advice of my colleagues in Uttar Pradesh and they firmly felt that I have a responsibility of looking after 41 seats," she told newspersons in Amethi from where her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi is seeking re-election. "All my candidates are still wanting me to go to their constituencies and I felt that they will be a little disappointed if I focussed only on one place," she said, explaining the reason behind taking the decision. Priyanka is in-charge of 41 Lok Sabha seats in the eastern part of the state. Uttar Pradesh has 80 Lok Sabha seats and another party general secretary Jyotiraditya Scindia is in charge .
Strong wave in favour of BJP in Ladakh: Rijiju
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju Tuesday exuded confidence that the BJP will win the Ladakh parliamentary seat in Jammu and Kashmir as there is a strong wave in favour of the party in the region. He said the people of Ladakh have "realised" that only a BJP-led government can do justice to them as they were ignored by the successive Congress governments at the Centre. "There is a strong wave in favour of BJP in the Ladakh region. People are looking to see Narendra Modi again to be sworn-in as the Prime Minister of the country," Rijiju said addressing poll rallies at Diskit in Nobra and Zanskar. "The BJP will win the Ladakh seat with a huge margin," he added. The Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency, spread over districts of Leh and Kargil, has four assembly segments -- Kargil, Zanskar, Leh and Nubra. The seat will go to polls on May 6 and over 1.74 lakh electorate will exercise their right to franchise. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said the demand for granting a division status to .
China, Nepal sign protocol to operationalise key transit treaty to access Chinese ports
China and Nepal have signed a protocol to operationalise their 2016 Transit and Transport Agreement (TTA) which will enable the landlocked Himalayan country to access Chinese sea and land ports for its foreign trade ending Nepal's dependence on India for goods and trade. The agreement on protocol along with six other deals were signed during Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari's meeting with her Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping here on Monday. Bhandari, who is on nine-day visit to China, earlier took part in China's 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held here from April 25-27. Nepal is signatory to the China's trillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). While the official media here said, several agreements have been signed between the two countries, the Nepalese media reported that the protocol was among the agreements signed. The protocol operationalises the TTA signed by Nepalese Prime Minister K P Sharma Oil during his visit to China in 2016 at the height of the Madhesi agitation
J&K Governor's twitter handle hacked
Embarrassment was caused to the Jammu and Kashmir Raj Bhawan on Tuesday after the official twitter handle of Governor Satya Pal Malik was hacked showing him as a follower of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan.
US says 'fully supports' Venezuelan people's 'quest for freedom'
The United States on Tuesday threw its full weight behind Venezuela's self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido, as the opposition leader said troops had joined his campaign to oust President Nicolas Maduro. "Today interim President Juan Guaido announced start of Operacion Libertad," tweeted Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, as Maduro's government vowed to put down what it called an attempted coup. "The U.S. Government fully supports the Venezuelan people in their quest for freedom and democracy. Democracy cannot be defeated," Pompeo wrote. Earlier, the White House urged Venezuela's armed forces to stand by the country's "legitimate institutions." "@vladimirpadrino: The FANB must protect the Constitution and the Venezuelan people," tweeted National Security Advisor John Bolton, addressing the country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. "It should stand by the National Assembly and the legitimate institutions against the usurpation of democracy. The United States stands with ...
Netanyahu sworn into Israel's new parliament after election victory
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sworn into Israel's new parliament on Tuesday following his victory in April 9 elections and will seek to form a governing coalition in the days ahead. Netanyahu was among the 120 members of the Knesset, or parliament, sworn in during an official ceremony. Netanyahu's Likud won 35 seats in the election, the same as his main opponents from the centrist Blue and White alliance, led by ex-military chief Benny Gantz. Support from smaller right-wing parties allied to Likud led to a majority of 65 parliament members supporting Netanyahu to continue on as premier. But Netanyahu also faces the prospect of becoming the first sitting prime minister to be indicted. The attorney general has announced he intends to indict him for bribery, fraud and breach of trust pending a hearing. He is not required to resign if indicted, only if convicted with all appeals exhausted. Netanyahu's outgoing government was considered the most right-wing in Israel's history and ..
Hyderabad: CBI raid underway at residence, offices of YSRCP leader Raghuram Krishnam Raju
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday conducted searches at two residences and four offices of YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Raghuram Krishnam Raju in connection with Rs 2655 crore bank fraud case.Raju is contesting general elections from the Narsapuram Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh.Raid is underway.Further details are awaited.
AAP betrayed Delhiites on 96% of its promises: BJP
BJP leader Vinay Sahasrabuddhe on Tuesday accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of betraying the people of Delhi on 96 per cent of its promises, including those like reduced electricity bills, CAG audit of power discoms, free Wi-Fi, CCTVs in buses, 3,000 beds in government hospitals, 900 new Primary Health Centres and more security for women.
Lowest voter turnout in Kashmir reflection of prevailing situation under BJP rule: Cong
The Congress's Jammu and Kashmir unit Tuesday said the lowest voter turnout in the valley during the ongoing Lok Sabha polls was the "reflection" of the prevailing security situation which has deteriorated and reversed to 1990's under the BJP-led NDA rule. It also attacked the BJP for "exploiting" regional aspirations of the people of Ladakh and Jammu regions for vote bank politics. "On the security front, BJP government has reversed the situation (in Kashmir) back to the level of early 90s which is the biggest ever failure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi...the lowest ever voting and no polling in vast pockets is a cause of great concern and indication of the prevailing situation in the valley which is a reflection of BJP government," Pradesh Congress Committee chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said. The Baramulla parliamentary constituency of north Kashmir, which went to polls in the first phase on April 11, recorded 34.71 per cent polling, while the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat ...
SC seeks EC response on Congress MP's plea alleging MCC violations by PM, Amit Shah
The Supreme Court Tuesday sought Election Commission's response on a plea by a Congress MP alleging MCC violations by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah over their alleged hate speeches and using armed forces for "political propaganda". A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said it would hear at Thursday the plea of Sushmita Dev, Congress Lok Sabha MP from Silchar in Assam and President of 'All India Mahila Congress', alleging inaction by EC in deciding complaints against Modi and Shah. The bench, also comprising Justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph, made clear that it would be open to the EC passing "necessary/appropriate orders on the representation(s) of the petitioner (Dev)". There have been reports that the poll panel officials would sit on Tuesday to decide complaints of violations of model code of conduct (MCC) by various leaders, including the Prime Minister, the BJP Chief and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, during campaigning for the Lok Sabha ...
Oppn lost sleep after 4th phase, May 23 'expiry date' for SP-BSP alliance: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday took a swipe at Opposition parties, saying those who cannot win enough seats to claim the Leader of the Opposition post in parliament are getting clothes stitched for becoming prime minister. He also hit out the SP-BSP alliance, saying that May 23 is the "expiry date" for the grouping, and their leaders will tear each others' clothes after the Lok Sabha poll results are declared that day. At his rallies in Bahraich and Barabanki in the politically crucial state of Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to Lok Sabha, Modi said opposition leaders have lost their sleep after four phases of polling In Bahraich, where he addressed the rally first, Modi said, "After the fourth phase, those who are not in a position to become Leader of Opposition (LoP) by getting 50 to 55 seats, are getting clothes stitched for becoming PM." "They want somehow to make a 'khichadi' (alliance) government, a weak government," he said, adding leaders from his rival parties want to
TN law minister objects to AMMK flag, approaches EC
AIADMK leader C V Shanmugam Tuesday approached the Election Commission asking it to prevent Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam from using a flag that closely resembles that of the ruling party in Tamil Nadu. The State law minister also took exception to AMMK workers using the colours of the AIADMK's flag as borders in their dhotis. While, the AIADMK flag has red, white colours (used for the picture of first chief minister of the state C N Annadurai in the centre) and black, AMMK uses the same colour combination with the picture of former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in the centre. Speaking to reporters at Delhi after meeting EC officials, the minister said, "AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran had given an assurance to the Supreme Court that he would not stake a claim in the AIADMK. In stark contrast, his party is using a look-alike flag and 'Amma's picture." We strongly condemn this, particularly AMMK workers using AIADMK party flag on their dhotis," he added. Shanmugam meeting with
Notice on Rahul's citizenship rubbish, ruling party's fear of losing may be behind it: Priyanka
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Tuesday termed "rubbish" the MHA notice to her brother and Congress president Rahul Gandhi on his citizenship status, and claimed the ruling party's "fear of losing" the Lok Sabha polls might have prompted this move. "I have never heard such rubbish. All know Rahul Gandhi was born, raised here," she said. "All kinds of misleading publicity are being undertaking. They are such liars that they say that Rahulji is not a Hindustani... you all know about my family... we don't need to give evidence. People are our proof," she said. "The entire Hindustan knows that Rahul Gandhi is a Hindustani... he was born before them... he was brought up before them...he grew up before them...what rubbish is this?" Priyanka shot back when asked about the notice issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Asked about the intention behind it, she said, "I have not heard anything like this, it seem that it is out of fear that they might be losing." The MHA has asked Rahul ..
Our 'fauji' Varanasi candidate has take the wind out of BJP's sails: Akhilesh
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Tuesday said his party had taken the wind out of the BJP's sails on the issue of terrorism after fielding a 'fauji' (soldier) candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. The Samajwadi Party on Monday announced dismissed BSF constable Tej Bahadur Yadav as its candidate from Varanasi. "The Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are talking about terrorism during campaigning. By giving ticket to a 'fauji' in Varanasi, we have taken the wind out of the BJP's sails," Akhilesh said, addressing an election meeting here. "This is a real fauji who has guarded the borders of the country. BJP people claim that the country is safe because of them, but we say the country is safe because of our jawans. The people should not be misled by them," Akhilesh said. Stating that the BJP came to power in 2014 on the back of "tall promises", the SP president asked the people of Banda and Bundelkhand to see for themselves what had been done .