Page 709 - Politics
Rahul citizenship: Rajnath soft-pedals notice issue
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday asserted that the notice issued by his Ministry to Congress President Rahul Gandhi regarding his citizenship was a "normal process" undertaken in response to a question raised by a Member of Parliament.
Sena asks if Oppn intends to have new PM face every 6 months
Slamming NCP chief Sharad Pawar over his comments on prime ministerial candidates if the BJP does not get the required mandate in the Lok Sabha polls, the Shiv Sena Tuesday sought to know if the opposition intends to have a new prime minister every 6 months. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said neither BSP supremo Mayawati, Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, NCP chief Sharad Pawar nor Congress president Rahul Gandhi will become prime minister. "There can be only one prime minister and that is Narendra Modi ji. Who does the opposition have who is credible enough to become prime minister? Or does the opposition plan to have a new face every 6 months in the name of a stable government," Raut told PTI. Pawar had recently backed Banerjee, Naidu and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati as top contenders for the post of prime minister if the NDA fails to win a majority after the Lok Sabha elections. Explaining the ...
After admitting guilt in front of SC, Rahul has lost credibility: BJP
The BJP Tuesday said Congress President Rahul Gandhi had lost credibility after expressing regret for "incorrectly" attributing his 'chowkidar chor hai' remark to the Supreme Court. "From the proceedings in the contempt petition against Rahul Gandhi, arrogance of the dynasty has been punctured. The court's proceedings in this case have signalled a message that however high you may imagine yourself to be the law is above you," BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao told reporters at the party office here. The apex court on April 15 had given a categorical clarification that in its Rafale verdict there was no occasion for it to make a mention of the contemptuous observation that "chowkidar Narendra Modi chor hain" as has been attributed to it by Gandhi. Gandhi, in his second affidavit on Monday following the formal notice issued to him by the apex court on a criminal contempt petition filed against him by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi, has written the word "regret" in bracket. "Rahul Gandhi is the .
Rahul Gandhi contested from Wayanad because people wanted him to: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday rubbished the claims that Congress president Rahul Gandhi contested from Wayanad as he was unsure of his fate from the Amethi Lok Sabha seat."It is not a sign of insecurity. Rahul went to Wayanad because our party cadres in Kerala asked him to. The people of Amethi have encouraged him to represent both south and the north," Priyanka told reporters here.Talking about her decision of not contesting from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat she said, "I did not pull out of Varanasi. I took the advice of all the senior leaders of the party and all my colleagues in Uttar Pradesh. They firmly felt that I had the responsibility of looking after all the seats. Even today, they want me to campaign in their constituencies. I did what my party asked me to do."Amethi will go to polls on May 6 in the fifth phase of the Lok Sabha elections. The counting of votes will begin on May 23.
Yogi, Priyanka campaign in Amethi, but don't come face-to-face
UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were both in Amethi on Tuesday to campaign for Smriti Irani and Rahul Gandhi respectively. Both the leaders, whose programmes ran hours behind schedule, did not cross each other's path.
Trinamool seeks cancellation of Modi's candidature
Flaying Prime Minister Narendra Modi for claiming that 40 Trinamool Congress MLAs were in touch with him and will defect to the BJP once the Lok Sabha election results were out, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded that his candidature be cancelled for encouraging horse trading during the polls.
In Rajasthan, Amit Shah says Opposition will have new PM on all week days if they win
BJP president Amit Shah on Tuesday took a jibe at the Opposition's grand alliance stating that if it managed to win in the Lok Sabha elections, then the country will have a new Prime Minister every day from Monday to Saturday, with the country going on a holiday on Sunday."If Opposition's grand alliance gets a majority then HD Deve Gowda will be Prime Minister on Monday, Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, Mayawati on Wednesday, Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday, N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday, Sharad Pawar on Saturday and the country will go on a holiday on Sunday. Can you run a country like this? How will they give adequate security to this country? They will only work for their respective families and nobody else," Amit Shah said while addressing a rally here in Alwar.The BJP president said that if Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister again, then "from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Assam to Gujarat, we will implement NRC and remove infiltrates from the country." The BJP's manifesto, promises .
MHA 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 that 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. "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 Gandhi to clarify within a fortnight his "factual position" on a complaint questioning his citizenship status. The notice was served following a representation from the BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy. Citing the ...
Gautam Gambhir issued show-cause notice over poll code violation
The poll authorities have issued a show-cause notice to BJP's East Delhi candidate Gautam Gambhir for allegedly violating the model code of conduct after an advertisement featuring him appeared in a national daily. The Media Certification and Monitoring Committee of East Delhi noticed the advertisement which appeared on April 26 in the newspaper promoting a cricket game app -- CricPlay -- along with a photo of Gambhir, according to the notice issued by the Returning Officer of the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency. "This appears to be a surrogate advertisement which appears to have political overtures in favour of a contesting candidate of a particular political party which is contrary to the Model Code of Conduct," it said. According to the notice, the advertisement, which carries the tagline 'Ab Mere saath India khelega', also committed for a daily cash prize to the winner of the game. The notice issued to Gambhir and the publication on April 29 has directed to submit or produce ...
'Failed' PM desperate to 'manufacture' false allegations everyday: Cong on MHA notice to Rahul
Hitting out at Narendra Modi after the Home Ministry issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi on his citizenship status, the Congress Tuesday termed him a "failed" Prime Minister who is desperate to "manufacture one false allegation everyday". Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala claimed that Modi has no answer on unemployment, agrarian distress and black money, and hence he is resorting to "fake narrative" through his government's notices to divert attention. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lost the plot. After four phases of elections, it is clear that Modiji and the BJP are hurtling towards an imminent defeat at a breakneck speed. Consequently, they seek to manufacture one malicious and fallacious agenda everyday," he said at a press conference. The Home Ministry has served a notice to Gandhi, asking him to clarify within a fortnight his "factual position" on a complaint questioning his citizenship status. In the letter, the Home Ministry said it has received a representation ...
MHA issues notice to Rahul Gandhi on citizenship status complaint; Priyanka calls it rubbish
In a move that comes in the middle of the Lok Sabha polls, the Centre issued a notice to Congress president Rahul Gandhi seeking the "factual position" of his citizenship within a fortnight following a complaint by a BJP MP, setting off a political row. The notice by the Union Home Ministry on Monday on the complaint from Subramanian Swamy alleging that Rahul Gandhi was a British national was dismissed as "rubbish" by Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra while her party said the entire world knows the Congress chief is an Indian citizen by birth. Congress' chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala Tuesday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party of manufacturing "one malicious and fallacious agenda" everyday. The BJP on its part posed a question asking which is real-- "Rahul Gandhi London wale or Lutyens wale". A Home Ministry official said Swamy had first sent a complaint on Rahul Gandhi's citizenship issue in September 2017 and wrote a reminder recently. As a row erupted, ...
Those who can't even give leader of oppn are stitching clothes for becoming PM: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday took a swipe at opposition parties, saying those who are not even in a position to give leader of opposition in Parliament are getting clothes stitched for becoming prime minister. Predicting doom for the SP-BSP-RLD 'mahagathbandhan (grand alliance)' in Uttar Pradesh, he said its "expiry date" is May 23 when leaders of the grouping will be at each others' throats. Results for the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, of which four phases have been completed, will be announced on May 23. "After four phases of polling, the situation is: those who are not in a position to become leader of opposition by getting 50 to 55 seats are getting clothes stitched for becoming prime minister," Modi told an election rally here. "They want to somehow make a 'khichdi' government, a weak government, so as to realise their dream of becoming prime minister...then decide who will be PM turn by turn and complete one year...will you accept this?" he asked the ...
Congress, SP-BSP can never give India a strong government: PM Modi
The Samajwadi Party (SP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) had always played divisive politics in Uttar Pradesh and their coalition will come to an end on May 23, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday."The places where SP did not have its vote banks used to be neglected when it was in power. The BSP did the same when they got the chance. They were always at each other's throat in the past. This coalition is a result of their greed for power and it will end on May 23 right after the results are announced," said Modi at an election rally here.He also said the Congress or the SP-BSP coalition can never give a strong government to the country and that the 2019 Lok Sabha elections will decide whether India could become a superpower or not."This election is above who forms the government and who wins the MP seat. It is about the position India will achieve in the 21st century. The whole country wants India to become a superpower, but this job cannot be done by a weak government. The ...
Home Ministry bound to take cognizance of allegations by any MP: Rajnath on Rahul citizenship row
Dismissing allegations of political vendetta against Congress President Rahul Gandhi over his citizenship, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said the home ministry is bound to take cognizance of the allegations levelled by any Member of Parliament."When a Member of Parliament writes to any ministry, action required on their query is taken. It is not a big development, it is a normal process," Singh told media persons here.BJP spokesperson GVL Narasimha Rao said, "MHA's notice to Rahul Gandhi is based on information provided by Rahul himself. Gandhi's company gave information on his British citizenship."On April 20, BJP MP GVL Narasimha Rao had also raised a similar objection to Gandhi's citizenship at a press conference here.Rashtriya Janata Dal MP Manoj Jha, however, opined that the allegations against Rahul Gandhi were "baseless". "These type of baseless allegations grab headlines for a day, which is the intention of Subramanian Swamy. He is a guided missile," he said.Jha
HC rejects plea seeking implementation of PMJAY in Delhi
The Delhi High court on Tuesday dismissed a plea seeking directions to the Delhi government to implement Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana (PMJAY) scheme in the national capital.A division bench comprising of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Anup Jairam Bambhani refused to interfere in the matter stating that the petition was "political" in nature.The petition in this regard was filed by a financial economist, Abhijit Mishra.Mishra in his petition highlighted the "critical failures" of the government to provide a blanket of security cover to the marginalized and weaker section of the society.He contended that the Delhi government has neither issued any notification nor has made any efforts to implement the scheme."The Government of National Capital Territory Delhi has not provided any reason to the National Health Mission as to why it has not signed the Memorandum of Understanding with Government of India for implementation of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Aarogya Yojana .
BJP asks Rahul to come clean on citizenship issue
In the wake of a Home Ministry notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi on his citizenship status, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday asked him to clarify whether he is an Indian Citizen or a British.
YSR Cong requests EC to deploy CRPF at counting centres
: Apprehending that the Telugu Desam in Andhra Pradesh could create trouble during counting of votes on May 23, YSR Congress Tuesday requested the Election Commission of India to deploy CRPF at the counting centres to neutralize the impact of the ruling party. The main opposition party also wanted constant monitoring of the counting process by ECI observers to instill confidence among the Returning Officer and other staff against "intimidation" by the TDP. YSRC general secretary and Rajya Sabha member V Vijayasai Reddy, in a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora, said there was certain information that the ruling dispensation (in AP) was planning to create disturbances during vote counting at the designated centres. The TDP, Reddy alleged, might bring forged documents to delay the counting process and also reject the YSRC agents, leaving little scope for substitution. "We have full confidence in the wisdom and actions of the ECI. We are specifically ...
Former Congress MLA Bhisham Sharma joins BJP
Former Congress MLA Bhisham Sharma who was expelled from the party last week, joined the BJP on Tuesday in a boost to the saffron party's Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari who is contesting the Lok Sabha polls from North East Delhi seat. Sharma, who was a Congress MLA for two terms from Ghonda Assembly segment under North East Delhi parliamentary constituency between 1998 and 2008, had a long-running difference with the party's Delhi unit chief Sheila Dikshit. He was expelled from the Congress for six years on charges of anti-party activities. Sharma was welcomed into the BJP fold by party vice president and its Delhi unit in-charge Shyam Jaju and Manoj Tiwari. Jaju termed Sharma an "asset" for the BJP who will boost winning chances of the party candidates in the Lok Sabha elections. Tiwari said, "How can a patriot like Sharma be with Congress whose president uses Gandhi surname but talks about Jinna." Joining the BJP, Sharma said that he was "pained over Congress leaders questioning ...
Venezuelan opposition leader freed from house arrest
A group of armed men taking orders from Venezuela's self-declared President Juan Guaido on Tuesday freed prominent opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez after five years in detention in what looks to be a significant triumph for the movement against the embattled President Nicolas Maduro.
Even guards at PM's house will say "chowkidar chor hai": Rahul
Stepping up his attack on Narendra Modi, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Tuesday said even security personnel guarding the prime minister's official residence in Delhi may say the "chowkidar" (watchman) is a "chor" (thief). Addressing a poll rally here in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh, Gandhi also reiterated his allegations over the Rafale jet purchase deal. "I can say with guarantee...if you go in front of the Race Course Road (residence of the PM) where personnel of CRPF, BSF stand with guns...and utter the word 'chowkidar' in front of them, they will respond by saying 'chor hai'. "You go to Race Course Road in Delhi and try this..say 'chowkidar'..Probably the security personnel standing before Narendra Modi's residence would say, 'chor hai'," he said. The Congress president said such reply was a given "because the entire country knows that Modi has waived Rs 5.55 lakh crore of 15 persons in the country in the last five years". Gandhi has been raising the "Chowkidar ...