Page 791 - Politics
SSDF demands sedition case against Mehbooba Mufti
Activists of Shiv Sena Dogra Front (SSDF) Tuesday staged a protest here, demanding registration of a sedition case against former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti for "speaking the language of Pakistan". The protesters were angry over remarks made by Mehbooba on Monday in which she hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for bringing nuclear bombs in the political discourse. Led by their leader Ashok Gupta, dozens of SSDF activists took out the rally from Rani Park here, raising slogans against the PDP chief and burning her effigy before dispersing off peacefully. During a rally in Rajasthan's Barmer on Sunday, Modi had said India is no more afraid of nuclear threats of Pakistan. "Otherwise every other day they (Pakistan) used to give nuclear threats. What do we have? Have we kept it for Diwali?" he had said. Responding to Modi's statement, Mehbooba had tweeted, "If India hasn't kept nuclear bomb for Diwali, it's obvious Pakistan's not kept theirs for Eid either. Don't .
Raid to locate UP minister in Badaun
District authorities Tuesday carried out a raid at a house here following a complaint that a senior Uttar Pradesh minister was camping in the constituency from where his daughter is contesting as a BJP candidate. However, the minister, Swami Prasad Maurya, was not found at the Awas Vihar house that was searched following the complaint by Samajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav. The BJP has fielded Sanghmitra Maurya against Yadav, who is seeking re-election from Badaun. Election rules require party functionaries to leave a constituency when campaigning ends - and till polling is over - unless they are themselves registered as voters there. The SP candidate had alleged that the minister was camping in the constituency to influence voting on Tuesday in his daughter's favour. The minister is also in charge of the district in the Yogi Adityanath government. City magistrate Kamlesh Kumar Awasthi said there were reports about the minister being present at the house and a raid was carried out on .
PM Modi's wife casts her vote in Gujarat
Jashodaben Narendrabhai Modi, the wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Tuesday casts her vote at a polling booth in Unjha, a town in Gujarat.Minutes after casting her vote she said, "Modi sahab has done a lot for the country, he will do more."Besides Prime Minister's wife, his mother Heeraben Modi also cast her vote at a polling booth in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district.Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi met his mother Heeraben Modi in Gandhinagar and sought blessings.In Gujarat, while 371 candidates are in the fray for 26 Lok Sabha seats, 45 candidates are in the fray for by-polls in four Assembly seats.Over 4 crore 41 lakh voters including 2 crore 14 lakh female voter are eligible to cast their vote in the state. More than 51 thousand polling stations have been set up in the state.
India prepared to deal with impact of US decision to end waivers on imports of Iranian oil: MEA
India on Tuesday said that it is adequately prepared to deal with the impact of the US decision to not grant any fresh sanction waivers for Iranian oil imports."Government has noted the announcement by the US Government to discontinue the Significant Reduction Exemption to all purchasers of crude oil from Iran. We are adequately prepared to deal with the impact of this decision," said Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.Kumar added, "Government will continue to work with partner nations, including with the US, to find all possible ways to protect India's energy and economic security interests."US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Monday had announced that no fresh sanction waivers will be issued to existing importers of Iranian oil, including India.In November last year, the State Department had issued 180-day waivers to eight countries, including India, to give them more time to find alternative sources of oil. The waivers are set to come to an end on May
PM Modi failed to fulfill promises made to poor, farmers, tribals: Rahul Gandhi
Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not doing enough for the farmers, poor and tribals in the last five years."Prime Minister promised you many things. He said that you (farmers) will get better prices for your production, he also assured that the government will set up a food processing plant. Did you get it? He made fake promises," Rahul Gandhi said while addressing a rally here.Further sharpening his attack on the Prime Minister, the Gandhi scion said, " What he (PM Modi) did to people was anyway (injustice), but we (Congress) will do NYAY with the people."While raking up the topic of Rafale fighter jets deal, he stated, "When Prime Minister went to France, the French prime minister told him to buy 36 jets instead of 136 for Rs 16,000 crore. But he told the French PM to sideline the government companies and give the contract to thief Anil Ambani.""Anil Ambani has to return Rs 45,000 crore to the banks but if our farmers fail to pay Rs
Harris supports Congress over Trump's impeachment
Democratic presidential candidate Senator Kamala Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican descent, has said that she supports Congress moving towards President Donald Trump's impeachment.
LK Advani casts vote in Ahmedabad
Veteran BJP leader LK Advani cast his vote at a polling booth in Shahpur Hindi School here on Tuesday.Advani, who is sitting MP from Gandhinagar, has been replaced by BJP president Amit Shah. The veteran BJP leader has won from the seat six times.Advani and senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi are among those who have not been fielded by the party for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.Advani on April 4 wrote a blog in which he said, "Right from its inception, the BJP has never regarded those who disagree with us politically as our 'enemies', but only as our adversaries. Similarly, in our conception of Indian nationalism, we have never regarded those who disagree with us politically as 'anti-national'.""The party has been committed to freedom of choice of every citizen at personal as well as political level," the BJP stalwart had said in his recent blog titled 'Nation First, Party Next, Self Last'.The statements were seen as a veiled dig at the current leadership of the BJP.The third ...
LS polls: Chief Ministers of Goa, Kerala and Gujarat cast vote
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Tuesday cast vote in their respective states in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections."This voting is being done for a corruption-free India. People are voting to remove poverty and unemployment," Pramod Sawant told media after voting along with his wife Sulakshana Sawant at Government Primary School in Sankhali.Vijay Rupani along with his wife Anjali cast vote at a polling booth in Anil Gyan Mandir School in Rajkot, Gujarat."Since morning, people are waiting in queues to cast votes. I have also voted with my family. All voters in Gujarat want to see Narendra Modi become the Prime Minister of the country again. BJP will win all 26 seats in Gujarat," Rupani told ANI.Vijayan also cast vote at a polling booth in RC Amala Basic UP School in Kerala's Kannur district.PDP leader and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti also cast her vote at a polling ...
36.61% voter turnout reported till 1 pm in Karnataka
Karnataka registered 36.61 per cent voter turnout during the first half of second phase of polling for the remaining 14 out of total 28 Lok Sabha constituencies Tuesday. The highest turnout was recorded in Shimogga with 41.66 per cent and the lowest in Gulbarga with 30.48 per cent till 1PM, poll officials said. Interestingly, both Shimogga and Gulbarga are high profile constituencies. In Shimogga, former Chief Minister and state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa's son B Y Raghavendra is pitted against another former Chief Minister S Bangarappa's son Madhu of JD(S). Raghavendra had defeated Madhu during the bypolls held in November last year, and is seeking re-election. Madhu is the joint candidate of the ruling Congress-JD(S) alliance. In Gulbarga, the battle is between Congress leader inLok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge and BJP's Umesh Jadhav. Jadhav against whom the Congress had moved the assembly speaker seeking his disqualification had quit as Congress MLA ahead of polls and ...
FIR lodged against Narsingh Yadav for campaigning with Congress candidate
Amboli police on Tuesday lodged a case against wrestler Narsingh Yadav who is serving as an ACP with Maharashtra police after he was allegedly found campaigning for the Congress.A First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Yadav under section 129 (2) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, after he was found campaigning alongside Sanjay Nirupam, Congress candidate from North West.Section 129(2) states no member of a police force, shall endeavour to persuade any person to give his vote at an election, or to influence the voting of any person at an election in any manner.The police have said that Yadav will face departmental proceedings.
Lok Sabha polls: BJD alleges MCC violation by Dharmendra Pradhan, writes to EC
Biju Janta Dal (BJD) on Tuesday approached the Election Commission seeking one week ban on BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for allegedly flouting the model code of conduct by campaigning for the party at the polling booths after casting his vote on Tuesday.In a letter written to the EC, the party said: "This is to bring to your kind notice that a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct has been conducted by BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan today. After casting his vote today, he has campaigned for his party by providing a media byte which has been telecasted. The said media byte which has been telecasted is provided in the enclosed Pen Drive as evidence. The transcript of his media byte is also enclosed in the Pen Drive.""Campaigning for his political party and that too at the Polling Booth and this being telecasted across the state is a flagrant violation of the Model Code of Conduct and Election Guidelines by BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan," the .
PM Modi keeping mum on farmer suicides, lack of jobs: Pawar
NCP chief Sharad Pawar has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of deliberately maintaining "silence" on issues like suicide by farmers and unemployment while campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a rally at Bhayander in Thane district of Maharashtra Monday night, Pawar said unemployment has gone up manifold since the NDA government came to power in 2014. The former Union minister alleged that the Modi government lacked policies for ensuring industrial and agricultural growth. He was canvassing for Anand Paranjape who is the NCP candidate from Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency. "Due to lack of any industrial policy, unemployment has gone up in Maharashtra which is the most industrialised state in the country. Modi government is deliberately not making any attempts to ensure growth of industries and agriculture," the NCP chief said. Claiming that as many as 11,990 farmers have killed themselves since the BJP government assumed office, Pawar said the prime minister ..
Voters are the real judge in democracy: Chhattisgarh CM
Exuding confidence that Congress will sweep all 11 Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Tuesday said that voters are the real judge in a democracy.Baghel exercised his franchise at polling booth number 55 in Durg as part of the third phase of Lok Sabha elections that is underway."We have said what we had to say in favour of the party and our candidates. Now the voters will decide. They are the real judge in a democracy. I have full confidence that all 11 seats in Chhattisgarh will be won by Congress," Baghel told ANI after casting his vote here.Polling is being held for seven Lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh. Election to the four parliamentary constituencies was held on April 11 and 18.The third phase of Lok Sabha elections are underway at 116 parliamentary constituencies across 13 states and two Union Territories.Counting of votes will take place on May 23.
Naveen Patnaik's exit is certain in Odisha: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched a direct attack on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, saying that his exit was certain and that a handful of officers will not save him.
Rahul promises Special Kisan Budget from next year
Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday that a Special Kisan Budget will be presented in Parliament next year if the party is voted to power in the ongoing general elections.
Congress defends Rahul over 'Chowkidar chor hai' jibe
The Congress on Tuesday defended party chief Rahul Gandhi over his "Chowkidar chor hai" jibe aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying it was a mere political slogan and the party never intended to attribute it to an earlier Supreme Court order.
UP records over 35 pc voter turnout till 1 pm in third phase of LS polls
Braving scorching heat, an estimated 35.49 per cent of voters exercised their franchise till 1 pm Tuesday in 10 Lok Sabha seats of Uttar Pradesh even as EVM snags were reported at some booths. Prominent leaders in the fray in this phase are four members of SP patron Mulayam Singh Yadav's clan besides those of senior party leader Azam Khan and actor and BJP candidate Jaya Prada. The office of the chief electoral officer here said Moradabad witnessed the highest turnout of 39.24 per cent till 1 pm. There were reports of EVMs malfunctioning in some booths which have been promptly attended to it, the Chief Electoral Officer here said. A report from Sambhal said there had been reports of EVMs developing a snag in polling booths in Chandausi and Asmoli vidhan sabha segments of the Aonla Lok Sabha seat. In Pilibhit, polling at the sensitive polling booth in Kukrikheda started about an hour late because of faulty EVMs. At the polling booth in Etah Zila Panchayat, voters alleged that presiding
Iranian parliament labels entire US military as terrorist
Iranian media say the parliament has approved a bill that labels all US military forces as terrorist. The legislation is a step further after Iranian lawmakers last week approved a bill labelling US troops in the Mideast as terrorist, a day after the US terrorism designation for Iran's Revolutionary Guard came into effect. The report by the semi-official ISNA news agency says 173 out of 215 lawmakers at the session voted for the bill on Tuesday. The bill also demands the Iranian government take unspecified action against other governments that formally back the US designation. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Israel have all supported the Trump administration's designation. The US on Monday said it will no longer exempt any countries from US sanctions if they continue to buy Iranian oil.
SC issues contempt notice to Rahul Gandhi for his remarks on Rafale verdict
The Supreme Court Tuesday issued criminal contempt notice to Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his "chowkidar chor hai" remark on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while referring to the Rafale judgment, which the apex court said was "incorrectly attributed" to it. The top court said it will hear on April 30 the criminal contempt petition filed by BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi against Gandhi along with the pending review petition against the December 14, 2018 verdict in the Rafale fighter jet deal. It rejected Gandhi's plea to close the criminal contempt petition filed by Lekhi. On hearing senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, on behalf of Gandhi, a bench headed by Chief Justcie Ranjan Gogoi said: "We deem it fit to issue notice to the respondent (Rahul) Gandhi." "We also direct the registry to list the review petition along with the contempt petition next Tuesday," said the bench, also comprising Justices Deepak Gupta and Sanjiv Khanna. At the outset the bench asked senior advocate Mukul ...
39.27 pc voter turnout till 1 pm in Gujarat
An average 39.27 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm in Gujarat where polling was underway in all 26 Lok Sabha seats of the state. There were complaints of technical glitches in EVMs at some booths, an election official said. The polling process was going on peacefully, he said, adding that no untoward incident was reported so far. Following the commencement of polling at 7 pm, an average 39.27 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 1 pm, according to official figures. Braving the scorching heat, people from all walks of life were coming out to exercise their democratic right as long queues were seen outside several polling booths. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, party veteran L K Advani and Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani cast their votes in the state. Shah urged people to come out in large numbers to vote during this "festival of democracy". State additional chief electoral officer Ashok Manek said some EVMs were replaced after ...