Page 825 - Politics
EC serves show-cause notice to Pragya on Karkare remark
The Election Commission (EC) Saturday issued a show-cause notice to Malegaon blast accused and BJP candidate from Bhopal Pragya Singh Thakur over her remark about Hemant Karkare, the Maharashtra ATS chief who was killed in the 26/11 terror attack, an official said here. Addressing BJP workers here Thursday night, Thakur had claimed that Karkare died during the attack as she had "cursed" him for torturing her when he probed the blast case as chief of the Anti-Terrorism Squad. However, after her remarks kicked up a row, she tendered an apology Friday. "We took suo motu cognisance of the statement and sought a report from the assistant returning officer (ARO) on the matter. We got the report this morning and we have issued notice, which is returnable within 24 hours, to the organiser of the programme and the person who made the statement," District Election Officer and Bhopal Collector Sudam Khade told PTI. "We have also sent ARO report's copy to the EC," he said. Asked ...
After scrutiny, 7 left in fray for Ladakh LS seat
After the scrutiny of nomination papers Saturday, seven candidates were left in the fray for the Ladakh Lok Sabha constituency. The last date for withdrawal of names is April 22 in the constituency that is going to the polls on May 6. Besides candidates of the Congress and the BJP, five independents are also in the fray now. According to election officials, the candidature of BJP's covering candidate Dorjay Angchuk was rejected during the scrutiny by returning officer Avny Lavasa. While the BJP has fielded the current chief executive councillor (CEC) of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Tsering Namgyal, the Congress has given ticket to Rigzin Saplbar, a prominent Buddhist leader and a former CEC of the Ladakh council. The five candidates who are contesting as independents are Asgar Ali Karbalai, Sajjad Hussain, Kacho Mohammad Feroz, Tsering Namgial and Asgar Ali. Among the independents, Congress rebel and former MLA Asgar Ali Karbalia enjoys the backing of ...
Amit Shah meets Sunny Deol, fuels speculation for Amritsar seat
BJP president Amit Shah met Bollywood actor Sunny Deol at Pune Airport lounge on Friday evening. The meeting which lasted around five minutes sparked speculations that the BJP might field the actor from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency.Yogesh Gogawale, BJP district president, Pune while talking to ANI confirmed that the meeting between the two was scheduled but refused to divulge the details of the conversation."It was a scheduled meeting. I don't know what conversation took place between them," Yogesh told ANI."Amit Shah came to Baramati as per the scheduled programme. When he was at the airport, Sunny Deol was also there. He met Amit Shah for five minutes," he added.BJP had fielded its senior leader Arun Jaitley from Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in 2014. However, Jaitley lost to Captain Amarinder Singh of the Congress.The seat was won by Navjot Singh Siddhu in 2004 and 2009 on a BJP ticket.Siddhu was reportedly miffed at being denied a ticket from Amritsar in 2014. In fact, this is said ..
PM Modi using central agencies against Opposition; dislodge him from power: Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Central government of using central agencies against the political opponents to cover up its failure in delivering the promises made in the last Lok Sabha elections."Like the Congress party, they (BJP leaders) are also abusing CBI, ED and I-T Department against their political opponents to cover up their failures committed in the past five years," Mayawati said at a joint rally of SP-BSP-RLD alliance here.She slammed the BJP for promising big in the last general elections, but not fulfilling it in the last five years.Mayawati said: "Modi promised big to the poor, the youth, farmers, labourers, women, traders, Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis, and Muslims in 2014. But he did not fulfill even one-fourth of the promises."The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that PM Modi-led government spent its energy and time to benefit the rich of the country."He spent most of the time and energy to benefit and .
Raihan, Miraya join mom Priyanka in Kerala after her election rally
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday was accompanied by her son Raihan and daughter Miraya after addressing an election rally at Arrekode town in the district.Priyanka on Saturday addressed four public rallies including one in Wayanad from where her brother Rahul Gandhi is contesting the Lok Sabha election apart from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh.Later in the day, she also held a road-show at Arrekode. This was Priyanka's first election campaign outside Uttar Pradesh for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.Earlier addressing an election rally she alleged the Central was government spending 'time and resources' on industrialists, but not on farmers, which is "tragic."Coming down heavily on BJP-led Central government, Priyanka said: "When a government ignores the needs of the people; writes off loans of big industrialists to the tune of Rs 3,17,000 crore, hose loans, but does not have time to help and support farmers like you, people who are struggling and suffering to feed ..
IAF recommending Wg Cdr Abhinandan for wartime gallantry award 'Vir Chakra'
New Delhi (India), Apr 20 (ANI) The India Air Force is recommending Wg Cdr Abhinandan Varthaman for the wartime gallantry medal Vir Chakra for shooting down an F-16 in aerial conflict with Pakistan.While Abhinandan has been recommended for the Vir Chakra, the 12 Mirage 2000 pilots who bombed targets in Pakistan are being recommended for the Vayu Sena Medal for gallantry for their acts of bravery, government sources said.The Vir Chakra is the third highest gallantry award in the military during the times of war after the Param Vir Chakra and the Mahavir Chakra.In the meanwhile, amid concerns over Abhinandan's security, the Air Force has posted out the ace fighter pilot from Srinagar to another important air base in the western sector along the Pakistan border."The posting order of the officer has been issued and he would soon be moving out of the Srinagar air base to his new place of posting," government sources told ANI.The new posting (name of the airbase being withheld due to ...
NIA arrests 13th accused in Delhi ISIS module case
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested Mohammad Gufran, suspected of being a key conspirator in plans to carry out terrorist attacks in Delhi NCR and Uttar Pradesh.He is the 13th accused to be arrested in the NIA probe in connection with its probe against an ISIS-inspired group, which was allegedly planning to target places of importance in and around National Capital Territory of Delhi.Gufran who is a resident of Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh was inspired by the ideology of ISIS and formed a pro-ISIS module namely Harkat Ul Harb-e-Islam, the NIA said."During the investigation, it was established that Gufran is one of the key conspirators in planning to carry out terrorist attacks in Delhi NCR and UP. It was further revealed that he was instrumental in the procurement of arms and ammunition and also explosives to carry out terrorist attacks," the investigating agency said.Apart from Gufran, 12 other people have already been arrested in the case.The case ...
Army commander visits hinterland bases in terror-hit Kishtwar
Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Ranbir Singh Saturday visited Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district and reviewed the operational preparedness and the prevalent security situation. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Udhampur-based northern command, Lt Gen Ranbir Singh, interacted with police and civil administration officials and exhorted all for their synergised efforts to defeat attempts of anti-national elements to revive militancy in the region, a defence spokesperson said. He, along with the White Knight Corps Commander Lt Gen Paramjit Singh, visited the hinterland bases and posts in Kishtwar sector to review the operational preparedness and the prevalent security situation in the wake of recent terrorists initiated incidents, a defence spokesperson said. Communally sensitive Kishtwar, which was declared terrorism-free over a decade ago, was rattled by the killing of BJP state secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar on November 1 last year, followed by ...
Al-Bashir to be probed over money-laundering suspicions
Sudan's public attorney on Saturday ordered the African country's ousted President Omar al-Bashir to be investigated on suspicion of money-laundering and possession of large sums of foreign currencies.
Total 86 nominations filed in Delhi so far
A total of 38 nominations were filed on Saturday for the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi, scheduled on May 12, taking the total to 86. Eight candidates filed their nominations from Chandni Chowk, including two independent candidates, and leaders from lesser known outfits like the Sarvhit Samaj Sewa Party and the Kanshiram Bahujan Dal. Five candidates filed nominations from northeast Delhi parliamentary constituency, including candidates from smaller parties -- Republican Party Of India(A) and Satya Bahumat Party. Nine candidates filed papers from east Delhi, out of whom two were independents. Two candidates filed their papers from New Delhi, including a woman candidate fighting as an independent. Four candidates filed their papers from northwest Delhi, including two independents. Five candidates filed their nominations from west Delhi, including an independent and candidates from lesser known outfits -- Proutist Bloc India and Asankhya Samaj Party. Four candidates filed their nominations ...
Bhanot fails to get elected as Asian Athletics Assn Sr VP
Former Indian Olympic Association (IOA) Secretary General Lalit Bhanot on Saturday lost the election for the post of senior vice president of the Asian Athletics Association (AAA) here. Bhanot, who served as the vice president of the AAA from 2015, lost to Surapong Ariyamongkol of Thailand for the lone post of the Asian body at its 23rd Congress here. Ariyamongkol secured 25 votes while Bhanot, who also served as Secretary General of Athletics Federation of India for more than a decade, got 19 votes. Dahlan Al-Hamad of Qatar was re-elected as the AAA president for another four-year term (2019-2023). Bhanot was not allowed to contest IOA elections in 2014 by the International Olympic Committee after being jailed for some months in connection with the 2010 Commonwealth Games scandal, but there was no such bar on him to contest the AAA polls. He is currently the chairman of Planning, Coaching, Monitoring and Implementation Committee.
Sisodia clears air on AAP-Congress alliance talks
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia on Saturday said the alliance with the Congress in the national capital was not possible as the grand old party refused a tie-up in Haryana.
Cong pursues vote bhakti, we have desh bhakti: Modi in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday charged the Congress with having placed vote bank politics above national interest while it was in power at the Centre. He said lies are being spread that his government introduced 10 per cent reservation for the weaker sections of the unreserved categories will eventually do away with the quota system. In a bid to reach out to the farmers, the prime minister announced that in his next term he will ensure that the ceiling of ownership of five acres of land for beneficiaries of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Nidhi Yojana is made available to all. "The country has witnessed two types of politics of vote bhakti and of desh bhakti. The former was on display when after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks the government of the day did not go after Pakistan for abetting terror. "It rather chose to derail the investigations in many terror cases by coming up with the theory of Hindu terror. Desh bhakti was demonstrated by us when the Uri ...
Cong MP Gowda hits out at BJP over LS ticket to Pragya
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda Saturday lashed out at the BJP for Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur's candidature from Bhopal Lok Sabha seat. Thakur is pitted against senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijaya Singh in Bhopal. Thakur is under fire for saying former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad chief Hemant Karkare died in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack because she had cursed him for 'torturing' her when he probed the Malegaon blast case as then chief of the state Anti-Terrorism Squad. "The BJP had no other candidate that they had to go for a terror accused?" Gowda, convener of the Congress' manifesto committee, questioned. "She is out on bail on health grounds. Here is a person charged with a crime of this nature (Malegaon blast case) and the prime minister acknowledges her candidature," he said. "After she is nominated (by the BJP), she defames a martyr. This is what PM Narendra Modi and BJP chief Amit Shah have ...
Kirti Azad files papers for Dhanbad LS seat
Cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad filed his nomination papers on Saturday for Jharkhand's Dhanbad Lok Sabha seat on a Congress ticket.
EC orders transfer of Malda police chief
The Election Commission Saturday ordered the transfer of the Malda police chief in West Bengal, just days ahead of the April 23 Lok Sabha polls in the district. The Commission asked the state government to shunt out Arnab Ghosh as SP, Malda, and replace him with Ajoy Prasad, who is heading a state armed police battalion. The EC also made it clear to the state government that Ghosh should not be put on election duty. Malda goes to polls on April 23 in phase three of Lok Sabha elections. Recently, when the poll watchdog had transferred some senior police officials, state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused it of working as a "tool" of the BJP-led government at the Centre. Rejecting the allegation, the EC had said it was well within its rights to transfer officials during election period.
AAP gives unconditional support to LDF in Kerala
The Aam Aadmi Party has extended unconditional support to all candidates of the Left Democratic Front in Kerala for the Lok Sabha elections, party leader Somnath Bharti said. CPI(M) leader Nilotpal Basu thanked the AAP for the support. "Our main aim is to remove the NDA and stop communal tension and polarisation done by them and in this direction, we are campaigning in different states. We thank the AAP for supporting us," he told reporters in a joint press conference with Bharti. Meanwhile, the AAP suspended its Kerala convener C R Neelakandan for allegedly announcing the party's support to the Congress in the southern state without any consultation with the party's political affairs committee. Bharti said Neelakandan held a press conference in Kerala and said the AAP supports the candidates of the Congress in the state. "That press conference was unauthorised and conducted without the knowledge or consultation of the Aam Aadmi Party. The AAP's political affairs committee has ...
Scindia demands apology from Sadhvi for her remarks over Hemant Karkare
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Saturday demanded an apology from Bhopal BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur for her remarks over late IPS officer Hemant Karkare."I want to say that if someone comments on martyrs, who gave their life for this country, then there is nothing more condemnable than this. I have clearly said that the individual who has made those remarks must apologise to the family of the martyr and to the country for it," Congress general secretary for west Uttar Pradesh said while talking to reporters here.Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur had said on Thursday: "I called Hemant Karkare and asked him to let me go if there is no evidence (against me). He (Karkare) said that he will bring evidence but will not leave me. I told him -- You will be ruined."Scindia was here to file his nomination papers for the Lok Sabha polls."The agenda is the condition of the country -- the condition of farmers, youth, and women. No matter, how much the BJP is trying to distract ...
Guj Minister compares Rahul with a puppy wagging its tail at sight of food
Gujarat Cabinet Minister Ganpat Vasava on Saturday once again stoked controversy by comparing Congress president Rahul Gandhi with a puppy, wagging its tail at the sight of food."When PM Modi stands, it looks like the lion of Gujarat is standing. When Rahul Gandhi stands, it looks like a puppy is there wagging its tail; if Pakistan offers it a chapatti, it'll go there; if China offers it a chapatti, it'll go there," Vasava said.The BJP minister made the statement while addressing a public rally here in support of the Member of Parliament Mansukhbhai Vasava.Vasava had earlier stirred a controversy after he said that Rahul Gandhi should be made to consume poison by his party workers to prove that he is a true devotee of Lord Shiva.
Amid security concerns, IAF transfers Wing Commander Abhinandan from Srinagar
New Delhi (India), Apr 20 (ANI) Amid concerns over his security, Air Force has posted out ace fighter pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman from Srinagar to another important air base in the western sector along the Pakistan border."The posting order of the officer has been issued and he would soon be moving out of the Srinagar air base to his new place of posting," government sources told ANI.The new posting (name of the airbase being withheld due to security reasons) is also a fighter base and if the officer is cleared for flying, he would be able to continue his flying duties, the sources said.Wing Commander Abhinandan has the unique distinction of being the only pilot in the world to have shot down an F-16 combat aircraft from his vintage MiG-21 Bison aircraft on February 27 during aerial conflict with Pakistan.There were concerns over his security in Srinagar due to the presence of Pakistan-backed terrorist groups including a large number of Pakistani jihadis in the Kashmir ..