Page 850 - Politics
Modi 'misleading' youths on work done by Cong govts: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Thursday said India is positioned to be a 'superpower' due to the work done by successive Congress governments and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of misleading youths on the issue. He said the prime minister is "misleading" the new generation who are not aware of the contribution of the Congress governments. "India is positioned to be a superpower and this could be possible because of the Congress. Modi should tell people what his government has done in five years instead of misleading people. He is doing politics in the name of Army," Gehlot said at a public rally here. "... Modi is targeting youths through social media. He is misleading them and the social media is being misused," he said. On Modi's statement that he was being targeted over his Other Backward Classes (OBC) status, the chief minister said such remarks were uncalled for and that the PM says such things to win elections. Gehlot said Modi won elections in Gujarat by telling ...
Rahul changes tactics, attacks SP, BSP
In an unexpected move, Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday mounted an attack on SP and BSP, saying the two along with the BJP had destroyed Uttar Pradesh.
Congress wants to install "helpless" PM, says Modi
The Congress wants to install a "helpless" prime minister, Narendra Modi said Thursday, making a forceful plea for people's mandate for a strong government, focusing on national security. Addressing two rallies in north Karnataka on the final lap of his campaign for Lok Sabha polls in the state, Modi mocked the "never ending drama" marked by revenge and emotion that he said characterised the Congress-JDS coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy. "If you want to see majboot sarkar (strong government) look towards Delhi, and if you want to see majboor (helpless) government look towards Bengaluru," he told the crowd, amid the polling for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections to 14 constituencies in Karnataka. Aiming big, BJP has set a target of winning 14 of the 28 Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, betting high on the "Modi wave". In the 2014 polls, BJP had bagged 17 seats. Modi has held back to back rallies covering all the regions in Karnataka and the state BJP has not ..
Worry over 'modern art thing' on rebuilt Notre-Dame
Conservative French politicians expressed concern Thursday about the prospect of modern architecture being added to Notre-Dame cathedral after the government invited design proposals for a new roof and spire. Politicians from France's right-wing Republicans and far-right National Rally (RN) party called on the government to restore the cathedral exactly as it was before the devastating fire broke out on Monday evening. French President Emmanuel Macron has set a five-year target for the reconstruction to be completed and has said "an element of modern architecture could be imagined." "Let's stop this madness: we need to have absolute respect for French heritage," Jordan Bardella from the National Rally told LCI channel, rejecting the idea that "some modern art thing" might be added. "Modern art makes me nostalgic for the arts of the past," he added. Construction of Notre-Dame began in the mid-12th century and continued for 200 years, but the landmark has been repeatedly restored over .
We will see a new PM everyday under "mahamilawat" govt: Shah
Taking a dig at the grand alliance of opposition parties, BJP president Amit Shah Thursday said there will a new prime minister everyday of the week if such a "mahamilawat" or "highly adulterated" government comes to power at the Centre. Addressing an election rally here in Bilaspur district, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the only leader in the country who can give a befittingreply to Pakistan for its anti-India actions. "There are two camps clearly visible in this election - one NDA and its allies led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which is united and then there is mahamilawat (highly adulterated) gathbandhan of Rahul Baba and company," he said. "When I asked them that if by mistake their alliance gets elected, who will be your Prime Ministerial candidate...? silence is the only answer I get. "One of my party workers sent me a message on WhatsApp about their planning if they get elected. That is, on Monday Sharad Pawar will be the PM, while on Tuesday it ...
Something wrong with EVMs, need to study them: Pitroda
Technocrat-turned-politician Sam Pitroda said Thursday that he feels there is something wrong with Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). He can not pinpoint the flaw immediately and would need to study the machine for that, the Congress leader said. "As an engineer, as a technical expert, I am not satisfied with EVM," Pitroda said at a press conference here. "But I have not been able to pinpoint it because I do not have an EVM. If someone gives me an EVM to study for a year, then I can say something," he said. "You will have to understand the design, the software ....But one thing is for sure, there is something wrong with it. We do not know what is wrong with it," said Pitroda, who had served as adviser to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Opposition parties recently demanded counting of at least 50 per cent of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail slips during the Lok Sabha elections, claiming that EVM's reliability was doubtful. On the feasibility of the Nyay scheme ...
Iran flexes military muscle after US terrorist listing
Iran showcased all of its military might at its annual parade on Thursday following the US decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group.
Khaki underwear jibe: Azam making such remarks to divert attention from real issues, says Noor Bano
Condemning SP leader Azam Khan's "khaki underwear" jibe against BJP candidate from Rampur Jaya Prada, Congress leader Begum Noor Bano says that he wants to divert people's attention from real issues by making such remarks. The erstwhile Rampur royal also hit out at the Samajwadi Party (SP) for not condemning Khan's remarks, saying she is pained by the party's silence. "I want to ask SP is it okay for a political person to disrespect a woman? The party is not answering on this issue. And the party, by staying mum, shows that they want this to happen," said Noor Bano, a two-time MP from here. "They (SP) talk of Muslims and are getting women disrespected every time. I am pained by the silence of the party. It is something that every woman should condemn," she told PTI. Noor Bano alleged that there has been no development despite Khan making so many promises. Khan always tries to divert from real matters and in the past, he has raised Hindu-Muslim issues for this purpose, she ...
Not satisfied with EVM: Sam Pitroda
Sam Pitroda, a confidant of Congress president Rahul Gandhi, on Thursday said that he is not satisfied with the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections."As an engineer, a technical expert, I am not satisfied with EVM, but I have not been able to pinpoint because we do not have EVM. If someone gives us EVM to study for one year, we'll be able to tell you something," Pitroda said while addressing a press conference here."You will have to understand the design, its software. Every little signal will have to be analysed. Then only you can say something. But one thing is clear that there is some problem, what is the problem we don't know," he added.In reference to Congress party's manifesto, Pitroda said, "People's opinion was heard for Congress manifesto. We spent five-six months listening to people, spoke to villagers. We went from countries to countries, met domain experts, held a huge meeting in Dubai where members from 12 countries came."He added, ...
Sadhvi Pragya to file nomination from Bhopal on April 23, will bank on Hindutva, nationalism
Malegaon blast accused and BJP candidate Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur on Thursday said that her main focus will be on nationalism and Hindutva to win Bhopal Lok Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh. She will file nomination on April 23."I will highlight the attack on religion and Rashtradharm (national duty) by Congress," Sadhvi told media at a press conference here.She avoided responding to reporters' question on her plan for the development of the constituency.Sadhvi, who is on bail, dubbed the Opposition's questions on Rafale jet deal and Balakot airstrike as anti-national.When asked about her agenda on development, Sadhvi said: "If a person who is committed to the nation is declared as a terrorist, if questions are raised on soldiers and their actions, and if information on defence deals are asked to be made public then these actions amount to anti-national acts. If the nation is secured, we will be safe. And if we are safe, only then we can bring in development.""We will soon come with our
Scrap electoral bonds now, says CPI-M
The CPI-M has urged the Supreme Court to kill the electoral bonds, calling it a "diabolical scheme which legitimizes big corporate and illegal money funding to the ruling party".
SAD seeks transfer of Muktsar SSP, accuses him being 'partisan'
Opposition Shiromani Akali Dal Thursday urged the Election Commission to transfer Muktsar police chief Manjit Singh Dhesi expressing apprehension that a free and fair elections was not possible under his supervision. In a written complaint to the ECI, the party has alleged that the Muktsar Senior Superintendent of Police played a "partisan role" during panchayat and zila parishad elections last year. "During the block samiti and zila parishad elections last year, a number of incidents of booth capturing and bogus voting were reported from various places with the most such incidents occurring in Shri Muktsar Sahib. "SAD supporters were threatened and even expelled from polling booths," party spokesperson Daljit Singh Cheema alleged in a statement issued here. Dhesi was the Muktsar SSP at that time, he said. "Even now, the same police officer was holding the post...and it was not possible to expect a free and fair poll under his supervision," Cheema alleged, urging the EC to immediately
AAP West Delhi candidate files nomination
The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) west Delhi candidate, Balbir Singh Jakhar, who was the last of seven candidates announced by the party, on Thursday became the first to file his nomination in the national capital.
BJP resorted to massive poll rigging on April 11: CPI(M)
The CPI(M) Thursday alleged that the ruling BJP in the state resorted to "massive rigging" in West Tripura Lok Sabha seat during the first phase of elections on April 11 as it was aware that people were unhappy with the pace of development work in the state. Denying the charge, the saffron party said it was the CPI(M) that had indulged in unfair practices to remain in power in the state for 25 years. Addressing a press meet here, CPI(M) state secretary Gautam Das said "development work has come to a standstill" since the BJP came to power. "The massive rigging in the first phase of polls was the manifestation of the BJP's frustration after realizing that its support base has eroded in the state. They (BJP) have cheated the people of Tripura by not fulfilling the promises made before last year's assembly polls," he said. Hailing the decision of the Election Commission to defer polls in East Tripura (ST) constituency, Das said law and order has collapsed in the state. He ..
Centenarian casts vote in Bihar, asks others to follow suit
Leaning on a stick for support, centenarian Nand Kishore Agarwal arrived at his assigned polling booth to cast his vote on Thursday and advised the next generation voters to follow his example. Clad in a white dhoti and kurta, Agarwal exercised his franchise at a college under Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat around 9 am, saying voting is a "national duty" for him. Agrawal said he is 101 years of age though his voter ID card says he was 74 as on January 1, 1974. He said he has been voting since 1952, when the first general elections were held. "I was 34 during the 1952 elections. It was an unforgettable experience. I have been casting my vote since then but that memory remains as fresh as ever," Agrawal said. "It is our national duty to cast our votes. Participation in the electoral exercise is a must to ensure the nation's progress. I would be happy if younger ones draw inspiration from my example," he said.
NKorea says it tested new weapon, wants Pompeo out of talks
North Korea said Thursday that it had test-fired a new type of "tactical guided weapon," its first such test in nearly half a year, and demanded that Washington remove Secretary of State Mike Pompeo from nuclear negotiations. The test, which didn't appear to be of a banned mid- or long-range ballistic missile that could scuttle negotiations, allows North Korea to show its people it is pushing ahead with weapons development while also reassuring domestic military officials worried that diplomacy with Washington signals weakness. Separately, the North Korean Foreign Ministry accused Pompeo of playing down the significance of comments by leader Kim Jong Un, who said last week that Washington has until the end of the year to offer mutually acceptable terms for an agreement to salvage the high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. Both the demand for Pompeo's removal from the talks and the weapon test point to North Korea's displeasure with the deadlocked negotiations. In a statement issued under the .
No Pak soldier or citizen died in Balakot air strike: Swaraj
External Affairs Minister and BJP leader Sushma Swaraj Thursday said no Pakistani soldier or citizen died in the air strike carried out by the Indian Air Force across the border in response to the Pulwama terror attack in February. Addressing women party workers here, she stressed on a 2014-like full majority BJP-led government this time also, saying former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee could not do everything which he wanted to because he was heading a coalition administration. The IAF had struck a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist training camp in Pakistan's Balakot area on February 26, in response to the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. Swaraj said the air strike was carried out in self- defence. "When we carried out air strike across the border after the Pulwama terror attack, we had told the international community that we took that step in self-defence only. "We had told the international community that the armed forces were
Kremlin says Kim Jong Un will visit Russia this month
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Russia later this month, the Kremlin said Thursday, in a meeting that offers President Vladimir Putin an opportunity to emerge as a broker in the long-running nuclear standoff and raise Russia's profile in regional affairs. The Kremlin said in a brief statement Thursday that Kim will visit Russia "in the second half of April" on Putin's invitation, but gave no further details. Russian media have been abuzz in recent days with rumors about the rare meeting between the leaders. Putin is set to visit China later this month, and some media speculated that he could meet with Kim in Vladivostok, the far eastern port city near the border with North Korea. Kim said last week that he is open to a third summit with U.S. President Donald Trump, but set the year's end as a deadline for Washington to offer mutually acceptable terms for a deal. The North Korean leader blamed the collapse of his February summit with Trump on what he described as unilateral
DMK moves Election Commission against AIADMK
The DMK on Thursday complained to the Election Commission that the ruling AIADMK and its allies planned to capture polling booths in Tamil Nadu.
Modi govt will be thrown out of power : Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday said the NRC, which the BJP proposes to implement in the country if it comes to power, will boomerang on the saffron party and become the "NBC - National Bidaay (Farewell) Certificate". Banerjee, who was addressing a poll rally at Maldaha North parliamentary constituency, reiterated that she will not allow NRC in the state and called upon the people to throw out the Modi government for its 'divisive politics'. She also hit out at the Congress and the CPI-M saying that they had lost their relevance. "We will not allow NRC in Bengal and the decision for NRC will boomerang on the BJP and become the NBC or 'National Bidaay (Farewell) Certificate'. The Modi government must be thrown out," Banerjee said. Repeating her allegation that the saffron party is trying to divide the nation on religious lines, the Trinamool Congress supremo said people will give it a befitting reply by voting it out of power. She also claimed that her