Page 907 - Politics

Punjab CM lashes out at PM Modi for politicising Jallianwala Bagh centenary event

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Sunday lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly playing "dirty politics" over the commemoration of Jallianwala Bagh massacre.Taking a strong exception to Prime Minister Modi's remarks on him in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua during a rally, the Chief Minister said the Centre had deliberately chosen to hold a parallel event instead of supporting the initiatives and programmes of the state government.This came after Prime Minister Modi earlier in the day said Captain Amarinder did not get time to attend the government's Jallianwala Bagh event with Vice President Venkaiah Naidu as he was busy with 'Parivar Bhakti.'The jibe comes a day after Captain Amarinder accompanied Congress chief Rahul Gandhi to the Jallianwala Bagh memorial on the centenary commemoration of the massacre.Countering PM Modi's attack, Captain Amarinder said: "He had personally approached the Prime Minister several times over the last two years, seeking his ..

As CM I have not killed innocent people as Modi did, says HD Kumaraswamy

As the Chief Minister I have not killed innocent people as Prime Minister Narendra Modi did when he was the chief minister, said HD Kumaraswamy here on Sunday."I don't need to learn from PM Modi. As a CM, I have not taken the lives of innocent people, as he did," Chief Minister Kumaraswamy told media persons here after paying tribute to Bharat Ratna Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar on his 128th birth anniversary.Referring to the recent Income Tax (I-T) raids in the state, Kumaraswamy said: "I am not afraid of such raids.""Even when JDS president HD Deve Gowda went to someone's house for dinner, his house was raided. What kind of government is this," he asked.Kumaraswamy's comments come days after I-T Department seized Rs 1.66 crore in cash during raids conducted across the state. On March 28, a total of 24 premises were searched by I-T Department.Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda had said that raids were acts of political vendetta as the BJP wanted Kumaraswamy to form the government with their ..

It's strength of Babasaheb's Constitution that a chaiwala is PM: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said it is due to the strength of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar's Constitution that a man from a deprived and exploited class is president, a man from a farmer's family is vice president and a 'chaiwala' is the PM. Modi also attacked the opposition alliance in Uttar Pradesh, asking how those not fighting all the Lok Sabha seats in the state can give a prime minister. "It is the strength of Babasaheb's Constitution that a gentleman hailing from deprived and exploited class has become the president (Ram Nath Kovind), while the vice-president ( M Venkaiah Naidu) is from a farmer's family," he said at a rally in Aligarh district, on birth anniversary of BR Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution. "Thanks to Babasaheb's Constitution, a 'chaiwala' (tea-seller) is holding the prime minister's post," Modi said. In an apparent jibe at the SP-BSP-RLD alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Modi asked, "Those who are not contesting on all 40 Lok Sabha seats (in the ...

Thakur warns legal action against poll officials over symbol

Vasai MLA Hitendra Thakur, whose party- Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA)- failed to get its regular poll symbol 'whistle', Sunday blamed leaders of the ruling parties, and accused them of pressuring the election machinery. He also threatened to approach the Supreme Court against the returning officer and the election machinery for bowing to pressure of the ruling parties. The BVA, which had lost its election symbol of 'whistle' to a newly-formed outfit, Friday made a last-ditch effort to get it back, but could not succeed in it. The BVA has fielded former MP Baliram Jadhav from Palghar Lok Sabha constituency against sitting MP Rajendra Gavit, who is contesting as a Shiv Sena candidate. The Election Commission had allotted the 'whistle' symbol to the newly-formed Bahujan Maha Party (BMP) this time. However, after its Palghar candidate withdrew from the election, the BVA staked claim to the symbol. However, returning officer Prashant Narnavre told Thakur early on Saturday that ..

Centre bypassed Delhi govt in Mayapuri sealing drive: Sisodia

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday accused the Centre of bypassing the Delhi government in conducting a sealing operation in Mayapuri area that led to violent clashes between the traders and the security personnel. Sisodia lashed out at Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for blaming the Aam Aadmi Party government for the violence in west Delhi, saying the responsibility of land allocation was with the Centre. "Delhi police is yours, SDM is yours, NGT is yours, DDA is yours and we are blamed. They should have some shame and take accountability for their actions," Sisodia told reporters. Around 14 officials were injured after clashes broke out between the security personnel and scrap dealers during the sealing drive on Saturday. The drive was started by the Delhi Cantonment sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). "Delhi government ministers were not involved in ...

Will do anything to defeat Modi, Shah: Kejriwal on alliance with Congress

Amid the uncertainty over an alliance with the Congress in the Lok Sabha polls, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Sunday said his party will do anything to "save the country" from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah. The AAP supremo was addressing a press conference here after a meeting of opposition parties to discuss the issue of EVM malfunctioning in the ongoing parliamentary election. "The country is in danger. We will do anything to save it. Our effort to save the country from Narendra Modi and Amit Shah will continue," Kejriwal said. Congress leaders and senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who were also present on the occasion, however, dodged questions on an alliance with the AAP and threw the ball in Kejriwal's court saying, "He knows better". "You ask him about the alliance. He knows better than us," Sibal said, even as Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "You know the stand of Congress. The alliance was almost done in Delhi but linking it with other states is ..

Vijayakanth to campaign for AIADMK alliance in Chennai

DMDK chief Vijayakanth, who has been keeping a low profile due to health issues, will hit the campaign trail in a limited way, seeking votes for the AIAMDK-led alliance in the three Lok Sabha seats in the city on Monday. The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam, which is part of the AIADMK-led NDA in the state, Sunday said Vijayakanth would canvas votes for three alliance candidates including his party's Alagapuram R Mohan Raj, who is contesting from North Chennai constituency. The actor-turned-politician will launch his campaign with just a day ahead of the close of electioneering for the April 18 elections to 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu. Vijayakanth, who was the party's star campaigner in previous elections, underwent medical treatment in the US earlier this year for health issues. "Vijayakanth will undertake the campaign in all the three parliamentary seats in Chennai on Monday from 4 p.m," the DMDK said in a statement. He would also campaign for PMK's S R .

NIA arrests fifth accused in 2017 Lethpora terror attack case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Sunday arrested the fifth accused in connection with a terror attack on the CRPF group centre at Lethpora village in Pulwama district in December 2017 that killed five personnel, officials said here. An NIA spokesman said Irshad Ahmad Reshi was picked up from Pulwama in south Kashmir after the interrogation of Nisar Ahmed Tantray and Syed Hilal Andrabi, nabbed earlier by the probe agency. He alleged that Reshi was an over ground worker of the proscribed Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror group and a close associate of slain terrorist Noor Mohammad Tantray alias Noor Trali, a little over four-feet tall. Trali, who was instrumental in reviving the outfit in the Valley, was killed in an encounter with security forces in December 2017. The spokesman said the attack on CRPF Group Centre at Lethpora was executed under a conspiracy to avenge the death of Trali. He alleged that Reshi has been found to be a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the

LS polls: Polling in Srinagar to test democracy's appeal

Two years after Srinagar Lok Sabha bypolls made news for the wrong reasons, democracy's appeal will be put to test in this constituency with over 12 lakh voters on April 18. The Srinagar Lok Sabha bypoll, necessitated after PDP leader Tariq Hamid Karra resigned from the lower house of Parliament, was marred by violence and saw the lowest ever voter turn out of 7.2 per cent. Nine persons were killed in security forces' action against protestors in different parts of the constituency and an Army officer used a shawl weaver as a human shield to save his men from a stone-pelting mob on polling day. This year, stringent security measures have been put in place to prevent any untoward incidents. Additional security personnel have been deployed in the three districts -- Srinagar, Ganderbal and Budgam -- that make up the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat. The fate of 10 candidates would be decided by 12,90,318 voters. Prominent among these candidates is National Conference (NC) president and former ...

BJP lines up Modi, Shah, Yogi for campaign in Odisha

With the campaign for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Odisha picking up, central leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are descending on the state to woo the voters in favour of their party candidates.

Amarinder flays Modi over Jallianwala Bagh remarks

Within hours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's absence at the main function to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre by British forces, the Chief Minister on Sunday hit back.

Amarinder hits back at PM for "politicising" Jallianwala tragedy

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of playing "dirty politics" after the PM claimed that the Congress leader skipped an official event marking the Jallianwala Bagh massacre's centenary as he was busy in "Congress parivar's bhakti". Singh alleged that the central government had deliberately chosen to hold a "parallel event" instead of supporting the initiatives and programmes of the state government. The event was organised in Amritsar on Saturday by the Centre and it was attended by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. Singh claimed in a statement that he had personally approached the prime minister several times over the last two years to seek support for ensuring that the occasion is commemorated in a befitting manner but the Centre had failed to respond suitably. "Instead, the Modi government decided to hold its own event, quite evidently to score political brownie points in the backdrop of the Lok Sabha elections," he alleged. "This was ..

Modi "uttering lie" on Sabarimala issue, says Vijayan

Sharpening its attack on the Prime Minister, the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala Sunday accused Narendra Modi of "misleading" the country on the Sabarimla issue and dubbed his statement as "utter lie." Leading the onslaught, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan claimed Modi during his campaign meetings in neighbouring Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Saturday had said invoking the name of Lord Ayyappa or Sabarimala in Kerala would land devotees in jail and described it as "utter lie" and "misleading." "This is an utter lie. How can a Prime Minister make such a wrong remark?" Vijayan asked while addressing an election rally in Kollam. "If anyone was arrested, it was because they have gone against the law. In other states, Sangh Parivar activists may not land in jailor there may not be any cases against them, thanks to the blessings of Modi. But that will not happen in Kerala," the chief minister warned. Accusing Modi of practising "double standards", he said it was the Centre which ...

Canada's move on Khalistanis a threat to India: Amarinder

Accusing the government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Canada of "succumbing to domestic political pressure to remove all references to Khalistani extremism in its 2018 report on terrorist threats", Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday said the move was a threat to Indian and global security.

Mayawati dismisses Shah's claim that BSP remembers Ambedkar only during polls

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Sunday dismissed the claim made by BJP chief Amit Shah that her party remembered Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar only during elections. In a tweet, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, "The statement of BJP chief Amit Shah that the BSP remembers Babasaheb Ambedkar only during elections is untrue and mischievous." Describing the BSP as a movement, Mayawati said taking inspiration from Ambedkar, her party was working for all sections of the society. In another tweet, she said, "BJP leaders have now forgotten development, black money, corruption, poverty, unemployment and farmers. Now they have started raking up patriotism and national security...but after being unsuccessful in that, they are now threatening the voters like it was done by Maneka Gandhi, which is highly condemnable." In a controversial remark, Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi recently told Muslims to vote for her as they would need her once the Lok .

More powerful wave in favour of BJP this time: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday said there is a "more" powerful wave across India in favour of the BJP as compared to that in 2014 and it is now "difficult" for the Congress to "survive". Modi was in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district to campaign for Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the BJP's Udhampur Lok Sabha seat candidate Jitendra Singh. "I have visited the entire country. Since I came first to Jammu (last time), since then I have visited several states. I have seen a more powerful wave (in favour of the BJP) this time as compared to 2014 (Lok Sabha polls)," he told an election rally here. Modi, attacking the Congress, alleged that the opposition party is raising questions on the government's actions on national security to appease their vote bank. "You have seen the surveys these days (on TV and in newspapers). One thing is clear from these surveys -- the possibility of Congress getting number of seats. BJP has a possibility of getting three times ..

Congress demands probe into mysterious box allegedly unloaded from PM's chopper in Karnataka

Congress on Sunday demanded an urgent probe by the Election Commission (EC) into a mysterious box which was allegedly unloaded from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's chopper in Chitradurga in Karnataka, on Tuesday."In Chitradurga, a big black box was unloaded from Prime Minister's helicopter. The box was loaded onto a private vehicle which was not a part of the SPG carcade and it sped away," former Union minister and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said at a press conference here.Sharma said that the Congress demands an investigation in the matter by the poll body. "The EC should investigate the matter so that it can come to fore as to what was in the box," he demanded.The Congress leader said: "It is not just in favour of the people of India but also in favour of the PM in order to uphold the dignity of the post."He informed that the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) leaders have filed a written complaint to the Election Commission in this matter."When the PM, cabinet ...

PM Modi bashes parties before elections, stitches alliance later: Mufti

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he bashes political parties before elections and stitches alliances with the very same parties later.Mufti's remark comes after the Prime Minister, in a rally at Kathuaearlier in the day, claimed that the Abdullah family (National Conference) and Mufti family (PDP) destroyed the lives of three generations in the state."Why does PM bash political families pre elections & then sends his envoys to stitch alliances with the very same parties? NC in 99 & PDP in 2015. Why do they choose power over Article 370 then? BJP with its noxious agenda of banishing Muslims & minorities wants to divide India," Mufti tweeted.In Kathua, Modi had said, "Abdullah family and Mufti family have destroyed lives of three generations of Jammu and Kashmir. Bright future of the state can be ensured only after their departure. They can bring their entire clan to the field, can ...

TV channels will soon run disclaimers before Rahul Gandhi's 'imaginary' speeches: Fadnavis

Taking a jibe at Rahul Gandhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said television channels will soon run disclaimers before airing the Congress chief's "imaginary" speeches.Addressing a rally here on Sunday, Fadnavis said "TV serials begin with the disclaimer 'All characters in this story are imaginary'. In a few days, TV channels will also display a disclaimer 'Yeh bhashan kalpanik hai' (this speech is imaginary) before Rahul Gandhi's speeches."Fadnavis claimed that Congress is "making fun of the poor" using Garibi Hatao' slogan in their manifesto."It is shocking for me that every day Rahul Gandhi in his rallies promises to eliminate poverty by saying 'Garibi Hatao'. His grandmother and father also used this slogan but were unable to eliminate poverty," he said.Fadnavis added, "Then tell me how Rahul Gandhi can eliminate poverty from India? Congress has ruled this nation for sixty years but is unable to bring change as it always involved in misconduct, corruption and ...

Ex-MLAs demand ticket for Muslims in Delhi

Former MLAs of Congress wrote a letter to party president Rahul Gandhi demanding tickets for Muslim leaders in Delhi to contest the ongoing Lok Sabha elections."...No Muslim candidate has been given ticket from Delhi. There are 5 senior Muslim leaders who are five times elected MLA and are very popular in the Muslim and other communities...there is very resentment among the people and political circle for not given ticket in the Parliamentary elections," the letter read.The leaders include Shoaib Iqbal, Matin Ahmed, Hasan Ahmed, Asif Mohd Khan, and Haroon Yusuf.Citing seniority of leaders, former Delhi Deputy Speaker Shoaib Iqbal said, "We all 5 ex-MLAs are very senior and are very active in politics and also very popular in the Voters of Delhi of every community."Pushing forth their demand, the leaders said that keeping in mind the number of Muslim voters and the contribution of these 5 senior leaders and their track records of winning the elections, the former MLAs said there must ..