Page 927 - Politics
Will work to ensure no room for terror: Indian Army
Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pulwama terrorist attack, the Indian Army today said it would address the emerging threats and work to ensure that there is "no room for terror".In a statement issued after the bi-annual Commanders' conference addressed by both Air Force and Navy Chief, the Army announced that it was examining the idea of opening avenues for making lady officers experts in foreign languages, artificial intelligence, cyber and space domains."The Army Commanders' Conference has comprehensively deliberated all aspects of extant security dynamics, emerging security scenarios, enhancing operational capability in near and long term and enhancement of combat edge over potential adversaries," the statement read.Talking further about the importance of the jointness among the three services, the Army said, "All future conflicts would be planned and executed jointly by the three services."Chief of the Air and Naval Staff too addressed the conference .
Stop leaders from using Army's reference for votes: Congress to EC
A Congress delegation met the Election Commission (EC) on Friday, requesting it to cut-short the campaign days of those leaders who violate the model code of conduct and EC rules by making references to the Armed Forces for the "sake of votes."The delegation, comprising Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Randeep Singh Surjewala, alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other ministers have grossly violated the EC guidelines."We have requested the Election Commission that if a leader from any political party violates EC rules and MCC or particularly reference of Armed forces or Balakot Airstrike in the election campaign for sake of votes, then he should not be allowed to campaign for the whole day. However, if he repeats his mistake for the second time then he or she should not be allowed to campaign for two days and so on," Singhvi told reporters here."This never happened in the history of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and other ...
Himachal Pradesh minister Anil Sharma quits cabinet
Power Minister of the state Anil Sharma resigned from the Jai Ram Thakur-led cabinet on Friday.However, he has not resigned from BJP.Sharma's resignation from the Cabinet comes after his son Aashray Sharma and his father Sukh Ram joined the Congress party.It may be noted that the Congress party has fielded Aashray from the Mandi Lok Sabha constituency against BJP's Swaroop Sharma, the sitting MP from the seat.Anil refused to campaign for the BJP candidate against his son Aashray, and, therefore, quit the cabinet.The polling for the four Lok Sabha seats of Himachal Pradesh is scheduled to be conducted on May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.
PMO calls urgent meeting to discuss situation in Jet Airways
The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has called an urgent meeting to discuss the crisis in private airline Jet Airways, which is facing acute financial woes. According to sources, the meeting has been called after Civil Aviation Minister Suresh Prabhu asked the secretary of the department to review issues concerning Jet Airways. Crisis-hit Jet Airways is facing acute financial crunch and has grounded several of its flights and stopped international operations. The drastic measure was announced after the airline informed the exchanges that it was forced to ground 10 more planes due to non-payment of rentals to the lessors.
We will improve on our tally in first phase of polls: BJP
The BJP asserted Friday that the first phase of general election on Thursday has enthused the party as it will improve on its current tally by winning a big chunk of seats from eastern and north-east states. Its media head and Rajya Sabha member Anil Baluni said the party will not only retain its winning seats but also emerge victorious in other constituencies. He also cited claims of opposition leaders, including BSP supremo Mayawati, about malfunctioning of electronic voting machines, to say that it underscored their frustration following the BJP's strong show in the first phase. Elections were held on Thursday in 91 seats of the 543-member Lok Sabha. The BJP had won 32 of them in the 2014 polls. Baluni said the BJP will win seats in Odisha, West Bengal and north-east region to improve its current tally. He said the party's estimate was based on feedback from its workers and leaders across the country. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has worked well while alliances of ...
SC ruling razes government stance on electoral bonds: CPI-M
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Friday hailed the interim order of the Supreme Court on the electoral bond scheme, saying the court has "clearly stated (that) transparency is the basic principle of electoral funding".
AAP, JJP form alliance in Haryana; to fight on all 10 LS seats
The Aam Aadmi Party and the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) on Friday announced firming up an alliance in Haryana to fight on all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state. The JJP was launched by former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala's grandson Dushyant Chautala, following a power struggle in the state's main opposition INLD last year. Senior AAP leader Gopal Rai said the JJP will fight on seven seats. Dushyant Chautala said he would decide on his party's candidates for the seven seats in the next two to three days and the areas from where they would contest would also be decided by the committee. "Jhadu (AAP's election symbol) and chappal (JJP's poll symbol) will remove obstructions and emerge victorious. Together they will defeat the BJP and Congress," Chautala said, adding the alliance would continue even for the Assembly elections in Haryana. AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, in a tweet, claimed that people of Haryana wanted the alliance. "People of Haryana wanted this. Congratulations to
Polling agent booked for spreading 'fake news' on EVMs
A BSP agent at a polling booth here was booked allegedly for spreading "fake news" that the Electronic Voting Machines were faulty and registering votes for the party candidates in favour of the BJP, officials said Friday. The agent, Dhara Singh, was booked on the directives of the Election Commission after he allegedly spread "fake news" that the EVM button against the BSP candidate's name and symbol, when pressed, resulted in votes to the BJP at the Kasoli polling centre in Bijnore Lok Sabha constituency here Thursday, they said. District Magistrate Ajay Shanker Pandey told PTI here Friday that during inquiry, the Election Commission found the complaint's claim to be incorrect. Subsequently, a case was registered against Singh under Indian Penal Code sections 171, 188 and 505 and provisions of The Representation of the People Act at Bhopa police station. It is learnt that the BSP agent had told the media that the EVM was faulty at Kasoli polling booth. The Election Commission took a
Alliance on 33 LS seats or none: AAP on Cong's offer
The Aam Aadmi Party is capable of defeating both the BJP and the Congress in Delhi and an alliance is possible with the Congress only when it will be done on 33 Lok Sabha seats, said AAP leader Gopal Rai Friday. Earlier in the day, the Congress announced that it will fight the Lok Sabha polls in Delhi alone, but maintained that it is still willing to have an alliance with the AAP provided that the tie-up is restricted only to the national capital. The AAP, in turn, wanted such an alliance to extend to Haryana and Punjab as well. "We want alliance on all 33 seats with the Congress and not three seats in Delhi. We are capable of defeating the BJP and the Congress on our own in Delhi. If an alliance has to be there, it has to be on 33 seats," Rai said. Another AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the party was even ready to make the Congress its senior partner in Haryana, but now it has moved ahead. However, sources said there was still a slim chance of an alliance as the AAP might offer a 5:2 ..
Regional parties playing significant role in national politics: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that regional parties are playing a bigger role in national politics now and that it is important that they come together to form the next government at the Centre."Regional parties are becoming a major factor in present day politics. It is not important as to who will be the leader. At present the important thing is that all parties come together and form the government," she said.Mamata also claimed that people are "not voting in favour of the BJP in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections thus making it difficult for the party to form government for a second time at the Centre".Talking about National Register of Citizens (NRC), she said, "They (BJP) will implement NRC if they come to power. But our party has always stood against NRC and we will never allow them to implement it in our state."Mamata's comments came a day after BJP president Amit Shah said at a rally in West Bengal's Raiganj that NRC will be implemented across the ...
Final Israel election results leave Netayahu on course
Final results from this week's Israeli election published Friday left Benjamin Netanyahu on course to remain prime minister although there were reports of pressure on him not to form another narrow right-wing coalition. The Maariv newspaper quoted a senior official as saying that President Reuven Rivlin was trying to convene a meeting between Netanyahu and his defeated centrist challenger Benny Gantz on forming a broad government of national unity. Such a government would enjoy a comfortable majority in Israel's 120-seat parliament and enable it to take difficult decisions on public spending cuts and the future of controversial military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews free of pressure from special interest groups. A spokesman for the president's office said he had no word of any plans for such a meeting, when contacted by AFP. No political party in Israel's more than 70-year history has ever won a majority entirely alone and Netanyahu faces a choice between forming a new ...
Russia confers PM Modi with highest state honour, PM thanks Putin
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday thanked Russian President Vladimir Putin for conferring him with the country's highest state decoration -- Order of St Andrew -- for exceptional services in promoting a special and privileged strategic partnership between Russian and India."Honoured to receive this prestigious award. I thank President Putin and the people of Russia. Foundations of India-Russia friendship are deep & the future of our partnership is bright. Extensive cooperation between our nations has led to extraordinary outcomes for our citizens," the Prime Minister tweeted.The Prime Minister noted that the Russian President remains a source of great strength for the India-Russia friendship."President Putin remains a source of great strength for the India-Russia friendship. Under his visionary leadership, bilateral and multilateral cooperation between our nations has scaled new heights," read another tweet by Modi.The Order of St Andrew the Apostle the First-Called is the .
Odisha is rich in natural resources but people remain poor due to corruption, says Amit Shah
The state of Odisha is rich in natural resources, but the people are poor due to corruption, said BJP president Amit Shah while addressing an election rally here on Friday."Odisha is rich in natural resources, but the people are poor due to corruption. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government has failed to remove poverty from the state," said Shah.Hitting out at the Congress party and BJD, Shah said that the two parties have failed to remove poverty despite being in power for so many years. "People will have to choose between Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP and BJD's Naveen Patnaik in the state assembly polls," he said."Even after 19 years rule of Naveen Patnaik, there is still a shortage of water and jobs. People have to migrate to other states for jobs," he said.Taking a jibe at Patnaik, he said: "Naveen Patnaik did not know how to talk in Oriya. How can he understand the problem being faced by the people in the state?""I am in this tribal area after ..
SC dismisses plea by Vedanta Group for reopening copper plant in Tamil Nadu
The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a petition filed by Vedanta Group for reopening the company's copper smelting plant in Tamil Nadu's Thoothukudi for maintenance, calling it "frivolous".A bench of Justices Rohinton Fali Nariman and Vineet Saran, however, gave liberty to the group to approach the Madras High Court with its plea for reopening the plant.The apex court had on February 18 set aside a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order of December 15, 2018, which had allowed the firm to reopen the plant.It had said the NGT did not have jurisdiction to entertain Vedanta's appeal against the Tamil Nade government's decision to close the plant.Thirteen people were killed last year when police opened fire during a protest against environmental pollution allegedly caused by the plant.
Chhattisgarh: Shah seeks CBI probe into death of BJP MLA
BJP president Amit Shah on Friday said Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel should allow the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) to probe the death of BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi, who lost his life in the Dantewada Naxal attack on April 9.According to police, a convoy travelling from Kuakonta to Syamgiri in Dantewada was attacked by Naxals using an IED device."I want to tell the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh from here today that if you do not have to hide anything, then you should allow CBI probe in the murder of Bhima Mandavi ji. The truth will surely come out," Shah said while addressing a gathering."The CBI was banned with the arrival of the Congress government in Chhattisgarh. Earlier Raman Singhji's government was there, he never stopped the CBI because there was no corruption under his rule," he said.Lambasting Congress president Rahul Gandhi and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Shah said: "I want to tell Rahul baba that slogans will not bring development. If you feel the pain of ..
Terrorists, Naxals afraid of BJP government: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that terrorists and Naxals are afraid of BJP government and don't want to come near it, as they are aware that they will either be jailed or killed.While addressing a rally in Raipur, Adityanath said, "The terrorists and Naxals run away from us, they do not want to come near us for they know it means only two things, either they will land in jail or they will be killed (unka Ram Naam Satya ho jayega) and leave for their heavenly adobe. There is no third meaning."Taking a dig at Congress, he said that in the last few months, the system has derailed in Chhattisgarh under the Congress rule."In the last 5-6 months, the system has totally derailed in Chhattisgarh. In the 55-60 years of their rule, the successive Congress government have only looted the country and plunged it into poverty, casteism, regionalism, terrorism, and naxalism," he said.Adityanath also slammed former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh by alleging that he ...
Sudan new military rulers offer dialogue as protests rage
Sudan's new military rulers vowed Friday to open a dialogue with all political groups on forming a civilian government as protesters railed against their seizure of power after ousting president Omar al-Bashir. But the military council warned it would tolerate no breaches of security after protesters defied a night-time curfew to keep up a sit-in demanding immediate civilian rule. The head of the council's political committee, Lieutenant General Omar Zain al-Abdin, confirmed that Bashir, who had ruled the country for 30 years and was one of Africa's longest serving leaders, remained in custody. But he said the council would never extradite him, or any other Sudanese, despite a longstanding arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Bashir on charges of genocide and war crimes. Protesters had held mass demonstrations for four months demanding Bashir's overthrow, defying repeated deadly attempts to crush them by riot police and the feared intelligence ...
BJP moves EC over Rahul's 'unparliamentary language' against PM
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday moved the Election Commission (EC) seeking action against Congress president Rahul Gandhi for using "false" and "fabricated" words to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi."Rahul Gandhi has been using inappropriate, false and fabricated words against PM Modi. He has crossed all limits by using such a level of 'unparliamentary' language. He always accuses PM based on wrong information," Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told media here after he submitted a memorandum to the EC.He also accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of poll rigging during the first phase polling on April 11."BJP has asked the Election Commission to conduct re-polling in the booths which TMC goons had captured yesterday as CRPF was not deployed there," said Naqvi.Echoing Naqvi's stance, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who also met EC officials, said the BJP sent several petitions to the EC that in spite of the December 2018 verdict of the Supreme Court, the Congress ...
Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan's grandson wishes to be part of PM's nomination team
Shehnai maestro late Ustad Bismillah Khan's grandson Ustad Nasir Abbas has written a letter to the Prime Minister expressing his wish to be present when Narendra Modi files his nomination for the Varanasi parliamentary constituency in the ensuing Lok Sabha polls."In 2014, we received an invite from the Bharatiya Janta Party but we had no knowledge about politics at that time as we are musicians. Also, some members from the Congress had brainwashed us and asked us not to join Prime Minister Modi's nomination team. Due to this, my family had rejected the invitation. Later, we regretted the decision as we had refused the honour given to us by the Prime Minister of this country," Abbas said while speaking to ANI.He added, "If he (Prime Minister) will allow and offer us to come and be a part of his nomination, we will be more than happy to accept it".Regretting his family's 2014 decision, Abbas stated: "If someone is giving you respect then you should take it. It was the biggest mistake ...
Pak minister rebukes Maneka Gandhi's remarks on Muslim voters
Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Friday rebuked Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Maneka Gandhi's recent statements on Muslim voters.Addressing a public gathering in Sultanpur, Maneka was seen coercing Muslim voters to vote for her or else she would not work for them after coming to power."Can anyone imagine to get away with such rubbish in Pakistan? Answer is no,this would have been enough to end the political career of any politician but this is what so-called Worlds biggest democracy has to offer.... Sad to see Gandhi and Nehru's country going through this phase," Chaudhry tweeted.Gandhi had said that her win from the Sultanpur Lok Sabha constituency is certain "with or without" the support of the Muslims and the community should realise it since they will need to get their work done once the BJP is in power."You have to recognise that this victory is sure without you and even with you, and you will have to spread the word," she said.Emphasising that she had ...