Page 964 - Politics

Crackdown on separatists will result in rise of discontent in Kashmir: Farooq Abdullah

Expressing his displeasure over separatist leader Yasin Malik's arrest, National Conference (NC) chairman Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that crackdown on separatist leaders would result in the rise of discontent in the Valley."I am very disappointed with this move. Nothing can be gained out of this. The more they are oppressed, the more discontent will increase," Abdullah said.Abdullah, also a former Union Minister, suggested the government not to arrest the people with a different ideology.He said: "People may be of different opinion. It does not mean you will arrest them for keeping a different opinion)."Criticising Malik's arrest, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said: "This is not India's way."Earlier in the day, Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front chief Yasin Malik was arrested by the National Investigative Agency (NIA) in connection with a 2017 terror funding case in New Delhi.The NIA court has sent Malik to NIA remand till April 22.Malik was taken to the national ...

Ultimatum to Congress MLAs Alpesh, Zala to quit party

Congress MLA Dhavalsinh Zala on Wednesday said that Kshatriya Thakor Sena's core committee has given an ultimatum to him, OBC leader Alpesh Thakor and Bharatji Thakor to leave the party amid speculation that they may join the BJP."In a meeting, Kshatriya Thakor Sena core committee passed a resolution and served an ultimatum to us to leave the Congress party," said Zala."Alpesh Thakor is currently out of the state. A decision will be taken when he comes back. If my supporters insist that I leave the party, I won't defer the decision," he said.On March 7, Zala, a close friend of Alpesh, had told ANI that the BJP contacted him regarding joining the party.Alpesh, who came to limelight due to his quota agitation some years back, joined the Congress in 2017 ahead of the last Gujarat polls and was elected from Radhanpur.

Uttar Pradesh has got nothing but debt from Congress: Amit Shah

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah on Wednesday said that the Congress could not be trusted as it had tampered with internal security. He also added that Congress had not given anything to Uttar Pradesh in its 55 years of its rule."Debt is what Uttar Pradesh got from Congress in the UPA rule, even in the 55 years of overall Congress rule UP remained deprived of its rights. They have played around with national security by allowing illegal immigration to go on unchecked for the sake of vote bank politics," Shah said at a public rally in Kasganj.The BJP President also accused Congress of siding with Jammu and Kashmir's Omar Abdullah's National Conference (NC) who he said had demanded for a separate prime minister for Kashmir. The SP, BSP and Congress need to clarify their stand on Abdullah's statement, he said."Congress and National Conference are going to fight elections together in Kashmir. Omar Abdullah wants a separate prime minister for Kashmir and Rahul Gandhi has ...

Half of PM Modi's cabinet not elected directly

With the outgoing 16th Lok Sabha completing its term, almost half of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet was occupied by ministers who were not directly elected by people of the country.

Cong trying to promote terrorism: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Wednesday accused the Congress of trying to promote terrorism in the country by talking about quashing the provision of treason. "In its manifesto, the Congress mentioned about quashing provision of treason which will promote terrorism," Adityanath said at an election rally here. He alleged that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said that Muslims have the first right on resources of the country. "By saying this, he insulted the people of the country and tried to divide Hindus and Muslims. The Congress does politics of particular section and talks about its development only," he said. "In Congress President Rahul Gandhi's nomination in Wayanad flags of 'chand-sitare' were seen. He should tell what relation Congress has with Muslim League, which divided the country," the chief minister said. Attacking the Samajwadi Party, he said, "The SP's flag is of hooligans. In previous government, women were not safe." Without taking Mulayam Singh

Kashmir issue has to be settled: Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi to resolve the Kashmir issue and that the two nuclear-armed neighbours could only settle their differences with dialogue, the BBC reported on Wednesday.

Patnaik accuses BJP of conspiring to stop Kalia funds transfer

Biju Janata Dal supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday accused the BJP of conspiring to stop disbursement of funds to farmers in Odisha under the Kalia scheme Patnaik alleged that the Election Commission of India stopped disbursal of funds to farmers under the Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) scheme on the basis of BJP's complaint. "I will not allow stopping of Kalia scheme as long as I am alive," Patnaik said at an election meeting in Sundergarh Lok Sabha Constituency where BJD has fielded former Congress chief minister Hemananda Biswal's daughter Sunita Biswal as its candidate against Union Minister and BJP nominee Jual Oram. He said the BJD government on the first day of its oath taking after election will release two instalment of Rs 10,000 to farmers under Kalia scheme. Stating that the people of Odisha as his family, Patnaik said he would serve them till the "last breath." The chief minister appealed the people to ...

Rahul dares Modi for debate on Rafale (2nd Lead)

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday welcomed the Supreme Court order to review the Rafale deal on merits saying that "truth has prevailed" and challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a debate on the deal.

Intention of Rafale petitioners is to present selective, incomplete picture of deal: Def Ministry

The petitioners in the Rafale deal case are using certain documents with the intention to present a selective and incomplete picture of internal secret deliberations relating to national security, the Defence Ministry said, in its reaction to the Supreme Court's order on the contentious issue. The apex court on Wednesday rejected the government's contention that sensitive documents accessed by the media on the Rafale deal can't be evidence and said it will examine the papers while reviewing its order of December 14 last year when a clean chit was given to the deal. The top court said review petitions against its earlier verdict dismissing all petitions against procurement of Rafale jets will be decided on merits. "It is reiterated that the petitioners are using documents with the intention to present a selective and incomplete picture of internal secret deliberations on a matter relating to national security and defence," the defence ministry said. Classified documents were sourced by

Omar stages sit-in against Srinagar-Jammu highway ban

National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah Wednesday led a protest march here to defy the state administration's order banning civilian traffic on Srinagar-Jammu national highway for two days a week. Abdullah, along with his party leaders and activists, staged a sit-in on the highway near Pantha Chowk area in the outskirts of the city demanding revocation of the order. "We have been continuously asking the government to rethink on this order since the day this 'Tughlaqi farmaan' was issued. There is no need for such a ban," he told reporters. According to the order issued on April 3 by state Home Secretary Shaleen Kabra, no civilian traffic will be allowed to move from Baramulla in north Kashmir to Udhampur in Jammu region on Sundays and Wednesdays till May 31. The restrictions on civilian traffic on the 271-km highway will remain in force from 4 am to 5 pm, said the order, which follows the suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Pulwama. The highway passes through important towns .

Rajnath Singh's biography to hit stands in May

Home minister Rajnath Singh's biography that will chronicle his political career spanning over almost five decades, is set to hit stands in May this year. The book, titled 'Rajneeti', is written by film historian-author Gautam Chintmani and published by Penguin Random House India. "Singh has come to embody a certain standard in public life where principles do not change with prevailing circumstances, and he strives to constantly mend bridges as well as find common ground across party lines," the author said. On what propelled him to pen this book, Chintamani said he wanted to tell the story of a politician, who never shied away from doing the right thing, irrespective of the opposition. "As a biographer, in Rajnath Singh's life, I found a rare instance of a politician in contemporary India who has traversed the entire spectrum of the political journey. "In this odyssey, Singh has both witnessed and played a significant role in shaping the history of India," he added. Singh, who rose ..

C'garh BJP leaders change profile pics to condemn Naxal attack

BJP leaders in Chhattisgarh took to social media Wednesday to express grief and anger over the death of a party MLA in Naxal attack, replacing their profile pictures with a black circle. Former chief minister Raman Singh, state BJP chief Vikram Usendi, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly Dharamlal Kaushik and others changed their profile pictures on Facebook and Twitter as a mark of protest. BJP MLA Bheema Mandavi was killed in a Naxal attack in Dantewada district Tuesday. The state BJP media cell member Hemant Panigrahi said the party has also released a short video featuring Mandavi and his statements against the Naxals to pay tribute to him. Mandavi was the lone BJP leader to win from Bastar division which has 12 assembly constituencies in 2018 polls. He was elected from Dantewada for the first time in 2008. In 2013 he lost to Congress' Devti Karma, wife of Congress leader Mahendra Karma who was killed in the Jhiram valley Naxal attack in May earlier that year. But in

Amarinder writes to EC on PM 'violating' code

Taking strong exception to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invocation of the success of the Indian armed forces and the recent killing of security personnel, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday shot off a complaint to the Election Commission (EC), seeking action against Modi for violating the model code of conduct.

SC has 'accepted' there was corruption in Rafale deal, claims Rahul

Buoyed by the Supreme Court order allowing petitioners seeking a review of the Rafale judgment to rely on leaked documents, Congress president Rahul Gandhi claimed the SC has made it clear that Prime Minister Narendra Modi committed a theft. Rahul Gandhi then challenged Modi to a debate on the Rafale military aircraft deal, which the Congress claims involved corruption, a charge repeatedly rejected by the government. Gandhi recalled a recent interview by the prime minister, in which Modi had said the Supreme Court had given a clean chit to his government on the Rafale deal. Now the SC has made it clear that 'chowkidarji' (watchman) has committed a theft, Gandhi told reporters here after filing his nomination papers from the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency. He claimed the apex court has accepted that there is some corruption in Rafale. The apex court, which had earlier cleared the Modi government of accusations of corruption over the Rafale deal, Tuesday said it will hear a review ...

Sen. Gillibrand calls Hillary Clinton 'a role model for all'

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York said Tuesday that her relationship with Hillary Clinton is strong and that Clinton had given her advice about her 2020 bid for the Democratic presidential nomination. Gillibrand, appearing at a town hall televised by CNN, fielded questions about her political record, including the policy shifts she made on immigration, and offered a status update on her long-standing relationship with Hillary and Bill Clinton. In 2017, Gillibrand had said that Bill Clinton should have resigned from the presidency after his inappropriate relationship with an intern came to light two decades ago. Gillibrand said Tuesday that her "fondness" and respect for Hillary Clinton are "very strong" and that she continues to admire and look up to her. She supported Clinton's 2016 Democratic presidential bid and took Clinton's U.S. Senate seat when Clinton was appointed secretary of state in 2009. "Secretary Clinton is a role model for all of us," Gillibrand said. "My views on

Cong banks on transfer of its partner JDS' votes to win South Bengaluru LS Seat

The Congress is banking on transfer of its coalition partner JDS's votes to clinch victory in Karnataka's South Bengaluru Lok Sabha constituency, where the grand old party has pitted veteran leader B K Hariprasad against BJP's 28-year-old Tejasvi Surya. Though Hariprasad (64) is confident that the Congress's alliance with the JDS will help him win the seat, his young rival exuded confidence that people will vote for him seeing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's performance. "The JDS, our coalition partner, has huge pockets (of votes) in assembly segments like Basavanagudi, Padmanabhanagar and Bommanahalli. Our alliance with Deve Gowda and his party is benefitting us," Hariprasad said. Hariprasad made the remarks when Chief Minister and JDS leader H D Kumaraswamy campaigned for him in the constituency's Vijaynagar assembly segment recently. In the last assembly elections, the combined Congress and JDS votes in all eight assembly segments of South Bengaluru Lok Sabha constituency is ...

Andhra CM stages sit-in to protest EC bias

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday staged a sit-in here to protest against the Election Commission 'bias' in transferring election officials and Income Tax (I-T) raids on his TDP's leaders.

Hong Kong protest organizers free on bail before sentencing

A Hong Kong court extended bail Wednesday for nine pro-democracy protest organizers who are awaiting sentencing after being convicted of public nuisance offences. The guilty verdicts handed down Tuesday against the nine were condemned by rights activists as a likely sign of increasing restrictions on free expression in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory. The defendants will be sentenced April 24. The nine were leaders of 2014's nonviolent "Occupy Central" campaign, also known as the "Umbrella Movement" after a key symbol of defiance against police adopted by the street protests that shut down parts of the financial hub for 79 days. Protesters demanded the right to choose Hong Kong's own leader rather than merely approve a candidate picked by Beijing but failed to win any concessions from the government. Ranging in age from their 30s to 70s, the nine defendants span generations of Hong Kong citizens who have been agitating for full democracy. The defendants had all pleaded not ...

Talks only way forward for India, Pakistan: Qureshi

Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Wednesday said that the only way for Islamabad and New Delhi to move forward was through dialogue.

Give me 5 more years to put Congress netas in jail: Modi

Launching a blistering attack on the Congress, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday charged it with looting the country, saying in five years of his government, he has brought the Congress to the doorstep of jail.