Page 998 - Politics
India lauds Begam Hazrat Mahal for her contributions to freedom struggle
India Monday hailed Begum Hazrat Mahal, who fought against the British colonial rule in 1857, and highlighted her contribution towards the Indian freedom movement. Recalling Begum's contribution towards the freedom struggle, Indian embassy's Charge de' Affairs Ajay Kumar laid a wreath on the freedom fighter's tomb at Jame Masjid in the heart of Kathmandu city to commemorate her 140th death anniversary. "The tomb has become a symbol of Nepal-India people-to-people relations," Kumar said. The Indian embassy officials have been visiting the tomb every year on the death anniversary of Begum to pay homage to her. A function was held at the tomb which was attended by a number of people from the country's Muslim community, journalists and officials from the Indian embassy here. Begum, who was the wife of ruler of Awadh Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, fought against the British colonial rule in the 1857 rebellion. The British had attacked Awadh repeatedly and forced her to retreat. She refused to ...
129 FIRs, DD entries against political parties, others for poll code violation: Delhi CEO
As many as 129 FIRs and daily diary (DD) entries have been registered till date against various political parties and others for violation of the model code of conduct in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls, the poll body in Delhi said Monday. The statistics surveillance team of Delhi's chief electoral office constituted to keep an eye on the expenses of political parties, has seized Rs 1.28 crore in cash and also seized 162.86 kg of narcotics and drugs. "A total of 129 FIRs or DD entries have been lodged till date in connection with the violation of the model code of conduct," Delhi CEO Ranbir Singh told reporters. "Out of these, 15 are against the Aam Aadmi Party (eight FIRs and seven DD entries), 13 against the Bhartiya Janata Party (nine FIRs and four DD entries), four against the Congress (all DD entries), one against the Bahujan Samaj Party (one DD entry), Samajwadi Party (one DD entry), and 95 against others or non-political (entities)," the CEO office said. The office of the ...
Goa CM refuses to react to Dhavalikar's charges
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Monday refused to join the mudslinging match with recently sacked Deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar.
BJP must issue 'maafinama', not manifesto: Congress
The Congress on Monday took a dig at the BJP for putting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's picture on the cover of its Lok Sabha election manifesto and said the party should instead issue a 'maafinama' (apology).
Shah meets Joshi, expected to call on Advani later
BJP president Amit Shah has met party veteran Murli Manohar Joshi on Monday evening and is expected to meet L K Advani later. Shah is meeting the two leaders days after they were not given poll tickets. The BJP has fielded Shah from Gujarat's Gandhinagar, a seat represented by Advani for many years. Joshi has been replaced by Satyadev Pachauri in Kanpur. After being denied ticket, Joshi had issued a statement saying the BJP told him that he would not be nominated by the party in Kanpur. While Advani has not said anything about being dropped from the party's list of Lok Sabha candidates, he wrote a blog asserting his party never regarded those who disagreed with it politically as "anti-national". More or less, both Advani and Joshi were sidelined in the party after 2014 general elections, in which the BJP got clear majority under the leadership of Narendra Modi. After easing them out of key organisational positions, the party leadership brought the curtains down on their electoral ...
Aurangabad ex-Congress MLA opts out of LS poll race
Barely 15 days after quitting the Congress, legislator from Sillod Assembly seat, Abdul Sattar A. Nabi has backtracked and withdrawn from the Lok Sabha poll race, here on Monday.
IPFT VP joins Cong ahead of LS polls
The Congress in Tripura received a shot in the arm Monday ahead of the two-phase Lok Sabha polls in the state as the ruling alliance Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) vice-president Ananta Debbarma joined it along with a number of IPFT workers. Debbarma joined the Congress just days after IPFT vice-chairperson Kritimohan Tripura, Youth IPFT leader and its Belonia divisional head Mrinal Tripura did so along with 400 IPFT supporters on April 2. Earlier on March 19 BJP state vice-president Subal Bhowmik had joined the Congress. Debbarma, one of the founder leaders of IPFT, said that he had joined Congress as the the tribal party leaders are living a lavish life and had failed to implement the demands of the indigenous people of the state who had voted for them. Debbarma said that he had sent his resignation to IPFT president and revenue minister N C Debbarma on Saturday and many IPFT workers has joined the Congress along with him as the national party had assured .
Siddaramaiah makes video appeal to upset party men to ensure
With efforts to tide over local opposition to JD(S) candidate and Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy's son Nikhil in Mandya Lok Sabha constituency bearing no fruit, state Congress strongman Siddaramaiah Monday appealed to leaders and workers of both parties through a video to work unitedly. Upset over the party conceding the seat to JDS, the local Congress leaders and workers in Mandya have been strongly opposing the candidature of Nikhil and openly stated that they would not work for his victory. "Nikhil Kumaraswamy is contesting as the coalition candidate from Mandya Lok Sabha constituency. I request Congress leaders and workers and JD(S) leaders and workers to campaign unitedly and get votes for Nikhil Kumaraswamy and bless him," Siddaramaiah said in the video message. Also appealing to voters of Mandya to bless him, he said "Deve Gowda and I on April 12 will campaign together for Nikhil Kumaraswamy." Interestingly, the video appeal was tweeted by Chief Minster H D ...
IAF asserts it has 'irrefutable evidence' of shooting down Pak F-16, shows radar images
The Indian Air Force on Monday said it has "irrefutable evidence" of shooting down an F-16 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force during the February 27 aerial combat Air Vice Marshal R.G.K. Kapoor, at a media briefing, showed radar images to assert that an F-16 of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was shot down by the Indian Air Force. The IAF has more credible information and evidence that is clearly indicative of the fact that PAF has lost one F-16 in the air action on February 27, he said.
No option than to abolish Article 370, 35A if someone talks about separate PM for JK: Rajnath
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said there will be no option with the government other than abolishing articles 370 and 35A related to special status to Jammu and Kashmir in the Constitution if "someone" talks about having a separate Prime Minister for the terrorism-affected state. Addressing a rally here, he asked the Congress to clarify its stand whether or not it supports such demands. "If someone talks about separate prime minister for Jammu and Kashmir, we will have no option other than abolishing Article 370 and Article 35A," Singh said. His reaction came a week after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah had said that his party will strive hard for restoring the autonomy of Jammu and Kashmir that could include having a 'Sadar-e-Riyasat' (President) and 'Wazir-e-Azam' (Prime Minister). Singh said Congress must make it clear whether it accepts that the country should have two prime ministers. On terrorism, the home minister said befitting reply would be given to ...
Patel quota leader Sabva withdraws nomination from Gandhinagar
Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) leader Dilip Sabva Monday withdrew his nomination from the high-profile Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, where BJP chief Amit Shah is in the fray. Monday was the last day for withdrawing nominations in the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, which goes to the polls in a single phase on April 23. Explaining the reason for opting out of the poll fray, the Patidar quota agitation leader claimed he does not wish to take the blame for division of anti-BJP votes in the constituency. While Shah is the BJP's candidate in Gandhinagar, the Congress has given ticket to sitting MLA C J Chavda for the prestigious seat. "I had urged the Congress to support my candidature instead of fielding their own candidate. However, they eventually fielded their own candidate. "After meeting the people of Gandhinagar during the last couple of days, I realised that Chavda's defeat is imminent," said Sabva, organisation in-charge of PAAS in Gujarat. The PAAS is ...
Plea against Mufti, Farooq, Omar contesting LS polls
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in the Delhi High Court on Monday seeking ban on Kashmiri leaders Mehbooba Mufti, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah from participating in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Mizoram govt to set up construction corporation: Minister
Mizoram government would set up a construction corporation to undertake construction works in the state, a senior minister said on Monday. Information and Communication Technology Minister Robert Romawia Royte said the decision to establish the Mizoram Government Construction Corporation (MGCC) was already taken at the meeting of the state council of ministers on January 10 last. "The MGCC would be an earning PSU where a large number of unemployed engineers would get employment," Royte said. He said that music, tourism and sports would be recognised by the state government as industries so as to include investors in the fields.
Kamal Haasan weighing options for third front formation
Makkal Neethi Maiam leader Kamal Haasan Monday said the people have started thinking of a third front and expressed the need to project a third prime ministerial candidate. Speaking to reporters here, the actor-turned-politician said he was confident of seeing the formation of such a front and added that the leaders of several parties have been holding discussions in that regard. Also, Kamal said there was the need to have a third prime ministerial candidate. Later, he released a manifesto for Coimbatore constituency.
'Expeditious construction' of Ram temple, Sabarimala issue in BJP poll manifesto
The BJP on Monday asserted that it will make all necessary efforts within the framework of Constitution for "expeditious construction" of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. While its stand on the temple issue is a reiteration of its position, which was also mentioned in its 2014 poll document, the party in its manifesto for this Lok Sabha polls also made a mention of the Sabarimala controversy, saying it will "endeavour to secure constitutional protection on issues related to faith and belief". The BJP has come out in support of protests by Hindu groups against a Supreme Court order lifting ban on the entry of women of menstruating age to the famous temple in Kerala. The party is of the view that its aggressive stand against Kerala's Left Front government's move to implement the Supreme Court order amid protests by some organisations, will help it politically in the state during the polls. "We will undertake every effort to ensure that the subject of faith, tradition and worship rituals related
BJP committed to providing strong, decisive government to country: Piyush Goyal
Union Minister for Railways Piyush Goyal on Monday said the BJP manifesto is the reflection of the party's commitment to providing "a decisive and able administration" to the country.Speaking to ANI here, Union Minister Goyal said: "The BJP has gone into this election with the commitment to providing a committed, decisive, and strong government to the country for the welfare of farmers, youth and all other sections of the society.""We are committed to providing a government which can tackle terrorism and takes action against infiltrators," added Union Minister Goyal.Talking about the BJP's poll promises, he said: "Our manifesto has promised to invest around Rs 100 lakh crore in the infrastructure sector which will create new job opportunities for the crores of people.""Farmers' income will be doubled. India will be made the third largest economy in the world. A foundation will be laid for the New India, a dream that we envisage to achieve by 2022," Goyal told ANI."We have dedicated ...
PM Modi did not give a single rupee to West Bengal: Mamata Banerjee
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of not sanctioning any funds for the development of the state."Did PM Modi give a single rupee to West Bengal?" she asked at an election rally here.Modi, who addressed a rally in Cooch Behar on Sunday, had alleged that Banerjee applied brakes on several central schemes, denying people of the benefits available in other parts of India.Countering the charge, Banerjee said, "The person who makes such big claims must see what he has contributed towards Bengal. He was busy in foreign tours for five years and now he felt the need to come to the state."There has been an escalation in the war of words between the two leaders in the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.The Prime Minister had said here that "chants of Modi, Modi" were giving "sleepless nights" to Banerjee and vowed to free the state from Trinamool Congress rule.Earlier this month, Banerjee had dubbed Modi as "Hitler's uncle".
Farooq Abdullah warns against abrogation of Article 370
Hours after the Bharatiya Janata Party released its election manifesto mentioning abrogation of Article 370, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said that if such a thing happens then he would do everything in his power to help Kashmir gain independence from India.Abdullah also said that if Article 370 is repealed then the national flag will not be unfurled in the state."They think they will bring people from outside and make them settle here to decrease our number and we will remain sleeping? We will fight against it. We will stand up against it. How will you end Article 370? I swear by the name of Allah, it would only be acceptable to Allah then we get independence from them. Let them do, we will also see! We will also see who will stand for flying their flag," said Abdullah.In its election manifesto released on Monday, BJP has proposed to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution. Article 370 gives autonomous status to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP manifesto also ...
PM Modi congratulates Solih for landslide victory in Maldives
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday congratulated Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his party's landslide victory in the third Parliamentary elections, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.Voting for the 87-member People's Majlis took place on April 6 in the island nation, with temporary results projecting Solih's Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) to have won over 65 seats, obtaining the supermajority in Parliament. This was the third multi-party contest since a democratic constitution was adopted in 2008 in the archipelago.Speaking via telephone, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the election results showed the extent to which Solih's government has been accepted by the people. He also highlighted the age-old friendship shared by India and Maldives, assuring continued assistance to Maldives from India."The Prime Minister noted that this significant victory of MDP signifies a resounding endorsement of the policies and efforts of its leaders, who have worked ..
Mirwaiz appears before NIA in terror funding case
Separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Monday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) here in connection with its ongoing probe into the terror funding case, officials said.