Page 3 - Indian Politics

Committed to fulfilling dreams of those who sacrificed for J'khand: Soren

Listing the welfare measures he has initiated for Jharkhand thus far, Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday said he is committed to "realising the dreams of leaders and common people who had fought for the creation of a separate state". Unfurling the Tricolour at Dumka Police Line, on the occasion of the 74th Republic Day, Soren said his government has received more than 55 lakh applications under its ambitious 'Aapki Sarkar Aapke Dwar' outreach scheme. He described the adoption of 1932 Khatiyan-based domicile policy by his government, for defining locals, as a major step taken to protect the interests of the state's indigenous population. "Let us take a pledge to build a state, which is in line with the dreams and hopes of those who made sacrifices for the creation of Jharkhand," Soren said. He noted that the poor and the needy in the state have been benefitting from schemes such as Green Ration Card, Birsa Harit Gram Yojana, Sarvajan Pension Yojana and Chief Minister Employment

Hope Budget corrects Centre's fiscal approach towards states: Kerala FM

Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal has expressed hope that the Union Budget will allocate more funds for social and infrastructure development as well as correct the Centre's fiscal policy in dealing with states. The Left leader, who is critical of the Union government's approach towards the states in terms of GST implementation and devolution of central funds, also said the "serious discrimination" showed towards Kerala should be stopped. In an interview to PTI, Balagopal said the Centre's approach has led to a financial crisis in the state that is affecting the overall development. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be announcing the Budget for 2023-24 on February 1, at a time when global uncertainties and headwinds are impacting the Indian economy. "As far as Kerala is concerned, there is a sharp fall in the percentage in our divisible pool. We have requested the Union government to correct it," the minister said. Ahead of the Union Budget, Balagopal alleged "ser

Left to contest 47 seats, Congress 13 in upcoming Tripura Assembly polls

The Left Front on Wednesday night announced the names of candidates for 47 of the 60 Assembly seats in the upcoming election in Tripura, said Left Front convenor Narayan Kar at a press meet

China's aggressive actions caused India to join Quad: Mike Pompeo

Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has claimed that India, which has charted an independent course on foreign policy, was forced to change its strategic posture and join the four-nation Quad grouping due to China's aggressive actions. India and China are locked in a lingering border standoff in eastern Ladakh for over 31 months. The bilateral relationship came under severe strain following the deadly clash in Galwan Valley in Eastern Ladakh in June, 2020. India has maintained that the bilateral relationship cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border area. In his latest book 'Never Give an Inch: Fighting for the America I Love' that hit the stores on Tuesday, Pompeo called India the wild card in Quad because it was a nation founded on socialist ideology and spent the Cold War aligning with neither the US nor the erstwhile USSR. The country (India) has always charted its own course without a true alliance system, and that is still mostly the case. But China's actions

Police detain 4 SFI students for planning of screening BBC's doc on Jamia

The Delhi Police Wednesday said they have detained four students after the Left-affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI) announcement plan to screen a controversial BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the Jamia Millia Islamia campus. The university administration said the screening will not be allowed and that they are taking all measures to prevent people and organisations with a "vested interest to destroy the peaceful academic atmosphere of the university". A Delhi Police official said four SFI members were detained, just hours before the screening planned for 6 pm by the student body. The SFI called for a protest at 4 pm against the detention. The SFI's Jamia unit has released a poster informing the documentary will be screened at 6 pm at the MCRC lawn gate no 8. The SFI issued a statement following the detention. "In an atrocious manner, Azeez, a student of Jamia Milia Islamia and SFI Jamia Unit Secretary; Nivedya, a Jamia Student and SFI South Delhi Area

Petroleum Minister Pradhan says will contest elections from Odisha in 2024

Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP Dharmendra Pradhan, has expressed desire of contesting elections from Odisha in 2024. Assembly elections are due in the coastal state next year, along with the Lok Sabha polls. I have already requested the party (BJP) I will contest this time, Pradhan said at an event organised by The New Indian Express here. However, he did not make it clear whether he will contest assembly or Lok Sabha polls. I am a strong believer of democracy, I believe in political homework and political hard work, not just management. To continue my connect with the common masses, I think the best way is to contest polls, Pradhan told PTI on Tuesday. Pradhan was elected to the Odisha Assembly in 2000 and to the Lok Sabha from Deogarh Parliamentary seat in 2004, when the BJP was in alliance with Biju Janata Dal. However, Pradhan lost the Assembly elections in 2009 after the BJP-BJD alliance broke. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2012 and for a second term in 2018. To

Complaint filed against K'taka CM Bommai, Nadda over vote bribe case

K'taka Cong on Wednesday lodged a police complaint against Karnataka CM Basavaraj Bommai, BJP President J.P. Nadda, State BJP President Nalin Kumar Kateel and BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi in Bengaluru

People thinking about nation's sovereignty can't remain in Cong: Shergill

BJP spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill on Wednesday seized on the resignation of Kerala leader Anil Antony from his posts in the Congress to take a swipe at his former party, claiming those who think for the nation's sovereignty and integrity can no longer remain there. "Self-respecting individuals who think for the nation, for nation's sovereignty & integrity can no longer remain in the Congress. It's not 'mohabbat ki dukan' but 'chamchon ka durbar' which dominates Cong," he said, echoing Antony's charge of sycophancy in the party. Shergill claimed that, "Speaking for Pak, China & propagandists is criterion to remain in Cong now." Though he did not name Antony, the context was clear on a day the son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony resigned from all his party posts following widespread criticism of his tweet against the controversial BBC documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots. He said he was getting "intolerant calls" to retract his tweet against the documentary and the "wall .

PM Modi greets people of Himachal pradesh on state's formation day

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people of Himachal Pradesh on the state's formation day. Hardworking people of the state, full of natural beauty, have also been dedicated to serving the country, he said while wishing them. Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian Union on January 25, 1971 and has since done well on various development indicators.

Telangana's KT Rama Rao trains guns on BJP over price rise, communal issues

Telangana Municipal Administration Minister K T Rama Rao launched a broadside against the BJP over the allegedly mounting debt, rise in prices of fuel in the country, communal issues and others. Addressing a public meeting at Narayanpet town after attending various development programmes on Tuesday, he alleged that the present NDA government took huge debt in eight and half years compared to all the Prime Ministers put together before PM Modi. Referring to an article written by Bibek Debroy, Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the PM in a newspaper, allegedly favouring taxing farmers' income in India, Rama Rao said it is a horrible idea to tax the farmers. Rama Rao, son of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also flayed the comments of BJP leaders over the NDA government building highways and airports. Toll tax is imposed on the highways, while airports are built by private companies, he said. He also charged that the BJP rakes up communal issues instead of talking about bread .

LG bypassing Delhi govt in issuing prosecution sanction: Manish Sisodia

AAP leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Tuesday accused Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena of issuing prosecution sanction by bypassing the city government. He said this has led to a situation where those accused of committing serious offences against the State might walk away free. Sisodia said it is the elected government that issues a prosecution sanction. "Hon. LG's over-enthusiasm to bypass elected govt on every matter has created a crisis situation wherein many people accused of committing serious crimes against the state might go scot free," he said in a tweet. The LG has issued "invalid Prosecution Sanctions bypassing the elected government," he said, without elaborating. Under Section 196(1) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a valid sanction for prosecution from the state government is a prerequisite for certain offences, Sisodia said. It includes offences like hate speech, hurting religious sentiments, hate crimes, sedition, waging war against s

Urmila Matondkar joins Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra in Jammu

Actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Yatra as it resumed from the garrison town of Nagrota on a cold Tuesday morning. Matondkar, a popular Bollywood stars of the 1990s, joined Gandhi shortly after the march started from near the army garrison around 8 am amid tight security, with Congress workers and supporters lined up on the road along the route to welcome them. Matondkar (48) had resigned from the Congress in September 2019 after a short association of six months, and joined the Shiv Sena in 2020. Dressed in a cream-coloured traditional Kashmir Pheran (loose gown) and beanie cap, Matondkar was interacting with Gandhi as they marched along. Noted author Perumal Murugan and J&K Pradesh Congress committee president Vikar Rasool Wani, his predecessor G A Mir and former minister Abdul Hamid Karra also joined them alongside hundreds of other carrying the tricolor in their hands. The yatra, which started from Kanyakumari on ...

Deepest regard for defence forces, says Digvijaya; Jairam trains guns on PM

Amid an ongoing row over Digvijaya Singh questioning the authenticity of the 2019 surgical strikes, an agitated Jairam Ramesh lashed out at the media on Tuesday

Congress to hold press conference across nation on Wednesday

Ahead of the 'Hath se hath jodo yatra' which aims at reaching out to the public with Rahul Gandhi's letter and the failures of the BJP government, Congress will hold press conferences nationwide

BJP secures majority in 11 urban local bodies in MP, Congress wins in 8

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured majority in 11 urban local bodies spread across five districts in Madhya Pradesh, while the Congress managed to get majority in eight others, as per the results. Elections to 19 urban local bodies were held on Friday and the results declared on Monday in which BJP candidates won 183 posts of councillors, while the Congress emerged victorious in 143 civic wards. The urban local bodies which went to polls included the 24-member municipal council in Raghogarh, the home turf of Congress veteran and Rajya Sabha member Digvijaya Singh. According to State Election Commission Secretary Rakesh Singh, of the 343 councillor posts which were up for grabs in 19 urban bodies across five districts, 183 were won by the BJP and 143 by the Congress, while the rest were bagged by independent candidates. In the Raghogarh Municipal Council, the Congress and the BJP registered victory in 16 and eight wards, respectively, he said.

Maha governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari expresses desire to step down

Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on Monday said he has expressed desire before Prime minister Narendra Modi to quit the post. The former Uttarakhand chief minister said he would like to spend the remainder of his life in reading, writing and other activities. During the recent visit of the Hon'ble Prime Minister to Mumbai, I have conveyed to him my desire to be discharged of all political responsibilities and to spend the remainder of my life in reading, writing and other activities. I have always received the love and affection from the Hon'ble Prime Minister and I hope to receive the same in this regard, a statement from the Raj Bhavan said. PM Modi was in Mumbai on January 19 to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for several infrastructure projects. It was an absolute honour and privilege for me to serve as the Rajya Sevak or Rajyapal of a great State like Maharashtra the land of Saints, Social reformers and valiant fighters, Koshyari added.

Siddaramaiah won't contest Assembly polls from Kolar, claims Yediyurappa

Senior BJP leader B S Yediyurappa on Monday claimed that Congress leader Siddaramaiah was allegedly playing a drama by saying he would not contest the Assembly polls from Kolar segment as announced, and may go back to his home district of Mysuru instead. Ending speculation, Siddaramaiah had earlier this month announced that he would be contesting the polls from Kolar, if the party high command agrees. "Today itself I will say one thing, don't think I'm making a prediction, Siddaramaiah will not contest from Kolar for any reason, he is playing a drama and is trying to go back to Mysuru," Yediyurappa said. Speaking to reporters here, the former Chief Minister said the Congress legislature party leader is aware that he would face a defeat and have to go home, if he contests from Kolar. "He is playing political circus and drama, according to me, he will not contest from there (Kolar) and may try to go back to Mysuru, if that happens we will do the strategy we need to," he added. Asked

US-India relations not a Bollywood movie, need more than just photo-ops

A new survey shows that Indians view the US as the biggest military threat to their country after China - and, even more shocking, put it ahead of Pakistan

AAP hits back at Congress over Rahul Gandhi's remote control remarks

The ruling AAP in Punjab has attacked Rahul Gandhi over his allegation that the government in the state was being remote controlled

Delhi HC stays proceedings against Khurana in Sisodia's defamation case

The Delhi HC today stayed trial court proceedings against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson and media relations in-charge Harish Khurana in defamation case filed by Delhi Deputy CM Sisodia