Politics

Congress up in arms as user fee introduced to register complaints in Kerala

Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said this move is a first of its kind in the state and "is a cruel one too"

Rahul to take his first trip to Wayanad tomorrow after LS disqualification

He is on bail, which was extended by the Sessions Court in Gujarat. The court will hear his appeal against conviction in the case on April 13

Backstabbers cannot carry forward Balasaheb's legacy: Sibal slams Shinde

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde after his Ayodhya visit, saying "conspirators, opportunists and backstabbers" cannot carry forward the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray. Shiv Sena leader Shinde on Sunday made his maiden visit to Ayodhya after becoming the chief minister in June last year. He was accompanied to the temple town in Uttar Pradesh by thousands of Shiv Sainiks. In a tweet, Sibal said, "Shinde in Ayodhya: Lord Ram chose: Sacrifice, the path of truth, rectitude. Balasaheb also imbibed those attributes. "Conspirators, opportunists, backstabbers cannot carry forward the legacy of Balasaheb," the former Union minister said, attacking Shinde. The Maharashtra chief minister on Sunday said the ideology of his party and that of the BJP is the same and they will unfurl the saffron flag all over the state next year. "Our party's role is clear. The Shiv Sena has an alliance with the BJP. Our ideology, which is Hindutva, is t

Make lotus bloom in both civic polls, LS elections in 2024: UP CM

CM Yogi said, "The country under the leadership of PM Modi is scaling new heights and has emerged as an ideal nation for the world"

Adityanath has revived 'pride of our faith': Shinde during courtesy visit

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath has "revived the pride of our faith" and appreciated the development works undertaken by the state government in Ayodhya. Shinde and his team on Sunday paid a courtesy visit to Adityanath at his official residence here. Adityanath also hosted a dinner in honour of the Maharashtra chief minister and his entourage. The Shiv Sena leader was on a two-day tour of Uttar Pradesh during which he visited Ayodhya, his first since becoming Maharashtra chief minister last June. During their meeting with Adityanath, the group of ministers from Maharashtra shared their experience of visiting Ayodhya and appreciated the development works being undertaken in the city. Shinde said Adityanath has revived the "pride of our faith" and added that under his leadership, "the city of Lord Ram is touching new dimensions of development". According to a statement issued from the Chief Minister's Office here

Triple-engine govt must for state's rapid development, says Adityanath

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday exhorted people of Uttar Pradesh to vote for the BJP in the upcoming urban local body polls, saying a triple-engine government is a must for uninterrupted and rapid development of the state. He also appealed to people to make the lotus -- the BJP's poll symbol -- bloom in municipal and Lok Sabha polls in 2024. Adityanath was speaking at a programme at Hindustan Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited ground where he inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 258 development projects worth Rs 1,046 crore. The chief minister inaugurated 56 development projects worth Rs 333.85 crore and laid foundation stones of 202 projects worth Rs 711.81 crore. These projects include a mini-stadium, roads, flyovers, educational institutes and hospitals, an official statement said. Addressing the gathering, Adityanath appealed to people to vote for the BJP in the forthcoming urban local body polls and said a triple-engine government is a must for ensuring uninterrup

Trouble brews for Cong in Assam with MLAs threatening to quit party posts

The MLAs also tried to evade the questions over leaders quitting party posts on Sunday. However, a party source informed that the legislators have been preparing to take the whole issue to the party

Those raising doubt on Ram temple construction shown way home: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said those raising doubts about the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya were shown their way home as the process has started and the work is in full swing. After paying obeisance to Ramlalla and overseeing the construction work of the temple, Shinde said he is happy that the dream of "Hindu Hriday Samrat" Balasaheb Thackeray and crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled. "Everyone used to wonder when the construction work would start. Some used to say 'mandir wahin banayenge, par tarikh nahi batayenge' (the temple will be built there, but the dates will not be told). But Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got the work started and the dream of crores of Ram bhakts is being fulfilled.... Those asking for the dates have also been shown their way home," Shinde, who has been accompanied by thousands of Shiv Sainiks on his maiden visit to Ayodhya as the chief minister, said. His supporters were seen carrying saffron flags with the Shiv ..

Efforts on to divide people and involve them in temple politics: Pawar

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday claimed attempts were being made to divide people based on caste and religion and rulers are not interested in resolving problems of people but are instead trying to divert their attention with "temple politics". Addressing a function here in north Maharashtra, Pawar blamed the economic policy of the current Union government for the plight of Marathi-speaking textile mill workers in Mumbai. Pawar also accused the government of trying to weaken labour unions and make them dependent on it and appealed to workers in the country to unite to secure their future. "At many places, government works are closing. There are attempts to divide people over caste and religion. There are many issues such as unemployment, price rise and there are expectations that power should be used to resolve these problems but rulers are not interested," he claimed. In a veiled jibe at Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who is on Ayodhya visit, Pa

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Opposition has to unite to win elections against BJP: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said opposition parties will have to unite if they want to win elections against the BJP. The Lok Sabha member from Srinagar also said that discussions are going on and "I can see good results coming on the unity front (at the national level)". "Alliance is the only thing which will unite us. We cannot fight individually. That is why even the opposition parties at the national level are trying to find ways to unite so that we can win the elections," Abdullah said in response to a question by reporters at Larnoo in Anantnag district. He had gone to Larnoo to attend a condolence meeting. Asked about the issue of removal of certain portions related to Mughals from textbooks, Abdullah said history cannot be erased. "How will they forget Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb, Akbar, Babar, Humayun and Jahangir? They ruled for 800 years. No Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian felt threatened. When they will show Taj Mahal, what will they say who bu

Adani issue being raked up to 'brighten' Rahul's political career: Rijiju

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Saturday attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he has failed politically, and claimed the Adani issue is being "deliberately" raked up to "brighten his political career". He also accused the Congress of undermining the judiciary and said if the opposition party tries to "tear apart" the Constitution by attacking the judiciary, "we will not stay silent". "I am not going to make any comment on it (the Hindenburg-Adani issue) as the Supreme Court has already formed a committee and is looking into it. But I want to say that this all is being done to brighten the political career of Rahul Gandhi," Rijiju told reporters on the sidelines of a function at the University of Jammu here. He said it is "deliberately" being made into an issue. "The country is run by the Constitution and the law of the land. One man has failed politically and they are trying to highlight controversies, make an issue out of these to brighten his career," the senior BJP .

Kejriwal slams BJP over alleged demolition of school adjacent to its office

BJP's name will be etched in history if it demolishes its office to build schools but is doing the opposite which is very painful, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday, in a swipe at the saffron party which accused him of being a "habitual liar". Kejriwal made the remarks after inaugurating a school in East Vinod Nagar, even as the BJP refuted the allegation by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday that it has "encroached" on a government school land adjacent to its new central office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg and is going to demolish the building there. The BJP claimed that the school building was lying abandoned for many years and no school was running there. Also, the building was on the land of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) which had already given a notice to the MCD to take back its possession. Kejriwal on Saturday charged that while the AAP government is building new schools, the BJP was demolishing schools to build its office. "They will have their

Kejriwal responds to BJP leader, says will host extra classes for students

If some children are weak in studies, extra classes will be organised for them, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Sunday, responding to a BJP leader who posted mark sheets of students, who didn't perform well, on Twitter. One of these children will become the prime minister of the country in future and we do not want anyone to become PM in future with a fake degree," Kejriwal tweeted. The statement from the chief minister came in response to BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana who posted mark sheets of government school students and alleged that more than 1 lakh children fail in Class 9 every year. Earlier, the Delhi Congress also demanded a probe into the allegations of teachers being forced to write answers on blank exam papers of Class 9 and 11 students of Delhi government schools.

Court gave jolt to opposition', says PM Modi on Supreme Court observation

Taking a dig at some political parties who approached the Supreme Court alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Apex court gave them a jolt by refusing to entertain their plea. The PM was addressing a public meeting here. "A few days ago some political parties went to the court seeking protection that no one should seek to inquire our books filled with corruption. They went to court, but court gave them a jolt, Modi said, without taking any names. He was talking about corruption and "parivarvad" at the public meeting. Recently as many as 14 political parties led by the Congress filed a petition in the Apex Court alleging that there has been an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent. However, the Supreme Court, refusing to entertain the plea, observed that politicians do not ha

Sisodia the reason behind transformation of Delhi govt schools: Kejriwal

Delhi government schools could be transformed over the last eight years only because of Manish Sisodia, who would wake up at 6 every morning and go on their inspection, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday. Kejriwal made the statement while laying the foundation stone for the new building blocks for Rajkiya Sarvodaya Kanya Bal Vidyalaya in East Vinod Nagar. He said the school will look like Columbia University after it is fully constructed. Speaking about his deputy and former education minister, Kejriwal said, "They (Centre) jailed Manish Sisodia accusing him of corruption. He is the same leader who used to wake up every morning at 6 to visit schools." Corrupt leaders don't go visiting schools for inspection at 6 am, he said. "Students of Delhi government schools are excelling in academics. They are even clearing competitive exams and becoming doctors, engineers, and police officers. "There is one man behind this education transformation and he is Manish Sisodia

Don't obstruct development in Telangana, PM Modi tells KCR-led govt

: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday appealed to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS Government to not allow any obstruction in development being planned for the people of the state, as he expressed 'pain' at the alleged non-cooperation of the ruling dispensation towards central initiatives aimed at the southern state. Speaking at a public meeting here, Modi without mentioning any names, said a handful of people encouraging 'parivarvaad' (dynastic politics) are trying to see where they can reap benefits from projects being implemented for the people of Telangana. He said he was pained at the non-cooperation of the state government in Centre's projects which according to him is affecting the dreams of the people of Telangana. "I appeal to the state government to not allow any obstruction in developments being planned for Telangana people," he said. "Handful of people who encourage 'parivarvaad' are trying to see where they can reap benefits from projects being

K'taka polls: BJP chief holds meeting with leaders on probable candidates

A day before a meeting to finalise candidates for the Karnataka assembly polls, BJP president JP Nadda on Saturday held discussions with key state leaders, including Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and BS Yediyurappa, on probable names. The BJP's parliamentary board will meet on Sunday to finalise candidates for the May 10 elections to the 224-member Karnataka assembly. Before the discussions started, Chief Minister Bommai said, "We will discuss about all probable candidates. We have district and constituency wise details and recent survey outcomes. Keeping all that in mind, we will have a detailed discussion with national leaders." The BJP, which aims to come back to power again in the southern state, has set a target of winning at least 150 of the 224 seats. Asked if the entire list will be announced in one go, Bommai told reporters that barring a few names, the rest may be announced after getting the board's approval. The list of candidates will be finalised at the parliamentar

Sharad Pawar's stand on Adani will not affect Opposition unity: Sanjay Raut

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday said Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar not favouring formation of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe allegations against the Adani group will not lead to cracks in opposition unity. Talking to reporters, Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut said Pawar has not given a clean chit but expressed his views of options on how to carry out the probe. In an interview to NDTV, Pawar came out in support of the Adani Group and criticised the narrative around Hindenburg Research's report on the conglomerate. Raut added the opposition is firm on its demand for a JPC probe. "Be it (West Bengal chief minister) Mamata Banerjee or NCP, there could be different opinions about Adani, but that will not lead to cracks in (opposition) unity in Maharashtra or in the country," asserted Raut, a key aide of former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. Earlier in the day, Pawar had said he favoured a Supreme Court committee to probe allegations aga

Sachin Pilot should quit Congress, form new party: RLP chief Beniwal

Beniwal said, "I suggest Pilot Sahab to form a separate party. If he does so, there will be a great atmosphere. It will bring in a strong impact. Congress-BJP will be left far behind"