Politics

Kiev to reinstate army conscription in coming months

Ukraine announced on Thursday that it will return to mandatory conscription in the coming months as its troops battle pro-Russian insurgents in the east. Duration: 00:43

Aug 29, 2014

Political leaders celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi with gaiety

Mumbai/ Bhopal, Aug 29 (ANI): Political leaders celebrated the Hindu festival of Ganesh Chaturthi with religious pageantry on Friday, which marks the re-birth of Lord Ganesha. As devotees across India celebrated the festival with fervour and gaiety, BJP leaders Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Nitin Gadkari also offered prayers to the deity of wisdom. Congress leader, Sushilkumar Shinde, also celebrated the festival at his residence in Mumbai, by establishing the idol of Lord Ganesha. Earlier in the morning, people thronged Mumbai's famous Siddhivinayak temple to pay obeisance.

Aug 29, 2014

Pandemonium in Kashmir assembly over multi-million-land scam

Srinagar, Aug 29 (ANI): State assembly of Jammu and Kashmir witnessed mayhem on Friday after a leader of ruling National Conference (NC) party stormed into the well of the House accusing opposition leaders of multi-million land scam. NC legislator Doctor Veeri alleged that patron of regional Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and deputy speaker of legislative assembly, Muhammad Sartaj Madni, were party to a multi-crore land scam in south Kashmir. Chief Secretary M Iqbal Khandey was directed to ascertain the facts over the allegations of a legislator that some opposition party members were encroaching upon government land. The directions to Khandey came from Legislative Council Chairman Amrit Malhotra after the NC members raised the issue. Meanwhile, regional Panthers Party also demanded to incorporate 'secular' word in the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution.

Aug 29, 2014

All Indians in Kuwait out of danger, Indian mission totally focused on same: MEA

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): As 25 Indian nationals in Kuwait have been arrested on murder charges on Friday, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin assured that all nationals are out of danger and that India's Mission has taken up the issue and will soon provide necessary assistance. Akbaruddin said that there was a brawl with nationals of some other countries and that some Indians were arrested in the same. He said that our mission has visited all hospitals to check the Indian nationals and to ensure adequate food provisions for them. The MEA also appealed the Indian to abide by the laws of Kuwait as India neds to maintain that. Akbaruddin also assured that Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj is giving directions in the case.

Aug 29, 2014

Yogi Adityanath supports Najma Heptullah's remark as his controversial video goes for forensic test

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Even as BJP leader Yogi Adityanath's controversial video goes for forensic test on Friday, Adityanath said that his statement was well in line with that of Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah's remark wherein she said that there is nothing wrong in calling Indian as Hindus. Adityanath had said that Hindus should marry a 100 Muslim women in lieu of 1 Hindu woman.

Aug 29, 2014

Farah Khan and Kunal Kohli launch 'Decoding Bollywood'

Mumbai, August 29 (ANI): Bollywood Filmmakers Farah Khan and Kunal Kohli were spotted launching author Sonia Golani's latest book, 'Decoding Bollywood: Stories Of 15 Film Directors in Mumbai recently. Speaking on the occasion Farah thanked Sonia for making her a part of the book. While Kunal praised Sonia for her wonderful work. Decoding Bollywood takes readers through the unusual lives of 15 Hindi movie makers, including Mahesh Bhatt, R. Balakrishnan and Anurag Basu, who have created benchmarks in their respective genres. Among the 15 names are also Ashutosh Gowariker, Kabir Khan, Nagesh Kukunoor, Nandita Das, Prakash Jha, Rohit Shetty, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Sudhir Mishra, Vipul Shah and Zoya Akhtar.

Aug 29, 2014

J Jayalalithaa elected unanimously as AIADMK general secretary

Chennai, Aug 29 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK Chief J Jayalalithaa on Friday got re-elected unanimously as the party's general secretary. The party announced that Jayalalithaa has been elected unanimously as its general secretary. In a statement, Jayalalithaa conveyed her heartfelt thanks for those party men had proposed her candidature for the post. Jayalalithaa said she has taken a pledge to work for the welfare of the people, growth and victory of the party. She also announced the party's candidates for the Sep 19 local body elections. Jayalalithaa has been holding the post of General Secretary since 1987 following the death of party founder M G Ramachandran.

Aug 29, 2014

HJC releases manifesto for upcoming Haryana Assembly polls

Chandigarh, Aug 29 (ANI): Haryana Janhit Congress chief Kuldeep Bishnoi on Friday released party's manifesto for upcoming Haryana Assembly polls. Talking to mediapersons in Chandigarh, Bishnoi termed the manifesto as 'Sankalp Patra'. HJC on Thursday ended its three-year-old ties with the BJP. Attacking the BJP, Bishnoi claimed it had a history of "betraying" allies.

Aug 29, 2014

Mixed reactions flow after JandK Assembly passes resolution on Indo-Pak talks

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Political leaders on Friday gave mixed reactions on the resolution passed by Jammu and Kashmir Assembly urging the Central government to resume talks with Pakistan. Congress leader Manish Tewari said that every State assembly has the power to pass such resolutions and it is not something against the Indian policy. NCP leader Tariq Anwar said that urging the government to resume talks is a fair resolution and it is nothing debatable. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that JandK assembly should have passed a resolution which solves the issue of ceasefire along borer. Meanwhile, BJP leader Sambit Patra condemned the passing of such a resolution calling it anti-India.

Aug 29, 2014

BJP leaders' delegation meets Election Commission

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): A delegation of BJP leaders on Friday met the Election Commission regarding by-polls in JandK and Uttar Pradesh. BJP leader JP Nadda said that the BJP expressed its fear of deteriorating voter numbers in Jammu and Kashmir and discussed ways by which free and fair polls can be held. He added that the issue of security measures in By-Polls of Uttar Pradesh was also discussed to which the Election Commission ensured deployment of additional security forces.

Aug 29, 2014

Politicos hope Modi's Japan visit to be better for India

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Political leaders on Friday hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Japan will turn out to be beneficial for India. Congress leader Manish Tewari said that tours are commonly taken by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister but it would be better if they bring something beneficiary for the nation. NCP leader Tariq Anwar stated that such trips help in establishing stable relations between India and foreign countries. BJP leader Shahnawaz Hussain said that Japan has always been a friendly nation to Modi and it will be a fruitful trip.

Aug 29, 2014

BJP and RSS supports Najma Heptullah's remark even as others condemn the same

New Delhi/ Lucknow, Aug 29 (ANI): Even as other political leaders and Muslim clerics condemn Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah's remark, BJP and RSS came out to support the minister on her remark. Heptullah had said that there is nothing wrong in calling Indian as Hindu on which she stood by and said that she had used the term' Hindi' and not 'Hindu'. BJP's Spokesperson Sambit Patra said that she must have meant cultural unity in her statement. RSS Ideologue Rakesh Sinha said that Heptullah had said the right thing and that 'Hindu' signifies India and is its identity and that every religion should accept the same. Meanwhile, Congress' Manish Tewari and NCP's Tariq Anwar condemned the same claiming that such remarks can divide the 'secular India'. Muslim Cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi also slammed the remark.

Aug 29, 2014

IPL fixing: Justice Mudgal committee submits interim report

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Mudgal Committee on Friday filed its probe report in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2013 spot-fixing and betting scandal. The committee submitted its report to the Supreme Court. The committee filed its report in a sealed envelope and the apex court will hear the case in connection with the scandal on September 1.

Aug 29, 2014

Janardan Dwivedi says politicians should quit by 65-70, politicos react

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Politicos on Friday gave mixed reactions on senior Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi's remark that politicians should not remain in active posts beyond an age. Dwivedi earlier in the day said a generation change is necessary in politics and politicians should quit by 65-70. The senior Congress leader's comment came just days after the BJP dropped former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and party veterans Lal Krishna Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi from its Parliamentary Board.

Aug 29, 2014

Govt acted immature on cancelling Indo-Pak Foreign Secretaries meet: PDP

Jammu, Aug 29 (ANI): PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, while addressing a press conference on Friday, said that the cancellation of Indo-Pak foreign secretaries talk process by the government was an immature step as the meeting between Separatists and Pak leaders was nothing new. She also said that she wants the Central government to hold the Defence Ministers of both countries responsible for maintaining the ceasefire. She then said that ceasefire violations do not affect the government officials of India and Pakistan sitting in their offices but affects the common people of Jammu and Kashmir the most.

Aug 29, 2014