Mayawati's BSP To Contest All 70 Seats In Delhi

BSP will fight from all 70 seats in the coming Delhi Assembly elections. The former UP CM and BSP President Mayawati has told the media today in Lucknow. "I am starting the election campaign for the Delhi Vidhan Sabha elections today... our party would contest all the 70 seats on our own," she said.

Mayawati is celebrating her 59th birthday today as the 'People's Welfare Day'.Criticizing the BJP she said that after misleading the people of the nation with their achche din slogan, the party will now try to cajole the Delhi folks.



"Dalits, backward castes, and others should know that central government, without making arrangement of quotas in the private sector, have started giving important works to the private sector belonging to capitalists, resulting in these sections getting very little benefit of reservation", she said.

She was equally vitriolic towards AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, she said, "he has gone a step ahead of BJP and is the votary of ending reservation and has also given statements in this direction."

She further said, "With BJP and AAP at the helm, the minorities, including poor muslims as well as poor among the upper castes, would not get their rightful place in education and jobs."

The BSP could not manage to get a single seat in the previous assembly elections in 2013. The Party was completely wiped out in the general elections in 2014, it could not win a seat in UP, which is its stronghold.

The Delhi assembly elections will be held on 7 February and the results will come out on 10 February.

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Kiran Bedi, Jaya Prada May Soon Join BJP, Decision On Shazia Ilmi Pending

Kiran Bedi, Jaya Prada May Soon Join BJP, Decision On Shazia Ilmi Pending

If media sources are to be trusted, former police officer and social worker Kiran Bedi is expected to join the BJP today. However, the induction of actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada hasn't yet been finalized.

 The rumor market is abuzz with the speculation of BJP fielding Kiran or Jaya, a former SP MP, against the AAP supremo Arvind Karriwal from the New Delhi constituency in the coming assembly elections.




 Though, the former AAP member Shazia Ilmi has denied the rumors of her joining the BJP, and contesting the elections against her former boss. It should be noted that the journalist-turned-politician might not have joined the BJP but has shared platforms with the party leaders and is expected to canvass for the party.

Was invited to speak at the National Defence College .Cdnt take media calls. Im not contesting from New Delhi or elsewhere Calm down folks
— shazia ilmi (@shaziailmi) January 14, 2015

Meanwhile, Jaya Prada says that she has been in contact with the BJP think tank for some time and now is ready to join the party. Ms Bedi has not opened her cards yet. She tweeted:

Delhi and Delhites do not deserve this kind of prolonged negativity. The Capital needs integrity wisdom,experience,vision and implementation
— Kiran Bedi (@thekiranbedi) January 15, 2015

Kiran Beadi the first Indian female IPS officer and a prominent member of the erstwhile team Anna, showed her political inclinations towards BJP when Modi announced his arrival at the national level with a thumping majority. It needs to be emphasized that Kejriwal was also a team Anna member, but preferred to part ways with Anna over the issue of launching a political party to which Anna was sternly averse.

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Goa Minister’s Remarks on Homosexuals Create Outrage Across India

Japan Increases Its Defense Budget By 2.8%, Dispute With China Main Reason

Japan's cabinet has approved a record defense budget of 4.98 trillion yen that is equivalent to $42bn. Experts are seeing this development in the light of growing maritime tension between Japan and China. The defense budget is 2.8% higher than the previous year's defense spending. Japan has been increasing its defense expenses for the past three years (this year included), after a decade of cuts.

The defense minister of the country Gen Nakatani has said that the step has been taken in accordance with the changing situation around Japan. The hike is expected to be directed towards patrol vessels and aircrafts. The purchase list has 20 maritime patrol aircraft, five crossover aircraft, and six stealth fighters. 30 amphibious vehicles and an early-warning aircraft are also in the wish-list.

Both Japan and China are engaged in a bitter dispute in the East China Sea over the issue of ownership of islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China. 

Mr Nakatani said, "The level of defense spending reflects the amount necessary to protect Japan's air, sea and land, and guard the lives and property of our citizens." He also mentioned that Chinese naval ships can be seen meandering along Japan's waters and that its fighter jets comes perilously close to the same of Japan. The statement, obviously, has been denied by China that says its maritime exercises are completely legitimate. 

It should be noted that China's defense expenditure is two and half times more than that of Japan, while America tops the list of military budget with over $600bn. India comes ninth in the list with an expenditure of over $36bn.

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Charlie Hebdo Refuses To Give In, Prophet Mohammad To Appear On The Front Page

Goa Minister’s Remarks on Homosexuals Create Outrage Across India

Sports and Youth Affairs Minister of Goa Ramesh Tawadkar has said that the Goa government is planning to start centers that will cure the homosexuals of their abnormal propensities.

Mr Tawadkar said that treatment would be offered to lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender to make them 'normal'. And since then, various social networks are abuzz with severe criticism of the minister. Many rightist minds are voicing their support to the man.

India's unwillingness to accept homosexuality is no top secret. In December 2013, the Supreme Court's decision of striking down a lower court's verdict that decriminalized homosexual act between consenting adults brought censure from various parts of the world. The Section 377 of the IPC awards 10-year jail term for homosexual activities.

Mr Tawadkar's statement is also being perceive as the incorporation of conservative India where all those activities are considered social taboos. "We will make LGBT (lesbians, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth normal. We will have a centre for them... like Alcoholics Anonymous centres. We will train them and give them medicines too," the minister said while discussing government's policy report on youth.

"As in the case of other target groups such as juvenile offenders, drug afflicted youth, marginalised or migrant youth, geographically disadvantaged youth, a detailed survey would be carried out of the LGBT community so that their problems could be specifically addressed."

Twitter is abuzz with criticism: 

Homosexuality a Natural Gift' - #Goa Chief Minister's #Respect
— IVIMMXIII (@royanand15) January 13, 2015

So a #Goa minister wants to cure the #LGBT community. Does he head the Ministry of Morons?
— Jayadev (@NotJDSalinger) January 13, 2015

The #LGBTCommunity has so far been very generous towards #Goa #Minister #RameshTalwadker for his #GayCure statement. #Media is not happy.
— Ani Borkar (@GravitasVeritas) January 13, 2015

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Charlie Hebdo Refuses To Give In, Prophet Mohammad To Appear On The Front Page

Charlie Hebdo Refuses To Give In, Prophet Mohammad To Appear On The Front Page

Charlie Hebdo, the same French satirical magazine that was ravaged by the terrorists last week, will have Prophet Mohammad's cartoon on its front page in its latest edition that will hit the stalls on Wednesday.   

The cartoon depicts the Prophet holding a placard that says "Je suis Charlie." And above the cartoon are the words "All is forgiven." The decision of the magazine to publish the cartoon after the attack is touted by many as an act of extreme bravery.  

 

The cover photo is doing rounds in the French media prior to its release.

The slogan "I am Charlie" is being used all across the world across various social platforms to show support to the magazine and to those who lost their life in the attack.  Three million copies of the magazine are being printed; normally Charlie Hebdo sells around 60000 copies per week. 

"We will not give in. The spirit of 'I am Charlie' means the right to blaspheme," Charlie Hebdo's lawyer Richard Malka spoke on Info radio.

Around ten thousand troops are deployed across France in the aftermath of the terror attacks that took 17 lives in total and rendered many injured. a huge unity rally was held in Paris on Sunday.

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Islamic Terrorists Rampage French Magazine Office: 12 dead, Several Injured

Arsonists Attack German Newspaper Building For republishing The Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

New President Of Sri Lanka Will Come To India Next Month; 15 India Fishermen To be Released

The newly elected President of Sri Lanka Maithripala Sirisena has accepted PM Modi's invitation to visit India as his first state visit as the head of the his nation. He will visit New Delhi next month. 

A political aide of the Sri Lankan President said that PM Modi invited Mr Sirisena when he called to congratulate him on his historical victory on Friday.  Rajitha Senaratne, a close political ally of Sirisena, said that the island nation is planning to release 15 Indian fishermen in its captivity in the foreseeable future.

Senaratne, while talking to the media on Saturday, said that Sri Lanka recognizes the importance of having India as its close allay.  He also compared the humble backgrounds of both Sirisena and Modi in order to emphasis that Sri Lanka gives its top priority to its relations with India. “Mr. Modi invited our President to come to India first. Mr. Sirisena told him it would be difficult this month, and that he will go next month.”  

Recently, Sri Lanka's relation with India has not been too warm as it has moved its emphasis towards China. And the huge Chinese investment in the country has made it difficult for India to become a top priority country for the island nation.

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Mahinda Rajapaksa Loses Elections, Maithripala Sirisena Is The New President Of Sri Lanka

Dates For Delhi Assembly Elections Out, Voting On 7th February, Counting On 10th

Assemble elections will be held in Delhi on February 7 and counting will be done on 10th of the same month, the Election Commission chief VS Sampath has informed the media today.

He further said that the model code of conduct for all the 70 seats comes into existence with immediate effect.

This election is being seen as a bilateral fight to get to supremacy in the country capital between a resurgent BJP, which has recently won four states back-to-back, and AAP, which is banking on the charisma of Arvind Kejriwal.

In 2013 elections no single party could garner a clear-cut majority. BJP, though, emerged as the single largest party, but it could not form a government. AAP, which came second with 28 seats, formed a government with the help of Congress; Arvind Kejriwal became the seventh CM. But Kejriwal resigned after 49 days of becoming the CM following the failure to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed. President's rule was imposed in Delhi in February 2014.

Experts are of the opinion that Congress is no where in the competition in Delhi. 

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Will Provide 24x7 Electricity, Kejriwal An Anarchist: PM Modi Starts BJP's Election Campaign In Delhi

Arsonists Attack German Newspaper Building For republishing The Charlie Hebdo Cartoons

The building of Hamburger Morgenpost, a German newspaper that dared to republish Charlie Hebdo'scontroversial cartoons of Prophet Mohammad, has been attacked by some unknown arsonists. No one has been reported to be injured.

A police source has revealed that an incendiary article was thrown towards the newspaper building in the night around 1:20 AM that burned some documents. Two suspects have been taken into police custody from the crime spot as they were acting in an incongruous fashion.

 

The information gathered from the web page of the newspaper is that no one was inside the building when the arsonists attacked it. However, the police is investigating if the incident is related to the attack at Charlie Hebdo.

After the brutal attack at Charlie Hebdo, that killed 15 people including two cops, the  Hamburger Morgenpost has published all the three cartoons of the Prophet on its first page.

The state security has taken over the investigation. 

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Islamic Terrorists Rampage French Magazine Office: 12 dead, Several Injured

Subhas Chandra Bose Was Killed At The Instance Of Stalin: Subramanian Swamy

Senior BJP leader Subramanian Swamy claims that Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose did not die in a plane crash in 1945, but he was killed under the orders of Joseph Stalin, the iron fisted Soviet supremo. Mr Swamy was speaking at the Merchant Chamber of Commerce and Industry event held in Kolkata.

Demanding the declassification of secret files to unearth the mystry behind the death the iconic leader, Swamy accused the Soviet demagogue of killing the Netaji in captivity in Siberia. At the same time he mentioned that by bringing the secret files in public domain might endanger India's relation with countries like Russia and England. However, he said that he will draw PM Modi's attention towards the matter.  

"According to the papers that exist with us, Bose had faked his death and escaped to Manchuria in China which was under Russian occupation, hoping Russia would look after him. But Stalin put him in a jail in Siberia. Somewhere around 1953, he hanged or suffocated Bose to death" he said. "Declassification of Netaji documents in haste and without judging the consequences would be difficult. India's relations with Britain and Russia may be affected, but I will persuade the prime minister to disclose the documents."

He further claimed that the then PM of India Pandit Nehru was very well aware of the goings-on, and he knew that Netaji was held captive in the Yakutsk Prison in Siberia. 

Swamy argued that the "mystery" surrounding the death of Netaji has to be dealt with as the man was a leader of massive stature. It was Bose's heroics that played a crucial role in the Britishers leaving the country in 1947 despite having won the WWII. 

Number of people including his descendants, historians, and believers of his ideoloy have been demanding for the secret files concerning his death to be brought in the public domain. 

Subhash Bose became the President of the Indian National Congress in 1938, but soon was ousted from the party because of his ideological difference with Mahatma Gandhi. He then left the country and went to Germany and subsequently to Japan where he created INA (Indian National Army), which was to invade the Indian main land.

According to the popular notion he died of third degree burns sustained from a plane crash on 18 August 1945 somewhere in Taiwan. 

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Will Provide 24x7 Electricity, Kejriwal An Anarchist: PM Modi Starts BJP's Election Campaign In Delhi

Governor's Rule Gets Government's Nod In Jammu And Kashmir

Will Provide 24x7 Electricity, Kejriwal An Anarchist: PM Modi Starts BJP's Election Campaign In Delhi

PM Modi kick-started BJP's election campaign in Delhi today from Ramlila Maidan by promising the Capital state 24x7 power supply and homes to the slum dwellers.

"If we come to power, we will rid the city of generators and the poisonous gases...wil give 24x7 electricity, " the PM said. This was not all, he also promised that the Delhi people will soon be allowed to chooses their power suppliers as we choose our mobile service providers on the basis of their cost effectivity. He argued that the competition among the companies would cut the price down hence the end users will benefit.

The CMs of Haryana, Maharashtra, and Jharkhand were felicitated for their respective victories in the assembly election last year. Many of Modi's cabinet colleagues were also there along with the BJP President Amit Shah.  

Taking a dig at Arvind Kejriwal, the PM asked his audience - at least 25-30 thousand people were there- “have you ever seen a leader who says, 'yes I am an anarchist,' let then do dharnas and all those kinds of things, give reins of power to." 

The BJP has not been able to come to power in Delhi for the past 16 years. Delhi BJP head Satish Upadhayay said that the party is pretty confident to sweep the election this time.

Delhi assembly election was held on 4 December 2013, in which no political party could gather a clear majority. Arvind Kejriwal managed to form a government with support from Congress; but he resigned after ruling for 49 days following the failure of the introduction of Delhi's Jan Lokpal Bill.

Fresh elections will be held in late January and/or early February 2015.

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Governor's Rule Gets Government's Nod In Jammu And Kashmir

Willing To Pay 51 Cr To Those Who Wreak Havoc In Charlie Hebdo Office: Haji Yaqoob Qureshi

Governor's Rule Gets Government's Nod In Jammu And Kashmir

The Government finally gave a nod to the Governor’s rule in the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir today. All the major parties of the state assembly, by now, have not succeeded in forming a government. 

The Governor of the state NN Vohra had earlier recommended the President rule in the state as the care-taker CM Omar Abdullah had resigned on Thursday; in the light of Omar Abdullah's request the Governor took the step.

“Once the Cabinet has taken a decision, the President will also be informed of the decision and he would have the final say on the matter,” said a government official.

The results of the five phaseassembly election in J&K - held between November 25 to December 20 - came on 23 December. PPP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats, while BJP was not lagging far behind with 25 seats. NC and Congress has 15 and 12 seats respectively.

No tangible coalition could be formed for one reason or the other between any of the parties. And if no government is formed in the state then Governor's rule is the writing on the wall.

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Mahinda Rajapaksa Loses Elections, Maithripala Sirisena Is The New President Of Sri Lanka

Mahinda Rajapaksa Loses Elections, Maithripala Sirisena Is The New President Of Sri Lanka

Mahinda Rajapaksa's decade long rule seems to have come to an end as he has accepted defeat in the Presidential election, his office has announced today. He has been vanquished by his erstwhile colleague and former health minister Maithripala Sirisena.

The official statement has ensured a "smooth transition of power."



Official result will come as late as this evening, but the initial counting trend foretells that Mr Sirisena has already crossed the half way mark and is on his way to the Presidential chair.

Mr Sirisena is yet to comment on this.

Mr Rajapaksa has already vacated Temple Trees, his official residence.

Mr Sirisena was Rajapaksa's ally until November when he announced his surprise candidacy. Both the gentlemen are Sinhalese, the ethnic majority of the island nation, which has a population of 21 million.

Sirisena was supposed to get the major chunk of the minorities, but to get the top job he had to ensure a fair bit of the Sinhalese vote share.

Huge Tamil turn out played a vital role in Sirisena's victory. Turnout in many areas, such as Jaffna and Trincomalee - two of the Tamil strongholds - was more than 70%.

Rajapaksa last won the Presidency when he defeated Sarath Fonseka, who was later jailed on charges of incriminating the government in war related crimes.

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Sir Lanka Goes Into The Most Closely Fought Election In Years

Willing To Pay 51 Cr To Those Who Wreak Havoc In Charlie Hebdo Office: Haji Yaqoob Qureshi

Willing To Pay 51 Cr To Those Who Wreak Havoc In Charlie Hebdo Office: Haji Yaqoob Qureshi

Senior BSP leader Haji Yaqoob Qureshi has said that he is willing to give INR 51 Crores to the terrorists who bombed the office of Charlie Hebdo yesterday, the butchers killed 12 including two cops and 4 of the most famous cartoonists of France.

“Rasul ke ashiq unhe saza de dete hai (lovers of the religion punish the culprits)," the former UP minister told the media. He was reacting to the liberal clerics' view that real Islam has no place for violence.  

“Those who dare insult Prophet Mohammed deserve death and there is no need to initiate legal procedure against them.” The leader said that the Prophet only taught the lessons of love and peace.

Mr Qureshi's remark, in 2006, about rewarding the person with 51 crore rupees who would kill the Danish cartoonist who had created the controversial cartoon of Prophet Mohammed, brought him to the headlines. He made this offer at a public rally in Meerut district of the state.

His current remarks will surely make the police raise the eyebrows. Additional DGP of Uttar Pradesh Mukul Goel said, “We can initiate action against him only after examining his statement under the purview of law.”

The French magazine came in the limelight in the year 2006 when it republished the cartoons of Prophet Mohammed that had originally appeared in a Danish newspaper.

As far as Mr Qureshi is concerned, he is not new to controversy.

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Islamic Terrorists Rampage French Magazine Office: 12 dead, Several Injured