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After lending full support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on her dharna against the Centre and CBI in Kolkata, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Monday alleged that BJP is trying to threaten the Opposition through CBI ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.

Yadav, who on Sunday night had announced to support the TMC leader, has also sent his emissary and party’s vice-president Kironmoy Nanda to sit with Mamta Banerjee in the dharna in Kolkata.

“I have talked to Mamata didi on phone and assured her all support of the Samajwadi Party in her tirade against the BJP and the CBI,” he told reporters here on Monday.
“There was CBI row, Centre was scared of a CBI director, now they are trying to scare everyone using CBI. Who has misused the institutions? If someone has politicised the institutions, it is BJP,” the SP president alleged.
He also said,”besides West Bengal, such things have been heard from other states too. BJP and central government have started misusing CBI as elections are approaching. Not only me, not only Samajwadi Party, but all political parties are saying this.”

He further said that the opposition and the people of the country are united to defeat BJP in the coming election.

The Ministry of Home Affairs is closely monitoring the situation in West Bengal arisen on Sunday evening after the CBI was stopped by the Kolkata Police from visiting the city police chief’s residence, a senior Government functionary said here on Monday.
Reports were received by MHA on Sunday evening that officers of CBI in Kolkata had experienced intimidation and threat to personal safety in course of investigation into the Saradha scam being conducted under the directions of the Supreme Court, a top source in the Home Ministry said.
“Reports were also received that the residence of CBI Joint Director was surrounded by Kolkata police and the Centre deployed the Central Armed Police Forces at the office and residential premises of CBI in Kolkata, he added.
“Following the incident, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi and apprised him of the facts of the unfortunate and unprecedented situation in the state and asked him to inquire in the matter”, another senior Government functionary said on the condition of anonymity.
The Governor apprised Mr Singh that he had summoned Chief Secretary and Director General of Police and asked them to take immediate action to resolve the situation.
The MHA is closely monitoring the situation on the state as the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a ‘dharna’ since Sunday evening.(UNI)

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear on Tuesday the petition filed by the CBI, seeking a direction against the Kolkata Police chief, in connection with Sunday’s stand off between the probe agency and the state police.

A two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi, said, “we would hear the petition tomorrow.”

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, sought an urgent hearing in the matter, but the SC said it would hear it on Tuesday.

Appearing for the WB Government, senior advocate AM Singhvi told the top court, “it is a witch hunt by the CBI as the Kolkata CP is a witness and not an accused in the case.”

But, the bench told him to keep the defences of the state government ready on Tuesday when it will hear the case.

The ruling BJP on Sunday kicked off its much ambitious Mission 2019 – a month long ‘Bharat Ke Mann Ki Baat – Modi Ke Saath’ and also a campaign theme – ‘Kaam kare jo, umeed usi se ho – people have high expectations from us as we delivered’.

The campaign theme was announced at the launch of a month-long ‘Bharat ke mann ki baat, Modi ke saath’ aimed to enlist views of at least 10 crore families to prepare the road map for drafting of party’s manifesto in order to ensure a progressive and prosperous India.

“It will be a people oriented programme and not merely a party programme. This campaign and people’s feedback will help ensure a strong and prosperous India,” BJP chief Amit Shah said.

It may be mentioned that ‘Acchey Din aney walen haen (Good days will be here)’ was the campaign theme in 2014 while the slogan used in the last parliamentary polls was ‘Sabka saath, sabka vikas (With all, development for all)’.

“What kind of country people want and what is their suggestion to achieve this; this exercise will reach out to them to seek their views,” Mr Shah said.

Over 300 ‘Raths (campaign vehicles)’ will move across the country and over 7,700 boxes will be carried across 4000 assemblies to seek people’s views, said Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is also chairman of the party’s manifesto committee.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also tweeted seeking people’s suggestions and wrote: “What you all share will form the blueprint of our ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the 2019 election”.

The function was attended among others BJP leaders Bhupender Yadav, Ram Madhav and union ministers Prakash Javadekar, Ravi Shankar Prasad and Smriti Irani.

“Participative democracy is an article of faith for our party. We have always worked to be an effective voice for rights and well-being of each and every Indian and to build a strong and prosperous India,” tweeted Prime Minister Modi, who was on a day long visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

“Your voice is of utmost importance. Urging you all to take part in ‘Bharat ke Mann ki Baat, Modi ke Saath’, a unique effort by BJP to get citizen feedback,” the Prime Minister wrote seeking people’s suggestions and views in making of a strong India.

“What you all share will form the blueprint of our ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the 2019 election,” Mr Modi tweeted.

Mr Rajnath Singh also announced various sub-committees in the manifesto panel and said among others the Gautam Buddha Nagar MP and Union Minister Mahesh Sharma will head the sub-committee that will interact with citizens on Ram Janmabhoomi, Ganga and Yoga.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will head the sub committee on farmers’ issue.

Other convenors who will interact with different sections of people on various issues include the likes of Smriti Irani for women welfare, Rajeev Chandrashekhar for youth and sports matters, Arun Jaitley for finance matters, Dr Harsh Vardhan for good governance and science and Vinay Sahasrabuddhe for foreign policy matters and Indian neighbourhood.

Former Prime Minister and JD(S) Supremo H D Devegowda has backed the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is staging dharna against CBI action on the Kolkota city Police Chief.

In his Twitter, Mr Gowda said that the action of the CBI team against the police chief in Kolkata, has reminded him of the darker days of Emergency in the country.

While expressing shock over the CBI action, Mr Gowda opined that there is a lurking danger to the democracy and one should join together to protect it.

(UNI) The BJP,  today would meet the Election Commission and seek its intervention to ensure that the party leaders, including Union Ministers and state Chief Ministers are allowed to campaign in Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal.

A party delegation comprising Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, S S Ahluwalia and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Kailash Vijayvargiya will point to the poll panel that UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was not allowed to campaign in the eastern state on Sunday.

The BJP leaders have alleged that Yogi Adityanath’s helicopter was not allowed to land in the state.

The BJP MP in Rajya Sabha and actress-turned politician Roopa Ganguly on Monday claimed that the abuse of police power by the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee would prove costly to her.

In a tweet,   Ganguly wrote in Bangla “….police taakey shodh debey (police will avenge the manner she abused them)”.

He reference to the unprecedented actions by Kolkata police personnel on Sunday when they ‘stalled’ CBI officials discharge their duties vis-a-vis questioning the Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar.

In a series of tweets, another BJP leader from West Bengal and Union MInister Babul Supriyo has demanded imposition of President’s Rule in the state.

He also took a dig at all opposition parties for coming together to back Mamata Banerjee on her fight against CBI and the NDA government.

“Mirror Mirror on the Wall, Who is the ‘Bhrast-EST of them all?” Plz tick the odd one out (I mean any one of these who you think is not corrupt like the others),” he tweeted tagging a TV screenshot with snaps of all leading opposition leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi.

Time and again the BJP leaders have slammed  Rahul Gandhi for alleged corruption in ‘The National Herald’ case.

“President’s Rule should be imposed on West Bengal to control this ‘Rogue’ TMC Govt under a corrupt CM Mamata Banerjee.This is a constitutional crisis ‘created’ by Mamata to shield her corrupt and tainted accomplices,” tweeted Mr Supriyo, who had won from Asansol parliamentary constituency.

BJP leaders Dilip Ghosh, Mukul Roy and Rahul Sinha have also directed their tirade against Mamata Banerjee.

“Why Mamata Banerjee is trying so desperately to save Rajeev Kumar that she has to sit in dharna?

It’s an insult of our constitution. She should be immediately arrested along with Rajeev Kumar,” Mr Sinha tweeted.

Mukul Roy also took to the micro blogging site and wrote: “Why she rushed to Rajeev Kumar’s house? First time in India CM rushed to save police commissioner? She is challenging constitution of India, open attack”.

West Bengal BJP chief Dilip Ghosh has said – nothing is secured in Bengal, neither the democracy nor the Constitution and of course the CBI too.(UNI)

As Congress MP from West Bengal Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury backed the CBI and lashed out at the Trinamool Congress, Twitteratis on Sunday night flayed Rahul Gandhi for his ‘double standard’ on the entire issue.
“Congress MP Mr Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury is supporting CBI. Congress party is divided today.
Remember it was Abdul Mannan of Congress who approached Supreme Court over the Saradha Scam,” tweeted one active netizen Suman Dey.
His missive was not in isolation. One Seema Choudhary tweeted saying, “Kya nautanki hae (What is this drama about it)”.
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“Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury demands imposition of President’s Rule against anarchy by Mamata Banarjee. On the other hand Rahul Gandhi is coming up with full support for Mamata Banerjee,” she wrote.
Another missive went: “Your four time MP frm Berhampore Sri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, who won last three elections with more than 50 per cent votes asked Govt. of India to implement Article 356 against Mamata. You always support wrong people”.
Mr Chowdhury has been known for his anti-Mamata Banerjee politics and was not comfortable with Rahul Gandhi going soft on her.
He said the Dharna has been staged as several Trinamool leaders are involved in the chit funds scams.
There have been two major chit fund irregularities Sharada and Rose Valley in West Bengal.
However, in his Twitter missive Rahul Gandhi disclosed about his telephonic talk with Mamata Banerjee and wrote: “I spoke with Mamata Di tonight and told her we stand shoulder to shoulder with her. The happenings in Bengal are a part of the unrelenting attack on India’s institutions by Mr Modi & the BJP.”
“The entire opposition will stand together & defeat these fascist forces,” Mr Gandhi wrote.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “The BJP wants to stay in power by hook or by crook. They are so scared of losing that CBI is being used as election agents. This is undemocratic and against spirit of the constitution. We demand due process be followed so that CBI is not used as a tool of political interference.(UNI)

The Central Bureau of Investigation will move to Supreme Court on Monday after the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna in Kolkata against the agency which moved to visit Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajiv Kumar.
The CBI team was stopped by the Kolkata Police to visit the city police chief’s residence on Sunday evening.
The probe agency has accused the West Bengal Government of impending investigation of a Supreme Court ordered investigation in to a Chit fund scam and expected to demand an action against the state Government and the state police.
A top source in the probe agency said that the state Government is not co operating and therefore, the CBI is most likely move to SC for the intervention.
It may be recalled that that in May 2014, the SC had handed over the investigation of Sharda chit fund case to CBI.
According to CBI, the Kolkata Police chief Rajiv Kumar who headed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Sharda and Rose Valley ponzi scheme surfaced in 2013, is not cooperating the investigation agency.(UNI)

(UNI) Congress on Sunday issued Whip for all its Members of Parliament, to remain present in the House on February 4 onwards, without fail.

The three-lined whip is issued by Chief Whip Jyotiraditya Scindia, asking Congress MPs to be present from February 4 to 8 when the discussions and passing of Motion of Thanks on President address and the interim Budget would be taken up.

All MPs of Congress in the Lok Sabha are requested to kindly remain present In the House from 1100 hrs onwards till the adjournment of the House on February 4, 5, 6. 7, and 8 without fall and support the party stand and this may be treated as ‘most important’, the Whip said.

A whip is issued to ensure party discipline in a legislature. This usually means ensuring members of the party vote, according to the party platform or other accepted policy views shared by the party.

BJP leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath could not attend the two public meetings in West Bengal he was supposed to address today after local district administrators refused landing permission to his helicopter at Balurghat in South Dinajpur district of north Bengal.
Yogi Adityanath had two rallies at Raigunj and Balurghat, the district headquarters of North and Dinajpur, respectively. After arriving at Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri, he was supposed to fly there by a helicopter. But the local administration refused his chopper landing permission on technical grounds.
However, Yogi Adityanath’s office in Lucknow said the permission was withheld “without any prior notice”.
Later, in a telephonic address from Lucknow, Adityanath told the BJP supporters at Balurghat about the position and promised to meet them later.
This was the second incident, after BJP president Amit Shah, when a leader from the party was not allowed to land in the state. Amit Shah’s helicopter was also denied landing permission in Malda last month on technical grounds.
Meanwhile, state food supplies minister Jyotipriyo Mallick today said some trees, at least 20-25 years old, were cut down at Chikonpara to create a temporary helipad for PM Modi’s helicopter. He said the local people have decided to file an FIR at the Gaighata police station against the felling of trees.
The Prime Minister had addressed a BJP rally at Thakurnagar on Saturday.(UNI)

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today promised minimum income guarantee of Rs10,000 per month to every poor in the country, if his party was voted to power at the Centre in the Lok Sabha elections, saying he would definitely fulfill his promise as it was not like Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 2014 Lok Sabha ‘Chunavi Jumla’ (hollow promise).

Two security officers have been suspended in Sweden after footage emerged of them removing a heavily pregnant woman from an underground train in Stockholm and pinning her down on a bench.
The incident happened after the woman, travelling with her young daughter, was allegedly caught without a ticket, according to an Euronews report.
In the footage, which has been widely shared on social media, the guards are seen removing her from the train at Hotorget metro station in central Stockholm before pinning her down on a bench.
The woman was taken to hospital following the incident but has since returned home, according to reports.
The video sparked debate on social media, with some saying the incident was racially motivated.
“When she was going to be escorted from the subway by our public security officers she started to make resistance,” it said.
SL said the two security guards had been “taken off duty” while the incident is investigated.(UNI)

French President Emmanuel Macron is mulling over the possibility of holding a referendum in France in an attempt to resolve the socioeconomic crisis that triggered the wave of yellow vest rallies across the country, while officials have already launched preparations for the vote in case Macron gives the signal, the Journal du Dimanche newspaper reported on Sunday, citing sources close to the matter.
According to the sources, Macron is thinking about organizing the referendum on May 26, the day of the elections to the European Parliament, and the chances that the vote will be held on this very day are “very high,” the outlet reported.
The sources noted that the department of elections at the French Interior Ministry, responsible for holding the vote, had already reserved envelopes and ballots necessary for the referendum and are waiting for the “green light” from the president.
The newspaper claims that Macron has almost made up his mind about the referendum, however, the outlet did not provide any details about the potential referendum itself.
The wave of the so-called yellow vest rallies, which have been marked by violence, clashes with law enforcement agents and public disorder, started in France in mid-November last year. While the government decided not to raise fuel taxes, which triggered the rallies in the first place, and introduced other measures to improve the country’s socioeconomic situation, tens of thousands of protesters continue to take to the streets across France every weekend. (UNI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid foundation stones of much-awaited All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other projects in Vijaypur tehsil of bordering Samba district in Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi on Sunday morning laid the foundation of dream project of Jammuites, the much-awaited AIIMS, to be established in Vijaypur tehsil on Jammu-Pathankot national highway, about 30 km from Jammu. The project will be completed by 2023.

The Prime Minister, however, also laid foundations of a bridge over River Chenab at Sajwal (Pargwal-Indri-Pattan); Jourian, Jammu; Pollution Abetment Project on River Devika-Tawi; Campus of Northern Regional Centre, IIMC, Jammu and 624 MW Kiru Hydroelectric Project in one go, with just a click.

Modi also inaugurated University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Janglote in Kathua district.

AIIMS will come up on more than 1954 kanals and 6 marlas of land located along the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway.

The construction of AIIMS boundary wall was already underway.

Ambati Rayudu 90 off 113 and all-rounder Hardik Pandya’s 45 off 22 and two wicket spell helped India emerge victorious against New Zealand by 35 runs in the fifth and last ODI winning the series 4-1 here on Sunday.
India opening pair Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan fell cheaply at 2 and 6, but managed to put up a challenging score of 252 in 49.5 overs before the Kiwis but in reply the hosts chasing a target of 253 were bundled out for 217 in 44.1 overs.

US Democrat Tulsi Gabbard, a member of Congress from the state of Hawaii, officially announced on Saturday her intention to run for president in 2020.
Earlier in January, Gabbard announced that she had decided to run for president and intended to make a formal statement in the coming days.
“Join me in building a movement for peace at home and abroad that will fulfill the promise of America for freedom, justice, equality, and opportunity for all. Today we kick off our campaign,” Gabbard wrote on Twitter.
She also criticized the current President of the United States, Donald Trump, who, according to her, campaigned against the regime change, but now pushes for regime change in Venezuela and Iran.
Gabbard, 37, has previously served in the US Army in a war zone in Iraq. She has been elected to Congress in 2013.
Gabbard is of Samoan descent by her father. However, she is practicing Hinduism.
She is known for criticizing US tactics in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. Her party members sharply criticized her for a visit to Syria in 2017, during which she met with representatives of the Syrian authorities.
Gabbard has visited the states of Iowa and New Hampshire in recent months — such visits are considered necessary for potential US presidential candidates, as the first primaries are held in these states. She is not among the favorites of the presidential campaign, as a number of other, better-known Democratic candidates are expected to announce participation in the presidential race in the coming weeks. Among the most popular potential candidates are former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and Sen. Bernie Sanders. (UNI)

Congress is to hold a nationwide protest on Monday against the shooting an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi at Aligarh on January 30, Organisational General Secretary KC Venugopal said here on Sunday.
The party will hold a rally against the deeds of the Hindu Mahasabha at 1000 hrs on February 4 in all state headquarters with placards, in the places associated with the life of Mahatma Gandhi or near statues of Mahatma and will also highlight his messages.

On January 30, when the nation commemorated the 71st anniversary of Gandhi’s assassination, the members of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha in Uttar Pradesh used a pistol to shoot at an effigy of Gandhiji, distributed sweets and garlanded the statue of Nathuram Godse, Gandhiji’s assassin.
Godse was a member of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha. The members also burnt the effigy of Mahatma Gandhi and shouted pro-Godse slogans like ‘Mahatma Godse Zindabad’, Mr Venugopal said.
”These provocative and reprehensible actions happening in BJP-ruled states, take place with the candid and clandestine support given by the ruling party and the same reveals the deep hatred still carried by the right wing groups against the father of the Nation and his ideas of Secularism, Ahimsa and Brotherhood,” he alleged.
The incident happened at Aligarh on January 30, when Hindu Mahasabha National Secretary Pooja Shakun Pandey shot at an effigy of Mahatma Gandhi, to celebrate his death and the ‘martyrdom’ of Nathuram Godse, the man who killed Gandhi on January 30, 1948.
A case was registered against 13 people, including a woman leader of Hindu Mahasabha, while police has arrested three people in this connection, so far.(UNI)

First Edition of Logix India 2019 concluded with a roaring success, huge participation and great fan following across the country and globe.
The three-day mega event organised by Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO) saw well over 3,000 business to business meetings along with parallel sessions on different issues, challenges and above all opportunities with regard to the logistics sector across India and the world.
As many as 130 logistics companies and their delegates from 27 countries participated at this mega event and exchanged business prospects and opportunities to make Indian logistics sector global.
Besides these, FIEO also signed MoUs with Ceylon National Chamber of Industries and Kabul Chamber of Commerce and Industries to further promote commerce and trade.
Speaking at the concluding session of the Logix India 2019, Mr N Sivasailam, Special Secretary (Logistics), Department of Commerce, Govt of India said, ”We are in a very exciting times as major initiatives have been launched because there is a better thought and understanding about the sector among all the stakeholders.”
FIEO President Ganesh Kumar Gupta in his concluding remarks said that Logix India 2019 was a major breakthrough having excelled all the expectations.
Stakeholders from CIS Nations and Iran have shown keen interest and have played a pivotal role in making this mega event a great success. India, where SMEs has key role; road, rail and other forms of transport make a better option along with logistics and infrastructure in the growth and development of the economy, said Mr Gupta.
Dr Ajay Sahai, DG & CEO, FIEO said that India is passing through a logistics revolution as about USD 500 billion is to be invested in the field of infrastructure in the country.
The draft comprehensive logistics policy and portal, which will be unveiled soon, added with GST, E-way bill and other facilitating measures will add to furtherance and efficiency of the logistics industry in the country. 

Hundreds and thousands of people holding aloft the red flags today virtually clogged the city’s main roads and streets leading to Brigade Parade Ground to attend a Left Front rally, that aims to end the BJP and Trinamool Congress government at the centre and state respectively in 2019 parliament elections. Traffic at the main two railway stations – Sealdah and Howrah – was almost at snail pace as the people from the neighbouing districts arriving on trains and began to march to the meeting venue.

The Left Front Brigade rally, the first of its kind in more than three years after 2015 was being called to intensify the movement to oust the Narendra Modi led NDA government at the centre and the Mamata Banerjee headed West Bengal government in 2019 Parliament polls.

Left Front organsiers claimed that over 3 lakh people are expected to attend the Brigade rally where CPI(M) top leaders and their left allies are expected to address the meeting. West Bengal former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattachrya, who is now ailing, is expected to attend the rally briefly, according to CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb.

He said Mr Bhattacharya has been keen on attending the rally, at least for a brief period.

Mr Deb said they have been taking advices of the medics to take care of the ailing former chief minster in the rally.

CPI(M) top leader Sitaram Yechury, Left Front chairman Biman Bose, Md Salim, Sujan Chakrbarborty have already arrived at the venue.