Month: August 2014

Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar), Aug. 9 (ANI): India today called for strengthening connectivity within the ASEAN group to a new level to further boost trade and people-to-people contact and sought for further deepening of ties. Addressing a gathering of the ASEAN countries here, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “To my mind, connectivity, trade and investment can bring about a seamless integration of our economic space and enable us to optimize our human and resource potential. I hope that our Economic and Trade Ministers will be able to sign the FTA() on Services and Investment when they meet later this month and also agree on the modalities for setting up a dedicated ASEAN India Trade and Investment Centre.” “We have suggested that India, Myanmar and Thailand begin negotiations on a Transit Transport Agreement at the earliest so that this can be concluded by the time the Trilateral Highway completes in 2016,” she added. “The ACCC-India meeting and Working Groups suggested by it should inform the AISOM () on how ASEAN and India can identify the SEZs or economic nodes along their connectivity corridors of road, rail and sea.

New Delhi, Aug. 9 (ANI): The Congress today sought action from the BJP-led NDA government in fulfilling its poll promises, reminding the government about its responsibilities, and asked it to stop Congress bashing. Congress leader Ajay Maken, while responding to Prime Minister’s speech in the BJP National Council meet said, “In the meeting of BJP, the things they were saying its seemed that they were so obsessed with Congress that they forgot that now they are not in opposition but in ruling. They are not able to make their mindset Congress free.” “Shocking thing is that the resolutions with which they started that they have not said anything about their agendas but about Congress. Another Congress leader Rashid Alvi said, “We are not asking for any accounts.

Lucknow, Aug. 9 (ANI): Taking a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Samajwadi Party leader Rajendra Chaudhary today said that if any fascist thinks he can run the nation alone, the power of the state governments is going to suffer. “The BJP has become extremely arrogant since the time it came to power. If any fascist thinks he can run the nation alone, what will happen to the powers of the state governments,” said Chaudhary.

Kolkata, Aug 9 (IANS) Superstar Shah Rukh Khan arrived in Kolkata Saturday to participate in a programme organised by the Kolkata Police. A huge crowd greeted the actor at the airport on his arrival.

Jammu, Aug. 9 (ANI): People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Yashpal Sharma today dismissed BJP president Amit Shah’s claim that his party would form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir after the assembly polls. “It’s just a dream of the BJP. In Jammu and Kashmir, it will be the PDP which will be in power after the polls, and not the BJP. Earlier in the day, Shah without naming anyone, criticized the political families of the PDP (Muftis), and the National Conference (Abdullahs), and urged BJP workers to strive for victory in the assembly polls to be held later this year.

Nay Pyi Taw (Myanmar), Aug. 9 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said Saturday that the ASEAN-India strategic partnership owes its strength to the fact that New Delhi’s Look East policy meets ASEAN’s Look West policy. Addressing the 12th India-ASEAN Meeting in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, she congratulated Myanmar for being in a position to hold such an event. She said, “The ASEAN-India strategic partnership owes its strength to the fact that our ‘Look East’ to ASEAN meets your ‘Look West’ towards India.

New Delhi, Aug. 9 (ANI): Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah today said former Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s hunger to stay in power convinced him to break ties with the BJP and fall into the lap of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Yadav. “Just for the sake of power, Nitish went and sat in Lalu Prasad Yadav’s lap”, said Shah at the BJP’s National Council meeting here today.