Month: September 2014

The Indian government will not prevent an ailing Italian marine facing murder charges from returning home for medical treatment, Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said on Monday. Massimiliano Lattore is one of two Italian marines being held over the 2012 shooting of two fishermen mistakenly believed to be pirates, in a case that has soured relations between New Delhi and Rome. India’s Supreme Court has instructed the government to respond to his plea for bail so that he can seek treatment. “If the marine wants to go home and if the court allows, he can.” Under international pressure, India had dropped a plan to prosecute the marines under a tough new anti-piracy law.

New Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) The government will not allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Monday. “We are clear that FDI will not be allowed in multi-brand retail trade. There is no confusion on this,” Sitharaman said, addressing a press conference here on the initiatives by her ministry in the 100 days of the NDA regime. Sitharaman said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has clearly articulated its position on foreign equity in multi-brand retail and won the elections on the basis of the manifesto.

New Delhi, Sep 8, (ANI): Senior Congress leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad has praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for offering support to Pakistan for the flood-affetced parts of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). He said, “I am happy that our Prime Minister has shown statesmanship by offering support to PoK.” Azad also praised the Prime Minister for the amount of funds released for the reconstruction of infrastructure in the state. I am happy that our Prime Minister has sanctioned Rs 1000 crore for relief work and hope that he provides much more for relief in the state.” On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the state for a first-hand assessment of the situation arising out of incessant rain and floods in the state, had offered his help to Pakistan to assist in the relief work in PoK.

New Delhi, Sept. 8 (ANI): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that foreign policy and diplomacy, though related to each other, are different. “Foreign policy and diplomacy, though related, are not the same. Foreign policy means what a government should do, while diplomacy means how it should be done. The foreign policy of India has always remained the same – how to be on good relations with our neighbours,” Swaraj told a press conference here.

New Delhi, Sep 8, (ANI): External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday announced that all the North-East states, namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura will get their own Passport Seva Kendras by March 31. “Before the next financial year, that is March 31, we will open Passport Seva Kendras in all the North-East states,” she told a press conference here. Swaraj also announced that the Centre has agreed to double the production of number of passport booklets published per year keeping in mind the recent demand of passports. When I was made the External Affairs Minister, I found that the shortage of passport booklets was more than six lakhs.

New Delhi, Sept. 8 (ANI): Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Satish Upadhyay on Monday asked his party colleague Sher Singh Dagar to give a detailed clarification over the video released by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). We have asked for a clarification from Sher Singh Dagar over this issue. The Aam Aadmi Party has released a raw video footage in which Dagar allegedly tried to bribe the party’s MLAs in a bid to help his party form the government in Delhi.