Mamata hints at money, power & scams in presidential race

June 18, 2012

Kolkata, June 18: A day after supporting APJ Abdul Kalam as the presidential candidate on Facebook, Mamata Banerjee on Sunday raised her voice against "corruption and back-room dealings" on the social networking site. Her latest post on Facebook hinted that the last two days' hectic political activities over presidential poll had something to do with "money, power and scams".

The Trinamool Congress chief thanked people for their response to her first FB post and wrote: "I'm sure this united voice will take public issues to the next level." She asked people "to raise their voices and fight against corruption and back-room dealings".

Her posts suggest that Mamata is now using the social networking site to reach out to a larger constituency and stress on a "conspiracy theory" that there is something more other than politics that played a role in Mulayam Singh Yadav's decision to endorse Pranab Mukherjee's candidature.

"It is most unfortunate that politics in our great nation has become murky and values, public interest have been compromised through the use of money, power and scams. Ethical and principled politics has eroded today... this decay has to be reversed at all costs to return to the great traditions of this country. That is why we should raise our voices and stand by principles. Conviction, values and integrity," wrote Mamata.

Trinamool leaders said soon after Pranab's nomination by the UPA, rumours started doing the rounds that Kalam would withdraw his candidature. "We are in touch with APJ Abdul Kalam. He hasn't taken any decision yet," said a senior Trinamool leader.

Another Trinamool leader said regional political considerations and business interests played a key role in the SP's U-turn. "Mulayam returned to Lucknow and endorsed Pranab's candidature," he pointed out.

Union MoS for tourism Sultan Ahmed said, "Business houses are calling the shots. In the name of SEZ, natural resources have been handed over to corporate houses. But who pays for the profits amassed by the top 50 business houses? Didi has always championed the cause of the poor."

The Trinamool chief had written on Saturday: "Trinamool is a small party. We are not a big party with none of the resources others possess. We are led by truth and conviction. All through my life I have stood by my principles. I stand by the position I have taken."

Another Trinamool leader said, "Contrary to what is being said, former speaker P A Sangma had called Mamata on Friday after Pranab's candidature was announced. Sangma had told her that since Kalam opted out of the race Mamata should support her. Didi told him clearly that Kalam would be her choice and he should withdraw if Kalam finally contested."

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Taliban appoints Ikramuddin Kamil as acting consul in Mumbai as India-Afghan ties improve

News Network

November 12,2024

The Taliban regime has appointed Ikramuddin Kamil as the acting consul in the Afghan mission in Mumbai, Afghan media has reported.

It is the first such appointment made by the Taliban set up to any Afghan mission in India.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian side on the appointment that came.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan has announced the appointment of Kamil as the acting consul in Mumbai, the Taliban-controlled Bakhtar News Agency reported on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

"He is currently in Mumbai, where he is fulfilling his duties as a diplomat representing the Islamic Emirate," it said.

The appointment is part of Kabul's efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties with India and enhance its presence abroad, the media outlet said

Kamil holds a PhD degree in international law and previously served as the deputy director in the department of security cooperation and border affairs in the foreign ministry, it said.

He is expected to facilitate consular services and represent the interests of Afghanistan in India, the report added.

Kamil's appointment comes days after the external affairs ministry's point-person for Afghanistan held talks with the Taliban's acting defence minister, Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob, in Kabul.

Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's deputy foreign minister for political affairs, also posted on X about Kamil's appointment.

The appointment of Kamil is seen as part of efforts to facilitate consular services to the Afghan population in Mumbai.

There has been almost negligible presence of diplomatic staff at the Afghan missions in India.

Most of the diplomats appointed by the Ashraf Ghani government have already left India.

In May, Zakia Wardak, the seniormost Afghan diplomat in India, resigned from her position after reports emerged that she was caught at the Mumbai airport for allegedly trying to smuggle 25 kg of gold worth Rs 18.6 crore from Dubai.

Wardak had taken charge as the acting ambassador of Afghanistan to New Delhi late last year, after working as the Afghan consul general in Mumbai for more than two years.

She took charge of the Afghan embassy in New Delhi last November, after the mission helmed by then ambassador Farid Mamundzay announced its closure.

Mamundzay, who was an appointee of the Ghani government, had moved to the United Kingdom.

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Manipur CM is mastermind behind violence; Centre lied in Supreme Court: Kuki MLAs

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November 11,2024

The Manipur Kuki MLAs have released a statement calling out Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's 'lies' in the Supreme Court. In a joint statement, the MLAs, including those from the Bharatiya Janata Party, said they had not had any meeting with the Chief Minister since May 3, 2023, nor did they intend to meet him in the future as “he was the mastermind behind the violence”.

As per the MLAs, the SG lied about state CM N Biren Singh speaking to Kuki MLAs to control the situation there, in order to halt a Supreme Court probe into the leaked tapes which allege that Singh has been complicit in the violence that broke out between Kukis and Meitis there.

"We...clarify that we have never had any meeting with Chief Minister, Shri N. Biren Singh since May 3, 2023, nor have any intention to meet him in future as he is the mastermind behind the violence and ethnic cleansing of our people from the Imphal valley, which is continuing till today, the latest being the brutal killing and burning of Mrs Zosangkim Hmar on November 7, 2024," the letter read, while condemning the recent 'barbaric' killing of the woman there, and noting the SG's assertion is 'tantamount' to misleading the top court.

“We, the undersigned ten MLAs, have come to know that during the Supreme Court hearing held on November 8, 2024, the Solicitor General of India submitted that ‘CM is meeting all Kuki MLAs and trying to bring the situation down to get peace’. In this connection, we hereby categorically state that this submission is a blatant lie and tantamount to misleading the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” the statement said.

The Supreme Court, while hearing a petition by a Kuki organisation, asked that it submit audio tapes to substantiate its claim that the Chief Minister was instrumental in inciting and organising violence in the northeastern State.

Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta orally informed the court that the Chief Minister was meeting all the Kuki-Zo MLAs and that peace in the State had come at a huge cost.

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