Union Minister

Bangkok University honours Veerappa Moily for making Bangalore an IT hub

Press Trust of India | Friday May 24, 2013

Union Minister Veerappa Moily was presented with a "Global Citizen Award" by a university in Bangkok for his role in transforming Bangalore as a global IT hub during his tenure as Karnataka Chief Minister.

Ministers' panel to take 'political call' on greater autonomy for CBI

Reported by Sunil Prabhu; Edited by Sindhu Manjesh | Friday May 24, 2013

A Group of Ministers (GoM) will now reportedly take a 'political' call on whether the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI should be made more autonomous or whether minor changes to enhance the powers of the CBI director would be sufficient. The Go...

Malayalam to be granted status of classical language

Press Trust of India | Friday May 24, 2013

Malayalam will soon be granted the status of a classical language. The Union Cabinet, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today approved classifying Malayalam as a 'Classical Language', Finance Minister P Chidambaram told reporte...

All views to be considered carefully before deciding on gas price hike: Chidambaram

Thursday May 23, 2013

The Union Cabinet will consider the impact of proposed hike in natural gas prices on power tariff and fertiliser subsidy before taking a decision on increasing the rates, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Thursday.

Government needs course correction: Union Minister Praful Patel tells NDTV

Edited by Mala Das | Tuesday May 21, 2013

Beset with a series of scams and allegations of corruption, the year gone by hasn't been particularly memorable for the UPA-II which completes four years in office tomorrow. A sentiment reflected in Union Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel's admiss...

Shake-up in Uttar Pradesh Congress, new zonal chiefs announced

Press Trust of India | Tuesday May 21, 2013

Amid mounting complaints to Rahul Gandhi, Congress on Monday removed all the eight zonal presidents in Uttar Pradesh including two Union Ministers RPN Singh and Jitin Prasada and CWC member Rasheed Masood and brought in local leaders in their place.

Gay marriage vote set to deliver Britains' Prime Minister David Cameron more problems

Agence France-Presse | Monday May 20, 2013

British Prime Minister David Cameron faces further dissent from within the ranks of his Conservative Party as a bill to legalise gay marriage returns to Parliament Monday.

Sharad Pawar attacks Narendra Modi over Ishrat Jehan encounter

Written by Saurabh Gupta | Sunday May 19, 2013

Union Agriculture Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar today attacked Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, saying the latter was "proud" of the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter episode which has seen several of the state's top...

IPL spot-fixing row: Sreesanth is innocent until proven guilty, says Shashi Tharoor

Press Trust of India | Thursday May 16, 2013

Union Minister of State Shashi Tharoor today said he was sad over the arrest of cricketer S Sreesanth but cautioned that "none should rush to conclusions until the charges against him are proved".

Politics over Varun Gandhi's acquittal in hate speech cases

Reported by Rahul Shrivastava; edited by Mala Das | Thursday May 16, 2013

The recent acquittal of BJP leader Varun Gandhi in hate speech cases has now acquired a political colour. Union minister and senior Congress leader Beni Prasad Verma has alleged that Mr Gandhi was exonerated in the cases due to a tacit understanding ...

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh files Rajya Sabha nomination papers amid protests

Sandeep Phukan | Wednesday May 15, 2013

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today filed his nomination papers in the Assam Assembly to be re-elected as a Rajya Sabha member from the state. Dr Singh was accompanied by Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi.

Britain's Prime minister David Cameron faces leadership questions over Europe

Reuters | Wednesday May 15, 2013

Prime Minister David Cameron faced questions about his leadership on Tuesday after he bowed to pressure from inside the ruling Conservative Party to bring forward draft legislation enforcing a referendum on Britain's European Union membership.

Is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh now a liability for the Congress?

Edited by Abhinav Bhatt | Tuesday May 14, 2013

With intense speculation about a deep rift between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi over the two union ministers forced to resign last week, the Congress today issued a statement dismissing the talk as rumour and disi...

Kapil Sibal takes charge as Union Law Minister

Indo-Asian News Service | Monday May 13, 2013

Kapil Sibal today assumed the charge of the Union Law ministry, taking over from Ashwani Kumar who resigned last week after he came under attack in the Supreme Court for vetting the CBI report on the allocation of coal blocks.

Pawan Kumar Bansal 'threatens' journalist, press club seeks apology

Indo-Asian News Service | Monday May 13, 2013

Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today had a brush with the media in Chandigarh, barely hours after returning from New Delhi where he quit from the union cabinet. The city press club has sought an apology from him.