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ASI challenges Wakf Board order on Taj in SC
CPI for equal sharing of oil burden
Cong bid to upstage Left parties
Bill on separate identity for Sikhs introduced
Oppn scoring points on ’84 riots, says MP
Modi should also resign, says Basu
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Speaker’s ruling on breach of privilege on Aug 16
SC rejects Kohli’s plea regarding extradition probe
Gujarat BJP dissidents look at Joshi for support
Pervez to push peace process
J&K terrorists remanded in police custody
Birla-Lodha will dispute
in SC
Volkswagen chief adviser held
CEC to visit Bihar on Aug 24
HC asks Karisma, husband to settle discord
CEC to visit Bihar on Aug 24
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ASI challenges Wakf Board order on Taj in SC
New Delhi, August 12 Making UP Sunni Central Wakf Board (UPSCWB), the Uttar Pradesh Government and Mohammed Irfan Bedar, who had challenged the title of Taj before the Board, as parties to its appeal, the ASI sought immediate stay of the order on the ground that it would lead to a conflict between various religious sects and law and order problem. The SLP, filed in the Court Registry, by Union Government counsel, A.D.N. Rao, said if the UPSCWB order of July 13 was not stayed, it would threaten the Mughal period monument losing the status of “world heritage” conferred by UNESCO. The ASI said if the management of the Taj was handed over to the UP Wakf Board, then a “mutawalli (caretaker)” would have to be appointed to look after the Taj, which not only would amount to direct interference in its maintenance but dilute the apex court directives in respect of it, issued from time to time. The UPSCWB in its order had said that apart from Taj, other monuments like Roza Tahmahal, Jamatkhana, the adjacent mosque, were the properties of the wakf and they should be registered under the control of the UPSCWB and its management should be handed over to the board. The ASI has raised certain questions of law whether Taj’s control vests with the Union Government, was the Board right to entertain the petition of Mohammed Irfan at first place and was the Board right to seek to achieve in an “oblique and indirect fashion what it cannot achieve directly”. Above all whether a national monument, which has been declared a world heritage, could be declared a property of a particular person, sect or community, the SLP asked. Whether the Board without any evidence on record of dedication of Taj to wakf either by emperor Shahajhan, who built it, or by his successor, could declare it as a property of the board after centuries, the ASI sought to find out. |
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CPI for equal sharing of oil burden
New Delhi, August 12 The CPM Politburo in a statement said: “The global price hike has to be shared equitably by the government, the oil companies as well as the consumers. The present pricing system and the recent price rise has entailed sacrifice from the consumer and public sector oil companies while private oil companies make higher profits and the Finance Ministry earns higher revenue.” The party urged the government to revisit the tax structure immediately and also force private refiners, who are having a very high refining margin and super profits, to share the subsidy borne only by public Oil Marketing Companies (OMC). The party expressed its concern at the recent trend of cash losses suffered by public sector OMC. Apart from the abnormal price in global crude price, the proportionate increase in tax/duties levied by the government are proving to be a double burden on consumers as well as public sector oil companies, which are called upon to share the subsidy for kerosene and LPG, the party said. The Politburo called for rolling back of government’s earlier proposal to hike excise duty in the last Budget. Further, the additional road cess on diesel and petrol be suspended for this year, the party added. “This would not result in revenue loss as compared to last year for the simple reason that this year’s Budget estimate was based on the February crude price of $ 39 per barrel as against the present global price of $ 65 per barrel. This would result in a substantially higher revenue as taxes are levied on the value of the imported products (ad valorem),” it said. |
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Cong bid to upstage Left parties
New Delhi, August 12 Having already staked its claim to public sector reforms and the National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill, the Congress today said it would introduce the legislation along with four other Bills pertaining to women and weaker sections. Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said besides the rural employment Bill, the other legislations lined up included one amending the Hindu Succession Act providing equal rights to women in family property and another on protection from domestic violence. In addition, Bills on providing social security to workers in the unorganised sector and restructuring of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) are also to be tabled in the ongoing session. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi has personally taken a lot of interest in these laws. She has even expressed her displeasure at the slow pace of law-making and ensured that the government would expedite clearance of these pending legislations. She is expected to speak on the rural employment Bill when it comes up for discussion after it is introduced in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. Responding to questions, Mr Ramesh maintained that his party was “not claiming monopoly on social conscience” but several of these legislation, according to him, have emerged from the Congress party’s commitments. He said contrary to popular perception, the implementation of the rural employment Bill would not cost more than Rs 30-40,000 crore, adding that these resources could be raised in an economy growing at the rate of seven per cent. As for the Opposition demand for the passage of the National Disaster Management Act, he pointed out that the legislation was still pending with the standing committee, headed by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj. If the parliamentary panel cleared the Bill, the government, he said, would been keen on extending the session beyond August 26 to get the Bill passed. In the meantime, he said, the government had set up a Disaster Management Authority, which is chaired by the Prime Minister himself. |
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Bill on separate identity for Sikhs introduced
New Delhi, August 12 The Bill, a private member Bill, says that in Article 25 of the Constitution in place of clause (2) sub-clause (b), the following sub-clause should be substituted: "Providing for social welfare and reform or throwing open of Hindu, Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of these religions." Mr Tarlochan Singh has said in the statement of objects and reasons that he was moving the Bill on the basis of the recommendations of the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution which gave its report to the government in March, 2002. The Commission recommended the omission of Explanation-II to Article 25 and re-wording of sub-clause (b) of clause (2) of the Article with a view to distinctively refer to Sikh, Jaina and Buddhist religions. In the original clause of the Constitution, it is written that "reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh, Jaina or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed accordingly". According to Mr Tarlochan Singh, existing clause does not give a distinct and independent identity to the Sikhs and there was a long-standing demand of the community to amend the Article 25 of the Constitution. The Buddhists and Jains would also get separate identity by passage of this Bill, he
said. |
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Oppn scoring points on ’84 riots, says MP
New Delhi, August 12 Criticising the opposition for politicising the issue and trying to score political points, Mr Kumar, one of the most eloquent Congress members in the Rajya Sabha, said: “These are issues that confront the ethos of a nation, all that the nation stands for and the values of the Republic.” Asserting that it is perception that promotes reality to meaning, Mr Kumar said “we are not oblivious of the fact that the wounds of 1984 still fester in the hearts of people.” “I come from Punjab, and I know what 1984 riots meant and what the assassination of Indira Gandhi meant to the multitude of the people of India,” he said. |
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Modi should also resign, says Basu
Kolkata, August 12 Talking to mediapersons, Mr Basu demanded that Mr Modi should also resign for the Gujarat riot since Mr Jagdish Tytler had stepped down for 1984 anti-Sikh riot in Delhi. He said the Congress was now making a legitimate demand asking the BJP leader, Mr Modi, to resign. Mr Basu appreciated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision in asking Mr Tytler to step down from the Cabinet and the adoption of the follow-up actions of the Nanavati Committee’s report. He felt former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee should have acted likewise during his tenure when the Gujarat riot broke at the instance of Mr Modi. |
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Speaker’s ruling on breach of privilege on Aug 16
New Delhi, August 12 Bringing a breach of privilege notice against author Swapan Dasgupta and the daily The Pioneer, Mr Ramjilal Suman, SP, said the report published on August 7 sought to bring the office of the Speaker into disrepute and was an insult to the entire House. Several members from the Left parties also stood up to register their protest. Mr Prabhunath Singh, JD(U), said action should be taken against the newspaper and the author of the article. Observing that he had read the article, Mr Somnath Chatterjee said, “There are some people who pay lip service to parliamentary democracy but try their best to denigrate this great institution. “We need not take notice of all irresponsible and immature utterances made out of frustration and desperation. I treat all the motivated insinuations with contempt they deserve and close the matter,” he said. The members from the SP and the Left parties vehemently protested when BJP deputy leader V.K. Malhotra said the freedom of press could be suppressed. He wanted the Speaker to convene a meeting of leaders of all political parties to discuss the issue. Terming it as a serious issue, SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said in the article, the Speaker was dubbed as a “committed” Speaker with bias towards the Left parties and other insinuations were also made against him, which demeaned the high office he held. |
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SC rejects Kohli’s plea regarding extradition probe
New Delhi, August 12 A Bench of Mr Justice S N Variava and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee said no illegality had been committed in appointing the magistrate by the Union Home Ministry to probe the matter. “You (Kohli) should be happy that they have appointed a judicial magistrate instead of an IAS officer to inquire the matter. It is only an inquiry and no trial is going on,” the Bench told his counsel Charanjeet Singh Bakshi. Kohli had challenged the appointment of Patiala House Court Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) here to hold inquiry into the extraction case. Under the extradition proceedings, either an executive officer or a magistrate, first looks into the matter to find out whether a “prima facie” case was made out for extradition against a person facing the charges. Kohli’s, charged with the murder of Foster and dumping her body after the crime, on March 14, 2003, had fled to India two days later, according to the extradition request by the British police. Arrested in Kalimpong in West Bengal on
July 15, 2004 where he had allegedly married a local woman, Kohli is presently lodged in Tihar here under judicial custody after he was shifted there from Chandigarh last year. The ACMM was examining the request of British Police for extradition of Kohli and the documents placed by them in this regard before Indian authorities. The magistrate has so far recorded evidence of some persons, including his NRI wife, who had travelled from UK here last month. |
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Gujarat BJP dissidents look at Joshi for support
Gandhinagar, August 12 The dissident group, whose ranks are swelling by the day, is now convinced that Chief Minister Narendra Modi has party President L.K. Advani’s ear and therefore there is a little chance of their getting a “fair” deal. They are equally convinced that they need a strong and powerful patron in Delhi who is not under the Modi spell and is able to understand the full importance of the Chief Minister’s autocratic ways and the damage it is causing to the party fabric in the state. Though dissident leaders have been camping in Delhi lately, they have made no attempts to contact Advani but have instead been meeting all other national leaders. This move stems from their belief that Advani is too close to Modi and after his support during the recent crisis, they may not be in a position to contain him. The proof, they say, lies in the way Modi recently had his way in the revamp of the state party setup and the Cabinet expansion. A source in the dissident camp said the group had decided to seek the support of Joshi in their fight against Modi. This strategic line has emerged after brainstorming sessions within the group both in the state as well as in Delhi. The line will be taken further after former Chief Minister Keshubhai returns from the US on Friday and the issue is discussed with him. Modi, who had hitherto been checkmating his rivals through his demonstrated support in the RSS and the VHP hierarchy, will find the going tough once Joshi steps into the scene. The veteran leader enjoys great respect with the RSS top brass and is also known to have a good equation with the VHP leadership. Incidentally, Gordhan Jhadapia, who has emerged as the poster boy of the dissident group after he stood up to Modi in declining his offer of a Cabinet berth, also hails from the ranks of the VHP and is considered close to its international general secretary Pravin Togadia. The ruling Modi group was in jitters after Jhadapia accompanied by another hardline leader Nalin Bhatt reached Delhi on Wednesday at the request of party MPs from the state. Bhatt, who also has his roots in the RSS, has for the first time stepped out to be counted amongst the dissidents, as have most of the MPs. Though both Jhadapia and Bhatt have cited personal reasons for their visit to Delhi, sources said since MPs were unable to come to Delhi in view of the parliamentary session, they have invited him for a strategy session. The dissidents are also making the most of the parliamentary session as the bulk of the top brass is in the Capital and Jhadapia and Bhatt are having a busy schedule meeting as many as they can amongst those who matter. The Gujarat MPs are also working on a move to hold a felicitation function for Jhadapia who has “chosen to give priority to popular and party worker sentiments” and shunned power. The venue and timing of the function will be decided shortly. The dissident group is also learned to be enraged at the use of sleuths to keep a tab on their party leaders by the Modi group. Former Union Textile Minister Kashiram Rana is reported to have complained to the party top brass in Delhi that his car was tailed after he alighted at the Ahmedabad airport from his visit to Delhi. Other dissident leaders have also expressed similar concerns. Jhadapia was the first to raise voice against this at a meeting of the BJP legislature party meeting on the eve of the Budget session. |
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Pervez to push peace process
New Delhi, August 12 General Musharraf conveyed this to Ms Sonia Raj Sood, a lawyer of the Supreme Court, when she called on him in Islamabad yesterday and submitted a memorandum with signatures of prominent Punjabis in the neighbouring country seeking his good offices to undo the harm done to the “Punjabis of Punjab” during the British Raj. President Musharraf evinced keen interest in the petition filed by Ms Sood and chairman of the Pakistani Chapter of the World Punjabi Organisation Fakhar Zaman against the 1924 order of two British judges in the Lahore High Court which bunched the entire Punjabi community in Punjab as liars because their dying declaration could be taken at face value. In the memorandum to General Musharraf, who received it personally and appended his signature, Ms Sood urged that Pakistan should seek an apology from the British Government for the casteist and derogatory remarks against the Punjabis. As the Punjabis constitute the largest group in Pakistan, Ms Sood contended that the community would not like its pride and self esteem to be stamped upon by anyone. She pointed out that this matter continues to remain on the statute books of both India and Pakistan. “Mr President it now falls upon you to assuage the hurt sentiments of the Punjabis not only in the subcontinent but globally,” the memorandum added. “I was with the Pakistan President for nearly 15-20 minutes. He assured of looking into the matter and conveyed his warm respects and regards to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and best wishes to UPA chairperson and Congress President Sonia Gandhi,” Ms Sood said on phone from Islamabad. |
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J&K terrorists remanded in police custody
Ayodhya, August 12 Chief Judicial Magistrate Jyoti Kumar Tripathi ordered that Asif Iqbal, alias Farooq, Mohd Aziz, Mohd Naim and Shakil Ahmad be remanded to police custody for 106 hours, beginning 6 am tomorrow morning. The duration of police remand would end on August 17. The police had yesterday moved an application seeking the remand of the four terrorists in the case. Police sources said besides being subjected to interrogation, they would also be taken to the site, from where the attackers had entered the disputed complex. While, two of the terrorists were arrested on July 14, two others were nabbed by the J & K Police on July 27 last. Later on a transit remand, a team of the Uttar Pradesh Police had brought them to Faizabad on August 3.
— UNI |
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Birla-Lodha will dispute
in SC
New Delhi, August 12 Lodha, in whose favour, the will was allegedly executed by Priyamvada, wife of MP Birla, who had died before her in July 1990, has sought quashing of the criminal complaint filed by some Birlas group employees against him and his associates. Lodha moved the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court had rejected his plea. The other persons against whom the criminal complaint was filed by Birla group employees included Dr V. Gauri Shankar and Sushil Kumar Daga. They were accused of conspiring to misappropriate the properties worth Rs 2,400 crore of the Birla group vested in five trusts by Priyamvada Birla, who died in July 2004. Priyamvada, who did not have any issue, had reportedly left a will executed in April 1999 appointing R S Lodha as the executor and beneficiary of the assets under her share in the Birla family, estimated to be worth Rs 5000 crore. But the Birlas had questioned the will, claming that Priyamvada Birla’s husband M P Birla had created several trusts of his entire property before his death in 1990. |
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Volkswagen chief adviser held
New Delhi, August 12 Jain was arrested after midnight from Gurgaon and flown to Hyderabad where he was remanded in CBI custody by a designated court, CBI sources said here today. The CBI raided his premises yesterday during which it seized all bank accounts and also claimed to have got “important documents” in connection with the scam. The CBI had last week registered a case against officials of the private firm and other unknown persons in which it had alleged that the Andhra Pradesh Government had released Rs 11.7 crore (equivalent to two million euro) for a joint venture project for a car manufacturing plant.
— PTI |
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CEC to visit Bihar on Aug 24
New Delhi, August 12 The Election Commission has decided to send four teams to Bihar next week to review the progress in the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) programme and other preparations for the Assembly elections which are expected sometime in October-November. During the five-day stay in the state from August 19, the teams would also review the progress with regard to its directive on the issue of non-bailable warrants against absconders and the electoral rolls, EC sources said. |
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HC asks Karisma, husband to settle discord
New Delhi, August 12 While adjourning the case to August 26, Mr Justice Mukul Mudgal asked both Karisma and Sanjay to sit together and settle the impeding issues in the better interest of their four-month-old daughter. Government counsel Gautam Gambhir submitted that the Ministry of External Affairs did not violate any rule in issuing a passport to Karisma’s daughter as either of the parents could apply for the same. The court asked the Regional Passport Officer, Mumbai, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and the Ministry of Home Affairs to file their replies by the next date of hearing. While Sanjay was present in the court, Karisma was represented by her lawyers. On August 5, the high court had directed Karishma not to take her daughter out of the country without the permission of her husband.
— UNI |
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CEC to visit Bihar on Aug 24
New Delhi, August 12 The Election Commission has decided to send four teams to Bihar next week to review the progress in the Electoral Photo Identity Cards (EPIC) programme and other preparations for the Assembly elections which are expected sometime in October-November. During the five-day stay in the state from August 19, the teams would also review the progress with regard to its directive on the issue of non-bailable warrants against absconders and the electoral rolls, EC sources said. |
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