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Rift in Bihar BJP over Modi as Dy CM
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Govt shying from
Volcker debate: BJP
Amarinder meets PM
Joint IT Commissioner arrested
Daughter reverses stand, denies rape by father
Dawood aide held
Cops take charge of Salem
More visas for Ahmadiyyas from Pak sought
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Rift in Bihar BJP over Modi as Dy CM
Patna, November 24 But before the Janata Dal and BJP, two streams of the JP movement converged after 30 years on Gandhi Maidan today, there seemed to be a few bumpers in the road of Mr Nitish Kumar, less from his party and more from the BJP. The Madhya Pradesh syndrome of fratricide war in the BJP over the ‘kursi’ cast its shadow on the party’s Bihar unit too. The only difference is that while in Madhya Pradesh the fight is for the post of Chief Minister, in Bihar it is for that of the Deputy Chief Minister. Supporters of the senior BJP leader and newly inducted minister in Mr Nitish Kumar’s Cabinet, Mr Ashini Chaube, this morning, before the swearing-in ceremony, stormed into the state BJP office at Veerchandra Patel Marg to protest against the selection of Sushil Modi as the Deputy Chief Minister. The supporters of Mr Ashini Chaube, as well as another disgruntled BJP leader Nabin Kumar Sinha, who was even denied a Cabinet berth, in thousands demonstrated in the city after the swearing-in ceremony shouting slogans that Sushil Modi should go back. The demonstrations took place when senior BJP leaders, including former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani, Venkaiah Naidu and observer for Bihar Arun Jaitley, were among others, who were present inside the hotel. The factional feud between Mr Sushil Modi and Mr Ashini Chaube is not new as during 2004 Lok Sabha poll, the same Mr Modi dodged out Mr Chaube before the latter could bag party’s nomination from the Bhagalpur Lok Sabha seat. Mr Modi, apart from being the state unit president, is at present an MP from Bhagalpur. Mr Chaube, on the other hand, was leading the party’s battle inside the Assembly during the RJD tenure along with another leader Mr Nandkishore Yadav. Vijay Tiwari, an angry supporter of Mr Chaube, blasted the Central leadership of the party too for selecting Mr Modi as Deputy Chief Minister, who, according to him, was now more busy in Delhi politics than that of Bihar. There were supporters of Mr Sushil Modi too who shouted slogans in favour of their leader, both in front of the BJP office and the hotel. The BJP Vice-President, Mr Venkaiah Naidu, described the combination of Mr Nitish Kumar and Mr Sushil Modi as that of “Ram-Laksman” to establish a “Ram Raj” in Bihar. Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Shanwaj Hussian denied being in the race of deputy chief ministership at any point of time. Talking to the media, Mr Hussian said he was happy to see Mr Nitish Kumar as Chief Minister, who once made Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee feel proud of him when he had resigned as Railway Minister from the NDA Cabinet following an accident in 1999 on “moral grounds”. Like Mr Nitish Kumar, Mr Sushil Modi
too, would now have to seek the mandate of the people in next six months as both of them are Members of Parliament. The reported primary objective of the BJP to include more names as ministers from its quota during the swearing-in today was to assuage the ruffled feathers of disgruntled elements in the party who were opposed to Mr Sushil Modi’s selection as Deputy Chief minister. Initially, Mr Nitish Kumar was in he mood to start his journey as Chief Minister with a small Cabinet of 10 or 12 ministers based on the proportionate representation from the BJP and JD(U), which was supposed to be expanded later on. But the final list of 26 ministers was drafted around midnight yesterday in presence of senior BJP and JD(U) leaders. But even then, Mr Nitish Kumar could not avoid the “bumpy ride” posed by the BJP to his promised road of
development, at least on the first
day. |
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Nitish to build new Bihar
Patna, November 24 Mr Nitish Kumar met Dr Manmohan Singh yesterday in Delhi before reaching Patna to stake claim for the formation of the new government. Talking to the media at the state secretariat soon after assuming the charges of the Chief Minister here today, Mr Nitish Kumar spelt out his priorities to build up a “new Bihar”. Mr Nitish Kumar said, “My priorities primarily revolve round to establish rule of law and facilitate infrastructural
development, which in the process are expected to create a conducive atmosphere for investment”. He assured no discrimination to any segment of the society in his effort to build up infrastructure, that would address three basic requirements —
sadak, bijli and pani. He admitted that despite many programmes already launched by the Centre and the state for the poor, the benefits in reality did not percolate down to the target section. “But I will try to ensure that the administration now functions properly to bring social parity in terms of development,” he remarked. He evaded a direct reply to whether he would institute an enquiry into various alleged financial misdeeds of the previous RJD government.” You inform me if you come to know,” he replied smilingly. The indication perhaps was clear that he was trying to avoid confrontationist course as he promised not to pursue the “politics of vendetta”. Sources in the government disclosed that the special task force under the Prime Minister already assured Rs 700 crore for developmental work to be spent by March 31 next year, and another Rs 1,000 crore for 2006-07 financial year for Bihar. There was a standing ovation for Mr Nitish Kumar when he entered into the secretariat today. Mr Nitish Kumar held closed-door meetings with senior government and police officials to chalk out his action plan. “A lot needs to be done to undo the neglect of the state in the past 15 years,” he said. |
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Biharis celebrate Lalu’s defeat
Jaipur, November 24 Equally jubilant are residents of the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan for Mr Sushil Modi, son of the soil has become the Deputy Chief Minister. Mr Modi hails from Fatehpur town of Sikar district in Rajasthan. People of Fatehpur celebrated Mr Modi’s victory in the election and his elevation to the position number two in the Bihar Cabinet. |
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Govt shying from
Volcker debate: BJP
New Delhi, November 24 “Through
the adjournment motion, we wanted a full debate on all issues pertaining
to the Volcker, Mitrokhin and Moynihan expose. However, the ruling UPA
coalition led by the Congress is ready only for a partial debate, which
is not acceptable to us,” BJP Parliamentary party spokesperson V.K.
Malhotra told newspersons here. Taking exception to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh terming it as “unfortunate” the adjournment forced by
the Opposition, the BJP leader said, “What is actually unfortunate is
the manner in which the government is trying to shy from discussions on
the influence of foreign money on the Indian decision-making process, be
it revelations of the Paul Volcker report or the Mitrokhin Archives”. “It
is also unfortunate that instead of the government handing the probe to
the CBI on the Volcker report, it has set up two committees to cover up
the scandal. It is also unfortunate that Mr Natwar Singh continues to be
the Union Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi remains
Chairperson of the National Advisory Council despite allegations,” Mr
Malhotra said. Reflecting the mood of the opposition NDA, Mr Malhotra said, we will continue to press for the removal of Mr Natwar Singh from the Cabinet and the resignation of Ms Gandhi as Chairperson of NAC. “The
NDA will vigorously pursue these issues and a meeting of NDA leaders
will be held tomorrow morning to chalk out the strategy on the
adjournment motion.” |
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Amarinder meets PM
New Delhi, November 24 Sources said during the 20-minute meeting the Chief Minister also raised the issues concerning a new airport of international standards at Ladowal near Ludhiana and the establishment of the National Institute of Nanotechnology in the state. The institute is likely to come up at Dera Bassi. The Chief Minister sought six-laning of Ambala-Jalandhar and Ludhiana-Chandigarh stretches and examination of Amritsar-Jalandhar, Amritsar-Pathankot, Kiratpur-Chandigarh and Ambala-Chandigarh stretches under NHDP II. Capt Amarinder Singh sought relaxation in rice specifications following the damage suffered by the crop. The Chief Minister took up issue of the start of Amritsar-Lahore\Nankana Sahib bus service and demand for a national defence university with the Prime Minister. Punjab had offered to set up the university in Patiala instead of Kapurthala to make it closer to the NCR region. The trial run of Amritsar-Lahore bus will take place on December 11\12. On the demand for a coal-based plant, the sources said NTPC had told Punjab to look at the possibility of having a dedicated plant near a coal pit outside the state to cut transportation costs. The Chief Minister later met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is in charge of the state. Issues concerning the party, including the recent squabbles between party leaders in the media, are believed to have been discussed by the two leaders. |
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Joint IT Commissioner arrested
New Delhi, November 24 The suspected Income Tax Joint Commissioner, Ram Avtar Rabri, was arrested after he was summoned to Jaipur. His premises were raided yesterday by sleuths of the agency. CBI sources said the Joint Commissioner of Income Tax was placed under arrest after he failed to give any substantial replies to the questions of the CBI about amassing of such huge amount of wealth. Pabri, who is posted in the Director-General’s office of the Central Excise and Customs, would be questioned extensively about the cash haul and other property, acquired by him during a particular period as the agency alleges that the same had been acquired through illegal means. The CBI had carried out raids on six of his premises — four in Rajasthan and one each in the national Capital and Goa — yesterday after filing a case against him. During the raids on various premises, the CBI claimed to have found that he had a bank balance of Rs 1 lakh, shares worth Rs 95,000, four houses, one flat in Mumbai, 37 bighas of agricultural land (purchased between 1989-99), household items and vehicles worth Rs 12 lakh. Three of the five lockers of the official, opened by the investigating agency, led to the recovery of 6.25 kg of gold and 5 kg of silver valued at Rs 28 lakh. The remaining two lockers led to a cash haul of Rs 10.86 lakh, besides finding of documents showing the purchase of two shops in a commercial complex in Jaipur. |
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Film fest opens with new look
Panjim, November 24 It cannot really be called an improvement over the previous arrangement, considering that there was a chaotic rush for the seats, people had to crane their necks to see the proceedings and the excessive heat took its toll (thankfully, there was no rain). To cap it all, the programme started half an hour late. The only thing that can be said in favour of the changed format is that it could accommodate more people. Both Union Minister for Urban Development and Culture Jaipal Reddy and Goa Chief Minister Pratapsingh Rane patted each other for bringing the festival permanently to Goa. Amidst all this, the man who had got identified with the Panjim venue because of his hands-on style of hosting it last year, previous Chief Minister Manohar Parriker was conspicuous by his absence. According to organizers, he was invited but according to persons close to Mr Parriker, the invitation was sent too late. There was near-unanimity among all those who spoke on the occasion that Goa was the right venue. Mr Reddy particularly delved on the fact that all world-level film festivals were identified with a particular location and it was in the fitness of things that the Indian festival had also stopped being a gypsy and had found a permanent venue in Goa. He also exhorted everyone connected with cinema to make Indian films international, qualitywise. Dev Anand, still exuding the youthfulness and charm which were his hallmark 60 years ago, recalled that the last time he had come to Goa was when it had just been liberated. He drove here all the way from Mumbai without telling anyone about his visit. He too waxed eloquent about the charms of the beach city, but had a suggestion too: hold the festival in December instead of November when the weather would be better. Those fanning themselves with invitation cards could not have agreed more. Goa Governor S.C. Jamir could not attend the function. TV personality Rakshanda Khan was the host for the function. Bipasha Basu and Kannada actress Tara held the puja “thali” as Dev
Anand, Chiranjeevi, Mr Reddy, Mr Rane and Mr Afzal Amanullah Khan, Director of Festival, lit the ceremonial lamp. Earlier, a similar function open to the general public was held outside the theatre where Mr Rane declared the festival open. The highlight of the evening was the aerial display by three aircraft spewing out smoke in three colours of the Indian flag. Chiranjeevi said in India, cinema was not just an art medium but part of the culture. The jury which is to select the best film of the competition, which has this year been expanded to include films from Africa and Latin America besides those from Asia was introduced to the audience, along with the cast and crew of the opening Brazilian film, “Olga”. They were all presented with a special festival poster designed by Mario Miranda. A cultural function was also presented on the occasion but the vim and vigour on display last year was not to be seen this time. |
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Daughter reverses stand, denies rape by father
New Delhi, November 24 The daughter, now married and living with her husband and two children at Balachaur in Nawanshahr district of Punjab, submitted that she was a minor child of about 14 years when she was “compelled” by her mother to register a false FIR against her father on August 24, 1988 and later depose in the trial court. Being under the “influence of my mother and also being a minor, I did not know the consequence. I lodged false FIR No-110 of 1988 under Section 376 (rape) of IPC at police station Chhotta Simla and accordingly my father Asha Ram was arrested,” said the affidavit sworn in by her at Rupnagar in Punjab on November 22, five days after the apex court judgement. The daughter had annexed an affidavit with the review petition of Asha Ram, (78) of Arki tehsil in Solan district, whose acquittal by the Himachal Pradesh High Court of 1998 was set aside by the apex court on November 17 by awarding him the severest possible sentence of life imprisonment for the “sexual abuse” of his daughter. Seeking a re-look of the case, Asha Ram in his review petition, filed by his counsel Debasis Misra in the apex court registry today, submitted that he was a victim of “false allegations” levelled by his estranged wife Kalawati by using a minor daughter who did not fully understand the implication of it, as an “instrument”. The daughter was not even living with him, particularly on the day of the alleged offence, Asha Ram said. He claimed that his wife got the daughter married to Bhag Singh some years later and the couple could only be located at Balachaur recently. The evidence of the daughter after she had become a major was “vital” in the case to prove his innocence, he said. While pleading for a review of his case, the petitioner asked whether the “hon’ble (Supreme) Court has not violated the provisions of Section 377, 386 proviso of Cr.P.C while enhancing the conviction of the petitioner without giving him/the counsel a notice/hearing on question of enhancement of sentence.” In the supportive affidavit, the daughter said “I was compelled by my mother under whose custody I was (at that time) and also the police to depose in the court against my father that he committed rape upon me. Accordingly I deposed in the trial court,” she claimed. Even contesting the medical report, she contended that her clothes, examined by the doctors did not belong to her. “My father never committed rape upon me…my father is innocent… on the day of the alleged occurrence, I was not living with my father nor I came to my father’s house,” she contended. The review petition would be placed before the same Bench of Mr Justice H.K. Sema and Mr Justice P.P. Naolekar, which had passed the verdict. |
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Dawood aide held
Lucknow, November 24 The man, visibly in his early forties, was presented before the media but refused to say anything except confirm his name as ‘Noor Mohammad’ and admit knowing English, Arabic and Hindi. He goes by various pseudonyms, including Yasin Baluchi, Nasir Hussain and Mohammad Baksh. A mobile phone, a fake passport in the name of Ali Baksh bearing his photograph, Rs 1,180 in cash and five receipts of a PCO for calls reportedly made to the D company, were seized from him, informed STF Additional SP Vijay Bhushan. Not ruling out his association with Abu Salem, Mr Bhushan said Noor Baksh, originally from Baluchistan, had now acquired a UAE citizenship and had facilitated the visas of the sharpshooters who made an attempt on Chhota Ranjan’s life in Bangkok. He had escaped from a running train near Itarsi station on October 18 this year when he was being taken to Bangalore to be tried for a case of fake passport. Earlier, he had done the vanishing trick on May 15, 2001 when he was taken to Naini jail after a hearing in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in Lucknow. The main case against him in Uttar Pradesh is of fake passports and escaping from police custody. |
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Cops take charge of Salem
Mumbai, November 24 Salem was sought for questioning real estate developer Pradeep Jain in 1997. Salem was handed over to the ATS after the TADA court today gave the go-ahead following a plea filed by the Mumbai police. The TADA court then allowed the Mumbai police to produce the accused before another court in the Pradeep Jain murder case. Salem was granted judicial custody yesterday by the TADA court. He was then sent to the Arthur Road Central Jail overnight. The Mumbai police has also been ordered to return Abu Salem to judicial custody after the expiry of his custody in the Jain murder case. Salem’s custody to the police came through after public prosecutor Rohini Salian assured the court that adequate security cover would be provided to him. |
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More visas for Ahmadiyyas from Pak sought
New Delhi, November 24 Emerging out of the half-an-hour meeting with Mr Patil in North Block here, Prof Darbari Lal told The Tribune that the Centre has already cleared visas of 5,000 Ahmadiyya Muslims from Pakistan for participation in the convention. “Since many Muslim spiritual leaders are going to address the convention, the organisers are keen that the Centre considers issuing 10,000 more visas for those who are keen to visit Qadian from Pakistan,” he said, adding that since the Ministry of External Affairs issues visas only after the nod from the Home Ministry, they had sought Mr Patil’s personal intervention. |
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