 |
|
Rajnath draws Hindutva roadmap for BJP
Kumaraswamy rules out returning to |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Dharam will prove majority: Cong
BJP demands trust vote in Karnataka today NDA seeks dismissal of Law Minister
SC concerned about public service commissions’ approach to exams
Cops escort criminal to politician’s function
Sikhs among Raje’s political appointees
Protest against EPF interest rate cut
Gender bias in A-I: NCW to probe
|
|
Rajnath draws Hindutva roadmap for BJP
New Delhi, January 20 Addressing top leaders of the party at the National Council meeting, after his enthronement as President of the party was ratified, Mr Rajnath Singh lashed out at the Congress-led UPA government for its "policy of appeasement, politicisation of education, anti-poor and anti-farmer policies, attack on Constitutional bodies and for giving clean chit to Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi." During his speech Mr Singh indulged in some plain speak, philosophical pourings and pep talk while spelling out the roadmap for the party. Asserting that a magnificent Ram temple must be constructed at Ayodhya, the BJP chief said, "To those who suggest any other kind of construction on the site, to resolve the dispute, I wish to say that Ram Janmabhoomi is an issue of nation's identity and not utility." Mr Singh called for evolving a consensus on Uniform Civil Code and urged all political parties to reconsider "with full sensitiveness" their stand on abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which provides special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Claiming that only the BJP is purely Indian in its origin, philosophy and manner and by its very nature undoubtedly the only symbol of nationalism, Mr Singh said "Hindutva is not only an icon of Indian culture and traditions, but also a source of economic resourcefulness, surviving strength and intellectual faculty, Hindutva professes respect towards all, Hindutva arouses faith in social justice and is an antidote to the communal malice." "We need to be more attentive in future because a small slip in this regard can destroy our ideological forte and clean image and bring us to an existential crisis. We need an idealistic standard of behaviour coupled with clean image," Mr Singh said in an obvious reference to the cash-for-query scam and the CDs showing one of the top party leaders in poor light. Asking the party cadres to follow the principles of "self-restraint", "coordination", "struggle" and "service", he said, "The BJP shall pursue grassroot level politics to re-establish the lost phase of people in politics, political parties and political leaders. Politics with manipulative alliances don't have long legs. With constitution in one hand and icon of equality in the other we will have to struggle in the field." Attacking the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre, Mr Singh wanted to know why the UPA was protecting Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi and the relevance of Congress' slogan "Congress ka haath aam admi ke saath" when inflation is soaring and input costs of farmers are increasing manifold. |
|
|
Kumaraswamy rules out returning to Cong fold
Bangalore, January 20 Even as Mr Kumaraswamy hardened his stance further by saying there was no question of going back to the Congress, Congress emissaries Margaret Alva and Oscar Fernandes met his father Deve Gowda and are said to have offered the Chief Minister’s chair to the former Prime Minister for his son. Mr Kumaraswamy, however, said today that he would not bring his faction back to the Congress fold even if offered the Chief Minister’s chair. “I do not want to continue with the Congress. They have not kept the promises made by them and have humiliated us since the last 20 months.” Indicating that he was ready for a show of strength, the breakaway JD (S) leader said he would decide on his next plan of action only after January 27 when the Dharam Singh government is slated to prove its majority on the floor of the House. Mr Kumaraswamy also stated that he would not be pressurised by his father into not aligning with the BJP. This, he said, was partly why he was not going to meet his
father. “The legislators are not letting me go to meet my father. I have to respect their wishes.” Mr Kumaraswamy also went on to say that he had not betrayed his father but was actually putting party interest before family interest. “The Congress wanted to destroy us by using the secular emotion of my father. My father has built the party with 50 years of political work and I want to make it stronger”, he added. However, Mr Kumaraswamy also simultaneously maintained that the JD (S) had not split. “We are all one. We will convince my father and other senior leaders”, he said. The Congress emissaries only had hope to offer with no concrete solution in sight. They even refused to divulge whether Mr Kumaraswamy had been formally offered the post of chief ministership. Senior leader Margaret Alva said Mr Deve Gowda had asked her to convey something to the Congress President, which she would do. Mr Oscar Fernandes said the party was confident that it would be able to resolve the issue without difficulty. Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh is, however, not so confident. He today said he had the option to exit before the show of strength on January 27. He, however, said the final decision would rest with the party high command. He ruled out any negotiation with Mr
Kumaraswamy.
|
|
Dharam will prove majority: Cong
Hyderabad, January 20 The problem arose because of internal issues within the Janata Dal (S) and these would be resolved before the D-day, she said. She maintained that the Congress was happy that Janata Dal leader H.D. Deve Gowda had reiterated his commitment not to have any truck with communal forces such as the BJP. Ms Soni said she had no information about Mr Dharam Singh opting to quit before the vote in the Assembly. “Karnataka affairs in charge A.K. Antony is fully aware of developments in that state and he has been authorised by the party to talk, discuss and interact with everybody within the framework of coalition politics,” she said. She did not think that the Karnataka development was a result of any inept handling of the coalition government. Though this was the first time the Congress was running a coalition government at the Centre, the party had experience in coalition politics in several states, she added. The Congress plenary would discuss the coalition politics on January 22. “Let’s see what comes out of these discussions,” she said.
|
|
|
BJP demands trust vote in Karnataka today
New Delhi, January 20 Senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu, who has been deputed to guide the party Karnataka unit, told newspersons here that the BJP-JD (S) combine had more than the requisite numbers to form the government in the state at the trial of strength and the Governor should issue fresh directions for such an exercise. Accusing Mr Dharam Singh and the Congress of running away from seeking the vote of confidence in the Assembly, Mr Naidu said the Congress was able to present only about 60 members in yesterday’s joint legislature session addressed by the Governor. He said his party was objecting to the granting of nine days time to a government that had lost its majority as it was against the prescribed democratic norms. He said in Goa under similar conditions, BJP Chief Minister Manohar Parikkar was allowed a mere two days time by the Governor. In Jharkhand, the Supreme Court had directed the government to prove its strength in three days in the newly constituted House. Such being the case, in Karnataka Mr Dharam Singh could have shown his majority in just one day. However, they had no majority and hence had been granted nine days, Mr Naidu claimed, adding that the Congress had not learnt anything from past mistakes. Mr Naidu said people’s mandate in Karnataka 18 months ago was against the ruling Congress, which had got lesser seats than the BJP. But the circumstances were such that the Congress and the JD (S) joined hands. “Now we have struck an understanding to work together like a family. We will share the next 40 months and provide the state with the much-needed good governance, he added.
|
|
NDA seeks dismissal of Law Minister New Delhi, January 20 During their 30 minute meeting with the President on Friday afternoon, the NDA leaders sought his intervention to ensure that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Chairperson Sonia Gandhi come out with a “fuller statement” to dispel doubts about their position on defreezing of the London bank accounts of Quatrocchi. In a seven-page memorandum to Dr Kalam, the NDA members representing seven Opposition parties, have described the Congress-led UPA government’s help to Italian fugitive Quatrocchi as “gross and scandalous abuse of power and democratic institutions.” The memorandum states that the Bofors case is not merely a corruption case. “What is at trial is the strength of Indian democracy. Is an Italian fugitive close to the Gandhi family going to be helped in a manner that every democratic institution in India is subverted. Is Indian democracy so vulnerable that it can look a helpless spectator to this subversion,” the NDA has asked in the memorandum. Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, Mr L.K. Advani, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha said, “He (Mr Bhardwaj) is directly involved in this issue and must be removed.” Mr Advani said that the Prime Minister had said that he was totally in the dark about the issue. “It is not easy to take the issue as it is. The country should know where the two senior leaders stand as far as the Quatrocchi issue is concerned. What about Mrs Sonia Gandhi. Let them lay all their cards on the table.” Mr Advani said that the government’s role in shielding Quatrocchi justifies the NDA’s rationale that people of foreign origin should not be allowed to hold high offices in the country. He warned that national interest could be seriously compromised if people of foreign origin were not constitutionally prohibited from holding high offices. “A person of foreign origin should not be Prime Minister or in a position where they can influence such decisions.” He said when the NDA government came to power, it tried to extradite Quattrocchi who was “practically escorted to the airport” after the Bofors issue came to light. Mr Advani said persons of foreign origin were barred from holding high office in the USA. He said the matter would be pursued both in public and Parliament. “It is a case of subversion of institutions to sweep things under the carpet and to suppress the scandal to save the culprits,” Mr Advani said. The delegation comprised BJP President Rajnath Singh, senior party leaders L.K. Advani, Jaswant Singh, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, S.S. Ahluwalia besides S.S. Dhindsa, SAD (Badal), Dinesh Trivedi (All India Trinamool Congress) and B.K. Tripathy (Biju Janata Dal).
|
|
|
SC concerned about public service commissions’ approach to exams
New Delhi, January 20 “This is how state public service commissions lose credibility,” a Bench comprising Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, Mr Justice C.K. Thakker and Mr Justice R.V. Raveendran said while hearing a special leave petition of the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC), challenging the state high court order for fresh evaluation of the paper of a candidate who had failed in it in the state judicial service examination. The strong remarks of the apex court came after the HPPSC counsel had suggested to the court that the commission was ready to have fresh evaluation of the civil law paper of Mukesh Thakur, the candidate in question. Not satisfied with the result of the paper, Thakur had approached the high court, which in an interim direction, had order re-evaluation by a professor of the Department of Law at the Himachal Pradesh University. As a result of this fresh evaluation, his marks increased considerably and he was shown to have passed in the paper, which qualified him for appointment. The commission challenged the high court order on the ground that it had formed a prima facie view that the evaluation by the HPPSC was not correct while passing the interim order for re-evaluation, which had made the evaluator extra cautious and liberal in awarding marks. The commission had further stated that it had evaluated every paper as per standards and criteria laid down, which could never be the same when a paper was re-evaluated. The other question raised by the commission was regarding the sanctity of examination, saying if court intervention in every matter was allowed, it would open the floodgates and every unsuccessful candidate would move court. The reason for today’s observation was that HPPSC counsel Anil Nag objected to the procedure sought to be adopted by the evaluator, suggested by Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam for re-examining the paper. The examiner, whose name was to be kept secret, had sought to first have a look at the answer books of some other candidates to understand the pattern of evaluation.
|
|
|
Cops escort criminal to politician’s function
Patna, January 20 Anil Sharma was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Ranchi, in connection with a number of criminal cases on January 18. The police escorted him to Ranchi from the Hajipur district jail on January 17. Anil was lodged in the Hajipur jail for long with charges of murdering Deben Rai, brother of a former RJD MLC, and his name also figured in the list of accused for kidnapping a local businessman, Mr R. Chaurasia. After the hearing was over before the CJM, Ranchi, the police team from Vaishali district was supposed to bring him back to the Hajipur jail on January 19. But the six members of the police escort team took him to the residence of Vaishali district JD (U) president Poonam Devi to attend a family function. The SP, Vaishali, Mrs Prita Verma, was not aware of the entire development until Anil Sharma was picked up from the residence of Mrs Poonam Devi around midnight on January 19 and put behind the bars again. The SP had already suspended six members of the police escort team and called Mr Arun Chowdhury, husband of Mrs Poonam Devi, for questioning. Mr Chowdhury too was implicated in a murder case in the recent past and was released from the Hajipur jail recently. The incident left the Chief Minister, Mr Nitish Kumar, red faced as it clearly exposed the alleged nexus between a section of the police and criminals at a time when he was finding it difficult to check the soaring crime graph in the state. Over 50 kidnappings have been reported ever since the NDA came to power on November 23. Indiscipline prevailing in the jails of Bihar earlier came in for sharp criticism by the court, which asked the government for massive reforms by strictly following the jail manual. The DM,
Vaishali, Mr Sanjiv Kumar, described the incident as “unfortunate”. |
|
|
Sikhs among Raje’s political appointees
Jaipur, January 20 Mr Ajaypal Singh, leader of the Sikh Samaj, was inducted as Chairman of the Rajasthan Housing Board. Mr Jasbir Singh, a social activist, was promoted from Member of the Minority Commission to its Chairman. Both appointees were given the status of Minister of State. Dr Rampratap, a former Cabinet minister, was made Chairman of the Indira Gandhi Canal Board. It was for the first time that the post was given to a politician with the status of a Cabinet minister. Till now, only top bureaucrats or technocrats had been at the helm. Mr Nasaru Khan, a former Minister of State, was made Chairman of the Mewat Development Board. Mr Ratan Lal Jat, a former minister, was appointed Chairman of the Seed Corporation. Mr Mansingh Chauhan was made Chairman of the Rajasthan Warehousing Corporation. Mr Arjun Singh Deora, a former minister, was appointed Vice-Chairman of the 20-Point Programme Implementation Committee. Out of the 13 appointees, three were given the status of Cabinet minister and the other 10 of Minister of State. |
|
Protest against EPF interest rate cut
New Delhi, January 20 The protest call was given by central trade union, who have been demanding the government to restore the 9.5 per cent interest rate to EPF, which was the sole social security instrument and the cut would have grave impact on its four crore subscribers. CITU in a statement claiming the protest as “successful” warned that if the government did not respect the legitimate feelings of the workers, then the trade union movement “will have to organise higher form of action to oppose the anti-worker policies” of the government. The Labour Minister early this month notified the new interest rate of 8.5 per cent though Union Labour Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao had indicated that he would discuss restoration of the rate with the Prime Minister. Hind Mazdoor Sangh, UTUC, UTUC-LS and AICCTU had also given the protest call. The Congress-backed INTUC did not join the protest. |
|
Gender bias in A-I: NCW to probe
New Delhi, January 20 The NCW may write to the Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, on this issue. In a letter to NCW Chairperson, the CITU president, Mr MK Pandhe, said while male pursers were made 'in-flight services in charge', hostesses with 25 years service had to work under male pursers whom they had trained. CITU has drawn the commission's attention to the Cabin Crew Association's response to the promotion of 12 air hostesses. In his letter to the NCW, quoting the association letter, Mr Pandhe has opposed the order which stated that there were separate contracts for males and females, by which women employees were not entitled to be promoted to such positions. |
|
Anti-collision device for trains gets patent
New Delhi, January 20 Konkan Railway will execute it in different phases. Apart from providing protection against collision, Raksha Kavach provides additional safety features in train operations such as detection of train parting and train actuated warning to road users at level crossings. The installation of Raksha Kavach on the Rajdhani route of Northeast Frontier Railway has been completed. |
|
Priyanka not to attend conclave
Hyderabad, January 20 “Ms Priyanka replied to the organizing committee almost immediately regretting that she would not be able to attend because of some prior commitments. She, however wished a vibrant and successful plenary session,” Ambika Soni told reporters here today. |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In video (
