 |
|
|
LS condemns Israeli attack on Lebanon
West Asia biggest test for UPA government
RS concerned over lack of safety of Indians in Gulf
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Pressure within Cong to condemn Israeli attack
BJP to take up Bofors issue again
Motion on MSP in LS today
PIL seeks national parties for LS poll
SC admits appeal against order lifting ban on women bartenders
Rickshaw puller’s son makes it to IIT
CBI files charge sheet against Jaya
Petition on Dawood’s property withdrawn
Govt’s will needed to implement ICDS: CPM
Bailable warrants against Salman
9 SIMI men arrested
|
|
LS condemns Israeli attack on Lebanon
New Delhi, July 31 Condemning the “large-scale and indiscriminate Israeli bombing of Lebanon that has been under way for many days”, the resolution noted that lasting peace and security in the region could be achieved only through a comprehensive solution to the problems of the region taking into account the legitimate interests and grievances of all parties concerned. Noting that the growing tension in India’s extended neighbourhood of West Asia has exacerbated an already complex and delicate situation in the region, the House conveyed its condolences, sympathy and support of the people of India to the people of Lebanon. “The people of India are ready to make their contribution in providing humanitarian relief to the victims of the tragic conflict,” the resolution added. The resolution was adopted after Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee convened a meeting of floor leaders in the afternoon. During zero hour, members from all sides demanded that the House should pass a strong resolution condemning the attack by Israel on Lebanon. CPM’s Basudeb Acharya raised the issue stressing that Parliament could not remain a silent observer to the genocide in Lebanon. A strong message should be sent to Israel to accept a ceasefire immediately. Leader of the House and Union Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said he would convey the strong sentiments expressed by the members to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and take appropriate steps. Irrespective of their party affiliation, members condemned the Israeli aggression underlining the need for an immediate ceasefire with Mr Acharya urging the government to suspend the purchase of weapons from Israel. “India strongly condemns the continued, irresponsible and indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon by the Israeli military ignoring the calls for restraint,” he said. While RJD’s Braj Kishore Tripathi said it was a clear case of muscle flexing by the USA on a small country, Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP stressed that India should stand by the victims. NC’s Omar Abdullah said there could not be different yardsticks for two countries and charged the USA with turning a blind eye to the Israeli action.
|
|
West Asia biggest test for UPA government
New Delhi, July 31 The Left parties have been asking the UPA government for an immediate halt to all arms imports from Israel — a lucrative and flourishing trade area for Tel Aviv as India buys close to a billion dollars worth of arms from Israel every year. As a result, the statements emanating from the Ministry of External Affairs are no longer in the nature of a balancing act and are increasingly unambiguous in their condemnation of Israel. The statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) yesterday after the brutal Israeli air attack on Qana in southern Lebanon, in which 56 women and children were killed, is a demonstration of not-so-subtle changing nuances in India’s West Asia policy. The MEA statement described the Qana incident as “outrageous” and said: “India strongly condemns the continued irresponsible and indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon by the Israeli military, ignoring calls for restraint.” As the Government of India cannot do anything to change the situation in West Asia, it is exercising the next best option: to rush humanitarian aid to the beleaguered Palestinians. In response to a request from the Palestinian authorities, following developments in Gaza and in West Bank, India had announced humanitarian assistance, primarily of medicines worth Rs 10 crore in May. The Palestinian authorities had sent to India a list of medicines and medical supplies required by them. “The first batch of medicines, comprising life saving cancer drugs and anaesthetics are ready for immediate shipment and will be handed over to President Mahmoud Abbas by our representative in Palestine”, the MEA announced today. The other medicines are being sent in subsequent batches to cover the requirement indicated to New Delhi. To mark the occasion, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed symbolically handed over a carton of the medicines to Mr Osama Musa, Ambassador of the Palestinian National Authority in India. Though the situation has eased up because of the unilateral cessation of its air strikes by Israel since 2 am local time and the Hezbollah has reciprocated the gesture, the sense here is that peace in West Asia is still elusive.
|
|
RS concerned over lack of safety of Indians in Gulf
New Delhi, July 31 Raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha during zero hour, A. Vijayaraghavan (CPM) said that the death of 16 Indian nationals in Sunday’s fire in Bahrain had raised serious questions about the safety and security of thousands of Indians working in Gulf countries. The CPM member said that the incident was due to the failure of the Indian Government and the Indian Mission in Bahrain. He said that the government should pay compensation to next of kin of 16 Indian nationals who were charred to death in the fire and to the eleven injured.
|
|
Pressure within Cong to condemn Israeli attack
New Delhi, July 31 Ever since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh inked the controversial civilian nuclear pact with the United States and followed it up by voting against Iran at the IAEA, there has been growing disquiet in the Congress about the shift in the UPA’s foreign policy. The government’s increasing proximity to the USA has been perceived as a move to distance itself from its traditional allies in the Arab world. There is deep concern in the party that the recent developments, the Lebanon crisis and the fresh conditions being proposed in the US legislations on the Indo-US nuclear deal, could have serious political ramifications on the domestic front. An overtly pro-US government at this juncture could further alienate the minorities given America’s strong support to Israel as well as its policies on Iraq and Iran, it is feared. In this scenario and with Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh coming up early next year, Congress members believe it is important for the party to send out a strong political message to underline its support and sympathy for the people of Palestine and to condemn the Israeli air strikes. While there is growing demand that a special meeting of the CWC be convened for this purpose, members are hoping that Congress president Sonia Gandhi will give expression to their sentiments in her customary address at the meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party slated for tomorrow. Mindful of the undercurrents in the party, the Congress has, on three separate occasions, come out strongly against the Israeli action in Lebanon and, at one point, even described it as an invasion. Coming out with its harshest response on this matter so far, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi today condemned the outrageous killings of civilians, including women and children, in the indiscriminate Israeli bombings on Lebanon. Stating that the time for mere expressions of regret was long over, the Congress exhorted the international community and the UN to work actively for cessation of hostilities and prevent further escalation of the crisis.
|
|
BJP to take up Bofors issue again
New Delhi, July 31 “Mr Arun Singh was a close aide of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and his assertions that ‘somebody’ did receive kickbacks for getting the Bofors deal through could not be brushed aside easily,” Mr Advani said inaugurating a day-long conference of the BJP Yuva Morcha here. “He (Arun Singh) has stated that somebody certainly have taken money and the way the government showed undue haste to defreeze the money locked in the UK bank accounts of Italian fugitive Ottavio Quattrocchi gives ample scope for that there was a design in the whole thing... this aspect certainly needs to be pursued in Parliament and outside. The BJP will certainly take it up in the ongoing Monsoon Session,” Mr Advani, who is also Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said. Referring to national politics, Mr Advani said the emergence of bipolar polity in the country after Independence and the territorial integrity were the twin national achievements where the BJP’s contributions were substantial. Asserting that the Jan Sangh, the predecessor of the BJP, had played a major role in opposing the Emergency regime and the emergence of dictatorial tendencies of the Congress, he said his party as well as the Sangh Parivar organisations had struggled hard for upholding the principle that “cultural nationalism is true nationalism” through the Ayodhya movement. Focussing on developmental issues, Mr Advani said the states which accord top priority to irrigation and employment would be the ones to attain development and progress. “The states which tread the path of distribution of water and employment to the people would be successful governments,” he said. He said the employment plan was conceptualised during the NDA regime and the new government as usual had changed nomenclatures just to deny the credit to the previous governments. Many existing programmes carrying the name of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya were all changed and substituted by the names of members of a family, he said.
|
|
Motion on MSP in LS today
New Delhi, July 31 The motion is being moved by the Shiromani Akali Dal leader in the Lok Sabha Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, which is expected to criticise the MSP announced by the government for the kharif season 2006-07. SAD members had stated they would raise the MSP issue in the House today. However, as soon as the Lok Sabha assembled for the day, the SAD members were up on their feet to raise the issue. But, the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee asked them to give a notice for a motion considering the serious nature of the issue. Meanwhile, during question hour, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar informed the House that the government was considering replacing the present MSP by a procurement price mechanism to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers. He said fall in crop prices usually led to indebtness of the farmers and consequently, drove some of them to commit suicide in despair. Mr Pawar said the government would soon take a decision on the recommendations of the reports of National Commission on Farmers, headed by eminent agri-scientist Dr M S Swaminathan, which were under active consideration. Admitting that the real problem was in bringing about a breakthrough in the stagnating production of oilseed and pulses, which were being imported by the country in a big way, he hoped that public sector farm research body, ICAR and an international body ICRISAT would succeed in their ongoing efforts to developing new high-yielding hybrid varieties of oilseeds and pulses to break the existing productivity barriers in both crops. Mr Pawar said the Centre would in October review the policy of banning export of sugar and allowing imports in consultations with state governments. In a written reply the government today informed the Lok Sabha that it did not propose to reduce the selling prices of fertilisers.
|
|
PIL seeks national parties for LS poll
New Delhi, July 31 A Bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Mr Justice G P Mathur and Mr Justice C K Thakker directed the government and EC to file their affidavits whether the public interest litigation (PIL) raising the issue could be admitted. The petitioner has also sought ban on contesting of the Lok Sabha elections by Independents. The petition was accepted for hearing by the court on a review after it had been rejected earlier. But petitioner, a Chennai-based lawyer, MO Kandasamy Singh, was not satisfied with the dismissal order and had sought review of it, which was considered by the court and notices were issued to government and the EC in the review order. Today the petition was posted for hearing for the first time after reviving it in the review order, which was passed in a chamber hearing, as was the practice in the apex court to consider review matters. The petitioner had said that the growth of regional parties during the past few decades had resulted in regional issues getting prominence over the national issues as they did not have any “agenda or manifesto highlighting national issues.” “The mushroom growth of regional parties and their alarming representation in Lok Sabha results in frequent defection and also frequent elections even before completion of a full five year term resulting in a heavy burden on the exchequer.” Moreover, if a ban on regional parties to contest Lok Sabha election was imposed, the state-level parties still would not be deprived of representation in Parliament as they were represented in Rajya Sabha, which as per the Constitution was essentially a Council of the States. A direction was also sought by the petitioner to the EC to permit only the national parties to file nominations for Lok Sabha elections.
|
|
SC admits appeal against order lifting ban on women bartenders
New Delhi, July 31 Section 30 of the Punjab Excise Act, 1914, struck down by the High Court in its January 12 judgement, also prohibited banned employment of any man under the age of 25 in the liquor trade. A Bench comprising Mr Justice S B Sinha and Mr Justice Dalveer Bhandari, while admitting the appeal against the High Court order, issued notices to the Centre, Delhi Government, Hotel Association of India and some individual women who had fought for quashing of the said provision in the Act. The apex court directed all respondents to submit their replies how the High Court order was sustainable. The special leave petition (SLP) against the High Court order was filed by Anuj Garg and four other Delhi-based citizens, who opposed lifting of the ban on the ground that it would have “wide ramifications... and there is wide spread strong resentment and criticism of the impugned judgement.” Besides, Garg the four other persons - Vipin Saxena, Jyoti Saxena, Vandana Sharma and Shikha Tyagi - in the SLP raised four legal questions whether right to serve liquor in the bars was a fundamental right, whether the High Court was right to make the comments that “female touch lends grace and elegance to the hospitality industry.” The other important questions of law raised by them were whether the High Court was justified in “ignoring” the social condition prevalent in Delhi, which has turned into a “rogue city” with high crime rates against women and above all whether it was right in terming the “liquor vending as a career and profession” for women. They claimed that the High Court had committed “grave error” of fact that Section 30 of the Punjab
Exercise Act applicable to Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, was “outdated today and far from serving the cause of protecting women.” The petitioner also contended that even the Union Government had opposed lifting of the ban during the argument in the High Court by stating that trade in liquor was not an ordinary business by its very nature and had the potential to cause mischief and evil as “alcoholism common denominator in various crimes and social problems.” The state has a right to prohibit every form of activity in relation to intoxicants and as such the provision of prohibition of employing women and males below the age of 25 years in the liquor trade was made in the Act by the legislature with concerns for public order and morality. The Hotel Association of India, which was the main challenger to the ban before the High Court, had questioned the constitutional validity of Section 30 of the Act on the ground that it hampered the working of woman in hospitality industry even though trade of liquor might not be a fundamental right.
|
|
Rickshaw puller’s son makes it to IIT
Patna, July 31 Anupam Kumar ,an OBC by birth from Bihar, made it to the
IIT-JEE exams a year ago on merit, long before the pandora`s box on the reservation issue for Other Backward Classes was reopened by the Union Human resource
development minister, Mr Arjun Singh. Anupam believed that there was no alternative to hard work and his
mother, Sudha Devi, too shared his views stating that the industrious did not need any assistance in the form of reservation.”If the child has the ability to study hard, he or she will
succeed in any good institution,” Ms Sudha Devi said. Despite abundance of everything in the
house, the family members are happy and aspiring for more success from Anupam. His
younger brother too is now making a determined effort to follow in his
footsteps. Incidentally, once the reservation for OBCs comes into effect following the report
already submitted by the committee, Anupam`s younger brother, Abhishek, is sure to benefit and the process of admission will also be easier for him. But Abhiskek said that just like his brother, he too did not need the aid. Going by the views expressed by Abhishek, there was no short way to success like “reservation” as there was no alternative to hard work based on merit. Both the brothers instead urged the government to ensure access to education for all and related quality teaching as the country was about to celebrate 60th year of Independence in a fortnight.
|
|
CBI files charge sheet against Jaya
New Delhi, July 31 She has been charged under Section 11 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The charge sheet stated that two AIADMK ministers, Mr K.A. Sengottaiyan and Mr Azhagu Thirunavukarasu, had allegedly abetted the act. Investigations revealed that the former Chief Minister had accepted 89 demand drafts worth around Rs 2 crore and Rs 15 lakh in cash in 1992, besides some valuables. After obtaining permission from Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker R. Avudaiyappan, the CBI filed the charge sheet before the Principal Special Judge in Chennai for prosecuting the former Chief Minister, who is presently an MLA.
— TNS
|
|
Petition on Dawood’s property withdrawn
New Delhi, July 31 The counsel for petitioner Abdul Rehman Abdul Gafoor Sheikh, also facing trial under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), simply made a plea for withdrawal of it without citing any reason. A special MCOCA court in Mumbai had ordered the demolition of seven buildings of Dawood for those being constructed illegally on public land. The buildings include the Sara-Sahara complex in south Mumbai and other properties surrounding it, most of which had already been razed to the ground by the BMC over the past few days. Sheikh had moved the apex court contending that he had some interest in some of the properties.
|
|
Govt’s will needed to implement ICDS: CPM
New Delhi, July 31 Speaking at an anganwadi workers’ protest meeting in the Capital, CPM National General Secretary Prakash Karat said, “even after its mention in the national common minimum programme, just half of the country and one third of its children are covered under the ICDS today.” “Anganwadi workers, who implement the scheme are also paid less and there is no social security provisions for them,” he added. Anganwadi workers are demanding a rise in their honorarium and provision of social security benefits like PF for them.
|
|
Bailable warrants against Salman
Jodhpur, July 31 After hearing the petition filed by state government, Judge Hansaram today issued bailable warrants against actors Salman khan, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and three other accused in the case. The state government had filed the petition against the Jodhpur’s Chief Judicial Magistrate’s verdict to acquit all accused except Salman. Previously
Salman was sentenced to one year imprisonment and fined Rs 5000 for killing endangered black bucks.
— UNI
|
|
9 SIMI men arrested
Jabalpur, July 31 “Nine SIMI activists were arrested here during a special drive carried out on the basis of information about their presence in Gohalpur and Hanumantal areas. ‘Tarhik’ and ‘Moment’ books were seized from them,” city Superintendent of Police Rakesh Singh said. Those arrested were identified as Sarfaraz, Haminuddin, Pervez Majid, Jameel Majid, Sarfaraz Ibrahim, Khurshid, Ashfak, Javed and Wasinuddin. A mobile phone, belonging to SIMI activist Imran Ansari, who was arrested in Khandwa recently, was seized from Sarfraz.
— UNI
|
| 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 (
