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UPA crisis: BJP keeps eye on UP parties
DMK MP faints in RS
lanka issue
Uproar in Parliament over Beni’s remarks
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TMC leader killed as party workers clash
’93 Mumbai Blasts
Jagan’s remand extended in assets case
Sparing a thought for vanishing little bird
MARINES row
Corruption mother of all evils: SC
AP ‘agri budget’ turns out to be action plan
Anna joins opponents of cane cultivation
Assault on cop: 5 Maharashtra MLAs suspended from House
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UPA crisis: BJP keeps eye on UP parties New Delhi, March 20 Even though the saffron party strategically supported Mulayam Singh Yadav today and demanded that Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma resign over his reported comments against the SP supremo, senior leaders are confident when they say that the next move against the UPA (and most likely the fatal one) will not be from Yadav but from the other key ally — BSP chief Mayawati. Senior BJP leaders, who are thoroughly enjoying the spectacle of the UPA tied up in knots, thanks to one-after-the-other ally-generated imbroglio, feel the SP trouble will most probably be sorted out soon. “Like most parties, the SP is not interested in bringing down the government and facing the elections at this juncture,” they say. It will most probably be Mayawati, who sees herself occupying the top post in the next government — who will pull the plug, they add. As for the BJP, the party is in no hurry to open its cards. Stressing that the BJP was more than content to watch the government fall on its own, the party leaders ruled out bringing about a no-confidence motion against the government. They say the DMK pullout over Sri Lanka was quite by design — the southern ally did not want to be associated with the UPA during campaigning for elections. The UPA, they say is “practically and technically over”, but to bring it down on this issue would not be a politically smart move. Like most parties, the BJP is not ready to face elections and maintains that the best for it would be if the UPA loses credibility at the hands of allies rather than being made a martyr as would be the case if the Opposition plays tough at this juncture. Sources say the party will first put in place a team for new president Rajnath Singh, which is expected to happen after Holi. Next in line would be finalising the much-debated issue of the party’s prime ministerial candidate, which can be expected after the results of the Karnataka Assembly elections. And as far as warning signals by JD-U and Nitish Kumar are concerned, all that party leader Shahnawaz Hussain says is: “Nitish Kumar is with us and will remain with us”.
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DMK MP faints in RS
New Delhi, March 20 Chairperson Renuka Chowdhary had just adjourned the House till 2 pm as the DMK and the AIADMK MPs refused to go back to their seats, when there was commotion due to Stanley falling on the ground. Chowdhary asked for the doctors to be called to attend to Stanley, who lay unconscious. — TNS
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Rights group urges India to vote for resolution
Aditi Tandon/TNS
New Delhi, March 20 In a letter to External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, WGHR recalled that India’s vote in favour of the resolution in 2012 was a significant and welcome departure, indicating that India recognised its role and responsibility in the international community regarding the need for human rights accountability wherever human rights violations occur. “While WGHR welcomes India’s vote in favour of the 2012 resolution, India shielded Sri Lanka in 2009 at the UNHRC from international condemnation as well as from direly needed international investigations,” WGHR Coordinator Miloon Kothari said. The WGHR added that one of the consequences of the inability of the UNHRC, at that time, to hold Sri Lanka accountable for human rights violations is that these violations remained unaddressed. India’s bilateral efforts to get Sri Lanka to address concerns have so far been met with patent intransigence from the Sri Lankan regime. “The world is now keenly watching how India votes on the Sri Lanka resolution at the UNHRC. Indian and international public opinion will measure India’s capabilities and its credibility on human rights and diplomacy by its ability to stand again, as it did in 2012, for justice and accountability in Sri Lanka,” Kothari said.
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Uproar in Parliament over Beni’s remarks
New Delhi, March 20 As soon as the House assembled for the day, the SP MPs were on their feet, seeking the apology and the question hour saw two adjournments. During the zero hour, the BJP threw its weight behind the SP, with Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj batting for Mulayam. “Mulayamji is a respected member of this House and the minister had tarnished his image by making wild allegations. He should either prove these allegations or resign,” Swaraj said, inviting applause from SP benches. The BJP leader pointed out that instead of regretting his earlier (Beni Prasad had said Mulayam was a protector of terrorists and a goon) remarks, the Union Minister had gone on to make fresh allegations. “Instead of tendering his apology, Beni Prasad Verma has repeated his allegations and has gone on to slam more charges against Mulayam Singhji. This issue involves the matter of privilege of the SP chief and should be handed over to the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha. The government must sack Verma immediately," Sushma Swaraj added. With Sushma’s remarks, the Congress found itself further cornered in the matter, with UPA chief Sonia Gandhi seen trying to placate Mulayam in the House. She even met the SP chief during the period of adjournment of the House. JD-U’s Sharad Yadav and CPM’s Basudeb Acharia, who had wanted to speak on the issue, could not speak, with Deputy Speaker Karia Munda adjourning the House immediately after Sushma Swaraj’s intervention.
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TMC leader killed as party workers clash
Kolkata, March 20 Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who received information about the clash during her address at a public meeting in Bankura, ordered the police to arrest the local TMC councillor, Shambunath Kau, involved in the killing. The police was unable to arrest the councillor but detained a close associate for interrogation. Around the same time, another clash broke out between party workers at Khardah in North 24 Parganas over a piece of land. In both cases, while one group wanted to utilise the land for real estate, the other planned to develop a playground and a park for the local people. Mamata refused to comment on the DMK’s withdrawal of support from the UPA-II government. — TNS
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SC verdict on Sanjay Dutt, others today
R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, March 20 More than 250 persons were killed in the terror attacks in various parts of the country’s financial capital including at the stock exchange building. A Bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan will deliver as many as six judgments as the appeals have been placed under as many categories: death sentence, life sentence, appeals by the accused, appeals by Maharashtra, cross-appeals (both by accused and state) and appeals under Arms/Explosive Substances Act. The trial court had acquitted Dutt of the conspiracy charge relating to the blasts, but sentenced him to six years for illegal possession of firearms. While the Maharashtra government did not challenge his acquittal in the blast case or the quantum of jail term under the Arms Act, Dutt appealed against his conviction. He has served about 16 months of the sentence and is presently on bail granted by SC, pending disposal of his appeal. During the arguments in the SC, Dutt’s lawyers had denied that he had any links with underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim, the mastermind behind the blasts, or Tiger Memon, and admitted that he had attended a dinner hosted by Dawood in Dubai before the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Dutt said his associates had given him three rifles for self-defence as he and his family members were getting threat calls following the December 6, 1992 demolition of Babri Masjid. Tiger Memon is among those sentenced to death as well as life term.
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Jagan’s remand extended in assets case
Hyderabad, March 20 Besides Jagan, the court extended the remand of former minister Mopidevi Venkata Ramana Rao, industrialist Nimmagadda Prasad and senior bureaucrat KV Brahmananda Reddy (all accused in Vanpic aspect of Jagan assets case) after they appeared before the court via video-conferencing from Chanchalguda Central Prison where they are currently lodged. Andhra Pradesh Roads and Buildings Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao, also an accused in the case, appeared before the Principal Special Court for the CBI cases today. Jagan was arrested on May 27 last year by the CBI on corruption charges. Meanwhile, the CBI continued with its arguments on the second chargesheet filed by it against Jagan, his auditor V Vijay Sai Reddy and Jagati Publications, owned by the Kadapa MP. — PTI
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WORLD SPARROW DAY Bijay Sankar Bora/TNS
Guwahati, March 20 World Sparrow Day is celebrated on March 20 every year to raise awareness about the decline of house sparrow population and it impact on the environment. A number of hypotheses have been put forward as possible causes of decline of house sparrow numbers in urban and suburban area. These include changing architecture of human habitation that has deprived house sparrows of nesting sites, loss of tree cover, excessive use of pesticides, lack of traditional granaries, grocery shops and storehouses that permit gleaning of grains by birds, air pollution and electromagnetic radiations. Researchers have found that modern cities and towns are no longer suited to the sparrow. Urban buildings (box type) do not attract sparrows as these provide little opportunity to nest within. Finding food in and around nesting sites is a bigger problem in urban spaces where topsoil is covered with debris, roads and pavement. The UK-based Rufford Small Grants Foundation, in collaboration with Aaranyak, a leading conservation group in the North-East, has facilitated a research project to assess sparrow population in Guwahati city. Anukul Nath, a PhD research scholar of Assam University, Silchar, under the Department of Ecology & Environmental Science, has started the study. Till date, there has not been any such scientific research on house sparrow in the capital city of Assam. Anukul is also looking for nests of sparrows and their requirements besides monitoring their population periodically. He will also investigate the effect of electromagnetic radiations on the breeding of sparrows. WHY THE DECLINE
* Finding food in and around nesting sites is a bigger problem in urban spaces where topsoil is covered with debris, roads and pavement * Loss of tree cover, excessive use of pesticides, lack of traditional granaries, air pollution and electromagnetic radiations are other deterrents
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Centre will explore diplomatic and legal options, says PM
Thiruvananthapuram, March 20 In a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Singh said he shared the sense of national outrage over Italy's communication that the marines will not return to India and said all diplomatic and legal options would be explored to bring the duo back to India to face the trial. The Prime Minister also made it clear that the stand of Italy in this regard was not acceptable to India and added they have violated all rules of diplomatic discourse and has cast a shadow on the relationship between the two countries. The SC had permitted the marines to leave India for four weeks on the basis of an undertaking given by the Italian Ambassador. — PTI
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Corruption mother of all evils: SC
New Delhi, March 20 “Corruption mothers disorder, destroys societal will to progress, accelerates underserved ambitions, kills the conscience, jettisons the glory of the institutions, paralyses the economic health of a country, corrodes the sense of civility and mars the marrows of governance,” a Bench comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra observed in a judgment. “It can be stated with absolute assurance that the tendency to abuse the official position has spread like an epidemic,” making people believe that “unless bribe is given, the work may not be done”, the Bench lamented. “To put it differently, giving bribe, whether in cash or in kind, may become the mantra of the people” if the situation was allowed to continue, it noted while rejecting the plea of two government servants of Maharashtra for quashing a corruption case against them on the ground that their trial was going on for more than 26 years. Citing the principles laid down by the apex court in several cases, the Bench said: “It is clear as crystal that no time limit can be stipulated for the disposal of criminal trial. The delay caused has to be weighed on the factual score, regard being had to the nature of the offence and the concept of social justice and the cry of the collective.” Pointing out that Parliament had enacted the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to eradicate corruption and provide deterrent punishment to corrupt elements, the Bench said the appellants had been charged with amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 33 lakh. Nevertheless, the SC held that the gravity of the offence in such a case should not be judged on the basis of the quantum of bribe.
"Corruption mothers disorder, destroys societal will to progress, accelerates underserved ambitions, kills the conscience, jettisons the glory of the institutions, paralyses the economic health of a country, corrodes the sense of civility and mars the marrows of
governance".
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AP ‘agri budget’ turns out to be action plan Hyderabad, March 20 A day before the presentation of the annual budget for 2013-14, the media was alerted about the novel initiative and was informed that a separate budget for farm sector would be presented in the House on Monday. Soon after Finance Minister A Ramnarayan Reddy finished his budget speech, Agriculture Minister K Lakshminarayana rose to present what was promised to be an exclusive agriculture budget. It turned out to be an “agriculture action plan” instead of the budget. Hours before the minister’s speech, the officials had to hurriedly make corrections in the booklet by striking off the words “budget speech” and replacing them with “action plan 2013-14”. The Opposition parties raised objections over the constitutional validity of such an exercise and said it violated the conventions and practices of the Assembly. The faux pas committed by the government triggered uproar in both the Assembly and the Legislative Council and raised questions over the functioning of the key departments like Legislative Affairs, Finance and Agriculture. Even the Assembly Speaker N Manohar was not aware of the proposed presentation of a separate agriculture budget. Dubbing the move as “unconstitutional”, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party boycotted the proceedings and threatened to move a privilege motion against the minister for misleading the House. Cutting across party lines, several legislators argued that introduction of such “separate budget” was against constitutional provisions and established legislative procedures. Ramanarayan Reddy admitted that the government had indeed committed a “mistake” in the introduction of budget for agriculture along with the annual budget. “We have identified the lapse that certain legislature procedures were not followed and brought it to the notice of the Assembly Speaker, Legislative Council chairman and Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy,” he said. Reddy, along with the Legislative Affairs Minister D Sridhar Babu, met the Speaker today and submitted a letter regretting the mistake.
Faux pas
* A day before the presentation of the annual budget, the media was informed that a separate budget for farm sector would be presented in the House on Monday *
After Finance Minister A Ramnarayan Reddy finished his budget speech, Agriculture Minister K Lakshminarayana rose to present an "exclusive agriculture budget" *
It turned out to be an "agriculture action plan" instead of the budget *
Hours before the minister's speech, the officials had to hurriedly make corrections in the booklet by striking off the words "budget speech" and replacing them with "action plan 2013-14"
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Anna joins opponents of cane cultivation Mumbai, March 20 The activist is blaming the state's emphasis on sugarcane cultivation for the present drought conditions, said to be the worst in 40 years. Hazare has come out strongly against the spread of this cash crop and his statements against sugarcane cultivation in a forthcoming documentary on his life are likely to throw fresh light on the role of Maharashtra's politicians in worsening the conditions in the state. In the documentary, Hazare dwells at length on how he banned the cultivation of sugarcane in his village of Ralegan Siddhi as part of measures to conserve water. In the documentary titled, On the Footsteps of the Mahatma, Hazare calls for restrictions on cultivation of sugarcane and a complete ban on the crop in areas which face water shortage. Hazare's comments come at a time when collectors in a number of districts in the state have called for sugarcane factories to be shut down to conserve water for drinking. Government officials are, however, facing a tough time from politicians in the Congress-NCP coalition who control sugar factories across the state. Facing heat from different sections of the society, the Maharashtra Government has set up a plan to make drip irrigation mandatory for sugarcane cultivation. "Drip irrigation will be made mandatory for sugarcane cultivation in the next three to five years," Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar told the state Assembly last week.
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Assault on cop: 5 Maharashtra MLAs suspended from House Mumbai, March 20 The resolution to suspend the five MLAs, Kshitij Thakur of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena), Ram Kadam (MNS) and Jaykumar Rawal (BJP), was moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Harshvardhan Patil. It was adopted by the House by voice vote. Patil said MLAs’ action was “serious and lowered the dignity of the august House”. Through their suspension till December 31, 2013, the MLAs will be barred from participating in the proceedings of the Assembly. They will also not be allowed to enter the legislature premises both in Mumbai and Nagpur. This is the second time Ram Kadam was being suspended from the Assembly. In 2009, he had assaulted Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in the House. The five MLAs had assaulted Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Suryavanshi shortly after Thakur moved a privilege motion against him. The policeman had stopped the MLA for speeding on the Bandra-Worli Sea Link on Monday. He was summoned before the Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council Vasant Davkhare after a complaint was filed against him by the legislator. Earlier today, Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil the policeman at the St George’s hospital where he is undergoing treatment. Suryavanshi told the minister that he had not entered the visitors’ gallery as alleged by the MLAs who beat him up. The policeman added that he had just come out of Davkhare’s office and was sitting on the bench outside waiting to go to the canteen when the legislators spotted him. According to the policeman, there were at least 14 to 15 legislators from the Assembly as well as the Council who cornered him and beat him up. In his complaint, Suryavanshi alleged that the legislators had threatened to kill him. State government sources say investigators examined the footage from the CCTVs which showed that the officer had not entered the visitor’s gallery, as alleged by the legislators. The assault on the policeman has not gone down well with the police top brass in the state. Senior police officials, including Director General of Police Sanjeev Dayal and Mumbai Police Commissioner Satyapal Singh, have
met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and pressed Chavan, who apologised to the police on behalf of the MLAs, is said to be in favour of the law taking its course, say sources. The arrest of MLAs seems imminent, according to police sources.
LAW BREAKERS * Those suspended are Kshitij Thakur of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Pradeep Jaiswal (Independent), Rajan Salvi (Shiv Sena), Ram Kadam (MNS) and Jaykumar Rawal
(BJP) * Ram Kadam was also suspended in 2009 for assaulting Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi in the House *
Besides being barred from participating in the proceedings of the House, these MLAs will also not be allowed to enter the legislature premises in Mumbai and Nagpur
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realpolitik
* Urban buildings (box type) do not attract sparrows as these provide little opportunity to nest within