|
|
|
|
|
Parliament clears anti-rape Bill
‘Shattered’ Sanjay Dutt explores legal options
Not much impact likely on Bollywood
Cong breathes easy as SP softens stand on Beni
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Karuna dubs US resolution diluted
LS adjourned
Pro-Telangana agitators block Hyderabad highway
|
|
Parliament clears anti-rape Bill
New Delhi, March 21 “The government is open to amendments,” Shinde told the Rajya Sabha in response to observations by Opposition members that the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2013, was being passed in a hurry and without an in-depth debate. With Parliament heading for a month-long break, the government was obviously in a hurry to get the law cleared. Seeking to replace an ordinance promulgated by President Pranab Mukherjee on February 3, the legislation had to be passed before April 4, otherwise it would have lapsed. The AIADMK and the DMK, who are on a warpath with the Congress over the Sri Lankan Tamil issue, had apparently provided the government a window till the UN Human Rights Council took up the US-sponsored resolution on human rights violation in Sri Lanka. Therefore, soon after the Bill was cleared, the two parties were in the Well to ensure that the House was adjourned. The Lok Sabha had passed the legislation on March 19. The Bill, which seeks to amend the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, now requires the approval of the President. The debate on the anti-rape law started soon after the House returned to the Lok Sabha the appropriation Bill without a debate, perhaps for the first time in the history of Parliament. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was present in the House when the Bill was voted. A resolution moved by CPI leader D Raja, disapproving the Criminal Law (Amendment) Ordinance which the Bill seeks to replace, was rejected by the House. Amendments moved by Raja and TN Seema of the CPM in the new Bill were also defeated by voice vote.
|
|
‘Shattered’ Sanjay Dutt explores legal options
Mumbai, March 21 "I am heartbroken because today along with me, my three children, wife and my entire family will undergo punishment," he said in a statement. "I know in my heart that I have always been a good human being, respected the system and has always been loyal to my country." The actor was reportedly exploring legal options His lawyer Satish Maneshinde told reporters that the length of sentence had come as a shock to Dutt who has continued to make films despite the legal action against him. "We will wait for a copy of the Supreme Court judgment and then decide the further course of action. He is a strong man and will fight back," he said. "We have been preparing him from the very beginning," Maneshinde said. The actor would abide by the apex court order and undergo the sentence in letter and spirit, he added. "Three-and-a-half years is not a long period," Maneshinde added. Another of Dutt's counsel, Majeed Memon, told reporters that the actor has suffered major mental trauma following his arrest and imprisonment for possessing an AK-47 assault rifle. "Dutt was foolish, but is neither a traitor nor a terrorist," Memon told reporters. The entertainment industry reacted with shock to the news of Dutt's sentencing with the actor seen by some fans as a victim of his star lineage and own fame. "Heart Broken: Just heard that Sanjay Dutt has to go to jail for 5 years. I expected mercy! Alas it did not happen,” tweeted filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, who helped resurrect Dutt's career after he was freed on bail in the 1990s. Dutt, the son of actor and former Congress minister Sunil Dutt and actress Nargis, also has political ambitions. But in 2009, the Supreme Court refused to suspend his conviction so that he could contest the elections on the ticket of the Samajwadi Party. Dutt has reportedly said that he will complete all his films and not let anyone down. The actor is currently shooting for a new film "Policegiri" and was due to reprise his role in a third "Munnabhai" film later this year.
|
||
|
Not much impact likely on Bollywood
Mumbai, March 21 According to sources here, Dutt has just three big films on hand including a remake of “Zanjeer”, “Policegiri” and “PK”. While shooting of “Zanjeer” has been wrapped up, the makers of “Policegiri” are expected to rush through the shooting schedule before the actor surrenders before the court in four weeks' time. In “PK”, an Aamir Khan-starrer, Dutt plays a supporting role. The movie is scheduled to release next year. The buzz in the trade is that Dutt had planned his projects so as to not put his producers at risk should he be sent back to jail. A fourth film “Munnabhai Chale Dilli”, third in his Munnabhai series, is yet to go on the floors. Though Sanjay Dutt remains a big draw at the box office, most big banners had steered clear of him because of the criminal charges against him. “Zanjeer” was one of the few big banners other than Vidhu Vinod Chopra, producer of the Munnabhai series, who banked on the actor. The Supreme Court's orders sending Dutt back to jail has, however, shocked the film industry, many of whose leading lights have rallied behind him. “I am truly shattered to hear of Sanju's sentence - the nicest guy I have known just doesn't deserve this. My heart goes out to him," film producer Karan Johar tweeted. Johar had only recently signed Dutt for his new movie “Ungli”. "The strange dichotomies of life. A fine Supreme Court judgment on the Bombay blasts. But yes, Sanjay Dutt is my friend. I am sad for him. I will be very sad to see Sanjay Dutt go back to jail where I used to meet him years ago. A second term will destroy the man. Sad for Sanjay Dutt. He is paying for what was an act of folly. He is no traitor. He made a mistake. He is paying for it. Hugely," film maker Pritish Nandy tweeted. "Man lives in hope and dies in hope! I am hopeful that the apex court’s verdict will finally bring enduring peace in Sanjay Dutt's life," said film director Mahesh Bhatt.
Rs
250 cr riding on his movies?
With the SC awarding a five-year sentence to Sanjay Dutt in 1993 blasts case, rumour mills are now abuzz on the amount of money at stake in Bollywood projects involving the actor. According to analysts, around Rs 250 crore are riding on Sanjay who will have to undergo a term of three-and-a-half year after the apex court upheld his conviction for illegal possession of arms. "As per the back-of-the-envelope calculations, around Rs 250 crore are riding on Sanjay, involved in various projects.
|
||
|
Cong breathes easy as SP softens stand on Beni
New Delhi, March 21 While the SP parliamentary party that met here criticised Verma for his remarks, it left the final decision on the party’s political stance vis-a-vis the Congress to the party chief to “take any decision on any issue at an appropriate time in the interest of the party”. Party sources said that Yadav was of the view that since both Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi had intervened in the issue, the party should wait. Yesterday, the Congress president had walked across to Yadav in the Lok Sabha with folded hands. This is being interpreted as a signal that as the party leader, she was apologising for the Union minister’s statement. SP MPs were agitated over the purported remarks terming Mulayam Singh Yadav as a supporter of terrorists and also of taking commission to support the UPA. A day after Samajwadi MPs disrupted Parliament demanding an apology from the minister and that he be removed by the Union Cabinet, Verma expressed regret for any remark of his that might have hurt anybody.
|
||
|
Karuna dubs US resolution diluted
Noting that he was "not satisfied" with India's stand at the UNHRC, Karunanidhi said a myth was created about the US resolution that something big would come out and there was a lot of anticipation among the people. They were hoping that the US resolution would protect Tamils but it turned out to be a "diluted" resolution and had become "useless". The resolution was "diluted" as whatever amendments suggested by him were not incorporated, he added. "By looking at the present developments, I consider we have taken the right decision (withdrawal of support to UPA). I will not call it a betrayal. (But) They were not concerned," he said hours after the resolution was adopted at the UNHRC in Geneva. Asked about his party's further course of action on the issue, Karunanidhi said Tamil Eelam Supporters organisation (TESO), revived by him recently, will decide. On India's willingness to encourage Sri Lanka to take steps on the rehabilitation and political settlement, Karunanidhi said it amounted to handing over the issue of Eelam Tamils to the island nation.
— PTI
|
||
|
LS adjourned
New Delhi, March 21 Soon as the House assembled, the DMK and the AIADMK MPs disrupted proceedings seeking an international inquiry into the atrocities against ethnic minorities in the island nation. The House was adjourned till 12 noon, and then 2 pm and finally for the day. The members of Dravidian parties raised slogans from the well demanding an “international inquiry against the alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka”. Both the DMK and the AIADMK wanted a resolution from the government to this effect. — TNS
|
||
|
Pro-Telangana agitators block Hyderabad highway
Hyderabad, March 21 The call for the dawn-to-dusk protest programme was given by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (TJAC), a conglomeration of the pro-Telangana political and social groups, as part of the movement for separate Telangana state. The traffic came to a standstill on the National Highway Number 7 as the protesters defied the prohibitory orders and descended on the highway at several places in Mahabubnagar district in Telangana region. The focus of the blockade was mainly on Alampur in Mahaboobnagar district which is the gateway to Telangana from Rayalaseema region. The police arrested hundreds of protesters, including the leaders of various political parties who squatted on the highway in response to the blockade call to bring pressure on the UPA government to create a separate state. Among the leaders arrested were TJAC convener Prof M Kodandaram, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) floor Leader in the State Assembly E Rajender, TRS legislator K Tarakarama Rao and leaders of BJP and CPI. The Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy had categorically refused permission for the blockade and directed the police to deal firmly with the agitators. Tension prevailed at Alampur, Annaram and Jadcherla in Mahabubnagar district as protesters damaged a few trucks and buses following the arrests of their leaders, police said. Protesters also came out on the highway on bullock carts to stop the vehicular traffic. Police had a tough time in controlling them as they squatted on the Highway at several points. The students and lawyers also joined the protests to stop vehicles from entering Telangana region.
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
After his conviction for possessing illegal arms and ammunition at the time
of the Bombay serial blasts in 1993, Sanjay Dutt said he was "shattered and in emotional distress" as he had already suffered for 20 years.
It (the anti-rape Bill) can be misused as stalking is not done only by men, but by women also. Have you not seen girls exclaiming - oh! He is so hot. The Bill is purush virodhi
(anti-male).
Chennai, March 21