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Modi becoming PM is fantasy: Mamata

KOKKATA: Narendra Modi becoming Prime Minister is a "fantasy", West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said while dismissing any comparisons with her state and Gujarat as a comparison between a rich, privileged child and an undernourished, neglected one.

The Trinamool Congress chief also said that a Federal Front government will be formed after the elections.

"His (Modi) becoming a Prime Minister is a fantasy. So, I don't need to answer this hypothetical question," Banerjee told PTI in an interview here when asked whether she expected better financial treatment in the event of Modi becoming the Prime Minister.

"The Federal Front is the future. A Federal Front government will be formed after the elections," Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, said.

"Bengal does not need to go with a begging bowl. We are only asking for what is due to us. The demand for moratorium is not new. Even before 2011 elections the Prime Minister had promised to restructure Bengal's burden created by three decades of Left rule," Banerjee said.

"I and my finance minister had so many meetings, but they did not do anything. They did not keep their promise." On comparison of Gujarat with West Bengal, the West Bengal Chief Minister said "Comparing Gujarat with Bengal is like is like comparing a rich, privileged child and an undernourished, neglected one.

"Some people are talking about the Gujarat model. I must tell you there cannot be any comparison ... Gujarat has been developing even before the current Chief Minister. In fact, the growth rate of Gujarat declined during his tenure." Banerjee said she had a lot of love for the people of Gujarat.

"Look at our population density and compare.They have 19 ports, we have only two. Even then Bengal model is far better," she said.

Asked how different her approach was from Congress on protecting the rights of minorities, she listed 57 lakh scholarships to minority students and Urdu medium schools.

Alleging that both the Congress and BJP appeased religious groups during election time, Banerjee recalled how a well wisher had once told her that TMC stood for temple, mosque and church.

"I said no. No. Trinamool stands for development and dedication to the people. We work for all." She said, "Let me give you an example of how the Congress and BJP say something and do something else. They have talked about 33 per cent reservation for women in the Women's Reservation Bill. Do you know what percentage of their candidates are women? "The BJP has only 8 per cent women candidates and the Congress has 14 per cent. Trinamool Congress is proud to have 27 per cent women candidates. We do not make false promises in our manifesto. Our manifesto is for the people, of the people and by the people," she said describing the manifesto as 'sacred'.

She also referred to establishment of fair price shops, web-based procurement policy of medicines, PPP, IT and textile policy, besides the Kanyashree programme to stop child marriage with unmarried girl students getting a grant of Rs 500 per year up to the age of 18 and a one-time grant of Rs 25,000 if they pursue higher education.

"We have done more in 34 months than what the Communists have done in 34 years. Our development model is tried and tested in Bengal. It can be implemented in other states as well. This is true federal structure," she added. - PTI 

SC recognises transgenders as third gender

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday recognised transgenders or eunuchs as third category of gender and directed Centre and States to grant them all facilities, including voters ID, passport and driving licence.

The Centre and States were also directed to take steps for bringing the community into the mainstream by providing adequate healthcare, education and employment.

A bench of Justices K.S. Radhakrishnan and A.K. Sikri directed the government to take steps for granting recognition to transgenders as a separate third category of gender after male and female.

The bench also said they are the citizens of the country and have equal rights to education, healthcare and employment opportunities like other people belonging to male and female gender.

The apex court expressed concern over transgenders being harassed and discriminated in the society and passed a slew of directions for their social welfare. - PTI

Bail plea of three Muzaffarnagar riots accused rejected

MUZAFFARNAGAR: A local court has rejected bail plea of three accused in a riot-related murder case here. District sessions judge Vijay Laxmi yesterday rejected the plea of accused Niraj, Rampal and Upendra, citing there was no question of granting bail to them.

The three accused were arrested on charges of murder and rioting during communal violence at Bahawdi village in the district last year.

According to the prosecution, a person identified as Sagir was killed and and houses were burnt by the rioters in the village during the violence.

Police had registered a case against several people and arrested the three accused in connection with the incident.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the riots in the district had also found the trio involved in rioting and in killing of one person.

Muzaffarnagar and neighbouring districts including Shamli in western Uttar Pradesh had witnessed communal riots in September last year that left over 60 people dead and thousands of people displaced. - PTI

Modi hits back at Rahul for 'toffee' comment

HAZARIBAGH: Hitting back at Rahul Gandhi for dubbing Gujarat development model as a 'toffee model', Narendra Modi today compared the Congress Vice President with children and said the word 'toffee' has caught his fancy after he repeatedly spoke about 'balloon'.

Addressing a rally here, Modi said he thought serious issues would be discussed in this election and the galaxy of BJP leaders including L K Advani, Sushma Swaraj, Yashwant Sinha, Arun Jaitley and Murli Manohar Joshi were speaking on various subjects.

"But on the other side, there is a player whose mind doesn't move away from childishness. Such an important election about the country's future but for ten days, a word that gripped him was 'balloon'. For ten days he kept repeating it. However, children don't stick to a toy for too long and now he has caught the word 'toffee'.

"Now you tell me what to do. I am not of an age where I can play with balloons," Modi said in a clear dig at Rahul who yesterday dubbed the Gujarat model of development as 'toffee' model contending that land was given to few industrialists at throwaway prices.

He said it was for the people to decide whether or not they wanted those who play with balloons and crave for toffees.

The BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate said that as a child who sold tea, he had not got toffees but had his sights set on trophies. - PTI

PM's daughter accuses Baru of violating trust

NEW DELHI: Terming Sanjaya Baru's controversial account of his days in the PMO as "nothing but a stab in the back", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's daughter has accused him of "violating" the PM's trust while branding the book an "unethical", "mischievous" exercise.

Singh's daughter Upinder Singh, who teaches history at Delhi University, said Baru has pieced together "gossip" and unverified quotes, including some of her father's, and used them as statements of fact.

In an interview to The Indian Express, she also questioned the timing of the PM's former media adviser's book, which has hit stand amid general elections much to the embarrassment of the PMO and the ruling Congress, and said it could not be described as an "objective" book.

"It is an audacious account with so-called quotes, of even the Prime Minister, which have been recorded as facts.

Reported speech has been used as direct speech. Is this ethical?," she was quoted as saying by the newspaper today.

Questioning some of Baru's claims in the book, 'The Accidental Prime Minister: The making and unmaking of Manmohan Singh', she said he was never part of the decision-making process in the PMO.

"He is holding forth and projecting himself in the centre of events which is not true and he had no access to files. It is not as if he was the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. So what are the sources he has used? I spot an element of self-promotion in these assertions," she said.

She said she was not speaking on behalf of the PM but added that, "we are extremely angry at the exaggerated level of access the author has ascribed to himself".

The family, Upinder said, was aware that the book was in the offing but when she had asked Baru when it would be out, he said, "Naturally, after the elections".

Rejecting the author's claim that the book's publisher chose the timing, she said she had written several books and knew that authors have a say in the timing of the release.

"To me, there are other reasons for the timing. It is absurd to say there is no political motive. Sanjaya Baru cannot describe himself as a well-wisher of the Prime Minister," she told the newspaper. - PTI 

Fresh FIR against Azam Khan

BIJNOR (UP): Another FIR has been lodged against controversial Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan for making a provocative speech at an election rally in Afzalgarh in the district.

The FIR was registered against Khan on Apr 13 night at Afzalgarh police station here for violation of model code of conduct, official sources said here today.

The FIR was lodged by Assistant Returning Officer, Nagina, Ram Sachan under IPC 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc), IPC 153B( imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), 505 IPC (Statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill- will between classes) and section 125 (people's Representation Act, 1951).

Khan had addressed an election rally at Afzalgarh in support of Moradabad's SP candidate, ST Hasan on April 10 in which he had allegedly tried to flare up communal feelings by speaking on the Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar riots in detail.

The Circle officer, Afzalgarh, CP Yadav said that an FIR was registered and necessary proceedings has been started.

The Election Commission had on April 11 banned Khan from holding public meetings, processions or road shows in Uttar Pradesh. FIRs have been registered against Khan for his provocative speeches at Ghaziabad, Rampur, Shamli, Moradabad and Nehtaur earlier. - PTI