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Cong takes pot-shots at Modi's choice of ministers 

New Delhi: Terming as "lacklustre" Narendra Modi's new Council of Ministers, Congress today took pot-shots at the new government saying its HRD Minister Smriti Irani was "not even a graduate".


Wondering how can someone who has been made in charge of HRD has not even clearly mentioned her educational qualifications, Congress leader Ajay Maken tweeted: "What a Cabinet of Modi? HRD Minister (Looking after Education) Smriti Irani is not even a graduate! Look at her affidavit at ECI site pg 11".


In her affidavit before the Election Commission, Irani has stated her last education as "Bachelor of Commerce Part-1, School of Open Learning (Correspondence), University of Delhi-1994.


Irani's biodata at the Rajya Sabha website states "Educated at Holy Child Auxilium, Delhi and School of Correspondence and Continuing Education, University of Delhi, Delhi." Maken said the 45-member ministry was lacklustre and lacked regional balance as also administrative experience.


He said the ministry can in no way be compared to the UPA-I cabinet which had members like Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidambaram, Natwar Singh, Arjun Singh, Shivraj Patil and Sharad Pawar.


Taking a jib at the Prime Minister, Maken wondered as to why he has not been able to appoint a full-fledged Defence Minister.


He recalled that Modi had made defence a key issue during election campaign and made statements critical of China and Pakistan.


Maken claimed that no Cabinet Minister has been inducted from Rajasthan to facilitate induction of Jaswant Singh in the Defence Ministry to checkmate Vasundhara Raje.


Singh has been expelled from the BJP but had recently met BJP veteran L K Advani.


Maken said that there was "regional imbalance" in Modi's ministry as there was "zero representation" from a number of states like Himachal Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim and six Union Territories.


He said that Gujarat despite giving 26 MPs to the BJP could only get one MoS berth besides Modi as Prime Minister.- PTI 

Need to change confrontation into cooperation: Sharif

New Delhi: Pakistan Premier Nawaz Sharif today pitched for "working together" in his maiden meeting with newly-elected Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said both will have to strive to change confrontation into cooperation.


Sharif, who attended Modi's swearing-in ceremony yesterday, described his meeting as "good and constructive" and said they have agreed that their Foreign Secretaries would be meeting soon to review and carry forward the bilateral agenda in the spirit of today's meeting.


Before his departure for Pakistan, Sharif met the press and read out a statement which said that his government stands ready to discuss all issues between the two countries, in a spirit of cooperation and sincerity.


"We agreed that our meeting in New Delhi, should be a historic opportunity for both our countries. I pointed out that we were at the beginning of our respective tenures, with a clear mandate. This provides us the opportunity of meeting the hopes and aspirations of our peoples that we will succeed in turning a new page in our relations. The one and a half billion people of the two countries want us to focus on their well-being and welfare," he said.


During his 45-minute long meeting, Sharif said he also recalled his invitation to then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to Lahore in February 1999 and that he "intended to pick up the threads of the Lahore Declaration, from where it had to be left off in October 1999".


"I stressed to Prime Minister Modi that we have a common agenda of development and economic revival, which is not possible to achieve without peace and stability in the region.


I urged that together, we should rid the region of instability and insecurity, that has plagued us for decades.


"Consequently, it was important for us to work together for peace, progress and prosperity. Finally, I urged that we had to strive to change confrontation into cooperation.


Engaging in accusations and counter-accusations would be counter-productive, I emphasised....After all, we owe it to our people to overcome the legacy of mistrust and misgivings," the Pakistan Prime Minister said.


He said they agreed that this common objective could be facilitated by greater people-to-people exchanges, at all levels.


"Prime Minister Modi warmly reciprocated my sentiments and remarked that my visit to New Delhi was seen as a special gesture by the people of India. He stated that it was incumbent on both of us to work together, to achieve our common objectives for peace and development.


"I take leave of this historic city. I do so with a strong sense that the leaderships and the peoples of our two countries share desire and mutual commitment to carry forward our relationship, for the larger good of our peoples," Sharif added. PTI

Arvind Kejriwal furnish bail bond, ends six days drama

New Delhi: Backtracking from his defiant stand, former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today furnished a bail bond before a court here which ordered his "forthwith release" from Tihar Jail where he spent six days in a case of criminal defamation filed by BJP MP Nitin Gadkari.


The drama came to an end after day long activities during which Kejriwal's counsel visited him in Tihar Jail and conveyed to the Delhi High Court that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader has given consent to its suggestion and agreed to file the bail bond.


Kejriwal had earlier refused to furnish a bail bond before the court on the ground that it was against the principles of AAP to furnish bail bond in a case of political nature.


The proceedings, which started before a bench of justices Kailash Gambhir and Sunita Gupta at around 11 am, ended in the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha at 5.15 pm when the counsel representing Kejriwal told her that the AAP leader has signed the personal bond and was ready to file it.


"It is also submitted that Arvind Kejriwal has written in his own handwriting that he is filing the personal bond in compliance with the high court order. In view of this, the personal bond furnished is accepted," the magistrate said.


"Let the accused be released forthwith," she said.


During the hearing which began in the jampacked courtroom of high court, the bench advised senior counsel Shanti Bhushan and advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for Kejriwal, to ask their client to furnish a bond and later raise whatever legal issues he wants to once he comes out of jail.


The bench thereafter allowed Kejriwal's lawyers to meet and apprise him about the court's suggestion to furnish bail bond which would be subject to final outcome of the legal issues raised by him.


It also advised Kejriwal not to make it a "prestige issue".


To this, Kejriwal's lawyer told the bench that they would like to meet their client in the jail after which the hearing was postponed till 3 pm.


As soon as the hearing resumed, the court queried as to what was Kejriwal's response on the suggestion of the bench.


"He (Kejriwal) has agreed," Prashant Bhushan told the court, adding, he has signed a bond of Rs 10,000 and showed his handwritten note to the bench.-PTI

Modi government constitutes SIT to unearth black money

New Delhi: Complying with the Supreme Court directive, the new government on its first day in office today constituted a special investigative team (SIT) headed by a former Supreme Court Judge to unearth black money, including in the case of Hasan Ali.


M B Shah, head of the SIT that also comprises another retired Supreme Court judge Arijit Pasayat as vice-chairman, will be assisted by the Revenue Secretary, directors of CBI, IB, RAW and ED, the CBDT Chairman and an RBI deputy governor.


The Supreme Court, which appointed the two judges, had last week granted the government one week to set up the SIT.


The Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi held its first meeting today in which it named the members of the SIT.


"In the first Cabinet of the new government...in the light of the directions of the SC, we have constituted an SIT for unearthing black money... This was an important issue for us," Law and Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters after a one-and-a-half-hour Cabinet meeting.


According to a press release, other members of the SIT are Director General of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Director General of Revenue Intelligence, Director of the Financial Intelligence Unit and a Joint Secretary in the Central Board of Direct Taxes.


"The SIT has been charged with the responsibility and duties of investigation, initiation of proceedings and prosecution in cases of Hasan Ali and other matters involving unaccounted money," it said.


The panel will have jurisdiction in cases where investigations have commenced, are pending, are waiting to be initiated or have been completed.


Prasad said setting up of the SIT "indicates the commitment of the new government to pursue the issue of black money." 
Prasad said that earlier, the Supreme Court had given certain orders, but there were some delays.


"Tomorrow is the last date (for setting up of SIT), therefore the very first agenda in accordance with its policy commitment was to have this very high-profile SIT," he said.


The SIT will also prepare a comprehensive action plan, including creation of an institutional structure that could enable the country to fight the battle against unaccounted money.


It should report on the status of its work to the court from time to time, the statement added. PTI