Modi meets New York Mayor, discusses city policing, public housing

NEW YORK: With an eye on his pet project of rejuvenation of urban spaces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a meeting with New York Mayor Bill de Blasio during which the issues related to large cities, especially common threats of terror, policing, public housing and crowd management in the events like "Kumbh Mela" were discussed.

The meeting, which was Prime Minister's first official engagement after arriving here, was also aimed at understanding how the New York Police metamorphosed after the 9/11 terror attacks in which over 3,000 people were killed and landmark twin towers of the World Trade Center were destroyed.

"The Prime Minister wanted to understand what are the issues that he faces, because he is extremely keen on trying to rejuvenate our urban spaces too," spokesperson in Ministry of External Affairs Syed Akbaruddin told reporters here and added that crowd management in big cities and at big events like Kumbh Mela were also discussed to understand the practices adopted by the New York City Government.

Discussions were focused on matters related to public housing, he said, adding that New York City is planning to build some half a million houses in 10 years.

In his meeting with the New York Mayor, discussion also focused on issues related to steps taken to improve the quality of life in New York and in this regard the anti- smoking laws in both the countries also figured.

The Prime Minister, he said, was also keen to understand the security steps taken by the city following 9/11. "There was a fairly detailed discussion on this. In this context they also discussed common threats faced by big cities in terms of terror threats," Akbaruddin said.

Prime Minister also referred to how New York City could assist Indian cities in handling large crowd, he said.

"Of course the Mayor did understand the magnitude in terms of large gatherings, far exceeded what they were handling for example India's 'kumbh mela'. The meeting lasted for about half an hour," he added. — PTI

Four-year jail for Jayalalithaa in disproportionate assets case

BANGALORE: A special court here today sentenced Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa and her three associates — N Sasikalaa, J. Elavarasi and V.N. Sudhakaran — to four-year imprisonment in the Rs 66.65-crore disproportionate assets case filed against Jayalalithaa by the former DMK government in 1996.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 100 crore on Jayalalithaa and Rs 10 crore each on other convicts. 

Special judge John Michael Cunha held Jayalalithaa guilty of amassing wealth disproportionate to known sources of her income under Sections 109 and 120 (b) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, said Special Public Prosecutor G. Bhavani Singh.

The Rs 66.65-crore assets case dates back to Jayalalithaa’s first term as the Chief Minister, from 1991 to 1996. It was filed before a special court in Chennai in 1997 by the Tamil Nadu's Department of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC).

The case was transferred to Bangalore's Special Court in 2003 by the Supreme Court on a petition filed by DMK leader K. Anbazhagan who had expressed doubts over conduct of fair trial with Jayalalithaa as Chief Minister.

Jayalalithaa, who has waged many legal battles and seen several ups and downs in her political career, had to quit as the Chief Minister immediately after her swearing in 2001 following the Supreme Court declaring null and void the action of the then Governor Fatima Beevi appointing her as the Chief Minister as she had been sentenced to two years rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case.

O. Paneerselvan, a junior Minister in her Council of Ministers, was appointed as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

By 2002, she was cleared of all charges and sworn in again as the Chief Minister. 

Jaya DA case: Timeline

1996 - The DMK government registers FIR against Jayalalithaa for having disproportionate assets known to her source of income.

1997 - The court frames charges against Jayalalithaa, V.N. Sudhakaran, V.K. Sasikala and J. Illaarasi.

2002 - Jayalalithaa becomes Chief Minister again. Several witnesses turn hostile.

2003 - DMK leader K. Anbazhagan urges the Supreme Court to shift the case out of Chennai. The apex court orders shifting of the case to Bangalore, where a special court was set up.

2010 - Trial in the disproportionate assets case begins in a serious manner.

2011 - AIADMK back in power and Jayalalithaa becomes Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Jayalalithaa appears before the trial court and answers over 1,300 questions.

2012 - The Supreme Court clears the appointment of G. Bhavani Singh as Special Public Prosecutor.

John Michael Cunha appointed Special Court Judge.

2014 - Conclusion of trial and judgment day was initially fixed for September 20. The date was postponed to September 27 on Jayalalithaa's request citing security reasons.

2014 - Jayalalithaa held guilty of amassing assets disproportionate to known sources of her income during 1991-96. — Agencies

CHENNAI: The conviction of AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa in the 18-year-old disproportionate assets case has come as a rude shock to the ruling party, casting a doubt over the 66-year-old leader's political future ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls.

Jayalalithaa has earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first sitting Chief Minister in the country to be found guilty under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and faces the prospects of being disqualified as MLA and losing power.

While a pall of gloom descended at the AIADMK headquarters at Royapettah, with some angry workers burning effigies of DMK leaders, the archrivals celebrated Jayalalitha's conviction, with scores of DMK workers thronging the headquarters Arivalayam as well as Karunanidhi's residence.

The special court's verdict pronouncing their leader 'Amma' (Mother, as she is addressed by supporters) guilty crushed the die-hard AIADMK supporters' hope of her emerging unscathed in this case that was hanging over her head like the Damocles sword.

She had to step down as Chief Minister in 2001 when the Supreme Court observed that she cannot hold office, as she was earlier sentenced in two corruption cases in 2000, which, however, was set aside later.

Today's verdict has come as a jolt to the ruling AIADMK as it had been enjoying a winning spree in all elections held since April 2011, when the party trounced the DMK.

The party had put up a stellar performance in the Lok Sabha polls this year, winning 37 of the 39 states in the state, though its hopes of a pivot role in the Centre failed with the BJP mustering majority on its own.

However, there is no threat to the party government as the AIADMK has a solid majority of 150 seats in the 234-member Assembly.

She had been acquitted in several other cases filed during the DMK regime.

After the apex court's observation in 2001 that she cannot continue in office, Jayalalithaa had made her loyal aide and then not-so-known face O Panneerselvam as her successor to power.

After getting absolved of the charges in the Madras High Court, she had contested from Andipatti constituency and became the Chief Minister again in 2002.

Panneerselvam is also one of the names presently doing the rounds in AIADMK circles as one of the probables to take over as the next Chief Minister if Jayalalithaa has to resign.

The others being Transport Minister V. Senthil Balaji and Electricity Minister Natham R. Viswanathan and even former Chief Secretary and Consultant to the state government, Sheela Balakrishnan. — PTI

KOLLAM: Union Home Minister Rajanath Singh on Saturday expressed confidence about effectively tackling problems of terrorism and insurgency faced by the country.

“The country is facing problems of terrorism, insurgency and separatism but I am fully confident that we will be able to resolve these problems and save the nation,” he said while speaking at the 61th birthday celebrations of Mata Amritanandamay at Amrithapuri near here.

Blessings of spiritual leaders like Mata Amrithanandamayi were important in tackling the problems faced by the nation … India would become not only a super economic power but also a super spiritual power, Singh said.

Referring to the messages by ancient sages such as ‘Vasudhaiva Kudumbakam’ (the whole world is a family), he said such concepts would certainly help the country to emerge as a spiritual leader for the world.

Singh described Mata, known as Amma or hugging mother, as a source of great spiritual strength for the entire country and the world. — PTI

UNITED NATIONS: India on Saturday strongly rejected the "untenable comments" made by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Jammu & Kashmir in the UN General Assembly, asserting that the people of the state have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with universally accepted democratic principles.

Exercising its Right of Reply on the floor of the General Assembly to the comments made by Sharif, India said that the Pakistan Prime Minister made "unwarranted references" in his address to the UN session earlier yesterday.

"I would like to bring to the notice of this august House that the people of Jammu & Kashmir have peacefully chosen their destiny in accordance with the universally accepted democratic principles and practices and they continue to do so. We, therefore, reject in their entirety the untenable comments of the distinguished delegate of Pakistan," Abhishek Singh, First Secretary in the Indian Mission to the UN said in the General Assembly.

Again raising the issue of Jammu & Kashmir in the UN, Sharif had said that a "veil" cannot be drawn on the issue of Kashmir.

Blaming India for the cancellation of the Foreign Secretary-level talks between the two countries in August, Sharif had said it was "another missed opportunity" to settle disputes and build economic and trade relations. — PTI

NEW DELHI: Criticising Nawaz Sharif for raising the Kashmir issue at the UN, the Congress today said his speech had "imprints" of Pakistani military hawks as the Prime Minister and his government were "under siege" in Islamabad.

The party said it was "unbecoming" of the Pakistan Prime Minister to rake up bilateral issues at international forum and asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and is not negotiable.

Underlining that Sharif's speech had imprints of Pakistani military hawks, Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said his raising the Kashmir at the UN deserves to be condemned.

"It is unbecoming of a Prime Minister to use an international forum to rake up issues which in fact concern only Pakistan and India," he said.

Sharma, a former Union Minister, said it is clear that there is "signature, the imprint of hawks of Pakistan establishment, the military establishment on Nawaz Sharif's statement because he himself, his government is under siege".

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of country and it is not an issue which is negotiable, he said.

"The only concern we have is about Pakistan-occupied Kashmir where people don't have freedom, they don't enjoy their fundamental rights," he said.

Sharma pointed out that India is the largest democracy in the world and people of Jammu and Kashmir freely express their views by exercising their right to vote.

"They elect their government or remove their government.

This is not a freedom that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir has," he said.

Sharif had yesterday raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN General Assembly in New York and blamed India for "another missed opportunity" to address outstanding issues by cancelling the Foreign Secretary-level talks. — PTI

INCHEON: India earned their second gold medal in the 17th Asian Games after the men’s compound archery team bagged the yellow metal by getting the better of South Korea, here today.

The Indian women’s compound team, meanwhile, settled for a bronze after beating Iran in the third-place play-off.

The Indian men’s trio of Abhishek Verma, Rajat Chauhan and Sandeep Kumar eked out a narrow 227-225 victory over the hosts to give the country their second gold medal in eight days.

Shooter Jitu Rai had earned the top position on the first day of the competition.

In a closely-fought contest today, the South Korean team of Choi Yong-hee, Min Li-hong and Yang Young-ho fell short by just two points, even as the Indians held on to their nerves to win an all-important battle.

Indian men had 12 10s as compared to 13 by their opponents.

Earlier, the Indian women’s team consisting of Trisha Deb, Purvasha Shende and Surekha Jyothi shot 224, while Sakineh Ghasempour, Maryam Ranjbarsari and Shabnam Sarlak of Iran could earn a total of 217 points.

Both Indian and Iranian girls had a total of nine 10’s each at the Gyeyang Asiad Archery Field here.

Indian girls had earlier lost the semi-finals by a slim margin of 224-226 against Chinese Taipei on Thursday to set up a bronze-medal play-off with Iran. — PTI