L A T E S T      N E W S

Jaya bail plea rejected by Karnataka HC

Bangalore: Jailed former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, undergoing four-year imprisonment in a graft case, was today refused bail by the Karnataka High Court which held that there were no grounds for it as corruption amounts to "violation of human rights" and must be dealt with seriously.

The order, that came as a blow to the 66-year-old AIADMK chief and shocked her supporters outside, was delivered by Justice A V Chandrashekhara despite the Special Public Prosecutor Bhavani Singh saying he had no objections to grant of conditional bail to her.

There "are no grounds" to give bail to Jayalalithaa.

Corruption amounts to "violation of human rights" and leads to economic imbalance, the judge observed in his order delivered in a packed court room amidst tight security in the court complex.

Jayalalithaa's lawyers are planning their next strategy on approaching the Supreme Court at the earliest to challenge the order. AIADMK MP and lawyer A Navaneethakrishnan said they are awaiting a word from Jayalalithaa who has been in the central prison here since her conviction on September 27.

The judge said corruption had become a "serious malady in human history" and noted that the Supreme Court has repeatedly directed that graft cases should be disposed of on top priority basis.

He also held that there is no reason to extend the benefit of suspension of sentence to the four accused, including Jayalalithaa.

Justice Chandrashekhara said corruption should not be lightly dealt with. It had to be dealt with seriously as otherwise, "it will become a disease in our society." The SPP had earlier filed objections to suspension of the sentence and bail in writing but today told the court during hearing that conditional bail could be granted to Jayalalithaa and three others.

As word of the SPP's stance spread, celebrations broke out among delirious AIADMK supporters near the jail and the court as they burst crackers and danced in joy. But the celebrations were shortlived, giving way to a state of shock when the verdict was out. Women supporters wailed while some men laid themselves flat on the road.

Pleas by Jayalalithaa's close aide Sasikala and her relatives V N Sudhakaran, also disowned foster son of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, and Ilavarasi, for suspension of sentence and bail were also rejected by the court.

"My client will take a call," senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, who appeared for Jayalalithaa, told PTI, after the verdict when asked whether they will approach the Supreme Court.

Citing a court judgment, Justice Chandrashekara said "the suspension of sentence and grant of bail cannot be asked as a matter of routine (saying) that the accused was on bail during the trial and did not misuse the liberties granted." Azmath Pasha, counsel for Ilavarasi, said "tomorrow is holiday. We will get the verdict copy on October 9 and file Special Leave Petition on October 10 in the Supreme Court. All the four... we are approaching."

Strongly pleading for immediate bail to Jayalalithaa, Jethmalani cited several Supreme Court verdicts, including the one granting relief to his client former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad, in the fodder scam.

The court did not accept the submission, with the judge noting that Lalu Prasad had spent 10 months in jail before being granted bail by the apex court.

Jethmalani pleaded for suspension of the sentence by the special court which had sent her to four years in jail, pending her appeal against it.

He also told the court, which took up the matter today after the vacation bench had adjourned it on October one, that the "regular practice" was to give bail.

Jethmalani also said appeals should be heard within a reasonable period of time.

Criticising the judgment of the Special Court in the Rs 66.65-crore disproportionate case, he said assets prior to the period between 1991 and 1996 (when Jayalalithaa was Chief Minister) could not be taken into account.

There was nothing disclosed in the conduct of Jayalalithaa to show that she might abscond, he contended. — PTI

India wields the axe on Her Majesty's "laughable" laws

NEW DELHI: If you happen to unearth treasure worth even as little as 10 rupees (16 U.S. cents) in India, don't even think of pocketing it - that's because under a law introduced by the former British colonial rulers, it still belongs to "Her Majesty". Now, however, the Treasure Trove Act of 1878 and nearly 300 other outdated laws are set to be repealed in the largest-ever cull of rules that make India one of the most puzzling places in the world to do business. New Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping that less regulation and faster decision-making will lift India from its ranking of 134 out of 189 countries on the World Bank's ease of doing business table into the top 50 and attract investors.

"Some of the laws on our books are laughable. Others have no place in a modern and democratic India," said Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad who is leading the legislative clean-up. Previous administrations have failed to remove obscure laws dating back to the 19th century, either because of objections by government departments or simply a lack of will. But Modi's officers have identified 287 obsolete laws for scrapping in a November session of parliament.

On the chopping block along with the Treasure Trove Act is an 1838 law that says property in an area of the former imperial capital of Calcutta can only be sold to the East India Company, which laid the foundations of the British Empire but ceased to exist more than 150 years ago. An 1855 measure removing a certain tribe from the purview of local laws because it was an "uncivilised race" will also go. Even after all these have been abolished, there will still be hundreds of clauses within other laws and thousands of regulations that are real obstacles to business. The government has started identifying these anomalies too, Prasad said.

SPITTOONS OUT, SCRAWNY INSPECTORS BACK IN

Flying kites or balloons without police permission is illegal across India as they are classified as an "aircraft" under a 1934 act, and a World War II decree outlaws the dropping of pamphlets from the air in the state of Gujarat. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, the state of Andhra Pradesh enacted a law that a motor inspector must have a clean set of teeth and anyone with a "pigeon chest, knock knees, flat foot, hammer toes and fractured limbs" will be disqualified. "There are instances where the entire statute is dysfunctional," said prominent economist Bibek Debroy, who advised Modi during his election campaign and has written a book on the absurdities of Indian law. He said that obscure laws can sometimes be abused. A swanky New Delhi hotel was threatened with a lawsuit for refusing to give water to a person who invoked an 1867 act under which a rest house must offer passers-by free drinks of water. Factory owners have suffered at the hands of government inspectors who insist on rules requiring spittoons to be kept in the premises as well as earthen pots for drinking water. Even if factories install modern fire extinguishers, they must still have red-painted buckets with water and sand to put out a blaze. Some have a found a way around absurd regulations. A Post Office Act of 1898 stipulates that only the government has the right of "conveying by post, from one place to another" most letters, so courier companies get around this by calling the letters they send "documents".- Reuters

Pak targets 40 BoPs with mortar shells, 3 injured

US concerned about violence along LoC

Phelps banned for six months, no 2015 worlds 

Haryana poll: Facts at a glance 

Haridwar gets to see 'World Peace Violin' 

Bobby Jindal still thinking about 2016 presidential run 

WASHINGTON: Louisiana's Indian-American governor Bobby Jindal says he is still "thinking and praying" about a 2016 presidential run, and his decison would come after the Nov 4 Congressional election and "sometime after the holiday." 

But with some potential competitors deferring until spring 2015, Jindal could be one of the first Republicans out of the gate, influential Politico news site said after his appearance Monday at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.

Jindal, according to Politico, spent a good deal of his energy Monday chastising President Barack Obama over his foreign policy decisions, but he also appeared frustrated with the Republican Party's reputation as an opposition party.

"The people in this country are hungry for a big change. There's a lot of frustration," he said. "They're frustrated with the president, bu

"All they heard so far is that we're opposed to many of his policies. What they are hungry for is a positive agenda from the Republican side," Jindal said.

Noting that Jindal has also travelled to Iowa and New Hampshire, early presidential primary states, recently as well as Washington, Politico said these "seem to only add to the evidence that he is doing plenty to prepare for 2016 besides just 'thinking and praying'." The news site cited a survey released last week by the left-leaning Public Policy Polling, suggesting a majority of Louisianans don't want Jindal to run for president.

"But judging by the big crowd dotted with lobbyists and national media on Monday, there's plenty of interest in Washington," it said.

Jindal, according to CBS became the latest Republican to offer up a sweeping policy plan that could help anchor a 2016 presidential campaign.

Advocating more defence spending to "save the American military from damage done by Obama," he said, "[Obama] leaves for the next president tools of hard power that have fallen into disrepair." Jindal also sought to divide the blame between Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who is mulling her own run for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, CBS said.

"If only [Obama] had the help of a wise steady hand, a policy expert in dealing with foreign affairs, he'd have come up with better answers," Jindal said " But instead he just had Hillary Clinton," he was quoted as saying "Today, we are living with the consequences of the Obama-Clinton ideas when it comes to foreign, domestic, and defence policy." –IANS

Nobody can divide Maharashtra, says Modi

DHULE: Dismissing opposition charges, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday ruled out splitting of Maharashtra and separating Mumbai from the state.

"Congress leaders have been spreading lies on cotton and onion for the last 10 years. They have started spreading a new lie. They say Maharashtra will be split. Has anyone been born in this country who can divide the land of Shivaji ?" he said addressing a rally in the predominantly tribal Dhule district.

"I assure you that as long as I am in Delhi, no power in the world can split Maharashtra and also separate Mumbai from Maharashtra," he said.
The Prime Minister's remarks come against the backdrop of MNS chief Raj Thackeray reportedly accusing Modi of having a "hidden agenda" to split Mumbai from Maharashtra.
The Prime Minister said Maharashtra is the state that has the capability to drive India's growth and Mumbai is central to that.

Slamming Congress for the farmers' suicide in the last 10 years, Modi urged the people to punish the "murderers" of farmers in the October 15 Assembly elections.
"Press on the lotus button on October 15 and make it the liberation day for the state from 15 years of Congress misrule," he said.

In an apparent dig at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Modi said he does not need to go the house of a poor person to "snatch" his food for a photo opportunity as he himself came from a poor family.

"I had come amidst you during Lok Sabha campaign. I had requested you to trust me. You believed in what I said and elected BJP MPs from Dhule and Nandurbar," Modi said.
"Now, I have come to you again in four months.

Politicians forget to fulfil poll promises. But I am not a politician. I am your sevak. I am the first servant of India," the 64-year-old leader said.

The Prime Minister said that when 60 months of "our regime will be complete, I will give account of every moment and every paisa.We made promises for development and we will keep them."
"Wait for October 15 (the polling day in Maharashtra).

As soon as BJP government comes to power, we will rectify the damage done to cotton and onion growers due to the wrong policies of the erstwhile Congress and NCP government," he said. 

"Unlike Congress, we are not the ones to make false promises," Modi said.

Congress leaders won so many polls on the promise of completing work on the Manmad-Indore rail line but not a single inch of track was laid, he said.

"Did they (Congress) do anything in 50 years? From panchayat to Parliament, they ruled but did not give any account of their 60-year rule," the senior BJP leader said.
"They are such shameless people that they are instead asking me an account of my 60 days. Isn't this injustice?" he said.

"Those who are on the verge of defeat, are bent on spreading canards," Modi said, attacking Congress and NCP.

"The Congress-NCP government destroyed an entire generation in Maharashtra in the last 15 years. No jobs to youth and no security to women, these are their deeds. Farmers committed suicide, despite their (Congress-NCP) being in power in the state and the Centre," he said.

Shouldn't those responsible for deaths of farmers be punished? Will you punish them? Will you vote for lotus and wipe the corrupt? he asked the people.

"Congress nationalised banks over 40 years ago. Then, Congress leaders said the money in banks should be used for poor. But I want to ask my tribal and poor friends, have you seen a poor person in banks," Modi said.

"We have implemented the PM Jandhan Yojana so that the bank money should be used for poor," he stressed.

"I don't have to snap photos in huts to show I care for the poor. I have come from amidst the poor," Modi said.

"We have two doctor MPs (Dhule MP Dr Subhas Bhamre and Nandurbar MP Dr Heena Gavit) here, so the disease of poverty will go away," he told the crowd, beginning his speech in Marathi. –PTI

Shiv Sena hits out at Modi

MUMBAI: Launching a fresh attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Shiv Sena on Tuesday said he is leaving his work in Delhi to hold rallies in Maharashtra and questioned the work done by him for the state after becoming the Prime Minister.

The Sena also told its estranged ally BJP that frequent visits of the Prime Minister for the campaign was denting the state's coffers.

"The Prime Minister is busy addressing rallies in Maharashtra leaving his work in Delhi. Modi is a tall leader of the BJP but he has been forced to campaign in the state since the BJP has no known faces in Maharashtra," the Sena said in its editorial mouthpiece 'Saamana'.

If Modi was a "superstar campaigner" as projected by the BJP, he would have appealed to people of the state to vote for his party while sitting in New Delhi, it said.

"If Modi had a mass appeal as projected by the BJP, he (Modi) instead of conducting 25-30 campaigns in different parts of Maharashtra, would have sat in Delhi and appealed for votes and people would have definitely listened to him," the Sena organ said.

"When some rogue elements had threatened to disrupt the annual Amarnath yatra, Balasaheb Thackeray had challenged them while sitting in Mumbai. The rogue elements never dared to hurt the pilgrims then," it said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar and MNS chief Raj Thackeray have been questioning Modi's obsession with Gujarat inspite of him being the Prime Minister, and they have only given words to what the Shiv Sena felt (about Modi), it further said.

"It does not suit a Prime Minister to wander from village to village asking for votes...The dignity of the PM's chair should be upheld," the editorial said.

The Sena also questioned the work done by Modi for Maharashtra after becoming the PM, and said it is ironical that they (BJP) have suddenly found love for Maratha warrior king Shivaji.

The Sena also said that the burden of the visits was falling on the state's treasury.

"Whenever the Prime Minister is invited to conduct rallies, many things need to be taken care of. His security and other arrangements need money, the burden of which finally falls on the shoulders of the state treasury. When Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh used the state machinery previously, they were severely criticised," it said. -PTI

NCP youth wing holds anti-Pak demonstrations in Jammu 

JAMMU: Demonstrations continued here for the second consecutive day on Tuesday in view of the continuous ceasefire violations by the Pakistani side along the International Border (IB) and Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

Five villagers had lost their lives whereas 34 others were injured in the cross border shelling by the Pakistan Rangers on the Arnia frontier belt in the R S Pura Sector along the International Border on Sunday night.

The youth wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday held a demonstration against the ceasefire violation; the activists also set the Pakistani flag on fire.

"They (Pakistani side) have attacked our unarmed civilians. They have been targeting civilians right from Samba to Uri and our leadership is busy issuing statements", Gourav Kapoor, state president of NCP youth wing said.

He said that the NCP leadership in the state has been demanding a comprehensive plan to form the Border Scouts which can also help guard the borders.

"Our leadership has been demanding a comprehensive plan of Border Scouts by giving employment to youth from Kathua to Poonch and other areas by the Government of India and state government but no attention has been paid towards these suggestions", he said. -PTI

Passports with fee waiver for Kashmir flood victims 

NEW DELHI: The government will issue passports with same validity and waiver of fees to those whose passports have been lost or damaged in the Jammu and Kashmir floods, an official said on Tuesday.

"Passport holders in J&K whose passports have been damaged/lost in floods to be issued same validity passports with waiver of fees," external affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said in a tweet.

The floods that ravaged Jammu and Kashmir last month left around 280 people dead.
-IANS

AIADMK leaders deny link with controversial posters 

CHENNAI: AIADMK legislators on Tuesday said they were not involved with posters threatening Kannadigas living in Tamil Nadu -- over the jailing of party leader J. Jayalalithaa in Bangalore.

"I am not aware of any such poster. Perhaps party supporters would have put them up. I will have to check up," P. Kumar, a Lok Sabha member, told IANS.
The Tamil posters warned that Kannadigas in Tamil Nadu would be held hostage if the former chief minister was not released immediately.

A special court Sep 27 jailed Jayalalithaa for four years for corruption. She was also fined Rs.100 crore. Since then she is in the Bangalore Central Jail.

The poster carries the names of K.C. Vijay, an AIADMK supporter, P. Kumar, V.P. Kalairajan, an AIADMK legislator, and minister P. Valarmathi.

An official in Kalairajan's office told IANS that he had spoken to police on the issue and that the police had decided to remove the posters.

He said Kalairajan had no knowledge about the posters or its provocative content.
There is no official statement from the AIADMK or from Chennai Police on action, if any, that would be taken against those named in the posters.-IANS

India look to take upper hand against West Indies 

KOCHI: India will seek to reaffirm their supremacy in the shorter version of the game as they go into a five-match ODI series against an under-strength West Indies here tomorrow with the prime focus of preparing for the upcoming cricket World Cup.

With five series victories against the Caribbean side, including three away series since 2006-07 under their belt, India would be looking to keep their winning record intact as they start the series as clear favourites.

The hosts are expected to have little trouble against the lowly West Indians, who are further handicapped with mystery spinner Sunil Narine being withdrawn from the tour following his "illegal" bowling action reported during the Champions League T20. The Windies are also without their run machine Chris Gayle, whose absence will certainly dent their chances.

While the threat of rain looms large over the first ODI tomorrow, the fans would be hoping to see the two teams in action.

The home team will be keen to take a 1-0 lead at this ground where they dethroned Australia in January last year, before beating the West Indians last November at the same venue.

The series is crucial to India's preparation to defend their World Cup title next year and the players will be looking to put up solid performances.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led India are a well balanced side with both batsmen, barring the prolonged slump of Virat Kohli, and bowlers in good nick.

Selectors have picked Murali Vijay in place of injured Rohit Sharma but it remains to be seen whether he or Ajinkya Rahane would open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan.
For Virat Kohli, there won't be a better opportunity to get back into form. The middle-order looks strong with the likes of Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni in the ranks. 

In the bowling department, Mohit Sharma would be the one to watch out for as he has been progressing well under Dhoni for Chennai Super Kings. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav complete the pace quartet for India with experienced Amit Mishra and Ravindra Jadeja manning the spin department.

It would interest to see if 19-year-old left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav is picked up in the playing eleven tomorrow.

In contrast, the West Indians will have to play out of their skin if they want to make any impression. But they would certainly take confidence from their recent win against Bangladesh.

At least seven out of 15 West Indian players know the Indian conditions well, having played in the IPL and CLT20 and that would obviously come in handy.
Last November Darren Sammy made way for Dwayne Bravo as captain of the side in the first of their three match series, but Bravo had a nightmarish time. This time around, he must be planning things differently to counter the Indians at their own backyard.

Bravo would be pinning his hopes on experienced players like Darren Sammy, Darren Bravo and Kieron Pollard to come good with the bat.

With 98 ODI wickets against his name, Jerome Taylor will be looking to reach the landmark of 100 wickets here itself.

Taylor's return to the team has strengthened West Indian pace attack with the likes of Kemar Roach and Ravi Rampaul already in the line-up.

But their spinning department sans Narine is a cause of concern. The onus is now on left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, Narine's replacement, to deliver for his team. 
Teams (from):

India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (C), Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Mohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Murali Vijay, Kuldeep Yadav.
West Indies: Dwayne Bravo (C), Darren Bravo, Jason Holder, Leon Johnson, Kieron Pollard, Denesh Ramdin, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russel, Darren Sammy, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Smith, Jerome Taylor.
Match starts at 2.30 pm (IST). -PTI

"AIADMK" poster "threatening Kannadigas" creates flutter

CHENNAI: A wall poster put out by an expelled AIADMK party man here threatening Kannadigas living in Tamil Nadu if the convicted party supremo Jayalalithaa was not released from jail created a flutter and the party sought to distance from the row.

The party said the poster was put on display without its sanction and stressed that it stood committed to the welfare for all sections of people, a party functionary said here.

"Warning...immediately release people's Chief Minister Amma...otherwise we will hold Kannadigas living in Tamil Nadu as hostages," the huge poster put up in certain locations in south Chennai said on Tuesday.

The poster has the names of Social welfare minister B Valarmathi, Tiruchy Lok Sabha MP, P Kumar, VP Kalairajan, MLA and a party functionary Thousand Lights KC Vijay.
AIADMK South Chennai (North) District party secretary VP Kalairajan claimed, "This has been done by an expelled functionary KC Vijay. This was done without our knowledge".

Kalairajan said the party has ordered the immediate removal of posters in locations wherever it was put up.

"We are guided by people's chief minister Amma's lofty ideals to serve people without any discrimination. The Tamil Nadu government is committed to the welfare of all sections of people."

Meanwhile, protests and human chains expressing solidarity with Jayalalithaa who has been sent to jail in an illegal wealth case continued across Tamil Nadu.
The stage artists association members formed a human chain here. Artists who worked in the make up team of late chief minister and AIADMK founder MG Ramachandran who was also an iconic actor of yesteryears lined up streets holding placards seeking her release.

All faith prayers seeking her early release are also being held across Tamil Nadu. -PTI

Haryana poll: Hooda claims pro-incumbency, Oppn says Cong ship sinking

ROHTAK: With assembly polls round the corner, the state Congress battling anti-incumbency and under fire over alleged land scam, today instead claimed a "pro-incumbency", even as the opposition hit out at the Hooda government saying it won't be able to "save the sinking ship." 

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who not only faces the challenge of retaining his own seat from Garhi-Sampla- Kiloi constituency but also take his embattled party to victory, expressed confidence in his party's performance at the hustings.

"People are satisfied with the performance of the government that is why I can say with confidence that Congress is going to form the government for the third time.

"There is no anti-incumbency rather there is pro-incumbency. People vote on development, they are wise and understand quite well who can further accelerate this pace of development," Hooda said.

Asked about the challenges he feels Congress is going to face in these elections, he said, "for every party every election is a challenge. But we are confident that people will once again repose their faith in our party".

Main opposition INLD, which has again fielded Satish Nandal in the constituency being represented by Hooda since 2005, sought to puncture the claim made by the Haryana government.

Nandal said that Congress is on its way out and Hooda won't be able to "save the sinking ship".

"People will bring back Chaudhary Om Prakash Chautala.

Both Congress and BJP put together will not get more than 25 seats across the state while INLD will win over 60 seats. Even in Kiloi, INLD is getting good support and we are confident of our victory," Nandal claimed.

In all, 15 candidates from the assembly segment are in the fray including Haryana Janhit Congress, Haryana Lokhit Party, the BSP, besides eight Independents.

The Kiloi constituency remained a Congress stronghold after Haryana was carved out as a separate state in 1966, but during late Devi Lal's (Om Prakash Chautala's father) time, the party won the seat on two occasions in 1982 and 1987.

BJP, which is ostensibly riding on a Modi wave, has fielded a lesser-known Dharamvir, a former member of the party's state committee.
Prime Minister Modi has been aggressively campaigning in Haryana and has kept Congress and the Hooda government's alleged land scams at the centre of his attack. 
However, Hooda whose party Congress is eyeing third term in a row in Haryana, dismissed that there was any "Modi" wave in the state, saying the issues in the state assembly elections are different than those in the Lok Sabha polls.
On the alleged land scam, the 67-year-old leader hit back at his detractors, saying the opposition parties were "misleading" the people.

"Leave alone an acre, let them point out a single inch of land..I will quit," he said yesterday.

"Why havent they declared their Chief Ministerial candidate, if they are so sure of their victory," Hooda said.

Hooda asserted that issues in the assembly polls were different than those in the Lok Sabha.

Hitting out at Indian National Lok Dal, whose President Om Prakash Chautala is currently on bail on health grounds and has been addressing a series of election meetings across the state to woo the voters.

The Chief Minister said that people had "rejected" the INLD during the last two assembly polls and claimed the party will be decimated after the October 15 elections.

"Earlier, a reign of terror prevailed and ransoms were sought from jails. People know about all this," Hooda said taking a veiled dig at the INLD.

Hooda also charged INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala of hoodwinking people by saying he will take oath in the jail.

He also dismissed Opposition's charge that his government had shown regional bias. –PTI