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Ahead of Delhi polls, Cong opens doors for ‘outsider’
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SC: Just one false complaint is cruelty entailing divorce
Sonia, Rahul pose for selfies at Nehru event thanksgiving
Bollywood biggies get police protection after threats
Anointment of Imam’s son has no legal sanctity, HC told
Karnataka govt to go by court order on controversial temple ritual
Globally, 2.5 billion lack access to sanitation, says UN report
We have right to build dam on Cauvery: K’taka
Cong questions massive loan to Adani group
Cabinet nod to pacts to be signed at SAARC summit
3 LeT militants killed in Valley
HC grants temporary bail to two Godhra convicts
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Ahead of Delhi polls, Cong opens doors for ‘outsider’
New Delhi, November 20 Shoaib Iqbal, a known turncoat and sitting MLA from Muslim-dominated Matia Mahal constituency in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha segment, joined the Congress today in the presence of Shakeel Ahmad, party general secretary in charge of Delhi. The merger of an outsider on the eve of elections has not gone down well with certain sections of the party whose vice-president Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly been promising the cadres of promoting Congress loyalists when it comes to ticket distribution. But with Iqbal joining the Congress, the party would have to set aside some tickets for him, including his own segment from where he had narrowly defeated the Congress candidate by 2,800 votes in the recent elections. The Congress has made the move to prevent the division of Muslim votes in the wake of a possible entry of Asaduddin Owaisi’s MIM in Delhi poll arena. “In every assembly seat in Delhi, there are a minimum of 10,000 Muslim voters. If MIM joins the fray, it will take away chunk of that vote. So, it was considered essential to get on our side the other Muslim strongman of Delhi Shoaib Iqbal,” said a party source. Minutes after Iqbal joined the Congress, Rahul held a meeting with Ahmad and another general secretary and former MP from Delhi Ajay Makan. The Congress constitution says tickets can only be given to outsiders who have worked in the party for three years. Asked why the party was flouting
its own document in Iabal’s case, Ahmad said: “The same constitution gives Congress president the power to take any decision.”
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Stability, development major poll planks for BJP in J’khand
Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service
It is the people who have suffered due to political instability in the state—a fact which the BJP is hoping will work to its advantage in the five-phase elections in the state beginning November 25. While BJP leaders are hoping to sail through the half-way mark of 42 in the 81-member Assembly, political analysts have their reservations. They are not exactly gung-hoabout a definite mandate to any single party even in these elections. Ramesh Sharan, Head of the Economics Department, Ranchi University, said the BJP was expected to do better than the last time (it won 18 seats in the last elections) but as of now it seemed “unlikely to cross the half-way mark”. “The situation may change when Prime Minister Narendra Modi begins his campaign. But as of now Jharkhand appears to be heading for another spell of fractured mandate,” Sharan told The Tribune. Senior BJP leaders believe that Modi’s pitch for stability and development along with a promise of jobs and skill development for the youth will go down well with locals who have seen the neighbouring Chhattisgarh follow an entirely different growth trajectory in the same period. Sharan, however, says there are certain issues, strictly Jharkhand-specific, which make the state incomparable to Chhattisgarh—a state established around the same time as Jharkhand. The BJP’s alliance with the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU) does not seem to have gone down well with its cadres in the state and ticket distribution has also caused considerable heartburn, he said. On the other hand, Hemant Soren-led JMM seems to have bettered its prospects over the past couple of months. “As of now, the BJP stands to improve its tally to 32-35 seats. Its ally AJSU may land four-five, but the alliance may still fall short of the half-way mark of 42. The Congress-RJD may be in a bad shape, but the homecoming of several old-timers in JMM has improved its prospects and Soren may improve his 2009 tally,” he says. Sharan said the tribal or non-tribal as the Chief Minister might no longer be an issue, but domicile continued as a key underlying factor. The BJP has not projected anyone for the CM post, but is banking on Modi and his popularity to get it past the magic figure of 42. It is saying that whoever lives in the state is a Jharkhandi. However, this is a big issue with the original locals, here. “Modi’s campaign may help the BJP but as of now a wave seems to be missing,” says the economics professor. Rival candidates' supporters clash; 10 hurt
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SC: Just one false complaint is cruelty entailing divorce
New Delhi, November 20 “It is highly debatable whether, in the Indian situation, where there is rampant oppression of women, such a ground (irretrievable breakdown) would at all be expedient,” a Bench comprising Justices Vikramajit Sen and PC Pant noted. Acknowledging that the Marriage Laws (Amendment) Bill of 2013 incorporating the ground had already been passed in the Rajya Sabha, the SC expressed the hope that the “controversy will be considered by the Lok Sabha.” The Bench also noted that the Bill had been prepared on the basis of two reports submitted by the Law Commission, one in 1978 and another in 2009. Law Minister Sadananda Gowda had told reporters yesterday that the government was moving ahead with the amendment in the Lok Sabha in the winter session. The Bench made the remarks while allowing a husband’s plea for divorce as his wife had filed a false complaint of dowry harassment which had resulted in his arrest and six members of his family. The wife had contended that mere acquittal of her husband and his relatives in the dowry harassment case was not sufficient to show that she had deliberately filed the case. “The investigation may have been faulty or the prosecution may have been so careless as to lead to the acquittal,” she had pleaded. The case
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Sonia, Rahul pose for selfies at Nehru event thanksgiving New Delhi, November 20 The thanksgiving lunch at a local government-run five-star facility was in itself seen as a gesture on the part of the Congress high command to engage with their undermined cadres and give them a sense of belonging to the party. "In the Congress, such occasions are rare. Today, both Sonia ji and Rahul ji were very relaxed and informal. They came up to each one of the 150-odd invitees and mingled with them posing happily for pictures, even selfies. They even asked us which delegation we were attached to," said a former NSUI president who attended the lunch. Invited for the event were Indian Youth Congress and NSUI cadres who worked as liaison officers with the foreign delegates who came to attend the just-concluded global conference on the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru. Also present for the lunch were several Congress general secretaries, including Digvijay Singh, Madhusudan Mistry, Mohan Prakash and Ajay Maken. Former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and her son Sandeep Dikshit also came, though the vibes between them and the rest of the Congress gathering were "cold", according to someone who attended the lunch. Congress' senior spokesperson and chief organiser of the Nehru conference Anand Sharma, attendees said, "was upbeat about the event which the Congress organised despite alleged hindrances by the ruling dispensation". For the demotivated Congress workers, the occasion brought a rare opportunity to engage with their largely inaccessible leaders, some invitees said. Almost everyone felt such one-on-ones should be more frequent. "That would be really good for the party's health and revival," said a Congress leader.
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Bollywood biggies get police protection after threats
Mumbai, November 20 According to the police, 13 members of the Ravi Pujari gang were arrested on Wednesday after investigators were tipped off about an attempt to kill director Mahesh Bhatt. A gang member had managed to get recruited as a security guard at Bhatt’s residence and was regularly providing information on the director to the gangster, the police said. Subsequently, the other gang members attached to Pujari’s outfit were also arrested. According to the police, Pujari aimed to extort huge sums of money from prominent actors after the attack on Bhatt. Recently, members of the gang had opened fire at the residence of distributor Karim Morani. However, the shooters were arrested and the gang did not make any headway in their attempts at extortion. “The Mumbai police were alert enough to neutralise the threat from the underworld,” Bhatt told reporters here. Following the arrests, the police teams took up positions at the residences and offices of prominent Bollywood personalities. Earlier, Mumbai police commissioner Rakesh Maria had met prominent Bollywood personalities and promised them protection in case they received any threats from the underworld. Criminal acts
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Anointment of Imam’s son has no legal sanctity, HC told
New Delhi, November 20 The ceremony, slated for November 22, had raised a controversy as Imam Bukhari had chosen to invite Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif while leaving out PM Narendra Modi from the list of guests. Arguing for the Centre, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a Bench headed by Chief Justice G Rohini that the ceremony could nevertheless be held anywhere other than the Jama Masjid, but it would have no value. The Wakf Board said the Jama Masjid was under its supervision and the Imam could not treat the shrine as his personal fiefdom and treat the anointment ceremony as a personal event. The Naib Imam, who would subsequently become the Shahi Imam, could be appointed only with the board’s consent, it said. The board also said it would hold its meeting soon to take action against Bukhari for his unilateral move. The Imam’s appointment in 2000 was ratified by the board in 2006. The Centre and the board were responding to the clarifications sought by the Bench which included Justice RS Endlaw. The court was hearing three PILs challenging the November 22 ceremony. After hearing the arguments, the Bench reserved its order.
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It’s show time in Goa as IFFI kicks off
With star power and political bigwigs like in the previous editions of IFFI, this edition too was a blend of glamour and gravitas. If on the one hand, living legends such as Amitabh Bachchan and Rajinikanth showered stardust on the glittering ceremony held at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium, on the other, the presence of the Union Minister of Finance and Information and Broadcasting Arun Jaitley, Col Rajyavardhan Rathore, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, as well as the Chief Minister of Goa Laxmikant Parsekar reinforced the festival’s official connect as it is organised by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Iconic Amitabh Bachchan, the chief guest of the inaugural function, dominated as only he can. While a commotion greeted his arrival, his well-researched speech all but chronicled the history of Hindi cinema. He spoke about the various themes and currents that have crisscrossed and defined its existence since it came into being in 1913. No wonder, gifted actor Anupam Kher — who co-hosted the function along with ravishing Raveena Tandon who looked resplendent in a green
and gold saree — called it a master class on Indian cinema. In his inimitable style, Big B also read out a few lines of his father Harivansh Rai Bachchan’s poem “Himmat karne walo ki...” Of course, the man of the moment as well as of few words was southern superstar Rajinikanth. The actor of over 170 films, who has been ruling the cinema of the South for over four decades, was conferred the Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year. The function marked by several speeches was dotted with a dance extravaganza. A tribute to dancing legends of the silver screen, choreographed by actor-dancer Shobhna, was set to many immortal songs such as “Piya to se naina laage re...” After the inaugural function, during which Goa’s Governor Mridula Sinha as well as noted lyricist Gulzar were present, the opening film “The President” was screened to a packed auditorium at the Kala Akademy. “The President”, Iranian director Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s much-acclaimed film that looks at the life of a dictator on the run, was also the opening film at the 71st Venice Film Festival. Undeniably, while the packed Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium was the cynosure of all eyes on the inaugural day, the IFFI centre at the old GMC building — the nerve centre of most screenings — was abuzz with activity since morning. Cine-lovers queued up for booking tickets as the festival promises to unveil 50 not-to-be-missed films as well as dozens of Oscar-nominated films from across the world. The IFFI venue, which wore a festive look, was not only dotted with the motifs of IFFI’s signature peacock symbol but a huge cutout of Rajinikanth too stood out in all its magnificence. The extent to which IFFI has been growing is evident in the increase in the number of delegates attending the festival. Over 12,500 delegates have registered themselves for the festival which is an interesting kaleidoscope of films across continents.
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Karnataka govt to go by court order on controversial temple ritual
Bengaluru, November 20 The Karnataka High Court yesterday allowed the practice of the ritual — rolling over plantain leaves containing leftover food partaken by Brahmins — in its traditional form at the temple near Mangalore which recently saw its prestige enhanced manifold following visits by some star cricketers and heavyweight politicians. Hearing a review petition by Adivasi Budakattu Hitarakshana Vedike (ABHV) which sought a stay on a 2012 high court order, the Division Bench comprising Justices N Kumar and BV Nagarathna passed the interim order allowing the ritual in its traditional form. The practice in its traditional form will continue till the court decides the “constitutional validity” of the ritual. The petitioners, members of Malekudiya tribe of Sullia taluk, had filed a review petition challenging the 2012 order which asked for the ritual to be carried out in a modified form. The 2012 high court order — given in the wake of a petition by a Lingayat swamiji and some progressive thinkers — had suggested that rolling over the food left over by Brahmins should be replaced with the practice of rolling on food offered to the deity. The ABHV contended that they were the traditional workers of the temple and urged the court to review the order as it had not considered their arguments while modifying the practice. They argued that any change in the ritual would offend their religious sentiments and amount to disrespecting the deity. The high court in its latest order noted that the ritual was not imposed on anyone by force. “There is no need to create a controversy. We will act as per directions of the high court”, Siddaramaiah told reporters here today when asked about the HC’s order regarding the ritual. “The ritual is old. It could be related to some incident of subjugation of lower caste people by Brahmins,” Dr Shalini Raghunath, head of Karnataka University’s folklore department, told The Tribune. Scourge of casteism
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Globally, 2.5 billion lack access to sanitation, says UN report
New Delhi, November 20 The UN-Water Global Analysis and Assessment of Sanitation and Drinking Water (GLAAS) 2014 report, “Investing in Water and Sanitation: Increasing Access, Reducing Inequalities”, draws the attention of countries to sanitation at a time when the world is negotiating the post-2015 sustainable development goals after the progress of millennium development goals is judged. GLASS-2014 was released today as the world marks the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which recognises the right of every child to grow up in a safe environment. The report finds that while 2.5 billion people globally lack access to improved sanitation (majority still in India), 1 billion practise open defecation. Nine out of 10 defecate in the open in rural areas, 748 million people lack access to improved drinking water, and it is estimated that 1.8 billion people use a source of drinking water that is faecally contaminated. Besides, hundreds of millions of people live without clean water and soap to wash their hands, facilitating the spread of diarrhoeal disease, the second leading cause of death among children under five. Many other water-borne diseases, such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis, are prone to explosive outbreaks. Poor sanitation and hygiene can also lead to debilitating diseases affecting scores of people in the developing world, like intestinal worms, blinding trachoma and schistosomiasis, states the report. “Hundreds of millions of people have no access to soap and water to wash their hands, preventing a basic act that would empower them to block the spread of disease,” states the report while recognising the fact that many countries are increasingly turning attention to these goals. The findings say two-thirds of the 94 countries surveyed recognised drinking water and sanitation as a universal human right in national legislation and more than 80 per cent reported having national policies in place for drinking water and sanitation. Over 75 per cent have policies for hygiene. The findings
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Uma pushes for river linking
New Delhi, November 20 We need to conserve this water by inter-linking the rivers,” Bharti said while inaugurating a national conference on issues for optimal use of water resources —“Jal Manthan”. She said irrigation schemes needed a lot of time and money to complete in India and only farmers could feel the pain of these delayed projects. The minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi wanted to provide the irrigation facility to every farmer without any extra cost. More than two-third of the country continues to be at the mercy of the monsoon to meet its irrigation requirements. The project of inter-linking of rivers is believed to be a way out, but many activists termed it an “environmentally disastrous” option. The three-day conference has been organised by the Ministry of Water Resources, river development and Ganga rejuvenation to hold wide-ranging consultations with states and other stakeholders. The second day of the conference is devoted to issues related to the inter-linking of rivers in the country. It is proposed to deliberate on various aspects of inter-linking as the programme has evoked strong reactions from civil societies and environmental groups. The event would provide a platform to address the concerns and clarify issues raised by them.
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We have right to build dam on Cauvery: K’taka
New Delhi, November 20 "The Government of Karnataka is not violating any of the Tribunal awards. Within the legal frame, we have to give 192 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu in an average year ... Beyond 192 TMC, if there is any (surplus) water during floods within our own territory, Karnataka has the rights to use that water," state water resources minister MB Patil told here. Stating that an Express of Interest (EoI) has been called for carrying out the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed reservoir at Mekedatu, he cited the pressing need for drinking water to Bengaluru city, besides Old Mysore Cauvery delta region, to have the project. "Why should I allow water to go waste? We do not have drinking water for the Old Mysore Cauvery Delta region and two-thirds of Bengaluru city does not have drinking water," he added. Patil also said that the last date for submitting the EoI has been extended to December from the previous deadline of this month-end.
PTI
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Modi among Time magazine’s ‘Person of the Year’ contenders
New York, November 20 The Time ‘Person of the Year 2014’ will be announced next month and the publication said the title will be “bestowed to those who have, for good or for ill, most influenced the news and our lives in the past year”. Describing Modi as “once a controversial regional leader”, Time said he became India’s Prime Minister after leading his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to a “landslide electoral victory on a platform of economic development”. Time has asked its readers to vote for the individual who they think should get the title of Person of the Year and the winner of the reader’s choice poll will be announced next month before Time’s editors choose the individual from the 50 candidates as the honouree. Modi has so far got 3.8% of the votes, the fourth highest after Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistani teenager Malala Yousafzai and doctors and nurses “risking lives to treat Ebola”.
— PTI
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Cong questions massive loan to Adani group
New Delhi, November 20 Threatening to raise the matter in the upcoming Parliament session, Congress general secretary, communication, Ajay Maken said: “People are opening accounts under the Jan Dhan Yojana, anticipating that the government will deposit the retrieved black money in their accounts, however, the government, it seems, plans to siphon off the money deposited by people in their accounts for funding big corporate projects.” The Congress said many international banks had ruled out funding Adani's project due to financial uncertainty of the project. The SBI has granted Adanis the loan for a coal mine project in Queensland. SBI defends
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GM crops a tool to end global hunger: Wall
New Delhi, November 20 “It is safe, it increases crop production and it gives you variety diversification. Those who oppose it cannot point to any evidence-based argument that would highlight risks,” says Wall, who is in India to “explore areas of cooperation in energy, agri-food and innovation.” He will also address the Agro-Tech 2014 beginning November 22 in Chandigarh. Rated as Canada’s “most popular premier in public opinion polls”, Wall has earned national reputation “as a forceful and articulate defender of Saskatchewan’s and Canada’s trade interests, particularly in areas of energy and agriculture”. For Wall, India is among key markets for what Saskatchewan has to offer — pulses and yellow peas. “Our exports to India have increased by 69% since 2007,” he said. Saskatchewan’s agricultural land comprises 40% of the total Canadian arable land and accounts for a big share of pulses imported by India to fill the consumption gap. Responding on issues ranging from the importance of re-balancing nutrients to increase fertility and health of the soil to “optimistic changes” he has noticed since PM Narendra Modi assumed office, Wall talked of the importance of India’s economic strength. “I read about the reforms he (Modi) is interested in and the business climate he wants to create. This is a big country and increasingly important economically. I think Modi is good for India and will be good for the world,” he said.
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Cabinet nod to pacts to be signed at SAARC summit
New Delhi, November 20 The decisions were today taken at the Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The memorandums for these pacts are to be signed during Modi’s visit to Nepal beginning November 25. The Cabinet has also authorised the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to sign similar bilateral agreements and protocols with other members. The SAARC region is considered as one of the least networked regions in terms of physical and soft connectivity, leading to high costs and low volumes of trade. So, SAARC members agreed that better transport infrastructure and linkages among them was necessary. A study by the SAARC Secretariat had recommended multilateral agreements, permitting free movement of people, goods and services within the SAARC region in the road and rail sectors.
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3 LeT militants killed in Valley
Srinagar, November 20 "A joint CRPF and police patrol had placed a routine naka. A Sumo vehicle came towards the naka and its occupants opened fire, which was retaliated. The militants fled towards the fields and were gunned down," Prabhat said. "Two of their accomplice managed to flee," he said. The official said the militants belonged to LeT. Two of them have been identified as Sheeraz Ganai of Panzer Pulwama and Aasif Bhat of Kulgam. A police spokesman said one SLR, one carbine, one pistol , grenades and other ammunition have been recovered from slain militants. The gunfight in Tral is the second encounter in less than a week in south Kashmir. Two Lashkar militants were killed on November 14 in the Kulgam area. (With inputs from Farooz Ahmad Bhat in Pulwama) Violence after announcement of polls Oct 29: 3 militants and a JCO killed in Handwara Nov 4: Militants attack a police vehicle in Pulwama. Woman constable injured Nov 4: Militants fire a rifle grenade at a CRPF bunker in Sopore Nov 4: A CPM activist escapes unhurt when suspected militants attack his house in Kulgam Nov 8: Militants ambush a CRPF vehicle in Qazigund town. 4 CRPF men injured Nov 14: Two militants killed in an encounter in Kulgam Nov 14: Grenade attack in Handwara, one killed, another injured
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HC grants temporary bail to two Godhra convicts
Ahmedabad, November 20 Bilal had sought bail for a month for his daughter's wedding which is on November 30. Badam had sought to extend his parole which ends on November 21 for one week to finish post-funeral rites of his mother.
— PTI
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New Delhi, November 20
Panjim, November 20
