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Kalam
presents Indira peace prize to Ramphal
Underworld
link in Telgi case possible,
Brajesh behind
Shashank’s appointment Prosecute 11
government officers, says CVC UP Govt
defends withdrawal of POTA against Raja Bhaiya |
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Sena to
award Hindus with 10 kids! Rly
exams to be held amid security SC dismisses HAU staff plea
Satish
Sharma to take part in air race CEO
inquiry into complaint against Laloo
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Kalam presents Indira peace prize to Ramphal New Delhi, November 19 Presenting the award at a glittering ceremony at the majestic Ashoka Hall at Rashtrapati Bhavan here, President Kalam said better interaction among nations must be based on co-existence not conflict, cooperation not confrontation and concord and no coercion and that violent conflicts are an enemy of development. “With the dawn of this millennium, the pace of transformation of the world into a global village has accelerated. Globalisation in inevitable and unavoidable and the need of the hour is to make endeavours to transform the process of globalisation into a positive phenomenon”, he said. Speaking on the
occasion, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the world today faces a challenges of globalisation and security while addressing the fundamental issues such as poverty. On Sir Ramphal, who was conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award earlier this year, Mr Vajpayee said “this harmonius blend of national origin and current citizenship defines the emotional, intellectual and cultural outlook of a successful and well-integrated representative of the Indian diaspora
abroad”. In his acceptance peace, Sir Ramphal said, “The architecture of peace in our time will have to be developed by a coalition of the many who are right, though they are separately weak; not by the few who are wrong, though they are
singularly strong”. Meanwhile, the nation today remembered the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 86th birth anniversary. Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi led parliamentarians in paying floral tributes to Ms Gandhi in the Central Hall of Parliament. Flowers were placed at the portrait of Ms Gandhi unveiled in 1987. |
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Underworld link in Telgi case possible, says CBI New Delhi, November 19 He also felt that the money involved in the scam could be “much more” than Rs 30,000 crore already estimated. “As far as in our cases (in the stamp-paper scam), so far there is no such linkage but we cannot rule out because a man who is doing it in such a large way, who was connected to all kinds of people, be it underworld or over the ground it is just possible,” he said here. Sounding a note of caution on its ramification vis-a-vis national security, the CBI Director said: “In fact when you look into this kind of cases, it is important that you must look into the security aspect of the cases whether apart from being a money-spinning exercise it is having impact on security. It is a very important issue.” The CBI has registered three cases in Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and Gujarat and the links of scamster Abdul Karim Telgi had figured in the Ahmedabad case very prominently. Mr Sharma said the CBI had registered a preliminary enquiry to probe the functioning of Security Press at Nasik after allegations that some officials were involved in the scam. Making it clear that there was no federal law under which the agency could conduct investigations suo motu, he said the CBI was willing to take up the investigations in the case. “We are fully prepared to take up the probe. In normal circumstances, where inter-state
ramifications are involved, it is always good to have a nodal agency investigating it,” the CBI Director said.
— UNI |
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Hand over fake stamp case to CBI, says Governor Mumbai, November 19 “Mr Shinde had said investigations in the case were being supervised by the high court, and even the state government was looking into the matter,” the Governor said, adding that at present, the situation was confusing. There had been no response to his suggestion, the Governor said while interacting with a select group of journalists the Raj Bhavan this afternoon. Mr Fazal in his letter said he had told the Chief Minister that the state government should consider handing over the case to the CBI to clear public perception. However, the high court, which is currently seized of the matter, had not found any fault with the investigations of the Special Investigating Team (SIT) in the case. The Governor said the Centre could not intervene on its own unless the request came from the state. Since the case is in the high court, the onus lies on the court to issue such directions in this matter.
— UNI |
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PIL for CBI probe into stamp paper scam New Delhi, November 19 A special mention was made about the filing of the petition before a Bench headed by Chief Justice Mr V.N. Khare yesterday by advocate Ajay Agrawal, who had pleaded for early hearing of the PIL contending that the multi crore Telgi stamp paper scam had posed a threat to the national security. The petitioner had also sought transfer of all the related cases from different high courts to the apex court to avoid multiplicity of orders on the same matter. |
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Brajesh behind
Shashank’s appointment New Delhi, November 19 A decision on whether Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal should be given an extension or not was kept pending till yesterday when the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet finally approved the appointment of Mr Shashank to succeed Mr Sibal from December 1. Sources said Mr Sibal had met Deputy Prime Minister
L.K. Advani twice in the past 10 days to brief him first on Mr Advani’s Maldives visit and then on Bhutan. Mr Sibal’s second meeting with Mr Advani took place on Monday, a day before the ACC meeting. It is understood that Mr
Advani, as a matter of policy, does not make uninvited interjections or interventions in foreign policy-related issues. This is also seen as some sort of a tacit understanding between him and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as the latter depends heavily on Mr Brajesh Mishra on foreign affairs. Sources said though Mr Mishra was inclined to give an extension to Mr Sibal for the much-trumpeted cause of “continuity”, he eventually decided in favour of Mr
Shashank. Several factors could have been behind this decision. First, the appointment of Mr Shashank to the top slot in the Ministry of External Affairs is bound to send the right signals in this age of economic diplomacy as the 1966 batch IFS officer has made immense contribution in this area. Moreover, India is moving rapidly down the road of economic diplomacy and is going to forge free trade area pacts with a number of countries and regional groupings like ASEAN within the next few years. Second, the Government of India would like to utilise the services of Mr Kanwal Sibal “in a key slot at an appropriate time,” the sources said. The Indian foreign policy has flowered during the tenure of Mr Sibal and the government recognises both his intellectual and analytical prowess and his exceptional service to the nation. Sources described as “highly unlikely” speculations of Mr Sibal being accomodated in the Prime Minister’s Office for the simple reason that the PMO is Mr Mishra’s turf and Mr
Mishra, being a former diplomat himself, is well-conversant with international affairs. |
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Prosecute
11 government officers, says CVC
New Delhi, November 19 These include two officers each from the Labour and Railway
Ministries and one each from the Ministries of Home and Civil Aviation
and the Departments of Telecom, the CPWD and the CSIR.
In addition, following the advice of the commission, the sanction
for prosecution has also been issued against 11 officers, including
six from the Department of Telecom, two from the Railway Ministry and
one each from Ministry of External Affairs, the CBEC and the Ministry
of Food Processing Industries.
Based on the investigation reports of the CBI and chief vigilance
officers, the commission advised initiation of major penalty
proceedings in 135 cases. These included 46 officers of public sector
banks, 13 from the MCD, nine from the Department of Telecom, eight
from insurance companies, six officers from the Railway Ministry and
one officer each from the Ministries of the Civil Aviation,
Information and Broadcasting, Defence and the CAG of India.
The commission also advised imposition of major penalty in 94
cases. These included 53 officers of public sector banks, seven from
the Department of Telecom, four from the Railway Ministry, two from
the Labour Ministry and one officer each from the DST and Home and
Defence Ministries.
Major penalties were imposed on 75 officers from public sector
banks (17), Railway Ministry (nine), DDA (seven), Telecom Department
(six), and one each from CPWD and the External Affairs Ministry.
The officials said the commission had also issued two circulars to
government departments and public sector organisations regarding
modification in the tender sample clause and prescribed guidelines
regarding back-to-back tie up by public sector undertakings in the
matter of sub-contracting of works. — UNI |
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UP Govt defends withdrawal of POTA New Delhi, November 19 In an affidavit, filed in reply to a petition challenging
the withdrawal of POTA cases against Raja Bhaiya, presently lodged in
Kanpur jail, the state said the independent MLA and the other two were
neither involved in any anti-national activity nor were they members
of a banned organisation. The Mayawati Government had booked Raja
Bhaiya, his father Uday Pratap Singh and cousin Akshay Pratap Singh
under POTA. But Mulayam Singh immediately after taking coming to
power, had ordered the withdrawal of the POTA charges against the
trio. Subsequent to the Chief Minister’s order, the public
prosecutor had moved an application before the special court at Kanpur
on September 1 for the withdrawal of the POTA cases against the
three. But this was challenged in the apex court by three persons,
who had deposed as witnesses against Raja Bhaiya, his father and his
cousin in murder cases and claimed that they were victims of their
atrocities. While seeking reply from the state government, the apex
court had also sought copy of the prosecution’s application moved
before the trial court. The prosecution in the application had stated
that there was no need for invoking POTA against the accused as they
could be tried under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). |
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Sena to award Hindus
with 10 kids! Lucknow, November 19 “The proposal is aimed at protecting the Hindu community as due to family planning programme the population of Hindus is going down while the Muslim population is on the rise,” Mr Tiwari said. The Shiv Sena has sent a circular to its representatives asking them to identify in their respective areas, Hindu families with four or more children. These families would be conferred with the title “Jagrat Hindu Parivar” (Awakened Hindu Family). In Lucknow, which is also prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s electoral constituency, the Shiv Sena has so far identified three families having 10 or more children and 50 families having five or more children. The announcement has come as shock for officials of the family planning programme. “When we are able to instil confidence among people about family planning programme such political statements could jeopardise our efforts,” said Dr H.P. Kumar, Director General, Health and Family Planning. |
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Rly exams to be held amid security Mumbai, November 19 The Railways have asked the Maharashtra Government for additional police personnel. The next exams are scheduled for November 23, December 7 and 14 in Mumbai, railway officials say. However, the Shiv Sena is determined to ensure that outstation candidates are not allowed to take the tests. “Yesterday was only the beginning. There will be more violence if outsiders are allowed to take the exams,” said a Shiv Sena office-bearer. At least 40 per cent of the candidates who appeared for the exams on November 17 were from Bihar and other parts of northern India. “The exams will be held amid police security,” said Anil Mittal, Chairman, Railway Recruitment Board, Mumbai. On Tuesday, Mr Mittal was assaulted and his office vandalised by activists of the Shiv Sena who were protesting the presence of outstation candidates. Though the interview was held on Monday, activists of the Shiv Sena were angered by press reports that more than 6,00,000 applicants for the posts of low-level employee like khalashis and gangmen were from northern India. There are less than 2,000 posts for which recruitment would be made. The police said more than 800 activists of the Shiv Sena’s Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Sena attacked the offices of the Railway Recruitment Board at the Mumbai central railway station. Around 70 rioters were taken into custody, but most of them were released later. Meanwhile, Raj Thackeray, nephew of Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, said the agitation would intensify. “We will throw the Biharis out. In Maharashtra only the locals should get a job. No Bhaiyyas or Biharis should be allowed,” he told journalists after the incident. |
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SC dismisses HAU staff plea New Delhi, November 19 The ministerial staff posted with the university were appointed on June 6, 1980. They had claimed that under the principle of “equal pay for
equal work”, they were entitled to the same payscale which was given to the University staffers, performing the same duty. Dismissing their appeal against the Punjab and Haryana High Court’s order rejecting their petition, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Mr
V.N. Khare and Mr Justice S.B. Sinha said the principle of equal pay for equal work would not be applicable in their case. |
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Satish Sharma to take part in air race New Delhi, November 19 The race is being organised to commemorate 100 years of aviation. The race starting from three different locations - Goa, Bangalore, Barrackpur - will culminate at Nagpur on November 22, a press note issued here. Captain Sharma will be piloting a King Air C-90
aircraft from Barrackpur for Nagpur via Bihta and Allahabad. The country’s first ever full-fledged air race will have 51 aircraft ranging from vintage light piston, microlights and powered gliders to jet engines. Bringing into play a handicap system to ensure level playing field for different aircraft taking part, the participating aircraft will cover equal distance to finish in Nagpur on November 22. The air race spectacle will progress through 25 airfields, some of them barely useable and the flying marathon will be flagged off by Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani. The race organised by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the armed forces will have participants from the Army, the Navy, the Coast Guard, the NCC, the HAL and Free lance civil pilots. |
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CEO inquiry into complaint against Laloo Patna, November 19 Mr Madhavan has written letters to the District Magistrates of Patna, Sitamarhi and Gaya asking them to probe the complaint lodged against Mr Laloo Yadav and file reports to the commission. The CEO orders followed a complaint lodged by former state BJP President and convener of the NDA in Bihar, Nand Kishore Yadav on Saturday last, alleging that the RJD chief, had moved in a large cavalcade in the three Assembly constituencies of Fatuha in Patna district and Sitamarhi and Barachhati in Gaya district to campaign for party nominees.
— PTI |
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Selection mode for CBI chief
New Delhi, November 19 A Bench asked Attorney General Soli J Sorabjee as to what would be the method employed by the Centre for determining the seniority of the IPS officers in the process of selection of the CBI
Director. — PTI |
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Film festival begins today Mumbai, November 19 Noted filmmaker Vijay Anand and veteran musician Naushad would be felicitated with Lifetime Achievement Award.
— PTI |
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Birla award for
T. Padmanabhan
New Delhi, November 19 Padmanabhan, Dean of Core Academic Programme at the Pune-based Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, has made significant contributions to several areas of theoretical physics and cosmology. His work includes study of structures of galaxies in the universe.
— PTI |
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