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PM exhorts Sikhs to prepare for
BJP meeting in Bangalore to focus on
Murli Manohar Joshi, Kailash Joshi
Left parties tell govt to shelve FDI hike in telecom, insurance
Andhra CM proposes, Sonia disposes |
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Ex-minister surrenders in Gwalior court
Why not death penalty, SC asks petitioner
Al-Jazeera news to be beamed in India
8 more Maoists held in Uttaranchal
Goa refuses CBI nod to operate
36 shortlisted for ‘Mr & Miss Bollywood’
Now enrol online as voter
‘Jassi’ to grace envelopes, postcards
Krishna Kumar is NCERT director HC dismisses homosexuals’ plea Court
directs police not to arrest Met chief |
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PM exhorts Sikhs to prepare for next 400 years
New Delhi, September 2 Speaking at a function organised at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj after inaugurating the Guru Granth Sahib Research Centre as part of the quadricentennial celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), he spoke on varied issues, ranging from the empowerment of women and equality of mankind to the conservation of environment. “Guru Granth Sahib’s quadricentennial celebrations make me think of the next 400 years. What will be the Sikh community then,” the Prime Minister said. Guru Granth Sahib, he said, was the fountainhead of wisdom and its contents were as relevant today as they were 400 years ago and would remain so in the future. Citing modern scientific research on space and outer space, the Prime Minister said it had reaffirmed what Guru Nanak had unfolded centuries ago. “Patala patal lukh agaasa agaas,” Dr Manmohan Singh explained, quoting a verse from Guru Nanak’s writings referring to spatial infinity the founder of the Sikh faith had spoken of. In social life, he said Guru Nanak had advocated equality of mankind, breaking all caste or religious distinctions and was a champion of women empowerment. Why discriminate against a woman who gives birth to kings, Dr Manmohan Singh said, quoting a couplet which refers to gender equality while attacking biases against women in male-dominated society. “This value system, as set out in Guru Granth Sahib, should be the basis for evolving a world view aimed at overall betterment of humanity.” At present, there are attempts to create divisions over caste, creed and religion, but the Sikh faith lays stress on universal welfare, he said. “At the end of ardas, we say “Nanak naam chardi kala, tere bhane sarbat da bhala”. The ardas seeks welfare of one and all.” This value system, he said, should be carried forward. Education, he added, was a key area that required Sikh contribution. “Do your best to educate children,” the Prime Minister added. Upkeep of environment is also a prime duty of the Sikhs, the Prime Minister said, quoting another Gurbani couplet that accorded sacred status to nature. Speaking on the occasion, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit appreciated the Sikhs for their role in the development of the Capital. The Prime Minister was accompanied by his wife
Gursharan Kaur. According to DSGMC chief Prehlad Singh Chandok, it was in the latter part of the 20th century that the need to set up an institution devoted especially to research on contemporary implications and interpretations of the holy granth was felt. However, the foundation stone for an institution of this kind was laid way back in 1967 by Master Tara Singh in grounds adjoining Gurdwara Rakab Ganj. The present management set up a committee to carry out detailed planning for the centre. A series of regular lectures on different aspects of Guru Granth Sahib are being delivered here for the past four months. More recently it was also decided to organise an exhibition of Sikh relics at the centre. The exhibition, organised by the committee in collaboration with the National Museum, presents a remarkable view of Sikh culture. DSGMC adviser Pushpinder Singh said the exhibition on Sikh heritage would remain open for three months at the new research centre. |
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BJP meeting in Bangalore to focus on Uma issue
New Delhi, September 2 Top leaders of the party, including former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani, BJP President M. Venkaiah Naidu and Sushma Swaraj, would participate in the meeting. The meeting would deliberate on the kind of agitation the party would launch after the first phase of satyagraha ends on September 7 and also review the preparations of the party for the coming Assembly polls in Maharashtra on October 13. The meeting has been scheduled four days after the Hubli Court’s hearing on the case “relating to flag-hoisting” and a day after the 14-day judicial remand for Bharti ends. According to sources, top party leaders apprehend the possibility of the Karnataka Government trying to delay the withdrawal of the case till Maharashtra elections and even till the next round of Assembly polls in Bihar, Jharkhand and Haryana early next year. “This means that the party will have to be prepared to keep Uma Bharti’s issue alive and also concentrate on Maharashtra assembly polls,” a source said, adding, apparently the UPA was keen that Bharti should remain in jail till at least Maharashtra elections as this would rob her from leading a campaign in Maharashtra. Meanwhile, addressing newspersons, BJP spokesperson M.A. Naqvi said the office-bearers’ meeting was earlier scheduled for September 4 and the party had now decided to reschedule it to enable the completion of first phase of satyagraha and to know the court’s decision before charting the future course of action. |
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Murli Manohar Joshi, Kailash Joshi court arrest
Bangalore, September 2 Dr Joshi headed the second team of BJP leaders who were taken into preventive custody by the city police as they commenced the second day’s satyagraha in front of the Town Hall here. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani launched the agitation yesterday. Ms Bharti has been remanded to judicial custody at a university guest house in Dharwad till September 17 in connection with a decade old rioting case.
— UNI |
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Left parties tell govt to shelve FDI hike in telecom, insurance
New Delhi, September 2 CPM polit bureau member Prakash Karat said, ‘‘We have reliably learnt that the move is on to prepare a Cabinet note on the hike in FDI cap in telecom sector, which the Left parties feel is unwarranted and unjustified.” In the UPA-Left Coordination Committee meeting held last month, the government agreed to consider the concerns expressed by the Left parties on the FDI issue. “We ask the government to consider the concerns of the Left on the issue and re-consider its decision of going ahead with the Cabinet approval,” said D. Raja, National Secretary of CPI. When asked what the Left parties, which are supporting the UPA government from outside, would do if Manmohan Singh government went ahead with its move, Mr Karat said “we would react aptly when that situation arises.” He, however, stated that “the UPA government would be politically affected if it goes ahead with the move.” Sources said the Union Communication Ministry has prepared the Cabinet note on telecom which has been sent to different ministries and the government is keen to go ahead with the hike in FDI cap in the sector as telecom operators in the country already have more than 49 per cent FDI in the form of holding companies. He said there is no need to raise the sectoral cap in FDI by “overruling the grave security considerations” in the country. Pointing out to the rejection of “Echelon” (electronic espionage system) by several European Union members, the USA and allies had used the system to gain information on India. The declassified documents of the National Security Agency of USA lists documents relating to “Capital Projects Planned in India” and “India’s Heavy Water Shortages.” “The Intelligence Bureau and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence had (during the NDA regime) emphasised that the 49 per cent limit should be retained,” he said, adding “If the security agencies’ objections were so clear a year earlier, why have they ceased to have validity within just a year.” The Left parties, extending crucial outside support to the UPA government, said the Indian security agencies had strong reservations on passing the management control of the telecom services companies in favour of foreign promoters. Finance Minister P. Chidambaram had proposed to increase the FDI in telecom to 74 per cent from the present 49 per cent and insurance to 49 per cent from 26 per cent. On the insurance sector, Karat said the “unilateral” decision to further liberalise it was unjustified since financial liberalisation had not contributed positively to investment and economic growth. Moreover, countries that had embraced opening up of their financial sectors had experienced enhanced volatility and speculative attacks on their currency, he said. About civil aviation, Karat said the Left parties would take up the matter with the government separately. “The government should look into alternative options available and not blindly follow the previous government’s plan.” |
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Andhra CM proposes, Sonia disposes
Hyderabad, September 2 Mr Vivekananda Reddy, younger brother of Mr Rajasekhara Reddy, had submitted his resignation a week back to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, apparently to fulfil the wishes of the family to accommodate his brother’s son, Mr Jagan Mohan Reddy. But what YSR proposed, Sonia seemed to have disposed. Vivekananda, who met Sonia in Delhi, was unable to impress her on why he had to vacate the seat. As she did not buy his arguments, Vivekananda had to go back to the Speaker and withdraw his resignation. The latest development has put paid to Jagan’s ambitious plans to make a grand entry into electoral politics by contesting from the Kadapa Lok Sabha constituency, the traditional stronghold of the family. Mr Vivekananda Reddy had earlier announced his intention to vacate the seat for personal reasons, paving the way for his brother’s son. Confirming that Vivekananda was planning to quit politics, the Chief Minister, who himself won the Kadapa Lok Sabha seat in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1998, tried to explain it away as his brother’s wish to settle down in the USA to live with his daughter. Suspicions that Vivekananda was not giving up his seat on his own became strong when the affable MP made it clear that he was not leaving the country. Local reports said that Vivekananda was not too happy about the pressure from the family to sacrifice his seat in favour of his brother’s son, but he himself never said so. Though it was not known as to what transpired between Sonia and Vivekananda, the development has come as a jolt to the Chief Minister, as this decision of the high command was being seen as a snub to Mr Rajasekhara Reddy. The son, who has been raring to jump headlong into electoral fray for some time now, will apparently have to wait a little longer. |
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Ex-minister surrenders in Gwalior court
Bhopal, September 2 The non-bailable warrants against Mr K.P. Singh and 13 others were issued on July 15. The others have already
surrendered. The matter relates to Hiranyavan Kothi, supposed to be a part of the Scindia estate but in possession of the family of Sardar Angre, who was a personal secretary to the late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia. Mr Angre’s daughter, Chitralekha, had made a criminal complaint on October 11,1983 that Madhavrao Scindia and 15 others had entered into a conspiracy to forcibly take possession of the kothi and had committed dacoity. A case against them was registered under Sections 120-B, 395, 452, 506-B, IPC, as well as some sections of the Madhya Pradesh Anti-Dacoity act. Madhavrao Scindia and Narendra Singh (another accused) have meanwhile died. Mr K.P. Singh, MLA from Pichhor in Shivpuri district, had alleged in a press conference late in June that then Chief Minister Uma Bharti’s nephew, Mr Sidhhartha Lodhi, was involved in illegal mining operations in Shivpuri district. |
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Why not death penalty, SC asks petitioner
New Delhi, September 2 “Show cause as to why the sentence of life imprisonment awarded to him be not enhanced to death sentence,” said a Bench comprising Mr Justice B.N. Agrawal and Mr Justice H.K. Sema. Admitting a petition filed by septugenarian Veerachamy, the apex court refused his bail plea and called for all records of the trial court and high court. Veerachamy, on a minor altercation with his wife killed her on June 18, 1998, cut her body into 27 pieces and buried them in a pit dug inside the room. The next day, he went to the police and gave an extra-judicial confession about the crime and after investigation, the police charged him with murder and destruction of evidence. The trial court in Tamil Nadu had sentenced him to life imprisonment, which was upheld by the high court. |
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Al-Jazeera news to be beamed in India New Delhi, September 2 While eyeing tie-ups with Indian entertainment and information-based channels to widen its network in the country Al-Jazeera will also launch an English news channel next year and two channels on sports and documentary in the next six months. “As part of our India expansion plans we will shortly expand our bureau here and are definitely interested in entering into agreements with Indian channels for sharing information and entertainment programmes produced in India,” Al-Jazeera Managing Director Wadah Khanfar told reporters here. The Arabic Satellite Channel network’s bulletin would be beamed in India from
tomorrow. The bulletin will be dubbed in Hindi by India TV. Commenting on the tie-up, India TV Chairman Rajat Sharma said, “There was a vacuum as far as news from the Arab countries was concerned and the tie-up with Al Jazeera will bridge that gap.”
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8 more Maoists held in Uttaranchal
Dehra Dun, September 2 The eight include the gram pradhan who gave shelter to the group of 12 Maoists on the run and three persons who trained with them, the police said. The villagers were drawn into training with the lure of jobs in the Army and other facilities, the police said. The villagers have been taken into custody to get important clues about the core group of Maoists, said Nainital SSP Vijay Shakhare, who led the raid. The People’s Liberation Guerrillas Army, the outfit these people were led into, has been active in the border areas for a year now, the police said, adding that it is affiliated to the Maoist Communist Centre of India. Meanwhile, the five Maoists arrested from the forests of Saufutia in Udham Singh Nagar on Sunday, have been remanded in 14-day judicial custody. At a high-level meeting held on Tuesday, the government decided to seek help from the Centre to increase the number of posts manned by the Special Security Bureau (SSB) to 40, apart from providing the police with advanced ammunition. |
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Goa refuses CBI nod to operate
Mumbai, September 2 “I have lost confidence in the independence of the CBI, it is becoming a puppet into the hands of the Central Government,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Goa’s capital, Panjim, today. Mr Parrikar’s decision comes days after the Income Tax Department raided the properties belonging to Goa’s Town and Country Planning Minister Atanacio Monserrate. Income tax sleuths also raided the house of former Congress MLA from the Poinguinium constituency, Mr Isidore Fernandes, who quit his seat in the State Assembly to join the BJP. Mr Parrikar said the Income Tax Department did not seek permission of the Goa Government before launching the raid nor was the state government informed about the incident. |
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36 shortlisted for ‘Mr & Miss Bollywood’ Mumbai, September 2 Tuesday afternoon saw the 36 young men and women, some still in college, walk the ramp as the television channel revealed their identity to the media. The 36 finalists were part of 74 aspirants who arrived in Mumbai on August 2 for the final auditions. According to Sahara, a panel of judges comprising top names from Bollywood like Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Mahesh Bhatt, Smita Thackeray, Pankaj Parashar, Priyadarshan, E. Niwas and Ken Ghosh and
others shortlisted the finalists. According to Rauf Ahmed, Creative Director, “Mr and Miss Bollywood,” the 36 aspiring actors will feature in 10 short films to be produced under the Sahara banner. Based on their performance in the 10-minute films, two lead pairs will be chosen to act in a forthcoming film. The rest will be featured in television serials. The film featuring the two lead pairs will be announced by event management company Percept D’Mark and Sahara. The talent hunt kicked off
late March 2004. Road shows were held in four cities where Celina Jaitley, Neha Dhupia, Bipasha Basu and Dia Mirza put in appearances as brand ambassadors. Entries were received from all over India as well as the UK, the USA, Pakistan and the UAE. These were short-listed and preliminary auditions were held across India. From these were short-listed the 74 finalists. |
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Now enrol online as voter
Hyderabad, September 2 This is thanks to the decision of the ECI to allow e-filing of form 6, used for fresh enrolment of names through its website www.eci.gov.in as well as websites of all Chief Electoral Officers of the states. The website for Punjab is www.punjabgovt.nic.in/election. Chief Election Commissioner T. S. Krishna Murthy said yesterday that a citizen could fill up form 6 online for fresh enrolment and on submission would be provided with an electronic acknowledgement. Electoral officers would then verify the details provided in the application, following which the local postman would obtain the signature of the applicant within a week at the address provided in the form. |
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‘Jassi’ to grace envelopes, postcards
Mumbai, September 2 Unveiling the postcards and covers at a function, Chief Postmaster General of Maharashtra K Noorjehan said, “This is the first time that a popular character on television is being felicitated in this manner.’’ She added that Jassi was a “national icon, who has inspired millions of Indians to believe in themselves’’. She said 12,500 special envelopes were being brought out at Rs 5 each and would be available at the Mumbai GPO philatelic bureau while 1,00,000 ‘Meghdoot’ postcards of Rs 25 paisa each would available across the country.
— UNI
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Krishna Kumar is NCERT director
New Delhi, September 2 Prof Krishna Kumar succeeds Prof
J.S. Rajput, who demitted office on July 13, after which Indira Gandhi National Open University Vice-Chancellor Hanuman Prasad Dikshit was appointed acting Director. The new appointee would have a five-year tenure from the date he assumes office or until further orders, whichever is earlier, an announcement by the Human Resource Development Ministry said.
— UNI
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HC dismisses homosexuals’ plea
New Delhi, September 2 “Since no cause of action has arisen, a petition cannot be filed just for testing the validity of a legislation,” a Bench of the Chief Justice Mr B.C. Patel, and Mr Justice B.D. Ahmed said while dismissing the PIL filed by NGO-Naaz Foundation. The foundation, which claimed to have been working for AIDS awareness, had filed the PIL in 2001, seeking to declare section 377 of the IPC as violative of Articles 14, 15, 19 (1) (A to D) and 21 of the Constitution. Alleging that the police use the threat of law to harass homosexuals, the NGO had sought to restrain the law enforcing agencies from enforcing Section 377 of the IPC. In its affidavit filed in the court last year, the Centre had opposed the petition saying that homosexuality cannot be legalised in India as the society disaproves of such behaviour. “Deletion of Section 377 of the IPC can well open the flood gates of delinquent behaviour and be construed as providing unbridled licence for the same”, the government had told the court on September 8 last year.
— PTI
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HC upholds validity of IPC Section 377
New Delhi, September 2 Since no cause of action has arisen, a petition cannot be filed for testing the validity of a legislation, a Bench comprising Chief Justice B.C. Patel and Mr Justice
B.D. Ahmed said while dismissing the PIL filed by the NGO Naaz foundation.
— PTI |
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Court directs police not to arrest Met chief
New Delhi, September 2 While hearing the anticipatory bail plea of the accused, Additional Sessions Judge Aruna Suresh asked Srivastava to cooperate with the police in the investigation. The anticipatory bail application will come up for hearing on September 10, 2004. Ms Suresh also directed the police to file a status report on the next date of hearing. — UNI
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Appointment of judge opposed ‘Best model
India’ contest |
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