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CVC finds no evidence against Mayawati RSS-BJP fight to have impact on Cong policy
India, US to sign open skies pact today
India, US sign pact on Army medical training
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US Commander calls on J. J. Singh
New Delhi, April 13 Looking to further “broaden strategic partnership” with India, a top US military officer today began discussions here to bolster defence cooperation between the two countries. Admiral William J Fallon, Commander, US Pacific Command, United States navy, inspects the guard of honour in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI photo
HC dismisses Col Sehgal’s plea in Tehelka case
Dabhol project at delicate stage: Attorney-General
Red alert in Corbett National Park
Assam Govt in crisis over Governor’s report
NGOs for moratorium on genetically modified crops
Army divers search for bodies at Dharaji
Youth in forefront in BJP: Venkaiah
Left to field 57 women for MC poll
Gyanendra to meet Indian envoy tomorrow
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CVC finds no evidence against Mayawati
New Delhi, April 13 In the wake of the Supreme Court asking the CVC to examine the alleged mutli-crore scam last month, the commission is preparing its report to be submitted to the apex court. The court had urged the CVC on March 14 to determine whether the CBI’s move to close the case against Mayawati was correct. The CVC was directed to examine the entire material and evidence collected by the Central Bureau of Investigation and submit a report to the court. The CVC is said to be of the view that charges cannot be framed against Ms Mayawati as evidence was lacking to connect her with the conspiratorial clearance of the Rs 175 crore Taj corridor project. The CVC is believed to have reached this conclusion after carefully sifting through the evidence gathered by the CBI during its investigation of the case. Nearly seven months back in October last year, the CBI had submitted before the court that it has failed to establish any nexus between the scam and the disproportionate assets compared to her known sources of income in respect of Ms Mayawati. In widespread raids conducted by the CBI, it found that Mayawati had more than 80 immovable properties and claimed to have received donations totalling a little more than Rs 300 crore. However, the CBI could not find any evidence to link it with the any kickbacks or corruption connected with the project. The CVC had constituted a committee to have a relook at the evidence submitted by the CBI to the Supreme Court to examine the involvement or otherwise of Ms Mayawati with regard to the case. The Division Bench comprising Justice Ruma Pal, Justice S.B. Sinha and Justice S.H. Kapadia had summoned all evidence collated by the CBI following Attorney General Milon Banerjee’s opinion to close the case against Ms Mayawati. The court preferred double-checking of the evidence by the CVC even though the investigating officer of the CBI felt that prosecution could be launched against Ms Mayawati. The investigating officer was overruled by his superiors. |
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RSS-BJP fight to have impact on Cong policy New Delhi, April 13 On the face of it, AICC insiders say the open spat in the Sangh Parivar, fuelled by the RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan’s controversial interview, is its internal matter but they privately admit that this battle holds long-term implications for the Congress. Although the party has had no detailed or formal discussion on this issue, Congress leaders maintain that their own responses will be shaped by the BJP-RSS equation, the ideological line adopted by the BJP and who emerges victorious in the simmering leadership battle among its second-rung aspirants. Although it is too early to say how the BJP-RSS battle for supremacy will play out, the Congress believes either way it will impact them. AICC leaders said if the BJP is able to shake off the ideological hold of the RSS and chart its own independent course, the “party with a difference” could well loose its relevance. On the flip side, a section in the AICC maintains that it is better for the Congress if the RSS continues to provide ideological direction to the BJP. As long as the BJP remains an appendage of the RSS, it makes it easier for us to attack it since the RSS does not enjoy widespread acceptability, given its brand of hardline Hindutva,” commented an AICC functionary. It
is, therefore, better for the Congress if the the RSS tightens its hold on the BJP. Congress insiders said though the RSS-BJP relations might stand altered after this latest round of
bloodletting, it is highly unlikely that the two will part ways or that the RSS will stop playing the role of ideological mentor. This is not the first time that the two have had differences, they said, though it is the first time that a RSS chief has openly criticised the BJP, especially senior leaders like Atal Behari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. According to the Congress assessment, that contrary to popular perception, the BJP’s Genext will find it difficult to forsake the RSS as it does not have the self-confidence to go it alone. They will be dependent on the Sangh for direction, according to a Congress leader. It was stated that the RSS chief’s public attack should actually be seen in the light of the internal debate in the Sangh Parivar about the ideological path it should now adopt.
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India, US to sign open skies pact today
New Delhi, April 13 The US Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta is due to sign an agreement with Civil
Aviation Minister Praful Patel that would eventually also see Indian private carriers flying to American cities. After the signing of the historic agreement, which comes almost five decades after the first one was signed, the two would also address a joint press conference here tomorrow. Mr Mineta would be accompanied by Assistant Secretary for Aviation Karan Bhatia and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator Jeffrey Runge for talks with Indian officials. Reports here suggested that the US delegation would also visiting Bangalore for talks with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. While America’s Continental
Airlines recently announced their plans to start a non-stop flight between Delhi and New York, Indian private carriers like Air Sahara and Jet Airways are eagerly awaiting an open skies policy between India and the US, given the traffic volumes. While Continental announced their flight schedule, which was given clearance in 2003, other US airlines such as American Airlines, and Delta Air would also be looking at flying into India. Passenger traffic between the two countries is estimated to have risen by close to 30 per cent last year with ample scope for expansion in the future. The starting of more flights between the two countries would help reduce the fare costs to a great extent given the increase in competition. The current bilateral agreement between India and the US was negotiated in 1956 and imposes restrictions on issues such as cities that can be serviced, the number of airlines, type of aircraft and the frequency of routes. |
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India, US sign pact on Army medical training
New Delhi, April 13 Country's Armed Forces Medical Services and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, will implement the agreement. The agreement will allow the two partners to share military medical experience, professional knowledge and facilities. The objectives of the agreement are to enhance the preparedness of military medical personnel, military medical school faculty and staff members to perform future duties and establish long-term bilateral relationships in this area. Speaking on the occasion, US Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Robert O. Blake said, "The collaboration between the USUHS and the AFMC is an important component of our overall collaboration in health. The benefits from our collaboration inevitably flow back to the citizens of both countries and, indeed, to the global community. "The results of our collaborative efforts will also, and without a doubt, add momentum to the overall bilateral relationship between India and the United States". Mr Blake said the US military is substantially engaged with Indian institutions on issues of health. "This is the kind of working level partnership - between physicians and researchers - that enhances real opportunities to make significant advances in combating diseases," he said, urging the two sides to consider collaboration on infectious diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS.
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US Commander calls on J. J. Singh
New Delhi, April 13 Commander of the US Pacific Command, Admiral J. Fallon, called on the Chief of Army Staff, General J. J. Singh, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, and held discussions with them on matters of mutual interest. An official spokesman said here that Admiral Fallon arrived here yesterday on a five-day official visit at the invitation of the Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Naval Chief. He is also scheduled to meet Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, National Security Adviser M. K. Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran. Earlier in the day, Admiral Fallon laid a wreath at the ‘Amar Jawan Jyoti’ and was accorded a Ceremonial Guard of Honour at the Defence Headquarters in South Block. Admiral Fallon, who is accompanied by his wife, leads a 16-member delegation. On his itinerary are visits to defence installations and places of tourist interest at Agra, Jodhpur and Mumbai during his stay in the country.
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HC dismisses Col Sehgal’s plea in Tehelka case
New Delhi, April 13 A Division Bench of Justices B.A. Khan and Justice Anil Kumar said the petition was infructuous as the sentence by the GCM had been promulgated by the Army authorities. However, the main petition challenging the conviction of Sehgal would be heard on next date of hearing on May 4, the court said. He had challenged the move of the Army to send him to Tihar Jail during the period of conviction. Sehgal, the then Director Directorate General of Ordinance Services (OGOS), had allegedly accepted bribe and misused his office by divulging secret information to undercover reporters of tehelka.com. The High Court on July 27, 2004, had said that any order of the GCM would be subject to the final decision of the court on the petition filed by Sehgal. Counsel Rekha Palli, appearing for the Army, submitted that no illegality was caused by ordering for the arrest of Sehgal as it was done under the Defence Services Rule. The General Court Martial had sentenced Sehegal for four years’ rigorous imprisonment and cashiered him from the defence services. — UNI
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Dabhol project at delicate stage: Attorney-General
New Delhi, April 13 Attorney General Milon Banerjee, made a statement to this effect before a Bench of Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Mr Justice Tarun Chatterjee, hearing an appeal against the Bombay High Court order that the Dabhol project was subject to the regulations of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission for deciding any of its dispute with the Maharashtra State Electricity Board. The Attorney General said Indian financial investors were now negotiating the settlement with the GE and Bechtel and the proceedings were at a “delicate stage” of finalisation. After the financial dispute among the investors, the work on the massive project, supposed to generate 2184 mw of electricity had come to a standstill three years ago. Dabhol Power Corporation had challenged the High Court’s order on the ground that there was an arbitration clause in the agreement between it and the Maharashtra State Electricity Board, which makes it free from the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission. Under the agreement, the board was to purchase 90 per cent of the power generated in the project, to be completed in two phases. The financial dispute had mainly arisen over the fixation of power purchase rates, which as per the law as the prerogative of the commission. Maharashtra had refused to buy power on higher rates and stated that it would pay the rates fixed by the commission.
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Red alert in Corbett National Park
Dehra Dun, April 13 A tiger’s hide was seized at Kaladungri, 25 km from the park, a week ago thus alarming the park authorities of the poaching threat. According to Field Director D.V.S. Khati, the authorities were on alert and the security has been beefed up and patrolling intensified. The tourists visiting the park are frisked apart from the vehicles to ensure that poachers don’t enter it in the garb of tourists. The villages around the park were being closely monitored for any suspicious activity, the park authorities added. Over 250 informers hired by the Forest Department, after the infamous elephant-poaching incident a few years ago, have also been alerted. The park had hit the international headlines after a large scale poaching of 12 elephants a few years ago. The census would be conducted in the park in June.
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Assam Govt in crisis over Governor’s report
Guwahati, April 13 The report comes at the time when the Chief Minister, Mr Tarun Gogoi, was yet to come out of the open threat given by the Jamiat-Ulema-e-Hind to overthrow his government if the outfit’s demands like the job reservation for Muslims and seats in the Lok sabha and the Assembly were not met within six months. National president of the Jamiat Maulana Asad Madani made this threat in front of Mr Gogoi during his outfit’s rally on April 3. Even though the Governor house was planning to institute an inquiry into the leakage of the “classified” report to the media, sources in the Raj Bhavan did not deny the report. According to the report, Assam’s border with Bangladesh was one of the world’s most fluid border with about 6,000 Bangladeshis daily crossing it and a large number of them illegally settling here thus threatening the demographic character of Assam. The report states such a huge influx could lead to setting up of bases for the Pakistan’s ISI network and international terrorist organisations like the Al Qaida. A senior minister of the Tarun Gogoi’s government admitted that the Jamiat-ulema-e-Hind’s threat to overthrow an elected government, followed by the Governor’s report were certainly going to help the BJP and the Asom Gana Parishad to step up their campaign against the Congress for appeasing the minority community. The Congress has been opposing the repeal of the Illegal Migrants Determination Tribunal Act 1983 (IMDT) meant for the detection and deportation of illegal migrants. The IMDT is in force in Assam only.
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NGOs for moratorium on genetically modified crops
Hyderabad, April 13 The Mahyco-Monsanto Bollgard BT cotton, introduced in Andhra Pradesh for commercial cultivation in 2002, has completely failed in terms of yields, use of pesticides and in profitability, Mr P.V. Sateesh, convenor, Andhra Pradesh Coalition in Defence of Diversity, said. The demand comes in the wake of the two-day meeting of the Genetic Engineering Approval Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests in New Delhi today and tomorrow to decide whether to give permission to various companies for commercial introduction of genetically altered seed varieties. Charging that BT cotton has failed farmers twice in terms of yield, the report released by the NGO claimed that the non-BT has surpassed BT in terms of yield by nearly 30 per cent with 10 per cent less cost. The three-year average revealed that non-BT farmers earned 60 per cent more than BT farmers, the report added. The study concluded that while Monsanto hybrids resulted in a net loss of Rs 217 per acre, the non-BT hybrids helped farmers with a net profit of 594 per acre. Asking the Centre to withhold the license for next three years to the Bollgard BT hybrids of Mahyco Monsanto, the NGO also wanted a wider public debate on the issue. We demand that there should be a moratorium on genetically engineered crops in India for the next five years, Mr Sateesh added.
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Army divers search for bodies at Dharaji
Bhopal, April 13 Three bloated bodies were fished out by the Army divers this morning taking the number to 67. Only the 40-odd bodies have been identified, others having disintegrated beyond recognition. Many people whose relatives have been missing since the April 7 night are camping at the tragedy site to at least retrieve the remains of their dear and near ones. Only those bodies which were stuck in caves and rocks around the tragedy site have been recovered. Chief Minister Babulal Gaur has shocked the people of the state by his observation that those who were drowned in the Narmada at Dharaji were illiterate and superstitious people. They wanted to bathe in the river between 10 pm and midnight when the water was released. The National Hydro Development Corporation (NHDC) has taken the plea that it releases water whenever it is required to generate power and it had no information that the Bhootdi Amavasya fair was on downstream. The Chief Minister had announced an administrative inquiry into the tragedy. Apparently stung by virulent criticism of his pathetic inertia, the Chief Minister today transferred Dewas Collector Ashish Shrivastava to the Secretariat in Bhopal.
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Youth in forefront in BJP: Venkaiah
Hyderabad, April 13 Responding to questions on the controversy in the wake of RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan remarks about the need for younger leadership in the BJP, Mr Naidu said the youth was in the forefront in the party. “Only in our party, young leaders are aplenty. In the Congress, youth means children of the party leader. Mr Naidu was briefing the media about the outcome of the daylong meeting of the party committee on agrarian crisis in the country. He is convener of the committee consisting of nine members. Expressing unwillingness to be drawn into the controversy, he, however, said there was no uncertainty in the party over the RSS-VHP remarks. “Earlier, our party was accused of being anti-Muslim, now being anti-Hindu”,
he said in an indirect reference to the RSS leader. Asked whether he considered it a demotion to be the Vice-President of the party after leading it as President, Mr Naidu said that positions in the BJP were a responsibility and cited the example Mr L.K. Advani who has held various posts-big and small- in his career.
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Left to field 57 women for MC poll
Kolkata, April 13 The elections to the Kolkata Corporation, where the Trinamool Congress-BJP combine has been in power since 2000, will be held simultaneously with the Howrah Municipality and the Salt Lake Municipality. But prior to that on May 29 elections will be held in 69 other municipalities in the state. In most of the areas, Left parties are in power. The Trinamool Congress and the Congress will not fight jointly against the CPM since there has been no agreement between them following ideological and political differences among them. Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee said they would fight the elections as a partner of the NDA against both the CPM and the Congress. But the Trinamool Congress leader, Mr Subrata Mukherjee, insisted that they should come to an electoral adjustment with the Congress to defeat the CPM. |
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Gyanendra to meet Indian envoy tomorrow
New Delhi, April 13 The Government of India is viewing the development with a certain degree of expectancy but does not want to play it up. The development should come as a breather of sorts for New Delhi last week a close aide of King Gyanendra had publicly talked of the need for Mr Mukherjee’s “expulsion” from Nepal for his alleged activities against Kathmandu. An all too noticeable chill has enveloped Indo-Nepal relations since the February 1 coup by King Gyanendra. India condemned the King’s act strongly and refused to share the dais with him in Dhaka for the SAARC summit which had to be eventually postponed. Nepal’s Ambassador here, Mr Karna Dhoj Adhikary, in a public discussion on “Nepal’s Struggle Against Maoist Insurgency”, organised here on April 7 by the Delhi Study Group, had defended the King’s act, saying that internal party tussles and political rivalries among main Nepalese political parties had severely affected their capacity and capability to counter the Maoists.
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Hurriyat to meet Pervez on April 17
New Delhi, April 13 PMO sources said time for the meeting with the Prime Minister would be decided after a request was received from the APHC. They said the Prime Minister had expressed his intention to meet all those who were willing to contribute to peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Observers here said APHC leaders were keen to meet General Musharraf first to dispel impression about their “softening” stand towards the government. However, APHC leaders said that it did not matter whether they first met Dr Singh or General Musharraf. |
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Film on Netaji to be released on June 6
Kolkata, April 13 Today he called on Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and invited him to the premiere. The Rs 22-crore project film on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, produced by the Sahara, took four years to complete. It was shot in India and several other Asian and European countries which Netaji visited during his last journey for freeing India from British bondage, Benegal told mediapersons. |
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Women hold protest on Tandon’s birthday
Lucknow, April 12 Wearing black bands, the women were angry at Lalji Tandon's "zest to celebrate his birthday" and would rather remember it as the day when "poor people were helplessly crushed to death", states a pamphlet brought out by the All-India Democratic Women's Association. Several persons were killed in a sari-distribution melee at Chadrashekhar Park on this day last year. |
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Nirupam set to join Congress
Mumbai, April 13 According to sources, he is likely to be inducted into the party this weekend. The newspaper editor-turned-politician is angling for his old Rajya Sabha seat, elections for which are to be held on April 20. Nirupam’s entry into the Congress was cleared by party chief Sonia Gandhi with whom he had a meeting after he quit his Rajya Sabha seat. Though a section of Congress leaders from Mumbai of North Indian origin had opposed Mr Nirupam’s entry, they were persuaded by senior Congress leaders like Ahmad Patel, sources said. |
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Cong rejects criticism over affidavit New Delhi, April 13 Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said the additional affidavit was given on the basis of an undertaking given by the Attorney-General on March 14 to give details of all other cases which had attracted adverse comments by CAG and were under examination. He said ordering an inquiry and reporting it to court was not personal vendetta. “We have never talked about violation of procedures in the first affidavit but scandals,” he said.
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PM’s help sought in dance bar case Malayalam writer dead |
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