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PM’s address
motivating: Left
British ordered assassination of Netaji, claims Professor
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Schoolchildren at the Red Fort during the Independence Day celebrations in New Delhi on Monday. — Tribune photo
by Mukesh Aggarwal
States announce welfare schemes
Ladakhi children At Home with Kalam
12 vehicles set afire
Vajpayee, Advani skip Red Fort function
Sonia confident about fulfilling CMP promises
Where wheels of life have slowed down
91 more die in Mumbai, toll 233
Speedy justice sought for ’84 riots victims
Amarnath shrine to get a facelift
Drive to classify reservation among SCs gains momentum
4 kidnappers killed
TDP questions release
of life convict
‘Sholay’ turns 30
RSS leader Seshadri cremated
Shekhawat
mourns death
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PM’s address
motivating: Left
New Delhi, August 15 However, in the same breath, the CPM and CPI leaders wondered why the Prime Minister had missed mentioning the Women’s Reservation Bill and its introduction in the ongoing session of Parliament. The Left leaders complimented Dr Manmohan Singh for underlining the government’s commitment to contain domestic violence against women and other social evils. CPM senior leader Basudeb Acharia and CPI National Secretary D. Raja said it was good that the Prime Minister had underlined the government’s priorities in spheres of education, unemployment, agriculture, rural economy and rural health, water management and electricity generation among other things. Mr Acharia said Dr Manmohan Singh’s speech was remarkable for its emphasis on uplifting the SCs and STs and extension of job reservation in the non-government sector. The CPM leader hailed the Prime Minister’s commitment to strengthen relations with neighbouring countries but cautioned him against “succumbing to the US pressure in any way.’’ Mr Acharia, however, sounded a note of caution on the development agenda saying that the economic growth could not be achieved in isolation. “We have to carry along all sections of the society.’’ The Left parties welcomed the Prime Minister’s stance of calling upon the Pakistan Government to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure in that country while emphasising that dialogue was the only means to resolve disputes. “The Prime Minister’s speech was reasonably motivated with good intentions and great concerns for the economic and social development of the country,” Mr Raja said. |
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British ordered assassination of Netaji, claims Professor
Kolkata, August 15 Professor Olfin, who met the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, along with Prof Sugata Bose, the Netaji researcher at Oxford University, in the Capital on July 26, apprised him of the documental evidence of his findings, which had been so far unknown to the world, according to Professor Bose. Incidentally, Professor Bose has been Netaji’s grandson and ex-officio chairman of the Netaji Research Bureau in Kolkata. Professor Olfin claimed the relevant documents had been still kept a closely guarded secret by the British Government and preserved at the secret cell in London Museum. He was in the city last week to hand over a copy of his research report to Ms Krishna Bose, the Netaji Research Bureau chairman, who is also Netaji’s grand-daughter and a former Trinamool Congress MP. Mr Subrata Bose, the Forward Bloc MP, who is also one of Netaji’s nephews, today demanded that the Prime Minister should talk with the Blair administration for ascertaining the truth in this connection. He said apparently Professor Olfin’s claim seemed to be logical and plausible since the British Government had launched a hunt for Netaji during the war, who was then secretly negotiating with the friendly countries for bringing freedom to India. Though Professor Olfin’s findings had no bearing on the mysterious disappearance and death of Netaji, this would certainly be a valuable document to the historian and the Netaji research scholars, said Mr Bose. He alleged that even after 58 years of Independence, the British Government had been still maintaining a suspicious silence about Netaji by holding back all valuable and relevant documents of the colonial government in India relating to Netaji’s freedom struggle and the INA. Justice Monoj Mukherjee of the Netaji Inquiry Commission had alleged to the former Vajpayee government and Dr Manmohan Singh that the Blair administration had refused to part with any official documents of the then colonial government regarding Netaji, which could have solved once for all the long-standing mystery of Netaji’s death. The revelation comes at a time when the Mukherjee Commission, probing the mysterious
disappearance of Netaji, comes to the end of its inquiry. The Mukherjee Commission, planned to visit Russia soon after the winter to get further evidence regarding Netaji’s death before submitting its report to the Centre. The Commission, however, had ascertained that Netaji was not killed in the plane crash at the Taiku airport during the World War as had been claimed. |
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Students steal the show
New Delhi, August 15 Later, they cheered the Prime Minister during his speech at regular intervals. It was an early start to the I-Day function for around 5,000 schoolchildren from Delhi. Having arrived as early as 4 a.m. at the venue, they, dressed in blue, green, saffron and white hues, sang patriotic songs till the Prime Minister arrived. They applauded his speech frequently, sometimes even when the occasion did not demand. At one point, as the Prime Minister began talking of Kashmir saying `Aaiye Hum Sab Milkar...’, the children stood up and roared “Jai Hind” (signalling the end of the speech). But they soon realised their mistake and sat down. “We thought it was time for us to say Jai Hind, but we realised our mistake and quickly sat down again,” said Praveen Goswami, an NCC cadet. Asked whether they had been given any instructions on when to applaud or not, they said they were told to listen attentively and not clap whenever a poignant point was made. The loudest applause was heard when the Prime Minister announced scholarships for 5,000 meritorious students. The children had undergone daily rehearsals for the past 15 days and had to get up extra early for today’s event. “I got up at 2:30 am and was picked up at 3:30 am” said Megha, a Class IX student from Kinari Bazaar Government School. But there were no complaints. They said they were very happy for being chosen to take part in the function. “I will like to come back here again next year,” said Sara Parveen, a Class VIII student of Government School, Lal Kuan. The first to arrive, they, however, were the last to leave as they waited in queues for refreshments and a ride back home from the Red Fort.
— PTI |
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States announce welfare schemes
New Delhi, August 15 Lucknow:
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday rejected the concept of smaller states, saying that the country could not be made stronger by “dividing it into parts”. Appealing to people to take a pledge towards preserving the unity and integrity of the country, Mr Yadav after unfurling the National Flag on the occasion of the 59th Independence Day outside the Vidhan Sabha here, said the country could not be made strong by dividing it into smaller parts. Patna:
Underscoring the need for a two- pronged strategy to tackle the Naxalite problem in Bihar, Governor Buta Singh on Monday said much needed to be done on the law and order front to ensure a peaceful existence for the people. He was speaking at the Independence Day function at the historic Gandhi Maidan after unfurling the Tricolour. Bhubaneswar:
Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday sought cooperation of the people to ensure all-round development of the state by utilising its enormous mineral resources. Several steel and aluminium projects, including a Rs 51,000-crore steel plant proposed by South Korea’s Pohang Steel Company Ltd (Posco), are in the offing, he said after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day. Raipur:
Chhattisgarh has attracted investment proposals worth Rs 43,000 crore in the last one year, Chief Minister Raman Singh said on Monday. “After a new strategy adopted for value addition of natural resources of the state, Chhattisgarh has attracted Rs 43,000 crore worth of investment proposals in various sectors in the last one year,” he said after unfurling the Tricolour here. Chennai:
Announcing a Rs 250 crore comprehensive social security scheme for farmers and agricultural labourers in Tamil Nadu, state Chief Minister Jayalalithaa said on Monday that heavy rain in the Cauvery catchment area had brightened the prospects of a bumper samba crop. Making the announcement after unfurling the Tricolour from the ramparts of Fort St George on the occasion of Independence Day, Ms Jayalalithaa said farmers between the ages of 18 and 65 could become members of the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s Farmers Social Security Scheme by making a payment of Rs 10 each. Bangalore:
Karnataka Chief Minister N. Dharam Singh on Monday unveiled a five-point programme covering employment and food guarantee, health, compulsory primary education and basic facilities for schoolchildren. Speaking at the Independence Day celebrations here, he said a high-level state committee would be formed to guide implementation of the “Chief Minister’s five-point programme”. Hyderabad:
Apparently with an eye on the coming municipal elections, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy on Monday unveiled a series of developmental schemes on the occasion of the 59th Independence Day. Addressing a gathering after unfurling the Tricolour at Parade Grounds here, the Chief Minister said his government had taken up Rs 500 crore worth developmental programmes to ‘transform’ urban areas and plans were on to implement 54 drinking water schemes at a cost of Rs 580 crore. Thiruvananthapuram:
Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Monday announced a nine-point programme for the welfare of weaker sections of the state, including a health insurance scheme benefiting 15 lakh families and a housing project for people in coastal areas. In his Independence Day address here, Mr Chandy said the Congress-led UDF government would work for implementing President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s proposals for the development of Kerala presented during his recent visit to the state. Pondicherry:
Pondicherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy on Monday announced that the administration would provide a loan of Rs 2 lakh to each of the unemployed youth in the union territory to launch self-employment projects. Speaking after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of the 59th Independence Day celebrations here, he said the interest for the loans for first five years would be borne by the government. Port Blair:
The Andaman and Nicobar Administration on Monday honoured heroes of tsunami by awarding them Lt-Governor’s Independence Day commendation certificates. “I express my gratitude for those who worked tirelessly after the catastrophe,” said Lt-Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands after distributing commendation certificates. Guwahati:
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday urged banned insurgent outfit ULFA to abjure violence and come to the negotiating table in the interest of the state’s welfare. Addressing a gathering here after hoisting the Tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day, he said the Assam Assembly at its just-concluded session had adopted an unanimous resolution asking ULFA and other insurgent outfits to give up violence. Itanagar:
The Arunachal Pradesh Government is taking all steps to accelerate development of the border areas of the state, Chief Minister Gegong Apang said on Monday. The Centre has already sanctioned construction of around 1200 km road to provide connectivity to border areas to reopen bilateral trade with neighbouring China, Myanmar and Bhutan, he said addressing a gathering here after unfurling the Tricolour on the occasion of Independence Day. Kolkata:
West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee unfurled the Tricolour in front of the state Secretariat as West Bengal joined the rest of the nation in celebrating the 59th Independence Day amidst strict security today. Flag hoistings, offering of floral tributes to freedom fighters, official receptions, exhibitions, rendering of patriotic songs and sit-and-draw competitions for schoolchildren were held across the state to celebrate the day. Jaipur:
Terming the farmers’ agitation for water in Sriganganagar district as “politically motivated and aimless,” Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje on Monday said her government was committed to providing the state’s farmers with water for irrigation from the Indira Gandhi canal. “They are trying to ignite the desert sand dunes for politics on water, but the entire state is one family...The government is sensitive to farmers’ demand of water,” Ms Raje said after hoisting the National Flag at the Sawai Man Singh stadium here. Pune:
Maharashtra Governor S.M. Krishna on Monday unfurled the National Flag at the Council Hall here to mark the country’s 59th Independence Day. Bhopal:
The Madhya Pradesh Government on Monday launched a scheme to ensure maternity care and general health care facilities, as the state celebrated the 59th Independence Day with fervour and gaiety. “In a bid to boost healthcare and maternity care, the Dhanwantri Yojana will commence in 50 blocks of the state from Monday,” Chief Minister Babulal Gaur said after unfurling the Tricolour at the main Independence Day function at Motilal Nehru Stadium here. Ahmedabad:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday announced a Rs 2 crore package for development of tribal-dominated Sabarkantha district of north Gujarat on the occasion of Independence Day. Mr Modi made this announcement after unfurling the Tricolour at Himmatnagar town of the district in the presence of several of his Cabinet colleagues.
— PTI, UNI |
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Ladakhi children At Home with Kalam
New Delhi, August 15 Dr Kalam, immediately after the National Anthem, met the children from the Nubra valley near Siachen individually and recited a poem “Dreams...dreams convert into thoughts and thoughts into action....” The President gave the children a patient hearing before meeting the VVIPs who had come to Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion. Dr Kalam also met blind and autistic children whom he described as “special children.” Among the host of VVIPs present on the occasion were Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chaterjee. Former Prime Ministers V.P. Singh, H.D. Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral and Union Minister Shivraj Patil attended the function at the sprawling lawns of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Meanwhile, paying floral tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate on Independence Day today, Dr Kalam penned an eloquent ode to the “alter of heroes” which “spreads the message of sacrifice.” The three-stanza poem consisting of four lines each is as
follows: Amar Jawan Jyoti Lights our hearts with courage Radiates to the nation, devotion Spreads the message of sacrifice Ignites confidence of our nation Triggers hope dancing in wind Scene of paise and serenity entwined Upturned rifle and helmeted top Altar of heroes, who fulfilled their promise Stately black granite and fire on all four corners Deferential silence on their
eloquent deeds With floral tributes and moist in the eyes Amar Jawan Jyoti, we salute you in earnest.
— PTI |
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12 vehicles set afire
Imphal, August 15 Armed men set on fire six trucks loaded with essential items at Kopibung on the Imphal-Guwahati NH 39, about 35 km from here in Senapati district after asking drivers to get off the vehicles this morning, official sources said. The trucks were coming to Imphal from Dimapur in Nagaland, the sources said. The same persons stopped six other vehicles, including three empty trucks, going in the opposite direction and burnt them too. The identity of the attackers wearing military uniform was not known, they added. Meanwhile, Independence Day celebrations were held amidst tight security at the parade ground of the First Manipur Rifles Battalion here in view of a boycott call by the Manpur People’s Liberation Front.
— PTI |
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Vajpayee, Advani skip Red Fort function
New Delhi, August 15 BJP media convenor Siddarth Nath Singh said Mr Vajpayee and Mr Advani could not attend the function as they had to leave for Bangalore early morning to attend the funeral of veteran RSS leader H V Seshadri. |
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Sonia confident about fulfilling CMP promises
New Delhi, August 15 “Why not. Why not” retorted the Congress leader when mediapersons asked her if she agreed with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Red Fort address today that he would complete the promises in the Common Minimum Programme within
10 years. Ms Gandhi’s brief interaction with media came soon after unfurling the Tri-colour at the AICC quarters here in the
presence of Prime Minister and several of his Cabinet colleagues, CWC members, AICC office bearers and other party leaders. Ms Gandhi also greeted people on Independence Day and distributed sweets to children and others on the occasion. Besides Ms Gandhi and Dr Manmohan Singh, those present at the party headquarters included Union Ministers Shivraj Patil, P. Chidambaram, and Ghulam Nabi Azad, Meira Kumar and P M Sayeed and senior party leaders like, Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, A.K. Antony, Mahabir Prasad, Moti Lal Vora, Janardan Dwiwedi, Ashok Gehlot and Digvijay Singh. The entire AICC complex was draped in Tricolour for the flag hoisting function made lively by patriotic and national songs rendered by party workers and Seva dal volunteers.
— PTI |
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Where wheels of life have slowed down
Kishanganj (Bihar), August 15 As the name of the village signifies, Chakla meaning wheel, a majority of the residents, who belong to the minority community, were engaged in manufacturing hand-made wooden bullock cart wheels used by farmers to transport their produce. But due to the short supply of “saal” wood and a large number of farmers preferring tractors to bullock carts, people here are being forced to take up petty jobs to survive, leaving their age-old profession. “Earlier, every household was engaged in manufacturing cart wheels, but now only 15 families are somehow managing to pull on with this four-generation-old profession,” 85-year-old
Nooruddin, who started helping his father prepare cart wheels from the age of five, laments. “About five years back, my family members and I used to prepare at least 100 pairs of cart wheels in a month. But now, thanks to the short supply of saal wood and many farmers preferring tractors for bullock carts, sometimes we are able to produce only two to five pairs of wheels per month,” he said. Mohammad
Badruddin, who was on a holiday, said for the past three years he was working with a cycle seat manufacturing unit in Ludhiana as he was unable to sustain as a cart wheel manufacturer. “Good quality wood is not available and we have to depend on woods smuggled into Kishanganj from the neighbouring Siliguri district. While there is always a fear of being caught, sometimes it becomes too uneconomical,” Badruddin said demanding that the Bihar Government should help them in preventing this age-old profession from getting extinct. Giving a finishing touch to a pair of wheels, Zuber Alam said while bank loans were available the lack of a local wood market, made business less profitable. This had an adverse impact on the repayment of loans. “Almost every household in this village has taken loan from various banks, but has not been able to repay it,” he said holding political parties responsible for their plight. “At the time of elections they come to us promising the moon, but after elections nobody bothers about us, forcing a majority of the youths to migrate to other states in search of a livelihood,” 35-year-old Alam said. |
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91 more die in Mumbai, toll 233
Mumbai, August 15 Most of the 91 victims had been rushed to hospitals since Saturday and efforts to save their lives proved futile, health officials said. They have now confirmed that nearly 60 per cent of the deaths occurred from leptospirosis though a few cases of dengue and cholera too have been reported. The number of people still in hospital has now fallen to 958 with very few new cases of fever being reported, the officials said. So far 6,311 persons have been admitted to hospitals since July 26 when record floods caused lakhs of people to wade through water to reach their homes. The number of patients admitted to private hospitals is still being tabulated. Most of the victims are said to have contracted leptospirosis in this manner. Scientists from various centres, including Delhi’s National Institute of Communicable Diseases, and Regional Medical Research Centre of the Indian Council for Medical Research for Leptospirosis, Port Blair, are camping in Mumbai to carry out confirmation tests for leptospirosis cases in Mumbai and Thane districts. Personnel from UNICEF too are being deployed to carry out door-to-door surveys in the city to detect patients suffering from fever. |
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Speedy justice sought for ’84 riots victims
New Delhi, August 15 Akali Dal (Santokh Singh) president Manjit Singh, also senior member of the DSGMC, led the marchers, who walked up to the Parliament Street from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara. Later, Manjit Singh and four of his party colleagues submitted a memorandum at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, urging President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to ensure justice in accordance with Dr Manmohan Singh’s comments on August 11 in Parliament. In his memorandum to the President, the Akali leader also sought speedy compensation for the victims. He, however, hailed the Prime Minister’s apology over the 1984 riots as historic, saying it would go a long way in healing wounds of the riot victims. “Also, the government should provide housing to the survivors of the riots without any additional payment,” Mr Manjit Singh said. Meanwhile, several Sikh organisations from Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan have endorsed a resolution, describing the apology for the anti-Sikh riots by a Congress Prime Minister as his sincere goodwill gesture that should be made the basis for creating congenial atmosphere between the Sikhs and the rest of the country. “The apology marks a new beginning, honouring the teachings of Guru Granth Sahib and the concept of atonement in Sikhism,” a resolution passed at a meeting convened by the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) said. The DSGMC chief Paramjit Singh Sarna said the Prime Minister’s apology reflected his sincerity and sympathy. Admitting legal hurdles in punishing the 1984-riot guilty because of the destruction of evidence and time lapse, Mr Sarna urged the government to set up a panel on the pattern of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission to put on record the excesses committed against the community and administrative failures in checking them. He also called for a CBI inquiry to bring to book those who committed the atrocities, or at least against those named in the Nanavati report. The meeting was attended by Sikh scholars Gurtej Singh and
H.S. Dilgir, SGPC member Karnail Singh Panjoli, former Punjab minister Manjit Singh Calcutta, Sai Mian Mir Foundation chairman Harbhajan Singh Brar and Haryana Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee leader Jagdish Singh Dhindsa among others. |
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Amarnath shrine to get a facelift
New Delhi, August 15 Morphogenesis Architecture Studio, known for its innovative designs, has been given the responsibility by the Board to improve the facilities for the pilgrims, who make a beeline for the holy cave in July and August every year. Not only would the studio be working to create collapsable living structures for the pilgrims, but also employ anorebic processes to convert sewerage into potable water at the height of more than 13,500 feet. Manit Rastogi, Director of the studio, told The Tribune here that the entitre process of the facelift for Baltal, the base camp before the 13-km trek to the holy cave, and around the shrine could take as long as two years. He pointed out that the process would take time as the region would only be available to the firm for just four months of the year out of which two would also see the progress of the yatra. As of now, the studio is busy studying the satellite imagery pictures of the region to understand the glacier lines, which keep shifting every year, to work out the best possible material to be deployed at that height for the living quarters. The firm is looking at various options, including making a special material of teflon and steel fibre for the collapsible living quarters. The stress will be on not only providing strong material but also extremely light material which can also be carried on the back in a rug sack. As part of the efforts to provide the pilgrims with the best, the firm will be looking at various other options, including the material used in the aircraft which does not get affected in either extreme cold or heat. After this the focus will shift to the area surrounding the shrine as a large number of people have also started staying back at the shrine after the darshan. Once that falls in place, the natural movement will be towards the 13-km trecherous stretch which will be made more safe for the pilgrims than it is at present. The Amarnath Shrine Board, which is headed by the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, has as of now kept no budget for the entire makeover, but is willing to go to any length to provide better facilities to the pilgrims, whose number is swelling every year. |
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Drive to classify reservation among SCs gains momentum
Hyderabad, August 15 An all-party delegation led by state Municipal Minister K. Ranga Rao on Thursday met senior leaders in the government and leaders of the Opposition parties in New Delhi and urged them to amend the Constitution to facilitate sub-categorisation of reservations among the Scheduled Castes. The movement for the classification of reservation was started in the late ’90s in the state when the Madigas, a major Scheduled Caste community, raised the demand against what they called an inequitable distribution of the quota benefits in favour of one community, the Malas, in the state. The Malas and the Madigas are the most numerous comprising almost 90 per cent of the Scheduled Castes in the state. Madigas, described as Dalits among the Dalits, are the equivalent of the Chamars in Maharashtra and the Matangs in North India. The Malas are traditionally more advanced economically and educationally than the Madigas. “The Madigas are outcasts for the Malas,” says K. Balagopal, a prominent human rights activist. A commission of inquiry of the state government found that though the Malas and the Madigas formed 41 and 47 per cent of the SC population, respectively, 62 per cent of all reserved state government jobs had been secured by the Malas, while the Madigas had only 31 per cent. This corresponded also with the educational situation. The Madiga Reservation Porata Samiti, led by Manda Krishna, spearheaded the agitation for categorisation of SC reservations so that the Madigas would gain their due share in education, employment and other benefits provided by the government following which the Telugu Desam Government enacted a law creating a quota within a quota in 1999. “Leaders across party lines have assured us to help bring in legislation in Parliament to ensure that the benefits of reservations are distributed among all sections equitably,” Mr Ranga Rao said. |
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4 kidnappers killed
Purnea (Bihar), August 15 Mudit Kumar Jain, a class IV student of Purnea district school was kidnapped by the armed gangsters who intercepted his car at a place under the Khazanchihat police station here. Mudit, (12) son of businessman Sanjay Jain, was bundled into a car, as passersby watched helplessly. On getting the information, the administration sealed off the district and launched raids to apprehend the culprits. The four kidnappers were members of the Raju Mishra gang leader. They were believed to have handed over the boy to another gang for ransom, the police said, adding that they were shot dead in retalictory fire after they opened fire at the police during a cordon. Raids were on to rescue the boy.
— PTI |
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TDP questions release
of life convict
Hyderabad, August 15 “We demand an explanation from the Governor at whose behest he had ordered the remission of the sentence”, TDP legislature party deputy leader N. Janardhan Reddy said. In a controversial decision, the Governor pardoned G. Venkata Reddy, husband of Congress MLA G. Charita Reddy, who was convicted in a double murder case. He was released from the Cherlapally jail here on Friday following the government’s order. Venakta Reddy, a known faction leader from the Rayalaseema region, was convicted in 2002 in a double murder case. His conviction was later upheld by the High Court. By the time, he was released, Venkata Reddy had served four years and 10 months in prison, inclusive of his remand period. “The institution of Governor has been misused through this partisan action. When a faction leader becomes the Chief Minister, this is what happens to the justice system,” the TDP leader remarked. Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy had created a controversy during the last Assembly election campaign, when he visited Venkata Reddy in prison. Soon after he became the Chief Minister, the Rajasekhar Reddy regime granted parole to Venkata Reddy. The pardon follows a mercy petition filed by the convict’s wife, a Congress MLA from Nandikotkur in Kurnool district and a known loyalist of Mr Rajasekhara Reddy. Incidentally, the state government had refused to grant remission to Naxalite prisoners who have been serving jail terms for more than 10 years, even on health grounds. |
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‘Sholay’ turns 30
Mumbai, August 15 The film, laced with bollywood hit masala formula was released on August 15, 1975 and ironically opened to a lukewarm response but even as the director was toying with the distributor’s proposal to trim the film considered too lengthy, the word of mouth spread and the rest is history. ‘’Sholay’’ was director Ramesh Sippy’s third and the most ambitious venture as it included a galaxy of stars. ‘’Zanjeer’’ and ‘’Anand’’ had already established Amitabh Bachchan’s reputation as a rising star. Dharmendra and Hema Malini were one of the leading pairs of the 70s, Jaya Bhaduri had proved her mettle and Sanjiv Kumar was hailed as a versatile actor. However, the biggest sensation of all turned out to be debutant Amjad Khan as he breathed fire into the character of Gabbar Singh, the ferocious dacoit. In a stark trend reversal, the villain hogged the limelight with the nasty Gabbar staring down on the film’s posters. The careful publicity paid off as
audiences, specially the youth, seemed mesmerised by the powerful person of Gabbar completely ignoring his mean streak when they stepped out of the cinema hall. Sholay’s mastery lies in its sub plots and minor characters, all of which were etched out with the greatest of detail and completeness, says Mahesh
Sarang, 35-year-old software engineer who has lost track of how many times he saw the film in theatres as well as on television.
— UNI |
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RSS leader Seshadri cremated
Bangalore, August 15 His brother’s son H.R. Nagendra lit the pyre at 4.15 pm. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Opposition leader in the Lok Sabha and BJP president L.K. Advani, RSS chief K. Sudharshan, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, VHP international president Ashok Singhal and former Union Minister Murli Manohar Joshi were among other leaders who offered floral tributes to the departed leader. Earlier, the body was taken in a procession from ‘’Keshava Krupa’’, the RSS Karnataka headquarters, where it was kept to enable public to pay their last respects.
— UNI |
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Shekhawat
mourns death
New Delhi, August 15 In his condolence message, Mr Shekhawat said Mr Seshadri was an epitome of high moral values, austerity and simplicity in life and patriotism. “Throughout his life he worked untiringly for creating a spirit of nationalism and pride in our glorious cultural heritage,” Mr Shekhawat said. “In Mr Seshadri’s death we have lost a true patriot, a staunch votary of high moral values and a source of inspiration for the country’s youth.” |
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The Left parties today appreciated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Independence Day speech as “good, positive and motivating” saying that the address clearly stresses the government’s priorities to generate employment, social justice for the weaker sections and strengthen the Indo-Pak peace process.
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