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Reddy meets PM over ‘hijacking’ of projects
SC seeks report on pardon to Congressman Chinese warships arrive for naval exercises
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Court to examine issue of SC status to Dalit Christians
IOC to pay 30 lakh to Manjunath’s family
Security review for Indians in Afghanistan
Centre to help states tackle Naxalism
Ayodhya blast: accused get copies of chargesheet
Panel to probe complaints against judges
Scuffle between minister and magistrate
125 MLAs in Bihar are first-timers
NDA to end boycott of
‘tainted’ ministers
Irrigation Ministers to meet tomorrow
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Reddy meets PM over ‘hijacking’ of projects
Hyderabad, November 28 The Congress government in the state is upset over the fact that while Andhra sent the maximum number of MPs to Parliament, facilitating the formation of the Congress government at the Centre, it is Tamil Nadu which is cornering all benefits of new investments. Andhra MPs are especially cut up with Union Ministers from Tamil Nadu belonging to the DMK who, they allege, have been diverting all big investments, expected to flow into Andhra, to their state. Chief Minister Reddy himself accused Union Minister for IT and Communications Dayanidhi Maran a couple days of back of trying to appropriate the proposed Fab City in Hyderabad to Chennai. “Ministers from Tamil Nadu seem bent on diverting all industries and investments in the South to their homestate. We will protest against this discrimination to the party leadership,” Mr Reddy had said. The Andhra Government claims that though international consultancies clearly favoured Hyderabad as the ideal place for establishment of a Fab City, the DMK Minister at the Centre had been making every effort to locate the facility to Chennai. After a meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr Reddy told reporters in Delhi that Mr Manmohan Singh had assured him that the investments proposed for Andhra would flow smoothly to the state. Officials in the Chief Minister’s office say the state government wrote to the Centre about several instances where TN ministers had acted in self-interest. The state government feels that by parading the large number of MPs from the state in Delhi, a message has been conveyed that the Congress high command cannot ignore the interests of Andhra Pradesh, which played a key role in the formation of the government. Mr Reddy took MPs belonging to the TDP, TRS, CPI, CPM and MIM along with him to the Prime Minister. Interestingly, the delegation also met Mr Maran, who, according to the Chief Minister, said Andhra was the preferred destination for the proposed Fab City.
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SC seeks report on pardon to Congressman
New Delhi, November 28 A Bench of Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice S H Kapadia, while taking note of the allegations in a petition by sons of the deceased TDP worker that the pardon was granted by the Governor purely on “political considerations”, directed the State government to place entire record on the process of granting pardon to Gowru Venkata Reddy whose wife is a sitting Congress MLA. Reddy, who was a member of Pradesh Congress Committee in 1995, was granted pardon in the murder of TDP worker Epuru Chinna Ramasubbaiah that took place the same year. Governor Sushil Kumar Shinde granted pardon to him in August last after the Supreme Court had upheld his conviction and awarded 10 years’ sentence. It was alleged that Reddy, while on bail pending trial in the case, had murdered another person in October 1996. The sons of Ramasubbaiah, who filed the petition in the apex court, alleged that the Governor had passed the order of pardon after a simple note was sent to him by the Y S Rajshekhra Reddy government without placing before him the record of the case. Taking note of it, the court appointed former Attorney-General Soli J. Sorabjee amicas curiea to assist it in the matter. The court also directed the District Collector of Kurnoor and its SP to place before it the entire report of the case.
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Chinese warships arrive for naval exercises
Kochi, November 28 The People’s Liberation Army’s ships, ‘Shenzhen’, a Luhai class Destroyer, and ‘Weishanhu’, a fleet auxiliary ship, were received by the Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, and other senior officers of the Command. Rear Admiral Han Linzhi, Deputy Commander of the South Sea Fleet, who is heading the Chinese side, was given a Guard of Honour on arrival at the Southern Naval Command Headquarters. Rear Admiral Han and other senior Chinese officers called on Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief, (Southern Naval Command) S.C. Bangara. About 100 schoolchildren waved flags of the two countries while the Navy Band performed in the background. The Chinese naval personnel also lined up along the ships’ upper deck as their naval band played several tunes. ‘Shenzhen’ fired gun salutes before entering the harbour. The ships, during their four-day stay here, will take part in ‘’basic exercises’’ alongside the Indian Navy’s INS Gomati. ‘Shenzhen,’ commanded by Capt Zhu Jianda, is a destroyer equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, and carries a Harbin Z9C helicopter on board. Capt Chen Zailiang is commanding the 21,740 tonne ship ‘Weishanhu’. Both ships together have a crew of about 544 personnel. — UNI
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Court to examine issue of SC status to Dalit Christians New Delhi, November 28 Describing the issue as “very important” requiring examination, a Bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Mr Justice C K Thakker and Mr Justice R V Raveendran said the court would examine the constitutional validity of Para-3 of Presidential order of 1950 excluding those Scheduled Caste (SC) persons from reservation benefits, who had converted to Christianity. “The question is important. It required to be examined as on the ground of religion such distinction can be made and if it does not hit at Article 14 (fundamental right to equality before law),” the Bench observed. The court’s observation came after Additional Solicitor-General (ASG) Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for the Centre, said the scope of the terms and reference of the Justice Ranganath Mishra Commission had been enlarged by the government by a notification of September 20 in the context of Para-3 of the Presidential order on the question of ceiling of 50 per cent on reservation. The ASG said if positive recommendations in favour of the Dalit Christians were made by the commission, the modalities of their inclusion on the list of the Scheduled Caste would be examined by the government. Taking into account the abnormal delay such commissions take in submitting their reports, the Bench said, “we are not linking the examination of the issue” with the information collected by the panel and its recommendations, while ordering the court registry to list the matter for argument in the third week of February next. The court made it clear that at this stage it was not expressing any opinion whether the Presidential order violated any fundamental right. “We may examine this question, if necessary, after we are informed about the progress of the commission,” the Chief Justice said. The constitutional validity of Para-3 of the Presidential order has been challenged in a bunch of petitions by an NGO and some individual “Dalit Christians” from Kerala and Tamil Nadu on the ground that they were discriminated even within the Christian community after conversion in the same manner as was being done within the Hindu community before conversion. The petitioners had sought benefit of the reservation to “Dalit Christians” in the same manner as was available to SC people on conversion to Sikhism and Buddhism. The government counsel contested the petitioner’s move to approach the Supreme Court on the issue, contending that the court could not issue a direction in the matter as per its own judgement given by a Constitution Bench on the issue of suicide. In the judgement, the court had clearly laid down that any amendment in the Presidential order had to be done through Parliament.
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IOC to pay 30 lakh to Manjunath’s family
New Delhi, November 28 “It was a planned cold-blooded murder. This young, bright IIM-Lucknow passout officer (Manjunath) had gone to inspect a petrol pump in Lakhimpur Kehir district of UP on November 19 and fined and suspended sales to the petrol pump after detecting adulteration,” IOC Chairman S. Behuria told reporters here. “He was called back by the dealer of the petrol pump and murdered in cold blood. Seven bullets were pumped into him and generators were kept on to drown the noise,” he said. The murder, first in the history of the IOC, had sent shock waves in the company and the country’s largest firm was taking measures to restore confidence. The IOC had taken up the security of its officers with the highest authorities in the state and would provide own security through the CISF or private guards wherever necessary. Behuria, who will visit the bereaved family in Kolar district of Karnataka this week, said the company board had approved a compensation of Rs 30 lakh and a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 to the dependant of the deceased. Besides, the IOC would also institute an award in his name for
meritorious and exemplary services. The IOC was also recommending Manunath for award of Ashok Chakra, country’s highest bravery award for a civilian in line of duty. He said during the recent past company officials had received threatening calls in 27 different cases and it was dealing with them. — PTI |
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Security review for Indians in Afghanistan
New Delhi, November 28 “A team led by DG BRO is leaving for Afghanistan to review security arrangements of our people,” Mukherjee said, while making a suo motu statement during Zero Hour on the killing of Kutty on November 19 in Afghanistan. Stating the government’s resolve to extending support to Kabul in its quest for economic development and building a stable and prosperous country, the Defence Minister said: “We are in touch with the Afghan authorities to ensure safety of all Indians in Afghanistan.” While condemning the “inhuman and barbaric act’’ against an innocent person, India warned the Taliban and its backers that they would bear the responsibility for the consequences of the outrageous act. Amid criticism that the government had not acted quickly to negotiate with the kidnappers of Kutty and save his life, Mukherjee assured the House that the government had made every effort to seek the safe release of Kutty in cooperation with the Afghan authorities. He said Taliban claimed the responsibility for the abduction and demanded the withdrawal of the BRO from Afghanistan within 48 hours, failing which the Indian hostage would be killed. “This was done in a telephone call to a news agency and no effort was made by the abductors to contact either the Embassy or the BRO. The Afghan government too was unable to establish contact with them,” he said.
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Centre to help states tackle Naxalism
New Delhi, November 28 In a suo motu statement tabled in both Houses on the recent jailbreak incident, Mr Patil said: ‘’The government is willing to further supplement the efforts of the state governments in undertaking more focused, sustained and intensified anti-Naxalite operations.’’ Mr Patil today assured Parliament that the Centre would ‘’deal sternly’’ with Naxalites indulging in senseless acts of violence in Bihar, where 389 prisoners escaped from the Jehanabad jail recently, and other states. He said the government remained committed to combating the problem through a multi-pronged approach on political, security and development fronts. In the wake of the Jehanabad incident, the Centre had advised all Naxal-hit states to review and strengthen security arrangements for safeguarding armouries and jails so as to rule out recurrence of such attacks, the minister said. Mr Patil informed the House that the Centre has recently approved additional India Reserve battalions for the Naxal-affected stated with higher funding from the Union Government. He said the government had set up a mechanism to bring about greater coordination among the Naxal-affected states and the Union Home Secretary held the meeting of the coordination Centre regularly once in every three months to review and coordinate the measures being taken by the states. As regards to violence in Jammu and Kashmir, he said there had been a 22 per cent fall in the terror incidents in the first 10 months this year compared to the corresponding period last year.
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“I am not Radha, but Rukmani”, says IGP
Puri, November 28 “Do you think whatever I am doing is a drama? If you think so you are wrong”, Panda, attired in his now familiar yellow robe and scarf around his head, said here. “Debendra Kishore Panda is dead. I am now Baba Krishnanandaji. I died the day I got spiritual insight”, he told mediapersons trailing him since his arrival here yesterday. Panda, who visited the Sri Jagannath Temple here accompanied by a young woman with a child, said he was “not Radha, but Rukmani”. “I was very happy after having darshan of my swami”, he said. Asked about the woman companion, Panda said she was his “first and last disciple”. She also presented herself before the media saying, “my identity is that I am the disciple of the baba from whom I have got spiritual insight”. Questioned whether she was Panda’s wife, she said “I have already said I am his disciple”, as Panda intervened On his arrival at Bhubaneswar yesterday, Panda had picked up the woman and the child from the airport and then proceeded to Puri.
— PTI |
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“Doosri Radha” gets voluntary retirement
Lucknow, November 28 The decision was taken by the state government following a request by Mr Panda, official sources said here. Mr Panda, who is presently in Puri to pay obeisance to the Jagannath temple, told reporters yesterday that he had tendered his resignation before coming Puri. Ms Veena, wife of Mr Panda, had made an appeal to the authorities to take immediate action against her husband who has been dressing up in public as a woman, claiming to be the consort of Lord Krishna. Ms Veena said she was suffering mental agonies because of her husband’s “escapades”. —UNI |
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Ayodhya blast: accused get copies of chargesheet
Lucknow, November 28 According to sources, the chargesheet has ruled out the involvement of any local person in Faizabad or Ayodhya in the conspiracy to blow up the makeshift temple at Ayodhya on July 7. While the charges had been announced against them in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate R.B. Singh in mid-October, copies of the same were formally handed over to the five accused only today in the court. The accused had come from the Naini jail for their court appearance. |
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Panel to probe complaints against judges
New Delhi, November 28 This was stated to the House in a written reply by Law Minister H.R. Bhardwaj, who also said the government was considering to bring a legislation to establish mobile “Gram Nyayalayas” to provide justice to village people at the panchayat level in certain types of criminal and civil cases through mobile courts. The legislation would be extended to the entire country, except Jammu and Kashmir, Bhardwaj said. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Law K Venkatapathy told the House that there were at least 139 vacancies of Judges at present in different high courts of the country. |
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To house cattle is Lalu, Rabri’s dilemma
Patna, November 28 For the RJD supremo, Mr Lalu Prasad and his wife, Mrs Rabri Devi, the major concern now is how to
accommodate their cattle in the new Bungalow allocated to the former Chief Minister on Circular Road, popularly known here as 10 Janpath. The problem is further compounded because of the
courtesy shown by Mr Nitish Kumar by asking the Chief Secretary to ascertain the choice of Mrs Rabri Devi, now the leader of the RJD Legislature Party, before requesting her to vacate 1, Ane marg, earmarked for the Chief Minister. It was former Congress Chief Minister Bindeswari Dube who had
converted 1 Ane marg, then a guest house, into the residence of the Chief Minister. For Mr Lalu Prasad and Mrs Rabri Devi the problem is how to put in place their 200 cows, two horses and other pets who since 1990 have lived with them at 1, Ane Marg. Mr Lalu Prasad had moved into 1, Ane Marg, with his wife and nine children on March 10, 1990, when he first became Chief Minister. |
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Scuffle between minister and magistrate
Patna, November 28 Today, there was a scuffle between Irrigation Minister and JD (U) leader Narendra Singh and the Magistrate on duty at the main gate of the Bihar Assembly, Mr Dilip Agarwal, when the latter denied entry to the former inside the House for not carrying a valid document. Mr Singh arrived at the main gate of the Assembly to attend the oath-taking ceremony of new MLAs. He is still not an elected member of the House. He joined the JD (U) from the LJP just before the poll. An FIR was reportedly lodged against the minister at the secretariat police station by the Magistrate, though the administration denied the same. Mr Singh had reportedly beaten up the BDO of his constituency at Chakai under Jamui district three years back. Interestingly, during the 2000 poll, Mr Singh was elected from two seats, one as an Independent and the other as JD(U) candidate. In view of the then fractured mandate, he had resigned as JD(U) MLA to retain his seat as an independent. Mr Singh was a minister in RJD Cabinet headed by Mr Lalu Prasad between 1990-95. There are six Ministers in the new NDA Cabinet who have earlier served with the RJD during different spells.
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125 MLAs in Bihar are first-timers
Patna, November 28 As the inaugural session of the 14th Bihar Assembly got underway today,the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced the name of Udai Narayan Chaudhary as the candidate of the NDA for the post of Speaker in the House. With 143 NDA MLAs, the election of Mr Chaudhary, a
JD(U) MLA from Imamganj, is a mere formality now. The election is slated for November 30. Mr Kumar said going by the convention the post of Deputy Speaker would go to the Opposition. Pro tem Speaker Bhola Prasad Singh, who represents the BJP, today administered the oath of office and secrecy to new MLAs, which will continue till tomorrow. |
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NDA to end boycott of
‘tainted’ ministers
New Delhi, November 28 "The people have given their verdict on the tainted ministers. All tainted ministers have been humbled. Hence, we have decided not to continue with our boycott", BJP Parliamentary Party spokesman V. K. Malhotra told mediapersons here. He said the decision was taken at a meeting of NDA leaders last week. The NDA had even boycotted almost an entire Parliament session protesting the presence of 'tainted' ministers in the UPA government. The members of the Opposition walked out whenever the ministers, including Mr Yadav, rose to reply, including on the Railway Budget. Besides Mr Yadav, the Opposition alliance boycotted RJD ministers Mohammad Taslimuddin, P.C. Gupta, M. A.A. Fatimi , Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav and Shibu Soren of the JMM. |
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Irrigation Ministers to meet tomorrow
New Delhi, November 28 ‘’Only after assessing their views on Wednesday will the Prime Minister take a decision,’’ Mr Dev said in reply to a supplementary in the Lok Sabha. As per the preliminary estimate, the interlinking of rivers programme would cost about Rs 5,60,000 crore at the 2002 price level. However, the realistic cost can be estimated only after completion of detailed project reports (DPRs) of all constituent link projects, he said. |
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