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Tough Budget session for government
Krishnaswamy is new TN Cong chief
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Actress Khushboo claims
Rs 3 crore as damages
India’s fastest train flagged off
Social disability sole criteria for SC/ST status: SC
SC order to govt, bodies on new colleges
Navy revamp on full throttle
Indian Air Force to look for more advanced fighters
Kalam to visit Myanmar
Jagjivan regains freedom after 38 years
Naushad pardoned; to return home soon Abu Salem, Alam retract confession
Allowance for jobless graduates in UP
Chargesheet
filed in phone tapping case
US extends student visas’ time limit
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Tough Budget session for government
New Delhi, February 15 While the Prime Minister asserted that the government was ready to discuss any issue in the Budget session of Parliament, the BJP said it was not ruling out a no-confidence motion against the UPA government. “We are ready for any discussion that the Speaker may decide to admit in the House under any rule,” Dr Singh told mediapersons here after a luncheon meeting hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee for leaders of all political parties in Parliament. Not only is the BJP going to make the life difficult for the government but even Left parties are also gearing up to corner the UPA on a plethora of issues. But the government seems to be unfazed by the Opposition’s threats, the Samajwadi Party’s move to bring a no-trust motion against it and Left’s threat to bring it “on its knees” on the Iran issue. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.R. Dasmunshi declared that the ruling coalition UPA was ready to face any situation, including a trial of strength. “We are a competent government. We have in-built efficiency to face any situation. They should tell the date and the issue (on which they want to bring such motion). We are ready”, Mr Dasmunshi told mediapersons. The NDA, which had already given about 80 notices for debate on various issues, is all set to grill the government on alleged communalisation of the armed forces, defreezing of the London bank accounts of accused in the Bofors kickbacks case Ottavio Quattrocchi, alleged attempt to “reimplement the IMDT Act in Assam” and separation of civil and nuclear programme “under pressure” from the US. In addition, the BJP is also likely to confront the government on the issue involving Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, who is accused of receiving grants for his family trust from Congress MPs from their MPLAD fund. The party will also take the government to task on opening of retail sector to FDI and import of five lakh tonne of wheat. The CPM is harbouring a grudge against the government for not taking the Left into confidence on key issues. It has decided to go to any length, including putting it in the dock in Parliament. The Left parties are also seeking the support of non-Congress parties of the UPA government on five major issues to put pressure on it to toe its line, including India’s vote against Iran at the IAEA and FDI in retail sector. The Left is angry over the way the government initiated the move to privatise airports and for FDI in the retail sector. It has also vehemently opposed the government’s stand on voting against Iran. As declared by the SP, it may move a no-confidence motion in Parliament against the government opposing its policy on Iran and Indo-US nuclear deal. However, except for the TDP, no other party has come out with support to the move. The SP is likely to raise the issue of phone tapping of its leaders, particularly its general secretary Amar Singh. |
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Krishnaswamy is new TN Cong chief
New Delhi, February 15 With three months to go for what is being perceived to be a tough Assembly election and MDMK chief Vaiko threatening to pull out of the DPA, the Congress today named former MP M.Krishnaswamy as the new president of the TN Pradesh Congress Committee (TNPCC) in place of G.K.Vasan who has been made a Union Minister. More importantly, Mr Krishnaswamy is the father-in-law of PMK leader Ambumani Ramadoss, who is also the Health Minister in the UPA government at the Centre. The Congress is hoping Mr Krishnaswamy’s appointment will serve a three-fold purpose. The most obvious is that it will placate the PMK, an important partner in the Tamil Nadu alliance. Second, the Congress is banking on the new PCC chief’s reputation as a neutral person to bring about a semblance of unity in the faction-ridden state unit. Finally, the 67-year-old Krishnaswamy was preferred over other contenders as he belongs to the backward Vanniyar community, which has been complaining that the party is neglecting it. Besides, Mr Krishnaswamy was considered a good replacement for its former PCC chief Dindivanam K.Ramamurthy, an important Vanniyar leader, who is on the verge of being expelled from the Congress for cosying up to the AIADMK. In an attempt to put its own house in order before the Assembly polls, the Congress has named a mammoth 53-member state coordination committee and a 16-member pradesh election committee, which is headed by G.K.Vasan comprising Union Ministers, Central and state leaders and Tamil Nadu MPs. Party insiders maintained that efforts have been made to give representation to all districts, castes and factions. The constitution of these committees is, however, only the beginning, as things will get worse as elections draw closer. Besides having to bargain hard with the DMK for a fair share of seats, the Congress has to deal with the long list of ticket-seekers from within its ranks. As is the case in other states, several Tamil Nadu Congress leaders have already begun lobbying for their sons. Finance Minister P.Chidambaram’s son Karthi, is in the race for the Taml Nadu Youth Congress unit. Union Minister E.V.K.S Elangovan, former MP S.Nachiappan and the new state chief Krishnaswamy are also trying to promote their sons. While the Congress is trying to get its act together, the DMK-led DPA is going through serious convulsions. MDMK chief Vaiko, who is said to be unhappy with the DMK’s
uncompromising attitude on seat sharing, has threatened to walk out of the secular coalition and tie up with the AIADMK. |
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Actress Khushboo claims
Rs 3 crore as damages
Chennai, February 15 The police is investigating the criminal complaint that Khushboo had lodged against the editor and publisher of Maxim. Her lawyer today said he had sent a legal notice asking them to pay Rs 3 crore as damages or face a lawsuit for the amount. The notices, said Mr R. Karthikeyan, her lawyer, had gone to the chairman, president, Editor, Deputy Editor and art Editor of the magazine. He had said in the notice that his client had suffered ‘loss of reputation’ and great hardship as a result of the photograph, which had also ‘lowered her image’ in society. The Chennai police a couple of weeks ago seized about 150 copies of the magazine’s local edition after she complained to the Commissioner, Mr. R. Nataraj. The magazine’s Editors face charges of obscenity, defamation and violations of the Indecent Representation of Women Act. TMr Karthikeyan had earlier said her photograph was accompanied by a disclaimer in fine print that said ‘100 per cent fake’, but the lewd comment that was published alongside made her furious and determined to pursue legal action. Khushboo was quoted as saying on television on Wednesday that a mediator had contacted her on behalf of Maxim and offered to publish an apology in the next issue, but the next issue had been published without any apology. |
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India’s fastest train flagged off
New Delhi, February 15 The New Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express would cover the distance between Delhi and Agra in two hours and reduce travel time in both directions by half an hour. Union Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and Ministers for State for Railways Narangbhai Rathwa and R Velu were present on the occasion. Ticket prices would, however, remain the same. The superfast train would boost tourism in Agra and generate additional revenue for the Railways. The Railway Minister said that if the train runs successfully, more fast trains would be introduced in other sections, including the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah (Kolkata) routes. He said that the superfast train between Delhi and Agra would enable foreign tourists reach the city of Taj in the shortest possible time. The minister said that efforts would be made to run trains that were faster than the Delhi-Bhopal Shatabdi Express. Successful speed trials of the Shatabadi Express on the 198-km stretch between Delhi and Agra had been going on for the last few months. The improved electric locomotive and modern coaches had been tested for all parameters during the trials. Braking system had also been upgraded. The track had been strengthened and technical upgrading of traction and signaling (Long-visibility LED signals) mechanism had been carried out to ensure a safe and comfortable ride for the passengers. The low vibration coaches in the train were also soundproof. For the first time, the Railways for this train have used the modern high-speed locomotive WAP 5 equipped with automatic censor control device. In addition, state-of-the-art coaches have been attached to the superfast train to provide extra comfort and luxury to passengers. |
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Social disability sole criteria for SC/ST status: SC
New Delhi, February 15 Reiterating its earlier verdict that children born out of a wedlock between a woman from forward caste and a man belonging to SC/ST could not claim the reservation benefit, the court said social disability was the sole criteria for sustaining such a claim. “To sustain the claim (of SC/ST benefit), one must show that he/she suffers disabilities — socially, economically and educationally cummulatively. The concerned authority, before whom such claim is made, is duty-bound to satisfy itself that the applicant suffered such disabilities before such certificate is issued,” a Bench of Mr Justice H.K. Sema and Mr Justice A.R. Lakshmanan ruled. The court said that the authority empowered to issue the certificate, if acted only in a “routine” manner without verifying the facts properly, would amount to “dereliction” of constitutional duty by him. The ruling came on an appeal of Anjan Kumar from Gaya in Bihar, born to a mother from forward caste and father from ST caste in Madhya Pradesh. He was issued ST certificate by the SDM, Gaya in 1992 on the basis of which he got selected to Indian Information Service by the UPSC in 1993. However, his appointment was quashed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court after it was found that ST certificate was wrongly issued to him. The apex court upheld the impugned order and dismissed his appeal. |
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SC order to govt, bodies on new colleges
New Delhi, February 15 The applications of nearly 12 medical and three dental colleges were pending before the two agencies after they had rejected them last year after the proposed institutions failed to meet the requisite infrastructure standards. The direction to this effect was issued by a Bench, headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, while hearing the petitions of the new medical colleges and dental colleges to be opened by private institutions in various parts of the country. The colleges had moved the apex court last year after the MCI and the DCI, two statutory apex bodies governing medical and dental colleges, rejected their applications for registration. They had sought recognition and permission to admit students from the coming session, claiming that they had removed the deficiencies pointed out by the MCI and the DCI. |
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Navy revamp on full throttle
Mumbai, February 15 With the order books of all defence yards full, the government has allowed the subcontracting of naval and Coast Guard vessels to the private
sector. ABG Shipyard, Bharati Shipyard Ltd, Larsen & Toubro Ltd are all supplying the defence forces in a big way. Under the ongoing modernisation programme, the Indian Navy will have a new 37,500-tonne aircraft carrier being built at Cochin Shipyard Ltd. This effort will see Steel Authority of India Ltd emerge as a major defence
supplier. Mazagon Dock Ltd (MDL) at Mumbai is among the defence establishments experiencing a major transformation. After years of keeping their skills honed on scrap and old models, the veteran ship builders here have begun to work on three 3,800-tonne Type-17 stealth frigates of the Shivalik class, three 6,800-tonne Delhi-class Type-15A class and six
Type-75/Scorpene submarines. Under a programme pushed ahead by naval chief Admiral Arun Prakash, the MDL will commission the first Type-17 INS Shivalik by 2008 if not earlier. The MDL has also roped in the private sector Larsen and
Toubro, which is already working on the super secret ATV nuclear submarine project, sources say. The company is also in the race to build Scorpene Type-75 submarines at its plant in
Hazira. The company has already begun recruiting retired defence personnel in preparation for a larger share of defence contracts, according to observers. The navy is also pushing harder for vessels designed for peace-time use. Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd is building large landing ship tanks to beef up the Navy’s strategic sealift capabilities, which may be used in times of natural calamities as well. These 5,600-tonne vessels are 124.8m long and 17.5m wide. The GRSE is also building four Project-28 ASW Corvettes and four fast attack craft. Private sector ABG Shipyard Ltd from Surat, which is building a 4,500-tonne ship lift for the Navy, has bagged orders from the Coast Guard for three 3,200-tonne Coast Guard pollution control vessels. The L&T is in the race to build Amur class submarines for the Navy. The Navy presently inducts two to three ships every year though its requirement is six to seven ships every year to replace its ageing fleet. Naval authorities are said to be putting pressure on the defence shipyards to speed up delivery schedules. |
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Indian Air Force to look for more advanced fighters
New Delhi, February 15 The IAF is looking for more top of the line fighters, airborne warning and control aircraft (AWAC) and mid-air refuellers as well as smart long-range weapons “to maximise effect and minimise the force required”, Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi said in an interview published in the inaugural issue of India Strategic magazine. The air chief said the current scenario “necessitated a strategic reach to safeguard our national interests”. The IAF has “plans to acquire more AWACs and multi-mission combat jets as well as other futuristic machines and equipment” to build up a surgical strike capability to neutralise a threat without collateral damage. The IAF currently has six refuellers and has ordered three AWACs from Israel. Air Chief Marshal Tyagi was asked if the IAF’s combat squadrons had come down to 29 from the publicly acknowledged figure of 39 a few years ago. He gave no figures but acknowledged that IAF’s combat strength was progressively depleting and by 2007, a large number of MiG-21, MiG-23 and MiG-27 jets would be phased out. The Air Chief said “Despite efforts, there have been delays in the procurement of modern combat aircraft and also of the indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)”. However, “the problem is being compensated to some extent” by compressing the delivery schedule of the powerful Su-30 jets being built by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and by the induction of force multipliers like mid-air refuellers and precision weapons. Air Chief Marshal Tyagi also pointed out that his force “has not expressed interest” in the US-made F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which American forces will begin inducting from 2011. “For the present, the (126) Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCAs) we are seeking meet the current qualitative force requirements,” he said. He said IAF had sought increased production of various aircraft from HAL and also ordered an additional squadron of upgraded MiG-21 jets, all of which would be fitted with the latest “beyond visual range” (BVR) missiles and electronic warfare suites. According to published information, the IAF was to retain only about 125 of its 300 MiG-21s in its inventory. With the creation of an additional squadron, their figure should go up to around 145. The Air Chief said of the three variants of MiG-21, the older T77 is already being phased out, the T96 used in training and operational roles will be used till 2012 and the upgraded MiG-21bis will “remain in service till 2022-25”. As for the 126 jets that the IAF plans to buy, he said a “request for proposals” (RFP) to suppliers was likely to be issued “very soon” and they would be given six months to supply information. Once the choice is finalised, the first lot of about 20 jets would be acquired within 42 to 54 months and the rest would be made in India. The IAF is considering Lockheed Martin F-16, Boeing’s F-18, Sweden’s Gripen, Russia’s MiG-29 and France’s Mirage 2005 for this deal.
— IANS |
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Kalam to visit Myanmar
New Delhi, February 15 The Ministry of External Affairs said today that Dr Kalam’s visit marked culmination of the upswing in India-Myanmar relations in recent years. During his stay in Yangon, President Kalam would hold discussions with General Shwe on the entire gamut of bilateral relations. He will address professors and students at Yangon university, interact with scientists, intellectuals and school children. |
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Jagjivan regains freedom after 38 years
Faizabad, February 15 He was put behind bars on January 29, 1968. His 39-year-old son Keshav had come to take him back to his village,
Mithaura, in Milkipur tehsil. The expressionless face of Jagjivan betrayed no emotion. Years of captivity without even a trial had clearly taken a heavy toll. Though he returned from the Varansai Mental Hospital several months ago, he was too stunned to respond to what was happening around him. The son was more expressive. A daily wage earner, he somehow arranged a jeep to take his father back to the village. His maternal cousin accompanied him on this journey. He will take him back to his maternal grandfather’s house, which he calls his home. Till October 27, 2005 the son did not even know of the existence of his father. “I was only one and half years old when my father went to jail. His family threw my mother out of the house and she returned to her native village. That is where I was brought up. She never told me about my father and I always thought he was dead till we learnt that he was alive from newspapers.” Keshav, a father of a child, is still too overwhelmed by the turn of events. He says that his mother, wife and the family are eagerly awaiting the return of Jagjivan. He had even made a trip to Faizabad jail yesterday to fetch his father after he learnt about the SC orders. But ADJ Lalchand Tewari was on leave and the release was postponed to today. After the ADJ passed orders around 3.30 pm on Tuesday, formalities for the release were completed and Jagjivan was reunited with his family around 6 pm. The countdown to Jagjivan’s freedom began during a routine jail inspection by the then District Judge Ram Harivijay Tripathi. Jagjivan had returned to the jail from the Varanasi mental asylum in July, 2005. No one in the jail could elaborate on why he had been lodged there. From the case file it was revealed that he had been jailed in 1968 for murdering his neighbour’s wife in a fit of anger. Soon after he was shifted to the Varanasi mental asylum. Thereafter, the authorities virtually lost track of him till he reappeared last July. Responding to media reports, the Supreme Court on February 6 had issued notices to the UP Government and the Chief Medical Superintendent of the mental asylum in Varanasi to place on record within a week all relevant material concerning the case since 1968. As no one appeared on behalf of the UP Government, a Supreme Court Bench yesterday directed Jagjivan’s release on bail forthwith on his furnishing a personal bond. |
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Naushad pardoned; to return home soon
Kollam, February 15 According to Naushad’s wife Suhaila, the Indian embassy officials today confirmed that the Sharia court in Dammam had put its stamp of approval on the legal formalities sparing Naushad of the punishment after he was pardoned by the aggrieved person. The sole breadwinner of the family, Naushad had gone to Saudi Arabia a decade ago and secured a job in a petrol station in Dammam. Misfortune struck him three years back, when he got into a scuffle with a Saudi national over a battery charger. Having injured his right eye, the Saudi man took Naushad to court which ordered that the Indian’s right eye be scooped out under the Sharia law. Last month, Suhaila and her two children visited Delhi to petition the Saudi King who was the chief guest during the Republic Day celebrations. — PTI
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Abu Salem, Alam retract confession
Mumbai, February 15 Both accused retracted their confession in a special court of Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) where they were produced for remand in the Dewani murder case. Salem told MCOCA Judge Abhay Thipsay that he was forced to make a confession by police and added that anyone in his place could have made such a confession given the treatment meted out by police. His associate Alam had also made a confession before police and had appeared before magistrate for confirmation yesterday. The magistrate has recorded Alam’s statement denying that he had given a confession. The court remanded the duo to judicial custody till March 1 while allowing police to interrogate Alam in the crime branch office between 9 A.M. and 7 P.M. — PTI
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Allowance for jobless graduates in UP
Lucknow, February 15 Earlier, there was loud clapping from the treasury and the Opposition Benches when he announced a Rs 500 monthly unemployment allowance from 1 April 2006 for all unemployed graduate and post-graduate youth registered at the state employment exchanges by December 31, 2005. While no specific Budget has been allocated for this scheme in the Budget document, the Chief Minister later announced that seven lakh youth (four lakh men and three lakh women) had been registered at the employment exchanges and Rs240 crore set aside for the ambitious scheme. |
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Chargesheet
filed in phone tapping case
New Delhi, February 15 The chargesheet was filed against four accused who have been identified as Anurag, bhupendra, Vijay Dhawan and Kuldeep Singh before CMM Seema Maini by special cell officials of the Delhi police. Bhupendra, believed to be the key accused, was the owner of ‘Metro Intelligence’, a private detective firm operating from South Extension. He had been allegedly tapping Mr Amar Singh’s phone on the basis of forged letters in the name of Delhi government’s Home Secretary R. Narayanswamy and Delhi Police Joint Commissioner (Crime) Ranjit Narayan. Delhi police had registered a case of forgery, cheating, criminal conspiracy and other relevant sections of the Indian Telegraph Act in
connection with the allegations.
— TNS |
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US extends student visas’ time limit New Delhi, February 15 Students applying for initial entry F-1, F-2, and M-1 and M-2 visas may now be issued those visas up to 120 days before their academic programme start date (as compared to 90 days under previous regulations). J-1 and J-2 visitors may be issued visas at any time before the beginning of their programmes.
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