Patna March 1
Proceedings in the Bihar Assembly touched its low yesterday with the Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister, Mrs Rabri Devi, showing a shoe to BJP MLA Ramdhar Singh during heated exchanges on the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

Noisy scenes were witnessed in the Assembly when JD(U) MLA Renuka Devi initiated the debate on Governor's Address charging the RJD with masterminding the deteriorating law and order in the state.

This provoked the Leader of the Opposition to pass some derogatory remarks against Renuka Devi, which were expunged by Speaker Udai Naraian Chowdhury from the records.

At this, the BJP MLA pointed his finger at Mrs. Rabri Devi stating that most of her party leaders would soon be behind the bars for their alleged misdeeds during the 15 years of the RJD-rule.

This provoked Rabri Devi to show her shoe at him, which led to pandemonium in the House with the MLAs from the Treasury benches, including Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, demanding unconditional apology from her for her uncivilised gesture towards the BJP MLA.

Sensing trouble, Rabri Devi then apprehended threat to her life after the state government recently reduced the number of security personnel deployed for her.

Patna, March 1
After more than a decade, the Bihar Assembly today witnessed the presentation of a full-fledged Budget and Finance Bill for 2006-07 for necessary approval by the House.

This was a big departure from the trend of vote on account set by the RJD in the past 15 years . The RJD reportedly placed its first and last full-fledged Budget in 1992.

Presenting a Rs 22-crore deficit Budget, Deputy Chief Minister, in charge of the finance portfolio, Sushil Kumar Modi said the present dispensation aimed at restoring financial discipline as the state was under a whopping debt of Rs 43,000 crore.

The state plan outlay was increased by 33 per cent from Rs 5,525 crore in 2005-06 to Rs 8,250 crore in 2006-07.

The Rs 22-crore deficit budget is following the state government's plan to raise Rs 6,503 crore from the market and government agencies.

The two major highlights of the Budget were the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the Mukhya Mantri Setu Yojana.

A sum of Rs 125 crore was earmarked for the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana to connect villages having a population between 500-1000 in 2006-07, and Rs 50 crore under the Mukhya Mantri Setu Yojana to build small bridges connecting village roads.

The Budget also allocated Rs 1562 crore for the road sector , Rs 1240 crore for health and Rs 1200 crores for power— on an average a hike of more than 60 per cent compared to previous years.

Mr Modi sanctioned Rs 133 crore for modernisation of the police.

In the education sector, Rs 4,886 crores was allocated to bring the student-teacher ratio to 40:1.

Increased allocation for agriculture and irrigation also figured in as Bihar is primarily an agrarian state. From Rs 856 crore in 2005-06, the allocation for agriculture went up to Rs 1212 crore in 2006-07.

The Budget has simplified tax procedures and brought major tax concessions for the transport sector.

Mr Modi hoped to eliminate revenue deficit by 2008-09 and cut down fiscal deficit to 3 per cent of GDP by 2008-09.

On the pattern of the Union Finance Minister, Mr Modi also planned to place an outcome budget based on the achievements and shortcomings, before the Assembly at the end of the fiscal .

Bihar would be the first state to come out with an outcome budget for 2005-06 by the end of this March, even though the NDA assumed power just three months ago, Mr Modi said.

Patna, March 1
President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will address a joint sitting of the two Houses of Bihar legislature on March 28, Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhary informed the Assembly yesterday.

In what is being dubbed as an image-building exercise, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier this month called on the President in New Delhi to invite him to address the legislators in Bihar.

It is perhaps for the first time that the President would address a joint sitting of the bicameral state legislature.

Recently, at the invitation of Mr Nitish Kumar, the Lok Sabha Speaker, Mr Somnath Chatterjee, had addressed the newly-elected MLAs while inaugurating an orientation camp for them where he had described Mr Nitish Kumar as a role model in parliamentary democracy.

Meanwhile, the president of the World Kanan Farmers Movement, South Korea, Dr M. Ele Kim, met the Chief Minister and evinced interest in opening agricultural research centres at two places in Bihar.

The Chief Minister told the media after the meeting that the South Korean delegation visited Bihar on the request of President Abdul Kalam.

Mr Nitish Kumar said the foreign dignitaries came to Bihar after holding discussions with the President about how they could contribute in the growth of Bihar.

Lucknow, March 1
Lashing out against the Bhopal Majlis-e-Shura’s move to exorcise noted painter M.F. Hussain from Islam, the All-India Muslim Women’s Personal Law Board (AIMWPLB) secretary-general, Ms Parveen Abidi, declared that in Islam no one had the authority to throw anybody out of the Islamic faith.

Severely criticising the trend among certain Muslim groups of labelling others as “non-Muslims”, Ms Abidi underlined the decision taken at a recent Islamic conference, where it had been decided that as long as one believed in Allah and his Prophet and other basic tenents of Islam, no one had the right to question anyone’s Islamic credentials, let alone outcast anyone.

While condemning Hussain’s paintings for “hurting the sentiments of our Hindu brethren”, Ms Abidi asserted that the painter’s freedom of expression could not be an unbridled licence to offend the emotions and religious feelings of others.

Hinting at Haji Yaqoob Qurieshi’s announcement of a ransom of Rs 51 crore for beheading the Danish cartoonist, Ms Abdi urged the media not to give undue importance to such irresponsible behaviour by some self- styled leaders. “Acts by such individuals should not be seen as representative behaviour of the community,” she pointed out.

Commenting on the priorities of the Muslim leadership, Ms Abdi said while they quickly pass decrees on the dress code of tennis star Sania Mirza, no one bothered to address the deprivation of Muslim women in the society at large. She called upon the Muslim community to channelise its energies against illiteracy, unemployment, dogma, gender injustice and other daily issues.

Hyderabad, March 1
All 30 TDP legislators who were present in the Assembly, barring Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu, were suspended for two days today as they obstructed business, demanding a discussion on violation of the code of conduct and misuse of power during the Visakhapatnam-1 constituency byelection.

The election, held on February 19, was countermanded by the Election Commission on Tuesday following reports of bribing of voters with cash and liquor.

Speaker K.R. Suresh Reddy earlier rejected the adjournment motion notices given by the TDP and the BJP.

The entire Opposition disrupted proceedings and at one point of time, CPI(M) members went into the well of the House and then to the podium, waving placards.

After making a bid to restore order in the House, the Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

When the House reassembled, the Speaker announced that all questions listed for the day were postponed, and asked the TDP to wind up the discussion on the Budget.

But TDP members were again up on their feet and continued the disruption.

They raised slogans, demanding the resignation of the Chief Minister, holding him responsible for all that went wrong in the byelection.

After failing to pacify them, the Speaker asked the Legislative Affairs Minister to move a suspension motion, and suspended all TDP members barring Mr Naidu.

As the TDP members refused to leave the House, the Speaker called in the marshals and got them removed from the House and Mr Naidu followed them.

New Delhi, March 1
Thousands of Muslims, under the banner of the Jamiat-ul-Ulma-e-Hind, took out a rally against the visit to India of US President George W. Bush here today.

They came from western Uttar Pradesh, the Mewat area of Haryana and various areas of Delhi and gathered at the Jama Masjid, from where they marched towards the Ram Lila Ground in a rally.

The protesters burnt an effigy of the US President at the Ram Lila Ground.

Marching towards the Ram Lila Ground, the protesters chanted slogans of ‘Bush go back’.

They denounced the ‘anti-Islam’ policies of the US President and carried placards and black flags.

Raising anti-Bush, anti-US and anti-imperialism slogans, the demonstrators condemned the policies of the Bush regime on Iraq and Iran’s nuclear programme.

They also condemned the recent publication of cartoons of Prophet Mohammed.

CPI General Secretary A.B. Bardhan, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh, former Prime Minister V.P. Singh, Agra MP Raj Babbar and social activist Medha Patkar addressed the gathering of at least 70,000 persons.

A senior official said the rally caused massive traffic jams upto the Rajghat.

In view of the rally, the traffic police banned the entry of all goods vehicles on the Ring Road between the Nizamuddin Bridge and the ISBT.

All these vehicles were diverted towards the trans-Yamuna area.

Several buses were diverted and rerouted to avoid traffic congestion. The All-India Muslim Unity Front also took out a ‘rath yatra’ against the US President.

A protest march was taken out from the Jama Masjid to the Maurya Sheraton, where the US President would stay. Activists of the All-India Awami Party burnt an effigy of the US President at the Jantar Mantar.

New Delhi, March 1
The entire Chanakya Puri area in New Delhi is under tight security as US President George W Bush arrives on a three-day visit tonight.

Additional police and paramilitary forces have been deployed in and around the places where President Bush and his entourage would be visiting.

Indian intelligence agencies are in regular touch with US security agencies, said senior officials.

Special security arrangements have been made at Maurya Sheraton hotel, where the President would be staying and the adjoining Taj Palace has also been taken over by security and intelligence officials.

Mr Bush would be visiting eight venues during his visit. Separate police force and security arrangements have been done for reach visit.

Mr Bush would be visiting Rajghat in the morning after a ceremonial welcome at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Raids were being carried out at several sensitive parts of the national capital like budget hotels in busy areas like Paharganj and Karol Bagh to look out for suspects.

Intelligence agencies have visited prime hospitals in case of an unwanted eventuality. The hospitals have been checked for emergency and other facilities.

New Delhi, March 1
The security establishment will be disappointed if Prime Minister Manmohan Singh fails to ink a nuclear agreement with US President George W. Bush, but the Congress will be relieved.

The Congress has no objection to the Indo-US nuclear pact, but it has reservations on the timing of this agreement.

Assembly elections are due in five states which have a sizeable Muslim population.

With anger against the USA in general and Mr Bush in particular running high among the minorities, the party believes that it will be difficult for it to explain its perceived proximity to the USA to them.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi met the Prime Minister today to discuss the political fallout of the proposed nuclear agreement with the USA.

“President Bush has emerged as a hate figure in the Islamic world. Anybody or any country which is seen to be close to the USA is immediately seen to be anti-Muslim,” remarked a minister.

UPA insiders explained that though India’s stand on Iran was legitimate and the country would benefit from the nuclear deal with the USA, it would be difficult for the party to sell it to the people.

The Congress, despite its reservations, had no choice but to publicly support government policies.

It would become doubly difficult for the Congress members who would have to face Left parties in elections in Kerala and West Bengal.

New Delhi, March 1
Accusing Left parties of adopting double standards on all major issues, including the visit of US President George W. Bush, the BJP today welcomed the visit, but warned the Congress-led UPA government against succumbing to US pressure on issues of national importance.

“Left parties have double standards on all major issues. We are not surprised over their proposed agitation tomorrow against the US President’s visit. We welcome visits of heads of state of all countries, including the USA,” BJP parliamentary party spokesperson V.K. Malhotra told mediapersons here.

He warned the government against succumbing to US diktat and sacrificing the country’s national interests.

On Left parties, Mr Malhotra alleged that they always raised a hue and cry on almost all issues and raised their voice against government decisions, but when it came to voting against them in Parliament, they always voted with the government, exposing their double standards.

New Delhi, March 1
Taking serious note of the killings of 26 Salva Judum activists by Naxalites in Dantewada district, the Centre has sought an urgent report from Chhattisgarh Government as to how such a major attack could take place.

While Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil spoke to the Chief Minister Raman Singh yesterday soon after the incident, Union Home Secretary V.K. Duggal has written to state Director-General of Police asking him to explain the circumstances that led to the attack and whether there was any intelligence failure and the steps taken by the police, sources said.

According to reports reaching the Ministry of Home Affairs, intensive combing and search operations have been launched with deployment of the CRPF, Chhattisgarh Armed Force, Special Task Force and local police to neutralise or capture the Naxalites involved in yesterday’s incident near Darbhaguda village in Dantewada district.

About 200 villagers were returning in four vehicles to Konta in Dantewada after participating in public rallies held at different places in support of the anti-Naxalite movement, locally known as “Salva Judum”.

Near Darbhaguda village, their vehicles were stopped and one of the vehicles was blown up by a landmine and the other three vehicles were set on fire by the Naxalites, killing 26 and injuring 30 others, some of them seriously.

Meanwhile, the Naxal attack had its echo in both Houses of Parliament with members expressing concern over the killing of several tribals and demanding more Central assistance to fight the menace.

New Delhi, March 1
There is something to cheer for as far as people aspiring to go abroad in Himachal Pradesh are concerned with the government now deciding to open a dedicated Regional Passport Office at Shimla. At present, there is a district passport cell at Shimla that collects applications for being forwarded to the Regional Passport Office at Chandigarh.

A dedicated passport office at Shimla will make the entire process speedier and less cumbersome for the people of the hill state.

Giving this information in Lok Sabha today, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed said the Centre had decided in principle to open new passport offices at Shimla, Dehra Dun, Raipur and Malappuram. He said a number of steps had also been taken to modernise passport issuing process at the existing 30 Passport offices and 15 passport application collection centres in the country to make the entire process speedier and less cumbersome.

While the specified timeframe for the issuance of fresh passports for Tatkaal Scheme has also been brought down, the timeframe in re-issue cases has also been decreased. All passport offices have also been instructed to issue fresh passports within 30 days subject to receipt of clear the police verification report.

Moreover, the police verification process has been done away in cases of renewal or re-issue, for minors if one of the parents holds valid passport and senior citizens, if any one of their adult children is holding a valid passport.

Chennai, March 1
The Madras High Court today ordered a CBI probe into the multi-crore fake insurance scam in which forged first information reports (FIRs) with the Tamil Nadu police were used.

A Division Bench of the court comprising Chief Justice A. P. Shah and Mr Justice Prabha Sridevan directed the CBI to file a preliminary report within four months.

The court also directed the CBI to constitute a special team to investigate the scam and post petitions for hearing on July 19. The judges stated, “It is a racket, which should be probed thoroughly” when the counsels for two insurance companies brought to the notice of the Bench that large number of fake insurance claims amounting to hundreds of crores of rupees were submitted.

Hearing the petition, the Bench observed that such fraud might have inter-state ramifications and should be checked as it might encourage more people to commit such crimes.

The Bench said, “We propose to transfer the investigation to the CBI,” but wanted to know who would provide the infrastructure facilities. One of the counsels replied that the respective insurance companies were prepared to bear the cost of investigation.

The counsel informed the Bench that as on date, there were claims totalling up to Rs 1,835 crore out of which possible fraud would account for about 22 per cent involving Rs 403 crore.

New Delhi, March 1
The Rajya Sabha today passed by a voice vote a Bill that provides minority educational institutions the right to seek affiliation to any university of their choice.

The Rajya Sabha passed the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2005, by a voice vote after the House negated the statutory resolution moved by the BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi disapproving the ordinance promulgated by the government.

Replying to the debate on the Bill, Minister of State for Human Resource Development M.A.A. Fatmi said minority educational institutions were facing difficulties in getting no objection certificates (NOCs) from concerned authorities in some states and the legislation was brought to remove these hurdles. Replying to the objection of the BJP members that the states were being bypassed, he said the state authorities had to communicate their decision in 60 days and where a decision was not communicated within this period, the minority educational institution would proceed to establish the institution as if no objection certificate had been granted to it.

He said in case of refusal by the state authorities to grant permission, the minority educational institution can move the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions which will hear both sides.

Mumbai, March 1
The transformation of the Indian defence forces into information technology-ready forces is proving to be an expensive affair, according to senior officials here.

India’s top military brass has mooted the idea of a network-centric force, where the Army, the Navy and the Air Force will work in close coordination networked by an IT backbone. The doctrine of a quick technology-driven conflict mooted first by the US defence forces have found echoes here as well.

According to the proponents of this doctrine, IT and telecom technologies will play a major role in the wars to come. Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash visualised a scenario of a hi-tech war recently.

“This is an ambitious plan whereby we hope to eventually link up all our ships, submarines, aircraft and shore operations centres through the medium of IT, using a satellite backbone. In its final form this network will enable a unit in the Bay of Bengal to see what another unit in the Arabian Sea has on its sensors. We have taken small steps in this direction already but the full project will take a few years to complete.

While the ground work is in progress, the space segment of network centric operations has also received approval and funding support,” the naval chief has said recently.

Chennai, March 1
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa today said that her government would move the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Madras High Court order striking down the Tamil Nadu Regulation of Admission in Professional Courses Act 2006.

Under the Act, students of the state board had been exempted from appearing for the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admissions to professional courses.

The Madras High Court on Monday held that the Act violated the principle of equality and struck down the government order and said that the government should hold CET for all students, including the state board students.

In a statement here today Ms Jayalalithaa said, “Every effort will be made to obtain a quick decision. Based on the decision of the Supreme Court, a further announcement will be made on the question of operationalising the order of the High Court to hold a common entrance test for the academic year 2006-07.”

She said,”I fully understand the anxiety of parents and students in knowing the exact position on the system that will be followed finally for the year 2006-07.”

She said the revised system particularly benefited the rural students who could not find the wherewithal to be coached for this examination and could not compete in this “uneven” race.