 |
|
SC notice to Speaker on BSP split issue
Mulayam lashes out at Cong on Jaya issue
Indo-US joint naval patrolling on cards
Nothing historic about N-deal, claims BJP
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bharti advances date of launch of new party
Raj Babbar for probe into Amar Singh’s CDs
Tabling of Banerjee panel report stayed
Armed Naxals storm village
Govt assures SC on business call menace
Budget session to be rescheduled
Noted film director Shankar dead
|
||||||||||
|
SC notice to Speaker on BSP split issue
New Delhi, March 6 Terming the majority judgement of the three-Judge Bench of the Lucknow High Court as “confusing” and devoid of interpreting the law correctly, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioners, sought immediate stay on its operation and urged the apex court to decide the matter as per the law laid down. A Bench of Mr Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Mr Justice P.P. Naolekar said it would hear the applications for stay of the February 28 order of the High Court before considering hearing on the main petitions for quashing of the impugned judgement. Notices were also issued to Swami Prasad Maurya, who had filed the petition in the High Court, and 40 MLAs of the breakaway group. Mr Salve said there was “complete misreading” of the Supreme Court rulings on the issue by the judges, who had given the majority verdict, referring the matter back to the Speaker though they also had interpreted the law differently. “When three judges of the High Court could not resolve the issue and had given three different interpretations of the law, how can the Speaker decide it,” he said, pointing out that the High Court had asked the Speaker to decide all three issues — disqualification of 13 MLAs who initially decided to leave the party, the split as a whole and their merger of the 40 breakaway group with the Samajwadi Party. He said while the Chief Justice had rejected the petition against former Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi’s ruling recognising the split in the BSP and subsequent merger of 40-member breakaway group with the Samajwadi Party, the other two judges, who gave majority verdict for fresh look by the Speaker, had also differed on the question whether the split in a party was a one-time event or a process that culminated within a certain space of time. While Mr Justice Jagdish Bhalla said the split was one-time event, Mr Justice Pradeep Kant held that the split was not a “one-time” event. If the issue of disqualification of 13 BSP MLAs, who had initially extended support to Mr Mulayam Singh, was decided first then the issue of split and merger would be rendered redundant, Mr Salve said, claiming that the split was not an “abrupt” exercise as it was a process that takes sometime to formulise when a group decides to leave the party due to certain ideological reasons. |
|
Mulayam lashes out at Cong on Jaya issue
Lucknow, March 6 Responding to the Election Commission’s decision to disqualify SP-supported actor Jaya Bachchan’s nomination to the Rajya Sabha in July 2004, Mr Yadav lashed out at the Congress for singling out his party by unrestrained attacks on a daily basis. Fearing the disqualification of Mr Amar Singh from the Rajya Sabha as the next move of the Congress, Mr Yadav accused the Congress of weakening the roots of democracy by such tactics. A similar petition seeking to unseat another high-profile member of the Rajya Sabha and Samajwadi Party national General Secretary Amar Singh has reportedly been filed before the Election Commission (EC). The Samajwadi Party was, however, yet to decide its future course of action to respond to these developments. Mr Yadav said there was no immediate programme of challenging the EC order in the court or of meeting the President in this regard. Listing the cases of Dr Karan Singh, MP and also Chairperson of the ICCR, and Dr Shibu Reddy, who along with being an MP heads the Tirupathi Tirumalai Devasthan Trust, Mr Yadav wondered why no one questioned them. Terming Ms Bachchan as a most deserving candidate for the Upper House, he said the Rajya Sabha was meant for people like her, who had distinguished service to the world of art and literature. Ms Bachchan term was to an end on July 4, 2010. |
|
Indo-US joint naval patrolling on cards
Mumbai, March 6 According to sources, both countries are poised to sign a comprehensive agreement for cooperation of their respective navies when Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee visits the US in June. On the cards are regular joint patrolling by the Indian and US navies “to curb terrorism and narcotic and arms smuggling”. The Central intelligence agencies of both countries have tabulated that 1,300 incidents of credible threats have been detected in the high seas in last year alone. A significant number of threats are believed to be from Al-Qaida and jihadi forces targeting the oil traffic passing through the Indian Ocean. Apart from long endurance patrolling by both navies, India may also allow the US Navy to use Indian shipyards for repairs and maintenance. The sources say the Project Seabird Naval Base off Karwar on the western coast may be opened up for regular use by the US Navy. American defence strategists have for long been advocating the setting up of rest and recreation (R&R) bases along India’s western coast following the development of Project Seabird. A section of the American defence sector has also been advocating the opening up of Goa as a major R&R centre since it adjoins Karwar, home of the Seabird Naval Base. As part of its ambitions to emerge as a major blue-water navy, India is already setting up a monitoring station at Madagascar. This is part of India’s strategy to have a naval presence stretching from the Straits of Malacca to the Straits of Hormuz. Indian shipping passing through the Straits of Malacca has suffered from pirates from as far as Somalia. Shipping circles in the country feel that the monitoring station at Madagascar would help track and prevent incidents of piracy on the high seas. It would also help the country to secure a major trade route through which more than 80 per cent of its maritime traffic passes through.
|
|
Nothing historic about N-deal, claims BJP
New Delhi, March 6 BJP Parliamentary Party Spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra said the agreement discriminated against India by imposing many conditions on it that were not faced by any other Nuclear Weapon State. "The BJP will give detailed reaction after PM makes his statement in Parliament tomorrow, but from whatever details that have emerged so far the deal has diluted Indian interests," he remarked. He said the US wanted to have all the nuclear facilities under the civilian programme, leaving none of the 22 facilities for the defence application. Earlier, six nuclear facilities were under international safeguards and now after this deal the number has gone up to 14, he said. There were voices in the US which wanted to bring Fast Breeder Reactors under the international supervision. He said the BJP would go with the national interest on the issue and would not be guided by the partisan interest. In the Rajya Sabha, the BJP has already given a notice for a detailed discussion on the proposed statement of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the Nuclear Deal. "We want a full-fledged debate on his statement, so we have already given a notice for the same the Rajya Sabha Chairperson Bhairon Singh Shekhawat...We will also seek clarifications," Deputy Leader of the BJP in Rajya Sabha Sushma Swaraj said. Meanwhile, Ms Swaraj today accused the Prime Minister of "ignoring and insulting" the Opposition while replying to the debates in Parliament. "To ignore and insult the Opposition has become his habit these days," she said. |
|
India asks Australia to lift ban on uranium supplies
New Delhi, March 6 Not committing himself to the Indian request, visiting the Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, told a joint press conference after talks with the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, that his country wanted more details on the Indo-US deal. After the hour-long talks between Dr Manmohan Singh and Mr Howard, the two countries also signed six pacts, including one on defence cooperation which envisages setting up of a joint working group. Mr Howard also announced a 25 million Australian dollar research assistance to India to foster cooperation in science and technology, including biotechnology. Noting that he had raised the issue of nuclear cooperation with Mr Howard, Dr Manmohan Singh said he “sincerely expected” Australia to review its decision not to sell uranium to India. Dr Manmohan Singh said though India may not be a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it abides by most of the conditions the international treaty prescribes. “We have an impeccable record of non-proliferation. We are also committed to self-imposed moratorium,” he said, adding the world should take note of it. Mr Howard said his country’s long-standing policies stated that it would not sell uranium to any country that does not sign the NPT. He, however, referred to the Indo-US deal clinched during last week’s visit of President George Bush here and said “it is a very significant” deal and “we look at it positively”. The Australian Prime Minister said his country was anxious to know more details of the deal and that India needed to interact with Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). — PTI
|
|
|
Indo-Aussie group to study N-deal
New Delhi, March 6 The decision to set up the group for studying Indo-US nuclear deal was taken during talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the visiting Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard. The MoU signed by Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt and Australian High Commissioner John McCarthy here also provides for cooperation in military training, defence industries and defence research and development. |
|
|
Bharti advances date of launch of new party
Indore, March 6 "In view of polls in five states, we have decided to announce the launch of our new party on March 21, at Ramlila Ground, New Delhi," Bharti said. Bharti admitted she was under pressure from a large number of workers of the poll-bound states to launch the party soon, so that they got a platform to contest. She said her new party would have a large number of workers, but there will not be any big names as it hardly matters to her. The proposed party will contest the Assembly polls in these poll-bound states, but her focus will be on the Lok Sabha poll as and when it takes place. She also claimed when elections would take place in Uttar Pradesh, Uttaranchal and Madhya Pradesh, her proposed party would form government with a majority. Bharti alleged that in Madhya Pradesh, the BJP and the Congress joined hands to overlook each other's mistakes at the cost of people's money, but her proposed party would "expose" them soon. — PTI
|
|
Raj Babbar for probe into Amar Singh’s CDs New Delhi, March 6 Speaking at a meet-the-press programme here, Mr Babbar said while he respected an individual's right to privacy, a committee of mediapersons should also hear the recorded conversations to look at the social aspects involved. He said permission should be sought from the apex court for examination of the audio CDs by the committees. Sharpening his attack on Mr Amar Singh for "promoting broker culture in the Samajwadi Party," Raj Babbar said the party workers were feeling demoralised as a result of which criminal elements were raising their head in Uttar Pradesh. Mr Babbar, who has heard the taped conversation for seven hours, said these had references to "riots" and "managing of a case in the high court." "I cannot say whose voice it is in the CDs as this is a technical issue but the contents raise issues of the country's security," he said. Referring to the recent remarks of UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav in which he talked of threat to his life, Mr Babbar said "a small attack could lead to violence." Mr Babbar said he had never heard a Chief Minister making statement about threat to his life. "He must be knowing who is making such threats," Mr Babbar said. The actor-turned-politician said there were reports that a liqour baron had given Rs 150 crore to a UP politician. "Where is this money going...the Centre should come forward to find out," he said. Claiming that his fight was for principles, Mr Babbar said the "middleman culture" was prevalent to some extent in other parties too but it had gained "prominence" in the Samajwadi Party. Mr Babbar said he had come to know that there were CDs containing about 10 hours of more "conversations" and he wanted to hear these. Without disclosing his future options, Mr Babbar said he would continue to meet leaders of various political parties who agreed with his campaign which was not "political" but "social." He praised. Congress president Sonia Gandhi for talking of a code of conduct in political life. Mr Babbar said he had received support in his campaign from some veteran SP leaders.
|
|
|
Tabling of Banerjee panel report stayed
Gandhinagar, March 6 The order by Mr Justice M.R.Shah directed the UPA government not to give any further effect to the report in any manner until March 8. The high court had admitted a petition challenging the appointment of the
U.C. Banerjee Commission probing the Sabarmati Express train carnage at Godhra on February 27, 2002. Mr Neelkanth
Bhatia, a victim of the train carnage has challenged the formation of the
Banerjee panel on the ground that Section III of the Commissions of Inquiry Act prohibited the appointment of a new panel when one is already seized of the
matter. The Nanavati-Shah Commission, appointed by the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat is already probing the Godhra train carnage and the statewide communal riots that took place in its aftermath. Justice Shah had earlier permitted the
Banerjee panel to submit its report to the Union Railway Ministry but had stayed any action on it until the petition
was dealt with. However, Mr Yogesh Mehta , lawyer for the petitioner drew the attention of the court to news reports making public the contents or its gist on Monday and sought directions whereby the court gave the necessary ruling. However, the panel report was the subject of considerable uproar in the Vidhan Sabha on Monday as the Congress Opposition walked out after the issue was sought to be raised in the House. Mr Pradeepsinh Jadeja of the BJP raised the issue immediately after the Question Hour and sought a statement from the government in view of the confusion that was created by the
Banerjee Commission report. Mr Amrit Shah, Minister of State for House said 134 persons identified with the conspiracy, 113 had been arrested under the Prevention Of Terrorism Act(POTA) while 21 were still absconding. Twelve of them had already confessed under Section 164 of the POTA Act, while 112 other had also confessed to their involvement. The plea for bail by the alleged culprits had been rejected by all courts, including the apex court, signifying the acceptance of the conspiracy theory though the Banerjee panel seemed to rule otherwise. Meanwhile, BJP workers demonstrated against the
Banerjee Commission report and burnt his effigy in Vadodara and other parts of the state in protest. |
|
Armed Naxals storm village
Jagdalpur (Chhattisgarh), March 6 CPI(Maoist) cadres, numbering nearly 4,000, cordoned off the village and opened indiscriminate fire to terrorise villagers who have been participating in ‘Salwa Judum’, an anti-Naxal campaign launched by tribesmen. A fierce encounter continued for a few hours as security personnel present around Basaguda retaliated. Later, the rebels retreated into the forests. All injured were rushed to a hospital at Bijapur, about 30
km from Basaguda. IG (Bastar Range) M W Ansari and other officers rushed to the village while additional security personnel were rushed there for intensive combing operation in the area. Stung by ‘Salwa Judum’, the movement against the three-decade-old problem of Naxal violence,the extremists have stepped up violence in South Bastar region over the past few months. In Bijapur district,two persons were killed and six injured when Naxals blew up a mini bus in a landmine blast near Timapur today, state intelligence chief Sant Kumar Paswan
said. — UNI/PTI |
|
Govt assures SC on business call menace
New Delhi, March 6 The assurance was given by Additional Solicitor-General Gopal Subramaniam during the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL), seeking a direction to all telecom service providers to put complete ban on such calls, which virtually invaded a person’s privacy. A Bench of Ms Justice Ruma Pal and Mr Justice A.R. Lakshmanan agreed with the contents of the petition that there should be some check on such unsolicited tele-marketing calls. Mr Subramaniam said the concerned authorities had a detailed discussion on the issue with service providers and they were cooperating with the government to find out a solution. |
|
Budget session to be rescheduled
New Delhi, March 6 The rescheduling of the session is likely to be announced by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee in Lok Sabha tomorrow. President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam has also been informed of the matter, sources said adding that the second phase would end on May 23. A meeting of leaders of major political parties in Parliament today is learnt to have approved the fresh schedule. The first phase was earlier slated to conclude on March 17. While the House would sit on two Saturdays, that is March 11 and 18, it would observe holidays on account of Holi on March 15 and 16, the sources said. |
|
Noted film director Shankar dead
Chennai, March 6 Shankar (80) who died at his residence last night is survived by wife, three daughters and three sons. Starting his film career as an editor at the famous AVM Studios, he later ventured into film direction and his very first directorial venture was Sinhalese film 'Doctor.' Shankar had directed a little more than 100 films in his career. He had directed three Chief Ministers, M. G. Ramachandran in 'Adimai Penn,' N. T. Rama Rao in 'Bhookailash' in Telugu and Jayalalithaa in 'Gowri Kalyanam.' Only a week ago, he received Tamil Nadu government's 'Raja
Sandow' award from Jayalalithaa.
— PTI |
|
Launch of Amritsar-Nankana Sahib
New Delhi, March 6 Pakistan has sought postponement of the inaugural run from March 10 to March 24 and Pakistan has conveyed to India that its preparations for the service were yet to be completed. Official sources said Islamabad has requested that the inaugural run of the service from Nankana Sahib now be undertaken on March 28. |
|
Ban on soft drinks in
schools
Mumbai, March 6 The ban came after the state Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) detailed the ill effects of sweetened carbonated drinks on the health of children in a study. According to report prepared by the FDA, soft drinks caused obesity and diabetes apart from other illnesses. New Delhi, March 6 Salman had approached the court contending that the statement of prime witness Harish Dulani could not be accepted as evidence as he had not made himself available for the cross-examination. — PTI
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Mailbag | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
In video (
