New Delhi, June 15
Under pressure from his own party, the Opposition and UPA allies, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked his Economic Advisory Council chief C.Rangarajan to prepare a note on the burning issue of rising prices and the steps needed to curb inflation.

Dr Singh held consultations with Mr Rangarajan and Reserve Bank Governor Y.B. Reddy yesterday on how the government could intervene to arrest the current inflationary trend.

These proactive measures have been initiated following a flood of complaints from all quarters about the soaring prices of essential commodities like pulses, sugar, wheat and cooking oil.

While the Opposition has understandably slammed the UPA government for its failure to curb price rise, the Congress is also concerned on this front as it believes that the party’s “aam admi” plan has taken a beating because of the government’s inability to hold the price line.

While everybody is depending on the “economist PM” to take corrective measures, the Congress also believes that NCP chief Sharad Pawar, who holds the agriculture and food portfolios, had failed to anticipate this crisis.

UPA sources said Dr Singh had been asking Mr Pawar to go in for the import of wheat nearly a year ago, adding that this delay had csot them dearly.

Although the recent fuel price hike is not connected with the prices of essential commodities, which have been rising steadily over the past six months, the government and the party are well aware that the increase in petro and diesel prices will further inflate the kitchen budget.

UPA sources said though the government shared the party’s concern, it had limited options, chief among these was to import pulses and wheat from the international market.

It was explained that there was no shortage of funds for these purchases as India had huge foreign exchange reserves of nearly $ 160 billion.

However, sufficient stocks of pulses are not readily available as Myanmar and Syria are the only two countries from where India can buy.

Further, the Centre is also diluting its safety standards for the purchase of wheat (this is to be placed before the Union Cabinet tomorrow) as no country has been able to meet the original specifications.

Government officials attributed the price hike to the rising prices of commodities in the international market.

New Delhi, June 15
Rahul Mahajan, the son of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, today said that he was not a drug user and it was a dinner party where the incident took place.

Addressing a press conference, Rahul said that he was just enjoying the dinner party with his friends. “My family is passing from a bad phase of life. Earlier my father was shot dead and now I was trapped in the drug abuse controversy. But I am not a drug user and I want to convey this message to all of my friends and relatives,” said Rahul.

Without naming anyone, he said that a section of society had hidden agenda against him to which he had no answers. Reading out a statement, he said that he and his family have faced a lot of humiliation, insult and loss of close friends because of the incident. “I apologize to my mother, sister Munde uncle and all other relatives to whom I have caused pain and anguish,” Rahul said.

Thanking the former Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee for standing by his family during the ordeal, he said, “It has touched my heart and my soul. Vajpayee has been like my father to me.”

Rahul visited a temple here and offered prayers today, a day after his release from Tihar jail on bail in the drugs abuse case. On his uncle Praveen Mahajan’s comments, Rahul said, “All this is wrong. He has done a lot of damage.” He paid thanks to party chief Rajnath Singh and Vajpayee for their support.

Meanwhile, the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee threw his weight behind Rahul. Although he ruled out any immediate possibility of accommodation for Rahul in the party, he said that the party would support the Mahajan’s family.

“But taking him or not taking him into the party is out of question till he comes out clean out of the case,” Vajpayee said.

Earlier this month, Vajpayee had expressed sympathy for Rahul after his arrest under anti-narcotics laws, but the BJP expressed such remarks as an expression of grandfatherly concern for Rahul.

A Delhi court today adjourned till tomorrow arguments on the bail application of Sahil Zaroo, a co-accused in the Rahul Mahajal drug abuse case. Special Judge S N Gupta will also consider tomorrow an application filed by the police to conduct brain mapping and narco-analysis tests on Rahul.

The prosecution also moved a fresh application today for seeking permission to conduct similar tests on Sahil, which will be considered by the court tomorrow.

New Delhi, June 15
After three days of official level talks between India and the USA on the civilian nuclear deal, the two sides have reached a better understanding of each other’s views and will meet soon to thrash out pending issues.

“The two negotiating teams held intensive discussions over three days here and were able to narrow their differences on a number of draft provisions of the proposed agreement,” the spokesman of the External Affairs ministry said today.

Officials of the two sides have a better appreciation of their respective legal and political positions on the 123 agreement.

Pending issues will now require internal consultations on both sides to facilitate formulating a draft jointly which meets the requirements of both sides.

“The progress we have achieved so far makes us confident that we would be able to arrive at a text that conforms to our well known positions,” the spokesman observed.

India made it clear again that a cap on nuclear testing should not be enforced but must be voluntarily. In this context, it was reiterated that New Delhi has already put in place a voluntary moratorium on further testing.

India had also agreed to separate the civilian nuclear programme from the strategic ones. There is cautious optimism that India and the USA will be able to conclude the proposed 123 Agreement once US Congress has passed appropriate legislation to enable civilian nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries.

India and the USA had pledged to cooperate in civilian nuclear energy in a joint statement in Washington in July last year after a meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U S President George Bush.

The drafts on which talks were held this week revolves around Section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act of 1954 which requires a bilateral cooperation pact to be signed first before a broad nuclear deal with another country.

The Indian side at the three-day talks was led by Joint Secretary (America) S Jaishankar and included officials from the Department of Atomic Energy which is under the direct charge of the Prime Minister.

The US delegation was headed by Richard Stratford, Director, Office of Nuclear Energy Affairs at the US State Department and included officials from the Department of Energy and Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Lucknow, June 15
Mukesh, a 20-year-old Dalit youth of Naglamadari village in Firozabad district was beaten to death on Tuesday night. His crime — taking part in the Bhagwat path organised by the local OBC community of Lodh Rajputs in a nearby village.

This macabre drama unfolded 250 km away from the state capital.

SP Firozabad Amitabh Thakur confirmed, that prima facie caste was the only factor for beating the youth to death. The accused party has tried to deflect the matter by charging him with stealing a goat.

Seven of the 12 accused named in the FIR have been arrested.

According to Jogendra, brother of the deceased, Mukesh had gone to Budhebharthara village to hear the path organised by the Lodh Rajputs. After a while, some members of the singing “mandali” got tired of playing the “chimta”. When Mukesh volunteered to play it, they agreed. Barely half an hour had passed, when some local influential members objected to the Dalit youth sitting on the dais. Within no time, the situation turned violent and Mukesh was dragged from the dais and ruthlessly beaten with sticks.

When the news of Mukesh being targeted reached his family, his brother and neighbours ran to his rescue but were chased away by the accused. Later, they found his body lying on the highway not far from the village. He was rushed to hospital but was declared dead on arrival.

Mr Gyan, an activist associated with the Dalit Action Group (DAG), has demanded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the family of the deceased under the SC, ST Act.

Lucknow, June 15
A probe has been ordered into how al-Qaida terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who was killed in a US air strike in Iraq last week was allegedly certified as a resident of the state capital.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary N C Bajpai ordered an inquiry into how the al-Qaida Iraq unit chief was reportedly issued a domicile certificate by the Lucknow district administration.

He took serious note of reports that the terrorist was registered in the name of "Ama Zarqawi" and made eligible for unemployment doles.

The reports alleged that the certificate, which is issued after due verification, was given without following the set process.

Bajpai directed the principal secretary concerned and district administration to initiate necessary "disciplinary action" against those found responsible for the lapse. — PTI

Mumbai, June 15
The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party alliance in Maharashtra lay in tatters as industrialist Rahul Bajaj coasted to victory with support from the NCP, the Shiv Sena and the BJP.

While Mr Bajaj contesting as an independent candidate bagged 195 votes, his opponent, Mr Avinash Pande bagged just 90 votes.

Mr Bajaj needed only145 votes to win the Rajya Sabha seat which fell vacant following the death of Pramod Mahajan. Voting was open since secret ballot during the Rajya Sabha poll were scrapped. Under the open ballot system, all voters would have to show their ballot papers to the presiding officers before casting their votes.

Observers say, Mr Bajaj's victory will have repercussions at the states

and Central levels where Mr Sharad Pawar's NCP is part of the ruling front. Relations between the Congress and the NCP have strained in Maharashtra with both parties fighting a turf war ever since Mr Narayan Rane broke away from the Shiv Sena to join the Congress.

Mr Rane, who hails from the Maratha community has emerged as a major force in the Congress, breaching the Konkan region which is eyed by both the Shiv Sena and the NCP.

Observers say political equations in Maharashtra may change in the coming months with elections to the Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation due early next year. Should a NCP-Sena-BJP alliance come about, the Congress is expected to use Mr Rane to launch an all-out war against the combine threatening the Democratic Front government in Maharashtra.

New Delhi, June 15
The BJP today said the Karnataka Government and the promoters of the Bangalore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) should resolve the issue through discussions.

Talking to mediapersons, Mr Jagdish Shettigar, Member of the BJP's Economic Cell and former Member of the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, came out in favour of the resolution of the vexed expressway issue through discussions.

Expressing concern about the stand-off between the state government and the promoter of the project Nandi Infrastructure Corridor, Mr Shettigar said both parties should realise that development of the state was of paramount importance and should be accorded priority.

He said the BMIC could not be viewed in isolation as concerning Karnataka alone as it was a 'showpiece' of public-private partnership which needed to be promoted intensively across the country through active participation of the private sector. “The project has to move ahead in this context,” Dr Shettigar said.

Referring to objections by the Janata Dal(S) that the acquisition was much beyond the project requirement, Dr Shettigar said if the government believed that the original agreement was “unfair by any parameters”, it should constitute a high-powered committee to investigate the matter and take appropriate action against those responsible for the “excessive acquisition”. “However, the issue should be resolved amicably keeping the interests of the area's farmers in mind.”

“ If the land acquired was more than required, then in all fairness, it should be redistributed to the affected farmers. The promoters of the project—Nandi Infrastructure—should not indulge in a confrontationist attitude with the government,” he said.

Dr Shettigar said till now, Karnataka was a “ preferred destination” for investors and its image should not suffer due to this issue, he added.

Bangalore, June 15
The newly formed Janata Dal (Secular)-Bharatiya Janata Party government is on a shaky ground with the alliance partners pulling in separate directions on the issue of taking over of the Bangalore- Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project being promoted by a private company.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has put his prestige at stake by deciding to pass a resolution in the state Assembly to take over the project, which is being opposed by the BJP.

The saffron party will only agree on taking over the “excess land” in possession of the project promoters — Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE)— but is not consenting to a complete project takeover.

Things have come to such a situation that Mr Kumaraswamy announced at a public function today that he did not know whether he would continue as Chief Minister for even the next 20 days in view of the political developments in the state.

He said he would not like to remain the Chief Minister if he failed to safeguard the interests of the state.

“However I will choose to resign only after fighting it out and would not like to run away from the battle field like a coward,” he added.

Addressing a function attended by Kannada intellectuals and artists in the city today, the Chief Minister said he would urge Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Cyriac Joseph to order an inquiry by a sitting High Court Judge into allegations made against him by the Congress party.

The state Congress has demanded that he be unseated for filing a wrong affidavit before contesting the 2004 elections wherein he stated he had only 24 acre of land close to the BMIC project area, while he owned 46 acres of land in the area.

Mr Kumaraswamy said he possessed 24 acre of land near Ramanagaram before he contested the Assembly elections from Ramanagaram in 2004.

He said subsequently his aunt had gifted 22 acre of land to him as she did not have a male heir, adding that he would not hesitate to demand a CBI inquiry into the matter.

Meanwhile, the JD (S) has called for a meeting of party legislators on June 18 to discuss the entire issue.

State JD(S) president M.P. Prakash told newsmen here today that the party would not let the government lose Rs 12,000 crore by giving 2,400 acre of excess land to NICE under the BMIC project.

Kolkata, June 15
Nine new police stations would be set up in the Maoist-infested districts of Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, announced in the state Assembly today.

The Chief Minister admitted that the terrorist activities in some districts had assumed serious proportions and thus, firm actions were needed to tackle the problem.

He said the police would be provided with modern sophisticated weapons and other equipments to combat terrorism in the state

Mr Bhattacharjee regretted that in the past few months, a large number of innocent people, including several CPM workers and police personnel, had been killed by the Maoists in these districts.

There were also several incidents of blowing up of police jeeps by land mine blasts, attacks on police stations and looting of arms and ammunitions both in south Bengal and north Bengal districts.

The Chief Minister has already appealed to the Maoists and other terrorists to give up their arms and come to the negotiating the table.

But since there had been no response, he once again appealed to them to come to the mainstream, assuring them of all help and assistance for their rehabilitation.

He said the government would also implement special development programme in these districts to solve several basic problems like education, employment, food shortage, health and sanitation in the neglected areas.

Mr Bhattacharjee said though the law and order situation in the state was by and large under control, several new police stations were needed in the districts.

Accordingly, 19 additional police stations would be set up in several remote areas in the districts which would be equipped with sophisticated weapons, wireless sets, mobile jeeps and other arms and ammunition.

New Delhi, June 15
The Oversight Committee formed to facilitate the implementation of the 27 per cent quota in higher educational institutes has finalised the theme for the national colloquium to be held on July 3.

Committee Chairman Veerapa Moily told The Tribune, “in today’s meeting we focussed on the theme for the national colloquium that is scheduled for July. The colloquium will be attended by academicians and intellectuals from across the country”.

Declining to give more details on the theme paper, he said the committee had asked the five sub-groups to give their inputs by June 30 to enable the committee to finalise its interim report by July 10, which would then be submitted to the government.

“The final report will be submitted by August 31, but the interim report would be ready sometime in July, which is why we have asked the sub-groups to submit their reports by June 30,” he said.

Mr Moily said the interim report would apprise the government about the advance planning vis-à-vis finances and infrastructure that would be required to be made by 2007, when the reservation policy would be implemented.

The Chairman said the reservation Bill slated to be introduced in the coming monsoon session could be deferred if the situation arose. He said all decisions would be taken after reaching a consensus and keeping in mind the interests of all groups.

New Delhi, June 15
Two brothers of BSP founder Kanshi Ram today moved the Supreme Court to revive a petition of their mother Bishan Kaur, accusing party supremo Mayawati of not providing proper medical treatment to their ailing brother.

Dalbara Singh and Harbans Singh, in a joint petition, moved in the apex court alleged that they "genuinely" apprehended that Mayawati was not providing the ailing BSP leader, the medical treatment required.

The petition, earlier filed on the same lines by their mother Bishan Kaur, who died earlier this year, was withdrawn by her counsel after her death and the apex court had approved the withdrawal in its order on May 11.

Seeking restoration of the special leave petition (SLP) of Bishan Kaur to its original form in their name, Dalbara Singh and Harbans Singh, in their petition, moved by their counsel Ajay Agrawal, pleaded the court to get Kanshi Ram examined afresh by doctors of the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

The brothers claimed that they had learnt through reliable sources that the condition of Kanshi Ram had "deteriorated" further.

New Delhi, June 15
The National Commission for Women (NCW) and the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs have joined hands to look into the problems faced by deserted NRI brides.

The commission which receives about six complaints of desertion, domestic violence and dowry harassment every month from victims of NRI marriages, will hold a workshop in Chandigarh on June 21 on “Problems relating to NRI marriages.”

Organisers have also set aside half-an-hour for victims to narrate their experiences to the gathering, including Union Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vyalavar Ravi, Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana, NCW Chairperson and the DGPs of the two states.

NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas said the commission had been receiving complaints from women married to NRIs in Canada, UK, USA and West Asia. She said it was important for the government to establish links with social groups of the Indian diaspora. “In most cases, parents of the brides have no clue about the antecedents of the groom. It is often seen that these men are already married and remarry only to get dowry,” she said.

Deputy Secretary, NCW, Gurpreet Deo, said the commission had invited lawyers, experts in international law, officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs and the Home Ministry to discuss the issue threadbare.

She said though Section 3 of the IPC provided for extra-territorial jurisdiction, it remained to be debated whether this could be invoked in case of problems in NRI marriages.

The Deputy Secretary said problems faced by law-enforcing agencies in dealing with the complaints of NRI marriages included lack of clarity in defining jurisdictional boundaries, variation in legal systems of different countries and the physical distance between the victim’s home country and her matrimonial home. 

New Delhi, June 15
Issues relating to conservation and protection of wildlife, including the much-endangered tiger, will come up for review and discussion at a meeting of the National Wildlife Board here on June 19.

The meeting, to be chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, will review reports presented in the last meeting.

While protection and conservation of the tiger is likely to be one of the main issues to be discussed at the meeting, all matters relating to wildlife and the Environment Ministry’s work on them will be taken up for appraisal.

Besides, the proposal to set up a national wildlife crime bureau will also be discussed.

The Prime Minister is the chairman of the board, which is the apex body in the country on wildlife conservation and protection. There are 40 members, including senior bureaucrats, experts and representatives of NGOs, on the board that was created under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Hardoi, June 15
A son of a former aide of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose today said Netaji is still alive and healthy at the age of 109 yrs and he had met the revolutionary freedom fighter a week back in the forests of Mujaihna under Thangaon area of Sitapur district in UP.

This has been claimed by Rajendra Dwivedi, who is the son of a former aide to Netaji, late freedom fighter Krishnadutt Dwivedi.

Mr Dwivedi is sitting on a dharna at the collectorate here demanding the Mukherjee Report on Netaji be made public and the government issue a white paper on the matter. He said his father was a member of the Azad Hind Fauz and closely associated with Netaji.

''My father and his elder brother Ramdayal Dwivedi were close associates of Netaji,'' Mr Dwivedi -- also a leader of Bharatiya Subhash Sena -- claimed. — UNI