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Govt against ‘outsiders’ fixing MPs’ pay
Govt upbeat over Senate approval |
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BJP denounces Indo-US nuclear deal
New Delhi, June 29 The BJP today voiced its stiff opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal, accusing the UPA government of not taking the Opposition in confidence on a deal that would mortgage the nuclear programme to the US.
Rs 1,125 crore for agri research project
Army seeks views on pension to lady officers
Youths duped by travel agents return home
New JEE system a boon for rural candidates
V.P. Singh sticks to his version
P.V. Sukhatme
National Award given
Actress regrets touching Lord Ayyappa’s idol Chawla defends family trusts’ role Monsoon session from July 24 Office of profit Bill may be tabled in same form
Wheat price to remain high despite imports
Aiyar questions import of wheat
Order to arrest Sadhu Yadav
Shilpa knocks at NCW’s door
Karnataka to pay allowance to Devadasis Brain-mapping on Rahul allowed SC stays Rs 542 crore ST recovery from Nirma
Yechury meets PM
Gandhi’s bust in German Parliament
Principal held on rape charge
Separate quota for Muslims sought PM’s jet’s link failure being
probed
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Govt against ‘outsiders’ fixing MPs’ pay
New Delhi, June 29 Mr Chatterjee had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last month suggesting that instead of MPs voting on their own salaries as is the present practice, this task be entrusted to an independent commission, similar to the Pay Commission which decides on the salaries of government employees. Such a move, the Speaker felt, would help restore the credibility of the political class. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today discussed this issue with his senior ministers, including Defence Minister and Lok Sabha leader Pranab Mukherjee and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunshi. However, the general view was that the commission, comprising “outsiders”, would dilute the provisions of Article 106 of the Constitution which lays down that the salaries and allowances of MPs will be periodically reviewed and decided by the Parliament. Any change, it was pointed out, will require a Constitutional amendment. At present, a joint parliamentary committee recommends changes in salaries and pensions of MPs and ex-MPs, which are then approved by both Houses of Parliament. According to UPA sources, the government is not keen on handling over this task to “outsiders”. However, it has not officially rejected the Speaker’s suggestion. It was decided today that Mr Dasmushi prepare a note on this entire matter on the basis of the Speaker’s proposal and the recommendations of a joint parliamentary committee, headed by Mr Giridhar Gomang, which had agreed with the Speaker’s suggestion. This issue was first raised by Mr Chatterjee last year when he had called an all-party meeting where the Speaker’s proposal had met with all-round approval.
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EC for cap on poll expenses
New Delhi, June 29 “There should be total transparency in the flow of funds to political parties and there should be ceiling on expenditure by political parties,” B.B. Tandon told reporters as he demitted his office as Chief Election Commissioner this evening. Stating that the commission today submitted its recommendations on the state funding of elections, which was referred by the Union Cabinet, Mr Tandon said there was no consensus among political parties on the issue. Admitting that money power was playing a gigantic role in elections, he said partial funding of elections was not a solution as there was lot of loopholes in the existing ceiling on expenditure by political parties and candidates. He also rejection the expansion of three member commission saying the poll panel in its existing structure was “very effective” and it should remain so.” However, he reiterated that a mechanism be evolved for the appointment of Election Commissioners, including the CEC on the lines of appointments being made to the National Human Rights Commission, and the Central Vigilance Commission. Under the present scheme, they are being appointed on the advice of the Prime Minister. Mr Tandon said the election machinery should be quite independent, free from any influence by any agency, executive or anybody else. He was unfazed by the strong Left parties criticism of his handling of the office of profit issue, nor was he perturbed by suggestions that he “hurried” with his decision to dispose of disqualification petition against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and to hold the Rae Bareili byelection following her resignation. “The commission is transparent. We have not slowed down the process. We have not expedited it. It is taking a normal and judicial process,” he said about the process to go into the disqualifications complaints several of them belonging to the Left parties, including Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee. Asserting that the commission was duty bound to carry out constitutional obligations if a disqualification petition against an MP or MLA was referred to it by the President or the state Governors, Mr Tandon said “We have now started writing to the state governments to give information”. “All office of profit petitions we have received against MPs and MLAs are under process and at various stages,” he said adding “all our actions on the issue is subject to judicial review”. Asked as to why he did not act on the demand by some political parties for removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, he said the President had not referred the issue and if it was referred to him he would have discharged his constitutional obligations. Now the matter was sub-judice, he said.
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Govt upbeat over Senate approval New Delhi, June 29 As the Senate committee results became known around 10.10 pm (IST), the Manmoh Singh government was also upbeat about the fact that the Senate Committee did not have any intrusive language as the House had on June 27 when it passed 37-5 a similar, but not identical, Bill. The South Block mandarins appeared satisfied that unlike the House committee, there was no Iran section in the Bill which the Senate Committee eventually passed. Also, there was no mention of various conditions for the US to give or not to give its cooperation. The Senate Committee passed two amendments and defeated one. Significantly, New Delhi is not upset about any of the three amendments - passed or rejected. The two amendments passed by the Senate Committee are that (i) only civilian nuclear cooperation will be extended to India, and (ii) if India were to detonate another nuclear device, all countries would halt their cooperation with India. While the first one is self-explained, the second passed amendment is just a non-binding clause to India. It means that countries like Russia and France will not help India if New Delhi were to explode another nuclear device. Besides, it shows that the US Congress believes that it has power to legislate for the entire world. New Delhi is sanguine over the fact that the Senate Committee voting came as replication of an equally overwhelming majority of 37-5 by which the other wing of the Congress — the House of Representatives — passed a similar, though not identical Bill. Only two Senators, both Democrats — Ms Barbara Boxer and Mr Russ Feingold — voted against the Bill. The UPA government believes that the landslide victory margin would pave the way for the Bush administration to get the legislation passed by the House and Senate by next month-end.
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BJP denounces Indo-US nuclear deal
New Delhi, June 29 “The UPA government has completely repudiated the principle of evolving a national consensus on issues related to India’s nuclear programme to be backed by a strong national will,” BJP leader and former HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi said at a press conference. “Any deal that permits outside interference in the work of our nuclear scientists is unacceptable,” Dr Joshi said. Sounding a note of caution to the country, he said the Bill before the US Congress had introduced certain conditions that should not be accepted by the government, as it would force India to sign the CTBT, the Fissile Material Control Treaty and the NPT. The Prime Minister, he said, must reject conditions being imposed through the Bill and India must continue with its credible nuclear deterrent and R & D programme in nuclear field. Besides, the government should also re-examine the clauses on nuclear energy. He maintained that the BJP, ever since the July 18, 2005 joint statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W. Bush, had been expressing its serious concerns regarding the contents of the nuclear deal. It would put “onerous restrictions on the country’s nuclear options in both military and civil sectors and make India perpetually dependent on the US for all initiatives in application of nuclear energy”. Dr Joshi said the terms and conditions of the Draft Bill recently introduced by the US in the Commission on Disarmament in Geneva clearly showed that the American negotiators had succeeded in getting India into the CTBT regime and also sign the Fissile Material Control Treaty. Dr Joshi said the government had not given any categorical response to the issues arising out of the Bill so far. Dr Joshi disagreed with a questioner that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had announced that there would be no future nuclear tests. He said it was a voluntary commitment and India could conduct future detonation if it was found necessary to maintain credible minimum nuclear deterrence because it was not a signatory to the CTBT or the NPT.
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Rs 1,125 crore for agri research project
New Delhi, June 29 The six-year project, which involves a $ 200 million credit from the World Bank, would be implemented from July 1, Information and Broadcasting Minister P.R. Dasmunsi told reporters after a Cabinet meeting. The project would have four components including one in which the Indian Council of Agricultural Research would be the catalyst for the management of change in the Indian National Agricultural System, the minister said. The other components would be research in production and consumption systems, research on sustainable rural livelihood security and basic and strategic research in the frontier areas of agricultural sciences. The decision would result in about 15 value chain development reports for serving as models for other potential areas and investment planning. It also aimed to produce about 20 sustainable rural livelihood models for replication in other disadvantaged areas and generation of about 25 patents of scientific and economic significance, Mr Dasmunsi said. About 100 research papers are also aimed to be published in high quality and impact research journals as part of the project. Dasmunshi said the CCEA also gave ‘in-principle’ approval to the Indian Council of Agriculture Research for regulation of higher agricultural education in the country. It also approved additional funding of Rs 200 crore for strengthening and developing agricultural education in the remaining period of tenth five-year plan. Meanwhile, Food Processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai, in reply to a query during an interactive session with the media after a FICCI organised session with CEOs of food retail companies here, said, “The decision as to who would steer the Food Regulatory Authority of India will be taken by the Prime Minister of India.” The authority would come into existence once the Bill on Integrated Food Law gets the clearance from the Parliament, Mr Sahai said and added that the Bill would get approval in the coming Monsoon session of Parliament.
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Army seeks views on pension to lady officers
Chandigarh, June 29 A letter was circulated by the Manpower Planning Directorate at AHQ to all commands in this regard about a month ago, sources revealed. A large number of formations and establishments have already forwarded their comments up to Corps and Command headquarters. At present, women officers, like male short service commission (SSC) officers are not entitled for grant of pension. They are permitted to serve only up to 14 years which does not fulfill conditions laid down by the central government for grant of pension. The first batch of women officers was commissioned in 1993 for an initial tenure of five years. Thereafter they have been granted two extensions of five years and fours years respectively. Unless boarded out on medical grounds on reasons attributable to military service Armed Forces officers are entitled to grant of pension after they complete 20 years of service. Sources at Headquarters Western Command who are familiar with the exercise said that it has generally been recommended by lower formations that the service of women officers be made pensionable. For this, however, it has been suggested that women officers serve for 20 years. This, sources said was to bring male and female officers on the same platform and avoid bringing about a situation where there is disparity in the eligibility conditions of male (permanent commission) and female officers for grant of pension. The exercise, sources pointed out, began before the recent controversies concerning service conditions, harassment and pay and allowances came out in the public domain. Also covered in the letter, sources said, was exploring the possibility of inducting women in combat arms. At present, Army Air Defence is the only combat arm in which women are allowed entry. Infantry, armoured and artillery are still beyond their purview. According to a senior officer, a proposal was mooted about three months ago to appoint women officers as quarter masters in combat units. Quarter masters, generally officers of the rank of captain or major are responsible for stores and logistics of a unit. The feedback to this proposal was that besides logistic management, quarter masters have to perform many other duties in the field, which may include combat operations, night patrolling, etc, which may not be suitable for women officers. Further, it would also result in the reducing the number of officers available for certain field duties when units are already facing shortage of officers.
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Youths duped by travel agents return home
New Delhi, June 29 He had taken a loan of Rs 85,000 at an interest rate of 5 per cent per month in lure of the “bigger money and more prosperous future in Qatar” as promised by his travel agent. Disillusioned and cheated, he and 12 other youths from different districts of the state today presented their tales of woe. Lured by the dream of dollars and duped by “dubious” travel agents, who give loans and buy their farmland, these youths only return home empty-handed and with broken dreams. They will be joined by nine others tomorrow, while 70 are still in Doha awaiting their return. “They want to return but the company says it has no money to send them home,” Gurvinder claims. Hailing from Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur,
Ludhiana, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Una and other districts, they were all promised jobs of carpenter, electrician, steel fixer, etc. with an assured salary of 750 Rial per month, along with 150 Rial allowance for food and facilities like medical and housing. But they claimed they were put up in “literal hellholes for four months” with no assured benefits after being employed as contractual labour with a black-listed company. Gurvinder and others carried a letter by an Indian Embassy official in Qatar addressed to their respective district police heads. The letter with Harsharan Singh of Amritsar says: “The amount of Rs 85,000 charged by the Indian recruitment agent is in far excess of Rs 2,000 for unskilled workers and Rs 3,000 for semi-skilled workers prescribed by the Government of India and thus the agent has cheated him”. “The matter may be investigated and a suitable legal action be initiated against the agent, including the recovery of Rs 85,000 and refunded to worker….” adds the letter by Second Secretary T.R. Meena, urging the Amritsar SSP to take up the case of Harsharan Singh. Harsharan was recruited by M/S Skyways Consultants in Una, Himachal Pradesh, charging him Rs 85,000 to work as steel fixer with M/S Qatar Building Company in Doha, which, as per the Indian Embassy, is blacklisted. Lok Bhalai Party president B.S. Ramoowalia, who helped the youths return home after receiving an SOS message from them, says Punjab is teeming with “dubious” travel agents, who dupe unsuspecting youngsters with anything between Rs 80,000 and Rs 16 lakh, depending upon the country they opt for, with a promise of lucrative job prospects on foreign shores. “This human trafficking problem is rampant in all districts of Punjab, Haryana and now several districts of Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala,” he says. “Close to 70,000 Indians are hiding or are in jails in places like Ukraine, Russia, Syria, Dubai, Muscat, Libya, Turkey, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Pakistan.”
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New JEE system a boon for rural candidates
New Delhi, June 29 Following an appraisal of the new format, the HRD Ministry has noted many firsts, beginning with bridging the chasm between the IITs and smaller towns and villages. If 4,400 candidates made it to the premier institutions from cities, 1,328 and 615 got through from towns and villages, respectively. The proportion of successful candidates belonging to towns and villages has increased to 30.67 per cent as compared to 28.02 per cent in JEE-2005, while the percentage has decreased in case of cities from 71.98 per cent in JEE-2005 to 69.37 per cent in JEE-2006. “The proportional increase in the percentage from smaller towns further emphasises the success of the new JEE system and indicates reduced dependence on coaching centres that the candidates from town and village have no access to,” the ministry notes. The changed format has also facilitated more students to qualify in their first attempt and several candidates and their parents who came for counselling have reported that the single-stage JEE-2006 system has drastically reduced the stress on the candidates. “More significantly, 43.50 per cent of the total candidates qualified in their first attempt, a quantum jump from 28.49 per cent in JEE-2005. The age group of candidates who qualified in their first attempt is between 16 and 19 years,” officials said. It has been put forth that these reforms have “in a large measure achieved their original objective of reducing the stress level of students by factoring in the school results in the admission process and doing away with the screening test and reduced the dependence of students on coaching classes and made the process of entrance into these premier institutes more equitable”. Among the reforms recommended for JEE-2006 are a single objective type examination, no screening test, factoring of school results into admission process for IITs and eligibility for admission to the IITs to only those students who secure a first class or equivalent in the Class XII examination. Also a student can take JEE in the year he or she passes the Class XII examination and/or in the following year and those who join in any of the IITs will not be allowed to take the JEE again. A total of 2,99,288 candidates registered in JEE-2006 as compared to 1,98,059 in JEE-2005, an increase of around 51 per cent over the last year’s number of registered candidates, officials said.
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V.P. Singh sticks to his version
New Delhi, June 29 “I stand by whatever I have said in my memoirs ‘Manzilon Se Zyada Safar’. I will not compromise with the truth,” Mr Singh said in a written statement a day after Mr Vajpayee ridiculed Mr V.P. Singh’s remarks as “laughable”. On questions as why his memoirs have resulted in a spate of denials from different political leaders, Mr Singh retorted saying, “Should they commit suicide by accepting the truth?” He said that it was “but natural” that there would be denial of his statements in view of the “current political context”. Elaborating on the circumstances of writing his memoirs, the former Prime Minister said that he agreed to a question-answer session with author Ram Bahadur Rai on the persistence of veteran Hindi journalist Prabash Joshi who influenced him by saying that “I owe to posterity that I presented a truthful account of events and it was my responsibility towards history.” “If I had suppressed facts, then it would have been a betrayal with history”, he said. In the book, Mr V.P. Singh had said that Mr Vajpayee was so unhappy with the BJP some 20 years ago that he had mulled over the idea of creating a new party. He has also claimed in the book that BJP leader Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who is now the Vice-President, agreed with this proposal. Mr V.P. Singh said Mr Vajpayee’s plans to quit the BJP were made at a time when the fight was with the Congress and the Opposition leaders were “very frank” in their discussions. Mr V.P. Singh said that Mr Vajpayee did tell him that “I should go ahead by forming a party of some chosen leaders, but did never say that “he wanted to leave the party (BJP).”
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P.V. Sukhatme
National Award given
New Delhi, June 29 At a function organised on the occasion of the 113th birth anniversary of Professor Mahalanobis here, Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G.K. Vasan gave away the Prof
P.V. Sukhatme National Award in Statistics for 2005-06 jointly to the two statisticians. The minister, in his address, stressed on the need for development of a strong statistical system in the states and at the Centre to ensure availability of quality data for planning purposes. He said a data warehouse of official statistics was being created by the ministry which would enable all data users and the public to have easy access to published data. Dr Ramesh Chandra Panda, Secretary, and Dr S.K. Nath, Director-General of the Central Statistical Organisation, were also present on the occasion. The event is organised in the memory of Prof Mahalanobis who laid the groundwork of Indian planning. He established the National Sample Survey in 1950 and helped in setting up of the Central Statistical Organisation, an apex body for coordination of statistical activities in India. The award, which carries a shawl, silver plaque and a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh, is given every alternate year. Dr Das, former Director of the Indian Agricultural Statistics Research Institute, and Professor Bhattacharya, former Director of the Indian Statistical Institute, were honoured for their outstanding contribution in the field of statistics. Prizes were also distributed to three postgraduate students who were winners of an essay competition conducted by the ministry. Ms Poonam Chandna of Madras University bagged the first prize of Rs 15,000 while Ms Nisha Malik of Chaudhury Charan Singh Agricultural University of Haryana and Ms Jyoti Bodani of Acharya Nagarjuna University of Andhra Pradesh shared the second prize of Rs 12,000 each.
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Actress regrets touching Lord Ayyappa’s idol
Bangalore, June 29 The Sabrimala shrine is out of bounds for women between the age of 10 and 50 years old and the temple administration along with the state police strictly enforces this rule. Speaking to the TNS, Jayamala said she regretted the incident and would send an apology to the Devaswom Board, which controls the hill shrine situated in Kerala. She maintained that she had come out with the revelation about her visit to the shrine and the subsequent touching of Lord Ayyappa’s idol after learning of the recent “ashtamangala devaprashnam” (astrological process to elicit the Lord’s will). “The aim was to clear the air and I did not have any other purpose,” she added. Urging the people to “forget the incident”, the veteran actress however stuck to her earlier story, which is being contested by the Devaswom Board. She said she had visited the temple in 1987 as part of a vow to pay obeisance to the Lord if her husband was cured of an ailment. She said she touched the idol after she was pushed into the sanctum sanctorum by devotees. “I fell down in the process and came close to the idol, which I touched to take the blessings of the Lord,” she added. The actress also came down heavily on the board for releasing a fax message sent to it by her.
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Chawla defends family trusts’ role New Delhi, June 29 In his affidavit, Mr Chawla said all donations whether received from “MPLAD or not” were fully utilised by the trusts for the purpose and the objectives they were created for. The trusts were set up for the welfare of people with due permission from the government, he contended. He further said that the money was received by him much before he was appointed the Election Commissioner and his past could not be cited as a reason for questioning his competence and credibility to function as the EC. Moreover, there was no reference to his conduct as EC in the petition, filed by BJP leader Jaswant Singh. Mr Jaswant Singh in his petition has questioned the route followed by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam to refer the memorandum of over 200 NDA MPs for Mr Chawla’s removal to the government instead of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), to whom it should have been referred under the Constitution. But Mr Chawla questioned the stand of the BJP leader on the ground that the matter regarding removal of an Election Commissioner was referred to CEC for his opinion only after the President has taken a decision regarding his removal, which according to him could be taken on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. On his alleged “indictment” by the Shah Commission, which had gone into the Emergency excesses, he claimed that the panel had not given him an opportunity to cross-examine those who had lodged the complaint against him. He contended that the petition should be dismissed as keeping it pending would “create terror and fear” in the minds of the ECs and they would not be able to work freely.
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Monsoon session from July 24 New Delhi, June 29 The Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) has sent its decision to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam requesting him to convene the Parliament session next month, which would last till August 30. Parliamentary Affairs Minister P.R. Dasmunsi told this to reporters after a meeting of the Union Cabinet, which approved the proposal of the CCPA for convening of the session. Several important Bills are expected to be tabled in Monsoon session. However, much of the attention would be focussed on the Office of Profit Bill, which had been returned by Dr Kalam to the Parliament for reconsideration. Sources said the government was planning to reintroduce the Bill in its original form. After passing it, it would be sent to the President for the second time who would have no option but to give his approval. The President had raised objections on the lack of definition of the “office of profit” in the Bill and lack of uniformity between the Centre and the states on the issue. With petitions against over 30 Parliamentarians and 300 legislators including several Chief Ministers pending before the Election Commission seeking their disqualification, all eyes would be focussed on this Bill and the government’s strategy.
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Office of profit Bill may be tabled in same form New Delhi, June 29 UPA sources said the controversial Bill, which was returned by President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, is likely to be tabled in the same form as passed by Parliament in the previous session, with the government likely to meet the concerns conveyed by the President by suggesting that all such issues be referred to the Joint Committee on Office of Profit. The Bill is likely to be taken up in the Rajya Sabha first, as it is the House from where the legislation went to the President for his assent after it was passed by the Lok Sabha. The monsoon session of Parliament begins on July 24. Sources said the government’s plans to table the Bill without changes is also guided by feedback it has received about the legislation getting President’s assent on being sent to him a second time. Dr Kalam had said that Bill’s focus should be on evolving a comprehensive criterion that would be just, fair and reasonable and applied across all states and Union Territories in a clear and transparent manner.
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Wheat price to remain high despite imports
Mumbai, June 29 At the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee Market at Navi Mumbai, which is a major hub for wheat trade in Western India, traders expect wheat prices to remain at prevailing rates since the landed price of imported wheat would be as high as the domestic prices. “The price of wheat for July had declined slightly after reports about duty-free import of wheat. But after today’s announcement, the trade expects prices to be stable,” says Ajit Mehta, a wheat trader. A section of the trade expects the landed cost of imported wheat to be slightly higher than domestic wheat since they expect additional duties apart from customs duty to be levied on it. Flour mills and bakers who have been allowed to import wheat at concessional duties are expected to wait and watch for another few months regarding the price situation in the domestic market before finalising deals.
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Order to arrest Sadhu Yadav
Patna, June 29 Sadhu Yadav represents Gopalganj, and was reportedly trying to garner support for the wife of the elder brother of Lalu Prasad, Gulab Yadav, who was contesting for the post of mukhiya. The district administration simultaneously barred him from entering the district too. The police said Sadhu Yadav had threatened some members of the zila parishad and panchayat committee and beaten them up too, who were supporting the rival
candidate.
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Shilpa knocks at NCW’s door
New Delhi, June 29 Sources in the NCW said that Shilpa’s spokesperson met the Commission
Chairperson Girija Vyas and handed over a memorandum seeking support in dealing
with the obscenity case. Sources in the Commission said they will study the
memorandum before giving their comments as the matter is in court. A
Madurai-based lawyer has filed the case against Shilpa, Reema and
Murugan, the editor of Tamil Murusu, an eveninger, over a controversial
picture. The shot is from her super-hit Kannada film, ‘Auto Shankar’
which was released last year with ‘universal viewing certificate’.
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Karnataka to pay allowance to Devadasis
Bangalore, June 29 To a question raised by Congress member Mallajamma on the schemes introduced to empower women in the state, he said the state had come up with several innovative schemes for economic uplift of women. He said the state government had so far spent Rs 105 crore for various schemes, both under Central and state plans, including Sthree Shakthi, vocational training, financial assistance to women law graduates and udyogini. He informed that the state government had identified as many as 23,000 Devadasis in the state and under its Devadasis Rehabilitation programme, it planned to pay a subsistence allowance of Rs 500 per month to each of them. — UNI
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Brain-mapping on Rahul allowed New Delhi, June 29 Special Judge S.N. Gupta asked both the accused to appear before the investigating officer on July 5 when they will be informed about the date of the test. The court also directed the police to fix a date after July 22. Arguments on an application moved by Rahul seeking permission to go to Mumbai in view of being asked to vacate his father’s official bungalow in Central Delhi will be heard on July 3. Hearing on another application by Rahul seeking the release of his mobile phone seized by the police as well as one by Sahil seeking to secure the release of his car, would also be heard on that day.
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SC stays Rs 542 crore ST recovery from Nirma New Delhi, June 29 The interim stay was granted by a Bench of Mr Justice A.R. Lakshmanan and Mr Justice Altamas Kabir after admitting Nirma’s special leave petition (SLP) against the Gujarat High Court order rejecting its plea. The Ahmedabad Sales Tax Commissioner had calculated the exact accumulated arrears against the company at Rs 527.42 crore and directed it to deposit the money. Since the appeal was admitted by the apex court, the Sales Tax Department was restrained from recovering the money till further order. The court issued notice to the Sales Tax Department, seeking their reply to the appeal within four weeks.
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Yechury meets PM
New Delhi, June 29 During his two-day stay there, the Communist leader, visiting the country as interlocutor, would meet Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, general secretary of the CPN (Maoist) and other political leaders, as the interim government formation process gains momentum. During his talks with the leaders, Yechury is likely to press both sides to take the international community in confidence.
— TNS
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Gandhi’s bust in German Parliament
New Delhi, June 29 According to a press note released by the Lok Sabha Secretariat, Mr Chatterjee, during a brief ceremony organised on this occasion, said to his German counterpart, Dr Norbert Lammert, “We, the Parliamentarians, and the people of India stand honoured by your gesture of placing the Mahatma on a high pedestal in your Parliament. In fact, it is an honour for all peace-loving people across the World.”
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Principal held on rape charge
Patna, June 29 The Principal had reportedly dared to outrage the modesty of the girl in a secluded room of the school despite the fact that the girl’s mother is a teacher in the same school. The SSP of Patna Kundal Krishnan said that the girl had been already sent to the Patna Medical College and Hospital for medical examination. — TNS
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Separate quota for Muslims sought
Chennai, June 29 In a statement here, TMC founder-president K. Hussain Wahab also wanted the Centre to examine whether the state governments were properly utilising financial allocation for the uplift of Muslims. He also wanted the Central and state governments to hold special awareness camps for the illiterate, especially from the Muslim community, on the Centre’s welfare measures.
— UNI
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Wage board for journalists in a month: minister
Hyderabad, June 29 Mr M.A. Hashmi, president of the Hyderabad Union of Journalists told UNI that he met the Union Minister yesterday here and reminded him about the representation the union had given a month ago and the assurance given by him.
— UNI
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Liberhan Commission's term extended
New Delhi, June 29 Accordingly, the commission, which was appointed to inquire into the destruction of the Ram Janmabhumi-Babri Masjid structure at Ayodhya on December 6, 1992, would have its term till December 31 this year, official sources said
here. — UNI
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