 |
|
|
Differences on N-deal worry govt
PM to meet allies, Left after monsoon session
Minister’s comment on PM’s security today |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Janmashtami celebrated amid tight security
SC refuses to intervene in Jaipur royal family dispute
UTI Scam
CRPF may take news channel to court
Natwar taken to court by brother over land dispute
Salman permitted to go abroad
HC asks Abu Salem to approach SC
Rain creates havoc in Maharashtra
W. Bengal govt not to ban colas
’84, Gujarat riots in NCERT books
Advani features in RSS film on Hindutva
Narora incident: cop suspended
Teenager raped in Delhi
|
|||||||||||||||||||
|
Differences on N-deal worry govt New Delhi, August 16 This was indicated at the last meeting of the Rajya Sabha’s business advisory committee (BAC) called to fix the day and time for the short duration discussion on the Indo-US nuclear deal. Several Opposition and Left members, it is learnt, reiterated their demand that the debate should also include a “sense of Parliament” statement or resolution. This demand, which has been recorded formally in the records of the BAC’s meeting, shows that the differences on this issue have not blown over yet even as the Prime Minister braces himself to confront critics of this deal both from the Left and the Right tomorrow. On it’s part, the government is very firm that it will never accept the demand for a “sense of House” resolution and has conveyed as much in the series of meetings it has held with the leaders of the Left parties in the run-up to this debate. Both the Prime Minister and Lok Sabha leader Pranab Mukherjee are also learnt to have expressed their
reservations about the the Left parties teaming up with the BJP on this issue. UPA sources said the Left parties were explained that foreign policy issues and ratification of international treaties is in the domain of the executive and does not require endorsement by Parliament. It was stated that this issue was debated by the Constituent Assembly and it was after considerable thought that the framers of the Indian Constitution had taken this
decision. Those pressing for a resolution, it is learnt, were told that if some political parties felt so strongly about it, they could “go to the people, get a two-thirds mandate and then amend the Constitution.” The
government has doggedly maintained that foreign policy could not be bound by the prevailing public mood at a particular time. The Prime Minister is
particularly firm that his assurance to Parliament that there will be shifting of goalposts with regards to the
nuclear deal should suffice and that their insistence on a resolution or statement was tantamount to a no
confidence in him. The government has also maintained that the US legislative process permitting civilian nuclear cooperation with India is yet to be completed and it is only after it is concluded that a clearer picture will emerge. In fact, UPA sources said, serious negotiations on the deal will commence only after the legislative process is concluded, adding that in case there is any deviation from the July 18 Indo-US agreement, India has the option of walking out of
the deal.
|
||
|
PM to meet allies, Left after monsoon session New Delhi, August 16 The disinvestment decisions and proposals had been put on hold early last month after the DMK threatened to withdraw support to the UPA government against the sale of shares of Neyveli Lignite Corporation. Sources said the government had decided to hold discussions with the UPA allies and Left parties on the sticky issue of disinvestment in a bid to evolve some kind of consensus. While it faced pressure from both DMK and Left parties on its decisions on disinvestment in NLC and NALCO, the government had faced a similar situation last year when it kept on hold its decision to divest 10 per cent share in BHEL following severe criticism from the Left parties. There are reports of the government thinking of using the autonomy of PSUs to bring disinvestment back on its radar. Sources said a Group of Ministers will review some of the proposals contained in a report submitted to the government in April on empowering PSUs. A key proposal is to give PSU boards the freedom to dilute government stake without needing Cabinet clearance as long as it does not go below 51 per cent.
|
||
|
Minister’s comment on PM’s security today New Delhi, August 16 Series of meetings were held today on the issue during which CRPF Director General J.K. Sinha briefed the government, official sources said. The CRPF has denied the involvement of its men in any wrong doing and also rubbished the report of India TV, which had claimed that three Kashmiris in the second batallion of the CRPF, who were former militants of Hizb-ul Mujahideen, had been kept on guard duty in the close proximity of the Prime Minister, posing serious threat. In the statement, the Home Minister is expected to seek a code of conduct for the electronic media. — PTI
|
||
|
No new restrictions on Pak diplomats: MEA New Delhi, August 16 Earlier also they had to take permission from the Indian government before leaving Delhi which included travel by road/rail to Pakistan, an MEA spokesperson said. The spokesperson was responding to a question regarding a TV channel report that the Indian government had placed restrictions on Pakistani diplomats on their movement outside Delhi Municipal limits. — UNI
|
||
|
Janmashtami celebrated amid tight security
New Delhi, August 16 The occasion was celebrated amid unprecedented security. Processions of “jhankis”(floats) were taken out depicting scenes of Lord Krishna's birth, childhood and other events. Temples and houses were decorated beautifully and people were seen performing “dandia”. Kirtans and bhajans, praising the love between Lord Krishna and his consort Radha, reverberated all around as idols of “Balgopal” were swayed in cradles amid arti(ritualistic ablutions) and puja since last night. Long queues of people waited outside the Akshardham temple, the Birla temple and the ISKCON temple. Frequent power cuts, however, forced some temples to scale down their lighting arrangements. The Delhi Police had beefed up security at vital installations, including the Parliament House, Rashtrapati Bhawan, PM's residence and Delhi Metro. A posse of police personnel was deployed in Delhi Metro cars to avert any untoward incidents. The travellers were advised not to carry any liquid, including liquid lip-gloss in the metro cars. In Mumbai, the “Govindas” made it a grand affair by forming pyramids to break pots in the famous “Dahi-Handi” competitions. The tradition of forming human pyramids to reach the pot containing curd and puffed rice relives the childhood pranks of Lord Krishna. Youth organisations and mandals, including that of women, in every nook and corner of the city and suburbs geared up to form human pyramids to perform the traditional ceremony of “dahi haandi”. Young men and women were seen singing “Govinda ala re” and other popular festive numbers from Hindi movies. |
|
SC refuses to intervene in Jaipur royal family dispute New Delhi, August 16 "These petitions cannot be entertained. You can go to the (Rajasthan) High Court," a Bench comprising Chief Justice Y.K.Sabharwal, Mr Justice C.K. Thakker and Mr Justice Markandey Katju told the counsel, who had filed an application seeking the apex court's intervention in a case pertaining to a long-pending dispute between late prince Jagat Singh with his foster brother Swai Bhawani 'Babbles' Singh. Jagat Singh, the only son of Maharani Gayatri Devi, had died in 1997 after his wife princess Rangsit had divorced him and went to Thailand with her children Devraj and Lalitya Kumari. As the counsel pleaded the apex court to intervene in the matter, stating that the Rajasthan Government had also assured that it "wanted to do something" regarding certain properties under its control but could not take a decision due to pendency of the case, the Bench said all these questions could be raised before the High Court. The royal family together owns several properties spread in Rajasthan, Delhi and England, estimated to be worth several thousand crore rupees. In multiple disputes in the family, at least 40 cases were pending in different courts. The case pending in the apex court since 1992 was initiated by Babbles against his foster brother Jagat Singh in 1992 after the death of their father Maharaja Swai Man Singh II. It has been pending on certain legal issues. Babbles had claimed sole ownership of the entire family property as a successor to Swai Man Singh for being his eldest son. Gayatri Devi, her son Jagat Singh and his other foster brothers Prithvi Raj Singh and Jai Singh had then joined hands to fight the legal battle against Babbles. But the recent developments saw their unity falling apart after princess Rangsit's coming into the picture.
|
|
|
Include Praful’s name if evidence found: HC
Mumbai, August 16 A division bench comprising Justices R.M. Lodha and S.A. Bobde directed the lower court to re-process and re-consider the entire issue and adjourned the hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) in this regard till September 20. The PIL, filed by Dr M. Furkan, alleged that Mr Patel, who was the then Chairman of Autorider Finance Ltd (AFL), and its directors T.N. Iyer and Surinder Ruia duped the UTI by way of not returning the loans sought to purchase vehicles. The PIL also claimed that Mr Patel’s company, which provided vehicles on hire between 1993 and 1995, approached the UTI asking it to invest in AFL debentures aggregating to Rs 50 crores. The amount was to be used by AFL to purchase vehicles and to be mortgaged to UTI, according to the deal. The petitioner’s lawyer K.T. Thomas told the court that according to the private complaint filed by the UTI in the lower court, the company, despite reminders, neither repaid the loan amount nor furnished the details of vehicles purchased. He told the court that Mr Patel and others had allegedly diverted the funds and purchased immovable property at Juhu and other places, instead of the vehicles. Following the alleged misappropriation of funds by Mr Patel and others, the UTI had filed a criminal complaint in a Metropolitan Court here. However, after a few hearings, the UTI approached the lower court requesting it to delete the names of the allegedly accused, without justifying the reasons. Mr Patel, while using his political power, had allegedly pressurised the UTI to delete his name from the list of the accused, Mr Thomas added. The petitioner appealed the court to initiate a CBI inquiry into the entire scam and to direct the lower court to include the names of Mr Patel and others in the case. — UNI
|
|
|
CRPF may take news channel to court
New Delhi, August 16 “My men cannot be rubbished like this. We have a history of dedication to our duty. None of the men named by the television channel have even a remote history of being a terrorist”, agitated CRPF Director-General J.K. Sinha said here, maintaining that the three were not terrorists. “I am consulting my legal cell and we will not hesitate to seek legal recourse, if needed”, he said. He was reacting to an India TV report last night, in which it claimed that the three personnel of the CRPF’s second battalion, residents of Kashmir, had belonged to the Hizbul Mujahideen and had been put on duty with the Prime Minister’s security. Terming it as a blatant lie, Mr Sinha said while Mr Gulzar Lone, a resident of Anantnag in south Kashmir, had joined the CRPF in 1988 during a recruitment drive here, Mr Mehruddin was a resident of Punjab and had joined the force in 1995 at a Bangalore recruitment camp. Mr Mansoor Ahmed Lone, a resident of Anantnag, had joined the force in 1998 under the category of former militant and had stated in his application that he belonged to militant outfit Muslim Mujahideen. This outfit was only on paper and had probably been formed to provide jobs to unemployed youths of the valley so that they did not become ready fodder for militants, senior security officials said. Rubbishing the claim of the channel that they had been put on duty in front of the Prime Minister’s residence, Mr Sinha said they were posted with the Delhi police in 2004 and were on guard duty at the Teen Murti Lane, a road the Prime Minister never took. He also said the antecedents of every individual recruited in the CRPF had been checked through the state police and the Intelligence Bureau and nothing adverse had been found in their cases. About the missing carbine, he said Head Constable Raj Kumar had been sent on compulsory retirement for leaving his weapon unattended. The Delhi police registered a case in November 27, 2004 against the three personnel of the CRPF, along with Raj Kumar, Balwant Singh, T. Chuwangi and Radha Krishan. “They had been sent for lie-detector, brain-mapping and narco-analysis tests and nothing adverse had been found against the three”, Mr Sinha said. The CRPF had also conducted a departmental inquiry against the seven personnel and nothing adverse had been found against the three. “Now they are fighting insurgency in the North-East and I wonder what the TV channel is doing, trying to demoralise them”, he said. “Does the TV channel suggest that everyone from Kashmir is a militant”, Mr Sinha asked.
— PTI
|
|
Natwar taken to court by brother over land dispute
Jaipur, August 16 Mr Justice Ashok Parihar of the Jaipur Bench of the high court had recently issued notices to Mr Natwar Singh, his son Jagat and the state government, copies of which were made available today, seeking their response to the petition filed by Mr Bharat Singh. Mr Bharat Singh had alleged that three bighas that was part of his family’s ancestral property had wrongly been allotted by the state government at a concessional rate to Mr Natwar Singh and his son. The matter was expected to come up for hearing again next week. Mr Bharat Singh had said in his writ that agricultural land worth Rs 60 crore near the ancestral property at Bharatpur was acquired by the state government in 1972-73. The Urban Improvement Trust (UIT) at Bharatpur had compensated Mr Bharat Singh after taking possession of the land. Under existing laws, he had later applied for three bighas to be allotted back to him at a concessional rate. Mr Bharat Singh, in his petition, alleged that in May, the UIT was instructed by the Deputy Secretary of the Urban Development and Housing Department to allot the land to Mr Natwar Singh and his son. Mr K.S. Rathore, Mr Bharat Singh’s counsel, had alleged that Mr Natwar Singh and his son had never been in possession of the land and it had been allotted to them at throwaway prices.
— PTI
|
|
|
Salman permitted to go abroad
Jodhpur, August 16 The order from the Judicial Magistrate’s court here, allowing Salman to go abroad from August 19 to September 3, was issued on Monday. Meanwhile, the prosecution has filed a fresh application to seek the production of nine more witnesses in connection with the case related to the use of the weapons by Salman in the alleged poaching of endangered animals in 1998 during the shooting of a film at Jodhpur. Salman’s counsel H.M. Saraswat opposed the prosecution’s move and said it came at a time when the trial was nearing its end and only one witness — Ashok Patni who was earlier additional superintendent of police at Jodhpur — remains to be examined. The prosecution contended in its application that there are some important witnesses who could reveal “decisive facts” and support the prosecution’s stand. Among these witnesses are Poonam Chand, Mangilal and four doctors of the Animal Husbandry Department.
— PTI
|
|
|
HC asks Abu Salem to approach SC
Mumbai, August 16 The prosecution stated that as per the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, appeal in TADA cases could lie only with the Supreme Court. While asking Salem to approach the apex court, a Division Bench of Justices
J.N. Patel and Roshan Dalvi also observed that the special TADA court ought to have pronounced the verdict in the 1993 bomb blasts case by
now. Salem had filed an appeal in the high court against the charges framed against him in the case and challenged the separation of his trial from the rest of the accused. — PTI
|
|
Rain creates havoc in Maharashtra Mumbai, August 16 According to the disaster management cell of the state government, more than 400 people have died across the state following a heavy rain in the past fortnight. The Army was called in today after the heavy rain hit the Vidarbha region. Officials said here today that the Wainganga river swelled up again causing fears of fresh floods in the downstream areas. Helicopters were pressed in to evacuate stranded people in Bhandara and Gondia districts, officials said today. So far, nearly 12 lakh people have been affected across 31 districts after 9,691 villages in 31 districts were hit by floods. In Mumbai, heavy rain since Tuesday night disrupted traffic and caused waterlogging in different parts of the city. However, trains on the city’s Western and Central Railway lines were functioning normally. Life was not affected much since the city is enjoying a long weekend. The heavy rain, however, added much mirth to youngsters celebrating Janmashtami. Across the city, bands of young men and women went around forming pyramids to break pots of curd hung at great heights. Most pots had money for distribution among members of the pyramid. The biggest prize money was Rs 21 lakh offered by a mandal in Thane. According to Nationalist Congress Party leader Jitendra Awhad who is the sponsor, he expected revellers to form 10 or more tiers to break the pot.
|
|
|
W. Bengal govt not to ban colas
Kolkata, August 16 After an hour-long meeting of the front in the presence of Mr Sitaram Yechuri, an important Politburo member, Mr Bose told mediapersons at the Alimuddin Street party office that there was no proposal for banning these colas in the state because the samples tested in the state laboratory detected only “minimal arsenic contents” in the water used in them. He said the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, and the state Health Minister, Mr Surya Kanto Mishra, had informed him that after properly testing the water samples of Cola Cola and Pepsi nothing poisonous had been detected. Accordingly, they would neither officially ban these drinks nor ask the people to boycott them. The state government, however, would certainly ban them if such a decision was taken by the Centre, he added.
|
|
Flush out Partition poison, says Khushwant Singh New Delhi, August 16 He further added that, "although the wounds of partition have been healed yet the poison remains and the two nations can never know peace till this poison is flushed out." Khushwant Singh said these telling words at an event organised by Roli Books at Hotel Le Meridien in Delhi to celebrate the re-publishing of the book as an illustrated novel. Rather gripping photographs have been used in the book, all shot by photographer Margaret Bourke White. Pakistani human rights activist and lawyer, Asma Jehangir was also present on this occasion and she said that, "I am here to honour the book of a man who has always told the truth. I really thought while reading this book that one has to pay attention to the time when it was written, that is the year 1956. He really brings sensitivity in his treatment of the massive human tragedy of partitition." Asma further adds: "What is really interesting in this book is that there are no villans or heroes. The situation just exists blandly as it occurred. There is no black or white and it clearly shows the negatives of bigotry and ignorance." "In this book Khushwant also talks of what he calls the male cult, the chauvinism and the looking down on women especially," adds Asma Asma says:"its always been our hope that we can share each others joy's and sorrows as neighbouring countries. This book takes me to a sleepy village which is shocked by the murder of one person and is unaware of the massive trauma they will soon go through."
|
|
|
’84, Gujarat riots in NCERT books
New Delhi, August 16 The change in the syllabus comes in the wake of the implementation of the National Curriculum Framework, which suggests that the textbooks should connect knowledge to real life situations. “You cannot teach political science to students, sidestepping the major events, which had significant influence on society and polity, no matter whether controversial or not,” Prof Yogendra Yadav, a member of the panel for preparation of political science textbooks, said “So we are covering all major happenings, including Gujarat riots, Ayodhya incident, Emergency and many other controversies,” he said. The topics would give the established facts taken from government sources which cannot be disputed by anybody, he said adding that the text would also refrain from going into full details of the incidents.
— PTI
|
|
|
Advani features in RSS film on Hindutva
New Delhi, August 16 RSS sources say Advani's interview in the 90-minute documentary on the late leader Gowalkar was a well-thought move by the sangh. The former Deputy Prime Minister and his party colleague Sushma Swaraj sat beside RSS chief K. S. Sudarshan throughout the film show at a packed auditorium here last evening. “The move to have Advani as a commentator in the film is aimed to allay public perception that he has fallen out with the sangh,” a RSS leader said. The film, directed by TV actor and former BJP MP Nitish Bhardwaj, also features RSS leader Sudarshan, who had last year suggested that both former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani were too old to lead the BJP. The video, to be available for sale next month, recounts what sangh leaders call selective attacks against Hindus during the Partition. Replete with references to Hindus and Hindutva, it also carries footage of then Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri and Indira Gandhi.
— PTI
|
|
|
Narora incident: cop suspended
Lucknow, August 16 The Bulandshahr police has suspended Constable Manish Kumar and Narora police station in charge A.P. Singh has been attached to the Police Lines. This follows the arrest of four workers at the Narora plant for entering the restricted area without proper papers. The punishment comes after the discovery that the four persons had given incorrect addresses to the authorities. |
|
New Delhi, August 16 The accused, identified as Amit Tyagi, has been arrested in connection with the incident, which happened on Monday in the Mohan Garden area of Uttam Nagar. According to the police, the 20-year-old accused had dragged her into a car when she was going to a nearby market on Monday evening. He then took her to a house in the locality and raped her at knife-point. Tyagi, who runs a small-time business of supplying building material, was arrested today while a hunt is on for two of his accomplices. — 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 (
