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Release of docs’ salaries: Centre pulled up
Telangana issue: TRS threatens to leave UPA
BJP for action against MPs |
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LS adjourned for the day
PIL against Sonia dismissed
Village mourns death of illustrious son
Prime Minister to visit Gujarat
Tribals’
Bill: govt caught on wrong foot
Invest in disaster
preparedness: Patil
Natwar isolated
Ruckus over restaurant named after Hitler
Tribals’ Bill: govt caught on wrong foot
Kerosene stink stalls RS proceedings
Basu falls, hurts ankle
Kalam’s intervention sought for flood relief
B.R Chopra bereaved
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Release of docs’ salaries: Centre pulled up
New Delhi, August 21 Though the apex court had issued the order on July 17 for releasing the salary of the AIIMS doctors for the 18-day strike period from May 14 to 30 in view of their ending the strike on its direction, the government passed the order for release of the payment only on August 19 after doctors had filed a contempt petition. While questioning the delay of over a month in implementing the order by the Health Ministry to pay the salary of the AIIMS doctors, who were at loggerheads with Health Minister Ammumani Ramadoss on the reservation issue, a Bench of Mr Justice Arijit Pasayat and Mr Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta said, “It is strange that the matter has to go before the cabinet for approval even after we passed the order.” The strong observation came from the court while it took up for hearing a petition by the AIIMS doctors seeking contempt of court action against the officials concerned for not implementing its July 17 order. The Bench pointed out that the order for the release of salary was only passed by the government when a petition for contempt was moved against it. Though the court after the submission of the Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam that the order has finally been issued for payment of the salary closed the issue of contempt, it sought a report within two weeks to explain the cause for delay of one month and furnish details of the officers responsible. The court took exception to the government which had in its order releasing the salary had added that it will not be treated as a “precedent” for the future. “We fail to understand the language of such instruction. None of the orders we have passed, has said that it shall not be a precedent. We have only said that the principle of no work no pay shall not be applicable in peculiar circumstances of this case,” the Bench said, questioning the government for adding certain words to its order. “It means that the official who issued the order (on release of salary) is trying to add to our order,” the court observed.
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Telangana issue: TRS threatens to leave UPA
Hyderabad, August 21 TRS leader and Union Minister of State A. Narendra on Sunday declared that his party, which has two Union Ministers and five MPs, would bid goodbye to the UPA government by Tuesday, if a concrete move was not initiated for the formation of a separate Telangana state. He told reporters that TRS chief and Union Minister for Labour K. Chandrasekhar Rao and himself would submit resignation letters to the Prime Minister during the dinner being hosted by Dr Manmohan Singh to coalition partners. Mr Rao would then proceed to Jantar Mantar in Delhi to sit on a fast unto death on Wednesday. The party would take the help of the NDA in its fight for the Telangana cause both at national and state levels. The latest pressure tactic has been necessitated as the sub-regional party has reached a stage where it is in danger of losing its credibility in Hyderabad. Mr Rao had set several deadlines in the past without any tangible progress. The Pranab Committee, which is looking into the issue, has not moved an inch in this direction. Facing flak back home especially after the TRS the moved into the new palatial headquarters in the up market Banjara Hills recently, the party now wants to wangle some sort of public statement on the issue from the UPA leadership to silence the critics who dubbed the 2-acre Telangana Bhavan, a White House replica, as the only achievement of Mr Rao in the past two years of his lobbying. The TRS would be content if the Congress leadership comes out with a clear statement on the Telangana issue. Only then would Mr Rao be able to restore the confidence of the party cadre, sources close to the TRS chief said. The support withdrawal threat set off a series of meetings today between and among the Congress and the TRS leaders in Delhi. Congress party in charge of Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh met both Mr Rao and Mr Pranab Mukherji to sort out the tangle. A late night meeting with Mr Digvijay, Mr Rao and Mr Ahmad Patel was scheduled today at Mr Mukherjee’s residence. Mr Digvijay, who had already indicated that the TRS with its five MPs deserting the UPA would not make any difference to the Manmohan government at this stage, today maintained that there was no need for Mr Rao to rush into hasty decisions, as 33 more months were left for the UPA to deliver on its promises. “We have not reached a consensus on this issue as yet,” he made it clear. The TRS, which is going ahead with its arrangements at Jantar Mantar for Mr Rao’s fast unto death on August 23, however, is hopeful that the Congress would not push things too far. A positive statement on Telangana from the Congress high command was all we were asking for at this stage, TRS sources admitted.
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BJP for action against MPs
New Delhi, August 21Taking exception to opposition from the fanatic elements instigating Muslim students to abstain from singing Vande
Mataram, the BJP today said it was time for the nationalist Muslim leaders and intellectuals to come out against the spreading of such anti-national actions in the name of religion. “Action should be taken against the MPs who oppose or insult the National Song,” he said.
The BJP also dubbed as “very objectionable” Human Resources Minister Arjun Singh’s statement that it was not compulsory on the part of Muslim students to sing the national song and demanded the Prime Minister’s clarification on the issue. “If offering respect to the National Song was voluntary and not compulsory, the logic could be stretched to honour of the National Flag and the National Anthem,” BJP Parliamentary Party spokesperson
V.K. Malhotra told newspersons here. “This would lead to an unhealthy trend and the country could not allow such anarchy,” he added. In this context, he said, “It is an established practice that Parliament starts its session with the National Anthem... Jana Gana Mana and concludes it with the National Song... Vande
Mataram.”
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LS adjourned for the day
New Delhi, August 21 Mr Chatterjee also announced the death of Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan, who died of heart attack this morning. Thereafter, the House observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect to the two great personalities. The House was later adjourned for the day to pay tributes to its sitting member. Paying tributes to Bismillah Khan, the Speaker said though the void created by his demise would never be filled, the universal appeal of his music would continue to inspire generations of music lovers. Khan, who was recipient of country’s highest award Bharat Ratna, mesmerised generations of people in India and abroad with his shehnai renditions, Mr Chatterjee said. The shehnai maestro’s love for music transcended narrow confines of caste, creed, and religion and his performances took music to the level of spirituality, he added.
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PIL against Sonia dismissed
New Delhi, August 21 A Bench headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal imposed a litigation cost on advocate Santosh Kumar Shrivastava and nine other co-petitioners. They had filed the PIL based on Sonia Gandhi’s affidavit on details of her assets filed before the Election Commission during the byelection from Rae Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, which she contested after resigning from her Lok Sabha seat on office-of-profit issue.
— TNS
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Village mourns death of illustrious son
Patna, August 21 People of
Dumroan, a small village in Bihar’s Buxar district, truly regarded him as the “son of Allah’’. The news of the legendary musician’s death naturally left the people here in a state of shock as hundreds had prayed in mosques and temples for his speedy recovery soon after he was admitted to Heritage Hospital in Varanasi 10 days back. Murli Manohar Srivastava, who is writing a book on Bismillah Khan, said it was sad that the musician was not given the recognition and honour he deserved at his birthplace in Bihar.
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Prime Minister to visit Gujarat
New Delhi, August 21 Gujarat MPs urged the Prime Minister to immediately release an interim relief of Rs 2000 crore as central assistance for rescue and restoration efforts of the state government for Surat city and other affected districts. According to initial reports, the industrial units located in Hazira have suffered losses to the tune of Rs 5000 crore, a statement said. The Prime Minister would be visiting the flood-affected state for the second time. Last time, he could not meet the affected people to due to bad weather and had to return after an aerial survey. The MPs said the initial help of Rs 500 crore announced by Dr Manmohan Singh was inadequate even to meet the initial needs of the state and they urged the Prime Minister to treat the disaster on par with earthquake and announce special relief package for the state. Meanwhile, Gujarat MP P.S. Gadhavi has urged the Centre to set up the proposed Maritime University in the state considering the long coastline and historical connection with maritime activity. The Centre has plans to set up two maritime institutes in the country, one each on the eastern and west coast of the country.
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Tribals’
Bill: govt caught on wrong foot
New Delhi, August 21 “I hope you will take cognisance of what has been said and
come prepared tomorrow,” he said. The response came after the minister
was hesitant to clearly state the government’s response to the report
of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) that had been set up on the
Scheduled Tribes Recognition of Forest Rights Bill of 2005. A firm Mr
Shekhawat asked, “When will you bring the Bill? What is the
government’s stand on the JPC recommendations?” the response came as
the Opposition was on its feet accusing the government of sabotaging the
Bill. According to Mr Kyndiah, the delay in bringing the Bill was
caused by a recommendation that along with tribesmen, the rights of
non-tribesmen also living in forests should be protected. The government
was yet to take a view on this, he added. Ms Brinda Karat of the CPM
immediately objected, saying the unanimous JPC report had been submitted
three months ago and this was adequate time for the government to have
considered the issue. Other Opposition members joined her in raising
slogans against the government and the continuing din prompted Mr
Shekhawat to remark, “If you are serious, let the minister speak”.
The Chairman then postponed the question for Tuesday.
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Invest in disaster
preparedness: Patil
New Delhi, August 21 The Home Minister drew the attention of the gathering to studies that show that between 2 and 16 per cent of the GDP of various South Asian countries is lost every year due to natural disasters. “These are huge losses and cannot be accepted. As disasters have been eroding much of our hard-earned gains of development and making it difficult to mobilise resources for education, public health and other social sector schemes, disaster losses must be prevented or mitigated and kept at the minimum,” he said. Citing studies that show that a dollar spent on mitigating disasters saves $5 to be spent subsequently on relief and rehabilitation, the Home Minister said it was more prudent and economical to invest in prevention, mitigation and preparedness. The Home Minister said: “The extent and degree of cooperation among the South Asian countries for disaster risk reduction and management has remained rather low compared to many other regions of the world. There is a scope for increased cooperation and exchange of ideas and information in this regard.”
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Natwar isolated
New Delhi, August 21 Sources said the BJP was sharpening its knife to attack Mr Natwar Singh in Parliament when a discussion on the issue of Justice Pathak Authority report on the Iraqi Oil-for-Food scam takes place in the two Houses. Barring the Samajwadi Party, whose general secretary Amar Singh is said to be in close touch with the former External Affairs Minister, all other political parties are maintaining a distance with him.
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Ruckus over restaurant named after Hitler
Mumbai, August 21 The restaurant, Hitler’s Cross, promoted by some small builders had only some B-grade actors and local politicians when it opened in remote Khargar last week. But the place is making it to national and international headlines after Mumbai’s tiny Jewish community created a ruckus over the weekend. Naomi Massil, secretary of a small synagogue at Panvel nearby, called up local newspapers to protest. “They are only trying to get some cheap publicity with a name like that,” Massil said. However, the promoters of the restaurant insist that the name of the place is harmless. “Just like Hitler wanted to conquer the world, we want to beat other restaurants with our tasty fare,” Mr Punit Sablok of Sablok Builders told this reporter. But he is slightly unnerved by all the attention. “We didn’t expect opposition to the name,” Mr Sablok insists. Meanwhile, the tiny Jewish community in Mumbai is networking with migrants from India who live in Israel. The frontage of the restaurant painted in bright red with a prominent Swastika is now featured on all international media. Reports from Khargar say that the place is yet to gain popularity with only a handful of patrons coming in. A body called the Indian Jewish Federation has threatened to take on the restaurant’s owners. “This signifies a severe lack of awareness of the agony of millions of Jews caused by one man,” said Jonathan Solomon, chairperson of the federation has been quoted as saying by a wire service.
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Tribals’ Bill: govt caught on wrong foot
New Delhi, August 21 “I hope you will take cognisance of what has been said and come prepared tomorrow,” he said. The response came after the minister was hesitant to clearly state the government’s response to the report of a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) that had been set up on the Scheduled Tribes Recognition of Forest Rights Bill of 2005. A firm Mr Shekhawat asked, “When will you bring the Bill? What is the government’s stand on the JPC recommendations?” the response came as the Opposition was on its feet accusing the government of sabotaging the Bill. According to Mr Kyndiah, the delay in bringing the Bill was caused by a recommendation that along with tribesmen, the rights of non-tribesmen also living in forests should be protected. The government was yet to take a view on this, he added. Ms Brinda Karat of the CPM immediately objected, saying the unanimous JPC report had been submitted three months ago and this was adequate time for the government to have considered the issue. Other Opposition members joined her in raising slogans against the government and the continuing din prompted Mr Shekhawat to remark, “If you are serious, let the minister speak”. The Chairman then postponed the question for Tuesday.
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Kerosene stink stalls RS proceedings
New Delhi, August 21 Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat adjourned the proceedings thrice before lunch since the smell in the House remained unchecked. It all started when the House took a question on the demands of anganwadi workers. As the members complained of offensive kerosene-like smell, the Minister of State for Human Resources Development, Ms Renuka Chaudhary, sought to downplay the event. But when the members complained of burning sensation in their eyes, the Chair adjourned the House for about 10 minutes to enable the watch and ward staff to conduct checks. When the House reassembled after a 10-minute break, the Chairman again adjourned the House till 12.30 pm. After the House reassembled and the papers were laid on the table, the Chairman once again adjourned the proceedings till 2 pm as the smell continued to trouble the members. |
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Basu falls, hurts ankle
Kolkata, August 21 His personal aide Jaykrishna Ghose, who resides nearby, was informed about Mr Basu’s injuries this morning and he soon rushed to Indira Bhavan and arranged his treatment. Doctors from the Bidhan Nagar state general hospital attended to Mr Basu and an X-ray was done on the ankle. But no cracks were detected. However, because of pain and bruise, Mr Basu was unable to move. He was put on bed rest. In the evening, the CPM secretary, Mr Biman Bose, and the Chief Minister, Mr Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, visited Indira Bhavan and wished Mr Basu a quick recovery.
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Kalam’s intervention sought for flood relief
Bangalore, August 21 The memorandum was submitted to the President by Chief Minister
H.D. Kumaraswamy and Deputy Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa at a function here. The memorandum claimed that both Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, who had also been affected by floods, had received a relief of Rs 200 crore each but that the same consideration had not been shown to Karnataka.
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B.R Chopra bereaved
Mumbai, August 21 She was admitted to the hospital four days ago for the treatment of gangrene of the intestine, family sources said. Mrs Chopra hailed from Lahore and married B.R. Chopra in 1940, when the filmmaker was the editor of a magazine, Cine Herald. Family and friends visited the B R bungalow at Juhu, a western suburb, to pay their last respects. The funeral took place in the afternoon at Santacruz crematorium.
— UNI |
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