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Human Rights Violations
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Sonia inaugurates Hyderabad airport
RS Poll
Maya: CBI probes prove govt’s
neutrality
Goa to seize properties of foreigners
CAG indicts Army chief for misusing financial powers
NDFB violates ceasefire pact: Assam govt
Only 30 pc quality varsities, says House panel
Indira Peace Prize for Gates Foundation
Editor arrested in extortion case
Ketan Parekh convicted in security scam SC relief for Richard Gere
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Human Rights Violations
New Delhi, March 14 Union information and broadcasting minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunsi said India wouldn’t take any criticism by the US on its internal matters. In the same breath, Dasmunsi also added that the government has accepted the fact that the Nandigram violence was brutal. From the Manmohan Singh government’s perspective, the State Department’s report has come as a bolt from the blue at a time when the UPA government is trying to persuade the Left on the Indo-US nuclear deal. The UPA-Left panel on Indo-US nuclear deal is scheduled to meet here on March 17. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta has also criticised and rejected the US report on Nandigram where violence broke out on March 14 last year over the acquisition of land for a special economic zone. Fourteen persons were killed in police firing on the day the violence began and at least 50 were killed in clashes since then. The State Department report holds the West Bengal government responsible for the violence and termed it as a major case of human rights violation in India. It also mentions in detail the Rizwanur Rehman case in Kolkata, which, after the Nandigram violence, caused huge embarrassment to the Left-ruled West Bengal. The 25436-word report on India also mentions in detail human rights violations in Narendra Modi’s Gujarat and has cited a large number of cases to prove its point, including the Sohrabuddin encounter and the Bilkis Bano rape case. The report also mentions the failure of the Modi government to arrest and convict those responsible for the 2002 violence. “Convictions of Hindu perpetrators of the violence were minimal, while acquittals were common,” it said. It lists out a large number of instances of human rights violations in the troubled northeast as well as Jammu and Kashmir. It brings to notice another Left bastion, Kerala, as well saying that the number of custodial deaths in the state has been abnormally high. “According to Kerala State Human Rights Commission, 46 persons died in state custody throughout the year,” it report said. The slant of the report becomes clear from the fact that it fails to mention Iraq or China as the top human rights violators.
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‘Martyrs Day’ observed
Kolkata, March 14 The martyrs’ columns were erected at Nandigram and several other places in Kolkata in their memory. People from different walks of lives, including artists, professionals and other intellectuals, in Kolkata observed a one-minute silence. Left Front partners like the RSP and the Forward Bloc today expressed solidarity with the victims’ families.
Mamata, accompanied by leaders of the SUCI and several other anti-CPM parties, observed the day at Nandigram in the Adhikari para in the morning.
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Sonia Gandhi turns 10 as Congress president
Dynasty rule It has shackled itself to the “dynastic concept” that has “destroyed” its basic constitution. — L.K. Advani, former Deputy Prime
Minister
New Delhi, March 14 The historic occasion, Sonia Gandhi is the first Congress president to complete 10 years in office, was marked by a simple and brief ceremony at her residence where Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presented her with a bouquet, a shawl, a plaque and a copy of the resolution adopted by the CWC yesterday which acknowledged her “dynamic and courageous leadership” and her contribution in revitalising the party. Her son and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi was among the leaders who greeted her. While Sonia Gandhi left for Andhra Pradesh soon after this ceremony, the celebrations outside her residence continued till much later. Usual scenes of dancing and slogan shouting workers distributing sweets were witnessed as a large number of women began assembling from early morning to greet the Congress president. Mahila Congress president Prabha Thakur said, “We are here to congratulate her for this achievement. This is a dual achievement. She is the first person to enjoy office for such a long tenure and she is the first woman to achieve it.” As for Sonia Gandhi, it has been a long and unforgettable journey. She took over the party when it was going through a dark period and has since steered it both as an opposition and ruling party. As has been acknowledged by her party colleagues, her first and foremost contribution has been that she was able to keep the party united. She followed it up by building successful alliances and bringing the grand old party back to power after a long stint in the wilderness. Though she was credited with the party’s victory in the last Lok Sabha election, she declined to accept the Prime Minister’s post, an act, which enhanced her position in the country and the international community. As UPA chairpersons she has been burdened with the task of managing a coalition, which is also a first for any Congress president as it was first time that the grand old party came to power with the help of smaller
parties.
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Sonia inaugurates Hyderabad airport
Hyderabad, March 14 The Rs 2,478 crore airport would commence commerical operations on March 16, three years from the day Sonia Gandhi had laid the foundation stone for the project. The airport, built to handle 12 million passengers in a year, is a joint venture company, promoted by GMR infrastructure Limited, Malaysian airport holding Berhat, Airports Authority of India and the Andhra Pradsesh government, and has been developed into a world class international grade airport spead over 5,500 acres. Gandhi did not see any conflict in upgradation of railways and increasing air connectivity as air travel was no more for the elite class. While public investment in the railways would remain, entry of private airlines had spurred opening of new routes and development stimulating growth even in the most distant areas.
— UNI
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RS Poll New Delhi, March 14 Well-placed Congress sources said the party president ignored the three choices forwarded by Hooda and instead approved the name recommended by the Chief Minister’s detractors. It is learnt Hooda had made a strong pitch that the seat be given to a Scheduled Caste candidate on the plea that it would send a right message to the electorate at a time when the BSP is surging ahead. The three names he suggested were Phool Chand Mullana, MLA and PCC president, Raj Kumar Balmiki and Santosh Sarwan. Mullana’s name was shot down as he is a sitting MLA and his resignation would have necessarily resulted in a byelection, which was not agreeable to the Congress president. Balmiki did not make the cut as he was once closely associated with former Chief Minister and dissident leader Bhajan Lal. Sarwan, it is learnt, is a recent entrant to the Congress. According to Congress sources, Hooda had made a strong case for a Scheduled Caste candidate primarily to hurt his bete noire, union minister and Ambala MP Selja, who has been the party’s most visible Dalit face in Haryana for nearly two decades. All three names suggested by the Chief Minister, it was pointed out, are known to be Selja’s political rivals. In a bid to counter Hooda, Selja and Haryana ministers Birendra Singh and Kiran Choudhary joined forces in checkmating the Chief Minister and instead recommended Ishwar Singh, a former MLA, who also belongs to a Scheduled Caste. It was because of this prolonged tussle between the Chief Minister and his detractors that it took so long to take a decision on the nomination for the second seat from Haryana. Sitting MP Ram Prakash was renominated for the other seat a day earlier. Iswhar Singh’s name was eventually clinched in the early morning hours today. Hooda, however, took the decision in his stride. “I was keen that a Scheduled Caste candidate be nominated...the name was immaterial,” he remarked when asked for his comments.
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Maya:
CBI probes prove govt’s neutrality Lucknow, March 14 Creating a paradoxical situation Mayawati today pointed out that at least in the derogatory ‘Teesri Azadi’ CD matter Jaiswal could not blame the state government for shifting responsibility to the Centre as the probe was ordered in response to a specific demand made by senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari on the floor of the Vidhan Sabha on 11 March. Defending her decision Mayawati said her government had till now recommended only 10 cases to the central investigating agency during the past 10 months of its tenure. “All these cases are complex in nature and prima-facie the involvement of powerful leaders and senior administrative officers has come to light. The decision for handing them over to the CBI was taken to rule out any allegation of political malice”, she reiterated. She clarified that her government was not in favor of taking any action against anybody as part of political vendetta. “Still the people had a right to know what had happened. That is why these scams should be investigated by the CBI and the guilty should be punished”. Referring to the criticism of handing over the police scam to the CBI the Chief Minister said it was a highly sensitive and serious matter involving powerful leaders. “On the basis of the recommendations of a high-level inquiry committee and the approval of the Cabinet the state government decided to hand over the case to the CBI”, she said.
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Goa to seize properties of foreigners
Scarlett Case The Goa government on Friday ordered a thorough probe into the “acts of commission and omission” of a forensic expert, who conducted the first autopsy on the body of Scarlett. The police had used the first autopsy report to conclude that Scarlett had accidentally drowned. But the doctor claimed to have said in his supplementary report that the British teenager could have met with an unnatural death due to rape and homicide, as confirmed in the second autopsy also.
— UNI
Mumbai, March 14 Narvekar announced that the Goa government would amend Section 22 of The Registration Act, 1908, in order to empower the state government to ban the sale of properties to foreigners as part of public policy. After the Opposition in Goa raised a hue and cry against the purchase of properties by foreigners last year, the state government constituted a committee, which unearthed more than 400 cases of properties purchased by foreigners. Of these, 298 cases have been referred to the Union Enforcement Directorate for further action since they appeared to be violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Most of these plots had been shown as agricultural property in land records, but were converted for residential use by corrupt local officials, the government’s investigation showed. This move would affect scores of British pensioners, who have been buying houses in Goa since they could not afford homes in their home country. These purchases had been in contravention of RBI’s rules and regulations and made in partnership with conniving local residents. Sources say, many of these pensioners have not fulfilled the conditions under FEMA and could lose their properties. RBI officials had earlier written to the state government that long-staying foreigners living in India may be allowed to purchase properties provided they obtained the central bank's permission. Last year, Goa's police officials noticed that foreigners were buying land in the beach belt of Baga-Calangute-Candolim after land records in the areas were physically verified. However, sources in Goa say, many foreigners have formed investment companies to buy land in the state in the guise of investing in India. These companies are fronted by Goans but their majority share holding is in the hands of foreigners. Sources from Goa say these companies have all the permissions from the RBI and will not be prevented from owning land in the state. A starred question by Goa’s Rajya Sabha MP in Parliament Shantaram Naik revealed that a total of 197 foreigners were engaged in business in Goa as on December 31,2004. Residents of the UK numbering 85 were the largest number of foreigners doing business in Goa. Closely followed were the Italians 23 and Germans 21.
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CAG indicts Army chief for misusing financial powers
New Delhi, March 14 Incidentally, the post of the head of the Udhampur-based Northern Command during most of the period cited by the CAG was held by the present Army chief, Gen Deepak Kapoor. In his report on defence services for the year ended March 2007 tabled in Parliament today, the CAG said the Northern Command General Officer-in-Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) procured items worth Rs 6.89 crore during 2005-06 and 2006-07. He said these goods were purchased under delegated special financial powers, which were not related to the urgent requirements of counter-insurgency operations, internal security duties, defence of Siachen glacier and other immediate operational requirements. Most of the items procured were only to facilitate day-to-day routine duties of the Army, the CAG added. The report said the release and usage pattern of these equipment further underscore the fact that bulk of the stores were issued to the units which were not directly and actively engaged in operations of the kind. The Northern Command headquarters stated in July 2007 that these items were procured to save time and manpower, to maintain hygienic condition of food, and for safety and security of the troops deployed in counter-insurgency operations, it added. “The reply is not tenable as the same cannot be related to operational requirements directly,” the CAG said. Thus, the sanction accorded by the GOC-in-C for the procurement of non-standard items under special financial powers were irregular and tantamount to misuse of delegated powers, it added. Army chief Gen Deepak Kapoor was the Northern Command GOC-in-C from September 5, 2005, to December 31, 2006. He became the Vice-Chief on January 1, 2007, and later took over as the Army chief on September 30, 2007. The Defence Ministry had delegated similar special financial powers to the GOC-in-Cs of various commands in April 2002. The purpose of special delegation was to facilitate the procurement of equipment/ spares/items to supplement the availability of these through central sources to obviate non-availability becoming a constraint particularly in counter-insurgency, internal security duties, defence of Siachen glacier and other immediate operational requirements, the CAG said.
— UNI
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NDFB violates ceasefire pact: Assam govt
Guwahati, March 14 Making a statement in Assam Assembly in view of killing of four persons in police firing yesterday, state cabinet minister Rockybul Hussain said the problem started when the police went to evict an illegal camp set up by the NDFB cadres at Bengtol area in Chirang district of the state. He said, “The NDFB militants, who are in ceasefire with the government since June 2005, were into the practice of breaking ceasefire ground rules by staying in camps other than the three truce-time designated camps in Bodoland Territorial Autonomous District Council (BTADC) areas.” The minister said problem began when district administration’s move to shift the NDFB cadres staying in an illegal camp at Bengtol in Chirang district was met with resistance from militants as well as local residents. The initial clashes had left eight injured, one of them seriously, Hussain said. He said the NDFB cadres and their supporters then attacked the nearby office of the youth wing of Bodoland People’s Progressive Front (BPPF). “At this point the police first resorted to lathicharge to disperse the mob and then opened fire on seeing the mob turning violent,” the minister said. Four persons were killed while four others were hurt in the police firing. Indefinite curfew
Kokrajhar: The indefinite curfew continued today in lower Assam’s Chirang district where four persoms were killed and 10 others injured in police firing on an irate mob protesting against dismantling of a militant NDFB camp yesterday. The curfew was imposed in areas falling in the Runikata police station area and under Bengtol police outpost at 2 pm, IGP Bodoland Territorial District Administration N M Dutta
said. — PTI
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Only 30 pc quality varsities, says House panel
New Delhi, March 14 This is what a parliamentary estimates committee headed by MP P. Kuppuswami has to say about the working of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and status of higher education in the country. Terming the situation a failure on the part of the UGC, the committee in its report tabled in Parliament on Thursday said it was a “regret to note that most of universities lack high standards even after the existence of the UGC for 50 years”. One of the major reasons cited by the committee for poor educational standards is “bureaucratisation” of the system. The committee said that “unfortunately our university standards are not up to the level of internationally-renowned universities and our universities do not figure in the lists of globally popular ratings”. Apart from IITs, Delhi University, the University of Calcutta and the University of Pune are the only universities that find their names in Times Higher Education Supplement Rankings. Reasons cited by the human resource development ministry for ‘the situation’ are that 90 per cent of the UGC-funded universities and colleges are under the administrative control of the state governments concerned. “The UGC only provides development grants to state universities while providing maintenance grants is the sole responsibility of the state governments,” it said.
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Indira Peace Prize for Gates Foundation
New Delhi, March 14 The International Jury for the Indira Gandhi Prize announced the name of Gates Foundation for the award today, a release of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust said here.The award ceremony will take place in November in New Delhi. Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and his wife Melinda created the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in 2001 to help reduce inequities around the world.
— UNI
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Editor arrested in extortion case
Mumbai, March 14 Senior inspector Krishnaji Gaikwad of the M H B Colony police station said as per the complaint, editor Kiran Manjrekar (32), had demanded the amount from Shiv Sena corporator Bhalkrishna Mhatre. Manjrekar had sent a staff, Sanjay Patel, to collect the money from Mhatre, Gaikwad said. So, Patel was also arrested. — UNI
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Ketan Parekh convicted in security scam Mumbai, March 14 Bangalore-based Canfina, a subsidiary of Canara Bank was the victim of this scam. Prosecution’s case was that money belonging to Canfina were transferred to accounts with Canbank Mutual Fund in Mumbai by default, but instead of returning the money to Canfina, CBMF diverted it to the accounts of Parkeh and other stock-brokers. — PTI
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New Delhi, March 14 The court also stayed the arrest warrant issued against Gere by a Jaipur court. — UNI
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