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Bengal bandh peaceful
2 ministers cancel foreign trips
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Gujjars agree for talks
Finally, rape victims to be compensated
LS, Assembly Polls
Yeddyurappa wins trust vote
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Bengal bandh peaceful
Kolkata, June 6 Barring a few minor incidents of obstructions, road blockades and clashes, the bandh was by and large peaceful, although 200 people were arrested from different parts, including 33 from the city, to ensure peace. They were later released. Buses, trams and other public vehicles were off the road, and shops, markets and educational institutions remained closed. Attendance at government offices and other private organisations was negligible and daily wage earners had a tough time. However, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhatacharjee and some other cabinet colleagues, who did not attend offices yesterday, were present at Writers Buildings today. On the other hand, left front chairman Biman Bose claimed that the people rejected today’s bandh call, air services remained unaffected and trains were plying on several sections. He alleged that at certain places hooligans forcibly stopped trains and other public transport means. Meanwhile, the 12-hour dawn-to-dusk bandh partially affected life in Orissa. Traffic came to a halt on all the National Highways across the state and business establishments remained closed, following picketing by demonstrators. Train services were also affected as the bandh supporters squatted on the tracks at various stations. Thousands of party activists belonging to CPI, CPI (M), Forward Bloc, SUCI, JMM and Samajwadi Party courted arrest at various places. The bandh was more visible in Keonjhar, Gajapati, Koraput and Sundargarh districts while there was no impact in most of the Naxalite-affected districts in the state. A report from Madurai said BJP volunteers pulled a motorcycle-mounted bullock cart through the city and ranted slogans against the UPA regime. TDP activists and Left parties organised ‘rasta roko’ in various parts of the city and on Chennai-Kolkata and Pune-Machilipatnam National Highways, bringing traffic to a standstill. Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC), Vijayawada region, suspended their services as a precautionary measure. As many as 80 picketers of Trinamool Congress and SUCI were arrested in different parts of Tripura during the 12-hour AITC-sponsored bandh. Police said the arrests were made as a precautionary measure. In Mumbai, Shiv Sena activists took to streets and blocked local trains at Mulund Railway Station. Local trains, however, were only halted for 15-20 minutes. In Puducherry, CPI (M) cadres took out a mock funeral procession of an LPG cylinder, accompanied by music and beating of drums, with people wailing and beating their chests. Taking a cue, the Left front in Bihar has announced that a day-long bandh would be observed in the state on June 10.
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2 ministers cancel foreign trips
New Delhi, June 6 Observing that huge burden was imposed on the country’s financial resources due to continuous rising trend in global oil prices and dependence on import of crude, the Prime Minister had yesterday written to union ministers, asking them to take austerity measures in view of rising oil prices, eliminating wasteful expenditure and avoiding foreign trips. “I am, therefore, writing to ask you to severely curtail expenditure on air travel, particularly foreign travel, except in cases where it is deemed to be absolutely necessary," he said. Minister of information and broadcasting P R Dasmunshi has decided to travel only by economy class and also urged other officials of his ministry to follow suit. “It should be specifically ensured by ministry officials that bare minimum number of officers should be allowed to travel on domestic tours to strictly confirm to functional requirements only,” said a detailed note issued by Dasmunshi. So far as foreign travel is concerned, he said the participation of ministry officials should be where it was “absolutely, repeat absolutely” required and that too for minimum number of officers to meet functional requirements. “All files for foreign travel should be routed through AS&FA,” he stressed, adding that one of mission officers should participate in a seminar or conference if participation of ministry’s officials was not required. The minister also asked the additional secretary and financial advisor to prepare a status note, clearly highlighting the areas of non-plan expenditure, where 5 per cent extra savings in current financial year over and above the standing circular of the Expenditure Ministry for reducing the non-plan expenditure by 5 per cent every year can be made. Minister of tourism and culture Ambika Soni has also cancelled her visit to San Francisco and Los Angeles from June 21 to 28. She was scheduled to attend two functions there-the World Kuchipudi Dance Festival and the American Association of Physicians of India Origin. Perceived to be enjoying maximum foreign trips, officials of the Ministry Of Civil Aviation in response to queries on what they were doing as part of austerity measures stated that theirs was a small ministry with a low budgetary allocation. “We are not spending much…as is it our budgetary allocation is low. However, we will follow the Prime Minister’s directive to the fullest,” a senior official, said. Meanwhile, lately-much-in-news shipping and highways minister T. R Baalu has also cancelled a visit abroad. He was scheduled to lead a delegation to Finland from June 9 to 12 for signing a memorandum of cooperation in the field of transport and holding bilateral discussions with the Finland government, an official statement said. In his letter to his ministerial colleagues, the Prime Minister had said “While we need to explain to the people the constraints and reasons that have compelled the government to introduce these measures to hike petro-product prices, it was simultaneously equally necessary for us to introduce the utmost economy and in our own administrations and establishments.” The Prime Minister maintained that economy measures like cuts in foreign travel should be made applicable immediately for “your own self and also for all senior functionaries”.
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Gujjars agree for talks
Karwadi (Rajasthan), June 6 Emerging from the Gujjar Mahapanchayat called a day after the state government sent a fresh invitation to the protesters to join the negotiating table, he said the talks should be held at Bayana in Bharatpur district, which had been the epicentre of the stir since May 23. Bainsla said Gujjar representatives for the talks would be announced after receiving a communication from the state government. “We are communicating this message to the government through the media,” Bainsla said. Gujjar representatives from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and from other parts of Rajasthan like Alwar, Sikar, Sikandara, Dausa, which have a sizable Gujjar population, arrived here after the noon and sat in a “mahapanchayat” with Bainsla. Bainsla made a special mention of railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav as he said, “I thank the railway minister, as we are sitting on these rail lines for 15 days. We will repair the railway lines in whatever way we can once we leave this place.” Bainsla also thanked Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav, Amar Singh, Bharatiya Lok Janshakti leader Uma Bharti, farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait, Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan among others for the support extended by them to the Gujjars. The Gujjar leaders, who arrived here from various parts of the country, extended their support to Bainsla and said they would follow whatever decision he takes to secure their demands. Congress leader Rambir Singh Vidhudi said he would take up the matter with Congress president Sonia Gandhi.
Protesters seek Pilot’s presence
Dausa/Jaipur: Agitating Gujjars said today the last rites of 20 protesters would be performed only in the presence of Congress MP Sachin Pilot.
Sachin maintained he could make it to the funeral only tomorrow but would not attend the community meeting to decide on talks with the government.
The Gujjar Samaj at Sikandra in Dausa district had put forward a set of fresh demands, including the presence of Pilot at the funeral and the release of two rebel BJP MLAs Prahalad Gunjal and Attar Singh Bhadana currently detained in the Cental Jail in Jaipur, a senior government official said. Pilot said the deceased should be cremated with full rites and he was ready to go for their funeral tomorrow. He, however, said he would not be going to Bayana to attend the ongoing Gujjar meeting being called by Bainsla. He said he would extend his support to the issue if it was in the interest of the country and the community.
— PTI
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Finally, rape victims to be compensated
New Delhi, June 6 The Scheme for Relief and Rehabilitation of Victims of Rape will, for the first time, account for physical and mental trauma borne by the rape victims, and compensate her and her legal heirs for losses suffered. Drafted by the NCW in consultation with the ministry of women and child development (WCD), the scheme provides for a relief up to Rs two lakh for the victim/ her kin in case she has died following criminal injuries. There is also a provision of interim relief of Rs 20,000 to be paid within three weeks of making of the claim. Interestingly, the district criminal injuries relief and rehabilitation boards, to be set up under the scheme to consider claim cases, will recover the cost and relief amounts from the accused after his conviction in the case. In its present form, the scheme lives up to the Supreme Court order in this regard. The court had, in 1993, while referring to the directive principles contained in the Constitution, said it was necessary to have criminal injuries compensation boards, as rape victims besides suffering the mental anguish, frequently incur substantial financial loss and are in some cases too traumatised to continue in employment. The scheme provides for district boards to consider claim cases and dispose them within a month from the date on which the complainant gives her evidence, or within a year from the date of receipt of application. The application can be made by the victim, her heirs or NGOs espousing her
cause.
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LS, Assembly Polls
New Delhi, June 6 The panel, headed by defence minister A.K. Antony, held its first meeting yesterday and decided to submit its report to the party president on June 21. AICC general secretary Mukul Wasnik, who is a member of this panel, has been asked to go through the reports of all previous committees and tabulate all suggestions, which have not been implemented. The panel is slated to meet again on Monday.
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Yeddyurappa wins trust vote
Bangalore, June 6 The trust vote, which followed the Governor’s address, saw the Congress walking out of the Assembly leaving the floor open for the BJP to successfully claim majority by a voice vote. The BJP, which won 110 seats in the 224-member assembly, could secure the necessary number for forming the government only after obtaining support of all six victorious Independent candidates. By inducting five out of the six Independent MLAs as Cabinet ministers, the BJP had ensured their loyalty to the government and there was no question of the number game going in any other direction but in favour of the ruling party. The Congress, which is biggest opposition party with 80 legislators, never dreamt of the Yeddyurappa government losing the trust vote.
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Guv pulls up govt for attack on editor’s house Another rhino killed in
Kaziranga Park VP Singh admitted to ICU BJP protests over price hike Doctor held for taking bribe
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