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Metro Cash & Carry
Anti-Gay Law |
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Russian defence minister arrives today
Security up in Mumbai
Another CEO attacked
Govt committed to protect minorities,
says Khanduri
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Bhagat Singh’s trial brought alive
New Delhi, September 27 The judges were transported not only geographically to Lahore but taken back in time to the 1930s to see for themselves the injustice meted out to the three national heroes by the British empire. For, nothing is impossible in this age of virtual reality. The scene of such reality was the Supreme Court Museum and the occasion was the inauguration of an exhibition, The Trial of Bhagat Singh, by the CJI. The event-the trial and the executions, using dioramas (wax figures), light and sound and the right ambience-was recreated to perfection. The judges were not alone in experiencing the most traumatic part of the struggle against colonial rule. Bhagat Singh’s third-generation relatives (with tears rolling down their eyes) and young and not-so-young journalists who obviously could not cover the real trial and the hangings, besides other invitees, spent over two hours at the exhibition. At the diorama section depicting the trial, the three judges who were on the Special Tribunal have been respectfully addressed as Hon'ble Justices J C Hilton, JKM Tapp and Abdul Qadir. Bhagat Singh had refused to be a part of the trial, describing it as a “mockery of justice” and stating that British courts were a“machinery of exploitation” incapable of administering justice, especially in political cases. The media version of the trial and executions at the exhibition is the monopoly of The Tribune, with more than 20 microfilmed pages of the 127-year-old newspaper spread across the display walls. This makes one thing clear: At least in North India, The Tribune was the only daily that had kept the masses, which had rallied behind the freedom fighters, informed of the struggle in graphic detail. A March 25, 1931 copy of the Lahore Edition of The Tribune, soaked with the blood of the revolutionaries, is kept in a display panel at the museum. Among other items that form part of the exhibits is a handkerchief of Bibi Amar Kaur, sister of Bhagat Singh, with her deep feelings embroidered on it: “Bhai tumhare ane ka intezar: Veeradhi jaan paranse bhena.” The concise Hindi version of the Bhagavadgita read by the martyr during his incarceration possibly strengthened his resolve to wage relentless war against the British, unmindful of fatal consequences. A grateful nation is today proud of its freedom fighters who even took to bombs for the larger cause of its citizens. But the very same bombs, that have gone high-tech, are now a cause of serious concern, according to Mrs Surinder Kaur, daughter-in-law of Bhagat Singh's brother. She says she is disturbed by the senseless bomb culture of terrorists today. “I feel greatly depressed, thinking of the terrorist attacks all over India. Like others, I also yearn for peace.”
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Metro Cash & Carry
Kolkata, September 27 On the other hand, the Tatas who agreed to meet the Chief Minister on Sunday to reconsider their decision to move out from Singur, suddenly cancelled their meeting, which put the CPM leadership into a fix about the future of the Nano car project. Both Ratan Tata and Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant made it clear to the Chief Minister that they would not run the Singur project under any police protection. They were also aggrieved that Tata Motors had been allotted farm lands forcibly acquired at Singur about which they had no prior knowledge. The Tatas felt their clean image had been much tarnished at Singur, which they did not want. The Chief Minister yesterday bypassed the FB minister and ordered the issuing of a licence to the German multinational Metro Cash & Carry Company for continuing its wholesale trade in agricultural produce, which annoyed the FB. The angry FB secretary, Ashok Ghose, today gave an ultimatum to the CPM and threatened that either the Chief Minister’s order be withdrawn or they would quit the front within 48 hours. The FB ministers have already been asked not to attend their offices at the Writers Buildings from Monday and also refrain from attending any official functions already arranged. Ghose also demanded that a meeting of the Left Front be called immediately and the Chief Minister be asked to explain how he could bypass their minister and issue the licence order to a multinational company that was against the norms and the practice in the functioning of the multi-party government. FB minister Naren De, whom the Metro Cash & Carry Company management met two days ago, had declined to renew their licence since their party did not want multinationals in the wholesale and retail trades to protect the interests of the poor farmers and small retail operators. Metro Cash & Carry threatened to withdraw if the licence was not renewed by Monday and, accordingly, the company also sent an ultimatum to the Chief Minister.
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Anti-Gay Law
New Delhi, September 27 The centre again filed two contradictory affidavits in the case, with the health ministry supporting modification of the law that makes it impossible to reach gays, who are at high HIV risk, and the home ministry opposing the move on grounds that allowing homosexuality would injure public morals and grant a licence for unbridled unnatural sex. Irked over government’s lack of consensus on the matter, a Delhi HC bench comprising Chief Justice A. P. Shah and Justice S Muralidhar observed: “The two ministries are speaking in two different voices. What is the stand of the government? Are you clear about the stand the central government is taking on the issue.” Additional solicitor-general P.P. Malhotra, meanwhile, chose to argue against the petition and in favour of the home ministry, and said allowing homosexuality would hamper public morals and public health. He went many steps further to make a shocking contention. “Since homosexuals are vectors for HIV infection, allowing homosexuality would in fact spread AIDS,” he said, surprising everyone in the courtroom and drawing the ire of court, which quickly asked Malhotra if he was making a point contained in any of the affidavits filed by the ministries. The government counsel will continue his arguments on Monday.
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Russian defence minister arrives today
New Delhi, September 27 The Russian delegation will meet Indian defence officials led by defence minister A.K. Antony. This will be an important meeting of India-Russia inter-government commission on military and technical cooperation. One of the key issues will be the deal for Admiral Gorshkov, besides signing of various agreements, defence ministry officials said. India had bought the aircraft carrier, rechristened it as INS Vikramaditya and paid $1.5 billion in 2004. However, Russia has been demanding an additional $1.2 billion, citing escalating costs for completing the refit and delivering the ship to Indian Navy. Other things include jointly developing the fifth generation fighter aircraft and T-90 tanks technology transfer, sources said. It is expected that some finalising will be done on an agreement for transfer of technology (ToT) for building T-90 tanks in India, the sources added. India is keen to build more and more tanks at it its plants here.
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Security up in Mumbai
Mumbai, September 27 Only on Thursday morning, the anti-terror squad of the Mumbai police claimed to have arrested four more persons belonging to the Indian Mujahideen. Some of those arrested last week had carried out reconnaissance missions across Mumbai and had even identified some areas in south Mumbai to carry out terror attacks, the police said. Among the areas included the Opera House location where thousands of people shop for gold jewellery during the Diwali season, the police said.
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Another CEO attacked
Noida, September 27 The wounded director was taken to Kailash Hospital by the police. Ashish Chaturvedi, director, Expedient Software company, Sector 63, Noida, was going to Sector 61 when the incident took place. When Chaturvedi reached a speed-breaker in Sector 52, his car was overtaken by the vehicle in which the assailants were riding. They forcibly pulled Chaturvedi out of his car and as they tried to assault him, he raised an alarm. Soon some security guards from a nearby temple came running to his rescue. Seeing this, the assailants hit Chaturvedi with a rod and ran away. On getting the information, the police reached the spot and rushed the victim to the hospital. The police are trying to find out the details of the criminals from Chaturvedi and eyewitnesses. It may be added that about three months ago, two criminals had tried to rob a lady executive and a retired army general of their cars in Sector 53 and Sector 44. The lady resisted their attempt and was shot dead while the Lt-General survived the attack.
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Govt committed to protect minorities,
says Khanduri Dehra Dun, September 27 Khanduri gave the assurance to a delegation of Catholic Christians led by Meerut Archbishop Patrick Nayar, Clementown Church Father Anthony and Father Bernard of St. Francis Church here. Karen Hilton, a nominated legislator of the ruling BJP, accompanied these Christian leaders. The delegation had come to meet the Chief Minister regarding the murder of Sadhu Astey, a Christian Catholic priest in Chhota Rampur village near Herbertpur, and his women disciple few days ago. Khanduri said the police has been investigating the matter and four separate teams of the police were probing the murder. He assured the delegation members that anyone found guilty of the heinous crime would not be spared.
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Fakhruddin award for Shabana, Shekhar Gupta Work on Dow unit halted Biggest rail museum IMA celebrates Raising Day Former Patna CJ dead
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