New Delhi November 22
With all political parties engaged in the campaigning process, electioneering in the city has reached its peak.

National president of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) today paid obeisance at the Nizammuddin Dargah and kicked off the campaign for BJP-Akali candidate from Jangpura, Maninder Singh Sirsa.

The Akali leader was given a resounding welcome. The Muslim leaders present were overjoyed. This was followed by a mammoth rally at Church Road in the Bhogal area of Jungpura constituency.

While addressing the rally, the SAD president said that the Congress government in Delhi and at the centre had done nothing but had promoted inflation and crime.

Due to its unplanned steps, the government is facing a severe financial crisis, whose effect is being borne by the masses.

He assured that once the Akali-BJP government came into power, all problems would be solved.

He promised that if Sirsa would be elected, he along with Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal would nurture the constituency.

New Delhi, November 22
As the election fever grips the national Capital, student wings of different political parties have come out of the campuses to support their political ‘gurus’.

Disputing the myth that the student community prefers to remain confined to campus politics, many student leaders believe that if politicians decide students’ future, why not decide what kind of politics should be pursued in the country.

“Students must participate in larger politics. It is all about supporting the ideology one believes in. The mainstream parties of this country have always preached a ruling class idea of keeping students as an independent identity. We believe that students are also a part of the bigger society,” said Sandeep, president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU).

While campaigning for the Communist Party of India ML (Liberation) candidate in Narela, Sandeep said, “All the education policies of our country are framed by the political leaders. These policies affect our future so we must decide what future we want for ourselves.”

Poonam Yadav, a student of Delhi University and general secretary of Congress party’s student wing National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), said, “Student participation was a must for the democracy to function properly in the country. We should not forget that most of the students are voters in the assembly elections and so they should think about the larger issues. We should make sure that maximum voters come out and vote on the election day with a clear understanding about the education policies of different parties. NSUI would tell students about its own stand,” said Poonam.

Former JNUSU president Albeena Shakeel, who has been campaigning for the
CPM in Delhi, believes that students’ right to participate in larger politics is all the
more justified.

“They are well-informed community and their right to believe and spread a certain ideology is much more justified,” said Albeena.

BJP’s student wing Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also been trying to woo the young voters on university campuses to support BJP candidates.

“JNU itself has 6,800 voters. Students must be involved in the larger politics. They are academically sound individuals and so they have the right to choose and support their politics,” said Manoj, vice-president, JNU ABVP, who was campaigning for Nakul Bhardwaj in the Patparganj constituency.

However, maximum students still keep a distance from big-time politics. “Students’ participation is important, but we have seen that there is apathy and cynicism towards politics in maximum students. Student organisations would have to take steps to involve this indifferent lot,” said Robert, president, Students’ Federation of India (SFI).

New Delhi, November 22
After BJP’s former president M. Venkiah Naidu and party chairman Rajnath Singh continued lashing the Congress government at the Centre and state with separatism and communalisation of terror, the Congress top brigade is also not far behind in carrying its tirade against the BJP.

Union minister for urban development Ajay Maken today accused the BJP leaders of maintaining double standards on the BRT matter.

Maken said that the BJP’s only focus is to contradict on all the matters initiated by the Congress governments at the Central or state level.

Pointing at loopholes in the BJP manifesto, he said, “At the outset, it needs to be clear about its approach towards various critical issues. The opposition lacks clarity and objectivity in its vision and fails to suggest ways by which it can offer stable and progressive governance to Delhiites. It wants to take the people on a bullock cart ride. BJP has been talking about scrapping the BRT plan, but at the same time it fails to suggest any concrete solution to it.”

Maken said that going by the claims of BJP itself, it has time and again laid down examples of the Gujarat model of development and governance, but here it forgets that the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi himself has said in his manifesto that the BRT named as ‘Janmarg’ can actually usher in a better life for the people of Ahmedabad, and in fact it can transform the picture of entire India; it’s a vision for a better future.

Admitting that the BRT has actually been a blunder made by the Congress, Maken said, “Starting the BRT of 19 km under the first phase from Ambedkar Nagar to ISBT was based on foot by foot survey of leading national and international bodies, but due to some lapses in technicalities it is left with some teething problems like arrangement of parking lots, proper passages for pedestrians etc.”

However, Maken still batting for the Congress development initiative, said that the BRT would be made user-friendly because the concept is actually not wrong, and is an essential component of the inclusive development model.

Maken went on to draw out a comparison between 2004 and 2007 guidelines on regularisation of unauthorised colonies and approach of the Congress and BJP towards sealing and demolition, which, claimed Maken, has brought tremendous relief to the people of the Capital.

Ghaziabad, November 22
The curtains on much-publicized Neelam murder case in Nehru Nagar, Ghaziabad in 1994 were brought down by Arun Kumar, additional district and sessions judge-II, Ghaziabad, who sentenced Neelam’s husband and two others to death, 14 years after the crime had rocked the city.

Neelam’s husband Sadhu Singh had suspected her of infidelity. Along with Sadhu Singh, his friends Vinay Kumar and Jalveer were also sentenced to be “hanged, till death” by the court. Two other accused were, however, given the benefit of the doubt by the court, which based its verdict on the evidence available.

Neelam had been brutally murdered in her flat in F Block of Nehru Nagar-II on
August 18, 1994.

Interestingly, Sadhu Singh filed a written report in Sihani Gate police station that three unknown killers had murdered his wife Neelam by strangling her with electric wire, stabbing her repeatedly in the stomach and other parts of her body, and finally hitting her hard with an iron rod.

But in police investigations, sensational facts had come to light–that Neelam was not murdered by unknown killers but by her husband and his friends. Sadhu Singh had suspected his wife to be of bad moral character.

Neelam belonged to Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar. Police had made Vinay Kumar, Sunil, Shri Ram and Jaipal accused along with Sadhu Singh. Some accused had turned hostile, but the court basing its judgment on the evidence placed before it sentenced Neelam’s husband Sadhu Singh and his friend Jalveer and Vinay Kumar to death.

The court ordered the release of Shri Ram and Jaipal for want of evidence while Sunil had since died, said assistant district prosecutors Meena Sharma and Vidhya Bhushan Sharma said.

New Delhi, November 22
The Nabi Karim police succeeded last night in arresting the husband of a young woman Kavita, after she was stabbed to death by him earlier in the day.

Shashi Kumar (23) had allegedly stabbed his 19-year-old wife yesterday evening when she came out of her parents’ house to buy some grocery.

Kavita and Shashi had a love marriage about two years ago but soon cracks appeared in their marriage.

According to police, Kavita had left her husband’s house and was staying with her parents in central Delhi. She had even filed for the divorce.

According to Kavita’s father, Shashi often called their daughter and threatened with dire consequences if she did not return to their house.

They believe that Shashi was looking for an opportunity to attack Kavita ever since she had field for divorce.

Shashi attacked Kavita around 3.15 pm yesterday and managed to flee from the spot. “Kavita received stab injuries on the neck and abdomen. A passer-by saw her bleeding and informed us after which she was taken to a nearby hospital where she was declared brought dead,” said a police officer.

The police launched a hunt for Shashi and arrested him later in the night when he came to his house in the wee hours. Kavita is survived by a daughter.

New Delhi, November 22
Handmade beautifully decorated book marks, irresistibly cute soft toys, jute-made writing pads, mirrored pens, invitation cards, bracelets and a lot many more decorative items. There are a number of shops in the India International Trade Fair (IITF) selling these items.

Nothing special about it, but one thing makes it different. People who have made these handicraft items for you are handicapped.

Raj (27) is handicapped and cannot speak either, but his expressions can make any person understand whatever he wants to communicate.

If you take a look at the handicrafts gallery beside the Uttar Pradesh pavilion, you can easily locate a number of such shops.

“This is the first time I had put up a stall. We are getting good response from people and I am happy to see people so much concerned about physically challenged people like us,” said Sundar (19). Buying items from these shops is cheap.

“This is a bold step taken by these people and we appreciate their efforts. I liked a number of items as they are different and innovative,” said Lopa Bhattacharya, a visitor to the fair.

While everybody in the trade fair seems to be in a competition to make better sales and earn more profits, these shops also find a place in the fair and drew a number of people. If you are also planning to visit the fair, don’t forget to have a look at these special stalls.

New Delhi, November 22
“We are not refugees, we are Indians. This is our land, our country,” shouted Guruji, 69. They were cooking food and were preparing to sleep when some policemen came and started bashing them up all of a sudden asking them to vacate the place.

The hearth that seldom ceases fire was kicked off ruthlessly by a police official. Those empty vessels remained empty as usual and those hungry homeless people slept hungry as usual.

The incident took place last night at the famous Hanuman Mandir of Connaught place. Some policemen asked these homeless people outside the temple to vacate the area, but when they argued they were bashed up inhumanly.

“We are around 60 people living here. Where will we go? It has been around 28 years now, we are living here itself. This place is the only source of our earning,” said Raju, 37, who was also bashed up last night and his shop on a piece of torn cloth was thrown away by the policemen.

According to the residents, the police starts such an exercise whenever any VIP or government official comes to visit Hanuman Mandir or the mosque nearby.

“If we are not allowed to live and sit here, then the government should provide us with community centres or a proper shelter rather than making our lives more pathetic and difficult. Why should we suffer?” asked Shanti, 78.

The elderly woman has been living here since years and wishes to live peacefully during the last stage of life.

The bashing continued even today. Gopal, 29, who is physically challenged, said that even today at around 8 am some people were bashed up again. “They pushed me and I fell down,” said Gopal showing his bruised hands.

However, when asked the and police constables standing outside the temple denied that any such incident had taken place last night and claimed that they were not on duty. Even the SHO denied the allegations.

New Delhi, November 22
The Delhi High Court has permitted a second year B.Sc. student of Delhi University to switch to another institution, saying that the college she was studying in should not have “any feelings of possessiveness in respect of a student.”

Anika Jain, a B.Sc computer science (honours) student in Keshav Mahavidyalaya, Pitampura, wanted to switch to Hansraj College citing a residential problem.

But the college refused to issue her a no-objection certificate (NOC), saying there were very few students in the course in the college and if the NOC was granted, it would directly impact on the grant it received from the University Grants Commission. Jain, in her petition, said that she lives in Shahdara at her cousin’s residence as her family stays at Agra.

Her counsel Ashok Aggarwal said, “Jain took admission in the college because that was near to her house when her family stayed in Delhi but since her father was transferred to Agra she had to live with her cousin at Shahdara and commuting such a long distance was troublesome for her.”

Justice Vipin Sanghi directed Keshav Mahavidyalaya to give her the NOC at the
earliest. “No doubt, the petitioner has no vested right to seek migration. However,
if a student is able to disclose good reasons for seeking migration, the college
cannot act whimsically and seek to withhold the NOC in an arbitrary manner,” he
said. — IANS

New Delhi, November 22
With the arrest of the servant of the Dilshad Garden trader who was found murdered in his grocery store on Thursday night, the North East district police has claimed to have solved the case.

The robbed money and the mobile phone of the deceased trader Pawan Kumar have also been seized from the accused, Lokender, 22.

The police had been interrogating the three servants, including Lokender, who used to work in the grocery store.

It finally nabbed Lokender, after it was found that the deceased had received two calls on his mobile phone from a PCO number in Sunder Nagri. As Lokender is a resident of Sunder Nagri, the police zeroed in on him.

According to the police, Lokendar has confessed to have murdered Pawan Kumar inside the store by hitting him on his head with a log.

Lokendar disclosed that he knew that the deceased usually kept his sale proceeds in the shop and he escaped with Rs 35,044 after killing Pawan.

“Collusion of some technical persons working in Mumbai’s cinema laboratories is also suspected in these deals.

“And all the payments for this illegal trade are made and received through hawala in Delhi,” Ghaziabad city police chief Vijay Bhushan said.

Gurgaon, November 22
Here is your turn to hit out, smash sixes, shatter stumps and take unforgettable catches. Celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship, the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), a financial services company, is currently undertaking its largest marketing promotion in India—”The RBS Tendulkar Challenge”.

This fun-filled activity, hosted by RBS in leading malls across Delhi, has been adopted from England’s Nat West challenge.

Giving the cricket fans an opportunity to showcase their talent, RBS has invited cricket enthusiasts to test their skills and compete against Sachin Tendulkar’s record of scoring 24 runs in an over.

Giving an unforgettable feeling of being on the cricket pitch, RBS re-created the stadium excitement by installing state-of-the-art equipment that tested the participants’ bowling, batting and fielding expertise.

RBS is extending its support for the game in India through a series of associate sponsorships for the ongoing series of seven India-England One-Day Internationals. The culmination of RBS’ support for international cricket in India in 2008

will be the two-test series matches against England with the winners picking up the inaugural RBS Cup.

As per an official statement issued by the company here today, the RBS group has been providing a range of retail and corporate banking, financial markets, consumer finance, insurance, and wealth management services in nearly 50 countries across Europe, the USA, Asia and the Middle East.

New Delhi, November 22
“In Service of the Soldiers: Life Sciences Perspective” is the subject of debate and discussion at a three-day conference of Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO).

The keynote address will be delivered by Delhi University vice-chancellor Deepak Pental. The conference is being organized primarily to commemorate the golden jubilee celebrations of DRDO R&D activities at DRDO Bhawan here.

Deepak Pental, a world renowned biotechnologist, will speak on ‘Biotechnology in the service of mankind and its potential for futuristic warfare scenario’ at conference.

Service personnel and industrialists are expected to attend the conference, which will be inaugurated by minister of state for defence M.M. Pallam Raju. The vice-chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen M.L. Naidu, will preside over the function.

W. Selvamuthy, chief controller, Life Sciences (DRDO), will highlight the fields in which DRDO’s life science laboratories are working and give an overview of life sciences scenario in the current security environment.

“The conference is being organized to create an ideal platform to know the activities of the DRDO’s life science laboratories working in a spectra of disciplines that include life-saving and strategic support systems, protective equipment and clothing, physiological-psychological aspects, health and protection against biological and chemical warfare and instant food requirements for high attitude battlefield operations,” an official from DRDO said.

“The conference being attended by the actual users of products, i.e. services would give great impetus to scientists to get an insight of the actual expectations and value-added products that contribute directly to the combat efficiency of the soldier,” the official added.

New Delhi, November 22
Punjab National Bank has launched a pan-India campaign for school students to inculcate banking and saving habits in them.

School students are being persuaded through special camps and other activities to open savings fund accounts with Punjab National Bank.

The bank is offering zero balance savings fund account for students of the age of 10 years and above. By opening the account, a student becomes eligible for issuance of demand draft for all types of fees/examinations fees free of charges, anywhere anytime banking facility through vast network of inter-connected branches of Punjab National Bank and free of cost ATM debit card.

Students who are 18 years and above are eligible for overdraft facility also. Prizes will be given to the outstanding entries. The prize money ranging from Rs 500 to 3000 will be given to the students at a function.