New Delhi, October 26
Telecom Minister A. Raja’s alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum allotment scam today turned into a potential political fireball, with the BJP objecting to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s certificate of innocence to the DMK minister and demanding the latter’s removal from office.

Raja should be booked for corruption, the principal opposition party said. Terming the PM’s statement that “allegations against Raja are not correct” as undesirable, BJP’s leader in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley today said it was unfortunate that the PM had chosen to comment on the minister’s innocence while the investigations were on.

“There was no occasion for the PM to send such a signal to the investigative agencies directly under him. The fact that the minister belongs to an alliance partner of the UPA could not be a ground for a cover-up operation,” Jaitley said, citing past records to stress that the alleged scam caused the government a loss of Rs 60,000 crore.

If the value of spectrum in each case was over Rs 9,000 crores, obviously the government lost over Rs 7,000 crores per license, the BJP said, accusing the UPA of bending rules for an important alliance partner.

“For the nine licenses collectively along with the spectrum, the net evaluation exceeds Rs 60,000 crores, which is the actual loss,” Jaitley said, adding that compulsions of the coalition politics should not come in the way of honest investigations.

The BJP leader also took the occasion to counter the PM’s statement that the opposition is not always correct. “On Raja’s statement that he had kept the Prime Minister informed of what he was doing, the latter has said he would not like to join the issue in the public with my Cabinet colleague. Obviously, he is in no position to agree or disagree,” Jaitley said.

He recalled how in 2007, applications for telecom licenses were invited setting October 1, 2007 as the deadline. “The first allegation against Raja is that even when applications were invited till such time, an artificial cut-off date i.e. September 25, 2007, was created and applications received between this and the October deadline were summarily rejected,” Jaitley said, adding that rules of the game were changed after the game had begun and friendly applicants were advised to put in their applications on or before the September deadline.

“This is not the Opposition’s charge as the PM has said. The Delhi High Court has now quashed the artificial cut-off date, wherein experienced players were left out and nine licenses were issued to relatively inexperienced parties,” said Jaitley. The BJP also asked the UPA to explain why licences in the present case were allotted on 2001 rates instead of 2007, despite objections from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

New Delhi, October 26 
Amid reports of strained ties between the Congress and its southern ally DMK, Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed said, “The minister’s name has not figured in the FIR. Only some officials have been named”. The Congress spokesman said the party was all for transparency in public life and had a policy of zero tolerance toward corruption. “As far as Congress is concerned, we are for transparency in public life,” Ahmed said, when quizzed on raids on offices of the Telecom Ministry last week. 

Patna, October 26
With the announcement of Assembly polls in Jharkhand, political activities have suddenly intensified in neighbouring Bihar as well.

Besides the national parties like the Congress and the BJP, the regional parties like the RJD, the LJP and the JD(U) also claim to have a lot of stakes in Jharkhand. LJP Chief Ram Vilas Paswan has already taken the initiative to announce his party’s electoral alliance with Lalu-led RJD for the ensuing polls in Jharkhand.

Without mincing words Paswan said there was no hitch at all between his party and the RJD over seat adjustments. However, his party aimed at a broader alliance of secular parties by bringing together the Congress and the JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha) as well with them. He went on to say that he would not hesitate joining hands even with Babulal Marandi’s party-the JVM, the breakaway faction of the BJP. But Paswan’s aspirations seem to be a distant dream going by the indications given by the Congress to go alone in Bihar and Jharkhand. Many senior Congress leaders have been repeatedly saying that the party would have nothing to do with people like Lalu Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan in Bihar and Jharkhand.

The honeymoon between the Congress and Shibu Soren-led JMM also ended on a sour note in Jharkhand as the former did not support Soren form the government nor it accommodated the tribal leader in the Union Cabinet.

The JMM has also been giving indications about going to the polls alone. On the other hand, fissures have also become apparent in the NDA camp. The JD (U) is most likely to go alone this time as the BJP ( the senior partner in Jharkhand) is unlikely to meet the aspirations of its ally.

The BJP had spared 15 seats for the JD(U) during the last assembly polls in 2004. Of these the JD(U) could win only six. Therefore, the BJP leaders are in no mood to spare even 15 seats to the JD(U) this time.

But having the advantage of being the ruling party in Bihar, the JD(U) is certainly eager to extend its support base in neighbouring Jharkhand as well. However, the JD(U) is likely to make its stand clear on the issue on October 28 when party Chief Sharad Yadav and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will participate in the ongoing workers training programme of the party at Bokaro.

New Delhi, October 26
India has declared itself free from the Avian Influenza (H5N1) or the bird flu and notified this to the OIE (World Organisation for Animal Health).

The Centre has, however, emphasised that surveillance against Avian Influenza should continue throughout the country, especially in vulnerable areas bordering infected countries and in areas visited by migratory birds.

In a communication to the states, the Centre has reiterated that states should not be led into complacency due to declaration that the country was free from notifiable Avian Influenza and must maintain their vigil against the disease.

India notified outbreaks of Avian Influenza (H5N1) in Assam (18 epicentres), West Bengal (11 epicentres) and Sikkim (1 epicentre) between November 2008 and May 2009.

The last outbreak was notified on May 27 in Uttar Dinajpur District of West Bengal. According to officials, there has been no further outbreak thereafter.

Control measures adopted in all the outbreaks were stamping out of entire poultry population, including destruction of eggs, feed, litters and other infected materials in a radius of three to 5 km around each outbreak location, restriction on movement of poultry, poultry products to and from the area of outbreak, disinfecting and cleaning up of infected premises.

The final disinfecting process was completed on June 8, 2009.

Officials say surveillance was carried out throughout the country as per article 2.7.12.4 of OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code (2008). Surveillance around the area of the outbreak since completion of the operation, including culling, disinfecting and clean-up, and surveillance in rest of the country has shown no evidence of the presence of the H5N1 virus.

Bird flu is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strain of the influenza virus. Bird flu epidemics have occurred worldwide but recent spread of Avian influenza has been localised to certain parts of Asia. Migratory waterfowl, most notably wild ducks, are said to be natural reservoir of bird flu virus. Infection can spread from wild fowl to domestic poultry, including chickens and turkeys, and then to humans. Experts say live bird markets play an important role in the spread of the virus .

New Delhi, October 26
A PhD scholar of IIT Delhi was arrested on Sunday night in connection with the murder of a Manipur girl. Pushpum Kumar (34) was nabbed after the half-burnt body of the girl, who was his neighbour, was found in a Munirka apartment, the police said. Ramchanpy Hongary (19) was discovered dead by her sister Timila on Saturday night.

The accused tried to molest the girl and on resistance by her he strangulated the victim, said HGS Dhaliwal, DCP (South). “The accused was attracted towards the girl. But when Ramchanphy did not respond to his overtures, he got frustrated and on Saturday evening finding her alone in the house tried to molest her. When the girl raised alarm, he strangulated her. In order to make it appear as an accidental death, he put the girl’s face and the upper torso on the gas stove and after ensuring that she had sufficient burn injuries, he escape from the spot,” added Dhaliwal.

The accused was nearly successful in his attempt to befool the cops as the police team, which landed on the crime scene, believed it be a case of an accidental fire. However, when the post-mortem confirmed that the deceased had been strangulated, murder investigations were initiated. The friends and sister of the deceased pointed fingers at Pushpum, who had bothered the girl in the past whereupon he was picked up by the police and interrogated. “Pushpum initially refused his involvement but could not clearly state where he was at the time of the crime. Later, he broke down and confessed to his wrongdoing,” said DCP Dhaliwal.

Police has recovered certain articles from Pushpum’s room pointing towards his perverted nature. “The accused is suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder. Some articles showing his perverted nature and maniacal obsession have been recovered from his rented room,” said the officer.

The accused did his B Tech from Allhabad University and then postgraduated from IISC Bangalore and was at present pursuing his PhD in IIT Delhi. He is a permanent resident of Patna. According to information, his father Bijay Kumar has retired from Hindustan Aeronautical Ltd as a deputy director, while his mother, a doctor, retired recently from a government job. 

New Delhi, October 26
Union Higher Education Secretary RP Agrawal, due for retirement this Saturday, is vying for the position of Vice-Chancellor's at the National University of Education Planning and Administration (NUEPA).

Agrawal, it is learnt, has applied for the post, which the HRD Ministry recently advertised. His name is said to have been reccommended by the search and selection committee constituted by the ministry. Two other names have also been forwarded by the search panel comprising Prof Khawaja Peer, Prof Govardhan Mehta and Prof M Ananthkrishnan. NUEPA, currently engaged with the drafting of model rules for the ambitious Right to Education law, has been functioning without a permanent Vice-Chancellor for about a year.

Mumbai, October 26
Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), today named Chhagan Bhujbal as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and leader of the legislative party.

Like the Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, Pawar chose to maintain the status quo and retain the incumbent after a number of contenders emerged for the post earlier today.

Apart from Bhujbal, Pawar’s nephew Ajit, and former Deputy CM RR Patil were also in the fray for the coveted post.

It would be third time, Bhujbal would be holding the post of the Deputy CM. He was holding the post when the Congress-NCP government was formed in 1999. He had to make way for Patil after being embroiled in the Abdul Karim Telgi scandal.

Bhujbal returned when Patil was replaced following the Mumbai terror attack last year. It is however not clear how much clout Bhujbal would wield in the government. After holding the Home portfolio in his first stint, Bhujbal had to rest content with the Public Works Department

portfolio. With the Congress holding 82 seats as opposed to the NCP’s 62 in the new Assembly, pressure is mounting on Pawar to give up several prestigious portfolios to the national party. Senior party leader and Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel, who is holding talks with the Congress party was non-committal. “Negotations are still going on regarding distribution of portfolios,” Patel said here on Monday.

However, the Congress is demanding that crucial portfolios like Home and Finance vest with the CM. Ashok Chavan made this demand even before the election results and is said to have received the support of Vilarao Deshmukh and Narayan Rane.

“We would like the central formula to be followed where the alliance partners get portfolios in proportion to their numbers,” a senior party leader said here. According to observers, the Congress wants 25 berths leaving 17 to the NCP. Maharashtra can have a total of 42 ministers in the Cabinet.

The ruling alliance would also have to accommodate some Independents and some smaller parties since the Congress and the NCP together have just 144 of the 288 seats in the Assembly.

Mumbai, October 26
Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena’s executive president and son of supremo Bal Thackeray, today said he was taking personal responsibility for the defeat of the party in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“I accept full moral responsibility for the defeat of the party,” Thackeray said. “However, this is not the end of the Shiv Sena. We will strive to provide justice to the common man of Maharashtra,” Uddhav said in his first interaction with the media following the defeat of the combine. He, however, reiterated the stand taken by the pary during the election campaign. “We tried to highlight the failures of the Democratic Front government for the past 10 years. But we still could not make it at the hustings…our loss was the defeat of the people of Maharashtra,” Thackeray said.

Jaipur, October 26
Now that she has finally quit the post of Leader of Opposition in Rajasthan after defying the party diktat for almost three months, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje is reportedly planning to put up a show of strength on her way back from New Delhi to Jaipur tomorrow.

Raje will be heading to the state capital by road and her supporters want to greet her and express their solidarity with her by holding rallies en route her way to Jaipur. Her key aides have also hinted that despite quitting as the Leader of Opposition, she will continue her political activities in the state, now in the form of an "ordinary party worker".

MLA Bhawani Singh Rajawat, one of her close aides, said, “We would like her to undertake a tour of the entire state. We want her to stay in touch with the people in Rajasthan and we would chalk out our plan regarding this when she returns from New Delhi.” Her supporters feel that their road show will demonstrate her clout among the party workers and also the fact that she is the tallest BJP leader in the state.

Raje is expected to be in the state capital for three days during which she is likely to hold parleys with her supporters to plan her future role in the state politics. Also there will be a discussion on the new Leader of Opposition and as to whom the Raje camp will project as her replacement.

There is also a talk in political circles of her contesting again for the key post. Though BJP president Rajnath Singh apparently tried to bar her from doing so, there is nothing in the party constitution or legislative norms that can prevent a former leader of opposition from re-contesting for the post. In her resignation too, Raje had said that she had been elected the leader of the BJP legislature party by the MLAs and the leadership ought to have sought their views before asking her to step down.

Meanwhile, the race for Raje’s successor has hot up in the state capital. Among the top contenders, former Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria is the clear frontrunner. He has got seniority and experience on his side, besides the crucial RSS support which will count a lot in the aftermath of poll reverses which have brought back the RSS at the helm of affairs in the BJP. Narpat Singh Rajvi, son-in-law of former vice-president Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, is also in the race, but for him much will depend on Shekhawat’s influence in the party top brass.

Two other names that are doing the rounds are that of Mahasamand MLA Kiran Maheshwari and Shahpura MLA Rao Rajendra Singh. Either of these two leaders may emerge as Raje’s replacement because of their ‘neutral approach’ and also because they have earned a reputation for themselves at a young age. Raje has also been pushing the names of her loyalists - former ministers Rajendra Singh Rathore and Digambar Singh.

Kolkata, October 26
Maoists leader Koteshwar Rao (alias Kishenji), who has been leading tribals’ agitation at Lalgarh and elsewhere, had claimed that they were in touch with several CPM and other Left Front leaders. They also contacted Trinamool leader Mamata Banerjee.

However, there had been no reaction either from the CPM or the TMC so far, he said. After a meeting of the Left Front at the CPM’s Alimuddin Street office, the RSP leader Kshiti Goswami, who is also state PWD minister, admitted that Kishenji had phoned him sometime back with the request of suspending the police operation at Lalgarh.

The Lalgrah issue also figured at today’s Left Front meeting when Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee conveyed to the members that the police and the paramilitary forces had been directed to intensify their operations at Lalgarh for driving out Maoists from the area.

He said the police narrowly missed Kishenji during an operation on October 22. But the police had now stepped up its drive for arresting the Maoists leader.

He admitted that in a press meeting at Delhi there had been a slip of tongue when he said the two missing police constables, Sabir Mollah and Kanchan Gorai, who went missing during an operation at Jangalmahal on July 30, had been killed. But later, he rectified his mistake and also assured their family members that the government would take all possible steps to bring them back safely.

Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, however, had taken the two constables’ parents to Delhi with her for meeting Home Minister Chidambaram demanding Centre’s help for releasing Sabir and Kanchan from the Maoists captivity.

Meanwhile, fresh violence erupted at Lalgarh today following the renewed police action. There was exchange of fire between the police and the Maoists in the morning that lasted for about an hour.

Kishenji was silent today. But Kartick Saha warned on behalf of the Lalgarh anti-police action committee that they would launch massive killing and kidnapping operations in the coming days if the police torture of the poor at Lalgarh was not immediately stopped.

There were clashes between activists of the CPM and the TMC at Mandirbazar in south 24-parganas in which a TMC worker was killed. There were incidents of arson and looting at several places. CPM workers said they were attacked fist by TMC workers and they had to launch counter-attack for defending themselves.

Lucknow, October 26
Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has demanded a probe by a central agency against Chief Minister Mayawati, one of her cabinet colleagues, a BSP MP and a senior IAS officer for hatching a “criminal conspiracy” against him.

In a memorandum submitted to Governor BL Joshi today, Amar Singh submitted call details to prove that senior minister Baburam Kushwaha, IAS officer in the CM’s secretariat Navneet Sehgal and BSP MP Akhilesh Das were in touch with Shivakant Tripathi, who had filed an FIR at the Kanpur’s Babupurwa police station accusing him of committing a fraud to the tune of Rs 500 crore through amalgamation of some companies.

Addressing a press conference, he demanded Mayawati to resign, or furnish a public apology or take action against the erring persons. When asked what he planned to do if the CM decided to do none of these, he said, “I would think about that later.”

He said if Mayawati dared to do anything against him, he would not let her live in peace and expose all her “wrong-doings”. He also submitted a DVD to the Governor that showed Mayawati’s election meeting in which she threatened to put Mulayam Singh Yadav and Amar Singh behind the bars if she returned to power and BSP leaders asking for money in the name of Mayawati.

Equating himself with Lord Hanuman, Amar Singh warned to set Mayawati’s Lanka afire if she dared to harm him. Claiming to have been given a clean chit in 2008 by the Company Law Board, the IT Department and the Kolkata High Court in the matter, he wondered where there was a need for fresh investigations.

He said increase in share capital with mutual consent of different companies and shareholders, and a merger with the consent of the high court concerned was a legal process.

Denials about the intention of sending a “strategic message” notwithstanding, the Indian and US armies today concluded their biggest ever joint military exercise amidst a display of brutal firepower using top-of-the-line weaponry.

This indicated at an improved comfort level between the two armies. The fact that T-90 tanks, latest combat vehicles, anti-tank missiles, choppers and UAVs were used in the exercise, code named ‘Yudh Abhyaas-09’, suggest the methods of hitting out the “enemy”. This was the first time that US and India had jointly deployed its mechanised infantry in an exercise.

As expected, this time too the top brass of Indian and US armies played safe with their words: “There is no message (for China or Pakistan) in the exercise. We are just conducting a training exercise.”

However, the growing trust between the two armies was visible. Lt Gen Benjamin R Mixon, Commander of US Army, Pacific, and head of the US delegation, when asked if Indian forces were capable of being deployed alongside US troops in Afghhanistan or Iraq, said: “A decision in this regard has to be made by the Indian government… We will be comfortable going with the Indian Army anywhere, anytime.”

The Indian Director General of Military Operations (DGMO), Lt Gen AS Sekhon, while replying on whether the exercise was part of counter-insurgency operations, clarified: “We are not training for joint operations and nor is this exercise for any specific contingency within India. This is part of an exercise for peacekeeping operations under the UN charter.”

In the morning, the US troops, most of whom have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, showed the easy to use technique to fire its anti-tank “javelin” missile. The same is used extensively by US. The Indian Army, however, presently uses the French-made Milan anti-tank missile. The US Army also fielded its combat vehicle, ‘sryker’, which is being used in Afghanistan.

As part of the firepower today, the forces were given a target. The 20 sq km firing range was divided into three make-believe countries -- Jhansi, Karera and Datia -- which the troops were to get vacated from the “enemy” and also ensure peacekeeping. The US troops used a camera-fitted UAV, which was packed in small backpack. The hand-held UAV, controlled from the ground, flew over the area and conveyed a real time picture for the ground troops to fire with precision.

The historic exercise was held at Babina, which draws its name from history. In fact, Babina is an abbreviation for British army’s base in North Asia.

Chennai, October 26
The Tamil Nadu police today claimed to have busted an idol theft racket with the recovery of a emerald 'lingam' valued at more than Rs 50 crore in the international market and arrest of two persons in this connection.

The ‘lingam’ was stolen from the famous Shri Piravi Maruntheeswarar Temple in Tiruvarur district in February this year by a gang of history sheeters, including the two arrested, ADGP (Economic Offences Wing) G Thilakavathi said.

Special teams were formed and the duo, Ramesh (30) and Senthil (29), nabbed at Koyambedu bus stand here ht, she said. — PTI