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BJP’s austerity move: Tents for partymen
Is M’rashtra CM Shah Rukh’s bodyguard, asks Thackeray
I’ll clear misunderstanding with Sena chief, says Bollywood star
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‘My Name is Khan’ opens across Mumbai
Chavan back in Cong’s good books
Rights groups reject bill against communal violence
Money power rules panchayat polls in Rajasthan
$10m for Palestine
CIC against ban on tax-evasion details
Mayawati rejigs secretariat
DRDO ropes in students to design robots
3 Maoists arrested
Jaya leads protest on sugarcane price
A ‘Valentine Krishna’ temple in TN!
Bajrang Dal threat on V-Day
Telangana leaders to resign today AP parties in disarray IPL matches shifted out
of state Bandh call ignored by Hyderabad Darjeeling
Land Scam Nepal Prez arrives tomorrow Sea transport revived in Mumbai Maoists abduct BDO
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BJP’s austerity move: Tents for partymen
New Delhi, February 13 The complex called Kushabhau Thakre Parisar has been erected to convey the impression of austerity under the new BJP president Nitin Gadkari whose election ratification is one of the main objectives of this convention, according to BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, who returned here from Indore today after supervising the arrangements. There were reports that the tent complex was far more luxurious than five star hotels and was costing the party a fortune. While Naqvi refused to state how much it will cost, RSS joint general secretary Suresh Soni is in Indore to see whether the tents would convey the impression of luxury or austerity. Naqvi did not comment on Soni’s visit, but said: “The place is open for anyone to see and nothing bars Suresh Soni from going there either.” Soni’s visit is also significant because Gadkari has specially been chosen by the Sangh over Delhi-based politicians and the Parivar has personal stake in building his image and personality. The meet will be marked by the absence of any political or economic resolution. But there will be a resolution on the internal security environment in the country and the threat to the nation from internal and external forces. Similarly, in place of an economic resolution, there will be one on current price rise. The complex will house two conference rooms, one named after BJP’s founder member Vijay Raje Scindia and the other after Pyare Lal Khandelwal. Besides this, BJP is also putting up two photographic exhibitions, one on its ‘Vichar Yatra’ and the other on its ‘Vikas Yatra.’ These will highlight the ideological progress of the BJP right from the Jana Sangh days and the Vikas Yatra will showcase the developmental achievements of its chief ministers, particularly Gujarat CM Narendra Modi.
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Is M’rashtra CM Shah Rukh’s bodyguard, asks Thackeray
Mumbai, February 13 “Is Chavan the CM of Maharashtra or SRK’s bodyguard? If it is the latter, then he should adorn the uniform of a security guard and stand outside Khan’s ‘Mannat’ bungalow here, saluting the passers-by,” Thackeray said in an editorial in Sena mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’. “What different work has Chavan done for the last seven-eight days,” Thackeray asked and flayed Chavan for “siding with Pak-lover Khan.” The entire police force has been used as Khan’s “slave and domestic help”, Thackeray said, referring to the police action against Sainiks during the agitation against SRK-starrer ‘My Name Is Khan’. “The only thing that remains is to erect a marble memorial for Kasab and his nine dead accomplices and ask policemen to salute it,” the Sena chief said. Thackeray had yesterday accused Chavan of “succumbing to vote-bank politics and deploying tight security with AK 47s to ensure that Khan's film release was smooth.” “He arrested thousands of Shiv Sainiks and beat them up till they bled and put them in jail. In the end there was no place remaining in jail. For one Khan, how weak and helpless the Chief Minister has become,” he had said. —
PTI
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I’ll clear misunderstanding with Sena chief, says Bollywood star
Berlin, February 13 "I know Balasaheb and Uddhav-ji (Thackeray) well and if there's a misunderstanding, I'll clear it. I've no ego, no false self-respect. It ('MNIK') has released in London, New York, Dubai, Berlin, and I'll be happiest if the Mumbai audience see it. "'My Name is Khan' does not take a stand, it only points out things. When I join politics, I'll take a stand. Inshallah, there will be no issue about my statements, we can have a discussion and work it out. All I want to do now is walk the red carpet, have some champagne and hope that all will be fine," Shah Rukh said in an interview here. On the attacks on theatres showing his film, Shah Rukh said: "I have no stand, no ideological issue. I'm a mere actor. I'm genuinely sorry if my comments have hurt someone. I'm in the business of making people happy." The star was effusive in his praise of his director-producer Karan Johar. "Karan Johar is exposed to a lot more international films than previous filmmakers. He decided not to rest in a comfort zone and work only for money, but take the chance to make our mark in the world. The Berlinale provided us a perfect platform. It takes guts to get out of your comfort zone and 'My Name Is Khan' is the first step.” — IANS
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‘My Name is Khan’ opens across Mumbai
Mumbai, February 13 Early today, the remaining theatres hadn’t yet begun screenings and patrons who arrived for the morning shows had to return disappointed. However, the theatres came around after talks with the distributors, Fox Studios. Many of the multiplexes screening the movie reported thin crowds in the morning, as people stayed away apparently due to fear of violence. Theatres like Fame and Cinemax said they had tickets for today’s evening shows and advance bookings were open for next week. Security remained tight at all the theatres screening the movie as the Maharashtra government was not willing to take chances. According to information available from the interiors of Maharashtra, MNIK was drawing good crowds from theatres in Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Jalgaon and other places. The film was also released at the Eternity Mall in Thane city where Shiv Sainiks first began their attacks against Shah Rukh Khan.
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Chavan back in Cong’s good books
New Delhi, February 13 In all, the Bollywood movie had become a test of political strength for the Congress in Maharashtra with the party even contemplating some non-administrative strategy to ensure that the movie opened to packed houses on Friday and its detractor, the Shiv Sena, bites the dust. It seems to be an added advantage for Chavan, as the Chief Minister now appears to have redeemed his lost position in the party. His political stock and reckoning within the party had nosedived after the taxi driver controversy, which had the Congress all tied up in embarrassed knots while trying to explain how the move did not sully its fair “cosmopolitan” image. A couple of weeks back, the Chavan government had decided to give new taxi licenses only to those persons who were fluent in Marathi and had resided in the state for at least 15 years. Faced with a wall of protest over the decision, Chavan had to make a complete U-turn but the controversy came as a godsend opportunity for the Shiv Sena and the MNS. In the past few days, Congress president Sonia Gandhi is believed to have had Chavan’s detractors, including former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and state Congress chief Manikrao Thakre, visiting her to complain about Chavan’s lack of political acumen.
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Rights groups reject bill against communal violence
New Delhi, February 13 This was the conclusion reached by a two-day national consultation on the bill, organised here by NGO Anhad. Addressing the media following the convention, convenor Shabnam Hashmi said the demand for such a law emerged from the brutal record of recurring violence, increasing occurrence of gender-based crimes in communal conflagrations, and complete immunity to those responsible for committing these mass crimes. They blamed it on lack of political will, state complicity in communal crimes, lack of impartial investigations, and insensitivity to the victim’s experiences. Besides, the law was too inadequate, she said, as the country lacked an adequate domestic legal framework that could grant due justice to the survivors of communal violence. “The UPA government’s common mimimum programme in 2004 promised to give the citizens of this country a ‘comprehensive legislation’ to fill this legal vacuum. But the bill that was eventually introduced in Rajya Sabha was rejected by civil groups, eminent jurists and legal experts. Sadly, even the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs made no significant amendments to this bill in its report tabled in December 2006,” she said. She said since then, civil society groups had conveyed to the government “our serious objections to this bill”. The participants felt that if this bill were passed in its present state, it will not only be weak, but also be dangerous as it will actually strengthen the shield of protection enjoyed by those who plan and sponsor these crimes.
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Money power rules panchayat polls in Rajasthan
Jaipur, February 13 This is one of the few instances that shows how money power has come to rule village-level elections as well, a trend which political analysts attribute to the huge flow of funds in the rural areas, particularly the allocation of a whopping sum of Rs 39,000 crore to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. Though the candidates officially remained within the budgetary controls of the Election Commission, most of them ended up spending nearly Rs 30 lakh on campaigning. In Baghora village of Bhilwara district, the winning candidate installed eight borewells along with water tanks and motor connections, while his rival paid Rs 1 lakh each to community leaders of different castes. The candidate, who lost the election, was so shocked that he had to be admitted in a hospital. Another candidate from the same gram panchayat, who had spent Rs 10 lakh, went door-to-door asking voters to return his money. In Sangaria village of Jodhpur, some of the contestants sold off their land to generate money to contest the Panchayat elections. However, all candidates deny allegations of bribing the voters. Interestingly, money power even outdid those who wielded political clout, a point proved by the defeat of over a dozen candidates in Shekhawati region, who lost despite having the support of the local MLAs. Brother of Union Minister Mahadev Singh Khandela, Murlidhar, lost to liquor contractor Shankar Lal in Dulhepura panchayat election. Meanwhile, officials at the state Election Commission said there was no restriction on expenditure in Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samiti polls, though the upper limit for spending on posters and banners is Rs 10,000.
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$10m for Palestine
New Delhi, February 13 The assurance was given by Manmohan during his talks with Mahmoud Abbas last night. The Indian Prime Minister reiterated India’s support for the Arab Peace Plan.
He also called for concerted action for achieving a durable, just and comprehensive settlement to the West Asian conflict. Manmohan Singh reiterated India’s commitment to the Palestinian cause in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions calling for a negotiated solution for a sovereign, independent, viable and united state of Palestine. President Abbas who shared his views on recent developments in the Peace Process in West Asia expressed his sincere appreciation for India’s consistent political and material support to Palestine.
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CIC against ban on tax-evasion details
New Delhi, February 13 Although the CIC admitted that the investigation wing of the Income Tax Department was exempted from the purview of the RTI Act, it pointed out that such a blanket ban would “dis-enthuse” whistle-blowers, which may not be in the “best interest of state revenues”. The observation came in connection with the case of Brij Ballabh Singh, who had sought information about the action taken on a complaint made by him in a tax-evasion case at the Lucknow office of the investigative wing of the Director-General, Income Tax, (DGIT), which rejected it citing the exemption clause of the transparency law. “It is also to be noted that the blanket ban on disclosure of information regarding the action taken on tax-evasion complaints may not always be in the best interest of state revenues,” Information Commissioner ML Sharma said.
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Mayawati rejigs secretariat
Lucknow, February 13 Principal Secretary Netram has been elevated to the position of additional cabinet secretary. With Netram’s elevation, the Chief Minister’s secretariat will now have two additional cabinet secretaries and one cabinet secretary. Two senior IAS officers Durga Shankar Misra and Raj Pratap Singh have been appointed as principal secretaries, while Shailesh Krishna has been shifted out of the secretariat. He is now the principal secretary in the Revenue Department. The Chief Minister has also appointed senior IAS officer RK Sharma - formerly accused in the Taj Corridor case and the Ayurveda scam-as agricultural production commissioner (APC). The APC in the state is considered to be the second senior-most bureaucrat after the chief secretary. The outgoing APC VK Sharma has been appointed as the managing director of the PICUP. Lucknow DIG Prem Prakash has also been shifted to Kanpur in the same capacity, while Rajiv Krishna takes over as the new DIG in the state capital.
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DRDO ropes in students to design robots
Chandigarh, February 13 Students selected in the preliminary stage on the basis of their theoretical reports would have to submit a working prototype of their model for demonstration trials to Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Chennai. Besides cash prizes, the design of the models could be used by DRDO to develop such a machine for use by the armed forces and security agencies. The aim of the project is to build an autonomous off-road robotic platform that can navigate a rough terrain and avoid natural and man-made obstacles in the shortest amount of time. Theoretical reports are to be submitted to CVRDE by March 31, out of which 10 would be shortlisted for finals. The final competition is scheduled for September. A brochure issued by DRDO states that the autonomous ground vehicle (AGV) would be part of the future combat force to carry out tasks that would otherwise be difficult for a conventional manned vehicle. DRDO envisions such innovative and cost-effective AGVs to carry out tasks in a variety of undesirable, hazardous, and potentially life-threatening situations in stealth as well as NBC environments, low-intensity conflict and anti-terrorism activities in urban and unstructured environments. The tasks for AGVs could include operation in contaminated environments, reconnaissance and target identification, target designation and engagement, minefield detection and neutralisation and logistics. For executing its commands autonomously, the vehicle must be equipped with sensors for evaluating the terrain and environment and have software for interpreting the data, path planning to decide a safe course of action and control to oversee that plan. DRDO has also listed out the broad technical specifications and capabilities the AGV is expected to have. These include the vehicles expected dimensions, payload capacity, speed and terrain negotiation and obstacle crossing capabilities.
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3 Maoists arrested
Paralakhemundi (Orissa), February 13
Following a tip-off, the ultras were picked up from a hide-out in their village Jadingi, about 125 km from here, Gajapati district Superintendent of Police Sanjay Arora told reporters here. Three rifles and some Maoist literature were recovered from the red rebels who had been active in Gajapati and Rayagada districts, he said. The three Maoists were involved in a number of operations including attack on a forest department building and landmine strike against the elite anti-naxal Special Operation Group (SOG), the SP said. —
PTI
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Jaya leads protest on sugarcane price
Chennai, February13 This is the first time after four years that the AIADMK leader has personally led an agitation against the government. With just a year to go for the Assembly elections, the widely publicised agitation held in Villupuram in the northern region of the state, attracted huge crowds, who were eager to have a glance of the former Chief Minister. Jayalalithaa, who reached the stage at 10.40 am, considered to be the most auspicious time today, accused the DMK government of creating adverse conditions for sugarcane farmers, who were suffering due to debt and poverty. The DMK government was refusing to announce sufficient sugarcane procurement price due to which sugarcane cultivation was facing a crisis. Since, sugarcane cultivation was affected, sugar prices were also going up, affecting the common man, she said. “My government was providing Rs 1,014 per tonne as procurement price for sugarcane, but now the farmers are getting only Rs 1,437 per tonne,” she said.
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A ‘Valentine Krishna’ temple in TN!
Chennai, February 13 The temple is being constructed at Sholingur in Vellore district. It is a structure of 12 feet from the ground to the Gopuram and the sanctum sanctorum will have the presiding deity Sri Radha Krishna, a cow in white marble and baby Krishna in the cradle. “According to the Pur Puranas, Lord Krishna had about 16,000 wives. Every day was Valentine’s Day for him. Naming a temple Valentine Krishna will bring modern youths to our culture and encourage them to know the Puranas and traditions.” The mahasamprokshanam of the temple is scheduled for April, said Jaganaath, adding that about 60 per cent construction had been completed. “Lord Krishna is considered the symbol of love and Valentine’s Day is celebrated as a festival of love. The temple will reveal how much importance our culture gives to the universal theme of love. All universal values that are esteemed today are found in our religion and culture,” says Jaganaath. Stories of Lord Krishna are found in Hindu philosophical and theological traditions. He is often portrayed as an infant, a young boy playing a flute as in the Bhagavata Purana or as a youthful prince. Besides depicting Lord Krishna as a godchild, a prankster, a divine hero and supreme avatar, he is always described as a model lover. “Krishna's love was eternal and many songs and hymns glorify him as a model lover. The Puranas and hymns on Krishna’s love have deep philosophical meaning, since they are another expression of the divine love between the paramatma (god) and jeevatma (human beings). Through love, jeevatma can blend with the paramatma and this process is called mukti,” explains Jaganaath.
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Bajrang Dal threat on V-Day
Berhampur, February 13 The saffron brigade will move to parks, restaurants and other places, where young boys and girls were likely to date, state chief of the outfit Ramakanta Rath said. —
PTI
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Telangana leaders to resign today Hyderabad, February 13 After a marathon meeting here, an all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee
(JAC) tonight unanimously resolved to ask the legislators, MLCs and other elected representatives of the region to quit their posts in protest against the ToR of the five-member panel. “The process of resignations will start from 10 am tomorrow. All MLAs and MLCs have been asked to quit,” JAC convener Prof M Kodandaram told reporters. The JAC comprises representatives from the ruling Congress, Telangana Rashtra Samithi
(TRS), Telugu Desam Party, BJP and a string of civil society organisations fighting for statehood cause. The JAC rejected the ToR as “totally unacceptable” and vowed to continue the struggle till separate Telangana state was formed. The statehood supporters are disappointed over the terms of the panel which has been asked to examine the demand for continuing the status quo of united Andhra Pradesh along with the demand for bifurcation. The clubbing of the two demands is seen as “betrayal of Telangana cause”. The resignation decision came on a day when Justice Srikrishna Committee held its first meeting in Delhi. Earlier, there was confusion over the participation of the Congress in the JAC meeting in the wake of internal differences over the resignation issue. Later, the ruling party representatives joined the meeting and were party to the unanimous decision to
quit. Telangana, comprising nine districts and Hyderabad, accounts for 119 seats in the 294-member AP Assembly. Barring the Majlis Ittehadul
Muslimeen, whose presence is confined to the state capital, the representatives of all other parties in the region are in favour of a separate state. While the Telangana Rashtra Samithi
(TRS), spearheading the statehood movement, has made it clear that all its MPs, MLAs and MLCs would resign, the opinion is divided among Telangana Congress leaders.A majority of them are unwilling to quit for fear of incurring the wrath of the party high command while a section of vociferous statehood supporters are pitching for resignation to mount pressure on the
Centre. “We are under pressure from people in our constituencies to resign and join the agitation. We can achieve the statehood goal only by creating a constitutional crisis through en masse resignations,” a senior Congress legislator said. However, the state Congress President D
Srinivas, who hails from Telangana, cautioned against precipitating the crisis and said resignation was not a solution.
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AP parties in disarray Hyderabad, February 13 The protagonists of separate Telangana state are disappointed over the terms of the five-member panel which has been asked to examine the demand for continuing the status quo of united Andhra Pradesh along with the demand for bifurcation. The clubbing of the two demands is seen as “betrayal of Telangana cause”. The all-party Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) rejected the ToR as “totally unacceptable” and vowed to intensify the agitation. While the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), spearheading the statehood movement, has made it clear that all its MPs, MLAs and MLCs would resign, the opinion is divided among Telangana Congress leaders.A majority of them are unwilling to quit for fear of incurring the wrath of the party high command while a section of vociferous statehood supporters are pitching for resignation to mount pressure on the Centre. “We are under pressure from people in our constituencies to resign and join the agitation. We can achieve the statehood goal only by creating a constitutional crisis through en masse resignations,” a senior Congress legislator said.However, the state Congress President D Srinivas, who hails from Telangana, cautioned against precipitating the crisis and said resignation was not a solution. “The Centre is committed to carry forward the consultation process on Telangana. We should plead our case with the Srikrishna committee and I am confident that justice will be done,” Srinivas said. The Congress MPs, MLAs, MLCs held a meeting here today to discuss the resignation issue but could not come to a common understanding. This has put the all-party JAC in a piquant situation about future course of action. “We expected the Centre to clearly spell out a road map for creation of Telangana state as promised in its December 9 statement. But, the terms of reference are quite contrary to that spirit. This is unacceptable to us,” the JAC convener Prof M Kodandaram said.”On resignations by elected representatives, he said a collective decision would be taken after further consultations. On Kodandaram’s request, the TRS MLAs deferred their plan to submit resignations to the Speaker to tomorrow.
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IPL matches shifted out of state New Delhi, February 13 The opening match between defending champions Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders will now be held March 12 at the DY Patil Stadium, Navi Mumbai. Chargers will play their next three matches in Nagpur (March 19, 21, 28) and will return to DY Patil for the remaining three league matches (April 5, 10, 12). The move comes even after the state government assured top security for the Twenty20 extravaganza. Andhra Pradesh Sports Minister K. Venkat Reddy said it was an insult to the state. Reddy has also appealed to Deccan Chargers to boycott the IPL. “The IPL has insulted Andhra Pradesh by shifting the match to Mumbai. We request Sharad Pawar and Lalit Modi to reconsider the decision within 24 hours,” he said. — IANS
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Bandh call ignored by Hyderabad Hyderabad, February 13 The bandh was called by the students joint action committee of Osmania University in protest against the terms of reference of the Justice Sri Krishna Committee on Telangana. The statehood supporters are upset that the panel has been asked to look into the demand for maintaining status quo of united Andhra Pradesh along with the demand for separate Telangana state.While Hyderabad, which is part of Telangana, ignored the bandh call, the rest of the region felt the impact with rural bus services being cancelled and protesters taking to streets, causing disruptions. “The frequent shutdowns are throwing our lives out of gear. Who will protect the lives of daily wage earners?” said Mohammad Sultan, an auto-driver in the city. An MBA student, Sameer Sharma, lamented that the brand image of Hyderabad was taking a beating because of frequent shutdowns. The city witnessed several bouts of disruptions over the past three months in the wake of an intensifying movement for a separate Telangana state. Over 9,000 policemen have been deployed in the city to maintain law and order, Police Commissioner AK Khan said. A major chunk of deployment was concentrated in and around Osmania University campus, the nerve centre of the Telangana agitation that had witnessed violence in the past. No untoward incident was reported today, the police said. Elsewhere in nine Telangana districts, activists of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), which has been spearheading the statehood movement, took to the streets at several places, staging demonstrations and blocking vehicles. The protesters turned violent at some places in Warangal and Medak districts, damaging buses and attacking offices of the ruling Congress.
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Darjeeling
Land Scam New Delhi, February 13 In his petition before the High Court here, Rath has contended that he had been “singled out” in the case and the “offence” against him had been “prejudged”. The Eastern Command, headed by Army Chief-designate Lt Gen VK Singh, had initiated the Court of Inquiry against him much after the Cabinet Committee of Appointments had approved his elevation as Deputy Chief of Army Staff, Rath said in his 24-page petition filed on Thursday.He contended that the order to attach him to the Kolkata-based headquarters, just before he could take over as Deputy Chief of Army, was “highly discriminatory, arbitrary and non-speaking order, hence bad in law”. Casting aspersions on the role of Lt-Gen VK Singh, he said, “The attachment order has been passed with a malafide intention to stop the petitioner from joining the post as Deputy Chief of Army Staff.” Rath, along with former Military Secretary Lt-Gen Avadesh Prakash, is facing court martial in the case that relates to no-objection certificate given by the Army to a private realtor to construct an educational institution over a 71-acre plot adjacent to Sukna military base in Darjeeling. Rath said he had informed Lt Gen Singh within 15 days about the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed in April last year with a private realtor and on the orders of Lt-Gen Singh he also got the MOU cancelled. “It is only after six months of cancellation of the MOU, when the petitioner was transferred to post of Deputy Chief of Army Staff, that the Eastern Command Headquarters initiated the proceedings only to deny the petitioner from being posted to the above post,” he said.— PTI
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Nepal Prez arrives tomorrow New Delhi, February 13 A number of important MoUs, particularly in the field of infrastructure and human resource development, are expected to be signed during Yadav’s visit to India. This is the first overseas visit of 62-year-old Yadav after he became the President of his country in July, 2008. The visit is in keeping with the series of high-level exchanges between Kathmandu and New Delhi in recent years. External Affairs Minister SM Krishna had visited Nepal last month during which he held extensive talks with the Nepalese leadership on the entire gamut of bilateral ties as well as the situation in South Asia.According to the External Affairs Ministry, India and Nepal share a unique relationship of friendship and cooperation characterised by an open border and deep-rooted people-to-people contacts.
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Sea transport revived in Mumbai Mumbai, February 13 “We will soon be inviting tenders for starting catamaran services between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai,” says MMRDA Commissioner Ratnakar
Gaikwad.
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Says police has been used as Khan’s ‘slave
Berlin, February 13
Mumbai, February 13
