Dehradun, November 20
Janata Party President Dr Subramanian Swamy today said that even if Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was not involved in the 2 G spectrum scam, his role was akin to “Bhishampitamaha” in the epic “Mahabharat”, who watched helplessly while “Draupadi” was being disrobed.

“I will not press for his resignation as he was not involved in the crime but the image of the country has taken a knock, and to regain confidence of the people, the Prime Minister should immediately cancel licenses and initiate action against people in whose name the bribe money may have been transferred,” said Dr Swamy here today.

While he was satisfied with the affidavit filed on behalf of the Prime Minister before the Supreme Court, the apex court, he claimed, had already vindicated his stand that inordinate delay was caused in replying to his letter. “The Law Minister failed to advise him that the letter seeking sanction should have been answered in three months time,” he asserted.

Swamy said he has also urged Prime Minister to ask US to share bank transfer records regarding 2G spectrum so that bribe money to the tune of Rs 60,000 crore could be traced, “USA is keeping track of all the bank records for security purpose and it would be easy for that country to share information on the bank transfer records, as Rs 60,000 crore were paid to four individuals as bribe money ,” he said.

Swamy said that he had no objection to the Attorney General representing the Prime Minister in court, “But I will object if he appears in court for putting the government’s views on 2G spectrum, because he had earlier advised Raja to bypass the group of ministers and cabinet for necessary approval in 2G case."

New Delhi, November 20
Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yedyurappa got one more lease of life early this morning when the BJP leadership refused to take a call on allegations of land scam worth hundreds of crores against him.

Karnataka BJP core committee met at president Nitin Gadkari’s residence here a little before midnight, since Gadkari returned late from Lucknow, and deliberated till the early hours today, without deciding anything.

The BJP spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad indicated later that the party is not going to take any action against their first Chief Minister in the south in a hurry. He said, “It is a question of discretion. Yedyurappa’s family members have returned the land allotted to them. The issue is under consideration of the party.” He refused to elaborate further today. Obviously, Prasad was embarrassed and helpless simultaneously because of the overwhelming view in the BJP that disturbing Yedyurappa now could bring down the precariously placed first BJP government in the south.

Meanwhile, sources said about one-third of the BJP MLAs in the state have risen in revolt against the Chief Minister, demanding yet again his replacement. The Chief Minister is confident that his replacement will certainly not provide the party with a more stable alternative, argued a party insider. Also, the party recognises that “Yedyurappa has done great service to the BJP, by building it single-handedly in Karnataka, is a very devout person and is therefore the BJP’s best bet in the only state in the south.

New Delhi, November 19
India will have 10 million more hectare of land under forest cover within 10 years, and half of it will be developed as a dense forest, Director General Forests PJ Dilip Kumar today said.

"The benefit of soil and water conservation and afforestation is that the water level comes up and wells and reservoirs are recharged. These result in better agriculture, less migration to cities, children's education and better lifestyle," he said giving away the Indira Priyadarshini Vrikshamitra (IPVM) awards here.

The IPVM awards are given in various categories in afforestation and wasteland development. India now has 23 per cent of land under forest and is planning to expand it to 33 per cent by 2020.

Bankura/Durgapur (WB), November 20
A first year student is battling for life and has been put on ventilator after being allegedly pushed off the roof by two seniors at the Bisnupur Mallabhum Institute of Technology in Bankura district. The first-year computer science and technology student, Ujjwal Anand from Dehri-on-Sone in Bihar, was allegedly, pushed off the roof on third floor, by two III-year students Deepak Kumar and Anish Kumar Sharma on November 16, the Institute Principal, Sajal Kumar Sanyal,said.

Asked whether it was a case of ragging, Sanyal retorted, "Why do you call it ragging? There was a fight among the students." Superintendent of Police Pranab Kumar said, "the incident took place, but there has been no complaint of ragging." The principal said the two seniors were suspended. Anand was first taken to the Bishnupur subdivisional Hospital on November 16 and from there to the private Mission Hospital in Durgapur. — PTI

Muzaffarnagar, November 20
Reality show 'Rakhi Ka Insaaf' is in legal trouble again as a man has lodged a complaint claiming that his wife was wrongly presented as married to some other man in one of the episodes.

Narendra Singh has filed a case in the local court against host Rakhi Sawant, the Imagine show bosses and Dev Bhardwaj, the man shown as his wife Sunita Singh's husband. Narendra has claimed that he is married to Sunita since August 2003 and the man shown in the episode is not her husband, according to his lawyer Hari Om Goyal.

Narendra has filed charges of defamation, obscenity and indecent representation of a woman, among others. The case is scheduled for a November 30 hearing. — PTI