The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Centre to amend Anand Karaj (Marriage) Act
New Delhi, November 23
With an eye on the next year’s Assembly elections in Punjab, the Ministry of Law and Justice has prepared a Cabinet note proposing that the Sikh marriages be registered under the Anand Karaj (Marriage) Act. Law Minister Salman Khurshid said his ministry would proceed further on completion of necessary inter-ministerial consultations, which were already underway.

Four injured as trains collide in Odisha
Rourkela (Odisha), Nov 23
Four passengers were injured when the Howrah-bound Koraput-Howrah Express collided with a goods train at Jharsuguda Station this morning.

Rahul hits out at Mulayam, Maya for ignoring aam admi
AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi meets people during his Jan Sampark Yatra at Motera in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday Bahraich, November 23
If Opposition parties describe my visits to villages as “natakbazi” (theatrics) then I am a natakbaaz, who has been indulging in such drama for the last seven years and would continue to do so till my last breath, declared AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi at a public meeting at Bahraich on the second day of his 5-day visit to the state.

CONNECTING WITH MASSES: AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi meets people during his Jan Sampark Yatra at Motera in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday. — PTI

Sukh Ram moves HC against conviction
New Delhi, November 23
Former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram today moved the Delhi High Court challenging his conviction and sentencing by a trial court for taking Rs 3 lakh as bribe to award a lucrative contract to a telecom firm in 1996.

High court stays its order to shift 2G trial to Tihar
New Delhi, November 23
The Delhi High Court today stayed its order to shift trial of the 2G Spectrum case accused to the high-security Tihar Jail from Patiala House court in the heart of the Capital.

Pak must deal with terror from its soil: India
New Delhi, November 23
Days ahead of the third anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks, India reminded Pakistan to fulfill in letter and spirit its commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for fomenting terrorism against India.

Economic blockade enters 94th day in Manipur
Imphal, November 23
Prices of essential commodities in Manipur continued to soar as the economic blockade on the state's two vital national highways entered the 94th day today.

Jaya replies to all 1,339 questions in assets case
Bangalore, November 23
Making her fourth appearance before a special court here, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today completed answering 1,339 questions framed by the judge, contending that the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case against her was "politically motivated" and "fabricated" at the behest of her rival DMK.

Parliament logjam may end soon
Anita Katyal and Faraz Ahmad
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 23
After day-long hectic efforts, the government seems to have broken the logjam in Parliament by proposing a compromise resolution possibly acceptable to the BJP for the adjournment motion on black money and secret bank accounts abroad, to be moved by LK Advani in the Lok Sabha tomorrow.

Fearing a repeat of the last two days’ scenes in both Houses of Parliament, the government went into overdrive and came up with a motion reading somewhat like this: “Situation arising out of money deposited illegally in foreign banks and the action taken by the government,” arrived at a high-level meeting at the PMO late tonight.

The earlier resolution to be moved by NDA chairman LK Advani read like this: “The situation arising out of the failure of the government in curbing black money and its refusal to give out the list of those holding secret illegal accounts in foreign banks”. That was not acceptable to the government.

Soon after the government thrashed out this resolution, it sent the word across to the Opposition, with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal personally meeting Opposition leader Sushma Swaraj. Later, BJP spokesman Syed Shahnawaz Husain admitted that a compromise formula had been worked out and “The government has agreed to an adjournment motion by Advani on black money”.

Sources said a similarly worded resolution would also be moved in the Rajya Sabha. The government’s efforts yesterday to persuade the Left failed today and egged on by the BJP/NDA, the Left insisted on an adjournment motion in both Houses of Parliament.

But the Opposition backed out a little when Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee reasoned with the Left leaders Basudeb Acharia and Gurudas Dasgupta yesterday that their insistence upon an adjournment motion amounted to censure, in which case, he suggested they should bring in a no-confidence motion against the government and prepare for mid-term elections, upon which, the Left recoiled.

However, after today’s stalling of proceedings, the Left, without agreeing yet to discussing price rise under Rule 193, sought to postpone that discussion for Monday and instead offered that Advani’s adjournment motion on black money be taken up tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Pranab carried on with his luncheon diplomacy, breaking bread with Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today. He has on his guest list Advani, and the two Leaders of Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley for later this week.

	Both Houses adjourned amid uproar on Day 2 Aditi Tandon & Vibha Sharma Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 23 Despite indicating their willingness to let Parliament function smoothly today, the Opposition —the BJP and the Left — came together to stall proceedings in both the Houses for the second consecutive day. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw disruptions over various issues, the most dominant being the demand for a separate Telangana. Both the Congress and TRS members violated rules of the House conduct and displayed banners seeking a Bill for Telangana. Although MPs from the BJP and the Left did not enter the Well today, they appeared game for stalling House proceedings. Interestingly, had committed in the Business Advisory Committee meeting yesterday to allow a discussion on Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s statement on price rise made in the Lower House yesterday. Accordingly, the list of day’s business mentioned a Rule 193 discussion on inflation to be raised by CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta and CPM leader Basudeb Acharia, as discussed. Though the Left had moved an adjournment motion to debate price rise yesterday, they had hinted they would agree to discuss the matter under any substantial rule but it was learnt that the CPM wanted to agitate further on the issue even though the CPI was keen to debate inflation.
	Centre to amend Anand Karaj (Marriage) Act Cabinet prepares note on registration of Sikh marriages under the Act Anita Katyal Our Political Correspondent New Delhi, November 23 With an eye on the next year’s Assembly elections in Punjab, the Ministry of Law and Justice has prepared a Cabinet note proposing that the Sikh marriages be registered under the Anand Karaj (Marriage) Act. Law Minister Salman Khurshid said his ministry would proceed further on completion of necessary inter-ministerial consultations, which were already underway. As an alternative, he said, the Law Ministry had also suggested the setting up of a Central Register of Marriages, similar to the existing law on the registration of births and deaths, which would be applicable to the entire country and cover all communities under different codes. Khurshid said both these proposals would be sent to the Cabinet, which would take a final view on them. There were protests by political parties of Punjab during the monsoon session of Parliament after the government announced that it did not favour the amendment of the Anand Karaj Act for the registration of Sikh marriages. At present, the Sikhs have to get their marriages registered under the Hindu Marriage Act, while Parsis, Christians and Muslims have separate laws for the registration of their marriages. Although the Parliamentary standing committee had unanimously approved the necessary amendment, the Centre had vetoed the Sikh community’s demand on the plea that this could lead to similar demands from other communities covered under the Hindu Marriage Act. The government was, however forced to reverse its earlier position as it realised that it could snowball into a political controversy and provide a potent issue to the rival Akalis in the forthcoming Punjab elections. Former Punjab Chief Minister and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Amarinder Singh had led a delegation to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and also met Khurshid to apprise them of the adverse political fallout of the Centre’s decision. A delegation of Akali Dal MPs had also called on Khurshid to press for their long-standing demand for a separate law for the registration of Sikh marriages. This was followed by a series of meetings between the Prime Minister, Home Minister P Chidambaram and Khurshid. Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni is also learnt to have urged her Cabinet colleagues against going ahead with the decision.
	Four injured as trains collide in Odisha Rourkela (Odisha), Nov 23 Four passengers were injured when the Howrah-bound Koraput-Howrah Express collided with a goods train at Jharsuguda Station this morning. The mishap comes a day after two coaches of the Doon Express caught fire, leaving seven persons dead. The accident occurred due to “signal overshooting” as both trains started moving in the same direction, though signal was given for one to depart from the station in the Chakradharpur division, about 110 km from here, GRP DSP at Jharsuguda, MK Mahato said. While Bikash Nayak (24) of Samabalpur was admitted to a hospital at Jharsuguda, three others were discharged after first-aid, he added. Prima facie, it was found the driver of the Koraput-Howrah Express violated the starter signal at the Jharsuguda Station, resulting in “side collision” with a goods train, a release said.— PTI
	Rahul hits out at Mulayam, Maya for ignoring aam admi Tribune News Service Bahraich, November 23 If Opposition parties describe my visits to villages as “natakbazi” (theatrics) then I am a natakbaaz, who has been indulging in such drama for the last seven years and would continue to do so till my last breath, declared AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi at a public meeting at Bahraich on the second day of his 5-day visit to the state. Accusing both BSP chief Mayawati and Samajwadi party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav of cutting themselves off from the “aam admi”, Rahul said there was a time when these two leaders met people and expressed their anguish over the state of affairs in the state. “But now both of them are big leaders who fly in helicopters and give no importance to the problems of the people of their state”, claimed Rahul. Making a mention of Mayawati, the Congress leader said she hasn’t visited villages, shared food with the people and interacted with them. “So, she doesn't know the true state of affairs” alleged Rahul. The Congress leader referred to his recent visit to a government hospital where there were ‘no patients, doctors or staff’, but the place was being readied for an on-the spot inspection by Mayawati. Once again he accused the BSP government of siphoning off Central funds, which had come for the development of the state. “'Be it MGNREGS, NRHM, Janani Suraksha Yojna, Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan or money for roads by the Central government, BSP ministers and officers pocket the funds and don't allow them to reach the people,” said Rahul. He said when all other states were admitting that MGNREGA was a useful scheme, the BSP government claimed that the scheme was of no use. He accused Mayawati has been publicly challenging the utility of the rural job scheme.
	Sukh Ram moves HC against conviction New Delhi, November 23 Former Telecom Minister Sukh Ram today moved the Delhi High Court challenging his conviction and sentencing by a trial court for taking Rs 3 lakh as bribe to award a lucrative contract to a telecom firm in 1996. Sukh Ram (86), who had held the Telecom portfolio in PV Narasimha Rao’s Cabinet, was convicted last Thursday in a cable contract case. He was handed out five years jail term by Special CBI judge R P Pandey on Saturday and sent to jail. A petition on behalf of Sukh Ram against his conviction and sentencing was filed in the high court's registry, said registry sources. The court had sentenced Sukh Ram to five year in jail and ordered his arrest, dismissing his plea for leniency on the ground of his age old. — PTI
	High court stays its order to shift 2G trial to Tihar New Delhi, November 23 The Delhi High Court today stayed its order to shift trial of the 2G Spectrum case accused to the high-security Tihar Jail from Patiala House court in the heart of the Capital. The stay came after the accused in the 2G case, their relatives and lawyers had expressed their unhappiness over yesterday's announcement of shifting of the trial. Former Telecom Minister A Raja and DMK MP Kanimozhi are among the accused. The seven-judge administrative committee headed by Acting Chief Justice AK Sikri said the court's administrative notification yesterday to shift the trial will not come into effect and that the hearing will continue in the Patiala House court complex itself till an alternative arrangement is made. The administrative committee also said a group of high court judges, lawyers and the judge-in-charge of the Patiala House courts will inspect the lower court premises again to explore the possibility of shifting the trial to a more spacious courtroom inside the court complex itself. — PTI
	Pak must deal with terror from its soil: India Ashok Tuteja/TNS New Delhi, November 23 Days ahead of the third anniversary of the Mumbai terror attacks, India reminded Pakistan to fulfill in letter and spirit its commitment of not allowing territory under its control to be used for fomenting terrorism against India. “Our vision of a peaceful, cooperative and progressive South Asia cannot be realised unless the dark shadow of terrorism emanating from Pakistan is eliminated,” Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said in a speech on ‘Security dimensions of India’s foreign policy’ at the National Defence College. Underlining that India was committed to resolving all outstanding issues with Pakistan through dialogue in an atmosphere free from terror and violence, he said the first round of the resumed dialogue had been completed and New Delhi was committed to carry forward the discussions with an open mind and a forward looking approach. “Our vision of a peaceful, cooperative and progressive South Asia cannot be realised unless the dark shadow of terrorism from Pakistan is eliminated,” Mathai added. Talking about China, he said managing relations with Beijing would probably be the most critical element of security dimensions of India’s foreign policy. “Rapid strides in economic and military capabilities of China and the manner in which Beijing exercises its power is being followed carefully not only by us, but by other neighbours in East Asia, ASEAN and beyond,” he said.
	Economic blockade enters 94th day in Manipur Imphal, November 23 Prices of essential commodities in Manipur continued to soar as the economic blockade on the state's two vital national highways entered the 94th day today. As supplies have dwindled due to the blockade, prices of all essential items have skyrocketed, market reports said. Petrol was available at Rs 200 per litre, while diesel was priced at Rs 90 per litre and cooking gas at around Rs 1,650 per cylinder. Prices of onions, and other eatable items have gone up, reports said, adding that they were not readily available in the markets. The blockade on the Imphal-Dimapur-Guwahati and the Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar national highways was launched by the United Naga Council (UNC) to protest the signing of an agreement between the state government and the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) which has been demanding conversion of the Kuki-majority Sadar hills area in Naga-majority Senapati district. The Kuki body had ended its 94-day blockade on the highways on October 31 following the state government's assurance that the Sadar Hills will be converted into a revenue district. The UNC now said they would continue their agitation till an 'alternative arrangement' was made for the Nagas. — PTI