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RS, LS adjourned again
Political system highly corrupt: Rahul Gandhi
Anna threatens protest at Jantar Mantar on Dec 11
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‘Complaint against Bedi false’
CBI arrests woman IAS officer over mining mess
WB interlocutors pull out of talks
Bail for sacked minister
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RS, LS adjourned again
Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day after a united Opposition relentlessly created an uproar over the government’s controversial decision to allow FDI in retail. Sources say unless the government manages to broker peace at the all-party meeting tomorrow, the country will continue to loose Rs 25,000 a minute, the cost incurred by the nation on running the Parliament, for the rest of the session. As the BJP raised the banner for withdrawing FDI in retail sector with the Left, the SP, BSP and even Trinamool minister and leader Sudip Bandopadhyaya being on his feet opposing the FDI, there were others seeking succour on other issues, for instance, the DMK members wanted the Centre’s intervention for saving the Mullaperiyar Dam. Similarly, as earlier, TRS member and well-known Telugu actor Vijayshanti rushed to the Well of the Lok Sabha with a placard, supporting the demand for a separate Telangana state. Congress MPs from Telangana were already in the Well with placards, asking the government to bring the Telangana Bill in the Parliament. In the process, the pending discussions on price rise, black money and secret foreign bank accounts that the Opposition had prioritised, have clearly been overtaken this week by the Cabinet decision last week to allow foreign investors 51 per cent investment in multi-brand retail sector and open up the single-brand retail fully with 100 per cent investment to foreign investors, causing immediately an outrage among most political parties. In the Rajya Sabha, BSP, JD-U, AIADMK and SP members raised slogans against the FDI policy soon after Chairman Hamid Ansari took his seat. "FDI vapas lo (withdraw FDI)," they chanted as the BJP members joined them. Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley had moved a motion to discuss why the government's decision on allowing FDI in retail should be revoked. However, as soon as the Upper House met at 11 am, Ansari was forced to adjourn it within minutes.
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Political system highly corrupt: Rahul Gandhi
New Delhi, November 28 Openly voicing the general belief, Rahul today told the first-of-its-kind convention of Youth Congress delegates here that the “biggest corruption” was within the country's political system, while making a passionate plea to youths to enter politics and eradicate the menace. “People in this country talk about corruption, but the biggest corruption is within the political system. We cannot wage a war against corruption if we do not change the political system,” Rahul said while senior leaders of the party, who addressed the national convention of elected Youth Congress office-bearers, in turn called for a greater role for young Congress leader in national politics. Amid speculations of a larger role for Rahul in the party, Home Minister P Chidambaram said elders, at some point of time, must step back and give way to younger leaders. “I firmly believe older leaders, at some time, must step back and give way to young leaders,” the Home Minister said, while party general secretary Chaudary Birender Singh felt it was only the youth leadership under Rahul which could see the party through in the prevailing adverse situation.
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Anna threatens protest at Jantar Mantar on Dec 11
New Delhi, November 28 Team Anna said the 74-year-old activist will lead a day-long protest at the Jantar Mantar if the committee does not come up with strong provisions in the Bill. "Anna is planning to sit on a protest at the Jantar Mantar on December 11 depending on the committee's recommendations," a senior Team Anna member said. "Please join the dharna at the Jantar Mantar on December 11 for a strong Jan Lokpal,"
Hazare was quoted as saying by his close aide Suresh Pathare. The Parliamentary panel on the Lokpal Bill is likely to submit its report before December 7. Meanwhile, confusion prevailed over Hazare's protest plans at the Ramlila Maidan from December 27 with MCD Standing Committee Chairman Yogender Chandolia saying that the civic body has not given permission for the agitation there even though Team Anna insisted that it has got the nod. "No permission has been given yet," Chandolia, a senior local BJP leader, said when asked about claims by Team Anna that it has been given the nod to use the Maidan from December 27 to January 5 for a protest in case the Bill is not passed during Parliament's Winter Session.
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‘Complaint against Bedi false’
Ghaziabad, November 28 Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the complaint against Bedi was "completely fraud, malicious and malafide". "The complaint of misappropriation of funds against Kiran Bedi is false, malicious and malafide.... It was lodged against Bedi not for fraud and cheating, but for fighting for a strong Lokpal Bill," Kejriwal told reporters here.
— PTI
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BSP expels former minister, blames him
Lucknow, November 28 With today’s expulsion, Kushwaha’s fall from grace is complete. The move comes a day after reports of Kushwaha’s secret visit to the state capital yesterday reportedly to collect a mystery briefcase from his new Raj Bhawan residence. Last week, he had been asked to vacate his official residence as a minister which was next to the official bungalow of CM Mayawati. Taking advantage of the BSP rally that kept the government, BSP leaders and bureaucracy busy, Kushwaha reportedly flew to Lucknow from Delhi, drove to his residence in Raj Bhawan Colony and left within minutes for Mumbai after fetching the briefcase. While he was once a close confidante of the BSP supremo, the reported danger of Kushwaha spilling the beans had prevented his expulsion from the party. He had openly defied party discipline when he had written to CM Mayawati earlier this month, claiming that another minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh and Principal Secretary Fateh Bahadur Singh were threatening to kill him. A press release issued by state party president Swami Prasad Maurya today stated that as Kushwaha did not dare to contest the elections, he had wished to be made an MLC. The wish had been granted twice. According to the BSP state president, he had requested that he be made minister of family welfare department. The statement charged him with not supervising the department properly, leading to the murder of two CMOs and the death of a deputy CMO inside the Lucknow jail, causing much damage to the
image of the government, following which, he was asked to resign. Blaming him for indulging in anti-party activities since then, Maurya said he had invited party rebels to his house, did not attend the recent Vidhan Sabha session and even urged opposition parties to protest against the Mayawati government.
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CBI arrests woman IAS officer over mining mess Hyderabad, November 28 An IAS officer of 1988 batch, Srilakshmi, who is presently the commissioner of Family Welfare Department, becomes the first serving IAS officer to be arrested in a corruption case in the state. She was named by the CBI as the co-accused in the illegal mining case. She was the secretary of the state Industries Department when controversial orders were issued granting licences to OMC for iron ore mining in Anantapur district.
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WB interlocutors pull out of talks
Kolkata, November 28 "The prevailing situation in Jangalmahal does not allow us to carry forward the peace talks and we, therefore, express our inability and helplessness to the Chief Minister," the interlocutors said in a communication to Mamata Banerjee after its six members met here. Asked whether they would reconsider their decision, Sujato Bhadra, who headed the team of interlocutors and is a human rights activist, said, "Everything is uncertain in Jangalmahal. The situation may worsen. It is not possible to carry forward the peace process." One of the interlocutors was stated to have given a divergent view and suggested continuance of the talks.
— PTI
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Bail for sacked minister
New Delhi, November 28 A Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and SS Nijjar provided relief to the former minister after accepting the contention of Attorney General GE Vahanvati that since the case involved only documentary evidence, the accused would not be in a position to cause any damage. The minister allegedly used a proxy to write the science paper on September 29, but did not turn up for the social sciences paper the next day as reports had appeared about possible cheating.
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New Delhi, November 28