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Cong plays job card; BJP talks about Ram Rajya
SC stays illegal mining probe against Krishna
Two AMRI directors held for hospital fire
Manipur to kickstart state polls today
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Andhra treasure hunters slit teen’s throat to appease gods
PM sets up expert panel to deregulate sugar industry
Bihar makes flood calendar to prevent bungling of funds
In Duggal’s death, women lose their voice
Twitter blinks, says it can censor tweets
Conjoined twins await help
Naval officers in dock for online posts, face axe
Fresh summons issued to Ruias, Khaitans
5 more crib deaths in Malda; toll 40
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Cong plays job card; BJP talks about Ram Rajya
Lucknow, January 27 The two national parties — Congress and the BJP — today released their respective vision document and party manifesto which converged on certain points like inclusion of the CM’s post under the ambit of the Lokayukta and an effective Citizens Charter but differed widely in their populist quotient. Instead of Ram Mandir, the BJP has promised Ram Rajya which is its concept of an ideal rule based on transparency, security and equal opportunity. In more concrete terms, the BJP promised an unemployment dole of Rs 18,000 a year which is one-and-a-half times more than the amount promised by the Samajwadi Party. In comparison, the Congress released a relatively realistic vision document ‘Nav Uttar Pradesh 2020’. This is a prelude to the 2012 election manifesto which is scheduled to be released on January 30. This vision of a better UP as envisaged by general secretary Rahul Gandhi banks heavily on the revival of the handloom sector, revamping of the procurement system and reform of the Mandi legislation to get farmers better prices, 100 per cent coverage of villages to all-weather roads and electricity and linking of every poor rural woman to a self-help group in the next five years. Responding to a question regarding the difference in the numbers of job promised between the two national parties, chairperson of the Congress manifesto drafting committee Salman Khurshid quipped “We have made no ‘Mungeri Lal ke haseen sapne type of false promises. We have undertaken which we think we can realistically deliver. The focus is more on creating an enabling environment”. Commenting on the promise of the Rs 5,000 laptop to all senior secondary students and free education to all poor students as promised in the BJP manifesto today and the Samajwadi Party manifesto earlier, Khurshid said his party believed in ensuring better quality primary education, including computer education along with good education infrastructure.” On the question of minority reservation, the Congress vision document reiterates 4.5 per cent reservation or as per the population share of the socially and economically backward Muslims under the OBC category while the BJP manifesto has not only opposed it but assured to abolish it altogether if it comes to power. The Ram Mandir issue has also been put on hold as the matter is under consideration in the Supreme Court, explained
Shahi.
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SC stays illegal mining probe against Krishna
New Delhi, January 27 Holding that the probe was a “premature” move, a Bench comprising Justices Altamas Kabir and Gyan Sudha Misra questioned the locus standi of the private complainant who was instrumental in the registration of an FIR against Krishna. In the interim order, the Bench also issued notice to the Karnataka government and the complainant, TJ Abraham, seeking their response within three weeks to the minister’s plea for quashing the complaint. The Bench passed the order after senior counsel KK Venugopal, arguing for Krishna, had contended that the chief minister or any other minister could not be targeted for the collective decision of the Cabinet. Further, the Cabinet had acted on an official note that the area was a forest land only on records, but in reality had no forest cover. Also, the Lokayukta, which had gone into the alleged scam, did not come out with any specific findings in its initial report, which merely said the names of those allegedly involved in it would be named in the second report. However, the second report also did not name anyone, he contended. Krishna has come to the SC challenging the Karnataka High Court’s January 20 order, rejecting his plea for quashing the complaint and the proceedings ordered by the Lokayukta Special Court on December 8, 2011. Arguing for the complainant, counsel Prashant Bhushan pleaded against staying the proceedings against Krishna. The Bench could restrain the Lokayukta police from summoning or arresting Krishna, but should not stay the probe which was meant only for finding out whether there were any irregularities in the Cabinet decision. The Bench, however, clarified that it was not “forestalling” anything. It too was anxious to get to the truth but this could not be done on the “presumption that a scam has taken place.” A prima facie case would have arisen only if the Lokayukta report had named someone, it pointed out.
What the
Bench said * Questioned locus standi of private complainant
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Two AMRI directors held for hospital fire
Kolkata, January 27 MD Mani Chhetri and Pranab Dasgupta, both eminent physicians who were earlier questioned by the police, were arrested from their respective residences in the city this morning, Joint Commissioner of Police Damayanti Sen said. Chhetri (92) and Dasgupta were produced in a city court which remanded them in police custody till February 2. They were charged under section 304 of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder). With their arrest, 13 persons have so far been held in connection with the December 9 hospital fire in which 90 patients and three nurses died due to suffocation. Three board members of the hospital — Aditya Agarwal, Preeti Surekha and Rahul Todi — are absconding and the police has issued lookout notices for them. The licence of the hospital located at Dhakuria was cancelled on the day of the fire. The hospital was jointly promoted by RS Goenka-led Emami Group and SK Todi-led Shrachi Group of companies with a minor shareholding by the West Bengal Government. The state health department has since ordered closure of the hospital. — PTI
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Manipur to kickstart state polls today
Guwahati, January 27 A Coordination Committee of seven outlawed insurgent groups has imposed a ban on all 60 candidates from the ruling Indian National Congress (INC) in the fray. The militants have triggered several blasts in the run-up to the election, including one on the poll eve in Imphal West district that left one person injured. A total of 350 companies of paramilitary security forces have been deployed. As many as 3,486 EVMs will be used with the engagement of 13,000 polling parties. In view of the absence of any formidable opposition coalition, the Congress under the stewardship of Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh hopes to win for the third consecutive time. Five opposition parties have formed a pre-poll alliance to put up a joint fight against the ruling Congress. The opposition alliance has been named as People’s Democratic Front (PDF) that comprises Manipur People’s Party (MPP), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Janata Dal (U), Rashtriya Janata Dal and the CPM. The BJP tried to make inroads into the state during the last few years, but failed because of ideological differences with the CPM. However, the saffron party will have an understanding with the MPP which has agreed for a seat adjustment with the BJP. However, the party to be watched during the election will be regional Nagaland People’s Front (NPF), the ruling party in neighbouring Nagaland. The NPF has contested election in Manipur for the first time with a vow to champion the cause of Naga population in hill districts. The NPF has fielded 12 candidates in the Naga-inhabited hill areas of the state and is being backed by United Naga Council
(UNC).
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Andhra treasure hunters slit teen’s throat to appease gods
Hyderabad, January 27 P Ganesh, a 14-year-old student, went missing on Tuesday. When he did not return from school, his father Narasaiah, a tailor, lodged a complaint with the police in Nirmal town of Adilabad district. Subsequently, the cops launched a manhunt and picked up Rathore Raju, Narasaiah’s neighbor. During the interrogation, Raju confessed to luring Class IX student Ganesh from school with some goodies and a promise to teach him motorbike riding. According to sources, Raju told the police that they had first slit Ganesh’s throat and then threw boulders on his body while performing some rituals to appease “some spirits” that were guarding the treasure in the fort on the outskirts of the town. The killer told the police that some sorcerers had advised him to perform the human sacrifice so that he would stumble upon the hidden treasure in the fort. There were two others involved in hatching the plan to sacrifice Ganesh. There is a belief that a treasure trove is hidden in the fort. The boy’s remains were exhumed from the soil at the dilapidated Shyamgarh fort.
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PM sets up expert panel to deregulate sugar industry
New Delhi, January 27 Headed by PM’s Economic Advisory Council Chairman C Rangarajan, the committee will examine issues related to deregulation of the industry, perhaps the only sector still under the government control. “The committee will look into all the issues relating to deregulation of the sugar sector and it has been requested to complete its task as early as possible and give its recommendations to the Prime Minister,” said a statement issued by the PMO. The decision has been hailed both by the industry and farmers. The industry has been long clamouring for removal of monthly release system, under which the Food Ministry allocates quantity of sugar to be sold in the open market. Apex industry body the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA) said it expected the panel, comprising “some very experienced and knowledgeable experts” to give positive recommendations for the benefit of industry and sugarcane farmers. “Sugar deregulation will give enough freedom to the industry to invest and grow. Farmers will also benefit if the industry is able to generate cash flows at the right time and give them timely and better payment,” ISMA director general Abinash Verma said, hoping that the government would accept suggestions made by the committee on sugar decontrol. Sugar is one of the most highly regulated industries in the country. Keen to ensure availability and keep prices in check, the government sets the price mills pay to farmers. It also buys 10 per cent of their output, called levy sugar, for distribution under the PDS at a cheaper rate. Industry estimates are that millers loose about Rs 2,500-Rs 3,000 crore to meet levy obligations. Besides keeping a check on exports, the government also decides on how much sugar will be sold in the open market. The ISMA and other industry bodies have been clamouring for abolishing levy sugar quota and linking the price of cane with sugar.
Firm pricing of ethanol
* ISMA says a firm price of ethanol will ensure more quantity for blending and Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) will not be required to increase petrol prices frequently *
Since recommendations are under consideration, manufacturers are currently supplying ethanol at an interim procurement price of Rs
27/litre * Under the mandatory 5% ethanol blending programme, OMCs have finalised around 47 crore litres of ethanol to be supplied by sugar mills and ethanol manufacturers for the sugar year 2011-12 *
The supply of ethanol up to December 31, 2011, is around 1.4 crore litres, 3% of the total contracted quantity
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Bihar makes flood calendar to prevent bungling of funds
Patna, January 27 Going by the rulebook, flood protection work should start in January-February when the water level in the rivers is at the lowest. Pitching of flood-prone riverbanks with boulders should also be taken up at that time to prevent erosion. But due to extraneous considerations, the work usually begins late - in March or April. By this time, the water level in rivers would have risen making it difficult for senior authorities to physically verify the actual work done by the contractors. So the authorities have no alternative but to rely on the certificates issued by field engineers deputed to supervise the works. By the time the high officials smell a rat, the monsoon arrives and the entire department starts focusing on fighting that year’s floods. When the guard at the helm in the Water Resources Department changed last year with the coming of a new minister and a Principal Secretary, the idea to make a flood calendar was conceptualised, a top officer of the department said to The Tribune. The calendar has specified a time frame for all activities and at all levels, right from the site inspection, scheme approval, inviting tenders, awarding the work order to beginning and completion of the projects. It also has specific dates for field inspections and periodical reviews by the Principal Secretary as well as the minister. The calendar will prevent the nexus between contractors and engineers from claiming payment for works done only on paper, said an officer who did not want to be quoted.
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In Duggal’s death, women lose their voice
Chandigarh, January 27
Born on March 1, 1917, in Dhamal of Rawalpindi district, now in Pakistan, Duggal did his M.A. in English from Christian College, Lahore, and started his professional career with All-India Radio (AIR) where he worked from 1942-66 in various capacities. Duggal married Ayesha, a doctor from Pakistan. He had the rare distinction of writing in four languages; Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu and English, and translated his own works from one language to another. He wrote several novels, short stories, plays and poems. He is known for his fine translation of the Guru Granth Sahib in poetic English. He remains unparallelled in Punjabi literature for having fictionalised landmark events in the contemporary history of India. Though, he will be best remembered for his moving novel 'Man Pardesi' based on the tales of agony of the Muslims left in India, post-partition, his celebrated trilogy covering a volatile period of Punjab, starting with the freedom struggle and ending with the declaration of general elections by Indira Gandhi after the Emergency will remain landmarks of Punjabi literature. He produced 26 volumes of short stories, 13 novels, 15 plays, 8 volumes of poetry, two autobiographies, and 9 volumes of criticism. He is best remembered for Haal Muridan Da and Sharad Punam Di Raat.
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Twitter blinks, says it can censor tweets
New Delhi, January 27 Twitter’s decision comes within weeks of a Delhi court asking social networking sites to remove all offensive content from their websites. The move will also come as a breather for the under-fire Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal, who first started the whole debate after suggesting that the government was in favour of evolving a system for monitoring derogatory material on these social websites. While initially urging social media websites to remove offensive content, Sibal had later struck a conciliatory tone and also said that the government did not believe in either directly or indirectly interfering with the freedom of expression. In its blog post titled 'Tweets Must Flow', the San Francisco-based micro-blogging company has said that it could "reactively withhold content from users in a specific country" if legally required to do so. The government, at a meeting with the representatives of these global internet sites which included Google, Yahoo, Twitter and Facebook, last month, had sought the pre-screening of user content and removal of offensive material from their websites, a suggestion which was turned down. Later, a Delhi court had asked 21 social networking websites to remove derogatory content by February 6. In its blog, citing France or Germany which ban pro-Nazi content as examples, Twitter said yesterday: "As we continue to grow internationally, we will enter countries that have different ideas about the contours of freedom of expression. "Starting today, we give ourselves the ability to reactively withhold content from users in a specific country - while keeping it available to the rest of the world. “We haven't yet used this ability, but if and when we are required to withhold a tweet in a specific country, we will attempt to let the user know, and we will clearly mark when the content has been withheld." However, the decision has again sparked off a debate with an industry watcher saying that it was impossible of monitor each and every posting or a tweet on these social networking sites. Another suggested that this would be as good as imposing censorship in the country. Incidentally, along with social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, which is currently banned in China, is said to have played a pivotal role in uprisings in West Asia, particularly in countries like Egypt and Tunisia.
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Conjoined twins await help
Hyderabad, January 27 Like any other children of their age, they yearn to play in the open ground, go to school and enjoy small pleasures in life. But the world of the Siamese twins is confined to their room in Niloufer Children’s Hospital, Hyderabad, and the doctors and nurses who attend on them round the clock have been their only companions. In the absence of normal upbringing and home environment, the twins now face a bleak and uncertain future. Being poor farm labourers, their parents had abandoned them soon after their birth and left them to the care of the government-run hospital. Now, the hospital authorities want the government to take care of them since their continued stay in the claustrophobic hospital environment could affect their growth. The surgery to separate them is going to be highly complicated and risky, involving huge costs. Always smiling and bubbly, Veena and Vani are like any other children, except for the “craniopagus” (conjoined at the head) condition. They are healthy with normal functioning of the brain. But, where will the cute but unfortunate girls go from here? Is the society not ready to accept them and provide them the much-needed love and care? “We are too poor to take care of them in such a condition. I have two more daughters to take care,” Murali, a casual labourer from Beerusettigudem village in the neighbouring Warangal district, said. “We have sought financial help and a job from the government. Unless the government helps us, it will be impossible for us to meet the medical expenses of the twins if we take them home, Murali said. “Since their birth, they have been living in hospitals and have got used to the environment,” said their mother Naga Laskhmi, a daily wage earner. While giving their consent for the surgery, the parents, however, expressed their helplessness to take the twins home. The plight of the twins has raised a slew of ethical questions. Can parents abandon their children, citing their poor financial condition? “The condition of the twins is heart-wrenching. It is the responsibility of the state to take care of their future needs,” said V Sandhya, an NGO leader working in the area of women’s welfare.
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Naval officers in dock for online posts, face axe New Delhi, January 27 The board in its investigations against four Commander-rank officers from the Technical Branch found that information leaked by two of them was sensitive in nature and recommended their dismissal from service. Sources said Naval intelligence personnel had found classified information in one officer's computer which led them to the remaining three officers. They, however, said the board has ruled out the possibility of an espionage angle in the case. The Navy had ordered the inquiry against the four officers after it found that they were allegedly possessing classified information on their personal computers. They were also found to be allegedly sharing the information on social networking websites such as Facebook, which could have been seen by foreign nationals also. — PTI
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2G scam
New Delhi, January 27 Special CBI Judge O P Saini once again issued summonses to them for February 22 as they did not appear before him in compliance with the December 21 summons. The court action came after counsel, appearing for accused Vikash Saraf, Essar Group Director (Strategy and Planning) and three accused firms, said summons were not "duly" served on Ruias and Khaitans. "I do not find anything wrong with the service (of summons) by affixation. However, considering the fact that all the four accused were stated by their employees to be in Dubai, I deem it proper that before issuing any coercive process against these four accused for procuring their presence in the court, one more attempt be made to effect personal service or in the alternative service by affixation. "Accordingly, fresh summons be issued to all four accused for February 22," the judge said. — PTI
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5 more crib deaths in Malda; toll 40
Malda (WB), January 27 Almost all the babies were born underweight, suffered from broncho pneumonia and brought from interior areas of Malda district, the officials said. The hospital authorities said an average 60 sick babies were admitted daily and their total number exceeded the capacity by three times. They said the number of beds, doctors and nurses were being increased in the hospital. — PTI
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In a major relief to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, the Supreme Court today stayed the investigation against him in a case relating to a Karnataka Cabinet decision for de-reserving 11,000 square km of forest land for the purpose of mining when he was Chief Minister during 1999-2004.
As many as 17,40,820 voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the election being held in the troubled border state under heavy deployment of paramilitary forces due to the looming threat from insurgents.