|
|
|
|
|
Govt files presidential reference on 2G verdict
Punjab Congmen meet Rahul, want Capt gone
A mother’s fear: Do Hindu & Muslim children get same polio drops?
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Aarushi case: Nupur moves apex court against NBW
Procurement Bill gets Cabinet nod
AK Antony PCI to challenge HC order on troop movement: Katju
Akhilesh Yadav files papers for Legislative Council
Milind Deora slams ‘slow’
Chavan, his working style
AMRI owner Todi released on bail
ISRO keeps away from Korean satellite launch
Helicopter crash-lands on Bangalore rooftop
|
|
Govt files presidential reference on 2G verdict
New Delhi, April 12 The reference signed by President Pratibha Patil contains eight questions, including whether there could be judicial interference in policy matters vis-à-vis allocation of natural resources. A Union Cabinet special meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had on Tuesday last cleared the Telecom Ministry's proposal to seek Supreme Court's opinion on various issues arising out of the February 2 verdict by which allocation of 122 2G licences on the "first come, first served" basis was cancelled. In the reference, the Centre has sought the Supreme Court's view on the verdict which is likely to have implication on foreign direct investment (FDI), if a policy decision of the government is cancelled by a judicial order. The government is seeking clarity on issues related to the entire telecom licensing and Spectrum allocation process, covering both the NDA and the UPA regimes, besides asking the larger question whether auction should be made mandatory for allocation of all natural resources in all sectors and under all circumstances. Notably, the court had found serious faults in the government policy of not allocating natural resources through a market-driven mechanism. "In matters involving award of contracts or grant of licence or permission to use public property, the invocation of the "first come, first served" principle has inherently dangerous implications," it said in its judgment. The government has also sought clarity on investments made by the foreign companies affected by the ruling. These firms, such as Telenor and Sistema, did not participate in the auction, but later bought stakes in Indian firms and then invested heavily in network rollouts and operations. The presidential reference has also sought clarity about the status of licences granted during 1994, 2001, 2003 and 2007 on the "first come, first served" basis, and also the dual licences given to CDMA players by former Telecom Minister A Raja in 2008. It also seeks clarity on charging of the Spectrum with retrospective effect and asks about the status of operators who got 3G licences through a highly competitive bidding process, but whose 2G licences were cancelled.
key POINTS OF REFERENCE
Whether auctioning of natural resources across all sectors is mandatory under all circumstances Whether there could be judicial interference in policy matters vis-a-vis allocation of natural resources Clarity on investments made by the foreign companies affected by the ruling Clarity on the status of licences granted during 1994, 2001, 2003 and 2007 on "first come, first served" basis
|
|
Punjab Congmen meet Rahul, want Capt gone
New Delhi, April 12 Rahul was reportedly non-committal on effecting a change in leadership Punjab. He asked protesting leaders as to why the defeat was not the “collective responsibility” of the entire Punjab Congress team and how could Amarinder alone be blamed for it. The anti-Amarinder group suggested a “total revamp” and later told the Tribune that collective responsibility was possible if collective decisions were taken. The Punjab leaders met Rahul this morning, largely directing their ire at Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Amarinder Singh. In the race to replace Amarinder Singh, two clear claimants have emerged -- Jagmeet Brar and Pratap Bajwa. Both have reportedly staked their respective claims before the high command, reminding the Central leadership how they “stood by” the Congress during militancy while Amarinder Singh was in the Akali Dal from 1984 to 1998. Both Bajwa and Brar are from the dominant Jat Sikh community and see themselves as having a chance to lead the party, especially after Sunil Jakhar was appointed the leader of the Congress Legislative Party. Both are in their fifties and have projected themselves as younger alternatives to Amarinder. The high command is yet to take a call on it and has appointed a three-member committee led by Defence Minister AK Antony to look into the matter. It will submit its report it by the month end. Today, when the dozen-strong group met Rahul, it suggested: “In order to strengthen the Congress, it is highly imperative to appoint a young, dynamic and a belligerent Jat Sikh leader as PPCC chief.” It handed over a signed memorandum to him with the names and signatures of former ministers Raman Bhalla, Jasjit Randhawa and Sardul Singh, sitting MLA Navtej Singh Cheema, former MLAs Sukhpal Khaira, Vijay Sathi, Surinder Pal Singh Sibia, Mangat Rai Bansal and Ripjit Brar. The other two signatories were Mahila Congress president Malti Thapar and Punjab Infotech former vice-chairman Anil Datta. In its memorandum, the group alleged that the “coterie” around Amarinder often humiliated leaders and allowed no access to him even for the senior-most leaders. It goes on to say that Amarinder failed to exploit the strong anti-incumbency sentiment and other burning issues against the SAD-BJP government. “Dalits and Hindus had been alienated from the party,” it said. Late and unfair distribution of tickets, no effort to pacify rebel Congress candidates, a poorly managed campaign, lack of financial help to candidates and lack of cohesion or team work by Amarinder are the other points raised by the group.
Brickbats for UPA, too
The memorandum also blamed the UPA government for the recent Assembly poll debacle. "No UPA minister ever visited Punjab to showcase any flagship programme, while the SAD-BJP government portrayed all Central schemes as their own," said the Congress leaders.
|
|||||
|
A mother’s fear: Do Hindu & Muslim children get same polio drops?
New Delhi, April 12 Until six years ago, Suraiya had firmly resisted every effort of polio eradication workers in UP to vaccinate her two infant sons against polio. Her triple MA (in English, Urdu and Sociology) didn’t help anyone change her long-held belief that polio drops were meant to rein in the rising Muslim population in the country and that Hindu children didn’t get the same drops as Muslim children. “In Moradabad, every Muslim believed in this theory. We had grown up believing that this was true. After years of persuasion from community health coordinators, I agreed to attend mobilisation meetings where experts dispelled these myths and said the drops would save our kids from disability. But I wasn’t satisfied until I had taken the rounds with polio vaccinators to see for myself that they gave the same drops to Hindu and Muslim kids and didn’t change the bottles,” Suraiya told The Tribune today. She was here to share her experiences on polio eradication at a gathering organised by the Population Council of India and USAID. Asked how she could, with her educational background, believe in such-rumour mongering, she said, “A Muslim woman is always under the control of her father or husband or son. I was married into an orthodox family that believed in the anti-polio vaccination groups active in Uttar Pradesh. It was after my father-in-law’s demise that we started talking about polio vaccination. Before that it was unthinkable.” The principal myth is that the government’s polio vaccination drive is aimed against the Muslims. “Six years ago, all families in Moradabad believed that polio drops contained alcohol or excreta of pigs, some thing Islam prohibits Muslims from consuming,” said Suraiya, whose turnaround happened a bit too late. By that time she had missed the coverage of her two elder sons. “I regret the delay, but I take my younger sons to the polio booth every time there is a camp. I have immunised them against all diseases and I ask other Muslim families to go for vaccination now,” she says. Today Suraiya and her husband Liaqat Ali are active community mobilisers for Moradabad health authorities, who face the challenge of keeping their district polio-free for three more years to be able to help India attain polio-free status. This February, the WHO pulled India off the list of polio-endemic nations but to be declared polio-free, India should be case-free three years in a row. Towards that end, game changers like Suraiya would have a lot to do, considering UP’s Moradabad is a highly vulnerable district insofar as polio resurgence goes. The district accounted for 74 out o 741 polio cases reported in India in 2009. But in 2010 and 2011, there was no case from Moradabad, courtesy people like Suraiya. “Change is always difficult but we must persevere. Now I have just one dream: a polio-free India and I will do my best to realise it,” she says, her son Abdul Razzaq by her side.
Game Changer
Until six years ago, Suraiya resisted efforts of UP polio eradication workers to vaccinate her two infant sons Her family believed polio drops were meant to rein in the Muslim population and that Hindu children didn't get the same drops Today, Suraiya is an active community mobilisers for the Moradabad health authorities and dreams of a polio-free India
|
|||||
|
Aarushi case: Nupur moves apex court against NBW
New Delhi, April 12 Nupur said she is not a fugitive and will appear before the apex court tomorrow. CBI had carried out searches at her premises in Delhi and the neighbouring Noida yesterday following the warrant issued against her by a Ghaziabad court but could not locate her. The warrant was issued after Nupur failed to appear before the trial court as mandated. Pleading for an urgent hearing, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for her, submitted that she was not running away from law as she had come to the Supreme Court yesterday for filling an affidavit and she will come tomorrow when her case is taken up. A bench of justices A K Patnaik and Swatanter Kumar refused to hear her plea today and said that it would be taken up tomorrow. Nupur and her husband Rajesh Talwar, also a dentist, are facing trial in the nearly four-year-old murder case of their 14-year old daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj. Aarushi was found with her throat slit at their Noida residence on the night intervening May 15 and 16, 2008, while the body of Hemraj was recovered from the terrace of the house the next day. — PTI
|
|||||
|
Procurement Bill gets Cabinet nod
New Delhi, April 12 The Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, approved the Public Procurement Bill that has a provision to debar bidders found engaged in corrupt practices. The Public Procurement Bill will be tabled with the budget session of Parliament which resumes on April 24, Telecommunications and Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal told reporters after a cabinet meeting. "The Bill would create a statutory framework for public procurement which will provide greater accountability, transparency and enforceability of the regulatory framework," Sibal added. He said the Bill seeks to regulate procurement by promoting competition, enhancing efficiency and economy, safeguarding integrity in the procurement process and enhancing public confidence in public procurement. The bill builds on national and international experience and best practices, an official statement said. Currently, there is no overarching legislation governing public procurement by the central government and central public sector enterprises. The General Financial Rules, 2005, govern procurements made by the
Centre.
|
|||||
|
Defence Minister tells PSUs to pull up their socks
New Delhi, April 12
Antony said he wanted DPSUs to speed up work and set benchmarks of standard and quality for private sector companies.
"There should be no compromise on transparency in dealings with clients and users," he said while reviewing performance and functioning of eight defence PSUs, including Bharat Earth Mover Limited (BEML) which is in the eye of the storm over the deals of Tatra trucks supplied to the Army.
BEML chief VRS Natarajan was also present at the meeting along with his counterparts from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, Bharat Electronics Limited, Bharat Dynamics Limited and four defence shipyards - Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Mazagon Docks Limited, Goa Shipyard Limited and Hindustan Shipyard Limited.
CBI inquiries have been ordered to look into the procurement of Tatra trucks manufactured by BEML in India. Army chief Gen VK Singh had levelled allegations that he was offered a bribe of Rs14 crore by a defence lobbyist to clear a proposal for Tatra trucks.
|
|||||
|
PCI to challenge HC order on troop movement: Katju New Delhi, April 12 "The Press Council of India will be challenging the order of the Allahabad High Court in the Supreme Court of India very shortly," the PCI chief, who is a former Supreme Court judge, said. Katju said that "with great respect to the High Court, I am of the opinion that the order of the High Court is not correct." He said the Indian Army was not a colonial army, but the army of the Indian people who pay the taxes for the entire defence budget. Hence, the people of India have a right to know about Army affairs, except where they compromise national security. Katju noted that the media has done an excellent job in exposing the Adarsh and Sukna scams in which senior army officers were involved and they were well within their fundamental right of freedom of the media under Article 19(1)(A) of the Constitution to do so. The court had directed Secretaries in the Home Affairs and I & B ministries along with Principal Secretary (Home) of the UP Government to ensure that there is no reporting or release of any news item related to movement of troops. He said reporting troop movement near the Indian border or during war time should be prohibited as that may aid the enemy and cause harm to the armed forces by compromising national security. — PTI
|
|||||
|
Akhilesh Yadav files papers for Legislative Council
Lucknow, April 12 The Kannauj MP had quit his seat after becoming the Chief Minister and he is required to become a member of either house of the Vidhan Sabha in six months. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary also filed his nomination in the midst of a large number of cheering MLAs in the Vidhan Sabha’s central hall. Five SP members, including Revenue Minister Ambika Chaudhury, had filed their nomination papers yesterday, taking the total number of SP members to have filed their nomination for the Legislative Council to seven. According to a party spokesperson, the SP is in a position to nominate one more member to the Vidhan Parishad, given its present strength. The member’s name would be finalised by national president Mulayam Singh Yadav. Earlier, the SP had recommended the name of Delhi Shahi Imam Ahmad Bukhari’s son-in-law Umer Ali Khan. However, following a spat between Bukhari and Azam Khan, Bukhari turned down the offer for the MLC seat for his son-in-law, charging the party of neglecting the interests of the Muslims of UP. The BSP has fielded three members, including former minister Jaiveer Singh and Dalit leaders Sunil Chittor and Dr Vijay Pratap, whose term as MLCs will be expiring on May 5.
|
|||||
|
18 get life term for Ode massacre
Anand, April 12 District and Sessions Judge Poonam Singh pronounced the sentence after she had found 18 people guilty of murder and criminal conspiracy and five others for attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy on Monday. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 5,800 each on the accused sentenced to life imprisonment and Rs 3,800 each on the five convicts awarded jail term for seven years. The pronouncement of the verdict caused uproar among the family members and relatives of the convicts who were standing inside the court campus and many of them broke down. "There is no evidence against the accused. This is injustice, this is not the temple of justice but temple of injustice," the relatives alleged. More than 100 people, including women and children, who were gathered at the campus, resorted to sloganeering. However, police removed them out of the campus. Twenty-three people, including nine women and as many children of the minority community, were burnt to death in a house in Pirwali Bhagol area of Ode village by a mob of over 1,500 on March one, 2002 following the Godhra train burning incident that had triggered a communal conflagration across the state. Out of the total 47 accused, the court had convicted 23 and acquitted as many and one of them had died during the course of trial. Meanwhile, counsel Ashwin Dhagad said that the defence would challenge the verdict in the high court. "Statements of witnesses have been contradictory and how the court has appreciated those facts that we will come to know only after we get the copy of the judgement," he said. Special Public Prosecutor P M Parmar said, "Court has declined our plea for capital punishment for the murder accused. However, it has sentenced 18 people to life imprisonment. — PTI
|
|||||
|
Milind Deora slams ‘slow’
Chavan, his working style
Mumbai, April 12 In a Twitter message, Deora hit out at the slow progress of some public works in his constituency. "Mumbai's Aquarium and Zoo revamp further delayed. No progress on Girni Kamgar issue & Sewri-Nhava Sea Link. Severe decision deficit in Maha," Deora tweeted. The son of former Union Minister Murli Deora had turned the redevelopment of the Taraporevala Aquarium, a major landmark in South Mumbai into an election issue and is annoyed that the revamp has slowed down as Chavan plays it safe. The Chief Minister, who is wary of allegations of corruption, is known to go slow on taking decisions because of which files are piling up in the secretariat. Deora, who said he did not doubt Chavan's integrity, felt that things could be speeded up without getting into controversy. "Many critical projects are no-brainers, non-controversial and win-win for all. Consensus building is important but not always efficient," Deora said in his message. He went onto say that decisions should be taken unmindful of “baseless allegations from the Opposition, media, etc.” MLAs from both the Congress and its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party are peeved at Chavan sitting on crucial files like development of Dharavi slums, and extending the Bandra-Worli Sealink to Haji Ali in South Central Mumbai. On the other hand, several leaders who are linked to the powerful builders' lobby are using the general discontent against the CM to push for a regime change in Maharashtra.
Chorus AGainst CM
In a Twitter message, Deora hit out at the slow progress of some public works in his constituency "Mumbai's Aquarium and Zoo revamp further delayed. No progress on Girni Kamgar issue & Sewri-Nhava Sea Link. Severe decision deficit in Maha," the South Mumbai Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who is wary of allegations of corruption, is known to go slow on taking decisions because of which files are piling up in the secretariat
|
|||||
|
AMRI owner Todi released on bail
Kolkata, April 12 With today bail order, all the 12 arrested accused have been granted bail. Todi’s youngest son, the lone accused, was still absconding. Soon after the fire incident at the hospital, Todi and six other board directors, including the eminent doctor Mani Chhetri, managing director, and Dr S K Dasgupta were arrested. Some of the accused had been absconding at an early stage but they all surrendered to the court afterward.
|
|||||
|
ISRO keeps away from Korean satellite launch
Bangalore, April 12 “Nobody is going”, an ISRO official told this reporter. He, however, did not specify any reason for ISRO’s decision to ignore the invitation. The launch window opened today but there was no word of a lift-off nor was there any sign that Pyongyang intended to call off what the U.S. and its allies claimed an attempt to test long-range missile technology. The launch window will be open till Sunday (April 15), which will also be the birth centenary of Kim II Sung, the country’s late founder.
|
|||||
|
Helicopter crash-lands on Bangalore rooftop
The Pilots
No Damage
Taking away
|
|||||
CBI raid: CBI sleuths on Thursday sealed the office of a senior official working with the Bokaro Thermal of the Damodar Valley Corporation in Jharkhand on charges of forgery. — PTI
|
|
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | E-mail | |
New Delhi, April 12
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today filed his nomination for the biennial elections to 13 seats of the Legislative Council slated for April 26 next.
