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Petro hike yet again bares Govt-Cong disconnect
Ruckus in UP House on Day 1
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Andhra HC quashes 4.5% sub-quota for minorities
Two Akash missiles test-fired in Odisha
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Petro hike yet again bares Govt-Cong disconnect
New Delhi, May 28 UPA sources have confirmed that the party was not consulted before the companies announced the sharpest-ever hike in petrol prices, though the government was aware of the move. Although the Centre distanced itself from the decision on the plea that "petrol is a deregulated commodity", it is also true that the oil companies do the government bidding. According to sources, the Congress leadership was not informed about the quantum of hike as it would have been rejected for fear of inviting public ire. "No political party would have agreed to such a hike as they are all equally populist," remarked a senior UPA minister, adding that the government had little option as the heavy import bill is bleeding the oil companies. Last week's announcement by the oil companies created panic in the party as it immediately evoked strong protests from its partners with Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee taking to the streets to register displeasure over the decision. Angry Congress president tried to contact Petroleum Minister S Jaipal Reddy and his junior minister RPN Singh, but both were not in Delhi. Reddy was in Turkmenistan for an official programme and RPN Singh was in his constituency Padrauna. Reddy rushed back to explain the government's decision to Sonia Gandhi. Reddy is learnt to have prevailed upon her by pointing out that the prices could come down marginally after the companies review the international oil prices in June. The Congress also sought to soften the blow by asking its state governments to reduce taxes to provide some relief to the people. Kerala, Uttarakhand and Delhi have complied with the party diktat. Reddy's announcement ruling out any increase in the prices of diesel and LPG follows his conversation with Sonia Gandhi.
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Ruckus in UP House on Day 1
Lucknow, May 28 Despite having a strength of merely 80 MLAs in a house of 403 members, the BSP MLAs created such a commotion that the Governor quickly retreated after reading only the opening and closing paragraphs of his address to the joint session of the state legislature, forcing adjournment of the House within five minutes. Moments after Governor Joshi arrived to address the joint session, BSP MLAs were on their feet, holding aloft banners denouncing the Samajwadi Party’s misrule. Wearing BSP blue caps having slogans written across them, the BSP MLAs climbed the reporters’ desks, raising angry slogans calling for the Governor to go back and demanding dismissal of the barely two-and-a-half-month-old Akhilesh Yadav government. Placards displaying slogans like “Bana transfer ka vyapar, loot rahi hai SP sarkar” and “Dhai mahine me Sa Pa kushasan, Yaad aaya Maya sushasan” were flashed by BSP MLAs. The house marshals had to physically restrain some BSP MLAs to keep them from throwing paper missiles aimed at the Governor. While the Congress MLAs were also seen holding up banners demanding lowering of VAT on petrol, better facilities in wheat procurement, improvement in law and order situation and steps to contain the power crisis, their protest remained silent. Following the BSP MLAs’ bedlam, Speaker Mata Prasad adjourned the House within five minutes. The BSP members led by Opposition leader Swami Prasad Maurya walked out to enact a replay of the whole scene in the corridors of the legislature for the benefit of dozens of eager TV channels. Maurya defended the action of his party colleagues, claiming that his party had the mandate to raise issues concerning the common man. Describing the SP government as one of the mafia, he said, “We cannot allow it to loot the state in the name of transfers. The government has failed on all fronts and is pursuing anti-people policies.” Meanwhile, the Governor’s address was a reaffirmation of the Samajwadi Party manifesto and said owing to political degradation, several incidents that took place during the previous BSP government brought shame to the entire state.
Stormy Start
Moments after the Governor arrived to address the joint session, BSP MLAs were on their feet with banners denouncing the SP's ‘misrule’ The Governor read only the opening and closing paragraphs of his address and made a quick retreat House marshals had to physically restrain some BSP MLAs from throwing paper missiles at the Governor
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14-day judicial custody for Jagan
Hyderabad, May 28 This will mean that the charismatic leader of a fledgling party will not be available for campaigning for the June 12 by-elections to 18 Assembly seats and one Lok Sabha constituency. He has been remanded to judicial custody till June 11. After an overnight stay at the Dilkusha Guest House, where the CBI grilled him for three days in a row before taking him into custody, Jagan was produced before the special court at Nampally today. The CBI sought his custody for two weeks. However, the court rejected its plea. It also rejected the bail petition filed by Jagan, seeking permission to participate in the electioneering. Following the court order, the police shifted the 39-year-old MP to the Chanchalguda central jail amid tight security even as the police was put on high alert across the state to meet any violent backlash. The day-long shutdown, called by the YSR Congress Party to protest against the arrest of its leader, remained peaceful. Vijayamma broke down when she heard about the court’s order. She accused the Congress government of resorting to witch-hunting and trying to defame her family. According to YSR Congress Party sources, Vijayamma will take charge of the by-poll campaign. This is likely to create a sympathy wave in favour of the fledgling party in the by-polls, seen in the political circles as “semi-finals” before the 2014 Assembly elections. The CBI has charged Jagan, considered the richest MP in the country, under IPC Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 477 A (falsification of accounts) and Section 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. CM N Kirankumar Reddy asserted that neither the state nor the Central Government had any connection with the ongoing CBI investigation into Jagan’s assets. “The case is being probed by the CBI as per the directives of the high court. Neither my government nor my party has got anything to do with it. It is for Jagan to prove his innocence before the court,” he said. He accused the YSR Congress Party of trying to gain mileage ahead of the by-polls by politicising the issue.
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Andhra HC quashes 4.5% sub-quota for minorities
Hyderabad, May 28
In a setback to the Centre, the court said the Office Memorandum (OM) creating the sub-quota was based on religious grounds and not on any other consideration.
The December 22, 2011 OM for a 4.5 per cent subquota for socially and educationally backward classes of citizens belonging to minority communities out of the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs in central educational institutions and jobs was announced by the Centre ahead of the Assembly elections in five states, including Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. — PTI
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Two Akash missiles test-fired in Odisha
Balasore (Odisha), May 28
"Two Akash missiles were launched from the ITR. While one test was successful, data for the other is still being
analysed," ITR Director MVKV Prasad said.
The double test-fire came after trials of the indigenous missile, with a range of 25 km and capable of carrying a warhead of 60 kg to neutralise aerial targets, on May 24 and 26. "The trials were conducted in quick succession from road mobile launchers at launch pad-3 in the ITR at about 1102 hours," sources said. "Each missile was aimed at intercepting a floating object supported by a pilotless target aircraft at a definite altitude over the sea," the sources added. — PTI
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Bihar seeks Aamir’s help for girl child
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created by BSP members, the Governor’s address to the first joint session of the 16th Vidhan Sabha on the opening day of the Budget session today was taken as “read”.
