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Pak releases 11 Indian prisoners
Mukul Sangma set to be Meghalaya CM again
UP malls to sell liquor
End of the road for PA
Sangma?
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Rahul assesses Mumbai Cong’s working
SC dismisses PIL for SIT probe in helicopter scam
SC stays telecast of
TV serial on JBT scam
49 elephants killed on rail tracks since 2010, RS told
Pinaka rockets successfully test-fired
HC notice to RGV, censors on 26/11 film
Lok Sabha member dies of stroke
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Pak releases 11 Indian prisoners
Amritsar, March 1 The civilians are Nasir Hussain and Om Parkash both residents of Jammu; Ashok Kumar of Dhariwal in Gurdaspur and Lakhu Ram of Rajasthan. They were accused of having crossed over the border illegally and were released from Kot Lakhpat Jail, Lahore. The fishermen released from Karachi Jail include Mannu Khema, Shivdas, Govind, Maan Singh Bhagwan, Rathore, Bharat Dhiru and Kala. They had inadvertently entered into Pakistan’s water territory. While Nasir Hussain and Om Parkash were sentenced to four years in jail, Ashok Kumar served 16 years jail term. Lakhu Ram was sentenced for five-year jail term for crossing the border illegally. A number of Indian prisoners were languishing in Pakistan jails for years even after completing their jail terms. They were waiting for their return to the country. They urged the governments of both countries to release the prisoners who have completed their jail terms as soon as possible. “Release of the prisoners at the earliest will help strengthen bilateral ties between the two countries,” said Ashok Kumar.
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Mukul Sangma set to be Meghalaya CM again
Shillong, March 1 Congress chief in Meghalaya and former Chief Minister DD Lapang, who chaired the meeting, said, “Mukul Sangma has been elected unanimously as the leader of the CLP and the Congress high command has approved of this.” Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs and senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi, who was here to oversee the government formation along with AICC general secretary in charge of Meghalaya Mukul Wasnik and Sanjay Bapna, said he was “confident” that Mukul Sangma would be the Chief Minister for a full five-year term. Mukul would meet Governor RS Mooshahary to stake claim to form new government in the state. The process was likely to be completed in a day or two, a Congress official said. Apart from the 29 Congress MLAs, eight Independent candidates have assured the Congress of “unconditional” support in the government formation apart from the NCP. Mukul Sangma said the NCP, which won two seats, had also sent its letter of support to the Congress. —
PTI
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UP malls to sell liquor
Lucknow, March 1 Virtually retaining the much-criticised Mayawati regime’s excise policy for the next fiscal 2013-14, the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet has continued the policy of which the Ponty Chadha group was the main benefactor. The group enjoys a monopoly over the wholesale and retail liquor trade in the state, both in country liquor and Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL). During the Mayawati regime, Ponty Chadha and his cartel had been allowed a free hand. As a result, the liquor cartel began charging 10 to 15 per cent extra over the market price printed on liquor bottles. Despite repeated promises of making the “sham ki dawai” cheaper, Yadav has increased the price of country liquor by 10 per cent and the IMFL between 15 to 20 per cent. The new excise policy aims to reap Rs 12,500 crore for the exchequer. Criticising the new policy, BJP spokesperson Vijay Bahadur Pathak said it exposed the true face of the Samajwadi Party. “With the law and order situation already out of hand, the decision to further facilitate the sale of liquor by making it available in the malls is revolting,” he said.
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End of the road for PA
Sangma?
Guwahati, March 1 The Garo Hills areas of that state was once considered a fiefdom of PA Sangma, but this time his National People’s Party (NPP) failed to make any impact in the area. Mukul Sangma led the Congress from the front to demolish PA Sangma’s bastion. The Congress won 13 seats out of the total 24 in the Garo Hills areas while the NPP could win only two seats, its lowest ever in its once stronghold. Prominent Congress winners, besides Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, include his wife Dikkanchi D Shira from the Mahendraganj constituency and his younger brother Zenith M Sangma from the Rangsakona seat. PA Sangma’s eldest son Conrand Sangma failed to retain his seat though his sibling James managed to win and was one of the two winners from the NPP. Conrad Sangma lost to Clement Marak of the Congress from the Selsella seat by 2,107 votes. Senior Sangma apparently pinned much hopes on Conrad to keep Sangmas’ flag flying in the state. His defeat is a setback to the political family, especially after the daughter Agatha Sangma’s recent ouster from the Union Ministry. PA Sangma formed the NPP in Meghalaya following his exit from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) that did not support him for the presidential election. Out of total 60 state Assembly seats, the NPP contested only 32. By doing so and keeping options open for post-poll alliance with “like-minded” parties, PA Sangma wanted to be the next king-maker in Meghalaya after the elections. But that dream would now remain a dream only.
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Rahul assesses Mumbai Cong’s working
Mumbai, March 1 According to sources, around 400 persons were supposed to meet Rahul Gandhi and he remained locked in confabulations with several groups of people through the day at the party’s headquarters at Tilak Bhavan in central Mumbai. Party MPs and MLAs from Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation councillors and party officials from local units met Rahul. Groups of party workers were in the forefront making known their choice of the candidate for the post of Mumbai Pradesh Congress Committee chief. The post has been lying vacant for more than a year now. Later in the day, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Manikrao Thakre told reporters that Rahul was in the city to assess the work of different units of the party.
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SC dismisses PIL for SIT probe in helicopter scam
New Delhi, March 1 The petitioner said despite being a private individual he had obtained a few documents from Italy related to the scam, but the government had expressed its inability to gather any evidence. This showed that the government was not serious about bringing the bribe takers to book. The CBI, which was investigating the scam, was yet to register an FIR in the case, he pleaded. This shows that the government was trying to cover-up the scam, he alleged. “As long as people like you are there that is not possible,” the Bench said.
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SC stays telecast of
TV serial on JBT scam
New Delhi, March 1 The Bench, which included Justices Anil R Dave and Vikramajit Sen, posted the matter for hearing on March 6 after senior counsel Harish Salve, appearing for the channel, accepted its suggestion. Arguing for Chautala, senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi said while convicting and sentencing his client to jail for 10 years the trial court had not recorded any finding to the effect that he had received any bribe from any of the 3,032 candidates who were recruited as junior basic trained (JBT) teachers. The
TV channel, claiming that its serial had gone into the “real truth”
behind the scam, had scenes showing Chautala and his top aides taking Rs
2-3 lakh as bribe from the aspirants. The serial was nothing but “trial
by the media” when Chautala’s plea for bail and appeal against his
conviction had been slated for hearing by the Delhi High Court on April
4, Rohatgi said. Opposing Chautala’s plea for a stay on the telecast
of the serial, Salve said any judicial intervention against the channel
would amount to “gagging the media.” Anyway, the HC would not take a
decision on Chautala’s bail plea on health grounds under the influence
of the dramatised version of the scam, he said. The SC said it did not want to decide the issue in a hurry and suggested that the telecast be put on hold till Wednesday. A
single Judge Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court had stayed the
telecast, but a Division Bench of the HC vacated the stay and cleared
the serial, prompting Chautala to approach the SC. Besides Chautala, his
then political advisor Sher Singh Badshami, MLA from Kurukshetra, and
the then Officer on Special Duty (OSD) Vidya Dhar, IAS, have also
challenged the HC ruling.
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49 elephants killed on rail tracks since 2010, RS told
New Delhi, March 1 Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal said regular meetings were being held with the Environment Ministry to control such deaths. “Speed restrictions have been imposed at elephant corridors identified by the Forest Department besides sign boards to warn train drivers,” he
said.—PTI
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Pinaka rockets successfully test-fired
Balasore (Odisha), March 1 “Three rounds of Pinaka rockets were successfully tested today from the base at Chandipur, about 15 km from here, while three rounds had been fired yesterday,” defence sources said. On January 30 and 31, this year, seven rounds of ‘Pinaka’ rockets were tested from the same base. ‘Pinaka’, which has undergone several tough tests since 1995, has already been inducted into the armed forces. The trial was conducted by personnel from Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune unit at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) firing point-2 at Chandipur, the sources said. ‘Pinaka’ is an area weapon system with a range of 40 km. The quick reaction time and high rate of fire of the system gives an edge to the Army during a low-intensity conflict situation, he said. — PTI
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HC notice to RGV, censors on 26/11 film
Hyderabad, March 1 Justice Ramesh Ranganathan of the High Court issued the notices after admitting a petition filed by T Ram Prasad, an advocate, who had sought cancellation of the censor clearance given to ‘The Attacks of 26/11’ on grounds that the movie, which was based on the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, could rake up memories of the ghastly incident. The judge did not agree with the petitioner’s contention that the release of the movie should be stalled. The next hearing in the case will be on March 5. The petitioner contended that the movie, by bringing back the memories, would not serve any purpose but would hurt those affected. The petitioner also argued that the movie had the potential to promote violence, and that the Censor Board had ignored the guidelines issued by the Centre in this regard. The film was released today. Debutant Sanjeev Jaiswal is playing the role of Ajmal Kasab and veteran actor Nana Patekar plays the role of Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria.
No stay on release A petition challenged the censor certificate given to Ram Gopal Varma's film 'The Attacks of 26/11', saying it could rake up memories of the ghastly incident The Andhra High Court has issued notices to the Central Film Censor Board and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, asking them to file their replies within a week However, the judge did not agree with the petitioner's contention that the release of the movie should be stalled
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Lok Sabha member dies of stroke
Ahmedabad, March 1 Gadhavi, who was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2009, suffered a brain stroke a fortnight ago. He breathed his last at a private hospital here yesterday. Gadhavi, son of former state Congress president and MP late Bhairondan Gadhavi, was also a member of the Gujarat Assembly from Palanpur for three terms from 1998.
His body was later taken to Palanpur and was cremated this evening in the presence of a large number of Congress leaders and supporters. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, party state president Arjun Modhvadia, chief minister Narendra Modi, the leader of the Opposition in the Assembly Shankarsinh Vaghela and a host of other leaders of different political parties have condoled the untimely demise of
Gadhavi.
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Pakistan sent 11 Indian prisoners back home today. The prisoners including seven fishermen and four civilians came back home through the the Attari-Wagah border here today.
Mukul Sangma was today re-elected leader of the Congress Legislature Party and is set to become the 23rd Chief Minister of the state.
The Congress, which won 29 seats, two short of an absolute majority, in yesterday’s counting of ballots, had its first CLP meeting at a city hotel today.
The recent Meghalaya Assembly elections have seen the fall of state’s most famous political family of Purno A Sangma, while another Sangma family (of Mukul Sangma) has risen on the horizon.
Mumbai, March 1
