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with general election 2014 only a few months away...
Battle of ballot in 5 states
Contestant is not a voter in
Chhattisgarh!
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Internal strife to the fore in MP Cong
Politicians flock to his samadhi, but fail to keep their promise
MATTERS MILITARY
India extends $100m credit to Vietnam for defence purchases
Antony pulls up Navy over sinking of sub
BJP seeks withdrawal of national party status to Congress
SC drops contempt case against VK Singh
Country capable of facing any aggression: Prez
Cong counters Patel statue with Ambedkar memorial
Jundal wanted to be part of Mumbai attacks
British-era hotel reopens in Kolkata after renovation
Film festival kicks off amid star gaze in Goa
Jyothi Uday, attack victim
Andhra braces for Cyclone Helen
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with general election 2014 only a few months away... Himani Chandel & Ananya Panda Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 20 While the Congress promised to bring inclusive growth, the AAP assured to pass the Delhi Jan Lokpal in a special session if it comes to power. Keeping its promises more realistic, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit stressed upon making the city a knowledge capital of the country. In the manifesto, the Congress has listed demand for full statehood, unified command for better governance, introduction of monorail and trams, getting industry status to service sector, constructing 'Shramik Ashraya' (labour homes), elevated roads, subsidy in water tariff, focus on women safety, social welfare, ensuring right to education, improving efficiency on waste management, making Delhi a global city etc. "Delhi is the most progressive state of the country. We allocate maximum, 65 per cent of our budget, on social sector which goes to scheme like old age and widow pension, ladli scheme, gender resource centres, labour wages etc.," said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit while releasing the party manifesto on Wednesday. Dikshit said electricity was available in abundance in Delhi and the government would work to solve water related issues. She said Delhi has turned into a well-planned city under the Congress government with fine roads and tolerance towards migrants. On the other side, the debutant AAP has assured to pass the Delhi Jan Lokpal in a special session of people's assembly at Ramlila Grounds within 15 days of the party coming to power in line with Anna's Jan Lokpal Bill. With an aim to give a clean and corruption-free government, Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP's manifesto promises to decentralise governance by bringing power into the hands of people through mohalla sabhas and ensure rights of the minorities and weaker sections are protected. Its manifesto raises the issue of inflated power and water bills and towards this it assures to reduce the electricity tariff by half along with bringing competition in the market by doing away with discom monopolies and provide families using 700 litres of water per day apart from restructuring the Delhi Jal Board to ensure transparency in its functioning. To ensure better security for women, children and senior citizens, the party has declared that a citizen's security force would be constituted in each ward to assist such people in distress. It has also promised to do away with contractualisation of jobs in government sectors while social security for the unorganised sector workforce is also in its agenda after the assembly polls. The party has also included ensuring equal rights to minorities, including Muslims and SCs in the city, reviewing fares of public transport in keeping with the market status, simplifying VAT system and ensuring ownership rights to the inhabitants of unauthorised colonies without any date of qualifying. Further, granting full statehood to Delhi, with bringing the DDA, the Delhi Police under the Delhi government and keeping the MCD out of its purview, ending pollution and encroachment of Yamuna banks and protection of Delhi ridge and improve health, sanitation and education facilities also feature in AAP's manifesto.
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Contestant is not a voter in
Chhattisgarh!
Raipur, November 20 In what could spell trouble for the Election Commission, Gautambudh Agarwal, an independent candidate from the Raipur Rural assembly constituency, appeared at the polling booth to cast his vote yesterday only to discover that his name not being there in the voters’ list thus being denied the right to vote. The poll authorities have since initiated a probe even as the candidate has threatened to move the High Court to seek re-polling in the booth where he was denied a chance to cast his ballot. All this happened despite the fact that Agarwal’s candidature was duly cleared by the Chhattisgarh poll authorities during the scrutiny of his nomination papers. He had, along with these papers, attached a certified copy of the electoral rolls bearing his name as a voter from the Raipur South assembly segment. On the day of polling, his name curiously went missing from the rolls. Chief Electoral Officer of Chhattisgarh Sunil Kunjur when contacted admitted it was the “first of its kind matter” he had come across in his entire service in the commission. “We have ordered an inquiry. We admit Agarwal’s name was present in the electoral rolls when we accepted his candidature for the second phase polling. Since the process of additions and deletions in the rolls continued till the last day of nominations, something could have gone wrong at that stage. The probe will reveal the facts,” Kunjur told The Tribune today. Agarwal, meanwhile, said he would approach the High Court asking how a non-voter could be a contestant and vice versa. Laws of the land stipulate that only an eligible voter can contest elections. “But in Chhattisgarh the law has been subverted,” Agarwal told TNS adding that he had received in writing from the poll officer on duty the curious occurrence of his name missing from the voters’ list in his allotted booth.
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Internal strife to the fore in MP Cong
Bhopal, November 20 Apparently, the last-minute decision to field senior leader Suresh Pachauri from the Bhojpur Assembly constituency has sent a signal that the former union minister could emerge as the compromise candidate if the Congress gets past the magical figure of 115 in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly. Earlier, it was the name of Gaurav Pachauri, Suresh Pachauri’s nephew, which was doing rounds as the Congress nominee to take on the BJP strongman Surendra Patwa in Bhojpur, a sleepy town around 30 km from Bhopal. The sources say the last-minute decision to field Suresh Pachauri was taken to counter BJP’s propaganda that since none of senior Congress leaders like Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia were contesting, the grand old party was not serious about the state. What goes in Pachauri’s favour is his good equation with the 10 Janpath, using which he is able to handle state politics with a remote control. What goes against the senior Congress leader is that he has never won any major election ever in his life. Confined to the Rajya Sabha, he is best known for losing Bhopal to BJP leader Uma Bharti by a massive margin in 1989. He is also credited with leading the Congress to a defeat in 2008 as the state party chief. So in a way this is a do-or-die situation for him. Bhojpur can prove to be a difficult seat for Pachauri. Sitting BJP MLA Surendra Patwa is the nephew of the former BJP CM Sunderlal Patwa and is considered a strong candidate. Campaigning against Pachauri, he terms him an outsider. Pachauri, who says that he is not in the race for the CM post, is trying his best to make up for his absence from the place, connecting with people in the local dialect. Congress, BJP slug it out through advertisements It is election time and there is virtual war going on between rivals, the BJP and the Congress, in Madhya Pradesh. The latest in the no-holds-barred mudslinging between the two parties today saw the Congress claiming that pictures of an expressway and fields shown in BJP campaigns had been “stolen” from websites from foreign countries, Iran and the US. Though he has not been referred to by name, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister was also called “Feku number 2”. And it is also quite obvious who the Congress is additionally trying to target with the expression. “Feku” is a term coined by Congress’ social media managers to target Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. The BJP’s counter-attack shows a man saying that if any village of Madhya Pradesh receives 24-hour electricity supply, he would change his name. Apparently Jyotiraditya Scindia has made the statement in one of his public meetings recently. No one has been named but it is quite apparent who the BJP is targeting when it says “Shrimant if you are really true to your words you should change your name” as locals here use imperial honorific of “Shrimant” or “Maharaj” to address the Scindias. The BJP then goes to remind Jyotiraditya how his own areas like Ashoknagar, Guna and Shivpuri were enjoying uninterrupted power supply. Meanwhile, the BJP has complained to the Election Commission on the use of words like ‘feku No. 2’ and ‘goshnaveer mama’ in the Congress onslaught.
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Politicians flock to his samadhi, but fail to keep their promise
Shivpuri, November 20 Agricultural farmlands in the Hatod village, a few kilometres from Shivpuri town, are home to hundreds of Sikh families. Born at Algon village of Amritsar district in 1914, the late freedom fighter was among the early settlers (in early 1950s) in the farmlands of the region that yield wheat, soyabean and is known to be one of the largest producers of tomatoes in the country. Nearly eight years after Colonel Dhillon’s death in 2006, his son Sarvjeet Dhillon is fighting a lonely battle to keep alive the memory of the man, a key figure in the historic INA trial at the Red Fort that stirred the subconscious of the country and enhanced the credibility and legitimacy of the freedom struggle launched by the INA. Sarvjeet (65) says politicians, including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, made several promises, which they failed to keep. His letters to the CMO went unanswered. All that he wanted was help in building a martyrs’ memorial, putting up his statue and naming a road in the city after him. “I don’t want anything for myself. I just want to keep alive the memory of all those who fought for the country but it seems no one cares. People have forgotten those who gave them the freedom,” says Sarvjeet. Colonel Dhillon was awarded Padma Bhushan in 1998 and he was cremated at Shivpuri with full military honours. But it took more than two months to complete his last rites the way Sarvjeet wanted, a memorial service at the Red Fort. “After I refused to immerse his ashes, top Congress leaders were forced to intervene. A memorial service was held for Colonel Dhillon at the Red Fort. It was attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and three chiefs of the Armed Forces,” he says.
The Red Fort trials
The INA Trials or the Red Fort Trials refer to the court martial of officers of the Indian National Army. Dhillon along with Shah Nawaz Khan (who later became a union minister) and Prem Kumar Sahgal was charged with “waging war against His Majesty the King Emperor”. The trials attracted vast media attention and Dhillon, along with the other two defendants, became a symbol of the ongoing struggle for Indian independence. The trials marked a significant turning point in the history of events to follow, records “From My Bones”, his memoirs. All three were found guilty of waging war against the King Emperor, and the court was bound to sentence the accused either to death or to deportation for life. But taking into consideration the prevailing circumstances, the sentences were remitted and the three defendants released.
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MATTERS MILITARY
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has created a new adventure record by undertaking the longest rafting expedition ever in India, covering over 3,000 km on the Ganga from Gangotri in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal. The expedition took 16 days, culminating on November 13. Lead by Wg Cdr Paramvir Singh, the expedition team, IAF Aqua Scullers, also had several other firsts to their credit, including the shortest duration ever taken to raft down the entire length of the Ganga, longest non-stop rafting at a stretch in a single day when the team rafted continuously for 15 hr from Jalalpur, near Garmukteshwar, to Rajghat, near Anupshahar, in Uttar Pradesh, and the longest distance covered by a raft in a single day when on November 3, over 300 km were covered from Ramakantapura iron bridge to Barrackpore in West Bengal. The IAF is the first among the armed forces to have undertaken such an expedition. The Ganga is known to be one of the most challenging rivers in the world for white water rafting and the Himalayan segment of the river from Gangotri, at an altitude of over 9,000 feet, to Haridwar is considered one of the most treacherous white water stretches in the world, with Grade IV and V rapids.
Camels turn 54
IAF’s No 48 Squadron, known as Camels, turned 54 this month. Besides maintaining the vital air bridge to the strategic northern sector and airdropping supplies over Siachen, the world’s highest battlefield, the squadron, based in Chandigarh, has rendered yeoman’s service in wars as well as during natural calamities. It set a new chapter in aviation history when it landed a twin-engined aircraft, an AN-32, at Daulat Beg Oldie, the world’s highest airstrip located at 18,600 feet, in 2008 (see pic), besides re-activating two other advance-landing grounds at Nyoma and Fukche in Ladakh. The squadron was formed in 1959 at Barrackpore with six Dakota aircraft and Gp Capt SS Jaspal as its first Commanding Officer. It was re-equipped with US-built Packet aircraft in 1961. Squadron officers recall that Packet nose were painted pink and these were immediately dubbed as “Lipstick Packets”. It moved to Kalaikunda, near Kharagpur, during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, in support of fighter squadrons, often operating from unprepared airstrips. In July 1968, the squadron moved to Allahabad, but continued to maintain a detachment near Silchar during the Mizoram operations. It also took part in the famous Tangail para-drop during the 1971 Liberation of Bangladesh. Re-equipped with AN-32, the squadron was moved to Chandigarh in 1986. In July 1987, during Operation Pawan, the first aircraft to land in Jaffna with the Indian Peacekeeping Force was from 48 Squadron. The first night landing at Leh by an AN-32 was successfully carried out by the squadron in July 1995. As part of Operation Safed Sagar during the 1999 Kargil conflict and thereafter during Operation Parakram in 2001, the Camels were pressed into regular logistic support operations.
The Baku connection
When the INS Vikramaditya was to be delivered at the Sevmash Shipyard in northern Russia, Defence Minister AK Antony flew out with his entourage. En route to Russia, Antony’s plane made a technical halt at Baku, capital city of Azerbaijan, ironically “Baku” was the first name of Vikramaditya when the ship was first launched during Soviet Union times in 1987. It was named Admiral Gorshkov by the Russians after the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. (Vijay Mohan &
Ajay Banerjee)
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India extends $100m credit to Vietnam for defence purchases
New Delhi, November 20 India would continue to assist Vietnam in modernisation and training of its defence and security forces, including through the line of credit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said after extensive talks with visiting Vietnam Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong here this evening. A joint statement issued after the talks said the two sides agreed that defence cooperation was a significant pillar of the strategic partnership between them. The two leaders welcomed the regular defence dialogue, training, exercises, Navy and Coast Guards ship visits, capacity building, exchange of think tanks and other exchanges between relevant agencies of the two countries. Ignoring Beijing’s objections, the two countries also decided to enhance cooperation in the field of exploration, development and production of petroleum resources. Under an MoU signed between the ONGC Videsh Limited and the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group, the Indian company will invest in oil and gas blocks in Vietnam for exploration and production. The Petro Vietnam has also been invited to participate in open blocks in India and in third countries. Another significant MoU is for protection of classified information on defence cooperation in accordance with respective national laws and relevant provisions.
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Antony pulls up Navy over sinking of sub
New Delhi, November 20 Coming in the backdrop of the sinking of the submarine in the yet unexplained incident, the minister’s remark was a reflection of the anguish over larger issues, including individual misdemeanours of the establishment and not necessarily limited to the August 14 Sindhurakshak incident but also accidents, including one on INS Vindhyagiri. The formal inquiry into the submarine incident is yet to establish the cause. Inaugurating the Naval Commanders conference here, the minister said a significant amount of the national resources were put to use to create assets and also to build capabilities. “It must be ensured that safety mechanisms are accorded topmost priority and standard operating procedures are adhered to strictly and without any exception,” he said. The authorities are in the final stages to identify the lowest bidder from among five firms who have expertise in bringing up the submerged vessel.
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BJP seeks withdrawal of national party status to Congress
New Delhi, November 20 Arguing its case before the poll body, the BJP charged that Rahul while campaigning during the current assembly elections dubbed the BJP as a “party of thieves” and urging people “Inh choron ko nikalo (oust these thieves)” and leveling false allegations against the BJP. Breifing mediapersons after a delegation led by senior leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi met the EC, the National Chairman of the BJP’s Committee on Legal Affairs and Election Commission Issues Satya Pal Jain said Rahul’s speeches calling the BJP “a party of thieves” violated the model code of conduct. The party also submitted copies of advertisements inserted by the Congress in Madhya Pradesh, which branded its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as "feku (braggart)", asking people to "enjoy his lies" but vote for the Congress. The BJP also said the speech in Delhi caused social tension in some parts of Maharashtra and Karnataka. The BJP also accused the Congress leader of spreading a "false and baseless" notion that BJP was responsible for the killing of the then Chhattisgarh Congress President Nand Kumar Patel, who died in a Naxal attack along with several other party leaders on May 25.
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SC drops contempt case against VK Singh
New Delhi, November 20 A Bench of Justices RM Lodha and HL Gokhale, however, questioned VK Singh’s senior counsel Ram Jethmalani on the affidavit filed by the retired General tendering an apology as well as seeking to justify his remarks made in an interview to a news agency and published by an English daily. “If you are sorry, say so and close the matter,” instead of giving excuses like erroneous reporting, ambiguity and pressure, the Bench remarked. The General was present in the court. At this, Jethmalani asked the Bench to take his apology if it was not satisfied with his client’s affidavit. The Bench said VK Singh had given two other objectionable interviews which it had not taken note of. Jethmalani said the former Army Chief was willing to withdraw all his comments on the apex court in all the interviews given by him subsequent to the October 2, 2012 SC order on the age row. The SC had passed the 2012 order after VK Singh pleaded for withdrawing his petition seeking a directive to the government to treat May 10, 1951 as his date of birth as recorded in his school leaving certificate and not May 10, 1950 as maintained by the Army and the Defence Ministry. Jethmalani said his client was in fact honoured by the 2012 SC judgment on the age row. The Bench pointed out that the order was passed after the government had clarified that it had the “highest regard” for Gen VK Singh and the Army Chief agreed to accept 1951 as his DOB. In his interviews, VK Singh had questioned the logic behind the apex court going by the school certificates of those accused of rape and murder to determine their age and not applying this criterion in his case. “A decorated general like him should be the last person to damage an institution like this,” the Bench remarked. Nevertheless, it decided to drop the contempt proceedings, observing that “repentance is a tool which condones all sorts of misdemeanour. Once an apology comes from the heart and is repeated by Mr Jethmalani, it should not continue even for a second.”
A three-member Bench headed by Justice Lodha accepted the apology tendered by advocate Prashant Bhushan for his interview to a weekly magazine raising questions on the Bench not taking action against Attorney General GE Vahanvati for allegedly misleading the court by stating that he (the AG) was not privy to a CBI status report on the investigations in the coal allocation scam.
Age row: What the court said
* Army ex-Chief VK Singh had questioned the logic behind the apex court going by the school certificates of those accused of rape and murder to determine their age and not applying this criterion in his case *
If you are sorry, say so and close the matter, instead of giving excuses like erroneous reporting, ambiguity and pressure, the Bench said *
It said VK Singh had given two other objectionable interviews that it had not taken note of *
His counsel said the General was willing to withdraw all his comments on the apex court in interviews given subsequent to the October 2, 2012 SC order on the age row.
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Country capable of facing any aggression: Prez
Halwara, November 20 Lauding the role of the armed forces in guarding the country's sovereignty, the President said India is capable of facing any aggression and protecting its interests. "The nation is immensely proud of its air force and remains indebted to the air warriors for their selflessness and sacrifice. Our armed forces give us confidence in the nation's capability to face an aggression and safeguard its interest," he said. Addressing the dignitaries that included Punjab Governor Shivraj Vishwanath Patil and Chief of Air Staff NAK Browne, the President said, "As a responsible nation, India is firmly committed to peace and equality. The nation is striving hard for all-round economic growth and social empowerment of its citizens. However, we remain equally focused on building the capability to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity." Acknowledging the contribution of 32 Squadron and 220 Squadron, he said both had a glorious operational history. After presenting the Standards, the President received a guard of honour from various IAF units. The fly-past of three Mi-17 helicopters greeted the President followed by the fly-past of Sukhoi 30 MKI and Bison aircrafts. The 'Airwarrior Drill Team' mesmerised the audience by their precise and coordinated drill movement. He lauded the massive IAF’s role in the relief operation post the Uttarakhand floods.
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Cong counters Patel statue with Ambedkar memorial
Mumbai, November 20 The Prithviraj Chavan government has planned to lay the stone of the memorial on December 6, Ambedkar’s 56th death anniversary. It wants Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party president Sonia Gandhi to lay the foundation stone for the memorial, sources said. With elections to five state Assemblies out of the way by the first week of December, the stone-laying ceremony will be accompanied by a multi-media advertising campaign, it is learnt. "The Maharashtra Government has almost finalised the design for the memorial, which is the result of a competition announced early this year," a senior state government official said. "The memorial will be on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi at Rajghat in Delhi," he said. The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) has been designated as the special planning authority for the memorial, which will be spread over a 12-acre property that originally belonged to Indu Mills. The plot of land near Dadar beach is a stone's throw from Chaityabhoomi where the mortal remains of Dr BR Ambedkar were cremated. Chaityabhoomi attracts thousands of Ambedkar's followers every year. The Maharashtra Government agreed to set up the memorial for Ambedkar last year. Under the proposal cleared by Chavan, the National Textile Corporation has been compensated with additional floor space index to be utilised in its other properties in Central Mumbai, sources said. However, sources say, there are a few last minute hurdles that need to be cleared. The title of the land needs to be formally transferred to the Maharashtra Government. This is expected to be done later this week.
Grand plan
* The Prithviraj Chavan government plans to lay the stone of the memorial on December 6, Ambedkar's 56th death anniversary *
The memorial, to be spread over 12 acres, is a stone's throw from Chaityabhoomi where Ambedkar's mortal remains were cremated *
It will be on the lines of Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi at Rajghat
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Jundal wanted to be part of Mumbai attacks
Mumbai, November 20 Jundal, as per the Mumbai police, was one of the key conspirators. LeT `commander' Zaki-Ur-Rehman Lakhvi stopped him from going to Mumbai and asked, instead, to be in the `control room' in Pakistan from where the Mumbai attackers were given directions, says his confession. The copies of Jundal's confession were given to defence lawyers today by the special court conducting trial in the 26/11 case. Jundal had volunteered to give the confession last August, which he subsequently retracted. "I told Lakhvi I want to take part in the big operation in Mumbai, but Lakhvi told me that I should be in the control room and encourage the boys," said Jundal in the confession. Jundal also said he had mooted the idea of carrying out blasts in Mumbai, Pune and Gujarat in 2005. "I had gone to Kathmandu, Nepal, to learn more about jihad and I, Fayaz Kagzi and one Juned met there outside a mosque and there I said that I am ready to carry out blasts at three places." A native of Beed district of Maharashtra, Jundal was deported from Saudi Arabia in June 2012. Mumbai terror attacks of November 2008 left 166 dead and many more injured. — PTI
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British-era hotel reopens in Kolkata after renovation
Kolkata, November 20 The hotel, renamed Lalit Great Eastern, has been renovated and rebuilt at a cost of Rs 260 crore by the Bharat Hotel group owned by Lalit Suri, a former Rajya Sabha member. The hotel was sold to Lalit Suri’s group in 2005 during Jyoti Basu’s tenure when it was a state government entity. The hotel was initially taken over during the Siddhartha Sankar Ray’s chief ministership. During the Left front regime, the hotel turned out to be a losing concern in the wake of labour trouble and mismanagement. The government then decided to sell it to the Bharat group. The historic hotel was built by a British hotelier, David Wilson, who named it Auckland Hotel (otherwise known as Wilson Hotel). It remained a popular hangout for the British living in the city before Independence. Several foreign dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth, preferred to stay in the hotel instead of living at the nearby Raj Bhavan.
British legacy
* The Great Eastern was built by a British hotelier, David Wilson, who named it Auckland Hotel in 1841 *
It remained a popular hangout for the British living in the city before Independence *
The hotel, renamed Lalit Great Eastern, has been renovated and rebuilt at a cost of Rs 260 crore by the Bharat Hotel group
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Film festival kicks off amid star gaze in Goa
Panjim, November 20 An evening anchored by Rajat Kapoor and Suhasini Ratnam saluted the intrinsic essence of Indian cinema which has an enviable distinction of being made in 39 languages. In a star-studded inaugural ceremony, the ceremonial lamp was lit among others by Manish Tewari Minister of Information and Broadcasting (independent charge), Chief Minister of Goa Manohar Parrikar, actress of golden years of Hindi cinema Waheeda Rehman and Hollywood actor Susan Sarandon. If the galaxy of stars such as Kamal Hassan, Rekha, Rani Mukerji, Alia Bhatt, Huma Quershi, Rituparna Sengupta charmed with their glam quotient, Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj enthralled the audiences with his artistry. Once again the Padma Vibushan recipient proved that age is just a number as his body language remains as fluid as ever. In a unique jugalbandi with sitarist Ustad Nishat Khan, the duo held audiences that comprised of who’s who of film industry captive. To celebrate the spirit of cinema the evening also saw a music and dance programme in which disciples of Birju Maharaj, including his foremost disciple Saswati Sen put up a riveting performance. And the guest of honour Susan Sarandon looked resplendent in a deep magenta and rust orange outfit. Special guest of the evening and superstar of South, Kamal Hasan, attired smartly looked dapper. The National Award winning actor, who has acted in films in as many as six languages and hasn’t been trained in an acting school observed that festivals have been a tree of enlightenment for him. Star presence manifested by way of a bevy of many more actors---Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Madhvan, Rana Dagubatti, Divya Dutta, Rakesyh Omprakash Mehra, and the melody queen Asha Bhonsle. Of course, the evening belonged to the gorgeous Waheed Rehman who was conferred the First Centenary Award for Indian Film Personality of the Year 2013. Undeniably the Rosie of Guide continues to hold her place in the hearts of her fans and a standing ovation proved it.
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K’taka banks told to deploy guards at ATMs
Bangalore, November 20 Two police teams had been formed for investigating the incident involving an attack on a woman, identified as Jyothi Uday, by a robber inside an ATM kiosk in heart of the country's IT hub yesterday. The victim will be bedridden for at least two months. It is still uncertain when she will resume normal life or whether she will be able to do so at all. “She will take at least couple of months to walk. The rest we shall have to see,” Dr NK Venkataramana, neurosurgeon at the hospital where the victim is undergoing treatment, told The Tribune.
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Andhra braces for Cyclone Helen
Chennai/New Delhi, Nov 20 The deep depression, which has been categorised as a 'very severe cyclonic storm', was "practically stationary" at 2.30 pm today at about 470 km east-northeast of Chennai and 290 km south-southeast of Vishakapatnam, it said. It has cautioned about extensive damage to thatched houses, uprooting of trees, partial damage to telecommunication lines and flooding due to Helen. Heavy to very heavy rainfall has been forecast from today along coastal Andhra Pradesh and in Tamil Nadu under the influence of the system. "Helen, which spreads over a geographical area of 300 to 400 km, is currently moving at a speed of 5kmph. — PTI
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Mayawati woos Dalits 45% polling in Bru
camps
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The Delhi Congress and the Aam Admi Party (AAP) today launched their manifestoes in the run up for Delhi Assembly elections.
A ritual that politicians of all hues and colours religiously follow while campaigning in the Shivpuri region is the stopover at the samadhi of Col Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon, a founder member of the Netaji’s Azad Hind Fauj.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has created a new adventure record by undertaking the longest rafting expedition ever in India, covering over 3,000 km on the Ganga from Gangotri in Uttarakhand to Ganga Sagar in West Bengal. The expedition took 16 days, culminating on November 13.
With the threat from China in mind, India today extended a 100 million dollar line of credit to Vietnam for defence purchases and also signed eight key agreements with the Southeast Asian nation.
President Pranab Mukherjee presented Standards to two of the Indian Air Force’s Frontline Fighter Squadrons -- 220 Squadron and 32 Squadron -- at a ceremonial parade at the Air Force Station in Halwara today.
The Great Eastern, one of the oldest hotels in the country, built in 1841, was officially reopened by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at a function yesterday. The hotel will soon be opened to public.
With just five days to go before the state goes to the polls and the situation still bordering on 50-50 as they say, a section of local Congress leaders have shot off e-mails, asking the Central leadership to declare Jyotiraditya as a clear Chief Ministerial candidate and dispel doubts in the minds of voters and also party workers.
