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Rahul effect: Haryana, Himachal lokayuktas may get more teeth
All roads led to Ramlila Ground
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Kejriwal terms AAP journey as miracle of God
AAP-Cong deal to stop
BJP: Gadkari Major bureaucratic rejig by AAP govt
Industry hopes for pro-corporate policies
Actor Farooq Sheikh dies at 65
Brilliant actor, true gentleman, says Bollywood
Twice-booked Bahrain envoy leaves India
Diplomat’s Arrest in NY
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Rahul effect: Haryana, Himachal lokayuktas may get more teeth
Chandigarh, December 28 Both states, which already have the ‘powerless’ lokayuktas, will virtually be forced to grant more powers to the anti-corruption watchdog on the pattern of the Lokpal under the recently-passed amended Lokpal Bill.“Both the states will have to repeal the existing Lokayukta Acts to conform them to the Central law against the backdrop of Congress’ anti-corruption commitment,” advocate HC Arora said here today. The urgency of a strong lokayukta is being felt more in Haryana, where state Assembly elections are due a few months after the parliamentary elections early next year. With AAP knocking at Haryana’s doors after good showing in Delhi on the anti-corruption plank, Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, facing strong anti-incumbency, will have to exhibit some concrete measures to check corruption in Haryana. In fact, Hooda today virtually took a U-turn on Lokayukta saying that amendments would be made in Lokayukta Act to make it more stringent. Hitherto, Hooda had been claiming that adequate powers had been vested with the state lokayukta. Meanwhile, HP Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had already recalled Lokauykta Bill, which was sent by the state government to the President of India for asset to make it more stronger. Sources said corruption slated to become a major election issue in next year’s parliamentary elections, the Congress could ill afford to ignore Rahul Gandhi’s directive to the states to have “effective” lokayukta by February.With Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP Government promising Janlokpal in Delhi in next 15 days, the Congress chief ministers, particularly in Haryana bordering Delhi will have to empower the ‘ineffective” lokayukta to blunt AAP’s anti-corruption campaign. Currently, the lokayuktas in Haryana and HP are virtually “toothless tigers” in the absence of powers under the Contempt of Court Act or taking a suo motu notice besides woeful shortage of staff for inquiry and investigation. Both the Haryana Lokayukta Justice Pritam Pal and HP Lokayukta Justice LS Panta had been demanding far-reaching amendments in their respective Lokayukta Acts to make the anti-corruption watchdog more effective to check corruption.
More powers
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All roads led to Ramlila Ground
New Delhi, December 28 Thousands of his supporters from Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and elsewhere thronged the venue wearing trademark caps with 'aam aadmi' written on them, making waves of a colour that symbolises purity and peace. Some carried the broom, the AAP’s election symbol, and the Tricolour. It was for the first time after anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare’s rally that the Ramlila Ground was packed to capacity on Saturday. Physically-challenged Ravinder Singh, who came from Kurukshetra, was busy tying a Tricolour turban. “The rush here is greater than that at Narendra Modi’s Hunkar rally in Rohini. Arvind Kejriwal is the aam aadmi’s hero. It is he who exposed one of the Union ministers, who had failed to distribute the fund meant for handicapped people. I have come here to boost his morale.” Kejriwal should now come to Haryana where people are fed up with the functioning of the Congress, BJP and other political parties, he said. “People have come to the ceremony in their own vehicles, by public transport and even on foot. It is not like other political rallies where audiences are brought in party vehicles and paid. Today’s rush in the Ramlila Ground has expressed common man support to the honesty,” he said. A group of supporters led by Rahul Soni came all the way from Mumbai to congratulate Kejriwal and invite him to establish the Aam Aadmi Party there. The group has produced a film ‘GAA’ based on the plight of the common man, but the authorities have stopped its release. “I will seek Kejriwal’s help to get the film released,” Soni said. Pandit Rama Nanand Tripathi of Kannauj said Kejriwal had touched upon grassroot-level issues. “He seeks the uplift of the drown-trodden and it is our moral duty to encourage Kejriwal. We should join hands to make a network of AAP in other states so that a change at the national level can be brought about.” Some AAP supporters from Hauz Khas in Delhi said the party has taught the Congress and the BJP a well-deserved lesson. “If Kejriwal’s government’s performance is better, he will win Parliamentary seats as well. He is the first Chief Minister in Delhi who has delivered such an emotional speech after taking oath,” they said.
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Kejriwal terms AAP journey as miracle of God
New Delhi, December 28 "Today is a historic day... And who would have thought of it?... It is definitely a miracle of God. I thank Parmeshwar, Pita Paramatma, Ishwar, Allah and Wahe Guru for this," Kejriwal said in his speech after being sworn in as Chief Minister, drawing lusty cheers. He thanked the "Supreme Being" for letting his party "usher in a revolution" in a "system gone down the drain". "Corruption has taken the country to its lowest point...And, two years ago, one could not even imagine such a revolution that the corrupt shall be overthrown and people's rule will be established. It is a miracle of God. And I thank the Supreme Being," he said. Kejriwal in his 20-minute speech promised to the people a "corruption-free government" and a new style of governance without "arrogance of power". — PTI
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AAP-Cong deal to stop
BJP: Gadkari
New Delhi, December 28 Addressing a party workers' meeting here, Gadkari said he was told by a reputed industrialist of the country that how a deal was brokered at a hotel in Delhi. "One of the big industrialists of the country helped make a deal between Arvind Kejriwal and some senior Congress leaders. I was personally told about what talks had transpired in that hotel. The person who was working as the mediator told me that the policy being made is that the BJP has to be stopped at any cost," Gadkari claimed. Attacking the Congress, Gadkari said the former was not dreaming of making a government at the Centre anymore and said "since they (Congress) know they are finished, they will have to stop the BJP at any cost." Rubbishing the allegations, Kejriwal said, “This (claim) is all rubbish. It is sad to note that a senior leader like Gadkari is talking nonsense.” Kejriwal said, “There is no deal between AAP and Congress or BJP. We are here to work for the people.” — PTI This (claim) is all rubbish. There is no deal between AAP and Congress or BJP. We are here to work for the
people.
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Major bureaucratic rejig by AAP govt New Delhi, December 28 Senior IAS officer Vijay Kumar has been made the new CEO of the Delhi Jal Board. Power Secretary RK Verma, who is also the CMD of Delhi Transco Ltd, and Chairman of Pragati Power Corporation Ltd, has been shifted as the Principal Secretary of Higher Education. He will also hold charge as the Principal Secretary, Training and Technical Education. Transport Secretary Puneet Goel has been transferred as the Power Secretary. The Principal Secretary-cum-Commissioner in the Development Department, Arvind Ray, will hold additional charge in the transport department. Delhi Finance Secretary MM Kutty, who was also Principal Secretary to former CM Sheila Dikshit, has been transferred as Principal Secretary in the Social Welfare and Women and Child Development department. Home Secretary Archana Arora has been given additional charge of Finance Department. Higher Education Secretary Rajendra Kumar has been made Secretary to the CM. —PTI
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Industry hopes for pro-corporate policies
New Delhi, December 28 Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, CII, said the chamber was confident that the new government would be industry friendly and strengthen Delhi’s position both economically and socially. The CII said it was looking forward to a strong partnership between the state government and industry in the areas of inclusion, social and physical infrastructure development under public private partnership model, skill development and enhancing employability, social security and attracting investments especially in health care, education and knowledge based industries. Assocham President Rana Kapoor said as far as the AAP’s economic policies were concerned, the ideology did not really matter as long as results were delivered. “We feel that though the promises made by it may look tall, they can still make a good economic sense if the objective of reducing power tariff, for instance, is achieved by bringing in operational efficiencies. Over 30 per cent electricity is lost in the transmission losses which can be reduced by investing in state of the art equipment,” he said. — TNS
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Actor Farooq Sheikh dies at 65
"He has passed away," a family member said. The 65-year-old Bollywood actor suffered a fatal heart attack late on Friday night. He was here with his family apparently for a concert. His body will be brought to Mumbai later in the day after completing the formalities in Dubai. He is survived by wife Rupa and daughters Shaista and Sanaa.
The boy next door
With his boy-next-door persona and understated style, Farooq Sheikh made his entry into films at a time when the parallel art cinema was making its presence felt and he went on to work in some of the best movies of that era. As someone who trained as a lawyer, Sheikh came to acting after failing to relate to his profession in law. Theatre was something that he was already doing in college. Sheikh made an impressive debut with MS Sathyu's 'Garm Hawa', one of the greatest movies ever made on Partition. He often joked that he did the film for a princely sum of Rs 750. He played the youngest son of Balraj Sahni in the movie that depicted the dilemma of a Muslim businessman who decides to stay in India even though the political-social climate is not very supportive and half of his family has already moved to Pakistan. Sheikh was born into a 'zamindar' family near Baroda in 1948. He was the eldest son of his lawyer father Mustafa Shaikh. The family moved to the then Bombay as his father had a successful practice, which in part, prompted Sheikh to take up law initially. He met his wife Rupa during his college. They were very active in theatre during their college days.
Film career
Sheikh's performance in 'Garm Hawa' attracted the attention of Satyajit Ray. Ray cast Sheikh in the role of Aqeel in 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi'. The actor along with Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Naseeruddin and Deepti Naval was instrumental in keeping the parallel cinema movement alive in the '70s and '80s. His most notable films of that era include Ray's 'Shatranj Ke Khiladi', 'Noorie', 'Chashme Buddoor', 'Kissi Se Na Kehna', 'Katha', 'Umrao Jaan', 'Faasle' and Sagar Sarhadi's 'Bazaar'. In a career spanning almost four decades, Sheikh's body of work is not huge as he ignored the alluring, money-spinning world of commercial cinema to focus on roles that were nearer to reality. Sheikh and Naval formed a successful pair and worked together in 'Chashme Baddoor', 'Kissi Se Na Kehna', 'Katha' and most recently in 'Listen Amaya'. In 'Chashme Baddoor', about three college students trying to impress a neighbourhood girl, Sheikh played Siddharth who falls for Naval's character when she comes to sell washing powder. 'Katha' saw him playing a negative role of good-for-nothing flirt, who ditches the girl at the last moment. He played the role of Nawab Sultan opposite Rekha in 'Umrao Jaan'. They paired up again for commercial drama 'Biwi Ho To Aisi'. In recent times, he acted in fewer films like 'Saas Bahu Aur Sensex', 'Tell Me O Khuda' and 'Lahore' for which he won the 2010 National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as a boxing coach. This year, he had three film releases 'Listen Amaya', 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani' and 'Club 60'. He will be seen next in Jacky Bhagnani starrer 'Youngistan'.
On stage & TV
Sheikh was equally active in the world of theatre and television. His most famous stage play was 'Tumhari Amrita' with friend Shabana, which completed 20 years in 2012. The play, an unrequited love story read out through reams of letters, received great success. The play was a major hit in Dubai last year. He also acted in a number of television serials like 'Shrikant', 'Chamatkar', 'Ji Mantriji' besides hosting popular chat show 'Jeena Issi Ka Naam Hai' in which he interviewed many celebrities. — PTI
His contribution
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Brilliant actor, true gentleman, says Bollywood
Mumbai, December 28 Actress Deepti Naval, a close friend and someone who worked with Sheikh in films like 'Chashme Baddoor', 'Kissi Se Na Kehna', 'Katha' and most recently 'Listen Amaya', said she is yet to come to terms with the sad news. "I am shocked... deeply shattered. I can't talk right now. I am in Himachal Pradesh and I am leaving for Mumbai immediately," an emotional Naval said. "For me, he was one of the finest actors in the Hindi film industry. It is heartbreaking." Sarika, who starred with him in his last film 'Club 60', said he was in good health during their last meeting. "It is shocking because he looked well when we last met about 10 days back. He seemed fine. We joked and chatted. He was a brilliant actor that goes without saying but he was a great man, a true gentleman. He loved good food and we all were planning to meet up and eat out," Sarika said. Shabana Azmi, a close friend, a co-star, said, "Farooq has been a very close friend of mine. We have been around together since college days. Forty-years ago, he and I started a theatre group. It was a very long association.” — PTI
God!! Farooq Sheikh passes away!!? A true gentleman, a wonderful colleague! A quiet honesty about him. Very very sad
!
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Twice-booked Bahrain envoy leaves India
Mumbai, December 28 "Khaja left the country last night. He returned to his country apparently before his tenure as the Consul General got over," a senior police officer said. Additional Police Commissioner Krishna Prakash said Khaja has left but refused to give details. The city police accordingly shared the development with the state government which subsequently informed the department concerned in Delhi. A case has been filed against the diplomat on a complaint by the manager of the housing society on Napean Sea Road in south Mumbai. Khaja stayed on the fourth floor of the society building. The manager, a woman, had early this month lodged a police complaint accusing Khaja of molesting her. According to another complaint, the diplomat came to the society office on Thursday and was talking to its chairman when he reportedly pointed a finger at the manager, abused and threatened to kill her. The 49-year-old victim had earlier said Khaja lost his cool after one of the elevators of the building was shut for repairs on December 9. He was slamming the door of the elevator when she saw him and requested him to maintain his cool. However, Khaja did not stop and ransacked the office in a fit of rage, the police said, quoting the complainant. The victim alleged Khaja had touched her and used abusive language during the commotion. She approached the Malabar Hill Police which conducted a preliminary inquiry and registered a complaint. However, the police did not arrest the envoy as he enjoys diplomatic immunity. The police said Khaja had allegedly tried to create ruckus again on December 20 in the building where he had been staying for the past five years — PTI
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Diplomat’s Arrest in NY New Delhi, December 28 It is understood that the group consists of representatives of the Americas, Protocol and Legal divisions in the External Affairs Ministry. With the diplomatic stand-off between India and the US over the issue continuing for more than two weeks, sources said the government was preparing a water-tight case to ensure that the alleged visa fraud case against Devyani was dropped by the US authorities unconditionally. The group has been asked to collect all the relevant information with which India could confront the US authorities in the case. Sources were hopeful that the Devyani issue would be resolved once the festive season was over in the US. Meanwhile, Devyani’s arrest has led to the uncovering of misuse of diplomatic facilities by the US Embassy here including the hosting of full-scale commercial facilities within its compound. The US Embassy has since long hosted full-scale commercial facilities within its compound which include the sale and service establishment that are open not only to non-US diplomats from third countries but to non-diplomatic personnel as well. "This is a misuse of diplomatic privilege that is not extended by the US to others in their country", sources said. (With PTI inputs)
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Dubai/Mumbai, December 28
