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Minister Rakhi Birla's car attacked
No compromise on corruption: Kejriwal
No harm if CM accepts govt facilities: BJP MLA
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Fasting NRI crusades for blacklisted Sikhs' cause
Palash Sen’s musical soiree at NDMC function
Inspired by 'Dhoom', bikers snatched and zoomed
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Minister Rakhi Birla's car attacked
New Delhi, January 5 As part of his party's promise to follow austerity, Kejriwal has been refusing to take any security and all his six ministers have also said that they will follow their leader's footsteps and not take personal security. "I am safe. I am undeterred (by the incident) and I do not need any security," 26-year-old Birla said after the incident which occurred around 6 pm. Her car was in a crowded area when suddenly some people from the crowd threw a heavy object which cracked the windscreen of the vehicle, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson said. He said Birla was sitting in the front seat of her personal car and the incident took place at R Block, Mangolpuri, when she was returning from Santoshi Mata Mandir in the area. She is the local MLA. A senior police officer of the outer district said that Birla's car was attacked by some unidentified persons who damaged the windscreen of the car, most probably by a stone. "We are registering an FIR against unknown persons and are trying to nab the culprits," the official said. Immediately after the incident, when asked by mediapersons whether she will take security, Birla said she will not seek any police protection. "I will not take any security. This is a decision based on our principle. I am not scared and I will keep working for people's welfare," she said. "Our party leader Santosh Koli had sacrificed her life for the society. We are committed to serve the people. I draw inspiration from Koli and will not be scared by any such incidents," said Birla. Three other party workers were accompanying her in the car when the incident took place. After the incident Birla had visited the Mangolpuri police station and filed a complaint. She had defeated Congress' heavyweight Raj Kumar Chauhan to win the Mangolpuri seat in the recent Delhi Assembly polls. AAP leader Santosh Koli (28), who was to contest the assembly polls, had died in August last year at a Gurgaon hospital after she was injured in a road accident. The fatal accident took place on June 30 last year when Santosh was riding to the party office with a fellow party member and a car rammed the two-wheeler from the back near Pacific Mall in Kaushambi in Ghaziabad and sped away. She had sustained severe brain injuries in the accident. In the first cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, it was decided that no ministers and officials in the Delhi Government will use red beacon. The cabinet had also decided that no PSOs and escort vehicle will be provided to any officials and security will be allowed based on threat perception. Meanwhile, Birla had a hectic schedule today. She first went to the studio of a news channel for live telecast after which she attended a meeting on the working of Mohalla Sabha in Mangolpuri. Thereafter, at 5.30 pm, she went to the temple in Mangolpuri for a programme and at 6.15 pm when she was returning from the temple, the incident took
place. — PTI |
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No compromise on corruption: Kejriwal
New Delhi, January 5 Anybody embroiled in corrupt practices will not be spared be it Sheila Dikshit, any BJP member or even his own party member, said Kejriwal, whose AAP is ruling Delhi with the outside support of eight Congress MLAs. "We are not going to compromise on corruption. But give some time as we are setting up the back-end systems and strengthening the anti-corruption branch. Once done we are going to be on the job," he said. Adding, he said he is working towards launching a helpline to register corruption-related complaints and will ensure swift action on the complaints. "BJP leader Harsh Vardhan has asked me to take action against Sheila Dikshit. I asked him to provide evidence and I would take action. We will not spare anyone who is involved in corruption. I will put my entire life on stake to fight it, whether it is Sheila Dikshit, any other minister, any bureaucrat, BJP or Congress member or even my own party member," he told the media before entering for his party's National Executive Meeting here. He said his government is overhauling the state vigilance department which had been lying dormant under the previous government. Pointing guns at the Shelia Dikshit-led Congress Party's former city government, he added the cases raised by the Anti-corruption Department or the State Vigilance Commission were never taken up and brushed under the carpet. Regarding the CWG scam, the Chief Minister said, "In November 2010, I had prepared a 370-page report on CWG scam which contains evidence on corrupt practices during the Games. It doesn't mention any names. It was based on newspaper reports." Currently, of the 30 inspectors only 11 posts are filled and there are vacancies at every level involving ACP, DCP and SI posts. "The department needs to be overhauled and we are trying to strengthen it and identifying honest officers for the job," he said. |
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No harm if CM accepts govt facilities: BJP MLA
New Delhi, January 5 R.P. Singh said, "Big house, vehicle, security and other facilities provided to the Chief Minister do not matter. If the Chief Minister is entitled to these facilities, he should get them without caring for criticism. “The importance should be given to the functioning of the government. He should fulfil the commitments he has made to the people. That is what matters." During campaigning for the assembly elections, Kejriwal said that he would not avail government facilities, but the ministers have accepted government vehicles. There is no harm if he accepts a big flat without caring for criticism, said Singh. "Using one's own vehicle or travelling by Metro is not a new thing. I have a Santro car though I can afford a big one, but since this is comfortable, I drive it. I also board a Metro train. I have a Metro card. I do not know what AAP leaders want to show by saying again and again that they travel by Metro" said Singh. |
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Fasting NRI crusades for blacklisted Sikhs' cause
New Delhi, January 5 Hailing from Punjab, Iqbal (59) has been sitting on an indefinite fast since yesterday at Jantar Mantar here to push for his three major demands--- to grant visas to the rejected cases of political asylum and their families to return to India, ensure justice is delivered to the 1984 victims and release of prisoners who remain lodged in various jails on various charges across the country. Calling for transparency in the system, Iqbal said "The Delhi High Court had ordered the Central government to take a decision on allowing entry to blacklisted Sikhs within two months but nothing has happened. We demand that the Centre should make the entire blacklist public on website." According to Iqbal, whose old parents reside in Kapurthala district and children in Paris, there are scores of families who are facing hassles at the hands of embassies in respective countries on account of visa renewal. "There are hundreds of political asylum cases in France and other parts of Europe who are having a tough time due to non-sanctioning of visas," Iqbal said. Noting that innocent people have been allegedly included on the list which the Central government had sent to Punjab, he added, "Seventy per cent of the names and addresses are incorrect and this has been communicated to the government at the Centre. They are living in fear due to the tag of being anti-nationals." Senior advocate HS Phoolka, counsel for petitioner in 1984 anti-Sikh riots and who has also fought cases of blacklisted NRIs, said, "Foreign citizens are refused visas by the Indian government randomly and in many cases on unfounded allegations and that too for over 15-20 years even as there had been no objectionable activities against them. The government should not make people run to courts and review the blacklist." As per Phoolka, they (such NRIs) should be informed about the reasons for the refusal of visa and why their names feature on the list with many cases being those related to similarity of names, anti-India activities or justice for 1984 Sikh riots victims. "This is really absurd and arbitrary on the part of the embassies and people should be communicated about the allegations so that they can represent their case in the court. Many others languish in jails. They should be given a chance to mainstream as normalcy has returned in areas that saw militancy wave (Punjab)," observed Phoolka. At the site, supporters of Anna Hazare had come today while there were representatives from Sikh Student Federation and Justice for Victims who expressed their solidarity on the first day of Iqbal's fast on Saturday. |
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Palash Sen’s musical soiree at NDMC function
New Delhi, January 5 Often-heard numbers 'Mai Re' and 'Dhoom - Pichak' were sung by Sen on public demand. The band of CRPF also performed today at the same venue. Thousands of visitors also heard and enjoyed the tunes played by the band. On the occasion, NDMC engineers, engaged in the renovation of Connaught Place, were also felicitated by the New Delhi Traders Association (NDTA). |
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Inspired by 'Dhoom', bikers snatched and zoomed
New Delhi, January 5 A Pulsar motorcycle used in the commission of crime and six high-end mobile phones worth Rs 2 lakh have been recovered from their possession, said Ravinder Yadav, Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime). According to Yadav, a number of snatching cases were reported recently. To check them, the cases were referred to the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police that constituted a special team to nab the culprits. The team members collected the details of criminals, particularly snatchers, operating in the area. Those released from jail were also questioned. He said that during investigation, the police came to know about Khalil who had come to the Adarsh Nagar Metro station last evening. A trap was laid there and Khalil, along with his accomplice Rehan, was arrested. During their interrogation, the accused admitted to have committed a number of snatchings. They were inspired by the motorcyclists of the 'Dhoom' series. |
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