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RJD-LJP-Congress alliance final in Bihar, says Paswan
Rahul Gandhi seeks workers’ inputs for party manifesto
Month short to judge govt, but we did well: Kejriwal
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Aam Aadmi Party to contest 350 LS seats
Cabinet nod for changes in OBC list
Asaram’s riches worth Rs 10,000 crore
Stand trial for not filing IT return, SC tells Jaya
Toll booths suspend collection as Raj Thackeray passes by
Tenders for Navi Mumbai airport in Feb
Western Command’s help system for veterans
Oppn guns for Meghalaya CM’s head
UP more developed than Gujarat: Akhilesh
Delhi heist has a Dubai link NSG needs woman commandos: Ex-DG Rajiv Gandhi’s killers deserve death: SC
Not liable to pay taxes for Indian ops: Google
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RJD-LJP-Congress alliance final in Bihar, says Paswan
The three parties will now work out seat-sharing, he told PTI. "RJD-LJP and Congress will fight the next Lok Sabha poll together in Bihar. Now the talks among the three parties are only about the number of seats each of us will contest," he said. He dismissed reports in the media about the LJP apprehending losses by aligning with the RJD. Paswan had earlier said that there are two views within the LJP on whether to align with Lalu Prasad's RJD or Nitish Kumar's JD (U) and that he had left this decision to Congress. Today, he said a view has gradually emerged that "it is this alliance of RJD-LJP and Congress" which can pose a formidable challenge to the BJP, which is a "communal force". He met Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday for the second time in the last one month to discuss the issue of poll alliance in Bihar. LJP sources said later that Paswan told Gandhi that his party will not talk to Lalu Prasad on the issue of seat-sharing, reflecting the unease between the two parties. Paswan accompanied by his son and LJP parliamentary board chairman Chirag Paswan had also made it clear to Gandhi that LJP, which had contested on 12 Lok Sabha seats, will like to contest on at least 10 seats this time. Party sources said the LJP has already given to AICC general secretary in charge of Bihar CP Joshi a list of 10 seats it wants to contest. It includes nine of the 12 seats LJP had contested in 2009 where it came second. It had lost all seats. Lalu Prasad had also met Sonia Gandhi once and Rahul Gandhi twice to discuss the alliance. Congress, which was earlier not sure about aligning with the RJD after Lalu Prasad's conviction in fodder scam, has lately made it clear that it has no problems with that party. Rahul Gandhi, asked recently how Congress could align with Prasad, had said, "our alliance (in Bihar) would be with the idea of a political party, not with an individual". Latching on to his comments, Paswan said the issue stands settled after Rahul Gandhi's remarks. "As far as seat-sharing is concerned, all the three parties will sit together and finalise it," Paswan said. LJP sources have been maintaining that it wants Congress to play the role of an "elder brother" in finalising seats. A section in the party was incensed at the statements of senior RJD leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh that Paswan's party should disclose its pehelwans (candidates) first and then demand seats. He had
said LJP should concentrate on winning more seats than contesting. In 2009 Lok Sabha polls, the RJD and the LJP had contested 28 and 12 seats, respectively, in Bihar as Congress had walked out of the alliance in a huff after being offered only three seats. RJD had later fielded candidates on all those three seats.
— PTI
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Rahul Gandhi seeks workers’ inputs for party manifesto
New Delhi, January 30 While labour union representatives pressed for a national commission for labour on the lines of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, Rahul told them the Congress hoped to bring 70 crore poor Indians into the middle class in future. “If we want to see 70 crore below the poverty line move into the middle class in the next five to 10 years, we need to create a floor under them that assures them basic health, education and income standards,” he said. Speaking about MNREGA, Rahul said the Congress had created a basic threshold of income for the rural poor beyond which they could not fall. “We have created this protection. No one can fall below a wage of Rs 100 a day,” he said. He promised union representatives that the Congress would push for the clearance of Street Vendors Bill in the forthcoming session of Parliament. Today’s meeting was the fifth in the line of open manifesto meetings that the Congress has been holding to seek inputs for its manifesto. Earlier, similar meetings were held with representatives of SC/ST/OBC community; minorities; youth; women and panchayati raj leaders. What FICCI says
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Month short to judge govt, but we did well: Kejriwal New Delhi, January 30 Working for a corruption-free government, the Chief Minister said the anti-corruption helpline and the government’s clear intention to crack down on corruption has had an impact in the city though much more needed to be done. Kejriwal said his government would come down hard on corrupt officials but, at the same time, would protect honest officers. “We are considering ways to protect honest officers,” he said. Kejriwal listed the Jan Lokpal and Swaraj Bills as the priority areas of his government in its fight against corruption. He said the Jan Lokpal Bill was likely to be taken up at the Cabinet meeting tomorrow and that the government wanted to convene the Assembly session by mid-February to get it passed. “We are working to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots as these victims have been denied justice for 30 years. The Cabinet is expected to take up this matter soon,” he said. Kejriwal also took credit for ending VIP culture in the city by doing away with red beacons and big bungalows. On the water and electricity front, Kejriwal said that CAG’s audit of power distribution companies and increased subsidy on power and drinking water were major steps towards providing relief to the people.
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Aam Aadmi Party to contest 350 LS seats
New Delhi, January 30 “Many people are defecting from their parties, hoping that they will get an AAP ticket. But, the party has to see the credibility of the ticket seekers,” he said. He said criminal cases were registered against 162 MPs and heinous cases were registered against 73. While deciding on candidates, the party will concentrate on three facts - he or she should possess a strong character with no criminal background or corruption charge. “The parliamentary election issues will again be discussed tomorrow at National Council meeting of the party and names of the candidates are likely to be announced by February 7-8,” he said.
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Cabinet nod for changes in OBC list
New Delhi, January 30 Based on the recommendations of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC), the Union Cabinet gave its approval for making amendments in the Central list of the OBCs in respect of 60 castes in 13 states by way of inclusion, correction, deletion of these castes and communities. The amendments will notify 115 changes recommended by the NCBC, an official statement said after the meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The states where these castes and communities belong to are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal and three union territories of Chandigarh, Delhi and
Puducherry. “The proposed changes will enable the persons belonging to these castes/communities to avail benefits of reservation in government services and posts as well as in Central educational institutions according to the existing policy,” the statement said. “They will also become eligible for benefits under various welfare schemes and scholarships being administered by the Central government, which are, at present, available to persons belonging to the OBCs,” it added.
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Asaram’s riches worth Rs 10,000 crore
Surat, January 30 "The scrutiny of documents recovered during the raid has established that wealth of Asaram's ashrams in the form of bank accounts and other investments including shares, debentures and government bonds (excluding land) is valued at Rs 9,000-Rs 10,000 crore," City Commissioner of Police Rakesh Asthana told reporters today. "The value of land has not been included in the assessment of Rs 10,000 crore," he said, adding the figures can escalate as there are many more documents still to be retrieved. Accordingly, the city police has informed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), the Income Tax (IT) department and the Enforcement Directorate for further probe into the violations. Police raids at one of Asaram's properties in Ahmedabad few months ago, unearthed thousands of documents detailing
his financial transactions which was brought to the city in more than 40 big bags. In Gujarat, they hold land at 45 places in 10 districts. Also, they own land at 33 places across eight districts in four states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, the CP said. "The CBDT, the Income Tax department and the Enforcement Directorate have been informed about the transactions. They will assist us in investigation," he said. These documents have been recovered from one place and it is not known whether they used to keep papers elsewhere too, Asthana said.
— PTI
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Stand trial for not filing IT return, SC tells Jaya
If convicted, she would face a jail term ranging from six months to seven years under Section 276CC of the IT Act. If the sentence is for two years or more, she would instantly lose her status as a member of the state Assembly. The apex court also passed a similar order with respect to N Sasikala, close associate of Jayalalithaa. The two were partners in Sasi Enterprises, a registered partnership firm. The IT Department had assessed their tax liability and of their company at over Rs 1 crore.
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2 more rhinos translocated to Manas National Park
Guwahati, January 30 The rhinos have been released in the wild following a period of in-situ acclimatization in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The duo follows the five rhinos — three females and two males — that had been hand-reared at the CWRC and rehabilitated in Manas National Park. The three females gave birth last year. The CWRC is a wildlife rehabilitation facility jointly run by the Assam Forest Department and International Fund for Animal Welfare - Wildlife Trust of India (IFAW-WTI). The two rhinoceros that have been just moved — Gopal and Hari — are males and were less than a month old when they were found desolate on March 13 and August 21, 2009 at Baruntika and Haldhibari areas of Kaziranga National Park respectively. They were admitted to CWRC for rehabilitation. Following the rhino rehabilitation protocol of the CWRC, they were hand-reared there. Both are about four years old now. Apart from Gopal and Hari, and the five other already released rhinos in Manas Park, five calves are currently being hand-reared by IFAW-WTI — three at the CWRC and two in Manas Park. "In India, the CWRC is the only such facility through which rescued rhinos are being rehabilitated. Three of the rehabilitated rhinos have become mothers in the wild and have proved the protocol correct. We hope these male rhinos too will add new genes to the Manas rhino population," said MK Yadava, Chief Conservator of Forest and Director, Kaziranga National Park, and project leader, CWRC. Dr Rathin Barman, Deputy Director, WTI, and in-charge, CWRC, said, "The CWRC is committed to the conservation of wildlife of Assam and we shall continue our efforts for securing the future of Assam's state animal." Life-saving step
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6th edition unveils mélange of contemporary art expressions
Nonika Singh Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 30 The fair, which will be open to public on January 31 at the NSIC grounds, unveiled a mélange of contemporary art expressions for select VIPs on Thursday. The glitterati present on the preview day included Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and his MP wife Harsimrat Kaur Badal. The sixth edition of the India Art Fair is an eclectic mix. From paintings to sculptures to video works to installation art to performance art, Delhi’s annual art extravaganza has it all. If on one hand there are works of masters such as MF Hussain, SH Raza and FN Souza, on the other there are artists such as Siddhartha Karanwal using experimental materials like brushes, yet managing to create an aesthetically pleasing work. India is the toast of the Fair with the participation of 47 Indian galleries out of the total of 91. However, the litmus test of any art event is not how many more new names it can attract, but how many come back year after year. The Fair scores even though certain big names have gone missing. Yet the continued presence of international galleries such as Die Galerie Germany, Scream, London, and Continua and 1by 1, Dubai, lends credibility to the Fair. Inside the Fair where works of nearly 1,000 artists are on display, there is a feeling of déjà vu too. Many galleries such as Scream, London, have once again brought works of artists such as Ye Hongxing and Pakpoom Silaphan who sold very well last year. Similarly, David Gersten’s huge steel cut outs are reminiscent of last edition. Then the artists’ preoccupation with their favourite material continues. If Vibha Galhotra’s life-size works are made with her favourite ghungroos, Atul Dodiya uses shop shutters as canvas. Of course, artists’ imagery renews itself. So, Sheba Chhachhi’s moving images in light boxes juxtapose tragedy queen Meena Kumari’s personal life with her portrayal on celluloid screen in 24 small television-like boxes, creating a fascinating collage. Yet another highpoint is project ‘Listen Up!’ a public sound art project to make sound art publicly accessible through cellular phones. Jewellery designer Nirav Modi occupies pride of place with his booth showcasing exquisite jewellery inspired by motifs from the Mughal miniature school of art. Apart from who’s who of Indian art world, luminaries such as Chris Decron, Director Tate Modern, London, and art philanthropist, collector, and entrepreneur Budi Tek, Philip Dodd Chairman of Made in China will be participating in the Speakers Forum in the next three days.
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Toll booths suspend collection as Raj Thackeray passes by
Mumbai, January 30 MNS workers have ransacked toll booths across the state since Sunday night to protest against “high charges” levied on road users in the state. The police said there were no disturbances at the Vashi, Urse and Talegaon toll nakas between Mumbai and Pune and Thackeray's convoy passed by without stopping. “The toll booths were opened for a short while,” a police officer at the Panvel police station, near Mumbai end of the Expressway to Pune, said. Thackeray had allegedly asked his party workers to beat up anyone asking them to pay toll tax. Only Members of Parliament, judges of the Supreme Court and the High Court and other dignitaries travelling for official work are exempted from paying toll. Thackeray is not among those exempted. The MNS chief is visiting Pune for three days ostensibly to review his party's preparedness ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Police stations in the area have filed FIRs against Thackeray for inciting violence. Though several MNS workers have been arrested, it is still unclear whether the police will arrest Thackeray or not.
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Tenders for Navi Mumbai airport in Feb
Mumbai, January 30 The City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO), in charge of developing the Navi Mumbai township, has announced that it will initiate the request for qualification (RFQ) process on February 5. Sanjay Bhatia, vice-chairman and managing director, CIDCO, said the RFQ will be followed by the final request for proposal (RFP) once the entire land required for the airport is acquired. “The process will take a year to complete. We have decided to go ahead with the RFQ process. Negotiations are also on with six of the 18 villages, which are expected to give their consent to land acquisition,” Bhatia told mediapersons. CIDCO needs to acquire 260 hectares falling in 18 villages that are yet to give their consent to acquisition. This land is crucial for the airport since it lies in the middle of the proposed facility on which the runways are to be laid. The state government has begun the process of rehabilitating the villages located in the core airport area. Contracts are being given out to local companies for building civic amenities in the township where the project-affected people are to be rehabilitated. Apart from levelling hills, two rivers need to be diverted to construct the airport. Negotiations on
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Western Command’s help system for veterans
Chandigarh, January 30 The system consists of an Ex-Servicemen Sahayta Regional Centre located at command headquarters in Chandimandir and Ex-Servicemen Sahayta Kendras located at nine other important locations in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Ex-servicemen can register their complaints with the kendras on toll-free telephone numbers, through email or by visiting the centres. These requests will be taken up by the kendras with the agencies concerned and the outcome would be intimated to the ex-servicemen. Each centre has been provided with a separate telephone number and an email address. Besides Chandimandir, the other centers are located at Ambala, Jalandhar, Patiala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Jammu, Pathankot, Yol and Shimla. After retirement, ex-servicemen are faced with a number of problems which need early resolution. Most of these problems pertain to pension, medical facilities, re-employment and post retirement documentation. The solution for such problems lie with resolving agencies like banks, pension authorities and records offices, whom ex-servicemen have to approach directly in their individual capacity.
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Oppn guns for Meghalaya CM’s head
Guwahati, January 30 The National Political Party cited media reports quoting an e-mailed statement of A’chik National Volunteers Council (Breakaway) political secretary Ajaju R Marak allegedly pointing towards CM having a close nexus with the militant outfit to tackle his political rivals. The Chief Minister has denied having any links with the militants and termed the allegation a part of conspiracy to malign his image and credentials by his political rivals. NPP leader and MLA James K Sangma said, “The NPP demands an independent CBI or NIA enquiry into the allegations. The CM should step down to facilitate a free and fair enquiry.”
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UP more developed than Gujarat: Akhilesh
Firozabad, January 30 He claimed the number of welfare schemes being run in UP was more than that of any other state, including Gujarat. He said Modi got 15 years to develop Gujarat, but the present SP government had set an example within its two-year rule. He said several schemes like distribution of laptops, kanya vidyadhan, free treatment to poor and free water for irrigation had hugely benefited the people. — PTI
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Delhi heist has a Dubai link New Delhi, January 30 Police sources said the call details of a Delhi-based businessman and bookie Rajesh Kalra, who owned some of the stolen money, showed that he was in touch with some Dubai-based persons. "The money that was robbed may have been procured from Dubai via a hawala network. It is possible that it was part of a betting racket," sources said. Kalra has links with bookies and hawala operators in Mumbai, sources maintain. He is an accused in the Hansie Cronje match-fixing case of 2000. The former South African cricketer had allegedly used Kalra's mobile phone to speak to the main bookie in the case, Sanjeev Chawla. Kalra's business partner Rakesh Kumar Sharma and three other men-Subodh, Rajesh and Baijnath-were transporting Rs 7.69 crore in a Honda City car on Tuesday morning. They were headed for Karol Bagh in south Delhi to deposit the money in two banks there. At the BRT corridor near the Lajpat Nagar metro station, a Wagon-R car overtook them and braked abruptly. An argument ensued between occupants of the Honda City car and the only occupant of Wagon-R. Meanwhile, six armed men, who had been following the Honda City car in another car, came out of their vehicle and trained guns at Sharma and the other three. The robbers, including the person driving the Wagon-R, took away the Honda City car in which cash was kept in bags, leaving behind Sharma and others. Investigators said Sharma was initially reluctant to inform the police about the robbery. "It was only after bystanders persuaded one of them that the matter was reported to the police," sources said. Sandeep, who was travelling in an i-20 car and was part of the group transporting the money, has reportedly informed the investigators that his cousin Ashok Ghogha might be behind the robbery. Ghogha, a gangster lodged in a Rohtak jail, has denied his involvement in the incident. The police have questioned several persons in connection with the case, including two Tihar Jail inmates.
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NSG needs woman commandos: Ex-DG
Dutt, who had supervised the counter terrorist operations in the Mumbai 26/11 attack and is currently the Principal Advisor to Global Rescue International Indo Australian joint venture, said: “Perhaps women do not find the NSG lucrative enough. The need to induct women was felt even during our counter operation at the time of the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Women and children were crying while our commandos were rescuing them from the hotel. Our operation would have got a human touch if only we had some woman commandos to rescue the anguished hostages at that time.” He said: “When I was heading the NSG in 2006, 60 women were to join the force from Tamil Nadu, but they did not.” Dutt said: “We learnt our lessons from the 26/11 operation. There were items and weaponry still under procurement at that time. Procedures were long drawn. At a time when security of a nation is concerned, we have to put procurement on the fast track. It took two decades to obtain extendable ladders to counter hijacking operations through global tenders.” “Technology is now advancing at a faster pace. The NSG now has unmanned aerial vehicles, video ball and the best equipment, but still a lot needs to be done,” he added.
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Rajiv Gandhi’s killers deserve death: SC New Delhi, January 30 A Bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said that it is hearing the case on commuting the death sentence to life due to delay in deciding their mercy plea by government authority and restrained the counsel appearing for the death row convict to argue on the merit of the conviction. "They deserve death sentence but the question is how long can they be confined in solitary confinement," the Bench said. The counsel appearing for the convicts including senior advocate Ram Jethmalani wrapped up their arguments within 45 minutes during which they submitted that there has been unreasonable delay in deciding the mercy plea of Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan. They submitted that mercy plea of other condemned prisioners, which were filed after them, were decided but their petitions were kept pending by the government. The Centre, which is opposing the plea of the condemned prisoners, will put forward its argument on February 4. The apex court had in May, 2012 decided to adjudicate itself the pleas of Rajiv Gandhi killers against their death penalty and had directed that their petitions, pending with the Madras High Court, be sent to it. The court had passed the order on a petition by one LK Venkat seeking transfer of their pleas out of Tamil Nadu on the ground that free and fair hearing would not possible in the state due to the surcharged atmosphere, favouring the death row convicts. On a petition by the three death row convicts, the Madras High Court had earlier stayed their hanging and issued notices to the Centre and the Tamil Nadu Government. — PTI
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Not liable to pay taxes for Indian ops: Google
New Delhi, January 30 The submission has been made in an affidavit filed by the website in the Court that is hearing a plea by a former BJP leader seeking protection of children from online abuse.
— PTI
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New Delhi, January 30
New Delhi, January 30
Chandigarh, January 30