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SC agrees to decide relief amount for Bhakra-Beas power projects
Rahul targets ‘corrupt’ Patnaik govt
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US, Israel ready to sell anti-tank missiles
IB officer behind declaring Ishrat terrorist: CBI
Italy slams India for invoking anti-piracy law
‘India Show’ in Lahore this week
Swaraj blocks re-entry of Reddy’s protege into BJP
Amend Lokpal Act, asserts rights group
Left leaders urge secular parties to unite for LS polls
As Anna, Kejriwal come closer, Gandhian organisations back AAP
India, China to discuss
boundary issues today
Will fight for justice for
Nido: Mother
Centre to recover incorrect benefits paid to employees
Telangana holds zero poll prospects for Cong: Reddy
Economic blockade against Arunachal lifted
Cong mastered art of misusing CBI: Jaitley
I-T Dept probing ‘violations’ by US Embassy school
11 drown as boat capsizes in Odisha Two CRPF officials killed in landmine blast by Maoists 2 ultras killed in Assam Sanjay Dutt seeks parole extension
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SC agrees to decide relief amount for Bhakra-Beas power projects
New Delhi, February 9 The court has intervened in the matter as the three states, with Punjab and Haryana on one side and Himachal Pradesh on the other, had taken diametrically opposite stands even on the aspect of who had to pay whom, let alone the amount of compensation. The dispute is an offshoot of the September 2011 judgment of the SC in a suit filed by Himachal in 1996 seeking higher share of electricity from these projects located in its territory with retrospective effect from the date of commissioning of these hydropower units, established by Punjab and Haryana. Partly allowing HP’s claim, the SC had asked the Centre to calculate the compensation amount and submit a report in consultation with the three states. Taking this opportunity, Himachal claimed a compensation of Rs 4,249.45 crore from Punjab and Haryana for the short supply of electricity all these years-the difference between the actual supply and its entitlement under the SC verdict. According to Himachal Pradesh, it is entitled to Rs 2,724 crore on account of the Bhakra projects, Rs 1,033.54 crore in respect of Dehar Power House and Rs 491.89 crore with regard to the Pong Power House. The Centre, however, calculated the compensation amount to be paid to Himachal at Rs 1,497 crore, about one-third of the hilly state’s claim. On the other hand, Punjab and Haryana told the SC if Himachal was entitled to 7.19 per cent of the power from the Bhkara Nangal project with effect from November 1, 1966, it should share the cost of construction of these projects (constructed by them by taking loans) to that extent with interest. The case
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Rahul targets ‘corrupt’ Patnaik govt
Salipur (Odisha), February 9 “The funds given to Odisha for welfare schemes do not reach beneficiaries. Most of the money is being misappropriated midway," he said. The Congress vice-president trained his guns at Patnaik during a party rally at Bhatapada village near Salipur town in Cuttack district. "There has been massive loot of iron ore and manganese from the state. A handful of people have benefited from the mining loot while people are suffering here," he said. Patnaik had termed the Congress as "corrupt" and BJP as "communal" during a programme held to celebrate the foundation day of his party on December 26 last. "While Odisha is amir (rich), its people are garib (poor)," he said, adding that the Centre's funds to the state were being
diverted and misappropriated. Attacking the BJD over frequent complaints of "central negligence", he claimed the UPA government at the Centre had provided maximum funds for the state's development. "No previous government had ever given such a huge amount of money to the state. I am told Rs 5,000 crore is still lying unspent here," he said. “Your money earned from coal, iron ore, manganese and different minerals is going to others’ pockets, while the state government is unable to run schools and hospitals. About 3,500 farmers have committed suicide in Odisha and above 10 lakh youths could not be given employment," he said and urged the people to "oust the BJD government to ensure speedy development of the state". Alleging that the BJD government had failed to implement welfare schemes, he said though the Centre allots money to the state for the midday meal scheme, "the funds go to fill others' bellies." "This government has even diverted the rice meant for BPL families," he alleged, adding the benefits do not reach the people because of corruption and mis-utilisation of funds by it. Rahul Gandhi also attacked the BJD over the Niyamgiri mining controversy as well. "We have fought for the tribals of Niyamgiri," Rahul said raising the tribal community's protest against Vedanta Group's proposed alumina refinery plant in the
Niyamgiri hills. — PTI
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US, Israel ready to sell anti-tank missiles
New Delhi, February 9 The US delegation at the ongoing Defexpo confirmed this yesterday, while sources said the Israeli offer was near-identical. India is set to split the order into two, sources on the Indian side told the Tribune. US Raytheon’s ATGM ‘Javelin’ and Israeli Rafale’s ‘Spike’ are on display at the
Defexpo. For New Delhi, it indicates a strategic shift, away from the till-now used Russian built ‘Konkurs-M’ and the French ‘Milan’
ATGMs. The US and Israeli missiles are a generation ahead of the existing lot used by the Army, an Indian official said. In the past four years, new inductions to Indian Air Force’s fleet of strategic planes and the Navy reconnaissance planes have been of US origin, ending a virtual Soviet/Russian monopoly over the market. Several of the radars in the Indian inventory, including the Phalcon mounted on the Russian IL-76, are of Israeli origin. Backing the US bid is the fact that US Deputy Secretary Defence Ashton Carter has proposed this under the Defence Technology Trade Initiative
(DTTI). He co-chairs the DTTI with National Security Adviser Shiv Shankar
Menon. “The US offers India joint development of the next generation of the Javelin under the
DTTI,” said Steve Schultz of Raytheon. On the Israeli side the delegation is led by a Director-General rank official from their Defence Ministry. An Israeli source said: “We are ready for a government-to-government deal with India”. The “Spike” is used in 28 countries, including in Europe. It is possible that the Israeli “Spike” could be used as a vehicle-mounted weapon, while the “Javelin” could be used in a shoulder-fired version. Indian Army proposes to buy 321 “Spike” missile launchers, 8,356 missiles and 15 training simulators and associated accessories, along with transfer of technology. It is also looking at buying 6,000 pieces of the “Javelin” and with repeat orders running into thousands.
Boosting firepower
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IB officer behind declaring Ishrat terrorist: CBI
New Delhi, February 9 In its supplementary chargesheet in the encounter case, the CBI has alleged that Kumar had given inputs to the Home Ministry that Ishrat was a terrorist to prove that the encounter in which the Mumbai girl was killed along with three others was a genuine one, agency sources said. The then Under Secretary in the Home Ministry, RVS Mani, gave two affidavits before the Gujarat High Court in less than two months, contradicting opinions on the antecedents of Ishrat, they said. While the affidavit filed on August 6, 2009 stated that Ishrat and three others were terrorists, in the one filed on September 30, 2009, Mani claimed there was no conclusive evidence to suggest she was a terrorist. The agency has alleged that affidavit of August 6, 2009 was a brain child of Kumar who was apprehensive of his role coming under scrutiny in case a detailed probe is carried out in the encounter, which CBI has termed as fake. CBI sources said the supplementary chargesheet, which is also the concluding one in the case unless directed by the competent court, filed by the agency this week did not go into the antecedents of Ishrat. “Nothing changes the fact that it was a joint counter terror operation of IB and Gujarat Police which was turned into a staged encounter. The antecedents of four victims do not change the fact that it was a fake encounter,” a senior CBI officer said. Nearly a decade after Ishrat was murdered along with her friend Javed Sheikh, alias Parnesh Pillai, in Gujarat and two others believed to be Pakistan nationals, the CBI filed a supplementary chargesheet naming Kumar, who was the then Joint Director of IB and posted in Gujarat. He was charged under Sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) for 302 (murder) and other sections of Indian Penal Code besides various provisions of the Arms Act.
— PTI
Supplementary chargesheet
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Italy slams India for invoking anti-piracy law
Rome, February 9 “Certain indications that come from New Delhi about the legal proceedings against our marines leave me dumbfounded and outraged,” Bonino said. “Our commitment to bring home Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone is stronger than ever,” she was quoted as saying in the Italian media yesterday. Her remarks came in the bakcdrop of Home Ministry giving sanction to National Investigation Agency (NIA) to prosecute the Italian marines under the new provision of the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act (SUA). The SUA carries the death sentences. But India last week spared them from the possibility of getting death penalty by asking the NIA to dilute the charges against them from murder to violence. “An eventual request for the SUA act to be invoked on the two marines, if it should be confirmed, will be challenged in court by the Italian defence in the strongest terms,” Agenzia Giornalistica Italia news agency quoted Bonino as saying. Bonino's remarks came ahead of tomorrow's hearing of the case by Supreme Court, which asked Indian authorities to resolve all disputes arising out of the issue of invoking an anti-piracy law against marines.
— PTI Marines’ trial under SUA
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Cong snatched Dalits’ rights: Modi
Kochi, February 9 Addressing a meeting here, the BJP's prime ministerial candidate sought to woo the Dalits and backwards saying there has been a "conspiracy" to snatch the rights given to the community by BR Ambedkar. Modi also promised that after coming to power at the Centre, he would like to do something for his "family", pointing towards the crowd at a meeting of the Dalit forum. "For the past 60 years, people have indulged in vote bank politics to divide and rule. This has led to our division and fragmentation. They are experts in ‘zeher ki kheti’. “The Ranganath Mishra Commission (on Religious and Linguistic Minorities) was set up to sow the seeds of poison," he said. On a visit to Karnataka last week, UPA chairperson and Congress president Sonia Gandhi had launched an attack on the Opposition BJP - accusing it of indulging in ‘zeher ki kheti’ (sowing seeds of poison) to attain power. Modi had hit out later saying it was the Congress, not the BJP, that was sowing seeds of poison. In an apparent dig at the Nehru-Gandhi family, Modi said those who are running the country for 60 years think all "good deeds" have been done by one family and "no one else." "I have done nothing for the family where I was born since I became Chief Minister," he said adding that he would do a lot of things for his "extended family" if given a chance to rule at the Centre. He was pointing at the crowd at the meeting. Modi said the history of the last century shows that most reformers were from backward communities or were Dalits who spent their lives in the service of the
downtrodden. — PTI
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‘India Show’ in Lahore this week
New Delhi, February 9 The second edition of the show is being organised from February 14-16 by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) in association with the Federation of Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI). The last such show was held in February 2012. But Anand Sharma, who was scheduled to travel to Lahore for the trade show, is understood to have been advised by both the External Affairs Ministry and the Commerce Ministry to postpone his trip in the absence of any movement on New Delhi’s proposals to Islamabad to remove trade barriers. Official sources said India was expecting Pakistan to remove the negative list, bring down the SAFTA-sensitive list to 100 and allow the transaction of all trade-able goods at the Attari-Wagah Border to create an a positive environment ahead of the Commerce Minister’s visit. “As there has been no progress on any of the subjects, the minister has been advised to go to Pakistan at an appropriate time,” sources said. Arvind Mehta, Joint Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, will represent the government at the trade show. Vikramjit Singh Sahney, president of the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told The Tribune that nearly 100 exhibitors and as many prominent businessmen from India would attend the three-day event. The purpose of the show was to promote economic and commercial links between the two countries, he added. Sahney said that apart from discussing trade issues with their Pakistani counterparts, Indian businessmen would also call on Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and seek removal of trade barriers.
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Swaraj blocks re-entry of Reddy’s protege into BJP
Bangalore, February 9 After his overtures to the Janata Dal (Secular) was reportedly rebuffed by HD Kumaraswamy, Sriramulu knocked the BJP’s door. Former Chief Minister Yeddyurappa, who also broke away from the BJP before the 2013 Assembly elections, recently returned to the saffron party. Sriramulu’s return to the BJP would have had a symbolic victory for the saffron party as it could have regained the lost strength. But Swaraj has reportedly put her foot down to block Sriramulu’s re-entry into the BJP as she fears that this will give an opportunity to her detractors to corner her by digging up her old association with the Reddy brothers. Despite former BJP Chief Ministers Sadananda Gowda and Jagadish Shettar putting in a word in favour of Sriramulu to the party high command and BJP national president Rajnath Singh not averse to the return of BSR Congress, it’s Swaraj’s resistance that is preventing the merger. Swaraj, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, apparently feels that had she not been close to the Reddy brothers, her name would have been in the reckoning for projection by the BJP as the prime ministerial candidate in the coming Lok
Sabha elections.
Fear of the past
Sushma Swaraj has reportedly put her foot down to block BSR Congress president B Sriramulu’s re-entry into the BJP as she fears that this will give an opportunity to her detractors to talk about her by digging up her old association with the Reddy brothers.
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Amend Lokpal Act, asserts rights group
New Delhi, February 9 In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dated February 9, Roy along with other NCPRI activists have drawn attention towards the retention of section 6A of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act which prevents any investigation under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (49 of 1988) without the Centre’s go-ahead. They said the L&L Act did not set aside the requirement in section 6A, which states that the Delhi Special Police should not conduct any enquiry into any offence allegedly committed under the Prevention of Corruption Act except with the previous approval of the Central Government where allegation relates to employees of the Joint Secretary-rank and above and officers appointed by the Centre in corporations established by any Central Act or governed by it. They have urged the Government of India should urgently rectify this anomaly without further delay to make the Act effective. Further, they have expressed concern over the rules that the Department of Personnel has notified for the L&L Act - “Search Committee Rules” saying that the rules contain some very retrograde provisions that would severely inhibit the efficacy of this law.
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Left leaders urge secular parties to unite for LS polls
Kolkata, February 9 During a rally at the brigade parade ground today, CPM general secretary Prakash Karat said they had already started negotiating with all “secular” parties in this regard and hoped to form a non-BJP and non-Congress third front in place of the UPA-2. He, however, did not spell out if the small parties in the UPA-2 were taken in their negotiation table. Karat said the BJP was not an alternative to the Congress and both these parties were following the same economic and pro-capitalist policies, which were harmful for the country. He lashed out at the BJP leadership for projecting Narendra Modi as their prime ministerial candidate who had publicly welcomed Mamata Banerjee in his future government at the Centre. “Modi had broken communal harmony in Gujarat and is now planning to destroy the country’s unity with the same communal card,” he alleged. The left front’s today’s rally was aimed at countering the TMC’s historic meeting at the brigade ground on January 30 and the BJP’s rally on February 5. The front chairman Biman Bose alleged that Banerjee was following autocratic method in curbing people’s democratic and trade union rights. “She is misusing the official power and the police against all Opposition parties and is now dreaming about the prime minister’s chair to destroy the country,” he alleged.
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As Anna, Kejriwal come closer, Gandhian organisations back AAP
New Delhi, February 9 While Hazare has listed a 17-point charter, including decentralisation of power, ownership rights to rest with gram sabhas, barring MNCs from plundering natural wealth (land, water and forests), saying any party agreeing to meet them would have his support, the AAP has agreed to all his demands. The late-night meeting between the Delhi CM and Hazare on Saturday may be indicative of thawing in ties between them even after the veteran anti-graft crusader took a dig at him earlier during the day while appreciating Mamata Banerjee for being grounded even after becoming a chief minister. AAP’s national spokesperson Anand Kumar said: “The AAP agrees to all his (Hazare’s) points. We will take up the matter with the Delhi CM.” he was speaking at the two-day Gandhian meet that concluded here today. Gandhians, including Narayan Desai, son of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal secretary Mahadev Desai; Kumar Prashanth, Secretary of GSN Ram Chandra Rahi; Ramjee Singh, former MP and V-C of Jain Vishwa Bharti University; condemned the Congress and the BJP and its PM candidate Narendra Modi for polarisation of votes, pro-capitalist stand and congratulated the AAP for ushering in a new brand of “secular” and democratic politics. Desai said: “All political parties select candidates based on caste or community and that has been discarded by the AAP. The AAP has not used that divisive tool and this is a major break-through in Indian politics. Others have been seeking votes in the name of religion when the AAP showed in Delhi that elections can be won without such communal tactics and money.” Singh said: “Gandhi ji was very critical of the parliamentary democracy based on parties. Today, political parties are in the hands of a select few bosses who distribute tickets and collect money and formulate manifesto, but AAP has changed things.”
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India, China to discuss
boundary issues today
New Delhi, February 9 National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon will host Chinese State Councillor Yang Jiechi, a former Foreign Minister, at the two-day meeting that will begin on Monday. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Beijing wanted to make the India-China boundary a bridge to facilitate exchanges and increase friendship between people of the
two countries. “It’s a positive statement...hopefully, the meeting between the two SRs will lead to progress in resolving the boundary question,” a source said. This will be the last meeting between the SRs of the two countries before the Lok Sabha elections. Menon will be assisted by senior officials of the External Affairs and Defence Ministries. The visiting Chinese leader is expected to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the end of the talks. He will also be inaugurating the “Year of India-China Friendly Exchanges” at a function here on Tuesday. It is learnt that the two SRs will hold discussions on a framework for a resolution of the boundary question, which constitutes the second step of a three-stage process. In the last round, the two sides had discussed the maintenance of peace and tranquillity along the
border, including ways and means to strengthen existing mechanisms for consultation and coordination on border affairs and methodology to enhance the efficiency of communication between the two sides. The last round was held in June last year, days after a tense three-week standoff between troops of the two countries in Ladakh region, following incursion by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) into the Indian territory. Subsequently, the two countries had signed a Border Defence Cooperation Agreement (BDCA) during the Indian PM’s visit to Beijing in October last year.
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Will fight for justice for
Nido: Mother
New Delhi, February 9 “I lost my son and I won’t let his death go in vain,” says Taniam’s mother, Nido Marina. She says now her only goal is to fight for justice for him. Taniam was the son of Arunachal Pradesh MLA Nido Pavitra. Recalling her last conversation with Taniam, Marina told The Tribune, “He called me up around 3.30 pm on January 29. His last words were ‘bye bye mummy’.” Before speaking to his mother, Taniam was at Lajpat Nagar in south Delhi, searching for his friend’s house. He stopped at a shop to ask for directions. The shopkeeper allegedly made fun of his “blonde” hairstyle and passed racist remarks. In his anger, he broke a glass counter of the shop and was beaten twice by the shopkeeper and his friends. After a “compromise” was brokered by the police, he went to his sister’s house and was found dead the next day. His only fault was that he was from the North-East, says his mother. “My son was a calm person. He didn’t like fighting. He always thought positively. He had studied at DPS, Panipat, in Haryana and was currently enrolled with Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar. He would always tell me ‘I am a Hindustani’. We are a Christian family, but he was also a follower of Hinduism,” said Marina. Marina says she will come to Delhi to discuss her son’s case with the Centre. “There is a need for mass awareness. Like no-smoking advertisements before a movie, why can’t we have ads that reads ‘no discrimination against the North-East’? says she.
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Centre to recover incorrect benefits paid to employees
Chandigarh, February 9 In a circular issued on February 6, the Department of Personnel and Training has issued directions that in all cases where the excess payments on account of wrong pay fixation, grant of scale without due approvals, promotions without following proper procedure, or in excess of entitlements come to notice, immediate corrective action must be taken. The new policy is based on a recent SC judgment that ruled that the excess payment of public money is basically “taxpayers’ money”, which belongs neither to the
officers who have effected over-payment nor the recipients. Ruling that effecting excess payment of public money by government officers may be due to negligence, carelessness, collusion, favouritism or mutual mistakes by the payer and payee, besides payments being made in many instances without any authority of law, the court held that any such payment amounted to unjust enrichment.
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Telangana holds zero poll prospects for Cong: Reddy
He was replying to a question on how serious a mistake Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi had done by proposing to divide the state, and how much damage it
might lead to Congress's electoral prospects. “We have rejected the President's reference in both Houses. It is unfortunate that the Central leaders and others want to put it in Parliament. We are protesting to highlight the issue and we are asking and requesting them to respect it," Reddy said. Reddy also said he was prepared for any eventuality, including resignation for his fight to keep the state united.
— PTI
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Economic blockade against Arunachal lifted
Guwahati, February 9 The agitating groups have given one-month time to the Arunachal Pradesh Government to apprehend the culprits. They have also asked the Assam Government to take concrete steps to ensure safety of people living near inter-state border. North East Students Organisation (NESO) adviser Samujjal Bhattacharyya said informed that economic blockade against Arunachal has been lifted. Crediting effort of All Assam Students Union (AASU) and All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union(AAPSU), NESO Adviser stated that it is due to the tireless efforts of premier student organizations of two states the economic blockade could be lifted. “All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union and All Assam Students Union will continue to hold dialogue to maintain peace between two neighbours. A meeting was held on Thursday at Biswanath Chariali in Sonitpur district, where representatives of NESO, AASU and various other student organisations were present,” said Samujjal. “The two states need to find solution to the imbroglio,” said Samujjal.
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Cong mastered art of misusing CBI: Jaitley
New Delhi, February 9 Sinha is reported to have said the UPA government would have been happy had Narendra Modi's aide Amit Shah been chargesheeted in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. Although Sinha yesterday denied having made the remark, BJP leader Arun Jaitley stepped up the offensive against the Congress-led coalition. "Yesterday, a statement by the CBI director was published... The truth slipped out... The denial of the CBI director that he made the statement is immaterial.” "There is voluminous evidence available with regard to the pliability of the CBI even independent of his retracted statement," he said in his blog. Union Minister Rajiv Shukla later said the CBI worked as an independent agency.
— PTI
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I-T Dept probing ‘violations’ by US Embassy school
New Delhi, February 9 The department's exemption wing, which deals with tax related issues pertaining to charitable institutions and those bodies that have been granted I-T waivers, has begun a “discreet probe into the financial aspects” and alleged violation of Indian tax laws, sources said. “Once the preliminary information is gathered, the tax department would take a view on issuing notices to the authorities concerned. Also, the CBDT would be informed as this is not a regular case and involves relations between two countries,” the sources added. Government sources said several teachers at the American Embassy school were working “illegally” in violation of both tax laws and their visa status. But in Washington last month, US State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki responded to reports of an Indian government inquiry into allegations of tax evasion with the statement that the school “is not run by the Embassy (and) only about a third of the students there are American”. India initiated a slew of initiatives in retaliation against the arrest and strip-search of its senior diplomat Devyani Khobragade, a 39-year-old 1999-batch IFS officer, on December 12 in New York on charges of visa fraud.
— PTI
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Rahul Gandhi today targeted Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing the BJD government of corruption, misuse of central funds, and siding with the mining mafia in the mineral-rich state.
New Delhi, February 9
Bangalore, February 9
Kolkata, February 9
New Delhi, February 9
New Delhi, February 9