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Post-Godhra Ghost returns
NCP workers boycott Pawar rally
A Pakistan where people want Modi as PM
SSB opens the door to women officers
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Anna targets NCP’s sitting MP over graft
In AP, parties grapple with rebel trouble
Railways gets SC nod for catering contracts
India exports indelible ink to 28 countries
Bastar attack: Did complacency cost precious lives?
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PMO query to Modi: Can letters he exchanged with Atal be revealed?
New Delhi, April 13 Earlier, the information was denied to an RTI applicant by the Central Public Information Officer of the PMO SE Rizwi, citing Section 8(1)(h) of the RTI Act. He had not given any reasons for denying information. The decision was overturned during an appeal before his senior Krishan Kumar, Director PMO, where the applicant objected to the response of the CPIO saying he failed to give germane reasons behind the denial of information. The applicant also underlined that the correspondence was 11-year-old and was not likely to have any impact on the investigation and prosecution of offenders. Upholding the reasons given by the applicant, the appellate authority directed the CPIO to provide additional details with regards to the case. “As regards the contention that the grounds for exemption claimed under Section 8(1)(h) are not tenable, the CPIO, PMO, is directed to obtain fresh inputs in this regard and provide the same to the applicant within 15 working days,” Krishan Kumar decided. In the latest response to the over six-month-old application under the RTI Act, Rizvi said the matter had been referred to the office for fresh inputs following the decision of the appellate authority. “It is informed that the third party (the Gujarat Government and Modi in the present case) consultation under Section 11(1) of the RTI Act is underway on a similar request and the response regarding disclosure of information in this regard will be provided to you after due process, as envisaged in Section 11 of the Act, is completed,” he said. - PTI
RTI check
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NCP workers boycott Pawar rally
Ratnagiri (Maharashtra), April 13 Rane, elder son of Congress leader and state Industry Minister Narayan Rane, is contesting from the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency in coastal Konkan region. Prior to Pawar's rally for Rane, the rebel NCP leaders and activists gave a grand welcome to the Union Agriculture Minister when he arrived here. Pawar reportedly gave an earful to rebel NCP legislator Deepak Kesarkar, who was leading the anti-Rane brigade. Following this, Kesarkar tendered his resignation as legislator. The party also slapped a show-cause notice to Kesarkar, asking him to explain his anti-party activities.— PTI
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A Pakistan where people want Modi as PM
Purnea (Bihar), April 13 More than 250 residents, including over 100 voters of a village called "Pakistan" in Bihar's Purnea district, are set to vote for the BJP to help Modi to fulfil his dream. "We want Narendra Modi to become PM," said Hira Hembrum, a middle-aged villager. Hembrum's view was supported by most of the villagers who are living in abject poverty and without basic amenities. Pakistan is the name of a village in Singhiya panchayat, Srinagar block, about 30 km from Purnea town, the district headquarters. "People in Pakistan are keen to vote for the BJP to see Modi as PM," Haldu Murmu, another villager of Pakistan in Purnea, about 350 km from the state capital," was quoted as saying in local media. What is interesting is that there is not one Muslim family in the village, which comprises mostly Santhal tribal households. There also is not one mosque in this Pakistan. Murmu said they want to vote Modi to counter neighbouring country Pakistan's bid to disrupt peace. "Only Modi can do it," he said. Purnea goes to polls April 24. According to a police official, government documents record the name of the village as Pakistan. So how did the village get its name? Elders in the village recall that the village was named soon after India's partition in 1947. "Many Muslims who earlier lived here chose to leave for East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), when the country was partitioned. We decided then that the village could be named in their memory," one elderly villager said. Pakistan village is poor and illiterate. The literacy rate in Purnea district is just 31.51 per cent. There is hardly a literate person in Pakistan village, where proper roads, a school or a hospital is hard to come by. However, anti-Pakistan sentiment dominates the village. Murmu recalled that after 26/11, when 166 people were killed by Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai, the villagers had even considered changing the name of their village. In 2012, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar informed a visiting Pakistani delegation that there was a village named after their country in the state. The surprised delegates told Nitish Kumar that they had never heard of the village. — IANS
It's a Bihar village
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SSB opens the door to women officers
New Delhi, April 13 The women officers, after induction, will have an opportunity to serve in far-flung border locations of the force which secures 'open' and important Indian frontiers with Nepal and Bhutan. Young women up to the age of 25 years will be recruited as direct entry officers in the rank of assistant commandants (ACs) and according to sources in the Union Home Ministry, the force will have the trained women officers on ground by late 2015. Till now, women could only don the combat uniform in the officer cadre in three other central security forces, the Central Reserve Police Force, Central Industrial Security Force and the Border Security Force. However, women will still not be inducted as officers in the third border guarding force of the country - the Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force - deployed along the China border. The SSB, in 2007, was the first to recruit women in junior ranks of constables but since then, the contingents were being commanded by male officers and hence a desire was felt to have women officers in the force. — PTI
Another male bastion falls
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Anna targets NCP’s sitting MP over graft
Mumbai, April 13 Hazare’s Bhrashtachar Virodhi Jan Andolan Nyas is distributing pamphlets detailing charges against Patil in the constituency much to the embarrassment of the NCP. Among charges of corruption, Patil is accused of murdering his cousin and political rival Pawanraje Nimbalkar. The MP is out on bail in the case after spending nearly a year in jail. A complaint is also registered against Patil for allegedly paying some hitmen to bump off Hazare. The social activist had earlier stated that his organisation wanted to present all facts before the voters of Osmanabad before they go to the polling stations. Along with Patil, Hazare had targeted Shiv Sena leader Babanrao Gholap as well, who was an accused in a disproportionate assets case. However, Shiv Sena dropped Gholap after he was convicted by the Sessions Court days before he was to file his nomination. Patil, who is distantly related to Sharad Pawar, is also facing the anger of farmers in the constituency whose crops were damaged by hailstorms last February. In the last elections, Patil had won by less than 7,000 votes. Shiv Sena is banking on the Narendra Modi factor to dethrone him. Despite the murder taint, Sharad Pawar is reportedly working hard to ensure Patil’s victory. However, with the rival Shiv Sena and the BJP playing up the murder case against Patil much will depend on how much weight Hazare can add to their campaign.
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In AP, parties grapple with rebel trouble
Hyderabad, April 13 All major contenders for power--- the Congress, Telugu Desam Party and Telangana Rashtra Samithi - are grappling with the rebel menace. As many as 51 rebel candidates, across the political spectrum, are in the fray in 119 Assembly constituencies of Telangana region, going to polls on April 30. The disgruntled ticket-aspirants are in such large numbers that they might play spoilsport and influence the poll outcome in many constituencies. More than the rival candidates, the parties appear to be more worried about the impact of rebels within their ranks and how much damage they can do to the official nominees. Though Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh camped in Hyderabad for a couple of days to persuade party rebels to withdraw from the race, several refused to pull out of the race. Telangana PCC chief Ponnala Lakshmaiah himself is facing a rebel candidate Bakka Jadson, one of the secretaries of the PCC, in Jangaon Assembly constituency in Warangal district. Incidentally, Lakshmaiah is one of the contenders for the Chief Minister’s post in the new state of Telangana. TRS chief K Chandrasekhar Rao, being projected as the architect of the successful Telangana statehood movement, is also facing rebel trouble. In Medak, TRS rebel Beeriah Yadav has refused to withdraw his nomination. He even lodged a complaint with election authorities, alleging that TRS legislators KT Ramarao and T Harish Rao were threatening him. Even in Gajwel Assembly constituency where TRS chief is contesting the election, a party rebel K Linga Reddy is in the fray. Warangal DCC president D Madhava Reddy, who filed his nomination in Narsampet against the party’s official candidate Katti Venkataswamy, too remained defiant. The Congress could not convince its rebels from withdrawing in constituencies allotted to its ally the CPI either. Former MLA M Rangareddy remains in the fray in Maheswaram Assembly constituency in the neighbouring Ranga Reddy district though the seat was allotted to CPI as part of an alliance. Similarly, at Munugodu in Nalgonda district, Congress Rajya Sabha member P Govardhan Reddy’s daughter Sravanthi remained in the poll fray as a rebel against CPI’s official candidate. The much-hyped poll-eve alliance between TDP and BJP too appears to be facing a rough weather as rebels in both parties continue to stay in the fray in several constituencies. BJP leader Sankineni Venkateswara Rao, who had quit the TDP and joined the party a few days ago, refused to withdraw his nomination against TDP?s official candidate in Suryapet Assembly seat in Nalgonda district. As many as 19 seats shared by both parties are now facing rebel trouble in Telangana. TDP rebels had filed nominations in 12 Assembly segments that have been allotted to BJP as part of electoral alliance whereas the BJP rebels filed nominations against the official TDP candidates in seven Assembly seats. An overwhelming majority of BJP leaders in Telangana have steadfastly opposed the alliance with TDP. As a result, there are doubts over mutual vote transfer at cadre-level during the elections. Telangana accounts for 17 Lok Sabha and 119 Assembly seats. A total of 267 candidates for LS seats and 1669 candidates for Assembly seats are in the fray.
Fighting their 'own'
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Railways gets SC nod for catering contracts
New Delhi, April 13 A Bench headed by Justice KS Radhakrishnan asked the Railways to complete the tender process and submit the outcome to the court as Additional Solicitor General Mohan Jain pleaded that the 2010 Catering Policy was necessary to improve passenger amenities. The Railways has come to the SC in appeal, challenging the Andhra Pradesh High Court judgment directing the administration to consider the plea of existing caterers for renewal of their licences subject to their meeting the conditions. Jain contended that the existing licencees were not entitled to renewal as the contracts given to them were not covered under the 2010 policy. Nevertheless, some of the licences had been renewed as a stop gap arrangement to ensure uninterrupted catering service to passengers. But this should not be construed as a regular renewal, he explained. The existing caterers had got license on nomination basis more than 40 years ago. Finding the new policy unacceptable, they approached various high courts in batches challenging the tender process. Under the tender process, Railways has invited sealed bids for grant of licenses for running catering stalls at railway stations falling in various categories. The new policy also envisages availability of ‘janata khana,” besides introduction of national and regional cuisines. Under the policy, the Railway Board would determine the menu and tariff for the standard meals, breakfast, tea, coffee and catering charges which would be included in the fare. Zonal Railways would decide the menu and tariff for all other items. IRCTC would be responsible for running food plazas, food courts and fast food units within the policy ambit.
Complete tender process
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India exports indelible ink to 28 countries
New Delhi, April 13 The indelible ink on the finger — which is now being flaunted as a fashion statement — has a history of its own. It is no ordinary ink. It cannot be removed by any chemical, detergent or oil. Once it is applied on the finger, it remains there for a few months — till new skin cells grow. The credit of producing the ink goes to Mysore Paints and Varnish Limited (MPVL), a Government of Karnataka undertaking, which supplies it in India and also exports it to 28 nations. It was in 1962 that the company was made its sole authorised supplier in India, having an exclusive licence granted by National Research Development Corporation (NRDC), New Delhi. The company’s mandate was to supply ink for all Parliamentary and Assembly polls. It was developed in association with the Election Commission, National Physical Laboratory and NRDC. The Karnataka Government-owned company was established in 1937 by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, the then Maharaja of Mysore.
Global presence Since 1976, the Karnataka Government-owned company, has been exporting indelible ink to 28 countries
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Bastar attack: Did complacency cost precious lives?
Raipur, April 13 Five personnel of CRPF's 80th Battalion were killed when the ultras blew up the ambulance carrying them at Kamanar village under Darbha police station on Saturday. "The preliminary investigation of the incident revealed that two villagers were spotted keeping an eye on the road opening party (ROP) of the 80th Battalion of CRPF during its operation in the restive Drabha stretch," said a senior state Intelligence Bureau official requesting anonymity. He said the CRPF men, too, had noticed those villagers but overlooked them and continued with their operation on Darbha-Jagdalpur road. The incident occurred when around ten CRPF personnel were travelling in an ambulance. "Apparently, both the suspects must have passed the information to their comrades positioned near Kamanar village where the landmine blast was triggered," the officer said. The incident took place just a few minutes after the paramilitary personnel had boarded the bus, he said. — PTI
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