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Capt’s remark on Tytler triggers protest
’84 riots: Arun Jaitley calls Amarinder devil’s advocate
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Sonia to campaign in Punjab on April 26
Rahul rally: Poor turnout leaves M’rashtra Cong unit red-faced
Army Chief selection row
Cell phone radiation, cancer have no link: Pulitzer awardee
Retirement plea of upset Navy Commander accepted
Khushwant abided by tradition: PM’s wife
Coal block allocation scam
SC notice to Goa police on Tejpal’s bail plea
Prosecution completes arguments in Asaram case
clinical trials
FIR against Kejriwal, Vishwas
Apex court reserves order on Sahara’s repayment plan
Pak hackers target Advani’s website
Dhumal, Shanta share stage after two years
Congress sarpanch among 3 shot in Kashmir
SC allows iron ore mining in Goa
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Capt’s remark on Tytler triggers protest
New Delhi, April 21 DSGMC president Manjit Singh (GK), who led the protesters, said Amarinder had betrayed the community by giving clean chit to Tytler. He said Amarinder made that statement on the directions of AICC chairperson Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi with an aim to polarise the electorate. Terming the statement of Amarinder Singh as atrocious, shocking and anti-Sikh, he said it had angered the Sikhs around the world and had rubbed salt into the wounds of families of innocent people who were killed in the 1984 riots. "Amarinder's comment proves that he is a courtier of Sonia Gandhi's darbar and does whatever suits the Gandhi family," he said. He said the SAD would continue its fight till justice was done. "Comments by Congress cronies like Amarinder Singh would not deter us," he said. Manjit Singh said he had sought time from the Election Commissioner to submit a letter seeking action against Amarinder Singh on the issue. SAD activists gathered at Akbar Road around 12 noon and then marched towards the AICC headquarters. They were carrying placards with anti-Congress slogans written on them. The police had put up barricades to stop them. As the protesters tried to break the barricades, the police used water cannons to disperse them. Some of them were detained for some time and later released.
Protesters' stand
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’84 riots: Arun Jaitley calls Amarinder devil’s advocate
Amritsar, April 21 Addressing a gathering after a massive road show in the Majitha Assembly segment, Jaitley said, "It is for the investigating agencies and the judiciary to find out the truth. Why has Amarinder become the 'Devil's Advocate' and decided to give a clean chit to Tytler? Is he trying to prejudge the guilt of a person who is perceived to be involved in the riots? Is his personal and political relationship more important to Amarinder than the interest of the victims?" He said the massacre of innocent Sikhs after the assassination of Indira Gandhi was a black spot on Indian democracy. "The fact that the innocent can be killed in thousands is terrible. What is worse is that the guilty went unpunished," he said. The collusion of the state was visible as no rioter was fired upon by the police. "They were given a safe passage to loot and kill. FIRs were not registered for years. No arrests were made. The violence was politically rationalised by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi," he said. Revenue Minister Bikram Singh Majithia said Amarinder was an "opportunistic who can do anything for Sonia Gandhi and that is why he was giving clean chit to Tytler". Amarinder, however, said he was nobody to give a clean chit to anyone, including Tytler, as it was for the courts to decide. He only stated what he had heard from the people immediately after the riots broke out in New Delhi in 1984, he said. He said the SAD and the BJP were blowing the issue out of proportion as they wanted to polarise people for petty political reasons. The 1984 riots were the most tragic and gruesome and those responsible should be awarded exemplary punishment.
Is his personal and political relationship more important to Amarinder than the interest of the (riot)
victims?
I am nobody to give a clean chit to anyone, including Jagdish Tytler. It is for the courts to adjudicate on such
issues.
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Sonia to campaign in Punjab on April 26
New Delhi, April 21 Congress sources said Sonia Gandhi would canvas at two locations in Punjab subject to her health. She was unwell yesterday because of which her rally in Maharashtra had to be cancelled. Sources close to Congress president’s office said her health had improved and she would address her pending rally in Maharashtra tomorrow. In Punjab, Sonia will hold election rallies for party candidate Vijay Inder Singla in Barnala (Sangrur) and Mohinder Kaypee in Hoshiarpur. The schedules of other top leaders have not yet been confirmed with the sources saying the Congress would rework its dates for the visits of top leaders to ensure these do not coincide with the upcoming rally of BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi in Punjab. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is expected to keep his date with Punjab on April 28 when he might address rallies in Bathinda and Ludhiana. The schedules of Rahul are however yet to be confirmed by his office though the state unit has sent the request for April 28. There is also a proposal for Rahul’s road show in Gurdaspur for April 28, said Congress leaders pointing to an interesting development in Punjab where some seniors have told the Congress high command that the party’s star campaigners need not canvas for heavyweight candidates like Capt Amarinder Singh in Amritsar; Ambika Soni in Anandpur Saheb and even Partap Bajwa in Gurdaspur. “There is a view that seniors are comfortably placed and would like to avoid any distraction from the ongoing campaign. The visit of star campaigners entails a lot of infrastructural arrangement which leads to loss of crucial time. The suggestion is that the central leaders should concentrate on other areas,” admitted a top Congress source.
PM’s schedule not final
Congress sources said some candidates had requested the AICC to send Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for campaigning in Punjab but the PMO was yet to finalise any schedules
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Rahul rally: Poor turnout leaves M’rashtra Cong unit red-faced
Mumbai, April 21 Sources said senior leaders of the party could mobilise around 70,000 people instead of 2 lakh planned earlier. Worse still, many of them had already left by the time Rahul arrived at the venue. Most people brought in for the rally were from
Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, Dombivli and other places which go to the polls on Thursday. Police personnel estimated that between 35,000 and 40,000 people were present when Rahul delivered his speech. "Most of the people were brought in by MLAs who are seeking re-election. Party leaders from constituencies that went to the polls earlier did not cooperate,” a Congress leader from Mumbai told this reporter. Senior party leaders such as Industry Minister Narayan Rane who have the capacity to mobilise huge crowds are expected to face the heat. Mumbai Congress chief Manikrao Thakre and Chief Minister Prithiviraj Chavan may also be taken to task, sources said. The buzz in the party circles is that party chief Sonia Gandhi skipped the rally after being informed of the poor turnout. NCP chief Sharad Pawar who had landed at Mahalaxmi race course by helicopter 15 km away, too stayed away leaving Rahul and NCP leader Praful Patel to handle the show at the last
minute. Rahul who rushed to Mumbai arrived nearly four hours late and was clearly unprepared. He had to be prompted about the Congress’ candidates for the Lok Sabha elections causing embarrassment to the party leadership. Questions are also being asked about the Congress’ decision to hold the rally at the sprawling MMRDA grounds at the Bandra-Kurla Complex. The Congress wanted to hold the rally in the grounds in response to the mega rally organised for the BJP's Narendra Modi earlier this year. The BJP has promised an encore later this evening when Modi is expected to address another rally for his party. The only saving grace for the Congress was the enthusiastic response Rahul received from the audience. The Congress leader was cheered every time he hit out at Narendra
Modi. Rahul's allegations of crony capitalism against the Gujarat Chief Minister drew the most applause. What should also give some hope to the party was the cheer Rahul got from the women in the audience.
Thin attendance
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BJP’s appeal threatens tradition of appointing service chiefs in advance
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 21 The incumbent Army Chief, General Bikram Singh, retires on July 31, while the counting of votes for the General Elections is slated for May 16 and the formation of the new Government has to be done before June 2. There is a period of 76 days between May 16 and till the time General Bikram Singh retires. “In case, the new government is not formed within a few days, will the process stop?” asked a top source. Lt Gen Dlabir Singh Suhag, the Vice-Chief, is the front runner as he will be the senior-most as on July 31 when General Bikram Singh retires. Officers in the past have been designated as Chiefs months in advance. The appeal from the BJP will mean stalling an ongoing process that sets into motion months in advance and setting a new precedent where the appointment of a service chief awaits a change of government. On the other hand, if the ruling dispensation does go ahead with the appointment, it will again set a precedence that there is no need to wait for the elections to get over. As far as the Election Commission is concerned, it had passed the instructions on March 27, saying “the model code of conduct is not applicable to any matter pertaining to defence forces, be it recruitments, promotions for defence forces or all service matters pertaining to them...” In the past, the Ministry of Defence has appointed Service Chiefs months in advance. General Deepak Kapoor (retd) was appointed on July 26, 2007, that is 67 days prior to his taking over; Gen VK Singh (retd) who has questioned the move of the MoD was appointed on January 22, 2010, that is 69 days in advance to his taking over. General Bikram Singh was appointed on March 3, 2012, that is 89 days prior to his taking over. Incidentally, VK Singh’s relative Lt Gen Ashok Singh, the Southern Army Commander gets to gain in the case, Lt Gen Suhag’s case gets scuttled.
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Cell phone radiation, cancer have no link: Pulitzer awardee
New Delhi, April 21 Mukherjee went to the extent of suggesting that the World Health Organisation should review its decision to categorise “cell phones” as possible carcinogens. “The WHO must downgrade the cell phones from the category of possible carcinogens to keep the scientific language around cancer accurate. The point is so far no links have been established, although major studies, including the National Toxicology Study, are on to understand links if any. Till the time such links are established it would be inaccurate to term cell phones as carcinogenic. If a link is established later, the WHO can always upgrade mobiles into the said category. I would recommend the WHO to do that,” Mukherjee said. He made the point that cancer risk related to radiations from the higher end of the spectrum was well established but the same was not yet true of the cancer risk from radiation which falls in the lower end of the spectrum category. “The most striking piece of information is if you look at the epidemiology of brain cancer and its rates, their status over the last many years has been static. There has been no sudden rise in the rates of cancer in the last 15 years which saw cell phone technology invade the world. Contrast this with the epidiomolgy of cancer caused by tobacco use. There is a clear rise in the rates of cancer in people exposed to tobacco. This rise is parallel to the risk of tobacco related cancer. The weight of evidence has shifted far from any connections between electromagnetic field radiations emanated by cell phones and cancers. I am open to looking at any novel carcinogenic phenomenon which can prove otherwise but that phenomenon would clearly have to be mystical and beyond what we already know,” he said dispelling myths around the subject. India has 900 million mobile phones connections and over 80 per cent of the population has access to mobile telecommunications. The first indigenous study on the link between heightened cell phone use and cancers started last year at the ICMR.
Cell phones as possible carcinogens
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Retirement plea of upset Navy Commander accepted
New Delhi, April 21 The charge of the command has been temporarily given to Vice-Admiral P Karve, who is the Chief of Staff of the sword arm of the Navy, official sources said. Upset over being superseded for the post of Navy Chief, Sinha had filed a complaint with the Defence Ministry last week stating if "justice" could not be done to him, he should be granted voluntary retirement. The ministry has accepted his plea for voluntary retirement with immediate effect, sources maintain. Meanwhile, newly appointed Navy Chief Admiral RK Dhowan today told the Naval top brass that the headquarters of the force based in New Delhi would have to be more responsive. It would have to focus on key assets-warships, submarines and aircraft, he added. “The headquarters cannot just be a post office," he told senior officers at a meeting at the DRDO auditorium this morning. The top brass will have to chip in and help out mid-career officers, he said. Sources said Admiral Dhowan had laid down a three 'C' concept of commitment, compassion and credibility. He said the headquarters would have to be responsive and not just sit back on feedback originating from the lower level. All short-term and long-term plans would have to be tweaked to remove drawbacks, he added.
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Khushwant abided by tradition: PM’s wife
New Delhi, April 21 Kaur, who presided over a function organised by the Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan and the National Institute of Panjab Studies in the National Capital wherein writers and litterateurs close to Khushwant Singh reminisced about him, said the latter celebrated his birthday twice a year - on February 2 and August 15. She said the writer used to send a message of thanks on receiving bouquets and used to jocularly tell her to attach her visiting card on them so that he could show them to visitors. She, however, did not elaborate why Singh celebrated his birthday twice. Kaur reminisced Singh’s fondness for her and him dedicating his “Khuswantnama: The lessons of my life” (an autobiography by Singh) to her. She called Singh “India’s most prolific reader and writer”, a philanthropist and a fearless person. Although he claimed he was an agnostic, he abided by the tradition, she said. Senior journalist Kuldip Nayar remembered the days when Singh was his teacher in Government Law College, Lahore. “He was a liberal teacher. A student could fall asleep when he took class. The only condition was that the student must show his face to him in the class.” Former BBC Asia head Mark Tully said although Singh was famous for his column “With malice towards one and all”, he had malice towards none.
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CBI files closure report in 2 cases
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 21 With the closure report, the investigating agency has given a clean chit to Congress MP Vijay Darda, his company JLD Yavatmal Energy Limited and owner of the JAS Infrastructure Capital Private Limited and others named in the case. Sources said the CBI had registered an FIR against these companies in September 2012 and carried searches at various places besides questioning Darda, his son Devendra, brother and Cabinet minister in the Maharashtra Government Rajendra Darda, Manoj Jayaswal and others. The agency alleged Darda and his company, which bagged Fatehpur East Coal Block in Chhattisgarh, had entered into a criminal conspiracy with coal ministry officials and provided wrong information in their applications while applying for coal blocks. In its closure report on JLD Yavatmal Energy, the CBI concluded that during the course of investigations, “no evidence could be gathered to prove prima-facie commission of offence under Sections 120-B (Criminal Conspiracy) and 420 (cheating)” against the company, its directors or any other public or private person. “Further no evidence of any mala fide association or quid pro quo between the accused company and public servant has surfaced during the course of investigation,” the CBI said in its report to the Special CBI court here requesting for acceptance of the closure report "due to insufficient evidence". In the second case, Nagpur-based businessman Manoj Jayaswal, who had close association with the Dardas, his brother Anand Jayaswal and son Abhishek Jayaswal were named as accused in alleged irregularities by JAS Infrastructure and Power Limited. It was alleged that the company had not disclosed to the coal ministry that it was in possession of coal blocks earlier. During investigation, the agency came to know that the company and firms associated with it were allegedly in possession of six coal blocks, before new applications were moved, but no mining was done by them, CBI sources said. The company allegedly signed memorandum of understanding for small periods with number of companies and added their equity to project their sound financial status at the time of application for coal blocks, the CBI had alleged. But the CBI could not find any “prosecutable evidence” against the company and approached the local court for filing of a closure report against the JAS Infrastructure and Power Limited, the sources said.
Relief for Congress MP
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SC notice to Goa police on Tejpal’s bail plea
A Bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam asked the police to file their reply within four weeks. Pleading for bail, senior advocate Harish Salve said his client was willing to accept conditions directing him not to leave Goa or not to ask for adjournment of the hearing in the trial court. Responding to clarifications sought by the Bench, Salve said the trial court was yet to frame charges against Tejpal against whom the Goa police had filed a chargesheet. In the chargesheet, the police have charged Tejpal, Editor-in-Chief of Tehelka.com, with raping one of his junior colleagues at a hotel in Goa on two occasions - November 7 and 8, 2013. He was arrested on November 30. He faces three charges under Sections 354A (molestation), 376 (rape) and 376(2) (rape of a woman in the custody of the perpetrator) of the IPC. While Section 354A entails punishment ranging from mere fine to five years in jail, the other two crimes are punishable with a maximum sentence of life term.
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Prosecution completes arguments in Asaram case
Jodhpur, April 21 "We completed our arguments today... The defence will cross-examine the girl on April 25," said public prosecutor RL Meena. He said examination of the girl was completed on April 15, but some photographs and video recordings pertaining to the case were verified by her in the Jodhpur District and Sessions Court today. On April 11, the girl had said in the court that the person, whom she and her parents trusted, did an immoral act with her. She also recounted her statements given to the police and magistrate. — PTI
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SC raps Centre for delay in relief to patients
Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, April 21 “First pay the compensation from your side and then recover it from the sponsors,” a Bench comprising Justices RM Lodha and Kurian Joseph told Additional Solicitor General Sidharth Luthra, who appeared for the Centre. The Bench made the suggestion as the Centre acknowledged that 506 patients subjected to clinical trials of various drugs during 2005-12 had suffered severe side-effects but it was unable to give details about the payment of compensation to them. “It is possible that payments have already been made in some cases,” the ASG said. At this, the Bench asked the government to bring out advertisements asking such patients to approach the authorities, if they had not received compensation so far. “We don’t know how much suffering the affected patients are undergoing,” the Bench remarked on the plight of unsuspecting poor people subjected to clinical trials without informing them about the possible consequences. The apex court also directed the government to allow companies to test their new drugs on patients only in compliance with the court’s October 21, 2013, order laying down three conditions for the purpose. First, the risk assessment should be weighed against the likely benefits to patients. Second, the need for innovation should be decided on the basis of the requirement for replacing the existing treatment options. Third, the trials should mainly benefit patients in India, not in other countries.
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FIR against Kejriwal, Vishwas
Amethi (UP), April 21 Kejriwal and Vishwas had allegedly violated the model code and prohibitory orders by holding roadside meetings without taking permission and disrupting traffic. Earlier, an FIR was registered against Vishwas and 100 others on April 18 for staging a dharna inside Gauriganj Police Station to press for an FIR against Priyanka Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Vinod Mishra and others. — PTI
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Apex court reserves order on Sahara’s repayment plan
New Delhi, April 21 Under the new proposal, the group said it would pay Rs 3,000 crore within three days following the release of the three and another Rs 2,000 crore by the end of May, besides providing a bank guarantee for Rs 5,000 crore by June 20. The group pleaded with the apex court to defreeze some bank accounts, which had Rs 2,422 crore, and de-attach a few properties, including those in Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan, to raise money for the refund. While sending the three to judicial custody, a Bench comprising Justices KS Radhakrishnan and JS Khehar had directed them to pay Rs 10,000 crore for taking bail, besides providing a plan for refund of the public money raised through fully convertible debentures. According to market regulator SEBI, Sahara’s liability has since gone up to Rs 37,000 crore in view of the 15 per cent interest. Today, SEBI raised some technical objection against Sahara’s proposal for payment of Rs 10,000 crore and also wanted to know as to how the group had planned to raise funds for the clearing its remaining liability. Sahara said it would mobilise all the required funds only through sale of real estate. Today, the court also heard SEBI’s arguments opposing Sahara’s writ petition questioning the constitutional validity of sending Roy and the two directors, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary, to jail and reserved its verdict. Earlier, the SC had rejected Sahara’s proposal for repayment of Rs 17,000 crore to the investors over 18 months, directing the group to come up with an “acceptable and honourable” plan. The Bench is hearing a contempt case filed by SEBI against Roy and others for not complying with the SC judgment on August 31, 2012 setting November 30, 2012 as the deadline for the group to return Rs 24,780 crore to over three crore investors through SEBI with 15 per cent interest.
Company’s proposal
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Pak hackers target Advani’s website
New Delhi, April 21 The hacker, who called himself Muhammad Bilal, wrote "Pakistan Zindabad" messages on the site and called for an end to militarised governance in Kashmir. The hacking comes close on the heels of a claim by Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani that Narendra Modi had sent two emissaries to him. Muhammad Bilal, the hacker, began his message by saying, "Good Morning Narendra Modi" and went on to raise the Kashmir issue. The message posted on the site terms freedom of Kashmir as the goal of those who hacked Advani s website lkadvani.in. Advani, who was in Tamil Nadu today campaigning for the party in Vellore, was not aware of the hacking. — PTI
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Dhumal, Shanta share stage after two years
Jawalamukhi (Dharamsala) April 21 Prem Kumar Dhumal came to address a public meeting along with Shanta Kumar at Jawalamukhi. Both the leaders have shared a stage after about two years. During the last Assembly elections Shanta Kumar’s writ had prevailed in the distribution of party ticket in Kangra parliamentary constituency. Dhumal loyalists, including Rakesh Pathania and Sanjay Guleria from Jawali, were denied party ticket. Both of them had contested the elections as independents. Dhumal had not campaigned in Kangra district. The differences between both the groups were largely responsible for the defeat of the BJP in Kangra. Dhumal had also tried to trifurcate Kangra district by creating Palampur, Dehra and Nurpur districts out of it. However, the move was stalled by Shanta Kumar. After the Assembly elections in which the BJP got a drubbing in Kangra district and could win just three seats out of 15 Assembly segments in the area. The reason behind the differences between Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal were alleged delay in some pet projects of the former in Palampur. The JP group of industries was handed over a piece of land at Palampur for construction of a multi-speciality hospital. However, inordinate delay was caused in the construction. Shanta Kumar felt that the state government led by Dhumal was not pressuring the JP group to complete the project. Shanta Kumar also wanted various other projects such as a ropeway in Palampur. However, the state government could not implement the project as there was just a single bidder for it. However, now both the leaders seem to have sunk their differences at least for the time being. Shanta Kumar has accepted most of rebel BJP leaders, including those belonging to the Dhumal faction, back into the party to consolidate the position of BJP, especially in Kangra parliamentary constituency, from where he was contesting.
Together again
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Congress sarpanch among 3 shot in Kashmir
Srinagar, April 21 The trio was killed in two separate attacks in the Tral area of Pulwama district, which is part of the Anantnag LS constituency and goes to the polls this Thursday. Police said suspected militants fired at Mohammad Anwar Khanday, a lambardar of Amlar village of Tral area, at around 9.15 pm. Khanday was shifted to a hospital where medics declared him brought dead. Minutes after the attack, suspected militants fired shots at Ghulam Nabi Mir, a sarpanch of Batgund village of Tral, and his son Firdous Ahmad Mir. The father-son duo was rushed to a hospital where they succumbed to bullet injuries, sources said.
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SC allows iron ore mining in Goa
New Delhi, April 21 It said there cannot be a deemed renewal of lease after 2007 of the existing lease deeds emanating from 1962 onwards. — PTI
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New Delhi, April 21
New Delhi, April 21
Jawalamukhi (Dharamsala) April 21
“The preponderance of scientific evidence so far suggests that there is no link whatsoever between cell phone use and cancer. Cancer link with cell phone use is a mere wolf’s cry if current evidence is to be considered,” Dr Mukherjee, the author of “The Emperor of all Maladies: A Biography of Cancer” said today. Mukherjee is in India to receive the Padma Shri from the President on April 26. 
New Delhi, April 21