The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

In Kashi, Kejri asks voters to choose clean politics
Says Modi lied on permission to perform Ganga aarti

Varanasi, May 9
After BJP's Narendra Modi, Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal today held a roadshow here and attacked the BJP's prime ministerial candidate for resorting to "helicopter and corrupt politics".

Kejriwal, who is contesting against Modi from Varanasi, reached the gate of Banaras Hindu University in the afternoon along with other party leaders and hordes of supporters.

Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said it was a historical election and people of Kashi would decide "whether they will support corrupt politics presented by Modi, or they will choose clean politics, politics for love and respect". "I know you will support our movement to clean the system. I had gone to Rohaniya and adjoining areas and got the impression that 70 per cent people will support AAP," he said.

Kejriwal alleged that Modi was doing politics even on Ganga aarti. "He told lies. He was given the permission to perform Ganga aarti, but he did not do it. I performed it along with my wife yesterday. Nobody stopped us. The person who is trying to exploit Ganga aarti for political mileage and politicise the issue, he should not be supported."

He said: "He (Modi) came by helicopter before elections for two hours. Do you think he will come here after elections? I will be with you always. I will be always there for Kashi and be with you to help you. This time helicopter politics will not work."

Kejriwal began his roadshow from rural parts of the constituency before reaching the BHU gate, the venue where top BJP leaders on Thursday staged a protest against election authorities.

Confident of winning with a "huge margin", Kejriwal accused the BJP of trying all tactics to woo voters. Kejriwal said Modi would suffer a huge defeat as people of Varanasi knew the reality.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will also hold a roadshow here tomorrow for party’s Ajai Rai.— PTI

Gul Panag, VJ Raghu ‘manhandled’ in BHU
AAP leader Gul Panag and MTV VJ Raghu were today allegedly manhandled on the Banaras Hindu University campus here after a scuffle broke out between Aam Aadmi Party supporters and a group of students allegedly belonging to the BJP's student wing ABVP.
Panag and Raghu were safe, but were chased away by a group of students when they went to campaign inside the BHU campus, party leaders said.
Soon after the incident, Ragu tweeted: "Oh well I just got attacked by two guys with lathis inside the BHU. They were outsiders, BHU boys chased them away."

	Exit poll ban to stay till May 12: EC New Delhi, May 9 The Election Commission today spoke in two voices about the time when TV channels can start exit polls. Soon after Election Commissioner HS Brahma said at an event this afternoon that no exit polls were allowed till May 16 (citing possible re-polls after the last phase on May 12), the commission issued a clarification. “Exit poll is prohibited till half an hour after closing of the poll on May 12 (the last day of the nine-phased polling),” it said. The clarification was vetted by Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath who rushed to contain the controversy caused by Brahma’s statement. The government amended the Representation of the People Act in 2010 to ban exit polls. — TNS
	Won’t back BJP govt: Mayawati KV Prasad Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 9 BSP chief Mayawati's firm rejection of any possibility to extend support to the BJP can be seen more as an attempt to protect her turf in the last phase in UP where the party has high stakes. The BSP supremo today ruled out extending any kind of support to the BJP-led NDA government in the event of the party coming to power after the Lok Sabha polls, perceiving it as a ploy to confuse the minority voters at a critical juncture. The party viewpoint came in response to a suggestion by BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi that it could do business with the BSP later. In a statement from Lucknow, the BSP leader said: “When elections started, Modi was claiming that the NDA will not require support of any other party. No party talks about taking support of any other party unless it is unsure of its victory... The interview of Modi is a ploy to create confusion in the minds of minority community which are voting for us.” Yet, historically the BSP has done more business with the BJP than any other party, especially in Uttar Pradesh where these two political parties joined hands to form a coalition government in the mid-1990s and then again in 2002, a few months after the Gujarat riots rocked the BJP. In 1995, the BSP and the BJP entered into an agreement with each party heading the government in turns but by the time it was the turn of the BJP to lead, relations soured and the arrangement collapsed. Then again in 2002, the BSP agreed to extend support to the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from the outside in exchange for allowing the BSP form the government in UP. And soon after assuming office, she hit out at the previous Rajnath Singh government for mismanaging the state. It was the BSP's decision to switch sides in 1999 that led to the defeat of the BJP-led NDA government. Mayawati decided to vote against the NDA-I government after announcing on the floor during the no-confidence motion that the party will abstain. With polling due on 18 seats in UP on May 12, the BSP wants to avoid a situation where the party and its candidate suffer on account of a campaign suggesting a post-poll tie-up with BJP. No wonder, Mayawati today asked her supporters not to fall prey to the alleged dirty tactics adopted by the BJP.
	Prez not to vote in LS polls Tribune News Service New Delhi, May 9 President Pranab Mukherjee decided not to vote in these Lok Sabha elections to maintain both tradition and neutrality. Rashtrapati Bhawan today announced that after having decided to exercise his franchise for the South Kolkata constituency through a postal ballot, “The President has decided not to cast his vote, he wants to return to the tradition of Presidents maintaining their neutrality by not voting”, said Venu Rajamony, Press Secretary to the President. Only three Presidents - KR Narayanan, APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil - have cast their votes in the General Election so far.
	Breather for Ramdev as SC stays all proceedings Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 9 The Supreme Court today stayed all proceedings against yoga guru Ramdev in various states over his controversial “honeymoon remark” against Rahul Gandhi. A Bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha passed the order on Ramdev’s plea for clubbing all FIRs lodged in police stations across the country as he would not be in a position to respond to summons in several cases on the same issue. Ramdev’s senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi also apprehended coercive action against his client making it impossible for him to visit any of the states. The SC, however, clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case. It also directed Ramdev to deposit Rs 10 lakh with the SC Registry. The amount would be utilised to meet the travel expenses of the complainants against Ramdev. The case would now be taken up after 10 weeks.
	SC restrains CBI’s first woman Addl Director from taking charge R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent New Delhi, May 9 The Supreme Court today restrained Archana Ramasundaram, the first lady IPS officer to be appointed as the CBI’s Additional Director, from discharging her duties in the investigation agency as her appointment prima facie appeared to be illegal. A Bench headed by Chief Justice RM Lodha passed the order on a PIL challenging her appointment, besides several others in the ranks starting from the Superintendent to the Additional Director. The court order has come as a second major setback for Archana within a few hours of her appointment as yesterday the Tamil Nadu Government suspended her from service for joining the CBI without taking permission from the state. The Centre, however, defended her in the SC today, with Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran contending that the state government had given its consent in October 2013 for her transfer to the CBI and as such there was no reason for suspending her. The apex court, however, said the Centre had apparently appointed her as the CBI’s Additional Director, ignoring the recommendation of the five-member selection committee comprising the Central Vigilance Commission, two CVC members and Union Secretaries of Home and Personnel. The committee had recommended RK Panchnanda for the post. The SG offered to produce the relevant files in the SC, upon which the Bench said: “Of course, we would like to see them.” The Centre said it rejected the recommendation as the committee was supposed to send a panel of candidates, not just one person. Unconvinced, the Bench said “panel” could mean one candidate as well. On April 28, the court had issued a notice to the Centre on a PIL challenging top-level appointments in the CBI, ignoring the recommendations of the 5-member committee and, affecting the agency’s functioning.
	India calls for freedom of navigation in South China Sea New Delhi, May 9 Concerned over escalating tension between China and its neighbours over the South China Sea, India today called for freedom of navigation in the disputed sea. “We have been following the recent developments in the South China Sea. We believe that maintenance of peace, stability, growth and prosperity in the region is of vital interest to the international community,” MEA spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said. He said India would like to see resolution of the issue through peaceful means in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law. “In this context, we also maintain that freedom of navigation in the South China Sea should not be impeded and call for cooperation in ensuring security of sea-lanes and strengthening of maritime security,” he said. The comments came as strains between China and its neighbours burst to surface in two parts of the sea, taking the struggle for control over the waters to new levels of friction. — TNS
	Pakistan asks Indian scribes to leave New Delhi, May 9 Pakistan is understood to have declined to renew the visas of the only two Indian journalists based in the neighbouring country. The two are believed to have been told to leave the country within a week. The correspondents of The Hindu and the Press Trust of India were informed yesterday by the Director of the External Publicity Wing, a department within the Pakistani Ministry of Information that deals with foreign journalists, that their visas wouldn’t be renewed. A senior PTI Editor said the news agency had received nothing in writing from Islamabad. “We hope the matter will be resolved because any such action will not be conducive for improving bilateral ties to which, the Pakistani Government says, it is committed,” he added. — TNS
	From May 12, copter service to Kedarnath Tribune News Service Dehradun, May 9 The Uttarakhand Government is working on opening an alternative route between Lincholi and Kedarnath by May 30. A helicopter service between the two areas will also start from May 12. Though blacktopping of roads and construction of bridges have been carried out at the local level in Kedarnath, the damage caused to roads and bridges by the flashfloods last year has made the pilgrimage extremely difficult. The helicopter service and alternative routes are aimed at providing some relief to the pilgrims. The government has also given permission for carrying out a study for developing an alternative route from Lincholi to Kedarnath through a ropeway. As of now, only 500 pilgrims per day are being allowed to go up to Kedarnath. Work is also on in constructing an alternative route from Sonprayag to Gaurikund. “Our focus is on hunting safe and easier routes for our pilgrims. We are also providing golf carts to old pilgrims at Kedarnath,” said Subhash Kumar, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary.
	CBI to probe chit fund scams: SC New Delhi, May 9 The Supreme Court today ordered a CBI probe into multi-crore chit fund scams in West Bengal, Odisha and Assam in which various companies, including Saradha, were allegedly involved. A Bench headed by Justice TS Thakur said the scams had inter-state ramifications and directed the investigation be handed over to the central agency from the state authorities. The court also asked the Enforcement Directorate to conduct the probe expeditiously against the accused companies. It, however, refused to constitute a committee for the time being to monitor the CBI probe. The Bench directed the state authorities to cooperate with the CBI in the probe and provide all details to the agency. — PTI