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Pak seeks early dialogue without precondition
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BJP, Cong gear up for Parliament session
Sonia should ensure room for honest dissent: Ashwani Kumar
Home Secretary briefs Modi on security situation
Safety measures in place to avoid naval mishaps: Dhowan
Rape case: No SC relief for Asaram
Jaya sacks 3 ministers
Congress heavyweights lose deposits in Seemandhra
Model code of conduct ends, says
poll panel
Coalgate: CVC opposes CBI’s closure reports
Monsoon reaches Andaman Sea
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Pak seeks early dialogue without precondition
New Delhi/Islamabad, May 19 At a lunch he hosted for members of the Press Club of India, Pakistan High Commissioner Abdul Basit expressed confidence that the decisive mandate received by the BJP in the Lok Sabha elections would help push forward the agenda of peace and development between two countries. He emphasised that India and Pakistan were neighbours and had no option but to talk to each other and normalise relations to their mutual benefit. “People in both countries desire peace. It is, therefore, mutually incumbent to spare no effort towards resolving all bilateral differences and disputes,” the Pakistani envoy
added. Basit stated, “Our Prime Minister has already extended an invitation to India’s PM-elect Narendra
Modi. It was for the two countries to decide whether they should bury the hatchet or continue to be at daggers drawn. The two nations and the people could ill afford to move in the wrong direction and to be on the wrong side of the history.” He said the new government in Pakistan strongly believed that for realising the national and regional potential, peace was absolutely essential. “In the vision of our foreign policy, it is the top-most priority. Peace is in our mutual interest and peace can be achieved only through peaceful process that is through dialogue. In the past, we have seen preconditions did not work, nor they can work in future.” He was of the view that South Asia faced many challenges, including poverty, disease and illiteracy. As two major countries in the region, India and Pakistan should work together to overcome these challenges. Insiders disclosed that the Pakistani diplomat delivered a message on behalf of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government that it was ready for a ‘new beginning’ with the BJP administration. Sources said the Foreign Office in Islamabad was optimistic of a positive development after initial contacts with the
BJP. It was because of the ongoing backdoor diplomacy that Prime Minister Nawaz promptly telephoned Modi to congratulate him over his election victory. The BJP’s unprecedented win has led to fears that the new government in India may take a tough stance towards Pakistan. However, Prime Minister’s Adviser on National Security and Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said the BJP’s clear majority could help New Delhi in taking ‘decisive and positive’
decisions. Aziz said the government was optimistic about the relationship with India as the BJP’s manifesto was economy driven and sought good relations with
neighbours. “We also have the same policy, so there is a point of convergence on this issue at least,” the adviser told a private TV channel. Speaking on the condition of anonymity, another Foreign Office official said a “package” was ready
and Pakistan would approach New Delhi as soon the new administration was installed there.
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news
analysis Ashok Tuteja Tribune News Service
New Delhi, May 19 The US President also made it a point to telephone outgoing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to tell the Indian leader that he would miss working with the latter on a day-to-day basis. It goes to the credit of Manmohan Singh that he took the Indo-US relations to new heights during his 10-year tenure at the helm. It was only towards the end of the last year that the relationship turned sour somewhat due to the arrest of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade in an alleged visa fraud case in New York. The US apparently did not realise that it was deeply hurting the psyche of the Indian people by strip-searching an Indian diplomat. It is against this backdrop that Modi, who remains untested in the diplomatic arena, will have to chart out the country’s policy vis-a-vis the US, setting aside his own resentment of the American attitude towards him over the past decade. India and the US are scheduled to hold a strategic dialogue soon after the new government assumes office in India with several contentious issues likely to be taken up during the meeting. The much talked about civil nuclear deal between the two countries has not made much headway with US nuclear companies expressing serious reservations about India’s civil nuclear liability law. The Modi regime will have to see how it could address American concerns about the Indian law so that there could be progress on taking the pact forward. Indian officials are hopeful that Modi’s victory in the elections would improve trade ties between the two countries with Washington eventually lifting exports in industries ranging from pharmaceutical products to heavy infrastructure. However, one can’t predict whether the defence relationship would also get a boost, given the NDA’s emphasis on indigenisation. Even in the US, experts are debating why Obama took so long in opening channels of communication with Modi despite the fact that the EU and other major powers had already started wooing him much before the BJP declared him its PM nominee.
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Investment
Scam R Sedhuraman Legal Correspondent
New Delhi, May 19 A Bench comprising Justices TS Thakur and AK Sikri also rejected a plea for keeping Roy under house arrest in Lucknow for two months to enable him to raise Rs 10,000 crore. “Not for the present,” the Bench told senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan who pleaded for the house arrest of his client. The Bench told Dhavan to ask Roy to identify properties, particularly whose value had been assessed and conveyed to the court already, which could be sold or mortgaged for meeting the bail condition. Dhavan today urged the Bench to de-freeze some bank accounts, which had around Rs 2,600 crore, but the court said it wanted to pass a consolidated order, not in bits and pieces. Senior advocate Abhishekh Singhvi and Dhavan argued for two hours for Roy and two Sahara group directors who were also in Tihar Jail but the Bench could not pass any order as properties could not be identified immediately. The Bench made it clear that it did not want the Sahara group to go for any distress sale of its real estate holdings as the group had to refund more than Rs 32,000 crore, including interest at 15 per cent, to the investors who had subscribed to the fully convertible debentures floated by two of its companies. Singhvi contended that it was not fair to ask the group to refund the investors through market regulator SEBI since it had already returned the investments directly by paying cash. At this, the Bench wanted to know as to how the group managed to raise such a huge amount in just 18 months. “Was this money lying in bank accounts or gunny bags,” it asked. Singhvi said some of the group companies raised this fund. Unconvinced, the Bench questioned him as to how the group floated another investment scheme to meet its obligations arising from another scheme declared illegal. The Bench asked the group to come out with a concrete proposal for sale of properties within a week so that it could take up the case again next week.
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BJP, Cong gear up for Parliament session
New Delhi, May 19 While the Modi wave resulted in a windfall in the form of absolute majority in the Lok Sabha for the BJP, the government-in-waiting is conscious that the numbers do not put the NDA-led coalition into a comfort zone in the Rajya Sabha. Five vacancies already exist in the 245-member Rajya Sabha, while Ram Vilas Paswan (LJP), Rajiv Pratap Rudy (BJP) and Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) have been elected to the 16th Lok Sabha, thus reducing the effective strength of the Upper House to 237. The BJP with its allies will require at least 120 members to ensure passage of various Bills in the Rajya Sabha. The numbers, so far, are on the UPA's side. That is one of the reasons why the BJP made overtures to AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa with Prime Minister-in-waiting Narendra Modi picking up the phone and thanking the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for her letter congratulating the BJP for its victory. The AIADMK has 10 members in the Upper House. BJP political managers have been saying the party could call for a joint session of Parliament to ensure passage of Bills, in case the proposed legislation fails in the Rajya Sabha. The BJP-led NDA government under Atal Bihari Vajpayee had invoked the constitutional provision to ensure passage of the Prevention of Terorrism Activities Act. Speculations continue over the Leader of Opposition in the new Lok Sabha. Since the Congress failed to get 10 per cent of the seats, it may not get the status as the principal party in the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition status is equivalent to that of a Cabinet minister. Congress leaders maintain since the UPA has crossed 54-seat mark, the alliance can have the post. In any case, according to convention, the Speaker can take a call on the issue. Reports suggest the AIADMK (with 37 MPs) and the Trinamool Congress (with 34 MPs) may try to form a bloc of 71 in the new Lok Sabha to stake claim to the post of Leader of Opposition.
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Sonia should ensure room for honest dissent: Ashwani Kumar
New Delhi, May 19 "It is time for her to ensure transformational and not symbolic changes in the way we conduct our organisation and politics," Kumar said. He said there was a need for her to promote collective leadership in the states and decision making by widest possible consensus and also ensure that each Congress person had the ability to access the senior most leadership and express views in an atmosphere in which honest dissent would be respected. The former minister added there was also a need to dispel the impression that seniority was disregarded.
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Home Secretary briefs Modi on security situation
New Delhi, May 19 The meeting lasted for half an hour. Goswami apprised Modi of the steps being taken to check terror outfits and infiltration from across the border besides the action plan being implemented to deal with the Maoist menace. He also told Modi that Andhra Pradesh would be bifurcated into two states on June 2 . Several other key government officers will also meet Modi and brief him on the state of affairs in their respective areas. Other than the Home Secretary, the Cabinet Secretary and the chiefs of the Research and Analysis Wing and the Intelligence Bureau will brief Modi on various issues.
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Safety measures in place to avoid naval mishaps: Dhowan
Mumbai, May 19 “The incidents have been analysed thoroughly at every level. We have put a safety audit organisation in place. We have reiterated to the organisation to see that all standing operating procedures are followed because the Navy is a highly professional service,” Dhowan told reporters here. On the state of probe into the incidents, he said, “We have ensured that the measures that need to be taken to ensure the safety standards are in place even before the board of inquiry has been completed.” “It will be our endeavour to see that whatever lessons are learnt from the board of inquiry, we put those measures in place throughout the Navy” he added. The Western Naval Command had taken all measures after these incidents so that the operational efficiency of submarines, ships and aircraft remains intact, said Dhowan. The Navy had a spate of mishaps involving naval warships in the recent past. Last year, 18 Navy men were killed in an explosion on INS Sindhurakshak. In February this year, two Navy officers were killed and seven sailors injured in a major fire in submarine INS Sindhuratna following which the then Naval Chief Admiral D K Joshi had resigned. “The Western Naval Command is the most important command of the Navy. Our officers are capable and responsible to take care of the assets of this command and also to face all the requirements and challenges,” he said. Asked to comment on the appointment of the Chief of Naval Staff, Dhowan said it was the government’s decision. “I am a professional and will carry out my duties, as far as the office of the Chief of Naval Staff is concerned, with professional integrity and pride that I have had the credibility of the last 40 years. The decision is that of the government,” he said. — PTI
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Rape case: No SC relief for Asaram
New Delhi, May 19 A summer vacation Bench comprising Justices BS Chauhan and AK Sikri heard the arguments of senior advocate UU Lalit for quite some time contending that going by the records of a play school the alleged victim was a major. The self-styled godman is facing trial in a special court in Jodhpur, set up under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012, for alleged sexual exploitation of a girl from Uttar Pradesh. Lalit pleaded that his client could not be tried under POCSO, which had harsher penalty provisions as compared to the laws dealing with sexual offences against women, as the victim was not a minor. The Bench, however, said the prosecution was depending on the victim’s school leaving certificate to contend that she was a minor at the time of the crime. Appearing for the prosecution, advocate Kamini Jaiswal said the plea was nothing but a ploy to delay the trial against the 74-year-old accused. Adjourning the hearing, the court said the plea would be considered by a regular Bench on July 3 after summer vacations.
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Jaya sacks 3 ministers
Chennai, May 19 She dropped Agriculture Minister S Damodaran, Labour Minister KT Pachamal and Revenue Minister BV Ramanaa from her council of ministers, a Raj Bhavan communique said. Jayalalithaa, who is also the General Secretary of ruling AIADMK, sacked six party functionaries, including Ramana, from party posts. While four leaders were sacked from party posts in Tamil Nadu, two were shown the door in neighbouring Puducherry. In yet another reshuffle of the ministry after she assumed office in 2011, she re-inducted Agri S S Krishnamoorthy, S P Velumani and Gokula Indira, dropped on earlier occasions, into the ministry and they would be sworn-in tomorrow at Raj Bhavan. Jayalalithaa also effected changes in the portfolios of some ministers, allocated Revenue Department to R B Udayakumar who hitherto held Youth Welfare and Sports Development. KP Munuswamy, who now holds Municipal Administration and Rural Develoopment, has been given Labour Ministry. — PTI
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Congress heavyweights lose deposits in Seemandhra
Hyderabad, May 19 Drawing a blank both in the Lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies, the Congress will have no representation in the first Assembly of the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh coming into existence on June 2. The Telugu Desam Party, headed by N Chandrababu Naidu, is all set to the form the government while the YSR Congress, headed by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, will be the main Opposition party. The angry backlash in Seemandhra over the division of the state ensured total decimation of the Congress. The region accounts for 25 Lok Sabha and 175 Assembly seats. Such was the humiliation for the ruling party that all its Union Ministers, state Ministers and other key leaders were defeated. As many as 150 candidates lost their deposits. It is probably the first time that a national political party drew blank in both Assembly and Parliamentary constituency across an entire region. Apart from public anger over bifurcation, a strong anti-incumbency mood, an undercurrent of Modi factor and a string of populist promises by the TDP were among the factors responsible for the rout of the Congress. As many as many as 150 candidates secured less than 5,000 votes. A majority of them did not even cross the 2,000 mark against the rivals and only over a dozen got more than 10,000 votes. In eight assembly constituencies, the Congress candidates got less than 1,000 votes and were relegated to fourth, fifth and six positions. All Union Ministers from the region-Kishore Chandra Deo, Pallam Raju, Panabaka Lakshmi, K Kripa Rani and K Suryaprakash Reddy-had to bite the dust. PCC chief N Raghuveera Reddy came third in Penukonda Assembly constituency in Anantapur district securing 16,494 votes.
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Model code of conduct ends, says
poll panel
New Delhi, May 19 The poll panel today informed the government that the model code, which came into force on March 5 with the announcement of the Lok Sabha schedule, ended after the commission notified the names of winning candidates yesterday. During the period, Election Commission also allowed the Reserve Bank of India to issue licences for setting up new banks. The Election Commission also ruled that no changes in power
tariff should be announced till the completion of polling in a particular state. — PTI
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Coalgate: CVC opposes CBI’s closure reports
New Delhi, May 19 The CVC has submitted its findings recently to the Supreme Court in this regard, official sources said. The apex court had on March 28 asked the CVC to peruse the coal blocks allocation cases in which there was a difference of opinion within the CBI on their closure. The CVC, which exercises superintendence over the CBI for overseeing corruption cases, has reviewed files relating to these cases. It had examined CBI's files on closure of 25 PEs. The CVC had submitted its findings on 17 PEs to the Supreme Court on April 30 and on the remaining eight on May 9, they said. The Commission has opposed closure of CBI PEs in a "substantial" number of cases in its reports submitted on May 9, sources said. Of the 17 PEs, the CVC has recommended registration of regular cases on three enquiries, they said. There were different views between investigating and supervising officers on closure of these 25 PEs. The CBI has so far registered 19 FIRs to probe alleged corruption in coal blocks’ allocation. The SC’s direction to the CVC had come following filing of two closure reports in March by the agency with regard to coal blocks cases. CBI's Deputy Inspector General Ravi Kant, who supervises the coal blocks allocation-related probe, had favoured filing of chargesheets. The court had in March asked CVC to give their suggestions. — PTI
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Hit-and-run case: Waiter identifies Salman Khan
Mumbai, May 19 The waiter, Molay Baug, told Sessions Judge DW Deshpande that he had served liquor to the actor and his friends at Zen Bar at JW Marriot Hotel hours before the accident took place on September 28, 2002. Baug said he did not remember seeing the actor consuming liquor. “It was dark and I could not make out who consumed liquor, though I served drinks to the group,” Baug said. Another witness, police constable Laxman More, said he was on duty at Khan’s residence as he was charged with providing protection to Sohail. — TNS
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Tejpal gets 3-week bail in rape case
New Delhi, May 19 A Bench comprising Justices BS Chauhan and AK Sikri allowed the release of Tejpal on bail to enable him to attend the funeral of his mother, who died in Goa yesterday, and other related religious rites. The Goa police has charged Tejpal with raping one of her junior colleagues at a hotel in Goa on two occasions on November 7 and 8, 2013. He was arrested on November 30, 2013. In all, he is facing three charges under Sections 354A IPC (molestation), 376 IPC (rape) and 376(2) IPC (rape of a woman in the custody of the perpetrator). 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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UP minister killed in mishap at unmanned rail crossing
Lucknow, May 19 UP’s Minister of State Satai Ram Yadav, 61, was in his Indica car along with his security guard Vikram Verma (27) and personal driver Rohit Dikshit (35) when it was hit by the Jaunpur-Aurihar passenger train at Khalsaha unmanned crossing, killing all three on the spot. As the news of the minister’s death spread, a large number of his supporters collected from the villages in the vicinity and started hurling stones at the train which had come to a halt. The timely intervention of the Government Railway Police saved the situation from getting out of hand and the train continued its journey. The bodies were handed over to the respective families after postmortem at a district hospital. Senior officers and political leaders reached the hospital, where a large number of people have gathered. In Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav expressed his condolences at the death of the minister and his staff.
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Peace is in our mutual interest and it can be achieved only through a peaceful process that is through dialogue. In the past, we have seen
preconditions did not work, nor can they work in the future.
The incidents have been analysed thoroughly at every level. We have put a safety audit organisation in place.
We have reiterated to the organisation to see that all standing operating procedures are followed.