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Be ready for snap polls in M'rashtra: Pawar to cadres
gujarat riots |
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Chacko likely to be Congress in charge for Punjab, Haryana
Global conference on Nehru's legacy
news analysis
Panel for green laws’ review submits report
Chit fund scam: CBI raids Odisha MP's houses, 18 places in 4 cities
Molestation case
New AP capital: S’pore to help master plan
Uproar in UP Assembly over cow slaughter
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Be ready for snap polls in M'rashtra: Pawar to cadres
Mumbai, November 18 "If the BJP and the Shiv Sena had come together, they could have given a stable government. But if the situation remains like this for the next six months, it will be time for the fresh elections to the Maharashtra Assembly," Pawar said at a gathering of NCP workers at a resort in Alibaug. He said the NCP was not responsible for ensuring the stability to the BJP government in Maharashtra. "Our support to the government will continue as long as it avoids controversial issues, takes pro-development decisions and works for the interest of people. But if it does not ....we have not taken upon ourselves to ensure the stability of the government," Pawar said. The NCP leader asked party workers to work on the seats where the party bagged the second and third position in the recent Assembly polls. "We won 41 seats, came second in 56 seats and got the third place in 51 seats. This means, we have the potential to win 148 seats," Pawar told his party workers. Blaming other parties and even its erstwhile ally — the Congress — for its poor showing at the hustings, Pawar said the NCP was a victim of poor perception by voters. "The Congress, the BJP and the Shiv Sena all portrayed the NCP as a corrupt party. We did not respond to these false allegations and that was a big mistake on our part," Pawar said.
Sena awaits BJP invite for talks
A day after CM Devendra Fadnavis visited Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray on Bal Thackeray's second death anniversary, the two former allies are still waiting to begin talks. "We are ready to talk anytime the BJP calls us," Sena spokesman Sanjay Raut said. The BJP too has indicated that it will stitch an alliance with the Shiv Sena since the government is poised precariously with outside support from the NCP. "Our doors are not closed to the Sena. Talks are possible," CM Devendra Fadnavis said at
Nagpur.
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Nanavati Commission submits final report
Gandhinagar, November 18 “We have submitted the report, which runs into more than 2,000 pages,” Justice Nanavati said but refused to divulge any contents of the report. The commission members — retired Supreme Court judge GT Nanavati and retired High Court judge Akshay Mehta — drove to Patel’s residence and submitted the report, officials at the CM’s Office said. The final report of the commission on the 2002 riots, in which more than 1,000 people — mostly of a minority community — were killed, comes after extensive investigation which ran over more than 12 years. Last month, Justice Nanavati had said: “There is no need to seek 25th extension, as our final report is ready. It is now being printed and will come to us in coming days. We will submit the report to the government soon.” — PTI
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Chacko likely to be Congress in charge for Punjab, Haryana
New Delhi, November 18 Party sources today told The Tribune that between December 28 and March 7 next year, Shakeel Ahmed, AICC general secretary in charge for Delhi, Punjab and Haryana, would be out of India because of which the party would have to make temporary arrangements. The initial decision was to appoint the general secretary for Delhi as the Assembly election schedules for the state have been announced for February and in the absence of Ahmed someone would be required to look after party affairs and ticket distribution processes. The Tribune has learnt that Shakeel Ahmed had a week ago written a note to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi informing her about his absence for two months during which the Delhi election preparations would have to be made. “The question that arose was whether the new appointee would be asked to look after Punjab and Haryana in Ahmed's absence. The answer was that is a need. So the appointment of Chacko in place of Shakeel Ahmed for Delhi is certain and for Punjab and Haryana, it could be a possibility," said the sources.
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Global conference on Nehru's legacy Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 18 Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was in attendance as the chairperson of the two-day global conference on Nehru's 125th birth anniversary and Rahul's sister Priyanka heard him from the Vigyan Bhavan's ceremonial lounge. But as Rahul made powerful points, including how Nehru gave space for the Opposition even when it was non-existent and how he was a man of ideas but never an ideologue, most former UPA ministers, former Congress CMs and former 100 state chiefs were absent. Their absence triggered questions about why the party’s senior leadership didn’t make time to commemorate Nehru when 20 world leaders did. Prominent among absentees at the event, Sonia later described as “historic”, were Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress’ Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha Capt Amarinder Singh, former ministers — AK Antony, Sushil Kumar Shinde, P Chidambaram, Kamal Nath, Kapil Sibal, Salman Khurshid, Jairam Ramesh and Shashi Tharoor. Maharashtra’s former CM Prithviraj Chavan also skipped the function. Privately, the Congress explained their absence saying many leaders were out of station but the argument was unconvincing as the party has been questioning Modi for going abroad at the time of Nehru's 125th birth anniversary celebrations. Officially, senior Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said when asked of Chidambaram's absence, "This question is misdirected." Sharma's response notwithstanding, many Congress leaders who attended the event, where former PM Manmohan Singh delivered the valedictory address, acknowledged that the show "should have been brimming with leaders". "We have around 30 former CMs, 100 former state presidents and 700 former MPs. They should have been here," said a former Congress MP admitting it was hard to explain their absence when the Congress was attempting to celebrate Nehru as a great unifier of India. Rahul today made a powerful political speech before the conference concluded with the adoption of a declaration that affirmed faith in Nehruvian ideals of “democracy, inclusion and empowerment”. Coming into his own, the Gandhi scion used euphemisms to talk to Modi whom he never names in speeches but almost always targets. So when he recalled Nehru as "someone who gave the Opposition the feeling that they may be electorally weak but they are valued partners in nation building", Rahul was attacking Modi for denying the Congress the post of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha.
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Modi move hints at India’s ‘rebalance’ towards Asia Pacific
Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 18 This is the third effort of New Delhi in as many months to expand its military and strategic ties with countries in the Asia-Pacific region of which China and the US are important military players. It is like India’s very own ‘rebalance’ to the east, just like the US rebalance to Asia-Pacific announced in 2011 by US President Barack Obama. The US had then said that it would ‘rebalance’ a large part of its Navy fleet complete with aircraft carriers and nuclear armed submarines towards the Asia Pacific. It had wanted India to play a key role as security provider to small nations. However, New Delhi had been languid, at best. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has initiated a substantive shift in India’s approach and renamed the “Look East” policy as “Act East”, a clear indication that India was prepared for more active role in East Asia. Since September this year India has added depth to its military ties with Japan, Vietnam and now Australia. Beijing has separate territorial disputes with India, Vietnam and Japan and has reacted sharply to the recent Indian moves in these two countries. India and the USA issued a joint statement in September during Modi’s visit to Washington that designated the South China Sea as an area of importance for safeguarding maritime security and ensuring freedom of navigation. China and six other nations are locked in a territorial dispute in that sea. After today’s meeting between Modi and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot, an Indian government statement described the growing relations: “It is based on converging political, economic and strategic interests”.
Adding depth to military ties
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Panel for green laws’ review submits report
New Delhi, November 18 Notably the committee, its terms of reference and the composition had come under severe criticism from the green lobby, which called it an attempt by the Prakash Javadekar-headed Ministry for Environment, Forests and Climate Change to dilute the existing laws and making them business friendly. However, as per TSR Subramaniam, chairman of the committee which reviewed “processes, laws and Acts” of the ministry, the panel built on the “existing mechanisms to optimise the efforts to balance developmental imperatives causing least possible damage to environment.” Javadekar termed the report an “historical achievement that would strengthen processes to balance developmental commitments and environment protection. “The recommendations of the report would enhance ministry’s efforts to avoid undue delays and ensure transparency in clearances and implementation of projects,” he said. Set up in August, the committee reviewed the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the Wldlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981. Its terms of reference included assessing the status of implementation of each of the above Acts vis-a-vis various court orders and judicial pronouncements relating to them; recommending specific amendments to bring them in line with current requirements to meet objectives and drafting the proposed amendments. The sources say the committee suggested amendments in almost all green laws, including those pertaining to coastal zone clearances.
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Chit fund scam: CBI raids Odisha MP's houses, 18 places in 4 cities
New Delhi, November 18 Subhankar Nayak was was arrested on the basis of documents seized from his residence which prima facie show a nexus with Seashore Company for channelisation of funds. The CBI has also recovered cash Rs 14.63 lakh, two gold biscuits of 50 gram each and certain incriminating documents. The documents recovered from the raided premises are being scrutinised, sources said. Sources said searches were conducted in Delhi, Mumbai and 16 other locations in Odisha. The Delhi and Bhubneswar residences of Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha Pyarimohan Mohapatra and two retired IAS officers from the state were also searched. The CBI team also raided offices of industrialists, brokers through whom cash dealings were made and residences of close associates of CMD of Seashore Group Prashant Dash. The sources said the MP had earlier admitted to have met Dash, who is now in jail. Many politicians of Odhisa have been questioned by the CBI in the past for their alleged role in the scam. The CBI action came a day after the agency filed its second chargesheet against Saradha group of companies in West Bengal in which former Director General of Police and Trinamool vice-president Rajat Majumdar and East Bengal Club official Debabrata Sarkar were named.
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AFT upholds jawan's conviction
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, November 18 A General Court Martial had in April this year tried Vikas Mesker under Section 69 of the Army Act read in conjunction with Section 10 and 12 of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (PCSO) and held him guility of sexual misconduct with an eight-year-old girl. The said offence had taken place in the unit of the accused that was part of Ferozepur-based 7 Infantry Division. The sentence was promulgated after confirmation in August 2014 and he was moved to Central Jail, Hoshangabad (Madhya Pardesh). Mesker had challenged his conviction before the Tribunal, contending that a general court martial did not have the jurisdiction to try a person who is subject to the Army Act under PCSO. He had also claimed that the relevant Army rules and regulations were not fully complied with during the proceedings against him and he was not given adequate opportunity for his defence.
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New AP capital: S’pore to help master plan
Hyderabad, November 18 The first phase of the new capital will come up in the coastal district of Guntur, on the banks of river Krishna, with the government identifying 30,000 acres, spread across 17 villages, for building the required infrastructure for various public utilities, besides the Secretariat and the Assembly. “Once the proposal is okayed by the Singapore cabinet and the master plan is prepared, then the government will announce a time-bound action plan for construction of the capital city,” Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said. Naidu has promised to build the new capital on the lines of Singapore model. Allaying fears among farmers over the proposed land pooling in Guntur district, the Chief Minister said that pooling was the best way out compared to the land acquisition as farmers would have stakes in the fruits of development after the capital is built. “I will try to meet farmers directly and convince them,” Naidu said. He blamed the opposition parties for instilling fear in the villages that are earmarked for land pooling.
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Uproar in UP Assembly over cow slaughter Lucknow, November 18 BJP MLAs — Satish Mahana and Lokendra Singh — accused the state government of being 'insensitive' on the issue and giving patronage to those involved in it. They raised the question to know whether milk production had come down due to increased cow slaughter. Replying to the question, State Minister for Animal Husbandry Raj Kishore Singh denied slaughtering of cows in the state. He said the state government had been regularly conducting raids to check animal slaughtering and the number of cows in the state had increased from 185.51 lakh in 2003 to 205.66 lakhs in 2012. Dissatisfied with the answer, BJP MLA Mahana indicted the state government for giving conflicting statements. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mohd Azam Khan asked the BJP members to request the Centre to ban export of meat from the country. — TNS
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Lucknow NEW DELHI
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New Delhi, November 18
