11 tribal girls in Andhra Pradesh hostel allege sexual abuse by tutor

HYDERABAD: Eleven minor tribal girls residing in a students' hostel run by an NGO in Nalgonda district of Andhra Pradesh, have alleged sexual assault by their tutor for the past five months, police said on Saturday.

According to Nalgonda superintendent of police T Prabhakar Rao, a case was yesterday registered against accused R Harish following a complaint by the victims.

Harish, who was appointed by the NGO management was also staying in the same hostel in Enemeedha Tanda under Tungaturthy Gram Panchayat, where the abuse happened. He allegedly threatened the girls and sexually abused them, a police official said.

As many as 78 students comprising boys and girls are staying in the hostel.

"Harish was on leave for three days last week, when girls came out and informed their kin about their trauma. We immediately swung into action and sent the girls for medical examination. All the children are below 13 years of age. We formed special teams to catch the accused," Rao told PTI.

However, sources in the department said that police have already nabbed Harish and are questioning him.

The couple — Srinivas and Sarita — who are running the NGO will also be questioned on any violations in running the hostel, the police official said.

As of now, a case under relevant sections of protection of children from sexual assault besides cheating, has been registered, he added.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gujarati poet Chinu Modi gets Sahitya Akademi Award

NEW DELHI: Gujarati poet Chinu Modi has been conferred the Sahitya Akademi Award for the year 2013 for his poetry book "Khara Zaran", an official statement said on Saturday.

The book was selected by a three-member jury.

Other winners announced in December, 2013 included Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar, Bengali poet Subodh Sarkar and Bodo poet Anil Boro.

The winners will be given the award in March during the Festival of Letters being organised here by the Sahitya Akademi.

They will be honoured with an engraved copper plaque, a shawl and a cheque for Rs.100,000.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Nato soldier killed in Afghan multiple suicide attack

JALALABAD (Afghanistan): Six Taliban suicide attackers launched an assault on a joint Afghan-Nato base in the east of Afghanistan today, killing one Nato soldier during a prolonged firefight, officials said.

One attacker in an explosives-packed vehicle blew himself up at the entrance of the base in Nangarhar province, and five other insurgents were shot as they tried to storm the facility.

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) confirmed one fatality in a suicide attack in the east of the country, without giving further details.

Afghan and Western officials said the attack took place in Shinwar district, a volatile area on the main highway from Kabul to neighbouring Pakistan, where many Taliban insurgents seek shelter.

"Around 8:00 am, a suicide bomber detonated himself and the other five were gunned down by Afghan security forces. Their bodies lie at the scene," Ahmad Zia Abdulzai, spokesman for the Nangarhar governor, said.

In an emailed statement to the media, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid claimed responsibility for the attack.

This year will see the end of the US-led Nato combat mission in Afghanistan as 85,000 foreign troops pull out, though a long-delayed security deal could allow several thousand US soldiers to remain to train and advise local security forces.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Western Ghats: Kerala urges PM to relax ecologically sensitive areas rule

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala on Saturday conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh its apprehensions over the K Kasturirangan committee report on Western Ghats conservation and asked the Centre to correct flaws in identification of ecologically sensitive areas (ESAs) through remote sensing method.

This was the highlight of a 12-point memorandum submitted to Singh by the UDF Government after a special cabinet meeting held here in honour of him.

The state wanted ecologically sensitive areas to be identified based on physical verification and actual habitation and agricultural areas to be deleted from ESA.

The state also sought Prime Minister's intervention for granting sufficient time for implementing the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme for domestic LPG customers and relaxation in the norms to ensure that orphanages and other similar institutions get the subsidised supply of LPG.

The state sought intervention of Prime Minister to expedite the work on the rail coach factory in Palakkad, which was delayed after it was announced and acquisition of land by the state.

The state also wanted relaxation in cabotage law for the proposed Vizhinjam Deep Sea port for which environmental clearance was given the other day.

Other demands of the state includes, clearance for Angamali-Sabari Rail as a project of the railways without insisting on the state to bear part of the cost.

The state sought approval for the outer harbour project of the Cochin Port, clearance for suburban rail services, Nilambur-Nanjangud line and Central take over of Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Garden and Research Institute.

The state also sought special financial assistance for extending compensation to the victims of the serious ill-effects of spraying of endosulfan in a plantation in Kasargode in north Kerala.

Other demands include allocation of natural gas to the state and Central support to promote start-up ventures.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

It was just PM's farewell press conference, Nitish Kumar says

PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's press conference yesterday was only meant to bid farewell to public life.

"There is nothing more to react to the Prime Minister's press conference other than it being a farewell press conference by Singh," he told reporters in reply to a question.

All that Singh said was he was not in contention for a third term in the office, Kumar said.

The Prime Minister did not say anything or send out a message to improve economic situation or overall atmosphere in the country, the chief minister said.

Kumar did not comment on the Prime Minister heaping praise on Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Israel test-fires Arrow missile shield, eyes Syria, Iran

JERUSALEM: Israel successfully tested its upgraded Arrow ballistic missile interceptor for the second time on Friday, pushing forward work on a US-backed defence against threats seen from Iran, Syria and Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas.

One of several elements of Israel's still-developing defence against missile attacks, Arrow III is designed to deploy kamikaze satellites - known as "kill vehicles" - that track and slam into ballistic missiles above the earth's atmosphere, high enough to safely disintegrate any chemical, biological or nuclear warheads.

Iran and Syria have long had such missiles, and Israel believes some are also now held by their ally Hezbollah, another knock-on effect of Syria's civil war.

Friday's launch of an Arrow III interceptor missile over the Mediterranean sea was the second flight of the system, but did not involve the interception of any target, Israeli defence officials said. Israel deployed the previous version, Arrow II, more than a decade ago and says it has scored around a 90% success rate in live trials.

"The Arrow III interceptor successfully launched and flew an exo-atmospheric trajectory through space," Israel's defence ministry said in a statement.

Yair Ramati, head of the ministry's Israel Missile Defence Organisation, told reporters that as part of the test, which was attended by US officials, the interceptor jettisoned its booster and "the kill vehicle continued to fly in space (and) conducted various maneuvers ... for a couple of minutes".

Israel predicts Arrow III could be deployed by next year. The Pentagon and US firm Boeing are partners in the project run by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).

Arrow is the long-range segment in Israel's three-tier missile shield. This also includes the successfully deployed "Iron Dome", which targets short-range rockets and mortar bombs favoured by Palestinian guerrillas in Gaza, and the mid-range "David's Sling", still under development. They can be deployed alongside US counterpart systems like the Aegis.

PROLIFERATING THREATS

The United States and Israel have been developing Arrow jointly since 1988. Washington says helping Israel develop the capability to shoot down missiles will help prevent escalatory wars - or preemptive Israeli strikes - in the Middle East.

Israel is assumed to have the region's sole atomic arsenal, as well as delivery systems including long-range missiles, and is bolstering defences as potential threats proliferate.

It worries about Iranian ballistic missiles, whose number it estimates at around 400, especially given the possibility Tehran could eventually produce nuclear warheads for them. Iran, which denies seeking the bomb, is in talks with world powers about curbing its disputed nuclear programme.

The civil war in Syria has raised questions about President Bashar al-Assad's control over his own ballistic Scud missiles. Israel says Damascus has used around half of these against Syrian rebels. Separately, Assad is decommissioning chemical weapons with which Syria's missiles might have been tipped.

Hezbollah guerrillas are helping Assad battle the insurgency and Israel believed they have obtained advanced Syrian weaponry including long-range missiles.

Briefing Reuters, a senior Israeli official estimated that Hezbollah now has between 60,000 and 70,000 rockets and missiles deployed throughout Lebanon, including a few dozen Syrian-supplied Scud Ds with ranges of 700 km (440 miles).

"It's the most significant threat facing Israel today," the official said of the Hezbollah missiles.

The Lebanese guerrillas fought Israeli forces to a standstill in a 2006 border war, firing some 4,000 rockets into the Jewish state.

The official, who declined to be identified by name given the sensitivity of the issue, was circumspect on how Israel's three-tier shield would function in a major missile exchange.

Single-interception trials had limited use for predicting Arrow's performance against potential missile salvoes.

"You need to pass this test - of a few dozen of them landing, in real time - to be able to speak about it with more certainty," the official said.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Khurshid backs PM's remark on Modi, says Congress feels same way

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a "gentle soul" and "economic genius" and his remark on Narendra Modi is what the Congress feels "strongly and bitterly," Union minister Salman Khurshid said on Friday.

"He is only expressing here what we all feel very passionately as far as Rahul Gandhi is concerned and very strongly and bitterly as far as Narendra Modi is concerned," he told reporters on the sidelines of an event.

The external affairs minister said Congress is grateful to Singh for making the remark on BJP's prime ministerial nominee which has been felt by party members across India.

"We are grateful to the Prime Minister that he has on a pan India stage expressed what we have felt for a long time," Khurshid said.

Addressing a press conference here, Singh said that Narendra Modi as prime minister will be "disastrous" for the country.

"If you measure the strength of Prime Minister by presiding over mass massacre of innocent citizens on streets of Ahmedabad, then I do not believe in it... I do not think that this kind of strength this country needs least from its Prime Minister," Singh had said.

When asked to comment on the prime minister's statement, Khurshid said that ministers only speak when the PM wants them to speak.

"This is an important press conference that he did and there were certain messages he wanted to give to the country," Khurshid added.

Lauding the Prime Minister, Khurshid said that he had the "privilege and honor" of working with a remarkable man and genius economist through difficult times.

"We have had unique privilege and honor to have served with such a remarkable man and a gentle soul and of course an economic genius through very difficult times. We still have the last lap to run. The victory lap is yet to be run," he added.

Asked about generational change in the Congress, Khurshid referring to Rahul Gandhi said that the young leadership is already leading the party from the front.

"Leadership of the Congress party is already there...we already have a young leadership...as Rahul Gandhi who is the vice president of the party...he is already there and is leading us from the front," he added.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

LeT bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda withdraws bail plea

NEW DELHI: Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) bomb expert Abdul Karim Tunda, one of the 20 terrorists India had asked Pakistan to hand over after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, on Friday withdrew his bail petition filed before a Delhi court.

72-year-old Tunda, who is in judicial custody in connection with various terror attack cases, withdrew his plea after chief metropolitan magistrate (CMM) Amit Bansal transferred his case to a sessions court.

As the case was sent to a sessions court, advocate M S Khan, who appeared for Tunda, withdrew his bail plea with a liberty to file it before the sessions judge.

Tunda had on December 17 moved a bail plea in connection with the 1997 Sadar Bazar blasts case in which a charge sheet was filed against him by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.

The police had opposed his bail plea, saying Tunda was involved in various terror attack cases and he was a "desperate terrorist who washed out the brains of youngsters who became hardcore terrorists and committed many bomb blasts in India in the name of jehad".

The special cell had also said that "strong evidences" against Tunda were yet to be collected from other probe agencies.

Meanwhile, the case was transferred to a sessions court as the offences for which Tunda has been chargesheeted are triable exclusively by a sessions judge.

Tunda, in his bail application, had said he has been chargesheeted by the police only on the basis of "disclosure statements" made by two accused persons who were arrested earlier in connection with the case.

He was chargesheeted for offences under sections 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapon), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of IPC and the police had claimed he was part of the conspiracy which led to two bomb blasts, one in Sadar Bazar and other in Qutab Road here, on October 1, 1997 in which several people were injured.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mumbai: Three cops surrender in doctor attack case; protesters to withdraw stir

MUMBAI: Maharashtra government on Friday informed the Bombay high court that three policemen involved in an attack on a doctor in Solapur have surrendered, even as the state association of resident doctors here said that it will soon withdraw its indefinite strike over the assault.

Nearly 4,000 resident doctors in Maharashtra went on an indefinite strike on Thursday demanding suspension of policemen who allegedly attacked their colleague on December 31.

Taking suo motu cognisance of the strike, the court had on Thursday issued notices to the state government and Maharashta Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).

Government Pleader Prajakta Shinde informed chief justice Mohit Shah, who held a special sitting in the court on Friday to hear this matter, that the police inspector and two constables surrendered today before a Solapur Judicial Magistrate First Class who had granted them interim bail.

Dr Santosh Waghchore, president of MARD, also assured the court that MARD would call off its stir on the issue.

However, the chief justice asked MARD to call off the strike immediately, following which its president assured that they would hold a meeting on Friday itself and announce withdrawal of the stir.

The resident doctors alleged that the three policemen had forced a doctor who was busy with an emergency case at Solapur government hospital to attend to a pregnant woman who was in labour. When the doctor asked them to take the lady to gynaeac department, the policemen assaulted him.

The court asked the police and the government on Friday as to why no action had been taken against the policemen inspite of having CCTV camera footage of the incident.

"If the officers are not arrested how will the doctors feel safe ?" asked the chief justice.

The government also informed that the case had been transferred to CID and law would take its own course.

However, the court said that action should be taken against the guilty cops immediately and they need not wait for the case to be transferred to state CID.

The court noted that the authorities had CCTV footage of the incident and a prima facie cognisable case was made out against the guilty under Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institution Act 2010.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Will welcome visit by PM Manmohan Singh, Pakistan says

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said it would welcome a visit by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who has expressed hope of making a trip to the neighbouring country in the next four months, even as it sought the resumption of the composite dialogue.

"There is an outstanding invitation to the Indian Prime Minister which was extended to him by Pakistan and was accepted," foreign office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said on Friday.

"We don't have any timeframe for the visit as yet. Obviously we would welcome the visit," she told a weekly news briefing.

While addressing a rare news conference in New Delhi, Singh was asked why he never visited Pakistan during his tenure as Prime Minister.

"I still have not given up hope of going to Pakistan before I complete my tenure as Prime Minister," Singh replied.

"I would very much like to go to Pakistan. I was born in a village which is now part of West Punjab but as Prime Minister of the country I should go to visit Pakistan when conditions are appropriate to achieve solid results," he added.

The foreign office stressed the need to restart the bilateral composite dialogue, which was called off after an Indian soldier was decapitated along the Line of Control in January last year.

"We have a structured dialogue on all outstanding disputes and issues between the two countries. We believe that we should resume as soon as possible. Engagement, formally or informally, is continuing," Aslam said.

Pakistan expects the commerce ministers and commerce secretaries of the two sides to exchange views on the sidelines of an upcoming SAARC business conclave in India.

"The Pakistan Rangers and BSF held a long and comprehensive meeting. Number of mechanisms already agreed on for peace and tranquillity along the LoC have been activated. But for sustained engagements, we need to resume the composite dialogue," she said.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Jet Airways to launch Abu Dhabi-Chennai flight from January 16

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Jan 2, 2014, 03.57PM IST

MUMBAI: Private carrier Jet Airways will launch a daily flight service from Abu Dhabi to Chennai from January 16.

The new service will now connect Chennai to several global destinations across Europe and Africa via Abu Dhabi, Jet Airways said in a release.

The airline currently operates daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai and Kuwait.

"We are confident that the daily service from Abu Dhabi to Chennai will prove immensely popular with our guests," Jet Airways senior vice-president for commercial Gauarang Shetty said.

With these new enhanced flights, Jet Airways will enjoy the distinction of being first domestic private carrier to operate over 50 daily flights to multiple destinations in the Gulf, it said.

The services to the Gulf include daily departures from and to Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, Doha, Kuwait, Sharjah, Jeddah, Dammam, Muscat and Riyadh.

07.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy moves SC seeking permission to go abroad

NEW DELHI: Sahara Group chief Subrata Roy, who has been restrained from going abroad for failing to refund Rs 20,000 crore investors money, on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking its permission to go overseas for business purposes.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar said that it would hear his plea on January 9 when the main case for handing over title deeds of Rs 20,000 crore of group's unencumbered properties to SEBI would be taken up for hearing.

Senior advocate C A Sundaram, appearing for Roy, submitted that his client has some business overseas and he is needed there. He submitted that Roy would come back to country within three days of the notice period.

The bench, after hearing his arguments, said that it would consider the plea on January 9 and also asked the SEBI to respond on the nature of title deeds handed over to it by the group.

Tightening the noose around Sahara group for not refunding Rs 20,000 crore investors money, the Supreme Court had on November 21 last year barred Roy from leaving the country and also restrained it from selling any of its properties.

The apex court had said its order for handing over title deeds of Rs 20,000 crore unencumbered properties to SEBI was not followed by the group in "letter and spirit" and prevented Roy along with other directors of the group Vandana Bhargava, Ravi Shankar Dubey and Ashok Roy Choudhary from leaving the country.

07.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

AAP sets out for constituency specific manifesto ahead of LS polls

MANGALORE: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Dakshina Kannada unit is all set to replicate its Delhi move to come up with constituency specific manifesto for the 2014 general elections. It has sought suggestions from people to formulate comprehensive manifesto for Mangalore Lok Sabha constituency and they can send their views and suggest action plans with regard to infrastructure, healthcare, education, trade, commerce and industry.

Netizens can send their suggestions to aapdkunit@gmail.com which will be consolidated to frame the manifesto specifically to the district. This is an exercise which is first of its kind in the constituency and will help the Aam Aadmi Party to understand the needs and aspirations of the people of coastal region, said S Nandagopal, the district spokesperson of AAP. "We are coming out with a manifesto that reflects people's needs and aspirations," he said.

Following the success of AAP in Delhi, the mood is upbeat among people and this trend is seen in Mangalore also, he said, adding that the district unit is eagerly waiting to utilize the opportunity to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha. "AAP has started working on strengthening the membership base at the grass roots level," he said adding that public membership drive meeting will be held at BEM High School, Car Street here on January 12.

The party will use this public meeting as an opportunity to formulate its plan of action on issues of importance to the district and work out strategies to address the same. Some of the issues include denial of LPG connections due to lack of Aadhar card, security of women in Dakshina Kannada, Yettinahole project that entails diversion of excess waters of the Nethravathi for drinking water purposes, and setting up of ward committees in MCC among others.

07.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Former diplomat Hardeep Puri joins BJP

NEW DELHI: Retired career diplomat Hardeep Puri, who served as India's permanent representative at the UN, on Thursday joined BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, following in the footsteps of former home secretary R K Singh and petroleum secretary R S Pandey.

Puri, a 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, had put in 39 years of service and held several senior positions in the ministry of external affairs and defence ministry. He held ambassadorial assignments in London and Brasilia.

In 2011 and 2012, as permanent representative at UN in New York, he led the Indian delegation to the security council. He also chaired its Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, with whom Puri enjoys a good relationship, is understood to be instrumental in bringing him into the party.

Former home secretary R K Singh had joined the BJP on December 13 along with Sunil Shastri, son of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, former petroleum secretary R S Pandey and retired Railways official Dharam Singh in presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Welcoming Puri in the party fold, Rajnath Singh said, "We look forward to utilising his experience in the areas of Foreign, Security and Trade policies".

Puri said he was delighted to formally join the party which he had long admired for its strong sense of nationalism.

He said he looked forward to doing party work and was ready to contribute in whatever manner the party president and BJP's senior leadership asked him to.

07.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hardeep Puri, former permanent representative at the UN, joins BJP

NEW DELHI: Retired career diplomat Hardeep Puri, who served as India's permanent representative at the UN, on Thursday joined BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, following in the footsteps of former home secretary R K Singh and petroleum secretary R S Pandey.

Puri, a 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, had put in 39 years of service and held several senior positions in the ministry of external affairs and defence ministry. He held ambassadorial assignments in London and Brasilia.

In 2011 and 2012, as permanent representative at UN in New York, he led the Indian delegation to the security council. He also chaired its Counter-Terrorism Committee.

Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, with whom Puri enjoys a good relationship, is understood to be instrumental in bringing him into the party.

Former home secretary R K Singh had joined the BJP on December 13 along with Sunil Shastri, son of former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, former petroleum secretary R S Pandey and retired Railways official Dharam Singh in presence of BJP president Rajnath Singh.

Welcoming Puri in the party fold, Rajnath Singh said, "We look forward to utilising his experience in the areas of Foreign, Security and Trade policies".

Puri said he was delighted to formally join the party which he had long admired for its strong sense of nationalism.

He said he looked forward to doing party work and was ready to contribute in whatever manner the party president and BJP's senior leadership asked him to.

07.21 | 0 komentar | Read More

Shiva Kumar and Roshan Baig sworn-in as ministers in Karnataka cabinet

BANGALORE: Amidst displeasure expressed by few senior Congress MLAs and flak from civil society activists, senior Congress MLAs D K Shiva Kumar and R Roshan Baig were sworn-in as cabinet ministers here on Wednesday.

Chief minister Siddaramaiah at the party high command's diktat expanded his seven-month old ministry by inducting the two as cabinet ministers. Both Shiva Kumar and Baig were administered the oath of office and secrecy by governor H R Bhardwaj in Raj Bhavan.

While the developments have evoked only negative responses, Siddaramaiah himself is said to be unhappy on the issue. The CM is said to have shared his unhappiness with some senior ministers and legislators, whom he met prior to the swearing-in. He is reported to have said the expansion has given an opportunity for the opposition parties and his detractors to attack him.

The CM on the sidelines of swearing-in ceremony, however, denied the developments had given rise to discontent in the party. "Both should have become ministers long back,'' he added. Governor said the expansion has made him happy. "If the captain is good, then everyone in the cabinet will also be good,'' he maintained.

Both Kumar and Baig, though being senior in the party had been kept out of the cabinet when the ministry was formed in May as they were facing charges of alleged illegal mining and land grabbing respectively. On the same count, Siddaramaiah had dropped Santosh Lad from the cabinet in November as the Supreme court appointed Central Empowered Committee had closed down his mine for violating the mining rules.

Freedom fighter H S Doreswamy has questioned Siddaramaiah's move to induct Kumar and Baig to the cabinet when there are considered as "tainted" as they are facing several charges. Doreswamy, who had written a letter when Siddaramaiah was forming the government to keep out tainted persons on Wednesday, said he would take up the issue again with the CM and take take up the cause fighting against the tainted ministers. Jnanpith award recipient U R Ananthamurthy said: "I like Siddaramaiah very much. The Congress high command seems to not learnt any lessons even after losing the state assembly elections. Corruption is an issue now.''

While Kumar is facing charges of causing loss to state-run Mysore Mineral Lts in related to purchase and export of iron ore, Baig is alleged to have illegally sold a plot of government land, which is being heard in the Lokayukta court.

The swear-in ceremony was relatively low-key affair and was held in the Raj Bhavan's banquet hall instead of normal venue - the glass house. However, supporters of both Kumar and Baig had turned out fairly good numbers and cheered by bursting crackers as both took oath in the name of God. While Kumar was seen in white silk shirt and dhoti, Baig sported his usual white safari with fur cap.

Police had horrid time to control the crowd and second line Congress leaders who wanted to gain an entry to Raj Bhavan. The police restricted entry to the venue as the banquet hall's seating capacity was less than 150.

City police appeared to be over-doing their job particularly Bangalore central DCP Ravikanthe Gowda as he restricted entry to VIPs and media. He literally had fisticuff with Congress functionaries and many times had verbal dual with media and others.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Thousands rally on New Year's day for Hong Kong democracy

HONG KONG: Thousands marched in Hong Kong on Wednesday to demand a greater say in how their future leaders will be chosen, expressing fears that China will limit long-awaited political reforms.

"Democracy will prevail" read some banners as protesters sang and shouted slogans against the city's government, less than one month after the start of an official public consultation on Hong Kong's future electoral system.

"Because we are Hong Kong citizens, we must vote," said Sharon Tang, a 49-year-old administrative worker at a trading company, adding that residents of the former British colony have the intelligence to choose their future leaders.

Other protesters carried banners reading "Change does not come if not fought for", and huge posters depicting the city's current chief executive Leung Chun-ying with an egg plastered on his head.

The marchers left Victoria Park — still named after the 19th century British monarch who oversaw Hong Kong's seizure from China — in mid-afternoon and were to stage a rally in the Central financial district afterwards.

Organisers have said more than 50,000 people are expected to take part in the annual New Year's Day pro-democracy protest. There were no immediate police estimates of crowd size.

Marchers aim to let the Hong Kong government and China's ruling Communist Party know "that Hong Kong people need and want a real democracy", Johnson Yeung, convenor of rally organisers the Civil Human Rights Front, told AFP.

Hong Kong residents enjoy rights and freedoms unknown on the mainland despite China's resumption of sovereignty in 1997.

It has its own government and legal system under a semi-autonomous status, and Beijing has promised that its people will be able to vote for their next chief executive in 2017.

Under the current system, the city's leader is elected by a 1,200-strong pro-Beijing committee.

But many fear that China will control the choice of candidates to secure the election of a pro-Beijing person.

Yeung said he saw this year and the ongoing debate over the city's future democratic system as a "battle" that must be won.

"This rally will give the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) a clear message that if you don't give us real democracy, there will be direct action from the people," he said.

Mimicking the Occupy protests that broke out in 2011 in cities such as New York and London, some activists have threatened to take over the streets of Hong Kong's business district later this year to try to force officials to guarantee a fair electoral system.

A "New Year Civil Referendum" was also conducted in Victoria Park and over the internet on Wednesday, and drew about 50,000 voters by mid-afternoon.

The poll asked Hong Kongers their preferences on how candidates for the leadership post should be chosen in future.

There are frequent protests in the city of seven million, with discontent growing over sky-high housing prices, a growing wealth gap and slow progress towards full democracy.

Current chief executive Leung suffers from particularly low popularity ratings — 42 percent according to a December survey by Hong Kong University.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Gujarat: Former BJP MLA Kanu Kalsariya joins Aam Aadmi Party

AHMEDABAD: Former BJP MLA Kanu Kalsariya, who spearheaded the agitation against Nirma's cement plant in his constituency, on Wednesday joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the presence of its national executive member Dinesh Vaghela.

Kalsariya, who had contested from Gariadhar seat in the 2012 assembly elections under the banner of 'Sadbhavana Manch' and lost, joined AAP amid party workers and supporters at the district collectorate here.

When asked if he would contest against Modi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Kalsariya said a decision regarding whether he would contest the elections and against whom would be decided by the party and he would go by that.

Amid his supporters wielding brooms and chants of "aam aadmi zindabad," Kalsariya, a gynaecologist by profession, candidly admitted that he was about to join the Congress party just before joining AAP.

"I wanted to join the Congress party as there was no other option. I would have made a mistake had I done so. AAP is a symbol of people's power. And, they showed it in Delhi," he said.

"Gujarat has never got a third alternative apart from BJP and Congress. AAP, as a third political alternative, will turn a new chapter in Indian politics in 2014," he said.

AAP claims to have registered 20,000 members offline and 50,000 members online across the state following the party's spectacular showing in the assembly elections in Delhi, where the party won 28 of the 70 seats.

Retired IAS officer A R Bharadwaj, who was the director of Mahatma Gandhi Labour Institute, also joined the Aam Aadmi Party.

When asked why he had joined AAP, Bharadwaj said, "Throughout my professional career, I felt suffocated. If I did good work, I would be harassed. But, AAP is a people's party. It gives an opportunity to do good for people."

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

People won't forgive Congress if it withdraws support to AAP: Prashant Bhushan

MUMBAI: People of Delhi won't forgive Congress if it withdraws support to the Arvind Kejriwal-led government, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Prashant Bhushan said here on Wednesday.

He said Lok Sabha elections are the next target for his party after the "success" in Delhi assembly polls.

"We are not in an alliance with Congress. Congress gave support because of its own compulsions. We said we won't accept any conditions," Bhushan told reporters here.

To a query what would AAP do if Congress withdraws support, Bhushan said "the people of Delhi won't forgive Congress in next polls if it pulls down the people's government."

"You are aware that we did not start out for electoral politics nor for grabbing power. Our aim was Jan Lokpal and corruption-free India. But the big parties taunted us that we won't be able to defeat them in polls," the senior Supreme Court advocate said.

"We also felt that people want a change. We elected them (politicians) for five years and they take graft from big companies and make laws which are not in people's interest," he said.

AAP's mission is to bring about a transformation in the country to ensure democratic and legal rights to the common man, he said.

The present power structures in the country, including the judicial system, do not guarantee meaningful participation of and rights to the vast majority of people, Bhushan said.

It was time that radical changes were brought about in every sphere of the polity including bureaucracy, police and judiciary, he said.

"We formed the party out of compulsion," he said. The results of Delhi polls had damaged the ego of big political parties, he said while describing BJP as "overtly communal" and Congress as "covertly communal."

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Infosys former board member Balakrishnan joins AAP

BANGALORE: In a surprise move, V Balakrishnan, who stepped down as board member of software behemoth Infosys recently creating ripples in the corporate circles, has joined the Aam Admi Party.

"Yes I have become the member of AAP, have got the confirmation today," Balakrishnan told PTI with his move to dabble in politics coming three weeks after his sudden exit from India's second largest software services exporter.

"They (AAP) have revolutionised politics in this country, I'm fascinated with it," Balakrishnan said.

Announcing Balakrishnan's exit on December 20 as member of the Board and from services of the Company, Infosys had said the resignation is effective December 31, 2013.

Balakrishnan, who joined Infosys in 1991 and later became its chief financial officer, was said to be a top contender to the post of Chief Executive Officer.

In response to a question whether he was looking for a full time political career along with business commitments, he said, "In future, I think so...; I think I will be able to manage both."

Balakrishnan, soon after his exit from Infosys, had said he was waiting for SEBI's approval for his private equity fund, which he has formed along with former Infosys executive Mohandas Pai and former Wipro executive Girish Paranjpe.

To a question on contesting the Lok Sabha elections, he said, "It's too early to say anything about it."

Balakrishnan was also the BPO head at Infosys as well as the chairman of Infosys Lodestone, a global management consultancy firm.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Owing to heavy snowing, Kashmir varsity postpones exams

SRINAGAR: In view of heavy snowfall, the Kashmir University has postponed all examinations scheduled to be held in the first week of next month.

"All University examinations scheduled from January 1 to 5 next year have been postponed owing to heavy snowfall," Kashmir University spokesman Showkat Shafi said here today.

However, examinations scheduled from January 6 will be conducted as per dates already notified, he said.

Fresh dates for the postponed examinations will be notified soon, the spokesman said.

The Kashmir Valley has been cut off from rest of the country with heavy snowing forcing closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway and suspension of air traffic.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

UP Police stops relief material from reaching relief camps in Muzaffarnagar

LUCKNOW: Activist Shehzad Poonawalla, who is running the Blanket of Hope initiative for the victims of Muzaffarnagar riots, was illegally stopped by the police while he was taking relief material to the Loi camp in Muzaffarnagar district.

The incident took place on the Shamli-Meerut road where two separate teams of UP Police stopped the activist and his truck of relief material containing blankets, fruits, rations, warm clothes and essential items, without any cause, justification or order. The police also misled the activist that the Loi camp has been wound up, even though it continued to house over 100 families. It must be noted that the Loi camp recently witnessed the demolition of tenements of the riot victims.

Shehzad, who has been active in over 12 camps including Malakpur, Barnawi, Suneti and Khurgan with relief efforts, was on his way to the Loi camp after distributing relief material to the Mansoora camp. When he asked police officer in charge of the team to show identification badge and written order prohibiting relief material, the policeman shouted at the activist and his team that he did not owe any explanation to anyone.

However, police team relented, when Shehzad and his team members lodged protest and dared police to arrest him. Local crowd also gathered in support of Shehzad. "It seems like the UP government wants to ensure that the relief camps are shut at the earliest as part of a cover up exercise. Having done nothing for the victims, the entire UP administration is now on a mission to deny the existence of the double victimization of the people of Muzaffarnagar," Shehzad told TOI. He called up senior officers and demanded action against the police officer.

Recently, Shehzad in his petition to the National Commission for Minorities had exposed the false statistics provided by the UP govt on cold related deaths and total persons living in the camps.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pakistan's new ambassador to US assumes charge

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's newly-appointed ambassador to the US Jalil Abbas Jilani has taken charge of the post after reaching Washington.

Jilani reached the US capital seven months after the previous envoy, Sherry Rehman, quit and returned home when the Pakistan People's Party lost the general elections in May, Geo News reported.

This post was vacant since the resignation of Rahman.

Talking to Geo News after joining office Monday, Jilani said he would try to further strengthen Pakistan-US ties.

Until his appointment as Islamabad's envoy in Washington this month, Jilani was serving as Pakistan's foreign secretary.

Earlier, Jilani served in the Pakistan embassy in Washington from 1995 to 1999. His previous assignments include deputy high commissioner in New Delhi from 1999 to 2003 and envoy to European Union and Australia.

US-Pakistan ties have been under strain since May 2011, when US Navy SEALs swooped down on a compound in Abbottabad and killed Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden who was in hiding there.

The killing of two Pakistani men by Central Intelligence Agency contractor Raymond Davis and a US air raid that killed 28 Pakistani soldiers further strained relations.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Contrary to Modi, Chhattisgarh ‘poorer’ than Jharkhand

RAIPUR: BJP prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, seems to have committed yet another faux pas by claiming that Chhattisgarh is better off than Jharkhand, as various indices show the latter to be a more prosperous state, with a higher per-capita income and expenditure and a lower percentage of people living below poverty line.

Addressing a rally in Ranchi on Sunday, Modi had proudly claimed that while the two states were formed in the same year, "Jharkhand had remained poor despite being rich in natural resources and BJP-ruled Chhattisgarh has sped ahead on the path of development". However, various reports, including the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) of Planning Commission of India, show that Jharkhand has a lower poverty rate and a higher per capita income, as compared to Chhattisgarh.

In fact, it's ironical that Modi's statement came close on the heels of the release of CRISIL Research, which dubbed Chhattisgarh's Capital, Raipur, as the 'poorest', in terms of ownership of durable assets. CRISIL Research, the country's largest independent and integrated research house, recently released the Prosperity Index to compare the living standards of various states.

The company used the census data on the ownership pattern of consumer durables such as television, mobile phone, bicycles, computer/laptop and automobiles to "assess standard of living across states in a more meaningful way compared with the traditional yardstick of average income per person". It dubs a prosperous state as one that has a high proportion of households owning four durable assets -- television, computer/laptop, telephone/mobile phone and two-wheeler/car/jeep.

Believe it or not, Jharkhand is better off than Chhattisgarh as it occupies the 10th position among 16 states, with Punjab being on the top with a score of 100. In contrast, Chhattisgarh is second last on 15th position with a score of 76.9 and is better than Madhya Pradesh.

The CRISIL report states that Raipur along with Patna "are the worst in terms of asset ownership, as these cities have the highest proportion of households with none of the assets (around 1 in 4 households). As well as these cities have the lowest proportion of households with all the assets (less than 1 in 16 households).

According to the Planning Commission report (2011-2012), released this year only, the per capita income in Chhattisgarh is Rs 738 (rural) and Rs 849 (urban), as compared to Rs 748 and Rs 974 respectively in Jharkhand. The per-capita- expenditure in Chhattisgarh is Rs 904.04 (rural) and Rs 1776.21 (Urban) as compared to Rs 919.59 and Rs 1894.41 respectively in Jharkhand.

Interestingly, the number of people living under the poverty line in Chhattisgarh is 39.93%, as compared to 36.96% in Jharkhand.

Talking to TOI, Dr Ravindra Brahme, Professor of Economics, Pt Ravishankar University, said, distribution of income in Chhattisgarh is unequal. "Those who have income and assets are getting richer while others are not benefiting", he said that uneven distribution of income was the main reason for Raipur being dubbed as the poorest Indian city by CRISIL.

Prof JL Bhardwaj, Retd HOD (Economics), Pt Ravi Shankar University, said even the NSS report of July 2011- June 12 shows that among all states Chhattisgarh has the highest poverty and unemployment and is marginally better only to Orissa. He said a large number of people in the state were not getting benefits of the government welfare schemes.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Borivali railway station escalator to get operational tomorrow

MUMBAI: In a New Year gift to the suburban commuters, the Western Railways said on Tuesday it will throw open the newly installed escalator at Borivali station for the public on Wednesday.

The new escalator facility on the Borivili station will provide comfort and convenience to the commuters, especially to senior citizens and differently abled, WR said in a release here.

This is the third escalator on suburban section and the third on Western Railway.

Built at a cost of approximately Rs 60 lakh, the escalator has a carrying capacity of 9,000 persons per hour with a speed of 0.5 mtr per second, the release said.

It has been installed on platform no 6-A on east side of Borivali station connecting the north end foot over bridge, the release said.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

81 private schools to refund excess fees to parents: Panel to Delhi high court

NEW DELHI: A judicial panel set up by the Delhi high court has recommended that more than 80 private schools have to refund the excess fees they charged in 2009 without paying salaries to their staff as per the sixth pay commission.

A three-member committee headed by former Rajasthan high court chief justice Anil Dev Singh, set up in 2011, examined the financial records of 173 schools on a random basis out of total 1,172 schools and submitted its fourth interim report before the bench headed by chief justice N V Ramana recently.

With this report, the committee has so far examined the financial records of 605 private schools in the city.

In the report, the committee said that many schools "unjustly" increased fees and recommended that all of them refund the same with 9 per cent interest to the parents.

According to the report, 73 out of 173 schools including Rukmani Devi public school, Pritampura, Kulachi Hansraj Model school, Ashok Vihar and Manav Sthali school in New Rajinder Nagar, where the committee has found the fee hike to be "unjustified, either partially or fully", and hence recommended the refund of excess fee.

About eight other schools, "where besides, finding the fee hike to be unjustified either partially or fully, the committee also found their records to be unreliable", and recommended "special inspection" in addition to refund of fee.

In August 2011, the Delhi Court had set up the committee to scrutinise the accounts of various unaided private schools to determine the validity of the city government's February 2009 notification permitting them to hike tuition fees.

This order had come on a petition filed by an NGO, Social Jurists, through advocate Ashok Agarwal alleging that schools had hiked the fees "unreasonably" but they failed to pay the salaries of the teaching and non-teaching staff as per the sixth pay commission.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Lalu Prasad to visit camps of Muzaffarnagar riot victims today

NEW DELHI: After Rahul Gandhi, it was the turn of RJD chief Lalu Prasad to visit the camps of riot victims in Muzaffarnagar.

Prasad, whose party is expected to have an alliance with the Congress for the next Lok Sabha polls, left for Muzaffarnagar early morning.

His visit is being coordinated by Rajya Sabha member Mohammed Adeeb. Adeeb was made the member of the upper house with the support of the Samajwadi Party and the Congress.

Prasad is expected to visit half a dozen relief camps inhabited by members of the Muslim community.

Prasad is considered a popular leader among the community and his party RJD had been in power in Bihar for 15 years largely on the basis of MY (Muslim-Yadav) combination.

Prasad, who had arrested BJP leader L K Advani during the Ram Janambhoomi movement in the 1990s, has been projecting himself to be a true secular and talking about playing a larger role in halting the march of Narendra Modi-led BJP.

Lalu's visit comes a week after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi made an unannounced visit to to the riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar district and relief camps to meet the affected people from both the Muslim and Hindu communities.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

CBI closes case against former Army vice chief Lt Gen Nobel Thamburaj

NEW DELHI: The CBI has closed its case in an alleged land scam purportedly involving a defence property in Pune cantonment in which a former Army vice chief was named as accused.

The Mumbai branch of the agency filed a closure report before a special CBI court saying it could not find evidence which indicates criminality of Lt Gen (retd) Nobel Thamburaj.

The agency had based its probe on a complaint from the Defence ministry which had alleged that defence land in the Pune cantonment was given to a private builder in violation of the norms.

It was alleged that Thamburaj and Defence Estate Officer S R Nayyar had favoured the builder.

CBI sources said action was recommended against the accused as due process was not followed in allotment of land to the builder but there was no criminality the case.

Sources said the agency could not find evidence of any quid pro quo which could have benefited Thamburaj or Nayyar.

According to the CBI FIR, Thamburaj, who retired as vice chief in October 2009, and Nayyar had allegedly shown undue favour to the builder for a property measuring 0.96 acres in Defence Land at Pune Cantonment.

"There was a dispute going on regarding the property in question. Thamburaj and Nayyar settled the matter out of court in spite of several court orders given in favour of the Army. The duo indulged in gross misconduct," CBI had alleged.

The two officers ignored rules and policies, violated the terms of lease entered into by the ministry of defence and Kalpataru and caused the private company pecuniary gains of about Rs 46 crore, it claimed.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Govt to revise medical procedures rates for CGHS empanelled hospitals

NEW DELHI: In a good news for lakhs of beneficiaries under the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS), the government is in the process of revising the rates of medical procedures offered by empanelled hospitals and diagnostic centres and giving them early payment assurance to encourage more medical institutions join the scheme.

The ministry of health and family welfare has floated e-tenders for empanelment of hospitals and decided that the rates of various medical procedures would be fixed by an average of rates quoted in e-tenders instead of the old system where the lowest quotation became the rate.

Rates of all medical procedure centres under CGHS would be revised by April next year.

Not just that, the Government is also revising its policy by providing empanelled hospitals assured upfront payment of 70 per cent of the total bill within five days of its presentation and balance admissible amount within a maximum period of 30 days.

The direction for a 10 per cent deduction in case of early/cash payment to hospitals under CGHS has also been done away with, highly-placed sources in the ministry told.

"These measures will put an end to the problems of delayed payments which discourage hospitals from getting empanelled under the scheme," a health ministry official said.

Under the new policy finalized by the ministry, the category of super specialty hospitals empanelled under the CGHS has also been done away with.

"Now, hospitals, exclusive eye hospitals/centres, exclusive dental clinics and diagnostic centres shall be empanelled for all facilities available in the health care organisation as approved by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals/National Accreditation Board for Labs and the Quality Council of India and shall not be empanelled for selected specialities/facilities," the new policy says.

The changes will help rope in more hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres under the CGHS as many renowned and big hospitals were shying away from being empanelled under the scheme due to pending payments and low rates for medical procedures.

Sources said payments of bills amounting to around Rs 100 crore of private hospitals are pending with the government under CGHS alone, even though hospitals are crying hoarse that pending payments are to the tune of over Rs 400 crore.

Officials, however, say this huge amount is not pending under CGHS and it may include payments under ECHS, ESI and health bills of other big departments like Delhi Police and others.
There are over 750 private hospitals, clinics and diagnostic centres empanelled with the CGHS at present. A total of around 35 lakh government employees and pensioners are beneficiaries under the CGHS.

Recent rationalisation of rates of various treatments and delay in payments has led to removal of some top private hospitals from the list of CGHS empanelled hospitals, causing problems to lakhs of government and PSU employees and officials who were beneficiaries under the scheme and were unable to get medical treatment in top private hospitals.

A committee headed by director general health services had rationalized the CGHS rates recently triggering objections from various hospitals which said the rates were not remunerative.

At least 10 top private hospitals had been removed from the list this year, and more had conveyed their unwillingness to continue their empanelment under the CGHS scheme on account of rationalization of rates and pending payments.

"Rationalisation of rates of various treatments made it non-remunerative for them to provide medical facilities to CGHS beneficiaries. Delays in payments made to such hospitals by the government, also forced many such private hospitals in Delhi and around to withdraw from the list of CGHS empanelled hospitals," an official admitted.

The government is however hopeful that the hospitals earlier reluctant to join CGHS would now come forward for empanelment.

Lack of adequate quality medical treatment in government hospitals has forced government employees to seek treatment in private hospitals.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More

Punjab Cong leader Amarinder Singh asks CM Badal to raise jat reservation issue with Centre

PATIALA: After writing to the Centre, Punjab Congress leader Amarinder Singh on Sunday asked chief minister Parkash Singh Badal to take up the issue of Jat reservation in the state with the Union government as it was a "procedural requirement".

In a letter to Badal today, Amarinder said, "Instead of politicising the issue and as usual seeking to unnecessarily blame the Centre, you as the Chief Minister of the state need to make an official representation to the Union government for providing reservation to Jats in Punjab, whether they be the Hindus, the Muslims or the Sikhs."

"It is good that you have started appreciating and understanding the need after the All India Jat Maha Sabha raised the issue at various levels," the former chief minister and president of All India Jat Maha Sabha said.

"I am not sure whether you have been informed about the procedural requirements needed to be done by your government or not.

"But I am informing you that you need to make the formal recommendation so that the Central government may proceed further in the matter," he said.

Amarinder said Jats had presence in 13 states but the reservation was being extended only in 9 states.

Earlier this month, he also wrote a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to extend it to Punjab and three other states.

He asked Badal to clarify his stand on the issue.

"Badal has not done anything, not even said anything, except for blaming the centre that is his usual habit," he said.

Amarinder said that considering the seriousness and urgency of the matter "Badal will initiate the move and write to the Centre in his capacity as the chief minister that Jats in Punjab also deserve to be given reservation in the OBC category as most of the Jats are mainly into farming are marginal farmers only."

"...The minimum you can do is write to the Centre making a proper case for reservation to Jats in Punjab under OBC category. I want to add for your information that other states where the reservation benefits have been extended to Jats had also made due representations to the Centre and you must do it the same way," he further wrote.

07.20 | 0 komentar | Read More