E-trip system becoming bone of contention between SAD and BJP

The e-trip system introduced by Punjab government to bring transparency in transactions by traders and check tax evasion has become a bone of contention between allies SAD and BJP, which feels it might affect its vote bank in urban areas.

Punjab BJP brass led by party in-charge for state affairs Shanta Kumar, state party unit chief Kamal Sharma, ministers Chunni Lal Bhagat and Anil Joshi and veteran leader Balramji Dass Tandon met Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here urging him to put the scheme on hold till traders’ apprehensions were addressed, party sources said here today.

Murder threat to the leaders of various Hindu outfits

The BJP office here today received a letter threatening to kill 12 persons belonging to various Sangh Parivar organisations if their demand for immediate release of Abdul Nassar Madani, the Kerala-based PDP leader who is an accused in the 2008 Bangalore serial bomb blasts, was not met immedaitely, police said.

The letter sought immediate release of Madani lodged in a jail in Bangalore. It threatened to kill leaders of various organisations of BJP, including Hindu Munnani and VHP, if their demand was not met, police sources said.

BJP’s consent taken in all decisions: Sukhbir

A day after opposition Congress accused him of unilaterally taking decisions, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said Shiromani Akali Dal always takes consent of its coalition partner BJP in the government’s functioning.

“BJP’s consent is taken in every decision of the government. BJP ministers are also part of the cabinet,” Sukhbir said here.

He was speaking at a function organised to give promotions to over 900 personnel of Punjab Police.

BJD leader accuses AICC spokesman of influencing Gram Sabhas

With seven consecutive Gram Sabhas held in hill slope tribal villages rejecting a proposal to allow bauxite mining on Niyamgiri Hills, ruling BJD today accused AICC spokesman and MP Bhaktra Charan Das of influencing tribals against the mining project.

Like the six previous gram sabhas, residents of Phuldumer in Kalahandi district today rejected the proposal of mining claiming that their religious and cultural rights would be affected due to mining on Niyamgiri Hills.

Wrong to see my utterances as ‘anti-Modi’: Shatrughan Sinha

With his ‘frank’ opinion on Narendra Modi and L K Advani leaving many leaders in BJP red faced, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha today said he did not violate party discipline and stuck to his remarks.

‘It is wrong to see my statement as anti-Narendra Modi or pro-Modi…It is pro-BJP,’ Sinha, a Lok Sabha member from Patna Saheb, told PTI.

IAS officers rally behind Durga, demand revocation of suspension

Mounting pressure on the Akhilesh Yadav government, IAS officers in UP today rallied behind a woman colleague, who was suspended after she cracked down on the sand mafia, and demanded revocation of the order following which the chief minister promised to look into the issue.

As the issue snowballed into a major controversy, Akhilesh, who is on a visit to Karnataka, said in Chitradurga, “Once I get back (to Lucknow) tomorrow, I will look into the issue. There shouldn’t be any debate on suspension.” He was asked by reporters whether he would consider revocation of the suspension order.

Antony will not depose in Italian court

Taken by surprise by the decision of an Italian judge to include Defence Minister AK Antony as a possible witness in a trial relating to corruption.

In the Rs 3,600 crore AgustaWestland chopper deal, India tonight ruled out his appearance in the court.

Railways to set up captive nuclear power plants

With the aim of reducing its power bill, railways is actively considering setting up captive nuclear power plants to meet the rising demand of energy for train operation.

“Talks are going on with Nuclear Power Corporation (NPC) for setting up captive nuclear plants to cater to the growing demand of power for running increased number of trains,” said a senior Railway Ministry official in the elctrical department.

There are about 42,00 electrical locomotives operational and out of the total 65,000 km long rail route, 23,541 km has been electrified.

Raise Sikh youth unemployment issue in Parliament: Congress leader to PM

Expressing concern over a survey that puts Sikh youths among the most unemployed in the country, a Congress leader has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to raise the issue in the upcoming Parliament session.

Jagmeet Singh Brar, who was also a former MP, has also sought a meeting with President Pranab Mukherjee to discuss the report of National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO).

India, Myanmar navies hold discussions for strengthening ties

Myanmarese Navy chief Thura Thet Swe on Monday met his Indian counterpart Admiral D K Joshi to discuss strengthening cooperation in areas of operations, capability building and material support.

The two navy chiefs met here and also discussed various proposals to further strengthen Navy-to-Navy cooperation in training and take the existing relationship to another level and promote capability enhancement, Navy officials said here.

India will tread carefully: Khurshid on Indo-Pak talks

India on Monday said the deep hurt felt by Indian people over the beheading of soldiers on the border has to be addressed for “unqualified movement forward” on the bilateral ties with Pakistan.

On the Islamabad proposal on the talk schedule for remaining secretary-level meetings in the third round of resumed dialogue, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said steps will have to be taken carefully.

Treatment of acid attack victims should be free: Minister

Women and Child Development Minister Krishna Tirath on Monday said her Ministry is in favour of providing free surgery and treatment to acid attack victims even in private hospitals.

She said that the Ministry had written a letter to the Health Ministry some time back about bearing the cost of surgery and treatment of the victims of acid attack.

“We had written a letter to the Union Health Ministry asking them to make surgery and treatment of the victims of acid attack free of cost and they had reverted back saying that it is already free in government hospitals.

Urban bodies strike called off in Chhattisgarh

The indefinite strike of urban bodies’ employees in Chhattisgarh was called off Monday, official sources said.

“A delegation of urban bodies’ striking employees called on Chief Minister Raman Singh here Monday and agreed to withdraw the strike which had begun July 18,” sources said.

The BJP government was under pressure to reach an agreement with the striking employees, as the state goes to assembly polls by November this year.

Reports say that government has conceded several key demands of the striking staff.

—-IANS

Brinda Karat says suspension of female IAS officer sends ‘distressing’ message

Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat has said the immediate suspension of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Durga Shakti Nagpal was uncalled for as it sends a ‘distressing’ message to other female aspirants to civil service in the country. “The suspension sends out a distressing message to other female aspirates who are pursuing IAS.

Gujarat: 43 IPS officers transferred

In a major reshuffle in the higher echelons of the state police, Gujarat government today transferred 43 IPS officers, while promoting some of them.

As per the state Home Department, 14 Inspector General-level and 29 superintendent-level police officers have
been transferred, with 11 of them getting promotion.

Superintendent of Sabarmati Central Jail, Ahmedabad, R J Pargi, who came under scanner when some of the 2008

SC refuses to entertain PIL on food security ordinance

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL challenging the food security ordinance promulgated by the government three weeks ago.

A bench comprising justices T S Thakur and Vikramajit Sen declined to hear the PIL and asked the petitioner to approach the high court for redressal of his grievances.

The court passed the order on a petition filed by advocate M L Sharma alleging that the Centre has brought the ordinance for political purposes and the court should examine its validity.

Admiral Gorshkov achieves key milestone in sea trials

The long-delayed aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov achieved a significant milestone when it achieved its top speed of over 30 knots during sea trials in Russia last week.

The 44,500 tonne aircraft carrier rechristened INS Vikramaditya is undergoing extensive sea trials in Russia before its planned induction in to the Indian Navy by the end of this year.

After achieving its top speed, the warship will now move to the White Sea very soon where it will undergo aviation trials including the landing and take-off of fighter aircraft from its runway, Navy officials said.

30% MPs have criminal cases, says report

About 30 percent of Lok Sabha MPs and 17 percent of Rajya Sabha MPs have criminal cases against them, with Shiv Sena members topping the list, a report released on Monday said.

The joint report by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the National Election Watch (NEW) was based on affidavits filed by candidates during elections since 2004.

A total of 8,790 affidavits filed by MPs and state legislators were analysed.

The report found that 162 (30 percent) of the 543 present Lok Sabha membres face “criminal cases” and 76 others (14 percent) “serious criminal cases”.

Encircling India by string of pearls an illusion: Chinese scholar

The development of a number of strategic ports in South Asia, like Gwadar in Pakistan, by China is not to contain India but to protect the country’s own “legitimate economic interests” in the Indian Ocean, a Chinese scholar has said.

“China’s existence in the Indian Ocean is a productive force that brings economic prosperity and strategic security. ‘Encircling India’ by ‘a string of pearls’ is an illusion fuelled by paranoia,” Hu Zhiyong wrote in an article ‘India wears unreal string of pearls’ published in state run ‘Global Times’ on Monday.

MEA gets interactive through smartphone app

Now you can get help with your passport, visa, and if abroad, get consular assistance, or even ask questions to the external affairs minister – all on your smartphone with the ‘MEAIndia’ app.

The ‘MEAIndia’ application, being launched Monday evening by Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai, will help users find out the nearest Indian mission or post for emergency consular assistance, if required, and also find out how to undertake the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra and Haj Pilgrimage, according to a ministry statement Monday.

Don’t file review petition on common test: Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalithaa has expressed her government’s strong objection to the centre’s move to appeal against the apex court’s judgment quashing the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) for medical admissions.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh July 28, 2013, text of which was released to the media here Monday, the chief minister urged the centre to drop its move to file a review petition against the apex court’s decision.

Exhibition on Nelson Mandela in Kolkata

Offering a glimpse into the life of anti-apartheid icon and former South African president Nelson Mandela, an ongoing exhibition in the city has been enthralling the leader’s fans through artefacts related to Mandela’s chequered life.

Organised by the Russian Centre of Science and Culture, Kolkata, the exhibition showcases photographs, postage stamps, copies of journals of the African National Congress (ANC) and myriad variety of posters highlighting the anti-apartheid movement and the freedom struggle.

Online registration of foreigners in Goa sought

Hassled by constant queuing up before police stations for paperwork every time foreign nationals check into hotels, the hospitality industry Monday petitioned the state tourism ministry to process such documentation online.

Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar told reporters that members of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) especially wanted the process of registering the ‘C’ form, a mandatory document, which carries all the details of the arriving foreign tourist, to be shifted online like the Kerala government has.

IAS association up in arms against suspension

The Uttar Pradesh IAS association Monday urged the government to reverse the suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal who had taken on the sand mafia.

The suspended sub divisional magistrate (SDM) was posted in Noida, adjoining the national capital.

Office bearers of the Indian Administrative Service association met Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani and petitioned him to intervene in the matter.

Nagpal also met association president Alok Ranjan, who is also the agriculture production commissioner.

Kerala High Court wants strict laws to curb cheating

The Kerala High Court Monday asked the state government to enact stringent laws against fraudsters.

“The state government should think of enacting laws similar to the Fraud Act in England,” Justice S.S. Satish Chandran said while denying bail to dancer and film actress Shalu Menon in the solar scam cheating case.

“If stringent punishments are not handed over to those who cheat others, questions would be asked about the judiciary,” Justice Chandran said.

Currently, all money-related cheating cases are tried under the Money Lenders Act.