Indian, Chinese army officers meet to defuse border tensions

(IANS) Senior officers of the Indian and Chinese armies held a flag meeting in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday following an incursion by troops of the Peoples Liberation Army. India hoped that the issue would be resolved peacefully as has happened with such incidents in the past.

The brigadier-level meeting was held at Daulat Beg Oldie, the highest airstrip in the world at 5,100 metres that India reactivated in 2008, sources said.

People participate in anti drug rally in Manipur

Participants from all walks of life enthusiastically took part in the rally, which commenced from Khuman Lampak main stadium to the Thangmeiband Athletic Union Ground (THAU) in the Thangmeiband DM College (It was organized by the Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol ( CADA ).) The President of CADA and its organising committee, Aramabam Rabindra told reporters that the objective of the rally was to save society from the menace of drugs.

Parliament adjourned for day over ‘quit PM’ demands

Both houses of parliament were repeatedly disrupted before being adjourned for the day Tuesday as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) noisily demanded Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s resignation.

The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day without transacting much business. While the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day a little after noon, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day at 2 p.m.

Tension in Shopian town after recovery of youth’s body

Tension gripped south Kashmir’s Shopian town on Tuesday following recovery of body of a post-graduate scholar, who went missing on Monday, police said.

Body of Bilal Ahmad, who had completed Masters in Commerce, was found this morning in the fields near Shopian town, 52 kms from here, a police spokesman said.

Bilal was reported missing since yesterday, the spokesman said.

He said soon after the youth’s body was recovered, an irate mob set the house of Mohammad Ramzan Sheikh on fire for reasons which are not clear yet.

Russia to train Indian fighter pilots

Russia will train Indian fighter pilots for carrier-based operations, a top Russian official said.

The Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RAC MiG) has signed a contract with India’s defence ministry on the training of Indian pilots on operating carrier-based aircraft, RAC MiG Director General Sergei Korotkov told Itar-Tass in an interview.

“On April 20, the contract was signed between the ministry of defence and the RAC MiG, under which we will train Indian pilots on the MiG-29K/KUB planes,” said Korotkov.

Tripura, Meghalaya to ban gutka, pan masala

Following the direction of the union government, Tripura and Meghalaya will ban the sale, manufacture and distribution of gutka (tobacco-laced areca nut pieces) and pan masala (a chewing mixture), officials said Tuesday.

Health department officials of Tripura and Meghalaya said that both the states have already taken initiative to ban the sale, manufacture and distribution of gutka, khaini, pan masala and other chewing products containing tobacco or nicotine.

Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim have already banned such products.

Indian economy to grow at 6.4 percent in 2013-14

India’s economic growth will accelerate to 6.4 percent in the current financial year as compared to an estimated 5 percent expansion registered in the last fiscal, economic advisory panel to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday.

“The economy has bottomed out and we will achieve higher growth of 6.4 percent in the current financial year,” Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council chairman C. Rangarajan said at a media conference here.

Govt offices in Jammu to open at 8 am during summers

Summer timings will come into effect at the government offices and educational institutions in Jammu region from May 01.

As per a notification issued by Jammu Divisional Commissioner Pradeep Gupta, the summer working hours in the State Government Offices and educational institutions located in various districts of Jammu Division will come into effect from May 01 to September 30, 2013.

The timing in Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Samba, Reasi, Kathua Districts (except tehsil Bani) shall be from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm, it said.

Laws are effective only if implemented efficiently: Meira Kumar

Against the backdrop of several protests against the executive, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar on Monday said laws are effective only if they are implemented efficiently by the government and civil servants.

Speaking to IAS probationers of 2012 batch here after inaugurating an Appreciation Course in Parliamentary Practices and Procedures, Kumar stressed that a law is “only as effective as its implementation”.

She urged the civil servants to assist the government in accomplishing the complex tasks of development and administration.

PM ‘will miss Justice Verma’s advice, guidance’

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday night described former Chief Justice of India JS Verma, who died here, as a “man of vast understanding” whose “generous advice and guidance” he will miss very much.

Singh said Justice Verma was “held in great respect as a public figure not only for his vast understanding and knowledge of law and the many path-breaking judgments he delivered as a judge but also for his deep sensitivity to the concerns of the common man and his fierce commitment to the public good”.

Indian-American attorney to prosecute Boston bomber

The high profile case of prosecuting Boston Marathon bombing suspect – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev – has been entrusted to two noted American attorneys one of whom is an Indian-American.

A graduate of the Johns Hopkins University and Emory Law School, Aloke Chakravarty is an Assistant US Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

2G scam: BJP, Left, DMK submit privilege notices

Members of Parliament representing the BJP, the Left and the DMK have submitted privilege notices against Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) Chairman PC Chacko for the manner in which the JPC draft report on the 2G spectrum scam was leaked to the media even before it reached most of the 30 panel members.

According to media reports, BJP and Left members on the JPC have also decided to oppose the draft report at the next meeting of the committee on April 25. They have urged other members to also oppose the report.

Job or passion? Enjoy both as new career opportunities open up

There was a time when work and passion were two different things. However, with advances in the digital and electronic world and change in business practices, that demarcation line is getting blurred and new careers are emerging.

If you are hooked to the social media, you can become an expert on it; if your friends seek your advice on their shopping trips, you can be an image consultant – and so on. The story of today’s exciting, emerging careers is – to use a cliched tagline of a sportswear brand – impossible is nothing.

Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 p.m.

The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 12 p.m. Tuesday following noisy Samajwadi Party protests on the reported Chinese incursion into Indian territory in Ladakh region and Trinamool Congress demand for a special package for West Bengal.

As soon as the lower house assembled for the day, Samajwadi Party members trooped into the well of the house, protesting the Chinese incursion.

Around 15-20 Chinese soldiers have reportedly been stationed at a remote camp some 10 km within Indian territory in the northern part of Ladakh since April 15.

Incursion: Local India, China military commanders holding meet

Local military commanders of India and China are holding a flag meeting today in a bid to resolve the situation arising out of the incursion by Chinese troops in Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) sector in Ladakh.

The meeting scheduled at 10:30 AM will be held in Daulat Beg Oldi sector, sources said. India raised the issue with China last week immediately after the incident of Chinese incursion came to light.

Parliament disruptions: A negation of democracy?

Daily disruptions and ruckus inside parliament – that Vice President Hamid Ansari said has been described as “competitive hooliganism” – have become routine and both the government and opposition blame each other for it, but experts say it is a negation of democracy and probably a way to get media coverage.

“The way parliament has been functioning, it is a total negation of democracy,” Jagdeep Chhokar, a retired IIM-Ahmedabad professor and founder-member of the National Election Watch & Association for Democratic Reforms, told IANS.

Bangalore blast: Three people arrested in Chennai

Days after a bomb blast near the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) office here left 16 injured, three people have been arrested in Chennai for their alleged involvement in the bombing.

According to reports coming in, police arrested Peer Mohideen and Basheer late on Monday night. Third accused, Kitchen Buhari, was arrested on Tuesday morning.

The operation to nab the accused was conducted by the Bangalore Police with the assistance of the Tamil Nadu Police.

MP’s BJP Govt. to give Re. 1 per kg wheat & rice Rs.2 per kg to poor from June

(Pervez Bari): With an eye on impending elections of the state legislative assembly at the end of this year the rightist Bharatiya Janata Party, (BJP), ruled Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced to provide wheat at Re. 1 kg and rice Rs.2 per kg from fair price shops in the state from June 2013 to poor families. Iodized salt will also be provided to BPL (Below Poverty Line) and “Antyodaya” (poorest of the poor) families at the rate of Re. 1 per kg in all development blocks.

No BJP leader is ruled out for PM candidate: Sushma Swaraj

No BJP leader has been ruled out as Prime Ministerial candidate, senior leader Sushma Swaraj said when asked if L K Advani’s name will be discussed for the top post.

“We are not moving ahead by ruling out anyone. We are not ruling out anyone. When we will discuss then we will first decide whether we have to declare (the PM candidate) or not.

“If we decide to declare then we will discuss about all the names. How can we rule out a topmost leader like Advani,” Swaraj told a news channel in an interview.

Rahul a big zero, Cong afraid of Modi: BJP

In a fresh salvo ahead of Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Madhya Pradesh, ruling BJP today said the Congress Vice-President pales in comparison to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. “In comparison to Modi, Rahul is a big zero and the Congress leaders have a fear of Modi. They are afraid of him even in their dreams,” BJP spokesman Vijay Sonkar Shastri told reporters here. He was replying to a query on Rahul’s impending visit to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh on April 24 and its likely impact. “The two-day visit of Rahul Gandhi will prove to be a futile exercise.

MoUs signed at investors summit-2012 being implemented speedily in MP

(Pervez Bari): Work is progressing fast for implementing MoUs (Memorandum of Understandings) signed at Investors Summit at Indore in October 2012 with a view to promoting investment in industry and commerce sectors. Total 1101 investment proposals were signed at the summit. Implementation of these proposals worth Rs.3 lakh 77 thousand 678 crore will provide jobs to 20 lakh persons. These include 529 MoUs, 335 Expressions of Interest and 239 agreements.

Indian Mujahideen involvement likely in B’lore blast: sleuths

Investigators probing the blast in Bangalore have suggested that the Indian Mujahideen (IM) was behind the April 17 terror attack in the Southern city.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is probing the blast along with Karnataka Police, conveyed to the Home Ministry that the activists belonging to the IM were suspected to be behind the terror attack that injured 16 people, including 11 policemen.

Jundal’s discharge plea rejected by Nashik court

A local court today rejected an application filed by suspected LeT operative and 26/11 Mumbai attacks conspirator Sayad Zabiuddin Ansari alias Abu Jundal, seeking discharge from the Maharashtra Police Academy attack conspiracy case.

Sessions Judge K K Tantrapale rejected Jundal’s plea, special prosecutor Ajay Misar told reporters.

Bilal Shaikh, Himayat Baig and Abu Jundal have been arrested in the case. Baig was sentenced to death in Pune’s German Bakery blast case last week.

–Agencies

Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid praises Mayawati, says she only knows how to rule

He alleged the state government was cheating Muslims who were feeling insecure under the current dispensation.

Showering encomiums on Mayawati, Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Maulana Ahmed Bukhari, who has parted ways with the Samajwadi Party, says if anyone knows how to rule in this country, it is only the BSP supremo.

Addressing a rally in SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s native place here last night, Bukhari said Mayawati’s regime was better than the present Akhilesh Yadav-led SP government in Uttar Pradesh.

Former CJI J.S.Verma dead

Justice J.S. Verma, who headed the panel which suggested changes to the anti-rape laws in the aftermath of the Dec 16 gang-rape, died due to liver failure and bleeding in the stomach here Monday. He was 80.

The former Chief Justice of India died at Gurgaon’s Medanta Hospital.

“Justice Verma was admitted to the hospital on Friday with complaint of liver failure. He died at 9.30 p.m. of liver failure and bleeding in the stomach,” Medanta’s official spokesperson told IANS.

Justice Verma was the 27th Chief Justice of India from March 25, 1997 to Jan 18, 1998.

–IANS