News

Modi stokes row, FIR filed against him for poll law violation

by

Stoking a huge controversy, Narendra Modi today displayed the BJP symbol and made a speech in a polling booth in violation of electoral laws following which police filed an FIR against him.

The police action came after the Election Commission took serious note of the BJP prime ministerial candidate’s violation of the electoral laws, under which no person can display any election matter or address a meeting in a polling booth on the day of election, and ordered filing of FIR against Modi.

BJP-led NDA to form next Government under Modi: Keshubhai

by

Veteran Gujarat politician Keshubhai Patel today said BJP was likely to win more than 225 Lok Sabha seats and Narendra Modi will become the next Prime Minister heading a NDA Government.

“I have not deeply analysed the country’s current political situation but I think the next Government would be formed by (BJP-led) NDA under Narendra Modi. BJP will emerge the single largest party wining more than 225 Lok Sabha seats,” he said here.

The 85-year-old former BJP Gujarat Chief Minister, once a betenoire of Modi, was speaking to reporters after casting his vote at a booth here.

Sikh, Muslim groups file complaints against amusement parks

by

Two prominent Sikh and Muslim groups have filed complaints against a California amusement parks chain that denied access to people from the communities to certain rides for wearing religious head coverings.

In their complaint, United Sikhs and the California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) alleged that members of their religious minorities were permitted entry to the Boomers amusement park, a subsidiary of Palace Entertainment Ltd, but then denied access to the Go-Kart rides after employees cited unfounded safety concerns.

Khurshid attacks Modi for invoking Kargil martyr’s phrase

by

Union Minister Salman Khurshid today slammed Narendra Modi for invoking a Kargil martyr’s phrase “Yeh Dil Maange More” to garner votes for NDA.

He alleged that it has hurt the sentiments of the martyr’s family and termed it disgraceful for those who were fielding a contestant against such a brave martyr’s mother in the elections.

Mumbai Indians elect to field against Sunrisers

by

Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final Indian Premier League (IPL) match of the United Arab Emirates-leg at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium here Wednesday.

It is a match between the two bottom-placed teams of the eight-team league. While Sunrisers have won a single match in four outings, the Mumbai outfit are yet to get off the mark having lost four consecutive games.

The squads:

Blast in China railway station

by

A blast occurred at a railway station in Urumqi, capital of northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Wednesday evening.

The explosion happened around 7 p.m. at the exit of the Urumqi south railway station. The blast was centred around some luggage left on the ground between the station exit and a public bus stop, witnesses told Xinhua.

The blast was so powerful that a man at a nearby hotel said he thought it was an earthquake.

US judge dismisses 1984 riots case against Congress

by

A federal judge in New York has dismissed a case filed against the Congress Party for its alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

Earlier this week, Judge Robert Sweet granted the party’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit brought against it by the Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) advocacy group, which sought damages stemming from the Congress’ alleged responsibility for the riots that engulfed New Delhi and other parts of the nation in violence following the assassination of erstwhile Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Malaysia to release initial MH370 report tomorrow

by

Malaysia will release the much-anticipated preliminary report on the mysterious disappearance of Flight MH370 tomorrow, nearly two months after the plane with 239 people on board went missing.

The preliminary report on Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777-200’s disappearance will be released tomorrow, Acting Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

He said the report will be similar to the one forwarded to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) by the Department of Civil Aviation (DCA).

Former DGP Dinesh reddy creates a scene at Polling Station

by

Former DGP and YSRC candidate from Malkajgiri parliamentary constituency Dinesh Reddy today created a scene near a polling station.

At a polling booth in the Malkajgiri constituency, the ex-DGP along with his supporters numbering about 50, entered the booth violating the election code. Unconfirmed reports said that police personnel kept quiet when Dinesh Reddy entered the both since he was a former DGP. The CEO Banwarlal later said that a probe is on into the incident.

Train rams Rahul’s convoy car in Andhra

by

A car which was supposed to be used as a jammer in the convoy of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has been hit by a train in Hindupur, which falls under Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.

The driver of the car was reportedly injured in the incident. The ambassador car has been badly mangled because of the effect of the accident. (ANI)

Technical snags in EVMs reported in 10 constituencies in city

by

Polling was affected for a brief period in as many as 10 polling stations in the city due to the technical snags in Electronic Voting Machines.

Technical snags were reported from Polling Stations No 2,15,26, 33, 226 in Jubilee Hills, PS No 58 and 19 in Nampally, PS No 147,148, 149, 217, 218, 219 in Malakpet, PS No 72 in LB Nagar, PS No 80 in Musheerabad, PS No 92, 92 A in Uppal, PS No 3 Malkagiri, LB Nagar and PS No 53 in Khairtabad.

Similarly, technical snags were also reported from more than 50 polling booths across Telangana region. (INN)

Nearly 70 percent, peaceful voting in Telangana’s first poll

by

Nearly 70 percent peaceful polling was recorded for 17 Lok Sabha seats and 119 state assembly seats in the first election in Telangana, which is set to born as India’s 29th state on June 2.

Officials said the polling was 68 percent at 5 p.m. Those standing in queues at 6 p.m. will be allowed to vote, said chief electoral officer Bhanwarlal.

Barring minor incidents, balloting was on peacefully amid tight security at 30,574 polling booths across 10 districts of Telangana including Hyderabad.

AAP says Modi is a habitual offender

by

Welcoming the FIR registered against Narendra Modi for violating the election law, the Aam Aadmi Party today called BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate a habitual offender who has been consistently violating poll norms and model code of conduct.

“Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP candidate from Varanasi Lok Sabha constituency, Narendra Modi has been consistently violating the election laws and the model code of conduct during the ongoing campaigning.

Jama Masjid attack case: Court fixes hearing on May 24

by

A court here today fixed May 24 for hearing a case against Indian Mujahideen co-founder Yasin Bhatkal and his aide Asadullah Akhtar who were chargesheeted by the Delhi Police in connection with the September 2010 Jama Masjid terror attack case.

Additional Sessions Judge Daya Prakash posted the matter for May 24 after the counsel appearing for both the accused said that scrutiny of documents filed along with the charge sheet was going on.

Rahul reaches out to people of Seemandhra

by

Reaching out to voters of Andhra Pradesh post bifurcation, Rahul Gandhi today told the people of Seemandhra that it was Congress-led UPA government that ensured that their region got special status.

Addressing an election rally here, the Congress Vice President said party President Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and he himself had insisted that Seemandhra should get a special status.

“And we ensured that your state got special status,” he said here.

We wish to bounce back on home turf: Gayle

by

After winning just two of the five matches played in the UAE, Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle is hoping for a turnaround of his team’s fortunes in the Indian leg of IPL-7.

Out of nine remaining matches, RCB will play five matches at Chinnaswamy stadium and are hoping to fare better on home turf.

“Hopefully we wish to bounce back as quickly as possible. We are back home now and know the conditions well here. Still a long way to go,” he told reporters at an event conducted by WHAM Infocom here.

Modi’s wife, mother exercise their franchise

by

Even as BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi gears up for the big battle in Varanasi after his first Lok Sabha test in Vadodara, his wife Jasodaben and mother Hiraba Modi today exercised their franchise from Mehsana and Gandhinagar parliamentary constituencies.

A retired school teacher, Jashodaben cast her vote in Kot Kuva area of Unjha town in Mehsana district.

Modi for the first time publicly acknowledged Jashodaben as his wife in an affidavit filed by him from Vadodara Lok Sabha seat, which is one of the two constituencies from where he is running for Parliament.

EC orders Guj administration to file FIR/complaint against Modi

by

Narendra Modi today landed in a soup with the Election Commission ordering the Gujarat administration to file a complaint or FIR against him for violating poll laws by displaying BJP’s election symbol ‘Lotus’ and making a speech after casting his vote in Gandhinagar.

“The Commission is of the view that by holding that meeting and also by addressing the same today when the polling is going on in the entire state of Gujarat and in different parts of the country, Narendra Modi has violated the provisions of Sections 126 (1)(a) and 126 (l)(b) of Representation of People Act, 1951.

TBSE withdraws book branding BJP communal party

by

Tripura Board of Secondary Education (TBSE) today decided to withdraw a text book which branded BJP as a communal party.

“It has been decided to withdraw the book, because it was a mistake. We are going for a new syllabus, where the book will not be incorporated,” Amitava Debroy, president of TBSE told reporters here.

A chapter on “India’s party system” in the text book of political science for class XI, said one of the important characteristics of this system was the existence of communal parties.

Complaint filed against Ramdev for ‘anti-Dalit remarks’

by

A complaint was today filed against yoga guru Ramdev in a local court here for his controversial remark that Rahul Gandhi visited Dalits’ homes for honeymoon at a poll meeting in Uttar Pradesh.

One Bharamal Ram Meghwal filed the complaint with the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, sources said.

The court would take up the complaint on May 5.

Ramdev, a supporter of BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi, made the remark in Lucknow on April 25 and has drawn flak from all quarters since then. He has been booked by Uttar Pradesh police in this regard.

Court to rule May 2 on ED chargesheet against Raja, Kanimozhi

by

A court Wednesday reserved its order on taking cognizance of the chargesheet against former telecom minister A. Raja, DMK MP Kanimozhi and Dayalu Ammal, the wife of DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, among others for money laundering in the 2G spectrum allocation case.

Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge O.P. Saini fixed May 2 for delivering his order on the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against 10 people and nine companies.

Modi not a good PM candidate: Amartya Sen

by

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen came out against Narendra Modi today saying that he did not think he is a good prime ministerial candidate.

“My reaction on Modi is fairly well known. I don’t think he is a good prime ministerial candidate. Obviously he is very popular in some sections. He is very popular among the business community. That doesn’t mean he is my favourite candidate,” Sen told reporters here when asked about his view on the BJP prime ministerial candidate.

Free internet connectivity for RCB fans in home games

by

Fans of Royal Challengers Bangalore will be provided with free Wi-Fi internet connectivity during all the home IPL games of the team at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

“RCB will be providing free Wi-Fi connectivity for all fans at Chinnaswamy Stadium on all days when the home team is playing in Bangalore,” said a media release from RCB.

“RCB becomes the first IPL team and the first cricket team in the world to offer free Wi-Fi connectivity for fans at a stadium using a customized network of specially laid fibre-optic cables.

Rahul a liberal, looks upon all as equals: Priyanka

by

Hitting out at critics of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi today said her brother’s style of politics was “liberal” and not “opaque” and that he worked for the development of every section and looked upon all as equals.

During her marathon roadshow covering 130 kms in Amethi, which goes to polls in a week, Priyanka spoke to voters about the “relationship of love” they had with the Gandhis and cautioned them about the intentions of other candidates “who come only during elections”.