News

Pakistan envoy meets Home Secretary

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New Delhi, September 29: Pakistan High Commissioner Shahid Malik today met Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai and discussed with him the issue of security during Commonwealth Games, where athletes from the neighbouring country will also participate. “I discussed about security during Commonwealth Games,” Malik told reporters when asked about the 30-minute meeting.

Malik, who visited the Commonwealth Games Village yesterday, had expressed satisfaction over the facilities and said that the Pakistan athletes would be staying there.

—PTI—

Mayawati demands Rs 2,175 cr for flood relief work

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Lucknow, September 29: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today demanded an increased package of Rs 2,175 from the Centre for carrying out flood relief operations in the state. “The Chief Minister has written another letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh requesting him to immediately provide Rs 2,175 crore for flood-hit districts in the state,” an official spokesman said.

Court rejects Kasab’s plea to meet lawyers in isolation

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Mumbai, September 29: The Bombay High Court Wednesday rejected a plea of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab for permission to consult his lawyers in isolation in the Arthur Road Central Jail premises.

A division bench of the court comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice V.K. Tahilramani cited grounds of security and safety of the lawyers and security personnel while declining permission, Kasab’s lawyer Farhana Shah said.

Don’t foresee problem after Ayodhya verdict: Chidambaram

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New Delhi, September 29: A day before Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Ayodhya dispute, Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday said the government didn’t foresee any problems after the announcement of the court decision.

“India has moved on, especially the people who were born after 1992 (when Babri Masjid at the disputed site was razed by Hindu fanatics) have a different view. I don’t foresee any problem with the judgment,” Chidambaram told reporters here.

Political parties’ restraint on Ayodhya will ensure peace: LSP

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Hyderabad, September 29: Lok Satta Party president Jayaprakash Narayan on Wednesday expressed the hope that the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Babri Masjid title suit, scheduled to be delivered on Thursday, would not trigger any problems since frenzy has not overtaken political parties now.

Dr Narayan told media persons that the people have always maintained peace and harmony and it was the political parties, which whipped up prejudice and violence among communities off and on. He stated that, “today, political parties are showing commendable restraint.

SCR denies RPF hand in passengers thrown out of train

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Hyderabad, September 29: South Central Railways on Wednesday denied reports which appeared in a section of the press that railway police personnel allegedly threw out four passengers from Kacheguda – Guntur Passenger between Mahabubnagar and Devarakadra Railway stations on Kacheguda – Kurnool section on Tuesday night.

SCR Chief Public Relations Officer Chandrima Roy said that the media reports were false since no escort duties are assigned for ordinary passenger carrying trains.

Govt to take back unutilised IT firms’ lands

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Hyderabad, September 29: Information Technology Minister Komatireddy Venkata Reddy on Wednesday stated that the government would initiate action against those IT firms, which have not utilised the lands sanctioned for the purpose.

Talking to media persons, Mr Venkata Reddy said the government was preparing the list of lands sanctioned for IT firms.

If the IT firms failed to utilize the sanctioned land for establishing firms, the government would recover the land from them, he asserted.

Mahender Reddy nabbed in Gulbarga

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Hyderabad, September 29: The Gulbarga police on Wednesday arrested Mahender Reddy in connection with the murder of Telugu Desam Party leader from Krishna district Chalasani Pandu alias Chalasani Venkateswara Rao.

According to sources, Mahender Reddy, the personal assistant of Chalasani Pandu (54), admitted to have committed the crime before the police.

Mahender Reddy reportedly told the police that he murdered Pandu as he refused to pay Rs 20 lakh in connection with a land dispute in Visakhapatnam.
The police have made arrangements to shift him to SR Nagar police station.

Jalalpur Sarpanch burnt alive

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Nizamabad, September 29: In a shocking incident, the Sarpanch Jalalpur, Navipeta Mandal in Nizamabad district was burnt alive by a gang of unidentified persons in the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

According to Navipeta Inspector Umachari, initial investigations reveal that the gang entered Sarpanch Dharma Prasad Reddy’s residence by breaking open the door and overpowered him. The intruders tied the Sarpanch to his bed and doused it with petrol. They then set him on fire and ran away.

CPM resents move to withdraw mp development funds

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Hyderabad, September 29: Faulting the State government’s attempt to withdraw funds allocated for the development of constituency during the tenure of the former CPM MP, Mr Babu Rao, a delegation of the State CPI-M party leaders met the Chief Secretary, Mr S V Prasad, in the Secretariat on Wednesday and submitted a memorandum.

The CPI-M leaders, Mr Madhu and Mr Y V Rao have demanded that the government order a thorough inquiry into the MP development funds and ensure that developmental works are taken up at the earliest.

JCI events for special kids at rrc grounds today

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Hyderabad, September 29: The Junior Chamber International Banjara Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Special Olympics Bharat Andhra Pradesh, will be conducting some cultural and fun events for the special children (intellectually disabled) at the RRC Grounds, Secunderabad on September 30 from 9 am.

Devotees can visit Ayodhya temple on judgement day

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Lucknow, September 29: No restrictions will be imposed on devotees visiting Ram Lala – the makeshift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya – Thursday when the verdict in the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit will be pronounced, an official said Wednesday.

“There will be absolutely no restriction on ‘darshan’ of Ram Lala,” said Faizabad District Magistrate M.P. Agarwal.

“Like any other day, devotees can come for the ‘darshan’ even on judgement day. Everything is normal here,” Agarwal told IANS on telephone from Faizabad, some 150 km from Lucknow.

BJP submits no-confidence motion against ruling J&K govt

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Jammu, September 29: Ahead of the Legislative session commencing here tomorrow, BJP has submitted a no-confidence motion against the ruling NC-Cong government in the state accusing it of failure on all fronts.

“We have submitted no-confidence motion against the Omar Goverment for failure on all fronts including governance and law and order situation in Jammu and Kashmir”, BJP Legisaltive Party Leader Chaman Lal Gupta told PTI here today.

Abducted Chhattisgarh cops safe, release expected soon: Police

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Raipur, September 29: The four policemen, abducted by the Maoists in Bijapur district, are safe and their release is expected soon, a senior police officer said today. “All four are safe and they are likely to be released soon,” DIG Vivekanand Sinha told reporters here, quoting information received by the police.

SIT may move SC for lifting stay on judgement in Godhra cases

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Ahmedabad, September 29: With the trial in 2002 Godhra train burning coming to an end, the Special Investigation Team was planning to approach the Supreme Court which had in May last restrained trail courts from pronouncing judgement in the cases probed afresh by the agency.

The agency members are contemplating filing a petition in the apex court seeking lifting of the stay on pronouncement of verdict in the nine cases – the train carnage and eight post-Godhra riot cases – probed by the Supreme Court-appointed team, according to SIT officials.

A rare opportunity to peek into Ghalib’s letters

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New Delhi, September 29: Come Sunday and Delhiites will have a rare insight into the personal letters that legendary poet Mirza Ghalib wrote to his friends, disciples, relatives and even government authorities.

“Ghalib Ke Khat” by Delhi-based Pierrot’s Troupe is unique in the sense that it does not feature the Urdu poet reading or writing his letters.

We will accept the Ayodhya verdict : Mulayam

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Lucknow, Sep 29 (UNI) Samajwadi Party supremo and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today said that his party would accept any judgement of the Allahabad High Court over the Ayodhya title suit.

”SP state president Akhilesh Yadav had already appealed to the people of the state to maintain communal harmony in wake of the judgement,” he said adding that the party will abide by tomorrow’s court verdict.

HC rejects Kasab plea to meet lawyers in isolation

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Mumbai, September 29: The Bombay High Court Wednesday rejected a plea of Pakistani terrorist Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab for permission to consult his lawyers in isolation in the Arthur Road Central Jail premises.

A division bench of the court comprising Justice Ranjana Desai and Justice V.K. Tahilramani cited grounds of security and safety of the lawyers and security personnel while declining permission, Kasab’s lawyer Farhana Shah said.

More spots in Delhi are terror targets: Australia

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Sydney, September 29: Australia has issued a fresh terror alert regarding India, advising its nationals to avoid some parts of the country and leading tourist spots including the Red Fort and Bahai temple in New Delhi.

In its updated advisory, Australians have been advised to exercise a high degree of caution while travelling to the Indian capital and other parts of India, the Sydney Morning Herald Wednesday quoted the government as saying.

Digvijay blames Advani for all riots

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New Delhi, September 29: After the Supreme Court order on Tuesday, the Congress launched an attack on senior BJP leader L K Advani, terming his recent visit to Somnath “suspect” and holding him responsible for “all communal violence since 1992”.

Congress general secretary in charge of UP Digvijay Singh also dismissed suggestions of his party being in anyway associated with the petition for deferment, that was filed by Ramesh Chandra Tripathi.

Attempts to defame YSR will fall flat, says Jagan Mohan

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Hyderabad, September 29: Jagan as well as Surekha were referring to the allegations of corruption and misuse of power made against Rajasekhara Reddy and also demand for probe into the allegations by main Opposition TDP and other parties.

Despite Congress high command’s reservations, Jagan resumed the yatra in Prakasam district on September 3, a day after the first death anniversary of his father.The high command, however, indicated that it may not take any action against him for now.

——–PTI

Australia’s first Muslim MP sworn in on Quran

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Sydney, September 29: The first Muslim elected to Australia’s parliament was sworn in on Tuesday with his hand on his parents’ Quran.

Ed Husic, whose mother and father are Bosnian migrants, said it was an enormous privilege to serve in Canberra as he conceded that his unique place in Australian political history was something of a milestone.

“Given my background, there are some people taking a small slice of pride or happiness,” he told.

Baghdad blasts leave 10 people injured

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Baghdad, September 29: Two explosive devices rocked the al-Sidiya neighborhood in southern Baghdad on Tuesday, a police source told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.

The blasts occurred within minutes of one other, leaving four people injured, he further explained.

Baghdad saw three more explosions later in the day when two bombs went off consecutively in the al-Kadhimiya suburb and a third bomb exploded in a market in the al-Washash region.

There were no immediate reports on casualties or property damage.

Saiyad may be Modi’s visa into Bihar

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Ahmedabad, September 29: A serving Muslim IPS officer, who escaped lynching by a mob during the high time of Gujarat riots, is after the retirement a favourite of chief minister Narendra Modi.

In another bid of image makeover Narendra Modi is personally supervising the election of Abdullah Ibrahim Saiyad, a retired IPS and a candidate for the civic poll, in Ahmedabad due next month. The chief minister is most probably planning to make him the Muslim Mayor of the city.

I am a Christian by choice, says Obama

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Albuquerque, September 29: US President Barack Obama said that he was a Christian “by choice” in remarks lent added significance by recent surveys showing many Americans think mistakenly that he is a Muslim.

“I am a Christian by choice,” Obama said at a backyard conversation with voters in New Mexico, in response to a question from a woman who asked him why he followed the faith.