News

AP Cong plans meeting of leaders to resolve issues over T’gana

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Hyderabad, September 27: Seeking to set its house in order in the wake of a vertical divide over the Telangana issue, the ruling Congress will hold meetings of its leaders from the district level this week.

A meeting of district presidents, party coordinators, PCC office bearers and ministers would be held at Gandhi Bhavan, the state Congress headquarters, on September 30 in the presence of Chief Minister K Rosaiah and PCC president D Srinivas, party sources said today.

Besides, a luncheon meeting of the party MPs would be held on September 28, the sources said.

Muslim clerics oppose further delay in Ayodhya verdict

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Lucknow, September 26:Muslim religious leaders Sunday joined their Hindu counterparts in opposing any further postponement of the Allahabad High Court’s verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi issue, noting both sides have reposed faith in the court’s decision.

“Isn’t the issue already pending for too long? Sure enough we also want that the dispute reaches its logical conclusion for which we have reposed complete faith in the country’s judiciary,” said Maulana Khalid Rasheed, the Naib Imam of Lucknow’s Idgah and a member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) executive.

Naidu accuses AP govt of indulging in massive corruption

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Anantapur (AP), September 26: Telugu Desam Chief N Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday alleged ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh of indulging in massive corruption and hurting the state’s interests.

“The then Chief Minister Rajasekhara Reddy looted lakhs of crores of rupees and gave it to his family members. His corruption and injustice is unprecedented in the state,” Naidu, who is on the tour of Ananatapur district, told a gathering here.

“His (Rajasekhara Reddy) brother-in-law (Kadapa Mayor Ravindranath Reddy) has illegally sold fertilisers,” he said.

Chandrababu foiled formation of separate Telangana: KCR

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Hyderabad, September 26: The war of words between TDP and Telangana Rashtra Samiti intensified today with TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao alleging that N Chandrababu Naidu had foiled the formation of a separate state of Telangana.

“After the Centre made the announcement on December 9 last year that separate Telangana will be formed, Congress leaders were silent. But it was TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu who hatched a conspiracy to stop formation of Telangana. He made TDP and Congress MLAs resign en masse,” Chandrasekhar Rao said. He was addressing a gathering at the TRS office here.

Mamata begins Darjeeling tour, meets political parties

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Darjeeling, September 26: Union Railway Minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who arrived here on a two-day visit Sunday, met leaders of all the political parties in West Bengal’s Darjeeling district.

Mamata held discussions with the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha (GJM) and the Akhil Bharatiya Gorkha League (ABGL) at the Circuit House Sunday evening.

The GJM is spearheading the movement for the creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland comprising three subdivisions of the hilly areas of Darjeeling district – Kalimpong, Kurseong and Darjeeling.

Wanted drug dealer Atala hiding in Israel: website

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Panaji, September 26: Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benaim, who was missing after being out on bail in the drug peddler-police nexus case here, has been sighted in Israel, an Israeli website has claimed.

As per the report in Israeli website www.Ynet.com, Atala was in Rishon in Israel and has told the reporter that he managed to cross Indian boundaries and return back home at Rishon-Letzion, a fourth biggest town in Israel.

The drug dealer, an important link in the nexus case, was out on the bail since June this year. He went missing since first week of July.

Five drown in irrigation tank in AP

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Hyderabad, September 26: Five persons including three children drowned in an irrigation tank in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district today, police said.

The incident took place near Baddupadu village when two women along with their three children had gone to the irrigation tank for washing clothes, they said.

While the women were busy washing cloths, the children aged between 10 and 12 years who were taking bath nearby slipped into the tank following which the women rushed for help.

Geelani tells parents not to send wards to schools

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Srinagar, September 26: With educational institutions all set to reopen tomorrow in Kashmir Valley, the hardline Hurriyat Conference, led by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, today asked parents not to send their wards to schools and colleges.

“No right thinking person can deny the importance of education in society, but to think that they (government) are concerned about the future of our children is like a mad man’s dream,” Geelani said in a statement here.

The Hurriyat hawk alleged most of the youths killed in the ongoing unrest in the Valley were students.

Mohun Bagan thrash Salgaocar 6-1, enter Fed Cup semis

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Cuttack, September 26: Jose Barreto and Subair Muritala scored a hat-trick each as 13-time champions Mohun Bagan trounced Salgaocar 6-1 to enter the semi-fianls of the 32nd Federation Cup football Tournament at the Barabati Stadium here today.

Bagan will now lock horns with Dempo in the second semi-final on September 30 at the same venue.

First all-women police battalion comes into existence

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Jodhpur, September 26: The country’s first all-women police battalion came into existence in Rajasthan today with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot inspecting the convocation parade by 480 personnel of the squad here.

“CRPF and BSF already have women’s battalion, but this is police’s first all-women battalion in the country. It would prove a milestone and would strengthen women’s position in the force”, Gehlot said in his address after the parade at the Rajasthan Police Training Centre.

“It is a historic moment for the state,” he said.

YSR will be remembered forever, says son Jagan

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Ongole (AP), September 26: Late Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy has found a permanent place in the hearts of people due to a number of welfare schemes implemented by him, Congress MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy said today.

“It was Rajasekhara Reddy who introduced schemes like free power, tuition fees reimbursement for poor students, reservation for minorities and old age pensions. That is why he is not forgotten even 13 months after his death…He will be remembered forever,” he said.

Ansari exhorts public to help terror victims

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Jalandhar(Pun), September 26: Common man is more affected by terrorism than the governments, Vice-President Hamid Ansari today said while calling upon general public to come forward and help terror victims.

“Women, children and elderly are the most affected by terrorism than the governments. India is a big country and problems do occur sometimes. The victims should not be made dependent on government compensation alone and the general public should come forward and help them,” he said at a function organised by the Hind Samachar group here.

AFSPA should be withdrawn from J&K : Paswan

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Patna, September 26: Advocating withdrawal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir, Lok Janshakti Party President Ram Vilas Paswan today said the issue of granting autonomy to the state within the framework of the Constitution should be considered.

Jammu and Kashmir remains an integral part of the country just like any other state, Paswan asserted and called for considering the issue of granting autonomy to the state within the framework of the Constitution.

Nothing much to worry about dengue: Azad

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New Delhi, September 26: The dengue situation in India is not dangerous, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said here Sunday even as Delhi has reported five deaths and over 2,500 cases of the vector-borne disease this year.

“Dengue count in the country is still low. The type of vector borne disease is subtype 3, which is not very dangerous,” Azad told reporters at the launch of the sports injury centre at the Safdarjung Hospital.

A week gone by, no headway in Jama Masjid attack probe

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New Delhi, September 26: A week has gone by but Delhi police is still groping in the dark in the case of suspected terror strikes outside Jama Masjid here, though investigators have spread out across the capital and Uttar Pradesh looking for clues.

Delhi police has questioned around 50 people in connection with the strikes last Sunday but “no concrete” headway has been made in the probe while several teams are in Uttar Pradesh and Mumbai to find some links in the case, a senior police official said.

CPI favours granting autonomy to Kashmir

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Kolkata, September 26: Terming the Centre’s steps to address unrest in Kashmir as “inadequete and belated”, the CPI today said it was in favour of granting autonomy to the Valley and demanded withdrawal of the AFSPA from there.

“If there is a risk, the risk should be taken to bring peace in Kashmir,” CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said on the sidelines of a party workers’ meet at the Netaji Indoor Stadium here.

Asked what should be the degree of autonomy, Bardhan said, “Sky is the limit.”

Musharraf plans to return to Pak as its ‘saviour’

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London, September 26: Pakistan’s ex-military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who calls himself “a born optimist”, says he plans to return to Islamabad to enter politics for the “greater cause” of the country, where the leadership has “failed.”

“I am very comfortable travelling around the world on lectures, but I am going into politics for the greater cause of Pakistan,” Musharraf told ‘The Sunday Telegraph’.

Pillai meets Delhi Police officials ahead of CWG

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New Delhi, September 26: Union Home Secretary G K Pillai today met senior Delhi Police officials to review the security preparedness of the capital, days ahead of the Commonwealth Games.

The meeting, held this evening at Police Headquarters, was also attended by Commissioner of Police Y S Dadhwal, and is understood to have discussed the security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games.

Varun to get married, Maneka says Sonia will be invited

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Badaun (UP), September 26: Rahul Gandhi may be ducking queries on his marriage plans but wedding bells are all set to ring for his cousin and BJP’s young turk Varun Gandhi.

Varun’s mother and BJP MP from Aonla parliamentary constituency Maneka Gandhi today said that the 30-year-old leader will tie the nuptial knot with a Bengali girl this year itself.

“Varun will get married with Yamini, who hails from Bengal, this year,” Maneka, the estranged daughter-in-law of late prime minister Indira Gandhi, told reporters in reply to a question.

I am satisfied and excited about CWG, says Kalmadi

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New Delhi, September 26: Under attack from all quarters but defiant nonetheless, Commonwealth Games Organising Committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi today said his enthusiasm for the event remains intact and he can’t wait for it to get started come October 3.

“I am a satisfied man. I am excited about the Games and can’t wait for it to start rolling,” Kalmadi told PTI as he took a tour of the Village to oversee the last-minute work going on in the campus spread over 63.5 hectares.

C M Orders Release Of Rs.50 Crore For Hyd Road Repair Works

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Hyderabad, September 26: The Chief Minister Dr K Rosaiah has positively responded to the proposals submitted by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation seeking immediate release of Rs.50 crores to take up repairs to the roads in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, which were damaged due to the recent rains.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting on the situation arising out of the rains in the State in the past few weeks, particularly relating to the bad shape of the roads, health and sanitation conditions and spread of diseases.

Keshav Wants T Leaders To Stop Flaying Each Other

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Hyderabad, September 26: The Telangana senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Mr K Keshava Rao said that it was not correct on the part of the Telangana leaders of the Congress, TDP and TRS to criticise each other.

Seeking the support of the TDP and TRS, Mr Rao said that the Congress would bring Telangana State, and urged them to keep away their personal agendas regarding the Telangana issue.

Acid Attack Victim Wants Govt To Order Probe

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Hyderabad, September 26: Mr Veluri Sirnivasa Reddy, an advocate from Vijayawada, has demanded the State government to order an inquiry into the acid attack on him in 2008, and take action against the culprits. He alleged that Ms Lagadapati Padma, wife of Vijayawada MP Mr Lagadapati Rajagopal was behind the incident. He urged the State government to provide security to him, as he suspected threat to his life from the MP’s family.

Patient dies at OGH, kin claim negligence

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Hyderabad, September 26: Alleging negligence for the death of a woman, angry relatives damaged furniture and then staged a protest in front of Osmania General Hospital on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, the relatives of Sharada (55), a resident of Nalgonda district alleged that she had died after on-duty staff of the hospital delayed in providing treatment to her.

The relatives said that Sharada was admitted to the OGH on Thursday as she was suffering from high fever and blood pressure.