Gandhinagar, August 12: The Jan Sangharsh Manch (JSM), representing the victims of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, has again moved the Nanavati-Mehta judicial inquiry commission for summoning Chief Minister Narendra Modi and others for cross-examination.
The JSM’s application came on the advice of the Gujarat High Court, which heard their petition seeking the court’s directive to the commission to summon Modi and others.
New Delhi, August 12: The Railway Recruitment Board examinations, which were postponed after CBI unearthed a multi-crore job scam, will resume from September 26.
“The examinations would be held under a new fool-proof system,” said a Railway official.
Railways had earlier postponed a couple of examinations scheduled in June and July after CBI had on June 18 claimed to have unearthed a recruitment scam and arrested eight persons, including son of Chairman of Railway Recruitment Board, Mumbai, for allegedly leaking exam question paper.
Bhubaneswar, August 12: Panic has gripped parts of Orissa with people seen wearing masks and rushing to hospitals for a checkup as two more people tested positive for swine flu Thursday.
“Two more cases have been tested positive,” Anu Garg, secretary of state health and family welfare department, told IANS. The latest cases have been reported from Sambalpur district and state capital Bhubaneswar respectively. The condition of the two is stated to be stable, she said.
Bangalore, August 12: The Karnataka government today said it proposed to spend Rs 30 crore to distribute sarees to nine lakh women under the state-run Bhagyalakshmi scheme.
Minister for Women and Children Welfare Narendra Swamy told reporters here that the government has roped in the Karnataka State Handloom Development Corporation for the purpose.
The sarees would be distributed at a Bhagyalakshmi beneficiary convention next month and other such events.
–Agencies
Dubai, August 12: He has played five cricket World Cups in a career spanning over 20 years and Sachin Tendulkar says he has never taken anything for granted in life and always depended on his hard work.
Tendulkar, who gears up for his sixth World Cup to be held in the sub-continent, said he can’t thank the Almighty more for all that he has achieved in his life.
New Delhi, August 12:Seeking to give a new twist in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter killing case, noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani questioned the Supreme Court order for CBI probe into it saying it was passed by a bench headed by a judge who was himself under the agency’s scanner in a criminal case.
Injecting some drama into the case, he contended that former Gujarat Minister Amit Shah was dragged into it by the CBI as “the entire conspiracy was hatched at the highest level to destroy him and the Chief Minister (Narendra Modi)”.
Kolkata, August 12: Maoists have agreed to talk to the central government if a judicial probe is ordered into the killing of spokesman Azad, social activist Swami Agnivesh said on Thursday.
“I came to know from newspapers that the Maoists are ready for talks. Later I learnt that they want a judicial inquiry into the killing of their spokesperson Cherukuri Rajkumar alias Azad,” Agnivesh, the interlocutor between New Delhi and the Maoists, told IANS over phone.
Washington, August 12: Well aware that the visa row could have a direct impact on the fast growing economic ties with India, the Obama Administration has swung into action to initiate talks with the leaders at the Capitol Hill and the business community over the issue.
But there is no unanimity within the Obama Administration on this issue that has the potential to jeopardise the Indo-US business ties, officials privy to the discussion said.
Jammu, August 12: Army today foiled an infiltration bid shooting dead a militant in an encounter along the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district.
While patrolling LoC in the forward belt of Veerbhadeeshwar in Noushera sector, 150 kms from here, the troops detected some movement and challenged a group of infiltrating militants late this afternoon, police sources said.
New Delhi, August 12: “Did the instructions come from some other planet?”
This question was asked by Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley with regard to Warren Anderson being allowed to leave India after his arrest in 1984 Bhopal gas case.
It was a clash between two lawyers as Home Minister P Chidambaram and Jaitley slugged it out in the Rajya Sabha on responsibility for allowing Anderson to leave.
New Delhi, August 12: The Lok Sabha was today adjourned till noon following uproar over the decision of a Group of Ministers to include caste in census at the biometric stage.
Leaders of BJP, JD-U, SP, RJD and BSP were on their feet and started demanding a headcount of each citizen on the basis of caste as soon as Speaker Meira Kumar finished reading out the obituary references.
Shimla, August 12: Heavy rains lashed Mandi, Kangra and Hamirpur areas of Himachal Pradesh today as monsoons remained active in the hill state since Wednesday evening.
The rains covered up two per cent deficit and on an average 525 mm of rains was recorded against normal rainfall of 517.5 mm, local MeT office sources said.
Shimla received 68 mm of rains till this morning while Sundernagar and Dharamsala had 104.4 mm and 58.4 mm of rains respectively.
Washington, August 12:A former ISI chief credited with helping in creation of Afghan Taliban, has said his country’s army would not change its India-centric policy, unless the Kashmir issue is resolved.
“The kind of terrorism which is going on in Pakistan is due to Kashmir issue,” Hamid Gul, the former head of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) who is also believed to have created Kashmiri militants groups claimed in the CNN’s “Connect the World” programme.
Gul was responding to the question as to why Pak military remains India centric.
New Delhi, August 12: Congress today appeared to be having no problem with senior leader Arjun Singh putting the blame on the Union Home Ministry then headed by P V Narasimha Rao for allowing safe passage to Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson after the Bhopal tragedy.
“We believe it is important to look forward,” party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said when asked by reporters how the AICC views Singh’s insinuation against Rao.
Bharananganam (Ker), August 12: Paying homage to India’s first woman Catholic Saint, Sister Alphonsa, President Pratibha Patil today said it was important to realise that the essential message of all religions was universal peace and brotherhood.
“Often, success is measured in terms of material gains and in this race for success, we forget human relationships.
We, sometimes forget, that in little things like loving smiles, friendly conversations, in words of encouragement, in sharing our joys and sorrows, there is meaning,” Patil said.
Tumkur (Kar), August 12: Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has returned a proposal sent by the state government recommending remission of sentence of 593 convicts and for their release on the occasion of Independence Day.
“There is no provision under law that facilitates extending of remission of sentence of convicts on the basis of their good conduct and health reasons. Hence I have returned the file sent to me by the government,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.
Banaskantha (Guj), August 12: Sessions court in Palanpur today rejected the bail application of IPS officer Vipul Agarwal, arrested in connection with the encounter of Tulsi Prajapati — a key witness in Sohrabuddin case.
District and Sessions Judge M A Kadiwala rejected the bail application of Agarwal who was SP of Banaskantha when Prajapati was killed in a fake encounter in 2006.
Hyderabad, August 12: The result of medical test of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosiah, who suffered cold and fever, was negative for H1N1h influenza (swine flu), according to Dr.K Subhakar, Chief Coordinator swine flu in AP chest Hospital.
The Chief Minister is suffering from simple cold and fever, Dr Subhakar said adding Rosaiah has already resumed office.
Uttar Pradesh, August 12: The Congress party has smelt a major scam in the recent sale of four “sick” sugar mills by the Uttar Pradesh government.
Accusing the government of taking huge kickbacks, state Congress president Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday sought a high level probe into what she said was “gross undervaluation” with the view to benefit the potential buyers.
Haryana, August 12: A father and son were electrocuted at Rubra village in Sonepat district of Haryana on Wednesday.
The incident took place when a youth named Sandeep (20) died after he came in contact with alive wire at his fields yesterday. His father Jai Karan (58) was also electrocuted when he tried to rescue the son.
–Agencies
Jaipur, August 12: The Jaipur High Court has stayed the student union election in Rajasthan University on Thursday till next hearing.
The next hearing of the case will be held on August 17.
Hearing the plea challenging the rules of the students’ union election, Justice Mahesh Sharma has passed an order putting elections on hold.
It is noteworthy here that students have filed a petition against Lingdoh committee recommendations.
In the petition, students have challenged the Lingdoh Committee guidelines, citing if they can vote so why they can’t contest the election.
Mumbai, August 12: Mumbai’s Taj Mahal hotel to reopen on August 15th after the 2008 militant attacks in which guests and staff members died.
The hotel, which suffered extensive damage from a siege laid by four heavily armed gunmen, was one of several Mumbai landmarks attacked by Pakistan based militants. The November strikes, which lasted over 60 hours, killed 166 people.
Bhopal, August 12: Congress on thursday appeared to be having no problem with senior leader Arjun Singh putting the blame on the Union Home Ministry then headed by P V Narasimha Rao for allowing safe passage to Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson after the Bhopal tragedy.
“We believe it is important to look forward,” party spokesperson Jayanthi Natarajan said when asked by reporters how the AICC views Singh’s insinuation against Rao.
Washington, August 12: India’s Sania Mirza and Monica Niculescu of Romania scored a shock 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 victory over Wimbledon champions and fifth seeds Vania King of the US and Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan to storm into the doubles quarterfinals of the Western and Southern Financial Group Women’s Open tennis here.
Hyderabad, August 12: Telugu Desam Party MLA A Revanth Reddy on Thursday accused Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao of acting as an ‘agent’ of the Congress party.
Talking to media persons at NTR Trust Bhavan, Mr Revanth Reddy said that if KCR had any genuine concern for Telangana cause, he can go to New Delhi and fight for the issue at 10, Janpath.
“KCR is acting like he is ‘tabedar’ (subservient) to the Congress instead of protecting the interests of Telangana people,” he charged.