Lucknow, July 02: Terming the economic survey report tabled in Parliament by the UPA government as “false” and “based on fake data”, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today appealed to the Centre not to implement its suggestions in the budget.
“The Economic survey report is based on false data. The Centre should not incorporate its suggestions in its budget so that poor people could be benefited,” Mayawati told reporters here.
Lucknow, July 02: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Thursday flayed the Congress-led central government for its ‘shrewd design’ of hiking the fuel prices after the Lok Sabha elections.
Mayawati, however, announced relief for the state’s consumers by freezing the local levy, which would have otherwise witnessed a proportionate increase.
Addressing a press conference, Mayawati said, ‘While the central government has no concern for the common man, we in the state have decided not to enhance our levy that we had reduced in June 2008 in the larger interest of the people of the state.’
New Delhi, July 02: Ruling Congress and opposition BJP today chose to be circumspect to the Delhi High Court verdict legalising homosexuality among consenting adults and refrained from welcoming or condemning it, keeping in mind the differences on the issue in their organizations as well as the society.
Congress said the High Court verdict was between the court and the government.
“It is between the court and the government and the party has nothing to do with it,” party spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told PTI.
New Delhi, July 02: The union cabinet Thursday extended the six-month-old President’s rule in Jharkhand by six months beyond July 18.
The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, said cabinet spokesperson and Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.
Soni said the cabinet approved state Governor Syed Sibtey Razi’s June 16 report which said that despite lapse of nearly five months since imposition of the President’s rule, the state continues to suffer political impasse.
Kolkata, July 02: Justice Soumitra Sen of the Calcutta High Court, whose removal has been sought by the Chief Justice of India KG Balakrishnan for alleged financial misconduct, has challenged the move to initiate impeachment proceedings against him in the Rajya Sabha.
In a nine-page letter to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari through his lawyer Subhas Bhattacharyya, Justice Sen said that the constitution of a three-member committee comprising three jurists by Ansari was “unconstitutional”.
Chennai, July 02: In a novel way of expressing support for the Women’s Reservation Bill pending in Parliament, Tamil Nadu Assembly today had an all women-debate.
Designated women MLAs alone were allowed to speak on the discussion for grants for Social Welfare and Nutritious Meal Programme, headed by a woman minister, Geetha Jeevan.
Speaker R Avudaiappan said through out the country there was a demand from various quarters for the implementation of Women’s Reservation Bill.
New Delhi, July 02: Notwithstanding the party’s gag order, Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh says Congress should go it alone in the assembly elections in Maharashtra.
He says the party workers are bitter about alliance with NCP, whose projection of Sharad Pawar as Prime Minister had hurt the alliance in the Lok Sabha elections.
Making it clear that it was his personal opinion that Congress should go it alone in the state elections that are due in October, he said though the final decision was with the High Command “I have every right to say (my opinion)”.
New Delhi, July 02: The BJP today accused the UPA government of basking in the “arrogance of power” and asked it to shed such attitude.
To drive home its point, the party cited increase in petroleum prices, a Congress MP slapping a bank manager and a union minister’s attempt to influence a judge as examples.
“I see a common thread in the developments of the last three days where arrogance of power has been shown vehemently by the government. And it has influenced all three organs of the government,” Deputy Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.
Chennai, July 02: While Madras High Court Judge R. Reghupathi has refused to name the minister who allegedly threatened and pressurised him, Tamil Nadu’s Leader of Opposition J. Jayalalitha Thursday said Minister for IT and Communication A. Raja was the culprit.
“Though the honourable judge refrained from naming the union minister, it does not require any super-human intelligence to conclude that it was none other than the telecom scam-tainted A. Raja,” the AIADMK general secretary said in a staement.
Mumbai, July 02: Lashing out at the Maharashtra government for deciding to name the new Bandra Worli Sea Link after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray said Thursday that “the country is not the fiefdom of the Gandhi family”.
In a scathing editorial in the party mouthpiece ‘Saamna’, the ailing Thackeray criticized Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar for proposing Rajiv’s name just because he (Rajiv) was born in Mumbai.
Kolkata, July 01: West Bengal’s ruling Left Front, which suffered a debacle in 13 out of 16 municipalities in the state on Wednesday, promised to initiate pro-people development activities to regain public confidence.
In a statement, it said that the Left combine had failed to fulfil the aspirations of the common people in many areas. Thus, the people’s verdict went against them in the civic body elections.
“We’ll soon start working towards fulfilling the demands and aspirations of the common people and will also undertake developmental activities keeping in mind their interests.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the Union Budget on July 6. With the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) having come back to power securing a decisive mandate in the 15th Lok Sabha elections less than two months ago, the time is ripe for taking some tough reformist measures. But the Union Budget is not just about economy; it is also about politics.
The Union Government on Wednesday raised the prices of petrol and diesel but does the UPA, in its second term, have the will to take decisions that are unpopular with the public but good for the economy?
Kolkata, July 02: Encouraged by an unprecedented landslide in the municipal elections in West Bengal, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on
Wednesday reiterated that the state wanted “change” and it was time for the CPM-led Left Front government to quit office.
Building her case to bring forward the Assembly poll in Bengal, Mamata mentioned the results of the municipal polls to PM Manmohan Singh, highlighting the mood in the state. She also told reporters that the results proved the “winds of change” were blowing in Bengal.
Lucknow, July 01: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati today said that she has directed authorities to thwart any attempt by some political parties to vitiate communal atmosphere of the state in the wake of submission of the Liberhan Commission report.
Without naming any party, she said, “Some political parties are trying to vitiate communal atmosphere of the state for political gains after the Liberhan report was submitted. I have directed officers to ensure law and order in the state.”
She said that no person would be allowed to create communal divide in the state.
–Agencies
Chandigarh, July 01: Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal today resigned as Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab after he failed to get elected to the Assembly within the stipulated time of six months from the day of appointment.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has received the resignation letter from Sukhbir, top official sources told news agency here.
47-year-old Sukhbir, son of Chief Minister Badal, took oath as deputy chief minister of Punjab on January 21 this year, the first case of a father and son sharing the top two posts in a government.
New Delhi, July 01: Congress leadership has summoned Mehboobnagar MP M Jagannath for slapping Ravinder Reddy, manager of AP Grameen Vikas Bank.
Addressing a press conference here Veerappa Moily slammed the MP for his misbehaviour with the government employee.
He said that future course of action will be taken after detailed inquiry.
Meanwhile, party high command has asked MP Jagannath to present his side.
It is worth mentioning here that MP was caught on camera while slapping the bank manager. However, Jagannath has denied the allegations.
Lucknow, July 01: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Wednesday issued an alert to her officials to take all possible security measures to prevent any kind of violence as a fallout of the publication of the Babri Masjid demolition probe report.
Though the Liberhan Commission report was yet to be made public, it is feared that its contents could spark off trouble in communally sensitive pockets across different parts of the country, including Uttar Pradesh.
New Delhi, July 01: The newly elected MPs will get tips on how to ask questions in the house and the other parliamentary proceedings at an orientation programme being organised by the Lok Sabha Secretariat next week.
“The orientation programme will cover issues such as parliamentary questions and other procedural devices available to members to raise issues on the floor of the house, parliamentary committees, parliamentary privileges, budgetary process, etc.,” said a release issued by the Lok Sabha Wednesday.
Allahabad, July 01: A petition was filed in the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday challenging the election of BJP leader Varun Gandhi from Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat for allegedly seeking votes by spreading hatred against members of a particular community.
Congress candidate from Pilibhit VM Singh, who is also the maternal uncle of Varun Gandhi, has filed the election petition.
Lucknow, July 01: Seeking to justify use of nearly Rs.3,200 crore (Rs.3.2 billion) of public funds for building grandiose memorials and statues of Dalit icons, including of herself, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Wednesday said the money earned from tourists visiting the spots will be used for development.
Kolkata, July 01: The Congress-Trinamool Congress alliance in West Bengal continued its victory march and crushed the ruling Left Front (LF) in the urban civic body polls Wednesday.
Out of the 16 municipalities which went to the hustings Sunday, the opposition won in 13 while the LF triumphed in only three civic bodies.
Chandigarh, July 01: Sukhbir Singh Badal resigned as Punjab deputy chief minister Wednesday, less than six months after being sworn in as second in command to his father Parkash Singh Badal.
Chief Minister Badal confirmed that his son had put in his papers. He did not say when he would forward the resignation for acceptance by the Punjab governor.
Badal junior resigned as he could not get himself elected to the Punjab assembly within six months of being sworn in.
Chandigarh, July 01: Sukhbir Singh Badal resigned as Punjab deputy chief minister Wednesday, less than six months after being sworn in as second in command to his father Parkash Singh Badal.
Chief Minister Badal confirmed that his son had put in his papers. He did not say when he would forward the resignation for acceptance by the Punjab governor.
Badal junior resigned as he could not get himself elected to the Punjab assembly within six months of being sworn in.
New Delhi, July 01: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Murli Manohar Joshi Wednesday said that the Congress-led government lacked a road map to improve the education system and added that it should evolve consensus among all stakeholders before introducing reforms.
New Delhi, July 01: Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram refused to comment on Justice M.S. Liberhan commission report on Babri mosque demolition in Uttar Pradesh.
“Justice Liberhan has submitted his report to the Prime Minister this morning. I believe that the report will be forwarded to the ministry during the course of day. Since I have not read the report then nothing further I am going to say,” Chidambaram said.
The contents of the report were not immediately known.