saleem Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi will visit Saudi Arbia to convey India’s apprehension about possible job losses to Indians due to implementation of a new labour law — “Nitaqat” in the Gulf nation that seeks to reserve 10 per cent jobs for locals.
The decision on Ravi’s visit to the country was taken after he had discussed the issue with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday.
–Agencies
Former Minister Dr P Shanker Rao has lambasted the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy for increasing the power charges and demanded the latter to roll back the power charges immediately.
Late N. T. Rama rao’s wife Laxmi Parvathi has observed that Chandrababu Naidu was only day dreaming about coming back to power in the state with his padayatra.
She accused Chandrababu Naidu of turning the TDP into a tool of Congress, and that both were working to crush any other political party coming up. Since YSRCP is striving hard to emulate the noble ideas of late NTR and YSR, sinister plans are being made by the congress-TDP combine to crush the party, she observed.
Nizamabad MP Madhu Yashki Goud has alleged that the Rajya Sabha member Dr KVP Ramachandra Rao has good relations with the TRS Party and said that the creation of separate Telangana State was getting delayed due to the leaders like Dr KVP and another Rajya Sabha member Renuka Chowdhary.
Ahead of crucial elections marking the first democratic transition in Pakistan’s history, more than 90% of the youth believe the country is heading in the wrong direction while nearly 40% think Shariah or Islamic law would be the best political system, a survey said. These are among the
key findings of a new survey by the British Council that focussed on youths between 18 and 29 years, who are expected to play an important role in the May 11 general election.
TRS Chief K Chandrasekhara Rao has said formation of Telangana State would be possible only when Samaikyandhra political parties are buried.
On Tuesday, KCR participated in the meeting of in-charges of Greater Hyderabad Nagarabata program.
Addressing the meeting, KCR has alleged that the Congress, which ruled the State for 34 long years and TDP were the main reason for the prevailing power crisis in the State. He made it clear that the Telangana movement and political lobbying will continue till separate Telangana Sate was achieved.
Finding fault with Rajya Sabha member Renuka Chowdhary for making controversial remarks on suicides, Telangana Political JAC has demanded her tender an apology immediately.
On Tuesday, TPJAC leaders Prof. Kodandaram, Srinivas Goud and several others met PCC Chief Botcha Satyanarayana at the latter’s residence and lodged a complaint against her.
Speaking to the media later, Prof. Kodandaram said Botcha responded positively on their complaint. He said the JAC has decided to organise protest programs across the Telangana region.
Areas across the city reeled under power cuts following rains this evening with some localities even witnessing outages for more than four hours.
Supply of power was affected immediately after rain and thunderstorm in the evening and areas in South, North and East Hyderabad were mainly hit.
“There was over four hour long power cut in our area.
–Agencies
Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, hit by Maoist movement, will raise specialised forces trained in guerrilla warfare on the lines of the Greyhounds, a special police unit in Andhra Pradesh.
The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs on Tuesday approved the home ministry’s proposal under which the special forces will come up in Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha and funds will be given to create and upgrade infrastructure, weaponry and equipment to combat the Naxal problem.
The NIA, which has been asked to probe the killing of two Kerala fishermen allegedly by Italian marines, will not press for death sentence against the two accused, honouring an assurance given to Italy by India.
A top Home Ministry official said the National Investigation Agency will not press for death sentence against the marines — Massimiliano Lattore and Salvatore Girone — as per the assurance given by India to Italy.
–Agencies
Bowing to intensified protests by TDP and other opposition parties on the issue of power crisis, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy tonight said the power tariff hike would be revisited so that poor sections were not burdened.
Police meanwhile shifted the fasting BJP MLAs — G Kishan Reddy, E Lakshminarayna and Y Srinivasa Reddy — to hospital in view of their health condition. They had launched a hunger strike four days back.
–Agencies
A Gujarat-based cricketer, who was one of the probables of an IPL franchise, was arrested here today for allegedly cheating five local cricketers of Rs 38 lakh by promising them a place in Indian Premier League (IPL) teams, police said.
The Cyber Crime Cell of the Crime Branch arrested Hetarth Gohil, who was one of the probables called by Deccan Chargers team in the Season 3 of IPL.
–Agencies
A local businessman was today robbed of Rs 9.8 lakh by four armed assailants in Raj Nagar District Centre here when he was returning home in his car, police said.
The assailants intercepted the car of Rameshchand Goyal, a local iron dealer, at the busy Hind Chowk and robbed the cash kept in the back of his vehicle, police said.
An FIR has been registered in this regard and a search is on for the accused, they said.
–Agencies
The CBI today moved the Supreme Court seeking its permission to drop certain charges against gangster Abu Salem under TADA and Explosive Substances Act in view of its commitment to Portuguese government at the time
of his extradition that he shall not be awarded death penalty or detained in custody for more than 25 years if found guilty.
–Agencies
The Commissioner of Police Hyderabad has denied any apprehension or illegal detention in connection with the two bomb blasts that took place at Dilsukhanagar.
The city police chief in his counter reply filed before the State Human Rights Commission today, said that a complaint was lodged by a practicing Advocate against the state police for blaming Muslim community and Muslim youths in the case of February 21,Dilsukhnagar twin blasts.
On March 6,the Chairman State Human Rights Commission has issued notice to the Director General of Police and asked to file a reply.
Mumbai Police has kicked up a controversy following its circular which says the women’s wing of an Islamic organisation is “brainwashing and training girls for Jihad”.
The outfit has threatened legal action if no apology is tendered by the police.
The “internal circular” said the Girls Islamic Organisation (GIO) of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, one of the country’s largest Islamic organisations that runs 40 high schools and three junior colleges in Maharashtra, has been operating with the objective of “brainwashing college and school girls and train them for jihad”.
The increasing power greediness among the Telangana Congress party leaders was making them forget the demand for separate Telangana State.
TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu has lashed out at the Congress government for increasing power charges, putting thousands of crores of rupees burden on the people, and said that it was painful.
Addressing the gathering after launching one day ‘Deeksha’ protesting against the power problems, at the Nagamalli Thota Sub-Station here on Monday, Chandrababu said that the Congress government has destroyed the power sector and made the State a dark one.
The Left Parties leaders have demanded the State government to bear the burden of thousands of crores of rupees arising through power tariff hike. They alleged that the power charges were hiked due to lack of government’s foresight.
Several Left Parties’ have staged a ‘Joint Deeksha’ at the collectorate office here on Monday. CPM State secretary BV Raghavulu, CPI State secretary K Narayana and several other leaders, activists participated in the program. They raised slogans against the increased power charges and against the government.
A student died on the spot when the roof collapsed on him due to un-seasonal heavy rains on Monday. Another person’s condition was also severe and 20 persons received minor injuries, according to the information reaching here. Rain with heavy gales lashed the areas of Birkur, Banswada in the district.
The roof tops of the houses and shops were blown off due to the winds at several villages. Crops were destroyed at several places in Birkur area due to the hail storm.
–Agencies
The YSR Congress Party legislators, led by its honorary President Mrs Y S Vijayamma, will be launching indefinite hunger strike from April 2, against the –anti-people policies of the Government. ballot, bandh and dharnas over power crisis.
At a meeting held here today under the Chairmanship of Vijayamma, has finalized the action programme of the party.
The PCC chief Botsa Satyanarayana stood by the Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy on the power problem.
Speaking to the media here on Monday, he said that the Chief Minister was not taking any unilateral decisions and claimed that all his decisions were Congress party’s.
This is in sharp contrast to the criticism of the union minister Chiranjeevi and state ministers C Ramachandraiah and D L Ravindra Reddy that the Chief Minister took the decision unilaterally, without consulting the party and colleagues.
State Child Rights Association has approached the Lok Ayukta to take stern action against the private school managements which were violating the Right to Education Act and the Child Rights.
The much sought H-1B work visas could be decided through lottery this year, industry experts and officials feel, based on initial feedback from companies, as the US starts accepting applications from tomorrow.
If it happens it would be for the first time since 2008 that the fate of thousands of applications for H-1B visas would be decided by a computerised draw of lots.
Even Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said it expects the cap for H-1B visas to be filled in the first five days itself.
At a day when Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was inducted into BJP’s Parliamentary Board, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat raked up the issue of Ram Mandir in the state capital, expressing the desire for a glorious “Shree Ram Mandir”.
“We will have to build good, honest and true Hindus in Bharat, because, now the whole world will be following Hindus.
–Agencies