Month: May 2012

CPI(M) favours consensus prez candidate: Yechury

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The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday favoured a consensus candidate as the next President of India.

“The President is the custodian of Indian Constitution, custodian of the Indian Republic. He has to be a person on whom there is the largest amount of confidence among the elected representatives, who represent the people, and therefore exercise the sovereignity of the people, which is the Constitution’s backbone. That is why, there should a consensus”, CPI(M) Politburo member Sitaram Yechury told reporters here.

Poor facilities at juvenile home: CS served notice

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The Andhra Pradesh State Human Rights Commission (APSHRC) today issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Principal Secretary of Child Welfare Department seeking their response for lack of facilities for counselling and reformative measures at the Juvenile Home at Saidabad here.

APSHRC Chairperson, Justice Nissar Ahmed Kakru, after visiting the Juvenile Home, said “Space for classrooms there is not conducive for education. No separate accommodation is provided for counselling and reformative measures appear to be inadequate”.

India may invite Pakistan for regional meet on Afghanistan

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In a crucial step, India is likely to invite Pakistan for a regional conference of investors on Afghanistan here next month that is aimed at creating regional support for economic stability of the violence-torn country.

The conference will take place days ahead of a much bigger Tokyo conference on Afghanistan planned for July.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna had announced the regional conference Tuesday after talks with his Afghan counterpart Zalmai Rassoul here.

Two cases of suicide in Gurgaon

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In two separate incidents of suicide here, a senior official with a private firm jumped from the fourth floor of a building while an executive with another company was found hanging in her rented accommodation Wednesday, police said.

In the first case, Jitendra Jain, 26, assistant vice president with ‘Mark-it’ company in Noida, jumped to his death from the fourth floor of an under-construction building.

110 criminal cases against IAS officers

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As many as 110 cases against 122 officers of the rank of joint secretary and above have been registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the last five years, the Lok Sabha was informed Wednesday.

“As per information provided by the CBI, during the last five years – 2007-12 (upto 31.3.2012), it has registered 110 cases,” Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office V. Narayanasamy said.

Royal Challengers restricted to 158/5 by Kings XI

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Royal Challengers Bangalore were restricted to 158 for five in 20 overs by Kings XI Punjab in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here Wednesday.

Chris Gayle was the top scorer with 71 while Virat Kohli struck 45. Veteran Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmood was the pick of the Kings XI bowlers bagging three for 20.

Mamata announces Rs.1,000 for muezzins

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Continuing to rain sops on the minorities, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday announced Rs.1,000 monthly honorarium for muezzins of mosques.

She also included 33 more classes from among the minorities in the 17 percent quota earmarked for Other Backward Classes.

“The muezzins who lead the call to prayers and help out in other socio-economic activities like administering polio drops are very poor,” she told reporters. “So the cabinet has given the go-ahead for a Rs.1,000 honorarium per month through the Waqf Board.”

Cop’s son kills mother

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A 32-year-old man allegedly shot his mother dead at his house in Haryana’s Jhajjar district Wednesday following a domestic dispute, police said.

The incident took place in Kheri Aasra village, about 260 km from Chandigarh.

The accused, Sunil alias Bittu, is the son of Rai Singh, a sub-inspector with Delhi Police. He used a gun to commit the crime, according to police.

The deceased was identified as Shakuntla, 55. She was shot in the head.

Government will not impose its view on Telangana: Chidambaram

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Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday said the government will not thrust its opinion on Telangana and the decision on the statehood issue will be taken after consensus among political parties.

“The government will not impose its views on Telangana and the decision will be taken only after the eight political parties come up with a view,” Chidambaram said while replying to a debate in the Lok Sabha on the demands for grants of the home ministry for 2012-13.

Know where ‘Lakshman Rekha’ begins, SC tells media

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The Supreme Court Wednesday said media should know where the ‘Lakshman Rekha’ of reporting sub-judice matter begins while the Editors’ Guild of India questioned the court’s jurisdiction to frame guidelines for journalists.

The apex court constitution bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, Justice D.K. Jain, Justice S.S. Nijjar, Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai and Justice J.S. Khehar said: “We wanted to make media aware. They should know where Lakshman Rekha begins.”

Rabri Devi hints her children will join politics

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Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi Wednesday justified dynastic politics, hinting that her children will join politics.

“My sons and daughters will join politics at the right time. Our children will become leaders like us,” she said here, obviously also referring to her husband and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad.

“If an advocate’s son can become an advocate, a judge’s son can become a judge, an engineer’s son can become an engineer, why can’t a politician’s son become a politician?”

She said it was natural for politicians’ children to take to politics.

11 die in Kabul attack after Obama trip

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Taliban militants carried out an audacious attack in Kabul only hours after US President Barack Obama visited the city, leaving 11 people including all five attackers dead.

A tense calm prevailed in the Afghan capital as authorities the end of the deadly Taliban strike, on the first anniversary of the killing of Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.

The attack was mounted after Obama left Kabul following a previously unannounced visit. The quick trip saw him signing a strategic partnership agreement with his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, media reports said.

HC quashes CBI’s petition for Vijay Sai’s bail cancellation

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The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday quashed the petition of Central Bureau of Investigation seeking cancellation of bail granted to Jagati Publications vice chairman V Vijay Sai Reddy by CBI Second Additional Special Court on Monday.

The court rejected the lunch motion petition of CBI seeking cancellation of bail to Vijay Sai Reddy stating that it would affect the progress of case and he could tamper with the evidence, if released on bail.

TDP suspects Centre’s role in CBI not arresting Jagan

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Telugu Desam Party deputy floor leader Gali Muddukrishnama Naidu on Wednesday demanded an explanation from the State and Centre on why the Central Bureau of Investigation did not arrest Kadapa MP Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in connection with disproportionate assets case.

Shankar Rao demands CBI probe against HM’s son

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Former minister Dr P Shankar Rao on Wednesday demanded CBI probe into alleged links of Home Minister Sabitha Indra Reddy’s son Karthika Reddy with Bhanu Kiran, the prime accused in the murder of factionist Maddelacheruvu Suri.

Sangareddy communal riots victims get Rs 1.32 Cr relief

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The State Government on Wednesday issued a GO to provide Rs 1.32 crore relief to the victims of communal violence that occurred at Sangareddy on March 29.

According to the GO Rt No 1931 issued by the General Administration (L&O-II) Department, about 120 shops and establishments vehicles were damaged and enumerated as on April 7 and two civilians and two police officials were injured seriously during the communal disturbances. The damage to the property was estimated at about Rs 1.32 crore.

KCR asks T-Cong MPs to resign from posts

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Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Wednesday stated that the TRS would expose the Congress party’s stand on Telangana statehood issue in the people’s court.

Talking to media persons here, KCR alleged that the Centre was still following indifferent attitude and resorting to delaying tactics in the name of consultations despite the four crore people demanding statehood for the region. He accused the government of neglecting the people’s wish and violating democratic rights granted by the Constitution of India.

Gulf States Struggle to Agree on Missile Shield

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Distrust among Sunni Gulf Arab states has scuppered the installation of a joint missile shield which Washington has long urged as the best means of defence against any strike by Iran.

The oil-exporting states have spent billions on U.S.-built anti-missile platforms but have fallen short of building a unified umbrella and an early warning system, despite their expressed intention to do so.

Sena Slams MAESTRO

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THE Shiv Sena, which is not too happy over Sachin Tendulkar’s decision to accept the Rajya Sabha nomination, is now making noises on how the cricketer is not available for a felicitation by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation ( BMC), which it heads.

Ahmad meets PM, seeks appointment of AMU VC at earliest

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Former Rajya Sabha member Wasim Ahmad met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and urged the Centre to appoint a Vice Chancellor at the Aligarh Muslim University at the earliest.

During the meeting yesterday, Ahmad said he tried to convey the deep concerns of the AMU community over the
“unusual delay” in appointment of a full time Vice Chancellor at this central University.

“The AMU has been without any Vice Chancellor or pro Vice Chancellor since over a month now and a dangerous drift is prevailing in the University administration,” he said.

Aishwarya Rai’s shape, a subject of intense debate

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The shape which Aishwarya Rai is in five months after her delivery has generated unusual public interest with the Bachchan bahu coming in for some criticism for the “oodles of weight” gained by the actress.

But some celebrites who have been associated with the 38-year-old Bollywood star including Designer Sabyasachi
defended her, saying that like any other woman the new mother would definitely take some time to shed pregnancy weight.

The trigger for the reactions came following the publication of some pictures of the former Miss World while

Fire in furniture mall; Security man charred to death

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A 35-year-old security personnel was charred to death today in a major fire at a furniture mall in the Mumbai-Naka locality, fire officials said.

The fire broke out in the wee hours around 3.30 am in the Sakhala mall and engulfed other shops in the complex too
killing a security guard Prakash Namdev Solanki on the spot, Chief Fire Officer, Nashik Municipal Corporation, Anil Mahajan told PTI.

A dozen fire-fighting-tenders were rushed to the spot and the flames were brought under control within a couple of
hours, Mahajan said.

Ramdev attacks MPs who hit back

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After Anna Hazare and his team,Ramdev has stoked a controversy calling MPs “dacoits and murderers”, evoking strong condemnation from Parliamentarians who asserted that such “insults” are unacceptable, with Lalu Prasad dubbing the yoga guru as a “mental case”.

Addressing the media while launching his month-long yatra in Chhattisgarh’s Durg yesterday, Ramdev said there are good people among the Parliamentarians and he respected them. “But there are dacoits, murderers, illiterates among them. We have to save Parliament. We have to remove corrupt people.”

Trio ties up man, gangrapes wife

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Hours before a 21-year-old woman could act on her resolve to report to the police against sexual harassment from three local youths, the trio barged into her house, and allegedly assaulted and gangraped her. Watching horrified and helpless was her husband. For the past few days, the woman had been the object of unwanted sexual overtures from the goons, who would pass lewd remarks and even peep through the cracks of the bathroom when she went in to bathe.