Month: July 2013

Advani meets RSS leaders in Nagpur

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Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran Lal Krishna Advani met Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at the RSS headquarters here today.

Senior RSS leaders, including general secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi, were also present in the meeting.

Advani, who had resigned from all party posts after Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was appointed the chief of party’s poll panel for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, was forced to do a U-turn after Bhagwat stepped in and withdrew his resignation on June 11.

BJP President Rajnath Singh is also expected to meet Bhagwat tomorrow. (ANI)

Kamal Farooqi alleges Congress is shielding Ishrat Jahan case accused

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Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Kamal Farooqi today accused the Congress of defending the Additional Director General of Police, P.P. Pandey and suspended Deputy Inspector General, D. G. Vanzara against whom the charge sheet was filed for murder and criminal conspiracy in the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. Kamal Farooqui said here today that there is threat to Modi government itself because Pandey is being supported by the government. “He is on leave since May, on long medical leave. What kind of medical leave, what is he ailing from and what is his address?

Ishrat case: Why the change in home ministry affidavit, asks BJP

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The BJP Friday asked the union home ministry to explain the change in its affidavit in the Ishrat Jahan alleged staged shootout case.

The principal opposition party also accused the government of misusing the CBI to target Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and former state minister Amit Shah.

Talking to newspersons here, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman asked whether the Intelligence Bureau (IB) had briefed the prime minister about its inputs in the Ishrat Jahan staged shootout case.

Kohli to lead India, Rasool in squad for Zimbabwe

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Virat Kohli will lead India while Parvez Rasool becomes the first cricketer from Jammu and Kashmir to be included in the 15-member squad for the tour to Zimbabwe in July-August.

Regular skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is out with a hamstring injury which he suffered during India’s first tri-series match against the West Indies.

India will play five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) — three in Harare and two at Bulawayo — against Zimbabwe between July 24 and Aug 3.

India will meet poverty reduction target by 2015: UN

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Despite lagging behind other southeast Asian countries in reducing poverty, India will still meet its target for 2015 under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a report released here Friday by the UN said.

The MDG report 2013 said extreme poverty rates have been halved for eastern, south-eastern and southern Asia, excluding India, five years ahead of the deadline.

Political parties shouldn’t promise freebies: SC

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The Supreme Court Friday asked the poll panel to frame guidelines to discourage political parties from promising freebies in their election manifestos as it shakes the root of free and fair elections and disturbs level playing field for the candidates.

A bench of Justice P. Satsasivam and Justice Ranjan Gogoi said that such guidelines would be necessary for holding free and fair elections and maintaining a level playing field. The court said that the freebies can influence people and disturb the level playing field.

Food bill a political move, says opposition

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The opposition Friday slammed the government again over the food security ordinance that was approved by the union cabinet Wednesday, calling it a political move before elections.

“Successive governments failed repeatedly in addressing the problem of malnutrition. It is a shame. Now they are bringing this through ordinance. What were they doing for four years?” Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Brinda Karat told reporters.

“Were they sleeping all this time? Why are they blaming the opposition now?” she said.

Khurshid to visit Nepal Monday

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Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will reach Nepal Monday on a two-day visit to extend support and solidarity to Nepal’s elections process, it was announced here.

Khurshid, whose visit comes on invitation of his Nepali counterpart Madhav Ghimire, will meet President Ram Baran Yadav, chairman of Interim Elections Council Khil Raj Regmi, Ghimire, and top leaders of major political parties, said Nepal’s foreign ministry spokesman Arjun Bahadur Thapa.

He will be accompanied by senior officials, he said.

Nepali slits his throat near Delhi Metro station

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A 33-year-old Nepali citizen attempted suicide by slitting his throat with a sharp weapon outside a Metro station here, police said Friday.

Gurum, a Nepali, was spotted by a passerby outside the Patel Chowk Metro station in New Delhi area around 1.30 p.m. Friday. His neck was bleeding, said a police officer.

Police rushed him to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. The reason of the extreme step is yet to be ascertained.

–IANS

Badal announces Rs.10 crore for Uttarakhand

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Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Friday announced Rs.10 crore for reconstruction of all religious shrines, including Kedarnath Temple and Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib, which have been badly damaged in the recent flash floods in Uttarakhand.

Badal, who flew to Dehradun Friday to meet his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna, assured all help to the government of the hill state in the aftermath of the calamity which left over 1,000 people dead, a spokesman of the chief minister said here.

No proof of Bansal’s role in bribery, says CBI

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The CBI Friday sought to justify its decision to make Pawan Kumar Bansal a witness in the alleged Rs.10 crore cash-for-post railway bribery scandal by saying that the agency has not found any evidence of the former railway minister’s involvement in it.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official said Bansal was not present when suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar met his nephew Vijay Singla.

CBI probing all angles into Ishrat case: Sinha

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CBI is probing “all angles” in the Ishrat Jahan case including the statements of some witnesses claiming knowledge of political conspiracy behind the fake encounter involving the Gujarat Police and the Subsidiary Intelligence Bureau.

“We are investigating all the angles related to it,” CBI Director Ranjit Sinha said.

Sinha was asked whether CBI is probing the statement given by Deputy Superintendent of Police D H Goswami before the Magistrate where he reportedly claimed that DIG of crime branch DG Vanzara had got the nod from Gujarat’s political leadership for the encounter.

‘Hope Pakistan would respond to India’s concern’

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India is hoping that Pakistan’s new government will respond to its immediate concerns such as fixing accountability for the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.

“It is important to let them (new Pakistan government) settle down, let them take stock of the situation. And hopefully start giving us signals that they mean business on those issues which are of immediate concern to us, and that includes accountability for the 2008 terror attack on Mumbai,” External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said.

A K Antony meets Chinese Premier and Defence Minister

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Defence Minister, A K Antony on Friday met Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and held talks with his counterpart on a host of bilateral issues. It included a new mechanism to boost security along the borders, in the backdrop of Chinese incursions in Ladakh region.

Antony, who arrived on Thursday night on a four day visit, started off his tour with delegation level talks with Chinese Defence Minister General Chang Wanquan.

The talks lasted for an hour, officials said.

Narendra Modi to be videoconferencing in Bihar

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BJP campaign committee chief Narendra Modi will be giving election tips to party workers in Bihar through video conferencing on Saturday.

Through the first of its kind high-tech exercise, Modi will be addressing 1,500 BJP workers from the state level down to the panchayat level to discuss election strategy in Bihar, where the party has been left alone after JD(U) snapped ties with it, state BJP President Mangal Pandey said.

Pandey said that the teleconferencing will be for one hour from 6 PM.

There would be three groups comprising 500 BJP workers of different levels in each.

SC gives a month to overstaying MPs, judges to vacate premises

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The Supreme Court on Friday set a one-month deadline for ministers, MPs, judges andbureaucrats to vacate theirofficial accommodation after retiring or demitting government office.

The apex court bench headed by Justice P Satsasivam and said that they must vacate the premises within a month after demitting office.

It said, the time can be extended by another month under special circumstances. The bench framed a slew of guidelines for government authorities to take action against the illegal occupants.

ANI

CBI gives clean chit to Bansal in railway bribery scandal

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CBI does not have any taped conversation which shows that former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal was involved in or had any knowledge of the Rs 10 crore cash-for-post bribery scandal. This prompted the agency not to make him an accused in the case, sources said on Friday.

CBI sources said during investigations they could not find out any conversation between the minister’s nephew Vijay Singla and the minister which has any mention of suspended Railway Board member Mahesh Kumar’s posting.

Singla and Kumar are among the 10 accused in the scandal.

Three JD(U) MPs escape possible disqualification

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Three JD(U) MPs, facing charges of anti-party activities, escaped possible disqualification with Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar dropping disciplinary proceedings against them under the anti-defection law after their party withdrew its complaint.

The JD(U)’s change of heart came against the backdrop of the new political equation in Bihar after it parted ways with BJP-led NDA on June 16.

Car bomb kills 4 north of Baghdad: Iraq officials

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Officials say a car bomb explosion has killed four civilians and wounded 6 others north of Baghdad.

A police officer says the explosives-laden vehicle was parked near a protest camp in the city of Samarra when it exploded today. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to release information.

The head of the Salahuddin provincial health directorate, Raed Ibrahim, confirmed the casualty figures. Samarra is 95 kilometres north of Baghdad.

Egypt closes Gaza border after clashes in Sinai

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An Egyptian official says the country’s border crossing with Gaza Strip in northern Sinai has been closed indefinitely, citing security concerns.

The decision comes hours after suspected Islamic militants attacked four sites in northern Sinai, targeting two military checkpoints, a police station and el-Arish airport, where military aircraft are stationed.

Thai web designer convicted of defaming king freed

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A Thai web designer convicted of defaming Thailand’s monarchy has been released from jail after receiving a royal pardon from the king.

Activist and academic Suda Rangkupan said Tanyawut Taweewarodomkul was freed from Bangkok Remand Prison on Friday.

Tanyawut designed a website associated with Thailand’s Red Shirt movement. He was convicted in 2010 of insulting the monarchy by posting defamatory comments against Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and allowing such comments to be posted.

Fireworks mishap in California leaves 28 injured

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A malfunction at a fireworks display in California to celebrate American independence day sent exploding shells showering into a crowd of several thousand, injuring 28 people, police said.

Those injured in the mishap in Simi Valley near Los Angeles ranged in age from eight to 78, and four were left in serious condition, Simi Valley police spokesman Blair Summey told.

The July 4 fireworks show at a park before a crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 people had just started when there was what Summey called an ignition malfunction. “Some of the shells went into the crowd,” he said.

Chinese warships in Russia for naval drill

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A fleet of Chinese warships arrived in Russia’s Far Eastern port Vladivostok Friday to take part in a week-long joint naval drill.

Addressing a welcoming ceremony at a port of Russia’s Pacific Fleet, Leonid Sukhanov, deputy chief of staff of the Russian Navy, said the drill was one of the largest joint military manoeuvres in the region.

The drill was aimed at enhancing the two navies’ capability in coordinating maritime defence operations, he added.

Pakistan mulling closing missions in 22 countries

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The Pakistan government is reportedly considering plans to shut its missions overseas by one-fourth, apart from cutting down perks and privileges for its diplomats and staff posted abroad.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi has suggested the ‘austerity’ proposal due to the budgetary constraints, The Dawn reports.

Digvijay asks MHA to clarify whether Ishrat had LeT links

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Seeking to give a political twist to the raging controversy over Ishrat Jahan’s alleged terror links, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today asked the Home Ministry to clarify whether she had any link with Pakistan- based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Singh, who met Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, told reporters that he has asked the ministry to clarify whether 26/11 terror attack accused David Headley had said that Ishrat, who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in Gujarat nine years ago, had terror links.