Month: July 2013

‘Mental’ Digvijay Singh needs to be admitted to a hospital: BJP

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday hit back at Digvijay Singh, who stirred up a new controversy after calling fellow party leader Meenakshi Natarajan ‘a 100 percent tunch maal’, saying that the Congress General Secretary is not in a stable state of mind and needs to be admitted to a hospital urgently. “Though it is an internal matter of the Congress party I maintain that Digvijay Singh is not in a stable state of mind. He has become a mental case.

Rahul Gandhi and Narendra Modi unfit to become PM, says Anna Hazare

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Social activist Anna Hazare on Friday said that both Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi are ‘unacceptable’ and ‘unfit’ to become the Prime Minister of India. “Both Modi and Rahul Gandhi are unacceptable to me for prime ministership as both are not fit to take over the dignified and respected post,” Anna Hazare told media here today. Taking a dig at Narendra Modi, Hazare questioned the Gujarat chief minister for not bringing Lokayukta bill in his state which would bring an end to corruption in the state.

10 black ex-`American Idol` contestants suing show for racism

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Ten former contestants of Fox’s hit talent series ‘American Idol’ are taking the show to court for a minimum of 25 million dollars each, claiming that they were unfairly booted because of their race.

According to TMZ.com, the contestants has accused the producers of the programme of carrying out a “cruel and inhumane” scheme by using them for ratings by unlawfully digging up their arrest histories and using the records to humiliate them on national TV.

Gang-raped Dalit girl commits suicide in Ghaziabad

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A minor Dalit girl, allegedly gang-raped by four people earlier this week, committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan in Farid Nagar town of Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district, police said Friday.

The 10th standard student committed suicide Thursday morning at her relative’s house where the family had taken shelter, a police officer said.

According to the victim’s father, she was depressed over the mounting pressure on the family to arrive at a compromise with the accused. He also accused police of arresting only one of the four accused in the case.

Three-year-old raped in Lucknow

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A three-year-old girl was raped allegedly by her neighbour on the outskirts of the state capital Friday, police said.

The gruesome attack took place in Ratauli village of Banthra area when the girl was playing outside her house. She was picked up by a neighbour, the son of a farmer, who took her to field and raped her. She returned home crying and told her mother about the incident.

The girl’s parents then approached police who filed a first information report (FIR) and are trying to arrest the attacker.

Court issues warrant against Raj Thackeray

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Refusing to grant exemption from personal hearing to Maharashtra Navanirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray and spokesperson Shirish Parkar, a Delhi court Friday issued non-bailable warrants against them on a complaint of making “hate speeches” against the people of Bihar.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Devendra Kumar Sharma issued NBWs against Thackeray and Parkar for Aug 24.

Last month, the court also directed them to appear in person and rejected Thackeray’s plea for exemption.

Suspense continues over Andhra Pradesh’s future

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The suspense continues over future of Andhra Pradesh as the Congress core group meeting ended Friday without a decision on statehood to Telangana region.

The core group, which met at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s official residence at 7, Race Course Road, discussed the issue but did not take any decision.

“The consultation process is over. Now you should await the decision of the party and the UPA government,” was all Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh told waiting reporters after the meeting Friday evening.

BJP workers protest outside Babbar’s house over meal remark

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Around 30 BJP activists were detained for allegedly protesting outside Congress spokesman Raj Babbar’s residence in suburban Juhu here today over his controversial remark on meals being available for Rs 12, police said.

The BJP activists demonstrated outside Babbar’s residence on Gulmohar Road at JVPD scheme area, slamming the
film actor-turned-politician for his recent remarks.

Babbar had said that a hearty meal in Mumbai can be bought for Rs 12, while his party colleague Rasheed Masood had
claimed that a mere Rs 5 was sufficient for a meal in Delhi.

BJP mulls strategy to reach out to voters through social media

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In a bid to tap the huge number of urban youth, including first time voters, BJP today held a workshop for technocrats and functionaries associated with the party to chalk out a strategy for reaching out to them through
digital, mobile, Internet and social media.

BJP, which is already in election mode since the appointment of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its
Election Campaign Committee chief, today brainstormed on how to influence the young voters in a meeting of the Information Communication Campaign Committee.

Mother and son run over and killed by train at level crossing

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A woman and her son were run over and killed by Gitanajali express while they were crossing a level crossing in Howrah district today, police sources said.

The woman Kasimi Biwi (36) and her six-year-old son were run over and killed by the Gitanjali express while crossing
the level crossing near the Kulgachia railway station, the sources said.

The gateman at the level crossing had closed the gate but still the woman and her son tried to cross the level while the train was approaching and were run over and killed, the sources added.

————————PTI

Army pays homage to Kargil war heroes

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Army today remembered the Kargil war heroes on the 14th anniversary of ‘Operation Vijay’, and paid glowing tributes to the bravehearts who laid down their lives fighting the Pakistani forces.

General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Northern Command Lt Gen Sanjiv Chachra, along with various serving and former top-ranked Army officers, offered floral tributes at the Kargil War Memorial here.

The ceremony was followed by a memorial service and a visit to the ‘Hut of Remembrance’, a museum constructed
besides the war memorial.

Jilted lover stabs girl in broad daylight

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A suspected jilted lover stabbed a tribal college girl today in broad daylight triggering tension in a crowded locality of the township.

While the girl, who received 12 deep cuts on her head neck, wrist and other parts of the body, is battling for life, the assailant has been taken into custody.

Angry college students staged protest by resorting to road blockade at Tinimuhani on the Cuttack-Chandballi state
highway. Vehicular traffic was disrupted for nearly an hour as the agitating students squatted on the busy road.

State Bank of Travancore Q1 Net up 2.3 pc at Rs 186 cr

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State Bank of Travancore today reported a marginal 2.3 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 185.67 crore for the first quarter ended June 30, 2013.

The bank had recorded a net profit of Rs 181.44 crore in the corresponding quarter a year ago.

Total income of the SBI’s associate bank during the quarter under review rose to Rs 2,617.04 crore from Rs
2,241.98 crore last year, it said in a filing to the BSE.

The bank made provisions and contingencies of Rs 181.19 crore during the first quarter of 2013-14, up from Rs
103.64 crore in the corresponding period of previous fiscal.

Girl molested by policeman, mob violence leads to firing

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A teenage girl was allegedly molested by a policeman leading to mob violence and police firing in Assam’s Kamrup district today.

A girl, who was going alone on a bicycle, was stopped by a police constable, identified as Kamal Krishna Nath,
deployed at the Gaachlia police camp in Rangiya subdivision of the district, and was allegedly molested by him.

The girl went and informed the people of her village following which an angry mob gheraoed the camp and pelted
stones demanding that the policeman be handed over top them.

Varun Gandhi meets RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat at Hedgewar Bhawan

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BJP youth leader Varun Gandhi held discussions with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and others today at Hedgewar Bhawan, the RSS headquarters at Mahal, in the eastern part of city.

Gandhi who has been entrusted the responsibility of holding BJP rallies in the new set up, spent about three hours
at the Sangh headquarters and became the first young leader after visits of party stalwarts like Murli Manohar Joshi, L K Advani, Rajnath Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, to arrive here and meet the RSS leadership.

Meghalaya govt issues show cause notice to CMJ university

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Meghalaya government has issued show cause notice to the CMJ University for closure in view of the irregularities with which the private varsity awarded PhD degrees, Education Minister R C Laloo said today.

We have issued a show cause notice to the university authorities asking why the university should not be closed
down,” Laloo told reporters after a cabinet meeting here.

He said serving show cause notice to the varsity is the first step that the government has taken.

Former Governor R S Mooshahary who was serving as the Visitor of all private universities set up in the state had

Suspected ISI agent held with fake currency notes

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Anti-terror squad of Uttar Pradesh Police today arrested a suspected ISI operative and a major supplier of fake currency notes in the state from Kaiserbagh bus stand here, a senior police official said today.

ATS arrested Imran Ahmed Teli alias Munna alias Aftab alias Sammer from the bus stand while he was waiting to board
the bus to Rupaideeha in Nepal,” said ADG (law and order) Arun Kumar.

Guj HC ends monitoring of probe in Ishrat Jahan encounter case

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The Gujarat High Court today ended its monitoring of probe in the Ishrat Jahan alleged fake encounter case.

The division bench of Justices Jayant Patel and Abhilasha Kumari observed that as the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed a chargesheet before the special CBI court, the High Court’s monitoring ended. It was the High Court which had ordered the probe by the Central agency when the questions were raised about genuineness of the encounter.

As the magistrate’s court was conducting the proceedings now, the law would take its own course hereon, the HC said.

Gujarat not model, but self-awarded medal: Sibal

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Describing Gujarat’s model of development as a ‘self-awarded medal’, Union Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal today said its Chief Minister Narendra Modi was selling a dream, but could not deliver results.

What is the Gujarat model? I would like to know. Its a Gujarat medal or Gujarat model? Give yourself a medal and call it a Gujarat model,” Sibal told industrialists at the annual general meeting of the Indian Chamber of Commerce here.

Will Mr Modi tell us what is his economic model for coal, for power? Its easy to sell a dream. You tell a poor man

NHRC asks govt to pay compensation to Assam “encounter” victim

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) today asked the Centre government to pay Rs five lakh as compensation to the next of kin of a man who was killed by security forces in an encounter in Sonitpur, Assam in 2010.

According to an NHRC statement issued today, the rights panel has recommended through the Ministry of Defence that the government of India pay Rs five lakh as relief to the next of kin of Bijoy Bora who was killed on February 19, 2010. The Commission has also asked for a proof of payment.

Egypt”s ousted president faces espionage, jailbreak charges

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A top Egyptian court has ordered the detention of ousted Islamist-oriented President Mohamed Morsi for 15 days for investigations over such charges as spying and jailbreak, official media reported Friday. According to state-run MENA news agency, charges against Morsi include spying for the Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement;

Pak might uplift ban on ‘profane’ YouTube post-Eid

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The Pakistan government is reportedly considering to reopen video sharing website YouTube after Eidul Fitr.

Earlier, YouTube had been blocked across Pakistan in September 2012 following orders by then Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf after the website refused to remove a blasphemous film titled ‘The Innocence of the Muslims’.

The Express Tribune News reports that the Minister of State Anusha Rahman has formed a 12 member committee to review the possibility of removing objectionable content from the website after PTA voiced its inability to block the content.