Month: March 2014

Centre admits delay in Bhullar’s mercy petition

by

The central government Thursday said that there was delay in the deciding death row convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar’s mercy petition and the court could decide on his wife’s plea for commutation of death sentence into life imprisonment.

Bhullar was convicted for his involvement in 1993 Delhi bomb blast case and his wife Navneet Kaur has sought commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment on grounds of delay in deciding his mercy petition and also on grounds he is suffering from mental illness.

I’ll be happy to take up BCCI job: Gavaskar

by

The Supreme Court on Thursday proposed Sunil Gavaskar’s name as replacement for BCCI president N. Srinivasan, and the batting legend said he would be “honoured” and “happy” to adhere to the directives of the highest court of the land.

“First and foremost, if the highest court suggests something, you have to do so but that has to be on record. I am currently contracted with BCCI as a commentator. But if Supreme Court wants me to do that, I will do it,” Gavaskar said.

Cong dubs Modi as traitor, after he calls Antony a Pak agent

by

Congress today hit back at Narendra Modi for calling Defence Minister A K Antony an “agent of Pakistan and enemy of India”, saying such language can come only from a “traitor”.

“Such language can only be spoken by a traitor. If some Indian leader says this, it is very unfortunate,” party spokesman Sanjay Jha told reporters.

His remarks came a day after Modi said that three AKs have emerged as a unique strength for Pakistan.

Tariq flays Modi’s ‘Pakistani agent’ remark on Kerjiwal

by

The NCP today flayed BJP prime ministerial hopeful Narendra Modi for making the “Pakistani agent” remark on AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal and said it reflects his desperation to grab power by all means.

“Modi has made slanderous remarks against Kerjiwal after being rattled by the AAP leader, who generated massive support in Varanasi in his favour, following his decision to contest against the BJP’s PM nominee from there,” Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Processing Tariq Anwar told reporters in reply to a question.

IM targeting youths with techincal background: Police

by

Mahruf and Waqar, the Indian Mujhahideen operatives arrested from Jaipur, were once bright students with one of them even aspiring to study at IIT but lost their way after they were indoctrinated by Pakistan-based Afif Bhatkal alias Atta, one of IM’s founder members who are trying to recruit youths with technical background.

Security beefed up in Bastar ahead of Modi’s rally

by

Security has been heightened across naxal-affected Bastar region in Chhattisgarh ahead of BJP’s PM nominee Narendra Modi’s election rally in Kondagaon district tomorrow.

“Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the region, particularly at important locations,” a senior police official said.

Security personnel are deployed in large numbers at Kondagaon Stadium grounds, the venue of the rally, as people from two Lok Sabha constituencies—Bastar and Kanker—are expected to attend the event, the official said.

Himachal CM targeting rivals, says BJP

by

The BJP Thursday accused Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh of using the vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to settle scores with the political rivals during the Lok Sabha elections.

“The chief minister is using the vigilance to target former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and his sons,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ganesh Dutt said.

He said Virbhadra Singh was pressuring the officials to register false cases against Dhumal.

SC for Gavaskar as Board chief, suggests barring CSK, RR from IPL (Roundup)

by

The Supreme Court Thursday proposed the name of former India captain Sunil Gavaskar to replace the incumbent Narayanaswami Srinivasan as the BCCI head and suggested that Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals be kept out of the seventh edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) that starts April 16.

Gavaskar said he was ready to become interim president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) as proposed by the Supreme Court.

Court dismisses plea for FIR against Geelani

by

A court here Thursday dismissed a plea seeking registration of an FIR against hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani, and three others for allegedly “instilling hatred among the people of Kashmir and other parts of the country”.

The court was hearing a private complaint accusing Geelani of delivering hate speeches, and claiming that such objectionable remarks made by him on several occasions had “threatened the safety and security of government of India and its citizens”.

Odisha port berths biggest parcel size vessel

by

Odisha’s Dhamra port has added another feather to its cap by becoming the first among Indian ports to berth a parcel size vessel of 2,07,785 DWT (dead weight tonnage), the port said Thursday.

The vessel Macau Mineral was carrying 1,94,073 tonnes of coal from Richards Bay in South Africa.

The South Korean-made ship is 312 metres long and 50 metres wide. It was built in 1989.

The vessel berthed at the port jetty around March 26 and will depart after unloading the cargo March 29.

It has 21 Chinese crew members headed by Captain Wang Yongan. The vessel is registered in Panama.

India and China are not natural rivals: Chinese daily

by

Contrary to the Western world’s notion that India and China are natural rivals, the two nations have 3,000 years of interaction and mutual learning, and enmity has only been a fraction of a certain period of time, a leading Chinese daily said.

The term “Chindia” coined by Indian politician Jairam Ramesh is that India and China could cooperate and work together to face the challenges ahead, the Global Times said in an op-ed piece Thursday.

Pav Bhaji vendor, tyre mechanic among 22 Gurgaon candidates

by

Usha Rani Verma, Kusheshwar Bhagat and Abdul Latif are among the 22 candidates contesting for the Gurgaon Lok Sabha seat. They are a housewife, a Pav Bhaji vendor and a tyre mechanic.

Verma, a 36-year-old resident of Rajiv Nagar, is a post-graduate housewife and the only woman candidate.

Rao Inderjeet Singh of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Yogendra Yadav of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Zakir Hussain of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and Rao Dharampal Singh of the Congress are the main contenders.

There are a total of 13 Independent candidates in the fray this time.

India abstains from Sri Lanka vote in Geneva

by

In a move that will please Colombo, India Thursday sprang a surprise by abstaining from voting on a UN Human Rights Council resolution in Geneva calling for a probe into alleged war crimes by Sri Lanka.

India said the resolution ignores the efforts at reconciliation being done by Sri Lanka in the predominantly Tamil north, including holding of elections.

Contrary to what was widely expected to be a repeat of earlier moves of backing the UN resolution, India Thursday said it “cannot go along with the resolution and will abstain on the resolution under consideration”.

Gulbarg embezzlement case: Teesta, hubby move Guj HC for bail

by

Social activist Teesta Setalvad, her husband Javed Anand and son of slain Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, Tanvir today approached the Gujarat High Court seeking anticipatory bail in alleged Gulbarg Society fund embezzlement case.

The move came after the Ahmedabad city and sessions court denied the same relief to Setalvad, Anand, Jafri and two residents of Gulbarg society on March 25 observing there are prima facie documentary evidence against the accused, which needs a thorough probe.

Toll touches 200 in drought-hit Pakistan district

by

The death of another child and a woman in the drought-stricken Tharparkar district in Sindh province of Pakistan has raised the death toll to 200 in three months.

Besides the scarcity of food and malnutrition, inadequate medical facilities in the region are also contributing to the deaths, The Nation reported.

The Sindh health secretary has dismissed as many as 480 doctors for being absent from duty.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced a Pakistani Rs.1-billion (around $9.82 million) aid package for the drought-affected area.
(IANS)

Five killed in Pakistan bus accident

by

At least five people were killed and 15 injured when a bus overturned in Pakistan’s Punjab province Thursday, officials said.

According to police and rescue officials, the passenger bus went out of control and overturned on a sharp turn near Fatyana Chowk area of Kamalia district, about 240 km southwest of Lahore, Dawn online reported.

Five people died on the spot while 15 passengers sustained injuries, officials said.

Some of the injured passengers were said to be in critical condition.

The injured were shifted to the Kamalia district headquarter hospital.

Headmaster booked for rape, sexual assault of girl students

by

Police today booked the headmaster of a school housed in a religious place at Malerkotla near here for allegedly sexually assaulting five girl students.

Tempers of parents of fifth class students of the school ran high when they learnt about the sexual assault allegedly by the headmaster who managed to escape.

Malerkotla DSP William Zeji rushed to the spot and recorded the statements of the agitated parents who stated that the girls were blackmailed by the accused who threatened to fail them in examination if they did not fulfil his desire.

Narain Karthikeyan set for Japan’s Super Formula

by

Tata Motors Thursday reaffirmed their support to Narain Karthikeyan, India’s first Formula 1 driver, for his maiden participation in the Japanese championship Super Formula.

The series comprising eight rounds, seven in Japan and one in South Korea, will begin April 13 and end Nov 9.

Super Formula, formerly known as Formula Nippon, has been running since 1973, with its driver roster including Michael Schumacher, Eddie Irvine, Pedro De La Rosa and Ralf Schumacher.

Congress in Kerala waits for PM, Sonia, Rahul

by

The Congress in Kerala is waiting to infuse some star power in election campaigns in the state, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party chief Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi expected to arrive soon.

The Gandhi family has always been the biggest campaigners for the party in Kerala over the years.

While Rahul Gandhi is arriving April 4, Sonia Gandhi would be here April 7. However, the schedule of Manmohan Singh is yet to be confirmed.

21 held in Bengal with red wood worth Rs.3.5 crore

by

Red sanders wood estimated at Rs.3.5 crore was seized and 21 smugglers were apprehended Thursday in West Bengal in a joint operation by the Coast Guard and the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), an official said.

Working on intelligence inputs, the Coast Guard and DRI team onboard a hovercraft apprehended a ship which was to smuggle the wood to Bangladesh through a riverine route.

The hovercraft later also intercepted a carrier boat with the consignment near Mandarmani in East Midnapore district, a Coast Guard spokesperson said.

SC proposes Srini removal, barring CSK, RR from IPL 7

by

In a move that is bound to shake up Indian cricket establishment, the Supreme Court today proposed replacing BCCI President N Srinivasan with former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar and barring his team Chennai Super Kings (CSK) along with Rajasthan Royals (RR) from IPL 7 till it decides the case of betting and spot fixing scandal.

The court, which will pass its order tomorrow, has also sought keeping away any person associated with Sinivasan- promoted India Cements, the owner of CSK, from being involved in the functioning of the BCCI.

Showcause notice issued to CPI-M, Trinamool leaders: Poll panel

by

Show causes notices have been issued to CPI-M legislator Anisur Rehman for using “unparliamentary language” and to Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal for inciting party workers against the opposition, the Election Commission said Thursday.

The sub-divisional officer (SDO) of Rampurhat in West Bengal’s Birbhum district slapped the showcause on Communist Party of India-Marxist’s Rehman for using “unparliamentary language” during an election meeting in the district, assistant chief electoral officer Amitjyoti Bhattacharji told reporters here.

India among 11 nations formally declared polio-free

by

India and 10 other Asian countries were formally declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO) Thursday.

Apart from India, the other countries which were given polio-free certificates were Bangladesh, Bhutan, North Korea, Indonesia, the Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

The certificates were handed over to the health ministers of these countries by WHO Regional Director (Southeast Asia) Poonam Khetrapal Singh at a ceremony here.

Sedki Sobhi sworn in as new Egypt defence minister

by

Egyptian military chief of staff Gen. Sedki Sobhi took oath of office Thursday as the country’s new defence minister to succeed his predecessor Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi who resigned to run for the presidency, media reported.

Interim President Adli Mansour promoted Sobhi Wednesday from lieutenant general to the higher rank of general, a preparatory step for the chief of staff to replace Sisi as defence minister, Xinhua reported citing the state TV.

CPI-M won’t back Kejriwal in Varanasi

by

The CPI-M has no desire to support AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in the Lok Sabha election in Varanasi in the absence of a consensus candidate against BJP’s Narendra Modi.

According to Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat, the Varanasi contest will see various parties pitted against Modi including the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress and Mukhtar Ansari’s Quami Ekta Dal.