Month: January 2015

SC to hear on Singur land act case in March

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The Supreme Court will hear, in March, the West Bengal government’s plea challenging the Calcutta High Court order holding unconstitutional its legislation to reclaim 400 acres given to the Tata company for returning to the affected farmers.

A bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice A.K.Sikri in a brief order said: “List the matter for hearing on a non-miscellaneous day in the month of March 2015.”

The order came after all the parties sought the hearing of the matter in which notice on West Bengal government’s petitions were issued to Tata Motors Aug 24, 2012.

23 killed in Ukraine fighting

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Ukrainian troops and independence-seeking forces were locked in fierce fighting in eastern regions, killing at least 23 people, authorities said Tuesday.

The separarists had fired 120 times on the Ukrainian soldiers over the past 24 hours, with upsurge in fighting concentrating around the government-controlled Debaltsevo town, Xinhua quoted Ukraine’s army spokesperson Vladislav Seleznev as saying.

“As a result of combat actions, Ukraine lost nine servicemen, while 29 others have been wounded,” Seleznev told reporters.

Congress rattled by Obama’s successful visit: BJP

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The BJP Tuesday said the Congress was “cut off from the reality of changes” and “rattled by the successful visit” of US President Barack Obama, following criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that he was busy doing his own “PR” (public relations) and not anything concrete.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said “it shows to what extent the Congress is cut off from the reality of changes in the country and the significance of the initiatives of our government led by Narendra Modi”.

Three terror suspects arrested in Belgium

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Police in the north-western Belgian town of Kortrijk confirmed Tuesday that three men have been arrested for suspected terrorism.

The three were arrested in the nearby town of Harelbeke Monday night following a car chase by police.

Police in Kortrijk confirmed Tuesday that the men have been kept in custody on suspicion of being in connection with the terrorist cell that was broken up by police earlier in the month, Xinhua news agency reported citing Het Laaste Nieuws.

The police spokesman would not give further details.

Will bring Jan Lokpal, says Kejriwal

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Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday said his party was still committed to bring anti-graft Jan Lokpal legislation in the capital.

Addressing people at party’s Delhi Dialogue campaign in east Delhi, the former chief minister said: “Media kept saying that we forgot Jan Lokpal bill, but we were waiting for the end (of campaigning). It (the bill) is the only way to remove corruption.”

After ruling Delhi for 49 days, Kejriwal had resigned Feb 14, 2014 over the failure to introduce the Jan Lokpal bill in the assembly.

(IANS)

KCR insulted Dalits: Bhatti

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Congress senior leader and MLA Bhatti Vikramarka today criticized Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on the way former deputy chief minister T. Rajaiah was removed from the Cabinet.
Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan along with TPCC working president N. Uttamkumar Reddy and MLA Sampath, Bhatti has dubbed Chief Minister’s action as “undemocratic” and a great insult to Daliths. He demanded an explanation from KCR in this regard.

Ministers inaugurate Rail Bridge at Kagaznagar

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Telangana ministers Tummala Nageshwar Rao, Indrakaran Reddy and Jogu Ramanna on Tuesday declared open the railway bridge constructed at Kagaznagar in the district. Earlier, they launched 34 police vehicles at Armed Reserve headquarters, which are meant for Kagaznagar, Bellampalli and Mancherial divisions.

Sharmila winds up second phase of tour in Nalgonda

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YSR Congress Party leader Sharmila concluded the second phase of her “Paramarsha Yatra” in Nalgonda district on Tuesday.

Sharmila toured six Assembly constituencies consoling 30 families, which lost their bread earners on hearing the news of YSR’s demise in the district.

Sharmila began her yatra from Devarakonda constituency on January 21 and called on 30 families, including that of Aadepu Balamma and B Mani.

The YSRCP leader garlanded the statues of YSR, which were set up by his followers at several places.

Lalu supports Obama’s advice of tolerance

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RJD chief Lalu Prasad Tuesday praised US President Barack Obama for his advice to have religious tolerance for all.

“Obama has rightly advised (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi for religious tolerance to all. Obama’s words were also a caution for Modi not to play politics using religion,” the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief told the media here.

The US president Tuesday stressed the need for the governments to uphold the freedom of religion written in the constitution of both the countries.

TTDP leaders slam KCR for sacking Rajaiah

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Telangana TDP senior leader Errabelli Dayakar Rao today alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has “murdered” democracy by sacking then deputy chief minister Tatikonda Rajaiah from his cabinet unceremoniously.

Facebook blocks pages insulting Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)

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Facebook has reportedly blocked several pages that seem to insult the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) following orders by a Turkish court.

According to the Verge, the court had ordered Facebook to close the offending pages in a ruling handed down Sunday, threatening to block access to the social network if it failed to comply.

The move comes amid this month’s attack on the offices of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo , believed to have been carried out in response to blasphemous cartoons published by the magazine on its cover page.

Another case filed against Khaleda Zia

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Another case, for “instigating arson”, has been filed against former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, who had called a nationwide transport blockade earlier this month, a media report said Tuesday.

Police booked her as the “hukumer asami”, someone responsible for “instigation and conspiracy”, over torching of a covered van at Chouddagram in Comilla district, 100 km away from Dhaka, bdnews24.com reported.

The case was filed by the Chouddagram police station sub-inspector Md. Nuruzzaman Monday night, said station officer Uttam Kumar Chakrabarty.

Sexual harassment complaint against IIEST professor

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A girl student has filed a complaint of sexual harassment against a professor of the Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) in Shibpur in West Bengal.

“A student has filed a complaint against a teacher through the anti-ragging helpline. The nature of complaint is that of sexual harassment,” IIEST registrar Biman Bandopadhyay said Tuesday.

Sources said the second-year engineering student filed the complaint Jan 15.

Following the complaint, the institute’s internal committee for sexual harassment took up the matter and has already submitted an interim report.

Rahul Gandhi hits Delhi campaign trail, attacks Modi

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Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi Tuesday sought to strengthen the party’s campaign for the Delhi assembly polls through a road show where he accused Prime Minster Narendra Modi of promoting his “PR” (public relations).

Accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government of doing nothing for the poor people, Gandhi said it was only the Congress party which cared for such people.

Skewed sex ratio in country is worrisome, says PM Modi in ‘Mann Ki Baat’

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the skewed sex ratio in the nation was worrisome, blaming the society’s defective attitude towards boys and girls for the same.

“There is a lot of worry because of the sex ratio in India. For every 1,000 boys, the number of girls is less. And the main reason for this is that, there is a defect in our attitudes towards boys and girls,” Prime Minister Modi said in the joint ‘Maan ki baat’ radio address with U.S. President Barack Obama.

He said the way President Obama has brought up his daughters was an inspiration.

Seven books penned by Mamata released at Kolkata book fair inauguration

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Seven books penned by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee were released at the 39th International Kolkata Book Fair, which she inaugurated Tuesday alongside British radio and television presenter and journalist Anita Anand.

The books – five in Bengal, and one each in English and Urdu – were launched by Anand at the inaugural programme of the mega event at the Milan Mela ground.

Banerjee later said the number of books authored by her has now gone up to 53.

Speaking on the occasion, she said the book fair has a prestige associated with it.

Japan mulls prisoner swap with IS to save hostage?

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The Japanese government Tuesday remained fairly tight-lipped over developments regarding Kenji Goto, a war journalist, being held captive by the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and senior officials declining to comment on speculation that it is in talks with the Jordanian government over a possible prisoner swap.

Wrong” to interpret Obama’s religious freedom remarks on NDA govt: BJP

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BJP today said that it would be “wrong” to interpret that US President Barack Obama talked of religious tolerance and freedom in the context of the government led by it as India has been giving lessons to the
world on the issue.

Religious tolerance and freedom is not just a part of the Constitution but has been a big tradition for this country. On religious freedom and religious tolerance, we have been giving lessons to the world for thousands of years.