Month: March 2015

Calling Gujarat ‘model of development’, Mufti urges for peace in J-K

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Newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday called for peace in the state, adding that only an end to violence can help the region prosper like the ‘model of development’, Gujarat.

“To make Jammu and Kashmir a model of development like Gujarat, we need peace . We have received the mandate to get people together. We have the support of Jammu. We want to make the BJP-PDP alliance a turning point in trying to meet the hearts and minds of the people,” Sayeed said at a press conference following his oath taking ceremony.

Jihadi John described as shy high school boy who was jilted by secret crush due to ‘bad breath’

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Masked Islamic State (IS) executioner, Jihadi John has been described as a shy high school boy who secretly fixated on a pretty pal in class but her friends ridiculed the him for his bad breath who would grew up to be an IS executioner.

According to the Mirror, Ahlam Ajjot was shocked as she talked about her former classmate who was too scared to ask her out on a date after being taunted for his bad breath.

Omar mocks BJP workers’ celebrations over J-K Govt. formation

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Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday took a jibe at Bharatiya Janata Party workers celebrating the formation of a coalition government with the PDP in the state.

Posting a picture of jubilant BJP workers bursting crackers and distributing sweets in Raipur on his twitter account, Omar asked, “But what about PDP workers in Kashmir???”

“Or just thanking Pak for JK election,” he added.

‘New TMC members more competent than me’: Mukul Roy

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Former Trinamool Congress general secretary Mukul Roy on Sunday asserted that the party workers who had replaced him are more competent, predicting their rise in the political organisation.

“Those who have come to power are now are more competent than me. Within their competency the Trinamool Congress will rise. It is a new beginning for the party,” said Roy.

On Saturday, Roy was relieved from his position as the general secretary of the Trinamool Congress. Subrata Bakshi has been appointed as the new general secretary in his place.

PM Modi writes to Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, condoles loss of lives in avalanches

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written to the President of Afghanistan, Dr. Ashraf Ghani, and condoled the loss of lives in avalanches in different parts of Afghanistan.

“I was deeply saddened at the massive loss of lives in avalanches in different parts of Afghanistan. This tragedy touches us even more because of the special bonds of affection and friendship between the people of India and Afghanistan.

Sayeed says peace is must for Kashmir’s development

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Peace is a must if Jammu and Kashmir has to develop, new Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed said after taking oath of office Sunday.

Addressing the media after taking charge of the troubled state, Sayeed said: “If Jammu and Kashmir has to prosper, the first pre-requisite for it is peace.

“I have made it clear to the prime minister that peace must be ushered in so that Jammu and Kashmir can develop and prosper,” he said, referring to Narendra Modi, who witnesses the oath taking ceremony here.

Shadan Group of Modern Schools to provide free education to Huffaz

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Mr. Mohammed Shah Aalam Rasool Khan, Chairman Shadan Educational Society announced to provide free education to students of Hifz-e-Quran, orphans, labour and children of families living below poverty line and said that he has done this for the Sawab-e-Jariya of his late father Dr. Mohammed Vizarat Rasool Khan. Mr. Shah Aalam Rasool Khan announced this while addressing the 25th annual function (Silver Jubilee) of Shadan Group of Modern Schools, Khairiatabad branch.

Smita Patil ‘forced’ Nana to join film industry

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Acclaimed actor Nana Patekar says he enjoyed doing plays on stage, but late actress and “very good friend” Smita Patil forced him to enter the film industry.

“I used to do plays and I was very happy there, but Smita Patil forced me to get into films. Smita recommended my name to Ravi Chopra for the film ‘Aaj Ki Aawaz’. “She was a very good friend of mine. Now, she is not with us anymore and I really miss her,” Nana, who acted with Smita in movies like “Awam” and “Giddh”, told reporters in a group interview.

India can’t play more against UAE to help them: Dhoni

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The Indian cricket team already has a cramped round-the-year schedule and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni made it clear that it’s not his team’s responsibility to play more against countries like UAE in a bid to raise the quality and profile of the game in ICC’s Associate nations.

With ICC reducing the number of nations for the next World Cup to 10, there’s been a raging debate as to how Associates will improve if they don’t play against the Big Boys regularly.

Dhoni was asked if India would be willing to take the bait and help UAE play more against them, his answer was a terse one.

MFD offers prizes on speedy implementation of Shaadi Mubarak scheme

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In order to expedite implementation of Shaadi Mubarak Scheme in Telangana, Minority Welfare Department has offered prizes for the officers. Cash prize will be given to the district which will clear up maximum number of applications.

Special secretary Minority Welfare Syed Omer Jaleel conducted a meeting on Saturday, along with all district Minority Welfare Officers and Executive Directors of Minority Welfare Corporation. Besides Shaadi Mubarak Scheme, issue of subsidy by Minority Finance Corporation and implementation of Training and Employment Scheme were also reviewed.

Pakistan restricted to 235/7 by Zimbabwe

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Pakistan’s batting let the side down yet again as minnows Zimbabwe restricted the former champions to 235 for seven in their pool B ODI cricket match of the ICC World Cup here today.

Skipper Misbah-ul-Haq top-scored with a slow-paced 73 off 121 balls before Wahab Riaz’s quickfire unbeaten 54, which came off 46 deliveries, added some zing to a lacklustre performance.

Pakistan, yet to register a win in the tournament, put together yet another shambolic batting performance after electing to bat on winning the toss.

Rahul took ‘too long to emerge’: New Book

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In the midst of an intense debate over Rahul Gandhi’s future role in Congress, a new book says the young leader took “too long to emerge” and describes his 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign as “the worst” in living memory.

In the soon-to-be-released “Mandate: Will of the People” on India’s recent political history, veteran journalist Vir Sanghvi looks at issues like Sonia Gandhi’s refusal to become Prime Minister in 2004, and Rahul’s ambivalence on major issues paving the way for a resurgent BJP to take centrestage.

Lakhvi’s luxury jail life: Internet, mobiles, TV and visitors

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LeT operations commander Zaki-ur- Rehman Lakhvi, the 2008 Mumbai terror attack mastermind, is living in relative luxury inside jail with access to internet, mobile phones and visitors despite Pakistan’s protestations that it is cracking down on militants.

One of Pakistan’s most notorious prisoners, 55-year-old Lakhvi is living in relative luxury in Rawalpindi’s sprawling high-security Adiala Jail, the BBC Urdu reported.

MP minister wants law allowing people to keep tigers as pets

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In a bizarre suggestion, a senior Madhya Pradesh minister has sought a law that allows people to domesticate or keep as pets big cats like lions and tigers for their conservation.

Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Food Processing Minister Kusum Mehdele, in a proposal sent to the state’s forest department, has cited legal provisions in some African and South-East Asian countries like Thailand which have helped bring about an increase in the population of the big cats.

Gandhian Badshah Khan’s “Khudai Khidmatgar” gets a rebirth

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The names Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Frontier Gandhi to Indians and Badshah Khan to Pathans of the Af-Pak region is a near-forgotten figure in the subcontinent. Ghaffar Khan was the Gandhi to India lost when the subcontinent was partitioned. Recently Taliban shot 132 children on December 16, 2014 in the school which was set up by Frontier Gandhi in the neighborhood.

His 125th birth anniversary on February 6 was humdrum. People have abandoned his credo of ahimsa. After independence, he forced to live in the prisons of Pakistan, as he was opposing the Partition.

Rapist can be awarded lesser punishment for special reasons:SC

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The Supreme Court has said that a rape convict can be awarded lesser punishment if courts find “adequate and special” reasons for doing so.

Though a bench of justices M Y Eqbal and Pinaki Chandra Ghose upheld the conviction of Madhya Pradesh resident Ravindra in a 20-year-old rape case, it allowed him to walk free after imposing a jail term already undergone by him.

Referring to a case law, the court considered as “adequate and special” reasons the fact that the trial was protracted and both convict and the victim have married separately.

‘BJP-PDP will provide stable, pro-people Govt’: Ananth Kumar

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Union Chemical and Fertilizers Minister Ananth Kumar on Sunday stated that the purpose of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) alliance was to provide a stable and pro-people government in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The purpose of this alliance in the state of Jammu Kashmir is to provide a stable and pro-people government for six years,” Kumar told media persons here.

England skipper blames bowlers for loss

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A dejected England skipper Eoin Morgan blamed his bowlers for failing to defend the 309/6 against Sri Lanka in the World Cup cricket at the Westpac Stadium here Sunday.

England posted a decent total courtesy a 121-run knock from middle order mainstay Joe Root. But English bowlers were hit hard by the Sri Lankan top order Kumar Sangakkara (117) and Lahiru Thirimanne (139).

The pair stitched a 212-run unbeaten stand for the second wicket that helped them chase down the total with nine wickets and 16 balls to spare. With this loss, England slumped to their third World Cup defeat.

Rahul will return stronger: Antony

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Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, who has taken a break from parliament, will return “stronger and more energetic”, party leader A.K. Antony said Sunday.

The former defence minister defended the Gandhi scion’s move which has drawn flak from many quarters.

“Rahul Gandhi has been working very hard without rest for a long time,” Antony told reporters here.

“So he decided to take a break… Wait and see, he will return more stronger and more energetic. He and (Congress president) Sonia Gandhi will together take the Congress back to where it belonged,” he said.

Sayeed is Kashmir CM again, BJP shares power

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PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took oath as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Sunday, heading a coalition that brought the BJP to power for the first time in India’s only Muslim-majority state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah and party leaders L.K. Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi witnessed the ceremony, more than two months after elections produced a hung verdict giving the PDP and the BJP 28 and 25 seats respectively.

Owaisi demands quota for backward Muslims in Maharashtra

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All India Majlis Ittehad ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi today demanded reservation for backward Muslims in government jobs and educational institutes in Maharashtra.

“Mr Prime Minister, in your speech in Parliament, you referred to your vision of ‘Sabka Sath Sabka Vikas’ (together with all, development for all). Therefore, you (PM) should pick up the phone and tell Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to extend the benefit of quota to backward Muslims so as to improve their living conditions,” he said.

Pak, Hurriyat, militants ‘allowed’ conducive atmosphere for polls: Mufti

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Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday stoked a controversy by stating that the Hurriyat, Pakistan and militants had allowed a conducive atmosphere for the recently held assembly polls in the state.

“The Hurriyat, Pakistan and militants allowed conducive atmosphere for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir,” Sayeed said at a press conference, following his oath taking ceremony.

His statement, however, earned a quick backlash from his predecessor Omar Abdullah on twitter.

No change in BJP stand on article 370: Venkaiah Naidu

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There is no change in the BJP’s stand on repealing article 370 of the constitution which guarantees special status to Jammu and Kashmir, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu said Sunday.

He replied in the negative when asked if the BJP had compromised on the issue to form a coalition government with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). “We stand where we were and we will be.”

The minister said repealing article 370 required a two-third majority in parliament as the constitution would have to be amended.

PDP-BJP govt. in J-K ‘historic’ opportunity to fulfil public aspirations: PM Modi

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir was a ‘historic’ opportunity to fulfill the aspirations of the people.

“Witnessed the oath taking ceremony of Shri Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Congratulations and best wishes to him and his team,” tweeted the Prime Minister.

“PDP-BJP govt is a historic opportunity to fulfil the aspirations of the people of J-K and take the State to new heights of progress,” he added.

AAP shuns reports of internal rift, terms it as ‘difference of opinion’

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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Anand Kumar on Sunday refuted the reports of a rift within the party, adding that what was widely being seen as an internal ‘cold war’ was merely a difference of opinion.

“There is no war within, instead we hope to be able to fulfil the hope that people have placed on us and the kind of mandate they have given. What you people are perceiving as an internal ‘cold war’ is actually a difference in the way people express themselves, difference in the way questions are raised,” said Anand Kumar.

He further said that the party is united against corruption.