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Witness fails to
remember things Atwal elected LS
Dy Speaker
‘Taint’
trouble erupts again, Houses adjourned LS, RS to be
prorogued today |
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Cong clarifies on Bharadwaj’s assertion Laloo retains
Chapra, vacates Madhepura Cabinet committee members get taste of Laloo's tea CPI to review
poll results US Ambassador
calls on Natwar
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Witness fails to remember things
Jodhpur, June 9 To a question did he receive information from Maj Surinder Singh about the encounter on September 21, he said he did not receive any call. Major Dhillon said he did not remember to whom the helicopter, sent to lift injured Maj. Singh from forward position, belonged - to the Air Force or to the Army. He said he received the information that Maj. Singh had been injured from JCO Hem Bahadur Thapa. When Major Singh asked him if he knew about the seriousness of the injury, Major Dhillon retorted “We were not bothered about your injury but were more concerned about lifting you from there”. The military court, headed by Brig Phillip Campose, is recording summary of evidence as a follow- up of a court of inquiry which found Col K.D.Singh and Maj R.Lamba responsible for administrative lapses and recommended disciplinary action against Maj Surinder Singh for making exaggerated claims. On cross-examination as to why the video showing fake encounter was not sent to higher-ups, Major Dhillon said: “We did not send because we were sure that it was concocted.” He said he himself, Col. Singh and another officer Vikram Sharma were present when the video was examined. To a question as to who others were present, Major Dhillon said he did not remember. When asked who received him when the helicopter brought him in injured condition from the forward location to the base camp. Major Dhillon replied “ myself and Col Singh”. To a question if the rotor of the helicopter was running or stationary, he said he did not give attention to that.
— PTI |
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Atwal elected LS Dy Speaker New Delhi, June 9 The motion was supported by Leader of the House in the Lok Sabha Mr Pranab Mukherjee and several other leaders. Shortly after Speaker Somnath Chatterjee declared Mr Atwal elected as Deputy Speaker, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Advani and Mr Mukherjee escorted him to his designated seat next to the Leader of the
Opposition. “It is indeed a great honour for me to be felicitated by you all on my assumption of the office of Deputy Speaker. By electing me unanimously to this high
constitutional position, the members of Lok Sabha have bestowed a great
honours on me”, Mr Atwal said. Mr Atwal is the second Sikh to occupy the post of Deputy Speaker, the first being Hukum Singh who was elected Deputy Speaker in March 1956. The 67-year old Akali leader represents Phillaur (Reserved) constituency in Punjab. He was born in Montgomery in Pakistan and graduated from GGN Khalsa College, Ludhiana. He obtained the LLB degree from Punjab University, Chandigarh and was Speaker of the Punjab Assembly from 1997-2002. He was also a member of the Lok Sabha from 1985-1989. Later speaking to newspersons he said that a meeting of the leaders of ruling and Opposition parties should be called to settle the issue of tainted ministers. “There is no issue which cannot be settled through dialogue and even the problem of tainted ministers can be solved in this manner”, he said. He said that the democratic base of the country is very strong and there should be cooperation between ruling and Opposition parties, he said. |
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‘Taint’ trouble erupts again, Houses adjourned New Delhi, June 9 In the Lok Sabha, immediately after the unanimous election of Akali Dal leader Charanjit Singh Atwal as the Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Opposition members raised the issue of “tainted” ministers. “First the issue of tainted ministers should be decided”, BJP Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha
V.K. Malhotra said soon after the unanimous election of Atwal as Deputy Speaker. Members of the BJP and its allies were moving towards the Well of the House raising slogans and demanding that persons with “criminal background” should be dropped from the Council of Ministers. As nothing could be heard in the din, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the House till 2 p.m. After the House reassembled at 2 p.m., similar uproarious scenes were witnessed and the Speaker adjourned the House for the day within a minute. In the Rajya Sabha, soon after the House assembled in the morning at 11 a.m. today, similar scenes were witnessed and the House was adjourned till 2.p.m. Amidst the din, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh introduced four of members of his Council of Ministers — Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sis Ram Ola, A Raja, and EVKS Elangovan — who were not present on the first day of introduction. |
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LS, RS to be prorogued today New Delhi, June 9 The newly-constituted Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, at its first meeting held yesterday decided that both Houses would be prorogued instead of adjourning sine die. This would allow the early reconvening of Parliament for the Budget session. The committee also discussed the disruption of proceedings following the protest by the Opposition over the “tainted ministers” issue. Sources said the new session was likely to be called on July 2 or 5 so that the Budget can be presented within the next two or three days. A Vote on Account may be presented along with the Budget. |
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Cong clarifies
on Bharadwaj’s assertion New Delhi, June 9 Party spokesperson Anand Sharma maintained that the Law Minister had been misquoted as he had actually said she would be given status reports from various ministries on the implementation of the UPA government’s Common Minimum Programme. Mr Sharma explained that Ms Sonia Gandhi had been named chairperson of the national advisory council, set up by the government to monitor the implementation of the CMP. This panel has been officially constituted and Ms Sonia Gandhi given Cabinet status. He said Ms Sonia Gandhi could call for status reports from various ministries and departments, adding that there was nothing illegal or irregular about it. |
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Laloo retains Chapra, vacates Madhepura New Delhi, June 9 Mr Yadav won the election after the second round after the first election was annulled in the wake of reports of large-scale poll irregularities. Known for his shrewd political sense, the Railway Minister is also telling his community of Yadavs that he is essentially against the higher castes who are with the BJP and not against all communities. Mr Yadav’s objective is to weaken the alliance between the BJP and the JD (U). He may make Mr Sharad Yadav win in the byelection if a “proper understanding” between the two developed till then. The announcement of Mr Yadav’s decision was made by the Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee as soon as the lower House assembled for today’s business. The Speaker then administered the oath of affirmation to Mr Laloo Prasad as having been elected from
Chapra. |
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Cabinet committee members get taste of Laloo's tea New Delhi, June 9 Even before anybody could grasp what was going on, the kullar had replaced the good old cup as the catering in Parliament is handled by the Indian Railways. The new arrangement means that henceforth tea will be served in kullars even on formal occasions. This is exactly what happened when members of the newly constituted Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs had their first meeting on Tuesday. Midway during the discussion, liveried railway staff marched in ceremoniously with trays laden with
teapots. Even before the members realised what was happening, the polite waiters poured out the tea into the earthen kullars, precariously balanced on bonechina saucers. “It was quite a funny sight to see the waiters ceremoniously pouring out the tea into these kullars and stirring the tea with silver cutlery,” remarked a committee member. Predictably, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav, also a member of this committee, was delighted with this sight and did not fail to draw everybody’s attention to it. Following up on this decision, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav has now ordered that only khadi bedrolls and curtains would be used on trains. While the minister has succeeded in addressing his constituency, his decisions have also become a source of embarrassment in the government. “He probably does not realise that it is far more expensive to maintain khadi,” said a senior UPA minister. |
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CPI to review poll results New Delhi, June 9 The 31-member executive is scheduled to meet tomorrow and the council will meet for the next three days. Sources in the party said the agenda of the executive or the council did not include a discussion on the issue of being partners in power with the United Progressive Alliance government. The sources, however, did not rule out a discussion on the issue saying that any of the 140 members of the council could address the issue. |
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US Ambassador calls on Natwar New Delhi, June 9 Though the primary purpose of Natwar Singh’s visit is to attend former US President Ronald Reagan’s funeral on June 11, the Minister will utilise the opportunity to discuss a wide gamut of bilateral, regional and international issues with Mr Powell. The Ministry of External Affairs today confirmed that the Natwar-Powell meeting has been fixed for Thursday evening (Washington time). |
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