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SAD, BJP divided
on Punjab Act BJP walkout on
water row Media reports on Soren rock RS
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Heated debate in
RS on farmers’ suicides Laloo regales Lok
Sabha Talks with
Hurriyat by July-end President’s recipe for development AP Muslims get 5
pc quota
Bishan Kaur, mother of BSP leader Kanshi Ram, arrives at the BSP President Mayawati’s residence to meet Kanshi Ram in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI
photo Birlas, Lodha file caveats Crime branch
intensifies search for Kohli Hearing on
Bilkis plea for case transfer on July 26 Integrating Lahat, Arjun possible
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SAD, BJP divided on Punjab Act New Delhi, July 14 At a meeting of the NDA held here, SAD leader S. S. Dhindsa made it clear that his party would fully back the Act and if the Amarinder Singh government tried to backtrack on the issue in any manner it would strongly oppose it. He asserted that since Punjab’s economy was depended on agriculture, water was an emotive issue and his party would strongly back all steps that protected the interest of farmers. The meeting was attended by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L. K. Advani, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Jaswant Singh, and NDA convener George Fernandes among others. After the meeting, Mr Vajpayee told newspersons that “national interest is above all others and there should be a concerted effort to resolve this sensitive issue through negotiations between the states concerned.” Briefing newspersons, BJP spokesperson Sushma Swaraj said the party was against “such an unconstitutional unilateral step” by a particular state even as it appreciated the right of the states to take up the issues affecting them. “We are not opposed to demands from states to meet their water requirement, but what we are concerned about and opposed to is the manner in which the Punjab Government went ahead with the passage of the Bill on an issue which doesn’t fall in its domain and which will have far-reaching legal and constitutional consequences,” Ms Swaraj said. Quoting provisions in the Constitution, she said adjudication of inter-river or river valley disputes fell under the Centre’s domain and accused the Punjab Government of posing an open challenge while the UPA government remained a mute spectator. She also lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the UPA government saying “the passage of the Bill is a textbook example of outright failure of the Central government in discharging its responsibility as the guardian of the Constitution and also as protector of the confederation.” “When a state is in a confrontationist mood, the Centre can’t remain a mute spectator,” she said. On BJP MLAs in Punjab voting in favour of the Bill, she said: “They have been conveyed about the stand taken on the issue by the party high command and have been asked to conduct themselves accordingly.” Meanwhile, the Haryana unit of the BJP has called for a state bandh on July 19 to protest against the Act. Addressing a joint press conference here, BJP state unit leaders led by Mr Kishan Singh Sangwan, MP from Sonepat, said the movement of essential goods and services would be spared. |
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BJP walkout on water row New Delhi, July 14 Referring to reports published in some newspapers, BJP leaders V.K. Malhotra and Mr Ananth Kumar alleged during zero hour that Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh had met Ms Gandhi and got her permission to enact the controversial law. He, however, kept Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ‘’in the dark’’ on the issue. The Prime Minister had been bypassed as Ms Gandhi was the “super Prime Minister” of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, they contended. All BJP members were on their feet in support of the contention, which was vociferously countered by ruling bench members. BJP Chief Whip Malhotra insisted that Ms Gandhi, who was present in the House, should clarify whether she had prior intimation. But there was no response from the Congress President. The Speaker, however, ruled that the members could not raise the issue again as the Prime Minister had yesterday made a statement in both Houses of Parliament and the Opposition had treated the matter as closed. |
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Media reports on Soren rock RS New Delhi, July 14 There was a din in the House when BJP leader and former Law Minister Arun Jaitley said a warrant was pending against Mr Soren and he had not submitted himself to the judicial process. The decision of a Jharkhand Sessions Court to declare the minister a “proclaimed offender” showed he was a “fugitive” who was running away from law, Mr Jaitley, supported by several BJP members, alleged amidst strong protests by ruling UPA benches. Earlier, the House was adjourned during question hour following a pandemonium over media reports that a murder case was pending against Mr Soren. Opposition NDA members led by Mr Jaitley, Mr S S Ahluwalia and Ms Sushma Swaraj waved copies of newspapers and demanded action against the Minister. Some Opposition members also demanded the arrest of Mr Soren who was present in the House during question hour. He left shortly before the House re-assembled after the 20-minute adjournment. Countering the opposition attack, UPA benches raised slogans like “Chor Machaye Shor” (thieves crying foul). Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat assured the House that Mr Soren would not go absconding. Responding to the Opposition attack, Home Minister Shivraj Patil said a proclaimed offender was one who had absconded. “This person contested elections, moved in public. This person is known to everybody.” |
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Heated debate in RS on farmers’ suicides New Delhi, July 14 Replying to a calling attention motion on the incidents of suicides by farmers in various parts of the country in the Rajya Sabha, Water Resources Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi said according to the strategy, the crop-wise details of drought-prone areas would be collected and the plight of farmers there evaluated to take remedial measures and prevent them from taking their own lives. He said the mechanism would involve placing an emphasis on the condition of the farmers in the drought areas while promoting overall agricultural growth in the country. He said, “We will address the issue (of suicides) beyond political lines.” The proposed mechanism, he said, would brief the government on the problems faced by the farmers, including debt problems, and urgent cases would be accorded priority while solving them. Mr Dasmunshi said the current year’s Budget was prepared in a short time following the Lok Sabha poll. Still it contained several measures for agriculture and rural development. He criticised the previous government for a decline in agriculture investment to 1.3 per cent. Earlier, members cutting across party affiliations, urged to government to implement the one-time settlement of dues at the earliest, while expressing concern over the death of 950 farmers, including 650 in Andhra Pradesh alone, in the country during the past two months. They also urged the government to hike the Rs 11,000 crore action plan on agriculture and rural credit. They wanted that investments on agriculture and irrigation should be
boosted. Trading charges, the treasury benches said it was the NDA government’s yielding to international pressure that was the cause of the problem, while the BJP members said their government had taken a number of steps to relieve pressure on farmers. Initiating a debate on a call attention motion on the incidents of suicides in the House, former Minister Rajnath Singh (BJP) said the new Budget had nothing positive for the farmers. Mr R Chandra Shekhar Reddy (TDP) wanted crop insurance schemes to be reorganised and demanded early release of water from Karnataka to Andhra. Mr Ashwani Kumar of the Congress said indebtedness of farmers in Punjab had increased from Rs 5,700 crore in the nineties to Rs 10,000 crore at present. |
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Laloo regales Lok Sabha New Delhi, July 14 Taking a dig at the BJP-led Opposition for its decision to walk out during his speech, Mr Yadav said they were “showing their back” as they had not been able to digest their defeat. “In Indian culture... (it is) said that it is not proper to attack someone who has shown his back to you and, therefore, I cannot speak against them,” the minister said in his typical Hindi. Moreover, after becoming a minister, “I have become disciplined,” he said amidst laughter. The very next moment, he said though the Opposition members were boycotting him, he was sure they would be listening to his speech surreptitiously. He even parodied an old Hindi film song, “Chup chup khade ho zaroor koi baat
hai.” Though the Opposition and a section of the media was ridiculing him for promoting
kulhars, khadi and milk products, the budget presented by him had won accolades all over, he said and added that it was regrettable that the Opposition “still calls me as a joker and say that I indulge only in drama”. Referring to
khadi, he said it was the “vardi” of freedom fighters. When UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi apparently did not understand, Mr Yadav, turning towards her, said, “uniform”. Replying to members’ observations about lack of resources for the ambitious Railways projects, he said his endeavour would be to convert waste into wealth, as was the practice in the past. “Railways would cut down costs and re-use scrap for making wheels and axles,” Mr Yadav said. The Railway Minister showered fulsome praise on Ms Gandhi and wondered why Opposition members developed an “allergy” whenever her name was mentioned. “We should keep some anti-allergic drugs in the House for them,” he said. |
Talks with Hurriyat by July-end New Delhi, July 14 The Home Ministry, in a statement, said the initiative had been taken to settle a fresh date for talks at the Home Minister’s level in late July or early August in consultation with the Hurriyat leadership. The statement referred to the Home Minister’s announcement about the government’s commitment to continue and carry forward the dialogue process in the state and said the recent incidents in the valley had caused serious concern and apprehension in the Hurriyat Conference. |
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President’s recipe for development Hyderabad, July 14 The lively interaction with legislators witnessed the President donning the role of a friend, philosopher and guide and handling with aplomb a wide range of questions from legislators, a majority of them first-timers. What is the President’s prescription to root out corruption from the country? Only three persons can ensure elimination of corruption: mother, father and primary school teacher. Could you tell me why
foreigner after foreigner invaded our country and ruled us for thousands of years? Strength respects strength. One must be prepared to defend oneself when attacked. What role do you envisage for the minorities for the development of the country? The issue of development does not distinguish one community from the other. What is important for the minority community is greater focus on education for women. What was the President’s most memorable moment? “When I saw tears in the eyes of the parents of polio-afflicted children who were given light-weight calipers,
originally developed by us for application in missile technology.” Would the President use his good offices for the early passage of women reservation bill in Parliament? “Though they constitute 50 per cent of the population, they are asking only for 33 per cent. My government will work for it.” Would he consider conferring Bharat Ratna on Ms Sonia Gandhi, who renounced prime ministership? “Normally, the people whom you recommend for the highest award show no interest in such honours. I am also one among them.” Earlier, in a historic Address to the Assembly, Dr Kalam presented before the legislators a 10-point mission to herald social and economic transformation in the state. The mission contained strategies in areas like agriculture, irrigation, education, healthcare, power and rural connectivity. Governor Surjit Singh Barnala accompanied the President to the Assembly. |
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AP Muslims get 5 pc quota Hyderabad, July 14 The government order, which will benefit the 64 lakh Muslim population (1991 census) in the state, will come into force with immediate effect. The step fulfils a poll promise made by the Congress during the recent elections to the Assembly and Parliament. With the latest concession, the reservation quota in the state has gone up to 52 per cent. A new category E has been added for the Muslims to the existing A, B, C and D for reservation under Backward Classes quota. The Rajasekhara Reddy government issued the quota orders on Monday, following a report submitted by the Commissioner of Minorities Welfare, which went into the socio-economic conditions of the Muslims in the state. According to the report, 65 per cent of the Muslims in the state are living below poverty line and only 18 per cent of the Muslims are literate as against 44 per cent among other backward communities. |
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Mother, brother meet Kanshi Ram on HC order
New Delhi, July 14 Bishan Kaur, 95, and her son Darbara Singh spent about 40 minutes with Kanshi Ram under the supervision of Station House Officer, Tughlaq Road police station, Suresh Kaushik. “We met him and asked his welfare but he is not in a position to speak ... he seems very afraid,” Darbara told reporters later. Bishan Kaur, who had last met Kanshi Ram in Batra Hospital over a month ago, claimed that proper treatment was not being given to him. “She was only some water nearby,” she said. The BSP, however, put forward an entirely different version of the meeting. “Kanshi Ram refused to recognise them and told them to go away. He said he is staying here of his own will,” Advocate P. Khadaria, representing the party, said.
— PTI |
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Birlas, Lodha file caveats
Kolkata, July 14 “We have filed a caveat in the Calcutta High Court today so that Priyamvada’s will cannot be authenticated in the court by Lodhas”, Mr Basant Kumar Birla, patriarch of the Birla family, said. Mr Birla, who held another round of meeting with important members of the Birla clan earlier in the day, also made it clear that the Birlas were not going to allow an ‘outsider’ to take over the assets of the family. “As per law, the property of a person goes to the nearest relative. How can an outsider claim the Birla family property?,” he said. Asked if the Birlas doubted the veracity of the Priyamvada Birla’s will, he said: “It is not the question of doubting veracity. It may be correct and it may be wrong, but we have to deal with it from the legal point of view for which steps are being taken.” Declaring that the family had decided to challenge the will, he said the caveat was the first step in that direction. “This will imply that Lodha will not be able to probate the will in a court without hearing our points as we are going to oppose it”, Mr Birla said. Meanwhile, Mr Lodha has also filed a caveat in all courts of the city to stop the Birla family members from moving the court to challenge the will, sources in the Calcutta High Court said.
— PTI, UNI
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Crime branch intensifies search for Kohli New Delhi, July 14 The murder case which was being investigated by the crime branch after the issuance of an Interpol red corner notice against Kohli, has now gained momentum after Hannah’s parents arrived in India recently. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Ranjit Narayan told The Tribune that a special team had been sent to Punjab, Chandigarh and adjoining places in search of Kohli, who fled to India on March 18. “We are getting important details relating to this case. We have also detained Kohli’s friend and he has provided us with valuable inputs which would help us get the murder suspect arrested soon. The Punjab police is in constant touch with us and we are providing all necessary assistance to it in order to crack the case.” Mr Narayan who said the crime branch had some concrete information on Kohli also said the sleuths had been working on the case all along. He however refused to provide further details stating that it would hamper investigations. The Delhi Police has also informed airports and other possible exit points to stop the murder suspect from escaping. The local police of Southampton, which investigated the murder case of Hannah Foster, after discovering that Kohli had escaped to India on March 18, announced a reward of Rs 50 lakh for information leading to his arrest. The information was widely advertised through the media in India. The police suspects that Kohli, who was born on November 6, 1967, in Chandigarh is hiding in Chandigarh. 17-year-old Hannah Foster was abducted from a street near her home in Southampton and her body was found a day later in Allignton Lane. Post-mortem reports indicated rape and strangulation. The bereaved parents of Hannah Foster hope to meet the Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh and other senior police officials to expedite the investigations into the case. |
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Hearing on Bilkis plea for case transfer on July 26 New Delhi, July 14 A Bench, headed by Ms Justice Ruma Pal posted the matter for hearing on July 26 before a three-judge Bench, which is seized of the Gujarat riot cases. Bilkis, who
survived a murderous attempt after her alleged gangrape in Panivela village of Dahod district in the post-Godhra violence, was on Monday asked by the Court to file an amended petition by making all accused as respondents, a necessary condition required under the law. The hooligans had subjected Bilkis and some other women to sexual assault and she lost seven members of her family in the violence. She has sought transfer of the trial in the case outside Gujarat on the ground that she had no faith in the state authorities. |
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Integrating
Lahat, Arjun possible New Delhi, July 14 In reply to another question the Defence Minister said the Indian Air Force (IAF) has adequate number of MiG aircraft along with other aircraft to protect the country. However, he did not reveal the number of aircraft saying it would not be in the interest of the country. |
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