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Eggs hurled at CM in Assembly
Rumblings in Parliament |
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Send MPs team to Nandigram: NDA
EC justifies DGP’s shifting; hints at more transfers
G.L. Sharma is new UP DGP Govt teachers to retire at 65 Indian gears up for space journey Soft drinks cause health problems, govt panel tells SC
New train between Ajmer, Ranchi
Lawyers’ bodies flay Pak CJ’s ouster
Film depicts plight of Punjabi immigrants
‘Learn passenger etiquette lessons’
CBI sends 3-member team
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Eggs hurled at CM in Assembly
Kolkata, March 15 Bhattacharjee faced an angry protest from opposition parties which demanded his resignation and the imposition of President’s rule in the state. Enraged TMC and Congress MLAs entered the House covering their bodies with black clothes as a mark of protest against the killing of several farmers in the police firing at Nandigram and later they staged a walk out. Calling the Chief Minister a fascist and brutal killer, the MLAs soon stood up on their benches and started shouting slogans against the Chief Minister. TMC MLA Ashoke Dev and a few others rushed to the Chief Minister’s chair and encircled him. During the din, a few eggs were hurled at him, allegedly by Dev, which Speaker Hashim Abdul Halim and all CPM MLAs present witnessed silently. But none came to his rescue. CPI, RSP and the Forward Bloc ministers and MLAs were not present in the Assembly as a mark of protest against the Chief Minister’s high-handedness and ordered the police to firmly deal with the poor farmers at Nandigram. In the evening, at the hurriedly called Left Front meeting, Bhattacharjee also tried to justify the police firing which did not satisfy the front partners as well as several party MLAs, who were not approving of Bhattacharjee’s style of functioning. Meanwhile, TMC, Congress and SUCI workers and supporters demonstrated and observed the road and rail roko agitations. The angry agitators burnt government buses, hurled brickbats at the moving vehicles and set fire Bhattacharjee’s effigies at several places. Train services were disturbed at many places following the demonstrations. Several lawyers of Calcutta High Court took out a protest march during the noon suspending their works and marched towards Writers Buildings, demanding the Chief Minister’s resignation. The artists, poets, writers, actors and other intellectuals in Kolkata took to streets, condemning the police action at Nandigram.
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Rumblings in Parliament
New Delhi, March 15 Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha saw several adjournments before calling it a day as the BJP-Shiv Sena in the lower house and the Saffron party and the Trinamool Congress in the upper house created a furore targeting the Left. No business could be transacted in either house in spite of the fact that in Lok Sabha, finance minister P Chidambaram, was scheduled to reply to the discussion on the general budget. The ruling side had issued a three-line whip for the purpose. Despite being important outside allies of the UPA, neither the Congress nor any other party in the ruling alliance came out to offer a helping hand to the Left. The Left appears to be undergoing a bad patch as only couple of days ago it was embarrassed in the Lok Sabha when couple of its MPs clashed with the DMK members on the Maritime University bill controversy. Today both the houses, which saw slogans like Communists are murderers and Communist high-handedness will not be tolerated being raised by the opposition which stormed Lok Sabha Before the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day, Parliamentary Affairs minister P.R. Dasmunsi, was heard telling the house that the government was ready to provide an update on the Nandigram situation after getting inputs from the state government. He said the government would also make a statement on the killing of policemen by Naxals in Chhattisgarh. The proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were a brief affair as it sat only for a few minutes before being adjourned by deputy chairman K. Rahman Khan amid acrimonious scenes. In the Lok Sabha too, trouble erupted in the morning and the question hour could not be taken up as the BJP-Shiv sena combine trooped into the well demanding sacking of the state government. Leader of the opposition L.K. Advani, was allowed to speak on the issue by deputy speaker Charanjit Singh Atwal, who, however, disallowed suspension of the question hour. Left members vociferously protested against Advani being allowed to speak with CPM leader Basudeb Acharia asking the Chair under what rule was he permitting this as law and order was a state subject. The house was first adjourned till noon and then again till 1230 hrs. A meeting of representatives from various parties was quickly convened to find ways to resolve the impasse but the opposition was in no mood to relent. The house was again adjourned till 1400 hours and then for the day.
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Mamata hospitalised
Kolkata, March 15 She was attacked by CPM workers with stones while she was on way to the local hospital. Already overstrained and exhausted, the ailing TMC leader suddenly complained of pain in chest and a developed respiratory problems. She was immediately put on the hospital bed and was given oxygen. An ECG was also conducted before she was driven back to Kolkata for further
treatment. — TNS
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Send MPs team to Nandigram: NDA
New Delhi, March 15 Addressing newspersons, leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha L.K. Advani said if the UPA did not agree for an all-party delegation, he would lead an NDA delegation to Nandigram on Saturday Advani also told reporters here that the NDA would also meet President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam on the Nandigram issue when the President returned to the capital. Earlier in the morning, he spoke to Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention for a report from West Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi on yesterday's violence in the Left-ruled state and demanded the Centre to use Article 355 to direct the state government to withdraw the SEZ proposal for Nandigram. Listing other demands of the NDA, the BJP leader said the Central paramilitary forces should be rushed to Nandigram and neighbouring areas.
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EC justifies DGP’s shifting; hints at more transfers
New Delhi, March 15 “We take various issues into consideration. These transfers were effected on the basis of assessment made by the commission from time to time,” Chief Election Commission N. Gopalaswamy said making light of Bua Singh’s comment that he was humiliated by the action against him. On Bua Singh’s comments, Gopalaswamy said “it is a free country. Everyone has got the right to express his opinion… But that is our decision, take it or leave it.” Gopalaswamy was addressing a press conference after addressing 320 Observers, who have been deployed for the first four phases of the Assembly poll in Uttar Pradesh, along with Election Commissioner Navin Chawla and S.Y Quraishi. Replying to a question, the CEC said the commission has some more complaints (against police officials) and a decision is yet to be taken. “Nothing prevents us from taking action,” he said obviously hinting at more transfers. Stating that the Election Commission is faced with five special problems in Uttar Pradesh like some people enjoying unauthorised security cover and intimidation of voters, the CEC said the commission would initiate considered and appropriate decision to ensure that the elections were held in a free and fair manner. Asked how he would compare polls in UP to those in West Bengal, Gopalaswamy said “looking at the number of constituencies and polling stations, it is definitely a mammoth task”. As compared to West Bengal, which has 294 constituencies and 49,000 polling stations, UP has 403 seats and would have over 1,10,000 polling stations, he said. This time round, the Election Commission has decided to depart from the previous practice of seeking Observers’ opinion on deployment of Central Forces, Gopalaswamy said adding central forces would be deployed in all constituencies and special monitoring would be done to prevent intimidation of voters or prevention of voters from reaching polling booths to vote. To ensure close monitoring and supervision, one general observer is being appointed for each Assembly constituency. Election Observers will reach the allotted constituencies at least one day before the last day of nomination and stay continuously in the constituencies assigned to them till the end of poll day. This would ensure immediate redressal of complaints that are received from various political parties and candidates. During the first visit, they will supervise the processes of nomination, scrutiny, withdrawal, campaign and poll. They would also be supervising preparation of EVMs, training of polling personnel and conduct of voter awareness programmes. All Observers have been asked to look into deployment plan of forces in the constituency. They will also be critically examining the classification of hypersensitive and sensitive polling stations. During second visit, the Observers will monitor counting and declaration of results. Observers, who are appointed under Section 20B of the Representation of the Peoples Act, play an important role in ensuring free and fair elections. They act as a crucial link between the field and the commission. These officers remain under disciplinary control of the commission till the end of elections.
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G.L. Sharma is new UP DGP Lucknow, March 15 K Chandramauli has been made principal secretary (home), J S Deepak has been appointed as Divisional Commissioner, Meerut.
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Govt teachers to retire at 65 New Delhi, March 15 A meeting of the union cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, gave its approval for enhancing the age of superannuation for teachers in these institutions, information and broadcasting minister P R Dasmunsi told reporters tonight. “The Cabinet’s decision for enhancing the age of retirement of faculty members in all Centrally-funded educational institutions will help retain retiring faculty members with a view to meet the shortage of faculty,” he said.
— PTI
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Indian gears up for space journey
Kochi, March 15 Santosh, the managing director of Labour India Publications, and producer of 'Sancharam', a travel programme being aired on a Malayalam television channel, has travelled to nearly 50 countries in the past 10 years filming exciting new destinations for his viewers. “This is a dream come true,” Santosh told PTI. He would be flying on board the Virgin Galetic's space ship, a venture of Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic. “They have given confirmed registration number of 38 for undertaking the journey,” he said. During the registration, he had made a payment of $20,000 (about Rs 9 lakh). The whole process took him two years. The contract was signed on February 26 this year. The flight charges are roughly around Rs 90 lakh and are likely to be scaled down further, he said.
— PTI
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Soft drinks cause health problems, govt panel tells SC New Delhi, March 15 Among the potential health hazards associated with the excessive use of soft drinks were weakening of bones, fractures in dental corics, formation of kidney stones, obesity and osteoporosis apart from various other risks involved, the report of the National Level Experts Group (NLEG), submitted to the Supreme Court said. The report of the NLEG, based on various scientific findings in developed countries, including the US and Australia, though ruled out the risk of brain cancer because of the presence of “aspartame,” it listed various other risk factors. Since no fixed limit of pesticide residue can be determined in carbonated water as newer analytical and purification technologies are constantly developing, the NLEG recommended that constant monitoring for three years by using uniform and validated methods should be done by the government under a strict quality assurance programme. For this purpose it recommended setting up an independent cell for risk analysis of wide array of food safety, preparation of dietary consumption data of different food commodities from different geographical regions and socio-economic groups. Among the other health risk factors cited in the report are addiction caused by the presence of caffeine which causes drowsiness and even has the potential to causing heart palpitation. “Caffeinism usually combines physical addiction with a wide range of unpleasant physical and mental conditions, including nervousness, irritability, anxiety, tremulousness, muscle twitching, insomnia, headaches and heart palpitations,” it said. The presence of phosphoric acid in the drinks “can effect the gastro-oesophageal reflux and also that can lead to gastric-related problems… and increased risk of osteoporosis in young women, which is now also seen with increasing prevalence in men of the late middle age,” the report said. The carbon-dioxide and phosphoric acid in soft drinks remove nutritious minerals from bones allowing them to become weak and there is always risk of their breaking up due to slightest pressure because high consumption of these drinks disturbs the balance of calcium-phosphorus ratio in human body, it pointed out.
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New train between Ajmer, Ranchi
New Delhi, March 15 According to a press note issued by northern railway here today, the 8631 Ranchi-Ajmer Garib Nawaj express train will depart from Ranchi every Thursday at 8.20 pm to reach Ajmer at 6.30 am the following day. In the return direction, the 8632 Ajmer-Ranchi Garib Nawaj weekly express train will depart from Ajmer at 6.50 pm every Saturday beginning March 17. The train will stop at Muri, Barkakhana and Varanasi stations on the way in both directions. It will comprise one air-conditioned three tier, four second class sleeper, six general second class and two brake van coaches. Northern railway has also announced a change in the frequency of the 8611/8612 Ranchi-Varanasi express train. Instead of the present daily run, the train will now run only six days a week. While the 8611 Ranchi-Varanasi express train will run everyday, except Thursday, the 8612 train will run everyday, except Sunday.
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Lawyers’ bodies flay Pak CJ’s ouster
New Delhi, March 15 Nariman said the SAARC law delegation, scheduled to visit Pakistan on March 22, should refrain from attending the law conference there. ‘‘No meaningful law conference can take place in an atmosphere that shows contempt for the highest judiciary’’, he said while condemning the lathi charge on protesting Pakistani lawyers by the authorities. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) said it was ‘‘dismayed and anguished’’ at the way Chaudhry had been treated. Expressing solidarity with the legal fraternity of Pakistan in its struggle to restore the rule of law and ensuring the independence of judiciary, the SCBA secretary K.C Kaushik said all democratic forces in the world should intervene in the matter to put pressure on Pakistan rulers to restore status quo. The SCBA asked the BAI to pass a resolution to show solidarity with the Bar of Pakistan and the same be forwarded to the Chief Justice of India for forwarding to the chairman of the Bar Council of Pakistan and Supreme Court Bar Association in Islamabad. Former Attorney General of India Soli J. Sorabjee has exhorted legal fraternity all over the world to build international opinion against President Musharraf for sacking Justice Chaudhry, as according to him it amounted to frontal assault on judiciary. ‘‘Independence of judiciary is an indispensable pillar of democracy and is essential for enforcing the rule of law and protection of human rights the Pakistan situation is not merely a domestic affair as it is a legitimate issue of international concern and international public opinion must assert itself against the onslaught on judicial independence in any part of the world’’, Sorabjee, who is associated with several international legal forums, said.
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Film depicts plight of Punjabi immigrants
New Delhi, March 15 “Shores Far Away,” a 48-minute film shot over a period of 18 months by Noida based film-maker Savyasaachi Jain, holds a mirror to harsh day-to-day realities of illegal immigrants from Punjab. The film, screened by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) at the UN conference hall here on Tuesday evening, documents the subhuman conditions in which youths from Punjab are living in Austria, Moscow and the UK. The film also narrates the plight of skilled and unskilled workers from India who gather at Kalha chowk, a labour chowk in Southall at 6 am everyday in the hope of getting some daily wage work.
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‘Learn passenger etiquette lessons’
New Delhi, March 15 Concerned over the way passengers behave, or rather misbehave, on stations and trains, this is the first time since the Delhi Metro's launch on December 24, 2002, the DMRC chief has chosen to react. Often commuters are seen crossing the yellow line at platforms despite repeated announcements not to do so. The commotion causes great inconvenience to all concerned, especially the elderly and the infirm.
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CBI sends 3-member team
New Delhi, March 15 In Nandigram, the CBI team would go into circumstances leading to the firing by security forces after nearly 5,000 villagers fought pithced battles with them on Wednesday morning, CBI sources said here.
— PTI
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