New Delhi, January 19
The government today declared January 24 as the National Girl Child Day. “The day has been chosen as it marks the assumption of office by Indira Gandhi, India’s first Prime Minister. There can be no better example of the triumph of a girl child against all odds,” said a beaming Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Choudhury here.

The minister further said despite strenuous efforts from the government, the status of the girl child has not changed much in the country. “There is a need to raise the consciousness of the society towards girls so that they can be respected,” Choudhury said after releasing the special logo designed by corporate house Wizcraft for the day.

However, those working at the grassroots level feel that promises or announcements alone won’t do any good to the cause of girls, who are reeling under poor health, nutrition and education opportunities.

“Scores of government schemes devoted to girls have already failed to change things. A sex ratio of 927 girls per 1000 boys; an infant mortality rate of 59 for girls (against the national average of 34), a dropout rate of 64 per cent for schoolgirls and a whopping 69 per cent girls living with anemia... This is the ground reality,” said a child-proetction volunteer.

UNICEF’s State of the World Children (SOWC) Report 2009 released in the capital a couple of days ago also called for urgent action, with child activists saying the government wastes a lot of time preparing schemes and marking days for girl children. “What we need is action on ground. Key flagship schemes of the UPA government — like the Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) — are not taking off. In such a situation, what is the meaning of having one more day dedicated to girls? It is a sham,” rued another volunteer.

When asked, Choudhury said a cabinet note regarding the ICPS has been prepared and sent. When reminded that the scheme has already been delayed for two years, she said, “I know, but we are a democracy and we have to follow a procedure when pushing a scheme. I hope it will soon be passed.” The UNICEF data shows that in India nutrition among women remains poor. The SOWC report points out that 56 per cent of married women in the age group 15 to 49 suffer from anemia in India; 36 per cent of the women in this age group have a below normal body mass index.

Making matters worse for girls is the lack of adequate time between two deliveries. In India, the birth spacing (average number of months since preceding birth) is as low as 31 (it has remained unchanged for the past 10 years). The corresponding figures are better for Bangladesh (39), Indonesia (54), Nepal (34) and Vietnam (47).

Jaipur, January 19
India will test fire surface-to-surface supersonic cruise missile Brahmos at Pokhran, some 160 km short of the Indo-Pak border in Rajasthan, tomorrow. Chief of Army Staff Deepak Kapoor will supervise the test.

Several tests of the missile, including its launching from a submarine, have taken place earlier with recent one in December last year only. Tomorrow’s test fire is being seen as India’s show of strength close to the border amidst the tension between the two countries over the Mumbai carnage.

The Army chief reached Jaipur today. His wife Kirti Kapoor, president of the Army Wives Welfare Association, inspected the War Widows Hostel in Vidhyadhar Nagar here. The Army chief would fly to Pokhran tomorrow.

BrahMos, named after the Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers of India and Russia respectively, is the product of joint efforts of Indian and Russian scientists, under the joint venture company BrahMos Aerospace, DRDO of India and NPO Mashinostroyenia of Russia.

The 2.8 Mach supersonic speed gives the missile an edge over other missiles, which are sub-sonic at present. The missile can fly at 208 times the speed of sound. It can carry warheads up to 200 kg in weight and has a maximum range of 290 km. The missile is capable of being launched from multiple platforms based on land, sea, sub-sea and air.

New Delhi, January 19
RV Raju, a 1975-batch IPS officer of J&K cadre, today took over as the Director General of National Investigation Agency, set up by the government to probe the incidents of terror and other organised crimes.

Raju met Home Minister P Chidambaram and Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta in the North Block today. After taking over, Raju said he would immediately get down to the task of forming a core team. He said he was looking at all eligible police officers with experience in handling investigation of terrorist cases whether at the Centre or in the states for the purpose.

The work of preparation of NIA rules, including those for recruitment, would be taken up urgently, he said. The officers would be appointed to the NIA on deputation. — UNI

New Delhi, January 19
Not only Pakistan but Bangladesh too has become a breeding ground for anti-India forces, particularly those operating in the North-East.

This fact is expected to be highlighted in no uncertain manner by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee when he visits Dhaka early next month to meet representatives of the Sheikh Hasina government. The visit is tentatively scheduled from February 8.

The 26/11 Mumbai attack by elements in Pakistan has accentuated the necessity for the two countries to jointly combat the menace of terrorism in the region, the Indian minister is expected to impress upon his hosts.

India officials were today upbeat about the coming visit, pointing out that there had been a marked change in the political atmosphere in Bangladesh since Sheikh Hasina returned to power in late December.

They pointed out that Sheikh Hasina and her Awami League have been long-standing friends of India and relations between the two countries are likely to see a rapid transformation. However, there is no room for complacency on the part of New Delhi as far as dealing with terrorism is concerned.

Over the last more than a decade, Islamic fundamentalist groups, aided and abetted by Pakistan’s ISI, have gained considerable ground in Bangladesh. They have also established ‘strategic ties’ with Indian insurgent groups, especially those active in the North-East.

Since Bangladesh is still a soft, vulnerable and underdeveloped country, the fundamentalists could easily be lured and manipulated by powers that are hostile to Indian interests.

Post 9/11 incidents in New York, Pakistan has been under scanner of the US and the UN and even the Pakistan government wants to be seen by the world community to be acting against the terrorist camps functional in its territory. As a substitute, Bangladesh provides an attractive alternative base for the terrorist outfits of Pakistan to go ahead with their proxy war against India in the name of ‘jehad’.

The Indian insurgent groups in the North-East have for years found safe sanctuaries in Bangladesh.

Mumbai, January 19
After lying dormant for a few months, Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has returned to the limelight by threatening to beat up north Indians celebrating Uttar Pradesh Diwas in Mumbai on January 24.

The MNS has put up posters in different parts of the city warning north Indians to refrain from celebrating UP Diwas. The posters, which came up early this morning, depicted north Indians celebrating UP Diwas being kicked by Marathi-speaking persons. The party maintained that only Maharashtra Day could be celebrated in the state.

Meanwhile, the ruling Congress in Maharashtra has come out in the support of north Indians. Sanjay Nirupam, the north Indian face of the party, said people from Uttar Pradesh had been celebrating their state day here since the past several years without any hindrance.

Following the threats, said he, many bodies representing the north Indians had approached the administration for protection. Meanwhile, sources said the government was considering re-imposing a gag order on Raj Thackeray.

MNS officials, however, said he (Raj) would be holding a public meeting in Thane on January 24. Party vice-president Vageesh Saraswat said when UP Diwas was not celebrated in Uttar Pradesh then where was the need to celebrate it in Mumbai.

Notably, the state government had, following threats from MNS activists to disrupt Chhaat Puja in Mumbai last year, imposed a gag order on Raj Thackeray but the order was lifted recently.

Thackeray's fresh salvo against north Indians could also be gauged as an attempt to divide voters ahead of the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls, as the MNS has decided to go it alone in the general elections and would be fielding candidates from all parliamentary seats in the state.

Chandigarh, January 19
The wife of a Brigadier has been awarded compensation of about Rs 12.5 lakh for suffering caused to her due to alleged medical negligence at the Army’s premier Research and Referral Hospital.

While deciding the suit in favour of the plaintiff, Sudha Garg, the Delhi High Court in its judgment last week also observed there were attempts to cover up lapses in the staff court of inquiry ordered by the Army authorities on the complaint of the plaintiff.

The suit of the plaintiff has been decreed jointly against the Union of India, Chief of Army Staff, Adjutant General, Director General Medical Services, Army Research and Referral Hospital and two army doctors for Rs 12.47 lakh along with interest.

The plaintiff had claimed negligence in performance of certain procedures in the army hospital, which had led to internal injuries and failure to treat these injuries. When the plaintiff had complained of pain in her throat and difficulty in swallowing, a doctor advised that her condition would settle down. Her condition, however, worsened and she was admitted to a private institute for 92 days.

The defendants claimed that the said procedures were attempted twice but were not successful due to the inability of the patient to undergo them. Further, the plaintiff had concealed that she had undergone an operation previously that had changed the anatomy of her mouth. The defendants claimed that there was no internal injury suffered by her as associated symptoms were not present and nor was there any link in the treatment given at the Army hospital and at the private institution.

The court came to the conclusion that the alleged aggravation of the plaintiff’s medical condition was a result of an attributable to the negligence of the defendants.

“It is held that the defendant is guilty of negligence and the casual connection between negligence and medical condition and treatments which the plaintiff had to undergo is established,” the court ruled.

The court also observed that It was not difficult to understand mental agony and pain suffered by the plaintiff and her family members.

The court assessed the non-pecuniary damages for suffering pain and mental agony to be Rs 2 lakh, with the remaining compensation going towards medical expenses borne by her.

New Delhi, January 19
The Delhi High Court today stayed a Central Information Commission order asking the Supreme Court to provide information on the assets of judges, while a judicial body and Transparency International sought the setting up of an independent, full-time statutory body for handling appointments of judges and complaints against them.

Justice S Ravindra Bhat stayed the January 6 CIC order on a petition filed by the apex court information officer, contending that the office of the Chief Justice of India was not a public authority and the information relating to judges' assets did not fall in the public domain. So, the CJI was not in a position to part with the details of assets furnished by the judges, the SC contended.

Posting the next hearing in the case for February 12, the HC appointed noted jurist Fali S Nariman as the amicus curiae (friend of court) to assist it.

On January 6, the CIC had, on the plea of an application under the RTI, asked the SC registrar to provide information within 10 days on whether the apex court judges had declared their assets to the CJI.

The office of the CJI also maintained that the 1997 resolution by the full court on assets information was not mandatory in nature and provided only an option to the judges to declare their assets.

Hours after the HC order, Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reform and Transparency International stepped up their campaign for a transparent system for the appointment of judges and handling complaints against the judiciary.

Campaign's office-bearer Prashant Bhushan and patron Admiral RH Tahiliani, who is also chairman of Transparency International, told reporters that the Supreme Court had, on March 13, 2003, delivered a landmark judgment, making it mandatory for candidates contesting the elections to Parliament and state assemblies to declare their assets.

In view of this, the Supreme Court should set an example by making the assets of its judges public, they said.

The present collegium system was not at all transparent and this had helped tainted persons getting appointed as judges, they said, citing the examples of Calcutta HC judge Soumitra Sen and of Ashwini Kumar Mata, who has been recommended for appointment as a Delhi HC judge. While Justice Sen is facing possible impeachment by Parliament, Mata is allegedly involved in forgery in the purchase of a flat.

Hyderabad, January 19
As Andhra Pradesh police continued interrogation of former Satyam Computers Chief B Ramalinga Raju and two other top executives in connection with the Rs 7,000-crore fraud in the software company, a local court here deferred the hearing on their bail plea to January 22.

The sixth additional chief metropolitan magistrate also adjourned the hearing on petition filed by market regulator Securities and Exchanges Board of India (SEBI), seeking permission for questioning Raju, his brother and former managing director Rama Raju and former chief financial officer V Srinivas, to January 22. The magistrate will also consider another petition filed by Raju, seeking special status in jail in view of his standing in the society, on the same day.

Meanwhile, Justice P Swaroop Reddy of the High Court dismissed revision petitions filed by the three accused challenging the metropolitan magistrate’s order yesterday remanding them in police custody till January 22.

The judge disagreed with the contention of the petitioners that they were not in a position to answer the questions of the CID sleuths as they have no access to the documents and records pertaining to the affairs of the company.

Meanwhile, Raju brothers and the former CFO were subjected to intense grilling for the second day today as CID officials tried to figure out the extent of fraud committed by the disgraced IT icon and find out whether he had siphoned off the company's money and diverted it to Maytas Infra and other firms owned by his family members.

In his confession, Raju had said he had fudged the books for several years, inflated profits and showed non-existent cash and bank balances.

The CID would also probe the reports that Raju had used Satyam funds to buy vast tracts of lands across the state and outside and also floated several ‘benami’ companies.

Though Raju had claimed, in his resignation letter, that none of the directors in the company knew about the fraud, the police would probe the role played by other directors and senior officials in the scandal. The police teams are interrogating the three accused based on a questionnaire prepared with the help of financial experts.

A set of 120 questions have been put together by the experts and CID team based on documents seized during raids at Raju's home and office on January 10 and 11.

Hyderabad, January 19
India Inc may have been shattered by the fraud that he committed, but for his ardent supporters B Ramalinga Raju continues to be a hero and an architect of the IT revolution.

Bouquets and greeting cards continue to pour in at Chanchalguda jail, where the fallen IT icon is lodged, while his admirers conducted prayers and took out rallies in his native village to express solidarity with him.

For a man who plunged the country’s fourth largest software company into an unprecedented crisis by confessing to a massive Rs 7,000 crore fraud, there still seems to be an outpouring of sympathy from certain sections.

Carrying placards and “best wishes” cards, a steady stream of Satyam employees and Raju’s admirers are pouring in at the prison complex every day. Many of them leave bouquets and cards at the main entrance of the jail.

“Thanks to the contributions made by the foundation, our village now has safe drinking water supply and good roads,” said D Ravi from Madepatnam village in Raju’s native West Godavari district. Some supporters carried placards that read “With you forever”, “In you we believe” and “Your commitment transformed our lives”. Huge posters eulogising Raju and his family have sprung up at Garagaparru, the village of the Satyam founder.

Despite his self-confessed wrongdoings, Raju’s deep philanthropic streak keeps his admirers loyal to him.

New Delhi, January 19
With the Lok Sabha election just a couple of months away, the Supreme Court today cleared doubts over Election Commission’s authority for framing and enforcing guidelines for the publication of opinion and exit polls.

EC “is free to frame guidelines and regulate of publication” of such poll results, a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said while disposing of a PIL filed by one D.K. Thakur who had sought a ban on the exercise as it influenced the voters.

The clarification has come in the light of an oral observation by the apex court, raising questions on EC’s jurisdiction on the issue.

The Bench, which also included Justice P Sathasivam, however, noted that a Bill aimed at slapping a ban on such polls had already been passed by the Rajya Sabha and was pending before the Lok Sabha.

Counsel for the EC, Meenakshi Arora, and for the petitioner, P.S. Narasimhan, favoured a total ban on opinion and exit polls.

New Delhi, January 19
Satya Pal Jain, who has been contesting the Chandigarh parliamentary constituency for several earlier elections, has been renominated by the BJP here today to contest from the same seat.

The announcement was made by BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar soon after the central election committee of the party met here today to clear the names of 18 candidates.

The party has already cleared and announced the names of 20 candidates, including 11 from UP as well as the name of its prime ministerial candidate LK Advani, who will recontest from his traditional Gandhinagar seat. Also in the fray are BJP president Rajnath Singh from Ghaziabad, UP and former BJP president Murli Manohar Joshi from Varanasi this time.

The list also includes all the three BJP candidates from Himachal Pradesh. They are, Rajan Sushant from Kangra, Maheshwar Singh from Mandi and Virendra Kashyap from Shimla (SC).

But the largest contingent in today’s list is from Kerala where the party has announced six candidates. The BJP has never so far won a single Lok Sabha or Assembly seat in Kerala.

BJP vice-president Yashwant Sinha, who lost Hazaribagh, Jharkhand in 2004 and is now a Rajya Sabha member, has been nominated to contest again from Hazaribagh.

There are only two Lok Sabha seats in Tripura and the BJP has virtually no presence there where the contest has all along been between the CPM and the Congress.

Besides the list contains a candidate from Dadra and Nagar Haveli and one from Manipur, four from Jharkhand.

New Delhi, January 19
Former Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda today blamed JMM chief Shibu Soren for imposition of President's Rule in the state and said an alternative UPA government could still be worked out as the Assembly was under suspended animation.

“Imposition of President's Rule (in Jharkhand) is because of the obstinacy of JMM chief,” Koda said here. He said Soren had become incommunicado ever since he stepped down as Chief Minister on January 12 after losing the Tamar Assembly by-poll.

"He (Soren) should have come forward and discussed with the allies to form an alternative government in the state before a decision with respect to imposition of President's Rule was taken," Koda said.

Stating that "options were still open as the Assembly had not been dissolved but suspended", Koda suggested that UPA and its allies should come together and work on the possibility of formation of an alternative government led by it in the state.

“Government of UPA must continue in Jharkhand in the best interests of the people of the state,” Koda said.

Referring to his meeting with Railway Minister Lalu Prasad here in this regard, Koda said the RJD chief also did not want imposition of President's Rule in the state but formation of an alternative government. — PTI

Guwahati, January 19
Even as thinking brains in the Indian police force have gathered here for a three-day session of 39th All-India Police Science Congress, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi underlined the need for specialised training for police personnel to carry out specific tasks.

Inaugurating the congress, the Chief Minister, who would know what the police force should be given the insurgency situation in his state, said, “As terrorism has proliferated into a global phenomenon, the police in the country faced with a stiff challenge.

Professionalism and specialisation are what the need of the hour for the force at this juncture.”

“The police has to change in a big way to acquire psychological advantage over the terrorists equipped with modern technology and equipment. At the same time, the police should do away with the highhandedness while dealing with common people who have become much more conscious about their rights, thanks to the knowledge revolution. We must have a people friendly police force in the country,” Gogoi said.

He suggested that there was need to set up police schools in the line of Sainik Schools in order to get better recruits to the force that is vital for success of a democracy.

Director-General of Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) K Koshi said the Police Science Congress should focus on exploring ways to tackle the challenge of improving the performance and attitude of policeman in the police station level throughout the country.

He said the police science congress which facilitates free exchange of ideas among thinking police officers irrespective of ranks, could play a key role in improving the performance and quality of police force in the country.

The police science congress this time will focus on themes of ‘Key performance indicators for various posts, units, ranks in police’ and ‘Separation of law and order responsibility and investigation’.

New Delhi, January 19
Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is preparing to file a chargesheet in the sensational murders of Noida teenager Aarushi Talwar and her family’s domestic help Hemraj, the investigating agency on Monday issued an advertisement asking people to come forward with clues.

The advertisement carried in daily newspapers on Monday announced a reward of Rs 100,000 for any person giving information about the mobile phones of the deceased and the murder weapon.

In December, the CBI had said that the investigation in the murder case was complete and it will soon submit a chargesheet. But the advertisements are seen as a failure on the part of the premier investigating agency to recover any evidence conclusively fixing the guilt of the three persons accused in the case.

On May 16, 2008, Aarushi, the teenaged daughter of a prominent dentist couple, was found with her throat slit in her parents’ suburban Noida home.

The Noida police initially suspected the family’s domestic help was behind the killing, but retracted the claim when they found his body on the terrace of Aarushi’s house the next day.

The police then arrested Aarushi’s father Rajesh Talwar but the court granted him bail.

The CBI, which took over the investigations May 31, pointed the needle of suspicion towards Krishna, Talwar’s medical assistant, Raj Kumar, a domestic help for a family friend of the Talwars, and Vijay Mandal, another domestic help in the neighbourhood. — IANS

New Delhi, January 19
The anti-obscene helpline of the Delhi Police has received an overwhelming response with the policemen receiving over 550 calls in the first fortnight of its operation and "sorting out" nearly 50 per cent of the complaints.

"We have received an overwhelming response. The helpline received 563 calls in the first 15-18 days of the setting up of the helpline," Police Commissioner YS Dadwal has said.

"Some of them were outstation calls and a few were related to other matters," he said, adding 227 matters pertaining to lewd calls were sorted out.

"Basically, this helpline is targeted at addressing problems faced by women. We will keep the identity of the complainant confidential," he added.

The helpline also has the provision for complainants to forward obscene text messages they receive for taking further action.

However, the police have so far not registered any case on the complaints received.

"We have not registered any case on the request of the complainants. They just wanted the calls to be stopped and not to register cases. We are verifying the contents of the calls and action is being taken," a senior police officer said.

Any woman who is being targeted by eve-teasers or lewd callers can approach the helpline 011-27894455 where there would be round-the-clock facility to look into such calls. — PTI

Chennai, January 19
Expressing fears that the continuing protests by Thol Thirumavalavan’s Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and PMK led by Dr S Ramadoss would topple the DMK government, “which is doing its best for the island Tamils”, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi rejected suggestions by the two leaders for week-long vigorous protests against the Centre’s Sri Lankan policy.

Replying to the suggestion of Ramadoss and Thirumavalavan that the Chief Minister himself should lead a big protest, Karunanidhi, writing in his party organ “Murasoli” said those were part of a conspiracy to dislodge his government.

The DMK leader’s open allegations against his ally Thirumavalavan had sent strong signals that he prefers to stay with the Congress and is ready to part company with the VCK, a Dalit outfit, which has a strong presence in northern districts of the state.

Defending his alliance partner, the Congress, whose support is crucial for the survival of his government, he lamented that protests against the Sri Lankan government had been diverted to be a tirade against the Congress, apparently referring to Thirumavalavan’s charges against the Congress.

“Like how an internal strife between Tamils weakened their struggle in the island nation, difference of opinion amongst us over the issue would spoil our unity,” he opined.

Stating that some were trying to dethrone him from the Chief Minister’s chair, Karunanidhi said he was ready to give his life for the sake of Tamils. He wondered why Thirumavalavan was announcing protests after protests, that too after meeting him in person a few days ago.

“He had unilaterally launched a hunger strike on the Sri Lankan issue just a day after he called on me along with Ramadoss and Dravidar Kazhagam chief MK Veeramani. Now he has announced that his partymen would burn the flag of Sri Lanka.’

The Chief Minister also expressed his unhappiness with the Centre for not sending External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Lanka as assured earlier.

New Delhi, January 19
In the backdrop of increasing incidents of hijacking of ships off the Somalian coast, India today sought to enhance cooperation with the African nations to check the menace.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said it was India’s desire to continue to enhance cooperation and dialogue with African nations.

“It is our desire that on crucial global concerns like climate change, food and energy security, health, jihadist terrorism, marine piracy and democratisation of international institutions we continue to enhance our cooperation and dialogue,” he said addressing the India-Africa Business Partnership Summit here.

Mukherjee said India has committed to more than double the amount on the Lines of Credit to USD 5.4 billion for the five year period beginning 2008-09. He stressed the need to “vacate in a hurry” impediments to trade and investment to boost economic ties across various sectors, including railways, road and construction, healthcare, pharma, power, mining and agriculture.

India has already announced “duty-free preference scheme” for least developed countries, including 34 African nations. — PTI

Mumbai, January 19
A special court here deferred till tomorrow hearing on the bail plea of Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur and four other accused in the Malegaon blast case.

Special public prosecutor Rohini Salian said MCOCA (Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act) court Judge YD Shinde today ruled that the prosecution was likely to file the chargesheet tomorrow against all accused in the case.

Following this, Judge Shinde deferred the hearing on bail pleas of Sadhvi Pragya, Ajay Rahirkar, Prasad Shrikant Purohit, Shyamlal Sahu and Shivnarayan Kalsangra, who had moved a bail application on merit, stating that the prosecution had failed to file chargesheet within the stipulated time despite completing the investigations. — UNI