Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi forays into politics
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Andhra Pradesh politics took a glamorous turn Monday with Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi beginning his much-awaited political journey by inaugurating the office of his party. He will formally launch the party later this month.
Chiranjeevi told reporters that he would launch the party "before the end of this month" and would make an announcement "in a couple of days".
The actor, who had so far confined himself to social service, is launching his party when the state is gearing up for the elections scheduled early next year.
MP Govt. declares Mahatma Gandhi award for RSS affiliate Seva Bharti
By Pervez bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The Bharatiya Janata Party ruled Madhya Pradesh Government has announced to bestow its prestigious national Mahatma Gandhi award to New Delhi-based RSS affiliate Seva Bharti for working in accordance with Gandhian philosophy. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakh and a citation.
Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi begins political career
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi began his much awaited political journey here early Monday by inaugurating the office of his party. The party will be launched later this month.
The office was inaugurated in the early hours of Monday in the presence of his family members and a few close aides.
“I know the people's pulse - they are waiting for me to announce the launch of my party," Chiranjeevi told reporters.
Politics of Marathi language to grab power?
By Md. Ali, TwoCircles.net
Mumbai (Maharashtra): The politics over Marathi language in the state is at its climax and Raj Thackeray and his party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are riding this political wave.
Stepping into the footstep of his uncle Bal Thackeray, self-appointed protector of Marathi language and culture Raj Thackeray has given "ultimatum" to all the business centers in Maharashtra. He has warned them that if they don't use the signboards in Marathi by 27th August 2008, they will have to face dire consequences by the activists of his party.
100 Samajwadi Party workers detained on way to Mayawati’s village
By IANS,
Ghaziabad : About 100 Samajwadi Party (SP) activists, including five MPs and two state lawmakers, were detained at the Uttar Pradesh border Sunday when they were headed for Mayawati's village Badalpur here. They were later allowed to go back.
Superintendent of Police (City) Vijay Bhushan said the detained parliamentarians were Mohan Singh, Dharmendra Yadav, Om Prakash Singh, Vir Pal Singh and Bhagwan Singh Shakhya. The detained legislators included Madan Chauhan from Garh Mukteshwar.
Sinha dubs PDP as anti-national
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Terming the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as an anti-national party, former Jammu and Kashmir governor Lt. Gen. S.K. Sinha Sunday said its leaders were trying create a rift among people on communal lines.
Speaking at a seminar on Shri Amarnath Land Transfer - Implications of Revocation' organised by the Forum on Integrated National Security here, Sinha denied he had any role in the transfer of the controversial land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) in May when he was the governor of the state.
Yasin Malik ends fast after PMO’s assurance
By IANS,
Srinagar : Pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik broke his five-day fast here Sunday afternoon following an assurances from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) that the Jammu-Srinagar highway would be secured for a smooth flow of trucks carrying supplies to the valley.
Malik went on a fast for an indefinite period Tuesday against the alleged 'economic blockade' of the valley by protesters in Jammu and harassment of minority community members in parts of that region.
Woman injured in crude bomb blast in Nandigram
By IANS,
Kolkata : A woman member of Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) was injured Sunday in a crude bomb blast at Nandigram in West Bengal's East Midnapore district, the police said.
Crude bombing and firing started early Sunday between activists of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and Trinamool Congress over land acquisition at five villages of Nandigram - Osmanchowk, Jalpai No. 7, Jadubarichowk, Sonachura and Bhutarmor.
Why can’t i become PM of India: Mayawati
By NNN-PTI,
Lucknow, India : Unfazed by the failure of efforts to pull down the UPA government that may have pitchforked her into national centre stage, Uttar Pradesh state Chief Minister Mayawati made clear her ambitions of becoming the prime minister after the next Lok Sabha (Lower House) elections.
Addressing a national convention of her party workers, she also announced that she was grooming her political heir, who would take over from her in case of any eventuality.
All-party meeting in Srinagar on Amarnath issue
By NNN-PTI,
Srinagar, India : An all-party meeting on the Amarnath land issue was chaired by Home Minister Shivraj Patil here today.
It was attended by Arun Jaitley (BJP), Amar Singh (Samajwadi Party), former Jammu and Kashmir chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad, PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti and Saif-ud-din Soz and Mohsina Kidwai (both Cong) besides local Kashmiri leaders.
Peace efforts: Talks between AYSS, Central delegation inconclusive
SIMITI talks tough, Patil hopes solution asks SASS to step down
Political leaders stressed on solution accepted to both Jammu and Kashmir
By News Agency of Kashmir,
Jammu : The much awaited talks between the central delegation of all parties and Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Simithi remained inconclusive as both the sides failed to break the ice. The Central delegation is expected to hold talks with Kashmir based leaders on Sunday.
Activist arrested for ‘derogatory’ remarks against Mayawati
By IANS,
Lucknow : Sarika Chaudhary, the Uttar Pradesh president of the Indian Justice Party, was Saturday arrested for making allegedly derogatory remarks against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and state Chief Minister Mayawati, police said.
"Chaudhary made the remarks while addressing a gathering in a programme organised by the party on `Checking crime against SC/ST," police officer B.P. Solanki told IANS over the telephone.
The programme was organised in front of the collectorate office in the Civil Lines locality of Bijnore, over 280 km from here.
No move to include NCP in UDF: Ravi
By IANS,
Palakkad (Kerala) : There is no move to include the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Kerala's main opposition United Democratic Front (UDF), senior Congress leader Vayalar Ravi said here Saturday.
"The UDF is already very strong and there is no space for one more party in the alliance," Ravi told reporters in reply to a query.
The Kerala unit of the NCP is headed by K. Muraleedharan, son of veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran.
Talks fail, Jammu agitation to continue
By IANS,
Jammu : Hopes of an end to violent protests in Jammu were dashed when talks here Saturday between an all-party national delegation and the group spearheading the agitation demanding land for the Amarnath shrine board failed. While the protesters announced they would continue their agitation, the government said it would work on a solution acceptable to all sides.
Natwar, Shahid Siddiqui join BSP
By IANS,
Lucknow : Expelled Congress leader and former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh, former Samajwadi Party (SP) general secretary Shahid Siddiqui and SP parliamentarian S.P. Singh Baghel Saturday crossed over to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) during a daylong BSP national workers convention here.
Siddiqui and Baghel were not only appointed BSP national general secretaries but were also declared the party's nominees for two Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha constituencies.
‘Shiv Sena, ABVP fund Maoists in Mumbai’
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Mumbai (Maharashtra): In a startling revelation suspected Naxalite Arun Ferreira in his narco-analysis test has alleged that Shiv Sena and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) have been funding Maoist activities in Mumbai.
Maya warns Mulayam, Lalu Prasad
By IANS,
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati Saturday issued a stern warning to Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for making adverse remarks against her.
Addressing a BSP national workers meet here, she sought to take both Yadav chieftains, one from Uttar Pradesh and the other from neighbouring Bihar, by the horns.
Mayawati takes on Rahul Gandhi over n-deal
By IANS,
Lucknow : Congress MP Rahul Gandhi may have earned much appreciation for his speech in defence of the nuclear deal during the trust motion debate in the parliament. But Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is not amused.
In a scathing attack on the scion of India's first political family, Mayawati sought to impress upon a massive rally of her party workers here Saturday that Gandhi's claims were "false and misleading".
And now Kerala CPI-M bats for private investment
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : For long private capital and investors were pariah for the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), but now the Left government in Kerala has set a target of attracting Rs.250 billion ($6 billion) worth of private investments in the next three years.
Advani urges cadre to ‘do or die’ for Amarnath cause
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Saturday asked party workers to take a pledge to 'do or die' and push forward the demand for land for Amarnath pilgrims.
“I want to say that people should get ready for sacrifice and struggle,” Advani told the Kranti rally held here by the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the party's youth wing, marking the 1942 Quit India Day.
Over 15,000 party workers from across India took part in the rally at the Ramlila grounds. It started Saturday morning and resulted in traffic jams in central Delhi.
Left stops supporting Karunanidhi government, Congress elated
By T.S.V. Hari, IANS,
Chennai : The two major Left parties, CPI-M and CPI, announced Saturday that they will no longer support the minority DMK government in Tamil Nadu - leaving the Congress, a major supporter of the ruling party, jubilant.
"There will be no alliances with any party that has an alliance with the Congress from now on," said W.R. Varadarajan, Tamil Nadu secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) after a three-hour meeting attended by senior leaders of the two left parties that have a sizeable representation in the state legislature.
Mayawati declares herself the future PM
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday declared herself India's future prime minister.
“If I can become the chief minister of India's most populous state four times - and this time entirely on my own without anyone else's support, then why can't I become the country's prime minister,” she told a massive gathering of her party workers from different states during a one-day BSP national convention at the sprawling Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan here.
No paramilitary deployment in Nandigram
By IANS,
Nandigram (West Bengal) : An all-party meeting led by Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattarcharjee here Saturday ruled out the deployment of paramilitary forces in a town close to this trouble-prone area of East Midnapore district of West Bengal.
"Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) deployment is not at all necessary in Nandigram," said Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and MP Laxman Seth, who also attended the meeting.
Lok Sabha panel on cash-for-votes scam gets more time
By IANS,
New Delhi : The seven member Lok Sabha panel constituted to look into three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs' allegations that they were bribed to abstain during the July 22 trust vote has been given an extension till Aug 29 to submit its report to Speaker Somnath Chatterjee.
The speaker-appointed committee headed by Congress MP V. Kishore Chandra Deo was earlier asked to submit its report by Aug 11. However, Deo, who had stated that he did not want to conclude the probe in a hurry, had sought more time to look into the issue.
Amar Singh doesn’t want to join government
By IANS,
New Delhi : Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh has said he was not interested in joining the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) but maintained that without the support of his party the Congress "has no future in Uttar Pradesh".
"I don't want to join the government. But workers (of Samajwadi Party) think we will benefit (if I join the government)," the Rajya Sabha MP told NDTV.
"I just do not want to," he said.
Mayawati talks of a secret successor
By IANS,
Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati sprang a surprise here Saturday by saying she had already made up her mind on a political successor - in case she died or was sent to jail.
Leaving everyone guessing as she spoke at a massive BSP rally at the Ramabai Ambedkar Maidan where party workers had gathered from all parts of the country, she said: "The successor I have chosen for myself is someone 18 to 20 years younger to me and hails from my own 'chamar' community.
Jammu agitators agree to talk to central delegation
By IANS,
Jammu : In a dramatic turnaround, the Amarnath Yatra Sangarsh Samiti (AYSS) Saturday agreed to hold talks with a visiting all-party delegation after three Kashmiri leaders agreed not to be present during the parleys aimed at solving the Amarnath land row.
Left stops supporting Karunanidhi government, Congress happy
By T.S.V. Hari, IANS,
Chennai : The two major Left parties, CPI-M and CPI, announced Saturday that they will no longer support the minority DMK government in Tamil Nadu - a development that has left the Congress, a major supporter of the ruling party, jubilant.
The decision by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) is in keeping with their withdrawal of support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre. The DMK is a key member of the Congress-led UPA.
Nobody can stop me from becoming Indian PM: Mayawati
By NNN-PTI,
Lucknow : Unfazed by the failure of efforts to pull down the UPA government that may have pitchforked her into national centrestage, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati Saturday said that "nobody can stop her from becoming Prime Minister".
In a show of strength a fortnight after the attempt in Parliament floundered, the BSP leader addressed a huge gathering of her party workers and supporters and a surprise presence in the stage was that of suspended Congress leader and former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh.
We are not supporting Maoists: Udhav Thackeray
By IANS,
Mumbai : Shiv Sena executive president Udhav Thackeray Saturday contemptuously dismissed allegations that his party supported Maoists or their activities in the state.
“Ours is a nationalist party and our contribution in this regard is known to the people of Maharashtra. Hence, supporting such (Maoists) is not possible. In this regard, we do not believe any such narco-test,” Thackeray said in a statement published in the party mouthpiece “Saamna”.
Soren as chief minister? Jharkhand UPA leaders don’t seem keen
By Nityanand Shukla, IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand Mukti Morch (JMM) chief Shibu Soren may have set his sights on the chief minister's post, but not too many other United Progressive Alliance (UPA) leaders in the state seem keen on it.
Soren, a formal central minister, has been camping in New Delhi for a week to get the coveted post. He has reportedly met Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad.
Mayawati holds massive rally in Lucknow
By Sharat Pradhan, IANS,
Lucknow : All roads in Lucknow appeared to be leading to the Rama Bai Ambedkar Maidan Saturday, where Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has convened her party's day-long conclave - clearly aimed at projecting her as India's next prime minister.
Party activists drawn from different corners of the country headed for the sprawling 42-acre venue especially carved out by none other than Mayawati for her earlier rally here in October last year.
I have not been informed about all party meeting: Mamata
By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said she had not been informed about an all-party meeting called Saturday by West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee over the fresh turmoil in Nandigram.
"Neither me nor my party was officially informed about the all-party meeting," Banerjee told a press conference here Friday.
On Thursday, Chief Minster Bhattacharjee called an all-party meeting in East Midnapore's Tamluk town Saturday to look into the outbreak of violence in Nandigram.
Kerala minister finally gets nod for Olympics visit
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala Sports Minister M. Vijayakumar, who was denied permission to attend the Beijing Olympics, was Friday evening given the go-ahead after the state government sent a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. But his visit is bound by certain conditions.
The letter from the external affairs ministry has arrived but it has strings attached, G. Sasidharan Nair, private secretary to the minister, told IANS.
Rane’s revolt does not match party discipline: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Friday said that Maharashtra leader Narayan Rane, who has threatened to quit the party over his differences with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, should have discussed the matter within the party rather than going public.
"It there was some controversy (over allotment of land to Videcon), then it should have been discussed on party platform, not through the media and public," Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here.
BJP’s Jaitley in all-party team to Jammu
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday said its general secretary Arun Jaitley will be part of the all-party delegation to visit Jammu Saturday to talk to those demanding the transfer of land for the Amarnath Hindu shrine pilgrims.
Making the announcement, the party said that BJP president Rajnath Singh telephoned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and confirmed Jaitley's name. The all-party delegation will leave for Jammu under the leadership of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.
Nandigram tense after CPI-M activists fire at rivals
By IANS,
Kolkata : Tension prevailed in West Bengal's Nandigram Friday after Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) activists allegedly opened fire on the rival Bhumi Uchched Pratirodh Committee (BUPC) members in some areas of the trouble-prone region.
Villagers said the gun battle started from early Friday morning in areas like Jadubariachak, Baroni and Garchakraberia.
"The police force, led by senior officers, is already at the spot. We are looking into the matter," West Bengal Inspector General (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia told IANS.
Puri Shankaracharya’s statement blaming Modi for planting bombs in Surat hailed
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: The statement issued by the Shankaracharya of Puri, in which the revered Sanatan Dharmi Shankaracharya has blamed Narendra Modi for planting unexploded bombs in Surat, Gujarat has been hailed.
The above statement has been welcomed by Amaresh Misra, the Indian historian, author, political analyst and commentator, who is currently in the United States of America on a lecture tour to promote Indian national unity and secularism. He spoke at Chicago, Indiana, Pittsburgh and other mid-west US cities.
Basu welcomes Mamata’s decision for talks with Tata Motors
By IANS,
Kolkata : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) patriarch Jyoti Basu Friday welcomed the decision of Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee for talks with the Tata Motors over the Singur land row.
"It's good that she's ready for talks with the Tata Motors. I welcome her gesture," Basu said after attending the CPI-M state secretariat meeting here.
He said: "We have no objection if she (Banerjee) wants to have dialogues and sort out the issue with the Tata Motors' authority."
Congress comes wooing, Left spurns move
By IANS,
New Delhi : Concerned over the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) attempt to consolidate Hindu votes through emotive issues, the Congress has tried to persuade its estranged Communist allies to stand together for strengthening "secular forces". But the Communists rejected the overtures.
Party workers from 20 states to participate in BSP meet
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) representatives from 20 states are expected to converge here for the party's national workers meet Saturday.
While bulk of the estimated 250,000-odd crowd is expected to arrive from different parts of Uttar Pradesh, where the party is in power, at least 40,000 are likely to arrive from states as far as Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab.
Agricultural growth doubled under UPA government: PM
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday said India's agriculture sector grew at 4.7 percent in the last three years, nearly double the growth registered during the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government.
"In the last three years, we have achieved growth rate in agriculture of 4.7 percent," said the prime minister after releasing a book, "Fast Forward", a collection of speeches and interventions of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
Mamata ready for talks with Tatas on Singur project
By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Thursday said she is "not averse" to the Tata Motors' small car project in West Bengal and was ready for talks with the automobile major - signalling a way out of the impasse over farmland acquisition that has hampered the project.
"I am not averse to the Tata Motors project," said Banerjee, whose party has vociferously opposed the acquisition of farm land for the project in Singur.
BJP to launch ‘peaceful’ protest for Amarnath land
By IANS,
New Delhi : Blaming the Congress-led central government for the crisis in Jammu and Kashmir over transfer of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said it will launch a nationwide peaceful protest from Monday.
"The crisis in Jammu is the result of the insensitivity of the central government towards the feeling of hurt and aspirations of the people of the Jammu region, particularly over the last 38 days," BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.
Remove Deshmukh to save Congress in Maharashtra: Rane
By IANS,
New Delhi/Nagpur : Virtually issuing an ultimatum to the Congress high command, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane said here Thursday a leadership change was imperative in the state if the party had to win the forthcoming assembly and Lok Sabha elections.
The former Shiv Sena rebel, who has been gunning for Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh right since his induction in the state cabinet three years ago, told reporters that the state government had failed on all fronts and the party faced dim prospects in the elections if they were fought under the present leadership.
BJP will continue agitation for Amarnath land: Mishra
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday reiterated its demand for restoration of the land transfer to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board for pilgrim facilities.
"Our party will continue to protest till the land is re-allotted to the shrine board," senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra told reporters here.
Cancelling the land allotted earlier to the shrine board was against the national interest, he added.
He blamed Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra for cancelling land allotment and demanded his removal.
Mukherjee, Patil with all-party delegation to visit Jammu
By IANS,
Jammu : An all-party delegation, including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil, will visit Jammu Saturday to find a solution to the impasse over land for the Amarnath shrine management. The state administration has also invited protesters here for talks.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra Wednesday formed a panel for talks with the Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti (SASS), a conglomerate of more than 30 groups leading an agitation here for more than a month.
BJP, RSS to blame for Jammu unrest, says CPI-M
By IANS,
New Delhi : Blaming the BJP and the RSS for whipping up communal passions for electoral gains in Jammu and Kashmir over the Amarnath shrine land row, the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has asked the central government to initiate efforts to find a way out of the problem.
In an editorial in the latest issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy', the CPI-M pointed out that communal passions were being sharply aroused with rumours spreading like wildfire about Hindus not being allowed to undertake pilgrimage to the Amarnath shrine in Kashmir.
Rane in Delhi, Congress hopes to placate him
By IANS,
New Delhi/Nagpur : A day after threatening to quit the party over his differences with Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Maharashtra Revenue Minister Narayan Rane arrived in New Delhi to meet the Congress leaders.
Rane, who has publicly criticised the cabinet decision to allot Navi Mumbai's CIDCO land to Videocon at a hugely subsidised rate, is expected to meet Congress general secretary Margarat Alva and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's political secretary Ahmad Patel.
Chhattisgarh regional party president joins Congress
By IANS,
Raipur : P. Raghavan, working president of the Chhattisgarh Vikas Party, a regional political outfit, joined the Congress Thursday.
Raghavan, a retired IAS officer, made the announcement in the presence of state Congress president Dhanendra Sahu and several senior leaders.
The Chhattisgarh Vikas Party mainly raises issues related to the indigenous people of the state.
PM ‘shattered’ by cash-for-vote controversy
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was "shattered" by the conduct of three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs who flashed bundles of cash in the Lok Sabha during the trust vote debate alleging they were bribed, a high level source said Thursday.
"The prime minister was shattered by the cash-for-vote controversy," said the source close to the prime minister. "The prime minister (had been) confident of winning the trust vote and his body language (reflected) his confidence."
Never said CPI-M would not support Congress: Karat
By IANS,
Agartala : Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat has denied having said his party would never support the Congress in future.
"I have never said that the CPI-M would not support the Congress in future. I have said that the Left parties in future would not support a Congress-led government at the Centre," Karat told party workers here.
He was addressing the 19th state conference of the Tripura unit of the CPI-M late Wednesday.
RSS sends Muslim delegation to Srinagar for peace talks
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Thursday flagged off a 30-member Muslim delegation to campaign for peace in Jammu and Kashmir where protests for and against the transfer of land to the Amarnath temple trust has led to much violence.
The Muslim delegation, called the Rashtravadi Muslim Manch (RMM) or the Nationalist Muslim Front, a group backed by the Hindu outfit, was flagged off from the Red Fort.
With poll in mind, Congress keen to pass women’s quota bill
By IANS,
New Delhi : With an eye to the general elections, the ruling Congress party is making a last-ditch effort to push the Women's Reservation Bill, proposing a new formula to satisfy the demand for a 'quota within quota' for the Other Backward Classes (OBCs).
According to party sources, the parliamentary standing committee on personnel, public grievances, law and justice, headed by senior Congress MP E.M. Sudarshana Natchiappan, which is studying the bill, has proposed that the issue of OBC quota could be left to the states.
Convene parliament immediately, Left tells government
By IANS,
New Delhi : Declaring that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government was not confident about facing parliament, the Left parties Thursday demanded that the monsoon session be convened immediately.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left parties, which recently withdrew support to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over differences on the India-US civil nuclear deal, said the Congress leadership wanted to avoid parliament till the deal went through the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG).
Tamil Nadu minister dropped from cabinet on abduction charges
By IANS,
Chennai : Tamil Nadu Minister of Textiles N.K.K.P. Raja was Thursday dropped from the cabinet following allegations that he had kidnapped three of a family in order to usurp their property.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi recommended his removal and Governor Surjeet Singh Barnala accepted the recommendation.
Raja was dropped after a couple, who were kidnapped in June by Raja and freed by police, complained Wednesday before the state human rights commission that their son was being held by the minister.
Chhattisgarh BJP workers protest central minister’s statement
By IANS,
Raipur : Hundreds of workers of Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) blocked a national highway for the second day Thursday demanding an apology from a central minister for his reported remarks against a party leader.
About 500 BJP workers holding placards laid siege to National Highway 43 at Dhamtari, connecting state capital Raipur to the Bastar region, seeking an immediately apology from V. Narayanasamy, minister of state for parliamentary affairs and planning in the Manmohan Singh government.
Raja dropped from Tamil Nadu cabinet
By IANS,
Chennai : N.K.K.P. Raja, minister of textiles and handloom, was Thursday dropped from the Tamil Nadu cabinet following allegations that he kidnapped a family.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi recommended his removal and Governor Surjeet Singh Barnala accepted the recommendation.
Raja was accused of kidnapping a family to grab its land.
JK Governor appoints 4 member panel to end Jammu stalemate
By NNN-PTI,
Jammu, India : In yet another attempt to bring peace in Jammu and Kashmir marred by violence over Amarnath land transfer issue, Governor N. N. Vohra has appointed a four- member committee to hold talks with Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti (SASS), spearheading the agitation in Jammu.
The announcement of the committee came minutes after the all-party meeting convened in the national capital by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh ended where political parties made a joint appeal to agitators for suspending the agitation so that the dialogue process could begin.
US Congressman Joe Sestak urges entry ban on Narendra Modi
Lawmaker details Modi’s human rights abuses in his letter to Secretary Rice
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,Bhopal: The Coalition Against Genocide, (CAG), added one more US Congressman to its growing list of supporters for a visa ban on the genocide tainted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.
CPI-M’s Tripura unit gets new secretary
By IANS,
Agartala : Tripura's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) central committee member Bijon Dhar has been elected secretary of the party's state unit.
The 58-year-old CPI-M leader replaced 85-year-old veteran Marxist leader Baidyanath Majumder, also a CPI-M central committee member.
"An 84-member new Tripura CPI-M state committee headed by Dhar was constituted after a hectic three day long state conference late Wednesday night," said Gautam Das, party spokesman, here Thursday.
Mayawati to put up more of her statues
By IANS,
Lucknow : Undaunted by all the criticism from her adversaries, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati is to get three more of her statues installed in the state capital where two imposing bronze memorials are already in place.
An 18-feet-tall statue is proposed in the neighbourhood of BSP's Prerna Sthal (inspiration home) where Mayawati had got her first statue installed inside an imposing stone structure shaped like a Buddhist stupa.
All-party meet mere drama, say Jammu agitators
By IANS,
Jammu : The Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti, leading an agitation in Jammu for land to the Amarnath shrine management, described as "drama" the all-party meet called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday.
"It was a theatre of absurd," Samiti convenor Leela Karan Sharma told reporters.
Chiranjeevi all set to launch his party at Tirupati
By IANS,
Hyderabad : Popular Telugu film star Chiranjeevi is all set to take a plunge into Andhra Pradesh politics and launch his own party from the temple town of Tirupati this month.
The mega star is likely to address a public meeting in the temple town Aug 22, his birthday, to announce his political party and its agenda.
The actor has selected Tirupati as the platform to launch his political career because of his attachment to the place, famous for the Lord Venkateshwara temple.
Amarinder vows to go all out against Akalis
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Buoyed by his appointment as chairman of the Congress party election campaign committee, former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh Wednesday said he would “let myself loose” on the ruling Akali Dal in the state.
“The only language that the Akalis understand is that of aggression and I will let myself loose on them with a series of rallies and other political events,” said Amarinder.
Mamata gets threat call, SMS over Singur
By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee Wednesday said party chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday received a threat call and an SMS from an anonymous source over the Singur land dispute.
"Our leader Mamata Banerjee received a threat call and an SMS from an unknown source last (Tuesday) night which read - 'If Tatas withdraw from Singur... lets ensure Trinamool Congress exits from planet and earth'...," Chatterjee, who is also Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, told reporters here.
Shahabuddin gets bail in arms act case
By IANS,
Patna : Jailed Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) parliamentarian Mohammad Shahabuddin was granted bail by a court here Wednesday in a case related to illegal possession of arms in March 2001.
A division bench of the Patna High Court granted bail to Shahabuddin, but the MP will remain in Siwan jail as he is serving a life term there, a court official said.
Court seeks list of MPs not paying phone, power bills
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Delhi High Court Wednesday asked various government agencies to prepare a list of parliamenty members whose pending telephone and electricity bills are running into millions of rupees.
The court also suggested the agencies to recover the money from the political parties the MPs are affiliated with if they themselves do not clear their dues on time.
No question of lifting ban on SIMI: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : Getting a breather from the Supreme Court that overrode the anti-terror court and restored the ban on the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), the Congress Wednesday said that it is a terrorist organization and there is no question of lifting a ban on it.
CPI-M leader shot dead in Nandigram
By IANS,
Kolkata : A Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader was shot dead Wednesday afternoon, allegedly by members of Bhoomi Uchhed Protirodh Committee (BUPC), at Nandigram in West Bengal's East Midnapore district, the police said.
"CPI-M leader Niranjan Mondal was shot dead at Nandigram's Rajaramchak area Wednesday around 4 p.m. The party activists are holding BUPC responsible for the incident. But we cannot take any name till we are done with our investigation," officer-in-charge of Nandigram police station Debasis Chakraborty told IANS.
Badal writes to PM for probe into Ishmeet’s death
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to order an inquiry into the mysterious death of Ludhiana-based budding singer Ishmeet Singh.
Ishmeet, 19, who won the “Voice of India” reality TV show featuring a singing contest in November last year, died July 29 by drowning in the swimming pool of a resort in the Maldives where he had gone to attend an event.
In a letter to the prime minister, Badal mentioned media reports that raised suspicions about the cause of Ishmeet's death.
Uma Bharati stages protest outside PM residence, held
By IANS,
New Delhi : Bharatiya Janshakti Party leader Uma Bharati was Wednesday taken into police custody when she tried to stage a protest outside the prime minister's official residence here.
She was upset after her party was not invited at an all-party meeting at the prime minister's residence to discuss the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, which has been simmering for the past 36 days over the cancellation of land transfer to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
BJP accuses BSP of avoiding action against cow slaughter
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has accused the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) of hurting the Hindu sentiments by not taking strict action against those involved in cow slaughter in Uttar Pradesh.
"The Uttar Pradesh police officials are not making serious efforts to nab the persons involved in illegal cow slaughter," senior state BJP leader Om Prakash Singh told reporters here Wednesday.
Koda unperturbed by Soren lobbying for chief ministership
By IANS,
Ranchi : Jharkhand Chief Minister Madhu Koda Wednesday said he was not perturbed by Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Soren lobbying with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as the chief minister's post was not a "permanent" one.
"The chief minister's post is not a permanent post for anyone. People select anyone for the post for a certain period of time. The post of chief minister should be respected by everyone".
Asked about JMM's move to install Soren as chief minister, he said: "There is a political process and I am not perturbed with the development.
Vaiko sneers at rebel MDMK MP
By IANS,
Chennai : MDMK general secretary Vaiko Wednesday ridiculed his former colleague L. Ganeshan, one of the MPs set to join DMK, over his claim that 100,000 supporters would join him.
MDMK MPs Ganeshan and Gingee Ramachandran had Tuesday said they would join the ruling DMK and would get the support of at least 100,000 workers. Vaiko recalled that Ganeshan and Ramachandran had in the past failed to muster the support of 33 members of the party's general council during a meeting in Salem.
Indian leaders hail lifting of ban on SIMI
By IRNA,
New Delhi : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav Wednesday hailed lifting of ban on Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) by a special tribunal.
Jail told not to reject outright pleas to visit PMK leader
By IANS,
Chennai : The Madras High Court observed Wednesday that petitions of senior leaders of the PMK to visit jailed colleague Kaduvetti Guru should be examined by prison authorities on merit and not rejected outright.
Judge A. Kulasekharan ordered the government to look at such pleas on individual merits. It issued the order when petitioner and PMK legislator G.K. Mani alleged that the state government in its "continuing vendetta" against his party was preventing basic needs of detainee Guru.
Three applications a week for poll panel recognition
By IANS,
Chennai : The Election Commission receives three applications every week from groupings wishing to register themselves as political parties, according to Chief Election Commissioner N. Gopalaswami.
There are already 967 registered political parties.
Gopalaswami was delivering the third annual lecture organised by the Scientific Research Association for Economics and Finance, Anna Institute of Management, here Tuesday evening. His theme was Electoral Democracy: the Context, Cost and Consequences.
Congress fears electoral fallout of Jammu unrest
By IANS,
New Delhi : A worried Congress Wednesday discussed the electoral fallout of the unrest over the Amarnath shrine, even as it heard former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad blame other parties for Jammu and Kashmir's worst communal divide in six decades.
At a special orientation programme for party spokespersons across the country, Azad, who had to quit in the wake of the Amarnath row, explained “the realities” that have led to dragging protests in Jammu region.
PM finds time for daughter’s trek into ancient history
By IANS,
New Delhi : His daughter did not speak a word about him - not even the ritualistic thank you mom-and-dad speech that goes with such ceremonies. But Prime Minister Manmohan Singh didn't seem to mind.
He loved every moment of it as Upinder Singh held forth on the magic and mystery of bringing ancient Indian history alive as her mould-breaking book on ancient Indian history was launched at the Hotel Taj Mahal here Tuesday night.
Tatas to stay in Singur: Nirupam Sen
By IANS,
Kolkata : Rejecting all speculation, West Bengal Industry Minister Nirupam Sen Tuesday said the state government has not received any intimation from Tata Motors on backing out from its project in Singur.
"We have got no such information from Tata Motors that they want to roll back from the Singur project. The project work is almost nearing completion and I hope the Nano car will roll out from the factory on time," Sen told reporters here.
Rane threatens to resign over land to Videocon
By IANS,
Mumbai : A major business proposal cleared by the Maharashtra government has created a logjam between two political rivals - Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and his bete noire Revenue Minister Narayan Rane, who has threatened to quit.
Rane Tuesday launched another attack on Deshmukh over the allotment of a 100-hectare plot of land in Navi Mumbai to the electronics giant, Videocon Group, at a cost of Rs.3 billion.
Sacked Assam education minister gets bail in bribery case
By IANS,
New Delhi : A city court Tuesday granted bail to sacked Assam education minister Ripun Borah and two others arrested for allegedly offering bribe to an officer investigating a murder case.
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Special Judge R.K. Yadav granted bail to Borah, co-accused Mukul Pathak and R.K. Maheshwari, on their giving a surety of Rs.300,000 each.
The court also directed all the three accused to help the investigating agency in the probe and directed them not to tamper with any evidence related to the case.
JDS helps Congress bag Karnataka council chairperson post
By IANS,
Bangalore : Janata Dal-Secular headed by former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda Tuesday helped Congress bag the post of chairperson of the Karnataka legislative council dashing ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's hopes of having its nominee elected.
In the 75-member house with five seats vacant, BJP has 23 members, Congress 29, JDS 13, Janata Dal (United) 2, and Independents 2. The acting chairperson also belongs to JDS.
Two MDMK MPs to join DMK
By IANS,
Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu) : Two of Tamil Nadu's four MDMK MPs, L. Ganeshan and Gingee Ramachandran, will join the ruling DMK.
"We will unite with our mother party with at least 100,000 workers shortly. The decision was arrived at after understanding the futility of our former leader Vaiko's insistence on supporting the state's biggest loser party AIADMK," Ganeshan told IANS.
The date, venue and time when they will join the DMK will be worked out in consultation with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M. Karunanidhi, Ganeshan added.
Mayawati to launch Rs.2.5 bn projects in Braj Mandal
By IANS,
Agra : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati will Wednesday launch projects worth Rs.2.5 billion in Braj Mandal for pilgrims to the sites associated with Lord Krishna.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) sources here said Mayawati was expected to visit Mathura Wednesday but due to pressing engagements, the foundation laying ceremony will now be held in Lucknow at her Kalidas Marg residence around 11 a.m.
At least Rs.780 million will be spent on widening roads for easy connectivity and pilgrim movement between Gokul, Barsana, Goverdhan, Dauji, Vrindavan and Mathura round the year.
IUML to take on CPI (M), BJP
By TwoCircles.net staff reporter,
Malappuram (Kerala): The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) will take on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala in the coming elections.
In the wake of the dispute over the Indo-U.S nuclear deal, IUML has chalked out the strategy in the state committee party of the meeting held at Manjeriy on 4th August.
Congress spokespersons to get lessons on n-deal
By IANS,
New Delhi : In a move to create public support for the controversial India-US civil nuclear deal, the ruling Congress will Wednesday organise a special orientation programme for its spokespersons across the country, in which senior ministers and top officials will explain the nuances of the agreement and its advantages.
National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan, prime minister's special envoy on the nuclear deal Shyam Saran, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram will explain the advantages of the nuclear deal at the day-long programme.
New peak-caps, jackets for Seva Dal volunteers
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress Seva Dal volunteers will no more don white Gandhi caps while helping out at disaster-hit sites, but white cricket caps and jackets - thanks to an image makeover.
The Seva Dal workers will, however, retain their identity in the same old white shirt-trouser and the Gandhi cap as their uniform code for formal functions. The new white peak-cap and jacket will be worn when they are out on "ground work", especially while helping victims at disaster sites.
Trust vote win a ‘suitcase victory’: BJP
By IANS,
Agartala : Launching Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) "expose United Progressive Alliance (UPA)" campaign in Tripura Tuesday, party leader Sushma Swaraj termed the Manmohan Singh government's trust vote win as "suitcase victory".
"The UPA government lost in the confidence vote on July 22 as they bought the votes on the floor of parliament," Swaraj told a party rally here.
"It was a suitcase victory for Manmohan Singh," she said.
The BJP's nationwide campaign aims to expose the UPA government's alleged failure on all fronts.
Government for parliament session in September, BJP wants it soon
By Liz Mathew, IANS,
New Delhi : The government has decided to convene the monsoon session of parliament, earlier expected to begin Aug 11, in the second of week of September to get itself more time to focus on restoring peace in violence-hit Jammu region, but the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday demanded it should be called at "the earliest".
Palwal to be Haryana’s 21st district
By IANS,
Chandigarh : Palwal will be the 21st district of Haryana, the state government announced Tuesday.
The decision to create the new district was taken by the Haryana cabinet, which met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda here Tuesday.
The new district would be carved out of the Gurgaon division. Most of the areas would be from the Faridabad and Mewat districts.
CPI-M for urgent central intervention in Jammu and Kashmir
By IANS,
Agartala : The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Tuesday sought immediate central intervention to control violent protests in Jammu and Kashmir following a row over a controversial land transfer issue there.
"If the central government does not take immediate action, the situation may take a dangerous turn and groups with vested interests could utilise the situation to their advantage," said CPI-M politburo member Sitaram Yechury.
"Some fundamentalist elements have been aggravating the situation in Jammu and Kashmir," he told journalists here.
Communist Party of China to have MoU with Congress to repose faith
By Pranay Sharma, IANS,
New Delhi : The CPI-M and other Left parties' lack of trust in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government notwithstanding, the Communist Party of China has reposed faith in the ruling Congress party and is likely to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) when Sonia Gandhi travels to Beijing Thursday.
The MoU is likely to be signed by Sonia Gandhi, as Congress president, and by the CPC general secretary and Chinese President Hu Jintao after a meeting between the two in Beijing Thursday.
Massive preparations for BSP rally in Lucknow
By IANS,
Lucknow : The capital of Uttar Pradesh is set to rival Jodhpur for the 'blue city' tag with Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) workers putting up thousands of deep-blue party flags even as the administration pressed into service 150 doctors and 500 sanitary workers for the party's Saturday rally.
Larger than life cut-outs of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, her mentor Kanshi Ram and the Indian constitution's architect B.R. Ambedkar have been put up across the capital ahead of the rally, which will be held at the Ramabai Ambedkar Ground.
Like in Gujarat, BJP to try ‘new faces’ in Chhattisgarh
By IANS,
Raipur : The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chhattisgarh hopes to quell the anti-incumbency factor in the assembly polls in November by putting up new candidates, a la Gujarat.
"We have recently summed up constituency-wise inputs received from various channels and found that people are satisfied with the present BJP incumbents, but if we allot the majority of tickets (nominations) to new faces, victory will be certain," a top BJP leader told IANS.
Bengal’s CPI-M leaders in court for contempt case
By IANS,
Kolkata : Three leaders of West Bengal's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), including state general secretary Biman Bose, appeared before the Calcutta High Court Tuesday in connection with a contempt of court plea against them.
The division bench, comprising Chief Justice S.S Nijjar and Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghosh, asked Bose as well as Central Committee members Shyamal Chakraborty and Binoy Konar to file an affidavit within eight weeks on why a contempt case should not be initiated against them.
Karunakaran bats for son’s return to UDF
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Veteran politician K. Karunakaran, who returned to the Congress in December 2007, now wants the United Democratic Front (UDF) to readmit his son K. Muraleedharan, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Kerala.
"Those who say the NCP will not be allowed to join the UDF are those who fear they might lose their seats. I feel if the NCP joins the UDF, it will be good for the UDF," Karunakaran told reporters here at his residence.
Sangma slams Congress on illigal migrants’ issue
By NNN-PTI,
Shillong, India : Supporting the BJP's stand on the migration of Bangladeshis to the country, NCP General Secretary P A Sangma has accused the Congress and the Left of appeasing the illegal migrants.
Apprehending there would be influx of refugees to the tune of 15 million from the neighbouring country in the near future, Sangma lauded the saffron party's stand on the issue.
Rescheduled monsoon session to be held in September
By Liz Mathew, IANS,
New Delhi : The monsoon session of parliament, earlier expected to begin Aug 11, will now be convened in the second of week of September, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi.
The minister said this decision had been taken because the government was trying to focus on restoring peace in violence-hit Jammu region.
Parliament to meet in September
By IANS,
New Delhi : The monsoon session of parliament will convene in the second week of September, to give the government time to try restoring normalcy in Jammu region, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi.
"The government is keen to convene the session immediately to take up legislation to provide social security and other welfare measures to the unorganised sector. However, the government is now focusing on bringing back normalcy in troubled areas," the minister told IANS.
Chandy cancels foreign trip due to textbook stir
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Kerala opposition leader Oomen Chandy Tuesday said he has cancelled his proposed trip to Australia and Singapore as his party will intensify protests for the withdrawal of a controversial Class 7 social science textbook.
"The trip has been cancelled as the agitation against the Left government will be intensified at all levels," Chandy told IANS here.
PM calls all-party meeting on Jammu situation
By IANS,
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has convened an all-party meeting on Wednesday on the worsening situation in Jammu where agitation over the issue of transferring land to the Amarnath temple trust has led to violent clashes and curfew in several towns for several weeks.
Meanwhile, a high-level central government team arrived in Jammu to make an assessment of the situation on the directions of the Prime Minister's Office.
Dikshit’s publicity drive misleading people: Mukhi
By IANS,
New Delhi : Countering claims of Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in a spate of advertisements, Leader of Opposition Jagdish Mukhi Monday claimed her government was misleading people and misusing taxpayers' money.
“For the last few months, the Delhi government is spending millions of rupees daily by giving one to two full-page advertisements in various newspapers for the self-praise of Sheila Dikshit,” said Mukhi.
BJP’s new ‘evidence’ a work of fiction: Congress
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Congress Monday termed as a "work of fiction" what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) presented as "fresh evidence" in the cash-for-vote allegation and said it was a "desperate attempt" to divert attention from the government's trust vote victory.
"We reject the new allegations as desperate antics of bad losers," Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said here.
Left to launch nationwide campaign against UPA, BJP
By IANS,
Agartala : The Left parties would launch a nationwide campaign later this month against the policies of the Congress-led government as well as the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), communist leader Prakash Karat said here Monday.
"The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has no guts to convene the monsoon session of parliament, slated to begin on Aug 11, and for which two weeks' advance notice has to be issued by July end," Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Karat said.
BJP bribery claims ‘cooked up’, say Congress alliance partners
By IANS,
New Delhi : Coming together for the first time in a decade, three socialist parties came to the defence of alliance partner the Congress Monday and released a fresh CD on the cash-for-vote scam purportedly showing that the BJP with the help of a former Samajwadi Party worker had "stage-managed" the incident ahead of the July 22 trust vote.
New CD shows BJP, former SP man behind cash-for-votes scam
By IANS,
New Delhi : In yet another twist to the cash-for-votes scam, three allies of the ruling Congress Monday released a fresh CD purportedly showing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with the help of a former Samajwadi Party worker had "stage-managed" the incident ahead of the July 22 trust vote.
Lok Sabha panel views CDs on cash-for-votes scam
By IANS,
New Delhi : A seven-member Lok Sabha panel, constituted to look into three Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs' allegation that they were bribed to abstain during the July 22 trust vote, Monday viewed audio and video tapes of a TV channel's sting operation that allegedly filmed the bribery negotiations.
The committee, headed by Congress MP V. Kishore Chandra Deo, will take the statements of the three MPs during its third meeting Thursday.
Two RSS workers attacked, injured in Kerala
By IANS,
Kannur : Two Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) workers were injured when unknown assailants attacked them near a village in Kerala. The RSS was quick to blame the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) for the violence against its men.
Suresh Babu, 26, and Dinesh, 25, were injured when attacked at Panoor, around 40 km from Kannur town, Sunday night, the police said.
They were returning after attending an RSS programme. The condition of one of the injured is said to be serious.
A third CD ‘shows’ BJP behind cash-for-vote scam
By IANS,
New Delhi : In yet another twist to the cash-for-votes scam, three allies of the ruling Congress Monday released a fresh CD showing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had 'stage-managed' the episode for political gains during the July 22 trust vote.
Alleging that the main opposition BJP had stage-managed the entire episode for political gains, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said: "All the claims of BJP leaders have been proved wrong."
Mamata demands CRPF deployment in Nandigram
By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee is demanding the deployment of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel in West Bengal's Nandigram region, which flared up last year over a land acquisition proposal for a special economic zone (SEZ).
J&K Hindu leader calls BJP to prove it is Hindu party, condemns Bal &...
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Bhopal: "I appeal to all Hindus worldwide to unite and protest against the government terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir, (J&K), led by the governor and backed by the central government. Hindus need to stage protests across the world. We should protest strongly and make it clear we do not want any more talk, we want Lord Shiva’s Amarnath Temple land back and we want our freedom".
I’m being victimised by BSP government: suspended RTI chief
By Asit Srivastava, IANS,
Lucknow : M.A. Khan, Uttar Pradesh's former chief information commissioner (CIC) who was suspended last month on several charges of misconduct, says he is being victimised by the Mayawati government because he had given a pro-Samajwadi Party ruling as a high court judge three years ago.
Suspended by Governor T.V. Rajeswar July 9, Khan is the first chief information commissioner in the country to have been shown the door.
Sonia speaks to Rajnath on Jammu protests
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress chief Sonia Gandhi Sunday night discussed with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Rajnath Singh the situation in Jammu after violent protests over land for the Amarnath shrine board, Congress sources said.
Gandhi, who called up Singh over telephone, urged him to ask BJP cadre to help restore peace in Jammu and also not to politicise the issue, the party sources added.
Mamata threatens to lay siege to Tata Motors plant
By IANS,
Kolkata : Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday threatened to lay a siege to the Tata Motors factory in Singur for an indefinite period from Aug 24 to force the West Bengal government to return 400 acres of land "forcibly" acquired from farmers.
"The agitation will be spearheaded by the Krishi Jami Jiban Jeebika Raksha Committee (Save Farmland, Life and Livelihood Committee), an umbrella organisation of parties in our front," Banerjee told reporters here after a meeting with committee partners.
Government diverting energies to n-deal: CPI
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Communist Party of India (CPI) Sunday accused the Manmohan Singh government of "diverting all its energies" to the India-US civil nuclear deal instead of checking galloping inflation and price rise.
“The political crisis and uncertainty into which the country has been plunged is of the UPA government's own making,” said CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan after a meeting of the party's national council - the first since the four Left parties withdrew support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) July 9. The council has 131 members.
BJP offers new ‘evidence’ in cash-for-vote scam
By IANS,
New Delhi : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday offered fresh "documentary evidence" to back up its charge that three of its MPS were bribed to save the Manmohan Singh government during the trust vote last month.
"We have seen the subversion of parliament, media and truth. We want to bring to the notice of the public the reality behind the cash for vote scandal. The victory (in the July 22 trust vote) has been tainted," BJP spokesperson Arun Jaitley told reporters here.
Congress’ student wing activists baton charged
By IANS,
Bhopal : Hundreds of activists of the Congress-affiliated National Students Union of India (NSUI) were baton charged by the police here Saturday as they were proceeding towards the Madhya Pradesh chief minister's residence to submit a memorandum demanding elections in colleges.
At least four dozen NSUI workers and a dozen policemen were injured.
Congress disburses relief to Ahmedabad blast victims’ families
By IANS,
Ahmedabad : The Gujarat unit of the Congress party Saturday distributed 15 cheques of Rs.100,000 each to the families of some of the victims of last week's serial bombings here.
Four cheques were given in Modasa town of Sabarkantha district to the families of doctor Prerak Shah and his wife Kinjal Shah, who were killed in a blast outside the Civil hospital's trauma centre in Ahmedabad last Saturday, Ketan Bagoda and Virendra Pandya.
The remaining 11 cheques were disbursed in Ahmedabad's Asarwa area.
Varun Gandhi accused of manhandling Congress worker
By IANS,
Lucknow : A police complaint has been filed against Varun Gandhi, son of Bharatiya Janata Party MP Maneka Gandhi, for allegedly beating up a Congress worker in Pilibhit district of Uttar Pradesh, police said Saturday.
"Varun manhandled one Bharatveer Gangwar after a verbal duel with him over a loan waiver scheme. The incident took place Friday noon in the Johra Kalyanpur village of Pilibhit," a senior police officer said. Pilibhit is over 300 km from here.
A first information report has been filed against Gandhi on charges of assault, criminal intimidation and tresspassing.
Farmers block trains, Mamta broadside against Left on Singur
By IANS,
Kolkata : Several trains were halted in West Bengal Saturday as Trinamool Congress-led farmers blocked railway tracks demanding the state government return the land acquired in Singur for the Nano small car project even as party chief Mamta Banerjee said the the people would "punish the Left Front for its mistakes".
BJP to launch nationwide agitation for Amarnath land
By IANS,
Bhopal : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will launch a three-day nationwide agitation Aug 11 in support of protests in Jammu and Kashmir over the Amarnath land row, party leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said here Saturday.
Naidu told reporters that the party's MPs, legislators, leaders and workers would court arrest to protest the Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to take back the land alloted to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
Rajnikant qualifies apology to Karnataka
By IANS,
Chennai : Following intense criticism from various sections of the Tamil film industry, superstar Rajnikant Saturday qualified his apology to Kannadigas on a controversial dam project.
"If I had said clearly on April 4 that only those in Karnataka who indulged in violence against Tamils ought to have been beaten up, the present brouhaha would have been avoided," Rajnikant said.
The actor was speaking at a function to distribute Rs.4 million to technicians who worked in his latest release "Kuselan".
BJP harps on Hindutva, terrorism at Lucknow rally
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday fell back on Hindutva and terrorism, with its president Rajnath Singh harping on the Ram Setu controversy, the Amarnath shrine land transfer row, and parliament terror attack convict Afzal Guru at a rally here.
Speaking at the meeting, which the party termed an 'Expose Corruption' rally, Singh expressed surprise that the central government had questioned the existence of Lord Ram in its defence of the Setusamudram shipping canal project.
Expelled Shiv Sena MP brandishes revolver at opponents
By IANS,
Mumbai/Parbhani : Expelled Shiv Sena MP Tukaram Renge-Patil Saturday allegedly brandished a revolver at party workers when they demanded his resignation from parliament for abstaining in the trust vote in the house July 22.
Renge-Patil and his son, Balasaheb Renge-Patil, faced the ire of the party supporters near their home in Parbhani district of Maharashtra.
According to a police official, the duo were on the way to a temple when a group of party workers accosted them.
Trinamool-led farmers block trains in West Bengal
By IANS,
Kolkata : The New Delhi-Howrah Rajdhani Express and other trains were detained as farmers led by the Trinamool Congress set up a rail blockade Saturday demanding the West Bengal government and Tata Motors return the 400 acres acquired in Singur for the Nano small car project.
‘Seek people’s blessings not of Sonia and Lalu’
By IANS,
Ranchi : Former chief minister Babulal Marandi Saturday said Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) chief Shibu Shoren should "seek people's mandate instead of bowing to Sonia Gandhi and Lalu Yadav".
"Shibu Soren should not bow his head to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) chief Lalu Yadav to become chief minister of the state," Marandi told reporters.
"If Shibu Soren wants to become chief minister then he should seek people's mandate."
Gujarat to hold Independence Day celebrations in Palanpur
By IANS,
Palanpur (Gujarat) : The Gujarat government will hold Independence Day celebrations in this north Gujarat town this year.
Panchayat Minister Narottam Patel inaugurated the the 59th Van Mahotsav or forest festival here Friday as part of events and festivals in the run-up to the Aug 15 celebrations.
He said as many as 12 million tree saplings were to be planted across the district during the festival.
In a span of 15 days as many as 343 foundation stone laying ceremonies and 618 inaugurations are set to take place, launching developmental works worth Rs.3.69 billion.
Land row: Jammu agitation draws support from Congress
By IANS,
Jammu : A prominent Congress leader and younger brother of a party MP Saturday announced his support to the agitation for the allocation of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), as two former ministers demanded removal of Governor N.N. Vohra from the state.
Uma Bharti, Ritambhara arrested in Jammu
By IANS,
Jammu : The police Saturday arrested Hindu leaders Uma Bharti and Sadhvi Ritambhara who were to hold a public rally here, amid renewed violence over the Amarnath land row that left two people dead Friday forcing the authorities to call out the Indian Army.
Former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Uma Bharti and Ritambhara were arrested when they arrived at Jammu Airport, sources said.
"They have been taken into preventive custody," a police official told IANS.
The sources said the Hindu leaders were taken towards Udhampur side on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway.
Congress leader in Jammu demands governor’s removal
By IANS,
Jammu : A senior Congress leader Saturday demanded the removal of Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra citing his alleged failure to control the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Former minister and a lawmaker Raman Bhalla alleged Vohra had failed to instil confidence among the people and that the situation had deteriorated under his rule.
Jammu and Kashmir is under governor's rule since July 9 when Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was heading the Congress-led coalition government, resigned from the post of chief minister.
BJP to hold rally to `expose corruption’ in UPA
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bharatiya Janata Party national president Rajnath Singh Saturday afternoon will address a rally being organised by the party to "expose corruption" in the central and the non-BJP state governments.
"The Bhanda-phod (unmasking corruption) rally in Lucknow is part of the BJP's national campaign to expose the undemocratic ways through which the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government won the trust vote," BJP leader Lalji Tandon told IANS.
Kerala to get more rice, wheat: Pawar
By IANS,
New Delhi : Kerala, hit by a foodgrain shortage after the central government cut its quota, will get a special allocation of 10,000 tonnes rice and 20,000 tonnes wheat ahead of the Onam festival, Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said.
In an interview to Malayalam TV channel 'Jai Hind', Pawar said the state would get the special allocation at a reasonable rate before the festival, to be celebrated in September.
Kashmir parties call for peace over Amarnath land row
By IANS,
Jammu : Many political outfits in Jammu and Kashmir, who opposed transferring a plot of forest land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, have pledged to strengthen the temple trust, in an all parties' "appeal for peace".
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference are among the various regional and national parties who have also vowed to help the shrine board in handling the "increasing number of pilgrims every year".
Congress has its nose ahead in the political race
By Amulya Ganguli, IANS,
Having won the trust vote in parliament, even if by dubious means, the Manmohan Singh government and the ruling Congress can be said to be in a more comfortable position at present than their opponents.
The latest terrorist outrages and the high rate of inflation may have soured the taste of their success in parliament, but if they have still managed to remain ahead of the pack, the reason is that their adversaries haven't yet been able to get their wits together after the defeat.
Communist pullout could support formation of communal government: Congress
By Ians,
New Delhi : With the communists saying they would never return to the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), the Congress party that leads India's ruling coalition Friday said this could pave the way for a "communal government" in the country.
And, with Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee terming his expulsion from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) as "one of the saddest days" of his life, the Congress maintained that the Speaker's office was neutral and efforts should not be made to denigrate it.
BSP leaders meet expelled Samajwadi Party lawmaker in jail
By IANS,
Lucknow : Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader and parliamentarian Akbar Ahmed Dumpy Friday met expelled Samajwadi Party MP Afzal Ansari in the Ghazipur district jail in Uttar Pradesh where the latter is lodged on murder charges.
Ansari was recently expelled from the Samajwadi Party for voting against the United Progressive Alliance government during the trust vote over the India-US civilian nuclear deal.
Two other prominent BSP legislators of the region, Raj Kumar Singh and Saleem Siddiqui, also accompanied Dumpy. The meeting lasted for about two hours, official sources said.
Two arrested in northern West Bengal for Delhi blast
By IANS,
Siliguri (West Bengal): Two people, one of them a Bangladeshi, were arrested by a Delhi Police team Friday from Jalpaiguri in northern West Bengal for their alleged involvement with the Feb 1 blast in Malaviya Nagar in south Delhi.
Acting on a tip-off, a Delhi Police team raided the Bhaktinagar area in Jalpaiguri district and picked up Yassin Mohammad, who hails from Khulna in Bangladesh, and local resident Mohammad Mahiruddin Thursday night along with three others. The duo was formally arrested Friday.
Supreme Court stays ruling against transfer of Ansari brothers trial
But IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Friday stayed an Allahabad High
Court ruling which had dismissed a plea for transferring from Ghazipur to
Lucknow the trial of Uttar Pradesh independent legislator Mukhtar Ansari and
his parliamentarian brother for allegedly assassinating BJP's erstwhile
legislator Krishnanand Rai in 2005.
A bench of Chief Justice K.G Balakrishnan stayed the high court's December
2007 ruling on a plea by Central Bureau of Investigation, challenging the
high court ruling.
The CBI, which probed the murder of the erstwhile Ghazipur legislator in
Tripura CPI-M cancels mass rally, mourns Surjeet
By IANS,
Agartala : The Tripura state committee of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday cancelled a mass rally scheduled here Sunday in view of the death of veteran Marxist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
"Silent condolence rallies would be held Sunday across Tripura to pay tributes to the departed communist leader, who died in New Delhi Friday after a protracted illness," said Baidyanath Majumder, secretary of the state unit of CPI-M.
Maharashtra governor, chief minister mourn Surjeet’s death
By IANS,
Mumbai : Maharashtra Governor S.C. Jamir and Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh Friday expressed grief over the death of veteran communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
Surjeet, 92, died Friday at the Metro Hospital in Noida after a prolonged illness.
In a message, Jamir said Surjeet "was a frontline communist leader of India who played a significant role in the national politics of the country for more than six decades".
Tripura CPI-M cancels mass rally, mourns Surjeet
By IANS,
Agartala : The Tripura state committee of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Friday cancelled a mass rally scheduled here Sunday in view of the death of veteran Marxist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet.
"Silent condolence rallies would be held Sunday across Tripura to pay tributes to the departed communist leader, who died in New Delhi Friday after a protracted illness," said Baidyanath Majumder, secretary of the state unit of CPI-M.
H.K.S. Surjeet – the architect of coalition politics is dead
By IANS,
New Delhi : An era in Indian politics that started 92 years ago in 1916 ended Friday with the death of Indian Communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, the man who was sometimes called the 'uncrowned prime minister of India' for his role in putting together various coalition governments through the years.
Surjeet, who had towered over the country's communist movement for over seven decades, lost the battle to multiple ailments at 1.35 p.m. in the Metro Hospital, Noida.
Rahul leaves for Dhaka to study rural projects
By IANS,
New Delhi : Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Friday left for Dhaka to learn more about the poverty alleviation programmes and the micro-finance projects of the Grameen Bank there.
Rahul, who is on a five-day visit to the neighbouring country, will visit some rural development projects of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Centre (BRAC) and the Grameen Bank, which was founded by Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus.
Text of CPI-M resolution to pay homage to Surjeet
By IANS,
New Delhi : Following is the text of the Communist Party of India-Marxist's (CPI-M) resolution paying homage to veteran leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, who died Friday in a Noida hospital:
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) records with profound grief the passing away of Comrade Harkishan Singh Surjeet, veteran leader of the CPI(M), an outstanding figure of the Communist movement of the country and prominent national politician. He died after a prolonged illness on August 1, 2008. He was 93 years old.
Abdullah, Mufti forced to stay in airport by agitators
By IANS,
Jammu : National Conference leader and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah and People's Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti, who arrived here for an all-party meeting, were forced to stay at the airport for over three hours as agitators for Amarnath shrine land blocked their way out.
Slain assailant in Varanasi shootout from Samajwadi Party
By IANS,
Lucknow : The Uttar Pradesh police have identified one of the attackers who was killed in Wednesday's crossfire between a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) member and four assailants in Varanasi. He has been identified as Ramesh Yadav, also known as Babu Yadav, a Samajwadi Party corporator.
BSP member Dharmendra Singh was injured Wednesday evening when gunmen opened fire at his car, killing his driver. While one of the attackers was killed in the return fire, the other two assailants fell to police bullets when they tried to escape.
Kerala leaders mourn the loss of comrade Surjeet
By IANS,
Thiruvananthapuram : Veteran Communist leader Harkishan Singh Surjeet, who died in New Delhi Friday after a prolonged illness, was remembered fondly here not just by his comrades in Kerala's government but also by the opposition Congress.
Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan said he had been fortunate to be associated with Surjeet for more than five decades.
"I recall the association that I had with him fondly. When our party here in the state went through troubled times, the timely intervention that he made was very crucial. His loss is irreparable," said Achuthanandan.
Hitler, Goebbels, Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar – who’s who?
By IANS,
Patna : Adolf Hitler's propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels may be pardoned for suffering an identity crisis in his grave. Bihar's chief minister Nitish Kumar called his political bete noire Lalu Prasad Goebbels the other day. Now Lalu Prasad - railway minister in the central government - has called Nitish Kumar Goebbels, and Hitler to boot.
It all began Wednesday when Nitish Kumar compared Lalu to Hitler's propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.