Raipur: The hostage crisis in Chhattisgarh entered its ninth day on Monday as Sukma District Collector Alex Paul Menon continued to remain in the captivity of the Naxals.
Meanwhile, after days of drama over the name of the mediators, the two Naxal-appointed interlocutors on Sunday returned after holding the first round of talks with the Maoists.
Following the talks, the mediators said that the abducted IAS officer, who is an asthma patient, is safe and in good health.
The Naxals have demanded that 17 prisoners be freed to secure the safe release of the abducted Sukma collector.
Reacting to the demands, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh has said the demands will be considered only within the legal framework.
Ghaziabad: Murdered teenager Aarushi Talwar's mother Nupur Talwar on Monday surrendered before the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in Ghaziabad, following which she was taken into custody.
Minutes after the surrender, Nupur's lawyers moved a bail application on which the CBI is slated to reply in some time.
Her lawyer Satish Tamta said, "Nupur has been taken into custody. The CBI has to file a reply by 11.30 am."
Earlier, Nupur had arrived at the special CBI court in Ghaziabad along with her mother and husband Rajesh Talwar.
This comes after the Supreme Court directed Nupur to surrender before the trial court while refusing to stay the non-bailable warrant against her.
The lawyers of the Talwars filed a plea for regular bail for the mother of the slain teenager.
Nupur's husband Rajesh Talwar is on bail till May 7 and the CBI has challenged it as well.
The court had earlier extended the non-bailable warrant against Nupur Talwar till April 30. The CBI had sought an extension of the warrant date and said that Nupur Talwar won't be arrested until the Chief Justice takes up the matter.
She got a temporary breather from the Supreme Court. Her plea against a non-bailable warrant is still pending in the Supreme Court.
Earlier, the Ghaziabad court had issued a non-bailable warrant against Nupur Talwar after she failed to appear before a special CBI court despite a deadline given to her.
Rajesh Talwar and his wife Nupur have been accused by the CBI of being involved in the murder of their teenaged daughter Aarushi in May 2008.
Aarushi, 14, was found dead inside her Noida residence in May, 2008 with her throat slit and the body of the Talwars' domestic servant Hemraj was recovered from the terrace hours later.
An outcry against the shoddy investigation by Uttar Pradesh police had led to the then Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh handing over the case to the CBI. Aarushi murder: The case so far May 16, 2008: Aarushi is found dead at home; domestic help Hemraj goes missing. May 17, 2008: Hemraj's body is found on the terrace of the Talwars' house. May 18, 2008: Police suspect insider job; say murders with surgical precision. May 22, 2008: Family under suspicion; honour killing angle probed. May 23, 2008: Aarushi's father Rajesh Talwar arrested for both murders. June 2008: Rajesh and Nupur Talwar undergo Lie Detection Tests September 4, 2009: Hyderabad lab claims that submitted vaginal samples were not Aarushi's. September 14, 2009: Delhi police finds Aarushi's mobile phone in Bulandshahr. December 2010: CBI files closure report; names Rajesh Talwar as sole suspect. February 9, 2011: Special CBI court summons Rajesh and Nupur Talwar as accused. February 21, 2011: Talwars move Allahabad HC challenging the CBI court summons. January 6, 2012: SC rejects Talwars' plea to squash proceedings in Ghaziabad court. March 2: SC rejects Talwars' petition to shift case from Ghaziabad to a Delhi court. March 14: Rajesh gets bail; Nupur asked to appear in court within 30 days. April 11: Nupur Talwar skips court again, is served a non-bailable warrant. April 13: CBI Assures SC Nupur won't be arrested till her plea against arrest is heard. April 27: SC refuses to stay non-bailable warrant, orders Nupur to surrender.
Mumbai: Counting of votes for the richest civic body in India, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) indicated that the leads were in favour of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance. However, it looks unlikely for the combine to be able to hold a majority.
The trends indicate a hung civic body in Mumbai, which could bring Raj Thackeray's MNS and independent candidates into the limelight. The Sena-BJP alliance looks set to retain power with the help of independent candidates.
Raj Thackeray also plays a crucial role. If Raj decides to go with the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, the combine will retain the BMC easily. This may prove be a major setback for the Congress-NCP alliance as it may need the support of not just MNS, but also the independents to attain a majority.
As trends indicate a hung civic body in Mumbai, the Sena-BJP alliance may retain power with the help of independent candidates.
CNN-IBN
Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, who had claimed before the polls that Shiv Sena and its leader Bal Thackeray will be rendered irrelevant once the results were out, seems to have overestimated the Mumbaikar's eagerness to get rid of the 16-year "misrule" of the saffron alliance.
This is first time that the Congress was contesting the BMC polls in an alliance with the NCP. What had prompted Chavan to cobble together an alliance with NCP for the Mumbai civic body poll was the fact that in the last elections, the votes polled by the Congress and NCP, which had then contested the BMC poll separately, if added, would have yielded 132 seats. "Hence, getting a simple majority of 114 seats in the 227-member BMC should not be difficult," Chavan had said.
Chavan had been saying that MNS support base, which has widened markedly since the 2007 BMC poll, would benefit the Congress-led Democratic Front, as the Raj Thackeray-led party would into eat into the Sena-BJP votes as in the past.
Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena-BJP combine is also set to retain Thane as the alliance took the top spot in the Thane Municipal Corporation poll.
Out of the 130 seats, Congress and the NCP alliance bagged 52 and the Shiv Sena and BJP alliance 61 seats.
In Pune, the NCP is likely to emerge as the single largest party, but will also need the support of the Congress.
The BJP maintained its lead over the Congress and the NCP in party President Nitin Gadkari's home city Nagpur.
New Delhi: Hours after Election Commissioner wrote a letter to President Pratibha Patil against Union Law Minister Salman Khurshid, the BJP on Saturday said the minister had no right to continue in the government. The main Opposition said an 'unprecedented situation had been created' with the poll body constrained to seek intervention of the highest constitutional authority over Khurshid's repeated violation of the model code of conduct. "We demand his immediate sacking from the Union Cabinet and ask the Prime Minister to clarify the stand of the government," said BJP vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who had earlier complained to the EC against Khurshid's defiance despite his censure by the poll body. The Election Commission on Saturday sought the 'immediate and decisive' intervention of President after it charged Khurshid with 'improper and unlawful' defiance of its orders under which he was censured for promising sub-quota for minorities.
The move comes after Khurshid had dared the Election Commission to act against him over his comment on Muslim sub-quota. Khurshid had said, "They can hang me if they want, but I will continue to ask for reservations for pasmanda Muslims." The Election Commission said that it was shocked that Khurshid chose to be defiant and aggressive. Sources said that the President has forwarded the Election Commission's letter to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for appropriate action. Sources in the Election Commission said that the commission even considered countermanding elections in Khurshid's wife's constituency Farrukhabad. The Samajwadi Party (SP) reacting to the Election Commission's letter said, "Law Minister is trying to demolish the structure of the democracy." BJP leader Sushma Swaraj on social networking site twitter said, "We request the President to withdraw her pleasure and dismiss Shri Salman Khurshid as a Minister of the Union Cabinet for acting against EC." In a not-so-veiled attempt, Khurshid earlier took on the Election Commission in Farrukhabad. "I don't have permission to talk about the rights of minorities. I was attacked for promising them their rights. They can hang me for standing up for the minorities," said the Congress leader. BJP spokesperson Balbir Punj hit out at Khurshid saying it was unfortunate that a minister was undermining the authority of a constitutional body. "It is really unfortunate that of all the people, the Law Minister of the country, Mr Salman Khurshid, is not only challenging the authority of the Election Commission of India but also undermining its authority," said Punj. In its letter, Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi wrote, "The Commission is approaching you with serious dismay and a deep sense of urgency that requires your kind intervention in the midst of the poll process in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The Union Minister for Law and Justice and Minority Affairs, Salman Khurshid, who is also a leader of the Indian National Congress Party, had made certain statements and announcements during the course of his campaign in the state. One of them was to the effect that the Congress would provide a quota of 9 per cent reservation to the minorities within the existing quota of 27 per cent for OBCs. He also indicated that Muslims having a sizeable population will be benefited from this move. Following complaints received from a political party that such announcement was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct, the Commission, after due notice and hearing, passed an order on February, 9, 2012 that Khurshid had indeed violated the MCC. The full Commission hence deliberated on the matter in an emergency meeting, this afternoon, while being concerned about the fact that Khurshid’s action could vitiate free and fair poll in Uttar Pradesh." Never before has the Election Commission sought Presidential intervention to rein in a Union Minister in the middle of a crucial election and the Election Commission's decision is bound to embarrass the government and the Congress. Khurshid, while campaigning for his wife Louise, who is a Congress candidate from Farrukhabad Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had promised the electorate last month that the party would increase the sub-quota for minorities to nine per cent, out of the 27 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.
New Delhi: Around 1.76 crore voters will seal the fate of 1,078 candidates, including the two Chief Ministerial aspirants Parkash Singh Badal of ruling SAD-BJP and Amarinder Singh of opposition Congress, in fray for 117 assembly seats in Punjab where polling began on Monday amidst tight security at 8 am. The battle for electoral politics in Uttarakhand is also taking place on Monday.
Polling commenced in 70 Assembly constituencies in Uttarakhand amid tight security with over 60 lakh voters expected to exercise their franchise in the single-phased elections. Over 63 lakh electorates will decide the fate of 788 candidates with the top contenders from the ruling BJP and Congress contesting all the 70 seats.
Top state leaders, including chief minister BC Khanduri from Kotdwar, former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank from Doiwala, Leader of Opposition Harak Singh Rawat from Rudraprayag and PCC chief Yashpal Arya from Baajpur seats will try their luck at the polls.
Polling commenced at 0800 hrs and would end at 1700 hrs, Uttarakhand Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said. She said elaborate arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of polling and all the personnel deployed in high-altitude areas have been provided with sleeping bags, snow-boot and jackets.
An Indian Airforce helicopter has also been stationed at Sarsawa as part of rescue efforts to meet with any eventuality, Raturi added. She said 9744 polling booths have been set up across the state out of which 1794 stations have been declared as "sensitive" and 1252 as "hyper-sensitive".
A total of 75 companies of Central paramilitary force besides 10,000 home guards from Uttar Pradesh, 2000 home guards from Himachal Pradesh and 10,000 personnel from Uttarakhand Police have been deployed for the polls. Raturi said nearly Rs 1.40 crore in cash has so far been seized in various parts of the state.
All government, non-government offices, schools, colleges, industrial establishments and shops have been asked to remain closed on Monday, the official said.
Security has been tightened around all polling stations as the Election Commission clearly not wanting to take any chances after violence that broke out during Saturday's assembly elections in Manipur where 7 people lost their lives. Security forces staged a flag march in Ludhiana on Sunday. But the big worry in Uttarakhand is the weather. Parties are afraid that heavy snowfall in hilly areas may cause a low turnout.
One of the big names facing off in Punjab's single phase election on Monday is Parkash Singh Badal who is currently serving his 4th term as Chief Minister since 2007. The Shiromani Akali Dal leader is contensting from Lambi. Looking to wrest power from Badal is the Maharaja of Patiala Capt Amarinder Singh. The Congress leader had served as Chief Minister from 2002 to 2007.
Also in the race is Badal's son Sukhbir Singh Badal who is currently the Deputy Chief Minister and President of the Akali Dal. He's contesting from Jalalabad. Then there's Manpreet Singh Badal who left Akali Dal in March 2010 following differences over governance issues. He's contesting on a People's Party of Punjab ticket from Gidderbaha constituency.
Among women there's former state congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal contesting from Lehra. She was Punjab's first woman to serve as Chief Minister in 1996. And finally former DGP Param Deep Singh Gill who is contesting on an Akali Dal ticket from Moga.
The key issues that have dominated this election are corruption, farmers' issues and unemployment in Punjab. The question is will these concerns dominate voting patterns. And can the Akalis defy the anti-incumbency and return to power in Punjab? More importantly, will the BJP propel or drag down the performance of their alliance with Akalis? Also, will Manpreet Badal's Punjab People's Party make an impact on poll outcome?
Jaipur: The Salman Rushdie row refuses to die down as the four authors who read excerpts from Rusdhie's 'The Satanic Verses' have already left the Jaipur Literature Festival amidst speculation that they may be arrested if they had stayed on.
Sources say that the festival organisers had unofficially asked the four to leave the venue. The four authors, Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi struck a defiant note by reading from the banned book on Friday after Rushdie called off his visit citing death threats.
William Dalrmpyle, Festival Director, said, "There was a threat of arrest to the authors. MF Hussain's lawyer advised them to leave. We are in touch with all of them. We didn't know it's an arrestable offence. We support solidarity with Salman Rushdie but within law."
The festival organisers insisted that the four acted of their own will. Meanwhile, Rushdie drummed up support with Oprah Winfrey and spiritual guru Deepak Chopra both rooting for him.
The author community at the Jaipur Literature Festival seemed divided over Rushdie. Chetan Bhagat said that we need to accept that Rushdie has hurt Muslim sentiments. Deepak Chopra said 'Satanic Verses' doesn't deserve a ban or fatwa. "I have read 'Satanic Verses' and and I think Salman Rushdie is unjustly vilified," he said.
Oprah Winfrey has also lodged her support for the controversial writer, saying she doesn't support the banning of books.
Earlier, Salman Rushdie on Sunday slammed the Rajasthan police for allegedly inventing a plot to keep him away.
Rushdie tweeted: "I've investigated, and believe that I was indeed lied to. I am outraged and very angry. Don't know who gave orders. And yes I guess the same police who want to arrest Hari Kunzru, Amitava Kumar, Jeet Thayil and Ruchir Joshi. Disgusting."
A complaint has been filed in Jaipur against four authors who read from Salman Rushdie's banned book 'Satanic Verses' at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival.
"We received the complaint yesterday and are examining it. It is a complaint and no FIR has been lodged so far," A Mohammad, SHO of Ashok Nagar police station, on Sunday said.
Rushdie was referring to the three authors and the poet who dared to read excerpts from his banned book 'Satanic Verses' at the Festival to lodge their protest over Rushdie's absence on Day 1.
Rushdie also posted a link to a news report that said local intelligence officials in Rajasthan had "invented" information about the assassination plot against him to keep him from attending the literary event. His accompanying tweet read, "Here's the story. Astonishing."
The author had dropped plans to attend the literature festival saying he was informed by intelligence sources in Maharasthra and Rajasthan that paid hitmen from the Mumbai underworld will "eliminate" him if he came to India.
Rushdie had expressed doubts about the "accuracy" of the intelligence but said in a statement that it would be "irresponsible" on his part to still attend the festival and put the lives of other authors and participants in danger.
Meanwhile, in what could further stoke the Salman Rushdie controversy, a section of authors at the Jaipur Literature Festival launched a campaign demanding immediate lifting of the 23-year-old ban on the controversial writer's book 'The Satanic Verses'.
"We strongly urge the government to reconsider the ban on The Satanic Verses," read a petition put forward by the authors led by writer Nilanjana Roy.
The book by the India-born author was banned in the country in 1988 for allegedly having blasphemous content hurting the sentiments of Muslims.
The petition claimed that 'The Satanic Verses' "has not incited violence anywhere. Others have used the novel's existence to incite violence to suit their political ends.
"Within India, in the 23 years since the ban, we have witnessed an erosion of respect for freedom of expression, as artists like MF Husain, Chandramuhun Srimantula, Jatin Das, and Balbir Krishan have been intimidated, and works of writers like Rohinton Mistry and AK Ramanujan have been withdrawn because of threats by groups claiming to be offended," the petition said.
India is one of the very few countries in the world where the ban stands, placing it alongside Egypt, Pakistan, Iran, Malaysia, Liberia and Papua New Guinea, among others, the petition said.
Mumbai: Adding a new twist to the controversy over Salman Rushdie's participation in the Jaipur Literature Festival, sources in Mumbai Police denied giving any inputs about paid assassins.
The sources have countered the Booker-winning author's claim that paid assassins were out to get him. The sources told CNN-IBN there were no intelligence inputs about a threat to Rushdie and that they gave no inputs regarding paid assassins eyeing Rushdie.
BJP Leader Uma Bharti also reacted to the controversy on Saturday and said, "The Salman Rushdie controversy is being made an issue because of the UP elections. A person has the right to express himself till his expressions do not let down another person. The row over Rushdie is being guided by the UP elections."
Rushdie on Friday called off his Jaipur visit saying there were threats from the underworld.
Rushdie issued a statement through the organisers of the festival saying that he will not be coming to the event. "Very sad not to be at Jaipur. I was told Bombay mafia don issued weapons to 2 hitmen to "eliminate" me. Will do video link instead. Damn," Rushdie tweeted.
Jaipur Literature Festival organiser Sanjoy Roy had made the announcement saying that Rushdie decided not to attend as there is a threat to his life in India.
"There are intelligence inputs from Rajasthan and Maharashtra that paid assassins are on their way so he wants to be responsible to himself, people at the festival and everyone," said Roy.
Authors Hari Kunzru and Amitava Kumar also read out a passage from his banned book the 'Satanic Verses' on Friday to lodge their protest over Rushdie's absence before they were stopped by the organisers of the festival. An hour later, writer Ruchir Joshi and poet Jeet Thayil repeated the act of defiance. They, too, were stopped by the organisers.
Influential Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband had demanded that Rushdie should not be allowed into India over his book The Satanic Verses published more than 20 years ago. There was also a fatwa that anybody willing to hurl a shoe at Rushdie would be paid Rs 1 lakh.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011
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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will file a status report in the Bhanwari Devi case in the Rajasthan High Court on Thursday in which the agency is likely to say that her husband Amar Chand is involved in her abduction.
Sources say the CBI has found a witness in Amar Chand's driver in the Bhanwari Devi case. They say CBI investigation has revealed that Amar Chand was misleading investigators when he said his car was to be repaired so he could not accompany Bhanwari on September 1, the day on which she went missing and has been untraceable till now.
Amar Chand's driver and the garage mechanic, where the car was reportedly sent, have said the car was not repaired on September 1.
The status report will also include revelations by sacked Rajasthan water resources minister Mahipal Maderna, who is already in CBI custody. Maderna has reportedly accepted about his relationship with Bhanwari but has denied knowledge about her alleged killing.
Congress MLA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, who represents the Luni constituency in Rajasthan Assembly, has already been summoned by the CBI for questioning.
Bishnoi's Jodhpur residence was raided by the CBI on Wednesday in connection with the Bhanwari Devi case. The CBI had on Tuesday pasted a notice outside the residence of Bishnoi warning him to appear before the agency at 11 am on December 14 for answering questions related to the missing case of Bhanwari Devi or face legal action.
The raid were carried out after Bishnoi failed to appear before the CBI. Tuesday's notice was the third one as Bishnoi has failed to respond to two notices issued by the CBI earlier.
Bhanwari Devi, an auxiliary nurse, went missing from Bilara on September 1.
Here is a roundup of news from Indian newspapers, news wires and Web sites on Tuesday, July 5, 2011. The Wall Street Journal has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. Telangana will Turn into a Furnace, Warns KCR: Telangana Rashtra Samithi President K Chandrasekhar Rao has warned of intensifying the agitation from Tuesday in support of Telangana if the Centre continued to dilly-dally on the issue and demanded that immediate steps be taken for the formation of the separate state. (Source: NDTV) After Controversial Remarks, Manmohan Singh will Visit Bangladesh: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will visit Bangladesh on September 6 and 7. The announcement comes days after the Prime Minister’s controversial remark that a quarter of all Bangladeshis were influenced by the Jamaat and close to the ISI. (Source: NDTV) Azad’s ‘Unnatural’ Remark about Gays Causes Uproar: For the Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, men having sex with men (MSMs) is not only “unnatural” but also a “disease.” (Source: Times of India) Tea in Tihar: 3 Officials Suspended: After holding an inquiry, Tihar Jail officials have confirmed that several inmates were flouting jail regulations like moving around freely inside jail premises and having tea with the jail officials. (Source: Times of India) Under Pressure, SM Krishna Pays for ‘Tennis’ Tour: The External Affairs Minister SM Krishna on Friday (July 1) watched the Jokovic-Tsonga semifinal at Wimbledon, while he was in London on a five-day official visit. (Source: IBN Live)
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Islamabad: Hollywood actor and UNHCR's goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to meet people affected by the worst floods in the country's history and to highlight the urgent need for help, a press release from UNHCR said.
Jolie is visiting flood-hit regions on Tuesday and Wednesday as the personal envoy of UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres.
The Goodwill Ambassador is travelling to affected communities and meeting people involved in the relief efforts.
The award-winning actress last visited the country in November 2005 after a devastating earthquake swept northern Pakistan.
Flooding has battered Pakistan since the onset of heavy monsoon rains a month ago, affecting a wide central belt. Pakistan's Indus River swelled and burst its banks. More than 1,600 people have died and more than 6 million are homeless, according to the UN. The total population affected is at least 17 million.
Water covers a fifth of the country – an area the size of Italy – much of which is agricultural. At least 3.2 million hectares (7.9 million acres) – about 14 per cent of Pakistan's entire cultivated land, have been damaged.
New Delhi: Indian Olympic Association President and Chairman of the Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi is now on a sticky wicket as the IndianHigh Commission in Britain has refuted his claim that money was paid to a company recommended by them.
The Indian High Commission has denied his claim that it had recommended AM Cars and AM Films UK Ltd, which were used for organising a Commonwealth Games function. Kalmadi had said that the little known company was hired on the recommendation of the High Commission alone.
"AM cars and vans that we appointed for transport was recommended by the Indian High Commission," Kalmadi said on Saturday.
Moreover, the High Commission officials say they never gave a formal recommendation.
"A M Films is not on the panel of companies recommended by the High Commission usually. A M Films was reportedly given over £ 4.50 lakh by the Organising Committee without following any proper tendering procedure and there was no paper work. We have to scrutinise the email that Kalmadi is holding as proof of the High Commission's recommendation," said the High Commission.
Speaking to CNN-IBN, Kalmadi had on Saturday claimed that the organisers acted according to the High Commission's advice.
"The Organising Committee sent a letter to Vikran Ratan, who's the first secretary of the protocol and administration. He is the person responsible for these matters and his junior officer has replied on his behalf. It is very clear the High Commission has paid to the company recommended by them. We have gone by the High Commission advice," Kalmadi said.
Kalmadi has also denied all allegations of financial irregularities in the organisation of the Commonwealth Games 2010 in New Delhi. "I have been deeply pained by the baseless allegations of corruption in the CWG," said Kalmadi on Saturday.
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London/New Delhi: British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived in Bangalore on Tuesday night. This is Cameron's first tour to India since assuming office.
Cameron is in India at a time when restrictions on immigration to Britain, curbs on student visas and London backing the Taliban-Pakistan group in Afghanistan have not gone down well with New Delhi.
So the new British Prime Minister must play his cards carefully during his current India visit.
"We don't have a narrow mercantilist approach. Trade has to be two-way, investment has to be two-way. We recognise that relations with India have to be on a reciprocal basis, it has to be mutual advantage," said Cameron's Business Secretary Vince Cable.
The focus also appears to be on Britain selling more Hawk trainer jets to the Indian Air Force and Navy for a nearly $ 1 billion. The UK also wants India to fast track the entry of British universities into India, give more contracts to British infrastructure firms and buy Britain's green technologies.
"I think in addition the UK may well be looking towards India, also China, as alternatives for investment and growth at a time when Europe is not as strong as it used to be," says Chief Economist at Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development John Philpot.
Even if there has been a slippage in both trade and investment, the British do believe they have an advantage in India. They are making a serious and special effort to make capital use of it.
But Cameron may have to try very hard. For South Block relations with the US, China, Russia and France are distinct and stand apart with Britain appearing to be part of a crowd somewhere out there.
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Belgaum: The border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka is spiraling out of control after the case took an important turn in the Supreme Court on Monday, as the court permitted the Maharashtra government to amend its original suit challenging the validity of a law that allowed the inclusion of some areas with a Marathi-speaking population in Karnataka five decades ago.
The decision of the Supreme Court to reject the affidavits filed by Karnataka as well as the Centre had sparked the violence. The miscreants from both sides attacked buses coming from the other side of the border. Three Maharashtra state buses were burnt at Kittur in Belgaum district by suspected activists of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike. MNS activists allegedly torched Karnataka state buses in Thane, Pune, Kolhapur and Solapur. Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation then decided to cancel buses to Karnataka for next two days.
Activists of the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) were lathicharged by Belgaum Police. The activists were protesting the Centre's affidavit in the Supreme Court saying Belgaum district in Karnataka cannot be ceded to Maharashtra merely because it has a large Marathi speaking population.
Here’s the history of five-decade old border dispute and when did it all begin:
On 1956: the Belguam district was incorporated into the newly formed Mysore state.
On 5 June, 1960: Government of India constituted Mahajan Committee to look into the border dispute.
Mahajan commission rejected Maharashtra's claim on Belgaum city. The Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES) came into being in 1948 for the sole purpose of getting Belgaum into Maharashtra.
On 27 October, 2005: the MES-controlled Belguam City Corporation passed a resolution for the merger of disputed border areas in the district of Belgaum.
Pro-Karnataka group called Kannada Rakshana Vedike manhandled the BCC mayor Vijay More, former mayor Shivaji Sunthakar and former legislator B I Patil, in Bangalore.
On 21 November, 2005: the Karnataka government dissolved the Council, under pressure from Kannada activists.
Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray warned that Kannadigas in Maharashtra will be attacked if even a single Marathi-speaking person in Belgaum is targeted.
On 15 March 2006: the Maharashtra government filed a petition in the Supreme Court.
On 25 September, 2006: for the first time Karnataka government convened a five-day Assembly session in Belgaum to assert its hold over the border city. The Houses unanimously adopted a resolution, endorsing the Mahajan Commission report.
The Supreme Court began its hearing on Maharashtra's petition on January 17, 2007.
Warner Bros production Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? is based on Sharad Joshi's novel Tum Kab Jaoge Atithi. While going to watch this film, do remember that it is not a madhouse comedy like Priyadarshan's or David Dhawan's. It takes you there slowly and subtly, bringing home the message.
Puneet (Ajay Devgan) is a scriptwriter who's landed a big film project. He has an interior designer wife, Munmun (Konkona Sen Sharma) and a little son.
Life is pretty much routine for them until a relative arrives one day from Gorakhpur, calling himself Chachaji (Paresh Rawal). While friends and neighbours are irritated with guests at home, Puneet and Munmun actually welcome their new arrival.
But right from the moment he enters the buildingcomplex, Chachaji causes havoc with his old-fashioned and some very weird and annoying ways. Soon, Puneet and Munmun start looking for ways to get rid of him, but to no avail. This old worldly and simple uncle just doesn't seem to get the hint.
The first half of the film goes in establishing all this, and does a pretty good job of it. There are twists and turns in the second half, all tackled with the help of comic situations.
What scores is that the film does not have slapstick or in-your-face comedy. It is just about loving and accepting your guest, the way he or she is - taking the good things from them and ignoring the bad. However, the film does not say whether one should accept and endure guests who are not relatives of the hosts. That could be a different story altogether.
Paresh Rawal is the rockstar in Atithi.... Here is one character actor for whom people flock to the box office.
It looks like Ajay Devgan would continue his successful spree after 2009's All the Best, although London Dreams didn't do that well. The actor is in full form in the scene where he confesses he wouldn't even have tolerated his dad as a guest for more than four days, and that his son would do the same.
Konkona Sen Sharma is a natural as the modern, working wife, mother and daughter-in-law. She looks pretty, too, and adds a freshness to the film.
It's an exciting week for Satish Kaushik, with two films releasing on the same day. He convincingly plays the film producer in Atithi..., as well as the mechanic in Studio18's Road, Movie. The beginning of a good year for the lovable 'Calendar' from Mr. India - who is more successful as an actor than a director.
Writer-director Ashwani Dheer's Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? almost reminds you of Karan Johar's 'It's all about loving your family' punch in his films - although in the message, not the treatment. But Atithi... is a good eye-opener for today's youngsters who lead a fast life just like Puneet and Munmun, and have no time even for parents. And never does the film get boring or sermonic. But remember, it's not a laugh riot, but displays comedy with the help of dialogues, situations, and parodies (like Beedi Jalailey becomes prayer song Jyoti Jalailey).
Verdict: All in all, Atithi... is a family film, and seems like a best bet this week to watch with one's family, as compared to the other films.
nitya007's
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Monday, February 15, 2010
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IBN live
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New Delhi: The Government wants special courts to settle disputes involving Rs 5 crore and above to facilitate industry. But legal experts have denounced the move terming it unfair to set up courts especially for the rich.
In December 2009 there were over 3 crore cases pending in courts across the country.
A World Bank report also says India ranks very low when it comes to legal environment for doing business. In fact India is ranked 122 in a list of 188 countries.
But now the Government wants to change this with the Commercial Division of High Courts Bill 2009 envisaging fast tracking high value cases involving Rs 5 crore.
The Rajya Sabha Select Committee where the bill is being studied is questioning the constitutional validity with the Left and the BJP asking how can there be courts for the rich and the poor.
Even eminent jurists feel that the bill will violate the Fundamental Rights.
"It is unfortunate that this discrimination, so flagrant, is not noticed by the government, which moves this bill," said justice Krishna Iyer.
Law Minister Veerappa Moily, though, is denying that the proposed legislation is discriminatory in nature.
"A series of World reports say making investment in India is very difficult. We have been classified among the nation where investors are not attracted where the cases are not disposed off," said Moily.
In August 2009, Moily was forced to withdraw the controversial Judges Declaration of Assets Bill after an uproar from a united Opposition.
The Commercial Division of High Courts Bill, too, could face the same fate.
Sources say the Opposition could force a division if the Government looks to push it through in which case the Congress will be faced with an embarrassing situation given the party's lack of numbers in Rajya Sabha.
nitya007's
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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IBN live
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External Affairs Minister S M Krishna tonight spoke of the possibility of Government advising Indian students not to go to Australia if the attacks on them which has claimed one life so far continued.
Krishna said different kinds of action can be taken by the Government in the wake of the attacks like issuing an advisory for Indian students not to go to Australia.
"But, I think that(the advisory) would not be in the interest of our bilateral relatiaons. So I am not thinking on those lines," he told NDTV.
Krishna however kept the option of asking Indian students not to travel to Australia open saying it could possibly be one of the actions that the government can take if the "present trend"(rise in attacks) continued.
Krishna said he was sure Australian authorities would take cognisance of the fact that India talks "softly" but certainly when the decisive moment comes the country can also act which, he said, will not be in the interest of either of
the two countries.
He feared that if the string of attacks continued the way it has been in the last few days the flow of Indian students to Australia might slow down and could unfortunately taper off also.
"This will have to be kept in mind by the Australian authorities and also the provincial governments," he said.
The Minister said it was unfortunate that though there were students from several countries studying in Australia it is only a section of foreign students, mainly from India, that are being attacked.
nitya007's
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Thursday, December 24, 2009
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IBN live
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New Delhi: Calling for a radical restructuring of India's security architecture, Home Minister
P Chidambaram on Wednesday proposed the setting up of a National Counter Terrorism Centre.
"As the name suggests the goal is to counter terrorism. Such an organisation does not exist today; it has to be created from scratch. I am told that the US was able to do it within 36 months of 9/11," Chidambaram said.
"India cannot afford to wait for 36 months. India must decide now to go forward and succeed in setting it up by the end of 2010," he added.
He was delivering the 22nd Intelligence Bureau Centenary Endowment lecture here.
Chidambaram asked state governments to recruit more policemen and women.
"In my estimate states would have to recruit over 400,000 constables this year and over the next two years to fill the vacancies."
He also wanted 24x7 police control rooms in all districts.
Chidambaram added that the central government had decided to set up a National Intelligence Grid (Natgrid).
"Under Natgrid, 21 sets of databases will be networked to achieve quick seamless and secure access to desired information for intelligence and enforcement agencies," he said.
