India
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| | Uproar in RS, LS over Sena MPs forcing fasting Muslim to eat | | | | NEW DELHI, July 23 (Agencies): A Shiv Sena MP was caught on a video footage apparently force-feeding a fasting Muslim employee in the New Maharashtra Sadan here sparking outrage and a huge uproar in Parliament today amid demands for action against its MPs involved in the incident and calls to avoid giving communal tinge.
As the unsavoury episode escalated into a major controversy, sources in the Sadan, which is the guesthouse of the Maharashtra government, said it was a fall out of a group of Shiv Sena MPs being allegedly upset over the quality of food served there.
Claiming there was no one to take note of their complaint, the MPs then allegedly barged into the canteen and questioned an employee of the caterer observing Roza and who was identified as Arshad Zubair.
Watched by his part... |  | |
| | | Maharashtra parties decry Sena MPs forcing Muslim to break fast | | | | MUMBAI, July 23 (Agencies): Several political parties In Maharashtra today slammed as "unpardonable" and "uncultured" the alleged act of Shiv Sena MPs forcing a Muslim catering supervisor to break his Ramzan fast at Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi.
"This is unpardonable. This is vigilante justice. Is this what we are going to see in the next five years," Former Union Minister Milind Deora said.
Congress ally NCP also reacted strongly, condemning the Sena MPs behaviour and demanding their arrest. "Union home minister should ensure that a criminal case is lodged and the guilty arrested," NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said.
"The goondagiri of Sena is nothing new. Their MPs and legislators behave in this manner," Malik said, adding "if they don't get good food, they should complain to the co... | | |
| | | Maoists explode railway track, no casualties | | | | AURANGABAD, July 23 (Agencies): Maoists blew up a portion of a railway track between Ismailpur and Rafiganj in Bihar, leading to derailment of a pilot engine running ahead of the Bhubaneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express.
No casualty was reported in the blast that took place late last night, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Magadh range, P K Shrivastava told PTI.
In Patna, Chief Public Relations Officer, East Central Railway, Arvind Kumar Rajak said the advance pilot engine running ahead of Bhubaneshwar-New Delhi Rajdhani Express jumped off the track due to the blast.
Nearly one dozen mail and express trains including three Rajdhani Express trains have been stranded at various places between Gaya and Mughalsarai due to the incident, Rajak said.
The blast was triggered during a one-da... | | |
| | | Govt wants Manmohan to respond to Katju's allegations | | | | NEW DELHI, July 23 (Agencies): A day after informing Parliament that the PMO under Manmohan Singh had pushed for an extension of a judge facing corruption charges, the government today demanded that the former Prime Minister should make a "categorical" statement on the controversial matter.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the whole account of the affair, first brought out by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, showed how the government was functioning during the UPA regime. It was trying to compromise on each and every issue, he alleged.
Questioning the silence of Singh, he told reporters here, "His silence is an indication that there is something to hide. So in the interest of justice, the former Prime Minister should come out and make a categorical stateme... | | |
| | | Top Naxal Comdr killed | | | | RANCHI, July 23 (Agencies): In a pre-dawn operation, security forces today killed a prominent Naxal commander operating in Jharkhand in the forests of Khunti district of the state.
According to preliminary information reaching the headquarters here, the Naxal commander Vishal alias Tulsi alias Tadit, also the Special Committee member of CPI (Maoists), was gunned down by security forces in the jungles of Limba-Sosokutti village in the district.
Officials said the operation was led by P R Mishra, a five-time gallantry award winner of the CRPF and at present Additional SP (Operations) of the district along with commandos of the elite CoBRA unit and district police.
A heavy exchange of fire took place between the two sides for close to an hour after which the Naxals retreated leading to th... | | |
| | | One killed in bomb blast in Assam | | | | GOALPARA, July 23 (Agencies): One person was killed and three others injured in a bomb blast triggered by suspected militants in front of Krishani Police Station in Goalpara district today.
The bomb, which exploded at about 8.10 AM, was placed in a cycle, police said quoting a preliminary report.
The deceased has been identified as Mujibur Rahman.
The injured have been admitted to the Goalpara Civil Hospital.... | | |
| | | Dacoits loot labourers, allegedly gang rape woman | | | | HAPUR, July 23 (Agencies): A woman was allegedly gang raped at gunpoint by three dacoits, part of an over 12-member gang, who held 14 families of brick kiln workers hostage in Hafizpur area of the district and looted them.
The incident took place when the gang raided the camp-site of 14 families in Bhatiyana village of Hafizpur area and looted them of their belongings, police said.
Three of the dacoits forcefully took the wife of a labourer, who was away on a Kawariya Pilgrimage, to a nearby field and gang raped her at gunpoint, Hafizpur Police station in-charge Avnish Kumar said.
The same gang had carried out a loot three days before at Dhaulana tehsil in the district, he said.
Hearing the commotion from the camp-site, the kiln owner reached the spot following which the dacoits fled.... | | |
| | | Raju rules out privatisation of Air India | | | | NEW DELHI, July 23 (Agencies): Ruling out privatisation of Air India, Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju today said several decisions like that on aircraft purchases were "forced" on it and taken without commercial planning in mind.
There has been "a lot of debate going on whether Air India should be privatised or not. But Air India has been doing its work which is necessary. It is called the continuing of its social commitment," he said referring to the recent evacuation from Iraq undertaken by the national carrier.
To a question on its falling market share, Raju said, "Air India has been sliding, there is no doubt about it, probably (due to) certain decisions which were forced on Air India."
Asked what were these decisions, the minister said, "Like in Parliament we face que... | | |
| | | 7-yrr old girl allegedly raped by 2 men in Faridabad | | | | FARIDABAD, July 23 (Agencies): A 7-year-old girl was allegedly raped here by two men living in her building when she was sleeping at her house in the night, police said today.
The incident took place yesterday night in the SGM area, said police spokesperson.
While the girl was sleeping, Heera, who lives in a room on a lower floor of the same building as the victim, barged in. He gagged the girl and raped her. Later, another youth Sushil also came and raped her, the spokesman said.
The two then fled the spot. On the basis of a complaint lodged by the girl's mother, a case has been registered against Heera and Sushil and investigation is on, he said.... | | |
| | | No change in India's policy on Palestine: Swaraj | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): Asserting that India's policy on Palestine issue remains unchanged, government today refused to take sides over the Gaza conflict as it said Israel and Palestine should have peace talks and forestalled a resolution in Rajya Sabha which was demanded by the opposition.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the House should not be divided but send out a joint message that wherever there is violence, it is condemnable and both Israel and Palestine should accept Egypt's offer of peace talks.
She was replying to a short-duration debate on Gaza situation during which opposition condemned the violence in Gaza, pressed for adoption of a resolution, demanded suspension of all military purchases from Israel and wanted India to raise the issue at the UN.
Rejec... | | |
| | | 3 former CJIs made improper compromises: Katju | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): Former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju, currently chairman of the Press Council of India, has stirred a controversy by alleging that three ex-Chief Justices of India gave an extension to an additional judge of the Madras High Court at the behest of the UPA government in the wake of pressure from one of its allies, seemingly the DMK.
Katju made the charge while alleging how the three former CJIs--Justices R C Lahoti, Y K Sabharwal and K G Balakrishnan--had made "imroper compromises" in allowing the judge, against whom there were several allegations of corruption, to continue in office.
"These three former CJIs made improper compromises. Justice Lahoti who started it, then Justice Sabharwal and then Justice Balakrishnan. These are CJIs who can surrender.... | | |
| | | Uproar over Katju's allegations leads to RS adjournment | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): The AIADMK today forced adjournments in the Rajya Sabha twice during Question Hour over former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju's reported allegations that political pressure during the previous UPA regime had led to the elevation of a judge despite charges of corruption against him.
Ruckus created by AIADMK members seeking suspension of Question Hour to discuss the issue of "political interference in judicial appointments" led to the House being first adjourned for 10 minutes and then till 1200 hours.
No sooner had Ronald Sapa Tlau, the newly-elected member from Mizoram, taken oath, AIADMK members were up on their feet displaying copies of a newspaper that carried an article by Press Council of India chairman Katju on the appointment.
"You will not sh... | | |
| | | Horse trading owing to delay in dissolving House: AAP to Lt. Guv | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): Twenty-seven Aam Aadmi Party MLAs led by Arvind Kejriwal today met Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and told him that a delay in dissolving the Delhi Assembly was "encouraging horse trading".
"We met LG and explained to him the current political situation and also possible horse trading which may take place. Such a government will do no good," AAP MLA and former Delhi Law Minister Somnath Bharti told reporters here.
Bharti said the LG told them that he would talk to both the Congress and the BJP and soon send a report on the matter to the president.
Soon after the meeting, Kejriwal tweeted, "Met LG. Had good discussions. He will now invite BJP for discussions. If BJP claims they can form govt, LG will ask them to show nos."
"We told him that delay in dissolving a... | | |
| | | Manipuri man beaten to death, 2 detained | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): In yet another case of violence against people from the Northeast, a 29-year-old Manipuri youth was allegedly beaten to death by a group of five to six men in South Delhi's Kotla Mubarakpur area in the wee hours of the day.
Two persons have been detained in this connection and police sources claimed that the case would be solved soon.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) B S Jaiswal said there was "no provocation" from the part of the victim, Shaloni, who was currently living in Munirka in South Delhi.
The incident took place at around 3 AM when Shaloni had gone to the area to drop a friend home.
"When the duo reached Gurudwara road, a Maruti Alto car arrived on the spot. Five to six men alighted from the car and thrashed Shaloni. A PCR call was made at... | | |
| | | Narayan Rane submits resignation | | | | MUMBAI, July 21 (Agencies): Maharashtra's Industries Minister Narayan Rane today resigned from the government for a second time since the Lok Sabha poll rout, slamming Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan for "slackness" in decision-making and said he did not want to be a "partner in defeat" in the upcoming assembly elections.
A bitter critic of Chavan, Rane, who is pitching for a leadership change ahead of the state assembly polls due in October, handed over his resignation to the Chief Minister at his official residence this afternoon.
Addressing a news conference after submitting his resignation, the influential leader from the Konkan region mounted a scathing attack on Chavan, accusing him of slow decision- making and a lack of control over his administration.
"Decisions relating to th... | | |
| | | ABVP clash with police in protest over child rape | | | | BANGALORE, July 21 (Agencies): Protests over the alleged rape of a six-year old girl turned violent today as ABVP activists clashed with police in front of the public school, where the incident happened, leading to a lathi charge.
After heated arguments, ABVP activists who besieged the Vibgyor High School, which is facing public anger for its alleged inaction in the incident, tried to forcibly make their way into the building as police struggled to prevent them.
As protesters broke barricades and tried to gain entry through another gate, policemen used lathis and chased them away, causing minor injuries to several persons, police said.
ABVP demanded that school management representatives meet them, while they raised slogans for "most stringent action" against its employee, a skating in... | | |
| | | Being treated worse than animal in Tihar jail, claims Bhatkal | | | | NEW DELHI, July 21 (Agencies): Indian Mujahideen (IM) co-founder Yasin Bhatkal, arrested for his alleged involvement in various terror strikes across India, today claimed before a court here that he is being treated "worse than an animal" in Tihar Jail and not provided proper food in the holy month of Ramzan.
Bhatkal, who was produced before the court today, claimed this before Additional Sessions Judge Raj Kapoor who directed Tihar Jail authorities to file a report on it on July 23. In his application, Bhatkal alleged that he is presently lodged in Jail No.2 of the high security prison.
He claimed that he "has been kept in solitary confinement and is not allowed to move out from his cell and has not seen the sunlight except during his transportation for the purpose of production before... | | |
| | | Low-quality education should not be tolerated: C. R. Rao | | | | MUMBAI, July 21 (Agencies): Bharat Ratna recipient Professor C N Rao today said the countrymen should not tolerate substandard education.
"We live in a highly intolerant society. Whether it is about religion or caste, we are intolerant of something or the other. Then why are we tolerating mediocrity in education? I think social revolution in India should be (about) better quality of education. We should all come together and demand better quality education from schools, colleges and the government," Rao said here.
It was his first visit to the metropolis after receiving the highest civilian award of the land. He was speaking after a civic felicitation at the hands of Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan. Young graduates were making a lot of money, but had stopped applying their minds... | | |
| | | Mulayam draws flak for saying UP has lowest rape cases | | | | LUCKNOW, July 19 (Agencies): While the SP government in Uttar Pradesh is under attack over a string of rape incidents, party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav today drew flak for saying that the state has the lowest number of such cases in the country despite a population of 21 crore.
"You are talking about UP. It has a population of 21 crore. If there is any place which has the lowest number of such (rape) cases, it is UP," Yadav said replying to queries from reporters in Delhi on the rape and murder of a young woman in Mohanlalganj area of Lucknow.
The remarks by the SP supremo were latched on to by the Opposition which said they had exposed the "insensitivity" of the Samajwadi Party (SP) government.
The SP chief had earlier also sparked controversy when he questioned the death penalty for r... | | |
| | | Bangalore Child Rape: Protesters demand action | | | | BANGALORE, July 19 (Agencies): Hundreds of protesters today staged a silent march from the school where a six-year-old girl student was allegedly raped to a police station demanding justice for the girl and swift action against the guilty.
Parents of students studying at Vibgyor High School, which is facing the brunt of public anger for its alleged inaction, were joined by a large number of people in the march which culminated near HAL Police Station.
As the protesters demanded his presence, Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar rushed to the venue and told them, "We are hugely pained by the incident...Have trust in the police."
Auradkar said from the day police received the complaint from the child's parents, officials were on the job round-the- clock. "The incident involves a mino... | | |
| | | Jaya opposes Sanskrit week celebrations in schools | | | | CHENNAI, July 19 (Agencies): Taking strong exception to CBSE's Sanskrit Week celebrations in schools under its ambit next month, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today said it would be appropriate to have organised a 'Classical Language Week' in each state based on its linguistic heritage.
As per the communication sent by the Ministry of HRD, while the celebrations would be conducted by CBSE, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) and National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in all states between August 7 and 13, state Governments have also been requested to organise such events at the State, District and other levels.
"Tamil Nadu has a rich cultural heritage based on the ancient Tamil language. There has also been a strong social justice and language movement i... | | |
| | | 3 on morning walk die after being hit by Police jeep | | | | AGARTALA, July 19 (Agencies): Three persons, including two women, were killed and another person injured when a police jeep allegedly rammed into them today at Chhanban in Gomati district, about 55 kms from here, police said.
Inspector General (IG), Police Control, Nepal Das said the police jeep rammed into the four pedestrians of whom three died on the spot and another person was injured.
"The driver was going to the police barracks at Dhajanagar from Radhakishorpur Police Station in the morning at about 5 AM when the accident occurred at Chhanban."
"All of them were morning walkers. Three persons including two women died on the spot and another was seriously injured," he said.
The injured was shifted from Tripurasundari Hospital to Agartala Government Medical College here, whose con... | | |
| | | P B Acharya sworn-in as Nagaland governor | | | | KOHIMA, July 19 (Agencies): Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was today sworn- in as the 19th Governor of Nagaland.
Acharya has been given the additional charge of Tripura also.
Acharya served as the BJP national secretary during 1995 and 2000 when Narendra Modi was the BJP national general secretary. Acharya was then the in-charge of party affairs in the Northeast.
He was from the first batch of students (1948-50) from Udupi MGM College and later served as a teacher at Vidyarayna School at Kadabettu.
He joined the RSS at an early age and was imprisoned for six months in 1948 when the then government had banned the outfit.
After his graduation, Acharya moved to Mumbai where he was engaged in businesses and was also a senate member of Mumbai University for 30 years.
He has also served a... | | |
| | | Modi has cheated Assam on illegal immigrants issue: AGP | | | | GUAWAHATI, July 19 (Agencies): The opposition Asom Gana Parishad today said the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre has cheated Assam by not doing anything to deport illegal Bangladeshi migrants despite promising to do so before the Lok Sabha elections.
Submitting a memorandum to Assam Governor Janaki Ballabh Patnaik, the AGP said "Modi and BJP have cheated the people of Assam after capturing power."
The AGP said Modi had promised the people of Assam that all illegal Bangladeshi immigrants would have to pack their bags and leave the state and country after May 16, but that nothing such has been done.
In fact, the AGP lamented, like the Manmohan Singh-led UPA, the Modi government was also engaged in "anti-Assam conspiracy" and doing "vote bank politics".
Talking about the propos... | | |
| | | 3 AAP activists sent to judicial custody till August 2 | | | | NEW DELHI, July 19 (Agencies): A Delhi court today remanded three Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) activists to judicial custody till August 2 for allegedly instigating people and putting up posters with proactive message against Congress MLAs in their area.
Aam Aadmi Party's Delhi unit secretary Dilip Pandey, Ram Kumar Jha and Javed Ahmed were produced before Metropolitan Magistrate Sheetal Chaudhary who sent them to 14-day judicial custody.
"I find enough material on record which could substantiate the prosecution claim that it can create enmity among different classes/communities," the magistrate said.
The court has kept pending their bail pleas.
Pandey, Jha, a printing and logistic incharge, and Ahmed, a designer, were arrested yesterday for allegedly instigating the people and putting up po... | | |
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