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[] | 2016-08-26T13:26:19 | null | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | Gangster Chhota Rajan, prime accused in the journalist J Dey murder case, thought that the veteran crime reporter was working for his rival Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan's spi agency Inter-Services Intelligence, according to the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation. | Chhota Rajan thought J Dey was working for Dawood: CBI | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fchhota-rajan-thought-j-dey-was-working-for-dawood-cbi%2F20160813.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2011/jun/27jdey2.jpg | en | null | Chhota Rajan thought J Dey was working for Dawood: CBI | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 13, 2016 02:56 IST
Gangster Chhota Rajan, prime accused in the journalist J Dey murder case, thought that the veteran crime reporter was working for his rival Dawood Ibrahim and Pakistan's spi agency Inter-Services Intelligence, according to the chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Dey was killed, allegedly upon Rajan's instructions, in suburban Powai on June 11, 2011.
According to the CBI, Rajan told one Manoj on phone that journalist Jigna Vora (a co-accused) used to tell him "repeatedly" that Dey "is writing wrong things and is in touch with the other gang", and was a traitor.
Transcripts of Rajan's telephonic conversations are part of the chargesheet filed by the CBI in a local court last week.
Rajan further said that Dey was not a good person, and was working for Dawood and ISI. Jigna used to tell him that Dey was a "traitor", he said.
Dey's wife told the CBI that for a month before his murder, he was very upset. "Once he told me that he was going to die but not due to illness," her statement reads.
According to Dey's mother, around 15 days before his death he had told her that he would be visiting the Philippines. A few days before his death she also received a call from the accused Vinod Chembur (who later died) enquiring about Dey.
Fifteen days prior to the murder Dey had signed agreement with actor Ajay Devgn for writing a film script, she said.
The chargesheet also contains statements of journalists with whom Rajan spoke on phone after Dey's murder. Rajan told one of them that he regretted killing Dey.
"A news reporter has to remain in his limits and work ...if you are writing lies..you are inviting serious trouble," Rajan said.
According to another journalist, Rajan told him that Dey was hand-in-glove with "traitors", and he killed Dey.
A close friend of Dey's told the investigators that Dey had told him that Rajan was calling him frequently. He found the gangster to be very "polite".
"I told him...one should be alert...because dons are polite when they want to deceive someone," he told the CBI.
On the day of the murder, Dey had told this witness on phone that Rajan had again spoken to him recently.
As Dey was worried about getting frequent calls from Rajan, the witness suggested that he should see if he had made any mistakes (so as to offend the gangster).
"Dey said so far he had done nothing wrong... but he had shared a very secret information with Vinod Chembur and from that day calls from Rajan increased," the witness said.
According to a police constable, who is a witness in the case, Chembur's son Sanjay told him Dey wanted to get Rajan killed and was supplying information to Dawood gang.
According to the CBI, Rajan was upset with Dey over certain articles written by him, and also because Dey's planned book described Rajan as 'chindi' (a small fry).
The book, 'Chindi -- Rags to Riches', was to tell stories of 20 gangsters with humble origins. It was supposed to describe Dawood, Rajan's friend-turned-foe, as being superior to the gangster.
Rajan was arrested at Bali airport in Indonesia on October 25 last year and deported to India.
The 300-page chargesheet against him was filed at the special Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act court in Mumbai last week.
The first chargesheet filed in the case in 2011 names Satiah Kaliya, Abhijeet Shinde, Arun Dake, Sachin Gaikwad, Anil Waghmode, Nilesh Shendge, Mangesh Agawane, Vinod Asrani, Paulson Joseph and Deepak Sisodia (all arrested).
Another chargesheet was filed against Vora next year. Accused of instigating Rajan against Dey owing to her own professional rivalry, she is currently on bail. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/chhota-rajan-thought-j-dey-was-working-for-dawood-cbi/20160813.htm | en | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/d5ec4d6adaff5dfc5566ab8ecbab6b9a25a03474c83d7fd4cd416e608b99f5b7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:13:51 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | Working round-the-clock to help flood victims in Bihar, National Disaster Response Force personnel rendered timely help to three marooned pregnant women at separate places deliver their babies safely. | NDRF help 3 women deliver babies during flood rescue in Bihar | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fyou-cant-stop-admiring-ndrf-when-they-do-something-like-this%2F20160824.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/24bihar1.jpg | en | null | NDRF help 3 women deliver babies during flood rescue in Bihar | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 24, 2016 22:29 IST
Working round-the-clock to help flood victims in Bihar, National Disaster Response Force personnel rendered timely help to three marooned pregnant women at separate places deliver their babies safely.
The NDRF men helped a pregnant woman in Birpur deliver a healthy baby boy on board its relief boat itself in Raghopur block of Vaishali district today, Commandant of 9th battalion of NDRF Vijay Sinha said.
He said the woman named Roshni, who was being ferried to a safer place, experienced acute labour pain following which NDRF pharmacist Jayshankar helped her deliver a healthy baby boy on board the boat itself.
The new-born and the mother were taken to Mahnar primary health centre for proper medicare, Sinha said.
Raghopur, the Assembly constituency of deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav, is flooded due to the swollen Ganga.
On Tuesday, the NDRF personnel had helped two marooned pregnant ladies in distress.
They took a woman experiencing labour pain at Gyaspur village in Bhakhtiyarpur of Patna district to the nearest primary health centre last night, the Commandant said.
"Due to the timely assistance, the woman delivered a healthy baby girl at Bhakhtiyarpur PHC," he said.
The NDRF personnel had earlier heard cries of help of another pregnant lady at Sinha village in Barhara block of Bhojpur district and ferried her to the nearest hospital for safe delivery, he added.
Engaged in relief and rescue of marooned people, the NDRF personnel came to know about the woman in Bhojpur from the Disaster Management department control room and rushed to help the 22-year-old woman who was in labour pain.
The Bihta-based NDRF Commandant said the force personnel get training in child birth to help people in need.
He said during the floods last year, a NDRF team had helped a woman in Ara town give birth to a baby in midstream Ganga on board one of the boats of the central force.
Similarly, another lady in Bahraich in Uttar Pradesh received timely help from the NDRF to deliver safely during floods there.
The Commandant said in the Ara case last year, the family had named the baby boy 'NDRF Singh' out of gratitude for the help extended by the NDRF personnel.
IMAGE: The newborn baby of Roshni kumari from Birpur village in Bihar's Vaishali district. The delivery was carried out on a boat during the rescue. Photographs: NDRF/Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/you-cant-stop-admiring-ndrf-when-they-do-something-like-this/20160824.htm | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/fa4709333769c10c4c1b88e4eb928e60728da60e92cea26c67a45e8bd9d57650.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:34:30 | null | 2016-08-06T00:00:00 | The floods have also damaged crops in 2 lakh hectares of land. | Bihar flood toll climbs to 89, over 33 lakh people hit | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbihar-flood-toll-climbs-to-89%2F20160806.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/06bihar1.jpg | en | null | Bihar flood toll climbs to 89, over 33 lakh people hit | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 06, 2016 19:08 IST
With two more deaths reported from Purnea district, the toll in Bihar floods increased to 91 on Saturday with many areas in 14 districts still reeling under inundation in the state.
The Bihar floods have affected 33 lakh people in 642 panchayats of 78 blocks of 14 districts of the state, besides widely damaging crops in different parts of the state.
The disaster management department said two fresh deaths were reported from Purnea taking the toll to 91 from Friday’s 89 in the state.
Purnea district, which accounted for maximum number of deaths, reported 28 deaths followed by Araria (21), Katihar (15), Supual (8), Kishanganj (5), Madhepura (4), Gopalganj (4), Darbhanga (3), Saharsa Saran and Muzaffarpur one each.
Fed by heavy rains in the Terai region of Nepal, Ganga river was flowing above danger mark at various places including at Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, Ghaghra-Darauli and Gangpur-Siswan in Siwan district.
The Kosi was flowing above danger level at Baltara in Khagaria and Kursela in Katihar, the department release said.
The 14 flood-affected districts of the state are Purnea, Kishanganj, Araria, Darbhanga, Madhepura, Bhagalpur, Katihar, Saharsa, Supual, Gopalganj, Muzaffarpur, East Champaran, West Champaran and Saran.
The floods have also damaged crops in 2 lakh hectares of land, the assessment for which was being made by the authorities, it said.
A total of 464 relief camps are being run in the flood-hit areas, giving shelter to 3,86,449 people even as 224 medical teams are providing their services.
Arrangements have been made for food and other items with 7,883 quintal of flattened rice, 1,433 quintal jaggery, 9.95 lakh matchsticks, 3,540 candles, besides 96,49,21 litres of kerosene oil and adequate supply of polythene sheets and food packets among others, it said.
The National Disaster Response Force and State Disaster Response Force personnel have been deployed in various parts of the flood-affected areas, the release said.
Image: The floods have affected 14 districts and 33 lakh people. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/bihar-flood-toll-climbs-to-89/20160806.htm | en | 2016-08-06T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/074268f711a955e4e0431052face7c2da1b21d0b04008682162b3423ceb056d2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:25:33 | null | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | The MEA spokesperson said that New Delhi already received enough of trademark exports like 'international terrorism, cross-border infiltrators, weapons, narcotics and fake currency'. | Kashmir unrest: India snubs Pakistan's 'absurd' aid proposal | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkashmir-unrest-india-snubs-pakistans-absurd-aid-proposal%2F20160814.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/nov/27modishake1.jpg | en | null | Kashmir unrest: India snubs Pakistan's 'absurd' aid proposal | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 14, 2016 15:47 IST
The MEA spokesperson said that New Delhi already received enough of trademark exports like ‘international terrorism, cross-border infiltrators, weapons, narcotics and fake currency’.
India on Sunday rejected Pakistan’s ‘absurd’ offer to send aid to violence-hit Kashmir and stated that New Delhi has already received enough of trademark exports like ‘international terrorism, cross-border infiltrators, weapons, narcotics and fake currency’.
Ministry of External Affairs official spokesperson Vikas Swarup said that the Indian high commission in Islamabad had received a note from the Pakistan’s ministry of foreign affairs on August 12 regarding a proposal to send supplies to Kashmir.
“A communication was apparently delivered to our high commission in Islamabad on August 12. I can only characterize its contents that propose sending supplies to the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir as absurd. India and others in the region have already received enough of Pakistan’s trademark exports -- international terrorism, cross-border infiltrators, weapons, narcotics and fake currency,” Swarup said.
He further asserted that India “completely and categorically” rejected this purported communication from Pakistan.
This development comes after Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had earlier this month vowed to provide medical help to those injured in the Kashmir violence and called on the international community to ask India to provide access for treatment of victims.
“Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called upon the international community to immediately help arrange medical treatment for the victims” in Kashmir, especially for treatment of eye injuries resulting from use of pellet guns by the Indian forces. The prime minister conveyed Pakistan’s unequivocal support in arranging best available medical facilities to these injured people, anywhere in the world,” a Pakistan Foreign Office statement said.
“Indian security forces have also been targeting hospitals and ambulances providing healthcare to the peaceful and defenceless protesters. Being blinded has severe consequences for the victims and their families; some victims of the pellet guns may never see light again. Still, they are resolute; they are guided by the light of freedom for the realisation of their right to self-determination. The world should realize this. Pakistan will continue to support them morally, politically and diplomatically,” Sharif maintained in the statement.
Earlier on Sunday, Islamabad continued to provoke India as Pakistan envoy Abdul Basit said that his nation has dedicated the 70th Independence Day to the “freedom of Kashmir”.
Basit said Pakistan has always made efforts to improve its relationship with India.
“As far as the relation of Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, we dedicate this year’s Independence Day to Kashmir’s freedom. We are confident that the sacrifices made by the people of Jammu and Kashmir would be successful,” Basit said.
He asserted Pakistan has always given moral support to Jammu and Kashmir’s freedom struggle and would continue to do so.
“Struggle for independence will continue till Kashmir gets freedom; sacrifice of the people of Kashmir will not go in vain,” he said.
Basit was reiterating Nawaz Sharif’s statement dedicating the day to the “freedom movement” in Kashmir.
“I dedicate this year’s 14th August to the freedom of Kashmir,” the Express Tribune quoted Sharif as saying.
Pakistan’s provocation comes just days after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s assertion that there is no power in the world, which can take Jammu and Kashmir away from India. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kashmir-unrest-india-snubs-pakistans-absurd-aid-proposal/20160814.htm | en | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/8b702b2c5b9b8cef17a588e09150cfc213bec933e8d7ca98b07a7aab8f2b3af9.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:38:37 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | More than 50 persons have been killed, including two policemen, and nearly 6,000 others injured in the ongoing street protests in Kashmir. | 500 arrested as police seeks to end protests in Valley | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Ffive-hundred-arrested-as-police-seeks-to-end-protests-in-valley%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/04kashmir1.jpg | en | null | 500 arrested as police seeks to end protests in Valley | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 11:41 IST
In a bid to end street protests, police have launched a massive crackdown against “hooligans and miscreants” in Kashmir and arrested nearly 500 youth from across the Valley.
“In its continuous drive against hooligans and miscreants, 349 accused persons have been arrested in the Valley,” a police spokesman said.
The spokesman said 122 persons have been detained under “prohibitory provisions of law”.
More than 50 persons have been killed, including two policemen, and nearly 6,000 others injured in the ongoing street protests in Kashmir since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani and his two associates in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
Initially, the authorities imposed curfew across the Valley to curb the protests but the strategy failed as more and more people took to the streets.
A senior police official said the security agencies are using video footage and photographs to pinpoint the “trouble mongers and instigators” among the protesters.
“We have deployed some personnel in uniform equipped with cameras for recording the incidents of stone pelting and pinpoint those instigating the protests during the analysis of the footage available,” the official said.
He said once the accused person is identified, he is arrested “at an appropriate time”.
However, the official admitted that many of the wanted youth are still at large as they are not staying with their families any more.
“They keep shifting from one place to another but efforts are on to nab them as soon as possible”.
The modus operandi adopted by the security forces is to conduct nocturnal raids for apprehending the accused persons, a move which has come in for criticism from the separatist camp.
The separatists have accused the security forces of “harassing peaceful protesters” under the garb of maintaining law and order.
Image: A policeman runs during a protest in Srinagar against the recent killings in Kashmir. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/five-hundred-arrested-as-police-seeks-to-end-protests-in-valley/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/d9086d13fe121a6b0b82575425cee2e6f2c61756a9affc31010681ad95f929bf.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:49 | null | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | The man, a 27-year-old Swiss citizen, carried out the attack on a train travelling in Switzerland's far east, along its border with Liechtenstein, and was also injured. | Swiss train attack: Man attacks commuters with fire, knife; injures 6 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fswiss-train-attack-man-attacks-commuters-with-fire-knife-injures-6%2F20160813.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/13train01.jpg | en | null | Swiss train attack: Man attacks commuters with fire, knife; injures 6 | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 13, 2016 23:24 IST
A man set a train carriage in Switzerland on fire using a flammable liquid and stabbed passenger on Saturday, injuring six people, including a six-year-old child, police said.
IMAGE: Swiss police officers stand beside police buses used to block a street . Phootgraph: Arnd Wiegmann/Reuters
The man, a 27-year-old Swiss citizen, carried out the attack on a train travelling in Switzerland's far east, along its border with Liechtenstein, and was also injured, regional police in Saint Gallen said in a statement.
Police said the attack had taken place at around 2:20 pm (local time) near the Salez station on a train running between Buchs and Sennwald and that some of the injuries were serious.
"According to the information we have for the time being, the 27-year-old Swiss man poured out a flammable liquid ... (which) caught fire," police said, adding that the man "was also armed with at least one knife".
Seven people including the suspected attacker were admitted to various hospitals with burn and stab wounds, the statement said.
Police said the motive for the attack was unknown.
The victims included two men aged 17 and 50, and three women aged 17, 34 and 43. Dozens of people were on the train at the time of the attack, the police statement said.
A massive contingent of rescue workers rushed to the scene, including police, firefighters, ambulances and three rescue helicopters.
The Salez station remains closed, and police said replacement buses had been set up.
Saint Gallen prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into the attack.
Police said the train had suffered damages upwards of 100,000 Swiss francs (USD 103,000). | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/swiss-train-attack-man-attacks-commuters-with-fire-knife-injures-6/20160813.htm | en | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/0b1d0cecc3ac4bf56d047f5c576ae4ec8b51b6b13a58b0a415888421a8e24d80.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:31:43 | null | 2016-08-09T00:00:00 | After the bond was furnished it was accepted by the court and a release order was issued. She has now been asked to appear before the court on August 23. | 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila ends 16-year-long routine with breaking of fast | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Firom-sharmila-ends-16-year-long-routine%2F20160809.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/09sharmilaroutine.jpg | en | null | 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila ends 16-year-long routine with breaking of fast | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 09, 2016 18:50 IST
As Manipur's 'Iron Lady' Irom Sharmila broke her fast on Tuesday, a fortnightly routine going on for about 16 years also ended.
Every fortnight a 10-minute ambulance journey from Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Science Hospital would take her to the chief judicial magistrate court in Imphal West where the magistrate would routinely ask her whether she would break the hunger strike.
"Fast thodolokai (No I won't break my fast)", would be her answer each time.
But the pattern changed on Tuesday.
IMAGE: Irom Sharmila who has been on hunger strike for 16 years against shifted her fight to the political process on Tuesday. Photograph: Vijay Mathur/Reuters
Sharmila told the court of her intention to break her fast after which the chief judicial magistrate Lamkhanpau Tonsing asked her to furnish a personal recognisance bond of Rs 10,000.
Ronsing said in his order that since the offence under section 309 (attempt to commit suicide) is a bailable offence he is inclined to allow her bail on furnishing of the PR bond.
After the bond was furnished it was accepted by the court and a release order was issued. She has now been asked to appear before the court on August 23.
On earlier occasions, the court had routinely kept on extending her judicial remand for 15 days after which she had to be reproduced and the cycle was repeated.
As maximum punishment for attempt to suicide is one year, Sharmila was released and re-released innumerable times and has spent most of these years in solitary confinement in jail.
Her supporters and family members said she has never been convicted by the court nor had police produced any chargesheet.
Authorities have dubbed her a habitual offender but her non-violent resistance has become a nucleus for collective protest against Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur and other northeast states.
Sharmila had been on an indefinite fast since November 5, 2000 over alleged killing of 10 innocents at Malom bus stop, few kms away from the city, by Assam Rifles on November 2.
Sharmila went to Malom and started her fast from November 5.
Known as the 'Iron Lady of Manipur', the 'Satyagrahi' had said in the past, Gandhi's path of 'Ahinsa' (non-violence) and 'Satyagrah' inspired her to take the unusual step of undertaking the world's longest hunger strike. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/irom-sharmila-ends-16-year-long-routine/20160809.htm | en | 2016-08-09T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/3dafdebc19a66ce18930aaff12d887a61d747a5e809b8d497fd0d889881eb27d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:23:31 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | Kejriwal said money in the hands of the poor and middle class will benefit the country's economy.
| 'Money in hands of poor will benefit economy': Kejriwal defends minimum wage hike | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkejriwal-defends-minimum-wage-hike%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/17ak.jpg | en | null | 'Money in hands of poor will benefit economy': Kejriwal defends minimum wage hike | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 17, 2016 18:13 IST
Defending his government's decision to hike minimum wages in Delhi, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday said money in the hands of the poor and middle class, and not "Ambani and Adani", will benefit the country's economy.
Kejriwal said it was to be seen whether the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress show the courage to take similar decisions in the states ruled by them. The chief minister was addressing a gathering of labour unions at his residence in New Delhi.
"I told those who are threatening to strike work and shut industries that overall business is anyway bleak across the country since no one has money in hand. When money will reach the poor then it will have a positive effect on the economy as demand and subsequently consumption will rise," Kejriwal said.
Interestingly, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party's trade wing has warned of a strike in Delhi in case the decision to raise wages is not withdrawn. It is also going to the raise the issue with Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.
"Policies have to benefit the poor. There will be an escalation of cost, no doubt, but in the middle term and long term it will benefit everyone when money will reach the middle class and poor," Kejriwal said.
Repeatedly referring to "Ambani and Adani" in his address, Kejriwal alleged that government policies are "deliberately" framed to ensure profit for few families in the country, leading to "deepening" chasm in the society and spike in unemployment and crime.
"We will have to implement it in Delhi and then raise our voice across the country. I urge Modiji to look beyond Ambani and care for the people. If the Centre wants then it can implement the same across the country in one go," he said.
Kejriwal had announced the government's decision the raise wages his Independence Day speech.
As per the proposal, the minimum wages for unskilled person will be Rs 14,052 against the existing Rs 9,568 in the national capital. Besides, the same for semi-skilled and skilled persons will increase from Rs 10,582 to Rs 15,471 and from Rs 11,622 to 17,033 respectively. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kejriwal-defends-minimum-wage-hike/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/9d7e018cc52d114310ec3289e0bd6daf667c68526904f24bca2993c291230a17.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:15:46 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | An increase in death toll is highly likely as dozens of mountain villages have been devastated. | 6.2 earthquake kills 120 in Italy | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fmany-feared-dead-as-italy-hit-by-powerful-quake%2F20160824.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/24italy01.jpg | en | null | 6.2 earthquake kills 120 in Italy | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 25, 2016 04:08 IST
A powerful earthquake rattled a remote area of central Italy on Wednesday, leaving at least 120 people dead and scenes of carnage in mountain villages.
IMAGE: Rescuers walk through rubble following the earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy. Photographs: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters
With 368 people injured and an unknown number trapped under rubble, the figure of dead and wounded was expected to rise in the wake of the pre-dawn quake, Prime Minister Matteo Renzi warned.
"This is not a final toll," he said.
Hundreds of people were to spend a chilly night in hastily-assembled tents with the risk of aftershocks making it far too risky for them to return home.
IMAGE: People stand along a road following a quake in Amatrice, central Italy, on Wednesday. Photographs: Remo Casilli/Reuters
Scores of buildings were reduced to dusty piles of masonry in communities close to the epicentre of the quake, which had a magnitude of between 6.0 and 6.2.
It hit a remote area straddling Umbria, Marche and Lazio at a time of year when second home owners and other visitors swell the numbers staying there. Many of the victims were from Rome.
The devastated area is just north of L'Aquila, the city where some 300 people died in another quake in 2009.
IMAGE: A man is rescued alive from the ruins in Amatrice.
The epicentre of the quake was about 170 km northeast of Rome near the town of Norcia in the region of Umbria. The tremors were sufficiently strong to wake residents of central Rome.
Sergio Pirozzi, mayor of Amatrice, a mountain village close to the epicentre, said that the town ‘isn’t here anymore’ and many residents are buried under the debris.
IMAGE: A body is carried away following an earthquake in Amatrice, central Italy. Photograph: Stefano Rellandini/Reuters
At least 10 people died in Pescara, a hamlet that is part of the bigger village of Arquata del Tronto, as per the civil protection officers cited by the ANSA news agency.
Six bodies were recovered at Amatrice, according to the president of the Lazio region, and two at Accumoli, according to the town’s mayor.
IMAGE: Rescuers carry a person on a stretcher.
Amatrice is famous in Italy as a beauty spot and is a popular holiday destination for Romans seeking cool mountain air at the height of the summer. It was packed with visitors at the peak of the summer season.
The mayor of Accumoli, Stefano Petrucci, said at least six people had died there, including a family of four, and two others.
‘We have a tragedy here. For the moment one death is confirmed but there are another four people under the rubble and they are not responding. It is a disaster, we have no light, no telephones, the rescue services have not got here yet,’ Petrucci was quoted as saying by national broadcaster Rai.
IMAGE: A woman sits amongst the rubble. Amatrice mayor said the town 'isn't here anymore'.
It was Italy's most powerful earthquake since the 2009 disaster in L'Aquila.
The first quake struck shortly after 3.30 am (local time), according to the United States Geological Survey, and a 5.4 magnitude aftershock followed an hour later.
USGS’s PAGER system, which predicts the impact of earthquakes, issued a red alert -- suggesting significant casualties and damage based on previous quake data. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/many-feared-dead-as-italy-hit-by-powerful-quake/20160824.htm | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/18fb58cf5e3ed728f2460a6d6bcf3ca40b84dc9e10c76980b305819f5133a26b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:23:10 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | A woman who faced life threats and sexual abuses online for her tweets ahead of gymnast Dipa Karmakar's performance in Rio Olympics sought the help of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj following which a case was lodged by Rajasthan Police. | Woman trolled for tweeting about Dipa's performance | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fwoman-trolled-for-tweeting-about-dipas-performance%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/17lead7.jpg | en | null | Woman trolled for tweeting about Dipa's performance | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 17, 2016 15:35 IST
A woman who faced life threats and sexual abuses online for her tweets ahead of gymnast Dipa Karmakar's performance in Rio Olympics sought the help of Union Minister Sushma Swaraj following which a case was lodged by Rajasthan Police.
A case against three Twitter handles of unknown persons was registered under 66 D (Punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) and 67 (Punishment for publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the IT act, police said, adding they were trying to trace the accused.
In a series of tweets on August 14, the woman wrote, "Conflicted about Dipa Karmakar's Olympic Vault final.
"It is an incredible achievement, of course but gymnasts from richer countries don't have to perform the produnova, called the death vault, to gain points.
"They can do easier vaults and execute it better because: better infrastructure, better training, better everything. Tonight, she is going to risk her life to win an Olympic medal.
"Life is not worth any medal, for any damned country."
Her tweets drew sharp criticism including threat to life and rape warnings following which she sought help from the External Affairs Minister.
After her plea, the Chief Minister's Office intervened and a senior police officer met her.
"After receiving directions, I met the girl on the night of August 14 and spoke to her about the matter. She filed a complaint and the FIR was lodged on August 15 with Pratap Nagar Police Station," DCP East Kunwar Rastradeep said on Wednesday.
"We are in the process of obtaining some IP addresses and are writing to Twitter seeking information about certain the handles.
"Since their server is located out of the country, it will take some time for us to reach to the users who abused her," the officer said.
"We are working on the case considering the gravity of the case. Since the servers are placed outside India, it is a bit of a time consuming process but we will get it done as early as possible," Mukesh Chaudhary, a cyber crime expert assisting the police, said.
Altered Representative Image. Photographs: Reuters/PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/woman-trolled-for-tweeting-about-dipas-performance/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/9968b6ab07290ad80e9ca346efd3b052a52d93be03c6531ed06f13802b2363aa.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:34:50 | null | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | It was widely speculated that the mantle would fall on Nitin Patel. | Rupani to be Gujarat CM; Nitin Patel his deputy | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Frupani-to-be-gujarat-cm-nitin-patel-his-deputy%2F20160805.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/05rupani02.jpg | en | null | Rupani to be Gujarat CM; Nitin Patel his deputy | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 05, 2016 22:08 IST
In a surprise decision, Bharatiya Janata Party state unit chief Vijay Rupani, a Amit Shah loyalist, was on Friday chosen as the new chief minister of Gujarat to succeed Anandiben Patel, pipping Nitin Patel who was considered a sure pick for the top job in the poll-bound state.
IMAGE: New elected Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani seeks blessings of BJP President Amit Shah as Dy CM Nitin Patel looks on, after their meeting at Gujarat BJP headquarters Kamlam at Gandhinagar on Friday. Photograph: PTI Photo
Nitin Patel, seen as the front runner for the top slot after Anandiben offered to resign, was made deputy chief minister. It is for the first time that Gujarat will have a deputy chief minister.
The announcement was made by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who was assigned as the party's observer, after the BJP legislature party meeting which elected 61-year-old Rupani as its leader. The names of Rupani and Nitin Patel were proposed by Anandiben Patel and seconded by several MLAs.
The decision to make Rupani as chief minister and Nitin Patel, the incumbent health minister, as his deputy was taken at hectic parleys involving BJP President Amit Shah and Gadkari.
The BJP legislature party meeting, which was to start at 4 PM began two hours late, apparently due to parleys involving top leaders.
Earlier in the day, Nitin Patel's office had claimed that his name has been finalised by the BJP to fill the position that fell vacant by Anandiben's resignation.
Patel had given a series of interviews to national television channels listing how he intends to take the state forward when it is facing the challenges like Patel quota agitation and dalit unrest. Even sweets were distributed at his residence and a pooja was also organised.
However, in the two hours after BJP national president Amit Shah reached the party office at 4 PM, followed by observers Gadkari and Saroj Pandey, the top leaders of the state remained in a huddle in one of the conference rooms of BJP state headquarters at Koba village on the outskirts of Gandhinagar.
Shah, Gadkari, Pandey, Anandiben, Nitin Patel, Vijay Rupani and BJP joint general secretary (organisation) V Satish were present in the meeting, besides some other leaders.
However, there is no word on what transpired at the meeting.
Rupani, who belongs to Jain Baniya community, is considered to be close to Amit Shah while Patel is said to be close to Anandiben.
Rupani, who represents Rajkot West seat, joined Jan Sangh in 1971 and has been associated with BJP since its formation.
He currently holds Transport, Water Supply, Labour and Employment portfolios.
Rupani's candidature is being seen as a way to pre-empt any conflict between the Dalit and Patidar communities, the latter on warpath with the hovernment over its demand for reservation on par with the OBCs.
He is being assigned the task of leading the BJP in the high stake assembly polls as the party is struggling to retain its political base and lacking in leaders who have the charisma of Narendra Modi, who had a tight hold on its affairs as Chief Minister before moving to the Centre.
IMAGE: Gujarat's new Chief Minister Vijay Rupani (third from left) and Deputy CM Nitin Patel (fourth from left) being garlaned by BJP President Amit Shah (second from left), Union minister Nitin Gadkari (far left) and Purushottam Rupala (far right) after a meeting at Gujarat BJP headquarters Kamlam at Gandhinagar on Friday. Former CM anandiben Patel is also seen. Photograph: PTI Photo
The BJP, which has been on a winning spree for over last two decades, seems to have sensed a political setback in continuation of Anandiben, who took charge in 2014 as successor to her high-profile predecessor.
Anandiben, who turns 75 this November, had handed over her resignation to Governor O P Kohli on Wednesday.
Under her leadership, BJP had suffered reversal in the civic polls held last year, with the opposition Congress making handsome gains at the expense of its saffron rival.
In the last two years, the BJP was also at loggerheads with its loyal vote bank of Patidars who have been demanding OBC quota and launched violent protests.
Of late, flogging of Dalits at Una also caused a massive unrest, further denting the party's image. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/rupani-to-be-gujarat-cm-nitin-patel-his-deputy/20160805.htm | en | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/8b192013f73963c4e984f3105126efe6b5690b2d2f143b6afcaca95623715bdb.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:25:43 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | A demand for raising wages and allowances of MPs was made in the Rajya Sabha on Friday with members demanding that their salaries should be higher than the revised scale of the Cabinet Secretary. | MPs seek higher wages; some cite inflation | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fmps-seek-higher-wages-some-cite-inflation%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/12lead1.jpg | en | null | MPs seek higher wages; some cite inflation | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 12, 2016 14:19 IST
A demand for raising wages and allowances of MPs was made in the Rajya Sabha on Friday with members demanding that their salaries should be higher than the revised scale of the Cabinet Secretary.
Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Ram Gopal Yadav (SP) said after the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission, wages of MPs was less than a PA in the government.
It is less than the salary a legislator in Delhi assembly gets. It is not even half of the revised salary of Maharashtra legislators and one-third of those in Telengana, he said.
Yadav said while inflation has soared, the salaries of MPs, who also have to entertain a lot of public visitors, has remained static.
Last month too, SP had raised the demand for early implementation of the recommendations of a Parliamentary Committee headed by Yogi Adityanath on wages and allowances of MPs.
Yadav said the salary of MPs should be higher than the revised scale of Cabinet Secretary after the implementation of the 7th Pay Commission.
The Cabinet Secretary draws Rs 2.5 lakh per month salary after the government implemented the recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission for central government employees and pensioners.
The Parliamentary Committee is reported to have recommended doubling the salary and allowances of MPs to Rs 2.8 lakh per month.
Anand Sharma (Cong) said this is the first time that the government is silent on a Parliamentary Committee recommendation that has been discussed and unanimously approved.
"Thousands of crores of rupees are spent on Prime Minister's visits abroad but there is no hike in salaries of MPs," he said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/mps-seek-higher-wages-some-cite-inflation/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/ef1169ddfdb55bacd04101327890b8a7fa2300cd97b16e1131410ec5d78881f5.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:36:55 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | This year's competition with 23 contests is taking place in two countries -- Russia and Kazakhstan. | The tank wars have begun | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-the-tank-wars-have-begun%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/03lead5.jpg | en | null | The tank wars have begun | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 09:20 IST
The International Army Games kicked off in Russia this last weekend at the Alabino shooting range near Moscow with a tank biathlon competition and would continue until August 13.
Invented by the Russian military a few years back, tank biathlon basically works like normal biathlon... but with tanks. According to the rules of tank biathlon, crews must navigate a distance of up to 20 kilometers evading various obstacles, crossing rivers and bridges and shoot at a set of targets. Tanks that miss a target get a penalty lap.
Unlike previous years, this year's competition with 23 contests is taking place in two countries -- Russia and Kazakhstan -- and includes 23 events in field, air and marine training involving over 3,000 military personnel from 20 countries.
India is participating only in the Tank Biathlon.
All teams are using the T-72B3 tanks provided by Russia; the only exceptions being the Chinese who brought a new variant of the third-generation ZTZ-96 main battle tank, and the Belarus team who are using their T-72 tank.
Scroll below to see some stunning photographs from the competition: (Photographs Courtesy: Sergei Bobylev/Russian Defence Ministry Press Office) | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-the-tank-wars-have-begun/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/517960977b2673efb3d432054e0c605e9f0a72583c9af23efe2f8e221e3049af.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:33:10 | null | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | If plans do go ahead, the 82-year-old will be the country's first monarch to abdicate in 200 years.
| Japan's emperor hints at abdication | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fjapans-emperor-hints-at-abdication%2F20160808.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/08japan1.jpg | en | null | Japan's emperor hints at abdication | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 08, 2016 13:57 IST
If plans do go ahead, the 82-year-old will be the country’s first monarch to abdicate in 200 years.
IMAGE: The Japanese emperor Akihito has signaled his desire to abdicate by expressing concern about his ability to carry out his duties fully in a rare address to the public address. Photograph: Thomas Peter/File Photo/Reuters
The Japanese emperor has signalled his desire to abdicate by expressing concern about his ability to carry out his duties fully in a rare address to the public.
“When I consider my age of over 80, as well as my gradually deteriorating physical condition despite being luckily healthy at this moment, I am concerned about being able to fulfil by duties as a symbol with the utmost efforts, as I have done so far,” Japan’s Emperor Akihito said in a 10-minute pre-recorded speech broadcast on national television.
As expected, he avoided using the word ‘abdication,’ which could have violated restrictions.
This is only the third time a Japanese emperor has spoken to the public in the television and radio era.
Japanese people stopped in the street, gathering to watch the historic address in public on big outdoor screens.
IMAGE: People react as they watch the emperor's address on giant screens on the streets of Tokyo. Photograph: Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
Akihito suggested in his speech a need to consider how to make the succession process smoother.
He has reportedly told palace officials and his family that he doesn’t wish to cling to his title if his responsibilities have to be severely reduced, and his two sons have accepted the idea.
If the plans do ahead, he would become his country’s first monarch to abdicate in 200 years in allowing his son to take over the throne.
The monarch, who has had heart surgery and prostate cancer, has been cutting back on his official duties and handing them over to his heir Crown Prince Naruhito, 56, within a few years.
Read his full speech HERE (external link) | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/japans-emperor-hints-at-abdication/20160808.htm | en | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/f767d21449f48d8a97cab317a641b953eb61ce5e74f6948c26c03a1ab3119a5c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:31:45 | null | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | 'Only the smoke is coming out now. Let us prevent the lava from coming out by taking proper measures.'
'I have told every leader that you cannot have a stable government without winning the confidence of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and the most backward castes.'
'Leaders feel that by giving a sop here and there and by symbolic actions, they can win votes. That's all they want. Votes.'
| 'You are sitting on a volcano of Dalit anger' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Finterview%2Fyou-are-sitting-on-a-volcano-of-dalit-anger%2F20160808.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/20guj2.jpg | en | null | 'You are sitting on a volcano of Dalit anger' | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 09, 2016 16:32 IST
IMAGE: Dalits enforce the closure of markets during a protest in Ahmedabad July 20 against the assault by cow protectors in Rajkot. Photograph: PTI
'Only the smoke is coming out now. Let us prevent the lava from coming out by taking proper measures.'
'I have told every leader that you cannot have a stable government without winning the confidence of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and the most backward castes.'
'Leaders feel that by giving a sop here and there and by symbolic actions, they can win votes. That's all they want. Votes.'
Though P S Krishnan, 84, retired after three decades of service as an IAS officer in 1990, as the secretary to the Government of India, he continues his work for the socially deprived classes in India.
Krishnan, below, left, has been on numerous government committees after retirement, and is currently the advisor to the government of Telangana on backward classes, and the government of Andhra Pradesh on identification of and reservation for socially and educationally backward classes among Muslims.
He is also a member of the National Monitoring Committee for Education of SCs, STs and Persons with Disabilities, and a member of the Central Monitoring Committee of the National Mission for Empowering Women.
One of the most significant initiatives by him at the national level was the formulation and initialising of the special component plan for scheduled castes in 1978.
When contacted for an interview, he said, "I am ready to talk to anyone on scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes, as working for them is my mission in life." He spoke to Rediff.com's Shobha Warrier.
You said your fight for the socially deprived class in our society started 65 years ago. What triggered your interest in them?
The turning point, when I look back, was a report I read in a daily newspaper about what Babasaheb Ambedkar said: That one in every seven Indians was an untouchable. As an 11 year old, I could not understand what he meant by 'untouchable.' I thought, how could anybody be untouchable?
As a child, I used to accompany my father every day to the Padmanabha Swamy temple (in Thiruvanathapuram) and when we walked through the long corridor, I used to ask him many questions and we used to discuss many issues.
The day I read the report, I asked him, 'Why does Ambedkar say that one in every seven Indians is an untouchable?' My father explained very honestly about the conditions of untouchables in India. I asked him, 'Is it not unjust?' He said, 'Yes, it is.'
What kind of impact did the revelation have on you?
When I read the newspaper report, it puzzled me. When my father explained it to me, I understood what it was. It shocked me and I could not accept it.
That day, I decidedly went over to the side that suffered, and my place became there. I continued to be on that side even today.
What could you do for them after you joined the IAS?
Even before I joined the IAS, as a student and later on as a teacher, I tried to do whatever was possible to break the caste barriers. As a lecturer, when I put across these ideas to my students, all of them were responsive; not one student was against the idea of ending inequality in society.
I joined the IAS in 1956. From the beginning of my career itself, I took up the issue of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, backward castes, nomadic communities, scavengers, etc. I used to camp only in the localities where Dalits, scheduled castes and scheduled tribes lived when I went on tour to villages.
I gave importance to land and house distribution to scheduled castes. These two became a part of my everyday life apart from opposing untouchability and any crime committed against them.
Sixty years have passed since you joined the IAS and you have seen first hand the situation they were in then. Do you think changes have taken place in our society in the last six decades? If so, how much has it changed?
There are changes, which I would call quantitative, but changes I would call qualitative, are not yet to be achieved.
Scheduled castes continue to be agricultural labourers and they continue to be the bulk of the landless. If they move to the cities, they continue to be urban unorganised labourers.
Untouchability continues to be practised. Atrocities are being committed on them.
The changes that are essential for their emancipation have not happened. For example, all scheduled castes should have viable agricultural land and this land should have irrigation through combined, joined tube wells or bore wells.
This also applies to scheduled tribes also though they are not landless. They are people with land, but their lands are being grabbed even now.
Unlike the scheduled castes for whom ownership of land was prohibited from one end of the country to the other, scheduled tribes are people with land.
What is more important for their emancipation, owning land or getting education?
Both are extremely important. It is not one or the other. Nobody can touch them if they have a viable irrigated land in a village.
So for dignity, security, and resistance to untouchability, ownership of land is important while education is required for advancement.
If you have irrigated land, you get the wherewithal to educate your children. When you don't have this, you have to fall back on child labour as they are also required to contribute to the family income.
But once they get some income through irrigated land, their children will be free to pursue education.
Is the Dalit agitation we see in Gujarat as a result of years of suppression that has reached a boiling point?
This is not only a matter of Gujarat, it is a matter of all of India.
There is no state which can say we have succeeded in eliminating the indignities and deprivations on Dalits, Adivasis and the backward castes.
Even in Kerala?
Yes, even in Kerala. If you take the scheduled castes of Kerala, the old type of untouchability has largely disappeared like once they were asked not to wear clothes, footwear, etc.
This happened thanks to the efforts of leaders unknown to the world like Ayyankali, Karuppan Master, Narayana Guru who is a little more known unlike Ayyankali.
These are all great people who without any expectations in return, fought against these indignities and mobilised Dalits and backward castes in those days, as a result of which the old type of untouchability has largely disappeared. But it still exists in those parts of Kerala which adjoin Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
But the consequences of untouchability like low level of education, low ownership of land, high presence in unorganised labour still continue to haunt the scheduled castes, the scheduled tribes and fisherfolk in Kerala.
Do you feel banning beef and cow slaughter acted as triggers for the outburst we see in Gujarat now?
Atrocities against scheduled castes have been going on for a long time. When Dr Ambedkar appeared before the Simon Commission, he gave a graphic description of the atrocities perpetrated on the scheduled castes. So, it is not a new thing.
After Independence, there was this notorious Ramnad riots in 1957 which most people in India today have not even heard of. Then there was this Keezhvenmani atrocities in Tamil Nadu in 1968 where 62 people were burnt to death, mostly women and children.
There were a series of atrocities in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, and many other places in various states. A scheduled caste boy was burnt to death as he had the temerity to sing during Garba.
Atrocities are an unfortunate part of our otherwise great civilisation. Ours is a great civilisation, but this is a dark spot.
Periyar started the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu. It is the most literate state after Kerala, but you have discrimination based on caste even today. Dalits are not allowed inside temples and honour killings happen in villages.
All social revolutions move up to a point and then stop. As soon as a particular class or caste reaches a certain level, they do not want the people below them to come up.
The Tamil Nadu social revolution brought the backward castes up and once they reached the top, they start treating the Dalits the same way they were treated by the upper castes.
The caste virus is virulent and it damages the minds of even good people. Even normal good people behave in a criminal way in the caste context vis a vis the Dalits and other lower castes.
That's why the caste system has to be annihilated, which was one of the goals of Ambedkar.
Do you blame Hinduism for discrimination against Dalits in Indian society?
This is perpetrated by those who do not understand religion. The Upanishads talk of the universal soul permeating all. How can there be untouchability then?
So I don't blame any religion for this; society is to blame. Even in Muslim and Christian society, there is inequality.
The Dalit agitation has been going on for many years. Even the Buddhist movement was strengthened by the scheduled castes.
There were many saint reformers in medieval India. In the 13th century, there was a great man called Basaweswara who broke rules and encouraged the marriage between his sister and an untouchable. Nobody knows about him in India except in Karnataka and his followers have become Lingayats, another caste.
There was a saint called Shankar Dev in Assam who brought tribals to the mainstream society. These counter narratives against the caste narratives are unfortunately not known.
You mean the Dalit movement we see today is not new, but a continuation of what had happened.
It is a continuation of many movements that had happened even before Independence. You saw the nationalist movement, the Communist movement, the socialist movement and then the Ambedkar movement. We also saw many movements in different states like Narayana Guru in Kerala, Periyar in Tamil Nadu, etc.
After this, the scheduled castes began to slowly organise, began to resist. In Kerala, Ezhavas were untouchables then and they could not just enter temples they were not allowed to walk around the outer walls of the temples.
The Vaikom satyagraha was not about entering the temple, it was about the rights of the untouchables led by Ezhavas for the right to walk on the road surrounding the outer wall of the temple.
All these movements and later on with education, Ezhavas came out of the situation they were in.
Don't you think we need political leaders who are visionaries, who understand history as well as society to douse the fire?
Over the years, I have written letters to all the leaders including P Chidambaram, Dr Manmohan Singh, Amit Shah, and Narendra Modi. I have not spared any leader. Only if they read will they understand.
I have explained why and what special measures are required for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward castes and the justifications for them.
I have taught like a teacher, but no student was willing to learn. They feel that by giving a sop here and there and by symbolic actions, they can win votes. That's all they want. Votes.
Is it lack of understanding of a social problem or lack of political will?
Indian political parties without any exception are dominated by upper castes. There are political leaders who themselves grab the land of scheduled tribes. How do you expect them to work for the same people?
I am not talking in general terms, I know the individuals and what they did, I know the harm they have done to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.
Domination of political parties by the same castes that dominate society has not helped the cause in any way. Not all people behave like this, but those who are doing this are from the upper castes.
Irrigated land distribution and universal education are the two most important things to be done. Both these were there in the UPA (United Progressive Alliance)'s common minimum programme on my efforts, but the government did not do anything on this.
Not only in the CMP, it was there in the Presidential address to the joint session of Parliament in 2004 too. The President saying in Parliament and not doing it is the most undemocratic and unConstitutional thing.
Next are pre-school education through anganvadis and reservation in residential schools of high quality. Money was provided for such schools throughout the country through my efforts in 2006, but the then finance minister did not allow it to happen. Otherwise, we would have had schools in every district.
Unfortunately, the goal of politicians is only to get votes and not work for society. Getting votes has become an addiction for politicians.
The Maharaja of Kolhapur in 1902 started reservations based on caste. Do you feel even after 70 years of Independence, it has not achieved its purpose?
Reservation is not the single medicine, which will cure all the diseases.
In Malayalam, there is this word, Ottamooli, reservation is not an Ottamooli. . You require an array of instruments of which reservation is just one.
Do you feel some people continue to enjoy the fruits of reservation by not allowing those behind them to get it?
This is a canard used by the upper castes. The psychology of the upper castes is to blame the sufferers.
You first provide them land and education and stop blaming those who have benefitted from reservation.
Will there be any difference if leaders from the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward castes lead major political parties?
The problem is who will allow them to lead a major political party?
If I am the leader today, I want my son or daughter to be the next leader, that's what we see today. Why should I allow a (former Bharatiya Janata Party president) Bangaru Laxman to come in?
You knew him very well...
He was a very good person and understood these issues. He was one of those rare politicians who knew a south Indian language as well as Hindi. In my opinion, he didn't deserve what happened to him.
But the truth is no party will give its high position to a backward caste person. When Narasimha Rao was there, he tried to have an election for the Congress Working Committee and even the most popular scheduled caste person could not get enough votes to get in.
Do you feel had Bangaru Laxman been the BJP president now, he would have handled the Dalit agitation differently?
It is a hypothetical question. The scheduled caste people in both the BJP and the Congress have been raising their concern for a long time. Even now, they are talking about the consequences if the issue is not resolved satisfactorily. They are talking about the political consequences, but I am not worried about that.
I am worried because the country needs stability. I have told every leader that you cannot have a stable government without winning the confidence of the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes and the most backward castes.
Getting their confidence is not through giving them some posts, but working for their total rise.
The Congress lost because they didn't attend to their problems. I am not saying they didn't do anything, they did some good things.
Do you think the Dalit agitation in Gujarat will spread to the rest of India?
What you see is a great social movement in Indian society.
The unprecedented mobilisation of the scheduled castes has reached such a level now that those who are blind till now can see it. Those who didn't want to write anything on these matters are writing now.
The upper castes in India and the media never noticed this till now, and now they are noticing it. They are noticing now because Dalits have learnt to mobilise.
This will not end and the fire cannot be extinguished. This will become a national mobilisation unless those who are heading various political parties and those who are at the top of society, mostly belonging to the upper castes and to a limited extent the upper-middle castes, realise that you are sitting on a volcano about which Ambedkar had warned in 1949 after completing the Constitution making task.
You feel an eruption of the volcano is what we are seeing in Gujarat?
Only the smoke is coming out now. Let us prevent the lava from coming out by taking proper measures.
We have to recognise that a great injustice has been done to our own people who are of our own race, and that we have been so cruel to them.
We should apologise and then join them in this effort to help them be equal in all the parameters of life which the upper castes of society enjoy. | http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/you-are-sitting-on-a-volcano-of-dalit-anger/20160808.htm | en | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/c535a005ff1b5050f2934634b7fb4c7282e7ae324e0c31954bcf31a57caee900.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:32:51 | null | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | The four-time MLA and OBC leader joined the saffron party in presence of Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah. | Former BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya joins BJP | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fformer-bsp-leader-swami-prasad-maurya-joins-bjp%2F20160808.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/08maurya1.jpg | en | null | Former BSP leader Swami Prasad Maurya joins BJP | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 08, 2016 17:35 IST
Bharatiya Janata Party’s aim to capture power in Uttar Pradesh on Monday received a shot in the arm with Swami Prasad Maurya, an Other Backward Class leader in Uttar Pradesh who had recently quit Bahujan Samaj Party, joining it on Monday.
The four-time MLA joined the saffron party in presence of Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah here and claimed that if he received ample support from the party’s leadership, then it would come to power in the state with a strong majority. The assembly polls are due early next year.
Maurya, who was the Leader of the Opposition in the state assembly before he left BSP in June, said he was impressed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s work to empower the weaker sections and lashed out at BSP chief Mayawati for turning her party into an “industrial house” and allegedly selling tickets.
His decision to join BJP puts an end to speculation over his next move after he had quit BSP as there were talks that he may join Samajwadi Party and was later approached by other parties as well.
“I have taken an appropriate decision at an appropriate time,” he told a press conference.
Maurya, who is said to enjoy influence with a section of OBC voters belonging to Kushwaha, Maurya, Shakya and Saini communities, also lashed out at “communal forces” for their attempt to divide society, in an apparent criticism of cow vigilantes.
He then praised Modi’s statements over the matter in the last two days.
In a message to his supporters, some of whom remain in the BSP, and the BJP leadership, he requested his new party to give due respect to them whenever they join it in the future.
“There are also many MLAs who will join the party,” he said and took names of some former MLAs who joined BJP along with him.
Mayawati, he said, had been marginalising the backwards castes and was likely to give them only 26-27 seats in the 403-seat UP assembly elections.
In the Lok Sabha polls, BJP gave members of the community 29 seats, all of whom won, while BSP gave to only 16, he said.
BSP was a movement under its founder Kanshi Ram but Mayawati has begun selling tickets, Maurya alleged.
“BSP is no longer a political party but an industrial house. It is not only an insult of Baba Sahab Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram but also our Constitution. It will not be an exaggeration to say that it is murder of democracy,” he said, attacking his former leader.
Shah, who left soon after briefly sharing the stage with Maurya, did not speak.
UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said Swami Prasad Maurya’s entry into the party will boost its strength and its mission to winning power in the state is close to reality.
IMAGE: Swami Prasad Maurya is greeted by party chief Amit Shah as he joins the BJP on Monday. Photograph: @BJP4India/Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/former-bsp-leader-swami-prasad-maurya-joins-bjp/20160808.htm | en | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/cbdbed5903105c1ede8dc53485142e0d7cc1a0aa9c6b4bc77653d7de4d67c9ff.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:37:22 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | During his terse speech, Singh launched a veiled attack on Pakistan, saying mere condemnation of terrorism and individual acts by terrorists was not enough. | Stop glorification of terrorists: India's tough message to Pak | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpakistan-blacks-out-rajnath-singhs-speech-on-terror-at-saarc%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/04rajnath.jpg | en | null | Stop glorification of terrorists: India's tough message to Pak | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 04, 2016 18:42 IST
India on Thursday delivered a blunt message to Pakistan asking it to stop encouraging terror groups and "glorification" of terrorists and also called for "strongest action" against nations supporting terrorism and their isolation.
Without mincing any words amid the strain in Indo-Pak relations, Home Minister Rajnath Singh said mere condemnation of terrorism and terrorists is not enough and that there are "no good terrorists or bad terrorists".
Singh in his address to the 7th SAARC Interiors Ministers Conference said terrorism continued to remain the biggest challenge and threat to the region.
The current strain in Indo-Pak relations was apparently evident when Singh came face-to-face with his Pakistani counterpart Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan for the first time on Thursday and the two leaders barely shook hands.
The two leaders barely touched their hands, not even a formal handshake, before Singh moved ahead to enter the meeting hall.
Members of the Indian media, which came from New Delhi to report the conference, were not allowed to capture the moment or the conference and was kept at a distance by Pakistani officials, leading to a verbal duel between a senior Indian official and a Pakistani official. The only broadcaster allowed inside the venue was state-owned Pakistan Television, the reports said.
However, India described the reports of a 'blackout' as "misleading".
"With reference to the home ministers meeting in Islamabad earlier, media reports of a 'blackout' of our home minister's statement are misleading.
"It is the standard SAARC practice that the opening statement by the host country is public and open to the media while the rest of the proceedings are in camera, which allows for a full and frank discussion of issues," a government source said.
In Islamabad, an interior ministry official also said that there was no such blackout of Rajnath's speech as none of the speeches of participating ministers was shown.
"It is true that his (Rajnath's) speech was not shown live because (the) speech(es) of none of the participating ministers was shown live by the state media."
He said only the inaugural session was shown live when Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan made welcome speeches.
The official said Singh was not discriminated at all by the state media and he was given full official protocol.
The home minister also skipped the lunch being hosted by Khan after the meeting as the host had left the venue.
Speaking in Hindi at the conference, Singh said there should be "strongest action not only against terrorists or organisations but also against those individuals, organisations and nations who support terrorism."
"It also needs to be ensured that terrorism is not glorified and is not patronized by any state," Singh said in a veiled dig at Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Singh's comments came against the backdrop of Sharif's praise of Burhan Wani who was killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir on July 8 and his description of Hizbul Mujahideen commander as a martyr, much to India’s ire.
"One country’s terrorist cannot be a martyr or freedom fighter for anyone. I also speak for the entire humanity -- not just for India or other SAARC members -- in urging that in no circumstances should terrorists be eulogised as martyrs."
Calling for isolation of countries or individuals who provide any kind of support, encouragement, sanctuary, safe haven or any assistance to terrorists, he said "strongest possible steps need to be taken not only against terrorists and terrorist organisations but also those individuals, institutions, organisations or nations that support them.
"Only this will ensure that the forces engaged in promoting the heinous crime of terrorism against humanity are effectively countered."
Image: Home Minister Rajnath Singh in Islamabad for the seventh SAARC Home Ministers meeting. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pakistan-blacks-out-rajnath-singhs-speech-on-terror-at-saarc/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/2e99d66b9e0fa336665dd291064cbbe9fd9436897483f5830e083714ee061d45.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:52:09 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | The car exploded near the embassy in Bishkek, killing its driver and wounding three people. | Blast at Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan; 1 dead, 3 wounded | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fblast-at-chinese-embassy-in-kyrgyzstan%2F20160830.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/30kyrygz.jpg | en | null | Blast at Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan; 1 dead, 3 wounded | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 30, 2016 11:52 IST
A car has exploded after ramming the gates of the Chinese embassy in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, with at least one person killed and three others injured on Tuesday.
The car exploded near the embassy in Bishkek, killing its driver and wounding three people, the health ministry said, reports the Guardian.
Kyrgyz security officials quoted by the local AKIpress news agency described the blast as a terrorist attack.
The news agency also quoted the chief of security at the Chinese embassy as saying that no staff there had been injured.
Employees from the Chinese and nearby American embassy were evacuated.
Kyrgyz security officials are at the scene conducting an investigation.
Photograph: Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/blast-at-chinese-embassy-in-kyrgyzstan/20160830.htm | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/afc8bb9fbe32b5a0ac43f06dbb2a8b1c87e8b5055ccb0d5d8f6830069f24ad2e.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:38:22 | null | 2016-08-03T00:00:00 | Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday elected by lawmakers as Nepal's Prime Minister for a second time. | Maoist chief Prachanda elected as Nepal PM | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fmaoist-chief-prachanda-elected-as-nepal-pm%2F20160803.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/03nepalpm.jpg | en | null | Maoist chief Prachanda elected as Nepal PM | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 03, 2016 16:57 IST
Maoist chief Prachanda was on Wednesday elected by lawmakers as Nepal's Prime Minister for a second time with his elevation expected to bring much-needed political stability in the country bogged down by deep divisions over the new Constitution.
Though Pushpa Kamal Dahal -- better known as Prachanda -- was the only contender for the top post, he had to go through the voting as the Constitution requires the Prime Minister to prove support of the majority lawmakers in the House.
The 61-year-old Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist Centre chief was elected prime minister with 363 votes in favour and 210 against him. Out of a total 595 members, 22 did not vote.
Ahead of the election, Prachanda addressed the House and said that he would try to lead the nation toward economic development while moving ahead with the spirit of national consensus during his premiership.
This is the second time Prachanda has become prime minister after his brief stint with premiership came to an end in 2009.
He was prime minister from 2008 to 2009 before a disagreement with the military over his attempt to sack the army chief brought his period in office to an early end.
Prachanda won the vote after Nepali Congress and CPN-Maoist Centre signed a three-point agreement with the Madhesi Front to secure support from the Madhesi parties for their bid to form a new government led by him.
The prime minister's post had been left vacant since last month after Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist chairman K P Sharma Oli tendered his resignation following the Maoist's withdrawal of support to the coalition government.
Image: Nepal's newly elected Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Daha waves towards the media in Kathmandu, Nepal. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/maoist-chief-prachanda-elected-as-nepal-pm/20160803.htm | en | 2016-08-03T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6ebc2fd0f7f5d18b86fb794c1efca49a20bf41256da3f23e4666d924c84a98c8.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:24 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | The Union women and child development minister also asked the Kerala government where the money given to the state for sterilisation of dogs has been spent. | Kerala's decision to kill 'dangerous' dogs unlawful: Maneka | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkeralas-decision-to-kill-dangerous-dogs-unlawful-maneka%2F20160826.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/26dog.jpg | en | null | Kerala's decision to kill 'dangerous' dogs unlawful: Maneka | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 26, 2016 14:49 IST
Union minister Maneka Gandhi has criticised the Kerala government’s decision to kill “dangerous” stray dogs, calling it “unlawful and unscientific”, even as she claimed that the move can make other canines even more hostile.
The Union women and child development minister also asked the Kerala government where the money given to the state for sterilisation of dogs has been spent.
“You say kill, kill, kill. You keep killing and they keep biting. The dog becomes hostile,” Gandhi said.
She said the Kerala Cabinet’s decision to kill dangerous canines to deal with the dog menace can be misused.
“This is an excuse to kill any dog,” she claimed.
“Where is the money given by Animal Welfare Board of India to Kerala for sterilisation of dogs? Where has that gone?” she asked.
Gandhi, who is also an animal rights activist, said that killing dogs is not only unlawful but counter-productive as it will lead to more breeding.
“If you kill the dog, females will breed more. Also, dogs will come from outside. I am totally with the people of Kerala but if you keep killing, you break the law and you continue to do things that do not work,” she said.
She said the best solution is to sterilise the dogs.
“If you sterilise the dogs they will be happy, they will be gentle. No sterilised dog ever bites. They will also be vaccinated and the problem will go,” Gandhi said.
“Delhi had 5 lakh dogs and that number would never come down. Once we started sterilising the number came down to 70,000 even though the population and waste of Delhi has gone up over the years,” she said.
The minister also blamed heavy urbanisation in Kerala leading to more waste generation and rise in number of stray dogs.
“Dogs are scavengers, they come to eat the rats. Unless you clean up the waste, rats increase. Kerala is very heavily urbanised. There is very little control on the waste. Unless you deal with the waste, your rats will come, with that dogs will come too,” she said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/keralas-decision-to-kill-dangerous-dogs-unlawful-maneka/20160826.htm | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/bce091fd3400cbf4478cf758f2e145aeb562dee0b439fea6413ff433f70cff47.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:40:41 | null | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | A Noida-based man whose wife and minor daughter were gang-raped by highway robbers in Uttar Pradesh said that the family of three will commit suicide if police fail to give them justice in three months. | Bulandshahr gang rape: 'Punish the culprits or we'll commit suicide' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbulandshahr-gang-rape-punish-the-culprits-or-well-commit-suicide%2F20160802.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/02rape1.jpg | en | null | Bulandshahr gang rape: 'Punish the culprits or we'll commit suicide' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 02, 2016 10:44 IST
A Noida-based man whose wife and minor daughter were gang-raped by highway robbers in Uttar Pradesh said that the family of three will commit suicide if police fail to give them justice in three months.
“We were looted, beaten up and we all know what they did to my daughter... I want my wife and daughter to punish them. If they are not punished within three months, then all three of us will commit suicide,” said the cab driver whose family was attacked and subjected to hours of unspeakable horror.
The ultimatum by the family comes amid allegations of police apathy after the gang stopped the family on the Ghaziabad-Aligarh highway on Friday night, robbed them and then dragged off the13-year-old girl and her mother to a roadside field and raping them.
Uttar Pradesh Police have arrested the three accused – Naresh, Bablu and Rais -- and detained a dozen others after launching a massive hunt for the dacoits suspected to be behind the highway crime.
The Centre has also sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government and details of the incident and steps taken to nab all those involved in it.
The crime in Bulandshahr has shocked the country and raised questions about law and order and the role of police in the state. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/bulandshahr-gang-rape-punish-the-culprits-or-well-commit-suicide/20160802.htm | en | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/aa66d4d5dee309cc5b887b1a918b79197f501456ddda78ca2ba3665693d21601.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:41:14 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | Nearly 21 per cent of the country has received 'deficient' rainfall till July 31, the India Meteorological Department on Monday said. | 21 pc of country received 'deficient' rainfall | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Ftwenty-one-pc-of-country-received-deficient-rainfall%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/money/2015/jun/24mon.jpg | en | null | 21 pc of country received 'deficient' rainfall | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 18:28 IST
Nearly 21 per cent of the country has received "deficient" rainfall till July 31, the India Meteorological Department on Monday said as it released the forecast for August and September, which are expected to witness "above normal" precipitation.
According to the IMD, deficiency has reached 49 per cent in Saurashtra and Kutch region followed by Gujarat region (39), Himachal Pradesh (27), Assam and Meghalaya (26), Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Kerala (25) and Odisha (20).
Regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada, which faced acute drought crisis due to two consecutive droughts have received normal rainfall so far.
However, the good news is that the next two months could see a good rainfall.
"Rainfall over the country as a whole during second half of southwest monsoon season (August and September) is most likely to be above normal.
"Quantitatively, the rainfall for the country as a whole during second half of the season is likely to be 107 period of Long Period Average. The rainfall during August is likely to be 104 plus/minus 9 per cent of LPA as was forecasted in June," the IMD said.
Which means September is expected to receive excess rainfall.
Anything less than 90 per cent of the LPA is termed as a "deficient" monsoon and 90-96 per cent of the LPA is rated as "below normal". Monsoon is considered "normal" if the period is between 96 and 104 per cent of the LPA. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/twenty-one-pc-of-country-received-deficient-rainfall/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6d96d50feb6fb110534cb8dbcdfcc7cd385da16ec9360eb0db022929abff5622.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:17:19 | null | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | The suit made it to the Guinness Book of World Records as the 'most expensive suit (clothing) sold at auction'. | PM Modi's Rs 4.31 crore suit enters Guinness book | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fmodis-suit-enters-guinness-as-most-expensive-sold-at-auction%2F20160820.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/20suit1.jpg | en | null | PM Modi's Rs 4.31 crore suit enters Guinness book | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 20, 2016 19:41 IST
Do you remember that monogrammed suit Prime Minister Narendra Modi wore while meeting United States President Barack Obama in January in New Delhi?
Well, that tailored suit is now the 'most expensive suit sold ever', said the Guinness World Records.
The suit which had Modi’s named tailored into it in gold pinstripes was later sold to the highest bidder, Laljibhai Patel, a diamond baron and private airline owner based in Surat, Gujarat for an astounding Rs 4.31 crore.
The Guinness World Records acknowledges the suit as the "most expensive suit (clothing) sold at auction is Rs 43,131,311 and was bought by Laljibhai Tulsibhai Patel (India) in Surat, Gujarat, India on February 20, 2015."
"It is a matter of happiness and pride that the suit has found a place in the Guinness Book of World Records. We had applied for the world record around five months back on the suggestion of our company's HR management team. Within a couple of months, we received a certificate acknowledging that it was the world's most expensive suit sold at an auction," Hitesh Patel, son of Laljibhai, said in Surat on Saturday.
During the auction, the suit was displayed on a lookalike mannequin of Modi behind a glass case. Some bids, including one of Rs five crore, were also received after the deadline, but were disallowed.
The money generated from the auction went for Modi's ambitious ‘Clean Ganga Mission’.
The suit was reportedly prepared at a cost of Rs 10 lakh and was auctioned at a base price of Rs 11 lakh.
The suit, which Modi had worn during Obama's three-day state visit to India in January last year, had kicked up a political row with opposition parties accusing the PM of 'narcissism'.
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had latched on it to accuse Modi of heading a "suit-boot ki sarkar" which worked only for the rich.
He also used the suit, whose fabric was claimed to have come from United Kingdom, to attack PM Modi over his ‘Make in India’ campaign.
Amid the swirling controversy over the suit, a NRI Gujarati businessman Ramesh B Virani had claimed he gifted it to Modi when he had gone to invite him for his son’s wedding.
The suit was tailored by ‘Jade Blue’ in Ahmedabad, a clothing chain that handles Modi’s wardrobe.
With PTI inputs | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/modis-suit-enters-guinness-as-most-expensive-sold-at-auction/20160820.htm | en | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/b5b01354bc5629609c1938b64f038da74a7b2baccf8b7c1ad4da089f48b70fed.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:16 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | Senior BJP leader Brijpal Teotia and five others were seriously injured when they were attacked by armed assailants in Ghaziabad on Thursday. | 100 shots fired at BJP leader Brijpal Teotia near Delhi | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fup-bjp-leader-brij-pal-teotia-shot-at-in-ghaziabad%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/12bjp1.jpg | en | null | 100 shots fired at BJP leader Brijpal Teotia near Delhi | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 12, 2016 09:20 IST
Senior BJP leader Brijpal Teotia and five others were seriously injured when they were attacked by armed assailants in Ghaziabad on Thursday.
At least 100 rounds were shot at his convoy using AK-47 rifles.
According to Meerut zone IG Surjeep Pandey, at around 7.20pm, unidentified assailants came in a car and opened fire at Teotia and others at Raoli Road under Muradnagar police station.
The BJP leader and five others were seriously injured in the incident, he said, adding that even though the police launched a chase, the culprits managed to flee.
The injured were initially admitted at a hospital in Ghaziabad from where Teotia was transferred to Fortis Hospital in Noida, the IG said.
"Rifles, AK 47 have been used in the attack... We are trying to arrest the culprits. Weapons used in the attack have been recovered," said Daljeet Chaudhary, Additional Director General of Police Law and Order.
Minister of State Mahesh Sharma, who met the injured leader, said, "His life is in danger. He has been taken to operation theatre."
Teotia, who had contested the 2012 Uttar Pradesh assembly election from Muradnagar constituency, was on his way to Ghaziabad when the incident occurred, he added. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/up-bjp-leader-brij-pal-teotia-shot-at-in-ghaziabad/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/8cb4c2d76509ad51f7180f82de868d715593a283ddb4f76f6aeae287479407e0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:29:54 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, from Kerala has won a million dollars in lottery, just six days after miraculously surviving the accident. | Kerala man wins $1m lottery after surviving Emirates crash-landing | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkerala-man-wins-lottery-after-surviving-emirates-crash-landing%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/03emirates01.jpg | en | null | Kerala man wins $1m lottery after surviving Emirates crash-landing | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 11, 2016 00:46 IST
A 62-year-old Indian, who was on board the Emirates plane that crash-landed in Dubai, might be the luckiest man alive as he has won a million dollars in lottery, just six days after miraculously surviving the accident.
Mohammad Basheer Abdul Khadar, from Kerala, was among the 300 people on board the Emirates flight EK521 which crash landed and burst into flames at the Dubai airport last Wednesday.
The Dubai expatriate struck gold on Tuesday when his lucky ticket number 0845 was drawn in the Dubai Duty Free Millennium Millionaire at Concourse A at Dubai International Airport, winning him $1 million (Dirham 3.67 million), Gulf News reported.
Khadar had purchased the ticket on Eid on his way for a vacation with his family in Thiruvananthapuram.
A fleet administrator with a car dealer group in Dubai, Khadar had made it a habit to purchase a raffle ticket whenever he travelled to his home country.
Khadar became a millionaire after purchasing his 17th ticket, just four months before he was due to retire in December, he told the daily.
"I have been working in Dubai for 37 years, and I have always felt like this is my country. I live a simple life, and now that it's my time to retire, I feel like God gave me a second life when I survived the plane crash, and blessed me with this money to follow all this up by doing good things," Khadar said.
Khadar said he plans to return to India after his retirement to find a job that involves helping people in need.
He wants to help children in Kerala who are in need of financial help and medical support.
"I am blessed to have finally won with Dubai Duty Free and can't wait to share the news with my family. If you ask me about my plans, I obviously want to help the children in Kerala who are less fortunate than others and need some financial help and medical support," he said.
Khadar, a grandfather, earns Dirham 8,000 (Rs 1,45,212) a month. However, he had to struggle a lot for the treatment of his 21- year-old son who became paralysed after an accidental fall just 13 days after birth.
"I had to spend a lot of money on his treatment. Some years back I had to take a loan of Rs 1.8 million for a major surgery for him. I have managed to pay it back," said Khadar.
He said he was thankful for his job that also helped him get his daughter married.
"I will continue to work till I can. Nothing else can give you the satisfaction of your hard-earned money," he said.
In 2007, Indian national Sadanand Raghavan, a mechanic in Sharjah, scooped Dirham 5 million in a Mashreq Bank raffle. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kerala-man-wins-lottery-after-surviving-emirates-crash-landing/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/13b4fc95c5ba681cdb5a099a6464033f566c399a888fdd3cd262cc98f7f0f3db.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:41:51 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | Rediff.com presents the terrifying T-Rex footprints and the massive titanosaurs that stun visitors from around the world. | PHOTOS: Following in a dinosaur`s footsteps | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-following-in-a-dinosaurs-footsteps%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/30dino02.jpg | en | null | PHOTOS: Following in a dinosaur`s footsteps | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 01, 2016 10:33 IST
A hill in southeastern Bolivia is home to over 5,000 fossilised dinosaur tracks.
Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre in Bolivia, is one of the biggest sites for fossilised footprints ever found.
The location is a huge draw for tourists, welcoming some 1,20,000 visitors a year.
Some 65 million years ago, the land in the area was muddy and flat.
With the passing of time, "movements of tectonic plates, skid plates and marine continents" beneath the surface pushed the ground into its nearly upright position, while the mud also dried into limestone.
The footprints were first discovered in the mid-1990s, when rain and erosion uncovered them. Another part was discovered when the cement factory started exploiting the nearby quarry.
Rediff.com presents the terrifying T-Rex footprints and the massive titanosaurs that stun visitors from around the world.
WELCOME TO JURASSIC PARK: Visitors walk under a tyrannosaurus replica inside the Cretacic Park. The site, consisting of a limestone wall covered with the tracks of at least six types of Late Cretaceous dinosaurs, is the largest dinosaur track site known in the world today. All Photographs: David Mercado/Reuters
SMILE PLEASE: A mother takes a photograph of her children while they pose in front of the replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex at the Cretaceous park in Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia.
SIZE DOES MATTER: Visitors walk underneath a replica of a Titanosaur at the Cretaceous park in Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia.
WE NEED A BIGGER TAPE: Paleontologist Sebastian Apesteguia measures the footprint made by a meat-eating predator some 80 million years ago and one of the largest of its kind ever found, at the Maragua Syncline, Bolivia.
CLASH OF THE TITANASAURS: The replica of a Titanosaur is seen at the Cretaceous park in Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia.
NO TOUCHING: Children play with the replica of a dinosaur fossil at the Cretaceous park in Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia.
THE LAND BEFORE TIME: A replica of an ancient dinosaur stands tall at the park.
WAS THIS A MINI GODZILLA: A paleontologist measures the footprint made by a meat-eating predator some 80 million years ago and one of the largest of its kind ever found.
IN CASE OF DINOSAUR RUN UP: A child walks up a playground climber with dinosaur footprints at the Cretaceous park in Cal Orcko, on the outskirts of Sucre, Bolivia.
BOOM WENT THE VOLCANO: A piece of volcanic rock with dinosaur footprints is displayed at the Cretaceous Park of Cal Orcko at the FANCESA limestone quarry in Sucre, Bolivia. Frequent landslides at the paleontologic site of Cal Orcko constantly reveal new track ways, with some belonging to new species, according to local media. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-following-in-a-dinosaurs-footsteps/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/488abc1d856761478afbe267aab1b7757564bf474778b2c50335b68d0614387a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:21 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | A map showing the number of doctors per lakh population in each state | Are there enough doctors in your state? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Frediff-labs-are-there-enough-doctors-in-your-state%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/12lab.jpg | en | null | Are there enough doctors in your state? | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 12, 2016 16:20 IST
The map, above, shows the number of doctors per lakh population in each state (as on 2014).
According to the data released by the National Health Profile 2015, Goa (168 doctors) and Karnataka (165 doctors) have the most number of doctors treating a population of up to 1 lakh while Jharkhand (13 doctors) has the fewest.
Rediff Labs had, in an earlier data visualisation based on World Health Organisation data, shown the density of hospital beds and doctors per 10,000 population across the world (as on 2014). The data had shown that India had seven doctors per 10,000 population.
The latest National Health Profile data further examines the availability of doctors across the country.
Explore the map above to find out where your state stands.
For more data driven journalism, check our Rediff Labs. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/rediff-labs-are-there-enough-doctors-in-your-state/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/3d1622fc5f968a1f060465b859b56d91a93bee7d226b9b50429457ef515b0e71.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:15:15 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | Rediff.com shows you how people across the world cope with the unremitting July heat wave. | SCORCHED: July 2016 was the hottest month ever | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fscorched-july-2016-was-the-hottest-month-ever%2F20160824.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/23hot01.jpg | en | null | SCORCHED: July 2016 was the hottest month ever | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 24, 2016 15:06 IST
July 2016 was the hottest month since mankind began monitoring the temperatures in 1880.
NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- two leading global authorities on climate -- both say July 2016 was not only the hottest July on record, but the fieriest month in known history.
July’s global average temperature was 62.01 degrees, 1.57 degrees above the 20th-century average. NASA said that the average global temperature in July was 1.51 degrees above average.
The 2016 high topples the previous record set in July last year.
According to NASA, the month of July, when the seasonal temperature cycle peaks in the Northern Hemisphere, usually sees the highest global temperatures.
NASA, which analyzes weather data from 6,300 locations around the world, considers July 2016 as being the 10th consecutive record-setting month. The trend is disturbing and has no end in sight.
Rediff.com shows you how people across the world cope with this unremitting heat wave.
Cool off: Children play as they cool down in a fountain beside Manzanares river in Madrid. Photograph: Javier Barbancho/Reuters
Pristine: People splash water on each other as they pose for the camera at Parliament Hill Lido on a sunny day in London, Britain. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters
Dogs ain't fish: A dog is seen on a swimming board at dog beach and bar in Crikvenica, Croatia. Located at one of the few dog friendly beaches in the country, the bar's offer includes specially prepared ice cream, dog beer and snacks. Photograph: Antonio Bronic/Reuters
Burn baby burn: The Soberanes Fire burns down a hillside towards the Rancho San Carlos community in Carmel-By-The-Sea, California, US. Photograph: Noah Berger/Reuters
Children run through water spraying from a fire hydrant in the Queens borough of New York, US. Photograph: Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
The river wild: Children play in an inflatable pool to cool off during a hot summer day on the Mexican side of the Rio Bravo near the fence marking the border between Mexico and the US in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Photograph: Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters
Firestorm: A fire fighter battles the so-called Sand Fire in the AngelesNational Forest near Los Angeles, California, United States. Photograph: Gene Blevins/Reuters
Poolside glory: People swim at Parliament Hill Lido on a sunny day in London, Britain. Photograph: Neil Hall/Reuters
Dead on arrival: A cattle carcass is pictured on the Agropil ranch as the Pilcomayo river faces its worst drought in almost two decades, in Boqueron, on the border between Paraguay and Argentina. Photograph: Jorge Adorno/Reuters
Beached: People cool off on a beach in Qingdao, Shandong province. Photograph: Stringer/Reuters
Gators and crocs: An alligator is pictured stuck in the mud of the dry Pilcomayo river, which is facing its worst drought in almost two decades, on the border between Paraguay and Argentina, in Boqueron. Photograph: Jorge Adorno/Reuters
Fight fire with: Fire fighters battle the so-called Sand Fire in the AngelesNational Forest near Los Angeles. Photograph: Gene Blevins/Reuters | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/scorched-july-2016-was-the-hottest-month-ever/20160824.htm | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/277ae235f9e94f4628bc2f49cfa4d5c3069216af74602c279c3b99592f1215b4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:35:53 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | Earlier on Thursday morning, a 300 kg magnet was lowered with the help of a crane in the river to trace the missing buses. | Mahad bridge collapse: Government orders judicial probe; 9 bodies found | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-search-ops-resume-after-mumbai-goa-bridge-collapses%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/04mahad1.jpg | en | null | Mahad bridge collapse: Government orders judicial probe; 9 bodies found | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 04, 2016 22:15 IST
The state government on Thursday announced a judicial probe in the collapse of a British-era bridge here in which at least 22 people in two buses went missing, even as rescuers have fished out nine bodies so far from the swollen Savitri river.
Two state buses, with 22 people, including the crew, and some other vehicles got washed away in the river amid heavy rains late Tuesday following the collapse of a bridge on Mumbai-Goa Highway near Mahad, about 170 km from Mumbai.
Nine bodies have so far been fished out as massive multi-agency operations continue to find the missing vehicles and rest of the passengers.
About 20 boats with nearly 160 personnel of Coast Guard, NDRF, and Navy, apart from local fishermen and rafters, are at the work to find the remains of the two buses and other vehicles, which are also suspected to have been swept away.
The local administration has set up a help centre for the kin of the victims.
Earlier, a 300-kg magnet was lowered in the waters with the help of a crane to trace the missing buses.
Something has got stuck to the magnet and efforts are on to pull it out of the river, a local official said.
Deepak Mundhe, the son of Gorakhnath Mundhe, the driver of one of the ill-fated buses of the State Transport Corporation, expressed deep shock over the incident but has not lost hope.
"We have not lost our hope. We are hoping that my father would come alive," Mundhe said.
An NDRF jawan, who came out of the river after three hours of intense search, said, "The fast flow of flood water is posing a tough challenge for us but that is not going to be a deterrent in our mission."
In the state Assembly, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a judicial probe into the bridge collapse.
"A judicial inquiry will be conducted," Fadnavis said replying to a discussion on the issue.
The chief minister said directives have been issued to conduct structural audit of old bridges.
In 2013, the then Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and then deputy CM had received complaints about the dilapidated bridge, Fadnavis pointed out.
Leader of Opposition in Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil said the government should expand the scope of search operation.
A body was found 100 kms from the accident site. This shows that there's a need to expand scope of search operations, he said.
The government machinery showed negligence which led to the Mahad tragedy, Vikhe Patil alleged.
He demanded the PWD minister should own up responsibility and a judicial inquiry conducted into the incident.
Nationalist Congress Party MLA Ajit Pawar said a Sena legislator had a year ago, through a query in the assembly, spoken of fears about a tragedy waiting to happen due to the dilapidated state of the British-era bridge.
While replying to the query, PWD Minister Chandrakant Patil had said the bridge was technically sound, Pawar said.
Chandrakant Patil was at fault, he alleged. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-search-ops-resume-after-mumbai-goa-bridge-collapses/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/95f4013cec9b066aa6e12801997ceb4137598bea5dbd3d990dfa7fd29eff4fcd.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:21:07 | null | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | 'Can anyone honestly say with hand on heart that our streets and office buildings, railways and other public spaces are any cleaner?' | What purpose does Swachh Bharat serve? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Fcolumn%2Fwhat-purpose-does-swachh-bharat-serve%2F20160820.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/19cleanliness-o.jpg | en | null | What purpose does Swachh Bharat serve? | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 20, 2016 13:51 IST
'Can anyone honestly say with hand on heart that our streets and office buildings, railways and other public spaces are any cleaner?' asks Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com
Watching the burly young man in black T-shirt and jeans labouring in the Scandic Orion Hotel, where I was staying in the Norwegian town of Bergen, brought to mind those pictures of Narendra Modi grinning self-consciously as he clutched a long-handled broom. The contrast between the two visuals highlighted the difference between the European progress and Indian posturing.
The young man was painstakingly cleaning the glass wall round the edge of the balcony restaurant overhanging the hotel lobby. It being grey and wet outside, I sat there with Alan Hollinghurst's last novel, The Stranger's Child, which sweeps magnificently over a century of change.
But I barely looked at the book. Watching someone who so obviously enjoyed his work, so much so that he performed it meticulously without supervision, was itself strangely fulfilling.
Cleaning the glass wasn't particularly difficult. A few squirts from a spray, a vigorous rub with his cloth, and the surface sparkled. But, the balcony's concrete floor was a foot thick. The glass extended all the way down with, possibly, a centimetre's gap between the glass and concrete.
Moreover, the large round steel rivets that fixed the glass to the concrete in a decorative pattern also collected dirt. Cleaning the tight space between glass and concrete and ensuring no grime lingered round the rivets demanded special ingenuity.
The young man produced what looked like a riding crop. Its three-foot length swished flexibly between a handle at one end and a little point at the other. He draped a thin duster over the point, inserted it into the space between glass and concrete, and rubbed vigorously.
From my seat below, I watched his large red hand guiding the cloth up and down and side to side until every single millimetre shone brightly.
At some point, he noticed a hazard that had escaped my attention: Flecks of dust and dirt loosened by his efforts were floating down to the lobby's polished marble floor. So, he went away again and came back with a woman's umbrella.
I watched him tear strips of rag and use them to tie the open umbrella to the gleaming steel rail above the glass wall so that it hung upside down below the balcony. He could slide the umbrella along as he worked.
Sometime during the morning, I climbed the ornamental stairs curving up from the lobby to talk to him. He was Romanian, he said, and employed as a cleaner. He knew what had to be done. How it was done was up to him, he explained, tearing more strips of cloth and plaiting them together.
It had to be strong to hold the umbrella's weight, he said, as it hung upside down, collecting in its hollow whatever dirt his cleaning released. It had stopped raining.
My cruise into the fjords for which Norway is famous was due to start. But the image of that conscientious Romanian stayed with me as my e-mail brought the usual flood of official propaganda from the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan that boasts of covering 4,041 towns and cities and engaging 3 million government employees and school and college students.
It is India's biggest-ever cleanliness drive. It draws sanctity from being launched at Rajghat on a hallowed October 2. Courtiers who had clambered aboard the saffron bandwagon in hopes of crumbs of profit naturally applaud the scheme.
But can anyone honestly say with hand on heart that our streets and office buildings, railways and other public spaces are any cleaner as a result?
If cleanliness really is the aim, all the government needs to do is ensure the armies of jemadars, cleaners and sweepers, who are already paid full wages by hundreds of official departments, do the work for which they are paid.
Disciplining them would still be far more effective than the elaborate and expensive Swachh Bharat Abhiyan campaign.
Having only recently suffered three-long railway journeys in first-class air-conditioned compartments, I know, how slipshod Indian cleaning is.
Cleanliness may not be the aim at all. Perhaps the only purpose is to impress voters.
The integrity of that Romanian who not only finds dirt offensive, but is determined to give value for money is virtually unknown in India.
To repeat Joseph de Maistre, the 18th century French philosopher, every nation gets the government it deserves. There is no one in our land of opportunistic sycophants to point out that the emperor's 'new clothes' don't exist. | http://www.rediff.com/news/column/what-purpose-does-swachh-bharat-serve/20160820.htm | en | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/d10671c31935bd4f1b1c06bfb63586c9befff50ca3efe0a07e78ee3726b32412.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:59 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | Attired in his trademark half sleeves kurta and sporting a Rajasthani turban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi devoted a bulk of his 90-minute address on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day to presenting in effect a report card of his government's work particularly in boosting economic growth, ease of doing business and welfare schemes for the poor and farmers. | Centuries-old evils will have to be tackled more sternly: PM | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fcenturies-old-evils-will-have-to-be-tackled-more-sternly-pm%2F20160815.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/15pm.jpg | en | null | Centuries-old evils will have to be tackled more sternly: PM | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 15, 2016 14:46 IST
Attired in his trademark half sleeves kurta and sporting a Rajasthani turban, Prime Minister Narendra Modi devoted a bulk of his 90-minute address on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day to presenting in effect a report card of his government's work particularly in boosting economic growth, ease of doing business and welfare schemes for the poor and farmers.
Here are some of the issues he spoke on:
Social Justice
Against the backdrop of recent attacks on Dalits and Muslims, Prime Minister Modi said social evils will have to be dealt with "sternly" and with "sensitivity" as survival of the society is impossible if there is no social unity.
Economic progress is no guarantee to a strong society whose foundation is social justice, he said in his Independence Day address and asked the countrymen to work for social equality and justice.
He made it clear that social harmony is key to the nation's progress and all saints and personalities like Mahatma Gandhi and B R Ambedkar stressed on the need for treating everybody equally.
"We look at the social tension today. What message had saint Ramanuja Acharya given? He had said we should equally serve all followers of good, without any prejudice. Don't disrespect anybody for reason of his caste.
"What lord Buddha, Mahatma Gandhi, saint Ramanajucharya, B R Ambedkar, all our holy scriptures saints and teachers have stressed is social unity. When society breaks, the empire disintegrates. When a society is divided into touchables and untouchables; upper and lower (castes), then such a society cannot last," he said.
Modi added that 'hota hai, chalta hai (it happens, it is ok)' attitude won't help in dealing with social problems.
"These evils are centuries-old and will have to be tackled more sternly and sensitively," he said.
"The governments and the society will have to work together to pull the society out of this conflict We together will have to fight these social ills," he said.
His comments from the ramparts of Red Fort came against the backdrop of attacks on Dalits and Muslims in the recent times even though he made no direct reference to these incidents.
"Only a strong society is guarantee to a strong India" and "only social justice can lead to a strong society", he said.
"Only economic freedom is no guarantee to a strong society. Social justice is our collective responsibility," he said, adding that dalits, tribals and the disadvanataged will have to be taken together for the country's progress.
Healthcare
Noting that costly healthcare facilities were wiping away the finances of the poor, Prime Minister Modi announced that the government will bear healthcare expenses of up to Rs 1 lakh annually of Below Poverty Line families.
Modi said the entire economy of a poor household gets hit when somebody falls ill and this scheme will ensure that such families are not deprived of healthcare benefits.
"The economy of a poor household is affected if somebody falls ill. The wedding of their daughters gets stalled, the education of children gets stalled and sometimes even food is not available. Healthcare is getting costlier.
"That is why the government has come out with a significant scheme for people living Below Poverty Line. In the future, if such families have to take medical facilities, the government will bear expenditure upto Rs 1 lakh for a year, so that my poor brothers are not deprived of healthcare facilities and their dreams are not shattered," Modi said.
Asserting that the main mantra behind governance is sensitivity, Modi said his government has been able to provide online registration and appointment of doctors at major government hospitals while the medical records of patients are also now available online.
"There was a time that if somebody had to visit a big hospital, one had to wait for many days. People used to come to AIIMS and spend 2-3 days before the decision to examine the patient was taken.
"We have been able to change this system. Online registration and online appointments with doctors are available. All his (patient's) medical record is available online.
"In the health sector, we want to develop this as a country-wide culture. We have started this system in more than 40 big government hospitals across the country. But the main mantra behind this is that governance should be sensitive" to the needs of the people, Modi said.
Terrorism and Pakistan
Lashing out at Pakistan for glorifying terrorists, Prime Minister Modi declared that the country will not bow before terrorism even as he said people of Baluchistan and PoK have thanked him for raising issue of atrocities against them.
The prime minister asked the international community to judge the behaviour of India and Pakistan in the context of terror attacks in each other's country.
The Prime Minister presented "two pictures" before the world about the difference between "the people who are brought up on the basis of humanity and those inspired by terrorism", appealing the world to "weigh it on a balance."
"Terrorists killed innocent children in a school in Peshawar. Blood of innocent kids was spilled by terrorists. A temple of learning was bloodied. There were tears in the eyes of India's parliamentarians.
"Every school in India was crying. Every child in India was feeling the pain of kids of Peshawar. Tears did not dry up from their eyes. The child victims of terrorism in Peshawar gave us pain. It is reflective of inspiration derived from our culture. This is our humanity.
"But look at the other side where terrorism is being glorified. Where killing of innocents by terrorists is celebrated. What kind of terrorism-inspired life is it? What kind of government is which is inspired by terrorism? The world will need to understand the double standards," Modi said.
At the same time, he again raked up PoK and Baluchistan issues.
"From the ramparts of the Red Fort, I want to express my gratitude to some people -- the people of Baluchistan, Gilgit and Pak-occupied-Kashmir -- for the way they whole-heartedly thanked me, the way they expressed gratitude to me, the way they conveyed their goodwill to me recently.
"People in distant land, which I have not even seen, people that I have not met..when those people thank the Indian Prime Minister, greet him, it is an honour for the 125 crore people of the country.
"And that is why, Today I want to thank the people of Baluchistan, Gilgit and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir whole-heartedly," the Prime Minister said.
Modi, who during his speech at an all-party meeting on Kashmir on Friday last had slammed Pakistan for carrying out atrocities against people of Baluchistan and PoK, said people hailing from those areas have thanked him a lot since then and he is grateful to them.
Amid continued violence in Jammu and Kashmir, northeast and Naxalism-hit areas, Prime Minister Modi urged the youth, who have taken up arms, to return to their families and join the mainstream, saying the path of violence has never benefited anyone.
The prime minister said a "game is being played to kill innocents under the garb of Maoism, and in the name of militancy and
terror".
He said that in all these years, "the motherland has become more red with blood, but those who walked the path of terrorism gained nothing".
"I want to tell those youths that this country will never tolerate violence. This country will not tolerate terrorism. This country will never bow its head before terrorism, never before Maoists.
"I am telling those youths that there is time left, come back and join the mainstream. Realize your parents' aspirations. Lead a peaceful life. The path of violence has never benefited anyone," he said.
"If Indian democracy has to be strengthened, if the country's dreams are to be fulfilled, then violence will never be our path," Modi said.
Inflation
Backing a new inflation target, Prime Minister Modi said his government has not allowed the rate of price rise to cross 6 per cent as opposed to the double digit inflation during previous government.
Modi backed the 4 per cent inflation target, within a range of 2 percentage points either way, set for the next five years under the monetary policy framework agreement with the Reserve Bank of India.
"It is true that during the time of previous government, inflation rate had crossed 10 per cent. Our continuous efforts have ensured that inflation rate does not rise above 6 per cent," he said.
He attributed the spike in vegetable prices to two consecutive droughts that impacted supplies but said efforts have been made to contain it.
"I will continue to make efforts to ensure that the food plate of poor is not affected (by inflation)," he said.
On the spike in prices of pulses this year, he said sowing of pulses this year has risen by 1.5 times and with good monsoon and efforts like Minimum Support Price and bonus to farmers as well as increasing availability will make things better.
While monsoon has been good this year, excess rainfall has caused problems at some places, he said, adding the government was fully committed to helping such states.
Modi said unlike past governments, he has stayed away from populist measures and instead relied on empowerment.
The Prime Minister said efforts by his government have led to 99.5 per cent of past dues of sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh being cleared and 95 per cent of crop being sold this season being already paid for.
Also, record urea production has meant that blackmarketing of the crop nutrient is a thing of past, he said, adding that farmers are being given crop insurance cover on minimum premium.
Godown capacity of 15 lakh tonnes has been constructed to store crops and emphasis is being laid on all food procesing and agro based industries to raise farm incomes.
Hundred per cent FDI has been permitted in food processing. "These steps will help realise the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022," he said.
"I have resisted from resorting to populist schemes," Modi said.
Good Governance
Prime Minister Modi said his government is committed to resolve the situation where people are scared of the Income Tax authorities, particularly among middle class families, assuring that he will bring the change.
"We want to change the situation where people are scared of income tax authorities, particularly among middle class families. We have to change this situation and I will change it. I want to change the lives of common people, I am committed to it," Prime Minister Modi said.
Asserting that renewable energy is a focus area for the government, Prime Minister Modi said that before the BJP-led NDA government, they used to lay 30,000-35,000 km in transmission lines in a year, but today their government lays 50,000 km in transmission lines per year.
He said today, in all the major government hospitals, online registration is available and medical records are also available online.
"There was a time when government was surrounded by allegations but now the government is surrounded by expectations. There was a time when getting a passport was a tedious process and needed strong references. We have changed this. Now, one can avail passport in a week, have eased processes. We have to give speed to our work," he added.
Prime Minister Modi said in the last 60 years, 14 crore people were given gas connections, while the present government provided gas connections to over four crore people in 60 weeks.
"We have connected 70 crore Indians to Aadhaar and social security schemes. We are working to bring in social change. In such a short span of time we have built two crore toilets.over 70,000 villages are free from open-defecation," he added.
The Prime Minister asserted that his government has taken forward the work of village roads which was started under former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
"Earlier, we used to make 70-75 km of roads in a day. Today we make over 100 km in a day. We have found 9,000 lower ranks in which there will not be any interviews, there will not be any need of references and middlemen. These appointments are being done on merit. Today the citizen is not happy with just the announcement of projects, the unveiling of plans. She / He want to see the actual work being done on the ground," he added.
While pointing out that in the past, when someone wanted to start a company or set up a factory it used to take months, Prime Minister Modi said at present the government is ready to register them within 24 hours.
The prime minister said efforts by his government have led to 99.5 per cent of past dues of sugarcane farmers in Uttar Pradesh being cleared and 95 per cent of crop being sold this season being already paid for.
Also, record urea production has meant that blackmarketing of the crop nutrient is a thing of past, he said, adding that farmers are being given crop insurance cover on minimum premium.
Godown capacity of 15 lakh tonnes has been constructed to store crops and emphasis is being laid on all food procesing and agro based industries to raise farm incomes.
Hundred per cent FDI has been permitted in food processing. "These steps will help realise the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022," he said.
Going Green
Prime Minister Modi said the government's emphasis on non-polluting renewable energy has meant that generation from wind has gone up by 40 per cent in last one year and that from solar by as much as 16 per cent.
"This is not an incremental change but a high jump. We want to increase to quantum jump," he said, adding, laying of transmission lines, to transport electricity from production sites to consumption centres, has been expedited to 50,000 km per year from previous 30,000-35,000 km.
Of the 18,000 unelectrified villages, power has reached 10,000, he said citing the example of Nagla Padam village which is a three hours drive from the national capital and has been without electricity since Independence.
"LED bulb used to cost Rs 350 (apiece) in India. At that price who will buy a LED bulb (over a conventional bulb). And the government did not bother much about it.
"But if the LED bulb can change the life of people, environment and economy, the government should also try to change its work culture. We did that and through government intervention, the price of a Rs 350 LED bulb has now been brought down to Rs 50," he said.
Use of LEDs in households and public lighting could reduce energy consumption by 50 per cent to 90 per cent.
So far, the government has distributed more than 13 crore LED bulbs, and is aiming to distribute more than 70 crore bulbs through bulk orders within the next three years.
Under the Domestic Efficient Lighting Programme, the government procures LED bulbs through competitive bidding and provides the bulbs to consumers at competitive rates. This has led to bringing down of cost of LED bulbs.
Stating that so far 13 crore LED bulbs have been distributed, Modi said the government would have been hailed by people if it would have resorted to populist style of giving Rs 300 as subsidy from the exchequer.
But through its intervention, thousands of crores of rupees in energy cost as well as price of LED bulb have been saved, he said.
If the 77 crore incandescent bulbs sold in Indian households were switched to LEDs, the country could save 20,000 megawatt (25 billion KWh or units) of energy per year worth Rs 1.25 lakh crore, he said.
He appealed to citizens to switch to LED bulbs and save Rs 250-500 in electricity bill. "We can save Rs 1.25 lakh crore in energy bills annually if 77 crore LEB bulbs are installed and 20,000 MW of consumption cut," he said.
Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at crowd after his address during the 70th Independence Day function at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi on Monday . Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/centuries-old-evils-will-have-to-be-tackled-more-sternly-pm/20160815.htm | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/cb349e1aa302713102674eb5a10cb9f701cd6056050a0b50bfc3bb0a00bda376.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:31 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | The bomb was planted along the side of the road and exploded as the Anti-Terrorism Force vehicle passed by. | 14 injured in explosion near hospital in Pakistan's Quetta | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fblast-near-hospital-in-pakistans-quetta%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/11quetta.jpg | en | null | 14 injured in explosion near hospital in Pakistan's Quetta | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 11, 2016 16:33 IST
A high-profile judge on Thursday escaped an assassination attempt targetting his convoy in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan but 14 people including security officials were injured in the roadside bombing, three days after 74 people mostly lawyers were killed in a suicide attack.
IMAGE: Security officials gather at the site of a bomb explosion in Quetta. Photograph: Naseer Ahmed/Reuters
Ten civilians and four security officials of the Anti-Terrorism Force were injured in Thursday’s powerful explosion on the busy Zarghon Road in Balochistan’s capital city of Quetta near the Al Khair Hospital that also shattered windows of nearby buildings, with two in critical condition.
The ATF personnel were escorting the vehicle of Justice Zahoor Shahwani of the Federal Shariat Court when the blast took place.
“The judge is safe but 14 others have been wounded including some civilians who were near the impact area,” a senior police official said.
Balochistan Home minister Sarfaraz Bugti said the judge escaped the attack but one of the security vehicles escorting him was damaged.
No group immediately took responsibility for the attack, which came after a suicide bombing at a Quetta hospital on Monday killed at least 74 people, many of them senior lawyers, and injured 115 others targetting the legal community, seen as a strong force against terrorism in the troubled south-western region.
IMAGE: Police cordoned off the area immediately after the incident.
The suicide attack took place after lawyers and well-wishers had gathered at the CivilHospital to mourn the death of President of the Baluchistan Bar Association Bilal Anwar Kasi who was shot dead outside his residence earlier in the day.
Bugti said three to four kilogram of explosive material was used in Thursday’s blast. The bomb was planted along the side of the road and exploded as the ATF vehicle passed by.
“The area is a congested and busy one and those responsible for this have not been identified or arrested.
“This is a busy road and the terrorists take advantage of this, planting bombs and fleeing on motorcycles,” he said, strongly condemning the attack.
“These blasts are aimed at sabotaging Independence Day activities in Balochistan. I believe these cowardly acts will not bring down our morale. We are in a conflict zone and we will fight with renewed resolve.
“We are reviewing our security measures and you will see changes on the ground,” the minister said.
Security forces and a bomb disposal squad reached the scene to collect evidence. Police cordoned off the area as a search operation went underway.
Bugti said the terror attacks in Quetta appeared to be an aim to sabotage Independence Day activities in Balochistan which has been hit by terrorist attacks by militants and separatists who demand more autonomy in the province in recent times while outlawed outfits have also carried out sectarian killings of Shia Muslim Hazaras and targeted police and security officials. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/blast-near-hospital-in-pakistans-quetta/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/7c54bd6a4bed8caa55834b1580f16732739442877d6d50f28015ddf79ce047d9.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:42:04 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | Parrikar said he did not take anyone's name. 'What is quoted is not what I have said. I never took the name of anyone, nor threatened anyone,' the defence minister said. | What lesson will you teach us: Opposition asks Parrikar | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fuproar-in-rs-over-parrikars-comments%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/01parrikar.jpg | en | null | What lesson will you teach us: Opposition asks Parrikar | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 15:09 IST
The Rajya Sabha on Monday witnessed a brief uproar by opposition members over alleged remarks by Manohar Parrikar against actor Aamir Khan, even as the defence minister denied having said what was been quoted to him.
During the Zero Hour, Derek O’Brien (Trinamool Congress) raised the issue of ‘dangerous’ rise in religious fundamentalism in the country, saying the government, ministers and people associated with the ruling party were ‘shooting their mouths off every day’.
“The prime minister needs to come and say these are in fact mistakes, this is not thinking of the government. The prime minister come here and assure us that we can live in the India we know -- Unity in Diversity,” he said.
As soon as he finished his Zero Hour mention, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad quoted a report which said ‘Parrikar takes swipe at actor Aamir; Those who speak like this must be taught a lesson’.
“So may I ask him (Parrikar, who was sitting in the House) what lesson he is going to teach us...The entire nation should be told what type of action and lesson he is going to teach the minorities of this country,” Azad said.
To this, Parikar said: “I would only say one thing. Let the members see the video...and make up their mind.”
However, this did not pacify the agitated Opposition.
Sitaram Yechury (Communist Party of India-Marxist) said what the minister had said was ‘highly objectionable’.
“It is a matter that borders on the question of privilege. Tomorrow you are going to threaten me ... you will say there will be a social boycott, we will make them withdraw what they have said,” he said.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien tried to pacify the members. “Minister says please see the video. It means he has not said (as quoted in media).”
Parrikar said he did not take anyone’s name. “What is quoted is not what I have said. I never took the name of anyone, nor threatened anyone,” the defence minister said.
Recent reports had quoted Parrikar as saying that anyone speaking against the country must be ‘taught a lesson’ while referring to alleged anti-national sloganeering at the Jawaharlal Nehru University earlier this year as well as remarks by an ‘actor’ who ‘had said that his wife wants to live out of India’.
Ram Gopal Yadav (Samajwadi Party) said he has seen the video in question and whatever the minister has said is a ‘direct threat’ to the minorities of the country.
Azad again said if Parrikar had threatened Pakistan, everybody would have been with him.
Amid uproar, Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party- led government has assumed office at the Centre, religious minorities, especially the Muslims, have been targeted.
“Now, atrocities against the Dalits are on rise. We want the prime minister to come in the House and respond,” she said.
Azad said that an MP can be ‘pardoned’, but the defence minister or the home minister are supposed to protect the territorial integrity of the country.
“Is this the way of protecting territorial integrity of the country? You are alienating your own people,” said the Leader of Opposition.
As the uproar continued, Kurien said members could give a notice for discussion on the issue. He also said if a minister has given a provocative statement, there are rules to deal with it.
On a lighter vein, the deputy chairman also said he was ready to spend money from his own pocket to supply rule book to every member.
Earlier, soon after listed papers were laid on the table, Anand Sharma (Congress) tried to raise the issue of continued attacks on Dalits and Muslims by cow vigilantes.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, should come and give a statement in the House on the issue.
Last week during a discussion on the issue, a minister had intervened but outside the Parliament he had praised the organisation involved in the attack, Sharma said, adding the prime minister ‘should come and explain,’ he said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/uproar-in-rs-over-parrikars-comments/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/8e4c705f055771ac2c081bcf915e82a05ab72b80191977d66b9168774fdab02f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:38:01 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | Defence Secretary Ashton Carter declined to give a certification to the Congress that Pakistan is taking sufficient action against the dreaded Haqqani network. | Pentagon blocks $300 million military aid to Pakistan | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpentagon-blocks-300-million-military-aid-to-pakistan%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2013/sep/19carter.jpg | en | null | Pentagon blocks $300 million military aid to Pakistan | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 10:42 IST
Pentagon has blocked $300 million (Rs 2009 crore) military aid to Pakistan after Defence Secretary Ashton Carter declined to give a certification to the Congress that Pakistan is taking sufficient action against the dreaded Haqqani network.
In the absence of Congressional certification, the Pentagon has blocked disbursement of $300 million to Pakistan under Coalition Support Fund, which is essentially reimbursement money for the expenses made by the Pakistan Army in support of US operations in Afghanistan.
“The funds ($300 million) could not be released to the Government of Pakistan at this time because the (Defence) Secretary has not yet certified that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani Network per the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defence Authorisation Act requirement,” Pentagon Spokesman Adam Stump said.
Pakistan has reimbursed $700 million (Rs 4,688 crore) of the $one billion they were authorised in fiscal year 2015 under the Coalition Support Fund.
“With the Secretary’s decision, there is no additional FY15 CSF available to Pakistan,” Stump said.
The Washington Post, which first reported about it, described this withholding of US military assistance to Pakistan as a “potential blow” to US-Pak ties.
Noting that June 30 was the deadline for the Department of Defence to submit its omnibus reprogramming request to Congress, Stump said in order to meet that deadline Carter requested a reprogramming of $300 million remaining in 2015 Coalition Support Funds originally authorised for Pakistan.
“The secretary decided to request reprogramming of the funds to retain the ability to use those funds for other requirements,” he said, adding that this decision “does not reduce” the significance of the sacrifices that the Pakistani military has undertaken over the last two years.
“We continue to be encouraged by Pakistan’s operations in North Waziristan and elsewhere in the FATA. Pakistan’s efforts have reduced the ability of some militant groups to use North Waziristan and the FATA as a safe haven for terrorism. However, the Afghan Taliban and the Haqqani network continue to operate in other locations in Pakistan,” Stump said.
Pakistan has been authorised $900 million in fiscal 2016 CSF. Of that, $350 million is subject to a Secretary of Defence certification that Pakistan has taken sufficient action against the Haqqani network, he said.
“Pakistan is the largest recipient of CSF reimbursements, having received roughly $14 billion since 2002,” Stump said.
“This is the first time there’s been a Secretary Defence’s certification required,” he added. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pentagon-blocks-300-million-military-aid-to-pakistan/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/26ac7416cd1a45cce812d44fb8e4039db0bd1f3f18aa36c196e7e8dc5a938566.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:22:23 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | Many argue there's a mismatch between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on international exposure and his government's diktat to officials on limiting travel. | Govt officials are grumbling over foreign travel memo | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fgovt-officials-are-grumbling-over-foreign-travel-memo%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/17lead6.jpg | en | null | Govt officials are grumbling over foreign travel memo | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 17, 2016 12:44 IST
Many argue there's a mismatch between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on international exposure and his government's diktat to officials on limiting travel. Nivedita Mookerji reports.
A four-page circular issued in the first week of January 2016 by the expenditure department in the finance ministry to regulate foreign visits of government officials looked like another austerity drive memo.
But, seven months later, several key ministries and departments are struggling to cross what they believe is a difficult hurdle.
Many argue there's a mismatch between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on international exposure and his government's diktat to officials on limiting travel.
Officials spoke to Business Standard on the condition that names of their ministries and their own identities be kept confidential.
While the circular was meant for all government officers across ministries, the interpretation has varied widely.
Even as a prominent economic department has clamped down on foreign visits like never before, another ministry continues to send officers out of the country for meetings and conferences whenever there is a need.
The January circular was a departure from what has been the practice so far.
While earlier austerity measures meant controlling expenses on foreign visits, the office memo sent in the beginning of the year went beyond that.
It specified that foreign visits will not exceed five working days. And, that any delegation for foreign travel (irrespective of the level of officers) exceeding five working days or five members shall be placed before the screening committee, headed by the Cabinet secretary, for approval.
Also, no officer can undertake more than four official visits abroad in a year, and for visits exceeding that, proposals must be vetted by the Prime Minister through the screening committee.
Till last year, the screening committee cleared trips only for officials who were above the level of joint secretary; for joint secretary and below, a Union minister was the approval authority.
An aggrieved official pointed out that the problem is that certain ministries are going overboard and putting in restrictions the expenditure department memo did not impose.
"Some secretaries are micro-managing to decide who should go and who should not, what is important and what is not, leaving the staff frustrated," he said.
Another official said work in many ministries and government departments is suffering as delegation strength is being curtailed for some critical meetings related to the country's economy.
In many cases, trips have been cancelled, adversely impacting business matters and exchange of information on important issues, he added.
But, former cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar who held the top job during the United Progressive Alliance regime, told Business Standard: "I am generally of the view that foreign travel should be restricted not only as a measure of austerity, but also because a great deal of work remains to be done in various ministries."
He recalled that when Prabhat Kumar was the cabinet secretary and he was joint secretary in commerce ministry, he had once asked why he was looking at trips of all joint secretaries and above.
Kumar had told Chandrasekhar: "I too thought the same way but later came to realise that without some control, some officers will be forever in the air."
According to Chandrasekhar, there are always mechanisms in the government to take care of exigencies.
Another top bureaucrat, who has worked with the previous regime as well, said: "Foreign visits of government officials have always been a vexed issue."
The official spoke about another issue that has cropped up from the January memo -- it places restriction on travel of officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
"In an outgoing Indian delegation, there need not be any MEA official. Instead, services of the Indian Mission situated in the destination country could be utilised," it says.
According to an official, this is at times slowing down the political clearance given to foreign visits of bureaucrats by MEA.
"MEA officials have become unduly stringent in giving political clearance as they themselves are under severe restriction on foreign travel," according to a source.
Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, among the rare departments to have posted officials' foreign visit data for the current year, shows there were three trips in 2016 till the end of March.
The largest delegation size was nine this year for DARPG for a trip to Hague, Netherlands, to attend an e-governance programme.
The expenditure for the trip was Rs 30.4 lakh, against Rs 9.78 lakh and Rs 4.12 lakh for the other two trips during this period.
In 2015, the highest spend by this department was Rs 12.19 lakh for a trip to Singapore, where some 14 officials travelled last November.
The commerce ministry, which has not posted any data for this year, shows 23 foreign trips between October 2014 and March 2015, the months up for which information is available.
The highest expenditure was Rs 3.56 lakh for a one-member trip to Paris in October 2014, five months after the Modi government took charge at the Centre.
In those six months, expenditure towards foreign travel was Rs 40.9 lakh in the commerce ministry for trips to Beijing, Paris, Moscow, among others.
Compare that with 2012, when foreign trips by 129 commerce ministry officials to various destinations were done at a cost of Rs 1.76 crore.
The official website of Department of Economic Affairs, which is yet to post the latest foreign visit data, shows a total of 67 trips in 2012 by its officials at a total cost of Rs 3.5 crore, of which the highest expenditure per trip was at more than Rs 10 lakh for a G-20 visit to Mexico.
Representative Image. Photograph: Getty Images | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/govt-officials-are-grumbling-over-foreign-travel-memo/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/0450904f4cff5fd24f0f0da8a94eb787bce13be5de71053c6b3055d23d6788cc.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T14:51:16 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | Desai requested the Dargah's trust to not move the Supreme Court against the HC's judgment. | Trupti Desai offers prayers at Haji Ali; says Sabarimala next | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Ftrupti-desai-offers-prayers-at-haji-ali-says-sabarimala-next%2F20160828.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/may/12hajiali2.jpg | en | null | Trupti Desai offers prayers at Haji Ali; says Sabarimala next | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 28, 2016 18:16 IST
Two days after the Bombay high court lifted the ban on women’s entry in the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah, activist Trupti Desai on Sunday visited the shrine and offered a chadar, while announcing she would now fight for women’s right to pray at Kerala’s Sabarimala temple.
“Last time, when we came here at Haji Ali Dargah, we prayed for the verdict of the high court on our side. Since our prayer was heard and fulfilled, we came here to seek the blessings of Haji Ali Baba and offered him a chadar,” Desai told reporters outside the shrine, located on an islet off the coast of Worli in Mumbai.
One of the most recognisable landmarks of the city, the Indo-Islamic architectural structure contains the tomb of Sayed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.
Thanking the people of the country, including Muslims, for their support, Desai requested the Dargah’s trust to not move the Supreme Court against the HC’s judgment, but exuded confidence that the apex court would rule in women’s favour if such a step was taken.
“I request the trustees with folded hands to follow the verdict of the high court and not go to the Supreme Court to challenge the order as this was in favour of the all the women in the country.
“If the trustees prefer to knock on the Supreme Court’s door, then nothing is going to change because the apex court too would uphold the constitutional right of the women and I am fully confident about it,” she said.
“If the trustees give a serious thought over the merits of the high court’s verdict, then it is possible that the doors of Baba can be opened in next two days only for the women devotees,” said the women’s rights activist.
The activist also said that she wanted to meet the trustees, but no one was available since it was a Sunday.
In a landmark judgement, the Bombay high court had on Friday lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali Dargah in Mumbai, saying it contravenes fundamental rights and that the trust has no right to prohibit women’s entry into a public place of worship.
The court, however, stayed its order for six weeks following a plea by Haji Ali Dargah Trust, which wants to challenge it in the Supreme Court.
In April this year, Desai had unsuccessfully tried to enter the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali Dargah.
“Today, I went only upto the permissible limit of the Dargah, as I did not want to flout the court’s ruling in any case,” Desai said, adding that she had no intention to hurt the religious sentiments of anyone but was only trying to make sure that women are given equal rights to pray in all places of worship.
When asked what would be her next destination in her quest for women’s right to pray, Desai said, “I think that in the backdrop of the high court’s verdict, the trustees of the Sabarimala temple ought to open their doors for women discriminated on the basis of gender.”
“And if they don’t, then I would launch a similar agitation and would speak to the management of the temple in next few days,” she said.
The Haji Ali Dargah Trust had in 2012 imposed the ban on women’s entry citing religious traditions.
The Maharashtra government had earlier told the HC hat women should be barred from entering the inner sanctorum of Haji Ali dargah only if it is so enshrined in the Quran.
The ban on women’s entry cannot be justified if it is on the basis of an expert’s interpretation of the Quran, the then Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney had argued.
The Dargah trust had defended its stand saying that it is referred in Quran that allowing women close proximity to the dargah of a male saint is a grievous sin.
Earlier this year, the Bhumata Brigade led by Desai had managed to win their fight for women’s right to pray at the famous Shani Shingnapur temple in Ahmednagar district and Trimbakeshwar temple in Nashik district.
Image for representation only. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/trupti-desai-offers-prayers-at-haji-ali-says-sabarimala-next/20160828.htm | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/b29423d16e92e0cf36822a833c3e4904d5ff6863f5bee3aa24e04ec080e398a0.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T12:51:12 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being 'anti-Dalit' and recalled the Una incident and the death of Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula to back her assertion. | Desperate BJP accepting BSP's 'rejected maal': Maya | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fdesperate-bjp-accepting-bsps-rejected-maal-maya%2F20160828.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/may/14maya1.jpg | en | null | Desperate BJP accepting BSP's 'rejected maal': Maya | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 28, 2016 17:49 IST
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Maywati on Sunday said the Bharatiya Janta Party is in a desperate position in Uttar Pradesh as it is ready to accept ‘rejected maal’ by her party.
She was indirectly referring to the desertion of two senior BSP members -- Padrauna Swami Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak -- who joined the BJP.
Addressing a rally in Azamgarh, Mayawati said that the ‘BJP has no candidate in UP, that is why they are including people who have either left her party, or are expelled’.
She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being ‘anti-Dalit’ and recalled the Una incident and the death of Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula to back her assertion.
“This government can do no good for the Dalit community,” she said.
She said ever since the BJP came to power, inflation and unemployment have risen exponentially in the last two years.
Mayawati pointed out that the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government at the centre is working for capitalists.
She further said that minority communities under the BJP government are living in fear and are being threatened by the ‘gau rakshaks’.
Accusing the Samajwadi Party of being incapable of controlling crime in the state, she said women are getting raped daily.
She said that the BJP and SP are jointly deceiving the people of UP.
This is the second phase of the BSP campaign for the upcoming 2017 assembly elections. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/desperate-bjp-accepting-bsps-rejected-maal-maya/20160828.htm | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6a9af47b2ff5e3a663ed6f703aff1b4e5c2214aa06c820c90c1de56a5103bff2.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:38:30 | null | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | Citing examples of other states like Odisha and cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, he said the word 'Bengal' has the state's culture. | West Bengal to be renamed 'Bangla' or 'Bongo', 'Bengal' in English | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fwest-bengal-to-be-renamed-bangla-or-bongo-bengal-in-english%2F20160802.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/02mamata.jpg | en | null | West Bengal to be renamed 'Bangla' or 'Bongo', 'Bengal' in English | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 02, 2016 19:10 IST
West Bengal may soon be renamed as "Bengal" as the state Cabinet on Tuesday took a decision to change the name of the state.
State minister Partha Chatterjee said the Cabinet took up a proposal to rename the state as "Bengal" in English and "Bango" or "Bangla" in Bengali.
Citing examples of other states like Odisha and cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, he said the word "Bengal" has the state's culture and heritage associated with it and so it was decided to change it.
Earlier, the state government had sent a proposal to the Centre for renaming West Bengal as "Paschim Bango", but that never got the green signal.
"Now we are giving a new proposal and will convene a special session of the assembly on August 26 to pass a resolution to this effect," Chatterjee said.
Another reason for changing the name of the state is that whenever there is any meeting of all states, West Bengal comes at the bottom of the list alphabetically.
"Our CM gets to speak last. There is little time left," a minister pointed out.
Secretariat officials said changing the name would require approval of Parliament. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/west-bengal-to-be-renamed-bangla-or-bongo-bengal-in-english/20160802.htm | en | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/4d69cdbb1062a7c4263dd0efaf58603e13748bb9e368d543ed13a488527e47ea.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:40:10 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | 'The day the BJP has a majority in the Rajya Sabha, the cow will be declared 'rashtra mata.' | 'Not Dalits, Una victims were Christian converts' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Finterview%2Fnot-dalits-una-victims-were-christian-converts%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/20live-una.jpg | en | null | 'Not Dalits, Una victims were Christian converts' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 16:47 IST
'The day the BJP has a majority in the Rajya Sabha, the cow will be declared 'rashtra mata.'
T Raja Singh, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Goshamahal, Hyderabad, posted a video (external link) on Facebook, supporting the thrashing of Dalits by a cow vigilante group in Una, Gujarat.
His move comes as the BJP is trying to project that it is not an anti-Dalit party, following the national outrage over the Una incident.
Singh, below, left, spoke to Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf about the Una incident and protecting cows.
Why are you supporting the shocking assault on Dalits in Una?
Today dirty politics is being played in the name of the Dalits. Due to a few Dalits, the entire community is getting a bad name as if they all are gau hatyaras (cow killers) and getting beaten up.
I gave that speech in favour of the Dalits by stating that all Dalits are not cow killers.
In Una, the Dalits (who were beaten for allegedly skinning a dead cow) are converted Christians. They are supported by anti-national elements who make these Dalits do this kind of work.
These anti-national elements have a big plan to divide Hindus.
This is news to me. You are saying that those Dalits were Christians?
This news has come from Una only. This news was given to me by gau rakshaks from Una.
When we started investigating, we came to know this fact that these Dalits were converted Christians, but they called themselves Dalits.
I want to ask: Are all Dalits killers of cows? Do all Dalits eat cow meat? The answer is no.
I am talking in favour of the Dalits, but it is being highlighted that I am their enemy.
I am a servant, a friend of the Dalits. I was in the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) earlier and joined the BJP under the leadership of Dr Bangaru Laxman, who was a Dalit.
You are giving a communal colour to the Una incident by bringing in the Christian community.
This is not a different angle. You ask your local contacts in Una and find out the truth. In Telangana too, there are some Dalits who say they are Dalits, but they go and eat cow meat.
You may recall that earlier, in Osmania University, the Dalits organised a beef festival. It was not by the Dalits, but by converted Christians.
At that time too I had challenged them to organise the festival. And even today, I say that all Dalits are not into slaughtering of cows.
But you are taking the law into your hands. Don't you think it is wrong?
If the law is enforced properly, then not a single instance (of cow slaughter) will take place.
Gau rakshaks will not intervene. If one goes to a police station (with a complaint against cow slaughter), the police says they won't intervene.
In Una, the same thing happened. The police said they are not working only to protect cows. They told the gau rakshaks that they cannot put the entire police force to protect cows, they have other jobs too.
If the police worked properly, then we wouldn't have seen such incidents in Una.
Dalits who transport dead cows have been doing this for years. Who will do this work if they stop doing it?
This is the municipal corporation's job. If they find a dead cow on the road, then it's their job to dispose off the carcass. It is wrong to take out the skin of the cow and sell it. Dalits don't do this job. This is wrong.
If you say it is the municipal corporation's job and if someone is 'illegally skinning' a dead cow, then isn't it the police's job to arrest these people? Why should the gau rakshaks get involved?
In Una, gau rakshaks wrote many times to the police how cows are being slaughtered illegally and that there should be some action against it. It was not done.
The police did not take action and, therefore, the gau rakshaks had to do something. Therefore, I request the police to take swift action in cases of cow slaughter.
You also said there are 'beggars who beg for votes in the name of secularism.' Whom were you targeting?
Rahul Gandhi, Mayawati, Arvind Kejriwal are beggars for the secular vote. They will do anything for votes. They are playing Dalit cards. I was talking against them.
You also said the cow must be made rashtra mata (mother of the nation). Can you tell us what you mean by that?
We do not have a majority in the Rajya Sabha. The day the BJP has a majority in the Rajya Sabha, the cow will be declared 'rashtra mata.'
We will 100 per cent pass a law banning cow slaughter across India.
I want to tell Mayawati and Kejriwal that when such a bill is presented in the Rajya Sabha, they must support it. Whenever such a bill is presented, they start opposing it.
But cow slaughter is a state subject. There is a BJP government in Goa, but the state permits cow slaughter because the BJP does not want to upset the Christian community.
You check the facts. I have been to Goa and told the government that they must stop cow slaughter. I warned them that they will have problems in the future.
Did your party support your statement?
This is my personal view. I got a phone call from my party leadership. I told them I am a Hindu first and a BJP legislator later. My job is to protect cows. | http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/not-dalits-una-victims-were-christian-converts/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/55a526667e6bc348fb70fcac0f60fb1b579c51a7421b0959d69b3dbf5d103c99.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:23:37 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party hoped that the Indian government, Indian media and the whole Indian nation would not only raise their voices for the Baloch nation, but also strive to help practically the Baloch independence movement. | Baloch leaders thank PM Modi for I-Day speech | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbaloch-leaders-thank-pm-modi-for-i-day-speech%2F20160816.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/16baloch.jpg | en | null | Baloch leaders thank PM Modi for I-Day speech | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 16, 2016 13:00 IST
Encouraged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s supportive words, leaders of the Baloch nationalist movement in Washington, DC have sought support from the United States and European countries against the oppressive Pakistani regime.
“The world must understand that Pakistan’s use of religious terrorism as a policy tool will have far reaching consequences; terrorism cannot be contained but needs to be countered effectively,” Khalil Baloch, chairman of the Baloch National Movement, said in a statement.
“Baloch nation hopes that the United States and Europe will join Prime Minister Modi and hold Pakistan accountable for the crimes against humanity and the war crimes it has committed against the Baloch nation in 68 years of its occupation of Balochistan and during the five wars that the Baloch nation has fought with Pakistan to win its national freedom,” Baloch said.
While welcoming Modi’s stance on Balochistan, he said the “Policy of indifference towards Pakistan’s war crimes in occupied Balochistan that include both ethnic cleansing and genocide, adapted by the international community is worrying”.
“The Indian Prime Minister’s statement on Balochistan is a positive development,” Baloch said.
Thanking Modi for his statement on Balochistan, Brahumdagh Bugti, president of the Baloch Republican Party in a video statement, hoped that the Indian government, Indian media and the whole Indian nation would not only raise their voices for the Baloch nation, but also strive to help practically the Baloch independence movement.
Bugti, who is the grandson of Nawab Akbar Bugti -- a Baloch nationalist leader who was killed in an encounter with the Pakistani army, said Pakistan’s destructive role in Kashmir and its direct involvement in terrorist attacks in India such as Mumbai and Pathankot has been a very well exposed fact.
“In this context, raising the voice of the Baloch people should not be a temporary reaction or short term strategy by the Indian government, but should be a sincere intention of the Indian people to support their oppressed Baloch brothers and sisters and should be very serious part of the foreign policy of the Indian government,” Bugti said.
“The Baloch mission and all the oppressed people of the world, still remember the decision of the Indian government when India intervened and came to the rescue of Bengali people from Pakistani brutalities in 1970s,” he said.
Pakistan demands self-determination and self-rule of Kashmiris and at the same time in Balochistan it is crushing the same demand of Baloch people by force, he said, adding that this not only exposes the double standards of Pakistan but also their evil design to destruct the peace and stability in the region.
The remarks by Baloch leaders came after Prime Minister Modi brought up Pakistani atrocities on people of Balochistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir in his Independence Day speech on Monday. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/baloch-leaders-thank-pm-modi-for-i-day-speech/20160816.htm | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/c87f567022c1f9f86e2b451aa7e69693d90bb73f8b43b91fca212c2b4280aa53.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:26:28 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | Two soldiers were also injured in the Uri operation. | 5 terrorists killed in Kashmir as army foils infiltration bid | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Ffive-terrorists-killed-in-kashmir-as-army-foils-infiltration-bid%2F20160815.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/30lead4.jpg | en | null | 5 terrorists killed in Kashmir as army foils infiltration bid | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 15, 2016 22:34 IST
Five terrorists were killed as the army on Monday foiled a major infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Uri sector of Kashmir.
“Alert troops noticed some suspicious movement along the Line of Control in Uri Sector in north Kashmir's Baramulla district this morning and challenged the intruders,” an army official said.
He said the intruders opened firing towards the army positions which was retaliated by the soldiers.
“Two militants were killed in the initial exchange of firing while three others were killed late in the day,” the official said.
He said search operations were continuing in the area till reports came in.
He said arms, ammunition and warlike stores were recovered from scene of the gunbattle.
This is the fourth infiltration bid foiled by the army along the LoC in Kashmir in the past three weeks, killing 12 terrorists.
Two soldiers were also injured in the Uri operation, Army’s Udhampur-based Northern Command wrote on its Twitter handle.
It said both the injured soldiers have been evacuated and their condition is stable.
Image used for representation only. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/five-terrorists-killed-in-kashmir-as-army-foils-infiltration-bid/20160815.htm | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/a5d5694ff9189b6c7f63eaf74e9291aca908c6c2a736b6e9339b8669305bb779.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:34:42 | null | 2016-08-06T00:00:00 | Additional District Judge of SC/ST court Ajay Kumar granted bail to Singh on two surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each, government counsel Chedi Lal Gupta said. | Expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh gets bail in Mayawati abuse case | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fexpelled-bjp-leader-dayashankar-singh-gets-bail-in-mayawati-abuse-case%2F20160806.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/20daya3.jpg | en | null | Expelled BJP leader Dayashankar Singh gets bail in Mayawati abuse case | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 06, 2016 18:43 IST
A court in Mau on Saturday granted bail to expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Dayashankar Singh, arrested for making derogatory comments against Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati.
Additional District Judge of SC/ST court Ajay Kumar granted bail to Singh on two surety bonds of Rs 50,000 each, government counsel Chedi Lal Gupta said.
He will be released on verification of sureties, he said.
Meanwhile, BSP national general secretary Satish Misra said the party will move the high court against the bail.
“The Mau court order will be challenged in the high court as it is not in keeping with the law,” Misra, who is also a senior counsel, said in a statement.
Singh, who was on the run for nine days after his remarks against Mayawati, was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force with the help of Bihar Police from Buxar on July 29 and lodged in Mau jail.
An FIR against Singh was registered on July 20 under the the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and other provisions.
The complaint, which was lodged by national secretary of BSP Mewalal Gautam, alleged that Singh’s remarks in Mau on July 20 hurt the feelings of BSP workers and the Dalit community across the country and were aimed at provoking them.
Referring to Singh’s comments telecast on national TV channels, he said they were so derogatory that they could not be mentioned in the complaint and so a CD of the same was submitted before the court.
BJP has already sacked Singh, who was recently appointed as the state unit vice president.
Singh was on the run after the registration of a FIR against him and was sighted in a temple in Deogarh in BJP-ruled Jharkhand and his photo went viral on the social media.
He had moved the Allahabad high court for a stay on his arrest but got no immediate relief. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/expelled-bjp-leader-dayashankar-singh-gets-bail-in-mayawati-abuse-case/20160806.htm | en | 2016-08-06T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/96a71e6f8c3da02eb3141094f562117352c7a22bc6dbc91f8da66680c7b59abf.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:19:24 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | Threatened by protests from Hindutva activists a dismayed Murugan had announced in a Facebook post in December 2014 that the writer in him was dead. | Tamil author Perumal Murugan ends self-imposed exile with 200 new poems | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Ftamil-author-perumal-murugan-ends-self-imposed-exile%2F20160823.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/jan/22perumal.jpg | en | null | Tamil author Perumal Murugan ends self-imposed exile with 200 new poems | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 23, 2016 02:15 IST
Contemporary Tamil author Perumal Murugan on Monday ended a self-imposed literary exile of 19 months with a new book -- a collection of 200 poems A Coward's Song.
Threatened by protests from Hindutva activists against his Tamil novel Madhorubagan (One Part Woman), which they deemed offensive, a dismayed Murugan had announced in a Facebook post in December 2014 that the writer in him was dead.
"Author Perumal Murugan is dead," he had written.
In July, the Madras high court had dismissed a plea seeking prosecution of the author and ban of his "offensive" book in Tamil, besides forfeiting all the copies of its English translation "One Part Woman" saying there was nothing obscene in the book.
Dressed in a white shirt and dhoti, Murugan, speaking in Tamil read out a powerful statement after the launch of his new book at the NehruMemorialMuseum and Library, which was translated and read out in English.
The 50-year-old author also recited two poems "Hometown" and "A Coward's Song" before that.
Describing the first three months after he had declared his "death", Murugan said he did not want to "even write one word". He said during that time he felt like a like "a walking corpse", and "like a rat in a burrow".
"It was poetry that saved me. My mind has now attained a state of being able to write poetry," he said, adding now when he writes he feels a censor seated within him and "unable to shake him off".
"My writing will do little to change the world so let me be quiet and speak through my writings," said the author, who began writing poetry when he was a child.
In the discussion with Nilanjana Roy following the reading statement, Murugan said he believed "No writer can write a single work in defence of caste."
"In my perception caste is ubiquitous but present subtly in society. Why caste exists and why is so divisive is a question that plagues me," Murugan said.
The author was introduced by poet Ashok Vajpeyi, who said it was "encouraging for poets like us that he is alive and that he chose to write poetry instead of prose".
Refusing to delve into the dark days following his self- imposed exile, the author, who is also a professor of literature, said he never believed he would be able to write again.
"Today is a happy day for me. My book of poems has been published and released in Delhi. I don't want to relive my dark days of 2015," he said.
Murugan, who has previously written six novels, four collections of short stories and four anthologies of poetry, said he doubts whether he can continue to write in his usual realist mode.
"I doubt whether I can continue to write in future in the realist mode. I might have to resort to other techniques. Only time will tell on that," he said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/tamil-author-perumal-murugan-ends-self-imposed-exile/20160823.htm | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/44312203299d98da55ce47c25c67e6b208d549045f96689b0690cb107fe3b5f5.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:42:06 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | 'This influence of anchors like Arnab Goswami is mostly negative because their focus is on issues that concern upper class anxieties.'
'Those that affect the majority of people, hundreds of millions of Indians, like health, primary education and nutrition, are not discussed,' says Aakar Patel. | The English news anchor has become overly powerful | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Fcolumn%2Fthe-english-news-anchor-has-become-overly-powerful%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/01arnab.jpg | en | null | The English news anchor has become overly powerful | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 09:54 IST
'This influence of anchors like Arnab Goswami is mostly negative because their focus is on issues that concern upper class anxieties.'
'Those that affect the majority of people, hundreds of millions of Indians, like health, primary education and nutrition, are not discussed.'
'There reasons why this is happening and why it will not change easily,' says Aakar Patel.
Have television anchors become too powerful in India?
I would say yes, especially English anchors like Times Now's Arnab Goswami. By powerful I mean that they can influence what should be debated daily and what is important. This is a power journalists in print and on the internet do not have and have never had.
I also mean that this influence of anchors like Goswami, left, is mostly negative because their focus is on issues that concern upper class anxieties. Those that affect the majority of people, hundreds of millions of Indians, like health, primary education and nutrition, are not discussed. And this is not because the anchor is evil or means to do harm.
There are structural reasons why this is happening and why it will not change easily. Let us have a look at them.
First, India is an unusual nation in terms of language. It is the only major country whose elite's first language is a foreign one. This has a very serious cultural fallout, and we can look at that another time. The estimate is that about 10 per cent of Indians can speak some sort of English.
I think one quarter of this, or less, is the population for which English is the first language. This upper class is the only linguistically connected population of India because English is a link language. There is no way a poor Tamilian can communicate with a poor Kashmiri or a poor Gujarati.
But the upper classes of these states can communicate through English. This is the reason why this class can so easily work in private sector jobs and without difficulty be transferred across a subcontinent that has a dozen official languages.
The second structural reason is that the media in India is highly subsidised. Newspapers here cost at the most Rs 4. For this price you could get a broadsheet English paper of 40 pages.
In the United States and Europe and elsewhere, this paper would cost Rs 70. Even in our neighbourhood, in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, newspapers are often four times as expensive as papers in India.
The cost of newsprint, meaning the paper on which news is printed, is the same worldwide. India's major dailies buy Canadian newsprint in dollars and my estimate is that just the cost of newsprint for each copy is over Rs 12.
How can the paper's owners afford to sell such a product for Rs 4? Who is subsidising the reader? The advertiser, of course.
Similarly, the Tata-Sky English news pack gives us over 20 English news channels for Rs 60 a month. We can watch Times Now for Rs 3. Fox News in the United States costs 20 times more to subscribe. Again, who is subsidising our English news channels and who is paying for the anchors' salaries? Advertisers.
The advertisers are interested in only certain groups of consumers: Those with the capacity to spend. To attract and retain these consumers, television channels must focus on content and reports and analysis that concern this group above all.
This is why we have no prime time debates on malnutrition and the government's inability to run primary schools competently. It is why we have such disproportionate focus on terrorism and extremism and such things that the upper class is interested in.
Of course, it is also true that often the anchor confuses these structural aspects of their content's popularity with their personal genius. They may become self-important and lapse into dangerous personal attacks, as we are seeing these days against Barkha Dutt and others who are being called Pakistani agents.
But it is for the structural reasons we have looked at above that the English anchor has become overly powerful. And it will remain that way so long as the power imbalance that language has produced exists.
For a few years now the government has had to trim its policies and actions in line with what anchors like Arnab demand.
A knowledgeable individual who is in the government gave me his analysis, of which I am reproducing a part. The individual said: "Arnab is now setting the agenda... any visit from or to China or Pakistan was preceded with images or infra-red images of infiltrators from across the border -- all designed as campaigns to put off the visit or to dilute its impact."
This should be a matter of grave concern because the television anchor has no higher interest than popularity and ratings. He or she may believe that this popularity coincides with national interest, but it is indisputable that on some issues this may not be so.
How much damage occurs to us in such instances? That is unlikely to be the subject of a television debate.
Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own. | http://www.rediff.com/news/column/the-english-news-anchor-has-become-overly-powerful/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6c8ad00cc1cfcd1969a421143905fa026411ce9295aa9386e64c13ba25a3c8dd.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:14:58 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | The BSF has denied the allegation and termed it as 'baseless'. | BSF training Coochbehar Maharaja's private army? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbsf-training-coochbehar-maharajas-private-army%2F20160823.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/nov/23encounter01-1.JPG | en | null | BSF training Coochbehar Maharaja's private army? | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 23, 2016 21:51 IST
Accusing the central government of trying to disrupt smooth functioning of the state government, the Trinamool Congress on Tuesday alleged that the BSF was providing "training" to 'Narayani Sena', a private army of the erstwhile Maharaja of Coochbehar.
The BSF, however, denied the allegation and termed it as "baseless".
"It is a deep-rooted conspiracy against the state government. How come BSF is giving training to Narayani Sena and other elements who are involved in smuggling?" senior TMC leader and state parliamentary affairs minister Partha Chatterjee told media persons.
He said, "We have officially expressed our grievances and lodged a complaint with the highest quarters of the central government."
Chatterjee said this was being done by keeping the state government in the "dark".
His remark followed a recent probe report submitted by the DIG, Jalpaiguri Range at the state secretariat which said BSF officials in Mathabhanga area of Cooch Behar in north Bengal "imparted training to volunteers of the Narayani Sena".
Narayani Sena is an alleged militia which is being raised by the Greater Cooch Behar People's Association or GCPA in support of their demand for a separate state of Greater Cooch Behar on "ethnic grounds".
A senior BSF official on condition of anonymity denied the allegation, saying, "We have not imparted any such training as is being projected. It is a baseless allegation. A few days ago during an Independence day function we had taught youths living on the border on the art of attention, to stand at ease as is done in the Army."
"It is not a new thing. We always encourage youths to join armed forces, BSF or the police and serve the nation. We don't know who is Narayani sena. If the police had reports of their anti-national activity, why didn't they take action?" he said.
Representative Photograph: Umar Ganie | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/bsf-training-coochbehar-maharajas-private-army/20160823.htm | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/05107b1a413843a29581f5006664b5b235084d8e8338e2950499b14e035e9df4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:07:27 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | The 'govindas' showed black flags, formed a pyramid on the road and used a ladder to break the Dahi Handi as a sign of protest. | IMAGES: Govindas protest SC Dahi Handi rule | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-govindas-protests-against-sc-order-in-mumbai%2F20160825.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/25dahi-handi2.jpg | en | null | IMAGES: Govindas protest SC Dahi Handi rule | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 25, 2016 22:19 IST
Thousands of youth clad in colourful robes joined the Dahi Handi celebrations across Maharashtra to mark Krishna Janmashtami on Thursday, with some of the 'mandals' allegedly flouting the 20-feet ceiling for human pyramids mandated by the Supreme Court.
IMAGE: Govindas in Dadar form a human pyramid on the road to protest the Supreme Court order. All Photographs: Sahil Salvi
A sporting tradition that blends devotion with fun, frolic and adventure, Dahi Handi recaptures the fondness of Krishna as a child for butter with scores of youth joining shoulder-to-shoulder to build a human pyramid, through which the aspiring winner scales to hit the curd-filled earthen pot strung over head.
The apex court had on Wednesday made it clear that no human pyramid could cross 20 feet in height, concerned over casualties and injuries suffered by 'Govindas', as participants are known, in previous years.
Cases had been registered against 16 Govinda mandals in Thane, adjoining Mumbai for allegedly flouting court guidelines, a senior police official said.
IMAGE: A defiant Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader argues with cop while wearing a T-shirt saying 'he will break the rules'.
A media report said a Dahi Handi in Thane was allegedly strung up at 49 feet, more than double the height allowed by the Supreme Court, whose organiser was said to be associated with Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. The MNS along with Shiv Sena has expressed reservations over the court order.
An MNS worker was also seen as wearing a T-Shirt on which 'I will break the law' was written in Marathi.
Barring minor injuries to 15 participants, no untoward incident had been reported in Mumbai till evening, where no violation of the apex court norm had been reported, police said.
At Dadar in Mumbai, some Dahi Handi mandal members lay on the ground and created a 'sleeping pyramid' exceeding the 20-feet norm. While another mandal used a ladder to break the pot and also displayed a black flag, apparently to protest against the SC ruling on the festival.
IMAGE: MNS-backed Jai Jawan Govinda Mandal formed a 9-tier human pyramid with a height more than 40 feet at Bhagwati Maidan in Mumbai, flouting Supreme Court guidelines.
With over 3,300 mandals (orgasming units) arranging Dahi Handi events across Mumbai and adjoining areas, police video-recorded the competitions to ascertain if there had been violation of the Supreme Court order.
The police had already issued notices to organisers informing them of the court order and that they would record every human pyramid.
The police said they would go through the video footages and, if any violation of norms is found, action will be taken against the organisers.
IMAGE: A ladder was used at one of Dahi Handi celebrations after the SC banned human pyramids higher than 20 feet.
The court had on August 17 refused to relax conditions put earlier by the Bombay high court like barring youth below 18 years of age from participating in Dahi Handi festival and capping the height of the human pyramid at 20 feet.
The SC bench rejected the contention that the festival had the colour of popular sport and there should be no cap on the height of the pyramid since the court has already barred youth below 18 years of age from taking part in it.
A fresh plea was filed in the apex court by Jai Jawan Krida Mandal Govinda Pathak in a last ditch attempt to get over the restriction, which was also turned down by the apex court.
IMAGE: Black flags were shown at several places to protest the apex court order.
Voicing reservation over the court directions on Dahi Handi celebrations, the Shiv Sena said the government should have come out with an ordinance reversing the order.
Sena said the police, instead of going about their duty of catching criminals, will now have to roam around places to ensure the implementation of the SC's guidelines and keep a watch on the height of human pyramids and age of 'govindas'.
The SC order had also stirred sharp reaction from Dahi Handi organisers, who contended that the restrictions would hamper the grandeur of the celebrations. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-govindas-protests-against-sc-order-in-mumbai/20160825.htm | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6a473cdd31154d38bebe73d8cd2b342c13e2ad09ab125ab0b84fdc16d34481c7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:13:34 | null | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | Kidwai is survived by two sons and four daughters. His funeral will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Jamia Burial Grounds. | Former Bihar, WB governor A R Kidwai passes away | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fformer-bihar-wb-governor-a-r-kidwai-passes-away%2F20160824.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/24kidwai01.jpg | en | null | Former Bihar, WB governor A R Kidwai passes away | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 24, 2016 22:26 IST
Former Governor of Bihar and West Bengal A R Kidwai died on Wednesday after brief illness at a city hospital. He was 96.
Kidwai is survived by two sons and four daughters. His funeral will be held on Thursday afternoon at the Jamia Burial Grounds.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mourning his death, tweeted, "My condolences on the passing away of Dr A R Kidwai. His long career in public life included many roles & responsibilities."
"Dr A R Kidwai distinguished himself in the fields of education and social welfare. May his soul rest in peace," he said.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi expressing his condolences, tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the passing away of Dr AR Kidwai former Gov of Bihar, Bengal & Haryana. A scholar & a humanist his loss will be deeply mourned."
Born in 1920, Akhlaq ur Rahman Kidwai served as Governor of several states for a record period of 17 years -- in Bihar (twice), West Bengal and Haryana, in addition to holding temporary charge of Governor of Punjab and of Rajasthan and Administrator of Delhi and of Chandigarh.
Besides, being a member of the Rajya Sabha from 2000-2004, he also served as the Chairman of Union Public Service Commission from 1974-78. He had taken an active role in the '1942 Quit India' movement.
On January 25, 2011 Kidwai was awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award for his outstanding contribution towards public affairs.
Kidwai received an MS degree in Organic Chemistry with Biochemistry from the University of lllinois and completed his PhD from Cornell University in 1950.
He was a distinguished scientist and a researcher in the field of organic chemistry.
A renowned educationist, he was also member and patron of the Delhi Public School Society and president of the South Delhi Women's Polytechnic.
He had also served as the chancellor of the Aligarh Muslim University.
IMAGE: Kidwai had taken an active part in the '1942 Quit India' movement. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/former-bihar-wb-governor-a-r-kidwai-passes-away/20160824.htm | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/dd56b7eafbe2755de8dfcff28f6ddad160dad3fd9bed08e5af65a0cf97cf016d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:13:46 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | Here's a recap of the events from the past 24 hours. | REWIND: India in the last 24 hours | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-rewind-india-in-the-last-24-hours%2F20160823.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/22rewind01.jpg | en | null | REWIND: India in the last 24 hours | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 23, 2016 19:10 IST
Here’s a recap of the events from the past 24 hours.
Villagers rescue a bird from the flood-affected Purbabhadurpur in Birbhum district of West Bengal on Monday. Photograph: PTI
Rescue workers lift a boat from the Sabarmati river after a flood alert in Ahmedabad. Photograph: Amit Dave/Reuters
Family members and relatives holding a protest demanding the arrest of criminals involved in a killing of a man in Meerut on Monday. Photograph: Manvender Vashist/ PTI
A driver shows the broken front windscreen of a tanker due to stone pelting in Kashmir, at Narwal area of Jammu on Monday. Photograph: PTI
A temple was submerged in the waters of the Ganges in Allahabad on Monday. Photograph: PTI
Border Security Force jawans during curfew in Srinagar. Photograph: PTI
Jharkhand Governor Droupadi Murmu offering floral tributes to slain army jawan Joseph Laguri at the military station, Namkum in Ranchi on Monday. Laguri died in a gun-battle with terrorists at Kupwara district of North Kashmir. Photograph: PTI
A policeman stops a milkman at a blocked road during the 45th day of curfew in Srinagar on Monday. Photograph: Swapan Mahapatra/PTI
A heavy traffic jam on the Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway near Atlas Chowk in Gurgaon on Monday. Photograph: S Irfan/ PTI
Minister of State for Sports Vijay Goel with fashion designer Ritu Beri and cricketer Virender Sehwag participating in the ‘Tiranga Yatra’ to mark 70th anniversary of India's Independence at Red Fort in Delhi on Monday. Photograph: PTI
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has drawn flak and ridicule for a photograph showing him being lifted by security personnel to cross a swollen nullah in the state’s Panna district to meet flood-hit people there, with the Congress saying it reflected his “feudal mindset”. Photograph: PTI
Police use teargas shells and gas bombs to disperse Congress supporters protesting against the Madhya Pradesh and Union governments in Jabalpur on Monday. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-rewind-india-in-the-last-24-hours/20160823.htm | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/a00cd8a0c361fa4d8bf98f3bee3fceb6e7ff6180ba415516e4311658c69b232b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:39:19 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | 'These inhuman people will never find a place in Jammu & Kashmir or hold in any sway over the youth here.' | 'ISIS will never hold sway in J&K' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Finterview%2Fisis-will-never-hold-sway-in-jk%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/11kashmir3.jpg | en | null | 'ISIS will never hold sway in J&K' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 20:29 IST
'These inhuman people will never find a place in Jammu & Kashmir or hold in any sway over the youth here.'
IMAGE: Protesters hurl stones at a police vehicle after Burhan Wani's death. Photograph: S Irfan/PTI
Shayk Dr Abdul Lateef Al-Kindee (he is a PhD in Islamic Studies), secretary general, Jamiat Ahle Hadees, an Islamic religious outfit that espouses pristine Islamic teachings, spoke to Rediff.com's Prasanna D Zore about how peace can return to the Kashmir Valley and the reasons why controversial preacher Dr Zakir Naik has not succeeded in influencing the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
Do you think Burhan Wani's death will attract more Kashmiri youth towards the gun as is being made out by some people?
The Jamiat Ahle Hadees has always preached peace and non-violence in the valley through our religious discourses and message to the awam (the people of Jammu & Kashmir) from mosques. We are opposed to terrorism and militancy.
Whatever is happening in Kashmir today is a political issue, though, and we appeal to all the political parties to sit across the table, engage in a dialogue and debate the issue to reach a peaceful settlement.
We would only request all the parties involved here that they should not indulge in any act that gives an excuse to the other to use violence and justify the same.
We also appeal that there should be no excesses against anybody or any section or any stakeholder who are out in the streets of Kashmir.
Violence has no place in our jamhooriyat (democracy).
Do you think Burhan Wani's death will attract more Kashmiri youth towards the gun as is being made out by some people?
I don't think so.
Dr Zakir Naik has visited Jammu & Kashmir for his religious sermons. Do you think he has a wide following in the state as the Jamiat Ahle Hadees too has worked with him during his visits to the valley?
You must understand that currently the media runs the reins of this country. And there are many people who take whatever is told to them by the media at face value. And as far as teachings -- whether good or bad -- are concerned, there are always followers of both the traits.
I personally don't follow or believe in whatever he says, but a large section of Indians, Muslims as well as non-Muslims, who understand English, follow him or listen to his sermons.
Only those youth who understands English and has easy access to the Internet approach his preaching to listen to him. And there are followers who believe in what he says or preaches.
I can only say that there are a few people in Jammu & Kashmir, who understand and learn English, follow and listen to Dr Zakir Naik.
But it is just media propaganda that the terrorist who slain people in Dhaka were influenced by Dr Zakir Naik's teaching. I have not heard even a single discourse of Zakir Naik that emboldened Muslims to become terrorists or indulge in acts of terror.
Isn't he preaching on television and the Internet? Or does he have a secret medium of preaching too?
How can we trust a terrorist who inflicted pain and misery on innocent lives? Have you heard Dr Zakir Naik's name being dragged into any other terror attack?
I am surprised that the media has put its blind trust in a Bangladeshi terrorist. This is no way of doing justice (to the man).
Does Dr Naik have a hold over the youth of the state?
No, he doesn't have too many followers here or are beholden to his teachings.
Do you identify with the school of thought of Islam that Dr Naik preaches?
We don't agree with all the things that he says about Islam and Islamic jurisprudence. He has a different style of reaching out, a different way of preaching the tenets of Islam. We have our own style and beliefs.
What would be your message to the youth of Kashmir who are out in the streets, pelting stones at security personnel?
Here's my humble appeal to all those intellectual and peace-loving people: Don't create a point-of-no-return situation. People want peace and mutual co-existence. This is a political issue and must be tackled at the political level.
Neither am I a politician nor does Jamiat Ahle Hadees has any political footprint or aim in the state. We are a religious outfit and believe in peaceful co-existence of human beings.
We have made an appeal through various popular newspapers in Kashmir that people should act with patience and engage in any activities that harm the interests of the youth of Kashmir.
By 'any activities,' do you mean acts of violence?
We are not on the side of violence. We want everybody to abdicate violence and find a solution to this issue by sitting across the table, one which is based on rationale and intellect. Strong emotions cannot be a solution to an issue like this one.
Jamiat Ahle Hadees had protested vociferously reports that the state government was tapping the phones of the ulemas (Muslim scholars) in the valley.
We were reacting to reports in the media. On the one hand, they (the state government) were saying that there should be reforms of imams and on the other hand they are tapping our phones.
The only thing we want to say is that Islam is an apostle of peace in the world. And the imam (religious teacher) or aleem (servant of the omniscient) is the naib (second in command) of paigambar (Prophet Mohammed). Which means an imam always preaches about peace and brotherhood.
So what message are you sending to the people by tapping the phones of imams?
Politicians spoil the environment on the ground and then the lightening falls on the imams.
We think politicians should help people find employment, food and housing and not interfere in the affairs of religious people.
Why has Islamic State (Da'esh) not succeeded in swaying the youth in Jammu & Kashmir?
Why do we need such people in my state? What noble deeds have they done for people to get enamoured of them?
These inhuman people will never find a place in Jammu & Kashmir or hold in any sway over the youth here. | http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/isis-will-never-hold-sway-in-jk/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/1a9d2cc7407e7a4ab3b3aa0c72e508700e6aeec7b97e6581cd5d7ae3127827c3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:20 | null | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | Secretary general of CBCI Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas on what he doesn't like about the new education policy. | 'Stress on Vedic culture in new education policy is not right' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Finterview%2Fstress-on-vedic-culture-in-new-education-policy-is-not-right%2F20160825.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/money/2014/jan/23edu6.jpg | en | null | 'Stress on Vedic culture in new education policy is not right' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 25, 2016 15:22 IST
'In this system, the poor does not get an equal opportunity to compete with the rich.'
'Our problem is not the stress given on the Vedic system, but not mentioning the other forms of education.'
India has had two National Education Policies so far, drafted in the years 1968 and 1986. The 1968 policy was based on the suggestions of a 17-member Education Commission, headed by the then University Grants Commission chairperson D S Kothari. This policy had called for a national school system by which all students -- irrespective of caste, creed and sex -- would have access to education of a comparable quality up to a given level.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, mid-day meal scheme, Navodaya Vidyalayas, Kendriya Vidyalayas and use of information technology in education are a result of the National Education Policy of 1986. It was revised in 1992 when P V Narasimha Rao was the prime minister.
A third National Education Policy has now been drafted under the National Democratic Alliance government by a committee headed by former cabinet secretary T S R Subramanian, the draft of which was recently made public.
That was when the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of India openly expressed their displeasure over the draft. The Catholic Church is the second-largest provider of education in India after the government.
The secretary general of the CBCI, Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas, spoke to Shobha Warrier/Rediff.com about why they feel the policy needs changes.
Was the third NEP was drafted without consulting all those who are involved in Indian education? You said the Catholic Church, the second-largest institutional provider of education after the government, was not consulted.
Yes, while drafting a policy like this, everybody has to be consulted.
What we feel is that they (the committee) held consultations very selectively. We wrote to the HRD (Union human resource development) minister that we should be heard, but we are yet to get a reply.
However, the government was generous enough in asking for suggestions to be uploaded on their website. But millions of suggestions may come and we do not know whether they would be able to go through all of them.
Since we are in the field, it would have been good if the government gave us a time to explain what we think of the policy.
Was it when Smriti Irani was the HRD minister that you requested to be heard?
We had requested both of them (Irani and incumbent Prakash Javdekar).
Had there been any response from both of them?
There has been no response (so far), but then it may be because of the way the government functions. Generally, it takes a long time for the government to respond.
It was the committee head T S R Subramanian who made the draft public. Do you suspect any agenda behind keeping the policy a secret?
I would not judge the intentions of the government. I would rather take it for granted that they are acting with good intentions. But, at the same time, it’s our right to be heard in this multi-cultural country.
The education policy is not a simple thing; it shapes the future of the nation. It follows the ideology of the country. So, it is essential that they hear all shades of opinions.
IMAGE: Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas.
Is it because the Catholic Church is the second-largest provider of education in this country?
That is why we feel they should hear our opinion too. We have the experience which the country can benefit from. We are not only the second-largest provider of education, but also the pioneers of modern education which has no mention at all in the draft.
So, do you feel the government should have consulted all the people associated with the country’s education system before drafting the policy?
Even if they did not consult everybody, it’s okay as only the draft that is out. It’s a long-drawn process. It would be unfair to say that no consultation took place. At the same time, what has come out does not reflect widespread consultations.
You said that the policy was not only against minorities but would make access to education difficult for all the marginalised sections like Dalits, tribals, poor and rural population. Why do you feel so?
Because it’s a very elitist kind of policy. As education is getting more and more commercialised, one of the big problems this country faces is that the poor cannot afford the kind of education the rich can.
Why should only the rich get a chance to study in English-medium schools? The point is, if anybody has to be included, especially the poor, he should be given a special possibility of getting into the process.
When the prime minister is talking about inclusive growth, why will the government intentionally exclude the marginalised sections from the growth process, especially in education?
It is for the government to answer whether they did it intentionally or otherwise. I don’t want to accuse anybody; I don’t want to criticise anybody.
I have always said that we do not think the government is deliberately doing anything or intentionally excluding some people. We want the government to be proactive in including everybody. We are just making a request that the poor, the Dalits, the tribals be given equal share in the national resources of the country.
You said the draft policy is elitist. Why do you feel so? Is it because it talks about segregating students as meritorious and less meritorious?
Yes. That’s one very important point. They plan to segregate very, very early.
Besides that, look at the way the whole education system is placed. In this system, the poor does not get an equal opportunity to compete with the rich.
Why can’t the government give aid to every school? Why do they restrict aid only to vernacular schools and not (extend it to) English-medium schools? Why do they pump so much money into government schools, many of which do not function at all?
It is true that many Catholic institutions do get aid; it’s not that private institutions do not get aid, but many states do not give aid to English-medium schools. The English-medium schools should not become the domain only of the rich. Let the poor decide whether they want to study in a vernacular- or English-medium.
Why do you feel the draft makes education more centralised? Is education not a state subject?
If you go through the draft policy, (you’ll find that) it is much centralised. That’s why states like Tamil Nadu have a problem. Why so much importance to Sanskrit language? What about the Dravidian languages? Ours is a multi-cultural country, and we feel not much representation has been given to local languages and local culture. The trend to read nationalism through one aspect is wrong.
The whole stress on Vedic culture is also not right. The Vedas are not the only resource of the country. Every religion and every culture has contributed to the country, including the tribals. The tribals have their own customs and traditions.
Is that the reason you felt there is a pseudo-nationalism reflected in it?
There is a strong tendency to define nationalism through one ideology. We are all nationalists; we are more nationalist than anybody else. No other organisation has been involved in nation-building more than the Catholic Church.
We have gone to the remotest of areas to work there. We would not like anybody to lecture us on nationalism. Is nationalism not the unity of the country in its diversity? This definition is very important, like Mahatma Gandhi defined the country as a beautiful garden with many varieties of flowers.
You were critical of the mention of Vedic and Gurukul model of education in the preamble of the draft. Was Vedic period not a part of our culture? Similarly, wasn’t Gurukul model a way of educating students in the ancient period? Has it anything to with any religion, Hinduism?
It has nothing to do with Hinduism. It has to do with a fringe section of Indian society that wants to impose the Vedic culture on the country.
Yes, this country has a Vedic tradition that is respected and admired but it has other traditions too. Nationalism cannot be Vedic nationalism; it has to be pluralistic nationalism.
What about the British model of education? The Vedic and Gurukul systems were complemented by modern education also. Our problem is not the stress given on the Vedic system of education, but not mentioning the other forms.
You also objected to yoga and Surya Namaskar being taught in schools. Again, both have nothing to do with Hinduism, but are good for health.
Gymnastics is also good for health. So is physical education, but they are not mentioned. In what sense is Surya Namaskar connected to health?
It is not just worshipping the sun, it is one of the best exercises for good health, for the entire body…
People from some other religion may have problem worshipping the sun. Why do you insist on everyone following it? You should respect others who do not consider Surya Namaskar as a part of their tradition. How can you impose this on little children?
Do you look at it as part of Hindusim?
We admire Hinduism and the inclusiveness of Hinduism. What we don’t like is that some people are destroying Hinduism in the name of Hinduism.
Hinduism is not an extreme religion, but some people are taking an extremist view of it and doing injustice to the religion.
Do you feel that ever since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power, certain practices are being imposed on others in the name of nationalism?
They are not imposed, they are doing it in a subtle way.
Do you feel insecure?
Insecure is a strong word. We have met the prime minister and he has assured us and we would like to go by the assurance. We trust this government, especially ministers like Sushma Swaraj who stand by us to protect the unity of the nation.
We definitely appreciate the efforts taken by the Modi government. We also appreciate the fact that they are ready to involve us in a dialogue. But there are some other forces who want to jeopardise the talks.
In fact, we want to be with the government not only in shaping the future of the country, but in all other aspects of nation-building, like the Swachch Bharat mission and many such wonderful initiatives taken by the Modi government. | http://www.rediff.com/news/interview/stress-on-vedic-culture-in-new-education-policy-is-not-right/20160825.htm | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/c2d1ec80c15c8bce7901157881fe87ef185c6b9650e854e09011047ead6be74b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:32:06 | null | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | Restrictions on assembly of four or more people were in force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order. | Kashmir unrest: 33rd day of curfew paralyses life in Valley | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkashmir-unrest-33rd-day-of-curfew-paralyses-life-in-valley%2F20160810.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/10kashmir02.jpg | en | null | Kashmir unrest: 33rd day of curfew paralyses life in Valley | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 10, 2016 12:50 IST
Normal life was disrupted in Kashmir for the 33rd straight day on Wednesday as curfew in some parts and restrictions in the rest of the Valley continued amidst the separatist-led protest programme.
IMAGE: A J&K Police van stands betwixt an empty road in Srinagar. Photograph: Umar Ganie
Curfew continued to remain in force in parts of the summer capital Srinagar and Anantnag town, a police official said in Srinagar.
"Curfew is in force in five police stations in downtown (interior) area of Srinagar city and Anantnag town in south Kashmir," the official said.
He said restrictions on assembly of four or more people were in force in rest of the Valley as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order.
The official said the situation across the valley has showed signs of improvement since Monday as army personnel were helping police and paramilitary forces at many places to keep troublemakers away from the roads.
IMAGE: Security person stands guard on a deserted street. Photograph: Umar Ganie
However, schools, colleges, business establishments, petrol pumps and private offices remained closed while public transport remained off the roads.
Police said except for stone pelting incidents at three places in Kupwara, Bandipora and Anantnag districts, the overall law and order situation had generally remained calm on Tuesday.
The attendance in government offices and banks was also thin, the official said.
Mobile Internet services continued to remain snapped in the entire Valley where the outgoing facility on prepaid connections is also barred.
The separatist camp has extended the shutdown call in Kashmir till August 12.
IMAGE: Youth shouts slogans during a protests in Srinagar on the 33rd day of curfew. Photograph: Umar Ganie
Kashmir has witnessed protests after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
As many as 55 persons, including two cops, were killed and several thousand others were injured in the clashes between protestors and security forces. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kashmir-unrest-33rd-day-of-curfew-paralyses-life-in-valley/20160810.htm | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/169e750ea06822429f5d39a208580f83dd005f2da3e1977f4c3e39f15b25cd55.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:50:19 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Friday directed by a special court in Mumbai to begin arguments on framing of charges in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case from the next date of hearing due in mid-September with the judge saying he will 'expedite' the trial. | Will expedite trial in Sheena case: Judge | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fwill-expedite-trial-in-sheena-case-judge%2F20160826.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/aug/30lead3a.jpg | en | null | Will expedite trial in Sheena case: Judge | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 26, 2016 19:05 IST
The Central Bureau of Investigation was on Friday directed by a special court in Mumbai to begin arguments on framing of charges in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case from the next date of hearing due in mid-September with the judge saying he will "expedite" the trial.
The direction by a special CBI court came even as the agency submitted there should not be a "parallel trial" in the case after leaked tapes of purported phone conversations involving Rahul and his father Peter Mukerjea, a former media baron, and his stepmother Indrani suggesting an attempt to cover up the murder by the couple surfaced in the media.
The court also extended the judicial custody of key accused Indrani Mukerjea, her husband Peter and her ex-husband Sanjeev Khanna till September 13, when the agency is also likely to open their case.
"Prosecutor can argue on framing of charges provided the interest of defense is safeguarded. I will expedite the trial," Special CBI Judge H S Mahajan said.
Earlier, Special Public prosecutors Bharat Badami and Kavita Patil told the court that the prosecution is ready to open the case in support of framing of charges.
"We are ready to start the trial," they said.
The prosecutors said that since Thursday, the media was trying to "snatch words from two CBI witnesses in the case" but did not elaborate or name them.
In this context, they also felt that there should not be a "parallel trial" in the case and that their witnesses need to be protected.
To this, Judge Mahajan said that nobody is taking them (media reports) seriously.
The court also made it clear that none of the parts of the purported tapes on the murder case were leaked from the court. CBI also told the court that there was no leak from their side too.
Though Indrani's advocate said that they have no objection in starting the trial, the lawyer of Peter told the court that CBI has to make a statement that their investigation is over and then let them (agency) start arguing on framing of charges.
Peter's lawyer Mihir Gheewala told the court that the tapes are a vital evidence (in the case) and the manner in which it was aired on news channels, the witnesses could be directly affected.
"It should not cause any prejudice to the witnesses."
Later, Gheewala also moved an application in the court that it should direct the CBI to take all necessary steps to prevent the potential evidence, documents, witnesses statements and material produced by CBI in its chargesheet from being used in the media without permission of the court.
Referring to reports of the leaked tapes, the court said if the CBI feels that anybody is doing intentionally then it can go ahead and take action against them (media).
The CBI made it clear that certain audio clips related to the murder case had already been taken note off and formed "integral part' of its charge sheet in the case.
Reacting to all the audio tapes being played or referred to in certain news channels, a CBI spokesperson in Delhi said these clips have already been fully investigated by agency.
Referring to reports of purported conversation among Indrani, Peter and Rahul suggesting that there has been attempts by Peter to cover up and mislead Rahul about the mysterious disappearance of Sheena, the court said if the CBI feels that anybody is doing intentionally then it can go ahead and take action against them (media).
Indrani, her former driver Shyam Rai (who has now turned approver in the case) and Khanna had allegedly strangled Sheena (24), Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, inside a car in April 2012.
The trio were arrested in August last year, while Peter was arrested in November. According to CBI, Peter was part of the murder conspiracy.
Sheena's body was found in a forest in Raigad. The crime, which came to light in August last year, is allegedly linked to certain financial dealings. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/will-expedite-trial-in-sheena-case-judge/20160826.htm | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6c89f3adec4e8c07604d5c70135da4d674ed2985c03108dfaedc99895cfbffef.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:26:45 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was again 'detained' at an United States airport, the third time in seven years that he has been stopped by US immigration officials at the country's airports. However, outrage over the incident prompted US Ambassador to India Richard Rahul Verma to apologise on behalf of his government. | US apologises after SRK is detained at Los Angeles airport | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fshah-rukh-khan-detained-at-los-angeles-airport%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/12srk2.jpg | en | null | US apologises after SRK is detained at Los Angeles airport | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 12, 2016 15:18 IST
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was again "detained" at an United States airport, the third time in seven years that he has been stopped by US immigration officials at the country's airports. However, outrage over the incident prompted US Ambassador to India Richard Verma to apologise on behalf of his government.
"I fully understand & respect security with the way the world is, but to be detained at US immigration every damn time really really sucks," (sic) the actor tweeted after being detained at the Los Angeles airport.
"The brighter side is while waiting caught some really nice Pokemons," the 50-year-old actor said in another tweet referring to the widely popular mobile game.
US Ambassador to India Richard Verma apologised to Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan for his over two-hour detention at Los Angeles airport and said the US was working to ensure that it does not happen again.
Verma's comment on Twitter was appreciated by Khan who thanked him for his concern.
"Sorry for the trouble at LAX @iamsrk. We are working to ensure it doesn't happen again. Your work inspires millions, including in the US," Verma tweeted.
Responding to Verma's tweet, the 50-year-old actor said, "No trouble sir, respect the protocol & not expecting 2 b above it. It’s just a tad inconvenient. Thx for ur concern."
This was not the first instance that Khan was detained at an American airport by immigration officials.
In April 2012, Khan was detained at the White Plains airport near New York for over two hours by immigration officials.
Khan was in the US to visit Yale University and was accompanied by Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani. He was understood to have been travelling in a private plane.
Following the incident, sources had then said that while Ambani and the rest of their group was cleared immediately, Khan was stopped and was given immigration clearance only after about two hours.
Yale University officials had to contact and speak with officials at the Department of Homeland Security and Department of US Immigration and Customs in Washington when they were informed that Khan was held up at the airport.
After the incident in New York, Khan had said, "Whenever I start feeling too arrogant about myself I always take a trip to America. The immigration guys kicked the star out of stardom," Khan had said to the Yale students.
In 2009, Khan was detained at the Newark Airport in New Jersey for nearly two hours.
Following the incident, Khan had sought to downplay the "unfortunate procedure" at Newark airport and had said that he would not demand an apology.
Photograph: Mark Blinch/Reuters | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/shah-rukh-khan-detained-at-los-angeles-airport/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/f83f15d135cf77f03dd2616ff2a1a6aced552c7e2391f0049ba3d37f2f534639.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:28:51 | null | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | Vaghani, a relatively young Patel face of the BJP, was earlier state unit's youth wing president. | BJP appoints Patel MLA Jitu Vaghani as new Gujarat president | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpatel-mla-jitu-vaghani-new-gujarat-bjp-president%2F20160810.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/10vaghani.jpg | en | null | BJP appoints Patel MLA Jitu Vaghani as new Gujarat president | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 10, 2016 19:00 IST
Gujarat Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday appointed Jitu Vaghani, a member of legislative assembly from Bhavnagar West constituency and a Patel, as its state unit president in place of Vijay Rupani who became the chief minister recently.
“Jitu Vaghani has been appointed as president of state BJP,” party spokesperson Harshad Patel said.
Vaghani, 46, a relatively young Patel face of the BJP, was earlier state unit’s youth wing president.
He has also worked as secretary of the party state unit in the past.
Vaghani belongs to Leuva Patel community among Patels.
His name was finalised by party president Amit Shah on Wednesday, and central party communicated it to the state unit, which declared it in Ahmedabad.
Vaghani won the election as an MLA for the first time in 2012. In 2007, he had lost against Congress’s Shaktisinh Gohil.
Vaghani has apparently been chosen as party state unit president as BJP has made non-Patel leader Rupani the chief minister. Rupani belongs to the Jain community.
While the newly-appointed Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel belongs to Kadva sub-caste of Patels, Vaghani is from Leuva Patel sub-caste.
The BJP has chosen Vaghani apparently to give a message to Patel community, who are agitating for reservation in the state for last one year.
IMAGE: Jitu Vaghani. Photograph: @BJP_Gujarat/Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/patel-mla-jitu-vaghani-new-gujarat-bjp-president/20160810.htm | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/2ef6782c4760ddceabed51372ed09f6bc79ec6981715734aa8225f14efe40f01.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:10 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | Soaked in patriotism, hundreds of Indians on Monday proudly marked the country's 70th Independence Day, as the tricolour fluttered and the national anthem reverberated at Indian missions across the world. | Indians across the world join Independence Day celebrations | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Findians-across-the-world-join-independence-day-celebration%2F20160815.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/aug/11desi3.jpg | en | null | Indians across the world join Independence Day celebrations | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 15, 2016 14:52 IST
Soaked in patriotism, hundreds of Indians abroad on Monday proudly marked the country's 70th Independence Day, as the tricolour fluttered and the national anthem reverberated at Indian missions across the world.
Indian Embassies, High Commissions and Consulates echoed with melodious strains of the national anthem as children and the hundreds of Indians joined to sing patriotic songs in Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Yangon, Laos, Cambodia, the Philippines, Indonesia and Brunei.
China
In Beijing, Indian Ambassador Vijay Gokhale hoisted the tricolour in the embassy premises at a function that was attended by members of the Indian community.
A large of number of Indian professionals besides embassy staff took part in the flag hoisting ceremony along with their families.
Gokhale also read out President Pranab Mukherjee's address to the nation followed by recital of patriotic songs.
In Shanghai, Consulate General of India Prakash Gupta hosted the celebrations. Gupta unfurled the tricolour besides reading out excerpts from the President's address. A similar celebration was held at the Indian Consulate in Guangzhou led by Consulate General Y K Sailas Thangal.
United States
In the US, the Independence Day was celebrated on a large scale in Fremont in California and Edison in New Jersey where thousands of people attended the event amid a colorful cultural extravaganza.
In cities like Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Orlando and Minneapolis, community organisations held cultural events over the weekend to celebrate the Independence Day.
The patriotic fervour also gripped Indian missions across Southeast Asia, as hundreds of Indian nationals, ethnic Indians and India lovers gathered.
Thailand
In Bangkok, Indian Ambassador Bhawant Singh Bishnoi said, "2016 has been a most significant year for our bilateral relationships".
Bishnoi, in his speech to over 500 people gathered at the embassy premises, said Thailand remains one of India's "closest" friends.
"People to people linkages are one of the most important aspects of our bilateral relationships. Central to this is the role played by the Indian community," he said and commended the significant contribution by ethnic Indians and Indian nationals to the economic and social development of Thailand.
Singapore
In Singapore, India's High Commissioner Vijay Thakur Singh celebrated the day, reading out President Mukherjee's Independence Day message to some 600 Indians.
Students from local Indian schools also sang patriotic songs and staged dance performances in a cultural show.
In a congratulatory message on the Independence Day of India, Singaporean President Tony Tan Keng Yam reaffirmed strong bilateral relations and underlined that "relations between Singapore and India remain strong and will grow despite challenges in the global economy".
"As our people-to-people relations flourish, I am delighted by the excellent progress in bilateral projects and initiatives on various fronts including trade, skills development, defence cooperation, and Smart Cities development," said Tan.
Malaysia
In Kuala Lumpur, High Commissioner TS Tirumurti hoisted the flag at India House. About 350 people attended the ceremony that also witnessed a Carnatic singing performance.
The High Commissioner also flagged off a Malaysia-Thailand-Myanmar-India car rally by Vinayak Mission that will cover 46,000 Kms and end in Salem Tamil Nadu.
In Hanoi, around 250 members of the Indian community and friends of India attended the hoisting of the tricolour by Ambassador P Harish, who also read out the President's address.
Australia
Flag hoisting ceremonies were also held at Indian consulate buildings in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth apart from Indian High Commission in Canberra.
Extending his warm greetings, Indian High Commissioner Navdeep Singh Suri said that India was on a economic growth path and that the recent passage of Goods and Services Tax bill will further consolidate the nation's position in global economy.
"Our 70th Independence Day comes at a very important of time in our history. Over last two years, India has come to be recognised as the world's fastest growing economy," Suri said.
He added that Indian government was proactively working on several projects including 'Festival of India' initiative project that would help in further strengthening the relations with Australia.
On Saturday, a special event was held at the iconic Federation Square where Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor hoisted the tricolour along with Suri.
Meanwhile, Australian politicians also attended the celebrations.
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird said, "there are over 138,000 people of Indian heritage living in the state who make valuable contributions to our peaceful and harmonious society".
"The friendship between NSW and India continues to flourish and Indian migrants, students and visitors are welcome to the state in increasing numbers," Baird said.
Egypt
In Cairo, India's Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya hoisted the national flag. Members of Indian community and Egyptian Friends of India, attended the celebrations and sang the national anthem.
The function was held at the India House premises in Zamalek.
Israel
In Herzliya, about 300 Indians from all over Israel gathered to celebrate the Independence Day ahead of an expected exchange of high level bilateral visits as India and Israel celebrate the 25th year of establishment of diplomatic relations next year.
India's envoy to Israel Pavan Kapoor hoisted the national flag, calling on the Indian community in Israel to help strengthen bilateral ties.
A cultural programme followed the ceremony, including a Bhangra performance by the Indian contingent at UN Disengagement Observer Force which serves as the border between Israel and Syria.
Senior political sources here said that Israel's President Reuven Rivlin is likely to visit India by the end of this year.
"We are also hopeful that our Prime Minister would visit New Delhi and Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi would come here", they added.
There are about 80,000 Jews of Indian-origin in Israel from four different communities -- Bene Israel from the Mumbai region, Cochinis from Kerala, Baghdadis from the Kolkata region and Bnei Menashe from Manipur and Mizoram.
File Image: 'Bhangra with the beat' on a float during the India Day Parade at Edison, New Jersey. Photograph: Paresh Gandhi/Rediff.com | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/indians-across-the-world-join-independence-day-celebration/20160815.htm | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/e1268bf43ec45b6008f197d25b6e9d94aff279eef254bcd0ccc12c7f69b4b05a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:28:53 | null | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | Union minister Babul Supriyo on Tuesday tied the knot with his girlfriend Rachna Sharma. | PHOTOS: Union minister Babul Supriyo gets hitched | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-babul-supriyo-gets-hitched%2F20160810.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/10babul01-1.jpg | en | null | PHOTOS: Union minister Babul Supriyo gets hitched | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 10, 2016 15:24 IST
Union minister Babul Supriyo on Tuesday tied the knot with his girlfriend Rachna Sharma. They had a low-key engagement two months ago.
From Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the wedding saw who's who of politics and Bollywood gracing the event. Among the people who attended the ceremony were Rajnath Singh, LK Advani, Venkaiah Naidu, Sumitra Mahajan, Digvijaya Singh, etc. Music composer Anu Malik and producer Mukesh Bhatt were also present at the wedding.
Here are some glimpses of the reception. All photographs courtesy of Wedding Twinkles.
SAAT PHERE BAAD: Union minister Babul Supriyo stands alongside his wife Rachna Sharma; the two look prepared to meet the gentry of Indian politics and Bollywood.
HOME AFFAIRS: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh congratulates the newlyweds.
MANN KI BAAT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is introduced to Supriyo's parents. Anyone who's had their boss meet their folks relates to the groom's expression.
INDIA IS THE BEST: Composer Anu Malik whispers something to Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Venkaiah Naidu. Any guesses as to what he said?
PARLEY OUTSIDE PARLIAMENT: Congress leader Shashi Tharoor and Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan share a lighter moment in contrast to their usual parliamentary roles.
YES BOSS: Babul Supriyo hugs veteran filmmaker Mukesh Bhatt with whom he worked before entering the political theatre.
THERE YOU GO: Congress leader and former MP chief minister Digvijaya Singh greets the couple.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Veteran BJP leader L K Advani and his daughter Pratibha were also spotted at the wedding. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-babul-supriyo-gets-hitched/20160810.htm | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/be5a8d3272b8af72bc63c502891ec66fb777118ff11056828814c8b120d491d5.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:24:45 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | The couple said the village has boycotted them and it is not possible for them to live a secluded life. | Why this Bihar man married and ready to divorce his mother-in-law | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fwhy-this-bihar-man-married-and-ready-to-divorce-his-mother-in-law%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/getahead/2010/jul/09divorce1.jpg | en | null | Why this Bihar man married and ready to divorce his mother-in-law | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 17, 2016 03:38 IST
The couple said the village has boycotted them and it is not possible for them to live a secluded life. M I Khan reports from Patna.
Days after a 22-year-old Bihar man married his 42-year-old mother-in-law, he has filed for a divorce after ‘realising that the society was not ready to accept the relation’.
Suraj Mehta of Bihar’s Puraini village in Madhepura district married his mother-in-law Asha Devi in June before a local court in Koshi region. However, the couple has filed for a divorce in front of the same notary.
“Only after I married my mother-in-law and we started living as husband-wife, I realised that the society is not ready to accept us. We were socially isolated and virtually boycotted by family, relatives and caste members. This compelled both of us to take a decision for a divorce,” Mehta said.
He said it was difficult to survive alone in society in a village.
“It is not a city. Most of the villagers, including family members, neighbours, friends and others, repeatedly pointed that we had committed a sin, not a simple mistake. The villagers were adamant not to socially recognise our relationship as husband and wife,” he said.
Mehta said initially, local village panchayat has approved their marriage, but later they disapproved it and refused to help us.
Mohan Prasad, one of the villagers, said that due to social pressure, both Mehta and his mother-in-law-turned-wife have been living a secluded life in their thatched house.
“No one had visited them after they married and they have also not allowed anyone to visit,” he said.
Mehta’s father Parmanand declared in a village meeting that he has disowned him.
According to villagers, Asha Devi, a resident of Maruaahi village, visited her daughter Lalita Kumari’s house last year to help her look after ailing Mehta. During her stay, she developed a physical relationship with him. They both fell in love and decided to marry.
Mehta had married Lalita in 2013 and she delivered a child in 2014.
Now, Mehta is keen to revive his relationship with Lalita and ready to treat Asha like his mother-in-law again. At present, Lalita is staying with her father.
Image used for representation only. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/why-this-bihar-man-married-and-ready-to-divorce-his-mother-in-law/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/1596674f9fd3831f928573df9247cde61f4a88a01bf82336f2c5c7552bd694fa.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T08:50:06 | null | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | Holding Pakistan responsible for the violence in the valley, the J-K CM said hat if Islamabad is really concerned then it will try to help in fixing the crisis rather than fanning the flames. | 'Please give me one chance': Mufti appeals for peace after meeting PM | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fjk-cm-mufti-appeals-for-peace-after-meeting-pm%2F20160827.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/27mufti-modi.jpg | en | null | 'Please give me one chance': Mufti appeals for peace after meeting PM | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 27, 2016 13:40 IST
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday sought the creation of an institutional mechanism of interlocutors to talk to all stakeholders in Kashmir to carry forward former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s policy of a dialogue internally as well as with Pakistan.
Mufti, who called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and discussed the situation in the Kashmir Valley, told reporters that he was very concerned about the situation and has asked for steps to end this “bloodshed” so that the state comes out of the present turmoil.
“The prime minister is very concerned about the situation in Jammu and Kashmir like we all are. It is a matter of concern for everyone. The prime minister wants this bloodshed to end so that the state comes out of the present turmoil,” she told reporters after an hour-long meeting with Modi.
This was the first meeting the chief minister had with the prime minister after the violence broke out in the valley on July 8.
Taking Pakistan head on, Mufti said “our prime minister took bold initiatives of inviting Nawaz Sharif for oath-taking ceremony and later flew to Lahore. This was unfortunately followed by the Pathankot terror attack.
“Lately, when the situation was bad and Pakistan was fuelling the ongoing crisis in Kashmir, our Home Minister Rajnath Singhji went to Lahore, but again, unfortunately, Pakistan let go this golden opportunity and did not extend the courtesy that needs to be given to a guest,” she said.
Observing that the basis of the Peoples Democratic Party-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance was on the foundations of Vajpayee’s Kashmir policy and to carry forward from where it had stopped, she recalled the words of her father and former Chief Minster Mufti Mohammed Sayeed who had said that if Kashmir can be resolved, it can only be by the prime minister who enjoys two-thirds majority.
“If things don’t happen during his tenure, it won’t happen ever. I believe that Modiji, who took a bold step of going there, today again says we need to talk to our own people, because people are dying,” she said.
“I am sure that the prime minister will not forget to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue like the United Progressive Alliance did,” she said.
The chief minister said she told the prime minister to hold talks with all the stakeholders in the state and this could be possible through an institutionalised mechanism.
“Please appoint a group of individuals on whom people of Kashmir have trust, that whatever they are saying will reach to people at the helm of affairs in Delhi,” she said.
She said a peaceful resolution, as discussed with the prime minister, will ensure that the people in the state will live their life with dignity and peace.
Mehbooba said an all-party delegation will reach Srinagar and make efforts to reach out to the people in the state.
“Similarly, I will ask Pakistan if they have some concern for the people of Kashmir they should stop supporting the people who are instigating the youth in the Valley,” she said.
She also advised Islamabad to take a leaf out if its former President Pervez Musharraf’s Kashmir policy who had opined that the UN resolution on Kashmir had no space in the present world.
Asked about talks with Hurriyat, she said a dialogue should be held with all those who want talks. But “those who are instigating the people for carrying out attacks on camps and police stations are not interested in talks,” she said.
She also appealed to the separatist leaders to come and help her government in breaking “this cycle of violence” in the state.
So far, 68 people have died in the protests that started from July 8 after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter on July 8.
Image: Jammu-Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in New Delhi. Photograph: @PIB_India/Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/jk-cm-mufti-appeals-for-peace-after-meeting-pm/20160827.htm | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/9fa6c821150b1b631aef108345d6b05b7e8008c994800e8a24310ee4adeacf39.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:18:07 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur today said that 'corresponding upgradation' of judiciary was a must to face the challenges of emerging social and economic scenario and observed that 'unpolluted and speedy
justice still remains a distant dream'. | Speedy justice still a distant dream: Chief Justice of India | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fspeedy-justice-still-a-distant-dream-chief-justice-of-india%2F20160821.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/20thakur.jpg | en | null | Speedy justice still a distant dream: Chief Justice of India | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 21, 2016 00:54 IST
Chief Justice of India Justice T S Thakur on Saturday said that "corresponding upgradation" of judiciary was a must to face the challenges of emerging social and economic scenario and observed that "unpolluted and speedy justice still remains a distant dream".
Thakur said that the three pillars of our democratic set up have many challenges, which assume greater dimensions as we make all round progress, widening the gulf between haves and have nots.
In his address at 23rd convocation of Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla, Thakur said that "the judiciary as third pillar has its own challenges of making access to judiciary easy and unpolluted and speedy justice remains a distant dream for variety of reasons, especially when the country is making rapid strides on the developmental front".
"The legislature and executive face the formidable challenge of banishing poverty by preventing concentration of wealth in the hands of a few as a sizable section of people continue to suffer from all kinds of deprivation and the number of poor people is increasing ever year and challenges of clean drinking water, basic minimum health care, education and jobs for every able bodied person remains a daunting task even after 70 years of independence," he lamented.
Forty years of planned development, liberalisation and reforms has made India relevant to the world and enabled 700 million smartphones and 332 million internet users, but India's consumer story is led by 130 million urban consumers and is only one side of the story, he said.
He said that land reforms have remained an unfulfilled project since 1950s, growth carries burden of shrinking jobs, workforce falling into urban middle class constitutes only two per cent of the population, educated middle class facing reduction in jobs and technology was replacing the labour, as he stressed need for immediate re-skilling to be job relevant.
"A resurgent India faces challenges of global competitiveness, social inclusiveness, and environmental sustainability and it is not possible for the institutions handling these challenges without a resurgent idea of justice that is actually enforced. Increasing farmer suicides and resurgence cannot go together," he added.
Thakur said that the Constitution and directive principles guarantee social, economic and political justice for all without regard to caste, creed or colour and also ensure religious freedom but in a society long oppressed by foreign rule and stark social and economic disparities, constitutional objectives are not easy to achieve.
Presiding over the convocation, Governor Acharya Devvrat called for inculcating human values and said that the education is not only for earning bread and butter.
Asking the degree holders and medal winners to serve the society with missionary zeal and raise their voice against social evils like drugs and female foeticide, the governor also stressed the need to change the mindset about girls.
"Our daughters had always brought laurels to the nation, the recent example of which was Rio Olympics," he added.
Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh expressed happiness that girls had outnumbered boys in winning gold medals and PhD degrees at the convocation and exhorted students to preserve their traditions, customs and culture in march to prosperity.
Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh high court Mansoor Ahmed Mir said that education has a two-fold function -- utility and culture -- and it must enable the pass outs to become more efficient and achieve the legitimate goal in life.
The students must be trained in quick, resolute and effective thinking and think logically and scientifically, he added.
Earlier, Justice Thakur was conferred with honorary degree of Doctor in Laws by the governor while Justice Bhawani Singh, former chief justice of Gujarat High Court was conferred PhD in law 'Honoris Causa'. As many as 189 students were conferred PhD degree while 143 toppers were awarded gold medals. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/speedy-justice-still-a-distant-dream-chief-justice-of-india/20160821.htm | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/d8db65fc8b367a8014a266172cf956b1fb243760b7352cc66e53c5b13e896601.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:53 | null | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | Lashing out at Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Saturday charged that the country has not witnessed any progress since Independence as 'one family' held the reins for 60 years and asserted that BJP alone could usher in development. | 'One family' allowed no development in 60 years: Amit Shah | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fone-family-allowed-no-development-in-60-years-amit-shah%2F20160813.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/13lead6.jpg | en | null | 'One family' allowed no development in 60 years: Amit Shah | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 13, 2016 17:03 IST
Lashing out at Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Saturday charged that the country has not witnessed any progress since Independence as "one family" held the reins for 60 years and asserted that BJP alone could usher in development.
With an eye on the Uttar Pradesh assembly polls due next year, Shah said if the country is to progress, the development of the state is essential.
"It has been 70 years since we gained Independence. But there has been no development in the country as one family was in power for 60 years," he said.
Shah slammed the erstwhile Congress governments for "absence of development" in the country.
"I feel sad to say that it has been 70 years since we have won freedom and for 60 years, Congress was in saddle and the result is for everyone to see," he said.
Shah was speaking at a 'Tiranga Yatra' as part of 'Yaad Karo Qurbani' programme to commemorate the sacrifices of freedom fighters ahead of Independence Day.
Asserting that BJP alone can usher in development in the country, he said if SP or BSP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, they will work for the development of only one community.
"If SP or BSP come to power they will work for the development of only one community. BJP alone can ensure all round development in the state. BJP believes in 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas'," Shah said at the event held on the outskirts of Lucknow.
"Without the development of Uttar Pradesh, the country cannot march ahead," he said.
The programme was held at Kakori town which had shot into prominence due to Kakori train robbery when some Indian revolutionaries looted British government's treasury from a train on August 9, 1925.
He termed as unfortunate the situation in the country and said villages are without electricity, youths are jobless, agriculture fields are without irrigation facilities and poor patients are dying for want of medicines.
He said the country could not repay the debt of known and unknown martyrs who laid down their lives for freedom.
The BJP president assured the people of the area that he would pass on the message of converting Kakori memorial into a tourist place.
The Tiranga Yatras will be held till August 23 in which 75 ministers will visit 150 places associated with the freedom struggle and seven women ministers will visit the country's borders to tie rakhis on soldiers deployed there.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off celebrations on Tuesday from the home of freedom fighter Chandrashekhar Azad in Madhya Pradesh.
With eyes firmly set on Uttar Pradesh, where assembly elections are due early next year, BJP has lined up a host of Union ministers to visit the state as part of its Tiranga Yatra.
"Tiranga Yatra will be carried out in two phases. Union ministers and senior party functionaries will participate in the yatra," BJP state general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh would participate in the yatra at Shahjahanpur and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari will do so in Mughalsarai.
Other ministers who would participate in the yatra include Uma Bharti (Jhansi), Ram Vilas Paswan (Akbarpur), J P Nadda (Lucknow), Chaudhary Birender Singh (Pratapgarh), Prakash Javadekar (Gorakhpur), Dharmendra Pradhan (Agra), Piyush Goyal (Mathura), Ram Kripal Yadav (Bijnor), Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary (Ghaziabad), Kiren Rijiju (Kanpur), Krishna Pal (Aligarh), Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore (Meerut), and Anupriya Patel (Faizabad), Pathak added.
Photograph: PTI Photo | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/one-family-allowed-no-development-in-60-years-amit-shah/20160813.htm | en | 2016-08-13T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/0916a2ca667bfa749902e4f1dc4d5699ac3c91d6f984151593f70336633bc96e.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:23:04 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | 'The sacking of Outlook magazine's Editor-in-Chief Krishna Prasad provides another example of the saffron camp's disrespect for dissent,' argues Amulya Ganguli. | The short shelf life of today's editors | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Fcolumn%2Fthe-short-shelf-life-of-todays-editors%2F20160816.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/money/2016/aug/16krishna-prasad.jpg | en | null | The short shelf life of today's editors | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 16, 2016 19:42 IST
'The sacking of Outlook magazine's Editor-in-Chief Krishna Prasad provides another example of the saffron camp's disrespect for dissent,' argues Amulya Ganguli.
In a speech at the time of the release of the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto before the last general election, Narendra Modi, then the presumptive prime minister, had given the assurance that he would never act with bad intentions.
He can be said to have kept his promise so far although why anyone should have pledged himself to above board conduct on his own is intriguing. Did he detect a propensity for wrong-doing in himself?
Even if the prime minister can be largely absolved of any serious transgressions in his two years in office, the same cannot be said of some of his fellow travellers. The antics of the latter in creating an atmosphere of intolerance first led to the flood of awards being returned by their winners, including writers, historians, filmmakers and scientists.
Now, the peremptory sacking of Outlook magazine's Editor-in-Chief Krishna Prasad provides another example of the saffron camp's disrespect for dissent.
It does not take much insight to realise that the editor paid the price for his boldness in publishing a piece about the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the BJP's friend, philosopher and guide, and the hidden power behind the throne, according to common perception.
Since a First Information Report has been filed relating to the article, the powers-that-be could have let the law take its own course, as the cliche goes. But the Modi government and the prime mentor were apparently too impatient. Hence, the wielding of the axe.
As it is, the government's respect for the freedom of the press is known to be virtually non-existent. Otherwise, one of its minions -- Minister of State V K Singh -- would not have been so gleefully talking about 'presstitutes,' a coinage of which the former army chief appears to be inordinately proud.
Modi himself has never held a press conference of the wide-ranging kind which was seen in his predecessor's time. Instead, he has chosen one particular television anchor for an occasional interview to the exclusion of all others.
Evidently, he does not trust himself to be quizzed by media personnel at random in case their inquisitiveness forces him to stage a walkout as during one of Karan Thapar's question-and-answer sessions.
It is also possible that the prime minister does not have satisfactory responses to queries, for instance, about why only saffron apparatchiki were selected as the heads of prestigious institutions like the Indian Council of Historical Research, the National Book Trust, the Film and Television Institute and the Central Board of Film Certification. Nor about the abrupt termination of an editor's tenure.
It will be unfair, however, to blame only the Hindutva camp for believing in unofficial censorship.
The Congress was no less culpable, and not only during the Emergency. It played a part, for instance, in forcing out a former Outlook editor, Vinod Mehta, from the editorship of the Indian Post in Mumbai and later from the same position in Pioneer in Delhi. It is understandable why Mehta named his dog Editor.
That nomenclature may have been too sharp a dig at the office although it has been steadily losing its lustre. First, the owners started taking a close interest in their newspapers before becoming editors themselves as in the Ananda Bazar Patrika group.
Then, the tycoons decided to breathe heavily down the necks of the owners if anything unfavourable to their business interests saw the light of the day and 'persuaded' the proprietors -- with a kind word and a gun, as Al Capone said -- to sack the offending editor.
In addition to the ever present threat of the guillotine hanging over their heads, editors have also seen a steady diminution of their authority by the mushrooming of various editorial posts, which is another weapon in the hands of the owners to cut them down to size.
Not surprisingly, the executive editor's role has been defined as that of executing the editor and of the editorial director as that of directing the editor. An old hand in The Times of India, Dilip Mukherjee, used to describe the profusion of designations as a kind of pollution.
Although salaries of the denizens of the so-called Ivory Tower have risen exponentially in the last 20, 30 years, the shelf life of a once-prestigious post has become shorter. Nor is there any possibility of the good old days of Frank Moraes and Sham Lal returning any time soon.
Amulya Ganguli is a writer on current affairs. | http://www.rediff.com/news/column/the-short-shelf-life-of-todays-editors/20160816.htm | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/88309de772b7bf79dba3a7b2ba1fb180c0ec51caa9f9ffef5cf406541769a2de.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:14:55 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | Both states try to outsmart each other in felicitating the shuttler. | AP, Telangana in ownership battle for Sindhu | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fap-telangana-in-ownership-battle-for-sindhu%2F20160823.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/23sindhu1.jpg | en | null | AP, Telangana in ownership battle for Sindhu | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 23, 2016 14:31 IST
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are in no a mood to end the tug of war over Olympic silver medallist Pusarla Venkata Sindhu.
Both states claim Sindhu as their own despite her mentor Pullela Gopichand avoiding a controversy by saying that 'she belongs to India'.
The two states seemed to compete against the other in terms of prize money and organising a bigger reception for the badminton player.
On Monday, when Sindhu and Gopichand landed at the Rajiv Gandhi International airport in Hyderabad, some ministers from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh were present to welcome her.
The Telangana government accorded a rousing reception and felicitated Sindhu and Gopichand at Gachibowli Stadium in Hyderabad.
At the felicitation event at the stadium, Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahamood Ali described Sindhu as ‘Telangana’s pride’, while Home Minister N Narasimha Reddy called her ‘Telangana ammayi (girl)’.
"Because of our Sidhu, Telangana's name shone in the entire world," Ali said.
They were also invited to the Raj Bhavan where they were accorded a warm reception by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Governor E S L Narasimhan and his wife at the Darbar Hall.
A day later, it was the Andhra Pradesh government's turn to accord a grand welcome for Sindhu at Vijayawada. The Chndrababu Naidu administration tried to put up a bigger and better show than Telangana.
Passing through different parts of the city, the 'victory rally' reached Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium, where Chief Minister Naidu greeted, and even played badminton with Sindhu.
Sindhu was born and brought up in Hyderabad but her mother belongs to Vijayawada. Sindhu's father P V Ramana is from what is now Telangana, and thus, both the states claim her as 'their own'.
Andhra Pradesh government had announced a cash reward of Rs 3 crore after she won the silver medal at Rio on Saturday. However, within hours Telangana government went a step further and decided to give her Rs 5 crore.
On Monday, when a reporter sought Sindhu's views on the bragging rights, Gopichand jumped in to try and put an end to the regional controversy by simply stating, “Well, I can only say she (Sindhu) belongs to India.”
Gopichand said it is great that various governments are praising and supporting her.
“We should celebrate the fact that all of them (states) want to be part of the celebration and support us.”
Telangana also announced a cash reward of Rs 25 lakh each to Sindhu's physiotherapist C Kiran, besides extending financial assistance to Gopichand Academy.
And the AP CM announced, "We will give her 1,000 sq yards of house site in the state’s new capital Amaravati and also a Group-1 officer post in the state government. She can choose the post she wants."
With inputs from agencies.
IMAGE: Shuttler P V Sindhu with her coach Pullela Gopichand wave at a crowd during a welcome ceremony at Gachibowli stadium in Hyderabad. Photograph: SnapsIndia | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/ap-telangana-in-ownership-battle-for-sindhu/20160823.htm | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/cfde29d4b7a9fd7a555e9ffb79e045abb2e943570ec4a9b81418d92787eb0713.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:29:41 | null | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing following the bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa Highway on August 2. | Mahad bridge collapse: Presence of crocdiles hampering rescue operations | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpresence-of-crocdiles-hampering-mahad-bridge-collapse-rescue-ops%2F20160810.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/10mahad.jpg | en | null | Mahad bridge collapse: Presence of crocdiles hampering rescue operations | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 10, 2016 13:21 IST
Rescue personnel on Wednesday braved high water current and crocodile hotbeds in Savitri River to trace those missing after the bridge collapse near Mahad in Raigad district even as anxious relatives expressed anger over the pace of the search operation.
So far, 26 bodies have been recovered while nearly 14 are still missing and feared dead after two state transport buses and some other vehicles fell in the river following the bridge collapse on Mumbai-Goa Highway on August 2.
The search teams have decided to continue the operation till they recover all the bodies and remains of swept away vehicles.
"Search operation is on like before with same positioning and deployment of the security forces. The crew of NDRF, Navy, Coast Guard and local divers are at work," Raigad's Residential Deputy Collector Satish Bagal told PTI.
"We are not going to call off the (search) operations and will continue it," Bagal said, adding that the District Collector and SP are monitoring the situation.
"As and when our agencies trace and recover a body or remains of vehicles, we are reporting about it to the disaster control room set up in Mumbai," he said.
Senior officials as well as chief minister are keeping a close watch on the developments, he said.
On the reasons why security agencies failed to trace or recover more bodies and swept away vehicles, Bagal said the high current of muddy water was posing a challenge for the crew members.
Also, a few search areas are homes to crocodiles, therefore they have to take extra caution during their operation, he said.
"Once the water level recedes, the divers would be able to do their job at the best," he said.
NDRF's 5th battalion commandant Anupam Srivastava said his four teams, comprising 40 crew members each, were at work since morning.
Meanwhile, the Raigad administration has made arrangements for the lodging of nearly 100 kin of the victims who are camping at the site of the collapsed bridge.
Few relatives of the missing persons on Tuesday expressed anger over the failure to recover more bodies and vehicles swept away in the water.
"Yes, their anguish and despondency is obvious. That is why the senior officials of security agencies involved in search operation on Tuesday met the anxious kin of the victims and apprised them of the various efforts and techniques being used in the operation," Bagal said.
IMAGE: NDRF personnel in the Savitri river after their boat tumbled during their rescue work following the collapse of Mahad-Poladpur bridge on the Mumbai-Goa highway, near Mahad in Raigad district last week. Photograph: Santosh Hirlekar/PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/presence-of-crocdiles-hampering-mahad-bridge-collapse-rescue-ops/20160810.htm | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/14c44f010e8ebf91b86680027a2767b2aa8f60e6c28878a50fbacf060f1b535c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:23:55 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi have his facts wrong when he claimed during his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort that Nagla Fatela, a tiny village in Uttar Pradesh, had finally been electrified, seven decades after independence? | PM's claim of electrifying Nagla Fatela may not be correct | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpm-claim-of-electrifying-nagla-hatela-may-not-be-correct%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/15pm.jpg | en | null | PM's claim of electrifying Nagla Fatela may not be correct | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 17, 2016 14:22 IST
Did Prime Minister Narendra Modi have his facts wrong when he claimed during his address to the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort that Nagla Fatela, a tiny village in Uttar Pradesh, had finally been electrified, seven decades after independence?
Image: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves at crowd after his address during the 70th Independence Day function at the historic Red Fort in New Delhi on Monday . Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo
On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while elucidating his government’s achievements -- especially electrification of villages across India -- claimed: “Brothers and Sisters, you will be surprised to know that at merely three hours journey from Delhi, there is a village called Nagla Fatela in Hathras region. But it took 70 years for electricity to reach there. 70 years, my brothers and Sisters! And therefore, I am introducing you to the work culture that we are following.”
However, according to a report in the Indian Express, many of the villagers in this hamlet in Mahamaya Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh have been living without electricity.
The village has about 600 homes -- 450 without power. The 150-odd homes that do get electricity rely on illegal ‘katia’ connections: they have connected their homes to a transformer meant to run 22 tubewells, and, in return, pay Rs 395 for two months to the Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited, village pradhan Yogesh Kumar told the daily.
A day after after the prime minister made his assertion, the power ministry issued a statement. It said:
‘Electrification of said village was proposed by the Uttar Pradesh Government under 12th plan of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana and the Detailed Project Report for this purpose was submitted through State Level Steering committee, headed by chief secretary of the state on November 13, 2013. For this village, the DPR proposed connections to all households including creation of infrastructure one transformer of 63kVA, four transformers of 25kVA, HT 1.57 km, LT 1.54 km (three phase) and LT 0.62 km (single phase).’
‘The DPR was sanctioned by Government of India on 20.12.2013 and sanction letter was released by Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) on January 6, 2014.’
‘The DISCOM (DVVNL Agra) confirmed on February 26, 2015 that village Nagla Fatela is still un-electrified.’
‘DVVNL Agra, reported in October 2015 that infrastructure work for electrification of the village Nagla Fatela has been completed and the village has been electrified. Accordingly the village has been shown as electrified in the GARV App by REC.’
Image: People of Nagla Phatela watching the Independence Day celebrations for the first time. @PMOIndia/Twitter
However, residents of Nagla Hatela have a different story to narrate.
"Perhaps, the Prime Minister hasn’t been made aware of the condition of our village," Ullanoor Usmani, a resident told the Indian Express.
“It’s true that the government made arrangements for electrification of our village under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana. We got poles, wires and meters but power supply remains a distant dream for us,” said pradhan Kumar.
Photos shared by the Prime Minister’s Office showing villagers watching TV on Independence Day also surprised locals. “These pictures are not of our village. The one with balloons seems to be of Nagla Sindhi, another village in Hathras which was electrified under a similar scheme,” said Devendra Singh, former pradhan of Nagla Fatela. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pm-claim-of-electrifying-nagla-hatela-may-not-be-correct/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/de8e58e13c38a4adac6abfdcb44fe76028d10fc3f9f813f426db0170e7cf16ed.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:41:47 | null | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | For a Valley on the boil, there is ample proof that New Delhi simply does not care. | A frightening contest begins each time curfew is lifted | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fa-frightening-contest-begins-each-time-curfew-is-lifted-kashmir%2F20160802.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/02lead1a.jpg | en | null | A frightening contest begins each time curfew is lifted | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 02, 2016 04:20 IST
In parts of South Kashmir, especially in Pulwama district, the government's writ has effectively ceased to run.
The daily confrontation that follows the lifting of the curfew bears an indescribable fury.
For a Valley on the boil, there is ample proof that New Delhi simply does not care. Ajai Shukla reports from Ground Zero of the Kashmir protests.
Three weeks after idolised Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani was killed by the Jammu and Kashmir Police in an encounter near Anantnag in southern Kashmir, the Valley continues to seethe.
In Srinagar, extended curfews have failed to end furious stone-pelting by violent mobs.
This correspondent visit the city's so-called downtown area at 6 pm, after hearing that curfew would be briefly lifted at 6.30 pm.
This locality has long been the stronghold of the Mirwaiz of Kashmir, currently the soft-spoken Omar Farooq, whose Awami Action Committee anchors the separatist Hurriyat Conference.
But the Mirwaiz, like other Hurriyat leaders, counts for little now.
Separatist leadership is now in the hands of fresh-faced Kashmiri youths, some as young as 16, who are following their impulses without coordination or thought.
Bearing the brunt of their blind anger against any manifestation of the Indian state is a mixed posse of J&K Police and the Central Reserve Police Force personnel, who have spent the day on "curfew enforcement"; strung out across the locality in exposed groups of three-four troopers.
At 6.15 pm, I join them as they reel in towards a central collection point. On their heels follow the "stone pelters" -- official terminology in the J&K security establishment.
The daily confrontation that follows bears an indescribable fury.
Running out from homes and alleyways, the youngsters use slingshots and their bare arms to hurl large stones that ricochet off protected vehicles and bounce dangerously off the street.
The police are under strict instructions to moderate their response; no agitator should be killed or badly injured -- an eventuality that could trigger stepped up violence.
Under pressure from the advancing mob, the troopers fire teargas to push back the darting youths.
The 12-gauge shotguns are loaded, but held in reserve in case the troopers are getting swamped. After what seems like a lifetime, the police withdraw into heavily-guarded police stations, ceding the space outside to the mob.
This frightening contest takes place each time curfew is lifted.
I ask Inspector Javed Bhat (name changed to protect identity), who has just overseen this withdrawal, how everyone handles the danger.
"We let them vent their anger. As long as no agitator is injured, we consider it a job well done."
This sums up the strategy for calming down the Valley after 55 Kashmiri deaths and some 2,000 injuries, including 300 that required hospitalisation.
Many of these took place when rampaging mobs were about to overrun police stations and outposts.
With panic-stricken troopers firing shotguns at point-blank ranges, the 450 pellets in each cartridge blinded many agitators, stoking anger further.
Yet, Srinagar represents the good news for the administration.
In parts of South Kashmir, especially in Pulwama district, the government's writ has effectively ceased to run.
The locals have begun calling Pulwama a "liberated zone".
Shuja'at Bukhari, editor of the Valley's second-biggest English daily, Rising Kashmir, described a procession of 30,000 locals on Sunday, screaming for Azaadi (freedom) at the local "martyr's graveyard".
That protest featured several armed militants, including Abu Dujana, the local Lashkar-e-Tayiba commander who hails from Pakistan.
On Monday, it was the turn of Shopian, where 10,000 people came out in protest.
South Kashmir was the stamping ground of Burhan Wani, who was less a conventional gun-wielding militant than a social media celebrity, with his videos urging Kashmiris to join the Hizbul Mujahideen.
Says a senior police officer: "Without firing a shot, Burhan became more dangerous than other militants."
So furious was the reaction to his killing that mobs in South Kashmir burnt three police stations to the ground. Police posts were torched.
The J&K Police's special operations group, the unit that actually shot down Burhan Wani, paid an especially heavy price: Four SOG camps were set ablaze.
Asked whether there is a strategy to regain control, Suhail Bukhari, the J&K government's media consultant, said: "We are avoiding a vicious cycle of violence where each death leads to another, and further inflames the situation."
While Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has launched an outreach programme to visit the families of locals killed, there is an eerie silence from New Delhi. Home Minister Rajnath Singh visited Kashmir a week ago, but the prime minister has remained silent.
For a Valley on the boil, this is further proof that New Delhi simply does not care.
There was little love for the United Progressive Alliance government, under which the Valley experienced three successive summers of turmoil: In 2008, over the proposal to acquire land for the Amarnath Yatra; in 2009, over the deaths of two women in Shopian; and in 2010 over the killings of civilians in Machhil in a fake encounter.
Now, there is even greater resentment at the National Democratic Alliance government, with Kashmiris deeply resenting issues like beef ban, the Dadri lynching, and a series of local controversies that are perceived as an assault on the Kashmiri identity -- not least the apprehension that New Delhi intends to change the Valley's demographic profile by establishing "Pandit colonies" and "Sainik colonies". | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/a-frightening-contest-begins-each-time-curfew-is-lifted-kashmir/20160802.htm | en | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/e16ea4dde1c6c680c4ced7bc8fc218be387700b27f52a4fee8c10691447328a3.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T18:52:35 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | Faktoo, who is in jail since 1993, is the husband of Asiya Andrabi, also a separatist leader and chairperson of Islamist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat. | Supreme Court rejects plea of Kashmir Valley's longest serving prisoner | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fsupreme-court-rejects-plea-of-kashmir-valleys-longest-serving-prisoner%2F20160830.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/mar/04jail.jpg | en | null | Supreme Court rejects plea of Kashmir Valley's longest serving prisoner | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 30, 2016 23:47 IST
The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a plea of Ashiq Hussain Faktoo, Kashmiri separatist leader and a former member of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, seeking a review of its verdict awarding life imprisonment to him for killing human rights activist H N Wanchoo.
Faktoo, who is in jail since 1993, is the husband of Asiya Andrabi, also a separatist leader and chairperson of Islamist organisation Dukhtaran-e-Millat.
A three-judge bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi, which treated the writ petition of Faktoo as a review plea, said the "comprehension" of the accused that the earlier judgement was "erroneous" would not enable the court to "reopen" the entire case.
The bench, also comprising Justices P C Pant and A M Khanwilkar, said the open court hearing of the review petitions is available as a matter of right "only in death sentence cases".
"The present writ petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India by no stretch of reasoning would fit into any of the permissible categories of post conviction exercises permissible in law as laid down by this court.
"The doctrine of ex debito justitiae (as of right) being circumscribed by the judgment of this court in Rupa Ashok Hurra ...it is for the petitioner to exhaust the said remedy, if is he so inclined and so advised. Merely because in the comprehension of the writ petitioner the judgment of this court is erroneous would not enable the court to reopen the issue in departure to the established and settled norms and parameters of the extent of permissible exercise of jurisdiction as well as the procedural law governing such exercise.
"We, therefore, hold that the present writ petition is not maintainable and is accordingly dismissed subject to the observations as above," the bench said.
Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani, appearing for Faktoo, had assailed 2003 ruling of the apex court, convicting the separatist leader, on the ground that his confession recorded under the TADA was not admissible as evidence on grounds including that it had not been corroborated.
In its verdict the court referred to a Constitution Bench judgment in the Rupa Ashok Hurra case in which the legal doctrine of 'ex debito justitiae' had been dealt with.
It said that if a judgement is such that it has the effect of "eroding the public confidence in the justice delivery system", the apex court can revisit the entire case to set the things right.
"We are of the view that on the strength of the Constitution Bench judgment in Rupa Ashok Hurra case the present writ petition would not be maintainable. It would also not be maintainable as a review petition inasmuch as review petition filed by the writ petitioner has been dismissed by this court on 2nd September, 2003.
"Open court hearing of review petitions in terms of the judgment of this court in Mohd. Arif alias Ashfaq (supra) is available as of right only in death sentence cases," it said.
"...the doctrine of ex debito justitiae would prevail over procedural law but would be applicable only in a situation where the order of this court had been passed without notice or where the order has the effect of eroding the public confidence in the justice delivery system," it said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/supreme-court-rejects-plea-of-kashmir-valleys-longest-serving-prisoner/20160830.htm | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/86a42f774f1fb9ac20cc2700e7995739612dc517e505cfd94fe892df118b90bf.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:17:46 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | In what may be a major reprieve for the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Commuist Party of India, the Election Commission on Monday amended rules whereby it will now review the national and state party status of political parties every 10 years instead of the present five.
| Now, EC to review national, state status of political parties every 10 years | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fnow-ec-to-review-national-state-status-of-political-parties-every-10-years%2F20160822.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/22eci.jpg | en | null | Now, EC to review national, state status of political parties every 10 years | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 22, 2016 20:07 IST
In what may be a major reprieve for the Bahujan Samaj Party, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Commuist Party of India, the Election Commission on Monday amended rules whereby it will now review the national and state party status of political parties every 10 years instead of the present five.
The BSP, the CPI and the NCP were facing the prospects of losing their national party status after their dismal performance in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. The EC had served them notices in 2014 on the issue.
A commission notification said while the criteria of being recognised as a national and state party will remain unchanged, the review of the status will take place every two consecutive Lok Sabha or assembly elections instead of one.
This means, that the review will take place every ten years.
The commission has amended Paragraph 6C of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 to affect the change. It was last amended in 2011.
This change in rules will ensure that ruling parties do not lose their status due to anti-incumbency factor after every election.
At present, the BSP, the Bharatiya Janata Party, the Indian National Congress, the NCP, the CPI and the CPI-Marxist are the six recognised political parties. Besides, there are 64 recognised state parties in India.
Recognition as a national or a state party ensures that the election symbol of that party is not used by any other political entity in polls across India. Other registered but unrecognised political parties have to choose from a pool of "free symbols" announced by the commission from time to time.
Besides, these parties get land or buildings from the government to set up their party offices. They can have up to 40 number of 'star campaigners' during electioneering. Others can have up to 20 such 'star campaigners'.
A political party becomes eligible to be recognised as a national party if it has won 2 per cent of seats in the Lok Sabha from at least three different states in the latest general election; or in a Lok Sabha or assembly election it has polled 6 per cent of the total valid votes in at least four states, in addition to winning four Lok Sabha seats; or it has been recognised as a state party in at least four states. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/now-ec-to-review-national-state-status-of-political-parties-every-10-years/20160822.htm | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/0224555561bc3ccada84d935189df4732a784dd20c234a1efbc91089aebc75ec.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:04 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | The minister's visit will also give India an opportunity to have first-hand assessment of evolving security situation in that region. | M J Akbar to travel to Syria, Iraq; will discuss IS threat, Indian hostages | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fm-j-akbar-to-go-on-3-nation-west-asia-tour%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/may/26akbar.jpg | en | null | M J Akbar to travel to Syria, Iraq; will discuss IS threat, Indian hostages | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 11, 2016 19:20 IST
In his first official visit, Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar will travel to Lebanon, Syria and Iraq from August 17-23 during which he will discuss with the West Asian leadership key security issues, including threat by the Islamic State and the 39 Indians who were taken hostage in war-hit Mosul.
This was announced by external affairs ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup, who said the visit to these three important countries in West Asia is a reaffirmation of India's deep interest in promoting bilateral relations as also in the peace and security in the region in its extended neighbourhood.
The spokesperson also said that the minister's visit will also give India an opportunity to have first-hand assessment of evolving security situation in that region.
Asked if the issue of Indians, who were taken hostage in war-hit Iraq by the Islamic State in 2014, will figure during minister's talk, Swarup said the issue has been always raised by India during its interaction with the leaders and other interlocutors. "It is but natural that it will be discussed during minister's visit," he added.
Terming the Islamic State as that biggest "security threat", he said the minister will discuss it during his meetings.
In Lebanon, Akbar is expected to meet the top leadership including President of the Council of Ministers (Prime Minister) of Lebanon Tammam Salam and will have extensive discussions with the Lebanese leadership covering bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
In a continuing dialogue process with the leadership of Syria, the minister will pay a courtesy call on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Prime Minister Emad Mohammad Deeb Khamis.
Among others, Akbar will also interact with the Grand Mufti of Syria Ahmad Badreddin Hassoun during this visit. "The discussions would focus on our bilateral cooperation and the unfolding security situation in the region," Swarup added.
During his visit to Iraq, he would hold discussions with Foreign Minister of Iraq Ibrahim Al-Eshaiqer Al-Jafari on bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual interest.
"Our time-tested, warm and friendly relations with Iraq are underpinned by historical and religious linkages, strong people-to-people contacts, our energy security quest and capacity-building cooperation. The visit is expected to add further impetus to our bilateral engagement.
"It will also provide an opportunity to meet other senior leaders of Iraq, including religious leaders, and to convey India's abiding commitment to the emergence of a stable, peaceful, united and democratic Iraq, which is in the interest of regional and global peace and security," the spokesperson said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/m-j-akbar-to-go-on-3-nation-west-asia-tour/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/3e3d66e4fb599a54e27296b0fc19f33536c1254f507d61d90c09fd063087d36b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:20:55 | null | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | Matthew Bissonnette, the former Navy SEAL, agreed to pay the US government all past and future proceeds from his bestselling book as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice. | Ex-US Navy SEAL who wrote Osama book to forfeit over $7 million | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fex-us-navy-seal-who-wrote-osama-book-to-forfeit-over-7-million%2F20160820.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/20osama.jpg | en | null | Ex-US Navy SEAL who wrote Osama book to forfeit over $7 million | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 20, 2016 11:42 IST
The former Navy SEAL, who wrote the best-selling book detailing the secretive raid that killed Osama bin Laden, has agreed to forfeit over $7 million (Rs 47 crore), including all sale proceeds from the work, as part of a deal to avoid prosecution for not seeking pre-publication approval.
Matthew Bissonnette, the former Navy SEAL, agreed to pay the US government all past and future proceeds from his bestselling book as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice which alleges that he did not submit the draft of the book for the mandatory review.
“Mr Bissonnette has agreed to pay the United States all of his past and future proceeds from the publication of ‘No Easy Day,’” Department of Justice spokesperson Nicole Navas was quoted as saying by CNN.
As part of the settlement acknowledging his errors, Bissonnette has agreed to pay the US all past and future proceeds from his book, which as of today total nearly $7 million. He will also be required to pay the government’s legal fees of over $1.3 million (Rs 8.72 crore), ABC News reported.
Bissonnette, who wrote the book under the pen name ‘Mark Owen’, has also agreed to pay the government $100,000 for a presentation on leadership that he gave that used slides that included information that was not submitted for Pentagon review first.
Following the publication of the book, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the former Navy SEAL.
The Justice Department alleged that Bissonnette indulged in “breach of contract” by violating a non-disclosure agreement that required him to “submit to the government for pre-publication security review any written manuscript containing or relating to classified information”.
However, the complaint did not fault him for revealing classified information.
Bissonnette did not violate matters of national security but rather violated contracted non-disclosure agreements with the military, reports said.
The National Public Radio said Bissonnette tendered an apology for not submitting draft of the book for review.
“I acted on the advice of my former attorney, but I now fully recognise that his advice was wrong. It was a serious error that I urge others not to repeat,” he said.
“This enforcement action does not discredit Mr Bissonnette’s military service, but reinforces that it is important for our service members and individuals who have been assigned positions of trust and granted access to classified information to comply with the obligations set forth in their non-disclosure agreements to protect classified information after leaving the US military and government in an effort to protect our nation’s national security,” Navas said in a statement. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/ex-us-navy-seal-who-wrote-osama-book-to-forfeit-over-7-million/20160820.htm | en | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/fcf3ce9217c7bce345e02ed06abee0d4efc79630e0ccd82cab6ccf1f8e58d3cb.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T14:51:49 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | The expert panel, set up by the home ministry to find an alternative to pellet guns, is believed to have zeroed in on 'PAVA shells', a chilli-based ammunition, which is less lethal and immobilises the target. | Kashmir: No blanket ban on pellet guns, but to be used in rare cases | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkashmir-no-blanket-ban-on-pellet-guns-but-to-be-used-in-rare-cases%2F20160829.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/23pellet01.jpg | en | null | Kashmir: No blanket ban on pellet guns, but to be used in rare cases | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 29, 2016 19:50 IST
Pellet guns, which are being used by security forces for crowd control in Jammu and Kashmir, will not be completely banned but will be fired in “rarest of rare cases”, a top government official said on Monday.
Senior government functionaries have arrived at this conclusion after extensive consultations with security forces and examining the ground realities in Kashmir Valley.
The option of firing pellet guns will remain but it will be used only in rarest of rare cases, the official said.
The government is facing severe criticism for using the pellet guns for crowd control in Kashmir Valley as the weapon has caused large-scale injuries in the 51-day unrest following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani on July 8.
During his two-day visit to Kashmir on August 24-25, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had said an alternative to pellet guns will be given to security forces in the coming days.
“In the coming few days, we will give an alternative to the pellet guns. These guns were earlier considered non-lethal but some incidents have taken place... We formed an expert committee a month ago which was expected to give report in two months but it will be coming very soon,” he had said.
The expert panel, set up by the home ministry to find an alternative to pellet guns, is believed to have zeroed in on ‘PAVA shells’, a chilli-based ammunition, which is less lethal and immobilises the target temporarily.
The committee held a demonstration of the newly-developed shells at a test field earlier this week and gave the thumbs up for use by security forces for crowd control and during protests like those being witnessed in the Kashmir Valley in place of the pellet guns which have caused grievous injuries and large-scale blinding.
The ‘PAVA shells’ were under trial for over a year at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research laboratory in Lucknow, and its full development has come at a time when Kashmir is on the boil.
Sources close to the committee said it has favoured ‘PAVA shells’ as an alternative to pellet guns and has recommended that the Tear Smoke Unit of the Border Security Force in Gwalior should be tasked with bulk production of the shells “immediately”, with the first lot not of less than 50,000 rounds. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/kashmir-no-blanket-ban-on-pellet-guns-but-to-be-used-in-rare-cases/20160829.htm | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/7d3a9f0396c057749dd058b047969cc01a62371064660f13478d1b9e994a4722.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:17:52 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | Subramanian Swamy on Saturday came out in support of V K Singh, amid the ongoing row over Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag's affidavit against him | 'Certain corrupt forces' targeting VK Singh: Swamy | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fcertain-corrupt-forces-targeting-vk-singh-swamy%2F20160821.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/sep/06lead8.jpg | en | null | 'Certain corrupt forces' targeting VK Singh: Swamy | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 21, 2016 00:41 IST
Outspoken Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Saturday came out in support of V K Singh, amid the ongoing row over Army chief Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag's affidavit against him, saying the minister was continuously being targeted by "certain corrupt forces" and there was a "paid slander campaign" against him.
Swamy said that the government should take steps to protect Singh since as a minister he cannot defend himself in a "slugfest with the present Chief of Army Staff" Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag.
He claimed the corrupt forces are unhappy with Singh as he as the Army chief had prevented illegal kickbacks in weapons purchase and exposed certain officials to vigilance inquries.
Singh is now the Minister of State for External Affairs.
Citing examples, he said that the culprits in Adarsh Housing Society and the Sukhna Land scam were exposed during Singh's tenure as Army chief.
"The DV (Discipline and Vigilance) Ban on appointment of certain Generals was issued after due process. No COAS (Chief of Army Staff) can issue a DV Ban on a whim," the Rajya Sabha MP said in a statement.
Suhag had this week in an affidavit in the Supreme Court accused Singh of victimising him when he was the Army chief.
In 2012, Suhag was placed under a discipline and vigilance ban by Singh, for his alleged "failure of command and control" after a Court of Inquiry was ordered into an operation carried out in Jorhat, Assam, on the night of December 20-21, 2011 by the 3 Corps Intelligence and Surveillance Unit.
Suhag, who was the then General Officer Commanding of the unit, said the imposition of DV ban on him and issuance of a show cause notice by the then COAS "was illegal and premeditated".
Swamy said that DV Ban is a matter which is examined by not just the Vigilance Branch but also by MoD at the highest levels.
Only after these three bodies recommend DV ban, can the process be initiated, he said.
"The most recent attempt to slander Gen Singh for the vigilance inquiry was so ordered against Lt Gen D S Suhag in May 2012 and not by Gen V K Singh as part of the alleged personal animosity between them," he said.
Swamy said the government should take steps to protect Singh from this "paid slander campaign" since being a Minister, he cannot defend himself in a slugfest with the present Army chief. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/certain-corrupt-forces-targeting-vk-singh-swamy/20160821.htm | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/87485f8a2ed1602b2093cfba0a723bc156404d0cd8cfa5ffd1cedcb1b82fc31b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:29:33 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | Taking part in the discussion of the situation in the Valley on Wednesday, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Navaneethakrishnan couldn't hide his love for Kashmir. | The AIADMK MP so in love with Kashmir and its saffron | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fthe-aiadmk-mp-so-in-love-with-kashmir-and-its-saffron%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/11rs.jpg | en | null | The AIADMK MP so in love with Kashmir and its saffron | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 11, 2016 13:43 IST
Parliament may have unanimously appealed to the people of the Kashmir valley to restore peace and harmony but one particular Rajya Sabha member seemed too overwhelmed by his emotions.
Taking part in the discussion of the situation in the Valley on Wednesday, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Navaneethakrishnan couldn't hide his love for Kashmir.
Sample some of his statements:
"'Kashmir, beautiful Kashmir; Kashmir, wonderful Kashmir'. Sir (RS Deputy Chairman P J Kurien), this is a popular song in one of the films acted by Dr Puratchi Thalaivar MGR. Tamil films, acted by MGR or any other actor, are very, very popular, but the shooting should have taken place in Kashmir. Any film, which has been shot in Kashmir, is very, very popular in Tamil Nadu."
"I would like to make it very clear that from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, India is one. I too belong to Kashmir and Kashmir belongs to me."
"I would like to reveal one secret. There is a product, which, in English, is called 'saffron', in Tamil, we call it korosanai. Kashmir's saffron is considered to be very good. In Tamil Nadu, every would-be mother is given saffron because they want a beautiful child. My mother had it, my daughter-in-law had it, my granddaughter will also definitely have it. So, I am proud to say that I belong to Kashmir."
Of course, 'Amma' had to be thanked as well.
"After seeing the movies, shot in Kashmir, I wanted to visit Kashmir. And, my this wish was fulfilled when I was in the Public Service Commission. I thank our Chief Minister, Amma, because I was able to visit Kashmir only because of her. Then, as a State guest, I visited many places and temples. I was provided with very good food. I enjoyed it very much. I belong to Thanjavur, in the Cauvery Basin, and so, I was under the wrong impression that Thanjavur was the only fertile land in India. But, I changed my opinion after seeing the agricultural land in Kashmir. Also, the people of Kashmir are very, very nice." | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/the-aiadmk-mp-so-in-love-with-kashmir-and-its-saffron/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/843c5809d717d8b7dc4122ace843665cc2e8235a700f8cb8d349753c393f612d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:18:47 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | The Uttarakhand Police and SDRF teams rushed to the spot to help in the rescue operations. | 5 killed, 2 injured after cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Markhola | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fheavy-rains-trigger-cloudburst-in-uttarakhand%2F20160821.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/21uttarakhand.jpg | en | null | 5 killed, 2 injured after cloudburst in Uttarakhand's Markhola | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 21, 2016 10:47 IST
At least five persons were killed and two others were left injured after a cloudburst triggered by heavy rain hit Pauri region of Uttarakhand on Monday.
All the deceased are said to be of one family.
The Uttarakhand Police and SDRF teams rushed to the spot to help in the rescue operations.
The incident took place at Markhola area in Garhwal division when the family's house was razed to the ground by huge boulders that rolled down the hill following the cloudburst.
The house was inhabited by 75-year-old Dipak Singh and the families of his two sons, Pauri District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Bhatt told media, adding that further details were awaited.
Two people were also left injured in the incident and were taken to a hospital for treatment.
The Pauri-Srinagar highway was also blocked due to the cloudburst, officials said.
IMAGE: Rescue operations underway after a cloudburst hits Markhola area in Garhwal division. Photograph: ANI/Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/heavy-rains-trigger-cloudburst-in-uttarakhand/20160821.htm | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/861dea6c6ef272ab36a6ca86a6f71addb9c8aabeace22e5f16bfd366c9e64df5.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:24:20 | null | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | Here's a recap of the events from the past 24 hours. | REWIND: India in the last 24 hours | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-rewind-india-in-the-last-24-hours%2F20160816.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/16photo1.jpg | en | null | REWIND: India in the last 24 hours | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 16, 2016 09:18 IST
Here’s a recap of the events from the past 24 hours.
A woman having look of a rocket launchet at the Know Your Army fair in Jaipur. Photograph: PTI
A policeman rides through a wall of fluorescent tubes during India's Independence Day celebrations in Srinagar. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters
Border Security Force soldier Hardeep Singh and a Pakistani Rangers soldier Ali stand guard at border gates between India and Pakistan on the occasion of India's Independence Day at the Attari-Wagah border. Photograph: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacting with school children after addressing the nation on the occasion of the 70th Independence Day. Photograph: PTI
A boy carries the Tricolour during an Independence Day function in Coimbatore. Photograph: PTI
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Marshal of the Indian Air Force Arjan Singh during At Home on 70th Independence Day at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Photograph: Subhav Shukla/PTI
Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi distrutes sweets among children on the occasion of Independence Day. Photograph: PTI
Policemen take position behind a jeep near the site of a gunfight between security forces and suspected militants in Srinagar. Photograph: Danish Ismail/Reuters
The Rashtrapati Bhavan is lit as the country celebrates its 70th Independence Day in New Delhi. Photograph: Shirish Shete/PTI
Girls born on Independence day in Surat. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-rewind-india-in-the-last-24-hours/20160816.htm | en | 2016-08-16T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/daf9a2949431d4e1bb6ab20ed31839bbcc38aa092a780f78529c1e3d4b8e46fc.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:35:39 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | Bollywood film 'Peepli Live' co-director Mahmood Farooqui, held guilty for raping a US researcher, was on Thursday sent to seven years in jail by a Delhi court which said that he took advantage of the situation when she was alone in his house. | 'Peepli Live' co-director Mahmood Farooqui gets 7 years in jail for rape of US woman | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpeepli-live-co-director-mahmood-farooqui-gets-7-years-in-jail-for-rape-of-us-woman%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/30live5.jpg | en | null | 'Peepli Live' co-director Mahmood Farooqui gets 7 years in jail for rape of US woman | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 22:22 IST
Bollywood film Peepli Live co-director Mahmood Farooqui, held guilty for raping a US researcher, was on Thursday sent to seven years in jail by a Delhi court which said that he took advantage of the situation when she was alone in his house.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjiv Jain, in his over 150-page judgement, noted that the victim was a student who had come to India for her research work which she could not complete due to the incident.
The court, which on July 30 had held Farooqui guilty of raping the American woman last year at his house in a drunken state, also imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on him and said the amount be given to the victim, failing which he would have to undergo an additional imprisonment of three months.
It tasked the Delhi Legal Service Authority to decide appropriate compensation for the woman.
While convicting 44-year-old Farooqui, the court said the victim's testimony was credible that he took advantage of the fact that their common friends were not at his residence where the researcher had visited.
The court also observed that there was no reason for the victim to falsely implicate Farooqui and a delay in lodging the FIR has also been explained "satisfactorily".
"I have no hesitation in holding that the prosecution has proved the guilt of the accused beyond reasonable doubt the charge of rape against him," the judge said.
"Testimony of the prosecutrix being truthful and credible can be relied upon as being of sterling worth for the purpose of the conviction.
"It was when the prosecutrix was alone with the accused, (Farooqui's) friend was away from his house, it was confirmed that common friend was not coming to the house, the accused taking advantage of the situation, raped her," the judge said.
"The prosecutrix was a student. She had come to India to do her research work. After the incident she could not complete her research," the judge said while ruling out the defence that the incident could not have taken place as Farooqui's friend was present in the house.
The court said, "The subsequent conduct of the victim of wanting to disassociate herself from the accused and to leave his house immediately and telling about her ordeal to her friend" and the emails exchanged between her and Farooqui after the incident, "clinches the case of prosecution".
Victim's counsel Vrinda Grover welcomed the verdict saying, "It is an important and a landmark judgement and we welcome it. We respect the sentence awarded by the court."
Delhi Police and the victim's counsel had sought maximum punishment of life term for the convict while the defence counsel Nitya Ramakrishnan had sought leniency for Farooqui on the ground of his "excellent" conduct and medical condition of a bipolar disorder.
The police had argued that Farooqui's act of raping a foreign national brought disrepute to India.
It had said that the woman was raped by a friend she trusted and that Farooqui being a prominent figure in cultural world, carried an additional responsibility to not conduct himself in such a manner.
Farooqui, who was out on bail, was taken into custody immediately after his conviction in the case.
Prosecutor Mohammed Ikrar had earlier said that the woman, in her complaint, had alleged that Farooqui was drunk when he raped her at his house where she had gone to seek his help for her research work in March last year.
The police had on June 19, 2015, lodged the FIR against Farooqui on the woman's complaint after which he was arrested.
The police had on July 29 last year filed a charge sheet against Farooqui, alleging he had raped the research scholar from Columbia University at his Sukhdev Vihar house in south Delhi on March 28 last year.
The court had on September 9, 2015, started the trial in the case after framing rape charge against Farooqui and the victim, based in the US, had appeared in the court on September 14, 2015 to record her statement.
The woman had, during the in-camera proceedings, alleged that Farooqui had raped her and later apologised to her in several e-mails exchanged between them.
Later, however, Farooqui had denied the allegations against him, saying he was falsely implicated by the woman.
Photograph: PTI Photo | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/peepli-live-co-director-mahmood-farooqui-gets-7-years-in-jail-for-rape-of-us-woman/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/e1df6b8b508d9aedb09dfbc23aa28b1fe241e622dd1487a6b69e5e32e641fb1f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:25:40 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | And these colleges are affiliated to the Bihar School Examination Board. | Bihar's education mess: Some colleges run in garages | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fin-bihar-some-colleges-run-in-garages%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/12lead3.jpg | en | null | Bihar's education mess: Some colleges run in garages | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 12, 2016 15:58 IST
... and these colleges are affiliated to the Bihar School Examination Board. M I Khan reports from Patna.
Some of these colleges received affiliation allegedly with the blessings of former board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh who is now cooling his heels behind the bar along with his wife and former Janata Dal-United MLA Usha Sinha. (Above) the duo are seen at the Civil court in Patna. Photograph: PTI photo
Ever since the Bihar School Examination Board merit scandal broke out, a Pandora's Box with problems afflicting the state's education sector seems to have been thrown open.
The latest news related to the controversy is that some colleges in the state are being run from ordinary garages comprising three to four rooms.
And all of them are affiliated to the Bihar School Examination Board, allegedly with the blessings of former board chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh who is now cooling his heels behind the bar along with his wife and former Janata Dal-United MLA Usha Sinha.
This revelation was made by the new BSEB chairman, Anand Kishore after an inspection that had been ordered last month following several complaints regarding the lack of infrastructure.
"So far, we have inspected 158 colleges out of the 213 in operation. Some of them have been found violating affiliation norms," Kishore said.
"The investigation report on some colleges affiliated in the last two years were shocking, as they lacked basic infrastructure."
According to board officials, claims about the infrastructure, student enrollment and faculty strength in these colleges were only on paper, and far from truth.
For instance, a higher secondary college was found running from a garage-like room. Some colleges that claimed to have 20 classrooms on paper had, in fact, just three or four rooms.
Kishore said that board will take action against such colleges and against those who recommended affiliation for them.
According to an education department officer, unaided private colleges mushrooming across the state are experts in ensuring high scores for their students.
Most private colleges are managed by powerful leaders from different political parties, the officer said, adding that many times the same college produced state toppers in all subjects. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/in-bihar-some-colleges-run-in-garages/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/ddc9ca91532e187461fbf15d4453130e23e4f8d5421be44a9dccfb621945ccde.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:19:35 | null | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | The haunting images of four-year-old Omran, sitting in an ambulance after the attack, have reverberated around the world, becoming a symbol for the suffering of children in Syria. | Brother of Syrian boy, pictured bloodied after air strike, dies | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbrother-of-syrian-boy-pictured-bloodied-after-air-strike-dies%2F20160821.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/21syriaboy.jpg | en | null | Brother of Syrian boy, pictured bloodied after air strike, dies | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 21, 2016 08:54 IST
The older brother of the little Syrian boy, who was pictured sitting in an ambulance dazed and covered in blood after an air strike, died from wounds sustained in the attack on the family's apartment, a monitoring group has said.
"Ali, aged 10, succumbed to his injuries. He was badly wounded in the same bombardment as Omran on August 17 in Aleppo," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said yesterday.
The haunting images of four-year-old Omran, sitting in an ambulance after the attack, his face, arms and legs caked in blood and dust, have reverberated around the world, becoming a symbol for the suffering of children in Syria's brutal five-year conflict.
In video footage from the incident, Omran is seen quietly staring into space before raising his arms to touch his bloodied forehead, then looking at his hand and wiping it on the orange seat.
Omran, his siblings and parents were all plucked from the rubble wounded, but alive, following Wednesday's bombing on the Qaterji neighbourhood in rebel-held east Aleppo.
The Aleppo Media Centre, a network of activists in the divided northern city, confirmed Ali's death in a video yesterday.
The images of Omran have sparked a global outcry, much like the photo last September of three-year-old Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, whose body washed ashore on a Turkish beach as his family tried to reach Europe.
More than 290,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict broke out, including nearly 15,000 children.
Omran's home city Aleppo has been divided by government control in the west and opposition fighters in the east since 2012.
Regime warplanes, backed by Russia's air force since September 2015, bombard the eastern districts while rebel groups fire rockets into the west.
Of the estimated 250,000 people still living in the eastern parts of the city, 100,000 are children, according to the UN's children agency UNICEF.
IMAGE: The picture of the beaten up Syrian boy sitting in an ambulance after an air strike. Photograph: Twitter | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/brother-of-syrian-boy-pictured-bloodied-after-air-strike-dies/20160821.htm | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/701b3ae905b8319ef4bdc35115843b4741c7b9dce7a32f16941c5e68dc9aceb4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:36:50 | null | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | Khan said that investigative agencies should explore the possibility of the opposition parties involvement in the shocking gang rape case. | Bulandshahr gang rape: Azam Khan alleges 'political conspiracy' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fazam-khan-alleges-political-conspiracy-in-bulandshahr-gang-rape%2F20160802.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/apr/28up1.jpg | en | null | Bulandshahr gang rape: Azam Khan alleges 'political conspiracy' | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 02, 2016 18:07 IST
Senior Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has kicked up a controversy by suggesting that the Bulandshahr highway gangrape could be an outcome of a political conspiracy against the ruling party, drawing condemnation from rival parties.
Khan termed the gangrape of a 13-year-old girl and her mother by a group of bandits near Bulandshahr last week as an attempt to "malign" the Samajwadi Party government by those who want to "come to power" in poll-bound UP.
Assembly elections in UP are due next year.
"It must be investigated whether people, with the opposite ideology or those who want to come to power, are behind this incident in order to malign the government," he said in Rampur.
"When innocent people can be murdered for political gains, for votes Gujarat and Muzaffarnagar can happen, when Shamli and Kairana can happen...It is not just a matter of two rapes. It is important to know the truth behind it," Khan was heard as saying in a video that has gone viral on social media.
He was referring to incidents of communal violence in the past.
Reacting sharply to Khan's statement, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said Azam Khan has crossed all the limits.
"He is doing politics on gangrape now. It's a matter of shame," UP's BJP chief K P Maurya said, and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the incident.
BJP general secretary Vijay Bahadur Pathak said it was shameful that a senior minister could make such outrageous statements.
At a press conference in Delhi, BJP's national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the comments by Khan showed how low the ruling party can stoop for votes.
In an apparent damage control, Khan today said his remarks were misconstrued since UP was headed for elections.
He said punishment is very important in heinous crimes like the gangrape incident. "They(the perpetrators) should be punished every second."
"If the government is not sensitive enough to these matters then it does not have any right to speak about people. This is a very painful incident, it's even worse than death.
"We understand their pain. We cannot change the truth. If we get into more details more number of people may be involved. This is an insult to the government. Which government will want such an incident?"
SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav denied any laxity on part of the state government over the gangrape incident, asking what does suspension of police officials mean?
"You cannot accept that all the persons have been suspended. What does it mean? Do you expect them to be suspended before the crime (happens)? No one was sleeping," he told reporters.
He also accused the media of being prejudiced towards the UP government, saying "why don't you talk about the girl that was raped and burnt in Delhi? You are never talking about it. You are prejudiced against the Uttar Pradesh government.
"We have been living here for the past 25 years, are we not concerned?" he added. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/azam-khan-alleges-political-conspiracy-in-bulandshahr-gang-rape/20160802.htm | en | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/c912030be2e625e93993a547b52f58d0708a12533010380e1ff4bd0914eb3318.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:26:23 | null | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | Earlier, a youth injured during clashes last week succumbed at a hospital in Srinagar on Monday morning. | Youth killed in fresh Kashmir clashes, toll reaches 58 | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fyouth-killed-in-fresh-kashmir-clashes-toll-reaches-58%2F20160815.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/jul/10srinagar1.jpg | en | null | Youth killed in fresh Kashmir clashes, toll reaches 58 | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 15, 2016 22:58 IST
One youth was killed and another critically injured on Monday in fresh clashes between protesters and security forces in Kashmir, taking the death toll to 58, even as curfew remained in force in some parts of Kashmir.
A youth injured in clashes between protesters and security forces at Batamaloo in the city was brought to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital with ‘grievous injuries’, a police official said.
The doctors declared him ‘brought dead’, he said adding efforts are on to ascertain the identity of the deceased.
In another incident in Bijbehara town of Anantnag district, one youth was critically injured after being hit by a tear smoke shell in the head, the official said.
Earlier, a youth injured during clashes last week succumbed at a hospital in Srinagar on Monday morning.
Ishfaq Ahmad Bhat, who was injured during clashes between protestors and security forces in Tangmarg area of Baramulla district on August 12, succumbed at SKIMS hospital, a police official said.
Bhat had sustained injury to his head.
“Curfew remained in force in five police station areas of old city and Hazratbal zone in Srinagar district and Anantnag town in south Kashmir as a precautionary measure to maintain law and order,” the police official said.
He said restrictions on the movement of the people were in force in rest of the valley.
Internet and mobile services across the valley remained suspended as part of the security drill ahead of the Independence Day celebrations.
While broadband services were snapped on Saturday evening, the mobile telephony was suspended late in the night on the same day.
While all mobile phone services used to be shut during the Independence day celebrations over the past 10 years, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited mobiles were working on Monday.
“Only BSNL postpaid mobiles are working while broadband services are available only at Lal Chowk, Sonawar and Bemina telephone exchanges,” the official said.
Normal life remained paralysed for the 38th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and separatist sponsored strike following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8.
The separatist camp, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, have asked the people to observe the day as ‘black day’ by hoisting black flags atop all buildings.
The separatist camp is spearheading the protests in the Valley over the civilian killings during the protests against Wani’s killing.
As many as 58 persons including two cops have been killed and several thousand others have been injured in the clashes that began on July 9. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/youth-killed-in-fresh-kashmir-clashes-toll-reaches-58/20160815.htm | en | 2016-08-15T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/acda4f120e887b2722ef8d81dcbbb4f914e93905a04372bf2f4ca8a98917695a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:17:33 | null | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai slams Pak, defends India's role in Afghanistan | India is not engaged in proxy war in Afghanistan, Pak encouraging radicalism: Karzai | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fkarzai-slams-pak-defends-indias-role-in-afghanistan%2F20160820.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/20karzai.jpg | en | null | India is not engaged in proxy war in Afghanistan, Pak encouraging radicalism: Karzai | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 20, 2016 21:32 IST
India is not engaged in any proxy war in Afghanistan and has been sincerely carrying out reconstruction work there, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today on Saturday as he slammed Pakistan for "encouraging" radicalism and not containing terror groups operating from its soil.
Karzai also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for raising the issue of Balochisthan in his Independence Day address, saying Afghanistan understands the problems being faced by the people of Pakistan's southern province.
In an interactive session on Regional Power Play and Rise of Radicalism in Afghanistan, he identified terrorism as the single biggest challenge facing the region and called for a united fight to defeat it.
Karzai, who was president of Afghanistan from 2001-2014, said China has been a good neighbour to Afghanistan and its military and security assistance to his country was very recent. At the same time, he said that Afghanistan's ties with China is not as deep as it is with India.
"But the overall relationship between China and Afghanistan is of course very good," he added.
Asked about criticism in some quarters that India and Pakistan were engaged in a proxy war in his country, Karzai retorted by saying, "India is not engaging in any proxy war in Afghanistan...Training thousands of Afghans is not a proxy war, it is empowerment."
India has supplied four Mi25 helicopters to Afghanistan besides providing training to Afghan security forces.
Welcoming Modi's comments on Balochistan, Karzai said, "The issue of Balochisthan is something we understand and therefore we appreciate the remarks of Prime Minister Modi."
In his Independence Day speech on Monday, Modi had talked about the situation in PoK, Gilgit and Balochistan and said people from there have thanked him for raising their issues.
Karzai attacked Pakistan for encouraging spread of radicalism. "Unfortunately, in our region there was use of radicalism to a purpose," he said.
About spread of dreaded terror outfit Islamic State, he said IS is a "sinister" tool, adding tomorrow it will be against the ones using it. He said Afghanistan and all its neighbouring countries must work together to combat IS.
"Today I can use it, tomorrow I can discard it. That's a very dangerous strategy," he said, while asking Pakistan to deal with terror groups firmly.
He said religion and aspirations to be a democratic country have nothing to do with one another.
In an apparent reference to Pakistan, he rejected promotion of religion as an "instrument of foreign policy". He also sounded critical of the US for its role in the region.
Karzai appealed to Pakistan to join hands with Afghanistan in addressing various problems "without use of radicalism."
IMAGE: Hamid Karzai speaks at an interactive session in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/karzai-slams-pak-defends-indias-role-in-afghanistan/20160820.htm | en | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/21f5250b4c4172203414c2160d8a01389131cebc31002dff68943f226390d4a4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:42 | null | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | Nair blamed the then United Progressive Alliance government for the 'hasty' decision to cancel the agreement with Devas | Scientists made | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fscientists-made-scapegoats-in-antrix-devas-case-madhavan-nair%2F20160812.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2012/feb/01slde5.jpg | en | null | Scientists made "scapegoats" in Antrix Devas case: Madhavan Nair | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 12, 2016 04:09 IST
Former ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair on Thursday said scientists have been made "scapegoats" in the Antrix-Devas case after he was named in the chargesheet by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Nair said he and others who have been named as an accused in the chargesheet in connection with the controversial deal have done nothing wrong and blamed the then United Progressive Alliance government for the "hasty" decision to cancel the agreement with Devas Multimedia over which India lost an arbitration case in an international tribunal in Hague recently.
The eminent scientist said this shortly after he along with some scientists and officials were charged by the CBI under Indian Penal Code sections related to criminal conspiracy and cheating besides provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Nair said he failed to understand on what basis the case has been filed.
Defending the decision to lease coveted spectrum of INSAT satellite to Devas Multimedia, Nair said in company to company agreement, the government is not kept in the loop and this practice is still continuing.
He said over a dozen such agreements were signed by Antrix with different companies providing similar services.
"The leasing of transponder capacity has been the primary role of Antrix/DOS and we have established in that time frame more than a dozen such agreements with major players like Tata Sky, Sun Tv etc who hired transponder capacity from us. This hiring of transponder capacity by Devas was on same lines, it was no way different," Nair said.
The former secretary, space department said ISRO never bothered about what business gains any of these companies make out of their using the transponder.
On the CBI chargesheet, Nair said he did not have detailed information about but from what he heard it was related to Antrix-Devas contract, established in 2005, and they were trying to see how Devas made money by selling their shares at such high value and so on.
He said he had made clear to the government as well as to all the agencies that it is not the responsibility of the department of space to look into the affairs of the Devas business.
"It is the company affairs' department and income tax department who has to pursue this. In fact this information was available to these agencies in 2010. Instead of booking Devas in 2010 on the this issue now they have slept over this for a long time," he said.
Nair said they (the government) misinformed about this old agreement and tried to justify the wrongdoing of cancellation of the agreement later.
"So they wanted to find some scapegoat and that was done and four scientists have been blacklisted long back. Now issue apparently which came out was there was no loss to the government. There is no sale of spectrum and if at all government is not kept adequately informed," he said.
Nair said now apparently what has gone wrong is that in 2010 government took a very hasty decision to cancel the agreement with Devas.
"This has been challenged in International Court of law and they have slapped a fine of nearly one billion dollars on the government of India. So this is a really serious issue.
"Instead of pursuing who was responsible for misleading the government on this cancellation of the contract and bringing such a huge fine to the government of India, they are still scratching the surface on how we entered into this agreement," Nair said.
The scientist said when a contract is signed between a company to company the government is not in the picture.
"The government does not come into the know of things. Even today that practice is continuing. Now on that punishment is already given," he said.
Nair said the same issue, based on a complaint which was given by K Radhakrishnan, the then Chairman, a fresh inquiry has been conducted by the CBI and now the agency instead of booking Devas on this issue they are trying to put blame on Antrix and DOS which is totally, which according to him, is totally wrong.
"We have to see what document the CBI has seen and what has been presented and since the matter is in court, we have to get the documents, study and face the issue legally," he said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/scientists-made-scapegoats-in-antrix-devas-case-madhavan-nair/20160812.htm | en | 2016-08-12T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/52b3f877ea6f54d5879a79b060113ad776ffa9046f0b9e89073475aafb45fff0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:19:50 | null | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | Geelani, chairman of hard-line Hurriyat Conference, also tried to defy the house arrest and lead a march towards the UNMOG. | Police stops separatist leaders' march to UN office | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpolice-stops-separatist-leaders-march-to-un-office%2F20160818.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2013/sep/17mirwaiz.jpg | en | null | Police stops separatist leaders' march to UN office | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 18, 2016 03:30 IST
Separatist leaders Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Syed Ali Shah Geelani on Wednesday attempted to defy house arrest and lead processions to the office of the United Nations Military Observers Group over the Kashmir situation which was scuttled by the police.
Mirwaiz, chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference, tried to take out the march from his Nigeen residence along with a dozen of his supporters this afternoon but police stopped them and took them into custody, officials said. He was lodged at Nigeen police station.
Separately, Geelani, chairman of hard-line Hurriyat Conference, also tried to defy the house arrest and lead a march towards the UNMOG from his Hyderpora residence.
However, they were stopped by police and taken into preventive custody. He was lodged at Humhama police station, the officials said.
Prior to his arrest, Geelani staged a sit-in outside his house, they said.
The separatists had given a call for a march to the UN office here to impress upon the world body to intervene and resolve the Kashmir issue.
Authorities had deployed police and paramilitary forces in strength in Srinagar, sealing all roads leading to the UNMOG office in Sonawar area of Srinagar.
Prior to his detention, Mirwaiz said the proposed march to the UNMOG was aimed at attracting the attention of the UN towards the ‘grave’ situation in the Valley.
“The UN must stand up and take necessary steps to stop human rights violations and resolve Kashmir issue,” he said.
Terming the situation in the valley as ‘grave and explosive’, the Hurriyat chairman said the UN needs to play a ‘positive role’ to resolve Kashmir issue.
A group of lawyers led by High Court Bar Association president Mian Abdul Qayoom also tried to take out a march from the high court complex here but were stopped by police at Budshah Chowk bridge, the officials said.
Carrying placards and banners demanding intervention of the UN to resolve Kashmir issue, the lawyers also demanded punishment to the killers of 63 persons during the ongoing unrest in the Valley.
The lawyers returned to the high court complex after staging a peaceful sit-in at Jehangir Chowk.
The officials said residents of several localities in the city including Batmaloo, Chattabal, Safakadal, Noorbagh, Rainawari, Dalgate, Brain, Rawalpora, Shah Kadal, Habbakadal, Fatehkadal and Guru Bazar also staged peaceful sit-ins after their attempts to march to the UN office were scuttled by security forces.
Image for representational purpose only. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/police-stops-separatist-leaders-march-to-un-office/20160818.htm | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/bf5adc42eba220718e6f7e86b9e1a268556309324140695f4e940b1b36ee017d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:20:12 | null | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | The 90-minute meeting is being seen as an attempt at reconciliation between Shivpal, a Cabinet minister, and Akhilesh after intervention of the latter's father Mulayam. | Shivpal meets Akhilesh to say all is well in Mulayam family | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fshivpal-meets-akhilesh-to-say-all-is-well-in-mulayam-family%2F20160819.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/19shivpal.jpg | en | null | Shivpal meets Akhilesh to say all is well in Mulayam family | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 19, 2016 19:20 IST
Amid reports of differences between them, Shivpal Yadav, brother of Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, on Friday met his nephew and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at his official residence to send out a message that all is well in the family.
The 90-minute meeting is being seen as an attempt at reconciliation between Shivpal, a Cabinet minister, and Akhilesh after intervention of the latter’s father Mulayam.
Later talking to mediapersons at his residence, Shivpal denied any “differences” within the family.
“Where is it?...I can’t see. The family had met yesterday and is with each other today also. We (Akhilesh and Shivpal) were busy yesterday. So we sat together today,” he said when asked to comment on reports of differences.
Shivpal had skipped a meeting of the state cabinet on Wednesday, adding fuel to speculation about his unhappiness, which was music to the ears of the opposition in view of the upcoming assembly elections.
“He is chief minister and I am a minister, we have joint responsibility in the government,” he said.
At the same time, Shivpal said he was “pained” when action was not taken against land grabbers and accepted that some “party office bearers” were involved in such “illegal” acts.
“It’s my opinion that such persons should be sacked from the party,” he said.
Recently, even Mulayam had given a tongue lashing to SP lawmakers asking them to refrain from land grabbing and making easy money and instead concentrate on development work if they wanted to retain power in the state.
Exuding confidence that SP would form the government again, and this time with a thumping majority, Shivpal said, “In 2017 we will get majority again and it will be bigger than 2012.”
SP had won 224 of the 403 UP assembly seats last time and stormed to power.
At the meeting with Akhilesh, Shivpal is understood to have narrated his concerns related to governance in the state which is busy preparing for the elections barely few months away.
Hailing the works done by the Akhilesh government, Shivpal said, “Besides distribution of laptops and scholarships, other welfare schemes were launched in the state for benefit of people.”
Asked about Mulayam’s statement that some persons were conspiring against him, Shivpal said, “if it is so, Netaji (Mulayam) will deal with it.”
He said no discussion took place with Akhilesh on organisational matters.
On the controversial question of merger of Quami Ekta Dal of underworld don Mukhtar Ansari with Samajwadi Party, he said, “The final decision in this regard will be taken by Netaji.”
The differences within the party had come to the fore after Shivpal, who is also in charge of SP state unit, held a press conference in June to announce merger of QED with SP.
Akhilesh, however, did not approve of the idea and at his behest the merger was cancelled by SP’s Parliamentary Board three days later, leaving Shivpal red faced.
Shivpal then displayed his unhappiness at the birthday party of another brother Ram Gopal Yadav. He arrived late at the venue of the party, so much that the birthday cake had already been cut in the presence of Mulayam, Akhilesh and other key leaders.
Also, instead of going to the dais, Shivpal sat among the invitees at the birthday party. Later, on prodding by leaders, he went to the dais but chose to occupy a chair in the back row and even avoided going up to Ramgopal to wish him on his birthday.
Later, Shivpal was also conspicuous by his absence at the swearing-in ceremony of ministers at Raj Bhawan when Balram Yadav was reinducted.
Akhilesh had sacked Balram from his ministry for facilitating QED-SP amalgamation that took place hurriedly when the chief minister was away from the state capital.
But, three days later the SP parliamentary board – the party’s highest policy making body -- while calling off the merger also decided to reinduct Balram, showing that top functionaries in the party were not on the same page.
Fishing in troubled waters, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Wednesday urged the Election Commission to hold assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh by February, alleging that the “infighting” within the Mulayam Singh Yadav clan will have an adverse effect on the functioning of the SP government.
She alleged that while BJP and Samajwadi Party want to delay the assembly polls, the commission should start working on the schedule and announce the dates in January-February in larger “public interest”.
The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said ideally the BJP-led government should have prepared for imposition of President’s Rule in the state long back due to the prevailing situation there. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/shivpal-meets-akhilesh-to-say-all-is-well-in-mulayam-family/20160819.htm | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/4631e9d36ff6f7b8a362ea610aa8273f0ed62f58d262c82522eef4d44369fd65.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:35:10 | null | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | The aircraft had got airborne from Kalaikunda airbase in West Midnapore district for a routine training mission at 1030 hours. | IAF's Hawk jet trainer crashes, pilots eject safely | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fiaf-hawk-jet-trainer-crashes-pilots-eject-safely%2F20160804.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/04lead11.jpg | en | null | IAF's Hawk jet trainer crashes, pilots eject safely | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 04, 2016 23:18 IST
A Hawk advanced jet trainer crashed on Thursday shortly after take off from Air Force Station, Kalaikunda in West Bengal due to a "technical snag" but both the pilots ejected safely.
The aircraft had got airborne from Kalaikunda airbase in West Midnapore district for a routine training mission at 1030 hours.
"After take off the aircraft developed unserviceability resulting into a crash. Both pilots of the aircraft ejected safely. There is no reported damage on the ground," an IAF statement said.
"A Court of Inquiry has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the accident," it said.
Thursday's was the fourth crash of a Hawk in the country.
The crash occurred within the boundary of the air station, 138 kms from Kolkata, and the two pilots ejected safely, IAF sources said.
Last year in June, another Hawk had crashed after taking off from Kalaikunda station as it developed a technical problem.
Budding fighter pilots undergo their advanced stage-III training for a year on Hawk.
Photograph: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/iaf-hawk-jet-trainer-crashes-pilots-eject-safely/20160804.htm | en | 2016-08-04T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/e928440ff383c4b2671271a909daa4dae3583a767375172072c9444de541fe0c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T16:49:25 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | A total 4.16 lakh people have been evacuated so far from the 12 flood-affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar. | Bihar flood toll rises to 149, Ganga starts receding | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbihar-flood-toll-rises-to-149-ganga-starts-receding%2F20160826.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/26lead6.jpg | en | null | Bihar flood toll rises to 149, Ganga starts receding | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 26, 2016 20:38 IST
With 14 more deaths, the toll in the Bihar flood rose to 149 on Friday even as the swollen Ganga river has started receding.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made an aerial survey of several flood affected districts during the day.
A release by the Disaster Management Department said Bhojpur accounted for 13 deaths, the maximum in any Bihar district
The flood has been caused by a spate in Ganga, Sone, Punpun, Burhi Gandak, Ghaghra, Kosi and other rivers and has affected 32.51 lakh people in 2,018 villages under 553 panchayats of 74 blocks in the state, it said.
Ganga, though showing a receding trend, is flowing above the danger mark at seven places -- Digha Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Hathidah in Patna, Bhagalpur and Kahalgaon in Bhagalpur district, besides in Munger and Buxar districts.
The receding trend has been witnessed at Gandhi Ghat, Digha Ghat and Hathidah in Patna.
A total 4.16 lakh people have been evacuated so far from the 12 flood-affected districts of Buxar, Bhojpur, Patna, Vaishali, Saran, Begusarai, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Khagaria, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar, the release said.
The government is plying 2,516 boats for evacuation and national and state disaster response forces have already been deployed in the affected districts.
Five hundred and eighteen relief camps are being run in the flood-hit areas and are providing shelter to 2.05 lakh people, who are being provided medical services by 270 teams.
Arrangements have been made for providing food and other items and the government has so far distributed 6,105 quintal of flattened rice, 1,072 quintal jaggery, 111 quintals of sattu, 82,822 matchsticks packets, 48,629 polythene sheets and 2,43,959 dry food packets, the release said.
Besides, 108 camps were being run only for animals, the release said, adding, 108 cattle have been killed in the floods, it added.
Kumar made an aerial survey of Bhagalpur, Katihar, Munger, Khagaria, Begusarai, Samastipur and Vaishali districts. He was accompanied by Water Resources Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Chief Secretary Anjani Kumar Singh and his Principal Secretary Chanchal Kumar.
He also held a review meeting at Bhagalpur airport along with the principal secretary to the water resources department, Bhagalpur divisional commissioner, district magistrate superintendent of police.
He directed them to intensify relief work and assess the damage caused by floods.
While inspecting the various relief camps in Patna district, Kumar announced that Rs 15,000 and Rs 10,000 would be given to each girl and boy child respectively who are born in relief camps or hospitals after their mothers were evacuated from the flood affected areas.
The disaster management department release said every registered person in the camps would be given bath soaps and soaps for cleaning clothes, combs, hair oil, mirrors and sanitary napkins for women.
Besides, people in relief camps would be given clothes and served food in stainless steel utensils which they can take home when the flood water subsides.
The funds for utensils, clothes and soaps, comb, hair oil and sanitary napkins would be made available from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, the release said.
IMAGE: People wade on a banana raft in flood hit area of Hajipur, Bihar. Photograph: PTI Photo | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/bihar-flood-toll-rises-to-149-ganga-starts-receding/20160826.htm | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/48e76b2d04bb3052913dc35393431de810c631e4d56428226a4db238a72c87de.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:02 | null | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | 'Our armed forces have shown utmost restraint in tackling terrorists in Kashmir Valley despite grave provocations,' he said in his address on the All India Radio on the eve of Independence Day. | Forces showed utmost restraint despite grave provocation in Kashmir: Parrikar | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fforces-showed-utmost-restraint-despite-grave-provocation-in-kashmir-parrikar%2F20160814.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/apr/28bsf1.jpg | en | null | Forces showed utmost restraint despite grave provocation in Kashmir: Parrikar | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 14, 2016 21:22 IST
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Sunday commended the armed forces for showing utmost restraint in tackling terrorists in KashmirValley despite “grave provocation” and stressed on the need to maintain vigil on borders as well as keeping assets in readiness.
In a customary address to the armed forces, the defence minister lauded them for the “strong and daring” response to the terrorists attack on the Pathankot air base and for effectively repulsing ceasefire violations as well as infiltration attempts in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our armed forces have shown utmost restraint in tackling terrorists in Kashmir Valley despite grave provocations,” he said in his address on the All India Radio on the eve of Independence Day.
“You have also effectively repulsed all ceasefire violations in Jammu and Kashmir from across the border and attempts of terrorists to infiltrate into the country with nefarious designs,” he added.
Talking about the Pathankot attack, he said the strong and daring response against terrorists who came fully armed from across the border to attack the airbase was an inspiration to the nation.
“I commend the efforts put in by our air warriors and security forces to thwart this attack. I deeply mourn the martyrdom of seven of our bravehearts who laid down their lives for the cause of the nation in the counter action,” he said.
He stressed on the need to maintain all round vigil on the nation’s borders.
“Therefore, we should keep our assets in readiness and be able to mobilise troops to forward positions at short notice.
“At the same time, there is the need to constantly upgrade and modernise our weapon systems and equipment,” he said.
The minister asserted that the government has taken many steps to streamline the procurement process and make it faster and transparent.
“I am sure this would help you in getting the best weapons and defence platforms in the shortest time,” he said.
On the missing AN 32 aircraft, he said the next of kin of all crew and passengers are being informed and regular updates on the search operations are being given to them by nominated officials.
“Inputs from all sources are being thoroughly investigated by ships and aircraft, but friends it is very unfortunate that no concrete evidence with respect to missing aircraft has emerged so far,” he said.
He said that the government is making all possible efforts to locate the missing aircraft.
Parrikar pointed out that the government has taken the historic decision to implement One Rank One Pension in November last year and fulfilled the long standing demand of the defence personnel benefitting over 20 lakh ex-servicemen pensioners.
“I am happy to inform that Rs. 3819.33 crore have already been distributed to 18,90,635 defence forces pensioners towards OROP arrears/revised pension,” he said.
On health care reforms, Parrikar said the ministry has completely digitized the Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme.
A total of over 47 lakh beneficiaries have been covered under ECHS.
As of now, the scheme is being run through 28 regional centres. A total of 1445 civil hospitals have been empanelled to provide cashless treatment to ECHS beneficiaries.
Parrikar said he has directed the ministry to complete the Married Accommodation Project on priority.
This will provide nearly 2 lakh dwelling units for the married personnel near their places of posting.
The third and final phase of MAP is soon expected to be implemented providing 71,000 more dwelling units, he said. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/forces-showed-utmost-restraint-despite-grave-provocation-in-kashmir-parrikar/20160814.htm | en | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/e67bccb5b47861af545af0c612e90be4def20b6f81c964a2ea0a99db435bc9aa.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:51:41 | null | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were sentenced to life after a court in Uttar Pradesh convicted them for the gruesome killings of Aarushi Talwar and their domestic help Hemraj in 2013. | Aarushi murder case: Nupur Talwar granted parole for 3 weeks | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Faarushi-murder-case-nupur-talwar-granted-parole-for-3-weeks%2F20160829.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/29nupur.jpg | en | null | Aarushi murder case: Nupur Talwar granted parole for 3 weeks | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 29, 2016 18:04 IST
Nupur Talwar, convict in the Aarushi Talwar murder case, was on Monday granted a three-week parole by the Allahabad high court to visit her unwell mother.
Rajesh and Nupur Talwar were sentenced to life after a court in Uttar Pradesh convicted them for the gruesome killings of Aarushi Talwar and their domestic help Hemraj in 2013.
Aarushi, 14, was found dead at her Noida based flat in May, 2008.
It was initially suspected that Hemraj had killed Aarushi. However, the case took a shocking turn when Hemraj’s body was recovered two days later from the terrace of the same flat.
Photograph: PTI | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/aarushi-murder-case-nupur-talwar-granted-parole-for-3-weeks/20160829.htm | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/a4ff9ef81aa2a2cba82193a2e786fca0c8a9bd1ad39fd8fd2d794cec1c98d407.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:21 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | People can contribute on either the MyGov open forum or the Narendra Modi site and mobile application.
| PM Modi seeks suggestions for I-Day speech | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpm-modi-seeks-suggestions-for-i-day-speech%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/11modi.jpg | en | null | PM Modi seeks suggestions for I-Day speech | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 11, 2016 14:24 IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sought suggestions from public for his Independence Day speech to be given from ramparts of the Red Fort.
Messages inviting suggestions have been put on some of the government websites.
“Independence Day speech from ramparts of the Red Fort is perhaps the most important speech of the year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set the trend of directly seeking ideas and suggestions from citizens for formulating his Independence Day speech.
“Like last year, this year too the prime minister invites citizens to contribute their views, their ideas, their suggestions, indeed their own vision,” read the message.
People can contribute on either the MyGov open forum or the Narendra Modi site and mobile application, it said.
“All you have to do is to click on the respective icons and have your say. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself will articulate them,” said the message put up on the personnel ministry’s website.
The best inputs would be incorporated by the prime minister in his speech on August 15, it said.
It will be Modi’s third Independence Day address as prime minister. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pm-modi-seeks-suggestions-for-i-day-speech/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/f3ab3c17568e9cc43a2a3316ee9e5894fd67d01127f1bbc8e0499c680963367b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:28:41 | null | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | The Bajrang Dal activists alleged that the behaviour of the four persons had been 'suspicious' and accused them of being cattle thieves. | Bajrang Dal men thrash four on suspicion of 'cow theft' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fbajrang-dal-men-thrash-four-on-suspicion-of-cow-theft%2F20160810.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/08gau1.jpg | en | null | Bajrang Dal men thrash four on suspicion of 'cow theft' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 10, 2016 14:44 IST
In yet another incident of cow vigilantism, Bajrang Dal activists allegedly thrashed four persons whom they suspected of being ‘cow thieves’ near Jiroli village on the outskirts of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.
The incident occurred when gau rakshaks, led by Bajrang Dal district president Kedar Singh, tried to intercept a matador carrying a buffalo but the driver refused to stop, police said.
The activists raised an alarm and a roadblock was laid by other members of the group at a short distance ahead. Seeing the roadblock, the four persons who were in the matador jumped out and tried to escape, they added.
However, they were nabbed and beaten up by the crowd which had gathered on the spot before being handed over to the police along with their vehicle.
The Bajrang Dal activists alleged that the behaviour of the four persons had been ‘suspicious’ and accused them of being cattle thieves.
According to police, the four apprehended persons are being interrogated.
The incident came as the Home Ministry issued an advisory on Tuesday evening asking all states not to tolerate anyone taking law into their hands in the name of protecting cow and take prompt action against such offenders.
The advisory came two days after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi denounced cow vigilantes and asked people to beware of its ‘fake’ protectors trying to divide society and the country and asked the states to severely punish them.
Image used for representation only. Photograph: Getty Images | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/bajrang-dal-men-thrash-four-on-suspicion-of-cow-theft/20160810.htm | en | 2016-08-10T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/732a2f304f0e40dce4f480e463dc327b85412eafafd17c1cf1e4512151d301b1.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:22:59 | null | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | Fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's nephew Alishah Parkar on Wednesday tied the knot with the daughter of a Mumbai-based businessman in a traditional Muslim ceremony, with Mumbai police keeping an eye on the event.
| Dawood to attend nephew's wedding reception via skype | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fdawood-to-attend-nephews-wedding-reception-via-skype%2F20160817.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2012/jun/04dawood2.jpg | en | null | Dawood to attend nephew's wedding reception via skype | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 17, 2016 17:01 IST
Fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's nephew Alishah Parkar on Wednesday tied the knot with the daughter of a Mumbai-based businessman in a traditional Muslim ceremony, with Mumbai police keeping an eye on the event.
Alishah, the son of Dawood's late sister Haseena Parkar, and Aisha Nagani got married at a mosque in Nagpada area of south Mumbai in the presence of their family members and close friends.
A handful of mediapersons were present outside the mosque and were kept at bay by family members.
The marriage rituals started at around 11am. The function lasted for about one-and-a-half hours and was attended by nearly 100 people.
The family would host a reception for the newly weds at a city hotel on Wednesday evening and the fugitive don was likely to view the event via videocalling on Skype.
The Mumbai police crime branch has directed the anti-extortion cell to keep a close watch at the event.
Police personnel will maintain a strict vigil on the proceedings, a senior official said.
The police did not rule out rival gangsters trying to disturb the peace.
Alishah's elder brother Danish had died in a road accident in 2006. His sister Umaira got married in May 2015. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/dawood-to-attend-nephews-wedding-reception-via-skype/20160817.htm | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/1868365f5bd9b315574dd7dd91b7054e73a151e75ab90b7781bda740926ea045.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:30:55 | null | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly rebuked cow vigilantes, saying most of them are 'anti-social' elements who are running 'shops' in the name of cow protection. | Cow vigilante head in Punjab is booked, says Modi doing vote bank politics | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fafter-modi-outburst-cow-vigilante-head-in-punjab-is-booked%2F20160808.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/08lead3.jpg | en | null | Cow vigilante head in Punjab is booked, says Modi doing vote bank politics | null | null | www.rediff.com | Last updated on: August 08, 2016 17:30 IST
Punjab police has booked Gau Raksha Dal Chief Satish Kumar for allegedly assaulting some persons on pretext of cow protection, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked the states to act against “fake” cow protectors.
The FIR was lodged on the basis of a video clip which appeared on social media, showing Gau Raksha Dal members brutally thrashing people, Senior Superitendent of Police Gurmeet Chauhan said on Monday.
A case under sections 382 (having made preparation for causing death), 384 (committing extortion), 341 (wrongfully restraining any person), along with sections 148 and 149, of the Indian Penal Code was registered, police said.
Kumar, who is yet to be arrested, said he has no information regarding the case.
He alleged that the prime minister’s remarks against cow vigilantism were motivated by “votebank politics” due to upcoming elections in many states.
“The PM’s statement is politically motivated. It is one-sided. If he had warned the butchers not to slaughter or smuggle cow, then his statement would have been justified.
“He is doing vote bank politics to get the butchers’ vote,” Kumar said.
He said the police were free to arrest him.
The prime minister’s statement denouncing cow vigilantism came after a string of incidents of attacks on Dalits, including in Una, Gujarat where some youths were brutally assaulted for skinning a dead cow.
Image: Satish Kumar. Photograph: ANI Photo | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/after-modi-outburst-cow-vigilante-head-in-punjab-is-booked/20160808.htm | en | 2016-08-08T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/28779406196f31c11b0bf54c0c7f7b072feec7762c5ff5bf8ddd53bda0542513.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:41:44 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | Trump's views run contrary to the Obama administration, which had imposed economic sanctions against Russia. | US should accept Russia's annexation of Crimea: Trump | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fus-should-accept-russias-annexation-of-crimea-trump%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/01trumprussia.jpg | en | null | US should accept Russia's annexation of Crimea: Trump | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 18:19 IST
In yet another controversial move, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has suggested the United States accept the Russian annexation of Crimea if it helps in getting stronger cooperation from Moscow in fighting the Islamic State.
IMAGE: Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump pro-Russia statements run in opposition to the current policy of the United States. Photograph: Carlo Allegri/Reuters
This view runs counters that of the Obama administration, which had imposed economic sanctions against Russia for annexing the territory in Ukraine two years ago. The opposition to the Russian annexation of Crimea includes the United Nations, and some top Republicans who staunchly defend Crimea against what they consider Russian aggression.
Trump suggested that the people of Crimea would rather be part of Russia. However, the US hasn't recognised the legitimacy of Russian referendums in Crimea and believes they were not conducted fairly.
The Clinton campaign responding to Trump’s affirmations stating that Trump knows about the subject and argued that the Republican is repeating Putin's talking points on Crimea.
"This is scary stuff," Clinton campaign spokesman Jake Sullivan said in a statement. "But it shouldn't surprise us. This comes on the heels of his tacit invitation to the Russians to invade our NATO allies in Eastern Europe. And it's yet more proof why Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified to be commander in chief."
In the past, Trump's campaign manager, political strategist Paul Manafort lobbied for Viktor Yanukovych, a Ukrainian president and supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Manafort claimed that neither he nor anyone with Trump's campaign pushed for the platform changes.
Trump dismissed suggestions that he has any kind of relationship with Putin, saying he has neither met Putin nor spoken on the phone with him.
Asked why he had said several times in the past that he had a relationship with Putin, Trump said he doesn't know what "having a relationship" means.
Trump said it would be a "great thing" if the US got along with Russia and if Russia would help fight the Islamic State.
"We'll have a better relationship with Russia," he said. "And having a good relationship with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing." | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/us-should-accept-russias-annexation-of-crimea-trump/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/28484f25b584390ab213e042c8cf0474f1a2b6a4e63451e6433eaa8da4846d8c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:27:13 | null | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | The accused, Mohammed Hanif, was brought to the city and produced before a court which sent him to police custody till August 20, a senior police official said. | Mumbai cops get custody of Islamic preacher held in Kerala | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fmumbai-cops-get-custody-of-islamic-preacher-held-in-kerala%2F20160814.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2014/jul/14lead2.jpg | en | null | Mumbai cops get custody of Islamic preacher held in Kerala | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 14, 2016 17:52 IST
An Islamic preacher, arrested in Kerala for his alleged links with terror outfit Islamic State, was on Sunday remanded to the custody of Mumbai police.
The accused, Mohammed Hanif, was brought to the city and produced before a court which sent him to police custody till August 20, a senior police official said.
Hanif, who hails from Kambalakkad in Wayanad, was taken into custody at Panur in Kerala on Friday night, police said.
He was alleged to have radicalised 11 of the 21 persons from Kerala who have gone missing and are suspected to have joined the IS, they said. On August 8, police had said of the 21 gone missing, 17 were from Kasaragod and four from Palakkad. They include four women and three children. Their disappearance came to light last month after the families approached officials in Kasaragod.
The father of Ashfaque, one of the missing young men, had recently lodged a complaint against Arshid Qureshi, an employee of controversial preacher Zakir Naik’s Islamic Research Foundation, Rizwan Khan, Hanif and another person.
Based on the complaint, Nagpada police had registered an offence under relevant sections of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act 1967 and section 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to police, Ashfaque’s father alleged that the accused brainwashed his son to join the terror outfit.
Qureshi and Khan had also been earlier arrested by Kerala police.
Police said another accused named in the FIR was still at large and efforts were being made to arrest him.
Investigation of the case is being carried out by the Crime Branch, CID and Mumbai police.
On July 21, Kerala Police and Maharashtra ATS had picked up Qureshi from Navi Mumbai on July 21 for allegedly radicalising youths.
The Kerala police traced Qureshi to Mumbai following a complaint lodged in Kochi by the brother of a young woman, who is suspected to have joined IS along with her husband.
In a similar operation, Khan, also allegedly instrumental in recruiting youths for the terror outfit, was apprehended from his residence at Kalyan in neighbouring Thane district on July 22. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/mumbai-cops-get-custody-of-islamic-preacher-held-in-kerala/20160814.htm | en | 2016-08-14T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/66696135f1a192627f8ad8b3a55106057028dfc2ec8b76b200719f44d70f24da.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:16:39 | null | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | The emotional moment when doctors delivered the baby of a Syrian woman injured by an airstrike. | Doctors in Syria save lifeless baby born after airstrike | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fpix-doctors-save-lifeless-baby-born-after-syrian-airstrike%2F20160823.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/23baby.jpg | en | null | Doctors in Syria save lifeless baby born after airstrike | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 23, 2016 09:52 IST
The Syrian civil war has left hundreds of thousands dead, and even more wounded. But doctors in Aleppo were able save one new life on a day that killed 45.
The mother of the child, identified only as Mayissa, was injured as she was walking to the hospital to give birth. Her arm and leg were both broken, and surgeons had to remove shrapnel from her body.
Doctors had to perform a C-section to deliver the child.
However, the baby showed no signs of life when it was delivered.
In a video shot by Britain’s Channel 4 news, one of the doctors ask, ““Is the heart beating?”
“No, no, I’m sorry” another replies.
But after several minutes, the boy is heard crying. Eventually his cry echoes around the makeshift emergency room, to the visible relief of the doctors.
“The most elemental sound of all,” journalist Matt Frei says in the report. “More powerful, for a brief moment, than Aleppo’s daily cry of death.”
The footage was recorded in July and aired last Thursday.
The report was aired as part of a series documenting the suffering of civilians in Aleppo who are living under regular bombardment.
The delivery comes just days after a photo of a child -- identified as Omran Daqneesh -- sitting silently after an airstrike, was shared widely on social media.
Image: The emotional moment when the baby opened his eyes for the first time. Photograph: Channel4news/Facebook | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/pix-doctors-save-lifeless-baby-born-after-syrian-airstrike/20160823.htm | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/8101afafa6a2955b917b0b416ca5d04338d53a117fece36ec775f2f4530f7a87.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T22:52:00 | null | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | They urged the government to be more careful about cybersecurity and advised the president to hold a snap election. | Schoolboy hacks Sirisena's website, requests to postpone exams | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fschoolboy-hacks-sirisenas-website-requests-to-postpone-exams%2F20160830.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/jan/09slpolls1.jpg | en | null | Schoolboy hacks Sirisena's website, requests to postpone exams | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 30, 2016 03:14 IST
A 17-year-old schoolboy from Sri Lanka's central provincial town of Kadugannawa was on Monday arrested on charges that he had hacked into President Maithripala Sirisena's official website.
The arrest was made following a complaint by the presidential media division, police said.
The website was hacked two days in a row, on Thursday and Friday. The website went offline after the second attack.
Soon after the incident, the Criminal Investigation Department was tasked with carrying out the investigation with the assistance of the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team, local media reported.
Presidential media officials said the first attack occurred on Thursday evening, when hackers attacked the site and posted a message in Sinhala.
In the message, the group, who called themselves the 'SriLankan Youth', requested Sirisena to reconsider the decision to hold the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examination in April as it coincides with the Sinhala and Hindu New Year.
They urged the government to be more careful about cybersecurity and advised the president to hold a snap election.
The other demands were to stop the 'irresponsible conduct' of the Prime Minister and to be more attentive to the problems faced by university students. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/schoolboy-hacks-sirisenas-website-requests-to-postpone-exams/20160830.htm | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/617932abf5796d0c64231a99ecacbcfbe0033311ea6e54a725ac23819a0c3b69.json |
[] | 2016-08-28T16:51:15 | null | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | Notably, all the games played inside the academy are created by Gurmeet Ram Rahim himself and are not played at national or international level. | Haryana minister donates Rs 50 lakh to Dera chief for 'sports' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fharyana-minister-donates-rs-50-lakh-to-dera-chief-for-sports%2F20160828.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2015/jun/17live2.jpg | en | null | Haryana minister donates Rs 50 lakh to Dera chief for 'sports' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 28, 2016 21:29 IST
Haryana Health and Sports Minister Anil Vij drew flak from the Opposition after he donated Rs 50 lakh from his discretionary fund to a religious sect in the state for promoting rural games.
Reacting to the announcement of Rs 50 lakh donation to Dera Sacha Sauda by Vij on Saturday, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala on Sunday said, “I haven’t seen all angles of this story. All political parties are on the side of money being donated to encourage sports. Anil Vij has to consider his decision about attachment to people.
“He is in a responsible political and constitutional position. He has to take a decision about this behaviour. If he doesn’t take any decision then people of Haryana will have to act.”
The donation was announced by Vij at Dera Sacha Sauda in Sirsa district on Saturday after he witnessed a sporting event.
Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was also present.
“It is a very good thing. Along with religion, education and games are there, that means they are trying to prepare a complete human being,” Vij said.
“He is encouraging the games. Since the schools are also encouraging games here, I would like to donate Rs 50 lakh from my discretionary fund,” he said in Sirsa on Saturday night.
Notably, all the games played inside the academy are created by Gurmeet Ram Rahim himself and are not played at national or international level.
Vij had led a Haryana delegation to Rio Olympics recently.
Ahead of assembly polls in Haryana, the Dera had extended support to the Bharatiya Janata Party.
After a match in Sirsa on Saturday, Vij said the tournament is a great mixture of different games. He said this ‘combo’ fits the present trend.
Vij said, “Dera Sacha Sauda is already promoting sports for a long time and now BJP government will promote all sports related activities by making 20 Olympic Nurseries. In each Haryana district about 400 Nurseries (subsidiaries) will be set up,” he said.
“These Nurseries will provide many athletes for next Olympics,” he added. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/haryana-minister-donates-rs-50-lakh-to-dera-chief-for-sports/20160828.htm | en | 2016-08-28T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/38b3370451baad1ab854bfc0ba038dbcc2776bb1969cad105a189ee4dca078a6.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:33:58 | null | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | She had to cut short her roadshow in Varanasi after she was taken ill. She had fractured her left shoulder during the roadshow. | Sonia Gandhi out of ICU, steadily recuperating | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fsonia-gandhi-health-update-hospital%2F20160805.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/03soniag.jpg | en | null | Sonia Gandhi out of ICU, steadily recuperating | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 05, 2016 18:41 IST
Congress chief Sonia Gandhi was making steady progress, two days after she underwent a surgery to repair a shoulder injury, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, where she has been admitted, said on Friday.
‘Mrs Sonia Gandhi has been shifted out of the ICU (intensive care unit) and is making steady progress in the hospital.
‘She was admitted under Dr Arup Basu and his team from Department of Pulmonology and has been operated for a shoulder injury by a team of Dr Sanjay Desai from Mumbai and Dr Prateek Gupta, Orthopedic Consultant from Sir Ganga Ram Hospital,’ according to a health bulletin issued by Dr D S Rana, chairman (Board of Management) of the hospital.
Gandhi, 69, was shifted to the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on Wednesday from the Army Research and Referral Hospital, where she was rushed soon after her arrival from Varanasi around midnight on Tuesday.
She had to cut short her roadshow in Varanasi after she was taken ill. She had fractured her left shoulder during the roadshow.
The Congress president was shifted out of the ICU on Thursday.
A number of senior Congress leaders visited her at the hospital, including Sheila Dikshit and Raj Babbar.
Sources said the operation on her shoulder on Wednesday night lasted for nearly two hours.
They said she is likely to remain at the hospital for at least five days and will need physiotherapy. | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/sonia-gandhi-health-update-hospital/20160805.htm | en | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/da680a01a44d87ebc6d25c90efd7d1df53903cef7957a2b3ebc8deb8fee3f81f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:18:24 | null | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | Normal life remained paralysed for the 45th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and separatist sponsored strike following Wani's killing in an encounter with security forces. | It's day 45 and Kashmir is still under lockdown | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Fits-day-45-and-kashmir-is-still-under-lockdown%2F20160822.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/22curfew.jpg | en | null | It's day 45 and Kashmir is still under lockdown | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 22, 2016 11:48 IST
Srinagar remained under curfew on Monday after a teenager was killed by a teargas shell on Sunday, even as normal life in the Valley was paralysed for the 45th day due to restrictions and strike in the wake of violence following killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
Curfew continues to be in force in entire Srinagar district as well as in Anantnag town.
Curfew has also been clamped in Khansahib town of Budgam district of central Kashmir as a precautionary measure, a police official said.
He said curfew was lifted from Pampore town in view of the improving situation.
However, the official said, restrictions on the assembly of four or more people under Section 144 Crpc have been imposed in the town and elsewhere in the Valley where there is no curfew.
This is to maintain law and order, he said.
A youth, Irfan Wani, was killed in downtown area of the city on Sunday after he was hit by a tear gar shell.
The official said restrictions around Lal Chowk city centre in the summer capital, which were imposed on August 14, were also eased out on Monday.
People with curfew passes are being allowed to move around Lal Chowk, he said.
The separatist camp, which is spearheading the agitation in the Valley over the civilian killings during the protests against Wani’s killing, has asked people to march towards Tehsil headquarters on Monday.
As many as 65 persons, including two cops, have been killed and several thousand others injured in the clashes that began on July 9.
Meanwhile, normal life remained paralysed for the 45th consecutive day due to curfew, restrictions and separatist sponsored strike following Wani’s killing in an encounter with security forces.
Shops, private offices, educational institutions and petrol pumps remained closed while public transport continued to be off roads. The attendance in government offices and banks was also affected.
Mobile Internet also continued to remain suspended in the entire Valley, where the outgoing facility on prepaid mobiles remained barred.
The separatist camp, headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik, has extended the agitation till August 25.
Image: Security personnel stop a biker on the road amidst the curfew imposed in the valley. Photograph: Umar Ganie/Rediff.com | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/its-day-45-and-kashmir-is-still-under-lockdown/20160822.htm | en | 2016-08-22T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/83e88f4decc1b67ae70a78abbfe1d672efb69604a9181d6724f528f92a6c5c6c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:29:48 | null | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | There is a great danger of the government getting stampeded into actions in Kashmir that could result in long lasting damage, warns Colonel Anil A Athale (retd). | India must hold its nerve in Kashmir | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Fcolumn%2Findia-must-hold-its-nerve-in-kashmir%2F20160811.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/news/2016/aug/10kashmir2.jpg | en | null | India must hold its nerve in Kashmir | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 11, 2016 11:48 IST
There is a great danger of the government getting stampeded into actions in Kashmir that could result in long lasting damage, warns Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
There is a rising tide led by the chatterati/twitterati, the so-called liberal opinion, as well as some political pressure, on the government to do 'something' in the wake of violence in the urban areas of Srinagar.
There is a great danger of the Indian government getting stampeded into actions that could result in long lasting damage.
At a smaller level, what one is currently witnessing in the Kashmir valley is a re-run of Mohammed Ali Jinnah's 'direct action' ploy in August 1947.
On April 4, 1979, in the wake of ousted Pakistan prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's execution in Pakistan, a mammoth public meeting was held at the Hazaratbal dargah in Srinagar.
A resolution was passed at that meeting condemning Pakistan and thanking Allah that Kashmir had made the right choice in 1947 in joining India.
There were mass protests in Kashmir and the property of pro-Pakistan Jammat-e-Islami cadres was attacked. Many prominent leaders of the pro-Pakistani Jamaat sought and were given shelter by the Indian Army, which saved their lives.
Feelings ran high against General Zia-ul Haq, Pakistan's military dictator on whose orders Bhutto was hanged. Mobs in Srinagar shouted slogans demanding death for Zia.
In less than a decade, by 1986, the Kashmiri mood had changed totally.
Portraits of Zia-ul Haq in military uniform began adorning many Kashmiri homes and wayside tea stalls. Even the once marginalised Jamaat-e-Islami became a popular organisation.
To some extent, the popularity of the Jamaat and Zia can be understood as the consequence of the growing spread of Islamic fundamentalism all over the world.
This had much to do with the petro-dollars that began flowing into Kashmir after the oil boom that began in 1973 and the US-Pakistan-Saudi Arabia-led jihad after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in December 1979.
Many Kashmiri separatists invoke Sheikh Abdullah to justify separatism. But they gloss over the fact that after the 1971 War and Pakistani atrocities in then East Pakistan, Sheikh Abdullah came out clearly in favour of J&K being part of India.
Even Sheikh Abdullah suffered at the hands of fickle public opinion. From near sainthood, someone who blessed babies, his grave has to be protected from the wrath of mobs intent on its desecration.
The Kashmir Valley is thus no stranger to the emotional rollercoaster ride of public opinion. The current unrest is thus no different from its several earlier avatars like the 2010 agitation.
Before India takes any steps in the valley, some salient points/questions need to be understood and answered.
The first and most important point about the current unrest is the limited nature of its geographic spread.
The unrest and violence is confined to the Kashmir valley with not a squeak from the Jammu, Kargil and Ladakh divisions.
It needs to be clearly asserted that the separatists and their followers have no support in the rest of J&K. It is bogus for them to claim to be talking of J&K and its future.
When agitators in the valley chant 'azadi' (freedom), in effect they want an independent Kashmir valley! The absurdity of this is not lost on the rest of the world. It is no surprise that the Kashmir agitation has not received any support from the world at large with the exception of Pakistan that wants all of J&K to merge with it.
The silence of the world media is due to logical fears that a tiny and unviable independent State of Kashmir will regress into a Da'esh or Islamic State den.
The ethnic cleansing of Hindus from the Kashmir Valley and slogans like 'Sharia rule' etc scare most countries. With the continuing campaign of terror worldwide, the Kashmiri cause of religion-based separatism has no takers.
Without global support Kashmiris have no hope of success. Pakistan has made three military attempts in the past to seize Kashmir, and failed. It will fail again should it try. That is the reality.
India guarantees freedom of faith and expression as a fundamental right to all citizens. It also promises equality before the law for all citizens.
As a result, India is home to all the world's religions and over 180 million Muslims. If 180 million Muslims can be part of India, what is the basis on which the 4 or 5 million Muslims in the Kashmir Valley wish to secede?
India should set the record straight and equivocally declare that since it gives all the fundamental rights to its citizens, including Kashmiris, it rejects the demands for secession based on religious identity.
I recall a conversation I had with a Kashmiri school teacher during an army search operation near Sopore. I asked him what he meant by 'azadi.' Which is the freedom he did not have as an Indian citizen? Be it freedom of faith, expression, movement or economic activity?
His vague answer was that yes he has all these freedoms, but he wanted 'Sharia' rule to be imposed on all!
The real problem in Kashmir is unemployment. This is due to a population explosion and continued unrest driving away tourists and investment. Thus, there is a Catch 22-like situation.
Over time, some mosques in the valley have ceased to be places of prayer and instead become dens of political propaganda.
All over the world -- even in Islamic countries -- political preaching in mosques is prohibited. Unfortunately, governments in India have been chary of taking action against this misuse of religious places due to the fear of accusations of interfering with faith.
Stopping political sermons in mosques and shutting down the constantly playing of tapes of propaganda from loudspeakers is the need of the hour. It is time we made it clear that secessionism is not a freedom movement and India will not accept another Partition on the basis of religion, whatever be the extent of popular support in some pockets of India like the Kashmir valley. We have learnt this lesson from 1947. What good has Partition done for the minorities?
Colonel Anil A Athale (retd) is a military historian who has been an observer of the Kashmir issue for over 40 years. His book on Kashmir, Let the Jhelum Smile Again!, was published in 1997.
REDIFF RECOMMENDS | http://www.rediff.com/news/column/india-must-hold-its-nerve-in-kashmir/20160811.htm | en | 2016-08-11T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/6462178724d0af3afbb6403c25520d7bd45124287253aaaae13a69f6726ac73f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:40:50 | null | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday opposed in Rajya Sabha the government move to put in place a single examination for medical and dental courses through National Eligibility cum Entrance Test | AIADMK opposes the NEET bill, terms it 'illegal and unconstitutional' | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.rediff.com%2Fnews%2Freport%2Faiadmk-opposes-the-neet-bill-terms-it-illegal-and-unconstitutional%2F20160801.htm.json | http://im.rediff.com/getahead/2013/may/16csat6.jpg | en | null | AIADMK opposes the NEET bill, terms it 'illegal and unconstitutional' | null | null | www.rediff.com | August 01, 2016 18:38 IST
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Monday opposed in Rajya Sabha the government move to put in place a single examination for medical and dental courses through National Eligibility cum Entrance Test while most other parties supported the step, with demands that private colleges should be monitored properly.
AIADMK leader Navneet Krishna, while speaking on The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016, termed it as "arbitrary, illegal and unconstitutional" step and said it will impact rural and poor children who do not follow CBSE syllabus.
The bill, which has already been passed by the Lok Sabha, provides for a Constitutional status to the NEET which is intended to be introduced in the academic session next year.
The bill seeks to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 and replace the Ordinances that were promulgated by the government to circumvent the Supreme Court order for implementation of NEET examination this session itself.
"The rural and poor students of Tamil Nadu will be affected very badly by NEET. There is no need for this bill when the entire issue is under judicial review," Krishna said.
Narendra Budania of the Congress, while reminding the House that the common entrance test was an idea of the previous United Progressive Alliance government, congratulated Health Minister J P Nadda for pursuing it.
However, he urged him to ensure that private colleges are monitored so that the "pure profession becomes purer".
T Subbarami Reddy of the Congress, who moved a resolution of disapproval against both bills, wondered why the government was in a hurry to come out with an ordinance in May when they could have waited for a month and half for the monsoon session of Parliament to start.
Naresh Aggarwal of the Samajwadi Party supported the bills and asked the Minister to be "bold" and take full control of the Medical Council of India rather than divide it into four parts.
He said if there was so much concern about quality of some private medical colleges, then an exit test must be made compulsory.
Doctors passing out from medical colleges should be made o serve in rural India for five years, he said.
Supporting the two Bills, Sharad Yadav of the Janata Dal-United said this is "a very good step" by the government which will enable simultaneous holding of (medical) exam across the country.
Yadav said that education and health system of the country have totally gone into private sector's hands while education, controlled by the government, is in "dire straits".
However, he said, the condition of government medical colleges was relatively better than their private counterparts.
Yadav rued that no member of Rajya Sabha spoke about donations in medical colleges and asked "why do we not express concern about this."
SP member Naresh Agarwal objected to Yadav's comment and said he had spoken on reservation in private medical colleges and added that his party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav was a strong proponent of reservation.
Yadav asked the Government to end the system of donation, alleging that those who have black money were opening medical and engineering colleges. "In India, the medical education system has been ruined and it is only because of this donation system," he said.
Yadav asked the Government whether reservation will be introduced in private colleges also.
K K Ragesh of Communist Party of India-Marxist said "while supporting the very concept of uniform entrance test, I take this opportunity to share anxiety expressed by some".
Pointing out that education was a concurrent subject, Ragesh sought to know whether the Government had consulted states while promulgating the bill.
He observed that CBSE students would be on a better footing while state government Board students will have lesser chance of getting admission through the NEET entrance exam. He asked whether the Government can ensure admission of students from backward communities in private colleges.
Stating that private colleges are charging exorbitant fee, Ragesh advocated provision of cross subsidisation, differential fee structure, scholarships to help poor students.
He also sought to know whether deemed universities are covered under the purview of this Bill and alleged that students were being admitted in private colleges only on the basis of money and not on merit.
Dilip Tirkey of the Biju Janata Dal said the condition of medical education in the country was "worse" and added that the mechanism of seats reserved under state quota was not clear.
"As per the Bill, NEET will be conducted by CBSE. But there are thousands of schools belonging to Boards other than CBSE. Those students will be hurt," he said.
Image used for representation purpose only | http://www.rediff.com/news/report/aiadmk-opposes-the-neet-bill-terms-it-illegal-and-unconstitutional/20160801.htm | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.rediff.com/9a0451d2e43f943e9bea4e70e818eead8dc300a2e49bad87712be7bac1e74917.json |
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