Bhopal:
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti today submitted
her resignation to BJP chief Venkaiah Naidu. The development
came a day after a Karnataka lower court issued a warrant
against her in a case inciting communal passions and attempt
to murder in Hubli around a decade back. BJP sources said
the CM met her party chief following the disruption of Parliament
proceedings by Congress and RJD members, earlier in the
day, seeking her ouster. She reportedly told him that she
will abide by the decision of the party on the issue. The
BJP parliamentary board is meeting on Monday to deliberate
the issue. Earlier, Uma met senior BJP leader LK Advani
and discussed the issue with him. Advani later met former
prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and sought his view.
Meanwhile, the BJP Parliamentary Board will meet on Monday
to discuss the controversy over the controversial chief
minister. The BJP will discuss the matter and take a decision
on whether Bharti could continue as the CM.
Turmoil
over Bharti, Savarkar issues; Parliament stalled (Go
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New
Delhi: The hearing of a case in a Karnataka Court against
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti today rocked Parliament
with RJD and Congress members demanding dismissal of her
Government and her arrest. As agitated ruling alliance members
were on their feet pressing their issue, BJP-Shiv Sena combine
stuck to the demand for the fourth day for an immediate
apology from Petroleum Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar for showing
"disrespect" to veteran freedom fighter Veer Savarkar. Both
Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day much
ahead of the schedule amid pandemonium with ruling and opposition
members adamant on their demands. The two houses were adjourned
earlier also for a couple of hours on these issues. RJD
members shouted slogans "Uma Bharti ko Giraftar Karo (Arrest
Uma Bharti)". This was countered by the opposition members
with slogans "Long live Veer Savarkar." Finding members
in an unrelenting mood when the Lok Sabha met again at 3.30
p.m. after two adjournments, Deputy Speaker Charanjit Singh
Atwal adjourned it till Monday. His pleas for the private
members' business to be taken up fell on deaf ears. Similar
unruly scenes prevailed in Rajya Sabha when it met at 1430
hours after a two-hour adjournment to take up private members'
business. With the din showing no signs of abating, Deputy
Chairman K Rehman Khan adjourned the House for the day.
Tamil
Nadu lawyers court arrest (Go
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Chennai:
Hundreds of lawyers in Chennai today courted arrest
against a move by the Madras High Court to impose new code
of conduct on them. The lawyers have been on an indefinite
strike since August 9, protesting against the 25-point court
notification announced earlier this month. Striking lawyers
shouted slogans against the Chief Justice of Madras High
Court, B.Subhasin, and demanded his removal. The notification
by the Madras High Court amended the Advocates' Act and
laid down stringent norms for the lawyers' community. The
notification restrains lawyers from resorting to any form
of agitation anywhere in the court premises. Lawyers are
currently sitting on an indefinite hunger strike in protest
against the codes.
Govt
cuts duty on steel, loses Rs 3.05 bn (Go
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New
Delhi: Close on the heels of slashing duties on petroleum
products, the government today cut customs duty on steel
products, sacrificing Rs.3.05 billion in the current year,
as part of fiscal measures to contain inflation, now inching
towards eight per cent. The import duty on non-alloy steel
other than seconds and defectives was reduced by five per
cent from 10 per cent and on ships for breaking from 15
per cent to 5 per cent. The duty on melting scraps for iron
and steel other than stainless steel, which at present attract
five per cent, has been abolished. The notification on the
duty cuts was tabled in Parliament today.
Govt
reviews Nepal situation, to give structured assistance
(Go
To Top)
by Ashok Dixit
New
Delhi/Kathmandu: Key Indian government officials met
in the capital todayto review the situation in Nepal arising
out of the crippling Maoist-sponsored blockade of that country's
capital, Kathmandu. The meeting, which lasted for about
45 minutes this afternoon, assumed significance in the wake
of suspect Maoist rebels setting off two bombs in Kathmandu,
on the third day of a blockade of the capital. Two people
were injured, including a policeman who was wounded when
rebels shot at him while he was guarding a government building.
One bomb was planted near the government building and the
other was detonated at an empty police checkpoint on the
outskirts of the city. The rebels are demanding the release
of detained rebels and an inquiry into the killing of others.
Official
sources in Delhi said that a thorough assessment was made
about the blockade's impact. The Maoists, who have been
in control of a vast part of rural Nepal, especially in
the western segment of the country, had last week issued
a statement warning about the impending blockade, and threatened
to take severe action against those opposed to it. Informed
PMO sources said that officials and leaders from Nepal had
been flying to New Delhi to brief the Indian leadership
about the situation in their country from time to time.
The latest Nepalese dignitary to visit was Pashupati Rana,
who called on External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh,
National Security Advisor J.N. Dixit and Foreign Secretary
Shyam Saran earlier this week. All three were reportedly
briefed about the socio-economic and political impact of
the blockade. Sources informed that Rana had also come to
make an assessment of how far New Delhi was ready to go
in offering help to Kathmandu. He was told that the Indian
Government would give " structured assistance to Nepal as
and when required."
Nepal's
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is likely to visit New
Delhi in the first half of next month, the sources also
confirmed. Meanwhile, in a related development, Nepal's
business leaders have called for an immediate ceasefire
and for peace talks between the rebels and the government.
The BBC quoted Binod Bahadur Shrestha, the president of
the Federation of the Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and
Industry as saying that several industries faced possible
closure because of the ongoing blockade. Since Tuesday,
at least 11 large businesses, including a luxury hotel in
Kathmandu have been shut down their operations after the
rebels threatened to target them, he added. The blockade
has led to petrol rationing and a rise in food prices. The
rebels have also threatened to block highways, and this,
has kept drivers off the roads. The Maoist rebels have been
engaged in an armed struggle since 1996 to replace the monarchy
with a communist republic. About 9,000 people have died
in violence between the rebels and security forces since
then.
Rajiv
remembered on his 61st birthday (Go
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New
Delhi: The country remembered former prime minister
Rajiv Gandhi on the occasion of his 61st birth anniversary.
Several functions were organised in the Capital, including
a special prayer meeting at his mausoleum Vir Bhumi. Rajiv's
widow and Congress president Sonia Gandhi was among the
first to pay floral tribute. Her son Rahul, daughter Priyanka
Gandhi and son-in-law Robert Vadra were also present on
the occasion to pay homage. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
unveiled a statue of Rajiv Gandhi in the parliament premises.
A large number of lawmakers paid floral tributes at his
portrait in the Central Hall of Parliament. Rajiv Gandhi
was assassinated on May 21, 1991 at Sriperumbudur by Sri
Lankan Tamil separatists while he was campaigning for general
elections.
Pratima
Kumari blames coaches for doping (Go
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New
Delhi: Disgraced Indian weightlifter Pratima Kumari
who failed the drug test at the Athens Olympics, on Friday
blamed her coaches for conspiring against her and embroiling
her in the doping controversy. "I have a feeling that it
is the joint effort of Leonid Taranenko and Pal Singh Sandhu
to pull me down because I have got so many medals for the
country but was never tested positive. I was the national
champion seven times continuously, I also brought international
medals. Dope tests were done then too but I was always tested
negative," Pratima said on her return to New Delhi. International
Weightlifting Federation had on Thursday suspended Pratima
after she failed out a dope test. Meanwhile, Union Sports
Minister Sunil Dutt said that an inquiry would be launched
into the charges leveled by Pratima against her coaches.
"An inquiry will be conducted to see whether they are at
fault or not. We cannot say anything right now. But definitely
an inquiry will be done," Dutt said.
Shaukat
Aziz takes oath as MNA (Go
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Islamabad:
Pakistan prime minister-designate Shaukat Aziz took
oath as Member of the National Assembly (MNA) here Friday.
NA Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain administered the oath to
Aziz in Urdu. Aziz was elected from two constituencies -
NA-59 Attock- III and NA-229 Tharparkar-I - with a thumping
majority in the recently held by-elections. According to
The News, Aziz has decided to retain his Attock seat and
vacate the Tharparkar constituency.
