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Parliament adjourned till March 9 over Jharkhand

     New Delhi: It is the "Black Day of (Indian) democracy", uttered the Lok Sabha Speaker and adjourned the Parliament till March 9 amidst uproar over the Jharkhand issue by the BJP-led opposition today demanding removal of Governors of Jharkhand and Goa. The House was adjourned for the fourth consecutive day. When the House convened today, the Speaker allowed leader of the Opposition LK Advani to give his statement on the Jharkhand controversy. The moment Advani finished his statement, the NDA- led opposition stormed the well of the House and disrupted proceedings forcing the Speaker to adjourn the Lok Sabha. Earlier, the NDA announced that they wouldn't allow the Parliament to run till the Governors of Jharkhand and Goa were recalled. "Despite all our protests there has been no action on the part of the Centre. The Governors of both States should be recalled and we will not allow functioning of Parliament," BJP deputy leader in Lok Sabha V K Malhotra said after a senior-level NDA meeting. On Thursday night, the NDA had paraded its 41 supporting MLAs before President Kalam in a show of strength that they had the majority but the Jharkhand Governor had outrightly violated the constitutional spirit. The President has summoned Governor Razi and will talk to him today in the Capital.

Ambika Soni re-appointed party`s media dept chief (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: AICC general secretary Ambika Soni has been re-appointed chairperson of party`s media department replacing Girija Vyas who was recently made the chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities. The appointment made by Sonia Gandhi would be with immediate effect, AICC general secretary Janardan Dwiwedi said in a statement. Soni had served the post for over two years till the Lok Sabha polls after which Vyas took over. The sources said, Soni will continue to hold all her earlier assignments including in-charge of Congress president`s office and Jammu and Kashmir affairs.

Detention term of Koirala, Deuba extended (Go To Top)

     Kathmandu: The government of Nepal has extended the term of house arrest of six senior politicians, including two former Prime Ministers, by two months. According to official sources, former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba, along with General Secretary of Nepal Communist Party-UML and members of its standing committee Bharatmohan Adhikari, Chairman of People's Front Nepal Amik Shershan and NC (Democratic) central member Purna Bahadur Khadka will have to be under the house arrest for two more months. After the dismissal of Deuba government and imposition of emergency by King Gyanendra last month, the Royal government has already issued three-month detention orders to 450 leaders and activists. On Thursday, member of Central Working Committee of Nepali Congress, Baldev Sharma Majgaiya, was arrested from his house Kapan. Security personnel also arrested six other workers, including NC's Ramechhap District President Ramchandra Khadka, District Secretary Jhapatraj Bhandari and NC activist and Amnesty Nepal founder member Lokesh Dhakal for taking out peaceful demonstratins against the royal takeover. The house arrest of these policians was due to end this week.

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