New Delhi, May 6, 2009
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Sonia Gandhi's election rallies in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry cancelled
New Delhi: Congress
President Sonia Gandhi's election rallies that were scheduled to be held in Chennai
and Puducherry on Wednesday have been postponed as pro-Sri Lankan Tamil outfits
had threatened to stage demonstrations over UPA's alleged failure to ensure a
ceasefire in Sri Lanka . Gandhi was scheduled to address a rally in Puducherry
this afternoon and in Chennai in the evening. Parliamentary elections will be
held in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on May 13. Ever since the Sri Lankan Army intensified
its offensive against LTTE and confined it to a small strip of land in the embattled
northern part, pro-LTTE outfits have been staging demonstrations, demanding an
immediate ceasefire.
Security
beefed up for fourth phase of elections Top
New
Delhi/Patna/Oraiya (Uttar Pradesh): Tight security arrangements have been
made across the country for the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections to be held
on Thursday. A total of 85 parliamentary constituencies across the states of Bihar,
West Bengal, Haryana , Jammu and Kashmir , Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and New Delhi
will go to polls. A total of 1,315 candidates, including 119 women, are in the
fray in this phase that will witness polling to 85 Lok Sabha seats in eight states
and union territories. Polling for all 25 seats in Rajasthan, 10 in Haryana and
seven in Delhi will be completed in one-go. Prominent among the candidates are
BJP President Rajnath Singh contesting from the Ghaziabad Lok Sabha constituency,
Congress' Pranab Mukherjee from Jangipura, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav from
Mainpuri and RJD chief Lalu Prasad from Saran and Pataliputra. The other prominent
candidates are National Conference's Farooq Abdullah (Srinagar), Congress' Kapil
Sibal (Chandni Chowk), Sachin Pilot (Ajmer), Shekar Suman (Patna Saheb), BJP's
Shatrugan Sinha (Patna Saheb) and HJC's Bhajan Lal (Hisar). In Patna , Border
Security Personnel (BSF) personnel of staged a flag march on the streets of Pataliputra
parliamentary constituency to ensure fair polling. "We want people to know that
we have enough forces and have made proper arrangements for their security so
that they fearlessly cast their votes," said R Malgar Giri, Senior Superintendent
of Police, Patna . Voters said that were satisfied with the security arrangement.
"Administration has made good security arrangements to ensure peaceful polling.
BSF personnel have been deployed. We also want that there should be peaceful polling,"
said Mohammad Miraj Akhtar, a resident. BSF personnel also staged a flag march
in Oraiya region of Uttar Pradesh. The counting of votes will take place on May
16. The 543-member House will be constituted before June 2.
Kashmir
shuts down in poll protest, troops out on patrol Top
Srinagar:
Government forces locked down Kashmir's main city Srinagar on Wednesday to
thwart planned protests against the fourth phase of general elections on Thursday.
Troops patrolled deserted streets in Srinagar , cutting off residential areas
after the separatists called for a two-day strike from Wednesday. Shops and businesses
also remained closed. The boycott call, which was announced before polling day,
is seen as a bid by the separatists to deny New Delhi any credit for holding an
election in Kashmir . " Srinagar is going to polls on May 7, so we have called
for a 50-hour shutdown in Kashmir ," said Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the Chairman
of the hardline faction of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). This is
not the first time the separatists have given a call for poll boycott in Kashmir
. The separatists have had to suffer a major setback after residents defied a
boycott call given by the Hurriyat during the State Assembly polls held in November
2008 and came out in large numbers to cast their votes. A prominent Kashmiri separatist
leader, Sajjad Lone, who had given a call for poll boycott during the state elections,
has decided to contest during these general elections and raise the voices of
Kashmiris in Parliament. Besides the Congress party and the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), the National Conference (NC) and the People''s Democratic Party (PDP) are
also contesting the elections.
Kasab
charged with waging war against India Top
Mumbai:
A special court on Wednesday charged Mohammed Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone survivor
of the Mumbai terror attacks, with waging war against India. Eight-six charges,
including common and individual were framed against Kasab by the special court.
He was also charged under the Explosives Act and the Arms Act. Charges were also
framed against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Custom
Act, the Foreigners Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Properties Act, conspiracy,
murder, attempt to murder and causing grievous injury. Kasab pleaded not guilty
to the charges framed against him by the special court. "I do not accept the charges,"
he said. A trial court on Tuesday obtained sanctions from the Centre and the Maharashtra
Government to prosecute Kasab and two others. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal
Nikam filed "sanctions" that pertain to offences such as waging war against the
nation, violation of Customs Act (by illegally bringing firearms to India), infringement
of Explosives Act and Explosives Substances Act (using explosives) and Arms Act
(opening fire with sophisticated weapons. The Judge M L Tahaliyani accepted the
"sanctions" and said the court would frame charges against the trio after considering
the material against them. Nikam informed the court that the prosecution had obtained
sanction from the Customs Department to prosecute Kasab under Customs Act. Kasab
and his Pakistani associates had brought arms illegally to India to strike terror
in Mumbai, the prosecutor said. The Union Government has also given sanction to
prosecute Kasab and others under IPC for "waging war against the nation".
CBI arrests CRPF IG in recruitment scam
Top
Kolkata:
The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested an Inspector General
of the CRPF along with a commandant of the force for alleged corruption and bungling
in the recruitment of personnel for the anti-naxal force COBRA. According to sources,
the CBI made several arrests after conducting searches at 20 locations spread
across Bihar, Jharkhand, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab in connection with
the scam. The alleged kingpins of the scam, IG Bihar Pushkar Singh, commandant
Yajbinder Singh and CRPF constable Mukesh Kumar, were arrested in Bihar and Jharkhand
The CBI had allegedly recovered over 23 lakh rupees from Pushkar Singh's residence
on Tuesday during a search. Others arrested include Kumar's wife Swati and four
other touts, they said, alleging that another 70 lakh rupees were recovered from
the possession of Swati. The agency reportedly recovered documents of immovable
properties and papers relating to accounts of payments and records of various
aspirants. The CBI said the touts use to allegedly contact the aspirants and assure
them of a job in exchange for huge sums of money. A CBI spokesperson said the
alleged conspiracy was being executed by a network of touts spread across the
five states, who had contacts with senior officials of the force. Earlier, the
CBI had arrested the force's DIG in Lucknow, a head constable and a tout, who
were following a similar modus operandi. In the scam, if a candidate was not selected
even after the full payment, the money was given back by the touts. The CBI is
closely monitoring the recruitment process of the paramilitary force after its
former Director General VK Joshi wrote to the agency last year to do so to check
any misconduct.
Naxal
attack kills 11 in Chhattisgarh Top
Dantewada: A landmine
blast triggered by naxalites has killed 11 persons including two CRPF personnel
and five special police officers (SPOs) in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district.
“The incident took place at Sirguda village in Bastar region under Injram police
station area, when naxals blew up a tractor carrying the SPOs and jawans,” Inspector
General of Police A N Upadhyaya said. Those killed include four civilians. “The
blast occurred when a joint patrol team of CRPF, district police force and special
police officers, sent to Bhejji village, were returning from their duty in a tractor
carrying some civilians,” Upadhyaya said. Three other SPOs were also injured in
the naxal attack. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital in Injram.
The police officer further informed that an additional police force has been sent
to the spot to take stock of the situation. A helicopter has also been sent for
rescue operations.
Nepal
House session obstructed, postponed for Sunday Top
Kathmandu:
The Nepal Legislature Parliament session of the House was put off for the
second consecutive day on Wednesday after the Unified CPN (Maoist) lawmakers chanted
slogans against President Ram Baran Yadav's move. The proceedings of the legislature
parliament was postponed for Sunday. Dubbing the President's order to reinstate
the 'sacked' Chief of Army Staff General Rookmangud Katawal, as unconstitutional,
Maoist lawmakers obstructed the House session yesterday as well. They warned that
they would continue to obstruct House business until President Yadav corrects
his decision and General Katawal gets sacked. Meanwhile, two Maoist activists
were injured as police resorted to a baton charge and fired tear gas shells during
a protests rally. Maoist supporters pelted stones at the police near the Ghantaghar
area when the latter tried to disperse the crowd protesting against President
Yadav's move. However, the Chairman of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum, Upendra
Yadav, called for a consensus and cooperation among all political parties while
forming the new government to give a way out of the current turmoil. Talking to
mediapersons here, Yadav said his party would make efforts to build a consensus
among the parties, adding that his party will support whoever can gather the majority
to form the government. Earlier, in his first political meeting after his resignation,
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' held discussions with CPN (UML)
leader Jhala Nath Khanal. During an hour-long meeting here, the duo discussed
improving relations between the two parties, formation of the new government and
the Constitution making process. Meanwhile, senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai
said the party will ask President Yadav for his resignation if he doesn't rectify
his "unconstitutional" move and uphold civilian supremacy by sacking the Army
chief. "If he doesn't correct his move then his fate will be similar to former
king Gyanendra," Nepalnews quoted him, as saying He also claimed that there is
less possibility of the new government being formed anytime soon because the Maoists
have already intensified their street protest and struggle in the parliament against
the President's move.
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