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Ramzan beckons midnight shopping and feasting LUCKNOW, Nov 4: Nights in Lucknow are abuzz with activity in the holy month of Ramzan with midnight feasting and shopping on till the time of .....more Police launches drive against unauthorised sale of crackers NEW DELHI, Nov 4: The Delhi Police has launched a drive against unauthorised sale of crackers during Diwali . ......more RSS meet begins today, crucial for Advani, BJP HARDWAR, Nov 4: The two-day meeting of the RSS national excutive begins ....more ‘Take steps to vacate HC stay’, Sudheeran tells UDF Govt KOZHIKODE, Nov 4: Congress leader V M Sudheeran today asked the UDF Government in Kerala to initiate steps to.....more |
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Politicians never at a loss for words in Tamil Nadu CHENNAI, Nov 4: Politicians are never at a loss for words, especially when trying to put down their rivals and Tamil Nadu, where the two major Dravidian ......more Urban
renewal mission NEW DELHI, Nov 4: The Centre is seriously planing to do away with forced eviction and provide housing to the urban poor ......more Sex scandal victim blame NGO of forcing her to accuse minister KOZHIKODE, Nov 4: In a volte-face, a prime witness in the sensational ice cream .....more 3 % quota for sports persons in Haryana police CHANDIGARH, Nov 3: The Haryana Government today decided to reserve three per cent posts for outstanding sports persons in the direct recruitment ......more |
| SC expresses displeasure over CCI;
seeks changes ..... Yogesh Chandra Committee to submit report on land scam by Nov end ........... Centre
ratifies mutual legal assistance treaty with US ...... |
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Ramzan beckons midnight shopping and feasting LUCKNOW, Nov 4: Nights in Lucknow are abuzz with activity in the holy month of Ramzan with midnight feasting and shopping on till the time of ‘Sehri’, that marks the start of the day’s Roza. With EID round the corner, shops in the congested lanes and bylanes in the old city here are open during the night to welcome shoppers, a centuries old tradition that refuses to fade. Lucknow boasts of a sizeable Muslim population comprising Shia and Sunni sects. Markets in areas including Akbari Gate, Nakhas, Chowk, Maulvi Ganj and Victoria Street have continued with the legacy and their outlets are a chock-a-block in the night as the daytime in Ramzan. The old age charm beckons and nostalgia overwhelms as one strolls down the dusty pathway on a cold November night with the Aroma of delectable Kebabs and Biryani, colourful ‘topis’, burqas, perfumery and ornaments presenting an illusion of a bygone Nawabi era. And for tickling the taste-buds, a mouth watering variety of Kebabs Viz Seekh, Shami, Kakori, Boti, apart from Sewain (vermicelli) and other Awadhi cuisine like nahari, kulcha, phirni are available. The famous bird market of old city also does brisk business during this time with sale of parrots and pigeons moving north. Even the Burqa-clad women make most of the occasion during Ramzan to venture out in late hours and splurge in preparation for the most pious day in the Islamic calendar. A spectacular feature of these midnight bazaars is that shopkeepers, whether Hindu or Muslim, generously donate a part of their earnings to nearby Mosques. Ramzan is also marked by acts of charity. Eid over the years has transcended religious boundaries to strengthen the bond between Hindus and Muslims and acquired a cosmopolitan character like Diwali and Christmas. Interestingly, ‘Iftar’ a feast to break ‘Roza’ by a devout Muslim, are increasingly being hosted by Hindus also apart from politicians of all hues. These are not only attended by ‘Rozedars’ but even the majority community members join their Muslim brethren to observe the ritual with piety. Along with Diwali melas, several EID melas are routinely organised around this time of the year that only strengthens the Hindu-Muslim bond. However, some feel iftars have transformed into social dos rather than a solemn affair, with rich and famous hosting such parties in star hotels, which end high on pomp than religious fervour. Babri Masjid Action Committee (AMAC) convenor Zafaryab Jeelani said the Iftars hosted by politicians smacked more of politics than religion, but at the same time it does not fail to bring people closer. At a time when racialism is spreading its tentacles in society, festivals like eid help soothe weathered souls and bring people closer reaffirming their faith in humanity — and the almighty. (UNI) |
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Police launches drive against unauthorised sale of crackers NEW DELHI, Nov 4: The Delhi Police has launched a drive against unauthorised sale of crackers during Diwali and constituted four flying squads for this purpose. The flying squads each headed by an assistant Commissioner conducts surprise checks at the premises which have been granted temporary licences for the sale of crackers. During the surprise checks conducted at 74 premises in the past two days, these squads have notices violation of terms and conditions at four premises. Licences of three premises have been cancelled and suspended at one for different violations. Meanwhile, an awareness campaign about how to ‘celebrate a safe and happy Diwali’ has been launched by an NGO Loss Prevention Association of India Ltd. The NGO, which has been educating people for the past 25 years on the safe methods of handling fire-crackers during diwali, advised parents and children to observe safety guidelines to prevent any untoward incident. "Every year accident and burn injuries occur during Diwali due to carelessness or ignorance. These can be prevented if safety precautions are observed," the NGO said. It advised people to buy fire-crackers only from authorised shops and never allow children to buy the crackers. Fireworks should always be stored safely away from the open flame or other heat source and keep lighted candles, oil lamps way from crackers or curtains or any other combustible material. Light fireworks outside the house only in open areas and children have been asked to tuck or fold the loose flowing clothes properly before lighting the crackers in a proper way. Cotton and tight fitting clothes are safer. Parents have been asked to keep a watch on their children and do not give them all the stock of crackers in one go. "Never allow children to light dangerous crackers or allow them to return to the firework once lit. Caution them not to use unburnt crackers for lighting together as bon fire and in case they do it douse it with water. Always keep a bucket of water handy." Most importantly, parents should not show unsafe ways of lighting the crackers as children imitate their elders and ultimately get injured. These can be prevented if safety precautions are observed. A drive against bootleggers has also been launched by the police during the festival season. During the drive, a total of 143 cases have been registered under the Excise Act since October 16 and 1177 bottles of illegal liquor seized from the different parts of the west district of Delhi. (UNI) |
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RSS meet begins today, crucial for Advani, BJP HARDWAR, Nov 4: The two-day meeting of the RSS national excutive begins tomorrow to chalk out the Sangh’s national agenda for the future in the backdrop of the BJP’s debacle in the Lok Sabha and the recent Maharashtra Assembly elections. More than 250 functionaries from across the country, including representatives from 40 parivar organisations such as the BJP, the VHP and the Swadeshi Jagran Manch, would take part in the meeting of the Akhil Bharatiya Karya Karini Mandal, the top executive body of the RSS. While RSS chief K S Sudershan, general secretary Mohan Bhagwat, joint general secretary Madan Das Devi and ideologue H V Sheshadari will be among the top leaders of the sangh to attend the conclave, the BJP will be represented by its newly-appointed president L K Advani and general secretary (organisation) Sanjay Singh. Also in attendance will be VHP president Ashok Singhal and its firebrand general secretary Praveen Togadia. It is expected the RSS would ask the BJP to remain firm on its ideology and pursue the ‘Hindutva’ agenda vigorously in order to be a ‘party with a difference’. From Mr Advani, who is facing criticism from the NDA allies such as the JD(U) for invoking the temple issue, and from the VHP whose chief has called him a "stop-gap" arrangement at the party’s helm, the meeting would provide an opportunity to ask the RSS to soften its stand on Hindutva to help the party meet the compulsions of coalition politics. The meeting is also expected to be stormy as the VHP, which has alleged that the BJP has failed to meet the aspirations of the Hindus, would urge the sangh to float a new Hindu political forum. The other important items on the agenda are Bangladeshi infiltration, religious conversion and changing demographic profiles. The RSS is of the view that the infiltration of Bangladeshis is a security threat to India and must be stopped immediately. At the meeting, the RSS will also express its strong concern over conversion by Christian missionaries and the census figures that show an increase in the population of Muslims. It feels that Hindus would become a minority community in India by 2060 if steps are not taken to stop the population boom in Muslims and Christians. The functioning of the Parivar organisations and strengthening of the cadres in the changed political scenario will also be the focus of the meeting. The conclave will also review the preparations for the celebrations of the birth centenary of RSS ideologue M S Golwarkar, the second chief of the Sangh. (UNI) ‘Take steps to vacate HC stay’, Sudheeran tells UDF Govt KOZHIKODE, Nov 4: Congress leader V M Sudheeran today asked the UDF Government in Kerala to initiate steps to vacate the High Court stay in the 1996 ice cream parlour sex racket case or hand it over to the CBI in the wake of fresh charges of sexual abuse made by a victim against State Industries Minister, P K Kunhalikutty. Flaying the UDF leadership for its failure to discuss the new developments ‘that have now become the subject matter of a public debate’ in its Liaison committee meet, he said there were very few options before the Government on the issue now. ‘The Government should either facilitate continuation of the case by taking steps to vacate the stay or else decide to hand over the case to the CBI,’ Sudheeran told reporters after visiting the ‘indiavision’ private TV channel office here. Claiming that efforts were on to suppress the case in view of fresh revelations made by the woman, Rejina and in the light of the new disclosures by former chairpersons of the State Assembly committee on Women and Children’s Welfare and Women’s Commission, he said the rule of law was applicable to everyone. ‘There is prima facie evidence to reopen the case and the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy’s remarks that the issue is a closed chapter is quite unfortunate,’ he said, adding if Chandy was really interested to let the law take its own course, the Government’s efforts should be to get the stay vacated. Sudheeran said that he feared that the case might take a U-turn like what had happened in the Best Bakery case where the key witness had now retracted her statement. ‘When people holding high positions are afraid to come out in the open against Kunhalikutty, what can we expect from the woman,’ he said, adding attempts were being made to ‘nullify’ the case. Accusing the previous CPI(M)-led LDF Government, during whose term the case came to light, of failure to handle the issue properly, Sudheeran said ‘the Congress and the UDF will also be found fault with if the same trend continues.’ Referring to the recent attacks on mediapersons, he said ‘such widespread attacks on newspersons are unheard of in independent India.’ ‘While innocent persons should not be punished in the case, at the same time it has to be ensured that the real accused is also not allowed to escape,’ he added. (PTI) |
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3 % quota for sports persons in Haryana police CHANDIGARH, Nov 3: The Haryana Government today decided to reserve three per cent posts for outstanding sports persons in the direct recruitment quota meant for Inspectors, sub-Inspectors and constables in police department for the promotion of sports in the state. The Haryana cabinet, which met here today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, decided to amend Punjab Police Rules, 1934. The revised rules would be known as Punjab Police (Haryana amendment) rules, 2004. The BSF, CRPF and CISF have also made provisions for appointment of outstanding sports persons at senior ranks. According to the amendment, 10 per cent of the posts of Inspectors would be filled up by direct recruitment, out of which three per cent of the posts would be filled up from among the outstanding sports persons who are recipients of Arjun award of Government of India or Bhim award of Haryana Government or gold medalists in state championship and winners of any of first three positions in national championship and also winner of any of first three positions in international tournament or championship. In case of sub-Inspector, 50 per cent of the posts would be filled up by direct recruitment, out of which three per cent of the posts would be filled up from the outstanding sports persons who are recipient of Arjun award or Bhim award or gold medalist in state championship and winner of any of first three positions in national championship. The age of the outstanding sports persons should not be less than 18 years or more than 27 years for recruitment. The candidate for recruitment as constable should have a minimum height of five feet nine inches and normal chest measurement of 33 inches with expansion of 1.5 inches. The candidates beloning to ex-servicemen, Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes categories would be given relaxation in physical standards to the extent of one inch in height and one inch in chest measurement. Suitable relaxation in height and chest would be granted by the Director General of Police for recruitment of outstanding sports persons for the reasons to be recorded in writing. The minimum educational qualifications for a candidate to be eligible for selection as a constable would be 10"2 for both general and Backward Classes category and matric for Scheduled Tribes, ex-servicemen and outstanding sports persons category. All vacancies in the rank of constables would be filled up by direct recruitment, out of which three per cent would be filled up from outstanding sports persons. It was decided to introduce separate physical efficiency test for ex-servicemen and women with a view to streamlining the recruitment process. (UNI) |
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SC expresses displeasure over CCI; seeks changes NEW DELHI, Nov 3: Controversy over the composition of the Competition Commission of India (CCI) today blew up with the Supreme Court questioning the idea of an expert body with adjudicatory functions being headed by a bureaucrat. The court asked Government counsel Vivek Tankha to submit within three weeks the amendments proposed by the Centre on the question of whether adjudication functions be given to an expert body like CCI, whether the judiciary should have primacy in choosing the chairperson of the CCI and whether the Government should have the right to dissolve it. A bench comprising Chief Justice R C Lahoti, Justice G P Mathur and Justice P K Balasubramanyam, which posted the matter for further hearing on November 29, observed that if the experts were to take over the task of judicial adjudication then the Government could be well within its right to appoint Police Commissioners as sessions judges! These observations from the Chief Justice of India (CJI) came on a petition filed by Brahm Datt whose counsel R K Jain had contended that the composition of the CCI and the power with the Government to choose its chairperson amounted to usurpation of judicial functions by the executive. He had argued that the chairperson should be retired Judge who should be selected either by the CJI or his nominee. Former Chief Justice V N Khare, while heading a bench of the Supreme Court hearing the matter, had first raised the objection to the competition act proposing the CCI to be headed by a bureaucrat and said "if the Government had its way it would abolish all courts and replace even the Judges of the Supreme Court by bureaucrats". The Supreme Court had earlier allowed the CCI to come into existence but stayed the body from discharging any of its quasi-judicial functions rendering it to perform only administrative work. The PIL filed by Datt has challenged the constitutional validity of the Competition Act, 2002 which envisaged setting up of the Controversial Competition Commission of India (CCI) headed by a bureaucrat instead of a retired Judge. Jain contended that most of the functions carried out by the CCI were adjudicatory in nature and the executive could not be permitted to entrust such a function to a bureaucrat without any judicial training. He said general public should have a confidence in the system of selection of the chairperson of the commission which could alone be sustained by giving primacy to the opinion of the Chief Justice in the choice of the chairperson. Tankha said the Government is proposing certain amendments by which the CCI would remain an expert body and the appeal would lie before an appellate authority headed by a retired Judge instead of the original provision where appeal was to be made before the Supreme Court. Moreover, the executing court for the orders and decrees passed by the CCI would be civil courts instead of the High Court, he added. However, the court did not appear to be satisfied with the arguments advanced by the Centre and sought its concrete stand on the issue. (PTI) Yogesh Chandra Committee to submit report on land scam by Nov end NEW DELHI, Nov 3: The Yogesh Chandra Committee, probing the large scale irregularities in allotment of land in the national capital during the NDA regime, will submit its interim report to the Government by November end. "We have already scrutinised 172 of the 225 allotments to various Government agencies, social, religious and cultural organisations and political parties from 1999 to 2003. The interim report will be ready this month end," committee chairman Yogesh Chandra told UNI. However, it would take more time to formulate norms regarding the allotment of land in future as it would entail detailed discussions with various Government agencies like the Delhi Development Corporation, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, NDMC, Central Vigilance Commission and Land and Development Office, he said. Of the 225 cases under investigations, 31 concerned the Central Government offices, including ministries, 15 were regarding the Delhi Government, 18 to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation and 23 semi Government and Public Sector Organisations and 38 were of NDMC and MCD. But the main thrust of the probe would be on 100 cases including allotments made to 17 religious organisations, 26 educational institutes, 55 social and cultural institutions and two to political parties, Mr Chandra said. "We are not out to do witch hunting, that is why all the organisations to whom the land was allotted are under scrutiny. We want to be fair to everybody, but there is a general perception that even the existing provisions regarding land allotment were not followed properly. This needs to be probed and guidelines formulated for future allotments," he observed. The committee has already visited 172 sites and completed its scrutiny to find out "if any procedural lapse was made or malafide committed in view to benefit certain parties." however, any action regarding cancellation or revocation of allotment would depend on the Government. Among the beneficiaries of the land allotments to religious organisations by the NDA regime were RSS, VHP, Guru Singh Sabha, Raghvendra Swami Math and Arya Pradeshik Pratinidhi Sabha which got land for the construction of a temple that had been demolished earlier. The educational institutions beneficiaries are Samarth Saksha Samiti, a body affiliated to the Sangh Parivar, which got land allotted at five places including 1.5 acres at Vasant Vihar, 1.6 acre at Aram Bagh, 3.37 acre at M B Road and 0.8 acre at Amar colony. Delhi Public School got land at R K Puram and M B Road while Vaish Aggarwal Soceity got 4 acres land at M B Road. Two cases under probe are the allotment of 1.8 acres land to BJP between the Rajendra Prasad road and Raisena road and 0.233 acres at rouse avenue. As per initial estimates, the value of land allotted to these religious, social and cultural institutes, including those affiliated to Sangh Parivar, is Rs 27,000 crore as per the present market rate. However, the concessional rate fixed by Government in April 1998 was Rs 88 lakh per acre. (UNI) Centre ratifies mutual legal assistance treaty with US NEW DELHI, Nov 3: Government today ratified a mutual legal assistance treaty in criminal matters with United States which will have certain conditions applicable on a reciprocal basis to avoid unilateral use. According to the treaty, ratified by the a meeting of the Union Cabinet, assistance provided under it by India shall not be transferred to or otherwise used to assist any international court or tribunal, unless New Delhi expressly accepted their jurisdiction. An official spokesperson said after the meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the assistance shall be denied if according to information available to India, any official of the requesting state having access to the information is engaged in felony, including the facilitation of the production or distribution of illegal drugs. Under the third condition, no action under the treaty could be taken in contravention of the Indian constitution, the spokesperson said. She said the conditions would be applied on reciprocal basis, avoiding unilateral use. The cabinet also approved a proposal for signing an agreement to establish a Joint Commission of Cooperation between India and Norway. The agreement signed on July six this year between External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh and Norway’s Foreign Minister Jan Peterson during the Norwegian’s visit to India, shall continue to be in force unless either country terminated it by giving six months prior notice. The spokesperson said the agreement will not be interpreted to the detriment of other cooperation agreements between the two countries or any other international obligations. She said the accord will lead to closer cooperation between India and Norway in political, economic, commercial, energy, environmental, scientific, technological, educational and cultural fields. (PTI) |
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