Friday, April 23, 2010

Daily Latest News

Daily Latest News

Happy Birthday Sachin Tendulkar, Tum Jiyo Hajaaro Saal

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 11:46 AM PDT

Sachin's Birthday Celebrations

Sachin's Birthday Celebrations

Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar turned 37 today & Bollywood artists showed their love & appreciation for the cricket genius & wished him a lengthy innings at the crease of life along with Happy Birthday wish.

“Wish you a very happy birthday and we wish to see many more hundreds, many more 200s actually,” Shilpa Shetty, owner of Rajasthan Royals IPL team, told reporters at the IPL awards, hosted by director-producer Karan Johar here at Grand Hyatt hotel.

Shilpa was present along with her husband Raj Kundra.

Actor Arjun Rampal said: “I wish him that he never gete older and keeps playing for the country.”

Actress Amrita Rao said that she fell in love with the game because of Sachin.

“It’s because of Sachin I started taking interest in the game and finally fell in love with cricket. I am really, really so proud of his consistent career and I wish him all the best,” said Amrita.

The IPL Awards was attended by every team player of the IPL. A.R Rehamn enthralled the audience with his performance in this newly-started award ceremony for the cricketers.

Click here wish Sachin Tendulkar a very Happy Birthday.

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Dance India Dance Season 2 winner is Shakti, Dharmesh 2nd

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 11:37 AM PDT

Shakti

Shakti

Following many weeks of strong competition, Shakti was declared the victor of Zee TV’s reality program “Dance India Dance” season 2 at the magnificent finale in Mumbai on Friday night.

Shakti who is from Terrence Lewis’ team, “Terrence Ki Toli” won with 7, 34, 140 votes and beat other finalists including Punit Pathak, Dharmesh Yelande and Binny Sharma to claim the spot. While Dharmesh bagged the second position, Punit was third.

“The journey has been really awesome. It is all thanks to Terrence sir that I have come so far and got a chance to wear the sunehri takdeer ki topi (Golden hat). He is a mind blowing guru and I will be seeking advice from him regarding whatever I do in future. It just feels great – from being nobody to being somebody,” Shakti told reporters.

She also added that though she is a pro in contemporary dancing, she hopes to master hip-hop and kathak to be a versatile dancer.

The 24-year-old, who received the award from Pt. Birju Maharaj, in addition to the trophy, won a contract worth Rs.50 lakh and a WagonR car.

The show was graced by actor Mithun Chakraborty, grand master of the show, and masters Geeta Kapoor, Terrence Lewis and Remo D’Souza, at the Andheri Sports Complex here.

~ Rest Continues Below ~

Also present were choreographer-director Farah Khan, who has promised the winner a chance to feature in the promotional video of her forthcoming film “Tees Maar Khan”, choreographer Sandip Soparrkar and actor Manoj Bajpai and director Prakash Jha, who were here with Bollywood actor Ranbir Kapoor to promote their upcoming movie “Rajneeti”.

The channel will now launch its first junior version of “Dance India Dance” with Farah and Soparrkar as judges.

Winner Announcement Below (Watch Full Episode)-

Shakti – Winner of Dance India Dance Season 2, Women Power wins

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 11:25 AM PDT

Shakti - Winner of Dance India Dance

Shakti - Winner of Dance India Dance Season 2

Dance India Dance Season 2 finale Winner is Shakti from Terence ki Toli. She has become the first women to get the 1st position in the Dance India Dance. It was a grand show tonight, all the participants performed in the live show on Zee TV.

Shakti is the 1st prize winner and India's biggest dancing star on Dance India Dance season 2 on Zee TV.

Dharmesh sir, who was also the favorite among the show fans came 2nd. 3rd was Punit and Binny was at the 4th position.

Shakti was also awarded newly launched Maruti Suzuki Wagon R al;ong with the prize money for the 1st position. Punit was awarded 1 lac rs as he was at the 3rd position.

Click here to Read full story about the friday night grand finale of Dance India Dance.

Winner Announcement Below (Watch Full Episode)-

22 dies after consuming spurious liquor in Indonesia

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:22 PM PDT

Jakarta, April 23 (IANS) At least 22 people have died and 300 fell sick after consuming spurious liquor in Indonesia’s Central Java province, Xinhua reported Friday.

The toll is likely to increase. Police said the victims bought the liquor from a resident in Salatiga April 16.

People were admitted to hospital when they suffered nausea, breathing difficulties and headaches after drinking the spurious liquor. The first death was reported April 18.

The seller could face a jail sentence of up to 15 years.

Jakarta, April 23 (IANS) At least 22 people have died and 300 fell sick after consuming spurious liquor in Indonesia’s Central Java province, Xinhua reported Friday.

Mumbai Coast Guard evacuates two injured crew from sea

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:22 PM PDT

Mumbai, April 23 (IANS) The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) here has rescued a Chinese and an Indian from the sea in the last four days, a defence spokesperson said Friday.

‘We received the first distress message Wednesday afternoon from MV RBD Shanghai, flagged Republic of Liberia, operating at a distance of 480 NM from Mumbai for medical aid to its crew named Wang Shu Jun who was suffering from chemical liquid spray into one eye,’ said the spokesperson.

Jun, 37, required immediate medical aid. The INS was activated by the MRCC Mumbai for the vessels having doctor/medical assistant onboard transiting in area.

‘The vessel was instructed to head for the nearest port Mormugao and Maritime Rescue Sub-Coordination Centre, Goa, was requested for saving crew life through immediate evacuation,’ said the spokesperson.

An Indian Naval helicopter was launched and Jun was airlifted and evacuated.

In a similar incident, the MRCC received a distress alert from a merchant vessel MT Dorado, flagged Liberia, Thursday evening.

‘The alert was regarding medical evacuation of injured Indian crew named Shaukat Phakir Mohd Qadir. His right leg was broken. The vessel was operating 260 NM from Porbandar and heading for Vadinar, Gujarat,’ the spokesperson said.

The Maritime Rescue Sub-Coordination Centre, Porbandar, was requested by MRCC Mumbai for immediate medical evacuation of the injured crew.

Mumbai, April 23 (IANS) The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) here has rescued a Chinese and an Indian from the sea in the last four days, a defence spokesperson said Friday.

Four Maoists held in Chhattisgarh

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:21 PM PDT

Raipur, April 23 (IANS) Four Maoist guerrillas were arrested Friday from a thickly forested area of Chhattisgarh’s restive Bastar region, police said.

A police search contingent raided a forested hamlet Durgkondal in Kanker district, some 320 km south of capital Raipur, and arrested four guerrillas – Sundarlal, Sukalu, Narayan and Kamlesh.

An official here at police headquarters said the rebels were involved in several attacks in Bastar region and that the police were looking for them for the past three years.

Raipur, April 23 (IANS) Four Maoist guerrillas were arrested Friday from a thickly forested area of Chhattisgarh’s restive Bastar region, police said.

Congress flays Modi government over Swarnim Gujarat

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:20 PM PDT

Gandhinagar, April 23 (IANS) The Congress Friday criticised the Narendra Modi government for its ‘extravagance’ in celebrating the golden jubilee of Gujarat, and said the money could instead have been spent on providing relief to the people.

‘Crores of rupees are being paid to a Mumbai orchestra for a one minute song. Instead, adequate salary could be paid to existing government employees recruited on subsistence wages. The pride of Gujarat is in celebrating the golden jubilee of the state in a simple and sombre manner,’ said Congress’s Shaktisinh Gohil, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly.

The Congress attacked the government for spending Rs.250 lakh on illuminations for the Swarnim Gujarat celebrations. It said the government could have instead provided free electricity to widows for one year.

‘Gujarat is known for simplicity and humility. Squandering money and exhibition of morbid ego is not the culture of Gujarat. A party can spend money from its funds, but it cannot waste public money,’ Gohil said.

Gandhinagar, April 23 (IANS) The Congress Friday criticised the Narendra Modi government for its ‘extravagance’ in celebrating the golden jubilee of Gujarat, and said the money could instead have been spent on providing relief to the people.

Now Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa attract 3G spectrum bidders

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:20 PM PDT

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir and Orissa attracted bidders for the first time Friday as India concluded 70 rounds of spectrum auction for third generation telecom services in the country. The provisional winning price for a nationwide licence reached Rs.7,599.08 crore ($1.71 billion).

The provisional winning price was 117.2 percent higher than Rs.3,500 crore reserve price fixed by the government.

For the first 11 days of the auction, which began April 9, three states – Jammu and Kashmir, Orissa, Assam – could not attract even a single player.

On the 12th day of the auction Friday, Jammu and Kashmir managed to attract players for one slot against the four available, according to latest data available on the website of Department of Telecommunications.

For Orissa, the demand was equal to three available slots, but Assam once again could not attract even a single player.

Delhi remained the hot favourite amongst bidders, attracting the highest bid at Rs.1,030.72 crore, followed by Mumbai receiving a price of Rs.989.48 crore and Tamil Nadu at Rs.732.13 crore.

The 3G services will facilitate much faster connectivity than what is available now and enable applications such as Internet TV, video-on-demand, audio-video calls and high-speed data exchange.

Slots for three-four players are available in each of the 22 circles into which the country has been geographically divided for these services.

The government has already given Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL) spectrum for 3G services on the condition that they will pay the same licence fee as would be levied on private players after the auction.

Along with the fee that will be eventually paid by the two state-run enterprises for the licences, the government will provisionally get at least Rs.30,755.72 crore ($6.9 billion) from the auction.

This is on the presumption that every available slot gets filled at the provisionally approved price.

The government hopes to rake in Rs.45,000-50,000 crore ($10.13 billion-$11.25 billion) from the ongoing auctions to award radio frequency spectrum for 3G telecom services and for rolling out broadband wireless internet services.

Nine telecom companies — Bharti Airtel, Reliance Communications, Vodafone Essar, Idea Cellular, Tata Teleservices, Aircel, Etisalat, S Tel and Videocon Telecommunications –are participating in the online auction process.

It is a simultaneous auction for 22 circles over a secure website. At each round, the price is hiked from between 10-1 percent based on demand.

The auction is being held from 9 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. on all days, except Sundays and national holidays. The process will end only when the demand is equal to the number of slots available in each circle.

The bid data, including the winning companies’ names, will be made public after the auction’s completion and approval by the government. The winning firms will have to deposit the money within 10 days after the auction.

The successful bidders would be allowed to offer 3G services on a commercial basis from Sep 1.

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir and Orissa attracted bidders for the first time Friday as India concluded 70 rounds of spectrum auction for third generation telecom services in the country. The provisional winning price for a nationwide licence reached Rs.7,599.08 crore ($1.71 billion).

D.P.Yadav gets warrant in Katara case witness murder bid

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:20 PM PDT

Ghaziabad, April 23 (IANS) A Ghaziabad court Friday issued a bailable warrant against influential Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav in the case of attempted killing of the main witness in the Nitish Katara murder case. His son Vikas Yadav has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the Katara murder.

The warrant, issued by the chief judicial magistrate’s court, asked police to bring Yadav and two others, including witness Ajay Katara’s former wife, before the court June 1. The warrant followed after the three did not appear in the court on the summons issued to them.

Ajay Katara (no relation to Nitish Katara) lodged a case July 11, 2007, alleging Yadav and five of his henchmen attempted to kill him by administering poison in an eatable.

On his complaint, the Sahibabad police registered a complaint and submitted a charge sheet against four of the accused – Nand Kishore Yadav, Yatendra Nagar, Anuj Sharma and Manoj Sharma. D.P.Yadav’s lawyer argued that the case against Yadav and Salim Khan, earlier named in the FIR, had been withdrawn but police denied this.

Ghaziabad, April 23 (IANS) A Ghaziabad court Friday issued a bailable warrant against influential Uttar Pradesh politician D.P. Yadav in the case of attempted killing of the main witness in the Nitish Katara murder case. His son Vikas Yadav has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the Katara murder.

Australia looking for investors in infrastructure sector

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:19 PM PDT

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Australia wants India to share costs with it in infrastructure projects required to support the mining expansion projects in that country, an official said here Friday.

Damian Papps, director for investments, department of trade & economic development of South Australia, said the country was scouting for investors in India for this.

‘We are looking for Indian companies who will participate in expansion,’ he said at a press conference.

However, Australia was also trying to find partners in the US, Canada, Germany and China. But so far no company has agreed to participate in developing infrastructure projects, Papps said.

BHP Billiton, which controls Olympic Dam – world’s largest uranium ore body – is aiming at becoming the world’s largest producer of uranium ore by 2020. There are investment opportunities lying for India in various such projects, he said.

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Australia wants India to share costs with it in infrastructure projects required to support the mining expansion projects in that country, an official said here Friday.

Gujarat ordered to compensate riot victims made homeless

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:19 PM PDT

Gandhinagar, April 23 (IANS) The Gujarat High Court Friday ordered the state government to compensate and rehabilitate the victims of the 2002 riots as well as other families whose houses were demolished by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in 2009.

A division bench of Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice Akil Kureshi ordered the state government to pay Rs.5,000 to each of the 45 identified families and rehabilitate them by allotting them a plot of land within one week.

Counsel for the petitioners, Amit Panchal, submitted before the court that some of the victims of the 2002 riots were rehabilitated by an NGO which undertook the reconstruction of an entire Siyasat Nagar Colony, near Chandola Talav in Ahmedabad. A total of 172 houses were constructed in the colony by voluntary agencies at a cost of Rs.30 lakh.

However, the whole colony, a madarsa and a school were demolished by the municipal corporation November 3, 2009, without giving any notices to the occupants, and leaving them homeless.

Advocate General Kamal Trivedi submitted that the state government had decided to rehabilitate families except those who were identified as foreign nationals (Bangladeshis).

The court ordered the authorities to file an affidavit as to how many people have been identified as Indian nationals and how many were foreign nationals. The authorities had identified 45 families as Indian nationals.

Gandhinagar, April 23 (IANS) The Gujarat High Court Friday ordered the state government to compensate and rehabilitate the victims of the 2002 riots as well as other families whose houses were demolished by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation in 2009.

US indicts 11 pirates for attacks on its naval ships

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:19 PM PDT

Washington, April 23 (IANS) The US Friday indicted 11 suspected pirates for attacking American naval ships in the Indian Ocean, Xinhua reported.

The indictments were unsealed an hour after the suspects were led into a federal courthouse in Norfolk by US marshals.

Five of the suspects were charged with a March 31 attack on the USS Nicholas, a frigate that had been patrolling off the Somali coast. The pirates allegedly attacked the ship during the night with assault rifles and other weapons, believing it was a merchant vessel.

The other six suspects were charged in the April 10 attack on the USS Ashland, an amphibious landing ship. The six were accused of using assault rifles to fire on the landing ship.

After being held on warships for weeks off Somalia’s pirate-infested coast and nearby regions, the suspects were flown to the US to stand trial. US Justice officials were secretive about the indictment until the last moment.

One of the suspects, who were wearing jail-issued jumpsuits, had a bandaged head. Another was carried into the court building.

Discussions have been ongoing about setting up a special international court to try suspected pirates. Some pirates have been freed after they were captured because no country was willing to put them on trial.

Washington, April 23 (IANS) The US Friday indicted 11 suspected pirates for attacking American naval ships in the Indian Ocean, Xinhua reported.

Drugs virtually non-existent in Goa, says senior cop

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:18 PM PDT

Panaji, April 23 (IANS) Drugs are virtually non-existent in Goa, state Director General of Police (DGP) Bhimsain Bassi said Friday.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a police felicitation function late Friday evening, Bassi said the state anti-narcotics cell (ANC) had been cracking down on narcotics trade in Goa.

‘We have practiced a no-tolerance attitude towards big time operator in Goa. I can say with confidence that drugs are virtually non-existent in Goa now,’ Bassi said, adding that the Goa police were hitting the drug runners hard.

Bassi said Goa was not a drug transit or a drug producing state.

‘Goa is a victim state. We will keep sustained pressure on any drug related activities,’ the DGP said.

Bassi’s statement is a hark back to a similar statement by Goa Home Minister Ravi Naik some months back when he had said there were no drugs in Goa.

Within a week of the home minister’s ‘no drugs’ rhetoric, the Goa police had embarked on a series of raids which culminated in the arrest of notorious drug dealer David Driham alias Dudu, who was known for his links to politicians, policemen and journalists.

Six police officers, including a senior police inspector, were also arrested in connection with the arrest of another Israeli drug dealer Yaniv Benaim alias Atala last month.

Panaji, April 23 (IANS) Drugs are virtually non-existent in Goa, state Director General of Police (DGP) Bhimsain Bassi said Friday.

Congress keeps off NCP over IPL row, but strains appear

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:18 PM PDT

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) With senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders facing questions in the wake of the Indian Premier League controversy, the Congress has been avoiding answering questions on the ticklish issue concerning its ally, and cancelled its regular briefing for the second consecutive day Friday.

‘An investigation is being conducted (into the IPL finances). It will be premature to speak before the final report comes,’ Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told IANS.

The Congress cancelled its regular briefing Friday in an apparent move to avoid answering questions related to the NCP leaders.

Though the NCP too has officially denied that the Congress is gunning for its leaders, strains between the two parties’ relations were obvious Friday.

NCP sources indicated that some Congress leaders from Maharashtra wanted to embarrass the party over the IPL row. The sources said that sections in the Congress want to tighten the screws on the NCP and assume the driver’s seat in the alliance.

NCP sources said they were concerned about any damage to the image and credibility of party leaders in the wake of alleged linkages with the IPL.

The party Thursday emphatically denied that any of its leaders had any financial involvement in the IPL.

However, officially, the Congress denied any rift with the NCP.

‘The NCP has been an ally of the Congress in Maharashtra for the last 11 years. They have been part of the UPA for the last six years,’ party leader Manish Tewari said.

Admitting that the government’s determination to go to the bottom of the IPL controversy may have created some apprehensions in the NCP, Congress sources said relations with the NCP will not come to a breaking point.

They said the two were partners in governments at the centre and in two states and the precarious numbers of the ruling coalition in the present scenario rule out any scope of adventurism. They said NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s influence could not be measured only by the number of his party MPs in parliament.

‘It’s mutual dependence rather than mutual affection that demands adjustment (with NCP),’ a Congress minister said.

The NCP has been upset over reports in the media linking some of its top leaders to the controversies surrounding the IPL.

After reports of Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s proximity to IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, party leaders Praful Patel and Supriya Sule have come under scrutiny for their alleged links to the IPL.

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) With senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders facing questions in the wake of the Indian Premier League controversy, the Congress has been avoiding answering questions on the ticklish issue concerning its ally, and cancelled its regular briefing for the second consecutive day Friday.

Activists welcome stay on mega-housing project in Goa

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:18 PM PDT

Panaji, April 23 (IANS) Activists opposed to mega projects in Goa have welcomed the central environment ministry’s order keeping a massive DLF-backed housing project in the state in abeyance following a writ petition in the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court.

The activists had earlier alleged that Chief Minister Digambar Kamat was responsible for the massive irregularities in granting permissions for the housing project which envisages 600 top-of-the-range homes in an ecologically sensitive area.

In a pressnote issued here, Goa Bachao Abhiyaan (GBA), an umbrella organisation representing more than a dozen planned development-oriented NGOs, has hailed the ministry order staying all constructions of the DLF promoted project, allegedly built illegally on a hill slope after felling hundreds of trees.

‘GBA and Save our Slopes have petitioned the government to institute an enquiry into the illegal permissions given under the ‘deemed’ clause and to fix responsibility and take punitive action against the erring officers,’ GBA convenor Sabina Martins said in the note.

The ministry’s order comes in the wake of a writ filed by Goa Foundation and Edwin Mascarenhas against Saravati Builders (executing the DLF project), in which the ministry is also a respondent.

In its order of April 15 (obtained by GBA earlier this week), Bharat Bhushan, director (impact assessment) in the ministry, said that issues raised in the writ petition relating to destruction of forest area and destruction of ecologically sensitive habitat were serious.

‘The above issues are important and require detailed re-examination of the project. In the meantime, you are directed not to proceed for the construction of the group housing project in the aforesaid plot, till a detailed examination of all issues raised in the writ petition are re-examined by the expert appraisal committee,’ the order stated, adding that environmental clearance given to the project Jan 11 this year have been kept in abeyance.

GBA earlier alleged that the role of Kamat – who is also the minister for town and country planning – in the DLF project was ‘full of suspicion, especially the manner in which permissions were given to DLF by his department’.

Kamat has dismissed these allegations, stating that he had done nothing wrong.

Panaji, April 23 (IANS) Activists opposed to mega projects in Goa have welcomed the central environment ministry’s order keeping a massive DLF-backed housing project in the state in abeyance following a writ petition in the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court.

India backs pragmatic framework against nuke terrorism

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:17 PM PDT

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Underlining the dangers of nuclear proliferation, India Friday hoped that ‘pragmatic and purposeful’ frameworks would be worked out by the international community to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists.

‘The focus on combating nuclear terrorism is consistent with our concerns on terrorism and clandestine proliferation. Strengthening nuclear security is also consistent with India’s interest in the safe and secure expansion of civil nuclear energy,’ External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told the Lok Sabha.

He said this in a statement in parliament on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit last week to the US for the Nuclear Security Summit and to Brazil for the India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) and Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC) summits.

Krishna stressed that India had welcomed the recent initiative of US President Barack Obama to hold the Nuclear Security Summit that focused on securing loose atomic material across the world as it was in consonance with India’s interests.

Krishna laid the statement onthe table of the house as he could not read it due to the din created by opposition over the Indian Premier League row. Krishna added that the prime minister had highlighted India’s concerns at the summit over clandestine proliferation and the danger of nuclear material and technical know-how falling into the hands of non-state actors.

The prime minister asked the world to work towards ‘universal, non-discriminatory and verifiable’ nuclear disarmament that was outlined in Rajiv Gandhi Action Plan of 1988.

‘The danger of nuclear terrorism makes early elimination of nuclear weapons a matter of even greater urgency,’ the minister said. ‘We hope that the Nuclear Security Summit process would help build pragmatic and purposeful frameworks for addressing nuclear danger,’ he said.

In his intervention at the April 12-13 Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced India’s decision to set up a Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership and stressed on zero tolerance for individuals and groups which engage in illegal trafficking in nuclear materials.

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Underlining the dangers of nuclear proliferation, India Friday hoped that ‘pragmatic and purposeful’ frameworks would be worked out by the international community to prevent nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists.

UPA government tapped phones, alleges weekly

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:16 PM PDT

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) The Congress-led UPA government was tapping the telephone conversations of important political leaders, including Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and CPI-M leader Prakash Karat, a prominent newsmagazine has claimed.

In a report in its recent edition, the Outlook says that the phones of important political leaders were tapped to seek confidential information.

The weekly claims that Pawar’s conversation with IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was tapped last fortnight over the ongoing controversy in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, which revealed inside details of the bidding process of various franchises.

The magazine said the government tapped Digvijay Singh’s phone in February 2007 during the Punjab polls while the Bihar chief minister’s phone was tapped in October 2007 when he was in New Delhi to seek central funds after the Kosi river breached its banks.

Prakash Karat’s phone was tapped in June 2008 to get information about the opposition’s mood over the Indo-US nuclear deal, the magazine claimed.

Reacting to the Outlook report, Karat termed the phone tapping by the government as ‘illegal and intolerable’ and sought punitive action against those responsible for it.

‘The UPA government is resorting to tapping of phones of political leaders which is illegal and intolerable. The government has to own up responsibility and take action against those responsible,’ said Karat.

He said safeguards should be taken against such misuse of security agencies.

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) The Congress-led UPA government was tapping the telephone conversations of important political leaders, including Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Digvijay Singh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and CPI-M leader Prakash Karat, a prominent newsmagazine has claimed.

Poll panel asks BJP, 14 other parties to explain expenses

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:16 PM PDT

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) The Election Commission has slapped show-cause notices on 15 political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for failing to furnish information regarding expenses made during last year’s Lok Sabha election, the poll panel said Friday.

The notices were issued April 16 and a reply has been sought by April 29, a statement from the Election Commission said. The notices were issued under 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968.

‘If no reply is received by the said date, it will be presumed the party has nothing to say in the matter and the commission will take appropriate action against the party … without any further reference to the party,’ he said.

Besides the BJP, the others who have got the notices are Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), All India Forward Bloc, Arunachal Congress, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party, Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S), Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Manipur People’s Party, Mizo National Front (MNF), Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Pudhucherry Munnetra Congress, Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), United Democratic Party (UDP), National People’s Party and Zoram Nationalist Party.

All India Forward Bloc secretary Debabrata Biswas said his party erred in filling up the relevant form for detailing the expenses. ‘In our party there is no system of centralised funding. Also there are many states like Sikkim where we did not put up candidates.

‘But we did not write NIL in the allotted places in the form. It’s a misunderstanding and we will rectify it,’ he said.

Senior RSP leader Kshiti Goswami admitted that his party had made a mistake by not sending the form to the right email addresses. ‘We will inform the EC Monday about this. Our people sent the form without fully understanding the matter. We have sent our leader Abani Roy to clear out the matter with the EC.’

In Bangalore, a JD-S leader said the party had not received any show cause notice. But in Ranchi, JMM central committee member Vinod Pande told IANS that his party had received the notice and would reply to it.

New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) The Election Commission has slapped show-cause notices on 15 political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), for failing to furnish information regarding expenses made during last year’s Lok Sabha election, the poll panel said Friday.

Gujarat to celebrate its golden jubilee May 1

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:15 PM PDT

Ahmedabad, April 23 (IANS) Gujarat will celebrate ‘Swarnim Gujarat’ to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding May 1, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said here Friday.

He said a series of programmes have been lined up for April 30 and May 1 to mark the occasion, which will attract a large number of Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRGs).

All former chief ministers, ministers, members of parliament and the legislative assembly have been invited.

Former deputy prime minister L.K. Advani, who represents Gandhinagar in the Lok Sabha, and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley will be present at the main function at Sardar Patel Stadium here May 1.

Ahmedabad, April 23 (IANS) Gujarat will celebrate ‘Swarnim Gujarat’ to mark the 50th anniversary of its founding May 1, Chief Minister Narendra Modi said here Friday.

Shuttler Madhumita Bisht wins lifetime achievement award

Posted: 23 Apr 2010 12:15 PM PDT

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Eight-time national badminton champion Madhumita Bisht was given the lifetime achievement award for her contribution to the game by the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club during its annual awards function here Friday.

Pankaj Advani, who won the world professional billiards champion last year, was adjudged the best sportsperson of 2009 while the former world youth (under-12) chess champion Sayantan Das was given the best junior sportsperson of the year award.

The others were state awardees.

The other awardees (in state category):

Football – Denson Devadas; Cricket – Manoj Tiwary; Tennis – Rupesh Roy;

Table Tennis – Soumyajit Ghosh; Swimming – Bikram Mondal; Badminton – Sheshadri Sanyal; Basketball- Satyendra Singh; Kabaddi – Abdus Salam Gazi;

Hockey – Leo Bilung; Gymnastics – Gobinda Pramanik;

Athletics (men) – Sheikh Mortaza; Athletics (women) – Jhuma Khatun;; Chess – Saptarshi Roy Choudhury.

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) Eight-time national badminton champion Madhumita Bisht was given the lifetime achievement award for her contribution to the game by the Calcutta Sports Journalists’ Club during its annual awards function here Friday.

Posted by Suresh at 3:29 PM

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