India fin secy says inflation to ease to 6 pct by Dec

July 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

July 5 (Reuters) – India’s headline inflation will ease to around 6 percent by December, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla said on Monday.

India’s central bank on Friday raised interest rates earlier than expected, ahead of its July 27 policy review, days after the government freed up fuel prices. Analysts expect another 25-basis points hike on July 27, on concerns over inflation hovering above 10 percent.

The central bank projects headline inflation INWPI=ECI, which hit 10.16 percent in May, to fall to 5.5 percent at end-March 2011.

(Reporting by C.J. Kuncheria)

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India May inflation to be in same range as April-finsec

June 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 14 (Reuters) – India’s May headline inflation should be in the same range as April, Finance Secretary Ashok Chawla told Reuters on Monday.

The median forecast for May inflation in a Reuters poll is 9.56 percent, which compares with April’s reading of 9.59 percent. [ID:nSGE65A09I]

The data is due at 0630 GMT. (Reporting by Abhijit Neogy)

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Chavan warns polluting industries of action

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, June 6 — Clean up your act was the state’s message to industries on World Environment Day. “We are only expecting industries to treat their effluents, use water and electricity judiciously and not burden the environment,” Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said on Saturday. He was speaking at the inauguration of the three-day environment film festival organised by the Environment Department at Y.B. Chavan Centre. “If we find industries are not abiding by pollution laws they will have to face action,” Chavan said. The state also announced the ‘Vasundhara Award’ for environment consciousness given to industries, municipal councils and corporations. The state government recently instructed industrial units to declare their activity, products, effluents generated and disposal procedures online to help the state compile a database and monitoring the industries later. Chavan said the Environment Department should make industry self-audits compulsory to keep a check on pollution mainly of water and air. “Along with industries, municipal bodies also need to take steps to improve the quality of water, sewerage and garbage management,” Chavan said. Industrial pollution is one of the biggest challenges the state is facing with the central government identifying eight areas including Navi Mumbai, Dombivli and Chandrapur as critically polluted areas where there is a stay on environmental clearances for development projects.

This will help civic bodies prepare environment status reports that will be scrutinised by a sub-committee headed by Revenue Minister Narayan Rane.

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Anniversary of Shivaji”s coronation celebrated at Raigad

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Jun 6 (PTI) The 336th anniversary of the coronation ceremony of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was today celebrated at the Raigad Fort in the presence of thousands of his followers. Waving saffron flags, they took out a procession in a tribute to the Maratha warrior this morning.

Water brought from all the rivers of the state was poured on the main idol of Shivaji at the fort along with 108 golden coins, replicating the original coronation which took place on June 6, 1674. Shivaji”s descendant Sambhajiraje, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare and Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil were present for the ceremony.

Sambhajiraje demanded that the state government declare the day as a national festival. The coronation ceremony was entangled in a controversy as the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) declined permission to hold any function at the fort citing provisions of Archaeological Sites and Remains (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010.

Following this, Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray had said that his party would celebrate the anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj”s coronation at the fort, irrespective of the ASI banning any such function. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan then intervened and spoke to the Centre.

The permission was granted then to celebrate the coronation ceremony ending all controversies. Uddhav said they don”t need permission from the Centre to mark the coronation ceremony and, henceforth, would not seek any nod.

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30 killed as bus overturns, catches fire

May 31, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Ten children and 15 women were among 30 people killed when a Karnataka roadways bus overturned and burst into flames near Challakere area in the Chitradurga district early on Sunday. The North Eastern Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation bus was carrying 63 passengers, mostly from the rural parts of Surpur and Lingasur in the northern Gulbarga and Raichur districts.

State Transport Minister R Ashok told reporters that according to preliminary reports, the driver’s “negligence”

could have caused the accident. Transport and police officials said they suspect the driver of the bus may have dozed off and hit a barricade. The driver Siddaiah Swamy has been arrested, police said.

“The bus overturned and its diesel tank caught fire, engulfing the entire vehicle. Nearly 30 passengers were rescued and admitted to hospitals in Challakere,” Chitradurga Superintendent of Police Labhu Ram said.

The NEKSRTC announced a compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh for next of kin of the deceased while Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa also announced compensation of Rs one lakh for the families of the dead and Rs 25,000 for those injured.

Police said nine bodies had been identified so far and that they planned to conduct DNA tests on several others as their bodies had been charred beyond recognition. Messages have been sent to the relatives of victims in Surapur in Gulbarga district from where the bus had begun its journey.

Police said the overcrowded bus was mostly carrying poor labourers in search of livelihood in Bangalore following disruption in the NREGA programme in the area where they were residing. The reason for the disruption was not clear. Narasimha Naik, BJP MLA from Surapur, held authorities responsible for the suspension of the NREGA works, which, he said, had forced the locals to migrate to other places in search of jobs ahead of the monsoon. “We will look into the matter and see what went wrong,” Yeddyurappa said. Revenue Minister G Karunakara Reddy, who is also in-charge of Chitradurga district, rushed to the accident site and visited the hospitals.

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Two held with idols worth Rs.20 crore

May 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Lucknow, May 27 (IANS) Two men have been arrested from an Uttar Pradesh town with two ‘ashtdhatu’ (eight-medal) antique idols worth Rs.20 crore in the international market, police said Thursday.

Shahabuddin and Ashok Prasad opened fire as they were nabbed Wednesday evening in Taryasujan, 350 km from here.

‘Acting on a tip-off, we intercepted the two. They opened fire at us. After a one-hour gunfight, we managed to arrest them,’ police inspector Nitish Srivastava told reporters.

‘We are yet to ascertain the place from where the two men brought the idols as they gave contradictory statements. They are being interrogated.’

The two have confessed that they have been operating for the last five years in parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Uttarakhand and Madhya Pradesh.

While Shahabuddin is from Uttar Pradesh, Prasad hails from Bihar. Both are in their early 40s.

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Social activist in Mumbai felicitated for curing thousands of leprosy patients

May 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 19 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan felicitated social activist Brother Christudas with ”The Week – Man of the Year 2009” in Mumbai on Tuesday for curing thousands of leprosy patients.

Brother Christudas, who has treated over 50,000 leprosy patients in Bihar”s Sundarpur village expressed his happiness to receive such an award.

”I feel delighted because it is honouring social workers, who are involved in this kind of work. It”s not a personal award; it is for all those social workers, who are working for the people,” said Christudas.

“Leprosy patients are such a group of people who are being denied of, rejected by everybody. I thought I should do something for them,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ashok Chavan said the Maharashtra Government is starting Rajiv Gandhi Health Mission, under which people of the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category would be given treatment free of cost.

“The State government has officially launched the mission and work would start soon, he said.

Besides Chavan, novelist Shobha De was also present to felicitate the activist at the function. (ANI)

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Rizwan case: Calcutta HC directs CBI to initiate fresh probe

May 18, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kolkata, May 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to start fresh investigation into computer graphics teacher Rizwanur Rahman”s murder case.

The court has affirmed that the investigation is inadequate and asked the agency to start a fresh investigation in the case.

The court has also asked the CBI to submit its report within four months.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had granted bail to Kolkata industrialist Ashok Todi and his brother Pradip Todi in connection with the case.

The apex court told the Todis to surrender their passports and not to move out of Kolkata without the prior permission of the CBI. They have also been prevented from communicating or influencing witnesses.

Ashok Todi and his two relatives-Pradip Todi and Anil Saraogi, Rizwanur”s family friend Pappu and three Police Officers- Former Deputy Commissioner Ajoy Kumar, ACP Sukanti Chakraborty, Sub-Inspector Krishnendu Das, have been accused of abetment to suicide, criminal intimidation and conspiracy by the CBI in connection with the death of Rizwan.

Rizwanur”s body was found on the railway tracks between Biddhanagar Road and Dum Dum Junction on September 21 last year, almost a month after his marriage to Priyanka, Todi”s daughter.

Though police is convinced that it was a case of suicide, Rizwanur”s family members are not convinced and have moved the higher courts for a CBI inquiry. (ANI)

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Former vice president Shekhawat”s health deteriorates

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Jaipur, May 15 (ANI): Former Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat has been admitted to a hospital in Jaipur after he complained of uneasiness and breathing trouble.

Doctors treating him said: “His condition is deteriorating. He is not showing expected signs of recovery.

Shekhawat was admitted to the ICU of the Sawai Man Singh Hospital on May 13.

A large number of people, including Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and former Chief Minister Vasundara Raje have enquired about his health. (ANI)

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National Chess Championship organized for visually impaired in Gujarat

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Surat (Gujarat), May 11 (ANI): The Forum for Development of Visually Impaired and Rotary Club organised a national chess championship for the visually challenged in Gujarat”s Surat city.

The championship is being held for the last 22 years to boost the self-confidence of visually impaired players.

“The chess tournament for the blind and those with normal vision is organised in Surat for the last 22 years. This year 21 players participated in the tournament. Blind players are from Ahmedabad, Gujarat and Kathiawar and other players are from Surat,” said Himanshu Pandya, Secretary, Forum for Development of Visually Impaired.

It gives the players an opportunity to display their skills, besides giving them a chance to learn from experienced players.
“Whether it”s a player with normal sight or a blind player, it does not matter. I just want that the person should be a good player so that the game becomes interesting, joyful,” said Ashok Baraut, a player.

“We also get to learn a lot. So I like playing with a good player,” he added.

Out of the 21 players, who participated in the competition, six have been selected for the international level championship. (ANI)

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Ghost exhibition organised in Bhopal

May 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), May 8 (ANI): The Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghralaya in Madhya Pradesh”s Bhopal city organised an exhibition on wooden idols of ghosts for the first time.

The idols included animals also.

“I found this exhibition quite exciting as I came to know that in States like Tamil Nadu, ghosts are worshipped. I belong to Uttar Pradesh and nothing like this happens there,” said Gaurav Saxena, a visitor.

“Such artistic forms of idols are being worshipped in southern India. People there worship more than 400 forms of ghosts. This is a unique thing in itself,” he added.

The curator of the museum feels that such an exhibition will not spread superstition, as the ghosts shown are actually gods and goddesses disguised.

“This is a ghost exhibition but one should not consider it to be fearful. Our motive was to showcase the aspect of religious faith attached to it,” said Ashok Tiwari, the curator of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sanghralaya (IGRMS).

“The effort is to show that these ghosts are the forms of Gods and Goddesses in disguise,” he added. (ANI)

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Mumbai court to hear arguments, may sentence Kasab today

May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 4 (ANI): A special trial court in Mumbai will hear arguments today from the prosecution and the defence on the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, Ajmal Amir Kasab, who found guilty of waging war against India.

On Monday, it pronounced the verdict in a courtroom at the Arthur Road Jail here. Judge M L Tahiliyani declared Kasab guilty of all 86 charges filed against him.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.

Judge Tahiliyani said the way the ten terrorists countered the elite National Security Guards (NSG) clearly established that they were trained to fight a war.

Though no direct evidences were mentioned against Lashkar-e Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Zakir -ur -Rehman, the court found them guilty based on Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also accepted Kasab”s confessional statement.

The court also said the DNA test conducted on the seven dead terrorists matched prints collected from the boat ”Kuber”.

The court added that the photographs taken were genuine and the witnesses credible, as they had no other intention than to catch a person.

It said the evidence proved that Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte had died of a bullet fired by terrorist Abu Ismail, while it was not established who killed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, commenced on May 8, 2009.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire on them.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations.

Nikam had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

He had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

The prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST Railway Station, the Times of India building, and the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

Kasab is a native of Faridkot, in Pakistan”s Punjab Province.

He along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

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Mumbai court charges Kasab with waging war against India

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI): A Mumbai Special Court on Monday found the lone surviving terrorist of the 26/11 attacks, Ajaml Amir Kasab, guilty of waging war against India, but acquitted the two other Indian co-accused.

Pronouncing the verdict in a courtroom at the Arthur Road Jail here, Judge M L Tahiliyani described the 26/11 attacks as clear act of war.

He declared Kasab guilty of all 86 charges filed against him.

The charges against Kasab include waging war against India, murder, abetting to murder, attempt to murder, violation of the Arms Act, Explosives Act, the Unlawful Activity Prevention Act (UAPA) and others.

However, in an unexpected move, the court found two Indian co-accused– Faheem Ansari and Sabauddin Ahmed – not guilty and said they must be acquitted of all charges due to lack of evidence.

The court said the evidence against the two was weak both in “quality as well as quantity.”

For the first time in Indian judicial history, it was established in a court of law that Pakistan was involved in an act of terrorism and of waging war against India.

Judge Tahiliyani said the way the ten terrorists countered the elite National Security Guards (NSG) clearly established that they were trained to fight a war.

Though no direct evidences were mentioned against Lashkar-e Taiba leader Hafiz Saeed and Zakir –ur –Rehman, the court found them guilty based on Kasab’s confessional statement.

The court also accepted Kasab’s confessional statement.

When the judge was framing him with charges, there was no reaction on Kasab’s face.

Kasab was dressed in a white Kurta-Pyjama.

The court also said the DNA test conducted on the seven dead terrorists matched prints collected from the boat ‘Kuber’.

The court added that the photographs taken were genuine and the witnesses credible, as they had no other intention than to catch a person.

It said the evidence proved that Additional Commissioner of Police Ashok Kamte had died of a bullet fired by terrorist Abu Ismail, while it was not established who killed Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar.

The court did not mention the quantum of punishment, but said the argument and counter argument in that matter would continue on Tuesday. The quantum of punishment is expected to be announced on Wednesday.

Monday’s judgment comes seventeen months after the incident.

The trial, perhaps the fastest in a terror case in India, commenced on May 8, 2009.

Judge Tahaliyani recorded 3,192 pages of evidence after examining 658 witnesses on 271 working days.

Thirty witnesses in the court identified Kasab as the man who had opened fire on them.

The prosecution led by Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, submitted 1,015 articles seized during investigations.

Nikam had also filed 1,691 documents to support the case.

He had also argued that Pakistan”s security apparatus was used by the terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

For the first time in the Indian history, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) officials deposed before the court and gave technical evidence.

The FBI informed the court about the technical data it gathered –that how Kasab and others came from Pakistan using Global Positioning System (GPS) and that they made calls from their mobile phones through Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) to stay in touch with their handlers across the border.

The prosecution also tabled CCTV footage of the terrorists moving about with guns and firing at people.

The images were captured on CCTV cameras fitted at CST Railway Station, the Times of India building, and the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels.

Photographs of Kasab shot by photojournalists Sebastian D”souza and Sriram Vernekar were also placed before the court.

Kasab is a native of Faridkot, in Pakistan’s Punjab Province.

He along with nine other terrorists, who were killed during the gun battle with security forces in Mumbai have been charged with killing 166 people, including 25 foreigners. (ANI)

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We had to protect Kasab from policemens’ anger: Maharashtra ATS chief

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, May 3 (ANI): Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Rakesh Maria revealed on Monday that the ATS had to protect Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist arrested during 26/11 attacks, not only from public anger but also from anger within the force.

Maria, was Joint Commissioner (Crime) at the time of the terror strike.

He has supervised Kasab’s investigation, as well as security measures for the 26/11 trial.

Maria said the anger of the men in uniform had crossed its limit after the loss of many good officers.

“There was a lot of public anger… the department had lost some of the best officers (during the attack), so we had to protect Kasab from within the department because there was anger in department also,” Maria said.

The then ATS chief Hemant Karkare, Additional Commissioner Ashok Kamte and encounter specialist Inspector Vijay Saluskar were among those who lost their lives while on duty.

Today, the country is looking forward to the special court’s verdict.

The verdict is expected to be delivered around 2 p.m. (ANI)

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Amity students volunteer for Commonwealth Games 2010

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

NOIDA (UP), Apr.1 (ANI): It was a wish come true for all the students of Amity, when Manjushree Roy- Head, Volunteers Programme and Training of the Organizing Committee of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) visited Amity University to select 150 sports specific, hospitality specific and security specific Volunteers for the “Test Games” preceding the CWG.

Amity will provide over 500 volunteers for the upcoming CWG.

During her interaction with students, Roy outlined the various volunteering options available for students during the CWG, responded to queries and cleared the doubts of the students regarding the volunteer programme.

Welcoming Roy, Dr. Ashok K Chauhan, the Founder President of Amity, described it as a very proud moment for all Amitians.

He said that this program should be seen as a golden opportunity.

Describing the CWG as a mega event, wherein over 71 countries and 8, 000 athletes will be participating, he said the success of the event would depend largely upon the volunteers and how they conducted themselves.

He assured the volunteer that they would make unparalleled careers for themselves in their life ahead.

Providing vital information regarding the CWG volunteering programmes, Roy said: “The task of organizing the Commonwealth Games is monumental. Various institutions like Amity University, NCC, NSS, and Ministry of Tourism have joined hands with the organizing committee of Commonwealth Games provide volunteers for Commonwealth Games, thereby supporting the organizing committee and building confidence in it for successfully holding CommonwWealth Games in India.”

“There are 23 venues and over 40 training venues with 36 functional areas, including hospitality, security and sports in Commonwealth Games, wherein the volunteers can contribute as per their attitude and skills along with the paid staff. There will be four kinds of training that will be imparted to volunteers once they clear all the selection rounds, namely General Training, Role Specific Training, Venue Specific Training and Leadership Training. It is very important for the volunteers to attend the training. It is only after that their reports regarding the performance during the trainings is found satisfactory, students will be confirmed as volunteers,” she added.

Motivating the students to give their best during the Common Wealth Games as volunteers, she said, “India is being looked at by the world over. Every volunteer is not just contributing to Organizing Committee but to India. This moment is ours. Every Indian has to own up the games, all those hands coming together will make Common Wealth Games a real success. We are hosting Common Wealth Games because we are capable of doing it and not just for the sake of hosting them.” (ANI)

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Indian mission in Kazakhstan celebrates ITEC Day

April 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Astana, Apr.1 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Kazakhstan celebrated the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Day with great enthusiasm last month.

India embarked on collaborating with Kazakhstan under this programme immediately after Kazakhstan’s independence in December 1991.

Since then, over 700 civilian professionals and 120 defence officers from Kazakhstan have so far participated and benefited from this programme.

In 2009, more than 100 professionals including officials from Government and private sector, academia and business attended the programme.

The embassy also organized a special study-cum-training programme in Public Administration for 25 elected members and senior executives of the Administration in the East Kazakhstan region at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi.

Courses under the Programme cover several specialized subjects as well as courses in IT, Telecommunication, Parliamentary Studies, Advanced Accounting and Finance, Mass Communication, English Language Courses, Rural Development, Remote Sensing, Bank Management, Nuclear Energy, Web Designing, Educational Planning and Administration, Entrepreneurship Development, Tool Designing, and several others.

The celebration of ITEC Day was attended by several ITEC alumnae, who are currently working in different ministries and government organizations as well as representatives from the Ministries of Agriculture, Economic Development and Trade, Labour and Social Welfare, Defence, Finance, Communications and Information, New Technologies and Industry and from different business organizations, Banks, cultural institutions, journalists, media personnel, and universities.

Speaking on the occasion, India”s Ambassador to Kazakhstan Ashok Sajjanhar said that interest and enthusiasm of the participants in this programme has seen a significant growth over the last few years.

He said that several ITEC alumnae are currently occupying important places in the Government, Parliament, Supreme Court and the private sector.

Ambassador Sajjanhar stated that human resources are the greatest asset of any nation. Development of these resources by upgrading skills through training is the best way to achieve optimal development of the country. India has accumulated tremendous developmental experience and expertise since independence and is happy to share this with friendly countries like Kazakhstan, he added.

Sajjanhar noted that the most pressing task in front of the Kazakh Government is to develop its human resources and upgrade their professional skills so that people can effectively and actively contribute to the progress and growth of the Kazakh economy.

He added that India is ideally suited to meet such a requirement. India’s educational system is world renowned with some of the best institutions in the areas of science and technology, including information technology, bio-technology, nano technology, space etc.

He emphasized that in addition to meeting the deeply felt need of the Kazakh economy, the ITEC Programme also helps to bridge the “information divide” between the two countries and to expose the young professionals of Kazakhstan to the history, culture and ancient civilisational ethos of India. Such communications strengthen the fundamentals and foundations of a close relationship and partnership between the two countries.

He noted that both India and Kazakhstan are poised at the threshold of a rapid expansion and strengthening of their relations in all spheres including political, strategic, economic, commercial, cultural and educational areas. Both India and Kazakhstan are factors of peace, stability and growth, not only in the region but in the world. Initiatives like the ITEC Programme, he observed, serve as extremely effective instruments in strengthening and diversifying the multi-faceted relations between the two countries.

Ambassador Doulat Kuanyshev from the Kazakh Foreign Office spoke warmly and effusively of the important role being played by the Indian Embassy in strengthening cooperation and relations between India and Kazakhstan. He expressed confidence that relations between the two countries will continue to grow and strengthen in the coming years. (ANI)

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It is wrong to ask for an apology from Amitabh Bachchan: Jaya Bachchan

March 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar 26 (ANI): Bollywood actor and Rajya Sabha member Jaya Bachchan on Friday said it is wrong to ask for an apology from Amitabh Bachchan with regard to the Sea Link controversy surrounding the superstar.

“Why should Amitji say sorry?” she said.

Jaya Bachchan, who was addressing the media at the Women”s Press Club, said, “I am not here to speak for Amitabh Bachchan. He can speak for himself.”

“In a democracy anyone can go anywhere,” she added.

Miffed over resentment in the Congress about his presence in a government function, Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday night hit out at his detractors, saying he was invited and that the whole controversy was manufactured.

The megastar also said there were half-page advertisements in the media that he will be taking part in the function, an apparent dig at Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who said he would not have attended the function if he had known that Bachchan would be present. (ANI)

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Mumbai Police undergoes reshuffle following Raghuvanshi”s transfer

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Mar 25 (ANI): The Maharashtra Government on Thursday undertook wholesale changes in the Mumbai Police force. It transferred Additional Director General K P Raghuvanshi from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to the Law and Order Department.

Raghuvanshi”s transfer is being attributed to his going public on information related to terror suspects.

Joint Police Commissioner of Crime Rakesh Maria is expected to take over as the state”s new ATS chief.

Joint Police Commissioner (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy is likely to replace Maria as Joint Police Commissioner of Crime.

Sources said Maria met Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil after the reshuffle.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan had earlier said he was aware that the Central Government was unhappy with the way certain information was given away soon after the arrests.

Raghuvanshi was appointed ATS chief on June 11, 2009 after Hemant Karkare had lost his life in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. (ANI)

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NCC delegation visits Kazakhstan

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Astana, Mar. 25 (ANI): delegation of nine cadets from the National Cadet Corps (NCC) led by two officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel are on a visit to Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Gumiliev Eurasian National University in Astana from 15-27 March, 2010.

An Indian embassy release said the visit is taking place under the aegis of the Youth Exchange Programme between India and Kazakhstan. This was launched in 2008.

So far, three delegations from Kazakhstan have visited India. The first two delegations from Kazakhstan were from the prestigious Abai National Pedagogical University in Almaty. The third delegation comprised of students from the Seifullin National Agro-Technical University and Gumiliev Eurasian National University, both based in Astana.

The delegations from Kazakhstan have visited India for 15 days in the second half of January each year. They participate in the training and familiarization camp organized by the NCC under which they witness the Republic Day Parade and get an opportunity to call on the President and Prime Minister of India.

They also travel to places like Agra and Jaipur and acquaint themselves with the historical and cultural heritage of the country. This year, Professor Abdiraiym Bakytzhan, Rector of the Gumiliev Eurasian National University also visited New Delhi for five days and had an audience with the President and Prime Minister of India.

The current delegation is the second from India to have come to Kazakhstan. It comprises of students from 9 different states of India, including Sikkim, Jammu & Kashmir, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Uttarakhand and others. The delegation truly represents the ethos of “unity in diversity” of India.

Speaking at a reception hosted for the NCC delegation, India”s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Ashok Sajjanhar, said the team should use the visit to expose themselves and interact with people from different cultural, economic and social strata of Kazakhstan including government officials, journalists, artistes, businessmen, singers, painters, political activists as well as members of the Indian community.

Ambassador Sajjanhar expressed his satisfaction at the successful manner in which the Youth Exchange Programme is being implemented. He said that such visits and interactions between the people of the two countries provide important and useful opportunities to strengthen people-to-people contacts and promote understanding and cooperation between the people of the two countries.

Ambassador Sajjanhar also spoke of the ancient, historical and civilisational links between India and Kazakhstan and said that the two countries are poised at the threshold of a significant upgradation in their relations in all spheres, including political, commercial, economic, cultural, social, scientific, technological, education and others.

He warmly thanked the Rector and other organizers of this visit for their gracious hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the visit.

Lt Col Raghunath, one of the leaders of the NCC delegation warmly thanked the Embassy of India and the Gumiliev Eurasian National University for the extremely interesting and useful programme drawn up by them for the visit of the cadets from NCC. (ANI)

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Chavan asked to explain Bachchan”s presence at Mumbai Sea Link function

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Mar 25 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan is in hot water over being seen with Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan at the inaugural function of the second phase of Worli-Bandra sealink.

Party sources said that the Congress high command has taken note of Bachchan”s presence and asked for an explanation from Chavan.

Chavan, however, has clarified his stand saying he would have not attended the function, had he known about Bachchan”s presence.

“Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador of another state. We would like to promote our own state. Perhaps, I would not have attended the function had I known he would be present,” said Chavan, adding that there are reports that some people in the Congress are unhappy about his presence.

Mumbai Congress President Kripashankar Singh said, “I want to clarify that neither the Mumbai Congress nor I was consulted before inviting Amitabh Bachchan.”

Amitabh Bachchan is the brand ambassador for Narendra Modi”s Gujarat – and Modi is a political pariah for the party.

Meanwhile, Bachchan on Thursday said the controversy over his presence at the function had been ”manufactured” by the media.

The superstar in his blog wrote: “A fresh controversy has been rapidly manufactured on my involvement. The media has been hounding me since the event at the sea link has got over, through incessant SMSes.”

The function was organised on Wednesday by Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), which falls under the PWD Ministry. (ANI)

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