”Rajneeti” is much more than politics: Katrina Kaif

Mumbai, Apr 28 (ANI): Actress Katrina Kaif has said that her upcoming flick ”Rajneeti” is much more than politics, and despite it not being a serious film, it is a crucial topic.

“The story in this film is not just what you see in posters or in promos. You have seen a lot of (these), obviously you have seen it as a political film, but there is a very interesting story behind it. There is a personal story as well, there is romance in the film, there is jealousy, there is bitterness, there is betrayal,” said Katrina Kaif.

“It is not a serious film, it is about a serious topic, but it is very entertaining film in the content. Otherwise, you guys all know me well enough to know that I wouldn”t do a film, which is not entertaining. This is entertainment of a different sort,” she added.

Contrary to speculations that her character in the film was inspired by the Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Kaif said that she had watched the election campaign videos of Gandhi”s daughter Priyanka Gandhi Vadra for a first hand know-how on right looks and the body language.

“That is one of the persons whom I have seen, I did particularly like her (Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, daughter of ruling Congress party president Sonia Gandhi) way of talking and the way she talks in public and because we are not basing my character on anybody living or dead,” said Katrina Kaif.

“I think I had freedom and Prakash Jha also gave me that freedom to maybe just see somebody I like and try develop a character to that,” she added.

Kaif launched the music album of the film along with actor Ranbir Kapoor and Director Prakash Jha here on Tuesday.

Talking about the music of the film, actor Ranbir Kapoor mentioned that Jha has roped in some renowned music composers for the film, and added that music would add to the layers of ”Rajneeti”.

“Rajneeti is a family-political thriller and I think the music just helps to be more engaging to the audience, but don”t expect us to be singing songs or doing anything,” said Ranbir Kapoor.

Director Prakash Jha said the film is the story of power-seekers, people who continuously seek power like power in personal life, power in professional life and in political standing.

Fifty-eight year old Prakash Jha returns to the silver screen this June with ”Rajneeti”, a big-budget political thriller that has a multitude of stars such as Katrina Kaif, Ranbir Kapoor, Ajay Devgan and Nana Patekar.

The flick has been shot in Bhopal is expected to hit the theaters on June 4, 2010. (ANI)

Lalu discusses Congress- RJD alliance with Sonia for Jharkhand polls

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday called on Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi to hold talks on possibilities for forming an alliance between the two parties for the Jharkhand Assembly elections.

Yadav who was accompanied by former Union Minister Premchand Gupta had a 30 minutes long discussion with Sonia Gandhi.

Gupta informed the media after the meeting that, Yadav presented the proposal for the polls expected to be held in early 2010.

In the last Lok Sabha elections in Jharkhand, Congress had entered into an alliance with the Shibu Soren led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), dumping the RJD.

Last week, the Congress sent a team to Jharkhand to assess the political situation and find out prospects for an alliance.

The team failed to find unanimity on whether the Congress should form an alliance with the JMM or the RJD or with former Chief Minister Babulal Marandi’s Jharkhand Vikas Morcha.

Jharkhand has witnessed six governments in last nine years. It is presently under President’s Rule following the resignation of Chief Minister Shibu Soren in January. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh hosts Iftar party

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh hosted an Iftar party here on Friday.

Vice President Hamid Ansari, Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, several foreign dignitaries and many political leaders were among those who attended the party.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to India, Shahid Malik, and several prominent Muslim religious leaders were also among the invitees.

During the holy month of Ramadan Muslims observe a daylong fast without water and open it in the evening.

The month-long dawn-to- dusk fast started on August 22, after the sighting of the new moon. (ANI)

Mayawati slams Congress party’s austerity drive

Lucknow, Sep 18 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has ridiculed Congress party’s austerity drive, terming it as a ploy to steer attention away from the steep price rise.

Addressing a mass rally here on Thursday, Mayawati hit out at the Congress party, calling its austerity drive “a drama.”

“Because of the wrong doings by the Congress government at the centre, the prices are rising due to which poor people across the country are suffering. And now to cover up its weaknesses, they have cut down on its travelling expenses by flying economy class and travelling by train. All this is just a drama,” Mayawati said.

“With a drought looming and elections in some states approaching, the Congress-led government has embarked on a much-publicised austerity drive,” she added.

In a country where the hierarchy of politicians is determined by the size of their bungalows and their convoys, Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi has asked party leaders to give up a fifth of their salaries for drought-relief work, and she flew economy class on a commercial flight to Mumbai to launch the poll campaign.

The finance ministry has appealed for fewer overseas trips with smaller entourages, and a ban on conferences in luxury hotels.

Bharatiya Janata Party and other political parties have criticised the austerity measures in view of the economic downturn and drought-like situation prevailing in the country as a case of ‘tokenism’. (ANI)

Chopper carrying YSR’s body arrives in Kadapa

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy arrived in his native village Pulivendula in Kadapa District by an Indian Air Force helicopter on Friday afternoon.

The flight took off from Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport after being brought from the Lal Bahudur Shastri Stadium where it had lain in state for about three hours for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be given final rites with full state honours.

Earlier, the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin was brought to the stadium for a lying in state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence this morning.

Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash along with four others on Wednesday morning, also received floral tribute from other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit at the Chief Minister’s Camp office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.hereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was a sea of grieving humanity as people from all walks of life gathered in tens of thousands on major thoroughfares to give a fitting farewell to their son of the soil, YSR.

The flower bedecked army truck and funeral convoy, led by his emotionally distressed son Jaganmohan Reddy, wound its way slowly through the streets of the city towards the stadium. Jagan Reddy greeted the emotionally charged masses lining the route with folded hands.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

Reddy’s Bell 430 chopper went missing on Wednesday morning at about 9.35 and could only be located almost 24 hours later on Thursday morning following a night long search operation by different units of security personnel including Army’s Commandos, Air Force’s Sukhoi-30, and 5,000 CRPF personnel.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Along with YSR, four others-Dr P Subramanium, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer and two pilots Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy-died in the crash. (ANI)

Chopper carrying YSR’s body leaves for Kadapa

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy left for his native village Pulivendula in Kadapa District in an Indian Air Force helicopter on Friday afternoon.

The funeral convoy arrived at Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport from the Lal Bahudur Shastri Stadium where it had laid in state for about three hours for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be given final rites with full state honours.

Earlier, the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin was brought to the stadium for a lying in state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence this morning.

Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash along with four others on Wednesday morning, also received floral tribute from other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit at the Chief Minister’s Camp office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.

Thereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was a sea of grieving humanity as people from all walks of life gathered in tens of thousands on major thoroughfares to give a fitting farewell to their son of the soil, YSR.

The flower bedecked army truck and funeral convoy, led by his emotionally distressed son Jaganmohan Reddy, wound its way slowly through the streets of the city towards the stadium. Jagan Reddy greeted the emotionally charged masses lining the route with folded hands.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

Reddy’s Bell 430 chopper went missing on Wednesday morning at about 9.35 and could only be located almost 24 hours later on Thursday morning following a night long search operation by different units of security personnel including Army’s Commandos, Air Force’s Sukhoi-30, and 5,000 CRPF personnel.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Along with YSR, four others-Dr P Subramanium, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer and two pilots Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy-died in the crash. (ANI)

YSR’s body leaves Hyderabad’s Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flag-draped and flower-bedecked coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy left the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium on Friday afternoon, hours after it was placed there for the general public and leaders to pay their last respects.

The funeral convoy is headed to Hyderabad’s Begumpet Airport from where the coffin carrying the body of the late chief minister, who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday, will be flown to his native village in Kadapa District for final rites with full state honours.

Earlier, the flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin was brought to the stadium for a lying in state.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence this morning.

Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash along with four others on Wednesday morning, also received floral tribute from other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit at the Chief Minister’s Camp office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.hereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was a sea of grieving humanity as people from all walks of life gathered in tens of thousands on major thoroughfares to give a fitting farewell to their son of the soil, YSR.

The flower bedecked army truck and funeral convoy, led by his emotionally distressed son Jaganmohan Reddy, wound its way slowly through the streets of the city towards the stadium. Jagan Reddy greeted the emotionally charged masses lining the route with folded hands.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

Reddy’s Bell 430 chopper went missing on Wednesday morning at about 9.35 and could only be located almost 24 hours later on Thursday morning following a night long search operation by different units of security personnel including Army’s Commandos, Air Force’s Sukhoi-30, and 5,000 CRPF personnel.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Along with YSR, four others-Dr P Subramanium, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer and two pilots Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy-died in the crash. (ANI)

YSR’s body reaches Lal Bahadur Stadium, lies in state

Hyderabad, Sep.4 (ANI): The flower-bedecked gun carriage carrying the coffin of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhara Reddy has reached the Lal Bahudur Shastri Stadium and is lying in state for the general public and politicians to pay their last respects and floral tribute.

Former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and senior BJP leader L.K.Advani were among the leaders who paid floral tribute to the departed leader.

There was a sea of humanity inside the stadium, and some of them were quite distraught and emotional at seeing the cortege carrying the body of their son of the soil.

The body of the late chief minister will be taken to his village in Kadapa District around 2 p.m.

Earlier in the day, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi paid homage to former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajsekhar Reddy at his official residence.

Reddy, who died in a helicopter crash along with four others on Wednesday morning, also received floral tribute from other Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Defence Minister A K Antony and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit at the Chief Minister’s Camp office in Hyderabad’s Begumpet area.

The leaders also wrote condolence messages in a book at the camp office.hereafter, the funeral cortege moved out of the premises and moved along a designated route towards the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium, where it will lie in state for about three hours to allow the general public and politicians to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

The Andhra Pradesh capital was a sea of grieving humanity as people from all walks of life gathered in tens of thousands on major thoroughfares to give a fitting farewell to their son of the soil, YSR.

The flower bedecked army truck and funeral convoy, led by his emotionally distressed son Jaganmohan Reddy, wound its way slowly through the streets of the city towards the stadium. Jagan Reddy greeted the emotionally charged masses lining the route with folded hands.

Reddy’s burial will be held at around 5 p. m. in his native village in Kadapa District.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has declared five days of state mourning in honour of YSR and cancelled all the official programs in the state.

Reddy’s Bell 430 chopper went missing on Wednesday morning at about 9.35 and could only be located almost 24 hours later on Thursday morning following a night long search operation by different units of security personnel including Army’s Commandos, Air Force’s Sukhoi-30, and 5,000 CRPF personnel.

The wreckage was discovered atop a hill about 40 nautical miles from Kurnoool town.

Along with YSR, four others-Dr P Subramanium, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister; ASC Wesley, Chief Security Officer and two pilots Group Captain SK Bhatia and Captain MS Reddy-died in the crash. (ANI)

Nooyi, Sonia Gandhi in Forbes top 15 most powerful women list

New York, Aug.20 (ANI): Indra Nooyi, CEO of PepsiCo, Congress party president Sonia Gandhi, Chanda Kochhar, CEO of ICICI Bank India and Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Chairman, Biocon India are the only Indians in Forbes annual list of the 100 most powerful women.

The list, which was released last night, includes fiery chief executives, brilliant politicians and beloved queens, but the model for all women who seek influence, is the cautious and uncharismatic German Chancellor, Angela Merkel.

Nooyi is listed as the third most powerful woman in the world, while Sonia Gandhi Kochhar and Shaw are ranked 13, 20 and 91 respectively. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed is the only other South Asian in the list and is ranked 78.

Americans make up 63 of the 100, while only four women from Britain make the grade

In assembling the list, Forbes looked for women who run countries, big companies or influential nonprofits. Their rankings are a combination of two scores:

Visibility-by press mentions-and the size of the organization or country these women lead.

The list is as follows:

1 Angela Merkel Chancellor Germany

2 Sheila Bair Chairman, Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. U.S.

3 Indra Nooyi Chief executive, PepsiCo U.S.

4 Cynthia Carroll Chief executive, Anglo American U.K.

5 Ho Ching Chief executive, Temasek Singapore

6 Irene Rosenfeld Chief executive, Kraft Foods U.S.

7 Ellen Kullman Chief executive, DuPont U.S.

8 Angela Braly Chief executive, WellPoint U.S.

9 Anne Lauvergeon Chief executive, Areva France

10 Lynn Elsenhans Chief executive, Sunoco U.S.

11 Cristina Fernandez President Argentina

12 Carol Bartz Chief executive, Yahoo U.S.

13 Sonia Gandhi President, Indian National Congress Party India

14 Ursula Burns Chief executive, Xerox Corp. U.S.

15 Anne Mulcahy Chairman, Xerox Corp. U.S.

16 Safra Catz President, Oracle U.S.

17 Christine Lagarde Minister of Economy, Finance and Employment France

18 Gail Kelly Chief executive, Westpac Australia

19 Marjorie Scardino Chief executive, Pearson Plc. U.K.

20 Chanda Kochhar Chief executive, ICICI Bank India

21 Mary Sammons Chief executive, Rite Aid Corp. U.S.

22 Michelle Bachelet President Chile

23 Paula Reynolds Chief restructuring officer, AIG U.S.

24 Carol Meyrowitz Chief executive, TJX Companies U.S.

25 Andrea Jung Chief executive, Avon U.S.

26 Patricia Woertz Chief executive, Archer Daniels Midland U.S.

27 Guler Sabanci Chairman, Sabanci Holding Turkey

28 Barbara Desoer President, Bank of America Mortgage, Home Equity and Insurance U.S.

29 Brenda Barnes Chief executive, Sara Lee Corp. U.S.

30 Risa Lavizzo-Mourey Chief executive, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation U.S.

31 Ann Livermore Executive vice president, Hewlett-Packard U.S.

32 Cathie Lesjak Executive vice president, Hewlett-Packard U.S.

33 Marina Berlusconi Chairman, Fininvest Group Italy

34 Melinda Gates Co-chairman, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation U.S.

35 Nancy Pelosi Speaker of the House, House of Representatives U.S.

36 Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State U.S.

37 Jane Mendillo Chief executive, Harvard Management Co. U.S.

38 Margaret Chan Director-general, World Health Org. Switzerland

39 Susan Chambers Executive vice president, Global People Division, Wal-Mart Stores U.S.

40 Michelle Obama First Lady U.S.

41 Oprah Winfrey Chairman, Harpo U.S.

42 Queen Elizabeth II Queen U.K.

43 Nancy McKinstry Chief executive, Wolters Kluwer Netherlands

44 Gloria Arroyo President Philippines

45 Ana Patricia Botin Executive Chairman, Banesto Spain

46 Ann Veneman Executive Director, UNICEF U.S.

47 Yulia Tymoshenko Prime minister Ukraine

48 Ruth Bader Ginsburg Supreme Court Justice U.S.

49 Janet Robinson Chief executive, The New York Times Co. U.S.

50 Dominique Senequier Chief executive, AXA Private Equity France

51 Janet Napolitano Secretary of Homeland Security U.S.

52 Neelie Kroes Commissioner for Competition, European Union Belgium

53 Gail Boudreaux President, UnitedHealthcare U.S.

54 Sonia Sotomayor Supreme Court Justice U.S.

55 Mary Schapiro Chairman Securities and Exchange Commission U.S.

56 Kathleen Sebelius Secretary of Health and Human Services U.S.

57 Ellen Alemany Chief executive, RBS Americas and Citizens Financial Group U.S.

58 Susan Ivey Chief executive, Reynolds American U.S.

59 Amy Pascal Cochairman, Sony Pictures Entertainment U.S.

60 Helen Clark Chairman, United Nations Development Group New Zealand

61 Judy McGrath Chief executive, MTV Networks U.S.

62 Stacey Snider Chief executive, DreamWorks SKG U.S.

63 Navanethem Pillay High Commissioner for Human Rights, United Nations South Africa

64 Janet Clark Chief financial officer, Marathon Oil U.S.

65 Sherilyn McCoy Worldwide chairman, Pharmaceuticals Group, Johnson and Johnson U.S.

66 Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf President Liberia

67 Tarja Halonen President Finland

68 Mary McAleese President Ireland

69 Virginia Rometty Senior vice president, IBM U.S.

70 Angela Ahrendts Chief executive, Burberry Group Plc. U.K.

71 Sri Indrawati Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance Indonesia

72 Terri Dial Chief executive, U.S. Consumer Bank, Citigroup U.S.

73 Deirdre Connelly President, North American Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithkline U.S.

74 Johanna Sigurdardottir Prime minister Iceland

75 Queen Rania Queen Jordan

76 Christina Gold Chief executive, Western Union U.S.

77 Colleen Goggins Worldwide chairman, Johnson and Johnson U.S.

78 Hasina Wajed Prime minister Bangladesh

79 Hyun Jeong-eun Chairman, Hyundai Group South Korea

80 Amy Schulman Senior vice president, Pfizer U.S.

81 Penny Pritzker Chairman, Classic Residence by Hyatt U.S.

82 Drew Faust President, Harvard University U.S.

83 Melanie Healey Group president, Feminine and Health Care, Procter and Gamble U.S.

84 Elizabeth Smith President, Avon U.S.

85 Deb Henretta Group president, Asia, Procter and Gamble Singapore

86 Ann Moore Chief executive, Time Inc. U.S.

87 Sallie Krawcheck Chief executive global wealth management, Bank of America U.S.

88 Pamela Nicholson President, Enterprise Rent-A-Car U.S.

89 Janice Fields Chief operating officer, McDonald’s USA U.S.

90 Stephanie Burns Chief executive, Dow Corning U.S.

91 Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Chairman, Biocon India

92 Eva Cheng Executive vice president, Amway Greater China and Southeast Asia Hong Kong

93 Efrat Peled Chief executive, Arison Investments Israel

94 Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi Minister of the Economy United Arab Emirates

95 Charlene Begley Chief executive, GE Enterprise Solutions U.S.

96 Mindy Grossman Chief executive, HSN, Inc. U.S.

97 Sharon Allen Chairman, Deloitte and Touche U.S.

98 Anne Sweeney Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks U.S.

99 Heidi Miller Chief executive Treasury and Securities Services, JPMorgan Chase U.S.

100 Mary Erdoes Chairman, JPMorgan Global Wealth Management U.S. (ANI)

MIC president claims money politics creeping into party

Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Aug 18(ANI): Malaysian Indian Congress party president Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu has claimed that certain members of the party were indulging in money politics, which was now creeping into the party.

Vellu said this before announcing the results of the MIC Youth and Wanita polls on Sunday, where 500 delegates were present.

“We will clean this up. We will chop them off (remove from the party) whoever they are,” The New Straits Times quoted Vellu, as saying.

Though Vellu didn’t mention any name in particular, he said that party has identified the culprits and would take action against them.

He also informed that the procedure being adopted was to approach delegates at the division level and persuade them to vote for a particular candidate in return for huge sums of money.They are willing to spend thousands of ringgit for each and every vote,” said Vellu. (ANI)

President hosts “At Home” on Quit India movement’s 67th anniversary

New Delhi, Aug.9 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil hosted the customary “At Home” on the occasion of 67th anniversary of the Quit India Movement at Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, his wife Gursharan Kaur, Defence Minister A.K.Antony, Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor Tejender Khanna, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Maken and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson and Congress party President Sonia Gandhi were among the distinguished guests on this occasion.

About 200 freedom fighters, which included the individuals from National Capital Region (NCR) Delhi, Karnataka, Manipur, Meghalaya, Daman and Diu, and Pudducherry, also had the opportunity to attend the “At Home” at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

President Patil sat among the freedom fighters for a while and listened to their requests during the occasion.

The Bharat Choro Andolan or, the Quit India Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched on August 8, 1942 in response to Mahatma Gandhi’s call for immediate independence. (ANI)

BSP to Sonia Gandhi: Apologise to Mayawati in Parliament for Joshi slur

Lucknow, July 16 (ANI): The controversial arrest of Uttar Pradesh Congress unit chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi over her objectionable remarks on State Chief Minister Mayawati has taken the shape of a major political clash with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)-led State government here.

BSP State chief Satish Mishra on Thursday demanded that Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi apologise in the Lok Sabha for Joshi’s remarks against Mayawati.

Bahuguna’s house was set ablaze and some property at the premises was targeted by some unidentified hooligans here on Thursday.

The Congress party blamed BSP workers for the arson act.

Reacting to the incident, Congress party spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi said: “It’s a state-sponsored vandalism, hooliganism. We are certainly going to take a serious note of it and all possible legal recourse available to us.”

BSP leaders, however, claimed that Congress workers had set fire to Joshi’s house.

“Our workers did not torch Rita’s house. It was rather Congress workers who set it ablaze,” said Mishra.

State police later claimed to have detained four persons in connection with the incident.

Meanwhile, police prevented the burning of an effigy of Mayawati today. They also baton and cane-charged Congress workers and detained about a hundred of them while they staged a street demonstration against Congress leader Joshi’s arrest.

Police arrested Joshi on Thursday and a local court sent her to 14-day judicial remand for making remarks on Wednesday against the CM in an issue related to rape and murder of some Dalit girls in the UP.

The Samajwadi Party, the main opposition party in Uttar Pradesh State Assembly, blamed the police and offered the Congress party any proposal to carry out a joint protest against the state of affairs in Uttar Pradesh. They criticised the police for acting at the behest of State Government.

“Police are working on the directions of Mayawati Government,” said Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party’s U.P unit chief.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Maneka Gandhi demanded the dismissal of the Uttar Pradesh government.

“Time has come for dismissal of the UP Government. In my constituency, about 50 political workers are detained every week. I have never seen a situation like this in India ever,” said Maneka Gandhi.

Joshi was arrested in Ghaziabad en route to New Delhi. She was charged under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, for allegedly making derogatory remarks about Mayawati.

Joshi, however, has denied having said anything to offend Mayawati or Dalits.

“It was at a meeting in Moradabad that I had simply sought to draw the people’s attention to the fact that Mayawati’s dole of Rs.25,000 to every Dalit rape victim was quite ironical as the state police chief was spending lakhs on the helicopter ride that he undertakes to hand over that paltry amount to the victim,” Joshi told media persons. (ANI)

Sonia Gandhi slams anti-migrants in Mumbai

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Mumbai/Mangalore, Apr 27 (ANI): Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi has criticised organisations in Mumbai, who have demonstrating against migrants from other parts of the country. /pp
Addressing an election rally on Sunday, Sonia Gandhi said that Mumbai, which has seen large-scale anti-migrant violence last year, has provided shelter to people from all corners of the country. /pp
For centuries, Mumbai has given shelter to people of every state. But it is sad that some people look towards this city of big heart with narrow mindedness. They instigate people and say that outsiders should not be allowed to live and earn livelihood here, she said./pp
She also said her party and people of the country would not tolerate such acts of hate. /pp
It is India and its every corner is of every Indian, irrespective of religion, region and language. And the one who will try to break this character, country’s people and the Congress party will not tolerate this, she said./pp
In 2008, the activists of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena incited violence and attacked north Indians who migrated to the city./pp
Earlier Sonia Gandhi, addressing a public rally in Mangalore reiterated that the BJP was a puppet in the hands of Hindu groups./pp
Without naming either the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) or the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), she said that these radical groups pulled the BJP’s strings./pp
The reality is and you people know that these people (leaders of the BJP) look towards a particular organisation for every step and act on its directions, she said. (ANI)/p

Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi call Karunanidhi on Lanka Tamil issue

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Chennai, Apr 27 (ANI): Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi today called Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who is on an indefinite fast over Sri Lankan issue. /pp
Dr. Singh assured Karunanidhi that his government is in touch with Colombo.
Sonia Gandhi also called the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo from Murshidabad in West Bengal and expressed her concern about the plight of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka. /pp
The telephone calls to the ailing 84-year-old Karunanidhi came as DMK supporters launched road blockages in Chennai, Madurai, Trichy and Erode, besides other Tamil Nadu cities. /pp
Public transport was disrupted and some DMK cadres hurled stones at buses. /pp
Police deployment was in place to prevent a breakdown in law and order. /pp
Karunanidhi sat on fast under the memorial of late C N Annadurai early Monday morning. His son M K Azhagiri is also observing a fast.
Let me be one of Sri Lankan President Rajapaksae’s victims. This is my sacrifice on behalf of all Tamils, Karunanidhi said. /pp
Karunanidhi had clarified that the priority was not to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but to save the lives of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils./pp
In a telegram to Dr. Singh, Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Karunanidhi had urged the Indian Government to issue a warning to Colombo to halt the war in Lanka immediately./pp
He had also asked the UN and the international community to intervene in the matter./pp
Last week, National Security Adviser M.K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon visited Sri Lanka and urged Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government to work towards declaring a truce in the closing chapter of a 25-year war in which nearly 6,500 civilians have lost their lives since February 2009./pp
The meeting between Rajapaksa and the Indian envoys took place even as the international community continues to demand that Sri Lanka stop its offensive and the LTTE surrender to avert rising civilian casualties. /pp
India’s move is seen as a swift reversal by its Congress party-led ruling coalition, which backs efforts to wipe out a group India lists as a terrorist organisation, but faces election pressure in Tamil Nadu to protect Tamil civilians. (ANI)/p

Karunanidhi calls off indefinite hunger strike

Chennai, Apr 27 (ANI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi has called off his indefinite hunger strike over Sri Lankan issue following an assurance from Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram that the UPA Government will seek to convince the Sri Lankan Government to halt hostilities against the LTTE.

“I have the government’s assurance over the Sri Lankan issue,” Karunanidhi said on ending his fast.

He was on an indefinite fast under the memorial of late C N Annadurai early Monday morning. His son M K Azhagiri was also observing a fast.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress Party President Sonia Gandhi called Karunanidhi.

Dr. Singh assured Karunanidhi that his government is in touch with Colombo.onia Gandhi also called the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam supremo from Murshidabad in West Bengal and expressed her concern about the plight of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka.

The telephone calls to the ailing 84-year-old Karunanidhi came as DMK supporters launched road blockages in Chennai, Madurai, Trichy and Erode, besides other Tamil Nadu cities.

Public transport was disrupted and some DMK cadres hurled stones at buses.

Police deployment was in place to prevent a breakdown in law and order.

Karunanidhi had clarified that the priority was not to ban the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), but to save the lives of thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils.

In a telegram to Dr. Singh, Sonia Gandhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Karunanidhi had urged the Indian Government to issue a warning to Colombo to halt the war in Lanka immediately.

He had also asked the UN and the international community to intervene in the matter.

Last week, National Security Adviser M.K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon visited Sri Lanka and urged Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government to work towards declaring a truce in the closing chapter of a 25-year war in which nearly 6,500 civilians have lost their lives since February 2009.

The meeting between Rajapaksa and the Indian envoys took place even as the international community continues to demand that Sri Lanka stop its offensive and the LTTE surrender to avert rising civilian casualties.

India’s move is seen as a swift reversal by its Congress party-led ruling coalition, which backs efforts to wipe out a group India lists as a terrorist organisation, but faces election pressure in Tamil Nadu to protect Tamil civilians. (ANI)

Sonia Gandhi needs to do her homework before entering Gujarat: Modi

Vapi (Gujarat), Apr. 25 (ANI): Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Congress party President Sonia on issues of economy and joblessness in the country.

“I asked Sonia to do her homework before she comes to Gujarat”. Modi’s reaction comes a day after Sonia Gandhi visited Modi’s strongholds,” Modi said.

Modi said that Gujarat is the fortunate state that has the chance to choose the PM because BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate (L.K.Advani) is contesting from Gujarat.

Ridiculing the fact that Congress Prime Ministerial candidate Manmohan Singh is not even contesting the polls, Modi said that Manmohan is trying to take the back door.

On Friday, Gandhi slammed the Modi Government for dilly-dallying over advancing low interest loan to farmers.

Gandhi termed the BJP-ruled State Government’s attitude as pro-capitalist at the cost of the poor and rural folks.

“I am not surprised that the big industrialists are given thousands of crores loans at normal rates of interest which they pay after 20 years. But I feel sad that when our Central Government had decided to give seven percent interest of loan to farmers, the BJP-ruled State Government did not look upto it for two years and gave excuses,” Sonia Gandhi said at an election rally in Rajkot.

She also appealed people to vote for the Congress for a strong and stable government. (ANI)

Why is Sonia silent on Karunanidhi’s LTTE remark: Jayalalitha

Madurai, April 20 (IANS) AIADMK boss J. Jayalalitha Monday attacked Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her silence on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s open support for the outlawed Tamil Tigers, which was behind the assassination of her husband in 1991.

Speaking to CNN IBN news channel, the former Tamil Nadu chief minister asked how Sonia Gandhi could remain silent on the matter – as widow of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, as Congress party president and as United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chief.

‘Why is it that Sonia Gandhi is keeping silent? Is she not the Congress president, is she not the widow of Rajiv Gandhi, is she not the chairperson of the UPA? She should come out with clear explicit answer on these questions, and she should tell the nation what she feels about it as Mr. Karunanidhi has made the statement. And she should also tell the nation what she proposes to do about it as the president of Congress and chairperson of UPA.’

Jayalalitha was reacting to Karunaidhi telling NDTV Sunday that he would ‘deeply regret it (if LTTE chief Prabhakaran is killed)’. ‘I will regret it. I will say it happened because of a lack of unity among the Tamil groups in Sri Lanka,’ he told the channel.

Asked if he saw Prabhakaran as a terrorist, Karunanidhi said: ‘No, I don’t. Some people in Prabhakaran’s group might be involved in terrorism. But that is not Prabhakaran’s fault.’

‘Prabhakaran is a good friend, and I am not a terrorist.’

However, he changed his stance Monday after his remarks triggered a political storm.

He said that the LTTE ‘did not start off as a terrorist group. They began as a liberation group but it has now become a terrorist organisation’, Times Now TV quoted him as saying.

Karunanidhi also insisted that the people had not forgotten Sriperumbudur – the small town near Chennai where a LTTE suicide bomber assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi at an election rally in May 1991.

Tight security in Shillong ahead of Sonia’s visit

Shillong, Apr 12 (ANI): Security has been tightened in Shillong in view of a shutdown call given by a rebel tribal group to protest against Congress party president Sonia Gandhi’s visit on Monday.

A 24-hour shutdown called by Khasi rebel group Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) started at 6:00 a.m.

Around 1,500 armed police personnel have been pressed into service to avoid any kind of untoward incident ahead of her visit.

A team of Special Protection Group (SPG) met state police officials to review security arrangements.

Governor Ranjit Shekhar Mooshahary also held review meetings with senior state government and police officials.

Meanwhile, patrolling has been intensified and control rooms have been set up for emergency. (ANI)

Five Indian policemen killed in gunbattle with Maoist rebels

New Delhi – Five police were killed and three injured Saturday in an eight-hour-long gunbattle with Maoist rebels in eastern Indian state Jharkhand, about 20 kilometres from where Congress Party president Sonia Gandhi addressed an election rally. Maoist rebels, who operate in 13 of India’s 29 states, have increased attacks on government installations in the run-up to the general elections which are scheduled to begin Thursday.

“Five CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force) personnel were killed and three were injured in an ambush by Maoist rebels in Khuti district,” IANS news agency quoted Jharkhand Police spokesman SN Pradhan as saying.

Police said the gunbattle at Musanga Jorpa jungle, about 70 kilometres south of Jharkhand capital Ranchi, began Saturday morning and ended at around noon a little before Sonia Gandhi addressed a rally in the area,

Paramilitary forces patrolling the area ahead of Gandhi’s arrival came upon a group of Maoist rebels. When asked to surrender, the rebels fired and the gunbattle followed.

Maoist rebels have blown up 11 government buildings in Palamau, Latehar, Garwah, Gumla, Chatra and Bokaro districts of the state over the past week. Their targets have included schools, village-level government offices and pre-school centres.

The string of attacks is aimed at preventing security personnel from staying in these buildings during elections, IANS quoted a police source as saying.

Two-phased parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held in Jharkhand on Thursday and April 23.

On Friday, nine CRPF troopers, including an officer, were killed in an attack by another group of about 100 armed Maoist rebels in Bastar district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh state.

Chhattisgarh is also scheduled to go to the hustings on Thursday, the first day of voting in India’s month-long five-phase elections.

Maoist rebels have asked people to boycott the elections.

According to independent estimates, more than 600 people including civilians, police and rebels were killed in Maoist violence in India in 2008.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described the Maoist insurgency as one of the gravest internal security threats facing India. (dpa)

ELECTION EYE – Sikhs protest against Congress

The following is a snapshot of recent developments in India’s general election campaign. (The sources are mentioned in brackets).

* Sikhs in Punjab state protested against an election candidate of India’s ruling Congress party accused of leading riots against Sikhs in 1984. A Sikh journalist on Tuesday threw a shoe at India’s home minister after getting angry with a reply to a question about the riots. Fresh anger against the 1984 riots in which hundreds of Sikhs were killed could damage Congress’ election chances in Punjab and Delhi. (The Economic Times, The Hindu)

* Indian intelligence services fear the Tamil Tigers could try to assassinate Congress party president Sonia Gandhi during her campaign, as the Sri Lankan army looks set to finish off the rebels. Her husband, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, was killed by the Tigers in 1991. (The Hindu)

* Sharad Pawar, chief of the Nationalist Congress Party, a key ally of Congress, attended a rally on Wednesday in Orissa state with the Left and the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Pawar’s attendance could signal trouble for Congress, as there is speculation Pawar might throw in his lot with the Third Front instead of India’s ruling alliance. The Congress has no allies in the eastern state. (The Hindu)

* Leader of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cautioned party workers against overconfidence. The BJP fell from power in 2004 after a surprise election defeat. L.K. Advani said: “Even I had developed a sense of overconfidence in 2004, I used to say I cannot predict the outcome in a game of cricket but I can predict who will be the next prime minister.” (The Indian Express)