BSP sets SC/ST promotion quota issue for Monday

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Sun, 09 December 2012

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20:49 BSP sets SC/ST promotion quota issue for Monday

The Bahujan Samaj Party has set the Schedule Castes/Scheduled Tribes promotion quota issue to pass it in Rajya Sabha on Monday .

Senior BSP leader Dr Satish Mishra on Sunday contacted leaders of the Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam, the Dravida Munettra Kazhagam, the Telugu Desam Party, and Biju Janata Dal for support.

19:42 Zardari visits Malala in Birmingham hospital

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has met Malala Yousufzai in a UK hospital, describing the 15-year-old rights activist shot by the Taliban as a 'remarkable girl'.

Zardari, accompanied by his daughter Asifa Bhutto, met Malala yesterday at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham where she was being treated after being shot in the head on October 9 by the Taliban for advocating girls' education in the strife-torn Swat valley.

A statement released by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said President Zardari, along with Asifa, met doctors who have been treating Malala since her admission to the hospital on October 15.

AFP reports: North Korea has stopped all preparations for a rocket launch at a site in the country's northwest, a South Korean official told Yonhap News Agency today.

The report came after North Korea said earlier today it may delay the much-criticised launch, that was originally scheduled for as early as this week, with analysts saying the postponement could be due to technical problems.

CPI-M veteran and leaderof Opposition in the Kerala Assembly V S Achuthanandan todayclarified that he had not said anything against the partywhile reacting to a high court order quashing the FIR against him in a land allotment case. "Why such a doubt for you (media).

I have not made anycomments against the party leaders and party," Achuthanandantold reporters here during a brief interaction.

"What I said was the case was the result of a conspiracybetween (chief minister) Oommen Chandy and (IUML leader andIndustries Minister) P K Kunhalikutty", Achuthanandan said.

While reacting to the court verdict, the 88-year-oldleader had said the case was a conspiracy between Chandy andKunhalikutty to remove him from the post of Opposition leaderand install someone in that position.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today said he would visit Gujarat on December 10 to apprise its people about the tremendous development made by the former in every field.

Hooda, who would address several public meetings at Surat during the visit, said, "Haryana is ahead of Gujarat in every sphere," an official release said in Chandigarh.

"It is evident from the statistics that Haryana is far ahead of Gujarat in terms of per capita plan budget, old age allowance, widow pension, pension to the physically challenged, Shagun Yojna, pension given to the freedom fighters and per capita income," Hooda said.

Asserting itself as a "historic necessity", the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) today said the Jammu and Kashmir was poised for a genuine democratic contest, which would enable its people to choose their representatives on the basis of their performance.

"The state was poised for a genuine democratic contest for the first time in its history in which the people would have clear options to choose from on the basis of performance," the party patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said while addressing a public rally in Bari Brahmanan, 35 kms from in Jammu.

He said the emergence of PDP as a credible regional force had ended monopolistic politics and introduced a much needed corrective into the democratic system of Jammu and Kashmir.

17:55 Maha Congress opposes renaming Shivaji Park

Maharashtra Congress today dismissed as 'an attempt to distort the history' the Shiv Sena's demand of renaming Shivaji Park, where Bal Thackeray was cremated, as 'Shiv Tirth'.

"The Shiv Sena is trying to bring in a proposal in this regard in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation. Congress corporators will strongly oppose renaming of Shivaji Park as 'Shiv Tirth'," a statement issued by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee said.

The British had named the ground after Maratha warrior king Shivaji in 1927.

Raj Thackeray-led MNS today described as "ill-timed" the Shiv Sena move to bring a no-confidence motion against ruling Congress-NCP dispensation of Maharashtra.

"This is not the proper time to bring a no-trust motion against government," Maharashtra Navnirman Sena Leader Bala Nandgaonkar told reporters at a joint press meet of opposition leaders here on the eve of winter session of the state legislature.

In a bid to put the state government on the mat, the Shiv Sena has given a notice under rule 95 to move a no-trust motion in the session beginning on December 10 in Mumbai.

Apparently embarrassed by the MNS' blunt reply, Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai said, "We will meet again to decide when to move the motion in the House".

17:22 Mayawati targets SP govt over communal clashes

In a veiled attack on the SP government in Uttar Pradesh over communal clashes in the recent past, BSP chief Mayawati today said the state was free of such incidents during her rule.

"The BSP had maintained communal harmony during its rule in Uttar Pradesh and not a single communal riot occurred (during its rule)," she said in an apparent attack on her successor Akhilesh Singh Yadav.

The BSP supremo was addressing an election meeting in poll bound Gujarat at Shastri Maidan here. She claimed that BSP 'worked hard' for bringing all-round development in Uttar Pradesh during its stint.

"The BSP government provided financial aid to students and worked for improving the lifestyle of the poor and backward class people in Uttar Pradesh," she said.

Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has alleged that Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh won the last two assembly elections by using money received from Naxalites.

Singh told reporters here last evening that he was saying this as the BJP wins by large margins in areas where Naxalites wield influence in Chhattisgarh.

He alleged that there has heavy corruption in the Bundelkhand package and also claimed that there was full interference from RSS in BJP government.

He said that he will soon reveal the names of those builders from whom the BJP collects donations.

The BJP government faced the threat of instability after 13 MLAs, defying the party, threw their lot behind former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who formally launched his Karnataka Janata Party at a mega rally at Haveri today.

Thirteen loyalist MLAs of Yeddyurappa, who quit the BJP ten days ago, shared the dais with him in an open defiance, putting the ruling BJP in a quandary as it had warned of action if the legislators participated in today's rally or associated with its former state strongman.

Addressing the rally, a show of strength, a combative Yeddyurappa slammed Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar and threw down the gauntlet at him to seek a fresh mandate.

Vicky Nanjappa reports: "I will tour the entire state after four days. I need young leaders with me. The youth should come forward and join me. I can give you in writing in my blood that I will not let you down," said Yeddyurappa.

He also had a warning for Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar. "If you have the courage, dissolve the assembly. I dare you to act against the ministers on stage. You needed these people to become CM. Today you want to act against them. Got guts, dissolve the house and face me in the elections.""I put sweets in your mouth and congratulated you when I made you the CM. Today you act like a stooge of the high command," he thundered.

"The era of national parties has ended. They are are surviving only because of regional parties. If anyone asks why you are supporting the KJP, a regional party, then tell them there is no room for national parties anymore," he said."

Look at Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. She has a regional party. The government expects support from her and hence gave a favourable ruling in the Cauvery waters issue," he alleged.

15:01 The BJP lied to me: Yeddyurappa

Vicky Nanjappa reports: While speaking at the rally, Yeddyurappa lashed out at his former party. "The BJP lied to me. They said if you resign as the chief minister, we will make you president of party. I was cleared by the high court and despite that they did not keep their promise,": he said.

"They stabbed me in the back. I was cheated by the JD-S and then by the BJP. I will continue to fight," he said drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.

Yeddyruppa finally commenced speech amid loud applause."I put my sweat and blood to build the BJP, but I was betrayed," he said.

14:48 Vajpayee finds a place in KJP's advertisements

Yeddyurappa may have walked out of the BJP and continues to speak ill about his former party, the BJP. However, all the advertisements of the KJP have one photograph of former Prime Minister and senior BJP leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee. He finds a place along with B R Ambedkar, Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi.

Meanwhile, Yeddyurappa continues to act fussy at the launch even as people wait for him to speak. He is upset that people are not sitting down.

"I will go away and not speak if you people do not sit down," he said.

The rumour currently doing the rounds is that Yeddyurappa has spent over Rs 8 crore in organising the launch of the KJP. There is a lot of criticism over the money spent, whih even prompted Congress leader Siddaramaiah to say, "He has the money, he will spend it."

14:27 Yeddyruppa is a fighter: Pooja Gandhi

Pooja Gandhi began her speech in highly-accented and broken Kannada. She was however quick to realise the same and told the crowd that she has learnt the language with great difficulty.

"Yeddyurappa built the BJP. I have seen all his good qualities. He is a fighter and today he is before you seeking your blessings. He has not differentiated between any region and has developed every part of the state," she said.

Michael Ferandes, brother of former Defence Minister George Fernandes has also joined the KJP. When he took the stage, he urged Yeddyurappa to distribute tickets to all communities and castes.

"KJP will be the most secular party," he said.

14:09 More star power for Yeddyurappa's KJP

After actor-turned-politician Pooja Gandhi joined Yeddyurappa's KJP, two other superstars from the Kannada movie industry have joined the new party.

They are Malashree and Shruthy, who were inducted into the party, and this wasannounced by Dhananjay Kumar, president of the KJP.

14:04 Please don't garland me: Yeddyurappa

Vicky Nanjappa reports: On seeing supporters approaching him with garlands, Yeddyurappa got off his chair and interrupted the speaker."Please don't come and garland me on stage. If you do that, I will leave. I will accept your garlands after I win the elections. Don't come to the stage now. I will come to your homes, touch your feet and thank you," he said.

13:51 Secular is the mantra at Yeddyurappa's rally

Vicky Nanjappa reports: Various attempts are being made to project Yeddyurappa as a secular leader. All the leaders on stage are speaking about his secular stance.

Yeddyurappa too, is taking a special interest in felicitating Muslim leaders on stage He also accepted a memento from a few Muslim women.

13:19 BJP biggies at Yeddy's rally

Despite stern warnings from the BJP, many of its leaders are attending the rally at Haveri today.

Many leaders who were with Yeddyurappa for the breakfast meeting have left Haveri, but a good number stayed on to attend the rally.

Chandrappa, Bharathi Shetty, C C Patil, B Harish, Dinesh Gowdan, Mohan Limbavali, Shivraj Sajjan, Olekar are the prominent BJP leaders who are at the rally.

Vicky Nanjappa reports: Friend-turned-foe, D Sadananda Gowda has sent his best wishes to B S Yeddyurappa. When contacted, Gowda who was made the CM by Yeddyurappa before he was pulled down wished Yeddyurappa well.

"All my best wishes to him and his new party," he said.

13:09 Sea of humanity descends upon Haveri

Vicky Nanjappa reports: A sea of humanity has descended upon Haveri today. Roads are blocked, and the police appear to be having a tough time controlling the crowd.

There are over 5,000 vehicles apart from 1,100 buses which have come into Haveri ferrying crowds.

13:05 Yeddyurappa takes the stage

Vicky Nanjappa says: Yeddyurappa has taken the stage, and has started his speech to a roaring applause. He says that about 1 lakh people are at the event, and is making repeated pleas for the crowd to sit down.

Yeddyurappa is walking around like a school head master and says that he will not start speaking until the crowd settles down.

Vicky nanjappa reports: The much-awaited rally leading up to the launch of the former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's Karnataka Janatha Party has commenced at Haveri.

Crowds have turned up in large numbers. At present, Dhananjay Kumar, president of the KJP has started his speech.

New Indian Express reports: One morning a few weeks ago, the nation suddenly learnt that Ajmal Amir Kasab of 26/11 infame had been hanged. It was known earlier that his mercy petition against the final Supreme Court verdict was pending consideration of the President.

Apparently, President Pranab Mukherjee had rejected Kasab's plea, and the process was set in motion in great secrecy, culminating in the execution'"the nation knew of these developments only after the event.

Read the full story here

New York Post reports: The DJs who tricked a London nurse into patching through a prank phone call to her colleague caring for Kate Middleton won't be fired, and their boss even painted them as victims.

"This is a tragic event that could not have been reasonably foreseen and we're deeply saddened by it,' said Rhys Holleran, the CEO of Southern Cross Austereo, which owns 2Day FM.

"I spoke to both presenters early this morning and it's fair to say they're completely shattered,' he said today in Melbourne, adding that the pair had been offered counseling.

Read the full story here

A mother cannot independently give her child up in adoption without the father's consent as such an adoption is 'nullity' in the eyes of law, a Delhi court has said.

Additional Sessions Judge Anuradha Shukla Bhardwaj made the observations while dealing with a man's petition challenging his estranged wife's plea seeking maintenance for herself and their minor daughter, who she had allegedly given in adoption.

The court also said if the woman has given away the child to someone else in adoption then also the man has the right to challenge the adoption and can take back the minor's custody but till then he had to maintain his daughter.

harging most Indian carriers with 'unreasonably' hiking air fares, a parliamentary panel has sought a probe against them and recommended that any increase in ticket prices should be approved by aviation regulator DGCA in the future.

Noting that 'most of the airlines operating in the country had been overcharging the passengers by increasing the air fares unreasonably', the panel sought an investigation into the fare hikes by all airlines and said those found guilty may be penalised.

It also said the excess amount the airlines have collected 'by way of exorbitant passenger fares may be identified'.

11:28 India not to get into GMR dispute in Male

HT reports: On the day GMR surrendered the Male International Airport project to the Maldives government, India posted Captain RS Sunil of the Indian Navy as the first defence attach to the island nation.

Top government sources, however, maintained that New Delhi has no intention of getting embroiled either in commercial disputes or internal politics pertaining to Maldives.

Instead, it will keep a close watch on Chinese and American manoeuvres in the island nation, besides fundamentalist forces that are trying to penetrate the local polity through the radical Adhaalath Party.

Read the full story here

00:12 News As It Happens

Top Headlines at this hour:

Sonia's rally in Keshod a bigger hit than Modi's show

Revenge of the fallen: Yeddyurappa back with a bang

Kolkata honour killing: Brother beheads sister over affair

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