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Tue, 12 June 2012
Indian economy to grow by 6.9 pc in 2012-13: WB

Timeline  Refresh

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23:21   Ram Sene to work within law in Goa: Muthalik

A day after Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar issued a strong warning to Sri Ram Sene over its alleged threat to target pubs, the right wing group said it will work within the ambit of law and was firm on setting up its branch in the tourist state.


 
"We are coming to Goa in the next 2-3 months. Our operations will be within the ambit of law. Sri Ram Sene is not interested in breaking law," Sri Ram Sene chief Pramod Muttalik told reporters at Ramnathi village, where he has arrived to participate in a Hindu convention.

 

"The Sene will be launching a campaign against illegal pubs in Goa by registering complaints against them with police and state authorities," he maintained. "We will insist that action is taken against these illegal pubs."


 
Parrikar had warned the outfit against breaking law following Muthalik's comments in a national newspaper that his organisation will work to ban pub culture in Goa, which attracts a large number of foreign tourists every year.


 
"We intend to start an awareness drive amongst youths so that they don't visit pubs," he had said, adding the campaign will also persuade youths against celebrating Valentine's Day.

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22:40   Indian economy to grow by 6.9 pc in 2012-13: WB

The Indian economy will grow by 6.9 per cent in this financial year (2012-13) notwithstanding problems like policy uncertainties, fiscal deficit and inflation, the World Bank projected today, while cautioning that developing nations will have to face tougher times.

 

"India will see growth (measured at factor cost) increasing to 6.9, 7.2 and 7.4 per cent in fiscal years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, respectively," the World Bank said in the report titled 'Global Economic Prospects' .

 

Referring to developments in 2011, the multi-lateral lending agency said that growth in India was particularly weak due to monetary policy, stalled reforms and electricity shortages. These factors, along with fiscal and inflation concerns, cut into investment activity, it added.

India's economic growth rate in 2011-12 slipped to a nine-year low of 6.5 per cent. The economy had expanded by 8.4 per cent in the preceding two years.

 

For the current fiscal, the government has pegged growth at 7.6 per cent. Considering global uncertainties and domestic woes, this growth rate could be tall order for the country.
    


"Growth in South Asia slowed to 7.1 per cent in 2011, from 8.6 per cent in 2010, as headwinds from the Euro Area crisis caused a steep deceleration in exports and a reversal of portfolio inflows," the report said.


 
Meanwhile, the global economy is expected to expand 2.5 per cent this year.


    
According to the World Bank, developing nations should prepare for a long period of volatility in the global economy by re-emphasising on medium term development strategies.

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21:46   Gujarat police most tech-savvy force in the country: Modi
The Gujarat government has recruited 26,000 people into the police force in variouscadres and also provided over 2.5 lakh jobs in the last seven years. 

In all, three lakh people had been employed in different government jobs since 2005 and the entire recruitment process was "transparent", Chief Minister Narendra Modi said today. 

"Earlier, there used to be a lot of complaints about police recruitment, but things have changed now. These 26,000 persons, including those from poor families, were recruited in a transparent manner," he said.
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21:45   Prez poll: Cong seeks to project picture of unity in UPA
As the schedule for the Presidential election was announced, the Congress today projected a picture of unity in the UPA. 

"Whenever there has been a political challenge during the last eight years, the UPA has shown that it is not only united but cohesive too," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters. 

Tewari's remarks are significant as they come ahead of the Trinamool Congress chief's meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday.
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21:44   Will go to PM on water issue: Delhi CM
With Delhi reeling under an acute shortage of water, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit today sought an early solution to the Munak canal dispute with Haryana and said she would seek Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's intervention on the matter. 

The comments by Dikshit came a day after Haryana turned down Delhi government's request to provide additional water to the national capital to overcome the water crisis in the city. 

On Monday, Delhi Chief Secretary P K Tripathi had asked his Haryana counterpart P K Chaudhery to release more water to Delhi, but the latter turned down the request saying his state was also facing the same situation. 

"We should get the return on our investment. We need water and I will go to the prime minister for a solution to the issue," Dikshit said.
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21:44   Clinton hails India-US ties
Noting that the relationship between India and the US has never been stronger, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today said the "shared values, economic systems and diplomatic imperatives" were playing key role in bringing the two largest democracies of the world together. 

"As you can see from this week's strategic dialogue, our ties have never been stronger. It is not just that we are the world's oldest and largest democracy it is that the strategic fundamentals of our relationship -- the shared values, economic systems, our diplomatic imperatives -- are drawing our interests into closer convergence into the 21st century," Clinton said.
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21:42   What did Panetta discuss with Antony?
 What did Defence Minister A K Antony discuss with US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta during the latter's recent visit to India?   

According to a media report, the talks revolved around the imminent troop pullout in Afghanistan, ways to contain China and the possibility of a military alliance between India and the US.   

To know more about the outcome of the talks, read the full report.
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20:52   Ban child labour in agriculture: Activists
On the occasion of World Day Against Child Labour today, child rights activists demanded a ban on child labour in the agriculture sector, where nearly 70 per cent of India's child labourers work. 

Pointing out that under the Child Labour Act, agriculture sector falls under the non-hazardous category and remains out of the purview of the Act, international NGO Savethe Children's CEO Thomas Chandy said an amendment is needed urgently. 

"There should be no distinction between hazardous and non-hazardous work for children up to the age of 14 years. There should be a complete ban on all forms of child labourtill this age," he said in a statement. 

With the largest child population in the world at 440 million, India also has the highest number of child labourers.
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20:51   Coalgate scam: CBI to write to coal producing states
The CBI will write to governments of coal producing states, seeking to know the basis of their recommendations with regard to private companies who were allocated coal blocks between 2006 and 2009. 

The agency, in its prima facie investigation, has found some material which shows that several ineligible companies had allegedly got the coal blocks during the period, CBI sources said. 

The CBI is now trying to ascertain whether these companies were recommended by the state governments as per the norms and parameters.
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20:51   Bihar: 40,000 to attend Ranvir Sena chief's 'shraddh'
Elaborate security measures have been put in place in Bihar's Bhojpur district to ensure law and order during slain Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Singh alias Mukhiyaji's shraddh in his native Khopira village on Wednesday.  

Official sources said the shraddh would be attended by about 40,000 people. 

His cremation in Patna on June 2 saw large-scale violence by Sena followers.

District Magistrate Pratima S Verma said 16 police stations in the district have been put on high alert.
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20:50   Prez polls: Mamata in Delhi, to meet Sonia on Wed
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrived in Delhi on Tuesday night for consultations with United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday on the issue of the Presidential poll nominee of UPA amid intense speculation on FinanceMinister Pranab Mukherjee's candidature for the post. 

Soon after her arrival, Banerjee, whose Trinamool Congress is a key constituent of the UPA, met Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to discuss the Presidential polls. 

"I am meeting Soniaji tomorrow to discuss the Presidential elections," Banerjee told reporters. Trinamool Congress, with 19 members in the Lok Sabha, is the largest constituent of the UPA after the Congress. 

Yadav's Samajwadi Party, which has 22 members in the Lok Sabha, is an outside supporter of the ruling alliance.
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20:00   'Report on PM-Sonia disconnect NOT gospel truth'
The Congress today dismissed as "not gospel truth" the Standard and Poor's report which said roadblocks for reforms in India are on account of division of roles between party president Sonia Gandhi and 'unelected' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"The report betrays very poor appreciation of India's democratic system and government's functioning. The same report points out higher growth for the country in 2007. Even in that period, Sonia Gandhi was the UPA chairperson and Manmohan Singh was the prime minister," said party spokesperson Manish Tewari.

"If at all there was a disconnect, why didn't it affect the growth rate then? The Standard and Poor's report is only a rating agency report and not the gospel truth nor a casting stone," Tewari said.
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19:59   CISF units to get anti-landmine vehicles in Naxal areas
The CISF, which guards over 50 installations producing and extracting iron ore, coal and steel in Naxal-affected states, has decided to procure anti-land mine and bullet proof vehicles for all its units.  

A slew of measures have been taken by the force headquarters after recent incidents of Maoist violence at units guarded by the CISF, including last month's attack by Naxals in NMDC mine areas of Chhattisgarh, where five troopers were killed
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19:59   Kudankulam nuke project in 'highest safety category'
Asserting that the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant belonged to the "highest safety category" of plants currently in operation in the world, the Centre today sought dismissal of petitions in the Madras high court against the Rs 14,000 crore Indo-Russian project.

In a joint counter-affidavit to a batch of petitions, the Department of Atomic Energy and Atomic Energy Commission said no technological endeavour was free from a certain amount of risk, but assured that the authorities were fully prepared to meet and face any eventuality at the KNPP in Tamil Nadu.

The affidavit said since the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, empowered to enforce safety provisions under the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, in all the DAE units, had been doing this in a very transparent and effective manner, there was no need for a fresh review of KNPP.
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19:48   Naxals kill contractor in Gadchiroli
A contractor was killed by a group of Naxals at Pendhari village in Gadchioli district, police said today.

Police said the ultras picked up Sanjay Mandal, 37, from his house last night and fired three bullets at him from close range, killing him on the spot.

The motive behind the killing was not known immediately.
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19:48   OMC case: CBI seeks valuation of Reddys' assets
A special CBI court in Hyderabad today sought for valuation certificates of a chopper and luxury cars owned by former Karnataka tourism minister Gali Janardhana Reddy and OMC's Managing Director B V Srinivas Reddy, that were seized by the CBI after their arrest from Bellary last year. 

The Reddys, who have been chargesheeted along with three others in the OMC case in September last year, had earlier approached the Special court for CBI cases, seeking release of the helicopter and some cars that were seized by the investigating agency.

The CBI, probing the "illegal" mining case involving Obulapuram Mining Company, alleged that the helicopter and the cars that were bought in the name of OMC and Reddys were purchased through "ill-gotten" money that was made in the mining scam.
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19:13   Assange asks UK SC to reopen extradition case
WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange has asked Britain's Supreme Court to reopen his extradition case, an unusual legal maneuver aimed at blocking his removal to Sweden.

British Supreme Court spokesman Ben Wilson confirmed today that papers had been lodged in the high-profile case, which has dragged on for the better part of two years.

Last month, the Supreme Court rejected Assange's last-ditch appeal against extradition to Sweden, where he's wanted on sex crimes allegations.But his lawyers challenged the validity of the judgment and, in a virtually unheard-of move, have asked the top court to reopen the case.
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19:11   Police conduct searches at Nithyananda's ashram
The police today conducted searches at Nithyananda's ashram at Bidadi.Ramanagar District Superintendent of Police Anupam Agarwal said the search was for arresting those named in the FIR including Nithyananda.

"We are searching for Nithyananda. As of now we don't think he is absconding, but if he is not in the ashram, we will look out (for him). If we find him we will arrest him on charges of assault and threat to life", he told reporters outside the ashram.

Nithyananda, already facing criminal charges including rape, has been absconding since June 7 after police filed an FIR on charges of assault and threat to life in the wake of an altercation between his supporters and a regional TV reporter and activists of a Kannada outfit in his ashram at Bidadi.
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18:07   Presidential election schedule announced
The presidential election will take place on July 19, and counting of votes will happen on July 22.

The Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath announced the schedule on Tuesday, and according to him the notification for the election will be issued on June 16, the last day for making nominations is June 30, date of scrutiny of nominations on July 2 and the last day for withdrawal of nominations is July 4.

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18:01   Andhra by-polls: 70 pc polling amid clashes
The crucial by-elections to one Lok Sabha seat and 18 assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh witnessed a massive turnout of voters as more than 70 per cent of 4.6 million voters across 12 district exercised their franchise today, reports Mohammed Siddique.  

A large number of voters started queuing up outside the polling stations right from the morning and there were long queues even after 5 pm at many places. The Chief Electoral Officer Bhanwar Lal said that all those who reached the polling stations before 5 pm will be allowed to vote.  

In Ongole town tension prevailed following the clash between the workers of the Telugu Desam Party and the YSR Congress. The altercation outside a polling station led to a clash with the TDP workers trying to attack the YSRC candidate B Srinivas Reddy and a van of Sakshi TV Channel of Jaganmohan Reddy.  

In Tirupati too a senior YSR Congress leader Ch Bhaskar Reddy was arrested on the charges of creating trouble outside a polling station.
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17:33   Punish me if I'm anti-national: Hazare tells PMO
Reacting to Minister of State in Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy remarks that Team Anna is anti-national, Anna Hazare said, "Punish me if am anti-national. Why isn't the government acting against me?"  

He said that there was no foreign hand in his protest. "The PMO is diverting attention from real issues. The government is no serious about bringing laws to prevent graft.'       
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17:02   PMO wants revoking of sacking order: AI pilots

Just in: Striking Air India pilots met PMO officials in an attempt to break the deadlock with the government today. The PMO officials are expected to speak to civil aviation minister Ajit Singh today over the issue. The PM's office, it is learnt, favours revoking the sacking order against the pilots.

The civil aviation minister had said it was up to the management to take action against the striking pilots, but contended that sacking all the 440 pilots was inevitable.

"These pilots have been off duty for more than 30 days. It is an illegal strike, they have defied the high court, we have requested them to come back to work. Now it is up to the management to decide till when they can keep these pilots on their payroll," Ajit Singh had said on Monday.

The pilots who went on a mass sick leave are adamant they won't return till all the 101 sacked pilots are taken back. The Air India management is yet to take a final call.

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16:55   Weakening rupee makes Delhi, Mumbai cheaper for expats

The weakening rupee has made four Indian cities including New Delhi and Mumbai cheaper for expatriates to live in, even as many Asian cities have turned expensive, says a Mercer survey. Global HR services firm Mercer's survey of 214 cities worldwide has ranked Tokyo as the most expensive, while Karachi is the least costly place for expatriates.

In the Mercer 'Worldwide Cost of Living Survey 2012', New Delhi has slipped to 113th position (from 85 last year), while Mumbai is at 114th place (from 95). Bangalore and Kolkata dropped to 187th and 208th spots, respectively. These two cities were at 180th and 203rd positions, respectively, last year. 

However, Chennai became more expensive to live in and climbed to 190th rank from 194th place in 2011 list.

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16:53   Meeting Brevik similar to Hannibal Lechter: Doc

Meeting Norwegian mass killer Anders Behring Breivik in jail was like meeting Hannibal Lecter, a cannibal in a horror movie, a psychologist has said.

 

"Meeting Breivik was almost like meeting Hannibal,' said Eirik Johannesen, who spent 26 hours speaking with Breivik, who has been accused of killing 77 people in a shooting and bombing rampage last year. 

 

According to The Telegraph, Johannesen was called by Breivik's defence to back its case that he was not crazy when he killed people in Norway. 

 

Johannesen told the court he was 'completely convinced' that Breivik was not psychotic, attributing his radical views to political extremism and not mental illness.

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16:44   S&P: Sonia-Singh divided leadership biggest hurdle to reform

As if the noise from the opposition benches wasn't enough, rating agency Standard & Poor's, in its recent report, trained its guns on Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying his "limited' influence in the federal cabinet has led to the government dragging its feet on economic reforms.

 

Read more on the WSJ

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16:42   Pranab in denial over S&P's warning

A few hours after Standard & Poor's warned India could lose its investment-grade rating, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said he rejected the report. But his rejection seems founded on shaky analysis.

Read

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16:31   Do you have what it takes to wear this swimwear?

Indian-born swimwear designer Ambika Sanjana, who boasts of celebrity clients like Mariah Carey and Eva Longoria launched her latest collection in Mumbai last week. Here's a look at her latest line, inspired by the bright and resplendent culture of Rajasthan.

Exclusively on rediff.com. See

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16:26   Cold War

Why are India and Pakistan sacrificing hundreds of soldiers' lives over an uninhabitable icy wasteland?

Read the report on Foreign Policy.

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16:14   Going to Delhi to meet my many acquaintances like Mulayam: Mamata
West Bengal CM and key UPA ally Mamata Banerjee leaves for Delhi after Sonia Gandhi's call to discuss the Presidential election. Speaking to the press in Kolkata, Mamata said, "I have many acquaintances like Mulayam Singh Yadav in Delhi with whom I will talk."
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16:04   Indo-Pak Siachen talks end with NO resolution

India and Pakistan were today unable to make any forward movement in ending the military standoff on Siachen, merely committing themselves to "serious,
sustained and result-oriented efforts" for an amicable settlement of the issue over the world's highest battlefield. 

 

"Both sides reaffirmed their resolve to make serious, sustained and result-oriented efforts for seeking an amicable resolution of Siachen," said a joint statement issued at the end of the two-day talks on the issue here. 

 

It was agreed to continue the dialogue on Siachen in keeping with the desire of the leaders of both countries for early resolution of all outstanding issues, the statement said. The two countries "acknowledged that the ceasefire (in Siachen) was holding since 2003." They further agreed that the next round of talks on Siachen would be held in New Delhi on mutually convenient dates to be fixed through diplomatic channels. 

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15:58   Prez poll schedule to be announced this evening

The schedule for the Presidential election is likely to be announced this evening.
Sources said the Election Commission held meetings yesterday as well as today to finalise the schedule for the poll. 

 

The process of electing the new President has to be completed before July 24 when the term of the incumbent Pratibha Patil ends. The notification for the last Presidential election was issued on June 13. New Chief Election Comissioner V S Sampath, who took over yesterday, said, "All preparatory works are in full swing and an announcement regarding the election schedule is due shortly."


 He said an orientation workshop for the returning officer, assistant returning officers and presiding officers for the Presidential poll was held last month.

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15:46   Disabled girl, 16, starved for four months

A 16-year-old girl with cerebral palsy weighed only 23lbs and could not walk or talk when she was removed from her family home after being starved by her mother.  Darlene Armstrong measured just 3'10'' tall when she was rushed to hospital in Chicago in March.

 

Read more 

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15:39   Why you should hang on to your job

Employers in the country seem to be embracing a cautious approach in hiring activities as economic uncertainties and inflationary pressure continue toweigh on their sentiment, says a survey. Indicating that recruitment activities have moderated, employment portal Naukri.com's job speak index remained almost flat last month compared to April. The index -- a monthly gauge of hiring trends online -- stood at 1,194 in May as against 1,193 in April.  

 

"Concerns of a global economic crunch and rising inflationary pressures are acting as a caution sign for India Inc," Info Edge India Managing Director and CEO Hitesh Oberoi said. "Therefore, recruiters of some sectors are on a wait and watch mode. This does not mean that companies have frozen hiring, but they are certainly not going overboard," he said in a statement today.

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15:28   'No give and take on prez poll, won't go with begging bowl'

Amid reports that Mamata Banerjee is insistent on a financial package for West Bengal as a condition for extending support to UPA nominee for President's
post, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar has said the demand for assistance should not be mixed with Presidential poll. 

 

"I dont believe in this kind of give and take. Two things (election and demand) cannot be mixed", Parrikar, whose state has been seeking special status from the Centre, he said last evening. 

 

Parrikar, under whom the BJP staged an emphatic comeback to power in the tiny coastal state earlier this year, said he would not go to the Centre with a "begging bowl". "I will ask (for) whatever is rightfully owed to us by the centre", he said. "West Bengal probably requires the financial package to get out of the crisis. The Central government should give it to them", he said.

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15:12   Crouching Tiger actress sues paper for prostitute taint

Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi has sued Hong Kong's leading newspaper the Apple Daily and its sister weekly Next Magazine over reports that she prostituted
herself with senior Chinese officials. 

 

The Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon star signed the suit presented to the Hong Kong High Court yesterday, saying the reports were "seriously defamatory" and "false". 

 

An article in Apple Daily on May 29 said Zhang "is a prostitute" and had sex with disgraced top official Bo Xilai and his wealthy associate Xu Ming for money on "numerous occasions", the court document said. 

 

The tabloid also alleged the 33-year-old actress had sex with other top officials and "unnamed rich persons", and had accrued a fortune worth USD 110 million from these illicit liaisons over 10 years. "The plaintiff has been subjected to public odium  hatred, contempt or ridicule," the suit signed by the actress said,
adding it would seek unspecified damages.

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15:05   Will new prez be sworn-in at Parliament's revamped Central Hall?

Our sources in Delhi tell us that the Central Hall of Parliament is closed for a fortnight for maintenance work. The Central Hall is normally the place where MPs meet informally before the Parliament begins for the day at 11 am and is therefore the ideal place to be a fly on the wall.

Whoever is the new president may be sworn in at the Central Hall, which explains the Botox job. And in any case, a revamp was due after Parliament adjourned three times in two days over a foul smell. The Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Hamid Ansari has also ordered the sewage systems be overhauled. 

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14:53   Where are my parents, asked UK PM's kid left behind at pub
This is what a bemused 8-year-old Nancy, daughter of British Prime Minister David Cameron asked after she was left behind in a country pub. An internal review is on in the elite specialist protection unit hours after the girl was left behind and Cameron rushed back to the pub after reaching home and realising his daughter was missing. The little girl had probably only been in the village pub's toilet for a few minutes. So when she emerged to find her mother and father and others in their party had vanished from the bar and outside, she was naturally a little bemused. 
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14:30   President poll schedule to be announced at 3 pm tomorrow
Our sources in Delhi tell us that the Election Commission is meeting today to give the final touches to the presidential election schedule -- the first task of new Chief Election Commissioner V S Sampath. The buzz in Nirvachan Sadan is that the details will be announced tomorrow at 3 pm. The EC has also asked V S Agnihotri, the returning officer, who is also secretary general of the Rajya Sabha to be in Delhi tomorrow.
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14:23   Syrian army uses children as human shields: UN

Syrian troops have tortured children, executed them and used children as young as eight as "human shields" during military raids against rebels, according to a UN report released today. 

 

The United Nations branded the Syrian government as one of the worst offenders on its annual "list of shame" of conflict countries where children are killed, tortured and forced to fight. Human rights groups estimate that about 1,200 children have died during the 15-month uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, whose brutal crackdown on Arab Spring-inspired protests has been widely condemned.

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14:01   Pranab: Taking steps to kickstart economy

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee addresses the media on the state of the economy. He says the April Index of Industrial Production figure is no consolation and is disappointing as negative rate of investments continue. The government will take steps to kickstart the economy, but the performance of public sector banks is encouraging.

 

Read: SHOCKING! Industrial production rate slows to 0.1%

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13:45   Year after J Dey murder second chargesheet filed

A second supplementary chargesheet has been filed in the murder case of MiD DAY investigations editor J Dey who was gunned down exactly a year ago. The chargesheet is said to hold additional information on scribe Jigna Vora's involvement in the murder.

Yesterday, in a gesture that "will hopefully expunge some of the trauma of the memory and supplant it with respect for the triumphant life that preceded it," Niranjan Hiranandani, MD of Hiranandani Group, has announced that he will name the square outside DMart after Dey. This is the spot where he was gunned down on June 11, 2011.

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13:36   Cafe Zoe responds to today's Mumbai Mirror story

The Mumbai Mirror story today: Assistant Commissioner of police Vasant Dhoble, 57, raided the hip cafe and brasserie, Zoe, on Friday night on grounds that the restaurant was playing music without a proper performance license and that the establishment had violated an archaic 1960 rule that specified only 166 people per 1000 square feet in a restaurant.

 

This is the response to the story from Cafe Zoe

HOOOOOURAAAAAAH! We have made it to Mumbai's Mirror front page! Apparently Caf Zoe is Hip! :) Thanks for that Mumbai Mirror! Also, no, we were NOT RAIDED by the authorities on Friday.   We were just fined, and that too after we had closed the Cafe. And despite the fact that the Mumbai Mirror made the so called raid sound grave, we assure you that everything occurred smoothly and there was absolutely NO drama whatsoever, NO 'pandemonium' and NO unpaid bills.   

 

And we reopened the next morning at 7.30 a.m. for business as usual. That same night a multitude of other resto / bars in the Lower Parel neighbourhood have also had to shut early (not sure why it wasn't mentioned in the article)!In a nutshell: CAFE ZOE is OPEN and ready for you Bombay!  

 

PS: Message to the Mumbai Mirror fact-checking-team: the fine we paid is nothing close to the figure mentioned in your paper.

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13:26   Muslims will not guarantee Obama their vote
As US President Barack Obama travels across the country to raise funds and court voters, one group that was drawn to his candidacy four years ago has expressed a feeling of being further and further marginalized. Read
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13:15   Bypolls: WB polling officers given ORS, 47% voting so far

Moderate to brisk polling was recorded in the by-elections in Bankura and Daspur in West Bengal till noon. Election Commission sources here said that in both the constituencies polling remained peaceful. '

 

Defying sweltering heat, people queued up in sizeable numbers to cast their votes in Daspur in West Midnapore which recorded around 47 per cent polling till noon, EC sources said. 

 

In Bankura, which is also under the spell of a heat wave, 20 per cent polling was registered till noon, sources said. Polling personnel were given ORS by the police in view of the intense heat in both the places.

 

While Daspur has an electorate of 2.48 lakh, Bankura has 2.19 lakh voters. The by-elections to Bankura and Daspur in the Maoist-hit districts of Jangalmahal and West Midnapur respectively were caused by the death of TMC legislators there.

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13:00   Jaswant Singh meets Mulayam during Ramdev's visit

Senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh today met Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav amid speculation that the BJP leader could be lobbying for the Vice President's post. When Yadav was meeting yoga guru Ramdev at his residence on the issue of black money here this morning, Jaswant Singh drove in and was inside the SP leader's house for 10 minutes. 

 

It is understood that the three discussed the issue of Indian black money stashed away abroad. Jaswant Singh had raised the issue on behalf of the BJP in the Lok Sabha. The meeting between the SP chief and Jaswant Singh triggered speculation that the BJP leader may be making an effort to lobby for himself as a candidate in the Vice Presidential poll. The BJP and NDA have not yet taken a stand on issue of Presidential and Vice Presidential election candidates.


After the meeting, Yadav came out to see off Jaswant Singh and the two were seen talking one-on-one for some time. Sources said Jaswant Singh has been lobbying for his candidature for the post of Vice President for sometime. He
has reportedly discussed the issue within and outside the party.

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12:54   Kiran Bedi calls for impartial probe

Social activist and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi has called for an impartial probe against the government and Team Anna after union ministers laid allegations against the later.

 

Overseas Indian affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) V. Narayanasamy had called Team Anna anti-national and questioned their track record.

 

"Allegations against us, the ministers and the Prime Minister should be probed by a special investigation team not by the CBI because the CBI is under the government''s control. The CBI always does flip-flops," Bedi said.

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12:46   Bee Gees singer Robin Gibb's dying wish was to go home

In other news, Bee Gees star Robin Gibb, who passed away following a long battle with liver and colon cancer, told his wife Dwina he wanted to go home moments before he died. The 62-year-old singer died from kidney failure lastmonth after fighting cancer and pneumonia and his funeral was held in his home town Thame, Oxfordshire on June 8.

 

"He mouthed to me, 'Dwina, I want to go home.' Instead, he is now on his last journey. But at least I know he is safe. I am proud of Robin's life, what he has achieved and the inspiration and the happiness he gave so many people," Dwina said. "I am devastated to have lost my best friend, my husband, my brother. Robin was everything to me. I shall miss him for the rest of my life," she added.

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12:41   President Pranab? Mamata to meet Sonia tomorrow
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee will reach New Delhi today for her meeting with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi tomorrow over the Presidential elections. Sources say that the Trinamool Congress chief is not opposed to Pranab Mukherjee as the presidential candidate.
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12:39   Mulayam supports Ramdev on blackmoney

Underplaying attacks by Team Anna, SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav today extended support to yoga guru Ramdev in his campaign on the issue of black money, saying till it is brought back, the poor won't benefit. 

 

Ramdev met Yadav at his residence in New Delhi for over an hour to seek his support on bringing back Indian blackmoney stashed away abroad. "Ramdev is fighting against black money. It has my full support. We had been against black money and will continue to do so," Yadav said after the meeting. 

 

Interestingly, BJP veteran Jaswant Singh also reached Yadav's 16, Ashoka Road residence when Ramdev was meeting the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. He left Yadav's residence after 10 minutes. 

 

In reply to a poser on Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal dubbing Yadav, along with other politicians, as "corrupt", he said, "I don't give importance to such people, nor do I take notice (of their statements)." "Socialists have fought against black money from the time of JP (Jai Prakash Narayan) and (Ram Manohar) Lohia had been against black money. You should read the literature," Yadav said. 

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12:28   Madonna receives backlash for being too old for nip-slip
She's known for her controversial antics and publicity seeking schemes. But it seems Madonna's latest scandalous action may have been just a step too far for some people, who have taken to Twitter to slate her. The Queen of Pop has caused outrage by purposefully exposing her right breast while performing in Istanbul over the weekend. Read more 
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12:15   Move over Mukul, DMK may get railway ministry

The DMK is hopeful of getting the railway portfolio in the next reshuffle, say our sources in Delhi. Buzz is that the DMK had specifically asked for railways even in 2004, which did not happen. Now, eight years on, the demand was repeated when DMK senior leader and M Karunanidhi's son MK Stalin met UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in Delhi last week. 

 

The buzz is that TR Baalu, who met Sonia, along with Stalin, may get the portfolio. Baalu is chairman of the Parliament Standing committee of Railways and has been announcing  that in 2013 Tamil Nadu will get new railway lines. Baalu's hidden agenda, say sources, is to have 15 to 20 new railway lines in the parliamentary constituencies where the AIADMK had won.

 

A few DMK and Congress MPs from Tamil Nadu have asked union railway minister Mukul Roy to announce services in the state. They have also approached presiding officers of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha over the same issue.

 

For now, an ADMK MP may move a privilege motion against Baalu for flouting his position. T Subbirami Reddy as Chairman of Environment had tried similar tactics earlier, but then environment minister Jairam Ramesh brought this to the notice of the Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi, vice president Hamid Ansari and Speaker of the Lok Sabha. 

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12:13   Memo commission report political, one sided: Haqqani

In a veiled attack on the judiciary and his detractors, Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, today dismissed the memo commission's report as "political and one-sided", hours after the findings
were made public. 

 

The commission had concluded that Haqqani was behind a mysterious memo that sought US help to stave off a feared coup and said he was "not loyal" to the country while serving as an envoy. 

 

In a statement issued here, Haqqani said his lawyers would address the legal flaws of the process relating to the creation and proceedings of the Commission before the Supreme Court. "The Commission's report has been released to distract attention from other more embarrassing developments," he said alluding to the allegations relating to the Chief Justice's son Arsalan Chaudhry.

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11:40   Minority sub-quota: Centre submits 'relevant material'

Just in: The Centre submits in the Supreme Court the "relevant material" on the issue of  4.5 per cent sub-quota for minorities in educational institutions. The Supreme Court on Monday expressed its displeasure and pulled up the government for its casual handling of the "complex" and "sensitive" issue of 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities within the 27 percent reservation for Other Backward Castes in central educational institutions like Indian Institutes of Technology.

 

Refusing to stay the Andhra Pradesh high court order, which had quashed the central government notification for 4.5 percent sub-quota for minorities, a bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and J S Khehar said it was "unhappy" that the Centre filed an appeal without any supporting documents.

 

Without issuing any notice, the bench asked Attorney General GE Vahanvati to submit to it the supporting documents for carving out 4.5 percent sub quota from the existing 27 percent reservation for OBCs.

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11:34   If Pranab is Prez, finance may go to PM: Reports

CNN IBN reports that the Congress may push for Pranab Mukherjee for the President's post. And if that happens the finance portfolio, which Mukherjee is currently handling will go back to the prime minister. Pranab Mukherjee is widely seen as leading the race for Congress nomination; vice president Hamid Ansari is the other candidate.

Trinamool boss Mamata Banerjee has remained incommunicado over both Pranab Mukherjee and Ansari. SP boss Mulayam Singh Yadav on Monday repeated his reservations about Ansari. There are indications that the announcement of the presidential candidate may be pushed till the PM returns from the Rio conference on June 23. 

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11:24   Husain Haqqani disloyal to Pakistan: Court

Update on the Haqqani story.

The Pakistan memo commission's report submitted in the Supreme Court stated that Pakistan's former ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, was not loyal to the country and that the memo seeking US support was indeed real and authored by Haqqani, DawnNews reported.

 

A nine-member larger bench of the Supreme Court today hearing constitutional petitions about the controversial memo delivered to former US military chief Admiral Mike Mullen reportedly by Haqqani.

 

Earlier on Monday, the memo commission had submitted its report to the apex court. It stated that the memo was indeed real and authored by the former ambassador. The commission's report said that Haqqani had forgotten that he was Pakistan's ambassador to the US.

 

The report moreover said that Haqqani violated the country's constitution, adding that while Haqqani was earning a salary paid by the government, his loyalties were not with Pakistan. The former ambassador chose not to stay in Pakistan, the report said, adding that neither did Haqqani have any property in the country, nor did he have any bank balance.  

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11:18   By-polls in AP, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu begin

Tamil Nadu: Voting for the Pudukottai bypoll began this morning as both ruling AIADMK and Opposition DMDK seek to increase their strength by one more in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly. Voters turned up in good numbers to cast their votes in the bypoll which is seeing a direct face-off between former allies AIADMK and DMDK. The bypoll was necessitated following the death of CPI legislator SP Muthukumaran who was killed in a road accident on April 1.

 

Maharashtra: Polling for Kej assembly constituency in Beed district of Maharashtra began this morning amid tight security arrangements. The bypoll has been neccesitated due to death of former NCP minister Vimal Mundada. 

 

Andhra Pradesh: Polling today began in the crucial by-elections to the 18 assembly segments and one Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh, results of which are expected to give a new direction to the state politics.  Though the by-elections are not expected to lead to the fall of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, a "wave" is expected in favour of Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress notwithstanding
his arrest in the disproportionate assets case and corruption allegations against him.

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11:07   Pak's ex-envoy to US Husain Haqani held guilty
Haqqani was forced to resign late last year after Pakistani-American businessman Mansoor Ijaz claimed he had asked him to pass on a memo, on behalf of Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, to the American government calling for their help to oust Islamabad's military leadership.
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11:03   Pak's ex-envoy to US Husain Haqani guilty
The Pakistan commission probing into the Memogate scandal has declared the country's former ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani guilty. The court says that Haqqani was not loyal to Pakistan and lived abroad. He has been asked to present himself for the hearing in two weeks.
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10:55   Obama, drones, and the Just War Theory

This week, U.S. officials announced that they had killed al Qaeda's second-in-command with a drone strike. The news came soon after the New York Timespublished the fullest account to date of the process by which the United States selects lower-profile targets for drone attacks in Pakistan and Yemen. The most startling revelation was that President Obama personally supervises the "nomination' of potential targets and gives final approval for killing them.  

Read more

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10:45   US exempts India, six others from Iran sanctions

The US has exempted India and six other countries from tough new financial sanctions on Iran's oil trade citing significant reduction in imports of Iranian oil by them, a move downplayed by New Delhi. 

 

"I have made the determination that seven economies India, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey and Taiwan - have all significantly reduced their volume of crude oil purchases from Iran," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a statement yesterday.

 

She said exemptions from US sanctions would be granted to these nations. In March, she made exemptions for European Union nations and Japan from tough new financial sanctions that kicks into force later this month.

Clinton issued the statement in this regard hours before External Affairs Minister S M Krishna was to arrive in Washington to co-chair the third India-US Strategic Dialogue along with his American counterpart.

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10:43   Krishna arrives in Washington for strategic dialogue visit

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna arrived in Washington to hold the third India-United States Strategic Dialogue with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during which the two leaders are expected to discuss a range of bilateral and regional issues including Afghanistan and Pakistan.

More

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10:40   Voting for Andhra by-polls begin

Polling today began in the crucial by-elections to the 18 assembly segments and one Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh, results of which are expected to give a new direction to the state politics.   

 

Though the by-elections are not expected to lead to the fall of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, a "wave" is expected in favour of Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress notwithstanding his arrest in the disproportionate assets case and corruption allegations against him.

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10:39   Rupee down 11 paise against dollar in early trade

The rupee today lost 11 paise to Rs 55.85 against the US dollar in early trade on the Interbank Foreign Exchange following dollar gains against other currencies overseas amid a weak trend in the equity market.  

Forex dealers said dollar strength against the other Asian currencies and a lower opening in the stock market mainly put pressure on the rupee. The rupee had lost 32 paise to close at 55.74 against the US currency in the previous session as dollar demand from banks and corporates emerged at fag-end after S&P warned that it could lower India's sovereign rating.

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09:45   No intent to infringe on IIT's autonomy: Sibal
TOI reports: Rejecting criticism and virtually ruling out going back on the new proposal, Union Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal has said that the government has no intention to impinge on the autonomy of the Indian Institutes of Technologies. 

Defending the decision to have one nationwide common entrance test, which is being opposed by IIT Kanpur among others, Sibal said this has been taken in accordance with the IIT Act passed by the Indian Parliament. 

Sibal said this is a unanimous decisions of the IIT Council. 

"There is no intent to impact on the IIT system autonomy, the exam that is being contemplated is to be set by the IIT itself," Sibal told reporters in Washington when asked to comment on the controversy back home. He also argued that the decision of the IIT Council is in tune with the international practices.

Read the story here.
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09:32   Voting for Andhra by-polls begin
Polling on Tuesday began in the crucial by-elections to the 18 assembly segments and one Lok Sabha constituency in Andhra Pradesh, results of which are expected to give a new direction to the state politics.

Though the by-elections are not expected to lead to the fall of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government, a 'wave' is expected in favour of Jaganmohan Reddy-led YSR Congress notwithstanding his arrest in the disproportionate assets case and corruption allegations against him.
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09:26   Government to adopt 4 girls in Beed
The Hindu reports: The Maharashtra government has decided to adopt four girls from a poor family in Parli, Beed district, now infamous for the high number of foeticide cases and the worst sex ratio in the state.

The mother of the girls, a labourer reportedly died during an illegal abortion procedure last month at the Munde hospital. A case was registered against the two doctors responsible for the abortion, Dr Sudam Munde and his wife Dr Saraswati Munde. They are now absconding.

Read the story here
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08:29   AP: By-elections to 18 assembly; one LS seat today
NDTV reports: The stage is set for polling in the crucial by-elections to 18 assembly constituencies and one Lok Sabha seat in Andhra Pradesh today. 

As many as 46,13,589 voters would exercise their franchise at 5,413 polling stations set up in the Nellore Lok Sabha constituency and 18 assembly segments, spread over 12 districts in the state.

Read the report here.
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04:10   Govt, public data convinced US to exempt India

To conclude that India has "significantly" reduced its oil imports from Iran, the US collected figures from multiple sources, including those from the Indian government and available in public domain.

 

The findings paved the way for Washington to exempt New Delhi from sanctions.

 

The US yesterday said it would exempt India and six other nations from financial sanctions because they have significantly cut purchases of Iranian oil.

 

Such a statement from Clinton came as the US President, Barack Obama, was of the view that there was enough oil in the global market for the countries to reduce their dependence on Iranian oil.

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02:30   Nearly 100 feared dead in Afghan earthquake

As many as 100 people are feared dead in an earthquake and landslide that buried more than 20 houses in northern Afghanistan today, officials said.


 
Rescuers have so far pulled two women's bodies from the rubble of the landslide in Baghlan province, said provincial Gov Abdul Majid. The UN confirmed one other death and said houses were destroyed across five districts.

 
A massive landslide of mud and rocks buried houses so deep in the remote mountain village of Sayi Hazara that rescuers gave up trying to use shovels to dig through the buried buildings, said Jawed Basharat, a spokesman for the provincial police chief who was part of a team that examined the village after the slide. There were no visible signs of the buildings underneath.

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00:46   They want to kill me in prison: Mubarak

Egypt's ousted president Hosni Mubarak, now serving a life sentence over protester killings, said the authorities "want to kill" him in jail as his health deteriorated, his lawyer told AFP on Monday.

 

"He says: 'They want to kill me. Save me, Mr Farid, find me a solution," said Farid al-Deeb, his chief lawyer in the murder and corruption trial which ended this month with his sentencing.

 

Mubarak's health has deteriorated since his incarceration on June 2, and he was defibrillated twice to revive his heart on Monday, a prison hospital source said.

 

Read the full story on Al Arabiya

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00:42   Ex-Maha minister Shantaram Gholap no more

Former Maharashtra revenue minister and Congress leader Shantaram Gholap today passed away in Mumbai due to age-related ailments, family sources said.

 

He was 86. He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.

 

His grand nephew Rajesh Gholap is the working president of Thane District Congress.

 

Gholap's funeral will be held in Murbad on Tuesday morning with state honours, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Sanjay Dutt said.


 
MPCC, in a statement, condoled the demise of Gholap and said he strived for welfare of the poor and downtrodden sections of the society.

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