Five Naxalites including a woman were arrested today during separate search operations in Maoist-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.        

 

"Three cadres were nabbed by a joint contingent of district police force and CRPF from forests of Kiskoda village of Narayanpur district," Narayanpur DSP N K Sahu told PTI.          

 

The arrests came after a patrol party was mobilized based on a tip-off about the movement of ultras in the forests in Narayanpur, about 350 kms from Raipur.   The ultras were identified as Fulsingh Salaam (30), Baijnath (25) and Punaye (40), the female member.        

 

Salaam and Baijnath were involved in various cases of murder, attempt to murder and dacoity, the DSP said.

As protests continues over the Telangana decision, the Congress is making attempts to pacify the leaders from the Seema-Andhra region by setting up a high-level committee headed by A K Antony to talk to them.

Sources said that Antony and All India Congress Committee general secretary in-charge for Andhra Pradesh Digvijay Singh have been tasked to pacify the agitating members of two regions.

Party spokesperson Meem Afzal said, "We are talking to them (MPs). Antony ji has talked to them. Our effort is to pacify all those including our MPs, who have reservations against the decision."

In a fresh twist, nephew of erstwhile Maharaja of Faridkot Harinder Singh Brar has decided to challenge a recent court order which granted inheritance of assets worth Rs 20,000 crore to the late ruler's two surviving daughters.

Kanwar Bharatinder Singh, son of the Maharaja's younger brother, late Kanwar Manjitinder Singh, has staked claim to the property citing the "Rule of Primogeniture", according to which property rights are granted to first born son or eldest living male blood relative.

"It has been appearing in the media that the will of the Maharaja of 1982, which a court in Chandigarh has declared as illegal and void, was only being disputed by the daughter Rajkumari Amrit Kaur," Kanwar Bharatinder Singh's son Amarinder Singh Brar told reporters today.

The ordinance on the Food Security Bill is expected to come up for consideration in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, sources said today.    

The ordinance on the ambitious scheme was signed by President Pranab Mukherjee exactly a month ago. The bill seeks to give nation's three-fourth population the right to get 5 kg of foodgrains every month at highlysubsidised rates of Rs 1-3 per kg.

After Maharashtra Home Minister R R Patil said the government would examine Nitesh Rane's controversial statement about Gujaratis living in Mumbai and take action if he was found guilty, Nitesh's father, state Industry minister Narayan Rane, today rushed to his defence.

"What Nitesh said was not against the Gujarati community or Jain community, but only against those lavishing baseless praise on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi," Narayan Rane told reporters.

"We won't tolerate anyone praising Modi at the cost of Maharashtra. We are not opposed to Gujaratis. I have good relations with them," Rane said.

Days after a Jawaharlal Nehru University student was attacked by an axe, another 20-year-old girl was molested and slapped on the campus.

The accused, a former student of JNU,  has been arrested after the girl filed a complaint.

While other students say that there were attempts to strangulate her, the police did deny this.

The teachings of the Bhagwad Gita will soon be compulsory for students in Urdu-medium schools of Madhya Pradesh.  

The MP government's August 1 order says Urdu textbooks of Class 1 and 2 will include teachings of the Gita -- considered one of the holiest of Hindu scriptures chronicling Lord Krishna's advice to a dithering prince Arjuna ahead of the epic Mahabharata battle.

The Bombay High Court today refused to direct Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) to provide copy of the CCTV footage of 2010 German Bakery blast in Pune to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), saying it would deal with the issue later.

Naveen Selvadurai, the cofounder of Foursquare, was pushed out of his startup, sources say. Now, in his first on-the-record conversation about the exit, Selvadurai finally sets the record straight. Read

Trying the Delhi gang-rape accused: Meet the top judge hand-picked to handle this most sensitive of cases.

Read more 

The Aug 5-30 monsoon session of Parliament could see a battle of political wits with the government listing 44 bills for the only 16 working days available.

The BJP, which disrupted the budget session demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over the faulty allocation of coal bocks, has said it does not want to disrupt the monsoon session.Kamal Nath said the Opposition parties want to pass the judicial commission bill, which deals with appointment of judges, in this session.

The opposition wants debates on the land acquisition bill, the state of the economy, rampant corruption in the mid-day meal scheme, floods in Uttarakhand, the ongoing tussle between the CBI and the IB in the Ishrat Jahan shootout case and Chinese intrusions into the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.

The opposition leaders are also concerned over another Supreme Court order barring reservation in super-speciality courses in medical colleges.

It's another matter that both houses of Parliament adjourned three times today and finally closed shop for the day at 3 pm. Our MPs, who will be paid for doing no work today, now want a week-long holiday from August 14 to August 19.

Parliamentary Affairs minister Kamal Nath has agreed (why are we not surprised) to the suggestion from some leaders of political parties as MPs ostensibly don't want to travel back and forth from their constituencies.

The decision on the holiday will be taken tomorrow after the two presiding officers -- LS speaker Meira Kumar and RS chairperson Dr Hamid Ansari -- approve the proposal.MPs also get a daily allowance of Rs 1,000 per day to attend Parliament.

DMK's Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi has assumed a new role of of the leader of her party in the upper house. Last week, DMK chief N Karunanidhi wrote to the Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari nominating his daughter as Leader of the DMK in the RS.

Kanimozhi attended the first meeting of the Rajya Sabha Business Advisory Committee today. While she has been elevated to a national status, remember she is only out on bail in the 2G case. She has not been acquitted.

The monsoon session of Parliament began at precisely 11 am with the National Anthem. BJP senior leader LK Advani crossed the floor from Opposition benches to Treasury side shook hands with defence minsiter AK Antony.

Seeing Advani approach the treasury benches, NCP chief Sharad Pawar who was seated near Sonia Gandhi, got on his feet and greeted the BJP senior leader. Dr Manmohan Singh also stood up
and shook hands with Advani.

Going over to the treasury benches and greeting senior leaders is a tradition set by the Atal Bihari Vajpayee.  

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar asked the Prime Minister to introduce the newly inducted Union Ministers to the house, a customary exercise. Dr Manmohan Singh started with the first name -- Sisram Ola --  and the audio failed in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition benches shouted, "speak louder", "aawaz nahin sunai de raha hai".

Many MPs sniggered that Dr Singh's voice was always "low and slow and mostly inaudible.

When Congress MP Raj Babbar entered the Lok Sabha, BJP MPs asked him to give them lunch for Rs 5. Babbar quietly took his seat and refused to get provoked. Don't know the context? Read this.

The Supreme Court has ordered the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting not to take any action against Zee News editors until further orders. The two-bench court's order -- Justice AK Patnaik and Justice Kehar Singh -- comes as a relief to the Zee Group.

Zee Group chairman Subhash Chandra and Zee editors Sudhir Chaudhary and Samir Ahluwalia were named as accused and chargesheeted in a lower court in connection with the alleged Rs 100 crore extortion bid from Congress MP Naveen Jindal's firm, Jindal Steel and Power Limited, on August 1.ource: http://www.cablequest.org/news/national-news/item/2935-chargesheet-filed-against-zee-group-chairman-subhash-chandra-and-two-zee-editors.html

Behind the scenes in Parliament. Our Delhi sources tell us that on day 1 of the Monsoon session of Parliament, the Central Hall was packed to capacity and an obvious bonhomie across party lines, with  BJP MPs sitting cheek-by-jowl with Congress MPS. Quick-paced Sonia Gandhi walked through Central Hall with Rajya Sabha MP T Subbarami Reddy walking a step behind.

Actually, Sonia was walking so fast that Reddy could barely keep pace. Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was walking from the Rajya Sabha to the Lok Sabha flanked by SPG guards. None of the MPs in Central Hall bothered to go up and talk to him. Only former Parliamentary Affairs minister Ashwani Kumar gave him company.

Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati on Monday endorsed the Food Security Bill, but added that her party will make certain suggestions when the ordinance is discussed in the Monsoon Session of Parliament.

"It is imperative that the Food Security ordinance is discussed in the House before it becomes a Bill. The Food Security ordinance will give essential necessities to the poor at subsidized rates.

"We believe that bringing the bill into Parliament is the correct decision. We will support the bill, but will also make some suggestions in Parliament so that the poor people can benefit to the fullest,' Mayawati said.

The Supreme Court has red flagged the use of beacons on government cars. The court said only a few people should be allowed to use beacons and sirens and unauthorised use should be dealt with a heavy hand. The court said that if the centre does not change rules on the use of beacons, it will be forced to intervene and pass orders. 

The apex court had directed the Centre and states to amend the Motor Vehicles Act on April 4 to ensure that the use of beacons on official vehicles is restricted.

The Supreme Court had warned that if Centre fails to come up with a solution, then it will be forced to pass a decision in the matter, as per a news report. 

At worst, it's a criminal conspiracy; and at best, it's cynical politics. Either way, nothing can possibly justify the suspension of Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal by the Samajwadi Party government.  Read  the Hindu, on the ongoing debate on the UP government's dogged battle with the IAS officer.

Mumbai's D Y Patil Stadium is likely to host the opening match of the inaugural IPL-style football league that commences from January 18 next year.

"The IMG-Reliance tournament starts from January 18 and would run till March 30, and the first match will be played in Mumbai. Most likely it will be in D Y Patil Stadium and a contract will be signed with them in the next few days," a source said.

Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for the day after uproar by two TDP members against creation of Telangana. It costs the exchequer Rs 2 crore on a day when no business is transacted in Parliament.

Also read: Each minute of running Parliament in sessions costs Rs. 2.5 lakh: Govt.

And read this as well for more cost estimates. 

Cabinet note being prepared on substantive and procedural issues regarding creation of Telangana, the government tells Rajya Sabha.

SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav trending on Twitter for his comment that the Centre was free to withdraw all IAS officers from UP.

Here's what they're sayng:
Ram Gopal Yadav to Pranab Mukherji:  We're sending back
Central Govt Aid,  Armed Forces, Civil Servants...
and Mayawai (farewell gift).

-- Ram Gopal Yadav should give trending tips to Ram Gopal Verma

-- Durga Shakti Nagpal, Ram Gopal Yadav.  God in both the names but I woud say Raam ka naam badnaam na karo :-)

The Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day after anti-Telangana MPs raised a ruckus and stormed the Well of the House.
Day 1 is a washout, then.

Confrontation between the Centre and UP government over Durga Shakti Nagpal escalated on Monday with the Samjawadi Party justifying the suspension of the IAS officer and daring the Centre to withdraw all IAS officers from the state.Chief minister Akhilesh Yadav once again justified the action of his government.

Senior Samajwadi Party leader Ramgopal Yadav reacted strongly to Centre seeking a report from the state on the suspension of Durga Nagpal.

To a question on whether the Centre was setting a precedent by interfering in the matter, Yadav retorted that under the circumstances the "state would ask the Centre to withdraw all IAS officers, the government would run with the help of its (provincial services) officers".

The SP leader said the suspension was an administrative matter and his party did not want to politicize it.The Centre has sought a report on the suspension of the IAS officer through letters.

Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav says the decision to chargesheet Durga Shakti Nagpal is absolutely right.

Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah tweets: "I have asked CID to look in to the passport case of Sufaira. Will revert with the facts once I have them. Needless to say she will NOT be denied a passport because of her uncle's past. All such pending cases of previous denials are being cleared."

Here's the context.

A 15-year-old girl from Jammu and Kashmir is paying the price for government insensitivity after she was denied a passport because her uncle had terror links.

Sufaira Nazir has bagged a scholarship under the youth exchange study programme in the United States but may not be able to pursue it. She has not been able to get the passport as her uncle was a terrorist who surrendered some time back.

Nazir's family has questioned the move and asked why is she being made to suffer for no fault of hers. The family has also questioned how senior separatists like Yasin Malik, and the Mirwaiz are allowed to travel outside the country? And why is she being victimsed, they ask.

"I was very happy when I got to know about the scholarship but later I was informed that I am denied a passport. I really want to go to US," said Nazir.

Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs said it is looking into the matter. "We gave passport to a similiar case within five days of State CID clearance," it said. -- IBN Live

If you're heading to Kochi airport, heads up. It will remain shut today after heavy rains in Kerala. Five people were killed in a landslide in Idukki district, on their way to the hill station of Munnar. 

Blast in train in Pakistan's Punjab province; at least 1 killed, 20 injured.

Mulayam Singh Yadav softens his stand on the Food Security Bill after the raised hackles with the Congress over IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal's chargesheet. The SP chief says that if the government ensures that farmers get profit over their produce, the SP would support the Food Security Bill. 

The National Green Tribunal bars sand mining till there is a government clearance.  The NBT has issued a notice to the chief secretaries of all states for August 14, saying the issue of illegal sand mining is of national importance.

Mining in Noida and Greater Noida may have been temporarily halted as a result of the crackdown by IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India filed an appeal in the Supreme Court on Monday, challenging the Bombay High court's order deeming IPL probe panel as 'illegal and unconstitutional.

In its petition, BCCI maintains that the probe panel was legal and was in accordance with the rules of the Board.

It also says that the High Court's ruling that the BCCI did not follow rules was erranous. The cricket board now wants a stay on the judgement.

Air Commodore Jasjit Singh (Retd) passed away on August 4, 2013. He took part in operations during the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war on the Eastern Front (Bangladesh). As a fighter pilot commanding the No 17 Squadron (MiG 21), he was awarded the Vir Chakra for exceptional bravery on the battlefield. He has also been awarded the Padma Bhushan. Read

One reason why there is no agitation for Vidarbha is that political leadership of the region has lost credibility with people. Read

Landslides triggered by heavy rains have led to the deaths of five people in the hilly district of Idukki in Kerala. They were believed to be tourists on their way to the hill station of Munnar.

Nearly 100 metre of road linking the hilly district with the rest of the state have been blocked by boulders and rubble crashing down in landslides.

Rescue operations are underway.

The Rajya Sabha to convene at 2 pm. When the House met at noon, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh introduced the new ministers inducted in the Union Council of Ministers. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla informed the House about revocation of President's Rule in Jharkhand.

Soon TDP members YSR Chowdhary and C M Ramesh trooped into Well opposing creation of Telangana and shouting slogans in favour of united Andhra Pradesh.

Even as TDP members were shouting slogans in the Well and waving placards, V Maitreyan (AIADMK) sought to raise the issue of attack on Tamil fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy and wanted a response from the Prime Minister.

"This is taking India for ransom. PM please respond," he said. As TDP members continued with slogan shouting, an apparently exasperated Chairman Hamid Ansari asked them, "Do you want to simply agitate or discuss?"

The new date for the verdict for the juvenile accused of raping and murdering a woman on the night of December 16, has been postponed to August 19 -- the third time this was done.

The verdict was first postponed to July 25 and then to Monday and then to August 19.

The delay has occurred because the Supreme Court is hearing a petition filed by Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy calling for a review of India's juvenile law. The petition says the law should take into account the "mental and intellectual maturity" of juvenile accused, not just their age. This would be done through psychological and behavioral tests on juveniles.

Here's what happened in the Rajya Sabha today before it was adjourned till 2 pm.

The House condemned the serial bomb blasts at Mahabodhi temple in Gaya district of Bihar and the Maoist attack on a convoy of Congress leaders in Chhattisgarh that led former Union minister V C Shukla and senior party leader Mahendra Karma dead.

Mentioning of death of 23 children due to food poisoning after consuming midday meal at a school in Bihar, Chairman Hamid Ansari said the loss was "painful and sad".

The Chairman also made a reference to flash floods and landslides in Uttarakhand killing 580 persons and injuring 4,473 persons while 5,526 persons were still missing. 

If Parliament is indeed allowed to function, the Food Security Ordinance is among several important bills to be taken up for discussion and passage. There's also the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011, Direct Taxes Code Bill 2010 and Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority Bill 2011 --  a total of 23 bills that have been listed for consideration and passing by the Lok Sabha.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Amendment) Bill, 2013 to replace an ordinance, will also be taken up.

The Rajya Sabha will take up for consideration and passing of the Companies Bill 2012, Whistle Blowers Protection Bill 2011 and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011. These bills have already been passed by the Lok Sabha earlier. A total of 14 bills are listed for introduction in the current session.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav refuses to back down on the chargesheet of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal.
Speaking to the media today, Yadav said, "If officers make mistakes, they are punished, just like children are punished in school. If any IAS officer follows in her footsteps, the same will happen to them."

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi has spoken out in support of the officer."There are rules and rules will be followed", said Dr Manmohan Singh hours after a defiant Uttar Pradesh government slapped a chargesheet accusing Durga Shakti Nagpal of flouting norms and lacking administrative acumen.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday had asked the PM to "ensure that the IAS officer was not treated unfairly."

DMK Chief M Karunanidhi's daughter M Kanimozhi today took oath as a member of Rajya Sabha on the first day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. That's the only piece of work that happened since the House opened for the monsoon session today.

Her name was called for taking oath or affirmation. Kanimozhi, who was re-elected to the Upper House in June, took oath in Tamil after which she greeted Chairman Hamid Ansari.

Ansari with folded hands remarked, "Welcome back" as members thumped their desks to welcome her. She greeted senior leaders in the House before taking her seat.

The Congress today asked the Samajwadi-led Uttar Pradesh government to treat with maturity the "national outrage on a question of principle' after the heartland party had dragged Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra into the political warfare.

The Samajwadi move came after Sonia wrote to the Prime Minister in support of young IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal who, she said, had according to reports been hastily suspended for unsubstantiated reasons.

The barbs might cast a shadow on the monsoon session, though the Congress doesn't seem worried about the food security bill, which needs to be passed.

Congress leaders say those who want to block a revolutionary pro-poor measure like food security are welcome to do so. More

The suspension of Uttar Pradesh IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal and the economic downslide are likely to dominate the proceedings in Parliament today, provided it is allowed to function. The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm.

The Congress-led UPA wants to push through the Food Security Bill, but the Samajwadi Party may put a spanner in the works since the two parties are now at loggerheads over the suspension of IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal. 

On Day 1 of the monsoon session of Parliament, the Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till noon after uproar over a decision to create Telengana and the demand for a separate Bodoland.  Two TDP MPs rush to the well of the house protesting Telangana. And one MP demanding Bodoland rushed to the well of the house.  

The much-awaited verdict in the December 16 gang-rape case involving a minor has been deferred till August 19 by the Juvenile Justice Board.