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Sonia targets government, says constitutional principles attacked

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Sonia Gandhi

New Delhi: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday targeted the Narendra Modi government during a debate in parliament, saying that the principles that inspired the country for decades were being “deliberately attacked”.

In her speech in the Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi spoke of the contribution of B.R. Ambedkar to the making of the constitution and also recalled his words praising the contribution of the Congress to the process of its adoption.

Attacking the Modi government during the debate on commitment to India’s constitution, she said: “Whatever we have seen for the past few months, it is against the values of constitution.”

“Today is a day of happiness but there is also pain. The principles that inspired (us) for decades, a danger is lurking over them. They are being deliberately attacked,” she said.

“The people who have no faith in constitution, who have not contributed to its making, they are talking about it repeatedly, are trying to appropriate it. There cannot be a bigger joke,” she added.

The Congress has for the past some months persistently attacked the Modi government over “rising intolerance”.

The house on Thursday took up discussion on commitment to India’s Constitution as part of 125th birth anniversary celebrations of Ambedkar, regarded as the chief architect of the constitution.

The day is also being observed as the Constitution Day, commemorating the acceptance of draft statute on this day in 1949.

(Agencies)

Nitish Kumar announces liquor ban in Bihar from April 1

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nitish kumar

Patna: Bihar will go dry from April 1, 2016, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced on Thursday.

The chief minister made the announcement — a part of his election pledge — at an official function to mark Prohibition Day here.

He said the poorest of the poor had been consuming liquor, badly hitting their families and their children’s education.

Increasing liquor consumption was also a major cause for domestic violence, particularly against women, and had contributed to a rise in crimes.

“Women are suffering more than anyone else due to increasing liquor consumption,” he said.

An official at the chief minister’s office said Nitish Kumar took the decision after a high-level meeting with officials here.

In July, Nitish Kumar had declared that prohibition would be imposed if he retained power in the assembly elections.

Bihar Excise and Prohibition Minister Abdul Jalil Mastan had earlier said that the state government would soon take steps to impose a liquor ban.

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday vowed to support a liquor ban.

The decision is expected to derail the government’s financial health.

The excise department went into an overdrive in 2007 following a new policy and started issuing licences for marketing liquor across the state.

The revenue collection of excise department registered a more than 10-fold jump, from Rs.319 crore in 2005-06 to Rs.3,650 crore in 2014-15.

(IANS)

Intolerance debate getting chaotic: A R Rahman

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ar rahman

Panaji: Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman on Tuesday said the intolerance debate in India is becoming “chaotic”, adding “we should set an example by resorting to non-violent ways to protest”.

“Any type of revolt should be classical. It is becoming very chaotic. People are hitting each other. We should set an example because we come from the land of Mahatma Gandhi. We have shown the world how all revolution can be done without violence,” Rahman said on the sidelines of Film Bazaar here.

Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan’s intolerance comments created a stir in the society with sections of political parties criticising him, and some supporting him.

Aamir had shared that his wife Kiran Rao suggested leaving India in the face of intolerance. The comments came after Shah Rukh Khan also faced public wrath over his “extreme intolerance” comment. He was termed a “Pakistani agent”.

Rahman, known as the ‘Mozart of Madras’, had also faced religious resistance over his “decision” to compose the music of “Muhammad: The Messenger of God”.

The artist with international recognition said: “I have gone through something similar sometime ago. And I then also mentioned that nothing should be violent.”

“We all are ultra civilised people. It is a chaotic protest . We should show to the world that we are one of the most civilised culture,” he said while addressing a session at the annual film market.

(IANS)

Congress strongly believes in GST, govt has to reach out: Rahul Gandhi

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Rahul Gandhi

Bengaluru: On the eve of Winter session of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi today said Congress “strongly” believed in GST, but government should reach out to the Opposition on certain issues, including the cap on rate.

The Congress vice president outlined the party’s stand on the contentious Goods and Service Tax(GST) Bill even as he made an all-round attack on the Modi government calling it “much worse” than “suit-boot-ki-sarkar.” The NDA government is keen to push key reforms legislations like the stalled GST bill in the Winter session.

Fielding questions on a wide range of issues during an interaction with students of a women’s college here, Gandhi also spoke on the “rising intolerance”, saying it “disturbs” him as an Indian, highlighting that “live and let live” was the country’s biggest strength.

Targeting Narendra Modi, Gandhi said he believes the country could be run from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and that he alone could transform the country.

The interaction was the first in the series of Gandhi’s outreach to the students across the campuses in the country.

Targeting Modi’s style of functioning, Gandhi said there were very few people with decision-making powers at the Centre and “one man decides every single decision.”

“…one man can’t have all the answers…,” he said, adding dialogue was very important.

Asked about GST, which is hanging fire for the last several years, Gandhi said, “we strongly believe in GST.”

He said GST and other bills were “very important” but the government’s approach has to be one of reaching out to the Opposition.

Speaking to reporters later, Gandhi said the Congress would raise in Parliament the issues of “rising intolerance”, which was “very disturbing”, GST and also Prime Minister’s “silence” on various issues.

Questioned why the GST bill was being stalled, he said it was Congress which brought it forward and “…we are for GST…we support GST…” But, he noted, the BJP had opposed it and blocked it for three years with Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, then in the Opposition, even justifying blocking Parliament as a strategy.

Gandhi said there were three differences between BJP and Congress on GST. They related to cap on tax to be charged, dispute resolution and one per cent tax on inter-state sales (doing away with it).

He said government had to accept the fact that Congress “sits in Parliament”, “Congress has a view” and “Congress has 20 per cent hope” (referring to the people’s mandate).

Attacking the Modi government for not having “conversation” with the Opposition, he said the Prime Minister had not even once picked up phone and spoken to any Congress leader, which his predecessor Manmohan Singh used to do.

(Agencies)

AAP workers hold protest outside BJP MLA’s house

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AAP-protest

New Delhi: Scores of Aam Aadmi Party workers today held protest outside the house of BJP MLA Om Prakash Sharma in Karkardoma area over his alleged derogatory remarks against AAP MLA Alka Lamba, demanding permanent suspension of the lawmaker from Delhi Assembly.

Protestors, most of them women, raised slogans against the BJP MLA, saying they would not “tolerate the insult of woman.”

Delhi Assembly Speaker Ramniwas Goel yesterday suspended Sharma till Thursday for using derogatory language against the Chandani Chowk MLA during a discussion on night shelters.

“Suspension is not enough. Sharma made derogatory remarks against a woman MLA and strict action needs to be taken against him,” said an AAP woman worker.

In view of the protest, police erected barricades outside Sharma’s residence to prevent protestors.

“BJP MLA has no right to continue as a legislator. He should be suspended from the Delhi Assembly,” said another AAP woman worker.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday expressed his shock over the comments and hoped BJP would take action against him.

“Am shocked at language used by O P Sharma, BJP MLA, against a lady MLA. 2 days back also, he abused a lady MLA. Hope BJP will act against him (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.

Due to AAP MLAs’ protest, House proceedings were disrupted and Speaker had to adjourn Assembly twice.

AAP’s women legislators demanded Sharma’s permanent suspension from the House.

(Agencies)

No intention of leaving country, proud to be Indian: Aamir Khan

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Aamir Khan

Mumbai: Under attack over his remarks on intolerance, Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan today asserted that he stood by his comments and made it clear that neither he nor his wife Kiran Rao have any intention of leaving the country.

50-year-old Aamir, who drew flak from BJP and a section of film fraternity for expressing his “alarm and despondency” over the rise in recent incidents of intolerance, came out with a statement, saying he is “proud to be an Indian”.

“First let me state categorically that neither I, nor my wife Kiran, have any intention of leaving the country. We never did, and nor would we like to in the future.

“Anyone implying the opposite has either not seen my interview or is deliberately trying to distort what I have said. India is my country, I love it, I feel fortunate for being born here, and this is where I am staying,” he said.

The actor had kicked up a political storm with his remarks at a function in Delhi on Monday about his wife expressing fear for their child in the current atmosphere.

He had said, “Kiran and I have lived all our life in India. For the first time, she said, should we move out of India… She fears for her child, she fears about what the atmosphere around us will be.”

In his statement today, a defiant Aamir showed no signs of relenting in the face of fierce criticism.

“I stand by everything that I have said in my interview. To all those people who are calling me anti-national, I would like to say that I am proud to be Indian, and I do not need anyone’s permission nor endorsement for that,” he said.

BJP had hit out at Aamir, saying “Where will he and his family go other than India? There is no other better country like India and no better neighbour than a Hindu for an Indian Muslim. What is the situation in Muslim countries and Europe. There is intolerance everywhere.”

Shielding him from the attack, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi had said the government should instead of branding all those who question it and the Prime Minister as “unpatriotic, anti-national or motivated” reach out to people to understand what’s disturbing them.

In his statement, Aamir said, “To all the people shouting obscenities at me for speaking my heart out, it saddens me to say you are only proving my point.” He also thanked those who stood by him.

“To all the people who have stood by me, thank you. We have to protect what this beautiful and unique country of ours really stands for. We have to protect its integrity, diversity, inclusiveness, its many languages, its culture, its history, its tolerance, it’s concept of ekantavada, it’s love, sensitivity and its emotional strength,” he said.

The actor ended his statement by quoting Rabindranath Tagore’s famous poem, “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, Where knowledge is free, Where the world has not been broken up into fragments, by narrow domestic walls, Where words come out from the depth of truth,

“Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection, Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way, Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit, Where the mind is led forward by thee, Into ever-widening thought and action, Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.”

(Agencies)

Three alleged IS members from Karnataka killed in Iraq & Syria

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Isis fighters, pictured on a militant website verified by AP.

Bengaluru: Three youths from Karnataka are among the six Indians, who had allegedly joined ISIS, are reported to be killed in different conflict zones of Iraq and Syria, says an intelligence report prepared by foreign agencies and shared with Indian agencies.

The dead have been identified as Mohammad Umar Subhan (Bengaluru), Maulana Abdul Kadir Sultan Armar (Bhatkal), Faiz Masood (Bengaluru). The others are Athif Vaseem Mohammad (Adilabad, Telangana), Saheem Farooque Tanki (Thane, Maharashtra), and Mohammad Sajid alias Bada Sajid (Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh). The report also says 23 Indians have so far joined the ISIS.

Nasheman.in tried to contact the family of Faiz Masood, but was denied request.

The intelligence report suggests that there is a disproportionately high level of casualties among South Asian and African foreign terrorist fighters, since they are forced to the frontlines as foot soldiers.

Arab fighters with better battle experience are mostly positioned behind them and hence their casualties are proportionally less in terms of total numbers. This explains why so many Indians from a small Indian contingent have died, the report says.

Centre sanctions Rs.939 crore for Tamil Nadu

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Tamil Nadu rain

New Delhi: The Narendra Modi government on Monday sanctioned immediate release of Rs.939 crore to Tamil Nadu as flood relief assistance.

Modi took the decision to help Tamil Nadu “assist it in dealing with the situation arising from the floods”, an official statement here said.

The sanction followed a request from the Tamil Nadu government.

A central government team is also being deputed to Tamil Nadu to assess the destruction caused by the torrential rains and floods. Further action will be taken after the team submits its report.

(Agencies)

BJP MLA R Jagadish Kumar dies of cardiac arrest

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jagadish_kumar

Bengaluru: BJP MLA R.Jagadish Kumar representing Hebbal Assembly Constituency passed away due to a cardiac arrest on Monday at a private Hospital in Bengaluru on Monday, November 23. He was 57.

According to sources, Jagadish felt uneasy while participating in the legislature session. He was immediately rushed to a private hospital.

He had earlier attended the BJP’s protest rally, besides actively taking part in the legislature session on Monday.

Kumar, who holds a B.E. degree in electronics, was an expert in land-related issues, especially the affairs of Bengaluru Development Authority and Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board.

He was a trusted lieutenant of former Minister Katta Subramanya Naidu, had been given ticket by the BJP to contest the 2013 Assembly elections, after Naidu was not considered following cases of irregularities related to the KIADB.

(Agencies)

Aamir Khan alarmed over intolerance, says his wife suggested leaving India

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Aamir Khan

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan on Monday joined the chorus of intelligentsia against growing intolerance, saying he has been “alarmed” by a number of incidences and his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country.

He also virtually supported those returning their awards, saying one of the ways for creative people to express their dissatisfaction or disappointment is to return their awards.

“As an individual, as part of this country as a citizen, we read in the papers what is happening, we see it on the news and certainly, I have been alarmed. I can’t deny. I have been alarmed by a number of incidents,” he said while speaking here at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards.

The actor said he also feels that the sense of insecurity and fear has been growing in the past six or eight months.

“When I chat with Kiran at home, she says ‘Should we move out of India?’ That’s a disastrous and big statement for Kiran to make. She fears for her child. She fears about what the atmosphere around us will be. She feels scared to open the newspapers every day.

“That does indicate that there is this sense of growing disquiet, there is growing despondency apart from alarm. You feel why this is happening, you feel low. That sense does exist in me,” 50-year-old Aamir said.

The actor said for any society, it is important to have a sense of security and sense of justice.

Taking potshots at politicians, he said “… People who are our elected representatives, people who we select to look after us for five years, state or centre… when people take law into their hands, we look upon these people to take a strong stance, to make a strong statement, speed up the legal process, when we see that happening there is a sense of security but when we don’t see that happening there is a sense of insecurity.”

Endorsing the move by scientists, writers and filmmakers to return their awards to register their protest against the atmosphere of growing intolerance, he said for creative people it is important to voice what they feel.

“A number of creative people — historians, scientists — increasingly had a certain feeling in them, which they felt they need to express. For creative people, one of the ways of expressing their dissatisfaction or their disappointment is to return their awards. I think that’s one way of getting your point across,” he said.

When asked whether he endorsed the protests by the people, Aamir said he would as long as it is non-violent as “all individuals have a right to protest and they can protest in any manner that they feel is right as long as they are not taking the law into their hands.”

(Agencies)

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