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Madhya Pradesh Governor asked to resign after he is named in exam scam

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Madhya Pradesh governor Ramnaresh Yadav.

Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav.

New Delhi: The governor of Madhya Pradesh, Ram Naresh Yadav, has been asked to go by the home ministry after he was named in an FIR or police complaint in connection with a multi-crore exam scam involving politicians and government officials.

Sources say the home ministry asked the governor to resign on Tuesday night, saying his continuing in the position was untenable.

Mr. Yadav, who has been governor since 2011, has been accused of taking money from candidates applying for the position of Forest Guards in 2013. He has been booked for corruption, misuse of his official position and cheating. 70 others have been named in the case.

Sources have told that the 86-year-old used his letterhead to recommend names of candidates.

According to legal experts, the Special Task Force, which booked the Governor, needs presidential sanction to charge sheet him. His son Shailesh Yadav’s involvement is also being examined by the Special Task Force set up to investigate the case.

The opposition Congress had for days demanded Mr. Yadav’s resignation.

Last week, Mr. Yadav was forced to cut short his speech in the state assembly and leave as the opposition lawmakers kept shouting slogans. Congress activists also clashed with the police as they tried to march to the assembly in protest.

The alleged scam involves the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board or Vyapam, which holds exams for positions like medical officers, constables, teachers and auditors for government departments. Candidates allegedly bribed government officials to make it to the list of those who cleared the test, without taking the exam.

Former Technical Education Minister Lakshmi Kant Sharma and four other officials of the Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board have also been named. All the five are currently in jail.

(Agencies)

Miscreants pelt stones at St. Joseph Vaz worship centre in Mangaluru

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St Joseph Vaz

Mangaluru: A day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat accused Mother Theresa of converting people into Christianity in the pretext of service, miscreants have attacked a place of worship belonging to Christians on the outskirts of the port city.

St. Joseph Vaz worship centre located at Panir near Deralakatte in Mangaluru taluk was attacked by miscreants on Tuesday night. The incident came to light on Wednesday morning.

The glass enclosure of the statues of ‘Mother Mary’ and ‘Infant Jesus’ has been damaged due to stone pelting by the miscreants.

St Joseph Vaz Centre

A local resident told police that he saw two unknown men suspiciously sitting in front of the worship centre in the night.

Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader rushed to the spot and directed the police to take necessary steps to nab the culprits immediately.

ACP Shankar Shetty and Sub Inspector Bharati along with a team of police arrived and conducted spot investigation.

The attack comes days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to protect all religious groups; his comments were seen as a response to a series of attacks on Christian institutions in New Delhi fueling concerns that minorities are being targeted by Hindu extremist groups.

On Monday Mohan Bhagwat incited fierce criticism after he said that Mother Teresa’s service to the poor was pinned on a drive to convert them to Christianity.

The RSS is the ideological mentor of the Prime Minister’s party, the BJP. Mr Bhagwat has, in recent months, presided over a series of controversies for declaring India is a nation of Hindus, a descriptor that has been attacked for undermining the equality to all faiths guaranteed by the Constitution.

The PM has been accused by opponents of failing to rein in hardline affiliate groups focused on a Hindu-dominant agenda that includes ghar wapasi – the campaign to convert Muslims and Christians to Hinduism.

(Agencies)

Congress to hold 'Zameen Wapsi Andolan' against Land Ordinance today

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zameen-wapasi

New Delhi: Demanding the withdrawal of the BJP government’s Land Ordinance which is being considered as anti-farmer, the Congress on Wednesday will hold a protest rally called ‘Zameen Wapsi Andolan’ at Jantar Mantar.

Top Congress brass, including president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel, AICC general secretaries Digvijay Singh, Madhusoodhan Mistry, Ajay Maken, former Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Salman Khursheed, Jitender Singh, Raj Babbar, Deepinder Hooda, Sushmita Deb, will oppose the bill in public and hold a massive rally at around 12:00 noon.

“Congress is organising a mega rally, ‘Zameen Wapsi Andolan’, to oppose the BJP government’s draconian ordinance that intends to change the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 passed by the Congress government,” the party said in a release.

The party has also attempted for convergence of farmers from across the country to raise their voice in opposition to the ordinance.

“Senior leaders of Congress will be present to challenge this Ordinance. They will stand up for the 2013 law which was enacted by the UPA government to deliver equitable justice to the poor farmer and to empower the common man,” the AICC said.

Declaring that its opposition to the Land Acquisition Ordinance was non-negotiable, Congress attacked the BJP- led government for introducing the Bill in Lok Sabha on Tuesday to replace the ordinance despite three Union Ministers giving assurances suggesting that all stakeholders would be taken on board.

Party chief Sonia Gandhi at a strategy meeting in Parliament House in the morning yesterday had set the tone for the party’s tough stand on the land ordinance.

(Agencies)

Arvind Kejriwal, political leaders join Anna Hazare's protest on second day

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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and MDMK chief Vaiko share stage with Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar. (ANI Twitter photo)

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and MDMK chief Vaiko share stage with Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar. (ANI Twitter photo)

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today joined Anna Hazare on his second day of protest against the contentious land ordinance and shared the dais with the social activist.

Kejriwal was among a host of leaders cutting across party lines who joined the agitation on a day the government introduced the contentious land acquisition bill in Lok Sabha amid a walk out by the opposition.

Though Hazare had earlier ruled out sharing stage with any politician, political leaders including CPI’s Atul Anjan and Vaiko of MDMK were among those sitting on the dais.

Before beginning his protest today, Hazare said people from political parties were welcome to join the agitators but will not share the stage with him and made it clear that he would not allow any political colour to the agitation.

He accused the NDA government of not heeding to farmers’ interests.

Yesterday, Hazare had said a jail-bharo movement will be launched from the Ramlila Ground after carrying out “padyatra” across the country for three-four months.

Accusing the government of only caring for corporates, Hazare said he will not relent till government withdraws the controversial ordinance.

“The political parties are of the country only. And, people running the government are also from the country. The people who suffer injustice are also from this country. And, so if farmers are meted out injustice and if everyone comes together to fight injustice, then what is the problem,” Hazare told reporters.

(PTI)

Karnataka: Congress under pressure to replace CM Siddaramaiah with a Dalit face

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Siddaramaiah-Parameshwara

Bengaluru: Though summer is yet to set in, political heat is affecting the Congress party in Karnataka.

Dalits from across the state have come together to lobby for a CM from their community, and are backing Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G. Parameshwara for the post.

Last week, representatives of at least 30 different Dalit organisations of the state met in Bengaluru to demand CM’s post for Parameshwara.

If reports are to be believed, Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president G Parameshwara’s name has been floated by his supporters as the likely successor to Siddaramaiah.

Reports also suggested that Siddaramaiah is well aware of the forces backing Parameshwara and he is also in no mood to offer any powerful slot to the latter.

After Parameshwara’s shocking defeat in 2013 Assembly polls, he was forced to concede CM’s post to Siddaramaiah.

The Dalit groups have also planned a massive rally in Bengaluru on April 14 to press for their demand. The day coincides with Dr BR Ambedkar Jayanthi.

According to some media reports, Parameshwara is expected to lead a delegation to New Delhi shortly to meet the party high command.

(Agencies)

"After romancing with the small screen, I have just started my affair with the big screen": Actor Nimai Bali

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Nimai Bali

by Shaheen Raaj

Nimai Bali, the veteran small screen actor, a man of a very humble, down to earth & pleasing persona has already scored one and a half century of his romance with the small screen (Read serials). In fact he is popularly known as not only the Big B of the small screen arena but also considered as the Blue Eyed Boy of all the Satellite Channels put together namely Star Plus, Zee Tv, Sony Tv, Colors et al. In fact since the last one and a half decade not a single day has elapsed when he has not donned the grease paint or faced the arc lights so what if it was only for the small screen and not the big screen. Besides Nimai Bali is also vary of boasting about his relational lineage. The departed actor Sunil Dutt happens to be his uncle, Sanjay Dutt his immediate cousin and last but not the least the ‘Hum Aapke Hain Kaun?’ fame actress Sahila Chadha happens to be his better half who has also given him a lovely and a most precious gift of Princess, his one & only daughter.

How about revealing some nuggets of your small screen endeavor to start off with?

To be very frank i was supposed to get a dream launch on the celluloid silver screen with a dream role in a dream film named ‘Messiah’ to be made by my uncle, the Late Sunil Dutt. But unfortunately this remained a distant dream for reasons best known to God – The Almighty.

And then?

And then fortunately for me began my small screen journey which is still going strong and uninterrupted since the last one and a half decade. In fact not a single day has elapsed when I have not donned the grease paint or faced the arc lights. So what if it was only for the small screen and not the celluloid silver screen.

Now how about elaborating on your small screen achievements in a nutshell?

Well! I had began my career on the small screen by playing the role of Surya in the famous TV series ‘Chandrakanta’. And then I went on to play a detective in the TV series ‘CID: Special Bureau’ & also ‘CID’. And then came the phase of me getting involved in mytho series. In fact I became well-known for portraying Pawan Dev (God of the Winds) & Monkey Emperor Bali in the 1997-2000 television serial ‘Jai Hanuman’, directed by Sanjay Khan.

Not only these I also played Duryodhana in Sanjay Khan’s miniseries ‘Maha Kavya Mahabharat’ in 2001. Besides these I have also acted in varied other mytho serials like ‘Om Namah Shivay’, ‘Jai Jai Bajrang Bali’ et al. And then began the phase of social serials like ‘Bhabhi’, ‘Kumkum’, ‘Doli Sajaa Ke Rakhna’, ‘Amber Dhara’, ‘Woh Rehne Waali Mehlon Ki’, ‘Yug’, ‘Bani…….Ishq Da Kalma’ et al. The list is endless.

Are you content with your small screen journey so far?

Of course, you bet I am contented. I think I would be lying through my teeth if I said no. Tell me which other small screen actor has had such a long, chequered & illustrious career on the small screen. In fact I am popularly known as the Big B of the small screen arena, the Blue Eyed Boy of all the Satellite Channels put together namely Star Plus, Zee TV, Sony TV, Colors et al.

Any regrets?

Having lost out earlier on the Colors Channel’s ‘Balika Vadhu’ because I had got the offer when the Colors Channel was still in its infancy and I was then vary of working in new & unknown channels. But I have rectified my mistake by welcoming offers from one & all with open arms. In fact my currently ongoing serial is Colors Channel’s ‘Balika Vadhu’.

So when are you going to start your affair with the big screen?

I had ventured out earlier on big screen with ‘Refugee’ & ‘Dil Ka Doctor’. But I think I will be lucky with my hat trick outing in ‘Rahasya’. You see after romancing with the small screen (150 Serials Not Out) I have just started my affair with the big screen with ‘Rahasya’ as a freaky Maharashtrian cop. And believe me I am just loving it. It was recently released and my role in it was highly appreciated and even considered as award worthy by critics & fans alike.”

Make Jayalalithaa my CM, says fan as he crucifies himself

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Shihan Hussaini

Chennai: A karate expert and supporter of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa ‘crucified’ himself on Monday as he demanded the leader’s return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Shihan Hussaini’s aides nailed him on a wooden cross, where he remained hanging for more than six minutes. A video shows Hussaini’s aides digging 6-inch nails into his hand and feet as dozens of AIADMK workers looked on.

Shihan was on cross for 6 minutes and 7seconds to commemorate Jayalalithaa’s upcoming 67th birthday.

“There is no Indian who has crucified himself for some cause. There is no one across the globe who has done this. I love Madam and whenever we went to her, she had always helped us. I just did this for her long life and for her to come back as the chief minister,” Hussaini told PTI.

“I am big admirer of her (Jayalalithaa). I was laughed at for this event. I was told it was an AIADMK stunt. No AIADMK Minister was here when I crucified myself today,” he said.

On why he undertook crucification, Hussain said he is an expert in karate, a martial art form where pain, tolerance and self-control are major components of training.

“I strongly feel prayers are heard and the Cross is a powerful symbol,” he said.

Hussaini who did his schooling in Christian institutions, said his family did not support him when he informed them about the event.

“My wife was apprehensive and my sister said she would even file a police complaint. But I know my body and went ahead with my proposal,” he said.

Doctors from Global Hospitals and Fortis Malar accompanied Hussaini during the event. “I was taken to the hospital and now I am alright. There is no major injury to nerves or bones,” he said.

Jayalalithaa resigned from the chief minister’s post after she was arrested and jailed in a disproportionate assets case.

(Agencies)

Conversion to Christianity was Mother Teresa's main objective, says RSS chief, gets slammed by Kejriwal

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Mohan_Bhagwat

New Delhi: Conversion to Christianity was the main objective behind Mother Teresa’s service to the poor, RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat said Monday February 23rd.

“Mother Teresa’s service would have been good. But it used to have one objective, to convert the person, who was being served, into a Christian,” he said while speaking at a function organised by NGO Apna Ghar near here.

“The question is not about conversion but if this (conversion) is done in the name of service, then that service gets devalued,” he said.

“But here (at the NGO), the objective is purely service of poor and helpless people,” added Bhagwat.

The RSS Chief was addressing a function in village Bajhera, near 8 kms from here, where he inaugurated ‘Mahila Sadan’ and ‘Sishu Bal Grah’ in the NGO for helpless women and children.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for his comments on Mother Teresa, saying she was a “noble soul” and should be spared.

“I worked wid Mother Teresa for a few months at Nirmal Hriday ashram in Kolkata. She was a noble soul. Pl spare her,” Kejriwal tweeted.

(Agencies)

Ruckus in Parliament over land acquisition bill, Opposition up in arms

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A file picture of Parliament House in New Delhi. Photo: V.V. Krishnan.

A file picture of Parliament House in New Delhi. Photo: V.V. Krishnan.

New Delhi: Ruckus erupted in Parliament on the second day of budget session as Opposition parties upped the ante against the government over a contentious land bill.

The Narendra Modi government will introduce the land acquisition amendment bill 2015 to replace the ordinance in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Before that, finance minister Arun Jaitley invoked the first Nehru government and said it introduced 77 oridinances, amid an uproar triggered by the Opposition in Rajya Sabha.

“Ordinances are bypassing Parliament is not a valid argument,” he said.

The Opposition has remained firm that the ordinance, along with five more, would not be allowed to go through Parliament. These ordinances would expire on March 20, if not passed during this budget session.

President Pranab Mukherjee had set the tone for the government to push for the tweaked land law on Monday amid resistance from the Opposition and rights groups, prompting the BJP to discuss ways to get the controversial legislation passed in Parliament.

The law has been suitably refined to protect farmers’ interests during land acquisition for crucial public projects, Mukherjee told a joint sitting of Parliament that launched the budget session.

“My government attaches paramount importance to safeguard the interest of farmers and families affected by land acquisition,” the President said, trying to allay fears the land act would benefit only industries without a consent clause from landowners which the Modi government had enacted through an ordinance.

The ruling coalition would introduce the bill to replace the land ordinance in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, where it enjoys a brute majority but the problem lie in Rajya Sabha.

Rural development minister Chaudhary Birender Singh will introduce the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015.

It will replace the ordinance promulgated by the government in December last year, which had brought changes in the earlier bill passed in 2013 by the UPA government.

The government had promulgated the ordinance making significant changes in the land act including removal of consent clause for acquiring land for five areas — industrial corridors, PPP projects, rural infrastructure, affordable housing and defence.

The Congress has already given a notice for suspension of question hour in the Upper House to discuss the ordinance. Party chief Sonia Gandhi said the President’s speech had nothing new but was a rehash of UPA policies.

The ruling BJP also has its hands full after rights activist Anna Hazare on Monday started a protest against the “anti-farmer” land law.

He got support from old associates Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, the chief minister of Delhi and his deputy whose Aam Aadmi Party had routed the BJP in the national capital’s assembly polls. They will join Hazare in his protest on Tuesday.

“This is land grab by the government … This is what the British used to do. To cater to industrialists, how can you betray farmers?” Hazare said before his dharna at Jantar Mantar.

Given the heat generated by the land law before the NDA government’s presents its first full-year budget on February 28, fear mounted within the BJP of a possible Parliament washout in the face of the Opposition’s belligerent stand.

Barring Prime Minister Modi, top BJP leaders closeted on Monday evening to see if the bill to be place before Lok Sabha could be further refined to pacify the protesters.

There were hints that the government might consider the demands when Parliament debates the bill.

“We discussed all issues, including land acquisition. We discussed issues farmers have raised. Twenty-seven farmer organisations have met home minister Rajnath Singh,” Union minister Ananth Kumar said.

“We will consider what is on farmers’ minds. The Prime Minister has said at an all-party meet we will welcome suggestions.”

The prime objection to the land acquisition ordinance has been that it removed the need for written consent from 70% of landowners for joint public-private projects.

To make matters worse, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-affiliated Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has also raised objection to the ordinance, seeing in it a reason for the BJP’s drubbing in Delhi.

The government tried its hand to bring the Opposition on board as PM Modi said dialogue and discussion were an essential part of democracy and hoped for a positive outcome of the budget session.

He walked up to the opposition benches with folded hands after entering Lok Sabha on Monday morning — a first by the Prime Minister in almost nine months since taking charge.

Meanwhile, setting in motion the process of replacing ordinances relating coal mines, e-rickshaws and FDI in insurance with fresh bills, the government has listed for the withdrawal of old bills in Rajya Sabha.

Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal will move for withdrawal of these bills.

The government is racing against time to convert the six ordinances into bills in the first part of the Budget session, which comes to an end on March 20.

The government will also introduce a bill in Lok Sabha to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, which will replace the ordinance promulgated on the issue recently.

(Agencies)

Mysuru Royal family adopts Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs as new heir

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A view at Kalyana Mantapa in Mysuru Palace, where Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was adopted on Monday. Photo: M.A. Sriram, The Hindu

A view at Kalyana Mantapa in Mysuru Palace, where Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was adopted on Monday. Photo: M.A. Sriram, The Hindu

Mysuru: Twenty two-year-old Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs was, on Monday, formally adopted as the heir to Wadiyar dynasty, the erstwhile rulers of Mysuru.

Yaduveer, grandson of Princess Gayathri Devi, is the eldest daughter of the last Maharaja of Mysuru Sri Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar, is pursing his BA at Boston in United States.

He was rechristened Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar at the hour-long adoption ceremony, which began at 1.15 p.m.

The next Mysuru king, Yaduveer Gopal Raj Urs got lessons in the adoption procedure and rituals on Sunday from Maharani Pramoda Devi and will be formally adopted by the Queen on Monday-a pre-requisite for him ascending the famed Mysuru throne.

Yaduveer visited his grandfather Madan Gopal Raj Urs’ residence in Lakshmipuram where his parents Swarup Anand and Tripurasundari performed arthiakshathe ritual, a send-off for their son making him eligible for adoption.

The adoption ceremony, which was a private affair, was conducted in the presence of the royal family’s friends and relatives.

Apart from Home Minister, K.J. George and Housing Minister, M.H. Ambareesh, a host of senior officials of the district administration including Deputy Commissioner, C. Shikha and City Police Commissioner, M.A. Saleem attended the adoption ceremony.

(Agencies)

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