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Ghalib's Agra forgets him on birthday

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Despite repeated demands to name a road or an auditorium after the famed poet, the municipal corporation has not responded and Agra University has turned down a demand to set up a Ghalib chair to promote research and work in Urdu literature

Mirza Ghalib

Agra: Mirza Ghalib, whose contribution to Urdu literature was perhaps as significant as that of Shakespeare to English, was born here on this day over 200 years ago. The Taj city Saturday not only forgot to celebrate his birthday but also does not have a decent memorial to the poet, activists said.

Despite repeated demands to name a road or an auditorium after the famed poet, the municipal corporation has not responded and Agra University has turned down a demand to set up a Ghalib chair to promote research and work in Urdu literature.

Syed Jaffrey, director of the Mirza Ghalib Academy, wants better facilities and support from the government to promote research in Urdu literature.

“Agra, which has given so much to the Urdu culture, should have a decent memorial for the poet. The municipal corporation has proposals pending to name a street after the poet but there has been no follow-up,” he said Saturday.

The haveli in Kala Mahal area where Mirza Asad Ullah Khan ‘Ghalib’ was born in 1796 is now a girls’ inter-college. The mansion has no memorial to the poet.

The Uttar Pradesh tourism department had at one time planned to take over the haveli and convert it into a memorial, but the plan was shelved for some reason.

Ghalib moved to Delhi where his poetic talent blossomed and found new expression at a time when Bahadur Shah Zafar was the Mughal emperor.

Sandeep Arora, a member of the city’s hotel and restaurant association, said when foreign tourists ask to be taken to Ghalib’s birthplace, Agra citizens feel “very embarrassed”.

“The central and state governments should jointly build a fitting memorial and a library in Agra for Urdu poetry lovers,” he said.

Surendra Sharma of the Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society said Ghalib’s house “should be converted into a national memorial” for the poet “whose contribution to Urdu literature has been as significant as that of Shakespeare to English literature”.

(IANS)

Modi government slashes Centre's allocation to Karnataka under MGNREGA

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MGNREGA

Bengaluru: Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister H K Patil today slammed the Narendra Modi-government for “slashing the state’s allocation under the MGNREGA”, saying it would hit developmental work and poor people.

“The slashing of state’s allocation under MNREGA will hit not only the developmental work in rural areas but also poor villagers,” he said after a meeting of Chief Executive officers of Zilla Panchayats here.

Patil flayed the central government for meting out “step-motherly” treatment to the state.
He said the Centre released full amount of Rs 4,210 crore at one go under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act to Andhra Pradesh but slashed Karnataka’s allocation by Rs 1,200 crore.

Patil said he would be meeting Union Rural Development Minister Chaudhary Birender Singh between January 3 and 4 in New Delhi and request him to increase the allocations for the state under the scheme.

He also said he would attend the RDPR Ministers’ national conclave in Thiruvananthpuram on January 6 where he would once again press for increase in MNREGA allocations for the state.

Patil said “in a federal set up the government at the Centre cannot discriminate between the states or slash the release of funds to the state governments.”

The Minister said the RDPR department has constructed 5.10 lakh toilets as against the target of six lakh set for this year.

“I am confident we shall achieve the target by March end of the financial year,” he said. For next year, the department has set a target of constructing 10 lakh toilets, Patil added.

By 2018, the government is determined to build toilets in all the houses in the state. “By 2018 state will be freed of open defecation menace,” he said.

Patil said there is no proposal before government to postpone the panchayat elections to be held in May.

“Elections to GPs will be held as per schedule – there’s lot of time left to prepare. Six months are left,” he said.

(PTI)

PUCL statement on the mass killings of Adivasis in Assam

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A vehicle burnt by protesters at Gossaigaon in Sonitpur district of Assam on Wednesday. Photo: PTI

A vehicle burnt by protesters at Gossaigaon in Sonitpur district of Assam on Wednesday. Photo: PTI

New Delhi: The People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) has condemned Tuesday’s violence against tribal people in Assam and called for strong action to avoid a repeat of such incidents.

In a statement, it said unarmed tribal people in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar districts of Assam were shot dead by gangs of the National Democratic Front of Boroland (Songbijit).

“PUCL demands that the police and para-military authorities immediately ensure the safety, security and protection of lakhs of people in the districts of Kokrajhar, Sonitpur and other districts of the Bodoland Territorial Areas Districts adjoining the border areas of Assam – Bhutan. At the same time, it should be stressed that unless the roots of the conflict are addressed and resolved, such violent attacks are bound to recur.”

“We learn that the NDFB (Songbijit) faction itself is led by a non-Bodo and does not enjoy the support of wider sections of the Bodo people themselves. We also learn that there is great popular resentment, even amongst the Bodos, against the NDFB(S) faction due to their extortionist activities and illegal and forcible collection of taxes from all communities, including the Bodo. Despite public knowledge of such illegal activities, the state government has done nothing to curb the unlawful activities of this group which is using arms to terrorise local population. In such a situation, to cloak what is clearly criminal activities using the term `terrorist’ is to lend legitimacy to the group and give an impression as though they are pursuing a political demand.”

“At the heart of the Bodo conflict is the long simmering sense of frustration, anger, alienation and disaffection caused by decades of neglect and mistreatment by successive regimes, both at the state and centre, which has kept large sections of the Bodo people in a state of deprivation, impoverishment and backwardness.”

“There is also a perceived sense of historical injustice to the Bodos in their own homeland. The substantial influx of outsiders coming in as migrant labourers who eventually settle in the area has changed the Bodo – non Bodo population demographics. In turn this has created communal resentment and tensions which is cynically used by political forces to foster violence. This will need to be firmly put down.”

“The Governments, both State and Centre, should seriously initiate a major programme aimed at reassuring the Bodos of their historical identity and ensuring their inclusive development. At the same time, the governments should work to bring about greater community integration and harmony amongst different social sections in the area. Solutions cannot be found through enforcing police or military actions but only through genuine efforts at reconciliation and development which are actually seen to be implemented in the field. Equitable and inclusive development must be seen and felt to be occurring and benefiting all the communities, especially the Bodos. This can be the only sound basis for engendering communal harmony.”

“PUCL also calls upon all the political parties, especially the ruling Congress (I) party in Assam and the NDA at the Centre, not to indulge in games of finger pointing or apportioning blame but to work together to bring about communal harmony, reconciliation, amity and peace,” the statement said.

Mumbai court drops MCOCA charges in IM terror email case against 23 Muslims

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email_case

Mumbai: In a major setback to the Mumbai police, a court here dropped the charges under stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act against the 23 persons arrested for having links with terrorist group Indian Mujahideen reported PTI.

The Mumbai crime branch had arrested a set of 23 people in August 2008 and alleged that they were behind the terror emails that warned bomb blasts and later claimed the responsibility of the bombings. The accused, said the police, had hacked into the unsecured wi-fi network of a private firm Chembur, Khalsa college’s wi-fi and the wi-fi network of an American national, Ken Heywood (who stayed in Navi Mumbai).

Furious at the latest development, crime branch officials have declared it will appeal against the order of special court before the Bombay High Court.

It should be noted that the court has already granted bail to seven accused in the case due to insufficient evidence to support prosecution case against them. Mumbai crime branch had investigated the case in the aftermath of the August 23, 2008 Ahmedabad blast. The prosecution charge sheet claimed the accused had sent out email – especially to the media – claiming responsibility of the blasts.

A similar order had been passed earlier in the 2012 Pune serial blasts case. The crime branch of the police had arrested these men in connection with email sent to media houses and government offices minutes before blasts in Surat, Delhi and Hyderabad, allegedly carried out by the IM.

The Mumbai police’s spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said the police will challenge the order. As the special MCOCA judge A L Pansare dropped the charges under the Act, the case is likely to be assigned to a regular court now.

In February this year, the court had dropped MCOCA charges from the Pune blasts case, observing that sections of MCOCA and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act cannot be applied together.

A series of 21 blasts had rocked Ahmedabad on July 26, 2008 in a span of 70 minutes, killing 56 and wounding over 200. Twenty-six unexploded bombs were found at different locations in Surat between July 28 and 30.

Two cars filled with material required for making explosives and detonators were found parked on the roadside near a hospital and other on the outskirts of Surat.

It was claimed that IM, had sent e-mails to TV channels claiming responsibility for the blasts.

‘Kissing Baba’ arrested in Andhra Pradesh

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Kissing Baba

Hyderabad: The “kissing baba”, a fake godman who was hugging and kissing women devotees to treat their illness and solve other problems, has been arrested in Andhra Pradesh, police said Friday.

He was Thursday arrested in Proddatur town of Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh.

Police produced him before a court, which sent him to judicial custody for two weeks. The court also referred him to a mental hospital as he appears to have unsound mind.

Police said they also arrested Subba Reddy who was popularizing the fake saint among the people in the district. He used to tell people that the baba can remove their affliction and solve financial and domestic problems.

The bogus godman was operating for last two months from a room behind Ayyappa temple in the town. Many issueless couples were also approaching him.

Police swung into action after some television channels beamed shocking visuals of the man kissing and hugging women devotees. He used to give only a lemon to men but misbehave with women.

Police have appealed to people not fall into the trap of such fake godmen.

(IANS)

Smith leads Australia to 259/5 on Boxing Day

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Australia are leading the four-match Test series 2-0.

Australia are leading the four-match Test series 2-0.

Melbourne: Australia needed another steadying knock from skipper Steven Smith (batting 72) to help the hosts reach 259 for five against India. Australia ended day one of the third Test’s proceedings nicely poised at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Friday.

Pacer Mohammed Shami was the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of two for 55, followed by fellow quick Umesh Yadav (two for 69).

Australia were in urgent need of another responsible knock from their captain after some fine bowling display reduced the hosts to 216 for five after tea.

But Smith along with senior pro Brad Haddin (batting 23) showed composure in the middle to prevent Australia from falling apart against some quick and hostile pace bowling from the Indians.

Smith, who won the toss in his second Test as skipper, came in to the crease with his team at 115 for two at the dismissal of opener Chris Rogers (57) and soon saw well-set Shane Watson (52) depart on the same score.

He progressed to 23 at tea with Australia at 174 for three and the game nicely in the balance.

Smith, showcasing his fluent strokeplay and decisive footwork, accepted the burden of shaping his team’s innings that threatened to nosedive after the hosts lost two wickets in quick succession twice to be reduced to 115 for three and then 216 for five.

In the form of his life after posting centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane, the 25-year-old completed 1,000 Test runs this calendar year, in just his ninth match, when he reached 60.

Earlier in the morning, India began the proceedings with a bang as Yadav picked up the dangerous David Warner (0) even before Australia managed to open their account.

The early loss, coupled with disciplined bowling from the pacers, forced the Australians to a sedate start, allowing just eight runs from five overs.

After the initial period of caution and circumspect batting, both Rogers and No.3 batsman Watson settled down and unleashed some great shots.

India got a chance to break the partnership just at the stroke of lunch but failed to latch on to it. Watson, under pressure for his poor batting form, edged a Shami delivery but was grassed by a diving Shikhar Dhawan at second slip to help the hosts’ go into lunch at a commanding 92 for one.

The script unfolded similarly after lunch. Australia aimed to push on and extend their dominance through the partnership of two well-set batsmen, Rogers and Watson.

They were scoring briskly but all their plans stalled following the fall of the two batsmen in succession.

First, Rogers departed trying to launch into a booming drive but only managed to edge a Shami delivery to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Then, Watson attempted an ill-advised sweep shot off Ravichandran Ashwin to be adjudged leg before wicket to reduce the home team to 174 for three at tea.

Australia had to start the rebuilding phase all over again with skipper Smith and Shaun Marsh (32).

They put on 69 runs for the fourth wicket and seemed to have got the measure of the bowling when their momentum got disrupted again with the dismissal of Marsh — caught behind off Shami.

Debutant Joe Burns (13) also didn’t last long, bottom-edging a Yadav shortball to Dhoni.

India held the upper hand at the time but soon ran into Smith who repelled everything that came his way.

Punjab minister Bikram Singh Majithia questioned by Enforcement Directorate in drugs case

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Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with alleged money laundering in a drug racket case. Photo: PTI

Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with alleged money laundering in a drug racket case. Photo: PTI

Jalandhar/NDTV: Punjab Minister Bikram Singh Majithia was today questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a multi-crore international synthetic drugs racket busted last year.

Mr Majithia, who is the younger brother of Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal who is married to of Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal, faces allegations of having links with certain non-resident Indians (NRIs) who have been accused of international money laundering related to the drugs racket.

The 38-year-old arrived around 11 am at the regional office of the ED in Jalandhar, 150 km from state capital Chandigarh.

The ED, a wing under the union finance ministry, had sent summons to Mr Majithia – the revenue minister in the Parkash Singh Badal government in Punjab – to appear before it today.

The Punjab police had busted a Rs. 6,000-crore international synthetic drugs racket in the state in 2013. The ED conducted separate investigations in the case after serious allegations of money laundering emerged.

Sources in the ED said that Mr Majithia is likely to be asked over 50 questions by officials regarding his links to three NRIs and the money laundering racket associated with the drugs case.

The Opposition had sought the minister’s resignation after he was summoned by the ED.

The Chief Minister, however, ruled it out.

Mr Majithia’s name had surfaced after Jagdish Bhola, a man arrested near Delhi last year for drugs trade, alleged in court that it was being run under the minister’s patronage and the full knowledge of the state police. The summons to him is based on the statements of Bhola and Bittu Aulakh, a local politician from Ajnala, who was also arrested for links with drug smugglers.

After the controversy broke, he was divested of the NRI Affairs portfolio and had to relinquish the post of the president of Youth Wing of the Akali Dal. Mr Majithia had denied the allegations.

Rajasthan ministers receive threatening emails purportedly sent by Indian Mujahideen

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email-threat

Jaipur: Some of the ministers in Rajasthan have received threatening messages on their official email IDs, DGP Omendra Bharadwaj said on Friday.

“We are examining the credibility of the email id and its sender who gave threats in the message saying ‘You yourself understand what we will do’. We are investigating the matter and have collected inputs which are being shared with intelligence agencies,” DGP Omendra Bharadwaj said.

He said that there is no specific target and also type of attack mentioned in the message which was sent on Monday purportedly by terrorists group Indian Mujahideen.

The DGP said that in view of alert sounded by the Central agencies recently, security arrangements were already tight.

“Alarming signals were coming for some time hence security arrangements were already tight,” he said. ATS is investigating the matter of threatening Emails.

“The matter is being investigated and there is no need to panic,” he said.

The DGP did not disclose the names of the ministers who received the emails.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Gulabchand Kataria, who is in Udaipur, said that the DGP was aware of all the facts and that those behind the emails would be identified.

“Security arrangements in the state are proper and police is on alert,” he told reporters in Udaipur.

(PTI)

BJP wants to rule Kashmir – with Hindu chief minister

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the party's Central Election Committee meeting for the upcoming Assembly elections, in New Delhi on Sunday. Photo: PTI

File photo of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP President Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley during the party’s Central Election Committee meeting during the J&K Assembly elections, in New Delhi. Photo: PTI

Srinagar/Jammu: The BJP declared Thursday that it was determined to govern Jammu and Kashmir amid speculation that the National Conference would ally with it if the BJP didn’t insist on a Hindu chief minister for the country’s only Muslim-majority state.

BJP leaders Arun Jaitley and Ram Madhav made known the party’s intentions separately in Jammu and Srinagar, with the latter saying he was in the state to explore various options on government formation after elections led to a hung 87-member assembly.

The BJP and the National Conference, the second and third largest groups in the house with 25 and 15 members, denied they were in secret talks. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which won 28 seats, was reportedly looking at both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress as possible allies.

Jammu and Kashmir must have a BJP-led government, party general secretary Ram Madhav said, adding he was in Srinagar to explore the various options.

Ram Madhav told reporters: “The BJP has the mandate to lead the government in Jammu and Kashmir. I am here to explore the options.”

He added that he was meeting representatives from different parties but did not provide details.
“We are open to discussions, and meetings can be had with the prime minister also in this regard,” he added, two days after the BJP emerged as the second largest group in the Kashmir assembly for the first time.

BJP sources told IANS that talks between the National Conference and the BJP had hit a roadblock because of the BJP’s insistence on having a Hindu chief minister.

In Jammu, Finance Minister Jaitley said the BJP would play a prominent role in government formation and the decision on its exact nature had been left to party president Amit Shah.

Briefing reporters after meeting newly-elected BJP legislators, Jaitley underlined that his party got the largest popular vote in the state though it contested from only 76 of the 87 constituencies.

He said the BJP was in touch with “independent and unattached” legislators.

“Whatever government is formed, the BJP should have a prominent role in the political process as the popular mandate in terms of highest vote is with us,” he said.

The National Conference, the sources said, was ready to support and even join a BJP-led coalition on the condition that the BJP gives up its demand for a Hindu chief minister.

At the same time, the PDP, while keeping its options open vis-a-vis the BJP, had sent feelers to Sajad Lone that he could be a deputy chief minister if he backed a PDP-Congress coalition, the sources said.

Sajad Lone’s People’s Conference has won two seats. Congress candidates were elected from 15 constituencies.

Another independent, Hakim Yaseen, has denied media reports that he had announced support for a BJP-led government.

Seven independents have also been elected to the assembly. A group of parties will need the support of 44 members to form a government.

Earlier, Ram Madhav denied a meeting had taken place between the National Conference and the BJP leadership.

Outgoing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who has been in New Delhi since Wednesday, retweeted Ram Madhav’s statement.

Some reports say the BJP would get the chief minister’s post for a full six years while Abdullah would join the union cabinet led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A PDP spokesperson said the reports were meant to mount pressure on it to reach an early post-election agreement with the BJP. “As of now, we have decided to wait and watch,” the spokesperson told IANS.

All the BJP legislators were elected from the Hindu-majority Jammu region while almost all PDP and National Conference legislators won from the largely Muslim Kashmir Valley.

(IANS)

Woman who filed rape case against Asaram goes ‘missing’

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Asaram-Bapu

Ahmedabad: A 33-year-old married woman, who had filed a case of sexual assault against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, is mysteriously missing for over a week along with her son and husband, police said on Thursday.

“A victim of rape, who had accused Asaram of sexual assault, went missing along with her son and husband more than a week ago,” Sub-Inspector N M Ahir of Kamrej Police Station in Surat city told PTI over phone.

“Police department had provided four Constables to the victim for her protection. On December 14, the victim informed our personnel that her family members were going to attend a marriage in Amroli area in the city where they did not require police protection,” he said.

The Constables remained posted outside her home but neither the woman nor her son or husband returned. This led police to file a missing complaint on December 18, Ahir said.

Police later found that there was no marriage in the victim’s social circuit in Amroli on that day. Their cellphones are switched-off, making it difficult to trace them, the Sub-Inspector said.

A probe is underway to locate them, he added. Before disappearing, the Surat-based woman had filed an application in a court saying she wanted to change her statement recorded under Section 164 of CrPC in the case.

The statement recorded under the said Section is admissible at the stage of trial unlike the one recorded before police. However, the court in Gandhinagar rejected her plea last Monday.

The women had last year filed a police complaint and accused Asaram Bapu of sexual assault between 1997 and 2006 when she was staying in his ashram on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

Her younger sister had filed a separate complaint against 76-year-old Asaram’s son Narayan Sai, accusing him of repeated sexual assault between 2002 and 2005 when she was living in his Surat ashram. Gujarat Police filed a chargesheet against Asaram in January this year.

The religious preacher has been charged with rape, illegal confinement and criminal conspiracy. He is lodged in a Rajasthan jail in another rape case.

(PTI)

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