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We send ‘signals’ to govt, hold no remote control: RSS

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New Delhi: RSS has said it sends “signals” to the BJP-led government at the Centre but dismissed suggestions it held a “remote control” over it.

It also said that it has a right to give suggestions to the government like any other organisation in a democracy and is proud to have produced two prime ministers– Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi.

“There is no control, but certainly remote is there. Remote is there, signal is there. RSS is not having any remote control on BJP or any other political party.

“RSS swayamsevaks are working actively and are participants in BJP. BJP also subscribes to certain views and ideology of RSS and the inspiration they take in public life. If family members come to RSS for suggestions, is it remote control or affection. There is no complaint from BJP and there is no wish from RSS,” RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale said at the India Today Conclave.

Asked if RSS was an ‘extra-constitutional authority’ in the present government, he said, “Where is the extra- constitutional authority? We are not doing any hide and seek. Presentations at RSS meeting is not wrong. If they make presentations before RSS, they can make presentations before this conclave. It is a democracy. We have every right to make suggestions to any government.”

Rejecting criticism that RSS gave diktats to the Modi government, he said RSS swayamsevaks are working actively in BJP and they are like “family members”.

Hosabale said in a democracy the RSS can make suggestions to any government of the day, be it BJP or Congress, even though Congress will not listen to them.

“We are proud that RSS has produced two prime ministers. Both are listening to the voice of the people,” he said, adding both Vajpayee and Modi listened to them.

“Vajpayee also listened and Modi also is listening. But, listening does not mean he is heeding (to) it. We are proud. I wish Vajpayee also had the opportunity to become prime minister at Modi’s age,” the RSS leader said.

He said, “We wanted that a budget of this kind should come. We had also suggested to Congress.”

Asked if RSS has asked for a temple, Hosabale said, “We have asked for a mandir at Ayodhya. That is our dream. It is the wish of the people. It is for the country and government to take up the issue. We are hopeful. We are also confident that they will also fulfil the aspirations of people. They have included it in their manifesto.”

To a question on whether homosexuality is a crime as considered under Article 377 IPC, he said, “I don’t think homosexuality should be considered a criminal offence as long as it does not affect the lives of others in society.”

He said, “sexual preferences are private and personal. Why should RSS express its views in a public forum? RSS has no view on that. It is for people to have their way. Personal preference of sex is not discussed in RSS and we don’t even want to discuss that.”

Section 377 of Indian Penal Code terms homosexuality as unnatural and carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail. Going by the global trends in this regard, there have been demands within the country to decriminalise homosexuality.

Hosabale said AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi was an “anti- national” as he said he would not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, a slogan not coined by RSS but during the freedom struggle.

Asked if one was a ‘traitor’ by not chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, he said, “Of course, he is an anti-national… All the political leaders except Owaisi’s party opposed what he said.”

“If someone says he/she does not want to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ at all, you are not allowing others also to not chant the slogan….If anybody says so, he is anti-national.”

He said ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ are not RSS slogans, but coined during freedom struggle and it is not required that these should be chanted all the time or every morning “but there is nothing wrong in saying it”.

On beef eating, the RSS leader said one should respect the sensibilities of others too.

“Can’t you live without beef, can’t you respect the sensibilities of majority and respect feelings of other people also? Beef eating has not been acceptable in this country. Mahatma Gandhi was also against beef eating, he did not become communal, but RSS is communal,” he said.

The RSS leader expressed concern that anti-national activities are being spread in campuses in the country.

“Why anti-India feelings are being expressed in university campuses? If some students are raising slogans for breaking India into pieces and its destruction, if they raise slogans in favour of a criminal who has been hanged as per the law of the land, any nation in the world will not tolerate it. In India, being anti-national is not acceptable,” he said.

On why women are not there in RSS, he said, “It is only in field activities in public that women are not there, but in all other activities women are there. RSS is not averse to the idea of women participation in physical activities in RSS shakhas. It can happen… A day will come sooner than later. We are taking our own time for all this, anything can happen.”

He also rejected the theory that RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle saying one should read history properly.

“RSS did not participate in the freedom struggle is a baseless statement.”
On reservation, he said, “It is not the right time to do away with caste-based reservation. We support reservation till discrimination in society exists,” but called for a review by eminent people who understand society.

He also said that RSS was changing as per changing times while referring to the change in uniform.

“Changing according to time is the essential thing of Hindutva itself,” he said.
He added that those people who are taking birth in this country are Hindus because “this is Hindustan and the fear of Hindutva is created because of wrong understanding or deliberate intentions”.

“Hindutva as we say is that it is Hinduness and not Hinduism. Radhakrishnan has said he practiced the Hindu way of life and I am proud of it, and he is not communal. Mahatma Gandhi said I am a proud Hindu, but he is not communal,” Hosabale said.

“I don’t know why people are afraid of hearing words like Hindutva, Hinduism or Hinduness, because Hindus are never aggressive in entire history of mankind. They have not enslaved anyone on any part of the world. It is only a few created on wrong interpretations or wrong intentions,” he said.

He said RSS’s vision 2020 is for an India which is united and one which prosperous, “a Bharat which takes pride in its culture and heritage”.

(PTI)

Siddaramaiah presents Rs 1,63,419 crore budget; abolishes agri income tax

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Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: The rate of growth of Karnataka’s economy has slowed down from 7.8 per cent during 2014-15 to 6.2 per cent during 2015-16.

Reading out the State budget for 2016-17 in the State Legislative Assembly on Friday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, attributed this slowdown solely to decline in growth rate of the agriculture sector.

The agriculture sector is estimated to decline by 4.7 per cent during this year, mainly due to drought in 137 taluks during kharif and 62 taluks during the rabi crop seasons.

Presenting his 11th budget overall, and the fourth after he assumed office, Chief Minister said decline in farm growth mainly attributable to fall in foodgrains production from 126 lakh tones during 2014-15 to 110 lakh tones in 2015-16 due to drought.

He said the service sector is growing at 9.1 per cent while the industrial sector is expected to register a growth of 4.5 percent during the current year.

In a major relief to planters, the budget proposed to abolish agriculture income tax and it would benefit coffee, tea and rubber and other plantation crop growers.

The total budget size of 2016-17 is pegged at Rs. 1,63,419 crore, of which the plan size is fixed at Rs. 85375 crore, an increase of 17.6 per cent over the plan size of Rs. 72,597 crore during the last year.

Of the 1,63,419 crore, the estimated revenue receipts is pegged at Rs. 1,30,758 crore and capital receipts at Rs. 31,198 crore including borrowings of Rs. 31,036 crore. The fiscal deficit is expected to be Rs. 25,657 crore, which at 2.12 per cent of GSDP, complies with the Karnataka Fiscal responsibility Act.

Agriculture

For redressal of grievances of farmers of the state and converge schemes of agriculture department and other departments, the Chief Minister proposed to set up a Karnataka State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Committee headed by Chief Minister. Agriculture department and other departments related to welfare of farmers would be brought under the committee.

To give more focus to farmers and effective techniques adopted by them, special agricultural zones would be identified in parts of the State on the lines of SEZs formed for industries.

The budget proposed to develop 100 villages in four districts across four revenue divisions as Model agricultural villages under the “Suvarna Krishi Grama Programme”.

Tax reliefs

The budget exempted from the tax handmade paper and hand-made paper boards, including hand-made paper products manufactured and sold by dealer recognised by the Khadi and Village Industries Board as an eco-friendly measure.

It reduced VAT on office files made of paper and paper boards from the present rate of 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

It cut VAT from the present rate of 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent on articles of nickel, titanmum falling under heading HSN 7505, 7506, and 8108 to encourage aerospace industry.

Other goods that set to become cheaper are: rubber sheet, set top boxes for viewing TV content, multi-media speakers, LED bulbs. Taxes on all these goods reduced from 14.5 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

Mr. Siddaramaiah would seek a Vote on Account for the first four months of the financial year, ending July 31. This has been the norm in Karnataka.

(Agencies)

BJP MLA who broke police horse’s leg finally arrested

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horse

Dehradun: Police today arrested BJP MLA Ganesh Joshi, accused of assaulting a police horse ‘Shaktiman’ during a protest march here recently which led to amputation of one of its hind legs.

IG Garhwal range Sanjay Gunjyal said the MLA from Mussoorie was arrested from outside a hotel in Patel Nagar area on the basis of an FIR lodged against him and his associates at Nehru Colony police station here in connection with the assault on the police horse on March 14.

The official said Joshi was being interrogated. He, however, refused to disclose where the MLA has been taken.

Reacting sharply to the development, BJP lodged a protest with Governor K K Paul and alleged it was “abduction” of its MLA.

“The manner in which Joshi was picked up from outside a hotel suggests he was abducted. Those who picked him up were in plain clothes and it is not clear whether they were police personnel or goondas,” Leader of Opposition in Uttarakhand Assembly Ajay Bhatt said.

Bhatt said he had called on Governor K K Paul to register his protest against the manner in which the party legislator was picked up.

The action against Joshi comes a day after the arrest of another party worker Pramod Bora from Haldwani in Nainital district yesterday.

Dehradun SSP Sadanand Date said Bora along with Joshi was responsible for precipitating the fall of the horse during the protest March on March 14 which caused grievous injuries to one of its hind legs.

Meanwhile, the injured horse whose fractured hind leg had to be amputated late last night by a team of doctors at the police lines can now stand with the help of an artificial leg.

However, doctors attending on Shaktiman said it will have to be seen whether the prop is strong enough to support the horse which weighs four quintals.

Surgeon from Mumbai Feroze Khambatta, who led a team of doctors that operated on the horse, said he had performed eight similar operations in Nepal and Bhutan but on horses which weighed only two quintals.

As Shaktiman weighs four quintals it is not clear for how long he can stand and move with an artificial leg.

He is constantly under the watch of doctors and over two dozen police personnel at the police lines.

Shaktiman is a well trained horse and part of Uttarakhand Mounted Police for years. Chief Minister Harish Rawat also expressed concern over the horse’s condition.

The BJP has been demanding withdrawal of cases lodged against its workers including Joshi, asserting that they were being framed at the behest of the state government to cow down the opposition.

(Agencies)

German Bakery blast: Baig’s death sentence commuted to life term

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Mirza Himayat Baig

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday commuted, to a life term, the death sentence to Mirza Himayat Baig after his conviction for the February 13, 2010 Pune German Bakery blast which killed 17 people, including foreigners, his lawyer said.

“Baig has been totally absolved of all charges including conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder and other serious charges pertaining to the German Bakery blast,” said his lawyer Abdul Rehman.

“He has only been convicted under the Explosives Act and given a life sentence. This is the first step only – we plan to appeal this and we are confident he will come clear from this too,” he added.

Around 7 p.m. on the day, a powerful blast ripped through the popular eatery near the Osho Ashram in the fashionable Koregaon Park area and much frequented by the young crowd.

Among the 17 killed were an Italian woman, an Iranian and two Sudanese students.

Another 60 patrons were injured in the blast, including 12 foreigners while the eatery subsequently reopened briefly and shut down.

A Pune sessions court had in April 18, 2013 awarded the death penalty to the sole accused, Indian Mujahiddeen operative Baig, against which he had appealed before the Bombay High Court.

(IANS)

Woman kills two daughters after suspecting abuse by husband

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rape

Hyderabad: A 41-year-old woman allegedly murdered her two minor daughters by slitting their throats with broken glass after suspecting that her husband was “sexually harassing” the elder one, police said today.

The woman, a housewife, identified as Rajani, broke a glass bottle and slit throats of her two daughters aged eight and three, last night at her residence in Teacher’s Colony here and left the house, Tukaramgate Police Station Inspector T Laxmi Narayana, told PTI.

Both girls died on the spot, he said.

Her husband, Vinay, a businessman, who returned to the house at around 9.30 PM, did not find his wife but noticed the bodies of his daughters lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom and informed the police, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Gopalpuram Division) K Shiva Kumar said.

“After the incident the woman went to Tank Bund and washed her hands and legs and walked back to their house and surrendered before the police. After questioning she confessed of killing her daughters and subsequently she was placed under arrest,” the ACP said.

She suspected that her husband had allegedly been sexually harassing their elder daughter, an LKG student, for the past six months, the Inspector said, adding, the woman had also confronted her husband over the matter, but he had denied the charge.

“The woman became suspicious after seeing that her elder daughter used to get scared on seeing her father. She had a feeling that her husband sexually harassed their elder daughter,” he said.

The woman, after washing her hands and legs after the incident had felt relieved from the “stress” that her husband would no longer sexually harass her daughters, the ACP said.

“Based on preliminary investigation and after questioning Vinay, we did not find any concrete evidence as of now to prove the allegations levelled against him (Vinay),” he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) N Prakash Reddy said the body of the girl was sent for medical examination to ascertain if she was sexually assaulted and the report is awaited.

“He (Vinay) has been let off after his examination. If any evidence is available we will take further action accordingly,” he said.

The woman, in the meanwhile, is being produced before a local court seeking her judicial remand. A case was booked under section 302 (murder) of IPC and probe is on.

(PTI)

Petrol prices hiked by Rs 3.07/litre, diesel gets dearer by Rs 1.90 a litre

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petrol-price

Mumbai: Petrol price was on Wednesday raised by Rs 3.07 per litre, while diesel price was hiked by Rs 1.90 per litre in Delhi. The revised prices will be effective midnight.

After today’s revision, a litre of petrol in Delhi will cost Rs 59.68, while diesel will retail at Rs 48.33/litre, said Indian Oil Corporation, the country’s largest retailer. Petrol in Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai will cost Rs 63.76, Rs 65.79 and Rs 59.13 a litre respectively.

In the previous revision on February 29, petrol prices were cut, though diesel was made more expensive. (Read more)

Petrol and diesel prices are deregulated in India, which means they are linked to market rates.

Oil prices in India are influenced by global rates as well as the exchange rate. Global crude prices have been on the rise ahead of a key meeting of oil producers next month that will discuss a proposal to freeze output.

The rupee, which had pulled back below 67 per dollar, has also lost ground. However, it closed higher at 67.22 per dollar today.

State-owned fuel retailers IOC, Bharat Petroleum Corp (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) revise rates of the fuels on the 1st and 16th of every month based on average oil price and foreign exchange rate in the preceding fortnight.

(Agencies)

Nigeria mosque bombers kill 22

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Two suspected female attackers blow themselves up inside and outside a busy mosque in northeastern Maiduguri city.

People walk in front of a mosque after a bomb attack in Maiduguri in 2012 [File: Olatunji Omirin/Reuters]

People walk in front of a mosque after a bomb attack in Maiduguri in 2012 [File: Olatunji Omirin/Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

Two female bombers killed at least 22 worshippers in an attack on a mosque on Wednesday, Nigerian rescue officials say.

The attack took place on the outskirts of the northeastern city of Maiduguri – the birthplace of the Boko Haram armed group.

Abdul Mohammed of the State Emergency Management Agency told The Associated Press news agency that another 17 people were wounded in the explosions early Wednesday.

Coordinator Abba Aji of the civilian self-defence Vigilante Group said one bomber blew up inside the mosque and the second outside as survivors tried to flee.

Aji said the mosque is in Umarari on the outskirts of the city that is now the command centre of the Nigerian military’s war against Boko Haram.

While there was no immediate claim of responsibility, blame will likely fall on the insurgents.

Boko Haram has increasingly used suicide and bomb attacks as Nigeria’s military pushes the group out of territories they once controlled. Several bombers have exploded themselves in recent months at roadblocks into the city manned by the military and vigilantes.

The US military calls Boko Haram the most violent armed group in the world.

Some 20,000 people have been killed and about 2.3 million displaced since it started its violent campaign in 2009.

Children have been particularly targeted by Boko Haram and have often been the victims of sexual abuse, forced marriage, and abductions.

Siddaramaiah Government sets up anti-corruption bureau

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siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Siddaramaiah-led Congress government on Monday set up an Anti-Corruption Bureau to provide a transparent and efficient administration.

Though Karnataka was the first state to set up an anti-corruption watchdog – the Lokayukta (ombudsman) in 1984 under the Karnataka Lokayukta Act (KLA), there is also the Prevention of Corruption Act empowers police to investigate graft charge against officials.

“The KLA and PC Act are different legislations, as the former empowers the quasi-judicial Lokayukta to only inquire into complaints against public servants but does not allow criminal investigation against them and others accused of seeking or taking bribe,” an official statement said here.

Though the state government entrusted the investigation powers into corruption charges to the police wing of the state Lokayukta, the Supreme Court in the C. Rangaswamaiah versus Karnataka Lokayukta case in 1988 held that police officers probing cases under the PC Act were autonomous.

The Karnataka High Court had also held that the Lokayukta did not have the jurisdiction to supervise criminal investigation under the PC Act through its police wing on the basis of the top court’s Rangaswamaiah judgement.

The state government has therefore decided to separate the two roles by forming the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on the lines of the central government.

“The ACB will be a statutory authority to investigate graft offences, while the ombudsman’s police wing will assist Lokayukta and Upa Lokayuktas in carrying their duties under the KLA,” the statement said.

The state government has also decided to set up vigilance wings in its departments, boards and corporations with vigilance officers, as directed by the high court on February 2.

Provocative slogans were shouted by outsiders: JNU probe panel

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jnu-protest

New Delhi: Provocative slogans at the controversial February 9 event on JNU campus were raised by a group of outsiders, a high-level inquiry committee of the varsity has said, noting it was “unfortunate” that the students allowed that to happen.

It said holding of the event despite cancellation of permission was an act which amounts to “willful defiance”.

The panel has also pointed out lapses on part of the university’s security unit, saying it did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and stop them from leaving the campus.

“The organisers disobeyed the instructions from the administration about not holding the event. This amounts to willful defiance. It is most unfortunate that the organisers allowed the event to be taken over by a group of outsiders who created a charged atmosphere by raising provocative slogans.

“This act by outsiders has brought disrepute to the entire JNU community,” the report of the five-member panel said.

“The committee also notes that none of the JNUSU office-bearers acted with due responsibility. The office-bearers had to behave with even more restraint and caution befitting the position they hold.

“They need to rise above the politics and other differences as they represent the student community. It is unbecoming of student representatives that they should be found engaging in disorderly conduct or condoning it,” it added.

The report has two sections — findings and recommendations.

The section of findings has been shared by the university with 21 students who have been issued a show-cause notice in this connection, the recommendations have been kept out of public domain.

Highly-placed sources in the university had said that the panel, which submitted its report on March 11, has recommended rustication of five students including JNU Students’ Union president Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya who are facing sedition charge.

While the panel has identified a few students guilty of procuring permission from the university on false pretext, it has also noted that the Dean of Students (DoS) should have withdrawn the permission in writing and not by sending text message to the Chief Security Officer.

“It has to be noted that since the event had taken place in 2015 as well, the Dean’s office was not vigilant enough to anticipate and prevent this event. Security did not make any efforts to stop outsiders from shouting provocative slogans and prevent them from leaving the campus,” the report said.

The report also said that the group of outsiders had their heads and faces covered.

A meeting of the university’s top brass, chaired by the Vice Chancellor, today discussed the report following which the varsity issued show-cause notice to 21 students including Kanhaiya and Umar, who were found guilty of having violated university rules and discipline norms.

The committee was formed on February 10 to probe the event organised to protest hanging of Afzal Guru, the Parliament attack convict.

Kanhaiya, Umar and Anirban were arrested on charges of sedition in connection with the programme.

Kanhaiya was released on bail from Tihar on March 3 while Umar and Anirban are still in judicial custody.

The university had on March 11 revoked the academic suspension of eight students including Kanhaiya after completion of the probe by the five-member panel. It was decided to keep them under suspension from academic activities till the inquiry was over. However, they were allowed to stay in the hostels.

The panel, which was granted three extensions before it finally submitted its report, also faced difficulties in the probe as students refused to depose before it demanding that the inquiry be constituted afresh.

The varsity, however, turned down the demand and maintained that the students will be given three chances to appear before the disciplinary committee and, if they fail to do so, the panel will finalise its recommendations on the basis of evidence available.

The university authorities maintained that a final decision regarding the “quantum of punishment” will be taken on basis of the reply sent by students to show-cause notices by tomorrow evening.

(PTI)

Sting op: Speaker asks Ethics Committee to probe charges against TMC MPs

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Lok Sabha

New Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker today referred the issue of some TMC members allegedly accepting bribe, as shown in a purported sting operation, to the Ethics Committee, asking the L K Advani-headed panel to examine and investigate the charges.

Speaker Sumitra Mahajan made the announcement immediately after the Question Hour, a day after BJP, Congress and CPI-M came together in Parliament to attack the accused TMC members and demanding a probe into the matter.

An ethics committee in 2005 had terminated the membership of 11 MPs, 10 from the Lok Sabha and one from the Rajya Sabha, after finding them guilty after a sting operation allegedly showing them accepting bribes to help fictitious private firms.

Saugata Roy (TMC) strongly protested the Speaker’s decision, saying it was a “unilateral decision” and if it becomes a practice, then anybody will do a sting against members and inquiry would be ordered on such “unverified” contents.

However, he also said he had full respect for Advani and added that the veteran BJP member will be fair.

The Speaker, however, brushed aside his objections, saying such a reference to the 15-member Ethics Committee had been made earlier too.

(PTI)

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