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Bollywood case against Maharashtra Govt

     Mumbai: A voluntary organization, with prominent filmmakers like Mahesh Bhatt as its members, today filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court against the Congress-led state governments failure to provide flood relief in the city. "Jago" or Wake Up, as the NGO is called, accuses the State Government of not doing enough to help the desperate people in the city billed as countrys financial capital. At least 942 people drowned, died in landslides or were electrocuted in floodwater in Maharashtra, including 429 in the capital, Mumbai in the past week. Another 100 were reported missing. "The petition seeks more, rather than finding fault for the past, - a clear plan how such situations are to be met in future and how such an impact of natural calamity could be mitigated," said Majid Memon, counsel for Jago. Bhatt said the Government should be held accountable for collapse of its administrative machinery during the floods. "When this natural calamity occurred, the entire bureaucracy was stunted like an animal when torch is shone into his eyes. It stood still. This is our effort so that it never happens in future. If it happens, how can it be averted and dealt with. That is why we have come here."

     Meanwhile, several film stars today visited the flood-hit suburbs after waters started receding. Noted Bollywood stars like Arbaz Khan and Jackie Shroff joined hands with the police to distribute ration and medicines to the affected people. They also provided basic medical facilities. "We are distributing grains and medicines to the people here. We are also getting basic medical tests done for fever and any other disease for the people who have come here," said Khan. Weather officials forecast more rains, but said they did not expect it to be on the scale that brought death and destruction to the sprawling city of more than 15 million people last week. The rain has let up and Mumbai's airport, country's busiest, was functioning normally for the first time since 94 cm (37 inches) of rain pounded the city on July 26. But low-lying parts of the metropolis remain under water and long-distance trains are still not running on some routes. Hundreds of cases of cholera, gastroenteritis and dysentery have been reported across Maharashtra state, as medical teams distribute chlorine tablets for drinking water contaminated by sewage. Losses for the state have been estimated at up to 20 billion rupees, and small businesses alone have lost an estimated 10 billion rupees, according to an industry body. Pfizer Ltd., the Indian unit of the world's largest drug maker, estimated its own flood losses at 1 billion rupees.

Zaheera appears before Nanavati Commission (Go To Top)

     Ahmedabad: Zaheera Sheikh, a key witness in the Best Bakery case, today appeared before the Nanavati Commission in Ahmedabad after being issued stern warning last month on her repeated failure to depose despite several summons. The Commission in a stern warning hammered the 20-year-old who created a stir last year recanting twice her testimonies in the high-profile case, for repeatedly failing to turn up for hearings and cross-examination. Zaheera accused human rights activists of threatening her to identify the accused. The Best Bakery case in which 14 people, including Zaheeras family members, were burnt or hacked to death -- is seen as key to delivering justice for victims of India's worst riots in a decade. Mukul Sinha, the counsel who cross examined Sheikh, said that she had been constantly changing her statements and there were inconsistencies. "She is relating the entire incident correctly, but she is unable to identify the culprits, and this has been her stand. So the question was when did she stop identifying them. She had given a statement to the police that she could identify them and this statement was also recorded in a fast track court. However, today when she was questioned, she denied having given such a statement," said Sinha. "She has once again repeated what she said earlier and nothing new came up before the court today," said Arvind Pandya, the public prosecutor. In a dramatic rollback, Zaheera had last year told a special court in Mumbai that she did not see anything when the bakery was set on fire by the mob on March 1, 2002 due to lot of smoke and flames. A fast track court in Vadodara had earlier acquitted 21 accused due to lack of evidence and the acquittal was upheld by the Gujarat state high court, drawing protests from human rights groups.

Mumbai MPs demand UT status for the city (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Coming out strongly against Mahrashtra Government's failure to effectively deal with the crisis created by incessant rains in country's financial capital last week, prominent Mumbaikars today demanded that Mumbai should be made a Union Territory. "My suggestion is that leave the people of Mumbai alone. Take politics away from Mumbai. We will have much to gain even from this tragedy. Make Mumbai a union territory," Rajya Sabha MP Fali S. Nariman said in the House. Bollywood actress and Member of Parliament Jaya Bachchan also criticised the administration and said that Mumbai residents were disappointed. Responding to Nariman's demand, Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil said that it is an old demand and we are sensitive to people's concerns. BJP MP and senior leader Pramod Mahajan said that such demands have no meaning as Mumbai is an integral part of Maharashtra and can't be treated in isolation. "Hundreds of people sacrificed their lives to make Mumbai a part of Maharashtra during the state reorganisation process," said Mahajan adding that their contribution in making Mumbai the centre of Maharashtra could not be forgotten. In Mumbai, the media reports alleged that State Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh did not visit the affected people and remained sitting in the Capital. Expelled Shiv Sena leader Narayan Rane, who recently joined the Congress and claimed of serving the common man, was also conspicuously absent from the scene of tragedies. Mumbai residents are very angry with the way the administration dealt with the crisis.

Crisis in Karnataka, JD (S) sacks Siddaramaiah (Go To Top)
by Kestur G. Vasuki

     Bangalore: In a swift political development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and JD (S) legislature party leader Siddaramaiah was today dethroned by a one-line resolution of the JD (S) Legislature party. In a late evening political development, the state president of JD (S) N Thippanna put the last nail on the coffin and handed over a letter signed by party's 52 JD(S) legislatures conveying their no confidence in Siddaramaiah to the Speaker of the Assembly and Chief Minister N Dharam Singh. Talking to ANI the state JD (S) President N Thippanna has said that senior leader MP Prakash has been elected the leader of the party and also would be made the deputy chief minister in place of Siddaramaiah on Thursday. Siddaramaiah, a backward classes leader, was one of the founders of the JD (S) but later difference cropped up between him and JD (S) supremo Deve Gowda. Siddaramaiah attended a backward classes conference to show his strength along with some Congress leaders recently at Hubli. This was the point of no return between him and Deve Gowda.

     The defiant Siddaramaiah has said he would fight back and called the action as arbitrary and undemocratic. "Why should I resign?. I have not become the Deputy Chief Minister by somebody's mercy. I have become the Deputy Chief Minister after building the party," said Siddaramaiah. "Let them do whatever they want. It is an illegal meeting and decisions adopted there have no legal sanctity," added he. He, however, said that even if he makes an exit that would not harm the coalition government. Siddaramaiah enjoys the support of backward classes and in case of an election he would play a major and decisive role in formation of the next Government. Meanwhile, the Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh has said that the political development would not affect the coalition government. He reiterated that it was the internal matter of Janata Dal secular. Karnataka Assembly has 225 seats of which Congress 67, JD(S) 59, BJP and allies 84, RPI 1, cpm 1, nominated 1 and independents 12 members. The axe has fallen on Siddaramaiah. However it may be temporary and future politics in Karnataka may have space for Siddaramaiah. For that one has to wait and see the movement of pawn by Siddaramaiah.

Emotional Mukesh and Anil wish each other all success (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani today wished all success to younger brother Anil and his team. "All of us admire Anil's drive and energy" said Mukesh while addressing the Annual General Meeting of the company. Anil, for the first time, was sitting among the ordinary shareholders. Anil had been associated with RIL, which entered the capital market with a public offer in 1977, for 25 years. He served in the capacity of Vice Chairman and Managing Director following the death of Dhirubhai Ambani in 2002. Anil, however, made a more emotional speech and "guidance and advise" from elder sibling Mukesh for his new corporate entity. "I leave the organisation with a heavy heart and deep abiding sense of personal loss...I will be one among you in my own individual capacity as a large shareholder of RIL," Anil said at the annual general meeting of the company. The two brothers parted ways after a bitter battle of words from September 2004 to June 2005. Their mother Kokilaben Ambani announced a settlement on June 18 according to which Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, 48, retained control of oil, gas and chemicals, the core of India's biggest non-state company while Anil, 46, took power, cell phones and financial services. Mukesh and Anil's father, Dhirubhai Ambani who founded Reliance, hadn't left a will. The Ambanis own about one-third of Reliance, which is worth about 12% of the Bombay Stock Exchange. Reliance was founded 46 years ago Dhirubhai Ambani, to trade in polyester yarn.

Mukesh unveils new vision of his Reliance Industries (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Reliance Industries Limited, country's biggest private-sector refiner, will double the capacity of its Jamnagar unit at the cost of 5.8 billion dollar (Rs. 25, 000 crore) making it the world's single-largest oil refinery. Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani said capacity at its Jamnagar refinery would be doubled to 60m tons per year (1.2 million barrels per day). The project would be complete by the second half of the fiscal year to March 2009, he told shareholders in the 31st annual general meeting of the company. "A world-class petroleum refinery and retailing business, combined with sizeable oil and gas assets, enables Reliance to chart a course, a path to becoming a global hydrocarbon major while addressing India's energy security needs," Ambani said. "Reliance Industries is implementing a two-fold strategy: strengthening the petroleum retailing business and enlarging the refining capacity," he further explained. He also said that Reliance was planning to aggressively build its off-shore oil and gas exploration programmes. Reliance Industries Ltd is eyeing more acquisitions in the petrochem sector to emerge as a global hydrocarbon major and help the country secure its energy needs. "Exploration and production of oil and gas has the potential to be the most valuable business of Reliance Industries," he said. He said his company had made 10 oil and gas discoveries in the last year. RIL, which ranks 183 among global companies in terms of profits, has grown through acquisitions of companies like IPCL and NOCIL, he said. Reliance Industries also operates a network of 550 petroleum retail outlets across the country. Unveiling RILs business reorganisation plan, Mukesh said that RIL has appointed CRISIL, Deloitte, Amarchand Mangaldas and JM Morgan Stanley for working out the details of the reorganisation scheme.

     Reliance's progress chart after Dhirubhai's death saw many ups and downs. The two brothers took the company to new heights. But a bitter battle between the two brothers over control of the group from November 2004 to June 2005 put a question mark over the future of country's most successful private compnay. Later, their mother Kokilaben Ambani announced a settlement on June 18 according to which Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, 48, retained control of oil, gas and chemicals, the core of India's biggest non-state company while Anil, 46, took power, cell phones and financial services. Mukesh and Anil's father, Dhirubhai Ambani who founded Reliance, hadn't left a will. The Ambanis own about one-third of Reliance, which is worth about 12% of the Bombay Stock Exchange. Reliance was founded 46 years ago by Dhirubhai Ambani, to trade in polyester yarn.

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