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Seven killed in Delhi road mishap

     New Delhi: Seven people, including two children, were killed and two were injured in a major road accident early this morning. According to eyewitnesses, a truck rammed into a pavement in New Delhi's RK Puram area near the Hyatt Regency Hotel at around 3:20 a.m. and crushed nine people sleeping there. Six people died on the spot. Out of the other three who were seriously injured, one died later in hospital. All of them were slum dwellers. The injured are being treated at the Safdarjung hospital. "We saw a truck speed away. And then on the other side of the road, we saw some dead bodies. They were all labourers," a witness said. Police confirmed that they have arrested the truck driver identified as Sadhu Sharan. "We have arrested the driver and sent him for a medical examination to ascertain whether he was drunk or not," P C Hota, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), South Delhi, said.

NDA notice on Buta-Lalu Yadav letter issue (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Parliamentary members of the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) have given notices for an adjournment motion in the Lok Sabha against the recommendation letter written by Bihar Governor Buta Singh to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Among the parliamentarians giving the notices were the BJP's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, party vice president Sushil Kumar Modi and Janata Dal (United) leader Prabhunath Singh. The opposition, however, wants the motion to be taken up on Tuesday. "We've also given notices to raise the issue during zero hour and for suspension of question hour. We are waiting for the speaker's ruling," Malhotra told reporters after a 30-minute-long meeting of NDA leaders chaired by Leader of Opposition L K Advani. JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar, and BJD leaders D K Tripathi and B J Panda were among those who attended the meeting. Describing as "highly improper" the Bihar Governor's recommendation for the transfer of two railway officials, the BJP had demanded his recall to ensure free and fair polls in the state. "It was highly improper for the Governor to have written to the Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. Both are getting postings and transfers of their choice done through each other. The upcoming Assembly elections cannot be free and fair in such circumstances," Malhotra said.

     In an official letter, written to Lalu on July 5, 2005, Singh had requested for the posting of two railway officers Vijay P Meshram and and Girish Bhatnagar, Chief Materials Manager of South Eastern Railway and officer of Central Railway (Mumbai) respectively. Singh stated that Meshram had worked for 20 years in South Eastern Railway at Kolkata, Kharagpur, Tatanagar, Bhubaneshwar, Vishakhapatnam, Raipur, Nagpur and three years in Dew in Patiala in Punjab. The opposition National Democratic Alliance, which has been demanding Governor Singh's recall after he had ordered the random transfer of 17 senior police officers in the state last month, has termed it as "immoral and denigration of the post and prestige of the office of the Governor." Lalu has dismissed the issue as nonsense by saying: "there was nothing wrong in Bihar Governor seeking relocation of a railway official in the South Eastern Railway." "Meshram was not relocated because he has a vigilance case against him and he is still where he was"he added. Reacting to the situation created by leakage of the letter, Buta Singh had said then that people put pressure to get their work done as he was in public life. In this case, someone may have got the letter written on the official letterhead. "I am not aware of any vigilance case against Meshram. I recommended him on my friend's advice, but let the Railway Minister decide on merit, he said. Meshram, who has a vigilance case against him, has said that he knows Buta Singh for the last 20 years and admitted that Buta Singh had recommended his transfer.

India's 'hugging saint' seeks forgiveness for her attacker  (Go To Top)
by KS Ashik

     Kollam (Kerala): India's "hugging saint" Mata Amritanandamayi on Monday sought forgiveness for Pavithran, the 47-year-old man who attempted to attack her on Sunday evening as she was giving "darshan" to her disciples and devotees here. Talking to reporters here this morning, Mata Amritanandmayi, also known as "Amma", said that the attack would not stop her from continuing to give darshan to her disciples. "All those who are born will die one day. I am going ahead, keeping this reality in mind. I will carry on. I will continue to give darshan to the devotees coming here to meet me. I don't want my sons (as she refers her followers) to create any problem for what had happened yesterday," she said. 'Amma', against whom a failed attempt was made by the knife- wielding attacker during bhajan programme at the ashram at Vallikkavu near here at about 6.30 p.m. on Sunday evening, said she expected her followers to adopt a forget-and-forgive approach. Meanwhile, Pavithran has reportedly told the police that he was a rubber tapper from Kerala's Idukki District. He told his interrogators that he had been visiting Amma's ashram (hermitage) at regular intervals. Swamy Dhyana Amrita of the Ashram said Sunday's incident should not be dismissed as a one-off happening. "It is difficult to dismiss it lightly. It is not easy to accept theories like the man was mentally unsound. If he was a follower of Amma, why did he come to the ashram with a knife? Why did he rush to Amma and injure those who came in his way?" The incident occurred at the Mata Amritanandamayi Ashram during the second session of the prayer meeting. Pavithran tried to move towards Mata Amritanandamayi while the prayer session was in progress, but was stopped by her disciples. However, he attacked them with a knife injuring three disciples. He was overpowered immediately and handed over to the police. Mata Amritanandamayi usually blesses her devotees with a hug.

     "It was at around 6.30 pm (local time) that the incident took place and we were alerted by the Math (Monastery) authorities. We picked him (the attacker) up after questioning. We understand that he is from Idukki district and has some mental problem," Santosh Varma, superintendent of police in Kollam said. Local media reports that the attacker was a follower of the holy woman who had been expelled from the group recently but he defended himself saying he simply wanted to get a closer audience with the "mother". "I went to Ashram to attend the prayer meeting. I tried to get in the chorus group and wanted to sit near Amma. I tried to enter the premises and suddenly about 25 people attacked me and took me into a room. It was for self-protection that I picked the knife. I did not try to kill any one. Amma is like God to me," Pavithran, the attacker, said minutes after his arrest. Mata Amritanandamayi, 51, who wears a white saree and a large diamond stud on her nose, has tens of thousands of followers in India and abroad. The God woman resumed prayers on Monday, saying she was unfazed by the attempt. "After the prayer I heard some noise. I saw one fellow was coming towards me but the sons (followers) took him away. I could not understand what was happening. Later the sons told me that he was trying to attack me. I did not take it seriously," she said. Mata Amritandamayi's charities run schools and hospitals around the country and people flock to her to be hugged and blessed ''Amma is safe and the prayer meeting continued despite the incident,'' the sources added. The police have registered a case. Nearly 18,000 people were present at the prayer meeting.

Centre tables Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Bill (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Centre today tabled the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Bill, 2005 in Parliament Kanti Singh, Minister of State for Human Resource Development introduced the Bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill covers women who have been living with the abuser in a shared household whether related by blood, or by marriage, or by adoption and also those women living in a relationship in the nature of marriage. While the Bill enables a female to file a complaint against the male partner or his relatives, it does not enable any female relative of the husband or male partner to file a complaint against the female partner. Other salient features of the Bill include protection to woman from the abuser from committing any further act of domestic violence, appointment of Protection Officers, involving NGOs as service providers, ensuring secured housing for the women etc.

Chidambaram warns of further petro hike (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Monday said that petroleum products prices would rise sooner than later given the fluctuating prices of global crude. He said that if global crude prices continued to spiral, the country's oil companies were set to incur a loss of Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 crore during fiscal 2005-06. A year ago, crude oil prices were pegged at around 28 dollars per barrel. This had now shot up to 67 dollars a barrel. Chidambaram said that the Centre was exploring various other options, but "there is no alternative but to hike the prices of petroleum products and people have to share a part of the burden."

All-party meet on Women's Bill ends without consensus (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today failed to convince representatives of all parties to arrive at a consensus on the Women's Reservation Bill, as UPA constituents RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) and outside supporters SP (Samajwadi Party) and BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) pitched for quotas for SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe) and OBC (other Backward Class) women. The two-and-a-half hour-long meeting failed to produce a consensus on the much-publicised Bill which seeks to earmark 33 per cent seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for women. The meeting was attended by leaders of Left parties, RJD, LJP, SP, BSP, DMK and TRS. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was also present. Talking to reporters after the meeting, RJD supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said if the Bill in its original form was introduced, then a separate quota should be earmarked for Muslims, SC, ST and OBC women. Otherwise, he said he favoured only ten or maximum 15 per cent quota for women irrespective of the category to which they belonged. Stating that his party was committed to social justice, Lalu said whether it was an old or a new Bill, the RJD was not against the women's reservation legislation per se.

     Samajwadi Party leader and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav opposed the rotation of seats, saying it would "hamper" development work as members may not take interest in their constituencies. On the provision for 33 per cent reservation, he said it was against democratic norms and cited instances of countries like the US and the UK where there was no such reservation. He said since seats are already reserved for SC and ST, earmarking additional 33 per cent for women would affect the other sections of society. "This will be unfair," he said and favoured that parties should be asked to leave ten per cent seats for women while distributing tickets. Responding to a question, he said the Samajwadi Party would oppose the Bill if the Government went ahead with the measure. Echoing similar views, BSP supremo Mayawati said her party was not against reservation for women, but demanded quota for SC, ST and OBC women within the reservation. Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) President and Union Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said he was in favour of 33 per cent reservation and felt that if a sub-quota could be introduced for OBC, ST and SC women it would be welcome. "But, the Bill should not be stopped." CPI-M leader Brinda Karat said except the RJD and the SP, all other parties supported the original legislation. "We have left it to the Government as to which form it wants to bring in the Bill," she said, adding that her party wanted the measure to be passed without any further delay.

      CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said his party supported the first Bill and at the same time made it clear that it would not stand in the way of passing the second Bill, which seeks to raise the number of seats to accommodate women, if there was consensus on it. RPI leader R S Gavai said there was no need for consensus and the Government should come forward and pass the bill. Congress leader Ambika Soni said meeting was part of the ongoing exercise to evolve a consensus and added that discussions were held "freely and frankly". Asked whether the Bill would be introduced in the current session, she said there was no decision on it. But, the discussions would definitely help the Prime Minister to firm up his views on the landmark legislation, she added. The Women's Reservation Bill providing 33 percent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures has been a non- starter through seven Lok Sabhas, from 1996 onwards. Successive governments have placed it on the floor of the house, only to have it shelved, because of opposition from some parties.

Uma Bharti for underprivileged quota in Women's Bill (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party leader Uma Bharti today told party President L K Advani that within the proposed 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament and State Assemblies, 50 percent should include women from the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Backward Classes (OBC). "I am opposed to the Bill in its present form," said Bharti, who also met the Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Jaswant Singh, on the issue. The firebrand BJP leader had also met JD(U) Parliamentary Board Chairman Sharad Yadav recently to garner support, and claimed that he too shared her views. She said a firm view should be taken by the party on the issue before it takes part in any all-party meeting convened by the Government to evolve a consensus on the matter. This was Bharti's second meeting with Advani on the issue. Asked about Advani's response, she said "he never says no". Bharti said she agreed with BJP President's views that the Election Commission should ask political parties to earmark one- third seats for women at the time ticket distribution. Bharti said she told Advani that whoever went to attend any all- party meeting on the issue, should convey her demand which she had been raising since 1997.

Gujarat crisis deepens with minister's resignation offer (Go To Top)

     Gandhinagar: The political crisis in Gujarat took a fresh twist on Monday with the Minister of State for Youth and Cultural Affairs, Bhavku Unghad, seeking permission to resign after he was reportedly pulled up by Chief Minister Narendra Modi for going to Keshubhai Patel's house earlier this month. Unghad, who represents the state's Amreli district, suffered a heart attack and was admitted to a hospital on August 18 after the dressing down from Modi. On Monday, he came to the party office in an ambulance to hand over his resignation letter to party president Vajubhai Vala. Vala was not present and the letter was handed over to his secretary. "I have sought permission from the party president to resign from the Ministry as I am unhappy with the behaviour of the cabinet towards me after I visited Keshubhai's house," Unghad told reporters. Last week, disgruntled elements of the BJP spent a considerable amount of time in Delhi meeting the party's top leadership over their unhappiness with Modi's autocratic ways. Among them were Keshubhai Patel, Suresh Patel and others. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had then advised dissident party leaders led by Patel to meet BJP President L K Advani to internally defuse the rising dissidence against Modi. Some party sources said that the rebels were not ready to meet Advani, whom they see as "Modi's Godfather". Patel brought along 40 MLAs with him to put pressure on the party's central leadership to effect a change in the state government in Gujarat. The visit of the dissidents to Delhi assumes significance in the wake of their earlier meeting at Gandhinagar which saw 60 state legislators and several members of Parliament gathering at Patel's residence to inquire about his wife's health, besides giving him a rundown on the state of affairs in Gujarat. Advani also visited the Patel residence over the weekend to inquire after wife's health. Patel and his followers maintain that the political situation in Gujarat is far from satisfactory. They are also unhappy about the attempts made by the Modi camp to dissuade legislators from reaching Patel's residence on his return from the United States on August 14.

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