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Bangarappa resigns from Lok Sabha, BJP
by Pankaj Yadav

     New Delhi: Former Karnataka chief minister and BJP MP from the state's Shimoga parliamentary constituency, S.Bangarappa, created a political stir during the ongoing budget session of Parliament by resigning from the Lok Sabha. Bangarappa is also understood to have resigned from the primary membership of the BJP. The former Karnataka chief minister handed over his resignation letter to the Lok Sabha Speaker, Somnath Chatterjee, in the Speaker's chamber at 10 a.m. Bangarappa, who had joined the BJP before the last Lok Sabha elections, was accompanied by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav, SP general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh and two SP MPs, including Mulayam's son Akhilesh Yadav, lending credence to the view that he would be joining hands with Mulayam. Chatterjee then announced Bangarappa's resignation in the Lok Sabha as soon as the Lower House commenced proceedings on Thursday. Bangarappa is expected to formally join the Samajwadi Party in a day or two.

Delhi police seize Rs 800,000 worth of leopard skins (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Delhi police have arrested two men on poaching charges and seized leopard skins worth an estimated Rs.800,000. The accused were caught late on Wednesday as they were attempting to smuggle three rare leopard skins and four other wild cat skins into the capital in a car. Police said two others managed to flee. Sanjay Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police of North-West District, said the poachers were active in Uttaranchal. "Four of them were in a car. Two of them have been arrested,while two others escaped. We have seized three rare leopard skins and four wild cat skins. The market value has been estimated worth 700,000-800,000 rupees," Singh said. Gyasan, one of the accused, said they used to purchase skins in Dehradun and then sell them to buyers located elsewhere at higher rates. "We brought it here from Dehradun at Rs.5000 rupees each at a total cost of Rs.19,000," Gyasan said. Incidents of poaching in India, particularly in Uttaranchal, have been on the rise in recent times and surveys indicate that with tigers becoming rarer, poachers are targeting leopards. Conservationists warn that the leopards are amongst the highest risk group and could disappear from India by the end of the decade. Trade in wildlife products is banned in India, but skins and bones of animals, which are believed to have medicinal values, are in great demand in the international market, particularly China and Thailand.

Tibetans not to seek independence: Dalai Lama (Go To Top)

     Dharamshala: In what could be considered as a change of stand, Buddhist spiritual leader Dalai Lama said today that it is in the interest of Tibetans to "remain within the People's Republic of China." In a statement on the 46th Anniversary of Tibetan National Uprising Day, the Dalai Lama said "as long as I am responsible for the affairs of Tibet, we remain fully committed to the Middle Way Approach of not seeking independence for Tibet and willing to remain within the People's Republic of China." The Buddhist spiritual leader has been living in exile in India since 1959 along with thousands of his followers after an abortive uprising against the Chinese annexation of Tibet in 1950. The Dalai Lama said he has asked the political leadership of the Tibetans-in-exile "to look into the issues raised by the Chinese side during our third round of talks and to take steps to address or clarify them as needed." "We remain hopeful that eventually we will be able to develop the necessary trust and resolve this long-standing issue to our mutual benefit," said the statement. The Dalai Lama reiterated that his involvement in the affairs of Tibet "is not for the purpose of claim certain personal rights or political position." The spiritual leader said he is "happy with the renewed contacts with the Chinese leadership" Elaborating on this theory of accepting Chinese suzerainty, the Dalai Lama said "much has changed in China," and as a result "she has become a major player in the world." The Tibetan spiritual leader expressed his gratitude to Indian government "for their steadfast sympathy and support. "I very much feel a part of this nation not only because of the centuries old religious and cultural ties that India and Tibet enjoyed, but also because I and most of the Tibetans in exile have lived in India for the past 45 years."

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