NewsBriefs
Back to Headlines

SC upholds AMU's minority status

     New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday maintained the status quo on the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and referred the matter to the Chief Justice for allocating it to a higher bench. Admitting a petition, challenging the Allahabad High Court verdict quashing minority status of AMU and 50 per cent quota for Muslim students, a bench headed by Justice K G Balakrishnan also directed the university not to implement the decision to reserve 50 per cent quota for students belonging to minority community till the matter is decided. The university last year had decided to reserve 50 percent of its seats for Muslim (minorities) students. This decision was challenged in the Allahabad High Court. The High Court had on January 5 struck down the provision of the AMU Amendment Act, 1981 by which the status of the minority institution was accorded to AMU. The High Court ruling resulted mass protest by students and Muslim bodies and was challenged in the Supreme Court. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also last week assured a 30- member delegation led by the Shahi Imam of the Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari, that the minority status of Aligarh Muslim University would be restored. He assured them of his government's commitment to restore the minority status of the AMU either through legal means or through a Constitutional amendment.

Three-member Narmada panel   (Go To Top)

        Berlin: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today gave approval for setting up a three member panel under the Chairmanship of former Comptroller and Auditor General, V.K. Shunglu to ascertain the status of rehabilitation and relief provided to the people displaced by the Narmada dam. Briefing reporters, media adviser to Prime Minister, Dr. Sanjay Baru said: "The Sardar Sarovar Project relief and rehabilitation oversight group would also gather information on total number of families affected by submergence and total number of families who have not received relief and rehabilitation package as per norms". Dr. J.P. Narayan, convener of Loksatta and Dr. G.K. Chadda, former Vice-Chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University are the other two members of the new panel.

Sonia campaigns in Thrissur for UDF (Go To Top)

     Thrissur (Kerala): Congress party president Sonia Gandhi on Monday sought to woo voters in Kerala's Thrissur District with the promise of putting the state back on the development track under the aegis of the ruling United Democratic Front headed by Chief Minister Oomen Chandy. Slamming the opposition's "negative agenda",Gandhi said the ruling UDF had restored financial stability to the state. "The development drive has put the state back on the path of recovery and progress, but we all agree that there is much more that needs to be done- for the farmers, for the workers, for the unorganized sector, for the plantation workers, for workers in the traditional industry like coir, for the youth, for the women. We have committed ourselves for working even harder and at faster speed to complete what remains to be done. We are committed to the implementation of our promises," Gandhi said. "Vote of the UDF (United Democratic Front) because a vote for the UDF is a vote for dignity and security of each and everyone living on Kerala, a vote for UDF is a vote for the prosperity of every citizen of Kerala, a vote for the UDF is a vote for being sure of prosperity and happiness of all the people of this beautiful state," she added. In a scathing criticism of the opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) Gandhi said they were playing an obstructive and not a constructive role, hampering the government's development policies. Kerala will vote in three phases of which the first was completed on April 22. The elections will be standoff between Congress and the Communist parties, which are the key alliance partners of Singh's government at New Delhi.

Daler Mahendi, Mika, Bohemia rock Delhi (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: It was a mix of Punjabi pop, Bhangra pop and Jazz when Daler Mehndi, Mika and Bohemia took to the stage at a performance in the capital New Delhi recently. The show saw Daler Mehndi belting out hit numbers from his albums and movies, which included some of his favourites including 'Mein Dardi Rab Rab Kardi' from his 1996 album 'Dardi Rab Rab', and the title song of the hit new release 'Rang De Basanti'. Talking about the mix of Hindi and Western tunes, Daler Mehndi said: "The mix of western and Punjabi has helped in popularizing Punjabi music worldwide. I think, without this blend, such popularity would not be possible. We should be pleased that Punjabi music is now in demand across the globe today". Mika and the American Jazz singer Bohemia shared the stage together when they sang the unforgettable title song of Mika's fourth album 'Dunaali'. Talking about his performance in New Delhi, Bohemia said: "It feels great. It's a big thing that I shared stage with Daler and Mika today. And I am really happy and excited".

No anticipatory bail for Sadhu Yadav (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected the petition of Lok Sabha Member Sadhu Yadav in connection with a multi-crore rupees flood relief scam seeking extension to his anticipatory bail. Justice S K Agrawal who rejected his bail said Yadav should seek legal alternative from Patna High Court in this regard. Earlier, the High Court had granted anticipatory bail to Lalu Prasad's brother-in-law Sadhu Yadav and stayed his arrest till today. Justice Badar Durez Ahmed had also issued notices to Delhi and Bihar governments to file their replies and posted the matter for further hearing. Granting bail to Yadav, Ahmed said that in case the accused is arrested he should be released on bail after furnishing a bail bond of Rs. 50, 000 with a surety of the like amount. The Patna High Court, who had also granted him anticipatory bail, directed him that until the charge-sheet is filed; he will not go abroad. Special Vigilance Court had reserved its order on the petition for anticipatory bail. The court had already issued a Non- Bailable Warrant (NBW) against Yadav on the request of the vigilance bureau which had grilled him in December 2005, about his links with Santosh Jha and other accused in the case. It was the first NBW against a politician in the scam which came to light last year. Jha and Former Patna District Magistrate Gautam Goswami are lodged in judicial custody in the case related to cheating of Rs 17 crore meant for providing relief to flood-hit people in several districts of north Bihar in the year 2004. Goswami was conferred 'Young Asian Hero' award for his role in providing aid to flood victims last year before the Bihar government ordered a vigilance probe into the scam on April 26 following allegations of misappropriation of relief funds. According to the Special Public Prosecutor (Vigilance) P P Singh, the bureau had sufficient evidence to prove the charge that Sadhu Yadav had received 'ill gotten money 'from the supplier of relief materials and alleged kingpin of the fraud Santosh Kumar Jha, who had transferred Rs 6 lakh to the account of yadav at the Patna secretariat branch of the State Bank of India in January 2005.

Aditya questioned in oil-for-food scam (Go To Top)

 New Delhi: Enforcement Directorate officials on Monday took away former External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh's cousin Aditya Khanna for questioning in connection with the Iraq oil-for-food scam soon after his arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport from London. Khanna, a Non-Resident Indian, who runs a restaurant in London, had managed to fly back to the UK earlier this month despite a Letter of Cancellation issued against his passport. Apparently, having prior knowledge of his return, ED sleuths landed at the airport and immediately whisked Khanna away for questioning in connection with the alleged payments he received from Masefields - the company which got contracts in the scam. The ED has alleged that the funds received by Khanna from Masefields were later on transferred from his London bank account to a bank in Delhi to be given to alleged Indian beneficiaries. The agency is trying to ascertain from Khanna the end users of the funds. Moreover, the ED is investigating from Khanna regarding the documents obtained from an unnamed foreign destination which show a connection between Masefield and Hamdan exports, owned by his partner Andleep Sehgal. Sehghal was questioned about these documents on Sunday last. On April 9, Aditya Khanna's father Vipin Khanna was detained and told by the ED that he could not leave for London until Aditya's return to India. With the help of Income Tax department, the ED is trying to get details of the tax returns filed by Aditya, his father Vipin and brother Arvind. The ED had also sought revocation of Aditya Khanna's passport on the basis of progress made in its probe. The ED team investigating the Indian angle in the Iraq's oil-for- food scam, as brought out by Volcker Committee, has questioned several people including Natwar Singh, his son Jagat Singh, Sehgal and India's former envoy to Croatia Aneil Matherani as part of their investigations.

PM opens India Pavilion at Hannover  (Go To Top)
by I. Ramamohan Rao

      Hannover (Germany): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and German Chancellor Angela Merkel inaugurated the India Pavillion of the Hannover Trade Fair here on Monday. About 350 Indian Companies are showcasing their products and expertise at the famous European fair in which India is the Partner Country this year, a privilege coming after a gap of 21 years. The Fair, which is widely recognised as the world's largest and most important technology event, is the single biggest brand- building exercise for Indian manufacturing, engineering and related technologies. At the fair, India will organize a business event on each day for which it has taken 11,500 sqm of space, the largest ever by a Partner Country.

Tendulkar turns 33, fans celebrate (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, one the most illustrious players of the game ever, turned 33 on Monday. Humble as ever, Tendulkar said he was touched by the love and affection shown to him by all. "Just want to convey that the love and affection that all of you present here have shown and also by the friends, it's special to me and it means a lot to me," the birthday boy said. Ranked second in both all-time test and one-day lists by Wisden- behind Australia's Don Bradman and West Indies' Viv Richards respectively, it is his mental toughness and flawless technique, that have made the critics hail the right-handeder as the world's best contemporary batsman. Inevitably however, Tendulkar's career has not been one of unblemished triumph. He has had two spells as India captain, losing the job after his first attempt and standing down after the second. His relationship with the Indian media has sometimes been fraught, particularly after suggestions that, unlike his West Indies contemporary Brian Lara, he does not win matches for his country. The 32-year-old, who holds the record for most centuries in tests (35) and one-dayers (39), was sidelined for six months in May last year after undergoing surgery for tennis elbow.