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Mayawati rules out further cabinet expansion
New Delhi, Oct 24 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Thursday ruled out any further cabinet expansion even as the dissidents in her junior coalition partner Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) threatend to quit the government. The BJP sent an envoy to Uttar Pradesh on Thursday to pacify party deputies who have threatened to quit the Mayawati-led coalition. Nearly 20 of the BJP's 88 lawmakers in the state legislature have revolted against Mayawati, saying her running of the administration has hurt the Hindu nationalist party. They have also complained of inadequate representation in her cabinet of ministers. The revolt in the BJP came shortly after Mayawati expanded her cabinet to what the local media has derisively called a "jumbo size" 79 members. However, the mercurial low-caste leader said after her meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani in New Delhi that she would try to give more ministerial berths to BJP without a cabinet expansion. "In the near future there will be no cabinet expansion. Lalji Tandon (Bharatiya Janata Party leader) and other members had met me and they had said they should be given more seats according to the ratio. I told them that accordingly I will make your MLAs (deputies in the provincial legislature) ministers. But this will not mean that there will be cabinet expansion," she told reporters. The BJP, which heads the national coalition government, struck an uneasy alliance in May with Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which represents the lowest in India's rigid caste system. The deal was forged after voters turfed the BJP from power in February in the country's most populous state and its traditional heartland. The coalition comprises her BSP, BJP and other regional parties. The BJP has 109 members and the BSP 98, giving them a joint strength of 207, five more than the half way mark in the assembly.(ANI) Pullback before Diwali: Fernandes
New Delhi, Oct 24 (ANI): India said on Thursday it had begun pulling back soldiers from its border with Pakistan and the withdrawal would take about six weeks. "We are hopeful that the troops withdrawal will be finished within a month or half but we will try to end it before that. We want that our soldiers should return to their barracks and then their homes by Diwali. The process has already started," Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters in New Delhi after addressing a conference of coast guard commanders. The withdrawal will end the longest and biggest peacetime deployment in India's history. Pakistan has also announced it would withdraw its forces in response to the Indian decision. But the Indian defence minister added that he was not sure when Pakistan would begin its troops withdrawal. "We cannot say anything about Pakistan because they can change their decision any time," Fernandes added. The nuclear-rivals massed nearly a million troops along their common border after a deadly raid on India's parliament last December that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants fighting its rule in Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir. India has said the withdrawal would not include troops posted along the Line of Control, a ceasefire line dividing the Kashmir region that has been at the heart of the military confrontation with Pakistan. India continues to rule out direct talks with Pakistan, saying Pakistan must first fully end the infiltration of separatist Muslim guerrillas into Kashmir, where Indian forces are battling a 13-year revolt. Pakistan, which has repeatedly sought peace talks, denies giving material support to the guerrillas, but says it gives moral and diplomatic support to what it calls the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. India's decision to withdraw forces came shortly after what it said were free and fair state assembly elections in Kashmir despite attacks by guerrillas bent on derailing the polls. Pakistan, which dismissed the Kashmir election as a farce, ordered its troops to peacetime locations a day after the Indian announcement.(ANI) Salman at last granted bail
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Mumbai, Oct 24 (ANI): A local court on Thursday granted bail to Bollywood actor Salman Khan accused in a hit-and- run case that claimed one life and injured at least four pedestrians. The actor was earlier this week charged with culpable homicide in a chargesheet filed by the police. While granting him bail the court warned Khan against tampering with eye-witnesses and other evidences. The movie idol's bail was rejected four times. His case has seen much twists and turns since it first came to the forefront. Family and friends of the actor however said his popularity would not be affected. "I don't think there is any dent on Salman's public image. Looking at the crowd at the jails and the court houses, we know that Salman is very popular and will remain popular," said Bunty Walia, film producer friend of the actor. Khan's case is to come up for hearing on October 31. The actor was arrested earlier this month for allegedly ramming his car into a group of pedestrians. One person was killed and four were injured in the incident. The ownership of the car that the actor was driving is still disputed and Khan's lawyers have even alleged that he was neither drunk nor was he driving the car at the time of the incident. The prosecution however maintians that Khan "had knowledge he was intoxicated" while driving. Khan is a popular actor in "Bollywood" and his macho, swaggering screen image has won him fans across the country. He has also landed a plum role in the film "Marigold", a musical comedy by a Hollywood director Willard Carroll. Khan has been under the shadow of law for alleged involvement in illegal hunting in Rajasthan. He was in the news last year when he created a flutter outside the residence of actress Aishwarya Rai in the night seeking an audience with her. On a complaint filed by Rai's father, Salman was summoned to Bandra police station and warned not to disturb Aishwarya's privacy.(ANI) SC pulls up Karnataka govt
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to top New Delhi, Oct 24 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Thursday held that Karnataka has prima facie committed contempt by deliberate non-compliance of its order on the release of Cauvery water. It further directed the state government to release some water to Tamil Nadu immediately. A three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice B N Kirpal, Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice Arijit Pasayat repeatedly criticized Karnataka for not responding to a series of orders, beginning with the court's order of September 3 which had asked the state to release 1.25 TMC of water to Tamil Nadu. The judges observed if a government cannot comply with a court order, it must go. The judges took a dim view of the Centre and asked the Solicitor General what the Centre had actually done to ensure that the court order was complied with.(ANI)
Double-decker buses for tourists in Jaipur Go to top Jaipur, Oct 24 (ANI): In a bid to boost tourism, Jaipur Tourism Department plans to introduce luxury double decker buses. The high-tech double decker buses - Jaipur pride - would be soon on the roads especially to attract foreign tourists. Priced at Rs 35 lakh, the bus would have an open roof to facilitate the passengers to enjoy the view and the ride to the maximum. Tourism Minister B.D. Kalla, who was here to inaugurate the first ride says, "I feel that foreiegn and domestic tourists will use this bus. There are many double decker buses abroad but this is the first in Jaipur. I hope the people would appreciate the idea". With the total capacity of 55 passengers, the `Jaipur pride' would provide access to telephone, internet and a detailed information about major tourist spots. Besides, the heavy snacks, mineral water and cold drinks, tourists are provided, said S.R. Taxi Managing Director Satish Kata. "It is like a palace". Asha Patel, who also boarded the bus, said, "it's good fun. This `pride' is a good ride, be it for foreiegn tourists or domestic tourists because it gives a chance to explore the Jaipur beauty by the top view from the double-decker. This is a historic place. It will definitely boost tourism." Ram Singh Chaihan, a tourist, says, "it is very good for photography and videography - tourists are very fond of it. The open space in the double decker helps. This will give great pleasure to the tourists." Another benefit to the passengers will be that they can book their tickets online ensuring tourists do not have to waste time in a queue. The bus plying twice a day covers almost all tourist spots in the city. Each ride will cost somewhere around 6-7 dollars. Food and beverages will be complementary. The new joyride aims to give the tourists the luxury of seeing the historic pink city with all comforts without being too heavy on the wallet. (ANI) Pakistan still at it, says Advani Go to top New Delhi, Oct 24 (ANI): Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani said on Thursday that Pakistan was continuing to wage its two-decade old proxy war against India. Advani also accused Pakistan of not coming good on the bilateral Simla Agreement signed between the two countries in 1972. "We had decided according to the Simla Agreement that we will hold talks amongst ourselves. We will not use international forums to say that there is any issue on Jammu and Kashmir. It is written and signed according to the Simla agreement by both the countries," said Advani at the 41st raising day ceremony of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police in the capital. "But it is unfortunate that the actual war in 1971 ended but after that also war did not end, it is still going on. I believe that after 1980, they started the proxy war with great preparations and that is still going on," he added. Advani also asserted that India could not depend completely on international pressure to end the battle waged against it. "International pressure against terrorism will help us. But basically the terrorism which has been on against India under the shadow of proxy war has to be won by us only," he said. The Deputy Prime Minister, however, appealed to the international community to ensure that nations promoting terrorism and militant activities were not given any moral encouragement. "Those countries and nations who promote terrorism are actually against humanity, culture and democracy. And it will be good if the international community boycotts such nations and ostracises them". "These countries should be made to understand that it's not only one country which opposes such acts but the whole world," said Advani.(ANI)
Two held for questioning in US sniper case
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top Washington, Oct 24 (ANI): In a significant breakthrough, US police have arrested two men in connection with the elusive serial sniper behind 10 deaths in and around Washington. According to reports, the two men sought for questioning in connection with the sniper shootings were found sleeping in a dark-coloured vehicle at a rest stop along an interstate highway in Frederick County, Maryland, about 80 km northwest of Washington, at about 3:30 a.m. (local time) on Thursday. One of the arrested is believed to be John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams. "We believe that Mr Muhammad may have information material to our investigation," Charles Moose, police chief of Montgomery County in Maryland and head of the multi-agency task force investigating the sniper shootings, had said earlier. According to Moose, Muhammad was charged with violations of federal firearms laws not related to the sniper killings that started on October 2. "A strong word of caution. Do not assume that the allegation, do not assume from this allegation, that John Allen Muhammad, also known as John Allen Williams, is involved in any of the shootings we are investigating," he said. (ANI)
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