05.02.2015
THE HEADLINES:
- Campaigning for Delhi Assembly elections ends this evening.
- Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang wins trust vote in assembly.
- Trinamool Congress MP Srinjoy Bose arrested in Saradha scam quits the party.
- Newly appointed Home Secretary L C Goyal takes charge.
- A special court in Gujarat grants bail to suspended Additional Director General of police P.P. Pandey in Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case.
- Sensex trades around 29,000 mark.
- in 35th National Games, Services tops the medals tally with 24 gold medals.
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The campaigning for 70-member Assembly polls will end this evening. In the last leg of campaigning, leaders from all political parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo the voters. BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party are holding public meetings and road shows in the constituencies, making a last-ditch efforts to bring the voters in their fold. The BJP has also roped in its senior leaders and Union ministers to hold at least one public meeting in each of the 70 constituencies today. BJP president Amit Shah is scheduled to address a roadshow in Madanpur Khadar in South Delhi. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is addressing a roadshow in Sultanpur Majra and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal is holding a roadshow in New Delhi Assembly constituency.
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Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has said that the electoral mandate in the national capital cannot be seen as a referendum on the performance of Narendra Modi government. In an interview to a news agency, Mr Naidu said, it is the election for the Chief Minister and not for the Prime Minister and Narendra Modi is not fighting Assembly elections. He added that it is the BJP versus the rest.However, he defended his party's aggressive campaign to win Delhi polls, saying the mood of the country now is to strengthen the hands of the Prime Minister and Delhi being the capital, naturally acquires importance. Dismissing that Delhi polls are a fight between Modi and Kejriwal, he said that there is no comparison between the two.
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The Dera Sacha Sauda sect of Haryana has extended its support to BJP in election-bound Delhi. The chairman of the political affairs wing of the sect, Ram Singh, today told PTI from Chandigarh that the Dera followers will support BJP candidates in the elections. Asked if the support was also for Akali Dal candidates, he replied in the affirmative. The Dera Sacha Sauda headed by Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has been in news recently over the controversial film, 'Messenger of God', which had been controversially cleared for release by a Tribunal, prompting members of the Censor Board to resign in protest. The film has been banned in Punjab, where the BJP is part of the government led by its ally, Akali Dal.
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Delhi Police today detained several protesters who took out a march from the Sacred Heart Cathedral church in Central Delhi to protest repeated attacks on various churches in the city. The protesters were marching towards Home Minister Rajnath Singh's residence, but were stopped on the way. Joint Commissioner of Police Mukesh Meena said the protesters had no permission to protest. There have been five attacks on churches since December. In the latest incident earlier this week, the Saint Alphonsa's Church in South Delhi's Vasant Kunj was vandalised.
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Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang has won the trust vote in the 60-member Assembly. Fifty nine MLAs, excluding Speaker, cast the vote in Zeliang's favour. Our correspondent reports that Governor PB Acharya had summoned the Special emergent Session of the Assembly today for the trial of strength of Zeliang and the dissident group.
Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang won the confidence motion in a special session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly held today. In the House of 60, 59 members voted in favour of Mr. Zeliang. This brings to the end of month long political impasse that started early last month in Nagaland. The political turmoil errupted in the State after the ruling party Naga people's front (NPF) suspended two Cabinet Ministers and five Parliamentary Secreatries of T R Zeliang led government from the primary and active membership of NPF for anti-party activities. Anenela Jamel, AIR NEWS, Kohima.
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Trinamool Congress MP Srinjoy Bose has resigned from the primary membership of Trinamool Congress today. He has also resigned as Rajya Sabha member. Mr Bose had been arrested by the CBI in multi-crore Saradha scam in West Bengal on 21st November 2014 and was granted a conditional bail by Alipore Court yesterday.
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Minster for Environment and Forest, Prakash Javadekar today said that the government is committed to provide clean energy and India can achieve the target of 100,000 Megawatts of conserving solar energy by next five years. He was speaking at the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi. He said, 2015 would be a year of climate negotiations. The Minister said that new UN Climate Protocol would be agreed in December this year in UN Climate Change Conference to be held in Paris.
The new UN Climate protocol will be agreed in Paris in December 2015. The Crucial UN finance development Conference in Adis Ababa to consider financing of sustainable development is taking place in July.
Minister of Railways, Suresh Prabh said there is no need to create an economy which is compatible with climate change issues and protects livelihood of people.
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The Government will soon notify other agencies besides Geological Survey of India, GSI, for exploration of minerals in the country. Briefing reporters in New Delhi after charing a meeting of Central Geological Programming Board, the Minister for Mines, Narendra Singh Tomar said that government may allow National Mineral Development Corporation, other Public Sector Undertakings and State agencies for exploration works. He said, the Ordinance brought on the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) for auctioning of mines will ensure more transparency in the exploration. Mr Tomar also said, under the Ordinance, the request for prior approval from the Centre by the States regarding mining of minerals has been waived off.
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L C Goyal has taken charge as the new Home Secretary today. He replaced Anil Goswami following a controversy over arrest of former Union Minister Matang Sinh in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam. After taking over, Mr Goyal met Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Mr Goyal's appointment had been approved yesterday by the Appointment Committee of the Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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The Government has said that it will not take anything that impacts its credibility lightly. Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju said this in a reaction to the removal of Anil Goswami as Home Secretary. Mr Rijiju said in New Delhi today that the Government's tough action shows clear intentions that any wrongdoing by the bureaucrats will not be tolerated.
Government which is headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and it will not take anything lightly which will have impact on the credibility of the government and intentions. Everything is clear before the nation right from the day one, the government intention is clearly shown by its actions.
Reacting to the development, Congress spokesman P C Chacko alleged that the Prime Minister's Office is trying to control bureaucracy. He told reporters that bureaucracy is being insulted and humiliated as never before.
It is the Prime Minister office which is trying to control the bureacracy and the bureacracy is being humiliated and insulted as never before.
Criticizing the Congress for politicizing the issue, BJP spokesman Nalin Kohli said, the case involved impropriety by the bureaucrat, who tried to interfere with the CBI probe.
It is rathar typical and unfortunate that the Congress party is trying to politicise things where there is no scope for politics. In this case it is clearly a case where impropreity is involved, trying to interfare with the CBI probe and trying to exert influence or pressure, when none should happy.The BJP would like institutions to work on the merit of a case rathar than on who knows who.
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In Gujarat, a special court has granted bail to suspended Additional Director General of police P.P. Pandey in Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case. Pandey has been asked to submit two surety bonds of 50,000 rupees each and his passport as condition for the bail. This is the first instance in which an accused has been granted regular bail in this case. The Court is likely to pronounce its order on another accused IPS officer, D.G. Vanzara later today. Pandey was the joint commissioner of police of Ahmedabad Detection of Crime Branch, when a 19-year old Ishrat Jahan along with her friend Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai and two Pakistani nationals Zeeshan Johar and Amjadali Rana were killed in a police encounter in the outskirts of Ahmedabad in 2004. Police had claimed that they were Lashkar-e-Toiba operatives who wanted to kill Narendra Modi, who was then the Chief Minister of Gujarat. Later, a CBI investigation claimed that they were killed in a fake encounter.
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BJP members continued their dharna and staged a walk out in Karnataka legislative Assembly and Council over the ban on entry of VHP chief Praveen Togadia to Bengaluru. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stuck to his stand that Togadia will not be allowed to participate in the Vishwa Hindu Samajotsav to be held in Bengaluru on 8th this month. He said Togadia is known to make provocative speeches that will disturb communal harmony in the state and hence the Police Commissioner’s order will not be revoked. A writ petition has been filed in the Karnataka High Court questioning the ban on Togadia.
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In Assam, one child has been critically injured today in a low-intensity blast at Kajidarah village near Silchar. The exact cause of the blast has not been ascertained so far.The police are conducting an investigation in the village under Sonai Assembly constituency of southern Assam. Police sources claim that they have recovered a detonator and a fuse from the spot.
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In Assam, protest continues against the BJP over the use of immigrant word in its vision document for Delhi Assembly elections. The youth wing of Asom Gana Parishad took out a protest rally in Guwahati. The party spokesman said that it would continue to protest against the alleged betrayal of the Centre towards North East. The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti has demanded an apology from the Prime Minister on this issue. They will hold protests tomorrow across the state. State BJP said that political parties are trying to get mileage on this issue. Apologising for the error, party spokesman said that Congress is trying to spread anarchy in the name of protest.
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In Madhya Pradesh, incidents of violence have been reported from Morena district during polling of the second phase of panchayat elections. Our correspondent reports that polling has been by and large peaceful in the remaining 42 districts, where elections are being held today.
Miscreants looted ballot box and threw it in a pond in Dongarpur Kirar village of Morena district. Miscreants opened fire outside the polling booths in Khandoli and Palpur villages of the district. Poll process was disrupted for one hour due to these incidents but later resumed smoothly. Police have taken action against miscreants. Elections are being held for posts of Zila AND Jan Panchayat member, Janpad Panchayat member sarpanch and panch in 6835 Gram Panchayats under the second phase of panchayat elections.<><>SHARIQ NOOR, AIR NEWS, BHOPAL.
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Recovering smartly from initial losses, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange had rallied 266 points, to regain the 29,000-mark, at 29,149 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. But earlier in the morning, the Sensex had declined 58 points. The Nifty at the National Stock Exchange had jumped 88 points, to 8,812.
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India has told the United Nations that poverty eradication and special attention to the needs of children should be the central goal for the post-2015 development agenda to ensure that youngsters get a protective and nurturing environment. During a meeting of the executive board of UNICEF, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Bhagwant Bishnoi said that 568 million children globally are still living in extreme poverty. He said persisting challenge of inadequate investment for their well-being is often exacerbated by economic crises, natural disasters and armed conflict.
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Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ruled out the possibility of clamping an emergency in the country. Speaking at a weekly question-hour session in the Parliament last evening, the Prime Minister said that the existing laws are enough to tackle the violence and anarchy unleashed by the Opposition. She said her government has taken all possible measures to contain violence and arson unleashed by the BNP-led Opposition during the month-long indefinite transport blockade. Arson and violence continue unabated in Bangladesh, as the indefinite country-wide transport blockade enters the 31st day today. The BNP-led anti-government agitation has left over 50 people dead and hundreds injured.
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Top religious leaders from the Arab world have strongly condemned the brutal murder of Jordanian pilot Moaz Al Kassabeh by the Islamic State group militants. The pilot held hostage by them since December 13 had been burnt alive while confined in a cage by the Islamic State militant group. Egypt’s top Islamic authority, Al Azhar University has expressed deep anger over the terrorist act and described ISIS as a satanic terrorist group. Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, the most revered school of learning in the Arab World, Ahmed el-Tayeb said harsh punishment should be reserved for those who carried out the burning. Other Islamic leaders, including Yusef al-Qaradawi, seen as the spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the Prophet Mohammed urged humane treatment of prisoners.
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In the 35th National Games being held in Kerala, Services continues to top the medals tally with 40 medals, including 24 gold medals.Haryana is in second position with 33 medals, including 21 gold medals.Maharashtra, with 46 medals, including 14 gold medals is in the third position. Hosts Kerala are in the fourth position, with 31 medals including 10 gold medals.
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