THE HEADLINES:-
- Government forms three member SIT to probe 1984 anti Sikh riot cases.
- BJP, PDP close to seal a deal on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Lack of governance choking justice delivery system, says Senior Supreme Court Judge.
- Health Ministry issues new norms to tackle the increasing number of swine flu cases across the country.
- US police officer arrested in the case of assaulting an Indian in Alabama ; FBI to conduct probe into the matter.
- And in the 35th National Games; Kerala to clash with Karnataka in women's volleyball final today; Services way ahead of other teams in the medals tally with 82 gold.
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The Home Ministry has constituted a three-member Special Investigation Team, SIT for re-investigation of the 1984 anti-Sikh riot cases. According to the Ministry, the newly-constituted SIT has been empowered to examine afresh evidence in cases which had even been closed. The SIT will look into all serious criminal cases relating to the riots, examine evidence and even re-open cases and file charge sheets in the courts concerned. It has been given six months to complete its work, including filing of charge sheets in nearly three-decade old cases. It will be headed by Pramod Asthana, an IPS officer of 1986 batch. The constitution of a SIT for re-investigation of the riot cases was recommended by a government-appointed committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice G.P. Mathur. The government had recently provided additional 5 lakh rupees compensation to the kin of Sikhs killed in the 1984 riots, which claimed 3,325 persons.
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BJP leader Ram Madhav has said that talks with PDP over the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir is in progress. Talking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, he said the two parties are working on a common minimum programme and will soon be able to reach a consensus to form government in the state. He said there are some issues on which common understanding between the BJP and the PDP is yet to arrive.
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Polling has begun for by-elections to Bangaon Lok Sabha seat in West Bengal and six assembly constituencies in different states. These assembly segments are Liromoba in Arunachal Pradesh, Panaji in Goa, Srirangam in Tamil Nadu, Krishnaganj in West Bengal, Mukhed in Maharashtra and Thirupati in Andhra Pradesh. Polling began at 8 AM. Counting of votes will be taken up on Monday.
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Bihar Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi has defended his decision to ask Manjhi government to prove its majority in the state assembly on the 20th of this month. In a statement issued last night, Raj Bhawan said, as per constitution a Governor has to address the joint session of the Legislature at its commencement each year and in 2015 the session starts on the 20th February. The statement said, it will not be proper to ask for a Special Session before the opening session as in that case he would end-up addressing the 2nd session. In this regard, Raj Bhawan has cited special powers of the Governor under Article 176 of the Constitution. Raj Bhawan said the Governor had gone by the rule book and taken the Supreme Court observation in the SR Bommai case. Raj Bhawan had also made it clear that Mr Jitan Ram Manjhi, being the JD(U) Legislature Party leader, was the leader of the House as he has not resigned and claims to probe his majority on the floor of the House.
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The Centre has come up with new guidelines for the States to combat the H1N1 outbreak. It has asked States to categorise cases for screening, isolation and hospitalisation. Health workers have been asked to screen people with symptoms of the flu on the basis of their severity and categorise them.
A health official said, since there has been more awareness, people with symptoms of the flu are turning up at health centres for detection, which is also a reason why more cases are being reported.
Meanwhile, In Gujarat, 8 more persons succumbed to swine flu in the state yesterday. The death toll in the state since January has reached 116 due to H1N1. 123 new positive cases of swine flu have been reported during the last 24 hours.
In Telangana, six persons died yesterday due to swine flu in Hyderabad taking the death toll to 48 since January this year in the state.
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The Power Ministry intends to revive a number of hydel power projects which have been stuck due to various reasons. Addressing the "Progressive Maharashtra" summit organized by FICCI in Mumbai yesterday, Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal said, the government is planning to formulate a special small hydel power policy to remove the hurdles in implementing these projects. Mr. Goyal said, the government is also working to revive large hydro projects of national importance.
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Senior Supreme Court judge Justice TS Thakur has blamed “lack of governance” and “officials’ inability to take decisions” as prime reasons behind the deluge of cases choking the justice delivery system. Pointing out that the Union Government is a party in most cases pending across the courts in the country, Justice Thakur said that it is neither a good sign nor a good policy of the government to drag all sorts of disputes to the courts. He was delivering a lecture at Asia-Pacific International Summit on Mediation in New Delhi yesterday. Justice Thakur is due to take over as the Chief Justice of India later this year. Justice Thakur said, a lot of government disputes can be easily resolved via alternate dispute resolutions like mediation.
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The Supreme Court will hear the interim bail plea of social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand today. Yesterday, the apex court stayed till today their arrest in a case of alleged embezzlement of funds for a museum at Gulbarg society, devastated in the 2002 riots after the Gujarat High Court had rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the couple . The couple is accused of misusing funds to the tune of 1.51 crore rupees.
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Delhi Police has sent the viscera samples of Sunanda Pushkar abroad for further examination. The viscera has been sent to the FBI laboratory in the United States. Delhi Police Commissioner BS Bassi said that DCP South who is heading the Special Investigation Team, SIT to probe the murder case of Sunanda, has also gone there with exhibits so that the integrity of evidence can be ensured.
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In Gujarat, the members of the ‘Om Yuva Group’ and the locals pulled down the newly built temple at Rajkot after Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his displeasure. The leader of the group Ramesh Undhad said that after the Prime Minister’s statement, the entire construction have been pulled down. The temple with an idol of Narendra Modi was constructed in Kothariya village of Rajkot at the cost of 7 lakh rupees by his fans and followers. It was supposed to be inaugurated on 15th February.
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In Madhya Pradesh, the fourth river festival begins at Bandrabhan bank of Narmada river in Hoshangabad district today. Our Bhopal correspondent reports that chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will inaugurate the three day festival.
"The theme of river festival is 'River, its catchment area, chemicals and crisis. More than 100 participants will discuss topics like effects of chemicals used in agriculture on forests, wild life and human beings. Success stories on natural farming will also be part of discussion. SHARIQ NOOR, AIR NEWS, BHOPAL."
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In the US, one of the two police officers who assaulted the 57-year-old Indian man in Alabama has been arrested. Addressing a press conference, Larry Muncey, the Madison City Chief of Police said that Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI will also be conducting a probe into the matter to find out if there were any federal violations in the incident. Muncey also apologised to the victim Sureshbhai Patel and his family for the assault by two police officers, without any provocation. He also proposed termination of police officer Parker, who has been arrested for third-degree assault. On the 6th of this month, Patel was violently assaulted by the police officials without any provocation that left him partially paralysed. His family has filed a lawsuit.
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The Sri Lankan government has decided to return 1,000 acres of land under military occupation to Tamil community in the civil war affected Northern Province. Resettlement Minister, D M Swaminathan said, in the initial phase 1,022 families will be resettled at the released land.
"These are lands which are being in their possession but not directly used by the security forces for security reasons. 1000 acres its only the first step, there are so many lands which we have to think of. This is only as a bonafide that to show the public at large that we are genuinely interested in giving back the land that the people were entitled."
Our correspondent reports that schools and hospitals will also be set up there.
"More than 10 thousand acres of private land was taken away by the government to build High Security Zones under the control of the military. Since the end of the war in 2009, people and political leaders of the region have been demanding a return of these lands. As a first step, one thousand acres of land in Palay area in Jaffna will be handed back for civilian use. 475 acres were also released in the neighbouring Eastern province that was similarly affected by the war. ABHISHEK DAYAL, AIR NEWS, COLOMBO."
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AND TO SPORTS NEWS NOW;
As the 35th national games being held in Kerala enter the concluding day, Services have surged ahead of other teams, retaining the top position in the medals tally, with an unbeatable tally of 82 gold medals, 28 silver medals and 24 bronze medals. Hosts Kerala excelled in Athletic events, with a gold rush to gain the second spot with 37 gold medals, 38 silver medals and 49 bronze medals.
Meanwhile, in women's volleyball final Kerala will clash with Karnataka today.
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Today is World Radio Day. The day is observed every year on the 13th of February to celebrate radio as a forum for entertainment and information, as a bridge of communication for remote communities and its role in empowering people. On this occasion UN Secretary General Ban ki Moon said, radio matters for youth across the world and this year's observance of World Radio Day highlights the importance of radio to the world's 1.8 billion young women and men.
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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
- "Kejriwal meets Modi, repeats demand for Delhi statehood"-is theHindustan Times headline.
- The Tribune on its front page says," Jammu & Kashmir set to havePDP-BJP alliance government on February 22".
- The Asian Age headlines that "some in BJP feel arrogance, pro-rich image led to defeat" referring to the recently drubbing of the BJP in Delhi Elections.
- The Financial Express also reports of Prime Minister all set to launch a soil health card scheme on February 19th in Rajasthan, for the benefit of 14 crore farmers to check overuse of fertilizers. 2.48 lakh soil samples from all states will be collected to test the quality in 3 years and identify the nutrient deficiency and excess.
- The Pioneer reports that in about eight months or so only those drug formulations with barcodes will be allowed to be sold in the domestic market.
- The Indian Express reports of a compassionate story of Madhya Pradesh chief minister S.C Chauhan's adopted daughter's wedding in Vidhisha with a picture. The daughter Sona was an inmate of an ashram, she was educated by the chief minister and his wife and today is an Anganwadi worker.
- And finally, India's gold demand dipped 14% in 2014 despite record jewelery sales, according to world gold council - that's a report inFinancial Express. The slump in demand was caused primarily by excessive purchase of gold bars and gold coins in 2013.
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