SHIMLA: Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushama Swaraj today launched a fresh attack on UPA's presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee and alleged Mukherjee's signature on the letter resigning from Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, was not genuine.
Swaraj, who was at Kangra in Himachal Pradesh to inaugurate the 3-day meeting of the national executive of hartiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), said "it was painful that Pranab Mukherjee who forgot to resign from the post of ISI chairman, an office of profit, and when BJP raised doubts, he submitted his resignation that had forged signatures on it".
Claiming that Mukherjee had not quit the post of ISI chairman before filing his nomination for presidential polls, the BJP leader said his papers should have been rejected by the Returning Officer since the post was an "office of profit", which was a disqualification if the candidate held the post at the time of filing nominations.
Terming Mukherjee's resignation as "fake", Swaraj alleged that in a bid to save the UPA nominee's papers, a letter of resignation was "prepared hurriedly and forged signature put on it".
Showing posts with label Day To Day National News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Day To Day National News. Show all posts
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Dgca Launches Probe Into Jharkhand Cm's Chopper Crash
NEW DELHI: Aviation regulator DGCA today launched a probe into the helicopter accident in Ranchi in which Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda suffered injuries.
"We have appointed assistant director (Air Safety) Sanit Kumar as the investigating officer," Director general of civil aviation E K Bharat Bhushan said.
The twin-engined helicopter, Agusta AW 109, crash-landed at the Birsa Munda Airport at 12:30 pm while trying to make an emergency landing following a technical problem.
All aspects of the accident, including the reported technical snag, would be investigated by the DGCA probe panel, official sources said, adding the chopper turned turtle after hitting the ground.
Ranchi superintendent of police Ranjit Kumar said the chief minister was admitted to a hospital.
The helicopter was returning to Birsa Munda Airport around noon after it could not land at Kuchai in Sareikela-Kharsawan district, about 100 kms from here.
"The helicopter fell from a height apparently due to a technical problem while landing," a close aide of the chief minister said.
The chopper suffered damage in the mishap, he said.
"We have appointed assistant director (Air Safety) Sanit Kumar as the investigating officer," Director general of civil aviation E K Bharat Bhushan said.
The twin-engined helicopter, Agusta AW 109, crash-landed at the Birsa Munda Airport at 12:30 pm while trying to make an emergency landing following a technical problem.
All aspects of the accident, including the reported technical snag, would be investigated by the DGCA probe panel, official sources said, adding the chopper turned turtle after hitting the ground.
Ranchi superintendent of police Ranjit Kumar said the chief minister was admitted to a hospital.
The helicopter was returning to Birsa Munda Airport around noon after it could not land at Kuchai in Sareikela-Kharsawan district, about 100 kms from here.
"The helicopter fell from a height apparently due to a technical problem while landing," a close aide of the chief minister said.
The chopper suffered damage in the mishap, he said.
Karnataka Police Arrest Terrorist In Bihar, Nitish Takes Umbrage
DARBHANGA/PATNA: The Karnataka police have arrested a suspected terrorist from Bihar's Darbhanga district, prompting chief minister Nitish Kumar to raise objection against the unilateral police action.
The police team from Karnataka arrested Kafil Ahmed from Barasmela village two days ago in connection with the 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium twin blasts, superintendent of police Garima Malik said.
Fifteen people were injured when two low-intensity bombs exploded outside a packed Chinnaswamy cricket stadium on April 17, 2010.
"The Karnataka police did not contact the local police nor inform us about the arrest of Ahmed," the SP said, adding that the Darbhanga police came to know about the arrest of the suspected terrorist from his family.
In Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar said, "The Karnakata police has brazenly violated an established law about giving prior information to the local police about arrest of a person from its jurisdiction."
The Bihar DGP has lodged a strong protest with his Karnataka counterpart, Kumar told reporters.
The chief minister said that he had sought a report from the Darbhanga SP and on the basis of it, a formal protest will be lodged with the Karnataka government and the Union home ministry.
The police team from Karnataka arrested Kafil Ahmed from Barasmela village two days ago in connection with the 2010 Chinnaswamy Stadium twin blasts, superintendent of police Garima Malik said.
Fifteen people were injured when two low-intensity bombs exploded outside a packed Chinnaswamy cricket stadium on April 17, 2010.
"The Karnataka police did not contact the local police nor inform us about the arrest of Ahmed," the SP said, adding that the Darbhanga police came to know about the arrest of the suspected terrorist from his family.
In Patna, chief minister Nitish Kumar said, "The Karnakata police has brazenly violated an established law about giving prior information to the local police about arrest of a person from its jurisdiction."
The Bihar DGP has lodged a strong protest with his Karnataka counterpart, Kumar told reporters.
The chief minister said that he had sought a report from the Darbhanga SP and on the basis of it, a formal protest will be lodged with the Karnataka government and the Union home ministry.
Mayawati Spent Rs 86 Crore Of Public Money On Her Bungalow
LUCKNOW: BSP chief Mayawati spent over Rs 86 crore of public money to renovate her 13 Mall Avenue bungalow that she is entitled to as a former chief minister. The renovation work began after Maya took over as chief minister in 2007 but the bulk of the work got completed towards the end of her tenure.
This was revealed in an RTI application that SP leader Shivpal Yadav filed when he was the leader of Opposition during Maya's tenure. Though the RTI plea dates back a year, the estate department revealed the details recently.
"We are still assessing the total cost incurred and indications are that the money spent might even exceed Rs 100 crore," a senior estate department official said on the condition of anonymity.
The house sprawls over 5 acres of prime land in Lucknow's Mall Avenue and is guarded by 20-feet-tall walls made of sandstone from Rajasthan. Originally, 13 Mall Avenue comprised only 2.5 acres, but Maya added an adjoining plot which housed the cane commissioner's office and had this building demolished.
The main building is single-storeyed and has six inter-connected rooms. They open on to a wide corridor, which contains rows of lockers. On a wall in this corridor hangs a neatly framed large picture of Mayawati taking her first oath as UP chief minister in 1995. Outside the corridor is a verandah with only two windows, both fitted with bullet-proof glass. Each window cost Rs 15 lakh and was specially designed for the house in Chandigarh.
There's a separate two-storeyed well-furnished guesthouse with 14 bedrooms on the same campus. All rooms have pink Italian marble flooring in keeping with Maya's fondness for pink stone. This building also has a meeting hall, a security room, garages and drivers' rooms.
The lush green lawn of the house that used to be its beauty was converted into a floor made of pink granite. There are two 20-feet statues on the premises, one of Mayawati and the other of her mentor later Kanshiram. Besides, there are five marble statues of elephants.
The buildings were not finished at one go, but involved tearing down of interiors several times because Maya was often not fully satisfied. One bathroom in the main building was redone about a dozen times because Behenji did not find it to her taste, an official said.
To secure the house, the home department put up a barbed fencing round the boundary walls. A close-circuit TV network kept close watch on visitors.
The renovation of this bungalow was clubbed with the building of parks and memorials erected in memory of Dalit icons. The job was assigned to the Nirman Nigam, which accorded top priority to the bungalow's renovation.
Shivpal Yadav, who's now PWD minister, said an inquiry has been ordered and action will be taken against those found guilty of any lapses and irregularities.
Estate department officials wished not to be quoted but said 80% of the funds spent were provided by the estate department. The remaining was spent by the Nirman Nigam and some other agencies like the Lucknow Nagar Nigam, home department and department of cultural affairs.
The Nirman Nigam, sources said, refused to take note of the estate department's repeated queries about its activities. The then director estate, Prabhat Mittal, though a letter dated August 27, 2008, had even asked the Nirman Nigam to furnish details about the money spent by it on demolishing the cane commissioner's officer. But the Nirman Nigam ignored the query.
Records show that 13 Mall Avenue was earlier known as the Speaker's House. This was long occupied by former Congress minister, late Baldev Singh Arya, who was even a minister in the first UP assembly of 1952. Mayawati occupied this house in 1995 when she became chief minister for the first time. In 2007, during her fourth stint as CM of the one of the poorest states in India, she decided to expand the property and do the building up in a royal style.
This was revealed in an RTI application that SP leader Shivpal Yadav filed when he was the leader of Opposition during Maya's tenure. Though the RTI plea dates back a year, the estate department revealed the details recently.
"We are still assessing the total cost incurred and indications are that the money spent might even exceed Rs 100 crore," a senior estate department official said on the condition of anonymity.
The house sprawls over 5 acres of prime land in Lucknow's Mall Avenue and is guarded by 20-feet-tall walls made of sandstone from Rajasthan. Originally, 13 Mall Avenue comprised only 2.5 acres, but Maya added an adjoining plot which housed the cane commissioner's office and had this building demolished.
The main building is single-storeyed and has six inter-connected rooms. They open on to a wide corridor, which contains rows of lockers. On a wall in this corridor hangs a neatly framed large picture of Mayawati taking her first oath as UP chief minister in 1995. Outside the corridor is a verandah with only two windows, both fitted with bullet-proof glass. Each window cost Rs 15 lakh and was specially designed for the house in Chandigarh.
There's a separate two-storeyed well-furnished guesthouse with 14 bedrooms on the same campus. All rooms have pink Italian marble flooring in keeping with Maya's fondness for pink stone. This building also has a meeting hall, a security room, garages and drivers' rooms.
The lush green lawn of the house that used to be its beauty was converted into a floor made of pink granite. There are two 20-feet statues on the premises, one of Mayawati and the other of her mentor later Kanshiram. Besides, there are five marble statues of elephants.
The buildings were not finished at one go, but involved tearing down of interiors several times because Maya was often not fully satisfied. One bathroom in the main building was redone about a dozen times because Behenji did not find it to her taste, an official said.
To secure the house, the home department put up a barbed fencing round the boundary walls. A close-circuit TV network kept close watch on visitors.
The renovation of this bungalow was clubbed with the building of parks and memorials erected in memory of Dalit icons. The job was assigned to the Nirman Nigam, which accorded top priority to the bungalow's renovation.
Shivpal Yadav, who's now PWD minister, said an inquiry has been ordered and action will be taken against those found guilty of any lapses and irregularities.
Estate department officials wished not to be quoted but said 80% of the funds spent were provided by the estate department. The remaining was spent by the Nirman Nigam and some other agencies like the Lucknow Nagar Nigam, home department and department of cultural affairs.
The Nirman Nigam, sources said, refused to take note of the estate department's repeated queries about its activities. The then director estate, Prabhat Mittal, though a letter dated August 27, 2008, had even asked the Nirman Nigam to furnish details about the money spent by it on demolishing the cane commissioner's officer. But the Nirman Nigam ignored the query.
Records show that 13 Mall Avenue was earlier known as the Speaker's House. This was long occupied by former Congress minister, late Baldev Singh Arya, who was even a minister in the first UP assembly of 1952. Mayawati occupied this house in 1995 when she became chief minister for the first time. In 2007, during her fourth stint as CM of the one of the poorest states in India, she decided to expand the property and do the building up in a royal style.
Maoists Making Forays Into Southern States: Govt
NEW DELHI: Government on Wednesday said that the Maoists were spreading their network beyond the traditional Red Zone by gradually expanding their activities in southern states including Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
"The CPI(Maoist) is making forays into Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu under the supervision of its South West Regional Bureau and planning to link up the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats through these states", the minister of state for home affairs, Jitendra Singh, said in Rajya Sabha.
In response to a Parliament Question, Singh in his written reply said: "Their (Maoists) plan include creating a base on the border of Kerala and Karnataka".
Government agencies have recently found that the CPI (Maoist) cadres are engaged in efforts aimed at establishing a forest route from Wayanad district to Mysore district of Karnataka.
Singh said that the central government had sensitized the state governments of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in this regard and had also advised them to take "necessary preventive and pre-emptive measures to foil the efforts of the CPI (Maoist)" -- which is the most powerful naxal group in the country.
The CPI (Maoist) and other naxal outfits are, currently, fully active in seven states - Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh - and marginally present in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It is believed that the Red outfits have started to move into new states after security agencies had stepped up their operations against them in their traditional strongholds in the past one year.
"The CPI(Maoist) is making forays into Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu under the supervision of its South West Regional Bureau and planning to link up the Western Ghats to the Eastern Ghats through these states", the minister of state for home affairs, Jitendra Singh, said in Rajya Sabha.
In response to a Parliament Question, Singh in his written reply said: "Their (Maoists) plan include creating a base on the border of Kerala and Karnataka".
Government agencies have recently found that the CPI (Maoist) cadres are engaged in efforts aimed at establishing a forest route from Wayanad district to Mysore district of Karnataka.
Singh said that the central government had sensitized the state governments of Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in this regard and had also advised them to take "necessary preventive and pre-emptive measures to foil the efforts of the CPI (Maoist)" -- which is the most powerful naxal group in the country.
The CPI (Maoist) and other naxal outfits are, currently, fully active in seven states - Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh - and marginally present in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. It is believed that the Red outfits have started to move into new states after security agencies had stepped up their operations against them in their traditional strongholds in the past one year.
120 On Board Indian Airlines Flight In Leh Escape 'Minor' Mishap
SRINAGAR: One hundred twenty passengers on Srinagar bound 447-Indian Airlines plane escaped injury on Wednesday morning when the tyres of the plane deflated and caught fire at the runway at Leh airport.
According to the manager of Indian airlines in Srinagar, Mohammad Iqbal, it was a minor problem. "Deflation of one of the tyres cannot be described as a major mishap," Iqbal said.
However, one of the passengers , Devinder Batra said the tyres caught fire immediately when the pilot applied brakes as he was taking off from the Leh airport at about 7.45am. "However, all the passengers are safe. The authorities brought another plane from New Delhi and flew us to Srinagar," he added.
According to the manager of Indian airlines in Srinagar, Mohammad Iqbal, it was a minor problem. "Deflation of one of the tyres cannot be described as a major mishap," Iqbal said.
However, one of the passengers , Devinder Batra said the tyres caught fire immediately when the pilot applied brakes as he was taking off from the Leh airport at about 7.45am. "However, all the passengers are safe. The authorities brought another plane from New Delhi and flew us to Srinagar," he added.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Punjab CM Badal Invites Jayalalithaa To His Swearing-In Ceremony
CHENNAI: Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday invited his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa to participate in his swearing-in ceremony on March 14.
The AIADMK supremo, however expressed her inability to attend the ceremony as she was scheduled to begin her campaign for the March 18 Sanakarankoil assembly bypoll on that day.
Having conveyed her inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony though she would have liked to, Jayalalithaa said she will depute her party MPs Dr V Maithreyan and M Thambidurai on her behalf, an official release here said.
She told Badal that her campaign schedule had already been announced.
The ruling SAD-BJP combine had retained its hold in the just concluded Punjab Assembly elections and Jayalalithaa had earlier congratulated Badal on his poll success.
Punjab Assembly Elections 2012
The AIADMK supremo, however expressed her inability to attend the ceremony as she was scheduled to begin her campaign for the March 18 Sanakarankoil assembly bypoll on that day.
Having conveyed her inability to attend the swearing-in ceremony though she would have liked to, Jayalalithaa said she will depute her party MPs Dr V Maithreyan and M Thambidurai on her behalf, an official release here said.
She told Badal that her campaign schedule had already been announced.
The ruling SAD-BJP combine had retained its hold in the just concluded Punjab Assembly elections and Jayalalithaa had earlier congratulated Badal on his poll success.
Punjab Assembly Elections 2012
Govt Ready For 2G Fight Round-II
NEW DELHI: The government will seek a presidential reference under Article 143 asking Supreme Court to clarify on the constitutionality of the 2G verdict that struck down the first-come-first-served (FCFS) policy for allocating natural resources like airwaves as arbitrary and inherently flawed.
The Cabinet is expected to approve the presidential reference on Saturday evening, with the government likely to seek a review of the SC order that auctions should be the only means by which precious resources like minerals or airwaves are allocated.
The government has filed a review petition in the SC challenging the constitutionality of the February 2 ruling scrapping 122 scam-tainted telecom licences issued during the tenure of jailed ex-telecom minister A Raja. Under Article 143 the president can seek the court's opinion on a matter of "public importance".
The Supreme Court's "advisory jurisdiction" can be invoked under Article 143 and in the past its opinion has been sought in cases like the Ayodhya dispute, which it refused to consider, and on aspects of the implementation of an India-Pakistan agreement on exchange of enclaves along the border with erstwhile east Pakistan.
Sources said the Cabinet will consider the presidential reference that is likely to raise questions over whether the apex court overstepped its jurisdiction in pronouncing on policy on the ground that this is the preserve of the executive. The Centre's review does not contest the decision to cancel licences but argues that ruling all options other than auctions will lead to absurd results.
The government's discomfort with the order is reflected in the review petition and the detailed presentation made to the parliamentary joint committee on telecom in which it has said that the SC violated the principle of "separation of powers" between the judiciary and the executive.
The order is "contrary to settled law" and it is "not permissible for the court to take this exercise upon itself and engage in policy-making, both for the reason that it is not its role to do so and it does not have the expertise to do so," the government told the JPC.
While it did to challenge the cancellation, the Centre has in its review petition sought a relaxation in the four-month deadline set by the court for the licences to be scrapped. The order has resulted in some foreign firms that bought equity threatening their Indian partners with litigation. Others have said they will invoke bilateral agreements.
The SC order is troublesome for the government as it spreads the 2G stain beyond Raja as the FCFS policy for spectrum allocation has been stoutly defended by the Centre. It has been felt that faulting the policy will put top figures in the government - not just an ally like DMK - in the dock as well. The government is keen that this part of the judgement be revised.
Earlier, telecom minister Kapil Sibal had said that the SC ruling has implications for other sectors like mining giving the example of a scenario where a private enterprise spends considerable money prospecting and then a decision is taken to auction the finds after the entity has shouldered the risks.
Policy making, the government insists, must take into account the "weighing and balancing of different values and considerations" and this remains the job of an elected executive that is accountable to Parliament.
On the practical aspects of the SC order, the government feels that gap in the cessation of licenses and completion of auctions may result in disruption of services to 69 million subscribers. It also feels it needs to be decided whether auction should determine both price and allotee in all cases or if other considerations like preventing monopolies, ensuring level playing fields and inter-se or priority among bidders can be taken into account.
The impact on tripartite agreements between licensor, licensee and banks and fallout on firms holding 3G spectrum whose 2G licences have been quashed, legalities of other licences are other issues that the government proposes to raise in course of the hearing on its March 2 review petition.
The Cabinet is expected to approve the presidential reference on Saturday evening, with the government likely to seek a review of the SC order that auctions should be the only means by which precious resources like minerals or airwaves are allocated.
The government has filed a review petition in the SC challenging the constitutionality of the February 2 ruling scrapping 122 scam-tainted telecom licences issued during the tenure of jailed ex-telecom minister A Raja. Under Article 143 the president can seek the court's opinion on a matter of "public importance".
The Supreme Court's "advisory jurisdiction" can be invoked under Article 143 and in the past its opinion has been sought in cases like the Ayodhya dispute, which it refused to consider, and on aspects of the implementation of an India-Pakistan agreement on exchange of enclaves along the border with erstwhile east Pakistan.
Sources said the Cabinet will consider the presidential reference that is likely to raise questions over whether the apex court overstepped its jurisdiction in pronouncing on policy on the ground that this is the preserve of the executive. The Centre's review does not contest the decision to cancel licences but argues that ruling all options other than auctions will lead to absurd results.
The government's discomfort with the order is reflected in the review petition and the detailed presentation made to the parliamentary joint committee on telecom in which it has said that the SC violated the principle of "separation of powers" between the judiciary and the executive.
The order is "contrary to settled law" and it is "not permissible for the court to take this exercise upon itself and engage in policy-making, both for the reason that it is not its role to do so and it does not have the expertise to do so," the government told the JPC.
While it did to challenge the cancellation, the Centre has in its review petition sought a relaxation in the four-month deadline set by the court for the licences to be scrapped. The order has resulted in some foreign firms that bought equity threatening their Indian partners with litigation. Others have said they will invoke bilateral agreements.
The SC order is troublesome for the government as it spreads the 2G stain beyond Raja as the FCFS policy for spectrum allocation has been stoutly defended by the Centre. It has been felt that faulting the policy will put top figures in the government - not just an ally like DMK - in the dock as well. The government is keen that this part of the judgement be revised.
Earlier, telecom minister Kapil Sibal had said that the SC ruling has implications for other sectors like mining giving the example of a scenario where a private enterprise spends considerable money prospecting and then a decision is taken to auction the finds after the entity has shouldered the risks.
Policy making, the government insists, must take into account the "weighing and balancing of different values and considerations" and this remains the job of an elected executive that is accountable to Parliament.
On the practical aspects of the SC order, the government feels that gap in the cessation of licenses and completion of auctions may result in disruption of services to 69 million subscribers. It also feels it needs to be decided whether auction should determine both price and allotee in all cases or if other considerations like preventing monopolies, ensuring level playing fields and inter-se or priority among bidders can be taken into account.
The impact on tripartite agreements between licensor, licensee and banks and fallout on firms holding 3G spectrum whose 2G licences have been quashed, legalities of other licences are other issues that the government proposes to raise in course of the hearing on its March 2 review petition.
Top Woman Maoist Surrenders, Mamata Says Holi Gift
KOLKATA: Top woman Maoist Suchitra Mahato, suspected to have been with rebel leader Kishenji when he was killed during a shootout last year, surrendered here Friday, a development described by West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee as a "big gift for Holi".
"I am happy that Suchitra Mahato came here to surrender today. Very recently she got married. Her husband is also here. My best wishes for the newly-wed couple. They have surrendered, responding to our peace process," Banerjee told a media conference at the state secretariat where Mahato was present with her new husband Pradush Garai.
Squad commander Mahato, widow of slain Maoist Sasadhar Mahato, surrendered with Garai. They got married Feb 25, 2012.
The security personnel had been on the lookout for Mahato, who was reportedly injured in the shootout in which Kishenji or Mallojula Koteswara Rao, a politburo member of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), was killed.
According to the official version, Kishenji died in a battle with paramilitary forces and state police in a forested region of West Midnapore Nov 24. Maoists and human rights groups, however, did not agree.
The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) alleged that Kishenji was killed in a "fake encounter", while Telugu poet and Maoist sympathiser P. Varvara Rao charged the state government with murdering him in police custody. Banerjee said Mahato had first surrendered before the inspector general of police and then met her.
Describing the top woman Maoist's surrender as an achievement for the state government and a Holi gift, she said the government would ensure that everything would be done, according to the package, to enable the rebel couple to lead a normal life.
"I am proud that my Maoist brothers and sisters are surrendering. This is an achievement of the government... this is a joint achievement of the government and my brother and sisters," she said.
"At the time of encounter Suchitra also got injured. She got bullet injuries in her waist. We will treat her," Banerjee said.
Standing beside the chief minister, Mahato, dressed in a sari, said: "I have come here as Mamata di (big sister) called for peace and called upon Maoists to come back to the mainstream."
Asked whether she was arrested in the aftermath of Kishenji's killing, Mahato replied in the negative and said: "I came and surrendered today."
To a query from a scribe as to where she had been staying for the last few months, she said she had been living in the village.
However, Mahato refused to answer any more questions, contending that she was not in a position to say anything more now.
Her husband said he had been involved in the Lalgarh movement in West Midnapore district that flared up after alleged police excesses following a landmine blast targeting then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy at Salboni Nov 2, 2008.
"There are lot of reasons behind the surrender. We cannot give all details now," he said.
"I am happy that Suchitra Mahato came here to surrender today. Very recently she got married. Her husband is also here. My best wishes for the newly-wed couple. They have surrendered, responding to our peace process," Banerjee told a media conference at the state secretariat where Mahato was present with her new husband Pradush Garai.
Squad commander Mahato, widow of slain Maoist Sasadhar Mahato, surrendered with Garai. They got married Feb 25, 2012.
The security personnel had been on the lookout for Mahato, who was reportedly injured in the shootout in which Kishenji or Mallojula Koteswara Rao, a politburo member of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), was killed.
According to the official version, Kishenji died in a battle with paramilitary forces and state police in a forested region of West Midnapore Nov 24. Maoists and human rights groups, however, did not agree.
The Association for Protection of Democratic Rights (APDR) alleged that Kishenji was killed in a "fake encounter", while Telugu poet and Maoist sympathiser P. Varvara Rao charged the state government with murdering him in police custody. Banerjee said Mahato had first surrendered before the inspector general of police and then met her.
Describing the top woman Maoist's surrender as an achievement for the state government and a Holi gift, she said the government would ensure that everything would be done, according to the package, to enable the rebel couple to lead a normal life.
"I am proud that my Maoist brothers and sisters are surrendering. This is an achievement of the government... this is a joint achievement of the government and my brother and sisters," she said.
"At the time of encounter Suchitra also got injured. She got bullet injuries in her waist. We will treat her," Banerjee said.
Standing beside the chief minister, Mahato, dressed in a sari, said: "I have come here as Mamata di (big sister) called for peace and called upon Maoists to come back to the mainstream."
Asked whether she was arrested in the aftermath of Kishenji's killing, Mahato replied in the negative and said: "I came and surrendered today."
To a query from a scribe as to where she had been staying for the last few months, she said she had been living in the village.
However, Mahato refused to answer any more questions, contending that she was not in a position to say anything more now.
Her husband said he had been involved in the Lalgarh movement in West Midnapore district that flared up after alleged police excesses following a landmine blast targeting then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's convoy at Salboni Nov 2, 2008.
"There are lot of reasons behind the surrender. We cannot give all details now," he said.
Sp's Akhilesh Yadav To Be Youngest Chief Minister Of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh is set to get its youngest chief minister in 38-year-old Akhilesh Yadav, with the Samajwadi Party (SP) legislature party on Saturday unanimously electing him as their leader.
Akhilesh, the parliamentarian son of SP chief and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, is to be sworn on March 15.
The decision to give him the top post was finalised at an hour-long meeting of the newly elected SP legislators in Lucknow on Saturday.
Akhilesh's name was proposed by senior leader Mohd Azam Khan. Akhilesh's uncle Shivpal Yadav seconded the proposal, after which the former bowed to his father and touched his feet.
The spadework for Akhilesh's coronation was scripted at a late night parley on Friday between Mulayam Singh, Azam Khan and Shivpal Yadav.
It was at this meeting that the party supremo made "his mind clear about Akhilesh", a close aide of Mulayam Singh said.
With the newly elected party legislators already pitching for Akhilesh as chief minister and with a brute majority of 224 in the 403-seat house, leaders with a different opinion on the matter fell in line.
Both Azam Khan and Shivpal Yadav were reported to be unhappy with the decision to make Akhilesh, a youngster in the party compared to both of them, the chief minister.
"For someone who has grown in front of them, you must understand that it is not easy for anyone to see him as a boss," said a close aide of Azam Khan. The differences were thrashed out Friday night.
An MP from Kannauj, Akhilesh is largely seen as a game changer in UP politics and credited with the massive mandate in favour of the party in the assembly polls.
An environmental engineer from Sydney University, Akhilesh was appointed state president of the SP in 2009. He slogged it out for the party in hostile situations, with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati at the helm of affairs.
After his elevation as chief minister, Akhilesh would now quit his seat as MP from Kannauj and is likely to contest elections for the state assembly from Jaswantnagar, a seat for long held by Shivpal Yadav.
Before Akhilesh's election as the chief minister, Mayawati was the youngest Uttar Pradesh chief minister at 39 years of age.
Akhilesh stakes claim to form government
Chief Minister designate Akhilesh Yadav met Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi and staked claim to form the next government in the state.
Flanked by Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Yadav and Mohd Azam Khan, Akhilesh Yadav handed over a letter to Joshi stating he had been elected the party's legislature leader.
The trio reached the Raj Bhawan together.
Later, they posed for the media, with Shivpal Yadav flashing a victory sign. Azam Khan refused to interact with the press and quietly sat in the car even as Akhilesh Yadav shook hands with officials.
Akhilesh, the parliamentarian son of SP chief and former chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, is to be sworn on March 15.
The decision to give him the top post was finalised at an hour-long meeting of the newly elected SP legislators in Lucknow on Saturday.
Akhilesh's name was proposed by senior leader Mohd Azam Khan. Akhilesh's uncle Shivpal Yadav seconded the proposal, after which the former bowed to his father and touched his feet.
The spadework for Akhilesh's coronation was scripted at a late night parley on Friday between Mulayam Singh, Azam Khan and Shivpal Yadav.
It was at this meeting that the party supremo made "his mind clear about Akhilesh", a close aide of Mulayam Singh said.
With the newly elected party legislators already pitching for Akhilesh as chief minister and with a brute majority of 224 in the 403-seat house, leaders with a different opinion on the matter fell in line.
Both Azam Khan and Shivpal Yadav were reported to be unhappy with the decision to make Akhilesh, a youngster in the party compared to both of them, the chief minister.
"For someone who has grown in front of them, you must understand that it is not easy for anyone to see him as a boss," said a close aide of Azam Khan. The differences were thrashed out Friday night.
An MP from Kannauj, Akhilesh is largely seen as a game changer in UP politics and credited with the massive mandate in favour of the party in the assembly polls.
An environmental engineer from Sydney University, Akhilesh was appointed state president of the SP in 2009. He slogged it out for the party in hostile situations, with Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati at the helm of affairs.
After his elevation as chief minister, Akhilesh would now quit his seat as MP from Kannauj and is likely to contest elections for the state assembly from Jaswantnagar, a seat for long held by Shivpal Yadav.
Before Akhilesh's election as the chief minister, Mayawati was the youngest Uttar Pradesh chief minister at 39 years of age.
Akhilesh stakes claim to form government
Chief Minister designate Akhilesh Yadav met Uttar Pradesh Governor B.L. Joshi and staked claim to form the next government in the state.
Flanked by Samajwadi Party leaders Shivpal Yadav and Mohd Azam Khan, Akhilesh Yadav handed over a letter to Joshi stating he had been elected the party's legislature leader.
The trio reached the Raj Bhawan together.
Later, they posed for the media, with Shivpal Yadav flashing a victory sign. Azam Khan refused to interact with the press and quietly sat in the car even as Akhilesh Yadav shook hands with officials.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
