Weak monsoon a worry, but no drought: Sharad Pawar

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Weak monsoon a worry, but no drought: Sharad Pawar 
Clean Media Correspondent


New Delhi, July 16 (CMC) The less-than-normal rainfall is likely to hit the agricultural sector hard and hinder its growth with Union Agriculture Minister Saharad Pawar and the Met Department on Monday admitting that monsoon has not been normal across large parts of the country. Even though Pawar refused to accept that the situation was drought-like, he added that the government would wait for the second week of August to make an official announcement and launch a contingency plan.
Pawar expressed fears over the weak monsoon, saying agricultural growth was a worry. Hinting at drought-like conditions, Pawar said it would be a challenge this year to maintain the agricultural performance. "The situation in Karnataka and parts of Maharashtra are worrisome. A contingency plan has been prepared," Pawar said.
"We have not reached the drought situation yet. This year monsoon is playing hide and seek. It is a challenge for our farmers to maintain the same performance as compared to last two years. This year, we have a challenge to maintain 4 per cent agriculture growth against the backdrop of weak monsoons," he said.
The country produced a record 252.56 million tonnes of foodgrain in 2011-12 crop year (July-June), helped by all time high production of wheat and rice.
"For the first time, we have exported 5 million tonnes (MT) of non-basmati rice, 1.5 MT of wheat, 2.5 MT of sugar, 11.5 million bales of cotton due to good production last year," Pawar said.
The Chairman of Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council, C Rangarajan, echoed Pawar, saying that deficient monsoon remains a worry. "The environment has improved slightly for monetary action, but the monsoon uncertainty prevails. Growth rate could be close to 7 per cent provided monsoon is normal," Rangarajan said.
With the Met Department saying that the monsoon may miss the forecast this month and may be deficient in July, the farmers are a worried lot.
According to the Met Department the El Nino effect, a phenomenon that causes temperature variations, may emerge in August and September. The Met Department expects the monsoon to recover in rice-growing areas, but not in Karnataka and the North-East. It says rainfall will be deficient in Gujarat's oilseed-growing areas too.
Quantitatively, monsoon has been 23 per cent deficient with the food bowl states of Punjab and Haryana receiving 70 per cent less rainfall than normal. In area-wise distribution, 40 per cent area of the country has received excess or normal rainfall and remaining 60 per cent had deficient or scanty rainfall.
South-west monsoon, the lifeline of agriculture hit Kerala on June 5 but its progress through the country has been delayed, impacting sowing of crops such as paddy and coarse cereals.
Since 2005, this will be the second time that the monsoon will be deficient. In 2009, too, monsoon was deficient.
What is El Nino:
El Nino is a shift in atmospheric conditions that disrupts the global weather. It causes variations in global temperatures. It occurs every two to seven years and determines variability of the monsoons.
When the El Nino effect occurs, there is high pressure in Indian Ocean currents and India gets a bad monsoon.

JD(U) is with Jaswant Singh: Nitish Kumar on VP poll

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JD(U) is with Jaswant Singh: Nitish Kumar on VP poll

Clean Media Correspondent


Patna, July 16 (CMC) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) was united on Jaswant Singh's candidature for the vice-president's post.


"The NDA is united for the vice presidential poll and the Janata Dal-United is with Jaswant Singh," Nitish Kumar told newspersons here.


The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA has named BJP leader Jaswant Singh as its vice- presidential candidate.


The JD(U) is, however, supporting UPA's Parnab Mukharjee for the post of Indian president.

SC issues notice to CBI on Nupur's bail plea

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SC issues notice to CBI on Nupur's bail plea
Clean Media Correspondent


New Delhi, July 16 (CMC) The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the CBI on dentist Nupur Talwar's plea seeking bail in the double murder case of her daughter Aarushi and domestic held Hemraj. A bench of justices AK Patnaik and JS Khehar agreed to hear her bail plea and asked the agency to file its response on her petition.
The bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 6. Nupur, who has been in jail since her surrender before the Ghaziabad court on April 30, had moved the apex court challenging the Allahabad High Court's order which had on May 31 dismissed her plea for bail.


The trial court had on May 2 rejected Nupur's bail application. She had surrendered before the trial court following a stern direction from the Supreme Court, which had also refused to stay the non-bailable warrant issued against her by the lower court on her failure to appear despite issuing of summons.


14-year-old Aarushi was found dead in her bedroom at the Talwar's residence in Jalvayu Vihar, Noida, on the intervening night of May 16-17, 2008. The body of Hemraj was found on May 17 on the terrace.


Holding that there is prima-facie evidence against the couple, the Ghaziabad court had ordered framing of charges of murder and destruction of evidence against Nupur and her dentist-husband Rajesh.


The apex court had earlier refused to give her any relief and allowed her prosecution in the murder case along with her husband Rajesh.


It had also dismissed her review petition challenging summons issued by a special CBI court in the case and warned her of "exemplary costs" for any frivolous litigation.

Jaswant to counter Hamid Ansari for VP

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jktx dh vksj ls Tkloar VDdj nsaxs gkfen valkjh dks

Bad Precedent

Great Fighter

Dyhu ehfM;k laoknnkrk

u;h fnYyh] 16 tqykbZ %lh,elh% jk”Vzh; turkafrzd xBca/ku us iwoZ fons’k earzh tloar flag dks mijk”Vzifr ds pquko esa laizx mEehnokj gkfen valkjh dks pqukSrh nsus ds fy, eSnku esa mrkjk gSA

  jktx dh cSBd esa vkt bl eqn~ns ij fopkj foe’kZ ds ckn Hkktik ds ‘kh”kZ usrk ykyd`”.k vkMok.kh us bl vk’k; dh ?kks”k.kk dhA

   mUgksaus dgk fd jktx us r; fd;k gS fd yksdiky fo/ks;d ij laln esa cgl ds nkSjku orZeku mijk”Vzifr vkSj jkT;lHkk ds v/;{k gkfen valkjh dh Hkwfedk dks ns[krs gq, mUgsa bl in ij fQj ls pqus tkus ds fy, leFkZu ugha fd;k tk;sxk fygktk jktx us Hkktik usrk tloar flag dks mijk”Vzifr in ds fy, pquko eSnku esa mrkjk gSA

  vkMok.kh us crk;k fd igys jktx ds la;kstd tn;w ds v/;{k ‘kjn ;kno dks pquko yM+us dk izLrko fn;k x;k ysfdu mUgksaus vHkh lfdz; jktuhfr esa jgus dh bPNk trk;h ftlds ckn tloar flag dks pquko eSnku esa mrkjus dk QSlyk fd;k x;kA

  ckn esa bl ckjs esa fVIi.kh djrs gq, tloar flag us dgk fd ;g lkSHkX; vkSj lEeku dk fo”k; gS fd mUgsa bl in ds pquko ds fy, mEehnokj cuk;k x;k gSA mUgksaus dgk fd og bu pqukoksa vkSj in dh ftEesnkfj;ksa dks ,d pqukSrh ds :Ik esa ysrs gSaA

Jaswant Singh to challenge Hamid Ansari for Vice-President's post as NDA candidate

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Jaswant Singh to challenge Hamid Ansari for Vice-President's post as NDA candidate

Clean Media Correspondent


NEW DELHI, July 16 (CMC) BJP leader Jaswant Singh was on Monday chosen by the NDA as its unanimous candidate for the August 7 vice-presidential election against UPA nominee Hamid Ansari. 


The opposition alliance said it had reservations over the re-nomination of Ansari, particularly the manner in which he conducted the Rajya Sabha when the Lokpal Bill was discussed and the Women's Reservation Bill was passed. 


"We have decided not to give them (Congress-led UPA) a walkover... We have unanimously decided that Jaswant Singh will be the NDA candidate in the vice-presidential poll," L K Advani, NDA working president, announced after an NDA meeting. 


Advani said JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav had also raised concerns over Ansari's conduct in the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha where marshals were used to oust those opposed to the legislation. 


He said the same concerns were shared with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when he had called him on Saturday to seek support for Ansari's candidature. 


Advani said Yadav, also the NDA convenor, was initially approached to contest the vice-presidential election, but he declined citing his interest in active politics. 


The BJP leader indicated that the NDA would reach out to all such parties which have not committed their support to the UPA nominee. 


Reacting to his nomination, 74-year-old Jaswant Singh said, "It is a matter of great respect that the NDA has unanimously chosen me as their candidate for the post of Vice-President. It is a big responsibility and also a challenge".

Jharkhand HC bans strike in Psychiatry Institute

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U;k;ky; us ekufld fpfdRlk laLFkku ds deZpkfj;ksa dh gM+rky ij jksd yxk;h

Dyhu ehfM;k laoknnkrk

jkaph] 16 tqykbZ %lh,elh% >kj[kaM mPp U;k;ky; us vkt ;gka fLFkr dsUnzh; ekufld jksx laLFkku %lsaVzy baLVhV~;wV vkWQ lkbfd;kVzh% ds deZpkfj;ksa dh gM+rky ij jksd yxk nhA

   eq[; U;k;k/kh’k izdk’k panz VkafV;k vkSj U;k;k/kh’k t;k jkW; dh [kaM ihB us vkt ls laLFkku ds deZpkfj;ksa dh izLrkfor nks fnuksa dh gM+rky ds ckjs esa izdkf’kr [kcjksa dk Lo;a laKku ysrs gq, ;g vkns’k fn;kA

  lsaVzy xouZesaV gkLihVy odZlZ ;wfu;u us viuh ekaxksa ds leFkZu esa vkt ls ;gka fLFkr dsUnzh; ekufld jksx laLFkku esa nks fnuksa dh gM+rky cqyk;h FkhA

Remarks on FDI: Obama not properly informed, says Moily

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Remarks on FDI: Obama not properly informed, says MoilyClean Media Correspondent

Bangalore, July 15 (CMC) Dismissing Barack Obama's concerns over deteriorating investment climate in India, corporate affairs minister Veerappa Moily today said certain international lobbies were spreading such stories and the US President was "not properly informed" about the country's strong economic fundamentals.

"Certain international lobbies like Vodafone are spreading this kind of a story and Obama was not properly informed about the things that are happening, particularly when India's economic fundementals are strong," he told reporters here.
The perception of deteriorating investment climate in India was not based on eceonomic parameters, but on certain impression of few individuals, entrepreneurs and investors, Moily alleged.
"That is also being removed. Once that perception is removed, I think in 2-3 months, we are back again with a kickstart to pick up the same speed as we had done in the last decade," he said.
Moily said there was no crisis in India, whereas the US and other countriers were facing crisis, "not once but twice in 2008 and 2010".
"Not even a single financial institution has collapsed in this country, whereas many such things have collapsed in US and other countries," he said.
He said in the last one decade, India has registered a vibrant growth rate of 8 to 9.5%, "but perhaps for the economic crisis in the US and Europe, the country would have definitely crossed 10% of the GDP."
"That is the potential of India which can recover back immediately by taking some remedial steps," he added.
Moily said 55% of the investment in the form of FIIs and FDIs comes from as many as ten countries like Mauritius, Cyprus and Singapore, and only 19% comes from US and other countries.
"Ultimately Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is going to address all these problems and it is being considered. That's why again the investment climate is picking up," he said.

Poor monsoon hits grains, spares sugar

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Poor monsoon hits grains, spares sugar
Clean Media Corresopondent


New Delhi, July 12 (CMC) India’s monsoon, vital for Asia’s third-largest economy, remains 23% deficient overall, fuelling concerns that the country may end up with a lower annual food output and higher prices. The patchy rains have hit planting of key summer crops even as major food-bowl states are well into their peak sowing period, typically the first fortnight of July.
The rains are critical as two-thirds of India’s population depend on farm income and 60% of croplands do not have assured irrigation. The monsoon also replenishes 81 nationally monitored water reservoirs vital for drinking, power and irrigation.
Official data showed that the sowing of rice — the main summer-grown cereal — is deficient by 26%, while planting of oilseeds has been 28% less than last year’s for this time of the year.
For coarse cereals such as maize, bajra (pearl millet) and jowar (sorghum), which traditionally form the food basket of the poor, the shortfall has been highest at minus 57%.
India’s headline inflation, already elevated at 7.55% in May, could climb higher if a weak monsoon were to crimp food output. According to a UN advisory, world food prices are expected to rebound in July after falling for three straight months. India relies on imports to meet domestic demand of pulses and edible oils, whose prices are likely to be hit.
Normal rains, which act as a strong check on inflation through good farm output, are critical if India is to recover from a sharp slowdown.
“A deficient monsoon would impact recovery to an extent, but (its effect on) prices are a real cause of concern although stocks are plentiful,” said NR Bhanumurthy, an economist at the state-run National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
Planting of cash crops such as cotton and sugarcane, sturdy crops that are less water-intensive than rice, are progressing normally.

Pinki freed, says she was victim of conspiracy

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Pinki freed, says she was victim of conspiracy
Clean Media Correspondent

Kolkata, July 12 (CMC) Asian Games Gold Medallist athlete Pinki Pramanik who was accused of being a male and committing rape, after her release from a West Bengal jail on Wednesday alleged that she was subjected to police harassment and said that everything was ‘pre-planned’ and was the victim of bigger conspiracy.
"They (Police) tied my hands and legs and took me to a private nursing home for the tests. I kept on crying and resisted but nobody listened to me," the retired middle distance runner after her release from the Dum Dum Central Jail told reporters.  “Even Sita Mai had to give agnipariksha (test by fire). So, I thought I was also undergoing an agniparksha," she said.
 Pinki, who broke down while speaking to reporters, said that she would talk to her lawyer first.   When asked whether she has been a part of a conspiracy, the ace athlete said, “An MMS clip of my medical examination, showing me in the nude, went viral online. All was pre-planned”.  "I was framed. She (the complainant) used to do my chores. She had demanded money from me long back, but I did not give. So, all this was done in connivance with the police," she said.  “However this is not the right time to say all these things and moreover now things have gone far beyond giving clarification,” she added.
Pinki who was arrested on June 14 was initially tested at Barasat district hospital but as the tests remain inconclusive she was later referred to SSKM hospital where an 11 member medical board consisting doctors from several departments conducted several tests but failing to come to any conclusion sent her blood sample for Karyotyping.  Pramanik, however, claimed innocence and said it was a conspiracy.
 However based on her medical reports the district and sessions judge (North 24 Parganas) on Tuesday granted bail to the athlete mentioning that as, neither male nor female organ was found so she is physically incapable of committing rape.
 Pramanik, who retired from athletics three years ago, won gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha in Qatar. The runner was a silver medallist at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games the same year.
The Eastern Railway, with which the athlete is a ticket collector, suspended Pramanik on June 16 following her remand in the judicial custody.

Sangama appeals to repeat 1969 Presenditial election

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laxek us 1969 ds pquko ifj.kkeksa dks nksgjkus vkSj vkfnoklh dks jk”Vzifr cukus dh vihy dh

Dyhu ehfM;k laoknnkrk

jkaph] 11 tqykbZ %lh,elh% Hkktik lefFkZr jk”Vzifr in ds mEehnokj ih, laxek us vkt ;gka ns’k ds lHkh fo/kk;dksa ,oa lkalnksa ls viuh vkRek dh vkokt ij ns’k dk vxyk jk”Vzifr pquus vkSj lu~ 1969 nksgjkus dh vihy dh tc lkalnksa vkSj fo/kk;dksa ds vkRek dh vkokt ds vk/kkj ij ernku ls uhye latho jsM~Mh dks gjk dj bafnjk xka/kh lefFkZr ohoh fxjh jk”Vzifr pquko thr x;s FksA

   jk”Vzifr in ds fy, 19 tqykbZ dks gks jgs pqukoksa ds fy, vius izpkj ds flyflys esa ;gka vkt ‘kke igqaps ih, laxek us irzdkj okrkZ esa ;g [kqyh vihy dhA laxek us ns’k ds jk”Vzzifr in ij igyh ckj fdlh vkfnoklh dks cSBkus dh Hkh vihy dhA

  laxek us ,d loky ds tokc esa Lohdkj fd;k fd jk”Vzifr tSls loksZPp laoS/kkfud in ds fy, vkfnoklh uke ij er ekaxuk Bhd ugha gS ysfdu mUgksaus tksj nsdj dgk fd ns’k esa vkf[kj vkfnoklh dHkh jk”Vzifr D;ksa ugha cuk;k x;kA

ih, laxek us ns’k dh lHkh ikfVZ;ksa ds fo/kk;dksa ,oa lkalnksa ls vkSj funZyh; fo/kk;dksa rFkk lkalnkssa ls jk”Vzifr pqukoksa esa leFkZu ekaxk vkSj dgk f dog viuh ikVhZ dh r; ykbu NksM+ dj viuh vkRek dh vkokt ij mUgsa viuk er nsaA

   viuh csVh rFkk dsUnz ljdkj esa earzh vxkFkk laxkek ds leFkZu ds ckjs esa iwNs tkus ij laxek us dgk f dog Hkh vc cM+h vkSj le>nkj gS rFkk ns’k dks laHkky jgh gSA ,sls esa og viuh vkRek dh vkokt ij viuh le>nkjh ds fglkc ls Lo;a r; djsxh fd mls bu pqukoksa esa fdls er nsuk gSA

   laxek us dgk fd ;fn fo/kk;dksa vkSj lkalnksa us viuh vkRek dh vkokt ds vk/kkj ij ernku fd;k rks mUgsa dksbZ lansg ugha gS fd ns’k esa ,d ckj fQj 1969 nksgjk;k tk;sxk tc lRrk/kkjh dkaxzsl ikVhZ lefFkZr mEehnokj uhye latho jsM~Mh dks gjkdj bafnjk xka/kh lefFkZr ohoh fxjh jk”Vzifr fuokZfpr gq, FksA

   mUgksaus dgk fd vius leFkZu ds fy, mudh tn;w vkSj f’kolsuk ls dh x;h vihy Hkh dk;e gS vkSj mUgsa fo’okl gS ffd vafre le; esa ;s ny Hkh mudk gh leFkZu djsaxs vkSj pquko ifj.kke pkSdkus okys gksaxsA

 mUgksaus dgk fd ns’k esa jk”Vzifr pquko funZyh; mEehnokj ds rkSj ij yM+k tkrk gS vkSj ikVhZ fOgi ls gVdj ernku djus ij fdlh ds f[kykQ nycny dkuwu ds rgr dkjZokbZ ugha dh tk ldrh gSA

  mUgksaus dgk fd muds dk;Zdky esa gh laln esa fcjlk eqaMk dh izfrek yxk;h x;h Fkh tks fdlh Hkh vkfnoklh Lorarzrk lsukuh dh ogka yxk;h x;h igyh ewfrZ FkhA

mUgksaus yksxksa dks ;kn fnyk;k fd bruk gh ugha dsUnzh; earzh ds rkSj ij og tc Hkh ;gka vk;s mUgksaus fcjlk eqMk ds na’kZu fd;s vkSj mudh izfrek dks Qwy ekyk p<+k;kA

  >keqeks v/;{k f’kcw lksjsu vkSj vkTlw ds v/;{k lqns’k egrks ls viuh eqykdkr ds ckjs esa iwNs tkus ij laxek us dgk fd nksuksa us gh mUgsa ldkjkRed #[k fn[kk;k gS vkSj dgk gS f dog jk”Vzifr pqukoksa esa fdl dks viuk ernku nsaxs bl ij ‘kh?kz QSlyk djsaxsA

Five member committee to sort Nagari acquisition

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uxM+h Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k fookn ds gy ds fy, ikap lnL;h; lfefr

Dyhu ehfM;k laoknnkrk

jkaph] 11 tqykbZ %lh,elh% >kj[kaM ds eq[;earzh vtqZu eaqMk us vkt uxM+h Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k fookn ds gy ds fy, HkwjktLo earzh eFkqjk izlkn egrks dh v/;{krk esa ikap lnL;h; mPpLrjh; lfefr dk xBu fd;k vkSj mlls leL;k ds lek/kku ds fy, ‘kh?kz mfpr lykg nsus dks dgkA

  vkf/kdkfjd izoDrk us ;gka crk;k fd eq[;earzh vtqZu eqaMk us bl ekeys esa mPp U;k;ky; ds gky ds vkns’k ds en~nsutj uxM+h fookn ds gy ds fy, bl mPpLrjh; lfefr dk vkt xBu fd;kA

  lfefr esa earzh egrks ds vykok HkwjktLo lfpo ,u ,u ikaMs;] foRr lfpo lq[knso flag] jkaph ds vk;qDr lqjsanj flag vkSj jkaph ds mik;qDr fou; dqekj pkScs dks ‘kkfey fd;k x;k gSA

  lfefr esa ‘kkfey ,d lnL; us crk;k fd lfefr 1957 ds bl Hkwfe vf/kxzg.k dh dkuwuh fLFkfr dks /;ku esa j[krs gq, fdlkuksa dh mfpr leL;kvksa ds lek/kku dk iz;kl djsxhA

KkrO; gS fd jkaph esa vkbZvkbZVh] vkbZvkbZ,e vkSj jk”Vzh; fof/k fo’ofo|ky; dh LFkkiuk ds fy, 227 ,dM+ Hkwfe uxM+h bykds esa jkT; ljdkj us miyC/k djk;h gS ftls 1957 esa gh vf/kx`ghr fd;k x;k FkkA

 Yksfdu vc fdlku bl vkfnoklh Hkwfe dks fdlh Hkh dher ij jkT; ljdkj dks nsus dks rS;kj ugha gSa vkSj blds fojks/k esa vkanksyujr gSaA vkanksyudkjh vkfnokfl;ksa ls iqfyl dh eqBHksM+ esa vcrd vusd yksx ?kk;y gks pqds gSaA

People have come to know the reality of Ramdev and Anna-Shakil

cleanmediatoday.blogspot.com

jkenso vkSj vUuk gtkjs dh vlfy;r turk tku x;h gS] dksbZ uksfVl ugha ysrk&’kdhy

Dyhu ehfM;k laoknnkrk

jkaph] 11 tqykbZ %lh,elh% dkaxzsl ds ofj”B usrk ‘kdhy vgen us vkt ;gka dgk fd jkenso vkSj vUuk gtkjs dh vlfy;r vc mudh ikVhZ ds lkFk lkFk ns’k dh turk tku x;h gS vkSj vc mudh ckrksa dk dksbZ uksfVl ugha ysrk gSA

  ‘kdhy vgen us vkt ;gka irzdkjksa ls ckrphr esa vkjksi yxk;k fd jkenso vkSj vUuk gtkjs Hkktik vkSj la?k ds uqekbans gSa vkSj bldh igpku vc dkaxzsl vkSj ns’k dh turk dks gks x;h gSA

  mUgksaus dgk fd igys bl ckr dh tkudkjh mudh ikVhZ dks ugha Fkh fygktk mUgsa vko’;drk ls vf/kd egRo fn;k x;kA ;gka rd fd fnYyh gokbZ vM~Ms ij pkj &pkj eafrz;ksa us jkenso dh vxokuh dhA

  mUgksaus dgk fd vc tc bu nksuksa yksxksa dh vlfy;r ls turk okfdQ gks x;h gS yksx mudh ckrksa dh ckr rks NksM+ nhft, mudks Hkh dksbZ vgfe;r ugha nsrs gSaA

;g iwNs tkus ij fd Hkz”Vkpkj ij yksdiky cuk;s tkus ds ckjs esa jkenso ds fopkjksa ij mudh D;k izfrfdz;k gS] ‘kdhy us etkfd;k ygts esa dgk] ^^;g cM+h ckr gS fd jkenso dks Hkh laoS/kkfud laLFkkvksa dh tkudkjh gSA**

KkrO; gS fd dy ;gka jkenso us dgk Fkk fd etcwr yksdiky LFkkfir gksus ls ns’k esa uCcs izfr’kr rd Hkz”Vkpkj dks dkcw fd;k tk ldrk gS ‘ks”k nl izfr’kr Hkz”Vkpkj ewY;ksa dh f’k{kk ls nwj fd;k tk ldrk gSA

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Khurshid reacts to Express story as comments kick up row

Clean Media Correspondent
  
New Delhi, July 10 (CMC) A controversy broke out over Law Minister Salman Khurshid's comments to The Indian Express that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is only playing a 'cameo role' and Congress is directionless, prompting the senior leader today to clarify what he meant was that the young and new leadership should prepare to lead from the front.


Khurshid said his comments should be seen in a "positive context" and lashed out at the Express report for misinterpreting them.


Addressing a press conference after his reported remarks triggered a row, Khurshid said his statements on Gandhi and the Congress are being wrongly interpreted.


"My party has to give strength to the government. The party is the base of the government, and the party, despite the disappointments that it faced in a few places, is absolutely determined to ensure that we put the best possible step forward to face the challenge that we face today.


"In that context my urging of young and new leadership of our party to prepare themselves to lead from the front, to prepare themselves to take on the challenge of our times is something you must see in the right context rather than in the negative context," Khurshid said.


The Express report had carried Khurshid's comments which said the root of the problems plaguing the Congress was the lack of "ideological direction" from its next generation leader Rahul Gandhi.


"Until now," he said, "we have only seen cameos of this thought and ideas like democratising elections to the Youth Congress. But he has not weaved all of this into a grand announcement. This is a period of waiting."
The Law Minister also said that he wanted to make it clear the media reactions will persuade him or convince him to say that he should not discuss these things in the presence of media but discuss within the party.


"I, on reflection, feel this (discussion about leadership) is something which we should restrict to within our party forum," he said.


Khurshid said those in the government and in the Congress are making constant efforts to have a dialogue with the media to make available the best information with transparency.


"But obviously every time we reach out to you, talk to you, it is for you to make a decision. Are you going to see that in a positive light? Or are you going to project it in a negative light?


"My urging and my request to you is please read it (his remarks) in a positive context because we are determined as a government to face the global challenges that have an impact here as well and those local domestic issues that have arisen, we will face them with confidence," he said.


Khurshid's remarks gave fresh ammunition to the Opposition BJP to attack the government with its spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad saying if a senior minister says his party is directionless, then the country is in a "drift".

After a smashing opening weekend, ‘Bol Bachchan’ earns Rs 72.8 crore!

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After a smashing opening weekend, ‘Bol Bachchan’ earns Rs 72.8 crore!  
Clean Media Correspondent

Mumbai, July 09 (CMC) Rohit Shetty and his constellation of Bollywood stars couldn’t have been happier. ‘Bol Bachchan’, the latest to come out of the Shetty camp, has already generated gross revenue of 72.8 crores. And all of that hefty cash in the first three days itself!


The film was released countrywide on Friday, and has been in news ever since. Lead actors Ajay Devgn and Abhishek Bachchan have been lauded for their performances, and despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, the film has managed to woo the audience.


‘Bol Bachchan’ is a comedy based on Hrishikesh Mukherjee’s ‘Gol Maal’, and has been loved by moviegoers thus far. And it seems the film will be another member of the year’s 100 crore club! 

Annan-Assad talks on Syria described as 'constructive'

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Annan-Assad talks on Syria described as 'constructive'
Clean Media Correspondent

Beirut, July 09 (CMC) Kofi Annan has declared his third round of talks with Bashar al-Assad as "constructive" and suggested his stillborn plan to stop the violence in Syria may yet be revived.


The UN special envoy to Syria said on Monday that a fresh approach to end the conflict would be put to the Syrian opposition, but offered no further details.


The centrepiece of the former UN chief's plan announced in April was a ceasefire by both sides that never took hold. Instead, the violence in Syria has escalated, with daily death tolls over the past two months approaching those seen during the bloodiest days of Iraq's civil war six years ago.


Before Monday's summit, the Syrian president described Annan's plan as good. After the two-hour meeting, Assad's aides couched the the talks as "constructive and good".


Annan's office had said he would table an internationally backed plan for a transitional government. The move, which could potentially replace Assad, appeared to have won cautious support from key Syrian allies, Russia and China.


Russia said on Monday it was halting arms exports to Syria until the situation stabilised. Moscow has faced widespread criticism in Europe for attempting to send three combat helicopters to Assad's air force that Russian engineers had refitted for use in military operations against Syrian rebels.


Annan had also been preparing to ask Assad to name an envoy to meet a candidate put forward by anti-regime groups. Both sides would then be tasked with forming a transitional government.


Whether either issue was raised is not yet known. Annan offered brief and cautious remarks after the meeting, before departing for Tehran, which he described as an important actor in Syria.


Iran has remained staunchly supportive of its key ally and on Sunday warned of "catastrophic consequences" if a military intervention was launched to topple the Syrian regime.


Such a move remains highly unlikely, with Nato and the US repeatedly refusing opposition requests to commit forces to Syria. Instead, the US is offering limited logistical support to an effort by Saudi Arabia and Qatar to arm some rebel groups.


Assad on Sunday accused the US of boosting "terrorist gangs" in Syria – a term he has used repeatedly to brand the armed opposition since the uprising began 16 months ago. That opposition includes military defectors and citizens who have taken up arms and joined a guerilla force known as the Free Syrian Army.


More than 16,000 people have been killed since March 2011, with many of the deaths being civilians, activists say. Assad claimed at the weekend that more members of the security forces had been killed than opposition backers.

SC seeks details of shrines destroyed in Gujarat riots

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SC seeks details of shrines destroyed in Gujarat riots
Clean Media Correspondent


New Delhi, July 09 (CMC) The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Gujarat government to file a survey report of the religious sites which were damaged and destroyed during the 2002 riots in the state.


A bench of justice KS Radhakrishnan and  justice Dipak Misra also asked the state government to quantify the amount needed for building and repairing those sites that were affected by the riots.
The court gave the directions on an appeal filed by the Gujarat government challenging a Gujarat high court order directing it to pay compensation for damage and destruction of the religious sites. At the very start of the proceedings, the Gujarat government said that the state exchequer could not be used for building and repairing religious sites.


The bench, however, said it would look into the issue whether public funds could be used for restoring the damaged sites.


"You compensate if a house is washed away in a flood or if it is damaged in an earthquake. Then why not in case of a religious place?" the bench asked. The court directed the state government to file an affidavit with regard to the religious sites affected by the riots and posted the matter for further hearing on July 30.


On February 8, the Gujarat government was pulled up by the Gujarat High Court for "inaction and negligence" on its part during the 2002 post-Godhra riots that led to large-scale damage or destruction of religious structures.


A high court division bench of Acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala had ordered compensation for over 500 places of worships in the state on a plea by Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG), an NGO.


The NGO had contended that 535 religious places were affected, out which 37 remain to be repaired.


Challenging the high court's order, advocate Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state government, contended that Sikh religious groups were also seeking compensation for damage to the religious places during 1984 anti-Sikh riots.


The plea by IRCG in 2003 had sought the court's direction to the government to pay compensation for damage to religious places during the riots on the ground that the National Human Rights Commission, too, had recommended it and the state government had in principle accepted the suggestion.


The high court had observed that inadequacy, inaction and negligence on the part of the state government to prevent the riots had resulted in religious structures being affected across the state.


It had said when the government could pay compensation for destruction of houses and commercial establishments, it should also pay compensation for religious structures.


If the structures have been already restored by now, the government should reimburse the amount spent on their restoration, the court had said.

UPA govt non-performing: Nitish Kumar

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UPA govt non-performing: Nitish Kumar
Clean Media Correspondent


PATNA, July 09 (CMC) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today attacked the UPA government calling it 'non-performing' and alleged that its claim of integrated development was 'hollow.' 


"I have been saying for long that the UPA government has been non-performing," he told reporters in reply to a question seeking his reaction on Time magazine describing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an 'underachiever'. 


Kumar refrained from making comments on the Prime Minister and said besides being "non-performing" the UPA government has been "indecisive" on policy issues and it has been felt for long. 


Kumar criticised the Centre also for "ignoring" Bihar's interests and said not only has the state's demand for special category status been rejected but it has also been denied coal linkage for Barauni Thermal power expansion project despite an all-party delegation submitting a memorandum to the Prime Minister requesting his intervention in the matter.

Best Bakery: HC acquits 5, upholds life term of 4

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Best Bakery: HC acquits 5, upholds life term of 4
Clean Media Today


Mumbai, July 09 (CMC) The Bombay high court on Monday acquitted five accused in the 2002 Best Bakery riots case for want of evidence but upheld the conviction of four others sentenced to life term by the trial court. A division bench comprising Justices VM Kanade and PD Kode, who had on July 3 reserved the judgement on the appeals filed by the accused against the trial court verdict, upheld the life sentence of Sanjay Thakkar, Bahadur Singh Chauhan, Sanabhai Baria and Dinesh Rajbhar.
The judges relied on the statements of four injured witnesses, all workers of the Best Bakery, who had identified the accused and said they were present at the place of the incident armed with swords and other lethal weapons during the post-Godhra communal riots.


The bench, however, overturned the trial court order and acquitted Rajubhai Baria, Pankaj Goasvi, Jagdish Rajput, Suresh, alias Lalo Devjibhai Vasava, and Shailesh Tadvi, saying there was no evidence against them. The judges said none of the witnesses had attributed any role to them during the riots.


The division bench had commenced day-to-day hearing in the appeals filed by the nine convicted accused in March this year.


On March 1, 2002, two days after the Godhra carnage, a mob had attacked Best Bakery in Vadodara, looting and burning it down and killing 14 people. The mob targeted the Muslims inside, including the Sheikh family which ran the bakery. Three Hindu workers employed at the bakery were also killed.


Of the 17 accused, nine were convicted and sentenced to life by a special court in Mumbai in 2006. The nine had then approached the high court challenging the order.


In a twist to the case, one of the witnesses Yasmeen Shaikh had filed a petition in the high court stating that she was "lured and misguided" into giving false testimony against the 17 accused by social activist Teesta Setalvad. She sought her evidence to be recorded again at the stage of appeal.


The court had, however, said it would first hear and decide on the appeals filed by the convicts.


Teesta too later filed an intervening application asking the court to hear her view while deciding the appeals.


The court will pronounce its order on the applications filed by Shaikh and Seetalvad later.

Relieved Air India passengers back in Delhi after emergency landing in Pak

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Relieved Air India passengers back in Delhi after emergency landing in Pak

Clean Media Today


 New Delhi, July 09 (CMC) All the 122 passengers on an Air India flight that made an emergency landing in Pakistan early on Monday morning returned to Delhi this evening. A special plane was sent to pick them up.


The Air India Airbus A-319 was headed from Abu Dhabi to New Delhi. There were 122 passengers and six crew members on board the flight.The pilot made the emergency landing at about 2:57 am (IST) in Nawabshah in Sindh.


In New Delhi, an Air India spokesperson said, "The aircraft was flying over Pakistan air space when the pilot saw a warning light in the cockpit and sought permission to land at the nearest airport which was Nawabshah." Initial reports said that all three hydraulic systems of the plane failed. There are two main systems and one back-up. The hydraulic systems control all major functions including steering and brakes.But sources say now the computer systems and the technical glitch caused a false alarm that all hydraulics systems had overheated. The refuelling for the "relief plane" that handled the evacuation was paid for by Pakistan International Airline (PIA) with the Indian High Commission serving as guarantors.The Aviation Ministry has submitted a report on the emergency landing to the Prime Minister.In Pakistan, officials also offered refreshments for the passengers and invited them to use the lounge at the airport, but the pilot preferred to keep them on board.There were conflicting reports of whether the passengers were given transit visas as a goodwill gesture by Pakistan.Air India sent a team of eight engineers to Nawabshah to repair the Airbus that made the emergency landing. It has also returned to Delhi.

Caste equation scores over clean administration in Karnataka

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Caste equation scores over clean administration in Karnataka
Clean Media Correspondent

Bangalore, July 09 (CMC) The Bharatiya Janata Party's propensity to score self-goals has become legendary. Now it has shot itself, not in the foot but at what it flaunts as its soul - its discipline and nation first motto - by pandering to caste equations in Karnataka and bowing to pressure tactics.
There was no other compelling reason for the party to shunt out Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda and replace him with Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar. Gowda had given a virtually blemishless administration in the last 11 months after the party found itself neck-deep in scandals - from rape to corruption and illegal land deals.
Its first chief minister in the state, B.S. Yeddyurappa heads the list of around 20 of the party's 120 law-makers fighting various cases in courts. And he is setting the tunes to which the BJP leadership is dancing on the specious plea that rustling up a caste combination was essential to win the next assembly elections due May next.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's propensity to score self-goals has become legendary.
The party's ambition of making Karnataka a launch pad for ruling south India is turning out to be a nightmare as it goes in for a third chief minister in four years. BJP will find it difficult to live down the ignominy of removing Gowda as the main reason behind is to please one major caste group - the Lingayats.
The explanation the BJP will give for replacing Gowda with Shettar will, of course, be that this is part of overhauling the government and party in Karnataka with elections in mind and has nothing to do with Yeddyurappa's caste politics. But the BJP will have to carry the burden of deepening caste polarisation in Karnataka and will have to pay for it as more energy and time will be spent in appeasing caste groups by finding them slots in the cabinet and plum posts of heads of state-run corporations and boards.
Both Yeddyurappa and Shettar are Lingayats who constitute about 17 percent of the states 65 million population. Gowda is a Vokkaliga, another politically powerful caste group that makes up for about 16 percent of the population. The two groups have dominated Karnataka politics for decades. Lingayats are generally believed to have started supporting the BJP since 1990 following the unceremonial removal of Veerendra Patil as chief minister by then Congress president Rajiv Gandhi.
Yeddyurappa claims that he rallied the Lingayats solidly behind the BJP in the May 2008 assembly polls which helped the party to form its first government in the state and southern India. He played the same card now to unseat Gowda and get Shettar made chief minister. What is shocking is that the BJP president Nitin Gadkari and other senior leaders fell for the ploy instead of using the opportunity to reduce the caste divisions.
It is a ploy because Yeddyurappa was not even willing to make Shettar a cabinet minister in May 2008 when he formed the government. He then feared Shettar may emerge as a challenger to his claims as the sole leader of the Lingayat community. Shettar was forced by the BJP national leaders to accept the speaker's post. Shettar got his chance to get back at Yeddyurappa and become a cabinet minister in 2009. This happened after mining barons, the Reddy brothers' rebellion against Yeddyurappa and projection of Shettar as an alternative to him.
Even in July last year, when Yeddyurappa was forced to quit over mining bribery charges, he was opposed to Shettar becoming the chief minister and insisted that he would resign only if Gowda succeeded him.
BJP leaders have chosen to wear blinkers to ignore these recent incidents and play the caste game, rather than rising above it. It is not that all Lingayats vote for only the BJP. The Congress too has several Lingayat leaders who hotly contest Yeddyurappa's claims. However they too are using the ruse of Congress neglecting the Lingayat community and forcing it to support the BJP.
In fact the Lingayat leaders in Congress have launched a campaign to get for one of them the post of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee now headed by G. Parameshwara, a Scheduled Caste. Caught in such a caste cauldron, governance will be more by default, a fate that the once well governed state is living with since 2004.
Between 2004 and 2007, the state saw two coalition governments - first between the Congress and Janata Dal-Secular, the second between the latter and BJP. The BJP will also get a dubious distinction of providing the state three chief ministers in four years from May 2008. The way the party's leaders have handled Karnataka proves that the BJP has no clue to how to tackle dissidence, leave alone a vision to put the state back on the track of good governance.

A sense of destiny helps Federer overcome twin test

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A sense of destiny helps Federer overcome twin test



Clean Media Today

Wimboldon, July 09 (CMC) Roger Federer admitted to having felt a sense of destiny as he won the most famous trophy in tennis yesterday (Sunday). After taking his 17th career grand slam, his seventh Wimbledon title and guaranteeing he will break Pete Sampras's 12-year-old record for the most weeks spent at world No?1 - all in a single day - he could be excused the sentimentality.
"From the get-go I really felt I'm supposed to play well here," he said. "You know I feel better here for some reason. I don't know why. But it's very unique and special in many ways, this  tournament. Over the years I've been able to keep up a great run." Federer's name, however, had not been inscribed on the Wimbledon honours board for three years.
Indeed, since winning the 2010 Australian Open, six months after the birth of his twin daughters, Federer had not triumphed at a major.
It prompted many to write him off in favour of a new world order headed by Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. That Wimbledon should have been the place he proved the doubters wrong was as fitting for him as his famous white cardigan.
"I see it more as a stepping stone, a period I have to go through as well," he said. "That I'm going to win 90 per cent of my matches throughout the year, it's impossible every single year. So you're always going to go through ups and downs.
"People forget sometimes I do have twin girls. That has had a massive impact on my life. I think it's helped my game more than anything because I think I'm playing some of the best tennis of my life right now, and [for] a long time now. But to be able to juggle everything has been a challenge. I think you learn from mistakes."
The Swiss revealed how he had received the support of another perennial champion, golf's Tiger Woods. "He was very pumped up these last couple days, for me. He was very supportive. It's nice, when other greats like this do believe in me. They push me further, even in the rain delay, when they cheer you on. I wish him the best as well. It feels great, you know, to receive so much support from such great athletes."
Federer did save some words for his vanquished opponent, Andy Murray, who yesterday became the first British man to appear in a Wimbledon singles final since Bunny Austin in 1938.
"I think he's done so, so well," said Federer. "I see what he goes through on a daily basis on tour. At Wimbledon I think he handles it perfectly.
"Grand slams I think are what you guys are focusing on the most. I really do believe deep down in me he will win grand slams, not just one.
"Things just didn't quite turn out for him in the final. But today I'm sure he got another step closer to a grand slam title. I believe he's going to win one soon."
Andy Murray choked back the tears after losing to an opponent he regards as "one of the greatest athletes of all time".
This was the first Wimbledon final in 74 years to have featured a British man and although Murray succumbed - losing 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 - he pushed Roger Federer all the way, bringing the Centre Court crowd to its feet with his courage.
"I'm getting closer," were the only words Murray could utter before his emotions overcame him in front of almost 15,000 on Centre Court and millions of television viewers. The Scot has often been criticised for his perceived coldness but after his overwhelming effort here his reputation as an unemotional automaton seemed entirely misplaced.
"Can I just take a second," he asked his interviewer as he pinched his eyes in an effort to regain composure. "Right, I'm going to try this and it's not going to be easy," he said. But then he broke down like his partner, Kim Sears, in the players' gallery.
Having eventually congratulated Federer on his seventh Wimbledon title - equalling Pete Sampras's record - Murray thanked the nation and Wimbledon tennis fans for their support over the last two weeks.
"Everybody always talks about the pressure of playing at Wimbledon and how tough it is," he said. "It's not the people watching, they make it so much easier to play. The support's been incredible. So, thank you." Murray's path to the final had unexpectedly been cleared after Rafael Nadal lost in the second round, which prompted many to say this would be his best chance to win a Grand Slam.
"Well, this chance is gone," he said. "I can't take today's match back, obviously. But was it my best chance? I don't know. It was [my] first time being in a [Wimbledon] final.
"You know, it was good to get there. I lost to a guy that's now won this tournament seven times and is No. 1 in the world. So if that's your best chance, then... we're talking about one of the greatest athletes of all time here, like we're saying. Got to put it in context a little bit."

Air India plane makes emergency landing in Pakistan

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Air India plane makes emergency landing in Pakistan
Clean Media Today

New Delhi, July 09 (CMC) An Air India Airbus A-319 made an emergency landing at Pakistan's Nawab Shah airport in Sindh province while flying from Abu Dhabi to Delhi.
The commander decided to make the unscheduled stop in Pakistan after suspecting hydraulic failure in the Airbus, which was an endemic problem in its old generation A-320s.
All the three hydraulic systems are learnt to have failed on this aircraft.
Luckily the plane landed safely and all the 122 passengers and 6 crew members are learnt to be unhurt.
"We are sending a relief aircraft at 10.45am to bring back the passengers to Delhi. A technical team is also being sent to Pakistan to assess the aircraft and bring it back to Delhi as a ferry flight," said AI spokesman GP Rao.
The A-319, operating as AI 940 on the Abu Dhabi-Delhi sector, left Gulf at about 5am and made the emergency landing at 5.45am (all local timings), said Rao. There is no clarity on whether the passengers spent the night inside the aircraft or were allowed to go to the terminal building.
The relief aircraft is expected to reach Delhi around 2pm. The DGCA is probing the incident.

Congress counters Time magazine's 'underachiever' remark against PM

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Congress counters Time magazine's 'underachiever' remark against PM
Clean Media Correspondent

New Delhi, July 08 (CMC) Congress on Sunday countered the "underachiever" remark against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made on the cover of TIME magazine's Asia edition, saying what the UPA has achieved under his leadership is by no stretch of imagination "under achievement".
"In the past eight years the UPA government headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has provided political stability, social harmony, internal cohesion, economic growth and a greater role in global affairs. This by no stretch of imagination is under achievement," party spokesperson Manish Tewari said.
His remarks came in response to questions on the TIME magazine's Asia edition featuring 79-year-old Mr Singh on its cover, whose title, with his portrait in the background, reads 'The Underachiever - India needs a reboot'.
The issue of the magazine, which will be out next week, says Mr Singh appears "unwilling to stick his neck out" on reforms that will put the country back on growth path.
Taking pot shots at the Prime Minister on the issue, opposition BJP pointed out a "sharp contrast" between the way the Time looked upon Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who was also featured in the magazine some time back.
"While a story on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was that he meant business and gave a message of prosperity, security, infrastructure development and progress to the country, specially people of Gujarat, the other Indian who has been featured is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is giving a message of despair, disillusionment, corruption, leaderless economy and downslide of Indian rupee," said BJP leader Tarun Vijay.
However, the Congress spokesperson refused to comment on the comparison being made by the BJP between the two descriptions.
A Congress leader speaking on the condition of anonymity, however, tersely said, "We have no intention of comparing Manmohan Singh and Narendra Modi.

Sadananda Gowda resigns as Karnataka Chief Minister, Jagadish Shettar to take over

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Sadananda Gowda resigns as Karnataka Chief Minister, Jagadish Shettar to take over
Clean Media Correspondent

 New Delhi, July 08 (CMC) Jagadish Shettar is going to be Karnataka's third BJP Chief Minister in four years. Sadananda Gowda, the man who precedes him, met BJP president Nitin Gadkari in Delhi this morning and submitted his resignation to him. Rural Development Minister Jagadish Shettar will replace him, Mr Gadkari announced soon after.

"I am an obedient soldier of the party. I have wholeheartedly accepted the verdict of the party," Mr Gowda who was in the Chief Minister's chair for a little over 11 months, told the media.

Mr Shettar will be formally elected by the BJP's MLAs in Karnataka. He has been handpicked by the BJP's strongman in the state, BS Yeddyurappa, much in the way the latter had picked Mr Gowda as his successor last year. For many months now Mr Yeddyurappa has been flexing some serious political muscle in his bid to oust Mr Gowda and the party leadership finally gave in. Senior party leaders Arun Jaitley and Rajnath Singh will go to Bangalore tomorrow as observers as the new CM is elected.
 
 Mr Gowda is expected to be given an honourable exit; a distinctly relieved Mr Gadkari had fulsome praise for him today. Not once but several times did the party president thank the outgoing CM for agreeing to resign in the "best interest of the party." He praised Mr Gowda's 11-month stint as CM and, when asked, why then a change, said, "We needed to make some decisions keeping the forthcoming elections in mind."

Karnataka votes in a new Assembly in less than a year and the sub text of Mr Gadkari's words is that the BJP not only needs to end the rebellion in its ranks but also needs to get its caste calculations right if it has to have a chance at retaining the only state it rules in south India.  

Mr Shettar belongs to the Lingayat community, as does Mr Yeddyurappa. The latter had won the state for the BJP in the last Assembly elections with the full backing of his powerful community. The BJP hopes getting back a Lingayat Chief Minister will help retain that support. When Mr Yeddyurappa was forced to resign as Karnataka chief minister last year after being indicted in illegal mining cases by the state ombudsman or Lokayukta, Mr Shettar had thrown his hat in the ring as a natural replacement. At that time, however, Mr Yeddyurappa was sure it would be a matter of months before he cleared his name and was back as CM. He is believed to have been reluctant to hand over power to another Lingayat leader and picked Mr Gowda, a Vokkaliga, instead.

But earlier this year, when a CBI investigation was ordered against Mr Yeddyurappa in corruption cases and an early return to power seemed impossible, Mr Yeddyurappa changed tack and played the community card. With more than half of the BJP's legislators reportedly backing him, he demanded that a Lingayat leader, specifically Mr Shettar, be made CM. Matters came to a head a few days ago when nine ministers, including Mr Shettar, resigned demanding that Mr Gowda be removed. They withdrew their resignations only when the party assured them that their demand would be addressed soon.  

Mr Shettar's biggest advantage, the backing of Mr Yeddyurappa, is also expected to be his biggest disadvantage. It is clear that he has got a chance at the CM's post because of Mr Yeddyurappa and will carry, as did Mr Gowda to begin with, the tag of a "rubber stamp" chief minister. Mr Gowda's attempt at losing that tag and coming into his own cost him the seat that Mr Yeddyurappa has secured for him last year.

The BJP's complicated task is only half done though. While Mr Gowda threw no tantrums on his way out, bowing to the leadership's wishes in a dignified manner, the party will have to appease the Vokkaligas, another important community. It is now said to be chalking out key roles for Vokkaliga leaders like R Ashok, who is home minister and Kuruba leader KS Eshwarappa, the party's state president.

There is talk that Mr Gowda will be given a Rajya Sabha seat. He flew into the capital yesterday and met senior party leaders LK Advani, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. Mr Gowda has now returned to Bangalore where he is expected to meet the Governor soon to hand over his resignation.
Till the end, the famous smile had dimmed, but not entirely faded. The 59-year-old Mr Gowda has promised his "good friend" Mr Shettar all cooperation. "Shettar is very good friend of mine. He is more senior and more experienced. I will always give full cooperation to him and if I want to give any suggestion for the betterment (of administration), I will personally visit him and give my suggestions," he told reporters.

The BJP wanted to delay the change till after the elections for the President of India are held on July 19. Their candidate is PA Sangma; he is taking on the UPA's Pranab Mukherjee. But an unhappy Mr Yeddyurappa could have meant a large section of the party's legislators from Karnataka would be tempted to vote against their own candidate in a show of defiance and strength.

Training to continue, says Colombo

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Training to continue, says Colombo
Clean Media Correspondent


Colombo, July 06 (CMC) Reports about a group of Sri Lankan Airmen under training in Chennai being sent back is incorrect, the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry has said.


“They will continue their training in another location in India without any hindrance to their training programme,” it said.


At least one prominent English news channel in India had claimed that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s demand to scrap training for Sri Lankan Air Force personnel was heeded by New Delhi, and that the personnel were being sent back. The media in Sri Lanka also picked it up.


When there is an outside factor that affects training, as have happened earlier, the defence institutions move the trainees to another facility in a ‘neutral’ State. In this case, too, the government has resorted to this action.


Considering the sensitivities in Tamil Nadu, Indian intelligence agencies had requested government agencies to avoid the State as far as possible. This critical input seemed to have been conveniently forgotten when the trainees were stationed at the Tambaram air force base.


Despite relations between the two countries not being at its best in recent times following the Indian vote for a resolution against Sri Lanka at the United Nations Human Rights Council in March, defence and security cooperation are firmly looking up.


National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon, after a meeting with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa told the Indian media stationed in Colombo last Friday that security related issues were indeed discussed. “We also discussed maritime cooperation and other security related issues. It was agreed that we could take this further. Sri Lanka is our close neighbour, with whom we enjoy a multifaceted and dynamic relationship. We look forward to strengthening and further developing this engagement,” he said. After the Defence Secretary-level talks in December 2010, India had made available additional slots in Indian Armed Forces training institutions, apart from agreeing to hold bilateral exercises. The Indo-Sri Lanka Naval exercises were subsequently held off the Trincomalee coast. India is also in the process of building two offshore patrol vessels for Sri Lanka.


India’s peacetime defence engagement with Sri Lanka was shaped in a series of talks after the fall of the Tamil Tigers in May 2009. The talks, which began at staff-level in the Army, Navy and Air Force, has also seen the service Chiefs of all three Indian Armed Forces visit Sri Lanka to firm up this relationship. The Defence Secretary level talks are structured, institutionalised and periodic. It caters to the defence concerns of both countries, apart from taking into consideration the larger question of security issues in the region.

Web virus: 'Could your internet shut down

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Web virus: 'Could your internet shut down? Yes it could'
Clean Media Correspondent


London, July 06 (CMC) DNS Changer was a virus run by an Estonian crime ring until authorities and the American FBI broke it up in November. At its peak it infected more than 500,000 PCs and Macs.
The virus, first used in 2007, hijacked users’ computers without their knowledge to generate fraudulent clicks on adverts. Although its only obvious effects were to slightly slow internet connections and to disable antivirus software, it also redirected computers to the fraudsters’ servers.
Turning that server off would have left users without any web access, so the FBI temporarily replaced it with a site to check whether visiting computers had the virus.
The Bureau has announced that on July 9 it will pull the plug, potentially leaving the 350,000 computers that are still infected, 20,000 of which are in the UK and 85,000 in America, without access
“The chances that you've got (the virus) and that you will lose your internet access on Monday are pretty slim but what this does demonstrate is that security is still a big issue on the web, it can have really serious consequences and fixing it can be a real issue,” said Mr Warman.

Bholanath Singh to head Indian wrestling team at London

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Merkel favours closer ties with Washington

cleanmediatoday.blogspot.com

Merkel favours closer ties with Washington
Clean Media Correspondent

BERLIN, July 01 (CMC) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday that Germany and the United States would benefit from having a closer relationship -- if they can first manage to overcome their differences.
"We could better develop our economies, stimulate growth, more jobs, if we didn't have so many obstacles in our talks," Merkel said in her weekly video podcast.
The chancellor was speaking on the 60th anniversary of Germany's Atlantic Bridge association, which aims to promote trade, military and educational relations between Washington and Berlin.
The organisation called for "a greater collaboration" between the two countries in the field of technology.
The relationship between the two countries was "a pillar of German politics and will remain so in the future," said Merkel.
"Politically we have a close relationship. We have a great responsibility to the world. We fight for human rights together."
But the two nations still had great differences of opinion, Merkel added, particularly on the issue of climate change where "Germany could be an example" to the US.