BJP will seek forgiveness from Muslims: Rajnath Singh

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February 25, 2014

Apparently trying to reach out to Muslims ahead of the crucial General Elections, BJP chief Rajnath Singh on Tuesday said that his party will ask for forgiveness if it had ever committed any mistake in the past.

“If we have ever committed any mistake, I assure you that we will bow down and ask for forgiveness,” Rajnath Singh said.

The BJP chief was apparently referring to the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, over which the party and the state’s Chief Minister and now its prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has faced enough criticism.

Rajnath made these remarks while addressing ‘Narendra Modi’s Mission 272+ : Role of Muslims’ summit in Delhi.

Coming down heavily on the Congress and other rival parties, Singh said, “Only one riot is talked about, that is the 2002 riots. Weren’t there riots in Gujarat before that when Hitendra Desai was CM?

Singh continued by saying, “Those who accepted the country’s division, in real sense they are communal not us.”

Singh said that the BJP was not against Muslims and the community should not go by the propaganda against it. He asked them to vote for BJP this time for the sake of the nation.

“Try us once. We don’t come up to your expectations, don’t look at us ever again,” he said.

The BJP chief asked the Muslim community not to vote for electing a government but for a strong nation where brotherhood and humanity shall prevail.

The BJP chief concluded by saying, “We don’t do politics for the sake of attaining power, we do politics to build the nation.”

Lalu marches with 9 ‘rebel’ MLAs to Assembly, RJD workers attack Speaker’s house

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Tuesday paraded nine MLAs who were part of a group that reportedly revolted against their party and blamed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for engineering a split in his party to save his minority government.

Speaking to reporter outside the Bihar Assembly, the RJD chief said, “We have just met the Assembly secretary with nine MLAs since the Speaker has run away. This proves that there is no split in the party. RJD will launch an agitation against the JD-U government for attempting to split my party. We will not spare anyone.”

While he went to the state assembly, there were reports of RJD workers pelting stones on Speaker’s house.

Lalu is also due to meet the state’s Governor and demand action against those who allegedly conspired to split his party.

Earlier, the RJD chief held an emergency meeting of his party legislators, which was attended by nine out of the 13 legislators who had reportedly revolted against the party yesterday.
The meeting was held at the official residence of former chief minister and his wife Rabri Devi.

After the conclusion of the meeting, the RJD chief said, “I am going to the Assembly and Raj Bhawan with my party MLAs.”

“I will not let go off this incident so easily,” Lalu said.

The RJD chief summoned party MLAs for an emergency meeting following reports of a rebellion in his party by 13 MLAs.

Concerned over reports of a rebellion in his party, the RJD chief arrived in Patna this morning from Delhi.

Shortly upon his arrival, Lalu accused state Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of hatching a conspiracy to split his party to save his government, which is in a minority.

Lalu Prasad told reporters that Nitish Kumar has been offering lucrative posts to his party legislators to create fissures.

“Nitish Kumar is eyeing RJD legislators and offering them lucrative posts to split the party,” Lalu Prasad told media persons here.

11 parties announce common fight against BJP, Congress; skip prime ministership talk

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Positing themselves as the real alternative to the Congress and the BJP, leaders of 11 parties today decided to contest the coming elections together, but kept the vexed issue of prime ministership, which has been the bane of Third Front experiments in the past, in abeyance.

Even before the alternative front could take proper shape, it suffered a setback of sorts, with Naveen Patnaik’s Biju Janata Dal, or the BJD, and the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) deciding to stay away from the meeting convened today to draw a common charter of programmes.

“AGP president Prafulla Kumar Mahanta’s mother is critically ill, but he called us up and asked us to go ahead. Mr. Patnaik informed us that he had some prior engagements, hence could not attend,” CPM general secretary Prakash Karat told reporters after the meeting.

The Third Front leaders vowed to work for the defeat of the Congress and the BJP in the national elections due by May. A four-point work programme was also finalized. These include strengthening the democratic framework of the country, ending corruption and ensuring an accountable government; establishment of a firm secular order; drafting a people-oriented developmental path; and setting up a true federal system.

“We are an alternative to both the BJP and the Congress. We resolved to present an alternative before the country,” Mr Karat said.

Sushilkumar Shinde does a U-turn on ‘crushing media’ remark

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

In a bid to water down the controversy over his threat to “crush” the electronic media, Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has now said he did not mean “journalism” but “social media”.

“I have recording of my speech. I was referring to social media and the violence incited against students from the Northeast in Hyderabad and Karnataka. My comments were not about journalism”, he said on Monday night.

On Sunday, Shinde was heard threatening to “crush” the electronic media, alleging a section of it was unnecessarily provoking the Congress party by indulging in “false propaganda” against it.

Meanwhile, the BJP called Shinde’s remark as condemnable. “We are proud of the media of this country. How can the Home Minister use such language,” BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, “Congress is itself crushed under corruption and misrule and talks of crushing media.”

The outburst by Shinde, a Congress leader who hails from Maharashtra’s Sholapur district, came at a Youth Congress event here on Sunday evening.

Shinde, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Sholapur, alleged that since the last four months a section of the electronic media is “manipulating” news about him and his party and warned it would be “crushed” if this kind of reportage is not stopped immediately.

“What is happening in the electronic media largely I am aware of it. In the last four months, there have been efforts by the media to provoke us (Congress). We will crush such elements in the electronic media, which are indulging in false propaganda, if it did not stop” he said.

“I have the intelligence department under me. I know who is doing such things. I know what is happening. Some forces are behind this,” he added.

You can choose your LS polls candidate, Rahul Gandhi tells tribals

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, on the first day of his Assam visit, interacted with tribal leaders here on Tuesday.

Speaking during the interaction, Rahul Gandhi said that he was in favour of decentralisation of power as well as decentralisation of funding of parties.

The Congress scion further told tribal leaders that he wants to “include you all in our choice for candidates” for the Lok Sabha polls.

“Not only your MLA but you can also choose you candidate for Lok Sabha polls,” Rahul said.

Security has been tightened in the city for the Congress vice president’s visit.

Rahul is also due to have a meeting with senior journalists.

Legalising euthanasia: SC refers matter to constitution bench

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred the issue of legalising euthanasia to a five-judge Constitution bench in response to a PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support.

Based on the report of the larger Constitution bench, the apex court can decide whether a person afflicted with a terminal disease be allowed to refuse essential artificial medical support systems as he does not want to prolong his agony?

The order was passed by a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam while hearing the PIL on allowing a person not to continue with artificial medical support. The Centre is vociferously opposing it and terming it as “suicide” which could not be allowed in the country.

The PIL, filed by NGO “Common Cause”, argues that when a medical expert opines that the person afflicted with terminal disease has reached a point of no return, then he should be given the right to refuse being put on life support system as otherwise it would only prolong his agony.

The petition was filed in 2008 when the apex court had issued notices to the Union Ministry of Health and Law and sought their response on the issue.

Opposing the plea of the petitioner, Additional Solicitor General Siddharth Luthra submitted that it cannot be permitted in Indian society and it would be against the law and medical ethics.

“There does not arise any question of allowing a physician to take away the life of a patient. Duty of a physician is to protect the life and not to take away the life,” Luthra said.

He said prayer made in the PIL is not tenable in law and it cannot be allowed through judicial exercise.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, contended that those “at the end of their natural life span and likely to go into a state of terminal illness or permanent vegetative state, are deprived of their right to refuse cruel and unwanted medical treatment, like feeding through hydration tubes, being kept on ventilator and other life supporting machines in order to artificially prolong their natural life span”.

The petitioner contended that a person whose life was ebbing out should be allowed to die as the continuance of the life with the support system was an unnatural extension of the natural life span.

Chhattisgarh cop shoots own kids, wife before killing himself

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

In a shocking incident, Devnarayan Patel, the City Superintendent of Police, shot his wife and two children before turning the service revolver on himself in the wee hours in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

Jagdalpur City Superintendent of Police Devnarayan Patel (40) shot himself with his service weapon after gunning down his wife Pratima (35) at his official residence in Shaket Colony in Jagdalpur at 2 am.

Son Aryan (6) and daughter Puja (11), who were also shot at, have been hospitalised, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Arun Dev Gautam told a news agency.

Patel’s wife Pratima died on the spot while the children sustained severe bullet injuries and have been admitted to Ramkrishna Care Hospital in Raipur, the IG said.

No suicide note has been recovered from the spot so far and prima facie nothing could be established as a reason behind the incident, the IG said, adding further investigations are on.

Patel was suspended on Monday following a verbal spat with Additional District Judge, Bastar, A Toppo on Sunday, the IG said.

Sources in the police department said Patel was apparently disturbed over his suspension which led him to take such an extreme step.

Plea against Narayan Sai for hurting sentiments by wearing turban dismissed

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

A local court dismissed an application against self-styled godman Asaram Bapu’s son Narayan Sai charging him with hurting the sentiments of Sikh community by donning a turban to evade arrest in a sexual assault case.

President of local outfit ‘Yuva Sikh Morcha’, Gagandeep Singh Bhatia, had filed an application in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Manoj Kumar Ladia contending that by sporting a turban while he was absconding from Surat police searching for him, Sai had hurt the sentiments of Sikh community.

Gagandeep’s lawyer Indrajeet Singh Bhatia told that the court, while dismissing the plea yesterday, ruled that there is no legal basis in the complaint for trial of the case against Narayan Sai as Indian constitution permits each and every Indian citizen to wear a dress of his/her choice.

The court also observed Sai’s wearing a turban does not prove that this has hurt the sentiments of Sikh community, he said.

Bhatia also said his client had mentioned in his complaint that in a bid to save himself from being arrested in a rape case, Sai had worn a turban thereby disguising himself as a Sikh, which hurt the religious sentiments of the community and this sent a wrong message among public about Sikhs.

Following a complaint of alleged rape against Sai by a Surat-based woman, Sai had been on the run and on December 4 was apprehended by police from Haryana-Delhi border. Police had caught 40-year-old Sai reportedly in the garb of a Sikh man sporting a red turban after evading arrest for 58 days.

The father-son duo are facing cases of sexual assault.

Two Surat-based sisters had lodged complaints against Sai and his father of rape, sexual assault, illegal confinement and other charges during their stay in the Gujarat ashram.

Sai’s father guru Asaram has been lodged in the Central Jail in Jodhpur since his arrest in August 2013 on charges of sexually assaulting a minor girl in his ‘ashram’ there, besides being accused of raping a Surat-based woman.

Martyr’s family pained at Army’s apathy

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

It was a moment that the family of Major Pramod Purushottam, who sacrificed his life while fighting terrorists virtually bare handed in Kashmir to save three journalists 14 years ago, was looking forward to.

But it was not to be.

The Army recently decided to honour Maj Purushottam at the Srinagar-based 15 Corps but did not bother to call his wife Lt Col (retd) Valsa Purushottam or his daughter Pallavi in time for the event where his bust was to be unveiled.

The Major’s 94-year-old father, K M Purushottam, who is bedridden for the last four years, stares at his picture hanging on the wall, hardly able to hide his emotion.

Purushottam bitterly recalls how he had to virtually fight it out with the army authorities after his son was killed in 1999 for some honour to be given to him for his supreme valour.

The nonagenarian’s elder son Vinod chips in and pieces together the broken sentence of his father. “Daddy says it took them four years even to get a simple ‘Badge of Sacrifice’ from the Army authorities.”

“Even now, army rubs salts into our wounds. If they were so serious to ensure that the family should be at the function of unveiling the bust of my brother, all they could do was to be systematic and inform us well in advance,” says Vinod.

Vinod said that he had received a call from Lt Col N N Joshi on the evening of February 18 asking whether it was possible for them to attend the function at Srinagar on February 22. “How is it possible in such a short span of time?” he asked.

Valsa says she was not even called as a matter of courtesy. “My going or not going is not important but at least make an effort to reach to the family of the soldier who has upheld the name of the army by making such a supreme sacrifice,” she said.

“I have nothing against the army as an institution. Ever since I have taken voluntary retirement, I have kept myself off of any engagements or the army,” she said.

After ‘chai’, now a NaMo fish stall in Chennai

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Afternoon Voice

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February 25, 2014

In a break from NaMo tea stalls in many states, Narendra Modi’s name will now sell fish in Chennai. The BJP launched the new initiative to market its prime ministerial candidate ahead of the national election, due by May.

BJP leader L Ganesan inaugurated the mobile NaMo fish stall at the city’s Marina beach. It operates from a van displaying what could be a morphed image of Mr. Modi holding up a fish, and promises to sell at competitive prices.

“This shows we care about the fishing community, we are not just trying to get their support for the polls,” said BJP’s Tamilisai Soundararajan.

Tamil Nadu’s fishing community comprises some 10 lakh people who can influence the electoral outcome in six Lok Sabha constituencies.

But if the NaMo stall was an overture towards the fishing community, then it seems to have backfired in some quarters.

A few hundred metres from the NaMo stall, fishermen are worried about undercutting of prices.

“If they decide to sell at cheap prices, what about our livelihood?” asked Lingam, a fisherman.

Recently, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had led a protest against the Sri Lankan Navy’s attacks on Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu on charges of trespass.

At a meeting in Pamban near the holy Rameswaram town, Ms. Swaraj asked the fishing community to vote for Mr. Modi, citing a fisherman he had nominated to the Rajya Sabha from his state Gujarat.