BJP cadres should work hard to present alternative to UPA, Narendra Modi says

NEW DELHI: Gujarat chief minister NarendraModi, who is being projected by some in BJP as its prime ministerial face for 2014 elections, today asked his party cadres to work hard to present an alternative to the UPA government. Against the backdrop of the demands for his projection as the party's PM candidate, Modi sought to play down the issue. "Who is the person, or who is the candidate, it does...

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India 'closely monitoring' situation in Sri Lanka: Union minister Narayanasamy

CHENNAI: The Centre was "closely monitoring" the situation in Sri Lanka and was taking all steps for the safety of Tamils living there, Union minister V Narayanasamy said on Saturday."India was closely monitoring the situation over the Sri Lankan Tamils issue in the island nation and was taking all steps for their safety", the minister of state in PMO he told reporters here.Responding to a query,...

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Arun Jaitley's phone was not tapped: Sushil Kumar Shinde

NEW DELHI: Attempts had been made to access Arun Jaitley's phone records but no information had been obtained, home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said on Friday in reference to allegations that the opposition leader's phones had been tapped."This was not the case of phone tapping. The Delhi Police has made some arrests, they said we came to know some person sought to know call record data of Arun Jaitley......

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Assembly polls: Landslide victory for Left in Tripura

AGARTALA: Tripura's ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) led Left Front was Thursday heading for a landslide victory and seemed set to retain power for a fifth straight term. In a virtual status quo, the ruling formations were ahead and appeared to be romping back to power in the assembly elections in Tripura, Nagaland and Meghalaya where counting of votes was taken up on Thursday. TRIPURA...

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Baba Ramdev set to float a political party

CHANDIGARH: Yoga guru, Baba Ramdev, is all set to float a political party to offer 'an option' to the common man in the forthcoming Parliamentary Elections in 2014. Vowing not to contest himself as a candidate, Baba Ramdev said that he would not occupy a position of power himself. Dressed in typical saffron attire, Baba Ramdev, talked to media men before heading to Solan in Himachal Pradesh where...

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Cold conditions prevail in Punjab, Haryana

CHANDIGARH: Cold conditions prevailed in many places of Punjab and Haryana on Monday with night temperature hovering below normal. Narnaul in Haryana was coldest in the region with a low of 7.1 degrees celsius, three degrees below normal, the MeT said here. The minimum temperature dropped in Hisar and Karnal, with both places recording respective lows of 8 degrees celsius and 8.8 degrees celsius while...

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I am here to share your pain, PM tells Hyderabad blast victims

HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh visited the bomb blast sites in Hyderabad on Sunday and met some of the victims who are being treated in hospitals."I am here to share your pain and grief. We will take care of you," PM said to a vicitm Rajitha in Yashoda Hospital.Talking to another victim, the PM said, "We will provide all possible medical help to you and others."Consoling the mother of an...

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Need to move towards tech-driven tax administration: FM

NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said there is need to move towards a technology driven tax administration and called on all assesses to file tax returns."We will have to get each one of the 28 lakh tax deductees (under TDS). The tax amount would be credited to the government and refund would be credited to the deductee. And this can be done only if we move to technology," Chidambaram...

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Jammu-Srinagar highway closed due to snowfall, landslides

JAMMU: The Jammu-Srinagar national highway, the only road link between Kashmir and rest of the country, was today closed for vehicular traffic due to heavy snowfall and landslides, leaving over 200 vehicles stranded. "The highway was closed for vehicular traffic today due to heavy snowfall near Jawahar tunnel, Patnitop and landslides in Panthial area of Ramban district," a police officer said....

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Day 2 of nationwide strike: Several states affected; little impact in West Bengal

NEW DELHI: Normal life in several parts of the country continued to remain affected on Day 2 of the nationwide strike called by the trade unions.Cops in Noida are on high alert, after widespread violence on the first day of the strike. According to TV reports, several schools and offices in Noida have been closed.The UP government has formed a two-member panel to probe the violence in Noida on the...

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Prabhakaran's son's killing 'war crime', says Jayalalithaa

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa on Wednesday described as "a war crime" the alleged cold-blooded killing of the son of the late Tamil Tigers' chief Velupillai Prabhakaran."The killing of Balachandran (Prabhakaran) is a war crime," the chief minister told the media here, and urged India to work with the US to pass a resolution in the UN denouncing rights violations in Sri Lanka.Jayalalithaa...

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We have nothing to hide on VVIP helicopter deal, ready to face Parliament: Antony

NEW DELHI: Defence minister A K Antony on Tuesday refuted reports about his resignation over alleged kickbacks in the over Rs 3600 crore VVIP helicopter deal and said he was getting ready for Parliament session."We have nothing to hide. We are prepared to face Parliament," Antony said."I am sad over the allegations of kickbacks despite taking all precautions at all stages," he added.The defence...

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Normalcy returns to Kashmir after days of curfew

SRINAGAR: Normalcy returned to Kashmir valley on Monday after nine days of curfew and strike in the aftermath of the execution of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru. The markets in Srinagar and other major towns were abuzz with activity as shopkeepers opened their outlets this morning. Government and private offices and other commercial establishments opened as per their normal schedule....

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Over 50 arrested for stone-pelting after Afzal Guru's hanging

Srinagar: Over 50 youths have been arrested for allegedly being involved in stone-pelting during protests that rocked parts of the Kashmir Valley following execution of Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru. "Police have arrested 53 persons from different districts of the Valley on the charges of stone-pelting and creating trouble after Guru's hanging," a police spokesman said. Protests...

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Rains in Andhra Pradesh kill three, damage crops

HYDERABAD: Three people were killed and crops over hundreds of acres were damaged in the unseasonal rains that lashed parts of Andhra Pradesh since Friday evening, officials said on Saturday. Two farmers died and six others were injured in Adilabad district of Telangana region when trees, uprooted by strong winds, fell on them. A shepherd died in Warangal district in the same region. The sudden showers...

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Omar Abdullah defends curfew in Valley

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah has defended imposition of curfew in the Valley saying restrictions would not have been needed if no one tried to create trouble after the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru. "Even these restrictions would not have been necessary if we didn't have amongst us those determined to create trouble out of this situation," Omar wrote...

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One Billion rising up in the cause of women's safety

NEW DELHI: People from all walks of life will come together today to pledge their commitment to put an end to violence against women. A series of cultural events have been planned across the country as part of the global campaign which is being called 'One Billion Rising'. The campaign was started by playwright and activist Eve Ensler (known for her play The Vagina Monologues) against all forms of...

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Kerala rape case: Kurien's wife rubbishes charge against husband

PATHANMTHITTA, KERALA: Amid growing clamour for resignation of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P J Kurien in the Suryanelli gangrape case, his wife has rubbished the allegations against him and said those hurling "malicious charges" never bothered to appreciate sentiments of her family. Susan Kurien, a retired high school teacher, said in a statement here that her husband had reached home and they...

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Joint Parliamentary Committee questions CBI director on 2G prosecutor's removal

NEW DELHI: CBI director Ranjit Sinha was on Tuesday quizzed by Opposition members about the removal of the prosecutor in the 2G case during a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee examining the scam.Sinha is learnt to have told the Committee, chaired by PC Chacko, that the veracity of the purported taped conversations between CBI prosecutor AK Singh and Unitech Managing Director Sanjay Chandra...

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Post Afzal hanging, rights groups demand India end executions

NEW YORK/LONDON: In the wake of the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, global rights groups have asked India to end the use of executions and move towards abolishing the death penalty. "Questions need to be asked why the Indian government executed Afzal Guru now," New York-based Human Rights Watch's South Asia director Meenakshi Ganguly said. "No one argues that those who engage...

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