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BJP plans stir against price rise, farmer suicides
New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Aiming to exploit price rise and agrarian crisis to the hilt, BJP today announced a countrywide agitation to highlight the "failure" of the UPA Government to check farmer suicides and rising inflation.
The main Opposition party will on April seven launch a week-long protest against the Congress-led government on the issue of price rise and a two-month long campaign in a bid to pick holes in the loan waiver package.
"After the so-called pro-poor budget of the UPA government, prices of essential commodities are skyrocketing. The Government has totally failed to control and check price rise," senior BJP leader Anant Kumar said.
The saffron party is planning to make price rise a major campaign issue alongwith distress in the agrarian sector and internal security situation for coming Assembly elections to corner the Congress.
It is also firming up a strategy to counter the populist loan waiver package announced by the Government by spreading the message that the scheme does not include majority of the farmers facing distress.
The party said it will organise kisan adalats (farmer courts) across the country for two months from April seven during which party leaders and workers will interact with the farming community.
"We will try to get their feedback on the loan waiver scheme, irrigation facilities, power problem, availability of fertiliser and pesticides," Kumar said. The agitation plan was finalised by a meeting of BJP General Secretaries here.
Besides, the party will organise functions to commemorate the death anniversary of Mangal Pandey and to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1857 uprising. PTI
Sonia charged with hurting feelings of Hindus
Muzaffarpur, Mar 27 (PTI) A local court has admitted a complaint against Congress President Sonia Gandhi charging her with outraging religious feelings of the Hindus in her portrayal as Goddess Durga in a poster at the party's Muradabad office in Uttar Pradesh.
District Judge H K Srivastava admitted the complaint filed by an advocate Sudhir Ojha against Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh and Muradabad district party presidents.
The charges were made under three sections of IPC: sections 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class), 295 (a) (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefes) and 120(b) (criminal conspiracy).
After admitting the petition yesterday, Srivastava transferred it to fast-track Judge V K Mandal for initiating legal proceedings.
Earlier on December 1, 2007, a magistrate had dismissed Ojha's petition that prompted the lawyer to move the court of the district judge on December 11, 2007.
Ojha, in his complaint, alleged the Muradabad district congress president in league with UP Congress committee chief had put up the poster on the wall of the party's Muradabad office on June 21, 2007. Gandhi was in criminal conspiracy with them in the exercise, he charged.
The poster with Gandhi as 'Durga' was beamed by television channels and its photographs appeared in several newspapers hurting the sentiments of the Hindus, he alleged.
The fast track court is likely to take up hearing of the case next month. PTI
FIR against Orissa Speaker, chaos in Assembly
Bhubaneswar, Mar 27 (PTI) A sexual harassment case was filed against Orissa Assembly Speaker Maheshwar Mohanty today by a woman security staff whose allegations rocked the House for the second day today with Opposition members storming the Presiding officer's podium.
The First Information Report(FIR) was filed in the Mahila police station here by a group of women activists on behalf of Gyatri Panda, the assistant marshal, as she was not present there, a day after she accused Mohanty of sexual harassment.
Accusing the Speaker of engaging his staff to persuade her to have sexual relations with him, the FIR alleged that Mohanty often made vulgar gestures at her.
Mohanty has denied the charges claiming it was part of a conspiracy in which influential people were involved to malign him.
Panda alleged that some anti-social elements gave her life threat after she levelled the charges against the Speaker in public.
The controversy sparked unprecedented scenes in the Assembly as Opposition members, demanding Mohanty's resignation, laid a siege at the podium preventing Deputy Speaker Prahallad Dora from reaching the Chair. Mohanty had expressed his desire not to preside over proceedings until he emerged clean after a probe by a House committee.
At a news conference, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik rejected the Opposition demand for Mohanty's resignation and an impartial probe by an independent agency.
"I want the inquiry to be conducted by honourable members of the House and not by any external agency," he said.
The Women's wing of the state Congress staged a demonstration and burnt Mohanty's effigy here demanding that he quit office. PTI
Britain favours permanent UNSC seat for India
H S Rao
London, March 27 (PTI) Pitching for a permanent seat for India in an expanded UN Security Council, Britain has said it is trying to break the long-standing deadlock over the reform of the world body, a cause it has championed "publicly" and "consistently".
"The Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) reaffirmed the United Kingdom's support for India's candidacy (for a permanent UNSC seat) during his speech in Delhi in January," Minister for the Middle East Kim Howells told Labour MP Ashok Kumar in the House of Commons here yesterday.
He said Britain "publicly" and "consistently" championed reform of the UN, including introduction of an enlarged UN Security Council with a permanent seat for India.
"Our mission in New York (at the UN headquarters) is trying to break the long-standing deadlock over reform, and we will continue with our efforts to persuade Governments that India should have a permanent seat on the Security Council - alongside Brazil, Japan and Germany, and that there should be representation from Africa," he said.
Howells said the UK enjoyed a strong partnership with India based on the shared values of democracy, fundamental freedoms, pluralism, rule of law and respect for human rights.
"The Prime Minister's recent visit to New Delhi strengthened that partnership by ensuring that progress was made on a range of bilateral and wider international issues. Both sides will use the outcome of the visit to deepen further the relationship," he said.
Answering a question on Kashmir, the minister said "it will be interesting to see how quickly the new Pakistani Government take up the mantle and ensure that the peace that is thankfully now being experienced in Kashmir becomes permanent." PTI
India 82 for no loss at stumps
Chennai, Mar 27 (PTI) Replying to South Africa's 540, India were 82 for no loss in their first innings at close on the second day of the first cricket Test at the M A Chidambaram Stadium here today.
Wasim Jaffer with 25 and Virender Sehwag with 52 were the unbeaten batsmen at stumps.
Brief scores: South Africa 1st innings: 540 India 1st innings 81 for no loss in 22 overs (V Sehwag 52 batting, W Jaffer 25 batting). PTI
Ishant okay with sledging, but within limits
New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) At a time when BCCI is hell bent on banning sledging from cricket, India's pace spearhead Ishant Sharma feels there is nothing wrong with some banter on the field as long as it remains within acceptable limits.
"There is nothing wrong with having a word or two as it shows aggression. But it is important that the aggression remains controlled aggression," Ishant said here today.
"One should be careful not to over-react as it can affect one's game. I have learnt about it and am a thinking bowler now," the Delhi speedster, who was himself fined for showing Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds the way to the pavilion after dismissing him in the recent tri-series, said.
In light of the recent acrimonious series in Australia, BCCI proposed at a recent ICC meeting that sledging had no place in cricket and should be banned.
ICC also shot off a letter to the CEOs of all its Full Member boards and international captains, asking the players to avoid sledging.
BCCI's suggestion, however, has not found favour with Cricket Australia which made it clear that the present regulations were good enough to curb undesirable verbals in the middle.
Aussie seamer Stuart Clark has also argued that a blanket ban on sledging would make the game "boring" while former skipper Mark Taylor had suggested a card system to deal with improper behaviour. PTI
Anand held by Gelfand
From our chess correspondent
Nice (France) Mar 27 (PTI) World champion Viswanathan Anand's form in rapid chess was found wanting again as he squandered lead against Boris Gelfand of Israel and settled for a 1-1 draw in the 10th and penultimate round of the Amber blindfold and rapid chess tournament here.
Anand won the blindfold game showing his depth in preparation but slipped yet again in his favourite Rapid format, giving Gelfand a chance to equalise.
The Indian now stands joint sixth in overall standings with just one round to go and has no chance of winning any title this year.
Levon Aronian of Armenia won the tournament with one round to spare after settling for two draws with Vladimir Kramnik of Russia.
The Armenian took his overall tally to 13.5 points in all and remained 2.5 points ahead of nearest rivals Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria, Peter Leko of Hungary, Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Kramnik, who all have 11 points apiece.
Anand stands joint sixth in overall standings now with 10 points along with Vassily Ivanchuk of Ukraine and Alexander Morozevich of Russia.
In the blindfold, Morozevich shares the lead with Aronian on 5.5 points while the rapid has also been won by Aronian with a round to spare as he has an unassailable 2 points lead in this section.
It was a slip of a mouse some time back that gave Anand a much needed victory over Gelfand in the penultimate round of blindfold. While preparing a fashionable variation of the Slav defense, the Indian had put the 21st move by mistake and found that it was indeed the best response. PTI
Sensex down by 71 pts, auto, IT shares end lower
Mumbai, Mar 27 (PTI) The markets remained weak for the second consecutive day today and the benchmark Sensex closed lower by another 71 points with investors opting for low-key activity ahead of fourth quarter earning announcements in second week of April.
The 30-share Sensex on the Bombay Stock Exchange settled the day at 16,015.56, a fall of 71.27 points or 0.44 per cent from its last close.
The index moved between 16,111.44 and 15869.09 points.
However, 50-issue S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange survived to close in positive terrain at 4,830.25 from previous close of 4,828.85.
As for global indices, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the tech-laden Nasdaq Composite Index dropped by nearly 110 and 17 points respectively last night on poor economic data and worries over bank earnings as write-down concerns in upcoming quarters dampen financials.
Most of the Asian indices ended mixed with downward bias. European stock markets resumed higher by nearly one per cent, giving some relief to the local markets to regain some lost ground in later part of the day.
On BSE, banking, IT and auto counters were the prominent losers while buying in realty, FMCG and pharma shares cushioned the Sensex fall to some extent.
Late buying in pivotals in the form of short coverings on the last day of March series helped Sensex to recover some of its initial losses but could not stem the fall in the index.
Marketmen said investors are waiting for the fourth quarter results to be announced from second week of April.
Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) continued to be net buyers for the last successive four sessions and they picked up shares worth Rs 282.32 crore yesterday, as per provisional figures. MORE
UB ready to buyback Heineken stake; says conflict of interest
Baramati, Mar 27 (PTI) Liquor baron Vijay Mallya today said his UB Group is ready to buyback stake from Heineken, which the latter had acquired in the group following the takeover of Scottish & Newcastle (S&N), saying there is a conflict of business interest.
"They have beer business in India, which has a conflict of interest as Kingfisher is the largest beer brand in the country. I am ready to buy back," Mallya said here while opening United Spirits' Baramati Four Seasons winery here.
He said Heineken would have to renegotiate the deal through which it had inherited the business interests of S&N in India.
Earlier in January, a consortium of Carlsberg and Heineken had acquired S&N for 7.5 billion pounds. S&N had 37.5 per cent stake in the UB Group.
As per the takeover agreement, Heineken was supposed to continue to hold S&N's business in the UK, Ireland, Portugal, Finland, Belgium, the US and India.
Carlsberg on the other hand pocketed the S&N's operatins in France, Greece, China, Vietnam and Russia.
The takeover had also raised speculation whether there would be an open offer by Heineken for UB group shares.
UB Group had, however, clarified that there was an unlikelihood of it happening as in the past there were instances of takeovers, which had notrequired an open offer. PTI
Work on NTPC-aided power plant to start in 3 months
T V Sriram
Colombo, March 27 (PTI) The construction work on the Indo-Lankan 500 MW coal-fired power plant in Eastern Sri Lanka is expected to commence within the next three months.
The proposed power plant in Veloor, near Nilaweli, in the country's eastern district of Trincomalee will be a joint venture between India's NTPC and Ceylon Electricity Board.
The ministry of Power and Energy has indicated that the construction work of the said coal power plant will begin in three months' time.
The coal power plant is expected to provide 1000 MW to the national grid, with the first stage of the project targeted to provide 500 MW to the grid by 2012.
A total of 700 acres of land have been earmarked for the project and the surveying will be completed by April, the ministry said, adding that the construction will begin thereafter.
The construction work of the proposed coal power plant will be carried out by NPTC under the supervision of Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), the ministry statement said.
The first phase of the construction is estimated to cost 500 million dollars and 70 per cent of the cost is expected to be covered by foreign aid, with the rest to be provided by the CEB and the NTPC, it said.
"About one million tons of coal per year is to be imported and this coal is regarded 99.2 per cent eco-friendly", the statement said, adding that a jetty is to be built at Sampoor in Trincomalee to unload the coal from the ships.
The government believes that the project would contribute to economic development in the district and it would provide 4,000 job opportunities, the statement said. PTI
Changes in India-Singapore CECA; impact on 30 items
New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) The Government today approved changes to the India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement deleting 16 items from the approved list that qualifies for duty elimination.
Under the changes in the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA), given ex-post-facto approval by the Union Cabinet, 14 items have been shifted to the category of sensitive track which protects the domestic producers against tariff-free imports.
The items, which may now be subjected to import duty include discs for laser reading system, still image video camera and magnetic tapes, an official spokesperson said here.
The items moved to the sensitive list mostly relate to the chemical and petro-chemical sector and include linear low density polyethylene, linear medium density polyethylene and nylon moulding powder.
The India-Singapore CECA has already come into operation with a large number of items being trade without duty on either side. The agreement also lays a tariff reduction/elimination road-map for several other goods. PTI
Trai decides to phase out levy on telecom operators
New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Private telecom operators will not have to pay any levy to BSNL to compensate it for carrying out rural operations, sector regulator Trai announced today, a move that may hit BSNL's expansion plans in remote areas.
The levy called Access Deficit Charge (ADC) was being paid by the telecom service providers to compensate BSNL for offering rural services, which were considered unprofitable.
Besides, Trai has also announced the reduction on ADC on international calls to 50 paise from Rs 1 at present.
However, BSNL has been advocating for continuation of this levy. It was getting the ADC of Rs 5,000 crore annually till about two years ago from private players to compensate the PSU for providing services in rural areas, where private companies were reluctant to go.
Since BSNL has the largest number of rural subscribers, more than 90 per cent of the fund collected was passed on to the state-owned company.
The ADC has two parts. First is 0.75 per cent of Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) that service providers pay to BSNL and second, Re 1 per minute on international incoming calls paid to the PSU by international long distance service providers.
The regulatory body has issued the ninth amendment to the Interconnection Usage Charges (IUC) regulation that deals, among other things, with the ADC payable by private operators.
Through the amendment, Trai has decided to phase out ADC as a percentage of AGR from April 1, 2008, making all domestic calls free from the incidence of ADC from that date. PTI
Tibet issue "internal affair": China
Raghavendra Beijing, Mar 27 (PTI) As major powers turned the heat on it with calls to maintain restraint and resume dialogue with the Dalai Lama, China today said that Tibet was "totally an internal" affair and it firmly opposed outside interference.
"The Tibetan issue is totally an internal affair of China and brooks no interference," Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang told reporters here as US and European countries piled more pressure on Beijing to hold talks with the Dalai Lama and expressed concern over its handling of the unrest in Tibet.
China also bluntly told European countries not to adopt "double standards," as France joined other nations in the chorus with its President Nicolas Sarkozy saying "all options are" open regarding a possible boycott of the opening ceremony of the Olympics here in August. French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he could not tolerate China's crackdown.
"I believe there are criminals, especially violent criminals in the European countries. How do the police handle these cases in Europe. So, I hope Europe will not adopt double standards," Qin said. "I hope people will not adopt double standards and send any erroneous messages to the Dalai clique (supporters of the Dalai Lama)." Qin insisted that "Tibet is an internal issue. China firmly opposes any country's interference in Tibet affairs and China's internal affairs. We request the relevant countries to respect our sovereignty and territorial integrity and extensively recognised international laws and not to facilitate the Dalai clique and his separatist activities." China, he said, had the "determination and competence" to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity. PTI
Tibetan monks defy China to disrupt tour of foreign scribes
Beijing, Mar 27 (PTI) Tibetan monks today embarrassed China by staging a protest and voicing their support for the Dalai Lama in front of visiting foreign reporters in Lhasa.
The protest, defying tight security, came as China took some of the Beijing-based foreign correspondents on an escorted tour of the riot-hit Lhasa, the Tibetan capital, media reports said.
About 30 monks shouted pro-Tibetan slogans and in support of the Dalai Lama as journalists toured the Jokhang Temple, one of Tibet's holiest shrines.
One monk shouted "Tibet is not free, Tibet is not free" before he started to cry, an AP journalist at the scene reported.
Foreign journalists have largely been prevented from covering the unrest, biggest since 1989. However, China yesterday allowed a group of reporters into Lhasa for a three-day escorted visit.
The visit to Lhasa is the first by foreign journalists since violent pro-independence protests erupted there two weeks ago.
China has accused the Dalai Lama of "masterminding" the protests aimed at "sabotaging" the Beijing Olympics in August.
The protests began on March 10 and developed into violent rioting in Lhasa before spreading to neighbouring regions.
China says 20 people were killed by rioters. The Tibetan government-in-exile maintains that about 140 people have been killed in a crackdown by Chinese security forces. PTI
Bush asks Hu Jintao to talks to Dalai Lama
Sridhar Krishnaswami & Raghavendra
Washington/Beijing, Mar 27 (PTI) Joining others, US President George W Bush has asked his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao to talk to the Dalai Lama's side on the Tibet issue but the latter said they would do so only if the Tibetan spiritual leader "truly" abandoned his quest for 'Tibet independence.' "President Bush telephoned President Hu Jintao of China today.
The President raised his concerns about the situation in Tibet and encouraged the Chinese government to engage in substantive dialogue with the Dalai Lama's representatives and to allow access for journalists and diplomats," a statement by the White House said.
"...The President pushed very hard on the need to -- concern about violence in Tibet, the need for restraint, the need for consultation with representatives of the Dalai Lama. As you know, there have been consultations between Chinese authorities and representatives of the Dalai Lama in the past," National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley said.
"Those have been suspended. The President urged that those be restored as part of a process for Chinese authorities to addressing, reaching out to and addressing the grievance of the people in Tibet" Hadley said in a briefing yesterday.
Hu told Bush that the Dalai Lama should especially stop activities to "fan and mastermind" violent crimes in Tibet as well as in some regions and to sabotage the Beijing Olympics in August and accept Tibet and Taiwan as inseparable parts of China.
The riots in Lhasa were "by no means peaceful demonstrations or activities of non-violence as claimed by the Dalai Lama clique but were undisguised serious and violent crimes", the official Xinhua news agency quoted the Chinese President as telling Bush. PTI
Refugees wish to see Mugabe ouster in upcoming polls
Durban, Mar 27 (PTI) Tens of thousands of Zimbabwean refugees in South Africa wish to see President Robert Mugabe "booted" out of the office when their countrymen go to the polls on Sunday.
The Zimbabweans, scattered throughout the length and breath of South Africa, are fed up with the despotic rule of Mugabe, who they claim has totally destroyed their country.
Refugees aired their strong protests against Zimbambwe government, echoeing their concern about their inflation-battered countrymen, struggling shortages of essential food commodities and plummetting living standards.
"We have suffered too much for more than 20 years and now want to see Mugabe being booted out," said Simon Mutuwere , who fled from Zimbambwe two years ago and eke out a living by doing odd jobs.
We all want Morgan Tsvangirai (Zimbambwe's main opposition leader) to win so that there could be a change, Koshita, another youth said.
Over three million are living in South Africa as refugees and thousands of others scattered in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Malawi and Mozambique.
Meanwhile, Tsvangirai vowed to revamped the country's crumbling economy by introducing a new currency within months if he comes to power in the upcoming polls. PTI
Aussie author on mission to popularise science through stories
Annie Samson
New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) A chicken, whose head was chopped off managed to survive for a year and a half without a head! Tough to believe but scientifically quite possible, explains Australian author Dr Karl Kruszselnicki.
Learning science can be made fun if the concepts are couched in a story, he says. "I tell an interesting story and sneak a science fact in between. It sustains interest as well as gives knowledge," says the science buff who hosts a TV show on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
Kruszselnicki, who was on an India tour recently, is known in Australia as a science commentator who "enthuses people with the awe and wonder of science" through his programmes on radio and television and columns in newspapers.
The author-cum-commentator frequently refers to a story of a chicken called Mike who was a sensation for two years in the US city of Colorado. Known as 'Mike the Headless Chicken' the rooster was owned by a farmer who chopped off as little of its neck because he wanted to leave as much of the tasty neck as possible.
Scientists explained that Mike had enough of a brain stem left to live without a head.
"The story about the headless chicken never fails to arrest listeners and people learn a little bit of anatomy along the way," says the author who advocates teaching concepts of science though a series of stories and narratives. PTI
Fewer Malyalees, Tamils now in Kolkata
Amitava Das
Kolkata, Mar 26 (PTI) This is not the exodus Raj Thackeray's followers are aiming to achieve in Mumbai but a Kolkata historian says not only the Greeks, Armenians and Jews who built many architectural marvels in Kolkata have left the city, even Tamils and Malayalees and Oriyas are heading back to their home states.
"Greeks have totally disappeared from the city. Only 25 Jews now live here. The number of Armenians has dwindled to 600 only. Earlier, they lived in hundreds and thousands here," says P T Nair, also known as the "moving encyclopedia of Kolkata".
Their properties were sold out and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) took over the places of worship.
"For example, the city's oldest standing church built in 1724 by Armenians is located on Brabourne Road which leads into the city from Howrah station," says Nair who has written 42 books on Kolkata.
A survey on dwindling communities in the city, shows the present state of these people coming from outside India during the British period.
Nair also called Kolkata's "barefoot historian" has written 42 books on various aspects of the city - social, religious, economical, political, sociological, city roads etc. Of his books, "History of Calcutta" is a masterpiece of research works on the city.
Greeks were the first to leave en masse. They were mostly concentrated around Greek Church in Kalighat. "After their flight from the city, ASI looks after the Greek Church and other properties of the community have been donated to the government, the chronicler of Kolkata," Nair told PTI. PTI
Nawab Saheb ki Haveli: 277, still going strong
Ashish Mehta
Jaipur, Mar 25 (PTI) The 'Haveli' and its owner, both do not show any signs of fatigue that comes with ageing. The Haveli is 277 and the owner, much younger, only 75-year-old.
Triloki Das Khandelwal, owner of 'Nawab Sahab ki Haveli' at 75 is all enthusiasm as he climbs the stairs of the haveli to take a visitor on the roof to show a panoramic view of the pink city.
"From here, at 50 feet rooftop, you can see almost every fort and other archaeological beauties of Jaipur. In the north there is Ishar Lal, Janani Dyodi...", he says describing other historic places that can be seen from the top.
This haveli was considered as mirror of Jaipur from where one can oversee pink city, he adds.
"During the time of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh," says Khandelwali, this haveli was constructed by one Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya in 1772 who was then the architect of the pink city. It was made as official residence of Bhattacharya and was also been awarded by the king to Bhattacharya to stay there until the last generation of his family survives, he says.
It was made so that he could oversee and supervise the construction of the city in progress as well, Khandelwal adds.
His four generations stayed here and after it since the last generation his great grandson did not have a son it was again acquired by the Jaipur state dynasty, Khandelwal says.
"The haveli slowly lost its glamour for a while remaining in oblivion for some time. It, however regained its status as Maharaja Ram Singh(1851-1880) gifted it to his dewan, Nawab Sir Faiz Ali Khan and thus the haveli became known as Nawab Sahab ki Haveli," he adds. PTI
Intra-party differences, assembly becomes the floor
Vijay Dabur
Chandigarh, Mar 24 (PTI) Intra-party differences in both the ruling and the opposition aired on the floor of the house have marked the proceedings of the ongoing budget session of the Punjab Assembly.
Sparks flew after the outburst of former chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh against his bete noire Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
For the ruling party, the speaker Nirmal Singh Kahlon pulled up Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Ranjeet Singh Brahmpura after the latter complained that the chair was allowing more supplemantaries on his department. Captain Amarinder Singh also took a potshot at the leader of the opposition Bhattal for allegedly "colluding" with the ruling combine in the state.
Brahmapura's complaint prompted the Speaker to direct the minister to tender an apology or he would be served a notice.
"I haven't said anything wrong, but if you feel so I apologise," the minister said.
The verbal spat between the two senior leaders of Akalis brought in the open the simmering differences between the ruling SAD.
The agreement between the Congress members and the SAD and its ally BJP on postponement of Panchayat polls in the state made Amarinder Singh hit out at Bhattal saying that she was "toeing the lines" of Akalis.
"Bhattal appears to be little concerned about party workers who are facing lot of inconveniences during the Badal regime. She is keeping herself busy in playing matches with rivals and attending their dinners," the former chief minister said targetting the Punjab Congress chief. PTI
More middle class in India owning at least one pet animal
Diganta Biswas
New Delhi, Mar 23 (PTI) With a fast-paced lifestyle mounting stress on every section of the urban people, demands for companion creatures like pooches, kitties, fishes and birdies are also running high in the country, say experts.
"Having a companion creature like dog or anything else often plays significant role in pacifying people's mind and thus it helps them to deal with the pressure of everyday life," eminent psychiatrist Dr Sanjay Chug told PTI.
"With the adoption of a speedy urban lifestyle, the family pattern is changing in India as the idea of joint family being replaced by nuclear ones. Loneliness of nuclear family increasingly forcing people to opt for companion creatures like dogs or birds," G C Mehta of Ashapura Industries, dealing in pet-food industry, says.
He adds that the unique trend, is in turn, positively contributing to the considerable growth of Indian pet industry itself.
Indian pet-food market has been showing annual growth rate of 10-15 per cent in last few years, according to Euromonitor International. This growth rate should be largely attributed to the change in lifestyle, which changes mass mentality as well, experts say.
"Some years back owning a pet happened to be status symbol among the rich and aristocratic people. But today that is not the situation, mentality of people is changing," Rohit Bhatia of Vetnex Pet Business told PTI.
"In urban areas all over the country, more and more middle and lower-middle class people today opting for pet in their houses," Bhatia added. PTI
Pop star Atif Aslam becomes youngest Pak civilian awardee
Islamabad, Mar 27 (PTI) Pop sensation Atif Aslam of "Woh Lamhe" and "Tere Bin" fame has become the youngest Pakistani to receive the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, a civilian award given for doing the country proud globally.
The musician, who has been a huge hit in India since he sang "Woh Lahme" which was picturised on Bollywood's Emran Hashmi, showed up in a black sherwani to receive the award from the Punjab Governor on Pakistan Day on March 23 Aslam, who has performed in about 25 countries last year, said, "I think (I got the award) because I represented Pakistan internationally a lot this year. That's what the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz stands for. It's awarded to people who make Pakistan proud globally." Aslam may have a fan in Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu but has often been criticised by Indian singers Sunidhi Chauhan and Abhijeet who claim he cannot sing.
"I've never said I can sing. Look, unlike these guys I have no professional training and I always say that I cannot sing. I agree I cannot sing. What's amazing is that I've made a career out of doing something I can't do," Aslam said.
Asked whether he would consider appearing in Bollywood films, Aslam said, "I have (offers from Bollywood) but am waiting for the right script, no matter how clichd that sounds. Right now my music career is going great. I don't want to put my music career at risk right now." Shoaib Mansoor whose critically acclaimed film "Khuda Kay Liye" on the life of Muslims in the post-9/11 era will be in India on April 4 was given Pakistan's highest civilian award, the Sitara-i-Imtaiz.
Other personalities, including Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Zulfiqar Ali, Reshma and Ustad Hamid Ali Khan also given civilian awards. PTI
MNS pokes fun at Big B through poster
Mumbai, Mar 27 (PTI) The MNS has again stepped up its attack on superstar Amitabh Bachchan, this time indirectly through a poster, mocking at him for going back on his decision to donate his agricultural land to farmers in Pune district.
Though the Shiv Sena's break-away outfit did not name Big B in the posters, the insinuation was clear. The huge poster in Marathi showed a sketch of a man saying in Marathi "Majhe daan parat kara" (return my donation). In the bottom it wrote "Superstar Shetkari" (superstar farmer).
The cartoon posters were put up last night in Dadar areas. However, they were missing this morning. The MNS claimed that the police had removed them.
Commenting on the posters, an MNS spokesman denied that the party was making fun of Big B and said "it was only to express our happiness that if a superstar can become a farmer, then it only indicates better and glamorous days for the farmers of India. Perhaps it might even halt farmers' suicides," he said.
The MNS swipe on Big B comes in the wake of latter's move to go back on his decision to donate the farm land which he bought in Pune from the farmers. In a letter addressed to the Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) of Maval taluka on Tuesday, the actor had said he wanted to unconditionally withdraw his earlier decision to donate the land to the original owners.
This is for the second time that Big B has has become a target of MNS. The first time MNS targeted the superstar at a function last month when its leader Raj Thackeray alleged that Big B was more loyal to his home state Uttar Pradesh than Maharashtra. PTI
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Sensex: 16015.56, -71.27
The sensex closed at 16015.56, down 71.27
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______Forex_______
1 U.S. $ = 40.145 INR
1 Japanese Yen = 0.4034 INR
1 British Pound = 81.011 INR
1 Canadian $ = 39.350 INR
1 Singapore $ = 29.084 INR
1 UAE Dirham = 10.931 INR
1 Saudi Arabian Riyal = 10.705 INR
1 Euro = 63.397 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 11.033 INR
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