SIT, experts reconstruct Ishrat Jahan encounter

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the 2004 police encounter of Ishrat Jahan and three others, along with other experts, today reconstructed the incident at the original site near Kotarpur area here.

A team comprising over a dozen personnel from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), forensic science experts, along with the Gujarat high court appointed SIT chairman Karnal Singh, and its members Mohan Jha and Satish Verma visited the site near the Sardar Patel International Airport.

The team began by studying the site and reconstructing the series of events that took place during the encounter as described in the FIR filed in 2004 by the city crime branch officials.

It also examined the place where weapons were found, and where the car carrying Jahan and others was, when bullets were fired at it.

Two of the police officers involved in the over six-year old encounter -- Girish Singhal (presently posted as SP, state ATS) and Tarun Barot (currently heading the city's special operations group) were also present to assist the team.

Jahan and three others Javed Sheikh alias Pranesh Pillai, Amjad Ali Rana and Zeeshan Johar — were killed on the outskirts of Ahmedabad on June 15, 2004.

After the encounter, city crime branch had claimed that the deceased were Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who had come to kill Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

Source-dnaindia.com

Farmers will not allow their land to be returned to zamindars: Buddhadeb

KOLKATA: Questioning the call for ‘change' by the Trinamool Congress, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Thursday if this meant the return of the land distributed to the poor farmers by the Left Front government over the past years to the zamindars and jotedars, farmers across the State would never allow it.

“The farmers will never let go off the land they have been given, however loud the call for change. If the Left Front is stopped from returning to power, the farmers will be in peril; this they will never allow to happen,” he said at an election rally at Haroa in North 24 Parganas district.

“Since the Left Front had come to power, 84 per cent of farmland across the State has been distributed to the poor farmers. This has led to significant successes in agricultural productivity. Had it not been for the Left Front this would not have been so but we need to take the process further ahead. Nearly 20,000 acres of land have been distributed to poor farmers in the last five years. The struggle for land is not over,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Bhattacharjee also cautioned on efforts by the Trinamool to create violence across the State — “from the Darjeeling hills to the Jangal Mahal region where they have joined hands with the Maoists”.

“If you return the Left Front to power I give you my word: we will come down firmly against all sorts of violence and unrest that is being incited. This will all have to stop and peace will have to be restored across the State or else West Bengal will be headed for disaster,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

“We have gained in experience by being in government these past years. We have got an understanding of the needs of the people. The people are unable to cope with the rise in prices of essential items. So the next Left Front government will have its sights set on strengthening the rationing system. We have so far been providing rise at Rs. 2 a kg to nearly 2.60 crore people. Now we will be looking at raising this figure to close to 4 crore,” he said.

Jobs to youth

“Another area of focus will be providing jobs to the youth of the State,” Mr. Bhattacharjee said.

“The youth, passing out in lakhs from schools and colleges, are looking at us for jobs. If we cannot set up new factories — we will not be able to create new job opportunities. Thus the need for more industries — small, medium and big,” the Chief Minister added.

Source-www.hindu.com

People responded because they are fed up with corruption: Anna Hazare

He's a great votary of transparency and delegation, and Anna Hazare practised what he preaches when Team TOI sat down for an extended Q&A session with him. He answered most queries put to him, referred several to fellow-activist Arvind Kejriwal , and said his younger colleague was fully empowered to speak on his behalf. Excerpts:

When you started your hunger strike, did you think you would get the response you did?

I have often gone on fast in the last 20-25 years. I have agitated about issues in Maharashtra . This time, I was persuaded to come to Delhi . When I reached the airport and saw people and 60-70 cars, I was taken aback. There was a big crowd at Gandhi samadhi and daily, 10,000-12 ,000 people came to the site of the fast. I did not know how so many people came, I still wonder. I feel people responded the way they did because corruption is making their lives difficult. Wherever you go, people are fed up. Even children said 'Mein bhi Anna (I am Anna too)'. I believe god points to someone to stand up when there is a need to. The Bhagwad Gita says this. I stood up.


The Chief Justice of India said there should be judicial accountability. But who will this rest with?

Kejriwal : Judicial accountability is different from criminal conduct. Lokpal will not deal with accountability. There will be a citizen's charter of rights. If there is a complaint, it will go to a public grievance officer. Every department should have a GPO, just as it now has a person responsible for the Right to Information. If the GPO fails, it will go to a vigilance officer in the same department, who will be acountable to the lokpal. Then it will be deemed to have a vigilance angle. Kapil Sibal now says the draft 'you have put seems to be comfortable' .


One person you keep pointing to is Sharad Pawar.

I have nothing personal against Pawar. Mein pravitri ke taraf dekhta hoon (I look at the behaviour). Nothing personal, no agenda. A government in Maharashtra had to go because of my campaign.

Certain charges have been levelled against Shanti Bhushan, about undervaluing of a house worth Rs 20 crore. If there is any thing wrong it must be investigated . Nothing wrong in that.

Kejriwal : In 1966, they had an agreement to sell but the landlord went back on his word. They (Bhushans) won the case last year. The court has said the house should be given to them for Rs 1 lakh. If the court is saying 'take the house for Rs 1 lakh' , should Shanti Bhushan have said 'no, please take Rs 20 crore from me' ? In any case, Anna is in the lokpal committee because he is a great role model, Shanti Bhushanji is in the committee because he is a great lawyer.


Do you really think an empowered lokpal will end corruption?

No, but it will certainly put the brakes on corruption to a great extent.


But doesn't India already have adequate laws to deal with corruption?

Kejriwal: This myth has gained credence that India has good laws that are poorly implemented. The fact is that the laws have deliberately been drafted badly to ensure the powerful aren't touched. Today, if the CBI wants to file a case against top politicians, it has to first seek their permission to do so, then seek their permission to prosecute them. If you are a thief, are you going to grant permission?


You claim to represent the people. But every MP is elected by lakhs of voters. So how can you say they don't represent the people's wishes?

Kejriwal : If the fast was unconstitutional , then why did the government yield and become party to it? Many people are on fast even today at Jantar Mantar over other issues. Why has no one listened to them? If the fast was only about Anna, he could have been force-fed and the matter would have ended. It couldn't be done because it was a widespread people's movement.


Why don't you fight elections yourself?

If I do so, I will lose my deposit. Because today's politics is completely driven by money and I don't have any. People try to make a lot of money because they have already spent so much to get there. That's why decentralization and transparency are so necessary.


Kaushik Basu , chief economic adviser to the finance ministry, recently wrote that as corruption can't be eradicated , it might as well be legalized.

Once the lokpal bill is passed, he will find there is no need to do so.


Who's the most honest man you've seen in your life?

If I apply the same yardstick that I do to myself - of an absolutely spotless record after years of public service - then it's hard to come across anyone who qualifies.


And the most corrupt?

I don't know of so many people's corruption. So how can I rank?

Source-indiatimes.com

Arunima shifted to Lucknow hospital

Arunima alias Sonu Sinha, the sportswoman, who lost her leg after being pushed from a moving train, was on shifted to a Lucknow hospital for further treatment, a senior health department officer said here.

“Sonu has been shifted to Chattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University this morning for an artificial limb as the facility is not available here and higher treatment,” Chief Medical Superintendent of district hospital Vijay Yadav said.

Ms. Sinha was undergoing treatment at Bareilly district hospital from April 12 and her condition is stable, he said.

Ms. Sinha, a national-level volleyball player of Uttar Pradesh, was pushed out of the Padmavat Express in Bareilly on April 11 night by three men trying to snatch her gold chain.

The 23-year-old athlete lost her left leg in the incident.

The incident took place between Chenati and Bareilly railway stations when Arunima was travelling to Gautam Buddha Nagar to appear in a CISF recruitment examination.

The police had lodged an FIR under section 307 (attempt to murder) and 393 (attempt to loot) against unidentified youths in this connection.

Source-www.thehindu.com

Time Bengal saw change: Sonia

She left nothing to interpretation and nothing to speculation. AICC president Sonia Gandhi is baying for Marxists’ blood and she wants the CPI(M)-led Left Front government defeated in the Assembly elections. “It is time to think of change. It is time for Bengal to undergo change.
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Help the Congress and the Trinamool to bring this change. A change in the life of the people and a change for the good of Bengal in complete sense,” Gandhi said on Friday at a public meeting in Ratua Assembly constituency.

The venue was selected for Gandhi’s message to the people to cast their vote for Congress’ Ratua candidate Samar Mukherjee and Chanchal candidate Asif Mehboob.

Training her guns on the Left Front government, Gandhi said it has been ruling here for 34 years only to help itself and its partymen, but this is not acceptable in a democracy. “Congress has been working for the poor and all sections of the people and the policies of the UPA government show they want all strata of the society to progress. And it is only then that the country progresses,” said the Congress president amid cheers from the crowd.

Gandhi pointed out that 34 years ago, CPI(M) came to power in the name of the poor, but has done nothing for the development of the state. Floods and erosion of riverbanks remain major problems in Malda, electricity has not reached, the public distribution system has collapsed, unemployment and under-development remain serious concerns.

“But why is Bengal in such a state? Why so backward? Why has the Left Front not utilised funds allocated for development of the state? For 34 years, this government has done nothing. Do you people want this to continue?” said Gandhi.

She pointed out that the entire country has progressed, the UPA government has come out with pro-people schemes for every strata of society and thousands of crores have been given to Left Front government under this scheme but it has either failed or has not properly utilised the funds.

“Bengal is full of efficient people and yet it remains backward. Who is responsible for this? It makes me sad that Bengal is in such a condition today. This time we should bring about change for good,” said Gandhi.

Speaking at the venue, Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee said 54 Assembly seats from Darjeeling to Malda would go to polls on May 18, people would cast their votes to decide whether they want to continue with the government here or bring about a change.

Mukherjee reiterated that that paribartan (change) was required.

Source-hindustantimes.com

Rape victim dies after a week's struggle for life

BEED, MAHARASHTRA: The 17-year-old girl, who set herself afire after being allegedly raped by her father's former employer, died in a hospital ON Saturday after battling for life for over a week.

District Civil Surgeon D B Pawar said that the girl, admitted to Civil Hospital on April 10, breathed her last this morning in central Maharashtra.

The victim's father used to work at a farm of the prime accused Babulal Rasal. He had borrowed some money from Rasal, a former deputy sarpanch of Churmapuri village who is considered close to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

On April 4, Rasal and his accomplice Narayan Kale allegedly abducted the girl and raped her for a week, taking her to lodges in various cities, according to the police.

On April 10, the accused dropped the girl at her Rampur village. She did not reveal anything to family members about the incident, but on the same day tried to end life by pouring kerosene and setting herself ablaze, police said.

She suffered 95 per cent burn injuries and was admitted to the hospital.

The news of her death created tension in various parts of the district though no untoward incident had been reported.

Shiv Sena MLC Neelam Gorhe had earlier visited the victim and her family and demanded a CID probe into the incident. A day before, senior BJP leader Gopinath Munde, who is Lok Sabha MP from Beed, and his daughter Pankaja Palve met the teenager in the hospital.

A group of women threw eggs and tomatoes on both the accused when they were being produced before a local court on Friday.

Source-timesofindia.indiatimes.com

EC ban on rice scheme unjustified: Kerala CM

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan on Wednesday termed as ‘unjustified’ the Election Commission's directive banning the implementation of the state government scheme to provide rice at Rs 2 per kg to 40 lakh families.

Addressing reporters here, Achuthanandan said he had already written to the Election Commission registering the state government's protest against the directive.

He said the decision to extend the scheme to APL families was taken at the Cabinet meeting on February 23 and the government order in this regard came out on February 25.

"There is no justification in arguing that the code of conduct for Assembly poll which came into effect on March 1 is applicable to the Cabinet decision," he said.

After the announcement of polls in five states, Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee had yesterday announced in Parliament that girl students would be given free passes in trains, he said, and wondered wither the code of conduct was not applicable to the Centre.

The Chief Minister alleged that the pressure from a major political party in the state was behind the EC decision to deprive rice at Rs 2 per kg to poor families.

To a question on CPI-M delaying the decision on whether to field him again to lead the LDF in the coming Assembly polls, Achuthanandan said, "I hope those concerned will come out with a clear stand on the matter."

Meeting with PM on Lokpal bill 'bad': Anna Hazare

Commenting further on the meeting with the Prime Minister Hazare said, "We want joint committee of citizens and ministers for formulation of a strong Lokpal bill."

He said that agitation against corruption would be intensified.

The eminent social activist had threatened to go on an indefinite fast from April 5 if the Prime Minister does not initiate action for formulation of a strong Lokpal bill, or anti-graft legislation, in consultation with the civil society by March end.

"I have written to the Prime Minister, if he doesn't takes a decision on drafting a strong Lokpal bill by March-end, I will go on an indefinite fast from April 5," Hazare had said on March 26.

Hazare, in his letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, has demanded that the government immediately set up a committee with at least half of its member being from the civil society.

Samajwadi MP Akhilesh Yadav arrested, calls Maya autocratic

Samajwadi Party MP Akhilesh Yadav, the son of party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, was arrested from the airport in Lucknow on Wednesday to prevent him from taking part in protests against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati and her party. "The state government has been functioning in an autocratic manner and my arrest reflects it clearly," Akhilesh Yadav told reporters before being whisked away by police.

Akhilesh Yadav, who is president of the party's Uttar Pradesh unit, was held at Amausi airport shortly after he arrived from Delhi.

"We will continue our fight against the autocratic functioning of the state government, irrespective of the harsh measures being adopted by the state government to gag us," he added.

According to Deputy Inspector General, Lucknow, DK Thakur, he was arrested to maintain law and order in the wake of the SP's protests against Uttar Pradesh's ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

He was supposed to address party men first at the SP's office in Lucknow and later in Kannauj, his parliamentary constituency, said party spokesperson in the state Rajendra Chaudhary.

SP launched a three-day statewide agitation against the state's ruling party on March 7 as part of its campaign "BSP hatao, Pradesh Bachao (Remove BSP, save the state)".

Samajwadi Party protests against Mayawati regime

Lucknow, March 8 (IANS) Continuing its protests against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, hundreds of Samajwadi Party activists took to the streets and clashed with police in various parts of the state Tuesday.

The demonstrators also blocked traffic and disrupted work in government offices.

Tuesday is the second day of the Samajwadi Party's three-day campaign targeted at Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) government.

Several Samajwadi leaders, including Azam Khan, were detained in Rampur district. A large number of party activists were attacked with batons by police in Basti district.

Shouting anti-government slogans, the activists barged into government offices in Gorakhpur district. In the same district, they also blocked a train.

'We will continue with our campaign irrespective of the harsh measures adopted by the Mayawati government against us,' party spokesman Rajendra Chaudhary told reporters here.

According to reports, Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur and several other major cities too witnessed similar demonstrations.

All-woman crew for 13 Air India flights on Women’s Day

To mark International Women’s Day, Air India, for the second consecutive year, is operating on Monday night an ultra long haul flight from Delhi to Toronto, with an all-woman crew.

Over the years, Air India has operated many flights, both on international and domestic sectors, with an all-woman crew. Last year, for the first time in the history of civil aviation, Air India operated the ultra long haul flight from Mumbai to New York with an all-woman crew to commemorate the occasion.

Nasim Zaidi, Secretary, Civil Aviation, is slated to flag off Air India’s AI 187 on the Delhi-Toronto sector, operated by an all-woman crew from Terminal - 3 of IGI Airport, Delhi.

Flight AI 187 will be the first of the 13 all-woman crew flights scheduled for operation by Air India on March 8, 2011, across its domestic and international network, to mark International Women’s Day, an Air India spokesperson said here.

Capt. Rashmi Miranda will be the Commander and Capt. Sunita Narula, the First Officer on this commemorative flight. Ms. Harpreet A De. Singh, will carry out a Line Observation Safety Audit. The flight will be despatched by Ms. Rashmi Verma.

The national carrier provides equal opportunities to women in all areas of its activity, including specialised technical areas and senior management. Women Pilots, Flight Dispatchers, Aircraft Maintenance Engineers, Safety and Quality Auditors, Cabin Crew, Doctors, Technical Officers, Simulator Maintenance Engineers, Ground Instructors for training pilots and so forth form part of a highly skilled, technically proficient team of women at Air India, the spokesperson said. Air India has a large contingent of 157 women pilots flying its fleet of wide and narrow body aircraft on international and domestic routes. Air India has more than 5,300 women employees on its workforce.

Air India’s scheduled flights with the all-woman crew on the domestic sectors on Tuesday include AI 409/410 on the Delhi-Patna-Delhi sector, AI-469 on the Delhi-Raipur-Nagpur-Delhi route, AI-811/812 on the Delhi-Lucknow-Delhi route, AI-603/604 on the Mumbai-Bangalore-Mumbai sector, AI-569/167 on the Chennai-Mumbai-Chennai, AI804/506 on the Bangalore-Delhi-Bangalore sector, and Air India Express flight IX302 between Kozhikode and Mumbai.

Meira Kumar disfavours dilution of anti-dowry law

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today disfavoured dilution of the anti-dowry law saying any legislation which is for the safety of women should not be tinkered with.

"Safety, dignity and equality of women are very important," Kumar said while interacting with women journalists here. Questioned on her views on the dilution of 498(A), the anti-dowry law, which some sections of civil society argue is too harsh, she said, "I am not in favour of dilution of any law which is for the safety of women."

Women's groups and the National Commission for Women have consistently opposed any amendment to soften the law under which a woman or her relative can file a complaint against her husband and his relatives for subjecting her to cruelty and the offence is non-bailable.

Kumar also asked political parties to resolve their differences over the women's reservation Bill. "I would want that all parties would arrive at a consensus. That is the reason why it is being stalled," she said during the interaction on the eve of the international women's day, which was attended among others by members of the Indian Women's Press Corps.

Two-thirds of Indians in Libya evacuated: MEA

With another 1,400 Indian nationals having been flown out of Libya in the preceding 24 hours, the total number of Indian evacuees has crossed 12,000.

MV Red Star One returned to Malta from Misurata with all the 301 Indians desirous of leaving Libya and the passengers returned to India last night on special Jet Airways and Kingfisher flights, the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

Giving an update on the evacuation process taken up since February 26, the Ministry said MV Red Star One would again sail for Sirte (Libya) and is expected to evacuate 600 persons to Malta.

“Presently, we have 1600 of our nationals in Sirte, many of who may be heading for Tripoli by road to be air lifted from there,” it said.

The Ministry said the arrival of MV Scotia Prince, which was on its way back to Alexandria, Egypt, with 972 persons from Benghazi (Libya) on board, has been delayed due to some engine trouble and is now expected to reach tomorrow evening.

All passengers will be flown back to India on three Egypt Air and an IL-76 flights on March 9.

Karunanidhi upset with election schedule for Tamil Nadu

Chennai/New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has objected to the election schedule for Tamil Nadu.

On Tuesday, the Election Commission announced that the state will vote on April 13 and that counting will be held on May 13. Four other states including Kerala and West Bengal are voting in April and May, and the results for all five states will be declared together.

Mr Karunanidhi says the gap of a month between voting and counting is inexplicable.

The BJP in Tamil Nadu has also said the decision to hold elections on the eve of the Tamil New Year will impede upon festivities in the state.

Kashmir encounter ends with militant killed

A Jaish-e-Mohammad militant was killed on Wednesday in an overnight encounter with security forces in Tral town of south Kashmir. A police spokesman said that an encounter ensued between militants and security forces in Dadsar Village in Tral, some 30 km from Srinagar on Tuesday night, after a tip off about the presence of militants in the village.

"Police and the army’s 42 RR launched a cordon and search operation in village Dadsar. During the search militants fired on the search party triggering an encounter,” the spokesman said.

Superintendent of Police, Awantipora, Mohammad Arshad spoke to HT in the evening saying, “The encounter has finished but the searches are going on. We have recovered the dead body of a militant. There were reports of two militants involved in the encounter but so far we have recovered only one body ,” he said.

“He has been identified as Shabir Ahmad who belongs to JeM outfit,” he added.

Didi ready with TMC poll list

KOLKATA: Immediately after the Election Commission announced the poll dates in West Bengal on Tuesday, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced in Kolkata that her list of candidates was ready but she was waiting for Congress to draw up its own before negotiations for seat adjustment could begin.

Mamata was, however, confident that the negotiations with Congress over seat-adjustment would not delay the announcement of the Trinamool list. "It is a small issue. We have an alliance at the all-India level," she said, adding, "we will have to talk to Congress".

The Trinamool chief made it clear that canvassing for Trinamool tickets would be of no use. "We will give nominations only to those who are loyal to the party and who are prepared to dedicate their lives to work for the cause of common people."

Mamata deftly parried the question when asked if she would become chief minister if Trinamool is voted to power. "People will decide who they will vote for. If we are voted to power, we will work for the people." But she described the coming assembly poll in West Bengal as a "historic election", in which the "35-year-rule" of the Left Front would come to an end and a new government of "Ma-Mati-Manush" would be elected.

Echoing the slogan that her party has made famous, Mamata said that in the past few years under CPM rule, the most oppresses have been the "mothers, the land and the common people" of the state. Ever since the "defeat of CPM in the last Lok Sabha election in 2009", common people had been praying for the assembly elections, so that the CPM-led government could be voted out of power, she said, welcoming the decision of the Election Commission to announce the poll dates.

Mamata said she would keep faith on the prudence of the Election Commission in deploying Central paramilitary forces in such a manner that the elections could be held in a free and fair manner. But arms and ammunition stockpiled by CPM cadres in different districts must be unearthed before polling begins, she said.

Although Trinamool would make sure that examinees were not disturbed by poll campaigns of the party, Mamata said the circular of the pollution control board on controlling the use of microphones was being "misinterpreted by the state government to stifle opposition parties" during poll campaigning. "We will draw the attention of the Election Commission to this," she said.

Nation celebrates Maha Shivratri on Wednesday

The auspicious festival of Maha Shivratri will be celebrated on Wednesday, 2 March 2011.

Shivratri or Maha Shivratri is celebrated in the northern region of India on the 13th night/14th day in the Krishna Paksha of Phalgun month of Hindu calendar and Magha Krishna Trayodasi / Chaturdashi as per Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh calendars.

People celebrate Shivratri to get the blessings of Lord Shiva. Devotees observe fasting on this day and offer prayers to Lord of destruction.

According to the Hindu puranas, Shivratri (Sanskrit 'ratri' = night) is the night when Lord Shiv is said to have performed the Tandava Nritya or the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction.

It is also said that during the great mythical churning of the ocean called Samudra Manthan, a pot of poison emerged from the ocean. The gods and the demons were terrified as it could destroy the entire world so they ran to Shiva for help, he in order to protect the world, drank the deadly poison but held it in his throat instead of swallowing it. This turned his throat blue, and since then he came to be known as 'Nilkantha', the blue-throated one. Shivratri celebrates this event by which Shiva saved the world.

Married women on this day, pray for the well being of their husbands and sons, while unmarried women pray for an ideal husband like Shiva.

Devotees chant the sacred Panchakshara mantra "Om Namah Shivaya" during Shivratri as they believe that by doing this they will be freed from all sins.

In USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Maha Shivratri 2011 is marked on 3 March 2011.

Here are some SMS messages for Maha Shivratri

May Lord SHIVA
BLESS You with
His Grace and Fullfill
All Your Desires.
Chant His Glories
Tonight and Enjoy
a Blissful Life
Just Keep Chanting
‘Om Nama Shivaaya’

May Lord Shiva shower his benign blessings on you and your family.
May happiness and peace surround you with his eternal love and strength.
~**~ Happy Maha Shivratri ~**~

Andhra Assembly adjourned for day amid uproar on Telangana

NEW DELHI: The issue of formation of a separate Telangana state is becoming ticklish for Congress with each passing day as party leaders from the sensitive region in Andhra Pradesh mount pressure on it to find an early settlement.

With the budget session of Parliament on, partymen from Telangana region appear to have made a common cause in Lok Sabha with members of TRS and TDP from the region.

The leadership has brought temporary truce asking the party MPs to lie low for the next few days till the presentation of the budget is over.

Party chief Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have deliberated on the vexed issue time and again in the last few months including last Friday at the Congress Core Group meeting.

Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy is in the capital holding deliberations with top party leaders on the issue and met Gandhi, her political secretary Ahmed Patel, UPA's trouble shooter Pranab Mukherjee and AICC general secretary in-charge for the state M Veerappa Moily.

Reddy's meeting with the senior leaders come in wake of the controversy over the Telangana issue deepening in the state when the budget session of Assembly is in progress there.

Joining protests with TRS and members of TDP, Congress MLAs from the region have been disrupting the Assembly session for last few days over the demand, while government employees of the region have launched a non-cooperation movement.

Pressing the panic button, 16 ministers of the state government belonging to Telangana wrote a letter to Congress President Sonia Gandhi a few days back seeking a "special and urgent" audience with her on the issue.

Sources say the top leadership has told party leaders from the region to keep patience assuring them a credible solution is being worked out.

An all party meeting of stake holders from the state has already been held and another one is likely next month.

In their missive to Gandhi, the ministers said any delay in creation of the new state will be detrimental to the party and there was "no option" to a separate Telangana.

Earlier party MPs from from both Houses belonging to the region had met UPA's trouble shooter Pranab Mukherjee making no secret of their uncompromising stand on a separate state.

Raje afraid of being quizzed about links with Modi: Gehlot

Jaipur: Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia has demanded an "impartial" probe into the deaths of 13 pregnant women due to administration of contaminated intravenous fluid in two hospitals here.

"It is surprising that the state government woke up after the death of 13 women and has also given a clean chit to the health department. The matter should be investigated impartially," said the Leader of BJP Legislature Party in a statement.

13 women have died in a span of 11 days at Jodhpur's Umaid and M G Hospitals after developing serious post-delivery complications resulting in profuse bleeding, apparently prompted by the administration of the contaminated drip.

The Rajasthan government has already ordered an inquiry into the deaths. Jodhpur Divisional Commissioner will conduct the probe into the deaths and submit his report to the government in 15 days.

On Sunday, police took into custody an official of an Indore-based pharma company while Rajasthan government suspended a drug inspector and a store keeper of one of the two affected hospitals in Jodhpur.

Referring to the recent hooch tragedy in Jodhpur and Pali which had claimed 23 lives, she said what people can expect from the Chief Minister and the government when such incidents are happening in the hometown of the CM.

Nothing for 'aam aadmi' in Budget: Opposition

The Opposition today dubbed the Budget as "futile" and "directionless", saying it brought no relief to the common man and nothing has been done to contain inflation.

Trashing it as a "futile exercise", senior BJP leader Anant Kumar said it has no proposals to contain rising prices and offered no succour to the 'aam aadmi'.

Terming the Budget as "timid", former NDA Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha said it is "completely devoid of reforms."

Another BJP leader Rudra Narayan Pany termed it a "clear-cut election Budget" which indicated that the government could go for mid-term polls.

CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the Budget was "directionless" and did not reflect any seriousness by the government to address the issue of unemployment or keenness to mop up additional resources and taxing rich people.

"It's a nominal Budget with no direction. This is a directionless Budget in which no efforts have been made to raise additional resources and taxing rich people. No attempts have been made to increase employment in the Budget. It is a thoughtless exercise," Dasgupta said.

Terming the Budget as insensitive, CPI(M) leader Nilotpal Basu alleged that a large number of poor people were excluded from subsidies.

"Where is the question of inclusion in this Budget? The government is taking cue from the global finance regime," Basu said.

BJD MP Jay Panda described it as "mixed Budget" but rued that "no steps were taken by the government to contain inflation".

Asked if the Budget was presented with an eye on the forthcoming assembly elections in five states, SP spokesperson Mohan Singh said, "It may be even aimed at the general elections."

JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav said the government has not proposed any steps to bring back black money or to fight corruption.

"Even the Rs 25,000 crore given for the anti-Naxal operations does not seem to be adequate," he added.

RJD Chief Lalu Prasad, however, said he was "happy" about the Budget but would be happier if certain bills proposed in it come through.

He welcomed Budget proposals for providing cash subsidy in fertilisers, LPG and kerosene directly to the consumers....