New Delhi, Jan 3 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil today signed an order proclaiming President's Rule in Nagaland.

The Cabinet had earlier recommended imposition of President's Rule in the State in the wake of political uncertainties gripping the north eastern State.

In December, the opposition Congress in the State had demanded dismissal of the Neiphiu Rio Government alleging a Constitutional impropriety on the part of the Speaker of the State Assembly for giving a controversial ruling on the Congress sponsored no-confidence motion against the incumbent government.

The Congress legislators had also submitted a memorandum to President Patil in this regard.

The leader of the opposition in the State Assembly, Imkong had claimed the support of 31 legislators in the 60-member assembly, including 17 from the Congress, two from the JD (U), three independents and nine from the ruling Nagaland Peoples' Front. (ANI)

Labels: Nagaland, Politics

New Delhi, Nov 20 (ANI): The winter session of the Parliament has failed to take off as the recent incidents of violence in Nandigram rocked the Parliament for a second consecutive day on Tuesday.

Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day after opposition members led by the BJP insisted on a debate on Nandigram issue.

The Left Front, wary of having a debate on this issue, has stated that the Nandigram issue pertains to a State subject that requires no debate in the Parliament.

As the proceedings commenced for the day, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) members raised slogans and trooped into the Well of the House.

They demanded an immediate debate on the issue by suspending Question Hour.

Chairman Hamid Ansari pleaded with them to go back to their seats. However, the members paid no attention to his requests, forcing him to adjourn the House.

Similar kinds of scenes were also witnessed in the Lok Sabha when proceedings resumed today.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee first adjourned the house till noon, but with the situation remaining same, it was adjourned till 2.00 p.m.

Chatterjee also expressed readiness for a discussion, but under a proper rule.

As soon the House met for the day, NDA members shouted slogans and demanded the suspension of Question Hour.

They rushed into the Well demanding an immediate debate on the matter.

Terming the attitude of NDA members as 'displeasing', Chatterjee said a discussion can be allowed only if a motion in this regard is moved in a "proper form".

He said that political parties' leaders had met on Monday and decided to hold debate in a proper manner.

Commenting on this, Parliamentary Affairs Minister P R Dasmunsi said, "The government had no objection to a short duration discussion within the framework of proper rules and consent of the Chair." (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics

New Delhi, Nov 16 (ANI): The Lok Sabha Privileges Committee today recommend that Indian Ambassador to US Ronen Sen, who was summoned by it in October over his controversial "headless chickens" remarks, be let off with a word of caution.

The Privileges Committee took the decision at a meeting here, according to media reports.

The Indian envoy to the US had appeared before the Privileges Committee of the Lok Sabha on October 29, and apologised for his 'headless chickens' remark, which he made in the context of the opposition against the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

Sen told the Committee that his remark was not aimed at Parliamentarians and it was off the record comment.

The Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee, which is also going into the issue, would meet on November 20.

On November 2, Sen appeared before the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee on the same issue, and tendered an unqualified apology.

"It was an act of indiscretion and it should not have been done", Sen told the Rajya Sabha Privileges Committee, which is headed by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan.

Sen's remark to a news portal, which was published on August 20, created a furore in the Parliament.

Sen in an interview to Rediff.com had said, "It has been approved here (in Washington, DC) by the President, and there (in New Delhi) it's been approved by the Indian cabinet. So why do you have all this running around like headless chicken, looking for a comment here or comment there, and these little storms in a tea-cup?"

However, he later apologised, and said those 'informal' remarks were meant to mean journalists and not the politicians. 

Later, a meeting presided over by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman K Rahman Khan took the decision to summon Sen before the Upper House's Privileges Committee.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee also referred the issue to the Committee headed by Congress MP V Kishorechandra Deo after receipt of a reply by the External Affairs Ministry. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics

Haridwar, Nov.16 (ANI): Not very long ago Ramesh Niranjan enjoyed the protocol status of a Minister of State in Uttaranchal (now Uttarakhand). But today, reduced to sell bangles at a small kiosk here, he bespeaks what it means being a victim of 'dirty politics'.

As the Chairman of Sugarcane Development Advisory Committee, Ramesh Niranjan enjoyed the protocol status of Minister of State during the previous Congress government andwas entitled various privileges.

But call it destiny or the grotesque face of politics he has become nearly insolvent. Niranjan was dismissed from the post of Chairmanship in December 2006 following various allegations by his political adversaries.

"I took the pledge of serving the society with complete honesty and faith but today I am facing a lot of problems and my financial condition is not good. I do not have even the money to pay for the school fees of my children," said Ramesh Niranjan.

Niranjan complains of facing a tough time due to some of his senior ministers' grudge against him. They always considered him a person of lower class and a misfit to enjoy the privileges of a Minister of State.

He alleges that his success as a Congress leader during N. D. Tewari-led Uttaranchal Government led to many envious adversaries hatching conspiracies against him. It ultimately led to his ouster.

Niranjan's downfall in politics nearly made him bankrupt. At one stage he reached a point of losing his house and children's education. But he opted to take up the work of selling bangles to survive.

He informs that he lost his assets during his tenure as the Chairman of Sugarcane Development Advisory Committee. At times he had to incur expenses from his own pocket to avail the facilities entitled by Ministers of State. He was promised reimbursement but it never materialised and thus, he reached insolvency. 

"I worked for the Government after spending my own money but not even a penny was reimbursed to me. I wish that my money should be repaid to me. This is my work and I have been doing it for the past two decades," Niranjan said.

Today, Niranjan wants revocation of all false allegations against him and urges government's financial support for him to restore his dignity.

Many residents, who have watched Ramesh Niranjan struggling in life, are surprised and sympathetic to his pitiable condition. They regard him as a good leader who has always taken care of others' in bad times.

"We feel that such a person should be given a chance. The senior leaders here did not give him a chance to rise. Therefore, he had to face their wrath. We want that he should be given his due," said Arun Kumar, a resident.

"He has always stood by all of us in the time of need. Even though he worked for the people but the Government did not give him any facilities. His superiors tried to suppress him. He was having a good life but now his property is on the verge of being confiscated," said Malkhan Singh, another resident.

Niranjan only hopes that his party leaders and other powers-that-be would reckon his services and let him regain his lost stature as a public figure.

For record, Ramesh Niranjan is an office-bearer of the District Congress Committee. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics, Uttarakhand

New Delhi, Nov 16 (ANI): The Congress Working Committee (CWC) will meet here this evening on the eve of the 17th All-India Congress Committee (AICC) session.

The highest decision taking body of the Congress is expected to fine tune and approve the resolutions to be adopted at the session.

Earlier, the CWC, the party's top decision making body, met on November 8.

The meeting was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, and it cleared four proposals, including a political and a economic resolution. 

Besides, the committee decided to amend the party's Constitution and re-introduce single category membership.

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had also attended the meeting for the first time. He reportedly put forth suggestions before the CWC.

Besides Rahul, two other new members Prithviraj Chavan and Kishore Chandra Deo also attended the meeting. (ANI)
- AY

Labels: Politics

New Delhi, Nov 11 (ANI): The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo meeting began here today, and in all likelihood, it will discuss the much-touted Indo-US civil nuclear deal and the prevailing situation in Nandigram.

This meeting assumes significance as CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat and CPI general secretary A B Bardhan met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi to discuss the matter pertaining to bilateral nuclear agreement on Saturday.

Yesterday, the Left and the UPA decided to discuss Singh's Monsoon Session statement on the 123-agreement during the next week's Parliament's Winter Session.

The Left agreed to hold the discussion at the commencement of the session, beginning on November 15.

On August 13, Manmohan Singh had assured the Lok Sabha that the civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the US would completely adhere to July 18, 2005 pact and March 2, 2006 separation plan.

"Let me hence reiterate once again that a decision to undertake a future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the Government. There is nothing in the Agreement that would tie the hands of a future Government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs," the Prime Minister had then said to the Lok Sabha.

However, the opposition BJP has alleged that the 123-agreement in its present form affects India's right to conduct future nuclear test, and has demanded a renegotiation of the deal. 

During yesterday's meeting, it was also decided that the next meeting of the UPA- Left's special committee be convened as soon as possible.

The 15-member panel of the UPA-Left committee on the Indo-US nuclear deal, which was scheduled to meet for the sixth time on November 16, was postponed in the wake of the commencement of the Parliament session.

The special committee convened by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee was formed to resolve disagreements between the two sides over the nuclear deal.

The nuke-deal faces an informal US deadline related to securing approval of America's Congress well before the next year presidential polls.

Three more steps are required to operationalise the deal that include, safeguard agreement with the IAEA, amendment in the 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group's charter and the passing of the 123-agreement by the US Congress.

The deal had brought the UPA government to the brink of collapse as the Left parties, that provide outside support to the coalition government, threatened to withdraw its support if the pact is pursued.

The communists have rejected the deal, saying it hurts India's sovereignty and imposes US hegemony. (ANI)
- AY

Labels: Politics

New Delhi, Nov 8 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi attended the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting for the first time on Wednesday evening.

Rahul reportedly put forth suggestions before the CWC, but the party spokesman did not elaborate on what he said.

"Of course suggestions have been made and they will be considered at an appropriate time," said Veerappa Moily, a CWC member.

Besides Rahul, two other new members Prithviraj Chavan and Kishore Chandra Deo also attended the meeting.

Rahul, the Lok Sabha MP from Amethi, was nominated as one of the Congress party's general secretaries in September.

Thirty-seven-year-old Rahul's mother, Sonia, heads the party.

Rahul entered Parliament after contesting the polls from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh,  but since then, he has largely remained on the sidelines, saying he first needed to learn to serve the party better.

The Congress Working Committee (CWC), the party's top decision making body, met ahead of the winter session of Parliament, which opens on November 15.

The meeting was chaired by Sonia Gandhi, and it cleared four proposals, including a political and a economic resolution for the upcoming plenary session.

Besides, the committee decided to amend the party's Constitution and re-introduce single category membership.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh was also present during the hour-long meeting.

A meeting of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will be held on November 17. (ANI)
- AY

Labels: Politics

Labels: Politics

New Delhi, Nov 7 (ANI): Pointing out that federalism helps in the judicious use of resources, increasing efficiency and better targeting of policies, President Pratibha Patil today said that this set up of governance is not only good politics, but "it is also good economics."

Addressing the valedictory session of the 4th International Conference on Federalism here, Patil called for adopting democracy and federalism as the guiding principles for a new world order.

She said that federalism is not merely a legal-constitutional mechanism for the distribution of powers, both legislative and fiscal, among different levels of the government, but it is a concept rooted in 'self-rule'.

"Power sharing arrangements between different units of government gives a sense of belonging to various groups within the political system. It facilitates the deepening and widening of the democratic process," she said.

Patil further said that numerous challenges were ahead of humankind today-- man-made as well as natural-- and expectations from federalism were very high.

"Today, we are called upon to deal with problems that have been with us for sometime now - poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, and disease - along with new challenges like the effects of globalization, climate change and international terrorism. We, therefore, have to look at ideas and instruments that better equip us to deal with these issues effectively," she said.  

She expressed the hope that the deliberations of this Conference, with its unique format of promoting exchange of experiences and mutual learning, would go a long way in finding responses to these challenges.

"It is my hope that the delegates of the Conference will depart with a renewed commitment to enhance the federal system of governance, and to use it as a strategic tool for the fight against inequality and for building an equitable global order," she added.

Earlier addressing the conference, Defence Minister A.K.Antony said that while fiscal tensions between the Centre and the States would exist, the need of the hour is to attain a harmonious balance between the powers being enjoyed by the Centre and the States and to prevent their misuse and abuse.

He also called for carrying out a re-evaluation of the latest developments in relations between the Governments at the Centre and in the States, and devise effective strategies to correct or remove the imbalances that might have crept into the system.  

Over one thousand delegates from different parts of the world attended the conference, held in Asia for the first time. The Inter State Council Secretariat of the Government of India in partnership with the Forum of Federations, a Canada based international forum of federal countries, organized the three-day long conference.

The next conference will be held in Ethiopia. (ANI)
--MP

Labels: Politics

AA: Patna, Nov 7 (ANI): A Patna court here today granted bail to Janta Dal (United) MLA Anant Kumar Singh in connection with alleged assault on scribes.

Besides Anant Singh, six others were also granted bail by Chief Judicial Magistrate Raghvendra Singh. All were accused of manhandling of journalists.

The court had directed the police to produce the case diary and the injury report in connection with the assault on NDTV correspondent Prakash Singh and cameraperson Habib Ali.

The court also issued a warrant for production of the MLA in connection with an assault case separately lodged by Asian News International (ANI) cameraperson Ajay Kumar.

Anant Singh, who was lodged in Beur Jail at Patna, had moved the CJM's court for bail in the two cases.

All three were assaulted by Anant Singh and four of his associates after they had gone to the politician's residence for a reaction in connection to allegations that he had raped and murdered a young
woman.

Popularly known as Chhote Sarkar, Anant Singh is the JD (U) legislator from Mokama town.

He was elected to the State Assembly for the first time from Mokama in 2005, when he defeated Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Surajbhan Singh's brother Lallan.

Anant Singh, considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, faces over 32 cases of murder, extortion and kidnapping in Barh and Mokama region, besides three in Patna.

He is said to have control over acres of land in Tal area of Mokama and Barh. It is believed he has amassed huge property in urban areas as well.

In 2004, Singh was seen brandishing an AK-56 rifle at a function in his ancestral village, Nadma. But no action was taken against him. (ANI)

Labels: Bihar, Chandigarh, Politics

MP: Talking on the ongoing differences over the Indo-US nuke deal, Union minister for Science and Technology has referred that elections were a possibilty if the UPA and Left parties failed to resolve the attempts for negotiotions on the deal."Once we have exhausted all the options we will decide what to do. If not, then we will tell the nation 'you decide'," he said during a public conference on the 'Indo-US Nuclear Agreement' organised by the Delhi University. He also commended that while the Left parties were taking an ideoligical stand on the N deal, the main opposition party were simply opposing the proposed N-deal.

Labels: Politics

MP: New Delhi, Oct 30 (ANI): Vice President Hamid Ansari today said that the default by the State in terms of deprivation, exclusion and discrimination needs to be corrected by the State at the earliest.

Addressing the annual convocation of Jamia Milia Islamia here, Ansari said: "The default by the State in terms of deprivation, exclusion and discrimination is to be corrected by the State; this needs to be done at the earliest".

"Political sagacity and public opinion play an important role in it," he said, adding that there is another default referring to "the inadequacy of the autonomous effort by the community itself in relation to its social perceptions."

Noting that Muslims in India today number about 150 million and constitute a significant segment - 13.4 percent - of Indians, Muslims have the highest child sex ratio of any social group in the country - 986 girls per 1000 boys, they are more urbanised than the general population, the literacy rate among Muslims is 59.1 percent, against a national average of 65.1, but the incidence of poverty among urban Muslims is even higher than among the urban SCs/STs, is well above other OBCs, and is almost double of the national average, Ansari said: "These figures speak for themselves in terms of the imperative for correcting social imbalances resulting from social immobility."

"The manner in which Asian Muslim societies like Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran and Turkey have addressed the questions of knowledge and gender deficit needs to be studied, perhaps emulated," said Ansari. (ANI)

Labels: Politics

MP: New Delhi, Oct 29 (ANI): The Winter Session of Parliament will commence from November 15 and will conclude on December 7.

The Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs presided by Leader of the House and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee took the decision today.

The duration of the session has been shortened due to the Assembly elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, which will be held in November and December.

The Winter Session will have 17 sittings, covering 23 days, a Parliamentary Affairs Ministry release said. (ANI)

Labels: Politics