31st December, 2012

THE HEADLINES:

• Several state governments and business establishments cancel or tone down New Year's eve celebrations as a mark of respect to Delhi gang rape victim.

• A Supermarket owner of Indian origin found dead in the United States.

• Cold wave conditions continue to disrupt normal life in north India; Death toll in Uttar Pradesh rises to 92.

• Pakistan beat India in the first One-Dayer by six wickets.

<><><>

Several State governments, business houses, hotels and clubs have either cancelled or toned down New Year's eve celebrations as a mark of respect to the 23-year old Delhi gang rape victim. Punjab and Haryana governments have cancelled their planned programmes to usher in the New Year. Officials said, Haryana Government has cancelled its lunch today. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has decided to stay away from new year celebrations. In a statement issued yesterday, he appealed to the people to welcome the new year with simplicity.

Press Club of India has cancelled its New Year's eve celebrations in New Delhi andChandigarh. Several business houses in Chandigarh have also decided to cancel or tone down events. Following the death of the Delhi rape victim, bookings in five-star hotels in Delhi and Mumbai are reportedly down by at least 15-20 per cent.

Meanwhile, protests and candle light vigil continued in several parts of the country including the National Capital yesterday. In Delhi, protestors gathered at Jantar Mantar demanding stern and swift punishment to the culprits of the heinous crime. In Mumbai, people from all walks of life joined condolence meetings and peace marches. Protests were also held in Kolkata, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh and Dehradun.

The Indian diaspora in the US, Britain and Australia held candle light vigils for the victim, demanding stern punishment for the culprits and fast track courts to deal with sexual assault cases.

The body of the victim was cremated in New Delhi early yesterday after it was brought back from Singapore where she breathed her last. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi were present at airport to receive the body.Delhi police have slapped murder charges against the six arrested accused in the rape case. The Charge sheet against them will be filed on 3rd January.

The BJP has reiterated its demand for convening a special session of Parliament to adopt strict laws on crime against women. Talking to reporters in New Delhiyesterday, Chief Spokesperson of the party Ravishankar Prasad said the BJP will cooperate with the Government in all suitable legislative measures to strengthen laws relating to crime against women.

We would appeal to the government to give appropriate response to awaken powers of the country. If country expects the law, we are ready to fully support the government. Government should call a special session of Parliament.

<><><>

Delhi Government has dismissed three persons working with a cluster bus service for their alleged involvement in molesting a minor girl in the National Capital on Saturday night. They are the driver and two conductors of the bus. A case has been registered at Barakhamba Road Police Station. Talking to reporters, Delhi Transport Minster, Ramakant Goswami said Delhi Government is taking firm steps to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future.

We have taken strict action against driver and both the conductors, who were involved in molesting case. We have dismissed all the three employees.

<><><>

A man hailing from Karimnagar in Andhra Pradesh has been found dead in the United States under suspicious circumstances. The Victim, Goli Venkat Reddy used to run a super market at Cincinnati in Ohio State. The victim's wife Kavitha, a software engineer, found her husband lying aside in the store with bleeding from his nose yesterday and informed police. Police reached the spot and declared Venkat Reddy dead. They have registered a case of suspicious death and sent the body for autopsy.

<><><>

A Delhi Motor Accident Claims Tribunal, MACT has awarded a compensation of over 1.03 crore rupees to the families of a man and his cousin, who died in a road mishap involving a rashly-driven truck in Uttar Pradesh three years ago. The MACT directed the New India Assurance Company, with which the truck was insured, to pay the amount to the next kin of the deceased Jitender Singh Negi and Virender Singh Negi. In his order, MACT Presiding Officer SC Malik said, the testimony of petitioners and records produced prove that the two deceased suffered fatal injuries in the road accident due to rash and negligent driving of the truck by its driver. Awarding the compensation, the tribunal said it is a lifetime trauma for the family and no amount of money can wipe their tears.

<><><>

The Jharkhand Government has decided to bring all 24 districts of the State under the Direct Cash Transfer scheme by May 2013. Our Correspondent reports that the scheme is being launched in four districts tomorrow.

Direct Cash Transfer scheme will start from tomorrow in four districts of Jharkhand- Ranchi, Ramgarh, Hazaribagh and Saraikela Kharsawan. The scheme would provide cash directly to those who would benefit under scholarship, pensions for elderly and disabled and other welfare schemes of Central Government through Aadhar cards. The 12 digit Aadhar card would be given to all such beneficiaries. Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh visited naxal affected districts to oversee the progress of works for implementation of the scheme. The Minister also promised that a new BPL list would be released by the Central Government also to include those who are left out. Rajesh Sinha, AIR News, Ranchi.

<><><>

Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh has emphasized on stepping up of political mobilisation of people in remote areas to weaken Naxals in their strong holds. Talking to a news agency in Latehar of Jharkhand, Mr. Ramesh said, wherever the political mobilisation is strong Naxals are weak. The Minister, who is on a three-day visit of Naxal-affected districts to monitor rural development works, advised political workers to spread all over the districts, even in the forest areas. He said, another element is that tribals should feel that they are a part of the development by implementing laws.

<><><>

In Chhattisgarh, Security forces raided a Maoist hideout and seized a huge cache of materials from a remote forest village of Bijapur district in tribal Bastar region. Our correspondent reports that the hideout was being used by the rebels as a tailoring workshop for stitching Naxal uniforms and a school to train the Maoist cadres. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said beside arms, Security forces seized Naxal literature, medicines, wires, batteries, switch detonators, gelatin, solar plates, walkie-talkies, volley ball nets and rackets and crackers from the spot.

[]><><><[]

Cold wave continue to sweep North India. Foggy weather disrupted rail, road and air traffic at several places. The fog affected the schedule of about 50 flights atDelhi airport yesterday. The National Capital had a gloomy weather as the fog returned after four days.

In Uttar Pradesh, cold wave has claimed three more lives during the past 24 hours. The toll in the state during this season has gone up to 92. Lucknow was the coldest place in the state with a minimum of 0.7 degrees Celsius yesterday. It was seven degrees below normal. Here is more from our Correspondent:

The intense cold wave continued to disrupt normal life in Allahabad, Agra,Lucknow, Gorakhpur and Basti divisions. Dense fog and chilly wind forced people to remain indoors. However, there was bright sunshine in several districts of Varanasi and Allahabad divisions. Several important trains are running late by 10 to 12 hrs. due to fog. Schools up to eighth have been closed till 5th January. According to met office, the day's maximum temperature was recorded upto 9 degrees below normal in many districts of eastern and western regions. Salman Haider, AIR News, Gorakhpur.

Normal life in most parts of Punjab and Haryana was crippled due to the fog, which threw rail and road traffic out of gear. However, minimum temperature in the region rose due to cloudy sky.

While most of the flights from Chandigarh airport were cancelled or re-scheduled. Several trains criss-crossing the region are also running hours behind schedule due to low visibility.

Hisar was the coldest place in the plains of Haryana with a low of 2.2 degree celcius.

Mercury plummeted in northern parts of Rajasthan with Sri Ganganagar freezing at a low of 0.6 degree celcius.