national

RTE boon for millions of under-privileged children : Manish Tewari

Feb 17 Information & Broadcasting Minister, Manish Tewari has said that the Right to Education is proving a boon for millions of under-privileged children in the country. He said the Centre is committed to bringing excellence in the field of education. Addressing a function of the Association of Private Unaided Schools of Punjab in Ludhiana, on Sunday, the Minister urged the association to implement the Right to Education Act in its true spirit. He said that there could be some issues with regard to some provisions of the Act but those could be sorted out. Nearly 500 members from various CBSE and ICSE schools of Punjab participated in the function. SC refuses urgent hearing on plea of Veerappan's aides Feb 17 The Supreme Court has refused urgent hearing on the plea of four aides of sandalwood smuggler Veerappan, seeking stay on execution of their death penalty. Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, who had mentioned the matter at the CJI's residence said, the Chief Justice did not hear the matter last evening, on the ground that there was no proof that execution is scheduled today. He said the CJI told him that the matter will be taken up for hearing in due course. Veerappan's elder brother Gnanaprakash, Simon, Meesekar Madaiah and Bilavendran were awarded death sentence in 2004 in connection with a landmine blast at Palar in Karnataka in 1993 in which 22 police personnel were killed.

Step out of offices, Rahul tells state party chiefs

Feb 17 Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has set time-bound targets for the state Congress chiefs, who were asked to increase contact with workers. After a two-day interaction with PCC chiefs and CLP leaders in Delhi yesterday, Mr. Gandhi asked the state party presidents to move out of party's state offices for at least 10 days in a month and visit the districts and blocks to hear the partymen's grievances. Talking to reporters, Congress leader, Janardhan Dwivedi said that various flagship programmes of the central government were also discussed in the meeting. Police files chargesheet against suspected IM member Fasih Mahmood Feb 17 Suspected Indian Mujahideen module Fasih Mahmood, who was deported from Saudi Arabia last year, has been chargesheeted for terror acts, in connection with the 2010 Jama Masjid attacks. The charge sheet was filed in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Asha Menon in Delhi. Fasih, one of the founding members of the banned outfit, has been charged under the Indian Penal Code for forgery and possessing fake currency and also under the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act.

Will do our best to help AMU get autonomy status:Sonia Gandhi

Feb 17
The Congress President Mrs. Sonia Gandhi has said the matter pertaining to grant of minority status to Aligarh Muslim University is an issue of great concern and her party will do its best to ensure that the varsity gets autonomy. She told this while addressing the 60th annual convocation of AMU through audio conferencing yesterday after her visit was cancelled due to inclement weather. Sonia said AMU had played a very important role in the country's freedom struggle and had produced a galaxy of freedom fighters like 'Frontier Gandhi' Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar and Rafi Ahmad Kidwai.

India, Bangladesh exchange strip map of border regions

Feb 17
India and Bangladesh have exchanged strip maps as part of the process of the implementation of the agreement signed to resolve land boundary issues between the two countries. In a symbolic gesture to mark the process, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni exchanged one strip map at the end of the Joint consultative commission meeting in Dhaka yesterday.

In addition, two MOUs were also signed for the construction of a rail link to connect Akhaura in Bangladesh to Agartala in India and for setting up a think-tank to be called Bangladesh-India Foundation.

President says, CAG's role arises only when there are aberrations in financial matters

Feb 17
The President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has said the CAG's role arises only when there are aberrations in financial matters and the Parliament need not wait for its report on an issue to discuss the matter. Delivering the first NKP Salve Memorial Lecture in Delhi yesterday, the President emphasised the need for having serious discussions in Parliament on financial issues.

Voicing concern over frequent disruptions in Parliament and state legislatures, the President said, due to disruptions, even the powers of discussing the monetary and financial matters which are vested in the Lok Sabha, are not utilised fully.