1400HRS

  4th March, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• Both Houses of Parliament adjourned till 2 pm over Opposition demand for roll back of petrol and diesel price hike.

• Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh resigns following lodging of FIR against him over the DSP's killing in Pratapgarh.

• One of the Hyderabad blast suspects, Manzar Imam arrested in Ranchi.

• Twelve children and the driver killed in a school bus collision with a truck near Jalandhar in Punjab.

• With Pujara's double ton, India in a commanding position against Australia.

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Both the Houses of Parliament have been adjourned till 2 pm today with the Opposition demanding the roll back of petrol and diesel price hike. Earlier, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned for one hour on the same issue.

As soon as the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon, members from Left parties, Trinamool Congress and others trooped into the well of the House shouting slogans in support of their demand. Speaker Meira Kumar adjourned the House as the din continued. The Rajya Sabha took up a discussion on the petrol price hike with Naresh Aggarwal of the Samajwadi Party stating that the increase in fuel prices was a breach of Parliamentary procedure. Denying this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Rajiv Shukla said, the government had no role in petrol prices and it was the prerogative of the oil companies to regulate prices. As the protests continued, Deputy Chairman, Prof. P J Kurien adjourned the House till 2 pm.

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Uttar Pradesh Minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya resigned from the state Cabinet today in the wake of the killing of a DSP in Pratapgarh district. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament, Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the Minister has resigned. Official sources said that Raghuraj Pratap Singh met UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow this morning and submitted his resignation. His resignation has been accepted by the Governor, Mr. B L Joshi.

The UP Assembly was adjourned repeatedly following uproar over killing of the officer. DSP Zia-ul-Haq was killed by a mob in Pratapgarh on Saturday when he had rushed there after a village head was shot dead over a land dispute. The slain officer's wife has accused Raja Bhaiya for the attack. She filed the complaint at Kunda police station yesterday where her husband was posted. Earlier, BSP chief Mayawati had told reporters that there is goonda-raj in UP and the Centre should take action by clamping President's rule in the state.

Meanwhile, the gunner of the slain DSP and an SSI has been suspended by the government, whereas the district police chief has already been shifted and attached with the DGP office.

AIR Lucknow Correspondent reports that the wife of the slain senior cop is on dharna at her native place in Deoria district, demanding the arrest of Raghuraj Pratap Singh and that the Chief Minister himself should come to meet the family.

"Despite resignation of accused minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh Raja Bhaiyya and suspension and transfer of some policemen, Opposition came down heavily on the government today. Both the legislative houses were adjourned again and again amid unrelenting demand of opposition parties for immediate debate on the floor of the house on the burning issue of Dy SP's murder. Samajwadi government of the state seemed in very defensive position in both of the houses today. Meraj Uddin Khan/ AIR NEWS/Lucknow"

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The Lok Sabha has been adjourned for the day.

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The government today said, there is no proposal to provide subsidy to the families who cannot afford to install set top boxes and pay monthly subion to watch cable TV. In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Manish Tewari said, Digital Addressable System, DAS has been completed in three out of the planned four metro cities of Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata by the mandated timeline of 31st October of last year. He said, as regards Chennai, the matter is sub-judice in the High Court of Madras. The Minister said, in the second phase of DAS, 38 cities with a population of more than ten lakhs, are included.

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In Jharkhand, one of the suspected accused of the recent twin- terror blasts at Dilsukhnagar in Hyderabad, Manzar Imam has been arrested by a team of National Investigation Agency, NIA and Ranchi Police. Soon after the arrest, a special NIA Court in Ranchi, granted Imam's custody on five days transit remand to the Kerala Police.

Our Ranchi Correspondent reports, Manzar Imam is the resident of Ranchi and is wanted in more than 15 cases of terror attacks in the country which includes that of Gujarat, Mumbai and Delhi, apart from the recent Hyderabad blasts. Police sources said that Manzar Imam is an active member of the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and Indian Mujahideen (IM). Another resident of Ranchi and friend of Manzar Imam, Danish Riyaz, who has already been arrested by Gujarat police on charges of involvement in the Ahmedabad blast, told investigators that 28 youths from Jharkhand had taken terror training in Kerala a few years ago, of which Imam was an important member.

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The Supreme Court has issued notice to the Centre on a petition asking for the issue of beheading of two Indian soldiers near the Line of Control by the Pakistani army, to be raised in the International Criminal Court. A Bench of Justices P Sathasivam and J S Khehar asked the government to file a response within four weeks. The Bench tagged the case with another petition which had raised the issue of mutilation of the body of another Indian soldier, late Captain Saurabh Kalia, by Pakistani Armed Forces during the Kargil war. The court passed the order on a PIL alleging that the government has not taken any action against Pakistan after the ghastly killing of the two jawans on the 8th of January and sought the Court's interference in the matter.

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A Delhi court has framed charges against social activist Irom Sharmila for allegedly attempting to commit suicide during her fast until death in the capital in 2006. Sharmila has been on fast for over 12 years, demanding the repeal of the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Manipur. A few dozen supporters of Irom Sharmila today protested outside the Patiala House Court in New Delhi, where charges were framed against her. The supporters raised slogans in favour of the Manipuri rights activist.

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The Congress today said that the Gujarat Chief Minister is not a leader of stature and he does not have a political culture. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, Union Minister V Narayanasami said that the BJP is totally blank on leadership and there is a leadership vacuum in the party. Mr Narayansami said that the BJP has no other leader, so they are banking on him.

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Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today ruled out any immediate Rail freight rate hike in view of the recent hike in diesel prices. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function in New Delhi, Mr Bansal however said, there is a need to take tough decisions in future, to manage the diesel price hike.

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Twelve children and the driver were killed when a school bus collided with a truck in a village near Jalandhar in Punjab this morning. Jalandhar Rural SP, Rajinder Singh said, the mishap took place at 8 am in Jaheer village when the bus of Akal Academy was taking students to the school.

Our Correspondent reports, seven children died on the spot and three are critically injured. The accident happened on the highway near Nakodar-Jalandhar road.

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The month long budget session of the Assam assembly has begun today in Guwahati in a stormy note. Our Correspondent reports that the Governor could not continue his speech amidst noise.

"As soon as the Governor has started the customary speech, opposition All India United Democratic Front,Asom Gana Parishad and BJP raised slogans alleging that the state government was failed to conduct free and fair panchayat poll. Some opposition members have also displayed play cards against price rise, law and order situation, Kokrajhar violence and rhino poaching. Governor J B Patnaik in his written speech said that Assam has made progress in all fronts .He mentioned that under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 203 lakh men days are generated in the current financial year. Manas Pratim Sarma, Guwahati, AIR NEWS."

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Amid vociferous protests by the Opposition over killing of police personnel by militants in Kashmir Valley this Saturday and other issues, both Houses of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislature were adjourned for some time during the Question Hour today. Demanding a special debate in the House on the militant attack on policemen in Handwara, opposition members along with the independent MLA Ashwani Kumar, trooped into the Well of the House and shouted slogans. The Opposition PDP members also protested inside the House on the issue of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru’s execution.

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President Pranab Mukherjee today emphasised the need for India and Bangladesh to work together towards greater integration of the region. Mr Mukherjee said this addressing the 47th convocation ceremony at Dhaka University after he was conferred with the Doctorate of Law by Banglandesh President Zillur Rehman, who is the Chancellor of the University. In his acceptance speech, Mr Mukherjee said, the destinies of India and Bangladesh are interwoven and India is committed to support the comprehensive development of Bangladesh. A report:-

"The highlights of the 47th convocation of Dhaka University was the conferment of Doctorate degree on President Pranab Mukherjee. Reading out the citation speech, Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Arefin Siddique said, the degree is being conferred on first Bengali President of India in reorganization of his contribution to the development of India-Bangladesh relations. The citation also recognised the contribution of Pranab Mukherjee in various capacities in the government of India and the Bangladesh Party. In his emotional acceptance speech which drew across the audience, President Pranab Mukherjee recalled shared cultural, historical links with the two countries, underlining the need for both the countries to work together for better economic development. Centhil Rajan/Dhaka/ AIR NEWS."

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The Israel government has planned to operate from today separate buses for Jews and Palestinians on some routes running from the West Bank into central Israel. The buses will begin operating at the Eyal crossing, near the West Bank Palestinian city of Qalqilya, to take Palestinians for work in Israel. Around 30,000 Palestinians with valid work permits travel from the West Bank to Israel each day and are required to return on the same evening. Fliers in Arabic advertising the policy were distributed in Palestinian villages in the West Bank, urging Palestinians to arrive at Eyal and use the designated lines. The move reportedly comes in the wake of complaints from Jewish settlers who claimed that Palestinian day labourers returning to the West Bank posed a security threat.

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Philip Gordon will be the new US pointsman for Middle East, North Africa and the gulf region. The US President Barack Obama has appointed Philip Gordon, a veteran foreign policy expert as the new Coordinator for the Middle East, North Africa and the Gulf. He will take charge on March the 11th. The appointment comes a fortnight ahead of President Obama’s proposed visits to Israel, Ramallah in the occupied Palestinian territories and Jordan. He joins a team that includes Puneet Talwar, special assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for the Gulf states, Iran and Iraq, and Prem Kumar, acting Senior Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

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The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange lost 59 points, to 18,859 in opening trade, this morning, on selling by funds and retail investors. Later, in the afternoon trade the Sensex had shed 72 points, or 0.4 percent, to 18,846, a short while ago. The Nifty of the National Stock Exchange dropped 29 points, or 0.5 percent, to 5,691, in intra-day trade.

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Hosts India were 499 for 9 in the first innings against Australia, on Day 3 of the second cricket test at Hyderabad, when reports last came in. India is leading by 262 runs courtesy a brilliant knock of 204 runs by Cheteshwar Pujara. Earlier, India resumed at an overnight score of 311 for 1. Australia had declared its first innings for 237 for 9, after opting to bat first. India is currently leading the 4-match Test series, 1-0