YEH MERA INDIA
Defence ministry wanted its pound of flesh in boat tragedy
The defence minis
try asked the Kerala government for Rs.45 lakh for a military aircraft to transport the bodies of the people who had died in the Thekkady boat capsize, a senior Kerala minister said. The state government, however, rejected the demand and instead chartered two planes from a private airline to take the bodies to different places, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, and spent less than Rs.25 lakh.
"We requested the defence ministry to provide a military aircraft to transport the victims bodies and survivors to different parts of the country. They also said the aircraft could not be used for civilian purposes," the minister told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
The defence minis
try asked the Kerala government for Rs.45 lakh for a military aircraft to transport the bodies of the people who had died in the Thekkady boat capsize, a senior Kerala minister said. The state government, however, rejected the demand and instead chartered two planes from a private airline to take the bodies to different places, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, and spent less than Rs.25 lakh."We requested the defence ministry to provide a military aircraft to transport the victims bodies and survivors to different parts of the country. They also said the aircraft could not be used for civilian purposes," the minister told IANS on the condition of anonymity.
‘Unsavoury’ remarks on Rahul land cop in soup
A senior police officer in Kerala is in the dock over his remarks against All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Kozhikode on Wednesday.
Additional director general of police Mahesh Kumar Singhla has ordered an inquiry
against Kozhikode assistant commissioner Pradeep Kumar following intelligence reports that he had made bad comments against the VVIP. The incident related to the inquiry occurred when police officers were asked to return to duty after Gandhi went for an outing in the city. Pradeep retorted through the police wireless; "has this fellow no other job in the night. Where is the location of changai (friend)?
Singhla viewed the comment offensive and directed Kozhikode city police commissioner S Sreejith to investigate the matter. Shreejith said that he would probe the incident and submit a report to the AGDP. Gandhi, who was in Kerala in search of talents for reinvigorating the youth and student links of the party, had put the policemen on the tenterhooks by breaking the security rings to reach out to the people. Meanwhile, the Youth Congress workers took out a match to the Kozhikode police commissioner’s office, demanding the suspension of Pradeep Kumar. The march turned violent when some agitated workers pelted stones at the police. The police official was injured in the stone pelting.
A senior police officer in Kerala is in the dock over his remarks against All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary, Rahul Gandhi during his visit to Kozhikode on Wednesday.
Additional director general of police Mahesh Kumar Singhla has ordered an inquiry
against Kozhikode assistant commissioner Pradeep Kumar following intelligence reports that he had made bad comments against the VVIP. The incident related to the inquiry occurred when police officers were asked to return to duty after Gandhi went for an outing in the city. Pradeep retorted through the police wireless; "has this fellow no other job in the night. Where is the location of changai (friend)?Singhla viewed the comment offensive and directed Kozhikode city police commissioner S Sreejith to investigate the matter. Shreejith said that he would probe the incident and submit a report to the AGDP. Gandhi, who was in Kerala in search of talents for reinvigorating the youth and student links of the party, had put the policemen on the tenterhooks by breaking the security rings to reach out to the people. Meanwhile, the Youth Congress workers took out a match to the Kozhikode police commissioner’s office, demanding the suspension of Pradeep Kumar. The march turned violent when some agitated workers pelted stones at the police. The police official was injured in the stone pelting.
One-Third of World's Child Brides in India: UNICEF
More than a third of the world’s child brides are from India, leaving children at an increased risk of exploitation despite the country’s growing modernity and economic wealth, according to a UNICEF report.
Nearly 25 million women in India were married in the year 2007 by the age of 18, said the report, which noted that children in India, Nepal and Pa
kisthan may be engaged or even married before they turned 10. Millions of children are also being forced to work in harmful conditions, or face violence and abuse at home and outside, suffering physical and psychological harm with wide reaching and sometimes irreparable effects, the report said.
"A society cannot thrive if its youngest members are forced into early marriage, abused as sex workers or denied their basic rights," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman.
Despite rising literacy levels and a ban on child marriage, tradition and religious practices are keeping the custom alive in India, as well as in Nepal and Pakisthan, the report said. More than half of the world’s child brides are in South Asia, which also accounts for more than half the unregistered births, leaving children beyond the reach and protection of state services and unable to attend school or access basic healthcare.
Only 6 percent of all births in Afghanisthan and 10 per cent in Bangladesh were registered from 2000-08, the report said, compared to 41percent in India and 73 percent in the tiny Maldives. Children in the region have also been seriously affected by insurgency and instability, as well as natural disasters.
Especially in Afghanisthan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, past or ongoing conflicts have broken down most child protection systems, leaving children especially vulnerable, the report said.
Trafficking of children for labour, prostitution or domestic services is wide spread, especially within Bangladesh and India, and within the region, as well as to Europe and the Middle East.
More than a third of the world’s child brides are from India, leaving children at an increased risk of exploitation despite the country’s growing modernity and economic wealth, according to a UNICEF report.
Nearly 25 million women in India were married in the year 2007 by the age of 18, said the report, which noted that children in India, Nepal and Pa
kisthan may be engaged or even married before they turned 10. Millions of children are also being forced to work in harmful conditions, or face violence and abuse at home and outside, suffering physical and psychological harm with wide reaching and sometimes irreparable effects, the report said."A society cannot thrive if its youngest members are forced into early marriage, abused as sex workers or denied their basic rights," said UNICEF Executive Director Ann Veneman.
Despite rising literacy levels and a ban on child marriage, tradition and religious practices are keeping the custom alive in India, as well as in Nepal and Pakisthan, the report said. More than half of the world’s child brides are in South Asia, which also accounts for more than half the unregistered births, leaving children beyond the reach and protection of state services and unable to attend school or access basic healthcare.
Only 6 percent of all births in Afghanisthan and 10 per cent in Bangladesh were registered from 2000-08, the report said, compared to 41percent in India and 73 percent in the tiny Maldives. Children in the region have also been seriously affected by insurgency and instability, as well as natural disasters.
Especially in Afghanisthan, Sri Lanka and Nepal, past or ongoing conflicts have broken down most child protection systems, leaving children especially vulnerable, the report said.
Trafficking of children for labour, prostitution or domestic services is wide spread, especially within Bangladesh and India, and within the region, as well as to Europe and the Middle East.
Mumbai's Ajwani Chargesheeted Finally!
Excise man accused of amassing assets 2100 times more than his known sources of income
NEW DELHI : THE CBI has slapped charges of accumulating disproportionate assets (valued in 2004) worth Rs 10 crore—2100 times more than known sources of income—against a central Excise and Customs Commissioner and six members of his family.
The CBI in its chargesheet filed at a special court in Mumbai recently has mentioned that searches at the official and residential premises of Pralhad Kumar Ajwani, a 1976 batch IRS officer and the then Commissioner of Central Excise at Thane, had led to recovery of cash and property of over Rs 10 crore, official sources said.
He was subsequently arrested in November 2004. "During the investigation, cash worth Rs 6.15 crore, large number of immovable assets like flat at Shripati Arcade, Sky Gardens, Rendezvous Society, Andheri, Aroma Residency Khar (West), House at Talwandi, Kota, plot and shop in Gurgaon, flat and shop at Greenvile, Andheri and flat at Deep Towers Oshiwara, Andheri were found in the name of accused and his family members along with advance of Rs 15 lakh for booking one flat with a builder," a CBI spokesperson stated.
Other assets including gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 38.69 lakh, bank balance worth Rs 13.86 lakh, investment of Rs 43,820, two four-wheelers of about Rs 8.75 lakh were also recovered, the spokesperson said.
The assets worth Rs 1.32 lakh and bank balance worth Rs 5.17 lakh and share and debenture investments worth 4.26 lakh in the name of his wife Uma Ajwani, one of the accused, were also discovered during the searches, official sources said.
The team also found assets worth Rs 10.90 lakh in the name of his children, immovable assets worth Rs 1.76 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 31.10 lakh created in the name of his relatives, the spokesperson said.
"Being a public servant while working in the Central Excise and Customs Department in various capacities during the period January 1, 1990 to October 28, 2004, he was found to have acquired possession of movable and immovable properties in his own name and in the name of family members which he could not satisfactorily account for," he said.
"These were disproportionate to the tune of Rs 10.76 crore which was 2095 per cent on his known and legal sources of income," he said.
Excise man accused of amassing assets 2100 times more than his known sources of income
NEW DELHI : THE CBI has slapped charges of accumulating disproportionate assets (valued in 2004) worth Rs 10 crore—2100 times more than known sources of income—against a central Excise and Customs Commissioner and six members of his family.
The CBI in its chargesheet filed at a special court in Mumbai recently has mentioned that searches at the official and residential premises of Pralhad Kumar Ajwani, a 1976 batch IRS officer and the then Commissioner of Central Excise at Thane, had led to recovery of cash and property of over Rs 10 crore, official sources said.
He was subsequently arrested in November 2004. "During the investigation, cash worth Rs 6.15 crore, large number of immovable assets like flat at Shripati Arcade, Sky Gardens, Rendezvous Society, Andheri, Aroma Residency Khar (West), House at Talwandi, Kota, plot and shop in Gurgaon, flat and shop at Greenvile, Andheri and flat at Deep Towers Oshiwara, Andheri were found in the name of accused and his family members along with advance of Rs 15 lakh for booking one flat with a builder," a CBI spokesperson stated.
Other assets including gold and silver ornaments worth Rs 38.69 lakh, bank balance worth Rs 13.86 lakh, investment of Rs 43,820, two four-wheelers of about Rs 8.75 lakh were also recovered, the spokesperson said.
The assets worth Rs 1.32 lakh and bank balance worth Rs 5.17 lakh and share and debenture investments worth 4.26 lakh in the name of his wife Uma Ajwani, one of the accused, were also discovered during the searches, official sources said.
The team also found assets worth Rs 10.90 lakh in the name of his children, immovable assets worth Rs 1.76 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 31.10 lakh created in the name of his relatives, the spokesperson said.
"Being a public servant while working in the Central Excise and Customs Department in various capacities during the period January 1, 1990 to October 28, 2004, he was found to have acquired possession of movable and immovable properties in his own name and in the name of family members which he could not satisfactorily account for," he said.
"These were disproportionate to the tune of Rs 10.76 crore which was 2095 per cent on his known and legal sources of income," he said.
Muslim cleric to take Kumbh dip!
A dip in the sacred river during the Maha Kumbh Mela is said to wash away all sins. A senior Muslim cleric who will perform the Hindu rite hopes that it will also wash away differences between the two religions.
Kalbe Sadiq, a noted Shia cleric and senior vice-president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Borard (AIMPLB), will take the "holy dip" in the upcoming Maha Kumbha Mela to be held in Haridwar in 2010.
"For the sake of cementing the bond between Hindus and Muslims, I have decided to perform the ritual (holy dip) in the Ganga river, which is considered sacred and revered, Particularly by Hindus," Sadiq told IANS.
"In fact, not only the holy dip, I am ready to perform every such act that will help promote amicable atmosphere between the two communities and contribute towards the progress of the nation," he added.
A dip in the sacred river during the Maha Kumbh Mela is said to wash away all sins. A senior Muslim cleric who will perform the Hindu rite hopes that it will also wash away differences between the two religions.
Kalbe Sadiq, a noted Shia cleric and senior vice-president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Borard (AIMPLB), will take the "holy dip" in the upcoming Maha Kumbha Mela to be held in Haridwar in 2010.
"For the sake of cementing the bond between Hindus and Muslims, I have decided to perform the ritual (holy dip) in the Ganga river, which is considered sacred and revered, Particularly by Hindus," Sadiq told IANS.
"In fact, not only the holy dip, I am ready to perform every such act that will help promote amicable atmosphere between the two communities and contribute towards the progress of the nation," he added.
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