Pappu Yadav in memoir: Both Cong, BJP offered MPs Rs 40 crore each

Former MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav has alleged that three MPs of his Indian Federal Democratic Party got money "courtesy then finance minister Yashwant Sinha", to join the NDA in 2001. He has also claimed that during the July 2008 trust vote, both the Congress and BJP had offered "Rs 40 crore each" to MPs for their support.

Pappu Yadav has made these claims in his autobiography 'Drohkaal ka Pathik', to be released in New Delhi on Wednesday. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav will be the chief guests, and LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan a special guest at the ceremony.

Yadav has written: "The rate for the MPs' support had to be bargained... Anwarul Haque got an Accent car and Rs 1 crore, Nagmani got Rs 1 crore immediately with an assurance of a minister of state berth later, courtesy then finance minister Yashwant Sinha. P C Thomas also got MoS status. Anwarul Haque and Sukhdev Paswan took money, and when Nagmani did not get the MoS post, he too was given money. The rest did not take any money. I had an old family relationship with Yashwant Sinha."

When contacted, Yashwant Sinha rubbished the allegations saying, "It is useless, completely scurrilous. I deny it. It is not worth a comment."

Yadav has also claimed that before the 2008 trust vote, both the UPA and NDA "approached" him. "Both parties (Congress and BJP) offered Rs 40 crore each to MPs. My wife (former MP Ranjit Ranjan) met Bihar in-charge five-six times. She then met Ahmed Patel. Then she met Sonia Gandhi. We had no talks about money... even though our family needed money at that time..."

Shiv Sena wants action against Patil for 'leaking info on Kasab'

Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab has urged Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan to "summarily dismiss" Home Minister R R Patil from the state Cabinet for "leaking details" about slain terrorist Ajmal Kasab's stay in prison and his burial inside the Yerawada jail in Pune.

Parab has based his demand on a four-page article by the home minister published in a Marathi magazine. The article titled "Operation X" divulges details about Kasab's violent behaviour inside the barracks, how the state went about his burial inside the jail in Pune and who performed the last rites.

Parab pointed out that Patil failed to abide by the oath of secrecy taken at the time of appointment as minister. "The home minister leaked details about how the prisoners at Yerawada jail dug up three huge pits at different locations for Kasab's burial," he said.

"Patil has let out information about the individual who performed the last rites on the terrorist, which was not right," said Parab.

Refusing to comment on the matter, Patil said: " I have not seen the Sena leader's letter to the governor. I am not aware of it. I will not like to comment."

Eight killed as SUV falls into Chenab river

Eight passengers were killed and another injured when a TATA Sumo skidded off the road and fell into river Chenab on Doda-Kishtwar road on Wednesday.

The ill-fated vehicle carrying ten people was on way to Thathri from Drabshalla at that time, sources said. While the injured has been airlifted to hospital at Jammu, one more passenger was still missing.

Some mechanical snag in the vehicle was stated to be the cause of accident, sources said, adding that it straightway fell into the river as there were no parapets constructed on the roadside.

The Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the death of people in road accident and conveyed their sympathies to bereaved families. The Chief Minister sanctioned ex-gratia relief of Rs one lakh to the next of kin of each deceased and Rs 10,000 for the injured.

Meanwhile, the state governor reiterated his concern over the incidence of fatal accidents taking place in the state. He emphasized the police, transport department and other agencies concerned on pressing need for taking all required measures on immediate basis to reduce the incidence of such accidents in the state.

More polio cases confirmed in Syria, WHO says

Additional polio cases have been confirmed in two new areas in Syria: near the capital of Damascus and in northern Aleppo, near Turkey, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

In Syria's first outbreak of the disease since 1999, 10 cases of polio were initially confirmed among children last month. That number has now risen to 17, the WHO said.

In addition to 15 cases confirmed in Deir Ezzor province, "two additional cases have been confirmed, one each in rural Damascus and Aleppo, confirming widespread circulation of the virus," the WHO said in a statement.

It said the risk of further spread of the disease was considered high given the fighting, large-scale movement of refugees and number of children who have not been fully immunized in the country.

Last month, health officials launched a program to immunize 1.6 million Syrian children against polio, measles, mumps and rubella -- in government- and rebel-held areas. The response, which also includes neighboring countries, is expected to last at least six months, the WHO has said.

"A surveillance alert has been issued for the region to actively search for additional potential cases in addition to implementing the recommended supplementary immunization activities with oral polio vaccine," the WHO said.

About 22 million children under the age of 5 are being targeted in mass polio vaccination campaigns in the region, it said.

According to UNICEF, 500,000 children in Syria have not been vaccinated against polio.

The highly infectious viral disease, which spreads via fecal-oral transmission and contaminated food and water, primarily affects young children. Initial symptoms can include fever, fatigue, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, limb pain and, in a small number of cases, paralysis and death.

It can be prevented through immunization, but there is no cure. The incidence of the disease has dropped by more than 99% since 1988. It remains endemic in three countries -- Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan -- down from more than 125 countries in 1988.

Public health can be among the first casualties of war, as resources are diverted from ensuring clean water supplies and intact sewer lines.

According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict, which began in March 2011 when government forces cracked down on peaceful protesters.

Vaccination campaign against polio, other diseases, begins in Mideast

France to send 1,000 more troops to Central African Republic

France will send approximately 1,000 more troops to the Central African Republic, French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday in a radio interview.

Speaking on Europe 1 radio, he said the mission would last about six months and would be coordinated with the United Nations and African Union.

About 400 French troops are already in the Central African Republic, the French Defense Ministry said, where they are deployed to protect French nationals and help secure the airport in the capital, Bangui. France is a former colonial power in the Central African Republic.

Former leader Gen. Francois Bozize fled the country in March of this year, after a coup led by rebel leader Michel Djotodia.

A transitional government was put in place, headed by Prime Minister Nicolas Tiangaye, but the country continues to be wracked by unrest and new elections have yet to be held.

In a piece published Monday by French newspaper Le Figaro, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the troubled Central African Republic was facing its worst crisis yet.

He highlighted the threat to peace posed by growing tensions between the country's Muslims and Christians, which have already led to a number of deaths.

'Suffering beyond imagination'

U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson warned Monday that the situation in the country was deteriorating rapidly and called on the international community to act swiftly to turn it around.

"The population is enduring suffering beyond imagination," he told a meeting of the U.N. Security Council. "As we see far too often, women and children are bearing the brunt. Human rights violations are mounting. The use of child soldiers is rising. Sexual violence is growing.

"There are widespread reports of looting, illegal checkpoints, extortion, illegal arrests and detentions, torture and summary executions."

Eliasson also highlighted the worsening humanitarian situation in the country, saying that as much as a third of the population is in need of food, health care, clean water and shelter.

He suggested that a U.N. peacekeeping force should eventually replace the current African-led International Support Mission in the Central African Republic, known as MISCA. That potential force could number about 6,000 troops and 1,700 police personnel, he said.

In the meantime, however, he called for the international community to give its full backing to the efforts of the current mission.

A new leadership team for the mission was announced Saturday, with retired Maj. Gen. Jean Marie Michel Mokoko of the Republic of Congo at its head.

Humanitarian crisis

Adonia Ayebare, ambassador for the African Union's permanent mission to the United Nations, warned Monday of "disastrous" humanitarian consequences, with hundreds of thousands of civilians either internally displaced or refugees in neighboring countries.

He called on transitional authorities to "fully assume their responsibilities," particularly the protection of civilians and the transition to an elected government.

As many as one in 10 people have been forced from their homes since March, humanitarian group Doctors Without Borders said Tuesday.

Recent clashes in the town of Bouca, in the northeast part of the country, have only added to the problem, the organization said.

"The fighting in Bouca is indicative of how horrific violence is engulfing the Central African Republic," said Sylvain Groulx, head of the group's mission there.

"We are extremely concerned about the living conditions of the displaced, who are overcrowded in churches, mosques or schools, or living in the bush with no access to health care, food, or water, and are threatened by epidemics. Much more needs to be done, and it needs to be done now."

Delhi HC asks CBI to file status report on case against HP CM

New Delhi: An NGO Common Cause has filed a petition against alleged corruption, money laundering, disproportionate assets of former union steel minister and currently the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Virbhadra Singh. Advocate and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Prashant Bhushan, who is appearing for the petitioner, submitted that this is an open and shut case of disproportionate assets and illegal wrongdoing by Virbhadra Singh, former union minister and current CM of HP.

The Delhi High Court has asked the CBI to file its status report.

Bhushan said that despite their complaint of January 2013, no action has been taken by CBI. At this, the CBI counsel said that they have received the complaint and are already investigating the case.

Then the CJ bench of Delhi HC asked the CBI to file their status reports within six weeks and posted the matter for February 2014.

6 killed, 2 injured in bomb blast in village near Kudankulam nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu

Six people were killed and two injured when a country-made bomb exploded tonight in a coastal village near the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.

A Home Ministry spokesman said in New Delhi that the country-made bomb went off "accidentally" when some miscreants were making the explosive in their hut at around 1840 hours in Idinagarai Tsunami colony, about 15 km from the nuclear power plant.

Among the dead were a woman and three children who were all aged below five, police said.

A senior official of the Department of Atomic Energy said the plant is running fine and is safe.

Two houses were razed under the impact of the blast, they said, adding rescue teams rushed to the pot to clear the debris and extricate people believed trapped under it.

Bomb disposal squad and investigation teams rushed to the spot, along with DIG of Police Sumith Saran and Superintendent of Police Vijendra Bidari.

People of Idinthakarai, the hub of protests against KNPP, backed by People's Movement Against Nuclear Energy, have been agitating for more than two years, demanding its closure.

Unit-1 had attained criticality on July 13 this year following protests against the project by anti-nuclear activists in areas around the complex, citing safety reasons.

Police had raided Kunthankuli village near Idinthakarai in 2012 and early this year and seized some country bombs from some huts.

Police suspect that some people involved in criminal cases from Kunthankuli were staying in the two houses.

Kudankulam nuke power plant safe: DAE official

The nuclear power plant is safe and functioning normally, a senior official of the Department of Atomic Energy said shortly after a country-made bomb exploded near the facility.

"The plant is running fine and is safe", the official said when asked about the explosion at Idinagarai Tsunami colony in Tirunelveli district that left six persons dead and two injured.

A Home Ministry spokesman said in New Delhi that the country-made bomb went off "accidentally" when some miscreants were making the explosive in their hut at around 1840 hours in Idinagarai Tsunami colony, about 15 km from the nuclear power plant.

Kanchi Shankaracharya, 22 others acquitted in Sankararaman murder case

A Puducherry court acquitted all 23 accused, including Kanchi Sankara Mutt Sankaracharyas Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi, in Sankararaman murder case on Wednesday.

The court said in its order that there was no substance evidence against the accused. It also observed that the then superintendent of police, Prem Kumar, took undue interest in the case, but the chief investigating officer failed to produce all the materials.

The wife and the daughter of the deceased - A. Sankararaman, who was the manager of Sri Varadarajaperumal temple in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram at the time of murder in September 2004 - failed to identify the accused. Even the motorcycle used by the murderers could not be identified by the witnesses.

There were 24 accused in the case of which one was killed in KK Nagar in March 2013. The senior and junior Sankaracharyas of the Mutt - Jayendra Saraswathi and Vijayendra Saraswathi respectively - were the prime accused.

The case had been shifted from a Chengalpet court to Puducherry in 2005 by the Supreme Court following a special leave petition by Jayendra Saraswathi who insisted that the atmosphere in Tamil Nadu was not conducive for a free and fair trial.

Flash News:

Aarushi-Hemraj case: Rajesh Talwar and wife Nupur get life imprisonment under IPC Section 302 (murder) and five-year term under Section 201 (destruction of evidence), while Rajesh was given one-year jail under Section 203 (false reporting).

CBI seizes gold worth Rs 67 lakh, FDs from SBI officer's hom

Mumbai/New Delhi: CBI Monday conducted searches at the Mumbai residence of SBI Deputy MD Shyamal Acharya and claimed to have seized gold and jewellery worth Rs 67 lakh after he and others were booked by the agency in a graft case related to disbursal of a loan of over Rs400 crore. 

"Gold and jewellery worth Rs 67 lakh approximately, locker key, documents pertaining to investments in fixed deposits others and other incriminating documents have been recovered from the residence of the Deputy Managing Director. 

"An estimated cash of Rs 15 lakh, jewellery and other incriminating documents were also recovered from the residence of the chairman of the private company, Piyoosh Goyal. Incriminating documents recovered during searches are being scrutinised for further investigation," a CBI spokesperson said in Delhi. 

CBI's Economic Offences Wing in Mumbai had registered a case against Acharya who is also the head of Mid-Corporate wing of the Bank, former SBI official K K Kumarah and Chairman of Worlds Window Group Piyoosh Goyal?for alleged graft. 

Kumarah was arrested in the case yesterday. 

The agency said that Goyal had allegedly applied for over Rs 400 crore of corporate loan from SBI but only Rs 75 crore was approved. 

Kumarah, who had joined Worlds Window Group after leaving SBI as an advisor, allegedly tried to get loans cleared for the company using his contacts in the bank, the agency said.

CBI said an arrangement was reached between Kumarah and Goyal under which he was to get Rs 25 lakh for his services and Rs 15 lakh for Acharya. 

Kumarah allegedly purchased two high-end watches, Rolex and Omega brands, worth about Rs 7.75 lakh to be given to Acharya for his alleged favours, they said. 

Meanwhile, the agency came to know about this deal and a trap was laid. Kumarah, who was coming out from the residence of Acharya after allegedly giving him watches, was nabbed by a waiting CBI team. 

The remaining cash of around Rs seven lakh was also recovered from him, the agency said. Kumarah has been sent to CBI custody till November 27. 

Meanwhile, the SBI said it has constituted an internal panel comprising two MDs to probe the corruption charge against Acharya, who has been asked to go on leave. 

Worlds Window Group did not respond to email seeking their reaction on the development. 

Snooping row: Modi government forms probe panel, Congress demands SC inquiry

Ahmedabad: After intense opposition and media pressure, the Gujarat government has finally set up a probe into the allegations of Chief Minister Narendra Modi's key aide and then state home minister Amit Shah ordering surveillance on a lady architect. The two-member inquiry panel has been asked to submit its report in three months.

The Modi government appointed retired Gujarat High Court judge Sugnyaben K Bhatt and retired former Additional Chief Secretary KC Kapoor, to hold an inquiry into the allegations.

The Congress is already calling it a 'Modi bachao' (save Modi) committee. Keeping up the heat on Modi over the allegations of illegal snooping, the Gujarat Congress on Monday passed a resolution demanding an inquiry by a sitting Supreme Court judge into the case.

The meeting of the Congress state executive, which passed the resolution, was chaired by the party's Gujarat unit president Arjun Modhwadia. Congress's Leader of Opposition, Shankarsinh Vaghela, too, attended the meeting. "With elections approaching, we have to go to the people with the fact of how Gujarat government has flouted all the rules in the snooping scandal," Vaghela said.

Gujarat Congress will launch an agitation to take the snooping scandal to the people of the state, he added. The resolution, moved by MP Alka Kshatriya, also demanded that Modi should clarify whether his government had extended benefits to the family members of the girl in question.

Narendra Modi shortlisted by Time for Person of the Year title, competes with Miley Cyrus

New York: BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi is among Time magazine's shortlisted candidates for its 'Person of the Year' title and has emerged as an early favourite among the readers in an online poll. Time has shortlisted 42 global leaders, entrepreneurs and celebrities for its 'Person of the Year 2013' and will announce the winner next month.

Other candidates in fray are Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, US President Barack Obama, Pakistani teenage education activist Malala Yousafzai, American artist Miley Cyrus, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden and even the new heir to the British throne Prince George.

On Modi, Time said "the controversial Hindu nationalist and Chief Minister of the Indian state of Gujarat is the most likely candidate to unseat India's ruling Congress party in the world s largest democracy." Modi is the only Indian in the shortlist.

While Time's editors will choose the winner, it has asked readers to cast their votes for the person they think "most influenced the news this year for better or worse".

So far Modi has got over 2,650 votes and with about 25 per cent, is leading the online readers' poll. Modi is way ahead with Snowden, who garnered the second highest number of votes at about 7 per cent as on November 20.

Obama, who has twice been named 'Person of the Year', is in the shortlist with the US magazine saying the President's "second term started with a slew of self-inflicted wounds and unfulfilled promise(s), from an IRS scandal and stalled immigration reform to the bungled Obamacare launch".

Syrian President Bashar Assad is also among the contenders. Among the other candidates are New Jersey governor Chris Christie, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Pope Francis, Oscar winner Angelina Jolie.

International Monetary Fund head Christine Lagarde, Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, Germany's re-elected Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin are other contenders. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, Chinese President Xi Jinping are also among those shortlisted.

Chechen brothers Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the suspects in the Boston Marathon terror bombings, are in the shortlist too.

Yemen air strike kills 12 'Qaida' militants: Ministry

A Yemeni air raid has killed 12 suspected members of al-Qaida in the restive southern province of Abyan, the interior ministry said on Tuesday. 

The "terrorist elements" were targeted as they travelled in one vehicle in the province's Mehfed region, the ministry said in a statement. 

It said that an investigation was underway to identify the bodies of those killed in the strike. 

It added that the air raid took place at the "beginning of the week," which could imply Sunday. 

Air strikes targeting suspected members of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are frequent in southern and eastern Yemen, where the group remains active despite several military campaigns. 

But most fatal raids are conducted by unmanned military drones, which are only operated by US forces in the region. 

Yemen is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden and the home base of AQAP, which the United States views as the global jihadist network's most dangerous franchise.

Obama: I'm not a particularly ideological person

Seattle:  President Barack Obama, on a fundraising swing in Seattle on Sunday, described himself as "not a particularly ideological person" despite ongoing political clashes with Republicans over healthcare, the economy, and immigration reform.

Fresh from a deal with Iran over its nuclear program, Obama started a western swing on Sunday that will include stops in California to raise money for Democrats, tout his record on the economy, and push for reform of U.S. immigration laws.

At the Seattle fundraiser the president noted the National Security Agency revelations, the mass shooting of children at a Connecticut school, and events in the Middle East were all reasons people were discouraged in the United States. He left out healthcare reform from that list.

The rollout of Obama's signature health law has been plagued by a glitch-filled website and cancellations of some insurance plans that the administration had said would not be in jeopardy. 

The problems have hurt Obama and his fellow Democrats in the polls.

Despite those problems, the White House expressed optimism on Sunday that Democrats could regain control of the House of Representatives, which has blocked many of Obama's top policy priorities - on ideological grounds, Democrats would say.

The president called that chamber a barrier to progress in his remarks and said there would be broad consensus on issues such as immigration reform if politics were stripped away.

"I'm not a particularly ideological person," he said, saying pragmatism was necessary to advance the values that were important to him.

Republicans view the president as very ideological. They view his healthcare reform as a government overreach and are hoping to capitalize on its shaky rollout to keep control of the House and wrest control of the Senate away from Democrats in next year's midterm elections. 

Powerful 7.0 magnitude quake strikes south Atlantic: USGS

A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck in the south Atlantic ocean 314 kilometers (195 miles) southeast of Stanley, the main city on the Falkland Islands, the US Geological Survey said early Monday.

The underwater quake struck at 0627 GMT at a depth of 10 kilometers in the lightly populated area, the USGS said. The epicenter was also 877 kilometers east of Ushuaia, Argentina, the USGS said.

There were no initial reports of damage or casualties.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a bulletin stating that, despite the power of the quake, "a destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist."

The Tsunami Warning Center however did say that there was a "small possibility of a local or regional tsunami" that could affect coastlines "located usually no more than a few hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicenter."

The USGS initially said that it was a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, but later revised the quake's strength.

Pakistan should give maximum punishment to 26/11 attackers: AK Antony

India will not be satisfied till Pakistan gives maximum punishment to the perpetrators of 26/11 Mumbai attack, Defence Minister A.K. Antony said on Monday.

Coastal security was "very weak" before the terror attack in Mumbai in 2008 but now it was "vibrant" and "strong", Mr Antony told reporters on the sidelines of an awards function in Delhi.

"Before 26/11, coastal security apparatus was very weak but now we have been able to establish a vibrant and strong coastal security," Mr Antony said.

He said coordination with other stakeholders involved in coastal security has also improved.

Asked about lack of firm action on part of Pakistan against those responsible for the attack that left 166 people dead, Mr Antony said the perpetrators should be brought to book.

"They (Pakistan) should book the culprits and unless they are given maximum punishment, I don't think our nation will be satisfied," he said.

Ten heavily armed Pakistani terrorists had landed undetected in Mumbai's Badhwar Park in Colaba from the sea Nov 26, 2008, and laid siege to several key locations, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Taj Mahal Hotel, Chabad House and Leopold Cafe.

The terror assault ended three days later when security forces killed nine of the gunmen. One of the attackers, Ajmal Kasab, was captured alive. He was hanged a year ago after a trial.

Narendra Modi attacks central government's 'policy paralysis' in Jaipur

 The BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Monday slammed the central government's "policy paralysis", which he said has affected the economy adversely.

Addressing a rally at Khetri in Jhunjhunu district, over 160 km from Jaipur, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said that factories are closing down because of policy paralysis.

"The government in Delhi has not been able to save the rupee from declining. The copper industry which provides livelihood to over 10,000 people is in shambles," he said.

Khetri is known for its Hindustan Copper Ltd. factory.

"Atal Bihari Vajyapee conducted nuclear tests. When we tested, the world was shocked and sanctions were imposed. Despite all this, Atalji did not let value of the rupee fall. The economy was strong. But see what is happening today under economist PM... now rupee is in ICU," he said.

Mr Modi, the Gujarat chief minister, sought to know on what basis was the Congress asking for votes. 

"Has the party done something good for the people of Rajasthan... Both Supreme Court and high court had said that if you cannot run the government, then leave it. They had said 'Aap ko raaj karna nahin aata...aap ko kaam karna nahin aata....(you do not know how to rule or how to work)... Still they (the Congress) are seeking vote," he said.

Mr Modi claimed even the "shehzada", as he refers to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, does not have faith in the Ashok Gehlot-headed government. 

"When riots happened in Bharatpur, he (Gandhi) visited the town without informing the state government. If he trusted his government, why did he come to visit the town without telling anyone, without telling the CM (chief minister)?" he asked.

"Gujarat and Rajasthan are almost the same...you also have desert...rains are scanty...but to provide clean drinking water to 900 villages and to troops in border areas, we spent crores and laid a pipeline which is so big that Ashok Gehlot and his family, sitting in Maruti car, can drive in the pipeline... all this work happened in last six years," he said.

Mr Modi stressed that for development, focus must be on agriculture and manufacturing. "Third is service sector. All must grow equally," he said, charging the Gehlot government with doing nothing for these sectors.

"Rajasthan's growth was nine percent at the time of (BJP chief minister) Vasundhara Raje and now it is below five percent, agriculture development growth was 4 percent at the time of Raje...now it is 2.5 per cent," he said.

Gujarat snooping row: 93,000 calls intercepted, it was a reign of terror, says Congress

New Delhi: The Congress today took the controversy over the alleged stalking of a young woman in 2009 by senior officials in the Gujarat government, to the President.

A delegation of the party's women leaders as well as activists marched to the Rashtrapati Bhawan this afternoon and met President Pranab Mukherjee with a demand for a probe into the case.

The Congress has alleged that the expansive surveillance of the woman was ordered by Narendra Modi, who is running for Prime Minister.

"93,000 calls were intercepted. The situation has revealed that it was a reign of terror and Gujarat was a police state," said Congress leader PC Chacko.

Two weeks ago, two news websites, cobrapost.com and Gulail, said that the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI has audio tapes that allegedly reveal then Home Minister Amit Shah instructing police officers to tail the woman at all times, as insisted upon by "saheb" or boss.

The Congress alleges that the "saheb" reference is to Mr Modi. 

The woman's father wrote on Tuesday night to the National Commission for Women, claiming that his daughter, an architect, was aware that he had requested Mr Modi to ensure that she was safe.  He did not say what prompted his request, or what sort of assistance he asked for or received.

The BJP used the letter to bolster its argument that the controversy has been manufactured by political opponents to undermine Mr Modi's credibility in the run up to the national elections, due by May.

Flash news

Case registered against Madhya Pradesh Minister Ranjana Baghel in Dhar district for allegedly bribing voters, says Election Commission.

Unguarded ATMs shut down in Bangalore

Bangalore: Cracking the whip, police shut down about 1,050 ATMs across the city since late on Sunday for not posting round-the-clock security guards and installing CCTV camera outside and burglar alarms in their kiosks, an officer said on Monday.

“After the three-day deadline to comply with the security directive ended 4 pm on Sunday, police stations across the city were ordered to shut down all unguarded ATMs in their jurisdiction, a city Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar said.

A mandatory order was issued Nov 21 two days after a woman was brutally attacked by an unknown assailant in an Any Time Money (ATM) kiosk in the city centre Nov 19 and escaped with her cash (Rs 2,500) and her mobile handset.

“Banks will be allowed to re-open the shut ATMs after complying with the mandatory order, as safety and security of customers in such kiosks is primarily their responsibility,” Auradkar reiterated.

In a recent survey done after a spate of ATM-related crimes were reported, police found of the 2,580 such kiosks across the city, about 600 were without security guards and many of them did not have CCTV camera outside and none burglar alarm.

“We told all state-run and private banks in three meetings we had with them in the recent past to enhance security in all ATM kiosks located either in branches or separately across the city to prevent attacks on them by miscreants,” Auradkar recalled.

The bloody attack on state-run Corporation Bank branch manager Jyothi Uday, 44, by the suspect, who is still at-large, shocked this tech hub of 10-million denizens, with growing clamour for stringent security in and around ATM kiosks.

Latest investigations, however, revealed that a youth resembling the suspect was seen in the footage of a CCTV camera in an ATM kiosk November 12 at Kadiri in Anantapur district of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, around 175km from here.

In the footage, shared by the Andhra police with the state police, the suspect is seen in an SBI ATM kiosk standing behind two persons to draw cash using a stolen debit card, in the same dress in which he attacked Jyothi a week later (November 19).

The suspect in both footages is seen wearing a blue striped shirt and cream pant with an identical shoulder bag that he was caught attacking Jyothi with a machete.

The State Bank of India (SBI) ATM kiosk is located at a crowded bus stand at Kadiri.

When the Andhra police found the suspect to be same as the person caught attacking Jyothi, they scanned CCTV footage of all ATMs in the district and traced him drawing money even November 10-11 from an ATM at Dharmavaram, 185km from Bangalore.

Madhya Pradesh polls: 26% voting in four hours, violence reported in 8 districts

GWALIOR/BHOPAL: 26% of the nearly 4.66 crore electors voted in the first four hours of polling for the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh on Monday with reports of firing at more than seven polling booths in Chambal region, boycotts at nine booths and two cases of attempt to loot Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). 

Tribal dominated Alirajpur district recorded lowest (13%) turnout of voters whereas Indore recorded highest (32%).
Polling was boycotted at nine booths of the state including Hosangabad, Ratlam, Gwalior, Raisen (4), Morena, Umeria, Betul and Itarsi. 

"Around 26% polling was recorded in 230 constituencies of 51 districts till 12pm," Chief Electoral Officer Jaideep Govind said. We expect that there will be an increase in polling percentage, when all figures arrive," he said violence was reported in 8 districts. 

Nearly two dozen people were injured in the poll related violence in Bhind and Morena districts within two hours after the polling started. Nine persons including a woman were injured in firing at Sumawali constituency of Morena, where one of them is said to be in a critical condition. 

Those injured in Sumawali were identified as Aanekram, Jasram, Deewan, Meera, Puna, Ram Barosi Kushwah, Ashok Parmar, Ajay Parmar and Saurabh Singh Sikarwar - aged 20 t0 30 years.

Ram Barosi Kushwah, a resident of Jiju ka Pura, who sustained a gun shot injury, is said to be in a critical condition. He has been referred to Gwalior. 

Three others were injured in firing at Naka ka Pura polling booth at Morena constituency - Balkrishna Patel, 54, Suresh Singh 46, Haidel Singh, 23. 

Four suspected Congress workers were arrested in Morena district after they fired shots in air and tried to loot the EVMs. 

Similarly, Surendra Singh, 32, a BSP worker was injured in the firing that took place at Siyawali poll booth in Ater constituency. He was referred to Gwalior for further treatment. Firing also took place at Khurd poll booth in the same constituency. 

Polling process got delayed at several polling stations across the state with electronic voting machines (EVMs) developing technical glitches. Also a polling officer died of cardiac arrest in Katni district.

Narendra Modi addresses rally in Khetri, Rajasthan

Swami Vivekananda had visited Khetri thrice. He came here as Narendra and left the place as Vivekananda.
I am late because I wanted to spend some time in the room where Swami Vivekananda stayed in Khetri.
As the nation celebrates 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, I went to Belur Math and now I could come here.
I want to say that I am worried. I am worried on what will happen to the country.

Factories are shutting down. Value of rupee is falling. What is happening to the copper industry?

And, the minister concerned is from Rajasthan only.
On what basis are you (Congress) seeking votes? Have you done anything good for Rajasthan?

How could the Rajasthan govt continue in the office even after the rebuke from high court and the Supreme Court?
Governor here did not belong to the BJP. She was a Congress leader and a former minister.

She too was angry over the condition of roads here.
When there was violence here, Shahzada came without telling the govt.

He rode a motorcycle and told only the media about it.
But who did he sit with on the motorcycle you all know!
Rather than the chief minister's car, he preferred to sit on motorcycle with history-sheeters.

A govt that is trusted by no one, will my sisters and brothers of Rajasthan trust? They can't be trusted.

This is the land of the brave. People from here have sacrificed their lives for the country.

Gehlot-ji, you will be relaxed after 8th (December). Please come to Gujarat after that with your family.

I will take you to Kutch. I will show you the war memorial for those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Atal-ji conducted nuclear tests. When we conducted the test for the first time, the world was shocked and sanctions were imposed.

If we had a weak prime minister he or she would have shivered. Anyone would feel scared, but not the BJP or Atal-ji.

Atal-ji didn't bother about sanctions and conducted another nuclear test two days later.

The world then got to know India.

Despite all this, Atal-ji did not let the value of rupee fall. The economy remained strong.

But see what is happening today under an economist prime minister.

Are you getting clean water? Who is responsible for this?
We ensured that Jawans on the border get clean drinking water.

We gave water of Narmada to 9,000 villages through pipeline.

Kutch is exporting mangoes. Things can be done, but Congress doesn't believe in development.

For development we must focus on agriculture, manufacturing and service sector. All must grow equally.

Rajasthan has done nothing for these sectors. Do you want such a govt again?

Under Vasundhara-ji your development rate was 9 per cent, now it is 4.9 per cent.

Is this not a decline for Rajasthan?

Agriculture grew higher than national average under Vasundhara-ji but now it has fallen.

Tourism is the most important in the service sector. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat-ji did great work for tourism here.

After Vasundhara-ji's regime, there was a fall in number of tourists coming to Rajasthan. Is this not a loss for Rajasthan?
Uproot the Congress from every corner of Rajasthan. Make the BJP win in every booth.

After 200 days, a change of govt in Delhi is certain.
Imagine the development when Delhi and Rajasthan have BJP governments.

There will be unprecedented development if Vasundhara-ji becomes the chief minister of Rajasthan.

Girl was extremely close to Modi: Suspended IAS officer on snooping

New Delhi: Suspended IAS officer Pradeep Sharma has moved a notice in the Supreme Court asking for the CBI to probe into the tapes which allegedly showed Gujarat government used state police to conduct surveillance on a woman.

Speaking to CNN-IBN's Bhupendra Chaubey, Sharma said the girl in question was extremely close to Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and that she had even visited the CM's residence in 2010.

"She used to confide in me a lot, used to show SMSes sent by Modi," said Sharma while adding that the SMSes "were silly and personal in nature."

Sharma also said the girl and her family had benefited from their relationship with Modi.

He also cleared his relationship with the woman allegedly snooped upon by the Gujarat police, saying he had an professional relationship with her.

The bureaucrat alleged that the surveillance was carried out at the behest of Modi because he feared that the woman knew him. The father of the girl has also requested an end to the probe into the snooping controversy.

Jagan Reddy meets President, seeks intervention for united Andhra

New Delhi: A YSR Congress Party delegation and party president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy met President Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday at Rashtrapati Bhawan, and sought his intervention for the cause of a United Andhra. 

Presenting a letter to the President, Reddy claimed that the Indian National Congress Party seemed to be in a tearing hurry to divide Andhra Pradesh for political reasons, unmindful of the consequences, giving scant respect to the sentiments of a multitude of the local people that is against the division. 

"Despite a tempestuous outrage against the division by people who are protesting for nearly four months, the adamant ruling party is going ahead with its plans of separating the state at a breakneck speed. My humble request to Your Excellency is to consider the majority opinion that is opposing the division of Andhra Pradesh," said Reddy in his letter. 
"We are making every effort to mobilise support from national parties, as well with an appeal to reject the Bill in Parliament when it is tabled, as the Bill reflects the megalomaniac nature of the Congress Party, and is not in the true spirit of the federal structure, as it is not the voice of the people, as more than 75 percent of the people of Andhra Pradesh want to remain united," he added. 

"lt is the dichotomy, arrogance and authoritarianism of the ruling party that is being questioned and challenged, we had told the political parties. Let not Andhra Pradesh be a precedent for the divisive tactics of the party in power at the Centre. lf political parties that subscribe to democracy and constitutional institutions remain mute spectators, it could happen to anyone and in any state tomorrow, is our contention, Your Excellency," Reddy further said. 

"We have called upon all political parties to extend their support for the cause of a United Andhra Pradesh and express solidarity with us in the Parliament and outside. Your Excellency, we appeal you to intervene and safeguard democracy, as the division (of the state) is being carried out unilaterally, and against the federal spirit," he added. 

In conclusion, he said that all democratic forces in this country should give a thought to the following points: 

Can the Centre use the powers vested on it arbitrarily and take undue advantage to garner a few votes and seats? 

The Central Government took a unilateral decision to divide the state on December 9, 2009 and decision was dubbed by Congress as a birthday gift by Party President Sonia Gandhi. Can such a yardstick be applied for dividing the State? 

Though the Centre has the power to divide the state, can it take decisions without any concrete basis, unanimous consent of the concerned assembly and rationality? The Centre does not recognize the fact that Andhra Pradesh state was formed on recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission (SRC) which regrouped the states on linguistic basis in 1955. 

There are numerous demands for separate states elsewhere in the country. In some cases, the concerned assemblies have adopted and favoured a resolution for the division and sent it to the Centre, which in turn have been ignored so far. But it is moving at a break-neck speed to split Andhra Pradesh just six months ahead of the General Elections. Why?

lf Parliament endorses the division of Andhra Pradesh today, such arbitrary procedure in the days to come, will it not set a precedent for any Government at the Centre in future to arbitrarily divide any State with a simple majority in Parliament? 

How did the Centre take decision on bifurcating the State on October 3, 2013 without the unanimous consent of the State Assembly? 

Earlier, the Srikrishna Committee in its report suggested that the state stands to lose if it is divided and in the first preference it has mentioned to keep the state united. In that case what is the basis of the Cabinet note on division? Is it justified

Narendra Modi : Congress 'arrogant', in the habit of breaking promises

Khandwa: Accusing Congress of being "arrogant", Narendra Modi today said that despite the Supreme Court court, its government did not distribute the excess wheat lying in government godowns to the poor but instead sold it to breweries for filling "wine bottles".

"I find that the arrogance of the Congress has reached sky high as it is neither willing to answer questions about its work and nor does it answer questions about its sins," the BJP prime ministerial candidate said at an election rally at the polytechnic ground in Khandwa.

He said when the wheat stocks were rotting in the government godowns, the Supreme Court got very angry and asked the Centre to distribute it for free to the poor.

"But despite the Supreme Court ruling, the Congress government did not do so and later gave it to the wine manufacturing breweries at the rate of 80 paise.

"Instead of feeding the empty stomachs of poor people, the government was more interested in filling the bottles of wine manufacturers," Mr Modi said.

The Congress was in the habit of breaking the promises it made to the people, he said adding that the time had now come for people to break their ties with this party.

Commending the BJP state government led by Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was also considered as an aspirant for the BJP Prime Ministerial candidature, Mr Modi said during Congress rule, the electricity supply situation in the state was very poor but under Shivraj Singh Chaouhan's leadership, this has improved drastically.

"I felicitate Chouhan for starting the Atal Jyoti Project under which villages are also getting electricity," he said Mr Modi said in the first over 50 years of Congress rule, Madhya Pradesh was producing 4,500 MW electricity but in the 10 years of Shivraj Singh's rule, the production has come to 11,000 MW.

Pointing out that everyone in Madhya Pradesh was aware of the condition of the state during the Congress rule, he said no one wants to return to it.

"On one side there are false promises but on the other side is the BJP's performance of development," he said.

The people of Madhya Pradesh have decided to vote for development and not to support vote bank politics, the BJP leader claimed.

The Assembly elections in the state are scheduled to be held on November 25.

Why Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar brings bad news for Narendra Modi

A Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar who has enjoyed the status of a demigod for more than two decades in the subcontinent would have otherwise been unquestioned but for its timing. In election time, politics is the flavour of public mood and nothing escapes a debate, not even a demigod.

While nobody other than Janata Dal (United)'s Shivanand Tiwari who has controversy as his middle name questioned Tendulkar getting the award, there has been a flurry of suggestions and regrets.

On Monday, Tiwari said, "Sachin is a good player but he was paid a lot of money to do that. He didn't play for free. Someone like Dhyanchand who won several medals for India at a time when we were not a free nation, this award was not given to him."

Those who have known Tiwari are not least surprised. He has had a history of thinking aloud and embarrassing his own party leaders on many occasions.

Among the names suggested for the country's highest award are hockey wizard Dhyanchand, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister NT Rama Rao. Among the regrets is India first deputy PM Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

The demand for a Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee is backed by Congress ally and National Conference chief Farooq Adbullah and also the JD(U), which ended its 17-year-old association the BJP after a bitter war of words.

Now this is a subtle message from former allies that the saffron party's choice of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its PM nominee in 2014 might not be the best and certainly not without its minuses.

This coming on a day when the spiritual head of the famed Ajmer dargah said that the BJP has made a mistake in choosing Modi as its leader is a feeler hard to miss.

In an interview to a national daily, Dewan Syed Zainul Abedin Ali Khan praised former PM Vajpayee and added that the saffron party made a mistake in choosing Modi as its PM nominee. "A communal person cannot become the Prime Minister. A person who sets caste against caste and a community against another is not a good leader," Abedin said.

Now what started as a debate on Bharat Ratna for Tendulkar has ended up bringing to fore a strong undercurrent in the political circle of the country: Is Modi the best choice for PM?

While nobody wanted to make a mention of this in times of a high-decibel poll campaign and it was perhaps set aside by political friends and foes alike for post-poll debates and bargains, it suddenly raised its head in the power corridors. There is no doubt it will be put to rest quickly at least until the polls are over.  

Sach is politics!