Stepping up his offensive against Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda accused him and his associates of "colluding, cheating and grabbing" over 4,800 acres of land for the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway and hurting farmers' interests.
Gowda admitted using provocative words ‘bloody bastard’ against the Chief Minister yesterday but said he had withdrawn it soon thereafter.
He said the ‘agony’ of the farmers who were being pushed into ‘misery’ had forced him to use such harsh words.
"The company personnel, the Advocate General of the state and the Chief Minister have colluded, cheated and grabbed 4,884 acres of land," he said.
Gowda was referring to the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited (NICE) project for the Bangalore-Mysore Expressway.
The JD(S) leader alleged that a senior lawyer has ‘misled’ the Supreme Court to get favourable orders despite a 2004 order passed against the company.
He said NICE wants to "build a mahal (palace) by burying the farmers."
Stop provoking me: Yeddyurappa to Gowda
Bangalore: Hitting back at former Prime Minister H D Devegowda for using unparliamentary language against him, Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday said the JD-S chief had not only insulted him but the entire people of the state and asked him to stop "provoking" him.
Yeddyurappa said Gowda was hurling abuses at others "taking advantage of the former prime minister status.He talks lightly about the Chief Minister, the Advocate General."
In a warning, he said, "I can also make similar caustic remarks. But I won't do that. Let him stop provoking me." Yeddyurappa, however, ruled out any legal action against the JDS chief, remarking sarcastically: "Gowda himself is a legal expert. What legal action can I take".
"Gowda has capacity to project a falsehood as truth. He is trying to mislead farmers. But he will not succeed", Yeddyurappa said taking a swipe at the former prime minister's charge that excess land was being granted to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE).
Gowda made the remarks over the controversial Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Project, promoted by NICE, during a farmers' stir against NICE at Hemmigepura village near here.
"Who is this Yeddyurappa? Bas...d. Who the hell does Yeddyurappa think he is? Does he have any shame," Gowda had said in the controversial remarks. Accusing the JD-S of trying to create trouble in the state and provoking farmers to bring a bad name to BJP Government, Yeddyurappa charged Gowda with "shedding crocodile tears" for farmers all of sudden and ridiculed him for joining the stir.
Rosaiah asks Centre to find lasting solution for Telangana
Hyderabad: Unlike his predecessor Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, who took a tough line against separate Telangana, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K Rosaiah has no personal view on the bifurcation of his state and would like the Centre to find a lasting solution not not a "temporary truce".
77-year-old Konijeti Rosaiah has been moving from crisis to crisis ever since he assumed chief ministership of Andhra Pradesh after Reddy was killed in a helicopter crash on September two last year.
First it was the campaign launched by the late chief minister's son Jagan Mohan Reddy for becoming Chief Minister, then the handling of one of the worst floods and now now the Telangana crisis.
"I have no no personal view on the bifurcation issue. I have no no personal opinion. As long as I am holding the post of Chief Ministyer in the state, I do not not have any personal views. My personal view is not not at all an issue in this matter," the low-profile vetaran Congress said in an interview today.
Rosaiah, who was Finance Minister in Reddy's Cabinet, incidentially headed a Committee to seek views on separate Telangana and the late Chief Minister was dead set against splitting the state. Reddy, who had emerged as a powerful regional chieftain in the Congress party, had seen to it that virtually there was no no forward movement on the campaign by TRS for separate Telangana that its chief K Chandrasekhara Rao quit the UPA in 2006 and intensified his campaign.
CBI takes over Ruchika molestation probe
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday took over the probe against former Haryana police chief S P S Rathore, convicted of molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra in 1990, for abetting her suicide and harassing her family members, including her brother who was framed for theft.
The agency has re-registered the cases against Rathore in the Special Crime Zone of the agency here.
"We have re-registered three cases relating to Ruchika Girhotra today (Monday) after the central government gave its consent under section 5 of Delhi Special Police Establishment Act (DSPE) on the request from Haryana government," a CBI spokesman said here.
According to CBI, cases were registered against Rathore, the then Panchkula superintendent of police K.P. Singh, the then sub inspector Prem Dutt and two then assistant sub-inspectors Jai Narayan and Sewa Singh under various sections of Indian Penal Code including abetment to suicide, attempt to murder and wrongful confinement.
These three cases were earlier registered at the Sector 5 police station in Haryana's Panchkula.
The Superintendent of police, special crime unit-1 of CBI has been appointed as the chief investigating officer in all the three cases.
"He will be assisted by a team of legal experts and investigating officers. We appeal to all persons in the know of the facts and circumstances of these cases and to those who are willing to give evidence in the court that they should contact the chief investigating officer," the spokesman added.
Rathore was booked by the Panchkula police Dec 29 in two different cases, charging him with attempt to murder, forging and tampering with evidence, criminal conspiracy and wrongful confinement. Most of the charges slapped against him in both First Information Reports (FIRs) are non-bailable ones.
The complaints for the two FIRs were made by Ruchika's father S.C. Girhotra and brother Ashu. In the third case Jan 5, Rathore was booked for abetment to suicide.
Ruchika, a budding tennis player, was molested by Rathore, then an inspector general of police, in Panchkula Aug 12, 1990 and committed suicide three years later. The molestation case was then handed over to CBI.
Nineteen years after the molestation incident, Rathore was convicted by a CBI special court in Chandigarh Dec 21 and sentenced to six months' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs.1,000.
The light conviction led to uproar in different sections of society, forcing authorities to re-visit the case and seek justice for the molestation victim. This is the second time the CBI would be probing the matter.
Safety of Indians Australia's prime responsibility: India
NEW DELHI: In a strong message, Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi on Monday asked Australia to take "all possible steps" to contain assaults on Indians there, saying it was their "primary responsibility".
Ravi said Australia will have to convince the Indian government and the people of this country about steps taken to protect Indian citizens.
"Australia needs to take all possible steps to ensure security of our citizens. They need to convince not only the government but also the people of the country about steps taken to ensure safety of our citizens," Ravi told PTI.
Expressing serious concern about the recent attacks, including killing of 21-year-old student Nitin Garg a week ago, Ravi said "for India, every life of its citizen is precious".
"We need preventive steps. Why cannot they identify the anti-social elements responsible for the assaults and arrest them. Police know these elements," he said.
"We want them to take certain strong action. I am not saying they are not taking action. But they need to take strong action," Ravi added.
Wondering why the Australian government has not been able to contain the attacks, the Minister said "it is their primary obligation to ensure safety of the foreigners. We take all the care to protect foreign nationals here".
"This is not the first time these incidents are taking place. These attacks are taking place for the last one year. What they are doing to contain them," he asked.
Ravi said some of the attacks have had "racial overtones", adding, the government was putting pressure on Australia to ensure safety of Indians.
"In spite of all the assurances by Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his ministerial colleagues, attacks are taking place. We are really concerned," he added.
Abdullah wants Govt to take up Ladakh land issue with China
New Delhi: Expressing concern over reports of China taking substantial portion of land in Ladakh, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the Centre should take up the matter with Beijing at the earliest and sort out the boundary dispute.
“This seems to be happening for the last 25 years. One cannot be absolved of the responsibility by just merely saying that the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has not been demarcated,” he said.
The former Chief Minister said the Government of India should hold talks with China at the earliest and solve the boundary dispute.
“Now this boundary dispute cannot hang in balance for eternity. Earliest, the best,” Abdullah said.
Asked whether he had come to know about the Chinese incursions during his tenure as Chief Minister, he said “this has started coming out in the public domain only in the later part of last year.
The remarks of the Union Minister came in the wake of a news report that area along Line of Actual Control with China has “shrunk” over a period of time and India has lost “substantial” amount of land in the last two decades.
Indian Business News
Consumer firms mull price hikes
Mumbai : A surge in commodity prices may force consumer firms, particularly makers of eatables, to push up product prices in a calibrated manner in the next fiscal, industry officials said.
Costs of essential commodities including sugar and milk have soared in the recent past with sugar prices scaling new peaks in January as a rally, which more than doubled prices in 2009, still shows no signs of losing momentum.
Prices of other raw materials such as edible oils have also begun to rise as the larger food price index rose 18.22 per cent in the 12 months to Dec. 26.
"It will be a common trend particularly in food companies such as Britannia, Nestle (India) and ITC, as prices of sugar, milk is going up," said Anand Shah, an analyst at Angel Broking.
But, rather than hiking prices directly, the companies may prefer to reduce the grammage per pack, he said, adding that further increases in input costs may lead to price hikes as well.
Firms such as Godrej Consumer, Marico Ltd and Nestle India have indicated that a decision will be taken in the next few weeks.
"We have not taken a call as yet (on raising prices). It is only over the next few weeks or so that we will take a call. I don't think anything is warranted immediately," said Chaitanya Deshpande, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions and Investor Relations at Marico makers of the edible oil 'Saffola'.
Some like Dabur India have already raised prices earlier in the fiscal and do not have plans to raise prices, at least in the near term, others such as Nestle India are guarded, when asked about their plans.
Rupee spikes to over 15-month high
Mumbai: The Indian rupee rose to its highest level in more than 15 months early on Monday boosted by the dollar's fall against major currencies and tracking gains in local shares which raised hopes for capital inflows.
The US dollar fell on Monday, after posting its biggest loss in six weeks after US jobs data disappointed, while the Australian dollar soared on the back of strong export numbers from China.
Most Asian currencies were stronger against the dollar.
Equities rose 0.6 per cent in early trade on Monday, with Infosys Technologies and Housing Development Finance Corp leading the gains, on the back of firm Asian markets.
Indian Sports News
Kohli fashions India's win against Bangladesh
Mirpur (Bangladesh): In-form Virat Kohli hammered his second ODI ton to script India's facile six-wicket victory over Bangladesh in a dead rubber of the ongoing tri-series.
India first restricted the hosts to 247 for six and then chased down the target with seven overs to spare.
Dinesh Karthik (34) and Gautam Gambhir (41) gave India another brisk 64-run start before Kohli took over to complete the formality in Suresh Raina's (18) company.
Kohli's unbeaten 95-ball 102 included 11 hits to the fence.
Batting on 94, Kohli hit back-to-back fours off Shakib Al Hasan to reach his century and score the winning runs.
Chasing a modest 248, India got just the kind of start they needed with Karthik and Gambhir finding boundaries at regular intervals.
Karthik sent the first ball of the second powerplay -- Abdur Razzak was the bowler -- out of the park before perishing caught behind in the next over.
As if to take revenge, Gambhir hit Shafiul for three fours on the trot in his next over before Naeem Islam breached his gate.
Suspending players is last resort: HI president
New Delhi/Pune: He does not want to crack the whip as of now but Hockey India President A K Mattoo on Monday said the option of suspending the revolting players remains open if the payment row is not resolved.
A meeting between the agitating players, who have pulled out of the World Cup preparatory camp, is on in Pune where Ikram Khan has been rushed to talk to the players. Mattoo is miffed with the players' for not keeping their promise of resuming training after the patch up in New Delhi on Saturday.
"If you ask me it is an option. I can use it today, tomorrow or any other day but I don't want this to happen," Mattoo told reporters when asked if suspending the players is an option for Hockey India.
Earlier, HI representative Ikram Khan reached Pune to negotiate with the players, who are protesting the non-payment of their dues and incentives for their 2009 performances. HI had last night accused the players of blackmailing the federation and holding the nation to ransom but Khan hoped a compromise would be reached.
"I think there will be a compromise soon. They will listen to us and I am 100 per cent sure that the matter will be sorted out. I am going to meet the players right now," he told media in Pune.
"I interacted with them yesterday. They are not satisfied with the incentives and the grade system that we are planning and all this will be worked out soon. The players are very clear about what they want and that is fair enough. The only thing is the timing and how they have gone about it," Khan added.
Somdev slides to 161 in ATP rankings
New Delhi: The early exit from Chennai Open cost Somdev Devvarman 35 places as the wiry Indian dropped to 161 in the latest ATP singles ranking issued on Monday.
Somdev had entered the event as a runner-up and had to defend a lot of points but lost tamely to Serb Janko Tipsarevic in the second round to crash out of India’s only ATP event.
Fast rising Yuki Bhambri though gained five positions to reach career best 330.
Indian Davis Cupper Rohan Bopanna also dropped out of top 400 after his first round exit from Chennai Open. His singles ranking slid to 424, a loss of 33 places.
However, doubles specialists Mahesh Bhupathi (7) and Leander Paes (8) had their rankings unchanged.
Meanwhile, in the WTA singles rankings, Sania Mirza rose a rung to 56 despite a second round exit from the Auckland event.
The Indian, however, dropped a rung to 38 in the doubles Rankings.
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