MUMBAI: Multiplexes today reopened advance booking for Shah Rukh Khan's new film 'My Name Is Khan', a day after suspending it, following Maharashtra government's assurance to provide adequate security to cinema theatres here.
"Advance booking of 'My Name..' has started again after police intervened in the matter and ensured tight security to all theatres," Minister of State for Home Ramesh Bagwe told reporters.
Despite the government assurance of providing security to cinema halls screening the movie which releases on February 12, some multiplexes had closed advance bookings yesterday, fearing violent protest from Shiv Sena.
"As per law, compensation for damaging the properties (of theatres) would be sought from Sena, if required," Bagwe said.
Police have arrested over 1,200 Shiv Sainiks, some of them office-bearers, since yesterday after they stepped up protest against the film over the actor's 'Pakistan -players-for IPL-3' remarks last month.
Pawar can't escape specific responsibility on price rise: Cong
NEW DELHI: Maintaining that food inflation is "most provocative and harmful" for the common man, Congress on Wednesday said Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar could not absolve himself of the primary responsibility for it.
"All inflation is anathema to the Congress-led UPA. Food inflation is most provocative and harmful. It needs priority attention", party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.
While the responsibility is common, he said there was a "specific responsibility of a ministry in a collective context".
Seeking to point out that Pawar holds Agriculture and the concerned other Ministries regarding essential commodities, He said there is a "differential responsibility in the anonymous collective responsibility".
Singhvi steered clear of a question whether Pawar was giving strength to Shiv Sena by his meeting its chief Bal Thackeray. "I do not want to speculate on it".
The Congress statement came a day after NCP hit back at it for virtually holding Pawar responsible for spiralling food prices, saying it will be a "mockery" of the principle of collective responsibility of the Cabinet.
China's anti-ship missile not a threat: Navy chief
New Delhi: Dismissing China's anti-ship missile programme as a threat to Indian warships, Navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma on Wednesday said it would be a difficult task to even spot the vessels in the vast expanse of high seas.
"There are hundreds and thousands of ships in the sea at any given time. It is extremely important to spot the ship before targeting it. There are limitations in terms of maritime reconnaissance and long-range searches," Verma said when asked about the threat posed by Chinese Anti-ship Ballistic Missile Programme.
He said it was "a complex problem" to use a conventional missile against a moving target at high seas.
Earlier, addressing the seminar, the Navy chief said aircraft carriers were expensive and there were questions on their affordability and survivability due to their large size while at sea.
"Some event talk about carrying out land-based missile attacks against an aircraft carrier. We must weigh this against the difficulties of targeting a mobile target out at sea," he said, noting that carriers can move 600 nautical miles a day, which translates into one million square nautical miles of ocean area which an adversary has to search.
Verma said this was a Herculean task for even the best of navies, satellite and aerial surveillance.
"Should an adversary manage to evade a plethora of air, surface and sub-surface escorts and be capable of hitting a carrier, sinking it or putting a carrier out of action is by no means easy," he said.
Drunk driver Nooriya tested positive for drugs: Police
MUMBAI: Nooriya Haveliwala, accused of drunk-driving and knocking a policeman and a man dead Jan 30, has tested positive for drugs and faces fresh charges under anti-narcotics laws, police said here Wednesday.
The medical reports of the 27-year-old woman's blood and urine samples tested positive for morphine and cannabis, Additional Police Commissioner (South) R.K. Padmanabhan told mediapersons.
He said the reports state that she tested positive but do not indicate the quantity of the drugs consumed.
Mumbai Police now plans to seek her custody at the next hearing Feb 16 and also slap her with Sec. 27 of the Narcotics Drugs & Psychotropic Substances (Prevention) Act, Padmanabhan added.
The section pertains to consumption of drugs and could attract a punishment of one-year imprisonment on that count.
Nooriya has already been charged with the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts a maximum of life imprisonment and the new developments will further strengthen the police case against her.
Incidentally, her breathalyzer test conducted by the police, which showed that she had consumed 457 mg of alcohol - nine times the permissible limits for driving - had been proved erroneous in a forensic test, which put her alcohol consumption content at only 144 mg.
The lower alcohol content in her body could have helped her secure bail, but the new report showing consumption of drugs would make it an uphill task.
Nooriya's medico father, Yusuf Haveliwala, had challenged the police claim and said that any person with that much quantity of alcohol would not be able to walk properly.
However, Nooriya was walking straight despite wearing high heels and he said that the breathalyzer readings could be wrong.
On the night of Jan 29, Nooriya had partied with friends at a flat in Malabar Hill area, then at a pub in Mumbai Central and then went to a wine shop to pick up more beer cans.
While driving her SUV Toyota CRV, she was sipping beer when it bumped into a taxi, a motorcycle and a police jeep at Marine Lines.
The motorcycle rider, Afzal M. (35) died on the spot, while sub-inspector Dinanath Shinde (40) died later at a hospital. Four other policemen suffered injuries in the accident.
Business News
Sensex sheds 120 pts on profit-booking
Mumbai: Snapping a three-day rally, the BSE benchmark index Sensex pared the early gains and shed 120 points at close on profit-selling by mostly funds.
However, the realty and consumer durables counters rose following reports that sale of building materials jumped 15 per cent in January, signaling continued economic growth.
The wide-based NSE index Nifty 50, too, lost 35.45points, or 0.74 per cent to 4,757.20, after touching a high of4,826.85.
The index had a 34 points gap-up opening on short-covering by speculators following a 1.52 per cent rally on the Wall Street after G-7 agreed to support the Eurozone nations facing sovereign debt crises.
Marketmen said the stocks are on a southward spiral on waning risk appetite among foreign investors and general investors seen booking profits at existing higher levels.
They also said the markets could not hold on to the early rally as soon after a strong opening the Asian indices stocks began to wear down. Also, the European indices were also only marginally up in their early morning trade.
Among the 30 Sensex stocks, 21 counters closed lower while nine ended with moderate gains. Brokers are of the view that the markets would move in a narrow range till the budget on Feb 26.
Economy to grow by 7.75 pct in FY10: FM
New Delhi: Referring to last year's economic survey projections that Indian economy could grow by 7.75 per cent this fiscal, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said that the economic expansion is expected to be in the upper range of most predictions.
The Finance Minister said that the Central Statistical Organisation in its advance estimate has projected the economy to grow by 7.2 per cent this fiscal.
Recently the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy had forecast that the economy would grow at 7.75 per cent for this fiscal, while the Reserve Bank had pegged the GDP at 7.5 per cent.
The International Monetary fund has also said that the Indian economy is likely to grow at 7.75 per cent for the year 2009-10.
Govt talks fuel price hike with allies
New Delhi: The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss on Thursday a Petroleum Ministry proposal for freeing petrol prices from government control and a moderate increase in diesel, cooking gas and kerosene rates, ahead of which Oil Minister Murli Deora held consultations with key allies DMK and Trinamool Congress on the subject.
Deora met A Raja, Telecom Minister and senior leader of UPA's key ally, DMK, this morning and spoke over phone to Trinamool Congress leader and Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee explaining the "precarious" situation that PSU oil firms would find themselves in, if fuel prices were not hiked.
Sources said that both Raja as well as Banerjee were non-committal on the stand that their parties may take if the proposal of freeing petrol prices – that would lead to a price increase of Rs 4.72 a litre - comes before Cabinet tomorrow.
Already, opposition from key allies has seen Deora drop the proposal on freeing diesel prices that would have resulted in rates going up by Rs 2.33 a litre. However, there is now a move to hike diesel rates by at least Re one a litre. Deora may, however, bargain for an increase in LPG and kerosene rates although it would not be in the range of the steep Rs 100 per cylinder and Rs 6 a litre hike, respectively, suggested by the Kirit Parikh panel on fuel pricing reforms.
Sources said he may bargain for half of the increases suggested by the panel, but may settle at Rs 25 per cylinder hike in LPG rates and Re one a litre raise in kerosene prices. The Congress party core group, which includes UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, will meet to vet the proposal before it goes to the Cabinet.
Deora refused to say what his ministry may propose to the Cabinet. "At the time of presentation of the Kirit Parikh Committee report (last week), I had said that we will process and present our view on it to the Cabinet in one week. We are ready (with comments on the report) and will submit it to the Cabinet..."
He refused to elaborate but gave enough hints that the ministry's view would incorporate the Congress party's stand that may evolve at the core group meeting.
The experts group, headed by former Planning Commission member Kirit Parikh, recommended deregulating of petrol and diesel prices, while raising kerosene and domestic LPG rates by Rs 6 per litre and Rs 100 per cylinder, respectively.
State-owned Indian Oil, Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum sell fuel below cost on the orders of the government and expect a revenue loss of Rs 46,030 crore on that account this year. Of this, the government was meeting only Rs 12,000 crore, Deora explained to Raja and Banerjee.
Sources said Raja is believed to have told Deora that a position on the proposal will be taken by his party's leader M Karunanidhi.
Petrol is currently sold at a loss of Rs 4.72 a litre, diesel at Rs 2.33 per litre, kerosene at Rs 18.06 per litre and domestic LPG at a discount of Rs 287.59 per cylinder.
In case the government went for only marginal price hikes, the Cabinet will also have to decide on how the remainder of the revenue loss would be met. At present, the government does not allow state-running fuel retailers to fix petrol, diesel, kerosene and LPG prices in line with international cost, resulting in huge revenue losses for the companies and subsidy burden on government.
Sports News
You can fire me but selection was not an issue: Srikkanth
New Delhi: Rejecting suggestions that selection goof-ups led to India's humiliating defeat in the first Test against South Africa, chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth on Wednesday said he is still ready to face the sack if held responsible for the debacle.
Laxman's cover Rohit Sharma injured himself just minutes before the toss, forcing the selection of rookie Wriddhiman Saha, who was initially picked in the squad as a reserve wicketkeeper.
But Srikkanth refuted the criticism, saying that the selectors could not be held responsible if a reserve batsman also ends up on the injured list on the morning of the match.
"The whole thing would not have blown up had Rohit played. The questions that are being raised are about Saha's selection. He is actually a wicketkeeper who can bat a bit. But he proved himself well in the match," Srikkanth said.
"As the chairman of the selection panel, I am willing to own up responsibility. It's a lesson learnt and from now on, we will not select players who are not 100 per cent fit," he said, referring to Laxman's selection in the squad despite the uncertainty over his availability ahead of the match.
"It's a team game and individuals cannot be blamed. You can blame the selectors. You can fire me, I would accept it gracefully. But let's admit that South Africa played really well. We should accept defeat gracefully and move on," said Srikkanth. Srikkanth insisted that the team selected was the best available given the injury list.
"I don't think selection was an issue. It's like if the team wins, all is fine but if it loses then everybody blames the selectors. I am not shying away from the responsibility. Whatever happened on the first morning of the match was freakish. If a player gets injured just 15 minutes before the toss, I don't think you can blame anyone," he said.
"In hindsight, we didn't have Rahul (Dravid), who is a fantastic player of fast bowling. Laxman was injured... we were hopeful of his recovery but unfortunately that didn't happen and then Rohit got injured. So, I would say it was fate," he added.
Srikkanth said despite the Nagpur debacle, which has left India trailing 0-1 in the two-match series, the home side was quite capable of bouncing back in the Kolkata Test starting on Sunday.
"The team is good. Laxman will definitely be back for Kolkata and that will bolster the batting. I am sure our team will fight back. Winning and losing are part and parcel of cricket," he said.
Gambhir still No. 1 batsman, Harbhajan drops out of top 10
Dubai:Indian opener Gautam Gambhir continued to top Test batsmen rankings despite a poor show in first Test against South Africa while off-spinner Harbhajan Singh dropped out of top 10 among bowlers in the ICC chart released on Wednesday
Gambhir, who scored just 13 in the first Test in Nagpur, remained world's top batsman with 840 points, ahead of Sri Lankan duo of Mahela Jayawardene (836) and Kumar Sangakkara (835). Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar, who both scored centuries in Nagpur, are the other Indians to feature in the top 10 at sixth and ninth places respectively. By virtue of their exploits in Nagpur, South African pair of Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla have made big upward movements in the latest batting chart.
Kallis, who scored his 34th Test century during the match, has returned to the top five by gaining four places to sit in fourth position ahead of his captain Graeme Smith, who slipped three places to fifth. Amla, meanwhile, broke into the top 10 for the first time in his career with the help of his magnificent unbeaten 253 in the first innings, which set up South Africa's victory against India yesterday by an innings and six runs.
In the ICC Players' Rankings for Test bowlers, India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan is static at the sixth spot while Harbhajan, who took two wickets for 166 in Nagpur, dropped four places to find himself at 12th.
Boycott IPL if Hyderabad games shifted out: AP govt to Deccan
Hyderabad: Furious at the Indian Premier League for shifting its opening match out of the city, the state government on Wednesday asked local team Deccan Chargers to boycott the Twenty20 event if the organisers don't stick to the orginal schedule.
Andhra Pradesh Sports Minister K Venkat Reddy said he and Chief Minister K Rosaiah on Wednesday sent letters to Union Agriculture Minister and former BCCI chief Sharad Pawar urging him to ensure that the opening match is held here as per the original schedule. The IPL starts on March 12 with Deccan Chargers taking on Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai. "We have asked Deccan Chargers to stay away from the event as an expression of solidarity and send the message that the whole state is united in demanding relocation of the (inaugural) match," said Reddy.
"I spoke to Deccan Chargers and they said they will get back to us, may be by tomorrow," he said. "They have insulted Andhra Pradesh by shifting out the match to Mumbai. In fact, Hyderabad is more suited to host the match than Mumbai," Reddy said. The government has demanded that the Indian Premier League's opening match should be held in the city as originally scheduled.
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