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Mamata cannot compromise

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee announced withdrawal of support to the UPA government, she refused to budge from her stand, saying that the decision has already been taken. The Chief Minister asserted that it was only the people who mattered to her party and the party was ready to sacrifice and suffer for them. Referring to the coordination committee set up by the UPA government, Ms. Banerjee said, “When did this coordination committee suddenly become an ordinance It has vanished. She pointed out that despite an assurance by the former Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee that any decision to bring foreign direct investment in the retail sector would not be taken without consensus, the UPA government had taken all decisions unilaterally. 

Bharat Bandh Today

Bharat Bandh: Political parties and traders' organisations across the country have geared up for the Bharat Bandh called by the NDA today to protest against the foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail,

Anna Hazare to keep distance with Kejriwal

Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday distanced himself from the proposal to launch a political party, made by erstwhile Team Anna members Arvind Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia, among others, and admitted that they were splitting. Hazare, however, declared his resolve to fight for Jan Lokpal and make sure that Parliament passed the Lokpal Bill before the next general election. For this, he would tour the country, he said. Forbidding  Kejriwal and others from using his photos in their campaign material, the veteran social activist said he would have nothing to do with a political party launched by them.   

Uneven response to opposition bandh call

The BJP workers stopped trains in Bihar and Samajwadi Party workers in Allahabad. But according to TV reports, the bandh has not affected Maharashtra. Schools and colleges are likely to be open in the State. In Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party has announced its participation while BSP has stated that it would not participate in the Bharath Bandh. Opposition workers have disrupted train services as part of a daylong strike to protest rising diesel prices and the government’s decision to open the huge retail market to foreign companies. 

Mumbai celebrates Ganesh festival

Mumbai on Wednesday welcomed its favourite elephant-headed Lord Ganesh as the 10-day Ganpati festival began in Mumbai amid tight security. The aarti and ‘sthapan puja were held in various pandals to mark the birthday of Lord Ganesh, the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Millions of Mumbaikars remained awake through the night making last minute preparations for the installation of gigantic, medium and small idols of Lord Ganesh in different public venues, housing complexes and homes. Since last week, over 300,000 big and small idols started arriving in the city from artists’ studios in different parts of Mumbai and Raigad. Over 12,500 registered associations, apart from the 40,000 private housing complexes, have been preparing for the past few weeks for the popular festival. 

Mamata withdraws support to UPA government

Trinamool Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee announced here on Tuesday that her party would withdraw support to the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, even as she indicated that the decision might yet be reconsidered if certain demands related to the recent reform measures were met. The Trinamool chief is demanading the center for upgrading six cylinders target to 24 cylinders at least. 

Hazare admits to differences with Kejriwal

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare admitted on Tuesday that there were differences between him and social activist Arvind Kejriwal and made it clear he would not be a part of any political party. Speaking to journalists after a meeting with social activists here, he said Kejriwal was free to form a political party. However, aware that the change in stand would affect the image of the Jan Lokpal movement, he said, “We have differences. But they are not like the differences in political parties. 

26 killed in Mexico pipeline fire

A big fire erupted at a natural gas pipeline distribution center near Mexico’s border with the United States on Tuesday, killing 26 maintenance workers and forcing evacuations of people in nearby ranches and homes. Mexico’s state owned oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos, initially reported 10 deaths at the facility near the city of Reynosa, across from McAllen, Texas. Later, the death toll was raised to 26, including a man who was run over when he rushed onto a highway running away from the facility. Pemex said at a news conference on Tuesday night that the fire was extinguished in 90 minutes and the pipeline was shut off. The pipeline carries natural gas from wells in the Burgos basin. The company’s director general, Juan Jose Suarez, said four of those killed were Pemex employees and the rest were employed by contractors. 

Jayalalithaa seeks early hearing on Katchatheevu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister moved the Supreme Court to expedite the hearing of a writ petition filed by her in 2008 to declare as unconstitutional the 1974 and 1976 agreements between New Delhi and Colombo on ceding of Katchatheevu, an island off the Rameswaram coast, to Sri Lanka. The court had in January 2009 issued notice to the Centre seeking its response to the petition, which highlighted the sufferings of fishermen from Tamil Nadu, who inadvertently strayed into the island. In her petition, Ms. Jayalalithaa said because of the hostile attitude of the Sri Lankan Navy, fishermen feared to go fishing as they were either killed or taken into custody if they entered Katchatheevu. She said Katchatheevu was historically part of the Ramnad Raja’s zamindari and later became part of the Madras Presidency. 

Agni 4 test flight today

The stage is set, probably for the final developmental test-flight of one of India's longest range missiles the nuclear weapons capable Agni 4 from the Wheeler Island off the Odisha coast on Wednesday. The trial was planned for Tuesday, but recent heavy rains caused a delay in carrying out checks to various sub-subsystems of the 4,000 km range surface-to-surface missile. This will be the third trial of Agni-IV, with the first one ending in failure and the second hitting the target on bang. Hectic preparations are on at the Wheeler Island for the launch by missile technologists of the DRDO. Two naval ships are anchored near the target point in the Indian Ocean to record the terminal event. Agni 4  is expected to be inducted into the Services early next year after the completion of the developmental trials. The two stage solid fuel propelled missile is lighter than Agni-III because of the composite rocket motor casings.

Protest turns violent, Chennai police chief shifted

Chennai witnessed yet another anti-U.S. protest that turned violent, city Police Commissioner J.K. Tripathy was transferred. The transfer came days after the U.S. mission in the city was attacked by a large crowd of Muslims protesting against the controversial film Innocence of Muslims. The protesters almost entered the consulate after breaching the security cordon with ease. S. George, Additional Director General of Police, a 1984 IPS officer, was named successor to Tripathy, who has been shifted as ADGP.  Tripathy held the post of Commissioner since May last year. The stretch of Anna Salai from the Mount Road Dargah to Spencer Plaza, was a scene of violence, as the police resorted to lathi- charge to control members of various Islamic organisations who had hurled stones at the police. 

Non bailable warrant against Udayakumar

The Judicial Magistrate Court at Valliyoor on Tuesday issued a non-bailable warrant against Anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project Struggle Committee member S. P. Udayakumar after he failed to appear before the court in a case filed against him in connection with the ongoing protest. Since the launch of agitation against the project by Dr. Udayakumar from Idinthakarai, the police had registered a few hundreds of cases against the leaders and articipants. The police also registered a case against Meera Udayakumar in March after she called on her husband at the protest venue defying prohibitory orders clamped under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code. 

Kasab Sends Mercy Petition to President

The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks convict Ajmal Kasab has sent his mercy petition to President Pranab Mukherjee.

UPA confident of Trinamool support

A day ahead of the Trinamool Congress meeting in Kolkata, a newly-energised United Progressive Alliance appeared confident that the 19 MP-strong party would not pull out from the government. The worst the Congress anticipates, a party functionary said, is that West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee may withdraw her six Ministers at the Centre. He, however, added that talks were on with the Trinamool to avert that as well. Unlike last year, when Ms. Banerjee’s threat to leave the UPA forced the government to suspend its plans to allow FDI in multibrand retail, this time, the Manmohan Singh government is in no mood for compromise. 

De allocation could tell on GDP growth, warns Moily

Claiming that nothing was amiss in coal blocks allocation, Union Power Minister Veerappa Moily assailed the BJP for stalling Parliament on the issue. Coal blocks were allocated to the private sector after taking into consideration its massive contribution in power generation and after a process of competitive bidding, he said. Any action now could affect the economy. The ratio of power to GDP growth of a country is 1:1.5. If you want 9 per cent GDP growth, you ought to produce 8 per cent of power and if you aspire for 10 per cent GDP growth, your power production should be at 9 per cent. Moily warned that the Opposition move to sabotage the development plan could set the country’s growth back by decades.