Chandigarh, To the displeasure of Haryana government, Punjab governor Shivraj Patil has raked up the issue of Punjab's claim over Chandigarh during his speech in the state assembly. Patil in his speech has told the assembly that "Chandigarh and several other Punjabi-speaking areas have been kept out of the state and must be transferred back at the earliest." Reacting sharply to Patil's statement Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda told the Times of India that Punjab government was in the habit of misleading people. "Chandigarh belongs to Haryana and there is no doubt about it as the Shah commission in 1966 had decided the fate of the city in favour of our state," said Hooda. He added that rather Haryana should be given its share of water as even the apex court has given its verdict on SYL in favour of the state. Terming Patil's statement as unfortunate, Indian National Lok Dal chief Om Prakash Chautala said in a statement that Haryana would not give up its claim on Chandigarh till Punjab Hindi-speaking areas including Abohar, Fazilka and nearby 107 villages were transferred to Haryana. Chautala added that Patil being the constitutional head of Punjab ...
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New Delhi, Days after an Indian journalist was arrested for the terror attack on an Israeli diplomat, the national security adviser of Israel Yaakov Amidror will meet home minister P Chidambaram and his counterpart Shivshankar Menon. While sources said the meeting had been fixed some time in advance, Amidror is likely to discuss the progress in investigations into the attack. It is now believed that the New Delhi and Bangkok attacks were related. Syed Mohammed Kazmi, a journalist working with the Iranian news agency IRNA, was arrested for allegedly helping the attackers who had apparently come from Iran. However, Amidror's visit is expected to focus on bigger issues. Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu was in Washington DC last week for talks with US President Barack Obama regarding Iran's nuclear programme. Menon's conversation with Amidror is expected to touch on that visit as well. The two NSAs are expected to have regular contact with each other, given the close security and defence relationship between the two countries. In Washington last week, Amidror told a press conference about the possibility of Israel attacking Iran, "Ultimately, the decision will be premised on ...
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Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Monday announced an award of Rs.100,000 to each member of the Indian hockey team that has booked a passage to the 2012 London Olympics. Congratulating the team for its mesmerising, speedy and artistic display in the 8-1 win against France in the finals of the Olympic qualifiers in New Delhi Sunday night, Chouhan hoped this would continue at the Games in July. "India has crossed the qualifying stage readying to regain the glory of Indian hockey. The fantastic victory will boost the confidence of players and further improve their performance," the chief minister said. He also congratulated Sandeep Singh, Sunil and Vimal Lakra for their excellent performance in the finals. ...
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Mumbai, Twelve Indian diamond merchants, who were released after their arrest in China for alleged smuggling two years ago, returned home early Friday, official sources said. They arrived around 2 a.m. and were greeted with hugs by anxious relatives and friends at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. Away from their near and dear ones for the past two years, these 12 are amongst the 22 who had been arrested by the Chinese customs at Shenzen in January 2010 for allegedly smuggling diamonds from Hongkong to China. While nine were found guilty of the charges and convicted to serve jail terms by a Chinese court, the remaining 13 were released. The Chinese authorities have appealed against one of the 13 but it would take a few months for the appeal to be disposed of. The remaining 12 were released and allowed to travel to India Thursday. Soon after arrival, relatives of some of the diamond merchants got into arguments and indulged in minor fisticuffs with some mediapersons who had also assembled there. Later, the diamond merchants went to their respective homes, a few in Mumbai and the rest for Surat, the diamond hub in south ...
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Mumbai/ New Delhi, Feb. 4 (Doaba News Service)- Upping the ante in the ‘Mumbai for all’ row, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday ordered party cadres to greet Rahul Gandhi with black flags to mark their protests when he visits Mumbai on Friday after the unfazed Congress leader stuck to his schedule. Gearing up for the Congress leader's visit, authorities have tightened security at venues during his interactions with youths and slum dwellers even as Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan warned of strict action if anyone takes law into their hands. Bal Thackeray has asked Sena workers to show black flags to Rahul during his visit to the city, senior party leader Sanjay Raut told PTI. Reacting with disdain, Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi said in New Delhi that Congress and Rahul are not bothered about Shiv Sena's rhetoric and their black flag protests. Apparently setting the stage for a tough political war on the issue of North Indian migrants through the black flag protests, Bal Thackeray's directive came amid esclating war of words between Shiv Sena and Rahul who has taken that party head on with his remark that Mumbai is for all Indians and that all people ...
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