north east online - north east india news: Dec 12, 2009

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Pillai retracts says decision on Hyderabad will be with consensus

Jammu, Dec 11 (ANI): Union Home Secretary G.K. Pillai on Friday retracted from his earlier stand that Hyderabad would be the capital of the proposed Telangana state, saying the decision will be taken with consensus by the Centre.

“No decision was made regarding the capital and the Government of India will take a decision with consultation with all parties involved,” Pillai said.

Earlier in the evening, commenting on Hyderabad, Pillai had said: "I think it will always be the capital of Telangana."

Pillai also hinted that Union Home Minister P Chidambaram has initiated the process for the formation of the Telangana State.

"The home minister has made the statement that the process of forming the new state has been started and I am sure in the coming days as people understand the real implications of what it meant, I think the agitation would die down and the process of formation of new state would continue," he added. (ANI)

Pravin Mahajan slips into coma after brain haemorrhage

Thane, Dec 12 (ANI) Pravin Mahajan, who is undergoing life imprisonment for murdering his brother and late Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pramod Mahajan, lapsed into coma following a suspected brain haemorrhage.

Pravin was rushed to Jupiter Hospital, Thane, late on Friday night following complaints of high blood pressure.

He had been released by a court on a 14- day parole from the Nasik Central Jail two weeks ago on health grounds.

Pravin was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Mumbai court in December 2007 for killing his elder brother Pramod at his home in Worli April 22, 2006.
Pravin has been lodged at the Nashik Central Jail here following the life imprisonment sentence. (ANI)

Telangana issue: Protests continue in Andhra, Rayalaseema

Hyderabad, Dec 12 (ANI): Shutdown and protests against the Centre''s decision to give its nod for initiating the process for the formation of a Telangana State continued for the second day on Saturday.

Thousands of passengers had a tough time as the Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (APSRTC) suspended its services in coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions.

Schools, colleges, shops and other business establishments also remained closed.
The fast-unto-death launched by students besides the relay hunger fast continued in Visakhapatnam. Protesters have also planned demonstrations in the port city during the day.

Cutting across party lines, 136 MLAs belonging to different political parties handed over their resignation letters to the State Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy on Friday in protest against the Centre''s decision to initiate the process for the formation of the Telangana State.

The announcement sanctioning a new State has backfired colossally for the Centre.
The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has been adjourned till Monday following the protests.
The Congress, the Telugu Desam and the Praja Rajyam parties are expected to meet in the evening to decide the future course of agitation. (ANI)

Jharkhand witnesses 28 to 30 percent voting till noon

Ranchi, Dec 12 (ANI): An estimated 28 to 30 percent voters exercised their franchise till noon in the fourth phase of Jharkhand Assembly election on Saturday.

The polling, which began at 7 a.m, was going on peacefully till the reports came in.

Over 24,000 voters are eligible to cast their vote to decide the fate of 233 candidates in 14 constituencies.

The voting is takin place in Bahragora, Ghatsila, Potka, Ichagarh, Majhgaon, Manoharpur, Chakardharpur, Torpa, Sisai, Gumla, Bishunpur, Simdega, Kolebira and Lohardaga assembly segments.

The Election Commission is leaving no stone unturned to ensure smooth polls.

Tight security prevails in all constituencies participating in the voting exercise. (ANI)

Assam CM Gogoi rejects division of state

Guwahati, Dec 12 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday ruled out further division of the state.

Addressing the state assembly, Gogoi said: " Not only Bodoland, Ujani Assam Ahoms are demanding, Kamtapur, they are demanding, N C Hills is demanding, its not new. But our case is we are not in favour of splitting the state," Gogoi said.

The government has given top-most priority to settling the problems of the people living in those areas, besides taking up development activities on a massive scale,” he added.

The Centre''s decision to initiate moves to grant statehood to the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh has revived old statehood demands of Bodoland.

The Dimasas have also taken up arms for separate statehood demanding Dimaraji.

According to Bodoland People’s Front leader K Basumurthy: "If government could sanction separate state to Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Chattisgarh and now Telangana, then in the same line, Bodoland separate state demand has been a long standing demand.”

“It''s genuine economically, socially, politically, educationally, so that we become more advanced. Hence, it''s an urgent matter for Bodo people,” he added.

Meanwhile, the pro talks faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom felt that in Assam every tribe and ethnicity has raised demands for their own aspirations. It also expressed fear that if all demands are taken into account, Assam may not exist.

The ULFA faction also demanded for the regional federation. (ANI)

TRS insists on having Hyderabad as Telangana capital

Hyderabad, Dec 12 (ANI): Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K Chandrashekhar Rao on Saturday insisted that Hyderabad would be the capital city of the proposed Telangana state.

Speaking to a private news channel Rao ruled out the sharing of Hyderabad as a capital with Andhra Pradesh.

"Chandigarh and Hyderabad can never be compared,” he said.

Speaking for the first time after ending his fast unto death, Rao said it is for the Centre to decide on the fate of the new state.

"Having made the announcement, it is upto them (the Centre) to resolve the issue. I think, they are at it", Rao said.

Thanking Congress president Sonia Gandhi for her role in resolving the crisis Rao said: "I am thankful to her (Sonia Gandhi), because of her initiative and grace, today the dream has come true.”

“It is better for leaders of Andhra Pradesh to concede to the request of Sonia Gandhi,” he added.

In his interview, Rao also dubbed the anti-Telangana agitation as “An artificial one, prompted, funded and with wrong motives by vested interests.”

Rao also expressed confidence that “Wise leaders of both sides will find a solution.” (ANI)

Kolkata - Maruti won’t come as the first name when you are thinking to buy a luxury Sedan or a sports car in India but they are desperately trying to break the myth by launching this concept car into reality. It is expected to be launched in 2010 and will compete with cars like Honda Civic, Toyota Corrola, Skoda Octavia and upcoming Volkswagen Jetta as it will also be placed in the 10 lakh cars bracket albeit a bit on the higher side as you can expect.

The crossover sports sedan car was first showcased at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2007 as the concept car and was also showcased in New Delhi in 2008. Kizashi literally depicts an athlete in motion. Let’s take a look at some other details of the car.

The car will be powered by a 2 litre turbo diesel engine or a four valve turbo fired 2 lit petrol Euro V engine. It is likely to have a six speed transmission which will be the first from the Suzuki stable. The large 21 inch alloy wheels will add to the cars’s glamorous look besides being lightweight and tough at the same time.

Maruti Kizashi is expected to roll out from its Manesar plant in India. Hope that this car won’t suffer something like nano has faced in India.

Team India manager admitted to hospital with flu-like symptoms

Mohali, Dec 12 (PTI) Indian cricket team manager Mayank Parekh was admitted to a local hospital here late last night with flu-like symptoms, a day after pacer S Sreesanth was diagnosed with swine flu.

"The manager has been admitted to the (Fortis) hospital only as a precautionary measure after he developed cough and cold," Joint Secretary of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) G S Walia said.

Meanwhile, the Indian cricket team has been advised to report to the team management and hotel doctors if they show flu-like symptoms.

Walia said specific tests for swine flu will only be done if the players show symptoms.

"The tests for swine flu will only be done if there are any symptoms of flu. Otherwise, players can just have a routine medical checkup," Walia said.

Voting begins for fourth phase of Jharkhand polls

Ranchi, Dec 12 (PTI) Amid a poll boycott call by Maoists, voting for the fourth phase of Assembly elections in the naxal-affected 14 constituencies of Jharkhand began this morning.

A total of 24,62,850 voters are eligible to cast their franchise to decide the fate of 233 candidates contesting from Bahragora, Ghatsila, Potka, Ichagarh, Majhgaon, Manoharpur, Chakardharpur, Torpa, Sisai, Gumla, Bishunpur, Simdega, Kolebira and Lohardaga.

Polling began peacefully at 7 am and will go on till 3 pm, election commission sources said.

Security forces, including strike reserve forces, have been deployed in all the constituencies, police said.

Polling for 51 seats has been completed in the previous three phases while the final phase will be held on December 18.

Results will be announced on December 23.

Telangana: Centre won''t act in haste: PM

New Delhi/Hyderabad, Dec 11 (ANI): Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured lawmakers of coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema that the Central Government would not do anything in haste on the Telangana issue.

The MLAs belonging to coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema met the Prime Minister this afternoon and expressed their disagreement over the Telangana statehood issue.

Meanwhile, a shutdown has been called in coastal Andhra and Rayalseema districts in protest against the Centre''s decision to give its nod for initiating the process for the formation of a Telangana State.

The protestors are reported to have turned violent in some of the areas. The protestors have blocked the roads in Anantpur expressing their disappointment over the government''s stand on the Telangana issue. The protestors in Tirupati have also stopped a train.

Earlier on Thursday, Students from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema had launched a counter agitation and staged demonstrations over the Telangana issue.

Cutting across party lines, 128 MLAs belonging to different political parties handed over their resignation letters to the State Assembly Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy today in protest against the Centre''s decision to initiate the process for the formation of the Telangana State.

The announcement sanctioning a new State has backfired colossally for the Centre.

The Andhra Pradesh assembly has been adjourned till Monday following the protests. (ANI)

Telangana revives demand for Bodo, Dimasa and Karbi states

With the Centre deciding to initiate the process for a separate Telengana, Bodos, Dimasas and Karbis have revived their long-standing demand for separate states to be carved out of Assam.

The demand for a separate Bodo state was today raised in the Assam Assembly by Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF), the coalition partner of the ruling Congress.

Transport Minister Chandan Brahma, who belongs to the BPF, told the house that the creation of a Bodo state was possible and the government should consider the matter.

"Our demand for a state was much older than that of Telangana...If Telangana could be created, there is no reason why Bodos cannot have their own state. We had accepted the Bodoland Territorial Council under the Sixth Schedule as the then NDA government at the Centre had said there was no policy for creation of another state," he said.

BPF president Hagram Mohilary said, "We are happy for the people of Telangana and now that the Centre has approved the creation of Telangana state, a separate Bodoland state should also be created."

The Nunisa faction of Dima Halam Daogah (DHD) and United Peoples' Democratic Solidarity (UPDS) said they would revive their demand for separate Dimasa and Karbi states respectively.

We want plebiscite on sovereignty: ULFA

The outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) on Friday urged New Delhi for a plebiscite to decide if the people of Assam want independence.

“Talks, if any, have to be on the issue of Assam’s independence or sovereignty. If the government cannot hold talks on the issue of sovereignty or independence, let there be a plebiscite on the issue,” ULFA commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah said in an emailed statement to the local media here.

The ULFA, a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland since 1979, said it was ready to hold peace talks if New Delhi discussed their core demand of sovereignty.

The central government had already rejected their demand saying sovereignty cannot be a subject for discussion.

“In the name of holding peace talks, the government has all along been staging dramas,” the ULFA statement said.

“Our stand is very clear, we are not going to sit for talks if the issue of sovereignty is not discussed,” Baruah said.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi once again reiterated the government position saying sovereignty cannot be discussed.

“No country in the world could ever discuss or grant sovereignty. The question of discussion on sovereignty simply does not arise,” the chief minister said.

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