Noida land scam: UP ex-chief secy, Flex chief jailed

A CBI court on Tuesday sentenced former Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Neera Yadav and Flex Industries chairman Ashok Chaturvedi to four years in prison for irregularities in the allotment of plots in Noida.

The court also slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 each on the two. Both Yadav and Chaturvedi were sent to the Dasna jail in Ghaziabad.

Yadav was chairperson-cum-chief executive of the Noida Authority during the scam. She entered into a criminal conspiracy with another IAS officer, Rajiv Kumar, to cause pecuniary advantage by allotting a plot to Kumar. The plot was earmarked for a guesthouse but its land use was changed.

Yadav is the wife of BJP MLA Mahindra Singh Yadav. Her conviction and sentencing is a big embarrassment for former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav.

It was Mulayam's government that had promoted Yadav as state chief secretary despite her reputation as a corrupt bureaucrat. She was removed from the post after a Supreme Court rap.

In 1997, Yadav's name had figured in the second position on a list of Uttar Pradesh's most corrupt officials.

Varanasi: Did provide intelligence input, says PC

New Delhi: Union Home Minister P Chidambaram, who flew into Varanasi Wednesday, a day after the terror struck in the temple town, while admitting that there have been lapses, pointed out that the Centre had provided specific intelligence inputs about the vulnerability of the ghats to the state government. 

Speaking to reporters after he visited the blast site -- Sheetla Ghat -- and the injured in the hospitals, Chidambaram said, “It is a low to medium intensity blast. Forensic experts have already collected samples from the site, another forensics team is coming to Varanasi, we will await their reports.” 

Giving further details, the Union Home Minister said that the blast was strong enough to make some boulders travel to a distance of 20-30 feet; they hit some people, while others suffered from fractures due to the ensuing melee. 

Pointing out the lapses by the state police, he said, “We had cautioned all state governments that in the run up to 26/11 and 6/12, we can expect terror attacks.” Chidambaram mentioned that advisories were sent by the Centre to all the states on the eve of the sensitive dates. 

“As far as UP is concerned, a specific advice was given on February 26, 2010 that Dashashwamedh Ghat was one of the targets for terorists,” he added. 

“The ghats are especially vulnerable. Some arrangements were made but I think that they may have been some lapses. One would have to maintain vigil at all times, there is no scope for relaxing the vigil,” he said. 

“Unfortunately despite the presence of a platoon somebody was able to plant an IED on the Sheetla Ghat”, he pointed out. 

“Everyday is a new day and everyday one must be vigilant,” he opined. 

On being asked by reporters whether there was a possibility of the National Investigating Agency taking over the probe, Chidambaram said that it will depend on the progress of the investigations that are being carried out by the state police. The Home Minister also expressed that the UP police would be able to break the case. 

With regards to the complaints by the UP Chief Minister that the state was not provided with credible intelligence input, Chidamabarm retorted, “I am not here do a jugalbandi. I am not here to blame anyone. Obviously no one can give more specific info than that (input about threat to the ghats). It is the duty of every state government to provide safety to the people.” 

On her another demand for a sophisticated anti-terror force for Varanasi, he said that the security is a state subject and the Centre can only supplement the security. “There is already one battalion of CRPF in Varansai and another in the district,” he pointed out.

One dead, 31 injured 

Giving details about the human causality, Chidambaram said that one 11-month-old baby girl Swastika, daughter of Santosh Kumar Sharma, had died in the blast while one lady by the name Phoolmani is battling for her life in the hospital. 

He said that a total of 31 patients were admitted in the hospitals and nine have been already discharged. 

Of the 31 four are foreigners, while two more were part of the nine persons who have been discharged.

This was the fourth terror incident in Varanasi -- the other three were in 2005, 2006 and 2007. 

“After 26/11, 2009 was completely free of terror attacks but in 2010 we had one terror incident Pune in February…I was hoping and praying that the ear will end without another terror incident,” the Home Minister said. 

He also congratulated the people of Varansai for maintaining calm and going about with their day-to-day lives with resilience.

Corruption has become a way of life: SC judge

New Delhi: Holding that corruption has become a "way of life", senior Supreme Court judge Altamas Kabir has said "sensitivity" and values in governance are required to curb the menace. 

"Why are we still floundering with our values? Why is it that the people are still helpless? The answer is simple, now it (corruption) has become a way of life... it has been accepted as a way of life," Justice Kabir said. 

Addressing a function organised for release of a book, 'Restoring Values', edited by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation's managing director E Sreedharan and Tata group's resident director Bharat Wakhlu, the judge also emphasised on the role of value-oriented education, and said that a change of mindset is needed to eradicate the problem. 

"Unless we change our mindset, we cannot eliminate corruption," he said. 

Asked if private sector should be brought within the purview of the Right to Information Act, Justice Kabir said, "It is for legislature to decide." 

2G Spectrum: JPC probe demand paralyses Lok Sabha till noon

New Delhi, Dec 8 : The Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon today for the 19th successive day of its Winter Session amid continued demands by the Opposition for a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the alleged 2G spectrum scam and the Government refusing to relent.

When the Housemet in the morning, it first expressed sorrow over the deaths of 170 people who were killed in heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and 1000 displaced. The House also condemned the blast in Varanasi last evening in which a girl child was killed and 37 others were injured.

It stood in silence for some time to pay homage to those killed in the two tragedies.

Soon after that, the agitating Opposition members belonging to BJP, AIADMK, SP and BSP, chanting slogans, trooped into the Well of the House.

They created a din and kept raising slogans 'We Want JPC'.

All efforts of Speaker Meira Kumar to pacify and reason with the agitating members yielded no results. Sensing the unrelenting mood of the Opposition members, the Speaker adjourned the House till 1200 hrs.

Today is the 20th day of the over-month-long Winter Session of Parliament that ends on December 13 with a scheduled 24 sittings.

The Session started on November 9.

The JPC probe has become the bone of contention between theGovernment and the Opposition, which has continuously been disturbing the Parliamentary proceedings for the last two weeks.

The MPs have stuck to their demand for a JPC probe into allegations of financial irregularities in the case.

Discussions are due to take place in both Houses of Parliament but arguments from the Opposition parties have made it difficult for the session to move forward.

Former Telecom and Information Technology Minister A Raja has been accused of serious irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum licences, causing losses to the national coffers estimated at Rs 1.76 lakh crore.

After weeks of demands from Opposition parties for his resignation Raja finally stepped down on November 14.

The Congress Core Group, which met here last evening to deliberate on the Opposition demand for a JPC probe into the multi-crore swindle, again ruled out setting up a parliamentary panel to probe the alleged scam.

Wikileaks unethical, wrong, anti-peace: Tharoor

New Delhi: Shashi Tharoor, former minister of state for external affairs, calls the latest expose by whistleblower website WikiLeaks unethical and wrong and says the contents of some leaked diplomatic cables cannot conclusively establish the view one country holds of another.

"I have absolutely no doubt that this is unethical and wrong because the confidentiality of government communications is the lifeblood of diplomatic comfort," said Tharoor, a lawmaker from Thiruvananthapuram who has also served as a undersecretary general at the United Nations.

WikiLeaks: US protested Syria's arms supplies to Hezbollah

"You do not effectively run a government if your own diplomats cannot report to their own capitals in utter candour," Tharoor, who was a contender and India's candidate for the post of secretary general of the United Nations, said.

He was speaking about the revelations being carried by various newspapers and websites worldwide, based on the ongoing analysis of some 250,000 leaked US diplomatic cables, many of which were published online by WikiLeaks.

Tharoor said diplomacy was also about not sharing perceptions about individuals holding high office with foreign governments as they cannot be entirely accurate and complete. "It's only people inside the system who see the entirety of the file and can view the accurate picture," he said.

'US lobbied with Pachauri to prevent appointment of Iranian'

"Quite frankly it is silly to draw apocalyptic conclusions from that about any country."

Tharoor said what was also irritating about these leaks is they not only violated the peace canons of diplomatic conduct but also sullied the common sense that revealing matters out of context do not actually achieve the larger points these whistleblowers to make.

Founded in 2006 as a non-profit by Australian journalist Julian Paul Assange, WikiLeaks is a whistleblower website that claims to open up governments by providing innovative, secure and anonymous way for sources to leak information through websites.

This time it has created a storm by leaking some 250,000 dispatches to the US by its diplomats from various countries, contents of which have not only embarrassed Washington, but also some countries vis a vis others.

Security stepped up in Delhi after Varanasi blast

New Delhi: Security agencies stepped up vigil in the national capital following a blast in Varanasi which left several people injured this evening.

According to police sources, the anti-terror measures were activated soon after the explosion at Sheetla Ghat in Varanasi.

"We have alerted our personnel. We have stepped up vigil. Anyway, our personnel are always on alert," a senior police official said.

The official said police will be checking vehicles randomly. "We are appealing to people to report to us about any suspicious movement in their localities," he said.

French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, To Pay Homage To 26/11 Attack Victims In Mumbai

French President Nicholas Sarkozy will be arriving in Mumbai today where he will be visiting the Trident-Oberoi Hotel to pay homage to the 26/11 attacks victims. As a part of his four-day visit to India, Sarkozy will be visiting the terrorist-attacked hotel.

 

Sarkozy, who arrives from Delhi today, will also deliver a speech in the Trident-Oberoi Hotel addressing business leaders. He will visit the police memorial on Marine Drive, which was set up in remembrance of security men, who lost their lives fighting with terrorists.

 

The 2008 Mumbai attacks which took place in at least eight places including Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj MahalPalace and Tower, Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, Nariman House, the Metro Cinema and St. Xavier's College, killed nearly 170 people.

 

In another event to be held at the Hotel Taj Mahal Palace, the French President will be addressing business leaders of India and France. The event has been jointly arranged by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). With this Sarkozy will wrap-up his four-day visit to India.