NEWS
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal
says, he will resign if Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed; Congress and BJP
term it a tactic to run away from responsibility.
- Delhi Police constitutes Special Investigation Team to
probe the rape of a 14-year-old Manipuri girl.
- Death toll in Odisha boat tragedy
rises to 13; 20 still missing.
- Iran agrees to address IAEA concerns
over its nuclear program.
- Bangladesh’s 90-minute documentary, ‘Are You
Listening’, bags Golden Conch Award for Best Documentary at the Mumbai
International Film Festival.
- And, fifteen-year-old figure skater Yulia Lipnitskaya
of Russia
becomes the youngest athlete to win a Gold at the Winter Olympics.
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Delhi Chief Minister
Arvind Kejriwal has said that he will resign if the anti-graft legislation, the
Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed by the state Assembly. Talking to reporters in New Delhi last night, Mr
Kejriwal said, he does not have the right to stay in office if this legislation
does not get the approval of the Assembly. He said that bringing the Jan Lokpal
Bill to contain corruption was a key election promise made to voters by his Aam
Aadmi Party.
"To remove corruption
from the country , I can sacrifice the Chief Minister's post a hundred times. I
am not here to become a Chief Minister. I am here to rid the nation of
corruption. "
Kejriwal's comments
came after he sent a letter to Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung urging him to protect
the Constitution and not the interest of the Congress and the Union Home
Ministry.
Meanwhile, Anna Hazare
has also said that Kejriwal should resign if the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed.
Hazare said this after Kejriwal met him in Delhi, and informed him about the AAP
government's plan to introduce Jan Lokpal and Swaraj bills in the assembly.
The Congress has
termed Kejriwal's statement, a tactic to run away from responsibility. The
party said it will support the proposed legislation provided laid down
procedures are followed.
BJP leader Vijay Goel
said, Arvind Kejriwal is using the bill to run away from key issues.
"He is using Jan
Lokpal Bill as a political tool. He is running from the key issues of governance
and his responsibility."
The Jan Lokpal Bill
and Swaraj Bill will be tabled on the floor of the Delhi Assembly on Thursday.
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The Delhi Police has
constituted a Special Investigation Team, SIT to probe the rape of a
14-year-old Manipuri girl allegedly by her landlord's son two days ago. The
SIT, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) BS Jaiswal, recorded the
girl's statement before a magistrate yesterday. Police said that the SIT will
thoroughly investigate the case, collect scientific evidence and file a charge
sheet as soon as possible.The accused in the case has already been arrested.
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The bill to create
Telangana is likely to be introduced in Parliament tomorrow. Talking to AIR,
the Home Ministry spokesperson said, the file recommending the introduction of
the Andhra Pradesh Re-organisation Bill in Parliament has been sent to the
President through the Prime Minister's Office. The spokesperson added that the
approval of the President is expected today and the bill will be introduced
tomorrow.
The Union Cabinet had
on Friday approved the draft bill for the creation of Telangana by bifurcating
Andhra Pradesh, notwithstanding the state Assembly's rejection of the
legislation.
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The death toll in the Odisha boat tragedy
has risen to 13, with 20 people still missing. A
motor boat, carrying over 110 passengers, had capsized in Hirakud Reservoir in
Sambalpur district last evening. Our correspondent reports that the rescue
operations are underway.
"The Odisha Disaster Rapid
Action Force and other volunteers are engaged in retrieving the bodies from the
Hirakud Reservoir. The bodies have been taken to Hospital at Burla and
Sambalpur. They have been successful in rescuing about 80 passengers so far.
Chief Minister of Odisha has expressed deep grief over the incident. The state
government has also announced to bear treatment expenses of all the injured
persons. Prakash Das, AIR News,
Bhuwaneshwar."
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Iran has agreed to address the concerns of the UN
nuclear watchdog, IAEA over its nuclear program. The two sides met in Tehran over the past two
days to discuss bilateral nuclear co-operation. They signed a seven point
agreement to make Tehran’s
nuclear program more transparent. Under the seven-point deal, which will be
implemented by May 15th this year, Iran will provide access to
additional information about its nuclear sites and documents related to its
nuclear program.
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The second round of Geneva-II peace
conference between the Syrian Government and the rebel opposition gets underway
in Geneva
today. The Syrian Government delegation has reached Geneva and the rebel opposition has agreed to
join the talks. Our West Asia correspondent
reports that UN Special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi would
be mediating the talks to find a comprehensive political solution to the crisis
in Syria.
"The second round of
Geneva-II peace talks comes in the backdrop of agreement to allow the
evacuation of civilians from the besieged old city of Homs and the access to aid for trapped
civilians. Despite divergent views the two sides would once again face each
other in Geneva
which in itself is significant. They sat on the negotiating table for the first
time at the International conference on Syria
in Montreaux in Geneva.
Both sides agreed on Geneva-I
Communique as the basis for talks but with varied interpretations. It is
expected that the second round of talks would see more serious negotiations. Atul Tiwary, AIR News."
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Bangladesh’s film maker Kamar Ahmad Simon’s 90-minute
documentary, ‘Are You Listening’, has bagged the Golden Conch Award for the
Best Documentary Film at the Mumbai International Film Festival, for
Documentary, Short and Animation Films. The Golden Conch for Best Documentary
Film up to 60 minutes went to Germany’s Maria Stodtmeier’s “In Between : Isang
Yun in North and South Korea’. While, FTII production ‘Black Rock’ directed by
Vikrant Janardhan Pawar was adjudged the Best Short Fiction film in
International Competition, Kashmiri film ‘Tamaash” won the Golden Conch award
for the Best Short Fiction Film in the National Competition. The festival concluded
in Mumbai yesterday.
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In Assam,
the adult vaccination drive against Japanese Encephalitis, JE gets underway in
9 districts from today. State Immunisation Officer BK Choudhury said that more
than 47 lakh people in the age group between 15 to 70 are being covered under
the drive. Our correspondent reports that with this, Assam has become the first state to
start adult vaccination to wipe out Japanese Encephalitis.
"Vaccination will be given in 9
working days at 62 health blocks. This drive is likely to cover around 54
percent of total population in 9 districts. But pregnant women and persons
infected with HIV will not be given the vaccination. More than 3 thousand Japanese Encephalitis cases have been registered
in the state during last 3 years. With
Manas Pratim Sarma, This is Suparna Saikia, AIR NEWS, Delhi."
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Decks have been
cleared for India's
return to the Olympic fold, with the Indian Olympic Association conducting its
polls, and N. Ramachandran being elected as the President. After being elected
unopposed yesterday, Ramachandran said that the IOC observer team is satisfied
with the elections.
"As far as the
IOC observer team is concerned, they are completely satisfied with the conduct
and the fairness of the election. The House has urged the IOC team to take this
report back to the IOC E. board to try to ensure that the Indian athlete walks
beneath the Indian tri-colour once again at the earliest."
Kho-Kho Federation of
India President Rajeev Mehta and All India Tennis Association Chief Anil Khanna
were elected unopposed as the Secretary General and the Treasurer respectively.
The Indian body was
suspended by the IOC last December after it elected Secretary-General Lalit
Bhanot, who spent 10 months in jail on corruption charges related to the 2010
Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
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Fifteen-year-old Russian figure
skater Yulia Lipnitskaya has become the youngest athlete in the world to win a
Gold medal at the Winter Olympics. Making her debut at the Sochi Winter
Olympics, Lipnitskaya recorded the best result ever in women's free skating
yesterday, scoring 141.51 points and earning a combined total of 214.41.
Out of contention for
a medal, India's
Shiva Keshavan remained at 37th spot after third and penultimate round of men's
singles luge competitions.
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The
News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly Live Phone-in
programme, 'PUBLIC SPEAK', will bring you a discussion tonight, on 'Unity in
Diversity and Citizen's Tolerance'. This can be heard on FM Gold Channel and
additional frequencies from 9.30 to 10.05 pm. Listeners can pose questions to experts
sitting in our Studio on telephone number: 011: 2331-4444. This programme will
also be available on Doordarshan DTH.
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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
Arvind Kejriwal
threatening to quit over the Jan Lok Pal Bill makes front page news in most
dailies today. 'Kejriwal declares start of end-game' is the Mail Today
headline. 'Government teeters as congress rules out support for bill' writes
the Times of India. 'Ministry of Home Affairs to consider Kejriwal's request'
says The Tribune, referring to the 2002 order that makes it mandatory for all
bills to be sent to the Centre before being tabled in the Delhi Assembly.
Many papers show
Narendra Modi addressing scheduled caste organizations in Kochi. The Hindustan Times, quoting him as
saying. 'I'm still untouchable for many'.
The Indian Express has
a picture of Prakash Karat addressing the left front rally yesterday in Kolkata
which drew 3 lakh people.
Be prepared to shell
out more if you are planning to buy a house in Delhi. 'Over 30 per cent hike in circle rates
likely in Delhi'
is the Pioneer headline.
If you enjoy eating
chaat in Chandni Chowk, you can do so without worrying about the hygiene. In a
special report, Hindustan Times writes, 'From May eat street food without any
fear' - as eight safe zones are identified in the city where vendors will be
required to maintain high standards of cleanliness.
And finally, the
Hindustan Times has an interesting item which says that a Japanese company has
developed a device, which looks like a badge, and can track the employees
activities throughout office hours - from how long you are sitting idle, to
whom you speak, and even your visits to the washroom!
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