Tag: Punjab

‘SPY’ PIGEON FROM PAKISTAN JAILED IN PATHANKOT

CHANDIGARH (TIP): The entry and capture of a white pigeon, apparently from across the border, in a border village of Pathankot in Punjab on May 28 has caused a flutter among intelligence sleuths and Punjab Police. This comes two days after an Intelligence Bureau (IB) alert to Punjab Police on the possibility of Indian Mujahideen being active in Jammu and Pathankot areas.

The fact that the avian ‘intruder’ bore a stamped message and had a wire-like object on its body made the security agencies take a closer look at its flight into India. A part of the message was in Urdu, but the numbers appeared to be that of a landline telephone in Pakistan’s Narowal district.

The bird landed at the mud and brick house of barber Ramesh Chandra in Manwal village, 4km from Pakistan border, around 6.30pm on Wednesday. The suspicions of the barber’s 14-year-old son were aroused by the Urdu markings, and he went to the nearest police post around 9pm with the “spy bird”. His arrival there with the bird perched on a wire mesh along with Chandra’s chicken created a stir.

“Unfortunately, mobile phones rarely work in the border areas. My son ran to the nearest police post,” Chandra said.

The cops then took the bird to a veterinary hospital in Pathankot for an X-ray. This did not throw up any clues. “Nothing adverse has been found, but we have kept the bird in our custody,” said Pathankot senior superintendent of police (SSP) Rakesh Kaushal.

“This is a rare instance of a bird from Pakistan being spotted here. We have caught a few spies here. The area is sensitive, given its proximity to Jammu, where infiltration is quite common,” said Kaushal.

Cops at Bamiyal police post made a diary entry terming the bird as a “suspected spy”, and sent a communication to BSF and IB.

The bird was found on a day when an inter-state meeting on security was being held among officials of Punjab Police, Indian Army as well as those from Kathua and Jammu districts.”It was a meeting to launch joint search and combing operation in the respective areas. The security of Ranjit Sagar Dam was also discussed and decision has been taken to strengthen the security setup in and around the areas,” said Punjab Police inspector general (border range) Ishwar Sharma.

May 30, 2015 – 1:46 pm EDT
US Congressional committee calls for public hearing on rights of religious minorities in India

WASHINGTON (TIP): A key US Congressional committee has called for a public hearing on the rights and freedoms of religious minorities in India to be held early next month.

The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission has invited experts from India, the US and the UK to testify before it at the US Congress on June 3.

The hearing would be led by Congressman Patrick Meehan, co-chair of the American Sikh Caucus, Congressmen Joseph Pitts and Jim McGovern, co-chairs of the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission.

No US government official would testify before the committee.

This briefing will outline the important legal, social and cultural issues related to the persecution of minorities in India, according to a media report.

Panelists include Rev Joshva Raja, Research Supervisor, University of Amsterdam; Iqtidar Karamat Cheema, director, Institute for Leadership and Community Development, United Kingdom; and Professor Gurdarshan Sing Dhillon, Professor of History (retired), Punjab University.

Sahar Chaudhry, Senior Policy Analyst, United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and John Sifton, Asia Advocacy Director, Human Rights Watch too would testify before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Committee.

The panelists will also make recommendations as to how the US can play a role to safeguard religious minorities in India and around the world, a statement of the committee said.

India’s constitution guarantees that “all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion,” it said.

However, attacks against Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and Dalits have increased in recent years, it alleged.

A 2015 report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom asked the Obama Administration to press the Indian government to publicly rebuke officials and religious leaders who endorse these hateful acts.

May 29, 2015 – 9:16 pm EDT
Indian American Sikh Harkeert Singh Saini Wins Prestigious Police Award in Texas

HOUSTON (TIP): An 44-year-old Indian-American policeman has been awarded the prestigious “Top Civilian Supervisor of the Year” award for his efficient services to the Houston Police department in the US state of Texas.

Harkeert Singh Saini received the award from Police Chief Charles A McClelland And Houston Mayor Anise Parker during a function held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel here earlier this week.

Saini, a police records supervisor has been working for the Houston Police department for the last 15 years.

“Harkeert Singh Saini is a very efficient officer and very worthy of this award. Houston police department is proud of Saini” said Muzaffar Siddiqi, senior police officer of city Police department.

Various community leaders including Gurdip Singh Buttar, S Gurnam Singh Sandhar, Ajinder Singh Dhatt were present during the occasion and congratulated Saini for his achievement.

Saini, a graduate from Deshbandu College in New Delhi, hails from Hoshiarpur in Punjab. He came to the city in 1998, joined Houston Police Department in March 2000 and was subsequently promoted as an office supervisor in the following years.

May 18, 2015 – 2:26 pm EDT
MOGA INCIDENT: HC NOTICE TO PUNJAB GOVT, BADAL’S TRANSPORT COMPANY

CHANDIGARH (TIP): Taking suo motu cognizance of Moga incident in which a teenaged girl died after being molested and thrown off a moving bus, the Punjab and Haryana high court on May 7 issued notice to the chief secretary Punjab, DGP and the owners of the bus, Orbit Aviation company.

While issuing notice to the state authorities and the company, division bench comprising Justice Hemant Gupta and Justice Lisa Gil has also appointed advocate HC Arora and Rajvinder Singh Bains as amicus curiae in the case to assist the court in the matter.

The bench, however, refused to entertain the plea of Aam Adami Party Punjab who wanted to become a party in the matter.

The matter reached the high court through a letter written by some senior citizen seeking high court’s intervention in the issue.

The applicant in this case has also referred to a large number of media reports along with his letter.

The victim and her mother were allegedly pushed out a moving Orbit Aviation bus, which is owned by the family of state chief minister Prakash Singh Badal.

May 8, 2015 – 12:12 am EDT
Yuvraj Singh ties up with Delhi Daredevils for cancer awareness

NEW DELHI: Delhi Daredevils’ biggest star Yuvraj Singh on Tuesday announced a tie-up with his IPL franchise to promote awareness about fighting Cancer and the May 1 match against Kings XI Punjab will be dedicated to those who are fighting the dreaded disease.

Yuvraj’s cancer foundation ‘YouWeCan’ in alliance with Delhi Daredevils and Max Hospitals announced free cancer detection clinics on May 1.

Similarly the Delhi Daredevils players will be wearing lavender colour jerseys on that particular day.

“When I came back after recovering from cancer (rare germ cell disease), I struggled a bit with my lung capacity. When I successfully came back, I knew that battle to fight cancer comes from within. For me, more than responsibility, it is a duty. I have been fortunate to come out of it and it is my endeavour to inspire people to fight the battle,” Yuvraj said at the launch of new-look lavender jersey.

Delhi Daredevils CEO Hemant Dua said that around 100 children, who are fighting cancer will be watching the IPL match live from the Feroze Shah Kotla stands.

“Delhi Daredevils has been part of various initiatives under the aegis of DD Care. We have had tie-ups with Unicef. Yuvi’s fight against cancer is an inspirational story and we thought why not use the platform to spread awareness. For that particular match, our jersey colour will change from blue to lavender,” Dua told the mediapersons.

May 2, 2015 – 8:24 pm EDT
Moga’s shame: Young woman alleges gang-rape

MOGA (TIP): A young woman in Punjab’s Moga district has alleged that she was gang-raped by her friend’s husband and his friends, police said on May 1. The woman’s claim came just hours after the horror story of a girl being killed after being pushed out of a moving bus by her molesters.

The victim, aged 23, claimed that she was gang-raped by her friend’s husband and others on the intervening night of April 29 and 30 (Wednesday and Thursday) at a secluded house in Marhi Mustafa village near Moga, 180 km from here.

Police have registered a case of rape against her friend’s husband and others following the complaint on April 30.

No arrest has been made so far. The victim claimed that she had gone to meet her friend at the latter’s house on Wednesday night along with her boyfriend. They decided to stay there overnight.

The friend’s husband came home drunk late in the night with seven other friends. They allegedly thrashed her boyfriend and took her to the tube-well room in a secluded part of the village.

She was gang-raped by the eight men after confining her to the room and allowed to leave the room only on April 30 morning.

May 1, 2015 – 12:14 pm EDT
Nirbhaya type case averted: Indian girl, 14, dies and mother severely injured in Punjab

Moga, Punjab 30 April (TIP). A 14-year-old girl in India has died and her mother has been seriously injured after they were allegedly thrown from a bus by three men who had tried to sexually assault them.

In Box : (There are conflicting reports over how the two women came off the bus. NDTV reports that the women were thrown onto the road, while the Times of India claims the women jumped off the moving vehicle in order to escape the men.)

The incident began when a man on the bus allegedly started harassing the mother and daughter, who were travelling with the girl’s 10-year-old brother on a bus in Punjab’s Moga district on Wednesday evening

The girl and her mother begged for help as a group of men tried to molest them on a moving bus in Moga, 170 km from Chandigarh. And finally, they were pushed off, thrown from the bus onto the road. The girl was declared dead after being taken to hospital and the mother is in hospital with severe injuries. Her little brother, who witnessed the entire incident, was dropped off a little distance away.
“No one helped. They first pushed my daughter off the bus, then me,” the girl’s 38-year-old mother, who was unconscious for hours at a district hospital, said.

What amplifies the horror is that the bus is linked to Punjab’s first family, the Badals. Documents show that Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s family owns 5,000 shares in Orbit, the company that runs the bus. Asked whether the bus belongs to his family, the Chief Minister said, “Unfortunately it does. But I have never taken interest in it. A Himalayan blunder has happened. A great sin. It could have happened on any bus. It is sad regardless of whether it happened on a truck, bus or jeep.”

Three persons, including the bus conductor and cleaner, have been arrested for the incident that provoked comparisons to the brutal gang-rape of a young medical student on a moving bus in Delhi in 2012.

Other passengers on the bus didn’t react at all, the mother alleged.

When she ran to the driver and begged him to stop the bus, he allegedly ignored her and drove even faster. After around 20 minutes of harassment, the woman and her daughter were thrown out.

May 1, 2015 – 12:28 am EDT
Vaisakhi resolution introduced in US House

Washington (TIP): Sixteen US lawmakers led by Democrat John Garamendi have introduced a resolution in the US House of Representatives, honouring the Sikh group’s celebration of Vaisakhi.

The bipartisan resolution was co-sponsored amongst others by the lone Indian-American Congressman Ami Bera, Democratic co-chair of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans, one of many largest in Congress with greater than one hundred eighty members.

“America’s founding beliefs of freedom of worship, equality, and justice are mirrored in the Sikh American group’s celebration of Vaisakhi,” stated Garamendi, co-chair of the American Sikh Congressional Caucus.

“I am proud to characterize one of many largest Sikh communities in the nation. I have partnered with the group on many points, together with civil liberties, schooling, and enterprise improvement,” he stated.

“Sikhs are an integral a part of the American material, and we invite our fellow Americans to study extra about their Sikh neighbours by visiting their native gurdwaras and partnering with us on group service tasks,” stated Rajdeep Singh, senior director of regulation and coverage on the Sikh Coalition.

The resolution notes that Sikhism based in the Punjab area of South Asia over 5 centuries in the past was introduced to the US in the nineteenth century.

Sikhism is the fifth largest world faith with roughly 25 million adherents from numerous backgrounds all through the world, together with 500,000 adherents in the US, it stated.

Sikhs in the US pursue numerous professions and walks of life, making wealthy contributions to the financial vibrancy as farmers, engineers, docs, scientists, and enterprise house owners, the resolution famous.

Sikh Americans proceed to make strides towards securing spiritual liberty as patriotic members of the US Armed Forces, it stated.

Apr 14, 2015 – 6:19 pm EDT
VIRASAT-E-KHALSA: A Wasat-e-Khalsa: A Museum of Sikhism

A masterpiece of rich Sikh culture and religious history, the `Virasat-e-Khalsa` was dedicated to the nation in the Sikh holy city of Anandpur Sahib, the birthplace of the Khalsa, amidst an elaborate religious ceremony , on November 25, 2011.

Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal honors world renowned architect Moshe Safdie who has designed Virasat-e-Khalsa, at the function to dedicate the monument to humanity at Sri Anandpur Sahib, on November 25, 2011

The Rs.300 crore project was opened by Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal in the presence of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Nitin Gadkari, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and others.

Conceived as a repository of the rich heritage of the `Khalsa`, showcasing the history and culture of Punjab, the heritage complex has been built to emphasize the eternal message of the Sikh gurus.

Called the Khalsa Heritage Complex (KHC), it is touted as a landmark monument of one of the youngest religions in the world.

The project, announced in April 1999, was originally expected to be completed by September 2004 to coincide with the celebrations of the 400th year of the Golden Temple. However, the project got delayed for one or the other reason, better known to the authorities concerned. The monument dedicated is incomplete and only the first phase of the whole KHC project.

Being built on a 100-acre site at Anandpur Sahib, 85 km from Chandigarh, KHC stands at a site that is the birthplace of the Khalsa Panth, the present day Sikh religion. The second holiest Sikh shrine, Takht Keshgarh Sahib, is located here.

It was here in 1699, on the day of Baisakhi, that the 10th Sikh master, Guru Gobind Singh, founded the Khalsa Panth and baptized the `Panj Piaras` (the first five baptized Sikhs known to be the loved ones of the guru).

Boston-based Israeli-architect Moshe Safdie has designed the complex, which is shaped like open hands offering prayers. The monument is termed as a “wonder in the making”.

Tribute to tradition

The project, which has been shaped like hands offering prayers, unfolds Sikh history and tradition -like never before.

People working on the project claim that a museum like this has never been built before in the country. It has got no precedent, no comparison.

Made up of building materials from all over India, the project is an architectural miracle and the world’s foremost, comprehensive Sikh heritage centre.

Moshe Safdie, the internationally acclaimed Boston-based Israeli architect, has designed the Khalsa Heritage Complex. Punjab Chief Minister Prakash Singh Badal handpicked Safdie, during one of his visits abroad in mid ’90s.

The project houses a museum, which will have souvenirs related to Sikh history comprising all 10 Sikh Gurus, Guru Granth Sahib and Sikh rulers like Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The museum will also have scriptures written by Guru Gobind Singh.

The museum is conceived by Amardeep Behl, a Delhi-based designer running AB Design Habit, who is also working on restoration of Sri Harmandar Sahib.

The project has two main complexes, which are joined with a connecting ceremonial bridge. The canopy on this bridge is an architectural experiment and is situated in the opposite direction of the sun and does not provide any shade.

The western complex houses an auditorium with a seating capacity of 400. It will have temporary exhibition galleries and a library, housing all journals, magazines, books and periodicals on Sikhism.

The eastern complex has a north wing also known as flower building. It has another part, which is called boat building or heritage building.

The roof of the flower building is shaped in form of five petals – depicting Panj Piaras of Guru Gobind Singh. Each petal will house an exhibit tracing the life history of all gurus from birth to attaining salvation/ martyrdom. These will be permanent exhibits. The petal at the highest altitude will have information and exhibits on Guru Granth Sahib.

The rooftops of all petals have been covered with special stainless steel sheets. At night the entire building will be illuminated with its large silhouette being reflected in seven acres around. It will also illuminate the night skyline of the historical city of the birth of the Khalsa.

Exhibit galleries

At the entry of the museum, permanent exhibits, depicting Punjab before birth of Guru Nanak, have been placed. These will showcase the climate, culture and life of pre-Guru Nanak times. The ceiling of this heritage building has been made of glass and its floor will be covered with water. The aim of this exhibit is to make the visitor introspect his life.

Thematic carpets will adorn walls of this part of building for which weavers from Mirzapur have been roped in. Next the visitor is greeted with the thought-provoking concept of Ek Onkar – this mool mantra will echo all around this exhibit. This exhibit, with special sound effects, is situated in a drum-like building where lights will create an image of Ek Onkar and an audio message will highlight core principles of Sikhism.

Then starts a mesmerising journey into the lives of first five Gurus in the five petals of the flower building. These five petals tell tales from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Arjan Dev.

The first petal will have the milieu of the times Guru Nanak Dev was born in, tracing his life with travels (udasi) undertaken. Further there will be galleries depicting achievements of Guru Angad Dev and Guru Amardas. One of the galleries is divided into two, by recreating a baoli in the middle, to highlight gurus contribution. It will have leather and shadow puppets with painted murals in background.

The gallery in the fourth petal contains exhibits on the contribution of Guru Ram Das, including the construction of the city of Ramdaspur, adding 11 ragas to existing corpus of Gurbani and the Lavan. The city of Ramdaspur has been recreated in an embroidered creation.

The gallery in the fifth petal showcases key events in history of Sikhism: construction of Harmandar Sahib and writing and installation of Adi Granth. A pathway leading to the gallery will have a replica of Harmandar Sahib. The gallery also has an ethereal, glowing representation of Prakash Sthal – the place of the Adi Granth in Harmandar, in the centre. Around this central installation are shown stories related to the establishment of Adi Granth. Four doorways around it recreate different scenes describing the life and times of Guru Arjan Dev.

There is another gallery depicting Guru Arjan Dev’s martyrdom in the form of a sculpture on the terrace.

Here, the events of martyrdom have been narrated in an evocative manner without showcasing horrendous scenes, usually associated with Sikh museums.

There is also an exhibit, which will suggest coming together of five elements – fire, earth, water, air and space.

Petals in the crescent building will cover lifespan of Guru Hargobind, Guru Har Rai, Guru Harkrishan, Guru Teg Bahadur, Guru Gobind Singh and Gurta Gaddi. The galleries at the lower level will chronicle the trials, tribulations and triumphs of the Khalsa from Banda Bahadur to immediately after Partition, when Sikh dynamism transformed Punjab with its `E9lan, energy and resilience.

Apr 11, 2015 – 11:19 am EDT
Northern Ireland fields first-ever Sikh candidate for UK polls

LONDON (TIP): A 31-year-old Sikh politician will be the first Indian-origin candidate to contest in the UK General Elections from Northern Ireland on May 7. Amandeep Singh Bhogal, who was born in Jalandhar, is already making his mark on the campaign trail for the Conservative party in his trademark blue turban. He represents the Upper Bann constituency in the heart of Northern Ireland, which is 54 per cent Protestant and deeply Christian and churchgoing.

“The Conservatives want to end sectarian politics in Northern Ireland and introduce some real normal politics,” he said.

While Bhogal’s candidacy is attracting widespread media interest, he is not expected to win the seat, which is currently held by David Simpson of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

“We have a long-term electoral plan,” Bhogal said in reference to his decision to stand from what is seen as an un-winnable seat.

“Together we can in Upper Bann,” is the slogan he has coined and has had T-shirts printed with it. Politics seems to a passion for Bhogal, who has moved to Northern Ireland from Kent in England where he grew up. Over the years, he has put in bids to stand for no fewer than 45 parliamentary seats.

In 2012, he contested the London Assembly elections alongside current mayor Boris Johnson, who he credits for giving him valuable “never to give up” advice. Bhogal’s grandfather came to the UK in 1959 to “achieve better in life, not just to make extra money”. He was married to Pari when he was 19 at a ceremony in Punjab and the couple have a daughter Sukhamani, 10, and son Arjun, 4.

With just four weeks to go until polling day, the campaign is yet to fully ignite in Northern Ireland’s 18 constituencies represented in the House of Commons. Some poll pundits predict that the DUP could play the role of kingmaker in the event of a hung Parliament verdict. The Conservatives are unlikely to achieve a great breakthrough in the region, which is historically divided along Catholic and Protestant lines.

The Tories are fielding 16 candidates in the region, with 11, including Bhogal, parachuted in from England and Scotland.

Apr 11, 2015 – 10:44 am EDT
Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi released from Adiala jail

LAHORE/NEW DELHI (TIP): Mumbai attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi has been released from Paksitan’s Adiala jail.

Lakhvi was released from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, a day after Lahore high court (LHC) suspended his detention and ordered his immediate release.

India had strongly reacted to the court’s decision, saying it “eroded” the value of assurances repeatedly conveyed to it by Pakistan on cross-border terrorism.

Jamaat-ud-Dawa supporters were present outside the prison to receive 55-year-old Lakhvi.

Lakhvi’s luxury life in jail: Internet, mobiles, TV and visitors

The court on Thursday suspended the Punjab government’s order to detain Lakhvi under a security act and ordered his immediate release.

Earlier in the day, Lakhvi’s counsel Raja Rizwan Abbasi had said that the government was left with no other ‘legal option’ but to release his client.

“The government is left with no other ‘legal option’ but to release his client after the LHC suspended his detention. Neither the government nor the Adiala Jail authorities can violate the court’s order this time,” he said.

Apr 11, 2015 – 9:56 am EDT
Sim Bhullar makes history as the first Indian American to play in the NBA

Sacramento Kings’ Sim Bhullar became the first person of Indian descent to play in an NBA game. The Indian American makes history when he appeared in the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves for only 16 seconds as the clock wound down in the final quarter.

Still, clearly aware of the moment’s significance, Sacramento fans gave him a standing ovation as he made his way onto the floor.

The 22-year-old Sim Bhullar, was born in Canada after his parents migrated there from Punjab, India.

Sim signed up with an NBA team, joined the Kings last week on a 10-day contract. He played his college ball at New Mexico State, went undrafted and spent this past season playing for the NBA Development League’s Reno Bighorns, where he averaged 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.9 blocks.

“I told him to enjoy the ride,” his teammate, Omri Casspi, said, per ESPN.com. “You got 2 billion Indians looking up to you. Be the best role model you can be and have fun with it.”

Casspi was the first Israeli-born player in the NBA, so he certainly had a unique perspective on the moment.

While it remains to be seen if Bhullar will stick with the team beyond this season—at 7’5″, the team would probably love for him to pan out at center—he’ll always have a slice of NBA history to look back on. He’ll also likely become a hero to Indians around the globe.

The NBA has over 100 active players from 37 countries other than the US. While basketball is not as popular in India as it is in other Asian countries—particularly China—it’s quickly growing in popularity there, as it is in many other countries around the world.

Apr 8, 2015 – 10:38 pm EDT

IPL 2015 Season 8 Match Schedule – Starting April 8

No of Match	Team	Time	Day	Date	Stadium	City
Match 1	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	Apr 8, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 2	Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	Apr 9, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 3	Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	Apr 10, 2015	MCA International Stadium	Pune
Match 4	Chennai Super Kings vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	Apr 11, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 5	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	Apr 11, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 6	Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	Apr 12, 2015	Ferozeshah Kotla	Delhi
Match 7	Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	Apr 12, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 8	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Monday	Apr 13, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 9	Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Tuesday	Apr 14, 2015	Sardar Patel Stadium	Ahmedabad
Match 10	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	Apr 14, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 11	Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	Apr 15, 2015	MCA International Stadium	Pune
Match 12	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	Apr 16, 2015	ACA-VDCA Stadium	Visakhapatnam
Match 13	Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	Apr 17, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 14	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Delhi Daredevils	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	Apr 18, 2015	ACA-VDCA Stadium	Visakhapatnam
Match 15	Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	Apr 18, 2015	MCA International Stadium	Pune
Match 16	Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	Apr 19, 2015	Sardar Patel Stadium	Ahmedabad
Match 17	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	Apr 19, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 18	Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Monday	Apr 20, 2015	Ferozeshah Kotla	Delhi
Match 19	Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	Apr 21, 2015	Sardar Patel Stadium	Ahmedabad
Match 20	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kolkata Knight Riders	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Wednesday	Apr 22, 2015	ACA-VDCA Stadium	Visakhapatnam
Match 21	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	Apr 22, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 22	Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	Apr 23, 2015	Ferozeshah Kotla	Delhi
Match 23	Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	Apr 24, 2015	Sardar Patel Stadium	Ahmedabad
Match 24	Mumbai Indians vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	Apr 25, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 25	Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	Apr 25, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 26	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	Apr 26, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 27	Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	Apr 26, 2015	Ferozeshah Kotla	Delhi
Match 28	Kings XI Punjab vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Monday	Apr 27, 2015	Punjab Cricket Association Stadium	Mohali
Match 29	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	Apr 28, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 30	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	Apr 29, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 31	Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	Apr 30, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 32	Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Friday	May 1, 2015	Ferozeshah Kotla	Delhi
Match 33	Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	May 1, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 34	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	May 2, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 35	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	May 2, 2015	Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium	Hyderabad
Match 36	Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	May 3, 2015	Punjab Cricket Association Stadium	Mohali
Match 37	Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	May 3, 2015	Brabourne Stadium	Mumbai
Match 38	Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Monday	May 4, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 39	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Monday	May 4, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 40	Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	May 5, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 41	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	May 6, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 42	Rajasthan Royals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	May 7, 2015	Brabourne Stadium	Mumbai
Match 43	Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	May 8, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 44	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	May 9, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata
Match 45	Delhi Daredevils vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	May 9, 2015	Chhattisgarh International Cricket Stadium	Raipur
Match 46	Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	May 10, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 47	Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	May 10, 2015	M. A. Chidambaram Stadium	Chennai
Match 48	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Kings XI Punjab	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Monday	May 11, 2015	Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium	Hyderabad
Match 49	Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	May 12, 2015	Chhattisgarh International Cricket Stadium	Raipur
Match 50	Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	May 13, 2015	Punjab Cricket Association Stadium	Mohali
Match 51	Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Thursday	May 14, 2015	Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai
Match 52	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	May 15, 2015	Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium	Hyderabad
Match 53	Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Saturday	May 16, 2015	Punjab Cricket Association Stadium	Mohali
Match 54	Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Saturday	May 16, 2015	Brabourne Stadium	Mumbai
Match 55	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils	4:00pm IST (10:30am GMT)	Sunday	May 17, 2015	M. Chinnaswamy Stadium	Bengaluru
Match 56	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	May 17, 2015	Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium	Hyderabad
Qualifier 1	TBD vs TBD	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Tuesday	May 19, 2015	TBC	TBC
Eliminator	TBD vs TBD	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Wednesday	May 20, 2015	TBC	TBC
Qualifier 2	TBD vs TBD	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Friday	May 22, 2015	TBC	TBC
Final	TBD vs TBD	8:00pm IST (2:30pm GMT)	Sunday	May 24, 2015	Eden Gardens	Kolkata

Apr 7, 2015 – 4:42 pm EDT

Govt mulls appointment of new Governors

NEW DELHI (TIP): The Centre is mulling filling vacancies of Governors in nine states — five of them ruled by the Congress— soon as one Governor is holding the charge of four states while five others are in charge of at least two states each.

“Since some Governors are holding additional charge of 2-3 states, new appointments are expected in the coming weeks,” official sources said.

There are vacancies in Raj Bhavans in Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Manipur, all ruled by the Congress. Opposition parties like JD-U, Left and TRS are in power in Bihar, Tripura and Telangana respectively.

There is also vacancy in Punjab, ruled by the Akali Dal-BJP combine. The post of Lieutenant Governor in Puducherry is also lying vacant.

West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi is holding the additional charge of Bihar, Meghalaya and Mizoram while Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Acharya is in charge of the Raj Bhavans in Assam and Tripura.

Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki has been given the additional charge of Punjab Governor and administrator of Chandigarh; Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh is holding the additional charge of Himachal Pradesh. Uttarakhand Governor KK Paul is in charge of the Raj Bhavan of Manipur too.

ESL Narasimhan, who was the Governor of undivided Andhra Pradesh, continues to be the Governor of both Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation while Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lt General Ajay Kumar Singh (retd) is holding the additional charge of the LG of Puducherry.

Apr 3, 2015 – 12:48 pm EDT
Ominous Legislation

The Gujarat Control of Terrorism and Organised Crime (GCTOC) Bill 2015 carries disturbing echoes of draconian anti-terror laws such as the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA). Both were considered failed experiments that led to gross abuse. More specifically, the Bill seems to be modelled on the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) that was implemented in 1999 and continues to be in force today. In fact, since 2002 it has also been in force in Delhi after the police insisted that such a law was needed as ‘organised crime has no limits’.

The common thread running through all these controversial pieces of legislation is the notion that regular process, as outlined by the Code of Criminal Procedure, is not enough to deal with a changed internal security situation. GCTOC is therefore the latest chapter in a long-running search to find an ‘ideal’ anti-terror law, but like its earlier versions it raises important questions about the lines the state crosses in its attempts to fight crime and terror. GCTOC, like MCOCA, allows confessions secured in police custody to be admitted as evidence in courts, a disturbing provision that is tantamount to legitimising custodial torture. Similarly, it allows the custody of an accused for 180 days rather than the 90 days provided under normal law. The most troubling aspect of MCOCA has been the way it enables the police to sidestep rigorous investigation. It has been used as a charge in all manner of cases ranging from real estate deals, prostitution and match-fixing, as the police seek to stack the odds in their favour in order to secure a conviction. This practice has repeatedly met with censure from the courts and there is no guarantee that GCTOC won’t go down the same path.

The debate around GCTOC in the coming days will most likely take a political hue. When the UPA government first rejected Gujarat’s attempts to pass an anti-terror law the then Chief Minister Narendra Modi claimed that he was only presenting a ‘xerox copy’ of MCOCA. The UPA argued that the Gujarat law was at variance with its policy on terror laws as articulated in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The new government may well have a different national policy. After all, permission for MCOCA was given under the last NDA government. A more useful debate though, is on the manner in which these special laws are created. TADA came into being during the years of the Punjab militancy and POTA after the Parliament attack of 2001, and the genesis of MCOCA was from the Mumbai serial blasts of 1993. Knee-jerk reactions lead to severe laws. The focus should rather be on better resources and training for investigators who can continue to work under the existing Code of Criminal Procedure, which is already comprehensive in scope.

Apr 3, 2015 – 11:30 am EDT
KOMAGATA Maru apology

Governments apologising for acts committed generations ago do give a veneer, even if superficial, of turning a new page on the blemished past, but there’s competing politics involved. For the large Punjabi community in Canada, the long-sought apology from their adopted country for the Komagata Maru incident is not just about pride. It is a desire of acknowledgement of being part of the fabric and, hence, deserving of the nation’s acceptance that one of their own was wronged. Political parties well recognise the importance of symbolism, but only if expediency and emotional appeal carry enough weight to pull along non-supporters. In faraway Punjab, where seeking an apology and not apologising is often the measure of an MLA, the Vidhan Sabha has asked the Stephen Harper government to apologise for the 1914 incident.

The “White Canada” policy that intended to keep Indians out was challenged when 376 aspiring immigrants, mostly Punjabis, reached Vancouver aboard the Japanese ship. They were denied entry on the basis of the continuous journey regulation and forced to leave after two months. Upon their return to India, 19 died in firing by the British troops. This racist colonial oppression bolstered the realisation that if you are not free at home, you are not free anywhere. Komagata Maru and the Ghadar movement also changed the image of Punjab, which was seen as being inclined towards the British unlike Bengal.

The city of Vancouver has apologised, as has the province of British Columbia. Harper did say sorry for Komagata Maru, but not in Parliament. Since Narendra Modi’s visit to Canada is scheduled from April 14 to 16, the first such trip by an Indian PM since 1973, it is a good time for Ottawa to make amends. If a section feels an apology can change racial attitudes, what’s the harm in offering it?Backing the community in Canada is well taken, but not the Punjab lawmakers’ belief in symbolism. Their resolution, by the way, had no mention of whether the British should apologise for the killings. They haven’t done it for Jallianwala Bagh too. Maybe another quick resolution on the last day of the next session.

Mar 27, 2015 – 11:57 am EDT
BEANT SINGH KILLERS’ ESCAPE

NEW DELHI (TIP): Ten years after three dreaded Khalistani terrorists allegedly involved in the assassination of former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh escaped from Chandigarh jail, the Supreme Court on Thursday held four top jail officials guilty of negligence in conducting their duty and approved government’s decision to sack them.

Jagtar Singh Hawara, Paramjit Singh and Jagtar Singh Tara who were facing trial for the assassination of Beant Singh had escaped along with another inmate Jagdev Singh from Model Jail, Burail, Chandigarh during the intervening night of January 21-22, 2004 by digging an underground tunnel of 94 feet long.

A bench of Justices J S Khehar and S A Bobde after going through all the records came to conclusion that there was lapses on the part of jail officials and upheld government’s decision to dismiss jail superintendent Ved Mitter Gill, deputy jail superintendent, assistant jail superintendent and head warder.

“In our considered view, within the jail premises, only the jail staff can be permitted to function. And in case of lapses within the jail premises, it is the jail staff alone which is responsible,” the bench said

“Had they performed their duties diligently, there could not have been any possibility, of the escape under reference. It cannot be overlooked, that the escape was made good, by digging the escape tunnel, which measured ninety four feet in length (with diagonal dimensions of 21″ x 21″),” it said.

The bench turned down the plea that there was no negligence on their part and the prisoners managed to escape because the police personnel, posted outside jail, were not vigilant. It said that police personnel cannot be blamed for the escape as they would be oblivious of the activities within the four walls of the jail itself.

“The determination by the competent authority, when viewed dispassionately with reference to the duties assigned to Gill, leaves no room for any doubt, that the competent authority was justified in concluding, that the four prisoners could never have escaped, if he and and the petitioners, had diligently discharged the duties assigned to them,” it said.

Mar 27, 2015 – 12:50 am EDT
‘UDTA PUNJAB’ TO FOCUS ON DRUG PROBLEMS IN PUNJAB

Udta Punjab, the upcoming project from Phantom Films, will focus on the drug problem in the state through four different stories. Udta Punjab”, the upcoming project from Phantom Films, will focus on the drug problem in the state through four different stories.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey of Dedh Ishqiya fame, the film is currently in its shooting stage with Kareena Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Shahid Kapoor and Diljit Dosanjh in the lead roles.

“Udta Punjab is a story of four different people merged together. There are four different stories and four different perspectives. It is set in Punjab and talks about the drug scenario. It is the first Hindi film to deal with the issue,” producer is a story of four different people merged together. There are four different stories and four different perspectives. It is set in Punjab and talks about the drug scenario. It is the first Hindi film to deal with the issue,” producer Vikramaditya Motwane said.

The film has grabbed attention for its star cast that also includes former couple Shahid and Kareena.

“Udta Punjab has a brilliant script. When we read it, we decided to produce the film at one go. All the four stars in the film are brilliant. Shahid and Kareena are in a different section. They are not working together,” he said. The film also marks the debut of Punjabi superstar Diljit. “He is a brilliant actor. He has a huge fan following in Punjab,” Motwane said.

Phantom film’s upcoming outing is Hunterrr, a coming-of-age comedy about a lustful guy and his journey.

Motwane said he and his team were very impressed after watching the film and decided to back the project as they found it very funny.

“I saw it after the shooting was over. We have worked with Harshvardhan Kulkarni (director) in Hasee to Phasee as he was the writer of the film. We thought it was superb and funny,” the Udaan helmer said.

Hunterrr, releasing this Friday, stars Gulshan Devaiah, Radhika Apte and Sai Tamhankar in lead roles.

Motwane, who last directed Sonakshi Sinha-Ranveer Singh starrer Lootera, said he is busy as a producer throughout the year but will return to writing for his next project as Bhavesh Joshi was shelved.

Mar 24, 2015 – 7:48 pm EDT
FRESH TROUBLE FOR MAJITHIA

CHANDIGARH (TIP): Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia received about Rs 35 lakh as “election fund” from Jagjit Singh Chahal, the arrested pharma company owner and the kingpin of the synthetic drugs racket, according to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet filed in the Patiala court on March 2.

“Between 2007 and 2012, I gave Rs 35 lakh in cash to Majithia in seven or eight instalments. I used to hand over the money to Majithia in the drawing room of his 43, Green Avenue, residence in Amritsar,” Chahal said in signed statements in Punjabi made before Niranjan Singh, the Jalandhar-posted assistant director of the ED, on February 9 this year.

The statements, made under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act and permissible in the court as evidence, are part of the ED’s voluminous chargesheet.

However, it’s noteworthy that the ED chargesheet does not directly name Majithia in this case of money-laundering. Nor has the ED produced any corroborating evidence yet to establish the veracity of Chahal’s allegations.

Significantly, Majithia had appeared before the ED on December 26 last year in connection with the drug racket. Strangely, it is after summoning Majithia that the ED again recorded Chahal’s statement on February 9, 2015, in which the latter has alleged that he gave the money to the minister. It is, however, not clear whether Chahal had made the same allegation against Majithia in his earlier confessional statements before the ED.

Majithia was questioned by assistant director Niranjan Singh, who was later transferred to Kolkata. In an interim order, the Punjab and Haryana high court has stayed Singh’s transfer.

According to the ED documents, Chahal told ED, “Eh sariyan rakman main Majithia saab di kothi ch ja ke usde drawing room which dittiyan. Jaan ton pehlan, main usde PA Kartar Singh, jo ki usda sarkari PA hai, de naal telephone the gal kar ke Majithia saab de naal meeting da sama le lenda si (Before going to meet Majithia, I used to take appointment from his PA Kartar Singh).”

One of the primary accusations against Chahal who owned pharma companies was that he was allegedly manufacturing banned precursor chemicals — ephedrine and pseudoephedrine — which were being diverted illegally for the production of synthetic drug ICE.

The ED chargesheet says another accused and Amritsar businessman Maninder Singh alias Bittu Aulakh, stated before the central agency that Majithia was “involved” in sand mining business.

In response to the ED’s question about the “business of Majithia and his business associates”, Aulakh on January 13 this year had told ED, “He (Majithia) runs a distillery in Uttar Pradesh. His trusted man for sand mining is Kanwarjit Singh alias Rosy Barkandi of Muktsar.”

On the other hand, Chahal said, “Bittu Aulakh, Majithia and Bonny Amarpal Ajnala, SAD MLA, together deal in the business of sand mining.”

Mar 14, 2015 – 10:36 am EDT
Pakistan tried to strike a deal with Osama?

WASHINGTON (TIP): President Obama on Wednesday nominated career diplomat David Hale as the US ambassador to Pakistan amid continuous misgivings about the country’s commitment to fight terrorism, fueled by new disclosures that Islamabad tried to strike a deal with al Qaida and Osama bin Laden even as Washington was trying to hunt him down. Revelations in the Long War Journal, based on files recovered by US forces from Osama bin Laden’s compound in Abbotabad, which were presented as evidence in a terrorism trial in New York, show the Pakistani intelligence establishment reaching out in 2010 to al Qaida through its jihadist proxies to cut a deal in which terrorists will spare Pakistan of attacks in exchange for immunity in Waziristan and other areas they are present in.

One of Pakistani intelligence’s emissaries was Fazlur Rehman Khalil, the longtime leader of Harakat ul Mujahedin (HUM, who was used to send al Qaida a letter.

”We received a messenger from them bringing us a letter from the Intelligence leaders including Shuja’ Shah, and others,” a bin Laden aide writes to the “Sheikh” as he calls bin Laden. ”They said they wanted to talk to us, to al Qaida. We gave them the same message, nothing more.”

Shuja Shah is believed to refer to Ahmed Shuja Pasha, a former ISI chief who was received in Washington around the same time in the belief that he and the Pakistani intelligence establishment were fighting al Qaida.

Despite copious accounts of Pakistani perfidy and terrorism sponsorship that US officials often talk about in private, successive US administrations routinely issue certifications about Pakistan’s fight against terrorism for public consumption. The Long War Journal disclosures in fact indicate that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shahbaz Sharif, went to the extent of seeking protection for Punjab (his home province) from terrorism without worrying too much about other provinces. Pakistan’s current foreign policy advisor Sartaj Aziz too has recently suggested Islamabad had no reason to fight with terrorist groups that were anti-American but did no harm to Pakistan.

The Obama administration is sending Hale into this complicated scenario. Indicative perhaps of Washington’s new policy of detaching Pakistan from South Asia as seeing it as a middle-east problem, Hale’s diplomatic experience is mostly in West Asia. He is currently the US ambassador in Lebanon, and previously served as the special envoy for Middle East peace from 2011-2013 and deputy special envoy for Middle East peace from 2009-2011. He was also the U.S ambassador to Jordan and has served in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Mar 13, 2015 – 8:29 am EDT
INVESTMENT PROPOSALS DON’T MEET PROMISES

NEW DELHI (TIP): Investment proposals by corporates are generally associated with improving business sentiment and often linked with the possibility of job creation. The comparison of proposed investment with actual implementation and job creation in the past 23 years, however, shows that the actual delivery has fallen well short of the promise.

Data from the department of industrial policy and promotion shows that between August 1991 and March 2014, the government received about 94,000 investment proposals. These proposals include Industrial Investment Intentions through Entrepreneurs Memorandum — IEMs (delicensed sector) and Direct Industrial Licences (licensable sector).

Put together, these proposed the investment of more than Rs 102 lakh crore and were supposed to create 2.3 crore jobs. The data on actual implementation of these proposals shows that only Rs 5.1 lakh crore was actually invested and just 20.1 lakh jobs created. That’s less than 5% of the proposed investments and 8.9% of the promised jobs.

A state-wise analysis of proposals shows that between August 1991 and March 2014 corporates proposed to invest Rs 15.4 lakh crore in Orissa —the highest in the country. It was followed by Gujarat and Chhattisgarh receiving over Rs 10 lakh crore of proposed investments and Maharashtra just a tad below that mark. Overall, there were 15 states, which were each supposed to get over Rs 1 lakh crore of investments in these 23 years.

When one analyses actual investments, Haryana has been the most successful among these 15 states in converting proposals to reality as 18.9% of the proposed money actually reached the state. It is followed by Gujarat (12.6%) and Uttar Pradesh (11.4%). The states that fared the worst in this conversion are Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Orissa, where less than 1% of the proposed money actually arrived.

So, what is the investment to job creation ratio? Overall, the Rs 5 lakh crore actually invested created a little over 20 lakh jobs, which amounts to four jobs per crore of investment. There were 25 states which witnessed the actual investment of more Rs 1,000 crore. Among these states, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed the most labour intensive investments, while Gujarat had the most capital intensive ones. Every crore of rupee invested in Jammu and Kashmir created about 12 jobs, while in Gujarat a crore of investment yielded only two jobs.

In the investment to job creation ratio, Jammu and Kashmir is followed by Goa, Uttarakhand, Kerala and Punjab, where ten or more jobs were created per crore of investment. The worst state/UTs in this list are Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Daman & Diu, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

Mar 7, 2015 – 9:16 am EST
Thousands converge in Punjab for Hola Mohalla

ANANDPUR SAHIB (TIP): Tens of thousands of devotees converged in this Sikh holy town on March 6 to offer prayers at Gurdwara Keshgarh Sahib during “Hola Mohalla” celebrations which coincides with the Holi festival.

All roads towards this holy town, which is home to the second most important Sikh shrine after “Harmandar Sahib” (popularly known as Golden Temple) in Amritsar, experienced heavy vehicular movement with people coming in hordes on buses, trucks, tractor-trolleys and other vehicles.

“Thousands of people have arrived here for ‘Hola Mohalla’. It is a great atmosphere. Our family has also come to offer prayers,” Balbir Singh, a resident of Kharar town, 20 km from Chandigarh.

Anandpur Sahib is located about 85 km from Chandigarh.The shrine and the town are famous as it was here in 1699 that the Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, baptised five men and founded the Khalsa Panth, which is the modern day Sikh religion.

Elsewhere in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh, the festival of Holi was being celebrated with a lot of enthusiasm.

Despite rainfall in and around Chandigarh, and some parts of Punjab and Haryana on Thursday night, children and youth could be seen playing Holi on early Friday.

The skies cleared up on Feb 6 morning over Chandigarh, allowing people to celebrate the festival.

“The rain and clouds went away in the morning. Otherwise, everyone was worried that the Holi spirit will be spoilt by the weather. This time, though, the weather is much colder than in previous years and people may not be playing as freely with water colors as in the past,” Ritu Goyal, a housewife in Chandigarh, said.

Nearly 1,000 police personnel and officials were deployed at various places in Chandigarh to control any rowdy behaviour.

Mar 7, 2015 – 12:25 am EST
Swine Flu outbreak in India with over 16,000 affected & section 144 imposed in Ahmedabad

Swine flu claimed 51 more lives, taking the death toll to 926. The H1N1 virus has, so far, affected more than 16,000 people across the country.

According to collated data from the Health Ministry till February 24 this year, the total number of deaths due to the disease has reached 926 while the number of affected persons in various states stood at 16,235. The data released by the ministry on Tuesday had showed that 875 people had died due to the disease, while 15,413 people had been affected.

Rajasthan continues to be the worst affected state, with 234 deaths till February 24 while the number of affected persons has risen to 4,884.

Ahmedabad district collector invoked the Criminal Procedure Code’s Section 144 here on Tuesday, prohibiting mass gatherings without prior permission in order to prevent swine flu, an official statement stated.

“It has come to our notice that swine flu cases have been on the rise in Gujarat including Ahmedabad. The virus, which causes swine flu, is contagious and generally infects people by entering through nostrils and mouth mostly at crowded places,” the Ahmedabad district collectorate statement said.

In Maharashtra, the death toll has risen to 112 while the number of affected persons was 1,221. Telangana, Karnataka and Punjab too have witnessed 54, 39 and 38 deaths respectively. In Delhi, the Health Ministry said that although the number of deaths is eight, there has been a rise in the number of affected persons which currently stood at 2,456, reported PTI.

Assuring that the government was taking a serious view of the issue, Health Minister J. P. Nadda warned people to be careful but said there was no need for panic as medicines and facilities to tackle the disease were in place.

While responding to members’ concerns in the Rajya Sabha, Mr. Nadda said the government would leave no stone unturned to tackle the issue while assuring that there was no shortage of medicines and swine flu testing facilities were being provided free of cost at specified government hospitals.

Upping the ante against the government over the rising death toll due to swine flu, Congress accused it of approaching the issue in a “casual manner”.

“Health Min statement on Swine Flu confirms our fear that government is taking a casual approach on an issue that qualifies as a public health crisis,” tweeted Ahmed Patel, political secretary to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Feb 25, 2015 – 8:03 am EST
IPL 2015 – Teams as they stand post auction

IPL 2015 Teams post Auction

The 2015 IPL Auctions is complete and all teams have acquired some players.

Here is an updated look at the teams post auction for the 2015 Pepsi IPL

Chennai Super Kings

Current squad – MS Dhoni, Ashish Nehra, Baba Aparajith, Brendon McCullum, Dwayne Bravo, Dwayne Smith, Faf du Plessis, Ishwar Pandey, Matt Henry, Mithun Manhas, Mohit Sharma, Pawan Negi, R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Samuel Badree, Suresh Raina, Ronit More, Michael Hussey, Rahul Sharma, Kyle Abbott, Irfan Pathan, Pratyush Singh, Ankush Bains, Eklavya Dwivedi, Andrew Tye

Delhi Daredevils

Current squad – Jean-Paul Duminy, Kedar Jadhav, Manoj Tiwary, Mohammed Shami, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Quinton De Kock, Saurabh Tiwary, Shahbaz Nadeem, Mayank Agarwal, Imran Tahir, Jayant Yadav, Angelo Mathews, Yuvraj Singh, Amit Mishra, Jaydev Unadkat, Gurinder Sandhu, Shreyas Iyer, CM Gautam, Dominic Muthuswamy, Albie Morkel, Travis Head, Marcus Stoinis, Kona Srikar Bharat, KK Jiyaz, Zaheer Khan

Kings XI Punjab

Current squad – Axar Patel, Anureet Singh, Beuran Hendricks, David Miller, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Karanveer Singh, Manan Vora, Mitchell Johnson, Parvinder Awana, Rishi Dhawan, Sandeep Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Shaun Marsh, Shivam Sharma, Thisara Perera, Virender Sehwag, Wriddhiman Saha, Murali Vijay, Nikhil Naik, Yogesh Golwalkar

Kolkata Knight Riders

Current squad – Gautam Gambhir, Andre Russell, Chris Lynn, Kuldeep Yadav, Manish Pandey, Suryakumar Yadav, Morne Morkel, Patrick Cummins, Piyush Chawla, Robin Uthappa, Ryan ten Doeschate, Shakib Al Hasan, Sunil Narine, Umesh Yadav, Veer Pratap Singh, Yusuf Pathan, James Neesham, Brad Hogg, Aditya Garhwal, Sumit Narwal, KC Cariappa, Vaibhav Rawal, Sheldon Jackson

Mumbai Indians

Current squad – Rohit Sharma, Aditya Tare, Ambati Rayudu, Corey Anderson, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood, Keiron Pollard, Lasith Malinga, Marchant de Lange, Pawan Suyal, Shreyas Gopal, Lendl Simmons, Unmukt Chand, R Vinay Kumar, Parthiv Patel, Aaron Finch, Pragyan Ojha, Mitchell McClenaghan, Akshay Wakhare, Aiden Blizzard, Hardik Pandya, Siddhesh Lad, J Suchith, Nitish Rana, Abhimanyu Mithun

Rajasthan Royals

Current squad – Shane Watson, Abhishek Nayar, Ajinkya Rahane, Ankit Nagendra Sharma, Ben Cutting, Deepak Hooda, Dhawal Kulkarni, Dishant Yagnik, James Faulkner, Kane Richardson, Karun Nair, Pravin Tambe, Rahul Tewatia, Rajat Bhatia, Sanju Samson, Steven Smith, Stuart Binny, Tim Southee, Vikramjeet Malik, Chris Morris, Juan Theron, Barinder Singh Saran, Dinesh Salunkhe, Sagar Trivedi, Pardeep Sahu

Royal Challengers Bangalore

Current squad – Virat Kohli, AB de Villers, Chris Gayle, Mitchell Starc, Nic Maddinson, Varun Aaron, Yuzvendra Singh Chahal, Rilee Rossouw, Vijay Zol, Yogesh Takawale, Abu Nechim Ahmed, Harshal Patel, Ashoke Dinda, Sandeep Warrier, Manvinder Bisla, Iqbal Abdullah, Dinesh Karthik, Subramaniam Badrinath, Darren Sammy, Sean Abbott, Adam Milne, David Wiese, Jalaj Saxena, Sarfaraz Naushad Khan, Shishir Bhavane

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Current squad – Shikhar Dhawan, Ashish Reddy, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Chama Milind, Dale Steyn, David Warner, Ishant Sharma, Karn Sharma, KL Rahul, Moises Henriques, Naman Ojha, Parveez Rasool, Ricky Bhui, Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan, Kane Williamson, Ravi Bopara, Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Praveen Kumar, Trent Boult, Hanuma Vihari, Prasanth Padmanabhan, Siddarth Kaul

*Players marked in bold are the new additions to the teams this season

Feb 17, 2015 – 9:37 am EST
Taliban suicide attack in the heart of Pakistan Lahore hits police headquarters kills six

A suicide bomber has attacked a police building in eastern Pakistan. A splinter group of the Pakistani Taliban said it was in retaliation for recent executions.

The suicide bomber on Tuesday killed atleast six people and himself in a brazen attack on police headquarters in Pakistan’s eastern city of Lahore, in what militants called a revenge bid for the recent hangings of colleagues.

It was the third in a series of high-profile attacks in the last month triggered by a government decision in December to begin hanging those convicted of terror attacks, reversing an informal six-year moratorium on the death penalty.

“We claim the attack in Lahore because the government is killing our men in prison,” said Ehsanullah Ehsan, a spokesman for powerful Taliban splinter group Jamaat-ul-Ahrar. “Such attacks will go on,” promised the group’s spokesman, Ehsanullah Ehsan. In December, the Pakistani government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty following an attack on an army school in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

“We will get revenge for every man and our struggle will continue until sharia is instituted in the country,” he said, referring to Islamic law.

In the Pakistani incident, Punjab police chief Mushtaq Sukhera said a policeman and four civilians were among the dead. Jam Hussain, a spokesman for the emergency services, said six bodies had been recovered along with the attacker’s.

At least 23 people were injured, said Khawaja Salman Rafique, health adviser to the chief minister of Punjab.

Casualties would have been much greater if the police had not been alert and kept out the bomber, Lahore police chief Amin Wains told reporters at the attack site.

“It was a suicide blast, the bomber blew up prematurely outside the police offices,” he added. “That he could not enter the offices shows our security was successful.”

Ali Raza, the owner of a shop nearby, said the blast had been powerful enough to knock over one of his employees, and left body parts strewn in the street.

Feb 17, 2015 – 7:54 am EST

Tag: Punjab

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