Over 540 tonnes of foodgrains damaged this year
NEW DELHI: Over 540 tonnes of foodgrains, half of this in West Bengal, has been damaged in the country till July this year, Parliament was informed on Tuesday. A total of 541.33 tonnes of wheat and rice have been damaged in the country till July 1 this year, minister of state for food and consumer affairs K V Thomas said in a written reply in Lok Sabha. Giving commodity-wise break-up, he said while 359.07 tonnes of rice was damaged the share of wheat is 182.26 tonnes in the current year. Region-wise, West Bengal accounted for damage of 355 tonnes of wheat and rice, the minister said.The rest of the non-issuable (damaged) foodgrains have been found in Gujarat (171 tonnes), Uttar Pradesh (11 tonnes) and Andhra Pradesh (4.33 tonnes), the minister said.(PTI)
T-students to go ahead with bandh
HYDERABAD:Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was discussing the demand of deleting the controversial clause 14 (F) at a meeting of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Political Affairs, Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee today stated that they would go ahead with their Telangana Bandh on Wednesday.Talking to the press persons here, Osmania University Students Joint Action Committee President Pidamarthi Ravi said the JAC would observe Telangana Bandh tomorrow until the President gives her assent to the demand.The JAC would withdraw the Telangana bandh call when the President’s Office makes an official announcement over scrapping of 14(f), he said and called upon all college students to actively participate in the bandh and make it a grand success.Meanwhile, the Jai Andhra Agitation Committee convener Sunkara Krishna Murthy termed the Centre’s decision on 14(f) as unwarranted and hasty and also given a Seemandhra bandh for Wednesday.(UNI)
Cong demands shifting of all 2002 riots cases outside Gujarat
NEW DELHI: Accusing Narendra Modi government of victimising IPS officer Sanjeev Bhatt after he filed a PIL alleging SIT was leaking information on Gujarat riots’ investigation to a state law officer, Congress today demanded shifting of all 2002 riot related cases outside the state. Alleging a “complete collusion” between Gujarat government and lawyers of Godhra riots accused, party spokesperson Manish Tewari said Bhatt’s PIL about leakage of Special Investigation Team probe details on riot cases was a serious matter and points to the “extraordinary and peculiar” situation in the BJP-ruled state.The Congress spokesperson said the reports suggest “there is a complete collusion of the Government of Gujarat with lawyers of the riot accused. We demand all Gujarat riot related cases should be immediately transferred out of the state because so far action could be seen only in those cases, in which the hearing took place outside Gujarat.” (PTI)