Bharat Ratna for Vajpayee, Netaji?
New Delhi: Speculation is rife that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose may be named for the country’s highest civilian award Bharat Ratna. The speculation has been fuelled by the Home Ministry placing an order of five Bharat Ratna medallions. BJP leaders have in the past demanded Bharat Ratna be awarded to Vajpayee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is heading the BJP-led government now, would take call on this and probably would announced it in his Independence Day speech. Among others whose names are being speculated is Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. A senior Home Ministry official said that four days back the government mint had been asked to make for five medallions of the Bharat Ratna. “But ordering five medallions does not mean that five persons will be bestowed with Bharat Ratna. This is to keep adequate number of medallions in reserve,” he said. Besides, the government’s rule for Bharat Ratna is clear that the number of annual awards is restricted to a maximum of three in a particular year. The recommendation for Bharat Ratna is made by the Prime Minister himself to the President. No formal recommendation for this is necessary. (PTI)
Scolded for late coming on duty, woman constable shoots self
Bhopal: A woman CISF constable allegedly shot herself at Bhopal airport after being scolded by her senior for reporting late on duty, police said Sunday. Constable Ritu Kumari (25) shot herself on August 5, after being allegedly scolded by a Central Industrial Security Force’s (CISF) officer. She is battling for life at a hospital here, Bhopal Superintendent of Police (North) Arvind Saxena said. The constable, in her statement to the magistrate, said she shot herself with her service revolver after being scolded by CISF’s Deputy Commandant as she reported late for her duty, he said. The woman failed to inform her seniors that she would be reaching late for duty on August 4, following which she was summoned by the Deputy Commandant, who scolded her. An upset Ritu spoke to a few colleagues over phone after being scolded and later shot herself in the stomach with her service revolver, the SP said. The woman is battling for life at a private hospital here as her condition continues to be critical, he said. A CISF official from Mumbai also came to record the constable’s statement. (PTI)
Man returning from Guinea under observation for Ebola virus
Chennai: A 26-year-old man, who had returned from an African country, is under observation at a government hospital here for “screening and observation” for Ebola virus, hospital authorities said. The man from Theni district in the state had arrived from Guinea late last night and referred to Rajiv Gandhi Government hospital for “screening and observation”, Dr Raghunandan of the hospital told reporters. Without divulging details about the man, the doctor said the man was, however, healthy and such a screening and observation was being done in lines with Central government directive that persons from West African countries affected by Ebola outbreak and entering the country be screened for the deadly virus. All relevant tests will be conducted, Raghunandan said, adding, there was no cause for concern. (PTI)
Women Congress party workers send ‘tomato rakhi’ to PM
Vadodara: Drawing attention of the Centre towards skyrocketing prices of vegetables, members of the city Congress’ women unit here have sent a ‘rakhi’ made up of tomatoes and vegetables to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Leader of Opposition in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation and member of the Congress women unit, Pushpaben Waghela said that they sent a ‘rakhi’ made of tomatoes and other vegetables on Saturday to the Prime Minister on the eve of festival ‘Rakshabandhan’, drawing his attention to rising prices of vegetables in the past one month. Women members of the party, protesting against steep price-rise today, tied similar rakhis on the hands of passersby near the Jubilee garden area of the city. “Narendra Modi had promised ‘acche din’ during election campaigning, which had won him votes. But we want to bring in his notice that where the good days are when prices of essential vegetables like tomato has skyrocketed like anything in the past one month, creating problem for women to manage their household budget,” Waghela said on Sunday. (PTI)