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Political Notes

	August 21, 2006

TRS threatens to quit UPA Government



The Telangana Rashtra Samithi has reportedly decided to pull out of the Manmohan Singh Government. It has two nominees in the Council of Ministers - Labour Minister Chandrashekhra Rao and Minister of State for Rural Development, A. Narendra. TRS leaders met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee on August 16 to convey their decision to quit the UPA on account of lack of progress on creation of a separate Telangana state. They said TRS continuance in the UPA has become untenable as the Centre has not kept its promise to carve out a separate Telangana state from Andhra Pradesh.



There are reports that the two TRS Ministers in the Council of Ministers may put in their papers tomorrow, August 22.



Congress general secretary, in-charge of Andhra Pradesh, Digvijay Singh, has said that the TRS chief should have patience as there was still more than two and a half years to go for the UPA Government. He said, “We strongly believe that there is a case for the creation of Telangana, but a consensus is needed.”





CBI files cases : Maneka Gandhi shouts vendetta



CBI has registered two cases against Maneka Gandhi and others for alleged abuse of official position in allocation of funds to non-governmental organizations during her tenure as Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment in the National Democratic Alliance Government. In one of the cases, the CBI says that it found that an organisation which had applied for a grant of Rs. 42 lakhs did not exist at all. The outfit was sanctioned Rs. 15 lakh at a meeting allegedly presided over by Maneka Gandhi, who is sister-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. The second case is regarding Gandhi Rural Welfare Trust with Maneka Gandhi’s sister as chairperson.



Maneka Gandhi who is a Member of Parliament belonging to the BJP has accused the UPA Government of political vendetta. She alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was asked by her estranged sister-in-law and Congress president Sonia Gandhi to direct the CBI to register cases against her.



The BJP alleged that the CBI was targeting Maneka Gandhi at the behest of Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.





Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh arrested



Former Prime Minister V.P. Singh and Jan Morcha president Raj Babbar were arrested in Ghaziabad on August 17 for trying to defy orders prohibiting them from addressing a farmers’ rally. They were to address a rally at Dadri in protest against Chief Minister Mulayam Sigh Yadav, who, they alleged, had acquired land at very low price to benefit a private company. Before the arrest, the leaders made fiery speeches against the UP Government. CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had ceased to be the leader of farmers and had become an agent of the capitalists. Raj Babbar said the state government has arrested 18,000 people in connection with the farmers’ agitation. The arrested leaders were later released.



A day later, V.P. Singh and Raj Babbar sprang a surprise on the Uttar Pradesh Government when they managed to reach a village near Dadri on August 18. They tilled the land at the site of the private company’s power plant in a symbolic protest against the land acquisition.









Natwar Singh denies charges against him



Former External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh, who was suspended from the Congress earlier this month, has contested the findings of the Pathak Inquiry Authority finding him guilty of misusing his position for procuring oil vouchers from Iraq. Making a personal statement in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, August 14, he said no decision was taken on oil contracts during his visit to Iraq. He said the Justice Pathak Inquiry Authority has not produced any evidence of his linkage except for surmises and assumptions.



The Lok Sabha is expected to take up for discussion the Pathak Authority Report tomorrow, August 22.



Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Congress has suspended Natwar Singh’s son, Jagat Singh, from the party for issuing statements against its leadership. Jagat Singh has been asked to explain within 14 days why he should not be expelled from the Congress.





Security stepped up at Taj after terrorist threat



Heavily armed troops have been deployed at the Taj Mahal in Agra from Friday, August 18, after police received a letter threatening to blow up the 17th century monument. The district authorities said that the threat received through a letter appeared to be a hoax, but they were not taking any chances. Apart from about 100 extra troops, sand bag bunkers have been put up at the entry gates for 24-hour vigil by police equipped with automatic weapons.



Tourists have been advised not to carry any liquids including milk and water inside the Taj complex.