Saturday, 23 March 2013
Wednesday, 20 March 2013
BJP to invite ‘PM candidate’ Narendra Modi
C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad: The state Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to invite Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after he is nominated party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
“We plan to invite him to the state, but not now. We will call him once he is declared the Prime Ministerial candidate on behalf of the party. All sections of people, especially the youth are backing him,” state BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, told this newspaper.
Kishan Reddy expressed confidence that the national party would declare its PM candidate much before the elections. He also said the BJP would give special focus on Lok Sabha seats in the state this time since it would be one of the crucial states to ensure the return of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
“We plan to hold parliamentary constituency wise party meetings to gear up for parliament elections.
The first meeting will be held in Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency on March 24, followed by Guntur on March 25 and other constituencies in a phased manner,” he said during an informal chat in connection with re-election as the party president for the second term.
Asserting that the BJP would go alone in the state unless other likeminded parties like to join them, he said along with Telangana, development and good governance would be the main focus of their election campaign.
“People have realised that if UPA denies Telangana only BJP led NDA government alone could give Telangana. It is obvious that those yearning for Telangana should vote for BJP. Our president has made a commitment for separate Telangana," he said.
He added,"We will be careful in the selection of both Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates. First preference will be given to active party leaders."
Hyderabad: The state Bharatiya Janata Party is planning to invite Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi after he is nominated party’s Prime Ministerial candidate.
“We plan to invite him to the state, but not now. We will call him once he is declared the Prime Ministerial candidate on behalf of the party. All sections of people, especially the youth are backing him,” state BJP president G. Kishan Reddy, told this newspaper.
Kishan Reddy expressed confidence that the national party would declare its PM candidate much before the elections. He also said the BJP would give special focus on Lok Sabha seats in the state this time since it would be one of the crucial states to ensure the return of the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
“We plan to hold parliamentary constituency wise party meetings to gear up for parliament elections.
The first meeting will be held in Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency on March 24, followed by Guntur on March 25 and other constituencies in a phased manner,” he said during an informal chat in connection with re-election as the party president for the second term.
Asserting that the BJP would go alone in the state unless other likeminded parties like to join them, he said along with Telangana, development and good governance would be the main focus of their election campaign.
“People have realised that if UPA denies Telangana only BJP led NDA government alone could give Telangana. It is obvious that those yearning for Telangana should vote for BJP. Our president has made a commitment for separate Telangana," he said.
He added,"We will be careful in the selection of both Lok Sabha and Assembly candidates. First preference will be given to active party leaders."
Friday, 15 March 2013
MAMATA BANERJEE INTERVIEW--AICC PLENARY 1997
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee interview during AICC plenary in Calcutta (now Kolkata) 1997
No-Confidence motion: T, Jagan parties put Andhera Pradesh CM on notice
15th Mar 2013
Vijayamma along with other YS Congress leaders distributing candle and plastic fans during a protest against the power-cut in Hyderabad on the road leading to AP Assembly
C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad: Ignoring the Telugu Desam’s decision to back out, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti and the YSR Congress, on Thursday served separate notices to the legislature secretary seeking to move a no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
The TD has decided to stay neutral and has also issued a whip to its party MLAs to stay put in their seats and neither support nor oppose the no-confidence motion when it comes up for voting.
TRS floor leader Etala Rajender told the Telugu Desam to stop politicking and support the motion. YSR Congress deputy floor leader Dharmana Krishna Das described the whip by the Telugu Desam as a 'shameful act' and asked the party to reconsider its decision on the same.
No-Trust vote could be taken up on Friday
Since the No-Trust motions by the TRS and YSRC were issued after the Assembly session began at 9 am on Thursday, it will be taken up by the Speaker Nadendla Manohar on Friday, it is reliably learnt.
After issuing the notice to the legislature secretary seeking leave to move a No-Confidence motion against the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, YSR Congress deputy floor leader Dharmana Krishna Das said, “The Congress has lost the right to rule the state due to failure on all fronts. Four parties have extended support to the motion. This government has failed to check spiralling prices of essential commodities, and resorted to unprecedented power cuts causing untold hardship to all sections of people. We are doing everything to pull down this government.”
“All sections of people are unhappy with the government because of its lopsided policies,” he added.
“This House expresses no confidence in the Council of Ministers,” said the TRS notice to the secretary of the state Legislature under rule 75 (1) (B) of the Rules of Procedure and conduct of business in the AP Legislative Assembly. The TRS notice was signed by 21 MLAs from the TRS, BJP, CPI and the Telangana Nagara Samiti.
The TRS legislature party headed by Etela Rajender has 17 MLAs in the House and the support of two independents, S. Satyanarayana and Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, which brings the total to 19. It also has the support of 11 MLAs from other parties, ensuring that it has the required 30 MLAs mandatory for the Speaker to go in for the No-Confidence motion to be introduced.The YSRC with 17 MLAs, also served notice for leave to move the motion.
BJP floor leader G. Kishan Reddy, CPI leader Gunda Mallesh and Telangana Nagara Samiti president and MLA Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, signed the no-confidence motion notice, while the CPM and the Lok Satta promised to back it in the House. of no confidence against the Council of Ministers headed by Mr Kiran Kumar Reddy, under a similar rule.
Tuesday, 12 March 2013
TRS to move vote against Kiran Reddy in Andhra Pradesh
C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad: In a startling move, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has decided to introduce a No Confidence Motion against the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in the Budget Session of the Assembly beginning March 13.
The TRS Legislature Party, which met under the leadership of K. Chandrasekhar Rao, took the decision to protest the failure of the Congress government to carve out a separate Telangana state, cheating the people of the Telangana region for over 10 years, failing to redress public grievances such as severe power cuts, and shortage of water, and generally for its “failure on all fronts”.
Rao announced that TRS MLAs and MPs will stall the Assembly and Lok Sabha proceedings demanding statehood for Telangana.
With this move, Rao has seized the initiative from Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Both parties have been nudging each other to move the No Confidence Motion in the Assembly. Naidu had ruled out moving the motion stating he has no trust in support coming in from the YSRC, even though the Jagan camp had promised to support him.
“The TRS No Confidence Motion will expose their real colours. Leaders of Opposition parties are abusing the Kiran Kumar Reddy government day in and day out. If their intentions are true, they have to support (our) no-confidence motion,” Rao said.
TD, YSRC help welcome: KCR
K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that the TRS, which has 17 legislators, has approached the BJP (3), CPM (1), CPI (4) and Lok Satta (1), MIM (7), and the Telangana Nagara Samiti which is represented by Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, with a request to support the No Confidence Motion.
“The party leaders promised to get back to me after discussing in the party fora,” he said As per the Assembly rules, the motion requires the support of at least one-tenth of the strength of the Assem-bly — 30 MLAs in the 294-member House.
To a question on how he would secure the numbers, Rao said he would have no hesitation in seeking the support of the Telugu Desam (85 MLAs) and YSRC (17). The Congress has 155 legislators in the House. “We want to bring down the government.
The government cheated the people on Telangana. We have been fighting for over 10 years. The government is unmoved despite the sacrifices by 1,000 people. This government has not only failed to give Telangana, but failed to provide quality power, water and other necessities,” Rao said.
The TRS Legislature Party also adopted resolutions demanding that the government ensure seven-hour power supply to the farm sector as promised by APTransco and allocate funds to purchase power from other states to overcome the shortage.
The TRS also extended support to the textile traders who are demanding scrapping of VAT and the Sadak Bandh on the Kurnool Highway on March 21.
Hyderabad: In a startling move, the Telangana Rashtra Samiti has decided to introduce a No Confidence Motion against the Council of Ministers headed by Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy in the Budget Session of the Assembly beginning March 13.
The TRS Legislature Party, which met under the leadership of K. Chandrasekhar Rao, took the decision to protest the failure of the Congress government to carve out a separate Telangana state, cheating the people of the Telangana region for over 10 years, failing to redress public grievances such as severe power cuts, and shortage of water, and generally for its “failure on all fronts”.
Rao announced that TRS MLAs and MPs will stall the Assembly and Lok Sabha proceedings demanding statehood for Telangana.
With this move, Rao has seized the initiative from Telugu Desam president N. Chandrababu Naidu and YSR Congress leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. Both parties have been nudging each other to move the No Confidence Motion in the Assembly. Naidu had ruled out moving the motion stating he has no trust in support coming in from the YSRC, even though the Jagan camp had promised to support him.
“The TRS No Confidence Motion will expose their real colours. Leaders of Opposition parties are abusing the Kiran Kumar Reddy government day in and day out. If their intentions are true, they have to support (our) no-confidence motion,” Rao said.
TD, YSRC help welcome: KCR
K. Chandrasekhar Rao said that the TRS, which has 17 legislators, has approached the BJP (3), CPM (1), CPI (4) and Lok Satta (1), MIM (7), and the Telangana Nagara Samiti which is represented by Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy, with a request to support the No Confidence Motion.
“The party leaders promised to get back to me after discussing in the party fora,” he said As per the Assembly rules, the motion requires the support of at least one-tenth of the strength of the Assem-bly — 30 MLAs in the 294-member House.
To a question on how he would secure the numbers, Rao said he would have no hesitation in seeking the support of the Telugu Desam (85 MLAs) and YSRC (17). The Congress has 155 legislators in the House. “We want to bring down the government.
The government cheated the people on Telangana. We have been fighting for over 10 years. The government is unmoved despite the sacrifices by 1,000 people. This government has not only failed to give Telangana, but failed to provide quality power, water and other necessities,” Rao said.
The TRS Legislature Party also adopted resolutions demanding that the government ensure seven-hour power supply to the farm sector as promised by APTransco and allocate funds to purchase power from other states to overcome the shortage.
The TRS also extended support to the textile traders who are demanding scrapping of VAT and the Sadak Bandh on the Kurnool Highway on March 21.
Monday, 11 March 2013
ASAD READY TO FIGHT AZHAR
C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad: Cricketer-turned-Congress MP, Mohammad Azharuddin, has strong reasons to look for an alternative Lok Sabha constituency, in his home town, Hyderabad.
In the 2012 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress nominees in all the five Assembly segments in his Moradabad Lok Sabha constituency were routed, thus significantly weakening his chances for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. It is learnt that Azharuddin was unhappy over the party ignoring his choice of candidates.
Azharuddin’s meeting with the Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy in New Delhi have given rise to rumours that he may be fielded from Hyderabad, presently represented by MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. This has created a stir in political circles, but the MIM leadership is unfazed. “One cannot pick and choose opponents in politics. In a democracy, anyone can contest from anywhere, whether it’s Azharuddin or anyone else,” Owaisi told this newspaper over phone from New Delhi on Sunday, when asked about reports of Azharuddin being pitted against him in next polls. “We have no problem.” Ironically, it was Owaisi and the MIM that stood by Azharuddin when the latter was buffeted by charges of cricket match fixing in 2000 and banned for life by the Board for Cricket Control in India. Owaisi was also among the first to back the former cricketer when the AP High Court lifted the life ban in November last year. Azharuddin reportedly did not rule out contesting from Hyderabad after meeting the Chief Minister, but left the decision to the Congress High Command. Sources said he is hunting for a Muslim-dominated constituency, in West Bengal or Andhra Pradesh, among others. Azharuddin faces a tough battle if he is fielded for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, where the MIM has had a stranglehold since 1984. Sultan Salauddin Owaisi won the seat six times from 1984 to 2004 and Asaduddin Owaisi, his son, won twice in 2004 and 2009. In 2009, Owaisi defeated a prominent Muslim candidate, Editor of Siasat, Zahid Ali Khan, who was backed by the TD and allies, with a thumping majority. The last time the Congress won the Hyderabad LS seat was in 1980 when K.S. Narayana represented it. Kiran Kumar Reddy and the Owaisi brothers, Asaduddin and Akbaruddin, fell out after the MIM walked away from the Congress after the Bhagyalaxmi temple episode at Charminar. Since then, the Owaisis have bitterly criticised Kiran Kumar Reddy. Meanwhile, Akbaruddin Owaisi, MIM legislator, was arrested in a hate speech case and released recently on bail. Asaduddin Owaisi was arrested and sent to Sangareddy jail for manhandling and abusing Medak collector and other officials a few years back. The MIM suffered a dent over the Akbar issue, but recovered the lost ground after the senior Owaisi brother’s arrest, which was seen as “politically motivated.”
Saturday, 9 March 2013
BUSH GETS A PECK ON THE CHEEK
This story written by me dates back to 2006 when US President George Bush visited Hyderabad. I found the story on the websites all over the world.
Friday, March 03, 2006
By C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad, March 3: US President George W. Bush left Hyderabad with an unforgettable gift: A surprise peck on the cheek by a woman self-help group member from Chittoor. Something that his predecessor Bill Clinton was not privileged to get.
Mr Bush was going around the pavilion for women self-help groups at the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (Angrau) here, escorted by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
Mr Bush was going around the pavilion for women self-help groups at the Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University (Angrau) here, escorted by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.
When he arrived at a stall displaying forest produce, K. Nagarajamma of Chittoor in southern AP, a 29-year-old mother of two, told Mr Bush, "America adhyakshudini kalvatam oka kala sir." Dr Reddy translated for Mr Bush:"Meeting the US president is like a dream."
Mr Bush smiled, nodded and was about to move to the next stall when Ms Nagarajamma pointed to Mr Bush's cheek. Mr Bush apparently thought there was something sticking, but understood almost immediately. He bent down, and the petite woman reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Mr Bush responded with a big "Thank you," as everyone watched in disbelief.
Asked later what made her kiss Mr Bush, Ms Nagarajamma said with a smile: "It's a gift from my side!"
After Mr Bush left, the women crowded around the new star, who just blushed. Other women gave gifts too: A hat and garland made of palm leaves, a replica of a wooden plough. But clearly the winner was the impromptu kiss.
Mr Bush signed over a dozen autographs to women SHGs members. As he moved among the stalls, Mr Bush was at his informal best. He discarded his suit and pulled up his blue shirtsleeves, moved around freely, exchanged pleasantries, waved to the invitees and posed for keepsake pictures with women SHG members and farmers. He picked up a four-year-old girl, Venkataramana, daughter of Chenchamma of Kotakadapally village, who sells forest produce like gum.
Mr Bush made bold to pat a sturdy jet-black Murrah buffalo. The buffalo, quite unaware of the significance of the moment, urinated when Mr Bush and the Chief Minister came near her.
At a horticulture stall manned by Ankureddy Thathireddy of Ananthapur and G.Venkatrama Raju of Railway Kodur, Kadapa district, two huge pumpkins impressed Mr Bush. He bent down and lifted one, grunted "oops" and pretended to stagger, much to the amusement of those present. Banganapalli mangoes produced by Angrau impressed him.
Mr Bush smiled, nodded and was about to move to the next stall when Ms Nagarajamma pointed to Mr Bush's cheek. Mr Bush apparently thought there was something sticking, but understood almost immediately. He bent down, and the petite woman reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Mr Bush responded with a big "Thank you," as everyone watched in disbelief.
Asked later what made her kiss Mr Bush, Ms Nagarajamma said with a smile: "It's a gift from my side!"
After Mr Bush left, the women crowded around the new star, who just blushed. Other women gave gifts too: A hat and garland made of palm leaves, a replica of a wooden plough. But clearly the winner was the impromptu kiss.
Mr Bush signed over a dozen autographs to women SHGs members. As he moved among the stalls, Mr Bush was at his informal best. He discarded his suit and pulled up his blue shirtsleeves, moved around freely, exchanged pleasantries, waved to the invitees and posed for keepsake pictures with women SHG members and farmers. He picked up a four-year-old girl, Venkataramana, daughter of Chenchamma of Kotakadapally village, who sells forest produce like gum.
Mr Bush made bold to pat a sturdy jet-black Murrah buffalo. The buffalo, quite unaware of the significance of the moment, urinated when Mr Bush and the Chief Minister came near her.
At a horticulture stall manned by Ankureddy Thathireddy of Ananthapur and G.Venkatrama Raju of Railway Kodur, Kadapa district, two huge pumpkins impressed Mr Bush. He bent down and lifted one, grunted "oops" and pretended to stagger, much to the amusement of those present. Banganapalli mangoes produced by Angrau impressed him.
Telangana issue to rock Assembly
By C R Gowri Shanker
Hyderabad, March 8, 2013:
The Telangana issue is likely to reverberate in the Assembly during the Budget Session from March 13.
The TRS has decided to rake up the issue and demand that the state government move a resolution and ask the Centre to pass a Bill in Parliament without further delay.
Apart from the TRS, the BJP, CPI and the Telangana Nagara Samiti headed by Dr Nagam Janardhan Reddy also plan to protest in the Assembly for Telangana and other issues.
“Needless to say, Telangana will be top on the agenda during the Budget Session of the Assembly. Severe power cuts in Telangana, water crisis, twin bomb blasts and other issues will also be raised,” Mr Etela Rajender, TRS Floor leader in the Assembly told this newspaper here on Friday.
He added, “Congress cheated Telangana people. The situation has come to such a pass that the issue is compared with Dosa...apadam...tea, etc. which is insulting to Telangana people.”
T-MLAs are also planning to disrupt Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan’s inaugural address to the joint session of the legislature on March 13. The TJAC has given a call for a Sadak Bandh on the Hyderabad-Bengaluru highway on March 21.
MIM tests waters in Karnataka, Maharashtra
C.R. Gowri Shanker | 07th Mar 2013
Asaduddin Owaisi.
Hyderabad: The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has set its sights on neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra, besides spreading over to other parts of the country in a phased manner.
Only when MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi was taken into custody near Humnabad in Karnataka for flouting prohibitory orders a few days ago, did it come to light that he was there to campaign for the party candidates.
MIM is contesting in the Muslim-dominated wards in the municipal polls in Bidar, Basavakalyan and Raichur municipalities in Karnataka, which are slated to be held on March 7.
In Bidar town, out of the 3.45 lakh population, Muslims constitute 1.27 lakh. In Basavakalyan, out of the 59,000 population their number is 29,000 and in Raichur there are about 61,000 Muslims out of a total of 2.26 lakh people.
The AIMIM’s reach has hitherto been confined to Hyderabad and a few parts of Telangana and Rayalaseema, where there are large chunks of Muslim population.
The party has tested the waters in Maharashtra and won 11 seats in the Nanded Municipal Corporation.
“Our aim is to strengthen the party in AP and outside,” Owaisi said. “We have been getting requests from Maharashtra, Karnataka, the North and other states to visit those areas. The requests have gone up after the arrest of Akbaruddin Owaisi.”
Notwithstanding the snapping of ties with the Congress government in AP and the UPA at the Centre, and the arrest of party MLA Akbaruddin Owaisi in hate speech case and Asaduddin Owaisi in a case of manhandling of Medak district officials, MIM is setting out boldly to strengthen itself.
The party’s image was badly bruised by Akbar’s hate speech, but it recovered. The impact of this reduced with Asad’s arrest, which, many said, was politically motivated after a tiff with CM N. Kiran Kumar Reddy.
Friday, 8 March 2013
Hyderabad teens elope to escape Arab husband--Arabs check figure, hair
With marriages of young Muslim girls with aged Arabs haunt Hyderabad again I recollect stories written by me in 2005 which caught the attention of the world.
Here's the stories.
C.R. Gowri Shanker
Date: 24/08/2005
Hyderabad, Aug. 23: Two teenaged Hyderabad girls, who were married to a middle-aged Arab in a combined ceremony on August 1, gave him the slip a day after using the oldest trick in the book.
They escaped to the arms of their boyfriends in true Bollywood style after telling their Arab groom, the 45-year-old Al Rahama Ismail Mirza Abdul Jabbar of the UAE, that they wanted to go to the market to buy lipstick.
The girls, close friends Farheen Sultana and Hina Sultana, were married at a combined ceremony with the Arab under the fatwa approved by the Hyderabad-based Jamia Nizamia allowing a Muslim man to marry as many as four women in one sitting.
After spending the night of August 1 with the Arab, the girls slipped away from the hotel in the morning. With his wives not turning up even after several hours, the petrified Jabbar contacted their families, who shrugged their shoulders. Suspecting trouble, the Arab groom fled the hotel.
Meanwhile, the family of one of the girls approached the Kalapathar police, who started enquiring into their whereabouts. They soon found the girls with their boyfriends. On being queried, they told the police that they would rather stay with their young lovers. The police are now in a fix.
"We want to help them, but the girls cannot marry their lovers without getting a divorce from their husband," says inspector Sadiq Ahmed. "And he may have left the country."
The police are now trying to find out if the qazi who performed the marriage had also prepared divorce papers, as is the case with most such quick-fix marriages.
Farheen, a chubby girl from Kalapather, says her boyfriend Moiz, who works at a marriage hall, will marry her. "Of course, he will," she told this correspondent.
Hina's boyfriend is Afroze, a painter. "I met Moiz through Hina," says Farheen. "We are good friends and we will marry our boyfriends. That is for sure."
Farheen's mother Jabeen Sultana, who works as a maid, dismisses the twists and turns in the imbroglio as the play of fate. She does not mind her daughter marrying the young man of her choice.
"Whatever is written for her will happen," is her stoical comment. Interestingly, she does not regret marrying her daughter to the Arab either. "You know, he looks pretty young," she says.
"What can we do when our young men demand so much dowry. Nowadays, the boys even want motor cycles. And my husband never brings home any money." Jabeen and her husband Shaik Sardar have two sons and two daughters of which Farheen is the eldest.
The Arab 'groom' paid Rs 20,000 each to the brokers for the marriage. The brokers passed on only Rs 10,000 to the families of the girls.
While Farheen's parents are resigned to their daughter's desires, Hina's parents are reportedly upset at their daughter ditching the rich Arab groom for a painter. The girls reportedly stayed with their boyfriends for three days before they were traced by the police. "It is all rather unusual," says inspector Ahmed. "The girls have surely messed it up.
But I will discuss with my senior officers on how to help them out. It is not too late." If the police find a way, the Dilwale will still walk away with the Dulhaniya, happily.
----------------------
C R Gowri Shanker
Arabs check figure, hair to pick bride: Human Bazaar in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, August 25, 2005: Arabs who fly into the city for quick-fix marraiges are usually offered "multiple choice" of young brides by brokers, it is learnt. The meeting between the "groom" and "bride" is a quick and murky business-like affair.
A typical scene runs like this: an Arab enters a room in which several girls are lined up. He asks the girls to remove thir burkhas and inspects them. Then he chooses one, generally the girl with the best figure. It is a kind of thinly veiled prostitution.
Brokers usually parade at least four girls before the sex-seeking grooms. The girls are usually dressed up for the occassion with the brokers spending the money to make them look glamorous. Once the girl is selected, a qazi is summoned to perform a quick marraige. The bride is given some gifts and the couple zooms off for a quick honeymoon in a hotel or apartment located in areas such as Chandrayangutta.
After spending a few days with their brides, who are mostly from poor families, they vanish without a trace.
After the sensational Ameena case a few years ago, Arab men have been finding it difficult to take young brides away with them to the Gulf countries.
Date: 24/08/2005
Hyderabad, Aug. 23: Two teenaged Hyderabad girls, who were married to a middle-aged Arab in a combined ceremony on August 1, gave him the slip a day after using the oldest trick in the book.
They escaped to the arms of their boyfriends in true Bollywood style after telling their Arab groom, the 45-year-old Al Rahama Ismail Mirza Abdul Jabbar of the UAE, that they wanted to go to the market to buy lipstick.
The girls, close friends Farheen Sultana and Hina Sultana, were married at a combined ceremony with the Arab under the fatwa approved by the Hyderabad-based Jamia Nizamia allowing a Muslim man to marry as many as four women in one sitting.
After spending the night of August 1 with the Arab, the girls slipped away from the hotel in the morning. With his wives not turning up even after several hours, the petrified Jabbar contacted their families, who shrugged their shoulders. Suspecting trouble, the Arab groom fled the hotel.
Meanwhile, the family of one of the girls approached the Kalapathar police, who started enquiring into their whereabouts. They soon found the girls with their boyfriends. On being queried, they told the police that they would rather stay with their young lovers. The police are now in a fix.
"We want to help them, but the girls cannot marry their lovers without getting a divorce from their husband," says inspector Sadiq Ahmed. "And he may have left the country."
The police are now trying to find out if the qazi who performed the marriage had also prepared divorce papers, as is the case with most such quick-fix marriages.
Farheen, a chubby girl from Kalapather, says her boyfriend Moiz, who works at a marriage hall, will marry her. "Of course, he will," she told this correspondent.
Hina's boyfriend is Afroze, a painter. "I met Moiz through Hina," says Farheen. "We are good friends and we will marry our boyfriends. That is for sure."
Farheen's mother Jabeen Sultana, who works as a maid, dismisses the twists and turns in the imbroglio as the play of fate. She does not mind her daughter marrying the young man of her choice.
"Whatever is written for her will happen," is her stoical comment. Interestingly, she does not regret marrying her daughter to the Arab either. "You know, he looks pretty young," she says.
"What can we do when our young men demand so much dowry. Nowadays, the boys even want motor cycles. And my husband never brings home any money." Jabeen and her husband Shaik Sardar have two sons and two daughters of which Farheen is the eldest.
The Arab 'groom' paid Rs 20,000 each to the brokers for the marriage. The brokers passed on only Rs 10,000 to the families of the girls.
While Farheen's parents are resigned to their daughter's desires, Hina's parents are reportedly upset at their daughter ditching the rich Arab groom for a painter. The girls reportedly stayed with their boyfriends for three days before they were traced by the police. "It is all rather unusual," says inspector Ahmed. "The girls have surely messed it up.
But I will discuss with my senior officers on how to help them out. It is not too late." If the police find a way, the Dilwale will still walk away with the Dulhaniya, happily.
----------------------
C R Gowri Shanker
Arabs check figure, hair to pick bride: Human Bazaar in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, August 25, 2005: Arabs who fly into the city for quick-fix marraiges are usually offered "multiple choice" of young brides by brokers, it is learnt. The meeting between the "groom" and "bride" is a quick and murky business-like affair.
A typical scene runs like this: an Arab enters a room in which several girls are lined up. He asks the girls to remove thir burkhas and inspects them. Then he chooses one, generally the girl with the best figure. It is a kind of thinly veiled prostitution.
Brokers usually parade at least four girls before the sex-seeking grooms. The girls are usually dressed up for the occassion with the brokers spending the money to make them look glamorous. Once the girl is selected, a qazi is summoned to perform a quick marraige. The bride is given some gifts and the couple zooms off for a quick honeymoon in a hotel or apartment located in areas such as Chandrayangutta.
After spending a few days with their brides, who are mostly from poor families, they vanish without a trace.
After the sensational Ameena case a few years ago, Arab men have been finding it difficult to take young brides away with them to the Gulf countries.
No trust in Jagan, Babu votes to drop motion
C.R. Gowri Shanker |7.3.2013
Hyderabad: Telugu Desam chief N. Chandrababu Naidu is not keen on moving a no-confidence motion against the Kiran Kumar Reddy government in the Budget Session of the Assembly.
Naidu, who chaired the TD Legislature Party (TDLP) meeting reportedly said that YSRC leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy cannot be trusted on a no-confidence motion.
“In the past, Jagan claimed the support of 50 MLAs, but only 17 supported the no-confidence motion (on Dec. 6, 2011). He wants the TD to move a no-confidence motion to blackmail the government over the pending cases against him and ensure his early release from jail,” Naidu remarked at the meet at Kaikalur in Krishna district on Thursday.
Naidu also told party MLAs that he doesn’t see early polls for Lok Sabha this year and the Assembly in 2014. “I feel that there could be simultaneous polls. The Congress is not likely to take the risk of holding separate elections as the results of one poll can impact the other,” he said.
Interestingly, the TD leadership skipped the Telangana issue and Naidu also gave enough indication that he may not attend the Assembly session and will continue with his padayatra.
TD MLA Revanth Reddy said that since Jagan’s bail petition would come up for hearing in April, the party is harping on a no-confidence motion to bargain with the government.
The Kiran Kumar Reddy government defeated a no-confidence motion moved against it by the TD by a margin of 38 votes.
after a marathon 16-hour debate in the Assembly on December 6, 2011.
On the no-confidence motion, M. Narasimhulu later said the TD would take the right decision at the right time. “Some useless parties are demanding a no-confidence motion. YSRC is one of them. YSRC claimed the support of 50 MLAs in the past but only 17 supported the motion. Why didn’t the other MLAs support the move? Did they take money and back out,” he asked.
Asad arrested in Bidar, released on personal bond
C.R. Gowri Shanker | 03rd Mar 2013
Hyderabad: MIM president and MP Asaduddin Owaisi was arrested by the Karnataka police near Humnabad in Bidar district for allegedly defying prohibitory orders on Saturday night.
Mr Owaisi had gone to campaign for the party’s nominees in civic polls in Bidar, Basavakalyan and Raichur. Sources said he was later released on personal bond. It is learnt that the cops refused to let him campaign in the civic polls.
Only local MIM leaders had permission
Sources said that the Karnataka police permitted only local MIM leaders to campaign in the civic elections in Bidar.
“Mr Owaisi was detained by the police near Humnabad and released later in the night. He had gone there to address a public meeting for the civic polls,” MIM MLC Syed Amin Jafri, told this newspaper.
Sources siad the MP was arrested near Humnabad while on way to Hyderabad from Basavakalyan area of Karnataka The Mudgi police detained him on the charge that he addressed a meeting without police permission.
Ever since the arrest of brother and MIM MLA, Mr Akbaruddin Owaisi, senior Owaisi has been denied permission by Maharashtra and Karnataka governments to address public meetings.
Drought, Nilam floods played havoc on state
C.R. Gowri Shanker
Dec 24, 2012 Hyderabad: It was a year of too little rain and then too much; of drought and of the Nilam toofan; of parched fields and inundation of homes and properties. And in the end, not enough water to fill the state’s reservoirs.
November 1 was deadly for AP, when Cyclone Nilam surprised the state to devastating effect. Before the cyclone, the Telangana and Rayalaseema regions had passed through a drought, which delayed agriculture operations and reduced the area under cultivation. And though a normal monsoon advanced subsequently, the reservoirs were still short of water.
Cyclone Nilam caused immense damage in 12 districts, with Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari bearing the brunt of the floods. It left behind a trail of death and destruction. The year also marked the first time that the Met department came under fire from the AP government for its failure to predict the cyclone hitting the state.
The department had predicted the cyclone would hit Tamil Nadu, but instead it targeted AP — winding its way up the North Coastal AP, bringing copious quantities of rain and catching the government on the back foot.
Revenue minister N. Raghuveera Reddy went public: “IMD failed to predict the heavy downpour. We went by their prediction that Nilam won’t have adverse impact and in fact, may benefit farmers.” Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his ministers, busy with other programmes, rushed back to the capital to take stock of the damage.
Led by TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, the opposition lambasted the government for its failure to take precautionary steps and provide relief quickly. TD politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said, “The Centre should include AP in the list of drought-affected states and provide an immediate relief package.”
According to Vinod Kumar Ekbote, additional commissioner, disaster management, the total loss due to the cyclone is `3,566 crore. “In all, 61 persons died and floods caused by Nilam and 4.95 lakh hectares of crops were submerged.”
But Nilam was also a blessing of sorts. It provided the much-needed water for irrigation and drinking purposes in many places. Dried up tanks, rivulets and reservoirs and streams overflowed in Prakasam, Nellore, and Guntur. The damage also raised the issue of remodelling of the age-old system used to drain excess water out into rivers and the sea, which caused the inundation of crops and villages.
“The drainage system in East Godavari and West Godavari needs to be improved,” said minister Sridhar Babu after a visit.
On the whole, while rainfall appeared to be bountiful, many of the dams remained ironically empty because it did not rain sufficiently in the catchment areas upstream, in Karna-taka and Maharashtra. Krishna river received some water midstream due to rains, but much of it was downstream of major projects like Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam and had to be released into Bay of Bengal. The situation was the same in Godavari, which, however, does not have major dams.
Dec 24, 2012 Hyderabad: It was a year of too little rain and then too much; of drought and of the Nilam toofan; of parched fields and inundation of homes and properties. And in the end, not enough water to fill the state’s reservoirs.
November 1 was deadly for AP, when Cyclone Nilam surprised the state to devastating effect. Before the cyclone, the Telangana and Rayalaseema regions had passed through a drought, which delayed agriculture operations and reduced the area under cultivation. And though a normal monsoon advanced subsequently, the reservoirs were still short of water.
Cyclone Nilam caused immense damage in 12 districts, with Visakhapatnam, East Godavari and West Godavari bearing the brunt of the floods. It left behind a trail of death and destruction. The year also marked the first time that the Met department came under fire from the AP government for its failure to predict the cyclone hitting the state.
The department had predicted the cyclone would hit Tamil Nadu, but instead it targeted AP — winding its way up the North Coastal AP, bringing copious quantities of rain and catching the government on the back foot.
Revenue minister N. Raghuveera Reddy went public: “IMD failed to predict the heavy downpour. We went by their prediction that Nilam won’t have adverse impact and in fact, may benefit farmers.” Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and his ministers, busy with other programmes, rushed back to the capital to take stock of the damage.
Led by TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu, the opposition lambasted the government for its failure to take precautionary steps and provide relief quickly. TD politburo member Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said, “The Centre should include AP in the list of drought-affected states and provide an immediate relief package.”
According to Vinod Kumar Ekbote, additional commissioner, disaster management, the total loss due to the cyclone is `3,566 crore. “In all, 61 persons died and floods caused by Nilam and 4.95 lakh hectares of crops were submerged.”
But Nilam was also a blessing of sorts. It provided the much-needed water for irrigation and drinking purposes in many places. Dried up tanks, rivulets and reservoirs and streams overflowed in Prakasam, Nellore, and Guntur. The damage also raised the issue of remodelling of the age-old system used to drain excess water out into rivers and the sea, which caused the inundation of crops and villages.
“The drainage system in East Godavari and West Godavari needs to be improved,” said minister Sridhar Babu after a visit.
On the whole, while rainfall appeared to be bountiful, many of the dams remained ironically empty because it did not rain sufficiently in the catchment areas upstream, in Karna-taka and Maharashtra. Krishna river received some water midstream due to rains, but much of it was downstream of major projects like Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam and had to be released into Bay of Bengal. The situation was the same in Godavari, which, however, does not have major dams.
Students choice of courses change
C.R. Gowri Shanker | 25th Dec 2012 Visakhapatnam:
Engineering, languages and few other courses are a passé now in Andhra University, philosophy, yoga, MBA among others are in thing!
Along with job opportunities, demand for the courses in the famed Andhra University is fluctuating annually. Once popular Kuchipudi dance course has now gone into history along with the famed film Shankarabharanam. There are few takers for Kuchipudi dance. Similarly, few students are opting for Anthropology, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Sociology.
The university has closed Diploma courses in French, Russian since it could not get the teachers! Andhra University in-charge vice-chancellor, Prof. P. George Victor says the university would not scrap any department but use the staff for research purposes, except in exceptional cases.
University offers 60 odd courses. “Students are opting job driven courses or courses which improve job opportunities. Some gear up for multiple job chances. Many engineering graduates now prefer MBA since it gives an edge over normal graduates in bank and other jobs because of drop in IT jobs. Demand for courses is fluctuating in tune with job opportunities,” Prof. George Victor told Deccan Chronicle.
Another popular course now is diploma in Yoga. “It is a self financing course and youth are opting for it. We have intake of 30 students and the demand is going up,” he adds.
Going down the memory lane, George Victor said there was craze among young women to learn Kuchipudi dance thanks to the Telugu hit movie Shankarabharanam. in which actor Manju Bhargavi’s performed the dance. After sometime, the craze waned.
“The university business is to encourage all subjects and offer all subjects. We cannot scrap a department if the demand for a course has waned. We turn them into research,” he explained.
Barring MA English, other MA language courses like Hindi, Sanskrit, Social Work, MA Linguistics have fallen flat. In a rare instance, MA Education department has been removed while science courses continue to flourish.
Engineering, languages and few other courses are a passé now in Andhra University, philosophy, yoga, MBA among others are in thing!
Along with job opportunities, demand for the courses in the famed Andhra University is fluctuating annually. Once popular Kuchipudi dance course has now gone into history along with the famed film Shankarabharanam. There are few takers for Kuchipudi dance. Similarly, few students are opting for Anthropology, Sanskrit, Hindi, and Sociology.
The university has closed Diploma courses in French, Russian since it could not get the teachers! Andhra University in-charge vice-chancellor, Prof. P. George Victor says the university would not scrap any department but use the staff for research purposes, except in exceptional cases.
University offers 60 odd courses. “Students are opting job driven courses or courses which improve job opportunities. Some gear up for multiple job chances. Many engineering graduates now prefer MBA since it gives an edge over normal graduates in bank and other jobs because of drop in IT jobs. Demand for courses is fluctuating in tune with job opportunities,” Prof. George Victor told Deccan Chronicle.
Another popular course now is diploma in Yoga. “It is a self financing course and youth are opting for it. We have intake of 30 students and the demand is going up,” he adds.
Going down the memory lane, George Victor said there was craze among young women to learn Kuchipudi dance thanks to the Telugu hit movie Shankarabharanam. in which actor Manju Bhargavi’s performed the dance. After sometime, the craze waned.
“The university business is to encourage all subjects and offer all subjects. We cannot scrap a department if the demand for a course has waned. We turn them into research,” he explained.
Barring MA English, other MA language courses like Hindi, Sanskrit, Social Work, MA Linguistics have fallen flat. In a rare instance, MA Education department has been removed while science courses continue to flourish.
Realty ravages beauty of Araku Valley
36.44 sq km of AP’s forest vanishes
C.R. Gowri Shanker
2012 Visakhapatnam:
Encroachments in the guise of Forest Rights Act, cultivation and smuggling is shrinking forests.
As much as 36.44 sq km of forest area has vanished in the state due to cultivation and illegal felling of trees within a span of one year. Andhra Pradesh forest department has completed collecting data of loss of forest cover during 2010-11 and is set to come out with a detailed report for the year 2012 soon.
Khammam district recor-ded an encroachment of 19.28 sq km forest area, the highest. Warangal, part of Karimnagar district followed with 6.66 sq km and Nizamabad forest circle comprising of Nizamabad and Medak was encroached to the tune of 2.46 sq km.
In coastal districts, Rajahmundry circle comprising of Rajahmundry, Eluru, Kakinada and Vijayawada has lost 1.99 sq km of forest cover. In Visakhapatnam circle (Narsipatnam, Paderu, Srikakulam, Visakha-patnam and Vizianagaram) 1.65 sq km forest area has been denuded. Incidentally, Visakhapat-nam circle recorded encro-achment of 4.54 sq km in 2009 and 2010, immediately after the Act came into being, but it has recorded a drop now after sustained awareness campaign, education and policing.
The total notified forest area in AP is 63,814 km, which accounts for 23.2 per cent of the geographical area.
Khammam has the highest notified forest area of 8,436.94 km and Krishna has the lowest — 664.28 km.
“The main reasons for decrease in forest cover are harvesting (clear-felling) of matured plantations, clearance of bush growth and preparation of land for raising plantations and the fresh encroachments triggered by recognition of the rights of occupation,” P.K. Sharma, additional principal chief conservator of forests, told this newspaper.
Mr Sharma said the data has been compiled with the help of Geo Information System. The data revealed scattered felling in all the regions.
“There is a misco-nception in some quarters that Forest Rights Act em-powers tribals to fell trees. It has to be used for their sustenance. Most encroachments are for cultivation,” he said.
However, the biggest threat to forests is from smugglers. Smugglers are having a field day in some places due to lack of security. Sources said that one forest guard of the department has to man 2,500 hectares to 7,500 hectares of forests, which is a herculean task.
There are more than 30 per cent vacancies in the department. Also, most of the available personnel are aged 45 years and above.
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act has triggered debate with one section insisting that the Act supports forest-dwelling communities, while another section fears large scale destruction of forests.
The Act relates rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other resources. Ever since the Act came into force in 2008, there has been an upsurge in denudation of forests to the tune of about 70 sq km.
C.R. Gowri Shanker
2012 Visakhapatnam:
Encroachments in the guise of Forest Rights Act, cultivation and smuggling is shrinking forests.
As much as 36.44 sq km of forest area has vanished in the state due to cultivation and illegal felling of trees within a span of one year. Andhra Pradesh forest department has completed collecting data of loss of forest cover during 2010-11 and is set to come out with a detailed report for the year 2012 soon.
Khammam district recor-ded an encroachment of 19.28 sq km forest area, the highest. Warangal, part of Karimnagar district followed with 6.66 sq km and Nizamabad forest circle comprising of Nizamabad and Medak was encroached to the tune of 2.46 sq km.
In coastal districts, Rajahmundry circle comprising of Rajahmundry, Eluru, Kakinada and Vijayawada has lost 1.99 sq km of forest cover. In Visakhapatnam circle (Narsipatnam, Paderu, Srikakulam, Visakha-patnam and Vizianagaram) 1.65 sq km forest area has been denuded. Incidentally, Visakhapat-nam circle recorded encro-achment of 4.54 sq km in 2009 and 2010, immediately after the Act came into being, but it has recorded a drop now after sustained awareness campaign, education and policing.
The total notified forest area in AP is 63,814 km, which accounts for 23.2 per cent of the geographical area.
Khammam has the highest notified forest area of 8,436.94 km and Krishna has the lowest — 664.28 km.
“The main reasons for decrease in forest cover are harvesting (clear-felling) of matured plantations, clearance of bush growth and preparation of land for raising plantations and the fresh encroachments triggered by recognition of the rights of occupation,” P.K. Sharma, additional principal chief conservator of forests, told this newspaper.
Mr Sharma said the data has been compiled with the help of Geo Information System. The data revealed scattered felling in all the regions.
“There is a misco-nception in some quarters that Forest Rights Act em-powers tribals to fell trees. It has to be used for their sustenance. Most encroachments are for cultivation,” he said.
However, the biggest threat to forests is from smugglers. Smugglers are having a field day in some places due to lack of security. Sources said that one forest guard of the department has to man 2,500 hectares to 7,500 hectares of forests, which is a herculean task.
There are more than 30 per cent vacancies in the department. Also, most of the available personnel are aged 45 years and above.
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act has triggered debate with one section insisting that the Act supports forest-dwelling communities, while another section fears large scale destruction of forests.
The Act relates rights of forest-dwelling communities to land and other resources. Ever since the Act came into force in 2008, there has been an upsurge in denudation of forests to the tune of about 70 sq km.
Temples to do away with VIP culture in AP
C.R. Gowri Shanker | 20th Jan 2013
Common people have to wait endlessly in lines as darshan of God is stopped to make way for VIPs.
Hyderabad: The endowments department, managing over 34,000 temples across the state, is trying to go in for a makeover to stem the growing criticism of mismanagement, overt importance to VVIPs, lack of facilities for ordinary devotees, corruption and other issues.
State Institute of Temple Administration (SITA) has begun consultations with officials, media and other sections of society to make temples people-friendly and ensure equality for all before God.
“Temple administration is drawing flak from devotees. One of the important issues is VIP protocol. Darshan of God is stopped to make way for VIPs which is drawing criticism,” Dr C. Vijaya Raghavacharyulu, the director of SITA, told this newspaper. “Is there any need for Poorna Kumbha Swagatham to saints, sages and VIPs when all are equal before God is the moot question posed by people,” he said.
Dr Raghavacharyulu said the SITA was also looking to implement temple traditions, ensure peaceful darshan of the deity and provide theertha, prasadam and other basic amenities to devotees at all the temples like accommodation, drinking water facilities and other basic needs.
“A misconception has crept in to the endowments department. Officials of the department are not government servants, but servants of God. They get salaries from the devotees offering to hundi and not paid by government,” he said.
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