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Annoyed by farmer leader Mahendra Singh Tikait’s racial remarks at Chief Minister Mayawati, Uttar Pradesh Government make their mind to arrest the leader soon on Monday. Maya supporters are furious on his remarks and want his arrest at any cost.

Mahendra Singh Tikait is the president of the Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) against which an FIR is already filed under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act. Police have done a useless effort to arrest him at Siloli village in Muzaffarnagar district where his supporters clashed with the police team injuring over dozen police men leading tension in the village.

The chamber claimed that Tikait’s remarks were insulting as well as against womanhood and should be arrested soon.

“There is no point of compromise on this situation. He (Tikait) will be arrested at any cost”, Principal Secretary (Home) J N Chamber told reporters in Lucknow.

Chamber told that the arrest is little delayed by the administration to avoid many problems to innocent patients and senior officials including District Magistrate, IG and DIG.

As Tikait was addressing a farmers’ rally in Bijnore district, Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Ajit Singh was seen trying to warn him from using the remarks against Mayawati.

When asked the BKU leader to stop, he hurriedly ended his speech and Ajit Singh threw down his arms expressing frustration at Tikait’s action.

If convicted Tikait could be in jail for up to two years.

Tags: Mayawati, Tikait, up

Making out at Bandra Bandstand, sitting at Gateway, going to work at BKC will not be possible after 92 years as these and other parts of Mumbai will sink under the sea. After 92 years neither you can see Gateway of India nor anyone can enjoy Mumbai’s Bhelpuri as the city will sink under the sea by 2100 as said by alarmist Greenpeace report.

Bollywood and Marine drive would get limited to grand parents stories only. Chatrapati Shiva ji Airport and Vaaankhede Stadium will be out of scene. Neither Shahrukh’s palace Mannat nor Amitabh’s Pratiksha would be survived if the forecast happens.

This is the apocalypse scenario painted by Greenpeace, an environmental activist group involved in the issues of climate change across the world.

The report titled, ‘Climate migrants in South Asia: Estimates and Solutions’ is prepared by the climate expert Sudhir Chella from IIT Chennai telling that Earth’s temperature will increase by 4-5 degrees in future due to green house gases. This will lead to melting of polar ice causing an increase in sea level by around 5 metres by 2100. Around 5 crores Indians will be effected by this scenario.

Report says that a sizeable chunk of Mumbai will go under water. This includes Bandra Bandstand, Girgaum Chowpatty, Gateway of India, Parsi Gymkhana at Marine Drive, parts of Bandra-Kurla Complex, Juhu aerodrome, parts of Essel World and Mira road-Bhayander will disappear beneath the Arabian Sea because of rising sea levels due to global warming.

Government experts scoff predicted, “In the last 30 years, the sea level has risen by only a few millimeters. Such a scenario is impossible.”

The report will be tabled at the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh, CST, at 12 noon today.

Tags: Bandra, Mannat, Mumbai, Pratiksha

Mohammad Kaif is back in the Indian team after a gap of 2 years, when he last played a test match against West Indies in 2006. Kaif has replaced the injured master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for the upcoming second test match between India and South Africa.

The 2nd test between India and South Africa is scheduled to begin from 3rd April to 7th of April in Ahmedabad. Sachin got the groin injury while playing in Australia. It got more painful on the fifth day of the first test between India and South Africa in Chennai. On the last day Sachin was coming in and out on the field.

Indian skipper Anil Kumble ‘Jumbo’ has confirmed his injury, adding that he has a tummy problem too.

Team India selectors has picked up Mohhamad Kaif for his place, while they ignored the in form Indian opener Gautam Gambhir. Gautam Gambhir has done quite well in the recent tour of Australia.

Over all no one is understanding why this decision has been taken by BCCI.

Tags: India, Kaif, Kumble, Sachin, South Africa, Tendulkar

The Supreme Court Monday dismissed an Uttar Pradesh government plea to prosecute Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan. The actor was on charges of forgery in acquiring government land at Barabanki in the state.

Hearing of the case in Supreme Court was on Monday and the judges dismissed the petition.

A bench of Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan and Justice Aftab Alam dismissed the case saying the forgery in the government land record was found to have been committed by local revenue records clerk and not by the film star.

The bench also noted that Bachchan had already relinquished his claim over the government land and had returned it to the village.

In the given circumstances “no charges survive” against the film star, the bench held.

Tags: Amitabh Bachchan, Bachchan, Supreme Court, up

Seven activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) were arrested by the Madhya Pradesh police in the last two days. Five of them are arrested from Unhel town early on Monday and the two other were held on Sunday evening.

The five arrested include Jadil Pervez, Ayaz alias Atu, Akbar, Meharuddin and Isad.

“This is the second big achievement for Madhya Pradesh police in a week. Among those arrested is Jadil Pervez, brother of Amil Pervez, who was arrested from Indore recently,” Inspector General of Police M P Dwivedi said.

The police are interrogating the arrested activists to find out more information about the network of the banned outfit in the Ujjain division.

Two other SIMI activists who were arrested on Sunday evening were identified as Abdul Razzak and Rais Ahmed Khan. They were charged of providing assistance to its former chief Safdar Nagori and 12 other top activists, who were nabbed last week, in a major crackdown against the outfit.

Superintendent of Police Anshuman Singh Yadav said that these two were criminals with past records and belong to Indore.

He told that the case is filed against them under various section of the Indian Penal Code for providing assistance to the top SIMI activists and both will be interrofated for their involvement in the illegal activities.

On March 27, the Madhya Pradesh police had arrested Nagori and 12 others from Indore’s Shyam Nagar area. They have been remanded to police custody.

Nagori and the 12 top SIMI leaders have been charged with collecting arms with intention of waging a war against the Indian government and promoting enmity between classes.

Tags: India, SIMI

The ongoing Lakme Fashion Week (LFW) 2008 is rocked by many top Bollywood stars on show. The celebrities sizzled the ramp in top Indian designer’s creations in Mumbai.

The main attraction of the show included the first time ramp walk by the Saawariya fame Ranveer Kapoor. He showcased his designer friend Arjun Khanna’s collection. People gave a cheerful applause for the graceful Ranveer in an embroidered long coat with standing collar, straight pants in batik print and a scarlet tied around the neck.

Neetu Kapoor and Deepika Padukone cheered Ranbir as he walks the ramp for Arjun Khanna.

“I’m a bit degraded as far as fashion is concerned. All I know is through Arjun. He’s very passionate about everything in his life from designing clothes to his cars and bikes and even interior decoration. I love this guy to death and he asked me if I could walk on the ramp and I was more than happy to walk as I also love his fashion,” said Ranbir Kapoor.

Khanna’s collection offered evergreen slim fitted pants and cropped jackets. “Fabrics were coarser in my collection. I am looking at the fall-winter. I played with fabrics like Coudray, Cotton Coudray and Woolen Coudray. There is a lot of technique which went into making of all these clothes,” said Khanna.

Other Bollywood icons on the show include Urmila Matondkar, Farah Khan, Amrita Rao, Kajol and Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor. King Khan’s wife Gauri Khan was also there to grace the occasion.

Saif admitted to his relationship with Kareena at the Lakme Fashion Week in Mumbai last year. This year too the couple was spotted at designer Manish Malhotra’s showing.

It was for the first time the Bath and body product giant Lux showcased a line at the Lakme Fashion Week. Bollywood designer Manish Malhotra inspired by Lux’s new fruit extracts - strawberry, cream, peaches and put on display an array of flirty, feminine garments in shades of pink, ivory, oyster and coral.

“I have done it long time back when Urmila Matondkar walked on the ramp for the first time then. Then Preity Zinta, Kajol, Karishma Kapoor and Urmila all of these girls who have walked for me have worked with me for ten years. They believe in my brand, they believe in me, I believe in them and we had a long association but I just feel that now it has become that let’s make so and so walk. So I think now it is time that I don’t make any one walk so today I was the Lux boy,” said Manish.

Overall the day went totally unique and exclusive presenting the cool summer spring collections of Indian designers.

Tags: Amrita Rao, Bollywood, Deepika, Deepika Padukone, Farah Khan, Fashion, Fashion week, Gauri Khan, Kajol, Kareena, Kareena Kapoor, Karishma Kapoor, Khan, King Khan, Lakme Fashion week, Lux, Manish Malhotra, Mumbai, Neetu Kapoor, Preity Zinta, Ranveer, Ranveer Kapoor, Saawariya, Saif, Saif Ali Khan, Saif Kareena, Urmila, Urmila Matondkar

Mira Nair, the famous Indian director of acclaimed films like monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, Mississippi Masala and Salaam Bombay is honored by the India Abroad Person of the Year 2007, on March 28.

The award was presented by Indra Nooyi, Chairperson and CEO, Pepsi, and India Abroad Person of the Year 2006 at a glittering ceremony held at the Gotham Hall in New York City.

Nooyi said while discussing her contribution to cinema and community that she had captured a special space for herself.

Nair reached New York to receive the award after a week-long trip to Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Toronto, Canada, where she will shoot her next film Amelia, starring Hillary Swank.

Her husband Mahmud Mamdani, a professor at Columbia University, was present on the occasion while only child Zohran, on whose insistence actor Kal Penn was selected for The Namesake, could not make it.

Nair paid her regards to all those mothers and women who inspired her.

Hosted by Columbia Professor Sreenath Sreenivasan, the evening began with Ajit Balakrishnan, publisher of India Abroad, the oldest Indian-American weekly, owned by rediff.com, lauding the winners and the Indian-American community’s achievements.

The awards ceremony was attended by diplomats, artistes, high ranking professionals, businessmen and stalwarts of the community. It was held at the stately Gotham Hall, formerly the headquarters of Greenwich Savings Bank, which hosted an event honoring soccer legend Pele and tennis great Boris Becker last week.

The legendary Economist Padma Desai and his husband Jagdish Bhagwati were chosen for India Abroad Lifetime Achievement Award from writer Salman Rushdie, winner of the same award last year.

Dr Renu Khator, President and Chancellor of the University of Houston, was awarded the India Abroad Publisher’s Special Award for Excellence.

India Abroad Youth Achiever 2007 award was given to 24 year old Somdev Burman. He is the first Indian to win the prestigious US collegiate tennis title.

Award for Service to the Community was given to Naveen Shah and Joy Cherian.

Tags: Mira Nair, Person of the year, Women

First test match of Future cup series in M A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai ended after a dull draw between South Africa and India on Sunday. South Africa played cautiously in its second batting. At the end of the match South Africa scored 331 runs at loss of five. McKenzie with 155 runs and Boucher with 11 runs were remain unbeaten on the pitch as the match was finalized.

During the second batting of South Africa, the openers Smith and McKenzie gave a speed start. Smith was dismissed yesterday after making 35 runs and Amla joined McKenzie then. Before the team agreed to draw, McKenzie hit 13 boundaries and a six during his 445-minute stay at the crease. He hit a double century in his previous Test.

South Africa got its first stroke from India by losing Amla at Kumble’s ball. Amla delivered 81 runs to the team. Kallis and Prince couldn’t contribute much after Amla. Both were dismissed by Harbhajan after making 19 and 5 runs respectively. De Villiers gave his 11 and was claimed by Sehwag.

The pitch at the MA Chidambaram Stadium did not have any significant help for the bowlers on the first four days and was not expected to behave any different on day five.

The match will always be remembered for Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid. Sehwag, who smashed 319 in India’s first innings, was deservedly named man of the match. He broke his own record of 309 runs in 2004 in Multan against Pakistan, although he couldn’t cross Lara’s record of 400 runs. Sehwag had taken India to a mammoth 627 in reply to South Africa’s first innings total of 540.

Dravid who completed his 10,000 runs in Test, is the third Indian and world’s sixth batsman to achieve the milestone. With this, the former Indian captain has also completed his 25th century.

The second Test will be played in Ahmedabad from April 3-7, with the third Test in Kanpur from April 11-15.

Tags: Amla, Boucher, Chennai, Dravid, First Test, Future Cup, Ganguly, India, Kallis, Sehwag, South Africa, Test

India and Pakistan would exchange the lists of prisoners languishing in each other’s jails on Monday in New Delhi and Islamabad. There are 372 Indian fishermen and around 99 other Indians in Pakistani jails as told by Indian Government.

A committee of retired judges was set up to look into the issue of prisoners from the two countries last year, which held its first meeting in February in New Delhi. The committee recommended the release of prisoners who have been detained for “petty offenses” and directed the officials of both the countries to exchange the lists before its next meeting in Islamabad in mid-April.

The committee members have also decided that the Indian chapter of their committee would visit jails in Pakistan in April.

Earlier this month, Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said that a new consular agreement was also being finalized between the two countries to ensure an expeditious release of prisoners and provision of consular access for them.

The list will be exchanged through the high commissions of both countries in New Delhi and Islamabad.

Tags: India, Islamabad, New Delhi, Pakistan

The spiritual leader of Tibetans Dalai Lama on Saturday said that China itself could be behind the violent troubles going in Tibet capital Lhasa.

At a press conference in New Delhi he said,” we have heard about a few hundred Chinese soldiers received monks’ dress. They (soldiers) dressed like monks. So, for a lay person, they will look like monks. But the swords they had, were not Tibetan, they were Chinese swords.”

He expressed the need to work with the Chinese authorities to restore peace in Tibet. The Dalai Lama has been seeking dialogue to resolve Tibet issue. He said that no response from China on this issue suggests that China Government may be involved in the violence of Tibet.

He declared that the future of his ‘middle-path’ approach would depend on Beijing’s attitude in the next few weeks.

“We have no power to bring China to the dialogue table.We have only truth and sincerity. That is why we are appealing to the world community, please help,” the Tibetan leader said.

“My side is open for dialogue. We are waiting to hear from the Chinese side,” he said before heading back to Dharamshala, the seat of his “government-in-exile’.

Once again he repeated his words that he has “no desire to seek Tibet’s separation” nor “any wish to drive a wedge between the Tibetan and Chinese peoples.”

He said that the attitude of Chinese Government will be important over next few weeks and that will decide the future of his ‘middle path approach’ to resolve this issue.

He also dismissed China’s concerns that Tibetans may cause trouble during the India-leg of the Olympic torch relay. He said that he was in favour of Beijing hosting the mega sporting event.

He said that his return to Tibet would be of no use without a certain degree of freedom.

Tags: China, Dalai, Dalai Lama, Delhi, India, Lhasa, Tibet