Howrah News Service - Latest news and headlines on Howrah,West Bengal and World

TC, BUPC supporters lathicharged at Nandigram

Sat, 10 May 2008 16:00:00 -0400

In yet another incidence of violence ahead of Sunday’s Panchayat polls, some Trinamool Congress and BUPC supporters were lathicharged on Saturday by the Rapid Action Force as they tried to prevent a truck with material for elections from moving out of the BDO`s office.

The TMC and Bhumi Ucched Pratirodh Committee workers had stopped the truck on the ground that they would be unable to vote as they had been driven out of their villages, the police said.

Justifying the lathicharge, the office-in-charge of Nandigram Debasish Chakraborty said, "Police have done their duty." A journalist was also injured in RAF action, he said.

The truck carrying the election material moved out after the supporters were dispersed.

The CRPF, meanwhile, searched the house of a CPI(M) supporter Panchanan Jana at Kakaberia after initially being denied permission by the police. However, nothing was found.

A BUPC supporter was yesterday admitted to a hospital after he was allegedly beaten up by suspected CPI(M) activists, sources in organisation had said.

On his part, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee had played down the renewed violence at Nandigram while assuring the people yesterday of a "peaceful" Panchayat election.

`CPI(M) goons taking away voter ID cards in Nandigram`

Sat, 10 May 2008 15:58:00 -0400

Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi on Saturday said it was evident that the Left Front government was losing its grip in West Bengal as CPI(M) men forcibly took away photo identity cards of voters in Nandigram ahead of the Panchayat polls.

"I received reports from the local levels of the Congress this morning that CPI(M) goons forcibly took away voter ID cards of innocent people at Nandigram. They have also been threatened with dire consequences," he said while campaigning for the May 18 Panchayat polls here.

"The incidents at Nandigram are a shame for the people of the state. Never in its history so many farmers have been beaten up or so many women raped," he said in an apparent reference to Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee`s comment yesterday that the situation in the area had radically changed and peaceful polls would be held there.

People should give a "fitting reply" to the violence at Nandigram, Dasmunshi said, adding that the state had failed to properly implement the Central projects.

The situation at the power front was particularly bad as people in many rural areas have been living without electricity for the past 30 years since the Left Front came to power, he added.

Bird flu in Darjeeling, culling begins

Sat, 10 May 2008 15:56:00 -0400

Culling of birds began in 42 villages in the mountain foothill areas of Darjeeling district on Saturday where avian flu has been detected. District Magistrate Rajesh Pandey said 283 birds were reported to have died in and around Sukna area between April 27 and May 4 following which samples were sent to High Security Diseases Laboratory in Bhopal, which confirmed the outbreak of avian flu.

The report reached the district authorities on May 8 and culling of birds began this morning, he said. Pandey said 25 culling teams spread to 41 villages — 10 at Sukna in Kurseong sub-division and 31 others in adjacent Matigara, Atharokhai and upper and lower Bagdogra gram panchayat area — where 18,000 chicken were to be killed.

Trading and business of poultry products was banned in the area as per orders, he said. Official sources said the state government would pay compensation of Rs 30 per broiler, Rs 40 for per household bird and Rs 10 per chick. Medicines would also be distributed in the affected areas.

PM hindering West Bengal`s growth: Buddhadeb

Sat, 10 May 2008 15:51:00 -0400

West Bengal is suffering due to Manmohan Singh`s incompetence, Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee said on Saturday, a day after he lashed out at the Prime Minister for rising inflation."A number of state projects are awaiting Singh`s clearance for over a year. I don`t know why he is sitting on them. This delay is affecting the development of Bengal," Bhattacharjee told reporters.

"The projects awaiting his approval include a deep sea port, a chemical hub at Nayachar in East Midnapore district, Light Rail Transit, greenfield airport and upgradation of Bengal Engineering and Science University."

The Chief Minister accused Singh of failure to control inflation.

"Not only Bengal, but entire India is suffering because of his lack of decision-making power and wrong actions. Take inflation for example. Inflation today shot to 7.61 percent from 7.57 percent. And he is still sitting hand-on-hand thinking what to do. He is not concerned about the common people," Bhattacharjee said.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, the Chief Minister said Singh had failed to perform his duties and responsibilities as a Prime Minister on all fronts. "With all regards to Singh, I must say that he has failed as a Prime Minister. Besides, after he assumed office, the Congress party lost major elections like those in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh,” he said.

"Singh does not have leadership qualities. If nothing is done now, the Congress will lose the Karnataka polls as well," he said.

Bhattacharjee`s attack on Singh on Friday had prompted an immediate reaction from the Prime Minister`s Office, saying the allegations were unfounded and lacked legitimacy.

Asserting that in the "daily din of politics" such statements are often made, Singh`s media adviser Sanjaya Baru said: “The country is aware of the record of Manmohan Singh and it is there for everyone to see. The Indian economy has never performed more strongly than in the past four years and India`s global standing has never been higher than today. The Prime Minister has made the growth process more inclusive. The facts speak for themselves."

Earlier on Friday, West Bengal Chief Minister lashed out the Prime Minister and the UPA Government at the Centre saying the government has failed on the economic front. West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was once the PM's the blue-eyed boy.

"I repeat what I said earlier. This isn't to denigrate the PM's high office. I have great regards for Manmohan Singh. But the government under him couldn't check inflation and rising prices of essential commodities," Buddha said, toeing the CPM line that has started distancing itself from Congress in the run-up to the next year's Lok Sabha elections.

Whether CPM would support a Congress-led government at the Centre if the Left and its allies failed to gain a majority in the next year's polls, he said: "It's too early to say. The party will decide on this only after the parliamentary elections."

Amarnath shrine to have an artificial Shivlingam too

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:25:00 -0400

Jammu: When this year's Amarnath pilgrimage begins on June 18, the pilgrims will have to pass by an artificial Shivlingam before paying obeisance at the natural one. "The pilgrims will be allowed to spend time at the artificial Shivlingam, where they would be permitted to light incense sticks and drape it with flowers," said an official of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

"This proposal has been cleared to ensure that the natural ice Shivlingam is protected from the hands of the pilgrims, who invariably seek to touch the lingam and cause it to melt at a faster pace," the official said.

Earlier attempts by the shrine board to save the Shivlingam from melting by keeping dry ice had failed to yield results. The Shivlingam had melted quite early in 2006 and 2007. Some attributed it to global warming and others to the "wrongdoing" by pilgrims who visited the shrine ahead of the schedule.

All arrangements are being put in place to make this year's pilgrimage smooth and comfortable, the official said.

Traders and hoteliers in Pahalgam have decided to offer major discounts to the pilgrims. The Himalayan cave shrine, located at nearly 4,000 metres above sea level, has been attracting 400,000 pilgrims. This year, because of the intense heat in the plains, the number of pilgrims is expected to go up. (IANS)

Nehru, Indira could see real, fake loyalty: Arjun

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:23:00 -0400

New Delhi: Senior Congress leader and Union Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on Friday took an indirect dig at Congress president Sonia Gandhi by saying that the "yardstick of loyalty in the Congress has become limited these days", while praising Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and even Sanjay Gandhi. Singh, who has already created a stir by his statement that there is no internal democracy in the Congress, said: "Pandit Nehru and Indira Gandhi had a great ability to recognise loyal people, and could differentiate between real loyalty and fake loyalty."

The HRD minister, collection of articles on whom titled "Mohin Kahan Vishram" (No rest for me) was released Friday evening, said he was a person who was opposed to the Emergency in 1975 "because it was misused".

He said, however, both Indira Gandhi and Sanjay Gandhi allowed him to air his views. He said that in 1980 he ran for elections on a Congress ticket and Sanjay Gandhi even campaigned for him despite his criticism against the Emergency.

"I could not have 51 years of public life if I had failed to have the trust of Nehru, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, adivasis, backwards classes of Madhya Pradesh, dacoits of Chambal ravines, Sant Harcharan Singh Longowal and terrorists of Punjab."

Launching the book, President Pratibha Patil said: "Politics is hard life in which private and public life blur." Interestingly, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present on the occasion, did not speak.(IANS)

Yash Raj Films embroiled in another 'title' controversy

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:21:00 -0400

Mumbai: Yash Raj Films has once again got embroiled in a controversy over the title of its forthcoming movie "Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic," which has Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukherjee in lead roles. The film is co-produced and directed by Kunal Kohli. Actor-producer Saahil Chadha has challenged the title of "Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic," saying it is similar to the title of "Thoda Life, Thoda Magic," which is his first film as a producer and he had registered it with the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA) two years ago.

"When I took up the matter with Kunal Kohli last month, he promised me that he would change the title to 'Thoda Magic Ho Jai'. But he went back on his word as the trailer of the movie now being shown with YRF"s 'Tashan' bears the title 'Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Magic', which sounds similar to the title of my movie," Saahil told.

Kohli, on the other hand, disputed Sahil's argument. "As the title registration committee of the Film and Television Producers' Guild of India, with whom the title of our movie has been registered, has cleared it, personally, I have nothing to comment on the matter," Kunal said, but refused to elaborate further.

Saahil has now lodged a complaint with IMPPA, saying that as his movie, "Thoda Life, Thoda Magic," would be released almost simultaneously with "Thoda Pyaar, Thoda Life," due on June 27, it would affect his venture the most. "It is absolutely unethical on the part of Guild that it should flout the industry's established procedures of title registration in order to accommodate the whims of its resourceful members," Saahil remarked.

The matter has now taken the form of a duel between IMPPA and the Guild. "Neither YRF nor Kunal can browbeat our member on the basis of their clout. We will ensure that they change the title of their film," said Anil Nagrath, secretary IMPPA.

Saahil's "Thoda Life, Thoda Magic," made under a joint banner of Rissa Entertainment Pvt. Ltd and Fizz Entertainment, has Jackie Shroff, Arbaaz Khan, Meera Vasudevan, Parmeet Sethi and Saahil himself in the cast.

Last year, YRF ran into a problem with the title of its movie, "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag". At the time of the movie's release, a small-time producer, Shripati Mishra, had alleged that YRF had usurped the title he had registered in his name with the Western India Film Producers' Association.

But the matter fizzled out as Mishra's movie had not mounted the sets at the time YRF's "Laaga Chunari Mein Daag" was released. (IANS)

Jharkhand govt to give its students a haircut

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:17:00 -0400

Ranchi: The Jharkhand government is going to give haircuts to students in state-run schools. The state's human resource development minister Bandhu Tirkey said,"School principals have been directed to hire part-time barbers to give the students haircuts in the schools. There are many poor students with long hair as their parents are unable to take them to barbers.

He said,"The barbers will be available in school for at least three days every week." To implement the decision, 30,000 - 40,000 barbers will be needed as there are over 16,000 primary, middle and high schools in the state. The barbers are happy with the decision. Barber Gyan Thakur said,"We welcome the decision. It will give employment to barbers and at the same time help the poor children of the state."

The state's HRD department is introducing several schemes to check school dropouts. Earlier, Tirkey had announced poor students would have their birthdays celebrated in school.

"We have to make education attractive for the students and reduce the burden of the parents. Jharkhand is one of the backward states of the country and we need to improve literacy rate. Caring for poor students can help in improving the literacy rate," he added.

In Jharkhand, the literacy rate is 54 per cent, compared to the national average of 65 per cent. (IANS)

Buddhadeb attacks Manmohan Singh; PMO reacts

Sat, 10 May 2008 02:06:00 -0400

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee on Friday lashed out against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying that he had failed to check rising inflation and advocated a third front alternative. "I repeat what I have said. I did not try to denigrate the Prime Minister. I have high respect for him. Unfortunately he is heading a government which is failing to perform," he told reporters in Kolkata. "He could not control the inflation and the price rise of essential commodities," Bhattacharjee said.

The attack prompted an immediate reaction from the Prime Minister's Office, saying the allegations were unfounded and lacked legitimacy. Asserting that in the "daily din of politics" such statements are often made, the Prime Minister's media adviser Sanjaya Baru said the "country is in fact aware of the record of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and it is there for everyone to see."

"The Indian economy has never performed more strongly than in the past four years and India's global standing has never been higher than today. The PM has made the growth process more inclusive. The facts speak for themselves," he said. Baru said Bhattacharya's remarks targeting the PM are all part of politics.

Earlier, Bhattacharjee said that the Prime Minister was heading a government which is failing to perform and alleged, "He could not control the inflation and the price rise of essential commodities."

Asked whether the CPI(M) would again support the Congress to form the government if the Left and allies failed to get majority to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party away, Bhattacherjee said, "It is too early to say. After the parliamentary elections, the party will meet and decide."

"We are supporting the Manmohan Singh government on certain conditions. On the economic front, the government is failing, but Congress is a secular party," he said.

Stating that the Congress was losing election after election and the BJP was taking advantage, he said "Our position is clear. We cannot support the BJP-led NDA. We cannot support the Congress. Our goal is to build up a third alternative at the Centre minus Congress and BJP and we are trying for it." (IANS)

Microsoft to issue fixes for Word

Fri, 09 May 2008 18:13:57 -0400

IT WATCH / K.Venugopal

Microsoft is issuing several security patches next week to fix vulnerabilities in Word, Publisher and Jet database software.

Another update will be issued for Microsoft’s anti-vir-us products, which can be exploited by hackers. The software major will release the updates on Tuesday.

In a statement on its website, Micros-oft said that hackers had found a way to force in malicious jet files with an mdb extension by fooling Outlook. This affects Windows XP too.

Similarly, MS has also termed the flaw in Word as critical. The bug in the security system has been affecting many appl-ications including Windows Defender and OneCare. Meanwhile, it has also provided download for its final service pack for XP.

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Fake MP3 create havoc

Booby-trapped files masquerading as mp3 songs are doing the rounds in the Internet.

Security firm McAfee said that more than 5,00,000 computers users were fooled by the fake files in the last one week.

Several thousands of them also ran the files in their computers opening the gates for irritating adware and pop-ups.

The files appear in various names including girls aloud, changing times earth wind, heartbroken fast and have been gallivanting in major file sharing networks such as eDonkey and Limewire. Some of the files masquerade as pornographic clips and short movies to entice users.

McAfee claims that this was the largest such attack in the last three years.

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MySpace to share data

Social networking site MySpace has decided to allow users to share their personal data with other websites incl-uding Yahoo, Twitter, eBay and Photobucket.

MySpace has been highly protective of its members so far and had refused to share data with other sites.

Now that it has opened its doors, members can share everything from photos, videos, write-ups and friends’ lists with other sites.

MySpace says that the initiative puts users in the driver’s seat of their data and web identity.

In fact, MySpace has become so liberal that it is even ready to exchange information with its arch rival Facebook.

Analysts say that the move will give MySpace the opportunity to reach out to more people.