In the second strike in 24 hours, about 500 heavily armed Maoists encircled a village in Gaya district of Bihar and blew up a primary health centre, a middle school and community hall.
Earlier, the Maoists had blown up a police building in the same Chonha village on Saturday morning. It was the eighth Maoist attack in the district this month.
The Maoists also raided the two-storeyed house of a big farmer and former mukhiya of Narainpur panchayat of the Naxal-infested Dumaria block. Using walkie-talkies, they directed the farmer's wife, daughter and two maid servants, to move out of the house before dynamites were thrown in.
The farmer's son Rizwan Khan said the Maoists looted about 100 quintals of rice, an equal quantity of wheat, 10 quintals of potatoe and onion and some jewellery from the house.
According to Rizwan, he was in a neighbouring village when the Maoists started encircling his village. He immediately informed senior police officers, "but the police reached only after everything was over''.
Admitting that she got information about the movement of the Maoists, Magadh Range DIG Anupama Nilekar claimed that immediate steps were taken and police parties dispatched to the village.link
Monday 27 April 2009
Sunday 26 April 2009
Lalu's place is in jail: Rajiv Ranjan
A senior leader of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) on Sunday said that Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad would be in jail for his involvement in the multi-million rupee fodder scam if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) came to power at the centre.
"Lalu ka satta sukh ab khatam ho gaya hai, Lalu ko ab jail sukh bhogna hoga (The days of Lalu enjoying power are over, Lalu should now be ready to face the hard reality of jail)," Rajeev Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said at a election rally in Munger from where he is contesting the poll.
Known as a severe critic of Lalu Prasad, Singh said a fresh probe would be ordered into the RJD's chief involvement in the fodder scam if the NDA comes to power. He alleged that the RJD chief had managed to suppress the cases against him in the fodder scam with the help of the Congress.
Singh, a close confidant of chief minister Nitish Kumar, said Lalu Prasad would now be ousted from the centre in the same way he was ousted from Bihar in 2005.link
"Lalu ka satta sukh ab khatam ho gaya hai, Lalu ko ab jail sukh bhogna hoga (The days of Lalu enjoying power are over, Lalu should now be ready to face the hard reality of jail)," Rajeev Ranjan alias Lalan Singh said at a election rally in Munger from where he is contesting the poll.
Known as a severe critic of Lalu Prasad, Singh said a fresh probe would be ordered into the RJD's chief involvement in the fodder scam if the NDA comes to power. He alleged that the RJD chief had managed to suppress the cases against him in the fodder scam with the help of the Congress.
Singh, a close confidant of chief minister Nitish Kumar, said Lalu Prasad would now be ousted from the centre in the same way he was ousted from Bihar in 2005.link
Sunday 12 April 2009
BJP engaged in 'savarna' mobilisation
The spectre of former JD(U) leader and Bihar CM Jagannath Mishra is haunting NDA, specially BJP, in the Mithila region. Aware of the possible subversive or negative impact of the quitting of JD(U) by Mishra, the state BJP has engaged itself in active mobilisation of the "savarna samaj (upper caste sections)" in the region in favour of NDA.
The region accounts for three parliamentary constituencies -- Darbhanga, Madhubani and Jhanjharpur. While BJP is contesting Madhubani and Darbhanga seats, the Jhanjharpur seat has gone to JD(U). Incidentally, Mishra, in the past, has contested the Jhanjharpur seat, though unsuccessfully. Yet, the damage that he could cause is very much on the radar of NDA, specially BJP. It has been assumed that the adverse impact of the move of Mishra on NDA would be immediate. The poll would be held in the second phase.
Mishra had aired his concerns on the devastations wrought by the Kosi floods in the five districts, and had also queered the pitch for CM Nitish Kumar. Later, he quit JD(U), while his son Nitish Mishra, a JD(U) aspirant for the Jhanjharpur seat, resigned from the council of ministers. Senior Mishra cosied up to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, and also announced to support any candidate who could strengthen secular and democratic traditions.
BJP, in effect, has taken to damage control exercise. In less than a week, two of its state leaders -- former state president Tara Kant Jha and the party's state spokesman Vinod Narayan Jha -- have aired their concerns on the region to influence the voting behaviour of the people, specially the upper caste sections. While Tara Kant Jha, among other things, recently pointed to the contribution of NDA in securing recognition for Maithili language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Vinod Narayan Jha, after a week long tour of the region, reiterated it on Saturday.
He dubbed Mishra as "swayambhu neta (self-proclaimed leader)". Due to his new association with Lalu and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, he also called Mishra Lalu's "guru" and "chaaraa ghotaale ka humsafar", and put him as "naya humsafar" of Ram Vilas Paswan! He, finally, lambasted Mishra for claiming that the honeymoon of Brahmins (Maithil) with NDA in the Mithila region was over, and also blasted UPA.
"Not only the Brahmin community of the region, but all other sections are solidly behind NDA," Vinod Narayan said, adding: "Brahmins, in particular, constitute the intelligentsia. They have always longed for development and law and order, which the state NDA government has given in the last three and half years. This section is positively oriented towards NDA." link
The region accounts for three parliamentary constituencies -- Darbhanga, Madhubani and Jhanjharpur. While BJP is contesting Madhubani and Darbhanga seats, the Jhanjharpur seat has gone to JD(U). Incidentally, Mishra, in the past, has contested the Jhanjharpur seat, though unsuccessfully. Yet, the damage that he could cause is very much on the radar of NDA, specially BJP. It has been assumed that the adverse impact of the move of Mishra on NDA would be immediate. The poll would be held in the second phase.
Mishra had aired his concerns on the devastations wrought by the Kosi floods in the five districts, and had also queered the pitch for CM Nitish Kumar. Later, he quit JD(U), while his son Nitish Mishra, a JD(U) aspirant for the Jhanjharpur seat, resigned from the council of ministers. Senior Mishra cosied up to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, and also announced to support any candidate who could strengthen secular and democratic traditions.
BJP, in effect, has taken to damage control exercise. In less than a week, two of its state leaders -- former state president Tara Kant Jha and the party's state spokesman Vinod Narayan Jha -- have aired their concerns on the region to influence the voting behaviour of the people, specially the upper caste sections. While Tara Kant Jha, among other things, recently pointed to the contribution of NDA in securing recognition for Maithili language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, Vinod Narayan Jha, after a week long tour of the region, reiterated it on Saturday.
He dubbed Mishra as "swayambhu neta (self-proclaimed leader)". Due to his new association with Lalu and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan, he also called Mishra Lalu's "guru" and "chaaraa ghotaale ka humsafar", and put him as "naya humsafar" of Ram Vilas Paswan! He, finally, lambasted Mishra for claiming that the honeymoon of Brahmins (Maithil) with NDA in the Mithila region was over, and also blasted UPA.
"Not only the Brahmin community of the region, but all other sections are solidly behind NDA," Vinod Narayan said, adding: "Brahmins, in particular, constitute the intelligentsia. They have always longed for development and law and order, which the state NDA government has given in the last three and half years. This section is positively oriented towards NDA." link
Nominees with criminal charges galore in Bihar
IIM-Bangalore professor and Delhi-based Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) chairman Trilochan Sastry on Saturday admitted that election-watchers had their limitations in differentiating between the history-sheeter candidates contesting polls and political and social activists chargesheeted in various criminal cases involving some untoward incidents in course of their political and social agitations.
Attributing such a handicap to the absence of a seperate code for the political incidents in the Indian Penal Code, Sastry said as sections of the same Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) applied to both categories of wrong doers hardened criminals and those involved in criminal cases in course of their social and political activism, differentiation is next to impossible under the present laws.
Releasing a joint ADR and National Election Watch on Bihar Elections report, Sastry put forth a party-wise data of the candidates facing criminal charges contesting election in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. According to the data relating to the first phase of polls released by the two organisations, 16 out of 90 Independent candidates fall under such category.
Six out of eight nominees of the ruling JD(U) in the first phase are facing criminal charges. CPI-ML (Liberation) has same number of aspirants facing criminal charges as of JD(U). Six out of 10 RJD nominees contesting first phase of elections, too, are facing criminal charges. In case of BSP, this number is of five out of a dozen aspirants. Five out of the elevan Congress nominees are facing criminal charges, while one out of two LJP nominees contesting in first phase of elections is facing criminal charges, says the report.
On the basis of the affidavits filed by candidate with the election commission, the two organizations also released the name of 23 candidates having Rs one crore-plus wealth and assets.
Attributing such a handicap to the absence of a seperate code for the political incidents in the Indian Penal Code, Sastry said as sections of the same Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) applied to both categories of wrong doers hardened criminals and those involved in criminal cases in course of their social and political activism, differentiation is next to impossible under the present laws.
Releasing a joint ADR and National Election Watch on Bihar Elections report, Sastry put forth a party-wise data of the candidates facing criminal charges contesting election in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Bihar. According to the data relating to the first phase of polls released by the two organisations, 16 out of 90 Independent candidates fall under such category.
Six out of eight nominees of the ruling JD(U) in the first phase are facing criminal charges. CPI-ML (Liberation) has same number of aspirants facing criminal charges as of JD(U). Six out of 10 RJD nominees contesting first phase of elections, too, are facing criminal charges. In case of BSP, this number is of five out of a dozen aspirants. Five out of the elevan Congress nominees are facing criminal charges, while one out of two LJP nominees contesting in first phase of elections is facing criminal charges, says the report.
On the basis of the affidavits filed by candidate with the election commission, the two organizations also released the name of 23 candidates having Rs one crore-plus wealth and assets.
Thursday 19 March 2009
Kirti Azad to contest from Darbhanga in Bihar
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated cricketer-turned-politician Kirti Azad to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Darbhanga in Bihar. The party Thursday released its list of candidates for 15 constituencies in four states.
BJP president Rajnath Singh finalised the list at a meeting here. The party announced seven candidates for Delhi, three for Gujarat, two for Jammu and Kashmir, and three for Bihar.
BJP general secretary Vijay Goel has been given a ticket from the New Delhi constituency. Goel was initially considered for the Chandni Chowk seat but he wanted to contest from the New Delhi seat.
The general elections will be held April 16-May 13 in five phases. The counting of votes across the country will take place May 16.
BJP president Rajnath Singh finalised the list at a meeting here. The party announced seven candidates for Delhi, three for Gujarat, two for Jammu and Kashmir, and three for Bihar.
BJP general secretary Vijay Goel has been given a ticket from the New Delhi constituency. Goel was initially considered for the Chandni Chowk seat but he wanted to contest from the New Delhi seat.
The general elections will be held April 16-May 13 in five phases. The counting of votes across the country will take place May 16.
Tuesday 17 March 2009
60 expelled on first day of +2 exams in Bihar
At least 60 examinees were on Monday expelled for using unfair means on the first day of plus two examinations, being conducted by the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB).
According to the BSEB control room, eight examinees were expelled at Munger, five at Bhagalpur, four at Ara, three at Patna, 11 at Muzaffarpur, eight at Siwan, one at Samastipur, 17 at Saharsa, two at Nawada and one examinee was expelled at Sheohar.
Altogether 5,82,309 examinees are appearing at the Intermediate examinations at 459 examination centres across the state. Compared to last year, 72,000 more examinees are appearing at the examination this year.
According to the BSEB control room, eight examinees were expelled at Munger, five at Bhagalpur, four at Ara, three at Patna, 11 at Muzaffarpur, eight at Siwan, one at Samastipur, 17 at Saharsa, two at Nawada and one examinee was expelled at Sheohar.
Altogether 5,82,309 examinees are appearing at the Intermediate examinations at 459 examination centres across the state. Compared to last year, 72,000 more examinees are appearing at the examination this year.
Monday 16 March 2009
Discovery Channel to telecast film on Bihar's Super 30
The success story of a Bihar-based coaching institute will be telecast by Discovery Channel this weekend, showing how its underprivileged and marginalised students make their way to India's premier Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT).
"The Discovery Channel would telecast the inspiring story of Super 30 Sunday afternoon and March 21 and 29. This is the first time Discovery has chosen something positive from Bihar for telecast," said Anand Kumar, who runs the institute, called Super 30.
Super 30 selects a group of 30 IIT aspirants from poor and marginalised families and provides free coaching, food and accommodation. Last year all the students of Super 30 passed the highly competitive IIT entrance exam.
"It was the first time that Super 30 achieved 100 percent success. The success of Super 30 lies in hard work and proper guidance for achieving excellent result," Kumar said.
An hour-long documentary, produced by Veronica Hall and directed by Christopher Mitchell, captured all aspects of the mission started by mathematician Anand Kumar seven years ago. The film, shot over a year, shows how the students develop confidence in themselves despite their impoverished backgrounds.
"It is a very inspiring story which the people would certainly like to see and know. This is the reason Discovery decided to show a one-hour documentary on the successful experiment of Anand, which has shaped many lives," said Rajiv Bakshi of the Discovery Channel.
Director of the film Christopher Mitchell said the film had evoked tremendous response.
"Super 30 is an amazing initiative and it needs to be taken to maximum people around the globe," said Mitchell, whose film also bagged the Audience Choice Award at the sixth Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles.link
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