Mamata takes oath as West Bengal CM

Kolkata

May 20, 2011 

Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee and her new Council of Ministers were sworn-in today at Raj Bhavan at 1:01 p.m. Governor M.K. Narayanan administered the oath of office and secrecy.

Besides Banerjee, 42 Ministers also took oath at the glittering function.

Out of total ministers, 35 will be from Trinamool Congress and remaining seven from Congress.

Over 3,200 guests including outgoing Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Chief of Tata Group Ratan Tata, family members of Shingur and Nandigram movement victims were invited to witness the star-studded swearing-in ceremony.

Also present were Union Ministers P. Chidambaram, A. K. Anthony and Pranab Mukherjee.

Giant screens were set up at various locations in Kolkata for live telecast of the ceremony for everyone to see.

The Trinamool Congress, had on Monday, formally staked the claim to form the next government in West Bengal shortly after Banerjee was unanimously elected Leader of the Trinamool Congress Legislature Party (TCLP).

The TMC-Congress combine won 227 seats out of 294 in the legislative assembly, while the ruling Left Front, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), only garnered 62 seats.

The TMC is the biggest coalition ally of Congress and holds the balance of power in Parliament. Analysis feel that her victory may force the government to be more dependent on an unpredictable parliamentary partner opposed to several key economic reforms.

http://connect.in.com/mamata-banerjee/article-mamata-takes-oath-as-west-bengal-cm-543-14b58703b4ea68baeb44e68c72c661d724f2d4ab.html

DMK MP Kanimozhi arrested, sent to Tihar jail

New Delhi, May 20 (PTI)

Kanimozhi, DMK MP and Karunanidhi's daughter, was today arrested and sent to Tihar jail by a Delhi court which dismissed her bail plea in the 2G spectrum scam, saying there was a possibility of witnesses being influenced considering the "magnitude" of the crime.

The 43-year-old daughter of Karunanidhi's second wife Rajathi, was shocked on hearing the order pronounced by Special CBI judge O P Saini but maintained her calm in the court. However, tears welled up in her eyes when she was taken to the court lock-up by police personnel. Clad in an orange salwar suit, she was later driven in a Delhi police van to Tihar prison where she will be lodged in jail no 6. Former Telecom Minister A Raja is already lodged in Tihar. The judge also rejected the bail plea of Sharad Kumar, MD and CEO of Kalaignar TV Private Ltd, who along with Kanimozhi, faces the charge of conspiracy and bribery in accepting Rs.200 crore from D B Realty for for the channel in the spectrum scam. "Considering the magnitude of the crime, nature and enormity of the allegations, character of evidence on record and the apprehension that the witnesses may be influenced in case the accused are released on bail, I have no hesitation in holding that both applicants/accused have failed to make out a prima facie case for bail. "Bail applications are without merit and the same are dismissed," the court said in its 144-page order brushing aside her lawyer Ram Jethamalani's arguments that urged for chivalry for her being a woman. One of the bodyguards of Kanimozhi started crying inconsolably when Kanimozhi was being taken inside the lock-up at Patiala House Courts here. Kanimozhi, who was  accompanied by her husband Aravindan, family members and DMK Parliamentary Party chief leader T R Baalu, first inquired about the order from A Raja as she could not hear it properly. As Raja broke the news to her, stunned Kanimozhi tried very hard to control emotions and was being hugged by her husband before some women constables took over and led her inside the lock-up. The court  said most of the witnesses against the DMK MP are the employees of Kalaignar TV and hence, possibility of they being influenced cannot be ruled out. "Considering the magnitude of the crime and the fact that many of the witnesses are employees of Kalaignar TV, there is every apprehension that the witnesses may be influenced, if the accused are released on bail," it said. The court, which did not not go into the merits of the case and termed the observations as "tentative", said that there were "incriminating" evidence against her and Sharad. "The role of both of the accused in the case is clear... magnitude of the crime is enormous. The allegations, on the face of it, are very grave. "The supporting evidence is also there on record. The submissions, as such, with utmost respect are without merit," the court said. The court, which had reserved its order on May 7, on the bail applications of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar has referred to various judgments of the Supreme Court to negate the arguments of noted criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani who appeared for the DMK leader. The court rejected the legal argument that an accused be released on bail if she was not arrested during investigations. "It is clear that on the appearance of an accused in court in response to summons issued by the court, his bail application is required to be disposed of on merits of the case and bail cannot be allowed as matter of right. "As such the accused has no right to be released on bail simply because she was not arrested during investigation and appeared in the court in response to the summons. He has to make out a case for bail on merits," it said while referring to various case laws on the issue. Giving reasons for denial of bail, the court said some of the key witnesses against them were the employees of Kalaignar TV, alleged recipient of Rs 200 crore bribe from firms promoted by Shahid Usman Balwa and they can be influenced upon. The court also cited the statements of prosecution witnesses G Rajendran, an employee of Kalaignar TV and Aseervatham Achary, a former aide of Raja,  to refer to the culpability of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar in the 2G scam. The judge said that  both the accused were in conspiracy with each other and A Raja. They played key roles in receiving illegal gratification for their television channel in which both held 20 per cent shares each. The court also rejected the plea of Jethmalani that Kanimozhi be released on the sole ground that she is a woman. "Sex is one of the grounds which may be considered at the time of grant of bail. However, considering the magnitude of the crime and the allegations against her, I am unable to show any consideration to her on this ground," the court said. However, the "dignified" conduct of Kanimozhi during court proceedings earned special praise for her. "I wish, I could show her some consideration, considering her extremely dignified conduct in the court," the CBI Judge said. CBI had chargesheeted Kanimozhi on April 25 in the scam. It had indicted her of having taken bribe to the tune of Rs 200 crore, which was routed to Kalaignar TV, in which she has 20 percent stake. Besides Kanimozhi, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi's wife Dayalu Ammal, holds 60 per cent share in the Kalaignar TV. She, however, was not chargesheeted in the case as the CBI said she neither knew English nor used to take part in the day-to-day functioning of the channel. http://www.deccanherald.com/content/162812/dmk-mp-kanimozhi-arrested-sent.html

Opposition welcomes DMK MP Kanimozhi's arrest

New Delhi: The Opposition on Friday welcomed the CBI special court's decision ordering the arrest of DMK MP Kanimozhi in the 2G scam spectrum case.

"These arrests and actions have been possible only because the Supreme Court is monitoring the inquiry," said BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar.

He also added, "This is the only UPA regime where government controlled inquiries will produce no results."

Javadekar said, "If we want effective results, the only way is Supreme Court because government monitored agencies do not perform. The enquiries about other scams including CWG then only will we be getting justice."

Communist Party of India (CPI) Secretary D Raja said, "Congress stands thoroughly exposed."

Kanimozhi and Kalaignar TV MD and CEO Sharad Kumar were arrested after a Special Central Bureau of Investigating (CBI) court dismissed the bail petition of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar in the case following which they were taken into custody.

While rejecting their bail petition Judge OP Saini ordered their "forthwith" arrest and directed the duo to appear before it at 10 am on Saturday. Kanimozhi and Kumar will be lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail.

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/opposition-welcomes-dmk-mp-kanimozhis-arrest/153004-3.html

DMK leaders take stock of Kanimozhi's bail plea rejection

2011-05-20 16:20:00
Last Updated: 2011-05-20 16:25:37

PTI

Chennai: Top DMK leaders went into a huddle at the residence of party chief M Karunanidhi in the wake of a Delhi court rejecting the bail plea of his daughter Kanimozhi in the 2G spectrum case on Friday.

Senior leaders rushed to the CIT Colony residence of Karunanidhi and Kanimozhi soon after news broke out about the court verdict.

Karunanidhi was glued to the TV to know about the latest on the fate of his daughter, set to be arrested by CBI, and was "apparently" upset after the rejection of the bail plea, party sources said. 

Kanimozhi arrested

The next course of action of the DMK, a key ally of UPA, was not immediately known.

Putting up a strong defence of Kanimozhi when she was named in the charge sheet as a co-conspirator along with former telecom minister A Raja, the DMK had said it would fight the case legally.

All About: DMK, 2G scam, Kanimozhi, Topnews

http://www.sify.com/news/dmk-leaders-take-stock-of-kanimozhi-s-bail-plea-rejection-news-national-lfuqujbjhje.html?scategory=national&tag=Topnews

AIADMK vote share not sufficient to best its 1991 record

T. RAMAKRISHNAN

The AIADMK's return to power in the Assembly elections, despite being spectacular, was not sufficient to best its 1991 record in securing vote share.

At that time, the party, along with the Congress, faced the elections and contested from 168 constituencies, three more than in 2011. Its vote share then was 44.39 per cent whereas the party has bagged 38.41 per cent of the total votes polled now. The 1991 elections were marred by the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in Sriperumbudur on May 21, 1991.

But, what was more significant was that, as has happened now, it was Jayalalithaa who had then spearheaded the poll campaign for her front as general secretary of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). She became Chief Minister for the first time then.

The 2011 performance was marginally less than what the party had achieved in 1980 when its founder M.G. Ramachandran made a spectacular comeback after the dismissal of his ministry in February that year. Fighting the elections with a number of smaller parties, the AIADMK, 31 years ago, won 129 seats and polled 38.75 per cent.

If one were to exclude the performance of the AIADMK in 1989, when it was a divided house and two groups faced the elections separately on two different symbols, the party got the lowest vote share, 21.47 per cent, in 1996. At that time, the AIADMK was trounced and Ms. Jayalalithaa herself lost from Bargur constituency. It won in just four constituencies.

An interesting feature of the performance of the AIADMK over the years was that it secured only 30.36 per cent of votes in the 1977 elections, described by many as historic, given the fact that the party captured power for the first time. On all other occasions, except in 1991, the party had polled higher vote share. Even in 2006, when the party lost power, it got 32.64 per cent.

Keywords: Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, AIADMK


http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2032701.ece

WORLD ISLAMIC TAMIL LITERARY CONFERENCE MALAYSIA

அஸ்ஸ‌லாமு அலைக்கும்

ம‌லேசியாவில் உலக இஸ்லாமிய‌த் த‌மிழ் இல‌க்கிய‌ மாநாடு : இல‌க்கிய‌ ஆர்வ‌ல‌ர்க‌ள் உல‌கெங்கிலும் இருந்து விரைந்த‌ன‌ர்.

ம‌லேசியாவில் உலக இஸ்லாமிய‌த் த‌மிழ் இல‌க்கிய‌ மாநாடு மே 20 முத‌ல் 22 வ‌ரை வெகு சிற‌ப்புற‌ நடைபெற‌ இருக்கிற‌து.

இம்மாநாட்டில் க‌ல‌ந்து கொள்ள‌ காயிதேமில்ல‌த் பேர‌வை ச‌ர்வ‌தேச ஒருங்கிணைப்பாள‌ரும், வேலூர் நாடாளும‌ன்ற‌ உறுப்பின‌ருமான‌ அல்ஹாஜ் எம். அப்துல் ர‌ஹ்மான், கேப்ட‌ன் அமீர் அலி,  க‌விக்கோ அப்துல் ர‌ஹ்மான், இஸ்லாமிய‌த் த‌மிழ் இல‌க்கிய‌க் க‌ழ‌க‌ பொதுச்செய‌லாள‌ர் சாய‌பு ம‌ரைக்காய‌ர், இஸ்லாமிய‌ இல‌க்கிய‌க் க‌ழ‌க‌ பொதுச்செய‌லாள‌ர் பேரா. அப்துஸ் ஸ‌ம‌த், முனைவ‌ர் ப‌ர்வீன் சுல்தானா, முனைவ‌ர் பீ.மு. அஜ்ம‌ல் கான், இந்திய‌ யூனிய‌ன் முஸ்லிம் லீக் இல‌க்கிய‌ அணியின் ஏம்ப‌ல் த‌ஜ‌ம்ம‌ல் முஹ‌ம்ம‌து, துபாய் ஈமான் அமைப்பின் ஊட‌க‌த்துறை செய‌லாள‌ர் முதுவை ஹிதாய‌த், தேசிய‌ ந‌ல்லாசிரிய‌ர் முதுகுள‌த்தூர் எஸ். அப்துல் காத‌ர் உள்ளிட்ட‌ ப‌ல‌ர் வ‌ருகை புரிந்துள்ள‌ன‌ர்.

இம்மாநாட்டில் க‌ல‌ந்து கொள்ள‌ இந்தியா, இல‌ங்கை, ம‌லேஷியா, சிங்க‌ப்பூர், ஐக்கிய‌ அரபு அமீர‌க‌ம், பாங்காக் உள்ளிட்ட‌ ப‌ல்வேறு ப‌குதிக‌ளில் இருந்தும் பேராள‌ர்க‌ள் வ‌ருகை த‌ந்த‌ வ‌ண்ண‌ம் உள்ள‌ன‌ர்.
மாநாட்டு ஏற்பாடுக‌ளைக் க‌வ‌னிக்க‌ சிற‌ப்பு குழுவின‌ர் சிறப்புட‌ன் செய‌ல்ப‌ட்டு வ‌ருகின்ற‌ன‌ர்.

விரைவில் மாநாட்டு த‌க‌வ‌ல்க‌ளை ம‌லேஷியாவில் இருந்து வழ‌ங்க‌ப்ப‌டும் இன்ஷா அல்லாஹ்.
மாநாடு சிற‌ப்புட‌ன் ந‌டைபெற‌ அனைவ‌ரும் பிரார்த்திப்போம்.

 Muduvai hidayath

ALL NEWS ON WOMEN MLAs 2011

Out of the 824 newly elected MLAs, only 72 (9%) women MLAs are in the 5 new Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal.

Overall, the total number of women MLAs in these 5 Assemblies has reduced from 80 in 2006 to 72 in 2011.

      West Bengal    34 (12 per cent in the assembly)

              ASSAM             14 (11 per cent in the assembly)

              TAMIL NADU    17 (7 per cent in the assembly)

              Kerala               5 (5 per cent in the assembly)

              PUDUCHERY   NIL

              PARTY-WISE  MLAs (Out of total 72 Women MLAs)

             AITC    24 (13 per cent)

             INC      17 (10 per cent)

             AIDMK  12 (8 per cent)

           WOMEN MLAs MULTI MILLIONAIRS (Out of 72 women  MLAs)

           TOP TWO WOMEN MLSs

           Jayalalithaa (AIDMK)         Tamil Nadu :Asset worth Rs. 51.4 Crores

           Kasturi Das (AITC)             West Bengal: Asset worth Rs.  7.2 Crores

            Multi-Crores

              

           TAMIL NADU          9

           ASSAM                   6

           WEST BENGAL       4

           TOTAL           19     

13 women MLAs out of 72 (i.e. 18%) have pending criminal cases against them.Comparatively, 244 men MLAs out of a total of 752 (32%) have pending criminal cases against them.

Source:ADRIndia