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Sports: End India’s domination to set ICC right — Greig Pg 15 IN BRIEF Dawood’s brother shot at Fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim’s brother Iqbal Kaksar was shot at by four gunmen in South Mumbai tonight but he escaped unhurt while his driver was killed. Two persons, suspected to be among the assailants, were caught by the locals while trying to flee from the spot near J J Hospital and handed over to the police, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Rajkumar Vatkar said. — (PTI)
Scene shifts to Bangalore after BJP’s Delhi parade GABRIEL VAZ BANGALORE, MAY 17
Karnataka’s beleaguered Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa, who along with the National BJP leadership paraded 120 MLAs before Rashtrapathi Bhavan in Delhi,
rade before Rashtrapathi Bhavan to prove that he enjoys a clear majority. The delegation comprising BJP Opposition leaders in both Houses of Parliament Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitely, and other leaders called on Pres-
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Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa along with senior BJP leaders and Karnataka state MLAs march to the President house in New Delhi on Tuesday.
We have apprised the President of the anticonstitutional activities of the Governor and have asked her to totally reject the recommendations for unseating a Government enjoying full confidence of the House. We have also demanded immediate recall of the Governor. — Nitin Gadkari seems to have weathered the storm created by Governor H R Bhardwaj’s controversial recommendation for suspending the State Assembly and clamping President’s rule in the State as the Congress-led UPA regime developed cold feet over taking on the saffron brigade. Accompanied by national BJP President Nitin Gadkari and other Central leaders along with the 120 MLAs supporting him, Yeddyurappa led a massive pa-
ident Pratibha Patil and urged her to reject Bhardwaj’s “unconstitutional and politically motivated” report aimed at destabilizing a duly-elected Government despite its clear majority of 121 members out of the 223 members in the Assembly, excluding a vacant seat. Yeddyurappa’s Cabinet colleagues and ruling BJP MLAs, including 10 out of the 11 party MLAs, whose disqualification from the membership of the
House by the Speaker K G Bopaiah was nullified by the SC, as also national party general secretary Ananth Kumar, who had openly aligned himself with the anti-Yeddyurappa elements, joined in the delegation for staging a massive parade before the Rashtrapathi Bhavan in the full glare of the media. “We have apprised the President of the anti-constitutional activities of the Governor and have asked her to totally reject the recommendations for unseating a Government enjoying full confidence of the House”, Gadkari told reporters after meeting the President. “We have also demanded immediate recall of the Governor”, he added. The Chief Minister later announced that the BJP legislators would be flying to Bangalore by a special flight on Wednesday morning and would continue their fight against Bhardwaj in Bangalore. “We will stage a dharna in front of Raj Bhavan tomorrow and will keep up the pressure for the recall of the Governor”, he declared. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, according to reports from Delhi, consulted his senior Cabinet colleagues including Home Minister P Chidambaram, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Communications and Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and Law Minister (Continued on page 8)
No compromise on medium: FORCE HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 17
The Forum for the Rights of Children’s Education (FORCE) has said it will not compromise on its demand for inclusion of English as the medium of instruction at the primary level, even as PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao maintained that the Congress leaders will press for providing grants for English medium during Wednesday meeting in New Delhi. An eight-member FORCE delegation led by Secretary Savio Lopes landed in the national capital on Tuesday evening, ahead of tomorrow’s crucial meeting called by the Centre to break the deadlock on the medium row. Lopes told Herald from Delhi that FORCE would not compromise on its one-point demand of inclusion of English as the medium of instruction at the primary level. “The delegation would impress upon the central leaders why the Government should provide grants for English medium primary schools”, he said, adding that there’s no change at all in the consistent
There’s no change at all in the consistent demand. The delegation would impress upon the central leaders why the Government should provide grants for English medium primary schools. — Savio Lopes
demand of FORCE that the Government should include English as the medium of instruction. The eight-member delegation was camping in Delhi and waiting for the meeting agenda and the venue from the Congress central leaders. Meanwhile, PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao who also headed to the national capital said the Congress leaders would make a strong case for inclusion of English as the medium of instruction. “We will impress upon the central leadership that the Government respects the wishes and sentiments of parents. The choice of the medium of instruction should be left to the parents”, Alemao asserted.
He said the Congress Ministers and MLAs have already conveyed the demands of the parents to the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and central leaders and exuded confidence that a solution would be worked out at tomorrow’s meeting. Meanwhile, an Executive Committee member of PTA Dinar Baros has sought to know why a Delhi durbar was required to sort out the Medium of Instruction wrangle. Baros said the parent-members of the PTAs of various schools under the banner of FORCE had reposed faith in an ad-hoc committee to pursue their one-point demand with the local Government for the inclusion of English as one of the valid choices for Medium of Instruction (MoI). “Our only demand translates into release of grants for government-aided schools offering English as a MoI. And the relevant policy decision in this regard is bound to be taken by the local Government and not the Centre”, he said, adding “we fail to understand the logic (Continued on page 8)
ON A SONG: Australian cricketer Brett Lee strums a guitar with children from the slums at a function to launch his Mewsic community music foundation for Indian children living in slums at the Deonar dumping ground on the outskirts of Mumbai on Tuesday.
4 convicts run riot at Sada jail HERALD REPORTER VASCO, MAY 17
Four inmates of Sada Sub-jail went on a rampage in the jail premises, damaging a computer and window panes on Tuesday afternoon. The four inmates – Chandrakant Talwar (37), Sayron Rodrigues (22), Amogh Prakash Naik (25) and Ameya Anand Shirodkar (25) also abused police officers and reportedly tried to manhandle media persons. It may be recalled that Chandrakant Talwar and Sayron Rodrigues were arrested by Goa Crime Branch in Mumbai on October 12, 2009, for their alleged involvement in serial killing of women, while accused Amogh Prakash Naik and Ameya Anand Shirodkar were allegedly involved in a murder case in Ponda on August 18, 2008. The incident occurred when the four inmates were being taken back to the jail after a court hearing on Tuesday at about 1.30 pm. On entering the premises, the accused went on rampage and damaged a computer, office files and window (Continued on page 8)
HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 17
Goa Pradesh Congress Committee did not mobilise to deliberate on the Medium of Instruction (MoI) issue within its forum, until the situation deteriorated into a major embarrassment for the party and State Government, and Central Congress emissary had to dash to Goa to engage in a fire-fighting exercise. Not a single meeting was convened to discuss the issue even as some prominent Congress Cabinet Ministers and MLAs openly took a stand against the Government and the tenets of collective responsibility. “The GPCC did not deliberate on the
Mystery shrouds Jennifer’s death HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 17
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Death of 29-year-old Jennifer D’Silva due to suspected drug overdose has once again raised question mark on the quick availability of drugs along the coastline even as the tourist season is nearing an end. Jennifer’s body was found in a mysterious circumstance at Vagator in a dark lane. While her clothes were intact, there seemed a deliberate attempt to misplace the clothes from her body. Sources said that although her body did not have any bruise marks, her toes on the right foot had scratches. “Her body was neatly placed on the roadside but the toes of her right foot were swollen and had blood stains. There were no struggle marks though. Jen-
We have found certain clues and are working on those lines. We are ascertaining other links, her friends circle and other contacts. She was dropped near the Jackpot hotel and her former boyfriend’s house is close to the hotel. We strongly suspect that she was going to Khan’s place and we still suspect his involvement behind her murder… — Police
nifer’s body was apparently brought to the spot on a bike and probably dragged to the crime spot”, said the source. According to police sources, her body was kept lying in the
Mickky will have to wait for court verdict: Pawar HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 17
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar today hinted that both its ministers — Jose Philip D’Souza and Nilkant Halarnkar — are here to stay in Digambar Kamat-led Cabinet. Emerging from the State executive committee meeting, Pawar said that “the situations when both the ministers had resigned were different compared to now”. The NCP chief, however, said that Benaulim ML A Mickky Pacheco will have to wait a while on his Cabinet induction. “Unfortunately, he has a court decision against him. Anyone in the party who is facing such decision (conviction) will have to go in the appeal”, Pawar said adding that we have been told that he has decided to go in the appeal. D’Souza and Halarnkar had tendered their resignations before Pawar ahead of budget session of State Legislative Assembly. They had resigned after the allegations of anti-party
activity were leveled against them. NCP’s Goa executive meeting held at Porvorim on Tuesday evening had Pacheco and To u r i s m M i n i s t e r N i l ka n t Halarnkar skipping it. While Pacheco is reported to be in the State, Halarnkar is in Delhi. Responding to a question on
Many convicted ministers in Cabinet: Mickky HERALD REPORTER MARGAO, MAY 17
Benaulim ML A Mickky Pacheco on Tuesday made it categorically clear that he did not ask NCP supremo Sharad Pawar to induct him in the Kamat Cabinet. Reacting to Pawar’s stand that Mickky would be inducted into the Ministry only after his conviction is set aside by the court, the former tourism minister said “in the first place, I did not ask Pawar to induct me in the Cabinet. (Continued on page 8)
Pacheco’s tongue lashing against NCP, Pawar refused a straight reply. “We know each other well. There can be differences of opinion”, he said. Meanwhile, NCP today showed inclination towards English as a Medium of instruction in Goa. “Nobody is opposing education in Konkani or Marathi but there is sizeable section of society from poor strata who want education in English”, Pawar said. He said that the party is not taking the decision right away but will wait for the meeting in Delhi tomorrow. “NCP is in the process of decision making. We will wait and decide after that”, the NCP chief stated. The State executive today formed a core committee headed by President Surendra Sirsat to strengthen the organization. The committee also comprises of both the ministers, Dr Carmo Pegado, Sangita Parab and a central observer. “The group will visit various blocks and take a final decision (Continued on page 8)
Did GPCC play dumb?
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dark lane late in the night. Anjuna police have arrested her ex-boyfriend Saurabh Khan for allegedly murdering her. He has been remanded to 14 days police custody for custodial interrogation. Jennifer, originally from Ribandar was running a jewellery business at Vagator beach in the GTDC premise. Khan also had a store in the same premise. Although both had a break-up three months before her death, police said, they were still friends and apparently patched up. Investigations have so far revealed that on May 6, while she was on her way back from her Ribandar home to her rented room at Vagator, she received a call from her ex-boyfriend inviting her to join him for dinner. (Continued on page 8)
issue nor took a stand until Jagmeet Singh Brar rushed to Goa”, a senior Congressman stated on condition of anonymity. The party should have deliberated on the issue before New Delhi was engaged to mediate, he pointed out. Party President
MEDIUM ROW Subhash Shirodkar was a mute spectator when the likes of PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, Calangute MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho took a contrarian stand to that of their own Government and sided with agitators demanding inclusion of English as MoI.
It was Congress emissary Jagmeet Singh Brar who warned disgruntled Congressmen not to air their personal views, on the issue, that went against the Government decision, in public. Deputy Speaker Godinho disagreed and stated that he had raised the issue a couple of times in party meetings and also did Calangute MLA. When contacted Party President Shirodkar concurred by saying, “everybody knew the (MoI) issue and they did deliberate on it”. However, his partymen did not endorse his stand as they now troop to New Delhi, in a bid to find a compromise solution.
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