Asian Lite News Archive

Category: INDIAN NEWS

  • Rift in Modi front over Lanka

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    The Bharatiya Janata Party’s decision to invite the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, for Narendra Modi’s swearing-in function has caused deep anguish and resentment among its allies in Tamil Nadu, The Hindu reported. The Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), one of the allies of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has requested the Prime Minister-designate…

  • Twitter account @PMOIndia to stay

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    The Prime Minister’s Office Wednesday sought to end the controversy over the change in its Twitter handle, saying all internet-based platforms will continue to remain under the administrative control of the PMO after change of government and Twitter account @PMOIndia will be available to incoming PMO administration. “All PMO internet-based platforms and communications therein will…

  • Quake rocks India

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    An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 occurred in the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday evening. Tremors were felt across India, but there was no tsunami warning and no reports of casualties or damage, officials said. The quake occurred at 9.52 p.m. “The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.0 on the Richter scale and its epicentre was in…

  • INS Vikrant to be martyrs’ memorial?

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    A group of newly elected BJP and Shiv Sena MPs from Maharashtra has urged the central government to turn INS Vikrant, the country’s first aircraft carrier, into a martyrs’ memorial. In a letter to Defence Secretary R.K. Mathur, the 18 MPs said: “Save the Vikrant, convert it into a war museum ‘Shahid Smarak’, stop the…

  • Kejriwal sent to judicial custody

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     Former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was Wednesday sent to two-day judicial custody by a court after he refused to furnish a personal bail bond in a defamation case filed by BJP leader Nitin Gadkari. Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha fixed Friday as the next date of hearing. Manocha had asked him to furnish a bail…

  • Modi quits as Gujarat CM

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    Prime Minister-designate Narendra Modi Wednesday stepped down as the Gujarat chief minister. Camaraderie among ruling BJP and opposition Congress legislators and leaders in Gujarat marked an emotional farewell to Modi. In a brief farewell speech at a special session of the state legislature here Wednesday afternoon, Modi thanked the legislators and people of Gujarat for…

  • Maharashtra’s criminal millionaire MPs

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    A majority -31- of the newly-elected 48 Lok Sabha members from Maharashtra have a criminal background and are also multi-millionaires with assets ranging from a minimum of Rs.99 lakh to Rs.66 crore. The 31 Lok Sabha members who belong to the Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Swabhimani Paksha – all allies – and the…

  • MR MODI’S DRUMBEAT

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    DAILY DOSE By Bikram Vohra What if they were not crocodile tears that Modi cried for Advani, even as he sought a handkerchief and sipped water and cracked his voice with emotion in a scene so bizarre and yet so effective. What if the kneeling down and kissing the step of the house was not…

  • Naveen Patnaik sworn in

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    BJD president Naveen Patnaik was sworn-in as Odisha chief minister for the fourth straight term here Wednesday. Twenty one ministers including 11 cabinet ministers also took oath with him. Governor S.C. Jamir administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 67-year-old leader and other ministers at a ceremony attended by hundreds of party leaders,…

  • Kejriwal apologises

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    AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal Wednesday sought fresh elections in Delhi and apologised for quitting as the chief minister. Kejriwal said: “…the chances of forming a government in Delhi are almost negligible. In such a situation, holding discussions does not make sense. We have decided that we will prepare for the elections (in Delhi).” The announcement…

  • Lanka urged to launch probe

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    The Sri Lankan government should comply with the March 2014 UN Human Rights Council resolution creating an international investigation into allegations of serious abuses by both sides during the civil war, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday. The resolution calls on the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to investigate violations of the…

  • US to improve ties with India

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    Washington-based Arun Kumar looks on the future of Indo-US relations during the Modi rule Calling India a “very important strategic partner”, the US hopes that its “enduring partnership” with India will only grow under the new government led by Narendra Modi despite the flap over his visa. “Obviously, we have a long, enduring partnership with…

  • Advani & Sushma should mend their ways

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    Dubai-based journalist Jawahar Chhoda comments on the developments in the ruling party BJP leader LK Advani might have tried to be sarcastic by mentioning that Modi did a great favour to BJP by choosing to lead it but by retorting to him and then breaking down in an emotional outburst, Modi made it clear that…

  • Khan Campaign gathers momentum

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    Asian Lite’s Anjana Parikh looks in to the campaign of North-West’s most popular Asian politician   Afzal Khan, the first Asian Lord Mayor of Manchester, is creating ripples in the North West EU elections, as the campaign enters the final phase. Mr Khan, a professional solicitor turned politician, has visited several community centres and Asian…

  • President appoints Modi PM

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    President Pranab Mukherjee Tuesday appointed Narendra Modi as the prime minister of India, and he will be sworn-in May 26, a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said. “As Narendra Modi has been elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party and BJP has the majority support in the House of the People (Lok Sabha), the president appointed Narendra…

  • UK gears up for EU polls

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    Kaliph Anaz reports on the EU campaign Scenario in the UK. British-Asian voters are still confused about the policies of the major political parties – but they are aware about the racist stance of Ukip and its leader Nigel Farage and the right-wing British Nationalist Party of Nick Griffin. Campaigners are urging the British-Asians to…

  • Bengal’s multi-millionaire MPs

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    The number of multi-millionaire MPs from West Bengal in the newly elected Lok Sabha has more than quadrupled to 26 from six in 2009, statistics showed. The number of Lok Sabha members from the state with criminal cases has gone up to eight since the last general election. According to the West Bengal Election Watch…

  • Sorry Dad..Sorry Dad…But too late

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    Sorry Dad, Sorry Dad…..But it was futile. He was kicked and hit by his dad. Prateek Verma’s  sense of humour took a real beating when he fooled his father into thinking that he had got his girlfriend pregnant. But this made him very popular. He secretly made a video of the episode, which has been viewed more…

  • London Goes to poll

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     Kaliph Anaz looks into the electoral scenario in London. British Asian voters constitute about 20 per cent of the electorate. Their votes are crucial for any party’s victory London, the commercial capital of the world, is going to poll tomorrow. British-Asians constitute about 18.4 per cent of the population in London and their votes are…

  • Sam Cam Hails Sangam

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    Samantha Cameron praised the “remarkable” and “amazing” charity the Sangam Association of Asian Women at a Downing Street reception. The Prime Minister’s wife welcomed over 100 guests on behalf of the pioneering Barnet-based charity and praised the way the charity has evolved over the past four decades. Speaking at the event, Mrs Cameron said “I…

  • Era of responsibility has begun: Modi

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    An era of responsibility has begun, said PM-designate Narendra Modi who became emotional Tuesday while delivering a speech after being elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party in Parliament House. Addressing the party’s new MPs and other leaders in the Central Hall of parliament, which he visited for the first time and went down on…

  • Modi elected BJP parliamentary party leader

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    Narendra Modi was Tuesday elected leader of the BJP parliamentary party, paving the way to his becoming the prime minister. At a meeting held here, Modi’s name was proposed by party patriarch L.K. Advani and seconded by other leaders including Murli Manohar Joshi, Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley. The Modi-led BJP…

  • THE PERILS OF PAGE 3 PEOPLE 

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    DAILY DOSE By Bikram Vohra Many years ago I wrote about this couple who were not A list. More like a B or B plus. Not rich enough, not famous enough, not pow­erful enough. So, while they were pretty active on the city circuit they were never at the best places. Just second best. Sort…

  • Glasnost at India House in London

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    Kaliph Anas reports on the new initiatives at Indian High Commission in London to reach out to the community The Indian High Commission in London is reaching out to the community to ameliorate their concerns. The initiative was launched by High Commissioner Mr Ranjan Mathai. The whole exercise is aimed to deliver better public services…

  • Modi’s Gujarat Model Explained

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  • CWC rejects Sonia & Rahul resignation

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    Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and her son and party vice president Rahul Gandhi Monday offered to resign for the party’s worst performance in a general election, but the Congress Working Committee unanimously rejected it, senior leader Amarinder Singh said. “Sonia Gandhi-ji and Rahul Gandhi offered to resign, but the CWC (Congress Working Committee) rejected it,”…

  • Modi’s likes a small cabinet

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    Known for his “iron-fist” governance style, Prime Minister designate Narendra Modi is likely to have a smaller cabinet, which he could then monitor closely, say those aware of his working style. As hectic parleys go on over portfolio distributions, a BJP leader close to the Gujarat chief minister pointed out that it has been clear…

  • Zee to unveil Zindagi on June 23

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    TV network Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) on Monday announced that it will launch a new Hindi general entertainment channel Zindagi nationally June 23. The latest offering will focus on catering to viewers with stories with universal emotions.Zindagi will have fiction shows – mainly those that dwell on romance, love and family drama – produced…

  • Sick Advet on Malala draws flak

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    The media agency agency responsible for using cartoon images of Pakistani-school girl Malala Yousafzai, shot in the face by the Taliban, to promote a mattress brand has apologised and launched an investigation, The Guardian reported.  The poster ad features a series of images of Malala being shot, falling backwards covered in blood, being put on a…

  • Indian Leftists face extinction

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    Abhimanyu Singh analyses the fall of the Communist Parties in India – From 60 to 12 MPs. Now the  supporters are targetting the  ‘jaded leadership’  There is seething anger in the ranks of the Left over the drubbing it received in the Lok Sabha elections and senior leaders as well as sympathisers are clamouring for a new leadership. Amid…

  • Soldier killed on Pak border

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    A soldier was killed and two were injured in a guerrilla attack near the international border in Jammu and Kashmir Sunday, an official said on Monday. Two soldiers were injured Sunday in a landmine explosion in the Akhnoor area of the international border in the state. Sources said a patrol party had gone to evacuate…

  • Congress Despair in Delhi

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     Gaurav Sharma focus on Congress’ new strategy in Delhi  Congress leaders are in despair over the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha election in Delhi and warned that a recovery won’t be easy. The election outcome – the BJP won all seven seats with the AAP coming second – appeared to indicate that Delhi was…

  • What went wrong with Rahul?

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    Prashant Sood says Congress failure to link with the grass root workers cost them dearly Raising the morale of party workers, ideological consolidation, policy revamp and a sustained grassroots campaign are among the measures being suggested by Congress leaders to revive the party’s fortunes after its crushing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls. In the…

  • Hasina ready for talks with Modi

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    Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sunday called up Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi to congratulate him on his party’s magnificent victory in the Indian general election and expressed confidence that the two countries would continue to work together sincerely to solve any problem. “I hope that the governments of the two neighbouring…

  • DMK cadres assault journalists

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    Three reporters were injured when DMK cadres assaulted media persons gathered outside party leader M.K. Stalin’s house Sunday to collect news about his resignation from party posts, journalists organisations said. DMK expressed regret over the incident. Several journalists were waiting outside Stalin’s residence here to gather news about his purported resignation as the party’s treasurer.…

  • UP THE DOWN STAIRCASE

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    DAILY DOSE BY Bikram VohraThese past few days I have been invited to come on radio channels and give my opinion on Mr Modi’s victory. I have shied away from most of them because I really don’t know anything in depth enough to make an assessment and all I do know is that the Chief…

  • RSS put on mute by Modi?

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    The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) will have no role in the formation of the union cabinet, senior BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said Sunday. “Meeting the RSS leaders is part of our life. But it will have no role in the cabinet formation,” Naidu told media persons when he reached the RSS office here. BJP…

  • Drama begins at DMK

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    M.K. Stalin, the DMK treasurer and son of party president M. Karunanidhi, has offered to give up his party post following the party’s rout in the Lok Sabha polls, a party source said Sunday. Speaking to IANS on the condition of anonymity, a DMK leader said: “He (Stalin) has offered to resign from the post…

  • Hindujas top the Rich List

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    Indian-born Hindujas again top on the list of Britain’s wealthiest people. The Sunday Times Rich List are richer than they have ever been with a combined fortune of £519bn — equivalent to a third of the nation’s annual gross domestic product. As people have seen their wages fall in real terms, The Sunday Times Rich…

  • Nitish sticks to his plan

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    The JD-U legislature party is expected to elect a new leader Sunday as Nitish Kumar, who quit as Bihar chief minister Saturday following his party’s rout in the Lok Sabha polls, is unwilling to take back his resignation. JD-U leaders close to Nitish Kumar said he has made up his mind to vacate official residence…

  • Letter from Dubai

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    K.V Shamsudheen, Chairman of Pravasi Bandhu Welfare Trust and director of Barjeel Geojit Securities LLC, comments on Modi victory   After 10 year corrupt and public unfriendly ruling of UPA government, people want an inevitable change in the power, it happened in the Indian election. Narendra Modi’s farsighted and calculated approach to come to national…

  • Adieu Captain Saab

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    Asian Lite pays tributes to Capt. Nair, 92, the founder of Leela hotels  Capt. C.P. Krishnan Nair, a war veteran and founder of the Leela Group of luxury hotels and resorts, passed away Saturday morning after a brief illness, family sources said. He breathed his last around 3.30 am at the Hinduja Hospital . Nair,…

  • C’Wealth Games Returns to India?

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    Veturi Srivatsa says the new government may bid for 2019 Commonwealth Games   After the perceived corrupt practices in the run-up the 2010 Commonwealth Games, both the government and the sports administrators will think twice before bidding for another sporting extravaganza. Yet, the reconstututed Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has the gumption to ask the new…

  • ‘Deal with NaMo cautiously’

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    Pakistan should not show “rage where it may not be due” while dealing with a new Narendra Modi-led government in India, a leading Pakistani newspaper said.“Modi’s rise to such power, decisive and non-controversial, will have a global impact but our region will have to deal with this new leader in our best national interest,” The…

  • Russi Mody – Man of Steel

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    Sirshendu Panth pays tribue to Mody, India,s Man of Steel  Russi Modi was a flamboyant, visionary corporate leader who laid the foundation for the growth of one of India’s pioneering private sector company into a global steel behemoth by combining excellence in business with an enduring commitment to society. Having steered the erstwhile TISCO – now…

  • Gulf workers hail Modi win

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    There have been mixed reactions among expatriate Indians living in the Gulf countries following the landslide victory of the BJP, led by Narendra Modi, in the Indian general elections. While some expressed hope and enthusiasm, for others, there was disappointment.The United Arab Emirates (UAE)-based Kerala Muslim Cultural Committee (KMCC), which had anticipated a Congress-led United…

  • Nepal pins hope on NaMo

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    Nepal expressed confidence that India will not change its policy towards the Himalayan nation after the victory of Narendra Modi-led BJP in the Lok Sabha elections.Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey told media persons here that while India could change its internal policy, its Nepal policy would remain the same, Xinhua reported.“Nepal and India share close…

  • Afghans to get Jaipur Foot

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    Jaipur Foot, the maker of prothestic legs, will make artificial limbs for 1,000 disabled Afghans in coordination with the Afghan ministry for labour, social affairs, martyrs and disabled, officials said.An agreement to the effect was inked between Minister Amina Afzali and D.R. Mehta, founder and patron-in-chief of Jaipur Foot, the minister told journalists, according to…

  • Modi begins victory lap

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    A day after he led the BJP to an unprecedented triumph in the parliamentary polls, Narendra Modi, set to be India’s next prime minister, Saturday undertook victory laps in Delhi and Varanasi, the second Lok Sabha seat he has won, and taunted Congress over its historical loss. A sea of supporters waved Bharatiya Janata Party…

  • Nitish Kumar first casualty after polls

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    Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar resigned Saturday, taking moral responsibility for the rout of his Janata Dal-United in the state in the general elections. “I led the party’s campaign. I take moral responsibility for the election result,” a visibly despondent Nitish Kumar told the media persons. He submitted his resignation to Governor D.Y. Patil after…