India Country Brief
INDIA COUNTRY BRIEF
101019
Basic Political Developments
The Shiv Sena Tuesday demanded a ban on burqa, calling the Muslim veil a threat to security interests.
Lok Sabha Speaker has tomorrow convened a meeting of leaders of political parties to ensure smooth functioning of the Lower House during the Session.
The fourth phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on November 1 is crucial because the districts which brought down the 15-year-old regime of Lalu Prasad Yadav in 2005.
The Income Tax department today conducted searches in the premises of businessman and BJP activist and some consortiums in Delhi and around to detect alleged financial irregularities in works related to the Commonwealth Games.
The BJP today sought to drag the PMO into it and demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee on Common Wealth Games.
National Economic Trends
Business, Energy or Environmental regulations or discussions
Led by Bharti Airtel, India Inc's outbound mergers and acquisitions deals tally rose to USD 20.76 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal from a meagre USD 527.8 million in the previous year, a study said.
The government auditor CAG has accused the Telecom Ministry for undervaluing 2G spectrum, sold to new players in 2008, and held that the allotment price was not "realistic".
Nilkamal Ltd today said it has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with US based Cambro Manufacturing Company (Cambro).
State Bank of Indias first retail bond issue of Rs 1,000 crore was subscribed over 17 times on the opening day, showing enthused participation from investors.
The government today said the Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs) can consider partnering with the private sector groups to execute their corporate social responsibility projects.
Aegis today forayed into Argentina by taking over BPO company Actionline, which has estimated revenues of over USD 50 million annually.
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) today said it has received order worth Rs 1,449 crore from DB Power for the Bhaskar Group company's Chhattisgarh project.
Bahrain Bay Development BSC, the $2.5bn landmark waterfront community on the north shore of Manama, has announced that its Indian Third Party Developer, the Ajmera Mayfair consortium, intends to invest up to $130 million in residential development within Bahrain Bay.
Telecom regulator TRAI today said it will bring a set of regulations over growing menace of unsolicited commercial calls and messages by this month.
Spicejet today said that Sun TV chief Kalanithi Maran and his firm KAL Airways have bought additional 2.28 per cent equity for Rs 43.58 crore.
State Bank of India (SBI) has earmarked highest ever fresh lending of Rs 300 crore to encourage commercial dairy farm projects in the state.
The public offerings of three bluechip navratna companies -- SAIL, Indian Oil and ONGC -- will hit Dalal Street in the first quarter of next year.
Coal India Ltd's Rs 15,000-crore mega initial public offer, the country's largest so far, got demands for 1.57 times of shares on offer hours before closure of the second day of the issue today.
Activity in the Oil and Gas sector (including regulatory)
Indian Oil Corp (IOC) today said its Rs 29,777-crore Paradip refinery in Orissa will be commissioned by March 2012.
Militant Activity/Terrorism (Particularly in Bangalore, Mumbai, Noida, Chennai, Coimbatore)
Standoff between security forces and a guerrilla holed up in a mosque in the Kashmir Valley ended Tuesday morning after the gunman succumbed to injuries.
A court in Nashik on Monday extended the police custody of Pune German Bakery blast accused Himayat Baig till October 25.
Labor/Social Unrest
Violence erupted in Bihar's Gaya District as members of two communities clashed following a dispute over a religious procession.
Police said at least five persons sustained bullet injuries in a group clash over immersion of Durga idols at Kulipara in West Bengal today.
Full Text
Basic Political Developments
Shiv Sena demands ban on burqa
http://in.news.yahoo.com/43/20101019/818/tnl-shiv-sena-demands-ban-on-burqa_1.html
Tue, Oct 19 12:41 PM
Mumbai, Oct 19 (IANS) The Shiv Sena Tuesday demanded a ban on burqa, calling the Muslim veil a threat to security interests.
In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, the party said Turkey had once banned the burqa and now France had followed suit.
It said criminals were using the burqa to commit crimes.
It cited how a new born was stolen from the V.N. Desai Hospital here, and how CCTV footage showed a 5.2 feet tall burqa clad person committing the crime.
Earlier, a burqa clad person stole a four-day-old infant from the Lokmanya Tilak Hospital in Sion.
In Mumbai, many thousands of woman roam around in the burqa, even in public hospitals, but it is not possible to lift the veil of each woman and check their antecedents.
If a security personnel did that, then it led to protests, it said.
The edit contended that Islam has nothing to do with the burqa and that India should ban the veil.
Lok Sabha Speaker calls all-party meet tomorrow
http://www.newkerala.com/news/world/fullnews-65681.html
New Delhi, Oct 19 : Ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament that will begin on November 9, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar has tomorrow convened a meeting of leaders of political parties to ensure smooth functioning of the Lower House during the Session.
Leader of the House Pranab Mukherjee, Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj, Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, RJD Chief Lalu Prasad, Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee and DMK leader T R Baalu have been invited to the meeting.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and his deputy in the ministry V Narayansamy will also be present during the meeting.
A Parliament official today said: ''This is not the customary meeting with the leaders ahead of the commencement of the winter session. This is to discuss the smooth functioning of the house.'' He added, ''The Speaker is anguished over the continuous disruption of question hour. She has always requested the MPs to maintain decorum.'' A Lok Sabha Secretariat notification issued yesterday said the Lower House would start from November 9 and conclude on December 13.
A similar notification from the Upper House was issued on October 15.
US President Barack Obama, who would be on his first state visit to India next month, would address members of both Houses in a joint sitting at the Central Hall of Parliament a day before.
Mr Obama is expected to arrive in India on November 5 on a five-day visit.
Former US President Bill Clinton had addressed a joint sitting during his visit in 2000. But his successor George W Bush, who visited India after six years, could not address a joint sitting of the Union Legislature in the face of the threat of the Left Parties to boycott his speech in protest against the US military action in Iraq and the Indo-US nuclear deal, forcing the government to consider certain other venues for an address by the then US President.
Among others who have addressed the joint session was former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who visited India in August 2007.
Fourth phase of Bihar Assembly elections on Nov 1
http://www.ptinews.com/news/1045038_Fourth-phase-of-Bihar-Assembly-elections-on-Nov-1-
Patna, Oct 19 (PTI) The districts which brought down the 15-year-old regime of Lalu Prasad Yadav in 2005, will go to the fourth phase of the Assembly elections on November 1.
The 42 assembly seats are spread over Patna, Bhagalpur, Munger, Sheikhpra, Jamui Begusarai, Khagaria and Lakhisarai districts.
Prominent among 575 candidates in the fray, are state BJP stalwarts and ministers, Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Bhagalpur), Nand Kishore Yadav (Patna Sahib) Ramnarayan Mandal (Banka), besides JD(U) minister Damodar Raut.
While JD(U) is contesting from 25 seats, ally BJP is contesting in the remaining 17.
RJD has fielded candidates in 25, and ally LJP in 17.
The Congress and BSP have fielded candidates in all the constituencies.
The CPI-ML (L) is contesting 15 seats, CPI 13 seats while CPI-M is contesting six seats.
I-T raids on firms which got CWG contracts
http://www.ptinews.com/news/1045669_I-T-raids-on-firms-which-got-CWG-contracts-
New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) The Income Tax department today conducted searches in the premises of businessman and BJP activist Sudhanshu Mittal and some consortiums in Delhi and around to detect alleged financial irregularities in works related to the Commonwealth Games.
More than 200 officials of the I-T department swooped down on about 30 premises, including in Chandigarh and Ludhiana, of four business consortiums, with a foreign entity in each, to probe contracts worth more than Rs 700 crore which were awarded to execute overlays and other works for the sporting extravaganza.
I-T department sources said that the first consortium-- PICO international and Deepali Designs-- with Mittal as Director and his relatives as other stakeholders, has bagged contracts worth about Rs 230 crore.
BJP ups ante on CWG irregularities, demands JPC probe
http://www.ptinews.com/news/1045764_BJP-ups-ante-on-CWG-irregularities--demands-JPC-probe
New Delhi, Oct 19 (PTI) Going all out against the UPA government on corruption in Commonwealth Games projects, the BJP today sought to drag the PMO into it and demanded a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Com
