Sonia Gandhi recovering after 'successful' surgery abroad

India's ruling Congress party says its leader Sonia Gandhi has undergone successful surgery abroad for an undisclosed ailment.

A party statement released on Friday said Gandhi had had the surgery on Thursday and the surgeon had indicated the operation was successful.

The statement said Gandhi was recovering in an intensive care unit.

It gave no details of her illness or the location of the hospital. News reports have said the operation took place in the US.

Italian-born Gandhi, 64, is the widow of prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, who was asssassinated in 1991. She declined the premiership despite leading the party to win 2004 elections.

In her absence the party is being run by a four-member committee including her son, Rahul, who is seen as a prime minister-in-waiting.



Sonia Gandhi recovering after 'successful' surgery abroad

Supreme Court rejects Jagan's plea to stop CBI probe

In a setback to former Congress leader Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Supreme Court today refused to stay an Andhra Pradesh High Court order for a preliminary CBI enquiry to ascertain if he owns assets disproportionate to his income.

A bench of justices Dalveer Bhandari and Deepak Verma dismissed Jagan's plea refusing to interfere with the high court's order.

The bench said 'at this stage' no interference is required into the high court order as it is only a preliminary enquiry and the high court can refuse to proceed against him if nothing substantial comes out against him in the probe.

The bench, however, asked the high court to give a copy of the CBI probe report to Jagan if it decides to proceed against him on the basis of the agency's findings.

The bench turned down the plea of senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appearing for Jagan, tried to convince the court that there is nothing against the politician and there is a political rivalry behind this.
Earlier this week, Jagan had moved the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the Andhra Pradesh High Court order for a preliminary probe by CBI into alleged disproportionate assets accumulated by him.

Son of late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekar Reddy, he floated his own YSR Congress Party on whose symbol he and his mother won the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendla assembly seats in the recent by-polls - after being denied the top post in the state.

The petition challenged the July 12 high court order arguing it was 'illegal' 'erroneous' and "unsustainable' and deserves to be quashed.

Jagan contended the High Court did not have the jurisdiction to order a preliminary CBI probe on a 'politically motivated' petition.

He has sought quashing of the High Court order which directed CBI to submit its report in two weeks.

The High Court had passed the order on the petition filed by Andhra Pradesh Textiles Minister P. Shankar Rao accusing Jagan of amassing huge wealth using his late father's position as chief minister.

Rao had filed the petition before becoming the minister.

The High Court had said it will decide on the issue of a full-fledged inquiry based after the preliminary report from CBI.

The minister accused the Kadapa MP of money laundering by floating fictitious firms and routing the black money through some companies in Mauritius.
more details

Telangana Congress leaders begin 48-hour fast

Defying Congress leadership, leaders from Telangana region on Wednesday launched a 48-hour hunger strike in Andhra Pradesh, demanding the separate state of Telangana.

Having failed to garner any assurance from the party high command despite their resignations from parliament and state legislature last week, the Congress leaders began the two-day fast.

Despite rains lashing the city early morning, six parliamentarians, two state ministers and a few legislators along with their supporters, launched the fast at Indira Park here at 10 a.m.

The leaders who sat on the fast include MPs K. Keshava Rao, G. Vivek, G. Sukhender Reddy, S. Rajaiah, K. Rajagopal Reddy, Ponnam Prabhakar and ministers K. Jana Reddy and Basvaraj Saraiah.

They said more leaders would join them in the fast later.

G. Sukhender Reddy told reporters that they were using Gandhian methods to mount pressure on the central government to initiate the process for formation of Telangana, in line with its statement of Dec 9, 2009. The central government had then promised to intitiate the formation of the state.

Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy and State Congress Chief Botsa Satyanarayana had Tuesday advised the ministers and legislators not to go on fast.

The agitating Congress leaders also rejected the party’s appeal that they take back their resignations.

Eleven MPs and 40 members of assembly belonging to Congress party had submitted their resignations last week.

A total of 15 MPs and 100 legislators of various parties from the region have quit.


Telangana Congress leaders begin 48-hour fast

Cabinet reshuffle: Jairam elevated, TMC retains railways

NEW DELHI: In a substantive yet incomplete exercise, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday dropped seven ministers, inducted V Kishore Chandra Deo and seven other new faces, and elevated three others including Jairam Ramesh from whom environment and forests has been taken away.

In the much-talked about revamping of his ministry, Singh did not touch the 'big four' -- finance, home, defence and external affairs -- but shifted M Veerappa Moily from law to corporate affairs and brought Salman Khursheed in his place.

Trinamool Congress leader Dinesh Trivedi has been elevated to the Cabinet rank and given the railways portfolio left vacant by Mamata Banerjee after she became West Bengal chief minister.

Beni Prasad Verma becomes a cabinet minister for steel, a portfolio he earlier held as minister of state with independent charge.

The other new faces in the council of ministers are Jayanthi Natarajan who gets environment and forests, Dibrugarh MP Paban Singh Ghatowar (DONER), Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhyaya (health and family welfare), Alwar MP Jitendra Singh (home), Milind Deora (communication and IT) and Rajiv Shukla (parliamentary affairs).

Ministers who have been dropped from the Cabinet are MS Gill (statistics and programme implementation), BK Handique (DONER), Kantilal Bhuria (tribal affairs), Murli Deora (corporate affairs) and Dayanidhi Maran (textiles). While Maran had resigned last week in the wake of his being named in the 2G scam, Deora had offered his resignation citing old age and had reportedly sought a berth for his son Milind.

The new ministers would be sworn in at a function at the Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening after which the strength of the Council will go up by one to 68. While there were eight additions, seven have been axed.

Ramesh, who was seen as a pro-active minister but often courted controversies by his handling of environmental issues, has been shifted to rural development in the Cabinet.

The restructuring exercise appeared incomplete with additional charge of textiles and water resources being given to Anand Sharma and PK Bansal respectively. Sharma retains commerce and industry and Bansal retains parliamentary affairs.

HRD minister Kapil Sibal continues to hold additional charge of telecom, while overseas Indian affairs minister Vayalar Ravi retains additional charge of civil aviation.

Telecom portfolio went to Sibal after DMK representative A Raja resigned on allegations in 2G spectrum allocation.

No DMK representative was inducted on Tuesday as replacements for Raja and Maran. Apparently, some of the portfolios have been kept as additional charges so that DMK can be accommodated if it chooses to send replacements.

DMK is expected to decide on the issue at its General Council meeting on July 23-24 at Coimbatore.

Veteran parliamentarian from Andhra Pradesh V Kishore Chandra Deo makes his entry into the Cabinet for the first time, making him the second minister from the state after S Jaipal Reddy.

Srikant Jena, who nursed a grudge when he was made minister of state in 2009, has got a promotion being given independent charge of statistics and programme implementation. However, he continues to be MoS in chemicals and fertilisers where DMK's MK Alagiri continues to be Cabinet minister.

Jena was a Cabinet minister in the United Front government of 1996-97.

The lone Congress MP from Chhattisgarh Charan Das Mahant makes a debut as MoS in agriculture and food processing.

Gurudas Kamat has been shifted from home and communication ministries to a new ministry of drinking water and sanitation with independent charge.

Rural development minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has been shifted to science and technology and earth sciences.

Minister of state for external affairs E Ahamed has been also been allocated the HRD portfolio.

Minsters of state V Narayanasamy and Ashwani Kumar shed parliamentary affairs portfolios which hav gone to new entrant Rajiv Shukla and Harish Rawat, who retains MoS for agriculture and food processing.

Minister of state for shipping and railways Mukul Roy, who on Monday defied the Prime Minister by not visiting the rail accident site in Assam, has been divested of the railways portfolio.

Marans have ensured end of DMK: Jayalalithaa

Chennai:  DMK leader Dayanidhi Maran's resignation today evoked the same response from Jayalalithaa as it did from the BJP: too little, too late.

"This is something long overdue," she said in Chennai today. "The Prime Minister should have made him resign a long time ago."

As Chief Minister of Mr Maran's home state, she also warned that a thorough investigation will be conducted on the charges against him.

"The end of the DMK has long been decided by the Marans," declared Jayalalithaa today. 

Mr Maran resigned this morning as Union Textiles Minister, 24 hours after the CBI declared that it had evidence against him in the telecom scam. (Read: 2G scam strikes again, Maran quits) | (Watch)

Mr Maran served as Telecom Minister from 2004 to 2007. He allegedly misused his office then to force the owner of a telecom company to sell to an industrialist who was close to Mr Maran's family. (Who is Dayanidhi Maran?)

But in Chennai, the CBI has also reportedly found evidence to prove that Mr Maran ordered a virtual telephone exchange to be set up at his residence. Nearly 300 lines were connected from there to the offices of Sun TV, owned by his brother, Kalanidhi. The lines were used to transfer massive amounts of video and audio, allegedly costing the government hundreds of crores. (Read: Another telecom controversy for DMK, this time it's Maran) This reported manipulation will be microscopically examined by Jayalalithaa's government, not least because Mr Maran has long been her political rival.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/marans-have-ensured-end-of-dmk-jayalalithaa-117506?cp

Marans have ensured end of DMK: Jayalalithaa

No move for President's Rule in Andhra: P Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: The central government is not thinking of imposing President's Rule in Andhra Pradesh following unrest over the demand for a Telangana state, home minister P Chidambaram said on Wednesday.

"There is no move to impose President's Rule," Chidambaram told reporters in New Delhi. Wednesday is the second day of a 48-hour shutdown called by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) in the Telangana region.

He said the central government had not taken any final decision on whether or not to give statehood to Telangana as the "consultation process is still in progress".

He was asked about the situation in the Telangana region where life is paralysed because of the shutdown.

The state has plunged into political crisis as many MPs and legislators from Telangana have resigned to mount pressure on the central government.

The minister said the government was "unhappy" over the resignations and added that a process to engage them was on.

"We are unhappy that many members of parliament have tendered resignations. We will engage them in a consultation process.

"I hope there will be no breakdown in law and order. We understand the provocation for the agitation," Chidambaram said.


No move for President's Rule in Andhra: P Chidambaram

Rahul Gandhi's padyatra an attempt to know farmers' problems: Congress

Dismissing criticism that Rahul Gandhi's 'padyatra' from Bhatta-Parsaul was a "political stunt", the Congress today said there were "no party flags or workers" with the leader who is only trying to know the real problems being faced by farmers affected by land acquisition.

"Rahul's padyatra is an attempt to know the real problems being faced by the farmers affected due to land acquisition. As the Centre will be amending land acquisitionAct, he will be giving suggestions on certain points about that," senior Congress Digvijay Singh, who is in-charge of UP, told reporters here.

About BJP leader Rajnath Singh and ruling BSP in Uttar Pradesh terming terming Rahul's padyatra a "political stunt and a "drama", Singh said, "People know better.

"Unlike Rajnathji, we do not organise demonstrations for photographs only. If he goes to villages in this rainy season, I will appreciate him," Digvijay Singh said.

"You can see that Rahul is among farmers. There are no party workers or flags around him in his yatra," he said.

In Delhi, Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed echoed the views, saying it was the leader's initiative to get a first hand knowledge of the problems of the farmers.

Asked about Rahul's schedule during the padyatra, Digvijay Singh said that it was not known for how many days the tour will continue.

"Wo kitne din padyatra karenge ye pata nahi... Ye to unke upar hai", (It's upto him. We are not aware as to how many days he will undertake padyatra)," Singh said in reply to a question.

About the July 9 'kisan mahapanchyat', Singh said that after hearing farmers and their representatives, Rahul will deliver his address.

"There will be one stage, where there would be no party flags and banners and those not associated with the party can also come and air their views.

"We urge all farmers and their associations toparticipate in the mahapanchyat," he said.



Rahul Gandhi's padyatra an attempt to know farmers' problems: Congress

72 Andhra MLAs resign over Telangana

Hyderabad: The Telangana statehood issue is on the boil again with all the 33 Telugu Desam Party MLAs and 35 Congress MLAs submitting their resignation to Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka on Monday demanding the division of Andhra Pradesh and the formation of a separate state.

The Congress MLAs who have resigned also include 11 ministers of the Kiran Kumar Reddy government. Four rebel TDP MLAs have also resigned bringing the total numbers of MLAs who have put in their papers over the issue to 72. Rajya Sabha MP K Keshav Rao also submitted his resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman Hameed Ansari.

More MLAs from the Telangana region including nine Congress MPs and 53 MLAs are also planning to resign on Monday over the Telangana issue.

The Centre has also reached out to MLAs from Telangana and invited them to New Delhi for another round of talks. All India Congress Committee General Secretary and Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the Telangana issue was a sensitive one.

"I am in touch with the Telangana MPs and MLAs. We are expecting some of them to reach here (new Delhi) by afternoon. I requested them to one or two rounds of talks. We are hoping for the best. This is a very sensitive issue," said Azad.

However, nine Congress MPs from Telangana failed to submit their resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar as she had left her office after they failed to turn up at the appointed time.

Congress MP from Warangal in Telangana Rajaiah Siricilla blamed traffic jams for reaching late.

"The delay was accidental and not intentional. We are not against any talks but we are committed to our resignation. We got delayed due to traffic congestion. We have got the next appointment from the Speaker at 5:30 PM. We will stay here till 5:30 PM," said Siricilla.

Following the resignation of the Congress MLAs the political and constitutional crisis is likely to escalate in the state and spell trouble for Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy.

A rebel Congress MLA, Konda Surekha, also resigned from her post demanding creation of Telangana state.

Surekha, who is currently with the with YSR Congress Party of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, met the Assembly Deputy Speaker and submitted her resignation. She represents Parakala in Warangal district, the hotbed of Telangana agitation.

After submitting her resignation, Surekha demanded that Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President K Chandrasekhar Rao and Medak MP Vijayashanthi also quit their posts within 48 hours.

In the 294-member Andhra Assembly, the Congress requires 148 MLAs for a clear majority. Although the Congress has 17 MLAs from Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam Party, the mass resignation can lead to an alarming situation.


72 Andhra MLAs resign over Telangana

33 TDP legislators from Telangana submit resignations

33 legislators of Andhra Pradesh's main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) from the Telangana region Monday submitted their resignations to press their demand for a separate state. Five legislators of the ruling Congress have also resigned while others were on their way to the assembly to quit.

TDP leader T. Devender Goud told reporters outside the assembly that all members of his party from Telangana have submitted resignations to Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka as Speaker N. Manohar is in the US.

Three of the TDP legislators faxed their resignations from the US. Four rebel members of the party had sent their resignations Sunday from their hunger strike camp in Hyderabad.

Five legislators of the Congress have submitted their resignations to the deputy speaker since Monday morning while about 25 others, including a dozen ministers, were on their way to assembly to quit.

The Congress legislators left for the assembly after a meeting at Panchayat Raj Minister K. Jana Reddy's residence.

The legislators said the resignations were aimed at pressurising the centre to carve out separate Telangana state as promised by it Dec 9, 2009.

Telangana accounts for 119 legislators in the 294-member assembly. The Congress has 52 members, including two of Praja Rajyam Party (PRP), which recently joined with the ruling party.

TDP has 37 members from the region while Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) has 11.

The ruling party legislators who resigned this morning included Vishnuvardhan Reddy, rebel member Konda Surekha and G. Venkat Ram Reddy, who faxed his resignation from the US.

Ministers from Telangana have sought an appointment with Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan to submit their resignations. Reacting to reports that the central leadership invited them to Delhi for talks, minister K. Venkat Ramreddy told reporters that there was no question of going to the capital unless the centre agreed to form a separate state.

"We have already made it clear that our visit last month was the last visit to Delhi for talks," he said.

Nine MPs of Congress have reached Delhi to submit their resignations to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.

Police have made elaborate security arrangements around the assembly building.

33 TDP legislators from Telangana submit resignations 

Ten Suggestions to Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa

Following this idea we can suggest some more to CM Jayalalithaa since the present Government is reversing most of the decisions taken by DMK.
1. It is reported that the New assembly building works are stopped midway wasting the people money to a tune of Rs.1200 crore. However since the people have given a great mandate to Jayalalithaa this is not a waste. The other buildings under construction should also be stopped. The books in the Library at Kotturpuram should be distributed to poor people and this building should be converted into the administrative office of the Anna University to be cenralised very soon.
2. The Central University at Thiruvarur is functioning in the home town of Karunanidhi. This university should be shifted to Srirangam, the hometown of Jayalalithaa.
3.The new medical college at Thiruvarur should be converted into Veterinary college so that the free goats and cows to be distributed by Jayalalithaa to poor people in this district can be treated free of cost here.
4.The Flyovers at Kathippara and Koyambedu are disturbing the free flow of traffic in Chennai. These over bridges should be demolished and the old traffic arrangement should be restored. Vijayakanth can be reallocated the site of his demolished marriage hall for conducting 1,00,000 free marriages a month.
5.All the colour TV sets distributed in DMK rule should be recollected and in lieu of them VCD players with free Vijay film CDs should be provided. The people should buy their own large screen Sony TV sets without Sundirect. This will facilitate the people to view the films clearly.
6.The Government is going to enhance Electricity production in a big way. Therefore free induction stoves should be distributed in exchange of the free gas stoves given by DMK Government. The electricity charges to all homes should be waived on the birth day of J.Jayalalithaa.
7. All the universities in Tamil nadu should be brought under one University to be named after J.Jayalalithaa for providing uniform education throughout the state.
8. In order to provide standard National Samacheer Kalvi ( NSK) , all the schools should be converted into CBSE schools and Hindi should be taught in all the schools. Since DMK is anti Hindi it is only appropriate that AIADMK should be pro Hindi to prove that it is All India National party. Already more than 500 crore Rupees is wasted. And if this suggestion is implemented only Rupees 1000 crore will be wasted which is lesser than that. For this the schools should be reopened only in the month of September 17 the birth day of Periyaar.
9.The Semmozhi library has been dislocated. Similarly the Semmozhi poonga inaugurated by Karunanidhi should be uprooted. The old drive – in – hotel should be allowed near Anna flyover in Chennai. This will solve the greatest problem of difficulties in parking of vehicles around the flyover.
10. The central Government should be addressed to de recognise Tamil as classical language since it was announced after the request from Karunanidhi. The present CM . Jayalalithaa should send a fresh request and a new announcement should be made for announcing Tamil as classical language from the year 2011 to 2016.


Ten Suggestions to Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa

Sri Sri to visit Dehradun hospital for third time, convince Baba Ramdev to end fast

Dehradun: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev may be in hospital, but is not giving in to demands of breaking his fast. All efforts are on to convince Baba Ramdev to end his fast which has entered its ninth day today.

Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar is expected to visit Ramdev for a third time today to try and convince him to end his fast. Sri Sri paid a visit to Baba Ramdev yesterday but couldn't convince the yoga icon to break his fast.

"He is adamant... I am adamant that he will give up his fast. I will stay here as long as it takes for him to give up his fast," Sri Sri told mediapersons after meeting Baba Ramdev for the second time on Saturday.

The spiritual guru also expressed his willingness to mediate between the yoga guru and the government.

"I am always ready for reconciliation, the issue is sensitive. If the government wants to do something, then I am always ready to talk", Sri Sri said.

The Uttarakhand government has already appealed to Baba Ramdev to end his fast.

"We have asked him to break his fast, his well being is very important for India and for the world as he has established India's identity in the world in all spheres. Everyone is looking upto him and it is important for him to recover to fulfill his efforts for our country," Uttarakhand Agriculture Minister Trivendra Rawat said on Saturday.

Many other political leaders, especially from NDA-ruled states like Punjab and Madhya Pradesh, also tried, but failed to convince Baba Ramdev to give up his fast-unto-death.

In the midst of the debate on whether Ramdev's agitation was organised by the RSS, the organisation's chief Mohan Bhagwat issued a statement asking Ramdev to give up his hunger strike.

But the yoga teacher is adamant he won't give in until his demands on black money are met by the Centre.

Ramdev was admitted to the Himalayan Hospital in Dehradun on Friday after his condition deteriorated following his fast against corruption. There were also some concerns regarding Baba Ramdev's health as his blood pressure had dropped despite treatment. However, doctors briefed the media on Saturday and said the condition of the yoga guru is improving.

The yoga teacher was carried out of his ashram in Haridwar on a stretcher on Friday afternoon after doctors attending to him said his liver had been affected and his blood pressure was worryingly low because of his hunger strike. Ramdev was given glucose en route to the hospital, but he has refused to end his hunger strike.

The yoga icon whose followers run into lakhs started his fast last Saturday morning in Delhi at the Ramlila Maidan. 65,000 people were in attendance on Saturday night when the police broke up the camp with teargassing and a lathicharge. The Baba was evicted and flown back to Uttarakhand.

The action at Ramlila Maidan ended days of negotiation between the government and the Baba over his suggestions for how to tackle the problem of crores of untaxed money that have been shipped abroad. The late-night violence united Opposition parties who accused the government of violating citizens' right to peacefully protest. Civil activists who have declared Gandhian Anna Hazare their leader pounded the government too, with public criticism and a one-day fast at Rajghat on Wednesday.

The government has disclosed that various tax inquiries are being conducted against the Baba's business empire whose reported turnover is more than a thousand crores. Yesterday, the Baba retaliated by declaring online the balance sheets of the four trusts that he runs for charitable purposes. However, he did not share the financial records of the 34 companies that are linked to him and are run by his close aide, Acharya Balakrishna.

The Baba has also been forced to defend a controversial remark he made earlier this week - that he would recruit 11,000 young men and women who would reciprocate if attacked. Yesterday, he said his remark had been distorted and misreported. "The words should be used in the right context... I said I will make a force who will not beat anyone but they will not get beaten either," the yoga teacher said, adding, "what is the harm or wrong if I speak about shaurya (valour)".

The Baba's remark - seen as incendiary by his critics - had also provoked criticism from other social activists and a warning of legal action from the government.


Sri Sri to visit Dehradun hospital for third time, convince Baba Ramdev to end fast

ramesh wanjale dead | Navnirman Sena MLA Ramesh Wanjale Dead

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) MLA from Pune Ramesh Wanjale died in a city hospital Friday following a massive heart attack, official sources said.
Wanjale (45) was elected from Khadakwasla constituency in the 2009 Assembly elections. He was the first legislator of the Raj Thackeray-led party to be elected from Pune city.
A popular figure among the party workers, Wanjale was known for his penchant for wearing gold ornaments that earned him the nickname of "gold man" in the political circles here.
Wanjale is only a 10th class pass.

Wanjale had an appointment for an MRI scan at Joshi Hospital on Friday after he complained of shoulder and spinal pain. “He was advised to undergo shoulder, cervical spine and whole spine screening. He arrived at around 7 pm at the MRI section. He collapsed soon after he was taken for screening. Our doctors revived his heart beat with the help of a cardiac massage and a cardiac defibrillator. But his relatives insisted on taking him to Jehangir Hospital. An ambulance with doctors accompanied him. His son-in-law was with him along with some party workers,” Ashish Atre, radiologist at Joshi Hospital, said.
Jewel Brief
Ramesh Wanjale is known as the MNS’s golden boy because of the two kg gold he wears.
He wears three gold chains with huge pendants, bracelets, gold watch and rings in eight fingers, including one with the party symbol.
Rs 25 lakh
The value of gold Ramesh Wanjale has, according to his affidavit
Did you know?
The MNS announced Bala Nandgaonkar, MLA from Sewri, as its party leader in the Vidhan Sabha and Mahim MLA Nitin Sardesai as the chief whip.


ramesh wanjale dead | Navnirman Sena MLA Ramesh Wanjale Dead
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patanjali yogpeeth | Patanjali Yogpeeth and Divya Yog Mandir worth Rs 1100 crores | What feeds Ramdev's lifestyle empire

Yoga guru Ramdev, today made public announcement about details of his business empire worth over Rs 1,100 crore and claimed that everything was in order.
Patanjali Yogpeeth and Divya Yog Mandir was founded by Ramdev. The trusts, sprawked across 1,000acres in Hardwar in Uttarakhand, had an estimated combined turnover of Rs1,100 crore in 2009-10, While sources said the combined turnover of 34 firms would run intoseveral thousands of crores.
"There are symptoms of dehydration in Baba's body. Glucose is very essential for his body and if there is a threat to his life we won't shy away from giving it forcibly....we have to save his life," he said.
"We have no intention of breaking his fast or hindering his agitation."
Meanwhile, the authorities have demanded a list of those on fast from the Patanjali Yogpeeth, Sundaram told reporters.
"There are thousands of people present here. But not all are on fast. After we get the list, we will monitor their health. We would need about 100 doctors," he added.
Earlier, Chief Medical Officer Yogesh Sharma had examined Ramdev.
"As of now, we don't find the need to feed him forcefully, but if his condition worsens, we will do that," he told reporters.
As his multi-crore rupee business comes under the scanner, the spotlight is on yoga guru Baba Ramdev's vast health and lifestyle empire, fed on low-fat, low-cholesterol, organic and herbal products.
From multi-grain wheat to ayurveda medicines, it's a rich basket and claims to offer cures for lifestyle diseases like diabetes, hyper-tension, blood pressure and disorders of the digestive system.
Amid an announcement by Ramdev, 46, that he would declare his assets, a mood of despondency was palpable at the yoga teacher's ayurveda pharmacies in the capital. One of the largest facilities, Patanjali Chikitsyalaya in south Delhi at Laxmi Bai Nagar market, wore a deserted look.
Officials at the healthcare centre were tightlipped about the week's volume of business and trends. However, a devotee close to the seer in the capital said "nothing could touch Ramdev's ayurveda initiatives".
The most popular health food brand marketed by Ramdev is health wheat, Arogya Atta, a shopkeeper in the Chandni Chowk Market in old Delhi told IANS.



patanjali yogpeeth | Patanjali Yogpeeth and Divya Yog Mandir worth Rs 1100 crores | What feeds Ramdev's lifestyle empire

patanjali products, patanjali yog peeth, patanjali, bharat swabhiman trust, baba ramdev assets

nashik news | Powerful blast in Nashik building kills three

At around 3 pm, a loud explosion was heard in Saptashrungi Building in Tarwala Nagar in Nashik’s Pachavati area.

The impact of the blast has damaged two storeys of the building and vehicles parked in the basement have been flung as far as 10 feet across the road. Other buildings in the vicinity were also damaged.

Even though the building is largely residential, it has a few commercial establishments. Four bodies have been recovered from the debris, and seven people have been injured.

Commandoes are now scanning the debris, looking for more casualties.

The building is unstable, and could fall any minute.

This is slowing down the rescue operations.

While the police are suspecting a cylinder blast, eyewitnesses said the impact and the explosion indicate that it could be a stronger explosive.

While Panchavati is a thick residential area, it wasn’t particularly crowded at the time of the blast.

Teams from the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad, the district police, and the Rapid Action Force are already on the site.

nashik news | Powerful blast in Nashik building kills three
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anna hazare latest news

Veteran social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday began a day-long fast against corruption and the government's violent crackdown against a similar peaceful protest, tapping into widespread anger at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's failure to curb graft.
Hundreds joined Hazare's hunger strike, piling further pressure on the ruling Congress party, condemned for dispatching hundreds of police with batons and tear gas at midnight on Saturday to break up an anti-graft hunger strike by a yoga guru Swami Ramdev.
"When injustice and oppression prevail, it is not a crime to protest," Hazare told a cheering crowd that chanted his name in New Delhi's fierce summer heat.
"We have to fight the second war for freedom," he added, referring to India's first struggle for independence from British colonial rule.
The septuagenarian Hazare, clad in white, began his fast on a stage at the memorial site of independence movement leader Mahatma Gandhi.
With riot police out in force, protesters clapped, sang, beat drums and waved the green, saffron and white national flag outside the gates of the memorial -- a sunken garden with a large marble slab marking the place where Gandhi was cremated.
Many participants wore t-shirts emblazoned with the slogan "India Against Corruption".
"What happened on Saturday was a brutal assault on democracy. Beating innocent people, including children, and women, who were protesting peacefully," said Vikram Shetty, an administrator at a large foreign IT company in Bangalore.
"I can't sit at home and wait for change. This is the beginning of change."
Protests on issues ranging from corruption to high food or fuel prices have mushroomed, though so far India has avoided the kind of social unrest sweeping the Middle East and North Africa.
Anger over corruption has spiralled as the government lurches from scandal to scandal, including a telecoms licensing kickback scam that may have cost the exchequer up to $39 billion.
India's political system risks being undermined by a growing sense of unaccountability, with Singh seen as being out of touch with voters. Many senior ministers are in their 60s and 70s and about a quarter of elected MPs face criminal charges.
But some government ministers are wary of caving to the demands of unelected activists.
"For the transition of this transparency revolution, India is not ready," Defence Minister A.K. Antony told reporters.
Protests have exploited disquiet at the ruling class, thrusting civil movements to the forefront of India's noisy democracy, but sparking debate over their role in policy-making.
While yoga guru Swami Ramdev stressed that his fast was apolitical, Congress officials criticised his connections to the far-right Hindu nationalist organisation RSS and some analysts noted a nationalist upsurge created by the recent protests.
"'War against corruption' is led by people of many hues, but it is also the Hindu revolution's catch-all device to rally new support to the cause," wrote Sagarika Ghose, political columnist and deputy editor of CNN-IBN news channel.

Hazare has reportedly fasted for 108 days over the past 20 years, forcing ministers from office and establishing India's right to information act. A five-day fast in April won concessions on the creation of an ombudsman.
Hazare is praised for his creation of a model village in Maharashtra that promoted water conservation.
He styles himself after Mahatma Gandhi, whose non-violent protest movement ultimately led to the removal of British imperial power through a series of fasts, marches and strikes.
Hazare told his supporters on Wednesday that he would launch another hunger strike if the government did not implement a promised tough anti-corruption bill, which is due by Aug. 15.
Singh has been criticised for what he calls the "inevitable" crackdown on Ramdev's fast and for invoking legislation banning gatherings in the capital to prevent Hazare's fast.
Ramdev, with millions of followers, began his "fast until death" on Saturday, urging authorities to pursue illegal funds held abroad and to withdraw high denomination bank notes.
Graft has long been part of daily life in India and can affect everything from getting an electricity connection to signing business deals. India ranks 78th in Transparency International's index on corruption, below China.
But the latest scandals -- that have seen former telecom minister Andimuthu Raja jailed and business billionaires questioned -- are unprecedented.

PM speaks on Baba Ramdev controversy

New Delhi: Amid public criticism of his government's action against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, some of it from within his own party, the Prime Minister today finally spoke about what's turned into a public relations nightmare.

Dr Manmohan Singh described the police's dismantling of Baba Ramdev's camp against corruption over the weekend as "unfortunate but there was no alternative." He also addressed the widespread belief that the government, caught in a continuum of corruption scandals, is doing little to change the system. "We are serious about fighting corruption but there is no magic wand," said the Prime Minister.

A campaign by civic society activists called India Against Corruption has captured the imagination of a country that has confronted over the last few months a series of blatant swindles commissioned apparently by those in power. They have ranged from a Godzilla-sized telecom scam to pilfering crores from the Commonwealth Games that India hosted in September. Riding on the wave of the anti-establishment sentiment, Baba Ramdev announced that he would fast against corruption and in particular, against the black money that's accumulated in foreign bank accounts.

Late on Saturday night, the police teargassed and lathicharged the camp where 65,000 people had gathered, and the Baba was evicted. Opposition parties have said the Prime Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi owe the country an explanation. Civil activists said the action against Baba Ramdev violates the right to peaceful demonstration - the Baba had launched an indefinite hunger strike against corruption.

Some of the sharpest words against the government came from senior Congress leader and known Gandhi family loyalist Anil Shastri who tweeted, "What happened last night at Ramlila Grounds in Delhi was unfortunate and avoidable." Another tweet stressed, "It is Manmohan Singh govt. Was not a party decision."

Sources say the Congress was also upset about the government's decision to send four ministers to receive Baba Ramdev when he arrived in Delhi early last week. The ministers greeted the yoga icon at the airport and then spent hours with him at the airport lounge running over the list of demands he presented - most of these want the government to recover black money and confiscate it. The ministerial posse was denounced publicly by the Opposition which suggested the government was down on bended knee to appease the Baba.

Mr Shastri apparently agrees. "Indira ji or Rajiv ji would not have sent their Ministers to airport to placate a 'Baba' arriving in a private jet," he said in another tweet.

The somewhat obsequious welcome presented by the government backfired dramatically over the weekend when Baba Ramdev u-turned away from a deal he had struck with senior ministers to end his fast. That's when the government decided it was time to take off the gloves. The police was asked to move into his camp and disperse the crowd.

Yesterday, the government and the Congress both expressed dramatically different versions of who sanctioned the police action against the Baba. Senior minister Kapil Sibal said the party was aware of the plan; Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh said that was not the case.


PM speaks on Baba Ramdev controversy

janardan dwivedi | Shoe attack: Man threatens Congress leader

A man threatened Congress leader Janardan Dwivedi with a shoe at a press conference here Monday. The latter quickly dubbed it as a pre-planned attack.
Dwivedi was busy slamming yoga guru Ramdev and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Congress headquarters here when the incident took place in the full view of TV cameras. It is the latest in a string of shoe-related assaults on public figures in India.
The man came very near to the dais where Dwivedi was sitting and waved the shoe at him. But Dwivedi pushed him away. Soon a security guard caught him and journalists present also pounced on the man, who was then whisked away by security men.
After he was put in a vehicle and possibly taken to the nearest police station, the Congress leader continued with his address to the media.
He describing the attempt to hit him with a shoe as "pre-planned".


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Senior ministers meet to discuss Ramdev's demands

Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday convened a meeting of senior ministers to further discuss the demands of Baba Ramdev, who is on a hunger strike demanding immediate measures to get back the black money stashed away abroad. The meeting comes shortly after the Baba took a two hour break
from his protest to discuss issues with government representatives on various issues related to his demands.
P Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Subodh Kant Sahay, cabinet secretary K M Chandrasekhar and principal cecretary to the Prime Minister T K A Nair attended the meeting called by Mukherjee in his North Block office.
Meanwhile, back channel talks are on to resolve the stand-off in the wake of Ramdev's agitation. Though there are no official meetings scheduled between the two sides, sources said "talks are one and it is not necessary to meet for holding a dialogue."

Senior ministers meet to discuss Ramdev's demands

ramdev baba | Sibal, Sahay to meet Baba Ramdev | Give death to corrupts: Baba Ramdev

As he took the stage for his anti-black money tirade, yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Friday said corrupts should be given death sentence.
“I will start my fast from tomorrow (Saturday). My mission is neither politically motivated nor communal, nor do I have any underground agenda. Corrupt people have no religion, they are demons. All corrupt ministers should be given the death sentence,” Ramdev told a massive gathering at Ramlila ground here.
Clarifying his stand, Ramdev said: “I am not crossing the limits of Yoga. Not lying and stealing is also part of yoga and I am trying to bring those who have crossed that limit back within the limit.”
Ramdev, however, hinted at a negotiation with the government.
“There are one or two issues; barring those, a consensus seems to be emerging between us and the government,” said Ramdev.
He also invited political parties to join his cause.
“Our agitation is not against any political party or individual. We are neutral, not being sponsored by any party or organisation and people from all castes and religion are joining us. We appeal to all parties to join us. We are erecting a special stage where representatives from all parties can come to put forth their point of view,” he said.
Much to the embarrassment of the government, the saffron groups have started lending support to the movement of Baba Ramdev with the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) activists gearing up to join the fast of Ramdev who is demanding the recovery of the black money stashed away in banks abroad.
Baba Ramdev spent the night on the stage where he will undertake the fast from June 4.
Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has cancelled his Kolkata visit and remained engaged in diffusing the situation even as the Congress-led government has come under sharp criticism of the Congress party itself for going all out to placate the Baba.
Union Ministers Kapil Sibal and Subodh Kant Sahay would meet the Baba again Friday to convince him to call off the hungerstrike.

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'All-powerful' lokpal not in interest of nation: Digvijay

VARANASI: Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh is not in favour of a strong lokpal that can question the prime minister.

"Unlimited or supreme power cannot be vested in the lokpal to take action against the prime minister who is elected through an electoral process," said Singh while talking to journalists here on Thursday.

He added that a balancing approach is needed to deal with such things while drafting the Lokpal Bill. "The rights of 544 elected representatives of the Parliament cannot be ignored. Nevertheless, the Congress welcomes Anna Hazare's battle against corruption," he said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi was the first who openly supported Hazare, he said.

"But only Lokpal is not enough to end corruption. Rather some stringent measures are needed to curb this menace," The Right to Information Act should be made more effective, and strict action should be taken against those politicians and bureaucrats whose assets are found more than their declared wealth," Singh said expressing hope that a strict law would come in force to tackle corruption.

He further stated that the Money Laundering Act has been effectively implemented in the regime of UPA government. Actions were taken against politicians like Madhu Koda, A Raza and others, he said adding that perhaps it is for the first time in the history after independence that ministers were sent to jail.

"Appropriate action has been taken in the 2G-spectrum case. Guilty persons have been put behind bars. But, the BJP's record on this front is suspicious," Congress leader said, asking why any legal action was not taken by the BJP-led government against Bangaru Laxman who was shown taking money. "The BJP patronised corrupt people," he alleged.

Anna Hazare praised Narendra Modi, but the fact is that the Modi government has not appointed any lokpal in the last seven years, Singh said adding that the names of Shanti Bhushan and Prashant Bhushan, members of the drafting committee, have also figured in a case of stamp duty.

"Anna Hazare should introspect while selecting the persons for drafting committee," said Singh. He, however, added that Hazare is a simple and honest man, but it is also speculated that he is supported by extreme rightist force like the RSS.


'All-powerful' lokpal not in interest of nation: Digvijay