Sodomy case: 'Hiding' in Bhopal flat, Raghavji arrested

Four days after his domestic help accused him of sodomy, former Madhya Pradesh finance minister Raghavji was arrested on Tuesday from a flat in Koh-e-fiza locality where he was reportedly hiding for more than a day with his wife and a nephew.
The police claimed they took the veteran leader into custody after breaking into a flat in a nondescript apartment after being tipped that he was hiding there to avoid arrest. The first-floor flat in old Bhopal was locked from outside and when they entered he offered no resistance, the police said.
Raghavji's lawyer, however, claimed his client had surrendered and that he was never at large. The 79-year-old leader, who resigned as finance minister on Friday and was expelled from the BJP on Sunday, had applied for anticipatory bail in a Bhopal court but before it could be heard he was arrested.
The ruling BJP has already washed its hands of the leader, who began his political career of more than 55 years with the Jan Sangh, saying he was no longer with the BJP and the police were dealing with him the way they should with any criminal.
The party did not want the opposition to milk the issue and cracked the whip immediately after the victim resurfaced on Sunday. The Congress, whose no confidence motion against the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government will be debated on Thursday, announced that it will not raise the sleaze CD issue in the Assembly.
After he was brought to the Habibganj Police Station which, incidentally, he inaugurated in 2009 and where a plaque bears his name, Raghavji was taken for medical check-up. He claimed he was suffering from hypertension and diabetes among other ailments and that he underwent angioplasty, but was found to be fit enough to be taken to the court.

MPs, MLAs will be disqualified on date of conviction: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down as ultra vires a provision of the Representation of the People Act which protects convicted lawmakers against disqualification on the ground of pendency of appeal against their conviction in the higher courts.

"The only question is about the vires of section 8(4) of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) and we hold that it is ultra vires and that the disqualification takes place from the date of conviction," a bench of justices A K Patnaik and S J Mukhopadhaya said.

The court, however, said that its decision will not apply to MPs, MLAs or other lawmakers who have been convicted and have filed their appeals in the higher courts before the pronouncement of this verdict.

The provision of RPA says that a lawmaker cannot be disqualified in the event of his conviction in a criminal case if he or she files an appeal in the higher court.

The apex court's verdict came on the petitions filed by Lily Thomas and NGO Lok Prahari through its secretary S N Shukla who had sought striking down of various provisions of RPA on the ground that they violate certain constitutional provisions which, among other things, expressly put a bar on criminals getting registered as voters or becoming MPs or MLAs.

The PILs had said that certain sections of RPA allow convicted lawmakers to continue in office while their appeals are pending and thus those provisions are "discriminatory and encourage criminalisation of politics".

Chidambaram, Sharma rush to Uncle Sam to revive Indian economy

Two very chastened Indian cabinet ministers arrived in Washington on Tuesday, looking for American investment and patronage to revive an Indian economy that has hit the skids and a rupee that is being decimated.


The swagger and self-importance that characterized Indian economic engagements with American business over the past few years has evaporated rapidly as finance minister P Chidambaram and commerce and industries minister Anand Sharma engage with US interlocutors over the next few days. In its place, there is despair at the nose-diving rupee and the drying up of foreign investment, leaving the Indian projection of becoming an economic powerhouse distinctly wobbly.

"There's no doubt we are going through a rough period right now,'' a senior Indian official preparing for the ministerial engagements conceded.

There was a time not too long ago when Indian ministers were so cocky that they bluntly told the Americans that they couldn't care less if they invested in India or not; there are plenty of other takers, and besides, domestic demand was so strong that it was sufficient to galvanize the Indian economy. Giddy over forecasts on the ''inevitable'' rise of China and India, some even wrote off America and the west, leaving many western commentators smarting.

Not so fast, may well be the message over the past few weeks. The US economy has not only proved to be resilient but is now bouncing back on the strength of a housing recovering and growing consumer confidence, the highest in five years. Meanwhile, all the bluster about BRICS appears to be crumbling fast with even China and Brazil slowing down, though India is clearly the worst performer of the lot.

Which is why the Indian finance minister will spend an unprecedented four days in Washington DC, meeting a range of American economic interlocutors of consequence, from top executives of Wal-Mart, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft, to lawmakers such as Senator Max Baucus Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and Senator Mark Warner, Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, besides his counterpart US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew. He will also deliver the key-note address on Thursday at the Plenary Session of US India Business Council 38th Leadership Summit, where American executives who have been griping and sniping at India will gather to hear him.

''The finance minister is likely to discuss the issue of investment by US companies in India especially in infra sector, various policy measures taken by the Government to boost investment in the country and tax related matters among others,'' a government statement issued ahead of the visits said, but the sarkari-speak glossed over how much New Delhi is having to bend after having contemptuously dismissed American complaints over barriers to enter the Indian market.

Ahead of the visits, New Delhi has rolled back a range of measures American businesses saw as inimical to them, from punitive tax rulings to mandatory buying of telecom gear from domestic manufacturers under a preferential market access (PMA) policy that progressively calls for 100% local sourcing of security sensitive telecom equipment and electronics from October 2013.

"India's rethink of its PMA policy sends a strong and welcome signal that India is listening to investors and that channels of communication through organizations such as the US-India Business Council are working," USIBC President Ron Somers said on Tuesday as news of the what New Delhi called a "deferment" of the policy came through.

Whether this will be adequate to turn the tide of negative opinion remains to be seen. While India's finance and commerce ministers make the case that New Delhi is ready to do business with the US and rest of the world, there are continued misgivings on part of the defence ministry over liberal foreign investment norms in the defence sector and in the home ministry over open-ended procurement policies in the telecom/electronic sector, both of which are projected as having dangerous security implications.

The US surveillance overreach in recent weeks could not have filled the free-trade brigade with any great confidence, and both Chidambaram and Sharma will have to negotiate the tricky terrain involving national security — protecting it from financial meltdown because it is too closed or a strategic blunder because it is too open.Two very chastened Indian cabinet ministers arrived in Washington on Tuesday, looking for American investment and patronage to revive an Indian economy that has hit the skids and a rupee that is being decimated.


The swagger and self-importance that characterized Indian economic engagements with American business over the past few years has evaporated rapidly as finance minister P Chidambaram and commerce and industries minister Anand Sharma engage with US interlocutors over the next few days. In its place, there is despair at the nose-diving rupee and the drying up of foreign investment, leaving the Indian projection of becoming an economic powerhouse distinctly wobbly.

"There's no doubt we are going through a rough period right now,'' a senior Indian official preparing for the ministerial engagements conceded.

There was a time not too long ago when Indian ministers were so cocky that they bluntly told the Americans that they couldn't care less if they invested in India or not; there are plenty of other takers, and besides, domestic demand was so strong that it was sufficient to galvanize the Indian economy. Giddy over forecasts on the ''inevitable'' rise of China and India, some even wrote off America and the west, leaving many western commentators smarting.

Not so fast, may well be the message over the past few weeks. The US economy has not only proved to be resilient but is now bouncing back on the strength of a housing recovering and growing consumer confidence, the highest in five years. Meanwhile, all the bluster about BRICS appears to be crumbling fast with even China and Brazil slowing down, though India is clearly the worst performer of the lot.

Which is why the Indian finance minister will spend an unprecedented four days in Washington DC, meeting a range of American economic interlocutors of consequence, from top executives of Wal-Mart, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Microsoft, to lawmakers such as Senator Max Baucus Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and Senator Mark Warner, Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, besides his counterpart US Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew. He will also deliver the key-note address on Thursday at the Plenary Session of US India Business Council 38th Leadership Summit, where American executives who have been griping and sniping at India will gather to hear him.

''The finance minister is likely to discuss the issue of investment by US companies in India especially in infra sector, various policy measures taken by the Government to boost investment in the country and tax related matters among others,'' a government statement issued ahead of the visits said, but the sarkari-speak glossed over how much New Delhi is having to bend after having contemptuously dismissed American complaints over barriers to enter the Indian market.

Ahead of the visits, New Delhi has rolled back a range of measures American businesses saw as inimical to them, from punitive tax rulings to mandatory buying of telecom gear from domestic manufacturers under a preferential market access (PMA) policy that progressively calls for 100% local sourcing of security sensitive telecom equipment and electronics from October 2013.

"India's rethink of its PMA policy sends a strong and welcome signal that India is listening to investors and that channels of communication through organizations such as the US-India Business Council are working," USIBC President Ron Somers said on Tuesday as news of the what New Delhi called a "deferment" of the policy came through.

Whether this will be adequate to turn the tide of negative opinion remains to be seen. While India's finance and commerce ministers make the case that New Delhi is ready to do business with the US and rest of the world, there are continued misgivings on part of the defence ministry over liberal foreign investment norms in the defence sector and in the home ministry over open-ended procurement policies in the telecom/electronic sector, both of which are projected as having dangerous security implications.

The US surveillance overreach in recent weeks could not have filled the free-trade brigade with any great confidence, and both Chidambaram and Sharma will have to negotiate the tricky terrain involving national security — protecting it from financial meltdown because it is too closed or a strategic blunder because it is too open.

Digvijaya slams BJP for criticizing Bihar's law and order

Taking pot shots at the BJP, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Sunday said the party which was part of the coalition government in Bihar till last month is criticizing the state's law and order situation over the Bodh Gaya blasts.

The Congress general secretary told reporters here that the perpetrators of the Bodh Gaya temple terror attack in the morning, which left two monks injured, should be brought to book.

"Any effort to destabilize the country, to destabilize the state and to bring about communal disturbance should be fought at all levels. It is not even a month and the BJP feels that the law and order is so bad that they (Nitish Kumar government) can't handle anything. I also saw Ravi Shankar Prasad (BJP spokesperson) saying that probably the (2010) Pune bakery (blasts) culprits were also doing recce," Digvijaya Singh said.

He said the BJP and the Sangh want to communalize politics again in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

"Therefore, all non-BJP ruled states should be careful and Nitish Kumar should be more careful," said the Congress leader.

BJP targets Nitish, says CM busy receiving Cong ministers

BJP today targeted its former ally Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the serial blasts in Bodh Gaya, questioning why his government had not acted on specific intelligence inputs that the Buddhist temple may be targeted by terrorists.

BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said that IB, Delhi police and Pune blast accused had said the Bodh Gaya temple will be attacked by terrorists as a revenge for the attacks on Muslims in Myanmar.

Hussain charged that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was "overloaded" with work as he was handling 18 ministries.

"Moreover, he is busy with protocol everyday as some Union Congress minister visits him. His time is spent in receiving them and having lunch with them.     This is followed by a mutual admiration session," Hussain told PTI.

BJP alleged that after a visit to the blast site, Kumar should have held a meeting wit h his officials.

Instead he met JD(U) leaders.

"The CM is using his official residence for party work. More than caring for the Janata, he is concerned about saving the Janata Dal," Hussain said.

Earlier, State Principal Secretary (Home) Amir Subhani said today that the state government had taken actions to improve security measures at the Mahabodhi temple and adjoining areas on the basis of all inputs given by the intelligence agencies.

Narendra Modi not fit to be PM, says Mayawati

In a veiled reference to reports that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had rescued 15,000 Gujaratis from Uttarakhand, Mayawati on Sunday said BSP condemns a political party whose leader seeks to become a PM candidate but talks about saving people only from his own state.
"We strongly condemn the political party, whose leader stakes claim for the post of the PM, but talks about saving people only from Gujarat," she said.
The BSP supremo said from this, the personality of such a leader could be gauged.
"A person having such a narrow mentality cannot be the one to occupy the top post with honesty. You have to keep this in mind," Mayawati said while addressing Brahmin Bhaichara Sammelan at Ramabai Ambedkar ground here.
She said some political parties were indulging in "politics" over the calamity in Uttarakhand.
"BSP requested the Centre and the state government to extend maximum possible assistance, but I am sad to say that even at this time of deep trouble, some political parties are indulging in politics," she alleged.
She said BSP has appealed partymen to extend maximum help to the victims and has requested the Centre to declare it a national calamity.
"We are grieved with massive loss of life and property due to incessant rain and landslide in Uttarakhand, we pray to give courage to the affected people," she said.
Mayawati said following the ideology of Dr Ambedkar, BSP was formed on April 14, 1983, and at that time almost all the political parties spread canard that it was a party of only Dalits and not that of upper cast.
"That was totally misleading because the ideology and principles of BSP are not against any caste or religion. It wants to create an equitable system," she said.
The BSP supremo said people of all religions and castes should get equal opportunity to progress, but the opposition parties indulged in canard so that upper caste and minorities do not get associated with BSP.
"We cannot come to the Centre without associating all the caste with us. My party has decided to associate upper caste and religious minorities along with dalits and backward and we started from Uttar Pradesh," she said.
Mayawati said she herself took up the task and associated people of Sarv Samaj between 2003 to 2007.
"We ran the government of sarvjan sukhay and sarvjan hitay honestly," she said.
Alleging that all the opposition parties had a tacit understanding in the last assembly elections, she said in a bid to succeed, they used tactics due to which a large number of people from backward caste, upper caste and minorities got mislead.

Raghavji expelled from party after allegations of sexually harassing domestic help, says state BJP chief

The Madhya Pradesh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party today expelled senior party leader Raghavji, state BJP chief Narendra Singh Tomar said. Raghavji has been accused by his domestic help of sexual harassment.

Raghavji, 79, had quit as the state's finance minister after the allegations. He was allegedly asked to quit by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Raghavji had been Finance Minister for nine years.

Sources close to him say that he feels the case against him is politically motivated and that the man who has accused him of sexual exploitation worked part-time for him, occasionally massaged the minister's arms and legs, and had quit a month ago.