The Tribune – J & K : Table interlocutors’ report before security panel, says Farooq

Tribune News Service

Jammu, 29 January 2012. Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and president of the National Conference Farooq Abdullah today said the report of interlocutors on Jammu and Kashmir should be tabled before the Cabinet Committee on Security for its review.

“The report on Jammu and Kashmir prepared by the three-member team of interlocutors must be first tabled before the Cabinet Committee on Security so that it can be reviewed,” Farooq told reporters on the sidelines of a function in which a large number of PDP workers joined the NC here this evening.

He said the report should be made public so as to hold a debate on it.

The Union Minister said after a review, the report could be discussed in Parliament, adding: “I will speak to the Union Minister for Home P Chidambram, to whom the report has to be submitted by the interlocutors, also on the issue.”

On the devolution of powers to panchayat members, Farooq said: “The elected panches and sarpanches will soon be empowered. The Speaker has to decide on the distribution of powers to the panchayat members and legislators.”

He said they both must play a constructive role in an overall development of the state.

On renewable energy projects, the Union Minister said: “The Centre is ready to provide 90 per cent funds but unfortunately so far no project has been sent by the state government to my ministry.”

On a survey conducted by the New Delhi-based Institute of Research on India and International Studies (IRIIS) in Kashmir, in which it was referred that corruption was the main issue before the youth, Farooq said: “I have not read the report. You better ask this question to the state government.”

Earlier, over 35 panches and sarpanches from Mendhar tehsil in Poonch district joined the National Conference at the party headquarters.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120130/j&k.htm#4

The Tribune – Uttarakhand goes to the polls today

Dehradun, January 29. The stage is all set for Assembly elections in Uttarakhand tomorrow to elect 70 members to the Vidhan Sabha as tight security arrangements have been made to ensure free and fair elections.

More than 63 lakh voters are expected to exercise their franchise in the elections in which the ruling BJP is locked in a close fight with the Congress.

Polling parties have reached their destinations in high-altitude and remote areas, state’s Chief Electoral Officer Radha Raturi said.

With electioneering for the Assembly elections coming to an end last evening, most of the candidates today remained busy in door-to-door campaigning.

A total of 788 candidates are trying their luck with the BJP and Congress both contesting all the 70 seats.

The star campaigners from both parties crisscrossed the hill state. With the EC enforcing the model code of conduct to check money power, the cacophony of electioneering was missing.

Stating that elaborate arrangements have been made for the smooth conduct of polling, Raturi said the poll personnel deployed in high-altitude areas have been provided with sleeping bags, snow-boot and jackets. An Indian Air Force helicopter has also been stationed at Sarsawa for rescue purpose to meet any eventuality, she said. (PTI)

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120130/main4.htm

The Asian Age – ‘Second generation will fill Atal void’

Yojna Gusai, Age Correspondent

New Delhi, 30 January 2012. At a time when the BJP is missing its patriarch and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee whose charisma and mass appeal were considered great vote-catchers, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari is hopeful that the party’s second generation leaders, like Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj, her counterpart in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi, will help in filling the vacuum.

Mr Gadkari is also of the view that senior leaders, including BJP parliamentary party chairman L.K. Advani, senior leaders Rajnath Singh and M.M. Joshi are also “effective” leaders like Mr Vajpayee.

“… it is unfortunate that Vajpayeeji is not in good health… we all miss his active involvement… but then the party has many capable second generation leaders, who have been inspired by Vajpayeeji and will lead the party and the nation in future,” said Mr Gadkari.

It could be mentioned that Mr Vajpayee’s name tops the list of BJP star campaigners for the Assembly polls in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. During the 2009 Lok Sabha polls the BJP had issued an appeal on Mr Vajpayee’s behalf to voters of Lucknow (Mr Vajpayee’s constituency) to vote for the BJP candidate.

Mr Gadkari, who has been campaigning in the poll-bound states along with senior leaders of the party, also sees the Assembly polls in five states as the “semi-finals” before the 2014 General Elections. Hopeful that his party will perform well in the five states, particularly in UP and will retain power in Uttarakhand and Punjab (with ally SAD), Mr Gadkari said the “aam admi now knows the real face of the Congress-led UPA government.”

Criticising the ruling Congress for failing at all fronts including economy, bringing down inflation, action against corrupt and implementing development schemes in rural areas, Mr Gadkari said his party has a vision document for the nation. “… you need a vision based on ground realities and effective people to implement it… making tall promises helps no one,” said the BJP chief.

http://www.asianage.com/india/2nd-generation-will-fill-atal-void-826

Brussel, Bruxellles, Brussels, 20 December 2011

Galeries Royales St Hubert

Grasmarktstraat

Grote Markt – Life-size christmas stable with the three sages 

Grote Markt - The nativity scene

To see more Netherlands and Belgiun pictures go to:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12445197@N05/sets/72157622046344528/

More Belgian pictures to follow
Harjinder Singh
Man in Blue

The Tribune – Punjabi tadka to political curry

Saurabh Malik, Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 29. Politicians coming to Punjab are spicing up the poll campaigning by adding wee bit of local flavour to it. That’s right! The national level political figureheads, finding their way into Punjab just before the elections, have come out with a perfect recipe for successful poll campaigning. They are topping up the poll preparations with some ‘karak’ Punjabi ‘tadka’.

Just in case you still don’t know what’s cooking, go to one of the election rallies. You will find political icons offering a taste of Punjab through their attire, speeches and even songs before the commencement of the rallies.

Be it Dr Manmohan Singh, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Hema Malini or even Mayawati, the success mantra is “When in Punjab, do as Punjabis do”.

No wonder, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Amritsar launched a scathing attack on Parkash Singh Badal-led government in Punjabi. Watching the Prime Minister deliver his nearly 35-minute speech in chaste Punjabi, everyone in the crowd could associate himself with him.

For so many others, it is more than striking the right cord with the audience by interacting with them in their language; it’s all about telling people strategically they are one of them by tying turbans and wearing salwar-kameez.

Sonia Gandhi wrapped herself in the hues of Punjab by wearing a salwar-kameez at the Kapurthala rally on January 19, after relegating her customary sarees to the closet.

Hema Malini also played her role of a star campaigner for Punjab dexterously by donning a salwar-kameez at a Ludhiana rally.

In a long ‘kurta’ teamed with a pink dupatta, Hema started her speech with “Sat Sri Akal”. Her speech also referred to the oft-quoted title of Sher-e-Punjab as she talked about her actor hubby.

Rahul Gandhi too slipped into the shoes of Punjab da puttar. Putting on his thinking cap, the AICC general secretary turned into a turbanator at the Tarn Taran rally. He adjusted himself with the audience by adjusting his turban gracefully.

UPites may love listening to their own songs on headphones attached to mobile phones, while cycling their way to work.

But when it comes to Mayawati and her rallies in Punjab, nothing less than bhangra beats suffice. It was bhangra pop at Mayawati’s rally in Kharar as high-wattage speakers blared out hit Punjabi songs before her arrival at the venue.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120130/punjab.htm#1

BBC News – India: Polling begins in Punjab and Uttarakhand

Monday, 30 January 2012. Voting has begun amid tight security in key state elections in the Indian states of Punjab and Uttarakhand.

Over 20 million voters are eligible to vote for more than 1,800 candidates vying for 187 assembly seats.

Five states are holding local elections over the next month – a test for India’s governing Congress party.

The first round of the polls in Manipur over the weekend was marked by violence when suspected rebels attacked a polling station and killed four people.

Some of the dead in the north-eastern state were polling officials, reports say.

As well as elections in Manipur, Punjab and Uttarakhand, voters in Uttar Pradesh and Goa will also vote in the next few weeks, with results due on 6 March.

Monday’s polls in the politically crucial northern state of Punjab are expected to see a keen contest between the ruling coalition – led by the regional Shiromani Akali Dal party – and the main opposition Congress party. There are 117 seats in the state assembly.

Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary soldiers have been deployed in Punjab to ensure peaceful polling.

In mountainous Uttarakhand, the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is fighting to gain a second term in power in face of opposition from the Congress party. The state has 70 assembly seats.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his government have been on the defensive in recent months, as Congress struggles to get its anti-corruption bill through parliament.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-16784154