Top 10 news today: Shashi Tharoor on terrorists, Smriti Irani row, Asaram shocker, APJ Abdul Kalam mark of respect, more

No death penalty even for terrorists, says Shashi Tharoor

Unfazed by criticism, former union minister Shashi Tharoor today opposed death penalty even for terrorists saying it was an "obsolete practice" and they should instead be put behind bars for the rest of their lives without parole. "Terrorists should be put behind bars throughout their life without parole. In earlier days, there was a belief that if a person murders someone, he should be killed. Why do we need to follow the old obsolete practice...," the Congress MP said. On the recent controversy over his tweet on the execution of Mumbai terror attack convict Yakub Memon, he said: "I have not said a word on Memon case. What I tweeted was that I was not going into the merits of an individual case and it was the responsibility of the Supreme Court. I had tweeted against the death penalty which is an obsolete practice." The Congress MP from Thiruvanathapuram said not only he, but several leaders, including Sitaram Yechury, D Raja, Kanimozhi, Shatrughan Sinha and Varun Gandhi had also supported the abolition of death penalty. (PTI) (02/08/2015)

BJP protests against Kamat's remarks on Smriti Irani

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, including the women members today staged a protest outside the residence of Congress leader Gurudas Kamat over his alleged offensive remarks against HRD Minister Smriti Irani. Kamat, however, claimed that he had not made any derogatory comments and only raised the question of Irani's "educational inability" considering the plum post she has been given in the government. Kamat said, "I have always been respectful towards women. What I said has been quoted by Irani herself that she worked with 'McDonalds'." "My statement was carried in a distorted version by some sections of the media," he said. "I was asking question to PM (Narendra) Modi on why he has given such an important portfolio to Irani, when she herself has landed in certificate controversy, what is wrong in it?" the leader asked. Speaking in Rajasthan last week, Kamat had referred to Irani as a "poncha lagane waali" (cleaning woman) while questioning the minister's credentials to hold the charge of the education portfolio. Shouting slogans, the party workers staged a protest in suburban Chembur where former Union Minister Kamat resides and demanded an immediate written apology. (Express Photo) (02/08/2015)

Textbook shocker: Asaram shown as 'saint' in Raj school book

Rape accused self-styled godman Asaram features in a chapter on saints in a Class III textbook in the district, sharing space with Vivekananda, Mother Teresa and Ramakrishna Paramhans. Yoga guru Ramdev is also included in the list of saints in the moral education and GK textbook 'Naya Ujala' which is taught in many schools of the district. The chapter also has pictures of Guru Nanak, Kabir, Meerabai and Shankaracharya and the children have been asked to identify them including Asaram, who is in a Jodhpur jail after being arrested in a rape case. The book has been supplied by a Delhi-based publisher Gurukul Education Books. Asked about the inclusion of Asaram's name, a representative of the publishing house said when the book was published, there was no case against Asaram. (Express Photo) (02/08/2015)

Postal department employees work on Sunday as tribute to APJ Abdul Kalam

Over 900 employees of post offices here worked today, a Sunday, as any other usual working day as a mark of respect to former President A P J Abdul Kalam, who passed away last week. It was an usual working day in all 81 post offices of Jaipur and even postmen were on job to deliver mails in the city, Senior Superintendent of Post Office Dinesh Mistry said. Over 5,000 speed posts and 6,000 to 7,000 ordinary letters were delivered today, he said. Postmen were happy doing their job on Sunday to fulfil the message of Kalam, Senior postman at Durgapura Post office Narendra said. Kalam died of a cardiac attack while delivering a lecture at IIM Shillong last week and his last rites were performed in his hometown Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu on July 30. (Express Photo) (02/08/2015)

Sonia, Rahul Gandhi responsible for Parliament deadlock: BJP

Union Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Javadekar today said holding the Parliament to ransom was a "contempt of democracy" and blamed Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi for the logjam during the ongoing monsoon session. "Sonia and Rahul are responsible for disrupting Parliament. Stalling Parliament proceedings in such a manner amounts to contempt of democracy. Hindering business of the House wastes tax-payers' money to the tune of crores of rupees," Javadekar said. The Union Environment Minister said that Parliament is unable to function as the Congress had adopted an "adamant stand". "It appears that Congress has not yet come to terms after the drubbing it received in the last Lok Sabha election. That's why it was disrupting the Parliament (proceedings), he said. (PTI) (02/08/2015)

Ex-CBI chief backs death for Yakub Memon, seeks tough anti-terror laws

Supporting death penalty for terrorists, former CBI Director Joginder Singh, regarding the Yakub Memon case, accused his supporters of misusing India's liberal laws and called for an overhaul of anti-terror legislation. In an article in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) organ "Organizer", the former CBI Director hit out at rights activists opposing death sentence to Memon, saying they did so for the sake of publicity. "India has failed to tackle terrorism for the simple reason that all terrorism laws were repealed by the then Government in 2004, for appeasement, vote bank politics.... There is no effective law to deal with the terrorism in our country... It is rather overdue to change the policies, laws and approach, which has failed to deliver. Yakub Memon case shows, how the terrorists use every opportunity, to misuse the liberal laws of India. Despite being slated to be hanged on July 30, he filed a case in the Supreme Court and to delay, sent a mercy petition to the President, which had been rejected," Singh said. Coming down heavily on "the open and tacit supporters" of Memon, Singh urged the government "not to bother about such people" saying, "Most Indians, irrespective of religion, will support the government if it can convey it means business." (PTI) (02/08/2015)

Jammu bandh extended by three days, some violence reported

Jammu will witness a shutdown for another 72 hours, the organisers of the bandh said in its third day today even as incidents of violence were reported in parts of the city amidst a brief detention of a Congress leader agitating for the demand for setting up of an AIIMS here. Some youths, participating in the agitation called by a conglomerate of 70 organisations, pelted stones at police in Purani Mandi area of old city this afternoon, police said. Police resorted to minor tear gas shelling to disperse the stone-pelting youth. "The situation was brought under control," a police officer said, adding no one was injured. The bandh that began on Friday morning will now continue for another 72 hours, said AIIMS Coordination Committee (ACC), the group spearheading the agitation for an AIIMS in Jammu. Business establishments, market places and shop remained closed generally and public transport was off the roads in view of the 72-hour bandh call given by the ACC. (PTI) (02/08/2015)

Nirmala Sitharaman: Stating that the FDI inflows in the country are improving day by day, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said more and more investments are coming from sectors other than IT and ITeS.Construction and infrastructure is the second highest sector which are receiving FDIs, the Minister said. (Express photo) [16-02-16]

Telangana Dy-CM kicks up row with 'Charminar' remarks

Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mahmood Ali has kicked up a controversy with his remark that the historic 'Charminar' will be razed if it becomes dilapidated while defending his government's decision to rebuild the 90-year-old Osmania General Hospital (OGH) here. Opposition has been against the move to reconstruct OGH, saying they will not allow demolition of the heritage structure. "We will make 10-15 storey hospital...and it will be able to cater 10 times the number of patients it does now. It will have the same name (OGH).... When a building becomes weak, if Charminar becomes weak, in 200 years, 400 years or 500 years, it will have to be razed too. If a building becomes weak, it can fall any time and claim many lives," Ali said yesterday. (PTI) (02/08/2015)