Sharat Pradhan In Lucknow

Stories by Sharat Pradhan In Lucknow

Akhilesh bows before Azam Khan's resignation threat

Akhilesh bows before Azam Khan's resignation threat

Rediff.com   26 Jul 2012

In yet another blatant U-turn within 24 hours, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday revoked his earlier order to placate Urban Development Minister Azam Khan who threatened to resign because of being abruptly divested of the charge of Meerut district in addition to his routine duties.

Miffed Azam Khan offers to quit UP govt

Miffed Azam Khan offers to quit UP govt

Rediff.com   25 Jul 2012

Highly-placed sources claimed that Azam, who is not only the senior-most member of the Akhilesh cabinet but also one of the founders of the Samajwadi Party, chose to take the extreme step as a mark of protest against the chief minister's decision to divest him of the responsibility of Meerut district of which he was in charge in addition to his portfolio

75 arrested, curfew continues in Bareilly, Aonla

75 arrested, curfew continues in Bareilly, Aonla

Rediff.com   24 Jul 2012

After day-long skirmishes between rival, sides which left one dead and 20 injured, communal rioting came to an end on Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh's Barielly, about 250 km from Lucknow.

Akhilesh renames 8 major districts carved out by Mayawati

Akhilesh renames 8 major districts carved out by Mayawati

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2012

The Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh on Monday renamed eight districts, which had been earlier named by Mayawati, leaving the Bahujan Samaj Party supremo fuming. The decision to change the names was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

UP woman gang-raped in police station for 3 days

UP woman gang-raped in police station for 3 days

Rediff.com   23 Jul 2012

In yet another case of guardians of law turning into violators of law, a sub-inspector of police and the local village watchman together allegedly gang-raped a 39-year-old woman inside the premises of a police station in Uttar Pradesh Kushinagar district, a popular Buddhist destination.

Akhilesh goes out of way to defend his father's acts

Akhilesh goes out of way to defend his father's acts

Rediff.com   21 Jul 2012

In an obvious bid to camouflage the 'wrongs' committed by his father Mulayam Singh Yadav during his last stint as head of the government, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has decidedly gone overboard by reversing the government's stand on an all important issue before the Supreme Court.

Leopard trapped after it strays into Lucknow outskirts

Leopard trapped after it strays into Lucknow outskirts

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2012

Close on the heels of a tiger that had strayed into the outskirts of Lucknow in February-March, a leopard was spotted barely 35 km from the state capital on Thursday morning.

Bizarre incidents add to Uttar Pradesh's notoriety

Bizarre incidents add to Uttar Pradesh's notoriety

Rediff.com   19 Jul 2012

If you find dead bodies being kicked around by cops or a minister advocating caning of school-going students, or Dalits being denied entry into Hindu temples, you can be rest assured that all this can happen only in India's most populous state -- Uttar Pradesh. Sharat Pradhan reports.

Ajit Singh silent on bizarre bans imposed on women in UP

Ajit Singh silent on bizarre bans imposed on women in UP

Rediff.com   13 Jul 2012

The diktat issued by the panchayats of Bagpat in Uttar Pradesh -- banning love marriages, use of mobile phones and entry of women under 40 in markets -- has been found bizarre by many.

BJP sweeps UP mayoral poll, Congress bites the dust again

BJP sweeps UP mayoral poll, Congress bites the dust again

Rediff.com   9 Jul 2012

The sweep of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Uttar Pradesh civic election, in which it bagged an impressive ten out of the 12 mayoral seats, has set the tone for the next major electoral battle in the state -- the 2014 Lok Sabha election.

South Africa baits Indian tourists

South Africa baits Indian tourists

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2012

South Africa is all set to bait Indian tourists with an offer that may be irresistible for anyone -- a 3-star holiday for 15 days inclusive of to and fro airfare for just Rs 1 lakh.

UP CM Akhikesh Yadav off to Australia on holiday

UP CM Akhikesh Yadav off to Australia on holiday

Rediff.com   7 Jul 2012

While there was no official communication about his trip, sources close to the Yadav household said, "The chief minister is on a private trip along with his family and will be back on July 11."

UP info commissioner under fire for hiding facts!

UP info commissioner under fire for hiding facts!

Rediff.com   5 Jul 2012

The appointment of retired IAS officer Ranjit Singh Pankaj as Uttar Pradesh's chief information commissioner has come under intense scrutiny. Governor B L Joshi, who had appointed Pankaj on June 30, 2009, has questioned the appointment on grounds of concealment of material facts by the appointee.

Pranab meets Mulayam, Mayawati to seek votes

Pranab meets Mulayam, Mayawati to seek votes

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2012

United Progressive Alliance Presidential nominee Pranab Mukherjee spent the whole of Tuesday in Lucknow, meeting not only Congress legislators but also those belonging to the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party.

Akhilesh's largesse: SUV for MLAs from development fund

Akhilesh's largesse: SUV for MLAs from development fund

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2012

After rolling out a whole lot of sops for the young and old alike in fulfillment of his Samajwadi Party's election promises, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has found a novel way to appease the state's 500-odd legislators.

Cong for CBI probe into Noida land allotment to Chadda

Cong for CBI probe into Noida land allotment to Chadda

Rediff.com   2 Jul 2012

Even as the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh sits pretty over large scale irregularities committed by the Mayawati government in cash-rich Noida and Greater Noida, the Congress party has demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the allotment of prime commercial and group housing land in that neighbourhood of Delhi.

UP CM urges ministers not to accept gifts above Rs 5,000

UP CM urges ministers not to accept gifts above Rs 5,000

Rediff.com   1 Jul 2012

Realising that his first appeal to his cabinet colleagues for voluntary declaration of their assets had fallen on deaf ears, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has now issued a code of conduct for all his ministers. He has urged them not to accept any gift worth more than Rs 5,000.

Muslims flee as communal violence scorches UP village

Muslims flee as communal violence scorches UP village

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2012

A large number of members of the minority community are uneasy about returning to their homes in Asthan village in Pratapgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, from where they had to flee 10 days ago following violent communal clashes over the rape of a Dalit girl.

IIMs to start awarding degrees instead of diplomas

IIMs to start awarding degrees instead of diplomas

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2012

A decision to that effect was taken at a meeting of directors of various IIMs here Tuesday. The meeting was presided over by Union HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

BJP uses Hindutva card to garner votes in UP civic polls

BJP uses Hindutva card to garner votes in UP civic polls

Rediff.com   27 Jun 2012

The Bhartiya Janata Party is back to adopting its old Hindu hardline agenda to garner votes in the on-going civic polls across Uttar Pradesh, where the party had failed to make a mark at the March 2012 state assembly elections.