Sharat Pradhan

Stories by Sharat Pradhan

Rahul's UP foray puts Mayawati govt on backfoot

Rahul's UP foray puts Mayawati govt on backfoot

Rediff.com   11 May 2011

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi's disguised entry to the troubled spot in Greater Noida, where local farmers are on a warpath against 'inadequate compensation' for their acquired land, has put the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh on the back-foot.

Warring sides hail SC view on Ayodhya

Warring sides hail SC view on Ayodhya

Rediff.com   9 May 2011

They might have been fighting in the courts for ages to stake their respective claims over the much-debated Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya, but the rivals have heartily welcomed the view taken by the apex court on the issue.

PM, Rahul attack Maya over 'backward' Bundelkhand

PM, Rahul attack Maya over 'backward' Bundelkhand

Rediff.com   30 Apr 2011

In a frontal attack on the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party, the Congress on Saturday pointedly blamed the Mayawati government for the prevailing backwardness and poverty in Bundelkhand area.

Hazare keeps his date with Varanasi via telephone

Hazare keeps his date with Varanasi via telephone

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2011

Even as a sudden and acute health problem prevented him from coming to Varanasi for a rally, social activist Anna Hazare chose to keep his date with the masses by addressing them via telephone on Friday.

Rahul blames non-Cong govts for UP's backwardness

Rahul blames non-Cong govts for UP's backwardness

Rediff.com   29 Apr 2011

Blaming non-Congress governments for the prevailing backwardness in Uttar Pradesh, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Friday urged the youth of the state to get into politics to transform the country's most populous state.

Maintain status quo on Ayodhya site: Allahabad HC

Maintain status quo on Ayodhya site: Allahabad HC

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2011

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Thursday extended its order for maintaining status quo at the disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya till August 31.The earlier status quo order was set to expire on May 31.While a special appeal against the high court verdict on the issue is pending before the Supreme Court, an application was moved by the Faizabad commissioner, seeking an extension of the status quo before the special high court bench.

Ailing Hazare promises presence in Lucknow rally

Ailing Hazare promises presence in Lucknow rally

Rediff.com   28 Apr 2011

Social activist and Gandhian Anna Hazare has assured local organisers that he would try to fly down to Lucknow for the proposed rally at Jhule Lal Park along the banks of the Gomati river on May 1. Hazare was admitted to a Pune hospital after he complained of excruciating pain in the knees on April 26.

Rahul files surprise RTI application in Lucknow

Rahul files surprise RTI application in Lucknow

Rediff.com   27 Apr 2011

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday took the Uttar Pradesh government by surprise when he appeared at the National Rural Health Mission office in Lucknow, seeking information under the Right to Information act.

Railway cops challenge Arunima's story

Railway cops challenge Arunima's story

Rediff.com   26 Apr 2011

A probe by the Government Railway Police has found loopholes in the version given by athlete Arunima Sinha, who lost her leg after being thrown out of a train by robbers in Bareilly.Dismissing the investigations, the 23-year-old national level football and volleyball player said she was being "mentally harassed" by the police. "The investigations point out that Arunima was disturbed and she either attempted suicide or met with an accident," said an official.

What has Mayawati done for Dalits, asks BJP

What has Mayawati done for Dalits, asks BJP

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2011

Accusing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of not taking any steps for the betterment of Dalits, Bharatiya Janata Party national spokesman Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday sought to know details of the measures taken by her for the welfare of downtrodden communities in the state.

UP: Starting point for Anna Hazare's yatra

UP: Starting point for Anna Hazare's yatra

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2011

Social activist Anna Hazare will kick off his nation-wide campaign against corruption from Uttar Pradesh next week. The renowned Gandhian, whose satyagrah compelled the Union government to concede his demand for a Jan Lokpal bill, will renew his movement in a big way from Varanasi, where he is scheduled to arrive along with his comrade-in-arms former top cop Kiran Bedi, right to information activist Arvind Kejriwal, and activist Swami Agnivesh on April 29.

Merrut tense after communal violence

Merrut tense after communal violence

Rediff.com   25 Apr 2011

Tension prevails in the communally sensitive Meerut, following a Sunday evening clash between rival groups belonging to two different communities that left 30 persons, including half a dozen cops injured.

 UPA trying to grab Waqf land: Mulayam

UPA trying to grab Waqf land: Mulayam

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2011

Samajwadi Party President Mulayam Singh Yadav on Saturday pointedly accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at the centre of attempting to grab Waqf properties across the country through an executive order.

Why no Dalit on Lokpal Bill draft panel, asks Maya

Why no Dalit on Lokpal Bill draft panel, asks Maya

Rediff.com   22 Apr 2011

"What was even more shocking that even someone like Anna Hazare, who was spearheading the movement against rising corruption in the country, did not care to ensure inclusion of a Dalit on the committee. After all he hails from Maharastra which gave birth to the greatest Dalit icon Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar, who led several movements for the upliftment of the downtrodden dalits," Mayawati said.

I didn't mean any disrespect to Hegde: Digvijay

I didn't mean any disrespect to Hegde: Digvijay

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2011

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Digvijay Singh backtracked on his own remarks about retired Supreme Court judge Justice Santosh Hegde, who is currently on the Lokpal Bill draft committee.

Digvijay continues assault on Lokpal draft panel

Digvijay continues assault on Lokpal draft panel

Rediff.com   21 Apr 2011

While his main attack was on eminent veteran lawyer Shanti Bhushan and his activist son Prashant Bhushan -- both of whom are members of the Lokpal Bill draft committee -- he also trained his guns on Karnataka Lokayukta and former Supreme Court Judge Santosh Hegde and Magsaysay awardee Arvind Kejriwal.

UP: Six months jail for three 'straying' Chinese

UP: Six months jail for three 'straying' Chinese

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2011

A local court in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district on Wednesday awarded six months imprisonment, together with a fine of Rs 50,000 each, to three Chinese nationals, including a woman, who had strayed into the Indian territory from the Indo-Nepal border at Rupaidiha.

Lucknow: Fatwa issued against female foeticide

Lucknow: Fatwa issued against female foeticide

Rediff.com   20 Apr 2011

Alarmed by the latest census report confirming a steep fall in the male-female ratio in Uttar Pradesh a prominent maulana from a Lucknow's oldest Islamic seminary -- Darul Uloom Firangi Mahal -- on Wednesday issued a fatwa against abortion of the female child.

UP: Only 4 out of 500 IAS officers declare assets

UP: Only 4 out of 500 IAS officers declare assets

Rediff.com   19 Apr 2011

Not more than four officers have come forward to furnish details of their assets so far even though the prescribed deadline by the central government's Department of Personnel and Training comes to an end on April 20.

Amputated girl athlete being flown to Delhi

Amputated girl athlete being flown to Delhi

Rediff.com   18 Apr 2011

The decision followed detection of a serious infection for which she underwent a second round of surgery at the King George's Medical College under Chhatrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University in Lucknow on Sunday.