Sheela Bhatt And Onkar Singh In New Delhi

Stories by Sheela Bhatt And Onkar Singh In New Delhi

'Sonia and PM hiked fuel prices to SAVE the economy'

'Sonia and PM hiked fuel prices to SAVE the economy'

Rediff.com   13 Sep 2012

The government HAD to increase the price of diesel; it could not have allowed the Indian economy to commit suicide by November 2012, a former senior official tells Sheela Bhatt

Mamata finally gives her nod to FDI in aviation

Mamata finally gives her nod to FDI in aviation

Rediff.com   13 Sep 2012

Mamata Banerjee, Chief minister of West Bengal and an important ally of the UPA government has given go-ahead to the Foreign Direct Investment in the aviation sector, according to a source in her government in Kolkata.

Blame Shinde also for coal mess, says BJP MP

Blame Shinde also for coal mess, says BJP MP

Rediff.com   13 Sep 2012

BJP MP and coal crusader Hansraj Ahir blames Shinde for give permission for 45 power plants in Chandrapur in Maharashtra.

Coal-gate: BJP leaders demand Prez intervention

Coal-gate: BJP leaders demand Prez intervention

Rediff.com   12 Sep 2012

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday took its grievances against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress-led United Progressive Alliance to President Pranab Mukherjee, demanding his intervention on the coal allocation issue and attacks on a constitutional institution like the Comptroller and Auditor General.

EC all set for Gujarat election in December

EC all set for Gujarat election in December

Rediff.com   12 Sep 2012

The Gujarat assembly election will be held in mid-December, according to a senior source in the Election Commission of India.

Advani-led BJP delegation to meet Pranab over coal scam

Advani-led BJP delegation to meet Pranab over coal scam

Rediff.com   11 Sep 2012

A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation led by senior leader L K Advani will meet President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday to discuss the coal scam. Advani will be accompanied by Murali Manohar Joshi, Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley and they are expected to apprise Mukherjee of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's role as coal minister between 2006 and 2009.

India, Pak continue to balance strategy and sentiment

India, Pak continue to balance strategy and sentiment

Rediff.com   9 Sep 2012

Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on his visit to Islamabad, reports that both India and Pakistan are cautious about keeping the peace process moving forward.

New visa agreement between India-Pak not radical

New visa agreement between India-Pak not radical

Rediff.com   8 Sep 2012

Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on his three-day tour of Pakistan, compares the new visa agreement to the old one

'Mayawati main culprit for not passing quota bill'

'Mayawati main culprit for not passing quota bill'

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2012

Udit Raj, chairman of Indian Justice Party and president of the All India Confederation of SC/ST, hailed the United Progressive Alliance government's move to pass a constitutional amendment bill for promotion of for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in both the government and private sectors. He regretted that the Bill could not be passed in the Parliament following agitation from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

'Visa pact will make Indo-Pak friendship unstoppable!'

'Visa pact will make Indo-Pak friendship unstoppable!'

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2012

Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, who is travelling with External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on his tour of Pakistan, examines the relevance of the visa agreement that is bound to have significant impact on the relations between the countries

Karachi vs Islamabad tussle as Krishna heads to Pak

Karachi vs Islamabad tussle as Krishna heads to Pak

Rediff.com   7 Sep 2012

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna will reach Islamabad on Friday to hold a comprehensive dialogue with his Pakistani counterpart Hina Rabbani Khar. The civilian governments in both India and Pakistan are currently on a weak footing. In Pakistan, the turf war is on between the Judiciary and the Executive while in India, the ruling coalition is facing a severe bout of credibility crisis with scams coming to the forefront everyday.

Cong stands exposed on coal scam, alleges BJP

Cong stands exposed on coal scam, alleges BJP

Rediff.com   4 Sep 2012

Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain reiterated on Monday that his party was firm on its demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should resign over the coalgate issue because "he is directly responsible for the corruption".

Naroda Patiya ruling shows India's pluralism is safe

Naroda Patiya ruling shows India's pluralism is safe

Rediff.com   29 Aug 2012

While Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's moral argument has been severely weakened by the judgment, on the political turf he is unlikely to lose, or gain, from it. However, the story is not about politics but justice, says Sheela Bhatt

The importance of bilateral ties with Iran

The importance of bilateral ties with Iran

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2012

Sheela Bhatt explains why Dr Manmohan Singh's visit to Iran for the Non-Aligned Summit will be closely watched around the world.

Let's hear what PM has to say on coalgate, says Yechury

Let's hear what PM has to say on coalgate, says Yechury

Rediff.com   28 Aug 2012

Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury asked the Union government on Tuesday to separate coal blocks needed for power generation in the public sector and then go in auctioning of coal blocks that have been allocated to private sector.

Cong benefited in coal blocks allocation, charges BJP

Cong benefited in coal blocks allocation, charges BJP

Rediff.com   27 Aug 2012

Stepping up attack after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rejected CAG's observations on coal block allocation, BJP on Monday alleged that he was directly responsible for causing delay in amending laws on auction with the aim of bringing financial benefit to Congress.

'Is Chidambaram ready to cancel coal mines allocation?'

'Is Chidambaram ready to cancel coal mines allocation?'

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2012

The United Progressive Alliance government in its robust defence has rubbished Comptroller and Auditor General's charges against the allotment of coal mines and its estimate of losses to the exchequer.

Hope BJP doesn't disrupt Parl on Monday: Chidambaram

Hope BJP doesn't disrupt Parl on Monday: Chidambaram

Rediff.com   24 Aug 2012

Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, at a joint press conference along with Coal Minister Sriparkash Jaiwal and Minister of Law and Justice Salman Khursheed said that if the Bhartiya Janata Party continues to disrupt Parliament and refuses to hear Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, "Then we would have to find out alternatives to address the people of India through the media to put forward our point of view."

Will Lok Sabha get adjourned sine die?

Will Lok Sabha get adjourned sine die?

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2012

Will the current session of the Lok Sabha, which is witnessing turmoil due to Bhartiya Janta Party's demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation over the Coalgate, get adjourned sine die? As the deadlock between the United Progressive Alliance and BJP continues, the adjournment of the Lok Sabha sine die seems to be the only option left, notes Sheela Bhatt.

'PM directly responsible, but doesn't want to quit'

'PM directly responsible, but doesn't want to quit'

Rediff.com   23 Aug 2012

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha lashed out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday for maintaining studied silence on the BJP demand to own up moral responsibility and resigning in the Coalgate scam.