An impressive and colourful parade, a traditional attraction of the national event, marched down the thoroughfare connecting the Rashtrapati Bhawan and the historic India Gate as President Pratibha Patil took the salute from marching contingents.
"No country can afford to take an ambivalent attitude in this fight. Arguments that terrorism is being perpetuated by independent actors are self-defeating and cannot be accepted," Patil said without naming Pakistan in her address on the eve of the 60th Republic Day.
President Pratibha Patil has cleared the names of slain former Maharashtra Anti-Terrorist Squad chief Hemant Karkare, sub-inspector Tukaram Gopal Omble and National Security Guard commando Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, who laid down their lives during the Mumbai terror strikes, for Ashok Chakra. A senior Rashtrapati Bhavan official told rediff.com, "All that I can tell you is that she has cleared the file and it has been sent to home ministry."
President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat, who has been nominated by Congress to contest assembly poll in Maharashtra, on Wednesday night said his mother's name was "deliberately being dragged" and that he should be considered only on his merit.
Reacting to reports of a kin of President Pratibha Patil being in the race for a Congress ticket for assembly polls in Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday said her family members should refrain from doing so keeping democratic norms in mind.
Leaders of the Left front, Bahujan Samaj Party, Telugu Desam Party and other parties on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil to demand immediate convening of the monsoon session of Parliament, accusing the government of 'concealing' information regarding the Indo-United States nuclear deal.They charged the ruling coalition with subverting the Constitution by deciding to do away with the monsoon session and convening a combined session.
Paving the way for formation of a popular government in Meghalaya, the Centre on Friday night decided to revoke the President's rule imposed in the state nearly two months back.
Notwithstanding the chill in bilateral relations, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani have sent their New Year greetings to their Indian counterparts.Zardari and Gilani have sent their greetings to President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh through the Ministry of External Affairs, sources said on Wednesday.
Likening the situation in the country to a "social emergency", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday made it clear that the nationwide lockdown to contain the spread of Covid-19 cannot be lifted in one go on April 14, asserting that the priority of his government is to "save each and every life".
President Pratibha Patil released a Special Commemorative Stamp in honour of Late Field Marshal Sam Bahadur Manekshaw at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Tuesday.
The Supreme Court, on Friday, refused to direct further investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the murder of a Jalgaon Congress leader in a case in which the Bombay High Court has rejected a plea to make President Pratibha Patil's brother G N Patil as an accused.
On the eve of a brief session of Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil and discussed internal security, the Mumbai terror attack and other issues of national importance. The hour-long meeting took place amid speculation that the prime minister would soon be undertaking a cabinet reshuffle in the wake of resignation of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil and indisposition of Information and Broadcasting Minister P R Dasmunsi.
The President and the Trinamool's demand concerning the nominated members of the Rajya Sabha has the government in a quandary
'I am happy Sanjay Raut and Sharad Pawar changed the game of Maharashtra politics.'
President Pratibha Devisingh Patil created history on Wednesday by becoming the first serving female head of state to fly in an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft from the Lohegaon Air Force Base in Pune.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had his first substantive meeting with President Barack Obama on Thursday, during which he told the American leader that India would like to carry forward the Indo-US strategic relationship that had developed during the last five years.
President Pratibha Patil on Monday embarked on a ten-day visit to Vietnam and Indonesia to give a new thrust to India's 'Look East' policy and bolster its bilateral ties with these economically and strategically important neighbours in the ASEAN region.
Although the exact contents of the mail are unknown, sources said it was deemed 'sleazy' and a complaint was lodged with the Delhi police. The police in turn managed to track down the IP address from which the email was sent and tracked the person down
The scheduled caste organisations submitted a memorandum to President Pratibha Patil on Saturday night seeking her intervention in upholding the rights and equal opportunities bestowed upon them by the Constitution and 'infringed' by TTD in respect of worship and employment.
President Pratibha Patil is not scared of undertaking a sortie in a two-seater Sukhoi-30 frontline fighter jet plane of the IAF next week at Pune.
Sania Mirza's scheduled meeting with President Pratibha Patil was called off after the tennis ace was rendered indisposed.
The godman is very popular in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh because of his spiritual and social works.
Seventy six-year-old Dr Singh drove to Rashtrapati Bhavan on Wednesday morning from his 7, Race Course Road residence to greet Patil on the occasion, a PMO spokesperson said.
President Pratibha Patil allocated the additional charge to Sharma on the advice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a Rashtrapati Bhavan statement said late Saturday night.
President Pratibha Patil asserted that the country is determined to create a secure environment in J&K to defeat the divisive designs of terrorism and violence, while inaugurating the Institute of Kashmir Studies at the Kashmir University on Monday in Srinagar.
President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday paid homage to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi on his 17th death anniversary. Amid a continuous drizzle, the departed leader's widow and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, along with her son Rahul and daughter Priyanka Vadra, reached his memorial 'Vir Bhumi' to pay their tributes. A prayer meeting was organised in the premises of the memorial.
India is currently estimated to have a total workforce of 500 million, which is expected to grow by 20 million every year over the next 10 years. President Pratibha Patil said India is a "nation of young people" and the country's youth can be made employable by investing in skill development. "India's demographic dividends can be realised only if the country invests in developing skills to make our youths employable," she said.
In her customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament, President Pratibha Patil said, "Even in the prevailing adverse global environment, our economy, it is hoped, would still register a relatively high growth rate." Official estimates have pegged GDP growth for FY'09 at 7.1 per cent, considered good at a time when most developed economies are facing recession.
In her customary address to the joint sitting of Parliament, President Pratibha Patil termed the terror attack on Mumbai as an attempt to retard the country's economic progress and said this and terrorist incidents in various cities were assaults on all the values of the country.
After getting a pat from President Pratibha Patil on Friday for her bravery, 22-year old Rukhsana termed the occasion as a 'red letter day' of her life. "It was a red letter day for me and my family, as the President was here to boost my morale and praised the brave act. It was an honour to talk to her and get clicked," Rukhsana told reporters soon after her 15-minute interaction with the President. "I am encouraged by her pat," Rukhsana said.
Ruksana had killed a top Pakistani terrorist belonging to Lashkar-e-Tayiba and injured another at Kalsian village in Rajouri district, about 217 km from Jammu on the night of September 27.
Gathering under the aegis of the Indian Ex-Servicemen Movement (IESM), the ex-servicemen are disillusioned since their demand for "one-rank, one-pension" (OROP) has not been implemented by the government. The ex-soldiers' demand under the OROP is: "Two individuals retiring after equal length of service and from the same rank must get equal pension."
"The fact is that all human beings are one and our behaviour should be based on this basic truth. People create distinctions in their own mind and believe them to be true. Today, it is the perceived differences that are dividing people," Patil said while inaugurating the Global Vipassana Pagoda in suburban Gorai near Mumbai.
The Centre has begun consulting states on implementing its Rs 3 per kg rice/wheat scheme for the poor, but discussions got stuck on what would be the basis for defining the beneficiaries.
To be fair, the President's speech does separate the mention of large foreign investment flows (particularly foreign direct investment) from 'the need to augment resources in the banking and insurance sectors,' in turn 'to serve the needs of society better.' But the sentences follow each other -- the kind of wording which permits either forward movement or backtracking, depending on how matters develop, says Govindraj Ethiraj.
Giving extensions to secretaries after fixing their tenure is unfair to the rest.
For the sake of neutrality of the Chief Election Commissioners and Election Commissioners, CEC N Gopalaswami wants a bar on their joining any political party for ten years after retirement or taking up any government post. In a three-page note to President Pratibha Patil sent on January 16 when he separately recommended removal of Election Commissioner Navin Chawla, he has sought amendment in the Election Commission Act for the purpose.
Move to help India Inc access funds in the absence of foreign funds.
The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to honour World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) wrestler Daleep Singh Rana alias Khali. "The state will honour Khali, a native of Sirmaur district," Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal's office told PTI on Tuesday.
India is sending two naval ships with relief and medical supplies to Myanmar, where a severe cyclone claimed over 3,000 lives and rendered thousands more homeless. The ships, carrying food items, tents, blankets, clothing and medicines will sail to Yangon from Port Blair, the External Affairs Ministry announced in New Delhi. The top leadership has conveyed India's readiness to provide immediate emergency relief assistance and to assist Myanmar in its rehabilitation efforts.
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