Amid mounting tensions with the United States in the disputed South China Sea, China on Thursday said it is building a second aircraft carrier and hinted at plans to make a third one to enhance its blue water capabilities.
Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati is upset with Congress over its "attitude" on the bill for promotions in government jobs for SCs and STs but will continue support to it for rest of its term.
Upholding a bunch of petitions filed by aggrieved general category employees challenging the reservation in promotions, the apex court said the state failed to furnish sufficient valid data to justify the move to promote employees on caste basis.
India and Japan on Friday sought a peaceful solution to the territorial disputes in the strategic South China Sea, saying parties involved in the matter must not resort to "threat or use of force", in remarks that could anger China which is opposed to any outside interference.
A war of words broke out on Thursday between Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and the government as the bill for job promotion quota for SCs and STs could not be passed in Lok Sabha during the Winter Session.
The Bahujan Samaj Party on Monday threatened to take a "tough stand" in case the government does not help bring order in the Rajya Sabha and get passed a bill providing for reservation to SCs/STs in promotion in government jobs.
Proceedings in the Rajya Sabha were washed out for the fifth consecutive day on Thursday after uproar over issues of FDI in retail and quota for SCs/STs in promotions in government jobs.
Parliament on Monday witnessed uproar over FDI issue with Opposition members shouting slogans during Question Hour leading to adjournment of both Houses till noon.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said 'possible solutions' are being explored to the situation created by the Supreme Court striking down Uttar Pradesh's decision to provide quota for SCs, STs and OBCs in government jobs.
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Monday demanded that the Centre bring a Constitutional amendment bill during the current session of the Parliament to provide for reservation to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe government employees in promotions.
With the Rajya Sabha failing to take up the contentious bill providing for quota in promotion for SCs and STs, the Bahujan Samaj Party on Thursday demanded extending the ongoing session of Parliament and asked the Centre to find a ;middle path' in coal block issue to end disruptions caused by the Bharatiya Janata Party.
As the fracas over the coal-gate continued for the 12th day in Parliament, Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday alleged that the United Progressive Alliance government was playing a double game on the SC/ST quota Bill, and urged it to get the House in order first.
The Summit comes at a time when China is flexing its muscle to tighten its grip over the disputed South China Sea.
Shah's rally and other events will be attended by party workers from neighbouring constituencies, including Amethi.
We love a leader who oozes authority and firmness, notes Virendra Kapoor.
As it finalises the Lokpal Bill for moving it in Parliament next week, government is open to many suggestions made at the all-party meet, including bringing the prime minister under the purview of the ombudsman with certain safeguards and 50 per cent quota for SCs, STs and others.
The six-time independent legislator said though he would be labelled anti-Dalit, he is only talking about equality.
Modi also berated the Rashtriya Janata Dal-Congress combine in Bihar, calling it an alliance of "double-double yuvraj" (two crown princes) whose sole concern was to protect their "respective thrones".
Naramalli Sivaprasad dresses depending on the political point he wants to convey.
The state government has also taken a decision to keep all schools shut for the day.
Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, strongly argued in favour of granting quota to SC/ST employees.
The government is trying through industry chambers to get corporate world incorporate data on SC/ST recruitment, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik told Rajya Sabha on Thursday.
Modi said social justice is not a lip service for the government but a commitment.
K Chandrasekhar Rao deputed the party's working president and his son K T Rama Rao and other senior leaders to hold parleys with the leader of the opposition in Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jaganmohan Reddy, on Wednesday.
'We don't know where he will go from here and how he will conduct his government.'
Announcing the hike in the ministry's outlay while presenting the budget in Lok Sabha, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said this would help the social sector to focus more on the welfare of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes, as well as the physically challenged.
The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) on Tuesday said the new government may bring in legislation on job reservation in the private sector for scheduled castes (SCs), scheduled tribes (STs) and backward classes but the industry chamber will oppose any such move.
The Union home ministry is expected to forward the proposal to the Registrar General & Census Commissioner for a detailed examination and suggestions, a ministry official said.
A mob of "gau rakshaks" allegedly beat up two Dalits in East Godavari district.
The apex court had earlier refused to stay the Centre's decision to grant 10 per cent quota in jobs and admissions to poor candidates in the general category.
The Bill also seeks to extend nomination of Anglo-Indian communities to the Lok Sabha and the state assemblies by another 10 years. The Constitution (109th Amendment) Bill 2009 moved by Law Minister M Veerappa Moily seeks to extend the reservation beyond January 25, 2010 when the time period of 60 years under Article 334 of the Constitution lapses.
'(Upper caste) leaders talk against the Constitution, reservations and the nation and still get away.'
The Union Cabinet is soon likely to take up a bill to provide recognition to transgenders and protect their rights, Lok Sabha was informed on Friday.
The government's decision of not approving Joseph's name has evoked sharp reactions.
The reservation of jobs in the private sector will tantamount to putting the clock back on economic reforms and not even political parties are ready for a legislation making employment of SCs and STs binding on India Inc, industry body Ficci said.
The Madhya Pradesh high court on Saturday set aside the provision of reservations in promotion in the state government services.
The two were admitted to a hospital in Amalapuram for treatment and Elisha's condition was said to be serious.
Tamil Nadu in its counter affidavit filed in the Supreme Court has justified its policy of providing 69 per cent reservation to the OBCs, ST/SCs and socially and educationally backward classes in the state for admission to educational institutions.
Naukri.com, which voluntarily started gathering data about caste from registered job seekers from May 2006, said 19 per cent of them were women, 3.4 per cent OBCs, 0.8 per cent SCs and 0.2 per cent STs. There are over 130,000 OBCs, 38,000 SCs and STs, 760,000 women, and 8,000 physically challenged job seekers registered on the job portal.
'This time, even the professedly secular parties have maintained a conscious distance from being identified with Muslims.' 'This could be interpreted as a success of the BJP campaign of what it has been calling 'minority appeasement', says Mohammad Sajjad.
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