Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Sunday met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray to urge him not to oppose the participation of Australian cricketers in the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL).

Specially flying down to Mumbai from Aurangabad, Pawar called on Thackeray at the latter's residence Matoshri, where they were closeted for over two hours.

While Pawar was accompanied by Indian cricket board chief Shashank Manohar, Thackeray was joined by son Uddhav who drove down from Pune for the meeting.

Over a fortnight ago, the Shiv Sena had made it clear that it would not permit Australian players to play in Maharashtra for the ongoing attacks on Indians in that country.

Though Pawar declined to comment about the meeting, there were indications that the mission may have failed to bear the desired results.

Interacting with mediapersons, Manohar said that "we presented our viewpoint before Thackeray on this critical issue".

"We also explained to them the format of the IPL teams and matches and how there were one or two Australian players in each team. He agreed to consider the issue in a couple of days," Manohar said.

The IPL will also make a presentation on the issue before Thackeray, after which he would clarify whether the Sena would permit the Australians to take part.

Earlier Sunday, addressing a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) conclave in Aurangabad, Pawar had said that sports and politics must not be mixed and also announced his plans to meet Thackeray over the issue.

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Raipur, Feb 6 (IANS) :

B.L. Agrawal, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer in Chhattisgarh, has been found to have at least 220 bank accounts and assets worth millions of rupees, official sources said Saturday after the income tax department raided his residence here. 

IT officials searched the residence of the state agriculture secretary as well as business establishments of his close relatives Thursday.
On Friday, the officials similarly raided his chartered account Sunil Agrawal's house and came across documents suggesting that the IAS officer had amassed assets disproportionate to his known income.

The officer had at least 220 bank accounts, several of them opened on fake names and addresses, and a few in the names of his domestic helps.
Efforts by IANS to contact B.L. Agrawal failed. A man who answered his mobile telephone said that Agrawal was "busy in a meeting".
Income tax department sources said they were analysing documents and papers they seized. Some documents suggest he might be involved in hawala transactions, the sources said.

Chhattisgarh's Bharatiya Janata Party government is waiting a final report from the IT department about Agrawal's assets to initiate action against him, official sources said.

Houses of government officials and businessmen in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh were raided Thursday and Friday to unearth unaccounted income. 

Bangalore, Feb 6 (PTI) :Chaos, anger, repartees and some scientific reasoning marked the seventh public hearing on Bt Brinjal here today with Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh facing attacks from groups supporting and opposing the crop variety, prompting him to hit back at them.   
 
The minister, at the receiving end with NGOS, farmers, doctors and scientists making out a case for and against commercialisation of Bt Brinjal, countered some detractors, shouting "I will not listen to you".

The three-and-half-hour debate saw the minister lose his cool when he was accused by one of the participants of being an "agent" of biotech firm Monsanto.

"I am not a Monsanto agent", a livid Ramesh snapped. "You need help", he said apparently indicating that the participant was mentally unsound.
As the debate here saw decibel levels rise, the Minister tried to use his authority to bring in some discipline and some time turned to humour to calm down an agitated voice.

"This not the Parliament", he told a participant who tried to yell to be heard above the din and spoke out of turn.

"They must stop telecasting parliamentary proceedings... This is highly infectious," Ramesh said even as the participants yelled to have their voices heard.

To an allegation that he was in the loop of the pro-GM lobby and a gazette notification proved it, he yelled, "I will not tolerate wild allegations". An angry Ramesh made frantic calls to his department to have some clarity on the notification.

Dismissing as far-fetched the conspiracy angle of his involvement, Ramesh said the gazette only stated that the listed commodities could be exported without permission from the National Bio Diversity Authorities and was in no way connected to GM crops.

However, he said he would look into the notification and would withdraw it if it was in any way found to be connected to genetically modified crops.
He said "false rumours" were being spread and the actual issue was being hijacked by throwing in "conspiracy angles". "I want scientific contributions, not political contributions", he admonished a member trying to make a point.

Despite being booed as being "Hitler-like" when he refused to hear some of the points, he said he had been "patient" and had been "fair and democratic" while eliciting opinions.

When a scientist stated that when farmers had accepted mobile and other technology why were they refusing to accept BT Brinjal, he told him: "I am sorry a scientist has spoken so. I apologise to all of you. Science should not teach you arrogance. I am trying to find a middle path between anti-democratic nature of NGOs and arrogance of scientist," he said amid applause.

The debate also took a linguistic turn when a group objected to a scientist airing his views in English and not Tamil, raising a counter-protest from Kannadigas.

Former prime minister Deve Gowda, who was also present at the meeting, praised Ramesh for holding the public consultation and raised doubts over safety of GM crops and whom it would benefit.

While some farmers during the debate argued that introduction of BT brinjal would impact lifespan and would result in multinationals monopolising the scenario, others said it would help in doubling yield and economic gains.

Some of the scientists questioned the long term implication and expressed fears of contamination through cross pollination, others clearly questioned why India was being used for experimentation.

Ramesh, who had earlier said that a decision on introduction of BT brinjal would be taken by February 10, said it would attempt to balance science and community. "I cannot ignore public opinion. I have to walk a line between science and society."

Asserting that there was no pressure on him, he said the decision would be fair one. "It might make 50 per cent happy, 50 per cent unhappy. It is not going to be an easy decision to take. It will set the pattern for future decisions for food crops, so I have to be careful."

He said he had received letters from the chief ministers of West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh opposing Bt Brinjal. The Tamil Nadu chief secretary had orally communicated similar view, he said, adding that he is was yet to hear from Maharashtra, Punjab and Gujarat.

Ramesh said he so far had seven consultations with 8,000 people, received letters and written to various scientists, governments, farmers, NGOs and other organisations.

Slogans raised
Hundreds of angry protesters today raised slogans and waved placards here as Union Environment Minister M Jairam Ramesh commenced a national consultation, the last in the series, on the controversial move to introduce Bt Brinjal.
Farmers, NGO's and members of various organisations condemned the move to introduce Bt Brinjal, carrying placards with slogans like "we don't need Bt Brinjal."

The consultation witnessed some angry farmers arguing that introduction of Bt Brinjal was not safe, as research conducted in the field was still insufficient. Seed owners would not end up being farmers, but multinationals, they said.
A huge posse of police personnel was deployed, even as protesters raised slogans while the debate was on.
Today's meeting here is the last in a series of nationwide public consultation meetings on Bt Brinjal, in which groups, NGOs, technologists and others would air their views.

Ramesh has already stated that a final decision on commercial introduction of Bt brinjal would be taken by February 10. 

Bollywood bombshell Priyanka Chopra may play a role in Shivaraj Kumar's 'Jogayya'. The film is a sequel to Shivanna's blockbuster 'Jogi', which broke many a collection record in Sandalwood.

Preparations for the film, considered to be the 100th one for Shivaraj, have been going on for the past six months and the film would go on floors in four months. Prem, who had introduced Mallika Sherawat and Priyanka Kothari to Kannada, is on talks with Priyanka Chopra's secretary to get arrange her dates for a song in the film. She will suit the character very well, says Prem.

Jennifer Kotwal, the 'Jogi' heroine, will be replaced, it is reported. Vidya Balan's name is being considered for the role.

After landing in Mumbai, with huge security at the airport to ensure his safety, Shah Rukh Khan said, "I am proud to be an Indian." He also said that he will talk to the Shiv Sena, if invited.  When asked if he would meet Bal Thackeray, he said, "If Bal Thackeray will call me, I will meet him anytime. I enjoy his company." 
 
Referring to the Shiv Sena's war against him, Shah Rukh Khan said,  "Let's be patient and talk it out. I am very proud to be an Indian.  If I say anything it will be misconstrued and further turned around, let me not even use big words.  I am pro relationship with countries, which was misconstrued. I am what I am because of Mumbai."
 
The Sena has threatened to block the release of SRK's new film, My Name Is Khan, because of Khan's comments on Pakistani cricketers.
 
On Saturday, Sena chief Bal Thackeray wrote in the party's mouthpiece Saamna that the Sena would not stop the screening of My Name Is Khan, as threatened earlier. However, Sena leaders later said that Thackeray's editorial was sarcastic, and their threats against the film stand.

Thackeray wrote, "How do we awaken this Congress party? This is how you rule. So go ahead. Let Shah Rukh Khan show his film My Name Is Khan without security. Traitors with the blessings of the Congress go ahead, the Shiv Sena will not block you."

Earlier this week, cinema owners in Mumbai received letters and phone calls from the Sena, warning them to remove posters publicising the film. They were also told not to screen the film unless Shah Rukh apologises.

In London, a few days ago, Khan, at a presser, said that was not likely to happen.  "What should I retract", he asked, "that I'm an Indian? I think what I said is true of any person from any nation from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, America, England. That's how I think we've all been brought up. You say 'ok, my country is nice, I'm very proud of it, I'm very proud to have been born there and I wish a lot of people come to my country and participate in the goodness of my country.' If that is wrong then I think I need to relook (sic) at what my children are studying right now. I need to even ask people who think the statement is wrong 'do they have an issue with the schools their children are going to?' Because that's what they are being taught also. It's not a stand or a statement against anyone. It's actually, sort of what I individually feel and normally when a film is releasing - and I won't comment on this on a larger scale, because, it's nice for a Hindi film hero who is thought of as an icon to say this, but it scares me to say anything, because our stakes are very high. I'm really sorry. I would like to apologize to Karan Johar (the director), I apologise to Kajol and I'm immensely sorry to all our business partners that because of what I say or what I believe in the film and the work is going to be affected."

Despite sporadic attempts by Sena activists to create hurdles by waving black flags, staging noisy demonstrations and burning Rahul Gandhi's effigies for his comments on Mumbai belonging to all Indians, the Congress general secretary's trip passed off without any untoward incident.

Maximising on the tremendous response to his trip, Rahul Gandhi even attempted something no other national leader of his stature has done in the recent past - travel on two suburban trains along with members of the general public.

He brushed aside security concerns - and his waiting helicopter - at the last minute to zoom off to Andheri to board a Virar-Dadar fast local and got off at Dadar station at 1.17 pm.

Prior to that, like any law-abiding citizen, Rahul Gandhi checked his pockets for some change. Not finding any, he withdrew cash from an ATM near the Andheri station.

The Congress general secretary then stood in queue to buy a ticket and then boarded a Western Railway (WR) local.

Thousands of commuters were pleasantly surprised and even taken aback to see the VVIP in their modest midst. Many jostled to get close to Rahul Gandhi or shake hands with him, giving his security personnel a tough time.

Ditto at Dadar from where he took the stairs over a foot overbridge to catch a slow Central Railway (CR) local train to go to Ghatkopar for his next engagement.

At Dadar and Ghatkopar, he was virtually mobbed by the people trying to catch a glimpse of the leader who had challenged the Shiv Sena with his comments on the role of north Indians in protecting Mumbai during the 26/11 terror attacks.

On both trips, Rahul Gandhi was also accompanied by Mumbai Police Commissioner D. Shivanandhan and Joint Police Commissioner (Crime) Rakesh Maria.

From Ghatkopar, he drove straight to the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar slums, halting at a large statue of BR Ambedkar. There he removed his footwear, garlanded the statue and respectfully bowed in homage to the father of the Indian constitution.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and others had sweated it out in the heat below a tree, awaiting Rahul Gandhi for over an hour-and-a-half. After all, the leader was scheduled to take a helicopter, not travel on local trains.

It was a political triumph for Rahul Gandhi in the Shiv Sena's own turf.

An elderly Dalit woman, almost in her 80s and barely able to walk, told waiting mediapersons that she had mustered up the energy only to see Rahul beta .

At the Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar slums, Rahul Gandhi halted in his tracks often to speak to local people, sign autographs and instantly win friends.

Said a 21-year-old college student Lata Sangame: "It is the first time that somebody big like Rahul Gandhi has tried to understand the problems of the people of Mumbai. None of the Shiv Sena leaders have ever travelled in local trains."

A peeved Sena sought to downplay the response of the visit and termed it a drama that had inconvenienced train commuters.

Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe told television channels that if he was so concerned about the common man, why could he not walk down from Juhu Airport to Bhaidas Auditorium, a distance of barely a kilometre.

Rahul Gandhi had arrived at around 11 am to a virtual curfew like atmosphere with police on guard to ward off trouble in the face of the Sena's directives to its activists to greet him with black flags on grounds that he had "insulted" Marathi people and Maharashtra .

It was a very different atmosphere when he left a few hours later for Puducherry.

Uddhav after Rahul visit: Mumbai under Mussolini raj

Mumbai, Feb 5 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit exemplifed the "Mussolini" rule in Maharashtra that prevented Shiv Sena workers from exercising their democratic right of protest, the saffron party's leader Uddhav Thackeray said here Friday.

Referring to the tight security blanket thrown for Rahul Gandhi's four-hour trip, Thackeray said Shiv Sainiks all over the city were prevented from their democratic right of protesting by waving black flags.

"This shows what kind of a 'Mussolini' raj is prevalent in Maharashtra," Thackeray said, referring to the Italian dictator and Rahul Gandhi's mother Sonia Gandhi's Italian origins.

He described Chief Minister Ashok Chavan of the Congress as "a watchman" for waiting nearly an hour-and-a-half under a tree in Ghatkopar to receive Rahul Gandhi. In an unexpected change of plan, the Congress general secretary decided to take local trains instead of the helicopter to commute about the city.

Referring to Rahul Gandhi withdrawing cash from a bank ATM near Andheri railway station to buy a second class suburban train ticket, Uddhav Thackeray said it was expected.

"Mumbai means Delhi's ATM," Uddhav said, implying that the city was allegedly being exploited by the rulers in Delhi for its wealth
 

Friday February 5, 2010, Mumbai  

 
When in Mumbai, Rahul Gandhi decided to do as Mumbai does.

So in a last-minute decision that undoubtedly left his security men in a cold sweat, Gandhi decided to take local trains instead of the helicopter that was on stand-by for him. He travelled first class, and bought tickets that were paid for by a quick stop at an ATM on his way to Andheri station. 

Gandhi was scheduled to greet students in vile Parle in North Mumbai, and then fly in a chopper to Ghatkopar to meet the residents of a Dalit slum. The scheduled four hour trip to Mumbai had these parts of the city swamped with policemen in the morning. The concern for the police and the  Maharashtra government was the Shiv Sena's order to its workers to greet Gandhi with black flags. The Sena had begun a battle of words with the Gandhi scion ever since he made remarks in Bihar that Mumbai belongs to all Indians and that commandoes from Bihar and UP fought to save Mumbai during 26/11. 

After being greeted by Chief Minister Ashok Chavan upon landing in Mumbai, Gandhi travelled in a convoy to Bhaidas Hall in Vile Parle to meet students.

An ambulance accompanied the convoy, bomb disposal squads were on stand -by, and 500 policemen flanked the one-kilometre stretch from the helipad to the venue.
 
Gandhi looked relaxed as he entered the venue. After more than an hour, he emerged smiling and got into his car. The media followed, perplexed, as Gandhi then stopped at a Bank of India branch. Sources in the Congress say Gandhi at this point had decided to take a train to Ghatkopar, and was worried that he didn't have enough cash to pay for his tickets. Political analysts say this was the young Gandhi's way of showing the Sena and the city that he wasn't fazed by the Sena's threats.

It was after this that Gandhi swung into Catch Me If You Can mode. Reporters raced to keep up with him as he headed to the Andheri station. There, he boarded the first-class compartment a Churchgate bound train. Since his next stop was on a different route, he disembarked at Dadar station, then got onto the 1.42 Kalyan local fast train, and finally pulled into Platform Number One of the Ghatkopar Station.

Sources tell NDTV that Gandhi's revised travel plans worried both his own security and the local railway police, already nervous about terror alerts for suburban railway lines. (Read: Rahul's security surprised, worried by train rides)

At Ghatkopar, Gandhi garlanded a statue of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar and met residents of the Ramabai Nagar slum.

Through the day, close to 60 Shiv Sainiks were taken into preventive custody. (Read & Watch: Sena, police clash before Rahul's visit)
 
The Sena's Uddhav Thackeray tried to have the last word, saying, "They treat Mumbai like an ATM, collect money from here and then go elsewhere."

A statement that summed up what the Sena was desperate to avoid - its roar reduced to a whimper by a leader of whom Bal Thackeray said earlier this week: 'The Prince Has Sprouted Wings'. (Read: Latest round in Thackerays vs Rahul Gandhi)

This round to Gandhi in the war with the Sena.  
 

Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi, Friday boarded a local train from Andheri station to reach Ghatkopar.

The Congress general secretary is on a half-day visit to Mumbai.

Just like any commuter, Gandhi got down at Dadar station (Western Railways) and boarded the 1.29 pm Central Railway local to Ghatkopar.

Gandhi also stopped at an ATM in Santa Cruz before hopping into a Mumbai local.

Gandhi is headed towards Ramambai Nagar in suburban Ghatkopar to interact with the slum youth.

At Ramabai nagar, Gandhi will garland a statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar, pay homage and then interact with select slum youths.

Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi addressed college students at Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle in a function organised by the Youth Congress.

Rahul Gandhi arrived in Mumbai amid tight security following Shiv Sena's call for black flag demonstrations against him for his "Mumbai for all Indians" remark even as three Sena activists were detained after they tried to enter his itinerary venue.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan and top cops including Mumbai Police Commissioner are overseeing Gandhi's security. Along with the city cops, commandos of the National Security Guard (NSG), Rapid Action Force and other forces have been deployed.

Mumbai police arrested many Shiv Sena activists across the city today, ahead of the Congress leader's visit to to the city.

 
Sena corporator, Rajul Patel, and two others were arrested after they attempted to enter through the security posts at Bhaidas Hall in suburban Vile Parle, police said.

Tight security measures are in place after Sena chief Bal Thackeray asked his partymen yesterday to greet the Congress leader with black flags to protest his remarks on Mumbai.

Heavy security has been deployed at the venue in Ghatkopar where Gandhi is scheduled to visit later in the day. Shops in the area remained closed and the cops rounded up several trouble makers last night as a preventive measure.

According to reports, this is Rahul's first visit to the financial capital after he became the AICC General Secretary.

Hundreds of policemen are on guard at Vile Parle railway station, bus stops and the road leading to the venue.

The entire road leading to the venue and across the city was dotted with posters that read - 'Fight an election, become a leader.'

Gandhi will be leaving for Pondicherry at 2.30pm after his half-day meet in Mumbai. He is also scheduled to inaugurate a Rs two crore stadium named after his father, former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, on the Puducherry University premises. The interaction programme is organised by National Students Union of India (NSUI). 
 

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Australian spin legend Shane Warne is all set to use his charm to soothe the frayed Indian nerves Down Under after he met Victoria's Premier John Brumby today for discussing ways to end the violent attacks on the community here.

Although Warne did not divulge what transpired during the meeting, Brumby said the former spinner's services could be sought in some promotional work to ease the escalating tension between the local Australians and the Indians.

"We may well look at something like a friendship cricket game, we'll be focused on selling the positives about our state," Brumby was quoted as saying by 'ABC News'.

"Shane wants to help Victoria and put back into the community. While we would both condemn in the strongest possible terms, any act of violence or any act of racially-motivated violence, we're also keen to keep this in a context," he said.

Warne, who plays for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, is immensely popular there and Brumby said this would help the Oz government's planned campaign. "Shane of course through his cricket, through his prowess is greatly admired and greatly respected in India."

"I'd certainly like to see Shane perhaps in some promotion and advertising role in India. I've actually had a talk to him in the past about his penchant for baked beans," Brumby said.

"He does like baked beans but he's very eclectic in his food tastes and I think he likes Indian food as well," he quipped. Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland agreed with Brumby and said players like Warne are capable of bridging any divide.

"I've got no doubt our players can play a role and help. It's fantastic he's offered his services and let's see how things unfold," he said. Indians have been targetted in a series of attacks here, which have been condemned as racist in India but the Australian government has so far refused to acknowledge the same, insisting that these are just opportunistic crimes.
 

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Former skipper Imran Khan today blamed President Asif Ali Zardari for the present mess and problems in Pakistan cricket.

"The tragedy of our cricket system and governance is that it has been run on ad-hoc basis and that is causing all the problems," Imran said on a television channel.

He said the system of the President being chief patron and appointing the Chairman of the board was not longer workable in Pakistan cricket.

"What do you expect when President Zardari himself knows nothing about the ABC of cricket and he is chief patron of the board," Imran added.

"President Zardari has a personal liking for Ejaz Butt that is why he will never remove him as Chairman of the board," he said.

The legendary pacer, who is now a leading political figure, said changing of captains in Pakistan cricket was nothing new and it had been happening in the past well.

"This culture of changing captains frequently is nothing new and nothing will improve unless we improve and change our basic structure and system of governance of cricket."

Imran said Pakistan cricket was blessed with natural talent and this was reflected in the performance of the national under-19 team in the ICC World Cup.

"We are not short of talent, we are short of good governance and a good system," he said. Imran said he didn't believe there was groupism in the national team which was blamed for all the poor performances of the side.

"The fact is that the Australians are a very good side and they have a very good technique of playing cricket. In the longer version of the game they will win but when we play T20 cricket, Pakistan will win this is because of difference of approach," he said.

Imran refused to comment on the Shahid Afridi ball tampering incident insisting neither was he aware of it neither had he seen it on television.
 

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