India, in real time: 31st May, 2011

India is a country on the go; at any given moment in time, there is much happening in the fields of politics and governance, of finance, of development; there is constant churning in society, considerable activity in sports and in the arts... It's almost too much to keep track of. And hence, this effort: a real-time, constantly updated look at the events that matter.

Congress supporters try to break police barricades during a protest in Agartala. Photo courtesy: PTI
CALLING READERS: On this live blog, we curate in real time the goings on in the world around us. Come be a part of the project: If you see an interesting story, send us the link to indiaeditors@yahoo.in and we'll publish it in this space. Got an interesting photo to share? Same email link applies. Got suggestions on how we can improve this further? Ditto.

10:00 pm: Merkel gets Nehru Award, targets Iran's N-programme

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was conferred with the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding at a glittering function here where she made a strong pitch for curbing nuclear proliferation with special focus on Iran.

Hours after her flight to India was delayed by two hours as Tehran denied overflight permission before finally relenting, Merkel said Iran should remove doubts about its nuclear programme.

She noted that Germany and India had joined hands at the UN Security Council in trying to make Iran see the "error" of its approach and "influence it in such a way that it has a change of heart". Here is the full story

9:30 pm: BJP backs keeping prime minister under Lokpal's purview

The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) backed the demand of the civil society for bringing prime minister under the purview of the anti-graft ombudsman or Lokpal.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj said Atal Bihari Vajapayee, when he was prime minister, made it clear that he wanted the post to be under the purview of Lokpal. 'In Atalji's time, he had said he wants PM to be (under the Lokpal),' Sushma Swaraj told reporters.

Speaking on the same lines, party spokesperson Ravishankar Prasad said the BJP will give its view to the government when it is approached. 'Vajpayeeji himself said that prime minister should be under purview of Lokpal. But when the government talks to us in a well thought manner, we will talk to them,' he said. More

9:00 pm: Police: Pakistani journalist found dead

Police say family members have identified a body found in a canal as that of a missing Pakistani journalist.

Syed Saleem Shahzad was reported missing Sunday in the capital, Islamabad. His brother-in-law said earlier that his car had been found abandoned in Mandi Bahauddin, a district in Punjab province. Full story

8:30 pm: Clarify whether Sun TV benefited by pay-offs: BJP to Maran

Government faced fresh attack from the Opposition on corruption when the BJP asked Textiles Minister Dayanidhi Maran to answer charges that his family-owned Sun TV Network was a beneficiary of pay-offs by a Malaysian company which benefited from equity sold by Aircel.

"There are new scandals in the UPA government everyday. A new scandal is on the verge of being exposed. The cupboard of corruption of the UPA is overflowing and more skeletons are dying to come out," BJP chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said reacting to a media report in this regard. Here is the full story

8:00 pm: Sushma Swaraj denies rift in BJP over tainted Reddy brothers

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj denied that there was any rift in the party over the tainted Reddy brothers being inducted as ministers in the Karnataka Government. Addressing media persons here, she said these allegations regarding the rift were unnecessary.

She said both Karnataka Chief Minister B.S.Yeddyurappa and former BJP president Rajnath Singh had issued statements that they were consulted about the Reddys inclusion in the state council of ministers. Read more

7:30 pm: Trinamool on a vendetta, Left learning from mistakes: Bhattacharjee

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader and former West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Tuesday attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress for the post-poll violence against Left activists and slammed the central government for failing to control the price rise of fuels and essential commodities.

In his first public address after the Left Front was voted out in the April-May assembly elections after 34 years in power, Bhattacharjee also said his party was taking lessons from its rout and would decide its future course after seeing the Mamata Banerjee government's performance. Full story

7:00 pm: Farmer suicides took place while Centre, UP sparred:BJP leader

At least nine farmers committed suicide in the past one month in Bundelkhand region due to acute poverty when the central and UP governments were busy trading charges over development packages, senior BJP leader Kalraj Misra said. Read more

6:30 pm: Hopeful of Lokpal Bill by June 30: Chidambaram

Asserting that the discussions of the joint drafting committee on the anti-graft Lokpal Bill were 'on the right path', Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the government was hopeful of preparing a draft of the law by June 30.

'We think that the talks were constructive', Chidambaram said, referring to the talks Monday with the civil society representatives on the drafting committee. Full story

6:00 pm: Allahabad HC reserves verdict on PIL on Jan Lokpal Bill

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court reserved its judgement on a PIL challenging the validity of a resolution of the central government issued for constituting of a committee to draft the Jan Lokpal Bill. Read more

5:30 pm: Russia delivers naval fighters to India

Russia's MiG aircraft maker delivered a new batch of five MiG-29K/KUB carrier-based fighters to the Indian Navy in May, the company said. 'A flight training simulator and other technical equipment has also been delivered,' MiG said in a statement.

The two countries signed a contract stipulating the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29Ks and four two-seat MiG-29KUBs to India in January 2004. The contract is part of a $1.5-billion deal to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian Navy. More

5:00 pm: No result, but India, Pak agree to continue discussions on Siachen

Presenting their positions and suggestions towards the resolution of troop deployment and demilitarization on the world's highest and toughest battlefield Siachen- both India and Pakistan agreed to continue their discussions in a meaningful and result-oriented manner.

In a joint statement issued after the two-day Defence Secretary-level talks, both India and Pakistan said: "The discussions were held in a frank and cordial atmosphere, contributing to an enhanced understanding of each other's position on Siachen. Full story

4:30 pm: Reddys' rise: Riding cycles to rattling BJP leadership

Mining baron and Karnataka Tourism Minister Gali Janardhana Reddy once boasted that his assets are worth more than Rs.1,000 crore.

He had taken exception to an opposition member's comment that he and his two brothers - Revenue Minister G. Karunakara Reddy and assembly member G. Somashekara Reddy - are worth only over Rs.100 crore.

That is typical Janardhana Reddy - aggressive and ambitious, exercising cross-border clout across Karnataka and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh where their father Chenga Reddy served as a police constable. Here is the full story

4:00 pm: Disclose details about Anderson extradition: CIC to MEA

Overuling objections, the CIC has directed External Affairs Ministry to disclose the communication between it and CBI on the issue of extradition of the then Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson in the Bhopal Gas tragedy case.

The Central Information Commission(CIC) held that the sub-judice factor cited by the Ministry cannot be a sufficient ground for denying information to public.

The External Affairs Ministry had objected to the disclosure of correspondence exchanged between it and CBI, saying it could adversely affect the Anderson extradition case as the matter is still sub-judice. The Ministry also said that it has not spent any money in the case. Read more

3:30 pm: Demand to commute Bhullar's punishment: Bitta slams Punjab Cong

Apparently pained at politics over the execution of death row convict Devinder Pal Singh Bhullar, All India Anti-Terrorist Front Chairman M S Bitta today criticised the Punjab Congress unit for backing the demand for commuting the sentence.

"I am mentally tortured by the Congress and central intelligence agencies for the past 18 years. I have completely failed to face political terrorism in the country," Bitta said. He was referring to the demand made by Punjab's ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the state Congress unit for commuting Bhullar''s death sentence to life term. Full story

3:00 pm: Maruti 800 reincarnates in China

Maruti 800, the car that transfigured the way India moved has reincarnated, but in China. Is it the cheapest car in the world now? Yahoo! India Autos has the story

2:00 pm: Govt reviews security at sites Headley had recced

The state intelligence department is reviewing security arrangements of the targets in Mumbai which David Coleman Headley claimed to have recced.

"State intelligence department has started gathering information on the possible targets revealed by Headley in the US court," state home minister R R Patil said. However the minister made it clear, it is a suo motu action taken by the state government and not based on any information from the US government.

In his testimony before a US court, Headley said how he, on behalf of the LeT, had decided to assassinate Sena chief Bal Thackeray and others in Mumbai. The US national said how he had even befriended a Sena activist in order to accomplish his mission. Following the statements, the state intelligence department has decided to conduct a security review of Sena Bhavan, Matoshree and other places that Headley visited.

1:30 pm: German chancellor lands late in India after Iran blocks plane

Iran temporarily withdrew flyover rights for the plane carrying German chancellor Angela Merkel to India on Tuesday, forcing it to circle over Turkey for two hours before the rights were restored and she could land in New Delhi.

"An unusual start to the India trip," Merkel's spokesman Steffen Seibert wrote on his Twitter account. "Iran temporarily denied flyover rights for the Chancellor's plane. A late landing in Delhi."

A Reuters journalist travelling with Merkel reported that Iran had withdrawn the previously granted rights shortly before the plan reached Iranian territory.

1:00 pm: Radia's mystery link revealed

Times Now has accessed Income Tax (IT) papers that expose Radia's link with Delhi based Bansal brothers. Sources are telling Times Now that emergence of a Hawala angle cannot be ruled out in the Niira Radia case. Sources are also saying that the role of Bansal brothers, who are entry operators, are being investigated. TIMES NOW has evidence to prove CBI raided Bansals 5 days after IT provided the evidence. IT Sources, however are telling Times Now that they have no word on what action CBI has taken on evidence. Here's the video

12:45 pm: Baba Ramdev to go ahead with fast from June 4

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev on Tuesday said he would go on his fast against corruption from June 4 despite the Centre's efforts to placate him over his demand for action on black money.

"My hunger strike will go ahead. There is no question of calling off the protest plan till my demands are met and till talks reach a satisfactory conclusion," Baba Ramdev said.

The government had said it will set up a Directorate of Criminal Investigation dealing with direct tax law under the Central Board of Direct Taxes.

This is the third such measure put forward by the government, which on Friday announced a high level panel to tackle generation of black money and on Sunday commissioned a study by top economists to estimate the extent of illegal wealth stashed abroad.

12:15 pm: SC grants bail to Binayak's associate Guha

The Supreme Court today granted bail to Piyush Guha, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment along with civil rights activist Binayak Sen in a sedition case.

The vacation bench of justices G S Singhvi and C K Prasad suspended the sentence of life imprisonment and directed Guha''s release on bail. The bench also directed Guha to furnish a bail bond of Rs two lakh and two sureties of one lakh each.

Guha, a Kolkata-based businessman, was convicted along with Sen and Naxal ideologue Narayan Sanyal for colluding with Maoists to establish a network to fight the state. They were awarded life imprisonment.

11:30 am: GDP at 8.5%

India's economy has grown by 8.5 percent in fiscal year FY 11, just below the government's 8.6 percent estimate, and up from eight percent a year earlier. The economy grew by 7.8% in Q4. Slump in forth quarter numbers is a cause of concern and analysts say that this downward trend might continue in the first quarter this year. Rising inflation and high oil prices were one of the major concerns affecting the consumption rate. Market experts say this would prompt RBI to take a hawkish stand in the first quarter monetary policy review.

11:00 am: Pak intruder killed along the Indo-Pak border

A Pakistani intruder was killed by the security forces along the Indo-Pak border in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir, a BSF officer said today.

BSF troops observed some suspected movement along the Indo-Pak border in Regal Border Out Post in Samba district yesterday and challenged the infiltrator, he said.

The intruder, however, failed to stop following which the troops opened fire killing him, he said. The Pak Ranger has refused to take the body of the intruder, he said.

10:30 am: Reddys' rise: Riding cycles to rattling BJP leadership

From struggling businessmen who could once afford only bicycles to now owning choppers and almost bringing down Karnataka's chief minister, the Reddy brothers have had a meteoric rise in both riches and political clout.

And the three brothers continue to cast a large, dark shadow over both Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national leadership.

Their alleged illegal iron ore mining and exports are a cause for frequent disruptions in the legislature of neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, where their father was once a police constable.

The Reddys' wealth - there is no clear estimate of it - comes from the billions they raked in from exporting iron ore after they entered the business in 2002 by floating the Obulapuram Mining Co (OMC). Obulapuram is in Andhra Pradhesh though OMC's main office is in Bellary, the iron-ore rich district in Karnataka, about 300 km from Bangalore. Read full story

10:05 am: German chancellor Angela Merkel in India

India and Germany will hold their first inter-governmental consultations at the cabinet-level when Chancellor Angela Merkel visits New Delhi today on an invitation from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

India is the first Asian country and one of very few nations with which Germany holds a joint cabinet meeting and this is seen as a demonstration of its high esteem for India as a long-standing and reliable partner and as a recognition of the country's rapidly growing economic clout and and technological prowess. What Angela Merkel's India trip is all about

10:00 am: UPDATE: Two bus accidents in Assam, at least 24 killed

At least 27 people have been killed, 40 people are trapped and many more are said to have suffered serious burn injuries in two separate bus accidents in Assam today.

The first accident happened when a bus carrying a wedding party fell into a gorge in Hajo in Kamrup district. 

Twenty seven people have been killed in this accident and 40 others are said to be trapped. The bus was on its way from Guwahati to Tihu. Local people of the area are helping in rescue work.

In a second accident, 22 people are said to have suffered serious burn injuries after an oil tanker collided with their bus in Bokakhat near Kaziranga National Park.

9:45 am: Civil society's ultimatum to Govt

The Lokpal Bill drafting committee today appeared headed for a collision course with the government opposing demands to bring the Prime Minister, higher judiciary and MPs' corrupt acts inside Parliament under its purview, provoking a civil society threat to take to the streets again. Civil society members say they will walk out, if one more meeting with the Government representatives fails. Watch the video below

9:30 am: Is it the end of the road for the Lokpal panel?

Is it the end of the road for the Lokpal panel? Talks between the government and social activists could be headed for a collapse after they disagreed on all key issues – Anna Hazare's team has threatened a walkout if the prime minister is exempted from the bills ambit.

Fearing a repeat of the Anna movement, the government is trying to persuade Baba Ramdev to call off his hunger strike that starts this Saturday. The UPA government is also opposing scrutiny of the Higher Judiciary and acts of MPs inside Parliament - which came under the scanner - after the cash-for-votes scandal. Full story
Most parts of northern India are experiencing severe hot weather with the maximum temperature around 45 degrees …
9: 15 am: Baba Ramdev to go on fast unto death from today

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, who was actively involved in social activist Anna Hazare's anti-graft movement, will go on a fast unto death from Tuesday in the Capital as part of his campaign — satyagraha against corruption. The satyagraha will be held at Ramlila Maidan to force the government to act on corruption-related issues.

He plans to continue his fast till the government accepts his three demands — recover black money stashed away in foreign banks by Indian politicians and businessmen and declare it as public property, ban high-denomination currency notes in the country as it leads to high-level corruption and award death sentence to the corrupt. Hindustan Times has the story

8:45 am:CCPA meets amid Lokpal bill differences, Ramdev's planned fast

Amid widening differences with the civil society activists on the Lokpal bill and plans by yoga guru Swami Ramdev to sit on a fast to press for bringing back illegal money stashed in foreign banks, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs (CCPA) met Monday to take stock of the situation. The CCPA meeing lasting about two hours and was chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Full story here

8:30 am: Yeddyurappa endorses Swaraj

Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa endorsed the statement made by senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj that she did not influence anyone in the induction of mining barons and Reddy brothers and said he had inducted them after consulting the party high command.

8: 15 am: Bus accident in Assam kills 37 people

At least 37 people were feared killed and six injured in Assam when a bus carrying a marriage party plunged into a gorge after hitting a wooden bridge late Monday, officials said.

The accident took place around 11 p.m. Monday near village Charabari in Kamrup district, about 30 km from Assam's main city of Guwahati.

The dead included the groom and relatives. Details here