Illegal mining: Krishna, two other ex-chief ministers face probe

Bangalore, Dec 3 (IANS) Three former Karnataka chief ministers, including present External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, are now caught in the illegal mining row rocking the state as a court Saturday ordered a probe into their role during their rule.

The other two are Krishna's successor N. Dharam Singh, also of the Congress, and Singh's successor H.D. Kumaraswamy of the Janata Dal-Secular.

Lokayukta (ombudsman) Special Court Judge N.K. Sudhindra Rao Saturday directed police to complete the probe by Jan 6 and submit a report.

His order came on a private complaint filed by Bangalore businessman T.J. Abraham, who alleged that Krishna, Dharam Singh and Kumaraswamy had allowed large-scale illegal mining when they were chief ministers.

Besides these three former chief ministers, Abraham has also accused 11 serving and retired senior officials for the scam.

The police probe will cover their role too, the special court ordered.

Krishna headed the Congress government in the state in 1999-2004, Dharam Singh was the chief minister of the Congress-JD-S coalition in 2004-06 and Kumaraswamy succeeded him in 2006 heading the JD-S-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition.

Ever since illegal mining scandal broke out in the state in 2006, Krishna's name has been mentioned often but he has strongly denied the allegations.

Dharam Singh and Kumaraswamy have also denied they had allowed illegal iron ore mining.

The mining scandal has forced the BJP's first chief minister in the state B.S. Yeddyurappa out of office. He quit July 31 after the then Lokayukta N. Santosh Hegde recommended his trial for corruption in the mining scandal.

The scam has sent former Karnataka tourism minister and mining magnate Gali Janardhana Reddy to jail in Hyderabad as he has been facing case of illegal mining in Andhra Pradesh.

Bhopal survivors protest Dow's Olympic sponsorship

BHOPAL, India (AP) — Hundreds of survivors of the world's worst industrial disaster burned effigies of two Olympics officials Friday to protest Dow Chemicals' sponsorship of the London Games.

The protests were on the eve of the 27th anniversary of the disaster in Bhopal, India, where a Union Carbide pesticide plant leaked lethal gas that killed an estimated 15,000 people and maimed tens of thousands.

Nearly 200 people, some carrying banners that read, "Down withLondon Olympics" and "We want justice," marched to the now-abandoned plant.

They burned effigies of Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London organizing committee, and Vijay Kumar Malhotra, the head of India's Olympic Organizing Committee.

Dow bought Union Carbide in 2001 and has maintained that legal claims regarding the gas leak were resolved when Union Carbide paid $470 million as compensation for those killed or injured.

The Indian government is seeking an additional $1.7 billion for the victims from Union Carbide, and activists accuse Dow of not cleaning up contamination in Bhopal.

Shivraj Singh Chauhan, the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh state where Bhopal is located, last month wrote a letter to India's Sports Minister Ajay Maken asking that the country boycott the London Olympics, which start in July.

At least 21 Indian Olympic athletes have also urged the organizers of the London Games to end Dow's sponsorship of the Games, which includes a curtain-style wrap around a stadium where some Olympic events will be held.

Earlier this week, Malhotra said India had no intention of keeping its athletes away from the games. London Olympic organizers have said they will not change their position on Dow's sponsorship.

Five Bhopal victims' rights groups have said they will stop all trains that pass through Bhopal on Saturday to draw attention to their demands.

They say the Olympic sponsorship deal gave undue publicity to a company that was refusing to clean up the toxic contamination of soil and groundwater in Bhopal

CBI arrests Rajasthan ex-minister over missing nurse

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Former Rajasthan minister Mahipal Maderna has been arrested in connection with the missing nurseBhanwari Devi case, the CBI said here Friday.

CBI spokesperson Dharini Mishra told IANS: 'Mahipal Maderna andParasram Bishnoi have been arrested.'

Bishnoi is Congress legislator Malkhan Singh's brother.

Bhanwari Devi had gone missing from Jodhpur's Bilara area Sep 1. Prominent Jat leader Mahipal Maderna was sacked from the state cabinet by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Oct 16 over allegations that he had a role in her disappearance.

'I did not want to wait till 40 to be a CEO'

“Even when I was in college I was sitting with the new business idea every week, so the thought of doing something on my own was never out of the question” says this economic graduate who completed her MBA from IMT and is now founder and CEO of e-commerce giant 99labels.com

Leap of Faith

The brilliant entrepreneur was spotted by Cadbury’s soon after her MBA completed. After a three-and-a-half year stint with Cadbury, where she handled the brand management of both the confectionary division and Cadbury’s Dollops ice-cream, Ishita was itching to do something on her own. Reason, there was nothing left to learn, and Ishita liked the learning curve’s upwardly movement more. So she quit Cadbury’s and teamed up with a school time friend to start up her first company called the Orion Dialogue which was going to be instrumental in the ITES sector in India and one of the first to focus solely on the Indian market.

“We did our research before jumping to the business bandwagon. Back in the 1994-95 the BPO industry was just starting out and it was a good time to venture into the same. We did our research and with as good as no money in our pockets and no backing we took a big leap of faith and founded what we called the Orion Dialogue private limited company” she tells proudly.

There were many times when she and her business partner would approach investors with a business plan and they would turn her away asking her to get her father and then they would discuss things further or would simply not take them seriously enough.However, in the 11-year-run that Orion Dialogue had, Ishita and her partner now were operating out of three offices from different cities in India which was quite an achievement she tells.

After leading the company to great heights, it was bought out by Aegis BPO in 2006 leaving Swarup to achieve even greater heights. While she was deciding her next venture, Ishita also helped setting up businesses and consulting other women entrepreneurs.

99labels.com

99labels is a pioneering innovative concept introduced to India for the first time. Partnering national and international brands, 99labels presents event based online sales for a limited time period giving members an opportunity to buy fashion-wear, accessories, lifestyle products at up to 90% off label prices. 
The idea of 99labels.com says Ishita made a lot of sense as a consumer. She says, 99labels offers an exclusive chance for people to buy credible, branded items from a reliable source at discounted prices and from the privacy and convenience of their own home. So from a consumer’s point of view it was a win-win situation. E-commerce was big abroad and people in India had started to accept the idea and hence there was huge potential for a site like 99lables.com here. Swarup further adds that the timing of entering the market seemed perfect too.

The journey was new, uncharted tough and yet rewarding. Two years ago we started as an 8 member team and launched two sales per day. Today, we have a growing team of 120 employees and have partnered with more than 250 brand partners and consequently held over 5000 sales. Having said that you should know that despite our current success we are only aiming higher! 

On being a woman entrepreneur

Ishita says that she always wanted to do something of her own. “You see I never wanted to wait till I was forty-years-old to become a CEO. I became a CEO at the age of 25, when the rest of my friends or ex-colleagues were cribbing about their unsatisfying jobs. 

Ishita personally feels that being an entrepreneur itself empowers a person, and if a woman wants to build a career as an entrepreneur there is nothing that is more satisfying. She even feels that being a woman entrepreneur has more advantages than otherwise.

“Being an entrepreneur gives women the freedom to work the way she wants to, when she wants to and how she wants to. A woman sometimes struggles more in the corporate world than when she works on her own terms” she quips. As an entrepreneur gets to explore more and push her limits which is not really possible when it comes to working in a structured atmosphere. She even says that now is the time to start your own ventures, when the market is ready, investors is ready and when the mindsets too are ready to accept women who run their own show.

US House approves faster green cards for Indian IT workers

Washington, Dec 1 (IANS) In a move that may allow more highly skilled immigrants from India and China to obtain the so-called green cards faster, the US House of Representatives has passed a bill modifying the visa system.

The Fairness for High-Skilled Immigration Act (H.R. 3012), eliminating per-country caps on employment-based visas and instituting a first come, first served system, drew broad, bipartisan support, passing the House with a vote of 389-15 Tuesday.

The bill is expected to move swiftly through the Senate.

Currently, immigration law limits employment-based green cards allowing permanent residence for citizens from any one country to no more than seven percent of the total green cards approved by the State Department in any particular year.

The rule makes it easier to obtain a green card for applicants from smaller countries that don't generate a significant amount of applications, but makes it tougher for workers from big countries that provide most of the foreign tech workers sought by companies.

Individuals from India, the source of most tech industry immigrants to the US, often have to wait up to 10 years for a green card due to the per-country cap.

The High-Skilled Immigration Act, which was introduced to Congress in September by Utah Republican Jason Chaffetz, aims to correct such imbalances by switching to a first come, first served system for the roughly 140,000 employment-based green cards awarded each year.

'Per country limits make no sense in the context of employment-based visas. Companies view all highly skilled immigrants as the same regardless of where they are from--be it India or Brazil,' Chaffetz said in a statement.

In addition to eliminating numerical caps on employment-based green cards, the Act would also raise the per-country cap for 226,000 family-related green cards from seven percent of the total to 15 percent.

The bill's bipartisan support owes much to the fact that it does nothing to increase the total number of green cards awarded, it simply evens out the process for those looking to emigrate to the US.

American technology companies have been clamouring for Congress to offer more green cards for their foreign employees, arguing that the United States was losing out in global competition by forcing those immigrants to leave

Kingfisher still in talks with local investor: Mallya

REUTERS - Kingfisher Airlines is still in talks with a potential local investor to raise funds, its chairman Vijay Mallya said Friday, even as woes mounted for the cash strapped carrier with a major airport set to stop facilities on credit.

"That's going on," Mallya said on Friday in televised comments, in response to a query on whether he was talking to a local investor.

"I know that you are in a hurry to fix a timeline for it, but things do take time, particularly negotiations," he told reporters in New Delhi after a meeting with India's finance minister.

Mallya did not elaborate on the details of his meeting with Pranab Mukherjee.

The meeting with Mukherjee follows a meeting of aviation company chiefs with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh seeking his intervention to help the carriers tide over the deep financial crisis and were assured that "legitimate" grievances would be considered.

Kingfisher, India's third largest airline, has been struggling to raise funds to continue operations and repay debt, but has found the going difficult due to the uncertain economic environment.

In a media interview in November, Kingfisher's founder and flamboyant liquor baron Mallya had said he was close to sealing a $370 million deal with an Indian private investor and a consortium of banks that would save the airline.

Mallya, however, brushed aside concerns that his airline operations may be grounded in Mumbai, one of the busiest connections in India, following a cash and carry directive by the Mumbai airport.

"I don't understand what is this big thing about cash and carry. If we have to pay on a daily basis (or) weekly basis, we will pay, and the flights will operate uninterruptedly," Mallya said.

On Thursday, India's Mumbai International Airport Pvt Ltd sent a legal notice to the struggling carrier threatening to put it on cash and carry from Saturday citing non-payment of dues.

Under cash and carry, an airline has to clear its dues to avail of any facilities.

Kingfisher, which has never made a profit since its launch in 2005, is facing a series of financial difficulties. It has eroded its net worth after reporting a doubling of its loss in the fiscal second quarter on higher fuel prices and operating costs.

Kingfisher has become one of the main casualties of high fuel costs and a fierce price war between a handful of airlines which, between them, have ordered hundreds of aircraft for delivery over the next decade in a long punt on the future.

The Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation has forecast a record $2.5-$3 billion loss for Indian airlines for the year ending March 2012, with state-run Air India alone likely to account for more than half of it.

DEBT REDUCTION DRIVE

Kingfisher Airlines has been asked by its creditors to raise $160 million in equity while holding debt restructuring till it has a credible plan.

Mallya said that talks with lenders was "an ongoing process". He refused to elaborate.

Kingfisher, whose current debt stands at over 65 billion rupees, has a negative networth.

It aims to cut debt to 37.2 billion rupees through sale and lease back of aircraft, sale of a property in Mumbai and conversion of rupee loans into lower interest foreign loans, an investor presentation posted on its website showed.

According to the presentation, Kingfisher seeks to convert 12 billion rupees of rupee loans to foreign currency loans and aims to raise 1.8 billion rupees through sale and lease back of aircraft.

The airline, which is targeting an interest cost reduction of 3.94 billion rupees per annum, also plans to raise 900 million rupees from the sale of a property in Mumbai.

Shares in Kingfisher, valued at $228 million, closed up 3.56 percent at 24.7 rupees in a firm Mumbai market.

The stock has lost 64 percent since the beginning of 2011. The main index is down about 18 percent in the year to date.

Can't let politics block valued foreign equity in retail: Pranab

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Farmers and consumers will be the casualties if foreign equity in retail trade is prevented for narrow political gain, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said Friday, yet hoping to convince all stakeholders on the benefits of the new policy.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit here, thefinance minister said global experience showed how organised retail, with integrated supply chains, cuts post-harvest wastage and gets remunerative returns to farmers and competitive prices to the consumer.

'But that needs appropriate technology and investment in a large scale,' he said.

'Yet, despite this recognition, often narrow political gains take precedence over early implementation of a policy framework, even when it is being done in a calibrated and sensitive manner,' Mukherjee said, referring to opposition over foreign retailers.

'I do hope ultimately we will be able to persuade all those who are opposing it.'

According to him, such policies were needed for an emerging economy like India to ensure improvement in efficiencies to vigorously pursue and sustain high growth that can also be equitable across states and between urban and rural areas.

'But in the absence of timely action or no action at all, it is the farmer and consumer who will suffer as the nation would miss out on an opportunity,' he warned.

Opposition parties have stalled functioning of parliament since the cabinet, at a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week, approved up to 51 percent foreign equity in multi-brand retail and 100 percent in single brand format.

Even some constituents of the the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA), such as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi's DMK, have opposed the move.

The finance minister lamented that despite being the leader of house in the Lok Sabha, he was unable to express his views inside parliament, especially on the fact that the authority of states was not being undermined deciding on foreign equity in retail.

'Essentially, one has to keep in mind that this (not allowing foreign retailers) can be done by the states, because they have the authority to issue licences. As per law, they have the authority to provide land and other facilities,' he said.

'At the same time, our request is you can exercise your authority within the territorial limits. But don't stand in the way of the others who want to implement it,' Mukherjee added.

Is Dhoni joining Bollywood?

Dhoni and wife Sakshi were recently spotted at a special screening of 'Desi Boyz' that John had organized. Rumour mills were abuzz with speculations that the Indian captain might soon make hisBollywood debut. David Dhawan's project 'Hook ya Crook' is still expecting Dhoni's nod. 

David Dhawan told the Mumbai Mirror, "We're done with the film, except for the climax, for which we need Dhoni. And John is very keen to get Dhoni on board as well. Why let so much time effort and money go to waste?" Will the busy captain have 15 days to spare for Dhawan's film? 

Dhoni is also expected to be present at the pronotional event of the film Y P Singh's 'Kya Yahi Sach Hai'. This film is based on the book 'Carnage by Angels' which exposes corruption in the police force. A family member told Mumbai Mirror, "Despite his extremely busy schedule, when Dhoni received call from Abha Singh, Y P Singh's wife and also the producer of the film, he immediately agreed. He got a call a day after the dramatic test match between India-West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium." When contacted, Abha confirmed the news, adding, "He is a self-made man and a youth icon. Who better than Dhoni to do the honours?"

Six snatchings in 90 mins, chains worth lakhs gone

MUMBAI: Bike-borne chain-snatchers struck at six places in the city and stole gold chains worth Rs 4.32 lakh between 8.15am and 9.45am on Sunday. The snatchers targeted women walking in isolated areas in DB Marg, Dadar, Ghatkopar, Govandi, Borivli and Goregaon. 

Home-maker Vinaya Mehandale (52) and her friend Hansa Parmar (40) were walking on Chandarwarkar Road in Borivli around 8.20am when two men on a motorcycle snatched her gold chain worth Rs 1.41 lakh. Ghatkopar resident Prema Shetty (56) was about to take an auto in Pant Nagar around 9.45am when two bike-borne youngsters snatched her gold chain worth Rs 1 lakh. South Mumbai resident Roshan Bharucha (65) was on her way home when a motorcyclist snatched her gold chain worth Rs 93,400. While Dadar resident Veena Thakkar (35) was robbed of her gold chain worth Rs 54,000, Deonar resident Rekha Tendulkar had her gold chain worth Rs 30,000 stolen and Goregaon resident Pratibha Jagueste (65) was robbed of a gold chain worth Rs 18,000. 

Mumbai police chief Arup Patnaik held meetings with senior officers to come up with a solution. Spokesperson DCP Nisar Tamboli said they increased patrolling at key locations and managed to curb the menace to an extent. 

Kiran Bedi NGO did not cheat: Team Anna

GHAZIABAD: Coming out in strong support of Kiran Bedi, Team Anna on Monday said a case of misappropriation of funds has been lodged against the activist not for fraud and cheating but for fighting for a strong Lokpal Bill. 

Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the complaint against Bedi was "completely fraud, malicious and malafide". 

"The complaint of misappropriation of funds against Kiran Bedi is false, malicious and malafide.... It was lodged against Bedi not for fraud and cheating but for fighting for a strongLokpal Bill," Kejriwal told reporters here. 

Claiming that efforts were still on to defame Team Anna members, he said, "We want to say it categorically that it is a false complaint. The court order is wrong. There is no prima facie evidence supporting this complaint." 

Kiran Bedi and her lawyer Somnath Bharti were present at the press conference and interestingly, the former IPS officer did not speak to reporters or take any questions. 

Delhi Police had slapped a case of cheating against Bedi for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for her NGOs in line with a court's directive. 

The court order came on a complaint filed by a Delhi lawyer that she had "looted" various paramilitary forces and police organisations in the name of imparting free computer training under the banner of her NGOs. 

The lawyer alleged that Bedi had received donations of more than Rs 50 lakh from Microsoft for imparting free computer training to kids and families of BSF, CISF, ITBP, CRPF personnel and other state police organisations under the banner of her trust 'India Vision Foundation'

Praveen out of first three ODIs, Mithun named replacement

CUTTACK: India received a setback on the eve of their five-match ODI series opener against the West Indies after pace spearhead Praveen Kumar was ruled out of the first three ODIs due to chest injury.

Karnataka medium pacer Abhimanyu Mithunwill replace him for the first three matches.

"Praveen Kumar has got a blunt chest on the left side, and has therefore been ruled out of the first three ODIs against the West Indies. Abhimanyu Mithun will replace him in the squad for the first three games," secretary Sanjay Jagdale was quoted as saying in a media release issued by BCCI.

Earlier skipper Virender Sehwag during the pre-match conference had said that Praveen had "niggle" and expected to be fit for the second ODI.

"Praveen Kumar has a niggle so he is not available for first ODI. We expect him to join the squad tomorrow and be fit for the second match," Sehwag told reporters on Monday.

In the absence of Praveen Kumar, R Vinay Kumar will lead the pace department along withUmesh Yadav and Varun Aaron.

Petrol prices may be cut by about one rupee

NEW DELHI: The state refiners could cut petrol prices by about one rupee a litre or 1.5 percent as softening Singaporespot gasoline prices have offset the impact of a declining rupee, an industry source said on Monday.

The companies cut petrol prices by about 3.2 percent earlier this month, the first reduction in retail prices in nearly three years and the first since prices were decontrolled in June 2010.

"As per current calculations, there is scope to cut the basic price of petrol by about 0.85 rupees a litre, including taxes it should be about one rupee. We have to see price movements in the next two days also before deciding the final impact," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Kanimozhi, 4 others get bail in 2G case, to spend one more night in Tihar Jail

NEW DELHI: DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others, who were on Monday granted bail by the Delhi high court in 2G spectrum case, will have to wait one more night behind the bars as release warrants could not be issued by the special judge due to procedural delay.

The delay was caused as the certified copy of the high court's order, which was required to be submitted along with the bail bonds before special CBI Judge O P Saini, could not be furnished within the working hours of the trial court.

The special judge waited in his chamber till 5.15pm on the request of lawyers appearing for the accused but the order was not placed before him in time.

Kanimozhi's counsel R Shunmugasundaram said they would furnish the bail bonds before the trial court on Tuesday morning to get the release order.

"We will submit the bail bond tomorrow morning," he said.

Earlier, in a huge relief to DMK MP Kanimozhi and four others who have been in Tihar jail for over six months for their alleged role in the 2G case, the Delhi high court on Monday granted them bail treating them on par with five others released by the Supreme Court last week.

"I grant bail to five persons. The conditions would be same as imposed by the Supreme Court," Justice V K Shali said.

Besides Kanimozhi, others who were granted bail are Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar,Bollywood filmmaker Karim Morani and Kusegaon Fruits and vegetables Pvt Ltd directors Rajiv Aggarwal and Asif Balwa.

The court, however, reserved its order on the bail plea of sixth accused and former telecom secretary Siddhartha Behura, saying it will pronounce its judgement later as his plea has been opposed by the CBI.

"You (Behura) file your written submissions to the contentions of the CBI," Justice Shali told Behura's counsel, senior advocate Aman Lekhi.

Earlier, during the day, additonal solicitor general Mohan Parasaran said the probe agency was not opposed to grant of bail to the five persons except Behura and they can be released on the ground of parity as the Supreme Court has already given the same benefit to five other co-accused in the case.

The ASG, however, opposed Behura's bail plea saying the bail pleas of public servants require stricter scrutiny as they are the trustees of public property.

Kanimozhi and five others had moved the high court on November 23 for advancing the hearing of their bail pleas, shortly after the Supreme Court had granted bail to five corporate executives -- Unitech Limited MD Sanjay Chandra, Swan Telecom director Vinod Goenka and Reliance Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group executives Gautam Doshi, Hari Nair and Surendra Pipara.

Their bail pleas were earlier scheduled for hearing on December 1. Kanimozhi and five others had come to the apex court challenging the trial court's November 3 order denying them the bail.

The Supreme Court had granted bail to the five corporate honchos on the condition that they would surrender their passports and will not go abroad without the court's permission.

It had further said that the accused will have to appear before the Special CBI court on each hearing and have to take prior permission for not attending the proceedings.

Former telecom minister A Raja, who is the main accused in the scam, has so far not approached any court for bail.

Other accused in the case include Raja's former private secretary R K Chandolia and Swan Telecom promoter Shahid Usman Balwa.

Three telecom firms Reliance Telecom Ltd, Swan Telecom and Unitech (Tamil Nadu) Wireless Ltd too have been listed as accused in the CBI chargesheet in the case.

The CBI had chargesheeted 14 persons in the scam, with Raja being the first to be arrested on February 2, along with Chandolia and Behura.

Karunanidhi elated over Kanimozhi getting bail 

In Chennai an elated DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Monday expressed happiness over his daughter Kanimozhi getting bail in the 2G case and said the party would organise a big welcome for her, when she arrives here.

"I am happy that Kanimozhi has been granted bail. She spoke to me soon after the court gave her bail and both of us shared the happiness," Karunanidhi, who met his daughter thrice in Tihar Jail, where she was lodged after her arrest on May 20, told reporters here.

"I am not an autocrat. Party will decide on giving new position to Kanimozhi," he said when asked whether she would be given a new position in the party.

To a question on former telecom minister A Raja seeking bail, he said if Raja spoke to him, "I will discuss about his bail."

Hazare comment on Pawar attack angers Congress

New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) Anna Hazare's initial reaction to the attack on union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar angered Congress party leaders enough to question the activist's Gandhian tag.

Asked by reporters about his view on the attack on Pawar, who was slapped by a Sikh man. Hazare said: 'Was it only one slap?'

As the gathering burst out laughing, Hazare left.

But he must have realised the gaffe he had committed, and returned to clarify.

'He (the accused) could have been angry, but it is not right to hit someone. Our democracy does not allow such attacks,' Anna said.

The Congress, however, was not amused.

An angry Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: 'If they condone violence, then people will take a call on their claim of being Gandhians.'

'The Congress condemns the attack in strongest terms,' Tewari added.

The youth had only four days ago kicked Sukh Ram after the former minister was sentenced in a corruption case.

Tewari in August had said that Hazare is 'involved in corruption from top to bottom'. Hazare served him with a legal notice, following which Tewari wrote him a letter of apology.

After the controversy, Tewari opted out of the parliamentary standing committee which is examining the Lokpal bill.

Hazare has led two successful campaigns campaigns in New Delhi in Aopril and August to press his demand for a strong Lokpal that checks corruption in high places. He is pushing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government for early passage of the Lokpal bill in parliament.

India gold down half a pct; silver falls 1 pct

MUMBAI (Reuters) - India gold futures fell half a percent on Friday afternoon, retracing to a level seen earlier in the week, following a similar trend overseas, though a weaker rupee cushioned the fall. Silver extended losses for a third day.

* The most-active gold for December delivery on the Multi Commodity Exchange was 0.48 percent lower at 28,411 rupees per 10 grams at 2:23 p.m., after hitting a low of 28,377 rupees earlier, a level last seen on November 21.

* Overseas gold edged down below $1,700 an ounce, heading for its second straight weekly fall. The rupee, which plays an important role in determining the landed cost of the yellow metal, weakened on Friday.

* Physical buyers stayed on the sidelines in the middle of the wedding season, which will last peak in December and continue till April.

* "There is no demand in the market...Gujarat has imported only 2 tonnes in November as against 12 tonnes last year," said Haresh Acharya, head of bullion desk, Parker Bullion, adding "demand is zero for silver as well."

* The most-active silver for December delivery was 1.12 percent lower 54,631 rupees per kg, after falling 3.2 percent in the previous two sessions.

* Silver imports to India, the world's biggest consumer, would be marginally lower in 2011 from last year's 3,030 tonnes as traders are uncomfortable with prices ruling above 50,000 rupees per kg, a senior official at ScotiaMocatta said.

At 1:15 p.m., the following were prices in rupees being quoted by HDFC Bank in the spot market:

Friday Thursday

Gold .999/10 grams 28,781 28,960

Silver .999/kg 56,290 57,115

At 2:21 p.m., following were prices (in rupees) on the Multi Commodity Exchange of India Ltd.

Contract Current price Net change

Dec gold 28,421 -128

Dec silver 54,558 -693

KBC winner Sushil Kumar turns down 'Big Boss' offer

Patna, Nov 24 (IANS) Sushil Kumar, the first to win Rs.5 crore on 'Kaun Banega Crorepati 5', has turned down an offer to enter thereality show 'Bigg Boss' for the sake of his image as an youth icon.

'I was approached by the officials of the Endemol India and offered a place in 'Big Boss', but I refused,' said Sushil. 'More than any thing, my image is important for me. I don't want to do anything that affects my image.'

Endemol India has been producing 'Big Boss' that comes on Color channel. In the reality show, celebrities from different walks of life are locked inside a house for 14 weeks.

The fifth season of the show, which went on air Oct 2, sees a mixed gag bag of the aggressive and argumentative celebs like Akashdeep Saigal, Amar Upadhyay, Siddharth Bharadwaj, Pooja Missra, Shraddha Sharma, Mahek Chahal, Juhi Parmar, Pooja Bedi, Shonali Nagrani, and porn star Sunny Leone.

'If I joined 'Big Boss' and stayed there for some days, it would have changed my mindset and diverted me from my goal,' the 27-year-old told IANS.

Sushil is happy to be the brand ambassador for the Mahatma Gandhi

National Rural Employment Guarantee SCheme (MNREGS) and said: 'It is a matter of pride for me to work for common people.'

Before winning the top prize in KBC hosted by mega star Amitabh Bachchan, Sushil worked as a computer operator for the MNREGS in Motihari, his native town in East Champaran district of Bihar