Briefly Nation

Ktaka: Cow slaughter Bill tabled again

BANGALORE: The BJP government in Karnataka on Tuesday re-introduced in the Assembly a Bill banning cow slaughter in the state amid protests from the opposition Congress. The Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill 2010 to replace the 1964 Karnataka Prevention of Cow Slaughter and Preservation of Animals Act was withdrawn only last week without assigning any reason.

Applications for H1-B visas from April 1

WASHINGTON: The US will start accepting applications for H-1B visas,most sought after by Indians,from April 1 for the year 2011. In a statement,the US Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS said it would accept petitions for 65,000 H-1B visas as mandated by the Congress. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that it takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee; not the date that the petition is postmarked, the statement said.

Curfew reimposed in Bareilly localities

BAREILLY UP: Curfew has been reimposed in four localities of the town in the wake of fresh tension following the arrest of a prominent Sunni cleric in connection with communal clashes,official sources said here on Tuesday. Day curfew,which was lifted on March 7,has been reimposed in three police station areas of Prem Nagar,Qila,Baradari and some parts of Kotwali on Tuesday morning,they said. Curfew was clamped in four police areas of Bareilly city after communal clashes on March 2.

Haryana Speaker revokes suspension

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Assembly Speaker H S Chatha on Tuesday revoked the suspension of Opposition members,a day after they were suspended for the remainder of the ongoing Budget session for unruly behaviour. Keeping in view the sense of the House,I have revoked their suspension and now they can come to the Assembly on Wednesday, Chatha said.

Madras HC refuses to postpone IPL

CHENNAI: Considering a petition seeking to reschedule the third season of Indian Premier League 20-20 cricket tournament in view of the Class 10 and Plus Two board examinations,a Division Bench of the Madras High Court on Tuesday refused to postpone IPL season 3,instead directing the Centre to take a decision at the earliest.

Maya govt recalls 8216;derogatory8217; book

LUCKNOW: Taking a strong exception to what it said derogatory comments made on leading politicians in a book titled 8220;Nehru-Gandhi family secular ya varnshankar8221;,the Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday issued an order to recall and seize all its copies. The state government had taken a strong note of the defamatory comments made on politicians in the book,an official spokesman said. These comments had the potential to create and vitiate the atmosphere,he said.

Told Lalu he has 7 daughters,should support Bill: Sonia

Congress president Sonia Gandhi took a dig at RJD chief Lalu Prasad telling him in a lighter vein that he needed to be on the side of the Women8217;s Reservation Bill since he had seven daughters. 8220;I was telling him that within his family there are seven for the Bill,8221; Gandhi told reporters when asked about her informal interaction with Prasad and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Lok Sabha.

50 quota in Tripura civic bodies

The Tripura Assembly passed two Bills on Tuesday reserving 50 per cent seats in civic bodies,including three-tier panchayats and municipal bodies,for women. 8220;When our Assembly reserved 50 per cent seats for women in civic bodies,we also hope that the Parliament would also reserve seats for women in Parliament and state Assemblies,8221; Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said.

Kamal cracks a glass bottom

Unprecedented scenes of 150 marshals in the House,that too the Rajya Sabha,had everyone open-mouthed. The most stunning resistance was put up by SPs Kamal Akhtar who on Monday had climbed on a table in the well of the House. He fought and stayed in the front row,occupying BSP leader Satish Mishras seat. More dramatically,Akhtar asked for a glass of water,when he got it,he drank water and then smashed the glass,leading to a situation where pandemonium prevailed for about 10 minutes.

Amar slams Mulayam,Jaya appeals to Netaji

Expelled SP leader Amar Singh took a swipe at the opponents of the Bill,including Mulayam Singh Yadav,saying they should not invite the anger of women unnecessarily. He appreciated Bihar CM Nitish Kumar,who announced his support to the legislation. Expelled SP MP Jaya Prada on Tuesday appealed to party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav to support the Women8217;s Reservation Bill.

How can one oppose the Bill: Raj

Criticising Lalu and Mulayam for their opposition to the Bill,Raj Thackeray questioned how something which benefited women could be opposed. 8220;We will support reservation of women. When Lalu went to jail,he made his wife the chief minister of the state. How can he now oppose the reservation?,8221; he said.