indo asian news service
Lucknow, 1 August
Former Uttar Pradesh minister Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiyya today said he was happy that the CBI had cleared him in the murder of deputy superintendent of police Zia ul Haq.
The independent legislator spoke to the media after the CBI filed a final report in a court.
Sources said the investigative agency has cleared Raja Bhaiyya and his four aides of the murder and conspiracy charges.
The CBI has attached the polygraph test findings in its report, and it has inferred that Raja Bhaiyya was not in know of the conspiracy to murder the officer.
Known as an upright officer, Haq was killed on 2 March in Paratpagarh district when he went to probe the murder of a village head.
A mob attacked and beat him to death. He was also shot.
The accompanying policemen had deserted him and fled the scene. Parveen Azad, widow of the slain officer, alleged that Raja Bhaiyya had conspired to eliminate her husband as he never complied to his diktat.
The politician claimed today that a political conspiracy had been hatched to drag him into the murder case.
Earlier, the CBI submitted a final report which reportedly exonerated the minister and his four colleagues: Gulshan Yadav, Rohit Singh, Hari Om Srivastava and Guddu Singh.
The Kunda legislator was forced to quit the state Cabinet after the murder. Bowing to Parveen Azad’s demand, the government recommended a CBI probe into the murder.

New Delhi, 1 August: The Election Commission will hold a meeting of various political parties on 12 August for framing guidelines on ‘freebies’ in election manifestos following directions of the Supreme Court.
The guidelines are being framed in view of the recent apex court order which said there is no enactment that directly governs the contents of the election manifesto. The EC has sought the opinion of various political parties on the matter before making rules on allurements in election manifestos. Representatives of political parties have also been invited to give their views on the contentious issue of defining ‘freebies’ during the meeting.
The court has said, “Although, the law is obvious that the promises in the election manifesto cannot be construed as ‘corrupt practice’ under Section 123 of the Representation of People Act, the reality cannot be ruled out that distribution of freebies of any kind influences the root of free and fair elections to a large degree.”     pti

Lao policy makers explore new land policy

Policy makers have suggested tax increases and land occupation restrictions in order to constrain occupation of large scale of lands in Laos.
The suggestion was made in the drafted National Land Policy, which was tabled at the 5th ordinary session of the Lao National Assembly (NA)&’s seventh legislature, which closed on Friday. During the session, the law makers shared ideas to further develop the draft.
Under the draft policy, individual Lao nationals, joint venture enterprises between Lao and foreign investors and foreigners are not allowed to own land use rights to more than an appropriate area of land.
The government is required to define measures for identifying the appropriate size of agricultural plots and residential areas, so that parties cannot own usage rights to more land than is deemed appropriate.
Under the draft, the government is required to formulate regulations and measures to restrict land occupation so that the eligible parties do not occupy more land than they are allowed. Two options were offered by the policy makers in an effort to constrain land occupation, according to the drafted policy.
Under one scenario, those who already own land use rights greater than the area they are allowed to will be required to transfer land use rights to the surplus area to eligible relatives and parties.
The second option states that in cases where the holders of excess land use rights wish to retain the surplus land, they are required to pay a higher rate of land tax, similar to the graduated scale for electricity charges, where the more you consume the more you pay per unit.
Foreign investors are permitted to purchase land use rights in Laos for building residences and enterprises under the condition that the government allocate an appropriate area in accordance with the amount of investment capital and the length of the concession.
However the land use rights owned by investors will be valid for 50 years, with an extension of 40 years possible, according to the draft.
The draft policy will be put out for public comment before being resubmitted to parliament for debate and eventual approval at a later date.

Vientiane Times

Spy leaves Moscow airport, says  lawyer
agence france-presse
Moscow, 1 August
Fugitive US Intelligence leaker Edward Snowden today left the Moscow airport where he was marooned for five weeks, after Russia granted him one year’s asylum in a move that risks infuriating Washington.
Mr Snowden slipped out of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport in a cloak-and-dagger operation overseen by his Russian lawyer but unnoticed by the hordes of media trying to follow his every move. The former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor was whisked away to an undisclosed location, leaving his lawyer to reveal that Mr Snowden had received temporary asylum in Russia just two weeks after making an application.
“Snowden has left Sheremetyevo airport. He has just been given a certificate that he has been awarded temporary asylum in Russia for one year,” lawyer Anatoly Kucherena said. A spokeswoman for Sheremetyevo confirmed he had left the airport after 1000 GMT. A grainy still image published by Rossiya 24 television showed a young man with a rucksack ~ apparently Snowden ~    about to get into a car outside the airport.
Mr Kucherena, who had held several meetings with Snowden and helped him make his asylum application on 16 July, added his new place of residence would be kept secret for security reasons. “His location is not being made public for security reasons since he is the most pursued man on the planet. He himself will decide where he will go,” Mr Kucherena said, adding Snowden was now in a “safe place”.
Mr Snowden, 30, is wanted on felony charges by the United States after leaking details of vast US surveillance programmes, but Russia has refused to extradite him. There had been no indication until now that Snowden’s asylum application ~ which officials warned could have taken up to three months can process ~ would be handled so fast.
Interviewed by Rossiya 24 television, Mr Kucherena held up a scanned copy of Snowden’s certificate granting him a year’s temporary asylum in Russia.
The name “Snowden Edward Joseph” appears in the asylum document shown on television next to the black and white photo of the bespectacled fugitive.
It was issued on 31 July, valid until  31 July of 2014, and is complete with his fingerprint. Mr Kucherna said that Mr Snowden would eventually emerge into public view and give interviews to the press. But he said Mr Snowden first required an “adaptation course” after so long in the transit zone.
Snowden’s father visit:
Edward Snowden’s father is seeking a Russian visa and plans to visit his fugitive son in Moscow soon, the lawyer helping the US Intelligence leaker with his Russian asylum application said.

Agence France-Presse
Harare, 1 August
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe’s allies today declared that the veteran leader had romped to an election victory, a claim rejected by his rival who branded the vote a “sham”.
A top member of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party said that Mr Mugabe had trounced Morgan Tsvangirai and his Movement for Democratic Change in Wednesday’s presidential and parliamentary elections. “We have romped (to victory) in a very emphatic manner,” said the party member who asked not to be named. “We have won all of them, including the presidential and parliamentary.”
But the claim was swiftly slapped down by Mr Tsvangirai, bidding for a third time to end 89-year-old Mr Mugabe’s 33-year rule of the troubled southern African country. “It’s a sham election that does not reflect the will of the people,” he said, pointing to a litany of alleged irregularities.  “In our view this election is null and void,” he added. “This election has been a huge farce.”
“The shoddy manner in which it has been conducted and the consequent illegitimacy of the result will plunge this country into a serious crisis.” The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission said the count has been completed and results are now being collated from the first vote since bloody polls in 2008 led to an uneasy power-sharing deal between Tsvangirai and Mugabe.
Tsvangirai stopped short of claiming victory himself, a move that could have enflamed tensions in a country where political violence is common.  The vote itself passed off peacefully, but in a sign of simmering tensions around 20 riot police were deployed near the headquarters of Tsvangirai’s MDC party, a reporter witnessed.
Foreign diplomats and independent Zimbabwean election observers also expressed grave misgivings about the conduct of the poll.
“Up to a million voters were disenfranchised,” said Solomon Zwana the chairman of Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which has 7,000 observers. “The election is seriously compromised.”The Catholic Church ~ which has 3,000 people on the ground ~ said it was premature to call a winner but there was a “strong feeling” across the country that Mr Mugabe would lose.  “If certain people feel their choice was not accepted they may resort to violence. That potential is still there,” a church spokesman said.

Telangana  a  Congress  survival  strategy
SIR, The demand for a separate state of Telangana, first raised in 1956, had been rejected by Indira Gandhi and the successive governments of Andhra Pradesh. But the people of the Telangana region had over the decades sacrificed their lives for the cause. Its creation at this juncture suggests that the Congress is desperately seeking a strategy to survive. It eventually decided to bite the Telangana bullet by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh and carving out Telangana as the country&’s 29th state.
 The bifurcation is bound to weaken both the parent state of Andhra Pradesh as well as the fledgling state. In terms of GDP, Andhra holds the second position in the country.
 Though Hyderabad will be the capital of both states, Telangana will be devoid of the agricultural resources of the Andhra region. In order to benefit both states, the Polavaram irrigation project should be declared a national project. Besides, the Centre should put in place a mechanism to address the concerns of Andhra and Rayalseema over the sharing of river waters, power and ensuring the security of the people.
The Congress has manipulated politics at the right time, hopefully to grab the 17 Lok Sabha seats in the Telangana region in next year&’s Lok Sabha election.
It has also checkmated the BJP,  which  had  promised statehood for Telangana, if voted to power.
Yours, etc., Bidyut Kumar
 Chatterjee,
 Faridabad, 31 July.
DIVIDE AND RULE
SIR, Having failed on all fronts, Sonia Gandhi is now engaged in vote-bank politics of divide and rule. She has approved the carving out of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh as a separate state. It is not a practical solution; the Congress has actually turned the clock back. The creation of a new state is acceptable if economic development is the compelling factor. Politics can never be the singular underpinning. There were several small states and principalities before Independence; Sardar Patel gave us a united India and this benefited the states generally. An increase in the number of states can only  the existing problems and impede the country&’s progress in the long run. This can jeopardise the unity of the nation.
Yours, etc., Mahesh Kumar,
New Delhi, 31 July.
SECTARIANISM
SIR,  It was extremely disheartening to read the report on 31 July that the Congress-led UPA has decided to carve Telangana out of Andhra Pradesh.  This will only provoke sectarianism. Several other groups and organisations  will now clamour for statehood. The creation of a new state calls for a separate administrative set-up. It eventually adds to the overall expenditure of  the government that is trying to grapple with poverty, inflation and unemployment. Instead of creating new states, the Centre should immediately take steps to curb petroleum prices, if it really feels for aam aadmi.
Yours, etc., Pinaki Roy,
Balurghat, 31 July.
PRINTING & FONT
SIR, I am a regular reader of The Statesman since my school days. I am now an old man and am prepared to miss a day&’s meal but not a copy of  the paper. I entirely agree with the views expressed by Mr AK Mukherjee in his letter on 20 July. He has stated that The Statesman ‘is a newspaper and not a news magazine, like the others’. My only suggestion is to improve the quality of printing and the font-size of  the letters.
Yours, etc., SP Ghosh,
Howrah, 24 July.

OCCASIONAL NOTE
Professor Milne, whose death is announced today at the age of 63, was one of the founders of modern seismological science. Born in Liverpool, he was educated as a mining engineer in London. He was employed professionally in Newfoundland and Labrador, and was geologist to Dr Beke’s expedition in Arabia. The main work of his life was accomplished in Japan, where for twenty years he was in the service of the Government as geologist and mining engineer. It is claimed that the scientific work which was commenced in Japan in 1880, mainly through the influence of Professor Milne, and with the aid of instruments invented by him, gave a new impetus to the study of earthquakes.

News Items
CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY LECTURESHIPS
(From Our Correspondent)
Simla, Aug 1

There is no truth in the report that the Registrar of the Calcutta University has received an official intimation that the Government of India are unable to reconsider their decision to veto the appointment of Dr. Suhrawardy, Mr. Rasul and Mr. Jayaswal as University lecturers. The letter of the Registrar of the Calcutta University reached Simla only the other day, and it is understood that the government of India has not yet come to any decision on the points raised in that letter. Mr. Sharp has not sent any reply to the Registrar of the Calcutta University either by post or by telegram.

PARK FOR NORTH CALCUTTA
Representation To Local Government

The Corporation of Calcutta have for some time past been considering the formation of a Park in the fringe area of Ward No. 1 in the north of the town. In view of the expense involved, the Corporation forwarded the papers to the Calcutta Improvement Trust with a request that it would consider the advisability of opening out such a Park as part of an Improvement Scheme. The Improvement Trust has lately had the matter under consideration and has addressed an enquiry to the local Government as to whether the Government land required for the Park would be presented to the Trust free of cost.

RISE IN SHIPPING FREIGHTS
Grain Market Fluctuations The Cause
(From Our Correspondent)
Bombay, Aug 1

There is a rise of 2s. in shipping freights from Bombay the rate per ton having risen from 22s. to 24s. This has been caused by buyers at Home having been backward with their purchases lately owing to the trouble in the Balkans having caused markets to fluctuate considerably, most of the grains for European consumption being landed at Black Sea ports. As a result of this the supply of grain threatened to run short at Home and buyers therefore have been forced to purchase. Ships being scarce in these waters at this time of the year, the demand for cargo accommodation is greater than the supply, and the rise in freights is only natural.

INDUSTRIAL AGREEMENTS
Council’s Report On Strike Procedure

The Powers Of Joint Committees
London, Aug 1

The Industrial Council presided over by Sir George Askwith has issued its report on industrial agreements. It disapproves of compulsory arbitration, but says that conciliation boards or joint committees should possess means of arriving at a final decision. Moreover, before recourse to a strike or lock-out there ought to be a pronouncement on a dispute by an independent body or by an important individual.
The Council does not approve of monetary penalties for breaches of agreement.

PRESS TRUST OF INDIA
New Delhi, 1 August
A major crisis erupted at the National Spot Exchange today after it suspended most trades on its platform, prompting the government to order an enquiry by the commodity regulator Forward Markets Commission, while the Securities and Exchange Board of India also began a separate probe amid a crash in shares of two listed group companies.
The government said it is seriously looking into the matter and has sought a report from FMC within a day. The consumer affairs ministry, finance ministry and the Sebi are keeping a close watch on the situation, food and consumer affairs minister KV Thomas said.
National Spot Exchange Ltd (NSEL), that provides an electronic platform to farmers and traders for spot trading in farm products and bullion among others, said it would meet all obligations towards brokers and clients who have traded on its platform. 
Speculations, however, were rife about potential default on payout running into Rs 5,000-6,000 crore.
As a result, the share price of NSEL’s promoter entity Financial Technologies (India) Ltd fell by 65 per cent to touch a 52-week low, while another group firm Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) saw its stock plunging by 20 per cent.
NSEL’s move to suspend trade in all contracts, except for "e-series" products like gold and silver, came a fortnight after the government asked it not to launch new contracts.
The bourse blamed “loss of trading interest” and “abrupt structural changes in marketplace” for suspension of trade.
However, there have been speculations that the bourse did not have adequate stock of commodities to make the delivery.
NSEL said it is deferring settlement for all pending contracts for 15 days, raising concerns about potential defaults and liquidity problems at brokers and clients level.
The Sebi has also launched a separate probe and is looking into potential violations of rules related to insider trading, fraudulent trade practices and possible payment defaults.
FMC is seeking clarifications from NSEL about the rationale behind its decision to defer the settlement, while the government said the problem is the exchange’s “own creation”. Consumer affairs secretary Pankaj Agarwal said NSEL’s credibility has been “dented” and the government has been telling it for the last one and half to two years to act as per terms and conditions.
The market was also abuzz about the possible spillover of default risks to commodity and equity markets as well, because many brokers with exposure to NSEL have significant presence on the trading platforms of MCX and other exchanges.
FTIL CMD Jignesh Shah said that the NSEL matter does not entail any financial liability on the company and its businesses. MCX also said there would be no impact on its operations and financials.

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
Kolkata, 1 August
The automobile industry continues to suffer from slowdown, with major domestic car manufacturers like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra registering a steep decline in sales during the month of July this year.
The country’s largest car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki, however, was able to beat the odds and registered a marginal 1.3 per cent rise in sales during the month under review.
Maruti sold a total of 83,299 units, including exports, during July 2013 compared with 82,234 units sold in the same month of the previous year, it said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
However, during the first four months (April to July) of this financial year, the company’s sales fell by 7.5 per cent compared with the same period of the previous fiscal, the filing said.
Maruti sold a total of 3,49,733 units during the period compared with 3,78,130 units sold during the first four months of the previous fiscal, the filing added.
Domestic auto major Tata Motors reported a nearly 20 per cent fall in sales during the month of July this year.
Tata Motors sold 51,468 units during the month under review compared with 64,341 units it sold during the same month of the previous year, a statement issued by the company here said. 
In domestic market, Tata’s commercial and passenger vehicles sales stood at 47,191 units during the just-concluded month, while the remaining were exports. 
Till July this financial year, the company’s cumulative sales, including exports, were 204,659 units.
Another domestic auto major Mahindra & Mahindra reported a 21 per cent decline in sales during July this year. The car major sold 37,096 units during the month compared with 47,059 units in the same month of the last year.
M&M’s cumulative sales during the first four months of financial year 2013-14 were 1,60,080 units compared with 1,73,085 units during the first four months of financial year 2012-13, thereby registering a decline of eight per cent.
Maruti’s rival and country’s second largest car manufacturer Hyundai Motor India registered cumulative sales of 48,704 units in the month of July 2013. Total sales of HMIL stood at 52,845 units in the corresponding month of the last year, thereby showing a decline of 5.9 per cent, it said in a Press statement issued here.
In two-wheeler segment, the country’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp today reported a marginal rise in total sales at 4,87,545 units for July this year. In the same month of the previous year, it had sold 4,84,217 units, Hero MotoCorp said in a statement.

Kolkata, 1 August: IT solutions organisation NIIT Technologies Limited has reported a 7.5 per cent decline in net profit at Rs 53.2 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2013. The company’s net profit during the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal stood at Rs 57.5 crore, it said in a Press release issued here.
The company’s revenues, however, grew by 15.4 per cent to Rs 541.9 crore during the quarter under review from Rs 469.6 crore registered during the same period of the previous fiscal.
“Revenues grew 0.9 per cent sequentially during the quarter,” said Mr Arvind Thakur, CEO, NIIT Technologies Ltd.     sns

STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE
Kolkata, 1 August
Tata Global Beverages today reported a 44 per cent rise in its consolidated net profit at Rs 112 crore for the quarter ended 30 June 2013, compared to a profit of Rs 77.69 crore for the corresponding quarter of 2012.
The company&’s consolidated total income from operations at Rs 1,813 crore is 5 per cent higher than the corresponding period of the previous year reflecting improved performance in most major businesses.
Profit before exceptional items at Rs 176 crore is 15 per cent higher than the corresponding period of the previous year reflecting underlying performance and the impact of cost interventions. The company continues to create new experience for consumers of tea, coffee and water categories through its exciting products, strategic alliances and innovative marketing campaigns, says a company statement.
Mr Harish Bhat, managing director and CEO of Tata Global Beverages, said: “We are happy to report steady growth in a very competitive global market… We will also invest behind our brands, including Tetley, Tata Tea, Eight O’Clock Coffee, Tata Water Plus and Himalayan water.

Starbucks in Monsoon
Starbucks is ready to pamper your taste buds with Caramel Macchiato and Mediterranean Cheese Roulade this monsoon. Caramel Macchiato is a must try. Enjoy the beverages with the vegetarian Mediterranean Cheese Roulade.
 

It&’s buddy&’s week
What can be a better way to celebrate the day dedicated to friends than spending time, eating and drinking with your closest buddies.It&’s9 Bakery Cafe, Chanakyapuri has introduced a special combo to celebrate the spirit of Friendship throughout  the  week. 
Rodeo’s Buddy Meal
 Rodeo Restaurant has come up with a special “Buddy Menu” on Friendship’s Day. A special four course meal  at Rs 750  awaits you to match this fun celebration. Choose from  Sopa De Elote , Quesadilla,  Enchilada and Mexican Brownie. 

 Cremica launch
Cremica, brings its Opera cottage style potato crisps. This utterly delicious snack is the latest entrant and beckons with its customized taste. Opera guarantees an enticing experience for your palate that will leave your taste buds tingling with these exclusive flavours of potato crisps.
 
Sale at Yell
Enjoy shopping for men and women apparel as Yell goes on sale till 4th August with an attractive 20-50% sale, the brand is dedicated to completely hassle free shopping. Shop to your heart&’s content and avail  discounts on all merchandise. Start shopping and keep yourself smartly updated with Yell&’s end of the season collection.

Press Trust of India
COLOMBO, 1 AUG: The much-awaited provincial council election in Sri Lanka’s minority Tamil-dominated northern areas will be held on 21 September, expected to give limited autonomy to the community in the war-ravaged region after 25 years.
Elections for the central and northwestern provincial councils will also be held on the same day, the Sri Lankan election secretariat said today. The process of filing nominations for political parties and independent groups to contest the election were closed at 12 noon (local time) today.
The election is seen as crucial by international observers who regard it as a major step towards reconciliation with the nation’s Tamil minority since the end of a three-decade-long civil war in 2009 when government troops defeated LTTE rebels fighting for a separate Tamil homeland.
The northern council polls ~ the first ever since the provincial councils became part of Sri Lanka’s statutes in 1987 ~ were held back given the resettlement and rehabilitation in the war-ravaged areas.
In the first north and east provincial council elections held in 1988, only one political party participated due to the LTTE’s armed campaign to set up a separate Tamil homeland. The two provinces de-merged in 2006 as a result of a court order and the first ever eastern provincial council election was held in 2008. This time, the election is expected to be keenly contested between the ruling UPFA coalition and Sri Lanka’s main Tamil party Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
The TNA has fielded a formidable set of candidates, with retired Supreme Court judge C V Wigneswaran as its chief ministerial candidate.
Meanwhile, leader of the ruling UPFA (United People’s Freedom Alliance), Douglas Devananda, who is a central government minister, did not come forward as a chief ministerial nominee, despite his popularity. The election preparations have been marred by the government’s move to dilute the powers of the provinces, especially to control land and the provincial police force.
India, the main architect of the provincial councils in Sri Lanka, has insisted that unfettered powers must be allowed to remain with the councils despite demands from President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s nationalist allies to scrap them.
 

Supporting the weavers is Anuradha’s first objective, even if none of her collection gets sold. finds suchayan mandal

Tucked in 89, Meherchand Market, just behind India Habitat Centre, is her designer studio that boasts of a glass door with an enormous orange fish and a mannequin in saree and halter riding a black bullet.
Mind it, she’s wearing a helmet and again it’s orange. Growing up in Haldia, an industrial town in West Bengal, deigner Anuradha Ramam saw plenty of local artisans pursuing their myriad crafts and that perhaps imbibed in her an interest in designing. Though she chose to study English literature at St Xavier&’s College, Kolkata, the designer bug had already bitten her. Ten years ago, she would draw a few designs on graph papers and wondered how they would look on apparels. This idea led her to visit Hyderabad, where the weavers materialised her dream on clothes by designing sarees for her that carried her deisgns. That was a dream come true! She started to design sarees using Ikkat dyeing technique.
But this did not make her a traditional designer, who will design for the elite class and boast about colours and fabrics ~ the down-to-earth designer made it a point to employ as many women weavers as possible. And employing them wasn’t only about making them financially independent but looking into all intricate details of their livelihood and lifestyle. There are very few people in today&’s time who like to give back to the society, and Ramam is one of them. She has been extensively doing work to preserve the old crafts of the country. She takes old crafts and uses her creativity to develop fantastic masterpieces. She has brought back several different crafts that had been long forgotten. Ramam has successfully been able to turn the limelight on the deserving weavers and artisans who had been neglected by the designers. Talking about weaves, Ramam said, "Weaving is a genre of design, where you can design but can’t make the complete thing. You need weavers. But the condition of weavers is so poor that the next generation of these families hardly dream of being a weaver. The behind (the scene) story is sad if not tragic. I make sure the weavers working with me are more inspired to create. Even if my collection isn’t sold, I don’t regret it. But my first and foremost objective is to adopt and support the weavers, the magicians who will be lost if not stood by."
Ramam has been supporting over 350 weavers and artisans of Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. The weavers have been creating some amazing designs and creations for her. She felt it was important to involve the weavers at every stage as they have some great skills that no one has. Most of Ramam&’s designs are hand woven as she does not believe in usage of machine in any of her designs unless necessary. The hand woven designs provide a uniqueness to her collection. She has managed to give the talented weavers a medium to showcase their skills and have a livelihood in turn. She believes in doing something good for the society and that is why she has worked with different NGO&’s like Tamana and Save Children India.

A five-day fashion extravaganza awaits the Capital&’s fashionistas as Delhi Couture Week gets underway

Delhi is never tired of experimenting with fashion. No sooner did the India Bridal Fashion Week 2013 get over than the hustle and bustle for PCJ Delhi Couture Week organised by the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) has given drizzled Delhi another reason to rejoice.
The five-day fashion extravaganza, from 31 July and lasting till 4 August at The Taj Palace Hotel in the Capital, is a unique platform to showcase the finest Indian couture. In its fourth edition, PCJ Delhi Couture Week brings to the fore the craftsmanship of nine of India&’s leading couturiers, that include Sabyasachi, Anamika Khanna, Anju Modi, Ritu Beri, Manish Arora, Manish Malhotra, Arjun Khanna, Gaurav Gupta and Varun Bahl.Top Indian designers, through a series of riveting shows, will make these five days a blend of contemporary art and modern aesthetics as models gear up to celebrate a season of luxe style. Anju Modi and Sabyasachi have been roped in to inaugurate the Couture Week this time. Speaking on the occasion, Sunil Sethi, President, FDCI said, "Anju Modi and Sabyasachi are the most sought after designers in the country with a huge fan following. Their shows are a visual treat for the discerning fashion fraternity. We are certain both these designers will give a perfect impetus to the week."
Anju Modi’s collection "Draupadi" is inspired by "fiery yet compassionate, strong yet gentle" female character from The Mahabharata. Different phases of Draupadi’s life will be reflected in the collection as colours like crimson, gold and caramel will represent her marriage with the Pandavas and shades of ash grey, indigo and maroon will focus on the chaos within Draupadi during the game of dice. Theme of "Empowerment of women" has also been traced through Draupadi, believes Modi in her collection.
Monisha Jaising’s Happily Ever After will create fairytales out of silk, velvet and French lace. Old-world glamour, finely cocktailed with Bohemian charm, will brings beaded bodices and lingerie-inspired flowy gowns studded with crystals.
In a fascinating collection, Manish Arora will bring on ramp Buddhist and Baroque-era art and architecture that comprise digital prints, block prints and embellishments, including zardozi, applique work and embroidery using enamelled stones, metals and crystal-work. The fabrics will range from silk crepes and chiffon to georgette and silk brocades.
Manish Malhotra will be hosting the grand finale for the Delhi Couture Week. The Mumbai-based designer’s collection is inspired by the royal architecture in the 1930&’s and the lives of illustrious Nawabs in pre-Independence India. Manish plans to bring this old world charm to the Delhi Couture Week runway for his finale showing.

Cong  leaders from two regions meet CM to discuss future course of action
agencies
Hyderabad, 31 July
Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions erupted in fury today, a day after the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coordination committee agreed to the division of Andhra Pradesh and the formation of a separate Telangana state.
Politicians in the two regions, however, appear to have reconciled to the fact, as unlike Tuesday, when one MP and four state legislators had announced their resignations, no public representative quit today. Congress party leaders from the two regions held a meeting with Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to discuss their future course of action, but differences among them were visible. Some state ministers went on record that resignations will serve no purpose.
Ministers and legislators from Rayalaseema gave a new twist by demanding that the capital of Rayala Andhra (the residual state) should be built in their region and they should also get due share of river waters.
Even the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu has accepted the reality of two states. In his first reaction to the decision, he said there was nothing wrong in having two states but the Telugu-speaking people should remain united.
The former chief minister demanded that the centre build a new city at par with Hyderabad to be the capital of Andhra Pradesh. Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM), a key political force in Hyderabad, which had opposed the state’s division, said it would be active in both the states for protection of the rights of minorities. Tension prevailed in Anantapur town of Rayalaseema as protestors, opposing the state’s division, ransacked an office of the Congress and set afire the statues of former prime ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
One of the statues was demolished. Paramilitary forces and police used force and fired teargas shells to disperse protestors who attacked government and private property and pelted stones on security personnel. A man attempted self-immolation in Anantapur. Policemen doused the fire and took him to a hospital, where his condition was stated to be critical.
Protests rocked both the regions of Seemandhra as the shutdown called by Samaikya Andhra Joint Action Committee (JAC) evoked near total response in all major towns. Students and activists of various groups took to the streets. Transport came to a standstill while shops and educational institutions remained closed.

stanley theodore 
stanley_theodore@yahoo.com
Hyderabad, 31 July
The 30-year-old Telugu Desam Party and the two-year-old YSR Congress stand singed with the announcement that Telangana would be the 29th state of the Indian Union.
If elections are held in Andhra Pradesh — notification of a new state would take six to seven months — Mr N Chandrababu Naidu and Mr YS Jaganmohan Reddy would be lucky to bag any seats in the Telangana region.
As far as Mr Naidu is concerned, he wrote the Doomsday script all by himself. On 8 December, 2009, he told an all party meeting here that he was willing to support a resolution favouring creating Telangana state in the Assembly. Two days later, on 10 December, 2009, when the resolution was to be taken up in the Assembly, Mr Naidu did a U-turn on the floor of the Assembly and asked how the main Opposition party could be expected to support "a decision taken in the dead of the night". Then, he was seen as an integrationist. For people in Telangana though, he was an obstructionist. Six months before that, he had stitched together an alliance, the Mahakootami (Grand Alliance) with the TRS and the Left parties for the 2009 general elections. Althoughhe lost, he had postured as a protagonist for Telangana. Today, he held a Press conference and said the TDP stood for the “unity of Telugus”.
The YSR Congress had adopted an ambivalent stand towards the statehood issue during its two-and-half year existence, as it felt the Centre would not create a state which would be unviable. Even though it consistently said it was for the Centre to decide on the issue and they would accept any decision which the Centre takes, for people in Telangana, this was no stand at all.
Before that, when Mr Reddy was a Congress MP he had held a placard seeking the continuation of an integrated state on the floor of the Lok Sabha. In all fairness, he did not have a choice as all political parties were split along regional lines; he had only done what other regional MPs did. But in the eyes of people in Telangana, Mr Reddy was not a person to be trusted on separate statehood.
The Congress is smug in the belief that it kicked the slot machine and the coins will start pouring out.
In Telangana though, the overwhelming feeling is it played with people&’s sentiments by inordinately delaying statehood.
Only time will tell if people will forgive Congress, as it has actually granted statehood, or if it would be similarly singed. In the new reality, all these perceptions have become realities.