BJP appeals to Patil against president's rule in Karnataka

A BJP delegation on Tuesday met President Pratibha Patil and appealed to her that Karnataka Governor H.R. Bhardwaj's recommendation for president's rule in the state should not be implemented.

The delegation led by party president Nitin Gadkari also included Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley, Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa and 114 party MLAs. They reached Rashtrapati Bhavan at 5.30 p.m.

"We have told president that the governor's decision was undemocratic and unconstitutional and president's rule should not be imposed on the state," Gadkari told reporters after the meeting. He said the BJP-led government in the state has the support of 122 MLAs.

With the Supreme Court on May 13 striking down the disqualification of 11 BJP and five Independent legislators of Karnataka, Bhardwaj is reported to have recommended to the central government president's rule in the state.

However, the 11 BJP legislators have extended their unconditional support to the Yeddyurappa government, effectively taking the party's strength in the state assembly to 121.

The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre and the Congress party are reportedly not very keen on imposing president's rule in Karnataka or dismissing the state government, as it may lead to a sympathy vote for the BJP when the next assembly polls are held.

The Prime Minister also gave an assurance that 'nothing unconstitutional' will be done.

The Centre, yesterday, gave out clear indications it may not be acting on the recommendation of the Governor in a 'special' report he sent yesterday for imposing President's rule in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict quashing the disqualification of 11 rebel BJP MLAs.

On a day of hectic activities in the capital and in Bengaluru, an NDA delegation headed by L.K. Advani met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and told him that the Governor's report yesterday was unconstitutional and should not be acted upon.

The delegation demanded that the government should initiate the processs of recall of the Governor whom, it said, had repeatedly 'violated' the Constitution in letter and spirit. After the meeting, Advani told reporters that, 'the Prime Minister assured us that nothing unconstitutional will be done in Karnataka'.

We cannot find replacement for Ratan Tata: Search pane

Eight months after it was set up to find a successor to Tata Sons chairman Ratan Tata, the search panel has concluded that it cannot find a ‘replacement’ for the group chief.

"Our committee has come to the conclusion that we cannot find a replacement for (Ratan) Tata," said Tata Sons Director and one of the members of the committee R. K. Krishna Kumar in an interview published on the company's website.

Group holding company Tata Sons in August last year had set up a five-member panel to find a successor to Tata, who is due to retire in December 2012 when he turns 75.

Apart from Kumar, other panel members are Tata Sons former vice-chairman N. A. Soonawala, group director Cyrus Mistry, group adviser and lawyer Shirin Bharucha and influential British businessman Lord Bhattacharya.

Showering lavish praise on Tata, Kumar said the search panel might have to lower the benchmark to find a successor to the head of $71 billion business empire.

"He (Tata) is a born leader and you can see this wherever he goes ... He has a place in the history of post-independence India", he said, adding "we may have to change and re-arrange the model in terms of what we are looking for".

"We are now considering people — from within the group and outside, including expatriates — who can fill the role we have in mind. There are challenges but we will soon come to a conclusion", he said.

Tata was the inspiration behind the launch of small car Nano. An astute business leader, he was driving force behind Tata Steel acquiring Anglo-Dutch steel maker Corus as well as Tata Motors buying luxury British auto brands Jaguar and Land Rover.

Well respected Tata's reputation, however, took a beating after his conversation with corporate lobbyist Niira Radia was leaked. Both Tata and Radia recently appeared before Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that is looking into the 2G spectrum allocation scam.

While announcing the search panel last year, Tata Sons had said the group would require someone with experience and exposure to direct its growth amidst the challenges of the global economy.

"The selection process for a prospective candidate would consider suitable persons from within the Tata companies and other professionals in India as well as persons overseas with global experience," it had said.

India, Pakistan to resume cricket ties

India and Pakistan have agreed to resume direct sporting ties, reports said on Thursday, and an Indian cricket tour of its neighbour could be on the cards.

The decision comes two weeks after Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani watched together as their teams played in the semifinal of the Cricket World Cup in northwest India.

Several Indian newspapers cited unidentified government sources as saying the question of precisely when and where the first cricket series between the rivals might take place would be decided by the two national cricket boards.

Although the Indian and Pakistani cricket teams have played each other in international and regional tournaments in recent years, their last series was in 2007-08, when the Pakistani team visited India.

India broke off diplomatic and sporting links after 10 gunmen launched coordinated attacks on targets in Mumbai, killing 166 people in November 2008. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for the assault.

The head of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Thursday welcomed the ‘positive signals’ from India and said series details would be finalised by June.

"Getting positive signals on the resumption of a bilateral series is a good omen and Prime Minister Gilani has directed us to arrange the series as soon as possible," Ijaz Butt told local media.

India last toured Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008, despite reservations about security in a country where more than 4,200 people have been killed in suicide and bomb attacks since July 2007.

"We have to find a time slot and the series can be held in two phases, Twenty20 and one-day matches first and then the Test matches," said Butt, who ruled out any question of staging the series at a neutral venue.

"The prime minister has directed us to host this series in Pakistan so we are not looking at the option of a neutral venue," said Butt, hoping India's visit would pave the way for more teams to tour Pakistan.

In India, the Mint newspaper quoted one government source as saying India's cricket team would tour Pakistan next year, with a return series in India the year after.

No international cricket team has visited Pakistan since militants launched a gun and grenade assault on the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team on March 3, 2009.

The attack saw Pakistan stripped of its right to co-host the just-concluded Cricket World Cup.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it had yet to be formally notified of the decision to resume cricket ties.

"We have not received any government announcement as yet, so the board has not discussed the matter," BCCI chief administrative officer Ratna Karshetty said.

I.S. Bindra, principal adviser to the International Cricket Council, said the resumption of direct cricket ties was a ‘welcome step.’

"It's a nice thing not only for India, but for world cricket as a whole that Pakistan will come into the mainstream of world cricket," he said.

Former Indian all-rounder Madal Lal also welcomed the move, but said the authorities would have to guarantee the safety of players touring Pakistan.

"It is always good for the game when India and Pakistan play each other," Lal said.

"But the Indian government must be very careful. They must ensure that the situation is conducive for cricket in Pakistan."

Separately, the ICC has formed a task force to find ways to restore international cricket in Pakistan.

Sri Lanka has also hinted they may tour Pakistan for three Tests and five one-day matches in October, but only after getting clearance from their government and the ICC's Pakistan task force.

‘Big bite’ burgers up for grabs

Two pieces of bun, chicken, onion, celery, garlic, a huge slice of cheese, one more layer of all these with beef served in a square plate, bordered by a pack of hot French fries and a bowl of mayonnaise sauce and here comes the yummy big burger!

It is double the size of a normal burger, you can picture the big bites you will have to take. Yes this is the big boy burger — the first item on the menu of the burger fest at Cocoa Tree, Avenue Regent, MG Road in Kochi.

With 15 to 20 burgers on the menu, the fest is catching on with every passing year as fresh items are being added on to the list. “This year, we have introduced the green lamb burger and the parmesan chicken burger,” says Rajith, F&B manager of the hotel.

The green lamb burger comes with peta bread slices, which, unlike the other thick coatings of bread and bun, are thin and easy on your mouth.

The other fast moving dishes are the chicken pesto burger, the barbeque chicken burger and the Mexican ham burger among the non-veggies. The veggies prefer paneer burger hariyali, labanese vegetable burger and veg supreme burger.

Chef Benny lists the ingredients breathlessly — lettuce, tomato, cheese, lamb, Greek bread, vegetable salad — he goes on from one menu item to another — paneer and mint leaves and coriander, it is all there.

The ingredients may seem no different from a regular menu but the burger fest manages to present some unique style of burgers.

The fest is on till May 22 from 11 am to 1 am in the night at Avenue Regent. It is also on at Avenue Centre from 11am to 11 pm.

Songs of the Earth

It’s a busy day at work. The sun is shining relentlessly, its sharp rays piercing through the window, making the office annoyingly bright. You are thankful that it is cool inside and that the air conditioner is working at keeping the heat at bay. What’s definitely not cool is your head, fretting that because of work, you are stuck once again in Hyderabad’s heat. Cheer up, help is at hand. All you need is a weekend — to get away from this hothouse of a city — to the green, pastoral valley of Araku.

This beautiful hill station with its picturesque scenery, lush grasslands and amazing weather is 112 km away from Visakhapatnam. It is perfect for a short holiday, to unwind and relax. Araku Valley spreads over an area of 36 sq. km and at a height of 900 metres above sea level. A train journey to the Valley is a memorable experience. It is also connected by road to Visakhapatnam. Coffee plantations, waterfalls and tunnels greet you on your way there.

There are many interesting places to visit in the vicinity. The Borra Caves, which are located 29 km away, are a great attraction, with their incredible stalactites and stalagmite formations. The Anantagiri Hills are well-known for their coffee plantations. Other attractions include the Padmapuram Botanical Gardens, Araku Tribal Museum and Government Silk Farm and Mulberry Gardens. From the Damuku viewpoint, you have a spectacular view of the whole valley spread out in front of you.

Araku has something for everyone. Adventure freaks can roll out their tents and camp here. The terrain is perfect for trekking. You can take your kids to the Tyda Park, giving them a taste of wildlife viewing and birdwatching. The Bheemunipatnam beach is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Eastern coast.

It is safe for swimming and its serene, calm beauty will definitely take your breath away. Even If you are not in the mood to do anything at all, just sit back and relax. Let the beauty of the valley weave its magic on you.

PIT STOP
The Araku Tribal Museum offers a unique gastronomical delight. After treating your mind to the amazing world of different tribal lifestyles, you can treat your taste buds too by indulging in a hot serving of Bamboo Chicken. The chicken, a tribal speciality, is an equivalent to the ultra-popular tandoori chicken. Hollow bamboo stems are stuffed with chicken and cooked over an open fire. It is ideal for health freaks as no oil goes into the dish. Besides, no salt is added to the masala as the bamboo renders enough salt for the chicken. You can have half a plate of chicken for Rs 130 and a full plate for Rs 500.

TRIVIA
The Araku Valley area is famous for its coffee plantations. The coffee produced here is exported not only to different parts of the country, but abroad as well. After the importance of this region was recognised, the Coffee Board started a “brown revolution” here to encourage the tribal farmers to practise environmentally-friendly methods of cultivation while helping them adopt better farming techniques and marketing to cater to the demands of developed countries desiring to import the coffee.

CURIO STOP
The Araku Tribal Museum houses artefacts related to the Eastern Ghats’ tribal culture. It gives us an insight into the lifestyle of the ancient tribes of the region by means of statues and installations. There is also a stall where one can purchase handicrafts produced by the tribals who continue to inhabit this area. You can buy dolls and small statues of animals here that are indigenously made out of moulded metal and carved wood.

Growers upset as watermelons shrink

The markets are flooded with them as people relish the cool sweetness of watermelons in a scorching summer.

While most growers are raking in the moolah, farmers of Ankola taluk, Uttar Kannada district, who usually produce the largest quantity of the fruit with its hard green cover and juicy red interior, have this year become disgruntled bystanders, watching others grow rich while their stunted and disfigured melons have few takers.

And most are blaming the low quality seeds they were sold by a merchant from Haveri.

With 150 farmers growing watermelon over 500 acres, the fruit dominates the fields in Ankola taluk. But instead of acres of healthy fruit, all you can see are the long faces of farmers left with a poor crop and huge losses. So angry are the growers that they have lodged a police complaint against the seed merchant, S.K. Patil.

“Every year we buy the Namdhari 295 variety of seed from Bidadi. But this year a merchant called S.K. Patil came to our doorsteps claiming to have a better variety of seed that would increase our yield. Because of its easy availability, about 90 per cent of the farmers in Ankola bought the seed, only to find that they had been cheated,” says Aravinda Vittobha Naik of Ankola who has filed a case with the police against the vendor.

Although the farmers paid Patil Rs 350 for 100 grams of the seed as against Rs 280 for 100 grams that they usually paid for the seeds in Bidadi, they got a crop of undersized watermelons. Their losses are huge as they are able to sell the watermelons for merely Rs 500 a tonne as against Rs 8,000 a tonne in the past.

Naik for instance has got a return of a mere Rs 10,000 on an investment of Rs 1 lakh, living him bitterly resentful and worried Some are in worse trouble than others as they had borrowed money from moneylenders at high interest rates to invest in their crop. They are now hoping for justice from the law.

Ganguly joins Pune Warriors, back in IPL

After going unsold in the players' auction, former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday made a dramatic return to the Indian Premier League by signing up for struggling franchise Pune Warriors as replacement for injured pacer Ashish Nehra.

"We were waiting for Ashish Nehra's fitness report and ultimately the report came yesterday. I was already in talks with Ganguly and we decided that the amount of experience that Sourav has in cricket will no doubt help the team. So we finalised Ganguly last night," Pune Warriors Team director Abhijit Sarkar said referring to the finger injury that Nehra has been nursing.

Ganguly, who played for Kolkata Knight Riders for three IPL seasons captaining them in two editions, went unsold in the January players' auction despite a rather modest base price of $400,000.

The 38-year-old refused a mentor's role with KKR after that and there had been speculation of a possible comeback through another franchise.

The left-handed batman was first sought by Kochi Tuskers Kerala but their application was rejected by the IPL's Governing Council.

However, he signed on the dotted line for Pune on Monday, giving a major fillip to the side which has lost six matches on the trot after starting promisingly with a couple of back-to-back wins.