NEWS SCAN- March 5
The Election Commission declaring the schedule of assembly polls in the states of West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and the Union Territory of Puducherry-between 4th April and 16th May, is highlighted by the Press.
“Government says no to visit by US panel on religious freedom”, is the top headline in the Times of India. India has blocked a proposed visit by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which sought to ‘discuss and assess religious freedom’ conditions in the country. The Government says the Commission has ‘No Locus Standi to comment on Indians’ Rights’.
Several papers report on Kanhaiya Kumar becoming a media sensation and a poster boy for Left politics in India, after his speech in JNU post release. “Kanhaiya may play Left’s Flute in polls” – headlines Mail Today. The Asian Age headline reads “Yechury spots a star, says Kanhaiya to campaign”.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said he had discovered, India was paying the US Department of Defence for new weaponry, even though 3 billion dollars that New Delhi had earlier remitted was lying mismanaged in an account in Washington and not earning any interest, reports The Business Standard.
The Hindu reports “Alleging victimisation, IIMC professor quits” adding that Amit Sengupta, associate Professor of English Journalism at the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, has been transferred to the Dhenkanal campus in Odisha by the Ministry, allegedly for showing solidarity with JNU students recently.
The Hindu reports that Vijaya Mallaya’s fate is to be decided on March 7 when a bench would take up a hearing of the consortium’s three other applications- for the arrest of Mr. Mallya, seizure of his passport and for getting full disclosure of his assets in the country and abroad – after ruling on the application for a garnishee order against Diageo Plc.
