|
Quiet dinner, promises mark UPA-II's second
anniversary
Sunday May 22, 2011 09:32:43 PM, IANS
|
|
New Delhi:
Amid allegations of a host of scams and charges of graft against
some key members of its constituents, the United Progressive
Alliance (UPA) Sunday marked the second anniversary of its
government's second innings with a dinner here for all allies.
Hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the lawns of his
official 7 Race Course Road residence, the dinner was graced by
the members of all UPA allies, though the DMK was ill-represented
with just one member.
The star attraction was UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, who was seen
mingling freely with the guests.
Ahead of the dinner, the prime minister and Gandhi also released a
report card on the two years of his second government,
highlighting the achievements.
"The UPA has offered seven years of political stability, social
progress, communal harmony, economic growth and increased
engagement with nations around the globe," the prime minister
said.
Yet, he added, people were concerned over developments related
with second generation telecom spectrum allocation and corruption
in public life.
"These are legitimate concerns and the UPA government is
determined to take corrective action."
Gandhi also referred to the issue of graft and said the UPA will
be driven by transparency, accountability and probity in
governance.
Earlier, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi, whose daughter and Rajya Sabha
member Kanimozhi was sent to judicial custody earlier this week,
had dispatched his parliamentary party leader T.R. Baalu for the
event, after much debate.
Another DMK leader and former communications minister A. Raja was
already in judicial custody last month for the same case, which
has caused much embarrassment to the UPA government in general and
the DMK in particular.
The DMK has 18 members in the Lok Sabha -- one member less than
the second largest constituent of the UPA, the Trinamool Congress
- and seven members in the Rajya Sabha. The Congress party has 207
members in the Lok Sabha.
Karunanidhi himself is scheduled to arrive in the capital Monday.
Other leaders at the dinner included Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel
of the Nationalist Congress Party, Farooq Abdullah of the National
Conference, Mukul Roy of the Trinamool Congress and E. Ahamed of
the Indian Union Muslim League.
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad, though not a constituent
of the UPA, was also present, so were all the Congress party state
chief ministers, including newly elected Tarun Gogoi of Assam and
Oommen Chandy of Kerala.
Mamata Banerjee, who assumed office as West Bengal chief minister
in Kolkata Friday after resigning as the railway minister in the
Manmohan Singh cabinet, also did not attend the event.
|
|
Home |
Top of the Page |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Top
Stories |
|
NCW wants CBI probe into assaults on
Bhatta-Parsaul women
The demand
for an indpendent probe into the alleged atrocities against
farmers of Uttar Pradesh's Bhatta-Parsaul village intensified
Saturday as the National Comission for Women (NCW) slammed the
state government
»
Farmer
fury spreads, death toll is four
As
parties play politics of land, divides deepen |
|
|
|
Most
Read |
|
 Islamic Foundation UK bags IDB Prize
in Islamic Economics
for 2011
The prestigious Islamic Development Bank (IDB) award in Islamic
Economics for the year 2011 goes to the Islamic Foundation UK for
its substantial contribution to the promotion of Islamic
»
|
|
Reports of Tata's comments on Mukesh Ambani
incorrect: Tatas
Rubbishing media reports on Tata group chief Ratan Tata's comments
on the 27-storey residence of Reliance Industries Limited's
chairman Mukesh Ambani, a statement issued by the company Sunday
said the story was "out of context and factually incorrect".
"This is with reference to
» |
|
|
|
News Pick |
|
MIM not to pursue politics of
murder, says Asaduddin Owaisi
Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) will not pursue the politics of
murder to avenge the assassination attempt on its leader
Akbaruddin Owaisi, but wants a probe into the attack, says party
president and older brother Asaduddin Owaisi.
»
|
|
Thunderstorm leaves trail of destruction in
Taj city
A night of thunder, lightning and rain left behind a trail of
destruction in the Taj city Sunday, with power disrupted, trees
uprooted and rooftops and hoardings blown off. "The wind was
blowing at a frightening speed
» |
|
May 21, 1991: The assassination that also
killed Tamil Eelam
When a young suicide bomber
dispatched by Velupillai Prabhakaran scripted history by
assassinating former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi 20 years
ago, it marked the end of the struggle for a Tamil state in Sri
Lanka.
» |
|
National Advisory Council seeks
suggestions on anti-violence bill
The National
Advisory Council Friday placed in the public domain the draft
Prevention of Communal and Targeted Violence (Access to Justice
and Reparations) Bill, prepared by its working group, for
comments.
According to a NAC
» |
|
44 Syrians killed in 'Friday of freedom'
rallies
At least 44
Syrians were killed in Friday's anti-government protests, an Al-Jazeera
TV report quoted the national organisation for human rights as
saying
»
Protests break out in Syrian towns after
Friday prayers |
|
|
|
Picture of the Day |
|
 |
|
Prime
Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and President of Uzbekistan
Islam Karimov witnessing the signing of agreements between
two countries, in New Delhi on May 18, 2011.
(Photo: BM
Meena) |
|
|
|
|
Comments
|
Quick links