Oppression So Intolerable!

Oppression So Intolerable!

Indian HOLOCAUST My Father`s Life and Time- One Hundred Seventy TWO

Palash Biswas


Dalits alone can protect Brahmin life & property : Lessons of UP election

How DV predicted Mayawati sweep so accurately ?
Muslim masses in UP go with Dalits
Power of caste: Boost to Madigas & blow to Lingayats
Balakrishnan must visit Coimbatore jail to see the dying Madani
Upper caste Christian silence on racism within church
Yunus stripped naked: DV proves right
Pl Read:
http://www.dalitvoice.org/


The Centre today rushed more para-military forces to restore law and order in Rajasthan where violence spread to more places as part of the agitation by the Gujjar community demanding Scheduled Tribe status.The debate over India's affirmative action policy hovers constantly at the top of the political agenda. The Hindu concept of untouchability was abolished in 1950, but the centuries-old caste system, and the deep-rooted prejudices that go with it, remains.In rural India, Dalits are frequently prevented from sharing the same water pump as the rest of the village. Even in middle-class urban India, where the divisions are less obvious, people will often inquire indirectly for clues of caste membership on first meeting, putting together details of surname, origin and father's profession to make a mental classification.

For some the oppression is so intolerable that they abandon the religion altogether. Last Sunday, several thousand Dalits and tribal Indians converted en masse to Buddhism in a ceremony in Mumbai, to escape their position at the bottom of the social pile.The rural development ministry is giving the final touches to the rehabilitation law while the GoM on SEZs is about to come out with its report. Rather than treat the issues at different fora and risk contradictory positions on “sensitive” matters, the sources said the Centre felt that a more “holistic” outlook was desirable.

But the Eviction Drive goes on! Drama and farce by political parties go on!
Hypocrisy at its best – now after all that in Sindur and Nandigram Indian oligarch Tata says ‘Private sector should be socially responsible’

India and the US on Friday inched closer to concluding an agreement to operationalise the civil nuclear deal but "some work" still needed to be done after the second day of high-level talks.


They kill mercilessly and they talk peace, Non Violence!The government has decided to set up at least one Central University in every state and assist the state governments to set up at least one degree college in every district.

Basu appeals to Mamata to work for Nandigram peace while Gunshots and bomb explosions were heard here today, for the second time in the past three days. But, there were no casualties. Commuist antisocials acting like Nazis still firing in Nandigram and West Bengal cops doing nothing- shame on Buddha of West Begal orfe Hitler of Bengal. Shots were fired and crude bombs hurled at Bhangabera area for half an hour, Superintendent of Police G A Srinivas said, adding there was no report of any casualty or injury in the incident. Police personnel, posted at Tekhali bridge, did not intervene to prevent any flare-up as the firing went on for some time from both Bhangabera and Khejuri sides.

In Rajasthan, the Meena community is mobilizing to confront a four-day-old Gujjar agitation that has already claimed 25 lives India must learn there is no end of reverse discrimination by securing quotas exceprt for votes for politicians - Gujjar protestors demanding Scheduled Tribe status. The situation is slowly going out of hand as more ethnic communities demand quotas - India is facing the dark side of reverse discrimination. A fight for the right to be downwardly mobile exploded this week in north India, as a powerful community of Indian shepherds asserted that the best way to rise up in modern society was to take a step down in the regimented class hierarchy.Tension over the still-rigid caste classifications, which underpin the Indian social system, spilled over into riots across the state of Rajasthan, with at least 23 people killed during clashes with the police. By Friday evening, protests had spread to the outskirts of the capital, New Delhi.This was not the usual show of anger at the ever-prevalent discrimination faced by members of lower-caste groups. Instead, it stemmed from controversy over a demand from the Gujjar community of farmers and shepherds to have their low caste status officially downgraded, relegating them to the bottom classification in the caste ladder.Meanwhile,The Centre has referred the National Tribal Policy to a group of ministers to fine-tune the contentious areas before it is made into a law.The policy’s aim is to strike the “right balance” between retaining the identity, culture and values of tribals while integrating them with the mainstream.Sources said the Union cabinet, which met today, was expected to approve the policy but decided to refer the matter to the ministerial group, headed by home minister Shivraj Patil, after the violence in Rajasthan.There was another reason also. Because the policy has suggested a pro-human approach to the question of displacement, it is linked to resettlement and rehabilitation of those uprooted by industrial projects and special economic zones.



And see, how the Indian polity is exposed!

NDTV on Friday appeared before the Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Kumar who is hearing the BMW case.The court had ordered an inquiry after the NDTV expose in the BMW case. The channel produced all the original unedited footage of the expose before the Judge hearing the case, who saw the film.The High Court has taken note of the matter and so per judicial propriety the Sessions Judge has closed the inquiry.


While the Bhumi Uchhed Pratirodh Committee (BUPC), which is spearheading the movement against land acquisition, has been active for the past five months in Nandigram, the CPI(M) has its camps in the adjacent Khejuri area.When asked, Trinamool Congress MLA and BUPC leader Shubhendu Adhikary denied any firing from the Nandigram side. He, however, accused the CPI(M) of trying to instigate violence from the Khejuri side by opening fire and triggering blasts.
Meanwhile, the BUPC decided to cancel its proposed rally to Khejuri today after a meeting with the administration last night. "We want the administration to intervene so that our people in Khejuri can safely return home," Adhikary said. About the allegations that displaced CPI(M) supporters were yet to return home in Nandigram, the BUPC claimed those, not involved in the atrocities on people, were already returning "without any problem".


CPI(M) patriarch Jyoti Basu today appealed to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to sit across the table with the Left Front to bring back peace in Nandigram rather than insisting on that the March 14 killings be termed as a 'genocide'.

''Why should we unnecessarily describe the killings as an act of genocide? Eight persons were killed in police firing while six others died of bomb and bullet injuries during the attack by the agitators,'' he told reporters after attending the party's weekly state Secretariat meeting.

With more than 2,500 CPI(M) supporters and others being driven out of home, the need of the hour was to work for restoration of peace in Nandigram, he said.

''How long can such a situation continue? The Trinamool Congress should sit with the Left Front for a negotiated settlement,'' he said making an appeal to Ms. Banerjee to work towards restoration of normalcy in Nandigram.

The comment of the CPI(M) veteran, who had earlier accused the opposition of not being sincere in the peace process for Nandigram, came a day ahead of the Left Front meeting. The meeting is scheduled to discuss ways to ease out differences with the opposition that spoiled the all-party peace meeting, held on May 24.

Ms Banerjee walked out of the meeting demanding that the March 14 killings be termed as a ''genocide'' and those guilty be punished to ensure a smooth peace process.

Five killed, 20 injured as Gujjars and Meenas clash
Dausa, June 1 (PTI): Five persons were today killed and 20 others injured when the ongoing stand-off between Gujjars and Meenas over the ST status issue took a violent turn in Rajasthan's Dausa and Karauli districts. Four persons were killed and ... More

Centre asks Raje Govt to resolve Gujjars crisis
New Delhi, June 1 (PTI): The Centre today asked the Rajasthan government to resolve the Gujjars unrest over their demand for inclusion of the community in the Scheduled Tribe category. "The issue is of political nature and the state has to take ... More

Centre rushes more forces to Rajasthan
New Delhi, June 1 (PTI): With the Gujjar violence escalating in parts of Rajasthan, the Union Home Ministry today despatched 200 additional para-military personnel to the state and kept some more central forces ready to meet any excigency. The ... More



Dear Friends

Warm greetings from Kolkata!

Many of you must have heard by now that on Monday evening, the West Bengal Government cancelled our booking of the Salt Lake Stadium, the venue of the June 2-3 Convention and also the place where most of the outstation delegates were to have stayed. The news was conveyed to us just before we were to address a Press conference on the Convention and we informed the Press that there was no question of cancelling the Convention. We are taking this as a victory for the Convention, when the State perceives a handful of citizens as a threat!

Yet rumours are floating around that the Convention has been cancelled. Our request to you is not to heed these rumours.

The Convention will be held on June 2-3, 2007.

We are finalising the alternative venue and will inform each of you about it. For outstation delegates, if you do not hear from us before you leave, please call us when you reach Kolkata and we will direct you to the venue. In fact, call us at any time you require information. But as our phones are constantly busy do bear with us. We are trying to make alternative arrangements for accommodation, but this might be a little more expensive than what you had been told earlier.

Looking forward to seeing you at the Convention.

In solidarity

Aditi

Numbers you can call:

Aditi 91 98301 76085
Krishna 91 98304 06870
Samar Bagchi 91 9433526839
Sumit 91 98302 49430
Vaskar Nandy: 91 94340 18621

__._,_.___

Whoever has come across Sanjaya could not help being struck by his utterly unassuming and extremely earnest manners despite playing a pivotal role within the NAPM.

His premature departure is too shocking, and the loss is too great.

Sukla]

Dear Friends,

It is with immense pain and sadness that we inform you about Sanjay's demise. Yes, our dear friend Sanjay Sangvai is no more. He died late last night at the Nature Life Hospital at Kochi run by Dr. Jacob Vadakkanchery.

As friends know, Sanjay has been under treatment for his heart problem for quite some time, though he never allowed his ailments to affect his activism. He always behaved in a manner where he never allowed us to be bothered about his ill-health and the toll it was having on him. However, he was very sick of late and the family had decided to take him to Kochi to be at Dr. Jacob's place and under his treatment. But as destiny was to be, Sanjay bid adieu to all of us and dear life last night.

Sanjay was a journalist-activist most of his life. He had been writing, in English, Hindi and Marathi, about the issues and political processes of NBA and other such people's movements in India. He has been closely involved with SEZ related issues, land acquisition and the injustices involved for the past couple of years - also through his association with NCAS, Pune. He also worked as a lecturer of journalism at the University of Pune, before joining as a full-time activist of NBA in 1989.

He has written extensively and participated whole-heartedly on the processes involving people's movements from across the country. Involved in NBA, NAPM, Sangharsh 2007 and so on, Sanjay was a major spirit behind many a movements and activists...

Our tributes to Sanjay can never be completed... Sorry Sanjay we could not even call you during the last couple of weeks... But this was unfair to all of us, who cherished and will always cherish your love, affection, camaraderie and above all your undying spirit and commitment to people.

Zindabad and Lal Salam comrade...

--


Vijayan, Ashok, Sunil, Sridevi...
Delhi Forum



F-10/12, Malviya Nagar
New Delhi - 110017 INDIA
Phones: +91-11-26680883/26680914
Emails: dforum@bol.net.in / delhiforum@gmail.com

JSW Steel to give free shares to the project-affected
1 June 2007

Mumbai: JSW Steel has announced a package that includes free shares to landholders who sell their land to JSW Bengal Steel, the Rs 35,000 crore, 10 million tonne steel plant proposed to be set up at Salboni in West Medinipur, around 200 km from Kolkata. JSW Steel vice chairman and managing director Sajjan Jindal announced the package at a joint press briefing with West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Writers' Buildings, the state secretariat. The offer of shares over and above the compensation package comes amid a raging debate about the impact of land acquisition on those losing land. The JSW package for Bengal offers employment for at least one person per family losing land, compensation for land price (50 per cent in cash and 50 per cent annuity from Life Insurance Corporation) and free shares at par equivalent to the land price.

"Landlosers should be the owners of this plant. Because the project is coming in their area, they should be owners of the plant, and they must get benefit out of the development that happens there," said Jindal

Mayawati's security reduction irks politicians
May 31, 2007


After assuming power, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, has decided to curtail the security cover of some senior leaders of Opposition parties and legislators, leaving her rivals miffed and fuming. The security cover of the State BJP chief, Kesri Nath Tripathi, senior BJP leader Lalji Tandon, Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Agarwal, independent MLA from Kunda Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias Raja Bhaiya has been reduced, sources said here today. The security of these leaders has been downgraded in the wake of the report of the review committee, which stated that the threat perception to them has reduced, sources added. The Samajwadi Party's national General Secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh had approached the Allahabad High Court after his ''Z-plus'' security was withdrawn. The court has directed the government not to withdraw the security till further orders. Raja Bhaiya also enjoyed ''Z-plus'' type security cover, but now only a gunner would be provided to him, they said. Others whose security has been axed include SP MP Akshay Pratap Singh, former Congress MP Ratna Singh and former State Minister, Shiva Kant Ojha. However, security cover of the leader of Congress legislature group in the Legislative Assembly, Pramod Tewari, has been kept intact, sources said. Tandon decried the decision of degrading the security, claiming that he apprehended threat from terrorists and was provided a bullet proof vehicle by the previous government.


If Gujjars were to be shunted into the Scheduled Caste category, a classification that includes Dalits (once known as untouchables) and tribal communities, they would qualify for greater privileges under India's affirmative action program, which was designed to lift up those groups that for centuries were viewed as "pollutants," ostracized by mainstream society and prevented from accumulating wealth.

Quotas of university places and lucrative government positions are reserved for members of the Scheduled Castes under the system that was created when India became independent 60 years ago. Although the Gujjar caste is also eligible for some privileges because of its position in the second-from-bottom grouping - known in bureaucratic lexicon as Other Backward Classes - its leaders point out that members would enjoy much better preferential treatment if it were demoted to the lowest rung.


Sachin Pilot, the Congress Party member of Parliament for the region where six people were killed by police gunfire Tuesday and a member of the Gujjar caste, said as many as 70,000 protesters were still blocking the road out of Jaipur.


Frustrated at the state government's refusal to meet their demand, thousands of Gujjars blockaded the national highways around the state capital of Jaipur, known as the pink city, on Tuesday. The protests brought the state of Rajasthan, much loved by tourists, to a virtual standstill all week. Vehicles were prevented from traveling on to Agra and the Taj Mahal. Thousands of trucks were stuck for several days by the blockades, tourist trains were canceled and government vehicles scorched.Government buildings were attacked in one Rajasthan town Friday, prompting the authorities to issue a shoot-on-sight order.


They bought the communists of West Bengal with hard cash. They did not care when West Bengal cops took the Nazi stands to humiliate and kill common people in Sindur and Nandigram. Now the Indian oligarch Tata says ‘Private sector should be socially responsible’. What an audacity?

Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata today asked the private sector to focus on social development of the country.

"While we grow we must not forget the fact that there are numerous people living below the poverty line, especially in rural areas," Tata said at a function organized by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry at its 171th Annual General Meeting.

Shame on Indian politicians that take bribes from these Indian oligarchs. Shame on these oligarchs who deprive common people of India to gather billions. Shame on foreign Governments and companies who collaborate with corrupt Indian politicians and oligarchs.

Orissa govt refutes starvation report

Bhubaneswar, Jun 1: With the Orissa assembly rocked today over media reports that people in the backward Nuapada district were subsisting on a kind of rock, the state government initiated a criminal case against two reporters of a local language news channel for "false and motivated" stories.
Speaker Maheswar Mohanty also announced constitution of a six-member house committee headed by Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal to probe the matter.The issue was raised in the house by Leader of the Opposition J B Patnaik who quoted the news channel that people in Sinapalli area of Nuapada district were consuming a kind of rock to stave off hunger.


The house saw three adjournments during the day as agitated opposition members demanded suspension of all other business to take up a discussion on this "serious issue".When the assembly met again in the evening, the revenue minister described the reports of the news channel as "totally false and motivated".


A criminal case was lodged against Puturam Sunani and Meghnad Kharsel, reporters of the news channel OTV, by the district welfare officer yesterday, he informed the house while making a statement on the issue.The case had been registered at the Sinapali police station under section 124(a) (sedition), 417 (cheating) and other sections of the IPC against the two persons. The circle inspector of Khariar was investigating into it.


Land row: Setback for Bachchan

Friday, June 1, 2007 (Faizabad)
You are not a farmer and hence not entitled to the land- this is what a Uttar Pradesh court told Amitabh Bachchan while hearing a petition filed by the super star, asking for a review in a land allotment case.The previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government had allotted about 90,000 sq ft of prime land in the state's Barabanki district to Bachchan, a close confidante of the Samajwadi Party.
But the court order says that revenue records which show the land in Bachchan's name since 1983 have been fudged. There are also allegations that the aim of getting land in Uttar Pradesh was to acquire some in Maharashtra. While revenue records show Bachchan as its owner since 1983, villagers claimed it was village property.

On March 24, 2006, Barabanki DM Aashish Goyal declared the transfer of Gram Samaj land to Bachchan as illegal, saying it was registered by fudging documents. He ordered an FIR to be lodged.The case came to light after the Collector of Pune made a query to Goyal last year as Bachchan had used his Uttar Pradesh land documents to support his case for owning 20 acres at Maval, off the Pune-Mumbai highway.

As per a Maharashtra government rule, only those who are farmers or own agriculture land elsewhere can buy land at Maval, a place much sought after by people to build farmhouses.

But after Friday's court order, Bachchan may even lose the land he owns at Maval.
Kolkata's Park Circus makeover handed over to Reliance
2007-06-01 20:53:07 Source : Moneycontrol.com
Email Print Version
Left parties have agreed to offer the famous Park Circus market in Kolkata to be redeveloped by Reliance. The company has offered to pay over Rs 30 crore for control of the market, reports CNBC-TV18.



Reliance outbid a handful of developers to bag the contract to develop the market into a multistoried shopping destination. According to the conditions laid down by Kolkata Municipal Corporation, all licensed shop-owners and vendors in this market would be moved to a makeshift structure till completion of construction.



Later, when the new building is ready, they will be brought back. But even after accommodating all of them, Reliance would get at least one-and-a-half lakh square feet retail space in the new building.



Reliance is so keen on these properties that it wants the Kolkata Municipal Corporation to put all markets owned by it on the block through an omnibus tender. The Mayor said that it was a good proposal but partners of the CPIM did not like the idea. They even opposed the sale of the Park Circus market because they felt it would give Reliance a back door entry into retailing.



Brainstorming began across Left parties in Bengal, and they have finally reached an agreement to let Reliance have control over the Park Circus Market. But there is no sign yet of the Forward Bloc giving the go-ahead to Reliance's proposed foray into retailing.



A CPIM leader said the issue would be discussed separately in another meeting of the Left Front. But clearly consensus on the transfer of the Park Circus Market is a step towards giving Reliance the green signal to roll out its retail venture in Bengal.


Karat cut unkind for Reliance retail
Calcutta/New Delhi, May 31: The Bengal CPM has decided to go slow on Reliance’s proposed retail business in farm products after party chief Prakash Karat’s call to introduce licensing for the entry of big Indian companies in the retail market.Party leaders today indicated that Reliance would not be allowed to sell farm products from its planned outlet in the Park Circus market, which it would re-develop having won the contract through bidding. Senior CPM leader Benoy Konar said: “We have to stop Reliance’s venture in farm products in view of the central leadership’s directive.”

He said other groups like ITC and Pantaloons as well as foreign companies like Metro AG had already entered the vegetable market. “If we stop Reliance, we have to stop others also.”

Karat’s note, sent to the Manmohan Singh government, has also emboldened CPM allies the RSP, CPI and the Forward Bloc to try and stop Reliance’s entry into retail using city markets as the launch pad at tomorrow’s Left Front meeting.

The CPM wants the Centre to adopt “stringent regulations on the organised sector in retail trade” through “a system of licensing”. The licence will be issued by urban local bodies.

“Any retail outlet with floor area over an appropriate minimum floor area should require the licence. Licences should be given on the basis of the population criterion,” Karat’s note said.

Besides, there should be a cap on the number of large-format retail outlets in particular areas and restriction on the number of outlets a company opens in a city to “prevent private monopolies”.

Reacting to the note, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said it was the government’s prerogative to make policy. “Nevertheless, the views of each UPA constituent will have to be considered.”

A senior official of the department of industrial policy and promotion, which is the authority concerned, said: “The government is moving cautiously and will hold consultations across the political spectrum.”

Ritzy Mallya on board ‘Udupi’ airline
- Kingfisher owner pays Rs 550cr for 26% in no-frills Air Deccan
OUR BUREAU

May 31: Vijay Mallya, an unabashed lover of life’s luxuries, today picked up a 26 per cent stake in Air Deccan, once described as the “Udupi hotel of India’s airline business” by its founder, Captain G.R. Gopinath.

Mallya, who had plonked down £595 million for Scotch whisky maker Whyte & Mackay just three weeks ago, will pay Rs 550 crore to become the largest shareholder at Rs 155 a share, a Rs 9 premium on the market price, in India’s first low-cost carrier.

A no-frills airline doesn’t really cut the mustard with the flamboyant image of Mallya, known for his thoroughbreds and yacht — and he has said some pretty rude things in the past about the concept and its practitioners in India, including Air Deccan.

But he had to swallow all of that and sweet-talk Gopinath into letting him come aboard and turn away the four other bidders in the fray.

Gopinath told reporters at a televised news conference in Bangalore that he had at first rejected Mallya’s offer because it had come from Kingfisher, the full-service airline. “Nowhere in the world has a low-cost carrier been taken over by a premium-service airline.”

The Air Deccan boss, who remains executive chairman, said he agreed to the marriage with the bejewelled Mallya on the understanding that the liquor lord wouldn’t tamper with his low-cost model. Mallya had said he was changing his offer and was keen to come in as an individual investor.

Gopinath laboured this point at the news conference to emphasise that there would be no dilution of the Air Deccan philosophy that has made it the second largest private airline in the country with a market share of 22 per cent to Kingfisher’s 11 per cent.

The Kingfisher-Air Deccan combine will be the largest airline in the country with 71 planes and a market share of over 33 per cent. The two airlines will retain their “separate identities for the time being but with a commonality of management resources”, said Mallya’s UB group president Ravi Nedungadi.

Mallya was said to be away in Paris and not available for comment. He will speak in Mumbai tomorrow and perhaps give an insight into how he wrapped up a deal he has secretly pursued for the past six months even as rival Naresh Goyal’s Jet Airways huffed and puffed over the Air Sahara acquisition.

Mallya has already paid Air Deccan Rs 150 crore and will pay the rest in the next four weeks. The Kingfisher honcho, who refers to his passengers as “guests in his home”, will now be nominated as the vice-chairman of Air Deccan.

United Breweries Holdings Ltd, his group company, will now make an open offer to acquire a further 20 per cent of Air Deccan’s equity at Rs 155 per share. If the open offer succeeds, he will control around 46 per cent of the carrier.

Anil Ambani’s ADAG Group, which was one of the bidders for the airline, is reported to have offered Rs 135 per share. Gopinath said the Kingfisher bid was the best not only on the table but also in the long-term interests of all the stakeholders, customers and the airline business. “This deal will avoid a bloodbath in the skies that might have otherwise ensued,” he added.

The bloodbath in Air Deccan itself was worth Rs 212 crore in losses in the quarter ended March 31, 2007.

Best Western chain touches Orissa shores
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Bhubaneswar, May 31: Cabana Group, the master licensee of the world-renowned chain of hotels — Best Western International — today announced its plans to set up a premier hotel and a management institute here.

The group has lined up investments worth US $1.2 billion in India over the next 10 years.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who presided over the ground-breaking ceremony of the hotel and the institute, hoped that the move would “set new standards of service and related training”.

Co-chairman of Cabana Hotel Management Private Limited and venture capitalist, Prabhu Goel, said the institute will be the group’s first training venture anywhere in the world. “Since the industry demand is huge, we hope that all students will be absorbed after training,” Goel added.

The institute, for which the government has allotted a seven-acre plot near Dumduma, will have hostels for 1,500 students, classrooms, labs, kitchens, along with a an attached 200-bed hotel. The group will represent Best Western brand in India, provide hotel management services and consultancy, he said.

Over the next 10 years, the group intends to add more than 100 hotels and 10,000 rooms to the growing Indian hospitality market. “We have visited places like Chilika, Puri, Konark and Paradip. We are interested to set up hotels there. We have plans to invest around Rs 350 crores in developing properties in the state,” said Goel.

The co-chairman of the group also gave a presentation of upcoming Best Western properties in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Ooty, Rameswaram, Kaniyakumari and Jaisalmer.

“We are planning premier hotels in tier-I and tier-II cities. Later, we would set up 3-5 star hotels depending on the traffic,” Goel said, adding that he is now pulling out of the technology sector. “I have been in technology for 25 years, now I want to get into something more exciting,” he said.

David Kong, president and CEO of Best Western International, said everyday Best Western hotels host nearly 4,00,000 guests. “Some of them would definitely like to come to India. And we hope, by expanding our chain here, international travellers would be interested to visit the country.”

Established in 1946, Best Western International claims to be world’s largest hotel chain operating under a single brand name.Having 4,164 properties in 80 countries worldwide, the group’s global gross revenue for 2006 touched $ 8.15 billion. Cabana Hotel Management Private Ltd was incorporated in India in November 2006.
Fresh players on broadcast crease
SAMYABRATA RAY GOSWAMI
Mumbai, May 31: Indian and Asian cricket authorities today signed up new broadcasters for the Ireland series and the Afro-Asia Cup, a day after walkouts by Zee and Nimbus had left both events in jeopardy.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India replaced Zee with Nimbus for the June-July Ireland series, and the Asian Cricket Council drafted ESPN-STAR Sports for the Africa-Asia contests in Bangalore and Chennai starting next Tuesday.

Yesterday, Nimbus had ended its contract with the Asian council while Zee had pulled out of a $219-million deal with the Indian board to beam at least 25 ODIs featuring India at neutral venues.

“The deal (with Nimbus) has been sealed at $6.05 million per match for the (Ireland) series to be played from June 26 to July 1,” board vice-president Lalit Modi told reporters with Nimbus chief Harish Thawani by his side.

But Modi would not confirm if Nimbus would get the remaining portion of Zee’s terminated contract.

“If advertiser interest in such matches picks up — it’s at an all-time low — the board will issue a fresh contract. If not, the whole thing may be scrapped,” a senior board official said.

Nimbus already has a $619-million, four-year contract with the BCCI for all international and domestic cricket controlled by the board till 2010. The company is believed to be paying much less than Zee per match for the rights to the neutral-venue fixtures.

Zee had yesterday suggested that its pullout was prompted by what it saw as the board’s preferential treatment of Nimbus.

After the government made it mandatory for broadcasters to share with Doordarshan live feed of India’s matches, both Zee and Nimbus wanted to renegotiate their contracts. Nimbus got its wish but Zee, according to its officials, didn’t.

The BCCI source said Nimbus’s gesture in filling in for Zee was a “quid pro quo for the huge rebate it got from the board for sharing feed with Doordarshan”.