People's Samachar launched: Another Hindi newspaper in Bhopal

The People's Group has launched its daily Hindi newspaper, People's Samachar in Bhopal's already crowded Hindi market. 

Along with Dainik Bhaskar, Rajasthan Patrika, Raj Express, Dainik Jagran, Nav Dunia and the poor old Nav Bharat, People's will be the seventh major Hindi daily morning paper in Bhopal.

The first issue was not too impressive. The news content was ordinary and the special stories were just too cliche. But it's just the inaugural issue. The printing quality was quite good. Price at Rs 2, the paper has announced a subscription scheme.

If sycophantic workers are kept away and real professionals are allowed to run the paper, it can make its place secure in the ever-expanding Hindi readership and can expect a fairly good circulation in Madhya Pradesh. Best of Luck.

Corruption case against Digvijay Singh

The Economic Offences Wing has registered a case against Digvijay Singh and three retired IAS officers for providing undue benefit to the promoters of an Indore mall.

EOW has booked the former Chief Minister on the compaint of Ramesh Garg. The three retired IAS officers, UK Samal, AV Singh and DP Tiwari other than VP Kulshreshtha, Rakesh Sharma and Ashwin Janwade have also been made accused in the case.

When the Treasure Island mall was under-construction in Indore, the MG road was a residential locality as per the old master plan but permission for commercial activity was given for a plot of 90x30 sq metres.

Later officials fudged the records and the mall was constructed on the entire 90x120 sq metre plot. It was a joint project of Kalanis and Housing Board though the former were defaulters but just before completion of project, the HB Chairman cancelled the agreement that resulted in huge benefits to the Kalanis.

Digvijay Singh has said that the case was false and he was framed. The former Chief Minister said that the EOW case was nothing but a political vendetta.

Attack on St Thomas School: Christians up in arms against atrocities

The Christian organisations in Madhya Pradesh have joined hands to protest the attack on St Thomas Convent by the ruling BJP's student wing Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).

The activists of ABVP and Bajrang Dal vandalised the school and roughed up teachers. Hundreds of children in the school had a nightmarish experience as the ABVP activists went on rampage, damaging property and misbehaving with the staff.

Children were crying due to the vandalism. The cadre of ABVP was abusing the authorities and threatened the administration to take action against the Principal Fr Thomas Malancheruvil. They alleged that singing of national anthem was stopped midway in the school on Republic Day, which was a disrespect to nation.

But school authorities countered the charges. However, after demanding arrest for several days the ABVP activists attacked the school. The vehicles on the premises were damaged in the incident. Some policemen were also assaulted.

Ironically the parties hadn't protested when the BJP corporators had unfurled BJP flag instead of national flag on Republic Day. There was no action on these leaders and the police had not even registered a case then.

The Prinicipal was later arrested due to the pressure of the right-wing organisations and released from court on bail. Now the Christian organisations have decided to join hands and have also petitioned President Pratibha Patil in this regard.