Three Karnataka porngate ministers quit, BJP red-faced 
Bangalore: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka suffered a major embarrassment as three of its ministers quit Wednesday, a day after two of them were caught on television cameras watching a porn clip on the cell phone of the third in the assembly. While BJP president Nitin Gadkari said the party had taken action against the three, the opposition in Karnataka mounted pressure for their expulsion from the house.

All three - Cooperation and Agricultural Marketing Minister Laxman Savadi, Women and Child Development Minister C.C. Patil and Minister for Environment, Ecology and Ports Krishna Palemar - claimed they had quit "voluntarily" and were ready for a probe.

"We have resigned to avoid embarrassment to our party and not give the opposition a flimsy excuse to disrupt the assembly proceedings. We are ready to face an enquiry by the speaker (K.G. Bopaiah) as we did no wrong by watching a video clip of some rave incident in a foreign country to know what a rave party is," a rattled Savadi told reporters at the party office here.

A communique from the Raj Bhavan said Governor H.R. Bhardwaj had accepted their resignations on the recommendation of Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

Terming the incident as unfortunate, Gadkari said in Allahabad that the party took action against the disgraced ministers. 

"They said they are innocent, we said resign immediately. An inquiry will be done," Gadkari said. 

The scandal comes in the wake of a series of troubles for the BJP in Karnataka, the first state in south India where the party has taken power.

With local and national news channels beaming through the night the footage of Savadi and Patil animatedly viewing the sleaze on Palemar's cell phone, the party's embarassed leadership came under pressure to immediately sack the tainted trio.

With the state legislature in a 10-day session since Jan 30, the party's central and state leadership prevailed on the ministers to quit.

The chief minister said the ministers resigned voluntarily.

The ministers were caught watching porn when the house was discussing a call-attention motion on a pro-Hindu group allegedly hoisting a Pakistani flag Jan 1 at Sindagi town in north Karnataka.

Savadi claimed that Palemar showed them a video clip of the rave party held late Saturday on St.Mary's island off the western coast, about 400 km from here, late Saturday by foreign tourists.

"As there was a heated debate on the controversial rave party during the day, we were trying to understand how such parties are conducted in foreign countries. As the handset also had video clip on some rape and murder incident in a Muslim country, it was on the screen in motion," an unfazed Patil tried to explain.

Seizing the opportunity, the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) urged the speaker to expel the three legislators as they had brought down the dignity of the house by indulging in perverted conduct when even the use of mobiles are banned in the house, especially during the session.

"Resignation is not adequate. They should be expelled from the assembly. We will insist on their expulsion," state Congress unit president G. Parameshwara told reporters.

The JD-S sought immediate disqualification of the trio.

The two parties have planned to protest in the assembly till the three are expelled.

Admitting that the incident was an embarrassment to the party, BJP's state unit president K.S. Eshwarappa said it was unfortunate. 

"I cannot say it has not caused embarrassment to the party," Eshwarappa said.

Gadkari linked the incident to the larger deterioration in values. "Whether it is the media or administration or society, it is a matter of concern."

Three Karnataka porngate ministers quit, BJP red-faced 
Bangalore: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Karnataka suffered a major embarrassment as three of its ministers quit Wednesday, a day after two of them were caught on television cameras watching a porn clip on the cell phone of the third in the assembly. While BJP president Nitin Gadkari said the party had taken action against the three, the opposition in Karnataka mounted pressure for their expulsion from the house.

All three - Cooperation and Agricultural Marketing Minister Laxman Savadi, Women and Child Development Minister C.C. Patil and Minister for Environment, Ecology and Ports Krishna Palemar - claimed they had quit "voluntarily" and were ready for a probe.

"We have resigned to avoid embarrassment to our party and not give the opposition a flimsy excuse to disrupt the assembly proceedings. We are ready to face an enquiry by the speaker (K.G. Bopaiah) as we did no wrong by watching a video clip of some rave incident in a foreign country to know what a rave party is," a rattled Savadi told reporters at the party office here.

A communique from the Raj Bhavan said Governor H.R. Bhardwaj had accepted their resignations on the recommendation of Chief Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda.

Terming the incident as unfortunate, Gadkari said in Allahabad that the party took action against the disgraced ministers. 

"They said they are innocent, we said resign immediately. An inquiry will be done," Gadkari said. 

The scandal comes in the wake of a series of troubles for the BJP in Karnataka, the first state in south India where the party has taken power.

With local and national news channels beaming through the night the footage of Savadi and Patil animatedly viewing the sleaze on Palemar's cell phone, the party's embarassed leadership came under pressure to immediately sack the tainted trio.

With the state legislature in a 10-day session since Jan 30, the party's central and state leadership prevailed on the ministers to quit.

The chief minister said the ministers resigned voluntarily.

The ministers were caught watching porn when the house was discussing a call-attention motion on a pro-Hindu group allegedly hoisting a Pakistani flag Jan 1 at Sindagi town in north Karnataka.

Savadi claimed that Palemar showed them a video clip of the rave party held late Saturday on St.Mary's island off the western coast, about 400 km from here, late Saturday by foreign tourists.

"As there was a heated debate on the controversial rave party during the day, we were trying to understand how such parties are conducted in foreign countries. As the handset also had video clip on some rape and murder incident in a Muslim country, it was on the screen in motion," an unfazed Patil tried to explain.

Seizing the opportunity, the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) urged the speaker to expel the three legislators as they had brought down the dignity of the house by indulging in perverted conduct when even the use of mobiles are banned in the house, especially during the session.

"Resignation is not adequate. They should be expelled from the assembly. We will insist on their expulsion," state Congress unit president G. Parameshwara told reporters.

The JD-S sought immediate disqualification of the trio.

The two parties have planned to protest in the assembly till the three are expelled.

Admitting that the incident was an embarrassment to the party, BJP's state unit president K.S. Eshwarappa said it was unfortunate. 

"I cannot say it has not caused embarrassment to the party," Eshwarappa said.

Gadkari linked the incident to the larger deterioration in values. "Whether it is the media or administration or society, it is a matter of concern."

First ever 3D-printed jaw transplanted into patient's face

Doctors have for the first time fitted a 3D printer-created lower jaw to an 83-year-old woman’s face in the Netherlands.

The transplant was carried out in June, but is publicised only now.

The implant was made out of titanium powder -- heated and fused together by a laser, one layer at a time.

Technicians say the operation’s success paves the way for the use of more 3D-printed patient-specific parts.

The surgery follows research carried out at the Biomedical Research Institute at Hasselt University in Belgium, and the implant was built by LayerWise -- a specialised metal-parts manufacturer based in the same country.

The patient involved had developed a chronic bone infection. Doctors believed reconstructive surgery would have been risky because of her age and so opted for the new technology.

The implant is a complex part -- involving articulated joints, cavities to promote muscle attachment and grooves to direct the regrowth of nerves and veins.

However, once designed, it only took a few hours to print.

“Once we received the 3D digital design, the part was split up automatically into 2D layers and then we sent those cross sections to the printing machine,” Ruben Wauthle, LayerWise’s medical applications engineer, told the BBC.

“It used a laser beam to melt successive thin layers of titanium powder together to build the part.

“This was repeated with each cross section melted to the previous layer. It took 33 layers to build 1mm of height, so you can imagine there were many thousand layers necessary to build this jawbone,” he explained.

First ever 3D-printed jaw transplanted into patient's face

Doctors have for the first time fitted a 3D printer-created lower jaw to an 83-year-old woman’s face in the Netherlands.

The transplant was carried out in June, but is publicised only now.

The implant was made out of titanium powder -- heated and fused together by a laser, one layer at a time.

Technicians say the operation’s success paves the way for the use of more 3D-printed patient-specific parts.

The surgery follows research carried out at the Biomedical Research Institute at Hasselt University in Belgium, and the implant was built by LayerWise -- a specialised metal-parts manufacturer based in the same country.

The patient involved had developed a chronic bone infection. Doctors believed reconstructive surgery would have been risky because of her age and so opted for the new technology.

The implant is a complex part -- involving articulated joints, cavities to promote muscle attachment and grooves to direct the regrowth of nerves and veins.

However, once designed, it only took a few hours to print.

“Once we received the 3D digital design, the part was split up automatically into 2D layers and then we sent those cross sections to the printing machine,” Ruben Wauthle, LayerWise’s medical applications engineer, told the BBC.

“It used a laser beam to melt successive thin layers of titanium powder together to build the part.

“This was repeated with each cross section melted to the previous layer. It took 33 layers to build 1mm of height, so you can imagine there were many thousand layers necessary to build this jawbone,” he explained.

Congress not interested in alliance with any party: Sonia

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said that her party is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for forming a government and not for striking a coalition with any party.

"Congress is not contesting these elections to forge a coalition with any party but for forming its government", Gandhi said at an election meeting in Chamrauli area this afternoon.

"Congress would establish a relationship of trust with the people and would stand by them in the good and bad times", he said.

While stating that there was no difference between the BJP, BSP and Samajwadi Party, Gandhi said all these parties have entered into alliances with each other at different times and ruined the state by distributing chairs (posts) to serve their vested interests.

The Congress president lamented that for the past 20 to 22 years the governments taking over the reins had betrayed the people and instead of developing the state have dragged it behind.

"There had been the rule of either the criminals or corrupt", she said.

Referring to the various welfare schemes of the UPA government like the loan waiver for farmers and package for weavers, she said that had it not happened things would have been worse.

Recalling that the UPA-I had given MNREGS and gave Rs 20 thousand crores for it, Gandhi said that people of the state would have to take account of how much of it reached them and how much was looted by the corrupt.

The Congress president said that more than Rs 1 lakh crore have been given to the state for NRHM, JNNURM, Rajiv Gandhi rural electrification schemes and education for 

Congress not interested in alliance with any party: Sonia

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today said that her party is contesting the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for forming a government and not for striking a coalition with any party.

"Congress is not contesting these elections to forge a coalition with any party but for forming its government", Gandhi said at an election meeting in Chamrauli area this afternoon.

"Congress would establish a relationship of trust with the people and would stand by them in the good and bad times", he said.

While stating that there was no difference between the BJP, BSP and Samajwadi Party, Gandhi said all these parties have entered into alliances with each other at different times and ruined the state by distributing chairs (posts) to serve their vested interests.

The Congress president lamented that for the past 20 to 22 years the governments taking over the reins had betrayed the people and instead of developing the state have dragged it behind.

"There had been the rule of either the criminals or corrupt", she said.

Referring to the various welfare schemes of the UPA government like the loan waiver for farmers and package for weavers, she said that had it not happened things would have been worse.

Recalling that the UPA-I had given MNREGS and gave Rs 20 thousand crores for it, Gandhi said that people of the state would have to take account of how much of it reached them and how much was looted by the corrupt.

The Congress president said that more than Rs 1 lakh crore have been given to the state for NRHM, JNNURM, Rajiv Gandhi rural electrification schemes and education for 

Hooch kills 24 in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: At least 24 people died in Odisha after consuming spurious liquor laced with medicines, authorities said.

The victims from Cuttack and Khordha districts fell ill on Tuesday after taking the drink that officials said contained drugs used to treat cough and cold and to dress wounds.

District collector SN Girish said that among the dead was Baidhar Bhoi, the brew seller. He was the first to die -- Tuesday morning.

Other deaths took place during Tuesday. The toll climbed to 24 on Wednesday afternoon.

The toll may increase further as nearly 20 were in critical condition.

According to officials, people from several areas had gone to Tukuliapada village in Cuttack district to buy the drink Monday night.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said a judicial commission led by a retired Odisha high court judge will probe the deaths.

Excise commissioner Sudarsana Nayak said the medicines used in the brew contained a high percentage of alcohol.

Three people, who are relatives of the liquor kingpin, have been arrested. 

Hooch kills 24 in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: At least 24 people died in Odisha after consuming spurious liquor laced with medicines, authorities said.

The victims from Cuttack and Khordha districts fell ill on Tuesday after taking the drink that officials said contained drugs used to treat cough and cold and to dress wounds.

District collector SN Girish said that among the dead was Baidhar Bhoi, the brew seller. He was the first to die -- Tuesday morning.

Other deaths took place during Tuesday. The toll climbed to 24 on Wednesday afternoon.

The toll may increase further as nearly 20 were in critical condition.

According to officials, people from several areas had gone to Tukuliapada village in Cuttack district to buy the drink Monday night.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said a judicial commission led by a retired Odisha high court judge will probe the deaths.

Excise commissioner Sudarsana Nayak said the medicines used in the brew contained a high percentage of alcohol.

Three people, who are relatives of the liquor kingpin, have been arrested. 

Gujarat HC raps Narendra Modi govt for 'inaction' during post-Godhra riots

AHMEDABAD: The Narendra Modigovernment was on Wednesday pulled up by the Gujarat high court for "inaction and negligence" on its part during the 2002 post-Godhra riots that led to large-scale destruction of religious structures.

A division bench of acting chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala made these observations, while ordering compensation for over 500 religious structures in the state.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG).

Inadequacy, inaction and negligence on the part of the state government to prevent riots resulted in large-scale destruction of religious structures across the state, the court observed.

The government was responsible for repair and compensation for such places, it further said.

The court said that when the government had paid compensation for destruction of houses and commercial establishments, it should also pay compensation for religious structures.

The court also ordered that principal judges of 26 districts of the state will receive the applications for compensation of religious structures in their respective districts and decide on it. They have been asked to send their decisions to HC within six months.

IRCG's petition in 2003 had sought court's directions to the government to pay compensation towards damage of religious places during riots on the ground that the National Human Rights Commission, too, had recommended and the state government had in principle accepted the suggestion.

The state government had opposed the IRCG petition, saying it was a violation of article 27 of the Constitution.

The government further said that there was no policy with regards to compensation for restoration/repair of religious places damaged or destroyed during the riots.

Lawyer for IRCG, M T M Hakim hailed it as a "landmark judgement" in the country, in which compensation has been ordered for destruction of religious structures.

"This is also probably for the first time that a court has held the state government responsible for inaction and negligence during the 2002 riots," Hakim said.

Gujarat HC raps Narendra Modi govt for 'inaction' during post-Godhra riots

AHMEDABAD: The Narendra Modigovernment was on Wednesday pulled up by the Gujarat high court for "inaction and negligence" on its part during the 2002 post-Godhra riots that led to large-scale destruction of religious structures.

A division bench of acting chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala made these observations, while ordering compensation for over 500 religious structures in the state.

The court was hearing a petition filed by Islamic Relief Committee of Gujarat (IRCG).

Inadequacy, inaction and negligence on the part of the state government to prevent riots resulted in large-scale destruction of religious structures across the state, the court observed.

The government was responsible for repair and compensation for such places, it further said.

The court said that when the government had paid compensation for destruction of houses and commercial establishments, it should also pay compensation for religious structures.

The court also ordered that principal judges of 26 districts of the state will receive the applications for compensation of religious structures in their respective districts and decide on it. They have been asked to send their decisions to HC within six months.

IRCG's petition in 2003 had sought court's directions to the government to pay compensation towards damage of religious places during riots on the ground that the National Human Rights Commission, too, had recommended and the state government had in principle accepted the suggestion.

The state government had opposed the IRCG petition, saying it was a violation of article 27 of the Constitution.

The government further said that there was no policy with regards to compensation for restoration/repair of religious places damaged or destroyed during the riots.

Lawyer for IRCG, M T M Hakim hailed it as a "landmark judgement" in the country, in which compensation has been ordered for destruction of religious structures.

"This is also probably for the first time that a court has held the state government responsible for inaction and negligence during the 2002 riots," Hakim said.