As raids were conducted today on two firms in Chennai, one of which had links to Karti Chidambaram, his father and former Union minister P Chidambaram called it a "malicious onslaught launched by the government".The raids were conducted by the Enforcement Directorate and the Income Tax department on Advantage Strategic Consulting, a company with which Karti Chidambaram was associated earlier."If the government wishes to target me, they should do so directly, not harass friends of my son who carry on their own businesses and have nothing to do with politics," P Chidambaram said in a statement. "My family and I are quite prepared to face the malicious onslaught launched by the government."In August, two directors of the company had been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Aircel-Maxis case and charges of money laundering.

'Real dirt of India lies in our minds,' says president Mukherjee
In the middle of a debate on perceived "intolerance" in the country, president Pranab Mukherjee today delivered another sharp message and said: "The real dirt of India lies not on the streets but in our minds."Speaking at a function in Mahatma Gandhi's Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, Mr Mukherjee also commented on "our unwillingness to let go of views that divide society into them and us."He praised prime minister Narendra Modi's "Swachch Bharat" or Clean India mission but commented that "this also must be seen as just the beginning of a much larger and intense effort to cleanse minds and fulfil Gandhiji's vision in all its aspects."Mukherjee cited Gandhiji's vision of India as an inclusive nation where everyone is equal.

Dawood Ibrahim has bases in Pak, Lok Sabha told
Underworld don Dawood Ibrahim has bases in Pakistan though he keeps shifting his location from time to time, Lok Sabha was informed today. Inputs available from different agencies suggest that Dawood, a prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, has bases in Pakistan and keeps changing his location from time to time, minister of state for home Haribhai Parthibhai Chaudhary told the house.

He said that India has from time to time been apprising Pakistani authorities of details concerning Dawood, including passports and his reported addresses in the neighbouring country, with the request that he be handed over for facing trial in Delhi for terrorist activities and other offences."The government will keep pursuing this matter through different channels to ensure that Pakistan and its agencies fulfil their international obligations in the context of the Red Corner Notice issued against Dawood Ibrahim and the relevant UN Security Council resolution," he said in reply to a written question.

Sexual offenders should be monitored after being released: Maneka
Ahead of the release of the juvenile convict involved in the December 16 gangrape, union minister Maneka Gandhi today said that she has written to the Home Ministry demanding that those accused of sexual abuse and having served a sentence, should be tracked once released. The parents of the December 16 gangrape and murder victim had recently demanded that the face of the juvenile, who was considered the "most brutal" of all the six offenders, should be shown to the world before he is released as " he is a threat to the society"."You know the issue is not of that particular individual, the point is that I have written to the Home Ministry saying that there should a tweaking of the law in which every person accused of sexual abuse, who has served a time and has come out should have to report to the police station and he should be monitored," said the minister.

Anna Hazare supports Kejriwal's lokpal bill
Social activist Anna Hazare today said he will step in if the NDA government at the Centre puts obstructions in the way of Jan Lokpal Bill, introduced in Delhi Assembly by the AAP government.The anti-corruption crusader was talking to reporters after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh met him at his native Ralegan Siddhi village in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district to brief him on the salient features of the Jan Lokpal Bill, tabled in Delhi Assembly by the Arvind Kejriwal government yesterday. Hazare said that during his discussions with the AAP leaders, he expressed apprehension that the Centre may pose obstructions as the legislation provides for probing corruption in Delhi, where the central government offices are located. "If that is the case then I assured them of my full support. I told them I am with them," Hazare said when asked if he would launch an agitation on the issue.

After BSP, JD(U) extends support to GST
After BSP, JD(U) on Tuesday announced its support to the government's economic reform measures including GST but the BJP-led ruling dispensation continued to face combined opposition attack on the issue of "intolerance" and the controversial remarks of some union ministers.Participating in the debate on 'Commitment to the Constitution', Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien accused Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of indulging in "cowboy Constitutionalism" on the issue of obstructions in Parliament.Brien also got into a spat with Left leaders over his remarks that they cannot question the Right for "not participating" in the freedom struggle as they have also done the same. Attacking the BJP over the issue of "Hindu Rashtra", KC Tyagi (JD-U) cited the low representation of Muslims in political and constitutional posts and castigated some BJP leaders for their 'Pakistan' remarks, reminding that Indian Muslims did not go to Pakistan during partition despite having the option.

Toilet must for contesting local body polls in Maharashtra
If you don't have a toilet, you won't be eligible to contest local body elections in Maharashtra. The decision to make toilets mandatory for those contesting local body polls was taken at a meeting of Maharashtra Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today.The Cabinet also decided to implement the "visionary and dream scheme" of PM Narendra Modi 'Housing for All' by 2022 in Maharashtra, Fadnavis said.The state government has also decided to set up a Maharashtra Nature Tourism Development Board with its headquarters at Nagpur, the Chief Minister said."This will help in promoting nature tourism in 48 sanctuaries, 6 National Parks and 4 reserved conservation areas of Maharashtra," Fadnavis said.