Sonia tells Congress; Stand Up and Fight

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

A combative Sonia Gandhi taking the ongoing Coal Block allocation controversy to the Opposition camp, on the 6th day of disruption in Parliament, is highlighted by the Press. 'Sonia tells Congress; Stand Up and Fight', headlines the Asian Age. 'Sonia accuses BJP of Blackmail', writes Hindustan Times. The paper adds, at the Congress Parliamentary Party meeting she said the Opposition attitude of 'our way or no way' makes a mockery of our Constitutional framework.

On the issue of Coal Block Allocation the Times of India, quoting sources reports, the Comptroller and Auditor General is likely to make a strong pitch for scrapping all controversial allocation of coal mines, during its presentation to Parliament's Public Accounts Committee likely next week. Hindustan Times reports that the CAG has hauled up the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation for inefficiencies in developing oil and gas finds and tardy exploration, a charge that the state-run firm said was not reflective of its achievements.

The Hindu reports, Riot-hit Assam, which has slowly been limping back to normalcy, suffered a fresh jolt on Tuesday when one person was killed and 30 injured - with some minority organisations calling for a 12-hour state-wide bandh - to protest the failure of the government in curbing recurring ethnic violence.

'Taking Dowry bigger crime than Giving', writes Hindustan Times. The country's Dowry Laws look set to be overhauled, inviting a jail term of one year for giving dowry and five years for accepting it.

The Asian Age informs us that two important judgements are likely to be pronounced today, the first - to be delivered by the Supreme Court on Ajmal Kasab and whether he deserves death for his crime in the 26/11 Mumbai Terror attacks, and the second by a Special Trial Court on the Naroda Patiya case - the biggest massacre in the post-Godhra riots, in which 97 persons were killed.

And finally, The Indian Express writes that Russian President Vladimir Putin is rumoured to be among to world's wealthiest men & Heads of State - with 4 luxury yachts, 15 helicopters and 20 residences available to him.