Big B : I didn't invite media to follow me on temple visits

Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan says he cannot prevent the media from making his temple visits look like a public spectacle. Bachchan said he never invited mediapersons to follow him during his rituals. "My religiosity is my democratic prerogative in a free society. No one has the right to question it or to paint adverse malicious comments," Bachchan wrote on his blog. The actor was responding to bloggers who posted comments wanting to know what he asks from Gods and whether there is a need to make a public spectacle of it. Bachchan accompanied by his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya walked bare foot to Siddhivinayak temple early Tuesday morning to offer prayers to Lord Ganesh. The Big B said he visited the temple to seek strength and protection and to exist with honour and grace. The actor also denied that special treatment is meted out to him and his family during such visits. "The portals of divine presence belong to no particular individual. HE is the only VIP. In HIS presence, all are equal. I deny any special treatment meted out to us. For better people management, certain locations have intricate procedures in place. If it is accessible to all and if I fall in any one legally programmed category, I shall avail it. My presence there is that of a devotee; as one with the others," he said. Bachchan said he is disturbed, immensely upset and angry by the "anti-secular" comments made by certain elements on the blog. "I shall not mention them by name but they must know that they will never be entertained or acknowledged here. They are ignorant and wrong in their assessment and accusations," he added.

Raje puts the ball in Centre's court on Gujjar quota

As the Gujjar agitation seeking ST status entered the sixth day, the Rajasthan government on Wednesday said the reservation should be done at the central level and asked the community members to "use their wisdom".

"Now the entire proceedings of reservation should be done at the central level. The Gujjar community should take their initiatives to the Centre and use their wisdom," Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said.

She also appealed to the Gujjars to stop violence, understand the reservation procedure and come forward to settle the issue through dialogue.

In a full-page advertisement issued in leading newspapers, Raje sought to remind the people that lakhs of people have been stranded at different places in the state due to the agitation.

Acting tough, the Rajasthan government has clamped National Security Act (NSA) in 15 violence-hit districts as the agitation, which showed no signs of ending, spread to several parts of the state and threatened to spill over to the National Capital Region (NCR).

With the agitating Gujjars planning a "complete NCR roko " on Thursday, the Union Home Ministry put the region on high alert to prevent stalling of trains. As many as 39 people have been killed and scores injured in police firing and violence since Friday last.

While the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has referred the issue of reservation sought for Gujjars by Raje to the Law Ministry, the Congress dismissed her recommendation saying it was "immature" and legally untenable.

Aarushi Talwar urder : My husband's innocent, says Nupur Talwar

Nupur Talwar, the wife of dentist Rajesh Talwar, arrested on Friday for allegedly killing his daughter and domestic help, on Saturday claimed that he was totally innocent and she would fight his battle for justice and not sit quite. She also denied there were any illicit relations between her husband and Anita Durrani, a dental surgeon, which the police said was one of the reasons for the twin murder. "Even after all this, I can say it has nothing to do with this. There is no such thing," she told a TV channel. Coming out in strong defence of her husband, Nupur said, "With all my conviction I can say it (Rajesh killing Aarushi) can't be the way it is suggested (by the police). He was a doting father. It is doubly untrue.” She added, “In fact I used to feel that I had done something good in the past to be part of such a wonderful family. I have faith in the legal system and I have faith in God." Nupur, who is also a dentist, said she cannot believe that her husband could be behind the murders. "It is not possible, just not possible. The killer is out there somewhere. We will have to fight it out in the court. The truth is there. The truth has to come out." Breaking her silence for the first time ever since the murder came to light last Friday, Nupur said they were a very close knit family and on the night of the murder, the family had food and watched television together like any other family before they went to sleep. "I have been in the house. Is such a thing possible? Do you think...can any mother sleep throughout...I think it is beyond anybody's imagination. Utter nonsense, baseless nonsense. They (police) can say whatever they want. I know it is not true. God knows it is not true," she said. Asked as a mother can she be part of a cover-up to save the husband from law, she said "would any mother do that? Then I don't think she is a mother. She is not a human being. She is an animal. Even a father would not do it." To a question about the police charge of extra-marital relationship between Rajesh and Anita Durrani, she said, Dr Durrani was like an extended family. "I have known her since Aarushi was born. Her daughter may be six months older than Aarushi. Her daughter and my daughter were like sisters. Whenever we have had medical problems, her husband (Praful) would come and give medicines for Aarushi. Even when Rajesh gets asthmatic attack, the first to be called would be Praful. In fact, we never had a family doctor. Praful was our doctor," she said.

Now Angelina considering France for twins' birth

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt will be welcoming their twins into the world on August 19 this year, and the couple is considering having their babies in France, the native place of the actress’ late mother. The news about when Angelina would be giving birth was revealed by actor Dustin Hoffman, reports The Sun . However, it was Angelina herself who revealed that she was 'certainly thinking' about giving birth in France. Speaking at a news conference in Cannes, she revealed that the couple’s kids were already learning to speak French. "It's a second language in our home," the BBC quoted her, a saying. "My children are starting to speak French, it's good for them," she added. The babies will take the number of kids in Brangelina’s brood to 6. The couple is already parents to two boys – Maddox and Pax, and two girls – Zahara and Shiloh.

Is India to be 8th wealthiest place by 2017?

India with its increasing number of millionaires is projected to be in the 8th position among the world's top 10 wealth centres by 2017, says a report by banking giant Barclays. The report further says that emerging markets like India, China and Russia are fast catching up with the rich countries in terms of their wealth. "Over the coming decade, the gap in wealth between the world's most developed countries and the leading emerging markets will continue to narrow with many new millionaires being created in India, China, Russia and other countries which are undergoing rapid development," says Barclays Wealth Report. Moreover, by 2017 the four emerging markets-- India, China, Brazil and Russia-- will have so many millionaires that it would be inappropriate to call them emerging markets, Barclays added. The second fastest growing economy India is expected to join the league of top 10 wealth centres by 2017 by that time its neighbour China is likely to move up to third rank from its present seventh place. While Russia could experience considerable growth, moving to 11th place from 19th, Brazil will also move up the ladder to 12th from 15th. The report says a sudden spurt in the wealth of emerging markets has displaced more developed economies such as Australia, South Korea and Portugal from the list. In 2007, G7 countries -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US -- contained more than one million millionaire households.

Sharmila said - Ramadoss should focus on real issues

A day after Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss trained his guns on Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, censor board head Sharmila Tagore took a dig at him saying the minister should focus on real issues. After asking actors to quit smoking on screen, the minister took Bollywood head-on over alcohol. On Wednesday, Ramadoss pointed out that movies were frequently showing 'drunken' scenes as a tool of humour. He specifically targeted Shah Rukh Khan's rendition of a drunken junior artist in the movie, 'Om Shanti Om'. Ramadoss lashed out at actors potraying scenes of consuming alcohol to drown their sorrow. He expressed pity that these actors have been idolized by the country's young and old. When quizzed about the Union Health Minister's stance on the issue of alcohol, Sharmila Tagore said: "First it was about smoking, then he spoke about chips and now alcohol. I think what is primarily very important now is that he should focus on real issues like fake medicines. There are lot of drugs that are fake and it's a known fact, which is actually causing a lot of problems." While Sharmila Tagore's ire against the Health Minister isn't that unexpected, especially after Ramadoss took a dig at her son, Saif Ali Khan, for endorsing Lays Chips and even went to the extent of citing the actor's heart attack in relation to his brand endorsement. With SRK taking potshots at the minister and Sharmila Tagore also making her ire felt, it looks like that the minister's popularity stakes in Bollywood are declining.