Andhra parliamentarian Jagannath apologises for slapgate

July 3rd, 2009 PURI - Over 700,000 devotees gathered at the temple town of Puri on Thursday as the 10-day long chariot festival came to an end. Extensive security arrangements were on place during the Bahuda Yatra (Return Journey) of the chariot, when the chariots are brought back to the temple.

July 2nd, 2009 HYDERABAD - The Andhra Pradesh Regional Rural Banks Employees Association (APRRBEA) has welcomed Congress MP M Jagannath's unconditional apology to the bank manager, whom he slapped on Monday for allegedly denying loans to Dalits. The bank union called off its agitation that was launched in protest against the incident.

July 2nd, 2009 HYDERABAD - The Andhra Pradesh Bank Association on Thursday announced that it would approach the State Human Rights Commission (APHRC) to look into the "Slapgate" case involving Congress and Dalit Member of Parliament M. Jagannath. It may be recalled that Jagannath, an MP representing the Congress party in the Nagarkurnool constituency of Andhra Pradesh's Mahabubnagar District, slapped Ravindra Reddy, the manager of a local bank, for allegedly denying loans to Dalit applicants.

July 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily has condemned the slapping of a bank manager by the Congress MP M Jagannath, and said it is unfortunate and no MP should indulge in such kind of act. M Jagannath representing Nagarkurnool constituency of Andhra Pradesh in Lok Sabha, caught on camera slapping the manager of rural bank in Uppunu-tala in the limits of his constituency.

June 24th, 2009 PURI - The world famous weeklong Rath yatra of Lord Jagannath started this morning in Puri in Orissa. The thousand-year-old annual chariot festival is one of the world's largest surviving holy celebrations.

June 23rd, 2009 PURI - Ahead of the world famous Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra or, chariot festival, which witnesses convergence of innumerous devotees from all around, local shopkeepers here anticipate a brisk business. Shop owners and locals anticipate good profits during the annual chariot festival as they expect huge turnover of tourists this year as well.

June 23rd, 2009 AHMEDABAD - Gujarat police has said that they were taking all precautions ahead of the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra, which commence on Wednesday. Security forces staged a flag march in the city on Monday.

June 21st, 2009 AHMEDABAD - Hundreds of Muslims will mark their presence on the occasion of scheduled Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra or, chariot procession to be carried out here on Wednesday (June 24) and display a gesture of brotherhood and communal harmony. These resident Muslims are eager to be present during the 132nd Rathyatra of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra and Balram and get a glimpse of the chariot procession.

June 8th, 2009 PURI - Thousands of Hindu devotees and tourists thronged Puri on Sunday to witness the sacred bath ceremony of Hindu God Lord Jagannath, ahead of the world famous Rath Yatra (chariot festival), which begins later this month. Amid blowing of conches and beating of cymbals, the giant wooden images of three deities-Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Subhadra were taken out of the temple in traditional gear and given bath by the temple priests.

April 28th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - Preparations for the annual 'Ratha Yatra' or the chariot festival of the famed Jagannath temple in Orissa's Puri town is underway, with carpenters and priests performing several rituals for the religious event beginning June 24. The priests performed rituals to purify the wooden logs used to construct the chariots for deities, said Laxmidhar Puja Panda, spokesperson of the temple administration.

March 30th, 2009 PATNA - Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra Monday quit the ruling Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) citing 'neglect' of the Brahmin community in distribution of tickets for the Lok Sabha polls. Mishra, who was unhappy and frustrated over being sidelined in the party, said that the JD-U had not fielded a single Brahmin despite the fact that the community constitutes about nine percent of total votes in the state.

March 24th, 2009 PATNA - Former Bihar chief minister Jagannath Mishra is likely to join the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Mishra and RJD leader Lalu Prasad held an hour-long meeting here Monday, a day after Mishra's son Nitish Mishra resigned from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's council of ministers.

March 21st, 2009 HYDERABAD - The Andhra Pradesh Government on Friday forwarded the names of three Police officers to the Election Commission for it to name the State's new Director General of Police (DGP). The names were forwarded after the Election Commission had ordered the transfer of current DGP S.

February 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday condoled the death of noted freedom fighter and parliamentarian Ranbir Singh, saying that his role in the freedom movement will always be remembered. 'His contributions to the freedom movement and as a member of the constituent assembly and the first and second Lok Sabha will always be remembered by the country,' the prime minister said in a brief message.

January 15th, 2009 BHUBANESWAR - The daily rituals at 12th century Jagannath Temple in Orissa’s Puri city were delayed for over six hours Friday after a foreigner allegedly entered into the temple premises - an act seen as defiling the premises. The man who claimed himself to be Sebastian, 45, from Chile and a Hindu tried to enter the temple premises early Friday morning soon after the main gate opened, but was prevented by the policemen deployed there, the police said.