India Digest: Rahul Gandhi Joins Land War in U.P.

Here is a roundup of news from Indian newspapers, news wires and Web sites on Thursday, May 12, 2011. The Wall Street Journal has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

Rahul Joins Land War in U.P., Pledges Support to Farmers: Taking on Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Rahul Gandhi joined the land war here, pledging full support to farmers fighting against acquisition and promising not to desert them till their demands are met. (Source: PTI)

Osama Operation: Defense Minister Antony Reviews Security: Union Defence Minister AK Antony reviewed overall security situation with three service chiefs, the National Security Advisor, and the Defense Secretary. (Source: NDTV)

Google Issues Statement on New Indian Web Rules

There’s been a flurry of statements today on India’s controversial new Web rules, which require Internet sites to take down certain types of content deemed objectionable.

First India’s IT ministry defended the rules.

Now Google, which declined to comment on its February memo to the ministry on the draft Web rules, reported on earlier today by the WSJ, has come out with a statement.

“We believe that a free and open Internet is essential for the growth of digital economy and safeguarding freedom of expression,” said the company.

India This Evening: India Releases List of 50 Most Wanted Fugitives in Pakistan

Here is a roundup of news from Indian newspapers, news wires and Web sites on Wednesday, May 11, 2011. The Wall Street Journal has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

India Releases List of 50 ‘Most Wanted Fugitives’ in Pakistan: Turning more heat on Pakistan, India released a list of 50 “most wanted fugitives”, including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim, 26/11 mastermind and LeT founder Hafiz Saeed and dreaded terrorist Zaki ur Rehman Lakhvi, hiding in that country. (Source: NDTV)

Bhopal Gas Case: Government to Abide by SC Decision: The government said it will “abide” by the decision of the Supreme Court which dismissed CBI’s curative petition against an earlier apex court judgement that diluted charges against the accused in the Bhopal gas disaster case. (Source: PTI)

India Government Dives Into Swimsuit Saga

The Indian government has joined the chorus of disapproval over a swimsuit by an Australian designer that portrayed a Hindu goddess on its front and back.

Describing the swimsuit as “carrying Indian religious images inappropriately,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs Wednesday released a statement saying it “has conveyed its deep concern to the Australian High Commission in New Delhi, asking that all concerned be apprised of the Indian religious sensitivities in the matter.”

Anish Kapoor Dedicates Art Work to Ai Weiwei

By Margherita Stancati and Josh Chin

British Indian-born artist Anish Kapoor has dedicated his biggest-ever sculpture to Chinese dissident artist Ai Weiwei, who was detained by Chinese authorities last month.

“I, as a colleague, I don’t know him personally…feel that as artists we have a communal voice and it is important that we stick together, that we have a sense of solidarity with each other,” said Mr. Kapoor in an interview with BBC Radio 4 on the eve of the public opening of his new Paris show on Tuesday.

India Clarifies Controversial Web Rules

The Wall Street Journal reported today on Google’s objections to Indian Internet regulations that went into effect last month. Now the Indian government is out with a statement to clarify the controversial rules, which require Web sites to take down certain types of content deemed objectionable.

The statement from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology defended the government’s restrictions, saying they rightly require that Internet companies observe “due diligence” in order to enjoy exemption from liability for content posted by third parties.

Mumbai Indians Cheerleader Sacked for ‘Secret’ Diary

The Mumbai Indians are essentially assured of a place in the final stages of the Indian Premier League, but they will be without one of their cheerleaders, who was thrown out of the IPL after it emerged that she was writing a “saucy” blog for the Alternative Cricket Almanack.

Gabriella Pasqualotto has returned home to South Africa after it came to light that she was the writer of “The Secret Diary of an IPL Cheerleader”, in which she anonymously talks about her experiences in India and names some of cricket’s more party-loving and flirtatious characters.

Ranbaxy Results Cheer Investors; Concerns Persist

Investors in Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd. finally have something to cheer about after the company’s first-quarter results easily beat estimates.

India’s biggest drug maker late Tuesday posted a 68% fall in net profit to 3.04 billion rupees ($67.9 million), defying expectations of an 81% drop to 1.83 billion rupees. Sales fell 14% to 21.43 rupees billion, almost in line with the 21.48 billion rupees average forecast in a poll of seven analysts.

Still, longer-term investors are eager to know whether Ranbaxy can settle its issues with U.S. regulators in time to be allowed to start selling a generic version of Pfizer Inc.’s cholesterol-lowering Lipitor–the world’s best selling drug–exclusively for six months.

MP Milind Deora Shreds on Blues Guitar

As a member of India’s Parliament, Milind Deora works on issues like national security and urban development.

But on a recent evening, Mr. Deora went to work on his Gibson electric guitar at a central New Delhi pub, shredding and wailing through soulful blues solos that wowed the local crowd.

The 34-year-old, one of India’s youngest politicians and the son of Corporate Affairs Minister and Congress Party stalwart Murli Deora, has downplayed and even hidden his formidable musical talents for years–fearful that people would take him less seriously as a public servant.

A New Option for Indian Lawmakers: School

Several Indian states are set to usher in new lawmakers to their assemblies for five-year terms come Friday, with almost a fifth of the country’s more than 4,000 seats up for grabs in elections this year.

Some of them, especially the first-timers, may want to take advantage of a new option available to lawmakers: school.