Facebook protest sparks call for major Philippines rally

Manila: Anger in social media at the misuse of Philippines state funds has snowballed into calls for a rally expected to attract thousands, an organiser said on Sunday.

Calls for a “million people march” scheduled for Monday began circulating on Facebook and Twitter about two weeks ago after local press reports of a scam involving the Priority Development Assistance Fund.

The fund is money allocated for lawmakers to be used in development projects. Critics see it as funding “pork barrel” projects which have traditionally been a source of corruption. At the centre of the controversy is a woman who allegedly connived with legislators to siphon off some 10 billion pesos ($233 million) from the fund.

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UP govt bans VHP yatra from Ayodhya

Lucknow: Just days after it asked Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav to work as a bridge between Hindus and Muslims on the Ayodhya issue, Vishwa Hindu Parshad (VHP) has been refused permission by Uttar Pradesh Government for a yatra from the disputed site to push for Ram Temple.

                                            

Principal Secretary, Home, R.M. Srivastava said VHP leader Ashok Singhal had sent a letter giving details of the ‘Chaurasi Kosi yatra’ (pilgrimage) between August 25 and September 13 which said “that the yatra is being organized with the demand of the construction of the temple at the disputed site.”