| Nainital, Sept. 24: Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made it crystal clear here on Sunday that there would be no deputy prime minister in the UPA government. She was addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the end of the two-day conclave of Congress chief ministers here.
The Prime Minister also said that there would be no change of guard at the home ministry and that he was “fully satisfied” with the functioning of the ministry. When asked about the foreign office, which has been without a Cabinet minister since the departure of Mr K. Natwar Singh, he said a new external affairs minister would be appointed in “due course of time.”
[Earlier, while on his recent overseas tour, Dr Singh had said that he would name a new foreign minister soon after his September 18 return to New Delhi.] Mrs Gandhi, responding to a question addressed to the Prime Minister, said that there is “absolutely... not going to be a deputy prime minister... I am saying so categorically.” She, however, parried a question on the performance of the home ministry, saying: “I do not think this is something I would like to share... There’s been no criticism....”
HIGH MARKS FOR PM: She also gave Dr Singh high marks on the functioning of his government. When asked how she rated the performance of the UPA government and the Prime Minister, Mrs Gandhi replied: “I am satisfied with the performance of the government. I am absolutely satisfied with Dr Manmohan Singh.” Asked if there was a need for a mid-course correction by the UPA, Mrs Gandhi said: “I don’t think there is a need for course correction. We are working according to the promises we have made in the Congress manifesto and the Common Minimum Programme.”
PAKISTAN: Speaking on the proposed joint anti-terror mechanism with Pakistan, now under direct and open attack from sections of the bureaucracy as well as from the BJP, the Prime Minister hit out at its critics, and said in reply to a question that “baseless misunderstanding” was being created against the joint mechanism. “If we think Pakistan is responsible for acts of terrorism then we will have to talk to them.”
He said he had “very good discussions” with Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf in Havana. “We decided to go ahead with all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. Our border approach is such that we cannot wish away Pakistan. We have to have ways and means to see a via media.” Dr Singh also made a passing reference to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee when asked why he was persisting with the dialogue when he has also talked of “fidayeen attacks.”
He said: “I think there has been a thrust in our relationship. But we cannot stand still. Even Vajpayeeji invited Gen. Musharraf after Kargil and then after the Parliament attack, and he also went to Islamabad and Lahore.”
SHARAD PAWAR: When asked about the performance of Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar, who has been under attack following the rise in the level of suicides by farmers, Mrs Gandhi praised the Nationalist Congress Party chief for working in a very effective manner. Asked about Mr Pawar’s meeting with her, the Congress president said: “I met Pawar... we discussed certain areas in the agriculture sector and he is working in a very effective manner.” Mrs Gandhi also removed some “misconceptions” about her opposition to setting up of special economic zones across the country, her recent telephonic talk with Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee.
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| New Delhi, Sept. 24: An official of the Belgian embassy, Ms Isabelle Dessoir, was stabbed to death allegedly by her driver at her residence in the posh Vasant Vihar area of southwest Delhi on Saturday night. Ms Isabelle Dessoir reportedly had an altercation with her driver, Vijay Pal Chowdhary, apparently over his rash driving over the weekend. She was working as a secretary to the federal staff in the embassy’s economic wing. Her husband was away in Belgium. The investigating police officer said the incident took place at about 9 pm on Saturday. The driver was arrested on Sunday evening after he surrendered and was brought to the R.K. Puram police station, where he is being interrogated. The police has ruled out robbery as a motive as all valuables and cash were lying intact at the house. The police officer investigating the case said: “We are investigating the case from all angles and it would not be proper to comment on the motive at this juncture.” However, the police also did not rule out the possibility of an intimate relationship between the two, which might have gone sour; or the possibility that the driver might have approached the deceased with a motive to sexually assault her. Mr R.S. Yadav, DCP (southwest), told this newspaper that Ms Isabelle Dessoir, 40, was living in New Delhi for some years with her 13-year-old son at E-9/12 Vasant Vihar. On Saturday, Ms Dessoir was on her way to a restaurant for dinner, but her driver was driving the car rashly and she had scolded him. When Chowdhary did not pay heed, she asked him to stop the car and got out of it and took an autorickshaw to go back home. Chowdhary later told the police that he followed her in the car, and when she got into her house he knocked on the door. When she did not open the door, he broke the windowpanes and sneaked into the house. She scolded him once again and ordered him to get out. She also said she was dismissing him with immediate effect, upon which the driver asked her to settle his dues. Ms Dessoir told him that instead it was she who should get money back from him as she had spent so much money on him.At this, he got infuriated and took a kitchen knife and tried to scare her, but as the situation went out of control, he stabbed her several times. |
| New Delhi/Guwahati, Sept. 24: Hours after the killing of a tea garden manager in Upper Assam on Saturday, the Centre on Sunday called off its six-week-long truce with the United Liberation Front of Asom and directed the Army to launch a massive operation against Ulfa and its cadres. “We have received orders to go after Ulfa, which is continuing with its unlawful activities,” a security source said in Guwahati. Army columns have already fanned out in the Ulfa strongholds of Tinsukia and Jorhat in Upper Assam; and in Nagaon, Barpeta and Darrang in Lower Assam. In New Delhi, sources in the Union home ministry said the decision to end the ceasefire — announced on August 13 and subsequently extended many times — was taken in view of continued violence and extortion by Ulfa cadres. The last extension of the truce ended on Wednesday, after which the Centre had held off from resuming Army operations against Ulfa to give the outfit some more time to provide a written commitment about joining direct talks. The Centre at the same time clarified that its efforts to pursue the peace process would continue. Assamese writer Indira Goswami, a key mediator between the Ulfa and the government, said she had been informed by national security adviser M.K. Narayanan that the peace process would continue despite withdrawal of the ceasefire. Assam’s director-general of police D.N. Dutta said in Guwahati that the killing of the tea garden manager on Saturday sent a “clear signal” that Ulfa was not interested in pursuing the path of peace. The outfit had used the past six weeks to regroup and build up its stock of arms and ammunition, he said, adding that the killing indicated that either Ulfa’s leaders were no longer interested in talks or that they had lost control over their cadres. “We have also received reports about the movement of Ulfa cadres in groups from various parts of Upper Assam, besides North Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts,” the DGP said. Defence sources said in Guwahati on Sunday that troops had started moving into trouble-torn Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts and rounded up some suspected Ulfa “linkmen” for interrogation. The two Upper Assam districts have been flooded with extortion notes sent out by Ulfa — more than 10 tea gardens and a majority of other businesses have been asked to pay hefty amounts as extortion. The Centre decided to act after a presentation by the intelligence agencies to the national security adviser about the modus operandi of the outfit in its extortion operations. After the ceasefire expired at midnight on Wednesday, two rounds of consultations were held between the NSA and Union home secretary V.K. Duggal to review the situation in Assam. The government had earlier warned Ulfa that military operations would be resumed if did not give a written commitment on joining the peace process. |
| Bangkok, Sept. 24: Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra may have whisked some of his assets out of the country aboard two aircraft days before a military coup ousted him from power, airline officials said on Sunday. An official from Thai Airways International, who demanded anonymity because company policy did not allow him to speak to the press, said he wanted the new ruling military council to investigate the incidents. Speculation has been rife in Thailand that Mr Thaksin may have sneaked money out of the country in the days leading up to the coup, but there has been no confirmation from the council. Mr Thaksin departed for Finland to begin a foreign tour on September 9, loading up his government-assigned aircraft with 58 large suitcases and trunks, the official of the national carrier said. The Prime Minister’s aircraft, named “Thai Koofah”, was then inexplicably left parked in Finland for more than a week as Mr Thaksin continued on his trip on other transportation. A second aircraft carrying 56 suitcases — an Airbus 340-600 — was dispatched from Bangkok to meet up with the Prime Minister just days before the coup, the Thai Airways official said. Another official in the airline industry, requesting anonymity because of the issue’s sensitivity, confirmed the second flight, saying it left on September 17 — two days before the military toppled Mr Thaksin in a bloodless coup. It was unclear why Mr Thaksin needed a second aircraft when his own plane was already assigned to fly him to Europe and the United States. Speculation has surfaced about whether Mr Thaksin knew of the coup in advance and moved some of his vast assets out of the country. Asked about Mr Thaksin taking his assets abroad, ruling military council spokesman Lt. Gen. Palanggoon Klaharn responded: “No comment. I can’t comment on that.” Thailand’s new ruling military council says it will launch an investigation into alleged wrongdoing under Mr Thaksin’s government, which critics charge was riddled with massive corruption and abuse of power.A spokeswoman for the airline said she was not aware of the incident “and even if it is true, Thai Airways would only report it to the (council), not to the media.” She said company policy did not allow her to use her name. The Thai Airways official said it was not known what was taken aboard the second aircraft because only Mr Thaksin’s aides, citing security concerns, were allowed to supervise the loading. “I want the (military) council to investigate this because we, the employees of Thai Airways International, believe that Thaksin exploited the company through his power as Prime Minister by using a company airplane to transport his assets out of the country,” the official said.
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| Hyderabad, Sept. 24: The city’s special Ramzan delicacy, Haleem, has gained such popularity abroad that now local chefs are being courted by hoteliers in Saudi Arabia to fly to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina and prepare it for Umrah pilgrims there. According to sources, the cooks have gone on Umrah visas and after performing the pilgrimage, have joined the restaurants there. Encouraged by haleem’s popularity city hotels like Badaam, Shahi, Shadaab and Pista House have also tied up with courier companies to sell haleem packets in the Middle East. Some of them have also sent their own cooks to the holy cities. “About a dozen local cooks are stationed in Mecca, Medina and Jeddah,” said M.A. Majeed of Pista House, which has popularised the Hyderabadi haleem all over the country through its postal and courier networks. “That Hyderabadi haleem is very popular among Arabs. Even pilgrims from Indonesia and Malaysia are seen queuing up to get a taste of the dish,” Muhammad Umar Adil of Shadaab Hotel told this correspondent. “Barring mutton and wheat, which are procured locally, all other spices are imported from Hyderabad,” Mr Majeed said. Since the beginning of Ramzan on Saturday in Saudi Arabia (the holy month begins in India on Monday), scores of haleem packets have been dispatched to Mecca and Medina. The Hyderabadi haleem was such a hit on the first two days and city hotels are flooded with more orders now. This is the first time that Hyderabadi haleem is being sold outside the country. During the last few years, Hyderabadi haleem has been in high demand among VVIPS and film stars in Mumbai. Haleem is prepared in the morning and it is packed in special sachets to keep it hot. It is then delivered well before Iftar in Jeddah, Mecca and Medina. Haleem traces its origins back to the Arab world. The recipe was taken to Iran and from there it came to Hyderabad. However, today haleem is unique to Hyderabad although its variant, harees, is still made in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan and other Muslim countries. A small plate of haleem is sold for 5 Saudi Riyals while a big plate costs 10 Riyals. A family pack of haleem is sold for 25 Riyals. |
| Hyderabad: The holy month of Ramzan begins on Monday with the sighting of the crescent moon in various parts of the country on Sunday. The State government has permitted hotels and shops to remain open throughout the night during Ramzan. “We are giving special permissions to hoteliers for the convenience of people who are fasting during Ramzan,” information minister Mohammed Ali Shabbir said. The State has also issued orders for supply of uninterrupted power during the month. Special night prayers (Taraveeh) have started in all mosques. | Rains fill up reservoirs in city | | |
| | Hyderabad, Sept. 24: Copious rainfall last week saw major sources of drinking water getting enough water to resume supply every day to the denizens of the twin cities. But lack of storage infrastructure coupled with the government’s apathy is making the precious commodity go waste. Singur, the major drinking water source, has received 5 tmc ft of water taking the level to 23.085 tmc ft, almost double the capacity last year. The quantum of water at Singur on September 23, 2005, was 12.690 tmc ft. The capacity in Manjira rose from last year’s 1.256 tmc ft to 1.5 tmc ft while Osmansagar recorded 1.718 tmc ft as against last year’s 0.972 tmc ft. Though there is marginal improvement in the levels in Himayatsagar, water from the second phase of Krishna project is also set to flow into the city. The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has roped in the TCE Consulting Engineers Limited of the Tata Group to identify the water demand at various places of the twin cities for the construction of water storages. Based on their report, the board had proposed to construct 14 storage of 100 million litres (ml) capacity. Board managing director Jawahar Reddy said that a detailed proposal had been sent to the Central government for allocation of funds. The estimated cost of water storages is Rs 67 crores while inlet and outlet pipelines would cost Rs 130 crores. “Funds for the construction of storages have been sanctioned. Funds for the pipeline is awaited and we are pursuing the same with the Centre,” Mr Jawahar Reddy said. The funds are borne by the State and Centre on a 65:35 ratio. The board is drawing 75 mgd (million gallons per day) from Singur reservoir and an equal amount from the Krishna first phase, 45 mgd from Manjira, 16 mgd from Osmansagar and 11 mgd from Himayatsagar. Water board director (technical) M. Satyanarayana said that of the total demand of 290 mgd, the board was able to supply 222 mgd. He said that works on Krishna 2nd phase are on in full swing and another 90 mgd will be supplied once the project is completed.“We are working hard to complete the project by November 1, Andhra Pradesh Formation Day coinciding with the Board’s foundation day.” Mr Satyanarayana said. |  |
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Sonia keeps UPA door open for TRS | | |
| | Nainital/New Delhi/Hyderabad, Sept. 24: A day after TRS president K. Chandrasekhar Rao formalised his resignation from the Lok Sabha and walked out of the UPA, the Congress appeared readying to face him in the byelection as a victim than an aggressor. On Sunday, addressing a joint press conference after the conclusion of the two-day party chief ministers’ conference in Nainital, Congress president Sonia Gandhi said, “We have not closed doors on them. I don’t think we have deceived anybody. In the CMP, it is clearly stated that we have to develop a consensus. We will still continue to move towards a consensus. The Pranab Mukherjee committee is very much there.” Earlier, AP chief minister Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy was much more circumspect. On Mr Rao’s resignation, he told select journalists, “Telangana is not just their issue. They cannot claim monopoly on Telangana. Our MPs and MLAs have also made representations on Telangana to the party high command. Whether Telangana will be formed or not will be decided by Mrs Sonia Gandhi.” Asked about the TRS president’s assertion that the Karimnagar bypoll would be a referendum on Telangana, Mr Reddy said, “We are still considering. There is lot of time to go before the elections will be held.” He confirmed that he would reshuffle his cabinet on or before Dasara. Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is expected to communicate to the Election Commission abo-ut the vacancy of Karimnagar seat as early as on Monday, which would set in motion byelection process. The Bobbili seat in AP and Vidisha in Madhya Pradesh are vacant. It is expected that the three parliamentary byelections could be held together. According to sources close to Mr Rao, he will launch Palle Bata and intensive door-to-door campaign in Karimnagar. The Telangana Jagran Sena, with a targeted membership of 1 lakh members, would be activated. In Hyderabad, several legislators and party supporters received Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr A. Narendra at Begumpet airport. They would chalk out their strategy in the two-three days.TRS legislator E. Rajender addressing mediapersons said the the Karimnagar bypoll would be a fight between Telangana protagonists and anti-Telangana forces. | |
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Murder accused hangs himself | | |
| | Hyderabad, Sept. 24: A man from Hyderabad accused of murdering his wife hanged himself at a hotel in Pondicherry on Sunday morning. The deceased was identified as G. Ramachandra Reddy, 30, a realtor and chit fund businessman of Lakshma Reddy Colony near Uppal. Uppal SI B. Ravinder Reddy said, “On March 26, he took his wife Sujata to Pondicherry and killed her because he suspected her fidelity. Pondicherry police arrested him subsequently. He was released on conditional bail. A Pondicherry court asked him not to leave the State. He was staying in a hotel. On Sunday he hanged himself in a state of depression,” The police said arrangements are being made to being the body to city. | |
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Estimates prepared on old data | | |
| | Hyderabad, Sept. 24: The estimates for strengthening of Godavari flood banks are far from reality as the consultants did not cover even half of the length of about 400km-flood bank for their preparation. Inquiries by this newspaper revealed that the consultants selected by irrigation adviser Sithapathi Rao either did not visit their respective sites at all or covered only portion of the area but submitted estimates for the entire area. Even in areas where the consultants took cross-section of the bunds for preparing line estimates, the submersion of berms and slopes in the flood waters did not allow them to draw the real cross-section with accurate measurements. Significantly, ContecPMC, a consultancy picked up for preparing estimates for structures and 28.5 kms of Vainatheya Left Bank, did not visit a single structure out of 80 outfall sluices which require modernisation. “In fact the local officials have been directed to prepare the estimates for modernising outfall sluices and constructing river groins and handover the data to the consultant,” official sources told this correspondent. The consultancy is owned by one R. Rajasekhar, who is the son of Mr Satyanarayana, a retired engineer and presently working as designs consultant to the State government.
“The basic flaw of the estimates submitted by the consultants is that at no point benchmarks were established with reference to the Mean Sea Level which is the core for arriving at the existing levels of flood ba-nks,” a senior official said. Similarly, USA Consultants, which was alloted 80 km distance of Gauthami Right Bank, did not go to site but took the estimates prepared earlier for laying a WBM road on the bund for the first 20 kms from Doweleswaram. Sources said the consultant applied same measurements for the rest of the 60 km bank. The S&HR consultant selected for preparing estimates for 90.6 kms of Vasista Left Bank did not take cross section beyond Ramaraju Lanka village and same is the case with Samadhura which did not cover good length of 90.20 km flood bank on Vasista Right.
Sources said the advisor convened a meeting with the consultants at the office of Engineer-in-Chief (hydrology) to where all the Section Officers of Head Works Division besides its Executive Engineer K Muralidhar were called from East and West Godavari districts. “For several cross-sections, the senior officials obtained rough measurements from us and put them on record,” an official who attended the meting admitted. | |
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Bypoll not T-referendum: TD | | |
| | Hyderabad, Sept. 24: The Telugu Desam (TD) on Sunday rejected the Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s talk of Karimnagar Lok Sabha byelection a referendum on separate Telangana.
Saying that election to a single Lok Sabha seat cannot be a referendum on any issue, TD demanded that all MPs and MLAs of TRS resign and seek fresh mandate on Telangana plank to prove the prevalence of Telangana sentiment. Addressing the media here, TD politburo member Nagam Janardhan Reddy alleged that Congress and TRS deceived the people of Telangana in the name separate Telangana. “Both the parties sought votes in the general elections with a promise to get statehood to Telangana region. But they ditched the people after coming to power. They have no moral right to seek votes again. People will teach them a lesson in the ensuing by-election,” Mr Janardhan Reddy observed. People would not believe those who talk about separate Telangana, he said and expressed confidence that people would reward the TD for its developmental works during its regime. Another politburo member of the TD party, Kadiam Srihari, said his party would expose the deceitful tactics of TRS and Congress in the ensuing by-election. Addressing a meeting of the party teachers wing in Hyderabad, Mr Srihari said that people would reject TRS, Congress and BJP as they had deceived them in the name of Telangana. | |
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Vidyasagar Rao is BJP’s choice | | |
| | Hyderabad, Sept 24: Bharatiya Janata Party State president N. Indrasena Reddy on Sunday announced that party senior leader and former Union minister Ch. Vidyasagar Rao would contest in Karimnagar Lok Sabha bypoll. Ending speculation over the party’s move, the BJP president said that Mr Vidyasagar Rao held different positions from Karimnagar in the past 20 years and would contest in the bypoll also. He, however, said that election in Karimnagar is not a referendum on Telangana and it would be considered as referendum only if all the peoples representatives of Telangana Rashtra Samithi resign to their posts and seek fresh election. Mr Reddy said senior party leader Bandaru Dattatreya would act as election in-charge for Karimanagar, while another party leader K. Haribabu would hold similar responsibilities for Bobbili Lok Sabha seat. The party will soon announce its candidate for Bobbili, he said.
| Sharif was briefed on Kargil: Pervez | | |
| | Islamabad, Sept. 24: In the first official acknowledgement of involvement of Pakistan’s regular troops in the Kargil conflict, Gen. Pervez Musharraf has described it as “a landmark in the history of the Pakistani Army.” “Considered purely on military terms, the Kargil operations were a landmark in the history of the Pakistani Army,” he writes in his book In the Line of Fire, which is scheduled to be released in New York on Monday. For long Pakistan had maintained that the 1999 conflict in Kargil involved “freedom fighters”, but the general says that five units of the Pakistani Army had supported the “freedom fighter groups” to compel India to employ more than four divisions. He insists that Kargil was a tactical victory for his men trying to “undo Indian adventurism”, according to extracts of the book carried by The Nation newspaper here, which in turn quoted the BBC. The President rubbishes speculation that Pakistan was preparing for a nuclear attack on India at the time of the conflict. “I can say with authority that in 1999 our nuclear capability was not yet operational... Any talk of preparing for nuclear strikes is preposterous,” he says. Gen. Musharraf refuted then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s claim that the general had not taken him into confidence about the Kargil operations. The Army, Gen. Musharraf writes, briefed Mr Sharif in Skardu on January 29, 1999 and in Kel on February 5, 1999. “During these briefings, our defensive manoeuvres was explained as a response to all that was happening on the Indian side.” Gen. Musharraf says that Mr Sharif, who was ousted by the general in a coup in October 1999, was also briefed on March 12, 1999 at the directorate-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence. The general says Mr Sharif made the “cardinal mistake of underestimating him.” Gen. Musharraf writes: “He had probably thought that being the son of migrant parents, I would feel more insecure and vulnerable. He couldn’t have been more wrong.” Mr Sharif, now living in exile, has consistently maintained that Gen. Musharraf had kept him in the dark about the Kargil operations, and that he learnt of them from then Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. | |
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PM defends pak terror deal | | |
| | Nainital, Sept. 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is facing a direct attack from sections of bureaucracy and intelligence and the main Opposition BJP on the proposed joint mechanism with Pakistan, on Sunday criticised the critics of the deal. Addressing reporters along with Congress president Sonia Gandhi after the conclusion of the two-day Congress chief ministers’ conference in Nainital, Dr Manmohan Singh said in reply to a question that “baseless misunderstanding is being created against the joint mechanism. “If we think Pakistan is responsible for acts of terrorism then we will have to talk to them,” he said. When a reporter asked him in the context of the discussion on internal security in Kashmir what Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf had said recently, the Prime Minister said, “I do not know what Musharraf stated. I can only tell you that we had very good discussions. We decided to go ahead with all outstanding issues, including Jammu and Kashmir. We have to have ways and means to see a via-media.” He also made a passing reference to former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee when asked why he was persisting with the dialogue when he has also talked of fidayeen attacks. The media reminded Dr Singh of the criticism of proposed joint intelligence with Pakistan. The Prime Minister said, “I don’t think all criticism is proper. There is no change in our approach towards terrorism. We always say that Pakistan has been encouraging terrorists and it has to discourage terrorism. The purpose of this joint mechanism is to try out and see whether or not and how sincere is Pakistan in curbing terrorism.” | |
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IB reports contradict PM | | |
| | New Delhi, Sept. 24: Contradicting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statem-ent on Saturday claiming a decline in the infiltration of terrorists into Jammu and Kashmir, the latest Intelligence Bureau (IB) reports suggested rise in infiltration this year and is likely to go up in the coming months. As many as 372 terrorists trained by the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba and the Hizbul Mujahideen have infiltrated into the Kashmir Valley till July this year apart from another 120 militants who have been pushed into India through international border in Assam and West Bengal.
This besides, over 600 trained militants are lined up to be pushed into Kashmir, according to the radio intercepts in possession of the IB. Further, infiltration in the months of May and June has also witnessed a surge this year in comparison to the figures of the last four years, the source said. Infiltration bids continue from May to October owing to suitable weather conditions and the actual figures can only be compiled in November, the source said and added that if the security agencies fail to check the 600 trained militants from entering the valley, the overall figures will register a marked increase this year. According to the IB figures, a total of 1,373 militants had infiltrated into the valley in 2003 in comparison to 530 in 2004 and 534 in 2005 and the figures for this year till July have registered 372 infiltrates impl-ying that they might go up significantly before the sn-owfall begins in the valley. Even the figures on half-yearly basis suggest that there has been no decline in infiltration into the troubled valley. The IB figures suggest that 188 militants had infiltrated in 2003 till July followed by 117 in 2004 and 171 in 2005 and 372 terrorists have been reported to have infiltrated till July this year, the source informed. | |
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Pakistan keeps up rhetoric despite Havana | | |
| | New Delhi, Sept. 24: Barely days after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President General Pervez Musharraf shook hands in Havana and agreed to “narrow down divergences” on the Jammu and Kashmir issue, Pakistan has enlisted the Organisation of Islamic Conference’s (OIC) support for Jammu and Kashmir people’s right to self-determination. The joint statement issued in Havana read, “The leaders decided to continue the joint search for mutually acceptable options for a peaceful negotiated settlement of all issues between India and Pakistan, including the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, in a sincere and purposeful manner. On the Jammu and Kashmir issue, there have been useful discussions. There is a need to build on convergences and narrow down divergence.” The OIC Contact Group on Kashmir met in New York last week on the sidelines of the 61st United Nations General Assembly and adopted a resolution calling for resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir issue. The OIC Contact Group comprises Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Niger. All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Omar Farooq and Prime Minister of Pakistan occupied Kashmir Sardar Atique Ahmed Khan were invited to the meeting. Mr Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has been quoted as telling the State-run Pakistan Television that the OIC believes global peace is not possible until the Kashmir and Palestine issues are amicably resolved. He also said the OIC intends to send envoys from diplomatic missions of its member-States in New Delhi to Srinagar for understanding the situation on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir. The secretary general of OIC, Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, in turn, has said that “alleviating the sufferings of Kashmiris would remain a matter of priority” for the OIC. Incidentally, similar rhetoric was heard even in the run-up to the Havana meeting. General Musharraf told the members of European Parliament in Brussels that “this dispute involves fundamental rights, including the right of self-determination of the people. The issues can never be put in the cold storage.” | |
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Sharmila for separate slot for adult content | | |
| | New Delhi, Sept. 24: Advocating the need for a separate time slot for adult content on television, Central Board of Film Certification chairperson Sharmila Tago-re has said that movies with explicit scenes and violence could be given considered giving a A+ certification for theatrical release. In an interview to this newspaper, Ms Tagore said, “There should be a time slot for adult content. Like I feel that a 11 pm to 4 am time slot could be used. Many ask why 4 am? But then it could be 4 am or 6 am that could be decided. But if it is at any other time then I don’t think it is fair on children.” Having led the CBFC for nearly two years now, the actress also pointed towards the possibility of additional categories of certification being considered for mov-ies that fall in the UA or parental guidance category. Asked about the criticism that came the CBFC’s way for the foul language in the recent release Omkara, she pointed out that the movie was A certified and was so meant for an adult audience.“It is an adult film. I think 18 years is a responsible age, when you are voting. If you can’t deal with a couple of bad words then should you be voting, I don’t know,” she said. | |
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‘Nehru was against clubbing of religions’ | | |
| | New Delhi, Sept. 24: Jain leaders have brought to light a letter from an aide of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, on the contentious issue of the Gujarat government’s bid to club Jains with Hindus. The Jain delegation, consisting of elders of the community, had met Nehru to clear apprehensions raised by some sections about the community losing its identity as a religion. The letter written by Nehru’s principal private secretary A.V. Pai contained an assurance that the community’s distinct religious character would be protected. Letter no 33/94/50-PMS is in the possession of the Digambar Jain Mahasabha. Circulating the letter to the media, the Digambar Jain Mahasabha — which has decided to launch a protest against Gujarat’s anti-conversion law that clubs Jainism and Buddhism with Hinduism — said that as far back as 1950, it was clear to the government that Jainism was a separate religion and not a part of Hinduism. The letter, written by the PMO official to community leaders, read, “I am desired to say that there is no cause whatever for the Jains to have any apprehensions regarding the future of their religion and community. There is no reason for thinking that Jains can be considered as Hindus. It is true that Jains are in some ways closely allied to Hindus and have many customs in common, but there can be no doubt that they are a distinct religious community. The Constitution does not in any way affect this well-recognised position.” | |
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Battery fuels 17-year-old’s 2-gear engine | | |
| | Bhubaneswar, Sept. 24: A 17-year-old boy in Orissa claims to have invented the prototype for a new generation of eco-friendly motor engines that will rule on the road without petrol or diesel. The engine, however, will retain the efficiency of present-day vehicles, inventor Shakti Prasad Sahoo said. The model, a converted Rajdoot motorcycle, runs on battery power and has two gears. “The battery on which the bike runs, does not need recharging. It keeps charging itself using an in-built dynamo,” Shakti, a polytechnique student of Bhubaneswar, said. “Petrol is too expensive. Battery-operated vehicles are better, but they don’t have gear. Their batteries also need recharging after every hour of use. But here the battery gets charged with the help of a dynamo and we can travel a much longer distance,” he claimed. Shakti’s mother, Sukanti, informs that her son has been fascinated towards science and technology since his childhood. “Ever since his early school days, Shakti has had a fascination for automobile engineering and technology. He used to build dummy bikes and cars,” she said. Sukanti rues that they do not have enough money to support their Shakti Prasad’s future plans. “We don’t have the resources to support his plans. But his dream is to become a scientist,” she added. | |
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Rahul will be active in UP, says Sonia | | |
| Nainital, Sept. 24: Hinting that Rahul Gandhi will lead the party campaign in the crucial Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls early next year, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday said that he will be “active” in the State.“Yes, he will be active in Uttar Pradesh, perhaps before the election starts or even earlier. He has been going to UP,” she said when asked at a press conference about her son, Rahul, leading the party in the UP polls.
The Congress chief said that Rahul also accompanied her in the party’s election rally in Kanpur and Bareilly. | |
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Singh waits for Sachar report | | |
| | Nainital, Sept. 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Sunday that he was waiting for the report of the Sachar Committee, which will be the first comprehensive analysis and assessment, before taking any decision on minorities representation in the government services. He was replying to a question during a press conference after the Congress chief ministers’ conclave on agriculture and internal security, whether minorities were under represented in the government. In the Congress chief ministers’ conclave, Dr Singh on Saturday had said that “there is now a strong case for augmenting the number of personnel from minority communities in police forces and in the intelligence apparatus. We can at least try and re-deploy capable officers belonging to minority communities to sensitive areas in larger numbers.” Even Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in reply to a question during the press conference, said that innocent people from minorities should not be harassed in the fight against the terrorism. The Prime Minister said, “One problem, which I must not mention is that our understanding of the problems of minorities needs to improve. For example, their enrolment in schools, their educational levels, their participation in employment is much lower than the state averages. We need to pay special attention to this issue. | |
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