north east online - north east india news: 11/01/2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

No IMEI number? Your cellphone may die

M
illions of mobile phones without unique identification numbers will stop ringing on Tuesday as the deadline set by the government for operators to block calls on such devices expires on Monday.

The government directive is based on security concerns.

As per some estimates, over 25 million handsets without IMEI numbers are in circulation in the country.

The 15-digit International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number helps security agencies trace calls made from and received on handsets.

The number, which represents the manufacturer's name and type of the phone, is automatically registered with the mobile service provider as soon as the phone is activated.

In the wake of increased threat perception from terrorists, the Department of Telecom had asked operators not to allow calls to be completed on handsets without the IMEI number after November 30.

After the government's directive, the GSM mobile operators lobby Cellular Operators Association of India began installing identity numbers on devices without them.

However, a large number of users are yet to get these numbers and operators feel the deadline should be extended. A leading cellular operator, that did not wish to be identified, expressed concern. An executive said: "Why are subscribers being penalised? They had purchased handsets from markets without knowing about any such clause."

Congress' Assam unit holds record 18,828 meetings in a day

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he ruling Congress party in Assam created a history of sorts on Sunday by holding more than 18,500 meetings across the state as it kicked off its campaign for the 2011 state assembly elections, in which the party hopes to score a hat-trick.

A Congress party spokesperson said a total of 18,828 public meetings were held across the state on Sunday aimed at reaching the grassroots workers ahead of the 2011 assembly elections.

"We know we are going to win the elections for the third time, but then we thought of involving our grassroots workers to ensure that all of them work together for the overall development of the state," Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told journalists after attending one of the meetings in his home constituency of Jorhat in eastern Assam.

The idea to hold grassroots level meetings in block Congress booths was aimed at reaching the party workers and supporters to spread the message of the ruling government's schemes and projects undertaken during its tenure since 2001.

"We have created history, a record of sorts, by holding 18,828 meetings in a single day. The meetings were highly successful with the supporters and workers greatly enthused," Congress party spokesperson Haren Das said.

Assam Congress party president Bhubaneswar Kalita said the party is ready to hold elections even if it is held at an early date.

Elections are due in May 2011.

"No matter when the elections are held, we are ready to face the people. We know the Congress government since 2001 changed the entire landscape of Assam with allround development taking place," Kalita said.

With the opposition in Assam a fractured lot and the main opposition Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) in a shambles following successive electoral defeats, the ruling Congress party is in an upbeat mood.

The AGP lost the state polls in 2001, then again in 2006, besides facing humiliating defeats in local elections earlier this year. More recently, the AGP also lost two by-elections to the state assembly.

The AGP-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance in the last parliamentary polls failed to yield result as the AGP won just one seat compared to two seats the party won in 2004.

Man who killed Prabhakaran to join politics

S
ri Lanka's former top General Sarath Fonseka, the architect of the military victory against the LTTE, has announced he will run for presidency in the January polls as the common candidate of the Opposition, setting the stage for an electoral battle with incumbent Mahinda Rajapaksa, another war hero.

"I am joining the race for Presidency," 58-year-old Fonseka, who resigned at the Chief of Defence Staff earlier this month following a spat with Rajapaksa over credit for the spectacular military win against LTTE, told a packed press conference in capital Colombo.

He said he would try to unseat President Rajapaksa as the joint candidate of the Opposition parties, including the United National Party (UNP) of former Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, in the presidential polls to be held on January 26 next year, two years ahead of schedule.

Voicing confidence that he will win the polls, Fonseka vowed to abolish executive presidency. "The bane of the country is executive presidency and we will immediately, after my victory, will take action to abolish executive presidency," he said.

"And that (executive presidency) has done enough damage to the country... So the powers have been abused, specially at present all the powers are being abused and the executive presidency has to be abolished to ensure one man cannot run the country anymore."

The secret to ULFA's sustenance

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s militant outfit ULFA observes its annual Protest Day, NDTV travelled to villages of Nalbari in Lower Assam to find out how the outfit has been able to bounce back each time it suffered severe losses.

One such village is Bahjani. The road to Bahjani, till a few years ago, was a road less travelled. This is ULFA territory, home to the outfit's deputy commander Hitesh Kalita alias Raju Baruah.

With fast-moving developments within the ULFA leadership and the return of two senior ULFA cadres, Kalita's mother is hoping her son will now return home. He had left Bahjani 24 years ago.

Hitesh's mother Chyja Kalita says: " He should come back at least for his mother's sake and the government and they should start talking soon"

The organisation has sustained for 30 years now without a split. Kalita's brother Jiten says it's not without the support of a section of people.

"No organisation can sustain so long without the support of the people. I'm sure the boys are around. It's clear there is support. I don't support the violence, but I agree with the cause, Jiten Kalita says.

The Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi claims to know that the ULFA is shifting its base from Bangladesh to China but one only hopes that the government is aware of the fact that the real bases of ULFA are villages like Bahjani.

Chidambaram praises contribution of CRPF on its 70th anniversary

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ew Delhi, Nov 27 (ANI): Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram applauded the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on its 70th anniversary here on Friday.

Chidambaram inspected a CRPF guard of honour, included one contingent of women, retired personnel and the Rapid Action Force.

He said the paramilitary force has been at the forefront, but added that its personnel, needed to adapt to the changing environment in different states.

"The CRPF is in the forefront on behalf of the government in facing up to the challenges. While the ground situation and working environment are different in different parts of the country, in some there are problems relating to changing environment and CRPF has to quickly adapt to the changing environment," said Chidambaram.

He further said that technology should be the cornerstone of modernisation of the CRPF.

"While we should be firm, decisive, and unrelenting in dealing with those who indulge in violence, we should show a great degree of sensitivity, patience and maturity when we deal with poor people and especially the tribal people. The enhanced security requirements are to be met squarely with increased capacity building measures, professionalism and sharing of intelligence inputs with all the stakeholders. Technology should be the corner stone of your modernisation policy," Chidambaram added.

Chidambaram presented awards to the CRPF personnel and to families of the slain personnel.

The CRPF was created in 1939 at Neemuch, in Madhya Pradesh, with the primary task of lending a helping hand to princely states to maintain law and order. (ANI)

China to take next leap in moon probe in October 2010

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eijing, Nov.27 (ANI): China''s second lunar probe, Chang''e-2, will be launched in October 2010, a top space scientist said Thursday.

The China Daily quoted Ye Peijian, chief designer of the nation''s first moon probe, as telling the third International Conference on Space Information Technology in Beijing yesterday that the country''s lunar lander and rover, Chang''e-3, is also well on the way toward lift off -- the project is in the prototype stage and its launch is set for before 2013.

Ye said the second lunar orbiter would carry different payloads and orbit the moon in a different way.

"It will orbit 100 km closer to the moon and be equipped with better facilities. We expect to acquire more scientific data about the moon with increased accuracy," he told the China Daily.

Tests will also be carried out during Chang''e-2''s mission to prepare for the lunar lander and rover, Ye said.

Chang''e-3, China''s first lunar lander and rover, is to be launched from a Long March 3B launch vehicle from the Xichang satellite launch center before 2013, he said.

At present, work on Chang''e-3 has gone beyond the planning stage and the machinery is now in the prototype stage.

The scientific objectives of the project include investigating the lunar landscape and exploring the geological structure of the moon. The mission will also help China study the material composition of the moon and search for usable resources.

Scientists also hope the Chang''e-3 project will let them study the internal structure of the moon and, ultimately, they want to build an observatory on the surface.

Chang''e-2 and Chang''e-3 are part of the second phase of China''s lunar exploration program.

The third phase will see China send a spacecraft to the moon to collect samples and return. That project is slated for before 2017. (ANI)

Trinidad''s lone gurudwara to receive Gursharan Kaur

B
y Smita Prakash

Port of Spain, Nov.27 (ANI): The lone Gurudwara Sahib in Trinidad and Tobago will have a distinguished visitor when Gursharan Kaur, the wife of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, visits the place on Friday, along with her daughter.

The President of the Gurudwara Sahib, Sardar Devendra Duggal, is keenly looking forward to the visit of Gursharan Kaur along with the ten families of Sikhs in the country.

Located in the Tunapuna area, in the middle of the island country, the Gurudwara is 80 year old, and is regularly visited by the Sikh and Hindu communities based nearby.

The Gurudwara used to be an old house where the Granth Sahib was placed. Recently it was renovated and according to Duggal, who retired as a permanent secretary of the Trinidad Government, the two-storied new building is air-conditioned.

Like Hindu temples and mosques in this island country of 1.3. million people, of whom 41 percent are of Indian origin, descendants of plantation labour from India, the Sikhs have no permanent ''religious teachers'', or Granthis.

The Gurudwara has a Sunday service. Sikh families and their neighbors visit it during this period and read portions of the Granth Sahib and share their lunch.
(ANI)

Delhi suspends mid day meal scheme till further orders

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ew Delhi, Nov 28 (ANI): The Delhi Government on Saturday decided to suspend the mid –day meal scheme till further orders.

The decision came two days after 125 children from a government school in Trilokpuri fell ill after having the mid-day meal.

There were 926 schools getting the benefit of mid day meal scheme in the national capital territory.

In a statement, the Delhi administration has said that the scheme will be suspended for some days in order to review the scheme.

Earlier, Delhi Education Minister Aravind Singh Lovely also hinted that the administration is considering to replace mid day meal with packed food.

"The officials from the directorate have been asked to workout a mechanism to provide mid-day meals to the children. They will review the situation and submit me the report within two days,'''' Lovely had said.

Meanwhile, the education department is also studying the system of preparation and distribution of mid-day meals in other states to find the best practice. (ANI)

Veerappa Moily announces a new bill to check corruption in judiciary

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ew Delhi, Nov 28 (ANI): Union Law Minister M Veerappa Moily said on Saturday that India has drafted a new bill to check corruption and increase accountability in the judiciary.

Moily said this at a seminar on Judicial and Legal Reforms organised by the Bar Association of India.

Known as the Judges Standard and Accountability Bill, it will be introduced in the parliament soon.

"The Judge Enquiry Act of 1968 will not take us anywhere. This is my conclusion. I have come to this conclusion. There is no point in talking about this individual or that individual in this system. What have you given? Have you created an environment so that nobody can be corrupt? If you can create that kind of situation, which is possible, I don''t think anybody can be corrupt. Mow, I have already drafted a bill called the Judges Standard and Accountability Bill. No person with a shadow of corruption can become a judge if that system is put into place," said Veerappa Moily.

The Law Minister said the bill has been drafted after wide consultations to strengthen the judiciary.

"The work of the national legal mission is borne out of the national consolations where we have worked out a vision of timely delivery of justice to all, a vision to strengthen judiciary to reducing pendencies and delays. Idea is that we will not hesitate to take decisions on human resource development management, infrastructure -physical and technological, policy changes and procedural reforms and also create a special purpose vehicle to fund it. Because when all this work is lined up people say where is the fund for it. We are creating that, a dedicated fund both at the state level and the central level so that all that we intend to achieve should not suffer want of funds," said Moily.

Moily said he would make all the reforms in the new bill a reality within 3-4 years and would speed up the process of dealing with the pending cases.

He also congratulated the judges who recently declared their assets for bringing about a transparency in the system. (ANI)

Tripura bans cell phones in schools, Meghalaya in vehicles

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he Tripura government has banned the use of mobile phones by students and teachers in schools across the northeastern state, an official said here on Saturday. The Meghalaya government has banned the use of mobile phones by drivers.

The Tripura cabinet took the decision in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

A Tripura education department official said: "If a student up to Class 12 is caught using a mobile in the school premises, he or she would be punished." He added that a notification to the effect is being issued.

The official told reporters: "The Central Education Department issued the ban (to be applicable in all central government control and aided schools) a couple of months back and sent an advisory to all the state governments across the country to consider the issue."

Tripura School Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty said: "To maintain discipline in schools the ban on mobile phones was necessary."

The minister urged parents and guardians of students not to give mobile phones to their schoolgoing children.

The Meghalaya government has prohibited the use of mobile phones in vehicles, including two-wheelers.

"Sending or receiving calls, messages, playing games, listening to music, taking photos or making videos while driving has been banned," a Meghalaya government transport department notification said.

"Use of mobile phones, even when the vehicle is stationary or caught in a traffic jam, will not be permissible," the notification clarified.

A penalty of Rs 500 would be imposed for first violation and up to Rs 5,000 for the second or subsequent offences.

According to the notification, the vehicle licensing authority can also disqualify a lawbreaker from holding a driving licence or revoke it.

2.4 lakh students register for CAT this year

T
he Common Admission Test (CAT), which is being conducted through computers for the first time, kicked off on Saturday with over 2.4 lakh students registering for the entrance for admission into the prestigious Indian Institute of Managements (IIMs).

The IIMs for the first time have entrusted the task of conducting the CAT to Prometric, an American firm, which is organising the computer-based test over a period of 10 days.

The test is being conducted at 105 centres in 32 cities across the country. Students can appear in the test at these centres during the 10-day window period.

There will be two rounds of test each day. The first round will start from 10 am to 12.30 pm while the second round will be from 3.30 pm to 6 pm, Prometric said.

The aspirants will be evenly spread during the 10-day testing for smooth conduct of the entrance.

A total of 2,41,582 students have registered for the exam this year, which is a marginal drop as compared to last year when 2,46,000 students appeared in for CAT.

While the pattern of the exam -- the questions and the weightage of subjects -- will remain unchanged in the new format, the test does away with paperwork. These candidates will vie for around 2000 seats in IIMs.

Directional maps detailing the locations of all test centres have been made available on the CAT website by Prometric.

No resignation letter received from Maria: Sources

M
umbai, Nov 27 (PTI) No letter has been received from Mumbai Police Crime Branch Chief Rakesh Maria offering to quit against the backof allegations by IPS officer Ashok Kamte's widow, state Home department sources said.

"No such letter has been received," sources told PTI.

The clarification follows media reports that Maria, upset over Vinita Kamte's allegations that he mishandled 26/11 operations, had offered to quit.

Katara murder case: SC refuses bail to Vikas Yadav

New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) The Supreme Court today refused to grant bail to Vikas Yadav, who is undergoing life imprisonment, in connection with the Nitish Katara murder case.

However, the apex court asked the Delhi High Court to expeditiously consider his appeal against the conviction and life imprisonment awarded by the trial court.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices B S Chauhan and K S Radhakrishnan did not accept the contention of Yadav that he has been in jail for over seven years.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Yadav, son of controversial Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, submitted that the convict should be granted bail as it would take a lot of time by the High Court to decide his appeal.

Muslim group pays homage to martyr Hemant Karkare in New Delhi

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ew Delhi, Nov.26 (ANI): On the occasion of first anniversary of Mumbai terror attacks, the nation paid its homage to all those who lost their lives due to militant attacks besides to the martyrs from the uniformed services for their brave efforts.

In the national capital, Members of the All India United Muslim Morcha (AIUMM) hosted a memorial service to pay homage to Hemant Karkare, the Chief of Anti-Terrorist Squad of Maharashtra Police who lost his life during terrorist attack in Mumbai last year.

It was organized at the India Islamic Cultural Centre in the national capital to pay tribute to Hemant Karkare who sacrificed his life while fighting the terrorists.

" I salute Hemant Karkare for sacrificing his life for the safety of the nation," said Riyazudin Qureshi, a senior functionary of All India United Muslim Morcha.

Karkare, the chief of the Anti Terrorist Squad died after being shot thrice in his chest while fighting the terrorists on the fateful night of 26 November, 2008.

"He was filled with patriotic fervour and had the courage to sacrifice his life for the nation and the people. He made the sacrifice to bring about peace and harmony in the nation," said Sirazudin Kurashi, Member, All India United Muslim Morcha.

Ten gunmen landed on Mumbai shores by boats at sunset on November 26, 2008 and fired indiscriminately at a busy railway station, a Jewish settlement, a cafe and luxury hotels—Trident and Taj Palace Hotel.

One gunman, Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, a Pakistani national, was taken alive and is presently facing trial in a special court in Mumbai.(ANI)

Nariman House reopens on 26/11 first anniversary

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umbai, Nov 26 (ANI): The Nariman House, a Jewish outreach centre, which became a war zone during the 26/11 terror strike, reopened on Thursday, exactly a year after it closed due to mayhem caused by terrorists from Pakistan.

Run by Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, the centre, which constitutes of an educational centre and a Synagogue, offers drug prevention services and transit stay to the Jews.

A memorial service for Rabbi Gabriel Holtzberg his wife Rivka and other victims of the 26/11 attacks marked the reopening of the Chabad House also known as Nariman House.

The couple had come to Mumbai in 2003 to serve the local Jewish community.

"We take a vow that their (the couple’s) passing will not be in vain. The candle might have extinguished but their flame keeps on flickering and would continue to glow brighter and brighter," said Rabbi Yehuda Krinsky, Chairman of the Orthodox Jewish Movement''s International Centres.

Moshe, the two-year-old son of the Holtzbergs, was miraculously saved by his governess, Sandra Samuel and the family''s handyman-cum-cook Qazi Zakir Hussain alias Jackie.

"He is mainly beacon of light to the family and to the whole world. He is cute-cute little child," Krinsky added.

Speaking on the occasion Director of Chabad Mumbai Relief Fund Rabbi Abraham Berkowitz said : "Indians are not alone. What took place here was an attack, a barbaric attack, and every man, woman and child that wishes to live in freedom without fear and therefore we all stand together, the men and women of goodwill all over the world to unite in solidarity and support of the victims and their families and to make sure that goodness and human values prevail for all.” (ANI)

Centre to give petrol pumps to 26/11 martyrs’ families

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umbai, Nov 26 (ANI): As the nation paid its homage on Thursday to the brave soldiers and other innocent people who lost their lives in the Mumbai terror attacks last year, the Government on Thursday announced petrol pumps for the next of kin of the martyrs of the 26/11 attack.

Addressing the memorial prayers for the martyrs in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said: "The government of India through the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas is making a very small gesture, a gesture that will bring some comfort to the families.”

When the Mumbai was held siege on 26/11, 18 security personnel were killed during the ill-fated 59 hours of operation to flush out terrorists.

“The next of kin of 18 security officers were offered a petroleum product outlet. One of them declined. Seventeen have graciously accepted the offer of the government of India," Chidambaram said. (ANI)

Manmohan Singh arrives in Trinidad for CHOGM

B
y Smita Prakash

Port of Spain, Nov.27 (ANI): The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, arrived on Thursday afternoon from Washington to attend the attend the three-day Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here.

The CHOGM will be formally declared open at the National Academy for Performing Arts in Port-of-Spain today.

The focus of this meeting is expected to be on the internationally troubling issue of climate change. Representatives of member nations are expected to establish the Commonwealth''s position on the problem ahead of next month''s United Nations Climate Change Talks in Copenhagen.

United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen will be the special guests at the deliberations related to climate change. Rasmussen will be chairing the UN talks in Copenhagen.

CHOGM''s taking up of the climate change issue is of significance to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and other small island developing states within and out of the Commonwealth,as global warming has led to an increasing threat of rising sea levels and severe damage to their economies.

The CARICOM has urged developed nations to abide by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that was agreed to in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992 to effectively reduce the degree of their greenhouse emissions.

While many developed nations have complied, particularly with respect to the production of chlorofluorcarbons (CFC) used extensively in aerosol propellants, it is increasingly clear that several have not.

The negative impact on climate change on small island developing states is and will be huge. It could lead to land erosion caused by abnormally rising tide levels and an adverse effect on fish stocks triggering migration.

The unrestricted use of fossil fuels such as coal, along with the cutting down of forests for their wood is also a matter of concern to the CARICOM and may be deliberated upon during this year''s CHOGM because of its adverse impact on the ozone layer.

The CHOGM is held every two years in different member states in collaboration with the Commonwealth Secretariat, and is chaired by that nation''s prime minister or president.

The 2009 meeting will see Britain''s Queen Elizabeth II making an appearance as the Head of the Commonwealth. Elizabeth''s son, Prince Charles, represented her at the last meeting.

From 1944 until 1971, the meetings were known as Commonwealth Prime Ministers Conferences and were generally held in London, although the Commonwealth leaders met in Lagos in 1966.

The first CHOGM was held in January 1971 in Singapore, where the Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed on a set of ideals which are embraced by all members and provide a basis for peace, understanding and goodwill among all nations and people. Since then, CHOGMs have taken place on a biennial basis.

CHOGMs have attempted to orchestrate common policies on contentious issues and current events, with a special focus on issues affecting member nations.

Meetings of associated committees usually take place in the weeks preceding the CHOGM. These include the Committee of the Whole, which consists of senior officials. The Commonwealth Ministers'' Action Group on the Harare Declaration and the Ministerial Group on Small States may also meet. Their recommendations are considered at CHOGM.

Parallel special events involving non-government organizations, business and youth now coincide with each CHOGM. Action plans are developed at these events to complement official Commonwealth statements.

The last CHOGM took place in 2007 in Kampala, the capital of east African nation Uganda.

In anticipation of the CHOGM, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago has ordered all schools and public offices to be closed on Friday.

The judiciary has also decided to close the Port of Spain High Court and the Port of Spain Magistrates Court on that day.

Most of the ministries are situated in Port of Spain, including that of Finance, Planning, Housing, Works and Transport, Attorney General, Sports, Public Utilities, Energy, Trade and Public Administration.

Only managers of the Parliament would be coming out to work in order to prepare to host Secretary General William Shija of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CHOGM''s sister body.

Trinidadians here have welcomed the undeclared holiday, the third this week. (ANI)

Security tightened in Port of Spain ahead of UK Queen''s arrival

B
y Smita Prakash

Port of Spain, Nov.27 (ANI): Britain''s Queen Elizabeth and members of her royal household are arriving here today to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Security arrangements have been put on the highest levels at the Carlton Savannah Hotel where she will be staying.

Local police will provide escort and assistance to the Queen''s security entourage on her arrival and departure to the hotel, said security personnel.

Trinidad and Tobago''s Trade and Industry Minister Mariano Browne said that only a few persons have received accreditation passes to be in the area of the Savannah Hotel.

Media accreditation also has been very difficult to get. Security arrangements he added, will not be hampered since citizens will have the opportunity to shop and move about freely.

Questions have been raised about the difference with the "less"security arrangements put in place for CHOGM than that of the heavy security arrangements for the Fifth Summit of Americas held in April.

Browne said the security arrangement was not less, but in fact "more complex" since the movement of persons will be handled differently. The main difference of course is that US President Barak Obama is not here!

Brown said they have learned from the Americas Summit as to what elements of security they could eliminate and what they need to fine tune. They have also prepared for the worst nightmare, ie "eventualities".

The main security is of course near the Hyatt Regency Hotel and others nearby where the delegates are staying. The media is in the Caribbean Princess, a massive ship stationed on the Pacific. Here too the security is very tight with metal detectors and scanning machines at various points. (ANI)

26/11 fallout: Mumbai Crime Branch chief wants to quit

M
umbai, Nov 27 (ANI): Mumbai''s Crime Branch Chief, Rakesh Maria has said he is ready to quit from his post over allegations in a book that he didn''t do enough to provide security cover for slain senior cops Hemant Karakare, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salaskar.

He has expressed a desire to meet Maharashtra Home Minister RR Patil on the matter.

Maria is believed to have sought consent to counter allegations made against him in a book co-authored by Vinita Kamte, the wife of ACP Ashok Kamte who was shot dead on the night of the 26/11 terrorist attacks.

Maria was in charge of the police control room that night, when Kamte, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar and Anti-Terror Squad Chief Hemant Karakare asked for additional cover to counter the terrorists near Cama Hospital.

In her book titled ''To The Last Bullet'', Vinita Kamte has alleged that Maria mishandled operations, causing the death of Kamte and his colleagues. She says her allegations are based on police logs that she won access to through the Right to Information Act.

Kamte says that after the attacks began, Hemant Karkare asked for reinforcements, but it took too long to arrive. She also says that Maria diverted her husband to Cama Hospital from the Trident, where he was headed.

The Kamte vs. Maria verbal war comes after reported differences were aired about the Mumbai Police. (ANI)

MANMOHAN SINGH IN THE CARIBBEAN''S `LITTLE INDIA''

R
ECOLLECTIONS OF A COMMUNICATOR

By I. Ramamohan Rao

New Delhi (ANI): The visit of Dr Manmohan Singh to Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean has been long overdue. Trinidad and Tobago is little India in the Caribbean, with around 41 percent of its population of ethnic Indian origin, and an equal percentage of African origin.

They are descendants of immigrants from India who went there when it was a British colony to work in the plantations there after the abolition of African slavery.

Starting from 1845, around 147,600 Indians went to Trinidad over a 70-year period traveling by boats for 36,000 kilometers,. Many died on the way.

Most of them went from the present Uttar Pradesh and Bihar States on a 10-year contract but very few could return. What is remarkable is that, unlike other countries like Guyana, ethnic Indians in Trinidad held onto their culture, establishing temples, masjids and a gurudwara, patterned on their Indian replicas.

When they left the shores of India, some carried with them copies of the Tulsidas Ramayana, the Hanuman Chalisa, and the Bhagwad Gita. The Muslims had with them copies of the Quoran in Urdu. These helped them to hold on to their religion. Hinduism for most of the Trinidadians today is derived from the Tulsidas Ramayana.

My association with Trinidad and Tobago commenced when I was offered the assignment of establishing the Mahatma Gandhi Centre for Cultural Cooperation in Port of Spain in 1996 after I had finished serving as Information Advisor to the Jammu and Kashmir Government.

The setting up of the center in Trinidad was to fulfill a promise made by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when she had visited that country in 1968.

It was something looked forward to by the people of Trinidad and Tobago, a country inhabited by 1.3 million people of whom 41 percent were of Indian origin.

When I arrived in Port of Spain in 1997, the Prime Minister of the country was Basdeo Pandey, an ethnic Indian. He offered an abandoned bungalow in a former cane plantation to house the Cultural Centre.

The bungalow was located at Caroni, in the middle of the island. It was near to the university area and the Indian settlements. I got the same renovated, and established a library, a hall each for teaching dancing, music and tabla, which could also serve as place for holding seminars.

It was very educative for me to study how the Hindus had preserved their culture. Like India, each village in the country had a temple and a mosque. There were over 150 temples and around 100 mosques, many of them located next to each other.

The Hindus of Trinidad had imbibed a great deal from church traditions. All Hindus of a locality used to get together for a ''Sunday Service'' when a chapter from the Tulsidas Ramayana or Bhagwad Gita would be read. At the end, there would be a puja and offerings would be made to the deity. The participants normally brought some food along with them from home and shared it with others.

Right in the centre of the country is a sprawling area, which is called Diwali Nagar, where the whole island gathers to celebrate Diwali and other festivals. The island had three FM radio stations playing popular Bollywood tunes round the clock and almost every theatre used to screen Hindi films regularly.

People were fond of music. Those of African origin had the steel band and the Calypso, and those of Indian origin used to sing Indian music or a mixture of Indian and local tunes, called the ''chutney'' or the ''pitchkari''.

The Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Cultural Cooperation has been running courses in dance, instrumental music and tabla regularly, besides participating in the activities of local organisations, the most important being the National Council of Indian Culture, the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha and the Hindi Prachar Sabha.

Indian dance and music are popular in Trinidad. The island has its own brand of Indian music called ''Chutney'', which is similar to what has been developed in Bollywood.

The island had around 100 families of non-resident Indians, mostly professionals - doctors, engineers and the like. Ispat, owned by Laxmi Mittal, who is now one of the richest persons across the globe, employed many of them. Laxmi Mittal took over an ailing steel plant around 1990 and has now developed a non-oil industrial complex. Later the Essar group won a contract to build a 1.2 billion steel plant.

Indian goods are popular, but the cost is prohibitive. The complaint, often heard, was that the Government of India did not have any facility to transport them to the Caribbean region. The university in the island is associated with Indian counterparts like Manipal and promotes specialized courses. The people of Trinidad are also keen to come to India for higher studies-including study of religion, to become ''qualified'' teachers in religious institutions in the island territory.

Ethnic Indians have earned a name for themselves, the foremost being V.S. Naipaul. Today, many Trinidadians have become doctors and engineers and occupy important positions in the island territory and in the United States and Canada.

Trinidad is an oil-rich country. Many people of Trinidad would like to visit India to see the place of their ancestors. The scope for expanding tourism is enormous, if only there are direct flights from India.

In the Caribbean and South America, there are a number of places where ethnic Indians have settled. India can expand its trade and commerce and promote tourism in the whole of South America and the Caribbean. For this, the country needs ocean liners - only then can trade and tourism be promoted. Will Prime Minister Manmohan Singh - once Chairman of the South Commission -- initiate the process?

I. Ramamohan Rao, former Principal Information Officer, Government of India.
e-mail: raoramamohan@hotmail.com .

Eight North East Boys Beaten in Gurgaon by Landlord, Two Seriously Injured

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ew Delhi, November 26, 2009
Racial Discrimination never ends to North East people in Delhi and National Capital Region. The matter has been put up to high level of police authorities and government heads. Still the crime continues and north east people brutalised. Eight boys from North East India are brutally beaten by property owner at Sikanderpur, Gurgaon, Harayana today afternoon at around 3 PM. The rented rooms are locked by the house owner and boys and girls forced out without any shelter.

According to source reaching to North East Support Centre & Helpline, Mr. Guddu S/o Ramher Yadam, a resident of Sikanderpur attacked on two northeast boys living in his rented house. Mr Guddu gather his neighbouring friends and started attacking other North East boys living in surrounding rented rooms. They punched on face, kicked on chase, chased them and fled to neighbouring homes and none came to rescue them. Two of them severely injured bleeding from mouth and nose.

As soon as the matter was brought to the notice of North East Support Centre & Helpline, Spokes person Mr. Madhu Chadnra contacted Mr. Anil Dawal – Deputy Commissioner of Police – Crime Branch Gurgaon, who was on his office trip to Rajasthan. The same was informed to Sub-Inspector Naresh Kumar of Crime Branch who informed SHO of DLP Phase 2 Police Station. The victims are taken to police station, no medication attention is provided until filing of this report. The written complaint is submitted to the concern police station. Mr. Naresh has assured North East Support Centre & Helpline to book the culprit repeatedly.

NSG to have stable structures at new hubs by next year: DG

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ew Delhi, Nov 26 (ANI): National Security Guard (NSG) commandos positioned at their new centers in four cities and currently placed in temporary locations will have permanent positions by next year.
The permanent structures and multi-storey buildings will come up by next year at these places, said NSG Director General (DG) N P S Aulakh.

Till the permanent structures come up, the commandos will be housed in pre-fabricated structures by mid-December this year at their designated lands, he said.

"The National Building Constructions Corporation (NBCC) had given us the deadline of November 30 for completion of pre-fabricated structures and roads etc. At the most, we will move into all the four hubs by second week of December," said the NSG DG.

Union Home Minister P Chidambaram inaugurated the regional hubs at Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata on July 1. The regional hub at Mumbai came into operation from June 30.

The hubs are located at Marol in Mumbai (23 acres), Nedunkundram in Chennai (85 acres), Trimulghery in Hyderabad (22 acres) and Badu in Kolkata (20 acres).

On the training of commandos, the DG said the commando training will be given to the force at its Manesar (Haryana) garrison.

The DG further said post 26/11 terror attacks; they have received requests from state police forces to train their men and special commando units.

The NSG, in a change of operational procedures, will now have augmented coordination between its Army and para-military units during operations. (ANI)

Taj Hotel GM has no desire to enter room where his family perished

M
umbai, Nov.26 (ANI): The Taj Hotel here, one of the sites attacked by Pakistani-trained terrorists in November last year, still has someone who remembers that horrific incident and period, its general manager, Karambir Kang, a man whose family – wife and two sons -- was wiped out during the carnage.

Hotelier Kang says he would rather remember the family he lost, his wife, Niti, and their sons, Uday and Samar, as happy and vibrant, full of life.

Remarkably, after their deaths, he discovered that, on the day the militants struck, his family had visited the hotel photographer and posed for happy, carefree pictures. That is how remembers them now.

Now, he has no desire to enter the suite on the sixth floor where they perished.

"I have not entered that room – it''s not something I have done. Even in the aftermath I did not go in. I did not see the bodies. I refused to do this. To me, the last memories I want to remember are of them still alive," The Independent quotes Kang, as saying.

Twelve months after 10 Islamist militants swept ashore and laid deadly siege to the Indian city of Mumbai leaving more than 165 people dead and a nation stunned, the historic Taj Mahal Palace hotel is buzzing with the sound of workmen. Staffers say it is the sound of recovery, of the hotel coming back to life – the sound of defiance.

In the lobby of the 107-year-old building, Kang became famous as the man who worked without sleep to try and save his guests. Even after his family perished from the fire, trapped in their room – he had been speaking to his wife by phone until the very end – he refused to leave the hotel, insisting that he could help save the lives of others. At the time, his behaviour appeared remarkable, robotic even, but that was not the case.

Sitting in the hotel''s Sea Lounge, Kang says that, during those 60 terrible hours he received strength from his mother.

When he called her to say that commandos had finally broken into his family''s suite and found them dead, huddled together in the bathroom, his wife cradling one son, the body of the other lying beside them, she had told him he must do whatever he could for those still alive.

"I thought about it for a minute and I thought, ''Yes, that is the right thing do''," he says.

After the siege, many people told him that he should move away from Mumbai. He thought about it but decided to stay.

"If my family died here... I think it''s my moral duty to be here, maybe more than that – something deeper," he says.

"It''s important for me to oversee this task of rebuilding and see [the hotel] better than before. But also that I act in a way that makes my family, who are no longer, proud of me. Perhaps [I need] to redeem myself," says Kang.

"It''s not a question of forgetting. It''s not forgotten but we go ahead with our lives and we make sure this does not happen again," says Farhang Jehani, one of the owners of the Leopold Café, the first place that was attacked by the terrorists.

Additional Commissioner Deven Bharti, one of the policemen who have interrogated the sole surviving militant, Ajmal Kasab, the 21-year-old "highly motivated terrorist" whose trial is still ongoing, admits to the failure by the security forces, in particular a "failure of imagination".

"We never thought that 10 people from Pakistan would be landing in Mumbai and engaging five targets. I don''t think there''s anywhere in the world where militants have taken up five targets. The reorganisation and retraining has involved closer cooperation with the FBI and other international groups. "It has been a great learning experience," Barti adds.

Sebastian D''Souza, photo editor of the Mumbai Mirror and the man who rushed into the station and was rewarded for his dedication with a now-iconic image of Kasab, says the city rapidly returned to how things were, despite the carnage and the chaos. (ANI)

Parliament adopts resolution remembering 26/11 victims

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ew Delhi, Nov 26 (ANI): On the first anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai attack, both houses of parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution, reiterating the nation’s firm commitment to fight the threat of terrorism and emerge victorious in against it.

Parliament also remembered martyrs of the 26/11 terror attack.

Both houses observed a minute’s silence in memory of those killed.

Parliament also saluted the bravery of the security personnel, who fought and sacrifices their lives during the 26/11 attacks.

The Lok Sabha adopted a resolution to unitedly fight and defeat forces of terrorism, which pose the gravest threat to humanity.

“On this day the House resolves that we will unitedly fight and defeat the forces of terrorism and never again allow them to spill the blood of innocent people,” Speaker Meira Kumar said.

“The House salutes the indomitable courage of the security forces who gave a crushing blow to the terrorists on November 26, 2008 and the fortitude of the people of Mumbai, she added.

Noting that terrorism has no justification whatsoever in a civilised world, Kumar said: “It was the duty of every country, which wanted to see peace and progress, to resist and defeat these dark forces of terrorism.”

“Realising the global network of terrorists and their unlimited resources, sophisticated arms and training and their diabolic mindset, there is an urgent need to mobilise the resources and coordinate action by all countries to track down and eliminate these enemies of mankind,” she said.

Members of the Lok Sabha also demanded the government to take all necessary steps to wipe out the scourge of terrorism from our country.

Making a reference to 26/11 in the Rajya Sabha, Vice President Hamid Ansari said: “Indomitable spirit of humankind cannot be subdued by such senseless acts of violence.”

Recalling the courage showed by Mumbaikars in bringing normalcy in short span Ansari said: “This speaks volumes for the resolve of our people to confront and defeat the evil designs of those wishing to destabilise the nation and disrupt its progress.”

It is noted that both the resolutions does not refer to Pakistan, but will talk about the threat from terrorism being global and the fact that India alone is not a victim of this menace.

On Wednesday, the Centre said that the challenge faced by the country today was from terrorist organisations that were not only equipped with the latest technologies and have immense access to funds, but were having active backing of various external agencies.

In a statement the Home Ministry said : “The focus of terrorists has also changed. Their targets are separately spreading beyond the Kashmir Valley to the hinterland with the dual purpose of disturbing the communal harmony and destabilising the economic prosperity of our country.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a Pakistani anti terror court indicted seven men, including Zakir Rahman Lakhvi, the Lashakar – e – Taiba (LeT) operations commander, for their suspected involvement in the 26/11 attacks. (ANI)

Lashkar remains a threat not only in India, but also beyond: Experts

M
umbai, Nov.26 (ANI): Experts say that the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based group that staged the Mumbai terrorist strikes of last year that claimed 166 lives, remains a threat not only in India, but also beyond.

According to The Times, in India, it is believed that Lashkar retains strong networks in Mumbai, Gujarat, Agra, Hyderabad and Uttar Pradesh.

A recent report published by the Combating Terrorism Centre at the US Military Academy at West Point said: “In short, the threat of LeT-directed and LeT-supported terrorism against India remains high.”

A year on, and the security threat to Mumbai remains high. Confidence in the authorities’ ability to prevent another atrocity, however, does not.

The five-star hotels have a heavier and more visible security presence. Indian officials claim to have foiled six Lashkar terrorist plots against Indian targets in the past year — two in Indian-controlled Kashmir, and one in Delhi. (ANI)

26/11 anniversary turns into a verbal duel in Parliament

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ew Delhi, Nov.26 (ANI): Minutes after members of parliament observed a minute''s respect for the victims of the 26/11 terror attack, the treasury and the opposition engaged in an uncalled verbal battle over compensation and coordination issue.

The war of words took place during Zero Hour. The treasury maintained that every issue taken up in parliament need not necessarily to money and that there were other ways to commiserate with the families and friends of the 166 victims who were killed, the opposition said that to provide more relief, more coordinated action was needed between various agencies.

An emotional Leader of Opposition L.K.Advani said the government had come up short on the compensatory front, while Leader of the House, Pranab Mukherjee warned the opposition that its broadside would not go down well with the rest of the country because of the timing -- the first anniversary of the attack.

The heated exchange also focussed on the ooposition charge that the the Maharashtra government, the Central government and the Prime Minister''s Office (PMO) have not ensured proper relief and rehabilitation to people hit by the terror strike.

BJP leader Ananth Kumar sought the government''s responsed to Advani''s demand, but Mukherjee said: "I have come only to listen to him (Advani). Not to hear from you (Ananth Kumar),"

Pranab also said every zero hour reference could not be answered,and added that there was need to make it a habit.

This led to heated exchange of words between Mukherjee and BJP MPs.

"You are making politics on 26/11," Mukherjee shouted.

Speaker Meira Kumar stepped in and urged the members to maintain order as it was a solemn day.

She also said that she could not ask Mukherjee to respond to a Zero Hour reference. (ANI)

Assam blast victim in family custody row

D
octors aren’t sure if Mintu Barman, a victim of the Nalbari twin blasts, will win the battle against death. If he does, he isn’t likely to come out unscathed from another war – of custody between his estranged parents.

Mintu, an 18-year-old vegetable vendor, was one of some 50 people injured in the twin blasts that killed eight last Sunday. He hasn’t regained consciousness since.

His critical condition forced the Nalbari authorities to shift him to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH), 60 km east, hours after the blasts. He was subsequently moved to a private hospital, where he is being kept in the ICU following a marathon surgery to remove splinters from his chest and abdomen.

Barely 24 hours after he underwent treatment as an “unidentified person”, a woman named Rekha Bora claimed Mintu was her son. She had apparently eyed the Rs 50,000 the Assam government announced for each of the seriously injured.

The hospital authorities called Bora’s bluff after Mintu’s real mother, Rinku Barman, reached the hospital on Tuesday. But they had no idea they were in for a bigger trouble with the boy’s father, Joydeb Barman, landing up on Wednesday.

The hospital lobby turned into the Barman’s battleground, as one parent refused to let the other take custody of Mintu. “He dumped us when our only son was a toddler, leaving us to fend for ourselves. I have swept floors and washed clothes and dishes from house to house to make both ends meet; he has no right to take him away from me,” said the mother.

“I am his father, and I will take him home,” said Joydeb, now jobless.

Baffled by the turn of events, the hospital authorities thought long to arrive at a solution. “Since the government asked us to treat Mintu, we will hand him over to officials unless he is fit enough to go home to whoever he wants to,” said the hospital’s PRO, Manoj Deka.

Rajkhowa hits out at Chidambaram

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UWAHATI: Ulfa's demand for sovereignty the long-hurting thorn preventing the initiation of peace talks between the Centre and the banned rebel
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outfit caused a fresh bout of pain on Wednesday. Ulfa chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa said the Union government lacks "logic and courage" to sit for talks.

His comments were a scathing reply to Union home minister P Chidambaram's statement the day before. Blaming the proscribed group for Sunday's twin blasts in Nalbari, Chidambaram had said on Tuesday that talks with Ulfa were leading nowhere as its leadership was holed up outside the country. "Our position on militant groups in the North-East is very simple and straightforward give up violence, give up arms, give up any claim for sovereignty, we are willing to hold dialogue," he had stressed.

In a statement e-mailed to the media on Wednesday, Rajkhowa said Chidambaram's comment in Parliament on sovereignty only proved the Centre's lack of courage. "Otherwise, it (Centre) would not have made such an irresponsible statement to stay away from the political process and solve the issue. Our stand is clear Ulfa won't bow down before India for dialogue. We want a political solution of the issues and that is possible without sitting for talks," the Ulfa chairman said.

In the same breath, Rajkhowa added that Ulfa was in favour of talks to end the ideological conflict and get a peaceful solution. However, he warned, "The government should make it clear in Parliament if it wants a military solution to the issues. We will continue to fight to establish the rights of the people of Assam."

On the other hand, in a major development, security forces in Assam's Chirang district killed a prominent Ulfa leader suspected to be involved in Sunday's Nalbari explosions that left six people dead and injured 52 others. A joint army and police team gunned down the Ulfa cadre during an encounter in Bishnupur village under Bijni police station about 100 km away from the blast site on Wednesday morning. The militant, identified as Mohan Roy alias Mama alias Sukumar Kurmi is the "second-in-command" of Ulfa's "709 battalion", which has been blamed for the Nalbari attacks.

A senior police officer in Chirang told TOI that Roy had been arrested during "Operation All Clear" in neighboring Bhutan by the Royal Bhutan Army in 2003 and was the right-hand man of Hira Sarania, the "commander" of the outfit's battalion. "Based on information, a joint team of security forces cordoned off the area and set up an ambush. The rebel was killed in retaliatory gunshots after he opened fire at security forces. Since the "709 battalion" is responsible for the blasts, we suspect his involvement in the attacks, too," the police officer added.

Cops recovered a US-made 9mm pistol with ammunition and an extortion note demanding Rs 5 lakh from local MLA Kamal Singh Narzary from the slain militant. "The extortion note we have recovered from him was signed by Hira Sarania," the senior police officer said.

Ratan Tata leads prayer at Taj hotel

I
n an internal meeting this evening, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata will address staff of the Taj Mahal Palace & Tower Hotel and say a short prayer in memory of guests and employees slain in the terror strike on November 26 last year.

"The Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, Mumbai, will hold a solemn and private memorial meeting within the hotel to mark the events that took place on 26th November last year," the Taj said in a statement.

"We do not propose to have a public event, which, we are sure, is fully understood by so many people in Maharashtra, all over India and the world. Their support has been overwhelming," the hotel added.

Top executives of the Indian Hotels Co Ltd (IHCL), which owns the Taj, including General Manager Karambir Kang, Managing Director Raymond Bickson, and Vice Chairman R K Krishna Kumar are expected to be present among others.

"Employees (about a thousand) will observe silence for a few minutes and say a short prayer. Mr Tata is also expected to say a few words," a source said.

The Taj had been holding private multi-faith prayer meetings according to Hindu, Islam, Buddhist, Sikh, Christian, Parsi norms between November 14 and 24.

Indian Hotels Co plans to reopen the 106-year old Taj's heritage or Palace wing in phases till April 2010.

SBI cashier held for Rs one crore fraud

T
he Meghalaya police has arrested a cashier of a State Bank of India branch in Jaintia Hills district for fraudulently withdrawing over Rs one crore from accounts of several customers.

Sample Pohthmi, cashier of the SBI's Amlarem branch in Jaintia Hills district, was arrested yesterday by sleuths of the Criminal Investigation Department, sources in the CID said.

The SBI conducted an inquiry following complaints of missing money by several customers and confirmed that Pohthmi, who had been working in the bank for the last six years, withdrew huge amounts of money from customers' accounts through different means and forging signatures.

The CID, which was investigating the matter, said the total amount embezzled could run to over Rs one crore.

Chidambaram apologises to Kavita Karkare on NDTV

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n an exclusive interview on NDTV, the Home Minister concedes that it is shoddy of the Mumbai police to have misplaced the bulletproof vest of Hemant Karakare, who died while defending Mumbai in the 26/11 attacks. Speaking on whether India is any safer a year after 26/11, P Chidambaram said he could only say sorry for the lapse.

Hemant Karkare was the chief of the Anti-Terror Squad. He was killed on the night of 26/11 near Cama Hospital, along with Additional Police Commissioner, Ashok Kamte, and encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar.

His wife, Kavita, says she has filed an application under the Right to Information Act to locate the jacket but was told there was no sign of it. There have been allegations that the bulletproof vest that Karkare was wearing when he was shot was defective.

"It is being said that my husband, Ashok Kamte and Vijay Salskar got killed as they went into the operation blindly but the truth is they kept asking for reinforcements and help for 40 minutes which they never got. For 40 minutes, their bodies were there on the road while the terrorists' bodies were rushed to the hospital. They have spent Rs 22 crore on preserving the bodies of the nine terrorists. But they couldn't be careful enough to preserve my husband's bulletproof jacket," she said.

Watch the entire interview with P Chidambaram at 9:30 pm tonight on NDTV 24X7.

NSG to get IAF aircraft for operations

N
ew Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) After getting the power to requisition any aircraft during emergencies, the NSG has got the approval of the Indian Air Force to use its planes to transport commandos for anti-terror duties.

The NSG, in the aftermath of the November 26 Mumbai attacks last year, had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight different private airlines enabling it to requisition any aircraft for immediate transport of commandos.

"It has been officially formalised that the IAF will provide us air support in case any assistance is needed. The Air Force will also assist in training," National Security Guard (NSG) Director General N P S Aulak said.

"We are thinking of having helicopters, which in a way would be a dedicated one (for NSG), but they would either be with the Air Force or with the Home ministry's air wing.

Obama to visit India next year

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ashington, Nov 24 (ANI): President Barack Obama has accepted Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh''s invitation to visit India, and promised to come next year.

Addressing a joint press conference with Dr. Singh, President Obama said: "India today is a rising and responsible global power in Asia. Indian leadership is expanding security across the region.I am happy to accept Prime Minister Manmohan Singh''s invitation to visit India next year."

Dr. Singh and President Obama also pledged to fully implement the civil nuclear deal signed by the two countries in 2008.

Earlier in the day, welcoming Dr. Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur, Obama said: "Mr. prime minister, yours is the first official visit of my presidency and it is fitting that you and India be so recognised."

"This visit reflects the high esteem in which I and American people hold for your wise leadership. It reflects the abiding bonds, respect and friendship between our people, including our friends in the Indian American community who join us today," he said.

The Prime Minister is accompanied by External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, and Indian Ambassador to US Meera Shankar and business leaders like Ratan Tata, etc. (ANI)

TV channels, crew banned from White House state dinner

B
y Smita Prakash

Washington, Nov.25 (ANI): The air of excitement and anticipation
prevailing ahead of the White House State Dinner hosted by President
Barack Obama and US First Lady Michelle Obama for visiting Indian
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur was
dampened by a blanket ban on televison channels and crew.

Television channel anchors here were laughing in their bulletins about
the whole secrecy element surrounding the event and what could have
the reasons for keeping the media out.

Only celebrity news anchors like Katie Couric of CBS, Fareed Zakaria
of Newsweek and CNN, Brian Williams of NBC and Sanjay Gupta of CNN
made the cut for the high-powered do, but their crews were not
allowed.

Earlier, the White House released the list of expected guests for
Tuesday night''s state dinner.

According to the Washington Post, among the expected guests at the
dinner would be Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, famed
Hollywood director Steven Speilberg, Gayle King, Dr.Sanjay Gupta and
David Geffen.

Among the others that were expected to attend the White House veggie
garden spoils hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle
Obama for Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister and
his wife Gursharan Kaur, were Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and
his wife Dr. Jill Biden Congressman Gary Ackerman, Indian-American
hotelier Sant Singh Chatwal, Deputy Chairman of the Indian Planning
Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia, David Axelrod and his wife Susan
Axelrod, Congressman Howard Berman and his wife Jane Berman, Robert O
Blake, Jr., Assistant Secretaryof State for South and Central Asian
Affairs, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, John Brennan, Assistant to
the President for Homeland Security and Deputy National Security
Advisor for Counter-terrorism, Homeland Security Council.

William Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, General James E
Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Senator Bob
Casey, Rajiv Chandrasekaran, Senator Satveer Chaudhry, Energy
Secretary Steven Chu, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Senator
Swati Dandekar, Senator Chris Dodd, White House Chief of Staff Rahm
Emanuel, New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman, Dr. Ashok S
Ganguly, Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner, Michigan Governor
Jennifer Granholm, Attorney General Eric Holder, Senator Daniel Inouye
of Hawaii, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, National Security Adviser
General James Jones, Senator John Kerry, Indian External Affairs
Minister S.M. Krishna, Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri, US
Commerce Secretary Gary Locke etc, were also expected to attend.

Kiran Mazumda-Shaw, Congressman Jim McDermott, Indian businessman
Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral
Michael Mullen, Homeland Secretary Janet Napolitano, Indian National
Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan, USIBC president and Pepisico
Chairperson Indra Nooyi, Massachussets Governor Deval Patrick, House
of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, telecommunications and IT
honcho Sam Pitroda and Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao were also
to attend.(ANI)

List of agreements signed between India and U

B
y Smita Prakash

Washington, Nov.25 (ANI): India and the United States inked several agreements/memoranda of understanding with the aim of taking the bilateral strategic partnership forward. Following is the list of agreements signed:

. Both countries signed an "MoU to Enhance Cooperation on Energy Security , Energy Efficiency , Clean Energy and Climate Change". The bilateral document was signed by External Affairs Minister S.M.Krishna and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the US State Department.

The MoU would strengthen and intensify India-US collaboration on energy security, clean energy and climate change and bring together joint ideas on energy efficiency, renewable energy and green technologies to stimulate India-US Energy dialogue and the India-US bilateral dialogue on Global Climate Change, a new framework announced
on 20 July 2009.

It would allow the two countries to share their experiences and best practices as they both try to diversify their energy mix. The MoU would help to expand current partnerships for promoting sustainable growth, innovation, application of lternative fuels and clean energy and capacity building for deployment of adaptable, affordable and climate friendly technologies in both countries.

The MoU envisages setting up an India-US Clean Energy Research and Deployment Initiative, including a Joint Research Center to foster innovation and joint efforts to accelerate deployment of clean energy
technologies.

.The two sides also initialed an MoU on Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security and an India-US Conterterrorism Cooperation Initiative today. The MoU on Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security was initialed by Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Indian Planning Commission, and US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Cooperation in the field of agriculture between India and the US is a key agenda of the India-US Strategic Dialogue announced on 20 July 2009.

The MoU would help the two countries to expand current partnership in the field of agriculture and further joint initiatives for promoting sustainable agricultural development, food security, and for increasing the application of knowledge, innovation and capacity building in the two countries and globally.

Cooperation in the field of agriculture with the United States could be leveraged to strengthen agricultural productivity, and agro based R and D in India.

. The India-US Counterterrorism Cooperation Initiative was initialed by India''s Ambassador to the USA Meera Shankar and her American counterpart to India Timothy Roemer.

India and the US have strong cooperation in the field of counter-terrorism. Post Mumbai attack, bilateral collaboration on counter-terrorism has increased substantially. India and the US recognize terrorism as one of the biggest threats to world security and have reaffirmed the determination to fight the evil in all its
forms and manifestations. (ANI)

Voting begins for first phase of Jharkhand assembly polls

R
anchi, Nov 25 (ANI): Polling for the first phase of the five-phased Jharkhand assembly elections began amidst tight security on Wednesday morning.

A total of 470 candidates, including 34 women, are in the fray with 6,532,234 voters to cast votes between 7 am to 3 pm.

The opening and closing time for the polling has been advanced in view of the Naxal threats.

Former legislators Hemlal Murmu, Suraj Mandal (JMM), Furkan Ansari (Congress), ex-Speaker Alamgir Alam (Congress), ex-minister Raghuvar Das (BJP), Saryu Roy (BJP) and ex-minister Pradeep Yadav (JVM-P) are among the prominent candidates whose electoral fate would be decided today.

During the first phase, 30 constituencies will vote, in the second phase 15 constituencies will go to poll, in third phase seven seats will vote, and 14 and 15 constituencies will vote in the fourth and the fifth phase.

Counting will be held on December 23.

As Jharkhand is one of the Naxal affected states, the Election Commission has decided to deploy Central Police Forces (CPF) and the State Armed Police (SAP) drawn from other states. (ANI)

Patil creates history, becomes first female president to fly in a fighter jet

P
une, Nov.25 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil created history on Wednesday by becoming the first serving female head of state to fly in an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft from the Lohegaon Air Force Base here. What was even more remarkable was the fact that she achieved the feat at the ripe age of 74.

Patil landed at the air force base after 22 minutes of flying.

The Indian Air Force had earlier chalked out a special rectangular navigation route for Patil’s maiden sortie, which was originally scheduled to last for 30 minutes. The aircraft is said to have touched a maximum speed of 0.9 Mach (700 to 900 kmph).

President Patil was accompanied ny award winning Wing Commnader S.Sajan, who has 3200 hours of Sukhoi flying experience.

She thus becomes the second President to have flown in a Sukhoi after her predecessor A.P.J.Abdul Kalam.

Kalam undertook his flight on June 8, 2006. That flight was positioned as a familiarisation flight, besides being an act to inspire the youth of the country to join the armed forces.

In May 2004, former Defence Minister George Fernandes undertook a similar sortie, clocking 1.15 Mach (about 1,500 kmph). Fernandes, who was also in his early 70s, was exposed to a gravitational force of up to level 3G. (ANI)

Michelle Obama enjoys her day out at White House State banquet

B
y Smita Prakash

Washington, Nov.25 (ANI): It was U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama’s day out at various social events at the White House on Tuesday, and she did not disappoint.

You could say that she was on a roll, changing her outfits thrice to make the Obama administration’s first State welcome for a head of state or government memorable both for herself and hubby – President Barack Obama, and for the chief guests – Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur.

All of her outfits were accessorised perfectly, and was she was very genial and very polite to boot. In contrast, Mrs. Gursharan Kaur was very quiet, her style, pretty much like her husband, the Indian Prime Minister.

Mrs. Obama chose to wear a gleaming silver-sequined, flesh-coloured gown appropriately designed by Indian-born, U.S.-based designer Naeem Khan for Tuesday night’s state dinner. She tended to her hostess duties in a strapless silhouette with the beads forming an abstract floral pattern that was custom-made by Khan.

She also wore a matching wrap, a stack of bangle bracelets on her wrist and dangling earrings.

The menu prepared and supervised by Chef Marcus Samuelsson, an award-winning African-American chef from the New York restaurant Aquavit, was high on veggies and low on meat, apparently in deference to the vegetarians Indian Prime Minister and his wife and to the fact that both are light eaters.

The china used at the dinner was exquisite and included Eisenhower Porcelain service plates of 1955, Clinton era service plates that were commissioned to commemorate 200th anniversary of the building of the White House (2000)

George W Bush State China Service dinner plates (2008-09) as also desert plates from the same period.

Laura Bush had shown these to Mrs Obama when she came in. It was probably the best-preserved china as it was used only once. The others appeared to be chipped.

Previous state dinners held at the White House in honour of India include the following:

. George and Laura Bush in 2005

. William and Hillary Clinton 2000

. Ronald and Nancy Reagan 1985 and 1982

. Lyndon B. Johnson and Lady Bird Johnson in 1966

. John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy 1963

Mrs. Obama''s choice of dress seemed very appropriate for the occasion.

Earlier in the day, she wore a skirt designed by Indian-American designer Rachel Roy. It was a stunning knee-length outfit. It was beige silk with stars on the sweater, very high on bling but it worked like magic.

She had a bracelet of pearls that were very large. She also wore diamond solitaires in her ears, and small heels.

She spoke endearingly to her girls, who were sitting patiently, silently listening to her about the significance of the banquet.

White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers wore a floor-length cream colour number designed by Comme Des Garcons. The identification of the designer was done by Washington Post reporter Robin Givhan as soon as Rogers walked past the cameras set up near the entrance, the Chicago Sun Times reports.

The Huffington Post quoted Rogers as saying: "We are very excited...everything looks great."

According to the paper, Robin "show off" Givhan, asked what everyone wanted to ask: "Are you wearing Comme Des Garcons?" and Rogers replied "Of course."

Rogers'' multi-layered dress was nude in color, had pearls in between two layers of fabric...

Vice-President Joe Biden’s missus – Dr. Jill Biden – wore a beaded gown designed by Reem Acra.

Naeem Khan told CNN''s Larry King that his goals were to dress the U.S. First Lady in something "Indian, chic, simple but very glamorous."

Khan is no stranger to helping women make a grand entrance.

According to an Associated Press report, Khan has become a fixture on the Hollywood red-carpet circuit, dressing star attractions like Beyonce, Carrie Underwood, Katherine Heigl and even Queen Noor of Jordan.

Michelle Obama''s gown reportedly took three weeks to make at the designer''s family workshop in India, with 40 people working on it, Khan said.

President Barack Obama wore classic-style tuxedo, and he also drew praise for his elegant dress sense. (ANI)

Women too can fly fighter jets: President Patil

L
ohegaon (Maharashtra), Nov 25 (ANI): President Pratibha Patil on Wednesday said Indian women too can fly fighter jets if chance was given to them.

Addressing a press conference here after successfully completing a record sortie in Sukhoi 30 Mki aircraft, President Patil said: “They are some technical requirements and qualifications to be completed. And also, one has to study the situation, which need to be faced by women pilots. The government is considering the matter.”

“Let met tell you, I have full faith in our women and their capacity to perform a given assignment. They have done extremely well in all fields.
I am confident that the government will take an appropriate decision,” she added.

“Initially, there were no women in the armed forces. Now, we have. In the same way, we have women pilots for helicopters, commercial aircrafts. Now, the government is thinking on the lines of recruiting them as fighter pilots, I am sure that a proper decision will be taken,” she said.

Earlier in the day, 74-year-old, Patil created history by becoming the first serving female head of state to fly in an Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKi fighter aircraft.

She also congratulated the defence force for their technical expertise, and having an advanced sophisticated way in handling defence equipments.

“The country should be proud of defence forces, their will to sacrifice for the country, and have faith in their ability to face any challenge,” Patil said.

Commenting on her flight, she said: I was confident since day one and I am confident now also. Practicing yoga also helped me and I also followed the instructions given by the air force officials carefully.”

President Patil replied the questions in English, Hindi and Marathi languages. (ANI)

Britain initially distanced itself from ‘unlawful’ Iraq invasion

L
ondon 25 (ANI): Britain was aware of the Bush administration’s intentions of toppling Saddam Hussein years before the invasion, but it distanced itself from the prospect, knowing it would be unlawful, an Iraq war inquiry panel has been told.

"We were aware of these drumbeats from Washington and internally we discussed it. Our policy was to stay away from that part of the spectrum. We dismissed it at the time because it had no basis in law," The Guardian quoted Sir William Patey, then head of the Middle East department at the British Foreign Office, as telling the panel chaired by Sir John Chilcot.

Sir Peter Ricketts, a former chairman of the joint intelligence committee (JIC), told the inquiry that in late 2001 – following the 9/11 attacks on the US – he asked officials at the ministry to draw up an Iraq "options" paper.

"We quite clearly distanced ourselves in Whitehall from talk about regime change," said Ricketts. Up to March 2002 "there was no increased appetite among UK ministers for military action in Iraq," he added.

British intelligence also dismissed claims by elements in the US administration that the Iraqi leader was linked to Osama bin Laden.

"We didn''t have any such evidence," Ricketts said.

According to leaked documents, Ricketts described the US in 2002 as "scrambling to establish a link between Iraq and al-Qaida….It sounds like a grudge match between Bush and Saddam.” (ANI)

Next four games could define Chelsea’s season: Terry

L
ondon, Nov 25(ANI): Chelsea skipper John Terry has said that the Blues’ next four games could go a long way in defining their season.

Chelsea will play against Porto on Wednesday, where a win would seal top spot in their Champions League group. In the coming days they will face Arsenal, Blackburn and Manchester City.

“If we win in Porto, we win the group with a game to go. Not many teams win in Porto, but we can do it. Then, Arsenal and Manchester City in the league - two teams with real aspirations. There''s also Blackburn. Victory and we''re through to the semi-finals,” The Sun quoted Terry, as saying.

“On the two occasions we''ve won the Carling Cup recently, we''ve gone on to win other things - the Premier League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2007. It''s the appetiser. This can be another special year. The next few weeks can move us towards our goal,” he added.

The 28-year-old further said that though Chelsea has had some bad games recently, he is confident of doing well in the latter part of the tournaments.

“I listened to other players when we were away with England and they are talking about how well we are playing. They are fearing us again. We could go on to do great things again this year. When we were winning the Premier League we had that invincible feel and we are getting close to that again,” Terry said.

“The Premier League is throwing up all sorts of difficult situations. We went to Wigan and lost, away to Villa and lost. It''s just about regrouping, keeping everyone fit and believing in what we can do,” he added. (ANI)

Congress leader shot dead in Tripura

A youth Congress leader was shot dead late Tuesday in this Tripura capital, police said on Wednesday.

"Tripura youth Congress vice president Mantu Das was shot dead by some people at his house," West Tripura district police chief KV Sreejesh told IANS.

"Armed miscreants stormed Mantu Das' house Tuesday midnight and fired at him from point blank range. Another friend of his was also injured in the incident. The injured person has been admitted to the hospital in a critical condition," the official said.

"On the basis of an FIR (first information report) filed by Mantu Das's brother, the victim's wife has been arrested while one more person named in the complaint is absconding," he said.

Police also recovered a revolver from the spot.

Scared of math? Try animation algebra

M
athematics is sweet. But if you find mithai multiplication unpalatable, try animation algebra.

Or some khet calculations in sugarcane fields – kitchen garden, if you don’t feel like visiting a village in the vicinity.

And if this still doesn’t add up, get it straight from quirky math teachers who converged here for a three-day workshop towards making arithmetic fun and magical for children across India.

The workshop, organized by the Assam Sarba Siksha Abhijan Mission, is scheduled to conclude on Thursday.

“Conventional methods of teaching often prevent a child from thinking or calculating, and the fear he or she develops toward mathematics becomes chronic. The element of fun emphasizing how numbers are a part of everyday life goes a long way in killing that dread,” said New Delhi-based TP Sharma, a lecturer with the National Council for Education Research and Training.

Sharma claimed to have had optimum results with the mithai game. One of the games for basic multiplication entails assigning a laddoo to 2 and its multiples, a jalebi to 3 and its multiples and so on. Common multiples are assigned both mithai.

According to Sanjeev K Taneja of Government Senior Secondary School, Ludhiana, a bit of animation sweetens mathematics enough to catch the imagination of children. “I have traveled across the country with my animation package that simplifies algebra and erases confusion about natural numbers, whole numbers and integers,” he told Hindustan Times.

Moving graphics explain how adding a zero to natural numbers 1-9 make them whole numbers, or how multiplication is repetitive addition with a different notation. And a cartoon car moving back and forth on a numbered scale does additions and subtractions in a jiffy.

“The success rate in mathematics in Assam is 46 per cent,” said Assam Education Minister Gautam Bora. “The figure is worse in the rural areas, where we plan kheti calculations for children.”

Exercises such as sowing and weeding – and keeping a count in notebooks – are expected to teach them mathematics faster and surer than textbooks.

DY Patil to be new governor of Tripura

N
ewly appointed Governor of Tripura, D Y Patil will arrive in the state on thursday and take oath of office and secrecy on November 27, official sources said here today.

Patil will replace the present governor, Dr Kamala.

Dr Kamala who was appointed as Governor of Tripura on October 15, has been appointed as Governor of Gujarat and will leave the state on November 26.

Five members of a family killed in road mishap in Gangtok

F
ive members of a family were killed and three others injured when the vehicle in which they were travelling overturned near Eighth mile in West Sikkim, police said on Wednesday.

The mishap took place when the driver lost control of the ill-fated vehicle which then crashed down several hundred
meters below killing the five on the spot yesterday.

Miraculously, a three year-old boy survived unscathed, the police said.

The dead were identified as Bir Bahadur Shankar, Harka Bahadur Shankar, Tara Devi Lamichaney, Lok Nath Lamichaney and Pushpa Maya.

The injured were admitted to a nearby hospital for treatment, the police added.

Nine more BOPs on Indo-Bangla border: BSF DG

T
he Director General of Border Security Force (BSF), Raman Srivastava, has said that nine more Border Outposts (BOPs) would be set up and locations of 17 BOPs would be changed along the 856 km long Indo-Bangla border in Tripura to prevent insurgents of the North Eastern region from entering Indian territory.

The D.G., who arrived in Agartala on Monday, held a series of meetings with top BSF officials of the state, visited two
Border Outposts (BOP) and met Governor Dr Kamala and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar.

''So, we are looking for new lands near the zero line of the International border for setting up of 26 BOPs for more
stringent vigil along the Indo-Bangla border so that insurgents using the soil of the neighbouring country cannot
sneak into Indian territory,'' he said.

At present there are 245 BOPs in Tripura and nine more BOPs would soon be added.'' he told reporters at the
Civil Secretariat after meeting the chief minister on Monday night.

Official sources said the chief minister requested the BSF DG to keep close vigil on the border and guard it effectively
so that the insurgents who were fleeing from the neighbouring country following security operations there could not enter
into Indian territory.

ULFA splinter group does a Shiv Sena

T
he pro-talks group of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) took a leaf out of the Shiv Sena book to raid the office of an Assamese daily in eastern Assam's Tinsukia town on Monday afternoon.

According to employees of the multi-edition Dainik Janambhoomi, a group of armed men led by Prabal Neog, ex-commander of the ULFA's 28 Battalion raided their office around 3.10 pm.

The use of the word 'surrendered' prefixed to his name in a report apparently angered Neog, who prefers being addressed as 'pro-talks ULFA leader'. The daily had also been running a series on the pro-talks group's extortion drive in eastern Assam.

"The group damaged office furniture besides holding a pistol against one of our staff. The manager was out of station, and most of the reporters were in the field at that time. Neog and his men went away in a huff after locking the office," an employee of the daily said.

The office manager later lodged an FIR with the Tinsukia police against Neog and his men. "We are looking into the case," said district Superintendent of Police Diganta Bora.

Neog, caught in 2007 near Tezpur, is one of a troika of leaders controlling the ULFA's dreaded A & C companies that declared truce over a year ago. The other two are Mrinal Hazarika and Jiten Dutta. Some 300 cadres of these two companies are housed in two designated camps, one at Kakopathar and the other near Sadiya, both in Tinsukia district.

Five Assam Rifles troopers killed in Manipur

F
ive paramilitary troopers, including a major and a captain, were killed in an ambush by separatists on Monday in Manipur, officials said.

A defence spokesperson said heavily armed militants of the outlawed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) attacked a convoy of the paramilitary Assam Rifles near Samtol village in Chandel district, about 120 km south of Manipur state capital Imphal.

"UNLF militants opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons on the convoy in which two Assam Rifles officers, a major and a captain, and three troopers were killed," the Assam Rifles commander said.

The UNLF is a rebel group fighting for an independent homeland for the majority Metei community in a state of 2.4 million people.

The militants fired from a hilltop as the convoy snaked through a mountainous terrain while the Assam Rifles personnel were on a routine patrol in the area, bordering Myanmar.

"There was no reaction time as the militants were in an advantageous position and fired a volley of shots," the official said.

The Assam Rifles are engaged in anti-insurgency operations in Manipur.

Police and paramilitary troopers have since begun a massive combing operation in the thickly forested area after the attack.

"In all probability the militants might have sneaked into bases inside Myanmar," the official said.

There are about 20 militant groups active in Manipur with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy.

More than 10,000 people have lost their lives to insurgency in Manipur during the past two decades.

Lathi charge at Jawaharlal Nehru University

T
he students of Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and police clashed late on Sunday night after some outsiders molested a girl on campus.

Four young men forcefully entered the university campus and started harassing a few girls after which JNU students protested and blocked the main gate.

After a six-hour stand off, the police used tear gas and lathicharge to disperse the students who were not allowing the police to take away the alleged molesters. Later, the men were caught and handed over to the police.

Gogoi condemns twin bomb blasts in Nalbari

A
ssam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Monday strongly condemned the twin bomb blasts in Nalbari and said those responsible for it would be apprehended and dealt with firmly.

"I have directed the district authorities to launch a massive operation and nab those involved in the bomb blasts immediately," the Chief Minister, who is currently in New Delhi, said.

"People of Assam want peace not violence and we will not tolerate the killing of innocent people," he added.

The Chief Minister also instructed the district administration to provide best medical care to the injured and transfer them to specialised hospitals, if necessary.

By-election on December 19 in Manipur

B
y-election to prestigous Yaiskul Assembly constituency in the heart this town in Imphal East district of Manipur would be held on December 19, state election office said on Saturday.

Joint Chief Electoral Officer N Prabin said in a statement that the notification for the by-election, necessitated due to the death of Congress MLA E Kunjeswar, would be issued on November 25.

The last date for filing of nomination papers and withdrawal of papers would be December 2 and December 5 respectively. Counting of votes would be taken up on December 23.

The model code of conduct has come into force in Imphal East district after announcement of the by election by the Election Commission yesterday, the statement said.

Politicos funded Assam rebel group: probe

T
he National Investigation Agency’s (NIA) maiden chargesheet has exposed the nexus militants in the Northeast enjoy with politicians, bureaucrats and contractors.

The 34-page chargesheet against 14 people, filed in a court on November 17, outlines how Rs 20 crore (200 million) in central funds was diverted to a militant outfit through the public health engineering and social welfare departments in Assam’s North Cachar Hills district.

Most transactions were made through a hawala (illegal money transfer) racket based in Kolkata to reach arms smugglers, to provide guns to the Dima Halam Daogah (Jewel) group, says the chargesheet. The group is also called the Black Widow.

The Centre had in June asked the NIA to investigate the nexus, two months after the Assam police arrested two Black Widow rebels with weapons and Rs 1 crore in cash. The two confessed they got the money from Mohit Hojai, then chief executive member of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council.

The twin arrests almost coincided with the capture of Jewel Garlosa, the group’s chairman, in Bangalore. Hojai and Garlosa are among the 14 chargesheeted, as are Jiang Juming, a Myanmarese gunrunner, and social welfare deputy director R.H. Khan. Of the 14, 11 are in jail, two out on bail and one yet to be arrested.

The NIA has referred the case to the CBI as there are government officials involved.

New guvs for Assam, Gujarat, Tripura

F
ormer Orissa Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Janaki Ballabh Patnaik was on Saturday appointed the governor of Assam while Dr Kamla has been transferred to Gujarat from Tripura.

Educationist and veteran Congressman from Maharashtra, Dr DY Patil was appointed as the Governor of Tripura in place of Dr Kamla, a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said on Saturday.

Patnaik will take charge after the controversial Governor Syed Sibtey Razi whose term comes to an end on December 9.

The presidential communique, which announced Razi’s departure more than a fortnight before his term comes to an end, is being seen as a snub to him, since corruption allegations against Razi during his tenure in Jharkhand had embarrassed the Centre.

The terms of several governors, including S.F. Rodrigue in Punjab, have come to an end, but there is no word yet on their successor.

8 dead in Assam twin blasts

S
uspected United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) bombers struck western Assam’s Nalbari town, 60 km from state capital Guwahati, on Sunday, killing seven people and injuring more than 50.

The twin blasts, within 20 minutes and 10 ft apart, near the Nalbari Sadar police station follows the blowing up of 16 oil tankers of a goods train in Golaghat district last Monday.

Nalbari superintendent of police Jitmal Doley said the explosives, stashed into the frame of bicycles, caused the first blast at 9.45 am, injuring six people. The second bomb caused the maximum damage: five dead on the spot and two succumbing in hospitals.

Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said there was little doubt Sunday’s twin blasts were ULFA’s handiwork.

The police believe the Nalbari blasts could be a “show of strength” by ULFA ahead of its “protest day” on November 27.

The involvement of another outfit, the National Democratic Front of Bodoland, is also not being ruled out.

ULFA, however, denied its hand in the blasts. “This is a government conspiracy to discredit us,” said Hira Sarania, commander of ULFA’s 709 Battalion.

Monday, November 30, 2009

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