Thursday, January 15, 2009

Pakistan 'holds 124' over Mumbai


Pakistan says it has so far arrested 124 people in a crackdown on groups allegedly linked to the Mumbai attacks.Interior Ministry chief Rehman Malik said officials had also shut several schools run by a charity linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.Mr Malik said the moves showed Pakistan was serious about fighting extremism, but it needed more information from India to prosecute suspects in court.India says the attacks were plotted in Pakistan. Islamabad denies any link.Militant campsRelations between the two countries have deteriorated sharply since the November attacks which left at least 173 dead.Earlier this week, India's interior minister accused Pakistan of doing nothing to apprehend those behind the Mumbai (Bombay) attacks and said ties could "snap" if it did not co-operate in the investigation.
Pakistan has dismissed India's dossier of evidence linking the attacks to elements in Pakistan as merely "information".Mr Malik said the authorities had so far closed down 87 institutions - including seven madrassas (religious schools) belonging to the banned Jamaat-ud-dawa Islamic charity. The organisation is widely seen as a political front for Lashkar-e-Taiba.They authorities also say that several militant camps linked to the 87 institutions have also been closed down, in addition to the main Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, which was shut in December.The group's main commander, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, who has been named in India as being linked to the Mumbai attacks, was one of those arrested at that time.Mr Malik made clear that the arrests had taken place since early December.The UN Security Council last month ruled that he and three other Lashkar-e-Taiba members should face sanctions for links with al-Qaeda and the Taleban.They were issued with an assets freeze, travel ban and arms embargo.The Security Council panel also said that the charity Jamaat-ud-Dawa was a front for Lashkar-e-Taiba and subject to sanctions.'Onus on India'The Pakistani government says that all those arrested are still in custody and all will be dealt with under the Pakistani criminal justice system rather than be deported to India.
"We have done our best and the onus is now on India," Mr Malik said.He said that a committee had also been formed of high level police officials to monitor the activities of Jamaat-ud-Dawa.The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan says that doubts however remain over the effectiveness of the latest crackdown, especially given Jamaat-ud-Dawa's growing role as a rich charity in an impoverished nation.Our correspondent says that there is also concern that that the group's main centre of operations in Muridke outside Lahore remains open and many senior leaders remain operative.Speaking in India, the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said that the Pakistani authorities needed to show "more urgency" in taking action against those responsible for the Mumbai terror attacks."Pakistani authorities need to detain people and take further action like prosecution and action against them if found guilty," he said.

Bollywood star criticises Slumdog


Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan has criticised award-winning film Slumdog Millionaire for projecting India as the "third world dirty underbelly". The film, made by British director Danny Boyle, has swept the Golden Globe and Critics' Choice awards. A rags-to-riches tale of an improbable winner of game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire, the film is based on Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup's book. Slumdog Millionaire is also a favourite to win at the Oscars. The film has been nominated in 11 categories for next month's British Academy Film Awards, including best film, best British film and best director. Best-known actor Mr Bachchan had played the very popular host of Kaun Banega Crorepati - Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? "If SM (Slumdog Millionaire) projects India as [a] Third World dirty underbelly developing nation and causes pain and disgust among nationalists and patriots, let it be known that a murky underbelly exists and thrives even in the most developed nations," Mr Bachchan wrote in his blog. "It's just that the SM idea authored by an Indian and conceived and cinematically put together by a Westerner, gets creative [Golden] Globe recognition. The other would perhaps not." Slumdog Millionaire opens in India next week. Mr Bachchan is India's best-known actor and has a massive fan following at home and among the diaspora the world over. The actor's career spans almost 40 years. He has acted in more than 140 movies. He starred in the legendary Hindi movie Sholay and hosted the first three seasons of Kaun Banega Crorepati. His show enjoyed tremendous popularity with viewers and, according to reports, at the time of the telecast, the streets were deserted and fewer people went out to cinemas. Bachchan topped a 1999 BBC News website poll to find the greatest star of the millennium, beating the likes of Marlon Brando and Charlie Chaplin.

Afghan general dies in air crash


One of Afghanistan's top army officers and 12 other soldiers have been killed in a helicopter crash in the west of the country, the defence ministry says.It said the helicopter carrying General Fazaludin Sayar crashed in Herat province because of bad weather.Gen Sayar was one of the Afghan army's four regional commanders and in charge of the west of the country.The delegation he was leading had been on its way to visit an army base in neighbouring Farah province.Defence ministry spokesman General Mohammad Zahir Azimi told AFP news agency that it was the army's worst crash since 2001.According to some reports, Taleban fighters claimed they had shot the helicopter down - but the ministry denied this, saying it was an accident.The BBC's Martin Patience, in Afghanistan, says the Afghan security forces are still heavily dependent on old Russian aircraft to transport their troops.And he says questions have been raised about safety standards in the past.The other people who died in the crash were reported to be the corps' operations chief, its telecommunications official, five bodyguards, four crew and the general's chief-of-staff.

Satyam shares plunge by a third


Shares in fraud-hit Satyam Computers in India have slumped by a third after one of the firm's new board members ruled out accepting government money. Kiran Karnik, who sits on the three-man government-appointed board, said this would send "a wrong signal". On Wednesday, board chairman Deepak Parekh told the BBC the firm would try to borrow from banks. Satyam's chairman, Ramalinga Raju, stepped down last week after admitting to years of accounting malpractices. Mr Raju said the company's profits had been falsely inflated for years and that 94% of the money on Satyam's books was made up. Mr Raju, his brother and the company's former chief financial officer are being held in custody. 'Viable organisation' "Taking money from government will send a wrong signal," Mr Karnik told the Times of India newspaper. "The company will make profits within a few months," he said, adding that Satyam was still a "very viable organisation". Mr Karnik said the firm needed funding to continue trading and pay staff salaries next month. "Our only concern is to keep the show going and hold on to the clients and the workers," he said. Mr Karnik's statement saw Satyam shares take a beating, with the firm's stocks tumbling by 31.3% to a day's low of 20.55 rupees in early trade on Thursday. Satyam shares have plunged more than 80% since Mr Raju's confession of fraud last week. On Wednesday, board chairman Deepak Parekh said the firm would approach banks to raise funds for the company. "We will try to raise money through some banks," he told the BBC. "The fixed assets are absolutely clear", he said, adding Satyam had "no bank deposits but small debt". On Tuesday, the Indian government said the Satyam scandal would be investigated by a federal office dealing with serious corporate fraud.

Tripura CM denies job freeze in Tripura


Manik Sarkar
Agartala, Jan 15 : Chief minister Manik Sarkar said his government “has not enforced the ban imposed by the Centre on fresh employment, nor will it ever do so.” Sarkar said the main problem confronting Tripura now is “employment of educated youths” because a large number of employment generation schemes are being implemented in the state with honesty and efficiency. Addressing the inaugural programme of the state’s first ESI hospital at Nagerjala here today, the chief minister said, “In the present situation, worsened by global meltdown and loss of employment opportunities, curtailing employment at the government level will be suicidal. There is hardly any scope for private employment in our state.” Sarkar said more than one crore people would lose their livelihood as a result of global recession. “It is tragic that we are to pay a price for the blunders committed and wrong policies followed by governments in Europe and the US and that is so because of the globalisation,” he said. Lambasting the capitalist economic model based on vagaries of the market, profit motive and speculative investments, he said a balance in economic policy always needs to be struck by allowing the co-existence of private and public sectors. On the health sector, he said 97 per cent of the people were covered by the government-run service and medical facilities exist even in the remotest areas of the state. “Prolonged insurgency and anti-development activities of the militants led to the collapse of the health service in the interior areas but with the decline of insurgency, we are able to provide the services we did earlier,” said Sarkar. He also referred to the “vast improvement” in the health sector in Tripura over the past decade and said “very soon” people of the state will not need to go outside for advanced treatment.

Indian Army to be shifted out of Manipur

I mphal, Jan 15 : In a major policy shift, New Delhi has decided to withdraw all the Army units from the State and leave the job of containing the insurgency movement to the Assam Rifles alone. The Army comes under the Union Defence Ministry while the Assam Rifles comes under the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Disclosing this to The Sangai Express today, a reliable source said that the Army units to be withdrawn from Manipur will be deployed along the Indo-Pak border as well as along the Indo-Sino border. With the Army able to push away numerous militant groups from the interior parts of the State, the Assam Rifles has been gradually taking over the operational responsibilities of conducting counter-insurgency operations in the hills and other parts of Manipur, said the source. The Army Headquarters have already taken the decision to withdraw all the Army units from the State by this year, said the source and added that the withdrawn troops will be deployed along the Indo-Pak border as well as along the Indo-Sino border, where tension is high, on the Western front following the terrorists attack at Mumbai in November last year. Assam Rifles troops will be deployed at all the places where the Army units are currently stationed, said the source and added that once the withdrawal process is over, the Assam Rifles will take over the sole responsibility of conducting counter insurgency operations. Along with the withdrawal of the Army units from Manipur, the 57 Mountain Division at Leimakhong and the office of the Army PRO or PIB Defence Wing will also be withdrawn step by step, said the source further. At the moment, there are 7 Army Battalions under the 73 Mountain Brigade and 59 Mountain Brigade. These two Brigades operate under the 57 Mountain Division, which is based at Leimakhong and is headed by an officer of the rank of a Major General.On the other hand, there are at present 22 Assam Rifles Battalion under four Sectors operating under the overall charge of the IG of Assam Rifles (South), a Major General. The office of the IG AR (S) is located at Mantripukhri. The Assam Rifles has also appointed its own Spokesperson. It was the Assam Rifles which spearheaded the operation in pushing back militants from the Khengjoi range in the last two years. The office of the IG AR (South) was opened in Manipur in 2004 following the huge public outcry over the alleged custodial killing of Th Manorama by personnel of 17 Assam Rifles, which then had its headquarters at Kangla. Earlier, each Sector functioned under a Brigadier. Meanwhile the SPF Cabinet has agreed to the proposal of the IG AR (S) to increase the cash component of gallantry awards given to in service personnel as well as given posthumously to personnel hailing from the State, said the source. In the proposal to the State Government, the IG AR, suggested that the existing rates of cash awards be reviewed in view of the fact that almost all other States have increased the amount. The matter was discussed during a meeting at New Delhi on January 7 which was chaired by the Union Minister of Defence, said the source. Since there was no Budget allocation for increasing the cash awards in the fiscal 2009-2010 of the Home Department, the Finance Department was urged to authorise the required funds after Cabinet approval of the States concerned. Accordingly the cash award given under the Param Vir Chakra will be increased from Rs 10,000 to Rs 50,000, MVC from Rs 7500 to Rs 35,000, Vr C from Rs 3000 to Rs 20,000, AC from Rs 1500 to Rs 15000, KC from Rs 1000 to Rs 10,000, SC from RS 700 to Rs 5000, SYSM Rs 15,000, UYSM Rs 10,000, YSM Rs 5,000, SM from Rs 3000 to Rs 4000, Mention-in-Despatches Rs 5000, PVSM Rs 20,000, AVSM Rs 15,000, VSM Rs 10,000 and Annuity in addition Rs 500 .

Two Manipur Artistes Chosen for Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards

New Delhi, Jan 15 : Ningombam Ibobi Singh in the field of Nata Sankirtana and Leitanthem Heramot Meitei in Thang-ta from Manipur were among 34 eminent personalities of music, dance and theatre chosen for the Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Awards) for the year 2008. The General Council of Sangeet Natak Akademi, the National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama at its meeting held on 10 January 2009 in New Delhi selected four eminent personalities in the field of performing arts namely Smt Sitara Devi, Shri Khaled Choudhury, Shri R.C. Mehta and Shri Bhupen Hazarika as Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna (Akademi Fellows) while 34 practitioners of Music, Dance, and Theatre for the Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards) for the year 2008. In the field of Music, eight eminent artists namely Ulhas Kashalkar and M.R. Gautam for Hindustani Vocal Music; Ramesh Mishra (Sarangi) and Krishna Ram Chaudhary (Shehnai) for Hindustani Instrumental Music; Puranam Purushottama Sastri for Carnatic Vocal; B. Sasi Kumar (Violin) and Manrgudi A. Easwaran (Mridangam) for Carnatic Instrumental Music and Ningombam Ibobi Singh (Nata Sankirtana, Manipur) for Other Major Traditions of Music have been selected. In the field of Dance, nine eminent practitioners namely Saroja Vaidyanathan, Bharatanatyam; Shashi Shankhla, Kathak; Kalamandalam Kuttan, Kathakali; Ramani Ranjan Jena, Odissi; Vasanta Lakshmi & Narasimhachari (Joint Award), Kuchipudi; Kalamandalam Leelamma, Mohiniattam; Yog Sunder Desai, Creative & Experimental Dance and Ramhari Das, Music for Dance (Odissi) have been selected. In the field of Theatre also eight eminent persons namely Markand Bhatt and Arundhati Nag for Acting, S. Ramanujam and Probir Guha for Direction, Mudra Rakshas (Hindi) and Narsingh Dev Jamwal (Dogri) for Playwriting, Amba Sanyal for Allied Theatre Arts (Costume Designing) and Bansi Lal Khiladi (Khayal, Rajasthan) for Major Traditions of Theatre have been selected. For their contribution to Other Traditional/Folk/ Tribal Music/ Dance/ Theatre, Shakuntala Nagarkar, Lavani (Maharastra); Birbar Sahoo, Gotipua (Orissa); Mangi Bai Arya, Mand (Rajasthan); L. Heramot Meitei, Thang-Ta (Martial Art, Manipur); Lakha Khan Manganiyar, Folk Music (Rajasthan); Hildamit Lepcha, Lepcha Music (Sikkim); Kartar Singh, Gurbani (Punjab) and Lakshman Das, Hari Katha (Karnataka) have been selected. R. Satyanarayana of Kartanaka has been selected for his contribution to Scholarship in Performing Arts. There is no any personality selected in the field of Manipuri dance this year. Ningombam Ibobi Singh of Khongman was a Pung Guru of erstwhile Shri Shri Govindajee Nartalaya and retired as lecturer of the Government Dance College . Leithanthem Heramot Meetei of Kongpal is a renowned Manipuri martial artist. The Akademi Ratna (Akademi Fellow) and Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Award) have been conferred since 1952, which not only symbolize the highest standard of excellence and achievements on a national basis, but also recognize sustained individual work and contribution to the practice and appreciation of the arts through performance, teaching and scholarship. The Akademi Ratna carries purse money of Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One lakh) and Akademi Puraskar Rs.50,000/- (Rupees fifty thousand) besides Tamrapatra and Angavastram.