National News

India can't pardon Prabhakaran for Rajiv killing: Priyanka

4/22/2009 12:16:22 AM

Congress star campaigner Priyanka Gandhi on Tuesday, April 21 said India as a nation cannot forgive LTTE chief V Prabhakaran for the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi though personally she and her family harbours no "hatred or anger" against killers of her father.
Priyanka also downplayed the controversial comments of DMK chief M Karunanidhi that Prabhakaran is not a terrorist, saying she would have no "personal grief" even if anybody "praises" the LTTE chief. "This issue is both political and personal for me. I fully understand politically the former Prime Minister of India was assassinated and they (LTTE) cannot be pardoned by India as a nation," she said and hastened to add that "from humanity point of view, I have nothing against them (killers) in my heart...Neither anger nor hatred."

LTTE is terrorist outfit: PM

4/22/2009 12:13:28 AM

Amid a flip-flop by DMK chief M Karunanidhi over the status of LTTE, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday, April 21 said the government of India considers the outfit based in Sri Lanka as a "terrorist organisation" and its leader V Prabhakaran remains a "proclaimed offender".

"Our position has been explained by the spokesperson of the Congress party in the last few days that LTTE is a terrorist organisation and that Prabhakaran is a proclaimed offender. That, I think, the situation has remained unchanged as far as our government is concerned," told Singh. He was responding when asked to comment on remarks by Karunanidhi that LTTE is not a terrorist organisation. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, however, later backtracked on his comment.

Singh took note of Karunanidhi''s revised comment, saying "The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has clarified the position." Asked whether such statements put any pressure on post-election coalitions, the Prime Minister said, "I hope not, but I don''t rule out anything in this age of uncertainty."

Mayawati accuses EC of working on Cong directions: Chawla takes charge as new CEC

4/22/2009 12:11:20 AM

Casting doubts on Election Commission's neutrality, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday, April 21 alleged that the poll body was acting on the orders of the Congress and its allies to stop BSP from gaining power.

The BSP supremo also charged that any political party can get her killed during election campaign and that Congress leaders were threatening her by misusing CBI. Mayawati also alleged that the opposition parties can engineer a terror or naxalite attack in UP behind the scene.

"Any political party can also get me killed during election campaign. The Congress can go to any extent to stop my party," she alleged.

Accusing the new CEC Navin Chawla and Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi of bias and being active members of the Congress coterie, Mayawati said under such circumstances free and fair elections are not possible in the country.

The EC under political pressure is trying to stop BSP to gain power despite the party having peoples' support in its favour, she claimed suggesting that the Commission was also being influenced by BSP's arch rival Samajwadi party.

However, 64-year-old Navin Chawla who took over as the new Chief Election Commissioner on Tuesday succeeding N Gopalaswami, brushed aside Mayawati's charge and reminded she herself had appreciated the conduct of the 2007 Assembly polls in UP.

Power Secretary V S Sampath also took over as the third Election Commissioner following the elevation of Chawla.

"Priya is committed , vote her into Parliament" - Sheila Dikshit

4/21/2009 2:14:56 AM

Smt Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi addressed a Public meeting for Congress candidate Ms Priya Dutt in Powai this evening.

She entralled the 8000 strong crowd with her oratory.

" The Government''s initiative to turning Mumbai into Shanghai is becoming a reality with several highways, flyovers, skywalks being built in Mumbai. The work on the Metro Rail is also in progress." said Smt Dikshit.

Priya Dutt urges citizens to come out and Vote..

4/21/2009 2:10:48 AM

India Voting started its awareness campaign to promote voting. Priya Dutt was the first person in Maharashtra to cast her symbolic vote. She cast her symbolic Vote in Bandra today.

SHIKHA SHARMA TO HEAD AXIS BANK, JAYENDRA NAYAK QUITS AXIS

4/21/2009 12:11:59 AM

Axis Bank board on Monday appointed Shikha Sharma as the private bank’s new managing director (MD) and CEO — a decision that drove the present chairman & CEO Pangal Jayendra Nayak to resign three months before the end of his term. Ms Sharma has been appointed for a period of five years, subject to the Reserve Bank of India’s approval.

Slumdog kid said yes to Saudi

4/20/2009 6:38:18 AM

Following a sting operation that showed the nine-year-old’s father demanding a whopping Rs 1.8 crore to give her up for adoption, relatives from all over turned up, seeking ‘a share of the pie’

Following a sting operation by a British tabloid, nine-year-old angel-faced Rubina Ali, who starred in Slumdog Millionaire, has been caught in the midst of a tug-of-war.

Since the news broke that Rubina’s father Rafique Qureshi was allegedly trying to sell his daughter to a Saudi Sheikh for a whopping Rs 1.8 crore, every relative, no matter how distant, entered the fray.

A direct fallout is that the girl’s biological mother, Khurshid, who separated from her husband eight years ago, laid fresh claim to the girl on Sunday and even approached the police.

At the same time, scores of relatives stood by Rafique, ensuring he did not part with Rubina.

In the afternoon, Khurshid arrived at Bandra’s Gharib Nagar slums where Rubina lives, and abused everyone.

She tried to attack Rubina’s stepmum Munni, but others intervened. She then approached the Nirmal Nagar police to lodge a complaint and take custody of Rubina.

Meanwhile, Rafique’s relatives arrived and tried to convince the media how loving a father Rafique was and why Rubina should live only with him. A relative said, “Allegations against Rafique are false. Why will he sell her? She is going to earn so much more. Bhala dudh dene wali gai ko koi bechta hai kya? (Does anyone sell a cow that can still be milked?)”

The police, who witnessed the drama, merely recorded statements of Khurshid, Rafique and Rubina without lodging a complaint.

An officer said, “They are fighting over the girl now that she has turned into a goose that lays golden eggs. Everybody wants a share of the pie. Khurshid had come to us seeking custody of the girl even when the film first made headlines. But the girl says she wants to live with her father.”

PI Prakash Salunkhe of Nirmal Nagar police said, “We recorded statements and will investigate allegations of illegal adoption. No complaint has been lodged.”

Meanwhile, following the denial of the sting by Rafique, The News of the World released a statement saying: “The News of the World thoroughly investigated information that the father of Rubina was seeking to sell his daughter for adoption. We are entirely satisfied that our report is fair, true and accurate.”

WHAT HAPPENED

The drama unfolded when News of the World reported that as Slumdog Millionaire did not fetch Rubina’s family a fortune, her father was even prepared to “sell” her for a tidy sum. The tabloid ran a sting operation video on its Web site, where Rafique is seen negotiating a price for Rubina’s illegal adoption. The reporters posed as a wealthy Sheikh family from Saudi Arabia, offering to adopt the girl. They called Rafique to Leela Kempinski on Friday along with Rubina. There, Rafique allegedly demanded Rs 1.8 crore for the adoption.

WHAT RAFIQUE SAYS

Rafique denies trying to sell the girl. He said there was no talk of money even though he is clearly heard asking for money in the video. He said, “They contacted me saying they were moved by our poverty and the Sheikh wanted to meet the girl. When we met, they spoke of adoption. But I refused. Why should I sell my girl? The voice (asking for money) in the video is not mine. It is a conspiracy to take my girl from me. My former wife Khurshid is involved.”

WHAT RUBINA SAYS

Rafique’s statement, however, does not tally with that of his daughter. While on camera Rubina maintained what her father said was true, off camera she said, “I don’t know what happened. While returning my father asked me if I would like to go to Saudi Arabia. I said yes. They also spoke of getting passports for themselves.”

SUCCESSFUL LAUCH OF SPY SATELLITE RISAT

4/20/2009 12:01:18 AM

Aiming to bolster India''s defence surveillance capabilities, ISRO on Monday successfully launched its first all-weather spy satellite that will help security agencies keep a watch on the movements on the borders, from its spaceport here.

The PSLV-C12, carrying 300-kg Radar Imaging Satellite (RISAT-2) and 40-kg micro educational satellite ANUSAT lifted off from ISRO''s Satish Dhawan space Centre here at 6:45am and placed into 550 km orbit around earth.

The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, weighing 230 tonnes at the time of launch, soared into a clear sky from the spaceport here, about 90 km north of Chennai.

At the end of the 48-hour countdown, the 44-meter tall four-stage PSLV-C12 blasted off from the second launch pad with the ignition of the core first stage.

RISAT has all-weather capability to take images of the Earth and would also be beneficial in mapping and managing natural disasters, such as floods and landslides, besides amplifying defence surveillance capabilities of the nation. It would also help keep track of ships at seat that could pose a threat.

As per specifications, RISAT is different from previous remote sensing satellites as it uses Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), equipped with many antennas to receive signals that are processed into high-resolution pictures.

The SAR, developed by Israel Aerospace Industries, gives RISAT defence capabilities.

ANUSAT is the first satellite developed by an Indian university (Anna University), which would demonstrate the technologies related to message storing and forward operations.

University sources said scores of students and faculty from different streams had worked on this satellite for the last six years.

ANUSAT is a store-and-forward communication satellite that will help transfer confidential academic materials, including exam question papers, to prevent question paper leakages. It will also help monitor drought and wasteland, urban planning and other studies.

This is the 15th flight of ISRO''s workhorse PSLV, which had launched 30 satellites (14 for India and 16 for foreign countries) into a variety of orbits since 1993.

LeT threatens suicide attacks during polls in J-K

4/19/2009 12:55:26 AM

Srinagar: Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) on Saturday threatened to launch suicide attacks during the Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, asking people to participate in the poll process "at their own risk".

"We will launch fidayeen attacks during the poll process," LeT spokesman Abdullah Ghaznavi said in a statement to Srinagar-based media outlets.

Warning the people against participating in the elections, the spokesman said "if people vote they will be doing so at their own peril".

The terror outfit, which is allegedly behind the Mumbai attack last year, said New Delhi was trying to make stronger its "illegal occupation" of Jammu and Kashmir.

'Jaadu ki Jhappi’ – Puts Sanjay Dutt in Trouble

4/19/2009 12:03:14 AM

A case had been registered against film star and SP leader Sanjay Dutt for making derogatory and undignified remarks against Chief Minister Mayawati during an election rally held at KP Hindu College ground in Pratapgarh. On April 16.

This is the second FIR against the film star in less than a week''s time. Earlier a case was filed against him for allegedly making communal remarks during an election rally in Mau district.

Dutt, during the election rally, allegedly said that he "will give ''jaadu ki jhappi and pappi'' (magical hug and kiss) to the people of Pratapgarh and given a chance he will do the same with the Chief Minister and BSP supremo Mayawati".

Taking a serious note of Dutt''s remarks, Pratapgarh District Magistrate Pinki Jowel slapped a notice on the SP leader and directed him to submit his reply within three days time.

Earlier, on April 14 an FIR was lodged against Dutt for making communal remarks during an election rally in Mau district.