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World Press salutes Sonia Opposing Sonia as PM is racist, say UK Muslims Protest in Iran against Iraq occupation |
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US guard pleads guilty Pak team to visit India next week
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Projectile hits Blair in House of Commons London, May 19 In an unprecedented act, protesters sitting in the visitors’ gallery in the House of Commons created a flutter today by throwing a projectile containing purple powder at Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Links with Pak cloud China’s
N-group entry
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World Press salutes Sonia New Delhi, May 19 The New York Times, in its report “Gandhi Declines Top Post in India”, described Ms Gandhi’s refusal as “a surprising reversal” of the decision of her party which had declared on Monday night that she had agreed to serve as PM. The Guardian of UK, which published several stories on the subject, in a
catchily-titled article “Dynast who doesn’t want to rule” said: “Congress
supporters regard the Gandhi family as India’s monarchy. They had expected a coronation, not an abdication. But the fairytale of Sonia Gandhi ended before it had even begun. Her Italian ancestry became a more important factor than the legacy of India’s first political family, and she decided that she could not bear this responsibility.” The newspaper hails Ms Gandhi as a politician who has “demonstrated a sure political touch.” The Telegraph, London, said “Sonia Gandhi stunned the Indian electorate yesterday by turning down the chance to become India’s first foreign-born prime minister.” The Independent, London, in a long report entitled “Sonia Gandhi denies dynasty a new era of leadership”, said: “A week ago Sonia Gandhi led India’s most famous family back from the political history book to the front pages of international newspapers. Yesterday she walked away from the premiership that seemed destined to be hers. Following the Congress party’s astonishing victory in a general election almost all the polls said it would lose, the Italian-born widow of former premier Rajiv Gandhi was supposed to become the latest member of the dynasty to lead India.” The Los Angeles Times gave a long coverage to the development, both in terms of news report and editorial. In the editorial “India Continues To Surprise” the newspaper commented on Ms Gandhi’s decision thus: “If she sticks to her decision, she deserves credit for putting the interests of her party and country ahead of her own.” The LA Times editorial said the BJP lost because the country’s hundreds of millions of poor felt bypassed by economic gains and talking about Dr Manmohan Singh opines: “If Singh does lead the country, his experience could make for a coalition more stable than one led by Gandhi.” It also gave a stern lecture to both India and Pakistan. “The new government should beware the knee-jerk Americanism that the Congress Party has sometimes favoured and save its criticism for major issues. Nor should it automatically rule out help from Washington in persuading Pakistan to keep improving relations with New Delhi.” The Pakistani media frontpaged Sonia’s “No” and editorially commented on the development. “The Dawn” said “... Ms Gandhi would emerge as a formidable leader in the next round of general elections expected in a year or two.” “The Nation” said Ms Gandhi’s decision not to become PM when all paths had been smoothened for her was a bigger surprise than the poll victory itself. The newspaper made a scathing comment on Ms Gandhi’s unwillingness to become PM. “Even now, it seems likely, she might have reservations about coming so far to the forefront as to become Prime Minister, with no experience of government with no experience of government office and one term as a rather ineffectual Leader of opposition. The prospect of
having to face Mr Vajpayee, and perhaps Mr L K Advani later, in the House must be daunting.” At the same time, the newspaper complimented Ms Gandhi in glowing terms. “Politically, it is an extremely astute move, for while it allows the BJP to crow, in the short and medium term it takes the wind out of its sails. And it is not as if she loses control of the government itself; she will remain Congress parliamentary leader, and the probable replacements, probably Dr Manmohan Singh and possibly Mr Pranab Mukherjee, lack their own political bases, and will depend on her entirely.” The editorial also talked of lessons for Pakistani politicians. “There are lessons galore for Pakistani politicians, whether elected or
self-imposed. This episode shows an understanding of the limits of power, of how to step back from the brink, and how to control one’s greed. But above all, it shows the maturity of the political system, which it has reached through an
uninterrupted process.” |
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Opposing Sonia as PM is racist, say UK Muslims London, May 19 “BJP’s outrageous and racist opposition of Ms Sonia Gandhi as India’s Prime Minister has shown to the world the ugly face of Hindutva forces,” Mr Munaf Zeena of Council of Indian Muslims, said here last night. “This is really bizarre that someone as eminent as Ms Gandhi who is a bona fide citizen of India, has been serving in the Indian Parliament, has contested and campaigned in elections but the moment her party wins and her supporters decided to nominate her to be the next Prime Minister of the country a bunch of fanatics declare her to be a second-class citizen,” Mr Zeena added. He said “Ms Gandhi’s foreign origin is just a pretext. As a matter of fact this is her Catholic background because of which the fascists of Sangh Parivar are opposing her. They can not tolerate a non-Brahmin as Prime Minister and they will continue to create problems for Mr Manmohan Singh as well.” Zeena praised Ms Gandhi’s decision to withdraw her name in the larger interest and unity of the country as “magnanimous” and an example of very high morals. Mr Zeena also said “The Sangh Parivar is happy to see its agents do businesses in foreign lands, settle there and occupy high posts. “They are happy to establish the branches of the RSS and the BJP in other countries but feel no repugnance in using someone’s place of birth as her biggest demerit. The world should not ignore this jingoism and condemn it,“ Mr Zeena said. Meanwhile, Overseas Friends of BJP, UK, said they would hold a protest if Sonia Gandhi was sworn in as the next Prime Minister of India. “We believe in India’s democracy and are extremely proud of India’s adherence with the established democratic norms. We also honour the verdict of the people but we do not feel that it will be in the interest of India to have a foreigner as its Prime Minister. “Consequently we urge the Congress Parliamentary party and it’s associates to alter their decision and elect an Indian to be India’s Prime Minister,” Mr Anil C Pota, secretary, overseas friends of BJP, said.
— PTI |
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Protest in Iran against Iraq occupation Teheran, May 19 Shi’ite Iran has voiced growing opposition to the occupation of its western neighbour in recent days with senior government and religious figures incensed at the presence of US military forces in the holy cities of Najaf and Kerbala. Chanting ‘’Death to America! Death to Britain!’’, the crowd burned the US flag at Teheran’s Enqelab square. “We will not tolerate the occupation of Shi’ite Iraqi holy sites,’’ said an angry protester, burning an Uncle Sam effigy. The demonstration was organised by a state body which plans and arranges most rallies in the Islamic Republic. Many of those present were government employees or members of various security organisations such as the Revolutionary Guards. The state radio said similar demonstrations were held in the cities of Isfahan, Qom and Mashhad. As the main rally began to wind up, several hundred demonstrators gathered outside the British Embassy in Teheran, chanting slogans calling for it to be closed, witnesses said. The Embassy, which was well-guarded by police, typically bears the brunt of Iranian anger against US foreign policies due to the absence of a US embassy in Iran. Washington severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980.
— Reuters |
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US guard pleads guilty Baghdad, May 19 Sivits (24) admitted conspiracy to maltreatment of detainees and dereliction of duty around November 8 last year during the first trial over the scandal, which has rocked the US-led forces and President George W. Bush’s administration. Sivits, who holds the rank of a specialist, admitted leading a detainee to a pile of inmates on the floor and then taking a photograph while another guard, Specialist Charles Graner, kneeled on them.
— AFP |
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Pak team to visit India next week Islamabad, May 19 The delegation, to be headed by the Foreign Ministry’s Additional Secretary to the UN, Mr Tariq Osman Haider, will include five officials from the Foreign Ministry and two from the Strategic Plans Division (SPD). “The delegation also includes Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for South Asia Jalil Abbas Jilani, who led the talks with the Indian joint secretary Arun Singh in February,” leading Pakistan daily “The Dawn” quoting senior diplomatic sources said today. The Pakistan High Commissioner in India, Mr Aziz Ahmed Khan, had communicated the size and composition of the delegation to the Indian Ministry of External Affairs last week, the newspaper said. Other officials of the delegation were Director (Disarmament) Shuja Alam and Director (India), Tariq Zamir Assistant Director (Disarmament) Brig Naeem Salik, and Group Captain Khalid Banuri were the two experts from the SPD’s arms control and disarmament affairs wing. The talks would include strategic stability, crisis management, confidence-building and risk reduction, the paper added.
— UNI |
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Projectile hits Blair in House of Commons London, May 19 The day’s proceedings were suspended following the incident that occurred during the Prime Minister’s question time. Blair was speaking during his weekly half-hour appearance in the Commons when the projectile hit him on his back. MPs were immediately evacuated. Early tests suggested the powder was “benign”. Scotland Yard confirmed that two men had been arrested. Fathers 4 Justice, a group espousing the rights of fathers, claimed responsibility for the incident. A spokesman for the group said two of its members were involved in the incident to highlight MPs’ failure to help fathers gain access to children through the courts. The projectile appeared to have been thrown from an area of the gallery reserved for MPs’ guests and notable visitors. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and Chancellor Gordon Brown, who were sitting on either side of Mr Blair, looked up at the public gallery as the powder descended at 12.18 p.m. (British time). Commons leader Peter Hain said: “This was a serious incident. I have asked for an immediate report on the circumstances and what additional security provisions may be necessary.” Liberal Democrat MP Mark Oaten, who was in the chamber at question time, said “I am absolutely convinced what happened today was a serious security breach and it could have put the Prime Minister’s life at risk.”
— IANS |
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Links with Pak cloud China’s
N-group entry Washington, May 19 Washington is backing China’s long-standing application for membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), the cooperative association of countries aimed at controlling the export of nuclear material, equipment and technology. China’s membership may be approved later this month by the NSG, whose 40 members now include the United States, Russia, France, Germany, and Britain, officials said. Mr John Wolf, Assistant Secretary in the US State Department’s Bureau of Non-Proliferation, told a congressional hearing yesterday that China should be included in the NSG, where major nuclear export control issues were discussed. But some groups believe China could follow in the footsteps of Russia, which had posed difficulties in the NSG in the past.
— AFP |
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UN wants Gaza demolitions stopped United Nations, May 19 But the measure, which diplomats said had broad support on the council, was met with a counter-proposal by the United States, which has regularly blocked council action criticising its close ally Israel. “We believe the council has the duty to condemn such collective punishment,” said Mr Nasser al-Kidwa, the Palestinian observer at the United Nations yesterday. “I think it’s time for the international community to say (that) we are fed up with this situation,” he said. More than 1,000 Palestinians have already been forced onto the streets since the demolition of nearly 90 buildings in Rafah’s impoverished refugee camp late last week, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA said. In Gaza City, thousands of Palestinians took to the streets of Gaza today to express outrage at the Israeli army’s massive operation.
— AFP, Reuters |
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