Day 4 Stalemate Digvijay, 2 MPs back Antulay New Delhi, December 20 Though minority affairs minister A. R. Antulay has already submitted his resignation after the controversial remarks on the death of Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare created a political storm and embarrassed the government, the Congress leadership today continued to grapple with the messy situation arising from the statement.
Antulay competent enough to issue clarification: Lalu

Antulay got it all wrong:
ATS chief was giving, not taking, orders
New Delhi, December 20
Probably the amateur detective in Abdul Rahman Antulay chose to ignore the very basics of police functioning or he just played a ‘political card’ when he thundered “who directed Hemant Karkare to Cama hospital during the Mumbai attacks needs to be probed….”

Top brass takes stock of defence readiness
New Delhi, December 20
With tension mounting in India-Pakistan relations in the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh this evening held a meeting with senior ministers and service chiefs, and is believed to have discussed the security scenario and the defence preparedness.

Meeting of Indian envoys to expose Pak duplicity convened
New Delhi, December 20
Convinced that the terrorist infrastructure as well as logistical support to anti-India elements by ‘para-state apparatus’ remain unchallenged in Pakistan, the government is mounting a major diplomatic offensive to expose Islamabad over its duplicity in dealing with terrorism.

Investment in security technology vital to counter terror: PM
New Delhi, December 20
With the country facing an increased terror threat, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today regretted that modern technology was not adequately utilised to meet the challenge and pitched for a greater focus on scientific developments for securing the nation better.

Government to lay pressure on B’desh
Guwahati, December 20
The union government will exert maximum pressure on Bangladesh to flush out Indian militants sheltered on its soil and targeting India along with terror outfits of Bangladesh. “India has been putting much pressure on Pakistan to stop anti-India activities from its soil and now, the central government has agreed to put similar pressure on Bangladesh also,” Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said here today. (Details in Nation page)

Shot in arm for coastal security
New Delhi, December 20
In a seemingly belated move, the ministry of defence and the ministry of home, in their own separate ways, today got down to do some real work to augment the security along the Indian coastline. While defence minister A.K. Antony directed the Coast Guard to lease or hire ships from the global market in the quickest possible time to meet shortages and augment the coastal security.

This new year, Goa won’t groove on beaches Panaji, December 20 After initial reluctance, the Goa government today decided to ban the beach parties on the Goa’s coastline during Christmas and New Year in view of heightened terror threat perception.    A worker cleans the road in front of the Trident-Oberoi hotel in Mumbai on Saturday. The hotel, which was attacked by terrorists last month, will reopen on Sunday. — Reuters