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Sleuths probe Delhi blasts
link to
Blast suspect given
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Indian copter for Mauritius
New Delhi, November 3 India has agreed to supply Mauritius an advanced light helicopter, an offshore patrol vessel and a coastal surveillance radar system to bolster its security forces. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responded positively when his counterpart from Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam expressed interest in purchasing these equipment during the wide-ranging talks here.
ASI’s 3-phase plan for Katasraj temples
EC under UPA pressure, says CPI (ML)
RJD had longest reign after Congress in Bihar
Abductions untraced in Bihar since '95
Tainted CPM minister surrenders after 16 years
Indo-US project on wheelchairs
Left opposes Indo-US exercises
Prisoners free jail officials taken hostage
Jamuna Devi to boycott celebrations
CJI, Law Minister laud Dayal’s book on legal issues
CJI to examine issue of holidays in courts
Revoke disturbed area tag on Punjab, says M. S. Gill
Uma has providential escape
Eid greetings
Arjun not to celebrate birthday
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Sleuths probe Delhi blasts
link to 1996 bombing
New Delhi, November 3 Security officials indicated that certain leads pointed to a connection between the October 29 blasts that killed at least 60 and a bombing in 1996 that killed 14 persons as the modus operandi in both cases appeared to be similar. "In that blast, it was an electronic triggered mechanism that was also used, just like in all three blasts in Delhi last Saturday," said a senior intelligence official. "At that time too, the Islamic Inquilabi Mehaz (IIM), which has claimed responsibility for the October 29 attacks, was linked to the Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front in the Lajpat Nagar blasts in which 14 persons were killed." "We are pursuing this line of investigation as well as exploring other leads," the official told IANS. Saturday's serial blasts that injured over 200 were the worst terrorist attack at a public place in New Delhi in the past two decades. Though the IIM is believed to be virtually defunct now, intelligence officials said some of its erstwhile members are still active in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. IIM is also believed to have links with the Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT), the most organised of the banned terror outfits. Officials say the LeT often uses members of such defunct or inactive organisations to do their job in order to throw people off their trail. "We are working on several leads. The idea is to collate all this to arrive at the big picture," said the official. Sources in intelligence agencies said a special team comprising officers of the Intelligence Bureau, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and sleuths of the Special Branch of Delhi Police had obtained vital clues after fanning out to various parts of the country. The team is also trying to ascertain if locals were used for the bombings that were triggered by electronic devices. Police officials were also picking up details of telephone calls made from public call booths at Govindpuri, where the last of Saturday's three explosions occurred. "The blasts happened within a space of less than 30 minutes. We are analysing mobile calls made after the last blast at 5.58 p.m.," said the official. Though intelligence agencies have ruled out the involvement of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad, they have not taken a denial issued earlier this week by the Lashker seriously. Officials said the Lashker was well known for using its "local contacts" and front organisations to carry out attacks using electronically timed devices. "We cannot pinpoint the involvement of the Lashker immediately but the organisation is definitely under the scanner," a senior official said. Delhi Police have also sought help from their counterparts in several states, especially Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. They have also sought inputs from the military intelligence. Police officials say their probe will also get a fillip once they receive a detailed forensic report specifying the type of explosives used in the three blasts.
— IANS |
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Blast suspect given
clean chit
New Delhi, November 3 Mohammed Nawab is in his early 20s. He was picked up by the local police in Ghaziabad from the Vaishali area as he bore a
resemblance to a blast suspect whose sketch was released by the Delhi police yesterday. But the police soon gave him a clean chit and released him. A senior police official said, “He does not seem to be involved in the blasts. Even the resemblance with the portrait of the suspect is not there.” Meanwhile, Delhi police have detained some people in connection with the bomb blasts. |
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Indian copter for Mauritius
New Delhi, November 3 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh responded positively when his counterpart from Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam expressed interest in purchasing these equipment during the wide-ranging talks here. Appreciating that adequate monitoring was required of the extensive Exclusive Economic Zone of Mauritius, Dr Singh assured that the equipment could be supplied expeditiously under a mutually agreed time-frame, according to the joint statement issued here at the end of the week-long visit of Mr
Ramgoolam. India has also offered a line of credit of $ 100 million to facilitate completion of certain pending projects. New Delhi has agreed to provide assistance for the construction of a new building to house the Supreme Court of Mauritius. Dr Singh assured Mr Ramgoolam of India’s consistent support to the restoration of Mauritian sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago. The Mauritian Prime Minister thanked India for its long-standing and unwavering stand in this regard. On his part, Mr Ramgoolam reaffirmed his country’s support to India for a
permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council
(UNSC). India and Mauritius condemned the scourge of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and reaffirmed their total engagement in the fight against terrorism under the aegis of the United Nations. |
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ASI’s 3-phase plan for Katasraj temples
New Delhi, November 3 Dedicated to Lord Shiva, the sprawling Katasraj shrine is believed to be constructed at the site visited by the Pandavas during their 14-year exile. They are believed to have spent 12 years there. Apart from the 600 BC temples, which are in a dilapidated condition, there is a sacred pool will mythical association with Lord Shiva. The pond is believed to have come into being with the tears of Lord Shiva on the death of his wife Sati. The ASI, in the extensive 110-page report submitted recently to the External Affairs Ministry, has
categorised the reconstruction of the historic Hindu temples in three parts- urgent, necessary and desirable. The report will be soon forwarded to the Pakistan Government. It may be mentioned that during his controversial visit to Pakistan, Leader of Opposition L.K. Advani had laid the foundation stone for the restoration of the temples in Chakwal district. The Pakistan Government had earmarked Rs 2 crore for restoring the temples to their original form and sought India’s expertise to prepare a plan. An ASI official was deputed to visit the site and prepare plans for restoring the historic temples to their original glory and without any loss to its historic fabric. One of the proposals recommend that the Shiva temple and its surroundings, be restored and developed. As per the report, at least $ 10 million dollars will be required to carry out immediate work. An additional $ 15 million will be needed to complete the remaining work and restore the temple complex to its original glory. Under phase I, the report proposes cleaning and enlargement of the Katas pool, besides conservation and restoration of the Shiva temple and the adjacent cluster area. The other work includes removal of debris, repair of damaged staircases, plastering walls, preservation of paintings, development of pathways and Hari Singh Haveli. The second phase includes conservation and restoration of the Satghara temple complex, the Hanuman temple, the Ramachandra temple, the Stupa and excavated site, besides board and lodging facilities for tourists. Development of a site for a museum, landscaping in the Satghara temple complex, stupa area and slopes along the hillock overlooking the holy pond, development of an open area with parking and other facilities and approach roads are part of the third phase. The report emphasises the need to bring the Katasraj site under a legal framework to enable and retain the landmark quality of the site and suggests formation of a technical committee to guide planning, implementation and maintenance plan of the site. |
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Kalyan Singh warns against
arrest of Ramji Singh
Lucknow, November 3 Ramji Lal who had been named in the FIR filed in the Kotwali police station in Mau on October 18 had been charged with instigating violence in Mau along with Sujit Singh Chandel of Hindu Yuva Vahini. He was arrested near Lekhraj crossing in Lucknow and will appear before the Mau court on November 5. Sixtyfive-year-old Mr Singh will undergo medical examination before being remanded to judicial custody, informed his advocate Manohar Singh. Till now the only other prominent person against whom action has been taken is Independent Mau MLA Mukhtar Ansari, who surrendered in the Ghazipur court. Ansari had also been named in the FIR of October 18 under Section 302 of the IPC. Speaking to the Press senior BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Kalyan Singh decried the arrest of Ramji Singh. They blamed the ruling SP of “trying to shift the blame for the Mau violence on the BJP” Demanding a probe into the Mau riots by a sitting Judge, Rajnath Singh said only such an enquiry would truly establish who the real culprit is. Kalyan Singh warned that the arrest of Ramji Singh would “prove costly to the Samajwadi party”. Rajnath Singh charged Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav with “not having the courage to face the truth”. This according to him was the reason why the CM till now had not visited the riot-hit city of Mau. |
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EC under UPA pressure, says CPI (ML)
Patna, November 3 Talking to the media here, the
CPI(M) general secretary Dipanker Bhattacharyya alleged that such gestures from the ruling coalition at the Centre, and more precisely from the larger partner, Congress, was not healthy for the democratic set up in the country. Mr Bhattacharyya claimed that such pro-active stand by the UPA was nothing but a reflection of its “political frustration “ of losing power in Bihar. He wondered at the way the Congress, in particular, and the UPA as a whole were defending Union Ministers like Jai Prakash Narayan
Jadav. The CPI(M) suggested the commission to consider setting up smaller booths with voters ranging between 500 and 1,000, depending on geographical and other considerations, which it hoped would encourage larger participation of people during elections.
— TNS |
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RJD had longest reign after Congress in Bihar
Patna, November 3 Firstly, he alleges non-cooperation by the NDA during its rule in Delhi between 1998 and 2004. And secondly he claims that Bihar could not develop under RJD rule because he was sent to jail in "false and fabricated cases." But what Mr Lalu Prasad perhaps seeks to underplay is the fact that after the Congress, the RJD had the longest stint in Bihar and as a family, combining him and his wife, Mrs Rabri Devi, it was the longest "dynasty" rule except for Mr Nitish Kumar's brief stint between March 3 and 10, 2000. Mr Ramvilas Paswan, during a recent interaction with the media on this issue, was quick to point out that when Mr Lalu Prasad
was sent to jail, it was his wife, Mrs Rabri Devi, who ruled Bihar thus dismissing the
RJD supremo's argument. The impact of Mr Nitish Kumar's slogan "Naya Bihar Nitish Kumar" can only be ascertained once the ballot boxes are opened on November 22. But Mr Nitish Kumar's claim that "Is Bar Janata Likhegi Hamara
Bhagya" (this time people will decide my fortune) is true because it is directly linked to the fact whether people are going to accept Mr Lalu Prasad's arguments justifying the RJD's failure in developing Bihar due to reasons cited above. For the Congress, from party president Sonia Gandhi to the AICC general secretary, in charge of Bihar, Mr Digvijay Singh, all have promised the "UPA model" of development in Bihar in a time-bound manner if the RJD- led SDF is voted to power. But the Congress is conspicuously silent on the fact that as a single party it had ruled Bihar for the largest spell since Independence ,except for the brief spell of Mr Karpoori Thakur between 1977 and 1979, after which the reins of the state were finally taken over by Mr Lalu Prasad, first from the undivided Janata Dal platform in 1990 and then confining it to the RJD. Going by social and political analysts, Bihar earned appreciation in the country for its upright bureaucracy till the mid-sixties, the positive effect of which could be felt till the early seventies. But the emergence of Mr Jayaprakash Narayan, who led a mass movement against the Emergency, catapulted Mr Karpoori Thakur to the chair of Chief Minister in 1977, which clearly signalled the growing anti-incumbency factor against the Congress. This was decisively reflected again in the 1990 election when Mr Lalu Prasad , under former Prime Minister VP Singh, was the anti-Congress face in Bihar. But with Mr Lalu Prasad and the Congress joining hands, they now should share both the credit and discredit of the successive Congress and non-Congress governments in Bihar if 1977 is being considered as a benchmark of the anti-Congress wave. After all Mr Lalu Prasad always felt proud of being a disciple of the late Jayaprakash Narayan. Even the official voting percentage of respective parties showed that from about 30 percent in the seventies the Congress vote tally dropped to as low as a little over 5 per cent in 2004 justifying the argument. Mr Ramjatan Sinha, former BPCC chief who had joined the LJP recently protesting against the Congress-RJD alliance, told the media that despite being not in power in Bihar since 1990, the Congress became a party to sharing the anti-incumbency factor faced by the RJD on the issue of development by siding with Mr Lalu Prasad. But the moot question facing analysts of elections here is whether the people of Bihar will vote on "development" issue or on "caste lines" which perhaps will finally approve or disapprove the exit poll outcome predicting an edge for the NDA. Against development, there are MY (Muslim-Yadav), MD(Muslim Dalit) and other backward and upper caste equations which seem to be equally important in caste ridden Bihar politics. |
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Abductions untraced in Bihar since '95
Patna, November 3 The police as well as politicians heaved a sigh of relief with the release of the school student
Golu, alias, Gaurav Kumar, by the abductors from eastern UP on October 16, just 48 hours before the first phase of polling in Bihar on October 18. Golu was released, and not recovered, after 26 days of his abduction from
Danapur. Close of the heels of Golu`s release, the police here succeeded in rescuing another school student from Ranchi who came here from Delhi to attend a family function. But there is hardly any scope of complacency for the Bihar police as far as the serious note by the court on the issue of abductions is concerned. Official sources disclosed that going by the report submitted by none other than the DGP, Mr Ashish Ranjan Sinha, before the court recently on abduction related cases, "as many as 1,111 persons, including 171 minors and 581 women, kidnapped in Bihar since 1995, still remained untraced ". And come November 10, the DGP is supposed to submit a detailed plan of action before the Patna High Court to end the menace of abduction in
Bihar. The court also asked the DGP to furnish details regarding the cases under investigation and in which charge sheets have been filed to enable the judiciary to issue
necessary directions in this regard. The figures provided by the DGP also revealed that the oldest unsolved
kidnapping case was that from Purneea district dating back to October 10,1995. The court also wanted the police to inform in how many cases inter-state criminal gangs were involved and also direct or indirect involvement of
influential persons. It may be mentioned that the court pulled up thrice the police and state administration for failing to meet the deadlines to recover Golu before he was finally released on October 16. A senior police official on the condition of
anonymity said peaceful polling in Bihar in the first two phases clearly indicated that given a free hand without "political" interference the police could also deliver. |
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Tainted CPM minister surrenders after 16 years
Kolkata, November 3 The Minister was refused bail and instead imprisoned for 14 days by the
SDJM, Ms Anjali Singh, in connection with the incident of attack and burning 22 houses in Ratanpur village near Gangarampur 16 years ago. But the Minister preferred a bail petition in the Calcutta High Court, which would hold the hearing on November 7. The Congress MP of Behrampore
(Murshidabad), Mr Adhir Chowdhury, however, is still absconding even after issuance of a non-bailable warrant on the charge of killing a father and son in Behrampore town recently. Mr Chowdhury is now in the capital consulting the Congress high command and the two union ministers, Mr Pranab Mukherjee and Mr Priya Ranjan
Dasmunshi, about the future course of action. He alleged before the Prime Minister and other leaders that he had been implicated in the murder case by the CPM leadership for their political gain in the district. And hence, there could be no reason that he should surrender before the court. The CPM state committee secretary, Mr Anil Biswas, claimed that the Minister's surrender before the court had shown that the government was not at all biased in dealing with criminals. He reiterated that in future also criminals and anti-social elements irrespective of their political colours would be dealt with according to the provisions of law. He, however, failed to justify why the Minister had been provided protection even after issuance of a non-bailable warrant against him. The Chief Minister also refused to comment on the Narayan Biswas episode. However, it is now clear to all that the CPM leadership had been compelled to direct the Minister to surrender in the wake of large-scale criticism of the Chief Minister and the party leadership, which had tarnished the party's image. An exclusive report, published in The Tribune on October 20 on the Chief Minister's embarrassment in protecting the "tainted" Minister, also drew the Politburo's attention to the Narayan Biswas incident and Mr Prakash Karat had insisted that the Minister should resign and follow the court's order. But though the Minister had surrendered and obeyed the court order, he was given VVIP treatment in the court and outside during the hearing. |
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Indo-US project on wheelchairs
New Delhi, November 3 According to a press note issued by the
ISIC, the study is aimed at gathering information on environmental constraints and developing an understanding of such barriers. According to
ISIC, about eight million people in India need a wheelchair. The most common design of manual wheelchair is based on older design and is only suitable for developing a wheelchair for a hospital. Dr
H.S. Chhabra, Chief of Spine Service of ISIC and principal investigator of the study, will work with Prof Rory A. Cooper of the University of Pittsburgh on this. According to
ISIC, the study is being conducted on 100 wheelchair users in the age-group 18 to 65. |
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Left opposes Indo-US exercises
New Delhi, November 3 “The deepening military collaboration (between India and US) does not augur well for India’s strategic interests and independent foreign policy”, the CPM, CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc said in a joint statement here. The four parties said a series of joint exercises were being conducted by the two armed forces since the Indo-US defence framework agreement signed earlier this year. These included US army men being trained at the Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram, a naval exercise off the West Coast and now a joint air exercise beginning at Kalaikunda on November 7. While talks were on for a “big arms purchase from the
UD, including F-16 fighter planes,” negotiations for missile defence cooperation were also being held, the parties said. Meanwhile, the CPI (Maoist) today mourned the death of Karam Singh who had set up the ultra Left party’s unit in Punjab. |
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Prisoners free jail officials taken hostage
Bargarh (Orissa), November 3 Over 100 irate inmates of the sub-divisional jail at Padampur town here, 430 km from Bhubaneswar, had taken four jail staff, including chief jailor Joseph Barik, hostage and locked the main gate demanding better quality food and other facilities. They even tonsured the head of the jail chief. "We assured them that their problems would be looked into," Bargarh district collector Jyoti Prakash Dash said. After the assurance they released the staff, he said. The trouble began Tuesday when a prisoner, Purusotam Sahu, awaiting trial in a cheating case, reportedly complained that he was given inadequate food. Some officials reportedly beat up Sahu. On Wednesday, the unhappy prisoners pushed some officials into the cells and locked them from outside. They also went on a fast to press for their demands. The jail houses around 104 prisoners, including five
women. — IANS |
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Jamuna Devi to boycott celebrations
Bhopal, November 3 Ms Devi said in a statement today that the Chief Minister did not consult leaders of other parties while chalking out the programmes for the celebrations. The State of Madhya Pradesh was founded on November 1, 1956. Some of those who were members of the Assembly on November 1, 1956, are active in public life even today. Instead of bestowing honour on them, the Chief Minister had “ignored” them. Besides, many BJP and Congress leaders had decided not to celebrate festivals like Divali or celebrate their birthdays in view of the devastating earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir and the terrorist attacks in Delhi. By embarking upon a series of celebrations costing crores of
rupees, Mr Gaur had only displayed his lack of responsibility, the Congress leader observed. |
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CJI, Law Minister laud Dayal’s book on legal issues
New Delhi, November 3 Among others who appreciated the efforts of Mr Dayal, Vice-Chairman of SAARC Law India Chapter and associated with various other national and international legal organisations are, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, former Chief Justice of India
Y.V. Chandrachud, Supreme Curt Judge Dalveer Bhandari, SAARC India Chaper President and former apex court judge
U.C. Banerjee, Supreme Court Bar Association President P.H. Parekh and noted lawyer
L.M. Singhvi. In the book titled “Reflections of a Lawyer”, released recently by Justice Sabharwal, the author has dealt with various important issues like image of a lawyer in the public mind, role of a legal professional, judicial activism, corruption in high places, transparency in appointment of judges, human rights, election laws, obscenity laws, law pertaining to arrest and preventive detention, mercy killing and delay in deciding cases in Indian courts. The book also contains poems written by Mr Dayal, which had come for a special praise from Justice
Chandrachud, who described the combination of an advocate and poet a “rare” thing to happen. Describing the book as highly informative on legal issues, Justice Chandrachud said it made an excellent reading and would be of great help to young
lawyers. Seventytwo-year-old Dayal said he thought it appropriate to bring out a book on his experience in the profession and as a social workers on his completing 50 years in the profession. |
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CJI to examine issue of holidays in courts
New Delhi, November 3 “I will place it before the high court Chief Justices,” he said in an interaction with the media yesterday when asked that the Supreme Court and high court judges were enjoying a lot of holidays. However, the CJI did not agree with the general perception that the judges were enjoying long spells of holidays. The Supreme Court in a year has little over three months holidays and high courts about two months. |
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Revoke disturbed area tag on Punjab, says M. S. Gill
Chandigarh, November 3 Dr Gill said Punjab was the most peaceful area in the country at present and there was no logic in keeping this order in force in the state now. He said because of this order, Punjab’s social and economic development had been adversely affected. Many people from Pakistan were keen to get treatment in Punjab’s hospitals but they could not come to Punjab because of the enforcement of the order regarding disturbed area. Dr Gill said he had urged the PM to direct the Union Home Ministry to revoke the order. He said the main technical difficulty in plying the bus service between Lahore and Amritsar was the order regarding disturbed area in Punjab. He said those who come to India in the Lahore-Delhi bus cannot alight from the bus in Punjab area. They have to first report at Delhi, he added. |
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Uma has providential escape
New Delhi, November 3 She was travelling from Bhopal to Ayodhya when the chopper owned by the Madhya Pradesh government developed the problem forcing its emergency landing at around 4 pm, the sources said.
— PTI |
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Eid greetings
New Delhi, November 3 “My heart goes out to the victims of recent tragedies such as the earthquake in Jammu and Kashmir, the train accident in Andhra Pradesh and the bomb blasts in Delhi. I hope that Eid-ul-Fitr will bring solace and strength to the families of the victims,” Dr Manmohan Singh said in his message. Mr Shekhawat said the sublime values of care, concern and compassion reflected through mutual sharing and charity of festival exuded the spirit of brotherhood and love, which would help usher in a humane and compassionate society. |
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Arjun not to celebrate birthday
New Delhi, November 3 “I will receive your best wishes and blessings even without your coming here,” Mr Singh said in a statement urging his supporters not to come to the national Capital for the occasion.
— PTI |
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New Delhi, November 3
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