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BJP unapologetic about Kandahar hijacking
Karnataka on the terrorists’ radar
Declare entire Orissa
Naxal-affected, demand cops
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Naxal attack toll rises to 18
ULFA calls Assam bandh tomorrow
Sethusamudram
Meghalaya Poll
Selection right for a post cannot be indefinite: SC
Muslim girls can declare forced marriage ‘null & void’
Reservation for Women
Lanka procuring arms from Pak to fight LTTE
Regulate fee structure in private schools: Panel
Teachers’ kids may not get free schooling
Naga peace process has slowed down, says Naryanan
Shiv Sena unperturbed by Raj’s popularity
Threat to Maya’s life real, admits DGP
Fire at Kolkata leather unit
One in every 30.5 e-mails contains virus: Report
I don’t compose for Grammy, says Anoushka Shankar
Bipasha fan of Pak singer Atif Aslam
Freedom fighter Upendra Vajpeyi dead
Actress Manorama dead
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BJP unapologetic about Kandahar hijacking
New Delhi, February 17 BJP president Rajnath Singh refused to accept that the 1999 Kandahar episode was a “weakpoint” for the party and it has been pushed on the “backfoot” as Congress is raising questions over the NDA government’s approach to terrorism. “We had to save the lives of so many people (held hostage on the hijacked plane)... It does not mean we compromised with terrorism,” he said amid sustained attack by Congress over the NDA government’s decision to release three terrorists to end the hijacking crisis. Congress chief Sonia Gandhi yesterday accused the saffron party of “surrendering to terrorists” in 1999. Five terrorists hijacked IC-814 plane during flight from Kathmandu to Delhi on December 24. At least 154 passengers and crew were held hostage for eight days and the stand-off ended when three dreaded terrorists were released and Jaswant Singh took them on a special plane to Kandahar. Asked whether BJP did not find anything wrong in a minister accompanying terrorists, Rajnath Singh said “considering the sentiments of the nation and people of the country, it was a necessity of that time.”
‘Terror funds manipulating bourses’
Viewing the recent fluctuations in the Sensex with concern, the BJP suspects that some anti-national elements, including terrorists, may be manipulating the stock markets and wants a probe to ascertain the antecedents of investors. Party President Rajnath Singh said his concern stems from the fact that up to 40 per cent of investments in the stock markets were by the Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) through PN (Participatory Notes) system. “What kind of money, whose money, what colour is it? There is no information,” Singh told PTI in an interview while referring to the recent crash in the stock market leading to losses worth crores of rupees to small investors. “This has been happening for several years. There should be some system to identify whose money is being invested,” he said, favouring a “tough law” to monitor these investments. His views echo the apprehensions expressed by National Security Advisor M K Narayanan about a year ago that terrorists might be pumping money with a design to manipulate the stock markets. Training his guns at the UPA-led government, Singh said its economic policies were “faulty”. To press his charge, he said the agrarian sector was in “distress” and the nation was facing “food security crisis”.
— PTI
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Karnataka on the terrorists’ radar
Bangalore, February 17 According to Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officials, it is not just the forests in the state that provide a refuge to the terror groups but also the cosmopolitan nature of cities like Bangalore where the terrorists "can merge with the locals without being noticed". In fact, at many places "it is the locals who wittingly or unwittingly give them all support, they said. The recent arrest of two SIMI activists, Abdul Ghouse, alias Riyauzuddin and Asafdullah Abbubaker at Davangere and their accomplice Asif from Hubli, revealed that it was just the tip of the iceberg.The terror suspects handed over to the police by the locals due to their suspicious activities were earlier taken to be mere vehicle lifters. However, a thorough search of their hideouts, threw open the pandora's box. In fast developments,the police unearthed several plans that the accused claimed to have hatched, including targeting ensitive areas of many states, even beaches of Goa. Ghouse also claimed to have undergone training in Pakistan and to have known those responsible for the attack on the IISc.
— PTI
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Hyderabad, February 17 Acting on a tip off, the police rushed to the railway station and after conducting thorough checks in a Secunderabad- bound Gorakhpur train, the suspected ISI agents were arrested for interrogation. Meanwhile, a task force official told UNI that it was a routine checking at the railway station. — UNI
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Govt seeks help from private agencies
New Delhi, February 17 “It is very difficult to provide security to every individual and house. It is necessary that individuals themselves take some steps to protect themselves and cooperate with police machinery,” union home minister Shivraj Patil said inaugurating an international exhibition on.
— PTI
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Declare entire Orissa
Naxal-affected, demand cops
Cuttack, February 17 Blaming the state government for the recent upsurge of Naxalite violence in
Orissa, the Orissa Police Association (OPA) and Orissa Havildar, Constable and
Sepoys’ Confederation, in a joint press conference here demanded adequate fortification of police stations and
armoury. “We have been insisting for the past few years that the Naxalites are mainly aiming at attacking the police stations and loot the arms and ammunition. But despite our suggestions, the state government has not taken any step to prevent it,” said OPA president
S.M. Sharma and Confederation president Padmanav Behera. “We demand adequate fortification of the existing police stations and three-tier security of the state armouries located in different districts,” Behera said. “Instead of increasing the number of police stations, the government should first take steps to strengthen the existing police stations,” Sharma said. Among other demands, the policemen called for a proper rehabilitation package for the policemen killed in the Naxal attack.
— PTI
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Bhubaneswar, February 17 Hundreds of armed Naxalites who raided the small town of Nayagarh, about 90 kms from here on the night of Friday, killed 14 police personnel including an assistant sub inspector of police and a civilian during their hours-long operation of attacking police stations and looting armoury. The bodies of three more police personnel including one assistant commandant and two jawans, one of them from the special operation group, were recovered from the Gasama forest where the fierce encounter is continuing. The police also recovered the motorcycle on which the jawans had entered the forest during the combing operation. The bodies of the three police personnel were being taken to Bhanjangar for post mortem. Meanwhile, sources said the Naxalites, in the face of a strong force engaged in the combing operation, had started dispersing in small groups and trekking inside the dense forest to find out alternative escape routes. — UNI
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ULFA calls Assam bandh tomorrow
Guwahati, February 17 In an e-mail to the media here, ULFA chairman Arabindo Rajkhowa said the bandh was called to protest against the arrest of Bordoloi and several other “human rights” activists. The outfit said the bandh call had also been given to protest against the “fake encounters by the security forces in which several innocent civilians have been killed”. Bordoloi was arrested on February 11 in connection with the alleged ULFA plan to hijack an aircraft. Three others, Air Deccan employee Suman Dutta, human rights activist Khagen Talukdar and journalist Pradip Gogoi were arrested for their alleged links with the ULFA. Gogoi denies links with ULFA
Denying allegations of the opposition that his government had links with the ULFA, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today termed them “baseless” and said his government had launched a crackdown on it. “The charge made by the opposition parties, including the BJP and AGP, is baseless ... In fact, it is our government, which has launched a crackdown on those indulging in anti-national activities and it will continue,” Gogoi said at a meeting here to celebrate the Congress’ victory in the panchayat election. “Have the opposition including, the BJP and the AGP, uttered a single word against the ULFA?,” he asked.
— PTI
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GoM Meeting Ambika walks out
New Delhi, February 17 Sources privy to the meeting said that Soni staged the walkout over protest against Baalu's charge that she was coming in the way of the implementation of the Rs 2,287 crore project. "You are the only person responsible for the delay," he is reported to have said at the meeting of the GoM headed by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and having some other senior ministers including HRD minister Arjun Singh as members. Baalu, when contacted by PTI, declined to comment. The DMK, to which Baalu belongs, wants an early completion of the project as per the present alignment. Soni is in favour of a detailed archaeological survey as per international norms before taking any decision on the project which is being opposed by Hindu groups. The Culture Ministry is emphasising that since all public interest litigations in the matter are concerning issues relating to culture, an archaeological study as has been done at Nagarjun Konda would be proper in this case and that any other committee would not be able to serve the purpose.
Togadia warns of agitation
Vadodara: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will launch an agitation if the government goes ahead with the Sethusamudram Ship Canal Project, its international general secretary Pravin Togadia today warned. Togadia told mediapersons at Sokhda village on the outskirts of the city that after VHP's huge rally in Delhi about a month ago, the government should give up any idea or plans of going ahead with the project. He said lakhs of persons from various parts of the country had attended the rally to register their protest on this issue. Earlier, the 'chakka jam' (road blockade) organised by the organisation against the government's stand on 'Ram Setu' too had received overwhelming support from people across the country, he claimed. Togadia is in Sokhda to attend a two-day conference of Seva Sangam organised by the VHP for serving the poor and needy nationwide through 6,056 projects. When pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Karunanidhi may be pushing for the implementation of the Sethusamudram project, Togadia said that any attempt to "play with Lord Ram will not be tolerated". He also stressed on the need to build the Ram temple at the same place in Ayodhya and said the VHP will not allow any shift from the original site to any other place.
— PTI
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Meghalaya Poll
Guwahati, February 17 NCP leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker P.A. Sangma and both his sons, James K. Sangma and Conrad K
Sangma, are contesting elections from three different constituencies in the Garo Hills areas as NCP candidates. As the senior Sangma is staging a come back to the state politics after a long gap, he has chosen to take both his sons along in his new chapter in Meghalaya politics. The former Lok Sabha Speaker, who has represented the Tura Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament 10 times, is eyeing the Chief Minister’s post as the NCP hopes to cash in on the leadership crisis that has been a bane for the rival Congress in the state. The day he filed his nomination papers, Sangma made it clear that for him there was no plan to go back to the national politics and was all geared up to provide leadership to his home state. He has come back to Meghalaya politics for good. Obviously, it was right time for him to introduce his two sons to politics while he is around. His elder son, James K.
Sangma, is contesting from Rongchugiri, while the younger, Conrad K.
Sangma, is fighting from Selsella.
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Selection right for a post cannot be indefinite: SC
New Delhi, February 17 The ruling was handed down by a Bench, comprising Justices S.B. Sinha and V.S. Sirpurkar, while allowing the appeal of Jharkhand, against the direction of the high court to give weightage to those whose appointment was cancelled after the detection of the fodder scam in 1996 in Bihar. All appointments of technical assistance made on ad hoc in the Frozen Semen Bank Project and the appointments were made by the regional director, animal husbandary, Ranchi. Some of the assistants went to the high court against their removal from service and the court directed to provide relaxation in age limit and also to give weightage to their experience. However, the high court also extended the relief even to those who had not approached the court against their termination. The apex court in its judgement dated February 14 noted: “There is a sea change in the situation in the field of public employment. Ten years have passed, a new state has come into being. Thousands of persons have acquired similar or higher qualifications. They have got their names registered in the employment exchanges. The job opportunities in specialised field being limited, those who were now entitled to be considered, may not be considered at all if the order of the high court is allowed to operate.” The judgement also noted that the guarantee of equality as envisaged under Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution must be protected. “While passing one order or the other, we should not forget the interest of those who were not before us. The citizens have human right of development and offer of appointment on such posts should be directed to be made only on merit. “Only because some persons had approached this court and obtained an order, the same should not be extended to others, to which they were not otherwise entitled, namely weightage in service over the new applicants,” it added.
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Muslim girls can declare forced marriage ‘null & void’
New Delhi, February 17 Islamic scholars and clerics from several Muslim bodies share the view that a girl cannot be forced to marry. The decision was taken at a meeting which was attended by members of the AIMPLB, Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband and more than 100 prominent bodies under the banner of Islamic Fiqh Academy (IFA). After a long discussion, over 300 participants unanimously decided that "in Islam, the girl has every right to marry the boy of her choice and her parents cannot impose their decision on her," said general secretary of IFA Amin Usmani. “The Sharia gives the girl the right to choose her future husband,” he said. It was “total injustice” to force a girl to marry a boy whom she doesn't like, the decision said. The decision further said that if a girl was forced to marry by her parents or anyone against her wish, she can declare the marriage “null and void”. “Forced marriage is not allowed in Islam and if a girl is forced to go against her wish, she has every right to declare her marriage null and void,” S.Q.R. Ilyas, an Islamic scholar and spokesman of All- India Muslim Personal Law Board said. Afroz Mujtaba, a cleric, said, “The marriage, if forced on the girl, will be against Sharia (Islamic law). The girl can reject the boy (bridegroom) at the time of marriage or even after it, if she doesn't like him,” he said. — PTI
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Reservation for Women
New Delhi, February 17 “About one lakh women workers and leaders are expected to converge at Ram Lila maidan in New Delhi from across the country to press for women’s reservation,” BJP Mahila Morcha national president and Lok Sabha MP Kiran Maheshwari said in a statement here today. “It is not a request any more, but a demand for our rights,” Maheshwari asserted.
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DefExpo
New Delhi, February 17 “We have negotiated a deal with the Navy for supplying four air frames of Sea Harriers from our naval surplus,” Hugh Thomas, a top British Defence Ministry official, told newsmen at the DefExpo here. This would help Indian Navy to refurbish the Sea Harriers as there is a major depletion of the Jump Jet squadrons. He also said India and UK were in advanced stage of negotiations for supply to India of Submarine Rescue Vehicles for the Indian Navy. India has for the past four years been striving to acquire these vessels to mount rescue of its submarines in distress. The British official said Whitehall had also offered to locate a harrier post design service station in India to overhaul and maintain the Navy’s Sea Harrier fighters. The British offer could not have been more timely as a spate of recent crashes have badly depleted Indian Sea Harrier squadrons, with flying having to be restricted because of falling numbers. On the sharing of technology
A.J.D. Pawson, head of Britain’s Defence Export Services said, “technology is playing an increasing role in today’s military hardware. We would be only too happy to share this with India’s defence industry”. ‘Our relations with the Indian armed forces are historical. We need to take these further,’ Pawson said. In this context, he noted that Britain’s share of the $60 billion global arms exports during 2007 was $20 billion. “This reinforces our position as the second largest arms exporter after the United States,” Pawson pointed out.
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Lanka procuring arms from Pak to fight LTTE
New Delhi, February 17 "We are facing a problem of terrorism against a democratically- elected legitimate state. In that situation, the government needs to procure equipment to resist that terrorism. So, we are making the purchases," Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India C.R Jaisinghe told PTI when asked about reports that Sri Lanka was procuring arms from Pakistan. Noting that the island nation had witnessed a surge in violence in recent months, he said: "The arms and equipment purchases are for our internal security and they are certainly not because we perceive a threat from any external power." Asked whether Sri Lanka wanted military supplies from India, the envoy was not specific and broadly said, "we always look forward to Indian support. We have no doubt that we have the goodwill of India". "I think there is no doubt in the minds of Sri Lankans that we have the goodwill (of India) in our effort to preserve the undivided nature of the country and work for a political solution that is acceptable to all,"
he said. India has been refusing to supply arms to Sri Lanka but is exchanging political support for maintenance of the island nation's territorial unity. With India reluctant to enhance defence cooperation with it, Sri Lanka has shown signs of turning towards Pakistan with a high-level defence delegation from Islamabad holding talks with senior officials in Colombo recently.
— PTI
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Multiplexes stop screening ‘Jodhaa Akbar’
Ahmedabad, February 17 A group of people also vandalised a single-screen cinema hall in Naroda area of the city today which was screening the movie, the police said. “Most of the multiplexes have temporarily stopped screening of ‘Jodhaa Akbar’ after a group of around 25 persons came to all the multiplexes and warned against screening the film,” Manubhai Patel, president of Multiplexs Owners’ Association of Gujarat told PTI. “We are trying to convince the people of the Rajput community to allow us to screen the movie,” he added. Meanwhile, a group of around 25 persons broke glass doors, windows and furniture of Galaxy Cinema Hall, the police said. The police brought the rampage under control by mild lathicharge, officials said, adding that they have detained three persons. The police was not aware of the political or social affiliations of the group which attacked the cinema hall. This is first such attack on cinema hall which was screening the controversial film “Jodhaa Akbar” in Gujarat. The film has not been allowed to be screened in Rajastahan following protest by Rajput groups. The VHP had yesterday backed the Rajput community in their protest against the film. VHP leader Pravin Togadia said the Rajput community was justified in opposing the screening because it had “distorted” the facts. Patna: A group of Rajputs on Sunday burnt and tore posters and made abortive attempt to force their way into a cinema hall here to stop the screening of Hrithik Roshan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan starrer ‘Jodhaa Akbar’. Around 50 youths under the banner of the Kshatriya Yuva Morcha (KYM) collected before famous Ashok Cinema here and tried to force their way inside, but securitymen prevented them, the police said. Furious over being stopped outside the hall, they tore some posters put up on the walls and also burnt them before being chased away by the police, they said. Later, state KYM president Rajiv Kumar Singh, who led the protestors, told PTI that some portions of the film “distorted historical facts” which required to be immediately deleted. “None of Akbar’s 34 wives had the name, surname, nick name, or alias of Jodhaa ... How could one change it now,” he said on the film directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar. “We don’t want screening of the film to continue till the makers of the film submits a public apology for hurting the sentiments of the Rajputs,” Singh said.
— PTI
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Regulate fee structure in private schools: Panel
New Delhi, February 17 “The monitoring of private schools, in terms of ensuring a transparent admission process, regulation of fee structures as well as meeting minimum set standards for quality of teaching and infrastructure, requires attention,” commission chairman Sam Pitroda said. In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said since private schools play an important role in the field of education, there was need for both enabling and regulating mechanisms for them. “There should be transparent, norm-based and straight forward procedures for the recognition of private schools to reduce harassment and bureaucratic delay,” he said in the letter, copies of which were forwarded to HRD minister Arjun Singh and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. Pitroda suggested transparent criteria for disbursement of aid from the government to self-financing schools, especially those which cater to underprivileged children. He also proposed an evaluation body at the national level to monitor the quality of both government and private schools, using a result-based monitoring framework at different levels. In the 15-point suggestion made to the Prime Minister, the commission suggested reforms in the curriculum and examination system and incorporation of English into the curriculum from Class I. “Non-teaching official duties such as electoral activities should not be allowed to interfere with the teaching process,” he said, but at the same time favoured transparent system for ensuring accountability of school teaching.
— PTI
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Teachers’ kids may not get free schooling New Delhi, February 17 The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) in the Delhi Public School (DPS) case has ruled that “all expenses incurred in the running of the schools, where education is imparted to children, are to be taken into account, both direct or indirect.” The ITAT gave this ruling while rejecting the contention of Delhi Public School that indirect costs like financial expenses, transport, repair and maintenance should not be taken into account while computing the per child cost of education. The issue assumes significance because if the “cost or perquisite value exceeds Rs 1,000 per month per child, then the entire amount is to be added and taxed as a perquisite in the hands of the employee”, the ITAT said. After assigning a monetary value to the free or concessional education, the school managements will be required to deduct TDS (Tax Deduction at Source) from salary of teachers and other staff members. It further clarified that school management can assign the cost (perquisite value) of providing free education on the basis of actual expenditure incurred by the management. — PTI
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Naga peace process has slowed down, says Naryanan
Kohima, February 17 Narayanan, who paid a two-day visit to Nagaland to review the security scenario ahead of the March 5 assembly election, said the Centre was ready to give broad concessions to the Nagas once this prerequisite was met. “We can work out a new arrangement for the Naga people with maximum autonomy and freedom but this must be under the Indian union,” Narayanan told the local English daily Morung Express. Admitting the peace dialogue slowed down because of this factor, he said the foremost question that needed to be addressed was whether the basis of the current peace parleys was within the parameter of the Indian Constitution. He said the NSCN-IM leadership was yet to give a clear reply to this question. He said a sub-committee had been set up for this purpose but it had not yet arrived at any conclusion. The Constitution was flexible enough to accommodate broad concessions and this point had already been conveyed to NSCN-IM leadership. Last year, both the Centre and NSCN-IM had agreed in Bangkok to form expert committees to study the Constitution in the context of the charter of demands already submitted by the group during the prolonged course of peace talks.
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Shiv Sena unperturbed by Raj’s popularity
Mumbai, February 17 What Raj and his political outfit Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) were doing would not have much affect on the Marathi people, who were emotionally and culturally bonded to Shiv Sena and its chief Bal Thackeray and they would not be swayed by his rhetorics, said Shiv Sena spokesperson Neelam Gorhe. The spate of attacks on the north Indian migrants, the emotive speeches of Raj accusing them of destroying the culture of Maharashtra, his criticism of the film star Amitabh Bachchan and his subsequent arrest had brought Raj into the centre-stage of controversy. Criticising the MNS for its vacillating stand, Gorhe said the party was not clear as to what it wanted. When the MNS was formed, Raj announced that they would have an all-inclusive approach towards the people. This was even reflected in their flag. But later, when they found it was leading them nowhere, they changed
their track. Gorhe said they were taking the Samajwadi Party head on. But during the Thane Municipal Corporation election, the MNS had supported SP candidate. In Pune and Nasik they were having good ties with the Congress. This only showed that the MNS was not clear as to what it wanted,
she said. — PTI
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Threat to Maya’s life real, admits DGP Varanasi, February 17 Interacting with mediapersons at the Ravi Das Park, Singh said “yes there is a clear cut threat to Mayawatiji’s life, which is why the state police has been put on the highest possible alert.” Singh visited the Ravi Das Park and Ravi Das Temple where the UP CM will pay visit on the occasion of Ravidas Jayanti. — UNI
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Fire at Kolkata leather unit
Kolkata, February 17 Twenty-four fire tenders took six hours to bring the fire under control. “The situation is under control now and the entire thing will be normal in another three hours,” a fire officer said. Local residents noticed smoke billowing out of XL Enterprise Pvt Ltd, a multi-storied manufacturing unit engaged
in producing leather cigarette cases for export, at 8.30 am. The industrial estate, housing small and medium scale manufacturers, is located in the southern suburbs of the metropolis. State Fire Minister Pratim
Chatterjee, who was on the spot said, “There is only one exit point in the entire building. Moreover, all companies functioning over here do not have any fire fighting equipment.” “The raw materials- leather, chemical goods and colour are highly inflammable but the companies do very little to take precautionary measures,” Chatterjee added. Proprietor of the company Sajal Dutta was not available for comment but technical director, Susobhan
Dasgupta, said, “We are yet to assess the loss of the property. It is certain that it will not be less than Rs 2
crore.” “We have a working force of 200 but as it is a Sunday there has been no casualty. Had it been any other day, it would have been a mess,” Dasgupta said. “Fire tenders came long after we had informed them. Had they arrived earlier, the loss could have been
minimised,” he added. — PTI
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One in every 30.5 e-mails contains virus: Report
New Delhi, February 17 “Virus activity increased across a number of countries in January, including India, which takes the number one spot with 1 in 30.5 e-mails,” a study conducted by a web security services firm MessageLabs said. Apart from virus attacks, spams are now proving to be the most disruptive element in the e-mail traffic. The study conducted in January this year found the global ratio of spam mail was 73.4 per cent, which means one in every 1.36 e-mail was affected. Interestingly, virus attack on the western countries are far less than on
India. — PTI
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I don’t compose for Grammy, says Anoushka Shankar
New Delhi, February 17 “I don’t expect anything. I am a musician and just want to keep on composing music for the sheer love of it. So, I have no expectation of Grammy for my album,” says Anoushka, whose last album, ‘Rise’ was nominated for the Grammy last year. Anoushka, who has lent her support for a number of social issues like animals rights and PETA, will be performing live in the capital this Wednesday as a part of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and is upbeat about it. “It is an honour to be associated with WFP and I hope to carry on this association as long as possible and reach out to the people through my music,” says Anoushka, who will be performing Indian classical, including the Karnatic classical music in the concert. At an age of 26, Anoushka already has five albums to her name and now she is in hurry to rush to the sixth. “I am not planning any album for the moment as I have just released my album about four weeks ago. I will be doing a lot of concerts in the coming days, about 80 of them in India and worldwide,” she says. — PTI
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Bipasha fan of Pak singer Atif Aslam
Mumbai, February 17 Just back from Kolkata after shooting for her first Bengali film,
"Sab Charitra Kalpunik" (All Characters Imaginary) by Rituparno
Ghosh, Bipasha almost swoons at the mention of her favourite singer. "I am a diehard fan of Atif from the time he sang
'Tere Bin' and 'Doori'. I wish he would sing for me some day. I listen to his albums in my car all the time and so when I heard about the track
'Jaan-e-Jana' in 'Race', I knew only Atif could do it," she said. Bipasha not only recommended Atif for the song but also urged the film's producers to sign up her favourite singer. "And why not? Atif has a deal with Tips, which is producing 'Race'. So this was my golden opportunity to get Atif into one of my films. And now
'Jaan-e-Jana' is my favourite song in 'Race'." Talk about the crackling chemistry the actress shares with Saif Ali Khan in "Race" and Bipasha lights up. "It's a slick sensuous thriller and I share good chemistry not only with Saif but also with Akshaye
Khanna. I was working with both Saif and Akshaye for the first time. They're good actors." "It's been really hectic for me. We worked on Ritu's film on a very tight schedule. I loved my role and the chance to speak in my mother tongue for the first time. I also shot in
Santiniketan. It was something I really looked forward to. Unfortunately, I was there for just two days and it was raining all the time. I reached late in the night, shot the whole day and returned to
Kolkata." — IANS
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Freedom fighter Upendra Vajpeyi dead
New Delhi, February 17 He was 86 and survived by his wife Aruna Patel Vajpeyi, brother Raghavendra and a sister
Pratibha. The last rites will take place here tomorrow at the Lodhi Road electric crematorium, Gopal Misra, a cousin of Vajpeyi, told The Tribune here. A doyen among India’s senior parliamentary correspondents and columnists, Vajpeyi’s writings both in Hindi and English received wide acclaim. He wrote a number of books and edited documents related to key areas of policy and development. Vajpeyi, son of pandit Ambika Prasad Vajpeyi, a legendary Hindi journalist, had spent three and half years in jail during the Quit India Movement in 1942. He devoted his entire life to promote press freedom and also the cause of working journalists. He was elected president of the Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) immediately after the revocation of the internal Emergency. He was closely associated with the All-India Journalists’ movement throughout his life. Apart from serving with various newspapers, he also re-scripted the state government’s information services in Uttar Pradesh as chairperson of the Information Reorganisation Committee. He was a visiting professor at the BHU and also on various committees of universities like IGNOU and Rajasthan University.
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Actress Manorama dead
Mumbai, February 17 The portly woman with exaggerated eyelashes and expressions was popularly known for roles like the wicked aunt in “Seeta Aur Geeta”, “Ek Phool Do Maali” and “Do Kaliyan”. However, she is also said to have worked as a heroine in quite a few movies when she started her acting career in Lahore (now in Pakistan) over six decades ago, according to one of her former colleagues. She married Raja Naqsar, also an actor.
— IANS
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