N A T I O N

Rahul Gandhi visits the site of the blast. Earlier when he went to meet the injured at the Ram Manohar Lohia hospital, he faced an angry crowd which raised slogans against him. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

ATS questions Mumbai man
Mumbai, September 7
The anti-terror squad of the Mumbai police is questioning one Mohammad Haroun, a resident of Mumbra on the outskirts of the city, in connection with today's bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court, according to sources.

High court refuses to get cowed down
New Delhi, September 7
The Delhi High Court, along with several benches of the Supreme Court, suspended proceedings on Wednesday after a powerful blast rocked its premises, but resumed its functioning within hours to send a strong message that it “will not be cowed down by such terror acts”.

Despite proposal, CCTVs weren’t installed in HC
New Delhi, September 7
Was a suggestion by the Delhi Police for installing CCTV cameras on the Delhi High Court premises after the May 25 blast ignored? This question has cropped up after today's bomb blast outside the High Court.

Govt determined to crush terror: Prime Minister
On Board the PM’s Aircraft, September 7
Reacting to the powerful blast in New Delhi today morning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked all political parties to give up ‘mutual recrimination and mutual bickering’ and help the government in tackling the menace of terrorism.

World condemns ‘cowardly’ attack
New Delhi, September 7
Nations across the world today condemned the bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court, that caused heavy casualties, with the US offering every possible assistance to help bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.

Amended land Bill tabled in LS
n Will allow acquisition of multi-crop land
n Concerns of Punjab, Haryana allayed
New Delhi, September 7
Bowing to agrarian states like Punjab and Haryana, the Government today introduced in the Lok Sabha an amended version of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011, deleting from it the previously proposed provision to impose a blanket-ban on the acquisition of multi-cropped, irrigated land.

ATS questions Mumbai man
Shiv Kumar/TNS

Mumbai, September 7
The anti-terror squad of the Mumbai police is questioning one Mohammad Haroun, a resident of Mumbra on the outskirts of the city, in connection with today's bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court, according to sources.

Haroun was arrested with huge amounts of foreign currency and counterfeit Indian rupees on his arrival from Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, police officials said. “He is a carrier tasked with providing funds for some people in India,” a police official said. However, Haroun is proving to be a tough nut to track and is not providing enough details as to who provided funds to him nor who was supposed to receive the money in India, according to sources.

A member of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India Haroun had joined the Indian Mujahideen and is suspected to have visited Pakistan at the behest of that country's ISI intelligence agency, sources say. Following information available from several suspects arrested in connection with bombing incidents in different parts of India, the security agencies had put out alerts to nab Haroun if he ever entered the country.

After his arrest late last month, Haroun was questioned about his links with the triple bomb blasts in Mumbai on July 13. However after today's bomb blast in New Delhi, officials feel that Haroun may have been part of the group that hatched the fresh terror incident, sources say. Investigators are yet to solve the triple bomb blasts in Mumbai though they have arrested a number of people including several history-sheeters so far.

High court refuses to get cowed down

New Delhi, September 7
The Delhi High Court, along with several benches of the Supreme Court, suspended proceedings on Wednesday after a powerful blast rocked its premises, but resumed its functioning within hours to send a strong message that it “will not be cowed down by such terror acts”.

The high court resumed proceedings in the post-lunch session.

All the courts were working. In case of failure of any litigant or lawyer to appear in the case, the courts abstained from passing any adverse order against them.

A member of the Delhi Bar Council said the court has resumed proceedings “to send a strong message that it will not come under pressure or be cowed down by such acts of terror”. — TNS

Despite proposal, CCTVs weren’t installed in HC

New Delhi, September 7
Was a suggestion by the Delhi Police for installing CCTV cameras on the Delhi High Court premises after the May 25 blast ignored? This question has cropped up after today's bomb blast outside the High Court.

Sources said immediately after the May 25 low intensity blast outside the high court premises, the Delhi Police had conducted a security audit of the complex and suggested a number of places where the CCTV should be installed. However, the rigmarole of procedures to install these vital snoop devices were probably the reason that even after more than three months, the CCTVs could not be installed.

Sources said once a decision is being taken to install the CCTV cameras, it is the Public Works Department of the Delhi Government which is supposed to carry out the installation work. — PTI

Govt determined to crush terror: Prime Minister
Ashok Tuteja/TNS

On Board the PM’s Aircraft, September 7
Reacting to the powerful blast in New Delhi today morning, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked all political parties to give up ‘mutual recrimination and mutual bickering’ and help the government in tackling the menace of terrorism.

Describing the explosion as a cowardly act of terrorist nature, he said he was confident that India “will and must” win the war against terror.

Talking to reporters while returning from Dhaka after his two-day trip to Bangladesh, the PM admitted that there were still certain weaknesses in the country’s security apparatus which had to be plugged. After the terrorist attack in Mumbai in November 2008, the Centre and the state governments had taken several steps to deal with terrorism. However, there were still certain “unresolved problems”.

Asked if the Centre had any leads to the blast in the national capital, he said the government did have some information. “We still can’t say who is behind it… It is too early for that,” he said.

“We will deal with it (terrorism). We will never succumb to the pressure of terrorism,’’ he said in a statement in Dhaka earlier. Singh said India was fighting a long war against terrorism in which all political parties, all the people of India had to stand united so that the scourge was crushed.

“I have heard the sad news from Delhi about the bomb blast. I am told that 10 people have been killed. My heart goes out to the bereaved families and to those who are injured, I convey my best wishes,” he said.

On the recent agitation by Anna Hazare in support of a strong Lokpal Bill, the PM said it only highlighted the fact that corruption had become a major issue and a cause of concern in the country.

On the arrest of high-profile politician Amar Singh for his alleged role in the cash-for-vote scandal which prompted the Opposition to attack the UPA government, Singh said this was a subject which had come up during the last session of Parliament. “At that time, I had welcomed a debate on it and also made a statement… I stand by that.”

About the frequent stalling of Parliament by the BJP in protest against the appointment of Lokayukta by the Gujarat Governor without consulting the state government, he said all political parties must do some introspection so that legislative agenda could be transacted in the House. Not allowing Parliament to function was national wastage, he added.

He said the Gujarat matter was in the court, which should be allowed to take a view on it. “This is not a valid ground for disrupting Parliament…We should ensure that the legislative agenda does not suffer because some unfortunate incident has taken place in a state.”

World condemns ‘cowardly’ attack

New Delhi, September 7
Nations across the world today condemned the bomb blast outside the Delhi High Court, that caused heavy casualties, with the US offering every possible assistance to help bring the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice.

Calling the blast a cowardly attack, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said: “I was appalled to hear of the bomb blast outside the High Court in Delhi today. I condemn this cowardly attack."

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and PM Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed their “deepest sympathies to the families of the victims of the bombing, to the government and people of India.” — PTI

Amended land Bill tabled in LS
n Will allow acquisition of multi-crop land
n Concerns of Punjab, Haryana allayed
Tribune News Service

The proposals n False rehabilitation claims to be recovered n Any rehabilitation benefit availed of by making a false claim can be recovered by the appropriate authority n Anyone submitting false information liable for punishment up to one month; fine up to Rs 1 lakh or both n Contravention of law to be punished with imprisonment up to three years or fine or both n Company directors, heads of Govt departments to be prosecuted if found guilty

New Delhi, September 7
Bowing to agrarian states like Punjab and Haryana, the Government today introduced in the Lok Sabha an amended version of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill 2011, deleting from it the previously proposed provision to impose a blanket-ban on the acquisition of multi-cropped, irrigated land.

The new Bill, which, as and when it is passed, will replace the 117-year old Act of 1894 and will allow acquisition of multi-cropped irrigated land as a "last resort ".

The Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, who introduced the Bill, informed that Chief Ministers of Punjab, Haryana and Kerala had objected to the blanket ban on the acquisition of multi-crop irrigated land.

Not just the states, several ministers, MPs and also the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia were not in favour of the clause and held that it would hamper economic growth and industrialisation.

The Bill makes even the permission ‘as a last resor’ conditional by providing that an equivalent area of culturable wasteland would have to be developed if multi-crop land is acquired. In districts with net sown less than 50 per cent of the geographical area, not more than 10 per cent of the net sown area will be allowed to be acquired.

The Bill states that the law will apply when the government acquires land for its own use or with the ultimate aim of transferring it for use of private companies for stated public purpose or for immediate and declared use by private companies for public purpose.

The consent of 80 per cent project affected families would have to be obtained prior to acquisition and urgency clause has been limited to exigencies of national defence, security and rehabilitation following calamities.

A welcome provision says that any land, not used within 10 years for the purpose for which it was acquired, will be transferred to the states' land bank and upon every such transfer, 20 per cent of its appreciated value will be shared with the original land owner.

The Bill, for the first time, ensures a comprehensive compensation package for land owners and livelihood losers. It proposes that market value calculated for the land will be multiplied by a factor of two in the rural areas.

Solatium will also be increased up to 100 per cent of the total compensation. Where land is acquired for urbanisation, 20 per cent of developed land will be offered to the affected owners.

For SCs and STs affected by acquisition, protections have been given. "The Bill envisages additional benefits of 2.5 acres of land to each affected SC/ST family; one-time financial assistance of Rs 50,000; 25 per cent additional rehabilitation/resettlement benefits for families settled outside the district,” states the Bill.