L A T E S T      N E W S

AAP office attacked in Mumbai; Party suspects NCP hand

MUMBAI: The Aam Aadmi Party office in suburban Andheri was allegedly vandalised by a group of 20-25 persons today. The party blamed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for the attack.

"AAP Maharashtra office attacked by NCP goons," AAP said in a tweet.

AAP volunteer Paritosh said the vandals had entered the second floor of their office located at Chakala in Andheri and burnt the poster of party chief Arivind Kejriwal.

The vandals had thrown black ink bottles all over the office and damaged party banners, he said. He added the attackers had also used filthy language and shouted slogans.

"Police had to intervene and take them away," said Paritosh. The party would file an FIR and submit CCTV footage at its office with the police, he added.

Police sources said the group had entered the AAP office at around 2:30 pm.

NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik told the PTI they were "seeking the details of the incident".

The alleged attack came two days after AAP leader Anjali Damania attacked Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar for high electricity bills due to corruption and the inefficiency in the state government and distribution companies. - PTI

China should shed expansionist mindset: Modi

PASIGHAT (Arunachal) : Wading into a foreign policy issue for the first time, Narendra Modi on Saturday asked China to shed its “expansionist mindset”, making it clear that no power on earth can snatch Arunachal Pradesh from India.

“China should shed its expansionist policy and forge bilateral ties with India for peace, progress and prosperity of both the nations,” the BJP prime ministerial candidate said addressing a meeting in Pasighat in his current election campaign.

“Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India and will always remain so. No power can snatch it from us. People of Arunachal Pradesh didn’t come under pressure or fear of China,” he said.

“I swear in the name of this soil that I will never allow the state to disappear...breakdown and to bow down,” Mr. Modi said to a thunderous applause from people gathered near the mighty Siang River.

He said China should shed its expansionist mindset because the world of today does not accept it. The entire world is moving towards development, he said.

“China needs to change its stand. China should shed its expansionist mindset and adopt the plank of development. Focus is on the development all over the world,” the Gujarat Chief Minister said.

Lauding the patriotic nature of the people, Modi said that because of the people, who were guarding the state as well as the country as sentinels, Arunachal remained an integral part of the country.

“The people here are real patriots as they salute their counterparts with ‘Jai Hind’ and are zealously protecting the state’s territory..... They gave a befitting reply to the advancing Chinese army during 1962 and the British and several army personnel from the state also fought with Pakistan during the Kargil war,” he said.

While directly referring to the January 29 murder of Arunachal Pradesh youth Nido Tania in Delhi, Modi cautioned the UPA government against underestimating the people of the state and added that it was the duty of the entire nation to protect the people and the state’s territorial integrity. - PTI

JD-U leader Ali Anwar labels Modi a conman 
who is fooling the nation

NEW DELHI: Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader Ali Anwar on Saturday described Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi as a conman organizing a circus in the name of rallies all over the country and fooling the people. 

“The Modi circus is going on across the whole country. It is a circus of money to mislead people and gain their trust, but, as soon as the elections get over, they (BJP or NDA), are going to reveal their true colours. The BJP and Congress is the same,” said Anwar.

“He wears the traditional costumes of every state he visits in the northeast. He is a conman, and, the people know and watch everything. They will come to the circus, enjoy and go back,” he said.

“I would also like to ask where are the crores of rupees that are being spent to arrange these rallies coming from?” he added.

Modi will be addressing three rallies in the northeast today, aiming to win the maximum out of 25 Lok Sabha seats in the region.

He will be addressing these rallies in Silchar (Assam), Agartala (Tripura) and Pasighat (Arunachal Pradesh). - ANI

Jayalalithaa hints at prime ministership

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalithaa hinted at prime ministership during the launch of a state project in Chennai. 

Jayalalithaa was speaking at the inauguration of the official website of Tamil Nadu Infrastructural Development Board. While speaking about the proposed infrastructural policies for the state, she also added that she had a clear vision for the country.

"I have a vision for India in which, Tamil Nadu will play a key role, a vision of a resurgent India. A nation with an inclusive society, and open markets, a nation of enterprise and creativity driven by knowledge and shaped by family values, a nation of growth with equity, a nation with peace, stability and development; a modern, secular and prosperous India. 

I want to assure you all that this day is not far," said Jayalalithaa. (ANI)

Congress mulls post-Telangana options 

NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday held talks with state cabinet ministers Kanna Lakshminarayana and Uttam Kumar Reddy, who come from Andhra and Telangana regions respectively.

With Chief Minister N. Kumar Reddy’s resignation, the Congress is in a dilemma to whether impose President’s rule in Andhra Pradesh or name his successor or wait for a few days to install two chief ministers in two states -- Telangana and successor state of Andhra Pradesh.

Kanna’s name was doing rounds for last few months as possible successor to Kiran Reddy after the latter revolted against the leadership over its decision to split the state. The agriculture minister, who did not defy the leadership, held talks with some central leaders few weeks ago.

Uttam Kumar Reddy is also considered a loyal and non-controversial leader. Sonia Gandhi on Friday held talks with former state Congress chief D. Srinivas and Minister Geeta Reddy, both from Telangana.

The leadership is believed to be considering various options including appointment of two presidents of the party in the two states. It is also trying to take Telangana leaders into confidence for naming a leader from Seemandhra as chief minister for the undivided state.

As the overwhelming view in the party is against imposing President’s rule in the wake of ensuing simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and state assembly, the leadership is toying with the idea of naming a leader from Seemandhra as Chief Minister till the elections.

Party sources said there was also possibility of the leadership waiting for the next few days for two new states to formally come into being. However, Kiran Reddy has already conveyed to the governor that he would not like to continue as caretaker Chief Minister for long.

The leadership is also discussing the pros and cons of appointing two chief ministers and two party chiefs. As the leaders from Telangana are demanding that the elections be held in two separate states, the central leadership may have to finally exercise this option, sources said. - IANS

China summons US diplomat over Obama-Dalai meeting

BEIJING: China summoned US Charge d’Affaires in Beijing and lodged a strong diplomatic protest after President Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama at the White House despite warnings from Beijing that the meeting would damage ties.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhang Yesui summoned Daniel Kritenbrink, Charge d’Affaires of the U.S. embassy in China, on Friday night to lodge solemn representations for Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama disregarding China’s strong opposition, the Foreign Ministry here said in a statement.

Zhang said such a wrong move gravely interfered in China’s internal affairs, seriously violated the U.S. commitment of not supporting the “Tibet independence”, gravely violated basic norms governing the international relations and seriously undermined the China-US relations.

“China expresses strong indignation and firm opposition,” Zhang said.

The meeting is a serious violation of the basic norms of international relations and caused serious damage to the US-China relations, the statement was quoted by the state-run Xinhua news agency as saying.

Obama offered “strong support” for Tibetans’ human rights as he met the Dalai Lama.During the meeting, he extended support to the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach of neither assimilation nor independence for Tibetans in China.

The U.S. announcement of Obama’s third meeting with the Tibetan spiritual leader drew a sharp reaction from China, which has long opposed foreign dignitaries meeting the Dalai Lama who fled to India in 1959.

Earlier, China lodged diplomatic protest soon after the White House announced the meeting and later the Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying sought its cancellation saying it would seriously impair bilateral ties. Hua told a media briefing that “we are deeply concerned and have lodged solemn representations with the US side.”

“We must point out that Tibet-related affairs fall entirely within the internal affairs of China which allow no foreign interference. The Dalai Lama is a political exile who has long been engaged in anti-China separatist activities under the cloak of religion”, she said.

“By arranging a meeting between the President and the Dalai Lama, the U.S. side will grossly interfere in the internal affairs of China, seriously violate norms governing international relations and severely impair China-US relations,” Hua had said ahead of the meeting.

Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama -- both Nobel Peace Prize laureates -- have met twice before in 2010 and 2011, drawing similar protests from China. - PTI