Taliban completely withdraw from Buner: Pakistan

PESHAWAR: Taliban militants have completed their pullback from a district just 60 miles (100 kilometers) from the Pakistani capital and troops have fanned out in their wake, a senior official said on Saturday.

The Taliban's retreat to their stronghold in the Swat Valley brings some relief for Pakistani officials trying to salvage a controversial peace deal that halted nearly two years of bloody fighting in the northwestern region.

But US officials kept up their pressure for more forceful action against Islamist groups they argue present a growing threat to Pakistan's stability as well as to American troops battling in neighboring Afghanistan
.

Militants from Swat seized Buner, a jumble of mountains and farmsteads on the west bank of the Indus River, after President Asif Ali Zardari earlier this month signed the peace pact, which provides for the introduction of Islamic law in the region.

They began pulling out on Friday as officials issued increasingly loud threats of military action and a hardline cleric who mediated the peace deal intervened to defuse the tension.

Syed Mohammad Javed, the top government official in Malakand division, which includes Swat and Buner, said on Saturday that all the militants had crossed the mountains passes into Swat.

"They all have gone back," Javed said. "No one is left in Buner."

He also said that six platoons of paramilitary troops had deployed to police stations across Buner.

"If police need their help, they will assistant them in maintaining law and order," Javed said.

Javed said the cleric, Sufi Muhammad, had also given his assurance that militants would soon retreat to Swat from another neighboring area, Shangla.

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Arun Shourie touts Narendra Modi as Advani's successor

NEW DELHI: In what may be the first clear advocacy of Narendra Modi for PM by a senior BJP leader, former minister Arun Shourie said the Gujarat chief minister's leadership of his state was exemplary as he had already implemented programmes being promised by political parties in their manifestos.

Speaking in Ahmedabad, Shourie suggested that it could be Modi's turn to be projected as BJP's prime ministerial nominee after L K Advani as he said, "You have an opportunity to elect the PM not only this time but in the next polls also." He said Gujarat was a model state for governance and development in the country.

Though Shourie was quick to clarify that he had voiced his personal opinion, his remarks are bound to create a stir in the party not only because they have come in the midst of the poll campaign but also as he has touched the faultlines between "gen-next" saffron leaders. Equations amongst the next rung of BJP leaders are far from easy.

Shourie's remarks are sure to go down well with Modi who has emerged as the party's top campaigner, ahead of Advani in the current LS polls, though allies like JD(U), who are eyeing Muslim support, are sure to get jitters.

Modi has been a first-among-equals as far as his peer group within BJP is concerned, a status reinforced by his re-election in December 2007 by a convincing margin, contrary to the expectations of the official faction in the party which had anticipated a modest win. Given the sharp rivalries, while Modi's position has been unstated, it is clear at party meets that he has the cadres rooting for him.

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Sri Lankans in 'catastrophic' situation: Red Cross

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka: Tens of thousands of civilians trapped in Sri Lanka's northern war zone face a "catastrophic" situation, the Red Cross said, amid fears a final assault against the Tamil Tiger rebels would lead to a dramatic rise in casualties.

The United Nations and others have called for a negotiated truce to allow civilians to leave the rebel-held coastal strip and the government says more than 52,000 had escaped since Monday.

But it has refused to heed the international pleas to halt the fighting, saying Tuesday that it is on the verge of crushing the separatists and putting an end to the 25-year-old war.

The UN estimated more than 4,500 civilians have been killed in the past three months.

The rebels said more than 1,000 civilians died Monday in a government raid, while the government said it rescued thousands after they broke through a barrier built by the insurgents that protects their last stronghold.

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EC biased towards Congress, alleges Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati on Tuesday launched a scathing attack against the Election Commission during a press briefing. Mayawati alleged that the Election Commission was biased in favour of Congress and working on its directions.

"I would like to say that the EC officials are acting on the directives of the Congress and its allies. The EC under political pressure is trying to stop BSP to gain power despite the party having peoples' support in its favour," Mayawati claimed.

Taking on CEC Navin Chawla and the Election Commissioner SY Quraishi, Mayawati said that no free and fair elections can take place in the state with Chawla heading the EC.

She told reporters, "Both members of EC (Navin Chawla and S Y Quraishi) are active members of the Congress coterie. Under such circumstances, free and fair elections are not possible in the country. I strongly condemn the EC tactics."

Mayawati also attacked Quraishi saying that he has vested interests in the state and is supporting the Congress as well as the Samajwadi Party.

"Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi has interest in Uttar Pradesh as he himself hails from the state and has relatives there. He has relations with a famous Samajwadi Party leader," the BSP supremo alleged.

According to PTI, Mayawati also said that transfer of police officers on Monday in Jaunpur where a candidate was found hanging had "proved apprehensions of former Chief Election Commissioner N Gopalaswami regarding integrity of his successor Navin Chawla".

"Gopalaswami had written a letter to the President doubting the integrity of Chawla and had alleged that his deputy was working as a Congress agent. The Jaunpur transfers had proved that former CEC's allegations were true," the BSP supremo said.

She said never in the past such serious allegations have been levelled against any CEC. "Under such circumstances, Chawla should have resigned on his own. Unfortunately that did not happen," she said.

Mayawati alleged that Quraishi was indulging in activities which had nothing to do with the poll process, PTI said.

"Due to his personal interest, Quraishi, instead of visiting states where violence took place in the first phase, is coming to UP again and again and indulging in activities which had nothing to do with the poll process," she alleged.

Mayawati termed as unfortunate the Election Commissioner's remarks warning UP officials of serious action.

She added that "Quraishi has personal animosity against some officials of the state.

"Without making any inquiry, Quraishi asked the officials to mend their ways immediately and threatened them to ruin their career. This is very unfortunate. Keeping in view the attitude of the EC, I am sure that the Lok Sabha elections are neither fair nor free," she said.

"The inquiry committee, which submitted its report yesterday, has said that prima facie it was a case of suicide and no political person was involved," she said.

She said: "the EC on the basis of a report submitted by two IAS officials, who do not have any experience of investigating crime, transferred three police officers including the additional SP. The action taken by the EC was unfortunate."

Such action will demoralize the government machinery which is committed to ensure free, fair and peaceful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, the UP Chief Minister said.

"In the first phase, no untoward incident was reported from anywhere in the state. Under such circumstances instead of patting our back, the EC had removed three officers only on the basis of baseless complaints, which is not justified," she said.

Mayawati maintained the EC's action will create hurdles in the state government's effort to conduct peaceful and fair elections.

"This is a serious situation for democracy and Congress is solely responsible for this. But I would like to add that the EC's tactics will not help the Congress or any of the opposition parties in the ongoing polls," she said.

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Thousands flee Sri Lanka as deadline passes

COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: Tens of thousands of civilians fled Sri Lanka's northern war zone in a record exodus ahead of the government 's deadline on Tuesday for separatist Tamil rebels to surrender, officials said.

More than 39,000 civilians arrived at military checkpoints, within hours of a military operation that saw Sri Lankan soldiers break through a barrier that the Tamil Tiger rebels had erected to defend their ever-shrinking slice of territory along the northern coast.

The number of fleeing civilians on Monday was the largest in a single day, and that figure was expected to increase Tuesday as more people made their way out, said military spokesman Brig. Udaya Nanayakkara.

The government issued a 24-hour deadline on Monday for the cornered LTTE rebels to surrender or face a final assault- a signal that the insurgents may be on the verge of total defeat after 25 years of rebellion.

The noon Tuesday (0630 GMT) deadline passed with no response from the guerrillas. Rights groups reiterated their concern for civilians still stranded with the rebels.

Human Rights Watch, which said 50,000-100,000 remained stranded, warned that the government might launch a major attack following its warning to the rebels.

``Both sides need to show far greater concern for civilians, or many more civilians will die,'' said Brad Adams, the New York-based group's Asia director.

The International Crisis Group called the situation ``a humanitarian tragedy'' and urged the government to stop any fighting. The group also said the rebels need to allow civilians to leave, and that the government should establish ``a humanitarian corridor'' to let them out.

The number of fleeing civilians made it clear that the government had vastly underestimated how many people were caught in the fighting. While aid groups had estimated that about 100,000 civilians were trapped ahead of this week's exodus, the government had cited about 40,000, roughly the number that crossed over on Monday alone.

More than 4,500 civilians have been killed in the past three months, according to UN estimates. The UN Children's Fund said it fears for the safety of children still trapped in the war zone if fighting continues and the rebels refuse to allow people to leave.

The government and human rights groups have accused the rebels of forcing civilians to stay in their territory to use as human shields, while the rebels have said remaining citizens are there by choice.

``With this latest surge in fighting, our greatest fear is that the worst is yet to come,'' said Daniel Toole, the agency's South Asia director.

The UN and others have called for a negotiated truce to allow civilians to leave the dwindling, rebel-held enclave.

But the government has rejected such calls, saying it is on the verge of crushing the rebels and putting an end to the Asia's longest-running civil war.

The rebels have fought for an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils. More than 70,000 people have been killed in the violence.

Source : Times Of India

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Taliban want Sharia law enforced throughout Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: A resurgent Taliban in Pakistan's northwestern Swat valley on Monday vowed to enforce Islamic laws across the country while ruling out
the possibility of laying down arms following the implementation of Sharia in the region.

The Sharia or Islamic law regime approved recently by President Asif Ali Zardari will not be confined to Malakand division, which includes Swat, and the Taliban wants the system to be enforced in other parts of Pakistan, Taliban spokesman Muslim Khan said today.

"(Sharia) is not only for Malakand division, it is for all humanity, for all Muslims. So we will go more for implementation of Quran, Shariah-e-Muhammadi, not only in Malakand division (but) other parts of Pakistan also," Khan told Dawn News channel in an interview.

He was responding to a question on whether the Taliban believed they had achieved their goal following the federal government's approval for enforcing Sharia in Swat.

Islamic laws were enforced in Swat, located just 160 km from Islamabad, after religious hardliner Sufi Muhammad initiated peace talks with Taliban on behalf of government.

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NDA will cross magic figure of 272: Swaraj

BHOPAL: Senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj today expressed confidence that the NDA would definitely cross the magic figure of 272 in the Lok Sabha elections.

Not only would the NDA get a majority on its own, the BJP would also emerge as the single largest party, Swaraj said while addressing a press conference at the Madhya Pradesh BJP office.

Asked to specify the number of seats that the BJP was likely to win, she said that the party would win anything between 180 to 200 seats on its own.

The senior BJP leader, who is the party in-charge for Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand said that her party can win all the 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, all the 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh and four out of six seats in Jharkhand for which polling was held in the first phase on April 16.

Sushma said that she was hurt at the type of language being used by leaders of some political parties during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections.

She claimed that when BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate, L K Advani described Manmohan Singh as a weak Prime Minister, he did not attack him personally but only referred to his working style.

Similarly, Sushma said that when Narendra Modi called the Congress as old, he did not mean disrespect to any person but only spoke of the organization.

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Paswan defends Lalu on Babri statement against Congress

PATNA: Coming out in defence of his ally Lalu Prasad, locked in a bitter verbal duel with the Congress over Babri mosque demolition, LJP president Ramvilas Paswan today said that nobody can dispute what the RJD leader had said on the issue.

"Lalu ji has just said that there was a Congress government in Delhi led by P V Narasimha Rao when the Babri mosque was pulled down. Who can dispute this fact?," Paswan told reporters at the airport here before leaving for electioneering.

Paswan slammed the Congress for attacking him and Lalu ignoring the "sacrifices" they made for the party that heads the the UPA government at the Centre.

"It is only after Congress president attacked Lalu at an election rally in Jamui for misgovernance during the RJD rule that we retaliated," he said.

Paswan, also a union minister, said despite his party deciding against putting up a "winnable candidate" Shoaib Iqbal from Chandni Chowk constituency, "the Congress has not reciprocated the gesture and fielded a candidate against me who is not capable of fetching even 2000 votes."

"Babri masjid was razed to the ground and Congress cannot be absolved of responsibility," Lalu had said addressing an election meeting at Manigachi in Bihar's Darbhanga district on April 17, triggering a counter-attack by the Congress.

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I never said LTTE is not a terror group: Karunanidhi

NEW DELHI: A day after Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi called LTTE chief V Prabhakaran “a good friend”, he sought to clarify his remarks
saying his earlier comments had been twisted and taken out of context.

“I never said LTTE is not a terror group,” Karunanidhi said on Monday. “I expressed concern for the Tamil cause in Sri Lanka,” he added. “But the LTTE did not start as a terrorist organization, it became a terror group later,” he said. ( Watch )

“We cannot forgive the LTTE for killing Rajiv Gandhi,” he said in attempt to backtrack from his earlier remarks. “Sriperumbudur cannot be forgotten”.

The DMK chief on Sunday inflicted a serious embarrassment on Congress by calling Prabhakaran a good friend. "Prabhakaran is my good friend. I am not a terrorist," said Karunanidhi with a laugh of the LTTE boss who is treated as a terrorist by almost the entire international community.

Karunanidhi, who was speaking to a TV channel, also refused to describe the LTTE chief as a terrorist, though he faulted him for using "wrong methods". "Their goals are right, but method is wrong," he said of the LTTE, declared a terrorist organisation in India.

Congress, which supports the DMK government in Tamil Nadu, swiftly contradicted the UPA partner's remarks but, significantly, refrained from attacking Karunanidhi.

Asked specifically by his daughter and DMK Rajya Sabha member Kanimozhi, who was present in the interview, whether he saw Prabhakaran as a terrorist, Karunanidhi said in Tamil, " Naan appadi paarkkalai (I don't see that way)."

He drew a distinction between Prabhakaran and his group which follows him reverentially. "May be, some people in his group are terrorists but that is not his fault." The chief minister also endorsed LTTE's objective to carve out a separate Tamil homeland from Sri Lanka. "The goals of the LTTE are great. They operate with the wonderful goal of establishing Tamil Eelam. However, somewhere along the line, terrorists entered the scene without their knowledge."

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Varun thankful for party support during detention under NSA

NEW DELHI: BJP candidate Varun Gandhi on Saturday expressed his gratitude to the party leader L K Advani for having stood by him during his incarceration after being booked under NSA for his alleged hate speeches.

29-year-old Varun, who was released on two-week parole from Etah jail in UP on Thursday, met Advani at his residence here.

During the nearly hour-long meeting, Varun is understood to have expressed his gratitude to the party for having stood by him "staunchly in his hour of crisis," party sources said.

During the meeting, Advani also inquired about Gandhi's campaign plans.

The BJP leader also enquired in detail about Varun's experience in Etah jail.

Varun's meeting comes ahead of his filing nomination for Pilibhit Lok Sabha seat on April 21, for which the last date of filing nomination is April 24 and polling will take place on May 13.

Varun's mother Maneka Gandhi is expected to file her nomination from Aonla seat in Uttar Pradesh today.

Varun was released from Etah jail on parole for two weeks following a Supreme Court directive, 20 days after he was detained under the NSA for making hate speeches at election meetings in Pilibhit.

Varun also assured Advani that he will be more careful with his campaign speeches.

The Supreme Court had ordered the release of Varun on the condition that he will not make any inflammatory speeches during the elections.

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Sanjay Dutt in trouble for ‘sexist’ remarks against Mayawati

NEW DELHI: Bollywood actor and Samajwadi Party General Secretary Sanjay Dutt is courting controversy yet again after he offered ‘jaadu ki jhappi'to Mayawati.

Dutt has been slapped with a notice by the district magistrate of Pratapgarh in Uttar Pradesh for passing ‘sexist’ comments against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, according to Times Now.

"I will give Mayawati a hug and a kiss (jaadu ki jhappi). In her governance there are taps but no water, bulbs but no electricity, and hospitals without beds," Dutt said in an election rally in Pratapgarh on April 17, 2009.

Earlier on Tuesday, an FIR was registered against Dutt for allegedly violating the model code of conduct by making communal remarks in an election rally in Mau district.

Dutt was in the city to campaign in support of SP nominee Arshad Jamal Ansari contesting election from Ghosi parliamentary seat.

Dutt during his speech said, "Jab mai police custody me tha to police wale mujhe third degree dete the. Wo mujhe marte the aur kehte the ki tumhari maa musalman hai" (When I was in police custody I was given third degree by them because I am son of a Muslim lady).

The district administration of Mau reacted promptly in the matter and filed a complaint against Sanjay Dutt for violating the model code of conduct (MCC).

As per the MCC, "during an election campaign, no party or candidate shall indulge in any activity which may aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred or cause tension between different castes and communities, religious or linguistic."

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Jail that can hold me is yet to be built: Narendra Modi

BALASINOR (Gujarat): Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi today took a dig at science and technology minister, Kapil Sibal for asking him to be prepared to go to jail for speaking "nonsense" about Congress
.

"My dear Congress friends, a jail that can hold Modi is yet to be built," the Gujarat chief minister told an election gathering here, in response to Sibal's remarks that Modi should stop speaking nonsense about Congress or else be prepared to go to jail
.

"I would like to tell the Congress people that they have dialled a wrong number. Are you trying to threaten me? Keep open the doors of all the jails in India and take me whenever you want, my address is known to all," Modi said.

The state BJP unit has already launched a complaint with Election Commission against Sibal's remarks.

"By making outrageous remarks against Modi, Sibal tried to prove that the Congress party runs the judiciary in the country," the BJP complaint said.

The Election Commission is yet to take action on the complaint filed two days ago.
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Varun not a criminal, why drastic measure like NSA: SC

NEW DELHI: "Varun Gandhi is not a criminal, why were such drastic measures invoked against him," asked the Supreme Court
on Monday, triggering a
Varun Gandhi
Varun Gandhi addresses media representatives in New Delhi. (AP Photo)
rethink in the Mayawati government, which had slapped stringent National Security Act provisions against the young BJP leader for his communal speech at Pilibhit.

This observation from a Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam indicated that Varun could soon be released from Etah jail, where he was shifted from Pilibhit citing law and order situation. Varun also told the court that he was ready to give an undertaking that he would not commit the same mistake again.

Stung by the apex court's critical remarks, senior advocate Harish Salve and UP additional advocate general Shail Kumar Dwivedi did a quick re-think in strategy, especially after the state's affidavit justifying charging Varun with NSA, and told the court that they would get back with the Mayawati government's response on Thursday, when the case would be heard again.

So, on April 16, there is all likelihood of Varun getting out of jail as, apart from the SC virtually castigating the UP government for overreacting to the provocative speech, the young leader said he would give an undertaking not to repeat his mistake.

Right at the beginning of the hearing on Varun's petition seeking quashing of charges under NSA, the CJI asked a simple question: "You want quashing of the charges, but is the UP government serious about it?"

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Hate speech: BJP's candidate from Kandhamal, Ashok Sahu, arrested

BHUBANESWAR: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Sahu was arrested on Tuesday for making an inflammatory speech in
Orissa's Kandhamal region earlier this month.

"Sahu was arrested from Phulbani town," Kandhamal district collector Krishan Kumar said.

Sahu, who is the BJP's candidate for the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, is accused of delivering a communally charged speech on April 5 at a public meeting in Raikia town. He allegedly accused the church of indulging in conversion.

Kandhamal district, about 200 km from here, witnessed widespread communal violence after the murder of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his aides at his ashram on Aug 23, 2008.

At least 38 people were killed in the state and more than 25,000 Christians were forced to flee their homes after their houses were attacked by rampaging mobs. More than 3,000 people are still living in government relief camps.

Sahu, linked to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, had made similar remarks during the communal violence last year. Christian leaders had immediately refuted the allegations.

While Sahu is contesting the Kandhamal Lok Sabha seat, the BJP has also nominated Manoj Pradhan, an accused in the riots, for the assembly election from G. Udayagiri constituency in the district.

Pradhan was arrested about four months ago and is still in jail.

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Amar Singh accuses Congress of cutting secular votes in UP

BALLIA: Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh on Monday accused the Congress
party of trying to cut through the secular vote bank in Uttar Pradesh, called the party a 'vote-cutter'.

Alleged that the Congress was not a true well wisher of Muslims, Singh said, "In the Congress ruled states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Assam, atrocities against Muslims are on the rise."

He completely ruled out any possibility of a post-poll tie-up with the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Addressing two rallies, Amar Singh said, "Samajwadi Party will not enter into any sort of post-poll tie-up with the BJP, as the party had in the past helped in forming the government of BSP on three occasions."

"If L K Advani becomes the Prime Minister, then Mayawati will become the deputy Prime Minister and union home minister, he claimed.

Taking an U-turn on the 'English controversy', Singh said, "The recent statement of Mulayam Singh Yadav as reported in a section of the media of putting a ban on English and computer education (mentioned in our manifesto) is completely false. He has only opposed English being made compulsory in governance."

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Poll panel finds Lalu, Rabri, Uddhav replies 'not satisfactory'

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission on Monday said the replies filed by railways minister Lalu Prasad, his wife and former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi and Shiv Sena leader Uddhav Thackeray to the panel's notices on poll code violation were not satisfactory.

"The Election Commission did not find the reply satisfactory and have conveyed its strong displeasure," Deputy Election Commissioner R. Balakrishnan told reporters here.

On April 9, the poll panel had issued notices to Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi for poll code violations and asked them to send their replies by April 11.

Lalu Prasad is in the dock for his remarks at an election rally April 6 that had he been the home minister "he would have run a roller over Varun Gandhi".

Lalu Prasad's remarks created a furore and the police had issued an arrest order against him. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi is in a jail in Uttar Pradesh
for his reported inflammatory speeches in Pilibhit district.

Rabri Devi was served a notice for her alleged derogatory remarks against Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar and state Janata Dal-United chief Rajiv Ranjan at Saran.

Balakrishnan said the commission has rejected the contentions made by Thackeray, who at a election rally March 20 in Mumbai, had referred to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in a derogatory manner.

He said the poll panel has also asked the Maharashtra chief electoral officer to keep a track of the case filed against Thackeray in this context.

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IJP candidate found dead, protests held

JAUNPUR (UP): Body of an Indian Justice Party (IJP) candidate from Jaunpur parliamentary constituency was found hanging from a tree near his
IJP candidate found dead residence here today, triggering massive protests in the area.

The body of 35-year-old Vijay Bahadur Sonker was found hanging from a tree in Raja Saheb Ka Pokhra locality this morning, IG Police, Varanasi, Kamal Saxena said.

Family members of the deceased have alleged BSP candidate from Jaunpur Dhananjay Singh's hand in the murder. ASP Jaunpur Dinesh Chander confirmed that the police had got a complaint from Sonker on threat to his life from the BSP candidate.

People in large numbers took to the streets in the city, going to polls in the second phase on April 23, to protest the incident, prompting police to resort to cane charge to contain the mob.

Meanwhile, the BSP accused the SP of killing Sonker and demanded the state government to order a high level probe into the incident.

"Out of desperation, the SP hatched a conspiracy to kill the candidate as the party feared that its candidate will lose the election...We have demanded that the state government order a high-level probe into the incident," senior party leader Babu Singh Kushwaha told reporters in Lucknow.

The rival SP candidate Paras Nath Yadav described Sonker's killing as "the murder of democracy". IJP chief Udit Raj, who arrived in the city, demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

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Varun national threat, Mayawati govt tells SC

NEW DELHI: Mayawati government has strongly opposed Varun Gandhi's challenge to his detention under the National Security Act.

In an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court through the district magistrate of Pilibhit, the UP government has justified the detention of BJP candidate by calling him a threat to public order and accusing him of causing fear among Muslims. The next hearing is on Monday.

The strong defence of Varun's detention is significant in view of the sharp reactions the case has drawn. Both Samajwadi Party and Congress suspect that the use of a tough law against Varun just after his purportedly provocative speech against Muslims was meant to polarise the electorate. In fact, SP has even talked of a clandestine pact between BJP and BSP.

Mayawati's vigorous defence of its move against Varun Gandhi in the SC can only strengthen the suspicion about a clandestine pact between the BJP and the BSP to polarise the electorate. There are indications of rising appreciation among Muslim community for her tough stand against the BJP candidate, as well as signs of sympathy for the saffron party in Pilibhit and other constituencies of eastern UP.

In his affidavit, Ajay Chauhan, district magistrate of Pilibhit, has defended his preventive detention order against Varun, saying that latter's acitivities were prejudicial to public order.

He builds up his case against Varun by saying that he held his rally under the banner of "Hindu Samman Sammelan", and not as "Karyakarta Sammelan" as claimed in the petition challenging his detention.

The affidavit dismisses Varun's defence that the CD of his purported contents was doctored as irrelevant to present proceedings which it says is centred on the competence of the district magistrate to detain him under NSA.

It also says that the petitioner should have presented his case before the Advisory Board, which scrutinises the legality of preventive detentions under NSA, rather than the SC.

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Muslims are harassed in name of terror: PM

NEW DELHI: Acknowledging that Muslim youth are sometimes harassed in the "name of terrorists", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday night asked security forces to observe "zero tolerance" for fundamental human rights violations while dealing with such cases.

Interacting with a group of senior Urdu journalists here, he said the entire community could not be suspected of being terrorists and that being a Sikh, he understands the concerns of Muslims.

He suggested that committees, comprising respected Muslims, should be set up in states to look into any case of harassment of innocent members of the community.

"Mai manta hun ki hindustan ke musalmanon ko kaafi mushkilat ka samna karna padta hai, kuch samay terrorist ke naam par Muslim navjawanon ko pareshan bi kiya jata hai (I agree that Indian Muslims face a lot of difficulties, sometimes in the name of terrorists, Muslim youth are harassed)," Singh said.

Underlining that he "understands" the problems faced by the minority community, the Prime Minister said his message to security forces, whether in Jammu and Kashmir or elsewhere, is zero tolerance for fundamental human rights violations."

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BJP for creation of smaller states: Jaswant Singh

SILIGURI (WB): BJP candidate from Darjeeling Lok Sabha seat Jaswant Singh on Friday said his party was in favour of smaller states but refrained
from saying if it was for creation of a separate state of Gorkhaland.

He said BJP in principle favoured creation of smaller states and the NDA government had created three states in the country.

Without uttering the word 'Gorkhaland', Singh told a press conference that his party would 'sympathetically and appropriately' examine and consider the long-pending demands of Gorkhas, adivasis and other people of the area.

Later addressing an election rally at Sukhiapokhri in Darjeeling, Singh, describing the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha's demand for a separate seat as 'constitutional', said he would raise the matter on the floor of Parliament and do everything possible for the development of the district.

The former external affairs minister, who is supported by GJM, accused West Bengal's Left front government for neglecting the district and the hills, in particular.

He charged the Left Front government, during its 32 years of rule, had failed to provide the people of the district with minimum facilities like health, education, and road communication.

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Praja Rajyam spokesman spits venom, quits

HYDERABAD: In a major setback to Chiranjeevi's Praja Rajyam ahead of the elections, its spokesman Parakala Prabhakar on Thursday quit the party describing it as a "poisonous tree".

"I am one of the founding members of the party. I had even signed on the documents to register the Praja Rajyam as a political party. I expected that the party would strive for clean politics. But it proved to be otherwise. This is a poisonous tree," he told reporters at the party office.

Prabhakar alleged that all is not well with the functioning of the party.

"Initially, I thought mistakes are happening because of lack of understanding. But I began to think about the aim of starting the party. There is a flaw in the birth of the party itself," he said.

He said he does not have the ability to reverse the process of decay in Praja Rajyam and thought it prudent to quit.

"Some people may think that this party is good because of my presence. I have a responsibility to tell them that it is an evil force," he said.

Replying to a query, Prabhakar said he did not apply for ticket to contest the elections.

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'No govt at Centre possible without SP, RJD, LJP'

SAIFAI (UP): In their first show of strength in Uttar Pradesh, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Prasad and Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday addressed a
joint rally in Saifai, claiming that the next government at the Centre cannot be formed without them.

Addressing the public meeting here, also his home town, SP supremo Mulayam Singh said, "No government at the Centre is possible without the three parties."

RJD chief Lalu Prasad said "Three brothers have come together, not only to win Lok Sabha elections, but also to fight communalism...we will show our strength in the cow belt."

Thanking Mulayam Singh for SP's support to the UPA government during the trust vote in July, Prasad said "had the SP not been there, the government would not have survived."

Taking a dig at political rivals, the RJD chief said when the three parties came together, some people in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh "got scared" as they were not expecting the new alliance to come through.

Attacking Congress, Prasad said "Congress wants to strengthen its organization
and not win elections in Bihar and UP."

Paswan, the Lok Janshakti Party supremo, claimed that he and Lalu "were standing like rocks" to support Mulayam Singh. "No one can separate us," he asserted.

Attacking the BJP, Paswan said "They (BJP) can only demolish, not construct anything." He was referring to the demolition of the Babri mosque.

Lalu also used the opportunity to target the saffron party and its leader L K Advani. "He wants to be the Prime Minister. But he cannot...People claim I know magic as I can predict the future," he said.

He said the NDA was disintegrating with BJD, AIADMK and National Conference deserting it. "They implemented POTA, but we removed it (POTA ko sota mar kar khatma kiya)".

Paswan said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has done little for the poor. "Elephant (BSP's election symbol) is meant for the rich and not the poor," he said.

The three regional political satraps are scheduled to address three more election rallies. The second rally will be held in Bareilly to cover the Ruhailkand area. Two other rallies will be held in Varanasi and Gorakhpur, two prominent cities of east UP which is also known as Purvanchal.

This is for the first time in nearly a decade that the three cow belt leaders have addressed a rally jointly.

Similar joint rallies have been planned for Bihar in the coming days.

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Congress may dump Tytler to secure Sikh votes

NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: The fate of Congress leader Jagdish Tytler's nomination from Delhi North-East is hanging by a slender thread. With the
"shoe throwing" protest by journalist Jarnail Singh triggering sharp reaction among Sikhs, Congress leadership is seriously considering to dump Tytler to secure its prospects in Punjab. ( Watch )

The resentment triggered by Jarnail's action swept Punjab as dozens of Sikh groups held up trains at several places in the state on Wednesday, fuelling the Tytler issue anew.

The protests, which came as a surprise to the Akali government in Punjab, sensitised the Congress leadership to the risk of persevering with Tytler, a former Union minister who is one of the prominent accused in the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.

Congress is hopeful of improving its tally from Punjab, but fears that spotlight on Tytler may neutralise the advantage. Akalis have swiftly latched on to the controversy to remind Sikhs of the charge of official sponsorship of anti-Sikh violence in the aftermath of the assassination of former PM Indira Gandhi.

Tytler's case comes up on Thursday before Rakesh Pandit, additional chief metropolitan magistrate of New Delhi who is to take a view on the CBI report which has disputed the veracity of the testimony of one Jasbir Singh who claimed to be a witness to Tytler's involvement in the rioting against Sikhs.

Congress sources, however, said Tytler may not be in the clear even if the court accepts the report of the investigating agency. "It is a matter of perception," said a party functionary familiar with leadership's thinking.

While Tytler was defiant and sought to rubbish reports about a re-think on his ticket, the leadership sounded out the party unit in Punjab on potential repercussions for party's chances in the state. "PPCC has already discussed and apprised party president Sonia Gandhi about the implications of Tytler issue on poll prospects in the state," Punjab Congress chief Mahinder Singh Kaypee told reporters.

Kaypee was not forthcoming on detials. But he did point to reports about party leadership's decision to review the decision to field Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, another prominent Congressman accused in the riots and party's candidate for South Delhi, when pressed by journalists in Chandigarh.

The protests in Punjab involved various Sikh outfits.Rail traffic remained disrupted for over four hours with activists of Damdami Taksal and other Sikh organizations led by Sant Samaj stopping trains and squatting on the tracks between 11am to 3pm. Several trains were stopped at various stations before the start of the dharna.

At the Dakoha railway crossing in Jalandhar, the protest was led by Damdami Taksal chief Harnam Singh Dhuma and SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar.

Long-distance trains, including the Flying Express from Amritsar to Darbhanga, were cancelled and others like Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi and Dadar-Amritsar Express delayed. However, many trains that left the Amritsar area before the demonstrators blocked the tracks chugged along on schedule. Reports from most places said cops made no attempt to disperse the protesters.

In Haryana too, Sikh community leaders held a symbolic dharna at the railway station in Kurukshetra.

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Mayawati slams EC for transferring top state officer

LUCKNOW: Criticizing the Election Commission for transferring a top state official, UP chief minister Mayawati on Wednesday said that such action
could demoralize the officialdom ahead of the first phase of polling and may lead to law and order problems in the state.

"Removing of the officer just due to political reasons on basis of their baseless allegation will demoralize officers of the state due to which law and order problem could erupt in the state. EC will be responsible if there is any terrorist or Naxal problem or any incident happens with me or any other leader during campaigning," Mayawati told reporters here.

The EC on Tuesday had ordered transfer of UP principal secretary of home, Fateh Bahadur Singh following complaints from the opposition.

Assuring the commission that the BSP government in the state was committed to hold free and fair polls, Mayawati said that she had given orders to its officers to follow directions of the commission and ensure that there should be no violation of model code of conduct during the elections.

"I have not only directed the officials, but also party candidates, office-bearers and workers that they must adhere by the model code of conduct and cooperate with the government machinery," she said.

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Maneka lodges complaint against Lalu for Varun remarks

BADAUN (UP): BJP MP Maneka Gandhi on Wednesday lodged a complaint with police against RJD supremo Lalu Prasad for his alleged remarks that he
would have "crushed" her son Varun Gandhi under a roller for his anti-Muslim speeches.

"The RJD chief Lalu Yadav has threatened to kill Varun Gandhi by crushing him with a road roller in front of crowd of thousands of people and used derogatory words," she said in a letter to SSP, N Ravindran here.

"I came to know about this during my Badaun visit", Maneka said referring to the remarks attributed to the railway minister.

She demanded that the SSP lodge a complaint against Lalu Prasad Yadav under sections 504 (insult intended to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC and arrest him immediately.

Addressing an election meeting in Kishanganj in Bihar, the Railway Minister said "had I been country's home minister, I would have crushed Varun Gandhi under the roller and destroyed him without caring for the consequences for his hate speech against Muslims".

Following the comments, the Kishanganj district administration had filed an FIR against Lalu Prasad accusing him of attempting to create communal disturbance.

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Cong may review Tytler, Sajjan candidatures

NEW DELHI: Apparently concerned over the political fallout of hurling of shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram, Congress on Tuesday indicated it was open to review the candidatures of Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, who were facing allegations of involvement in the anti-Sikh riots.
"Congress is a large party and it takes considered decisions at appropriate time. Let us see what solutions emerge in the future," party spokesman Ashwini Kumar said at the AICC briefing held hours after the incident.

Kumar was asked to comment whether the party would withdraw nominations to Tytler and Sajjan Kumar, a demand also made by the BJP.

A section of Delhi unit of Congress has demanded reconsideration of candidature of Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, both facing allegations of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

"A large number of Sikhs in the country are already seething in anger for the last 25 years since the 1984 riots. Instead of pacifying them, the party has added to their agony by giving Lok Sabha tickets to Kumar and Tytler from South Delhi and North-East Delhi parliamentary seats," a senior Congress leader from Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) said on the condition of anonymity.

Another DPCC leader said the incident involving a Sikh journalist hurling a shoe at Chidambaram over CBI clean chit to Tytler in the riot case has once again highlighted the issue in the run-up to the general elections.

"The incident has polarised the community across the country, stepping up demands for withdrawal of the nomination of the two accused leaders," he said.

The Congress leader cautioned that ignoring the sentiments would hurt party's poll prospects not only in Delhi but throughout the country.

Around 50 Sikhs were detained in the national capital after they tried to break a barricade and march towards Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's residence to protest the detention of a journalist who hurled a shoe at Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Hundreds of Sikhs, including women, had gathered at Jantar Mantar soon after the news spread that a Sikh journalist threw a shoe at the minister and was detained by police.

Jarnail Singh was protesting against the clean chit given by CBI to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Raising slogans against Tytler and the Congress, around 50 protestors tried to jump the barricade erected at the Parliament Street and march towards Gandhi's residence. However, they were stopped by police.

All the protestors were taken into custody, a senior police officer said, adding they were released later. Some of the protestors were also seen thrashing the photograph of Tytler with shoes.

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Chiranjeevi ready to lend support to form fourth front

HYDERABAD: Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi has expressed his support to the efforts to forge a "Fourth Front" at the national level.


"Being secular we cannot join BJP. Since TDP is part of Third Front and Congress part of UPA, we cannot join them. I thought like-minded parties will be there who are looking for support to form a "Fourth Front". This is mutual," Chiranjeevi, Praja Rajyam Party chief told reporters after a meeting with Samajwadi Party leaders Amar Singh and Sanjay Dutt on Monday.

"I am here for exploring a possibility of like-minded, secular, non-Congress politicians. Can they come together, can they emerge as force? A force to ensure a healthy polity," Singh had said.

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Rift in SP as Amar Singh threatens to quit

Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has threatened to quit over party member Azam Khan, who he said insulted him. “SP can exist without me but not without Azam Khan, it appears,’ said an upset Amar Singh.

Trouble started when actress Jayaprada was renominated as the SP candidate from Rampur. Azam Khan asked the leadership to remove Jaya from what he saw as his political turf.

Mulayam Singh Yadav then asked a sulking Azam Khan to contest the high-profile minority seat himself.

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I would have crushed Varun under a roller: Lalu

KISHANGANJ(Bihar): RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Monday said he would have "crushed" BJP candidate Varun Gandhi
under a roller for his anti-Muslim
speeches if he had been the country's Home Minister.

"Had I been the country's home minister, I would have crushed Varun Gandhi under a roller and destroyed him without caring for the consequences for his hate speech against Muslims," Prasad told an election meeting here.

The Railway minister recalled how he and his party had frustrated the "communal" BJP's bid to storm to power at the Centre in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and taken on those raking up the issue of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin.

Attacking Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, the RJD chief alleged, "Nitish is sitting in the lap of L K Advani, who was directly involved in pulling down the Babri mosque, but his dream will never come true."

LJP President and Union minister Ramvilas Paswan, who was also present, charged Kumar with 'misleading' the minorities by claiming to be secular "while playing into hands of the BJP".

The two leaders were speaking after the filing of nomination by RJD candidate and Union minister Taslimuddin for Kishanganj Lok Sabha seat.

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BJP gives 9 seats to allies in UP

LUCKNOW: BJP has alloted nine seats to its allies Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) and Janta Dal(U) in UP. RLD will contest on seven parliamentary seats
while JD (U) will fight on two seats. BJP will contest on 71 out of total 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state.

JD (U) has been given Salempur and Badaun seats. From Salempur, Ravi Shankar Singh alias Pappu Singh, MLC from Ballia, is expected to be JD(U)'s candidate. Singh is the grandson of late prime minister Chandrashekhar's brother, disclosed a party source.

Earlier, JD (U) had demanded three seats but BJP has decided to field its own candidate in Meerut from where party is expected to field a traders' leader. The trader community had not got due representation in ticket distribution, said a party source.

RLD as announced earlier will contest on seven seats. RLD chief Ajit Singh will contest from Baghpat and his son Jayant from Mathura. Other seats allotted to the party are Hathras, Nagina, Muzaffarnagar, Amroha and Bijnor.

The two allies had also asked for Saharanpur and Sambhal but the BJP has decided to field its candidates on these seats.

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Before accusing UPA, remember Parliament attack: Sonia to Advani

GORAKHPUR: Lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on
Sunday said those who did not have any other issue were raising the issue of terrorism.

The BJP, before accusing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, should also remember the riots during the tenure of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, she said addressing a rally in the Bansgaon constituency in Gorkhpur district, 300 km from Lucknow.

"Advani, before pointing a finger at us, should recollect that the attack on Parliament took place during the regime of the NDA besides the communal riots in Gujarat," she said at the rally during her tour of the state's Poorvanchal area.

She also noted he was the same person who was the home minister when his cabinet colleague had escorted terrorists to Kandahar and now is "nurturing his dreams of becoming the prime minister of the country."

Gandhi mentioned that Gorakhpur was the same place where the then British rulers lodged a case against Jawaharlal Nehru in 1940.

"A case was lodged against him (Nehru) in 1940 after which he was sentenced to an imprisonment for four years. This - the land of Lord Mahavir and Gautam Buddha - has contributed significantly to the freedom of the country," she said.

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Rahul Gandhi files nomination papers from Amethi

LUCKNOW: Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Saturday filed his nomination papers from Amethi parliamentary constituency.


Rahul was accompanied by Congress president Sonia Gandhi, his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadara, brother-in-law Robert Vadara and state unit chief Reeta Bahuguna Joshi to Sultanpur district headquarters.

Sonia will file her nomination papers at Rae Bareli on April 6, he said.

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Mayawati slams Maneka over Varun row

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Saturday hit out at Pilibhit MP Maneka Gandhi for politicising the Varun Gandhi
row.

In a snub to Maneka Gandhi, Mayawati said if the BJP MP knew a mother's pain, she would not have endorsed the hate speeches of her son Varun Gandhi for which he has been booked under NSA, PTI reported.

Hitting back at Maneka, who had said that the UP Chief Minister did not understand a mother's pain since she was not one, Mayawati said that if she was a good mother she would have inculcated the right values in Varun.

"Had Maneka inculcated good values to her son (Varun) he would not have to spent night in the jail. She must apologise not only to me but to the entire nation for her shameful and unfortunate comments", Mayawati told reporters.

Justifying the action of Pilibhit district administration to charge Varun under NSA, Mayawati said that in case riots had erupted, thousands of mothers would have rendered childless.

Maneka should understand pain of thousands of mothers, she said.

"Maneka kewal ek bete ka dard samajhti hain but main karodo beton ka dard samajhti hun" (Maneka only understands the pain of one son but I feel pain of crores of sons), Mayawati said at a hurriedly called press conference.

Maneka had on Friday attacked Mayawati for targeting her son and attributed political motive behind the move to keep him in jail during election time, PTI says.

"Ma ka dard samajhne ke liye ma hona zaruri nahi hai. Mother Teresa bhi ma nahi thi lekin unhone pyar pure vishwa ki janta ko diya". (It is not necessary to be a mother to understand her pain. Mother Teresa was not a mother but she bestowed her love on the people of the entire world)," Mayawati said.

The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said that no one would be allowed to vitiate law and order situation of the state irrespective of their parties and position.

29-year-old Varun was held under NSA in connection with his hate speeches in Pilibhit last month.

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In jail, Kandhmal riots accused gets BJP ticket

PHULBANI: Manoj Pradhan is the prime accused in last year's ethno-communal riots in Kandhmal and currently behind bars. But that hasn't stopped
BJP from giving a ticket to Pradhan to contest from the communally-split G Udayagiri assembly seat.

More than 600 people were arrested in connection with the violence that left over 40 people dead in Kandhmal after the killing of senior VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati in August last year. Cops described Pradhan as a "prize catch". "Pradhan, in his 30s, was picked up from a lodge in Berhampur on October 15. Belonging to the tribal Kandh community, Pradhan was the field commander who allegedly led mobs at various places and engaged in violence," police said. "He (Pradhan) has been booked in over one dozen cases including murder and arson," police added. But the BJP disagrees.

"Pradhan has nothing to do with the riots and the administration has fabricated the charges against him. The whole purpose is to defame BJP," state party spokesperson Nayan Mohanty told TOI.

"Pradhan will file his nomination papers and contest the elections from inside the jail. There is nothing wrong with it because a number of leaders have done the same in the past. The polls will prove Pradhan's popularity," Mohanty added.

The saffron party's intention to hardsell its Hindutva agenda is also evident from its giving Lok Sabha ticket to Orissa Hindu Jagaran Sammukhya president Ashok Sahu, a retired IPS officer who blamed "Christian terrorists" for Saraswati's murder, from Kandhmal, which comprises three tribal Assembly segments of G Udayagiri, Phulbani and Baltiguda.

The BJP's move hasn't gone down well with over 3,000 Christians in five relief camps in Raikia, G Udayagiri and Tikabali blocks. Julian Digal is one such. It has been seven months since he escaped death and fled to a relief camp at Tikabali.

In between, the relief camp has been shifted while his wife and two children have moved out of Kandhmal district. But Julian refuses to return home before the elections are over. "We don't enjoy camp life, but we can't go back till the elections are over. Violence is a distinct possibility during the polls, but we can't afford to risk our lives," said Julian.

"We are scared to return to our villages. Although tension has come down, there will be elements who want to create fresh trouble for Christians during the elections. Hence, we would consider leaving the relief camp after the polls," said Dharmendra Pradhan of Katadi village in Gardingia panchayat. "During the peak of communal violence, around 25,000 people lived in the camps. Most of them have returned to their villages, but a few are still staying at the camps. They should return after the polls," a senior officer said.

Evidently, the polls have made the people feel even more vulnerable. While it's possible that Hindu and Christian groups could turn violent again, the entry of Maoists, especially to reignite the ethno-communal discord during the polls, could worsen the situation. "There could be attempts by certain groups to whip up communal passions during the polls. The Maoists' plan to target specific groups could also cause violence by tribals," a cop said.

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BJP promises to rebuild Ram temple

NEW DELHI: The BJP has revived its pet Hindutva themes of rebuilding Ram temple at Ayodhya and abrogation of Article 370 giving special status to Jammu and Kashmir as it released its manifesto for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The saffron party also promised to give 35 kg rice or wheat per month at Rs two per kg for BPL families, which is seen as a counter to Congress' offer of rice at Rs three per kg.

The BJP manifesto comes after 11 years as the party had released NDA manifestos along with its coalition partners in 1999 and 2004.

The BJP had then refrained from making any reference to the Ram Temple issue, saying it remained on the party's agenda but was not a part of the NDA's national agenda for governance. The party promised to enact strong POTA-like laws to tackle terrorism.

BJP also sought to reach out to the armed forces promising them exemption from income tax and introduce 'One Rank, One Pension' scheme. They also promised a separate pay commission for the armed forces.

In another populist promise, the party said it would raise the slab of tax exemption of salaried class to Rs three lakh per annum. For women, the limit would be Rs 3.5 lakh per annum.

Reaching out to farmers, the BJP said it will waive off all current loans and provide fresh loans at four per cent interest rate.

The BJP’s manifesto also promised to retrieve Indian money stashed abroad. There is also a promise to provide bicycle to school-going girls in Below Poverty Line families:

BJP manifesto promises promotion of alternative sources of energy and interlinking of rivers. The party also promised to build one million houses for the poor every year.

The BJP said it would bring down interest rates on housing loans to make urban housing affordable and give complete tax exemption to citizens above the age of 60.

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Both Lalu, Paswan eyeing PM's post

PATNA: Though the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Lok Janshakti Party have formed an alliance severing ties with the Congress, there is competition for the post of the prime minister.

While RJD boss Lalu Prasad has always been vocal about his desire to become the prime minister, LJP counterpart Ramvilas Paswan, too harbours the amibition for the country's top job.

"Every person in politics wants to become the prime minister. If I don't say that it would be hypocrisy," Paswan says.

"All politicians
dream to become the PM," Prasad says too. Paswan elaborates that there are two situations when one becomes the prime minister. "First, when his party emerges as the single largest party with adequate numbers and second, when a coalition is cobbled up with like-minded parties."

"In the second case, a person on whom a consensus is arrived becomes the PM," he says and adds that in the past, H D Deve Gowda became the PM despite less than adequate seats since the partners were unanimous on him. But all such presumptions would depend upon the poll outcome.

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BSP eyes Muslim, north Indian votes

MUMBAI: The BSP is eyeing north Indian and Muslim votes in the metropolis, with four of its six candidates from Mumbai seats being either of the two communities.

"The party will soon declare names of the two remaining candidates, who will also be either Muslim or north Indian, in a couple days," BSP state president Vilas Garud said on Thursday.

"North Indians, Muslims and Dalits form a major chunk of voters in the city. However, these communities are being neglected. They want somebody who is from amongst them and would serve them better. This is the reason for giving tickets to north Indian and Muslim candidates," he said.

North Indians are upset with the treatment meted out to them while Muslims are looking for a new secular party which can serve them better, Garud added.

Meanwhile, Congress nominee from Mumbai North Sanjay Nirupam said, "BSP is contesting not to win the polls but to indirectly help communal parties by dividing votes...BSP is here to eat into the Muslim and north Indian votes of Congress in Mumbai. They are here to help BJP and Shiv Sena by dividing the votes."

Muslims and north Indians constitute 40% of around 80 lakh voters in Mumbai. Marathis, Gujaratis, Marwadis and others comprise the rest, he said.

BSP has fielded Mohammed Ali Shaikh (South Mumbai), Atahar Siddique (North West), Ashok Singh (North East) and Lakhminder Khurana (North Mumbai).

Candidates for South-Central and North-Central are yet to be declared.

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SC issues notices to EC, Praja Rajyam Party on symbol issue

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Election Commission and Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi's party Praja Rajyam on the poll body's decision to allot the rail engine symbol to the southern party.

A Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam sought response from the Election Commission on a petition filed by Rashtriya Krantikari Samajwadi Party (RKSP).

In its petition, the RKSP claimed it was an unrecognized national party with influence in states like Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jharkhand, J&K, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Karnataka besides Andhra Pradesh and most of its candidates had been fighting the earlier elections on the rail engine symbol.

The party claimed since its candidates were already using the symbol, the same cannot be alloted to Praja Rajyam.

The EC has alloted the rail engine symbol to Praja Rajyam on the directions of the apex court which had clarified that the allotment of the symbol would only be restricted to the present election.

Source : Times of India

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Kirorilal Meena, Cong engaged in a war of nerves

NEW DELHI: Kirorilal Meena. The man is widely believed to have sounded the death knell of Vasundhara Raje's dream of bucking anti-incumbency in
Rajasthan while helping Ashok Gehlot form the government.
But the ambitious Meena strongman is now bargaining hard with Congress
for nominees of his choice in the tribal seats, triggering a deadlock on seven of 25 seats.

If in three months, Congress is seeing a villain in Meena after toasting him as Raje's nemesis, it speaks about the importance of one-caste parties in close electoral contests in a fragmented polity. Established political parties feel they count as much as assets as for their damage potential.

Meena emerged the leader of his community as he tapped its anger in the wake of a violent Gujjar-Meena tussle. Quickly, he emerged the retailer of its votes.

Meena is sure of his value. "BJP lost by victimising me and Congress can gain by promoting me," he told TOI.

BJP strategists concede Meena was a major reason in the assembly polls swinging towards the Congress, as he single-handedly determined the community's preference.

Having taken his help in forming the government, with his unlettered wife Golma Devi even made a minister, there is now a rethink in Congress on further propping up Meena as it is felt that pandering to his demand was only fuelling his ambitions.

Sources said a shrewd Gehlot has put his foot down against indulging `Dr Sahab' beyond Dausa and Kota, while the latter has asked for Sawai Madhopur, Karauli, Kota, Churu, Sikar and Jaipur rural. This is the belt where Meenas hold clout.

It is a risky strategy, as Meena is in a position to dent the party fortunes in seven constituencies. But the dynamics of caste politics are such.

Source

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AIADMK front may split over seats

CHENNAI: The deadlock over seat-sharing among allies in the AIADMK camp has apparently assumed crisis proportions with discontented alliance
partners - MDMK and CPM - reportedly thinking of “exploring other options” if party chief J Jayalalithaa does not concede their demands.

As several rounds of discussions failed, the ball is now in Jayalalithaa’s court. The CPM, which was offered three seats, has been insisting on Tirupur, while the MDMK, an AIADMK ally since 2006, wants at least five seats against the three reportedly on offer. The AIADMK has already allocated seven seats to the PMK and three to the CPI. Even while nurturing hopes that the AIADMK chief will resolve the standoff, both parties are said to be looking at other options.

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Mulayam says he is not in the run for the PM's post

GORAKHPUR (UP): Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav has said he is not in the race for prime minister's
post, but his aim is to form a
"secular" government at the Centre.

He said for this reason only his party had supported the Congress on nuclear deal issue.

"The post of the prime minister or a union minister is not important for me than forming a secular government
at the Centre. I am not in the race for the Prime Minister's post," Yadav said.

Addressing public meetings in Majhgawan (Bansgaon constituency) and Pipigunj (Gorakhpur constituency) from where Sharda Devi and Bhojpuri actor Manoj Tiwari are contesting the polls respectively on SP tickets, he lashed out against what he called the BSP's "caste-based politics" and BJP's "attempt to divide" the country on communal lines.

Yadav said yesterday that the SP had spared key constituencies for Congress as a "goodwill" gesture.

He asked the people to vote for a non-BSP, non-BJP Government at the Centre

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PM says Pakistan epicentre of world terrorism

LONDON: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh described Pakistan as the "epicentre of terrorism in the world" and said it had failed to take effective
action against militants, in an interview published Wednesday.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Singh said Islamabad was either "unable" or "unwilling" to control Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, which New Delhi accuses of staging the November attacks on Mumbai that killed 165 people.

"The proof of the pudding is in the eating," he said.

Singh said that despite pledges by Pakistan throughout the past decade that it would not be a launch pad for attacks against India, "in practice no effective action has been taken to control terror."

He added: "We all know the epicentre of terrorism in the world today is Pakistan. The world community has to come to grips with this reality."

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'02 riot-hit Muslim ex-cop joins BJP

AHMEDABAD: Retired IPS officer Abdullah Ibrahim Saiyad, who was attacked by a mob during the 2002 Gujarat riots, has sprung a surprise by joining Abdullah Ibrahim
the BJP, in another indication of the image make-over that Chief Minister Narendra Modi is striving for ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

He told TOI on Tuesday that he joined the BJP because of Modi. “Modi belongs to the same district as I, and he is one person who does what he says,” says Saiyad, who is from Ganwada village in Mehsana district. “Modi has a way of doing justice,” adds Saiyad.

Saiyad, who retired in May 2008 as an additional DGP, had found himself mobbed in Vejalpur area of Ahmedabad in March 2002. Seeing his police vehicle with flashing red lights approaching, the mob had stopped him to complain about stone throwing from the other side.

But someone noticed the name on his badge and started screaming for revenge. As the mob stoned his car, the driver sped away to safety in a miraculous escape for this officer who was heading the Police Training Academy at Karai near Ahmedabad in those days. Recalling the incident in a chat with TOI on Tuesday, Saiyad said: “They were just mad people who had nothing to do with the BJP. I am thankful that God gave me presence of mind on that day. Had I opened fire with my service revolver, I would have been lynched.”

He attributed his joining the BJP to a “well-wisher” who wrote a letter to LK Advani saying that the BJP should enrol educated Muslims like him. A few months after he retired, he got a call from state BJP president Purshottam Rupala who told him that his entry into the party would be “timed properly”. Saiyad says he knew Modi from his days as Mehsana superintendent of police and he was always inclined towards the BJP.

Saiyad’s entry into the BJP is being seen in the light of developments in recent weeks where some Muslim leaders have endorsed the leadership of Narendra Modi and called upon the community to move on with their lives, even as the law takes its course in the Gujarat riots cases.

The state government’s recent move to appoint DGP Shabbir Khandwawala as the head of Gujarat police was also seen as an olive branch offered to the community. Among the important assignments that Saiyad held after his promotion
to the IPS in 1978 was as officer on special duty to KPS Gill who was appointed security adviser to the state government after the 2002 riots.

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