Shivraj Patil should resign: BJP

NEW DELHI: With yet another blast rocking the national capital, BJP on Saturday demanded the resignation of Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil saying he has no right to be in office in the wake of continuing terror attacks in the country.

V K Malhotra, BJP's Chief Ministerial candidate for Delhi who visited the blast site in south Delhi's Mehrauli, also demanded convening of an early session of Parliament to discuss the security scenario in the country.

Attacking Patil, the BJP leader said, "instead of changing his clothes thrice, he should have taken actions like discussing the matter with public. Instead of doing all that, money is being collected for terrorists, demonstrations are being held for them."

He said the security scenario has worsened and now terrorists do not have any fear in carrying out strikes in the country.

"The only ones who are scared are the public. The terrorists know that. Even if they get caught, they will be getting money and legal support from the government," he said.


Source : Times Of India

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V K Malhotra to be BJP's Delhi CM candidate

NEW DELHI: BJP's Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha, Vijay Kumar Malhotra, will lead the party in the coming Assembly elections in the national capital.

Malhotra was chosen as the party's Chief Ministerial candidate at a meeting of the Parliamentary Board which met at the BJP headquarters here.

"He is an acceptable and senior leader. He has the potential to lead the party in the coming elections and emerge victorious," BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley told a press conference here announcing Malhotra's name.

The 77-year-old leader, who is the lone BJP MP from the national capital in the current Lok Sabha, represents South Delhi constituency.

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Left, BSP dharna against nuke deal

PATNA: Workers of five Left parties namely CPI, CPM, Forward Bloc, Janvadi Forward Bloc, RSP and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) on Thursday staged a daylong dharna and burnt effigies of PM Manmohan Singh and US president George W Bush here at the income-tax roundabout in protest against the Indo-US nuclear deal and Manmohan’s US visit.

It was part of Left parties’ nationwide protest programme. According to CPI state secretary B N Lal, dharnas were staged at the district headquarters of Begusarai, West Champaran, Madhepura, Khagaria, Rohtas, Buxar and Bhagalpur. Prominent among those present included Lal, veteran CPM leader and former state secretary Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi.


Source : Times Of India

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TRS men attack Lanco office

HYDERABAD: A group of Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) activists attacked an office of Lanco on Road No. 92, Jubilee Hills in the city on Thursday evening.

Police said the attack was in retaliation to an accident involving external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee’s convoy in Nizamabad on Thursday, in which the car of Lagadapati Rajagopal, promoter and former managing director of Lanco and Congress MP from Vijayawada, ran over a TRS worker’s foot when they were trying to obstruct the convoy. But Lanco officials said that it was some other car that was involved in the accident. “There were 20 cars in Pranab’s convoy. How can my car be singled out?” Rajagopal said later.

B Chinna Reddy, 25, a local TRS activist reportedly suffered minor injuries in the accident.

According to eyewitnesses, 30 TRS activists came to the Lanco office that serves as the headquarters for their Lanco Hills project at 4.30 pm and suddenly started pelting stones on the office. “It was totally unprovoked and absolutely an act of vandalism,” said an eyewitness. In the stone pelting that continued for five minutes, the glass panes of the three storied building were completely broken and four cars parked in front of the building were damaged. The TRS men who identified themselves with their party scarves also shouted slogans like ‘Jai Telangana’ during the attack.

A local cop said the activists came directly from the TRS Bhavan, where a training camp was on. However, the city police commissioner said he has to verify the report. “We are trying to find out whether the attackers came from the TRS office and where they went after the attack,” city police commissioner Prasada Rao said. “There were nearly 200 employees at the office. However, no one was hurt, ” DCP Ravi Verma said.

Source : Times Of India

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Cops identify cyber cafe from where email threat to Advani was sent

SHILLONG: Police have claimed to have identified the cyber cafe from which the email, purportedly sent by Indian Mujahideen terrorists, to eliminate BJP leader L K Advani during his Shillong visit on September 29, was sent.

Refusing to disclose the name of the cafe, DGP B K Dey Sawian said the mail was sent from a cafe in Shillong.

"Definitely the email was not sent by a prankster. It's a two page mail written with specific inputs and details. We are taking it seriously and working on it to trace the sender," Sawian said.

He said the police was taking the matter very seriously. "Advani is given the highest category security, yet we cannot afford to take any chances," the DGP said.

When asked whether the police had any specific input about the presence of Indian Mujahideen militants in the state, Sawian said, “As of now we do not have specific inputs on that, but it cannot be ruled out."

"Soon after the blasts in Ahmedabad and Delhi, we have put certain places across the state under scanner acting on intelligence inputs. We are looking at those (places)," he added.

BJP not to cancel Advani's visit despite threat

The BJP will go ahead with the scheduled visit of L K Advani to the northeast despite the email threat given by suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists to eliminate him.

"We are going ahead with the programme," BJP president H S Syiemlieh said before going into a huddle with senior state leaders to discuss the matter.

Terming the threat as 'nothing unusual', he said the party was in touch with the police.

"We are not sure about the credential of the threat. The responsibility of his (Advani) security lies on the government," the BJP president said.

Govt to ensure Advani's security: CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Donkupar Roy has assured that the state government would ensure BJP leader L K Advani's visit to Shillong is incident free.

In the wake of an email threat, purportedly by Indian Mujahideen terrorists to eliminate Advani during his visit here on September 29, Roy said, "We are verifying the matter. The government will ensure that Advani has a safe visit to the state."

"He (Advani) is an important leader. Police is taking all measures to trace the sender of the email and verify the authenticity of it," he told reporters here.


Source : Times Of India

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'BSP worker' held for blackmailing Amar Singh

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police claim to have picked up a person for demanding Rs 5 crore from SP leader Amar Singh in lieu of making a statement in his favour before a Parliamentary panel probing the cash-for-vote scam. Hashmat Ali was arrested from Amar Singh’s residence on Thursday.
Ali, described by Singh as a BSP worker, had gone to Singh's residence this morning and demanded the hefty amount for changing his statement he had given to the panel, the SP leader claimed at a press conference.

Singh said Ali, who was to depose before the Inquiry Committee on FRiday, came to his residence around 8.30 am and said he could save the reputation of the SP leader by giving a favourable statement to the panel.

A person, whom Singh described as Hashmat Ali, was seen being taken away in a car from the SP leader's residence. "I am being kidnapped," the person shouted to reporters. However, Crime Branch of Delhi Police said that Ali was under detention and being questioned.

The issue of "kidnapping" of Ali is understood to have figured at the meeting of the Parliamentary panel with CPM member Mohammad Salim understood to have raised the issue.

Salim is learnt to have said that someone was trying hard to see that crucial evidence in the cash-for-vote scam was not brought before the panel to enable it reach the truth.

Opposition BJP termed Ali's detention as a "stage-managed" show by Singh and attacked him for trying to "influence and intimidate" the witness and the Committee.

"This is a stage-managed show and an attempt to intimidate and influence the witness and the committee," BJP spokesman Prakash Javdekar said demanding a new probe into the matter.

Source : Times Of India

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Manmohan, Zardari vow to be 'severe' on terror

NEW YORK: Acknowledging that the peace process has been "under strain" in recent months, India and Pakistan on Wednesday announced that cross-LoC trade in Jammu and Kashmir will commence on October 21 and vowed to take "severe action" against any elements directing or involved in terrorist acts, giving fresh momentum for an "an early and full" normalisation of bilateral relations.

Unveiling a slew of measures for a "peaceful resolution and saisfactory settlement" of all bilateral issues including Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his first meeting with the new Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari agreed that the forces that have tried to derail the peace process must be "defeated."

Meeting on the sidelines of the 63rd United Nations General Assembly session at the Millenium hotel where the Pakistan President is staying, the two leaders came out with a joint statement agreeing that violence, hostility and terrorism have no place in the vision they share of the bilateral relationship and must be "visibly and verifiably" prevented.

In an apparent attempt to tell India that let bygones be bygones in the backdrop of rise in cross-border terrorism and ceasefire violations, Zardari reassured Singh that the Pakistan government stood by its commitments of January 6, 2004 to stamp out terrorism.

With the needle of suspicion pointing to Pakistans ISI for the bombing of he Indian Embassy in Kabul, the two leaders agreed to convene a special meeting of the Joint Anti-Terror mechanism to address mutual concerns including the Kabul attack.

The two countries agreed to commence cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalakot roads on October 21,2008, open the Wagah-Attari road link to all permissible items on trade and the Khokrapar-Munabao rail route to all allowed items of trade.

The two leaders addressed the apparent lack of progress at the Foreign Secretary level talks to resolve outstanding issues saying they will schedule meetings of the Fifth round of the Composite dialogue in the next three months which will focus on "deliverables and concrete achievements."

Briefing newsmen after the nearly hour-long meeting, Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon said Prime Minister Singh was "very satisfied" at the meeting. The joint statement is a strong one in regard to the approach to be followed to deal with terrorism, he said, adding "we hope progress will be made on all (bilateral) issues.
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Source : Times Of India

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Amar disappointed with SP-Congress alliance

NEW DELHI: Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Samajwadi Party general secretary hit at the alliance with the Congress.

Expressing unhappiness with the state of ties with the Congress, he said, “I am disappointed that Congress MP Rashid Aivi attacked me”.

Amar also said that the party has indulged in character assassination. He threatened to expose a lot of big people in the Congress.

He went to on say that so far what has happened is worse than a honey trap.

It hasn’t been a long time since Samajwadi Party (SP) and the Congress joined hands to bail out the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government during the Indo-US nuclear deal crisis.

But, now the rift between the two parties is deepening, with both sides making charges against each other over the seat-sharing row.

The third round of talks between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party for seat sharing in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections would take place later this week.


Source : Times Of India

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AL, BNP agree to register with Election Commission (EC )

DHAKA: Major political parties have agreed to contest the December 18 national elections after registration with the Election Commission under the relaxed provisions on party registration, but demanded withdrawal of the state of emergency and deferment of the upazila polls scheduled for December 24 and 28.( The New Age BD )

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party explained its stand on the issues to the commission on Tuesday when a four-member party delegation met the chief and other election commissioners.

The delegation urged the commission to defer the holding of the upzila polls by a month.

They also demanded an immediate withdrawal of the emergency to ensure a congenial atmosphere for the elections.

The Awami League at its presidium meeting on Sunday made similar demands.

At a rally of the Dhaka city north unit of the Awami Swechhasebak League, Awami League leaders demanded deferral of the upazila polls by at least 45 days to avoid ‘unwarranted problems’ in the holding of the general elections. They also demanded withdrawal of the state of emergency.

Both the parties also said there could be no elections under the state of emergency.

Five city mayors on Tuesday too favoured deferment of the upazila polls on the grounds that the polls, as scheduled, might hamper the holding of the national elections, which is the main responsibility of the interim government.

After a meeting with the LGRD and cooperatives adviser, Anwarul Iqbal, at the secretariat, they said it would be difficult both for the local administration and the police to cope with the situation and for the parties to coordinate electoral activities if the campaigns for national and local elections go together.

‘We will get registered and contest the next general elections as the BNP is an election-oriented party,’ the party’s vice-chairman MK Anwar, who led the BNP delegation, told reporters after the two-hour meeting at the EC secretariat.

He said they had asked the commission to defer the upazila polls by a month and withdraw the emergency.

The chief election commissioner, ATM Shamsul Huda, however, rejected the demand for the deferral of the upazila polls, saying, ‘The commission has made all the preparations for holding upazila polls on the dates set.’

He welcomed the BNP’s move for registration with the commission and hoped the party would register with the commission by October 15, the deadline previously set.

‘We are happy the BNP has shown its interest in getting registered. We hope other parties will also accomplish the task by the time,’ he said.

The party’s joint secretaries general Nazrul Islam Khan and Abdul Mannan, and office secretary Rizvi Ahmed were in the BNP delegation.

Election commissioners Muhammed Sohul Hussain and M Sakhawat Hussain also attended the meeting.

MK Anwar said they had discussed Monday’s revision of the electoral laws which eased the procedure for registration of political parties.

‘The commission is brining about changes to a number of provisions in the amended Representation of the People Order. We have come to know of the details and made our stand clear before the commission,’ he said.

According to Monday’s revision, the political parties will now be able to register by submitting ‘provisional’ party constitutions without convening council sessions, but with clear pledges that they would meet the conditions set by the commission for reforms.

The BNP at a dialogue with the commission on Saturday demanded withdrawal or suspension of the latest amendments to the electoral laws, including the Representation of the People (amendment) Ordinance and provisions for compulsory registration of political parties to contest the forthcoming polls.

The BNP’s secretary general Khnadaker Delwar Hossain at an iftar party of its Paltan unit termed the remarks of MK Anawar regarding the party’s participation in the polls ‘his personal opinion.’

‘The final decision on the party’s participation in the polls will be made after discussion with the party chairperson, senior leaders and components of the BNP-led alliance,’ he told newsmen.

‘We are repeatedly asking the government and the Election Commission to create a level plying field for the elections by withdrawing the state of emergency. No elections could be held under the state of emergency,’ he said.

MK Anwar, in the evening, however, stood by his remarks made at the Election Commission in the morning. ‘We were sent by the party to apprise the commission of the party’s stand after they had relaxed some of their provisions. The commission heard us and showed a positive attitude.’

Asked about Delwar’s comment, Anwar said, ‘If the secretary general says so, I have nothing to add. But my remark was based on the September 11 statement of Khaleda Zia where she said the party would contest the polls and the party is yet to change the position.’

As for party registration, he said no party could register with the commission the way it had initially worked out the process. ‘The BNP will consider registration of the party now that the Election Commission has relaxed some provisions.’

Source : News From Bangladesh

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Jamat-ud-Dawa using mosques for jihad: Report

ISLAMABAD: Activists of an organisation led by Lashker-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Muhammad Saeed are using mosques to issue calls for jihad against the US in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar, a media report said on Tuesday.

Members of Jamat-ud-Dawa, set up by Saeed after the Lashker-e-Taiba was banned by the Pakistan government, have been operating in the city's posh residential districts like Hayatabad and University Town, where they address people in mosques about the importance of jihad, the Daily Times said.

Quoting eyewitnesses, the newspaper said the activists have issued calls for a holy war against the US to worshippers at different mosques.

"A young, bearded and long-haired activist of the Jamat-ud-Dawa stood up after the Fajr (morning) prayers and began calling for jihad against infidels," said a University of Peshawar professor who had come across the activists at Madina mosque.

Mumtaz Khan, a resident of Hayatabad, who came across an extremist at Bilal mosque, said the fundamentalists cite dangers to Pakistan to incite people for war.

"The extremists first speak about geopolitics (and) dangers to Pakistan from both eastern and western borders and then urge the importance of jihad," he said.

A caretaker of one of the mosques confirmed that the Jamat-ud-Dawa, which describes itself as a charitable organisation, was using mosques to invite people for jihad.

"Under what law can I stop them from doing so? There is no law, both governmental or Islamic," said the caretaker, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

"These callers come at different prayer times and are peaceful and appear to be pro-Pakistan," the caretaker added.

He also said that the number of such extremists had increased recently in the wake of the US drone attacks in the restive tribal areas.

After lying low for several years, banned groups like the Lashker-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed have stepped up their activities across Pakistan since the resignation of former President Pervez Musharraf last month.

Source : Times Of India

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