India News: November 2003

Who is the most bankable star in Bollywood?

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
Aishwarya Rai
Price tag: Rs 1.5 cr – Rs 2 cr.
Her international agents, William Morris Agency, peg her rate in the $1 million - $3million bracket.

Box office collections 2002-03: Devdas : Rs 33 cr, Dil Ka Rishta : Rs 6 cr, Kutch Naa Kaho : Rs 8 cr.
Forthcoming: Khakee , Bride and Prejudice
Verdict: Other than Devdas , hazel-eyed Ash did not have much to show at the domestic box office over the last one year. Ketan Mehta’s 1857: The Rising controversy apart, the former Miss World hogged international limelight with critically acclaimed Bangla film, Rituporno Ghosh’s Chokher Bali , and Gurinder Chaddha’s Bride and Prejudice. The Crown for India’s No.1 Actress – earlier with Madhuri Dixit - now rests firmly on her head.

Bipasha Basu
Price tag: Rs 60 lakh – Rs 80 lakh
Box office collections: Zameen : Rs 10 cr, Jism: Rs 10 cr, Aankhen : Rs 18 cr
Forthcoming releases: Aethbaar , Ishq Hai Tumse , Nehle Pe Dehlla , Rudraksh, Khushboo, Jaane Hooga Kya?, Miya Anari Biwi Khiladi
Verdict: Considered to be most cost effective lead actress in the industry today who can carry a movie on her shoulder. No wonder, the dusky beauty has her hands full with more than half a dozen projects.

Preity Zinta
Price tag: Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore
Box office performance: Koi Mil Gaya : Rs 45 cr, The Hero: Rs 24 cr, Armaan: Rs 8 cr
Forthcoming releases: Kal Ho Na Ho , Lakshya , Dil Ne Jise Apna Kaha
Verdict: She has worked with leading stars like Aamir, Hrithik, Amitabh and Shah Rukh over the last couple of years. This has seen her stock in the trade rise. Her pay cheque and valuation is set to rise after success of KMG.

NSE tightens norms for NRIs

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
In a bid to exercise control on trading by non-resident Indians (NRIs) in the derivatives segment, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) has directed that NRIs can only trade through trading members (a sub-group of NSE members).

As an additional measure to track their trades, NSE has decided to allot a unique client code to NRIs. This means that an NRI's trades cannot be cleared by a professional clearing member.

NRIs will have to approach a trading member of the exchange, and the NSE will assign a unique client code to each NRI, the exchange advised its member-brokers.

NRIs can change their clearing member if they wish or even have their trades cleared by more than one clearing member. But in this case all such clearing members will have to give separate applications to the exchange for allotment of a unique client code. "Thus each and every clearing member is required to communicate to the exchange the details of their NRI clients," the NSE said.

The measure seems to be a step towards exercising total control over the movement of NRI money in the derivatives markets, after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) banned overseas corporate bodies--owned and controlled predominately by people of Indian origin--from trading in the Indian markets.

Meanwhile, to ensure that these requirements meet with no resistance, the NSE has told its member-brokers that non-compliance with these requirements would be treated as a violation.

Earlier Sebi had mandated NRIs to make a disclosure that their position--along with that of others acting in concert--in index-based contracts does not exceed 15 per cent of the total open interest of all derivative contracts on the particular underlying index.

In the case of stock option and single stock futures contracts, Sebi's guidelines stipulate that the gross open position across all derivative contracts on a particular underlying stock of a NRI should not exceed the higher of 0.1 per cent of the free float market capitalisation (in terms of the number of shares), or 0·5 per cent of the open interest in the derivative contracts on a particular underlying stock (in terms of number of contracts).

Naxals attack Cong candidate's convoy , 7 killed

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
Raipur, Nov 30 (PTI) Six policemen, including an Assistant Platoon Commander, and a civilian were killed when naxalites set off a landmine blast targeting a convoy of Congress candidate from Bijapur assembly constituency in Chhattisgarh, who escaped unhurt, last evening.
Outlawed People's War Group naxalites carried out the attack at around 1815 hrs in Kungupalli village in naxal-infested Bastar district when Congress nomiee Rajendra Pambhoi was returning after electioneering, Bijapur SP J S Watti told PTI today by telephone.

The security personnel jeep, which was following Pambhoi's car, was blown to pieces, he said.

The killed were Assistant Platoon Commander Ramesh Kumar Nirmal, Head Constable Pawan Kumar and Constables Disali Ram, Visambhar Bhedia, Samar Singh Ekka and Rajendra Singh, all belonging to the 5th battalion of Chhattisgarh armed police.

The driver of the jeep, a civilian, who was yet to be identified, was also killed in the attack, the SP said.

The Congress candidate, who himself informed police about the attack, is on the hit list of naxals which had earlier attacked his house at Bhopalpatnam. PTI

Telgi case: Sharma interrogated by SIT

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
The Special Investigating Team, (SIT) questioned former Mumbai police commissioner R S Sharma in the multi-crore Telgi scam today.

This is the third time that Sharma, who is to retire today, has been questioned.

Sharma has been served by a departmental chargesheet and has till December 5 to answer.

Since being removed as police commissioner, he has served as Maharashtra's additional director general for training and he is now in charge of security at the Maharashtra Road Transport Cooperation.

Crucial Assembly polls in four states tomorrow

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) The stage is set for the much-hyped elections to the Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh assemblies tomorrow in which the BJP is engaged in a crucial battle with Congress to wrest power to bolster its prospects in the Lok Sabha polls next year.
Projected by many as "semi-finals" to next year's "finals" (general elections), the elections would reflect the political preference of voters and also decide the fate of political leaders of the Hindi heartland including Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit besides BJP's Uma Bharti, Madan Lal Khurana and Vasundhara Raje Scindia.

Over 5,000 candidates are vying to win the confidence of an estimated nine crore voters in the four states.

The maximum number of 2171 candidates are in the fray for the 230 member Madhya Pradesh assembly, followed by 1541 for the 200 strong Rajasthan House, 819 for the 90 seats at stake in Chhattisgarh and 817 for the 70 constituencies in Delhi.
PTI

Cheating by tricky politicians increasing:CEC

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, who lays down office in February next, is of the view that "tricky politicians" keep on cheating and "the cheating is increasing everyday".
Observing that there was a need to change the system, Lyngdoh said "we need better people in power and it is upto the voters to insist on getting better people".

Replying to a question in an interview to 'Indian Currents' magazine on Chhattisgarh Government's controversial programme of distributing school bags with pictures of Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, the CEC said "tomorrow somebody will out do him (Jogi). These are all little tricks of politicians, irrespective of their political affiliations".

On the effectiveness of affidavits by candidates detailing criminal cases pending against them and assets, Lyngdoh said "let us see. It is too early to say whether it has any lasting effect. I hope it has. We hope at least it may trigger some public debate on the merit of candidates, People are beginning to debate....." PTI

AIDS drugs to be provided in govt hospitals

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 30 (PTI) In a major initiative to tackle the dreaded AIDS, Government today announced that it will provide drugs for the disease in government hospitals as pharmaceutical industries pledged to lower their prices if incentives were provided.
Addressing a press conference on the eve of World AIDS Day here, Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj said that the programme to provide AIDS medicines in government hospitals would first begin in the six high-prevalence states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and Nagaland.

The programme is expected to begin from April next and about one lakh AIDS patients are likely to access the drugs through government hospitals and ante-natal clinics in the first year.

Swaraj said that representatives of pharmaceutical industry requested that they be provided with fiscal incentives structure equivalent to the incentives available to them through the Clinton Foundation.

The Minister said that the industry agreed not only to bring down the prices to that of Clinton Foundation but also to lower them further for domestic consumption. PTI

Mishra appointed new CBI director

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
Uma Shankar Mishra has been appointed as the new Centra Bureau Investigation (CBI) director.

Mishra will take over from P C Sharma, who retires as the director of the country's premier investigating agency on December 6.

Mishra was chosen among four probable candidates for the post.

Pak lift ban on Indian overflights: Musharraf

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
Islamabad, Nov 30 (PTI) Removing another irritant in normalisation of ties with India, President Pervez Musharraf today announced that Pakistan would lift ban on Indian flights over its air space.

The announcement comes on the eve of the second round of talks on resumption of civil aviation links between the two countries in New Delhi where a Pakistani delegation has already arrived.

"As a gesture of goodwill, Pakistan will agree to the resumption of overflights with India in the (two-day) talks being held in New Delhi" from tomorrow, Musharraf said while addressing a delegation from the Pakistan and India Young Professionals Organisation here, the official APP news agency reported.

Musharraf, who made the announcement five days after the two countries started observing the ceasefire along their borders, also hoped that the recent thaw in relations in the wake of the ceasefire along the borders would culminate in the resumption of dialogue to resolve all disputes between the two countries.

"Pakistan is sincere in its efforts for peace in the region," APP quoted him as saying.

Pakistan, however, he said, wanted peace with "honour, dignity and sovereign equality" like all other nations. PTI

Pak heading for clash with India in ChampTrophy

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor
London, Nov 30 (PTI) Pakistan's win over New Zealand in the first one-dayer at Lahore has set the team on course for a clash with arch-rivals India in the group stages of the next year's ICC Champions Trophy cricket tournament.
A victory in the second of the five-match one-day series tomorrow would guarantee Pakistan third spot in the official International Cricket Council (ICC) ODI rankings, which means the side would be grouped with India (6th) in the 12-team competition in England next September.

If Pakistan lose tomorrow's match, they will fall to fourth in the ratings behind Sri Lanka and will play England (5th) and Zimbabwe (9th) in the first round of the Champions Trophy. PTI

Campaigning ends for Monday's polls in 4 states

Sunday, November 30, 2003 | Editor

New Delhi: The heat and dust generated by two weeks of acrimonious electioneering focusing among other issues on the cash-on-camera scam involving BJP leader Dilip Singh Judeo settled on Saturday evening for Monday's Assembly polls in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, seen as "semi-finals" to next year's Lok Sabha elections.

As the clock struck 5 p.m., the blaring of loud speakers and public meetings in support of candidates came to a close and their supporters fanned out for door-to-door canvassing to woo an estimated nine crore voters in four states where Congress is trying to retain power. While Congress has brought up corruption as its main poll plank in the wake of cash-on-camera scam involving Judeo, who subsequently resigned from the Union Ministry, its main rival BJP sought to cash in on lack of development in these states and "achievements" of the NDA government at the Centre.

Maintaining a watchful eye, the Election Commission strictly enforced the model code of conduct restraining the Centre from issuing advertisements tom-tomming its achievements, preventing Chhattisgarh Government from distributing school bags carrying Chief Minister Ajit Jogi's photo and even issuing a notice to Congress President Sonia Gandhi for using a state helicopter. The panel also transferred some officials in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for violation of the poll code.

Elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair polls in the four states whose outcome may set off fresh political alignments ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) have been introduced in all the four states to help the voters choose easily the candidates of their choice from the over 5,000 aspirants. Among those whose fate would be sealed in Monday's elections are chief ministers of the four states - Digvijay Singh (Raghogarh), Ajit Jogi (Marwahi), Ashok Gehlot (Sardarpura) and Sheila Dikshit (Gole Market).

BJP general secretary Shivraj Singh Chauhan, senior party leader Nand Kumar Sai, executive-turned-politician Mahendra Jhabak and BJP MP Kirti Azad's wife Poonam are the main candidates contesting respectively against Chief Ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi. Other prominent candidates in the fray are BJP's chief ministerial candidates Vasundhara Raje from Jhalarpatan against Congress MP Rama Pilot in Rajasthan, Uma Bharati from Bada Malhera in Madhya Pradesh against Jagdish Shukla (Cong), Madan Lal Khurana against Congress student leader Alka Lamba from Moti Nagar in Delhi.

Both BJP and Congress fielded several film stars for their campaign, which also witnessed whirlwind tours to the four states by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

IA withdraws 7-day scheme from 3 sectors

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
INDIAN Airlines (IA) has decided to withdraw the seven-day advance purchase ticket scheme (D-7) on specific flights between three sectors, namely, Mumbai-Calicut, Chennai-Mumbai and Cochin-Mumbai, from December 1 this year.

Official sources told Business Line that the decision was taken to withdraw the D-7 promotional fare scheme as other promotional schemes already exist on these sectors. In a statement, the airline has said that the D-7 scheme stands withdrawn on flights IC-596/598/595 and 597 on the Mumbai-Calicut sector while it has also been withdrawn on flight IC-571 operating on the Chennai-Mumbai sector.

The airline has also decided to revise the fares on the seven and 21-day advance purchase scheme from December 1 this year. IA has announced that from December 1 this year, a one-way Delhi-Bangalore ticket booked seven days before travel will now cost Rs 8,750, up from the existing fare of Rs 8,540, while the same on the Delhi-Chennai circuit will cost Rs 7,800, up from Rs 7,390 at present. Similarly, passengers booking their ticket at least 30 days before travel will pay Rs 4,500 for the Delhi-Chennai sector, up from the existing fare of Rs 3,710.

Sexual misconduct: Indian prof pleads not guilty

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
A visiting professor from India accused of sexual misbehaviour has pleaded 'not guilty'.

Debasis Chaudhuri, 41-year-old professor of computer science at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, sat in the courtroom before his name was called with his elbows on his knees and his head resting on cupped hands.

When his name was announced at the trial last week, a prosecutor read the charges against Chaudhuri - attempted first degree sexual assault, third degree sexual assault and second-degree false imprisonment, a media report said.

Chaudhuri answered "yes" in response to the court's question of whether he understood the charges brought against
him, Daily Nebraskan reported.

The University of Nebraska had relieved Chaudhuri, who was on a nine-month teaching stint with the university since August and was appointed to teach an undergraduate computer science class, of his duties once the police arrested him last month and brought up the charges.

Chaudhuri, who has a wife and child in India, was arrested at his home in Lincoln on October 12 and charged with first-degree sexual assault of a university student.

The assault allegedly occurred on October 9 in Chaudhuri's Fergusan Hall office when she had gone there to discuss her
grades.

The student told the police that Chaudhuri pinned her to a chair, fondled her and forced her to give her phone number.

The victim also said she thought she was going to be raped, the newspaper reported.

According to police reports, the student's cell phone bill indicated Chaudhuri called her up 11 times on the day of the assault.

The professor claimed he had lost his mind for a few moments because of the woman's "inappropriate dress."

The case has been posted for trial on January 20. If convicted of the main charge of first-degree sexual assault, Chaudhuri could face up to 20 years in prison, a fine of $ 25,000 and payment of restitution to the victim.

If convicted of third-degree sexual assault, he could face a minimum of one year in prison and a fine of $ 1,000 or a combination of the two.

For the second-degree false imprisonment charge, Chaudhuri could face up to one year in prison, up to $ 1,000
in fine and be ordered to pay restitution to the victim.

Prior to the incident, some of Chaudhuri's students were planning to file a complaint against him because his heavy
accent made lectures difficult, the paper said.

He came to the university to participate in research with other professors with whom he shared a common interest in
the field of image processing.

Trai shifts focus to Net telephony

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor

MUMBAI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has discussed the issue of allowing unrestricted internet telephony as a means to accelerate growth in internet and broadband in the country. These and other issues have been discussed by Trai in its consultation paper on internet and broadband issued on Friday.

Currently internet telephony usage is restricted to calls outside the country. Calls have not been permitted within the country since it would clash with the interests of the national long distance operators. The latter have paid huge licence fees for the NLD licences. The other issue that the consultation paper raises includes promoting the availability of low cost internet access devices, fostering local development and manufacturing of equipment via government incentives and taxation policy, government to promote internet through greater usage in transactions, promoting access to and development of local content.

Besides, the paper also raises the issue of definition of broadband and time bound targets, fostering roll-out of internet and broadband through a multitude of access paths, using the appropriate technology at the right time. Comments on the consultation paper have to be sent to Trai by December 21.

Earlier Trai had set a task force on how to promote growth of the internet. Based on its recommendations certain policy measures were taken including setting up of national internet exchange in the country and de-licencing of WLAN band for restricted usage. The Trai’s concern over broadband growth in India is fuelled as the current internet subscriber base is only 0.4% of the population.

”The growth rate of internet subscribers has become low, even negative in recent months. The use of broadband services is on an even smaller scale, that is 0.02%. This is in sharp contrast with the penetration in adjoining Asian countries and if we want leadership in knowledge-based services the situation must change,” states a release issued by Trai.

Drought issue dominates Rajasthan polls

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
The state of Rajasthan is not unfamiliar with droughts. Of the past 50 years, 40 have been hit by scarcity.

Significantly in this election, the drought is the main poll issue because ever since the Gehlot government assumed office, in its five-year tenure, it has faced four years of drought.

As the water minister, who helped Rajasthan face four years of drought, C P Joshi is aware that the head that wears the crown is an uneasy one.

However, the Congress has decided to make the state's worst natural calamity its crowning achievement.

In this election, the Gehlot government's management of drought is the party's main poll plank.

"I think that the biggest achievement of the government was drought management," said Joshi.

BJP contradicts

However, realising that the Congress' strength could also be its weakness, the BJP too has chosen to focus on what it claims is drought mismanagement.

In fact, the party's saffron agenda is largely absent from its campaign in Rajasthan.

"The Rajasthan government hasn't spent a single paisa on tackling the drought. Even the grain that the Centre sent was not distributed properly. Work at the relief sites was hogged by Congress workers," alleged Chandra Bagoria, BJP candidate.

With both parties bickering over drought management in the state, the voters final say on December 1 will be the last word on what has been the most contentious issue in this election.

Four killed after being thrown out of running train

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
NASIK: Four youths were killed and one was injured after they were allegedly thrown out of a running train by some passengers near Nandgaon in Bhusawal section of Central Railway, police said here on Saturday.

The incident occurred in the wee hours of Friday when the youths, travelling in 5250 UP Darbhanga-Kurla Pawan Express, got into an altercation with some long-distance passengers over seat-sharing, they said.

This led to a brawl between the youths and the passengers, who threw them out in a fit of rage, police said.

Police have found bodies of four youths near rail track. The injured youth, Devendra Survade was found lying near the track by the driver of another train. He has been admitted to Bhusawal railway hospital, police said.

The five youths hailing from Bhusawal were proceeding to Mumbai in search of jobs, they said.

The deceased were identified as Praveen Onkar Javare (19), Sachin Dattu More (20), Dilip Laxman Survade (18) and Nitin Dhakane (21).

The matter is being investigated by police.

'Janasheen' wrecks Celina's love life

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi: Distance makes the heart grow fonder? Not quite. While Feroze Khan's 'Janasheen' may catapult bikini-girl Celina Jaitley to sex symbol status, it could cost her the man in her life.

The former Miss India, who dropped business partner Sanjay Narang to find solace in the arms of Dubai-based Swiss businessman Alex, admits the relationship is on the rocks. In fact her boyfriend, thoroughly miffed at Celina's hectic schedule, has even stopped communicating for the last many days.

According to Celina: "It's just that I am so busy. Locations are so far off that most of the time I spend travelling. As a result I don't often get a chance to speak to Alex at leisure. Although he kept telling me that he wasn't happy, there was very little I could do."

While the Bollywood siren was reportedly calling up her lover and asking after his well being, he felt it wasn't enough.

"Like any other man in love, he craves time and attention and the physical distance between us is causing a lot of problems. Being so far from each other, I am afraid he will soon get used to the idea of not having me around. I desperately want to avoid that and have promised to call him more frequently. I am also planning to take some time off and go to Switzerland to see him," she says.

But rumours of a torrid affair with co-star Fardeen Khan on the sets of 'Janasheen' have nothing to do with the crisis in her love life, insists Celina.

"At the moment I am seriously involved with Alex and am not looking around for someone else. However that could change if I have a break-up. As far as Fardeen is concerned, he is a sweet and sexy guy. We have been very friendly but I am not having an affair with him. Just because we share some real intimate moments on screen doesn't mean we also cosy up off it", she quips.

CAT scam: IIMA professor to challenge retest

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
Ahmedabad: Expressing dissatisfaction over the decision to conduct retest of the Common Admission Test on February 15 following the nationwide leak of question papers last Sunday, a senior professor of Indian Institute of Management has allegedly decided to file a PIL challenging the decision.

In an email notice circulated last evening, IIMA professor J P singh said, "the retest was not necessary and would be a harassment to the 1.25 lakh students and their families apart from being a financial burden for the institutions."

Singh also said in the email that "the IIMs should treat the cancelled tests of November 23 as the first cut eligibility amd hold a second test for fewer number of students."

However, neither Prof Singh nor IIMA director Bakul Dholakia were available for comment on the controversial email.

The examination department of the IIM yesterday also declared that candidates appearing for the February 15, 2004 retest would get their admission cards by January 10 and those who do not get them by Jan 23 should intimate the concerned IIM by Jan 31.

Prof Singh, teaching corporate governance, corporate leadership and corporate growth for the past 19 years with IIM reportedly also communicated with Prof Dholakia about the PIL he wanted to file.

The CAT exams were cancelled on Sunday last following the sensational paper leak that was busted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) even as the exams were in progress.

CBI has arrested Dr Ranjit Singh and many others for their alleged role in the paper leak and though the agency had initially given a clean chit to all IIMs faculty in connection with the case, it later clarified that the clean chit was only given to IIMA.

Rookies deflate Indian bowlers

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
Brisbane, Nov 29 (PTI) The touring Indians lost three wickets in seven balls after their bowlers were put on the rack by a second-grade Queensland side on the opening day of a three-day side game here today.

The ragged Indian bowling attack once again let a batting reputation grow at their expense and their batsmen did little better in the seven possible overs to crumble to 17 for 3 at close against Queensland Academy of Sports XI.

Lee Carseldine, playing his first game of the season after recovering from a knee injury, smashed a brilliant century as the home team cheekily declared at 304 for 6, half an hour before close of play.

The hosts backed their decision sensationally, removing Indian openers and wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta in the space of seven balls.

Scott Bryant, a left-arm paceman of Zimbabwe-origin, removed Akash Chopra and Deep Dasgupta off successive deliveries in his second over though the Indian stumper was unlucky as he had played fully stretched forward.

India suffered another blow at the other end when Virender Sehwag (6) edged a flick down the legside off Joe Dawes for wicketkeeper Chris Hartley to complete a very good catch. PTI

India, E U to cooperate to fight global terrorism

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 29 (PTI) India and European Union today agreed on an 18-point agenda for action including increased cooperation to counter global terrorism and intensify steps to promote peace, stability and reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq.
A joint statement issued at the end of the 4th India-EU summit today also decided to continue high-level dialogue on multilateral trade issues, launch a 14 million euro trade and investment development programme to promote economic cooperation besides efforts to double bilateral trade to 50 billion dollars.

The statement issued at the conclusion to two-day summit between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and European Union President Romano Prodi decided to ensure an early launch of 30 million euro scholarship programme for the Masters and doctoral level to promote academic networking.

Two agreements were signed including the one for the Eu-India trade an Investment Development programme. Another agreement was inked for India-EU customs cooperation.

The two sides have also decided to have a Maritime transport agreement which would help modernise Indian maritime industry, reduce shipping times and costs and provide stability for economic operators.

The customs cooperation agreement would improve trade facilitation and fight against fraud related to the Indian and European legislation by providing a legal basis for mutual administrative assistance. PTI

It's poll time: VHP comes to the aid of BJP

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
Despite the ideological disconnect between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), made public by both sides prior to campaigns being launched in poll-bound states, there was quiet camaraderie on the ground.

As BJP leaders, from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee downwards addressed rallies across Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi, at the grass roots, opinion mobilisation in the party's favour was being captained by the parishad cadre. On record, senior VHP leaders, maintained they refrained from rendering "direct" support to the BJP during electioneering but accepted that the Right wing canvas was swelling with behind the scenes activities.

A reflection of this trend came through Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani's speech in the Capital on Thursday. Mr Advani told a public gathering, "Jai Shri Ram bhi hoga, woh bhi nahi chukega."

Mr Advani's response inferred as an endorsement of the Hindutava brand by some political analysts is being viewed by others as strategic use of an emotive issue for electoral advantage.

The parishad's most sought-after and self-designed Hindutava ambassador, Dr Praveen Togadia, however, refused to be drawn into the debate.

When contacted by The Pioneer on Friday, Dr Togadia said: "Before the Assembly elections are over and counting of votes is completed, I am not going to talk. It is my policy not to say anything now."

The, the BJP's star campaigner and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, during his tour of the poll-bound states, had often mentioned Dr Togadia's name as the "value enhancer" to the BJP pitch for power.

The last public statement by Dr Togadia was on October 29 in Chennai where he said, "We will see to it that the political parties which honoured Hindu sentiments win the polls and all parties which insulted Hindus are defeated."

Dr Togadia's movement was restricted after Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav axed his trident distribution bid in Bihar and many Congress-run states also issued warnings to arrest him. According to sources in the VHP, Dr Togadia has been quietly doing the needful to garner votes for the BJP, including addressing people in small groups in the four states.

While not actively campaigning, the parishad's top leadership comprising Ashok Singhal, Acharya Giriraj Kishore and Vishwa Hari Dalmia, have been working on target groups, sources added.

Observations of BJP president Venkaiah Naidu that, "Religious organisations like the VHP should stay away from politics," have been taken at face value alone by parishad members.

The Rashtriya Swyamsevak Sangh, (RSS), on the other hand, stuck to its philosophy of staying away from public gaze and went forward building the Hindu vote bank in villages, districts and semi-urban townships.

RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said the swyamsevaks have been helping BJP candidates understand local issues and accordingly design their campaign strategies.

"Since it is the RSS philosophy to stay away from electoral politics we have been working to firm the BJP base," Mr Madav added.

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BJP fields veteran NCP leader’s son in Nagpur

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
The BJP seems to have once again pulled off a coup of sorts, fielding veteran NCP leader and Sharad Pawar’s close aide Datta Meghe’s son Sagar Meghe from the Nagpur local bodies’ constituency against the Congress in Nagpur’s biennial legislative council election .

The elections are scheduled for December 1. The electoral college for legislative council seats consists of elected representatives of local civic bodies such as the municipal corporation and Zilla Parishads, and voting is done on a preferential basis.

Nagpur is the second state capital of Maharashtra and was hitherto considered a bastion of the Congress. However, of late the BJP has emerged as a formidable force in the Nagpur city and is eyeing to better the Congress in the coming polls by dividing the ruling coalition, as it had done in the case of Solapur.

In the Solapur parliamentary by-election, which was forced by chief minister Sushilkumar Shinde’s vacating the Lok Sabha seat after his taking over the new office, the BJP had fielded the brother of powerful NCP minister Vijaysinh Mohite Patil. The BJP candidate Pratapsinh Mohite Patil won a hands-down victory by a margin of over 1.25 lakh votes against Congress’ Anandrao Deokate, although the seat was traditionally a Congress fortress. It was NCP’s clandestine support to the BJP candidate because of blood relations that pulled it off.

The BJP returned the favour in the ongoing council biennial election when it allowed NCP’s nominee and Vijaysinh Mohite Patil’s son Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil to get elected from Solapur’s local bodies constituency unopposed.

The same game-plan is being repeated in Nagpur now, where the BJP hopes to get at least a share of NCP votes in favour of its candidate by counting on the influence wielded by Datta Meghe. The Congress has fielded Avinash Pande.
The decision by Mr Meghe’s son to join BJP created a political storm in the state NCP and Mr Meghe has been asked for an explanation.

The Nagpur local bodies constituency has 443 votes which include 139 from Nagpur Municipal Corporation, 72 from the Nagpur Zilla Parishad, 13 chairpersons of the Panchayat Samitis and members of ten municipal councils. Congress controls Nagpur municipal corporation as well as other civic bodies, but the BJP has a strong presence there.

The only worry for the BJP is that its game-plan has been objected to by its closest and most trusted ally, the Shiv Sena itself. The saffron party has declared that it will not support Mr Sagar Meghe.

However, it is yet to decide whether to abstain from voting on the polling day. The BJP is leaving no stone unturned to get the Sena’s backing for its candidate. If the BJP wins the seat, it is likely to reshape political equations in Vidarbha.

Like Nagpur, another interesting tussle is on the cards for the two seats of Mumbai’s civic body constituency. Congress has fielded Kamrruddin Marchant, a close aide of the party’s LS member Sunil Dutt.
Congress has 59 members in the BMC and is expecting the support of 10 corporators of the Samajwadi Party, which has fielded its own candidate Mohsin Hyder, and 13 corporators of NCP plus four independents. Congress needs 77 first preference votes to ensure its candidate’s victory.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena, which has nominated former MLC Arvind Sawant, and the BJP, which has fielded its state unit spokesman Madhu Chavan, have the formidable support of 103 Sena corporators and 36 BJP corporators. There are 228 corporators in the BMC.

Rajasthan: Quick Look

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
Date of polling: December 1, 2003

Counting: December 4, 2003

Chief Electoral Officer: Lalit Kothari

Based at: Secretariat, Jaipur

Electorate: Over 3.35 crore

No of EVMs: 36,000

No of polling booths: 35,705

Sensitive booths: 4,529

Hypersensitive booths: 4,410

No of poll personnel: 200,000

Security forces: 70,000 (includes 110 companies of BSF, CISF, Rapid Action Force, Punjab Armed Police, Haryana Armed Police and Border Home Guards)

Also Read

Close to 9,000 polling stations declared sensitive in Rajasthan

Each EVM can accommodate 16 candidates. In seats where the number of contestants exceeds 16, two EVMs would be provided to voters. Some EVMs would be kept in the custody of the deputy commissioner of each district to replace faulty machines.

"There would be no problem for those using public transport but private vehicles coming into the state would be thoroughly checked," Kothari told rediff.com.

Over 100,000 persons had been arrested and released on bail after they gave an undertaking that they would not try to disrupt the elections.

Campaign in four States ends today

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov. 28: Political parties and leaders were on Friday making a last-minute bid to woo the voters in the Congress-held States of Madhya Pradesh, Chhatti- sgarh, Rajasthan and Delhi, where the campaign trail winds down on Saturday evening for the December 1 Assembly polls.

BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, mounted their attack on the lack of development in the States under the Congress rule but Opposition leaders went to town on corruption at the Centre in the campaign, which remained low-key due to election commission restrictions on poll expenditure.

In Madhya Pradesh, the main poll issue was the alleged lack of development in the State during the 10-year rule of the Congress. While Vajpayee held the State government responsible for the electricity crisis and inaction to provide roads in the State, Congress president Sonia Gandhi lauded Chief Minister Digvijay Singh’s performance on all fronts.

The Congress campaign also relied on the 16 Chief Ministers of the party, including Punjab’s Captain Amarinder Singh.

Campaign for the Chief Ministerial post also witnessed a pitched verbal battle between BJP aspirant Uma Bharati and Digvijay singh.

Nearly 19,500 personnel from Central Reserve Police Force would assist police in the four States for smooth conduct of the polls.

While 65 companies have been deployed in various districts of Chhattisgarh, 55 companies in MP and 10 companies in Delhi have been put in place.

Kal Ho Naa Ho

Saturday, November 29, 2003 | Editor
Producer/s: Dharma Productions
Director: Nikhil Advani
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Jaya Bachchan, Sonali Bendre
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar
Kal Ho Na Ho Singers: Sonu Nigam, Alka Yagnik, Richa Sharma, Udit Narayan, Sadhna Sargam, Shankar Mahadevan, Sujata Bhattacharya, Vasundhara Das, Kay Kay, Loy Mendosa, Shaan, Ravi "Rags" Khote

The verdict is out: Critics say Kal Ho Na Ho is a great film. The buzz is that the story is very similar to Hrishikesh Mukherjee?s Anand. The first half is very light- hearted and the second half is a tissue-soaker.Shah Rukh Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Preity Zinta are said to be at their scintillating best. Great first film from director Nikhil Advani.

Kal Ho Na Ho (Review by IndiaFM.com)

As this writer saunters in a preview theatre to watch a select screening of Kal Ho Na Ho, a few questions cross my mind...Will Kal Ho Na Ho match up to the high standards of Karan Johar's earlier flicks, KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI and K3G, in terms of style, substance and success? Will the SRK - Karan Johar combo magic work the third time round? Is Kal Ho Na Ho the 2003 adaptation of Hrishikesh Mukherjee's masterpiece ANAND? If yes, will it pale or shine in comparison?
SRK has proved lucky for most first-time directors - Raj Kanwar [DEEWANA], Aditya Chopra [D.D.L.J.], Karan Johar [KUCH KUCH HOTA HAI]. Will history repeat itself as Nikhil Advani makes his directorial debut with Kal Ho Na Ho?
Will a supposedly 'sad ending' work at the box-office?

And as the magic unfolds on the big screen, the doubts, if any, are set to rest. Yes, Kal Ho Na Ho does live up to the expectations. Will it be as successful as Karan's earlier flicks, only time will tell. Yes, the SRK - Karan Johar magic does cast a spell the third time around. The film works, courtesy SRK's incredible performance and Karan's deft writing. No, Kal Ho Na Ho is not the 2003 version of ANAND. Yes, the protagonist in this film spreads happiness and rallies around, disentangling tribulations, but the similarities end there. The subject that Kal Ho Na Ho boasts of, only a director with mettle would've been able to do complete justice to it. While watching this flick, not once does the viewer feel that it has been directed by a first-timer. And that's a compliment for debutante director Nikhil Advani. As for the 'sad ending' bit, let's put it this way. Sad endings have worked in a big way in the past. Remember ANAND, ANKHIYON KE JHARONKON SE, EK DUUJE KE LIYE, Q.S.Q.T.? Hey, why are we talking of a sad ending here? Kal Ho Na Ho is all about hope and love... and hope never fades and love never dies.

New York.
For Naina Catherine Kapur [Preity Zinta], life is cold, grey and dull - as it has been ever since her father passed away. Between the constant bickering in her half Punjabi, half Catholic household, her grand-mother's [Sushma Seth] temper, looking after her little sister and brother and helping her mother Jennifer [Jaya Bachchan] deal with the family's financial troubles - Naina has no time for parties, fun or herself. She is 23, going on 50. She is serious, she is boring.

Enter Aman Mathur [Shah Rukh Khan]. Like a whiff of fresh air, he moves into their tiny Indian neighbourhood to take it over. Helping others solve their problems and face life's little challenges - Aman has all the answers. Much to Naina's irritation, he insists on interfering in her life too...Aman pushes Naina into doing things that she would never dream of doing. He nags her till she learns to smile. He conspires with her friend Rohit [Saif Ali Khan], an eligible Manhattan bachelor, to help her find happiness. Kal Ho Na Ho is the story of Aman, Rohit and Naina's journey together. How they discover themselves, find the courage to love and come together to celebrate life is what the film is all about.

Like Karan's previous flicks, Kal Ho Na Ho is a contemporary film. It does tell the story of an Indian family residing in may be Chelsea or Queens in NY, but the roots are very Indian. The milieu may be western, but writer Karan Johar and director Nikhil Advani have packaged the film with Gujaratis, Punjabis, Sardars, Christians, a video pirate from Mumbai uttering Mumbaiya lingo... Not once do you feel that Kal Ho Na Ho is an English flick in the guise of a Hindi film. It's very much a desi film in a videshi setting.

Even the emotional quotient is very Indian. In fact, the structuring of the script is akin to Sooraj R. Barjatya's all-time hit HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN. The script focuses on light moments from start till pre-climax, but the last half-an-hour takes a U-turn as seriousness sets in.

The first half of the enterprise abounds in light moments. Moments that bring about a smile recurrently. But the writer and director have cleverly injected drama in the goings-on in a subtle fashion [the Sushma Seth - Jaya Bachchan track], which adds spice to the proceedings. It is the second half that has its share of serious moments. The love triangle and the complexities of relationships, treated differently, keep the viewer glued to the screen. The culmination to the story - which begins as the engagement song comes to an end - takes the film to dizzier heights altogether.

The climax is highly emotional and completely justified, in keeping with the story of the film. The end is pleasant, very family-oriented and will be identified by Indians everywhere, whether in India or on foreign soil.

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy's music is melodious and sounds fresh to the ears. Of the songs, 'Pretty Woman', 'Mahi Ve' and the title track sound pleasant. The choreography [Farah Khan] is topnotch.

Cinematography [Anil Mehta] can be compared to the best of international cinema. To state that the film is a visual treat wouldn't be doing justice to the output on screen. The indoor sets [Sharmishtha Roy] meet the demands of the script to the T. Costumes [Manish Malhotra] and make-up [Mickey Contractor] deserves special mention.

Nikhil Advani makes a confident debut. Although he shows a flair for light scenes, his handling of the emotional part in the climax indicates that he knows his job well. Karan Johar's overall scripting and the detailing that has gone into some sequences proves that Hindi cinema has writers of calibre. Niranjan Iyengar's dialogues are excellent.

One can't imagine Kal Ho Na Ho without SRK. The actor delivers yet another bravura performance that he can be proud of, when he looks back in life. The role gives him immense scope to exhibit a gamut of emotions and the actor carries not just his role, but the entire film on his firm shoulders.

Preity Zinta has never looked so pretty, nor has she ever acted with such conviction. This film should consolidate her status as an actress of substance. Saif Ali Khan is a revelation. The actor manages to stand on his own despite towering performances by SRK and Preity. Not only does the actor look suave, he even carries off his role with elan.

Jaya Bachchan delivers yet another flawless performance. Sonali Bendre [sp app.] acts her part well. Kajol, Rani Mukerji and Uday Chopra make fleeting appearances, adding to the star-value of the film. Sanjay Kapoor [sp. app.] does well.

Rajpal Yadav excels in a cameo. Sulbha Arya's [Kantaben] comedy track, when she suspects SRK and Saif of having an affair, will bring the house down. It's simply hilarious.

Sushma Seth is first-rate. Ditto for Reema Lagoo. Lilette Dubey, Delnaz Paul, Satish Shah and Ketaki Dave liven the proceedings. Simone Singh looks gorgeous. Shoma Anand and Dara Singh are adequate.

On the whole, Kal Ho Na Ho has all it takes to emerge victorious. At the box- office, the face-value and the track record of its makers have resulted in tremendous hype and hooplah. Keeping in mind its merits and the opening that the film has generated, Kal Ho Na Ho should emerge a winner, setting new records in days to come!

Kal Ho Na Ho (Review by fullhyd.com)

By Mithun Verma Rating: 3/5

I like Shah Rukh. I like his presence, his charisma, his bank balance and everything that he's good at, off-screen. And before the fans nuke me to hell, let me quickly say that I like his movies too. Mostly because the halls are full of women. 'Mostly' because sometimes I like his movies for other reasons. Just like this one.

Preity (as perhaps one of the best dressed characters ever, Naina) is this dopey little professional shouldering the responsibility of a volatile family. The turbulence in the family is due to the frequent duels between her mom (Jaya Bachchan) and her grandma. Having lost her father, Preity's only hope in life is finding a man who would make all the hurt go away. Enter Saif Ali Khan (as Rohit, a mature Sameer from DCH) as Preity's best friend and the guy whose laughter is irresistibly contagious.

The entire story is set against the backdrop of a desi New York neighbourhood. It looks like the work of someone who knows his way around. There's this nice urban feel, that too without going overboard. A perfect match for a typical modern Indian. And then, of course, there's Shah Rukh. He's so... wait a minute - I didn't bring him into the story yet, did I?

Shah Rukh (as Aman; I can say he's cute but his wife would get upset) moves into the neighbourhood, bringing along bundles of energy, vibrant colors and the first official filmi English song remix-Pretty woman. His whirlpool of joie de vivre sucks everyone into it, including Preity herself. The starry-eyed Preity loses her glasses for, and her heart to, him. Someone will finally fill up that void in her life.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh and Saif get pretty pally. They hit off big-time doing all the stuff grown up men do. Like sleep with each other in their arms, kiss and say 'I love you' etc. For all the men and women who think that it's a little too provocative for Indian audiences, you're wrong! It's a whole lot of laughs and a gala time for us. The combo of Saif and SRK single-handedly is going to make you love the flick.

Anyway, the deal is that Saif loves Preity, Preity loves Shah Rukh... and Shah Rukh also loves Preity, but cannot reciprocate. He's terminally ill. No, the illness is not called Hammywayout-amia. So he's hell bent on getting Preity and Saif hooked and, in the process, makes them discover each other. He helps Saif selflessly and eventually succeeds.

The movie loses big time in its sense of originality - plotwise and performancewise. We have all seen love triangles before. We have all seen Saif and Preity give terrific performances before and we have definitely seen Shah Rukh make the audience weep and smile with him before. But what makes the movie click is the sleek direction.

This new guy seems to be a cross between Farhan Akhtar and Karan Johar. Larger than life yet somehow identifiable. The music, the setup, the characters, the dialogues, the performances, the guest appearances, they're all fairly happening. But somehow SRK manages to remain un-happening. But don't trust me, I said that about DDLJ too!

P.S: They don't show SRK dying. You can cancel that order of a Boeing full of tissues.

Kal Ho Na Ho (Review by glamsham.com)

By Kshama Rao

OK, so how is Kal Ho Na Ho, written and produced by Karan Johar and directed by one-time assistant to Johar and Aditya Chopra, Nikhil Advani? It's good. It's certainly better than Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham. It has plenty of touching moments, a generous dose of humour (and most of the time it's at the expense of other people, spoofs of other films, fat people, eccentricities of certain communities etc etc), stunning cinematography (New York has never looked so awesome, George Bush is going to love it), great performances and good music. In short, it has all the sugarcoated ingredients of a typical Karan Johar film - despite all the cliches - suited largely for the palate of an NRI audience.

About the story: Naina (Preity Zinta) is a simple, bespectacled girl who leads a fairly boring life. In fact, she claims she leads a sad life. Why? Her mother Jennifer (Jaya Bachchan) runs a hotel, which is incurring losses. She has a younger brother who loves basketball but is physically disabled, a younger sister Gia adopted by her mother and the root cause of all problems according to her dadi (Sushma Seth), who in turn sings songs with two of her girlfriends in a bid to hook the neighbourhood old man (Dara Singh). Naina's father committed suicide and till half an hour before the film, we don't know why? She has a friend though, Rohit (Saif Ali Khan, doing his comic, Dil Chahta Hai number), with whom she attends her evening business management classes and who also thinks Naina can never be happy. But there is one man, Aman Mathur (Shah Rukh Khan) who turns up one fine sunny morning to change Naina's life. He's the neighbourhood oldie's nephew and has come to stay there with his mother (Reema Lagoo). Right from scene one of Aman's entry, Naina's life changes for the better. Aman befriends one and all but Naina of course thinks he interferes too much in her personal life. From getting himself invited for a dinner at Naina's house to addressing her mother as "Jenny", from helping her kid brother to play basketball to getting Naina drunk and 'disco' in a skimpy top, Aman makes Naina's life go topsy-turvy. He makes her to learn to smile, laugh and accept her life with all its follies. Naturally, the girl had to fall in love with Aman. But Rohit also has suddenly discovered he is in love with Naina. Who gets the girl? Aman says he cannot. He's already married to Priya (Sonali Bendre). A grief stricken Naina is back to her rona dhona. But Aman is not willing to give up, if he can't get the girl, he'll help Rohit get her. So after a 'chhe din ladki in' plan, Rohit and Naina have fallen in love!

Then what? Now the film, which has had the audiences rolling in the aisles, gets into tragedy mode. Aman is not married. Priya is not his wife, she's his doctor. Aman is suffering from a weak heart and his days are numbered. Worse, Naina gets to know this and Rohit is feeling guilty and now they both know that Aman all along loved Naina. Sigh! They have to get married for its Aman's last wish to see them together. End of story!

Yes, in the meanwhile the hate-hate relationship between dadi and Jenny too is sorted out. It's Aman again who makes this truce happen. Apparently, Jenny's husband had an extra-marital affair the result of which is Gia who Jenny adopted. Unable to live with the shame of seeing his wife making a strong decision, he committed suicide!

OK, as we said earlier Kal Ho Na Ho is a complete entertainer but we do have a few bones to pick! For one we fail to understand why it was necessary to have New York as the backdrop. We mean Naina could be one of the Bombay girls. Don't we have single mothers, sadder daughters in Bombay or for that matter in any other part of the country? But then, we think we know the answer. New York lends itself to great visuals, you can also have the Patels and the Punjabis settled there love your movie with funny tributes to their communities through song and dance. You can also have 'gay' jokes, which would be more acceptable to the overseas audience. So on so forth.

Also, even after the film has gotten over, we are left with the feeling that Rohit is still not convinced about having had to marry Naina. We mean it's a little too much to marry a girl who you know is never going to get over her first love who she's even found out had sacrificed his feelings for her!

Aman has come to New York presumably for advanced medical treatment but we hardly see him with his doctor...Last but not the least, Jennifer's very, with-it, progressive woman stance looks out of sync when she weeps in the church saying, "My husband was not bad, he just made a small mistake" which is by the way fathering an illegitimate child!

On the plus points is the music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. Hummable! Director Nikhil Advani leaves his individual style of shot taking and handling certain key sequences with the requisite amount of candor and sensitivity. The way the film is edited is refreshing and over all it's a paisa vasool film largely for its key players. A jeans-clad Jaya B is as usual great as Naina's silent supporter who flares up occasionally. Saif as Rohit is expectedly good though we wish his character had evolved into a more sensitive, serious being. For instance, the audience hooted when a grey-at-the-sides Rohit appears in the '20 years later' climax scene. Like he says to Naina in one scene, "Tum mujhe kabhi seriously nahin leti". Exactly, Saif's problem. Preity comes into her own as Naina. She fits the character perfectly, making it strong and vulnerable in right measures. And above all, it's Shah Rukh Khan who gobbles down everyone in sight with his near-perfect performance. Charming and truly sexy, SRK's spirited performance really leaves you both smiling and misty-eyed!

Kal Ho Na Ho (Review by moviesabsolute.com)

By Rajan Patel
Meet Naina (Preity Zinta), part Sardarni part Catholic -- lives in New York but very Indian at heart. Meet Rohit Patel ( Saif Ali Khan), a nice hearted skirt chaser and scion to the richest "Gujju" family in the US. Also please meet Aman ( Shah Rukh Khan), a child at heart, but has a heart like the sky -- his aim in life is to create happiness around him.

Naina and Rohit are great friends, while a part time MBA course gets them together each evening, their friendship is very love/hate. More so, Rohit has a deep liking for Naina, something which she doesn't know. Naina and her mother, Jennifer ( Jaya Bachchan) are deeply troubled by the fact that Naina's father committed suicide and Daddi Ma (Sushma Sheth) has always accused Jennifer for the suicide.

While Naina and Jennifer are very upset with the goings of a bad family life ( thanks to the Daddi Ma) and business life ( their restaurant business is not going anywhere) there arrives a neighbour in the name of Aman. He brings back the happiness to their lives and in turn Naina falls in love with him. Aman has a life threatening heart disease and hence he lies to Naina that he is already married to Priya ( Sonali Bendre), who in actuality is his heart doctor. Aman wants Rohit and Naina together as he knows ...Kal Ho Na Ho.

The story of the movie can be called a "love triangle", but its how the movie is made which is simply amazing. Produced by Karan Johar and director by debutant Nikhil Advani ( Assistant on films like Mohabbatein, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, K3G), his ability as a good director clearly shows in the making of the films. All this with the whole world talking that Johar has "ghost directed" the film.

The most beautiful part about the film is that Karan Johar is a master craftsman at writing "emotional moments". His ability of weaving in small nuances via these moments clearly makes him one of the best directors in Bollywood ( now dont say he is only 3 movies old). Having spoken about the emotional moments, the comical moments of the film are par excellence. Both Shah Rukh and Saif are tres fantastique and to their witty best. More so the film is shot in "sync sound", which in non jargonistic terms means "live sound, and little to no dialogue dubbing later on" -- like they do abroad. While purist believe that an actor can elevate his performance in the film via a great "dubbing", i guess that Bollywood is catching up in film making procedures with the west.

What is nice is a lot of shots are "long" -- the actors act like they are on stage, less cuts which make the scene more interesting to watch as the actors really shine out. Shah Rukh with his Delhi stage acting background has used this to his great advantage. The music of the film by Ehsaan Shankar Loy has been pretty popular from the day of its release. The audience really freaked out when the songs started and his reaction was really nice to see.

Anil Mehta, who was recently responsible for cinematography on "Lagaan" has done a great job. The picturisation of the songs are truly fantastic.

To sum it up a great film, with funny as well as emotional moments -- a must watch...you never know..Kal Ho Na Ho !

Ratting ( on 5) The Look 5
Story - 3.5
Performances 4.5
Music - 4
Background Music 3.5
Overall - 4

Kal Ho Na Ho Tagline

Aaj, Aaj ek hasee aur baant lo...
(Let's share a smile again today)
Aaj, ek dua aur maang lo....
(Today, Let's ask for one more blessing)
Aaj, ek aanso aur pi lo...
(Today shed one more tear)
Aaj, ek zindagi aur ji lo...
(Today live another life)
Aaj, ek sapna aur dekh lo...
(Today, live another dream)
AAJ.....kya pata, Kal Ho Na Ho....

Kal Ho Na Ho Song Lyrics

Song Title Kal Ho Na Ho Theme Song

Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Sonu Nigam
Har Ghadi Badal Raha Hai Roop Zindagi
Chaav Hai Kahhi Hai Dhoop Zidnagi
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Ghadi Badal Raha Hai Roop Zindagi
Chaav Hai Kahhi Hai Dhoop Zidnagi
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Chaahe Jo Tumhe Poore Dil Se
Milta Hai Woh Mushkil Se
Aisa Jo Koi Kahin Hai
Bas Vahi Sabse Hasin Hai
Us Haath Ko Tum Thaam Lo
Woh Meherbaan Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Palko Ke Leke Saaye
Paas Koi Jo Aaye
Takh Sambhalo Paagal Dil Ko
Dil Dhadke Hi Jaaye
Par Sochlo Is Pal Hai Jo
Woh Dastan Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan
Jee Bhar Jiyo Jo Hai Sama
Kal Ho Na Ho

Song Title It's The Time To Disco !

Movie Kal Ho Na Ho
Movie Director Nikhil Advani
Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Vasundhara Das , Kay Kay , Shaan , Loy Mendonsa

Dil Hai Mera Deewana Kya
Kehta Hai Ab Ghabrana Kya
Taal Pe Jab Jhoome Badan
Hichkichana Sharmana Kya
Khul Ke Jhoomon Khul Ke Gaao
Aaoo Aaoo Yeh Khul Ke Kaho
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Kaun Mile Hai Kisko
It's The Time To Disco
Dil Hai Mera Deewana Kya
Kehta Hai Ab Ghabrana Kya
Taal Pe Jab Jhoome Badan
Hichkichana Sharmana Kya
Khul Ke Jhoomon Khul Ke Gaao
Aaoo Aaoo Yeh Khul Ke Kaho
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Kaun Mile Dekho Kisko
It's The Time To Disco

Balkhata Hai Badan Aisi Jo Taal Hai
Saanson Mein Chalti Hai Aandhiyaan
Behkata Hai Yeh Maan Ab To Yeh Haal Hai
Masti Mein Khoye Hai Hum Yahan
Tum Bhi Khoke Mast Hoke
Koi Toke To Khul Ke Kaho
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Keh Do Milo Jis Jisko
It's The Time To Disco

Josh Mein Naachti Rangeen Shaam Hai
Bin Piye Jhoomta Hais Ama
Hosh Ka Ab Yahan Bolo Kya Kaam Hai
Tez Hai Dhadkane Dil Javan
Yuh Hi Reh Hai Theek Hai Na
Aur Hai Kehna To Khul Ke Kaho
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Samjho Zara Tum Isko
It's The Time To Disco

Dil Hai Mera Deewana Kya
Kehta Hai Ab Ghabrana Kya
Taal Pe Jab Jhoome Badan
Hichkichana Sharmana Kya
Khul Ke Jhoomon Khul Ke Gaao
Aaoo Aaoo Yeh Khul Ke Kaho
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Kaun Mile Dekho Kisko
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
It's The Time To Disco
Kaun Mile Dekho Kisko
It's The Time To Disco

Song Title: Maahi Ve Maahi Ve

Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Sadhana Sargam, Sujata Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam, Shankar Mahadevan

Maahi Ve Maahi Ve That's The Way Maahi Ve
Tere Maathe Jhumar Damke
Tere Kannno Baali Chamke Hai Re
Maahi Ve
Tere Haatho Kangana Khanke
Tere Pairo Payal Chance Hai Re
Maahi Ve
Naino Se Bole Rabba Rabba
Mann Mein Dole Rabba Rabba
Amrut Ghole Rabba Rabba
Tu Soniye
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve

That's The Way Maahi Ve
O Tere Aankhen Kali Kali
Tera Gora Gora Mukhdha Hai Re
Maahi Ve
Tere Rangat Jaise Sona
Tu Chaand Ka Tukda Hai Re Maahi Ve
Tere Gaal Gulabi Rabba Rabba
Chal Sharabi Rabba Rabba
Dil Ki Kharabi Rabba Rabba
Tu Soniye
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve

Barse Rangini Kaliyan Hai Mehki Bhini Bhini
Baje Mann Mein Halke Halke Shehnaiya Re
Jitne Hai Tare Aanchal Mein Aa Gaya Sare
Dil Ne Jaise Hi Li Angadayee Re
Tu Jo Aayee Sajhke Mehndi Rajke
Chal Bajke Oh Soniye
Dil Kit No Ka Khaye Dhajke Oh Soniye
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve

Chanhda Meri Chanda Tujhe Kaise Mein Yeh Samjhaoon
Mujhe Lagti Hai Tu Kitni Pyaari Re
Khusiyan Jitni Hai Sab Jitni Hai Sab Dhoondh Ke Laoon
Teri Doli Ke Sang Kar Do Sari Re
Tu Jo Aayee Sajhke Mehndi Rajke
Chal Bajke Oh Soniye
Dil Kit No Ka Khaye Dhajke Oh Soniye
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Tere Maathe Jhumar Damke
Tere Kannno Baali Chamke Hai Re
Maahi Ve
Tere Haatho Kangana Khanke
Tere Pairo Payal Chance Hai Re
Maahi Ve
Naino Se Bole Rabba Rabba
Mann Mein Dole Rabba Rabba
Amrut Ghole Rabba Rabba
Tu Soniye

Jind Maahi Ve Jind Maahi Ve Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Jind Maahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Everybody Sing Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve
Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve Soni Soni Aaja Mahi Ve

Song Title: Kuch To Hua Hai

Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Alka Yagnik , Shaan

Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai
Do Chaar Din Se Lagta Hai Jaise
Sab Kuch Alag Hai
Sab Kuch Naya Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Cheezein Mein Rakh Ke
Bhool Jaati Hoon
Bekhayaali Mein Gungunati Hoon
Ab Akele Mein Muskuraati Hoon
Badli Hui Si Meri Ada Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Pighla Pighla Hai Dil Mera Jab Se
Achcha Rehta Hain Mood Bhi Tab Se
Haske Milta Hoon Aaj Kal Sab Se
Khush Ho Gaya Hai Jo Bhi Mila Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Rang Chamkilay Saaare Lagte Hai
Raah Mein Bhikre Tare Lagte Hai
Phool Ab Zyaada Pyaare Lagte Hai
Mehki Hui Si Jaisi Hawa Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Dhyaan Ab Apna Zyaada Rakhta Hoon
Sochta Hoon Main Kaise Lagta Hoon
Aaina Ho To Dekh Leta Hoon
Kaise Yeh Chehra Aisa Khila Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Yeh Nasha Jisme Dono Rehte Hai
Yeh Lehar Jisme Dono Behte Hai
Ho Na Ho Isko Pyaar Kehte Hai
Pyaar Mila To
Dil Kho Gaya Hai
Kuch To Hua Hai
Kuch Ho Gaya Hai

Song Title: Pretty Woman

Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Shankar Mahadevan, Ravi Rags Khote

Maine Jise Abhi Abhi Dekha Hai
Kaun Hai Woh Anjaani
Use Jitna Dekhon Utna Sochon
Kya Use Main Keh Doon
Maine Jise Abhi Abhi Dekha Hai
Kaun Hai Woh Anjaani
Maine Jise Abhi Abhi Dekha Hai
Kaun Hai Woh Anjaani
Woh Hai Koi Kali Ya Koi Kiran
Ya Hai Koi Kahani
Use Jitna Dekhon Utna Sochon
Kya Use Main Keh Doon
Pretty Woman
Hey Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Tum Bhi Kaho Naa Pretty Woman
Ho Maine Jise Abhi Abhi Dekha Hai
Kaun Hai Woh Anjaani
Woh Hai Koi Kali Ya Koi Kiran
Ya Hai Koi Kahani
Use Jitna Dekhon Utna Sochon
Kya Use Main Keh Doon
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Tum Bhi Kaho Naa O Pretty Woman

Yo Pretty Woman
Listen Up Girl When U Feel This Way
Don't U See The Sunshine
Coming Out Today
You Got To Feel It Right Just Like Day Agter Night
Dont Let The Sunshine
Out Of Your Sight
Cause I Can Feel You
Can You Feel It
When I Say That
I Can Feel You Here
Can U Feel Me
When I Say That I Am Crazy About You
Pretty Woman

Sone Ka Rang Hai
Sheeshe Ka Ang Hai
Jo Dekhe Dang Hai Kya Kahon
Hairaan Main Bhi Hoon
Yeh Kya Andaaz Hai
Itna Kyun Naaz Hai
Iska Kya Raaz Hain Kya Kahoon
Woh To Pal Mein Khush Hai Pal Mein Khafa
Badle Woh Rang Har Ghadi
Par Jo Bhi Dekhoon Roop Uskea
Lagti Hai Hai Pyaari Badi
Use Jitna Dekhon Utna Sochon
Kya Use Main Keh Doon
Pretty Woman Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Tum Bhi Kaho Naa Pretty Woman

Aankhon Mein Hai Nasha
Zulphon Mein Hai Ghata
Pehle Hamne Ada Yeh Haseen
Dekhi Na Thi Kahin
Dekhi Jo Yeh Pari
Masti Dil Mein Bhari
Masti Dil Mein Bhari
Hai Yeh Jadogari Ya Nahi
Ho Na Tum Janu Kya Hain Naam Na Janu Main Pata
Par Itna Hai Maine Jabe Jise Dekhle Ek Nazar Bhar Ke
Use Jitna Dekhon Utna Sochon
Kya Use Main Keh Doon
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Tum Bhi Kaho Naa Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Dekho Dekho Na Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman
Tum Bhi Kaho Naa Pretty Woman

Song Title Kal Ho Na Ho - Sad

Music Director Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Singers Alka Yagnik , Richa Sharma , Sonu Nigam

Soni Banno Chan Si Chamke
Mathe Uthe Jhumkar Dame
Palka Uth Diya Ne Thum Thum Ke
Main Vari Vari Java
Soni Banno Chan Si Chamke
Mathe Uthe Jhumkar Dame
Palka Uth Diya Ne Thum Thum Ke
Main Vari Vari Java

Tu Vekh Tai Lai Aj Raj Ke
Apne Sariyan Nu
Cheti Apne Nahi Mil De
Ja Banno Pave Khushiyan Te Dil Dariyan Tu
Pave Armaan Sab Dil De
Tu Vekh Tai Lai Aj Raj Ke
Apne Sariyan Nu
Cheti Apne Nahi Mil De
Ja Banno Pave Khushiyan Te Dil Dariyan Tu
Pave Armaan Sab Dil De

Tum Ho Gham Ko Chupaye
Main Hoon Sar Ko Jhukaye
Tum Bhi Chup Ho
Main Bho Chup Hoon
Kaun Kise Samjhaye
Ab Dooriyan Itni Hain To
Milna Yahan Kal Ho Na Ho
Ab Dooriyan Itni Hain To
Milna Yahan Kal Ho Na Ho
Tu Vekh Tai Lai Aj Raj Ke
Apne Sariyan Nu
Cheti Apne Nahi Mil De
Ja Banno Pave Khushiyan Te Dil Dariyan Tu
Pave Armaan Sab Dil De

Sach Hai Ke Dil To Dukha Hai
Hamne Magar Socha Hai
Dil Jo Hai Gham Kyon
Aankh Hai Nam Kyon
Hona Hi Tha Jo Hua Hai
Us Baat Ko Jaane Bhi Do
Jiska Nishaan Kal Ho Na Ho
Har Pal Yahan Je Bhar Jiyo
Jo Hai Sama Kal Ho Na Ho

Kal Ho Na Ho Ring Tones

1. Kal Ho Na Ho (Title)
Tempo 100 BPM
8.c3 16b2 4c3 32.b2 8.c3 32.b2 16c3 16e1 16d1 16c1 8.b2 16a1 8.b1 16.a1 2b1 8.c3 16b2 8.c3 16b2 8.c3 16b2 16c3 16e1 16d1 16c1 8.b2 16a1 8.b1 16a1 4b1 8g1 8a1 16c3 2.a2 8f1 8g1 16a1 2.g1 8g1 8a1 16c3 4.a2 32g14.f1 8f1 8#a1 16a1 2.g1

Kal Ho Na Ho Music Review

Red, Black and White - The three striking colors of KHNH a.k.a. Kal Ho Na Ho! These are the colors that catch your attention through the album cover. This Dharma production has to its credit biggies like Yash Johar as a producer, Karan Johar as a story and screenplay writer, Anil Mehta as the cinematographer and Farah Khan as the choreographer. Star-cast comprises of names like Jaya Bachchan, the Khans - Shahrukh and Saif, and the 'pretty woman' Preity Zinta'. Shankar Ehsaan Loy get the biggest break of their career in this debut venture of Karan Johar's erstwhile assistant Nikhil Advani that has lyrics by veteran Javed Akhtar !!

Ok!! So we will again repeat the rumor that KHNH may as well be 'inspired' by yesteryears classic 'Anand' starring Rajesh Khanna and the Big B. And if this is so then we have a analogy right away!! Case in point being the title track by Sonu Nigam that seems to be thematically similar to Anand's thoughtful and poignant track - 'Zindagi Kaisi Hai Paheli Haaye - Kabhi Ye Hasaye, Kabhi Ye Rulaye'. A touching number indeed, it strikes chord immediately. Sonu Nigam is excellent in his rendering and the trio of Shankar Ehsaan Loy do full justice to the poetry of Javed Akhtar saab. A chartbuster all the way!! Sad version (now can we live without them?) of this title track, crooned by Alka Yagnik, Richa Sharma and Sonu Nigam is situational but doesn't create as much as an impact as the main version. We will stick to the original here this time around !!

Apart from this there are 4 more tracks in this album - 3 dance tracks and one love duet (now isn't this surprising to have just 6 tracks in a movie that is mentored by the likes of those who have been behind the biggest blockbusters of all time musicals - Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham ). The dance tracks in the reckoning are 'Maahi Ve', 'Its the time to Disco' and 'Pretty Woman'. 'Maahi Ve' is the feel good family oriented song that is primarily a track that can be easily identified with the Johars, Chopras and the Barjatyas. OK!! So we still can't distinguish one from the other, but then are we complaining? Because we are sure that it will be the treatment of this track that will take it some way forward. And with the presence of King Khan (as Shahrukh is popularly called on) can anything really be ordinary? Sadhna Sargam, Sujata Bhattacharya, Udit Narayan, Sonu Nigam and Shankar are the voices behind this number.

Vasundhara Das, Kay Kay, Shaan and Loy Mendonsa do their best to infuse freshness in the party track 'It's the time to Disco'. Sad to see but the song just doesn't manage to rise to the occasion even after repeated listening !! At best, it can be categorized as 'above-average' and in any other lesser movie may have been forgotten soon. But then the BIG SCS - Sets, Choreography and Stars have brought even more mediocre songs at the top before. So who knows?

Hmmmmmmm...'Pretty Woman'!! So does it ring a bell? Shall we tell you? Ya, this is the track which is an inspiration with a difference!! The difference being that in this case due credit is given to the original composer Roy Orbison who composed for Julia Roberts starrer 'Pretty Woman'. Set to 'bhangra beats' (well, this happens only in India ), our version of this videshi track is sung by Shankar Mahadevan and Ravi "rags" Khote. End result - 'Pretty woman...uh...sorry.. 'Pretty Average'!! Nothing great shakes to cheer about.

When everything seems to have fallen into 'average' to 'very average' category comes 'Kuch To Hua Hai'. Welcome to the world of mush where nothing seems to go wrong !! So Alka Yagnik and Shaan delightfully tell each other ' Kuch To Hua Hai' !! A melodious track nevertheless, it is that innocent feel of the lyrics that make the track rise above the average mark !!

There is no denying the fact that the sales of the album have been very encouraging so far. In fact it has been one of the most awaited album of the year. Add to that the banner associated with the album, Khan's charisma and aggressive publicity and we may have a blockbuster in hand. But still a regret as KHNH in no way meets the sky high expectations that one normally has from a Johar film that also boasts of Shahrukh Khan in lead.

Campaigning reaches crescendo for December 1 assembly polls

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) With just three days left for the D-Day, a high-voltage acrimonious campaign reached its crescendo today with leaders of different parties making their last ditch effort to woo nine crore electorate, a day before electioneering ends in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh for the December one assembly polls.
Congress, which is trying to retain power in all the four states, has made corruption as the main poll plank in the wake of cash-on-camera scam involving former Union Minister Dilip Singh Judeo, but a spirited BJP sought to blunt the Congress campaign harping on "misgovernance." While 2171 candidates were trying their luck for a 230-member house in Madhya Pradesh, 1541 were contesting in Rajasthan for a 200-member house. Chhattisgarh has 819 contestants for a 90-member assembly and in Delhi 817 people are in the fray for a 70-member house.

Under the watchful eye of the Election Commission, elaborate arrangements have been made to conduct free and fair polls in the four states, the outcome of which may have a bearing on next year's Lok Sabha elections. PTI

Global bookies fancy Miss India

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor

NEW DELHI: What's the bet Miss India will be Miss World again? If we're talking money, a 16/1 chance. And for now, that's the best.

With a week to go for the most watched beauty contest, being held for the first time in China, bookies have whipped out their paraphernalia and are second-guessing the jury.

On an online betting site, readabet.com, Femina Miss India World Ami Vashi is at the top of the heap sharing honours with Miss Ireland, Miss Norway and Miss Venezuela. Each is given 16/1 odds for winning the crown.

On the lists of 12 popular UK and Australian bookmakers that traditionally take bets on who will win the pageant, Vashi fares consistently well - she is in the first five of most. William Hill puts her at one and Victor Chandler at second only to Miss Venezuela. Miss Norway is a hot favourite too.

Readabet reckons that Vashi, who has "come through what is the toughest national contest on the planet", also has India's solid record in the contest backing her. The same reason, however, also makes it tough for her. For, it is felt, though India is always in with a chance, winning the crown a fifth time in this decade will be a bit much.

No condoms please, we are youngsters

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI: Why are youngsters condom-shy? Can sex with a virgin cure AIDS? Do only drug-addicts get AIDS? A startling study provides the answers.

A joint survey by MTV Networks, UNAIDS and the World Health Organisation, titled 'Staying Alive 2003 Global Sexual Behaviour Survey', reveals that 90 per cent of the young people worldwide know that condoms help prevent HIV/AIDS, but are not using them always.

More alarming is the fact that far less youths are actually following through. Only half of the respondents said they used condoms the first time they had sex; over 70 per cent of the respondents who had more than one sexual partner in the past six months did not always use a condom.

"This alarming fact shows that there is a huge difference between knowledge and the reality of young educated people actually protecting themselves," says Bill Roedy, President of MTV Networks International, and Ambassador, UNAIDS.

"We need to remind young people that protecting themselves against this disease needs to become a daily habit like eating, drinking and sleeping," Roedy adds.

The survey, conducted with international research partners Online Testing Exchange (OTX) and Ciao AG, had over 9,000 respondents in 29 countries. The survey indicates sexual behaviour trends among 14-34 year-olds on HIV/AIDS awareness, including condom use, stigma and discrimination, trusted sources of information and sexual history.

Telgi’s diary contains names of 19 Ministers

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
The Mumbai High Court was today told that a diary of multi-crore fake stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Karim Telgi contained names of “19 Ministers and policemen” in various states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra, involved in the racket, which needed detailed investigation.

The allegation, which could shake many a state government if proven, was levelled by the counsel of former Mumbai police Commissioner R S Sharma in a packed courtroom, sending ripples down the corridors of the state secretariat here. Already a former Andhra Pradesh Minister is under arrest and there are allegations that a “very senior Minister” of Maharashtra took Rs 20 crore bribe to protect Telgi.

The High Court, while hearing six petitions, including that of social worker Anna Hazare, asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by former Inspector General S S Puri, to continue with the probe into the scam, effectively restraining the CBI from taking over the investigations in Maharashtra.

The High Court bench comprising Chief Justice C K Thakkar and Justice Abhay Oak said “time is not right at the moment”, to transfer the investigation to the CBI, although it would consider the matter at an “appropriate” time.

The court, however, directed the SIT to cooperate with the CBI which is investigating the scam in Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat. The SIT, on its part, submitted a detailed status report on the investigation. The court has posted the next hearing to January 16.

The SIT was set up on October 15 by the state government on the directive of the Mumbai High Court. The scam kingpin Telgi is presently in judicial custody in Bangalore.

The contents of the SIT report were not known, but the court was informed by Maharashtra’s Advocate General Goolam Vahanvati that the SIT has so far heard 720 conversations, contained in two compact discs (CDs). These CDs are among the dozen CDs containing telephonic conversations between Telgi and his contacts, which include politicians and police officials, handed over by the Karnataka government to the SIT.

An analysis of Telgi’s phone conversations secretly recorded by the Karnataka police had brought to light the involvement of “several prominent persons”, he said and handed over a confidential report to the court classified as a secret document.

The High Court’s directive has vindicated the positions held by both Maharashtra and Karnataka governments, opposing CBI’s intervention at this stage when chargesheets have been filed against Telgi and others in both the states. The BJP-led opposition in both states have charged the respective governments of shying away from CBI probe to protect tainted politicians of the ruling party and top cops.

KARNATAKA’S SUBMISSIONS: What perhaps weighed on the High Court’s mind was the Karnataka government’s submissions through its counsel B R Nanjundaiah. He told the court that the Allahabad High Court’s direction to the Centre to launch a CBI probe into the scam was for specific cases and not for the entire scam.
It was following the Allahabad High Court’s order that the Centre ordered a CBI probe into the scam, without waiting for the consent of Maharashtra and Karnataka governments.

Mr Nanjundaiah told the court that a similar PIL asking for a CBI probe was turned down by the Karnataka High Court recently.

He said two chargesheets have been filed against Telgi in Karnataka and the probe was being conducted by Additional Director General of Police, which was at its final stage after submitting nine reports, and prayed for status quo.

Maharashtra’s Advocate General Vahanvati, in his submissions, said the government had no objection to a CBI probe and it was up to the High Court to take a decision in this regard.

But quite interestingly, most of the petitioners, including Mr Hazare, who had prayed for a CBI probe, today opposed entry of the central agency and favoured continuation of the SIT. Their counsels told the court that both Maharashtra and Karnataka have formed special teams to investigate the case which are doing a fine job and there was no need to disturb their investigation.

Curiously, the CBI, during an earlier hearing, had told the court that it was unable to handle the case due to lack of adequate manpower and excess work load.
Today, the agency, through Additional Solicitor General Shirish Gupte, informed the court that it was willing to take over the investigations provided the court issued directives in this regard.

LAWYER’S BOMBSHELL: It was the submissions of Mr Sharma’s counsel, senior lawyer V R Manohar, which bacame the talking point and evoked intense anxiety.
While defending his client, Mr Manohar told the court that Telgi’s diary, which has been seized by police, contained telephone numbers of “19 ministers and top police officials”. He wondered why the SIT has not progressed on this matter so far and was targetting his client, instead.

Mr Manohar emphasised that Telgi’s links with politicians and police officials needed detailed investigation and not his client’s role, who has been given a clean chit by the government after due consideration of a previous inquiry report.
Mr Manohar charged that some petitioners were sidetracking Telgi and settling personal scores with Mr Sharma.

His reference was perhaps to Mr Hazare, who filed his petition after the Maharashtra government had given a clean chit to Mr Sharma while appointing him as the Mumbai police chief.

Mr Vahanvati told the court that the government has issued a show cause notice to Mr Sharma for his various acts of commissions and omissions as listed by the SIT and his reply is awaited. The court had on November 12 asked the government to take action on the preliminary report of the SIT on Mr Sharma’s role. Mr Sharma was the Pune police chief in 2001-2002 and had guided investigations into the scam.

Advani gives BJP a boost

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
Intense campaigning by Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani over the past few days is finally yielding results. The BJP rank and file, until recently struggling to make its presence felt in the run-up to the Assembly polls, now appears to have been galvanised as Mr Advani went on addressing one public rally after another in the city.
Left: Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Union Labour Minister Sahib Singh Verma and BJP's chief ministerial candidate for Delhi Madan Lal Khurana at a campaign rally in the Capital Right: Congress president Sonia Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at another rally

On the concluding day of his campaign on Thursday, Mr Advani finally had the desired numbers present at his rally, shouting the trademark BJP slogan - "Jai Shri Ram". And a visibly happy Mr Advani replied: "Jai Shri Ram Bhi Hoga. Woh Bhi Nahi Chukega (The task of Jai Shri Ram will also be accomplished. It won't be left unfinished)." A thunderous applause followed, indicating that the BJP's electioneering machine is shifting to top gear just in time.

This is the first time a senior BJP leader has raised the Ayodhya issue during the campaign phase in the Capital. So far, the BJP has been focusing on the achievements of the Central Government.

Starting the day with a well-attended meeting at Avantika Chowk under the Shahbad Daulatpur Assembly seat in outer Delhi, Mr Advani concluded his whirlwind tour of the city at Lajpat Nagar. The party has fielded Kulwant Rana From Shahbad Daulatpur - a stronghold of BJP heavyweight Sahib Singh Verma.

When an enthusiastic crowd repeatedly shouted the Jai Shri Ram slogan, the Deputy Prime Minister did not make any mistake in reading their minds as he said with a smile: "Jai Shri Ram Bhi Hoga. Woh Bhi Nahi Chukega." These words had a soothing effect on the gathering.

Addressing a public meeting in Lajpat Nagar late in the evening, Mr Advani reiterated that the people's ambition of having a temple in Ayodhya would be fulfilled. He told the gathering that this would be done with everybody's consent and in a peaceful manner.

"We are committed to fulfill the people's dreams by making India a developed nation and compete with other nations like the United States and Germany by 2020. Keep this fact in mind while casting your votes on December 1," Mr Advani underlined.

Referring to the Congress regimes in the country, Mr Advani said the entire world was aghast at India's backwardness, notwithstanding its abundance of talent and natural resources. "If our talent can constitute the nucleus of the US economy, why can't India make headways enough to emerge as a developed nation even after 55 years of its independence," Mr Advani asked.

"The world looks at us as a developing nation, which is not a compliment at all. For them, the term developing means nothing but underdeveloped. So, the task before us is to make India a developed nation, and sooner the better," he added. Referring to the achievements of the Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government at the Centre, Mr Advani said: "There has been a sea change in the country's image ever since Mr Vajpayee became the Prime Minister five- and-a-half-years back." "From the construction of highways to providing credit cards to millions of farmers across the country, the BJP has carried out developmental works at an unprecedented scale. The speed will be accelerated as Mr Vajpayee is set to win the 2004 Lok Sabha poll," Mr Advani said.

Sonia gives all she's got

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had a simple message for voters - to make a distinction between her party and the BJP. Terming the Delhi Assembly elections as a battle between vikas (development) and barbadi (destruction), Ms Gandhi sought to point out on Thursday that the Congress had always been working for the welfare of the poor and the downtrodden while the BJP had always been "dividing society" on communal lines.

Launching a scathing attack on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government, Ms Gandhi urged the people to vote for the Congress and not elect "the corrupt and the scandal-hit" BJP in the coming Delhi Assembly polls.

Ms Gandhi spoke to packed houses at the three meetings she addressed on Thursday at the Chirag Dilli Maidan in South Delhi, GTB Hospital at Dilshad Garden and the Ramlila Maidan near the Kala Mandir theatre at Mangolpuri in outer Delhi.

The mood at each of her three rallies was upbeat as crowds would often break into thunderous applause -- indicating that the Congress had much less to worry than its arch rival. Ms Gandhi, who over the years has learnt to draw similies and use Hindi adages, delivered lines that had the crowds enraptured. One such was: "Babool Ke Ped Mein Aam Ke Phal Nahin Lagte (Mangoes don't grow on a Babool tree)", the Congress president remarked, though in laboured Hindi, while making the corruption charges against the Central Government.

"The BJP had promised to provide a clean Government or a 'party with a difference' before it came to power at the Centre. It had promised to curb corruption, but scams after scams and open acceptance of bribe by its leaders speaks loudly of their character," said Ms Gandhi.

Highlighting the Sheila Dikshit Government's achievements in Delhi, Ms Gandhi said that quality of life has improved during the five years of Congress rule. "When the Congress came to power in Delhi five years ago, there were a lot of problems like transportation, water, power, environment and unemployment in the Capital. The Congress Government led by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had worked hard to improve the quality of life in the city. The supply of power and water has been improved. New schools, colleges, flyovers and transportation have been improved. The pollution level has decreased," said Ms Gandhi.

But it was not long before she lapsed into her trademark assault on the BJP. "Woh apne aap ko deshbhakt kahete hain, per kaam karte hain samaj ko todne ka (they call themselves patriots, but follow policies that divide society)," Ms Gandhi charged.

"A nation is built through sacrifices made by its leaders, and not just by a ruler," Ms Gandhi said, recalling the contributions of Congress leaders Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi towards the uplift of the poor and strengthening social amity and justice. She also said under the BJP rule, weaker sections and women were insecure and were the worst sufferers.

Lambasting the BJP and its leaders on the issue of corruption, Ms Gandhi described the party as "corrupt and scam-tainted " that did not value the ideals of social unity and equality as it had made no contribution to the freedom struggle.

After her speech, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit introduced the Congress candidates to Ms Gandhi.

Earlier, when Ms Dikshit spoke, a wave of sustained applause rolled over the rally venues. During her speeches, Ms Dikshit urged the people to vote for her party for its development work in the last five years.

"Our slogan of 'Congress ka haath, gareebon ke saath' is not a political slogan but a pledge which the party has been fulfilling all these years,'' she said, targeting the poor and the downtrodden of the constituency. " Main koi vada nahi karungi, na koi sapna dikhaungi. Hum pehle kam karte hain bad main kahte hain," said Ms Dikshit.

She said that there was a clear indication that the BJP had lost ground and the Congress was heading for a thumping victory in the Delhi Assembly polls. Ms Dikshit also announced that the Congress will form a Government in Delhi after the Assembly polls. The Chief Minister said development is the only solution to all problems in the Capital. " We want to provide quality education and jobs to the people of Delhi through development," said Ms Dikshit.

In another development, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nand Kishore Bhatt withdrew his nomination from the Gole Market constituency in favour of Ms Dikshit.

Laloo waving his wand, for Jogi

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor

Bilaspur, Nov. 27: Rotors whirring, the helicopter alighted like a huge bird in the early morning sunshine. As the wheels touched the wind-flattened grass, the door swung open and out stepped the messiah of the downtrodden — a picture of poise in a spotless white kurta-pajama.

Laloo Prasad Yadav — showman par excellence — was in Chingarajpara, a mining township nearly 250 km from Bilaspur, to repay his debt to friend Ajit Jogi.

The Congress chief minister of Chhattisgarh had camped in Bihar for a fortnight, canvassing for the Rashtriya Janata Dal during the last Assembly elections in 2000. Now Laloo Prasad was here to return the favour.

His presence sent a ripple of excitement through the crowd. Chants of “Laloo Prasad, zindabad” greeted him as he stepped on the podium. More than 1,000 tribal villagers and miners had gathered to hear him speak and laugh at his wisecracks.

The Congress is projecting the RJD chief as the champion of the Dalits to mobilise backward votes. Posters around the venue describe him as “Garibon aur Daliton ka massiha, jan-jan ka neta (the saviour of the Dalits and the poor and a leader of the masses)”.

The former Bihar chief minister is scheduled to address six rallies in Chhattisgarh. His rallies, if nothing else, would provide the comic interlude in the grim battle for the ballot, which has been reduced to a slanging match between Jogi and the BJP’s Dilip Singh Judeo.

Laloo Prasad did not disappoint. “Na mange sona chandi, na mange hira moti, main to maangu Ajit Jogi (I don’t want gold or silver, diamonds or pearls, I want Ajit Jogi),” he lilted in his quaint Bhojpuri accent, sending the crowd into fits of laughter.

By the time the laughter died, Laloo Prasad had already moved on to another role — the fire-breathing politician. But the wordplay did not stop. “Bhajapa ka safaya semi-final mein hi ho jayega (the BJP will be wiped out in the semi-final round),” he thundered and then went on to describe the BJP as a party of corrupt politicians.

“Bangaru kangaroo jaisa tapka paison ke liye, aur khuda ki kasam, Judeo ne sher jaisa lapka paison ke liye (Bangaru Laxman jumped like a kangaroo to collect the money and Judeo roared like a lion with the bribe),” he bellowed over the roar of the crowd. The true character of the BJP, he added, was the “Bangaru-Judeo scandal”.

The Congress feels that Laloo Prasad’s presence will help draw backward votes. The backward and the Dalit segments in the state comprise the Kurmis, Sahus, Satnamis and Jatavs. The dominant caste group among them is the Satnami. There are six constituencies in the state where Dalit voters account for more than 50 per cent of the electorate. Twelve seats are reserved for Dalits.

Laloo Prasad’s wit seems to have rubbed off on Jogi in his mission to woo the Dalits. At rallies, the chief minister has been cracking jokes in rustic Chhattisgarhi, taking a leaf out of his friend’s campaign in Bhojpuri Hindi in the villages of Bihar. Moreover, Jogi’s mixed parentage — his father is a Satnami and his mother a tribal — has brought him closer to the Bihar strongman’s brand of caste politics.

Jogi’s detractors are already talking about his new “Laloo avatar”. “Jogi has strange friends like (former Uttar Pradesh chief minister) Mayavati and Laloo, who do not see eye to eye among themselves,” said Raman Singh, the state BJP chief.

Even the man on the street feels that “Jogi is trying to do a Laloo in Chhattisgarh by playing along caste lines and creating social polarisation”.

Pilot wages lone battle against princess

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
In the Jhalawar fort, exquisite mirrors and paintings on the walls of Zanana Khas are a great attraction for tourists.

Though this part of Rajasthan still preserves traces of early civilisation, times have changed and women are no longer satisfied with luxuries of those gilded cages like Zanana Khas.

Jhalrapatan, a small township located within the confines of a huge wall in the Jhalawar district, bears testimony to this change. The famous 10th Century Sun Temple, which has been witness to many a valiant battle by Rajput kings in this Hadoti region, watches a princess lock horns with a lesser mortal here.

BJP's Vasundhara Raje is facing a challenge from Congress candidate Rama Pilot, who has spared no pains to match the might of the princess. Rama's weapons are her late husband Rajesh Pilot's political legacy and the good work done by the Gehlot government.

If cold caste calculations have to decide their fates, the princess needs to care for her rival's advantages. Rajesh Pilot was a leader of the Gujjars and around 20,000 of them are there in Jhalrapatan.

Add to this, the consolidated Muslim vote of 18,000 and a large chunk of over 35,000 SC-ST voters and Rama gets a base to stand up and count for more. Besides, the Congress hopes to get some Brahmin votes too.

But there are some disadvantages too. As soon as the word about Gujjar consolidation spreads, Lodhs, accounting for around 18,000 votes, drifted away from the Congress and the 6,000-Rajput voters also came behind Vasundhara. The BJP also gets a solid backing from the OBCs, balancing the caste equations to some extent.

Still the Congress feels that the key to its success lies in the attitude of the Dalits as a division in their votes will mean curtains for its show.

Vasundhara's biggest advantage is her projection as the next Chief Minister. But for that, Rama could have easily turned the tide.

The prospect of Vasundhara becoming Chief Minister has not only rejuvenated the local BJP cadre but it has also lulled the Congress leadership into inaction, with most leaders thinking of tying down the BJP star campaigner to Jhalrapatan, not defeating her.

Little wonder, Rama is raging a lone battle, assisted with son Sachin and some local leaders. Rama is on her toes, visiting dozens of villages daily and meeting people in every locality of the constituency.

Her style is different, Rama says, pointing to Vasundhara's whirlwind tours by helicopters. "We are not in politics because of glamour. We are known for our hard work and service. Rajesh always fought for the farmers."

She may be poor in comparison to Vasundhara but like all Congress leaders, she knows inverted snobbery pays in India. Vasundhara has booked the media in her favour. "I can't buy ad space. I've to go from cluster to cluster and beg for votes. But she has made my task easy by not working. She might have received around 30 crore as MPLAD and with that money spent properly, things would have been different here," Rama says.

The most common grievance among the voters seems to be Vasundhara's failure to bring rail line to Jhalawar. But most of them are committed voters on caste lines and Gehlot's good work or Vasundhara's neglect won't change their minds.

In villages like Shyampura and Manda, inhabited mostly by Nagars and Dhakars, Rama is being described as an outsider and people feign ignorance about Rajesh Pilot.

But in villages like Kokanda, Jamunia, Danwa, Nara, Durgpura, where Bheels and Meenas dominate, she is being hailed.

In the township within the wall, it is difficult to find one trader or even a small shopkeeper who will give any chance to Rama. They say the interest lies only in the margin of victory - 20,000 or 30,000.

There are, however, large Muslim clusters where Rama's arrival is a cause for celebration. They have been holding meetings with Gujjars to ensure her victory.

In the last Assembly poll, sitting Congress MLA Mohan Singh Rathore got 37.2 per cent votes as against the BJP's 33.92, but Congress rebel Sujan Singh had whittled away 26 per cent votes. Sujan Singh is a Gujjar and he is supporting Rama this time round.

Vasundhara, who has repeatedly gained lead in this Assembly segment in the parliamentary election, has not been able to spend much time in the constituency.

But the party has maintained an aggressive campaign and her son Dushyant Singh has toured several villages. The Congress is scared of her resources and knows she can alter the dynamics in a day or two.

Australia will miss McGrath and Warney: Ganguly

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
Brisbane, Nov 28 (PTI) Indian captain Sourav Ganguly today sought to put the mighty Australians on the backfoot ahead of the four-match Test series, saying the hosts will miss the services of Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne who make a "huge difference" to the team.

"McGrath and Warney will be missed, no doubt about it.

When they didn't play against England two years ago, Australia suffered in Sydney. They make a huge difference because they pick most wickets or have picked most wickets for their country in the last eight or ten years," Ganguly said.

"It is like when teams come to India, they find Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh missing from our line-up. They would be missed but then injury, especially in the case of fast bowlers, is part and parcel of modern cricket," Ganguly said on the eve of their three-day match against Queensland.

Fast bowler McGrath, nursing an ankle injury, has ruled himself out of the first two Tests while spin wizard Shane Warne is serving a year's ban for testing positive for a banned drug just before the World Cup in South Africa earlier this year.

Ganguly, hoping to beat the Australians on their soil, however, said the home side's back-up bowling has enough firepower to test the best line-up in the world. PTI

None of my ministers involved in stamp paper scam: Shinde

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) Accusing the Centre of waking up late in the multi-crore fake stamp paper case, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today asserted that none of his Ministers were involved but said if anybody was guilty, he would not be spared.
A day after the indicted police official R S Sharma claimed that some ministers' names had figured in investigations revealing links with the prime accused, Shinde told reporters here that the Special Investigating Team (SIT) was going into the matter and the Mumbai High Court had reposed confidence in the investigation.

The Chief Minister said no Minister in his Government figured in the scam. Whosoever was found guilty would be sternly dealt with. "There will be no effort to shield anybody," he said.

Stating that the scandal was going on for almost nine to ten years from the time when the Shiv Sena-BJP Government was in power, Shinde said the Centre "woke up" to the scam only twio months ago.

"The Government should have taken cognisance in 2001 and ordered a CBI probe," he said. PTI

Inflation breaches 5.0 per cent

Friday, November 28, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 28 (PTI) Soaring prices of vegetables and fruits, eggs, food products, edible oils, textiles and electricity pushed up inflation to 5.12 per cent for the week ended November 15, substantially higher than 3.39 per cent during the same period in the previous year.
The Wholelsale Price Index (WPI) inflation was up by 0.24 per cent from 4.88 per cent a week ago even as prices fell in the case of tea, fish-marine, gur, groundnut oil, ghee, bajra, ragi and condiments and spices.

The WPI rose by 0.2 per cent to 176.5 points as compared to 176.1 points in the previous week because of the increase in the indices of all the major groups -- primary articles, fuels and manufactured products. The index was 167.9 points a year ago.

There were chinks in the price movement of primary products, market sources said, adding despite abundant rainfall and a bumper harvest during the kharif season, the foodgrain prices had been on the rise.

Government revised upwards the point-to-point inflation to 5.02 per cent for the week ended September 20 as compared to the provisional level of 4.72 per cent, while the final WPI stood corrected at 175.6 points as against the provisional mark of 175.1 points. PTI

Maruti rolls out new-look Zen

Thursday, November 27, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) Maruti Udyog, India's biggest car maker, today unveiled a new-look Zen, without tinkering with the price, to take on competition posed by Hyundai's Santro and Tata Motors' Indica.
Three versions of the car - LX, LXi and VXi - would sport introductory price tags of Rs 3.3 lakh, Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 3.9 lakh respectively, which remains exactly the same, Maruti Managing Director Jagdish Khattar told a news conference here.

Maruti, which is 54.2 per cent owned by Suzuki Motor Corp. (SMC) of Japan, was also working on an altogether new car, he said, decling to give details.

The introduction of new Zen, which has been developed at a cost of Rs 35-40 crore, was a step towards turning Maruti into a R&D hub for premium compact cars in Asia.

"As per the wish of SMC Chairman Osamu Suzuki, we are working towards the aim of making our Indian operation a R&D hub for premium small cars in Asia. SMC and Maruti engineers working closely to develop a new car," Khattar said.

Asked which segment the new car would belong to, he said "I cannot give the details, but the car will be in the mass volume category".

The launch of new-look Zen, and efforts of Maruti and SMC engineers to develop a new car were steps in the direction of shifting of R&D base here by 2007-08, he said.

He said Zen, which sells around 5,000 units per month, should see a rise of 10 per cent after the launch of the latest variant. PTI

JeM involved in murder of Abdul Gani Lone

Thursday, November 27, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) Investigations into the murder of senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani lone have found that Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) was involved in it because of his moderate approach.
The probe into his gunning down, which has been taken on with topmost priority, has pointed to the involvement of Ghazi Baba, who was later shot dead by security forces in an operation earlier this year, official sources said.

Lone was assassinated by militants at a ceremony marking the 12th death anniversary of Mirwaiz Farooq, who was shot dead by by terrorists on May 21, 2002.

The sources said investigations found that Ghazi Baba had received a directive from across the border to kill Lone as they feared that he would hold talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who began his visit to the state the very same day.

The claim of the state police was further substantiated by documents recovered from the place where Ghazi Baba killed.

The information was decoded from the documents that were seized from the encounter site which further substantiated the claim of the state police, the sources said.

Indications were also about the involvement of a senior separatist leader in the criminal conspiracy to eliminate Lone, they said and added that action would be taken once the state police came out with irefuteable evidence. PTI

Maruti to announce price hike

Thursday, November 27, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 27 (PTI) India's biggest car maker Maruti Udyog today said it will announce a price hike by the end of December.
"We will take a decision to this effect by the end of the next month," MUL managing director Jaggish Khattar said.

The increase will come into effect from January, 2004, he said without giving any details.

About sales during this month, Khattar said they will remain the same as the last month, but will be much higher when compared to November last year. PTI

China welcomes ceasefire

Thursday, November 27, 2003 | Editor
Beijing, Nov 27 (PTI) China today lauded India for responding 'actively' and 'positively' to Pakistan's ceasefire proposal and hoped the two South Asian neighbours would resolve their differences peacefully through dialogue.

"After Pakistan announced ceasefire, the Indian side has also taken active and positive actions. We welcome the posture of the two sides," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao told reporters here at a bi-weekly briefing.

"We endorse all kinds of efforts that are conducive to the relaxation of regional situation and development of bilateral relations," he said while commenting on the November 26 decision of India and Pakistan to stop trading fire along the Line of Control (LoC).

"We are supporting a peaceful solution to the disputes between the two countries. We think this is not only in the interest of the two peoples and two countries, but also conducive for the peace and stability in the world and in the region," Liu said.

He said Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who met for the first time with India's new Ambassador to China, Nalin Surie here yesterday also expressed the hope that India and Pakistan can proceed from the interests of the stability of the region and maintain a momentum of relaxation to develop bilateral ties so as to resolve their disputes through peaceful means. PTI

One killed, 12 injured in grenade explosion in Srinagar

Thursday, November 27, 2003 | Editor
Srinagar, Nov 27 (PTI) One person was killed and 12 others injured when militants hurled a grenade at the busy business centre of Lal Chowk here this afternoon, official sources said.
Unidentified ultras hurled a powerful grenade at a BSF picket near Amirakadal bridge in Lal Chowk, the nerve centre of the city, around 1230 hours but the device missed the intended target and exploded on the road causing splinter injuries to 13 pedestrains, the sources said.

One of the injured civilians identified as Ranbir Singh, a resident of Amritsar who was working as a watch mechanic at the shop of a Delhi businessman Manjeet Singh, succumbed to his injuries, the sources said.

Manjeet had also sustained splinter injuries in the explosion and was undergoing treatment in the hospital along with other injured persons, the sources said. PTI

CAT to be held in February 2004

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
The Common Admission Test for the Indian Institutes of Management has been rescheduled and is expected to be held in February 2004. Officials will be announcing the exact date and other details on Wednesday November 26.

Students appearing for the re-examination would not be charged any extra money.

The exact date will be decided on Wednesday after consultation with the directors of the six IIMs, Dr Bakul Dholakia, director of IIM, Ahmedabad said after a meeting of the CAT Group comprising chairmen of the admission committees of the six IIMs. He refused to divulge the details of the meeting but said the new session of the IIMs would begin in June as per schedule.

The CAT Group comprises Prof Vijay Srichand (IIM-Ahmedabad), Prof Sukhdevan (IIM-Lucknow), Prof Dinesh Kumar (IIM-Kolkata), Prof Ishwar Murthy (IIM-Bangalore), Prof Pranav Pani (IIM-Indore) and a representative from IIM-Kozhikode.

The CAT had been cancelled following leakage of the question papers. The CBI, which is probing the incident, has absolved the IIM management of any complicity.

Regarding the CBI probe into the paper leak, Prof Dholakia said, "The agency has not only given a clean chit to all the IIMs but also confirmed that none of the locks of the trunk in which the questions papers were delivered from the printing press were tampered with, thus strongly indicating that the paper was leaked before they had been sealed the trunks."

Intense battle for Jat votes in Rajasthan

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Nagaur, Nov 26 (PTI) The story doing the rounds in this Jat heartland of Rajasthan is that that the tilt of "baba"'s cap decides fate of ruling Congress in the December one Assembly elections.

Veteran Congress leader and speaker of state assembly Parasram Maderna is known as "baba" among his fellow community people who are the deciding factor in about 80 seats in 200-member assembly.

The saying among the jats is that if the baba wears his Gandhi cap straight he is favouring congress and if the cap is tilted the jat voters go haywire.

"Baba's cap is straight this time" claims PWD minister Harendra Mirdha, son of senior Congress leader Ram Niwas Mirdha, although Maderna is yet to descend in the area for campaiging.

What the story goes to show is the intense battle between BJP and Congress for securing a slice of jat votes in the polls.

The baba appears to have direct influence in 10 assembly constituencies in Nagaur district which boasts of 35 per cent of jat votes among 17 lakh voters. Besides jats, 25 per cent SC and ST voters and 15 per cent Muslims are the other key factors in the polls. PTI

Campaign into last week

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 26 (PTI) As electioneering in Delhi enters the last lap, political parties are poised to unleash their star campaigners in a last-ditch effort to woo the electorate.
BJP, which is making an all-out effort to regain power in the national capital after five years, has taken a lead in the campaign trail, like release of lists of candidates and manifesto.

The party has already held over 200 public meetings, including the two addressed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and scheduled scores of others to be addressed by the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, party chief M Venkaiah Naidu and other senior leaders over the next week.

BJP candidates have also roped in candidates who have also roped in small-screen stars including 'bahu' Smriti Z Irani and Aman Verma of TV soap opera 'Kyun ki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi'.

Film-star members of BJP Vinod Khanna, Dara Singh, Shatrughan Sinha and Hema Malini are also due to add glamour to the poll campaign for the battle to capture majority in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

Congress was not only late in releasing the names of its candidates but also in issuing its manifesto and launching campaign in full steam.

The party is yet to announce the campaign schedule of its chief Sonia Gandhi for Delhi although she has been addressing rallies in the other three states going to polls. PTI

China "satisfied" with India

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Beijing, Nov 25 (PTI) China today said it was "satisfied with the good momentum" in bilateral relations with India and expressed keenness to forge a long-term constructive partnership with New Delhi on the basis of 'panchsheel'.

"China is satisfied with the good momentum of the development in China-India relations and stands ready to expand its cooperative relations with India in various fields," the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said here at a ministry briefing.

While positively evaluating the major policy speech of External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha on November 21, Liu said Beijing attached importance to the "positive" speech made by the Indian leader.

"China attaches importance to the positive speech by the Foreign Minister of India on its China policy. We express our welcome and appreciation to this", Liu said.

Describing India as a "very important neighbour" of China, he said the development of friendly relations with New Delhi is an important component of China's diplomacy with its neighbours. PTI

Dell not shifting work from Bangalore to US

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Bangalore, Nov 25 (PTI) Dell India today dismissed reports that it was shifting its technical support service for its business customers from Bangalore to the United States.
"No, we are not shifting the work. Dell is committed to India and are growing," a spokesperson for the Bangalore-headquartered Dell India operations told PTI today.

She said Dell had over 2,000 people working at its customer support centres in Bangalore and Hyderabad.

The spokesperson declined comment on reported complaints by its business customers in understanding Indian executives because of differing accents.

Dell, the world's largest PC maker, opened its Bangalore centre in April 2001 and rapidly expanded its workforce to over 3,000 employees.

A spokesman of the Texas-based company earlier said there were complaints from clients but declined to discuss their nature.

However, media reports said these were about differing accents.

"Corporate customers were telling us they didn't like the level of support they were getting and in the normal course of business, we made some adjustments," the spokesman was quoted by InfoWorld, which specialises in IT news, as saying.

"What (customers) said was, 'You guys have been changing some things and we don't like it as much'," Vice President of Dell's corporate division Steve Felice told 'Mercury News'.

About 54 per cent of Dell's 44,300 employees are overseas. PTI

Sachin promises challenging cricket

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Melbourne, Nov 25 (PTI) Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar today dismissed suggestions that Indian batsmen did not cope well with short-pitched bowling and promised some "challenging cricket" in the Test and One-day series against Australia beginning next month.

After a masterly innings of 80 runs against Victoria on the first day of the tour-opener here, Tendulkar said, "whatever has happened in the past you cannot always go by that. One can always turn around and start a new chapter".

His comments come amid talk among Australians that the strong Indian batting line-up, especially Tendulkar, will be subjected to short-pitched deliveries by the Australian quickies during the series.

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones doubted Tendulkar's ability to handle short-pitched balls saying the little master had a "weakness in the top half of his body".

"I tell you what, they (Australians) are going to be bouncing the hell out of him. They believe he has a weakness in the top half of his body," Jones, a former Victorian great, was quoted as saying in the media here.

"I don't want to discuss what people feel or say. We are more concerned about what he have on our mind. I think as a team we are really geared up to go out and entertain people and play some challenging cricket," Tendulkar told reporters here.

"We have a few plans jotted down for us. We have set team goals and as a team we wouls like to achieve those," he said. PTI

Two burnt to death in Tinsukia, toll 58

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 26 (PTI) Anti-Bihari violence continued in Assam with two more persons, both women, burnt alive at Ledo Tirap gate in Upper Assam's Tinsukia district in the wee hours today, taking the toll in the bloodletting in the state to 58.
Police said a 60-year old woman and her grand daughter were sleeping inside their house which was torched by unidentified miscreants at around 1:30 am.

The charred bodies were later recovered from the gutted house, police said.

With this 31 deaths occured in worst-hit Tinsukia district in the anti-Bihari violence since November 15. PTI

Gujarat riots case: 12 sentenced to life

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
In the first conviction in a post-Godhra communal riots case in Gujarat, a court on Tuesday sentenced 12 people to life imprisonment and awarded two years' rigorous imprisonment to three others for the killing of 14 Muslims in Ghodasar village in Kheda district on March 3, 2002.

Announcing the sentence in a packed court, Nadiad Sessions Judge C K Rane also granted bail to the three persons awarded rigorous imprisonment.

This is the second post-Godhra communal riots case in which a judgment was passed, the first being the Best Bakery case.

The sessions court had on Monday convicted 15 people and acquitted 48 out of the 63 accused.

The prosecution led by Paresh Dhora had sought capital punishment and said, "This was a rarest of rare case and the accused persons should not be pardoned."

The 14 Muslims had been slaughtered in an open field while fleeing an armed mob that was chasing them following rumours that members of the minority community had killed three persons of the majority community.

The sensational case is not among the 10 riot cases the trials of which were stayed by the Supreme Court. However, it was a case in which the judgment was eagerly awaited as the matter was adjourned several times.

The highlight of the case and its crucial trial was that none of the 46 witnesses, including two eyewitnesses had turned hostile, like in the Best Bakery case.

Defence counsel T R Vajpayee told PTI that they would definitely challenge the conviction before the high court.

Police had arrested 64 persons in connection with the massacre of which one died in judicial custody while the case was in progress.

Assam toll 56, violence spreads

Wednesday, November 26, 2003 | Editor
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was heckled at a relief camp in the worst-hit Tinsukia district for failing to protect lives even as the backlash against Biharis spread to Darrang district where militants gunned down three persons taking the toll in the ethnic violence in Assam to 56.

The chief minister on Tuesday visited relief camps in Tinsukia town, besides Duliajan and Doomdooma, to assess the situation. At Doomdooma, agitated Biharis shouted slogans against Gogoi for his alleged failure to protect their lives.

Even after he left the camp, over 1000 Biharis followed his convoy shouting slogans and later stoned a number of buses. The Biharis also stormed Congress Bhawan and attempted to ransack it, but were stopped by security personnel, reports from the district said.

On Monday night, militants had mowed down three Biharis, including a woman and her grandson, at Khanglabari village in Darrang district, which becomes the sixth district to be hit by the ethnic violence in the state.

Since November 15, besides the three in Darrang, 29 persons have been killed in Tinsukia district, 10 in Dibrugarh, six in Bongaingaon, four in Dhubri, three in Nalbari and one in Guwahati in the aftermath on the attack on Assamese railway passengers in Bihar on November 11 and 12. Night curfew continues in 12 towns in the affected districts.

GOC-in-C (Eastern Command) Lt Gen J S Verma also visited worst-affected Tinsukia district to assess the situation. The army has been assisting the civil administration in controlling the violence. Gen Verma later met the chief minister and Governor Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh.

On Tuesday, the Red Horns Division of the army seized 350kg of explosives, besides 50 gelatin sticks and 62 detonators stored underground at a deserted ULFA hideout at Sipajhar area in Darrang district, defence sources said.

Meanwhile, Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav, before concluding his two-day goodwill mission to Assam, gave an assurance there would be no repetition of the violence on Assamese train passengers.

Selectors were caught with girls: Rungta

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
[PTI ]

JAIPUR, Nov 24: A former cricket board official on Monday added fuel to the raging bribery scandal saying allegations of selectors accepting money for favours had been simmering for long and demanded a thorough probe into it.

"There always were murmurs of such kind (selectors taking money) and there may be much more in the allegations against Kale than what meets the eye," Kishore Rungta said. Rungta recently stepped down as board treasurer.

Maharashtra batsman Abhijit Kale was suspended by BCCI after two national selectors Kiran More and Pranab Roy filed a written complaint that the player offered them Rs 10 lakh each for including him in the Indian team to tour Australia.

Though Rungta agreed that there were no formal complaints, he said the integrity of some selectors were questioned in the past when two of them were found with some girls in their hotel rooms.

"There were also rumours regarding selectors getting money and the then chairman of the selection committee, Kishan Rungta had offered his resignation to BCCI," said Kishore, a nephew of Kishan Rungta.

Though Kishan Rungta declined to comment on the controversy, he went on to say that the matter should be thoroughly investigated and the selectors should be questioned.

"A thorough investigation in the case is a must. The menace may creep into domestic cricket where players in all likelyhood will be getting Rs 35,000 per match if the proposals are approved by the working committee," said Kishore, who was instrumental in advocating a handsome fee hike for domestic cricketers

Shabana Azmi: Relives the life of Begum Akhtar!

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
She’s undoubtedly a powerhouse performer, and she only gets better with time and age. Besides, she is one of the actresses who can dauntlessly carry off any role with her impeccable ability to enthuse her audiences. Be it the daring role in ‘Fire’ with Nandita Das, or the witch in Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Makdee’, Shabana has left the viewers awe-struck. Well, now we hear that Shabana Azmi will be portraying the life of legendary singer, Begum Akhtar, in a film that’s supposedly titled ‘Akhtari’. The film is currently being scripted by Javed Siddiqi and debutant director Saroj Satyanarayan will direct Azmi in the lead role. While gruelling research is being done on the life of the Begum, we’re waiting to watch Azmi in Khalid Mohamed’s next film, ‘Tehzeeb’, in which she plays the role of an overpowering mother, and a woman in power.

'Everybody Says...' screened in US to discuss incest

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
IANS

NEW YORK: Human rights group Breakthrough presented Rahul Bose's directorial debut "Everybody Says I'm Fine" to shed light on incest and domestic violence, especially among Indians and the diaspora.

"Bose's film stands out for its treatment of the issue of incest. By making it the pivot of this film, Bose gives this issue a face and a voice," said Mallika Dutt, executive director of Breakthrough, at a discussion that followed the film where Bose was present.

"I was pretty much attracted by the idea of people trying to lead double lives in high societies -- they say they are fine at daytime but display an entirely different facet of who they really are at night," Bose said.

"If only people can admit they are not fine, they will all be actually fine. That's what the central theme is," he added at the screening Monday.

The film, which was released last year, has won 'Honourable Mention' at the John Schlesinger Award, 'Best Debut Feature Film' at Palm Springs Festival and 'Gold Award' at WorldFest. It has featured in several festivals in cities including Toronto, London, Philadelphia, Jerusalem, Las Palmas and Cleveland.

It starts and ends in 'Xens', an upscale hairdressing salon in an affluent Mumbai neighbourhood. Xen, the proprietor of the salon (played by Rehaan Engineer), discovers the inner lives and intimate secrets of his customers while cutting, coifing and colouring their hair.

He picks up this psychic ability after witnessing the traumatic deaths of his musician parents while locked in a soundproof recording studio during a fire.

Through him, the lives of six unsuspecting clients are revealed in the movie where their happy facades disintegrate into painful confessions of insecurity, neglect, incest and death.

Xen learns the darkest secrets and desires of his regulars, including fallen socialite Tanya and businessman Mittal.

The director himself plays the role of an aspiring actor who is yet to get a break but seeks to project an image of a sought after celebrity. Xen helps him rediscover himself. The other lead actors include Koel Purie and Pooja Bhatt.

The soundtrack for the film is by Zakir Hussain and Carlos Santana.

Bose, who has acted in films such as "English August", "Mr. And Mrs. Iyer", and "Jhankar Beats", said that his transition from acting to direction was "organic and simple".

"It is not that I sought to become a director or graduate from an actor to a director. One day I had a story I really liked and thought it will make a good film and that's how it evolved," he said.

Bose, who started his career as an advertisement copywriter and is an avid rugby player, said he was currently working on his next film that is yet to be named.

"It will be shot in America. It will have two of the best actors from here. It is about the lives of two people who have never met, never spoken with each other, never touched," he said.

Madhur Jaffrey lands Bombay Dreams role

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
LONDON: Cookery queen Madhur Jaffrey is joining the cast of Bombay Dreams in a leading role.

Jaffrey, who has acted in Shakespearewallah, Heat and Dust and popular BBC serial EastEnders, will be unveiled when Andrew Lloyds Webber takes his hit production to New York soon.

There was a bit of irony in Jaffrey landing the role. Her daughter Sakina had also been short-listed for a role in the play, but producers opted for Ayesha Dharkar who had earlier played the role of Rani when the play opened in London in 2002.

Jaffrey was married to actor Saeed Jaffrey. Her second husband is Sanford Allen, violinist.

Casting agents have seen hundreds of actors for the "Bombay Dreams" show in New York. Other major roles are to be played by Indian American actors such as Manu Narayan, Anisha Nagarajan, Sriram Ganesan, Marvin Ishamel and Deep Katdare.

The cast will arrive in London this week for rehearsals, according to a report in the Eastern Eye.

Lloyd-Webber is reported to have plans to take the play to Canada and India and also produce a film involving top Bollywood stars.

An aide close to the play said: "Indian food, clothes, music, books, TV and films have been the in thing for a few years here in Britain.”

"But it is just taking off in America where producers are looking for fresh ideas and stories and Bollywood seems to be taking off there as well.”

"Everyone feels that Bombay Dreams and its fine writing and music is arriving at the right time".

The play's writers include noted British Asian artiste Meera Syal.

Indian TV programme wins international award

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
CAPE TOWN: A moving TV story from India on the plight of the girl child won many hearts - and an award - at a festival in South Africa, beating entries from four other countries.

Girl's Call, produced by the NGO Plan India, was named the winner in a competition at the Children's Festival that was part of the annual Sithengi Film Market here.

It was organised by the Children's Broadcasting Foundation of Africa (CBFA).

"The hardships that the girl child has to go through by having to leave school early, getting married when they are still children at heart and having to bear the burden of marriage are all highlighted effectively in the short film," Firdoze Bulbulia, chairperson of CBFA, told IANS.

"What is more exciting for me, though, is the fact that African children across the board from various countries that made up the panel of judges unanimously voted for Girl's Call.”

"They probably recognised the similarities even though the language was different, so it had to be subtitled in English. They acknowledged the issues that are close to their hearts."

The nine-minute film, Girl's Call tries to address the issue of the rights of the girl child through the story of two young girls in rural Karnataka, who are married off at an early age, through interviews with them and their mothers.

The mothers defend their decisions because of a tradition of child marriage caused by poverty and illiteracy, while the girls now live a life of fear and apprehension while they should be enjoying their teen years with friends.

Forced to drop out of school at 12 and 13, the girls face humiliation and abuse from their husbands and in-laws because they know nothing or little about household chores.

They are interviewed by a reporter when they return to their mothers' homes, one of them three months after she has given birth prematurely to a baby who died two days later.

"Nobody has seen her smile since then," says the presenter, Netravathi, in the programme.

Plan India almost never made it in time to be considered for the award, said Bulbulia.

"They had heard about the CBFA through the Internet, and then there was a whole lot of e-mail communication back and forth; tapes getting lost; but they persisted and got it through to us. To have won after all this is wonderful."

"We decided to have a competition within the children's television programming sector and called for entries from Africa, where very few programmes are made for children," Bulbulia said.

"But we broadened the call by allowing programmes from other parts of the world to participate. We were very clear that we wanted these to be countries from the so-called developing world." "We had programmes from Nepal, Mexico, Jamaica, and Latin America in the first competition last year. This year, we certainly had more from Africa, but still not enough, so we again invited international participation based on the same principles I outlined earlier."

Plan India has received a huge framed award which will be forwarded to them.

Bollywood readies for a season of war films

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
IANS

MUMBAI: Bright but little-known director Ashwini Choudhary has flagged off a season of war films in Bollywood with "Dhoop", an intimately human portrayal of a dead soldier's bereaved parents and lover.

Next month, J.P Dutta unleashes the biggest, most expensive war film made in India, "LoC". It recreates the Kargil war with Pakistan in the summer of 1999, and is being looked upon as the ultimate war epic of Indian cinema.

Encouraged by the scale on which Dutta embarked on his battle flick, producer Gaurang Doshi launched "Deewaar" that shows Amitabh Bachchan, Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna as prisoners of war making their escape from enemy territory.

The gifted filmmaker Raman Kumar is also working on what he calls a "a post-war saga", again featuring Sanjay Dutt in the cast.

In Kumar's "Sarhad Paar", Dutt plays a true-life role of a soldier who loses his memory across the border and returns home years later to find his life changed.

All these mega-films are expected to open in the next few months.

While these are big-budget projects, new director Sanjeev Puri's "Agnipankh", due in January 2004, is a smaller film with a restricted budget, belying the belief that war stories demand huge budgets.

"Not the least. My 'Dhoop' was small in budget but large in emotions," avers Ashwini Chaudhary.

"Agnipankh" features Jimmy Shergil, Rahul Dev, Sameer Dharamadhikari, Shamita Shetty and Divya Dutta as air force pilots.

Anil Sharma's "Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Saathiyon", expected in mid-2004 and featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Akshay Kumar and Sunny Deol as soldiers battling Pakistanis, has huge resources at its disposal.

There was a time earlier when one war epic would come along in five-six years. Chetan Anand made two war films -- "Haqeeqat" and "Hindustan Ki Kasam" -- during his lifetime. But now the rate at which war films are being churned out makes us wonder if Bollywood has adopted battle as a formula for success.

The future of war epics depends to a large extent on how Dutta's "LoC" fares.

Anti-Bihari violence spreads, toll rises to 56

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 25 (PTI) Anti-Bihari violence in Assam rocked Darrang district for the first time with suspected National Democratic Front of Bodoland militants gunning down three Biharis and injuring nine others, besides torching huts, taking the toll to 56.
Armed ultras swooped on Khanglabari area in the district at around 9.30 last night and opened fire indiscriminately killing three Biharis on the spot, Home Commissioner K D Tripathy told PTI.

Nine Biharis, including women and children, were injured in the firing, he said, adding the attackers set on fire nine houses and managed to escape.

The victims were migrant labourers, Tripathy said and added that this is the first incident of violence in this lower Assam district where NDFB is active.

Meanwhile, with "marginal" improvement in the situation in upper Assam, curfew in Tinsukia town was further relaxed for 11 hours from six this morning. PTI

CAT paper leak : CBI rules out involvement

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) CBI today ruled out possibility of involvement of any faculty member of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) in the leakage of CAT question paper but hinted at "something wrong" with the press that printed it.
"Something wrong must have happened in the printing press which we are scrutinising," CBI Director P C Sharma told reporters on the sidelines of a conference on fake currency notes and fake government stamps here.

He, however, ruled out the possibility of faculty members of the IIM being involved in the leakage, which led to the cancellation of the examination on Sunday last.

Asked whether the agency had received any communication from the Finance Ministry which has decided to hand over the probe to CBI on the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam, Sharma said "we have received something", but refused to elaborate.

He made it clear that the agency will take up investigation "as and when the state government reports it to the agency". PTI

CBI probe into appointment of teachers

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 25 (PTI) The Supreme Court today ordered a CBI investigation into appointment of 3000 teachers by the Haryana Government after a petiton alleged that the actual select list of the teachers was given a go by and candidates selected by Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala were "substituted. PTI

CAT quashes Collectors' transfers

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
Jabalpur, Nov 25 (PTI) The Central Administrative Tribunal here today quashed the Election Commission's order transferring Collectors of Jashpur and Bastar in Chhattisgarh for alleged violation of election code of conduct.
Observing that "there is nothing to show that they had violated the model code of conduct", a division bench said "it does not warrant action".

The division bench comprising vice-chairman and administrative member M P Singh and judicial member G Shantappa set aside the transfer of collectors B S Anant and L N Suryavanshi of Jashpur and Bastar respectively terming it as "sent back to their previous postings".

The tribunal had on November 21, reserved its orders on the petition filed by the collectors challenging the Election Commission's order of October 29 transferring them after hearing at length their counsel.

The Commission's order had later been stayed by CAT.

However, on November 14, a division bench of Chhattisgarh High Court vacated the stay granted by the Tribunal. The officials had later sought a second stay on their transfer from CAT.

Challenging the EC's order transferring the officials, counsel for the collectors had submitted that the order was "arbitrary and illegal".

Rebutting the charge, EC's council had said the "sole motive of the commission is to conduct impartial elections peacefully".

Chhatisgarh government counsel had submitted that it had ordered the tranfer of the collectors "in compliance with the EC directives". PTI

Annan welcomes India's response to Pak

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
United Nations, Nov 25 (PTI) United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has welcomed India's positive response to Pakistan's announcement to implement unilateral ceasefire along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir from Eid day.
In a statement yesterday, Annan said he is encouraged by recent efforts by the two countries to build confidence in their relations and to address outstanding problems.

He is, he added, following with interest the recent proposal by India of a number of confidence building measures and Pakistan's response to them.

Urging both countries to continue these efforts with patience and resolve, he said he remains at their disposal to assist in "any way they consider mutually beneficial." India has made it clear that the ceasefire can become "durable" only if Pakistan stops infiltration of terrorists into Kashmir. It also proposed a ceasefire along the "Actual Ground Position Line" (AGPL) in Siachen. PTI

Thai Airways introduces flights

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
Chennai, Nov 24 (PTI) Thai Airways International has introduced a new flight between Bangkok and Chennai which will operate four times a week.
The Bangkok-Chennai-Dubai service was expected to cater to the growing number of business and leisure travellers between the two countries, especially in the wake of the Thai government's policy to open a free trade area with India, Chaiwat Chanapai, the Airways' vice president for western sales and distribution, told reporters.

The new service which came into operation from yesterday will be operated every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday leaving Bangkok at 1055 hrs and arriving Chennai at 12.45 hrs.

The flight would leave Chennai at 1400 hrs and reach Dubai at 16.45 hrs.

In the return direction, the flight would leave Dubai at 1755 hrs and arrive in Chennai at 2305 hrs, leave Chennai at 0015 hrs and reach Bangkok at 0500 hrs the next day.

Thai Airways currently flies to three destinations in India -- a daily flight to Delhi and three flights to Kolkata and Mumbai. Chennai is the fourth destination while a service to Bangalore is on the cards for the summer schedule next year. PTI

Dell Inc shifting technical support

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
New York, Nov 25 (PTI) Dell Inc, a leading direct seller of computers, is shifting technical support for its business customers from Bangalore to the United States following complaints about difficulty in understanding because of differing accents.
The Texas-based company did not give any timeframe for moving the support for its Optiplex desktops and Latitude notebooks back to the United States. Nor was it known how many job are involved.

But support calls for individual customers and other products would continue to be handled by one of its 20 call centers overseas.

Dell, which had aggressively moved to locate call centers outside the United States to cut costs, probably is the first company to move them back to US for business customers who account for 85 per cent of its growing revenue.

A company spokesman confirmed that there were complaints from clients but declined to discuss their nature. However, media reports said they were about differing accents.

"Corporate customers were telling us they didn't like the level of support they were getting and in the normal course of business, we made some adjustments," its spokesman was quoted by InfoWorld which specialises in IT news as saying.

"What (customers) said was, 'You guys have been changing some things and we don't like it as much," Vice President of Dell's corporate division Steve Felice told Mercury News.

About 54 per cent of Dell's 44,300 employees are overseas. PTI

UP govt orders probe against selectors

Tuesday, November 25, 2003 | Editor
Lucknow, Nov 25 (PTI) Uttar Pradesh government has ordered a probe against selectors from the state regarding bribery allegations levelled by cricketer Ritesh Yadav.
Sports Secretary S R Lakha has been asked to probe the matter and submit his report within a week's time, State Sports Minister R K Chaudhary said in a press release issued here today.

In the wake of Abhijit Kale episode, Uttar Pradesh cricketer Ritesh Yadav had alleged that selectors Gopal Sharma and Shashikant Khandekar had demanded money for his selection in the U-17 cricket team for Vijay Merchant cricket tournament.

The allegation has been denied by the selectors, one of whom has also threatened to file a defamation suit against Yadav.

Chaudhary said the sports bodies would not be allowed to function in an arbitrary manner.

"If need be the state government would bring a Government Order to stop corrupt practices prevalent in sport associations, the release said. PTI

Telgi had AIDS before arrest

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor
Bangalore, Nov. 23: The Karnataka Stampit is likely to use documents in its possession to contradict the claims made by the multi-crore stamp paper scam kingpin Abdul Kareem Telgi that he had contracted the HIV virus while in police custody.

According to sources, the documents pertain to tests conducted by a Mumbai-based diagnostic centre which suggest that Telgi had tested positive 18 days before his arrest.

Sources said Stampit is banking on a test conducted by Shahbazker Diagnostic Centre, located at Colaba Market in Mumbai, on October 20, 2001, which apparently confirmed that Telgi was infected by the virus.

Telgi was arrested by the Stampit, the Karnataka police wing investigating the scam, on November 7, 2001 at Ajmer.

The result of a Western Blot was issued after Telgi’s doctor, Dr Mulchandani, referred him to the centre for the test on October 8, 2001.

SC frees Jaya of Tansi land scam cases

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Jan 24 (PTI) Granting her major relief, the Supreme Court today freed Tamil Naidu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa from the Tansi land scam cases, saying there is no legal evidence to prove her guilt.
"Although there is a strong suspicion of involvement of Jayalalithaa in the sale of Tansi land belonging to the government for Jaya publications, there is no legal evidence to prove her guilt," a Bench comprising Justice S Rajendra Babu and Justice P V Reddy said upholding the Madras High Court order setting aside her conviction by a special court.

Writing the judgement for the Bench, Justice Babu said high probity in public office was essential for good governance and "she must atone her conscience" in the whole controversy.

Upholding of the special court order could have resulted in Jayalalithaa being unseated yet again and serving a jail sentence.

The 55-year old Jayalalithaa was accused of buying government property in violation of the code of conduct for ministers. She was also accused of entering into a criminal conspiracy with her friend Sasikala Natarajan. The Special Court had convicted the two and some officials that led to her disqualification from contesting the assembly elections in 2001. PTI

Players question selectors' integrity

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 23 (PTI) Amid the bribery scandal rocking Indian cricket, it was today the turn of selectors to feel the heat with two players alleging that they were asked to pay money for a place in the team even as Maharashtra Cricket Association virtually gave a clean chit to Abhijit Kale and demanded the two selectors to undergo lie-detector tests.
Hyderabad all-rounder Vanka Prathap and promising Under-17 youngster Ritesh Yadav rattled the already shaken cricket world with accusations that they had been asked to cough up money in exchange for places in teams.

As the spotlight turned from the accused to the accuser, MCA said it would back Kale saying it feared he was being made a "sacrificial goat".

MCA Chairman Balasaheb Thorve said Kale had been denied justice because he was suspended from playing cricket merely on the basis of allegations levelled by the selectors.

"I feel Kale is innocent and he has been denied natural justice. The only way truth can come out is if both the selectors and Kale undergo lie-detector tests," Thorve said.

In Hyderabad Prathap alleged that a mediator had approached him and asked him to pay money for a place in the India 'A' team.

"Someone approached me on behalf of the selectors. I would not like to name the selector but everybody in Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) knows who he is," Prathap said.

"In the national team it is always happening. When performance is overlooked, belief sets in that something is wrong," said the cricketer who has played 83 first-class matches scoring 3957 runs at an average of 36.30 with 136 being his highest score. PTI

Murasoli Maran to get state funeral

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI: A state funeral will be given to Union Minister Murasoli Maran, whose cremation will take place in Chennai on Monday evening.

A decision in this regard was taken at an emergency meeting of the Union Cabinet, which was convened on Monday morning to condole the death of Maran, a senior member of DMK, a coalition partner of the ruling NDA, said.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, observed two minutes silence in memory of the departed leader.

Vajpayee would be flying to Chennai on Monday afternoon to take part in the funeral.

IT Outsourcing Fears Overblown: IDC

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor

Houston, Nov 24 (PTI) IT jobs will continue to migrate overseas at a faster pace due to lower costs, but much of the work will still be captured by US providers as they beef up their operations abroad.

While the mainstream media has seized upon the threat of offshore sourcing to US jobs, a new report from the IDC finds that such a dramatic shift may not necessarily translate into a doomed outlook for US IT services jobs or US-based services firms.

Market research firm IDC on Thursday predicted that offshore activities of the US information technology industry are set to rise dramatically over the next four years, but the rise may not affect US jobs adversely as some industry observers feared.

After surveying IT vendors, IDC concludes that US services firms will continue to use offshore resources due to lower costs while the majority of US workers at risk will leverage their current expertise into new skills that will remain in demand.

The research firm predicts that Offshore spending component of the US technology services market will rise to 10 per cent of the total spending, or USD 16.3 billion, in 2003. IDC also expects offshore spending to more than quadruple to USD 46 billion, or 23 per cent of the total, by 2007.

IT outsourcing to locations such as India, China and Russia has been criticised in the United States because of fears about the potential loss of technology jobs, but IDC analysts say the debate is misplaced.

Several facts have been lost in the debate about offshore sourcing, much of the spending to date has focused on only a few activities, which limit the impact of offshore on the broader market," Ned May, programme manager of worldwide services research at IDC said in a statement.

"Another is that much of the offshore spending will be captured by locally based vendors, who are currently building up their own offshore delivery resources. But the most important fact being overlooked is that, while there will be a migration of some jobs overseas, it will be coupled with steady growth in a number of service activities on US soil," he said.

To obtain an estimate of the impact that offshore sourcing may have, IDC applied a supply-side survey to the US IT services market from two perspectives: 'macro markets,' which are representative of how IT services contracts are bought and sold, and activity groups, which are based on the underlying tasks that are performed.

IDC believes that all three macro markets (project-oriented services, outsourcing, and support/training) will be impacted about equally by offshore sourcing, though additional market factors will cause project-oriented services to experience a net decline.

When examined by activity group, however, IDC found the impact to be focused on maintenance, support, implementation, and operations, while planning and IT education and training will remain relatively resilient against the offshore trend.

The activities that will migrate offshore are those that can be viewed as requiring low skill since process and repeatability are key underpinnings of the work. Innovation and deep business expertise will continue to be delivered predominantly from onshore," added May. PTI

Govt not reluctant to handing over scam to CBI

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor

Mumbai: Maharashtra government is not averse to the Centre's proposal to hand over the multi-crore fake stamps and stamp paper racket probe to CBI but the decision would have to be taken by Mumbai High Court, Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said here today.

"As the Centre has decided to hand over the probe to CBI, the state government has no objection to this move but the matter is sub-judice and therefore the ultimate decision has to be taken by the High Court", Shinde told reporters before embarking on his election tour of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi.

"If a clarification is sought, we shall make our stand clear before the High Court on November 27 when the matter comes up for hearing," Shinde said.

The issue had generated a lot of heat with the Centre deciding to hand over the probe to CBI but Maharashtra and Karnataka governments not inclined to do so.

Earlier, Maharashtra Governor Mohammed Fazal had also informed the Centre that he (Fazal) was in favour of a CBI probe.

The High Court is hearing a PIL filed by social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare and others alleging lopsided probe in the fake stamp paper case.

Assam calm but tense; security for Laloo's visit

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati: Assam was calm but tense overnight with no major incident of anti-Bihari or ULFA violence that has so far claimed 50 lives in the state, even as security was tightened for RJD leader Laloo Prasad Yadav's scheduled visit.

Home Commissioner KD Tripathi said on Monday that the night was calm with no incident reported so far.

Stringent security measures were in place to prevent further outbreak of violence against Biharis in the state that erupted following the attack on Assamese train passengers in Bihar, Tripathi said.

Isolated cases of burning of abandoned Bihari huts, intimidation and physical assaults were however, reported from different parts of the state.

Security measures have been further heightened in view of the visit of the RJD supremo to the city as the ULFA ultras struck whenever major leaders visited the state, sources said.

Patrolling by the Army, paramilitary forces and police was on in vulnerable areas, particularly in the Bihari- dominated places to scuttle attempts of ultras at violence, sources said.

People in Bihari settlements spent sleepless nights and kept vigil against attempts by miscreants taking advantage of the situation to harass them.

Laloo Prasad Yadav, leading an eight-member parliamentary delegation, is scheduled to arrive on a goodwill mission to instil confidence and a sense of security among the people from Bihar here.

Meanwhile, in worst hit Tinsukia district of upper Assam, curfew was relaxed for six hours on Monday from 9 am in Tinsukia town, Makum, Dhola and Bordubi, sources said.

In neighbouring Dibrugarh district, the 5 pm to 5 am curfew at Khowang, Moran and Tingkhang was relaxed to 8 pm to 4 am.

The previous timings of curfew from 5 pm to 5 am prevailed at oil town Duliajan, fertiliser town Namrup and Tengakhat.

Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) on Monday took out silent processions throughout the state condemning the violence in the state and the attack on Assamese train passengers in Bihar that triggered it.

They also demanded 100 per cent job reservation for locals in the Central and semi-Central Government undertakings here to tackle the burgeoning joblessness in the state.

Processions were also taken out by senior citizens, political and non-political organisations and student bodies demanding halt to the ongoing violence and appealed for calm and amity among all communities.

Delhi police arrested four

Monday, November 24, 2003 | Editor

New Delhi: The Delhi police has arrested four persons in connection with yesterday's leakage of CAT examination papers.

The four touts were arrested from a hotel in Mahipalpur area on the Delhi-Ggurgaon road when they were soliciting students for the sale of the papers.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Economic Offences Wing), Dinesh Bhatt said that the four were identified as Rajesh Sushant (from Kanpur) and Bhart Bhushan, Mahendra and Arvind Kumar (all from Bihar).

Bhatt said that they were demanding Rs. five lakh to Rs.six lakh for the papers and were willing to accept part payment now and the rest after the examinations.

ULFA strikes, 13 more dead in Assam, 12 towns under curfew

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 22 (PTI) In a fresh attack, ULFA today gunned down 11 Biharis in the worst-hit Tinsukia district of Assam while two more deaths were reported elsewhere taking the toll in the nearly week-long violence in the state to 47 as a total of 12 towns were brought under curfew.
Union Minister for North East Affairs Dr C P Thakur after a meeting attended by Union minister of state for Home Swami Chinmayananda and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told newsmen that the violence was 'part of a big game' by Bangladesh and Pakistan to destabilise India, but dismissed suggestion of Presidents Rule in the state.

In probably the worst attack in Tinsukhia district, which alone accounted for 24 deaths, ULFA militants struck near Mahakali Tea Estate in Burdobi area around 8:30 am and shot dead eight labourers, official sources said.

The ultras struck again at a distance of five km near Lankesh Tea Estate killing three labourers and injuring two.

Most of the victims were from Muzaffarpur and Chhapra districts of Bihar.

One person was killed in a group clash in Kakopathar area of Dibrugarh district, the sources said.

Following the attacks in Tinsukia the state government transferred Deputy Commissioner B N Das and suspended Superintendent of Police I K Gogoi for failing to control the situation, an official spokesman said. PTI

CBI to investigate multi-crore fake stamp paper scam

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) In a bid to unearth the full magnitude of the Rs 30,000 crore fake stamp paper scam that has rocked several states, the Centre has decided to hand over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) the investigations despite reservations from Congress state governments in Karnataka and Maharashtra.
This decision follows Allahabad high court directive last week to Finance Ministry that the case be handed over to a central agency as these "rackets" were ruining the entire economy with ramifications in several states.

This decision was taken after Finance Minister Jaswant Singh last night referred the matter to the Home Ministry to get the scam investigated by the central agency.

It would now be formally referred to CBI by Monday, official sources said today.

CBI is already investigating seven cases related to the stamp paper in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Indian Security Press, Nashik. But Maharashtra and Karnataka, where the scam has spread far and wide, have ruled out handing over the stamp paper cases to CBI despite a reference from the Union Home Ministry.

CBI has already requested a formal direction from the Finance Ministry for registering a case which did not now require concurrence of state governments after direction from a high court or Supreme Court, sources said. PTI

India concerned over China-Pak nuclear nexus

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor

New Delhi, Nov 22 (PTI) Observing that China-Pakistan nexus in nuclear and missile proliferation continues to cause "serious concern", External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha today said as a "friend" India expected China to show "greater sensitivity" to its security concerns.
"Some aspects of China's relations with Pakistan, including their nexus in nuclear and missile proliferation, however, continue to cause serious concern in India as they have a direct and negative bearing on our national security environment," he said while delivering the Admiral R D Katari memorial lecture here.

"We regard China as a friend and we expect friends to show greater sensitivity to our security concerns," Sinha said.

The minister's remarks come close on the heels of a CIA report to the US Congress contending that despite China's assurances that it would not help Pakistan in its nuclear programme, Beijing continues to provide nuclear-weapon and ballistic missiles assistance to Islamabad.

Without naming Pakistan, the minister said there were some in the neighbourhood who sought to play their "China connection" or "China card" to "counter" or even "contain" India. PTI

USD 15.2 mn contract between TCS, US state agency cancelled

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor

New York, Nov 22 (PTI) A 15.2-million-dollar contract between a subsidiary of India-based Tata Consultancy Services and an American state agency has been cancelled, falling victim to politics in view of elections in the US next year.
Indiana state's Governor Joe Kernan, a Democratic candidate for elections due in November next year, has ordered the State Department of Workforce to cancle its contract with Tata America International Corp, a subsidiary of Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), to upgrade state computers processing unemployment claims.

Kernan said yesterday that the agency's request for competitive proposals had been put together and advertised in a way that "virtually knocked Indiana companies out of the running," 'Indianapolis Star' reported.

A spokeswoman for TCS was quoted as saying that "this is a decision for the state of Indiana to make, and TCS will comply.

No Indiana firms had submitted bids for the contract, the Star said. "That is not the way I choose to do business," it quoted Kernan as saying.

Top aides to then-Governor Frank O'Bannon had signed off on the politically sensitive, four-year contract before his death on Sept 13. State officials got a number of letters and phone calls complaining about the contract after the Star wrote about it on Sept 29. PTI

Abhijit Kale appears before MCA's inquiry committee

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor

Pune, Nov 22 (PTI) Tainted batsman Abhijit Kale, at the centre of a bribery scandal, today appeared before the Maharashtra Cricket Association's three-member inquiry committee and claimed "total innocence" in the matter.
After a two-hour hearing before the inquiry committee, Kale told reporters that he was "totally innocent" and denied offering any money to national selectors.

"I have nothing to do with these allegations. I will seek legal opinion over the matter," Kale said after deposing before the committee.

Asked whether he was made a sacrifical goat by the Cricket Board, Kale said "I am going to seek legal opinion so I can't say anything without consulting my lawyer."

The MCA appointed the committee after written reports about Kale offering Rs 10 each to them were submitted by the two selectors - Pranab Roy (East Zone) and Kiran More (West Zone) - to the BCCI president.

The BCCI had yesterday suspended Kale, a prolific scorer in the domestic circuit, and had also appointed D V Subba Rao as the Commissioner of Inquiry into the bribery scandal.

The Commissioner has been asked to submit his report to the Board's disciplinary committee within 15 days. PTI

Mulford assures India of US support in fight against terrorism

Sunday, November 23, 2003 | Editor
T V Parasuram
Washington, Nov 22 (PTI) The new Ambassador-designate to India, David C. Mulford, has assured India of strong US support in its fight against terrorism and ruled out any role for his country as "manager, mediator or referee" in Indo-Pak relations.

"The American people will long remember India's strong show of support in the difficult days following the September 11 tragedy. We are grateful for India's willingness to join us in the fight against terrorism", Mulford, who was appearing at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said yesterday.

"I also want to emphasise that the United States strongly supports India in its battle againt terrorism, just as India has supported us," he said.

"I want to assure the Committee that, if confirmed, the global war on terror will be a top priority for me", Mulford added.

Asked by Chairman Richard Lugar whether it is possible for the US to press India and Pakistan on issues dividing them, Mulford said that while it may be necessary to press both India and Pakistan, he did not think the US should insert itself as manager, mediator or referee. TI

Miss World contestants get ready

Saturday, November 22, 2003 | Editor

In line with the rapidly developing Sino-Indian relations, beauty queens of the two neighbouring nations have become good friends and wish each other success in the upcoming Miss World 2003 pageant to be held in Sanya city in Southern China.

Ami Vashi, the Indian contestant for the 2003 Miss World has become friends with her Chinese counterpart, Qi Guan since they met for the first time in Sanya on November eight.

"I like Miss India. She is very beautiful and she is very nice. I hope she can get the first prize," Qi told PTI here.

"China and India are all developing countries and I hope our countries will attain greatness," Qi, a budding fashion designer said.

"Of course I wish her all the best," Vashi, who hails from Gujarat said when she heard Qi's remarks.

Currently, the 110 contestants are touring China as part of the Miss World 2003 event to be held on December 6. They have already visited Hong Kong, Shanghai and Xi'an are now here on the last leg of the tour of the middle kingdom.

"I am excited and honoured to be part of this contest because there is only one representative from all of India. It is a great honour even to be here," Vashi said.

Asked about her preparations for the D-day, she said: "there is a sense of nervousness. There is always going to be nervousness because of the pressure.

"But we have to perform our best. I am looking forward to the day.

"I am keeping my fingers crossed. All I can do is to try my best and the rest is really up to God," Vashi, the financial consultant-turned social worker, who is now settled in Mumbai, said.

Commenting on her first visit to China, Vashi said so far it has been exciting.

"It is my first visit to China. So far so good. I always wanted to come (to China) but never got a chance. It has been wonderful. Each city is different. It is a lot like India. Mumbai is so different from Delhi and Delhi is so different from Kerala.

"It is interesting to see the similarities. So I was just fascinated," she said.

While not stunned by the economic growth of China since she had read about it, Ami said she was surprised by the warmth and friendly nature of Chinese people.

"I have received so much warmth and love from the Chinese people that it is moving. I didn't expect it at all." Vashi said her parents, who are now in Los Angeles with her brother, would be in Sanya to personally cheer for her.

"I can't wait to see them and I really miss them," she said.

Green Card Fever

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Starring
Vikram Dasu ....
Purva Bedi ....

Synopsis
‘Green Card Fever’ is a romantic comedy strewn with some satirical drama. The movie takes a tongue-in-cheek look into the lives of legal and illegal immigrants in America.

The film tells the story of a young immigrant from India (Vikram Dasu) who has overstayed his US visa, and is looking for some easy way to get the US citizenship.

Full of dreams to make it big in the land of opportunities, he has nobody to rely on but his newfound friends who talk loud and are continuously doling out suggestions to him on how to acquire a green card. The gullible hero takes their advice and what follows is a comical and poignant sequence of adventures.

His friends tell him that "the fastest way to get anything done in America is to sue somebody" - and is led to believe that he can obtain a 'Green Card' by suing his lawyer (Deep Katdare). He is further spurred by the stories of a "famous hot coffee cup spilling case" where he is told that a court awarded the plaintiff a million dollars.

However, our hero’s plans soon begin to go haywire after the young lad falls for a beautiful girl (Purva Bedi). His short route to the "higher life" in America becomes full of hurdles as he encounters Love, Lies and The Law in his pursuit to live legally in America.

On one hand, there is the beautiful girl he is falling in love with. And on the other is the comforting prospect of returning home to India. Which way will he take?

Janasheen

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Celina Jaitley .... Jessica
Fardeen Khan .... Lucky
Feroze Khan .... Saba Karim

Synopsis
Janasheen has Fardeen Khan playing a young and reckless guy named Lucky Kapoor. Lucky lives in Australia and is strongly driven by his dream of becoming a Super Bike Racing champion.

Lucky is unwilling to take over his rich father's legacy but things take a turn for him after his father dies in an accident. Circumstances compel Lucky to return to India for a short while.

Once in India he meets Jessica [Celina Jaitley], a famous violinist with a tragic past. She is in love with Lucky since she was a child. But she lost him when he went away to Australia and never came back.

And now when Lucky returns after so many years, the seed of love sprouts in his heart too. But the tragedy of life is such that Jessica has to hide secrets and carry the burden of lies inside her, which affects her relationship with Lucky.

The film also has Feroz Khan playing Saba Karim [Feroz Khan], a fugitive from Afghanistan now living in Australia. Saba is a rich and ruthless businessman who finds a likeness to his dead son in Lucky.

Hrithik knows his worth today!

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
In his not-so-long acting career Hrithik Roshan has tasted both success and failure. Today, the handsome actor is not carried away by praises nor bogged down by brickbats because he knows his worth better than he did before.

We know that the two hit films that straddle Hrithik’s checkered career in tinsel town were accompanied by many failures in between. But Hrithik has been a humble learner all the way and continues to be so.

Hrithik says the success his debut film Kaho Na Pyar Hai was a bit too sudden for him and had put a lot of pressure on him. But the young star has taken the success of his last film Koi Mil Gaya with more calm and composure.

“Today is a different story. I know where I stand and I know my worth. What I have now, I deserve – because I’ve worked very very hard for it. I think that’s the right perspective to have,” Hrithik is quoted to have said in an interview.

Currently, Hrithik has just one at hand – Farhaan Akhtar’s Lakshya. But the actor says that he would love to act in another sci-fi thriller even if it is not made by his father Rakesh Roshan.

Annoyed over Ash’s ouster, Sahara India withdraws from 'The Rising'

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Sahara India Parivar on Thursday announced withdrawal of its association from the period film ‘The Rising’ for not being consulted and intimated about the decision to drop Aishwarya Rai from it.

''We shall never continue with any association where the people concerned shall not care for the respect of our Pariwar and Pariwar People,'' Sushanto Roy, chief of media and entertainment, Sahara India Pariwar, said in a statement in Mumbai.

''When we are associated with the project and everybody knows that she (Aishwarya) is part of our Pariwar as Director, we should have been intimated and consulted before she was unceremoniously thrown out of the project,'' he said.

It may be recalled that Ash was dropped last week due to differences with the producer over her fee for the film, which is based on the uprising against the British rule in 1857. She has been replaced by Amisha Patel.

The film is being directed by Ketan Mehta and actor Aamir Khan is playing the lead role as Mangal Pandey, one of the heroes of the uprising. Producer of the film is Bobby Bedi.

The 'muhurat' of the film was in the city was attended by Britain's Prince Charles, who was in India recently.

Kal Ho Naa Ho

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Producer/s: Karan Johar
Director: Nikhil Advani
Cast: Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan, Jaya Bachchan, Lillete Dubey, Daniela De Almeida, Sonali Bendre
Music: Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Lyrics: Javed Akhtar

Synopsis
Kal Ho Naa Ho is the story of three friends whose relationship is based on unconditional love and emotional empathy with each other.

The setting is New York in present times. Life is quite brooding for Naina Catherine Kapur (Preity Zinta). The cause of her sombre lifestyle is a family tragedy that shook her world and took her happiness away.

Her humdrum daily routine includes her chores in her half Punjabi-half Catholic household in which she has to deal with a short tempered grand-mother, has to look after her little sister and brother besides helping her mother Jennifer [Jaya Bachchan] deal with the family's financial troubles. In short, life could not be drabber for this gorgeous belle.

But things change with the coming of Aman Mathur [Shah Rukh Khan] into the tiny Indian neighborhood where she lives.

Aman is an extrovert person who gets friendly with almost everybody and begins to win everybody’s heart with his jolly nature. When he sees the sadness in a young and beautiful girl like Naina, he sets about to bring happiness into her life.

For this he also gets help from his good friend Rohit [Saif Ali Khan], an eligible Manhattan bachelor.

After few initial failures, the two manage to bring Naina out of her dull and gloomy moods and make her genuinely happy. The three become very good friends and every thing is hunky-dory.

But this happiness is short-lived when it turns out that one of them suffers from a deadly disease

What would you do if you found yourself nearing the end of your life, due to a devastating disease, especially if you hadn't even reached your prime? Would you be thrown on a roller coaster ride of emotions? Would it change how you looked at life and its priorities? Would you turn to the ones you love for support, or simply back away and live out your final days alone?

Shah Rukh Khan's character in Kal Ho Naa Ho has to make those difficult decisions. What will he do when his beautiful romance with Priety Zinta's character is on the verge of being cut short because tragedy strikes, and the story of a lifetime happens in a heartbeat? What will happen to Priety's character now that the love of her life is losing his? Who will she turn to if he turns her away? Will Shah Rukh's doctor played by Saif Ali Khan become her solace in her time of need?

Audiences who scramble to the cinema to see SRK's new film, had better bring several boxes of tissues along, as Karan Johar promises, "you'll weep buckets throughout the entire story." Those aware of Johar's films can take him seriously, since he's done it twice before in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai and Kabhi Khushie Khabie Ghum. Just think about the lines of Kal Ho Naa Ho themselves and you'll get a taste of what he means.

Aaj, aaj ek hansee aur baant lo...
(Today, today, share another laugh)
Aaj, ek dua aur maang lo...
(Today, ask for another supplication)
Aaj, ek aansu aur pi lo...
(Today, drink {as in save} another tear)
Aaj, ek zindagi aur ji lo...
(Today, live another life)
Aaj, ek sapna aur dekh lo...
(Today, dream another dream)
Kya pata, Kal Ho Naa Ho...
(Who knows what tomorrow holds)

Is that's not enough to start tugging at your heartstrings? Then maybe the song titles will help it along further. They include, Mahi ve (Oh lover), Kuch to hua hai (Something has happened), and Bidai (the Separation).

Even without all these other components, anyone who has seen Shah Rukh Khan in action, knows what happens when his big beautiful brown eyes start to shed tears. The emotions he emits without even uttering a sound are incredible. A lump starts to build up in your throat, and your eyes start to burn as you try to fight it. Yet, you know that it's inevitable, it's going to happen whether you want it to or not. Those tiny salt droplets are going to start to flow, slowly first, and then they turn into a stream of water running down your cheeks. Then as you try to see through the wall of water, you start to look around the cinema to see if anyone is watching you. And what do you find? Everyone is struck by the same heart wrenching emotions and find themselves expressing them in the same way. So you know you're not alone.

If Kal Ho Naa Ho asks "who knows what tomorrow holds", what can we ask for, but that if it's to be our last day of life, that tomorrow never come.

`LoC` confirmed for Dec 12

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Is it coming on December 12? Or is the film being postponed to a later date? Well, the question uppermost on everyone's lips is, will LoC hit the screens on December 12?

Coincidentally, exactly a year ago, in December 2002, the topic of discussion was Sanjay Gupta's Kaante. People were sceptical whether Kaante would make it on the scheduled date.

Of course, the reasons for the postponement of that film were entirely different.

Now, it's LoC that's being discussed at mahurat ceremonies, music release functions, even filmland marriages.

Unfortunately, a few mischief makers have been spreading rumours that the film won't make it before January 9, 2004. Without delving into technical details, a section of the electronic media has gone to the extent of stating that the film won't make it on December 12.

“Rubbish,” Bindiya Dutta [wife of J.P. Dutta] tells me, “LoC is definitely coming on December 12, unless a calamity strikes. We're prepared to release the film on the date, there's no postponement whatsoever.”

She continues, “J.P. is working round-the-clock to ensure that the film makes it on the date. There's no change whatsoever.”

The statement does sound true, for this writer spoke to three prominent distributors of L.O.C. [the right people to confirm the date!], who reiterated that they have already started booking theatres in their circuits, for week beginning December 12. Courtesy: Indiafm

`Lakeer` shifted to January

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Last week, the producers of Aetbaar, Plan, Hum Do Hamaara Ek and Aan had decided to shift the release date to a later date. The above-named films were scheduled to release in December this year, but will now make it in January/February 2004.

Now add one more film to the list! Lakeer, starring Sunny, Suniel, Sohail and John, has also been shifted to January 2004.

The film was supposed to hit the screens on December 12 initially [in the same week as LoC], but the makers decided to avert the clash by shifting the film to January 16/23. Courtesy:

Waisa Bhi Hota Hai

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
This film is the sequel to 'Aisa Bhi Hota Hai', which brings to mind two questions:

1) Whoever heard of sequels in Bollywood?
2) Whoever heard of 'Aisa Bhi Hota Hai'?

Of course, avid Doordarshan viewers (hyuk!) would be able to recall a show by the same name that aired on Sunday evenings at 6:00. At least the film's crew is honest. In the beginning itself they state the film to be a mindless work of fiction - the emphasis being on mindless.

So, what happens in the film? Well, we have this Creative Director Puneet Sayal (Arshad Warsi) who gets his life all mixed up. How? Simple. He befriends a gangster Vishnu (Prashath Narayanan) while his girlfriend is an honest cop, ACP Agni Sinha (Sandhya Mridul) - two things that would make the mixing of oil and water appear a mundane task.

Since we have a gangster, we also need to have two dons, and they come in the form of Ganpath and Gangu Tai, of warring factions. In fact, that Ganpath Don gives us a passing reference to the infamous 'Ganpath Rai' joke towards the end of the movie. And because the joke happens to be unprintable (even for us!), to those who do not know about it we can only say 'sooooo sorry, folks'.

Anyway, Puneet saves the life of Vishnu on the very day his girlfriend asks him to get the hell out of her house. Vishnu, overcome by gratitude, offers him his flat to stay in. The two become fast friends, and it is then that Puneet realises that there is more to their world than bullets, blood and gore. There is a humane side to most of these people, and they also like to party and have fun.

This warrants another thought. Somewhere along the way, as the film was being made, the makers surely kind of got confused. I mean, why else would there be elements of both humor and melancholy in what is essentially a light-hearted film? But then their statement at the very beginning absolves them of all sin.

To be fair, though, the film is not a bad effort - just take Arshad Warsi out of the equation. The item song featuring Maria Goretti has two pluses - one, Maria Goretti, and two, choreography. Prashanth Narayanan is good as Vishnu, though Sandhya Mridul struggles in her role of a tough cop - to be fair, again, Bipasha Basu is to blame for this. She does a damn good job of it.

Normally, films like this are labelled 'experimental'. Pretty appropriate, I must say. After all, what else could Arshad Warsi be but an experiment by Bollywood gone awry?

Sparsh - The Touch

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Sparsh - The Touch - The Review
By Rohit Murari

Click to enlarge photo
Rating: 1/5

Whoever said Bollywood only makes the same insipid films with the same insipid storylines? In this case, though, a large population would have preferred the tried and tested path. But, I digress. So, where do we begin? We have three sisters who live together. And for those of you who are thinking that the movie will be on the lines of 'Girls Hostel', hold that thought right there. There is going to be a twist in the tale at the very beginning.

The eldest of the sisters, Anjana, works as the secretary of Ravi. One fine day in office, she starts acting weird: she types 'I Love You' on official letters, and stands with her skirt raised high above her knees - several viewers did not seem to have any objection to the second part, but Ravi thinks she needs a change, and takes her out on vacation. Here it should be pointed out that the film does not unfold on the lines of 'Chamiya 2000', though the gentleman next to me seemed despondent it did not.

During their holiday, it is discovered that some supernatural force has possessed Anjana - there we go again. In comes Inspector Singh and he starts investigating. When not much comes out of it, a certain Prof. Bhatnagar comes into the picture. He is a psychologist, and comes to the conclusion that the spirit has to be that of a former lover of Anjana's called Aman.

To exorcise the spirit, a pandit (Kiran Kumar - the one face that is familiar) performs some havan and frees her. Anajana and Ravi get engaged, and the film comes to an end.

About the other actors, it is understandable. But, what compelled Kiran Kumar to take up the film? Is this what happens to good actors when film offers stop coming in? The songs are as good or as bad as you may expect of films of this genre. What takes the cake, though, is the attempted humour. The sheer alacrity with which it fails is quite astonishing. Even we make better efforts than those.

Just a cautionary word. Do not think the film is meant for your family - like the sole family in the theater thought.

Choker Bali

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
This review is not about the story of the film. Most connoisseurs would for sure have an idea of what Rabindra Nath Tagore's Chokher Bali is about. Yes one thing I will tell you about the story the end is a little illogical.

When one sees a film whose language one doesn't understand, one tends to sub consciously concentrate on all other aspects of the filmmaking, doing it for this movie is a treat read on.

Great credit goes to Director Ghosh for a brilliant screenplay. The way he has established the characters Binodini (Aishwariya Rai) so gorgeous and plain, yet so unpredictable. The demure Ashalata (Raima Sen), her husband Mahendra (Prasenjit Chaterjee) and a host of other characters in the film. The movie has its own pace yet it is so "involving".

Aishwariya Rai plays a widow, and is without make up in most of the movie. She has acted fantastically and sure would be a National Award contender. With this she leaves whatever competition she had very far behind. Not only does she look gorgeous, one can't make out that Begnali is a foreign language for her.

Raima Sen plays the dominated underage wife to Prasenjit (Gajendra) has also acted well. She is demure and soft-spoken in most of the film, yet is very convincing in the parts where she needs to get aggressive.

The movie is shot very well; more so the entire movie has a "yellow tinge". It's been colour corrected in postproduction so as to give the 1902-1905 "look". The Art direction of the film is fabulous, not overstated yet dramatic in look, in the right places. The background score deserves special mention. Very minimalist and at times just a solo voice singing in Bengali hence highlighting the mood of the scene.

While the overall film is great, the original story especially the end spoils it. All in all a great effort by Ghosh.

Ratting ( on 5) The Look 4
Story - 4
Performances 5
Music - 1
Background Music 4
Overall - 3

Jodi Kya Banai Wah Wah Ramji

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Comedy is a difficult emotion to depict on celluloid. Makers like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee managed to depict the emotion with such ease. Concept Productions Ltd.'s JODI KYA BANAI WAH WAH RAMJI follows the same path, but it does have its share of shortcomings.

Ram Prasad [Paresh Rawal], a novelist famous for his suspense thrillers, is forced to write a love story, as chills and thrills are 'out' and mushy stories are 'in'. With no experience of either love or love stories, he begins to look for a couple on whom he can base his love story.

In his endeavour, he stumbles upon Vishal [Amar Upadhyay] and Priyanka [Reema Sen] in his neighbourhood. Their parents are the best of friends as well as partners in business and now want to get them married to further affirm family ties.

Vishal and Priyanka strike a deal with Ram Prasad to help them break this impending marriage. They, in turn, will tell him about their romances, which would not give him one, but two love stories.

Ram Prasad starts hatching plan after plan to foil the marriage, but is unsuccessful. One fine day, Vishal and Priyanka leave for a trek and fall in love subsequently. On the other hand, Ram Prasad hits upon a plan and creates a divide between the two fathers, thereby breaking the impending marriage.

When Vishal and Priyanka return home, they find themselves in a dilemma. Ram Prasad finds himself in a fix - he is now asked to reunite the two warring families.

With Paresh Rawal in the central role, the responsibility to carry the story forward rests entirely on his shoulders. He does succeed to a major extent, but the flaws act as speed breakers.

Though the basic plot is alright, the viewer gets an impression that he's watching a comedy TV serial on the big screen. The larger-than-life cinema experience - the mainstay of any film in today's scenario - is missing.

Simply put, the director and writers Umesh Shukla and Anuraag Prapanna have tried so hard to inject humour in the story that every other emotion - drama and emotional quotient - takes a complete backseat in this enterprise. Even the action sequences are laced with comedy!

There ought to have been some serious moments in the enterprise to balance the humour. Hrishi-da and Basu-da's movies struck a chord with the audience because the humour and emotional quotient went hand in hand.

But there's no denying that a few comedy sequences [though they look forced at times!] do manage to keep you entertained. The sequences between Paresh Rawal and Tiku Talsania are humourous, while the ones between the lead pair - Amar and Reema - don't look natural at all.

As far as humour goes, the one-liners are just about passable. A few comic sequences manage to bring a smile, while a few others are repetitive.

Anand Raaj Anand's music is nothing to hum about. The tunes are plain mediocre and even otherwise, they don't contribute in moving the story forward. Cinematography is alright.

As mentioned earlier, the film rests on Paresh Rawal's shoulders and it wouldn't be wrong to state that the actor infuses life into the film. Amar Upadhyay is just about okay. Reema Sen overacts. Gulshan Grover is competent. Tiku Talsania excels in his part. Kunika, as the Bengali tenant, is decent.

On the whole, JODI KYA BANAI WAH WAH RAMJI is a light entertainer but the comedy is such that it has been witnessed umpteen times in the past. At the box-office, lack of publicity and ordinary merits will only add to its woes.

Madhuri Dixit

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
You've received unstinted accolades for your performance as Chandramukhi in Devdas. How does it feel?
It obviously feels great. There are good reports coming from all corners. I am very thrilled with the way the film has shaped up.

How was the experience of working in a classic?
The experience was simply unforgettable. I was very excited from the word go. Rarely does one get to play such meaty characters. The role gave me an opportunity to do classical dances, which I enjoyed thoroughly.

How was Sanjay Leela Bhansali as a director?
He is so passionate about work that one automatically gets charged while performing. We had a wonderful time on the sets. Sorry, no controversies here. Everyone was so involved that one's enthusiasm would rub off on the other. As for my co-stars - particularly Ash and Shahrukh - it was great fun.

Sanjay wanted to make a film that would be called your film since unlike Guide for Waheeda Rehman or Sahib Biwi Aur Ghulam for Meena Kumari, there isn't anything in your career that could be termed a classic. Comments.
Did he say that really? That's very sweet of him. Yes, it is a fantastic role for any performer, a dream role really. And for the first time I get to dance some intricate steps choreographed by Maharajji (Birju Maharaj). How many people are that fortunate? Chandramukhi's character is not easy to perform. She has various shades. And then there was this constant comparison with the earlier versions of the film. I don't think it s fair to compare two products of two different eras.

Has your husband Dr. Shriram Nene seen the film?
He has and liked it immensely. Although he doesn't understand Hindi at all he liked the film in its entirety. I had to explain the whole story in detail before we went for the premiere.

What language do you converse in at home?
We either speak English or Marathi, which he is fluent in.

Do you practice dance at home in New York?
Yes it may sound unbelievable but I do practice dance at home whenever I get time. It's something I treasure and take pleasure in. Otherwise I'm cooking and doing every other household chore just like any other housewife.

What else keeps you busy? Do you miss the arclights?
I am doing a lot of things that I couldn't find time for earlier or didn't know of. For instance, I do scuba diving and skeet shooting. I must tell you about skeet shooting in which one shoots at a clay pigeon that is fired into the air with the help of propeller. It's amazingly exciting. The rest of the time I look after the home. About missing the arclights, where have I gone?

That means you'll continue doing films? Have you signed any films?
I can't divulge details as of now. Yes, I have many good and interesting offers which I am still considering. The film offers haven't stopped pouring in and may be, I'll do one film a year. The schedules have to be worked out in detail. Let's see how it works out since I live in the US. I have just completed a reality show for Sony Television named Kahin Na Kahin Koi Hai. I have shot non-stop for the show which is going to be aired from July 29.We have shot quite a few episodes for the time being so that when I leave for my home in the US and come back later this year and shoot for the rest.

"I'm getting married after 6 years - my boy friend can wait that long" Diya Mirza

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
"I'm getting married after 6 years - my boy friend can wait that long" Diya Mirza
The other day I met Diya Mirza and we had a great chat discussing her German roots and other things. Not man know that Diya is half German! "I'm still trying to find my roots, but my mom has kept the memories of my real German father alive. In fact one day I like to go and visit all my relatives in Germany," she says.

Talking about Germany, the first thing that comes to our mind was her shoot with Boris Becker for Siyaram's commercial. "Boris flirted a lot with me and when I told him I was half German he said no wonder you are so beautiful!," she adds.

Ask her about her marriage plans and she says," I'm only 1 right now. I think I will only get married after 6 years. My boy friend loves me so much that he can wait."

I have no freedom in India, says Madhuri

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
I have no freedom in India, says Madhuri
"I do have my freedom here, which I don't at all have in India," she said during a brief chat after a screening of Devdas at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. "I can go and shop places I want to, I can walk on the street.

"Yes! I go to Safeway and buy yogurt. I love to do things like that."

After Dixit's appearance at the festival, she and Nene flew to Colorado to spend time with his family as she awaits the birth of her first baby in April.

Dixit, who has adopted an American accent, described her typical day as an NRI as "very quiet". If there are Indians around, she does get recognised, but for the most part, life here is the exact opposite of the Mumbai grind.

"I wake up, I take it easy, I can do things on my own time here," she said. "I'm not time-bound like I am in Mumbai, where it's just rush-rush-rush, from one studio to another and we're shooting all the time.

"It's just me, my cats -- Melvin and Sasha -- and my husband."

Dixit launched a line of Ayurvedic skin care products with Emami in India in November, and now she's focusing on phase two of the product line, she said.

"We launched the creams and stuff like that, but now that I am going to be a mother we want to launch a new line where we do something for mothers-to-be and babies," she said. "It's all Ayurvedic and herbal, very pure.

"In India, when a celebrity launches something, they make it very high-end. So it's so highly priced that the common person -- who is your audience -- cannot afford to buy it.

I got together with Emami and said I want to make products which are of very good quality, but I want any working woman to be able to afford them."

In a Q&A session with the Palm Springs audience after the screening, an American fan asked Dixit if she was interested in a career in Western films.

Mentioning that Aishwarya Rai and Aamir Khan were two Indian stars who had recently secured representation by American talent agencies, Dixit nevertheless seemed to imply in her answer that she'd wait for Western talent agents to come to her.

"I haven't taken any concrete steps yet," she explained, "because my exposure has just started now in the West, especially with Devdas and the Indian film industry becoming such a point of curiosity among Westerners here.

"People are watching Indian films and starting to appreciate them. It's just the beginning right now. Yes, definitely in the future I would like to have someone who could guide me around in Hollywood. That would be great.

"I'm just waiting for the baby to come, and once that comes it will give me a little time to think about other things and other projects."

She may be in a holding pattern now, but don't think just yet that Madhuri spends all her time at home on the couch, watching Joe Millionaire and eating potato chips.

"I have self-discipline," she said. "There are a lot of things going on in my mind. I am a trained Kathak dancer and I would love to teach.

"I would especially love to teach the second generation of Indians here, whose parents want them to know what Indian dancing is all about. I would love to introduce them to it. It's a beautiful form of dancing and I just love it.

"I would also like to do some voice training, and I would even like to cut an album. But right now, I am just waiting for the baby."

Dixit acknowledged that her widely publicised decision not to know the sex of her unborn child could almost be seen as a political statement, although she also feels it's an intensely personal decision.

"It was the way I was brought up," she said. "There was never a distinction in my family where my mother said 'you are a girl or a boy, and you can do this or that.' We were brought up as equals, as individuals.

"We were brought up to believe that whether it's a girl or a boy, what he or she does is going to affect society tomorrow. He or she has to be a good citizen first, and has to be a good person first. She or he can be a professional and do whatever he or she wants to do. It should just be a good healthy baby who should grow up to be a good person."

- Times of India

Hottest Newcomer in Bollywood

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
Hottest Newcomer in Bollywood
Priyanka Chopra currently tops the producer’s favourites list. "The new toast of Mumbai’s film circuit," as director Anil Sharma describes her, has given a flawless performance in a short but special role in his film THE HERO. And if things go right with the film, Priyanka would walk away with praises, as Amisha did in Sharma’s last movie GADAR. "She looks equally good in Western and Indian outfits", gushes Sharma, and adds, "I’m sure, she’ll make a mark with the kind of talent she has."

And it’s not only Anil Sharma who is talking highly about Priyanka nowadays. Suneel Darshan, the director of ANDAAZ too, is lavish in his praise. ANDAAZ, which stars her along with Akshay Kumar and Lara Dutta, would hit the cinema halls around the same time THE HERO does. "Priyanka is not only beautiful and intelligent but also has an amazing screen presence", quips Darshan.

But K.C.Bokadia, the producer of her film EK HASEENA EK DEEWANA with Govinda, is on a different trip. "We have umpteen good actresses and performers and so is Priyanka. That’s no great shakes", he says, and adds, "What I like more about her, is her humility and professional approach. She is very co-operative and quick with her work and we have managed to complete my film very fast because of this."

What more can one say. Priyanka just seems to be the hottest newcomer in Bollywood. Great going!

Congress lacks farsightedness: PM

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi Nov. 21.(PTI): Accusing the Congress of lacking "farsightedness," the Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, today said the party should remain out of power for a "longer" period so that it could learn to behave as a responsible Opposition.

Attacking the party at an election meeting in West Delhi, the Prime Minister said the Congress still felt that it was ruling the country. "The Congress has not learnt to remain out of power. They should remain out of power for a longer period so that it learns how to work as a responsible Opposition," he said.

"The Congress does not have farsightedness," Mr. Vajpayee said adding that the Congress-ruled Delhi was still facing a number of problems such as scarcity of water, power, good roads and communication facilities. "Even after remaining in power for five years, roads in Delhi are in a bad shape.

"I have been to so many capitals but when I come back here, I feel sad." The minimum needs of the people were not being fulfilled.

Referring to the violent incidents in Assam and Bihar, he said that job opportunities were limited and the number of aspirants was high. The Government jobs would not solve the purpose and there was a need for generation of self-employment, he said.

Appealing to the people to elect a Government which understands its responsibility and goes hand-in-hand with the Centre to take Delhi on the path of prosperity and development, Mr. Vajpayee said there should not be any friction between the Centre and the States.

The Congress Government in Delhi "failed" to provide the basic minimum facilities to the people as it had no farsightedness. "It has always tried to serve its own interest and was not worried about the people," he charged.

Observing that there were so many non-Congress Governments in the States, Mr. Vajpayee said no one had imagined how a non-Congress Government at the Centre would last its full term. The Congress had always tried to destabilise such a Government, he said.

Mr. Vajpayee said the BJP sought the support of other parties and forged a successful coalition Government at the Centre which not only provided stability to the country but also to the economy.

Without naming Pakistan, Mr. Vajpayee said that India had effectively checked all those who had been misleading Muslim countries on the Kashmir issue. This was quite evident when he visited a Muslim country (Syria) recently.

He said he told the leaders there that in India, all citizens were treated equally and there was no discrimination.

Centre rushes forces to Assam

Friday, November 21, 2003 | Editor
GUWAHATI, Nov 20 (PTI)

The Centre today dispatched paramilitary forces to Assam to assist the State Government in containing ethnic violence amid reports of continuing sporadic attacks on Biharis which claimed one more life, taking the toll to 30.

A Bihari labourer working in a brick kiln at Rongsul under Doomdooma police station in Tinsukia district was today killed and another injured in an attack by a group of 40-50 people armed with knives and sharp weapons as sporadic attacks on Bihari people, torching of huts, arson and extortion continued, official sources said.

Curfew remained in force in Nalbari, Tinsukia and the oil township of Duliajan. The Army, called out on Wednesday after large-scale violence, continued its operations in disturbed areas to maintain law and order.

Army today guarded vital installations and established traffic check posts at vulnerable areas in Assam's violence-hit Tinsukia district where the "overall situation though tense is under control".

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today spoke to Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav and made known his concern over the continuing violence in Assam and Bihar.

PCB asks Akram to serve it, not India

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Islamabad, Nov 20 (PTI) Even as Indian cricket board denied seeking services of former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram as bowling coach of its team, the Pakistan Cricket Board has said it would like to offer him a job to train young fast bowlers in the country.
"Certainly we want Akram with us, he was a great bowler and an all rounder and we would like to offer him a job to assist PCB in the development of our fast bolwing department", PCB Chairman Tauqir Zia told newsmen in Lahore last evening.

On reports of BCCI offering the job bowling coach to Waseem, Zia said it is time that "the former Pakistan skipper should contribute and serve Pakistan cricket".

He said PCB would like to acquire the services of Akram rather seeing him serving the Indian cricket and said much also depends on him to decide his future with Pakistan Cricket or Indian Cricket.

"It is time to return something to your country which owes it from you as you earned fame and everything. They are the greats of Pakistan and they must consider what their country demands from them and they should serve their country rather serving abroad", he was quoted as saying the official APP new agency today. PTI

US hi-tech industry continues to cut jobs

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Silicon Valley, Nov 20 (PTI) Although the US economy is picking up, the high-tech industry continues to lose jobs, albeit at a much slower pace than recent years, according to a study released today by an electronic trade industry group.

High-tech employment, which fell by eight per cent in 2003, is expected to decline by another four per cent in 2003, according to AeA, a trade group formerly known as the American Electronics Association.

"We project that the 2003 high-tech job losses will total 234,000 down 57 per cent from the 540,000 decline in 2002," said AeA President and CEO William T. Archey.

The report, titled 'Cyberstates 2003: A State-by-State Overview of the High-Technology Industry,' found that all but three states lost high-tech jobs in 2002.

California lost the greatest number of tech jobs, shedding some 123,000 jobs. Texas was second with tech jobs down by 61,000 jobs.

Interestingly, the District of Columbia, Wyoming, and Montana were the only three cyberstates to add technology jobs between 2001 and 2002. PTI

Telgi scam has "serious implications", Advani

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Bhopal, Nov 20 (PTI) Asserting that the multi-crore Telgi stamp paper scam has "serious implications", Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today wondered as to why governments of Maharashtra and Karnataka where the scandal originated have so far been reluctant for a CBI probe into it.
The two states where the stamp paper scam originated in a "big way" have been "reluctant" to ask for a CBI inquiry and "I do not know for what reasons", he told a press conference here.

Advani said that Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde had met him but there had been no request from the State Government for a CBI inquiry though states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Delhi have requested the Centre for such a probe.

The stamp paper scandal, he said, was a "serious issue with great ramifications" like the fake currency scam.

Replying to questions on the alleged cash-on-camera case allegedly involving former Union Minister and Chhattisgarh leader Dilip Singh Judeo, he said making the issue political one may "prove costly" for the Congress in the forthcoming assembly elections in the state.

The Congress party "should have focused on developmental issues but making the Judeo issue a political one, may prove costly for it" in the polls, he said. PTI

Don't protect interests of Hindi-speaking people

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 20 (PTI) The banned ULFA has denied involvement in the ongoing violence against Biharis in Assam, but warned politicians not to protect the interests of the Hindi-speaking people in the state.
The situation would become serious and politicians should prepare themselves to face serious consequences if they pleaded for the cause of Hindi-speaking people or protected them, ULFA's self-styled commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah told a local language daily here.

Denying that the underground group was involved in the ongoing violence, Baruah, however, warned that the situation would be "much more dangerous than now" if his outfit did get involved.

Terming the violence as an 'uprising', he said, "It was an expression of frustration of the people of Assam against their exploitation for a long time. We hope the people of the state will be able to teach a befitting lesson to the Hindi-speaking people".

Baruah also said the Hindi-speaking people 'must leave Assam.' The Chief Minister, Tarun Gogoi, had yesterday claimed that the ULFA was behind the violence in the state.

Meanwhile, sporadic incidents of burning of huts, arson, and physical attacks on Biharis continued throughout the night across the state, with 29 deaths reported so far.

Violence erupted in Assam after the attack on Assamese train passengers in Bihar on November 11 and 12. PTI

Akram denies bowling coach offer of Indian team

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Kolkata, Nov 19 (PTI) Former Pakistan speedster Wasim Akram today denied that he had got offer from the BCCI to take over as India's bowling coach.
"I have got no offer till now. I only got to know of this from newspapers," Akram told newspersons here.

Pressed further on the issue, Akram said "I have played cricket for 20 years. I would love to be the coach of any team not only India." The former Pakistan captain, who recently retired from the game, said he was willing to consider the offer if any team approached him. PTI

Bollywood goes digital: film to be sold online

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) Indian Filmamkers relax! No more hassles of finding distributors abroad as selling of films is now just a click of the mouse away. The secure peer-to-peer technology has now made it possible to sell full-length feature films through internet for movie buffs worldwide.

Infact, "Supari", a Padam Kumar film starring Nandita Das and Rahul Dev, would be the first film to be sold online, according to Sharman Networks, publisher and distributor of Kazaa, a popular file sharing application.

Under a distribution agreement between Sharman's partner Altnet and filmmaker Aum Creates, the Hindi language thriller Supari is available for purchase to Kazaa's estimated 60 million users worldwide for 2.99 US dollar. Alnet's technology allows Aum Creates to be paid each time the movie file is shared and purchased via Kazaa, according to a release from Medianet-International, Sydney.

Kazaa users can also download free movie trailers, production footage and music videos, as well as purchase songs from the movie soundtrack for US 90 cents each, the release says.

Supari's Indian distributors Yash Raj films initiated promotion of the films on Kazaa prior to its release in India.

According to Supari's director, Padam Kumar, "through movie trailer, soundtrack and 'behind the scenes' footage promotions, Kazaa has already managed to create widespread awareness for Supari. Selling the full movie is a logical next step, and with a relatively low budget movies, it is a very cost effective way to reach the masses."

"Peer-to-peer is an exciting new avenue for revenue generation and global distribution for the film industry. The global reach of Kazaa is phenomenal and it is a very targetted marketing avenue for us since it's so entertainment focused," says Kumar.

According to Nikki Hemming, CEO, Sharman Networks, "the Bollywood movie market is growing at twice the rate of Hollywood in terms of production and revenue. This is where the benefit of peer-to-peer technology become really clear." "Selling large, high quality files online, such as feature films, at low cost to a massive audience across the globe quie simply cannot be done efficiently using traditional websites. Peer-to-peer technology offers the movie industry a huge opportunity to massively enhance its distribution and generate revenue," says Hemming.

Supari is protected, promoted and being distributed with Altnet technology which gives content providers complete control over the rules of distribution and pricing of their products.

The efficiency of peer-to-peer can provide an approximate 90 per cent cut in bandwidth costs compared with traditional website distribution. Altnet's service also gives the film a preferred placement in Kazaa search listings, making it easy for fans to find, says the release. PTI

Karunakaran sets Nov 25 as deadline

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Kochi, Nov 19 (PTI) In an impressive show of strength, defiant senior Congress leader K Karunakaran today set a virtual deadline to party high command to effect change of leadership in Kerala by November 25 or else Chief Minister A K Antony would be made to quit.
Addressing a large gathering of supporters here, he ruled out compromise on the demand for leadership change and said "this situation of uncertainty will not prolong." "We will make the Chief Minsiter resign. There is no compromise on that," thundered Karunakaran.

He said his supporters cannot be taken lightly any more and "attempts to trample us will not be permitted," drawing from the crowd roars of support.

The problem plaguing the PCC can be solved in a minute by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Antony, he said.

The veteran leader said though he was aged he still had the energy and the will power to bring down Antony. "Wherever we go, the tri-colour flag of the party will be ours." KPCC President and Karunakaran's son K Muraeedharan lashed out at the Antony government describing its two-and-half-year rule as a "bus with punctured tyres". "The government cannot boast of any achievement," he alleged.

Earlier, Karunakaran supporters took out a massive rally from the Jawaharlal Nehru stadium to the convention venue.

Besides Electricity Minister Kadavoor Sivadasan and Health Minister P Sankaran, 21 MLAs close to Karunakaran attended the meeting.

Karunakaran's daughter and Kerala Tourism Development Corporation chairperson Padmaja Venugopal was also present. PTI

MTNL reduces ISD rates

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) State-owned Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd today announced reduction in international long distance tariffs for calls to US, Canada and Europe to Rs 6.40 per minute.
For calls to south-east Asian countries including Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, the tariffs have been reduced to Rs eight per minute with a pulse of six seconds.

The above rates are effective from tomorrow till January 26, 2004, an MTNL release said here.

The rates would be applicable 24 hours. PTI

Stamp scam: Petition filed in SC for CBI probe

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 19 (PTI) A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking CBI probe into the Rs 3,000 crore Telgi stamp paper scam involving top officials and politicians in several states on the ground that the State Governments were reluctant to order probe by an independent agency.
The petition filed by advocate Ajay Aggarwal was mentioned yesterday before a Bench headed by Chief Justice V N Khare who said that it would be taken up for hearing in due course. It is likely to be listed for hearing on December 15.

The petitioner, annexing several newspaper reports relating to the wide spread of the scam, alleged that though Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani has made a public statement that the Centre was ready for a CBI inquiry, the States were not making the necessary request as "political big wigs" are allegedly involved in the scandal.

The petitioner, who was axed as standing counsel of Uttar Pradesh immediately after the Taj Heritage Corridor scam took a decisive turn in the Supreme Court, requested the apex Court to order CBI probe into the scam and monitor the investigation. PTI

Dawood, Al Qaeda shared smuggling routes: US

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The US decision to declare Dawood Ibrahim as "global terrorist" came in the backdrop of investigations pointing towards his smuggling routes being shared by Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda and funding of Lashkar-e-Toiba by the D-company, according to official US statements and media reports.
The US Treasury Department, which designated the underworld don as a global terrorist, also tracked down his Al Qaeda connections saying his narcotic "smuggling routes from South Asia, the Middle East and Africa are shared with Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network.

"A financial arrangement was reportedly brokered to facilitate the latter's usage of these routes. In the late 1990s, Ibrahim travelled to Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban," a Treasury Department statement said.

The Treasury Department stated that "Ibrahim's syndicate is involved in large-scale shipment of narcotics in the UK and Western Europe".

The US-based weekly Saturday Tribune, run by Pakistani journalist Shaheen Sehbai, said Washington, which has already asked the United Nations to place Dawood in the terrorist watch-list in accordance with relevant Security Council resolutions, took the decision after being "largely motivated" by the arrests of some militants owing allegiance to the banned Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in the US and Saudi Arabia earlier this year. PTI

26 Biharis killed in Assam

Thursday, November 20, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 19 (PTI) In continued backlash to the attack on Assamese train passengers, at least 26 Biharis, including a minor girl, were killed in Assam as the army was today deployed across the state and curfew imposed in worst-hit Tinsukia district and Duliajan town.
Banned insurgents' outfit ULFA, which asked Biharis to leave Assam over assault on Assamese railway passengers in Bihar, gunned down four Biharis and struck in Duliajan late this evening.

Indefinite curfew was imposed on worst-hit Tinsukia district and night curfew in Duliajan town.

Official sources said one person was killed in police firing in the Hindi-speaking dominated commercial town of Tinsukia after a mob attacked a school and the vehicle of an additional deputy commissioner.

Three bodies were recovered from the town's Sripuria area, while another died of his injuries sustained earlier in an attack, prompting the authorites to clamp indefinite curfew in Tinsukia district, the sources said.

ULFA militants shot dead four Biharis and injured seven in New Bongaigaon in the evening and struck at Nagajan in Duliajan town of Dibrugarh district injuring two persons, official sources said.

A body was also found from the town, they said, with several houses at Nandankanan Tea Estate and Chirapatty area near Lenkai Tea Estate torched leading to imposition of the night curfew. PTI

Sonia Gandhi to launch Cong poll Thursday

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
Jaipur, Nov 19 (PTI) Congress President Sonia Gandhi would tomorrow launch her party's campaign for the December one Assembly elections in Rajasthan by addressing a meeting at Dholpur, a party spokesman said today.
She will also address election meetings at Karoli and Bikaner later in the day, he said. PTI

Operation to flush out militants launched in J-K

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
Srinagar, Nov 19 (PTI) Security forces today launched an operation to flush out militants, believed to be two to three in number, holed up inside a residential house at Indira Nagar in high security Badamibagh cantonment area, official sources said.
Two army personnel, including Commanding officer of 32nd Rashtriya Rifles and his deputy, were injured as security forces succesfully rescued seven civilians early this morning from the house here, where militants are believed to be holed up after carrying out an attack in which a CRPF personnel was killed and three others injured yesterday.

"We succesfully rescued seven civilians from the house where the militants are holed up. The number of militants is at least two," Defence Spokesman Mukhtar Singh told PTI.

The rescue operation took place at about 4 am.

Two RR officers were injured during rescue operation as the militants hurled a grenade at them, he said.

One CRPF pesonnel was killed and three were injured when militants belonging to Al-Mansoorian, a shadow of LeT, attacked their camp in high security cantonment area here yesterday. The security forces launched an operation to track down the militants after the attack. PTI

13 killed in Assam, Army help sought in Dibrugarh, Tinsukia

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 19 (PTI) Thirteen Bihari persons, including four females have been killed and seven others injured in seperate incidents in Assam while the army has been called out to maintain law and order in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told PTI today that he had asked the army to assist the civil administration in maintaining law and order and also as a confidence building measure among the affected people in troubled Tinsukia and Dibrugarh districts.

As part of the continuing violence against Hindi-speaking people in Assam six members of a Bihari family, including four females, were slaughtered by unidentified people in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district last night, police said here today.

About 10-15 persons, armed with knives, stormed into the house of Uma Kant Tewari, a small businessman, at Kheronipathar under Tingkhong police station and hacked to death his wife, two minor daughters, a son, a niece, and a nephew, police said.

The assailants set the house on fire before escaping, police said, adding, Tewari managed to escape unhurt.

In neighbouring Tinsukia disrict, two bodies of Hindi- speaking people were recovered from Tinsukia town while another was killed at Makum when miscreants set ablaze a liquor bottling plant yesterday.

In another incident last night, two armed ULFA ultras came on a motor-cycle to a highway dhaba at Baxirhat under lower Assam's Dhubri district and opened indiscriminate fire on truck drivers killing four Bihar truck drivers and injuring seven. PTI

India choke again to give Australia the TVS Cup on a platter

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
Kolkata, Nov 18 (PTI) India choked again and caved into world champions Australia to lose the final of the triangular series here tonight with a massive crowd of 125,000 stunned by a poor batting and fielding display by the hosts.

On an indifferent track at the Eden Gardens, the Indian bowlers finally came into their own by restricting the formidable Australian batting line up to 235 for five despite the fielding lapses with VVS laxman dropping as many as three sitters off some of the greatest one-day batsmen in the world --Matthew Hayden and Ricky Ponting.

But the Indian batsmen, with the exception of skipper Rahul Dravid (49) and Sachin Tendulkar (44) could not overtake even this moderate total and handed over the TVS Cup to the world champions on a platter.

Although the Indian bowlers did reasonably well, the batsmen succumbed to the pressure and could never really recover from the early jolts to fold up for 198 in 41.5 overs to lose a final at the historic Eden Gardens for the first time.

The home team, desperate to avenge the humiliation in the World Cup final, had themselves to blame for the debacle as they allowed the mighty Australians to wriggle out of a difficult position and take the honours with a 37-run victory.

It was the World Champions' sixth consecutive victory in the series. PTI

EC puts ‘code-violator’ Sonia on notice

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI, Nov. 18. — In a major setback to the Congress, the Election Commission tonight issued notice to the party president, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, for having “violated” the model of conduct by using the Chhattisgarh government-owned helicopter and aircraft when the code of conduct was already in effect.
Taking serious note of the alleged violation, the EC in its show-cause notice asked the party to explain as to why its recognition as a national party should not be “suspended or withdrawn”.
Apparently in one of the routine official visits to the state after the model code of conduct came to effect, the EC team received a number of complaints of misuse of state government’s helicopter and aircraft by leaders of the ruling party in the state for election campaign purposes.
On cross-checking the complaints, it was found that a Beechcraft BA 200 aircraft VT-MPG and EC-135 helicopter VT -CGH, both owned by the government of Chhattisgarh, had been used on and after 6 October till 12 November, the notice stated. The model code of conduct came into effect on 6 October, the day the EC announced the poll dates.
During this period, Mrs Sonia Gandhi apparently used the chopper on 10 October during her visits to Raipur, Dhantewara, Hyderabad, Cuddapah, Chennai, Sriperumbudur and back to Chennai. Some of the stopovers may have been for refuelling. The EC in its notice asked the Congress president to explain the position within seven days. The notice also cited violation of the lawful directions of the EC for ensuring conduct of free and fair elections by party leaders.
The state government aircraft has not only been used by the Congress president but also by the chief minister, Mr Ajit Jogi, and the Speaker of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Mr Shriniwas Tiwari, in violation of the code.
The notice said in the event of the party failing to respond within the time stipulated, it would be presumed that it has nothing to say in the matter and the EC would take appropriate action or a decision without further reference to the party.
The BJP welcomed the step. It said: “Violation of the norms and code of conduct by the Congress is nothing new. They have always been known to do so.”
Congress denial
NEW DELHI, Nov. 18. — The Congress tonight asserted that Mrs Sonia Gandhi had “definitely not used” any of the Chhattisgarh government aircraft after the model code of conduct for the coming Assembly elections went into force. On the notice against Chhattisgarh chief minister Mr Ajit Jogi, the media secretary of the Congress said: “We have just received the notice from EC and we are cross-checking it.” — PTI

11 Manipur militants killed

Wednesday, November 19, 2003 | Editor
IMPHAL, Nov. 18. — At least 11 militants, suspected to be members of outlawed Prepak, and a civilian were killed in two different encounters in Bishnupur yesterday. Police arrested one wounded militant in a follow-up today.
According to reports, at least 10 militants, along with a civilian, were killed yesterday at Haotak Setapur village when they were fired at by an unidentified armed group.
The encounter between the two groups started in the afternoon and continued late into the night. About an hour later, another encounter took place at Karang. A militant was reportedly killed in the encounter.

Elizabeth murder

Chief minister Mr Ibobi Singh today said it has been established that two teams were involved in the kidnapping and murder of 8-year-old Elizabeth, daughter of Manipur GAD minister Mr Francis Ngajokpa. He said police have been able to arrest one of the four persons involved. The number of people arrested has thus risen to 14. — SNS

Shinde rules out CBI inquiry in stamp paper racket

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 | Editor
Mumbai, Nov 17 (PTI) Asserting that Special Investigating Team was doing a good job in the probe into the multi-crore stamp paper racket, Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today ruled out handing over investigation to CBI.
"SIT is doing an excellent job and had even arrested senior police officials from the department. There was no need to take away the case from them," he told reporters here.

However, Shindhe said the probe was being done under the direct supervision of Mumbai High Court and the final decision to hand over the probe to CBI would be taken by the judiciary.

The Chief Minister said the state would be doing injustice to SIT if investigations are taken away from them even when they had arrested a person of the rank of Inspector General and interrograted Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma.

Stating that SIT report submitted to him was confidential, Shinde said he could not disclose its contents before filing action taken report in the court.

About the appointment of a new city Police Commissioner in place of R S Sharma who is to retire on November 30, the Chief Minister said the process had already begun.

To a question, Shinde said he would soon revamp the entire police force.

Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the decision to appoint the city police commissioner will be taken jointly by him and the Chief Minister. "We don't want to give wrong signals by announcing decisions without consulting each other," he said. PTI

India's pilotless aircraft Lakshya successfully test flown

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 | Editor
Balasore (Orissa), Nov 17 (PTI) Lakshya, the pilotless target aircraft, was successfully test flown at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur near here today, defence sources said.
The test was carried out by scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation to gauge various parameters of the PTA, the sources said.

The PTA's test was part of the air defence exercise being undertaken at the ITR, they said. PTI

President Kalam accepts Judeo's resignation

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 17 (PTI) President A P J Abdul Kalam tonight accepted the resignation of Minister of State for Environment and Forests Dilip Singh Judeo from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect.
"The President of India has accepted on the Prime Minister's recommendations the resignation of Dilip Singh Judeo, Minister of State for Environment and Forests, from the Union Council of Ministers with immediate effect," according to a Rashtrapathi Bhawan communique.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had forwarded the resignation of Judeo to the President.

The communique was issued soon after Kalam's return from a one-day visit to Uttaranchal. PTI

Lyngdoh asked to stop Naidu's TV programme

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad, Nov 17 (IANS) The main opposition Congress party in Andhra Pradesh has urged the Election Commission to order the state government to stop the weekly Dial Your Chief Minister programme beamed live on television.

In a letter to Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh, senior party leaders said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu could use the programme to influence the voters in favour of his Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

Signed by party legislators like Shankar Rao and Raghuveera Reddy, the letter said there was every possibility that Naidu would misuse the programme for his party's electioneering.

They said Naidu was now a caretaker chief minister since the state assembly had been dissolved and as such he should not be allowed to continue the weekly programme.

The assembly was dissolved Friday on the recommendation of Naidu -- who decided to go for snap polls in an obvious attempt to cash in on the sympathy wave following last month's attempt on his life by Maoist guerrillas.

Naidu's calculations for early polls, however, have been upset by the Election Commission's statement that it would not be possible to conduct the polls before April.

The Congress has already demanded President's Rule - or central rule - in the state to ensure that Naidu does not misuse the official machinery for his party's election campaign.

Every Monday, the chief minister addresses people on a government scheme and answers queries in a 90-minute programme on the state-owned Doordarshan channel.

This Monday, for instance, he is speaking on "Micro irrigation project - a boon to farmers".

The Rs.11.57 billion project was launched by Naidu earlier this month as part of a series of schemes and sops announced for various sections of the people to woo them in the run-up to the elections.

The government claims that the programme is the vehicle for communicating the state's programmes and policies from time to time and gauging public opinion on them.

Early polls: TDP bids to convince EC

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
Caught in a piquant situation after Election Commission's observation that polls in Andhra Pradesh are not possible before March, the ruling TDP is mulling over possible moves to convince the Commission on the need to hold elections at the earliest.

A day after dissolution of the Assembly, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has convened a meeting of his party's politburo this evening to discuss the issue.

"We do not intend to adopt a confrontationist approach on the matter. We will try to impress upon the Election Commission to expedite the process keeping in view the examination season in March," TDP sources said.

The TDP, seeking a fresh mandate on the twin planks of Naxalite violence and "obstructionist politics" of opposition Congress, is looking at a timeframe of mid-February for the elections.

The party is hoping to harness perceived sympathy in the aftermath of Naxalite attack on Naidu. (PTI)

India registers emphatic win to enter finals

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad, Nov 15 (PTI) Faced with the prospect of an elimination, an inspired India team reversed their sliding fortunes with an emphatic 145-run victory over New Zealand and romped into the final of the TVS Cup triangular cricket series here today.

After the Indian mauling through scintillating centuries by Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar which propelled the hosts to a huge 353 for five, New Zealand could never really recover from the early jolts to fold up for 208 in 47 overs with Scott Styris providing a semblance of resistance with a determined 54.

The hosts, under enormous pressure to deliver in the do-or-die floodlit encounter, outplayed the Kiwis in all departments of the game in what turned out to be a rather lop-sided contest.

The Indians, who finished their league engagements with 16 points from six outings, will now lock horns with world champions Australia in the final at the majestic Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday.

Australia had already qualified for the final with 23 points from their six matches while New Zealand, handicapped by the injury-induced absence of captain Stephen Fleming, bowed out of the tri-series managing just ten points.

Electing to bat, the Indians relied on a career-best 130 by Sehwag and Tendulkar's 91-ball 102 to pile up a mammoth 353 for five in their allotted 50 overs to leave the Kiwis in a daze. PTI

Inflation shows no signs of free fall

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) Price level still ruled above 5.0 per cent hitting hard the household even though Finance Ministry and Reserve Bank forecast "benign" inflation with average rate to fall at around 4.0 per cent.
Inflation continued to hover around 5.0 per cent in the last four weeks as prices surged for essential items like wheat, jowar, maize, skimmed milk powder, edible oil, textile and paper.

The overall price level of 5.1 per cent during the week ended November one was higher than 4.96 per cent in the previous week and 3.33 per cent a year ago.

The trends seem to defy the projection of RBI, which stated inflation to remain "benign" and average at about 4-4.5 per cent in 2003-04.

RBI, in its busy season monetary policy, scaled down the inflation rate from its earlier projection of 5-5.5 per cent.

While the Government, in its mid year economic review, expressed hope that inflation would be below 4.0 per cent in this fiscal.

"The arrival of kharif crop coupled with prudent fiscal and monetary stance, is expected to dampen inflation in the coming months. Annual inflation in 2003-04 is likely to be around 4.0 per cent," the review said.

Inflation, after declining from its peak level in April to below 4.0 per cent in August, rose again in September, mainly on account of higher energy prices.

India's leading credit rating agency CRISIL said average inflation which was now hovering at about 4.8 per cent and would end the fiscal at 2.9 per cent. PTI

Special CRPF force to tackle ISI-naxal nexus

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 16 (PTI) Centre is likely to announce constitution of a special strike unit out of the Central Reserve Police Force to tackle growing left-wing extremism as it had attained dangerous proportions with intelligence reports confirming that Pakistan's ISI had started eyeing naxal and MCC groups to destablise the country.
Informed sources said a CRPF force would be exclusively created to tackle the left-wing extremism which was spread from Bihar to Maharashtra engulfing others states like Orissa, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

They said this move would enable better co-ordination by the security forces in tackling this menace which had acquired dangerous trends by getting support from Pakistan's ISI and rebel Tamil group, LTTE.

The tradional users of old weapons, Naxal groups have started acquiring sophisticated weapons and a group in Andhra Pradesh recently purchased weapons from LTTE, the source said.

The proposed wing would remain a striking force to be dovetailed with the composite action initiated by the states themselves against underground as well as overground cadres, the sources said.

Director of Intelligence Bureau K P Singh had recently said at DGs Conference that left-wing extremist groups have seen a steady expansion in their activities. PTI

Nine agreements with Syria

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor

Damascus, Nov 15 (PTI) India today announced a 25-milion-dollar line of credit to Syria as the two countries signed nine agreements covering a wide range of fields to give a boost to their bilateral ties.

The agreements including three memoranda of understanding on technical cooperation, information technology and services, agriculture and allied sectors were signed after wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Syrian President Bashar al Assad here.

Assad described India as a role model of development for developing countries particularly Syria.

After the talks, External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters that India will extend the USD 25 million credit after Syria works out the areas where the funds are to be used. PTI

India's first underwater 'satellite' mission readied

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
Kolkata, Nov 16 (PTI) The country's first underwater robotic 'satellite' mission is being readied to beam back data on the enigmatic marine world in the Bay of Bengal beyond the scope of conventional diving and tow fish operations.

The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and Central Marine Engineering Research Institute (CMERI), Durgapur, are building an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to collect oceanographic data with the aid of sensors to provide new insight into the world beneath the waves.

Scheduled for commissioning off the waters of Chennai in 2006, the 400 kg unmanned AUV would collect data on bathymetry or measurement of depth, temperature and salinity besides video mapping marine plant and animal life in the Bay.

"For the first time, India will be able to generate and maintain its own exhaustive marine data in line with similar projects being considered by countries like USA, UK, Russia and Japan," Professor of IIT's Ocean Engineering and Naval Architecture department L R Raheja told PTI.

The Rs 6.94 crore project, one of the biggest bagged by the Institute in recent times, has been commissioned by the Union HRD ministry's Department of Ocean Development, Raheja, also the principal investigator of the project, said.

The AUV modelled in the shape of a fish for better underwater navigation, could also be used for other purposes by attaching robotic arms, he said.

CMERI Director Dr Gopal Sinha said the AUV would store data from sensors in computers onboard. PTI

Madhumita case: Inspector arrested in Lucknow

Sunday, November 16, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 15 (PTI) CBI today arrested an inspector of Uttar Pradesh police department in Lucknow this morning for alleged "suppression of evidence and illegal confinement of people" in the Madhumita Shukla murder case.
Inspector Yagya Narain Dikshit, who was out of the city, was questioned soon after his return in the wee hours of the day, the CBI sources said.

He was placed under arrest after he failed to reply convincingly to questions. PTI

Sachin slams superb ton

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Banglore:A splendid opening patnership of 182 in 30 overs between Master blaster Sachin and swashbuckling opener Shewag helped India to have a solid start for the crucial tie with Newzealand today.

Ganguly won the toss and elected to bat.

Sachin Tendulkar was in his elements and scored a magestic century in just 93 balls before getting out caught Oram bowled Harris. His innings comprised of 11 boundaries and a six.

Shewag is batting on 73.

Both teams need nothing less than a win here to book a place in final of the triseries against world champions Australia on the 18th at Eden Gardens, Kolkatta

Indial not to dilute relations with Arabs: PM

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor

Damascus: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sought to allay fears of the Arab world over India's increasing military ties with Israel, saying India's cooperation with Tel Aviv will not dilute its relations with the Arab countries.

"Our friends in the Arab world should rest assured in this regard. The important point is India has not diluted and will not dilute any aspect of its relationship with the Arab countries," Vajpayee said in a wide ranging interview with the Damascus English daily 'Syria Times.'

"We do have good relations (with Israel) in the field of defence, we have similar cooperative defence ties with other nations in the region as well. I think our record speaks for itself," Vajpayee, who is on a three-nation visit to Syria, the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 15 years, said.

He pointed out that India had a long history of friendly relations with all Arab countries. India also has established diplomatic relations with Israel as have a number or other Arab nations, he said.

Referring to the increasing unipolarism in the world today, he said the United Nations must play a vital role in evolving a consensual system of international relations though recent developments have affected the prestige of the world body.

"There is a strengthening consensus that the structures of the UN need to be more representative of contemporary world realities so that they can respond more effectively to modern day challenges," he said.

"We need to restructure and reform the UN institutions so that the UN once again regains its role as the universal forum of the comity of nations," Vajpayee said adding India believed that in the post coldwar situation of globalisation,
enlightened multilateralism has to seek a multipolar world order.

"The political economic and security challenges facing the world can only be tackled by multilateral effort since their reach and impact extend well beyond national boundaries. All major powers agreed on this," he said.

Vajpayee said he believed that a fair and durable solution can be found to the Palestine problem without bloodshed and that India was distressed at the continuing spiral of violence and counter violence over the issue. "We believe that a comprehensive and a just solution should be found through peaceful negotiations on the basis of the relevant UN Security Council resolutions and the 'Land for Peace' principle," he said.

Vajpayee said India saw Syria as an important partner in West Asia and the visit would give the two countries an opportunity to exchange views on the current situation in the region. The two countries need to work harder to bolster the economic base of bilateral relationship, he added.

Three CMs, Rajesh Pilot's widow enter fray

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi: Setting the stage for a no-holds-barred contest, Chief Ministers Sheila Dikshit, Ashok Gehlot and Digvijay Singh, Congress leader Rajesh Pilot's widow Rama, BJP's aspirant for the top post in Rajasthan Vasundhara Raje and a large number of hopefuls entered the fray as filing of nominations for assembly polls in four states drew to close today.

Beating the deadline, aspirants, accompanied by their supporters, thronged election offices in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan to submit their papers.

In a move that rattled BJP, Rama Pilot, an MP and widow of Rajesh Pilot, filed her nomination from Jhalrapatan constituency where the saffron party has fielded its chief ministerial candidate Vasundhara Raje.

In a play-safe strategy, BJP had yesterday announced that Raje would contest Pidawa seat also.

BJP leaders, including Pramod Mahajan, went into a huddle soon after Pilot entered the race to chalk out poll strategies.

Andhra assembly dissolved

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad/ New Delhi, Nov 14 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh assembly was today dissolved, ten months ahead of its term, paving the way for early elections but the Election Commission said polls were not possible before February, which Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu wants.
Armed with his party's backing for seeking an early mandate, Naidu convened a Cabinet meeting this morning which adopted a resolution recommending dissolution of the 294-member assembly.

Shortly later, he met Governor Surjit Singh Barnala, who accepted the cabinet recommendation and dissolved the House while asking Naidu and his Council of Ministers to remain in office as caretaker government.

However, Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh, appeared to have thrown cold water on Naidu's plans for elections in early February saying polls were possible "not before February". PTI

Multi-crore stamp paper scam

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Mumbai, Nov 14 (PTI) With just a fortnight left for his superannuation, Mumbai Police Chief R S Sharma today went on "leave" following indictment over his alleged role in "shielding" the prime accused in the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam even as the Maharashtra Chief Minister said he would be given an opportunity to defend himself.
"I have decided to proceed on leave from today", Sharma, who is due to retire this month end, told PTI.

The leave has been sanctioned with immediate effect, official sources said.

Speculation was rife over Sharma proceeding on leave since yesterday after he met Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde, to whom the Mumbai High Court has forwarded the SIT report on the scam, which indicted him for allegedly "shielding" prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi.

The report had listed nine instances of omissions and commissions of Sharma.

Joint Commissioner of Police Satyapal Singh has taken over as the acting Commissioner, the sources said. Sharma is due to retire this month end.

In a minor reshuffle in the state police, the state Government also promoted four senior IPS officials, including Hemant Nagarale, Staff Officer to the Special Investigation Team probing the stamp paper scam.

Nagarale, a 1987 batch IPS officer, has been promoted as Deputy Inspector General and gets posting as Additional Police Commissioner (Crime Branch) at Mumbai, police sources said, adding he will continue to assist the SIT Chief as long as the probe continues. PTI

Court questions seeking of army's help

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Patna, Nov 15 (PTI) A special court today directed to issue summons to retired Railway Protection Force (RPF) DGP A P Dura in the matter relating to CBI seeking army's help to arrest RJD supremo Laloo Prasad Yadav in a fodder scam case in 1997.
Designated CBI judge Yogendra Prasad, holding the trial against Laloo Yadav and his Chief Minister wife Rabri Devi in a disproportionate asset case, an offshoot of the fodder scam, passed the order after hearing the counsel for the duo C R Sinha and senior CBI standing counsel L R Ansaari on a petition urging the court to summon Durai to explain the correct position as to why the help of the army was sought to arrest Laloo Yadav.

Durai as RPF DGP headed a committee constituted by the Centre to go into the reasons behind the CBI's move to seek army's help to arrest Laloo Yadav.

In a bid to prove that the investigation into the fodder scam was unfair and he (Laloo Yadav) was falsely implicated in the scam cases, the RJD Chief filed the petition accusing the CBI of being biased as there was no need to seek army's help when he was available and had announced that he would surrender before the court following arrest warrant against him in the scam case.

The judge said he would fix the date for appearance of Durai before him on November 18 with the report he (Durai) had submitted to the Centre. PTI

India to sign agreement for oil exploration

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Damascus, Nov 15 (PTI) India's ONGC Videsh is to sign an agreement for exploration and production of oil from a onland block in Syria positioning India as a new player in the hydrocarbon sector.

ONGC OVL, the overseas investment arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation will invest 15 milliom dollars in the first exploration phase after signing the production sharing contract (PSC) with the Syrian Government.

The PSC is in the final stages of negotiations between OVL, the overseas investment wing of the ONGC and the Syrian Petroleum Company, officials said.

"The agreement may be signed during the Prime Minister's visit if the minor details can be sorted out in time or it will be done very soon" they said.

Syria, which has emerged as a significant oil producer with 600,000 barrels per day, holds out big opportunities for India in collaboration in the hydrocarbon sector.

With its current oil production levels a number of international oil companies like Shell are already working in the area.

Syria had announced an exploration bidding round for 11 blocks in June last year. OVL along with an American oil company IPR International Limited bid for block number 24 and the Syrian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources invited the two companies to negotiate and agree the terms of contract for production sharing. PTI

Fleming's pull-out boost Indian hopes

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad, Nov 14 (PTI) With their morale dented after the Australian battering a couple of days ago, India received an unexpected boost to their final hopes ahead of the do-or die TVS Cup triangular cricket series encounter against New Zealand with rival captain Stephen Fleming being ruled out due to injury.

The inspirational Kiwi captain pulled out because of an abdominal strain and the Indians will try to capitalise on his absence in what promises to be a pulsating floodlit encounter at the Lal Bahadur stadium.

Fleming, who was suffering from the strain for nearly a month, aggravated the injury this week forcing him to sit out the crucial match. All rounder Chris Cairns will lead the side in his absence.

But Sourav Ganguly and his men, who have been far from impressive in the series, can hardly afford to be complacent against the spirited Kiwis who were quite capable of springing a surprise.

The home team will be under enormous pressure going into the crucial match, billed as a virtual semi-final, as the winner will travel to the majestic Eden Gardens in Kolkata to clash with world champions Australia in the final on November 18.

The Indians, who have so far ten points from five matches like the Kiwis, have no option but to win the match tomorrow while even a tie would allow the Black Caps to scrape through due to a better head-to-head ratio. PTI

Madumita case: vital weapon recovered

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI: In yet another breakthrough in Madhumita Shukla murder case, the CBI on Friday recovered the weapon with which the poetess was murdered.

Agency sources said the weapon, a country-made revolver, was recovered from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh at the instance of Prakash Chander Pandey, the alleged killer of Madhumita, who was arrested on November 10.
The sources said the CBI was looking for some more people involved in the murder conspiracy and for tampering with the evidence.

They said some Uttar Pradesh police personnel were also likely to be interrogated.

Asked whether Madhumani, wife of former UP Minister Amarmani Tripathi, was likely to be arrested, the sources said the CBI was awaiting a detailed interrrogation report of Rohit Chaturvedi, Tripathi's cousin, Santosh Kumar Rai, an accomplice of the murderer, and Pandey.

Rai and Pandey were identified by Desraj, servant of Madhumita and the lone eye-witness in the case, during the test identification parade.

Hindi version of 'Harry Potter' released

Saturday, November 15, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi: Releasing the Hindi version of world famous book "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's stone" translated as "Harry Potter and Paras Pathar", Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on Friday expressed concern at the gradual decline in interest in reading among children and youth.

"Nowadays, the culture of TV is spread all over. Children and youth today use their time to watch TV and not read," he said and noted that there were "no such distractions" when he was young.
He said reading books at a young age has a healthy impact on the lives of people.

"I have a passion for books and still read, though I have less time for it," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

He said the translation of the famous book by British author J K Rowling would benefit children in the country.

Sudhir Dixit, who has translated the book into Hindi, said he faced certain difficulties after taking up the "challenge".

BJP demands CBI probe into stamp paper scam

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
The poll inspired BJP today demanded a CBI investigation into the stamp paper scam in the Congress ruled Karnataka and Maharashtra.

The party said Congress President Sonia Gandhi should ask its chief ministers to agree to a CBI probe ‘otherwise people would draw their own conclusions’ and it would be suspected that the Congress ruled governments were ‘hiding something’.

Addressing newspersons here at his residence, BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu said during the Maharashtra political crisis, Congress MLAs were taken to Karnataka with Telgi brothers (accused in the case) taking charge of hospitality.

He said Telgi had held an important post in Karnataka Congress before the scandal broke out.

Taking exception to Sonia Gandhi writing a letter to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (on the CVC and PSU controversy), Naidu said since the Congress President wrote for “something which did not take place” she should now write to the Congress chief ministers in regards to “something which has occurred” (stamp paper scam)’.

“We demand a CBI enquiry into the stamp scam of over Rs 30,000 crore as it has assumed gigantic proportions and spread across 10 States. Even senior bureaucrats, police officers and politicians are involved in this scam,” Naidu said adding the accused when taken to Mumbai were ‘greatly entertained there’ even though they were supposed to be in police custody.

“This is the biggest scam in the country since independence and after the infamous Harshad Mehta share scam,” the BJP President said.

He said since the case involved several States, a CBI investigation has to be conducted simultaneously in each of them.

Power cuts in Britain prompt transfer of jobs to India

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
London (IANS) One reason cited for moving the National Rail Enquiries to Bangalore is power cuts in Britain.

Up to 600 jobs are expected to be moved to the Indian city where a pilot scheme involving 10 call centre workers is already functioning.

Chris Scoggins, chief executive of the inquiry service, said he expected to save up to £25 million over five years by shifting half the existing workforce offshore -- but he claimed the decision was not primarily about money.

Giving evidence to the transport select committee, Scoggins said he believed the move would lead to improved quality and reliability, with more accurate information provided to callers.

He refused to accept that cost cutting was the main factor behind the change, saying: "It is a combination of factors. On reliability, we have had 10 power blackouts this year."

Four companies are bidding for a five-year contract to answer the rail inquiries line, which is the most heavily used telephone number in Britain.

The bidders, which include BT, Serco and FirstGroup, all intend to move a proportion of the existing 1,200-strong call centre jobs abroad.

Scoggins said the board of train operators that runs the service had decided to limit the move to a maximum of 50 percent to avoid the risk of "putting all our eggs in one basket".

Brian Donohoe, the Labour MP for Cunninghame South, suggested to Scoggins that workers in India could expect to earn around £2,800 a year, compared to £12,000 at call centres in his constituency. Scoggins acknowledged that wage differentials were "high" and admitted that the service would not require its contractors to recognise Indian unions.

Richard Rosser, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staff Association, told MPs that the job losses would predominantly hit young -- mostly female -- workers, many of whom choose part-time call centre work as they are parents.

The inquiry service’s existing call centres are in Cardiff, Derby, Newcastle and Plymouth.

Rosser said cutbacks would hit "parts of the country which usually feel the first effects of any economic downturn", including areas where public funds have been pumped into job creation.

The committee heard that call centres in Britain employ some 750,000 people, while around 5,000 staff at Indian centres deal with the British public.

Anne Marie Forsyth, chief executive of the Call Centre Association, told MPs that while Indian staff was well trained and worked in good facilities, there were often misunderstandings because of cultural differences and accents.

She said Indian centres dealt well with routine inquiries but struggled with "conversational" inquiries.

Write emails in hand in any Indian language

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
BANGALORE : Researchers at the HP Labs India here have developed a prototype of "Script Form", a low-cost device which enables people to write by hand and send mails in Indian languages at an affordable cost.

The note-book sized machine, designed to be rugged for use in the country, adopts visual compression technique and intelligent character recognition to send handwritten mails.
"The device is simple to operate and costs a fraction of a conventional computer," HP Labs India Research Director Dr S Ramani told PTI.

The Bangalore-based one-and-half year old HP Labs India, one of the seven of global IT major HP in the world, works on developing affordable solutions for countries like India for the business units of HP.

A special ultra sound based position sensitive pen is used for writing on a paper, which then is picked up by sensors for display on the screen of the device and later transmitted as a bitmap image through a land line or a mobile phone.

"The email id is the only thing to be written in English. The rest of the letter can be written in any language. At present in Hindi and Tamil but many more in future," HP Labs Department Manager Dr Shekhar Borgaonkar, who conceived the device said.

Making it more user friendly, icons have displayed in the device for standard forms like railway reservation among others and when a person presses the icon and writes, the form is filled and ready for transmission.

The light-weight device with stored messages could be taken to a telephone booth get connected to the line and transmit and receive messages.

"It is as simple as that. A inbuilt GSM modem can also be installed in the device and make it wireless," Ramani said.

A team of young professionals have been working on the Script Form prototype which eventually will have a strong arm with Linux software.

"The handwriting recognition software has been developed inhouse. It has more than 90 to 95 per cent accuracy in identifying the alphabets," Department Director Dr K S R Anjaneyulu, who heads the speech and handwriting recognition unit said.

The software could improvise character recognition based on constant usage of a language, he said.

"This (device) is extremely useful for a non-computer savvy user," Borgaonkar said.

Indian call centre workers better than Britain

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
London (IANS) The sheer quality of Indian call centre workers and their cost efficiency are being increasingly cited by corporate chiefs as arguments in favour of moving jobs from Britain to India.

Chris Soggins, the chief executive of National Rail Enquiries, says that Indian call centre workers are more educated and do a better job than those in Britain.

Giving evidence to MPs on the transport select committee Wednesday, Scoggins said the service could be improved and made more accurate if outsourced to India. He said the move could also save rail firms up to £25 million over several years.

Workers’ union Amicus has asked to see evidence from the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) to back up the claims made by Soggins.

Union officials believe that if National Rail Enquiries are moved overseas, it could threaten more than 1,000 jobs at call centres in Newcastle, Cardiff, Derby and Plymouth.

Scoggins confirmed a pilot programme for rail enquiries was already under way in Bangalore, involving 10 call centre employees.

But he added that no final decisions have yet been made about the new contracts in the tendering process.

Said David Fleming, the Amicus national secretary: "What we have to establish is a culture of openness when companies decide to outsource.

"ATOC said last month they were only considering off-shoring when in actual fact they had already started."

Fleming said he called rail enquiries on Monday and got a confused and unclear response to his query to travel from London to Burnley. He said: "The operator admitted she was not in (Britain) but refused to say which country she was based.

"What have ATOC got to hide if they are instructing their staff to cover up the fact they are based thousands of miles away from the towns, cities and rail network they are supposed to service?"

Companies have been warned that their image suffers when they open call centres in other countries. But many firms have been outsourcing jobs because of huge savings on labour costs.

The current rail information contract is jointly run by First Information, Serco and BT.

ATOC said call answering contracts were up for competitive re-tendering at the end of the year, and the process would be carried out under EU procurement rules.

A spokesman said: "These rules require that we select suppliers on the basis of the most economically advantageous tender.

"Location, unless it is relevant to reliability, quality and value for money, has to be a matter for our suppliers."

Waisa Bhi Hota Hai - Part II

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Hindi cinema is truly evolving. Experimentation is the name of the game and the new breed of writers and directors are opting for stories that have seldom been attempted. And if at all the stories have been depicted earlier, the story telling is distinctive and contemporary, catering to an audience that is in a mood for a change.

Impact Films P. Ltd.'s WAISA BHI HOTA HAI - PART II is an example of the changing face of Hindi cinema. The film has its loose ends, nevertheless you cannot deny that it's an effort in the right direction.

A guilt-ridden copywriter, Puneet [Arshad Warsi], is thrown out of home by his girlfriend Agni [Sandhya Mridul], a cop.

Puneet's guilt is that he turned his back on his only living relative - his elder brother who is a gangster.

As if this is not bad enough, Puneet accidentally saves a hitman, Vishnu's [Prashant Narayanan] life. They gradually become friends and start sharing more time together.

The hitman's boss, Ganpat [Anant Jog], is the most powerful don in the city. He takes an instant dislike for Puneet in their very first meeting.

A woman ganglord, Gangutai [Pratima Kazmi], who hates Ganpat, uses Puneet to break the relationship between Gangu and Vishnu. She also kidnaps Puneet subsequently.

But in a change of events, Gangubai is arrested by Agni, when Puneet goes to Lonavala to meet Vishnu. After Gangubai is granted bail, she kidnaps Agni to avenge the insult. But Puneet lands up at the nick of time.

Puneet finds himself at crossroads. On one hand is his girlfriend, on the other hand the gangsters. What happens next?

Although WAISA BHI HOTA HAI - PART II falls in the league of gangster films, it takes a different route altogether. Writer-director Shashanka Ghosh presents the stark realities of life without glorifying the underworld, but has laced wit and humour in the narrative so as to make the goings-on interesting and entertaining. There's no grim moment in the film - thankfully!

The problem with the film is that it is engaging, but intermittently. The relationship between the hitman and the copywriter is the best part of the film. But the same cannot be said of the rapport the hitman shares with his boss, Ganpat. There was scope to explore this track definitely. Why he is so loyal to him and follows his orders blindly should've been elucidated.

Similarly, the sequences featuring the woman ganglord are well penned, well executed and well enacted, but the blow-hot-blow-cold relationship between the copywriter and his cop-girlfriend is half-baked. The director has depicted tender moments between the two, but it lacks a solid ground.

The end is the best part of the enterprise. The culmination to every character looks straight out of comic books and appeals due to its sheer novelty.

This is Shashanka Ghosh's directorial debut, but not once do you feel that the narrative is being handled by a first-timer. Technically, the film is just right, although he needs to brush up on his writing skills.

Music [Abhinav Dhar and Vishal-Shekhar] is a strong point. 'Sajana', 'Nahin Lagda Tere Bina' and 'Allah Ke Bande' sound different and pleasing to the ears. 'Jism' [picturised on Maria Goretti Warsi] is striking and equally well picturised. Cinematography [Andre Menezes] is alright. Dialogues are natural.

Arshad Warsi is efficient, slipping into his character effortlessly and displaying the various emotions with ease. Prashant Narayanan is first-rate. Here's an actor who deserves to be picked up by good directors.

Sandhya Mridul doesn't really get a chance to display histrionics, but does make her presence felt. Anant Jog is excellent, enacting his part with utmost conviction. But the one who registers the maximum impact is Pratima Kazmi, who enacts the role of a ganglord with such flourish.

Suchitra Pillai is efficient. Mahima Chaudhary [sp. app.] comes only towards the end and doesn't get any scope whatsoever. Maria Goretti Warsi sizzles in the dance number.

On the whole, WAISA BHI HOTA HAI - PART II is a good attempt from a first-timer, but the treatment of the film is such, it caters to a niche audience - the multiplex-going cinegoers. At the box-office, the film has some chances at select theatres of Mumbai mainly.

’Buddha was born in Orissa’

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Bhubaneswar (IANS) Was Lord Buddha born in Orissa? Not Lumbini in Nepal, as has always been believed?

A vociferous school of thought that is firmly of the view that the founder of Buddhism was born in Orissa spoke up at a two-day seminar on Jayadev and Buddha.

The scholars gave several reasons to back their claims.
Presenting circumstantial evidence, Satyakam Sengupta of Kalkata’s Rabindra Bharati University said Buddha’s teachings were in Pali and not in Prakrit or Sanskrit languages. And Pali was prevalent in Orissa then while it was never used in Nepal, he said.

Also, about 3,000 edicts, including those of Asoka and the remains of stupas, are being found in Orissa, which has to its credit ancient Buddhists sites like Ratnagiri and Udaygiri.

In contrast, there are hardly any sites in Nepal to indicate that Buddhism was widespread there, Sengupta said.

Kalinga, as Orissa was known in that period, formed an important geographical link between northern and southern India and maintained close trade and cultural ties with Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other Indian Ocean islands.

The turning point in Buddhist history came with Emperor Asoka’s conquest of Kalinga in 261 BC. The emperor, who later converted to Buddhism, is said to have sent his children to Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, to propagate Buddhism.

A stone pillar inscription of Asoka discovered at Orissa’s Kapileswar village located just outside Bhubanesewar in 1928, and now in Kolkata’s Ashutosh Museum, points to the Buddha’s birthplace as Orissa, said Chandrabhanu Patel of the Orissa State Museum.

Patel headed a team of 15 researchers last year to decipher the inscription and first claimed Orissa as Buddha’s birthplace.

"Our scholars who read and deciphered the inscription found that it carries six lines in Prakrit and the Asokan Brahami script.

"They say that in the 20th year of his coronation, Asoka worshipped at Kapileswar because (he thought) Lord Buddha was born there," Patel told IANS.

While historians say Buddha was born at Lumbini in Nepal, a village near Kapileswar named Lembei could well be his birthplace, Patel said. The ancient name of this village was Lumbini, he added.

The inscription says that Asoka exempted Lumbini village from all taxes in 240 BC because Buddha was born there, Patel claimed.

A broken portion of the Asoka pillar -- nine feet high and 12 feet wide -- was found in the Bhaskareswar temple, four km from Kapileswar.

Broken bells and replicas of Asoka’s famous four-lion emblem recovered from these areas are also currently at the state museum, he said.

Legend has it that the Buddha entered his mother’s womb as a white elephant. At Dhauli, seven km from Kapileswar, Asoka carved out the statue of an elephant along with his edict.

Patel said researchers also found four sculptures of Asoka in the premises of the Kapileswar temple representing four stages of his transformation from a king to a sage.

Patel discounted the ancient inscriptions in Nepal identifying the kingdom as Buddha’s birthplace. He said Asoka had not installed those inscriptions.

Patel claimed Buddha’s relics in gilded stone caskets were found during an excavation at Lalitgiri in Orissa’s Jajpur district in 1985.

Archaeologists had said the stone casket contained the ashes of the Buddha, who was cremated at the age of 80.

This is not the first time Orissa has made such a claim.

Historian Manmathanath Das, considered an expert on Buddhism, had earlier said: "I have studied Buddhism in depth. Although all literature available on Buddha points to Nepal as his birthplace, there is not much archaeological evidence to corroborate this."

Historian Sachidananda Mishra has said Lumbini in Nepal was declared the Buddha’s birthplace on the basis of a stone inscription in the Terai region there. But similar stone inscriptions were discovered in Orissa in 1928.

Married men spread HIV in India: Study

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Mainly married men, who have unprotected sex with prostitutes, are the biggest culprits when it comes to spreading the AIDS virus in India, according to a study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

About 610,000 Indians contracted HIV last year, increasing the overall number to about 4.5 million, it said. That is the second-highest total in the world after South Africa.

The study, which used central and state government data, said business, men in service sector and hotel employees, contracted the virus in four of the six most affected states.

"The spread from the high-risk behaviour groups to the general populace is another key indicator that HIV/AIDS in India has reached epidemic proportions," the study said.

Sex workers' clients, "particularly married males, act as the bridge groups aiding (the spread)… into the general population."

The study, citing India's National Aids Control Organisation, found that more than 85 per cent of India's HIV cases are caused by unsafe sex.

Last month, the foundation pledged $200 million for an HIV-prevention programme in India.

Blue chips start showing Telgi scam scars

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Top companies like Tata Engineering (now Tata Motors), Tata Motors Leasing and Finance Company, Larsen & Toubro Finance, Blowplast and Mahindra & Mahindra, as well as public sector banks like Bank of India and Bank of Baroda have reported losses of over Rs 50 lakh in nine fake stamp paper cases registered with the Mumbai police.

The figure could climb because companies and banks are looking closely at their purchases of adhesive stamps and stamp paper between 1990 and 2002, when, according to the police, Abdul Karim Telgi’s racket in fake stamp paper was flourishing.

Ashutosh plays a eunuch

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor

Ashutosh Rana, an outstanding actor has performed a variety of roles that perhaps only he could execute with finesse - be it the role of a psychopath, or that of a eunuch. Now Ashutosh is all set to take up another different' and daring role in Yogesh Bharadwaj's Shabnam Mausi. He is playing the title role in the film. Film is based on the true-story of the first eunuch MLA, popularly known as Shabnam mausi.

Right now the film is in its final stage and an item number is pictured on Rana and a group of dancers. The real life mausi too features in a special appearance in the film.

And as per the agreement, Mausi will receive 15 percent cut in the profits earned by the film. The film is scheduled to hit the theaters by the end of this year.

Rapped for ‘offensive’ portrayal of Ganesha

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
WASHINGTON, Nov 14: Eighteen years after publishing a study of the Hindu God Ganesha, a university professor is under fire from believers who brand sexual references in the book as an insidious “hate crime”.

Hindu student activists are demanding that Ganesa, Lord of Obstacles, Lord of Beginnings be taken out of circulation, until author Paul Courtright from Emory University in Atlanta removes "offensive" passages and makes an unequivocal apology to Hindus.

But Courtright accused his critics of quoting isolated passages out of context, and suggested they might be trying to stifle academic freedoms.

Outraged by sexual inferences in his book and portrayal of a nude Ganesha on the cover, 4,500 people signed an online petition drawn up by the Hindu Students Council at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.

Addressed to President George W. Bush, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Courtright's superiors at Emory University where he is a professor of religion, the petition lists what it called "insidious" passages in the book.

The campaign, based on a web article published by Hindu critic Rajiv Malholtra last year, has already led to the book, which analyses the relationship between deities Lord Shiva, his wife Parvati and their son Ganesha, being withdrawn from sale in India.

Psychoanalytic interpretations drawn in the work are "clear-cut examples of hate-crimes inflicted on innocent Hindus who worship Ganesha, Shiva and Parvati", the petition says, Courtright rejects such claims.

"So far as I am able to tell, no one who has attacked me has read my work in its own context," Courtright said.

"And those who have read it and didn't like the sections dealing with Ganesha's family conflicts which I interpret from the framework of psychoanalytic theory understand what I was trying to achieve there." — AFP

TDP plans to cash in on sympathy factor

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad, Nov 13 (PTI) Seeking to cash in on the perceived sympathy for Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu after the abortive attack on him, Telugu Desam Party today demanded early assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh on the twin planks of naxal violence and "obstructionist" policies of main opposition Congress.
A resolution containing the demand was adopted unanimously at an emergency meeting of the party's general body in the presence of Naidu by a show of hands.

The party is seeking an early mandate on the twin planks of naxal violence and obstructionist policies of the Congress, the main opposition," the political resolution said.

Observing that naxal violence was proving a major challenge to development and democracy, it said naxalites are hampering progress and development of the state by resorting to indiscriminate killing targeting peoples's representatives and innocent public.

"We seek a fresh mandate from people to enable us to stamp out naxalism effectively", the resolution said.

Development and democracy are like two eyes of the states and naxalites are trying to blind both the eyes, it said.

Accusing Congress of rank oppurtunism on naxal issue, the TDP faulted the opposition party for favouring resumption of talks with PWG naxalites even after an attack on Naidu.

At a time when naxalites are on the rampage eliminating people's representative and destroying public property, the Congress leaders were playing negative politics for narrow selfish gains and behaving as if extremism was the problem of TDP alone, it said. PTI

POTA Review Com issues notice to TN Govt

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) In a significant development, the POTA Review Committee today issued a notice to the Tamil Nadu Government to show cause whether the arrest of MDMK supremo Vaiko and Tamil daily Nakkeeran's Editor R R Gopal was fit and proper under the Act.
The 3-member Committee, headed by a retired High Court judge A B Saharya, directed the Tamil Nadu Government to respond to the notice by December 2 and also place before it all relevant materials pertaining to the case.

Vaiko has been in prison for more than a year after he was arrested under POTA for allegedly supporting banned organisation LTTE.

"The Committee considered entire material placed before it and decided to issue a notice of showcause to Tamil Nadu Government in these two cases," the Chairman of the Committee, Justice Saharya told reporters after the conclusion of two-day meeting.

The meeting, fourth of its kind after the constitution of the Committee was attended by its two other Members -- Arvind S Inamdar, retired IPS and M U Rehaman, a retired IAS.

The Committee said in the Vaiko case, the FIR has named nine accused and the showcause notice to the State Government was for each of them.

The POTA Committee said if Tamil Nadu Government fails or defaults in replying it will proceed with the available materials.

Asked whether it was a prima facie view or conclusion that slapping POTA against Vaiko was not proper and fit, Justice Saharya said "we would not like to comment any further". PTI

Mulford: New US ambassador to India

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Washington, Nov 14 (PTI) US President George W Bush has nominated Credit Suisse international chairman David Campbell Mulford as the next Ambassador to India.
The post has been vacant since Robert Blackwill moved to the National Security Council as strategic adviser to Condoleezza Rice.

Mulford's nomination, which was announced by the White House yesterday, will have to be approved by the US Senate.

Presently, Mulford is Chairman International and Member of the Executive Board of Credit Suisse First Boston in London, England.

He previously served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Europe) for the same corporation. Prior to that, Mulford was Undersecretary for International Affairs for the Department of the Treasury, where he had earlier served as Assistant Secretary for International Affairs.

Mulford earned his bachelor's degree from Lawrence University, his master's degree from Boston University and his Ph D from Oxford University. PTI

India wins bid to host 2010 Commonwealth Games

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
Montego Bay (Jamaica), Nov 14 (PTI) India earned the right to host the 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi by 46 votes to 22 secured by Canadian city of Hamilton in a meeting of the Commonwealth Games Federation here today.

India's bid, with 'New Frontiers and New Friendships' as the theme, and the Government's decision to underwrite the total cost of the Games clinched the decision in favour of India.

Indian Olympic Association (IOA) President Suresh Kalmadi, IOA Secretary Randhir Singh, Union Sports Minister Vikram Verma, Lt Governor of Delhi Vijai Kapoor, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, world champion rifle shooter Anjali Ved Bhagwat and former world billiards champion Michael Ferriera made presentations to the delegates before the voting started, while Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee delivered a video message.

The sentimental note expressed in their presentations, that India had not hosted the Games in 50 years while Canada had done so four times, won the bid for India.

Vajpayee said "My government has taken the decision to fully underwrite the cost of the Games. India is one of the fast growing economies of the world. We are the leaders in Information Technology.

"The Games will offer new market opportunities not only for India but for all the Commonwealth nations," he said. PTI

CBI chargesheets Harshad Mehta

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
,New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) The CBI today filed chargesheet against late stock broker Harshad Mehta and two brothers at a designated court in Mumbai in the mysterious missing of 27 lakh shares belonging to about 70 companies.
Besides Mehta, his brothers Ashwin Mehta, Sudhir Mehta and leading stock brokers like Dinesh Shah, Mukesh Gupta and Acharya Arun Dev were named in the chargesheet by the CBI.

Harshad Mehta has been named in column two of the chargesheet as he was dead. PTI

Telgi case: JCP Vagal remanded

Friday, November 14, 2003 | Editor
,Pune, Nov 13 (PTI) Joint Commissioner of Police (Intelligence) Sridhar Vagal, arrested for his alleged complicity in the multi-crore fake stamp paper racket, was today remanded to magisterial custody till November 27.
The defence counsel for Vagal submitted an application to the court saying there will danger to the life of the police official if he was kept in Yerwada Jail here, where a number of underworld criminals were kept.

In the application, he said during his tenure as police officer, he had been a part of investigations in several crimes which were of sensitive nature, and several gangsters and underworld elements were put behind the bars in the cases, hence there was a possibility that they might try to get even with him in Yerwada jail.

The counsel, therefore, urged the court to direct the Inspector General of Police to submit a report on what steps are being taken for Vagal's security and to seclude him from other criminals. He also asked the court that Vagal may be kept in seperate sub-jail set up exclusively for him to keep him away from the criminals.

Vagal, holding the rank of Inspector General of Police and the first IPS officer to be booked under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class M.N Bondre on expiry of his police remand. PTI

TDP decides for dissolution of Andra assembly

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad,

Nov-13 The ruling Telungu Desam Patry general body has decided to recommend the cheif minister Mr.Chandrababu Naidu to dissolve the assmbly and go for fresh mandate by January next year.The decision was taken at the TDP genral body meeting held today in Hyderabad.

Nov 12 - The countdown for dissolution of the eleventh State Assembly will begin on Thursday. The Telugu Desam general body meeting plans to ask party president and Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to seek a fresh mandate from the people to “silence the voices that have been scuttling the development process.”
The political resolution to be adopted by the general body will highlight the need for a fresh mandate and express the party’s preparedness to face elections. The party leadership has decided to project that a fresh mandate is being sought to accelerate the development process “which had been halted at various stages by the Opposition, particularly the Congress.”

The party will also refer to the Naxalite violence hindering the economic growth of the State. Party sources said the Chief Minister was not fully convinced with the “reason” but is confident that once the election process is set into motion, people will not be “particular” about the reasons for advancing the polls. Party sources said in all probability, the Cabinet will meet on November 15 and recommend the dissolution of the House.

Pathan, Chopra in probables for Australia tour

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
November 13, 2003 14:07 IST

The selection committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in India included young Baroda paceman Irfan Pathan (jr) in the 20-member list of probables for the upcoming tour of Australia, beginning later this month.

Pathan was the most successful bowler in the just-concluded four-nation under-19 Asian tournament, which India won. He bagged 18 wickets in four matches at an unbelievable average of 7.38, with a best of 9 for 16 against Bangladesh. He conceded just 133 runs in the 37.3 overs that he bowled, and his strike rate was a superb 12.5.

Tamil Nadu opening batsman Sadagoppan Ramesh, Akash Chopra, who opened the innings in the two-Test series against New Zealand, and Bengal wicketkeeper-batsman Deep Dasgupta are also in the list.

BCCI secretary S K Nair said the 16-member squad for the tour, which will have four Tests, will be named after India's last league match against New Zealand in the ongoing tri-series in Hyderabad on Saturday.

The probables: Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Akash Chopra, V V S Laxman, Hemang Badani, Yuvraj Singh, Parthiv Patel, Deep Dasgupta, S Ramesh, Anil Kumble, Murli Kartik, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra, Ifran Pathan, Zaheer Khan, L Balaji, Ajit Agarkar, Aavishkar Salvi.

Indian to head Fortune 500 firm

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
WASHINGTON: As an electrical engineering graduate from Orissa's Sambalpur University, Surya Mohapatra never imagined he would gravitate one day to the area of medical diagnostics, much less head the Fortune 500 leader in the field.
Admitted to a London hospital in 1972 when he was doing his Masters, he saw the heart-wrenching sight of a toddler undergoing a painful catheterization - and invasive procedure -- to determine an oxygen leak in the heart.
"I didn't like hospitals and I don't like children crying. That was the day I decided to work on non-invasive diagnostic tools and techniques," Dr Mohapatra told TNN in an interview on Monday, hours after he had been penciled in as the next CEO of the $4.5 billion Quest Diagnostics Incorporated, the world's leading provider of medical diagnostics.
The change-over, announced by outgoing CEO Kenneth Freeman, will see Mohapatra take charge next May of a company ranked 391 in the Fortune 500 and 48 in the BusinessWeek 50. He will be one of the very few India-born top executives of a Fortune 500 company, an honour he says he never really expected when he began life as one of seven children of an Orissa government employee.
It all began, he says, when Mohapatra Sr. returned to India after a MS in public health engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 1949. He was a contemporary of Susheela Nayar and he wanted to return to India and work on providing clean water to the people. The Family learning pedigree and commitment ethos saw the first three Mohapatra siblings achieve academic excellence - one of his brothers is a senior scientist at Orissa's Rice Research Institute and another is a mathematics professor at Central Florida University.

'Prince' to undergo DNA test

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI: The scion of a former princely state, arrested for a robbery and linked to the rape of a Swiss diplomat, will undergo a DNA test to determine if he was involved in the assault.
Navdeep Randhawa, 24, who has reportedly been disowned by his family, was arrested for robbing the Swiss Airline office in the heart of Delhi on August 27.
Police said his "characteristics and attitude" suggested a link to the rape of the diplomat.
Two men abducted the 35-year-old diplomat on October 14 from the parking lot of Siri Fort auditorium in south Delhi, which was hosting the International Film Festival of India.
She was pushed into her own car and while one man drove it around south Delhi, the other raped her. Before leaving India last month, the Swiss diplomat had assisted police in preparing sketches of her two assailants.
Apart from a cigarette lighter, police had recovered biological evidence against the criminals from the diplomat's car

Police seeks Interpol’s help against Daler

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Press Trust of India
Patiala, November 12: Punjab police have sought the help of Interpol in securing the record of Indian pop singer Daler Mehndi's troupe during his foreign visits even as a local court on Wednesday extended the judicial custody of the singer's brother Shamsher till November 26.

The special investigation team probing the human trafficking case has been reconstituted, Patiala police Chief A.S. Rai said.
Police have written to the CBI's Interpol division to send them the records of artistes who went in Daler's troupe to various countries, he said in Patiala.

Meanwhile, Shamsher, on the expiry of his judicial custody, was produced before Civil Judge (senior division) P.S. Dhano who further extended his remand till November 26.

TCS to test Microsoft software

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), India's largest software services organisation, has bagged a long-term, multi-million dollar software testing contract from Microsoft Corporation for its Windows platform.
The project is part of Microsoft's strategy to improve the reliability of its operating system.
Sources close to the deal said TCS won the order against stiff competition from leading global software services firms.
Both companies were expected to make an announcement soon, the sources said, adding that preparatory work on the project had started at TCS's Pune software development facility.
In the first phase of the project, TCS will deploy about 200 people, which will be increased to about 1,000 subsequently.

A TCS executive told Business Standard that though the initial billing was around $20 million, it could grow substantially. "This is obvious since we will increase the number of professionals on the project from 200 to 1,000," he explained.
As part of its alliance with Microsoft, TCS has set up an evangelist group in Bellevue, Washington, near Microsoft's corporate headquarters in Redmond, to track the company's latest technologies and products. The team collaborates with Microsoft product groups in a variety of technical programmes.
TCS also recently joined the Microsoft Speech Partner Program, an initiative designed to provide high-quality, voice-enabled solutions based on the Microsoft speech server. This gives

TCS access to Microsoft's speech technology offerings, including the Microsoft Speech Server and Speech Application Software Development Kit.
TCS employs close to 22,000 employees, and earned a revenue of over $1 billion in the financial year ended March 2003. The company, which has more than 150 offices and 15 development centres worldwide, serves over 1,000 global clients, including companies like General Electric,

Medical negligence plagues WB hospitals

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
There was chaos outside Ashoknagar State General Hospital, 50 km from Kolkata, after a 60-year-old patient was burnt to death in his hospital bed on Wednesday.
He had apparently sneaked in a bidi and was smoking in bed when his blanket and mosquito net caught fire.
"When we came here, the nurses kept scolding us. His entire body was burnt," said Sandya, patient's wife.
"How is it possible that he got burnt while having a bidi. Where was everybody else?" demanded Tapati Dutta, TMC MLA, Habra.

Tales of horror

On Tuesday, a pregnant woman was brought to the Murshidabad district hospital at midnight.
Despite her situation being critical and despite the family's urgent pleas, the doctor arrived three hours later.
A few hours later, the woman was declared dead. The family has now filed a case of medical negligence.
"This can't be happening all the time, it is just not acceptable. I demand some kind of action right away," said Lebu Mondal, victim's sister-in-law.

The flip side

However, doctors say the recent spate of reports in the media about medical negligence has led to a mob mentality and the result is chaos inside hospitals.
In the Ashoknagar case, an angry crowd stopped doctors from taking the burnt patient, still alive, to another hospital.
"We were ready to take him to another hospital. But people gathered outside and stopped us from taking the patient," said Pushpendu Sengupta, Superintendent, Ashoknagar Hospital.
In the midst of the tussle between patient parties and doctors and well-intentioned public, it's the patient who is the ultimate sufferer.

Sheila Dikshit renominated

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 13 (PTI) Congress today released its first list of 46 candidates for the December 1 Delhi assembly polls, renominating Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and several of her ministerial colleagues.
While Dikshit was renominated from Gole Market constituency, a number of other members of her cabinet, including Ajay Maken, Raj Kumar Chouhan, Harun Yusuf and A K Walia, would again contest from their respective constituencies, according to the list released early today.

Delhi Congress chief Prem Singh and Speaker Subhash Chopra were also renominated from Dr Ambedkar Nagar and Kalkaji constituencies respectively. PTI

Telgi case: SIT submits report

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Mumbai, Nov 12 (PTI) The Special Investigation Team probing the fake stamp paper scam today submitted its report to Mumbai High Court on the alleged role of city police commissioner R S Sharma in shielding prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi and found acts of ommission and commission against him even as the court asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde to take necessary action.
The SIT report, submitted to the court in a sealed cover captioned "The Involvement of Shri R S Sharma" listed nine instances of omission and commission of the senior IPS officer, Advocate General Goolam Vahanvati told the court.

In a separate development, nine cops, including a top police officer, were today summoned by SIT in Pune and questioned on the same lines.

On Vahanvati's plea, the report was not made public as investigations were still on. After perusing the report, the Judges asked the Advocate General "What next shall we do?.

Vahanvati suggested that the report be forwarded to the Chief Minister for necessary action.

As regards allegations against suspended ACP M C Mulani and Inspector Prakash Deshmukh in shielding Telgi, the court ordered the SIT to go into it and arrest them if necessary.

Meanwhile, ACP Ramakant Padwal of Mumbai crime branch and eight members of airport crime branch unit were today quizzed by SIT in Pune. Padwal was questioned twice earlier.

Reacting to High Court order, Sharma said his conscious was clear as he had "exposed" the scam during his posting in Pune. As regards acts of omission and commission, Sharma said "We shall deal with them at the appropriate stage". PTI

US steel industry in defiance of WTO

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Washington, Nov 12 (PTI) Beleaguered American steel industry has urged the Bush Administration to defy the WTO ruling and continue protection for it despite the certainty that the EU and other countries may retaliate if the US does not comply.
It said that 20 months after President George W Bush imposed tariffs on steel imports, the US steel industry has been able to go through a historic transformation under the umbrella of protection.

Noting that several factors fueled the turnaround, The Washington Post said these factors include protection, the Government's takeover of failing pension plans and the willingness of organised labour to cut payrolls.

Industry officials said that tariff protection set the stage for all this. Now they are lobbying hard to prevent the White House from giving in to Monday's ruling by the WTO that the tariffs are illegal and should end now, about 18 months before they are scheduled to expire, the Post said.

The US steel industry wants continued protection, it said, because "it still sees itself as being in mortal danger.

While weak companies have merged into more streamlined steelmakers, they have not yet figured out how to operate as global competitors, industry executives and labour officials said. PTI

India crumbles under pressure

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Bangalore, Nov 12 (PTI) Weighed down by a merciless Australian batting assault, India buckled under pressure of chasing a huge total as the world champions warmed up for the summit showdown with a comfortable 61-run victory in the TVS Cup triangular cricket series here today.

After Australia posted a mammoth 347 for two riding on blistering centuries by Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar led a spirited Indian fightback with a classy 89 before the hosts lost steam to be stopped at 286 for eight in their allotted 50 overs in an absorbing floodlit encounter at the M Chinnaswamy stadium.

The Indians, who desperately needed a victory to bolster their chances of making it to the November 18 final in Kolkata, were outplayed in all departments of the game by the formidable Aussies who recorded their fifth consecutive victory in the series.

The only consolation from the defeat was the bonus point the hosts got which has tied them on points with New Zealand, both teams having ten points from five matches.

The Australians, who have already qualified to the final, widened their lead atop the points table having garnered 28 points from six outings.

India have no option but to defeat New Zealand in their last match in Hyderabad on Saturday to make it to the majestic Eden Gardens in Kolkata for the summit showdown.

Earlier, electing to bat, Australia piled up 347 for two, the highest-ever score at the venue, with Gilchrist (111) and Ponting (108 not out) tearing the Indian bowling to shreds. PTI

Talks with Hurriyat Conference likely next month: Advani

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
On Board a Special Aircraft, Nov 13 (PTI) The dialogue
with Hurriyat Conference may be held next month, Deputy Prime
Minister L K Advani indicated today.
"I think after the holy month of Ramzan and after the
elections are over. It may be in December," he told reporters
on his way to Chennai.
To a question whether the Centre had received feelers
from the separatist amalgam about talks, the Deputy Prime
Minister replied in the negative.
Government had announced on October 22 that Advani would
hold talks with Hurriyat Conference Chairman Maulana Abbas
Ansari, a move welcomed by the conglomerate. PTI

India, Russia sign joint declaration

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
Moscow, Nov 12 (PTI) Cementing their strategic partnership further, India and Russia today signed a declaration that they will resist terrorism "with their full might" after talks between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Vladimir Putin who discussed "developments of concern in their common neighbourhood."
The seven-page declaration on "Global Challenges and Threats to World Security and Stability" was signed by the two leaders at Kremlin after wide-ranging discussions in which the threat posed by terrorism was a major subject.
Significantly, the joint statement to be issued tomorrow morning at the conclusion of Vajpayee's three-day visit will bring out in clear terms the Russian endorsement of Indian stand that Pakistan should fully implement its assurances on preventing infiltration from across the Line of Control and other points.
The statement is also expected to emphasise the need for Islamabad to dismantle all the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan occupied Kashmir as a prerequisite before a peaceful dialogue could be resumed to resolve all outstanding issues in a bilateral framework.
Dismissing speculation that Putin would convey a message to Vajpayee on Kashmir following his recent discussions with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said the outcome of today's summit showed "there is nothing in the Russian position which should be of concern to us." PTI

Reliance pays Rs 1542 cr to DoT

Thursday, November 13, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) In less than 24 hours of issuance of guidelines on unified licence, Reliance Infocomm today paid about Rs 1542.5 crore to Government to migrate to new single licence regime in 16 circles but opted to stay out of unification in West Bengal, which includes Kolkata circle.
According to sources in the Department of Telecom (DoT), Reliance has made an application to move to Unified Access Services Licence and made an upfront payment of Rs 1542.5 crore, of which Rs 1042 crore is towards entry fee and the balance towards penalty imposed on them for offering full mobility on their WLL phones.
When contacted Vinod Vaish, Telecom Commission Chairman confirmed the receipt of a letter from Reliance Infocomm but refused to give details.
According to sources, Reliance Infocomm has opted out to stay out of unification in West Bengal circle (which includes Kolkata also) and thus paid about Rs 79.51 crore less.
With this, Reliance will be able to offer fully mobile services on its WLL phones.
Till now Reliance was offering services like call forwarding and multiple registration for which the company was asked to pay penalty of Rs 526 crore as roaming-like services were construed to be against the spirit of the licence norms. PTI

Oracle 'very bullish' on India

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
Enterprise software company Oracle India would look for business opportunities in banking and healthcare segments during the next one year, managing director Shekhar Dasgupta said.

"Oracle sees an opportunity for banking organisations in the newly formed Basel II accord which provides the incentive for an information management framework," Dasgupta said.

This, he said, would open new avenues for sales, marketing and customer service.

Basel II accord is aimed at establishing rigorous bank supervision and broader disclosures which would encourage advanced risk management practices and make the risks that banks choose to take more transparent to the investors.

Oracle's approach would be to harness the most powerful data warehouse technology, leading business applications and processes, the intelligent analytical tools to help banks conform to the accord, Dasgupta said.

He said healthcare too was going to be an emerging area. Oracle has developed a software -- healthcare transaction process - which conforms to global standards.

"This we can position in the healthcare industry along with partners. In the next one year we should start looking at the sector and coming up at a big way."

He said Oracle was very bullish on India for its great market potential as well as intellectual capital.

Since its entry into India, Oracle has serviced three traditional sectors -- manufacturing, telecom, and banks and financial services. The government is also one important sector for Oracle.

"The other important sector for us is pharma. The company has got two customers in the pharma sector in ERP, CRM and in Oracle Clinicals, a special software for the sector which does clinical trials," Dasgupta said.

The company's India development centre is the largest one outside the United States.

"In terms of development we are covering practically all the products in our Indian development centre and in Asia Pacific; we have grown from the 10th to 5th position in the last five years."

The centre at Bangalore concentrates on core technology products like Oracle database, 9i applications server, Oracle collaboration suite and the development tools.

The Hyderabad centre focuses on the 11i suite of products. Both the centres are in expansion mode.

Slain poetess Madhumita's servant identifies her killer

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) Servant of Madhumita Shukhla and the lone eyewitness to her murder, Desraj, today identified Prakash Chander Pandey as the person who shot dead the Uttar Pradesh poetess at her residence in May this year.
Pandey, arrested yesterday at Lucknow, was produced before Desraj at Unnao jail in Uttar Pradesh where he identified him during a Test Identification Parade (TIP), CBI sources said. PTI

India exported computer software to 181 countries in FY03: ESC

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) India exported electronics and computer software and services to 181 countries in 2002-03 against 175 countries in the previous year with the US accounting for 58 per cent of the total exports.

There has been a steady rise in the destinations for electronics and computer software and services exports from India and there is hardly any countruy where India is not exporting these products, computer software export promotion council ESC said today.

Out of 181 countries, nine account for the bulk of India's electronics hardware and software services exports in 2002-03 at Rs 45,991 crore of the total exports of Rs 52,100 crore.

US accounted for 58 per cent of the total exports followed by UK at 13 per cent, Germany at four per cent, and Singapore and Japan at three per cent each, it said.

Netherlands accounted for two per cent while Belgium, Canada, Australia and China accounted for less than one per cent.

These nine countries account for 88 per cent of the total electronics and computer software exports while the rest 172 have accounted only for 12 per cent.

Middle East, Latin America and Africa, though at present account for a miniscule of the total exports, they have a great potential to emerge as future markets, ESC said.

Prime Minister Vajpayee arrives to a warm welcome in Moscow

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
Moscow, Nov 11 (PTI) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrived here tonight to a red carpet welcome for his summit meeting with strategic partner Russian President Vladimir Putin during a three-day visit that will seek to strengthen ties in defence, science and other sectors.

Landing here on a breezy cold evening after an eight-hour flight that avoided Pakistani airspace, Vajpayee was received by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Boris Alyoshin and Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov, senior officials and Indiam Ambassador K Raghunath.

The Prime Minister inspected an interservices ceremonial guard of honour on the tarmac of Vunkovo airport as temperatures dipped to three degrees celesius.

Shortly after his arrival, the Prime Minister went to Putin's sprawling 'Novo-Ogoryovo' woodland estate on the banks of Moskva river on the city's outskirts for a private dinner.

After formal talks at the Kremlin tomorrow with Putin, the fourth between the two leaders in the last 12 months, the two sides are slated to sign 10 agreements on cooperation in the fields of science, space, trade and industry. PTI

Prime Minister Vajpayee asks SAARC to organise itself

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) In an apparent wake up call to Pakistan, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said SAARC would "simply miss the boat" if the regional grouping failed to organise itself and warned that "other alignments" would develop to seize the economic opportunities offered by closer integration.
Observing that post Cold War alignments and the technology revolution have set in motion trends which could not be ignored, he said "It is time that we recognize what it means for all of us in South Asia".

Inaugurating the third SAARC Information Ministers' Conference, Vajpayee, who delayed his departure for Moscow, warned "if SAARC cannot organise itself, it will simply miss the boat".

"Other alignments will develop to seize the economic opportunities offered by closer integration. We cannot forever be challenging logic and mocking economics", he told representatives from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Bhutan besides India.PTI

Srinath announces retirement from international cricket

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
BANGALORE: India's bowling spearhead Javagal Srinath on Tuesday announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing to an end an illustrious career that spanned 12 years.

The 34-year-old right-arm fast bowler, plagued by injuries since the last couple of seasons, had been contemplating hanging his boots for quite some time now.

"I have decided to retire. I will make a formal announcement later in the day," Srinath said.

Kournikova arrives in Mumbai amidst chaos and confusion

Tuesday, November 11, 2003 | Editor
MUMBAI: Russian tennis sensation Anna Kournikova arrived in Mumbai on Tuesday amidst chaos and confusion caused by her personal security guards at the Chattrapathi Shivaji International Airport .

The 22-year-old tennis player is here as a brand Ambassador for Sahara India Pariwar and will be part of the "I Love Amby Valley" project of Sahara .

Mediapersons and photographers, who had gathered at the airport, were stopped by her eight personal security guards from speaking to the tennis star, leading to a lot of confusion.

Later, Kournikova, more famous for her looks than her on-field exploits, was whisked away to Amby Valley in Lonavala in a luxury car even as a heated argument ensued between her security guards and media personnel.

Later, Kournikova, more famous for her looks than her on-field exploits, was whisked away to Amby Valley in Lonavala in a luxury car even as a heated argument ensued between her security guards and media personnel.

Sahara officials later said that Kournikova will be back in Mumbai on Friday to meet the press after attending commercial shoots in Amby Valley .

Kournikova was flown into Mumbai after her three-day promotional tour in Thailand and Indonesia recently.

CBI arrests poetess Madhumita's alleged killer

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) In a major breakthrough, CBI today arrested the alleged killer of poetess Madhumita Shukla in Lucknow.
CBI sources said that Prakash Chander Pandey was arrested this morning and would be produced before a court.

The sources said Pandey was arrested after a sustained interrogation of his accomplice Santosh Kumar Rai alias Satya Prakash. The duo had reportedly visited the Paper Mill colony residence of the 24-year-old poetess and allegedly shot her dead, they said.

Former Uttar Pradesh minister Amarmani Tripathi has already been arrested by the CBI in connection with the case. PTI

40 labourers feared killed in boat accident in AP

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
Rajahmundry (AP), Nov 10 (PTI) At least 40 labourers were feared drown when the boat carrying them capsized in Godavari river in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh early today.
About 45 labourers were crossing the river in a country-made boat in search of work in Lanka area when the mishap occurred near Ramchandrapuram, police said here.

Rescue and search operation has been launched and three bodies have been recovered so far, they said. PTI

Indefinite curfew continues in Kalupur, Dariapur

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
Ahmedabad, Nov 10 (PTI) Indefinite curfew today continued in sensitive Kalupur and Dariapur localities of the city where officials said the situation was under control after last night's communal violence that left one person dead and six injured.
Additional police force has been deployed in the area and the situation is being closely monitored, a senior police told PTI here.

The fresh violence in Kalupur and Dariapur areas is suspected to be a fall out of the killing of a minority community person in Juhapura area earlier in the day, officials said.

Police, however, has not revealed the identity of the person who was torched by rioters in the clashes last night.

Among the injured, four have been discharged from hospital while two were still under treatment. PTI

SC stays arrest of 'The Hindu' journalists

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 10 (PTI) The Supreme Court today stayed execution of the arrest warrants issued against five senior journalists of 'The Hindu' newspaper by the Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker pursuant to a resolution of the House sentencing them to 15 days imprisonment for breach of privilege. PTI

Jaswant says the Indian economy is rolling

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) With the return of a feel-good factor after a favourable monsoon this year, an upbeat Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has said the economy was now "rolling".
"The economy is now rolling. The feel-good factor has returned in the last three or four months, he said at the weekly Walk-a-Talk programme of private NDTV channel.

"I have faith in India, in Indian genius and creativity.

We should, as countrymen, shed this notion that we are afflicted by want," Singh said without giving any projections of higher growth this year.

Jaswant Singh said in his previous avatar of External Affairs Minister was able to successfully present India as "blue chip" country after the Pokhran nuclear tests in 1998 only because of the inherent strength and resilience of the economy.

He also acknowledged the contributions of former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao and former Finance Minister Manmohan Singh for initiating the reform process that has enabled the economy to come out of "shibboleth" of socialistic doctrine in which the country was "trapped" for decades. PTI

Three global firms shortlisted for India's airport privatisation

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) An empowered Group of Ministers (GoM) today shortlisted three of the five companies for appointment of a financial consultant for privatisation and modernisation of the Mumbai and Delhi airports.
At its first meeting here, the empowered GoM, comprising Finance Minister Jaswant Singh, Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie, Law Minister Arun Jaitley and Civil Aviation Minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, decided to finalise the name of the financial consultant at the next meeting on November 14, after their financial bids are opened.

The shortlisted companies are ABN-Amro, Ernst and Young and KPMG, Rudy told reporters after nearly an hour-long meeting at the North Block.

The empowered group also decided to appoint a global technical advisor to assist the Civil Aviation Ministry on the parameters of the design and construction of the ultra-modern airports at the two metro cities. PTI

Australia win by 44 runs in Guwahati ODI

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 9 (PTI) Australia gave another demonstration of their cricketing might as the world champions relied on some disciplined bowling to fashion a 44-run victory against New Zealand in the TVS Cup triangular series match here today.

Chasing a modest target of 226 for victory, New Zealand could never really find their bearings after a top-order collapse to fold up for 181 in 45.3 overs and give the Aussies their fourth consecutive victory in the series.

The Black Caps, who desperately needed a win to bolster their chances of making it to the final, enjoyed an upper hand in the early stages of the contest by reducing the Aussies to 61 for four but the world champions fought their way out with characteristic grit to maintain their supremacy over their trans-Tasman rivals.

The Assies, who have already assured themselves of a berth for the November 18 final in Kolkata, widened the lead atop the points table with 23 points from five outings.

New Zealand, who managed to gain a bonus point today, climbed to the second position on the table with ten points from five matches. The Kiwis will now have to battle it out for the other finalist's spot with India who have nine points from four outings.

Put in to bat, Australia weathered an early storm to post a modest 225 for seven, mainly built around a resolute unbeaten 84 by Michael Bevan. Skipper Ricky Ponting was the other notable contributor with an 84-ball 52. PTI

India tests supersonic Brahmos cruise missile

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India successfully test-fired on Sunday the naval version of its Brahmos supersonic cruise anti-ship missile, for the second time in two weeks, a defence official said.

The missile, jointly developed with Russia, has a range of 290 kms and can carry a conventional warhead of up to 300 kg.

"It was successfully test fired today at Chandipur test range in Orissa," an official told Reuters in New Delhi.

India is developing a range of missiles as a deterrent against nuclear-armed neighbours Pakistan and China and defence experts say New Delhi needs to continuously test its missiles before they can be inducted into the armed forces.

Brahmos, named after India's Brahmaputra river and Russia's Moscow river, is primarily an anti-ship missile but can be used against land targets as well.

The missile can be launched from land, sea and air and is expected to be ready for production by 2004.

First chartered flight from London arrives

Monday, November 10, 2003 | Editor
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kicking off the tourism season of this year, the first chartered flight of the season carrying 230 passengers from London alighted at the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport on Sunday.

Women clad in traditional Kerala dress received the tourists at the airport with garlands.

The guests were later taken to Kovalam, where their stay had been arranged.

The tourists would be taken to important tourist spots in the State, including Mararikulam, Poovar, Thekkady and Munnar. They would be returning to London in separate batches. The last batch would leave on November 28.

While 205 passengers were brought by the Manos tour operators, 25 were brought by the Goa-based ‘Czech It Out’ tour operators.

The tourists were offered three different packages, with the duration of stay varying from seven to 21 days, said Manoj Sawant of Transorient Holidays, which is the local partner of Manos.

He said that chartered flights would be operated for tourists from London to Thiruvananthapuram every Sunday till the end of the season in March. So far there has been good response, he added.

Dhoop

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
Fundamental Films and Dream Boat Entertainment P. Ltd.'s DHOOP has all the ingredients for a perfect recipe of meaningful and sensible cinema - a director who has won the National Award in his debut film LAADO, immensely talented actors Om Puri and Revathi and former Miss India - Universe Gul Panag and an incident that's straight out of life.

Despite the impressive names involved, the film appeals only in patches. There are some brilliantly executed sequences, no doubt, but when viewed in totality, it does not succeed in creating an indelible impression.

Om Puri is a professor, while his wife Revathi is a librarian. Their only son, Sanjay Suri, is a captain in the Indian army.

While the couple goes about as usual with their routine chores, the niggling worry of their son fighting at the border in Kargil is always playing on their minds. Gul Panag is the love interest of Sanjay.

In an unfortunate turn of events, comes the news of Sanjay being killed while fighting in Kargil. The world collapses for the trio. As the family is engulfed in sorrow comes a letter from the Home Ministry informing that the government has allotted a petrol pump as an acknowledgement for the services of their son.

Revathi rejects the offer outright. However, some cajoling from Om Puri wins her over and the couple decides to keep their son's memory alive through this petrol pump.

Nonetheless, what follows is a long and exhausting struggle against the corrupt system to get the petrol pump started. Right from the allocation of land to obtaining no-objection certificates from various government departments, the journey is full of obstacles, which refuses to move aside unless they get their monetary considerations fulfilled.

However, the couple's perseverance pays off and they get their due eventually.

Based on a real-life incident, DHOOP tackles a genre that is entirely and purely performance-based. Director Ashwini Chaudhary narrates a subject that is beyond the norms and dictates of commercial cinema. He is focussed all throughout in his approach on portraying the incidents that take place after the battle is over, very much evident from the fact that not once does the narrative divert towards the battlefield. Also, he executes the various emotional scenes with aplomb and expertise, which are the very essence of this concept. Must say, the human element is very strong!

Despite the various highs, the film falters badly in the screenplay department. The pace throughout is very slow, very lethargic to be precise, though it gathers some momentum towards the latter part of the second half.

In an attempt to garner audience sympathy, too much footage has been devoted to portraying the anguish and sorrow of the bereaved parents. The crux, the struggle of the parents to acquire the petrol pump against all odds, comes to the fore only post-interval.

Also, too many songs in the first half drag the proceedings. Further, the struggle of the parents once again exposes the corruption prevalent in the system, something that has been witnessed innumerable times by the viewers in the past.

Dialogues are of superior quality, complimenting the genre and the situation perfectly. Music [Lalit Sen] is fair, although certain songs stand out for their rich lyrical value [Nida Fazli].

As mentioned earlier, the film is purely performance-based and how well the two lead characters have shouldered the responsibility! It's the histrionics displayed by Om Puri and Revathi that elevates the proceedings and inculcate life into every frame. Gul Panag makes a fair debut and manages to stand her own against the two stalwarts. Sanjay Suri impresses in a cameo.

On the whole, DHOOP is at best a fair attempt, but from the box-office point of view, an offbeat theme, almost nil publicity, absence of a hi-profile star cast and the Ramzan period [a sizeable section of cinegoers stays away from theatres] will spell doom. The film may find a niche audience in a select few multiplexes, that's about it. All in all, can't really bask in this dhoop.

[Source: IndiaFM]

India hosting meet on 'Education for All' tomorrow

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) In the midst of a spat with UNESCO over "poor rating" of its progress in the field of education, India is hosting a high level meeting on Education For All (EFA) here tomorrow.
Being organised jointly with UNESCO, which has recently put India at the risk of not achieving the gender parity targets by 2015, the conference will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who would speak on "Education For All: An inalienable right".

Besides President of Kyrgyzstan Askar Akayev and Vice President of Congo Arthur Zahidi N'goma, the three-day conference will be attended by Education Ministers from 18 countries, including Pakistan and heads of multilateral aid agencies and civil societies.

The meeting is expected to review among other things the progress made in realising EFA goals, elimination of gender disparity by 2005 and make recommendations and propose actions for better support for EFA, using the Fast Track Initiative as an effective instrument.

The Fast Track Initiative was taken last year by international funding agencies under the leadership of the World Bank and initially 18 countries were chosen for this initiative and five more countries including India were added later on. pti

Crop compensation overlooked for post Godhra riot victims

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
Ahmedabad, Nov 9 (PTI) The Gujarat government completely omitted farmers from its list of 'riot victims' while announcing comepnsation for those affected in post-Godhra violence.
A Government Resolution (GR) was not issued for farmers whose crops and equipment were damaged by rioting mobs in the post-Godhra communal riots last year.

Admitting that the government had "overlooked" this aspect, Agriculture minister Bhupendra Singh Chudasma told PTI that it was not intentional.

"None of such farmers have approached the government as yet and I would personally look into it if they do now as I was not the minister when the GR's were prepared", he said.

The issue came to light after a farmer from minority community from Vatva gaam, on the outskirts of the city, approached the two-man riot inquiry panel comprising Justice (Retd) G T Nanavati and Justice (retd) K G Shah, on November three and wanted to depose reagarding this ommission by the government.

The Commission has agreed to admit his complaint in the form of an affidavit and did not record his deposition.

The minister said if the farmers have approached the Commission then it was one of the right channels of sounding the goverment about the issue. pti

India, Switzerland to sign two agreements

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) India and Switzerland will sign two agreements for cooperation in disaster management and science and technology here tomorrow after talks between visiting Swiss President Pascal Couchepin and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on a host of important bilateral, regional and international issues.
New Delhi is attaching special significance to the visit.

The last Presidential visit from Switzerland was by Flavio Cotti in 1998.

Couchepin will call on President A P J Abdul Kalam and also have meetings with Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani and External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha.

During the parleys, Couchepin may raise the issue of Swiss diplomat's rape last month in South Delhi.

The 36-year old diplomat, heading the visa section in the Swiss Embassy, was leaving the Siri Fort auditorium, the venue of the International Film Festival, after seeing a late night show on October 14 when she was abducted by two youths and sexually assaulted, sending shock waves in the capital.

Although Delhi Police has been claiming to have vital clues, the month-long investigations have not made much progress in zeroing in on the rapists. PTI

Inflation to fall further from 4.96 pc

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Inflation rate may fall further from 4.96 per cent during the week ended October 25 due to stable fuel prices and cheaper edible oil, oilseeds, raw cotton, cotton textiles, iron and steel, analysts said today.
The Wholesale Price Index based inflation rate, which came down from 5.01 per cent in the previous week but was higher than 3.14 per cent a year ago, is also slated to fall due to cheaper agriculture items.

Agreeing with Reserve Bank's projection of 4-4.5 per cent inflation for the fiscal year, economists said fuel prices are slated to remain stable and the overall price level is expected to be 4.6-4.8 per cent in the next two months.

"Inflation will come down as prices of iron and steel, edible oil, oil seeds, raw cotton and cotton textiles are witnessing a downward trend. Apart from fuel, these six items were the main items that were keeping the overall price level up," ICRA chief economist Saumitra Choudhury told PTI.

"Iron and steel prices were growing by 29 per cent, which contributed to 1.0 per cent of the inflation. The prices of these items are coming down," he said.

According to B B Bhattacharya of Institute of Economic Growth (IEG), the expected sharp turnaround in kharif crop was slated to bring down agri prices and inflation further down. PTI

New Zealand wins toss, elects to field

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
Guwahati, Nov 9 (PTI) New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming won the toss and elected to field in the TVS Cup tri-series match against Australia here today.
Australia effected three changes in the team, leaving out Matthew Hayden, Brad Williams and wicket-keeper batsman Adam Gilchrist. Ian Harvey, Michael Kasprowicz and Jimmy Maher came in as replacements.

New Zealand retained the same team that did duty against India at Cuttack on Thursday.

The teams: New Zealand: Stephen Fleming (captain), Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan, Chris Harris, Jacob Oram, Scott Styris, Brendon McCullum, Kyle Mills, Chris Nevin, Daryl Tuffey and Daniel Vettori.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Michael Kasprowicz, Jimmy Maher, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Michael Bevan, Ian Harvey, Andy Bichel, Ian Harvey, Nathan Bracken and Michael Clarke.

Umpires: David Sheperd (England) K Hariharan (India) Match Referee : Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka). PTI

Delhi wakes up to 'reddish' morning due to short lunar eclipse

Sunday, November 9, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 9 (PTI) Delhiites today rose to a beautiful "reddish" morning due to an unusually short duration lunar eclipse. The dust present in the atmosphere enhanced the beauty of the celestial event.
Sky gazers could enjoy the event for a relatively shorter duration as the eclipse occured towards the moonset in India, Director, Nehru Planetarium, Dr N Rathnasree told PTI.

Usually, the total phase of a lunar eclipse lasts about one to two hours, she said.

Most of India missed the later phases of the eclipse and people in the eastern parts of the country could not even see the beginning of the total eclipse, she said.

The eclipse actually began at 3:45 am with the moon entering the lighter shadow of the earth but one could not notice any difference in the shape of the moon, President of amateur astrologers body 'Science Popularisation Association of Communicators and Educators' Amitabh Pandey said.

The total phase of the eclipse in India began at 6.36 am and was over by 7.01 am leaving the duration of eclipse as short as about 25 minutes, he said.

About the reddish tinge in the atmosphere, Rathnasree said it depends on some factors such as dust particles in the atmosphere and volcanic eruptions.

The reddish glow depends on the dust concentration in the earth's atmosphere, she said, adding "more the dust hangs in the atmosphere more beautiful is the event." PTI

Sushil Sharma gets death penalty in Tandoor case

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) In the sensational Tandoor murder case, former Delhi Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma was today sentenced to death by a city court for murdering his live-in partner Naina Sahni and burning the body in an oven of a restaurant eight years ago.
His accomplice in trying to destroy the evidence, Keshav Kumar was sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment.

Additional Sessions Judge G P Thareja, who had found Sharma guilty of the murder on Monday, pronounced capital punishment to him terming the case as the "rarest of rare" warranting imposition of the extreme punishment.

In a jam-packed court, the judge said Sharma be "hanged by neck till dead". A fine of Rs 2,000 was also imposed on him for the offence.

Sharma was also given additional seven years rigorous imprisonment for conspiracy and destruction of evidence along with a fine of Rs 10,000.

The death sentence imposed on Sharma will now be referred to the Delhi High Court for confirmation.

Sharma reacted non-chalantly to the sentence saying "I respect the capital punishment." Keshav Kumar, the then Manager of Bagiya Restaurant, who was held guilty of conspiring to destroy the evidence by burning Sahni's body in the tandoor at the restaurant, was sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 10,000.

However, Keshav would be a free man as he has already served more than eight years in jail during the period of trial. PTI

Vajpayee projects 7 per cent growth

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
London, Nov 7 (PTI Rejecting the impression that Indian reforms were painfully slow, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said it was in fact "enduring and stable" and projected a high seven per cent growth this fiscal.
India's reform process has not been "stop-go," he said adding "I do not think anyone who has closely followed the Indian economy over the last decade can say that our economic reforms programme has lacked urgecy." Since the launch of reforms just over a decade ago, the economy has sustained an annual growth of over 6 per cent.

Despite drought last year, GDP growth exceeded 4 per cent.

This year "we hope to touch seven per cent," Vajpayee said in a wide-ranging interview to the London-based economic daily 'Financial Times' Asserting that macro-economic fundamentals have never been better with foreign exchange reserves crossing over 90 billion dollars, Vajpayee said "we cannot accuse democracy of impending economic reform.

"I also do not accept that our reform process has been stop-go in nature. As I have said it is natural and beneficial for the durability of reforms-- that the process should move forward on the basis of broad consultations and reconciliation of competing interests and need."

President greetings on Guru Nanak jayanti

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
NEW DELHI: President A P J Abdul Kalam on Friday greeted fellow countrymen on the occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti on Saturday.

"On the auspicious occasion of the birthday of Guru Nanak Dev, I convey my heartiest greetings to all my fellow citizens in India and abroad," he said in his message.

"Let us resolve to follow the path laid out by this great saint and try to follow his saying that realisation of truth is higher than all else, higher still is truthful living," he said.

The President wished that the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak be a day for spreading love amongst all communities.

A.R.Rahman's new fan - Prince Charles!!

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
Amir Khan, after his mega hit movies like 'Lagaan' & 'Dil Chahta hai', is now working on an English movie- "The Raising". The story is about a war, which lasted for 1857 days!

After having a casual talk with Amir Khan at the sets of "The Raising", Prince Charles met up with A.R.Rahman and enquired about his plans for the future. The music composed by A.R.Rahman for the stage show 'Bombay Dreams' has been a trendsetter in the west.

Woh Tera Naam Tha

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
Vijaypat Singhania on his maiden film production says "I have been uncomfortable by the kind of films being made today. I strongly believe they contribute tremendously to the psyche of today's youth. I have symbolised these through the story of a conservative Muslim family based in Bhopal, and if the youth understands this message, my purpose would have been adequately served. As for Muslim social, let me tell you that 'WOH TERA NAAM THA' in neither a purely Muslim film nor am I speaking up in favour of Muslims alone. The fact remains that a majority of traditional Muslims are disciplined and follow their traditional values with utmost care. If I find a powerful subject involving values of other communities, I would most certainly seriously look at them too. I and my script writer J.P. Chowksey who is a veteran journalist, were totally convinced about the values that we are talking about in this film. The music also will gradually grow on you. It is not instant pop music. I have three music directors Dilip Sen - Sameer Sen, Roopkumar Rathod, who has given excellent classical music, and Sumeet Chopra a fine and dedicated composer from London. I also roped in the veteran folk music singer of Pakistan Reshma, and recorded a song with her in Dubai. The final music track, its mixing and mastering were done in Mumbai."

The story is set in 1956, when the state of Madhya Pradesh was formed with Bhopal as its capital, 'Who Tera Naam Tha' tells the story of a maestro of Hindustani music, Ustad Samad Khan (Amrish Puri) and his beautiful daughter Reshma (Kanchi Kaul). Badruddin (Gaurav Chanana) a Tangewala is their neighbour since childhood. He nurses a secret passion for Reshma. However, enters a photojournalist from Delhi, Akhtar (Arjan Bajwa) who is enamoured by Reshma at first sight. While Badruddin is in love with Reshma too, another bubbly neighbourhood girl Naseem (Shalini Pal) is in love with Badruddin. Oblivious of Akhtar's obsession with Reshma, Badru helps him find an accommodation and both become friends. Amidst this passion involving four young lovers, comes Nawab Hyder Ali (Rajeev Verma) and his son Basharat (Rajat Bedi). The latter eyes Reshma and wants to marry her, but she repels his overtures. Kishan (Prem Chopra), a friend of Samad Khan tries to convince him to get Reshma married to Akhtar, in view of their strong love for each other. When all attempts to woo Reshma fail, Basharat lets loose a reign of terror and that forms the action packed climax of the film.

Out Of Control

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
What happens when
East meets West...
Dreams become nightmares...
Jaswinder becomes Jimmy...
Life goes Out Of Control!

Out of Control is a rib tickling situational comedy of lives and wives with an international feel and Indian feeling.

The movie made news ever since its promos went online, and for many reasons. Firstly for it's producer - Vashu Bhagnani's unique promotional strategies (which include the Passport format press kit and mid-air music release). Secondly for casting in a Hindi film, a hot Hollywood babe - Brande Roderick (of Baywatch Hawaii series fame) in a full-fledged role.

This Hindi-English bilingual tells the story of Jaswinder from Punjab (Ritesh Deshmukh) who reaches the shores of America with dreams in his eyes and a career as his intent. Little does he know that when his dreams come true, he will lose his sleep forever...!

He happens to meet the saucy, sensuous and scintillating American Pie - Sally (Brande Roderick) and seeks her help for his work permit. Sally is happy to oblige but with 3 magical words "Then marry me!" Practicality overcomes all else and Jaswinder become Jimmy, the husband of Sally.

Life with Sally begins... But something else is being planned back home in Punjab. Jimmy's father Jatta Singh Bedi (Amrish Puri) has made big plans for Jaswinder's marriage to desi kudi Richa (Hrishitaa Bhatt). Jatta Singh summons Jimmy to Punjab and makes sure that things go his way.

Every man's fantasy of having two wives now becomes Jimmy's biggest nightmare! Jimmy has to go back to America where Sally is ever so pally. But would never forgive this folly...Little does he know that Richa and Jatta Singh will be quick to follow him to America.

Now what will Jimmy do? Will Jaswinder overcome Jimmy? How will he handle two wives? Where do his loyalties lie? What will happen when the twain meets?

Marriages, it is said are made in heaven. But two marriages...???

Indeed, only God can help those who are Out of Control.

Of the supporting cast, Satish Kaushik plays Mango Singh, who like his name has sweet 'n' sour shades to his character. He's the self appointed advisor to Jimmy. Also Satish Shah appears in a truly unique character called Flower, (for which he even shaved off his moustache) who is a happy and 'gay' personality.

This out and out comedy is directed by the debutante duo of Ramanjit Juneja and Apurva Asarani with music by Anand Raj Anand and lyrics by Dev Kohli.

The movie is scheduled to release by the year-end.

Prosecutor misunderstood her: Witness in Air India trial

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
Vancouver, Nov 7 (PTI) The key witness in Air India bombing case has said the Crown prosecutor has misunderstood many of the things she told him in pre-trial interviews.
The prosecutor, Joe Bellows, got information wrong, including his false impression that she wrote about two confessions made by prime accused Ripudaman Singh Malik regarding his involvement in the Air India bombing case, she told the court yesterday.

Court earlier heard the woman wrote in her diary about her various conversations with Vancouver-based businessman Malik, with whom she had a relationship. She has also testified that Malik confessed to her twice.

But yesterday, she said "I have never written about Air India" in the diary.

"Mr. Bellows, most of the time you didn't get it right," said the woman, who can't be named under court order.

"He mispronounced Sikh names and mixed up Sikh institutions, she said.

"I tell you five years worth of things and when you take those things, you blend them together. I tell you things here and there, and most of the time you do not understand," she was quoted as saying in the court by the Globe and Mail.

The woman is the star prosecution witness in bombing of the Air India flight 182 which went down off Irish coast on June 23, 1985 killing all 329 people on board. PTI

New Zealand beat India by four wickets

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
Cuttack, Nov 6 (PTI) New Zealand beat India by four wickets in the triangular one-day international cricket series match at the Barabati stadium here tonight.
The win meant India and New Zealand were tied on nine points from four matches each behind Australia who have 18.

Three more matches remain in the round-robin league with the three teams playing each other once.

The final is schedule for Nov 18 in Kolkata.

Brief scores: India 246 for 9 in 50 overs (Mohammad Kaif 64, Hemang Badani 41, Zaheer Khan 33 no; Daryl Tuffey 3-31, Scott Styris 3-38) lost to New Zealand 249 for 6 in 47.3 overs (Styris 68, Craig McMillan 82 no; Zaheer Khan 2-49). PTI

Vajpayee condemns Gujarat violence

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
London, Nov 7 (PTI) Condemning the Gujarat violence, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said that those found guilty of carrying out the atrocities during the riots in the state last year will be punished and "justice will be not only seen to be done, it will be done." "There is no doubt that those perpetrating in such violence should be punished. Our public, media and judiciary are following it closely. Justice will not only seen to be done, it will be done," Vajpayee told the Financial Times.
In a wide-ranging interview, Vajpayee also expressed "disappointment" with Pakistan's failure to take steps to dismantle "the infrastructure of cross-border terrorism". But he said he would stick to his "step-by-step" approach to normalising relations with Pakistan.

Vajpayee's remarks on last year's Gujarat riots - in which over 1,000 people were killed - are his strongest condemnation so far of the violence.

They are also likely to be interpreted as a strong signal of support for the Supreme Court which in September felt the state government was attempting to deny justice to the victims of the communal riots. PTI

Notification for assembly polls in 4 states issued

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 7 (PTI) The formal process to elect new assemblies in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh was set in motion today with the issue of notifications that marks the opening of filing of nominations for the December one polls.
With the issue of notification by the state Governors concerned, the filing of nominations will go on till November 14.

The Election Commission has also issued a separate notification detailing the schedule for December one polls in the four States.

Scrutiny of nominations will be taken up on November 15 and last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 17.

The notification for the assembly polls in Mizoram was issued on October 27 and the last date for withdrawals closed yesterday. Polling will be held on November 20. PTI

US should 'compel' Pak to hand over Dawood to India: Advani

Friday, November 7, 2003 | Editor
Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Nov 7 (PTI) Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today said the US should "compel" Pakistan to hand over underworld don and "global terrorist" Dawood Ibrahim to India to demonstrate its seriousness of working to eliminate terrorism.
"Mere announcement (about declaring Dawood as global terrorist) is not enough. The US must compel Pakistan to hand over Dawood to India for trial," he said addressing a public meeting at Gandhi Maidan here.

Noting that the US had been giving financial and other assistance to Pakistan, he said Washington can compel Islamabad and demonstrate its seriousness of fight against terrorism.

Referring to America's declarations that it was trying to track down al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden, Advani said steps should be taken to bring to book at least those whose location is known as the US had said it was aware of Dawood's presence in Pakistan.

Dawood, prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts, tops the list of terrorists whose handing over has been sought from Pakistan by India.

He said the world had awaken to the dangers of terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US and Washington had realised that what Pakistan was doing against India was wrong. PTI

Mayawati vows to defeat BJP in polls

Thursday, November 6, 2003 | Editor
BHOPAL : Vowing to defeat BJP in coming assembly polls, BSP supremo Mayawati today refuted charges that she was “sold out” to Congress saying BJP must be taught a lesson for its alleged conspiracy to arrest her in Taj corridor project case by “misusing CBI”.

“BJP will not be allowed to retain power after next Lok Sabha elections and for this we have to defeat it in the December one assembly polls in four states. BSP has worked out a strategy to contain BJP”, she said at a party workers convention here.

In her three-hour speech, the BSP president, without naming Congress, asked the people of Madhya Pradesh to “vote for a party which is capable of defeating BJP”.

At the same time, she said Congress should not be allowed to secure absolute majority as “the balance of power should be with BSP which must be in a position to play a crucial role in the formation of government after the elections.”

Terming as “baseless” allegations that she was sold out to Congress in Madhya Pradesh, Mayawati said “had I been greedy, I would not have stepped down from chief ministership in Uttar Pradesh after remaining in power for 15 months. BSP is now strong enough to raise sufficient money to buy manuvadi parties”.

Apprehending arrest in Taj corridor case, Mayawati said she was framed as part of a conspiracy by the Centre by “misusing CBI” though the project was initiated in January, 2002 when BJP’s Rajnath Singh was Chief Minister. “I was in no way connected with the project at any stage”, she said.

Arguments in tandoor case postponed

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 5 (PTI) Arguments on sentencing former Delhi Youth Congress leader Sushil Sharma and another convict in the infamous Tandoor murder case remained inconclusive today and were postponed till tomorrow following a commotion created by the public and lawyers inside and outside the Tis Hazari courtroom here.
Arguments of Special Public Prosecutor A P Ahluwalia, who sought death sentence for Sharma for killing his wife and then trying burn the body in a 'tandoor' (oven) in 1995, were partly heard on account of commotion coming from outside the courtroom of Additional Sessions Judge G P Thareja.

Perturbed by the happenings, the judge ordered postponement of the hearing till 1200 hours tomorrow.

He also ordered that entry of people, press persons and lawyers be restricted for tomorrow's hearing to allow the court to function smoothly.

Justice Thareja said only one representative each from media organisations and a total of 50 lawyers would be allowed at the next hearing. PTI

9 sentenced to life in Hashmi murder case

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Ghaziabad (UP), Nov 5 (PTI) All the nine accused in the murder of well-known theatre personality Safdar Hashmi and another CPI (M) activist were today awarded life imprisonment by a local court here today, 14 years after the gruesome killing when they were staging a street play.
Fourth Additional District Judge C D Rai awarded life sentence to Mukesh Sharma, an independent candidate in the Ghaziabad municipal elections, and his associates Devi Sharan Sharma, Jitender, Ram Avtar, Vinod, Yunus Ali, Tahir Hussein, Ramesh and Karan Singh under Section 302 (murder) of IPC for the killing of Hashmi and activist Ram Bahadur New Year's day in 1989 in Jhandapur in Sahibabad.

Hashmi, a leading light of the left wing cultural outfit Jana Natya Manch, was enacting a play 'Halla Bol' alongwith wife Molayashree Hashmi in support of CPI (M) candidate Ramnath Jha in Ghaziabad municipal elections in 1989 against Mukesh Sharma.

The judge, who observed that the case was "not one of the rarest of rare" but "symbolised criminalisation of politics", also six years' imprisonment to all the accused under various sections that covered rioting with deadly weapons, trespass, wrongful confinement and prosecution of common offence.

All the nine accused were present in the court to hear the judge pronounce the sentence. Yesterday, the judge had convicted them for the double murder. PTI

India eager to keep Kiwis on mat in tri-series cricket

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Sirshendu Panth Cuttack, Nov 5 (PTI) Comprehensively outplayed by world champions Australia in Mumbai, India need to fire on all cylinders to bolster their chances of reaching the final by prevailing upon a winless New Zealand in a day night encounter of the triangular cricket series here tomorrow.
With Australia having already assured themselves of a place in the title round by gleaning 18 points from four matches, the Kiwis and the hosts are now in the race for making it to the majestic Eden Gardens - venue for the grand final on November 18 - though the home side look superior on current form.

India, culling eight points from three outings are in the second spot, while the Black Caps have only four points in their kitty from three games.

However, India's build up for the first-ever day-night encounter at the Barabati Stadium hit a speedbreaker when leggie Anil Kumble opted out following the demise of his father, prompting the selectors to rope in Sairaj Bahutule as the replacement in the 14-member squad.

Indian coach John Wright has indicated that left- arm-slow bowler Murali Karthik stood a bright chance of making it to the playing eleven as the spin partner of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

"Kartik did a good job against the West Indies, and he has always done well given a chance," Wright said. PTI

Aetbaar

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Aetbaar
Cast :Amitabh Bachan , John Abraham , Bipasha Basu ,
Stills of the movie - Aetbaar

Preview : Tata Infomedia Limited (of the Yellow Pages fame) enters the audiovisual medium with the launch of 'Cutting Edge Entertainment'. Aetbaar is it's maiden venture in the field of motion picture production.

Aetbaar deals with one of life's most beautiful relationships – the father and daughter bonding. Right from the arrival of the little princess to the time she moves to her own kingdom, a father always shares joy, sorrows, treasured memories and sworn secrets with his daughter. But the greatest fear for the father remains - the man in his daughter's life. Who is to draw the line between care and over-protection?

Dr. Malhotra (Amitabh Bachchan) believes he is simply a protective parent while his daughter Ria (Bipasha Basu) believes he's simply possessive. All is well till Aryan (John Abraham) walks into their life.

Aryan is the epitome of all the values that Ria's father abhors – wild, unpredictable, overpowering and obsessive. But he has all the qualities that Ria had always wished her life partner should have – an intriguing, magnetic and sensitive personality. Aryan has only one mission in life - being in love with Ria. Nothing else matters.

Soon begins a war of ideologies, desires and wits. How far can Dr. Malhotra go to convince his only child that she's headed towards disaster? From the dingy lanes of Mumbai to the breathtaking locales of Vancouver, Canada, the making of Aetbaar weathered sun, rain, storm and even snow! The scenic locales make a perfect backdrop to showcase the sizzling chemistry between the lead pair. Spectacular sets were designed for both Aryan and Malhotra house, both contrasting in nature. But most awesome of all was the recreation of an entire lake and log outhouse, which needed a mind-boggling 10,00,000 litres of water, tones of wood and pop material, a speed boat and enough trees to plant a forest.

Directed by Vikram Bhatt , the film has music composed by Rajesh Roshan and cinematography by Pravin Bhatt. The film is slated for a December release.

Funtoosh

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Funtoosh
Cast :Anuj Sawhney, Iqbal Khan, Paresh Rawal, Farida Jalal, Nataneya Singh, Raima Sen , ,

Preview : Under the banner of Shree Ashtavinayak Cine Vision Pvt. Ltd., comes a rib tickling comedy – 'Fun2shhh… dudes in the 10th century' directed by debutante Imtiaz Punjabi. The film stars comedy king Paresh Rawal along with Anuj Sawhney (last seen in Nayee Padosan) and introduces a new talent – Iqbal Khan.

'Funtoosh' is about three snappy dudes Ajju (Anuj Sawhney), Vikram (Iqbal Khan) and Johny (Paresh Rawal), and their unbelievably hilarious adventures that span over...well, about ten centuries. When the trio are wrongly accused by their employer Bhaleram (Kadar Khan) of stealing a 10th century king's precious crown from an exhibition, the dudes literally hit a wall...that magically transports them to the 10th century. Now these dudes from the 21st century have a roller coaster of adventures in the ancient kingdom of the king (Gulshan Grover).

Amidst fearsome soldiers and dangerous chases, the trio finds shelter in the house of a lady magician who is the pre-incarnate of their 21st century landlady (Farida Jalal). Meanwhile, Ajju and Vicky fall in love with the princesses (Nataneya Singh and Raima Sen), and they finally elope with them back to the 21st century - along with the authentic 10th century crown stolen from the king himself. But all is not well yet, what with the king himself landing in the 21st century in hot pursuit of the dudes, to get his daughters and his crown back. Everything leads to an exciting, high-voltage, hilarious climax.

The film was shot on specially constructed sets at Film City, Mumbai and on other actual locations in Mumbai city. Musician Pritam Chakravorthy has composed 5 songs on lyrics penned by Nitin Raikwar.

The film will release on 19th December 2003.

Munnabhai MBBS

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Munnabhai MBBS
Cast :Sunil Dutt, Sanjay Dutt , Jimmy Shergill , Arshad Warsi, Gracy Singh ,

Preview : Munnabhai (Sanjay Dutt) is a happy man. He lives with his gang in the bylanes of a 'dhobi ghat' in Mumbai; takes pride in being a 'social worker' (they actually settle 'financial disputes' through 'dadagiri'); and enjoys his booze, babes, brawls followed by a good night's sleep. Not much bothers Munna.

Except his parents' annual visit from the village. Munna's father, Hari Prasad Sharma (Sunil Dutt), an upright, moralistic man believes that his son is actually a doctor running a charity hospital. Every year, when his parents arrive, Munna and his gang bathe, shave, don white coats and stethoscopes and pretend to be diligent doctors.

This year, however, the clever charade falls apart. Hari Prasad Sharma runs into an old friend, Dr. Asthana (Boman Irani), who has a daughter called Suman (Gracy Singh). The two decide that their children, both doctors, would make a perfect match. Munna tries hard to save the situation, but his father discovers the truth. And all hell breaks loose.

Hari Prasad Sharma, now broken by the truth, removes his white spotless 'pagadi' and cries. Munnabhai then takes a decision that would change many lives : He decides to become a doctor.

Munnabhai MBBS is a hilarious and heart warming story of a local goon's journey into the medical world - a place he neither belongs to nor believes in. It is a classic story of a right man in a wrong place.

Vajpayee, Kumaratunga to discuss LTTE

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Colombo: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga and the Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee are expected to discuss security and other issues thrown up by the LTTE's controversial proposals for an Interim Administration in the Sri Lankan North East, when they meet in New Delhi sometime between November 8 and 10.

A spokesman of the Presidential Secretariat here told Hindustan Times that a one to one meeting with Vajpayee "was on", though the President would be in New Delhi primarily to deliver the keynote address at two international conferences, one on November 9 and the other on November 10.

The meeting assumes special significance in the light of the LTTE's very radical set of proposals for an autonomous North-East, which seriously impinges on the sovereignty, integrity and security of Sri Lanka. Some of the provisions in the LTTE's proposals impinge on India's security too.

The LTTE's claim to the north-eastern coastline and the resources off the coast, and its insistence on controlling access to the coastline and the resources of the sea off this coastline, restrict the Sri Lankan Navy's legitimate mandate to safeguard the sovereignty, integrity and security of Sri Lanka. The restrictions will prevent the Navy from intercepting and destroying the smuggling of weapons by the LTTE.

It is generally recognised that Indian intelligence inputs have helped the Sri Lankan Navy to achieve its objectives with a fair measure of success so far.

The LTTE's demand for control over economic investments in the North East has implications for the Indian Oil Corporation's multi-million dollar investment in the gigantic oil storage facility in Trincomalee.

If the LTTE's proposals are accepted, India would have to negotiate or deal with a LTTE-run Interim Administration. This would be difficult as LTTE is banned in India and its chief V Prabhakaran is a wanted man in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

On October 20, Vajpayee and Sri Lankan PM Wickremesinghe had agreed to have a Defence Cooperation Agreement "at the earliest". But the Sri Lankan President, who believes that the Wickremesinghe government is appeasing the LTTE, is expected to press the Indian leaders to put pressure on it to be tough.

The President is also holding out a threat to take over the Defence Ministry. But Buddhist leaders have warned of the negative consequences of such as step.

Meanwhile, experts say that India, which has very good relations with both the Sri Lankan President and the Wickremesinghe government, must strike a balance between the two as without any of them the LTTE can not be kept in check.

BJP, Cong brace for state poll clash

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
BJP, Cong brace for state poll clash
5-November-2003

NEW DELHI: Amid growing bitterness, India is bracing for its last major electoral face-off before next year's parliamentary polls, with the country's two main political parties battling it out to outdo each other.

In India's largely bipolar politics, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been pitted against the main opposition Congress, which rules four northern states that will pick new legislatures on December 1.

As both parties finalise their candidates for Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi after weeks of consultations and backroom lobbying, it is with the knowledge that the verdict in the electoral battle will have a bearing on the national elections.

"This will be the final trial of strength between the Congress and the BJP before the Lok Sabha elections next year," says veteran BJP leader Pramod Mahajan.

Although the BJP insists otherwise, the party's leadership is said to be in favour of advancing the national elections if it fares well in the state polls, since the verdict would reflect on the national mood.

The Congress says it is confident of retaining power in all four states, though analysts say it faces a gigantic task in three of them.

Congress spokesperson S Jaipal Reddy says: "We will win all states. There will always be some anti-incumbency factor, but our understanding is that the Congress has made gains in the past few months."

It is a high stakes battle, and the full extent is barely visible in the nomination seekers and political workers camping outside party offices and the propaganda posters plastered all over town.

Perhaps the run-up has been most bitter in Madhya Pradesh, one of the largest states with 230 assembly seats where Congress Chief Minister Digvijay Singh is facing an aggressive rival, saffron-robed Uma Bharati of the BJP.

The BJP is determined to end Singh's consecutive two-term run by highlighting the poor state of roads, electricity problems and lack of development.

Singh was cut to the quick by Vajpayee's remarks in a rally that Madhya Pradesh had become a sick state in the past 10 years of Congress rule.

He is banking on the weakening of the BJP campaign due to the infighting plaguing its state unit.

His Chhattisgarh counterpart Ajit Jogi is facing mounting odds despite early positive indications.

According to party surveys, the BJP and the Congress are neck and neck in the battle for the state's 90 seats.

Jogi is trying hard to keep his head above controversies over forgery charges and his caste-based politics, but what could come to his rescue is the lack of a credible BJP rival.

Nonetheless, the BJP's Dilip Singh Judeo, a central minister, has vowed to shave off his moustache if he loses to Jogi.

Mimail Worm Variations Launch Attack

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Variants of the Mimail worm released over the weekend continued to plague businesses Monday with higher-than-usual volumes of e-mail traffic as the worm propagated by stealing addresses and mass mailing itself to new unsuspecting victims.

“Get ready for the storm,” warned Ken Dunham, the director of malicious code at iDefense, a Reston, Va.-based security intelligence firm.

Since Friday, when Mimail.C first surfaced, four variants -- dubbed Mimail.D, Mimail.E, Mimail.F, and MiMail.H -- have been uncovered by security firms. All share enough characteristics, ranging from packaging their payloads in compressed .zip files to targeting specific Web sites for denial-of-service attacks, that convince analysts that one individual, or a group of attacks working together, are conducting the assault.

“This wave of MiMail attacks reveals the sophistication of the attacker...this is not some 'script kiddie' getting lucky with spreading viruses in the wild. The author of MiMail worms has a carefully planned and calculated his attacks,” said Dunham.

Chris Belthoff, a senior security analyst with anti-virus maker Sophos, agrees, although it's also possible, he said, that someone is simply cracking the code of Mimail.C, making changes, and releasing the worm back into the wild. “We may have some copycatting going on,” he said.

Both analysts said that the biggest problem is the sheer number of variants, and the speed with which they've been released. “It's making it very difficult to block this at the gateway,” said Dunham.

Like the worm that broke Friday, the new Mimail variants pose as e-mails from users that the recipient might know, since the worm harvests addresses from compromised machines before re-mailing itself to others.

Another characteristic shared by the variants is a .zip file attachment, which when opened, infects the target machine. Zip files, a popular format for compressing documents to send via e-mail, are not blocked by all organizations at the e-mail gateway, since unlike executables, they're considered safer.

To compound the problem, the variants' .zip files have been purposefully corrupted, said Dunham, so that they're not correctly scanned by some anti-virus software. “The Zip files are designed to choke up some anti-virus software, making the programs give up on the scanning and move on, letting the worm through,” he noted.

Belthoff, however, said that when properly configured, the Sophos anti-virus software scans the compressed files and detects the worm variations.

Among the Web sites added to the denial-of-service (DoS) attack list by the new mutations are several spam information Web sites, such as Spamhaus.org and SPEWS.org, both of which were down as of mid-morning Monday.

Organizations should aggressive update their anti-virus definitions, filter against the worms' known file attachments, scan compressed files, and most importantly, alert employees yet again of the danger of opening unknown or unanticipated file attachments, said the experts.

“It all comes down to the human element,” said Belthoff. “People still don't understand that they shouldn't blindly open file attachments.”

Although the damage to infected machines is minimal, the e-mail traffic Mimail generates as it spreads may have an impact on businesses, Belthoff said.

Security firms have pegged the Mimail worm family as a medium or moderate threat, and none have revised their threat assessments since Mimail.C showed on Friday. So far, Mimail has not shown the legs, or the potential to wreck as much havoc as, for instance, major worm attacks such as Sobig.

New tools to clean infected systems have appeared, however, including an automated utility available from the Symantec Web site that wipes out the C, D, and E variations.

Surprising Shah Rukh

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Impossible as it seemed, Karan Johar and Gauri Khan were able to pull off a surprise birthday party for Shah Rukh Khan on Saturday night at his Bandra residence.

The fairy lights in the garden, the illuminated terrace, the caterers milling around and the numerous bouquets would naturally have piqued the actor’s curiosity, but not till the first guests had begun to arrive did he realise the scale of the event. And as colleagues from the film industry, friends, and family strolled in way past the midnight hour, Shah Rukh’s bewilderment was palpable.

As the superstar turned the corner on 38 years at the stroke of midnight, his terrace and game room resounded with birthday wishes. Given the impressive turn out – nearly the whole industry – it’s easier to say who wasn’t there. Here are some highlights from the birthday party of the season:

Those we missed: Salman Khan, Aamir Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Rani Mukerji, Ajay Devgan, Abhishek Bachchan.

Towering above the rest: Sushmita Sen – in height and at the pool table. Amitabh Bachchan – who arrived late (from Kolkata, we believe) but didn’t show any hint of tiredness.

The long and short of the evening: Farhan Akhtar and Zayed Khan looking good in long hair, and Kajol looking impish in short.

Red alert: How does Sheetal Mafatlal do it every time? Her mini, off the shoulder red dress was quite the showstopper.

The birthday boy: A clearly overwhelmed Shah Rukh Khan was finally dragged onto the dance floor by his colleagues from Kal Ho Na Ho to swing Mahi Ve, from the film’s soundtrack.

Amitabh to play a football match

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Amitabh Bachchan will be playing a football match in Jaisalmer as part of the annual desert festival. Director Anil (Gadar) Sharma will be filming the entire match, which would be incorporated in his upcoming film Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyon. Akshay Kumar and Bobby Deol, who star in this patriotic drama, will also be participating in this match.

The unit which needs about 1200 spectators in traditional Rajasthani costumes in the stadium is pretty confident that Big B's popularity will pull in the crowd.

Amitabh-Dharmendra team up again

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Two icons of Indian cinema, who memorably lit up the screen in films like Sholay and Chupke Chupke, will appear together once again.

The 'Jai-Veeru' duo of Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra have been cast for Hum Kaun Hain.

And the screen chemistry between the two legends was visibly on the sets of the film as well. Amitabh heard Dharmendra's makeup man, Ram's mobile ringing, and decided to answer the call.

"If we look at my history, I've always distributed love," said Dharmendra.

The bilingual film, made in Hindi and Bengali, also stars Moushmi Chatterjee and Dimple Kapadia. The movie is being directed by former Yash Chopra assistant Ravi Shankar and the producer is Soni Juneja.

Hum Hain Kaun is set to release on December 27. And more than the plot, it's the chance to see Jai and Veeru together again, which may bring in the crowds.

A goal for the Big B

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
JAISALMER: Having ruled the silver screen for decades, Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan will now try his hand at another field, when he plays a football match in the presence of thousands of spectators later this month.

The match, which is being organised as part of the annual desert festival on November 22, will also be incorporated into the shooting of Bachchan-starrer Ab Tumhare Hawale Watan Sathiyon , with director Anil Sharma planning to shoot the entire match, sources said on Monday.

Besides Bachchan, the other stars of the film, Bobby Deol and Akshay Kumar, would also figure among the players in the match, they said.

It will be only the second time that Bachchan is shooting a film in this desert town after Reshma Aur Shera which he shot in the early part of his career.

The film star, had however visited Jaisalmer in 2002 to celebrate his birthday and watch the shooting of his son Abhishek's film, Mumbai Se Aaya Mera Dost.

Official sources said the district administration would extend all possible help to the film unit.

"The unit needs about 1200 spectators in traditional Rajasthani dresses in the stadium flanks for the shoot of the match and we are confident that popularity of Bachchan would make our task of attracting people in to the stadium easier," Assistant Director Tourism Upendra Singh Shekhawat said.

Ash to champion the cause of kids

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
MUMBAI: Cine star Aishwarya Rai has decided to take up the cause of polio affected children.

"Aishwarya decided to fund the treatment of needy children suffering from polio" on her 30th birthday on Sunday, her secretary Hari Singh said.

Breaking away from tradition, the actress also decided to spend time at the Nana-Wana Park, dedicated to senior citizens.

"Aishwarya felt that she needed the blessings of the elderly. She is also touched by the loveliness of people and wanted to spent time with them," he added.

"She also took each and every phone call yesterday and answered those who called in to wish her."

Vivek`s special birthday gift to Ash

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
So we all know Ash turned 30 on Saturday. But what made her 30th birthday really special was a surprise arranged by close friend Vivek Oberoi.

Vivek pleasantly amazed co-star Aishwarya with 30 different gifts, one corresponding to each year of her life.

The varied presents had everything right from a naughty diaper for her first year to her SSC head girl school uniform, a nostalgic remembrance form her last year in school. More than a month long preparation was put in by Vivek to make the occasion memorable.

Meanwhile the couple was also spotted enjoying a motorboat ride on the birthday eve at H2O at Chowpatty in Mumbai.

Courtesy: Indiafm

Senior PDP leader gunned down

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Srinagar, Nov 4 (PTI) Targeting ruling People's Democratic Party, militants shot dead senior leader Ghulam Mohammad Ganai in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir today.
Three masked militants fired at Ganai, zonal president of PDP and a contractor by profession, from point blank when he was overseeing construction work at a shopping complex at Tahejbagh in Pampore area around 11.30 a.m., official sources said.

Ganai was critically injured in the attack with two bullets in his chest and was rushed to a nearby hospital and then to soura medical institute for specialised treatment where he succumbed to injuries, they said.

His three security guards retaliated and fired at the militants injuring one of them, the sources said adding that the ultras, however, fled. The security guards had been provided to him in view of the threat to his life from militants.

Police and security forces have cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the militants involved in the attack.

However, no arrests have been made.

No militant outfit has claimed responsibility for the attack. PTI

Pop star Daler Mehndi's bail plea rejected

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Patiala, Nov 4 (PTI) Police noose around noted Punjabi singer Daler Mehndi, who is evading police since last Wednesday, tightened today after a local court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea in the illegal human trafficking case.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate P S Dhanoa rejected the singer's application for bail after hearing arguments on his behalf and the Punjab Police.

Meanwhile, Patiala Police said it had not made any breakthrough in its efforts to arrest the singer who was not traceable at his known addresses after having appeared before the local police for two days last week.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Paramraj Singh Umranangal told PTI that raiding parties were yet to get any clue about the singer's whereabouts, but as per the statement of Mehndi's counsel in the local court today, he (Daler) was admitted in a hospital at Noida, adjoining Delhi.

The police was trying to find out the hospital, he said adding that search for the singer would continue by police parties which had been sent to Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh.

Daler's counsel Anand Parkash made five pleas in the court - bail for the singer, a CBI probe into the case, an independent investigation as the Patiala Police was working in a biased manner, police protection for the lawyers and their associates and presence of lawyers during interrogation. PTI

Hungary invites Indian investments

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) The visiting Hungarian Prime Minister, Peter Medgyssey, said today Indians were welcome to invest in and trade with his country that is all set to join the European Union.
"We will be very glad, and this is what I am encouraging you for, if Hungry could be an emerging target of investment by Indian companies," Medgyssey said here at a business conference attended by a number of Indian CEOs.

Tata Consultancy Services has been present in Budapest since two years, he said, adding an Indian company has expressed interest in acquiring stake in Hungry's biggest metallurgical plant Dunaferr.

Hungary's strategic geographical location might come handy for Indian companies who wish to cater to central, eastern and southern Europe, the Hungarian Prime Minister said.

He said Hungary has already been taking keen interest in investing in India.

"Hungarian capital, for instance, is present in Indian pharmaceutical industry through Themis Medicare Ltd, based in Bombay.

"We could also make a mention of the joint stock company Technip Ganz Machinery which is engaged in design and supply of turbines and hydraulic power machinery in India," he said.

India exports cars, textiles and iron and ore to Hungary and other Indian products would be welcome, he said. PTI

Sensex soars past 5100-level

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
Mumbai, Nov 4 (PTI) Prompted by sustained flow of funds that once again has turned the market on fire since last weekend, equities fluctuated erratically aiding the sensex crossed the 5100-level in volatile activity on the Mumbai Stock Exchange today.
The BSE Benchmark 30-share Index which soared by over 399 points or 8.5 per cent in the last six sessions, opened firm at 5096.16 and later fluctuated erratically in a range between 5135.00 and 5055.57 before ending at 5097.84 as against yesterday's close of 5063.03, a net rise of 34.81 points or 0.69 per cent.

However, retail investors remained cautious as usual at the prevailing higher levels and booked profits by selling off part of their holdings during the last 30 minutes.

Initially, the market witnessed all-round buying support, brokers said adding private mutual funds which earlier were considered to be major sellers on day to day basis, were believed to have made heavy purchases in many blue chips.

The principal driving force Foreign Instutitutional Investors (FIIs) remained net buyers having pumped in sizeable funds in heavyweighted counters.

The sentiment is expected to remain bullish on indication that there would be consistency in the flow of funds in the Indian bourses from outside the country.

Cement and Healthcare stocks were in the forefront on heavy purchases by foreign funds as well as operators. After early sharp rally, IT shares met a strong resistance due to profit booking by retail investors. PTI

Advani asks Hurriyat to be realistic

Wednesday, November 5, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI) Asserting that the Government has always favoured resolution of all conflicts through dialogue and peaceful means, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today hoped that Hurriyat Conference would bring "sincere, realistic and constructive" approach when they come for talks with him.
Inaugurating the Director General's of Police Conference, organised by Intelligence Bureau, Advani said the "tide in Jammu and Kashmir is turning...after elections last year, the Centre has rendered its fullest support to confidence restoring measures undertaken by the State Government.

"Recently, we have added a new dimension to these efforts to restore peace and normalcy in the state. The Government has always been open to the resolution of all conflicts through dialogue and peaceful means," he said while referring to the talks offer extended to Hurriyat Conference.

"It is in this spirit that I have agreed to meet the Hurriyat leaders. I hope that they bring to these talks a sincere, constructive and realistic approach, consistent with the intense desire of the people of the state to see an end to the era of violence," the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Referring to Pakistan, Advani said its sincerity to improve bilateral ties could be gauged by its response to India's demand to handover 20 fugitives including Dawood Ibrahim, whom the US recently declared as a "global terrorist".

Others present at the function included Ministers of Home Haren Pathak and I D Swami, Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande, Home Secretary N Gopalaswami, Director of Intelligence Bureau K P Singh and IB Special Director A K Duval. PTI

Aussies hit back, beat India by 77 runs

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
Mumbai, Nov 1 (PTI) Rattled by a blistering Australian batting onslaught, India succumbed to the pressure of chasing a huge total as the world champions made amends for the Gwalior debacle with a comfortable 77-run victory in the triangular series cricket match here today.

Chasing a challenging 287 for victory, the Indians never really recovered from the early jolts despite valiant knocks by Sachin Tendulkar (68) and Rahul Dravid (59) to be bowled out for 209 with 3.4 overs to spare in what turned out to be rather one-sided floodlit encounter.

The Aussies not only erased memories of their 37-run defeat in Gwalior last Sunday but also jumped to the top of the table with 13 points from three outings while the Indians had eight points to their credit from as many matches. New Zealand, the third team in the fray, were at the bottom of the table with three points.

The visitors outplayed the Indians in their own backyard in all departments of the game despite losing the in-form Matthew Hayden for a first-ball duck on a track which provided some assistance to the bowlers.

Electing to bat, Damien Martyn led the Australian batting assault with a rollicking 100 capitalising on some wayward bowling by the hosts while Andrew Symonds (48), Michae Bevan (42), Adam Gilchrist (41) and Ricky Ponting (31) came up with useful contributions to leave the fully-packed Wankhede stadium in a daze. PTI

Govt evolving focussed approach for talks with Hurriyat

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
Ajay Kaul New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) As a follow up to naming Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani for talks with Hurriyat, an exercise has begun in the government to evolve a "focussed approach" to the dialogue process.
The government has formed a "Coordination Group" comprising Centre's interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir N N Vohra, Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande, Home Secretary N Gopalaswami, Intelligence Bureau Director K P Singh and former RAW Director A S Dulat to do the groundwork before talks could be held with Hurriyat leadership, high-level official sources told PTI here today.

After holding two preliminary meetings last week, the group will meet early next week again to hold comprehensive discussions on the intended dialogue considering the ground realities, they said.

"The exercise is to evolve a focussed approach to the dialogue process," a source said, pointing out that the group will be meeting at regular intervals.

Noting that Hurriyat's response after the October 22 announcement had been "positive", the sources said the government expected the conglomerate to take "some time" before the talks could actually begin.

"The Hurriyat has said it will evolve a consensus before holding talks. Such an exercise takes time and we are also not in a hurry," they said. PTI

Heritage trail revives struggling maharajahs

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
When the Prince of Wales went tiger hunting with the Maharajah of Jodhpur in 1921, the Indian prince was a god-like figure holding the power of life and death over a kingdom the size of Scotland.
Millions of his impoverished subjects were ruled from the glittering feudal court of the maharajah, the most important of the puppet rulers used by the British to control a third of India.

His majesty, descended from the Moon according to legend, ruled a backward state much as his warrior ancestors had when they founded the city 700 years ago.

Much has changed since. When Prince Charles meets his old friend Gaj Singh II today in Jodhpur’s spectacular fortress-palace towering over the desert city, the maharajah is now legally no more than a citizen of India.

Like India’s other princes, the royal family has survived a turbulent half-century which has seen them stripped of their powers and titles.

Fifty years ago, India’s glamorous but decadent royalty was out of fashion and looked doomed to extinction, firmly locked in the sights of Congress Party radicals who wanted the feudals swept into history’s dustbin.

But the royals survived, and the maharajah symbolises a new breed who are once again prospering.

Gaj Singh is one of India’s most successful businessmen, a leading figure in the booming tourist trade and yet still revered by former subjects who prostrate themselves before him and struggle to touch his feet as he passes.

His fellow big-name royals in the western desert state of Rajasthan – Udaipur, Jaipur and Jaisalmer – have followed his lead and opened spectacular palace hotels for well-heeled guests, as have dozens of smaller ex-princelings in a motley collection of mansions and forts.

Like aristocrats anywhere, the princes at first looked down on trade and sneered at Jodhpur, until they saw how he had filled his empty coffers. Now the heritage hotels industry they created is becoming one of India’s most lucrative businesses.

But modern maharajahs aren’t just hoteliers. Families such as Scindia, who once ruled a huge swathe of central India, have gone into politics. In the 1950s and 60s maharajahs scooped up the feudal vote, with nearly 100% of the votes cast in some elections thanks to deference by former subjects. Many toyed with far-right Hindu chauvinist parties, often in a misjudged attempt to take revenge on their Congress tormentors.

To the disgust of some fellow royals, Scindia became a leading Congress politician, talked of as a possible future national leader before his death in an air accident two years ago. Another Scindia stepped into his shoes to found a powerful political dynasty.

Socially, the maharajahs are back on the A-list after years ofexile in backwoods palaces during the Congress-dominated decades.

Today no gathering of nouveau-riche industrialists and Bollywood stars in Delhi or Bombay is complete without an ex-royal to give a touch of class. Young scions like Jodhpur’s polo-playing son Shiraj Singh are as popular with India’s gossip columnists as his Eton classmate Prince William is in Britain.

A sign of the princes’ new-found confidence is a string of legal actions to recover properties confiscated by the state in the radical decades.

Many of those government-run forts and palaces are decaying, in contrast to the beautifully preserved palace-hotels. Gaj Singh said: “For half a century we were quiet. Now we want those issues settled once and for all.”

It’s quite a comeback. In 1947, at independence, it looked as if the princes were finished. Politicians like Jawarharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi saw them as backward traitors who had supported the British, and one of independent India’s first acts was to sweep the Ruritanian patchwork of semi-autonomous monarchies into the modern Indian state ruled from New Delhi.

The unwilling princes felt betrayed by the British and several tried to set up as independent states.

Instead they were lucky to be allowed to continue living in their palaces. Then in 1971 a vengeful Indira Gandhi stripped them of the pensions they had negotiated as the price for joining India.

For Mrs Gandhi it was window-dressing for her left-wing supporters, but for the princes it seemed to spell the end. India’s royalty, not brought up to make their way in the modern world, looked doomed.

Stories were legion about their unworldliness, extravagance and eccentricities. Before 1947, most lived in a golden cage of privilege and wealth, hemmed in by arcane rules and ancient rituals.

Not all have managed to adapt. Some are mouldering away in crumbling palaces with just their memories and the hope that one day they will be restored to glory.

Some descendants of royalty in Lucknow and Hyderabad have fallen right to the bottom, pedaling rickshaws or setting up tea stalls, wooing customers with tales of lost grandeur.

Ayodhya tangle: Talks on to resolve the issue

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
Ayodhya, nov 2 (PTI) Continuing with its efforts to thrash out a lasting solution to the vexed Ayodhya issue, the newly formed Ayodhya Jama Masjid trust has begun talks with the VHP-backed Ram Janambhoomi Nyas even as the Sangh Parivar outfit has insisted that the Sunni Central Waqf board withdraw the case pending before the court.
AJMT managing trustee S A A Rizvi said that all the people consulted over the issue so far were keen to resolve it and efforts were on to initiate interaction between different hindu and muslim organisations for finding a peaceful negotiated settlement.

Rizvi, who claimed to be in regular touch with the PMO and Union Minister of State for Home and centre's pointsman for Ayodhya Swami Chinmayand, said he has worked out a "simple formula" for resolving the tangle which could be implemented only by keeping "vested interests of both communities at bay."

According to him, the different Muslim petitioners connected with the Ayodhya case could be made to forego their claim over the disputed area if the government provided them with adequate land for constructing a 'jama masjid' elsewhere in the temple town.

However, when contacted, Nyas president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das said he has asked Rizvi to take into confidence sunni central waqf board, the main party in the case, before starting a dialogue.

VHP media incharge Sharad Sharma also said the whole exercise would be "fruitless" unless the board withdraws the case from the court. PTI

VP Shekhawat leaves for Myanmar

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) Vice-President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat today left for Myanmar on a four-day visit during which three agreements, including one on visa exemption for officials and diplomatic passport holders of the two countries, are likely to be signed.
The Vice-President was seen off at the airport by Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairperson Najma Heptulla, Delhi's Lt. Governor Vijai Kapur and Rajya Sabha Secretary General Yogendra Narayan.

Shekhawat was accompanied on his foreign tour by Minister of State for External Affairs Digvijay Singh and Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal. PTI

Bus plunges into valley in Maharashtra

Sunday, November 2, 2003 | Editor
Pune, Nov 2 (PTI) At least 22 people, including two children, were killed and 30 injured when a luxury bus from Gujarat plunged into a valley near Panchgani in Maharashtra's Satara district late last night, police said here today.
The accident occurred at Pasarni Ghat when the bus, carrying 56 passengers, was travelling to Pune from Mahabaleshwar, a hill station.

The driver of the bus lost control while negotiating a sharp curve and the bus fell into 200-ft deep valley near Buha Saheb temple, police said.

Bodies of 22 passengers had been recovered, they said adding the search for the missing four was on.

Most of the passengers hailed from Surat in Gujarat. The injured were admitted to different hospitals. PTI

India will be developed nation if basic needs fulfilled: Advani

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
Karamsad, Oct 31 (PTI) Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today said India would shed its tag of `developing nation' and emerge as a `developed' country provided elementary necessities like food, water, shelter and primary health of people are redressed totally.
"Prime Minister and the President have envisaged India as a developed nation by the year 2020 akin to US, UK and Japan.

To realise this, it is important that every citizen has shelter, two-square meals a day and every village has potable drinking water, road connectivity and facilities for health", Advani said inaugurating H M Patel Academic Centre here.

Advani admitted that India has still not been able to fufil these basic needs for all its citizens when all other nations have managed to do it.

On the tag of `developing nation', the DPM said, "We do not want the world to dub us as a developing nation. It is not a nice word to be used. Sometimes I feel, it is used so that we are not hurt but it implies that our country is still underdeveloped." PTI

India will be developed nation if basic needs fulfilled: Advani

16 injured in grenade attack on SPG camp in J-K

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
Srinagar, Oct 31 (PTI) Sixteen people, including two police personnel, were injured when militants attacked a Special Operations Group camp with a grenade at Shopian in Pulwama district this evening, official sources said.
Militants lobbed a grenade on the SOG camp at Gagran village at around 5.30 pm in which 14 civilians and two policemen, including a Special Police Officer, were injured, they said. PTI

Banks Lloyds TSB, Barclays to outsource more from India

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
London, Oct 31 (PTI) Amid protests from trade unions, two leading British banks Lloyds TSB and Barclays have announced their plans to move more than 1000 banking jobs to India as part of outsourcing to cut down costs.

Lloyds TSB said it planned to close its Newcastle call centre, employing 986 people at the end of next year and Barclays stated a review of its Hastings operation.

The bank said it planned a big expansion of its Indian operations with the aim of employing 1,500 people by the end of 2004, compared with 250 today.

A Lloyds bank spokesman said: "This is a very difficult decision and has only been made after considerable thought and discussion. We operate in a fiercely competitive environment and it is vital that we find ways of running our business effectively and competitively." Lloyds said it aimed to manage job losses through natural turnover and by redeploying staff elsewhere within the group.

Barclays said it had begun a review of its Hastings centre, which employs 350 people. It said it had made no decisions but admitted outsourcing to India was an option.

The moves follow HSBC's recent decision to transfer 4,000 British call centre and back-office jobs to the subcontinent.

HSBC's decision will close five processing centres.

Earlier this year,the bank also announced it would axe 1,400 head office jobs. PTI

India defeat Pakistan 3-1 to lift hockey gold

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
Hyderabad, Oct 31 (PTI) India continued their domination over arch rivals Pakistan with a convincing 3-1 victory in a fast-paced encounter to clinch the gold medal in the men's hockey of the inaugural Afro-Asian Games here today.
The third straight victory over their Asian rivals gave India their second major title in as many months. India has last month defeated Pakistan 4-2 in the final of the Asia Cup in Kuala Lumpur.

Arjun Halappa (7th minute), Len Aiyappa (34th) and Gagan Ajit Singh (56th) scored for the hosts while half back Gazanfar Ali scored a consolation goal for the Pakistanis in the 14th minute.

The Indians, leading 2-1 at half time, sealed the fate of the match in the 56th minute when star forward Gagan Ajit made a probing run into the Pakistani area and slotted home the winner after wrong footing two defenders. PTI

India a serious victim of cross-border terrorism: Kalam

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) President A P J Abdul Kalam today said the biggest threat to peace and stability in the world was terrorism and India continues to be a serious victim of the same for more than two and a half decades now.
Speaking at a banquet hosted in honour of visiting Armenian President Robert Kocharian and his wife Bella Kocharian, the President said "terrorism has no justification whether religious, ideological or political. There is therefore, the need to fight not only the perpetrators but also those who sponsor and support it." He said India condemns all acts of terrorism wherever they occur, by whomsoever and in whatever form. The threat of this menace has made it all the more essential for like-minded countries to cooperate in all possible ways to deal with it.

Thanking Armenia for its continued support for India's candidature for permanent membership of the U N Security Council, Kalam said "recent events have reinforced the urgent need for restructuring of the U N Security Council so that it can play a vital role in reducing tensions by basing its actions on the principles of non-discrimination, consensus and transparency." PTI

Air India bomb trial hears of love and betrayal

Saturday, November 1, 2003 | Editor
VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - A key prosecution witness against two Sikh separatists accused of the 1985 Air India bombings said on Friday she still loves one of the suspects and her testimony will betray his trust.

The woman, whose name cannot be published by court order, has been called to testify in a Canadian court about an alleged confession Ripudaman Singh Malik made about a bombing plot that left 331 people dead.

"We shared a love and friendship that is very hard to find ... I still love him. I still respect him," said the woman, who worked at a Vancouver-area child-care facility that Malik helped found.

Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri are on trial for the June 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182 that killed 329 people, and an attempt to destroy a second Air India jet that instead killed two Tokyo airport workers.

The mid-air destruction of Flight 182 off the coast Ireland was history's deadliest bombing of a civilian airliner. Most of the victims were Canadians returning to India to visit relatives.

Malik and Bagri have pleaded not guilty.

Police say the bombings were the work of Canadian-based Sikh extremists fighting for an independent Sikh homeland in India, and who wanted revenge for the India Army's 1984 storming of Sikhism's Golden Temple in Amritsar.

The woman, who is expected to be on the witness stand for several days, said she met Malik in 1992 when he helped hire her, and their relationship grew close. She said she has not seen him since 1998.

Although the woman has co-operated with police for several years, she said on Friday she did not want to be in court because testifying against Malik broke a promise to keep his trust.

"It's a betrayal," she said.

Malik appeared to show little emotion as he listened.

The woman is believed to be the only prosecution witnesses who can testify that Malik admitted to involvement in the bombings, although the initial questioning by prosecutors did not deal directly with that.

Defense attorneys have attempted to undermine the woman's credibility, noting during questioning of earlier witnesses that she began talking with police at the same time she was angry about losing her job.

The court in Vancouver was crowded on Friday. Relatives and supporters of Malik and Bagri could be overheard complaining that the woman was making up the story that she loved Malik, a wealthy Vancouver businessman.

"She should win an Oscar," one man grumbled.

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