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May 2002
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Case of mistakenidentity?
Never mind the missed Oscar, Aamir Khan has reason to beam. The Lagaan hero was a privileged guest at a dinner party in the Fifth Avenue apartment of screenwriter Tracey Jackson and renowned book-dealer Glenn Horowitz. Other esteemed guests included writer Shashi Tharoor, journalist Carl Bernstein and Amy Gross (editor of O ‘the Oprah Winfrey magazine). While The New York Times lauded Khan at length, they committed a serious faux pas by referring to him as a singer who has visited the United States several times, and who has performed in numerous concerts! The newspaper also labelled Khan as the ‘Tom Cruise’ of India. Strange, considering that he bears an uncanny resemblance to another Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks, that is.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Case of mistakenidentity?
Never mind the missed Oscar, Aamir Khan has reason to beam. The Lagaan hero was a privileged guest at a dinner party in the Fifth Avenue apartment of screenwriter Tracey Jackson and renowned book-dealer Glenn Horowitz. Other esteemed guests included writer Shashi Tharoor, journalist Carl Bernstein and Amy Gross (editor of O ‘the Oprah Winfrey magazine). While The New York Times lauded Khan at length, they committed a serious faux pas by referring to him as a singer who has visited the United States several times, and who has performed in numerous concerts! The newspaper also labelled Khan as the ‘Tom Cruise’ of India. Strange, considering that he bears an uncanny resemblance to another Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks, that is.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Here comes Amitabh the psychiatrist
MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan will be entertaining his fans in a role of a hassled psychiatrist to an underworld don in David Dhawan's, Hum Kissi Se Kam Nahin touted to be a remake of the Hollywood flick Analyse This. The movie also stars Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai and Sunjay Dutt. After Bade Miya Chhote Miya, this will be Amitabh's second film with Bollywood's comedy king, David Dhawan. Last year Amitabh presented himself as a father in Aditya Chopra's Mohabbatein and Karan Johar's Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Ghum, and reinvented himself as a villain in psycho-thriller Aks. In this film, Amitabh plays the role of a psychiatrist and Sunjay Dutt is his patient. Sunjay Dutt who is an underworld don in the film, falls in love with Aishwarya, Amitabh's sister. Ajay Devgan plays Ash's suitable suitor. Fun and comic cameos marks the film. Speaking about his role in Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin, Bachchan said that he is optimistic about the film and feels that the music of the film is it's strongest aspect. "I am a psychiatrist in this movie and Sunjay Dutt, who falls in love with my sister, comes to me for treatment as he is confused about his love life and doesn't know how to control his feelings for Ash," said Amitabh. His other movies for the year include Kaante, in which he plays a negative role.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Net chokes with speculations on Indo-Pak war
Will there be a war between India and Pakistan in the immediate future? It appears that more thanthe Pakistan President, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, and the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, the internet is in a position to provide the answer. Some of them purely speculative and many of them overestimated, the net is flooded with more than 1,29,000 openings on that question. A mixture of weird, imaginative, concerned and even factual aspects, the web brings in bytes of fear when each of the ad hoc site is clicked open. There are pro Pakistan sites, pro India sites, neutral sites that discourage war, and comparison sites which weigh the defence, diplomatic and nuclear options before the two countries in the event of a war. Even the history of partition is traced at various analytical levels to promote drawing of conclusions in an interested manner on who is right or wrong for bringing things to the level of an impending war. There are some sites which have taken care to make the one who browses pass through the past three wars waged between India and Pakistan. Web sites on the subject seemed to be fed in by the hour and already there are interpretations on the interpretations over the "danger of war is not over yet'' description of the situation by Gen. Musharrraf and the description of the General's speech as "disappointing and dangerous'' by the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh. Similar interpretations on the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw's press conference in Islamabad yesterday is already there on the net. Some sites describe the "war of words'' between the two countries already at full scale as a desperate attempt for external intervention with the ultimate aim of withdrawing forces since both are aware of the "devastating damages'' a war can inflict on either side. The Ghauri, Ghaznavi and Abdali missile tests by Pakistan are on sites under different points of view with some describing it as "highly provocative and the cause of escalating the situation'' while others call it "a shock which can make India think several times''. It appears that one of the prime reasons for such a crowd of sites on the subject is the concern from the international community whether one or both the countries would resort to nuclear weapons since both the countries are capable for that. However, the sites themselves provide the solace on this fear by quoting defence analysts who "rule out the possibility of both countries resorting to a nuclear solution while it is still too early to give that kind of a ruling on a conventional war breaking out''. The paradox about the sites on the subject in the net is that if it is an issue about another Indo-Pak war it has already been declared on the net and if it is about peace that too has already been initiated there.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
US issues new warning to India, Pak
The United States warned India and Pakistan on Wednesday that if they allowed their relations to deteriorate further, "irresponsible elements" in the two countries could exploit the situation to trigger a war. "It's vital for everyone involved to do their utmost to reduce violence, lower the rhetoric, exercise restraint," said State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. "The climate is very charged and a serious conflagration could ensue if events spiral out of control." "There is a danger that as tensions escalate, the leaders could find themselves in a situation in which irresponsible elements can spark a conflict," he added. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is to fly to the region next week, following a blitz of telephone diplomacy with leaders in Pakistan and India by Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
ISI mobilising militants for war...
Pakistan's Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and sabotage units of the Mangla strike corps have directed militants to dominate strategic places in border belts and areas south of Pir Panjal hills, according to intelligence sources. The ISI and some sabotage units of the Pakistani army have directed militant groups particularly the Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Tayyeba, Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami, Tehreek-ul-Jehadi-e-Islami, Harkat-ul-Mujahideen and Al-Badr to assemble in border belts south of Pir Panjal and settle in strategic places, the sources quoting intercepts and other available information said. "War is possible. Take positions along sensitive points," one of the intercepts between the ISI and militants said. "In case of a war or limited conflict, they can create trouble for the defence set-up, convoys and ground troops by engaging them and carrying out sabotage activities," the sources said. They may dominate high altitude areas, sensitive and strategic positions in the border belts, the sources said. There are around 2,000 to 3,000 militants, 80 per cent of them foreign mercenaries, currently in south of Pir Panjal (Jammu division), the sources said. The Lashkar tops with cadre strength between 1,000 and 1,200, the sources said. The ISI has also directed all militants to unitedly fight from one platform, said Hizb militant from PoK Anjum, who was captured by civilians during an encounter near Rajouri town where three of his colleagues were killed. "We have been directed by the Pakistani army and the ISI to devise joint strategies and form a group during an attack or an action against targets," he said Anjum, who was assigned to attack a temple and create communal violence, said the Pakistani army was still organising helping militants to enter India and attack various targets.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Support for Musharraf slipping in Pakistani Army: The Times
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has had to call in former army commanders to his side as support for him slips within the army, according to a report in The Times. The former commanders were called on Tuesday "in an attempt to shore up faltering support for him in the Pakistani Army," The Times reported. The meeting followed his hardline address to the nation Monday, which paper said "was seen by most analysts as an effort to rally the support of officers who do not want him to abandon support for Kashmiri militants." So far Musharraf has managed to keep the military with him as he moved away first from Pakistan's long-standing policy of supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan and then swung behind the US-led coalition against terrorism, The Times reported. Now they have become concerned that he should not yield to India under threat of war. "President Musharraf is walking a tightrope," Lt-Gen (retired) Talat Masood was quoted as saying. "There is a strong feeling in the army that India is trying to humiliate them by dictating terms for peace." Army support is a key element of the delicate balancing act that must be performed by the Pakistani leader, as he faces pressure from all sides, the paper reported. While being pressed by India and the international community to take firmer action to stop cross-border infiltration by Islamic militants, he is being accused by hardliners at home of compromising Pakistan's interests, it said. "There is a limit to which the army can go with a policy of using force against those who are seen as fighting for Pakistan's interests in Kashmir," said Hamid Gul, a former chief of Pakistan's powerful intelligence agency, ISI. Fiercely anti-American, he accused the president of "going too far in appeasing the West" and taking a "step back" on the Kashmir issue. "By calling those attacking the Indian forces terrorists, General Musharraf is only echoing the Indian position," he said. Musharraf's position has become more tenuous because of a growing feeling against the US in the military, the paper reported. Many officers believe that Western countries, particularly the US, have not come to Pakistan's support as it faces the threat of war from India. Musharraf has made changes to the army's high command three times since October last year to sideline conservative generals opposed to his policy of joining the US-led anti-terrorist coalition. The successive purges have helped the president to put liberal officers into key positions but many of those who have fallen from grace are still in the military headquarters and can capitalise on the emergency, the paper said. Security around Musharraf has been tightened, the report said. "His movements are kept secret because of growing fears of his meeting the fate of Anwar Sadat, the Egyptian president assassinated by Islamic militants after he made peace with Israel," The Times reported.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
India, Pak engaged in huge landmine deployment: Campaigners
Rising tensions between India and Pakistan have brought renewed fears that two of the world's largest landmine producers are deploying more of the weapons along their common border, campaigners said on Wednesday. "While not trying to downplay the dangers of nuclear apocalypse we're also concerned about the fact that these two countries appear to engaged in one of the largest mine laying operations ever," Steven Goose of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines(ICBL) said. India and Pakistan are respectively the fifth and sixth largest landmine "powers" in the world, with an estimated stockpile of about 11 million landmines between them. Parts of the border between the two countries are already regarded as some of the most densely-mined areas in the world, with anti-personnel mines repeatedly laid as a defensive cordon by both sides during the decades-long stand-off over Kashmir. Goose, who is also a researcher with US-based group Human Rights Watch, said he was extremely concerned at the scope of new mine-laying, which started at the end of last year. "India has acknowledged an effort to lay mines across almost the entire border, Pakistan has been less forthcoming but clearly both sides are laying huge numbers of anti-personnel mines," Goose told journalists. India and Pakistan have not joined the 1997 Ottawa treaty banning anti-personnel landmines, which the ICBL oversees. The treaty has now been ratified by 124 countries. Goose said there were no accurate estimates of the number of civilian casualties caused by landmines in the region, but the number of reports started rising in December and January.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
US may send Rumsfeld to India, Pak
In its efforts to defuse tensions and prevent any disastrous conflict between two South Asian rivals, the United States might send Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to India and Pakistan. The White House regards the Indo-Pakistan situation so serious that if other envoys fail, it may send Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to India and Pakistan for some "tough talk" to avert war, ABC-TV reported on Thursday. US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will be in Pakistan and India on June 6 and 7. Armitage visit follows intense telephone diplomacy with leaders in both the countries by Secretary of State Colin Powell. ABC-TV also said that India has armed its missiles with non-nuclear warheads. But, it said, with intelligence of each other so poor that Pakistan will have no way of knowing, if they are fired, what kind of missiles they are and it may retaliate with nuclear missiles. NBC-TV had an identical story, which said India has armed its medium-range missiles with warheads and a war could break out in three weeks unless the US takes extraordinary steps such as sending Defence Secretary Rumsfeld to the two sides. NBC-TV said that the Air Force is preparing plans for a massive evacuation of American and allied nationals in the event a war is breaking out. It will require the evacuation of 250,000 people, according to NBC's estimate. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher yesterday said, "The climate is very charged and a serious conflagration could ensue if events spiral out of control."
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Militants storm J&K police camp, kill 3
REUTERS JAMMU: Two militants stormed a police camp in Kashmir, killing three policemen and wounding several others before being trapped by security forces, police said on Thursday. The latest attack comes two weeks after three Pakistan-based militants attacked an Army camp in Kashmir, killing 31 soldiers and their families before being killed. In the latest incident, rebels are now holed up in the camp canteen and the security forces were preparing to storm the building, a policeman said, adding the militants were supported by rocket fire from a nearby hilltop. Hundreds of policemen and paramilitary forces live at the camp, about 170 km east of Jammu. "We did not take action against the militants at night because it could have caused a number of casualties on our side. Action is likely to be taken anytime now," a senior policeman, who did not wish to be identified, said.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Heaving shelling continues along the LoC
Heavy shelling, mortar and gunfire has been continuing across the International border since last night. There are reports that a part of the Headquarters of 15th Northern Light Infantry of the Pakistani Army was destroyed. The Battalion Headquarter could be seen on fire. There are also reports that an ammunition depot of this battalion was also destroyed. There is still no confirmation of the losses suffered by the Pakistani Army but it is believed that more than a dozen Pakistani soldiers have been killed. This headquarter of the Pakistani Army was on the opposite side of International Border across the Samba sector. Poonch targetted At least five persons were killed and 34 wounded when Pakistani troops pounded Poonch town of Jammu and Kashmir with heavy artillery and mortar shelling from across the LoC. The shelling, which started around 1830 hours on Wednesday, continued till late into the night. Unconfirmed reports, however, put the toll at 15 including seven in Poonch town and eight at Malti village on the outskirt. Intensifying border shelling, Pakistani forces have started using heavier artillery guns attempting to breach the strategic Srinagar-Leh National Highway and subjecting Siachen, Kargil, Dras, Mushkoh and Poonch town to heavy pounding. Meanwhile, in another attack in the Doda district, three policemen were killed when militants attacked a district police line. Reports from Doda suggest that the militants might still be hiding in the area. Mass exodus Amid increased diplomatic efforts to find a peaceful solution to the India Pakistan crisis, families living in villages located along the disputed line of control continue to flee cross-border shelling. Shelling and firing has triggered further migration of 2,199 people from Rajouri district, 1,414 people from Bhawani sector, 228 from Jhangarh and 457 from Noushera in the past three days.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
We'll unleash a storm: Musharraf
Islamabad, May 29. The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today warned that Pakistan would "unleash a storm" if Indian forces set foot across the Line of Control (LoC) in Kashmir. "Any incursion by the Indian forces across the LoC, even by an inch, will unleash a storm that will sweep the enemy," he told cheering troops during a visit to the de facto border dividing Kashmir and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Gen. Musharraf said that Pakistan would counter-attack if India started a conflict. "Victory comes through offensive strategy and our forces are ready for it if war is thrust on Pakistan by India." Disregarding calls by the international community to end cross-border terrorism and reduce tensions with India, he once again "warned" New Delhi of carrying the war into the "enemy" territory. "A befitting response to any adventurism by India will be given... The defence forces of the country are fully prepared and ready to respond in a befitting manner in case of any aggression from across the borders," he said addressing officers and airmen at the Minhas base of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) later. "The PAF is a small but a potent and hard-hitting air force with the ability to strike and surprise the enemy in such a manner that it will repent the decision to opt for war." Special envoy to U.S. Gen. Musharraf is sending five special envoys to the United States, Europe and several Muslim countries to explain Pakistan's standoff with India, officials said today. The envoys, who met the President for a briefing late on Tuesday, will carry his message that Pakistan does not want a war with India and is ready to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue. The diplomatic offensive follows the General's nationwide broadcast on Monday, in which he blamed India for the military standoff and vowed Pakistan would not initiate a war. The former President, Farooq Ahmed Leghari, has been asked to visit Russia and Germany to explain Pakistan's position, sources in Mr. Leghari's Millat Party said. The officials said the other special emissaries were the former Senate chairman, Wasim Sajjad, the former Foreign Secretary, Najmuddin Sheikh, the ex-Ambassador to India, Ashraf Jehangir Qazi, and the former Army chief, Jehangir Karamat. - AFP, UNI
Thursday, May 30, 2002
Presidential polls: Cong tries to stall NDA's move
The Congress party on Wednesday made a strong bid to stall National Democratic Alliance's move to propose the candidature of any aspirant other than President K R Narayanan. Addressing the media, Congress spokesman Anand Sharma said, "The Congress president had met the President and extended her support to him for a second term." The announcement is apparently seen as a move to forestall the possibility of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee making any attempt to work out a consensus on any other candidate. Recently, Vajpayee reportedly proposed the name of former scientific adviser to defence minister Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav. Yadav, whose party has a strong following among the minorities and has a vote-strength of 55843 with about 151 Members of Legislative Assembly and 27 Members of Parliament, was instrumental in urging the government to accord the Bharat Ratna award to Kalam a few years ago. By floating the candidature of Narayanan for a second term on grounds of his 'excellent performance' Sonia is hoping to garner the support of the Dalit parties, especially the Bahujan Samaj Party. The BSP has, however, ruled out support to Narayanan, unless he gets the BJP's blessings. The opposition -- divided into the Congress and Laloo Prasad Yadav-led Rashtriya Janata Dal on one side and the Peoples Front comprising the Left Front and the Samajwadi Party on the other -- are yet to discuss the issue among themselves. But the Left Front has given enough indications that it is willing to support Narayanan for a second term. CPI-M general secretary Harkishan Singh Surjeet dismissed Kalam's name as a mere creation of the media. Going one step further, the CPM parliamentary party leader Somnath Chatterjee in a press conference said that his party had no 'problems' in supporting Narayanan for a second term. CPI general secretary A R Bardhan said, "Our preference is Narayanan." He, however, said that a consensus should be worked out for this post, especially in the backdrop of the Indo-Pak tension and the situation in Gujarat. While unity seems to developing among opposition parties on giving Narayanan a second term, the ruling front is keeping its cards close to its chest, while also floating different names from Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander to Planning Commission Deputy Chairman K C Pant and to Kalam. In an Electoral College of 1094067 with 4826 vacancies (full strength is 1098893) the NDA, including the TDP, sum up to 490599. With the support of BSP's 36117 votes the NDA's tally rises to 526716. The Congress with the support of Left Front, SP and the RJD has a tally of 444223 votes. The votes of AIADMK (45880 votes) and the Nationalist Congress Party (17246 votes) could be the deciding factor. Other parties add up to 35027 votes and independents to 25683 votes.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
War expenses factored in Budget: Sinha
THE Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, today admitted to some pressure on the expenditure front due to the troop mobilisation on the Indo-Pak border, but maintained that this was factored in the budget estimates. "We have had the threat of a war for the last few years and that should not be an alibi for any failure on the revenue front. One thing I hate is to have a revenue shortfall," Mr Sinha said. He also allayed apprehensions of a higher-than-budgeted fiscal deficit in 2002-03, even as he declined to hazard any guess on the GDP growth rate. "The global economy is on the recovery path and the US economy is picking up. Despite the challenges we are facing, this year should be better," Mr Sinha said.
Thursday, May 30, 2002
India sink Windies by 7 wickets
Bridgetown, Barbados, May 30: Dinesh Mongia hit a spirited 74 as India crushed West Indies by seven wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match limited overs series. The tourists reached the 187-run victory target with 31 balls to spare at the Kensington Oval, left-hander Mongia leading the charge with a 113-ball innings that included nine fours. The 25-year-old added 68 for the second wicket with captain Saurav Ganguly, who made 41, and 57 for the third with Sachin Tendulkar, who was unbeaten on 34 after being asked to bat down the order. Debutant paceman Tinu Yohannan had earlier given India the upper hand with three wickets for 33 runs as West Indies were bowled out for 186 in just 44.5 overs despite a 76 in 75 balls from skipper Carl Hooper. The 35-year-old Guyanase raised 87 in a fourth-wicket stand with compatriot Ramnaresh Sarwan (44), but West Indies lost their last seven batsmen for just 46 runs as Ajit Agarkar chipped in with three wickets to mop up the tail. The game was reduced to 49 overs each as rain continued to disrupt the series with a 25-minute interruption in the morning session. The first two games of the five-match series were washed out without a ball being bowled in Kingston and India now go into this weekend`s back-to-back matches in Trinidad needing just one more win. West Indies openers Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds started slowly, bringing up 38 in the first 10 overs before Yohannan struck two quick blows in his first spell of 7-1-22-2. Hinds fell for 15 dragging a ball that was angling away from him onto his stumps. Gayle flicked him straight to Mongia at square leg for 16 as West Indies slumped to 45 for two. They were soon 53 for three after Brian Lara, hoping to hit back after a lacklustre show in the recent test series, hit off-spinner Harbhajan Singh to mid-wicket where Mohammad Kaif took a sharp catch inches from the ground. Lara made five. Sarwan and Hooper rebuilt the innings with a mix of caution and aggression. Hooper, who had top-scored in the test series with 579 runs, swept Harbhajan for a six over mid-wicket that landed on the roof of the Kensington Stand. But wickets started to tumble once Sarwan was bowled by occasional off-spinner Virender Sehwag with a ball that clipped his pad and crashed into leg-stump. Shivnarine Chanderpaul was run out for five after a direct hit from Tendulkar at point and makeshift wicketkeeper Rahul Dravid stumped left-hander Ryan Hinds for three. Ridley Jacobs edged to Dravid for a duck to give Yohannan his third wicket. GOOD START India, looking to salvage pride in the one-dayers after having lost the test series 2-1, started their reply with Ganguly and Sehwag looking to play positively. Sehwag, who has just returned after a two-month layoff due to a shoulder injury, pushed paceman Mervyn Dillon through mid-off for four and then drove Cameron Cuffy for a boundary through the covers. Ganguly joined in, steering Dillon to the point fence as India comfortably raised 41 in the first 10 overs despite good opening spells from the West Indies frontline seamers. Sehwag was out for 21 when he skied an attempted drive off Dillon to Ramnaresh Sarwan at mid-off. Mongia started with a one-bounce four to mid-wicket off local boy Corey Collymore and then lofted him over the infield for two more fours on the on side. Ganguly cut Collymore through the off side for two boundaries but fell for 41 cutting occasional off-spinner Chris Gayle straight to Hooper at short cover. Mongia, with support from Tendulkar, raised his second one-day international 50 off 75 balls driving Cuffy straight down the ground for his seventh four. He was finally out driving left-arm spinner Ryan Hinds to Chanderpaul at mid-off. Reuters
Thursday, May 30, 2002
As war clouds hover, shells begin to rain
Poonch hit first time since 1971 Gaurav C. Sawant & Arun Sharma http://www.indian-express.com/full_story.php?content_id=3555 Jammu, Akhnoor, May 29: The milestones have been defaced, the signboards painted black. Signs that the Line of Control (LoC) is hotting up are scattered all over pockmarked houses and trees laid low by shell splinters. Tonight, four were killed and 20 injured as Pak shells pounded Poonch town for the first time since the 1971 war. Elsewhere, an Army jawan died and two people including a woman were injured in Nowshera and Arnia sectors. A refugee at a relief camp in Akhnoor, 40 kms from Jammu. Reuters Sources said trouble began at around 6.30 pm when a shell from across the border fell near the office of the Deputy Commissioner, two others struck the area near the Teachers’ Training School and one near R K Hotel at the bus stand. This led to fear and panic among residents. Within seconds, the main bazaar in Poonch emptied out. The entire town plunged into darkness and till late tonight, power had not been restored. Hundreds of villagers are making a beeline for Jammu, and Army trucks carrying more troops and ammunition towards the front point to an impending showdown, especially along the 740-km long LoC. Dug in deep in his bunker in Akhnoor, rifleman Kulbeer Singh peers through the gun sight of his medium machine gun. His friend Amrit is fast asleep. Only the barrel of the gun can be spotted through a tiny hole carved into the bunker’s wall. ‘‘There is a trend in their shelling. The Pakistani army resorts to shelling when they want to push infiltrators,’’ says Kulbeer. ‘‘Their aim is to ensure we keep our heads down while the infiltrators sneak in. But now we open fire on suspected routes of infiltration the moment shelling begins.’’ At the LoC, the effort is to stop groups of eight to ten men in their tracks. ‘‘It is only at the higher command level that they are aware of the larger picture. Our aim is to stop these 8-10 men from sneaking in and that is what we are trying to do,’’ says an official. Though the focus of the Army is to launch an offensive into PoK, should the decision be taken, there is no weakening of the internal security grid. ‘‘The main body of troops is engaged in protecting the LoC. The ghataks (commando) company has laid ambushes right at the LoC to catch the terrorists. Should they dodge the first layer of security, we have positioned another layer in between. The Rashtriya Rifles (RR) troops are meanwhile dealing with terrorists who have already sneaked in,’’ says a senior officer commanding troops at the LoC. The Army has had six months to prepare for this showdown. Unlike during the Kargil conflict of ’99, the army has chosen its defences well. The gun positions are effectively carved and guns dug in; signal centres and medical aid centres adequately located and supplied for. Even during the incessant shelling, the medical aid centre continues to have generator-supplied electricity. There are sandbags near windows to prevent shell splinters from causing damage, and a foot-thick deep layer of mud on roof provides effective cover. The sound and smell of war may still be miles away New Delhi, but here the small arms firing has already graduated to 82-mm mortars and in some sectors, to 120-mm mortars.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam
K.C. Bokadia's HUM TUMHARE HAIN SANAM, directed by K.S. Adiyaman, is a remake of the director's Tamil hit THOTTA CHINUNGI. Devnarayan (Alok Nath) takes responsibility of Gopal (Shah Rukh Khan) and Nita (Suman Ranganathan), the children of his deceased friend. Devnarayan gets so involved in their upbringing that he starts neglecting his daughter, Laxmi (Aroona Irani), and her two kids, Radha (Madhuri Dixit) and Prashant (Atul Agnihotri). Upset by her father's attitude, Laxmi walks out of the house and decides to raise her two kids with sheer hard work and dedication. Unable to cope with Laxmi's indifference towards him, Devnarayan falls ill and is hospitalised. When Laxmi learns of his illness, she rushes to the hospital to meet her ailing father, but meets with a car accident on the way. Devnarayan takes the responsibility of bringing up Radha and Prashant as well. Knowing that Gopal loves Radha since childhood, Devnarayan gets them married. Radha's childhood friend Suraj (Salman Khan) is very close to her and keeps calling her for all his problems, which bothers and upsets Gopal a great deal. Things reach such a stage that Gopal decides to divorce Radha and even throws her out of the house. Does Radha find solace in Suraj's eyes or does she re-unite with Gopal? HUM TUMHARE HAIN SANAM has a sparkling star cast, but it suffers on two counts -- One, the storyline is as old as the hills. Similar Hindi films have been witnessed earlier; Two, Adiyaman's storytelling and treatment looks outdated as well. What adds to its woes is the uneven and lethargic pace the story moves ahead. Moreover, everytime the viewer expects something to happen, either the pace drops or nothing happens at all. For instance, the interval point raises the expectations of a dramatic second half, but the post-interval portions are bland as well. Adiyaman should've worked doubly hard on the characterisation of Shah Rukh Khan, mainly because it's his suspicious nature that proves the turning point in the film. Sadly, there's no effort or a single scene that depicts Shah Rukh's suspicious nature and what prompts him to behave that way. On the script level, there are glaring loopholes as well. Some instances * Why does Salman conceal the identity of his beloved (Aishwarya) throughout? Why doesn't he confide in Madhuri whom he trusts so much? * And on what grounds does SRK doubt his wife's (Madhuri) intentions? * Also, there was just no need to show Aishwarya as a blind person towards the end. Directorially, Adiyaman's shot execution gives an impression that you're watching a flick of the 1980s. The film lacks the finesse one associates with a big-budget entertainer with a dynamic star cast. Also, the delay in the making tells at several places. The film, besides looking dated, deals with a regressive theme and worsens it with cliched dialogues. The second half is way too lengthy and needs to be trimmed at several places. Musically, the film boasts of an impressive number of music composers, but barring the title song, none of the songs enhance the proceedings. Also, the picturisation of a couple of songs seems like yesteryears. Cinematography is just about okay. Madhuri Dixit tries to infuse life, but fails. The director has neither given her decent lines nor scenes that could have brought forth her immense talent. Also, her looks are inconsistent throughout. Shah Rukh Khan does well in a handful of sequences, but the preaching bit about the relationship between a husband and wife gets on the nerves after a point. Salman Khan goes through his part mechanically. His hairline betrays him all the while. Aishwarya Rai's role and performance are insignificant. Atul Agnihotri does not impress. Suman Ranganathan has nothing to do. Laxmikant Berde is so-so. On the whole, HUM TUMHARE HAIN SANAM fails to live up to the expectations. Below average.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
If we wanted a war, we wouldn't have waited so long: Fernandes
PTI NEW DELHI: Some 2,000 to 3,000 Al-Qaeda, Taliban and other militants are waiting to cross from Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) into India with Pakistani troops providing the covering fire, according to Defence Minister George Fernandes, who said Indian armed forces have been put on the "highest state of readiness". "The situation along the border has been tense and remains tense. Troops are in an eyeball-to-eyeball situation and armour on both sides is on alert," he told here on Tuesday when asked about the situation along the International Border and the Line Of Control (LOC). Disclosing that Pakistani forces had stepped up pace of artillery shelling and mortar firing along LOC for the past two days, Fernandes said the firing was aimed at providing cover for mercenaries and militants to infiltrate into India. This was contrary to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's claim on Monday night that there was no no infiltration across LOC. Fernandes said for the first time since the 1999 Kargil conflict, Pakistani troops had resorted to shelling in Siachen-Kargil-Dras sector saying it could be "probing" manoeuvre to see how well Indian troops were entrenched in the area. Dismissing the threat of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf of waging a war on Indian soil in case of a conflict, Fernandes said that "India is militarily so powerful and it is known to Pakistanis that they will be overwhelmed". He termed Musharraf's threats as an "outward manifestation of his inner fears and frustrations". Asserting that India will not succumb to any nuclear or missile threat, Fernandes told Pakistan it would be "foolish" for it to ever consider using nuclear weapons saying Islamabad should be conscious of the devastation an Indian retaliatory strike could create. "Indian armed forces are in the highest state of readiness. Their morale is so high that only question they are asking is when will you let us go ?", Fernandes said in a wide-ranging interview. Terming the threats held out by the Pakistani military leadership of using nuclear weapons, if necessary, and latest series of missile launches as a "psychological warfare", the Defence Minister said "these are highly irresponsible statements coming out of a deep sense of fear". Asked if missiles like short-range surface-to-surface "Prithvi" and longer-range and intermediate range "Agni" series had been deployed, he said "we are fully deployed. There is no no area where we are not ready. We are deployed in strength". Asked about the possibility of use of nuclear weapons by Pakistan, Fernandes said," I don't know the mind of Pakistan President. But as a soldier he should know the implications of using nuclear weapons". The Minister said Musharraf should know that "if any Pakistani gets into nuclear mode they should know about the devastation that will be caused by our retaliatory strike". Observing that he did not not foresee the possibility of a nuclear exchange, he said "fear of a nuclear war are exaggerated". On the possibility of a conventional war, he said "we have so far acted with restraint. The D-Day is something no one can discuss if it should become necessary". Fernandes said India was militarily and economically many times more powerful and larger than Pakistan and added " if we wanted a war, we wouldn't have waited so long. We would have struck the day Parliament was attacked. We could have taken Pakistan by surprise". New Delhi, the Minister said, was not talking in terms of India-Pakistan rivalry or India-Pakistan war. "We are looking at the problem as part of the global war against terrorism". Maintaining that New Delhi was an active partner in the global coalition against terrorism, Fernandes said India was providing "wholesome logistical support" to this fight by providing escort to their warships across from the Bay of Bengal to the Arabian Sea through the Malacca Straits. "We are now talking of extension of this war," he said adding the United States had voiced concern and was trying to persuade its close ally Pakistan to give up what it was doing. Fernandes said Indian Navy had provided escort and logistic support to the French, British and the US forces including refuelling facilities, participating in the global war against terrorism. Asked if the Pakistani President was not listening to the Americans, the Minister said "if the US switches off, then what will Musharraf do?". To another question whether New Delhi would ask Washington to do so, Fernandes replied "it is for the US to decide". Asked to comment on Western media reports predicting millions of deaths as India and Pakistan were poised for a nuclear duel, he shot back saying that Western powers were under the notion that nuclear weapons were safe in their hands only. Elaborating on stepped up artillery and mortar exchanges along the border, the Minister disclosed that thousands of rounds of artillery and mortar shells had been fired at Siachen glacier and along the LoC in Batalik-Kargil, Dras-Mushkoh, Keran, Poonch-Rajouri, Nowshera and Sunderbani sectors. "Where Pakistan has been using fire power, we have retaliated. The kind of kill we have achieved is substantial," he said adding Pakistan had suffered heavy casualties in these fire fights.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Heavy artillery duel on Line of Control
Jammu,(UNI) Indian forces opened retaliatory artillery fire on Pakistani positions across the Line of Control (LoC) at Jhangar and Kalsian areas early morning after the Pakistan army hit forward Indian areas injuring a civilian and destroying a house in the Kalsian area in the Nowshera sector of Rajouri district. Security sources told UNI that Pakistani troops from the 10 Corps opened heavy mortar fire on Jhangar and Kalsian areas along the LoC at 0330 hrs targetting forward Indian bunkers and military installations and rained fire for about 35 minutes. In retaliation Indian troops fired shells from heavy calibre artillery guns and a fiery showdown went on for the next four hours. The extent of damage suffered by the Pakistan Army could not be immediately ascertained. The heavy artillery duel lasted till 0730 hrs but intermittent mortar fire was continuing when reports last came in, sources said. In the heavy Pakistani fire one civilian Babu Lal (47) sustained sharpnel injuries when a artillery shell exploded near him. A house was also gutted in artillery fire from across the LoC, sources informed. Meanwhile, there was no report of heavy cross-border shelling along the International Boundary (IB) where forces of both the countries continued to exchange fire from medium calibre weaponries. There have been no reports of any shelling in the Ranbir Singh Pura, Ramgarh, Hiranagar, Samba, Arnia and Akhnoor sectors so far.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Yuvraj to play, Laxman axed
Bridgetown, May 28: India`s middle order batsman V V S Laxman who was in peak form in the Test series has been omitted from the playing eleven for the remaining three one-day internationals against the West Indies, captain Sourav Ganguly announced here. ``Laxman will not be considered ahead of (Mohammad) Kaif,`` said Ganguly after his side went through a gruelling practice session. The first two matches of the five-match series at Sabina Park in Jamaica were washed out while the last two are to be played at Port of Spain this weekend. Laxman was the mainstay for India in the five-Test series, scoring 474 runs at 79.00. Another in-form player who will sit out is left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra who will be replaced by Tinu Yohannan. Ganguly confirmed that Rahul Dravid would keep wickets and bat at number five. The top order is also in for a major revamp. ``Tendulkar will open with me if we bat first,`` said Ganguly. ``If we chase, he will come in at number four while Dinesh Mongia will come in at number three.`` West Indies captain Carl Hooper said he could understand the Indians` dilemma with Laxman because ``as we have heard, he is not exactly spring chicken between the wickets``. Kaif and Yuvraj Singh are being rewarded for their consistent one-day form. Mongia, a left-hander from Punjab, hit the fourth highest one-day score by an Indian when he smashed 159 against Zimbabwe at Guwahati early this year. Yuvraj was in peak form in the same series and was instrumental in India winning the last two games and the series as he smashed 80 not out and 75. Mohammad Kaif, who scored consistently in the home series against England and Zimbabwe, struck two hundreds for India A in the recent series against South Africa. He is excellent in fielding and running between the wickets as well. Ganguly acknowledged it as much when he said Kaif`s ``work in the field gives him an edge.`` West Indies, meanwhile are aiming to throw left-arm paceman Pedro Collins at Sachin Tendulkar early in the game tomorrow. ``Normally, Mervyn Dillon and Cameron Cuffy are our new ball bowlers, but in case Tendulkar is there out early to open the innings, we will let Collins have a shot at Sachin,`` said Hooper. Collins dismissed Tendulkar thrice in the five-Test series, including twice in succession for nought. Hooper said unlike in Tests, he would go with three medium-pacers in the one-day series. ``One-day cricket is all about batting and we would like to strengthen our batting,`` said Hooper, indicating all-rounder Ryan Hinds of Barbados or Gareth Breese of Jamaica could come into the team. Corey Collymore is the player likely to be left out from the playing eleven.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Generals to George: Forces are ready
Pioneer News Service/New Delhi http://www.dailypioneer.com/secon3.asp?cat=\story4&d=FRONT_PAGE Describing the situation on the Indo-Pakistan border as serious, Defence Minister George Fernandes said on Tuesday it was, however, not proper to say that both the countries were on the brink of a war. Appreciating the gravity of the situation on the borders, Mr Fernandes held a meeting with the three Service Chiefs, including General S Padmanabhan, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy, Admiral Madhvendra Singh and Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain. The high-level meeting discussed the situation and preparedness of the armed forces. It was learnt that the three Chiefs assured the Defence Minister that they were prepared for any eventuality. Mr Fernandes reportedly assured the Armed Forces that their requirements for specialised military equipment and ammunition would be met urgently. The Defence Minister also took stock of the five-month old mobilisation of the troops and the state of their morale. Fearing a fresh onslaught of infiltrations into the strife-torn state of Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days, the Defence Minister told television channels and news agencies that the two countries were on the verge of confrontation. He also said the options before India were narrowing down. The Defence Minister said intelligence reports suggested the ISI was planning to carry out more terrorist strikes in the country. Dismissing Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf's statement that infiltration across the Line of Control (LoC) had stopped, he said terrorists in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and Al-Qaeda and Taliban activists were waiting to cross over into India to strike mayhem. Some 2,000 to 3,000 militants owing allegiance to these groups were waiting to sneak into India with the Pakistani troops providing the covering fire, he said. Reiterating the fact that the Pakistani forces had stepped up pace of artillery shelling and mortar firing along the LoC for the past two days, the Defence Minister said the firing was aimed at providing cover for mercenaries and militants to infiltrate into India. This was contrary to General Musharraf's claim on Monday that there was no infiltration across the LoC, he said. He also pointed to the fact that for the first time since the 1999 Kargil conflict, Pakistan had resorted to shelling in the Siachen-Kargil-Dras sector, saying it could be a probing maneuver to test the Indian capabilities. Dismissing General Musharraf's threat of waging a war on the Indian soil in case of a conflict, the Defence Minister said, "India is militarily so powerful and it is known to Pakistanis that they will be overwhelmed." He termed General Musharraf's threats as an "outward manifestation of his inner fears and frustrations." Asked about the possibility of use of nuclear weapons by Pakistan, the Defence Minister said, the Pakistan President as a soldier knew the implications of using nuclear weapons and the devastation to be caused by the Indian retaliatory strike. India had, so far, acted with restraint as it was not talking in terms of India-Pakistan rivalry or India-Pakistan war. New Delhi was looking at the problem as part of the global war against terrorism, he said. Asked if the Pakistani President was not listening to the Americans, Mr Fernandes said, "if the US switches off, then what will General Musharraf do?". To another question "if New Delhi would ask Washington to do so", the Defence Minister said, "it is for the US to decide." He informed that despite the heightened tensions between India and Pakistan the hotline between DGMOs were open and they were talking every Tuesday. However, these channels and other communication avenues were fast getting closed due to mounting tension and troop mobilisation, he added.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
HIV spreads from red-light areas to suburbs: study
By: Kavita Krishnan HIV has moved out of the red-light areas of Byculla-Grant Road-Mumbai Central and spread into the suburbs, infecting members of the middle class and lower middle class. The Aids Research and Control Centre (ARCON), JJ Hospital, Byculla, has conducted a study based on the hospital’s records from 1997 to 2000 and discovered that there has been an increase in HIV-positive cases in the eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai. However, while doctors say HIV has spread to the western suburbs, the area continues to be the least infected in the city. Correspondingly, the eastern suburbs has a dramatically higher number of cases. South Mumbai made up of mainly the Churchgate-CST-Colaba area also appears to have a high incidence of HIV. Dr Vandana Bhatia, clinical unit head and research associate, ARCON, attributed the spread of the virus to the suburbs to the infection being carried home by men who have relations with sex workers on the sly. Such extra-marital relations, Bhatia pointed out, leads to women in homes getting infected. This is why the incidence of AIDS among the middle class has increased in the suburbs, she said. Also, the displacement of sex workers to eastern suburbs like Ghatkopar, Bhandup, Mulund and the Sion-Chembur-Dharavi belt has contributed to the high incidence of the virus in the eastern suburbs, she said. Check nakas in these areas attract commercial and casual sex workers who want the easy money offered by truck drivers, Bhatia said. Casual sex workers, she claimed, come from middle-class families. Meanwhile, the central Mumbai region including Byculla, Grant Road, Mumbai Central, Parel, Dadar, Matunga, Wadala and Mahim still has the highest incidence of HIV-positive cases in the city, the survey says. Bhatia added that Indian society needed to be more open about discussing high-risk and safe sexual behaviour in order to combat HIV/AIDS.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Put economic squeeze on Pervez
K SUBRAHMANYAM http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?art_id=11300028 General Musharraf is confident that a war between India and Pakistan cannot last more than a few days or produce any meaningful results, because the international community will intervene to stop it. No doubt, his aim is to claim this as a great victory for Pakistan’s spirit of resistance. The general has been encouraged in his defiance because of the ease with which he has been able to provide safe havens to the Al-Qaida and Taliban leaderships in his territory, overruling president Bush’s September 2001 warning that any country giving asylum to the Al-Qaida and the Taliban would be dealt with as an adversary. Pakistan trained the Taliban, placed it in power in Afghanistan, and provided all infrastructural facilities for the Al-Qaida. Pakistan also fought with the terrorist forces against the US-Northern Alliance. Today, the entire leadership cadres of the Al-Qaida and the Taliban have slipped into Pakistan, thereby making Pakistan the epicentre of international terrorism. Fresh terrorist attacks are predicted against the US at the level of the US vice-president and the FBI director. Yet, the US is deliberately refraining from focusing attention on Pakistan as the primary source of international terrorism. In the 1980s, Pakistanis were able to go ahead with their nuclear weapons programme in spite of US legislation. They were able to equip the jehadis with US supplied weapons and condition them to treat the US as enemy number one. The inadequate response from the US to the murder of Daniel Pearl and its permissiveness towards General Musharraf’s total lack of action following his January 12, 2002 speech are other factors providing encouragement to the Pakistani leadership. Islamabad has two trump cards to play in the present situation. First, the carrot of helping the global coalition to eliminate the Al-Qaida and the Taliban leadership cadres safely ensconsed in its own territory. Second, its nuclear weapon capability. It is entirely possible that there is an understanding between the US and Pakistani leadership on the safety and security of the Pakistani nuclear arsenal, with the former in fact continuously monitoring it. General Musharraf is crucial in both situations and that may explain why the US lavishes praise on him in the face of contradictory ground realities. The repeated failures of the US and the coalition forces to track down the Al-Qaida and the Taliban cadres suggest that the terrorist groups are perhaps being tipped off by their ISI allies ahead of the moves of the US and allied forces. Omar Sheikh, the alleged mastermind behind the kidnapping of Pearl, was already in custody when General Musharraf arrived in Washington and pretended that he was not aware of Pearl’s fate. The present defiance by the general is of a piece with the same deception and doublespeak. It is not beyond the man to tell the western countries that even as he tough-talked India, he would privately abide by the western demands to contain terrorism. The only effective weapon available against Pakistan’s terrorism whether in support of the Al-Qaida and the Taliban or against India is an economic squeeze. The Pakistani generals have a lot of stake in that country’s economic prosperity. The Pakistani corps commanders are popularly known as crore commanders. The increase in tension and advisories from the industrial countries to their citizens to avoid Pakistan, have affected Pakistan’s market and its foreign investments are about to run dry. Long ago, the US strategist, George Kennan, prescribed a policy of containment vis-a-vis the Soviet Union, so that the external pressures economic, military and political would bring about changes within the Soviet Union. Pakistan is far more vulnerable to economic pressures than the Soviet Union was. Pakistan is already politically isolated. Militarily it is contained by India in the East and the US and the coalition forces in the West and North. Iran is not friendly to Pakistan either. What is therefore urgently required to complete the containment strategy is an economic squeeze. This is the point that needs to be stressed by India to the US, Japan, EU and others who are munificent donors to Pakistan. There is a misunderstanding in India about the large economic aid promises made to Pakistan following Islamabad agreeing to join the war against terrorism. The right strategy is to promise aid and offer it as a carrot for good behaviour even while wielding the stick of withdrawal of the same if General Musharraf does not behave himself, in respect of dealing with the Al-Qaida and the Taliban as well as winding up the terror campaign against India. The international coalition against terrorism has the necessary means to deal with Pakistan as the epicentre of terrorism through the use of force other than war. The history of the cold war provides us with valuable lessons. At all cost, we must avoid the danger of simplistic thinking in terms of a war of the conventional type. The war against Pakistani terrorism has to be fought in a more sophisticated manner.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Putin to meet separately with Vajpayee, Musharraf in Almaty
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf have expressed readiness to separately meet Russian President Vladimir Putin at a conference in the Kazakh capital of Almaty next month, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister said on Tuesday. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov, who met Indian and Pakistani ambassadors in Moscow earlier in the day, told Interfax that both Vajpayee and Musharraf have confirmed their willingness to meet with Putin on the sidelines of Asian Co-operation and Confidence Building Conference to be held in Almaty from June 3 to 5. In a bid to resolve Indo-Pak military stand-off, Putin is expected to separately meet Vajpayee and Musharraf in Almaty next week. "As of today, the prospect of two separate meetings is emerging," Losyukov was quoted as saying by Interfax. 10:23 IST
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
'US welcomes Musharraf's promise to end cross-border terrorism'
In a guarded first response, Bush Administration officials Tuesday said the US welcomes Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's promise to end cross-border terrorism but would expect it to be matched with positive action. "President Musharraf has publicly committed to stopping terrorist incursions over the Line of Control. He has said publicly that he is cracking down on militants and terrorists that operate within Pakistan for the purpose of perpetrating violence in Kashmir. We welcome that commitment. We also expect him to live up to it. We tell him so publicly and privately," a Bush Administartion official said requesting anonymity. "We welcome President Musharraf's commitment that Pakistan will not allow its territory to be used for terrorism. This positive statement needs to be coupled with positive actions," a State Department official, who did not want to be named, said. 10:23 IST
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Pak tones down its rhetoric, regrets Jaswant's statement
After President Pervez Musharraf's blistering speech night denouncing India, Pakistan on Tuesday reacted mildly to External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's firm rejoinder to Musharraf. In contrast to Musharraf's speech in which he used very strong words, Pakistan Foreign Office in a statement reacting to Singh's comments merely expressed regrets and termed some of his remarks about terrorism vis-a-vis Pakistan as "baseless". "The Government of Pakistan regrets the reaction of the Indian Government to the President's address to the nation on Monday. "Jaswant Singh would do well to remember that the prevailing tension in Pakistan-Indian relations, is a consequence of the many ill-advised and escalatory steps by the Indian Government since December last year, in particular the massing of its forces on Pakistans borders", the statement said. The Foreign Office statement said the "intemperate and shrill" statements by its leaders have also served to heighten tensions between the two countries. "Jaswant Singh's allegations against Pakistan are baseless. If India is so concerned about the so-called cross-LoC infiltration, it should accept Pakistan's oft repeated proposal for strengthening the UNMOGIP (UN Monitoring ground) or posting of independent observers to monitor the Line of Control". 10:23 IST
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
International pressure on Pak failed: India
India has termed as "disappointing and dangerous" Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's stand on cross-border terrorism and said international pressure on Islamabad to rein in militants has failed to bear fruit. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said on Tuesday that Musharraf's speech Monday night in which he asserted that there was no infiltration from Pakistani side was both "disappointing and dangerous." "Disappointing as it merely repeats some earlier assurances which remained unfulfilled till today, and dangerous because through belligerent posturing tension has been added to, not not reduced," Singh said. "Evading altogether the central issue of Pakistan's promotion of terrorism, the General unfortunately engaged instead in an offensive and tasteless revilement of India," he said. During the hour-long press conference Singh ruled out any possibility of a meeting between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Musharraf in Almaty, severing of diplomatic ties with Pakistan and India making first use of nuclear weapons. Musharraf's speech contradicted his expressed desire for peace and "mocks the expectations of most of the international community by flouting current international commitment against terrorism," Singh said adding the world pressure on Pakistan to rein in militants had failed to bear fruit. Referring to Musharraf's belligerent posture and the third missile test today, he said "it is for the US and the UK to assess themselves as to whether their pressure is working because this was their stated objective to fight against terrorism". 10:23 IST
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Ten injured in series of blasts in Ahmedabad
At least 10 people were injured when a series of crude bomb blasts took place in city buses this morning. The simultaneous blasts occured at 10.00 am in buses run by Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation at Geeta Mandir Road, Vasna and Gurukul areas injuring at least 10, police said. As normalcy returned to the city after communal violence, only night curfew remained in force in ten police station areas.
Wednesday, May 29, 2002
Straw to hold talks with Vajpayee
In the midst of heightened Indo-Pak tensions, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw arrived here Tuesday evening from Islamabad to hold talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and other Indian leaders in a bid to defuse the stand off between the South Asian nuclear neighbours. Besides Vajpayee, Straw, who has been sent to India by British Premier Tony Blair, would meet Home Minister L K Advani, Defence Minister George Fernandes and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh tomorrow. He would meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi during his 24-hour stay here. Straw had visited India in February this year. 10:23 IST
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
46 killed as bus turns turtle in W Bengal
KOLKATA: At least 46 passengers were killed today when a tourist bus on its way from Ghatakpukur in South 24 Parganas district to Kolkata overturned on Ghatakpukur road near the metropolis. Sunderbans Development Minister Kanti Ganguly is reported to have told that rescue operations were going on to extricate the bodies from the bus, which fell into a nullah after the driver lost control of the after one of its tyres went flat. Ganguly said the number of injured could not be ascertained so far. Besides the Minister, the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police are supervising the rescue work.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Heavy Pak. firing in Dras sector
PTI reports: For the first time after the Kargil conflict, Pakistani forces opened heavy fire on Dras town on the crucial Srinagar-Leh highway. Army officials here said 240 Pakistani soliders had been killed and 75 bunkers destroyed in retailatory fire over the past 10 days. In the past two days it had also begun heavy firing in Siachen, Kargil and in upper areas of northern Kashmir like Uri and Kupwara. Indian forces, in response, had inflicted heavy casualties on Pakistani forces with 70 killed or wounded and destroyed 75 bunkers in Akhnoor, Poonch, Nowshera and Rajouri sectors. Officials said as the Pakistani forces had moved right up to the Line of Control in Poonch, Uri and Kupwara areas, thousands of villagers on the PoK side had moved out of their villages.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
There is national anger, Vajpayee tells Blair
The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, spoke tonight to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, as part of the ongoing Anglo-American diplomatic initiative to defuse military tensions between India and Pakistan. (A report from Manali said that Mr. Vajpayee firmly told Mr. Blair that India's patience was running out as Pakistan had failed to keep its promise of curbing cross-border terrorism. ``There is a national anger'' because the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, had not translated into reality the promises he made in his January 12 speech to stop cross-border terrorism. ``This time we would expect any promises made by him to be translated into action and this should be verifiable on the ground,'' he was quoted as telling Mr. Blair during their 15-minute telephone conversation. Mr. Blair expressed sympathy for those killed in the May 14 terrorist attack in Kaluchak in Jammu and Kashmir). With two days to go for the visit of the British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, India has begun giving final shape to its diplomatic and military posture to put a permanent end to cross-border terrorism. According to highly-placed Government sources, India, in doing so, is going beyond engaging the United States and Britain. For instance, it is reaching out to its "time -tested'' friend, Russia, as also Israel. Not surprisingly, New Delhi and Tel Aviv are beginning a crucial day-long session on counter-terrorism on Tuesday. During the Kargil war, Israel had supplied sensitive surveillance equipment to India, including its unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). India subsequently has shown interest in acquiring the latest UAVs developed by Israel. The political bonding between the two is partly governed by the possibility of mass destruction weaponry proliferating from Pakistan to its periphery in West Asia, from where Israel could be targeted. Russia, which has been constantly informed about the Indian perception in its stand-off with Pakistan, recently committed itself to providing "all possible help'' to enable India to address "any eventuality'' that it might encounter in the near future, sources said. Though assured of the Russian support, a meeting between Mr. Vajpayee and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, on the sidelines of the CICA conference in Kazakhstan's commercial capital, Almaty, in early June has already been sought. The Almaty conclave is unlikely to see a Russia-brokered thaw in the India-Pakistan relationship. India, on the contrary, may already be looking at contingency plans, including sounding Russia on diplomatic assistance, in case hostilities with Pakistan break out, analysts say. Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner, Rob Young, met the National Security Adviser, Brajesh Mishra, as did the U.S. ambassador to India, Robert Blackwill. Mr. Mishra held "frank'' discussions with the two envoys. Mr. Blackwill also met the Home Minister, L. K. Advani, during the day.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Prithvi adds muscle to 444 missile group
http://www.indian-express.com/full_story.php?content_id=3447 Gaurav C. Sawant New Delhi, May 27: The Army has equipped its newly raised 444 missile group with the tactical surface-to-surface Prithvi missile. The missile, with a range between 150-200 kilometers, is ‘‘fully operational and ready for deployment’’ according to highly placed sources at the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). At a later stage, the 444 missile group is expected to be equipped with the Agni-I missile (first test launched on January 25 this year), from the interim test range at Balasore. Both the Prithvi missile groups (333 and 444) are fully operational and the assets are with two different strike corps, army sources said. The army is presently raising the 555 missile group for the Agni intermediate range ballistic missile. The missile assets are expected to be under the chief of integrated defence staff though the Army will retain control of both Prithvi missile groups. The Agni missile will also be inducted into the Army by the end of this year or early 2003. ‘‘Prithvi is a short range ballistic missile with a conventional warhead. The Army is to acquire the Agni-I medium range (700-900 km range) and Agni-II intermediate range ballistic missile. The Agni-I missile has a range of 900 km and does not have to be deployed anywhere close to the border for effectively targeting the adversary. ‘‘Agni-I was originally not part of India’s missile plans. It was in June ’99 after the Kargil conflict that both Defence Minister George Fernandes and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh initiated a discussion on having a missile that would fill the gap between the 150-km range Prithvi and the 2,500 km Agni-II. Work on Agni-I began only in October 1999,’’ sources added. Based on the availability of requisite manpower, the Army will also operationalise the 555 missile group for Agni-II. DRDO also proposes to test the Agni-III missile with a range of 3,500 to 4,000 km. ‘‘The Agni-III is still in the developmental stage and its tests will take place sometime next year,’’ he added. http://www.indian-express.com/full_story.php?content_id=3447
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
India's response today
NEW DELHI MAY 27 . While keeping a detailed reaction on hold, India today said that its response to the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's televised address tonight will be shaped by the "totality'' of his statements and observations since January 12. According to the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Nirupama Rao, the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, India will respond comprehensively to the General's address on Tuesday afternoon. India, while defining its response will also include Gen. Musharraf's recent interview to the Washington Post. In response to a question, the spokesperson said India would seek to "verify'' Gen. Musharraf's words with concrete action on the ground. Asked to comment on the General's observations on support to Kashmir, the spokesperson said Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
PM returning today
The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, is returning to New Delhi tomorrow, cutting short his visit. Mr. Vajpayee, who stayed indoors, cleared a number of files which were brought here by an air force chopper. According to sources, he talked over telephone to his Cabinet colleagues, especially the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, and the External Affairs Minister, Jaswant Singh, in the wake of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf's statement on entering Indian territory and Islamabad's missile tests.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Pakistan Ends Missile Tests, Indian Response Awaited
By Simon Denyer and Myra MacDonald ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Pakistan on Tuesday ended a series of missile tests that had raised the stakes in its military crisis with India as Britain's foreign minister began talks to try to pull the nuclear rivals from the brink of war. India was due later on Tuesday to respond formally to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf who told his nation that Islamabad did not want war and would not start a fight. But India's defense minister has already said that New Delhi had detected no sign of Pakistan seeing reason. "It appears that reason is still not finding any place in the leadership of Pakistan," Indian Defense Minister George Fernandes told Star News Television. He said India's options were narrowing, but added that to say both nations were on the brink of war "may not be proper." His statement, and Pakistan's announcement that it had concluded provocative missile tests, may ease tension for the first time since the latest crisis was sparked by an attack on an Indian army base in disputed Kashmir (news - web sites) on May 14. India blames Pakistani-based Kashmiri separatists for the attack, but Musharraf insisted again on Monday that there was no infiltration across the so-called Line of Control that divides the region. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir. New Delhi claims the Muslim majority state as integral Indian territory, but Islamabad says most Kashmiris want to belong to Pakistan or to be independent, and supports a referendum on the matter. The two countries have close to a million men massed on their border, backed by fighter jets, heavy artillery and missiles. Dozens of people have been killed and injured in the past two weeks by daily firing across the frontier, and thousands of villagers have fled to safer areas. Both sides again traded artillery and mortar fire on Tuesday, officials said. CLEAR MESSAGE Although Pakistan has insisted the series of missile tests, which ended on Tuesday, were routine, observers say they were clearly aimed at sending a message that Islamabad could meet any Indian attack with massive retaliation, and showing it would have the capability to send nuclear weapons to Indian cities. Musharraf said on Monday that he wanted peace with honor, adding war with India would be no easy victory for either side. "There's no walkover here by any side. I am sure the Indians also know that," he said in an interview with the Financial Times shortly after his televised address. "Sanity demands avoidance of war, but at the same time in the pursuit of peace you can't compromise on honor and dignity so one has to strike a balance between maintaining honor and dignity and going for peace also." But he also expressed support for the "liberation movement" in Kashmir and condemned Indian "tyranny and repression." With international pressure growing on Musharraf to act on Indian demands to stop the militant attacks, Musharraf's speech appeared to contain no new initiatives. An Indian foreign ministry spokeswoman said New Delhi would give a considered response on Tuesday, but said with Pakistan "what you see is not what you get." In comments to Reuters before leaving for Pakistan, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said there was an urgent need to resolve tension to avoid a nuclear conflict which would wreck the subcontinent for years, but he admitted his mission would be difficult. "There are clear limits to external diplomacy, so I am under no illusions about what I may or may not be able to do," he said. He was meeting Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar and was due to meet Musharraf later on Tuesday. British Prime Minister Tony Blair phoned Musharraf and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (news - web sites) on Monday. The United States -- which sees Musharraf as a key ally in its war on terror and in its campaign against the al Qaeda network in Afghanistan -- has also urged restraint on both sides.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Pakistan says 11 killed in Indian fire
SIALKOT, Pakistan (Reuters) - At least 11 Pakistani civilians were killed on Saturday when Indian troops in disputed Kashmir fired into Pakistani territory, hospital sources and official media said. The clashes came as Pakistan test-fired a medium-range surface-to-surface missile capable of carrying nuclear or conventional warhead deep into India, and U.S. President George W. Bush urged Pakistan to stop Muslim rebel raids into India. Seven people were killed and 20 wounded when Indian forces fired into several villages in Pakistan's central Punjab province, Pakistani officials said. There was no word on whether Pakistani troops returned fire. Witnesses said Indian troops used machine guns and fired mortar bombs into Sujitgarh and Chaprar sectors along what Pakistan calls the "working boundary" that separates Punjab province and Indian-ruled Jammu. "The firing started at 6.30 p.m. and is still continuing," Mohammad Ilyas, a resident of Thatti Kalan village, told Reuters by telephone. Pakistani and Indian troops also traded heavy fire across the military control line in the disputed Himalayan region, killing four people in Pakistan-ruled Kashmir, Pakistani officials and media said. Nuclear-armed Pakistan and India have been locked in a tense confrontation on their border since a bloody raid on the Indian parliament in December that India blamed on Pakistan-based militants fighting its rule in mostly Muslim Kashmir. An Indian official said the exchanges of fire were some of the heaviest since tension surged between the hostile neighbours in the wake of a May 14 raid on an Indian army camp in Kashmir. India blamed the attack, in which more than 30 people were killed, on the same Islamic groups it holds responsible for the parliament attack.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Pak secretly builds up N-arsenal: Report
ANI Pakistan has more teeth in its nuclear might than is generally thought. This is because the production of weapons-grade uranium for atomic warheads has received a consistent thrust during the last few years, albeit clandestinely. The nation now may be possessing more warheads than is conjectured, thanks to scientists working overtime, says a report in The Times, London. Since the Kargil conflict, Pakistani scientists have been working in three shifts, Perez Hoodbhoy, professor of nuclear physics at Qaed-e-Azam University here, told the newspaper. According to him, there are firm indications that the warheads are already in place on the missiles. The academician's grim prediction was that Pakistan was much closer to a nuclear confrontation with India than at any other time. What does all this point to? It is now possible, says the report in the London daily, that the Musharraf regime is capable of assembling more N-warheads than the estimated 30 to 40. And each warhead may have the explosive power which the American A-bomb dropped over Hiroshima in 1945 contained. It added that India has taken out its own warheads out of storage for being fitted to delivery systems. Pakistan recently tested a ballistic surface-to-surface missile for the second day running, increasing tension with India and proving that it also has the means to deliver its weapons. Islamabad claimed that the missile tests -- Ghauri (strike range 950 miles) Ghaznavi (range 180 miles) and Shaheen II (1800 miles -- were routine but the timing was intriguing enough to cause an worldwide alarm. They were carried out in defiance of a Bush-Putin appeal. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said his country's patience with Islamic militant attacks was running out. Meanwhile, Jack Straw, British Foreign Secretary, leaves for the subcontinent on Monday to ease tensions, leading to resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue. Musharraf, who is due to deliver a televised address to the Pakistani people on Monday, has said he had acted to stop all militant activity from Pakistani soil or areas controlled by Pakistan, and insisted he was not looking for confrontation with India. But he also vowed to defend his country if attacked and even take the war into Indian territory if required.
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Rupee weakens against US dollar:
The rupee weakened against the US currency early today due to renewed dollar demands from banks following concerns of uncertain situation on the Indo-Pak borders. Slight nervousness gripped the Interbank Foreign Exchange market here this morning after banks rushed to cover dollar positions and pushed the rupee down to Rs 48.9850/9950 per dollar, lower from Monday's finish of Rs 48.9650/9750. The rupee opened at Rs 48.97/98 per dollar. The forex spot trade remains gittery over the ongoing tensions in the subcontinent which has taken a fresh toll of the rupee value, a forex dealer said. In cross currency trades, the Euro was quoted at Rs 45.11/14, Pound Sterling at Rs 71.35/37 and Japanese Yen (100) at Rs 39.25/27. 11:19 IST
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
Take visible action to back assurances: Britain asks Musharraf
Britain on Monday asked Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to take "visible action" to back his assurances that Pakistan would never allow export of terrorism and no infiltration was taking place across the Line of Control. "It is important steps are taken to ensure that visible action is taken to back the assurances (spelt out by Musharraf)," a spokesman of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office told. The spokesman said it was important both India and Pakistan show restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue. "We welcome his (Musharraf's) stated commitment not to allow Pakistan to be used for terrorism against anyone and that Pakistan would never allow export of terrorism. We also welcome his assurance that no infiltration is taking place across the Line of Control. "Militancy and terrorism have been the main causes behind the heightened tension in the region. It is important steps are taken to ensure that visible action is taken to back this assurance. It is also important both India and Pakistan show restraint and resolve their differences through dialogue," the spokesman said. 10:43 IST
Tuesday, May 28, 2002
India dismisses Musharraf's claim about no infiltration
India on Monday dismissed President Pervez Musharraf's claim that there was no infiltration of terrorists from Pakistan. Reacting to Musharraf's address to the nation, Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah said even if India was lying about infiltration from across the border, countries like the US, Russia and Germany had some basis for asking Islamabad to put an immediate stop to sponsoring cross-border terrorism. He said Musharraf had nothing more to say than what he had stated on January 12 and added that it has "angered me more". Referring to Musharraf's call to the international community to take note of "atrocities" committed by Hindu extremists in Gujarat, Kashmir and other places in India, Abdullah said there is no Hindu terrorism. 10:43 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Pak Army may target Chicken Neck
Jammu: In the event of another India-Pakistan war, the first 72 hours will be most crucial in which the Jammu sector is likely to bear the brunt. While the Indian Army’s three main strike corps, pulled out from Ambala, Mathura and Bhopal, have been deployed strategically along the northern and western fronts, Pakistan’s single, Mangala-based military 1 Strike Corps has almost exclusively been committed to a major offensive in Jammu and Kashmir. It has been Pakistan’s consistent endeavour, ever since 1948 and the second 1965 war to try and deliver the main punch of its military capability by severing India’s main link with the Kashmir Valley by cutting across National Highway 1-A. This Highway is the lifeline for Kashmir right up to Leh, and control of which was the objective of the Kargil war three summers ago. India’s military strategists have long been nervous as they perceive India’s vulnerability in the Jammu Sector, especially in the "Chicken’s Neck" in the Akhnoor Sector which geographically abuts into and is surrounded on three sides by Pakistani territory. In the 1965 and 1971 wars this region was the scene of some of the fiercest tank battles, in which Indian forces came off worse and conceded some 60 crucial sq km of territory in the Chhamb-Jorian area. Pakistan held on to this territory after the political bartering was over given its crucial strategic location. Military sources indicate that Pakistan is once again preparing to launch a major thrust in this area lying between its Shakkargarh Bulge and Akhnoor. The Indian Army’s other big worry is the presence of thousands of Fifth Columnists inside Kashmir, who could effectively snipe at the military’s rear, disrupt supply lines and cause disruption chaos in the hinterland. Intelligence agencies estimate that the number of terrorists from various Kashmiri tanzeems (militant groups) varies between 3,000-4,000, which is the equivalent of a brigade. These militants are trained in guerrilla warfare, heavily armed and highly motivated.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Bush asks India to stay cool
St Petersburg: The United States President George W Bush on Sunday called for India and Pakistan to show restraint, expressing "strong reservations’’ about new Pakistani missile tests, but urging India not to view them as a provocation. Pakistan conducted a second missile test in as many days on Sunday, ignoring international calls to abandon launches which have stoked tensions with India and raised fears of all-out war between the two nations. "As you know, we have expressed strong reservations about the tests,’’ Bush told reporters in the Russian city of St Petersburg where he was on the last day of a summit visit. "Obviously we hope that there is restraint and that this will (missile tests) not be viewed as a provocation.’
Monday, May 27, 2002
Estimated nuclear strength of India, Pakistan
LONDON (Reuters) - India and Pakistan, confronting each other over the disputed territory of Kashmir, are the world's newest known nuclear powers. The two countries conducted back-to-back nuclear tests in 1998, but the exact number of warheads held by each side is unknown. The following are estimates supplied by Jane's Strategic Weapon Systems in London. INDIA Estimated nuclear warheads: 100 to 150. Of these, up to 20 are nuclear bombs that could be dropped from Jaguar or Mirage 2000 aircraft. The remaining warheads could be fitted to Agni or Prithvi missiles. Missile types and ranges: Agni 1 (2,500 km/1,560 miles) Agni 2 (3,000 km/1,875 miles; upgraded, up to 3,500 km/2,190 miles) Prithvi SS-150 (150 km/94 miles) Prithvi SS-250 (250 km/156 miles) - - - - PAKISTAN Estimated 25 to 50 nuclear warheads, including up to 20 bombs deliverable by F-16 fighter jets. Remaining warheads may be fitted to Shaheen or Ghauri missiles. Missile types and ranges: Shaheen 1 (600 km/375 miles) Shaheen 2 (under development -- up to 2,500 km/1,560 miles) Ghauri 1 (1,500 km/940 miles) Ghauri 2 (2,300 km/1,440 miles)
Monday, May 27, 2002
"Devdas", Aishhwarya a hit at Cannes
Paris, May 27 Finally, mainstream Indian film industry has established itself firmly on the global cinema map. The screening of "Devdas" at the 55th Cannes Film Festival in the southern French town was an important milestone on the route of the Indian film industry to conquer new markets. But the gamble seemed to have paid off as "Devdas" and especially its heroine, Aishwarya Rai, conquered hearts. Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali took a big risk when he decided to hold the world premiere of "Devdas" at Cannes, since the typically Indian film, loaded with music, dance and melodrama, was first going to be shown to the Western audience and film critics, hardly used to sitting through 180 minutes for a movie. Aishwarya, in Cannes along with her co-star Shah Rukh Khan and Bhansali for the festival, dominated the French media and especially the film columns following the screening of the film last week at the Grand Theatre Lumiere, the principal venue for screening at Cannes. The trio were wildly cheered by hundreds of onlookers who had gathered outside the theatre in order to catch a glimpse of the former miss world. One review after the screening described Aishwarya as "unforgettable and sublime." At the end of the screening, the "Devdas" team received a standing ovation from a packed theatre that continued for around 10 minutes. The $12 million film, reputed to be the most expensive movie ever produced in India, has excellent decor and sets and some very exciting camera work. Being at Cannes will also help Bhansali and the distributors of the film in marketing "Devdas" in new markets, especially continental Europe and the Far East. Though the story is replete with songs, dances and melodrama, the Western audience, at least for once, seems to be digesting the Indian formula. However, whether the film will work in India is altogether a different ball game. The presence of the star team and the story, drawn from Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel, is indeed an attraction, as is the fact that it was selected for Cannes. But whether a tragic story like "Devdas" can appeal to a wider audience is the big question, which will be settled shortly as "Devdas" is released in India.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Delhiites told to be ready for any eventuality
NEW DELHI : With the Indo-Pak tension mounting and Delhi being the main targetted city in case of a war, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday warned the people of the Capital to be prepared to face any eventuality in case of any disaster and be aware as to what should be done for avoiding casualties. "People should be aware as to what should be done as the first few hours are very crucial in avoiding casualties," Dikshit said, while inaugurating a seminar on "Prepare to Survive" here, stressing the need for preparedness of disaster management teams at various places in Delhi. Delhi Health Minister A K Walia, who was also present on the occasion, said that the Delhi government has approved Rs 140 million for setting up three disaster management control centres. "These centres will have all the necessary state-of-art rescue equipment, emergency appliances and machinery to deal with chemical disasters," Walia said.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Another way needed to fight Pak: Advani
NEW DELHI : Stating that Pakistan had declared war against India a long time ago, Union Home Minister LK Advani today said that now the time has come to adopt "another way" to fight Pakistan and termed the current tense situation as "challenging". Advani, who was addressing a group of youngsters before flagging off a rally to Ladakh here, also said that New Delhi had given enough time to Islamabad to hand over the 20 most wanted terrorists and criminals it had asked for. Recalling his visit to the US in January, Advani said that he was repeatedly asked whether there would be a military conflict between the two neighbours and "My reply is that war is already on. The war has been declared by Pakistan and terrorists. Now the question is whether we should fight it the way we have been fighting or adopt another way." "The time has come to adopt another way to fight the war," said the Home Minister. "The situation is challenging, not normal," Advani said, adding, "An ordinary war goes on for two or three weeks. But this (proxy) war has been going on for two decades." "Our sacrifices in this war have been more than those in direct wars," the Home Minister pointed out.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Bollywood fever grips Cannes film festival
CANNES, France (Reuters) - Bollywood fever gripped Cannes on Thursday as art films gave way to the Indian musical "Devdas", a classic tale of doomed love set in a make-believe world of glittering palaces. Billed as the most expensive Hindi commercial film ever made, "Devdas" stars Shah Rukh Khan and former Miss World Aishwarya Rai. The three-hour song-and-dance extravaganza tells the tale of Devdas, a man haunted by his childhood love and unable to return the affections of a warm-hearted courtesan. Its selection for screening out of competition at the world's most famous film festival comes on the heels of the Oscar nomination this year for another mainstream Hindi feature, "Lagaan". The Indian film industry based in Bombay, known as Bollywood, turns out hundreds of movies each year, but few make it abroad. "Hindi commercial film coming here is such an honour to the entire industry," "Devdas" director Sanjay Leela Bhansali said. "It has taken years for us to reach out of our country and be accepted here but the wonderful achievement is that we're accepted the way we are." Earlier Indian films at Cannes included stark tales of poverty, feudal oppression and unemployment made by renowned directors like Satyajit Ray, Shyam Benegal and Raj Kapoor. "Devdas", which took more than two years to complete, takes place in magical sets including a stained-glass house, a mirrored courtesan's chamber and a house with 180 pillars. "SKATING ON THIN ICE" Taken from a hugely popular novel, the story has been adapted to the screen several times before, becoming one of the most enduring tales of Indian cinema. Audience anticipation is at fever pitch ahead of its June 28 release in India, where Khan and Rai have millions of adoring fans. "It really is like trying to remake 'The Sound of Music' as far as an Indian audience and Indian cinema is concerned, so you are treading on real thin ice," Khan told a news conference. Bhansali has set the action in the 1940s and given his smouldering anti-hero, who slides into alcoholic depression, more opportunities to express himself. He hoped the film would find a cross-over audience in Britain, where Bollywood mania has spread beyond the Asian community and Andrew Lloyd Webber's new stage musical "Bombay Dreams", based on a Bollywood theme, opens next month. But Bhansali brushed off suggestions that Indian film-makers should change their style to appeal to foreign audiences: "I would not wish to change my style of film-making to try to cater to the West. It has to be accepted the way it is."
Monday, May 27, 2002
India makes world's slimmest watch
Bangalore, May 23 India has produced the world's slimmest watch. Titan Edge is just 3.5 mm thick, or as thick as a computer floppy, or 0.45 mm slimmer than Swatch Slim, a Swiss product that holds the current world record. Most watches are usually six mm in thickness. Switzerland-based Chronofiable SA, a world-famous horological testing agency, has certified Titan Edge, a product of Titan Industries, India's largest watchmaker. "We are sending it to the Guinness Book of Records for verification," said Biju Kurien, chief operating officer of Titan Industries, which holds 50 percent share of the organised Indian market. Titan Edge was developed over six years and at a cost of Rs.60 million. "We have a modest target for the first year, about Rs.150 million of retail value in the Indian market," said Kurien. "We have not yet tested the international market, but there has been tremendous response from our global associates." The watch has a fully jewelled quartz analogue movement and is water-resistant up to a depth of 30 metres, "a feature unheard of in slim watches." Its battery is twice as long lasting as an ordinary one. Titan has a presence in 31 countries besides India and eight to nine percent of the turnover of the watch division comes from exports. Its turnover for 2000-01 was Rs.7.09 billion. Targeted at the 25-35 age group with emphasis on the globally travelled Indian, the watch comes in three cases and 13 variants. It is priced between Rs.4,495 and Rs.4.995.
Monday, May 27, 2002
India, Pakistan trade heavy overnight fire
JAMMU, India (Reuters) - Indian and Pakistani forces traded heavy fire overnight, an Indian defence official said on Monday as international pressure mounted on the nuclear-capable foes to ease tensions that have stoked fears of war. An Indian Border Security Force soldier died and three were wounded in heavy machinegun and mortar fire exchanges along the Line of Control (LOC), a ceasefire line dividing the disputed Kashmir region, he said. A civilian woman was also injured. The firing prompted nearly 350 Indian villagers living along the ceasefire line to flee, joining tens of thousands of others who have already left for safer ground. The fiercest exchanges came along the international border dividing Jammu and Kashmir state from Pakistan "where the enemy used RCL (remote control launcher) weapons for the first time," the official said, adding no casualties were reported. RCLs are used to destroy tanks and other heavy artillery weapons. There was no immediate comment available from Pakistani officials. Both countries have massed close to a million men along their frontier since a December attack on India's parliament that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Kashmiri militants. The tension has been fuelled by Pakistan missile tests that India has called provocative. Firing eased on Monday morning as both India and Pakistan awaited a speech to be delivered late in the evening by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf about the "current border situation".
Monday, May 27, 2002
India, Pakistan trade heavy overnight fire
JAMMU, India (Reuters) - Indian and Pakistani forces traded heavy fire overnight, an Indian defence official said on Monday as international pressure mounted on the nuclear-capable foes to ease tensions that have stoked fears of war. An Indian Border Security Force soldier died and three were wounded in heavy machinegun and mortar fire exchanges along the Line of Control (LOC), a ceasefire line dividing the disputed Kashmir region, he said. A civilian woman was also injured. The firing prompted nearly 350 Indian villagers living along the ceasefire line to flee, joining tens of thousands of others who have already left for safer ground. The fiercest exchanges came along the international border dividing Jammu and Kashmir state from Pakistan "where the enemy used RCL (remote control launcher) weapons for the first time," the official said, adding no casualties were reported. RCLs are used to destroy tanks and other heavy artillery weapons. There was no immediate comment available from Pakistani officials. Both countries have massed close to a million men along their frontier since a December attack on India's parliament that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Kashmiri militants. The tension has been fuelled by Pakistan missile tests that India has called provocative. Firing eased on Monday morning as both India and Pakistan awaited a speech to be delivered late in the evening by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf about the "current border situation".
Monday, May 27, 2002
Musharraf accuses India of destablising Pakistan
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan will make sure that terrorism is not exported from its soil, but accused India of trying to destablise his country. He also warned of taking the offensive into Indian territory should a war break out between the two countries. "We will ensure that terrorism does not go from Pakistan anywhere outside into the world. That is our stand, and we adhere to it," Musharraf said in an interview to The Washington Post. Accusing India of 'sponsoring terrorism within Pakistan, bullying its neighbours and provoking him with inflamed rhetoric', he said India has used massive border deployments and war threats in recent weeks 'to destabilise me, my government and Pakistan'. "Should a war erupt between India and Pakistan, we will take the offensive into Indian territory," he said. The Pakistan president rejected criticism that his government had retreated from pledges to crack down on Islamic radicals. Musharraf, said the Post, declared that infiltration of militants into Kashmir has stopped, but 'he demanded an expansive response from New Delhi, including renewal of direct talks between the two countries'. Musharraf said he knows 'a lot of people are having doubts' about his commitments to forswear Islamic radicalism as a tool of Pakistan's policy, but he said: "Let me assure you there is no backtracking." The Post said the US and Britain have sought in recent days to ease the crisis through intensive diplomatic talks. They have laid heavy pressure on Pakistan over its involvement in cross-border terrorism into Kashmir. "The infiltrations," said the Post, "are a decade-old problem that analysts say could not persist without direct aid from Pakistan's army and intelligence services."
Monday, May 27, 2002
PMO Holds Cards Close To Chest On Indus Talks
Rohit Bansal financialexpress.com New Delhi, May 26: Forty-eight hours before the scheduled arrival of Pakistani negotiators from the Permanent Indus Commission, New Delhi has decided to keep its cards close to its chest, whether these officials will actually be allowed here or not. Talks are supposed to start Wednesday morning, and the Pakistani team is expected on Tuesday. The final decision, we hear, will be told to us by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) by 27th (Monday) evening, or even on 28th, a negotiator from the Indian side told FE on Sunday. He said, water resources, the line ministry, has been told to keep up its preparations, but to be ready for a cancellation at the 11th hour. Sign Of Peace? Fernandes Plans To Visit Singapore New Delhi: If things go as per plan, defence minister George Fernandes will be in Singapore from May 30 for a thinktank meeting, being organised by the International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS). A defence ministry official said Mr Fernandes has also decided to include a bilateral component to his visit, which includes tours to the vital installations in the city state and talks with his Singaporean counterpart (and deputy prime minister) Tony Tan. The IISS forum begins on May 31 and goes on till June 2. The fact of the defence minister being overseas on a not too pressing engagement adds up to an implication that the defence ministry does not expect any heightened armed action on the Indo-Pak borders during the coming eight-ten days, an official said. We see some message in this, he added. Full story From available indications, stakes on both sides have risen substantively over the weekend. Reason? The matter - whether or not to hold the annual meeting of the two Indus commissioners to review the implementation of the 42-year-old treaty sharing six rivers in the Indus system - has to be sold politically. This is because New Delhi’s decision so far has been to snub Islamabad by refusing to talk on any bilateral matter, including even cricket, and interact as perfunctorily as possible in multilateral fora. Also, the PMO and external affairs ministry can no longer be perceived as status quoist or weak on an emotive issue concerning the well being of farmers in Jammu & Kashmir - for 42 years, India has ended up with 33,000 million cusec (from the three Eastern rivers), while Pakistan not just gets 135,000 million cusec (from the Western rivers), it allows 33,000 million cusec to flow into the sea. What PMO, foreign ministry, and National Security Council are thinking through is also the legal option, if any, of Pakistan taking us to the International Court of Justice, the negotiator said. Alternatively, they may not even contemplate about abrogating the treaty, but simply decide to tell the Pakistanis that they are not welcome just now, the negotiator said, adding, in any case, Islamabad’s request of inspecting the river system seems out of question. Matters have heated up in Pakistan too, with former finance minister Mubashir Hasan claiming that reduction of water in the Indus system by 1 per cent would threaten 1.4 million Pakistanis with starvation. Also, the Pak foreign office on Sunday attacked Indian minister of state Bijoya Chakravarty for her reported threat on Friday to scrap the treaty. Pak spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan accused the Indian minister of being irresponsible and indulging in hostile rhetoric. An indication of the insignificant role of the water resources ministry is that all through this flashpoint water resources minister Arjun Charan Sethi is going to be in Orissa on political work and his deputy Ms Chakravarty is in Assam
Monday, May 27, 2002
India Would Have Taught A Lesson To Pak: PM
Manali: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Sunday said that but for the international community’s persuasion to exercise restraint, India would have taught a lesson to Pakistan which was waging a proxy war in the country. PM May Cut Short Manali Stay Manali, May 26: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is likely to cut short his sojourn in Manali and return to Delhi due to the prevailing security situation and simmering tension on the India-Pakistan border. The Cabinet Committee on Security will meet to take stock of the situation as soon as the Prime Minister returns to Delhi. Mr Vajpayee was apprised of the latest situation by defence minister George Fernandes. Even during his working holiday in the Himalayan mountain resort, Mr Vajpayee spent much of his time contacting heads of governments of several countries. UNI When Parliament was attacked in December last year, our neighbour would have tasted the strength of our defence forces. The international community restrained us from taking any decisive steps at that time, telling they would pursue Pakistan to stop cross-border terrorism. We have waited patiently. Now, our patience is running out, the Prime Minister said, while addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of the 8.9 km underground Rohtang tunnel near Manali. Describing the situation on the border as grim, Mr Vajpayee exhorted the countrymen to be ready for any sacrifice. He asked them to sink all differences and stand united to face any threat from across the border. In any eventuality, he predicted a comprehensive victory. The Prime Minister said India was watching the international community’s responses after the Kaluchak terrorist attack of May 14 in which 34 innocent people were killed. They (international governments) should understand that there is a limit to our patience. We will see how early they can put an end to the terrorist activities of Pakistan. How long can you wait?, he said. Pakistan has been saying that it would everything to stop terrorism but despite several assurances, Kaluchak and other attacks occurred and innocent people were killed, he added. Defence minister George Fernandes and Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhoomal also spoke on the occasion.
Monday, May 27, 2002
'Pak would rather nuke India than be a slave'
Pakistan's missile tests are a sign of desperation from a country which feels isolated in the face of threats from India despite its cooperation in the US-led war on terror, analysts say. Pakistan Sunday successfully test-fired a second surface-to-surface missile, despite an international uproar over its firing of the medium-range Ghauri missile on Saturday and warnings it could raise tensions with India. The new missile tested on Sunday, and named after Muslim conquerer Mahmood Ghaznavi, is capable of carrying warheads up to 290 kilometres. Military experts say that while the Ghauri is capable of striking deep into Indian territory, the short-range Ghaznavi is a costly weapon which pinpoints targets with great precision and accuracy. This tactical missile is an answer to India's Prithvi which, with a range of 150-250 kilometers has been designed by New Delhi for its army and air force, said former Air Marshal Ayaz Ahmed. "Ghaznavi is capable of destroying an armoured attack, a large concentration of troops and an invasion of a narrow corridor like Rahim Yar Khan to split Punjab with Sindh provinces," he told AFP. "It is also capable of stopping a naval blockade of Karachi by an Indian flotilla in the Arabian Sea," he said. Ahmed, a former ambassador who has also served as commander of the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates, said India should take Pakistan's "updating" of its missile system "seriously." Like Prithvi, Ghaznavi can also be tipped with a nuclear warhead. "Indian people should know that if Pakistan is faced with a defeat on the ground then Pakistan will use the nuclear option, because it is better to die than to live under Indian slavery," he said. "Pakistan wants to survive, that is why it has gone nuclear," he added, stressing that the Hataf series of missiles was meant to destroy the Army and to wipe out any "Indian invasion." "I am not an advocate of nuclear war and I don't even want to talk of such an eventuality but the entire world knows that today both countries are on knife-edge position." Pakistani analysts say the United States is in a strong position to push India to back off but that it is not using its influence, and that Islamabad's move to display its military muscle was a result of this frustration. The testing had been due since India test-fired its own missiles in January but was delayed for some months because of the current tensions, said Khalid Mahmood, chairman of the Institute of Regional Studies. "India may downplay it by saying the tests were for the domestic audience but the message is that Pakistan will not lay down to Indian pressure," he said. Pakistan has been telling the world it has been showing "great restraint" but "since there was no indication of any way out of the current impasse, it conducted the tests." But he dispelled suggestions that the move would dangerously escalate the stand-off on the disputed border of Kashmir where the two rivals have massed one million troops. "I think in the long term it will be helpful in de-escalation because India will realise that Pakistan cannot be cowed down," he said. Mahmood said Pakistan, as a member of the international anti-terror coalition, was cooperating with the United States in fighting terrorism and wiping out the remnants of al-Qaeda and Taliban. "But people are not very, very satisfied with the American response to Pakistan's cooperation. They see a visible tilt in the US policy towards India. "If the US pressure is selective and one-sided Pakistan will not accept it. There is no justification to keep putting pressure on President Pervez Musharraf." US President George W Bush Saturday urged Musharraf to prevent cross-border attacks in Kashmir which have fuelled the row with India. "It's very important for President Musharraf to do what he said he was going to do... and that is to stop the incursions across the border," he said. "It's important that India know that he is going to fulfill his promise." The former chief of Pakistan's country's powerful military intelligence, retired Lieutenant General Hameed Gul, said he did not believe the two tests within 24 hours were a sign of resistance to US pressure. "I cannot detect any desire for resistance to the US, although there is a message that we are desperate." He said he believed Pakistan was being "chastised" instead of being rewarded for joining the US-led war against terrorism. "We are still being put into corner. If we are to surrender to India on US pressure then what did we get from Washington?"
Monday, May 27, 2002
Musharraf's statement provocative: India
India on Sunday termed as 'provocative' Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's statement warning that his forces would move into Indian territory should a war break out and said what Islamabad must do is to crack down on cross-border terrorism. "It is yet another indication of Pakistan refusing to see the writing on the wall or to understand where the need for action lies. Action is required from Pakistan on stopping cross-border terrorism, dealing with infiltration and activities of terrorist groups," an external affairs ministry spokesperson said. She was responding to questions on Musharraf's interview to The Washington Post in which he said, "... should a war erupt between India and Pakistan, we will take the offensive into Indian territory." The spokesperson said what was required of Pakistan was to respond to the calls made by India and the large number of world leaders to stop cross-border terrorism. She said the onus was on Pakistan to end tension in the region. "I believe our friends in the international community fully realise that," she said. Blaming Islamabad for the current situation as a result of its 'irresponsible' actions, she said, "India is genuinely sceptical about the assurances made by Pakistan that it is going to deal with terrorism because we have not seen action on the ground that would corroborate these assurances."
Monday, May 27, 2002
Ganguly is not god's gift to India; he is the laziest guy in the team: Bedi
PTI NEW DELHI: A mixture of poor captaincy and lack of discipline on the whole was the reason for Indian cricket team's recent Caribbean debacle, according to some former cricketers. "Saurav Ganguly is no god's gift to Indian cricket, certainly not as a captain. He sets a bad example when leading from the front... He is the laziest bugger in the Indian team," former Indian captain Bishen Singh Bedi said in the TV show Line of Fire, hosted by Karan Thapar and also featuring former captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi and Abbas Ali Baig. "We lacked discipline which is why we were unable to see through (the opposition). We got into a winning position and then lost," Pataudi said in the programme to be telecast by SAB TV on Monday. Comparing India's overseas record with that of arch-rivals Pakistan, Pataudi said, "Pakistan are more hungry to win while the Indians seem to be a bit relaxed." According to Baig, preconceived notions with which the team was selected was another factor that led to the team's defeat. "The selectors had preconceived notions about the pitches being fast and bouncy... And left the potential match-winner (Anil Kumble) out in two matches. We are not really changing, not being adaptable to changing conditions," Baig said. Bedi also said India failed to play as a team. "It was not a case of better team winning because individually Indians were a lot better. But it is not an individual game. West Indies beat India as a team, India lost because they played as a bunch of individuals," he said. The legendary left-arm spinner was apprehensive of Indians' preoccupation with statistics, which he said was undermining Indian cricket. "Statistics is spoiling Indian cricket. We have lost the series and we go talking about Sachin (Tendulkar) scoring 8,000 runs," Bedi said. Both Pataudi and baig too wanted the Indian fans to give more credence to team performance than that to the individual. "The games seems to be more popular whether we win or lose. The public should be more keen on the team winning rather than on the individual performances." But both differed with the Sardar's opinion on Ganguly. "I don't think he is as bad a captain as people make him out to be. There are criticisms he has to face but there are other things about him that have to be recommended," Patuadi said. Pataudi also refused to believe that Ganguly was a victim of Bombay lobby. "I don't see that. Indian cricket is not entirely about Bombay. There are cricketers from Delhi and South. If anybody thinks so, it is only in the mind." On India struggling to find a regular opening pair, the legends felt that lack of consistency in team selection was the root cause. "The very appointment of the selectors is dicey. Each one comes from a zone and they try and pick a member from their zone so that they could justify their sitting on the selection committee," Baig said. Bedi said that fast bowlers have to have more aggression in their game. "Fast bowling is the hardest job... It is about killer instinct, will power and a destrucitve mind to destroy the man at the other end. (But) We still believe in Gandhian principles, if someone slaps on one cheek offer him the other," Bedi remarked. Asked what the West Indian defeat will mean to Indian cricket, Pataudi's reply was at once tragic and realistic. "It will mean nothing at all. I don't think it will change the attitude as far as the Board is concerned which is still a bunch of amateurs running a game which is supposed to have turned professional many years ago." "The one-day series is still to come, and if we win people will forget what happened in the Tests. So nothing is going to change."
Monday, May 27, 2002
Nation should stand shoulder to shoulder to crub terrorism: Vajpayee
Exhorting countrymen to join in the decisive war against terrorism, Vajpayee has reiterated his resolve to bring the spate of killings in J&K to an end. Addressing a public meeting in Manali, Himachal Pradesh, on Sunday Vajpayee said Pakistan backed proxy war against India could not go on for ever. Vajpayee said if the US could send forces to Afganistan to fight terrorism, why was the world community advising India against launching a similar campaign. "India is fighting against terrorism over the last one decade. We had to face many wars. We have always given a befitting reply to all challeges posed before us. Now Pakistan has come up with a new method of warfare. It has come to realise that its forces were incapable of measuring up to Indian forces and cannot face them in a face to face conflit." said Vajpayee. They have always fallen flat to their face under such circumstances and made a hasty retreat. Therefore Pakistan have now taken recourse to proxy war in the form of unleashing terrorism on the country. We want to put an end to this bloodbath once and for all. But we also want to tell the world community that there is a global campaign against terrorism going on everywhere. US forces are in Afganistan. So how can we tolerate these acts of terrorism being perpetuated on us from our own soil? and for how long? Vajpayee said the hour of reckoning had arrived for every Indian citizen as the country is prepared to fight terrorism. He said everyone would have to work together for maintaining national security and integrity.
Monday, May 27, 2002
Foodgrain production may touch all-time high this year
Foodgrain production may touch an all-time high this year surpassing last year's record output of over 211 million tonnes, in view of the predicted normal monsoon and its timely arrival. "Crop prospects have brightened following Meteriological Department's forecast of a good monsoon, which has in fact arrived a day or two in advance," Agricultural Commissioner, C R Hazra, told here today. "If distribution of rainfall is even and proper throughout the season, foodgrain output may even break last year's record of 211 MT," he said. Encouraged by early monsoon, farmers in many states are gearing up for karif sowing, Hazra said referring to the good cloud formation over Bay of Bengal with southern states of Kerala and Karnataka already getting rains. Expressing similar optimism, J S Samra, Deputy Director General of Indian Council of Agricultural Research, said good monsoons would greatly benefit crop of rain-fed areas like paddy, as also karif pulses and oilseeds. Samra said a timely monsoon would not only boost coming karif crops but also ensure timely sowing and good yield during the next rabi season. Both Hazra and Samra, however, felt that advancement of monsoon and spread of rainfall throughout the season must be as per the predicted lines to ensure a bumper crop. Crops in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat were affected last year as they did not receive the expected rainfall, Hazra pointed out. 14:19 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Second one-dayer abandoned
The second one-day international cricket match between India and West Indies was also abandoned today without a ball being bowled due to continuous downpour here. With the first match also being abandoned yesterday due to a slushy outfield, the five-match series has now been reduced to a three-match affair. The umpires came out this morning and quickly went inside to formally announce the expected, that the match was being abandoned for the second time in as many days. Heavy downpour since last night rendered the Sabina Park unplayable with pools of water all around. Even the motley crowd that had gathered on Saturday in hope of catching some action, kept off today due to relentless rain. The third match of the series is scheduled at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Wednesday. 20:25 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Coke restrained from telecasting controversial Advertisement
A city court has restrained Coca Cola from telecasting an advertisement which allegedly ridiculed a TV commercial by its rival Pepsi featuring cinestar Amitabh Bachchan and cricket maestro Sachin Tendulkar. Restraining Coke and Rishi Cable Network, Faridabad, from telecasting the said commercial till disposal of the case, Judicial Magistrate Rachna Gupta also summoned the cable operator, Hindustan Coca Cola Ltd, its Managing Director and Director Communications asking them to appear before her. "..the said commercial is apparently obscene and vulgur and against the standards of decency," the court observed and asked the Deputy Commissioner to prepare a report on the advertisement and submit the same on June 10. The order came on a complaint filed by one Chhaterpal who alleged that the said advertisement telecast on various channels was derogatory, defamatory, vulgur, obscene and ridiculous and defamed the two superstars. The complainant further alleged that the said TV commercial was in violation of various provisions of Indian Penal Code, Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act and Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act and having detrimental effects on the viewing public. When contacted Coke's Spokesperson Nantoo Banerjee declined to comment on the issue saying he did not have all the details on the development. 12:55 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Tagore touch to World Cup
Rabindranth Tagore and not the national soccer team will bring the Indian touch to World Cup football as a Bengali dance troupe has been invited to perform at the Seoul Fringe Festival during the tournament beginning May 31. The 'Sruti Performing Troupe' of city-based artiste Sruti Bandyopadhyay, the only Indian group selected, will present dances set to the tune of Tagore's songs and recite his poems before an international audience of soccer fans at the downtown Mapo in Seoul during the World Cup. "We got an invitation from the Korean Ministry of Culture and the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation for the Fringe Festival, which will be held concurrently with the World Cup from May 25 to June 15," Bandyopadhyay told here today. Busy rehearsing before flying out to Seoul on May 28, the Manipuri dancer and her troupe will perform at the Theatre Zero Auditorium and Mapo Cultural Centre on May 31 and from June 4 to 6, she said. Asked if the audience would appreciate Tagore sans translation, Bandyopadhyay, who has developed her own dance idiom, said "the Fringe Festival is for off beat productions. Our dance idiom 'Mukta Nritya' gives scope for the artists to translate the literature into body language". Bandyopadhyay, still marveling at the opportunity to be associated with the soccer show, however, would not be as fortunate as Indian referee K Shankar from Chennai. "We will have little chance to watch the matches as we will remain busy with our shows, which will be mostly staged during afternoon and evening hours". 18:34 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Jack Straw to visit New Delhi on Wednesday
A day after visiting Islamabad, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw arrives in New Delhi on Wednesday in an effort to bring the two countries to the negotiating table. On Tuesday, Straw will arrive in Islamabad for talks. The next day, he will arrive in New Delhi to hold dialogue with Indian leaders in an effort to stop the two countries sliding into war. Straw has cautioned that the "possibility of war is real and very disturbing" while a Foreign office source said "We have to get things to cool down." "Our expectations for the Foreign Secretary's visit are fairly realistic", says a British official. "The priority is to get the two sides to focus on what will happen if things go wrong; to recognise the reality of a nuclear exchange." A report in the Sunday Observer today said: "Though Straw will be received politely, the most crucial visit will be that of Richard Armitage, the influential US Deputy Secretary of State, who arrives in India early next month. Yesterday's invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin to talk to the Pakistanis in Kazakhstan may not be accepted, but will have been carefully noted," the report said. 18:34 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Pak should have been given befitting reply after Dec 13: PM
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said today India should have given a befitting reply to Pakistan following the Dec 13 attack on Parliament. "India should have given an adequate response after the December 13 attack on Parliament but at that time the whole world condemned the terrorist strike and urged India to exercise restrain saying such incidents will not recur," he told a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of Rohtang Pass tunnel. But an army camp was attacked and innocent women and children were killed at Kaluchak near Jammu on May 14, the Prime Minister pointed out adding the international community should understand there is a limit to India's patience. "We are waiting as to how much the efforts of the international community (to persuade Pakistan to stop cross border terrorism) will succeed," Vajpayee said. 22:50 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
PM tells world India's patience is running out
Under pressure from world leaders to observe restraint, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today told them that there was a limit to India's patience and that Pakistan must act to stop cross-border terrorism. "India is determined to win the war against terrorism," Vajpayee asserted while addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation stone of Rs 13 billion Rohtang tunnel which will connect Manali with Leh. The Prime Minister's remarks come in the wake of calls by world leaders like US President George Bush, British Prime Minister Tony Blair, French President Jacques Chirac and Canadian permier Jeam Christian for restraint on India's part. They have also asked Pakistan to take steps to end cross-border terrorism against India. "We have to take care of our security. The International community should understand that there is a limit to India's patience. We are waiting as to how much the efforts of the international community (to persuade Pakistan to stop cross border terrorism) will succeed," Vajpayee said in his 20-minute speech. The Prime Minister said India should have really responded after the December 13 attack on Parliament but at that time the whole world condemned the terrorist strike and urged India to be patient maintaining that such incidents would not recur. "But the incidents continue with the latest being the Kaluchak strike in which women and children were targeted in a bus and an army camp", he said. 15:50 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Bush, Putin regret Pak missile test
US President George W Bush today joined his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in expressing his "strong reservations" over the missile tests conducted by Pakistan even as the current Indo-Pak standoff figured prominently during the talks. Bush urged India not to see the recent missile tests as a "provocation". "Obviously we hope that there is restraint in the area, that the tests will not be seen as a provocation", Bush told reporters here. "Everyone can understand danger in the region. We are hopeful that slowly but surely we can erode that distrust", Bush said adding "We just have got to continue to work the problem". Putin also expressed regrets over the tests. The leaders continued to pressurise Musharraf to stop cross border terrorism in Kashmir. "We are deeply concerned about the rhetoric. It is very important for President Musharraf to...do what he said he's going to do...on terror, and that is stop the incursions across the line", Bush said while urging Musharraf to put a curb on Islamic militancy. Echoing strong anti-war sentiments, Bush yesterday said "There's no benefit of war...There's no benefit of a clash that could eventually lead to a border war". White House official here said US Secretary of State Colin Powell was working "very hard" with his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov to help diffuse the crisis, though they refused to divulge details. 18:34 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Defiant Pakistan test fires another missile
Ignoring strong reaction from the international community led by US and Russia, Pakistan today went ahead with its missile programme test-firing its second missile in as many days. The missile tested today was a newly-developed short range Hatf-III, also known was Ghaznavi, that could carry nuclear warheads upto 290 km, an official statement here said. Defence officials said Pakistan "successfully" tested its indigenous surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hataf-III as a part of missile tests currently underway. "This was the first test of the Ghaznavi missile," the statement said. As world leaders struggled to pull India and Pakistan back from the brink of war, Pakistan Saturday test fired surface-to-surface Hataf-V (Ghauri), a medium range missile that could carry nuclear warheads up to 1500 km, targeting major parts of India. After the Ghauri launch, US said it was "disappointed" at Pakistan's decision to carry out the tests, while Russia voiced "regrets that the tests are being conducted in the conditions of the conflict". Diplomatic efforts to persuade Pakistan to initiate steps to ease tensions with India were also made by French President Jacques Chirac, Prime Minister of Canada Jean Chretien and South African leader Nelson Mandela. Voicing similar sentiments, Japan said "we regret the missile test, which could intensify missile development in South Asia and deteriorate relations between India and Pakistan". 14:19 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Pak opens new front at R S Pura, five civilians killed
Pakistan troops opened a new front at the International Border in R S Pura indulging in mortar firing and shelling Saturday night which claimed five lives and injured eight, official sources said today. Sources said authorities evacuated about 10,000 people from nine villages in Ramgarh and Vijaypur town in border areas in Ramgarh sub-sector in view of shelling from across the border. "This is for the first time that Pak troops have shelled villages in R S Pura sub-sector on a massive scale", they said adding in retaliation, Indian troops targeted three Pak posts - Gug, Malan, Surangpura across Karotonakurd-Bega belt and damaged them. One Bachan Lal of Karotna village was killed on-the-spot while four others, including a brother and sister identified as Nazir and Kuchian Begam of Bega village, succumbed to injuries after being hit by sharpnels. Two minor daughters of Taro Gujjar of Bega village were killed in the incident. Eight other villagers, including two women, sustained injuries and were hospitalised. 14:19 IST
Monday, May 27, 2002
Pak will take offensive into Indian territory: Musharraf
A belligerent Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said if a war breaks out with India his country will take the offensive into Indian territory and dismissed as "gimmick" reports that New Delhi has given two months time to Islamabad to stop cross-border terrorism. Asked if Pakistan would use nuclear weapons in the event of a war breaking out, Musharraf told Washington Post that "our forces are capable of offensive defense....We are not only on the defensive. We'ill take the offensive into Indian territory.. This must be clear to the Indians." Reacting to reports that India has given two months time to stop cross-border terrorism, he said "let me tell you we don't accept this kind of gimmick. Pakistan is not Iraq. India is no United States. Our forces follow a strategy of deterrence and if that fails we are capable of an offensive defence." Musharraf said he would ensure terrorism was not exported from Pakistan to any place. "We will ensure that terrorism does not go from Pakistan anywhere outside into the world. That is our stand and we adhere to it." He said a "serious threat" of war exists between India and Pakistan. "My honest judgement is that the situation is certainly tense and serious. I say this because of the massing of troops. "The seriousness of the situation now is that the capability exists for any adventurous act. When capability is acquired in quantified terms on ground and in terms of forces, the situation becomes extremely explosive," Musharraf said. 20:25 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
US to supply India gadgets for anti-terror campaign
The United States is to supply India some exclusive equipment needed by its forces battling terrorism: unmanned aerial vehicles, ground sensors, night vision aids, thermal imaging devices and personal protection gear. The two countries have agreed on a broad framework to deepen their defence cooperation. It provides for new joint military exercises, specialised training programmes and resumption of technical cooperation in defence research. The Indo-US Defence Policy Group, which met here for four days, has also decided to focus on missile defence. To start with, a study will be undertaken on India’s need for missile defence. The two countries will also cooperate on steps to counter cyber terrorism. A joint statement at the end of the meeting said the US will speed up approvals of export licences for military sales. The only major sale since the US lifted the sanctions last October has been the $ 146 million deal to supply eight Raytheon weapon-locating radars. The Security Cooperation Group, set up by the two countries, will coordinate moves for the expeditious clearance of defence supplies that are otherwise subject to lengthy administrative procedures here. Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain, who led the Indian side at the talks, said the US has agreed to consider India’s request to extend joint naval patrols from the Malacca Straits to the Strait of Hormuz. The Hormuz stretch is of vital interest to India as its oil lines pass through the area. On missile defence, India has accepted the American invitation for a conference in Dallas next month and the Roving Sands exercise a year later. India itself is to hold a workshop on this subject on a date still to be determined. India will also be co-hosting with the US Pacific Command a peacekeeping command post exercise in New Delhi early next year. New Delhi has also accepted the US invitation to participate in a multination peace operations exercise to be held in Bangladesh in September.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Russia invites India, Pak to peace meet
Russia has invited the leaders of India and Pakistan to attend a meeting in early June to prevent an escalation of the conflict over Kashmir, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Interfax Saturday. "I hope they will come, so that we can discuss the matter here and prevent the further escalation of the conflict," Interfax quoted Putin as saying during a visit with US President George W. Bush to the northern city of Saint Petersburg.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Pak orders troops to block militants' routes to India
Faced with continuous international pressure, including that from the United Nations, Pakistan finally seems to have decided to do something like a tension-lessening exercise. The military commanders of the Musharraf regime, according to officials having access to last Thursday's discussions at the Joint Staff headquarters in Rawalpindi, will take all the ecessary measures to prevent extremists from crossing into Indian territory, says a report in The Washington Post. One specific fallout of the meeting is that the army's 10th Corps, deployed in northern Pakistan and facing Indian forces in Kashmir, has been directed to block the mountain routes normally used by militants to cross the border. Islamabad, said a minister, has decided to "take a leap forward toward a durable peace with India" by "realigning" its position on terrorist violence after receiving a global assurance that India would also take significant steps to end the Kashmir stalemate over Kashmir, the US daily added. A day earlier, Musharraf told his Cabinet that Pakistan had to adjust its Kashmir policy to the new global realities without compromising its position that the territory be freed from Indian control, according to a meeting participant. While moving to stem the infiltration, Musharraf's government has also decided to ratchet up its diplomatic and moral support for Kashmiri Muslims resisting Indian control, Pakistani officials said. The Bush administration has stepped up pressure on Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf to halt the infiltration of Islamic militants into Indian-controlled Kashmir, a move U.S. officials hope will calm tensions that threaten to trigger a war between the nuclear-armed countries. "We're focused like a laser beam in trying to stop a war over the next two to three weeks," a senior administration official said. The US diplomatic strategy, closely coordinated with Britain, is aimed at keeping India from launching military operations against Pakistan before Musharraf's orders to stop the cross-border movement of anti-India militants have a chance to filter down to his field commanders, officials said.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Kashmir militants plan new attacks
Islamic militiants backed by a powerful wing of Pakistan army are gearing to launch new guerrilla attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, reports an investigative report published in The Guardian, UK. The report apprehends that the action by the terrorists could push the subcontinent into a nuclear war. The report said terrorists backed by the Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) have described how they are acquiring funds and training for guerrilla conflict in Kashmir, in violation of a government ban. It adds that the The Indian government has issued Islamabad with an ultimatum: stop terrorist acts in Indian-controlled Kashmir or face war. Both countries have nuclear weapons. Although Pakistan's military regime announced a crackdown on Islamist extremists in January and arrested 2,000 militants, there is mounting evidence that Pakistani groups are still heavily involved in the war in Kashmir.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Overnight shelling claims 5 lives in RS Pura sector
Five people were killed and nine injured in shelling by Pakistan troops from across the international border in RS Pura and Line of Control in Jhangar sector of Rajouri last night, official sources said today. The dead include one woman and two children. Pakistani troops started mortar shelling late on Saturday evening which continued till midnight forcing the Indian troops to retaliate. One Bachan Lal of Karotna village was killed on-the-spot while four others including a brother and sister identified as Nazir and Kuchian Begam of Bega village succumbed to injuries after being hit by shrapnel. Two minor daughters of Taro Gujjar of Bega village were killed in the incident. Eight other villagers, including two women, sustained injuries and were hospitalised. Reports from Rajouri district said one army jawan was injured due to shelling by Pak troops in Jhangar sector last evening. Indian troops retaliated resulting in damage to several bunkers and posts on the Pakistani side. Reports of heavy mortar shelling along the international border have also come in from Londi, Pangrain, Rajpura, Mawa and Sambha sectors in Jammu and Kathua district early today, the sources added. Thousands leave border villages A fresh wave of migration was seen on Saturday evening from the border villages in the Ramgarh sector of the international border near Jammu. Panic gripped the residents of the border villages in the wake of unusual troop movement across the border and mortar fire. Pakistan's missile test added to the people's apprehensions prompting the migration of about 10,000 people out of the border villagers to safer places. Most of the villagers, who live close to the zero line, headed toward temporary shelters in nearby schools and government buildings. But not everybody was able to leave their homes in time to make it to a relatively safe area. Among them in Roshan Lal who could not take his family to a migrant camp. Says Roshan Lal, "We had to leave our houses because of heavy firing and now we will sleep here on the ground. Stones and mosquitoes will trouble us but we have no other option". About 5,000 people have taken shelter at the Ramgarh government school. They say, though migrating was a difficult decision, they had no other option because of the massive troop movement on both sides of the border and Pakistan testing its Gauri missile. "The reason for migration is Pakistan testing its new missile and it triggered panic in the area and also there was some movement of Pakistani army which was detected by the Indian army and they asked us to move to safer places," says Joginder Singh, a villager. Despite the migration of thousands of people in the last 24 hours, the emergency relief from civil authorities is yet to reach Ramgarh. For the time being, the local people are helping to provide food to the migrants. Bikaner villagers stay put The Rajasthan government has once again put the administration in its border districts on high alert following the tension and talk of war between India and Pakistan. But the people in the border villages of western Rajasthan are far from being panic stricken since they have more basic problems of survival on their minds. Farming is the primary occupation of these people who live barely 4 km from the Indo-Pak border. But since their fields have been mined for almost six months, now they have little else to do. In the past six months, there's been a complete change in the attitude of these border residents. When the military build-up began in last December, almost two-thirds of the residents fled in panic. Now they have all returned and say they have no plans to flee despite a higher threat of war. "Now all of us feel that whether we live or die we are going to stay here. We are now quite used to having the army around and have learnt to live despite the mines in our area. Now we are not afraid of anything," says a resident of the area. The Bikaner district administration maintains there has been no migration. "The reports that we have got from all our patwaris and tehsildars and even from the village people themselves during our visits show quite clearly that in the entire division there has been no migration," says CM Meena, divisional commissioner of Bikaner. With average temperatures touching 47 degrees Celsius, the civilians and the army forge a common bond in their struggle to cope with the scarcity of water. "In this heat we get water once a week and then have to go without it for two weeks. The army is also facing the same problem, often they have to go to Khajuwala or come to us to borrow some water. In our area there is no water for bathing and everyone is suffering," says a resident. While worrying over the escalating tension between India and Pakistan, people in the border villages of Rajasthan now seem to be neither afraid nor anxious. Despite the shrill rhetoric from Delhi and Islamabad, life in the border villages of western Rajasthan continues at a normal and placid pace. (with inputs)
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Vajpayee calls Chirac, Chretien on India, Pakistan tensions
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Saturday called French President Jacques Chirac and Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien to discuss growing tensions with Pakistan over Kashmir, officials here said. An aide of Vajpayee said the Indian premier spoke to Chirac for 15 minutes from his holiday resort to brief him on India's demand that Pakistan put an end to cross-border attacks in Kashmir. "The prime minister first congratulated President Chirac on his re-election and then told him that India's patience was running out on cross-border terrorism in Kashmir," the official said. "The French leader also condemned the attack in Kaluchak," he said of the May 14 assault by Islamic militants on a bus and army camp which left 35 people dead near Jammu, the winter capital of Indian Kashmir. The aide also told reporters that Vajpayee had spoken by telephone to his Canadian counterpart on the growing military tensions between the two South Asian nuclear rivals. Vajpayee is taking a short vacation in Manali, in the Himalayan foothills, but with tensions at flashpoint has not had much time to relax since he arrived here on Friday.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
India prepares for military strikes in Pok
India has prepared for military strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir unless Pakistan moves aggressively to dismantle the extremist organisations but would give President Pervez Musharraf a few weeks to do so, the Washington Post quoting unidentified senior officials reported today. The paper said according to an official present at the Unified Command meeting in Srinagar attended by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, participants decided that India had "crossed the threshold of tolerance" with regard to terrorism. "India," said the official, "is in a vicious cycle of violence. Only war can break it for us." Although Indian leaders foresee a short conflict limited to anti-Indian militants active in Kashmir, said the paper, there is a widespread fear that fighting could lead to a wider war, possibly involving both nations' nuclear arsenals. "Diplomats monitoring India's public rhetoric and military peparations said the threat of war was high", the daily said. "The risk is now very grave", a senior western diplomat said in New Delhi. Indian officials, the paper said, suggested that a military strike might not be imminent, noting they have not set a deadline for Pakistan to put the militants out of business. They said they would be willing to give Musharraf a few weeks to address India's concerns. "We are ready with resolve and in preparedness," said a senior Indian official who attended the meeting. "The next month is going to be crucial. We are going to watch how things shape up, what steps Pakistan takes."
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Pakistan conducts second missile test
Pakistan today test fired its short-range surface-to-surface Hatf-3 (Ghaznavi) ballistic missile. "This was the first test of the Ghaznavi missile which is capable of carrying warheads accurately up to a range of 290 km," an official statement said. Claiming that it was an indigenously developed missile, the statement said the missile was a culmination of hard work done by Pakistani scientists and engineers. Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf congratulated the scientists and engineers for the success, it said. Yesterday, Pakistan had successfully test fired its medium range Ghauri missile. The missile can carry a 700 kg warhead over a range of 1500 kilometres, which means that most north Indian cities will be within its reach. Pakistan has already announced that it would carry out a number of missile tests between May 25-28. Pakistan's missile systems consist of three components, namely short range Hataf, medium and long-range Shaheen and Ghauri missiles. Tests cater to domestic audiences in Pak: India Meanwhile, India has stuck to its stand that it is not perturbed by the missile tests being conducted across the border. In a statement to NDTV, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Nirupama Rao said, "Pakistan has filed another missile from its stock of clandestinely acquired missiles. And this fact is not something that has been unearthed by India alone but has also been extensively documented in findings by well-established research institutions all over the world." "The missile firing that we have seen over the last two days seems to be catering to domestic audiences and constituencies in Pakistan," she added. We are disappointed: US US and Russia yesterday led the international community in condemning Pakistan's test-firing of Ghauri missile saying this would further aggravate its military tension with India. Secretary of State Colin Powell said the United States was "disappointed" at Pakistan's decision to carry out the test launch of the surface-to-surface ballistic missile. "We are disappointed...I don't think it was a useful thing to do now," Powell said. Pak must move 'from words to deeds' Russian President Vladimir Putin said, "Russia regrets that the tests are being conducted in the conditions of the conflict." The Russian Foreign Ministry issued a strongly worded statement condemning the missile launch and said Islamabad must move "from words to deeds" in demonstrating its genuine desire for a political dialogue with India. "In a complicated and explosive situation between India and Pakistan, which at any moment may grow into war, these kinds of action on the part of the Pakistani administration, cannot but aggravate the situation and cannot be seen in isolation from the present deep crisis in Indian-Pakistani relations and clearly run counter to the readiness repeatedly expressed by the Pakistani leadership for joint efforts with the international community to politically resolve the conflict with India," it said. Spiral is dangerous: France French President Jacques Chirac said he regretted the timing of the missile test, warning against an escalation of tensions. "Such a spiral is dangerous," Chirac said in a telephone conversation with Musharraf, adding it "could lead to disaster". Chirac's office said the president told the Pakistani leader that he and the international community were "concerned as tension between India and Pakistan is escalating". He also called on Musharraf to stand by his January 12 commitment to fight cross-border terrorism. Tests will heighten tensions: Canada Canada also expressed regret over the test-firing at a time of high tension with India. "Canada deeply regrets that Pakistan has chosen to test ballistic missiles, particularly at this sensitive time," Foreign Minister Bill Graham said in a statement. "These tests will only heighten regional tensions and detract from constructive efforts to find a peaceful solution to the situation." Pak should listen to international community: Japan Voicing similar sentiments, Japan said, "We regret the missile test, which could intensify missile development in South Asia and deteriorate relations between India and Pakistan." "We urge Pakistan to seriously listen to the international community's sincere calls for the two countries to ease tension," a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement. No tolerance for terror: Annan United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has said there could no tolerance to acts of terrorism across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. During a telephonic conversation with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday, Annan unconditionally condemned all forms of terrorist acts, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao said. Annan wanted Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to take vigorous action and fully implement the promises made by him to combat terrorism in his January 12 speech. EU Commissioner for External Relations Christopher Patten, who had a two-hour long meeting with Singh yesterday, was told New Delhi was exercising "patience" in the face of grave provocation in the form of terrorist violence from across the border but its patience should not be stretched beyond breaking point. (With inputs)
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Vajpayee's letter to Bush pre-empts US missive?
A tough letter from Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee put the US on the defensive, pre-empting a missive on the India-Pakistan tension that a senior American diplomat was to carry to New Delhi early June, sources here say. The sources said Vajpayee's letter to President George Bush pre-empted the letter Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage was to carry to New Delhi. Bush administration sources, familiar with Vajpayee's letter that was faxed by the Prime Minister's Office to the White House, with a copy to the US embassy in New Delhi, and received by Bush on May 20 before he left for Europe and Russia, said it was a "tough message" sans the usual pleasantries. "They (Bush and Vajpayee) have been talking to each other on the telephone, so this was an official communication," a senior diplomatic source said. The letter specifically mentioned India's concern over continuing cross-border terrorism fomented by Pakistan. Bush last spoke with Vajpayee May 14, hours after terrorists killed 32 Indian men, women and children in Jammu. The US president had called the incident an "outrage." According to the sources, Vajpayee's letter informed Bush that India had not seen an end to cross-border terrorism and that New Delhi was rapidly "running out of patience and options." One observer said the message to Bush was clear -- unless the US put the screws on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, India planned to exercise its military option. Vajpayee, the sources said, complained that "none of the commitments given by Musharraf in his January 12 speech has been met." Far from there being any cessation of cross-border terrorism, "terrorists are re-grouping in camps across the border," the prime minister noted. The prime minister made it clear that Musharraf was pulling wool over Washington's eyes in assuring the Bush administration that Pakistan was clamping down on terrorism and "ground realities" proved otherwise. There was overwhelming evidence that besides continued infiltration and cross-border terrorism, terrorist camps were mushrooming across the Line of Control in Pakistani territory, he added. The sources said the flurry of statements emanating from Washington, clearly acknowledging infiltration by terrorists from Pakistan and the tough messages from Secretary of State Colin Powell to Musharraf, were consequent to Vajpayee's letter. US intelligence has warned the administration that India was serious about launching military strikes against Pakistan in the coming weeks.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
US disappointed at Pakistan missile tests
The United States said on Friday it was disappointed at Pakistan's decision to launch a string of missile tests, at a time of high tension with its nuclear rival India. "We are disappointed in this," said State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker. "They are fully aware of our position, we have made quite clear that we think, given the current situation, the focus should be on steps to reduce tensions in the region. "We continue to urge both sides to take steps to restrain their missile programs and their nuclear weapons programs, including that there be no operational deployment of nuclear-armed ballistic missiles." India said earlier it had been informed by Pakistan that it planned to conduct "routine" short- and medium-range missile tests between Saturday and Tuesday, but attacked the tests as "antics". Pakistan said the tests were routine and had "nothing to do with the current situation." Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani troops pounded each other with mortars on the frontline in Kashmir for an eighth successive day, sending the death toll in the shelling to 36 -- 26 Pakistanis and 10 Indians, according to police figures. The latest South Asian standoff has sparked fears that the two sides could fight another war, which could ecalate into the world's first nuclear exchange. US disappointed at Pakistan missile tests AFP Washington, May 24 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The United States said on Friday it was disappointed at Pakistan's decision to launch a string of missile tests, at a time of high tension with its nuclear rival India. "We are disappointed in this," said State Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker. "They are fully aware of our position, we have made quite clear that we think, given the current situation, the focus should be on steps to reduce tensions in the region. "We continue to urge both sides to take steps to restrain their missile programs and their nuclear weapons programs, including that there be no operational deployment of nuclear-armed ballistic missiles." India said earlier it had been informed by Pakistan that it planned to conduct "routine" short- and medium-range missile tests between Saturday and Tuesday, but attacked the tests as "antics". Pakistan said the tests were routine and had "nothing to do with the current situation." Meanwhile, Indian and Pakistani troops pounded each other with mortars on the frontline in Kashmir for an eighth successive day, sending the death toll in the shelling to 36 -- 26 Pakistanis and 10 Indians, according to police figures. The latest South Asian standoff has sparked fears that the two sides could fight another war, which could ecalate into the world's first nuclear exchange.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Defiant Pakistan test fires second missile
Pakistan Sunday successfully test fired a second ballistic missile, an official statement said. The test came despite international condemnation of a first test Saturday which was seen a raising tensions with neighbouring India. The missile tested Sunday was a newly-developed short range surface to surface Hatf-III (Ghaznavi), the statement said. It was the first test of the missile, which is capable of carrying warheads up to 290 kilometres. On Saturday, Pakistan test-fired a nuclear-capable Hatf-V (Ghauri) that could strike deep into India as President Pervez Musharraf said the country was ready for war, although it did not want conflict. "We do not want war but we are not afraid of war. We are ready for war. Let no-one have any misunderstanding about this," he told an Islamic conference in the capital, drawing loud applause from the audience.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Focus on diplomacy
NEW DELHI MAY 25. India today took the Pakistani missile test in its stride even as it prepared for the high-level diplomatic interaction next week that is intended to defuse the military tensions with Pakistan. In an interview to CNN, the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, indicated that India was not particularly perturbed, as the Ghauri missile was not new and had been acquired by Pakistan from aboard. In fact, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Nirupama Rao, said that the missile launch need not be called a ``test'', but a ``firing'' of a pre-tested system that had been developed outside Pakistan. ``There is nothing indigenous about it.'' Highly-placed sources here said that India's reaction to the test had been deliberately restrained as there was an anticipation here that the missile firing was a ``ground-breaking'' exercise by Pakistan that could usher in a crackdown on Kashmir-bound terrorists in the coming days. By creating an atmosphere of ``defiance'' through the test of India-centric missiles, Pakistan may now find it easier to convey to a domestic audience that its strike on extremists, that might follow, was not under pressure from India. Keen on keeping its pro-Kashmir image intact internally, the Pakistani side may also raise the rhetoric about providing ``moral, political and diplomatic support'' to the Kashmiris, in tandem with a crackdown, the sources said. India, on its part, may not find a new shrillness in Pakistani tone on Kashmir too difficult to absorb, provided there is genuine effort by Islamabad to address its prime concern of ending cross-border terrorism permanently. According to sources, India was getting ready for a major round of diplomacy in the coming week, to ensure that Pakistan tackled cross-border terrorism, not with ``half-measures'', but in its entirety. The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, is expected to arrive here on Monday. This will be followed by a visit of the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Richard Armitage, on June 6. Sources here anticipate that while the United Nations Security Council and most of the industrialised countries may succeed in ``persuading'' Pakistan to ``initiate'' steps to counter cross--border infiltrations, the international debate on the stand-off may soon shift on the possible ``concessions'' that India might give in return. Anticipating this move, India's is likely to respond by citing the necessity of evolving verifiable mechanisms that will guarantee that Pakistan will dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism on its soil ``irreversibly''. Prior to the Agra summit, India had proposed sending its Director-General of Military Operations (DGMO) to Pakistan, so that joint mechanism to counter infiltrations could be established.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
60 of marriage party electrocuted in UP
At least 60 wedding guests were electrocuted Saturday when the bus they were in hit a high-voltage power wire in Uttar Pradesh, news reports said. Two passengers who fell out of the bus survived, Press Trust of India news agency reported. The accident happened in a village in the Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh. The bus roof was piled high with wedding guests' baggage, which snared with the overhead high-voltage wire. The wedding party was on its way to the bride's place. The fate of the bride and groom was not clear.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Sabeer Bhatia dials a new offer for India
When Hotmail founder Sabeer Bhatia chose to launch a new business in the Indian market, he opted for a new voice-mail mobile phone service rather than something in the computer field. The service allows users to record a one-minute message in English or Hindi on their mobile telephones and send it to another handset anywhere in India, the United States and Canada at a fraction of the cost of a long-distance call. The VoiceXpress service receiver can reply in using a similar method. "It is so easy to operate that even my mother can use it without any knowledge of technology," Bhatia said. "Since the service can be used in local language, the potential is tremendous." He said VoiceXpress would make "communication even more convenient and affordable for the people." Like Bhatia, other businessmen are looking at a range of mobile phone based services because of an almost 100-percent growth in the number of Indian mobile phone users in the past two to three years. The number of mobile phone subscribers stood at 6.7 million in April, while only a miniscule portion of India's one billion population is computer-friendly. The phone boom has been aided by nose-diving tariffs due to competition among private firms who entered the market in mid-1990s. Industry officials say value-added services will quickly win over more Indian users. "The growth in the volume of short messaging service (SMS) traffic has been more than 100 percent in many regions in the last year. The more the number of people who learn to use SMS, the greater will be the multiplier effect on sales," said Sudershan Banerjee, head of Essar Hutchinson's India operations. More than four million messages are exchanged daily, he said, adding the phenomenon was a pointer to the potential for new services such as voice mail in Hindi, spoken by millions in India. "The business potential of value-added services in India is immense. As in the rest of the world, in India too, as the cellular subscriber base increases, the demand for specialised value added services in also bound to increase," said Tata Teleservices chief S Ramakrishna. He said the growth of such services would accelerate once fixed-line telephone operators start offering them as add-ons. Industry officials said the mobile phone services boom would lead to new businesses such as multi-media facilities to transmit voice, pictures and data. Ramakrishna said customers were increasingly demanding customised services on their handset. However, officials said the players in India would have to contend with limited telecom bandwidth at the moment because of government policies. Saravjit Dhillon, chief executive officer of Bharti Cellular's Delhi operation, said he did not expect such services to account for more than 10 percent of the revenues in the near future. "There is still a huge pent-up demand in India for basic voice telephony. The other market is still very small," he added. He said e-commerce via mobile phones had failed because India's infrastructure-starved market was still nascent. T V Ramachandran, spokesman of the Cellular Operators association of India, said there were still some policies that needed to be sorted out before the actual potential for mobile phones is realised. He insisted that the key to that would be dismantling a requirement which puts the cost of an incoming call on the user rather than the caller.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
PM briefs President
The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today briefed the President, K.R.Narayanan, over the telephone about the overall security scenario in the wake of the heightened Indo-Pak. tension. Mr. Vajpayee informed the President about his three-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir earlier this week and deliberations he had at a meeting of the Unified Command in Srinagar, official sources said. The Prime Minister enquired about the health of Mr. Narayanan, who was away in the Nilgiris, in Tamil Nadu, and Kerala for taking rest and recuperation earlier this month.
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Bush asks Musharraf to fulfil pledge, Putin hopeful of peace
US President George W Bush today firmly told Pakistan to fulfil its pledge to stop cross-border terrorism even as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he expected to meet leaders of India and Pakistan for talks early next month in Almaty to defuse their military stand-off. Russia also strongly condemned the Ghauri missile test by Pakistan and asked Islamabad to move from "words to deeds" in demonstrating its genuine desire for political dialogue with India. Bush, on a visit to St. Petersburg, said: "It is very important for President Musharraf to do what he said he was going to do... and that is to stop the incursions across the border." "It is important that India knows that he (Musharraf) is going to fulfil his promise" to crackdown on Pakistan-based militants active in Jammu and Kashmir," he said. Putin told reporters while visiting St. Petersburg's Hermitage museum with Bush that he expected to meet Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf early June at Almaty in Kazakhstan to try and defuse the prevailing tension between their countries. "I hope they will come, so that we can discuss the matter here and prevent further escalation of the conflict," he said. ITAR-TASS quoted sources in the Foreign Ministry as saying that Putin's meetings with the Indian and Pakistani leaders could take place on the sidelines of the three-day summit on cooperation and trust-building measures in Asia from June 3 at Almaty. 23:19 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Three million may die if Indo-Pak limited nuclear war erupts
At least three million people will be killed if a limited nuclear war broke out between India and Pakistan, according to a study. "Millions would die in the immediate blast and fire and from radiation. Others would suffer destroyed homes, lack of water and facilities and disease years later", The Times daily reported quoting the American magazine New Scientist. The Magazine quoted M V Ramana, a nuclear researcher at Princeton University in New Jersey saying: "It is imperative that the two countries do not go to war, however, limited in scale." He said even the "most local conflicts have the potential to escalate into a full-scale war, possibly nuclear". "Atleast 2.6 million people would die or be injured in India and 1.8 million in Pakistan even if only a tenth of the nuclear weapons of the two countries were exploded above ten of their largest cities", Ramana and other nuclear researchers at the US University concluded. The figures are based on the impact of 10 Hiroshima-force bombs detonated at a height of 600 metres over the five largest cities each in India and Pakistan. The targeted cities used in the scenario are Bangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi in India and Faisalabad, Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi in Pakistan. According to the report, casualties on the Indian side would be 1.7 million dead and 900,000 injured while the toll in Pakistan would be 1.2 million dead and 600,000 injured. These would be, however, only the immediate casualties from blast, fire and radiation. An unknown number of deaths would occur from cancer in future years. 23:19 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
First one-dayer abandoned
With Weather Gods playing spoilsport, the first one-day international match between India and West Indies was abandoned here today without a ball being bowled and clouds of uncertainty hovered over the second match scheduled for tomorrow. Though there was no rain today, heavy downpour over the last three days rendered the outfield at the Sabina Park soggy and unfit for play. The umpires nevertheless carried out an inspection this morning as a motley crowd hoped to catch at least some action. But that was not to be. "The match has been abandoned for today and we will work on it for a better chance for tomorrow's one-dayer," umpire Russel Tiffin announced after the inspection. The umpires said though the pitch could dry up later, the slushy, grassy outfield did not look like drying up and they could not risk players' safety. The two teams did not venture out of their hotels as information reached them about abandonment of the game. It started to rain no sooner than West Indies had clinched the final Test and the series (2-1) here on Wednesday and only grew in force before relenting a bit yesterday. Even as rain stopped, there was no sun and it became intolerably humid in this Caribbean island. There was no official word yet on rescheduling the matches. The two teams are scheduled to play five one-day internationals. 23:19 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
President, VP, PM greet nation on Buddha Purnima eve
Greeting the nation on the eve of Buddha Purnima, President K R Narayanan, Vice President Krishan Kant and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today exhorted the people to turn to Buddha's message of peace and harmony. "Lord Buddha's teachings of non-violence, love and compassion are of eternal significance in the present time. Let us all turn to the Tathagata's message of ahimsa and karuna for restoring peace, harmony and unity of people," the President said. Stating that Buddha stood for an egalitarian society, Vajpayee said his ideals would "take us to the path of peace and harmony, and give us strength to work for ameliorating the lot of suffering humanity." Kant, who said his teachings have the power to transform lives, asked the people take a pledge to make Buddha their guide and beacon "to show the way in today's troubled world". 23:19 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Pak test an example of missile proliferation: India
India today said the missile test by Pakistan was a "glaring example of missile proliferation" and wondered why it chose to carry out the launch at a time when tension along the border is high. The missile test "is the fruit of Pakistan's clandestinely acquired missile programme," an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson said. She was reacting to Pakistan's test firing of a medium- range surface-to-surface missile 'Hatf 5', also known as 'Ghauri'. This missile is reported to have been clandestinely acquired by Islamabad from North Korea where it is known as Nodong-II. The spokesperson said "It is difficult to understand as to why Pakistan chose this moment to test the missile and deplete its stock of cladestinely acquired missiles". Dismissing as "routine" the test firing, she said it was not central to the current situation and the launch was clearly targeted at the domestic audience. India, she said, has always sought to reduce tension in the region through dialogue but Pakistan has instead taken all steps to foment and promote terrorism and infiltration into the country. "The focus of India's efforts is to sensitise the world community to this basic reality", she said. A Defence Ministry spokesman said he had nothing to add to what has been stated by the External Affairs Ministry. Pakistan had informed India that it would carry out short and medium range missile tests between May 25 and May 28. 23:19 IST
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Pakistan Tests Another Missile, India Boosts Defense
By Raja Asghar and Terry Friel ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI May 26 (Reuters) - Pakistan tested a short-range ballistic missile on Sunday, ignoring calls to abandon a series of tests that has stoked tension with India and raised fears of war between the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals. India has played down the tests as routine but boosted security to protect vital off- and on-shore oil and gas facilities. "As part of a series of missile tests currently under way, Pakistan today carried out a successful test fire of its newly developed short-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile Hatf-3 (Ghaznavi)," the Pakistani military said in a statement. The United States and Russia had asked Pakistan to stop the tests that began on Saturday with the launch of a medium-range missile capable of firing nuclear warheads at key Indian cities, including New Delhi and Bombay. Pakistan said earlier the "routine" tests would continue until Tuesday. The two neighbors have massed a million men on their border since a deadly raid on India's parliament in December that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Muslim militants. Tension surged in the wake of a bloody May 14 raid on a Indian army camp in Kashmir (news - web sites). President Bush (news - web sites), in Russia for a summit with President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites), expressed deep concern on Saturday and called on Pakistan to stop militant raids into Indian-controlled territory. Putin, speaking after the Saturday test, said it had added anxiety to an already tense climate. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov said both the U.S. and the Russian sides had asked Pakistan to stop the tests. "We believe that such actions amid a crisis of this nature will only complicate the situation and heighten tension and we have asked Pakistan to refrain from taking such steps," Ivanov said. The Pakistani military statement said President Pervez Musharraf had sent his congratulations after the Sunday test. "This was the first test of the Ghaznavi missile, which is capable of carrying warheads accurately up to a range of 290 km (180 miles). The flight data collected indicated that all design parameters have been successfully validated," it said. Musharraf said on Saturday that Pakistan did not want war but was not afraid of it. DIPLOMATIC FLURRY French President Jacques Chirac telephoned India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee (news - web sites) on Saturday to discuss the tension. Chirac said efforts must be redoubled to dry up the sources of terrorism and to seek a peaceful solution. He was due to telephone U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites) and Musharraf later. India accuses Pakistan of backing raids by Islamic guerrillas fighting Indian forces in Muslim-majority Jammu and Kashmir state. Pakistan says it only offers Kashmiri separatists political support. India bitterly complains that the United States and other countries are too soft on Musharraf, embracing him as an ally in the war on terror against the al Qaeda network while Islamabad supports what New Delhi calls "cross-border terrorism." Vajpayee, speaking in the northern town of Manali in the Himalayan foothills where he is on a break, said New Delhi's patience was running out and urged world leaders to step up pressure on Pakistan to stop the militants. The timing of the tests is a defiant gesture that added to world alarm to what Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) called a very dangerous situation on the subcontinent. The United States warned its citizens against traveling to India and Pakistan and advised those there to consider leaving. Australia issued a similar warning. "STOP THE RAIDS" Bush urged Musharraf to fulfil a pledge to stop militant raids into Indian Kashmir while Putin said he hoped Musharraf and Vajpayee could sort out their differences at a regional conference in Kazakhstan in June. An Indian spokeswoman confirmed Vajpayee would attend the summit and might meet Putin. She could not comment on any plans to talk with Musharraf. India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over Kashmir. The two sides have regularly traded heavy fire across the Kashmir frontier for more than a week and dozens of civilians and soldiers on both sides have been killed and wounded. Thousands of civilians have fled front-line villages on both sides. Pakistani officials said at least 11 civilians were killed by Indian fire on Saturday. Ten people, mostly rebels, were killed and 17 wounded in clashes in Indian Kashmir, Indian police said.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
90 houses burnt, 18,000 migrate due to shelling in Kathua
Jammu, Ninety houses have been gutted and nearly 18,000 people migrated from 50 border villages of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir following shelling and firing by Pakistani troops from across the International Border since yesterday, official sources said here today. Pakistani troops targeted Manyari, Pansar, Bobiyan and some of the adjoining villages in the district with mortar shells from 1230 hours yesterday from across the IB, they said. The shells hit the village of Manyari destroying houses and standing crops. The fire also spread to adjoining villages and continued till midnight. People fled from the villages to safer places although authorities rushed fire tenders to control the fire. The sources said about 18,000 people have migrated from 50 border villages to safer places in Kathua district during the last 24 hours. Reports from Rajouri district said shelling between two sides along the Line of Control took place in Noushera, Laam and Jhangar areas since morning. There was, however, no casualities or damage on the Indian side. Small arms intermittent firing also took place last night in R S Pura, Samba, Pallanwala and Poonch sectors, they added.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Indian heatwave toll rises to 1,200
The ferocious heatwave, India's worst in four years, has killed around 1,200 people, with no sign of relief in sight, officials said. Officials in Andhra Pradesh told AFP that the sizzler had killed a total of 1,037 people in the past two weeks in the state. Another 162 people have died in other parts of India which has been hit by unseasonal blistering heat since May 6, officials in New Delhi said. Andhra Pradesh Relief Commissioner Rosaiah said the largest number of 172 heat-related deaths occurred in the state's East Godavari district. Prakasam district reported 166 deaths while 144 people died in West Godavari. "Thankfully, there has been no fresh reports of deaths in the last two days," the commissioner said, as the state government began an investigation into the staggering number of lives lost. A heatwave in 1998 killed 2,500 people and most of the casualties occurred in Orissa. The ongoing heatwave also hit West Bengal where temperatures jumped to 44 degrees Celsius in Kolkata leading to casualties on Wednesday. "Eight people died Wednesday in Kolkata and at least 50 people were rushed to the city hospital with heat-related ailments," said Sibaji Ghosh, Calcutta police deputy commissioner. Power cuts added to Kolkata's woes and traffic snarled as policemen abandoned their posts to escape the smothering heat. "Most crossings in the city remained unmanned as policemen sought the shade to escape the mid-day heat," said Ghosh. He said at least a dozen deaths were reported in other parts of the state such as Midnapore and South 24-Parganas bringing the local toll in the past two weeks to 27. Rajendranath Goldar, director of the Alipore meteorological office in Kolkata, said the heatwave "would continue for another 24 hours." The Press Trust of India said four people, including a new-born baby, died Wednesday in Uttar Pradesh
Thursday, May 23, 2002
PM chairs top level Unified Command meet
NDTV Correspondent With Indian and Pakistani troops eye-ball to eye-ball along the border, Unified Headquarters supervising and coordinating anti-militant operations in insurgency-hit Jammu and Kashmir are in a meeting in Srinagar today. The Command is headed by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah. The meeting assumes significance as Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is presiding over the meeting for the first time since the formation of the Unified Headquarters comprising army, paramilitary forces, police and Central and State intelligence agencies in 1996. Home Minister L K Advani and Defence Minister George Fernandes are also attending the meeting at the International Convention Complex on the banks of Dal Lake amidst tight security arrangements. The meeting is being held a day after Vajpayee's stern warning to Pakistan yesterday not to test India's patience. While Fernandes is already in town, Advani arrived in Srinagar this morning to attend the meeting, sources said. Vajpayee will be given a detailed briefing about law and order and the situation on the border. Later in the day, the Prime Minister is expected to hold a press conference. The road leading to the venue of the meeting has been sealed by the security forces and no private vehicle is being allowed.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
We will not allow terrorism in the name of Kashmir: Pak.
-HINDU By B. Muralidhar Reddy ISLAMABAD. As the war clouds thickened over the sub-continent, Pakistan today sought to send out conciliatory signals to India by declaring that it favoured settlement of differences through negotiations and would never allow its soil to be used for terrorist activities. At the same time, Islamabad said that it was ready to fight ``if attacked''. A statement issued by the Pakistan Government at the end of a joint meeting of the Federal Cabinet and the National Council presided over by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, sought to re-assure New Delhi in the context of the present stand-off that it would never allow its soil to be used for acts of terrorism. More specifically the statement maintained that ``no organisation in Pakistan will be allowed to indulge in terrorism in the name of Kashmir''. However, it reiterated that Pakistan would continue to extend ``moral, political and diplomatic support to the legitimate struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their right to self-determination''. The statement can be characterised as reiteration of the January 12 address of Gen. Musharraf wherein he had promised to come down heavily on extremism in the Pakistani society and declared that no one would be allowed to indulge in acts of terrorism in the name of Kashmir cause. There is little doubt that the statement is aimed at convincing the international community in general and India in particular that the military establishment has not gone back on its commitments made in the January 12 speech. The sub-text of the statement is that Pakistan is in no way connected with the recent terrorist acts in India, including the May 14 massacre and the murder of the All Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader, Abdul Gani Lone. The statement came shortly after the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, told jawans in the Kupwara sector in Kashmir that it was time for a ``decisive fight''.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
International diplomacy picks up to prevent military confrontation
NDTV Correspondent British Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Michael Boyce is in New Delhi. Though officials say it's a routine visit there are reports that he will be briefed and provided evidence of infiltration and Pakistan based cross-border terrorism. Boyce, the first foreign military chief to visit New Delhi since Indo-Pak tensions escalated after the December 13 attack on Parliament, will meet Defence Minister George Fernandes on Friday and hold extensive deliberations with top services officials during his two-day visit. The British Admiral would hold talks with the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff committee, Gen S Padmanabhan and would be given a detailed briefing on India's present security concerns and environment by Deputy Chief of the Integrated Defence Staff Vice Admiral S Bhangara. He would also hold talks with Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh and Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy. Chris Patten in Islamabad The European Union's External Affairs Commissioner Chris Patten is already in Islamabad and will travel to Delhi tomorrow. Straw & Armitage expected soon British Foreign secretary Jack Straw arrives next week and in June American Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage is also expected to visit the sub-continent. In recent weeks, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca had visited both countries. US to offer space deal The United States is likely to offer space technology to India for restraint during the Indo-Pak standoff. According to STRATFOR.com, an internet site specialising in security matters, Washington has taken an active role in managing the tension, but has a limited list of concessions with which to buy Indian restraint. However, sharing space technology could prove key in preventing a wider conflict. Senior White House officials, speaking to STRATFOR, said they were aware of the potential for violence in the region, but added that the current tension was manageable. The Bush administration, said STRATFOR, has been playing a key role in postponing this kind of doomsday scenario with a policy basically built on bribery. Washington rewarded New Delhi's restraint in April when it authorised the first arms deal between the two countries in more than a decade -- the sale of eight weapons-locating radar system. Washington also proposed a series of joint military exercises with the Indian military. Military equipment worked in the past but it doesn't do much to prevent war on the subcontinent. Moreover, sending military gear to India weakens Pakistan President Musharraf's none-too-sturdy support base at home. Economic aid does not have much resonance in India's political scene, which has a strong independent streak. However, says STRATFOR, Washington may be able to parley developments in space technology. The development of space capabilities plays well in Indian politics, which has a tradition of supporting efforts towards national self-sufficiency. This is especially true now that China is making a concerted public effort towards space exploration.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Time for a decisive battle has come: Vajpayee
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday said the time has come for a decisive battle (against Pakistan). Addressing armymen in Kupwara district in Jammu and Kashmir, Vajpayee said, "We want peace and India to be prosperous, but are forced to fight a war. We will win this war. Let there be no doubt about it." Close to 1000 soldiers were called from the LoC to hear Vajpayee's speech. Without naming Pakistan in his speech, Vajpayee said, "We tried all kind of peace efforts with our neighbour, but nothing worked with them." Referring to the Kargil war of 1999, he said, "They tried to capture our land but failed miserably. In the last 54 years whenever war was forced upon us, we have retaliated and won." "They did not take even the dead bodies of their soldiers after the Kargil war. But we gave them respect and buried them," Vajpayee added. "The enemy (Pakistan) does not fight us (directly). They are fighting a proxy war. They are preparing young men to fight in the name of jihad. They are employing mercenaries and do not come in front of us," he said. Vajpayee also said there was a limit to India's tolerance of the proxy war it was facing (from Pakistan). "Nobody should think that the threshold of our tolerance has no limit," he said. "The world understands that we have been wronged, but they are not coming out with their views openly. Hence we have to defend ourselves," he said. "My arrival here is indicative of something. Whether our neighbour understand it or not, whether the world takes note of it or not, but the history will record that we will write a new chapter of victory... there is no doubt about it," he said. Referring to the Kaluchak killing, he asked, "What kind of fight or struggle is this where mothers and children are massacred?" The prime minister also praised the army saying the entire nation is behind them in their endeavour to guard the country's borders. With inputs from
Thursday, May 23, 2002
India on warpath, Pak steps back
Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf said at a meeting of his Cabinet and National Security Council (NSC) on Wednesday that the only way to avert a war with India was to stop sending terrorists into Kashmir. This is the only way to avert war, sources quoted Musharraf as saying during the meeting. Musharraf also said the international community would not support Pakistan if a war broke out and that the world did not accept the distinction Pakistan made between terrorists and freedom fighters. A senior official told the Hindustan Times that Musharraf had said the US and UK would monitor Pakistan's success, or otherwise, in stopping infiltration of terrorists into J&K. At the meeting, Musharraf also conceded that a diplomatic offensive against India to avert a war was not likely to succeed. His assessment was reflected in an official release issued after the meeting. "The meeting emphasised that the Government will not allow Pakistan's territory or any territory whose defence is the responsibility of Pakistan to be used for any terrorist activity anywhere in the world and no organisation in Pakistan will be allowed to indulge in terrorism in the name of Kashmir," it said. The release indicated Musharraf was planning to end the proxy war against India. At the meeting, the Cabinet and NSC agreed all outstanding issues between India and Pakistan, including the core issue of Kashmir, should be resolved through peaceful means. But, in a rerun of Musharraf's address to the nation this January, the release also said Pakistan would continue to extend moral, political and diplomatic support to the legitimate struggles of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for self-determination in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. Concern was expressed at the meeting over the escalation of tensions with the mobilisation of Indian troops, coupled with the determination to defend Pakistan against an Indian attack. "The meeting called upon the international community to impress upon India the dangers inherent in the explosive situation created as a result of Indian belligerence and obduracy," the official release said. ******************* STATE OF PLAY Troubleshooters British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and EU Commissioner for External Affairs Chris Patten will visit the subcontinent soon in a bid to calm passions. Possibility of war is real, said Straw. Pak envoy gets an earful Our patience is running out... No one in India takes the possibility of a war lightly, Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer told returning Pak envoy Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. Lashkar killed lone Lashkar-e-Tayyeba is behind the murder of Abdul Gani Lone, official sources said quoting radio intercepts. Gunboat diplomacy Five Indian Navy warships of the eastern fleet have steamed into the Arabian Sea to bolster the Western Command. Gold rush The price of gold climbed to Rs 5,290 for 10 gm a six-year high for India. It is expected to go up further.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Pak seeks to defuse tension
ISLAMABAD, A joint meeting of National Security Council (NSC) -- Pakistan's highest policy making body -- and the Cabinet, said the country was ready to defend itself against any Indian attack while offering to defuse the tension. President Pervez Musharraf presided over the meeting held in the wake of hightened Indo-Pak tension. The meeting however pledged to continue Pakistan's moral, political and diplomatic support to the "legitimate" struggle of the people of Jammu and Kashmir for the realisation of their right to self-determination in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. The meeting also expressed determination of the people of Pakistan to defend the country against any aggression or misadventure from India, it said adding that the ministers and members of the military-dominated NSC supported government's policy to defuse tensions with India. In another meeting, Gen Musharraf told a meeting of leaders of political parties and senior editors that "Pakistan's strategy is basically one of deterrence. That was the main feature of all the three defence services" and the greatest deterence was the "will and determination of the Pakistani nation to fight to the last drop of its blood." The meeting was, however, boycotted by the mainstream political and religious parties who remained steadfast on their demand for his resignation as well as formation of an interim government. Only some smaller parties and groups attended the meeting. Addressing international concerns over the mounting tension along the Indo-Pak border, he told visiting Austrian Defence Minister Herbert Sceheibne that "it is imperative that tension is reduced through immediate military de-escalation and the resolution of differences by a resumption of dialogue between India and Pakistan." Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar later said Pakistan was willing to adopt every possible means of defusing tension and preserving peace in the South Asian region. "Pakistan is for peace, Pakistan is opposed to war," he told the official media after President Pervez Musharraf met with his cabinet, political leaders, newspaper editors and members of his National Security Council. "Pakistan on its part is willing to adopt each and every means of contributing to defusing tension in South Asia and of preserving peace in this important region." Mr Sattar rejected Indian allegations that Pakistan was a sponsor of terrorism, saying that the country had played a prominent role in the fight against international terrorism. "We cannot be supporting terrorism anywhere," he said. "On the contrary, we have followed policies of taking stringent action within the country to curb militancy and terrorism because militancy and terrorism have targeted Pakistan itself." Sattar reiterated Pakistan's willingness to deploy international observers who could monitor the disputed border in Kashmir to ensure Pakistan was not involved in incursions. "We have asked the UN Military Observer Group to be reactivated and strengthened on both sides of the border," he said. The statement follows a threat of war by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who during a visit to Kashmir today said that the time had come for a "decisive fight". A statement by Pakistan Foreign Office here said: "The Government of Pakistan has taken note of the statement made by the Prime Minister of India today threatening Pakistan with 'a decisive battle'. "The Indian leadership should desist from such blatant war-mongering and instead focus on addressing their internal problems as well as resolving peacefully their many disputes with their neighbours." It said "The Indian leaders must not misunderstand the restraint so far shown by Pakistan in the face of their provocative statements and moves. Pakistan has the ability to defend itself against any war imposed by India. "Any misadventure by India will be met with full force. India must not harbour any illusions of waging and winning a war against Pakistan. This would be a major miscalculation leading to grave consequences", it said.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
11 Pak soldiers killed on LoC
JAMMU, (PTI & UNI) At least 11 Pakistani soldiers were killed in retaliatory firing and shelling, while one person was killed and 12 others were injured on Indian side in Jammu and Kashmir since Tuesday evening, official sources said here today. Pakistani troops resorted to heavy firing and shelling on forward posts and some civilian areas of Poonch district from 1630 hours to 2230 hours on Tuesday forcing Indian troops to retaliate, the sources said. In the retaliation, several Pakistani bunkers and two watch towers were damaged and at least 11 of their soldiers killed across LoC, they said, adding, however, only one person, identified as Mohammad Din, was injured in Jhallas in Poonch district. Pakistani troops had targetted areas of Swajian, Kobra, Angan Pathri, Sundari forest, Chaprian, Degwar, Khari-karmara, Jhallas with mortar shells and rockets as well. Reports from Srinagar said that one person was killed and seven others were injured in the overnight Pakistani shelling in Uri sector of north Kashmir. HOUSES DAMAGED: Several residential houses were also damaged in the shelling which started around 1800 hours on Tuesday and continued till midnight, police said, adding one civilian was killed and seven others sustained injuries as artillery and mortar shells were fired from across the border. Several shells exploded in Uri town in Baramulla district also. In Jammu and Kathua districts, exchange of fire was mild along the International Border (IB) since Tuesday evening. However, four persons, including one head constable of Border Security Force, were injured in Samba and R S Pura sectors. Three houses were also damaged due to firing Hamirpur area of Khour sector evening, the sources said, adding fire engulfed a forest area of Noushera-Jangarh in Rajouri district due to shelling from across the border. A BSF Sub-Inspector, H B Gore, was killed and a civilian, Kuldeep Raj, injured in Pansar-Manyari area of Kathua today, sources said. MIGRATION BEGINS: Besides, 100 families migrated from Mandiyal village in Kathua. Elsewhere, Indian and Pakistani troops are trading Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) fire at Samba and Akhnoor sectors amid fresh reports of people fleeing the border villages have came in. Fresh migration has taken place from Akhnoor, Ranbir Singh Pura and Samba sector with hundres of people fleeing their ancestral lands to escape Pakistani bullets taking the total number of people migrating to 18,000, sources added. Reports here suggest that Pakistan has moved additional troops and military hardwares along the border with a view to bolster the ranks of its soldiers already deployed there and to enhance the firepower of its army.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
US realises what India is up against in Kashmir
S Rajagopalan The assassination of Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone has led to a grim realisation here on what India is up against in its bid to hold free, fair and transparent polls in Jammu & Kashmir, an issue on which the US has been laying great emphasis lately. There seem to be more takers now for the Indian line that the Pakistan-backed terrorists will not allow any peaceful resolution of differences on the Kashmir issue and return of normalcy. Secretary of State Colin Powell himself appeared to echo these thoughts. In a statement issued within hours of Lone’s killing, Powell characterised it as a direct attack on hopes for a fair political process in Kashmir. The killers, he said, were clearly among those opposing a peaceful resolution in Kashmir. However, given the assassination’s potential to heighten Indo-Pak tensions further, the Bush administration has sought to caution both countries against any miscalculation. Just ahead of Bush’s weeklong European tour, the White House urged both countries to avoid a war at all costs. The President thinks it’s very important that India and Pakistan take all steps they can to reduce tensions, and to avoid a war that would destabilise the region and distract from the war against terrorism, spokesman Ari Fleischer said. Outside the US administration, some of the experts believe that the two countries are inexorably moving towards a war. Michael Krepon, a leading South Asia specialist and founder president of the Stimson Center, speaks of a very real possibility of war now. Krepon, just back from a visit to the region, said the only probable way-out was for the US to engage in an urgent, face-to-face diplomacy at the highest level. The suggestion clearly was that President Bush should be talking to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and President Pervez Musharraf. Just 10 days ago, when Krepon was in Kashmir, things were still a bit promising. That mood changed soon thereafter with the Jammu attack on May 14 and Lone’s assassination now. There had been some positive signs. There was a probability of Lone getting involved in the elections, he said. Within the administration itself, the State Department is coming under pressure for further initiatives to lower Indo-Pak tensions. The Pentagon fears that any outbreak of hostilities will hurt the ongoing operations in western Pakistan against the Al Qaeda. The US military is relying heavily on Pakistani troops after the Musharraf regime, out of fear of a backlash, asked American forces to avoid direct attacks. We are coordinating with those (Pakistani) forces, and I really can’t predict what may happen because of Kashmir. We hope they’ll continue to keep their people -- the Frontier Corps as well as their other assets -- operating in that border area, Army General Tommy Franks said.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Bomb scare at PM's meeting venue
PTI KUPWARA: Security agencies went into a tizzy minutes before the arrival of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to this border town on Wednesday after they received wireless intercepts from Pakistan about possibility of an explosive device being planted at the venue of his address to troops. The elite Special Protection Group (SPG) and other security agencies guarding the Prime Minister swung into action and launched an exhaustive drill to sanitise the area. A high-power jammer was at hand. Official sources said that the message was intercepted just about 15 minutes before Vajpayee was to land here by helicopter from Srinagar. Journalists covering the Prime Minister's visit to the Army's 28 division headquarter were asked to undergo a fresh security check although they had been throughly frisked earlier and their equipment checked. Taking no chances, the security agencies even checked their pens. The Prime Minister's address to the troops passed off peacefully and he flew to Srinagar after spending over two hours at the Army camp.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
End infiltration into Kashmir: US tells Pakistan
The United States has called on Islamabad to end the infiltration of militants into Kashmir. Describing the intensification of shelling on the Indo-Pakistan border as dangerous, State Department spokesman Phillip Reeker said the only way to reduce tension and resolve disputes is through dialogue. But, he conceded that ''an important component of the process, of course, is an end to infiltration into Kashmir.'' ''We have said this before, and we continue to call upon Pakistan to do all it can to achieve that objective.'' Meanwhile, at the Pentagon, Defence Secretary Donald H Rumsfeld, expressed concern over the impact of Indo-Pak war on the US-led war on terrorism and said he would speak to Defence Minister George Fernandes over telephone to discuss the situation. ''The message clearly to everyone is that it is a dangerous situation, that our hope and all of our efforts are aimed at encouraging them to lessen the tension along the border, both in Kashmir and elsewhere,'' Rumsfeld told reporters. The Defence Secretary said the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan was detrimental to the US-led war in Afghanistan because it has forced Pakistan to withdraw some of its forces from the Afghan border, where they were working with US forces to track down al-Qaida fighters. ''President Musharraf has indicated that there would be substantially more of his forces in the Afghanistan border area if the tension were not so high with respect to his eastern border,'' Rumsfeld said. State Department spokesman Reeker said he could not provide a date or itinerary for Deputy Secretary Richard Armitage’s visit to the region but the US was engaging leaders in India and Pakistan to start a dialogue. He said Secretary of State Colin Powell had discussed the South Asia situation with his British counterpart Jack Straw. ''Obviously it is a worrisome situation. As we have said before, we think it is vital for all sides to exercise restraint and reduce violence,'' Reeker said. The spokesman said it was important for India and Pakistan to resume a productive dialogue over the issues that divide them, including Kashmir. ''And so that's what we have continued to urge, and of course we have been working closely with the British and with other allies and interested parties in the international community to that end.'' Asked to comment on Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's remarks yesterday asking troops to prepare themselves for a decisive battle, Reeker said it was vital for all sides in Kashmir to ''exercise restraint, to reduce violence''. UNI
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Britain withdraws 150 diplomats from Pakistan
RASHMEE Z AHMED TIMES NEWS NETWORK LONDON: Britain will withdraw more than 150 diplomats from Pakistan for security reasons on account of "terrorist outrages" and "internal threats inside Pakistan", in a move that is being read by some as a clear criticism of General Musharraf’s professed crackdown on Islamist militants. The announced withdrawal came within hours of British foreign secretary Jack Straw’s publicly-stated decision to lead an emergency mission to India and Pakistan early next week because of the "real and very disturbing possibility of war". The withdrawal of British diplomats, closure of visa services and many consular offices in Pakistan comes within days of what diplomatic sources say was a firm lecture for the Pakistani authorities by British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s chief foreign policy advisor David Manning. The sources said Manning, a hard-hitting and experienced former ambassador to NATO and Israel, talked tough in Islamabad before going on to Delhi. Announcing the withdrawal of diplomats from Pakistan, British foreign secretary Jack Straw stressed on Wednesday, "it was a matter of public recordand on account of internal security within Pakistan and is not directly related to the situation on the Line of Control with Kashmir". He said that he "made no criticism of the Pakistani authorities". But, in an indication of open disagreement between London and Islamabad about Pakistan’s effective blacklisting as a suitable and safe destination for British nationals, diplomatic or otherwise, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in London, Abdul Kader Jaffer contested Straw’s reading of the situation. In an interview to a domestic British television channel, Jaffer publicly said British diplomats were being withdrawn on account of both the perceived terrorist threats and the Kashmir situation, for which he blamed India and the "disturbing statements from its mature statesman, the Indian Prime Minister". The diplomatic disagreement comes as a British foreign office spokesman told this paper that London was increasingly alarmed at "the seriousness of the situation and was keen to build security ties between Islamabad and Delhi, which basically means an encouragement to dialogue". Indian diplomatic sources, however, said the international chorus of concern was likely to be reminded of its complete inaction just weeks ago, when Musharraf released the leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish e-Mohammed, both banned groups in Britain. India’s impatience at the West’s continuing tolerance and support for Musharraf comes as Pakistani opposition groups here, including Benazir Bhutto’s PPP, repeated that Washington, London and Brussels needed to put pressure on Musharraf "to form a national government, invite back real opposition leaders and allow democratic discussion of the dangerous war-like situation in the region". British officials said the planned "security ties" would feature heavily in Straw’s forthcoming visit to the Indian sub-continent, though it was still not clear whether he would first visit Delhi or Islamabad. Straw’s strong statement late on Tuesday caused a panic within Britain’s political and media community at the prospect of what one paper described as "the first use of atomic weapons since Hiroshima and Nagasaki". Straw, who denied he had "any pre-cooked peace plan", explained his decision to form part of a diplomatic procession to the sub-continent, led by EU foreign affairs commissioner Chris Patten now in Islamabad and US deputy secretary of state Richard Armitage. "This high level of diplomatic activity underlines the seriousness of the situation. India and Pakistan both have nuclear weapons and the capacity to use them and have talked publicly about a possible nuclear exchange. It is a conflict with potentially devastating consequences for the peoples of both countries and is of profound concern to the whole international community", he said.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Vajpayee breathes down the General’s neck
Muzamil Jaleel Kupwara, May 22: Keeping the pressure on Pakistan, in fact, raising it several notches, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said that the ‘‘time has come for a decisive battle,’’ troops should be ready for the ‘‘supreme sacrifice’’ for writing a ‘‘new chapter in victory.’’ Addressing jawans and officers in an Army camp just 20 km away from the Line of Control, Vajpayee’s message was perhaps the strongest since the Jammu massacre has threatened to push both sides to the brink. Prime Minister A B Vajpayee addressing troops at an Army camp in Kupwara on Wednesday. Express photo by Javeed Shah Although he did not name Pakistan even once in his entire speech, he kept referring to it as ‘‘enemy’’ and ‘‘neighbour.’’ ‘‘My coming here,’’ he said, ‘‘is also a signal towards something, whether the neighbour understands it or not and whether the world records it or not.’’ ‘‘Nobody should think that we will keep on stretching the limits of our patience and that we are not alert and awake,’’ he said. ‘‘Our neighbour has initiated a new way. They don’t come and fight face to face. They rather tend to carry out a proxy war. They send mercenaries after paying them money or showing them dreams of paradise. They don’t, however, fight, they take lives of innocent people,’’ he said. ‘‘What war is it where children and women are being targeted, where a child is killed in the lap of his mother? What is their animosity with children? This brutality is a challenge before us.’’ World watches and worries Powell, Straw compare notes, Rumsfeld can’t call • US Secretary of State Colin Powell and British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw conferred on the Indo-Pak crisis today. Powell called Straw from the presidential jet as he travelled with President Bush to Europe. • US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld too described the situation as being dangerous. He said a faulty cell phone connection prevented him from speaking to his Indian counterpart, but he expected to do so shortly. UK pulls out some staff from Islamabad • Britain today said a series of threats possibly, bomb attacks prompted a decision to withdraw 130 diplomats from Pakistan Jack sees many straws in disturbing wind • British PM Tony Blair said it was essential that Pak stopped supporting any form of terrorism in Kashmir and India offered a proper system of dialogue. Foreign Secretary Straw also warned of the ‘‘real and very disturbing’’ possibility of a nuclear conflict Raising the pitch doesn’t help, EU tells India • The EU said while it shared India’s concern on terrorism, ‘‘escalating the rhetoric’’ wasn’t the most appropriate mechanism for fighting terrorism Vajpayee flew to this border town along with Defence Minister George Fernandes, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and BJP MP Vijay Goel. Security fears prompted authorities to keep the 6 lakh population of Kupwara district indoors. Not one local resident was seen anywhere. The road leading to hundreds of villages in the Lolab Valley was blocked by an armoured vehicle and residents were not allowed to step out of their homes. Ironically, Kupwara is seen as the political bastion of Hurriyat moderate Abdul Gani Lone who was killed for his moderate views seeking an end to violence and a peaceful resolution of Kashmir dispute. Vajpayee, however, told the troops to be ready for sacrifice. ‘‘Lakshya hamara vijay hona chahiye...balidan ke liye tayyar rahiye (our goal should be victory. Be prepared for sacrifice),’’ Vajpayee said. He said the entire nation was ‘‘solidly’’ behind the troops at this critical juncture when they were ready to put an end to the proxy war. ‘‘The world understands that we are wronged and yet can’t come out in the open to say where it stands. So it’s our job to protect ourselves and we are ready,’’ he said. ‘‘We have faith in you and in you, I see the emotions of Indian people,’’ he told the troops amid thunderous applause. Vajpayee said that several times over the past 54 years, the country has faced attacks every time the enemy has got a befitting response. ‘‘They tried to grab our land,’’ he said. ‘‘But our armed forces have always been alert while defending our borders...We want peace and our policies are to make India a prosperous nation but if a war is forced on us, we will fight back and win.’’ Referring to Kargil, he said: ‘‘We thought that repeated defeats have got them ready to choose the right path. And when we were holding peace parleys with the enemy, they sneaked in the darkness of night and attacked our snowclad peaks.’’
Thursday, May 23, 2002
India's nuclear command to be in place next month
PTI LONDON: India's Strategic Nuclear Command is expected to be in place by next month, four years after the country conducted underground tests and declared itself a nuclear-state. The Strategic Nuclear command which will be commanded by the Indian Air Force and based at Thiruvananthapuram, currently the headquarters of the IAF Southern Air Command, will function under the aegis of the newly created Integrated Defence Staff, the Jane's Defence Weekly has said quoting official sources. A large proportion of the SNC's air and sea-based assets will eventually be based on the Andaman and Nicobar island in the Bay of Bengal, headquarters of India's first tri-service command established last October," the sources said. The IAF, convinced of its pre-eminent strike capability, had wanted sole control of India's nuclear assets and was clearly "disconcerted" when the government announced the raising of the army's second strategic rocket regiment last year to operate the indigenously produced Agni II Intermediate-range ballistic missile that entered series production June last year, the weekly claimed.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Pak stepping up infiltration across LoC: Army
PTI NEW DELHI: The Pakistan army is reported to have stepped up efforts to infiltrate militants across the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. The Army, during the past 24 hours, detected and foiled two major attempts to push in militants in Uri sector in Kashmir valley killing two Pakistani mercernaries. "There may have been a number of more such attempts which went undetected," officials here said. With the melting of snow, these were the first two major attempts which came to light and both the bids made during early morning were foiled, officials said. They said for the past several months, Army patrols had witnessed a new pattern in the infiltrations bids, with the militants being pushed in being all Pakistani or Afghan nationals. "Unlike in the past attempts are now made to push in smaller groups, as against groups of 20 to 40 militants earlier," officials said adding that the infiltrators were now very lightly armed indicating that they were being provided heavier weapons inside Jammu and Kashmir.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Missile-carrying warships sail near Pakistan
Missile-carrying Indian Naval warships steamed into the Arabian Sea, closer to Pakistan, as military tensions between the neighbours soared, officials here said. "We have moved five frontline ships of the eastern fleet to be cross-deployed to the western seaboard to augment the force levels," Naval spokesman Commander Rahul Gupta said. Highly-placed naval sources told AFP that four of the vessels are armed with missiles but the spokesman declined to elaborate on the redeployment. "A Russian-built destroyer, an indigenous frigate and three corvettes are steaming into the Arabian Sea from the Bay of Bengal," the source said, adding the destroyer, the frigate and two of the corvettes are capable of launching missiles. The Navy has already brought the country's merchant navy under its flag and kept its only aircraft carrier on a state of alert in the Bay of Bengal. The Indian Air Force, the world's fourth largest, also went on alert. "We are still not at the stage where we scramble jets but we are now on a state of alert," a senior offical from the Western Air Command told AFP on condition of anonymity. He said the air force has also cleared some 80 grounded MiG-21s for operational duty due to the increased tensions. The planes were grounded when a jet ploughed into bank, killing 23 people earlier this month. "We are also redeploying our Mirage-2000 and Jaguars to forward locations from their mother bases," the official said of the fleet of French- and British-built warplanes which adds teeth to India's mainly Russian-built air force. The Press Trust of India said the air force was also moving its "strategic assets" including ground-to-air-missiles to protect vital installations but there was no independent confirmation of the dispatch.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Warships sail for Arabian Sea
TIMES NEWS NETWORK New Delhi: After the Army and the IAF, it’s the turn of the Navy to flex its muscles in the ongoing Indo-Pak standoff. In a repeat of the deployment during the 1999 Kargil conflict, the Navy has moved several of its frontline warships from the eastern coast to the western coast. All the three Services are fine-tuning their ‘‘operational readiness’’ to tackle any eventuality and orders have been issued to recall all personnel on leave. The Army HQ in the Capital will also work seven days a week now. The Eastern Naval Fleet (ENF) warships will further bolster the premier Western Naval Fleet (WNF), which is considered to be the Navy’s ‘‘sword arm’’ in the Arabian Sea. The WNF includes the Navy’s ‘‘main potent assets’’ in the form of aircraft carrier INS Viraat, ‘‘Kilo’’ class submarines with underwater- launched Klub cruise missiles and guided-missile destroyers, among others. Navy officers were only willing to confirm that ‘‘five frontline warships’’ of the ENF had indeed been ‘‘dispatched to conjoin the WNF’’. These warships, which include a ‘‘Kashin’’ class missile destroyer, a multi-purpose frigate and three missile corvettes, have been placed under the ‘‘administrative and operational control’’ of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command. Sources said several more ‘‘naval assets’’ were also being moved to the western seaboard. ‘‘This cross-deployment has been ordered to augment the force levels and operational preparedness in the western seaboard in view of the prevailing situation and to take on any challenge on the seas,’’ said an officer. The Navy had carried out similar shifting of warships during the 1971 Indo-Pak war and the 1999 Kargil conflict. The Navy had, in fact, effectively bottled up the Karachi harbour during the 1971 war. The assets of the Coast Guard have already been placed under the operational command of the Navy. Merchant Navy ships have also been told to regularly report their position and movement to the naval authorities.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
India ready for war, Pak envoy told
SIDDHARTH SRIVASTAVA TIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI: "The Indian people do not take the possibility of war against Pakistan lightly anymore" this was the message conveyed by India to Pakistan High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. India decided to send back the Pakistan high commissioner following the Kaluchak attack in Jammu & Kashmir last week that left 34 people dead. Qazi, who made a courtesy call on Foreign Secretary Chokila Iyer Wednesday afternoon, was told in no uncertain terms that Pakistan's current approach to India and the its promotion of terrorism was unacceptable. "The Indian response to Pakistan's abetment of cross-border terrorism has so far been measured and followed a step-by-step approach, but patience is running out," Qazi was told by Iyer. "India's tolerance to terrorism has only encouraged more violence. Pakistan cannot simultaneously fight against terrorists on its own land as well as promote cross-border terrorism,'' Qazi was told. During the half-hour long meeting with Iyer, the Pakistani high commissioner was informed that December 13, the day that terrorists attacked the Indian Parliament was a watershed in terms of sentiments of anger and frustration among the politicians and the people of the country. "India is disappointed by the complete roll-back on the promises of cracking down on terrorism made by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in his January 12 speech," Qazi was told. He was also informed that the international community was no longer willing to accept the fact that Pakistan was not promoting cross-border terrorism. Iyer explained to Qazi that steps such as the composite dialogue process, the Lahore bus yatra and the Agra summit were initiated by India for normal state relations between the two countries. "Pakistan continues to ignore India's determination to fight terrorism, with no action being initiated against the list of 20 terrorists submitted by India. Meanwhile, it is also supporting re-opening as well as re-location of terrorist camps within Pakistan,'' Qazi was told. Qazi is scheduled to leave the country on Saturday.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
War clouds cast shadow over Bollywood
SUDIPTO DEY - TIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI: The film industry is worried. Nearly a dozen big-budget movies are lined up for release over the next month. And there is talk of war in the country! Bollywood - and Hollywood - has already planned a movie-filled bonanza to wow Indians. Among the releases are Shah Rukh-Salman-Madhuri starrer Hum Tumhare Hai Sanam (scheduled for release on May 24); Amitabh Bacchan's Hum Kisse Se Kam Nahi (May 31); two Bhagat Singh-sagas - one with Bobby Deol and the other with Ajay Devgan (June 7); Yash Chopra's Mere Yaar Ke Shaadi (June 7); Anil Kapoor-starrer Badhai Ho Badhai (June 14); Akshay Kumar-Sunil Shetty's Awara Pagal Deewana (June 21); and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus Devdas (June 28). The stakes could not be higher. As per industry estimates, almost Rs 200 crore has been invested in the production of these movies. The war-rhetoric and possibility of an Indo-Pak conflict vould upset the plan, fear exhibitors. To top it all, the year so far has not been too good for Bollywood. Other than the Bipasha Basu-starrer Raaz and Ram Gopal Varma's Company, most movies released so far have either done average business or sunk without a trace. The last big-budget movie to be declared a national hit was Karan Johar's Kabhi Khushi, Kabhi Gham, released late last year. Industry players point out that the riots in Gujarat have already hit the business. Not surprisingly, producers and distributors are keeping a close watch on the border - and their fingers crossed. Says Gini Chadha, director, Gini Arts, which distributes Devdas in North India: "We are sticking to our release schedule for the time-being." Chadha, however, adds that the stakes are too high for this Rs 50 crore movie, which has been in the making for more than three years. Yet there are some who feel the heightened sense of patriotism would be good for business, especially if the movie has the right theme. And there are at least two such movies: The Bhagat Singh sagas - Guddu Dhanoa's 1931 Shaheed and Raj Kumar Santoshi's The Legend of Bhagat Singh. Producers are also taking heart at the moderate success of small budget movie - 16 December - with the theme of a nuclear attack by Pakistan, released in March this year. Last year's mega successes - Laagan and Gadar - have already played on patriotic sentiments with rich dividends. But most producers, distributors and exhibitors hope the tension would ease in the coming days. Even far-away Hollywood has something to lose if the rhetoric continues. Two of the biggest Hollywood hits in recent times - Spider-Man (May 24) and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones (June 7) - also open in theatres over the next three weeks. Says Uttpal Acharya, regional manager (North), Columbia Tristar: "In case a war breaks out, box office collections are expected to take a hit." Columbia Tristar is all set to release Spider-Man with a record number of 250 prints across the country.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Don't test our patience, PM warns Pak
PTI KUPWARA: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has bluntly told Pakistan that there is a limit to India's tolerance to the proxy war it was waging. "Nobody should think that the threshold of our tolerance has no limit," he told troops in Kupwara, not far from the Line of Control, on Wednesday. "India is forced to fight a proxy war thrust on it and we will emerge victorious. Let there be no doubt about it." Vajpayee said that a challenge has been thrown to India and "we accept it". "The world understands that we have been wronged but they are not coming out with their views openly. Hence we have to defend ourselves; we are ready for that. "My arrival here is indicative of something. Whether our neighbour understands it or not, whether the world takes note of it or not, history will record that we will write a new chapter of victory..." he said.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
It's all in the mind: Ganguly explains failure
India skipper Sourav Ganguly said Wednesday the lack of mental toughness rather than lack of ability was the main reason why his team failed to win an overseas Test series. "The problem is not with the ability, but with the mind," said Ganguly, whose team lost the fifth and final Test by 155 runs against the West Indies to suffer a 2-1 defeat in a five-match series. India have yet to win an away Test series under Ganguly's captaincy, having settled for a 1-1 draw in Zimbabwe and lost in Sri Lanka, South Africa and the West Indies. India's last series win outside the sub-continent came in 1986 when they beat England 2-0 under Kapil Dev's captaincy. "We've the ability to win an away Test series, but I don't think we've the mindset. That's the main reason why we haven't done well abroad," said Ganguly. "We've never done well in crunch matches. We've to produce something extra in these games and we've never been able to do it. Our performance in the one-day finals has also proved that, so we need to work on that." Ganguly denied India had always been a poor team overseas, saying his squad had won a few away Tests under his leadership. "Had this been the case, we wouldn't have won in Dhaka, Bulawayo, Kandy and Port-of-Spain," he said. "The foreign conditions are not really the key. The West Indies played better cricket than us in Barbados and here and won the series. "We just didn't bat well on a good wicket in Barbados. The ball moved for 10-15 overs on the first morning. Had we not lost early wickets during that period we would have done better," said Ganguly. India were shot out for 102 in their first innings after being put in to bat and never looked like bouncing back into the match thereafter. The West Indies won the Test by 10 wickets to square the series 1-1. "It was the same here," he said. "We won the toss and bowled badly on the first morning and allowed their openers to raise a big stand. I think Wavell Hinds and Chris Gayle took the game away from us on the first day. "We then didn't bat well in the first innings. They played better overall cricket than us." Hinds cracked an attractive 113 for his second Test hundred, sharing a 111-run stand for the opening wicket with Gayle (68) to help his team score an impressive 422 in the first innings. India coach John Wright said batting let the team down in the deciding game. "To be honest, we can't afford to lose so many wickets coming into the final day while trying to win or save the game or taking advantage of the weather conditions," said Wright. India, set a record 408 to win, lost seven wickets for 237 on Tuesday, including those of Ganguly and Venkatsai Laxman to pull shots. "When you needed that many runs, you needed a couple of hundreds. The earlier the better and then go from there. "What was disappointing about this particular match was that it was the decider and everyone was aware of that. "To win a series away from home, you got to understand it isn't going to be easy. The conditions may not be suited to you or you may not be used to them. "Not winning here was disappointing for us and for Indian public who deserve an overseas win. It's almost a mindset. We've got to turn it around."
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Be ready for decisive battle, PM tells jawans
The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, peering through a pair of binoculars while being shown captured weapons from militants at a military base in Kupwara in Jammu on Wednesday. AP SRINAGAR MAY 22. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today said the Army should be ready for sacrifices but "our aim should be victory". In a forceful address to the jawans at the Kupwara brigade headquarters here this afternoon, Mr. Vajpayee said the country was facing a proxy war waged by a neighbouring country and urged the armed forces to be ready for a "decisive battle". "The time has come for a decisive battle and we will have a sure victory in this battle," the Prime Minister said, adding that his visit to Jammu and Kashmir had a deep meaning and "whether Pakistan or the world take note of it or not, a new chapter of victory and triumph will be written in the history books soon.'' The Prime Minister said the country believed in peace, but it should not be construed as "our weakness''. "The enemy has thrown us a challenge by waging a proxy war. We accept it and pledge to give it a crushing defeat,'' he said. Mr. Vajpayee said many questions were being put to him about possible action against terrorists and the sponsors of terrorism. "My visit to the State holds an answer to it. Whether our neighbouring country or the world notices it, I am sure that by this visit an important chapter of victory and triumph will be added in our history. We will emerge victorious,'' he said amid applause from the jawans. The Prime Minister said the country was prepared for any eventuality and its armed forces and 100 crore Indians had pledged to defeat the designs of the enemy. "We will teach the perpetrators of the proxy war a lesson. Our forces are standing like rock on the borders." Referring to the Kargil war, Mr. Vajpayee said Pakistan had betrayed the country New Delhi had expected friendship. "But they sent in mercenaries and captured our land. We defeated them and liberated every inch of land from them. They were given a crushing blow. But they still did not derive any lesson from it,'' he said adding that despite the defeats they have not learnt lessons. "They have now waged a new type of war against us. But we have vowed to defeat it and our forces are in full preparedness to defeat the nefarious designs of the enemy,'' he added. Referring to the Kaluchak carnage in Jammu in which 32 persons were killed by terrorists, Mr. Vajpayee said the gruesome killing of children and women showed the real face of terrorists. The Defence Minister, George Fernandes, said a new type of situation had arisen after Kaluchak and the country would not sit idle but would defeat the designs of the militants. He assured the Prime Minister that the armed forces were fully ready and capable of inflicting a crushing defeat on the aggressors.
Thursday, May 23, 2002
Stay out of my marriage: Kamal tells media
SIFY: by P C Vinoj Kumar in Chennai Actor Kamal Hassan has lashed out at papers reporting on his private life, accusing "some yellow rags" of intruding on his privacy. "I subscribe neither to their philosophy nor their magazines. It is their culinary taste, you cannot ridicule the other person's appetite for vegetarian or non-vegetarian fare," the actor told a Chennai newspaper on a philosophical note. Kamal refused to react to reports that his wife, ex-actress Sarika had walked out on him and that she had filed a divorce petition. "If anything like that happens, the court will be kind enough to notify the public," he said. To a question whether he was single and happy now, the actor replied, "If living single were of primary importance, there would not have been a marriage with Sarikaji, after having two children." However, in rare candour, the actor said in the course of the interview, "No marriage is without friction. As I am a high profile star, please do not grease friction with fiction." Asked what "exactly went wrong" (between him and his wife), Kamal reportedly replied after a long pause, "That is something Sarikaji and I will have to discuss. This discussion will not be in public." Local tabloids and magazines had reported that Kamal and Sarika were heading for a split over the actor's alleged affair with actress Simran. Kamal has been maintaining a stoic silence on the issue even as his former wife Vani Ganapathy broke her fifteen-year old silence and gave her first press interview about her ex-husband. In the interview, Vani warned Simran not to into a relationship with Kamal without knowing his true colors and said that Kamal would ditch her when he got bored with her. Simran has not commented on the reports so far.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
PM says he would comment on the Kashmir situation
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said that he would comment on the escalating tension with Pakistan before concluding his current trip to Jammu and Kashmir. "I will reply before leaving back for Delhi," he told reporters in reply to a specific question seeking his comments on the present tension between India and Pakistan. The Prime Minister said, during his visit to Jammu and Kashmir, he would visit some border areas and meet cross-section of people to ascertain their views on the situation. Vajpayee was received at Jammu air force station by Governor G C Saxena, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta and senior army, police and civil officials. He immediately left for military hospital where he would meet the people injured in the May 14 Kaluchak attack by militants. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave for Srinagar tomorrow after meeting representatives of political parties in the state.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Lone was killed because he was working for peace: PM
Lone was killed because he was working for peace: PM Jammu,Tuesday, May 21, 2002: Condemning the killing of senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Lone, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said here this evening that he was assassinated because he was working for peace in Jammu and Kashmir. Vajpayee, talking to reporters, said that he wanted to pay homage to the slain Kashmiri leader. Asked if the killing would be a setback to the peace process, the Prime Minister said he hoped it would not. However, it would have some effect.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Army foils a major infiltration bid on eve of PM'S visit.
PTI A Pakistani mercernary was killed today when army foiled a major infiltration bid in West Lachipura area of Uri sector in Jammu and Kashmir, an army spokesman said here. Terming the infiltration bid the first this year in Kashmir valley with the melting of snows, the spokesman said an army patrol had detected it from the heavily forested area around 0300 hours. The patrol challenged the infiltrating group and in the heavy exchange of fire one terrorist was killed, while others escaped back to Pakistani side. "The incident vindicates the assessment that infiltration from Pakistan side of the Line of Control is likely to increase with the melting of the snow", the spokesman said.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Vajpayee rallies Kashmir troops
Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has told front line troops in the disputed territory of Kashmir to prepare for a "decisive battle" against Islamic insurgents. Mr Vajpayee met Indian soldiers on the second day of his visit to the troubled region, where cross-border tensions with Pakistan have worsened. "Be prepared for sacrifices. But our aim should be victory, because it's now time for a decisive fight," he said in Kupwara in northern Kashmir. India says that Pakistan trains and finances Islamic militants who are fighting for independence or the merger of Indian-controlled territory with Pakistan. A general strike is under way in most of Indian-administered Kashmir in response to a call by Kashmir's main separatist alliance, which has accused the security forces of human rights abuses. The funeral of a leading moderate separatist politician, Abdul Ghani Lone, is due later in the day. He was assassinated on Tuesday by unidentified gunmen at a rally. Kashmiri militant groups have denied that they were responsible and have blamed the killing on India's secret agents. Reports from his native town, Handwara, say the police have imposed restrictions on the movement of people to prevent his supporters from joining his funeral procession. Diplomatic pressure On Tuesday, Mr Vaypayee toured a hospital in Jammu that is treating some of those injured in an attack last week on an army base, in which more than 30 people died. India blames Pakistan for supporting the militants responsible, and the two countries have been exchanging artillery and mortar fire. The British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, has said that he will visit the region next week. And a senior US State Department envoy, Richard Armitage, is also due to visit the region shortly in an effort to calm tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. Attack condemned Mr Lone and a bodyguard were shot dead while attending a ceremony commemorating the assassination of a Kashmiri leader, witnesses said. Three masked men are said to have approached him and opened fire. Mr Lone was seen as a moderate who wanted talks with the Indian Government over his demands for a separate Kashmir state. Indian Kashmir's Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, said the attack was the work of the government in Islamabad. "Whoever wants a peaceful solution in Kashmir is killed by Pakistan," he said. But the Pakistani Government was quick to condemn the attack, describing his murder as a setback to the peace process.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Novel heart surgery saves 10-day-old child's life
CHENNAI: After losing three of their children, Saraswathi and Ethiraj were desperate to save their fourth. The couple had nearly lost hope after the antenatal ultrascan performed during the seventh month of Saraswathi's pregnancy. Doctors had told them that the chances of survival of their child would be slim as it would be born with a serious heart defect. On April 26, nearly a week after the baby's birth, a successful `Norwood' operation was performed at Sri Ramachandra Medical College (SRMC) Centre, for the first time ever in the city. The baby boy is likely to be discharged from the hospital on Wednesday. On April 19, less than an hour after his birth in CSI Rainy Hospital, the baby boy was shifted to SRMC. The hospital's paediatric cardiologist Dr Ranjith and a team of other paediatricians found that the left ventricle of the heart was almost non-existent _ a condition known as hypo-plastic left heart syndrome. "The left pumping chamber and the valve that carries pure blood were too tiny and the lung was inflated. This chamber was not capable of sending oxygenated blood to other parts of the body," says Dr Ranjith. After having put the patient on `protaglandin' (a life saving drug) the ductus (the fetal blood vessel which joins the aorta and pulmonary artery) was kept open and functional till the surgery, which was performed by cardio-thoracic surgeon Dr K R Balakrishnan. During the surgery, the artery to the lungs was converted as the artery to the body. "Even after the surgery the infant will continue to have mixed blood (pure and impure) supply to other parts of the body. Nevertheless, the baby will survive as there will be supply of blood," says Dr Ranjith. In a couple of years, the baby will have to undergo another surgery called the `Fortan', where this defect will be corrected. The surgery has a lot of risks involved. Nevertheless, the doctors decided to take the 40 per cent risk involved in the surgery. "We had performed the same surgery twice earlier. Unfortunately, they were both unsuccessful. The parents were anxious and desperate to save their child. This added to the pressure on the doctors and surgeons," says Chief Cardiac Anesthesiologist Dr Mahesh Vakamudi. Though surgeons all over the world prefer a heart transplant, the team at SRMC decided to go in for the controversial `Norwood' surgery. "It is true that there is a conflict even between the Eastern Coast and Western Coast of the US. While the Eastern Coast recommends this procedure, the surgeons at the Western Coast avoid the procedure as they are more skilled in transplants." "But when it comes to developing countries like India, it is very difficult to get an organ, particular for paediatric patients. Moreover, many patients die due to immuno-suppressive infections during post-operative care," he said. A transplant patient at the hospital died due to leptospirosis, due to polluted drinking water. Moreover, this surgery will work out much cheaper than the transplant surgery, he said. "I don't know much about what has really been done to my kid. But I am happy that he has survived," says Saraswathi, fighting back tears.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Vajpayee arrives in Kashmir
AFP JAMMU: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrived amid tight security in Kashmir late Tuesday, as tension rose on the borders with Pakistan. Vajpayee said he would comment on the escalating tension with Pakistan before concluding his three-day trip to the state. The Prime Minister also told reporters he would visit some border areas and meet cross-section of people to ascertain their views on the situation. Vajpayee arrived at dusk on board an Indian Air Force Boeing 737 at a military airport in Jammu. He was received at the Jammu air force station by Governor G C Saxena, Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Union Minister Chaman Lal Gupta and senior Army, police and civil officials. He immediately left for military hospital where he would meet the people injured in the May 14 Kaluchak attack by militants. The Prime Minister is scheduled to leave for Srinagar on Wednesday after meeting representatives of political parties in the state. He first visited the valley during the 1999 Kargil conflict. He returned in August 2000 following the massacre of Amarnath pilgrims by Islamic militants.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
1 killed, 7 injured in Pak shelling
PTI SRINAGAR: One person was killed and seven others injured in the overnight Pakistani shelling in Uri sector of north Kashmir, police said on Wednesday. A civilian, Arif Mohammad Bhat, was killed and seven others injured as artillery and mortar shells from across the border hit the civilian areas, triggering panic among the residents. Several residential houses were damaged in the shelling which started around 1800 hours on Tuesday and continued till midnight, police also said. The police said Boniyar, Kamalkote, Nambla, Chakoti Nambla and Uran Bhawa were the worst affected by the indiscriminate and unprovoked Pakistani shelling. Several shells also exploded in the Uri town, 101 kms from here in Baramulla district. Indian troops retaliated but the casualties on the Pakistan side were not known, police added.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Hurriyat strike paralyses Kashmir
AFP SRINAGAR: A one-day strike to protest the visit of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee crippled Kashmir on Wednesday, witnesses said. The strike called by the All Party Hurriyat Conference closed down shops and businesses in Srinagar. Most traffic was off the roads. The strike has been co-sponsored by the Kashmir High Court Bar Association. The Hurriyat, in calling for a strike, accused the Indian leadership of creating war hysteria in the subcontinent and bringing the region to the brink of disaster. "It is a dangerous situation," a statement by the Hurriyat said. "And it is under these conditions that the Indian Prime Minister is visiting Kashmir." The alliance of separatist groups accused the Indian security forces of increasing their "repression" in Kashmir ahead of Vajpayee's visit to the state. "Vajpayee would make the issue of Kashmir more complex through economic packages and hollow political statements," it said. Vajpayee's visit has been clouded by the assassination of senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone in Srinagar during a function on Tuesday. The strike call, however, was given before Lone's assassination.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Time for final settlement with Pak: BJP
PTI HYDERABAD: BJP President Jana Krishnamurthy on Tuesday said time has come for "final settlement" with Pakistan to eliminate "once and for all" the menace of cross-border terrorism. He further added that such a task should be carried out by "India alone with or without support of any other country". "The Government is aware of the expectations of people who feel that cross-border terrorism must be eliminated from our soil once and for all, from whichever country it emanates," Krishnamurthy said. Asked whether his party favoured hot pursuit of terrorists accross the Line of Control, he was cautious and calibrated in his response and said "how and in what manner the task is to be carried out should be left to the Government". But, people want that action should be taken to see that India does not become subject to cross-border terrorism any more, the BJP leader said. Lashing out at United States for its "double standards" on the issue of terrorism, Krishnamurthy said America had lost no time in declaring war against Taliban when terrorism was unleashed on its soil but was now advising India to maintain restraint. "No other country which suffered terrorism has shown so much patience. Even our patience has its limitations," he said adding that international opinion was in India's favour as more and more countries were now mounting pressure on Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Satellites, 30000 men to guard PM on J&K visit
SIDDHARTH SRIVASTAVA TIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's three-day visit to Jammu & Kashmir will witness one of the biggest security exercises ever undertaken by the Indian armed forces. Over 30,000 personnel belonging to the armed forces, the paramilitary and the local police will be exclusively involved in various capacities in what is going to be an unprecedented vigilance operation. There will be 24-hour air combat patrolling involving at least two aircraft. Radio- and electronic-jammers will be used extensively, and hilltops along the PM's route have been secured against sniper fire. In addition, road-opener parties have been deployed on a large scale to clear mines. In addition, satellite surveillance will monitor any suspicious movement in the area. There has never been such a security cover in the past,'' says a senior government official. According to sources, the Vajpayee's immediate security network has been expanded from the usual three tiers of the SPG, NSG and the ITBP to a six-tier one. The Prime Minister, in all probability, will be using his official aircraft - a Boeing 737 - to do most of the travel. Intelligence agencies have, in fact, strongly advised the PM against the use of a helicopter, which might be vulnerable to shoulder-fired missiles. According to sources, the security exercise is being co-ordinated by the Army and the Intelligence Bureau. "Given the already-large presence of security forces in Jammu & Kashmir, it is a question of redeployment of troops. However, special measures have to be undertaken when the PM is visiting,'' says an official with the IB. Vajpayee, who leaves New Delhi Tuesday afternoon and returns on Thursday, will be accompanied by Defence Minister George Fernandes, NSA advisor Brajesh Mishra, and Army Chief Gen Padmanabhan. Vajpayee will first visit Jammu, including the military hospital where the Kaluchak attack victims are admitted. He will stay at the Raj Bhawan and will also meet several political and social delegations on Tuesday. The next morning, Vajpayee will visit a forward area. Subsequently, he will leave for Srinagar, where he will hold a series of administrative and political meetings. On Thursday, before returning to the Capital, the Prime Minister will meet top Army officials at a Unified Command meeting, an official said. Home Minister L K Advani will also be joining the PM at this Unified Command meet. The PM's visit comes after heightened tension between India and Pakistan in the wake of the terrorist attack last week on a civilian bus and the family quarters of an Army camp that left 34 people dead.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Troops move to forward locations on border
Soldiers have moved into bunkers and guns are in position in large parts of the international border in Rajasthan in view of heightened defence activity on the Pakistani side, sources said here Tuesday. "There's a heavy buildup on both sides of the border," an intelligence sources said. The paramilitary Border Security Force, the Army and the Air Force were in a state of full readiness in the border district of Sriganganagar, Bikaner, Barmer and Jaislamer to thwart any Pakistani misadventure, the sources said. Intelligence sources in Jaisalmer said Pakistan had moved its armoured and tank regiments into Bahawalpur, bordering Bikaner and Sriganganagar. Pakistani Army activity had increased near the border after the May 14 terrorist attack at Kaluchak near Jammu. The rumble of Army trucks can be heard at nights in the border areas of Rajasthan. Trucks, tanks and heavy machines are being moved towards the Western Front, sources said. Feverish activity is also visible on the Pakistani side. Bunkers are being built and mines being laid afresh. Pakistan army activity is more pronounced in the Amarkot, Chachroo, Islamgarh, Rahimyaar Khan and Kokhrapaar areas, the sources said. Both Armies have moved closer to the international border. Sources said the Indian soldiers are now in bunkers in many parts of the border areas. Heavy guns are also in position. The government had earlier Tuesday withdrawn the Army from Gujarat and placed troops back on operational duty. "Troops have been put on operational status... they have started moving out of Gujarat," an Army spokesman said in Delhi. A Commander-level meeting to take stock of the "preparedness of the forces" was held at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Bikaner district Tuesday morning. Defence Minister George Fernandes, Army Chief S Padmanabhan and Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy participated in the meeting. Fernandes, Gen Padmanabhan and Air Chief Krishnaswamy also witnessed an exercise at the firing range to test the "coordinated strike" capability of the Army and the Air Force. Army guns, fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, tanks and other latest military hardware were tested during the nearly four-hour exercise. India has been conducting wargames in the region as part of a strategy to keep its forces fit for any eventuality. Sources said Pakistani Army units, which had moved back close to canals due to a scarcity of water during the summer, were now very close to the border. The Indian Army had requested the Rajasthan government for water supply through tankers. Sources said the Railway Board had cleared a proposal in this regard and railway tankers will soon be pressed into service. UNI
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Naval ships head west
VISAKHAPATNAM. Eastern Fleet ships, placed under the administrative and operational control of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), have sailed out for cross-coast deployment to augment the force levels on the west coast ``in view of the prevailing situation''. According to an official spokesman here, the frontline warships of the Eastern Fleet, including the formidable Destroyer class and highly-powerful and lethal missile Corvette class ships, would conjoin the Western Fleet to take on any challenges on the sea in keeping with India's maritime interests. The ENC ships undertook a similar task during the Kargil conflict in 1999 when they were swiftly despatched to the west coast and poised for a strike in case of any Pak. misadventure.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
US, Indian officials hold defence talks
Defence Secretary Yogendra Narain and his US counterpart Under Secretary of Defence Douglas Feith began two days of talks in Washington aimed at broadening strategic ties between the two nations. The talks were second in a series of defence consultations under the India-US Defence Policy Group. During the talks, Narain would give evidence relating to the involvement of Pakistani terrorists in acts of violence and sabotage in Jammu and Kashmir. Narain also met with Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff General Richard Myers and Deputy National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
A ‘Bollywood summer’ gets under way in US
After taking Britain by storm, Bollywood has descended on the United States for a month-long coast-to-coast extravaganza. Clearly, the toast of audiences in what has been billed as a ‘Bollywood summer’ is the K3G pair, Hrithik Roshan and Kareena Kapoor. At Washington DC’s MCI Centre over the weekend, Hrithik and Kareena held a large audience spellbound. So did Kareena’s sister Karisma, Aaftab and Arjun. They all performed an assortment of dance numbers from some of the latest musicals to whoops of delight from Indian Americans craving for 'desi' fare. It is the first major Bollywood outing in the US after the September 11 attacks. Many events scheduled earlier were cancelled because of fears that the shows would be marred by the atmosphere of hate crimes and racial profiling. All that seems to be over for now, though warnings of renewed terror strikes are giving rise to new uncertainties. After performances at Atlanta, Washington and Boston, the ‘Heartthrobs’ troupe will now travel to Detroit, New York, Meadowlands (New Jersey), Orlando, Houston, Chicago, Seattle, San Francisco, Dallas and Los Angeles. It will also be performing in the Canadian cities of Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. The Washington Post gave the event a big splash on its entertainment pages. Hrithik, in a sparkling outfit, was projected as one who resembles a cross between Elvis Presley and Dudley Do-Right. Undoubtedly, the new-found acknowledgement for Bollywood follows the waves that Lagaan recently made with its Oscar nomination. Bollywood, which is centred in Bombay, is the biggest movie industry in the world, its annual output of films nearly double that of Hollywood, the article confessed, gently admonishing self-absorbed Americans for their unfamiliarity with these musicals. The mounting Indo-Pak tensions did not quite come in the way of many Pakistanis turning up at the MCI Centre.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Powell condemns Lone's murder
US Secretary of State Colin Powell has strongly condemned the killing of senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Ghani Lone. "I was saddened and angered to hear that Abdul Ghani Lone was assassinated in Srinagar," Powell said in a statement yesterday. "We have not seen any claim of responsibility for the murder, but this is a direct attack on hopes for a fair political process in Kashmir," he added. He said that Lone's killers were clearly among those who oppose a peaceful political resolution there. "This was a terrorist act designed to undermine the hopes of the Kashmiri people for free and fair elections without violence," the US Secretary of State said. "The United States condemns this crime in the strongest possible way. Mr Lone sought to achieve his goals through peaceful, democratic means and courageously stood up to extremists. We extend our condolences to Mr Lone's family and to the Kashmiri people," Powell added.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Low PC sales hurts IT ambitions
Personal computer (PC) sales in India will rise five to seven percent this year and by 15-20 percent in 2003, a local consultancy forecast, rebounding from a fall last year and outpacing global growth predictions. Sales next year could expand to nearly two million machines, said a report by Skoch Consultancy Services, an IT and telecom industry consultancy based in Gurgaon, a suburb of Delhi. Still, that is less than the number of PCs now sold in China in three months, posing a threat to India's ambition of dominating the burgeoning global market for IT-enabled services. The penetration rate of computers lags well behind China and other nations moving, like India, to develop computer-centric service industries, and the gap is widening. "(Sales) growth rates have been coming down since Q3 of 2000," said Skoch's managing director, Sameer Kochhar. Nevertheless, Skoch's forecast puts India ahead of expected global growth rates, which leading research firm International Data Corp (IDC) puts at 3.2 percent this year. Skoch estimates PC sales in India fell 6.3 percent by value and 7.0 percent by volume in calendar 2001, due to the sharp slowdown of the economy and the IT industry's tarnished image as a career choice. "PCs stopped being an aspiration purchase," said Kochhar. Skoch estimates almost 1.6 million PCs were sold in India last year, in a market worth 68.7 billion rupees ($1.4 billion). Sales by volume surged an estimated 67 percent the previous year and by almost 50 percent in 1999. MORE UPBEAT VIEW Skoch's figures show a bleaker picture of the Indian PC market than data compiled by IDC, which estimated PC sales rose last year, though by hardly enough to close the gap with China. IDC figures PC sales rose to 1.75 million, from 1.6 million the previous year. That compares to 2.15 million PCs sold during just January-March in China, where software service and IT-enabled service companies are springing up, posing a challenge in an industry India hopes to dominate. The global IT services market will grow from $395 billion in 2000 to $700 billion in 2005, according to a joint study by IDC and India's National Association of Software and Services Companies or NASSCOM. The number of PCs sold yearly in India and those in use are educated guesses, as heavy taxation has created a huge "grey market" for unbranded machines sold by hundreds of assemblers. Skoch estimates the market share of assemblers slipped to 56 percent in 2001, from 58.6 percent the year before. Indian brands accounted for 16 percent, down from 20 percent three years earlier. Less than a third of the PCs sold were foreign brands like Dell, Compaq and Hewlett Packard. The latter two companies have since merged, forming the world's largest PC maker. Skoch estimates there are now just 7.5 million PCs in use throughout India, mostly in corporate and government offices. In India's 16 largest metro areas, it estimates only 6.59 million households can afford to buy a computer as high taxes push the cost beyond the means of most. Duties and taxes account for 40-50 percent of the cost of a computer in India, versus 10-21 percent in China, NASSCOM says. Kochhar said the average cost of a PC in India has remained around 43,000 to 45,000 rupees for the past three years, and the cheapest multimedia machine costs 30,000 rupees. "India will have a grassroots IT revolution when PCs are available for 15,000 rupees," Kochhar asserted. (US$1 = 49 Indian rupees)
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Jack Straw to visit India, Pak
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will visit India and Pakistan next week in a bid to help ease rising tensions between the two countries, the Foreign Office said. Straw said in a statement: "The possibility of war between India and Pakistan is real and very disturbing. The international community is watching events with mounting concern. This is potentially the most serious conflict the world could face at the moment, more serious even than that in the Middle East." However, Straw stressed that while he would do all he could to ease tensions, there was no "pre-cooked" peace plan. US expresses concern The United States has expressed concern over the current Indo-Pak situation. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage will visit the Indian subcontinent in June to ward off all possibilities of the ongoing exchange of fire across the border between the two sides from turning into a war. According to Ari Fleischer, White House spokesperson, "The situation between India and Pakistan has long been a concern for this president. It is something that he has worked on very hard and he will continue to do so. Deputy Secretary of State Armitage will be leaving to visit India and Pakistan soon as part of our ongoing diplomacy to ease the tensions in the region." "We call on India and Pakistan to work to resolve the current crisis peacefully and through dialogue that can eventually result in a permanent solution. The president thinks that it is very important that India and Pakistan take all steps they can to reduce tensions and to avoid a war that would destabilize the region and distract the war on terrorism," Fleischer added. (With inputs)
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Army asked to consult 'war book': Advani
PTI Union Home Minister LK Advani said the Army has been asked to consult the 'war book' and the Merchant Navy has been brought under the operational command of the Navy. "Certainly," the Home Minister told reporters when specifically asked whether the Army has been asked to consult the war book. The war book, a highly confidential document, contains the day-to-day records of past wars including battle plans, strategies and actions of both sides, and is maintained at the headquarters of all regiments. It is usually consulted only when the Army gets ready for war. Asked about the re-deployment of para-military troops, he said, "they have all been brought under the Army command. Even the Merchant Navy has been brought under the Navy. This is an indication that we are moving in a certain direction." He said the Kaluchak attack was of a "different level" as the attack this time was on the family members of the Army personnel. "For long we have been fighting the war. So, either we fight the way we have been fighting all along or there will be a difference," Advani said. The Home Minister said he will be reaching Srinagar on May 23 to attend the unified command meeting and will be joined by both Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Defence Minister George Fernandes. Earlier, Advani had a meeting with Punjab Governor Lt Gen (retd)JFR Jacob.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
India 237 for 7, face certain defeat
SOUBHAGYA MOHAN KALA TIMES NEWS NETWORK NEW DELHI: With light fading away rapidly and so too India's chance of an overseas victory, the West Indies looked set for a win on the fourth day of the fifth Test at Jamaica on Tuesday. Chasing a mammoth 408 to win a date with history, India's fortunes dwindled on Day 4 with the visitors crumbling to 237 for 7 when the day ended due to bad light. At stumps Ajay Ratra (16) and Zaheer Khan (4) were fighting a losing battle. They need 171 runs more to win the Test. For India Sachin Tendulkar offered some resistance with a solid 86 from 139 balls. For the West Indies a relatively inexperienced bowling attack comprising of Adam Sanford and Pedro Collins ran through the Indian side. This was after the West Indies were bundled out for 197 in their second innings, giving India a mammoth target of 408 to chase. The Indian second innings once again began on a shaky note with Wasim Jaffer caught tamely at forward short leg by Hinds off Collins after making seven. There was more sorrow in store for the tourists as Collins struck again, trapping SS Das plumb in front of the stumps. Das scored 10 with the Indian chase nipped in the bud at 25/2. Dravid and Sachin avoided any more hiccups for the Indians, steering India to 57/2 at lunch. Dravid once again looked in good nick but would he flatter to deceive once again? The question was answered shortly in the post lunch session when Dravid was once again trapped lbw by Sanford for 37 (57 balls). With the score reading 77/3, Ganguly joined a belligerent Sachin in the middle. With the hopes of the entire nation riding on his shoulders, Tendulkar revealed his full array of shorts cutting and driving the ball with aplomb. Shots flowed from the bat of the Master Blaster as he scorched the green his powerful shots. The West Indian bowlers got the full treatment with Hooper struggling to keep Sachin at bay. The 29-year-old became the second Indian batsman and 10th in history to complete 8,000 Test runs when he cut Carl Hooper for four to go to 82. He was well supported by Ganguly who elected to rotate the strike and keep Sachin at strike. Sachin’s blitzkrieg resulted in 109 runs being scored in the post lunch session with the score reading 166/3. Disaster struck for India after the tea interval with Tendulkar once again dismissed by Collins. The Master Blaster was clean bowled by a delivery that kept low. Ganguly’s agonised face on the other end summed up India’s pain as Sachin trudged his way back slowly to the pavilion. With the score reading 170/4, India were courting disaster. Sourav Ganguly who has been batting with determination after that horrid short at Georgetown was once again dismissed in similar fashion. Ganguly (28 off 74 balls) tried to pull a rising delivery from Sanford only to see Sarwan at square-leg take a simple catch. Laxman was once again left with the tail to work some magic. The stylish Hyderabadi batsman made 23 before he was splendidly caught by Dillon at mid-wicket off the bowling of Sanford. Dillon moved quite a few paces back to take an overhead catch off an attempted pull by Laxman. The last bastion for India was down with the score reading 209/6. The seventh wicket to fall was that of Harbhajan brilliantly caught by Cuffy off Gayle for 17.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
US says it is exerting pressure on Pakistan
Amid international call for restraint by India and Pakistan, the United States on Friday said it wanted Pervez Musharraf to fulfill his commitment to end cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. There is "a lot of active diplomacy" on the Pakistan front and that "we take the assurances and commitments that President Musharraf made" that Pakistan would "end activity across the Line of Control form the territory of Pakistan, that they would deal with the infrastructure of terrorism," US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said. "We take those quite seriously, expect them to be fulfilled," she said. Rice referred to India while briefing correspondents on President George W Bush's forthcoming visit to Moscow, shortly after Narain met Armitage, who is expected to travel to New Delhi and Isamabad in June, As fears of Indo-Pak war lurched, Britain urged the two countries to show restrain and said, "It is obviously important for terrorism whatever form stops, to ensure political dialogue can take hold." "It is important, as we have said many times, that both sides do everything they can to de-escalate tension and we are concerned about the military mobilisation on both sides of the border," Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman said. "We urge both countries to show restraint, as we have done in in the past," he said.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Pakistan parties call for Musharraf's resignation
In a blow to President Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's mainstream political parties on Tuesday decided to boycott a meeting called by him to discuss Islamabad's rising tensions with New Delhi unless the military ruler agreed to resign and discuss steps to form an interim government. An all-party conference, in which 30 political and religious parties and human right groups took part, gave the call for the formation of an interim government two days ago. The Chairman of the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy, Nawabzada Nasarullah Khan, said, "There is a national consensus that there should be an interim government and the armed forces should only defend the country's frontiers," A Pakistan People's Party spokesman said that the party would boycott the meeting, as Benazir Bhutto, its chairperson, had not been invited. The military ruler has also invited a number of editors and columnists for a similar meeting on Wednesday.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Vajpayee visits Kashmir, war fears grow
By Y.P. Rajesh NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's prime minister travels to the heart of disputed Kashmir on Wednesday after the killing of a separatist leader and fresh border clashes with Pakistan fuelled fears of war between the nuclear-armed neighbours. With the two countries trading blame over Tuesday's killing of Abdul Gani Lone, a moderate in the Kashmiri separatist camp, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was due to meet his cabinet and top security officials in Islamabad. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, highlighting a threat of war between the South Asian rivals, said he would visit the region next week, and urged the international community to act to defuse the crisis. "The possibility of war between India and Pakistan is real and very disturbing," Straw said in London. "This is a crisis the world cannot ignore." The killing of Lone was expected to overshadow Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's visit to Srinagar, the heart of the region that has been the cause of two of the three wars that India and Pakistan have fought since independence in 1947. Residents and political groups said Vajpayee could be greeted by a general strike when he arrives in Srinagar, the main city in the Kashmir Valley and the state's summer capital. The All Parties Hurriyat Conference, Kashmir's main separatist alliance of which Lone was a leader, called the strike, saying it wanted to protest against human rights violations in India's only Muslim-majority state. EXCHANGES OF FIRE ACROSS THE BORDER Indian and Pakistani forces have exchanged heavy mortar and machinegun fire across their border in Kashmir since last Friday, forcing hundreds of villagers to move to safety. Officials reported a total of nine deaths on Tuesday, including civilians. Each side blamed the other for the firing. The two neighbours have massed up to a million troops, backed by fighter jets, missiles and tanks, on their border since India blamed Pakistan-based Kashmiri militants for a suicide raid on India's national parliament last December. Tension revived last week when Muslim rebels battling Indian rule in Kashmir raided an army camp, killing some 30 people, many of them soldiers' wives and children. Straw will be followed by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage, who is expected in the region in early June. The European Union voiced deep concern with EU president Spain urging both countries to do all they could to avoid "a spiral of confrontation". Lone was shot dead by unidentified gunmen at a public meeting in Srinagar as Vajpayee arrived in Jammu, Indian Kashmir's winter capital, for a three-day visit to the state. Some Indian leaders blamed Pakistan-based Muslim guerrillas fighting New Delhi's rule in Kashmir for Lone's killing. Pakistan blamed India's "occupying forces" in Kashmir while an alliance of Kashmiri guerrilla groups said it was the work of Indian intelligence agencies. Lone, 70, was seen as a moderate in the Hurriyat, a disparate alliance of separatists whose aspirations range from greater autonomy for Kashmir to joining Pakistan. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell condemned the killing and called it a "terrorist act". India has long accused Pakistan of stoking revolt against its rule in Kashmir. Pakistan denies the charge and in January Musharraf promised to prevent anyone using his country as a base for militant attacks on targets abroad.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Abdul Gani Lone killed as war fears mount
By Myra MacDonald NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A Kashmiri separatist leader was gunned down in Indian Kashmir on Tuesday in the latest incident in a spiral of violence which is pushing India and Pakistan to the brink of war. The two nuclear-capable countries also exchanged heavy fire across their border in disputed Kashmir for the fifth day as Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee began a visit to the region, where a raid on an army camp last week revived tensions. Separatist leader Abdul Gani Lone was shot by two unidentified gunmen during a meeting in Srinagar, witnesses said. "He fell down and started reciting Koranic verses. When the gunmen realised that he was still alive they fired again and he died," Lone's driver, Abdul Rashid, told Reuters. Lone, 70, was seen as a moderate in the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, a disparate alliance of separatists whose aspirations range from greater autonomy for Kashmir to joining Pakistan. He was one of the key players India had hoped to persuade to take part in elections later this year to help end a 12-year revolt against New Delhi's rule in Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. Britain's Foreign Secretary Jack Straw is to travel to the region early next week. "The possibility of war between India and Pakistan is real and very disturbing," he told reporters in London. "This is a crisis the world cannot ignore." "It (Lone's killing) is a setback to peace in Kashmir," said political analyst Mahesh Rangarajan. "He had expressed revulsion against the killing of innocents in Kashmir. The efforts to normalise the situation, widen the political process, have received a setback." Pakistan's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning what it called "cold-blooded murder" and said it was "yet another incident in the continuing reign of terror unleashed by the occupying forces in Indian-held Kashmir." WORKING FOR PEACE Vajpayee, whose first stop was in Jammu in the south of the state, said Lone was killed because he was working for peace. "It will have an impact but it should not hurt peace moves. Stronger efforts should be made to bring peace," he told reporters at the start of his three-day visit. Vajpayee's visit followed a bloody raid on an army camp in Jammu and Kashmir last week that intensified a stand-off with Pakistan dating back to an attack on India's parliament in December. India blames both raids on Pakistan-based Islamic militants. Close to a million troops were mobilised on the border after the parliament attack. Earlier on Tuesday, Indian and Pakistani forces exchanged heavy machine gun and mortar fire across the border. Authorities on the two sides reported seven deaths, including civilians. Both sides blamed the other for starting the firing. In a further sign of tension, India said troops deployed in Gujarat to quell violence between Hindus and Muslims would return to the border with Pakistan. New Delhi has long accused Pakistan of stoking revolt against Indian rule in Kashmir, the cause of two of their three wars since independence from Britain. Pakistan has denied the charge and in January Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf promised to prevent anyone using his country as a base for militant attacks on targets abroad. But after last week's army camp attack in which 34 died, some Indian politicians have accused Musharraf of betraying that promise and said India should strike back at Pakistan. Analysts now expect an intense effort by the international community, led by Washington, to get both sides to stand down. "It's looking very serious," said South Asia defence analyst Brian Cloughley. "It is up to the world's heavyweights now...to stop war in the subcontinent." U.S. URGES RESTRAINT The United States, for whom Pakistan is a key ally in its war on terror, has urged both sides to show restraint and said on Monday it would send Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage to the region soon. Pakistan appealed on Monday to other countries to "convince India to see reason" and hold talks to avert a war. India has refused to hold talks until the militant attacks stop. But while India has said it expects action from Musharraf, analysts say there may be little he can do to curb Islamic militants, who have also hit targets in Pakistan, including a bomb attack in the port city of Karachi earlier this month. "The Pakistanis are now well and truly prepared for war, but are determined not to strike the first blow. What they fear is an 'incident' that would give India apparent justification to try to invade," said Cloughley, who is based in Britain. Worries about a conflict sent Indian shares tumbling. India's main equity index ended down 2.93 percent to hit its lowest close since December. In Pakistan, the benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange's key 100-share index closed down 2.98 percent, after plummeting 7.4 percent on Monday, its second-biggest drop ever.
Wednesday, May 22, 2002
Hrithik feels 'like a rock star' in U.S.
By Subhash K. Jha, Indo-Asian News Service Mumbai, May 22 Hrithik Roshan may be going through a lean patch at the box-office but his popularity is no way on the wane, at least in the U.S. "After my first three concerts in the U.S., I feel like a rock star," Hrithik, who is on a month-long concert schedule in the U.S., told on phone from Boston. The actor has had two releases since April "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum" and "Aap Mujhe Achche Lagne Lage" which have fared badly at the box-office. But that has not dampened the spirits at his concerts in the U.S. Hrithik, who has already performed in Atlanta and Boston, is incredulous about the reception he has received from Indians in the U.S. Many a fan has said that the frenzy at his first-ever international concert, which Hrithik says may also be his last, is better than those by other Bollywood actors in the U.S. Hrithik says he was "apprehensive about the first show since I had hurt my ankle and my back just before leaving India. Also, I wasn't too keen on doing a live concert in the first place as we Indian stars are ill equipped for really big live shows. In fact, compared with Western performers we're a laugh. "But I had committed myself to do my first world concert tour right after the release of 'Kaho Na...Pyaar Hai'. I waited, tested the waters by performing in Kolkata and New Delhi before bracing myself for an international audience." Asked where he is performing next, Hrithik laughs and pauses to consult his wife. "I don't know anything except that I've to go on stage and perform." Hrithik, accompanied by his parents, wife Susanne and colleagues Karisma Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Arjun Rampal and Aftab Shivdasani is now headed for Detroit. But the concerts so far seem more like Hrithik shows. A young Indian working for the World Bank who attended Hrithik's concert in Washington D.C. says he has never witnessed such enthusiasm at an Indian stars' concert before. "Though Karisma and her sister (Kareena) were very good on stage, it was Hrithik's moment of glory. The atmosphere was electric every time he came on stage, almost like a Michael Jackson concert." Hrithik laughs shyly: "I guess the craze for Indian stars abroad is such that audiences are bound to show up just to see us in person."
Monday, May 20, 2002
India puts forces in action mode
India on Sunday indicated it might be close to taking military action against Pakistan by placing all paramilitary forces on the border and along the Line of Control under the operational command of the army and the coast guard under the navy. Also, while preparing for the next diplomatic offensive, the government decided to review all aspects of the security and strategic scenario with Pakistan at a meeting of the National Security Advisory Board on Monday. Placing paramilitary units under the army and the coast guard under the navy is standard operational procedure when preparing for war, and is something India has traditionally done in war situations. Experts say, with this decision, all key military elements are in place. All that is now required is the political decision to start a war. Announcing the decisions taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the "decision to place the coast guard and paramilitary forces was taken... as part of the preparation". He said in case there was any firing or mortar attack on the International Border or LoC, India would take retaliatory action against Pakistan. "The Indian Army shall conduct immediate retaliatory fire assaults every time any such attacks are committed by Pakistan," he said. When asked about war with Pakistan, he chose to be cryptic: "You are reading what you have to read... I do what I have to do." However, Defence and security experts feel all this takes India a step closer to war. "This meets a key requirement of war preparedness and this is a clear signal to Pakistan and the rest of the world that India means business," said Defence analyst Brahma Chellaney. Sources say the decision to put the paramilitary forces and coast guard under the army and navy, respectively, was taken for "operational and logistical reasons imperative in an extraordinary situation like this". During the two-hour CCS meeting, chaired by Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, there were also extensive discussions on the next diplomatic offensive. Reducing the strength of the Indian mission in Islamabad and demanding action against Pakistan under the Security Council resolution 1373 (which mandates action against states sponsoring, aiding or assisting terrorism) were discussed. Earlier in the day, Vajpayee met Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi and briefed her on the situation at the border. Vajpayee will visit Jammu on May 21. He will also meet senior army and security forces commanders at a Unified Command Meeting on May 23. After the CCS meeting, Jaswant Singh said, "There was a discussion on the MFN status on trade to Pakistan and a decision will be taken later." Battlelines: Who stands where India On Sunday, placed all paramilitary forces on the border and along the LoC under the operational command of the Army and the Coast Guard under the Navy. Will review all aspects of the security and strategic scenario with Pakistan at a meeting of the National Security Advisory Board scheduled for Monday. NSAB is the country’s apex advisory body on security issues. Pakistan Said the situation on the border is very dangerous. Urged India to pull back its forces. On India’s decision to ask Pakistan to withdraw its High Commissioner from New Delhi, a Pakistani spokesman said, We are greatly disappointed. United Kingdom Warned India against any Israel-type strikes against Pakistan. Said aggressive Israeli military action in Palestine had not prevented terrorist attacks from being carried out within Israel. Said opposing forces and the terrain in Kashmir would not permit India to win a fourth war easily, should it take place. United States US assistant secretary of state Christina Rocca said: We (the US) need to get them (Pakistan) to take action that might avoid a possible confrontation between the two countries. Acts like the Kaluchak attack are not part of freedom struggle but acts of terrorism.
Monday, May 20, 2002
India puts forces in action mode
India on Sunday indicated it might be close to taking military action against Pakistan by placing all paramilitary forces on the border and along the Line of Control under the operational command of the army and the coast guard under the navy. Also, while preparing for the next diplomatic offensive, the government decided to review all aspects of the security and strategic scenario with Pakistan at a meeting of the National Security Advisory Board on Monday. Placing paramilitary units under the army and the coast guard under the navy is standard operational procedure when preparing for war, and is something India has traditionally done in war situations. Experts say, with this decision, all key military elements are in place. All that is now required is the political decision to start a war. Announcing the decisions taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the "decision to place the coast guard and paramilitary forces was taken... as part of the preparation". He said in case there was any firing or mortar attack on the International Border or LoC, India would take retaliatory action against Pakistan. "The Indian Army shall conduct immediate retaliatory fire assaults every time any such attacks are committed by Pakistan," he said. When asked about war with Pakistan, he chose to be cryptic: "You are reading what you have to read... I do what I have to do." However, Defence and security experts feel all this takes India a step closer to war. "This meets a key requirement of war preparedness and this is a clear signal to Pakistan and the rest of the world that India means business," said Defence analyst Brahma Chellaney. Sources say the decision to put the paramilitary forces and coast guard under the army and navy, respectively, was taken for "operational and logistical reasons imperative in an extraordinary situation like this". During the two-hour CCS meeting, chaired by Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee, there were also extensive discussions on the next diplomatic offensive. Reducing the strength of the Indian mission in Islamabad and demanding action against Pakistan under the Security Council resolution 1373 (which mandates action against states sponsoring, aiding or assisting terrorism) were discussed. Earlier in the day, Vajpayee met Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi and briefed her on the situation at the border. Vajpayee will visit Jammu on May 21. He will also meet senior army and security forces commanders at a Unified Command Meeting on May 23. After the CCS meeting, Jaswant Singh said, "There was a discussion on the MFN status on trade to Pakistan and a decision will be taken later." Battlelines: Who stands where India On Sunday, placed all paramilitary forces on the border and along the LoC under the operational command of the Army and the Coast Guard under the Navy. Will review all aspects of the security and strategic scenario with Pakistan at a meeting of the National Security Advisory Board scheduled for Monday. NSAB is the country’s apex advisory body on security issues. Pakistan Said the situation on the border is very dangerous. Urged India to pull back its forces. On India’s decision to ask Pakistan to withdraw its High Commissioner from New Delhi, a Pakistani spokesman said, We are greatly disappointed. United Kingdom Warned India against any Israel-type strikes against Pakistan. Said aggressive Israeli military action in Palestine had not prevented terrorist attacks from being carried out within Israel. Said opposing forces and the terrain in Kashmir would not permit India to win a fourth war easily, should it take place. United States US assistant secretary of state Christina Rocca said: We (the US) need to get them (Pakistan) to take action that might avoid a possible confrontation between the two countries. Acts like the Kaluchak attack are not part of freedom struggle but acts of terrorism.
Monday, May 20, 2002
Situation on border dangerous: Pak
Pakistan has termed the situation at the borders with India as very dangerous and urged New Delhi to pull back its troops, even as official reports here claimed one more person was killed today due to firing from India in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK). The situation on borders is very dangerous. We had said earlier that troops should be pulled back from the borders. The Indian forces have been resorting to firing as a result of which a number of civilians have been killed. It is absolutely wrong. They should withdraw their troops from the borders and resolve all disputes through talks, Pakistan Foreign office spokesman Aziz Ahmed Khan told BBC Radio here today. He said there should be de-escalation and lessening of tension and all disputes should be resolved through talks. We are trying our level best to keep the situation under control and resolve all disputes through peaceful means, he said. Referring to India's decision to ask Pakistan to withdraw its High Commissioner from New Delhi, he said, We are greatly disappointed over this step. When India had called back its High Commissioner from Pakistan, at that time we had not reciprocated as we were of the view that talks and contact at high diplomatic level should continue between the two countries. That is why Pakistan had not called back its High Commissioner from India, he said. Meanwhile, the official media here claimed that one person was killed and 15 others injured in the heavy shelling from the Indian side.
Monday, May 20, 2002
India vows to retaliate Pak attacks
NEW DELHI : The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Sunday decided to retaliate any Pakistan attack, adding even the rocket attack on Chasana killing three Indian Jawans, "will be immediately retaliated to by our armed forces". In a significant move, the CCS also placed the Coast Guard under the supervision on the Navy and paramilitary forces protecting the border under the command of the Army. Any attack by Pakistan, like the rocket attack on Chasana killing three Indian Jawans, ''will be immediately retaliated to by our armed forces'', the CCS vowed. Chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Cabinet Committee on Security at its two-hour meeting took the decision to this effect. After the CCS meet, External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh said the rationale behind placing the Coast Guard and under the Navy and paramilitary forces under the Army was to ''create a unified command of a standard operating form.''
Monday, May 20, 2002
US,India Military Exercise in Agra Based on Strategic Ties:Rocca
NEW DELHI - The United States has said the "larger, long-term goal" of joint military exercises with India is based on strategic, diplomatic and political cooperation as well as sound economic ties. "Military to military cooperation is now producing tangible progress towards this objective. I anticipate more exercises to follow," visiting US assistant secretary of state Christina B Rocca said here. Speaking at a session organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry [CII] here, she said the joint exercise in Agra was the largest-ever joint army and air exercise since India's independence, and the specific goal of the exercise was to conduct joint parachute training and mutual familiarisation with small arms. The US, she said looked to India as a partner on all issues including counter-terrorism, national defence and international commerce. While the growing military relationship was an important element of strategic and technical cooperation, Rocca said, "Nonproliferation remains an important item on our bilateral agenda, which we are addressing through cooperation and mutual understanding." "We are confident that the Indian government shares our concerns about preventing the spread of sensitive technologies since the diffusion of weapons of mass destruction and missiles pose a serious threat to the security of both our countries," she said. Rocca said another area where there was great scope for cooperation was export controls, "We have already had a series of expert-level discussions and conducted training for Indian customs officials."
Monday, May 20, 2002
US-64 beats Sensex in April-May
Unit Trust of India’s flagship scheme, US-64, has outperformed the benchmark index, the BSE Sensex, for the first time since it announced its net asset value, NAV, in January, reports Business Standard. Between April 12, and May 17, the Sensex dipped 4.69% from 3,510.9 points to 3,333.76 points. During this period, the NAV of US-64 dipped 2.34%. This is partly on account of the rally in second-line stocks, which still account for a significant portion of the scheme. Interestingly, US-64 outperformed the Sensex despite its higher exposure to the three index stocks, Reliance (RELI.BO, news) Industries, Reliance Petroleum, and Infosys Technologies, which have been underperforming the market. For more stories, log onto www.moneycontrol.com
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Militants attack army camp, 4 security personnel killed
Four security men and a militant were killed when heavily-armed militants attacked an army camp in Udhampur district of Jammu region late last night, official sources said today. Seven jawans were injured, three of them critically, in the suicide attack by Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Toiba militants at around 0200 hrs on Chasana army camp in Reasi area, the sources said. They said a group of two or three militants barged into the camp after killing a security guard on duty. The militants exploded grenades and fired indiscriminately killing three army personnel and a CRPF jawan. The attack took place when most of the army and CRPF personnel were sleeping, the sources said. 13:16 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
India, Pak trade mortar shelling, 4 injured
Jammu,Sunday, May 19, 2002: Amid mounting tension along the border, Indian and Pakistani troops traded heavy mortar shelling and firing along Line of Control, International Border in Jammu-Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch sectors, where four civilians were injured and three houses damaged, official sources said here today. "For the third consecutive day today, heavy mortar shelling and firing were witnessed along IB and LoC in entire Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch sectors of J and K," they said. Four people were injured, 30 of them at Pargwal village and one in Panjgarayan (Hiranagar), the sources said. One forest nursery and three houses were also damaged in the shelling at Panjgarayan village. The exchange of fire and shelling was still on in areas including Kerni, Mendhar, Jallas, Salotri, Karmara, Jangard, Kadhi, Briwala, Noushera, Laam, Shahpur, Sabzian, Choki Chora, Sunderbani, Panjigarian, Londi, Pargwal, Samba, Hiranagar, R S Pura and Laam, Balakote and Bhawani areas of Jammu-Poonch sector, the sources said. "The situation was tense but under control" the sources said. 15:03 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
India, Pak trade mortar shelling, 4 injured
Jammu,Sunday, May 19, 2002: Amid mounting tension along the border, Indian and Pakistani troops traded heavy mortar shelling and firing along Line of Control, International Border in Jammu-Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch sectors, where four civilians were injured and three houses damaged, official sources said here today. "For the third consecutive day today, heavy mortar shelling and firing were witnessed along IB and LoC in entire Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch sectors of J and K," they said. Four people were injured, 30 of them at Pargwal village and one in Panjgarayan (Hiranagar), the sources said. One forest nursery and three houses were also damaged in the shelling at Panjgarayan village. The exchange of fire and shelling was still on in areas including Kerni, Mendhar, Jallas, Salotri, Karmara, Jangard, Kadhi, Briwala, Noushera, Laam, Shahpur, Sabzian, Choki Chora, Sunderbani, Panjigarian, Londi, Pargwal, Samba, Hiranagar, R S Pura and Laam, Balakote and Bhawani areas of Jammu-Poonch sector, the sources said. "The situation was tense but under control" the sources said. 15:03 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
ISI agent, his wife arrested
Kanpur,Sunday, May 19, 2002: Delhi Police arrested an alleged ISI agent and his wife here and seized defence-related documents from them, police sources said today. The couple were arrested from Babupurwa area on the basis of information provided by another ISI agent held last week in the city, the sources said. Besides defence-related documents, police seized uniforms of BSF officers, badges, a mobile phone and its six cash cards from the arrested agent Noor Alam and his wife. Police were interrogating the couple, the sources said. 12:14 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
India may not launch full-scale war: Qureshi
Islamabad,Sunday, May 19, 2002: Accusing India of aggravating the situation by asking Islamabad to withdraw its High Commissioner to New Delhi, Pakistan said it believed India might not launch a full-scale war against it but could attack Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). "I think India will not launch a full-scale war but there is a danger of an Indian attack" on PoK and the "Working Boundary", Pakistan Defence spokesman Maj. Gen. Rashid Qureshi told editors and senior journalist in Lahore Saturday. He said India would think a hundred times before launching a full-scale war but added Islamabad was prepared to meet any eventuality. Maj. Gen. Qureshi, also Press Secretary to President Pervez Musharraf, however, said he was not ruling out the possibility and probability of a full-scale war. "We are prepared to meet any threat," he was quoted by media as saying. Accusing India of aggravating the situation, he said Indian army has resumed artillery fire which was stopped during the past one year. India had started medium artillery fire early Saturday morning, Maj. Gen. Qureshi alleged, adding there was intense shelling on Friday too. Besides, India has asked Pakistan to withdraw its High Commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi to New Delhi, he said, adding all these events indicated India wanted to aggravate the situation. 15:03 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Pak imposes checks on movement at borders with India
Islamabad,Sunday, May 19, 2002: Pakistan has restricted movement of people living in towns located near borders with India due to heightening Indo-Pak tension, a media report said today. Authorities have restricted the movement in border towns of Ghotki and Mirpur, local daily 'Dawn' reported from Sukkar. The decision was taken to stop the frequent movement of people in border areas, specially at night, the report added. 15:03 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Vajpayee apprises Sonia Gandhi of situation on border
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today held consultations with Congress President Sonia Gandhi and apprised her of the latest situation on the border in the wake of a step-up in the Pakistan-sponsored terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as also the diplomatic steps taken by the Government. Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Manmohan Singh was also present during the hour-long meeting. "The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha (Gandhi) and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha were briefed about the current situation---diplomatic as also on the border", External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told reporters. He said the Prime Minister would also be meeting leaders of other political parties on an individual basis to brief them. It was not not immediately clear whether the issue of Presidential elections figured during the talks Vajpayee had with Gandhi. When queried about the matter, Jaswant Singh gave a non-committal reply suggesting that he was not authorised to say anything on the issue. 15:03 IST
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Long-distance phone service back in Indian Kashmir
SRINAGAR (Reuters) - Indian authorities restored long-distance telephone services to public phone offices in revolt-racked Kashmir on Saturday, five months after they were withdrawn to check separatist militants. Authorities stopped long-distance calls from at least 2,500 public telephone offices in January and withdrew Internet access in Kashmir to prevent rebels from communicating with each other. Officials did not give reasons for restoring long-distance phone services but move came after protests by scores of public phone office owners. "The STD (subscriber trunk dialling) facility at PCOs (Public Call Offices) has been restored today," Sunil Kumar, a senior Indian telecommunications official, told Reuters. He said that Internet access will still not be available in the region. Telecoms giant Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) provides telephone services in the troubled Himalayan region. Long-distance calling facilities of individual subscribers, organisations and offices were not affected by BSNL's January decision. Mobile phone services have not been launched in Kashmir for security reasons. At least a dozen militant groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in Jammu and Kashmir, which remains at the centre of a tense military stand off between India and Pakistan. Ties between the two countries have plunged since this week's attack on an army base in the region which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants. Officials say more than 33,000 people have been killed and thousands wounded since the rebellion broke out in late 1989.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
State Bank of India unveils major IT project
BOMBAY (Reuters) - State Bank of India (SBI) on Friday said it will spend 1.5 billion rupees over three years to more thoroughly computerise and link a third of its sprawling branch network, the world's largest. State-run SBI has 9,000 branches of its own and 4,000 more at seven affiliated banks. It accounts for a fifth of the Indian banking industry in terms of both deposits and loans. "The project is one of the largest of its kind in the world in terms of the number of branches, customers and transaction volume," said SBI managing director Y. Radhakrishnan. SBI, which has 51 foreign offices in 31 countries in addition to branches throughout India, handles more than 100 million accounts and over 25 million transactions per day. SBI has hired Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Asia's largest software service company and part of the Tata group, India's second-largest conglomerate, to manage the project. Currently only about a third of the branches are computerised and only 800 are networked. The bank is now moving to link a third of its branches and all its ATMs through a central computerised system, improving efficiency, data-supported decision-making and competitiveness, bank officials said. "Over the next two to three years, core banking will be rolled out to over 3,000 branches of SBI and its seven associated banks, bringing the benefits of modern technology to customers in over 250 cities and towns," said Radhakrishnan. The core banking software will be provided by Australia-based Financial Network Services, while Hewlett Packard will provide the hardware and system software, SBI said. Neither TCS nor SBI would say how much each of the three project service providers would receive. A TCS official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that company's share exceeded one billion rupees, but would not be more specific. Unlisted TCS, which is expected to make an initial public offering (IPO) of shares this year, beat IBM Corp to clinch the deal, its second major contract in a month, the official said. In April, TCS signed a contract estimated to be worth $100 million over two to three years from GE Medical Systems, a subsidiary of General Electric Co. TCS has 800 clients around the world, including seven of the 10 biggest U.S. companies. Major clients include American Express, AIG, Boeing, Citibank, Dell Computers, General Electric, Hewlett Packard, Lucent Technologies and Nike. VAST NETWORK All 51 foreign branches will be networked over the next 120 days in the first phase of the project, said A. Kini, SBI's deputy managing director. Besides linking branches, Radhakrishnan said the project involved computerising core banking, treasury management and trade financing operations. In addition to basic banking, SBI offers insurance, credit cards, housing finance and mutual funds. S. Balasubramanya, who will oversee the project as head of TCS's banking practice, said the new system would allow SBI to better manage funds and monitor non-performing loans, giving a unified view of how operations by branch, product segment or market were performing. SBI has budgeted 5.0 billion rupees, including the contract with TCS, to spend over three to five years upgrading its IT system -- computerising operations at more branches, inter-connecting them and extending its ATM network. It is doing so to counter intensifying competition with fast-growing, tech-savvy private-sector banks like ICICI Bank Ltd and HDFC Bank Ltd set up in the last decade when India began moving to liberalise its economy. (Additional reporting by Anirban Nag and Sitaraman Shankar in Bombay)
Sunday, May 19, 2002
China, India to bloom in Asian telecoms gloom
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - China and India, the world's two most populous countries, are likely to be the rare performers in a subdued fixed-line phone market in Asia-Pacific, growth forecasts released on Thursday by Gartner Dataquest showed. The world's leading technology researcher said in a statement Asia-Pacific fixed-line phone service revenues would grow by single digits through 2006, as market growth slowed in the region's developed countries. "Asia is facing the same problems western countries faced several years ago when prices plunged as a result of liberalisation," To Chee Eng, principal analyst with Gartner's Asia-Pacific telecom and Internet research group, said in the statement. But China and India, are set to buck the trend. China, already one of the world's biggest telecoms markets, was forecast to grow by a compounded 7.9 percent from 2001 through 2006 to $27 billion in fixed-line revenues, the Gartner statement said. India was likely to do even better, with revenues growing by a compounded 14 percent during the same period to $14 billion on the back of aggressive roll-outs of networks by new private-sector firms. India has just around 35 million fixed-line phones now, which analysts consider is way too low for a country of over a billion people. Gartner forecast revenue for the region, including Japan, to rise to $136.8 billion in 2006 from $111.6 billion expected for 2002, which will be up 1.8 percent over the preceding year. Fixed-line revenues fell 4.5 percent year-on-year in 2001. The Gartner statement said the region's developed markets such as Japan, Australia, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore would experience slowing growth rates. Revenues in Japan, which accounts for 44 percent of the market now, was forecast to grow by a compounded 1.4 percent between 2001 and 2006 to $50 billion.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Heavy firing along IB; scores flee border villages
Indian and Pakistani forces are trading heavy gunfire at almost all border outposts in Akhnoor, Ramgarh, Ranbir Singh Pura, Samba, Hiranagar, Kanachak and Kathua sectors of Jammu region for the second day today, amid reports of thousands of villagers fleeing their ancestral lands due to Pakistani bullets. Official sources said that Pakistani Rangers and regulars opened heavy unprovoked fire on Indian forward positions and border villages at 0430 hrs yesterday and continued to rain bullets on various outposts, provoking retaliation from Indian border guards. Heavy firing was continuing since yesterday morning at Pallanwala and Pargwal outposts in Akhnoor while the intensity of firing in Jammu simmered down since 0730 hrs in the morning. In Samba, Ramgarh and Hiranagar sectors, the cross-border firing, which began yesterday morning, has simmered down. Reports of a heavy exchange between the forces of both nations resulted in thousands of people fleeing their ancestral home and hearth. Reports received from various sectors today said that the intensity of firing had lessened, but intermittent firing was on in almost all sectors. More than 2,000 families have fled to safer places to escape Pakistani bullets. The worst affected sectors in Pakistani firing were Samba and Hiranagar where the border villages wore a deserted look. The villages in these sectors, where migration has been near total, are Ben, Galad, Faqira Chak, Suchetgarh, Sinki Chippri, Bobiyan, Paharpur, Chak Dulma, Sadhey Chak, Manyari, Challarian, Mahwa, Regal, Londi and Nanga.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Fifth Test: Hinds century puts WI in control
Kingston, Jamaica, May 19: Left-hander Wavell Hinds slammed his second test century as West Indies piled up 287 for four on a well-grassed track in the deciding fifth test against India. The 25-year-old Hinds cracked a sparkling 113 before his home crowd as he shared in two key partnerships - 111 with fellow-opener Chris Gayle (68) and 135 with Ramnaresh Sarwan (65) - on the first day of the match after being sent in to bat by Indian captain Sourav Ganguly. Harbhajan Singh grabbed his 100th test wicket as India`s bowlers hit back to an extent in the final session with three wickets for 18 runs, including that of star batsman Brian Lara for nine. But the two stalwarts of the series so far, Carl Hooper and Shivnarine Chanderpaul, were still at the crease at stumps. India had clinched the second test at Trinidad by 37 runs before West Indies won by 10 wickets at Barbados to level the series 1-1. Hinds, who had struck 65 in the fourth drawn test at Antigua after being recalled in place of Stuart Williams, looked in prime form as he recovered from a shaky start to punish India`s pace trio of Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. His stand with Gayle was the best for West Indies at the top of the order this series, beating the 65 they had scored on the flat batting pitch at the Antigua Recreation Ground. The Jamaican Hinds, who had scored 165 for his career-best knock against Pakistan at Bridgetown in the 1999-2000 season, edged left-arm paceman Nehra through the slip cordon for the day`s first four but had to wait for an hour for his second boundary. Gayle flicked Khan to the mid-wicket boundary fence and hit him square of the wicket for two fours in an over and then drove him on the up for two consecutive straight fours. He raised his 50 off 80 balls, sweeping off-spinner Singh for a couple to fine leg, before getting out cutting Khan straight to Wasim Jaffer at gully. Hinds drove Nehra for two boundaries through the off side and brought up his 50 flicking Harbhajan to the mid-wicket fence. BIG SIXES He then danced down the track and lofted Singh for two big sixes over long off and raised his century off 193 balls with a quick couple to square-leg. Hinds celebrated by taking off his helmet and raising his bat in flourish towards the George Headley Stand even as members of the crowd ran on to the pitch to embrace the local boy. But he was out soon after, lofting Singh straight to Jaffer at long off to give the off-spinner his 100th scalp in his 25th test. Lara fell when he edged Nehra to wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra, who held on to a two-handed catch diving full-length to his left. Sarwan played second fiddle to Hinds but batted fluently for his fifth half-century of the series before being dismissed by Singh for a 130-ball knock that included seven fours. The 21-year-old is yet to get a test 100 despite having crossed the 50 mark 13 times in his career. India were looking to rally after having reduced the home side to 264 for four, but Hooper and Chanderpaul, who have already aggregated 570 and 449 respectively in the series, held on until close. Hooper got a chance on 10, when he drove Nehra straight to cover but Das dropped a sitter that could prove costly for the Indians. Reuters
Sunday, May 19, 2002
11 Pak soldiers killed in retaliatory fire
Eleven Pakistani soldiers were killed and 17 enemy bunkers destroyed in retaliatory firing and shelling by the Indian troops along the Line of Control in the Poonch and Rajouri areas of Jammu and Kashmir today, a defence spokesman said here this evening. Pakistani troops resorted to combination of small arms firing and mortar shelling in Noushera, Rajouri and Poonch sectors this afternoon, he said. "Indian troops effectively retaliated and heavy firing and shelling continued till this evening," the spokesman said adding,"ten Pakistani soldiers are confirmed to have been killed and fifteen of their forward bunkers opposite LoC were destroyed." The exchange between two sides was continuing till last reports came in. However, its intensity had reduced, he said. Three civilians, who were injured in enemy firing in Sunderbani area of Rajouri district, have been hospitalised. Reports from Srinagar said, four women and two BSF personnel were among nine persons injured due to shelling on forward posts and villages in Uri sector of Baramulla today. The injured were later hospitalised. & UNI
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Pak decides to withdraw envoy
Pakistan today expressed "disappointment" over the Indian government's decision asking Islamabad to withdraw its High Commissioner in New Delhi Ashraf Jehangir Qazi and said it was recalling him. "The government of Pakistan has noted with diappointment the decision of the government of India to ask for the withdrawal of Pakistan's high commissioner in New Delhi. Accordingly, Pakistan has decided to recall the high commissioner," the Foreign Office said in a statement. "The government of Pakistan will work for the de-escalation of tension between Pakistan and India and for the complete normalisation of the diplomatic relations between the two countries," it said. The statement followed an emergency meeting of the Foreign Ministry officials to discuss the Indian government's decision. Earlier, Pakistan Defence spokeman Maj Gen Rashid Qureshi said India's decision amounted to expel Mr Qazi. Foreign Office Spokesman Aziz Ahmad Khan regretted the resolution adopted by the Indian parliament after the May 14 Kaluchak terrorist attck in which more than 30 people were killed. He said the statements by the Indian leaders during the debate and the contents of the resolution ''shows the hostility, which India nurses for Pakistan''. The spokesman said Pakistan was opposed to terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. He claimed that Pakistan neither encouraged terrorism nor was involved in the May 14 incident. Mr Khan said as a member of the international coalition against terrorism Pakistan will abide by the relevant U N Security Council resolutions and would continue to do so. He called upon India not to level ''baseless allegations.'' Pakistan has, in the meantime, said it would take "equal or more steps" if New Delhi opted for military action against that country. "Any utterance from a country that has mobilised its forces on the borders must be taken seriously," Information Minister Nisar Memon said in an interview to local daily 'The News'. "We have two options. Either to act in the same manner (issuing an equal threat) or to encourage India to engage in the peace dialogue. There's a readiness on our side and now it's up to India to decide to have peace or not. We‘ll take equal or more steps against India in case of aggression," he said.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Vajpayee-Sonia meet over J&K situation
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will meet leader of the opposition Sonia Gandhi this morning to discuss the situation in Kashmir following the recent attack in Jammu. He will also hold consultations on the forthcoming presidential elections for which there is no consensus amongst various parties on a candidate as yet. For once, the NDA government is enjoying the full backing of the Opposition which has unanimously condemned the terrorist attack in Jammu and wants the government to take decisive action. But the Opposition also wants to be fully informed of the government's plans. The Congress has welcomed the government’s move yesterday to ask Pakistan to recall its High Commissioner in Delhi within a week. "In the first place this is a necessary diplomatic step, we extend full support to it. After all what happened after December 13, we recalled our High Commissioner and I think it is high time that we ask the government of Pakistan to take back their High Commissioner," Congress spokesperson S Jaipal Reddy said. The presidential election, scheduled for July when President KR Narayanan's term ends, is another issue which will come up during the Vajpayee-Sonia meeting. There is no consensus on a candidate as yet. While the BJP is campaigning for the Maharashtra governor PC Alexander, it still remains to be seen whether the Congress will support an NDA candidate. Today’s meeting with Sonia Gandhi is probably the first in a series of meetings likely to follow between Opposition leaders and the Prime Minister as the government prepares to make some tough decisions this week.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Vajpayee to visit J&K early next week
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is likely to go to Jammu and Kashmir early next week, sources said. The visit is considered significant both in the context of the forthcoming elections in the state and the situation on the borders with Pakistan. Before going to the valley on Wednesday for a two-day visit, Vajpayee is likely to visit Jammu, which witnessed a ghastly carnage on May 14 that left 35 people, including army personnel and their family members, killed, the sources said. The prime minister is likely to announce a package for the state, which has been reeling under militancy for over a decade now. Vajpayee's sojourn in the mountain resort of Manali in Himachal Pradesh is also being rescheduled in view of current security situation, they said. The prime minister -- who was scheduled to arrive in Manali for a weeklong holiday on May 20 -- may go there on May 24, they added.
Sunday, May 19, 2002
PM reviews situation, military option open
NEW DELHI: On a day in which Prime Minister Vajpayee was briefed by the three Service chiefs about possible ‘‘military options’’ in the aftermath of the Kaluchak incident, India chose as its opening gambit the expulsion of Pakistani high commissioner Ashraf Jehangir Qazi. Emerging from a two-hour meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Saturday morning, external affairs minister Jaswant Singh said, ‘‘The high commissioner of Pakistan will be required to return to Islamabad for the sake of parity of representation.’’ Joint secretary in the external affairs ministry Arun Kumar Singh later communicated this decision to the Pakistani deputy high commissioner Jaleel Abbas Jilani. ‘‘We have indicated that the recall of the high commissioner should be completed within a week,’’ said the MEA spokesperson. India had withdrawn its high commissioner to Pakistan after the December 13 Parliament attack. Subsequently, it banned overflights by Pakistani aircraft and cut the strength of the two countries’ high commissions in Islamabad and Delhi by half. While Pakistan had refused to recall Qazi, it announced a ‘‘tit-for-tat’’ policy for the other measures. Qazi, who was due to retire in April, had been granted an indefinite extension by Islamabad. He was preparing to leave for Pakistan on Saturday for a vacation but will now remain here till his final departure on May 25. Pakistani diplomats said that judging from the pattern of India’s punitive measures after December 13 when the high commissioner’s recall was followed a week later with other sanctions the next Indian step could well be to order a further reduction in the size of the high commission staff. Asked whether this was in the offing, Jaswant said the only change as of now related to the high commissioner. ‘‘As and when the CCS considers it necessary, it will meet to review the situation,’’ he said. The fact that the ‘military option’ is still wide open was reinforced by an extensive briefing of the CCS by the three Service chiefs, Gen S Padmanabhan, Air Chief Marshal S Krishnaswamy and Adm Madhvendra Singh, in the ‘‘Operations Room’’ of the defence ministry. The discussions focused on the ground situation, operational preparedness and military options available against the backdrop of the mobilisation of troops along the border. The MEA spokesperson said the ‘‘significant’’ decision on Qazi was taken because there had been ‘‘no diminution’’ in cross-border terror ‘‘aided and abetted’’ by Pakistan. Pakistani diplomats rejected the charge, saying as recently as the third week of March Vajpayee told the Rajya Sabha ‘‘some positive effects’’ of Musharraf’s crackdown on jihadis were visible in Kashmir. ‘‘If since then, terrorists have stepped up their attacks,’’ a diplomat said, ‘‘Pakistan is as much a victim as India. We had the church attack in Islamabad, the suicide bombing in Karachi. And you have had Kaluchak’’. The diplomat denied that the three terrorists shot dead at Kaluchak were sent by Pakistan. ‘‘They may be Pakistanis though the addresses given by India do not exist (but the government) has nothing to do with them’’, he claimed. The stepped-up exchange of fire across the LoC and the IB in the past few days was reviewed by the CCS. Jaswant Singh said Pakistan had provoked India into launching a ‘‘fire assault’’ in the Rajouri sector. Indian forces had inflicted ‘‘heavy damage’’ across the border in retaliation, he added. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Articleshow.asp?art_id=13301819
Sunday, May 19, 2002
10 Pak soldiers die, 15 bunkers hit across LoC
JAMMU: Ten Pakistani soldiers were killed and 15 enemy bunkers destroyed in retaliatory firing and shelling by Indian troops along the line of control (LoC) in Poonch and Rajouri areas of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, a defence spokesman said here. Pakistani troops resorted to combination of small arms firing and mortar shelling in Noushera, Rajouri and Poonch sectors like Friday, he said. ‘‘Indian troops effectively retaliated and heavy firing and shelling continued till Saturday evening, the spokesman said adding, ‘‘Ten Pakistani soldiers are confirmed to have been killed and 15 of their forward bunkers opposite LoC were destroyed.’’ Reports from Srinagar said, four women and two BSF personnel were among nine injured due to shelling on Forwa posts and villages in Uri sector of Baramulla on Saturday. Pakistani troops, who used artillery and mortar fire, targeted the Indian side in Uri around 8.45 am and were continuing it till last reports came in. The areas hit by Pakistani shelling in Uri include Balakote, Silikote, Dachina, Uran Bawa, Talwari, Nambla Garkote, Salamabad, Kamalkote, Basgrah, Churanda, Sultan Taki, Ashim, Gawalta, Gingal and Morah. Several Pakistani bunkers across the international border (IB) in Kathua and Jammu districts were damaged in retaliatory fire by the Indian troops, while four security personnel were injured on Indian side since Friday, the sources said. Pakistani rangers targeted 55 border outposts along the IB on the Indian side in R S Pura, Samba and Hiranagar sub-sectors with heavy firing and mortar shelling Friday, forcing the security forces to retaliate. For more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/
Sunday, May 19, 2002
Reliance bags IPCL for Rs 1,491 cr
The Government on Saturday decided to give management control in state-owned petrochemicals major IPCL to the Reliance group. With this, Reliance will become a monopoly player in the sector. After coming a poor second in VSNL and IBP disinvestments, Reliance put in an aggressive bid through its outfit Reliance Petroinvestments Ltd to re-establish its presence as an influential corporate player. It managed to secure 26 per cent equity in IPCL with management control for Rs 1,491 crore. This translates to a share price of Rs 231 as against the reserve price of Rs 131 worked out by UBS Warburg, the advisors to the selloff. Saturday's decision of the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment comes close on the heels of the decision on Maruti selloff last week. Reliance outbid both Nirma and state-owned Indian Oil Corporation Most interestingly, IOC which put in an aggressive bid for IBP, quoted Rs 826 crore at Rs 128 per share this time which is lesser than the reserve price of Rs 845 crore. Nirma Chemical Works Ltd finished a poor third at Rs 711 crore with an approximate share price of Rs 110 per share. The decision came after former Prime Minister Chandrasekhar shot off a letter pointing out some irregularities committed by Reliance in the petrochemicals market. Sources said Chandrasekhar had also pointed to the possible 'havoc' the petrochemicals major could play in a monopoly situation. However, Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie defended the decision saying unless the market dominance was abused, it would not tantamount to monopoly. Handing over of IPCL to Reliance is expected to be completed within the next fortnight. And, as per SEBI guidelines, Reliance will have to make an open offer to buy up to 20 per cent of equity at the price offered to the government. Reliance, Shourie said, will make the open offer in the next four days. The government also decided to hand over IPCL's 50:50 joint venture GE Plastics India Ltd to its European partner GE Plastics for a consideration of Rs 49.03 crore which includes Rs 23.63 crore for the sale of the entire block of equity shares. The remaining accrual will be towards IPCL's assets in the JV. The CCD also decided to call for financial bids to sell 51 per cent in National Fertilisers Ltd in mid-June, by when the Centre is expected to come up with a long-term urea pricing policy.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Navy moves ships, aircraft, subs to western theatre
KOCHI: With pressure mounting on the political leadership to initiate direct action against Pakistan, the Indian Navy on Friday moved several ships, aircrafts and submarines into the western theatre. Though the movement is being portrayed as part of Operation Parakram, the triservice exercise progressing along the Indo-Pak border, sources said that the Naval assets will take up strategic positions off Gujarat coast to send "a few signals to Pakistan''. While ships and aircraft of the Western Command were moved on Friday a stand-by has been given to ships of the Southern Naval Command also. At least three ships, including destroyer INS Mysore currently on a work-up will also be moved out in the next couple of days as tension mounts along the Indo-Pak border as a fallout of the recent Fidayeen attack in Jammu. The massive Naval movement, coupled with the increased shelling and other activity along the LoC, is seen as a significant development given the increasing demand for direct action coming even from within the forces. According to sources, several aircrafts have been moved into the Gujarat area along with ships. The country's only aircraft carrier INS Viraat is already in the area and "she can be moved into any position at short notic". The ships of the Southern Naval Command have been asked to move to positions closer to International Sealines of Communication to perform any task, including sea-denial to Pak-bound vessels. Sources said the troops would initiate all manoeuvres possible within the ambit of Operation Parakram. With this, the chances of the ongoing exercise to develop into a low-key combat are also not being ruled out. Sources in Delhi also didn't deny the possibility of strikes across the LoC as infiltration from Pakistan has increased manifold post- Musharraff referendum. After remaining as low as 33 in January this year, the number of infiltrators suddenly increased to 209 last month. Of this, highly-placed sources said, 143 were foreigners and the rest local youth. The number of foreigners has increased recently. Statistics available with this newspaper point out that 111 of 143 infiltrators in March were foreigners. Their number has never crossed 100 before. But it is increasing and there are all reasons to be worried, sources said without ruling out the possibility of Al-Queda activists among the infiltrators. The triservices mood, especially after the killing of Services' families in Jammu, is to quell militancy. In fact, the Services are of the opinion that it is a pre-requisite to the conduct of fair polls in Jammu and Kashmir and also to keep up the morale of the troops. The Naval posturing in the western theatre will depend on the developments along the LoC. Though it is unlikely that the Navy would take up an offensive posturing immediately, sources said it would be ready to contain any spillover of the action at the heights to the sea.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Heavy firing along IB, LoC
JAMMU. Troops along the Indo-Pakistan border outposts have been exchanging intermittent heavy fire, including mortar shelling, in the last 24 hours. The firing took place in the frontier positions along the International Border and the Line of Control in Jammu region. Two civilians were killed in the crossfire and eight persons, including three jawans, were critically injured. The villagers in the forward positions close to the IB said that on Thursday, troops from across the border resorted to heavy firing. The firing stopped at midnight only to resume in the wee hours of the morning today. Defence sources said the Pakistani troops used heavy weaponry such as 81mm and 82mm and targeted civilians too. They shelled the forward areas of Poonch, Kathua and Jammu districts, which resulted in fresh migration. Reports said that at least 850 families had migrated from various forward positions of Jammu region, primarily along the IB since yesterday. Maximum number of migrants came from the Hiranagar sub-sector of Kathua district and the Samba sector of Jammu region. Bid to blast secretariat Shujaat Bukhari reports from Srinagar: At least one person was killed and 15 others were injured when a militant made an abortive bid to attack the Jammu and Kashmir civil secretariat, housing the offices of the Chief Minister, Ministers and top officials. The Senior Superintendent of Police, Srinagar, R. R. Swain, said that the militant carrying an improvised explosive device in a bag was moving towards the secretariat from Batmaloo side. He became nervous on seeing the heavy posse of security forces. He threw the bag on the roadside at the Fire Service crossing. There was an instant explosion in front of the Fire Service headquarters, adjacent to the police headquarters, injuring 16 persons. One of the injured died in the hospital. And many of them are battling for their lives. "This is the preliminary investigation and we are looking at other aspects as well. It was probably an attempt to blast the secretariat,'' Mr. Swain said. An unconfirmed report said that another wounded civilian died in Soura Institute
Saturday, May 18, 2002
One killed, 16 injured in powerful blast in Srinagar
One person was killed and 16 others, including a woman and a police personnel, injured when militants triggered a powerful Improvised Explosive Device in the vicinity of the heavily-guarded civil secretariat area in Srinagar on Friday, official sources said. The massive blast, followed by few gun shots, occured outside fire service headquarters around 3.45 pm in the area, which also houses police headquarters, the sources said. The sources said militants had apparently fitted the IED in a plastic container and kept it on the main road outside the fire service headquarters. Police deployed in the area fired several shots in the air in self-defence and the whole area was immediately cordoned off by the police and security forces, they said. All the injured were initially taken to SMHS hospital but two of them were later referred to Soura medical institute and three others to bone and joint hospital for specialized treatment, the sources said. One of the critically injured persons, Abdul Salam Dar of Kandizal village of Pulwama succumbed to injuries, while condition of four more persons was stated to be serious. The blast caused panic in the city as the big bang of the explosion was heard in three-km radius from the scene. The blast also damaged some nearby shops and vehicles, the sources said adding the use of RDX in the blast has not been ruled out. Experts inspecting the site have collected the splinters to ascertain the explosive used to trigger the explosion. Some of the injured have been identified as Mahjabeena and her brother Bilal Ahmad of Shutrashahi, Mohammad Ramzan Parray and his son Rouf Ahmad of Badgam, head constable Abdul Aziz of J&K police, traffic police Shabir Ahmad, Mohammad Shafi, Farooq Ahmad, Mohammad Akbar, Abdul Khaliq, Muzaffar Reshi, Ghulam Hussain Ganai and Abdul Wahid.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
BSP-BJP coalition win confidence vote in UP
LUCKNOW: The Mayawati-led BSP-BJP coalition government in Uttar Pradesh on Friday comfortably passed the first trial of strength in the state Assembly winning the vote of confidence with six votes more than the 211 MLAs whose support she had claimed before being invited to form government. In a division pressed by the Opposition, the motion moved by Mayawati received 217 votes in favour while 180 members opposed it in a house with an effective strength of 399 (four seats are vacant) after a debate lasting for more than eight hours. Earlier, BJP minister Ravi Gautam, who is a member of the legislative council, had raised his hand during the hand-count and was admonished by Speaker Kesri Nath Tripathi after being pointed out by the Opposition members that Gautam was not entitled to moving vote. Moving the motion amidst charges by the Opposition that BSP-BJP alliance in the state was "opportunistic" and would encourage communal forces, Mayawati sought to defend the tie-up and declared that the two parties would extend their friendship to the next Lok Sabha poll in the state. She acknowledged there were ideological differences between BSP and BJP, but said that BSP joined hands with the saffron party to break the political impasse arising out of a fractured electoral mandate and in the "larger interest" of the state. Attacking the BSP-BJP alliance as "unholy" and "betrayal" of the mandate, leader of the Opposition Azam Khan (Samajwadi Party) said that BSP had joined hands with forces which were behind the killings of Muslims in Gujarat. The alliance, he said, would be short-lived. Leader of BJP legislature party and former Chief Minister Rajnath Singh said that the alliance would prove to be a "milestone in Indian politics as it signifies the meeting of the Dalit and nationalist forces which emerged at the dawn of 21st century." Expressing confidence that the government would complete its full term in office, Mayawati refuted Opposition contention that communal forces would be encouraged by her party's alliance with BJP. She said that her government would abide by the court verdict on Ramjanambhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute and judiciously use the controversial anti-terrorism law (Pota). Replying to a question from Rashtriya Kranti Party president Kalyan Singh if her government would issue a fresh notification on Ayodhya demolition case after rectifying the legal defect to try three Union ministers, including L K Advani, M M Joshi and Uma Bharati, Mayawati said that appropriate action would be taken in consultation with the law ministry. Janata Party member Sanjai Garg wanted to know whether the government would prosecute Vishwa Hindu Parishad leaders who had stormed the sanctum-sanctorum of the makeshift temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya a few months back.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Sonia assures govt of co-operation
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress President Sonia Gandhi today assured the Centre of cooperation in dealing with crossborder terrorism sponsored by Pakistan even as she asked the Vajpayee government to spell out its strategy to deal with the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Initiating a special discussion on the terrorist attack on bus passengers and army camp at Kaluchak on the outskirts of Jammu on Tuesday, Ms Gandhi also cautioned the government against falling to any temptations of "customary rhetoric" on the ghastly massacre of May 14. Ms Gandhi said, It is no substitute for strategy and vision. If it has any strategy, it should spell it out clearly and once for all. We will continue to stand by the government on such vital issues. Even as she offered the unstinted support of her Congress Party, Ms Gandhi did not spare the NDA government for its failure to contain the crossborder terrorism being abetted by Pakistan. Lashing out at the ruling establishment that the steps so far taken by the government have not proved effective, Ms Gandhi said, We believe that the government must be clear in its objective. Despite unprecedented support from Opposition parties, various statements have been made from within the government and its allies.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
Russia asks India & Pak to exercise restraint
Russia today asked India and Pakistan to desist from going to a war even as it backed India's bid to stamp out cross-border terrorism in the wake of Tuesday's massacre near Jammu. "We view the Indian side's desire to put an end to the brazen activities of the terrorists as just and absolutely legitimate. We are ready to provide all possible help in achieving this. We express our solidarity with the demands of our Indian friends," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko said. He, however, suggested restraint by India and Pakistan saying in the context of present situation in South Asia an open armed conflict was "highly undesirable" which could have grave consequences for the security and stability extending beyond the region. "At the same time, from our own sad experience, we very well know what terrorism is. We also understand extreme concern of the Indian side over the continuation of terrorist activities of extremist forces which probably is linked to the consequences of anti-terror operation in Afghanitan," Yakovenko said.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
UTI cuts US-64’s equity exposure to 63.5%
MUMBAI: The Unit Trust of India (UTI) has brought down US-64’s exposure to the equity markets from 64.36 per cent of its portfolio in March ’02 to 63.5 per cent in April ’02. Market players indicate that the fund continues to remain an aggressive seller, and has dumped key frontline stocks in the first two weeks of May as well. They believe that the fund is expected to continue selling till the end of June when it announces its annual results. The data released by UTI on Friday indicates that the total assets under management of US-64 fell to Rs 12,717 crore in April from Rs 12,986 crore in March. Its holding of equity and equity related instruments in April was Rs 8,077 crore, down from Rs 8,356 crore in March. The rest of the exposure is in debt instruments and government securities. The US-64 holding in Reliance Industries is down from 48m shares in March to 44m shares in April. Its holding in Tisco is also down from 16m to 15.5m. Prices of Tisco moved up due to a firm trend in global steel prices. At that point of time, FIIs were keen on buying Tisco. UTI became the supplier. The fund has been holding on to these stocks for years and has booked handsome profits, the dealer added. In percentage terms the Reliance Industries scrip accounted for 9.74 per cent of the US-64 portfolio, followed by ITC and Reliance Petroleum. In absolute terms, government securities accounted for the largest chunk of the portfolio at 28.44 per cent. Market players say that the mutual fund has offloaded securities worth Rs 500 crore in just two weeks in May. UTI chairman M Damodaran could not be reached for comments. Stocks sold by UTI include frontline scrips like Reliance Industries and other cement and technology stocks. UTI has been a massive seller in the market in the first two weeks of May. On an average, the fund has sold securities worth Rs 50 crore in the past 10 days. Among the buyers include LIC and a section of foreign institutional investors, a dealer at a leading foreign brokerage told ET on conditions of anonymity. Domestic mutual funds have taken out Rs 253 crore from the equity segment in the past two weeks. FIIs have pumped close to $50m during the same period.
Saturday, May 18, 2002
BSNL lock horns with Bharti
BHARAT Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has objected to the international long distance tariff structure of Bharti Telesonic Ltd, announced in end-April, which seeks to bring down the existing call rates by close to 40 per cent. According to informed sources, BSNL has written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) noting that since it was not consulted before the tariff structure was announced, it may not be feasible to reach suitable interconnect agreements with the company. The sources noted that even Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is toeing BSNL's line and is yet to reach any agreement with Bharti. This has put Bharti's ILD operations in a spot, since interconnect agreement with both the telecom majors would enable the company to reach out to subscribers across the country. As of now, it has reached agreements only with the cellular operators. In effect, Bharti would be able to offer its ILD services only for mobile-to-mobile calls at present, as is the case with its national long distance (NLD) services, which were launched in January this year. The sources said that over the past couple of days, both BSNL and Bharti have been in negotiations, but have been unable to reach an understanding. The major stumbling block is the revenue share between the companies for all ILD calls routed through the Bharti gateways by a BSNL subscriber. Bharti wants to keep 55 per cent of the revenue from such calls, while BSNL wants a larger share. BSNL has pointed out that Data Access (India) Ltd, yet another ILD operator waiting to launch its services, has reached an agreement, whereby it will get a larger revenue share. With call rates proposed to be slashed by a huge margin, the company has said that unless it can get to keep a higher proportion of the revenues, it makes no financial sense to allow its subscribers to utilise Bharti's ILD services. In fact, Bharti's NLD operations too have been stuck on this same issue of revenue-share. Another area of contention is that while Bharti wants to hand over STD calls of its subscribers to BSNL at the long distance charging area (LDCA), BSNL wants it to be done in the short distance charging area (SDCA). Since Bharti does not have points of presence all over the country, handing over such calls in the SDCA is virtually impossible. This has been hampering the company's plans to offer its NLD services to subscribers across the country. A similar scenario is now being recreated in the ILD sector, with the company's operations yet to take off. First it was scheduled to launch its services on April 14, it got postponed to May 1 and now again, company officials say it could be launched by end-May. The same is the case with Data Access. Both the companies are yet to get security clearances from various Government departments. The carrier access codes that the subscriber will have to dial to avail of the ILD services too have not been finalised. As a result, the consumer will have to wait a little longer to benefit from the promised price cuts for international calls.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Hrithik's acid test
Na Tum Jaano Na Hum stands to be Hrithik Roshan acid test at least that's what the media claims it to be. Already labeled a one film wonder and Kumar Gaurav of the nineties, Hrithik desperately needs a hit to regain foothold in the industry. But when the press questioned about the recent flops that he had dished out, Hrithik appeared unfazed as he said that he had worked with sincerity but the final but box-office outcome was not in his hands. He feels the script of Na Tum Jaano Na Hum is quite strong, so strong that when he read it he had tears in his eyes. Hrithik is also banking on the favorable response of his pairing with Esha.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Bush calls Vajpayee, condemns J&K attack
WASHINGTON: Amid fears of an imminent Indian retaliation against Pakistan for the latest terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmir, President George Bush telephoned Prime Minister Vajpayee on Wednesday morning to express condemnation of the incident and counsel restraint. National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice also called Principal Secretary Brajesh Mishra to discuss the situation. Bush is understood to have conveyed his distress at the deteriorating situation but cautioned against any hasty response. Accounts from India say Vajpayee thanked Bush for his message of sympathy and condolences and said that India would "take appropriate action." Administration officials scrambled to understand the ground situation after Vajpayee told the Indian Parliament that India would counter the terrorist attack and Defence Minister George Fernandes told reporters in Jammu that such acts of terror can not go unpunished, after blaming Pakistan for the incident. The Bush administration feels the Indian leadership has now reached the end of its patience and restraint in the face of continued terrorist provocation and it is contemplating punitive action. The Indian ambassador in Washington Lalit Mansingh and the Deputy Chief of Mission Alok Prasad met senior White House officials Wednesday morning to convey the Indian position. "If we continue to not take action against the provocation, we will only invite more such incidents," an Indian official said after the White House meeting. Shortly before the latest terrorist attack, one US official had told this paper that there was no specific ground information to suggest imminent war outside the weeks-old border deployment of troops on both sides. The US, he said, had dispatched Assistant Secretary Christina Rocca to the region as part of what will now be a continuous effort to forestall any clash between the two nuclear-armed countries. But the mood has changed rapidly over the last 48 hours after terrorists killed 30 people, mostly women and children, just ahead of Rocca’s talks in New Delhi. Bluntly told by India to go preach restraint to Pakistan, the US official is currently in Islamabad even as the country’s military dictator Pervez Musharraf is rapidly losing his poster-boy against terrorism status in Washington. US officials are now indicating Washington will turn on the heat against Musharraf, particularly since he is also dissembling on fully backing the war on terrorism. Rocca herself is slated to carry a far tougher message to the military ruler than was originally intended after the latest J and K massacre, although on landing in Islamabad, true to American form, she publicly praised Musharraf with the usual spiel about his cooperation. The Bush administration has so far been shielding Musharraf and the military dictatorship in the hope of extracting the maximum cooperation and facilities in its war on terrorism. But there is an increasing realisation here that not only is Musharraf holding back from cooperating fully, but he is also using the cover of helping US on the Afghan front to consolidate his own hold on power. That tactic came in for a blistering attack in a Washington Post editorial that needled Musharraf, saying he likely finds it easier to take on journalists, civilian politicians and India than the Muslim extremists or those in his own military who insist on promoting an insurgency in Kashmir. (Musharraf’s) present course risks not only the ruin of his promise of reform but even greater disasters, including the resurgence of al Qaeda inside Pakistan, or war with India. The Bush administration it showered him with economic aid and overlooked his bogus referendum. But it cannot continue to cling to him if he is to lead his regime over a cliff. Once again, as it did after September 11, the administration must present the Pakistani president with a stark choice: Either he must act decisively against the extremists of al- Qaeda and Kashmiror lose the support of the United States, it warned.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Faiz ghazals hit global charts
MUMBAI: An album released by Times Music, Faiz by Abida, has made a splash by featuring on the international world music charts. The album was notched at number 12 among the top 20 in a recent world music chart published by AOL Time Warner. Faiz by Abida is the only Indian album to feature in this chart, compiled in the United States. The album was released in March 2002 and comprises six nazms and ghazals by renowned Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz. These include Gul Huyi Jaati Hain, Shaam-e-Firaq and Woh Jiski Deed Mein. Sufi ghazal singer Begum Abida Parveen has rendered the ghazals and nazms in the album. The album has carved a niche for itself in the global music market. Times Music has established itself as a quality label. It has proactively followed the brief of promoting our cultural heritage with excellent results,’’ said Vineet Jain, managing director of The Times of India Group. Added Arun Arora, president of The Times of India Group, This is just the beginning.We expect many more such albums to get into the world charts.’’ Faiz Ahmed Faiz is widely recognised as the greatest Urdu poet since Iqbal. He is considered primarily responsible for shaping diction in contemporary Urdu poetry. The underlying theme of humanity which marks his poems and his sophisticated and exquisite language have given him an iconic status in the Indian subcontinent. Abida Parveen, who is known for her vocal versatility, is a prominent exponent of the ghazal genre. She has already demonstrated her vocal virtuosity in the Sufi category with a host of albums and is set to claim the legacy of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Train blown off tracks, two killed
Nagpur, May 15 Two people were killed and 70 others injured when all the ten coaches of the stationary Jabalpur-Nagpur passenger train were blown off the tracks during a severe storm in the Nainpur-Kevalari section of the South Eastern Railway this evening The accident occurred between Nainpur and Kevalari stations towards Chhindwada, about 260 km from here at around 1730 hrs this evening. While one unidentified person aged around 45 years died of injuries at the Kevalari hospital, another person Vinod Kohar died at the Sheoni hospital. Nagpur Additional Divisional Railway Manager Neeraj Jain said that passengers and doctors at the Kevalari hospital had reported that all the coaches were blown off the tracks when the train had come to a halt amid a severe cyclone. However the engine remained on the tracks. Mr Jain said the small coaches in the narrow gauge section could have been blown off the tracks due to excess pressure created since all the windows were closed due to the cyclone. The injured are being treated at the Community Health Centre at Kevalari. Divisional Railway Manager of South Eastern Railway at Nagpur Ashok Goyal and other senior officials have left for the spot. - UNI
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Azhar nominated by Wisden
Disgraced Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin, serving a life-ban over match-fixing, has been nominated for an Indian cricketer of the century award launched by the Wisden Cricketers Almanac. He faces competition from former opener Sunil Gavaskar and batsman Sachin Tendulkar among 16 cricketers. Leg-spinner Anil Kumble is the other current player besides Tendulkar to be shortlisted for the award. Azharuddin was banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in 2000 after it conducted an internal inquiry into a report on corruption in cricket by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). He has consistently denied any wrongdoing. Batting legend Gavaskar was the first to cross the 10,000-run mark in Tests and his world record of 34 test centuries still stands. Former all-rounder Kapil Dev, who captained India to triumph in the 1983 World Cup before going on to claim the world record for most test wickets (434) is also included in the list. The nominees were chosen by a 35-member panel which includes many former test players and is headed by former West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd. The winner will be announced at a function in London on July 23. The others chosen are Bishan Singh Bedi, Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Vijay Hazare, Vijay Merchant, Tiger Pataudi, Dilip Vengsarkar, Gundappa Viswanath as well as the late Lala Amarnath, Dinkar Balwant Deodhar, Vinoo Mankad and C.K. Nayudu. Reuters
Thursday, May 16, 2002
Race begins for the next President of India
NDA allies with the exception of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) appear to be allying behind the BJP in making Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander the next President of India. The Opposition is still pushing for K R Narayanan for the post and a contest is almost certain unless either side accepts the other's choice. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee who was authorised at last Saturday's NDA meeting to decide on the alliance's choice for President appears to have convinced most of his allies to back Maharashtra Governor P C Alexander. The line being taken by the BJP leadership is that projecting a person from a minority community will help in salvaging the alliance's battered image after the Gujarat violence. According to Vaiko, MDMK leader, "A representative from this community has never made it to this post. So it will send a strong message to the world about our commitment to secularism." However, the ally which is really pushing for Alexander is the Shiv Sena. The party was in power in Maharashtra when he was the governor, and Alexander had chosen not to confront the BJP-Sena government when it rejected the Shri Krishna Commission report inquiring into the 1992-93 riots. "We have been on good terms with him since he was the Maharashtra Governor. He is the right man," said Anant Geethe, Parliamentary Leader, Shiv Sena. The one ally which has still not committed itself to Alexander's candidature is the Telugu Desam -- a party which could hold the key to the eventual choice. However, the TDP factor could be partially offset by the fact that some Opposition parties like Sharad Pawar's NCP have indicated that they will support the Maharashtra Governor as president. Narayanan's term expires on July 24. So far, the Opposition is not willing to accept the NDA's choice of P C Alexander and unless a compromise can be worked out between the government and the Opposition, it's almost certain a contest will be held for the President's post.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
I’ll be back in three weeks, says the smiling assassin
Bangalore: After BS Chandrashekar was sent back from the tour of Australia in the late 1960s with an injured heel, another leg spinner from Karnataka, Anil Kumble returned midway through the tour of the West Indies after sustaining a fracture on his jaw bone. Struck on the jaw by a bouncer from West Indies fast bowler Mervyn Dillon during the Antigua Test, Kumble put mind over matter and continued batting till he was dismissed. ‘‘I was spitting blood. A tooth had been displaced and I was slightly groggy,’’ said Kumble, recalling the dark moments on his arrival in Bangalore on Wednesday morning. ‘‘The doctors in Antigua (which incidentally is home to a number of Indian doctors) put the tooth back in place. I had taken the blow on the front lower jaw. The bone there had cracked and the jaw hurt terribly. ‘‘The doctors temporarily wired the lower jaw to hold it in place. I was loaded with pain killers. I cannot chew food and have been on liquid diet since,’’ the brave Kumble added. Kumble, who rose above the injury to put one last gigantic effort to infuse some life into the match, horrified everybody by taking the field in the post-tea session of the third day. The West Indian batting great, Brian Lara, must surely have thought he was playing a ghoulish bowler who looked a combination of ‘The Mummy’ and a right arm Bishan Singh Bedi when he saw a Kumble whose face was swathed in bandages running up to bowl. Surely just the sight of an ‘embalmed’ Kumble face must have frightened Lara into surrendering his wicket! While cricketers, writers and commentators poured heaps of praise at his courage and commitment, a badly hurt Kumble was fighting his own ghosts. Shabbily treated on the tour despite being the highest-wicket taker in the team, Kumble, who would otherwise have salivated at the opportunity of bowling with the luxury of a 500-plus total for the first time overseas, was left trying to boost his own punctured confidence. Back in Bangalore, Kumble, who just last year was forced out of the game with an injured rotator cuff, was once again trying to put the pieces in his life together again. ‘‘Right now I need to shrug off the jet lag. I visited the doctors and they are to perform an oral and maxilo facial surgery on me on the morrow. Dr Kishore Naik, whom I consulted on arrival, will put the two bones on my lower jaw together. The doctors will put a plate to hold it,’’ said Kumble. ‘‘Apparently they do these surgeries quite regularly. ‘‘I will continue to be on liquid diet for a while as even after the surgery it would be painful for me to chew food. I will rest for a week to 10 days, after which I will resume all my regular activities, including batting and bowling in the nets, running, jumping, etc. The bones themselves will completely heal in just three weeks,’’ said Kumble as he dissected his injury, the proposed operation and the recovery period with the precision of the engineer he is.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
An Ambani changes his family address
MUMBAI: Residents of Altamount Road in south Mumbai will soon have a new neighbour. The Reliance Group vice-chairman Mukesh Ambani is set to move house there. Ambani has set his sights on a charming, old-world bungalow which he is reportedly buying for more than Rs 20 crore, reliable sources in the real estate market told this newspaper. A Reliance group spokesperson said that it was not company policy to comment on ‘speculation'. Interestingly, Ambani's decision to move house will bring two top families of the Indian corporate world closer. Ratan Tata, chairman of Tata Sons, is expected to move into J.R.D.'s old bungalow which is within whistling distance of Mukesh Ambani's new property. The move will make the Tatas and Ambanis practically neighbours,'' a source noted. The sprawling one-acre lot in the Malabar Hill area is a long way from the chawl at Kabutar Khana near Bhuleshwar where Mukesh, elder son of legendary entrepreneur Dhirubhai Ambani, got his first taste of the metropolis. He was a mere toddler when his father moved to Mumbai with the family from Aden. As their textile business prospered, Dhirubhai and his two sons moved to Usha Kiran on Carmichael Road, one of the city's then celebrated high-rises, where the Ambanis bought three apartments. These flats are now occupied by top Reliance group executives. A decade later, it was time for the family to move again when the Ambanis bought out a half-finished building at Colaba. On completion, the Sea Wind property became a landmark skyscraper in the area. Dhirubhai and his two sons now occupy two floors each in this building, while other members of the Ambani family occupy some of the other apartments. The building also has a public floor which houses offices. The property earmarked for Mukesh Ambani's family, which presently houses an orphanage with about 50 children, has been up for sale for some time. The Ambanis are expected to maintain its heritage value and character during the restoration, sources said. The trust which manages the orphanage is expected to use the proceeds of the sale to acquire a bigger building in another area of the city to house more inmates and provide better amenities, sources added.
Thursday, May 16, 2002
All-party meeting to discuss terror response on Thursday
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is convening an all-party meeting on Thursday to discuss the possibility of launching an attack on terrorist training camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Bharatiya Janata Party spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra told rediff.com on Wednesday. Malhotra said the BJP felt that enough was enough and it was time to attack the terrorist camps. It was clear, he said, that the United States was indulging in doublespeak on the subject of combating terrorism while Pakistan's commitment to the international war on terror had been proved to be a farce. Earlier, at the party's daily press briefing, Malhotra said the prime minister had assured the Lok Sabha that he would call an all-party meeting to discuss the government's response to the unending terrorist activity sponsored by Pakistan. Expressing discontent over the role being played by the US, the spokesman said, "It is now definite that it won't be possible for the US to influence Pakistan to put an end to its sponsorship of terrorism." But he appealed again to Secretary of State Christina Rocca, who is visiting Pakistan, to tell Islamabad that if it does not stop such activities its commitment to the international coalition against terrorism would be a farce and India would be free to do whatever was necessary to safeguard itself.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Rocca hears Jammu attack echo in New Delhi
NEW DELHI: Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca was here to urge ``restraint'' but with news of the suicide attack in Jammu breaking even before she began her official engagements, she went through the entire day diplomatically avoiding the R-word. But, in her meetings, she advocated the need for a dialogue with Pakistan and warned against ``the potential for unintended conflict.'' The message from New Delhi was, however, clear: rein in Pakistan and the sooner the better for all of us. Rocca leaves for Pakistan on Wednesday. Still, there were several red faces in the Government over an interview of Defence Minister George Fernandes to The New York Times published on Tuesday in which Fernandes is quoted as saying that India had no plans to launch a military attack (against Pakistan) over the next few months even if ``severely provoked.'' According to Fernandes, the paper said, India would not take military action against Pakistan at least until state elections were held in Kashmir, probably in September. ``We do not want the elections to be disrupted at any cost,'' he said. Before her meeting with External Affairs Affairs Jaswant Singh, at a CII luncheon, Rocca condemned the Jammu attack calling it barbarism. ``I would like, on behalf of my government, to condemn unequivocally the terrorist attack in Jammu this morning,'' she said. ``It is just this type of barbarism that the international war on terrorism is determined to stop.'' Sources said that her talks with Jaswant were held against the backdrop of the morning's attack. As part of Washington's continuing efforts towards lowering tension in South Asia_Condoleezza Rice called up her counterpart Brajesh Mishra on May 9_Rocca is here on a ``request'' from Secretary of State Colin Powell whom she briefed on the phone this evening. She also met Mishra. Rocca was told that Pakistan must ``turn the key'' towards easing tensions. Said the MEA spokesperson: ``Given the lack of response from Pakistan, in this situation, we cannot expect any reduction of tensions unless Pakistan takes steps to reduce tensions''. The Government of India also gave fresh evidence of the terrorism and infiltration of ``Pakistan-assisted groups'' to argue that infiltration is on the upswing and that Washington's war on terror has not really improved the situation on this side of the LoC. Rocca was sympathetic to the Indian view and the US ambassador to India Robert D. Blackwill cancelled the dinner to be held in her honour tonight. Rocca used the Jammu attack to convey America's concerns on Indo-Pak tensions. According to her spokesperson: ``The US has consistently stated its concerns about the potential for unintended conflict between India and Pakistan. The fact that both countries have forward deployed military forces serves to heighten concern among many of India's and PAkistan's friends.'' New Delhi described Rocca's talks as ``mutually satisfying'' but is keeping a close watch on what she will say in Pakistan tomorrow. According to sources, New Delhi would like to see her do some plainspeaking with General Musharraf as she conveys to him that it's time his January 12 speech translated into action. According to The New York Times, Western diplomats and American officials say that it is a perilous moment on the subcontinent. One senior Western diplomat here put the odds of a military conflict at even or better. ``We're approaching the crunch time in testing Pakistani intentions,'' he said. Although Jaswant Singh declined to comment, he was unequivocal on what New Delhi expected Musharraf to do. He said the General had gone back on his promise of a crackdown on the groups India accused of attacking its Parliament. ``Their leadership is now freed, it lives in houses and gets paid an allowance by the government of Pakistan,'' he said.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
US forces battle heat and dust at joint exercises
AGRA: The temperature in Agra is not very different from Hawaii,'' says Master Sergeant Keohuhu Bolor as the mercury soars above 45 degrees Celsius at Agra. ``Of course, what's missing here is the gentle breeze and a beach nearby,'' he adds wiping sweat from his brow. The Special Airborne Forces Master Sergeant Bolar is from Hawaii and is here to participate in the joint Indo-US military exercises. In their first exclusive interview after arriving in India, the US Special forces made a point. Though India is hot, this is where they would like to be in peak summer for toughening themselves up further. So while the cool comfort of a centrally air conditioned five star deluxe hotel is available to them, the commandoes prefer to rough it out with their Indian counterparts at the barracks of the Army Airborne Training School. ``The best thing about coming to India in peak summer is enduring extremely tough weather. We are so far coping well with gallons of mineral water,'' says Captain Brizek. The mineral water has been specially provided for by the US government. The tough looking six-feet plus airborne force members have begun interacting with their Indian counterparts and ``soaking up the rich Indian culture''. Says Bolor: ``We went and saw Taj Mahal; the rich monument of love. We had seen it on Discovery Channel but it is so beautiful in real life. It is an architectural marvel.'' His comrades-in-arms agree. ``I would love to return to India and discover its rich culture and heritage. We are here for three weeks. I would love to return for a longer time. Of course in winters. Even the people of Agra are surprised we are here in summers and roaming on the streets when they are all in their homes resting,'' says sergeant Butler who hails from Virginia. After a morning-long intensive interaction with their Indian counterparts where they exchanged knowledge about tactics, equipment and procedures for joint exercises, the US troops retired to their air-cooled barracks for a post-lunch siesta. ``Heat is the biggest challenge,'' says Major Thomas Seagrist, the team leader. ``I am reading a book in the afternoon. We have intensified outdoor operations both during the morning hours and after sundown. But after the acclimatization period is over, we shall carry out day jumps,'' he says. The commandoes are still getting to know each other. ``A picture speaks a thousand words,'' says Bolor who communicates through sign language very effectively. ``Our aim is to be able to effectively carry out operations together, if the situation demands,'' says Captain Brizek. ``The Indians are very tough outside but are wonderful hosts. They appear to be sturdy soldiers but have opened their hearts for us. They are very receptive to our ideas and we to theirs. We hope the next couple of weeks will see us gel well together. We hope to carry out joint exercises and understand each other better,'' he says. The US forces are clear, India is an ally in the war on terrorism and these exercises will pave the way for possible joint operations in the future. ``We have been interacting both with the Indian officers and the enlisted. In the next few weeks we shall be carrying out joint exercises to know each other's capabilities and we know they shall be mutually beneficial,'' says Captain Brizek. The exercises will witness Indian and US special forces operate out of each other's aircraft and use each other's equipment. ``The aim is in case a situation arises, we are able to minimise teething troubles of joint operations in an emergency. This training will help the US appreciate the level of our expertise in special operations,'' says an Indian official. Both Captain Brizek and Master Sergeant Bolor plan to visit India again. ``This time it is official and we are here only for three weeks. Next time we will come here on an unofficial trip to soak up Indian culture ad tradition,'' they say. However, both insist the next time it will be in winters when venturing out in the afternoons will not be a commando operation.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Deols' labour of love inches to finishing line, with Aishwarya in tow
MUMBAI: One portion of Kamalistan Studios has been converted into a rustic village set for the final shooting spell of Sunny Deol's Bhagat Singh bio-pic, '23rd March 1931 Shaheed', in which his brother Bobby Deol is playing the titular role of the young patriot. On Tuesday, Aishwarya Rai will participate in the filming of a song sequence with the young actor. Rai, who has been signed by the Deols to play a cameo in the film as Bhagat Singh's love interest, says she was approached for the role by Sunny Deol some months ago. "I didn't know initially that there would be this romantic angle in any of the Bhagat Singh films, but I've learnt that in the other films too, there is this female character," the actress says. Contrary to Bollywood gossip, Rai says she was never approached by film-maker Rajkumar Santoshi to feature in his Bhagat Singh movie starring Ajay Devgan. "That's not true. This was the only film on the subject that I was offered," she says. Film-maker Guddu Dhanoa explains that the character Rai plays in the film is that of a young girl Bhagat Singh's mother encourages him to consider as a spouse. "We were keen to have Aishwarya because we wanted a really beautiful girl. The idea was to show that Bhagat Singh was so focussed about his country and his mission that nothing in the world _ not even this ethereal beauty _ could take his mind away from it," Dhanoa explains. Even as the gruelling three-month shoot inches towards the finishing line, Bobby Deol gets ready to see what the audience has to say about this labour of love for which he has been shooting sometimes 16 hours every day. "I was very excited to play this role, but also very nervous, because Bhagat Singh was a fascinating person, and everybody you speak to has a different way to describe him." Deol says he has always held the patriot in high esteem, but claims he actually understood his relevance in history while shooting for the film. "It's only when we were recreating those moments that Bhagat Singh had himself lived, did I truly follow the impact of his sacrifice and the intent behind his mission," the actor says. Scheduled to hit cinema screens on June 7, Deol says he's really not perturbed by the competition. "I don't think about the other films, I try to concentrate on the one we're making. In any case, I believe that only the good film will work," he insists. He admits that with five films on the same subject expected to release in coming weeks, the audience is likely to feel like there's a Bhagat Singh overdose at the cinemas. "But believe me, the audience can smell a good film. They will go see the one they want to see, the one they feel is the best of the lot," he says. Although the Deols completed filming the portions that were initially meant to be shot at the Chandivali set that caught fire, the actor says he was immensely disappointed with the damage. Although he doesn't rule out sabotage ("It's strange that a set where nobody was working and one that was still under construction should suddenly burn down completely"), Deol says he cannot say for sure who is behind it. "I don't want to point fingers because I really don't know who might be behind it. But to see something that you have created with such effort be reduced to ashes is a very painful feeling," he says. He dismisses rumours to the effect that the Deols themselves might have destroyed the set to claim insurance for the same. "This is my family's dream project. We have worked very hard to realise this dream, and we would never stoop so low." A friend of Ajay Devgan, also acquainted with the Tauranis who are currently producing Santoshi's film, Deol says it does feel a little awkward to be involved in this controversial war with the other Bhagat Singh film-makers. "But you know, five years down the line we could all be looking back at this incident and laughing about it," he say.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Taal, Devdas, to be screened at Cannes
MUMBAI: Mukta Arts' home production Taal will be one of the three Indian films to be screened at the Cannes Film Festival on May 20. The other films are the latest Devdas, which will be premiered there, and Kabhie Khushi Kabhie Gham, released in December 2001. The Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Sushma Swaraj, will reach Cannes on May 20 to inaugurate the India Day celebrations along with a host of delegates from the Ministry as well as the film industry, says a release here. Mukta Arts will also showcase its other products at the Indian stall to be set up at the festival. Cannes is not only the biggest film festival in the world but also the biggest marketing platform for all kinds of films from all over the world, the release said. The founder of Mukta Arts, Subhash Ghai, said, "Cannes is an opportunity to showcase our cinema with our sensibility to the world market."
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Hrithik kicks Hollywood offer because of busy Bollywood schedule
LONDON: Bollywood hearthrob Hrithik Roshan has turned down an offer from Warner Brothers to act in A hollywood film Hamlet because of his busy schedule but in future he might take up roles in Hollywood films, his father Rakesh Roshan said here on Tuesday night. "The offer came from Warner Brothers but they wanted him to act continuously for three months from September to December last year but he could not accept it as he was already committed for those days," Rakesh Roshan, who had produced the blockbuster Kaho Na Pyar Hai told in London. "Hrithik has now decided not to act in more than one film a year and may be in future he may accept offers from Hollywood as he would love to act in Hollywood films. That would be a breakthrough for India," he said. Rakesh Roshan who was here in connection with the forthcoming Bollywood concerts Hearthrobs in which Hrithik Roshan, and other film stars Aftab Shivdasani, Arjun Ramphal, Kareena and Karisma Kapoor and Raageshwari will figure, said, "The time has come for Bollywood films and actors for being recognised all over the world." Rakesh Roshan said work on his new film starring Hrithik Roshan, Preity Zinta and Rekha will be ready for release in August next year. The emotional romantic film centring round a boy, girl and her mother is being shot in locales in Norway, Canada, New Zealand and in Mumbai. "The characterisation of Hrithik is quite different which no other actor has done till now," he said.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Preview: Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai
Producer: Yash Raj Films Cast: Uday Chopra, Jimmy Shergill, Sanjana, Bipasha Basu (sp. App), Alok Nath, Saurabh Shukla, Neena Kulkarni, Bindu, Sheela Sharma, Deven Verma, Tanaaz Currim, Resham Seth and Tushar Dalvi Director: Sanjay Gadhvi Music: Jeet-Pritam Release date: June 7, 2002 Story: Inspired from the Hollywood hit 'My Best Friend's Wedding,' the film is the story of Sanjay (Uday Chopra) who is prone to messing up his romantic liaisons. He shares an apartment with Ria (Bipasha Basu), who he fell for but the affair lasted only a week before she dumps him and wants to remain just friends. One day he gets a call from his childhood friend Anjali (Sanjana) who tells him that she is getting married. That is when he suddenly realizes how much she means to him. Not willing to let go of Anjali so easily, he decides to go to Dehradun to make sure that the marriage is stopped. However, when he meets the prospective bridegroom Rohit (Jimmy Shergill), he is crushed to see how good he looks and learns that Rohit and Anjali are deeply in love. Then begins a cat and mouse game with Sanjay playing the 'villain.' When Rohit realizes what Sanjay is up to they have a showdown, and both decide to let Anjali make the final choice. Whom does she choose as her life partner?
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Terrorists attack Jammu Army camp, 34 killed
JAMMU: At least thirty four people, including 22 Army men and their family members, and seven passengers were killed when militants attacked a bus and later stormed a nearby Army camp at Kaluchak about 10 km from here, official sources said. Army spokesman Lieutenant Colonel H S Oberoi said at least 25 armymen were "seriously injured" in the attack carried out by three militants dressed in combat fatigues. TOI COMMENT Today's dastardly attack on armymen in Jammu coincides with the visit of US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca. It's apparent that the perpetrators are sending strong enough signals: that cross-border terrorism has not de-escalated, and that President Musharraf himself cannot check it anymore. Put plainly, it's a clear indication to the George Bush Administration that the Pakistani general's ability to influence, and curb, terrorist activity on Pakistani soil is severely limited. He said the toll could rise as many of the injured were in critical condition. Scores of ambulances were ferrying the injured from the camp to the nearby Satwari Army hospital. The militants had opened "indiscriminate fire" on the bus and then stormed the Army camp at Kaluchak, some 15 km south of Jammu, officials said.Read this story in... Hindi Officials suspected the attacks, which began at 6:00 am (0030 GMT), were the work of a fidayeen squad. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. All gates to the army camp were closed and the area cordoned off, as police and commandos came in to track down the militants. Fire engines also rushed to the spot as smoke was seen coming out of the Army camp. Schoolchildren were trapped at an Army school near the camp, which houses soldiers and officers of the 196 Field Regiment of the Indian Army. The passenger bus had been travelling to Jammu from Himachal Pradesh.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Pak involved in Jammu attacks: Fernandes
JAMMU: Defence Minister George Fernandes arrived here on Wednesday for an on-the-spot study of the situation arising out of Tuesday's terrorist attack on army camps here and accused Pakistan of being involved in it. Shortly after he arrived here, the minister said he did not expect anything better from Pakistan. Describing the atttack as shocking, he said Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf appeared to be training young people to indulge in such acts across the border. He also paid a visit to the hospital where the injured armymen and their familiy members are receiving treatment.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Congress in a spot over Operation Bluestar
NEW DELHI: The Congress was put in a spot in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday when one of its members virtually endorsed the Akali Dal (Mann) member Simranjit Singh Mann’s demand that the House apologise for Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple. Much to the opposition party’s embarrassment, Congress MP Jagmeet Singh Brar went a step further, stating that the House also apologise for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. This caused an uproar during zero hour with angry BJP members objecting to this demand, saying there was no need for the entire House to apologise for Operation Bluestar since it was Congress which was responsible for it. To add to the embarrassment, minister of state in the PMO, Vijay Goel said the Congress was ‘‘double-faced’’ as it was raising a hue and cry over the Gujarat riots even though it failed to apologise for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Goel’s submission provoked a strong response from Congress members Jaipal Reddy and Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi who wanted to know if the minister was speaking on behalf of the government and the PM. An outraged Reddy said Goel could not don two caps one as an MP and another as a minister. As the tirade between the Congress and the treasury continued, Speaker Manohar Joshi intervened and ruled that there had been precedents when a minister had spoken on behalf of his party. Raising the issue earlier, Mann had said it was unfortunate that Parliament had so far not apologised to the Sikhs for the operation at its holy shrine. He said India should follow the example of the Americans who had apologised to the Japanese for the deaths during World War II, and the Germans who had apologised to the Jews for the holocaust.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Britain condemns terrorist attack in Jammu
LONDON: Britain on Tuesday condemned the militant attack on an army camp in Jammu, saying "terrorism of this kind does nothing to advance the cause in whose name it is conducted." "I wholly condemn this appalling outrage and express my condolences to the relatives of those killed and to those injured," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in a statement. Extending his sympathy to the people of India, Straw said, "Terrorism of this kind does nothing to advance the cause in whose name it is conducted." Without naming anyone, he said "I hope that all countries in the region condemn this act unreservedly. I have sent a message to Jaswant Singh, India's External affairs minister." Heavily armed militants shot dead 30 people, including 23 Indian armymen and their family members, after storming a military camp near Jammu and firing indiscriminately at a passenger bus from Himachal Pradesh.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Pak has to take steps to reduce tension: India
NEW DELHI: Virtually rejecting US calls for early dialogue with Pakistan, India on Tuesday conveyed to US Assistant Secretary of State Christina Rocca that the 'key' to reduction in tensions has to be turned by Islamabad by taking necessary 'substantive' action. New Delhi's concerns over lack of action by Pakistan in stopping cross-border terrorism and infiltration were conveyed to Rocca, a day before she visits Islamabad to hold talks mainly focussing resumption of Indo-Pak dialogue to reduce tensions. "Our assessment and our concerns were conveyed to her in ample measure," foreign office spokesperson Nirupama Rao told reporters on talks Rocca had with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh and Indian officials. On the US assessement of heightened tension between India and Pakistan, Rao said everybody would like see peace, stability and reduction in tensions. "The key to that is really to be turned by Pakistan which has to take necessary substantive, meaningful steps to address our demands" which includes end to cross-border terrorism, infiltration and acting on the list of 20 wanted criminals and terrorists. Rocca, on her part, condemned the terrorist attacks on a bus an army camp in Jammu, terming it as "barbaric". "It is this type of barbaric terrorism that the international war on terrorism is determined to stop," she said. The US official also met India's special envoy on Afghanistan S K Lambah, Foreign Secretary-designate Kanwal Sibal besides Congress President Sonia Gandhi. Rocca's visit to New Delhi and Islamabad takes place amid concerns in Washington of an Indo-Pak military engagement. The spokesperson said until Pakistan takes such action, "we are not going to see a change in that situation". She said the Indian concerns had been fully articulated. "The US side is fully aware, seized of and understands the logic and rationale of our position". Tuesday's discussions covering bilateral and regional issues of interest to the two countries were "detailed, indepth and mutually satisfying". The spokesperson said the Bush administration was fully aware that India has always advocated peace and stability in the region. "India has been a votary for dialogue. But after the December 13 terrorist attack (on Parliament House), we had articulated our concerns on the score of terrorism, on the issue of infiltration and on the operation of Pakistan- sponsored and assisted terrorist groups''. She said India had made certain demands of Pakistan in this regard. ''The US side is well aware of the very legitimate concerns and fully cognizant of them''. The US official held extensive talks with her principal interlocutor and Indian counterpart, Jayant Prasad, joint secretary in the MEA and Arun Singh, joint secretary dealing with Pakistan desk on the range of bilateral issues. American officials said her visits to New Delhi and Islamabad were mainly aimed at promoting a dialogue between India and Pakistan to de-escalate tension.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Antigua Test ends in a tame draw
NEW DELHI: It was Test cricket at its worst as the Antigua Test between India and West Indies petered out to a tame draw on the final day with more than a thousand runs being scored and India using 11 bowlers. West Indies piled up 629/9 in reply to India’s first innings total of 513/9 declared. Chanderpaul was not out at 146 (510 balls). The Antigua Test provided the perfect recipe to take away people from Test cricket. With the wicket offering absolutely nothing to the bowlers, five players helped themselves to big hundreds with Laxman and Ratra doing it for India and Hooper, Chanderpaul and Jacobs doing it for the West Indies. The only highlight of a the fifth day’s play was some big hitting from the West Indies wicket keeper Ridley Jacobs who scored his second Test hundred off just 172 balls with 9 boundaries and five massive sixes. Earlier in the day, Chanderpaul laboured to his fifth Test hundred off 336 balls with 15 fours. This was Chanderpaul’s third ton of the series and his fourth against India. At lunch, West Indies were 494/5 with Chanderpaul batting on 106 and Jacobs undefeated on 77 with 89 runs being scored in the first session off 28 overs. Jacobs reached the coveted 100 mark by slamming Laxman for a towering six over mid wicket. When Jacobs reached his 100, a record of sorts was created as never before have two wicket-keepers got hundreds in the same Test. Ridley Jacobs did the bulk of the scoring, ripping apart the tired Indian bowlers and dealing in boundaries and sixes. The new ball took a beating and at one point Jacobs hit Nehra for a huge six that landed on the roof of the Viv Richards stand. For India, there was not much to write home about apart from Dravid, Jaffer and Laxman claiming their first test wickets. Dravid got a rampaging Jacobs caught at mid-wicket by Laxman. Jacobs ended with 118 from 206 balls with 11 boundaries and five sixes. Jaffer got rid of Dillon and Collins and Laxman got rid of Sanford. Ajay Ratra was the man-of-the-match. Ironically, runs were expected to flow from the bat of Sachin and Lara at Antigua on a perfect batting pitch, but while Sachin got a duck, Lara managed to score only four. West Indies skipper Carl Hooper got his third hundred (136) and seems to the unanimous choice for the Man of the Series award even before the fifth Test begins. The effort put in by their batsmen has psychologically put West Indies on a firmer footing than India ahead of the fifth and final Test at Sabina Park, Jamaica. The West Indian batting has a more settled look than the Indian outfit. In Gayle and Hinds, West Indies have found a good opening combination and with Sarwan, Hooper, Chanderpaul and Jacobs all getting runs, Lara’s lack of form has not effected the fortunes of the hosts. For India, S S Das’ poor run as opener is a cause of concern, though Jaffer has shaped up well at the top of the order. Tendulkar having one of his worst Test series ever is long due for a big score and India will be fervently hoping for the Master Blaster to come good at Jamaica. The Indian seamers bowled their hearts out, but were defeated by the pitch. The presence of either Kumble or Harbhajan could or could not have made a difference. But the Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was in any case forced to bowl himself (12 overs), Sachin (34 overs), Laxman (17 overs ), Dravid (9 overs) , Jaffer (11 overs), Das (8 overs) and Ratra (1 over). It was a parody of Test cricket on day five and the ICC will have to take concrete steps to avoid such pointless and ridiculous cricket. A venue like Antigua should only be used for the one-dayers, while more sporting wickets should be prepared for Tests.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
India rejects US plea for de-alert
Toughing its posture, India today rejected fresh US pleas for de-alerting the troops mobilised along the Indo-Pak international border and Line of Control (LoC) for nearly five months now. There was no fresh case warranting New Delhi to order either a de-alert or demobilise the troops massed against Pakistan along the frontline areas, the Indian side is understood to have conveyed to visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Ms Christina Rocca. Ms Rocca, who rushed here on Monday night amidst a fresh American assessment about a renewed military tension along the Indo-Pak border and LoC, was told that India could not afford to withdraw the troops since Islamabad was positioning itself to derail the process of state assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, scheduled for September, according to informed sources. US ASSESSMENT: Ms Rocca was apparently sent by the Bush Administration to make an assessment of its information that there were renewed war clouds on the Indo-Pak front and also counsel continued restraint upon New Delhi and Islamabad. However, the Indian side told her that Pakistan had not taken any steps to rein in terrorists from crossing over to J&K. On the contrary, the Pakistan establishment continued to sponsor their activities in India, particularly in Kashmir, she was told. She was also told about the Pakistani inaction over the list of 20 terrorists and criminals. Besides her 30-minute meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, Ms Rocca held detailed consultations with her counterpart Jayant Prasad, joint secretary (Americas) in MEA and joint secretary in charge of Pakistan affairs Arun Kumar Singh. She also had a brief interaction with Foreign Secretary-designate Kanwal Sibbal and India’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan S K Lambah.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Lashkar hunts in Jammu: new mask, old face
Srinagar, Jammu: Al Mansoorian, the group that claimed responsibility for today’s attack, is most likely a fake identity floated by the Lashkar-e-Toiba. Lashkar’s recent intercepts, as per security agencies, have indicated that the group wants to expand its activities beyond the Valley. There were also reports that the Lashkar men would not operate as Lashkar but would carry out attacks in the name of sub-groups. Lashkar was till recently divided into four groups or mujmas in J&K and each mujma was named after one of the four khalifas of the Prophet: Hazrat Abu Bakar, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman and Mujma Hazrat Ali. These sub-groups were primarily launched to streamline the group’s communication network but when Lashkar was declared a terrorist group internationally, these sub-groups started operating independently only to hide their identity. Pak plays its stuck record Islamabad: Pakistan condemned the Jammu attack but pointed a finger of blame towards India. ‘‘The world should take notice that every time there is a high-profile visit to India or Pakistan, there is some episode or other which takes place in India,’’ presidential spokesman Major-General Rashid Qureshi told Reuters Television. ‘‘It leads one to believe that these coincidences happen whenever India wants them to.’’ Reuters Later the group started naming operations like the one recently unearthed by the Delhi Police. Here the Lashkar men had grouped themselves and their specific mission was named after the Muslim conqueror of SpainTariq Bin Ziyad. This is the first major attack in the state over the past several months and a clear message that as the snow melts and passes open, a flare-up is inevitable. In fact, Jammu region was a natural choice to make the beginning for this renewed violent campaign because most of the recent infiltration has been through borders in Jammu regionover the past six months, security agencies active in Kashmir were talking of relative calm on the LoC while this was on through the Jammu border. There is every liklihood that the Jammu attackers too were Lashkar men who portrayed themselves as Al-Mansoorian, a group completely unknown in the state. This is, however, not the first time that the militants have used fake identities to hide themselves and their actions. In 1995, when the militants of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen kidnapped four western tourists from the Pahalgam hills in South Kashmir, the responsibility for the abduction was taken by an unknwon group called Al-Faran. In a similar case, the Jaish-e-Mohammad with the help of Al-Umar Mujahideen launched its burqa campiagn in Kashmir last year. This entire campaign was galvanized under another name, the Lashkar-e-Jabbar, to avoid public outcry. The strategy worked and Lashkar-e-Jabbar dictated terms for almost a month. However, again the mask was removed when the police arrested a few activists of Al-Umar Mujahideen responsible for the attacks on women. The militant amalgam, the Pak-based United Jehad Council, too, floated a fake group called the Mujahideen-e-Haq to forcibly prevent the moderates within the All Parties Hurriyat Conference from supporting the Centre’s peace proces in 2000. In fact, the group even carried out a grenade attack on the Hurriyat headquarters in Srinagar. After the international ban on the Jaish, it started re-organising as Tehreek-ul-Furqan in Karachi and Bahawalpur. However, the group still operates as Jaish in the Valley. Another reason for Jammu being the jehadis’ new hunting ground is the sharp communal divide in the state which has given the jehadis’ ample cope to expand their base especially in the Muslim-dominated districts of Doda, Rajouri, Poonch and parts of Udhampur. In fact, the launch of Village Defence Committeesmostly comprised of members of the minority Hindu communityand arming them with weapons sharpened the communal mistrust and divide.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
India 4th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity
India 4th largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity You can do a lot more with a dollar in India than in most other places on the planet. According to the World Bank, India's purchasing power parity multiple is currently one of the highest in the world at 5.24. Simply put, it means the purchasing power of a dollar in India is more than five times the purchasing power of the greenback in the United States, according to a report in the latest issue of India Abroad. In India, for example, the gross domestic product per capita is a low $440, but, when adjusted for purchasing power, it rises considerably to $2,230, a result of the lower cost of goods and services in India relative to the US. In other words, $440 in India would help you make purchases worth $2,230 in the US. Purchasing power parity is nearly always higher than the GDP in less developed countries. Although India ranks 13th in the world in terms of the purchasing power parity multiple, it enjoys the highest multiple among comparable emerging nations. Denominated in current dollars, India is the 13th largest economy. But if one adjusts the size for the relative costs of living, India becomes the fourth largest economy -- behind the US, China and Japan. Japan and many countries in Western Europe have higher costs of living than the US. As a result, their PPP is lower, converted at market exchange rates. As the US dollar is the standard currency on which the PPP is based, the GDP and the GDP purchasing power parity for the US are the same value.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Suzuki to take control at Maruti with Rs.1000cr
IN a landmark decision, the Centre today decided to hand over management control in Maruti Udyog Ltd (MUL) to Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC) for a consideration of Rs 1,000 crore. SMC would acquire controlling stake in the country's leading car manufacturer by way of the Centre renouncing its subscription to a Rs 400-crore rights issue of MUL. Once the rights issue is completed, SMC would end up having a 54.20 per cent stake in the company, with the Centre's share falling to 45.54 per cent. The Centre currently holds 49.76 per cent equity in Maruti, with SMC holding 50 per cent and the remaining 0.24 per cent being held by an employees trust. Briefing newspersons after a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment here today, the Disinvestment Minister, Mr Arun Shourie, said that the Rs 400-crore rights issue would be in the form of 12,19,512 shares of Rs 100 each being sold at Rs 3,280 per share. Suzuki will be subscribing to the entire issue and pay Rs 1,000 crore as control premium to the Centre, he added. The CCD also cleared a two-stage process of disinvestment of the Centre's stake in MUL, with the second stage involving the sale of the Centre's existing shares (post-rights issue) through a public issue. The revised joint venture agreement between Suzuki and the Centre envisages that the latter would sell its existing shares in the domestic market with the participation of Indian and global investors as permitted by law after the completion of the rights issue transaction. Suzuki has decided to underwrite the first public issue of about 36 lakh shares held by Centre at a price of Rs 2,300 per share. For the balance shares, the Centre can exercise a put option at a discount of 15 per cent and or 10 per cent of the average market price. The put option can be availed up to April 30, 2004 at the book value now (Rs 2000) or then, whichever is higher.
Wednesday, May 15, 2002
Ganguly rues Kumble injury
Antigua, May 15: Leg-spinner Anil Kumble`s injury cost India dearly in the fourth test against West Indies, captain Saurav Ganguly said after the match ended in dull draw on Tuesday. Kumble, India`s most successful current bowler with 319 wickets in 70 tests, had to fly back to India for surgery after a rising ball from paceman Mervyn Dillon fractured his jaw. ``We missed a spinner on this pitch,`` Ganguly said. ``If Anil was around we would have made a match of it.`` The 31-year-old Kumble heroically bowled 14 overs on Sunday despite being swathed in bandages, picking up the prize wicket of Brian Lara, but could not stay on until the end of the test. ``I never expected the wicket to break like this,`` Ganguly said. ``But we couldn`t do much with the injury Anil had. ``He was 20 percent fit and the way he bowled those 14 overs was amazing. You could see that there was something in the pitch for the spinners.`` Kumble had been picked as the lone spinner in the team along with the pace trio of Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra. In his absence, occasional spinner Sachin Tendulkar had to bowl 34 overs as West Indies piled up 629 for nine in reply to India`s 513 for nine declared. ``It was a lot of hard work for the quicks,`` Ganguly said. ``I thought all the three fast bowlers bowled their heart out. It was not an easy wicket, but they kept on running in and bowling. I think it is a very encouraging sign for a captain to see his bowlers perform like this in the heat on a placid wicket.`` BATTED SUPERBLY There was a lot to cheer on the batting front with three of the top-order batsmen getting past 50 and wicketkeeper Ajay Ratra hitting his maiden test century. ``I thought Ajay played superbly,`` Ganguly said. ``He showed lot of character because he didn`t have two good Tests in Trinidad and Barbados. He was under lot of pressure in this Test and he came out with flying colours. It holds very good for Indian cricket and also for his future.`` Ratra had almost been left out for this test after scores of 0, 2, 1 and 13 in his last four innings but responded stylishly to pick up the man-of-the-match award. Vangipurappu Laxman struck 130, his fourth score in excess of 50 in the series, and Rahul Dravid and opener Wasim Jaffer scored 91 and 86 respectively. ``Jaffer looks a quality player,`` Ganguly said. ``It appears he has a lot of time to play fast bowling which I think is the sign of a good batsman.`` India had won the second test at Trinidad by 37 runs but West Indies hit back with a 10-wicket win at Barbados to level the series 1-1. The fifth test starts in Kingston on Saturday. ``That`s the test of the series in Jamaica,`` Ganguly said. ``We have got three days rest and we are going to recuperate and fire in on all cylinders, bowling batting everything has to come good in Jamaica for us to win. ``If we win the match we will really feel we have done well in the West Indies.`` Reuters
Monday, May 13, 2002
Movie Review : Ab Ke Baras
Inderjit Films Combine's AB KE BARAS, directed by Raj Kanwar, is about reincarnation. It is the story of true love that transcends all boundaries. It is the story of the desperate struggle of two tormented souls, torn apart by destiny, to unite in the face of all odds. Anjali (Amrita Rao) is a carefree teenager, happy with the course her life is taking until the day of her engagement. She starts having strange hazy dreams that fade away with the rays of the morning sun, but leaves behind the haunting cry within her. She learns that her soulmate from her previous life is calling her and that she must go to India in his quest. In India, Anjali comes across Karan (Arya Babbar), a lovable rogue who is both caring and callous towards her. Anjali feels Karan can help her find her soulmate, whereas Karan thinks she is plain stupid. Together they embark on a journey, sometimes pulling the other out of trouble and sometimes pulling each other's leg. The journey ends the day Karan declares his love for Anjali. The events take a serious turn as Anjali suddenly remembers her previous life clearly and destiny throws up another barrier between her soulmate and her. Thus begins the struggle between the now and the never. It is now or never for Anjali as it is her only chance to be with her soulmate. What happens next? KARZ, KUDRAT, KARAN-ARJUN... and now AB KE BARAS. The similarity between the four films is that the protagonist is reborn to settle scores with evil-doers. Rishi Kapoor was re-born in KARZ, Hema Malini and Rajesh Khanna in KUDRAT, Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan in KARAN-ARJUN and Arya Babbar and Amrita Rao in AB KE BARAS. Although the plot is intriguing, Raj Kanwar's handling of the subject throws a spanner in the smooth goings-on. For, the screenplay abounds in predictable moments, which have been witnessed time and again by the craving-for-entertainment viewer. The film starts off an interesting note. The initial portions keep the viewer engrossed. Everything is alright till Arya and Amrita embark on an unknown journey - on one hand being chased by the cop (Danny Denzongpa) and on the other, by the drug dealers (Ashish Vidyarthi and gang). The problem here is that the script relies too heavily on cliches to move the story ahead. For, as and when the plot starts getting thicker, a dream song or an action sequence breaks the pace of the narration and dilutes the impact of the strong sequences. The film picks up again at the interval point, when Amrita sees the face of her lover clearly (Arya), and the flashback that follows soon after the intermission is well handled as well. But instead of the drama reaching at an all-time high, it sinks to an all-time low due to lack of novelty in the narrative. One can actually predict what's going to happen next. Director Raj Kanwar's choice of the subject is right, but the presentation is not. He has relied too heavily on the age-old formula and cliches to convey the story and that takes away the essence from the film. Writers Robin Bhatt and Sutanu Gupta's writing is the weakest link, for the screenplay has no fresh/original moments to offer. They have mish-mashed the already-successful reincarnation films and presented a fare without incorporating anything original in it. Anu Maliik's music is a sore point as well. The tunes are plain average and easily forgotten once the show ends. Ishwar Bidri's cinematography is striking. Action scenes (Bhiku Verma, Pappu Verma) are well shot. AB KE BARAS marks the debut of Arya Babbar and the youngster deserves credit for going through his role with utmost sincerity. His facial expressions are just right, he dances ably, he fights well and his dialogue delivery is perfect. Only, he needs to take care of his outfits and appearance (at places). Amrita Rao has simple looks, but is a wonderful performer. She dances exceptionally as well. Amongst the character artistes, Danny Denzongpa and Shakti Kapoor stand out. On the whole, AB KE BARAS is a predictable fare that will face an uphill task at the box-office. Rating:- *.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Movie Review : Na Tum Jaano Na Hum
P.F.H. Entertainment Ltd.'s NA TUM JAANO NA HUM, directed by Arjun Sablok, tackles a theme that's too old-fashioned. Saif Ali Khan is Akshay. What he wants, he gets. Cool dude Akshay has decided that there are two kinds of girls - the girl you love and the girl you marry. Confident and suave, this magnetic charmer has girls falling all over him. And does he revel in it. Hrithik Roshan is Rahul. What he wants, he never tells. Sensitive and caring, he spreads happiness wherever he goes. But locks his most intense emotions and desires deep inside his heart. Esha Deol is Esha. What she wants, she knows. She is positive that the only thing that matters between two people is the meeting of the heart. And it does not matter if you don't meet each other at all. In an era of cellphones, Internet and emails, the story of NA TUM JAANO NA HUM sounds ancient. Ancient because, from start to end, the two principal characters correspond through letters, post offices and post boxes. The film is set in 2001/2002 - it talks of music videos, FM channels, fashion photography - yet, surprisingly, the lovers seem to have no clue of Internet, emails and chat rooms! Ancient also because, till the very last scene, the woman doesn't know the name of the character she's fallen in love with. Forget what he looks like! NA TUM JAANO NA HUM is similar to SIRF TUM (Sanjay Kapoor - Priya Gill) in that respect. But in NA TUM JAANO NA HUM, the romance stands on a shaky foundation. For, both haven't done anything for each other so as to feel so deeply in love. Which is why your heart doesn't go out for either of them. NA TUM JAANO NA HUM has its share of poignant moments. Actually, director Arjun Sablok has handled the plot with utmost sensitivity and a couple of sequences bear testimony to the fact. The interval point, for instance, when Esha learns of Hrithik's true intentions, is well shot. Ditto for the finale - in Canada - when Hrithik and Saif come face to face and the scene thereafter, when Hrithik flies to India to meet Esha, stand out. Director Arjun Sablok has ensured that the film has a consistent look throughout, although a few sequences give away the fact that the film has taken a while to complete. The sets (Omung Kumar Bhandula), locales (Canada) and the overall ambience are classy. Besides, a couple of emotional sequences are sure to strike a chord. Unfortunately, the film suffers in the most vital department - script - penned by Arjun Sablok himself. The writing leaves a lot to be desired and the screenplay does precious little to elevate the proceedings. For instance, the emotional moments, from start to end, are between Esha and her grand-father (Alok Nath). And although the film starts with the 'Ye Betiyaan To Babul Ki Raniyaan Hain' track, Esha has no scenes with her father, mother (Moushumi Chatterjee) or even aunt (Rati Agnihotri). In fact, after a point, she doesn't share her emotions with anyone. Actually, the parents and relatives don't contribute to the story at all. Moreover, a couple of sequences seem totally irrelevant. For instance, Achla Sachdev's character has not been explained properly. The music video bit - involving Esha and Hrithik - is amateurish. Even the sole action sequence when Hrithik exchanges blows with eve teasers - seems forced in the goings-on. There was just no need for it! Moreover, the film moves at a snail's pace and the essence of the love story gets diluted in the process. Another factor that goes against the film is its music (Rajesh Roshan), which is tuneful, but lacks a hit number so important in a love story. Nevertheless, two numbers could be singled out since the placement of songs is in context with the story - 'Tune Dil Se Kyoon Mujhko Pukara' and 'Jaa Sanam Mujhko Hain Pyaar Pe Aitbaar'. But 'Tum Se Mujhe' should be deleted instantly in order to speed up the goings-on. Dialogues (Pratibha Acharya) are well worded. Cinematography (Maonj Soni) is wonderful. The background score (Raju Singh) is effective. Hrithik Roshan does elevate a few sequences with his performance. He excels towards the latter part of the film. Saif Ali Khan is getting typecast in casanova roles. Moreover, he deserved a better introduction in this love triangle. But it is Esha Deol who surprises you with a mature performance. Although her looks are inconsistent, the youngster takes on the role with utmost sincerity and comes out with a natural performance. She has been better presented when compared to her debut film. Moushumi Chatterjee and Rati Agnihotri are terribly wasted. Alok Nath is okay. Smita Jaykar, Anang Desai and Ashima Bhalla are adequate. Any junior artiste could've done Preeti Jhangiani's role. She disappears as you blink an eyelid. On the whole, NA TUM JAANO NA HUM has some moments for the classes, but not much for the masses. At the ticket window, the clash of two biggies (NA TUM JAANO NA HUM and AB KE BARAS) in the same week will eat into each other's pie. Rating:- *.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Movie Preview : Devdas
The son of Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas opened his eyes to a world where wealth dominated his existence. His mind played truant amidst the lush greens of village Taj Sonapur, as mischief scored over learning. Indulged he was, by his lovely playmate Paro. He teased her, chided her, overwhelmed her! She lauded him, protected him, worshipped him! It was a special childhood in which only Devdas and Paro seemed to exist. They were not to know then, that the seeds of an all-consuming passion were already being sown. Time stood still to allow the two playmates to shimmer in the love that was being felt, before it was being understood. The reverie was broken when elders sent Devdas to the foreign shores of London for education. The parting let loose a dam of tears, those that were shed by Paro and unshed by Devdas. Paro whose entire world was Devdas, felt the silence in her existence deafening her, the darkness blinding her... Pining for him, Paro lit a 'diya', for it signified the fast coming back of a loved one. Years passed and Devdas returned. A sytlish young man ,armed with foreign sophistication. Paro still donned the garb of simplicity and adoration for her Devdas. The disparity between the two was for all to see. In appearance. In exposure. In status. But Devdas could not for long remain immune to the fact that his childhood playmate was now a beautiful woman, whose lotus eyes spoke even when she did not. Unifying Devdas and Paro in marriage was proposed by Paro's mother. But it was met with condescendingly by Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee. He challengingly compared the status of the two families. And a rift was caused. Not wanting its devious shadow to cast a gloom on them, an anguished Paro seeked refuge in the darkness of the night and offered herself to Devdas, the only man she could ever love.. Devdas was unable to realize that the immense pain that he saw in Paro's eyes was mirrored in his own heart. He nevertheless attempted to seek the legacy of Paro's love from his father. But antagonism came his way. A sensitive Devdas silently moved away without meeting Paro. He wrote Paro a fateful letter, asking her to forget him! But he remembered not, to ask himself to forget her. It was too late when the enormity of his own feelings overwhelmingly hit Devdas. He reached out to Paro, but she was far too humiliated. Paro ruthlessly scorned Devdas for not having stood by her and they parted yet again.This time the parting paved two ways...One that saw a repentant, heart-broken Paro entering into a chaste marriage with a wealthy, much older man, Zamindar Bhuvan . And the other that saw a shattered Devdas walking towards anguish, alcoholism and Chandramukhi. Even as an emptiness enveloped Devdas's alcoholic existence, he met Chandramukhi. A stunning courtesan, Chandramukhi instantly lost her heart to Devdas. His undisguised contempt for her profession, strangely gave her the solace that she had always yearned for. Devdas was magnetised to the empathy offered by an undemanding Chandramukhi. A unique bond was formed as two souls met half way. He could share with her the intense pain of his unfulfilled love for Paro.Chandramukhi started worshipping the man who had the capacity to love like none other. It mattered not, that he did not love her! The ornaments that adorned Chandramukhi, no longer seemed to shine. The gold pillared, mirror-floored, Kotha seemed to have lost its grandeur. Instead, the purity of the Ganga which her house overlooked, seemed to beckon her. For it reminded her of her pure relationship with Devdas...It gave her the strength to renounce the world. Paro, on the other hand, performed her worldly duties sincerely, winning the hearts of one and all with her generosity and compassion. Yet ,she felt lost amidst the painted walls of her majestic haveli. For she could never forget Devdas. Not for a day, a minute, a second! Strange was the fate of Devdas. Intensely loved by two women, who were never meant to be his. One whom he could never love and one whom he could never stop loving...Devdas stood alone, aimless, with the headiness of alcohol offering him not enough solace.The divine and pure saga of Radha, Krishna and Meera was seeing its echo in the lives of Paro, Devdas and Chandramukhi, that were as entwined with each other as they were not! Where love meant giving without expectation. In one of its benovelent moments, life gave Devdas and Paro the opportunity to meet. The heart-wrenching passion was as palpable as ever. But the cloud of separation created by society menacingly existed..The Devdas of today looked defeated, dejected, drunken. Paro begged him to give up the bottle. But how could Devdas? It made him forget all. Yet, he promised to meet his beloved Paro once before the last breath. The day comes. As Devdas senses the proximity of his last moments, the yearning to see Paro intensifies. He fights for a few extra moments and reaches Paro's doorstep. But even as the gates of Paro's mansion remain closed, the gates of heaven open for Devdas. Devdas never sees the next morning. But Paro does. Yet, for her the sun never shines again.. Her 'diya' loses its light forever. A love is immortalized, even as it dies... A Union is celebrated, even as it breaks... A hero is born, even as he is defeated... Devdas, a poignant saga of timeless love and emotional anguish that will tenderly touch the hearts of all those who love and believe in love. For ever and ever!
Monday, May 13, 2002
Esha's dream role
NA TUM JAANO NA HUM is a crucial release for everyone associated with it - first-time producers Pantaloon, director Arjun Sablok, Hrithik (after YAADEIN, A.M.A.L.L.) and of course, Esha Deol, whose first film - KOI MERE DIL SE POOCHHE - failed to strike a chord with cinegoers. "I enjoyed working in NA TUM JAANO NA HUM. The film will always be close to my heart," Esha tells me. The youngster's dream role is the one enacted by her mom, Hema Malini, in LAL PATTHAR. But what about SEETA AUR GEETA, which is rated amongst Hema's finest works? Doesn't Esha intend enacting the diverse roles in one of her films? "Oh, I've enacted the roles of Seeta and Geeta more than hundred times since childhood. I used to play the characters, while my household staff would play villains," she laughs loudly. Incidentally, Esha nurses a desire to work in a Tamil film some day. "I did receive an offer once, but I was too young for the role," she recalls.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Bachchan's fans enraged by 'vulgar' depiction of superstar in Cola ad
KOLKATA: Enraged by 'vulgar' depiction of their icon Amitabh Bachchan in a multinational soft drink company's advertisement, a group of die-hard Big B fans would launch a massive agitation here on Saturday. Over 500 admirers of the actor would sit on a dharna at the four-point Hazra crossing in South Kolkata and conduct a signature campaign demanding withdrawal of the Sprite advertisement that show dummies of Bachchan and cricketing sensation Sachin Tendulkar in 'poor light'. "As it is, we have a very few living legends in this country. Multinational companies have no right to tarnish the images of these celebrities, who are a role model for many, for the sake of business rivalry," Sanjay Patodia, General Secretary of the State chapter of Amitabh Bachchan Fans' Association (AFBA), which would spearhead the agitation, told. Coca Cola's sprite advertisement, a spoof on the original one by its rival Pepsi featuring Bachchan and Tendulkar, showed look-alikes of the celebrities mouthing 'objectionable lines', he said. ABFA would launch the agitation simultaneously in Kolkata and Mumbai on Saturday along with local cricket clubs. The Sachin Tendulkar Fans' Association in Mumbai would join the protest next week, Patodia said.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Vivek Oberoi: Does money matter?
Even before his first movie hit the theatres this hunk was quite a rage. And after his first release, 'Company' the industry, the trade and the audiences were all going ga-ga over this new talent in tinsel town. So there's little reason why this young lad shouldn't be couching on cloud 9. There are some people in the filmi circuit who have been bickering about the fact he's too hot to handlewell, we mean he's been quoting a sky-rocketing price for movies, that's left many filmmakers baffled. But then, everyone can't afford the best, right? Anyways, when Vivek was asked about this, he simply said that he doesn't believe in going by the price that's been pitched with a movie, moreover, if the script excites him enough he wouldn't mind working for free with a new director. Obviously career first Vivek, the big bucks will follow
Monday, May 13, 2002
Esha will be a pleasant shock-Hrithik
Esha's debut film didn't really bring her too many accolades from the trade and the audiences. But this young lass is certainly stuffed with a lot of talent and potentialand it's us not trumpeting the fact this time, it's none other than Hrithik. He didn't really watch her debut film, but Hrithik seems to be thoroughly impressed by Esha's performance in 'Na Tum Jano Na Hum'. And he does go on to say that Esha will be a pleasant shock in this film. Well now that Hrithik endorses this, sure you'll take his word for it, wouldn't you?
Monday, May 13, 2002
India in a bind over Pakistan
NEW DELHI: The signals are not hard to miss: India redeploys its forces on the border and begins a major exercise, ISI chief Ehsan-ul-Haq warns senior Pakistani army commanders of a limited Indian military assault and US assistant secretary of state for South Asia Christina Rocca rushes in this week to the region to broker peace. There has been a dangerous buzz in the air about a limited Indian military strike across the LoC for the past few months. Now, three years after Pakistan’s Kargil failure, there are indications that India may be contemplating its own limited action across the LoC. Having failed to budge Pakistan on its list of 20 most wanted terrorists and cross-border terrorism, New Delhi sees itself running out of options. In the wake of the December 13 Parliament attack, the Vajpayee government ordered the Indian Army into an unprecedented peace-time mobilisation. With Pakistan skilfully accommodating the US and ignoring India’s anti-terrorism demands, New Delhi is in a bind. The government appears not to have thought through the options before embarking on its high profile, high risk course. Rocca’s visit to India and Pakistan this week, her third to the region since March, is aimed at resolving New Delhi’s dilemma and continuing the process of tightening the screws on Islamabad. As part of this process, US secretary of state Colin Powell spoke last week to external affairs minister Jaswant Singh and Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf. In this sense, the developments could be seen as a complex Indo-US manoeuvre to persuade Musharraf to walk on the high and narrow path he outlined in his January 12 speech. There are no complaints about his cooperation in the fight against Al Qaida, but his refusal to abandon his proxy war against India and his kid-glove handling of domestic jihadi elements is causing considerable concern. Haq’s warning to Pakistani commanders echoes CIA director George Tenet’s March 2002 warning that the chances of an Indo-Pak war were highest since 1971. He noted that an Indian attack on PoK could result in Pakistani counter-strike based ‘‘on the belief that its nuclear deterrent might limit the scope of the counter-attack’’. Conventional wisdom has it that India has a three-to-one superiority over Pakistan, but this size matters only in a longer and wider conflict. The US may tolerate a ‘‘surgical strike’’ but it is unlikely to countenance a prolonged open war in South Asia, fraught as it is with the danger of a nuclear exchange. In any case, as last week’s meeting of formation commanders in Rawalpindi signalled, Pakistan will not be caught napping as India was in 1999. The Vajpayee government should contemplate its own poor record of translating brute force into a workable policy before compounding its border build-up blunder into a military disaster. An Indian attack is also bound to have the unintended consequence of uniting Pakistan behind the military regime. If the stakes are high for New Delhi, they are considerably higher for Islamabad where a military dictator with a dubious mandate presides over a country wracked by internal turmoil.
Monday, May 13, 2002
At 15,000 ft, Baljeet binds Indo-US troops
Agra, May 12 The United States Army does not speak Hindi at all. And only officers in the Indian Army speak English. So how do they communicate with each other while operating together, especially in a hostile environment when communication could be the link between life and death? Enter Sgt Baljeet Singh of the US Special Forces Group. As Indian and US commandoes carry out their biggest-ever joint exercises here, Singh is expected to be the linking chain in the first few moments when stiff salutes and warm smiles break the ice between east and west. US-born and raised, Singh on his first visit here speaks sufficient Hindi and Punjabi to ‘‘save his life,’’ as his friends jokingly put it. And, no doubt, to save many others in these exercises. Not that language is expected to be a constant obstacle. For one, the elite Indian para-commandoes are quickly developing a working knowledge of the language. Also, technical terms in airborne operations the world over are in English. ‘‘So even when the Indian para-commandoes fly in US Air Force C-130 Hercules and the American jump master instructs them to carry out an ‘‘equipment check’’ or shouts ‘‘green on’’ the commandoes will have no problems. This is because the instructor back home also screams the command in English,’’ says a senior official supervising the joint exercises. ‘‘We had requested the Indian officials that at least one person in every section or platoon be conversant in English. That’s very essential for wireless communication too. They have complied and we are very impressed with the level of English knowledge of the Indian officials and even troops,’’ a US official said. However, it’s when the Indian and American commandoes jump together from 15,000 feet at the dead of night and fall anywhere between Agra and Gwalior that their inter-dependence really be put to test. And that’s when Singh, a US soldier of Indian origin, is expected to play a crucial role. ‘‘He’s already playing that role. He speaks fluent English and communicates well in Hindi too. When the soldiers of the two sides start interacting with each other more informally in the days to come, Singh’s ethnic background will prove to be an asset in cementing the relationship between the two armies,’’ says an Indian official who has interacted with Singh. The Americans, too, are working on their working Hindi and have understood what saavdhan and vishram mean. ‘‘I’ve also learnt that juldi that means quickly. In the next 15 days I shall learn every thing that is to be known about Hindi commands including shatru’’, says a US soldier with a smile.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Yashwant Sinha shies off controversy with Ganguly
Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Sunday said Indian cricket skipper Sourav Ganguly can't file a defamation suit against him for listing the latter among tax defaulters. Talking to mediapersons at the venue of the annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank here, Sinha said whatever he said in parliament was privileged and couldn't be sued against. "I have no wish to enter into a controversy with Ganguly," Sinha remarked. Sinha had on Tuesday named Ganguly as one of the tax defaulters, while the Indian skipper maintained that he had been paying taxes promptly. Media reports hinted at Ganguly planing to sue Sinha over the remark. Meanwhile, Ganguly's solicitor, Dipak Kumar Mitra, sent a strongly worded protest letter to the Central Board of Direct Taxes director, denying the charge.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Shramjeevi Exp mishap points to sabotage: Rlys
Enquiry Nos. New Delhi: 3344128, 3967332, 4359748 Varanasi: 342605 Lucknow: 237677, 217791 NEW DELHI: The Railways have confirmed sabotage as the cause of the Shramjeevi Express derailment on Sunday, which left 12 people dead and over 70 injured near Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh. "Preliminary investigations by the Railways have revealed that some fishplates had been removed at the site of the accident", Devendra Sandhu, chief PRO, Northern Railway, told Times News Network. Earlier in the day, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar had said in Patna that sabotage could not be ruled out. Sandhu said that a more detailed statutory inquiry would be conducted into the incident by the Commissioner of Railway Safety. Thirteen bogies of Patna-bound Shramjeevi Express derailed between Kheta Sarai and Mehrawan stations near Jaunpur in the Lucknow division at around 3.45 am on Sunday. The train had left New Delhi at 1.20 pm on Saturday. Sandhu said that six of the 11 dead had been identified so far. Relief work is on, with medical teams having rushed to the spot. Early in the morning, the non-affected coaches in the front portion of the train were attached to a special train to transport stranded passengers. Another relief train was also rushed to the site. The injured have been admitted at the civil hospitals in Jaunpur, Shahganj, Mehrawan and at Habib Hospital in Kheta Sarai. Enquiry counters have been opened at New Delhi, Patna, Varanasi and Lucknow. A Northern Railways official said that 37 of the injured were still in hospital. Nitish Kumar rushed to the accident site, as did a team of senior railway officials from the Capital led by Additional General Manager Northern Railways K K Gupta. Additional Divisional Railway Manager Lucknow has also reached to supervise relief operations.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Upgraded MiGs to fly again
NEW DELHI MAY 12. Amid tension on the border, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to restore the upgraded version of the MiG Bis aircraft to its operational status next week. IAF sources said today that at least one squadron involving about 15 to 20 aircraft will be on flying duty from next week. However, checks were still being carried out on the fighter planes fitted with old engines. A detailed probe, however, continued into the Type 75 variant of the MiG aircraft. These were withdrawn on May 3. UNI
Monday, May 13, 2002
India commemorates 50 years of democracy
India completes 50 years of democracy today. May 13, 1952 marked the beginning of a new phase in the history of independent India. It was on this day that the country's Parliament met for the first time after the General Elections. There were 126 Lok Sabha and 51 Rajya Sabha members at that time. Fifty years down the line, things have changed considerably. A common scene inside the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha these days is that of chaos and shouting. But members like Rishang Keishing, who was elected to the first Lok Sabha on a Socialist Party ticket, remember the time when such scenes were rare and everyone maintained the decorum of the House. "We tried to catch Speaker's attention. But when he would be standing, nobody else would stand," remarked Keishing. Now there is much concern over Parliamentary proceedings. According to the National Centre for Advocacy, in a Parliament session (for instance the 13th session), few questions were raised on social issues. In the same session, of the total 4,440 questions raised, only about 130 pertained to education. According to experts, in the first Lok Sabha session, most of the members were from the upper class and were well educated. Their place was taken by leaders from the agricultural class. Gradually, single party dominance ended and Parliament came to be represented by several small parties. This was a positive sign, as now social issues came to be raised. But as former Lok Sabha Speaker Shivraj Patil puts it, "There are now over 40 parties represented in Parliament and thus MPs get little time to speak. As a result many of them get upset and protest in the House." Experts say that with complexity of issues, legislative work is now largely left to local bodies. As a result, Parliament is left with the task of passing legislation. Often work is hampered due to lack of required numbers. As the world's largest democracy commemorates 50 years of its Parliament, clearly some would like Parliamentarians to focus on restoring people's faith in this august body.
Monday, May 13, 2002
Infosys Best-managed, RIL Best Finance-managed Firm: Survey
London, May 12: India’s leading technology company, Infosys Technologies, has been ranked No 1 in the category of the "best managed company" and Reliance Industries was given the top billing in the "best financial management" category, according to a survey. The survey by a leading financial magazine, ‘FinanceAsia’ was conducted among leading international investors during the first quarter of the current calendar year. Infosys, according to the survey, picked up the most votes in four categories - best managed company, best investor relations, strongest commitment to enhancing shareholder value and company most committed to corporate governance - while Reliance took the top rank in the category of the "best financial management". The report said "Reliance is perhaps the most active Indian company in respect to the capital markets, both domestic and international and has proven to be an adept manager of its balance sheet." Apart from Infosys and Reliance, the other companies that did well in the survey included Wipro and Hindustan Lever. Wipro was placed second in three categories and third in one category, while Hindustan Lever was second in two categories and third in one category. Among the best-managed companies, Wipro and Hindustan Lever were tied for the second place, followed by Reliance industries. In the investor relations category, Infosys occupied the first place, Wipro occupied the second and Reliance third. The top four companies in the category of strongest commitment to enhancing shareholder value were Infosys, Hindustan Lever, Wipro and Reliance Industries. Those who voted for Infosys were vocal in their praise. "While pursuing growth, it has consistently demonstrated commitment to all stakeholders including the community," one investor said. Another noted: "it is a truly international company from India which has demonstrated its skills, stature and capabilities in the global arena. Infosys has been at the forefront of leading the Indian software story into a successful global story." Three hundred and thirty one investors from financial centres such as London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore participated in the survey besides analysts and decision-makers. The survey asked each investor for three nominations in five categories in rank order - first, second and third. The participants were asked to write in their nominations in the country, where they focus the greatest amount of their attention. No company lists were provided to the participants, allowing them to nominate both private and public companies and eliminating any bias towards a particular company or companies.
Monday, May 13, 2002
WI consolidate amidst drama
St. John`s, May 12: You want action, forget the one-dayers, stick to Test cricket. The third day of the fourth Test saw Ajay Ratra become the first Indian stumper to score a ton overseas, India declare on 513/9 and West Indies respond with 187/3. Not before Anil Kumble, with a broken jaw and return-ticket booked, took the field and dismissed Brian Lara. What a day! It all began with Ratra, increasingly under pressure for not making runs, watching in dismay as Laxman became the seventh Indian wicket to fall. After making 130 (244 balls, 14 fours) Laxman played back to a short ball from Merv Dillon and trod on his wicket. An unusual dismissal but one that West Indies would take on a flat wicket. Zaheer Khan (four) then hung around long enough to see Ratra reach three figures. It did not come easily, but when it did, the joy was unbridled. The whole Indian team stood on the balcony clapping and cheering as Ratra became the first Indian `keeper to score a Test century overseas. This is of course overlooking Vijay Manjrekar`s similar achivement, as he was not really a specialist `keeper. The effort took India to a substantial total. And when the declaration came, after Javagal Srinath made 15 and was dismissed, Ratra was unbeaten on 115 (282 balls, 12 fours). In response to India`s healthy 513/9 declared, West Indies got off to a solid start. There was almost no movement off the wicket or in the air. Javagal Srinath and Ashish Nehra shared the new ball but could not trouble the batsmen. Zaheer Khan, with his extra pace and awkward angle got a couple of deliveries to jump. This was not yet cause for concern, however, as Hinds and Gayle drove fluently through both the off and on-sides. The first real chance for the visitors came in the 24th over of the day. Gayle, moving across his stumps and flicking a full delivery that found Shiv Sunder Das at square-leg. The fielder reacted a touch late, however, and floored the catch. Fortunately for the Indians, Gayle did not make them pay for their mistake. Without adding another run to his tally of 32, Gayle nicked Zaheer Khan through to the `keeper soon after. Sarwan replaced Gayle as the ball was beginning to lose its shine. India were prompted to bring Sourav Ganguly and Tendulkar into the attack and this helped the overs roll along. Tendulkar, in particular, infused some interest into the proceedings with leg-breaks and googlies that turned prodigiously. The wrong `uns in particular troubled the left-handed Hinds more than once. When Wavell Hinds brought up his half century with a spanking cover drive, the fans at Antigua were on their feet. After watching India bat for two days and a bit, there was finally some West Indian batting on display. And it was gorgeous clean hitting at that. That was until Tendulkar enticed a false shot from Hinds. A looping wrong `un seemed badly pitched, a shade outside the leg stump. Leaning forward and preparing to clout the ball to the fence, Hinds found the ball dipping on him, played down the wrong line and heard the death rattle. The ball spun back enough to clip the leg stump. Hinds` well made 65 (117 balls, 9 fours) had come to an end. Sarwan watched quietly from the non-striker`s end as the biggest roar of the day welcomed Lara out to the middle. Lara on a flat wicket a run fest on the cards? Not much later, just after news came in that Kumble was flying back to India the next day for surgery, out walked the man himself. Heavily strapped up, with bands going around his jaw, over his head and across the back of it, a semi-mummified Kumble walked out to the middle. The ball was tossed to Kumble and a slider slipped past Lara`s outside edge off the very first ball. There was much speculation about the wisdom of such a move. Perhaps it was foolhardy to ask a man with a fractured jaw to bowl? All talk was put to an end, as is so often the case with Kumble, by one delivery. Tossed up, fizzing through, pitching on off and spinning in just a touch, Lara`s across the line swat was not good enough. The pad was struck, Kumble appealed as well as his plaster would allow and umpire David Shepherd confirmed that Lara (4) was plumb lbw. Hooper and Sarwan then went on to steady the ship. On a flat wicket, the last thing the West Indies needed was a flurry of wickets. And that almost happened. In the 64th over of the day, Kumble had Hooper caught at forward short-leg, only to see umpire Shepherd call no-ball. Off the next ball, one that bounced and turned, Hooper flashed hard to slip. Dravid got his hands to it but could not latch onto the chance. The rest of the day, thankfully, passed off uneventfully. Hooper chipped and drove his way to 26, Sarwan, the very picture of solidity and cool composure racked up 50. © CricInfo
Monday, May 13, 2002
Home Trade can pay all dues: Agarwal
The 37-year-old Sanjay Agarwal, chair- man of Home Trade Ltd, said his company could pay all its dues. He had surrendered before the court on May 11. Vinod Thakare, Agarwal’s lawyer, said this was his surrender statement before the judicial magistrate. However, the statement did not mention where Agarwal was when the scam came to light. Nor does it say anything about the investments made by the Nagpur District Central Co-operative Bank. The amount Home Trade holds is also not revealed. There were other omissions too: reasons for the delay in giving deliveries of government securities or banks Home Trade had been dealing with. The surrender statement does not even name Sunil Kedar, former chairman of Nagpur District Central Co-operative Bank. There was a reference to a business model, but stopped short of explaining what it was or why it failed. The following is the text of the statement: For the last few days, there has been a large number of media reports regarding inquiries and investigations into the company’s affairs. There are also reports that the company owes its creditors money." The company has built up the business model over the last few years. It primarily provides financial services. The company has positioned itself as the world's first fast-moving financial goods company. "There have been debt issues by the company. The firm is in the process of investigating and sorting out the various issues with the banks concerned. The company is sure that it has the ability to pay its dues to the creditors and resolve all issues." "The company will continue its business despite the setback due to media reports and investigations. It is confident about its business and the business model. It is also confident of its success."
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Home Trade chief Sanjay Agarwal surrenders (1930 hrs)
Sanjay Agarwal, chairman of Home trade, surrendered before the Nagpur authorities today. Agarwal, while speaking to a TV channel, denied any wrong-doing, but said that there was some mismanagement in the debt department. "We never had any intention of defrauding anybody. In fact, we want to clear all outstanding dues and get on with our business," Agarwal said. Home Trade has been named in the gilts scam rocking the co-operative banking sector, which has also spread the PF industry.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
10 killed, 100 injured as Shramjeevi Express derails
New Delhi: At least 10 passengers were killed and 100 others injured when 13 bogies of Shramjeevi Express plying between New Delhi and Patna derailed near Jaunpur early on Sunday morning. Enquiry Nos. New Delhi: 3344128, 3967332, 4359748 Varansi: 342605 Lucknow: 237677, 217791 The train, which left New Delhi at 1320 hrs on Saturday, derailed at 0345 hrs between Kheta Sarai and Mehrawan stations in the Lucknow division, a northern railway spokesman said. Two of the 10 people killed have been identified as a Varanasi resident Srivastava and a woman passenger Roshan from Bhagalpur, railway board sources in New Delhi said. "The incident occurred around 3:30 am near Jaunpur city in Uttar Pradesh," senior railway official Akshey Kumar said. "Reports till now say 13 bogies of the Sharmjeevi Express which runs between New Delhi and Patna have been derailed. Relief work has begun. We are awaiting more details," he added. The injured passengers have been shifted to hospitals at Mehrawan and Jaunpur. Inquiry counters have been opened at New Delhi, Varanasi and Lucknow, the spokesman added. A special medical relief train with railway medical teams from Lucknow, Faizabad, Kanpur and Moradabad have reached the site. A team of senior railway officials headed by Additional General Manager Northern Railways K K Gupta left for the site from here. Additional Divisional Railway Manager Lucknow has reached the site to supervise rescue and relief operations. Northern Railways General Manager R K Singh, who was in Jodhpur, has also left for the accident site, the spokesman added. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and Railway Board Chairman I I M S Rana have left for the site to supervise rescue and relief operations, the spokesman added.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Dawood plans Gujarat strikes
Dawood Ibrahim has been in Pakistan for two months. He is now plotting 'revenge' for the violence against the minority community in Gujarat. Intelligence sources say Dawood is using the Gujarat riots to shore up his strained ties with the ISI. A D-company operative, who identified himself as Imran, confirmed Dawood's plans to the Hindustan Times over the telephone from Lahore. "After September 11, the ISI was embarrassed about us. But the Gujarat riots have proved to be a golden opportunity for Bhai (Dawood). He came back to Pakistan from Dubai when the (Gujarat) riots started and is having daily meetings with the ISI brass. They want to use our network to carry out strikes against your Hindu militant leaders," Imran said. Imran said no strikes had been carried out yet because Dawood was concerned about the fate of the average Muslim in India. He claimed the ISI and D-company's intelligence networks had information that extremist Hindu organisations had stockpiled weapons to attack Muslims. Imran said D-company had linked up with the Lashkar-e-Tayyeba to carry out jehad in India: "They have suicide squads so targetting political leaders becomes easy. We have been asked to provide them help in Mumbai where they do not have a network." An Intelligence Bureau report submitted to Home Minister L.K. Advani and the Cabinet Secretariat also says calls traced to Dubai have shown the underworld based there is trying to foment violence in Gujarat by linking up with local gangsters. The plan is to target government and commercial establishments and attack senior government functionaries. It also says Dawood held a secret meeting in Dubai with brother Anees, Tiger Memon and others. At Dawood's bidding, Anees called several gangsters in Bhuj and Ahmedabad to enlist their services. The report said Haji Ismail, one of Dawood's associates, sent large amounts of hawala money to Ahmedabad through the Almaz Money Exchange Bureau in Dubai.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
India talks war, US sends Rocca
Over the past six weeks the Indian government has quietly signalled to the US and other Western governments that it is considering limited military action against Pakistan if the infiltration of terrorists into Kashmir is not curbed. This led the US to decide on Thursday to rush US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, Christina Rocca, to India and Pakistan next week. Sources say India has hinted it is contemplating assaults on the mountain passes used by infiltrators on the Pakistan side of the LoC or even airstrikes on terrorist camps in PoK. "The message was difficult not to miss," said a Western diplomat. The decision to send Rocca followed some high-level diplomatic contacts. US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill met Home Minister L.K. Advani earlier this week to express Washington's concerns. Blackwill urged Advani to be "patient" and promised action on the list of 20 wanted terrorists that India has handed over to Pakistan. The minister said he was "cynical" about such promises by the US. Advani argued the US was not applying enough pressure on Pakistan. Blackwill held similar exchanges with National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh on Friday. UK High Commissioner Rob Young also met Singh on Saturday. Rocca will fly into rough weather when she arrives in India for a three-day visit that begins next Tuesday. She is expected to argue Pervez Musharraf is politically too weak to stop infiltration and lacks sufficient control over the ISI to do so. In an interview published in Pakistan on Saturday she indicated she would push for a resumption of talks. The US is hoping to broker a face-saving deal under which four or five people on the list of 20 are handed over to India while the issue of infiltration is put on hold. India is expected to refuse to limit its military options so long as terrorist infiltration this year remains at previous levels. Sources say New Delhi will tell Rocca infiltration is "non-negotiable", but India can be flexible about its terror list. Analysts say India's tough line on infiltration means the US compromise formula may be dead even before Rocca's arrival. India will stress to Rocca that the subcontinent is not West Asia and that the US should not assume it can serve as the region's diplomatic broker. Diplomatic observers do not believe war is imminent. For now, the threat of war is just being used as pressure tactic. But Western governments are concerned that tensions are rising at a time when both the BJP government and the Musharraf regime are politically weak. "Neither side can afford to be generous," said a diplomat. Preliminary assessments by India indicate the level of infiltration has not fallen. It believes that terrorists are congregating at camps in PoK the first step towards infiltration. India’s position Infiltration is one and only demand, terrorist list less important Musharraf can deliver, if US presses him hard enough If US doesn’t, India can’t rule out military options Infiltration is on, terrorists at PoK camps waiting to cross over Musharraf too weak to stop infiltration India should be prepared to accept some of the terrorists on its list of 20 Tension cannot be allowed to escalate in the region when the two regimes are politically weak The two sides should resume talks
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Powell telephones Jaswant who says we have a problem
As the snows in Kashmir begin to melt and the world, so far distracted by the crisis in the Middle East, begins to refocus attention on New Delhi’s situation with Pakistan, various sections of the Indian establishment have been sending one message to the US: Restrain Musharraf and end Pakistan’s support for cross-border terrorism, otherwise it might be ‘‘difficult to restrain’’ India. New Delhi’s chorus seems to have hit its mark with US Secretary of State Colin Powell calling up External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh earlier this week, the first time since February. It is believed that both exchanged notes on the situation along the LoC. Over the last few weeks as well, as US officials like Assistant Secretary of State Lincoln Bloomfield and high-profile non-governmental security analysts such as those from the Rand Corporation, have passed through the capital, they have received the same message: If Pakistan doesn’t end its sponsorship of cross-border terrorism, India will be forced to keep its options open. While it is not clear whether Powell also spoke to Musharraf before he called New Delhi, the latest call to Singh indicates that the US, while still juggling with the Middle East crisis, was back to keeping a close watch on India and Pakistan. Washington fears that cross-border infiltration or even a high-profile terrorist attack like that in Srinagar or in Parliament last year, could be used by India to retaliate and lead to conflict, confirmed by US National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice in an interview last week. It would ‘‘serve no one for India and Pakistan to come to military blows,’’ she said. Visiting officials from the Bush administration have also confirmed off the record that ‘‘messages’’ have been sent to both Islamabad and New Delhi to calm tensions. Today, in Pakistan, the visiting US Assistant Secretary of Sate Christina Rocca said the same thing adding that Washington was trying to get both sides to talk. The US strategy seems focussed on persuading Musharraf to end direct sponsorship of cross-border violence. Once that satisfied India, the sources said, New Delhi would have no problem restarting dialogue with Pakistan. It seems as if New Delhi would be willing to give up its wish-list of 20 hardened criminals and terrorists residing in Pakistan and even undo measures like the cancellation of road and air links and recalling the Indian high commissioner to Pakistan, on the condition that Musharraf made some form of commitment to end cross-border terrorism. Clearly, New Delhi feels that the mobilisation of troops remains a ‘‘deterrent’’. Sources said redeployment would not take place until after the J-K elections since New Delhi’s information was that Pakistan would do all it could to disrupt the elections, sources said.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
It’s coming soon: a hike in petrol & diesel prices
New Delhi: Brace yourself for a hike in prices of petrol and diesel once the Budget session of the Parliament gets over next week. The Petroleum Ministry plans to raise the price of petrol by Rs 2.50 per litre and that of diesel by Rs 1.50 per litre to partially offset the deficit incurred by public sector oil companies. Also on the anvil is a reduction in excise duty on petrol to 24 per cent from 32 per cent and on diesel to 12 per cent from 16 per cent. The Oil Ministry has assured the Finance Ministry that lower excise duty after a hike in ex-storage price of the two products would be revenue neutral, that is, it will fetch the same quantum of revenue to the national coffers. Yesterday, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik told a seminar that the firms would be compensated for the losses following a spurt in global price of crude.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
J&K polls will be free and fair: PM
NEW DELHI MAY 11. The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, today described as "largely cosmetic'' the promised crackdown on terrorists in Pakistan and an end to the export of terror to India that was to follow the January 12 speech of the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, and said that India was determined to "cut through this vicious circle of violence and ensure that the coming elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly are not only free and fair but also include every shade of public opinion that wishes to be involved in the democratic process.'' In his address at a function here this evening to give away the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) awards, the Prime Minister said the promised action from Pakistan was only cosmetic and not sustained because India was witnessing increased incidents of terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir and by the acts of terrorism prompted by the Inter-Services Intelligence in other parts of the country. "As the snow melts in the Himalayan mountain and the Al-Qaeda and Taliban forces seek a new outlet for their activity, infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir has seen a further increase. This has had direct consequences for the violence in the State. In March and April this year, there have been nearly 300 incidents each and 600 people have tragically lost their lives to terrorism in these two months. Even in the first 11 days of May, we have had 80 violent incidents with about 110 lives lost,'' Mr. Vajpayee told the gathering of eminent scientists. Making the Government's position clear about the elections in J&K, the Prime Minister said not only would they be free and fair but every shade of public opinion that wished to be involved in the democratic process would be included. The Prime Minister also drew attention to the gruesome events of September 11 last year and their aftermath which demonstrated the unconventional techniques and weaponry in the service of terrorism today.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
PM for global fight against AIDS
Calling for an effective global response to the challenge of HIV/AIDS, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said India was ready to collaborate and share technologies with other countries in the fight against the scourge. Inaugurating the first-ever International Conference on HIV/AIDS here, Mr Vajpayee appealed to scientists to develop a vaccine to tackle the C strain of HIV that is prevalent in India, and said Indian systems of medicine like Ayurveda could be used to support research in this direction. Calling it the first epidemic in the era of globalisation, he said, For all of us in India, controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS and taking good care of its victims has become an urgent national task. I am concerned at the rapid rise in the number of people affected by HIV/AIDS in our country. It is a concern that is shared equally by the Central and state governments, as also by all political parties. The two-day conference, being attended by top policy makers from several countries, has been organised by the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). Speaking at the conference, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Congress President Sonia Gandhi said India would have to depend on its own resources while working towards AIDS eradication as international funding was inadequate. While the UN Assembly’s special session on HIV/AIDS, at which she represented India, had decided to set up a $10-billion fund to fight the disease, it was regrettable that till now only $1.5 billion had been collected for that, Ms Gandhi said, adding that the fund money would also be used to cover expenses in the fight against malaria and TB.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
Laxman, Ratra steer India to 462/6
NEW DELHI: Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman's unbeaten 124 and Ajay Ratra's gritty 93 propelled India to a comfortable position on day two of the fourth Test against West Indies at Antigua on Saturday. India were 462/6 at stumps on day two. Laxman was eyeing another big ton with 124 (237 balls) to his name and Ratra was inching close to his maiden Test century with 93 (233 balls) at close of play. The undefeated seventh wicket partnership between the two fetched record 205 runs. Laxman slammed Dillon through mid wicket for a boundary to reach his third Test hundred off 201 balls with 11 hits to the fence. Ratra fighting for his place in the team after a string of poor scores, got his bearing right slamming a responsible 93 when India were looking like falling short of the 300 mark. Wicket keepers have had a pathetic Test series so far with the bat and Ratra might just have shut out Deep Dasgupta out of the keeper's slot for the series with his crucial innings. Laxman who always looks like getting out early in his innings, worked hard for his runs initially and refrained from playing extravagant shots. After the loss of Ganguly and Dravid in quick succession, Laxman put his head down and waited for bowler to bowl to him rather than reach out for the deliveries. At lunch, India were 272/6 with just 46 runs scored in the first session for the loss of three wickets in Ganguly, Dravid and Kumble. Resuming from their overnight score of 226/3, India had added just seven runs when Ganguly was caught at point by Hinds off Cuffy for 45 (101 balls). Ganguly slashed at a ball outside the off stump only to see Hinds take a good sharp catch at point. Dravid who entrapped himself in a self-inflicted defensive mould, found the going tough. In attempting to break the shackles, Dravid only succeeded in chopping a Dillon delivery onto his stumps. Dravid who made 91 (291 balls), was unfortunate to miss out on a 100. With both Laxman and Kumble new to the wicket, an Indian batting collapse once again seemed imminent. With Kumble gone for 6, Ratra walked in to join Laxman for a few nervous overs before lunch. Carl Hooper got his tactics spot on in the morning session drying up the runs and claiming three Indian wickets for just 46 runs. But the post-lunch session saw Laxman and Ratra settle down on a perfectly paced wicket. The West Indian bowlers found themselves getting milked for runs and lost the control that they had enjoyed before lunch. At tea, India were comfortably placed at 337/6 with Laxman batting on 56 and Ratra playing positively on 38. The seventh wicket partnership had so far yielded 80 runs with Laxman also bringing up his 2000 runs in Test cricket in the process. The post tea session saw Laxman treat the West Indian bowlers with disdain. The stylish Hyderabadi batsman sent the bowlers on a leather hunt, peppering the off side with booming drives and cuts. Ratra gaining in confidence at the other end and perhaps playing one of the most important innings of his life, reached his maiden Test 50 off 164 balls with four hits to the fence. The seventh wicket partnership between Laxman and Ratra had now yielded 150 runs off 347 balls. Score Board India: First Innings: (Overnight 226 for three) Shiv Sundar Das b Collins 3 Wasim Jaffer c wk Jacobs b Collins 86 Rahul Dravid b Dillon 91 Sachin Tendulkar c wk Jacobs b Collins 0 Sourav Ganguly c Hinds b Cuffy 45 V.V.S. Laxman not out 124 Anil Kumble c Chanderpaul b Dillon 6 Ajay Ratra not out 93 Extras: (leg-byes 5, wides 1, no-balls 8) 14 TOTAL: (for six wickets, 180 overs) 462 Wicket fell at: 13, 168, 168, 233, 235, 257. To bat: Zaheer Khan, Javagal Srinath, Ashish Nehra. Bowling: Mervyn Dillon 45-13-99-2 (nb2), Cameron Cuffy 32-7-58-1 (nb1), Pedro Collins 42-10-121-3 (nb4, w1), Adam Sanford 32-6-113-0 (nb1), Carl Hooper 13-4-29-0, Wavell Hinds 2-0-9-0, Ramnaresh Sarwan 9-3-23-0, Chris Gayle 5-1-5-0.
Sunday, May 12, 2002
US-Indian war games begin in Agra
Agra, May 11: In their first war games in 39 years, US and Indian special military forces today began fortnight-long exercises here, reflecting the growing military cooperation between the two countries. The exercises would involve up to 200 special operations forces from the US Pacific Command and contingents of Indian paratroopers, Defence sources said. The manoeuvres are being held in the city of the Taj Mahal which houses an Indian Air Force transport base. Para commandos are also trained here. Terming the war games as the largest Army exercise to take place between the US and India, a US Embassy spokesman in New Delhi said the special troops would carry out joint-para jumps as also small arms fire. The exercises, he said, were being conducted as part of the current military-to-military cooperation and that this would be the first of a regular series of war games. It was sometime in 1963 that US and Indian forces had last conducted joint military exercises. Defence Ministry sources said the war games show the state of military cooperation which had suffered a setback after India conducted in 1998 the Pokhran nuclear tests. The IAF-backed exercises would help in creating greater understanding of weapons and equipment and lead to sharing of experience, they said. (Agencies)
Friday, May 10, 2002
Accounts Of Home Trade Directors Seized
Mumbai, May 9: The economic offences wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police has seized the accounts of Home Trade directors held with ICICI Bank having a total balance of around Rs 1 crore. A senior official at EOW told FE on Thursday that current and savings accounts of Home Trade chief Sanjay Agarwal, its executive director Nandkishore S Trivedi and his family members have been sealed for withdrawals and they can operate their accounts for deposits only. The accounts which have also entries from Mr Agarwal were seized on Thursday. According to EOW sources, efforts are on to seize other accounts of directors including Mr Agarwal. Warrants have been issued to arrest the portal’s director Manoj Shah, two foreign nationals on the board of directors and Giltage Management Services’ head Ketan. The EOW took the action of earmarking these accounts after it received a communication on May 7, 2002, from ICICI Bank’s head of retail banking Gita Kulashekar. The bank had informed that it had received a request for withdrawal of Rs 15 lakh from Mr Trivedi’s account. However, the bank has taken up the matter with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The letter from the ICICI bank further said that it had not received orders from any regulatory or statutory authority and it thought it prudent to keep you informed of the status of these accounts. The bank further pointed out that it will allow the transactions from these accounts after receiving information. According to the bank’s communication, Mr Agarwal’s savings account had a balance of a mere Rs 844.73 while Home Trade in its current account had Rs 55,394.55. Joint accounts of Mr Trivedi with his wife Minaxi had Rs 43,573.62, with his mother Kamala Rs 8,11,092, with his father Shamkarlal Rs 7,05,734.05, with his son Jeet Rs 3,64,643, with his sister Dimple Rs 1,63,595.90, with his wife Rs 53,76,242.16 and with his sister Dipika had Rs 2,38,487.65, the bank said. The EOW has sent look-out messages to police officials situated at airports and railway stations for nabbing Mr Agarwal and other Home Trade directors, who are still absconding. The EOW has also sent reports to its counterparts in other states. It has sought the cooperation from police officials of these states in tracing Mr Agarwal. Meanwhile the EOW has also received complaints from Kolkata-based brokerage firm GM Bose & Co Private Limited and Navsari-based BB Shroff Bulsar People’s Cooperative Bank of being duped by Home Trade. GM Bose & Co, which is also a member of the Calcutta Stock Exchange Association Limited, is said to have lost around Rs 10-12 crore, while BB Shroff bank’s loss would be around Rs 20-25 crore. However, the EOW officials could not confirm the amount but said that they would look into these complaints and hold preliminary investigations.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Rupee ends at 49/$ (1700 hrs)
The rupee lost three paise today to close at a new low of 48.99/49.00 per dollar when compared with yesterday's close of 48.96/97. Dealers said that heavy dollar purchases of corporates led to the downfall of rupee.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Delhi Police say uncover plot to kill politicians
Delhi Police said on Friday two Islamic militants killed in a shoot-out in New Delhi had planned to assassinate top political figures and attack economic targets in the capital. Ashok Chand, deputy commissioner of Police, said security was tightened across the city after the shoot-out late on Thursday with terrorists of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. "Their motive was to assassinate VIPs and carry out blasts in industrial areas and other areas of economic importance," he told Reuters. He did not say how police had discovered the plans of the dead militants but three of their alleged accomplices were arrested before the shooting on Thursday. Both of the dead militants were Pakistani nationals and one of them was involved in a bloody attack on an army base in Delhi's historic Red Fort in December 2000, police said. CITY BASE? Security officials are also on alert for a backlash from Islamic militants after 950 people were killed in clashes in Gujarat. Delhi police officers said there were intelligence reports suggesting that the Lashkar, which has staged suicide attacks in Kashmir, planned to set up a base in the city. "We are trying to ascertain if there are more...members in the city," a police officer said. Police in the capital have said several times in recent years that they had foiled plots to kill politicians. Chand said the three arrested men would be produced in a city court later on Friday and charged under a tough new anti-terrorism law. The three accomplices were picked up from a railway station in the heart of New Delhi on Thursday as they were taking guns and explosives for the two others, police said. "We tried to nab the militants based on the information provided by the three accomplices," Delhi Police Assistant Commissioner Rajbir Singh. The police tried to ambush them outside a 16th century tomb of a Mughal emperor, but the men opened fire and were killed, Singh said.
Friday, May 10, 2002
More CRPF forces moved
NEW DELHI MAY 9. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) today moved four additional companies to Gujarat to meet the increasing demand for Central paramilitary forces in the State. The movement takes the number of CRPF and Rapid Action Force (RAF) companies deployed in Gujarat to 17, a CRPF spokesperson said here today. The CRPF had moved two companies from Gurgaon to Gujarat on Wednesday. While seven companies (five CRPF and two RAF) are already deployed in Ahmedabad for providing security in riot-hit areas, one RAF company each is deployed in Godhra, Vadodra and Surat districts. One CRPF company has been stationed in Gurgaon.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Decks cleared for Manohar Joshi
NEW DELHI MAY 9. Manohar Joshi, who resigned as Minister for Heavy Industry and Public Enterprises, is all set to become the next Speaker of the Lok Sabha tomorrow, with the Opposition deciding to leave the post uncontested. Ten additional sets of nomination papers, signed mainly by the NDA constituents, were filed today in his favour. In addition to the two sets of nomination papers filed yesterday, another set of 10 nominations were filed on Mr. Joshi's behalf. Of the two sets, the Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, had proposed the first set which was seconded by the Home Minister, L.K. Advani, while the second set was proposed by the NDA convener, George Fernandes, and seconded by Yerran Naidu of the TDP. However, in a departure from normal practice, the mainline Opposition parties the Congress, the Left and the SP did not propose or second any of his nomination papers. At the time of the election of the former Speaker, Balayogi, in 1999, several of his nomination papers had been proposed and seconded by the Opposition parties. In fact, one had been proposed by the Leader of the House, Mr. Vajpayee, and seconded by the Leader of the Opposition, Sonia Gandhi. Though the Opposition parties have chosen not to put up a candidate against Mr. Joshi, they have also chosen to distance themselves from his election. The Congress said it had chosen to stay away because it had "no effective say in Mr. Joshi's election''. Speaking to newspersons, the Congress spokesperson, Jaipal Reddy, said Mr. Joshi was a nominee of the ruling coalition and the Congress had "no voice in their choice''. Besides the NDA constituents, the NCP, the JD-S and the BBM (Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh) are the three Opposition parties which proposed and seconded the nomination of Mr. Joshi. The NDA allies which supported the nominations included Mamata Banerjee and Akbor Ali Khandoker (both Trinamool Congress), Omar Abdullah and Ali Mohammed Naik (both NC), Murasoli Maran and S.S. Palanimanickam (both DMK), Sharad Yadav and Ramjivan Singh (both JD-U), Braja Kishore Tripathy and Trilochan Kanungo (both BJD), C. Krishnan (MDMK), N.T. Shanmugham (PMK) and Anant Geete and Prakash Paranjpe (both Shiv Sena).
Friday, May 10, 2002
IAF pilot dies as Jaguar crashes in Ambala
In the second accident involving an IAF fighter aircraft in less than a week, a Jaguar crashed and caught fire today after dashing against the fence on the runway during take-off at the air base here killing its lone pilot. An IAF spokesman confirmed that Flying Officer S Paliwal was killed in the accident at 9 am after the Jaguar dashed against the fencing which was close to the runway while it was about to take-off. A Defence spokesman said in New Delhi that a Court of Inquiry has been ordered into the accident. The Jaguar was on a routine flight from the Air Force Station. The aircraft caught fire immediately after crashing since the fuel tank was full. Fire tenders of the Army and Air Force swung into action to douse the flames. The Jaguar crash is the second involving a IAF fighter in the last one week. A MiG-21 had crashed into a bank building in a commercial area of Jalandhar last Friday killing nine persons on the ground. The pilot bailed out safely and the crash was blamed on engine failure.
Friday, May 10, 2002
Natwar Singh’s daughter ends life
Tragedy struck senior Congress leader Natwar Singh’s family for the second time in less than two months when his daughter Ritu Singh allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself at her residence in Vasant Vihar here tonight. Confirming the suicide, Mr Singh’s family lawyer R K Anand said her body was first discovered by a domestic help around 7.30 pm in the first floor room of D-1/37, Paschim Marg, in Vasant Vihar area of the national capital. He said the room was locked from inside. When the door was broken open, she was found hanging from the hook of an almirah by the cord of her gown. However, no suicide note was found in the room. There was no word from the police on the incident. Ms Singh’s death has come just weeks after Mr Singh’s estranged daughter-in-law Natasha Singh was found dead in mysterious circumstances in a luxury hotel in South Delhi on March 17. Police had later said that she had committed suicide. Ritu is said to have been close to Natasha. Thirty-one-year-old Ritu, a fashion designer by profession, was a chronic patient of depression, Mr Anand said adding that she was undergoing treatment in London for the past 8-9 years and was on sedatives. She was to leave for London next week. Mr Anand said Mr Natwar Singh and the domestic help were in the house at the time of the death. Her brother Jagat Singh was in Jor Bagh and had to rush home on hearing the news. The body has been taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital for post-mortem.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
Nine more killed as violence continues in Gujarat
At least nine people were killed, five of them in police firing, in a fresh round of communal riots in Gujarat on Wednesday even as K P S Gill, security adviser to the chief minister, discussed steps to check the continuing violence in the state with top police brass. Five persons were killed and 13 injured when police opened fire to disperse clashing mobs in Ahmedabad's Maninagar area, which was under night curfew, early on Wednesday morning after a bomb blast triggered panic. Five policemen were injured in the violence while a BSF jawan was wounded when he was attacked by a sharp weapon at a building in Maninagar area. As many as 33 persons were arrested in connection with the violence in Maninagar, police said, adding that one country-made pistol, live cartridges, 33 crude bombs and a sword were recovered from them. A youth belonging to minority community and residing at Vatva locality was stabbed to death on Wednesday night when he was passing through a locality dominated by the majority community, police sources said. In a separate incident, nineteen persons were injured in violence in Kalupur area. One person was stabbed fatally in Bhiloda town of Sabarkantha district on Tuesday night, while two bodies with stab wounds were recovered from Gyaspur village in Ahmedabad rural district. Police opened fire and burst tear-gas shells at Idgah Chowki and Delhi Darwaja areas under the Madhavpura police station limits in Ahmedabad to disperse two groups indulging in stone-pelting on Wednesday afternoon.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
Bollywood to lure back English cricket fans!
The England and Wales Cricket Board has found an arguably strange device to tackle the problem of fans drifting away to the upcoming Soccer World Cup - movies from apna Bollywood. ECB officials are reportedly in talks with the British Film Institute for screening Asian movies at test cricket venues, as part of the institute's Bollywood season, Imaginasia. With the Soccer World Cup generating wide interest across the country, the authorities are expecting lesser number of spectators for the test series against Sri Lanka and later, India. If the deal is struck with BFI, the movies would be screened the night before the start of test matches or after each day's play. Bollywood has gained a major stronghold in the overseas market, with the NRIs rooting for romances packaged in glitzy patriotism. Aamir Khan's whopper hit Lagaan and Subhash Ghai's Yaadein had hit bull's eye in the UK market early last year. Interestingly, Yaadein was panned by critics and public alike back in India.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
6 Dalits shot dead in Bihar
Patna May 8. In a second strike within 48 hours on Dalits in Bihar, six more were gunned down by the proscribed People's War Group in Patna district late last night, police said. PWG cadres of the Jaynandan Yadav faction, armed with sophisticated weapons, fired at Bhadaura village killing the six, including two women and two childrenAn additional company of Bihar Military Police was rushed to the villagein Masaurhi police station area. A combing operation was underway.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
India dismisses charges
India today dismissed as ``completely baseless'', the Pakistani insinuation about its involvement in the terrorist attack in Karachi this morning in which several French nationals were killed. According to Nirupama Rao, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, these allegations are ``totally and completely baseless and, as usual, a shining example of Pakistani fabrication.'' These observations should be treated with the ``disdain that they deserve''. India was firmly against terrorism anywhere. To a question, she said this morning's terrorist incident points to the need for retaining a ``continued focus'' against terrorists, which include the remnants of the Al-Qaeda as well. ``We need to continue the struggle against terrorism until this scourge is completely eradicated''. Sources said the French nationals killed in the incident were involved in the construction of the second of the three Agosta 90-B class submarines for Pakistan. The first of this submarine called Khalid was constructed in France. The second submarine is scheduled for delivery later this year while the construction of a third is planned for 2003. These submarines are state-of-the art as they are capable of firing missiles and have the ability to stay under water for long durations.
Thursday, May 9, 2002
Joshi to be nominated as LS speaker, congress unhappy
Union Heavy Industries Minister and Shiv Sena MP Manohar Joshi will be nominated as the next Lok Sabha Speaker. Elections for the post are scheduled for May 10 when the motion is expected to be carried through a voice vote in the absence of a second candidate. The decision has drawn some criticism from the Opposition, which says it was not a part of the final decision-making process. For the Shiv Sena, the post however means a national profile. When Manohar Joshi was the chief minister of Maharashtra, he was accused by his critics of allowing the government to be run by Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray. Joshi however maintains that this time he will be very much in charge. "There won't be any remote control as Mr Thackeray himself thinks that I have to be impartial as Speaker. There is absolutely no question of remote control," Joshi said. Though there has been a consensus on Joshi's name for the Speaker's post, the Congress feels the post should not have gone to a party like the Shiv Sena, which is known for its rigid views. Joshi's rejection of the Srikrishna report inquiring into the 1992-93 Mumbai riots is also being seen as a problem. "This was not the first time that the (Srikrishna) report was rejected in the assembly. The report was rejected on the merits I thought it deserved," Joshi maintained. The Opposition says it will neither propose not second his name. But with their not putting up another candidate for the post, Joshi's election as the Lok Sabha Speaker seems imminent. 'Consensus candidate' Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has said he cleared Manohar Joshi's candidature for the Lok Sabha Speaker's post only after getting an assurance that there was consensus on his choice. "There were 4-5 names doing the rounds for the post of Speaker but I gave a nod to Joshi's name only after it was made clear that he was a consensus candidate," Thackeray said. "We wanted to avoid election once polls are to be held, politicking starts," the Sena Chief quipped. (With inputs)
Thursday, May 9, 2002
The Bengal Tiger is roaring again
ANTIGUA: For most of the time during the last two years, Sourav Ganguly was like a cornered bird. His back was firmly against the wall and the predators were slowly closing in. There were no exit routes in sight, no escape outlets to slip out of. He stood in the corner defiantly and snarled at everybody. Nobody dared to inch ahead to try and complete the kill. After all, it was the Bengal Tiger; it is never safe to attack a cornered animal anyway. The predators just waited for the fight to ooze out of him. As the war of patience began, Ganguly made his first move. He showed courage to walk in at Number Three in the last home series. It was the kind of gamble a desperate man would take: the Delhi pitch was at its most benign; the Zimbabwe bowlers were less than average and the opportunity was enticing. Until then, he kept ignoring the warning messages, believing that everything was just a matter of time. ‘‘There is nothing wrong with my batting,’’ he said, during the apocalyptic series against England before that. Andy Flintoff persistently attacked down a particular line and proved that he could be vulnerable. He managed a century in Delhi. Ganguly had a tough choice when he arrived in the West Indies: he could go down the order or continue at Number Three. He picked the second option: trust him to take the direct approach. The move boomeranged. The result was obvious; the future was ominous. Luckily, Rahul Dravid scored a splendid century. Ganguly then showed the wisdom to take a prudent decision: he went down the order. Dravid has performed superbly at the top, he explained. The logic was perfect; but for many, it looked like he was losing the fight in the mind. He walked in at Number Five in the Port-of-Spain Test. The West Indian bowlers kept probing outside the off stump and he waded through a few innocuous bouncers. Just when he appeared to be settling down, he stepped out to Carl Hooper and threw away a great opportunity. He was furious for the rest of the day with himself; he had learnt his lesson. He has remained unbeaten since then. He got out only once in three innings and that too because he was running out of partners. But knocks of 5, 25, 75, 48 and 60 should make him happy. ‘‘I have been hitting the ball pretty well right from the beginning of the year,’’ he said. ‘‘I failed in only one innings and everybody started talking about my form.’’ That is, however, not entirely true: everybody was talking about his technique against the short ball. Even he would agree that it is not the best. Ganguly’s biggest obstacle during that lean phase was his overconfidence. Only when he was confronted with another bouncer in the first Test, he realised that it was time to take action. He spoke to former cricketers on the tour, worked hard in the nets and played with even more determination. It also helped that India didn’t bat well in the third Test: the worst crises bring out the best in a man. He arrived in the last innings when India were 117 for three. A captain’s knock was needed. He watched the ball closely and got behind the line nicely. The strokes were looking more and more fluent. More importantly, he was back to his low stance, with bat nicely upright and coming down from first slip to make contact. His right leg was again reaching the pitch of the delivery and the ball was finding the meat of the bat. If only he can find a little more time to tackle the short-pitched deliveries; if only he doesn’t get tangled while playing the hook or pull. Until then, he can be happy with the way things have turned out so far. West Indies have already come back in the series. It is time for Sourav Ganguly the batsman to happily take the back seat; it is time for Sourav Ganguly the captain to step forward.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Violence unabated in Ahmedabad
AHMEDABAD MAY 6. At least six persons were killed two of them stoned to death and several injured in Ahmedabad as violence that erupted on Sunday after four days of respite continued unabated for the second day today. Elsewhere in riot-torn Gujarat, at least 15 persons were injured in a bomb explosion in a State transport bus in Lunawada in the tribal-dominated Panchamahals district. Incidents of stone-throwing and group clashes were also reported from some of the curfew-bound areas in Vadodara. Two bicyclists believed to be daily wagers going to work were stopped and stoned to death near Dhor Bazar locality under the Kagdapith police station. The police, however, claimed that the two were killed when rival groups were hurling stones at each other. In another incident, a middle-aged person was stabbed to death and his body set afire in the Kankaria locality. And three persons died of the injuries sustained in police firing in the Behrampura locality. While one person died in the hospital late last night, two died today taking the total deaths in the city in the last two days to 12. The conditions of at least five others were stated to be critical. The Rapid Action Force and other para-military forces have been deployed in Behrampura, Shah Alam and Kankaria areas. Reports of exchange of fire were also received from Shahpur and Behrampura localities but police maintained that there was no casualty. A few shops and houses were also set ablaze in Shah Alam locality in Behrampura despite the curfew. Indefinite curfew remained in force in Dani Limda and Shahpur where it was imposed yesterday following large-scale violence in which six persons were killed. As violence continued unabated, the State secondary and higher secondary education board announced yet another examination schedule to begin from June 3 as per the assurance given by the Gujarat Government to the Supreme Court. The students who could not appear in the second phase of examinations held from April 18, and those living in relief camps (even if they had appeared in the examinations) would be allowed to appear in the third phase. Over 1,000 10th and 12th standard students are staying in the relief camps of Ahmedabad and Vadodara alone. The ruling BJP and the Congress indulged in allegations and counter-allegations over "instigating riots.'' While the Chief Minister, Narendra Modi, said at a public function in Surat that the Congress was "instigating violence'' in the State for political gains, the Gujarat Congress president, Amarsinh Chaudhary, said the violence started yesterday was "clearly sponsored by the State Government.'' The Security Adviser to the Chief Minister, K. P. S. Gill, who left for Delhi yesterday, is yet to return. But the Minister of State for Home, Gordhan Jhadaphiya, did not hide his displeasure over Mr. Gill's appointment.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
ISP's block Net Telephoney
NEW DELHI: Internet telephony has opened up a can of worms with a handful of Internet service providers deciding to block access not only to the rival sites, but even the popular overseas Net telephony sites such as net2phone.com and dialpad.com for their subscribers. Sources told that Sify, the largest service provider in the country, is among the handful of ISPs that have blocked access to certain other ISPs such as Caltiger and Net4india. A host of regional ISPs like Gujarat-based Wilnet and Icenet are also believed to be restricting access to other sites. The issue has led to red faces in the Internet Service Providers Association of India (Ispai) which had fought tooth and nail for legalisation of Net telephony, and which had only last year drafted a code of conduct for its members. The issue could snowball into a big controversy to prevent which the Ispai has called a meeting of its executive council within the next two-three days. When contacted, Ispai secretary-general confirmed the development, but denied personal knowledge of any ISP doing it. "We have received some complaints in this regard. We plan to take the matter up with our members and look into the legal, technical and ethical aspects and violations of the code of conduct by any members. It will be more of a question of professional ethics and will be dealt with accordingly," he said. Sify, which has been accused by Net4India and Caltiger of blocking their sites, denied that it has actually done so, but reliable industry sources confirmed the development. Sify is the largest ISP in India with over six lakh subscribers. When we contacted Sify managing director R Ramaraj, he denied that it was already being done, but expressed unhappiness over what he called covert means of certain firms to offer Net telephony in the country without being equipped to do so. "How can anybody, who does not have a licence to offer Net telephony, do so? Let these overseas sites take up an ISP licence on their own or through a joint venture. Also, many firms are trying to sell pre-paid cards without even establishing their own infrastructure. They are using Sify, BSNL or VSNL’s infrastructure to offer Net telephony to customers, which again is against the licence," he said. Ramaraj also pointed out the case of certain regional players (Category C licensees) who were trying to offer Net telephony services outside of their service area. "We only want them to stick to the code of conduct and refrain from doing what is clearly illegal. In the future, we may block those who do not desist," he added. He even challenged the legality of global portals like Microsoft’s MSN and Yahoo! to offer Net telephony and PC-to-PC voice and video chats through their highly popular messengers. Both MSN and Yahoo! are not ISP licensees in India, he pointed out. Sify executives privately allege that players like Caltiger and Net4India, although they are Category A licensees, lack the nationwide infrastructure such as nodes and lines to be able to offer Net telephony across India. However, Net4India chief operating officer Uday Sondhi denied this allegation, and added that his company had points of presence (pops) in six major metros which covered the bulk of Net population in the country. "This is an application-based service. How can I know where a surfer is coming from, and using whose access is he coming to me, for making these calls?" claimed Sondhi. "ISPs are not expected to behave in such fashion. The country’s largest ISP had blocked not only our Net telephony home page phonewala.com, but even the ISP home page, the corporate website and hosted sites. After your call to them, they seem to have removed blockage of the rest, but phonewala.com remains blocked," he claimed. "As service providers, we should be blocking only those sites that are mandated by law such as pornographic and anti-national sites. Any violation of the ISP licence has to be addressed by the government, and not individual ISPs," added Sondhi. Two other ISPs, HCL Infinet and Estel Communications, denied that they would block any sites and criticised the move as being short-sighted. "It is not just a legal issue, but an ethical and technical issue as well and is akin to VSNL blocking some sites and trying to become the nation’s lawkeeper in the past. But it never worked," commented Arun Mehta, managing director of Indata Solutions and an industry veteran. Mehta had filed a case some years ago against VSNL for blocking a site in similar fashion. "Will customers of any ISP let it block MSN and Yahoo? It is so absurd and against the free spirit of the Internet itself," he said. Ethical issues apart, opinion on the technical feasibility is divided. According to HCL Infinet CEO Saurav Adhikari, "If anybody tries to block my service, there will always be a technical way to crack that blockage by changing the URL. How else do you think pornographic sites keep themselves alive? These are not easy issues to deal with. Legally, it may be correct, but blocking is futile. Ultimately, it is the quality of service that will win the day for any service." But Estel chairman Virendra Hajela is of the opinion that any site can be blocked at the International Gateway level. "That is how China and Singapore control the flow of content on the Net as per their desired filters. In India also, it is possible, but more difficult unless the government agencies are actively involved in monitoring." At stake of the blockage story are the small revenues that bleeding Indian ISPs are desperately eyeing to corner through Net telephony. In the days to come, more suck skirmishes can be expected as more and more ISPs launch their service in addition to the present handful of companies.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Fire breaks out at NSCB airport in Kolkata
A fire broke out at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose international airport in Kolkata on Monday night, airport authorities said. They said the blaze broke out in the new technical area of the airport. The airport authorities said that four fire tenders, deployed to fight the blaze, managed to put out the fire. A fire fighter received injuries during the operation. The cause of the fire and the extent of the damage were yet to be ascertained.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Govt. stake in Maruti to go down to 25%
The Indian government expects to reduce its stake in Maruti Udyog Ltd, the country's largest carmaker, to 25 percent, partly through an initial public offering later this year, Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie said on Monday. Shourie said the government, which holds 49.74 percent in the car company, and Japan's Suzuki Motor Corp, which has 50 percent, had finalised an agreement to reduce the government's stake. India, which has repeatedly failed to meet its privatisation targets in the past, plans to raise 120 billion rupees from the sale of assets in the current financial year, which ends March 2003. The automaker has a 59 percent share of the new car market in India. The government aims to reduce its stake through a two-step process, beginning with a four billion rupee ($81.7 million) rights issue and then with an initial public offering. Shourie said plans for the IPO would be announced shortly, as soon as the Indian cabinet approves the agreement for the first step, which would enable Suzuki Motor to increase its stake in car venture to a majority. Under the agreement, the Indian government would renounce its portion of the rights issue to Suzuki in return for a control premium. "The agreement is 10 times better than the previous agreement of 1992. It will be good for Maruti, for the government, for Suzuki and for the privatisation process," Shourie told reporters. Shourie said the Maruti agreement and the privatisation of IPCL, the country's second-largest petrochemicals firm, are expected to be approved soon by the cabinet panel on privatisation, headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. Indian Oil Corp, Reliance Industries, the country's largest petrochemical firm, and Nirma, a detergents and chemicals maker, are in the race for IPCL, in which the government is selling a 26 percent stake with management control. The two companies will be the first big-ticket privatisations in the current financial year. Analysts had said the government might softpedal on tough decisions for fear of losing mass support over its handling of the religious riots in Gujarat. More than 850 people, mostly Muslims, have died in the country's worst religious bloodshed in a decade after 59 Hindu activists were burnt alive in a train in late February. Shourie also said the government would appoint advisers for the stake sale in National Aluminium Company on Wednesday but added that the proposal to shed the government stake in Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd, a state-run telecom firm, was "not on the radar now". The Indian government holds 87.15 percent in NALCO and plans to reduce its stake to 26 percent. It plans to sell a 10 percent stake through a domestic issue and 20 percent through the issue of American Depository Receipts. These issues will be followed by the sale of 29.15 percent to a strategic partner after reserving two percent for employees. Since 1991/92, the government has managed to raise just 267.38 billion rupees out of a targeted 660 billion rupees. The government breathed fresh life into India's sputtering privatisation programme last year when it successfully sold stakes in several firms, notably telecoms giant VSNL, Hindustan Zinc and computer hardware and maintenance firm CMC.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Surf the net without affecting your phone
Surfing the net without having your telephone line engaged may soon be possible as the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is gearing up to introduce a new facility called Dias (direct internet access solution) in which subscribers can enjoy both internet and telephone connectivity simultaneously, that too at competitive prices. Dias, being run on an experimental basis in the Ulsoor telephone exchange, is likely to be introduced throughout the City in another month or two, Mr B R Baliga, Principal General Manager, Bangalore Telecom District, BSNL, told a press conference here today. The new facility will offer subscribers a 24-hour internet facility with the regular telephone connection for a monthly rental of Rs 1,000. Subscribers will have to pay only for the telephone calls they make and enjoy round-the-clock internet facility free. Currently, subscribers have to pay the telephone charges for the time consumed in surfing the net. Also, they will have to buy internet connectivity on an hourly basis. This kind of facility is already in use in Delhi and Mumbai. Dias facility can be availed of by installing a 128 kbps modem, which costs about Rs 20,000. The department is considering providing its customers with the modem on a nominal refundable deposit, Mr Baliga said, adding that the price modalities were being worked out. BSNL is also planning to give internet dial-up connections to its customers very soon. Besides, we are also planning to place ‘routers’ near shopping complexes and apartments which will act like leased lines of internet companies, he said. Mr Baliga said video conferencing was now possible on ISDN telephone lines. Demonstrating the facility, he said subscribers with ISDN lines can avail of it by acquiring a kit which costs about Rs 70,000. Subscribers who own personal computers can make use of the facility without the kit also. The videoconferencing facility has become cheaper as BSNL has abolished the earlier registration charges of Rs 3,000. Mr Baliga said BSNL was planning to introduce mobile telephony by the end of August or early September. Work on setting up transmission towers was going on as scheduled. In order to provide a forum for its customers to voice their grievances, the department is introducing open house session. The sessions will be held on seventh of every month at 3 pm at the offices of the respective area managers. The sessions will be widely publicised in newspapers, and also on telephone bills. Besides, telephone adalats, to be held on the 10th of every odd month starting May, will also provide the subscriber a forum to air his or her grievances.
Tuesday, May 7, 2002
Indians hit rock bottom again
Do the Indians still carry a disastrous collective consciousness regarding Barbados? It may seem so to most people. Though the track has changed quite a bit since the early and mid-80s, the wicket does have a little bit of bounce if not the pace of the Barbados wicket of the past. The Barbados memories, however, seem to haunt the Indians who are unable to let the past rest. After the victory at Trinidad, one would have expected the confidence of the Indian team to rise. With the kind of statements made in the press, one was justified in believing that a series victory was round the corner. Time and again, India have proved that nothing is a surety. From the zenith, the Indians found themselves at the nadir. Were the Indians too complacent after the victory? They rested the main top-order batsmen for the three-day game, which in my opinion, was unnecessary. When the going was good and the batsmen were making runs, all top players should have played the match. They went into the Barbados Test one up in the series and the pressure was on the West Indians. All that the Indians needed to do was to play the waiting game when they were put in to bat. Unfortunately, with a show of bravado, redundant shots were played and the batsmen succumbed to the West Indian bowlers, making them look far better than what they really were. If only the batsmen had used their heads and stuck around at the wicket till the first day`s juice had dried up, then they would have discovered a good batting wicket. Unfortunately, this was not so. It was not just a display of poor batting skills, but also poor cricket thinking. Once the batsmen were all out on day one in just 34 overs, the match was as good as done for the Indians. The West Indian batsmen, on the other hand, showed a great deal of application. Going into the match under a lot of pressure, they displayed good temperament and cricketing sense. They had to do nothing but wait for the Indian batsmen to make their mistakes. The West Indies have now managed to direct the pressure back on the Indians who will have to play twice as hard to come back and win the series. With the Indian batting having failed once again, it would hardly be fair to blame the bowlers for not doing the job. With not even 200 runs on the board, the bowlers had nothing to defend. All things considered, Nehra did a decent job in the bowling department. The Little Master has now failed three times in a row. Many of his detractors will jump up to say that he has always failed to produce a match-winning knock. Will he be able to prove them wrong in the fourth Test? Will our batsmen realise that the onus rests on them to give Indian the kind of start needed to win Test matches? The job now starts from t |
