Military operations against terrorist bases in Afghanistan might commence any time. President Pervez Musharraf's regime in Pakistan has decided reluctantly to cooperate with the U.S., despite opposition by important segments of public opinion. Pakistan's economic and political predicament is such that it has no other option but to cooperate with the U.S. The Pakistani decision is also based on expectations that the U.S. would retrieve the country from its difficult political and economic predicament. It also hopes the U.S. would even give some political support to Pakistan on issues like Kashmir. Both Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh, in their initial responses to the attacks in the U.S., conveyed India's profound condolences and extended full and unreserved support to Washington. Significant political points in these responses were: India taking note of the U.S. more categorically acknowledging the dangers posed by international and cross-border terrorism, its offer of support to the U.S. is based on the fact that the phenomenon of international terrorism is not issue specific or country specific, and that terrorism poses a profound threat to the stability and territorial integrity of plural societies and states. India does not link the phenomenon of terrorism with any religious or ethnic community in general and hopes the campaign will cover all categories of terrorism in all parts of the world. In other words, the campaign will also directly or indirectly address cross-border terrorism against India. Initial responses of the U.S. government to the Indian policy stance in some respects disappointed public perceptions in India. No U.S. pronouncement acknowledged that a major democracy and an important Asian power like India had pledged full and unconditional support to the U.S. There were no indications that the U.S. could include cross-border terrorism against India originating in Pakistan, in the ambit of its campaign. There were also signals that the U.S. at this stage is not seeking any substantial logistical and operational support from India in terms of use of airspace, launching facilities or Indian territory. Pakistan in the meanwhile reportedly stipulated that Israel and India be kept out of any international coalition against terrorism if the U.S. desires Islamabad's support. Musharraf, in a radio and television broadcast, publicly asked India to "lay off." Vajpayee, therefore, had to introduce balance and equilibrium in the Indian policy stances. He stated the U.S. has not perhaps shown as much sensitivity about Indian concerns about terrorism, as New Delhi expected. Secondly, he said given Pakistan's insistence on keeping India out of the international coalition against terrorism and its declared policy that violence in Jammu and Kashmir is a "freedom struggle," not a terrorist campaign, New Delhi did not see any reasonable prospect of resumption of a dialogue with Islamabad in the near future. The U.S., however, clarified to India that there were no pre-conditions stipulated by Musharraf for his support. Washington also advised that India refrain from any action against Pakistan-based terrorist groups for the present to ensure that Pakistan's vital support to the U.S. campaign is not derailed. There was another balancing act undertaken by Jaswant Singh, who spoke to his Pakistani counterpart Abdul Sattar over the phone and assured him India would not create any difficulties for Pakistan in these critical times. National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra was in Washington September 24-25 for high-level discussions which will be followed by Singh's visit to the U.S. in the first week of October. Vajpayee and Singh have also been in touch with their counterparts in Russia, France and Britain. High-level contacts have also been made with Iran and other Muslim countries. One can come to the following conclusions from India's policy responses based on information available so far: - In overall terms, Indian policy stances are consistent with its opposition to international terrorism and India-specific security interests. - India's policy responses would strengthen our relations with the U.S., especially in terms of security and political cooperation. - India's support to the U.S. might result in Washington influencing Pakistan to negotiate with it a practical solution to Kashmir. India must, however, not take this prospect for granted. Pakistan might demand quite the reverse with U.S. support. - India's position to take unilateral action against cross-border terrorism gains strategic validity, which the U.S. and other powers now cannot oppose by any logic. On the down side, India should have articulated the need for the U.S. to be responsive to our concerns about terrorism in clearer terms. India need not have rushed into giving details of support that it is offering. It would have been enough to state it will give the assistance necessary depending on the U.S. requirements and requests. India need not have commented about its intentions regarding future dialogue between India and Pakistan, one way or the other. It could have calibrated and calculated its pronouncement on this point later when the situation becomes clearer. Most important of all, when deciding on any operational participation in the anti-terrorist campaign, India must keep the feelings of its large Muslim citizenry and important relations with Islamic countries in mind. (The writer is a former foreign secretary)
Saturday, September 15, 2001
US marines land in Pak for surveillance: Report
ISLAMABAD: Amidst reports of US marines landing in Pakistan for surveillance against Taliban and terrorist mastermind Osama Bn Laden, the international airlines stopped using Pak-Afghan air corridor and the country's airport was put on high alert. The Nation daily on Saturday reported that a special plane carrying over two dozen foreigners landed at the Chakala Airbase in the wee hours on Friday. Another daily The News quoted an eyewitness as saying that he had seen a small contingent of US troops having already landed in Islamabad. It said, according to unofficial reports, a contingent of over 50 personnel from the Special Services Group of the US Marines 'Green Seals' have landed for conducting 'target oriented' operations against Bin Laden, the prime suspect in the terrorist strikes in the US. However, it said there was no official confirmation on this from any quarter. Diplomatic sources confirmed the arrival of two American aircraft, but declined to give further details. Heavy contingents of army were deployed to provide security at all airports across the country including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, media reports said. ( )
Saturday, September 15, 2001
Terror attack intensifies Indo-U.S. cooperation
New Delhi, Sep 15 The horrendous terror attacks in the U.S. have increased the level of cooperation between Washington and New Delhi, says External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh. "The tragedy has imparted to what was already a solid foundation real operation content of cooperating with each other," The Times of India newspaper Saturday quoted Singh as saying. "We have been in contact at all operational executive and political levels that are necessary following the grisly visitation of this tragedy," he added. Terrorists Tuesday hijacked four passenger jets and rammed two into the World Trade Centre in New York City and one into the Pentagon in Washington, killing thousands of people. The fourth plane crashed near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The U.S. suspects that Saudi renegade Osama bin Laden engineered the attacks and is reportedly planning retaliatory strikes in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, which shelters the alleged terrorist. Singh, whom U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell called Friday to thank for India's staunch support, said: "We have felt that the sweep of terrorism is global -- it is 360 degrees. "I do believe this event has led to a kind of defining moment in the awakening of international conscience about this menace. I do hope now that there will be concerted action against it. "There should be a concert of democracies against terrorism," Singh said. "Because the two, democracy and terrorism, are antipodal. The world must stand up and recognise that it is no good addressing the symptoms episodically; we need to identify the root of the problem and address it." Like other world leaders, Singh too cautioned against holding Muslims the world over accountable for the sins of a few fanatics. "We have not and we will not in the future consider this any kind of clash of civilisation or a religious act," the minister said. "Because terrorism is a negation of faith, it is a crime against humanity. "We have always said that the noble faith of Islam cannot, and to our mind does not, condone the killing of innocent," Singh said. "And terrorism thrives on precisely that. Therefore, we have said please recognise the reality of what is a global menace, not a local problem." Asked about Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's statement condemning terrorism and promising to cooperate with the U.S., Singh said: "Notwithstanding our experience in Kashmir, it is my sincere hope that what Musharraf has said is a commitment and he will abide by it." India accuses Pakistan of fuelling the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, arming the secessionists and training them. Pakistan claims it only offers political and moral support to the dragging "freedom struggle" in Kashmir. On Musharraf's offer of help to the U.S., Singh said: "Here the straight test is their whole approach to the Taliban. The whole world knows what the Taliban is doing, what Pakistan is doing for the Taliban and how the Taliban is able to sustain its activities with the direct help of Pakistan." Pakistan is one of only three countries that recognises the Taliban as the legitimate ruler of Afghanistan. "A large part of Pakistan and Afghanistan is under Taliban's control today and it has become the centre of exporting this kind of medieval malevolence," Singh added. "I have always said this malevolent energy of the Taliban, which supports Osama and gives him guarantee and secure shelter, is not containable in the geographic confines of Afghanistan or Pakistan," Singh said. "There is an overspill in Uzbekistan, other parts of the Southern Caucasus and elsewhere in the world," he said. "The preliminary investigations in the U.S. about this tragedy as reported by the American media also seem to suggest it came from the same area." Meanwhile, Singh said since the Bush administration took over in Washington, the "quality of relationship between the United States and India has been transformed beyond recognition". "Between April and September there have been more high-level visits from the U.S. to India than at any other time and possibly to any other country," he pointed out. "In this period our fields of co-operation have extended to the political, economic and military spheres."
Saturday, September 15, 2001
India Seeks Domestic Backing to Support U.S. Strikes
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India moved on Saturday to forge domestic political support for plans to aid the United States in any action it takes in retaliation for terror attacks in New York and Washington. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee called a meeting with leaders of all political groups, seeking their approval for New Delhi's plans to allow Washington to use its facilities in any military operation. The meeting came as Afghanistan's ruling Taliban warned they might attack any neighbor which gave assistance to U.S. military strikes against their country. ``If a neighboring country allows its soil or its air to be used in an attack against Afghanistan...in that case the possibility cannot be ruled out that we attack that country,'' Afghanistan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement in Kabul. On Friday, Vajpayee urged the world's governments to join together and use military force to crush terrorism following Tuesday's terror attacks in the United States. Vajpayee's televised address to the nation followed a decision on Thursday to allow U.S. military forces to use India's facilities if needed in any retaliatory operations. The United States has singled out Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, sheltered by Afghanistan's ruling Taliban movement, as the prime suspect in the terror attacks. Support from Pakistan and India is crucial to the United States if it launches an operation against bin Laden or Afghanistan. India is a theoretically perfect and very large base for any military strike at Afghanistan. During the Gulf War (news - web sites), a large part of the air war was run from Dubai, which is about the same distance from Kuwait as India's northern city of Amritsar is to Afghan capital Kabul. New Delhi allowed U.S. transport aircraft to refuel in Bombay during that conflict, sparking huge controversy domestically. On Saturday, there were dissenting voices to the government's latest plans. ``It is...an infringement of our sovereignty. Why should we allow any country, particularly American imperialism, to attack another country?,'' the Communist Party of India's Ajoy Chakravarty told Star News television ahead of Vajpayee's meeting. Washington and New Delhi, on opposite sides during the Cold War, do not share a formal military relationship but ties have improved considerably over the last year.
Friday, September 14, 2001
BSF on high alert along Pak border
THE Border Security Force (BSF) has been put on high alert on the Indo-Pak international border adjoining Rajasthan, while security has been beefed up at key defence installations, including air force stations in the region, in view of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre in the US. BSF DIG (Jaisalmer Sector) B D Sharma on Thursday said the force had been directed to maintain maximum alert on the Indo-Pak border as a precautionary measure. Defence sources said security had been strengthened at sensitive air force stations and key defence installations in the area and extreme vigil was being maintained. Entry to the defence establishment was being strictly monitored, they added. Additional District Superintendent of Police Ram Chandra Kalla said police was also maintaining strict vigil in the district.
Friday, September 14, 2001
Crack commandos at Mumbai airports
The hijacking of four planes in one day across the US has caused considerable concern over safety at airports across the world. The Bureau of Civil Aviation has identified some vulnerable points at the domestic and international airports. All airports are on high alert and manual checking of unaccompanied baggage, random checks and screening of passengers has increased. "The threat is real," said Regional Deputy Commissioner Sushovan Banerjee, Bureau of Civil Aviation Security, adding that contingency plans were in place at the Mumbai airports to combat emergencies. A crack team of 35 members of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) has been deployed at Mumbai's two airports. "Regular inspection of the airports and their perimeters is made to identify security breaches. Strict access control and restriction of visitors are some of the measures taken after the US disaster," said ITBP assistant commandant Manish. Commenting on the US hijacks, a senior airport official said, "India treats domestic aviation as it does international flights. In western countries, visitors can accompany domestic flight passengers to the aircraft and tarmac. This is a security breach." The Airports Authority of India installed closed circuit cameras at Mumbai airports to monitor passengers and visitors. Banerjee claimed, "Poor management of available resources must be blamed for the mess at the US airport. The three-tier security at Indian airports is unique and impenetrable. The system has evolved into the best airport security arrangement in the world with designated responsibilities for multiple agencies at the airport." Airport police officials complained that they were constantly harassed for VIP passes for access into terminals. "In the wake of what happened in the US, passes are no longer issued. Access is restricted to bonafide passengers, airline crew and ground staff but VIPs demand 25-30 passes which is a security breach," revealed police officials. On Wednesday, police and protocol officers had a tough time explaining to supporters of Gujarat Assembly Speaker Dhirubhai Shah, who was to board a flight for Ahmedabad, that they couldn't accompany him onto the concourse due to security restrictions. The police also refused to issue VIP passes to former chief minister Narayan Rane's assistant. "No passes are issued for visitors at the airport. Strict examination and screening of passengers is to ensure safety," confirmed deputy police commissioner (airport) Sanjay Barwe.
Friday, September 14, 2001
India tests surface-to-air missile
NEW DELHI, Sept 14 (AFP) - India Friday test-fired its medium-range surface-to-air "Akash" missile from a site in the eastern state of Orissa, a defence ministry spokesman said. The home-grown missile, with a range of 25 kilometres (15.5 miles), was fired to hit a pilotless target aircraft, the spokesman said. "It was a routine test," the official said. The 650 kilogram (1,430 pound) missile, which uses integrated two-stage ramjet propulsion technology, has the capacity to strike several targets simultaneously. The missile, capable of delivering 55 kilograms (121 pounds) of explosives, is believed to be comparable to the US Patriot missile. It is capable of detecting and destroying all intruding low-level aircraft with the help of its state-of-the-art radar, the official said.
Friday, September 14, 2001
Indian casualty mounts to 51
NEW YORK : The number of Indians injured in the terrorist attacks on the twin towers of the World Trade Centre on Tuesday has risen to fifty one, Indian Consulate representatives here said. However, community leaders contradict the claims and put the figure around 100. In response to queries by the Consulate, three companies have sent lists totaling 63 Indian and NRIs employees who, they say, are safe. The injured are being treated in various hospitals, they added. The injured are: Naya Desai, Manu Dhingra, Badruddin Lakhani, John Malik, William Manas, Charles Mathew, Myloca Byas, Rajiv Nair, Mohd Ismail, Jasmine Singh, Mahan Chandu, Fredric Grover, Mahavir Sandra, Sofal Naik, Narayan Patel, Monica Manghani, Punti Venkateshan, Qazir Mohd, Mano Hydesia, Daniel Suhir, Abbas Mohd, Grogen Thomas, Krishnamurthy, Antree Mathew, Fernandes Thomas, Karri Kalpaha, Sajik Panchal, Telikepali Kalpana, Pundi Venketeshan, Acinapura, Christine, Rajkumaree Singh, Jasmatia Rupharaia, Badheeridin Lakhani, Neerja Desai, Silvia Ramsunder, Manu Dhingra, Dipin Chellani, Manish Menghani (discharged and Safe), Abbas Mohd, Amita Ablakh, Katherine Ahmd, Karium Ali, Amir Bahaduri, Shana Bodhram, Khannum Sultana, Sunil Malik, Moor Hukum, Nandan Papasor, Marian Patel, Abdullah Shamsuddin and Small Mohammed.
Friday, September 14, 2001
India to Allow U.S. Use of Military Facilities
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will allow U.S. military forces to use its facilities if it needs them in any operations launched in retaliation for the terror attacks in New York and Washington, an Indian defense ministry source said on Friday. ``It was discussed...at the Cabinet Committee on Security yesterday (Thursday) before it was agreed,'' the source said. ``Of course, it depends on whether the U.S. wants to use our facilities,'' the source told Reuters. Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), sheltered by nearby Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s ruling Taliban movement, is a prime suspect in Tuesday's attacks which killed thousands. Earlier, the Times of India newspaper quoted Defense and Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh as saying New Delhi would provide logistical help, or act as a staging ground, for any U.S. military operation. ``There have been contacts at all political, executive and operational levels about this,'' Singh said. He declined to give details saying it was a ``very sensitive matter.'' Washington and New Delhi, on opposite sides during the Cold War, do not share a formal military relationship but ties between the two countries have improved considerably over the last year. Defense analysts said India had to support Washington because it also had been a victim of terrorist attacks. ``We have a moral, political and constitutional obligation to help fight terrorism,'' Jasjit Singh, a retired air commodore who heads the New Delhi-based Institute of Defense Studies and Analyses, told Reuters. India is struggling to quell a 12-year-old bloody rebellion in the Himalayan Kashmir (news - web sites) region and is also battling violent rebels in the remote northeastern region for the past 50 years. India frequently accuses Afghan mercenaries of fighting alongside Kashmiri Muslim separatist guerrillas and allege they receive support from bitter foe Pakistan. Over 30,000 people have been killed in the mountainous state in violence. The country's capital New Delhi and provincial capitals have long been a favorite target of rebels attacks. ACCESS TO AIR BASES The Indian defense source said he expected Washington ``to ask New Delhi for use of air bases for refueling of transport aircraft and launch of air strikes by fighter jets.'' ``Pakistan and India are the only two countries that are close to Afghanistan for use by American forces,'' the source said. ``The entire geo-political matrix of the region has changed after the attacks this week.'' Pakistan, India's nuclear rival and one of only three countries to recognize the Taliban government, has pledged full cooperation with the United States in fighting terrorism. During the Gulf War (news - web sites), India allowed U.S. transport aircraft to refuel in Bombay. That decision to help Washington sparked off a domestic political storm in India. Analyst Jasjit Singh, said much had changed between now and the Gulf War. ``That was during the Cold War era and the U.S. had attacked another country...with whom we had good relations,'' Singh told Reuters. ``But that does not mean we condoned Iraq's aggression.'' Singh said India had allowed U.S. air force aircraft to refuel at not just in Bombay, as widely believed, but at several other airports and air bases in the country. ``We could not make it public then because we had 250,000 Indians living in Kuwait and efforts were on to evacuate them,'' Singh said. ``This time it is not a war against a country but against terrorists and terrorism.'' He said the move may be exploited by Muslim groups as an attack against Islam and increase threats to India. ``But I would hope other countries will...help us out in different ways.''
Thursday, September 13, 2001
Terrorists vow to hit Indian nuclear installations
NEW DELHI: Terrorist groups based in Pakistan have threatened to target nuclear and military installations all over India in their bid to escalate their separatist campaign, reports reaching here from across the border say. Some half-a-dozen groups have dramatically stepped up their jingoistic campaign since the failure of the India-Pakistan summit at Agra in July. In the past fortnight, the threats have taken an ominous turn. While some of the threats to hit "sensitive installations" in India have been made publicly in Pakistan, some warnings have been reported by Pakistan's Online news agency monitored here. Sheikh Jamilur Rehman, leader of Tehrukul Mujahideen that is active in Jammu and Kashmir, has vowed to attack Indian political leaders as well as the country's nuclear and military installations. He said the attacks would be carried out if India "does not cease atrocities on Kashmiris immediately." He said his group would attack these installations to avenge Indian military operations in the Himalayan state. "We have a very effective network throughout India and nothing is out of our reach," he told Online. Lashker-e-Taiba chief Hafiz Saeed said jehad would not be limited to Jammu and Kashmir. "There is no limit to it. If someone is going to stop us from carrying our mission, we will declare jehad against him as well. "We plan major operations against the Indian military installations in Kashmir and would continue to carry such actions until liberation." At a seminar organised by Al Bader Mujahideen, separatist groups pledged to launch large-scale attacks against "sensitive" Indian military installations and target important personalities. Al Bader Mujahideen deputy head Amir Hamza has also been quoted as saying that jehadi activities will continue till Kashmir was liberated. The United Jehad Council, a Pakistan-based grouping of Kashmir separatist groups, has threatened to target "sensitive installations" in India if New Delhi did not halt its "repression" in Kashmir. Its vice-chairman Muhammad Usman said his group might open "another war front like Kargil." He was referring to the large-scale intrusion into Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir in 1999 by Pakistan-backed Islamic guerrillas that led to a virtual war between New Delhi and Islamabad. He said the Kashmiri separatist campaign, which has claimed more than 25,000 lives since 1989, "has entered a decisive phase. We are weighing the option of an open war with India by capturing a part of Kashmir." Hizbul Mujahideen deputy supreme commander Maulana Muhammad Javed Qasoori has similarly threatened to extend military attacks throughout India. Al Badar Mujahideen chief Bakht Zameen has urged Islamabad to concentrate on strengthening the separatist campaign instead of "wasting time seeking a negotiated settlement". Hizbul Mujahideen supreme commander Syed Salahuddin said the armed struggle in Kashmir was gaining momentum. He warned that if big powers did not realize their responsibilities, South Asia could plunge into a nuclear war. Indian officials have blamed terrorist groups linked to Pakistan and some of which are active in Kashmir for a string of deadly bombings and suicide missions in the country.
Thursday, September 13, 2001
No immediate impact on economy: Sinha; rupee, stocks crash
NEW DELHI: Stock markets crashed under panic selling in the wake of worst ever terrorist attacks in the US and rupee plunged to an all time low due to renewed dollar demand even as government asserted there would be "no immediate direct impact on the Indian economy." During the initial part of the trading, Mumbai Stock Exchange Index plunged below the psychological level of 3000 points, a three-year low, forcing market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India to impose a circuit filter of 10 per cent to prevent a free fall of scrips. Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha told reporters in Mumbai there was no reason for panic and that unfortunate terrorist attacks "will have no immediate impact on Indian economy and on the value of the rupee". Around the same time rupee opened at a new record low of Rs 47.45/49 per dollar due to renewed demand of greenback on account of devastating events in the US. Dealers said the Indian currency, under tremendous pressures recently, has come under fresh onslaught. On the sidelines of a function organised by Indian Banks Association (IBA), Sinha said "we have to keep faith in ourselves. There is no reason for the events to have any impact on the rupee." Asked about the impact of shooting oil prices on the economy, which is heavily import-dependent for crude, Sinha said India has long term oil contract and hence he did not
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Indian PM Condemns US Attacks, Assures All Cooperation
NEW DELHI, Sept 12 Asia Pulse - Condemning the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington in the strongest terms, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has assured the United States of cooperation in the investigations into this "heinous" crime. "We stand ready to cooperate with you in the investigations into this crime and to strengthen our partnership in leading international efforts to ensure that terrorism never succeeds again," Vajpayee said in a letter to President George Bush on Tuesday night.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
No Information on Indian Casualities in New York Disaster
NEW YORK, Sept 12 Asia Pulse - Hundreds of Indians worked in the twin World Trade Centre towers that were brought down by terrorist attacks and there were fears that they may be among the casualties. About 50,000 persons work in the 110-storey towers out of which an estimated 10 to 15 per cent are Indians and how many of them were at work yesterday at the time of the devastating attacks remained unclear. More than 2.5 million Indians reside in the New York area and many of them work in the Wall Street area towards the vicinity of the twin towers.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Trinamool activists burn bin Laden's effigy in Calcutta
CALCUTTA (Reuters) - Activists of the Trinamool Congress trampled upon and kicked an effigy of Osama Bin Laden in Calcutta on Wednesday accusing the Saudi-born Islamist of masterminding the air attacks on two U.S. cities on Tuesday. About 100 members of the party gathered opposite the American Center in central Calcutta to protest against bin Laden's alleged involvement in the attacks that damaged the Pentagon and destroyed New York's World Trade Center, killing thousands of people. "Break his hands!" demonstrators led by a Trinamool leader Madan Mitra shouted as supporters burnt an effigy of a demon-shaped bin Laden. Trinamool is a constituent of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's federal coalition. Mitra said all countries should collaborate to stop what he called the terror unleashed by bin Laden. "We have to stop international terrorism and save humanity." U.S. officials on Tuesday said people who carried out the attacks may have had links to bin Laden or his organisation. The United States has accused the Saudi-born billionaire, who has taken refuge in Afghanistan, of masterminding the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa. The Taliban rulers of Afghanistan have denied that bin Laden was involved in Tuesday's attacks.
Wednesday, September 12, 2001
Security in Mumbai, Maharashtra stepped up
Mumbai, Sep 12 Security around vital installations in the commercial capital of India was stepped up today and high alert has been sounded in Maharashtra in view of yesterday's worst-ever terrorist attacks in the US that rocked the world. Security at the important installations like, Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and Bombay High has been beefed up, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal told reporters here today. Police have virtually surrounded the international airport and floodlights have been installed around it, Bhujbal, who presided over a high-level meeting to review the security arrangements in the city and the state, said. Similarly, security at the airports spread across the state has also been tightened and police have been asked to remain alert to foil any subversive attempts by anti-national elements, Bhujbal, who also holds Home portfolio, said. Patrolling in the sensitive areas have been stepped up to prevent any disruptive activities. Earlier, the Deputy Chief Minister presided over a meeting of top officials of the state police and defence forces stationed in the state. The meeting lasted for over one-and-a-half-hour. Bhujbal also met the US consul general David Good and assured him all possible support. The deputy chief minister said adequate security has been provided to US consulate and other US missions in the state. Similarly, security has been beefed up at the Israel consulate.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
World Trade Center Collapses
World Trade Center Collapses NEW YORK (AP) - In a horrific sequence of destruction, terrorists crashed two planes into the World Trade Center and the twin 110-story towers collapsed Tuesday morning. Explosions also rocked the Pentagon (news - web sites) and the State Department and spread fear across the nation. The fate of those in the twin skyscrapers was not immediately known. Authorities had been trying to evacuate the 50,000 people who work in the twin towers, but many were thought to be trapped. President Bush (news - web sites) ordered a full-scale investigation to ``hunt down the folks who committed this act.'' One of the planes that crashed into the Trade Center was American Airlines Flight 11, hijacked after takeoff from Boston en route to Los Angeles, American Airlines said. The planes blasted fiery, gaping holes in the upper floors of the twin towers. A witness said he saw bodies falling from the twin towers and people jumping out. About an hour later, the southern tower collapsed with a roar a huge cloud of smoke; the other tower fell about a half-hour after that. ``This is perhaps the most audacious terrorist attack that's ever taken place in the world,'' said Chris Yates, an aviation expert at Jane's Transport in London. ``It takes a logistics operation from the terror group involved that is second to none. Only a very small handful of terror groups is on that list. ... I would name at the top of the list Osama Bin Laden.'' All planes were grounded across the country by the Federal Aviation Administration (news - web sites). All bridges and tunnels into Manhattan were closed down. The twin disaster at the World Trade Center happened shortly before 9 a.m. and then right around 9 a.m. Heavy black smoke billowed into the sky above the gaping holes in the side of the twin towers, one of New York City's most famous landmarks, and debris rained down upon the street, one of the city's busiest work areas. When the second plane hit, a fireball of flame and smoke erupted, leaving a huge hole in the glass and steel tower. John Axisa, who was getting off a PATH train to the World Trade Center, said he saw ``bodies falling out'' of the building. He said he ran outside, and watched people jump out of the first building, and then there was a second explosion, and he felt heat on the back of neck. WCBS-TV, citing an FBI (news - web sites) agent, said five or six people jumped out of the windows. People screamed every time another person leaped. David Reck was handing out literature for a candidate for public advocate a few blocks away when he saw a jet come in ``very low, and then it made a slight twist and dove into the building.'' People ran down the stairs in panic and fled the building. Thousands of pieces of what appeared to be office paper came drifting over Brooklyn, about three miles away. Within the hour, an aircraft crashed on a helicopter landing pad near the Pentagon, a car bomb exploded outside the State Department, and the West Wing of the White House was evacuated amid threats of terrorism. And another explosion rocked New York about an hour after the crash. ``Today we've had a national tragedy,'' Bush said in Sarasota, Fla. ``Two airplanes have crashed into the World Trade Center in an apparent terrorist attack on our country.'' He said he would be returning immediately to Washington. Terrorist bombers struck the World Trade Center in February 1993, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. ``A second occurrence is just beyond belief,'' said Ira Furber, former National Transportation Safety Board (news - web sites) spokesman. Several subway lines were immediately shut down Tuesday. Trading on Wall Street was suspended. ``We heard a large boom and then we saw all this debris just falling,'' said Harriet Grimm, who was inside a bookstore on the World Trade Center's first floor when the first explosion rocked the building. ``The plane was coming in low and ... it looked like it hit at a slight angle,'' said Sean Murtagh, a CNN vice president, the network reported. In 1945, an Army Air Corps B-25, a twin-engine bomber, crashed into the 79th floor of the Empire State Building in dense fog. In Florida, Bush was reading to children in a classroom at 9:05 a.m. when his chief of staff, Andrew Card, whispered into his ear. The president briefly turned somber before he resumed reading. He addressed the tragedy about a half-hour later.
Tuesday, September 11, 2001
Three killed in Kolkata cinema hall collapse
KOLKATA, SEPT 10: THREE persons were killed and 15 injured when the portico of a cinema hall in central Kolkata collapsed after a spell of torrential rain this evening, Additional Commissioner of City Police S I S Ahmed said. According to Society manager Zahiruddin Khan, the accident occurred around 6:15 pm right after the evening show had started. ‘‘There was lightning and all of a sudden the portico collapsed,’’ Khan told The Indian Express. ‘‘There were people there to buy tickets, and some more who were taking shelter from the rain,’’ Khan said. There were reportedly around 30 people under it. No one inside the hall was injured. Many police and corporation officials were on the spot to supervise the rescue operation along with the local MLA but the rescue operation itself started over two hours late. Commotion prevailed for a while when the police and Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel deployed there had to resort to lathicharge as local people demanded they be involved in the rescue work. Saving the people caught in the debris became difficult with the rescue work getting increasingly delayed. Ahmed said though there was no possibility of any more people being trapped inside but the debris-clearing operations would continue.
Monday, September 10, 2001
UAE Indian weds Chennai girl over phone
Dubai, Sep 10 An Indian working in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) found out he needn't be present at his wedding when he exchanged vows with his bride over the telephone. Phone bridegroom Mohammed Mustaqeem, 28, however, wasn't the first choice of the bride. In typical Bollywood style, the "phone marriage" took place after the man she was supposed to marry in India didn't turn up. The "Gulf News" reported more than 500 relatives and friends had been invited to Chennai for the Islamic ceremony. The original groom, however, disappeared without trace the night before. Mustaqeem, an electrician working in Jebel Ali, gave his consent to the wedding in the presence of an imam (priest) and his uncle in the UAE. An imam in India read the nikaah, or Islamic bridal vows, telephonically and confirmed the boy's acceptance. In a Muslim wedding, the bride and groom have to individually consent to the marriage in the presence of witnesses, but do not need to be physically present at the same location. "We have always tried to protect Amina as she is a fatherless child. This was too much of a shock for her. Then Mohammed's father suggested his son marry the girl, but we weren't sure what his response would be, especially at such short notice," Mohammad's uncle was quoted as saying. Mohammed said his wedding was not really unusual, as similar ceremonies had taken place during the Gulf War, when grooms couldn't travel back from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Monday, September 10, 2001
Kolkata varsity says 'no' to astrology
KOLKATA. The Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) here has rejected the University Grant Commission's (UGC) proposal to set up a ``jyotirvigyan'' department and returned a grant of Rs. 15 lakhs. ``Our university did not send any proposal to the UGC at all for setting up any department for teaching astrology, which the Ugc has renamed as `jyotirvigyan','' the RBU vice- chancellor, Mr. Subhankar Chakraborty said. The UGC ``on its own'' accorded approval for the establishment of such a department in the university a few months ago and sent a cheque for Rs. 15 lakhs for the project. The commission also granted the appointment of a professor, two readers and lecturers each and establishment of a computerised horoscope bank, he said. ``Our university can never accept this offer because astrology has not yet been established as a science through laboratory experiments, observations, analysis or research,'' Mr. Chakraborty added. -
Sunday, September 9, 2001
Cricket-Tendulkar and Kumble return for S.Africa one-dayers
BOMBAY (Reuters) - Sachin Tendulkar and leg-spinner Anil Kumble return to the India team after injuries for a one-day triangular series in South Africa starting next month. They were named in a 15-member squad, captained by Saurav Ganguly, announced by India's national selectors on Friday. Kumble has missed almost a year of international cricket due to a shoulder injury, while Tendulkar has been out for two months with a foot fracture. Vangipurappu Laxman, who missed a recent test series in Sri Lanka and underwent surgery for a knee ligament tear, and left-arm paceman Ashish Nehra, who missed the series with a groin injury, have also been included. Laxman and Nehra will undergo fitness tests in Bombay on September 23, a day before the squad leaves for South Africa, chief selector Chandu Borde told reporters. The series, which starts on October 5, also involves Kenya. Squad: Saurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Shiv Sundar Das, Yuvraj Singh, Deep Dasgupta (wicketkeeper), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Reetinder Singh Sodhi.
Saturday, September 8, 2001
CBI raids Palace on Wheels
JAIPUR: Strange though it may sound, the Central Bureau of Investigation today raided the luxurious "Palace on Wheels" tourist train near Jodhpur to find if there were ticket-less passengers, the agency sources said here. The "Palace on Wheels" was intercepted near Mandore in Jodhpur district early this morning to ascertain if some passengers travelling in the train were without tickets, the CBI officials said. The CBI raids followed complaints that the Rajasthan Tourist Development Corporation authorities were giving a free ride to the passengers on the luxury train, they said.
Saturday, September 8, 2001
Six BSF men blown to pieces in J&K
JAMMU, Sep 8 : The militants triggered two separate IED explosions in Udhampur district of Jammu division today, killing six BSF personnel, including a commandant, and wounding five others, the police sources said here. The militants triggered the blast blowing up the vehicle carrying the BSF personnel through a remote control device at Dhamkund near Sangaldhan area at around 1030 hours and killing six of them instantly. The sources said that all the injured had been rushed to the hospital, adding militants escaped after the explosion. In another incident on Jammu-Srinagar national highway, a security jawan was injured while defusing an IED at Chamari, about 93 km from here this morning, the sources said, adding the traffic was suspended in the area and later resumed after one-and-half-hours. The Pak-based militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the two IED blasts in Udhampur district, the sources said. A Hizbul spokesman rang up a local news agency in Srinagar to say, "Hizbul Mujahideen activists triggered the two explosions in Udhampur," the sources said, adding the spokesman said the blasts were carried out under operation 'Al-Fateh'.
Friday, September 7, 2001
Eve-teasing victim commits suicide
Coimbatore, September 6: A 16-year-old girl studying Plus-2 committed suicide as she was unable to bear eve-teasing by an youth at Kurichikottai village, near Udumalpet, in this district last evening. Police said the girl, Sangeetha, studying in R V G school at Thali near here, had complained to her parents several times that she was being teased. But her parents took the matter lightly. When the youth Eswaran resorted to eve-teasing again last evening, an irritated Sangeetha consumed pesticide in her house and swooned immediately. She was rushed to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital here where she died today. A search is on for Eswaran who has absconded, police added.
Friday, September 7, 2001
India Rupee At New Low Fri As Econ Reality Hits Home
BOMBAY (Dow Jones)--Lower foreign fund inflows and deteriorating exports sent the Indian rupee to an all-time low against the U.S. dollar Friday, after the currency had traded rock-steady throughout August. The rupee ended the session at a record low of INR47.25 after touching a new intraday low of INR47.27. This compares with Thursday's close of INR47.1750. The rupee's previous traded low was INR47.21 touched on July 3 and its closing low was INR47.1750. Dollar demand came mainly from foreign funds, companies covering their unhedged foreign loan exposure, and a state-owned bank buying dollars to pay for gold imports, dealers said. But the sharp drop didn't surprise market participants at all, who said that it was high time that the currency's levels caught up with economic realities. "The inflows are slowing and I am not surprised the rupee has fallen. It should have weakened already," Neeraj Nath, manager at Barclays Capital said. Key to the rupee's decline was news on foreign fund flows and from the export front. In just three days in September, foreign funds have sold a net $51.4 million of Indian stocks and bonds after they were net buyers for $106.5 million in August. Export data also weren't reassuring. Latest figures released by the federal Commerce Ministry indicate that between April and July exports fell by 1.9% to $13.61 billion compared with the same period last year, while in July alone exports fell by 1.8% to $3.46 billion. Exports have fallen for the second consecutive month, forcing analysts to scale back their annual export growth projections to 3.0% from an earlier 6.0%. The Indian government has officially targeted a 12% export growth rate for the financial year ended March 31, 2002. Still, the declines Friday aren't seen as a cause for concern. "If the rupee was able remain stable at INR47.12 for most of August (when foreign funds were net buyers), a minor fall now is but natural," Rajesh Gosain, senior dealer at Centurion Bank said. Reserve Bank Won't Stop Fall The Reserve Bank of India too seemed little concerned by the fall, as it didn't sell dollars through state-owned banks to protect the rupee. The Reserve Bank doesn't intervene directly in the market, but operates through state-owned banks. Some analysts think the Reserve Bank may have deliberately let the rupee slip to help make the currency competitive for exporters. A dealer at a large European bank said the central bank would have let the rupee slip to prevent exporters from continuously selling dollars in the market at a time when the rupee was stable. In August, dollar-selling by exporters was one of the reasons for foreign exchange reserves rising by a huge $1.27 billion to a record $44.951 billion. The rupee traded in a narrow INR47.12-14 range for most of August. The Reserve Bank "would rather have exporters sell dollars when the rupee is weak. It may have wanted to correct the market supplies and let the rupee fall today." he said. Given the scenario, analysts expect the rupee to remain weak in the days to come. The "rupee may witness a realignment when the dollar bulls ride back into town," Siddharth Mathur, analyst at JP Morgan Securities India Ltd. said. Expectations are for the rupee to fall to INR47.40 by the end of September, he added. So far in the calendar year, the rupee has fallen by 1.2% against the dollar, compared with a 6.8% fall in 2000. On Monday, the rupee is expected to trade in INR47.27-30 range, dealers said.
Thursday, September 6, 2001
Portal on Indian classical music launched
ITC (ITCd.BO, news) -Sangeet Research Academy has launched a portal, www.itc-sra.org to promote Indian classical music, reports CNBC India. The portal will enable the Indian diaspora around the world to access the academy's repository of Hindustani classical music. The ITC Sangeet Research Academy was created as a public charitable trust in 1978. It sought to establish a modern gurukul and revive India's traditional guru-shikhsha parampara. The launch of its website itcsra.org is the culmination of a year and a half of dedicated research. The portal has a detailed section on the history of Indian classical music. Viewers can listen to some very rare recordings, familiarise themselves themselves with various ragas and gharanas through text as well as audio. Also available on the site are the concerts of classical gurus of India.
Thursday, September 6, 2001
Shotgun fires at Naidu
Hyderabad: The gun was fully loaded with satire and humour and fired unsparingly at all the top politicians of the country including Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu evoking much laughter from the audience. Yes! Shatrughan ‘Shotgun’ Sinha sprayed his vicious wit all over the elite audience while staging the Pati Patni Aur Mein at the Hotel Taj Krishna on Monday. The stars who attended the play included Mohd Azharuddin and Sangeeta and were ruthlessly mocked at. The play staged by the trio - Shatrughan Sinha, Rakesh Bedi and Bhavana Balsavar - had the audience in splits with their outstanding performances. Other dignitaries included Naidu, Jnanapeeth awardee C Narayan Reddy, NFDC chairperson Hema Malini, yesteryear actresses Zeenat Aman and Jaya Prada, Bollywood stars Govinda, Chunkey Pandey. The sutradhar of the play - Shatrughan Sinha - struck an instant rapport with the audience by taking potshots at the politicians. Centred around on how love melts once a boy and girl marry, how egos surface after living together for sometime, the play keeps the audience engaged. Sinha played the role of sutradhar in the lives of Prakash (Rakesh Bedi) and Madhavi (Bhavana Balsavar). As rightly pointed out by director Ramesh Talwar, everyone would empathise with the characters and situations. The play had ample opportunity to incorporate dialogues, remarks and language based on the place where it was being played. The show also had references to Deccani dialect. Naidu sat throughout the play enjoying it with Narayan Reddy helping him understand the dialogues. At the end of the play, while congratulating Sinha, Naidu said, "I enjoyed your comments. Go ahead and make fun of me. I love it." On his part, Sinha apologised to Naidu for making him the butt of ridicule. The day also ended on a dramatic note for the participants and the audience. After seeing off Naidu, chairman of Videocon group V N Dhoot, realised that Bhuvaneswari was still in the hotel lobby and that the CM was waiting for her in the car. Dhoot told Sinha, "Sir, Naiduji is waiting. Even the Prime Minister waits for Naiduji." Shatrughan’s repartee send the others into raptures, "Yaar, PM may wait for Naidu, but Naidu has no option but wait for Madam."
Thursday, September 6, 2001
Its official, no Indian POWs in Pak jails
ISLAMABAD: The search for Indian prisoners of war (PoWs)has virtually come to an end as Pak on Wednesday officially declared that there were no PoWs in its prisons. A Foreign office spokesman said in a statement here on Wednesday, "No Indian prisoner of war is held in any prison or jail in Pakistan." "This fact has been reconfirmed after thorough investigations conducted by the ministries of defence and interior pursuant to President Pervez Musharraf's directive," he added. Musharraf's had ordered a thorough search for the PoWs on a request made by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee during their Agra summit. Though Musharraf said that it was very unlikely that a POW would be held for about 30 years, he had promised to personally intervene and make one more direct effort to search for missing Indian defence personnel in Pak prisons. Immediately after returning from the Agra summit, Musharraf had ordered investigations for scouring PoWs, but it revealed that none existed in any of Pak's prisons, the statement said, adding earlier searches similarly carried out at India's request had also not come up with any Indian POWs in any Pak jails.
Wednesday, September 5, 2001
Girls rescued in Delhi sent to NGOs’ care
Hyderabad: There seems to be hope for the girls hailing from the State who were rescued from the brothels in Delhi. STOP founder Roma Devi informed that seven girls in the age group of 17 to 19 had been handed over to three NGOs - Stree, Rise and Prajwala. One minor girl was handed over to the Juvenile Board, where she would be retained for a while before she is reunited with her family. Apparently, Principal Secretary S P Singh has issued orders to the district administrative authorities to address the "re-integration on priority basis", linking it up with the government schemes. One of these girls has been sent to Chittoor. Roma Devi said, "It was a happy reunion. The girls are hopeful after the reception from the government officials, who have promised them rehabilitation package." This is just one such hopeful story. Meanwhile, for many others in the sex trade, back home in Hyderabad, everyday is a new struggle, a bitter battle for living. Most women in the sex trade have been lured into the field by some ‘neighbourhood aunt’, and most often someone who has exploited their pathetic economic conditions at home. After the closure of the red-light area at Mehbub-ki-mehndi, these ‘aunts’(they may well be a rising number) have set up independent establishments in areas such as Prakashnagar, Malakpet, and Chatrinaka in the old city, besides some places in the posh Banjara Hills. They operate from their homes, as brokers, on commission basis. Apparently, these women also have hordes of young girls of 12 and 13 years, working for them. Many come out of this circuit later and operate independently. The number of women and young girls entering the sex trade is increasing by the day, and there is no way of tackling the mafia, the goons, the ‘aunts’ involved, who, according to some sex workers, have an implicit understanding with the police, and higher authorities. Most of the women in the trade site instances of abusive husbands, lack of employment opportunities and other factors which push them into this field. But most important of all, there are several pimps moving around the city in railway stations, and bus stands, who scout for women with a "pathetic family history". A lot more needs to be achieved in cases where poverty and sources of livelihood is the question. Schemes for women should be initiated to prevent newer entrants into the flesh trade.
Wednesday, September 5, 2001
Hoax bomb call detains Indian railway minister for two hours
NEW DELHI, Sept 5 (AFP) - Indian Railway Minister Nitish Kumar was Wednesday held up for more than two hours due to a hoax bomb threat on a train he was due to board, the Press Trust of India reported. The incident took place at Siliguri railway station in West Bengal state, eastern India, where railway authorities received an anonymous call claiming bombs were planted on the New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express train. After an extensive search, no explosive device was found but the train's departure was delayed by two hours, leaving the minister and scores of other passengers stranded. The hoax call follows an incident on Tuesday when police in northeastern Assam averted a major train accident when they detected missing rail clips from the track. High-speed passenger trains were scheduled to pass through the area between Amguri and Dibrugarh towns but were stopped following the tip-off. Northeastern India has been plagued by insurgents from more than a dozen groups fighting for seccesion. In the past, the groups have been accused of blowing up railway tracks and bridges.
Wednesday, September 5, 2001
Major train accident averted in Assam
NEW DELHI, Sept 4 (AFP) - Police in the northeastern Indian state of Assam Tuesday averted a major train accident when they detected missing rail clips from the track, the Press Trust of India reported. Miscreants had removed the clips -- used to join the tracks together -- from a kilometre stretch of track between Amguri and Dibrugarh towns, police said, according to. Police who spotted the missing clips quickly pointed it out to railway authorities, the report said. High speed Rajdhani Express, Brahmaputra Mail, Kamrup Express and Intercity Express passenger trains were scheduled to pass through the area but were stopped following the tip off. The tracks have been repaired and train services have resumed. Northeastern India has been plagued by an armed insurgency by more thanm a dozen groups fighting for seccesion. In the past, these groups have been accused of blowing up railway tracks and bridges. Nearly 140 people have died in train accidents in India since January. The worst disaster was in June, when 59 people were killed and around 200 injured after a train toppled over a river bridge in the southern state of Kerala. Official figures record 253 major and minor train accidents in the country last year alone, with the loss of around 120 lives. In the past five years around 2,400 people have died in train accidents.
Monday, September 3, 2001
Sattar criticises India at Durban
Durban: In a sharp attack on India, Pakistan yesterday raked up the Kashmir issue at the UN Conference against Racism here, accusing New Delhi of “brutal repression” that it said had led to killing of 75,000 people. Addressing the conference, Pakistan Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar also criticised India, without naming it, saying, “It is sad that, in our own region, this theme of denigrating the struggle for self-determination as terrorism and associating terrorism with Islam, is being actively promoted to justify the ongoing brutal repression of the Kashmiri people.”
Monday, September 3, 2001
Slum children wizen up to ad magic
New Delhi, Sep 3 Eight-year-old Tarun Singh, resident of a slum in the Indian capital, loves to watch commercials featuring his favourite Bollywood heroes enacting spine-chilling stunts. But when asked if he would like to try those daredevil acts himself, he wisely shakes his little head. Tarun knows the difference between media machismo and reality. He was among a bunch of 70 odd children from various slum clusters in Delhi who participated in a symposium Saturday, and surprised quite a few advertising experts with their grasp of the medium. The symposium, titled "Building a Child-Centered Initiative on Media Education," gave underprivileged children aged 8-14, including disabled kids, a rare chance to present their opinion of TV programmes and commercials. The kids were selected from slums where the Centre For Advocacy and Research (CFAR), along with other NGOs, has been running a program to help children have a more interactive relationship with TV. The small screen seen through the eyes of the children, who had come dressed in their Sunday best, seemed quirky, strange, or outright obnoxious. "Why does the child in the Pepsi ad refuse to part with his cold drink and share it with Amitabh Bachchan? Aren't children in India taught that guests are like gods and one should not insult them?" asks Tarun, referring to a new commercial. Enacting skits and short plays, children surprised many with their understanding of commercials. Some pointed out that certain advertisements portrayed "wrong things" that could influence or corrupt children. CFAR, a public interest research group on media, organised the event in collaboration with the Unicef and NGOs. It brought together parents, teachers, policymakers, child rights activists and media representatives. "The children are amazing. It is for the first time that such a gathering has been organized. And I can see, with a little help from parents, they can tell what is wrong and what is right," Montoo Bassi from Mudra advertising. "We advertisers make commercials for all age groups and sometimes to attract the attention we have to show something which might be wrong," Bassi told . Vibha Parthasarthy, the chairman of the National Commission for Women, said: "A child is confused by the various images television flashes and we know the impact of the electronic medium is a strong one on the child's psyche. The media today is dictating the minds and ruling the norms." Anuradha Mukherjee of CFAR said: "Children are being aggressively targeted by the electronic media and violence attracts them as they are vulnerable. But the impressions and impact it leaves behind is damaging. "A 1998 study of 1,000 children showed that though 32 percent of children are school dropouts or have never been to school, an astounding number of 78 percent view unregulated television." Mukherjee said the younger the child the greater the impact of the idiot box. "Parents share their concern but the solution is not to ban programmes. One has to create a balance instead where the television could act as a creative medium. "But the symposium revealed that children, with some guidance, can be very discerning viewers."
Monday, September 3, 2001
Police official killed in Kashmir militant attack
JAMMU - Muslim rebels attacked a police station in India's strife-torn Jammu and Kashmir state killing an officer and wounding 10, a police official said. The late Sunday attack in Doda, 173 km from Jammu was carried out by members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, police said. Members of the group have launched a series of suicide attacks on security forces in recent months. "In the evening when the roll call was going on, a group of three militants entered the police station and threw a grenade followed by indiscriminate firing," the police official said. One police sub-inspector was killed on the spot while 10 including an inspector were wounded. Violence in the Himalayan state has surged since a July summit between the leaders of India and Pakistan ended in deadlock over the Kashmir dispute. India blames Pakistan for backing the separatist rebels. Pakistan denies the accusation and says it only offers them moral and diplomatic support. The two nuclear-capable neighbours have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir since they won independence from Britain in 1947. Authorities say more than 30,000 people have been killed in the conflict since rebellion broke out in late 1989. Separatists put the toll closer to 80,000.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
India's inflation rate rises to 5.48 percent
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's annual inflation rate rose marginally in the week ended August 18, official figures showed on Sunday, due to an increase in prices of non-food items, mainly commodities. Data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry showed that inflation, as measured by the wholesale price index, rose to 5.48 percent in the week ended August 18 from 5.41 the previous week. The rate was 5.73 percent in the corresponding week last year. Analysts said barring small fluctuations, there had been a general decline in the inflation rate over the last few months and rate is likely to hover around these levels for the next few months. "Its stagflation. Prices are bound to be static as demand has crashed," Abusaleh Sharif, economist with New Delhi based economic think-tank National Institute of Applied Economic Research, told Reuters. "I don't see inflation going up as demand is unlikely to pick up and food prices are expected to remain under check due to the large stocks with the government," he said. The central Reserve Bank of India in its annual report released on Tuesday also said inflation was expected to end around five percent in 2001/02 (April-March). The index for non-food articles rose to 156.9 from 154.9 due to higher prices of groundnut seed, niger and mustard seed. The index of fuel, power, light and lubricants remained unchanged at 226.1. The index for food articles declined to 176.2 from 176.8 in the previous week due to lower prices of fruits and vegetables while for manufactured goods it fell slightly to 144.4 in the week from 144.5 in the previous week due to a demand constraint. The official wholesale price index for all commodities (base 1993-94=100) for the week ended August 18 stood unchanged at 161.6. India's inflation rate has hovered around present levels after hitting 10-year highs in February. It touched 8.57 percent in the week ended February 10. The country's industrial output growth in June declined to 1.5 percent compared to 5.9 percent in the same month last year.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
25 injured as express crashes into goods train in India
NEW DELHI, Sept 2 (AFP) - At least 25 passengers were injured Sunday when a speeding express train ploughed into the carriages of a derailed goods train in the central state of Madhya Pradesh, the Press Trust of India reported. The crowded Utkal Express failed to stop in time and rammed the loaded wagons of the derailed goods train near the township of Shahdol, some 150 kilometres (90 miles) from the central city of Jabalpur. The injured passengers were rushed to nearby hospitals, some with serious injuries, police said. The accident led to a disruption in train services in central India, the state-run railway said.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
Mughal emerald expected to fetch $1.5 million in London
London, Sep 2 A magnificent emerald from the Mughal days worth more than a million dollars is due to be auctioned in London September 27, in what is turning out to be a month for big Indian auctions here. The 217.80 carat emerald known as "The Mughal," which dates back to the reign of Aurangzeb, is expected to fetch at least $1.5 million during the auction. The emerald, which is of a vivid green colour seldom seen in emeralds of this size, is believed to have been bought by a Mughal noble from Spanish traders who in turn got it from Colombia. The emerald is the highlight of a huge collection of Indian art from the Mughal period and will be auctioned by Christie's later this month. Furniture, jewellery, miniatures, textiles and works of art from the Mughal and British period will also be auctioned off at Christie's. This will be the biggest sale abroad of rare Indian jewellery in recent years. Other rare stones to be auctioned include a spectacular piece of jewellery set with 300 carats of diamonds and 300 carats of fine emerald beads. This is expected to sell for about three-quarters of a million dollars. The auction will see the sale of some rare works of art coming out of India. This will include an auction of paintings by the well-known uncle-nephew team of Thomas and William Daniell. Among the paintings to be auctioned will be Daniell's famous View of Panchganga Ghat, Benares. The painting is expected to sell for about $100,000. The sale includes paintings by many Indian artists who adopted the British style of painting in what came to be called the 'Company school' of paintings. Such paintings have been auctioned in London often before. What is unusual is the rare collection of historic Indian furniture that will go under the hammer in London. The furniture includes an Anglo-Indian ivory side chair, a card table and a set of lavish seats used for sitting on elephants. The furniture combines Indian and European features "to produce a very opulent overall effect," says a note from Christie's. Historical documents are being included in the sale. These include a manuscript leaf from a royal album prepared for Mughal emperor Shah Jahan.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
A five-year-old girl was sexually assaulted
A five-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a 32-year-old man on August 27 and has been admitted to the gynaecology ward of the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar (East). Her condition is reported to be stable. According to the child's mother, the accused, Melvin John Koteian (32), worked as a bus cleaner. Since he had no relatives in Mumbai, the mother had decided to treat Koteian as a brother. On August 27, the mother had to go to the market, and she left her daughter and youngest son at a relative's house. Koteian, who was apparently under the influence of alcohol, fetched the girl from the relative's house, brought her back home and sexually assaulted her. A neighbour saw Koteian and the girl naked inside a half-closed room and raised an alarm. Her screams alerted others. Koteian was nabbed and beaten up by the neighbours before being handed over to the Tilaknagar police station. Assistant Inspector Pradeep Suryavanshi said Koteian had even tried to escape from the station, while a complaint was being registered, but was immediately nabbed by the police. Preliminary investigations reveal that Koteian had lied about being employed with Durga Travels, Chembur. He confessed to his crime and was remanded to police custody till yesterday. (Names changed to protect identity)
Sunday, September 2, 2001
Vajpayee shuffles cabinet team to push reforms
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee reshuffled his cabinet on Saturday in an effort to burnish the government's image and speed up economic reforms. Vajpayee's coalition is reeling from a series of scandals, ranging from the resignation of his defence minister amid accusations of corruption to revelations of stock-market rigging and major losses in India's state-run mutual fund. Minister of State for Disinvestment Arun Shourie, who has been pushing for speedier privatisation of state-run firms, was raised to cabinet rank at a swearing-in ceremony at the presidential palace. His promotion came on the day Singapore Airlines said it was withdrawing from a consortium bidding for control of state-run Air India because of opposition to the privatisation programme. Singapore Airlines, which had bid with the Tata group for a 40 percent stake in Air India, said in a statement it was not confident of playing a "useful and effective role" given the "intensity of opposition to the privatisation of Air India from various quarters." The sale of the Air India, viewed as a litmus test of the government's determination to press ahead with its ambitious privatisation programme, is due to be completed by year-end. Vajpayee also moved Satyanarayan Jatiya out of the key labour ministry after moves to ease India's rigid labour laws failed to take-off. POLITICAL OPPOSITION The government has said it will make it easier for firms to lay off workers, but has not yet brought the new legislation to parliament because of political opposition. Civil Aviation Minister Sharad Yadav who has been seen to be resisting moves to privatise the aviation sector, was also shifted out. He will take charge of labour. Four other junior ministers were dropped from the council of ministers. "In two and half years, we took into account the performance of the ministers and then reshuffled them," Vajpayee told reporters after the swearing-in ceremony. Vajpayee however left Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha untouched in the revamp of his administration. Opposition deputies had demanded his resignation after major losses at the country's largest state-run mutual funds manager. "The prime minister is asserting himself," said M.J. Akbar, editor of the Asian Age, adding that the reshuffle appeared to be a first step towards a bigger revamp of the administration. Weakening world economic growth, high oil prices, drought and other natural disasters, a weak rupee and increased competition due to trade liberalisation have taken their toll on the economy, which grew 5.2 percent in 2000/01 -- far below the 7-8 percent needed to make an impact on mass poverty. TOUGH DECISIONS Vajpayee, addressing state chief ministers earlier on Saturday, warned of tough decisions to achieve the target of an eight percent growth rate for the next five years. "We cannot afford to be complacent. Nor can we afford to make promises that we know we cannot fulfil without taking correct decisions, be they for the moment unpopular," he said. Vajpayee also promoted Junior Coal Minister Shah Nawaz Hussain to cabinet rank. Hussain, 32, is one of a handful of Muslim politicians in Vajpayee's Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, which faces tough elections in the big heartland state of Uttar Pradesh. Other ministers joining Vajpayee's team were tribal leader Karia Munda and four young BJP lawmakers -- Vijay Goel, Rajiv Pratap Singh Rudy and Ravi Shankar Prasad. Veteran BJP treasurer Ved Prakash Goel and Anna Patil were also sworn into office by President K.R.Narayanan at a brief ceremony. Opinion polls last month showed Vajpayee's personal popularity ratings have plummeted and his grand coalition of more than 20 parties has been overtaken by the main opposition Congress and its allies.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
India's ties with Palestine, Israel grounded on current realities
Though the Palestinian issue and the Middle East peace process do not loom large in Indian foreign policy, they nevertheless are and should remain a matter of significant concern. This is so because the Israeli-Palestinian peace process impinges on our relations with Israel on the one hand and important Arab countries on the other. The manner in which the situation develops in the Middle East can affect our security interests in terms of stability and peace in West Asia and economic interests in terms of trade, energy supplies and the status and future of the large Indian diaspora that lives in Arab countries stretching from Algeria in the west to Bahrain in the east. Palestine President Yasser Arafat visited Delhi on August 25. An Israeli special envoy, Senior Deputy Director of Foreign Affairs Yoav Biran, came to India close on Arafat's heels. The primary purpose of their visits was to brief the government about the current state of the negotiations and military violence that is characterising the Israel-Palestine relationship. The second objective was to lobby India to support their respective positions during the U.N. World Conference on Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerances, being held in South Africa. The end of the Cold War resulted in a qualitative change in ideological and political orientations on the Palestine issue. Though the Camp David process and late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat's visit to Israel marked the beginning of a thaw in rigid Arab positions against Israel, they did not succeed in meeting the aspirations of the Palestinians. The process was stuck in a stalemate till the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) itself decided to get involved in confidential negotiations with the Israelis at Oslo. The Oslo process had the backing of both the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. A structured process of implementing peace proposals was initiated, the central feature of which was the Palestinians accepting a lesser region as a homeland in Gaza and adjacent areas, with substantive delegated authority and autonomy. In exchange, the Palestinians would stop their violent struggle against the Israeli state. This "land and peace" proposal failed because of either the inability or the unwillingness of the Israeli government to stop expanding Israeli settlements on the West Bank, particularly after the assassination of prime minister Itzhak Rabin. Though former prime minister Ehud Barak tried to restore the peace process, he did not succeed. Even as American mediatory efforts continue, there have been no meaningful discussions between Arafat and new Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. In the larger political context, the Israeli-Palestinian issue has diminished in significance. The approach of the great powers has been that while they are willing to help, the Palestinians and Israelis should find solutions based on ground realities in a practical manner, an approach that does not help the Palestinians very much. Secondly, unity among Arab countries in support of the Palestinians does not exist any longer. The disintegration of this unity is rooted in two developments. First, Arafat's support for Iraqi leader Saddam Hussain's invasion of Kuwait alienated him from the governments of Arab countries. Secondly, with the Cold War's end, strategic political considerations that had underpinned Arab unity underwent a change in which important Arab and Muslim countries gave more attention to developing stronger relationships with the U.S. and other power centres of the world. The concerns of the Palestinians and the Israeli negotiating stances on those concerns are no longer a matter of high priority in Arab foreign policies regardless of public pronouncements on these issues by Arab governments. This has placed the PLO and Palestinian leaders in a difficult predicament - one of retaining and nurturing material, political and diplomatic support for the Palestinian cause. Israel's political and strategic significance in the perception of strategic planning of the U.S. and European democracies has been enhanced as a consequence of Saddam Hussain's Kuwait misadventure. The more pertinent contextual development to be taken note of to assess Arafat and Biran's visits to India is the profound qualitative change in India's relations with Israel and the expansion of the content of Indo-Israeli interaction. The rationale of India's restoring full diplomatic relations and economic contacts with Israel was, first, the PLO itself had commenced direct contacts and negotiations with the Israeli government. Another factor that impelled India towards this decision was that Israel has been strategically located on the north and northwestern flank of a number of Muslim countries, which encourage extremist Islamic religious forces in the Central and South Asian region. An even more important reason for India to develop its relations with Israel was Tel Aviv's consistent support to India's territorial unity and integrity, especially on the Kashmir issue. This was in contrast to the ambiguous and at times admonitory posture taken by a number of Muslim countries on the Kashmir issue in spite of India having close relations with them and despite India's principled support of the aspirations of the Palestinian people. It is also important to remember that India consulted Arafat and received his endorsement before restoring full relations with Israel early in 1992. In basic policy terms India continues to support the aspirations of the Palestinian people to have a homeland with full sovereignty. India's general approach on the question of jurisdiction over Jerusalem is that since that city is the holiest for three major religions of the world, Israel and the Palestine government should evolve a compromise formula transcending purely jurisdictional, territorial and political considerations. Such a compromise is not beyond the realm of practical possibilities. Realistic political considerations evolved over the past decade influence India's attitude towards Israel and the PLO. Indo-Israeli relations have expanded in economic, technological and agricultural fields. Beginnings have also been made in defence supplies cooperation. India considers a relationship with Israel as a counter to extremist Islamic centrifugal tendencies that can affect the stability of states in West Asia, Central Asia and South Asia. While the mutuality of interests are of high importance, India also holds the view that Israel should be more forthcoming and positive in fulfilling long-term assurances given to the PLO at the time of signing the Oslo Accord. It is India's view that the governments of the U.S. and Russia have an important role to play in this regard and they should continue their participatory encouragement of this process. It is in this context that Arafat and Biran had discussions in India. Arafat sought India's support to bring the issue of Zionism back as an item on the agenda on the U.N. conference on racial discrimination in Durban. Israel's special envoy sought exactly the opposite, seeking India's support to prevent this issue from being brought back. It should be recalled that a U.N. Resolution of 1975 had equated Zionism with racism and was highly critical of Israel. This resolution was repealed or set aside by a U.N. resolution in 1991. India had supported the 1975 resolution and India had also supported the 1991 resolution excluding Zionism from the U.N. agenda. The latest information is that while Arafat was assured continued Indian support for the aspirations of the Palestinian people, India was not in favour of bringing back into the U.N. agenda issues on which the world body had been unable to act effectively in the past. The fact of India not wishing to have any aspect of issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir being re-inscribed into the U.N. agenda is an important consideration influencing our policy on this issue. External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh told Biran that India continues to stand by the decision taken in 1991, supporting the exclusion of Zionism from the U.N. agenda. Information available suggests that other important powers in the U.N., including the U.S. and the Russian Federation, are not enthusiastic about this issue being discussed at Durban. One suspects that even Islamic countries may not be united in support of the Palestinians on the issue, whatever their public stances may be. India attaches importance to its relations with the PLO and Israel, but Indian policies are firmly rooted in realistic considerations of Indian national interests. If Arafat did not go fully satisfied with his discussions with the prime minister and foreign minister, one hopes that with his long political experience, he recognises this imperative political reality. (The author is a former foreign secretary)
Sunday, September 2, 2001
India's defence research has surprising civilian spin-offs
New Delhi, Sep 2 India's research into cutting edge defence technologies has produced some unexpected civilian spin-offs, ranging from lightweight callipers for polio victims to a contraceptive derived from neem oil. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), which has come in under criticism from the government in recent years for delays in projects to develop state-of-the-art weapon systems, is on the verge of concluding several deals with the private sector to market its civilian spin-offs, defence sources told . Among many ingenious breakthroughs made by the 50 DRDO laboratories across the country are a sonar system that helps fishermen locate shoals of fish, a stent to open blocked arteries, a package of technologies to grow vegetables and fruit in cold Himalayan deserts, and computer software that can identify cancerous cells within the human body. The DRDO, formed in 1958, has more than 5,000 scientists conducting research in fields as diverse as armaments, advanced computing and simulation and agriculture. The Drug Controller of Tamil Nadu has already approved the indigenous contraceptive derived from neem oil as an ayurvedic product. SIRI Ltd, a Hyderabad-based drug manufacturing company, has finalised a contract with DRDO to commercially produce the neem contraceptive, the sources said. The Delhi-based Defence Institute of Physiology and Allied Sciences, which played a leading role in developing the neem contraceptive, is currently working on herbal medicines using aloe vera to treat frostbites and other problems caused by the extreme cold conditions encountered by soldiers serving on the Siachen glacier, where temperatures can drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius. "This research too can have civilian applications," the sources said. Large-scale high altitude trials of the herbal medicine are already underway. The lightweight callipers, developed by the Hyderabad-based Nizam Institute of Medical Science (NIMS) using carbon composite materials developed by DRDO labs for the Prithvi short-range ballistic missiles, can benefit as many as eight million polio victims in India. Former DRDO A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, often regarded as the father of the Indian missile programme, has said one of his happiest moments was watching a child afflicted with polio walking freely with the callipers, which weigh only 300 gm. as against the average weight of three kilograms for conventional callipers made of wood, leather and steel. The lightweight callipers have already been fitted on more than 600 children, and DRDO is currently on the lookout for a private firm to commercially manufacture them on a large scale. The coronary stent uses technology developed by scientists at the Defence Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) in Hyderabad. Dr B.Soma Raju, an eminent cardiologist from Hyderabad, worked with scientists from three defence labs to perfect the stent. After tests on animals, the stents were successfully implanted in four patients in 1996. Since then, they have been implanted in more than 1,400 people with heart problems. While an imported stent would cost around Rs.60,000, the indigenous one costs around Rs. 25,000. The projected requirement for stents in India is about one million, the sources said. More significantly, the use of stents removes the need for emergency by-pass surgeries in patients with blocked heart vessels. Agricultural and farming techniques developed for cold region by DRDO researchers have already been used in desolate regions like Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir to supply fresh milk, vegetables and poultry to soldiers based on the Siachen glacier. "We've been able to grow green leafy vegetables in temperatures as low as minus 25 degree Celsius using low-tech methods such as trench farming," said M.C. Pandey, the head of the DRDO's Food Research Laboratory in Partapur near the Siachen glacier. "Several vegetables and food crops, such as radish and cabbage, that were considered impossible to grow in snow-covered high altitude zones have been introduced in this region," he said. "We've also transferred the technology to the local population." Defence scientists have also used a thermal imaging system that helps the Nag anti-tank missile identify its target to create thermal images of any part of the human body. This technique can help doctors perfect surgical techniques after a careful study of the images. The "Cytoscan" computer software developed by the Bangalore-based Defence Bioengineering Electro Lab has already had some success in identifying cervical cancer cells, which can lie dormant for 10-15 years, with more than 90 percent accuracy.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
Hindu hardlinerlashes out at Vajpayee and Advani
THE working president of the All-India Hindu Mahasabha, D B Rai, has said here that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) fooled and exploited millions of Hindus and kar sevaks with regard to the Ram temple movement. The main aim of the BJP leaders was to politicise the Ram temple movement to gain power, he said. Rai was senior superintendent of police in Faizabad when the Babri Masjid was torn down. He was later suspended, but reinstated. After a few years, he quit the Indian Police Service. Rai also lashed out at Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, saying the PM lied about not knowing the kar sevaks’ plan to demolish the masjid. He said that on December 5, 1992, Vajpayee had come to Lucknow to wish luck to Lal Krishna Advani and Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, who were heading lakhs of kar sevaks. Vajpayee also spent quite some time in the official Kali Das Marg residence of then chief minister Kalyan Singh, Rai said. Rai, who was elected twice to the Lok Sabha on BJP tickets, in 1996 and 1998, said he would soon gear up the Hindu mahasabha to fight the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly election. For many years, the mahasabha, founded in 1915 was described as communal and not allowed to contest elections. But the High Court and Election Commission recently declared it fit to be a registered party. The mahasabha is planning to enter into an alliance with the Shiv Sena and give a befitting reply to the BJP at the UP hustings. Rai said that Advani and Vajpayee should be ashamed for stating that the Ram temple was not on the BJP’s agenda. "If this is so, why did they give a battle cry in 1992? They are liars," he said. He lashed out at Vajpayee for ousting hardcore Hindu leaders, like Kalyan Singh from the BJP, and for sidelining Govindacharya. He added that BJP leaders should be ashamed of saying that internal terrorist elements in the party destroyed the mosque.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
Zia begins anti-India rhetoric ahead of polls
Dhaka, Sep 2 Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Khaleda Zia has returned to her passion of anti-India bashing with great gusto ahead of the October 1 polls, accusing her rival Awami League of selling out to New Delhi. Addressing election meetings in northern and western Bangladesh, Zia said: "If Awami League is voted to power, Bangladesh will be made a part of India. They will sell the country's independence and sovereignty to India." The Sheikh Hasina-led Awami Legaue stepped down from power in July to pave the way for elections under a caretaker government. Earlier, in 1997, when Hasina's government signed a peace treaty in the Chittgong Hill tracts, Zia had said that one-third of Bangladesh extending up to Feni, her home constituency, would go under Indian rule. "Save the country, save the people. Vote for the sheaf," the BNP election symbol, she urged the voters. She claimed that if the Awami League regained power, Bangladeshis would not be able to hear "Azan" (Muslim call for prayers) and instead settle for "uludhani" (Bengali Hindu ritual). She alleged that the Awami League was against "madrasas" (Islamic seminaries). In the last five years, it had conspired to close down religious education and weakened the armed forces. But Hasina has criticized Zia for what she termed was the latter's bid to mislead the people by spreading canards. She said her party, which led the country to independence in 1971, would never betray the country. She said the Awami League had provided the armed forces with the latest equipment and logistic support to make it one of the most "standard armed forces" in the world. Hasina blamed former president Ziaur Rahman and Zia for destroying the army and rehabilitating anti-liberation forces. "How could Zia discover that independence and religion would not exit if Awami League was elected to power, when the party has fought and won independence and granted freedom of religion to all faiths?" she asked.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
First time in India, maybe the world
A path breaking surgery, performed for the first time in the country by leading oncosurgeon Dr Shailesh Puntambekar in Pune recently, has restored normalcy to five-year-old Ketan Kolhe’s life. When Ketan, son of an inspector in the State Reserve Police Force, Pune, was nine months old, his urinary bladder had been removed during surgery for a rare bladder cancer. Ever since then, he had been passing urine through his rectum, and had no control over his bowel movements. He was refused admission to school and had to be confined to his home. Distraught, his parents finally approached Dr Puntambekar. With wide experience in rebuilding bladders in adults, Dr Puntambekar decided to use the same procedure on Ketan. In a three-hour operation, he fashioned a new bladder from the small bowel and attached it to the urethra so that the boy can now pass urine normally. Talking to media persons, Dr Puntambekar said, "This kind of a bladder replacement in a five-year-old child has been done for the first time in India and probably even in the world." The surgery is also unique because it was done almost five years after the bladder was removed. Fifteen days after the operation, Ketan succeeded in passing urine normally and today has excellent control over his bowel movements. He is thrilled at the prospect of attending school like other children.
Sunday, September 2, 2001
Gulf residents gasp for freedom in cyberworld
DUBAI (Reuters) - In a land where sex outside marriage can be punishable by death and women must be fully covered in public, frustrated men are turning to the Internet. Beyond the immediate reach of Saudi Arabia's religious police, the Internet is the next best thing to sexual freedom found in the West and some Arab countries. "All that you can see (here) of a woman is her face if you are lucky. On the net I see all," said 24-year-old George, a Lebanese Christian who declined to give his last name. For decades, expatriates living in Gulf Arab states sacrificed social freedoms enjoyed back home to rake in handsome salaries in the oil-rich states. Although it is possible to date Arab and Western women in more open Gulf Arab states such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the Internet is proving to be a quick and safe relief from social restrictions. "It is like the Arabian Nights. There is a new story every day and chances to meet people of both sexes," said Samer, a single Syrian engineer who lives in Riyadh, the Arab world's most conservative capital. "I work long hours and I return to an empty house. It is particularly difficult for unmarried people to have a social life here, so I log on to have fun," he added. INTERNET FUN COMES WITH A PRICE Several firms offer voice, video and text-chatting free of charge to a growing number of users around the world, services which are becoming very popular in the Gulf. But these can come at a considerable personal cost. Hadi's chatting session of up to 18 hours cost him his job and his new cyberspace friends tore his marriage apart. "As long as I am happy it is healthy," said Hadi, an Egyptian who lives in the UAE. While cyber-chatting offers men artificial sex, it provides entertainment for Arab women while their husbands spend days away from home working. Maya, a 23-year-old bored housewife, spends about eight hours a day communicating by keyboard and browsing for music. "Chatting makes time fly," said Maya, whose husband, like many Arab men, does not want her to work. INTERNET DELUSIONS But the Internet is not just about sex for Arab expatriates in the Gulf. In a region where success is often measured by who drives the most expensive Mercedes or lives in the biggest villa, cyber chatting allows the less fortunate to impress others. An Egyptian teenager in a Dubai Internet cafe was making cyberspace moves on a woman by pretending he was a 28-year-old businessman. It worked. "You have to know that there are lots of people who use character cosmetics to gain popularity," said Waleed, an active member of a chat programme for the past two years. POLITICAL VIEWS Those who express controversial political or religious views in some Gulf countries put more than their reputations at stake. For opposition activists, members of minorities and disgruntled expatriates chat rooms serve as informal forums without risking possible arrest or expulsion. Apart from Kuwait, none of the Gulf Arab sheikhdoms have fully-elected parliaments, and the freedoms of press and expression are largely suppressed. Even in Kuwait political parties are barred. The kingdom recently barred access to some sites that carry criticism of the government and members of the royal family, residents said. Offensive exchanges are common when traditionalist citizens hear blunt criticism of social or religious practices in their countries and vigorous debates sometimes end with the ejection of those who vex the administrator -- the person who created the room. But that is as dangerous as it gets. "On the net you don't get AIDS or get shot by a jealous husband," says George.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Suspected guerrillas kill four Hindus in Kashmir
JAMMU - Suspected Muslim militants kidnapped and shot dead four Hindu villagers in violence-racked Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Saturday. The incident took place late on Friday and comes close on the heels of the spate grisly killings of Hindus including two priests who were beheaded last week in India's only Muslim majority state. Police said suspected guerrillas had kidnapped six villagers on Thursday from three different villages near Nawshehra in Rajouri district 176 km north of Jammu. Four bodies were recovered from a nearby forest after two of the kidnapped civilians managed to escape and informed the police on Friday evening. Security forces swiftly launched a search operation for the missing villagers and a gunbattle followed in which five militants and a security official were killed and three others were injured. Police said a large group of militants had sneaked into the Indian side of the line of control on Thursday from Nawshehra sector and those killed were part of that group. No group has claimed responsibility for the killings. In separate incidents on Friday the Indian army said it had killed 14 guerillas trying to sneak into its part of the restive state in Sonapindi area from neighbouring Pakistan. Authorities say Hindus are being targeted by separatist militants in the state as they are seen as being in favour of Kashmir remaining within largely Hindu India. Thousands of Hindus fled Kashmir after the bloody revolt against Indian rule erupted in 1989. The chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Mr Farooq Abdullah, recently urged Kashmiri Hindus to return to the state, guaranteeing a government job to at least one male in every family. Separatist violence has surged in the state, particularly since a summit between India and Pakistan collapsed last month. At least a dozen militant groups are fighting New Delhi's rule in Kashmir where officials say about 30,000 people have died in nearly 11 years of rebellion.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Pak planning jehadi belt around India
MOSCOW: A top field commander of Afghanistan's Northern Alliance Bismillah Khan, told a Russian daily, "Pakistan's strategic goal is to create a belt of Islamic jehad around India and disturb peace in Central Asia with assistance from the Taliban." Also, despite US sanctions, Taliban continues to receive arms from Pakistan, Vremya Novostyei quoted the top commander of anti-Taliban forces in Panjshir sector as saying. Another senior leader of the Northern alliance and former interior minister in the Rabbani government, Yunis Kanuni said that the key to Afghan peace lies is in the hands of Islamabad as the Taliban regime is a "Pakistani puppet". Meanwhile, Russia has warned Taliban against setting up of an international terrorist centre on the Afghan territory under it amid media reports about the appointment of Saudi billionaire Osama bin Laden as the chief of the Taliban forces and Juma Namangani as his deputy. "Under the cover of protecting pseudo-religious values, the Taliban are preparing a base to expand militant extremism and separatism beyond the borders of the region," a statement released by the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Doping a bigger crime than match-fixing: Uma Bharati
New Delhi, Sep 1 Shaken by disclosures of the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs by several athletes, India's Sports Minister Uma Bharati has described doping as a "bigger crime" than match-fixing in cricket. "From my perspective, doping is an evil and it is a bigger crime than even match-fixing. It is a sin and amounts to pure cheating," Bharati told The Indian Express newspaper. "I would welcome an Indian team returning empty-handed from an international meet rather than maligned for doping," she said. Her ministry, she said, would take action against athletes if sports federations recommended it and that promised coaches and officials too would not be let off. "I will not spare anyone, I repeat anyone," she said. Last year Indian cricket was rattled after allegations of collusion between top players and bookies to "fix" matches. While former captain Mohammed Azharuddin has been barred from the sport, Ajay Jadeja has been suspended for a few years. Bharati has of late been in the eye of several storms, beginning with the charge that a weight-lifter who had tested positive for doping had been cleared to participate in the coming Afro-Asian Games here. The minister has also been drawing flak over the alleged politicisation of the Arjuna Awards, India's top sporting honour. After sprinter Milkha Singh refused to accept the lifetime achievement award, several winners of this year's award have rejected the honour. Bharati defended the process of selecting winners of the Arjuna Awards, saying, "the procedure was absolutely fair". The minister admitted, however, that she and the selection committee were under intense pressure. "The selection was not based on any individual wisdom. My committee agreed on the names and I went by them. I fully supported their views," she said. Bharati has also been in a spot over arrangements for the long delayed Afro-Asian Games, which open here on November 3. She is reported to have been waging a running battle, especially over funds, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). With infrastructure revamp projects at the major stadiums in the capital running on overdrive to meet the September 30 deadline, the sporting fraternity has raised fears that quality might be compromised. Bharati said if things went wrong, the buck would stop with her. "As chairman of the organising committee, I am responsible for everything that goes wrong," she said when asked who should be held responsible. "Internally, I will take action against those found guilty but overall I am accountable for all the lapses," she said. About the government's decision not to allow the cricket team to participate in a Test tournament in Pakistan, Bharati said: "Our stand is very clear. We have no objection to India playing Pakistan or vice-versa. It was only the question of venue (Lahore)." India drew flak for dropping out of the Asian Test Championship at the eleventh hour. Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are taking part in the tournament. "These are decisions not taken by the sports ministry," Bharati, however, said. "Neither do we recommend nor oppose any cricketing links with Pakistan as reported by several newspapers. It's purely an external affairs ministry decision."
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Buffer zone to safeguard Charminar
Hyderabad: The State is making all efforts to revive the glory of Charminar. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has ordered creation of a huge buffer zone around the 412-year-old monument to save it permanently from the effects of vehicular and other pollution. Following the order, the Town Planning Wing of the MCH is working feverishly on the plan. The Archeological Survey of India, it is learnt, is also preparing a similar plan. The two plans will be submitted to Naidu for approval soon. According to Officer on Special Duty, Charminar Pedestrianisation Project, Syed Omer Jaleel the plan envisages a new road from Charkamaan that will cut into the existing shops and pass through the park to create more open space in the eastern side of the monument. A floor would be added to the shops built near the compound wall of Charminar Dawakhana to accommodate shops that have come up in front of the hospital. On the western side some shops and the Charminar Police Station and the ACP’s office will be acquired for widening the existing space. The police station and the ACP office will be shifted to a site behind the existing park, close to the road leading to Aali Jah Kotla. The buffer zone will feature beautiful landscaping with lots of greenery so as to make the area around Charminar more attractive and create sufficient space between the traffic and the monument. Jaleel said that the Chief Minister was keen that the plan should be implemented at the earliest. Besides making the buffer zone, he said the road from Charminar to Aali Jah Kotla will be widened to 60 feet and connected with the inner-ring road coming from Mir Alam Mandi. The Archeological Survey of India had erected a grill around Charminar that gave only about four feet space to the monument. With the conservation work being taken up recently the grills were moved by about 15 feet.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Six Kolkata blast accused get life imprisonment
Kolkata A court Friday handed out rigorous life imprisonment to six persons in connection with a blast in a building here that killed 69 people in 1993, conforming to the August 31 deadline set by the Supreme Court. P.K. Deb, a judge of the Civil and Sessions Court here, ordered the sentence against main accused Rashid Khan and his five associates - Abdul Ajij C.K., Mohammed Mustafa, Pannalal Jaiswal, Mohammed Khalil and Mohammed Gulzar - in a packed courtroom. The judge had convicted the six Thursday on charges of criminal conspiracy, possession of explosives and subversive activities. On the midnight of March 16, 1993, 69 people had died and 40 were injured as a blast ripped through a three-storied building in downtown Bowbazar neighbourhood. The following morning, Rashid Khan, an alleged mobboss with varied business interest in the city, was arrested on charges of storing the deadly explosive RDX in the building for use in fomenting communal tension in the city. Months before the Bowbazar blast, the city had been rocked by communal flare-ups following the demolition of the 16th century Babri mosque on December 6, 1992 by right-wing Hindus in Ayodhya town in Uttar Pradesh. Two other accused - Pervez Khan and Imtiaz Khan - in the Bowbazar blast are still at large. The serial explosions in Mumbai had preceded the Bowbazar blast by four days. The blast had razed the three-storied building to the ground, badly damaged three neighbouring edifices and uprooted tramlines on the B.B. Ganguly Street. Defence lawyer Abu Bakkar Dhali told reporters after the judgement that he would move the Supreme Court. Police had submitted a list of charges against the six on June 17, 1993. In July this year, the Supreme Court had asked judge Deb to deliver his sentence by August 31. There was heavy security arrangement inside the court premises.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Four Hindus executed in Rajouri
Jammu, Militants abducted and executed four Hindus in the border district of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir late Friday, official sources said. It was a grim reminder of the violent campaign the militants have been carrying on in the Jammu region of the state for the past few weeks. The militants had abducted six persons from three villages - Pachnara, Kinara and Chowkin - in the Nowshera area of Rajouri district, about 120 kms north-west of Jammu. Four of the villagers were executed by the militants after were challenged by the security forces, who engaged them in a gunfight, the sources said. Two of the abducted villagers managed to escape in the melee, the sources said. One soldier lost his life in the operation, in which five militants were killed, an army spokesman said. The killings have sparked tension in the area, coming as they do on the heels of the beheading of two Hindu priests in the Surankote area of adjoining Poonch district two days ago. The authorities had to impose curfew in Poonch and Surankote to contain angry demonstrations in the area.
Saturday, September 1, 2001
Possible cabinet expansion on Saturday - government source
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - A senior government official said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee was likely to expand his coalition cabinet on Saturday. "There are strong indications of a cabinet expansion," the official who did not wish to be named told Reuters on Friday. He said he had no details about the possible changes to the cabinet. There has been media widespread speculation that Vajpayee would expand his cabinet following the parliamentary session which ended on Friday. Newspapers have said the changes would be aimed at boosting the performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition government which marks its second year in office in October.
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