Arrest warrant against cricketer-turned-BJP MP Kirti Azad
A Darbhanga court has issued a warrant against cricketer-turned-Bharatiya Janata Party Member of Parliament Kirti Azad for ransacking a local electricity board office. First Class Judicial Magistrate Jitendra Mishra issued the warrant against Azad, who represents Darbhanga [in Bihar] in the Lok Sabha and resides in Delhi. Azad has been charged with forcibly entering the office of the general manager of the Mithilanchal Electricity Board on May 23, 2001 and ransacking it. He was also accused of misbehaving with an engineer of the electricity department. The court also issued an arrest warrant against Darbhanga BJP president Sanjay Sarawagi and five other BJP leaders for ignoring court summons.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Danush ready for induction
New Delhi Sept. 29. After the success of the surface-to-surface missile Prithvi, and Agni, Indian scientists have achieved another major breakthrough by successful completion of trials of the country's first-ever sea-to-surface missile, Danush, paving the way for its induction into the Navy. ``The Naval version of the Prithvi missile, christened Danush, is ready for induction after successful trials at sea,'' said V. K. Atre, Scientific Adviser to the Defence Minister, hinting that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was also close to achieving success with the country's first-ever anti-tank missile, Nag.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Third round to determine J&K poll outcome
The outcome of the third round of polling in the 16 Assembly constituencies in South Kashmir districts of Anantnag and Pulwama, for which the campaigning ended today, is most likely to have a decisive influence in determining the end result of the elections. The campaigning in these segments has been as hectic as it has been bloody. Several far flung areas like, Noorabad, Shopian, Pahalgam and Tral are known to have a strong militant presence. That explains the unusually high level of pre-poll violence in South Kashmir. It would, however, have to be seen as to what extent and in which particular segments this spectre of violence is going to affect the voters turnout. For sure, poll boycott is likely to be fairly pronounced in some of the constituencies. The political battle has been at its hottest in this area, as the stakes are very high for both, the ruling National Conference (NC) and its principal challenger, PDP. The former has its credibility to defend while the latter has its future on the line. It has been a no-holds-barred campaign on both sides. That the NC leadership apparently threw in all it could to bolster its campaign in the last stages of electioneering underlines the significance of the polling due to be held on October 1. It is a do-or die situation for the NC which is assessed to have fared rather poorly in the first two rounds of polling. The PDP, on the other hand, seems to be on the prowl and is poised to go for the kill. That an undercurrent is in its favour is evident on the ground. The PDP’s prospects would eventually be determined by the level of voter turnout. Larger the turnout, greater would be its chances of humbling the ruling party. South Kashmir has emerged as PDP’s strong hold, at the expense of the NC. Significantly, the PDP has made inroads into those pockets also which till recently used to be the strongholds of Jammat-e-Islami and other separatist groups. Although the Congress is also in the fray there are hardly any signs of its ability to capture a seat or two out of the 16 being contested. CPI-M candidate MY Tarigami a sitting MLA is contesting from Kulgam constituency which he had won in the 1996 poll with NC’s support. Two interesting contests are likely to take place in Pahalgam and Anantnag constituencies. PDP’s star campaigner Mehbooba Mufti is pitted against NC’s Rafi Ahmed Mir in Pahalgam while Dr Mehboob Beg is facing a surrendered militant Liaquat Ali in Anantnag. The rivals are staking their prestige in these segments. adds: The army shot dead five intruders sneaking into India from Pakistan to foil the democratic process. While three militants were killed in Baramulla in a gun- battle, two were shot dead in Kupwara. A large cache of weapons and explosives were recovered from them indicating the ultras had planned major strikes to disrupt polls, a defence spokesman said in Srinagar. Candidates made last ditch efforts to woo voters in Kathua and Udhampur districts in Jammu while Anantnag and Pulwama districts in the valley which witnessed large scale violence in the run up to the polls saw a low key capmpaign on the last day. Just two days ahead of the polls, Anantnag town wore a deserted look bereft of the usual poll fever with posters and banners bearing mute testimony to the upcoming election. National conference President Omar Abdullah and state Congress chief Ghulam Nabi Azad were making last ditch efforts to appeal to the 16.69 strong electorate, while most other candidates undertook door-to-door canvassing in majority of places under tight security cover. The focus of third phase of election would be on militant violence as Anantnag and Pulwama are considered strongholds of Lashker-e-taiba, Jaish-e-mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits and have served as transit points for militants crossing from Kashmir into Jammu region and back. Repoll in 9 polling booths ordered in J&K SRINAGAR, Sept 29 (UNI) Authorities have finalised all necessary arrangements for repoll in nine polling booths in Jammu, Poonch and Badgam districts in Jammu and Kashmir where polling was held on September 24 in the third phase. Official sources told UNI that Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and other necessary poll material have already been despatched to these polling stations. They said adequate number of security forces would be deployed in and around the polling booths to provide secure atmosphere to voters, contesting candidates and poll officials. The repoll was ordered following allegations of rigging and booth capturing. The repoll in two booths ''A and B'' in Badgam assembly constituency in Central Kashmir was ordered following allegations of booth capturing. In Gandhi Nagar constituency, repolling has been ordered in one polling booth 108-A after complaints of rigging. In Surankote, repoll in three polling booths --32-Taranwali,32-A Taranwali and 32-B Taranwali -- was necessitated as poll officials could not reach their booths becauase of militant violence. The repoll in three booths in Mendhar assembly segment -- 13-Maidan, 27-Kalaban(C) and 66 Gursai-G has been ordered following allegations of malpractices and booth capturing. Polling in these booths will be held from 7 am to 4 pm on October 1.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Top UK company to transfer 1,000 jobs to India
British insurance giant Prudential plans to cut almost 1,000 jobs and transfer them to India during the next two years as a cost-saving measure, the British union Amicus said late Sunday. It said the plans, which the company is to announce on Tuesday, envisage the loss of 950 jobs at a call centre in Reading, in southern England, which will then be transfered to Mumbai. Amicus said staff at the Reading call centre, which employs around 3,500 people, have already been informed of the plan. Prudential refused to confirm or deny the Amicus statement. Amicus said that since 2001 and including this latest plan, Prudential will have shed more than 5,000 jobs in Britain, taking the total workforce to about 4,000 by 2004, a cut of over 55 percent in a three year period. Prudential's decision to take the jobs to India is based on an 80 percent reduction in salaries from those paid in Britain. "The industry will be watching the transfer with interest and with over 185,000 financial services call centre jobs in the UK any significant move to transfer these jobs overseas will have a drastic impact on the UK's economy," Amicus said in its statement.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Don't compare me with Urmila, says -Antara
Actress on the Road ahead of her in Bollywood. Your career in Hindi films has developed rather gradually from bits-and-pieces roles to a leading lady. Did you, at any point of time, think of going in for a conventional launch as most heroines do? No, not at all. I strongly believe that one can’t plan one’s career. One should grasp an understanding of the direction in which things are moving and then leave it at that. I never nursed the ambition of being launched like a conventional heroine instead, I picked up films which I liked and here I am. The way you have been presented in Road is being compared with how Urmila was presented in Rangeela. Is there a similarity? It would be grossly unfair to make the comparison. What is even more surprising is that people have been talking about this for a long time even before anybody had seen Road. I guess people just need to talk about something. I leave it to people to see Road and then appreciate what I am talking about. A supporting role in Anjali, a Telugu film, Company, Road most of your films have been with Ram Gopal Varma. What is so special about his style of working? One thing which Ramu does is accord a lot of space to his actors. He is like a counsellor who offers advice and guidance but once one is in front of the camera, he leaves you to fight your own battle. You have recently signed up for Main Madhuri Dixit Bannaa Chahti Hoon. I am really excited about this new project. And the best part is that Rajpal Yadav plays the lead opposite me in the film. Chandan Arora, who edits Ram Gopal Varma’s films, makes his directorial debut with this movie. Beyond acting, what else do you enjoy? I enjoy travelling. A major part of Road has been shot outdoors in Rajasthan. I had a great time there. While I have travelled extensively in south India, I have been in Delhi twice. On both occasions, it was to promote Road. One thing I hate is going to a beach they all look the same to me!
Monday, September 30, 2002
Don't compare me with Urmila, says -Antara
Actress on the Road ahead of her in Bollywood. Your career in Hindi films has developed rather gradually from bits-and-pieces roles to a leading lady. Did you, at any point of time, think of going in for a conventional launch as most heroines do? No, not at all. I strongly believe that one can’t plan one’s career. One should grasp an understanding of the direction in which things are moving and then leave it at that. I never nursed the ambition of being launched like a conventional heroine instead, I picked up films which I liked and here I am. The way you have been presented in Road is being compared with how Urmila was presented in Rangeela. Is there a similarity? It would be grossly unfair to make the comparison. What is even more surprising is that people have been talking about this for a long time even before anybody had seen Road. I guess people just need to talk about something. I leave it to people to see Road and then appreciate what I am talking about. A supporting role in Anjali, a Telugu film, Company, Road most of your films have been with Ram Gopal Varma. What is so special about his style of working? One thing which Ramu does is accord a lot of space to his actors. He is like a counsellor who offers advice and guidance but once one is in front of the camera, he leaves you to fight your own battle. You have recently signed up for Main Madhuri Dixit Bannaa Chahti Hoon. I am really excited about this new project. And the best part is that Rajpal Yadav plays the lead opposite me in the film. Chandan Arora, who edits Ram Gopal Varma’s films, makes his directorial debut with this movie. Beyond acting, what else do you enjoy? I enjoy travelling. A major part of Road has been shot outdoors in Rajasthan. I had a great time there. While I have travelled extensively in south India, I have been in Delhi twice. On both occasions, it was to promote Road. One thing I hate is going to a beach they all look the same to me!
Monday, September 30, 2002
You can get married to a person for a 100 reasons but you fall in love for only one reason -Salman Khan
Salman Khan is making headlines again. Last weekend, the film industry was buzzing with news of a showdown between Salman and Shah Rukh on the sets of the latter’s just launched film being directed by Aziz Mirza. At Film City, on the sets of Sunil Manchanda’s Tere Naam, Salman broke his silence. Excerpts from the conversation: The writer-director of the Hollywood-Bollywood film Marigold, Willard Carroll has said that he zeroed in on you not just because you have a great screen-presence but also because you speak English with a particular western accent. (Looking amused) He liked my accent? He did. And what did you like about his film? The first clause in my contract was that Asians in the film would be treated with a lot of respect. Willard loves India and he has watched a lot of Hindi movies. I think that he will be able to portray India and Asian culture the way it should be portrayed. Earlier too, I’d got a lot of offers from Hollywood but I wasn’t tempted because most of these films make us look like idiots. Marigold is a romantic musical comedy. Reportedly, you have been collaborating on the script for nine months and many of your suggestions have been incorporated. Yeah, I have been pretty much involved with the project. I’ve always wanted to make a musical. We don’t make very many musicals. Talking of music, Tere Naam, we’re told, also has a to-rave-about score by Himesh Reshammiya. It’s the most amazing track of the year and in the years to come. After a long time you have songs with lyrical value. The film itself is really amazing. It has all the different shadesaction, music, romance and comedy. And an emotional climax that’ll have people walking out of the theatres really moved. Tere Naam has been made earlier in Tamil and Kannada as Sethu and in Telugu too.Have you seen any of these South Indian versions. No, I haven’t. There are a 100 ways to interpret a character and I want to interpret this character my way. In real life love doesn’t exist. The word is need. If you need someone and the need is reciprocated it’s called love. But if you are madly in love with someone and the other person is not mad about you, you can kill yourself, and it still won’t matter to the other person because there is no need -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So you accepted the film because the character appealed to you? (Smiling) I accepted Tere Naam because I had no work. No, seriously, when the plot was narrated to me I quite liked it. Sunil Manchanda, the producer, is a friend and it’s been good fun working with him. And what is it like being directed by Satish Kaushik? (Chuckling) Satish Kaushik, apna Pappu Pager? He’s very sweet! I love working with him. The film’s not a musical though, is it? No, it’s a very beautiful love story. But I wouldn’t want something like this to happen to anyone. The last 15 minutes are really heart-wrenching. You’ll see another side to this boy who’s become almost an untouchable. It made me very sad! Why? Why? Well, because this guy, Radhey feels straight from the heart. He wants to do the right thing but is misunderstood by everyone, including the girl he loves. And ends up destroying his family and losing his friends. Eventually, though everyone realises his worth. Even the girl falls in love with him. But may be, by then it’s too late. Love conquers hate, breaks down all opposition despite being misunderstood. You’re misunderstood too. (Sarcastically) No, people understand me just fine, especially the press. Does the Tere Naam I-could-die-for-you kind of love exist in real life? In real life love doesn’t exist. The word is need. If you need someone and the need is reciprocated it’s called love. But if you are madly in love with someone and the other person is not mad about you, it can make you madder but that too won’t make her love you. You can jump off the cliff, kill yourself, and it still won’t matter to the other person because there is no need. Even the love a mother feels for her child is rooted in need. The need to protect someone born of your blood! But sometimes this need can become obsessive and self-destructive as it happened with Devdas. I don’t think there was any conflict in Devdas. Devdas was a total loser. Even the person who’d written the novel (Sarat Chandra Chattopadhay) admitted that he had destroyed a whole generation with his story. Devdas’s love was not love in the true sense. Love means having the power to break down all opposition and winning over the girl, as Radhey does in Tere Naam. I’ve not seen Devdas but those who have have told me it was beautifully shot, that everyone wore amazing clothes but it didn’t make them cry. It didn’t bring tears which means no one cared what happened to Devdas, Paro and Chandramukhi. Love should touch you... Which film, according to you, is a real love story? In the romantic genre a film that made me cry was...(Thinks long and hard only to have his thoughts interrupted by Sunil Manchanda who quips, Tere Naam!) Yeah, Tere Naam. That’s a love story that will touch you. The film is in the genre of Ek Dujje Ke Liye, Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. Many people thought that Sameer, the character you played in Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, should have got the girl, not her husband. I had a problem initially with Sanjay (director Sanjay Bhansali) over this. He had told me that he wanted the film to end on a high. I asked him if he wanted a happy high or a depressive high. He wanted the latter. I pointed out to him that if he wanted a traditional film he should forget about love. But if he was making a love story then he had to break with tradition because love is above all that. You can get married to a person for a 100 reasons but you fall in love for only one reason. When two people who don’t even know each other, are complete strangers like Sameer and Nandini, fall in love it just happens. It’s karma! Had I made the film I’d have ended it differently. I was never the first choice for Devdas but I was the last to know that I was not doing the film. Sanjay says he took Ash because she was going through her own personal problems and looked the character. I have no problems, so he didn’t take me -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- There were talks that you were Sanjay Bhansali’s first choice for Devdas. I was never the first choice for Devdas but I was certainly the last person to know that I was not doing the film. I made two films with Sanjay Khamoshi and Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam. May be by the time he started work on Devdas he had outgrown me and wanted someone better. He says he took Ash because she was going through her own personal problems and looked the character. He must have taken Shah Rukh and Madhuri for the same reasons. I have no problems, so he didn’t take me. Your last two films Yeh Hai Jalwa and Tumko Naa Bhool Paayenge didn’t do very well. Where did they go wrong? Jalwa was an above average film. All the distributors made money. It was only the producer who suffered because he had a problem selling the film. The market is down and he had to compromise on the price. Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge was an amazing film but it didn’t do well. Today you don’t know what’s going to work. The stupidest films are doing good business and sensitive films have no takers. I’ve been in this business for 14-15 years and I still don’t know how it works even though I come from a writer’s family and have a certain amount of script sense. Fortunately, I have a pretty good track record. I’ve made about 80-85 films and only 9-10 have not done well. The story of Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge was penned by you. Was the script to blame for the film’s non-success? Yes, Tumko Na Bhool Paayenge was written by me, and I have to admit that may be it was slightly ahead of its time. It was good cinema...well shot. It was well conceived but perhaps it was not projected right. People didn’t understand the meaning and rejected the film. I think we slipped because the character was shown first as a Hindu and then as a Muslim... You obviously feel very strongly about the communal issue. Why has it become such a burning problem? Greed, that’s the reason. And illiteracy. Nowhere do Hindus and Muslims have problems living together. It is the politicians who bring up the communal issue with the people. Obviously religion has never been a problem with your family. No, it hasn’t. My father (Salim Khan) is a Muslim, a Pathan. My mother (Salma) is a Hindu, a Maratha and a Rajput. They got married 40 years ago and even then religion was not a problem. My grandparents were only opposed to the match because he was in films and they were worried about whether my father could take care of their daughter. He did. They had me, my brothers and my sister. Religion was never a question at home. My mother still visits temples...she also prays the namaaz. My father has had a mandir built in the house. My other mother (Helen) is a Catholic. No, religion was never a problem with our family. What did you think of Sohail’s film that also tried to bridge religious differences? I thought Maine Dil Tujhko Diya was a good film. Sohail was handling the responsibilities of a writer, producer and director and acting in the film too. And I think he did a great job. The film’s done well. Sohail’s been accepted as a hero which was what we wanted all along. Apparently, you refused the part because you thought you were too old for the part? Yeah, I thought I was five years too old. Sohail on the contrary, looked the character. And we all wanted him to play Ajay because even when he was narrating the story we could see how much he was into the character. After so many years in showbiz what is the secret of your eternal youth? (Smiling) I’m God’s favourite child. He’s my co-pilot! No one’s offering me films anymore. They say they’re scared of me. I have to correct myself. It’s high time I did that. Everyone gets angry but where I’m concerned, things get blown out of all proportion. Stories are fabricated because no one bothers to crosscheck facts -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Have you ever thought of directing a film? When the theatres are totally empty, when my film releases to 10-20 per cent collections and I know my career as an actor is over, that’s when I’ll get into direction (Smiles). You still have a long way to go as an actor but Tere Naam is one of the few films you’re doing. Why have you cut down so drastically on your work? (Sarcastically) No one’s offering me films anymore. They say they’re scared of me. I have to correct myself. It’s high time I did that. Today’s afternoon paper in Mumbai carried a report of how you threw a temper tantrum on the sets of Shah Rukh Khan’s film in Malshet. What’s your version? I don’t need to explain anything! It’s my personal life. Even if I were to say I’m the best person on planet Earth and I don’t do things like these, would it change people’s perception of me? It might. Hey, if you want to know the kind of guy I am, talk to my family, my friends and the people who work with me. Everyone gets angry but where I’m concerned, things get blown out of all proportion. Stories are fabricated because no one bothers to crosscheck facts. People are scared of you. Not scared, petrified! (Sneers) If people were scared of me they wouldn’t write such things. On this very set there are at least a 100 people who are stronger than me. My producer, Sunil Manchanda who’s sitting right next to me, could grab my neck and squeeze and that would be the end of Salman Khan. So why should people worry about me and my explosive temper? You’re saying there’s no truth in these rumours? No, I’m not saying there’s no smoke without fire. I don’t know why it happens but there have been times when I behave erratically. But the only one I hurt at such times is myself. I bang my head...bash up my car... That’s being masochistic? When I’m hurt the anger builds up inside me and to let it out I end up hurting myself. I punch the wall...bang my head against it... What about the rumours of you hitting Aishwarya? I’ve never raised a hand on her. Not ever! And you didn’t strip and make a public exhibition of yourself? What is stripping? Even in my films I’m bare bodied. Only minutes ago, I was roaming around without my shirt and no one objected. No one accused me of being an exhibitionist. That’s the way I am and if removing my shirt in public is against the law, then let someone come and arrest me for indecent behaviour. So what really happened in Pune? (Glowers) I went to this stupid dhaba which was 40 miles from God knows where. It’s a wonder how anybody could find the place...But why am I bothering with explanations? You guys are not going to believe me no matter what I say. So I won’t say anything! You can write what you want. It’s only a story for you. The people who’re important to me know who I am and how I am. So there’s no point in justifying my behaviour. Everybody has fights. The biggest stars fight. Things get blown up. But no one is hurt professionally. I’m being targeted because I don’t bend. I don’t break. I don’t cater to anyone’s needs. And there’s nothing anyone hates more than not to be needed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You owe an explanation to your fans? My fans love me no matter what’s written about me. You can ask any guy or girl who’s growing up if that’s true. Check out the gyms. They’re all full because I’ve inspired youngsters to take care of themselves. And your family, how do they react to such stories about you? They react very badly...they’re upset and hurt. And I’m to blame for that! I’m being targeted because I don’t bend. I don’t break. I don’t suck up to people. Whether it’s a successful producer or a journalist I don’t entertain anyone. I don’t cater to their needs. And there’s nothing anyone hates more than not to be needed. The care-a-damn attitude has earned you the reputation of a brat. People call it arrogance but I call it self-respect. I’m not openly disrespectful to anyone If someone older comes into the room I immediately stand up. I’ve been taught to be respectful. But what happens if the other person is not deserving of my respect? If he provokes me unnecessarily? I may take it 10...12..100 times. And then I’ll tell him to back off. That’s the rudest thing I’ve said. You’ve admitted just a while ago that you want to change, grow into a better person? (Thoughtfully) May be I should change. I will change if my family is at stake. Actually you’re changing everyday. Growing older...growing up. And the process never stops... The stories persist however. There’s a girl involved now. Her parents are involved. Her reputation is involved. That’s why I’ve chosen to remain silent. I’ve not spoken before and I won’t speak now... Even if your behaviour affects her career adversely? Everybody has fights. The biggest stars fight. Things get blown up. But no one is hurt professionally. Nothing is going to affect her career. It didn’t affect mine, did it?
Monday, September 30, 2002
Indo-US joint army exercises begin at Alaska
As part of the growing Indo-US defence co-operation, the armies of the two countries began joint exercises in Alaska Sunday. In the two-week long exercises, named "Geronimo Thrust", Indian Parachute Brigade personnel and IL-76 aircraft of the Indian Air Force(IAF) are taking part with troops from the Para Infantry Regiment of the US Army Alaska, C-130 aircraft and Chinook helicopters of the US Pacific Air Force. An Army spokesman said the exercises were aimed to test airborne infantry with a view to attain synergy for achieving interoperability. Troops from the two countries had conducted joint training exercises at Agra in May this year, named "Balance Iroquois". The Indo-US defence co-operation has been increasing ever since the two countries joined the global coalition against terrorism late last year. UNI
Monday, September 30, 2002
Salman case - injured still in hospital
Of the five injured by Salman Khan’s car, two were discharged from Bhabha Hospital on Saturday morning after treating abrasions on their legs. Two are still admitted in the male orthopaedic ward with serious leg injuries while the fifth man was declared dead before admission. The injured were identified as Abdul Rouf Shaikh (22), Muslin Shaikh (17) who is admitted and will be operated soon, Kalim Pathan (25) and Manu Khan (29, discharged). The deceased was identified as Noora Behra (38). Abdul Rouf Shaikh cleans utensils at A1-Bakery. Speaking from his hospital bed, he said, I went to sleep on the pavement outside the laundry at 12.30 am. I woke up when bricks started falling on me after a loud thud. I could not move my leg and my body was in pain. I opened my eyes next in the hospital, I don’t know what happened, because it happened when I was asleep. Mohammed Abdul Shaikh, his relative, said Rouf hailed from Uttar Pradesh (UP) and was the sole breadwinner for a family of five. Abdul had arrived two days ago from UP for a job at the bakery that Rouf had promised him. Bandal Shaikh, a worker at the bakery, said that people have slept outside the laundry for 11 years now with no untoward incident. He said, We heard it was Salman Khan who was driving, but it makes no difference. The damage is already done. Speaking on behalf of the 25 employees of the bakery, he said, We don’t know what the future line of action will be. Our employer will decide what is to be done. Doctors attached to the hospital said on condition of anonymity that Salman was brought to the casualty ward at 12.20 pm by the police for 10 minutes. The police memo insisted only on a medical checkup. A blood test sampling was not stated. He seemed fit and his blood pressure was normal. There were abrasions on his left wrist which Salman apparently said was due to the accident. Salman reportedly refused to take a tetanus injection. This was confirmed by Medical Superintendent Dr Seema Malik. A little later, the doctors at the hospital heard that Salman would be brought again, this time for his blood sample. Though Bhabha Hospital does not have a blood testing facility, a doctor on condition of anonymity said they normally took the blood, sealed it in a bottle and asked the police to take it to Sir JJ Hospital for testing. Salman was however taken to JJ Hospital instead of Bhabha. A doctor attached to Rajawadi Hospital said that a blood sample for alcohol content testing, should be taken within six hours as it gets easily absorbed and metabolised in the liver, irrespective of the quantity of alcohol consumed. After six hours, it would be difficult to say if the person was under the influence of alcohol. Hospital morgue sources revealed that Behra’s body was so badly smashed, his left hand was separated from his torso and his intestines had spilled out. His body will be sent to Cooper Hospital for a postmortem after his relatives arrive from UP. Family of dead would opt for compensation We do not have the resources to fight long court battles. We would prefer to go in for compensation, said Rahim Sharif, brother of Nurullah who was killed after being run over by actor Salman Khan’s vehicle in Bandra last morning. Sharif said his 45-year-old brother had been working at the A1 Bakery for nearly 17 years and was divorced from his wife. He was staying with his mother and younger brothers. The brothers were dependent on his earnings, he said. Though the family used to stay at Bharat Nagar, Bandra (E), Nurullah himself was in the habit of sleeping outside the shop with other workers. The place where the accident took place is removed from the main road, and only an out-of-control vehicle can crash there, he said. My brother’s face and body was smashed and was beyond recognition, Rahim said. Rahim initially hoped his brother would have survived the accident and searched for him among the injured persons. Only when he saw the lungi and shirt of the dead man did he realise it was his own brother who had died, he said. Sharif said the families affected by the accident are all poor and do not have resources to fight court battles. It is only logical that the film star will be favoured by police and other agencies. Who will fight for us? This is the reason we want a settlement with compensation, he said. The mother and brothers will get some support with the money, and it would help them survive, he said. The mother was informed of the accident only late evening. She is in a state of shock, he said. Nurullah’s body has been kept at the Cooper Post Mortem Centre. The family is waiting for some relatives to arrive from out of town before the burial takes place.
Monday, September 30, 2002
New toy teeth for fighter fleet
Pune, Sept. 27: On the tarmac at the Indian Air Force base here, the mid-day sun glinting off their silver-grey bodies and open glass canopies, there is little to distinguish the new mean machines from similar fighters in the fleet. Inside the hangar, the story comes alive: each wing of the plane sports four red-nosed air-to-air missiles for mid-air dogfights; the payload includes 12 bombs of 100 and 250 kg for air-to-ground attack; on the port side, just outside the cockpit, the hose for a mid-air refuel that can make sorties longer and under the canopy, for each of the two pilots, digitised control mechanisms operating at the push of buttons that makes the fully-armed, fully-loaded Sukhoi 30 MKI the air force's new toy. It flies long distance, stalls in mid-air, bombs from beyond visual distance, recces, somersaults, twists, turns, fires while climbing, bombs while diving, engages from impossible angles and, its makers claim, there is no limit to its manoeuvrability. "There is nothing quite like it anywhere in the world; not even in Russia which has manufactured it," claims IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal S. Krishnaswamy. The Sukhoi 30 MKI is a multi-role combat aircraft, capable of use for both defensive and offensive actions, filling a void in the air force's inventory. "It is capable of changing the rules of engagement." Simply put, this means, in a Kargil-type situation, the Sukhoi 30 MKI can be used by the air force to bomb targets without going dangerously close to the Line of Control and risking a breach of airspace. It means also that the aircraft can be hidden away in bases at great distances from the front. Minutes later, wing commander N.S. Jamwal, commanding the 20 squadron charged with the new responsibility, takes off in one. The roar follows the plane. As it takes off, its nose is pointing skywards already, close to 90 degrees. It takes just 150 metres, approximately 20 cricket pitches from end to end, for the take-off. The first batch of 10 aircraft was formally inducted into the IAF today. By June next year, another 20 will join in. And for 10 years from 2004, a total of 140 are to be produced by Hindustan Aeronautics under license from Russia's Sukhoi Design Bureau. When the deal was first initiated in 1997, it was estimated to total Rs 6,300 crore; with the upgradation from the Sukhoi 30k to the MKI version, it said to have crossed Rs 7,400 crore. Specific figures for the total deal are not yet available but could be in the region of Rs 20,000 crore. "We hope that the induction of this aircraft will be a warning to those who look upon India with an evil eye," said defence minister George Fernandes. At the airbase here, the first test flight on the Sukhoi 30 MKI was carried out on August 14, as the base commander said, "to send a warning to our primary adversary on its Independence day". Though the aircraft is of Russian-make, it incorporates in its sophisticated instruments, avionics from India, Israel and France. It is a considerable upgrade on the earlier variant, the Sukhoi 30K. "We haven't flown anything like it. Its just wonderful," says Jamwal, just landing from a demo. His squadron, also called the "Lightnings", will be the first to go operational with the MKI. Krishnaswamy claimed the Su 30 MKI compared favourably with the Su 30 MKK, a version made by Sukhoi for the Chinese. It is the state-of-the-art model of the Su 27 Flanker that used to be produced in the USSR and is advertised as being able to match the American F 22.
Monday, September 30, 2002
India says is curbing 'cross-border terrorism'
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR (Reuters) - India said on Sunday that state elections in Kashmir -- now at the midway stage -- had been successful and showed it had made big strides in curbing "cross-border terrorism" from neighbouring Pakistan. "Pakistani-sponsored terrorist groups tried everything to dissuade the people of Kashmir from participating...it is a victory of democracy," Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani said ahead of the third round of voting set for Tuesday. "I have no doubt the remaining two rounds will also be successful," he told a police conference, saying turnout in the first two phases of the vote represented "a significant victory in our fight against cross-border terrorism". He made the statements as nuclear-armed India and Pakistan remained locked in a military standoff over New Delhi's charges that Islamabad sponsors militant attacks against India. Pakistan and Kashmiri separatist groups boycotting the vote dismiss the polls, clouded by violence, as a farce. They say a U.N.-mandated plebiscite should be held in Kashmir to decide whether the territory should be folded into India or Pakistan. Indian officials said the first two voting rounds in Jammu and Kashmir recorded turnout of more than 40 percent, despite threats by Muslim separatist militants to kill candidates and voters in the four-stage election which winds up on October 8. More than 570 people, including a state minister, have been killed in rebel-related violence since the vote was announced on August 2. Campaigning for the third round ended on Sunday. Separatist groups in Kashmir, officially secular but mainly Hindu India's only Muslim-majority state, have accused officials of inflating the turnout in the vote that New Delhi hopes will bolster its rule in the disputed Himalayan region. Election officials have denied the allegations. The issue of cross-border militancy has become critical during the elections and after a raid last weekend on a Hindu temple in western Gujarat state in which Muslim gunmen barely out of their teens shot dead 28 people and wounded more than 70. Advani, who has linked the massacre to what he said was militant unhappiness over the elections in Kashmir, blamed Pakistan for the raid again on Sunday. He said police leads pointed "to the act being not merely an act of terrorism but of cross-border terrorism" aimed at stirring communal violence in Gujarat, convulsed by religious riots earlier in the year. Pakistan has condemned the attack in the state capital Gandhinagar that ended when commandos shot dead the assailants, and denied it had anything to do with it. KEPT PEACE Advani praised Indians for maintaining religious peace after the raid on the imposing sandstone temple. "Our people...have responded well to this sinister conspiracy," he said. In February and March in Gujarat, at least 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, died in reprisal killings after a Muslim mob torched a train, killing 59 Hindus. Late on Sunday in Gandhinagar, at least 20,000 people crowded the Akshardham temple complex, its walls pockmarked by bullets from the all-night siege, to mourn the massacre victims. Shastrinarayan Swaroop Das, head of the Swaminarayan sect, which has a tradition of social work, appealed for "calm and peace". He said "there is conflict among religions only because we have failed to understand our own religions." To provide greater security during the polls, thousands of soldiers and paramilitary troops have been deployed across Kashmir and the vote has been staggered over several weeks. India sees the vote as a test of Pakistan's pledge earlier this year to halt incursions by Muslim militants it blames for attacks that brought the neighbours to the brink of war in June. Islamabad, which says it gives political support to the "freedom struggle" of the Kashmiri people, says infiltration, except by rogue elements, has ended. But the U.S. envoy to New Delhi said last week Washington believed incursions had risen since campaigning began on August 2. On Sunday, police said militants hurled a grenade at a bus station in Kashmir, killing a man and wounding 17 people in Tral, one of the areas with elections on Tuesday. Militants also fired another grenade in the area, injuring a security man. In other weekend violence, a politician was wounded and four people, including her father, were killed on Saturday when their vehicle ran over a landmine planted by militants. Police said guerrillas also gunned down an activist with Kashmir's ruling National Conference party late on Saturday in Ganderbal, east of the state's summer capital, Srinagar. Elsewhere in India, police said they killed five Muslim militants in a shootout on Sunday in southern Bangalore city and linked their leader to pro-Pakistan Kashmiri separatists.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Every country has right to pre-emption: Jaswant
Washington, Sept 30 Finance Minister JASWANT Singh has said every country has a right to pre-emptive strikes as an inherent part of its right to self-defence and it was not the prerogative of any one nation. "Pre-emption or prevention is inherent in deterrence. Where there is deterrence there is pre-emption. The same thing is there in Article 51 of the UN Charter which calls it 'the right of self-defence'," he told reporters here yesterday. Singh, who was here to attend the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetory Fund, met US Secretary of State Colin Powell and Director of Policy Planning Richard Haass. He said he discussed the "doctrine" of pre-emption or prevention with the American leaders and decided it was more an appropriate issue for academic discussion than for a press conference. "Every nation has that right (of pre-emption). It is not the prerogative of any one country," Singh said. "Pre-emption is the right of any nation to prevent injury to itself. Deterring an enemy from attacking you is inherent in Article 51 of the UN Charter. That is now becoming a complex academic discussion." Singh said he had discussed the evolving situation in Iraq and the Middle East with US leaders at length. The minister said he goes home convinced that the US seeks a strategic partnership with India and pointed out that this was the message US President George W Bush conveyed to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee when they met in New York.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Champions Trophy final abandoned.
Heavy rains forced the abandonment of the Champions Trophy final match here today with India placed at 14 without loss in two overs after Sri Lanka had scored 244 for five. The match will be played afresh on the reserve day tomorrow. Virender Sehwag was batting on 13 while Dinesh Mongia was on one when rains began.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Vajpayee, Blair to discuss fight against terrorism
London, Sept 30 The fight against terrorism, including cross-border terrorism, will figure prominently in the talks Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will have here with his British counterpart Tony Blair on October 12, official sources said today. This will be the fourth meeting between the two leaders during the last one year, a significant pointer to the growing relations between the two countries. Blair first met Vajpayee in New Delhi in October last year. They again met the next month when Vajpayee visited London. Blair also paid an official visit to India in January. Vajpayee will arrive here on October 11 after attending the India-European Union Summit in Copenhagen. According to the sources, there is no structured agenda for the two leaders' meeting but several issues including bilateral, regional and international issues would figure during the talks. The long-pending Hawk sale deal which is at a crucial stage may figure in the discussion, they said. India has evinced interest to purchase 66 Advanced Jet Trainers (Hawk) at an estimated cost of one billion pounds from Britain. But the negotiation was stuck on final pricing.
Monday, September 30, 2002
Thousands mourn massacre victims at Indian temple
GANDHINAGAR, India (Reuters) - At least 20,000 people crowded a Hindu temple in western India on Sunday to mourn more than two dozen victims of a massacre by Muslim gunmen. Grieving relatives were among the mourners at the prayer meeting in Gandhinagar, capital of Gujarat state, to mark the public reopening of the ornate pink sandstone temple. The walls still showed bullet marks from Tuesday's attack. "No words can describe the heinous crime committed on September 24," Vatsal Swami, a senior leader of the Swaminarayan sect, told the crowd in the sprawling 23-acre (10 hectare) complex. "It was not against one religion or any one community but against the whole humanity," he said at the ceremony attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and other politicians as well as Muslim and Christian representatives. The two young men, armed with automatic weapons and grenades, barged into the temple and sprayed devotees with bullets, killing 28 people, four of them children. The attackers were shot dead by commandos. There have been fears the attack could reignite communal tensions in Gujarat, which was swept by a wave of religious violence earlier this year. The crowd observed a two-minute silence at the prayer meeting and heard an appeal for calm from Shastrinarayan Swaroop Das, head of Swaminarayan, one of India's wealthiest sects with a tradition of social work. "There is conflict among religions only because we have failed to understand our own religions," he said. At least 1,000 people, most of them Muslims, died in Gujarat's riots in February and March after a Muslim mob torched a train, killing 59 Hindus. Letters found on the gunmen said the temple raid was carried out to avenge Muslims killed in the riots. Indian authorities say they suspect the attackers had ties to Pakistan. Pakistan has condemned the attack and denies having anything to do with it. Investigators said they believed the gunmen belonged to a previously unknown group, Tehrik-e-Kasas or Movement of Revenge, suspected to be a front for outlawed Pakistan-based militant groups Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad. The two nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours are locked in a military standoff triggered by a December attack on India's parliament, which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based militants.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Escape from Taliban'
Starring: Manisha Koirala, Nawab Khan & Vineeta Malik Director/s: Ujjal Chatterjee & Vijay Nopani Producer/s: Ashok Khemka & Vijay Nopani Music: Babul Bose Lyrics: Mehboob Since the September 11th incidents all media attention has been focused on Afghanistan. Therefore it's hardly a surprise that a film depicting life in the conflict torn country has now been made with Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala in the lead role. 'Escape from Taliban' is based on a true story of Sushmita Bhandopadhaya, the woman who married Afghani national Jaanbaaz Khan. The film stems from the account of Sushmita as recorded in her autobiographical Bengali novels 'Kabuliwalar Bangali Bau' and 'Afghan O Ami'. Blinded by love, Sushmita leaves her hometown Kolkata and follows Khan to Sarana, a small town about 18 hours away from Kabul, Afghanistan, only to find hatred and disrespect towards women in the country and was even forced to covert to Islam. The film deals with Sushmita's struggle and final escape after six years in the country from the restrictive Taliban regime. Director Ujjal Chattopadhyay, who has directed two national award winning Bengali films, believes the film will attract much controversy due to the sensitivity of the subject. An interesting element about the film is that it is the first film in English with helpings of Pashto to be made in Mumbai. 'Escape from Taliban', the story of the plight of an Indian wife in Afghanistan, is the third film in recent times based on controversial real life stories. Shekar Kapoor's 'Bandit Queen' and Jagmohan Mundra's 'Bawandar' recreated harrowing incidents from the lives of Phoolan Devi, a bandit turned MP who was killed last year and Bhanwari Devi, a social activist who was raped by villagers for trying to prevent child marriages. The fact that 'Escape from Taliban' is based on a true life story adds credibility to the film and may attract the interest of the public after watching Afghanistan and its people on TV over the past months. The film brings to light the harsh reality of terrorism in the Taliban that has only recently been brought into world view.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Roshni
Producer: Rajesh Bhatia and Hemang Desai Director: Karan Razdan Lyrics: Ibrahim Ashq Music: Anand Milind Starring: Bikram Saluja, Milind Soman, Kashmira Shah and Kiran Zaveri PREDICTED RATING: 7/10 Ripples Entertainment’s last venture, Yeh Tera Ghar Yeh Mera Ghar, certainly succeeded in keeping the audiences in their own homes. But they bounce back with Roshni, which promises to be “a love triangle with a fresh look”. In a Radio Sargam exclusive Rupa Nandha takes a sneak peek at the emotional thriller. The “Fatal Attraction” theme was last successfully executed in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya. Although the essence of Roshni hints at a similar theme, it seems the film is a little more complex. By adopting a murder mystery streak and an extra angle to the love triangle it successfully steers away from comparisons with its predecessors. The film opens up on the banks of the river Thames, London, with a distressed Rohan (Bikram Saluja) awaiting the outcome of the rescue operations that are taking place around him, for his wife, Roshni, (Kiran Zaveri). When he reveals the picture of his wife to the police, who are interrogating the unfortunate incident, we are taken back to the time when Rohan and Roshni first met. The affluent Brit, Rohan, returns to India to attend his cousin’s wedding where he falls for Roshni and marries the Indian girl in quick succession. On returning back to England as Rohan’s bride, Roshni soon learns of Rohan’s recklessness. His impulsive ways encourage him to engage in a post-marital affair with a sultry Londoner, Maya (Kashmira Shah). Roshni’s accepting of and adapting to this new woman in Rohan’s life allows room for Maya to dig her claws in more. Divorce is inevitable which puts Roshni on the streets of London. In solitude she fortunately meets an out of work Lawyer, Ajay (Milind Soman), who uses his “know how” to get Roshni her due rights. As Rohan’s memories bring us to present day we are confronted with what guarantees to be a fiery and soul-searching finale; as the tag-line suggests “Love is silent… Sometimes violent”! Extensively shot in UK and partially in India, Roshni looks set to hit the silver screens in September.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Jeena Sirf Merre Liye
Director: Talat Jani. Producer: Vashu Bhagnani. Music: Nadeem-Shravan. Lyrics: Sameer Starring: Tusshar, Kareena Kapoor PREDICTED RATING: 6/10 After starring in the surprise box office blockbuster Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, the hit pairing of Kareena Kapoor and Tusshar re-surface in Vashu Bhagnani's Jeena Sirf Merre Liye. Its hardly surprising that the Bollywood youngsters have decided to make the most of their well received onscreen chemistry, although this time around their roles are reversed! After chasing Kareena just to say Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, Tusshar decides to let his co-star do the pursuing in this movie. The film is about the relationship shared between both their characters. The duo are inseparable during childhood and slowly start falling in love. But as fate would have it, the lovers are separated. The time apart Kareena still holds a flame for her childhood sweetheart, and as the years go by her love grows and matures for the man of her dreams. When Tusshar finally returns Kareena assumes their love story will continue. Tusshar, however, has no intention of continuing the romance, and from here on the chasing begins. The music isn't comparable to Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, but it isn't a bad musical score. The title song by far stands out as a Nadeem-Shravan classic, but the album isn't up to the usual NS standard. The last "it" pairing AKA Hrithik Roshan and Amisha Patel, did very little to create a storm at the box-office with their follow up to Kaho Naa Pyaar Hai. But here's hoping Kareena and Tusshar don't allow history to repeat itself and deliver an equally plausible film as Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai. Even though the girl chasing boy story has been told many times before it will be interesting to see the final outcome when it graces the silver screens in November.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Dil Hai Tumhaara
Director: Kundan Shah Music: Nadeem Shravan Lyrics: Sameer Producer: Kumar S. Taurani, Ramesh S. Taurani Starring: Preity Zinta, Rekha, Mahima & Arjun Rampal RATING: 4/10 Tips Films' Dil Hai Tumhaara is an emotional tale of an illegitimate child. Unaware that she (Preity Zinta) is the step-daughter of her mother (Rekha), she realises, however, right in her childhood that her mother loves her sister (Mahima Chaudhry) more than her. The emotional bond between the two sisters is, nevertheless, very strong. As luck would have it, both fall in love with the same handsome boy (Arjun Rampal). The boy reciprocates the love of the illegitimate daughter, but the sister (Mahima) thinks, he is in love with her (Mahima). The mother thinks that her step-daughter is trying to wean away her daughter's love from her. She is unaware that the boy does not love her biological daughter. Seeing her daughter's chances of marriage getting jeopardised, the mother reveals all - that her husband had fathered the other girl and how, after the death of her husband and his paramour, she had raised the orphan as her own child. She accuses her of trying to ruin her daughter's life just as her mother had ruined her own life. Distraught, the illegitimate daughter decides to move out of the path of her sister whom she genuinely loves. She even pleads with the boy to forget her and marry her sister instead. Not just this, when the truth about her identity threatens to break the marriage of her sister, she even confronts the boy's family members and begs of them to not cancel the impending marriage only because of her illegitimate status. This emotionally moves the mother who realises that her husband's illegitimate daughter is actually a golden-hearted girl. Finally, the sister also gets to know the truth and unites her golden-hearted step-sister with her boyfriend while herself refusing to become the bride. The story (Rajkumar Santoshi) is very emotional but the screenplay (Rajkumar Santoshi and Kundan Shah) does not do full justice to its potential. Had the scenes showing the mother firing the step-daughter in the first half been more heart-wrenching, not just the emotional impact but also the base of the film would've been stronger. As it happens, the mother fires her step-daughter but not without reason. The sentiments would've been more touching if she had insulted Preity for absolutely no fault of hers. This is a major drawback of the film. The screenplay is also not as smooth as it should've been. Several tracks, which have been added to the mother-daughter story, look like add-ons and mar the impact of the film to an extent. For instance, the angle of the 'Refresh' apple juice and the comedy track of the hero's two CEOs have no relevance and are not even worthwhile additions. So also, the angle of the mother's political adversary, raking up the illegitimate daughter issue in the pre-climax, looks out of place, if only because there was no way for him to have known it. The ventriloquism angle has been shabbily treated - the ventriloquist's doll talks even when the former is not holding him in his hand! The first half has several light moments which are entertaining. Despite a lot of laughter before interval, the feeling the audience gets up with at interval-point is that of having seen a frivolous story. The drama picks up a bit post-interval but the real emotions start once the mother decides to bare her heart out and tell her step-daughter of her real identity. From then on, right till the climax, there are scenes which make the audience weep. In particular, the scene in which the mother pours her heart out, the scene thereafter in which the two sisters interact and the scene in which the girl pleads with her sister's to-be father-in-law to not call off the marriage are just too fantastic and would move even the stone-hearted to tears. Many of the women, of course, would cry inconsolably in these scenes, all of which go on for about 20 minutes. Again, the climax is quite tame, comparatively. Dialogue (Subrat Sinha) are very well-written - the light ones serve to create the right mood while the emotional ones definitely add to the drama. Preity Zinta shines in an author-backed role and acts with admirable ease. If she is lovable and cute in the first half, she is absolutely first-rate in the weepy scenes of the second half. Mahima Chaudhry has the lesser role but she too is brilliant. In particular, her acting in the scene when her mother takes out all her frustration on Preity and in the engagement ceremony scene when she realises there's something amiss is superb. Rekha, as their mother, lives her role and emotes beautifully. Arjun Rampal looks handsome and does fairly well. Jimmy Shergill is very average. Alok Nath is alright in the limited scope he gets. Govind Namdev leaves a mark with his acting. Anjan Srivastava is effective. Gajraj Rao is also very good. Vivek Shauq and Dilip Joshi have been wasted. Sachin Khedekar does well in a brief role. Natasha Sinha, Achyut Potdar and child artistes Raveena Taurani, Karishma Lalwani, Shreya Chawla, Raj Bhatia and Tanvi lend good support. Kundan Shah's direction is good. His handling of the emotional scenes, especially, deserves special mention. But one wishes, he'd taken care of the aforementioned weaknesses of the screenplay. He could have also paid more attention to the studio scenes; Jimmy Shergill's house on a studio set looks quite ridiculous, more so because it's a film with fairly good production and technical values. Music (Nadeem Shravan) is very melodious. 'Mohabbat dil ka sukun', the title track, 'Dil laga liya' and 'Chhaya hai jo dil pe' are the best songs. 'Kasam kha ke kaho' and 'O Saaybaa' are also tuneful. Song picturisations could've been much better. Camerawork (Jehangir Chowdhury) is of a good standard. Sham Kaushal's action is functional. On the whole, Dil Hai Tumhaara has excellent emotions and family appeal to make the audience cry and, therefore, distributors smile.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Shah Rukh to act in Karan Johar's Kal Ho Na Ho
Here's a shocker, folks. According to the grapevine, Karan Johar's next film is actually a remake of the Amitabh-Rajesh Khanna hit Anand. With the livewire Shah Rukh playing the 'full of life' character portrayed by Rajesh Khanna, who is terminally ill, while Saif will step in Amitabh's shoes. Titled Kal Ho Na Ho, the film is expected to be an emotional tear-jerker which fits perfectly in Karan's style. Incidentally, wonder if it was the success of Devdas - another tragedy - that inspired Karan to work on this sad story!
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Manoj delivers 'Bhiku Mahtre' in Road
If you haven't seen Road already, you've missed a lot. Especially Manoj Bajpai's phenomenal performance in the film. In fact, the film is touted to be the actor's come-back film by none other than his co-actor, the new kid on the block, Vivek Oberoi. Although Satya was a runaway hit, and Kaun just about brought in some extra dough, none of Manoj's other films had done well. But looks like he's all set to revive his career. Then again, like Ramgopal Varma says, when did he ever go away to make a 'comeback'?! Point well taken, Mr Varma!
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Road - a lethal adventure
In a Ram Gopal Varma film, the only predictable factor is the unpredictable. Like the barren sand-swept highway on which Road's" lovebirds Vivek Oberoi and Antara Mali take off for a runaway marriage, one never knows what lies ahead. Director Rajat Mukherjee takes viewers for a ride that one isn't likely to forget in a hurry. He sweeps one into the vortex of disturbingly implosive violence on a lonely and stark highway in Rajasthan. As the defiant lovers Laxmi (Antara Mali) and Arvind (Vivek Oberoi) zip off to the accompaniment of screaming wheels and wailing guitars, one sits up in anticipation. The what-next feeling never goes away as the lead pair's life on the road gets overtaken by a very normal-seeming stranger Babu (Manoj Bajpai) who thumbs a ride from Arvind and Laxmi and then takes them through a traumatic maze of adventures. The film uses the barren landscape to great advantage. There's no assuaging greenery, just virile rust and brown frames. First-time cinematographer Sudeep Chatterjee shoots the hinterland with stark grace. The bleak beauty of the frames echoes the incendiary tensions of the Spaghetti Westerns of Sergio Leone. The three characters trapped in a lethal game of catch-me-if-you-can blend into the scenario with effortlessness. In most Hindi mainstream films, the principal players stand a little apart from the landscape in a glamorous enclave. In Road, the actors seem to fully belong to the world that they inhabit. It's a bleak and barren world punctuated by unexpected spurts of humour. Theatre actor Makarand Deshpande (who did the narration in Varma's Company) is a mass of bewildered synergy playing a truck driver fascinated by Sunny Deol in Gadar. Through such characters, Varma's cinema constantly draws attention to and deflects from formulistic conventions. The most interesting incidental character is Rajpal Yadav who plays a film-fixated petrol pump attendant. After Manoj roughs him up, he vows never to watch director Sanjay Leela Bhansali's films again. The theme of The Intruder recurs in Ram Gopal Varma's cinema. The film's deceptively casual mode of operation adds to its implosive tension. Manoj as the intruder Babu is more controlled and in charge of his character's karma than ever before. Very little is said about the character's antecedents except when he begins to open up before his captive. When Babu confides in Laxmi, she exudes a certain raw energy that goes against every rule of coy conduct observed by the Hindi film heroine. However, Mali is made to get into skimpy linen and slither and slide in rites of sensuality for a remarkably superfluous song. Such an embarrassing contradiction could have been avoided. Numbers like model Koina Mitra's sweaty and upfront Nikal le Bhaiyye arrest the fast moving narrative in its tracks and remind one that commercial Hindi cinema can never truly change its spots. The film's most unforgivable aberration is Manoj's dream sequence where the director lampoons Hindi cinema's heaving bosom-gyrating pelvis routine. Also, Sandesh Shandilya's aggressive music score should have been tempered severely as it often gets in the way of dialogues. The almost total disregard for convention is mapped in the no-holds-barred aggression projected in Manoj and Antara's performances. Vivek, in a thanklessly "heroic" role, is far more subdued. Road gives him an opportunity to move away from his debut role in Company to portray a state-of-the-art leading man with intelligence, subtlety and humour. His romantic sequences with his co-star are agile and vibrant. Especially memorable is the sequence after Manoj's first attempt to kidnap Antara where the couple in their car discuss the intruder with ironic humour. Road warns us to "Drive Carefully". That's advice Varma has never listened to in his career. He has a particularly adventurous crew with him in this roller-coaster ride through Rajasthan. Though everyone is in his or her element Manoj walks away the acting honours. He might walk away with all the villain's role awards this year, but is he really the villain of the piece? That's the disturbing thought that "Road leaves us with.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Mini World Cup final likely to be a thriller
Colombo,Sunday, September 29, 2002: An exciting tussle between explosive batting and clever spin bowling is on the cards as India and Sri Lanka meet in the final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament here on Sunday chasing the second biggest title of the game ahead of next year's World Cup in South Africa. Both the teams are high on confidence after ousting favourites South Africa and Australia in the semifinals and look equally balanced too. Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly believes his side's superior batting skills will take the team through while his counterpart Sanath Jayasuriya says his bowling department is stronger and will do the star turn for them. The likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh at their destructive best against the guiles of Muttiah Muralitharan and company is a potentially mouth- watering proposition and expectations of a tough and absorbing match, something which this tournament has not witnessed much so far, are soaring in this island nation. India, who had lost to New Zealand in the title clash of the previous edition of this tournament in Nairobi in 2000, are making sure they don't falter at the last hurdle this time. They have recalled their leading fast bowler Javagal Srinath to replace an injured Ashish Nehra. Srinath, who was playing county cricket in England, is almost certain to play on Sunday though Ganguly did not reveal his final eleven. 09:36 IST
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Inflation breaches four per cent mark to touch 4.03 pc
New Delhi,Sunday, September 29, 2002: A fall in prices of primary articles failed to check the inflation rate which crossed the four per cent mark for the first time during the year at 4.03 per cent due to costlier manufactured products. Annual rate of inflation for the previous week stood at 3.77 per cent and 4.60 per cent a year ago. Wholesale Price Index (WPI) for the week stood unchanged at 167.8. However WPI for the week ended July 20 stood revised 165.7 as aganist a provisional figure of 165.5 while inflation rate stood at 2.86 as compared to 2.73. Index for Primary Articles declined by 0.1 per cent to 177.4 from 177.5 for the previous week and 168.3 a year ago due to a fall in prices of jowar (four per cent), eggs (three per cent) and maize, gram and masur (one per cent each). Index for Food Articles remained unchanged at 183.8 but moved up from last years level of 174.4. Prices of condiments and spices rose (two per cent), bajra and ragi (one per cent each). Index for Non Food Artciles declined by 0.3 per cent to 165.8 from 166.3 last week due to lower prices of castor seed (six per cent), raw silk and linseed (three per cent), raw cotton (two per cent) and raw jute, cotton seed and kardi seed (one per cent each). However prices of copra, gingelly seed and sunflower moved up one per cent. Index for Minerals group rose by 0.1 per cent to 120 from 119.9 for the previous week owing to higher prices of barytes (23 per cent), vermiculite (10 per cent) and fire clay (nine per cent). However prices of magnesite fell (eight per cent) and silica sand (one per cent). 09:36 IST
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Sanjay Dutt, 88 bomb blast accused to appear on Monday
Mumbai,Sunday, September 29, 2002: In keeping with a judicial order, film actor Sanjay Dutt and 88 other accused in the 1993 bomb blast case would appear before a special court Monday even as CBI appeared set to oppose a petition filed by an accused challenging the constitutional validity of TADA (P) Act. Altogether 89 accused, including Sanjay, have been exempted till month end by judge P D Kode. The court has summoned them on Monday. CBI has sought time to conclude its arguments in this marathon trial which has reached its fag end after seven years. In a related development, accused Shaikh Aziz has challenged the constitutional validity of TADA (P) Act. His lawyer, Nafiz Siddiqui, argued that the act was ultravires the constitution and the special court should make a reference to the supreme court to determine the validity of the act. CBI's lawyer S Natrajan, on September 16, opposed the plea of the accused to make a reference to the supreme court. He said the special court had no powers to entertain such a petition. He also opined that the accused should have gone directly to the apex court instead of approaching the designated TADA (P) court. CBI has been asked to file its say on Monday. 09:36 IST
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Vajpayee betrayed Hindus on Ayodhya issue: VHP
Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) alleged on Saturday that Prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had betrayed Hindus on Ayodhya temple construction issue. Talking to reporters in Lucknow after the meeting of VHP's kendriya margdarshak mandal, its international working president Ashok Singhal said the 'Hindu samaj' had expected Vajpayee to take positive steps in the matter but he ignored their feelings. Without naming Bharatiya Janata Party, Singhal said the political parties which had supported the VHP and the Ram Janmabhoomi agitation had benefitted while the ones, which had not, have suffered. Without referring to 'shiladaan' programme, he said prime minister had opposed this 'chain' of agitation. However, by opposing it, Vajpayee's reliability has fallen, claiming that the change in the attitude of PM has substantially reduced the mass base of his party. Government had placed several restrictions during the March 15 'shiladaan' programme, he complained. He alleged that by remaining a fence-sitter during the VHP's call for 'Bharat Bandh' after Tuesday's Akshardham temple massacre, BJP has indulged in an anti-social activity. Singhal said decisions taken by Vajpayee have only mounted losses for BJP. ''But if he changes his attitude on the Ayodhya issue, he can regain his reliability,'' he added.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Two blasts in Kashmir,7 killed
In two seperate incidents seven persons including three SSB jawans were killed in Kashmir even as a NCP candidate injured. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Devsar Assembly constituency Khalida Mustaq was critically injured while four others were killed when their vehicle ran over a land mine planted by militants at Pehloo Kulgam in south Kashmir on Saturday afternoon. An official spokesman told that miliants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device (ied) at Pehloo Kulgam when the vehicle carrying Khalida and four others reached there. He said blast resulted in on the spot death of four persons--head constable Noor Mohammad, her supporters Mushtaq, Jehangir and Mohammad Yousuf. She was critically wounded in the blast, he said adding a woman pedestrain also received splinter wounds. Khalida is contesting from Devsar Assembly segment which goes to polls on Tuesday in third phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections. He said the area has been cordoned off and a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants. At least three security personnel were killed and three others were wounded when militants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device at Pehloo Kulgam in south Kashmir district of Ananatnag, which goes to polls on Tuesday in the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections. Official sources told that militants detonated a powerful improvised explosive device when a vehicle carrying SSB personnel for poll duty reached Pehloo around 1420 hours on Saturday afternoon. Sources said vehicle was blown up in the blast resulting in on the spot death of three jawans and injuries to three others. The injured were admitted to hospital. ources said the entire area has been cordoned off and a massive hunt has been launched to nab the militants responsible for causing the blast. Security forces were on way to another nearby village for poll duty when the blast took place, sources said.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Police kill five suspected militants in Bangalore
BANGALORE (Reuters) - Police said they had killed five suspected Islamic militants in a shoot out after raiding their hideout in Bangalore on Sunday. Karnataka state police, acting with the help of police from Tamil Nadu, surrounded the hideout in a city suburb at about 2 a.m. Police came under fire from the house and the suspects, who included a man called Imam Ali and a woman, were all shot by police fire, said city police commissioner, H.T. Sangliana. "In the exchange of fire all were hit," Sangliana said. The five were taken to hospital where they were pronounced dead, he said. Ali was suspected of involvement in a bomb attack on the regional office of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Madras in 1993 and later escaped when he was being taken to court from prison, Sangliana said. The group was also suspected of involvement in six armed robberies, he said. Sangliana said the five were Muslim militants, although there was no evidence they had links to any particular group. "Obviously they are extremists and sympathisers of all these groups," he said. "They had come from Tamil Nadu and had been hiding in Bangalore at Sanjay Nagar posing as dealers in timber," he said, referring to a Bangalore suburb. Sangliana identified Ali's accomplices as Manga Bashir alias Anwar, Mohammed Ibrahim, Saifullah and Saifullah's wife, who he did not identify. Ali was also wanted for extortion, he said.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Salman pays Rs 950 and walks out on bail
Salman Khan's car that rammed into a bakery at Bandra early on Saturday morning, killing one person and injuring four others. MUMBAI: Bollywood star Salman Khan allegedly drove his Toyota Landcruiser over five migrant workers sleeping on a Bandra sidewalk early on Saturday morning and fled the spot while one of them lay dead and four injured. Eight hours later, Salman was arrested and after paying Rs 950 as personal surety, he walked out on bail. The actor was taken to J J Hospital for an alcohol-detection blood test. Sources said its results would be out in a couple of days. For hours, the police had declared him ``absconding'' saying they had no clue where he was. Later, Deputy Commissioner of Police Bipin Kumar said Salman was arrested near Almeida Park when he was on his way to meet someone. Khan has been booked under Section 304 of the IPC, for rash and negligent driving causing death. In his statement, Salman claimed he was in the back seat when the accident occurred at 2.45 am as his car ran into American Express Cleaners on Hill Road. But DCP Kumar denied this: ``The FIR was filed by one of our constables. It clearly states that Salman was driving.'' The FIR was filed by Salman's security officer Ravindra Patil, a Mumbai police constable who was in the car with Salman and friend Kamal Khan. The victims, too, say they saw Salman run away. They are all employees of the nearby A-1 Stores and Bakery and were settling in for the night outside the American Express Cleaners shop. Two other victims _ Kalim Pathan and Mannu Khan _ escaped with minor injuries. * Noorulah Sharif, 38, dead: Severely mangled body. He has two sons, 8 and 12, living in Gonda, UP. Says cousin Ismail Sharif: ``We all know the case will go in Salman's favour. Paise wale log hai.'' * Mannu Madai, 29: Has wife, son and two daughters in Gonda, UP. Bones in his left foot crushed, abrasions on the elbow, hand and fist. This translates to no work for three weeks. He earns Rs 4,000 a month working 15-hour days at the bakery. * Abdullah Abdul, 22: Fractures in the leg. Sends Rs 3,000 every month to his wife and three children in Asrfapedha, UP. His job at the bakery in doubt. Says relative Sabir Khan: ``Kneading, lifting the loaded tray, setting it into the oven, carrying chopped wood requires strength. They will remain invalid for months now.'' * Muslin Sheikh, 17: Also works at the bakery, has no relatives in Mumbai. ``All these interviews will go on today,'' says the security-guard at the Bhabha Hospital. ``Kal se inka dawai kaun layega?'' (Who will get their medicines from tomorrow?) Only last month, Salman visited the Crime Branch to get an arms licence in the wake of recent underworld threats he claimed to have received. For the actor, this is the most serious brush with the law coming four years after he was arrested for allegedly hunting black buck in Jodhpur while shooting for Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Saath-Saath Hain. In December 2000, he was questioned by the Crime Branch on suspected links with producer Nasim Rizvi and financier Bharat Shah in the Chori Chori Chupke Chupke case. A year later, he was dragged away by building security after banging on the door of Aishwarya Rai's Lokhandwala apartment for six hours. In January 2002, he was instructed by police to stay away from Aishwarya Rai following a non-cognisable complaint filed by the actress's father.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
IAF inducts Sukhoi-30 MKI
The Indian Air Force (IAF) on Friday inducted a new version of the multi-role Sukhoi aircraft called the Sukhoi-30 MKI. The aircraft is acknowledged by many aviation experts as the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world. The SU-30 MKI was specially developed for the Indian Air Force and has the capability of undertaking a range of missions over distances as large as 3,000 kilometers without refuelling. This plane also has a thrust-vectoring system that makes it more maneuverable than any other aircraft of its size, giving it an advantage in aerial combat with other fighters. Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister George Fernandes said, "This aircraft is a manifestation of the long standing relationship in areas of defence, India and Russia. We hope to have 140 such aircrafts made with Indian technology in the near future. "The new aircraft has a mid-air refuelling system, which will almost double its flight range from 3,000 kms to 5,200 kms. It can also operate in any weather condition. The Sukhoi is capable of hitting surface, air and sea targets with smart weaponry in substantial distance from the home base. The induction of this aircraft in the Indian Air Force will not only give the country a technological edge but will also strenghthen the relations between India and Russia. This fact was repeated by President of Russian Aviation, Alexey Fedorov who said, "It is a good example of the long term relationship between Russia and India."
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Twelve killed, 22 injured in stampede at Lucknow railway station
Agencies LUCKNOW: At least twelve people were killed and twenty two others injured on Saturday night in a stampede at the Charbagh railway station in Lucknow, according to railway police. The victims were activists of the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and were returning home after a party rally here, police said. The stampede occurred as surging crowds ascended the main staircase of the train station. A few people slipped and this led to a melee as panic stricken people attempted to escape from the crush, police said. "We have confirmation about the death of ten people but the figure could be higher," said deputy inspector general of police Arun Kumar, who was personally attempting to regulate the crowds by issuing directions over the public address system. "Much chaos had been caused due to the arrival of large crowds that went far beyond everyone's expectations," admitted divisional railway manager Kamlesh Gupta. "The incident has disrupted train services, but we hope to soon put things in order." "Never before have such massive crowds been seen at the Lucknow railway station," Gupta added.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
'We were asleep, all I saw was my friend's smashed body'
PTI MUMBAI: The 22-year-old M Sheikh, who suffered a leg fracture after popular actor Salman Khan's car ran over him, writhes in pain and agony at the Bhabha Hospital here recounting the accident that took away his close friend Noor Ulah and left him with an injured foot. "We were fast asleep when a sudden noise woke me up. All I saw was a big black wheel over my leg and the horribly mutilated body of my friend Noor," says Sheikh amidst loud sighs and groans that echo through the white walls of the Bhabha Hospital. "The sight of the blood covered and smashed body of Noor shocked me so much, that I fell unconscious" says Noor his eyes welling with pain and tears. Sheikh, who came to Mumbai six months ago and was working at the A-1 bakery says, they were sleeping on a low staircase of the nearby American Cleaners and Bakery, which was nearly six feet away from the main road. The doctors have advised Sheikh to go for an operation. "My father has been intimated about the accident. He will be reaching Mumbai tonight," says Sheikh. S Sharif, nephew of the deceased Noor Ulah, who rushed to the hospital after being informed about the mishap by other co-workers, informs that Noor was not married and had an old mother to support. "The body was so badly mutiliated that we encountered some difficulty in identifying it," says Sharif. However, he is still unsure whether they would pursue legal action against Salman. "Right now we are busy trying to arrange for Noor's funeral rites. We will contemplate on the issue later," he said.
Sunday, September 29, 2002
Salman's security withdrawn
MUMBAI: Hours after film actor Salman Khan rammed his vehicle into a bakery killing one and injuring four others, police abruptly withdrew the security accorded to him. Police bodyguard, Rajendra Pralhad Patil, was on Fridya night recalled by the protection branch of city cops, police sources told here. Protection was given to Salman nearly three weeks ago after he complained of extortion threats from the underworld. Salman had also hired a private security guard for his protection. Both the guards were present in the vehicle when the mishap occurred. The police bodyguard filed a complaint in Bandra police station alleging that the actor was driving the vehicle at the time of accident. Salman's lawyer Waris Pathan, however, claimed that Salman was not driving the vehicle. The private bodyguard of the actor was in the driver's seat, he added.
Saturday, September 28, 2002
World not realising ISI is prime source of terrorism: Advani
Asserting that Pakistan's ISI was a prime source of terrorism as al Qaeda and Taliban, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani today regretted that the world was not realising this fact and said that India would have to defeat Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism by its own might. "The world is conscious that al Qaeda and Taliban are the prime source of terrorism in the world. But they (world) are not realising that ISI is also the same," Advani said inaugurating a seminar on 'Towards Good Governance' here. He said India had realised this fact and was fighting against it. "India's external and internal security is facing a common threat in the shape of cross-border terrorism which our neighbour has made an instrument of its state policy to achieve the objectives of its visceral anti-India strategy," Advani said. Stating that the world can put pressure on Pakistan to a "certain extent", he said to defeat it, India has to be on its own. He said India was determined to stamp out the threat from terrorism. Advani referred to the "successful" completion of two phases of polling for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in the face of desperate attempts by terrorists to create fear-psychosis. 12:54 IST
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Salman surrenders before police
Film actor Salman Khan today surrendered before police after he rammmed his car into a bakery in suburban Bandra killing one person and seriously injuring four others in their sleep. The actor surrendered before Bandra police station at 1100 IST (0530 GMT), eight hours after the incident. According to police, the actor, who was driving the car, was along with his friend Jamal Khan and a police body guard who lodged a complaint at Bandra police station. The actor had ran away from the spot after the incident at 0249 IST (2119 GMT). The deceased as been identified as Noor-ula-khan and the injured were rushed to nearby Bhabha hospital. A case has been registered against the actor for rash driving and causing death by negligence under section 304 A of the IPC. The bakery is located at hill road near hotel Neel Sagar in Bandra. Police had provided Salman a bodyguard on a plea made by the actor after he received threatening calls from the underworld allegedly for extortion. 11:47 IST
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Seven 'Devdases' at international film fest
New Delhi, Sep 27 Seven manifestations of "Devdas", the blockbuster Hindi move of the year, will be on view at the 33rd International Film Festival of India beginning here on October 1. "The highlight of the festival will be the seven versions of 'Devdas' that we will be screening," festival director Deepak Sandhu told reporters here Friday. "Devdas", based on a popular Bengali novel by Sarat Chandra Chatterjee is said to have revolutionized the entire look of Indian social movies. On view during the 10-day festival will be the Bengali and Hindi versions of Devdas made by P.C. Barua in 1935, Vedantam Raghavaiah's Devadasu in Telegu (1953), Bimal Roy's Hindi version of 1955, Vijaya Nirmnala's Telegu remake (1974), Shakti Samanta's Bengali essay in 2002 and Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus starring Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit and Aiyeshwarya Rai. "We are also proud to announce that Jamuna, the leading lady in the first Bengali version by P.C Barua will be one of our guests," said Sandhu. The festival has been jointly organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, the ministry of information and broadcasting, the Delhi government and the Indian film industry. The inaugural function at the Siri Fort Auditorium here will see leading actresses like Aishwarya Rai and Rani Mukherjee lighting the ceremonial lamp. Delegates from 24 foreign countries will attend the festival. They will include directors, producers and actors of the films being showcased. The festival will feature 125 films from 40 countries including India in categories like Cinema of the World, Indian Panorama, Foreign Retrospectives and Mainstream Indian Cinema. The Cinema of the World section will feature some 65 foreign films made in the past two years that have won awards or have received critical acclaim, Sandhu said. Cinegoers will also be treated to a retrospective of famed Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni who straddled world cinema as a colossus in the 1960s and 1970s. Award winning films and blockbusters like "Dil Chahta Hai", "Chandni Bar", "Lagaan", "Gadar Ek Prem Katha", "Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham" and "Raaz" will be showcased in the Mainstream Indian Cinema and Indian Panorama sections. A film bazaar will be organised in collaboration with leading industry chambers "to create a focused opportunity for the international fraternity that is interested in buying, distributing, commissioning and co-producing Indian films," Sandhu said. Buyers from Australia, China, Dubai, Iran, Mauritius and South Africa are expected to attend the bazaar, which will also see seminars on issues like the growth of the film animation industry in India, Sandhu said.
Saturday, September 28, 2002
Injury-hit India summon Srinath for Champions Trophy final
COLOMBO (Reuters) - India have called up veteran quick bowler Javagal Srinath into the squad ahead of the Champions Trophy final on Sunday after an injury to Ashish Nehra. "We have asked him to go over to Colombo from England," Karunakaran Nair, secretary of the Indian board, told Reuters by phone from Bombay. The 32-year-old Srinath, who retired from test cricket in June, was overlooked for the event despite his willingness to play one-day internationals in a bid to play in the World Cup in South Africa next year. Left-arm paceman Nehra tore the webbing on his bowling hand on Wednesday after crashing into the stumps attempting a run-out during India's victory over South Africa in the semi-finals. The injury required five stitches. Srinath is currently on a short stint with English county Leicestershire. All-rounder Ajit Agarkar, along with Zaheer Khan, are the other pacemen in the Indian squad
Friday, September 27, 2002
U S pressure on Pak not working: PM
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said U S pressure on Pakistan to abandon support to terrorism appears not to be working and asserted that India will have to fight its own battle against this menace. "It seems so", Vajpayee said when asked whether pressure from U S and India's own effort was not working on Pakistan to change its stand towards supporting terrorism. He was talking to reporters after speaking at Diamond Jubilee celebrations of CSIR in New Delhi on Thursday. Asked how India would frustrate terrorists attack like the one on the temple in Gandhinagar, he said "by being bold, vigilant." "Militants will not succeed in their demands. Our soldiers have demonstrated. India is vigilant and in a position to meet the challenges".
Friday, September 27, 2002
Army flag march in bandh-hit Gujarat
Normal life in almost all the major towns of Gujarat was brought to a halt following the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)-sponsored 'Bharat Bandh' call to protest against Tuesday's terrorists' attack on the Akshardham Temple at Gandhinagar, even as the army staged a flag march early today in all sensitive areas of the city. According to the state police control room, no untoward incident was reported this morning from any part of the state following the general strike. Security arrangements have been beefed up in sensitive areas and additional supply of jawans of Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Rapid Action Force (RAF) and State Reserve Police force (SRPF) have been deployed. On visiting various parts of the city, a correspondent found major markets shut, while on the outskirts, a few grocery shops were doing business with their shutters half-down.
Friday, September 27, 2002
VHP bandh: Mumbai grinds to halt
Normal life in Mumbai was affected on Thursday and stray incidents of vandalism and stone pelting marred an otherwise peaceful bandh called by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and the Shiv Sena. Attendance in offices, transport and education institutes were all affected following the general strike. While suburban trains operated early morning, VHP and Sena activists brought them to a grinding halt in various places later in the day. Activists squatted on the railway tracks and also laid sleepers across them at Dombivli on the Central line and Malad, Goregaon, Borivli and Grant Road stations on the Western linein the morning, thereby, disrupting the train services. Minor reports of violence were reported from Andheri, a western suburb, where slogan-raising VHP, Sena and loal BJP workers led by BJP Mumai Unit Chief Vinod Tawde rushed on to the platforms and brought the trains to a halt. They forced stall owners on the platforms to down their shutters and in the melee, some property was damaged. Some workers also climbed on the top of trains while others lay down in front of them. Mr Tawde said around 4,000 BJP workers were actively participating in the bandh across the city. By and large, Mumbaikars preferred to stay at home. Both, Government and private offices reported thin attendance. The stock markets here though, functioned as usual and normal trading was reported, while there was almost no trading in the Forex market due to poor attendance.
Friday, September 27, 2002
All sovereign countries can resort to pre-emptive strikes: US
PTI WASHINGTON: Even while asking India to observe restraint, despite Pakistan continuing cross border terrorism, the US on Friday said any sovereign state can resort to pre-emptive or preventive strikes to avert an imminent danger. "The right to resort to pre-emptive or preventive strikes is inherent in the sovereignty of a nation to protect itself," US Secretary of State Colin Powell said speaking before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "The concept of pre-emptive strikes has been included in this year's Strategy Report to alert the public to the fact that terrorist threat is different from other threats. It could be applied to terrorists or to a country", Powell said. Powell, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and others also asserted that recent disclosures by captured al-Qaeda prisoners show that the terror network was active in Baghdad. Powell said that this statement is based on "credible evidence." Rice said that Iraq has provided some training to Al-Qaeda in chemical weapons development. Powell assured the Committee that the US goal after Saddam's ouster is a united Iraq and said US is opposed to a separate Kurdish State.
Friday, September 27, 2002
India says it suspects external involvement in temple attack
New Delhi,Friday, September 27, 2002: India has said it saw a particular "pattern" and harboured suspicions of "external" involvement in the terrorist attack on the Swaminaraian Temple in Gandhinagar but stopped short of directly accusing Pakistan. "Investigations are on. We will definitely be able to unearth the nature of the conspiracy and the planning of the attack and who were involved in it," an External Affairs Ministry spokesperson told reporters Thursday. "We are confident that we will be able to unearth the evidence," she said. "But there has been a history of Pakistan's involvement in the past in all such terrorist acts. There was a pattern about this terrorist attack which is very similar to the attacks on our civilian population in the past. "So there is reason for us to be suspicious about external involvement in this matter," she said. New Delhi also nursed deep disillusionment about Pakistan's behaviour, policies and actions which spoke much more than their words on this subject, she said. "Pakistan has basically been a one stock shop of terrorism in our region," she said adding "everything was under one roof". 09:45 IST
Friday, September 27, 2002
Abu Salem's three associates arrested
Delhi Police have arrested three associates of underworld don Abu Salem who allegedly came here to harm a businessman for his refusal to pay extortion money. Sadiq and Ishtiaq, both from Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, and C P Rai, from Mau in UP, were arrested Thursday evening from a south Delhi area, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Ashok Chand told. A pistol, a revolver and a mauser with several rounds of cartridges were recovered from them, Chand said. He said Salem had demanded extortion money from a businessman in south Delhi and when he refused, the trio came here with an intention to harm him. During their interrogation, Sadiq, Ishtiaq and Rai disclosed they had also come to threaten another businessman to extort money from him, Chand said. Rai is believed to be the main organiser of hitmen for Salem. The DCP said their detailed interrogation is expected to reveal the activities of Abu Salem gang in north India. Salem was arrested along with his wife and Bollywood starlet Monica Bedi on September 18 in Portugal and efforts are being made to get him deported to India. 11:18 IST
Friday, September 27, 2002
Simputer global launch next month
BANGALORE: Simputer, the simple hand-held computer developed by a group of scientists from the Indian Institute of Science and Encore Software Ltd, will be launched in Singapore next month. After this global launch, the Simputer will be rolled out in several countries in Africa, Latin America, South America and the Far East nations, according to Mr Vinay L. Deshpande, Chairman of the Simputer Trust.
Friday, September 27, 2002
Change in BSNL mobile numbering
COIMBATORE: Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) has notified a change in the numbering scheme of its mobile subscribers in Coimbatore, Tirupur and Madurai due to `technical reasons'. A BSNL release stated that the mobile numbering scheme is being changed from 98800 xxxxx (xxxxx indicates the mobile number of the subscriber) to 94430 xxxxx with effect from September 28.
Friday, September 27, 2002
'Indians now believe in themselves'
There are subjects for regular brickbats and routine brickbats, and then there are the selectors. Yes, India won what a typical cricket enthusiast would call ‘fantabulous vicotory’ in the Champions Trophy semi-final against South Africa in Colombo yesterday. But how many people would credit us, the selectors, for a win? asked selector Sanjay Jagdale jokingly. If the team loses, they blame us like hell and when they win, we are forgotten. But the sight that surely captivated most Indian supporters was an overtly emotional skipper Sourav Ganguly, who was clearly overwhelmed by the performance of the youngsters in his own team. So it’s a trifle tough to believe former chairman of selectors Chandu Borde when he said after the win last night that A lot of people wanted a change in the captaincy. But we stuck with Sourav, because we saw something in him. He his behind the boys and manages to get the best out of them. About Captain Courageous, West Zone selector Kiran More said: I think the team has definitely turned the corner. They have self-confidence and players ready to back each other. Now they don’t throw their hands up till the last ball is bowled. Borde echoed: They have started believing in themselves. I am proud of this win. They are justifying the faith we put in them. It reminded me of the NatWest final (against England). In fact, all the selectors agreed that India, which, till recently famous to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, has entered a new phase as far as the mental aspect of the game is concerned. It looks as if we have learned to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat contrary to what we were famous for, said Ashok Malhotra. Added Jagdale: It was an exceptional victory because we came back from behind and this trend is quite common these days we aren’t shy of winning matches from improbable situations. Madan Lal, who was recently replaced by Kirti Azad as the North Zone selector, said Ganguly must get a lot of credit for the victory as he has transformed this young side to a winning combination by infusing a lot of self-belief in them. Sourav has injected a lot of passion among these boys. Malhotra also backed Ganguly’s way with the ‘boys’: Sourav is no Alladin with a magic lamp. He is as good as his team, Malhotra said. He speaks his mind and backs his team to the fullest. For example, when we weren’t picking Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh), he would argue his case with the selection committee, saying he was convinced that Yuvraj is a world-class players and all the youngsters (Mohammed Kaif, Yuvraj, Zaheer Khan, Virender Sehwag) that he has backed are now delivering the goods. About the selection committee’s decision to back the youngsters, Malhotra said: I think more than anything else things are falling into place. We had picked Sehwag, Yuvraj, Kaif and Zaheer more on instinct. I remember Sehwag was a certainty for the triangular series in Australia in 1999 after he got 275 in a domestic match. But Zaheer bounced him out in the next match. For that he didn’t make the trip. He went back to nets, practiced on green tops with the help of a bowling machine after that we were convinced. Likewise, when we picked Yuvraj for the mini World Cup, the then coach asked us if he could handle fast bowling; we told him he can smash it! But all four agreed that bowling is a problem, as reflected yesterday. A few things have to be sorted out, especially on the bowling front, before the World Cup Jagdale said. Malhotra added: The only worrying part is Anil Kumble’s performance. I think he has lost the bite after the shoulder injury. But let’s be fair, he has been a good bowler for India. Also, Ashish Nehra needs to be more consistent.
Friday, September 27, 2002
Thackeray threatens to quit govt
Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray today threatened to pull out of the NDA government accusing Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of not taking any effective action against terrorists after the massacre at Swaminarayan Temple in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Tuesday. "We will quit the government rather than sit and watch our country being insulted," he told a private television channel. In a reference to the terrorist attack on the Swaminarain temple in Gandhinagar, he said: "Vajpayee keeps repeating that we will not tolerate what is happening, but he does nothing. What is the use of being part of such a government.
Friday, September 27, 2002
Dacoity in Gaur Express, nine injured
Malda (WB), Sept 26 : Property worth about one lakh was looted from passengers and nine of them were injured when the general bogey of the Sealdah-bound 3154 DN Gaur Express was attacked by dacoits near Chamagram under Malda division of the Eastern railway about 30 kms away from here tonight, railway officials said today. Six of the injured were rushed to the NTPC hospital at Farakka and three of them were discharged after first aid, Dr D Sirkar of the Malda Railway Hospital told. None of them, however, was critically injured. Additional divisional railway manager Hemant Kumar said the dacoits numbering about six looted the passengers at gun point and severely beat some of them up when they protested. Two of the dacoits, however, were later overpowered by the passengers and handed over to the GRP at Farakka station, the train's first stoppage, he said adding that the rest of them managed to escape.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Temple attack well thought out conspiracy: PM
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today said the terrorist attack on the Swaminarain temple was a "well thought out conspiracy" in the face of people of Jammu and Kashmir foiling attempts by terrorists and Pakistan to disrupt elections there. "First Pakistan opposed elections in J and K. Then terrorists killed candidates and innocent people but voters still turned out in large numbers risking their lives. People of J and K have given terrorists and Pakistan a fitting reply and a hard slap on their face," he said. Likewise, Vajpayee expressed confidence that people of Gujarat will thwart the designs of forces across the border in disrupting communal harmony. The Prime Minister was speaking to reporters after going round the Swaminarain temple shortly after he arrived here curtailing his visit to Maldives. "It (Tuesday's attack) seems a well thought out conspiracy. The government will get to the bottom of it with a thorough probe," he said, adding that intelligence agencies have been directed to do the job. 20:40 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Attacks originate from same place: PM
Without naming Pakistan, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee tonight said "some powers" were involved in the terrorist attack on the temple in Gandhinagar and this along with similar strikes in recent past were "directed from the same place." "In the recent past, there have been similar incidents of terrorist attacks and all these are being directed from the same place," the Prime Minister said on his arrival here from Maldives where he had gone on a four-day official visit. "This is not just the handiwork of two persons. Some other powers are behind it," he said. To a pointed question whether there was Pakistani hand in the attack, Vajpayee said whatever happened in Gandhinagar was being probed. Asked to comment on BJP President M Venkaiah Naidu's reported statement that Pakistan was behind the incident, he said "how can I comment on the statement of my party President". 22:02 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Temple siege over, 2 terrorists, 3 commandos dead
At the crack of dawn today, elite commandos of NSG shot dead two heavily armed terrorists holed up in a bathroom ending the night-long siege of the Swaminarain temple here that claimed 31 lives with India virtually blaming Pakistan for the massacre. Three commandos--one of NSG and the other two of Gujarat police--lost their lives in the operation that waited for the first ray of light this morning for the sharp shooters to close in on the two terrorists whose identity is yet to be established. The commandos were 40-year old Subedar Suresh Chand Yadav (NSG) and Arjunsinh Laljibahi Gamiti,28, and A H Umadkar of Special Reserve Police, Gujarat. Cutting short his Maldives visit Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee flew in here and after visiting the temple described the attack as a well thought out conspiracy and vowed to get to the bottom of it. Without directly referring to Pakistan, Vajpayee said on his return to Delhi that "some powers" were behind this and other similar attacks in the recent past which were "directed from the same place." In a more forthright comment, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani noted Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's hostile reference to Gujarat in his recent U N speech and said the attack was carried out to execute the enemy's plot. External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha likened the temple mayhem to December 13 Parliament attack and a series of killings by Pakistan-based terrorist outfits LeT and JeM. 22:02 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Six leading CSE brokers arrested for payment default
Six leading brokers of Calcutta Stock Exchange have been arrested and remanded in police custody for their alleged role in the payment crisis at the bourse nearly one and half years ago which led to the crash of exchanges across the country. The brokers - Harish Chandra Biyani, Ramesh Chandra Biyani, Raj kumar Jain, Gopal Singhania, Vijay Singhania and Basudeo Singhania - were arrested from their residences in different parts of the metropolis late Tuesday night by sleuths of the Detective Department of Kolkata Police. The brokers were charged with indulging in circular trading and violating CSE regulations. The six were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate S C Mishra today who remanded them to police custody till October four. The public prosecutor said the accused had not only violated the Calcutta Stock Exchange conditions on payment of margin and security money but also involved in circular trading to inflate prices of shares to defraud the public to the tune of Rs 1.20 billion. The arrests followed the CSE obtaining a decree from the Calcutta High Court for recovering Rs 58.2 million from D K Singhania and the filing of three civil suits and a number of other cases under the Negotiable Instruments Act against brokers for bounced cheques, as part of its initiatives to recover funds. The brokers were initially involved in default of payment of nearly Rs 150 crore in March 2001 which led to the crash in all major exchanges of the country. 18:48 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
India move into final of Champions Trophy
India moved into the final of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament with a 10-run victory over South Africa here today. Electing to bat, India scored 261 for nine in their stipulated 50 overs and then restricted South Africa to 251 for six. Brief Scores: India: 261-9 in 50 overs South Africa: 251-6 in 50 overs (H Gibbs 116, J Kallis 97; Sehwag 3-25, Harbhajan Singh 2-37).
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Russia asks Pak to dismantle terrorist infrastructure
Expressing deep concern and indignation at terrorist attack on Swaminarain temple in Gandhinagar, Russia today asked Islamabad to fulfil its obligations to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil. In a statement, the Russian Foreign Ministry clubbed the terrorist attack on Swaminarain temple complex and attack on Christian NGO in Karachi saying they were the links in the "vicious chain" of crimes committed by the international terrorism. The terrorists are attacking the places of worship and religious organisations to drive a wedge between different communities and the nations, it said while urging to mount a resolute action against the international terrorism. "We continue to view the activities of extremist and terrorist groups as the main cause of instability inside Pakistan itself and tension in its relations with India. We expect from Pakistan fulfilment of obligations taken by it to root out terrorist infrastructure in the country," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. 22:02 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
BJP postpones Gaurav Yatra
A day after the terrorist attack on the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, the BJP in Gujarat tonight announced postponement of the "Gaurav Yatra" whose fourth phase was scheduled to be commence from September 28. "The fourth phase scheduled to commence from Ambaji and supposed to head towards North Gujarat has been postponed in view of the unfortunate incident at the temple premises," state unit BJP president Rajindersinh Rana told here. He said new dates would be announced within three days. The Gaurav Yatra, piloted by Chief Minister Narendra Modi, had begun on September eight and since then remained mired in a series of controversies set off by Modi's reported utterances against the minority and a diatribe against Congress President Sonia Gandhi's foreign origin. 22:02 IST
Thursday, September 26, 2002
India to deploy army in Gujarat after temple attack
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India will deploy its army in Gujarat after two Muslim men attacked a temple and killed 28 people, an army spokesman said on Wednesday. The Tuesday evening raid on the temple in Gandhinagar has raised fears it could reignite religious violence in the state, which is still recovering from Hindu-Muslim bloodshed in late February and March. "One brigade of the army has been made available to state authorities for precautionary deployment," Brigadier Shruti Kant told Reuters. "Most of the soldiers have already reached the state." A brigade consists of about 3,000 soldiers. K.R. Kaushik, police commissioner in Ahmedabad, told Reuters the soldiers were on standby and would patrol the city on Thursday. At least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, died in a wave of reprisal killings after a Muslim mob attacked a train and burned 59 Hindus to death in late February. The Bharatiya Janata Party government, which rules the state, was accused of not doing enough to prevent the killings of Muslims -- charges it denies.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Tight security blanket across the country
New Delhi, Sep 25 Security has been beefed around major religious places, VIP areas and vital installations across the country today even as army was deployed in sensitive areas of Gujarat to thwart any communal backlash in the wake of terrorist attack at the Swaminarayan temple in Gandhinagar. An army brigade of around 3,000 personnel was put in place in sensitive areas of Gujarat early morning as part of "precautionary deployment", while the RSS headquarters at Nagpur and Delhi's Jhandewalan office were brought under a tight security dragnet. Security was beefed up around the temples of the Swaminarayan sect in different parts of the country, besides important pilgrim centres like Tirupati, Varanasi, Ayodhya and Mathura, among others. Besides Gujarat, several states including Maharashtra, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka were put under high alert hours after the Gandhinagar shootout began last evening. In the national capital, security in and around other government buildings, particularly the VVIP areas and the Diplomatic Enclave, have also been tightened with intense patrolling, increased number of barricades and additional deployment of police and paramilitary personnel. With a statewide 'bandh' called by Congress in Gujarat and the VHP-sponsored nationwide 'bandh' call tomorrow, extra vigil was mounted in communally-fragile areas to avoid any backlash of yesterday's incident.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Red alert sounded in southern states
Chennai, Sept 25 Police in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Union Territory of Pondicherry, have been put on "red alert" and security in sensitive areas including some of the temples have been beefed up in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attack on Swaminarain temple in Gandhinagar in Gujarat. Tamil Nadu Director General of Police B P Nailwal, told that the "police will be on red alert and strict vigil maintained at all places of religious worship". He said orders had been issued to Commissioners and District Superintendents of Police to be on high alert and round-the-clock vigil to ensure no unoward incident takes place in the state. A Tirupati report said the hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara near here was kept under constant surveillance by police since the wee hours of today. The security at the toll gate at the foothills was tightened and strict vigil on the movement of the pilgrims' vehicular traffic was being kept. In Karnataka, DGP V V Bhaskar had instructed all the District SPs and range Inspector Generals of Police and the four commissionerates to supervise security arrangements, even as a red alert was sounded statewide. Police had been asked to provide security to religious places of worship in vulnerable areas across the state and to intensify police picketing and patrolling. Similarly in Kerala, police have been put on red alert and had been asked to exercise strict vigil. Condemning the temple incident, Chief Minister A K Antony told reporters after the weekly cabinet meeting that his government viewed incident "very seriously" and asked all sections of the people to exercise restraint and maintain social harmony. Antony described the incident as "heinous and brutal". Meanwhile, DGP K J Joseph, said police had been to be vigilant "though we do not expect the Gujarat incident to have repurcussions in Kerala. So we are not over-reacting to it. Still we are not taking chances", he said. At Pondicherry, Senior Superintendent of Police Anandha Mohan, told reporters that security had been strengthened in the four regions of Pondicherry, Mahe, Karaikal and Yanam, particularly in sensitive areas including places of worship.
Thursday, September 26, 2002
Kolkata's Swaminarayan Temple immerses in prayer, mourning
Kolkata, Sep 25 Hundreds of people Wednesday poured into the Swaminarayan temple here to pray for peace and mourn those killed in a terrorist attack on the sect's headquarters in Gujarat. The local temple has been receiving a steady stream of visitors, mostly members of the affluent Gujarati community, since news spread of Tuesday's terrorist attack in Gandhinagar's 23-acre Swaminarayan Temple. An 18th century monk founded the Swaminarayan sect, which has about 450 temples by the same name across 45 countries. The sect has a large following in eastern India. Two unidentified terrorists stormed the temple in Gandhinagar Tuesday, opened indiscriminate fire from automatic weapons and lobbed hand grenades, killing 25 people and injuring about 100. An elite commando force Wednesday shot dead the attackers after a 14-hour gun battle. The news of the attack has numbed the monks of the temple here who are trying frantically to contact their superiors in Gandhinagar. "We can't get through to the headquarters as the telephone lines appear to have been cut off," Swami Divyamurti, the chief priest of the Kolkata temple located at an upscale southern neighbourhood, told . "We are worried about the devotees and the monks." People from various faiths are crowding the temple here to pray for peace and as a mark of solidarity. They were seen walking into the temple silently, some holding baskets of flowers and packets of incense. Said Anju Doshi of Golf Green, who came to the temple with her family: "We have relatives in Gandhinagar. They are safe. But we have come here to stand by the monks in this hour of tragedy." Divyamurti said he was at a loss to understand how terrorists could target an abode of peace like the Akshardham Swaminarayan Temple in the Gujarat capital. "I fail to understand the mentality," the visibly disturbed monk said. He then made phone calls to the neighbouring northeastern state of Assam to enquire after the well being of two monks of the temple there who had gone to Gandhinagar. The Kolkata temple authorities have not sought additional security. "We believe prayers will be enough," said a monk, who did not wish to be named. But the terrorist strike has put West Bengal police on alert. Police pickets have been posted outside important places of worship like the Hindu temple of Kalighat here and the Nakhoda Masjid, Kolkata's largest mosque.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Attack aimed at destroying India's secular fabric: Kalam
NEW DELHI: Condemning the terrorist attack on Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, President A P J Abdul Kalam on Tuesday night said it was a cowardly act intended to destroy the country's secular fabric. "This is a cowardly attack not only on innocent people but on our secular national fabric as well," he said in a statement. "The incident needs to be condemned in strongest possible terms by all peace-loving people. It would make us more resolute in our resolve against terrorism," the President said. He is in contact with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, Governor S S Bhandari and Chief Minister Narendra Modi to give strength to the suffering devotees and also to the Swamijis of the temple, the President said. In this moment of anguish, Kalam said he would appeal to the people, especially those of Gujarat, to maintain peace. "We should unitedly defeat all the evil designs against our great country which lives and shines through the civilisational heritage of our nation and the tolerance of our people." he said. Police and security forces are fully capable of defeating all forms of terrorist attempts against "our country and our people," he said. "Let our people support them with the show of strength through our traditional unity of minds and unity in action," he said. He added: "My heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost lives and I pray to the almighty for the peace, for the departed souls and speedy recovery of those who are injured."
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
NSG's wipes out terrorists; temple siege ends 9 50 am IST
GANDHINAGAR: National Security Guards commandos killed the militants holed up in the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar today morning ending the siege, which began at around 1720 hours on Tuesday. Amid confusing reports about the number of militants, the police had earlier said that three ultras were killed. But Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who visited the temple complex after the operation ended, said only two militants were killed. Modi said a large quantity of ammunition had been recovered from the terrorists whose identities were not known. "No organisation had claimed responsibility for the attack," he said. He said the devotees who had been caught inside the temple during the stand off would be allowed to leave after identification. Officials said 17 hand grenades were also seized from the bodies of the slain terrorists. The elite NSG, as well as Gujarat police lost one man each, NSG Director General T Mishra said. Among the six security personnel injured, three were NSG commandos, he added. Mishra said the swiftly undertaken operation was not named, and had a three-pronged approach -- to protect the shrine, protect the people trapped inside the complex and eliminate the terrorists. He said the 'type of adventurism' shown by the gunmen proved that they were 'well trained and well motivated'. Asked whether they could be local miscreants, Mishra said, "It does not seem to be." He said the cooperation of personnel from the Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and local police have helped undertake the mission swiftly. He said militants had taken position at a vantage location in between Sachidanand hall and the shrine where the number of devotees was the most. "Their target was to cause maximum harm to the civilian population including women." At least two live grenades were recovered from the temple complex even as NSG and other forces have thrown in a thick security blanket. The temple steps and premises were stained with blood. Inspector General of Police (Gandhinagar range) Pramod Kumar said the terrorists were in the age group of 22 to 25 and efforts were on to ascertain their identity. The search is also on to find out if there are any more grenades or explosives left in the temple complex, he said. According to a temple official, Nishid Acharya, the remaining 50 people who were trapped in the temple complex overnight were rescued after the end of the operations.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Tehrik-e-Kasak behind temple attack 10 30 am IST
GANDHINAGAR: Leaflets of an outfit named Tehrik-e-Kasak were found from the person of the slain militants who attacked the Swaminarain Temple, National Security Guard (NSG) officials said here today. The officials informed the Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani here about the recovery of the leaflets but did not give details. Advani was briefed among others by Chief Minister Narendra Modi and senior Minister Ashok Bhat. The leaflets suggested that the group appeared to be from Gujarat itself, NSG officials said. Advani said authorities will look into "details" of the outfit. According to state police officials, the ultras were believed to be between 22 and 25 years.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Bush condemns attack on Gujarat temple
WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush condemns an attack in which militants fired on devotees at a temple in Gujarat, the White House said Tuesday. "The president condemns all terrorist attacks. This was a particularly deadly attack, and the president condemns it," Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer told reporters.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Miss Universe fired, to be replaced by runner-up
Miss Universe pageant officials have ''fired'' the reigning Miss Universe, Russia's Oxana Fedorova, and will replace her with Miss Panama, the runner-up, a spokeswoman for the pageant said. Fedorova, who was crowned in May, has returned to Russia and will be replaced by runner-up Justine Pasek of Panama, the spokeswoman said yesterday. It was the first time in the pageant's 52-year history that a Miss Universe has been stripped of her title. The spokeswoman declined to elaborate on the reasons for the change but a source close to the matter said that Fedorova had failed to carry out the responsibilities of Miss Universe. ''Basically she was fired for not fulfilling her duties,'' the source said. ''It's just like if you have a job to do. If you don't do your job you can get fired.'' Organizers of the pageant, which is co-owned by New York real estate mogul Donald Trump and was held this year on May 29 in Puerto Rico, scheduled a press conference for Tuesday in New York to announce the switch. According to a statement announcing the press conference Pasek, who was the ''crowd favorite'' during the pageant, will serve out the remaining nine months as Miss Universe. The New York Post newspaper reported in its online editions that Fedorova was expected to travel extensively and make personal appearances as part of her reign. The Post said she refused to take part in a number of those assignments, including the 2002 Miss Teen USA Competition.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Gastro outbreak : One dead, 1200 taken ill in Bengal
An outbreak of gastroenteritis affected over 1200 persons and claimed one life in Barasat area of North 24-Parganas district of West Bengal since Sunday, prompting the state health department to take preventive measures on a war-footing. North 24 Parganas District Magistrate H Dwivedi told that though no fresh casualty was reported since Monday, number of those afflicted had risen to 1200. DM said an 80-year-old woman died after drinking contaminated water in Barasat municipal area. Halogen tablets and ORS packets were being distributed in residential areas for prevention and arrest of outbreak, Dwivedi added. Additional Director of Health Services with four doctors were visiting the affected area and drinking water was being distributed by tankers. A medical camp has been set up by municipality. Health department's epidemologists will collect samples of water to determine exact cause of the outbreak,he said. Dwivedi said the outbreak followed contamination of drinking water sources due to faulty sewerage system. Health minister Surjya Kanta Mishra and his deputy Pratyush Mukherjee reviewed situation at a high level meeting at state secretariat during the day. District administration has begun a water treatment drive in the affected areas and contaminated pumps have been shut down for the time being.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
30 per cent turnout in second phase J&K polls
About 30 per cent of electorate in 28 constituencies voted in the second phase of polling in Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections on Tuesday which was peaceful as Srinagar witnessed a low turnout compared to Jammu. Voting held amidst tight security and in the shadow of overnight violence was dull in Srinagar while the adjacent Budgam district and Jammu recorded a good turnout. According to initial estimates, voter turnout in 13 constituencies of Jammu averaged 40 per cent. Budgam attracted 35 per cent of the eligible voters for five segments while Srinagar recorded over 10 per cent polling in its 10 constituencies. An electorate of 22 lakhs was eligible to vote. "No big incident was reported. Polling today was by and large good," said Pramod Jain, Chief Electoral Officer of J and K. He said authorities did not expect a high turnout like in the first phase when an estimated 47 per cent voted. Heavily armed militants attacked a polling station in Chandoora constituency of Badgam district but made a hasty retreat in the face of quick retaliation by CRPF personnel. There was no report of casualty. National Conference President and Chief Ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah, a number of state ministers are among the 263 candidates whose fate was sealed in Tuesday's polling. Voting was markedly lower in Srinagar in the wake of Hurriyat's call for boycott and a general strike which saw the city wore a deserted look. Acting Chairman of JKLF Javed Ahmed Mir was detained in uptown Srinagar along with his supportes after they attempted to take out an anti-poll rally. Though no major incident was reported during balloting,polling took place in the backdrop of a 18-hour long encounter between militants holed up in a house and security forces. Voter apathy was evident in Srinagar where some polling stations reportedly did not record a single vote. Voters were coming in a trickle in Srinagar while there were reports of enthusiastic voting in several booths in Budgam and Jammu districts. Voter turnout was markedly higher in rural areas than in urban areas. According to reports, no vote was cast in Malik Sahib and Nageen-B polling stations under Hazratbal assembly segment. Malik Sahib is the birthplace of National Conference founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Similarly, Anchar booth wore a deserted look throughout the day with the polling officials waiting in vain for first voter. More than 3700 voters were eligible to exercise their franchise at these three polling booths. Several hundred anti-poll actvists were seen outside these polling booths, which might have led voters to keep away from democratic exercise. Over a dozen diplomats from countries like U.S, Canada, the Netherlands, France and the European Union were also witnessing the democratic exercise.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Tata Telecom unveils Net protocol tool
Tata Telecom, a global provider of communication networks for businesses, has launched its next generation of enterprise class Internet protocol solutions (ECLIPS) software and hardware. The solutions, which include 10 new products, will make it easier and cost effective for businesses in India and Asia Pacific (ASPI.BO, news) to integrate voice onto a single packet-based network. Tata Telecom is a joint venture between the Tatas and the US-based Avaya. Avaya provides a logical migration to Internet protocol (IP) telephony by enabling enterprises to retain existing telephones, common equipment and infrastructure, and unifies network management. According to industry sources, the total worldwide enterprise telephony market for new equipment will be $14 billion by 2005 with IP telephony growing at a 62 per cent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2001 to 2005. In Asia Pacific, according to a IDC Asia/Pacific VoIP Market Forecast and Analysis, 2000-2005 report, the enterprise IP telephony market for new equipment will be $880.56 million by 2005, with IP telephony growing by a 35 per cent compounded annual growth rate from 2001 to 2005. Manish Sablok, national marketing manager, ECLIPS, Tata Telecom, said though relatively new, the voice over Internet protocol market promises a high compounded annual growth rate. Focused on the enterprise market, Tata Telecom's solutions range from converged voice and data networks, customer relationship management solutions to unified messaging solutions.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Terrorists massacre 44 in Gujarat temple
A suicide squad of three heavily armed terrorists stormed into the famous Swaminarain temple in Gujarat and gunned down 44 people, including six women and four children and injured about 60 others last evening, accelerating tensions in the state. After a 12-hour stand off, all the three terrorists have been killed by security forces. Two of the unidentified terrorists were killed during the night in the operations launched by the NSG commandos and the third one was killed early this morning. One of the commandos is believed to have been killed in the operations. Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani rushed to Gandhinagar and to supervise the security operations. Condemning this attack he declared that it was an attempt to mar the communal harmony in Gujarat. He also pointed that it is a ploy to divert the world`s attention from the peaceful conduct of polls in Jammu and Kashmir. A red alert has been declared in the state. The VHP called a for a nationwide bandh on Thursday as a protest against the attack. The Gujarat Congress also called for a state-wide bandh on Wednesday as a mark of protest. Over five hundred people trapped inside the temple were evacuated by security forces before the NSG commandos moved in.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Red alert sounded in Maharashtra
PTI Maharashtra government today sounded a red alert across the state in the wake of terrorist attack on Swaminarian temple in Gandhinagar in neighbouring Gujarat. Minister of state for home Kripashankar Singh said: "We have sounded a red alert all over the state after terrorists stormed the Swaminarain temple." Strict vigil will be maintained at all places of worship and key installations in the state, he said. Sources at the state police headquarters said: "Orders have been issued to all commissioners and district heads of the police to take precautionary measures to maintain communal harmony." Security has been stepped up at all the major establishments in the Metropolis, city police sources added.
Wednesday, September 25, 2002
Operations to clear Swaminarain temple ends
Gandhinagar, Sept 25 The night-long operations to clear the Swaminarain temple here of the terrorists who had stormed it yesterday, ended early this morning with two terrorists and one National Security Guard (NSG) commando being killed in the encounter. Amid confusion about the exact number of terrorists involved, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi told reporters this morning that only two terrorists had entered the temple and both of them had been killed. Officials had earlier said that three terrorists were involved in the attack and that all of them were dead after the commando operation.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Jammu draws more voters than Srinagar
Voters turned up in large numbers to cast their ballots in Jammu district on Tuesday, in contrast to the Srinagar area where a general strike dampened enthusiasm. Electoral officials reported turnouts between 23 and 33 per cent in various parts of Jammu. In Budgam, adjoining Srinagar, an average of 20 percent turnout was recorded in the first five hours. About 2.19 million people are eligible to vote , although militants threatened to kill anyone taking part. Srinagar registered the lowest turnout in the 1996 election, with only 25 per cent of eligible voters heading to the polls. The poll is being held in four stages, the first of which took place in five border districts on September 16 and the last of which will take place on October 8. In Jammu district, where separatists have less influence, voters thronged to the polls in festive mood, witnesses said. Police and paramilitary troops guarded polling stations where electronic voting machines were being used for the first time. Women voters outnumbered men in the border districts of Akhnoor, R.S. Pora and Samba, electoral officials said. Indian and Pakistani troops, meanwhile, traded gunfire along the Line of Control (LoC). However, according to S J Sebastien, Deputy Inspector General of the Paramilitary Border Security Force, the firing, in the southern Poonch district, was of "low intensity and no casualties were reported on the Indian side."
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
India condemns Israeli retaliatory measures against Arafat
India has "strongly deplored" Israeli retaliatory measures against Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, saying they could negate all efforts towards peace and asked Tel Aviv to work with the Palestinian authority in de-escalating the situation. "The retaliatory measures would prove "counterproductive" and could only jeopardize efforts towards peace rather than contributing to the security of Israel," India's Ambassador to the UN V K Nambiar said. Intervening in the debate on the situation in the Middle East in the Security Council yesterday, Nambiar said Arafat remains the legitimate leader of the Palestinian people and "any attack on him would seriously undermine ongoing efforts to find a solution to the conflict." He regretted that recent development, including two suicide attacks inside Israel, the bomb blast in a Palestinian school and subsequent Israeli action in Ramallah have worked to "negate all efforts towards reconciliation." But the reoccupation of the Headquarters of the Palestinian authority by Israeli forces and wanton destruction of property around Arafat's headquarters would serve no constructive purpose, he told the Council.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Vajpayee slams Musharraf for calling J&K polls a sham
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today lashed out at Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf for calling the elections in Jammu and Kashmir a sham and said that the world would not accept such propaganda. "There have been no independent elections held in Pakistan so far and so they cannot believe that independent elections can be held anywhere else," said Vajpayee, who is on a four-day official visit to Maldives. "Nobody can digest the Pakistani propaganda anymore," he said, adding that there was no need for India to "show off or dramatize" their democratic process. Musharraf had yesterday accused India of making false claims about voter turnout in the elections in Jammu and Kashmir and called the process a sham. "Elections a blow to terrorists" The BJP today said that assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have dealt a severe blow to Pakistan-sponsored terrorist activities and Indian democracy has emerged triumphant. "The conduct of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir has successfully dealt a severe blow to Pakistan-sponsored terrorist activities in the state as the terrorists have been unable to stall the polls," said party spokesman and General Secretary Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. "Despite all attempts by Pakistan to spread fear and disrupt the election process, the people of the state have shown their unflinching faith in the democratic process," he added. Naqvi asserted that the boycott call by Hurriyat leaders only confirmed that they were acting on the dictats of Pakistan. Hitting out at Pakistan, the BJP leader said, "Unless the world community does not completely root out al Qaida and terrorism from Pakistan, the global war on terrorism can never succeed." Rocca's visit raises eyebrows Meanwhile a team of diplomats from different countries is in Jammu and Kashmir today to observe the second phase of polling. In addition two top-level American diplomats Deputy Secretary of State Christina Rocca and Assistant Secretary for Non-proliferation, John Wolf are also in the capital, for what the United States says is a routine visit. Officials say Rocca's visit is not connected to the elections and that she's here as part of the America's ongoing strategic dialogue with India. With foreign opinion already tilting towards accepting the fairness of the J&K elections, these visits are seen as a chance to push its point of view on Kashmir - an issue where international support is now considered vital. Previous Poll Stats Pollspeak "If our government is voted back to power, we will ensure that the dream and aspirations of the people come true." -Omar Abdullah
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Indian firms arming Iraq, says UK
LONDON: Britain has alleged that Saddam Hussein’s Iraq is able and willing to deploy some of its deadliest weapons of mass destruction in under one hour from the order being given and that it possesses missile infrastructure produced with the illicit help of Indian companies. The British claims of Indian involvement are contained in a 55-page dossier controversially and uniquely published by Tony Blair on Tuesday on the basis of what he called "unprecedented and secret" intelligence information. The dossier, received by largely sceptical political, press and public opinion here, tries to make a case for a Gulf War II-type operation to disarm Saddam and "regime change". Repeating US and UK claims that Baghdad continues to improve its missile capability, the dossier names names when it comes to alleged Indian support for Iraqi missile production. The document, which only obliquely blames "Africa" for supplying uranium to Saddam’s secret nuclear weapons programme, pinpoints India as part of the supply chain for banned propellant chemicals destined for ballistic missiles. One of these, ammonium perchlorate, the dossier says, was "illictly" provided by an Indian company, NEC Engineers Private Limited, which had "extensive links in Iraq", particularly to its al-Mamoun missile production plant and Fallujah 2 chlorine plant. Analysts added that in an intriguing insight, the dossier appeared to indicate that much of this had been known to New Delhi for some time. "(The) Indian authorities recently suspended its (the company’s) export licence" after "an extensive investigation", the dossier says, "although other individuals and companies are still illictly procuring for Iraq". In what defence experts suggested was yet another indication of a host of "front companies" in India and elsewhere, the dossier further says the machine tools and raw materials supply chain crucially remains in place for Iraq’s al-Samoud and longer-range missile systems. Even as Iraq refuted the dossier’s claims as "totally baseless" and a "Zionist campaign", Blair went before a heated emergency session of the British parliament to declare, "regime change would be a wonderful thing". Blair’s dossier, which precedes Washington’s promised evidence on Iraq, was greeted by boredom and yawns among sections of the pundits and politicians, who said it crucially lacked the so-called killer fact. Commentators said the dossier, which Blair described as primarily for the British people, may do little to persuade opinion further afield, notably India. India has long said that it is opposed to military intervention in Iraq and that "regime change" is an issue for the Iraqi people. Indian diplomats react Responding to the allegations in Blair's dossier, Navdeep Suri, spokesman for the Indian High Commission confirmed that the case against the company, NEC, had been charged and the matter was currently sub-judice. He said, "such actions are in violation of India's export control laws and whenever such a violation comes to the government's attention, firm action is taken". He declined to comment on what he called "speculative statements" about "other (Indian) individuals and companies" continuing to procure illicit material for Iraq.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Analysts see bigger deals for India software firms
Indian software firms, emerging from a two-year slowdown, seem poised to grab significant long-term outsourcing contracts, marking a shift from shorter projects billed by the hour, industry analysts say. "There are customers coming to India in what seems to be a bigger intention to outsource their technology requirements," said Girish Pai, vice president at SSKI Securities. For years, demand for Indian software boomed and no need was seen for the certainty of long-term contracts. But the global tech slowdown means diversification and long-term software maintenance deals. These involve taking over client software work and are seen as a way out of volatility. Two weeks ago, stock in Wipro spiked 25 per cent in less than a day on market talk that it had won a $200-800 million multi-year deal from a US soft drink maker. Wipro denied the speculation but the stock has remained firm, climbing 6 per cent to Rs 1,283 since September 6. Analysts say Infosys and Wipro, India's second and third largest software service exporters after privately held Tata Consultancy Services, are set to enter a bigger league. Indian firms that have deep ties with offshore clients such as Citigroup and General Electric, have emerged as diversified white-collar service firms, adding ongoing back-office technology management to low-cost software coding. Infosys and Wipro each employ more than 10,000 engineers. "We are unlikely to see a half-a-billion dollar deal coming in soon but you will see Indian firms expanding services and participating in long-term contracts," Bhupinder Ahuja, analyst at Deutsche Securities, told Reuters. Analysts say tech outsourcing leaders like IBM and EDS, under pressure in depressed markets, could team up with Indian firms to keep down costs. India's software export growth, aided by low staffing costs, slowed to 29 per cent at $7.5 billion in the year to March 2002, after jumping more than 50 per cent a year in the late 1990s. In the past, contracts have typically been around $25-30 million per year and big deals have been rare. Two years ago, India's fourth largest software exporter, Satyam Computer Services, signed a $200 million long-term deal with satellite-maker TRW. However, Satyam senior vice president K Thiagarajan told Reuters that long-term deals are spaced out over years. Indian companies have a long way to go to catch up with the likes of EDS, IBM and Computer Sciences Corp. These have annual sales of billions of dollars while no Indian software company has an annual revenue above around $900 million.
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Militants storm Gujarat temple, kill 25
Gandhinagar Three terrorists fired a hail of bullets in the premises of the Akshardham Temple of the Swaminarayan Sect Tuesday evening, killing 25 persons and injuring 70. A red alert has been sounded across the State and security tightened after the terrorist attack on a religious shrine in Gujarat, official sources said. Intelligence sources had indicated that such attacks were possible in the wake of the February 27 Godhra train carnage which spawned communal riots in the State this year. The entire 15-acre premises was immediately cordoned off by the Army, police and other security forces and commando action was likely to flush out the intruders. A large number of tourists and pilgrims were present at the time in the temple. Many VVIPs, including the then US president Bill Clinton, had visited the shrine. The temple is barely two kilometres from the Secretariat and the VVIP residential area where the Governor and the chief minister, besides ministers and officials, live. Chief Minister Narendra Modi had already sought help from Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani, who held a high-level meeting at New Delhi. Commandos are likely to be rushed to the temple soon, sources said. UNI & AFP
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Shahrukh Khan booked for abusing cameraman
Police have registered a complaint against popular actor Shahrukh Khan for allegedly abusing a cameraman of a television channel and issuing threats to him.According to police, an altercation arose between a cameraman of ZEE News and personal security guard of the actor on Sunday night at a function organised at Crossroad Mall in central Mumbai to unveil a collection of costumes figuring in the actor`s recently released film `Devdas`. The security guard objected to the cameraman filming certain shots of Shahrukh Khan at the function. However, when the cameraman questioned the security guard over the validity of the objections, a fierce argument broke out between both the groups with the actor intervening to settle the dispute, police said. Later, there was a scuffle between the cameraman and the actor and his security guard, police said.On the basis of complaint lodged by the victim, Tardeo police registered a case against Khan and his guard under Section 504 IPC (insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) and section 506 IPC (criminal intimidation).
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Implement Tehri project: Sonia to Tiwari
Congress President Sonia Gandhi Monday asked Uttaranchal Chief Minister N D Tiwari to implement the Tehri Hydel project without delay while emphasising the need for immediate rehabilitation of the affected people. "This is one of the biggest hydro-electric projects actively supported by Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi governments. It will be good if the first Congress government in the state gets it commissioned," Gandhi said in a letter to Tiwari. "Of course, everything possible must be done to ensure that rehabilitation measures as per settled norms are implemented for all remaining eligible rural and urban families," she said. Saying she was disturbed over reports about delay in implementation of the project, Gandhi said "I will like to strongly suggest that when the project is so close to completion, its execution should not be allowed to be delayed due to disturbances and agitations." Gandhi referred to the on-going movement by residents of 125 villages around the project and told the Chief Minister to "do everything possible to ensure rehabilitation of the affected people". 09:36 IST
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Bajaj elected co-chairman of Commonwealth Business Council
India's leading automobile industrialist Rahul Bajaj has been elected as Co-Chairman of the Commonwealth Business Council here. The other Co-Chairman elected at the Council meeting Monday evening was Hugh Morgan, Chief Executive officer of Western Mining Company of Australia. They will succeed Lord Cairns of UK, the current Chairman of the Council. Bajaj told that he and Morgan would assume their charges as Co-Chairman of the Council in December this year. Hitherto there used to be Chairman and Vice-Chairman. With Monday's election there would be no post of Vice Chairman and instead of Chairman there would be Co-Chairmen. The Commonwealth Business Council was established by Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1997 to involve the private sector in the promotion of trade and investment. The Council acts as a bridge for cooperation between business and government in order to help remove barriers of trade, mobilise investment into Commonwealth countries, foster a good environment for business and investment; promote good practice incorporate governance and corporate citizenship; and facilitate the expansion of e-commerce, especially in developing countries. 09:08 IST
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
India should bring fiscal deficits under control: IMF
While praising India for its economic growth and other aspects of economy, the International Monetary Fund has said that the country should bring fiscal deficits under control if it wants to reach its full potential. Other institutions, including the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation and the non-governmental International Finance Institute, also said that India cannot reach its full potential until it gets a handle on the fiscal deficits of the Central and State Governments and the publicly owned enterprises. The IMF says in its annual report that its Directors underscored the importance of "medium term efforts to strengthen fiscal positions in China, India and many Latin American countries." The countries in emerging Asia, with the important exceptions of China and India, says the IMF, generally experienced sharp falls in growth rates in 2001 but began to show signs of a turnaround in 2002. In emerging Asia as poorer external conditions during 2001 also spread to domestically exposed sectors, further lowering demand, confidence and employment with economic and political uncertainties in some countries were putting downward pressure on growth. In contrast, "activity remained relatively buoyant in China and to a lesser extent in India, largely because both economies are less dependent on external trade than other economies in the region, but also because of strong domestic demand, though they too have seen some slowing in growth since 2000," the IMF says. 09:36 IST
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Second phase of polling for 28 assembly seats begins
Polling for the second phase of crucial assembly elections spread over three districts of Jammu, Srinagar and Badgam comprising 28 constituencies began this morning amidst a general strike called by Hurriyat Conference and threats from militant groups. Balloting began at 0700 IST (0130 GMT) and an estimated 21.83 voters are expected to exercise their franchise during the nine-hour polling to decide the fate of 263 candidates which include National Conference chief Omar Abdullah in prestigious Ganderbal constituency and at least half a dozen key ministers of Farooq Abdullah government. Tighest-ever security arrangements have been made for smooth conduct of polling at all 2099 polling stations where poll personnel and materials have been despatched well in advance. Among the ministers whose electoral fate would be decided in the second phase are Ali Mohammad Sagar (Khanyar), senior most minister Ghulam Mohidden Shah (Batmaloo) and Ajatshatru Singh (Nagrota). This phase would decide the fate also of important rebel candidates Aga Syed Mehmood and Mohammad Shafi Bhat who quit NC after they were denied ticket by the ruling party from Badgam and Amirakadal constituencies respectively. Besides the state police, dozens of companies of para-military forces with active assistance from the army were in readiness to subvert any attempts of militants to sabotage the polls. 09:08 IST
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Vajpayee offers help in restoring historical mosque in Male
As a special gesture, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Monday offered India's help in the restoration of the historical Dharumavantha Raasgefaanu mosque here. He made the announcement at a civic reception hosted in his honour by Male's Mayor Ismail Shafeeu. He recalled that the famous Fenfushi mosque in Male has also been restored by the National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property in Lucknow, his parliamentary constituency. The Mayor handed over Key of Male to the Prime Minister at the Function attended by over 1000 dignitaries and other guests. 09:36 IST
Tuesday, September 24, 2002
Fresh violence in Karnataka, battle shifts to SC
Fresh violence Monday gave momentum to Cauvery agitation in Karnataka as its battle with Tamil Nadu shifted to the Supreme Court which issued notices to Chief Minister S M Krishna on a contempt petition by Tamil Nadu alleging violation of orders of the Court and Cauvery River Authority on release of stipulated quantity of water. A mob hurled stones on cinema houses which did not close down and looted 20 shops in Mandya district of Karnataka and detained a Bangalore-bound train from Mysore. Normal life came to a grinding halt as agitationists brought scores of bullock carts and put them on roads to block movement of vehicles, burnt effigies of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and shouted slogans against the Centre. Road traffic between Mysore and Bangalore was disrupted but trains plied. Schools and Colleges in the district have been ordered to be closed for next three days in view of the agitation which intensified despite suspension of release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. A three-judge Bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice B N Kirpal, Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice Arijit Pasayat issued notices to Krisna, Karnataka Water Resources Minister S K Patil, the State Chief Secretary and the Water Resources Secretary while asking all of them to respond to the contempt petition latest by September 30, the next date of hearing. The Court also asked the Union Government to file an affidavit by September 27 detailing the daily inflow of water into Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu "in order to ascertain whether directions of CRA and apex Court is complied with". 09:36 IST
Monday, September 23, 2002
Sonu furious over Devdas song
Publicity is publicity whether good or bad! And everybody wants to cash in on it. When Devdas was announced to be a hit, the one who attempted to gain from it was no... not the glamorous stars Shahrukh, Aishwarya or Madhuri and not even its director Sanjay Leela Bhansali but believe it or faint, it was singer Sonu Nigam. Apparently Nigam originally sang the song, Sheeshe se sheesha takraye, which was later sung by Vinod Rathod. Bhansali got it dubbed saying Rathod's voice suited better. Sonu Nigam did not create any ruckus then. But suddenly out of the blue he is hitting out at the director saying he was not even informed about it. But Sonu haven't you woken up a wee bit late??
Monday, September 23, 2002
Karna ignores PM's directive on release of Cauvery water
Karnataka today ignored Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's directive to release Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu even as the Supreme Court is likely to take up the contempt petition filed by Tamil Nadu against Karnataka for its failure to abide by the apex judiciary's order to release the water. Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister D B Chandre Gowda said the state has so far not started releasing water to Tamil Nadu. When reminded of the Prime Minister's directive to him to honour the Cauvery River Authority's decision to release 9000 cusecs of water, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna remained evasive on the issue saying "my prime responsibility is to ensure drinking water to my people and saving the standing crops in the state." Asked whether Karnataka would comply if the Supreme Court on Monday asks it to release water, Krishna said whatever the apex court decides would be the law of the land. "We have always complied with the Supreme Court directive and have substantially complied with the CRA orders," he said. Though he had agreed to release water at the last CRA meeting based on certain assumptions, Krishna said he had expressed his inability at yesterday's meeting with the Prime Minister in view of the low water level in its reservoirs as well as the flows. 22:20 IST
Monday, September 23, 2002
PM rules out early resumption of Indo-Pak talks
PM rules out early resumption of Indo-Pak talks New Delhi,Sunday, September 22, 2002: Charging Islamabad with disrupting the poll process in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today ruled out early resumption of Indo-Pak talks after completion of assembly elections in the state. "If terrorist activities are totally stopped and the infrastructure of terrorism is demolished, then there can be a conducive atmosphere for talks," he said before leaving for Maldives on a four-day official visit. Vajpayee was responding to a reporter's question on whether there was any likelihood of early talks with Pakistan if Jammu and Kashmir elections were held successfully. Charging Islamabad with disrupting the elections, the Prime Minister said "the manner in which obstructions are being created in Jammu and Kashmir polls, it does not appear that there has been any change in Pakistan's style of thinking". 15:40 IST
Monday, September 23, 2002
15 killed in bomb blast in Uttar Pradesh
Fifteen people were killed and two injured when a powerful bomb exploded in a tempo on Hardoi-Kanpur road in Uttar Pradesh today, police said. The bomb, which was kept inside the tempo, went off near Farhat Nagar railway crossing, about 40 km from Hardoi, killing 14 of its occupants on the spot and injuring three others seriously, they said. Of the injured, a woman later succumbed in a hospital. The condition of another injured was stated to be crtical. Senior officials have reached the spot, they added. 18:01 IST
Monday, September 23, 2002
Ganguly, Sehwag dump England out of Champions Trophy
Virender Sehwag and Sourav Ganguly slammed contrasting centuries as India stormed into the semi- finals of the Champions Trophy cricket tournament with a crushing eight-wicket victory against England in a crucial Group B league match here today. Sehwag blasted 21 fours and one six in a blazing career- best score of 126 off just 104 balls which very nearly eclipsed Ganguly's knock of 117 not out. India overtook England's score of 269 for seven with more than ten overs to spare and set up a semi-final clash with Group C winners South Africa on September 25. Sehwag and Ganguly put up 192 runs for the opening wicket in just 28 overs, reducing a keenly-awaited match into a virtual no-contest. England, who elected to bat after captain Nasser Hussain won the toss, survived a nightmarish start to post a decent total, thanks mainly to Ian Blackwell who top-scored with 82. Blackwell, playing only his second one-dayer, led a middle-order resurgence that saw Ronnie Irani, Owais Shah and Alec Stewart chipping in with useful scores. But Sehwag and Ganguly made England score look highly inadequate. Ganguly, who was totally eclipsed by his partner during their opening wicket stand, came into his own towards the end of the innings. He brought up his 19th one-day hundred with a huge six off Blackwell and then smashed another six and four off Dominic Cork in the next over to take India to victory. 22:15 IST
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Hindutva politics gains ground in Jammu
With the first round of polling in Jammu and Kashmir over, the focus now shifts to round two. A key battleground in this phase will be Jammu where the RSS' open support to a separate Jammu state has created a rift within the Sangh Parivar and could even undermine the Bhartiya Janata Party's electoral prospects. It's an election battle cry that signals a new power equation in Jammu politics. As candidates of the newly formed Jammu State Morcha (JSM) hit the campaign trail, they have a single point agenda - pushing for a separate Jammu state. The platform has the backing of the RSS even though it means pitting the Morcha against the official BJP candidates. The RSS front organisations like its students wing, the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), are openly campaigning for the Morcha. "Whether it is the RSS, VHP or ABVP, we are all with the Morcha and we will keep fighting for a separate state," says Narender Singh, ABVP leader, Jammu. Faced with the possible division in its traditional Hindu vote, the RSS' stance has left the BJP, angry and confused. In recent elections, the BJP has dominated Jammu politics, winning all three-city seats in 1996. "When two family members fight, the neighbours are bound to benefit," observes Ashok Khajuria, BJP MLA, Jammu. The RSS strategy appears to be two fold. At one level, it wants to control the resentment in its cadres and at another; it wants to use Jammu to send out a wider message of Hindu discrimination. "Ever since the Kaluchak incident the RSS has been playing up the issue of Hindu discrimination and killings, forgetting that this is a state where everyone is getting killed," maintains Rekha Chaudhary, Political Science professor, Jammu University. With even smaller parties like the Shiv Sena campaigning on a strident anti-minority platform in Jammu, the election results here could be another pointer to the nature and direction that Hindutva politics takes in the state.
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Hindutva politics gains ground in Jammu
With the first round of polling in Jammu and Kashmir over, the focus now shifts to round two. A key battleground in this phase will be Jammu where the RSS' open support to a separate Jammu state has created a rift within the Sangh Parivar and could even undermine the Bhartiya Janata Party's electoral prospects. It's an election battle cry that signals a new power equation in Jammu politics. As candidates of the newly formed Jammu State Morcha (JSM) hit the campaign trail, they have a single point agenda - pushing for a separate Jammu state. The platform has the backing of the RSS even though it means pitting the Morcha against the official BJP candidates. The RSS front organisations like its students wing, the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), are openly campaigning for the Morcha. "Whether it is the RSS, VHP or ABVP, we are all with the Morcha and we will keep fighting for a separate state," says Narender Singh, ABVP leader, Jammu. Faced with the possible division in its traditional Hindu vote, the RSS' stance has left the BJP, angry and confused. In recent elections, the BJP has dominated Jammu politics, winning all three-city seats in 1996. "When two family members fight, the neighbours are bound to benefit," observes Ashok Khajuria, BJP MLA, Jammu. The RSS strategy appears to be two fold. At one level, it wants to control the resentment in its cadres and at another; it wants to use Jammu to send out a wider message of Hindu discrimination. "Ever since the Kaluchak incident the RSS has been playing up the issue of Hindu discrimination and killings, forgetting that this is a state where everyone is getting killed," maintains Rekha Chaudhary, Political Science professor, Jammu University. With even smaller parties like the Shiv Sena campaigning on a strident anti-minority platform in Jammu, the election results here could be another pointer to the nature and direction that Hindutva politics takes in the state.
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Confident India take on England on Sunday
NEW DELHI: India take on England in a crucial clash on Sunday in the ICC Champions Trophy. With Zimbabwe - the third team in the group - losing both their matches, the winner on Sunday will take on South Africa in the semifinals. On current form and on Sri Lankan wickets, India enjoy an edge though Nasser Hussain and his men can be expected to put up a fight. Both the teams have been playing a lot of cricket against each other in recent times. While India can take heart from the historic win against England in the NatWest final, the Englishmen had an excellent match against Zimbabwe winning emphatically by 108 runs. India enjoy great depth in batting with Dravid keeping wickets and giving Ganguly the option of packing in an extra batsman. With Sehwag at the top of the order capable of tearing apart any attack, and Sachin, Ganguly providing experience the top order looks awesome. The presence of Kaif and Yuvraj in the lower middle order provides balance to the Indian batting. But apart from the very broad willow of Rahul Dravid and the tenacity of Mohammad Kaif, the rest of the Indian batsmen are flashy players who get out to poor shots too often. This was evident in the match against Zimbabwe where Sachin, Mongia, Ganguly and Sehwag got out to deliveries that should have been left well alone. This is the weakness that the English bowlers will try to exploit and that very frankly is the only chance that England has. It is not surprising then that Caddick, Giles and Cork feel that getting rid of the rock-solid Dravid holds the key to the match on Sunday. It is the bowling that has been India’s weakest link. It is possible that Ajit Agarkar will replace Ashish Nehra who struggled in the game against Zimbabwe. Zaheer Khan has been consistent. Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh have been good in patches but have never looked like running through the opposition. India is in dire need of a top class strike bowler and a genuine all-rounder ahead of the World Cup next year. The Indian new ball attack will be put to test by prolific Marcus Trescothick, who is in cracking form. Trescothick slammed a stroke filled 119 to set up England's 108-run victory over Zimbabwe in the pool match. He also scored a hundred in his previous game against India in the final of the NatWest Trophy at Lord's in July. If India were to get rid of Trescothick cheaply half the battle would be won. Nasser Hussain has also scored runs against India in the recent past and the English skipper looked good for his 75 against Zimbabwe. On the English bowling front Matthew Hoggard seems to relish playing outside England. He was the best bowler on view against Zimbabwe and should cause a few flutters in the Indian camp. England are without all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, speedster Darren Gough, and specialist batsman Michael Vaughan. The English skipper has gone on record to say that "India must be the favourites in these conditions" after saying that the Indians should stop 'bragging' about their tour to England. Match Time: 2 pm (IST), Day and Night England: Nasser Hussain (Capt), Ian Blackwell, Andrew Caddick, Rikki Clarke, Dominic Cork, Ashley Giles, Matthew Hoggard, Ronnie Irani, James Kirtley, Nick Knight, Owais Shah, Jeremy Snape, Alec Stewart, Marcus Trescothick India: Sourav Ganguly (Capt), Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag Dinesh Mongia , Mohammad Kaif, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ajit Agarkar, Yuvraj Singh, Jai P Yadav, Ashish Nehra, VVS Laxman
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Pak should be ostracised: Fernandes
Asserting that Pakistan should not mistake New Delhi's restraint as a sign of 'weakness or indecision', India has called for greater international cooperation, especially among the threatened democracies, to combat terrorism on a war-footing. Addressing a seminar on 'the Security Scenario', Defence Minister George Fernandes said: "The attempts by terrorists to disrupt the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir illustrated the fear that democracy generated among them." Fernandes, who is on a five-day official visit to Italy, pointed out that international terrorism, though new to the rest of the world, was something that the Indians had been facing for the past several decades. "Over the last decade, we have faced a particular pernicious mutation of this phenomenon _ that of state-supported, cross-border terrorism. A proxy war or low intensity conflict had been waged against the Indian state and society. The resilience of our democratic polity and strong secular structure besides the professionalism of our armed forces have helped us withstand these challenges," he said. In an apparent reference to the United States treating Pakistan as a 'stalwart ally' in the fight against terrorism, Fernandes regretted that the distinction between terrorists sought to be made by the international community has dampened the war against terrorism. "It is foolish to believe that there are good terrorists. Those that use terror as a means to achieve their political ends and states that support them should be ostracised, not rewarded," he said. Talking about the regional security situation, he said Pakistan's hostility towards India and its unwillingness to rein in cross-border terrorism was fraught with danger. "We continue to hope that Pakistan will see the damage that terrorism is doing to its own society, but we also remain prepared to deal with any further aggression," he added. He said India had taken several initiatives to convince Pakistan about its hope for a common and peaceful future only to be rewarded each time with new forms of aggression. "We also believe that a non-hegemonic regional Asian order is essential for all countries in Asia to achieve their full potential. We would consider attempts by any power to seek hegemony over the continent a serious challenge to our security," he added. He said the impressive turnout in the first phase of polling in the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir rejected Pakistan's claims that Muslims of the State by definition were Pakistanis and, therefore, Kashmir was a Pakistani territory. "If only Pervez Musharraf understood the meaning of this vote," he added. UNI
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Govt rules out troops reduction in J&K
Union Minister of State for Defence Chaman Lal Gupta on Friday ruled out any reduction of troops along the borders with Pakistan even after the election process was over in Jammu and Kashmir. "Let us complete the election process first...We will review the situation after that," Gupta told UNI. "There is no question of any reduction of troops along the borders with Pakistan...The neighbouring country continues to infiltrate militants into this side. There is no stopping that," he added. The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader said the troops concentration in the strife-torn State was increased in view of the elections. "We had called troops apprehending large-scale violence by the militants at the behest of Pakistan during the elections," he said. Gupta said Pakistan had employed all means to disrupt the elections in the State. "They have failed in their nefarious designs. The people of the State have given them a drubbing," he added. However, he said despite effective measures to curb militancy, the threat perception was still there. UNI
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Fidayeen responsible for police colony attack shot dead
Security forces today shot dead a militant, who carried out a fidayeen (suicide) attack at police housing complex at Bemina in the outskirts of the city late Saturday night, leaving one cop dead and six others injured. During the night-long search, Jammu and Kashmir police, assisted by army and BSF, managed to locate the militant behind the bushes inside the complex, police said. Though no militant outfit has claimed responsibility, Pakistan based Lashkar-i-Toiba is suspected to be behind the attack in which one policeman was killed and six others were injured, they said. Earlier reports suggested that two militants had sneaked into the police lines but the sources today said either one had slipped away under the cover of darkness or had not entered at all. The militant wearing a police uniform had fake identity card which stated him to be the resident of Darbhanga in Bihar. The other identity card revealed his name as Barkat Ansari, resident of Lolab in north Kashmir. Police recovered one AK 47 rifle, two live grenades and two magazines from him. Senior police officials laid by Inspector General of Police (Kashmir range) K Rajindra Kumar, who was overseeing the operations, carried out searches to ensure the safety of the police families inside the complex. DIG Farooq had received minor injuries as the grenade fell near him. 09:42 IST
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Petrol, HSD oil price hike push up inflation rate to 3.77 pc
A surge in prices of petrol, high-speed diesel oil and essential food items pushed up inflation rate by 0.31 per cent to 38-week high at 3.77 per cent during the week ended September seven. The inflation rate, based on wholesale price index (WPI) of all commodities, had declined to 3.46 per cent in the previous week and was at 4.93 per cent a year ago. WPI rose by 0.2 per cent to 167.8 points during the week from 167.4 in the previous week and 161.7 a year ago, mainly due to costlier primary articles and fuel. Final WPI was at 165.6 for the week ended July 13 as against the provisional figure of 165.1, while final inflation rate was at 2.79 per cent as compared to the provisional figure of 2.48 per cent. Inflation rate witnessed an upward trend mainly due to a 1.1 per cent rise in primary articles and another 0.3 per cent hike in fuel prices although manufactured products was cheaper by 0.1 per cent. Primary Articles index went up to 177.5 during the week from 175.6 in the previous week and 170.5 a year ago on account of 1.0 per cent rise in prices of food articles while non-food articles was costlier by 1.3 per cent. The group index for Food Articles rose to 183.8 from 181.9 due to costlier gram (seven per cent), fruits and vegetables (five per cent), mutton and pork (three per cent each), jowar, barley, arhar, moong, masur, urad, eggs, condiments and spices (one per cent each). However, prices dipped in case of chicken (nine per cent), maize (three per cent), fish-inland (two per cent) and fish-marine (one per cent). 09:42 IST
Sunday, September 22, 2002
No breakthrough in Cauvery issue
A breakthrough in the Cauvery tangle eluded Saturday night with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee sternly asking Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu as per Cauvery River Authority (CRA) decision but Karnataka virtually pleading its inability. As the water row escalated between the two states, Vajpayee is understood to have given a tough message to Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna not to cite law and order problems in implementing the September eight decision of CRA to release 9,000 cusecs of water daily during September-October to Tamil Nadu. Vajpayee also directed that the Cauvery River Monitoring Committee headed by the Union Water Resources Secretary should visit all the Cauvery reservoirs in Karnataka to verify the levels and report back to CRA within three days. The CRA would meet later. However, a beleaguered Krishna was non-committal after an hour-long meeting saying implementtion of the CRA direction depended on two factors -- water flows and level of the reservoirs -- inherent in the Authority's order. On a hectic day on the Cauvery front, Vajpayee received all party delegations from both states headed by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and her counterpart Krishna respectively. Tamil Nadu demanded that the Centre direct Karnataka to immediately release water as given in the CRA direction and implement an all party decision that Centre take over all dams on Cauvery in Karnataka to ensure release of water to Tamil Nadu as per Supreme Court and the Authority decision. 09:42 IST
Sunday, September 22, 2002
Education system in the country should "Indo-centric": Joshi
Armed with a Supreme Court judgement on the issue of saffronisation of education, Human Resources Development Minister Murli Manohar Joshi favours that the education system in the country should be "Indo- centric" and dismissed charges that attempts were being made to rewrite history. "I want that Indian education should be Indo-centric and not Euro-centric", he said in an interaction with journalists emphasising that achievements of India in various fields should be clearly brought out and should become part of the text books. Asked about the opposition of political parties to the new curriculum even after the apex Court judgement and the stand of some states that they would not implement the curriculum, Joshi alleged that "some are interested obstructing the implementation of the syllabi in the Indian technical, higher and secondary education". Denying suggestions that there was a "scare" among a section of the students following the controversy over the curriculum, he said he had not received any complaint or any SOS from any board or institutions till now. "The new syllabi is in the interest of the students and country", he said adding that the NCERT only prepared the framework which act as a model and a general direction of the curriculum. The state boards could use it in toto or could suitably modify according to their requirements, he said. Refuting charges that the BJP-led coalition was attempting to rewrite history, Joshi said what was being done was to give a "correct perspective" to the History by removing the "distortions". 09:42 IST
Saturday, September 21, 2002
White House reiterates the importance of ending infiltration
US President George W. Bush, during his recent meetings with leaders of India and Pakistan at the United Nations, had stressed on the need to end cross-border infiltration, according to White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer. "More broadly, the President met at the United Nations with the leaders of Pakistan and India, and he stressed in his meetings the importance of ending crossborder infiltration", Flesicher told reporters Friday. He said the issue of cross-border infiltration "remains a very important topic, and one that is constantly discussed at the highest levels of the administration repeatedly". 09:47 IST
Saturday, September 21, 2002
Pak tells militants to resume 'small-scale' infiltrations
The Pakistani government has allowed Islamic guerrillas to resume small-scale infiltrations in Kashmir despite India's demand that Islamabad halt the practice, a media report said Friday quoting officials of three militant groups. In separate interviews this week, members of three such groups told the New York Times that while the Pakitani government halted all infiltration in May, it signalled in late July that "small-scale" infiltrations could resume. "There was a green signal from the authorities," said an official from one militant group. "Because of that the groups took the initiative," said an official from a militant group who did not want his organisation to be named. The officials further added that Pakistan continued to finance their groups. In interviews to New York Times, an official from one of the militant groups, Hizbul Mujahedeen, the largest Kashmiri group, spoke on the condition of anonymity but said that his organization could be identified. Officials from the other groups asked that their organizations not be identified, the paper said. An official from another militant group said in the past government officials had provided money, issued weapons and led groups of 10 to 15 guerrillas to points along the border where they could cross into the Indian-controlled area of Kashmir. 09:47 IST
Saturday, September 21, 2002
63 Indians arrested in Russia, Ukraine for illegal entry
Sixty-three Indian nationals have been arrested in Russia and Ukraine for allegedly entering into these countries without valid visa and travel documents. The Indians, all from Punjab, would be sent back after verifications and deposit of the amount required for their deportation, Amarjit Singh, Passport Officer said here Friday. He said according to the communcations received by Indian embassies in these two countries, 31 persons were arrested in Minsk in Belarus and the rest 32 were held at Kiev in Ukraine recently without proper documents. "The communications stated that the regional passport office, Jalandhar, which we are verifying from our records, issued the passports of all the 63 persons", he said adding "after verifications parents of the detainees would be requested to deposit the required amount for deportation." Singh hoped that the verifications would be over by Monday and "accordingly family members of the detainees would be asked to deposit Rs 40,000 and 24,500 on account of traveling cost from Minsk and Kiev respectively to India. 09:47 IST
Saturday, September 21, 2002
Farakka express' engine derails, none hurt
The engine of Farakka Express Friday night derailed on Rohtak-Bhiwani section after a tractor rammed into it at an unmanned crossing, Railway sources said. All train passengers were safe, they said, adding the derailment occurred between between Kalanaur and Lahli railway stations. The tractor driver was seriously injured and admitted to PGI hospital here. The 3414 Bhiwani-Malda Farakka express was being sent to its destination via Rewari, the sources said. Rail traffic was disrupted following the derailment and was likely to be restored Friday morning. 09:47 IST
Saturday, September 21, 2002
Actress Priya Tendulkar dead
Renowned film and TV actress Priya Tendulkar died following a massive heart attack in the city today, family sources said. The actress passed away at her residence at Prabhadevi in Central Mumbai, sources said. She will be cremated in Mumbai at 7 pm today. Tendulkar, daughter of noted litterateur and playwright Vijay Tendulkar, made her film debut with Shyam Benegal’s movie Ankur in 1974. But her biggest success came in the 1980s with the television serial Rajani, penned by her then husband Karan Razdan and directed by Basu Chatterji. Rajani was aired in 1986, and made an instant celebrity. In this she played the role of a housewife who doubles up as a consumer activist fighting for the simple things that middle-class Indians have to work hard for. She later also became famous for her role in Hum Paanch, a sitcom on Zee TV. She played the role of a dead woman who nags her husband from inside a photoframe.Priya also acted in 'Kisse Miya Biwi Ke' and Marathi serial 'Damini'. More recently, she gained popularity because of TV shows she hosted The Priya Tendulkar Show which was later renamed to Zimmedar Kaun . The show was aired on Sabe TV. She wrote the script for a Marathi serial called Asmita which was aired on Tara. She also played the lead role in the serial. Priya started her career in Marathi theatre and acted in plays like 'Gidhade' 'Tee Phulrani' and 'Ek Hatti Mulgi'. Priya reluctantly accepted 'Rajani' role: Basu The role of crusading housewife 'Rajani', which made her famous in late 80s, was "reluctantly" accepted by Priya Tendulkar. Basu Chatterjee, who directed the TV serial, said that the role had suited Priya, who was initially reluctant to accept it. She had done a nice job in performing the role, the shocked director said. "She was rather reluctant to accept the role but later she did a nice role," Chatterjee said. Chatterjee said Tendulkar's personality suited her role and the storyline of the immensely popular 'Rajani' serial in the later stage was tailored according to her personality. The director said neither he nor Priya had expected the serial to be a hit. "We were pleasantly surprised," he said.
Saturday, September 21, 2002
Six injured as fresh violence rocks Vadodara
Vadodara city in Gujarat on Friday witnessed fresh violence in which six persons were injured. Police had to open fire to disperse two groups indulging in violence as idols of Lord Ganesha were being taken for immersion. Earlier, police burst two dozen teargas shells to quell mobs belonging to different communities in the sensitive Fatehpur area of Vadodara city, police sources told reporters. The mobs resorted to heavy stone-throwing and threw acid bottles, sources said. The cause of the trouble, however, was not known. The minority community was observing a "janata curfew" when the procession passed from the area. Elaborate security arrangements had been made for the Ganesh immersions, city police commissioner Din Dayal Tuteja claimed. But other parts of Gujarat, including Ahmedabad observed the festival in a peaceful manner.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Final turnout in J&K polls at over 47 pc: EC
PTI SRINAGAR: The Government on Wednesday put the final turnout for the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir elections at more than 47 per cent. "The final turnout after opening the diaries of the presiding officers of all the 23 segments that went to polls on Monday is 47.28 per cent," said Pramod Jain, Jammu and Kashmir's chief electoral officer. In the last polls for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 1996, turnout for the five districts that voted on Monday was 61.1 per cent. Turnout for the whole of Jammu and Kashmir in that election was 57.63 per cent. At the end of the nine-hour polls on Monday, Jain had put turnout at 43.6 per cent but said it was expected to rise by a few percentage points after election officials give their final figures. However, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee late on Tuesday called the turnout "satisfactory", and his deputy, Lal Krishna Advani, said there were no reports of voter coercion. A total of 1.49 million people were eligible to cast their ballots in the first phase of the vote. The rest of Jammu and Kashmir heads to the polls in three more rounds, the last being held October 8. Vajpayee said he expected higher turnout at the next phase of polls on Tuesday, when Srinagar and Jammu both head to vote. Of the districts voting on Monday, Kargil recorded turnout of 75.89 per cent, followed by Kupwara at 55.39. The figures for the southern Poonch and Rajouri districts were 52.40 and 44.40 per cent respectively, while the lowest turnout was in northern Baramulla district at 39.99 per cent. The Buddhist-dominated Leh district was also up for the first round but its two candidates were uncontested.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Uneasy calm in Gujarat town after communal clashes
AHMEDABAD: A semblance of peace returned on Wednesday to a Gujarat town rocked by communal clashes this week. Borsad, about 75 km from here in Anand district, was kept under curfew and resembled a ghost town, its forlorn streets strewn with idols of the elephant-headed Lord Ganesh. The violence erupted Monday during the ritualistic immersion of idols of the Hindu god when a motorcycle rider knocked down a boy. The incident soon took on a communal colour, with residents of Hindu and Muslim-majority neighbourhoods soon pelting each other with stones. The unrest spilled over into Tuesday, prompting the authorities to clamp curfew on the town. In Tuesday's violence, 35-year-old Shiraz Vohra was killed when police opened fire on rioters. Another person, Mukesh Shah, sustained serious stab injuries. Seventeen police personnel, including Borsad inspector G.I. Goswami, were injured. Some shops and a house were also set ablaze. Borsad had witnessed similar scenes when communal hate engulfed Gujarat February-end and led to the killing of nearly 1,000 people in three months of violence.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Centre seeks direction to EC to hold
The Union government on Tuesday sought a direction from the Supreme Court to the Election Commission to hold elections in Gujarat within six months of the dissolution of the state assembly. Solicitor General Harish Salve argued that there could not be a gap of more than six months between two sittings of a legislature. The Gujarat assembly was dissolved on July 19, but the Election Commission expressed its inability to hold elections in the riot-torn state within the stipulated six months and recommended imposition of President's rule. The Union government, however, did not agree with the Election Commission's view and moved the Supreme Court through a presidential reference. Tuesday was the first day of hearings on the presidential reference. Salve said while the Election Commission's power to hold free and fair polls was unquestionable, it could not make recommendations for the imposition of President's rule in a state. Election Commission counsel K K Venugopal said the commission's August 16 order deferring the polls in Gujarat was not taken with reference to Article 356, which provides for imposition of President's rule. "The decision contained in Election Commission's order was taken without reference to Article 356. However, it was merely pointed out that there need be no apprehension that there would be a constitutional impasse [if the elections were not held with the stipulated six months] as Article 356 could provide a solution in such a situation," he said. When the court asked what would be the situation if the gap between two sittings of the assembly stretched beyond six months, the solicitor general said a council of ministers could, in such a situation, continue in office for six months from the date of dissolution as per Article 164. A five-judge Constitution bench -- comprising Chief Justice B N Kirpal, Justice V N Khare, Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justice Ashok Bhan and Justice Arijit Pasayat -- said it would like to finish hearing all sides by September 26.
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
Indo-US military cooperation growing: Admiral Singh
Indo-U.S. military-to-military dialogue is "developing day by day" and both sides are now gearing up for the largest ever joint naval exercises scheduled to begin later this month, according to India's Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Madhvendra Singh. Addressing a press conference here Tuesday, Admiral Singh said the chapter of U.S. sanctions was over with the release last month of spare parts for the Indian Navy's Sea King helicopters, and both sides are now preparing for joint naval exercises, likely to be participated by four to five thousand personnel, off Cochin from September 28. He however, clearly stated that he saw no role for the Indian Navy, which is jointly patrolling the Straits of Malacca as part of the joint operations against piracy, in the wake of a possible US attack on Iraq. He also said that the Indian Navy is not involved in intercepting any ships carrying al Qaeda suspects. However, when asked whether India would be ready if Pakistan launches an attack on India, Admiral Singh said "We are always ready". 09:45 IST
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
India not to take England lightly : Ganguly
Describing England as "tough opponents" despite the absence of a number of key players, Indian captain Sourav Ganguly today said his team could not take them lightly when they clash in the ICC Champions Trophy on September 22. "They may be without Andrew Flintoff, Darren Gough, and Michael Vaughan. But I am not taking them lightly. No team can be underestimated in limited over matches," Ganguly, who is here for a three-day break, told newspersons. Looking at the first match against Zimbabwe in retrospect, Ganguly said though his team won the match, it had lost five wickets for 87 within the first 15 overs. "No team can be underestimated in limited over matches, So, I think, irrespective of the team composition, England will be tough opponents. We have a battle on our hands," he said. The skipper emphasised that each one-dayer in the next few months were very crucial in the run-up to the World Cup in February-March in South Africa. He said "every country has now started preparing for the big event. Each is trying to have a measure of its opponents. The Champions Trophy is the only major tournament before the World Cup where all the teams will be seen in action. We have also started our homework for the Cup." Ganguly, who arrived in the metropolis on Sunday to spend a few of days with his family, will leave for Colombo today to join the team for the crucial England match on September 22. 16:11 IST
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
EC makes strong case for imposition of President's rule
The Election Commission today made out a strong case for imposition of President's rule in Gujarat after October three and urged the Supreme Court to return the Presidential reference without giving any opinion as questions raised in it were ''hypothetical'' to the facts of law. Arguing on behalf of the Commission, senior advocate K K Venugopal said the EC was of the view that elections could be held only in November/December after revision of the electoral rolls as a large number of errors had cropped up because of migration of a vast chunk of opoulation in the wake of the recent riots. He contended that the court cannot examine those questions in the reference which did not form part of it. A five-judge Constitution Bench comprising Chief Justice B N Kripal and Justices V N Khare, K G Balasrishnan, Ashok Bhan and Arijit Pasayat, which has fixed September 26 as deadline for completion of the arguments, is hearing the Presidential reference on Gujarat on day-to-day basis. Venugopal said Article 324 giving the Election Commission the authority to hold election was a basic feature of the Constitution and was independent of the provision of Article 174. It cannot be subject to the provisions of Article 174, he said. 16:11 IST
Wednesday, September 18, 2002
If Germany can unite, so can we: Advani
New Delhi, Sept. 17: L.K. Advani has once again floated the idea of a political confederation of India and Pakistan a trial balloon he floated in January that sparked an outraged response from the Pakistani embassy. Addressing a Ficci seminar in the capital today, the deputy Prime Minister said such a confederation could be based on the re-unification model of East and West Germany. In January, Advani had suggested that Bangladesh could be part of a tri-nation confederation but he did not refer to the eastern neighbour this time around. Advani said: "In history, there are times when two countries can develop allergy towards each other to such a great intensity, and yet, they (East and West Germany) are one now." Advani said despite Pakistan's animosity towards India and its attempts to disrupt elections in Jammu and Kashmir, both countries could form a confederation for constructive utilisation of their limited resources. "They do not even relish that elections are being held peacefully in our country and would like to disrupt these elections," Advani said while inaugurating India Chem 2002, the second international exhibition and conference on chemicals, pharmaceuticals and petrochemicals here. When Advani had first floated the idea back in January, Pakistan had accused him of trying to foist the Hindutva concept of Akhand Bharat on the subcontinent and had advised him to give up his pernicious designs on foreign territory. Advani said India should become a developed nation by 2020. Asserting that the government was playing a pro-active role in promoting research and development in areas like biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and IT, he said: "A Rs 1.5 billion fund has been set up for the purpose." India's export in these areas is primarily to countries like the US, UK, Japan, France, Germany, Korea and the Netherlands. "We need to thank our scientists and entrepreneurs without whom India would never have been able to become a power house in these sectors," he added. "India Chem is an opportunity for both domestic and foreign companies to get into long-lasting and successful collaborations. Combining swadeshi spirit and foreign support in R&D, infrastructural and scientific development will help the sector rise," he added. US' problem: Sinha Foreign minister Yashwant Sinha has said the US must do more to pressure Pakistan to stop crossborder attacks by extremists and rejected a dialogue with Islamabad until the violence abates, says a Reuters report from New York. Days after President George W. Bush urged the leaders of the South Asian neighbours to directly address the root problems of their dispute, Sinha said ensuring President Pervez Musharraf adheres to his promise to end crossborder attacks on India is "America's problem". As for US calls for talks, reiterated by Bush in meetings last week with Musharraf and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the UN, Sinha said India is a "victim" of crossborder terrorism and Islamabad is "holding a gun to its head". "I think anyone who is saying that there should be a dialogue is equating India and Pakistan at this point of time and it's not fair because India is the victim of crossborder terrorism," he said. "Any further progress toward dialogue or reconciliation can take place only after the gun has been removed. Therefore, to talk about a dialogue when Pakistan is holding a gun to our head is neither practical nor fair." He accused Pakistan of a "desperate" bid to disrupt the polls in Jammu and Kashmir. "If your neighbour is sending all those terrorists with the express purpose of disrupting the elections, then more the reason why we should go through with the electoral process to show our commitment to democracy and our commitment to fight terrorism," he said. While Pakistan is key in the US war on terrorism, Vajpayee told the UN last week that Pakistan is a sponsor of terrorism that has failed to honour vows to end crossborder militant strikes.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Terrorists kill Punjab police jawan as J&K polling begins
Terrorists killed a Punjab police jawan and attacked a polling station in two separate incidents in Rajouri and Poonch districts as the first phase of the polling in the crucial Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections began on Monday morning. The terrorists fled from the scene after security personnel returned the fire. In the second incident, terrorists fired a rocket on a polling station at Khaniyal in Thana Mandi area of Rajouri district at around 0600 hrs, an hour before the polling began causing damage. No casualties or injuries were reported, sources said. Polling began in seven assembly segments of Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region amidst a tight security cover.
Monday, September 16, 2002
20,000 additional troops deployed in Rajouri and Poonch
About 20,000 additional para-military troops have been deployed in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch where polling for first phase of Jammu and Kashmir assembly began on Monday. The deployment of these para-military troops comprising BSF, CRPF, Punjab Armed Police (PAP) and RPF has been done with the view to instil confidence among the electorate in these districts where incidents of violence has become a daily routine, official sources said here. These troops have been deployed in almost all villages of seven assembly segments of Poonch-Haveli, Mendhar, Surankote, Darhal, Kalakote, Rajouri and Noushera, they said, adding they will look after the security of polling booths including 300 sensitive ones. The district election officers of Rajouri and Poonch, in consultation with the senior police officers, were constantly reviewing the situation in their respective areas, they said.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Polling begins for first phase of J&K polls
Amidst tight security, polling began in 23 constituencies in five border districts on Monday morning in the first of the four-phase crucial Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Polling booths opened at 7:00 am for an electorate of 15 lakhs with nearly 160 candidates in the fray. Voting would end at 4:00 pm. The voting began in the backdrop of stepped up violence in the run-up to the elections and an attempt on the life of Tourism Minister Sakeena Itoo on Sunday. With security forces maintaining a tight vigil, Chief Election Commissioner JM Lyngdoh has appealed to voters to cast ballots fearlessly. Diplomats from 28 countries, including the US, European Union, Canada and Australia are witnessing the first phase of the staggered elections. Speaker Abdul Ahmad Vakil, six ministers and terrorist-turned-politician Kuka Parray are in fray in the first phase of balloting in Rajouri, Poonch, Kupwara, Baramulla and Kargil districts where almost all polling centres are hyper-sensitive or sensitive. In Kupwara, voters in large numbers were seen coming to the polling booths to cast their votes. A voter exercised his franchise as soon as the booths were opened in Kupwara assembly constituency at 7:00 am. Baramula reported the first vote being cast at Hanfia School at 7:15 on Monday morning, polling took on Poonch in Jammu and Kargil in Ladakh. Reports reaching from Baramulla said voters were seen thronging the polling booths despite a relatively cold morning. At Gantmulla, voters were seen queuing waiting for their turns to cast their ballot in the electronic voting machines being introduced for the first time in the state. Kargil and Gulmarg constituencies are witnessing straight contest besides multi-cornered electoral battles in rest of the constituencies. Polling for Lolab constituency had to be countermanded due to assassination of the ruling party nominee Mushtaq Ahmad Lone. According to district election officers of Kupwara and Baramulla, the situation was peaceful. Two constituencies of Leh district, which were also to go to the polls on Monday, have returned their representatives to the assembly unopposed. Official reports from Karnah in Kupwara said polling started with brisk note in the constituency. In the initial 50 minutes 100 votes were polled. Seven candidates are in fray in Karnah where as many as 28,873 voters will exercise their franchise for which 58 polling booths have been set up, the reports said. However, polling started moderately in Rafiabad constituency of Baramulla district. In first hour, 30 votes were cast. The constituency is witnessing a multi-cornered contest with seven candidates in the fray. They include candidates from National Conference, Congress, BJP, Janta Dal(U), PDP and two independents.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Terrorists target NC candidate's house
In a bid to scare voters, terrrorist targeted the house of a National Conference candidate from Bandipora and set off grenade explosions at two places in Kashmir Valley on Sunday night, official sources said on Monday. A group of unidentified terrorists opened fire on the house of Javid Hussain Shah, member of legislative council at Bandipora in Baramulla district, they said adding Shah was inside his house but escaped unhurt. The sources said his security guards fired back and the shootout between the two sides lasted for a brief while. Terrorists also set off a grenade explosion at Sangrama in Baramulla but no one was hurt. They said terrorists threw a grenade towards a police camp at Pakherpora in Badgam district on Sunday night but the device missed the target and exploded near the fencing of the camp without causing any harm.
The Indian Space Research Organisation successfully test-fired an indigenous cryogenic engine for 1,000 seconds, the longest so far. The test was conducted on Saturday at the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre test complex at Mahendragiri in Tamil Nadu. "The performance of the test was normal," an ISRO press release said. "While the test validates the design adequacy of the engine, further demonstration tests are planned at engine and stage level during this year," ISRO said. Cryogenic engines are used in Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles [GSLV] and use a combination of liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen for operation. They are preferred over solid and liquid propulsion systems due to higher efficiency and used in the third stage of the GSLV. Cryogenic technology is known to only five other nations, ISRO said.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Petrol, diesel dearer
State-owned oil companies today hiked the retail price of petrol by nearly 50 paise per litre while in the case of diesel the increase would be in the range of 34 to 40 paise per litre, effective from midnight tonight, according to a spokesperson of the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). As per the new rules evolved by the government in the wake of withdrawal of the Administered Pricing Mechanism of the petroleum products with effect from April 1 this year, state-owned oil companies meet once in very fortnight to fix the retail price on import parity basis. Accordingly the officials of IOC, IBP, the Bharat Petroleum and Hindustan Petroleum met Saturday to fix the retail prices for the next fortnight. There had been apprehension that the sudden upward trend in international crude oil prices might result in a hike of at least Rs 2 per litre in domestic petrol prices and Re One per litre increase in diesel prices. If the recent phenomenon of spurt in international crude oil prices continues, the domestic prices of petrol and diesel will have to be increased further, official sources indicated here. The domestic oil prices were revised on August 31. While the petrol price was hiked by 22 paise per litre the diesel price was hiked by 29 paise per litre then.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Vajpayee leaves for Zurich; to reach New Delhi on Tuesday
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee left here today for Zurich on his way back home after a five-day visit to New York where he addressed the UN General Assembly and met a host of world leaders including US President George W Bush. After a night's halt in Zurich the Prime Minister is scheduled to reach New Delhi on Tuesday night. 09:49 IST
Monday, September 16, 2002
India received US strong support in fighting terror: Vajpayee
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said India has received strong support in its fight against terrorism from US President George Bush but ultimately "we will have to depend on our own strength to wipe out the scourge from Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of the country". During their meeting, Bush reiterated total commitment of his country against terrorism and condemned recent killings of innocent poeple in J and K aimed at sabotaging the election process in the state, Vajpayee told a news conference here winding up his five-day visit to New York. Vajpayee said Bush expressed support for the election process in J and K saying it would help create a congenial atmosphere in the state and facilitate a discussion between India and Pakistan on Kashmir issue. Answering a question, Vajpayee rejected converting the Line of Control (LoC) into international boundary and denied he had discussed the issue with Bush. "There is no question of having any discussion on the LoC," he said, adding no such proposal was ever made. To a question, the Prime Minister said India-American relations could not be "Pak-centric". That was the case once but now they have moved beyond that and the focus is on trade and cooperation in scientific, defence and civilian nuclear space technology, he said. Besides, emphasis is being laid on having an understanding of regional and global issues, Vajpayee said. 09:49 IST
Monday, September 16, 2002
Iraq Sanctions should be lifted in tandem with full compliance:PM
Noting that India has "historical" relationship with Baghdad and "vital interests in the Gulf region", Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has said the sanctions against Iraq should be lifted "in tandem" with "full and effective compliance" by Baghdad with the United Nations Security Council resolutions. Replying to a question at a press conference here Sunday, Vajpayee said US President George Bush had stated he would take to the Security Council any matter of further action regarding Iraq. The Prime Minister described as "hypothetical" the question of India agreeing to allow its air space and other facilities to be used by the United States in case of an attack on Iraq. "We fully understand the international community's desire to see relevant resolutions on weapons of mass destruction complied with fully," Vajpayee said. Under the Security Council resolutions, the sanctions can only be lifted after the UN weapons inspectors certify that it does not possess weapons of mass destruction. The United States is threatening military action to topple President Saddam Hussein. 09:49 IST
Monday, September 16, 2002
Seven players return home, to rejoin team on Sept 19
New Delhi,Monday, September 16, 2002: Seven leading cricketers including skipper Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar returned to India Sunday from Colombo, where they are participating in the ICC Champions Trophy tournament, to attend to their "personal work". Cricket Board secretary Niranjan Shah told that the players returned to their home towns with the Board's permission to attend their "personal work." The players, however, have been adviced by the Board to join their teammates in Colombo on September 19 ahead of their league match against England on September 22, Shah said. "The players returned with the board's permission. Since all of them were in England for two months and had to fly to Colombo immediately after reaching India, they took our permission to visit their home," Shah said. Besides Ganguly and Tendulkar, the other players to come back are V V S Laxman, Anil Kumble, Virender Sehwag, Ajit Agarkar and Ashish Nehra. 09:49 IST
Monday, September 16, 2002
Blast in Hyderabad injures 15
Islamabad, Sep 15 At least 15 people were injured, three seriously, when a bomb went off in a bus in Hyderabad Sunday evening, television reports said. A senior police official in Hyderabad, 100 km from the southern port city of Karachi, was quoted as saying that the involvement of Al Qaida could not be ruled out. The unidentified police officer was quoted as saying the low intensity blast was caused by a "homemade" bomb. It was hidden under a seat and went off soon after the bus departed for Karachi. A senior official of the interior ministry said in Islamabad that the explosion was linked to Al Qaida and that a "suspect has been arrested and is being interrogated." This is the sixth blast to be blamed on the Al Qaida network since Pakistan decided to support the U.S.-led coalition against terrorism following the 9/11 terror strikes. In previous incidents, at least 32 people including two Americans have been killed and several injured. Since then, Pakistan has arrested a number of militants suspected of links with the Al-Qaida network.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Akshay Kumar and Twinkle become proud parents
Mumbai, Sep 15 "I'm walking on the clouds," exulted film star Akshay Kumar Sunday evening after his wife Twinkle gave birth to a baby boy. "When I hold the baby in my hands, I feel I've got the world in my hands. Everything is absolutely fine. Both the mother and child are in perfect health," enthused the jet-lagged star. The baby was born at around 5.30 p.m. He has been named "Araav" or peace by his mother. Akshay had flown in Sunday morning from Cape Town where he was shooting for Suneel Darshan's production "Andaz" with Lara Dutta and Priyanka Chopra. "As soon as the doctor called from Mumbai to inform me it was time, I caught the first flight out. The entire unit has flown back with me," Akshay said. "More than me wanting to be near my wife at this time, it was my wife who needed me near her." Just two days of shooting had remained and this will be completed within the country. Sounding breathless with excitement, Akshay gratefully took a never-ending barrage of congratulatory calls. Akshay plans to take a whole month off from shooting October to enjoy his fatherhood.
Monday, September 16, 2002
Vajpayee rejects conversion of LoC to International border
New York, Sep 16 Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has firmly rejected conversion of Line of Control in Kashmir to International Border between India and Pakistan and called for a close watch on the movement of al Qaeda terrorists who were reported to be regrouping in the region. Addressing a press conference shortly before leaving for home after his five-day visit to New York, Vajpayee said there was no question of converting the LoC into border and there was no discussion on the issue with US President George W Bush. The Prime Minister also said that for the first time Bush did not not emphasise on resumption of dialogue with Pakistan. Vajpayee, who met a host of world leaders including Bush and addressed the UN General Assembly during his stay here said he told them that the fight against terrorism should be continued relentlessly without any complacency. Every single world leader whom he met condemned terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in India, he said, adding, "I naturally discussed with all these leaders the imperative need for democracies to cooperate in rooting out terrorism effectively and without discrimination." Vajpayee, who met Bush a day after the first aniversary of September 11 terror attacks in US, said "terrorism can show its ugly face any day, any time and in any form." He said the issue of disappearance of al Qaeda terrorists needed to be addressed urgently as there was information that they were regrouping again and a close watch on their movement was needed.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Dismal year for newcomers in Bollywood
Mumbai, Sep 14 The year 2002 may have seen more newcomers step into the glamorous world of Bollywood than ever before, but very few of them have managed to find a foothold, let alone become stars. Almost every week one or two new faces grin at you from glossy posters across the nation. But not a single debutant, except Vivek Oberoi, has made a dent in the star system. While the first two years of the millennium gave the film industry talent like Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, 2002 seems to be the year of hype. Newcomers like Nakul Kapoor and Amrita Arora were projected in the pages of glossies as the "Next Best Thing". But does anyone remember them today? The year started with Kuku Kohli projecting Karan Nath and Jividha as the hottest newcomers of the year in "Yeh Dil Ashiqana". Amidst the hype and hullabaloo, it was conveniently forgotten that Karan had made his debut last year in "Paagalpan". Two weeks after Kohli's film, Tamil star Simran's sister Monal, who later committed suicide, made an uncelebrated debut in Tinu Verma's "Maa Tujhe Salaam". Singer Palash Sen came next in Meghna Gulzar's "Filhaal". All these newcomers were given the cold shoulder. The first debutant to make some impact in 2002 was model Malini Sharma, who played a sexy ghost in Vikram Bhatt's "Raaz". She managed to get a few offers thereafter, which she declined. A week after Malini, television star Rahul Bhat and Premnath and Bina Rai's granddaughter Akansha were introduced in the mayhem-clogged "Yeh Jo Mohabbat Hai". While Akansha has another film, no more was heard of Rahul. Debutant director Mani Shankar's "16 December" did reasonably well in some cities. But neither debutante Dipannita Sharma or Aditi Gowatriker benefited. Does hype translate into hope for newcomers? Apparently not. Nakul Kapoor and Aarti Chabria went all over the country promoting their debut movie "Tumse Achcha Kaun Hai". Neither has been snowed under by assignments. The same goes for Arya Babbar and Amrita Rao who made their debut during the sizzling month of May but fizzled out summarily. Prior to their debut film "Ab Ke Baras", the media wrote well about Arya thanks to the goodwill commanded by his father Raj Babbar. After the film when Arya was shown the door it became quite difficult to keep up the illusion of stardom. In fact, 2002 has so far been extraordinarily unkind to star-children. Esha Deol, in spite of her impeccable pedigree, found few takers in her three releases "Koi Mere Dil Se Pooche", "Kya Dil Ne Kahaa" and "Na Tum Jano Na Hum". For her parents Hema Malini and Dharmendra's sake, the media has desisted from writing Esha off. Now everything depends on her next release where she teams up with another star-child, Sanjay Khan's son Zayed Khan. Another debut-making star-son Sohail Khan has been received with mixed feelings in his debut film "Maine Dil Tujhko Diya". In spite of being presented as a combination of Rambo and Romeo, Sohail's impact has been minimal. His co-star Sameera Reddy was received with lesser enthusiasm. On the other hand, Rehaan Engineer and Koel Puri in "Everybody Says I'm Fine" and Lucky Ali and television actress Gauri Karnik in "Sur" got uniformly positive reviews, if not stardom on a platter. Since they aspire to be thinking actors, one doesn't see these realistic newcomers being flooded with offers from the David Dhawans of wonderland. Even those newcomers of 2002 who have made their debut in hardcore mainstream films like Sanjana in the Yash Chopra production "Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai", Tara Sharma in Anupam Kher's "Om Jai Jagdish" and Viveka Babaji in "Yeh Kaisi Mohabbat", have been presented as archetypal glam dolls and found few takers. In the remaining months of 2002 we shall probably get to see some more promising newcomers like beauty queens Lara Dutt, Priyanka Chopra and Celina Jaitley. There's also Bikram Saluja. The earnest model-turned-actor seen as Karisma Kapoor's love interest in "Fiza" is now being re-launched in a brilliantly conceived multi-dimensional role in debutant director Karan Razdan's "Roshni". But in all likelihood, Vivek Oberoi and Esha Deol would be the unchallenged winners of all the best debutant awards at the end of 2002. Unless Bikram Saluja and Priyanka Chopra creep up on them.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Pune to host international film fest in Nov
Pune: At the inauguration of the awaited Pune Festival 2002, filmmaker Dr Jabbar Patel took the opportunity yesterday to announce the very first Pune International Film Festival, to be held on November 29 later this year. The festival will be supported by the state government and the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). Thrilled, Patel said the city that gave pioneers to the film industry will finally get an international platform. The Pune Festival was the ideal stage for this announcement as it has always been known to preserve the culture of Pune through various events held during the Ganapati festival, he added. The Pune Festival was begun 14 years ago by MP Suresh Kalmadi, chairman of the festival. This year’s event has many dimensions, glitz and glamour, and a long list of honoured guests. Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, the chief guest, inaugurated the festival and was all praise for Kalmadi and his efforts. Joshi was the guest of honour for the second time, the first was when he was chief minister. Other guests of honours included Vijay Mallya, MP and chief executive officer of United Breweries; Gautam Singhania, Raymond’s CEO; and Rasiklal Dhariwal, of the Manikchand group. Danseuse Shovana Narayan, patron of the festival Hema Malini and her daughters Esha and Ahana Deol, and danseuse Mallika Sarabhai were also present. Bollywood was there as well, represented by actresses Rati Agnihotri and Shamita Shetty and actors Suresh Oberoi and Shekhar Suman. The festival opened with Pandit Bhimsen Joshi and his son Srinivas’s musical performance.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Dengue scare in Andhra Pradesh
Hyderabad, Sep 14 The threat of dengue fever taking epidemic proportions looms over Andhra Pradesh even as a jittery state government has sought the help of experts to fight the disease. Experts from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD), Lucknow, are expected to arrive here in a day or two to assist the health authorities tackle the threat. The state government on Friday admitted that seven cases of dengue had been reported from different parts of the state. While four cases have been detected in the state capital, two were reported from Warangal district. One was reported from Krishna district. Unofficial reports put the number of dengue fever cases here at 18. The health department kept denying the reports of dengue fever until Friday, when Health Minister Kodela Sivaprasad Rao admitted there were cases of dengue. Dengue has already claimed one life in Hyderabad. Twenty-nine-year-old Sunita Agarwal died on September 4, a week after doctors said she had symptoms of dengue fever. Four days after she died the government confirmed the death was due to dengue. Sounding a statewide alert, the state government directed hospitals to carry out tests on all patients showing symptoms of dengue fever. Municipal authorities have also been directed to take measures on war a footing to control the mosquito menace. The minister, who visited a private hospital in Hyderabad where three dengue patients are being treated, said the state government had requested the NICD to send its team of scientists and doctors from Delhi and Lucknow to carry out tests in different parts of the state. The private hospital had confirmed the cases after the screening of blood samples at the Molecular Diagnostic and Research Centre, Thane. M. Venkateswara Rao, chief of general medicine at Yashoda Hospital here, said the hospital had referred 20 samples for tests during the last one week and two of them had tested positive. The minister denied the state was trying to hush up the dengue fever cases. He said the serological tests conducted at government-run institutions turned out to be negative, but the tests done at private institutions were positive. In the case of Sunita Agarwal the test done at the Mumbai-based Ranbaxy Clinical Reference Laboratory returned a positive result, while the one done at the Veterinary Biological Research Institute (VBRI) here earlier had returned a negative result. Doctors at private hospitals said the VBRI was not equipped to carry out tests for the dengue virus. The outbreak of dengue fever in the state has the government concerned, since it was believed that the mosquito that carries the virus did not exist in the state. Health officials said five cases of dengue were reported in 2000 from Chittoor district, but there were no deaths. Dengue is caused by the Aedes aegypti, which is known as the tiger mosquito. It breeds in stagnant water. According to doctors, the symptoms of dengue include high fever, headache, severe pain in the eyes and rash over the body. In serious cases the blood gets affected and results in dengue shock syndrome when the patient's pulse and blood pressure goes down. "In such cases, if no treatment is given, the mortality rate can be 20 percent," said Venkateswara Rao. "There is no medication to eliminate the virus but the complications can be treated, while the life cycle of the virus ends on its own," he added. The authorities have swung into action to control the mosquito menace. "About 225 teams have been pressed into service for intensive fogging operations," said Hyderabad municipal commissioner Chitra Ramchandran.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
India's foreign exchange reserves cross 62 bn mark
India's foreign currency reserves continued to surge ahead surpassing US dollar 62 billion mark during the week ending September six. The foreign currency reserves witnessed a further jump of of USD 551 million at USD 62.1 billion during this period largely due to fresh inflows and revaluation of the USD vis-a-vis the Euro. According to Reserve Bank of India's weekly statistical supplement released here today, foreign currency assets saw a rise of USD 591 million at USD 58.8 billion. Gold at USD 3.2 billion declined by USD 40 million while special drawing rights remained unchanged at USD 10 million, it added. Loans and advances to the Central government for the week ended September six were up by Rs 96.66 bn to have the same balance while that to state governments it was up by Rs 7.27 bn to Rs 41.53 bn. 14:08 IST
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Kaif stars in India's 14-run victory
Mohammad Kaif hit a sparkling maiden century as India started their campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy cricket tournament with an exciting 14-run victory against Zimbabwe here today. Kaif's unbeaten 111 off 112 balls pulled India out of deep trouble and helped the side post a healthy 288 for six in the stipulated 50 overs. In reply, Zimbabwe were restricted to 274 for eight despite a brilliant 145 by Andy Flower, the highest individual one-day score by any Zimbabwean. The Indians, playing just four days after ending a tiring tour of England, slumped to 87 for five in the 14th over after electing to bat before Rahul Dravid and Kaif staged a brilliant recovery act. The two put on 117 runs for the sixth wicket at a good pace with Dravid contributing a fine 71 off 81 balls including seven hits to the fence. Dravid was run out while going for a non-existent single but Kaif continued with his beautifully paced innings to register his first one-day international hundred. For Zimbabwe, Andy Flower waged a lone battle as none of the other batsmen gave him much support. Grant Flower (33) and Guy Whittall (29) stayed for some time to build good partnerships with Andy Flower but they perished at crucial times. 22:24 IST
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Vajpayee deplores Gujarat riots
Deploring the recent communal riots that shook Gujarat, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee admitted that wherever he went the killings in the state were often mentioned. "A situation should not be created at home which forces us to bow our heads in shame before others (abroad)," Vajpayee said while speaking at a reception hosted in his honour by Indian ambassador to the US Lalit Mansingh here Friday night. Seeing no justification for the Gujarat riots, Vajpayee said people of Gujarat would say riots was not a new phenomenon in the state and that it occured every two years but "this is not good." Vajpayee, who was cheered repeatedly by non-resident Indiands present at the reception, said there was political stability in the country and this had come about because his NDA government had the capability to cary along with it a majority of the people. "In the changing world scenario, efforts should be made to put India on the top," he said, adding the need of the hour was to unitedly work for the country's progress and face the challenges particularly the menace of terrorism. "What is needed is to understand the real face ot terrorism," he said, adding the September 11 attack on New York's World Trade Centre had touched everybody's heart. 11:17 IST
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Modi seeks to woo Muslims during "Gaurav Yatra"
After all-round criticism for his reported attack on Muslims, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today sought to woo the minority community by recalling its contrbution to the India's freedom struggle. Launching the second phase of "Gaurav Yatra," Modi acknowledged contribution of Muslims in the first War of Independence, saying both Hindus and Muslims had fought together against the Britishers. "They fought like brothers accepting each other's leadership as circumstances and situations then demanded it. But by the time the country achieved independence, all that was gone because of Congress+, Modi said, adding the Partition of the country was a "great sin" on the part of the Congress. The remarks are in sharp contrast to Modi's utterance on Sept 9 in the first phase of the Yatra that minorities are responsible for multiplying population which came under fire from the entire opposition and National Commission for Minorities. 21:49 IST
Sunday, September 15, 2002
India disagrees with Annan's assessment on situation in S.Asia
India ticked off UN Secretary General Kofi Annan for his assessment on the situation in the Indian sub-continent, saying it did not agree with his views. "We of course do not agree with Kofi Annan's assessment of the situation," National Security Adviser Brajesh Mishra told reporters here Friday while reacting sharply to Annan's assessment on Thursday at the UN General Assembly. Annan had said that the "underlying causes" for the Indo-Pak tensions must be addressed while noting that the situation in the region remained "perilious" and that the international community might have a role to play if a fresh crisis erupted. Mishra also pointed out that Vajpayee specifically critcised the mindset that called for the "underlying causes" to be dealt with. Annan had also termed tensions between India and Pakistan as one of the "four threats" to world peace. 12:42 IST
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Campaigning for first phase of J&K polls ends
The campaigning for the first phase of polls on Sept 16 to be held in five border districts of Jammu and Kashmir ended today with a spate of violent incidents which led to the killing of two candidates putting a dampener on the electioneering over the past few days. Though contestants engaged in vigorous campaigning right from the day poll schedule was announced, killing of independent candidate Shiekh Abdul Rehman in Handwara segment on September 6 and National Conference candidate and Minister of State for Law Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, who is contesting from Lolab constituency, on September 11 saw a sharp decline in the number of rallies held thereafter. However, the turnout at some of the rallies gave an indication that these elections might witness largest ever voter turnout with people shedding inhibitions instilled by the fear of gun to support their repsective candidates. But the things changed following the killings of Lone and Shiekh, and attacks on several other candidates as the politicians chose to restrict their outings in view of the security threat. National conference chief Omar Abdullah and Congress President Sonia Gandhi had to cancell their rallies in Rajouri and Poonch districts for security reasons although the ruling party in the state maintained the rally was called off due to inclement weather. In the areas with strong militant presence, electioneering has been at best dull with even the political stalwarts of the state failing to draw crowds from their native constituencies. National leaders of several parties, who had descended on the valley to campaign for their candidates, failed to enthuse the people.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Shakti - The Power
Director Krishna Vamsi Producer Sridevi and Boney Kapoor We have heard of remakes but this would be the first time that a director is remaking a Hollywood inspired flick, copied twice over. Shakti - The Power is the brainchild of the highly successful director from the Telugu film industry, Krishna Vamsi. The movie was initially made in Telugu and was a decent success. Evidently, Bollywood producers never tire of cutting originality out of the equation but to avoid the fate of previous south remakes, Boney and Sridevi Kapoor have roped in some of the biggest names like SRK and Karisma. They even got Ash to do an item number. Shakti - The power is loosely inspired by the 1991 Sally Field and Alfred Molina film Not Without My Daughter, directed by Brian Gilbert. That was a movie about an American woman married to an Iranian who gets trapped in Iran by her husband. In Shakti, the protagonist is Nandini (Karisma Kapoor) who lives in Canada with her two uncles, is pampered and treated like a princess by both of them. Their dreams of seeing her married are fulfilled when she meets and falls in love with Shekhar (Sanjay Kapoor). The two marry and have a son Raja. Shekhar decides that they must return to India after hearing that his mother has been bedridden. As the family touchdown in India, Nandini and Raja are overwhelmed by the situation in the country and pray that they return to Canada soon. On the way they are attacked by a mob. Just when Nandini thinks that her family is now going to be killed, they are saved and that’s when she realizes that Shekhar’s family is far from ordinary. Her father-in-law Narsimha (Nana Patekar) is a goon who suffers from bloodlust and treats her like a slave unlike her mother-in-law who loves her dearly. When Nandini sees Narsimha teaching her son to throw a country made bomb, she freaks out and tells Shekhar that they must return to civilization. That is when Narsimha stops them. Nandini makes a transformation to an angry and wronged mother who will do anything to get her son back and get out of the hellhole she is in. She enlists the help of a local played by Shah Rukh Khan and the rest of the movie is made up of their travails and Nandini’s escape. Music is by Ismail Durbar and features a guest appearance in melody by Anu Malik in one song. Shakti is set for release on the 20th of September.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Gunaah
Director Amol Shetge Producer Mukesh Bhatt After Raaz, the Bhatts have left no stone unturned to repeat the same magic with the same star cast in their latest film, Gunaah. The film was earlier titled Encounter but later the name was changed, as there was already another movie with a similar title. Gunaah is a crime thriller; only this time Bipasha Basu plays the cop and Dino the crook. Directed by Amol Shetge and produced by Mukesh Bhatt, the movie has been written by Mahesh Bhatt. Talking about her role in the film, Basu said, Gunaah is a violent love story involving a hardened criminal and a cop. My character is that of a loner who, over the years, has learned to take care of herself like a man. But when Dino's character comes into her life, her defenses crumble. Even though her mind tells her to stay away from him, she falls for him. I play a cop who wants to reform a convict because she is in love with him, while Dino is a fire-brigade officer. And then something terrible happens and this life saver suddenly turns killer. The story of the film is as follows: Bipasha plays Prabha, an honest lady police officer who is hell bent on cleansing the corrupt system and takes it upon herself to clean the judiciary. In the process, her life changes when she meets Aditya (Dino Morea). Despite the reality, she falls in love with him after he saves her from a near fatal accident. In the process, the Police arrest him but his sefless act of bravery wins over her heart. Aditya refuses to explain his action to the cops and the court and this makes Prabha even more intrigued about this criminal with a heart of gold. Later, she meets him in his cell and gets to know him better, only to realize that he who was forced into the world of crime by a wrongdoing of the same system that has always annoyed her as well. While soul searching, they forget their professions and fall in love. But their love is temporary, as their romance doesn’t survive after Prabha starts making efforts to reform him. What follows is a heavy dose of emotions, as Aditya tries to get over the demons of his past that have misled him on the path to crime. Gunaah is slated for release on September 20. The film also stars Ashutosh Rana and has music by Anand Raaj Anand and Sajid-Wajid.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Khullam Khulla Pyar Karen
Director Harmesh Malhotra Producer Tutu Sharma Actor Govinda has been facing rough weather at the BO for a while now and it seems that most of his forthcoming films too belong to the same genre as his earlier flops. Khullam Khulla Pyar Karen being produced by Tutu Sharma and directed by Harmesh Malhotra, stars Govinda along with Preity Zinta, Kadar Khan, Satish Kaushik, Johny Lever, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Razzak Khan and Prem Chopra. It is for the first time ever that the vivacious Preity Zinta has been paired opposite the versatile actor. The film was in news recently when Harmesh Malhotra had a fallout with Govinda over the latter’s unprofessional behaviour. As for the film’s story, it’s about how a poor chap falls for a rich girl whose father doesn’t approve of him. With an added backdrop of the underworld, it has Prem Chopra and Kader Khan playing underworld dons operating from Gujarat and Mumbai. Like most films of the actor where he fights and eventually wins his ladylove in the end, this one too has a similar end. Johny Lever and Satish Kaushik provide the usual dose of comic sequences. KKPK has nothing new to offer the audiences as the story is cliched, but the film promises to have some very funny moments. Govinda plays a ‘double’ role in this comedy of errors, which seems to have a very similar plot to his earlier film, Dulhe Raja. Even the film’s music, which released a while ago, falls in the league where not a single number sticks in your head after you turn the player off. Talking about his role in the film, Govinda says, I play a sort of a double role in the film. I have to win over my girlfriend’s father, as he is against me. I had a good time doing the film even though it took a while to complete. The film took almost four years to complete and has music by Anand-Milind, lyrics by Sameer, story-dialogue by Anwar Khan, screenplay by Rajiv Kaul and Praful Parekh, sound by Jeetendra Chaudhari, editing by Govind Dalwadi and cinematography by Laxmi Narayan. It is expected to release in October 2002.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Sandhya
Director Sangeeth Sivan Producer Ayesha Shroff Sangeeth Sivan, brother of Asoka director Santosh Sivan, makes his directorial debut with the horror-thriller Sandhya. The film stars Jackie Shroff and Ashutosh Rana. Sivan has probably decided to test the theory that after Raaz it is only movies that make one's hair stand that are successful commercially. From an audience point of view, Sandhya will be an interesting look into the minds of the insane and also a thrilling ride; as the promos say, What if the hunter becomes the hunted? The story is about Dr. Singhania (Ashutosh Rana), a psychiatrist who works in an asylum. One day his family is ruthlessly murdered in their home and the shock causes him to go insane. He ends up being admitted in the very same hospital where he was practicing. Time passes and when evaluated, he appears to be normal and has recovered from the trauma. Upon his release, he even decides to go back home, renovate it and turn it into a nursing home called 'Sandhya'. But normalcy doesn't last long as Singhania starts remembering his family. He goes back into a depression. As the anniversary of the day of his family's death approaches, he becomes more and more erratic. To relieve his suffering, he decides that the best way out is to join the rest of his family. He then decides to hire Jaggu (Jackie Shroff) to murder him on his family's death anniversary. Jaggu reluctantly agrees and on the fateful day, everything is in place for the event but then something goes wrong. The killer now has to fight for survival himself as he realises that he has been deceived. Sandhya has music by Anand Raaj Anand and is produced by Ayesha Shroff. The film also stars Raveena Tandon and is set to release in October.
Sunday, September 15, 2002
Dil Hai Tumhara
Dil Hai Tumhara Director Kundan Shah Producer Tips Cast Preity Zinta, Mahima, Arjun, Jimmy, Rekha Director Kundan Shah needs to get his script sense corrected before he launches his next turkey. Like his last blunder, Hum To Mohabbat Karega, DHT too is another inane film that fails to impress despite an able star cast and obscene pre-release publicity. A predictable plot of two sisters falling in love with the same man, DHT is a clichéd story where no stone has been left unturned to show the immaturity and unoriginality of the filmmaker. Shekhar (Sachin Khedekar) lives with his wife Sarita (Rekha) and daughter Nimmi (Mahima Chaudhary) but there is a skeleton in his cupboard in the form of a second wife and another daughter, Shalu (Preity Zinta). When he dies, he leaves behind Shalu in Sarita’s care. The stepsisters grow up like real siblings but make the mistake of falling in love with the same man, Dev (Arjun Rampal). That brings out the worst in souteli maa, Sarita who tries her best to see that her real daughter Nimmi wins the love war. Shalu realizes that Nimmi loves Dev and decides to sacrifice her love. Along with her good friend, Sameer (Jimmy Shergill), a ventriloquist who loves her dearly, she plans to let her sister win the game of love. But finally, all end well when Sarita realizes her mistake and embraces her stepdaughter as her own. DHT not only has a weak script, but the film is also plagued with terrible tacky dialogues and very mediocre production values. Wonder why producers, Tips, didn’t do a better job on the sets? Performance wise, both Preity and Mahima have done their sincere best. Even though Preity has an author-backed role, Mahima has somehow stolen the thunder from with a spontaneous and touching performance. Rekha though looking aged, has shown that she is still in her elements. Sadly, both the leading men, Arjun Rampal and Jimmy Shergill have been completely wasted in this woman-oriented flick. Nadeem-Shravan’s music is so-so and barring two songs, Mohabbat and Dil Laga Liya, the rest are an ear sore. The cinematography and editing leave much to be desired too. But nothing is worse than the Rajkumar Santoshi-Kundan Shah written script, which though has some touching moments, is a predictable and unnecessary mushy story that is sure to be rejected at the BO.
Saturday, September 14, 2002
Maruti launches new 'M800' Variant with AC
NEW DELHI: India's largest car maker Maruti Udyog on Friday launched a new variant of its entry-level model 'Maruti800' in an aggressive attempt to push sales of the car in non-metro markets. The new car would have all the features of an existing 'M800 Standard' (Bharat Stage I) model but comes fitted with an airconditioner and tinted glasses. It has been priced at about Rs 2.15 lakh (ex-showroom Lucknow), which is about Rs 25,000 more than the non-airconditioned 'M800 Standard' and Rs 20,000 less than the airconditioned 'M800 Deluxe' version. The new car would, however, only be available in non-Metros where Bharat Stage I emission norms are applicable. In Chandigarh, the car would cost Rs. 2.14 lakh (ex-showroom), in Bangalore Rs 2.21 lakh, Hyderabad - Rs 2.22 lakh, Jaipur - Rs 2.14 lakh, Ahmedabad Rs. 2.18 lakh and Guwahati - Rs 2.27 lakh. Maruti, in a statement, said that the new 'M800' would set a new benchmark for prices of airconditioned cars in the country. The launch of the model comes close on the heels of the slashing of prices of the 'M800' By Rs 15,000 and Rs 18,000. This has led to a surge in demand with sales during August 2002 jumping by 51.8 per cent to 13,563 units over 8,932 units sold in July this year. A limited edition variant of the car was also launched in September to cash in on the current rise in sales.
Saturday, September 14, 2002
Violence rocks Srinagar after BSF kill two youths
SRINAGAR: Violent protests broke out in Srinagar city on Friday against the killing on Thursday night, allegedly by the BSF, of two youth at Maisuma. Police and BSF _ which has ordered an inquiry into the incident _ fired several warning shot and burst dozens of smoke shells to disperse the burial procession of one of them. Local residents said the two youth, Bilal Ahmad Sheikh of Maisuma and Nazir Ahmad Dar of neighbouring Batamaloo, were killed following an argument with and members of the BSF's 127 battalion. Bilal's brother-in-law Hanief Ahmad said he was taken away by BSF officers to a nearby workshop where Nazir was already held captive. ``We heard the sound of gunfire; we tried to get to the spot but the troops wouldn't allow us to move,'' said Ahmad. The BSF spokesman, acknowledging that the youth had been picked up, said they were being led to a camp for questioning when militants attacked the troops. The youth were killed in the gunbattle. ``One of them died on the spot while the other died of injuries'', he added. Bilal's father, Abdul Aziz, said he was the lone bread winner for the family and not remotely concerned with militancy. A local news agency reported that shopkeepers and residents had complained to the BSF about some youth indulging in eve-teasing in the area. Last evening, they were signalled by BSF to stop but fled instead. The BSF challenged them and fired in their direction, killing them. Tension mounted in the sensitive Maisuma and Lal Chowk areas when residents carrying Bilal's body and shouting pro-Independence slogans were intercepted by the police on M A Road. Ignoring the police warning, the protestors pulled down the bunting and banners of the political parties lining from the 2-km stretch from Maisuma to Dalgate. They also burnt the tricolour and set fire to four local newspapers ``for potraying a wrong picture of the incident''. Police fired dozens of teargas canisters to discourage the protestors from assembling. The youth was later laid to rest at his ancesteral Dalgate graveyard. The clash prompted many shopkeepers to take evasive action. Shops were immediately shuttered, traffic came to a standstill and pedestrians were seen heading for safety. Though life limped back to normal after a few hours, shops remained shuttered throughout the day in the Lal chowk area, the City's prime commercial hub.
Friday, September 13, 2002
Rescue operation for Rajdhani Express mishap called off
After four days of marathon exhausting exercise, the rescue operation in the mangled bogies of the ill-fated 2301 up Rajdhani Express was finally called off early today with Railway authorities putting the death toll at 119. "The operation is finally over. We have searched all the bogies including the worst affected AS2 coach where many passengers died of suffocation. We believe that no body is still trapped inside," Mughalsarai Divisional Railway Manager K K Saxena said. Sniffer dogs were also used to smell out bodies, he said, adding that a report would soon be submitted that no body was inside the affected 14 coaches. Saxena said while 106 bodies were extricated from the coaches, 12 others died en route to hospitals or after their admission in Gaya, Aurangabad, Sasaram and Mughalsarai. Another person died aboard a special train on way to Howrah. A final list of those killed and injured would be released only after physical verification of the passengers, he said adding this might take at least a couple of days. Traffic between Gaya and Moghulsarai division was restored on the down line after trial run of four goods trains beginning from 0300 hours. The first passenger train left Moghulsarai for Gaya this morning. About the Up line, Saxena said, work was on in full swing to repair the tracks and a portion of the bridge badly damaged due to the accident. Senior officials were still camping at the site, he said, adding it might take nearly a month to get normal traffic on the up line. 09:31 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
US to continue to put pressure on Pak
President George W Bush said U.S would continue to put pressure on Pakistan to desist from incursions into Jammu and Kashmir to ensure peaceful conduct of elections and firmly rejected Islamabad's description of terrorist violence in the state as freedom struggle. During his 35-minute meeting with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here Thursday, Bush assured that the U.S would use its "leverage" with Pakistan in asking it not to resort to cross-border terrorism. Briefing newsmen on the second meeting between Bush and Vajpayee in a year, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said the U.S President also took the initiative to express concern over the killings in J and K, especially of candidates in elections. During the meeting, coming in the backdrop of a recent upsurge in violence ahead of the elections, Bush said the U.S "is conscious of the need to continue to put pressure on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to desist from recourse to incursions across the LoC and violence especially during the elections in Jammu and Kashmir." Sibal said "that message came through very clearly and we did not really need to make a case. The events which have taken place in the last 2-3 days speak for themselves." The Foreign Secretary said Bush" very clearly and unambiguously said the U.S does not accept any justification for terrorism and rejected the excuse that some give for it in the garb of freedom struggle to make a distiinction 09130927 R NNNN zczc 09:31 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
India condemns Musharraf's vicious attack
India condemned Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's vicious attack against it at the U.N as "recycled hostility and a litany of false allegations" to incite more violence in Jammu and Kashmir and also a publicity stunt ahead of the assembly elections. Reacting strongly to vitriolic comments by a bellicose Musharraf at the U.N General Assembly, top External Affairs Ministry officials said the tirade was a deliberate attempt to defame India before the world community. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee is scheduled to address the U.N General Assembly later today and the manner in which he would respond to Musharraf's remarks is a matter of speculation. Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal told reporters here Thursday hours after Musharraf spewed venom on India that he deliberately raised the Gujarat events thus extending the range of his negatives against India. "It (Musharraf's speech) is a compendium of all negatives that Pakistan has about India," Sibal said. Sibal said the Pakistani leader was only aiming to get publicity both internationally and domestically on the eve of assembly elections. Earlier, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao told reporters that Musharraf's speech "amounts to instigating more violence by terrorist groups operating with Pakistan's support in J and K." Observing that Musharraf's speech was replete with falsehood and that there was "absolutely nothing new", Rao said Pakistan was making "empty noises" about freedom and self-determination and instead it should turn the search light on itself. 12:02 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
Iraq should be free to choose its own leaders: Vajpayee
Iraq should be free to choose its own leaders: Vajpayee New York,Friday, September 13, 2002: In the face of U S threats to attack Iraq, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said Baghdad should be free to choose its own leaders. Vajpayee, during an interaction with Jewish leaders here Thursday, in an apparent balancing act also said Iraq must submit to the international community's demand for allowing return of the UN weapons officials for inspection. Bush said at the UN General Assembly here Thursday that US action is "unavoidable" if Baghdad refused to comply with UN resolutions to disarm the Arab state of weapons of mass destruction. Briefing reporters on the meeting, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nirupama Rao said that if there are weapons of mass destruction in that region, they should not be there and Iraq should listen to the international demands for the return of the inspectors. Vajpayee mentioned to the Jewish leaders that India has a large community in the Gulf region--three or four million Indians. Therefore, India is concerned about the evolution of the situation pertaining to Iraq. Obviously, Rao told the media, whatever needed to be done there and whatever steps might be envisaged for dealing with the situation in Iraq would have to be done within the framework of the UN. Answering questions, Rao said India is saying that it is not for retention by Iraq of any residual materials or capabilities it might have acquired because the UN resolutions clearly stated that Iraq must submit to weapons inspection. "We are talking of the return of weapons inspectors to Iraq," she said. 10:12 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
Communal violence in Gujarat an "aberration": Vajpayee
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee said the recent communal violence in Gujarat was an "aberration" and that the situation there is "now under control". The Gujarat events came up during Vajpayee's interaction with American Jewish leaders during when the Prime Minister said much "misunderstanding" has been spread about the state since the riots. "What happened recently (in Gujarat) was an aberration. However, everything is now under control, things are normal," he said yesterday. Vajpayee said many foreigners have visited the state recently and could speak for themselves and make current judgements about the current situation. In fact, different communities have been living together in Gujarat for centuries, he said, adding they have a history of tolerance in the State and this is the State that produced Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel. 10:34 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
'Militants directed to kill candidates contesting J&K polls'
The ultras have been directed to kill candidates contesting elections and disuade the people from exercising their right to franchise during elections in Jammu and Kashmir, according to an intercept of conversation between militants. "Never sympathise or excuse any candidate or leader contesting elections and treat him as an enemy," a Defence Ministry document, quoting the conversation between ultras in the country and across the border, said today. The document, which was circulated to media, said "terrorists should kill all candidates/leaders contesting elections and people should be disuaded from casting their votes. Besides, sabotage activities should be carried out at all cost". Another message said "you restrict them from voting and make them understand that elections are not in favour of Kashmir as it is a matter of life and death". Army will take them in groups for voting, you can ambush those who are not listening". "If India succeed in carrying out elections, then they will succeed in taking Kashmir and if they do not succeed they would have to leave Kashmir," another message said. A conversation of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit on August 2 last revealed that ultras were determined to disrupt the assembly polls in the fourth phase in Doda district in october as well, the document said. The message said "district Doda has been divided into two divisions. Finish all those candidates. You have full authority to do everything possible. All equipment will be given to you". The document further said even the infiltration from across the Line of Control continues as is indicated in the intercept which said "take the colleagues towards location of abid bhai. Do not worry. We have crossed the rassi (probably loc). Move carefully". Another intercept confirming the infiltration said "I and my colleagues will infiltrate tonight. We will reach location (P) after travelling for two hours. On August 24, we will move to location (8). I will be available at Rlocation (8) to receive you". 13:02 IST
Friday, September 13, 2002
Indian forces fire tear gas at Kashmir protesters
SRINAGAR (Reuters) - Indian security forces fired tear gas at a convoy protesting on Friday against the overnight killing of two civilians by paramilitary forces and beat some mourners, witnesses said. Some of the protesters shouted "Long Live Pakistan" as several packed buses slowly paraded through Srinagar carrying one of the bodies. Friday is also the last full day of campaigning for the first round of state elections that have been marred by violence. More than 300 people, including a state minister, have been killed since the election was announced in early August. The Border Security Force (BSF) said on Friday it had ordered an inquiry into the shooting of the two men by BSF troops on Thursday night in central Srinagar. Details of the killings were not immediately available. "They were murdered in cold blood," a relative of one of the victims told Reuters. Several tear gas shells were fired during Friday's brief clash, one smashing a window of the Reuters office in the main city area. Police dispersed the rally and allowed one vehicle to continue with the body to the cemetery. It was not clear if any of those beaten were seriously injured.
Friday, September 13, 2002
Woman's body run over for 6 hrs
It was a shocking instance of the sheer callousness and apathy that has come to characterise city life. A woman who was knocked down by a speeding vehicle on the busy Sion-Trombay Road, apparently around midnight on September 5, was repeatedly run over by other vehicles until her badly mangled body was discovered by Traffic Constable Sanjay Kadam at 5.40 am on September 6. According to Kadam’s statement, the extent of the unidentified woman’s injuries suggested she had been repeatedly run over by vehicles for about five to six hours. Sub Inspector Pagare, of the Nehru Nagar police, said she had probably been crossing the road late that night at the Everard Nagar traffic signal when a speeding vehicle hit her. The incident came to light barely a month after a 17-year-old girl was raped by a man in a Borivali-bound local train while other passengers were present in the compartment on August 14. The mutilated body of the woman was taken to the Rajawadi Postmortem Centre, Rajawadi Hospital, Ghatkopar. Medical Officer Dr V H Vihurkar said her body is so badly smashed that every single bone is broken. The only intact part of the body is the genitalia, which is how she was identified as female. However, there is evidence of a tattoo on one arm, Vihurkar said, adding that her age could be estimated at 50 to 55 years. A case of rash and negligent driving has been registered against unknown persons at the Nehru Nagar Police Station, as cops try to trace the first vehicle that hit the woman. Police are nonplussed about why subsequent motorists passing on the road did not stop to help the woman. A police officer said, City motorists have been told time and again that helping an accident victim will not lead to any kind of harassment at the police station. Pagare added, Even if there was any chance of saving the woman’s life initially, it was impossible after she was crushed by other cars and trucks going by. The police reiterated that this is hardly the road culture that should exist in a city like Mumbai, which has thousands of vehicles running at any given time. The woman’s body is at the Rajawadi mortuary while police attempt to trace her relatives.
Friday, September 13, 2002
Indo-US bid to streamline high-tech trade ties
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and US President George W Bush have decided to remove the bottlenecks in high-tech trade between the two countries even as they expressed their commitment to a future, broad-based strategic relationship. Briefing reporters on the 35-minute meeting between the two leaders, Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal said Bush admitted there were bureaucratic and administrative bottlenecks in conducting high-technology trade and efforts would be made to remove them. Sibal said Bush spoke about the commonalities of shared democracy, entrepreneurial spirit and intellectual energy -- India's great assets within the country from which both India and the US had benefited. He said there was need to strengthen bilateral relations by working together in the field of space, energy, trade and commerce. The US President outlined what he thought were the prospects of really improving Indo-US relations in these areas, cooperation for which had been proposed by India earlier. Bush dwelt at length about his government's Iraq policy and said he wanted to work through the United Nations and the UN Security Council which should assume their role and responsibility on the issue. The US President's remarks were more to explain the problem and the need to deal with it rather than a declaration of military action against Iraq. During the discussion on the situation in Afghanistan, Sibal said Bush accepted India's suggestion on setting up joint Indo-US projects in distance learning, and watershed management and similar areas in which the two countries had respective capabilities which could be utilised for the economic reconstruction of the country. Sibal said Bush had expressed a keen desire to visit India and this would be worked out between the officials of the two nations. Later National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra had a luncheon meeting with his US counterpart Condoleezza Rice when indepth discussions took place on issues taken up during the meeting between Vajpayee and Bush. Here the focus was on the bilateral agenda and what steps could be taken to strengthen the strategic relationship. At this meeting there was a longer discussion on India-Pakistan relations with Mishra referring to this morning's speech of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf at the UN General Assembly saying this was a clear statement of negative positions taken by the Pakistani ruler. India maintained that there would be no question of resuming any dialogue with Pakistan until it ended cross-border incursions and there was no change in the ground situation. It was pointed out that General Musharraf had not honoured his commitment to the international community to contain terrorist and extremist elements within his country.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
ICC bars Indian players from wearing Sahara logo
Kolkata,Wednesday, September 11, 2002: Giving rise to fresh controversy ahead of the Champions Trophy, the International Cricket Council has barred Indian players from wearing the logo of team-sponsor, Sahara Group, in the Sri Lankan tournament beginning Thursday. A day after the resolution of the month-long tussle over the sponsorship contract, the ICC shot off a letter to the BCCI Tuesday night, contending that letting the Indian players wear the Sahara logo would compromise the commercial interest of tournament-sponsor, South African Airways, as the Indian company was also into the airline business. Though BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya refused to comment on the fresh development, Board sources here said that ICC's letter took them by surprise. The sources said that BCCI last month gave the ICC a list of other businesses of the Sahara Group during the world cricket body's Executive Board meeting in Dubai to convince it that airline was not the sole business of the Sahara group. The latest ICC missive, however, rejected the BCCI's contention and directed that Indian players would not be allowed to use the Sahara logo during the tournament. India play their Champions Trophy lung-opener against Zimbabwe at the Premadasa stadium in Colombo on Septmber 14. It was understood that BCCI was engaged in hectic parleys with Sahara to resolve the latest crisis. 18:45 IST
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Pak-backed terrorism in J-K likely to figure in PM-Bush talks
New York,Wednesday, September 11, 2002: Pakistan's continuing support to terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir and its failure to keep its pledge to end cross-border infiltration are expected to figure prominently in the talks Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will hold with US President George W Bush here Thursday. During his half-an-hour interaction with Bush, Vajpayee is likely to emphasise the need for telling Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in no (no) uncertain terms that cross-border terrorism must come to an end for restoration of peace and normal ties between New Delhi and Islamabad, sources said. In the meeting that is scheduled ahead of Musharraf's parleys with the US President, Vajpayee and Bush may also discuss economic and defence cooperation between India and US. As regards the defence cooperation, the two countries had recently conducted joint military exercises in Agra and further exercises are planned in Alaska. They are also likely to go for joint naval exercises soon. India's claim for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council in view of its size and population and contributions to the UN may also come up, the sources said. India is hopeful of "fruitful" discussions between the two leaders, they said, ruling out any meeting between Vajpayee and Musharraf on the margins of the UN General Assembly session. According to a senior US Administration official, Bush will have a chance to meet a second time with Vajpayee and at that meeting he will talk about Washington's broad bilateral agenda with New Delhi. "We have a number of important issues with India, a number of areas of cooperation, and in that context also about regional security, and of course the problem of the Line of Control and Kashmir," the US official said. External Affairs Minister Yashwant Sinha, who was in Washington for the last four days along with Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal, had a series of parleys with US Secretary of State Colin Powell, Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and National Security Adviser Condoleeza Rice to "prepare ground" for Vajpayee's talks with Bush. During Bush-Musharraf talks, the two leaders would discuss the war on terrorism and bilateral issues, the importance of democracy and, in particular, the fact that the US is watching very closely the elections that are to take place in October and, of course, also about diminishing tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad over Kashmir, the American official said. 19:03 IST
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Cong tells Kalam to dismiss Modi govt
Alleging that the caretaker Narendra Modi government in Gujarat was "misusing" its authority, Congress today petitioned President A P J Abdul Kalam to immediately dismiss it and impose Central rule. The demand was made in a memorandum presented to the President this evening by a delegation of the senior Party leaders led by AICC general Secretary incharge of the state Kamal Nath. Political secretary to Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel, Gujarat PCC President Shanker Sinh Vaghela, CLP leader Chaudhary Amar sinh and Party several MPs from the state were part of the delegation. "President has assured us that he will examine the matter raised by the party", Kamal Nath told reporters after a 30- minute meting with Kalam. Stating that the country was yet to overcome the trauma of the communal carnage unleashed in Gujarat by rabid communal forces, "actively supported by the Gujarat government led by Modi", the memorandum said there was a "complete breakdown of the Constitutional machinery in the state". 20:51 IST
Wednesday, September 11, 2002
Militants kill Minister, 15 others to disrupt Kashmir polls
Srinagar,Wednesday, September 11, 2002: Striking in a big way to disrupt assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, militants today shot dead Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone and 15 others including ten security personnel in two separate incidents in Kupwara and Jammu. Five days before the first of the four-phase polls starting September 16, the militants also struck at the residence of the Minister of State for Tourism Sakina Itoo in Anantnag district by hurling a grenade but there was no casualty, official sources said here. Militants lobbed a grenade and fired at random at Surankote bus stand in Poonch district very close to a Congress election rally attended by Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Congress leader Ambika Soni and Ghulam Nabi Azad, killing nine people including five BSF personnel and two children. Fifteen people were also injured. A burqa (veil) clad militant sitting in a ladies enclosure fired a hail of bullets targetting Lone when he was addressing a National Conference election rally in Rednag village around 1300 hrs in Kupwara district, 105 kms from here. Simultaneously, an unspecified number of the militant's accomplices fired indiscriminately killing five policemen and a civilian. Twelve people were injured, four of them critically and were rushed to hospitals. Lone, who is seeking reelection from the Lolab assembly constituency, was rushed to the hospital where he was delcared brought dead. He is the second candidate to be assassinated ahead of the polls. Around the same time militants fired on security personnel near Surankote bus stand after which Singh and other Congress leaders were whisked away and the entire area was cordoned off. Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba claimed that its group Abul-Qasim, formed to sabotage the elections, carried out the attack in Kupwara. No group had so far claimed responsibility for the Poonch attack. 18:52 IST
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Sabotage caused accident: Railway
A senior railway official said on Tuesday that sabotage was the cause of Monday night's accident involving the 2301 Up Howrah-New Delhi Rajdhani Express. Over 150 were feared killed when fifteen bogies of the train derailed on a bridge near Rafiganj station between Gaya and Dehri-on-Sone in Bihar in Eastern Railway's Mughalsarai division. The driver of the train informed the Railway Control at Mughalsarai over his high frequency telephone at 10:54 IST after the accident, sources said. "This is no ordinary accident. Our men have found fish plates and rails removed at the site and that is the clear-cut information with us," a news agency quoted Railway Board Chairman I I S M Rana as saying. He did not name any suspects, saying an investigation was underway. Speaking to STAR news channel, Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatreya expressed the same opinion. He said initial investigation had revealed that it was a case of sabotage. The crash site near Gaya is infested with Naxalites. Agencies
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Pune University student raped in campus
PUNE: A law student was raped on the university campus on Saturday by an unidentified man who posed as a policeman. The police said a man impersonating as a policeman approached the girl and her friend and demanded their identity cards. When the boy went to his hostel room to fetch the I-card, the man dragged the girl into the bushes at a secluded place and raped her.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Thackeray to mediate in Chhoti Si ...row
MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has called filmmaker Shashilal Nair and actress Manisha Koirala to his residence Matoshree in Bandra at 12 pm on Tuesday to resolve the dispute on obscene’’ scenes in Ek Chhoti Si Love Story. Nair had rushed to Matoshree on Friday evening after Shiv Sainiks went on the rampage at cinema halls in the city where the film was being screened. He was denied an audience with the Sena chief then, but was later granted an appointment for Tuesday. Sources said Thackeray wanted Manisha to be present during the meeting so that the issue could be resolved quickly. The matter is in the high court and hence, sub judice. But Balasaheb has decided to act as a mediator so that both parties can arrive at an out-of-court settlement,’’ a source said. Meanwhile, Nair called on Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal at Mantralaya on Monday to seek the government’s support in his fight for justice.’’ The filmmaker is believed to have presented his interpretation of the Bombay High Court stay order during his meeting. Nair has been maintaining that the court has not stayed the exhibition of 95 prints’’ that have already been released and circulated. A division bench of the high court had stayed the release of the film on Thursday based on Manisha’s contention that the filmmaker had used her body double in vulgar’’ scenes which defamed her. Actress Jessica Choksi was used for these scenes. Sources said Bhujbal has apparently refrained from taking any stand since he wanted to study the papers submitted by Nair before making any comments. Nair also deplored the tactics adopted by the actress by taking the help of a political party to stop the film’s release. She rushed to Balasaheb and Sushma Swaraj for the alleged obscene scenes which are in the film for only three seconds. Her act is unjustified. Even the film industry has condemned it,’’ he said. According to reports, the film industry is upset with Manisha for taking the help of a political party, which is known for its violent ways, to stop the screening of the movie. Nair said that except in Mumbai, the film was being screened in other places to packed houses.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Advani holds meeting on J&K elections
Advani holds meeting on J&K elections By Our Special Correspondent NEW DELHI SEPT. 9. The Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, today held a meeting with his Cabinet colleagues and the BJP leaders on the coming Jammu and Kashmir elections. The meeting was attended, among others, by the Defence Minister, George Fernandes, the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Sushma Swaraj, the Telecommunications and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Pramod Mahajan, the Disinvestment Minister, Arun Shourie, the Food Minister, Sharad Yadav, the BJP president, Venkaiah Naidu, and the party spokesperson, Vijay Kumar Malhotra. They were briefed on the preparations for the elections by officials of the Home Ministry, the Election Commission and the External Affairs Ministry. The meeting was primarily held to ensure that the various components of the NDA Government and the BJP spoke about the election exercise "in one voice.'' Speaking to presspersons after the meeting, Ms. Swaraj said the Government's intention was to hold an election that was "free, fair, credible and participatory.'' She said "it is the people's participation which is a guarantee for free and fair polls. The Minister said the fact that party offices had seen queues of people seeking ticket to contest the polls was a sign that there was "a lot of enthusiasm among the people for the election.''
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Rajdhani Express derails, up to 100 feared killed (LEADS)
Kolkata, Sep 10 Several compartments of the high-speed Rajdhani Express derailed and some plunged into a river in Bihar killing up to 100 people in an accident that a minister Tuesday blamed on sabotage. The 2301 Howrah-New Delhi train jumped the rails on a bridge on Dhabi river near Rafiganj station at around 10.40 p.m. Monday. At least one coach with at least 64 passengers almost disappeared under water. The accident site, in Aurangabad district, is about 500 km from here. "Six compartments have fallen into the river, four are hanging from the bridge while the remaining ones have derailed on the bridge," Eastern Railway chief public relations officer Soumitra Majumder told . Minister of State for Railways Bandaru Dattatraya told reporters in New Delhi that the death toll could be as high as 100 and about 150 people were seriously injured. "About 100 passengers have been rescued and admitted to hospitals," he added. One report said that about 30 bodies had been recovered from the river. Added Majumder: "This is a major accident and heavy causalities cannot be ruled out." The first compartment of the 18-coach train, bearing 64 Second Class passengers, went under the river and rescue workers were struggling to extricate it. Rescue efforts were hampered by inclement weather. Dattatraya said sabotage was emerging as the reason for the accident. Railway workers said at least two fishplates, which join the tracks, were found removed, leading the train to derail. "Nuts and bolts were found tampered with. An investigation is on," the minister said. Majumder also said that sabotage was being suspected because only 43 minutes before the accident a freight train had passed over the mishap site. Railway Minister Nitish Kumar, who left for the site overnight, was supervising relief operations. "It has been raining since last night making rescue work difficult. Two relief trains and medical units have reached the spot," Majumder said. Hundreds of people besieged the Howrah railway station seeking information from authorities. Two relief trains, one each from New Delhi and Howrah, were set to leave for the accident site carrying anxious relatives. Former railway minister Mamata Banerjee, who also rushed to the station, complained of lack of relief work and suggested that the authorities should seek the army's help to rescue those trapped in submerged train cars.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Applications worth Rs 1,458 cr for Union Bank IPO
UNION Bank of India's maiden public issue has been oversubscribed five times, sources in the banking industry said. The bank had come out with an IPO for Rs 288 crore, of which Rs 28 crore was reserved for the employees. Net offer to the public was Rs 260 crore. Sources said that the issue attracted 3.44 lakh applications from the public, for Rs 1,391 crore. This included `qualified institutional buyers (QIB)' applications for Rs 264 crore. Employees put in 23,000 applications, for Rs 67 crore. On the overall, the issue attracted 3.67 lakh applications for a total sum of Rs 1,458 crore, sources said. Sources also said they expected retail investors to be given preference in allotment. The Chairman and Managing Director, Mr V. Leeladhar, had said before the issue opened that 50 per cent of the total issue would be reserved for retail investors, who put in applications for less than 1,000 shares.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Five ISI agents, Pak spy arrested
An Armyman and two retired jawans were among five persons arrested by Madhya Pradesh police in the past two days on the charge of working for Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. A Pakistani spy was also arrested during the period, police said. Retired Army jawan Puranik Ram Shukla was arrested on Sunday at Katni by the task force set up by the state police for apprehending ISI agents, police said. Two sons of Shukla, Chandresh, a serving Army jawan, and Rajesh were arrested from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan and Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh respectively, they said. Abdul Qasim and Rajkumar Pathak, an ex-armyman, were arrested from Jaisalmer and Jabalpur. Chandresh, posted with 10 engineering battalion, was caught red handed while allegedly delivering documents related to defence preparedness to a Pakistani spy, police said. The spy, identified as Mohammad Ali, was arrested, they said. The documents were related to anti-tank mines, rifles manufacturing details and movement of the engineering battalion. The spy was staying on a forged passport, police said. During interrogtion, Puranik Shukla said his main job was to recruit ISI agents in sensitive army installations, police said. He admitted he was working for ISI and had received from it, police said.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Pak. shells Kargil, Drass
KARGIL Sept. 8. Two civilians were killed and 10, including five soldiers, injured and an ammunition depot was gutted when Pakistani troops resorted to heavy shelling on Kargil and Drass towns since Saturday evening. The residents of Kargil and Drass woke up to the shelling from across the border. Shells hit the Kargil airport, Minji, Kubartham and Drass township. One civilian was killed and six others were injured in Baroo, while another was killed and four others injured in Drass. This correspondent had a miraculous escape as shells landed near him in Minji area of Kargil, even as he saw residents scurry towards the bunkers.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Vajpayee arrives in Frankfurt
Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee arrived on Mondays afternoon enroute New York, where he will hold talks with US President George Bush and other world leaders mainly focussing on comprehensive international efforts to combat terrorism. Vajpayee would have a 35-minute meeting with Bush on September 12 and address the UN General Assembly the next day besides attending a function to commemorate the first anniversary of the September 11 terror strikes in the US. Setting the tone for his discussions with the world leaders, Vajpayee told reporters in New Delhi before his departure on a week-long visit that "in the present world situation, it is inevitable that the global war against terrorism as well as our own determined efforts against cross-border terrorism would figure in my various bilateral interactions in New York". He said "our basic message is that democracies of the world have a crucial role in counter terrorism together". The Prime Minister said he would reaffirm India's determination to firmly counter terrorism. Vajpayee, who will spend the night before flying to New York on Tuesday morning is expected to impress upon Bush and other leaders the need to put further pressure on Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to end cross-border terrorism which alone could diffuse tension in the region and lead to resumption of dialogue between the two countries for resolving outstanding issues.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Modi’s Gaurav Yatra rolls on, fears of fresh violence recede
AHMEDABAD: Fears of fresh religious violence in Gujarat receded on Monday as a controversial political march trundled peacefully through villages for a second day amidst tight police security. The march has been organised by the BJP Gujarat unit, barely six months after more than 1,000 people were killed in religious riots.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
After NCW, Sena, Manisha now runs to Sushma
NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: After the Bombay High Court, the National Commission for Women and Bal Thackeray, Manisha Koirala's hunt for allies in her epic battle against the release of Ek Chhotisi Love Story landed her at the doorstep of the Information and Broadcasting minister. The actress, who had sent her petition to Sushma Swaraj on Friday pleading that the certification granted to the film be revoked or withdrawn, on Sunday landed up in New Delhi to pursue her case in person. Swaraj has directed her Ministry to examine the provisions of the Cinematograph Certification Rules. "Manisha has sought my help to make the Bombay High Court order restraining the film's broadcast effective by asking the Central Board of Film Certification to withdraw certification granted to it," Swaraj told this website's newspaper. The film was given an A certificate by the censor board on July 24. But according to former censor board chairman Vijay Anand -- who recently resigned in a huff after a run-in with the I&B Ministry -- the Government may not be able to help Koirala too much since it cannot interfere with the decisions taken by a statutory body. Koirala does have the option of approaching the tribunal but "that takes time and by then the whole world would have seen the film. In any case, how is the board concerned with whether a double was used or not," Anand said. "I haven't seen the film, but Manisha should have settled the matter with her director. Directors are always in love with their heroines and Manisha and Nair should have discussed the matter between themselves." Censor Board officials too said that at best, the Government could recommend that the board review the film again. "It cannot ask the board to withdraw certification on grounds that it is against the interest of public order. It is for the government to maintain order," officials said. Chairman Arvind Trivedi was unavailable for comment. But even as Koirala stubbornly chased her cause, her body double claimed to have gained much more than four frames of fame from the controversy. Jessica Choksi claimed in Mumbai that Manisha knew a double was being used, but raised no objection then. "Though my shooting lasted for just two days, no scene was shot on the first day. That was the day Nair introduced me to Manisha as the person I was to double up for. Manisha should have protested right then. The controversy has been created to publicise the movie," said Choksi. Choksi also admitted to have benefited from the controversy. Though she evaded an answer on whether she had demanded Rs 10 lakh in damages from director Shashilal Nair, Choksi said that she had at least "two-three" movie offers. "Sanjay Dutt is the hero in one of the films. People connected to Boney Kapoor and Subhash Ghai have also called me," she said.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Air Seychelles hijacker identified as Indian
MUMBAI: The person who made a vain bid to hijack an Air Seychelles Boeing 737 has been identified as Hiraji Vaswani, an Indian passport holder, according to Mumbai airport officials. They said Vaswani took out a six to seven inch knife and rushed towards the cockpit door of the Boeing 737 before being overpowered after grappling with three air hostesses and two stewards. One cabin crew was slightly injured. The commissioner of the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) Tushar Kant Mitra is arriving here from Delhi on Tuesday following the incident. Officials are surprised over how the knife carried by Vaswani was not detected during security checks despite "double banking" of the security apparatus with the Maharahstra police also in place along with the newly inducted Central Industrial Security Force at the airport here. The aircraft reached its destination in Seychelles seven hours behind schedule.
Tuesday, September 10, 2002
Rain washes away India's hope of series win
Rain washes away India's hope of series win Reuters LONDON: Play was washed out on the final day of the fourth and deciding Test between England and India on Monday, concluding the series at 1-1. Play was called off without a ball being bowled during the lunch break at The Oval following persistent overnight and morning rain. England were 114 for no wicket in their second innings, an overall lead of 121, with Marcus Trescothick on 58 while Michael Vaughan was 47 not out. India had been bowled out for 508, seven runs behind England's first innings total of 515. Rahul Dravid scored a career-best 217. India have not won a Test series outside the sub-continent since 1986.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Dravid, Tendulkar strike ominous form v England
LONDON, Sep 7 (Reuters) Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar began to look in ominous form as India went to lunch 151 for two on the third day of the fourth and final deciding test against England at the Oval today. Dravid, who has hit back-to back centuries in his last two test innings, was on 65 while Tendulkar, in his 100th test, was on 38. England made 515. Sanjay Bangar was the only wicket to fall in the morning, caught by Mark Butcher at slip off quick bowler Matthew Hoggard for 21. Tendulkar was looking particularly dangerous, with 28 of his first 30 runs coming off boundaries. The 29-year-old was particularly harsh on pace bowlers Alex Tudor and Dominic Cork, forcing England captain Nasser Hussain to make a double-change and introduce spinners Ashley Giles and Michael Vaughan. Giles purposely bowled outside the leg-stump to Tendulkar, a much-criticised tactic used before by England to slow his scoring rate. Dravid and Tendulkar's 50-run partnership came off just 50 balls. Earlier, play had been delayed by 15 minutes due to overnight rain as India resumed at 66 for one, with Dravid on 31 and Bangar on 17. Bangar had a close call in the third over when he shuffled half forward to a Hoggard delivery and was hit on the front pad but umpire Asoka De Silva turned the confident lbw appeal down. Hoggard, however, had the last word when he dismissed Bangar as the Indian all-rounder pushed forward to a full-length ball three overs later to leave India at 87 for two. Dravid brought up his 28th test half-century when he smashed Hoggard through the covers for his eighth boundary before he played well wide of his body to send a thick outside edge to the third man boundary to bring up the Indian 100. Yesterday India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who grabbed the first five-wicket bag of the series, inspired a fightback after the home side had amassed 336 for two after the first day, Michael Vaughan scoring 195. The test series is tied at 1-1. India are seeking their first test series win outside the sub-continent since 1986.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Death toll in Gujarat rain rises to 21
Vadodara:With the recovery of the body of a fisherman in the district on Friday, the toll in the current spell of heavy rains in Gujarat has mounted to 21. Official sources on Saturday said the body of Hashmukh was found when the flood in Narmada river in Karjan Taluka receded. Meanwhile, the body of a youth, identified as Karasmi Bharvad, who was washed away in the flooded Vishvamitri river in the city on Friday, was fished out from swollen Vishwamitri River at Sama late on Friday evening, fire brigade officials said. The water level at Golden Bridge at Bharuch has gone down and the Narmada river was flowing much below the danger level, the sources said. The water was flowing at 6.50 metre at this bridge. The water continued to overflow at Sardar Sarovar dam site at Kevadiya at 102 Metres this afternoon, the sources said. In Bharuch, about 2000 rain-hit people from three talukas in Bharuch district continued to remain in relief camps, the sources said.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Pak must end terror against India: Russia
MOSCOW: Implementation of pledge by Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism against India is "indispensable" condition for de-escalation of tension in South Asia, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has said. Pakistan must stand by its pledge to end cross-border terrorism against India from the territory controlled by it and this is "indispensable" condition for the de-escalation of tension in South Asia, Ivanov said during his meeting with visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal here. After two days of parleys with Russian leaders, Sibal told reporters today that Moscow and Washington are on "different wavelengths" on the issue of Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism against India. "Russia and the US are not on the same wavelength on cross-border terrorism against India," he said. Referring to US statements about Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf doing a lot to check cross-border infiltration in Jammu and Kashmir, Sibal said he found that Moscow fully agreed with India that cross-boder infiltration had not stopped. Sibal, however, noted that India had "reasonable understanding" with the United States on what has to be done by Pakistan. Commenting on US statements regarding Musharraf's "full cooperation" in combating terrorism, Sibal said he understands them because they (Americans) need Pakistan's help in dealing with Taliban and al-Qaeda. Sibal said in spite of Pakistan's "full cooperation" the leaders of Taliban and al-Qaeda have not been apprehended so far. "We have credible reason to doubt in Pakistan's full cooperation in combating terrorism. If so, they should give it (cooperation) to India also," he said. Sibal also briefed Ivanov and First Deputy Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Trubnikov about the upcoming polls in Jammu and Kashmir during his wide-ranging discussions with them. Moscow expressed understanding for India's refusal to allow foreign observers to monitor Jammu and Kashmir polls, as is being asked by the West.PTI
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Focus in international film fest on finding markets for Indian films
Mumbai: The 33rd International Film Festival 2002, slated to begin on October one in New Delhi, will focus on finding and strengthening existing markets for Indian films, both in India and abroad. Emphasising this at a meeting of the Export Promotion Forum of the IFFI here yesterday, Pawan Chopra, secretary Information and Broadcasting said there was huge potential for finding markets for Indian films abroad. This year's IFFI will have a strong marketing component, with a film bazar comprising more than 16 stalls to be set up jointly by the National Film Development Corporation, the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce. Twelve stalls have already been taken over by several prominent film agencies including Yash Chopra's Yash Raj films, Bobby Bedi's Kaleidoscope and Ramoji. The film bazar, besides offering Indian films produced in various languages for sale for theatre and television, will also project studio and lab facilities available in India for shooting and processing by foreign companies. The meeting was attended by senior officials of Information and Broadcasting Department and the film festival's directorate, Yash Chopra, Bobby Bedi and others. While Yash Chopra said Indian films had a huge market in Malaysia and Singapore, Mr Mehta said Markets in China, the Persian Gulf and Japan had huge untapped potential, and stressed the need for increasing export of Indian films to these countries.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
India 66/1 at stumps in 4th Test
NEW DELHI: India were 66/1 in reply to England’s 515 all out, on day two of the fourth Test at the Oval on Friday. At stumps, Bangar was batting on 17 and Dravid undefeated on 31. India trail England by 449 runs with 9 wickets in hand. The only Indian wicket to fall was that of Virender Sehwag. The Indian opener was caught by Cork at second slip off Caddick for 12 (9 balls) while playing away from the body to delivery well outside the off stump. Earlier, England resuming from their overnight total of 336/2 were dismissed for 515 shortly after tea, thanks to a more spirited effort by the Indian bowlers. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, returned the best bowling figures claiming five for 115 runs. Sanjay Bangar and Zaheer Khan, chipped in with two wickets each. England could only add 179 runs, on day two losing 8 wicket in the bargain. Michael Vaughan resuming from 182 was once again unlucky to miss out a double century. Vaughan began proceedings in style by taking Agarkar for two boundaries. But then the naturally gifted opener poked uncertainly to a Zaheer Khan delivery. Ajay Ratra made no mistake in catching the edge. Vaughan has already scored three tons against India in the series so far, getting 100 at the Lord’s and then making 197 at Nottingham. Skipper Nasser Hussain joined Crawley in the middle and smacked Agarkar through extra cover for a boundary. Bangar reintroduced by Ganguly got the wicket of Crawley by trapping the batsman plumb in front of the wicket for 26. With the weather getting murky, Hussain played an extravagant shot to Bangar outside the off stump. The ball flew to Laxman at second slip who took the catch on the second attempt. Suddenly England were 372/5 and India were clawing their way back into the match. Stewart scratched around for runs with Cork looked the more enterprising of the two batsmen. Cork took Agarkar and Bangar for two sweetly timed boundaries. At this point Harbhajan came into his own and literally ran through the English lower order. The first to go was Stewart who failed to read an away going delivery from the ‘Turbanator’. Ratra held on to the edge behind the stumps. Tudor was also dismissed in similar fashion edging the ball to Dravid at first slip. Cork reached a well-deserved 50 before he was dismissed leg before to Harbhajan while trying to hit against the spin. Ashley Giles hit two boundaries before he was caught in the slips off Kumble for 31. Harbhajan got his fifth victim when he trapped Hoggard plumb in front for a duck.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Independent Kashmir could be haven for extremists: US
Just days before Prime Minister Vajpayee and the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf arrive in the United States for the UN General Assembly session, a US Congress report has warned that an Independent Kashmir could be a haven for extremists. The report was prepared by the Congressional Research Service, which is an advisory body on US Policy for the US Congress states, ''There is the real danger that an independent Kashmir, given the jihadi nature of some of the insurgent groups, could end up as another permanent sanctuary for Islamic extremist terrorist operations.'' On the US policy options to solve the dispute, the report states that since much of the current tension between India and Pakistan has arisen because of incursions from Pakistan across the Line of Control (LoC), an important step in reducing tensions might involve some type of monitoring of the LoC. ''Kashmir: Recent Developments and US Concerns'' report recommends A system would be required that would allow India to present proof of reported incursions but also enable Pakistan to reject any false claims of infiltrations - CRS Report Airborne or satellite surveillance of the region would be non-intrusive and could help both countries make their cases. Expansion of the United Nation's presence in South Asia to include monitoring the LoC. Another source of tension is the short reaction time to a possible nuclear attack by either country -- whether intentional or accidental. And in India, strategic affairs experts say this report reflects a change in America's stand over self determination of Pakistan over Kashmir. C Rajamohan, Strategic Affairs analyst, The Hindu, said, "For 50 years America has been maintaining an ambiguity about the slogan of self determination of Pakistan over Kashmir--that ambiguity about where America stands on question of Kashmir is over". (With wire inputs)
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Bush's bilateral talks with Vajpayee and Musharraf on Sept 12
Press Trust of India Washington, September 07 US President George W Bush will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on September 12 in New York on the fringes of the UN General Assembly, White House said on Friday. Bush will hold talks with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in the morning followed by his address to the UN General Assembly, the White House said. After the address, the US President will hold talks with several world leaders, attending the UN General Assembly. Bush will hold bilateral talks with the Indian Prime Minister at 1630 GMT (10:00 pm), soon after meeting with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, the White house said. Later in the day, Bush will meet with Pakistan President Musharraf. The US President also plans to meet Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. On September 13, he would meet with Central African leaders and, later, with the Presidents of South Africa, the Republic of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the White House said.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Woman gets husband to ‘rape’ girl over water
Mullanpur Garibdas, Roopnagar, Sept 6: A resident of Mullanpur Garibadas village in Punjab’s Roopnagar district allegedly got her husband to rape the 13-year-old daughter of another woman she had fought with over water. Kusum Sharma allegedly got husband Sanjeev Kumar to rape the girl in her presence a few weeks ago after a fight over use of a tap. Kumar was arrested on Thursday but Kusum is on the run. ‘‘She abused me at the tap and I told her that everyone knew about her affairs with other men. She threatened to teach me a lesson,’’ the victim’s mother says. The girl says Kusum called her to her house, where she was stripped and raped. ‘‘She warned me I should keep quiet or she would get me raped again and then killed. ‘‘People in the village are talking about it as Kusum went around telling them about the rape,’’ says Kamla Soni, the landlady to the victim’s family. A police complaint was filed on September 2 after the girl’s brothers overheard a conversation and came to know. Police have booked Sanjeev Kumar and Kusum on charges of rape, criminal intimidation and furthering a crime with common intent. ‘‘We have received offers of up to Rs 50,000 to get the complaint reversed,’’ says the brother. Kumar denied the rape: ‘‘The women fought over water. I don’t know why I’m being blamed.’’
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Advani for blanket ban on cow slaughter
Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani Friday called for a constitutional amendment for a blanket ban on cow slaughter across the nation, asserting that soon there will be enough democratic pressure for such a demand. "Article 48 of the constitution given by our constitution makers should have been more comprehensive in its scope... and the situation today would have been substantially different had it fully addressed the issue of cow slaughter", Advani said. "The signature campaign undertaken by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh(RSS) after Independence was a great movement that placed the issue of cow slaughter in the centre of public debate till as late as 1979", he added. He reminisced about his own participation in the movement and said "there was not even a single part of the country which was left untouched". He also sated that the values of Swadhinta, Swavalamban and Swadesh - Independence, self-reliance and self-rule - were the values that had driven the spirit of Independence and these values need to be invoked again. Article 48 stipulates, "The state shall endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and all milch and draught animals". Advani was speaking at the inauguration of an all-India conference and exhibition on cow products-based economy at the Indian Institute of Technology. He placed the issue of faith and reverence as the most important reason why cow-protection needed to be forged. He said, "We should not simply insist on the economic relevance of cow protection because of its economic value but also its special place in Bharatiyata - Indian tradition". He said the present skepticism towards our own traditions and practices was an outcome of our dependence on western outlook. "This is the worst kind of handicap possible", he asserted. UNI
Saturday, September 7, 2002
Veerappan on his final gambling game
Forest brigand Veerappan has struck again in Kamagere, and successfully kidnapped former Minister Nagappa. His demands are not as exhaustive as the demands of 10 points made in the case of Kannada matinee idol Dr Rajkumar and three other hostages. Veerappan and his gang have been posing a serious challenge to law enforcement agencies in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu since 1986. Since 1986, the gang has murdered several police and forest officials engaged in controlling illegal and terrorist activities of the gang. His gang had so far killed 2000 elephants, committed theft of 40,000 kgs of tusks and denuded sandalwood worth Rs 100 crore from the forest areas on the borders of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the districts of Mysore, Dharmapuri, Salem, Periyar and the Nilgiris. He has so far killed 119 persons of which 55 belonged to Karnataka and 64 belonged to Tamil Nadu. Among those killed are, 32 police officers(Karnataka 22, Border Security Force 1, and Tamil Nadu 9). 77 members of the public(Karnataka - 28, Tamil Nadu 49) and 10 forest officers(Tamil Nadu 6, Karnataka 4). The gang has caused severe bullet injuries to 61 persons including 55 police officials and 6 civilians between 1990-96. There are 134 heinous cases of murder, terrorist acts, dacoities, kidnapping for ransom, extortions etc., registered against the gang. 59 cases are registered in Karnataka and 75 in Tamil Nadu. At the beginning of April ’93, the gang comprised 150 members whose armory included 4303 rifles, five DBBL Guns, six SBBL guns, a magnum express gun, 134 missile loading guns, and he had laid minefields on different forest tracks by utilising about 55 of gelatin sticks, detonators, and cords wires. Till the Special Task Force was reconstituted both by Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in April ’93, the gang had struck terror in the area and no member of the public was willing to extend co-operation to the task force. The task force conducted the operations relentlessly since April 1993 enlisting co-operation of the public and pursuing them from one forest to another. The Veerappan gang lost many members and suffered material damage. On December 24, 1994, the strength of the once formidable gang of 150 stood at just three viz., Veerappan, Sethukudi Govindan, and Arjunan. Out of 150 trained militants, 125 were arrested and 70 died in encounters. In fact, on December 3, 1994, Veerappan kidnapped Sri Chidambaranathan, Dy. Superintendent of Police of Tamil Nadu and two of his relatives. His emissary demanded a ransom of Rs 1000 crore, release of all arrested gang members, permanent lease of quarries and total amnesty. He had warned that hostages would be killed if police entered the forest. Despite keeping negotiations on, the task force struck at the hide out from behind and the abduction was ended. After the change of government in May 1996 in Tamil Nadu, Walter Devaram, Chief of Joint Task Force was shifted and the entire operation of the Joint Task Force was soft-pedaled. Special Task Force started lowering their guns and this was the biggest mistake committed in the year 1997 both by Tamil Nadu and also Karnataka governments. It may be quite significant to note that Veerappan has not killed any hostages till today. Veerappan has been leading a jungle life right from the age of 12 and is a confirmed criminal. He is also a pervert and given to emotional outbursts and wild actions. One of his key strengths is the intelligence network that he has developed over the years and his familiarity with the terrain. What has now hampered the hunt is total lack of co-ordination between the two states, which Veerappan exploited to the hilt. After 1996-97, both the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have lost grip of the situation. If they were to pursue the hunt for Veerappan and his three-member gang even after 1994, the menace of Veerappan would have been halted forever. But the change of guard at the political level after 1996 in both the states have demoralized the police and also halted the process of capturing Veerappan. Even the government of India ceased to evince any interest after change of political guard in the year 1996. Earlier to 1996, the Centre provided adequate force for the Joint Task Force. The activity of the JTF was reviewed on a day-to-day basis not only at the highest political level with all the three governments but also with the highest authorities of the law-enforcing authorities. Till Dr Rajkumar was kidnapped, all the three governments were at total slumber and they were caught napping. All the three governments again relaxed after the release of Dr Rajkumar. There was a loosely knit task force, but no action was pursued by Joint Task Force with the participation of all the three governments. Obviously, Tamil Nadu government under the leadership of Karunanidhi was not much interested in the task and the Centre was always at the mercy of Tamil Nadu government in view of political expediency. Hence, no positive initiative was taken. Karnataka, after S M Krishna took over as Chief Minister, did evince some interest in constituting the task force, but neither Tamil Nadu nor the Centre have evinced any interest in constituting the Joint Task Force. After Jayalalithaa took over as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, there was a big news that Walter Dawaram was recalled after his retirement and he was asked to head the STF to hunt down Veerappan and complete the unfinished agenda. He was appointed somewhere in June 2001 with one-year contract. One-year contract is already over and during the said period nothing concrete seems to have happened in revamping the Joint Task Force with the full participation of Government of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Government of India. His term seems to have been extended. During the two years period of 1993 and 1994, Dawaram was made the Chief of the Joint Task Force with Shankara Bidari of Karnataka, second in command and BSF fully participating in the task. Jayalalithaa, after her big talk in recalling Dawaram, has not taken any pains to contact her counterpart in Karnataka or the Union Home Minister, to get into serious business of capturing Veerappan. It is only after Nagappa was abducted, she started shouting at the top of the roof passing insinuation against her counterpart in Karnataka and making wild allegations. No responsible Chief Minister will resort to such allegations when she was expected to closely collaborate with the Karnataka Government and Government of India if she was quite serious on the job. The first she should have done was to fully co-operate with the Karnataka Government to nab the forest brigand. It has now reached the flashpoint of total break with her counterpart in Karnataka. With this kind of serious developments of the total collapse of any working relationship between these two governments, S M Krishna will have no other option but to prevail upon the Government of India to advise Jayalalitha to co-operate with the task force. Any operations by either of the states in isolation will not yield much result. Ten precious days have passed out with this kind of confusion created by Jayalalithaa. This confrontation would definitely amount to indirectly extending support to Veerappan to perpetuate his crime. The Union Home Ministry has a federal responsibility and it is required to stop Jayalalithaa from any such mischief which will cost the life of Nagappa. If anything happens to Nagappa, Jayalalithaa may have to be held responsible. It is quite shocking to note that Jayalalithaa, who totally cooperated between 1993 and 1994, is now behaving this way. Veerappan must be enjoying the joke played by the new stance of Jayalalithaa, for the reasons best known to her. An abduction of this nature may have to be treated on par with hijack episodes. The rescue operations should simultaneously work on the swift operations to nab Veerappan. Any negotiation with a hardened criminal like Veerappan without putting any pressure on operations to capture him would be disastrous. By 1994, 95 per cent of the strength, on both men and material, of Veerappan was crushed by JTF. Veerappan is now left with only one person viz., Sethukudi Govindan and three or four other associates who are amateurs with less than three months training. It is quite possible now for Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments to halt the menace of Veerappan with joint operations from both the territories. Veerappan is now bound to meet with his waterloo with the kidnap of Nagappa, provided both the governments act in total unison. It should be a total war on the terrorist outfit of Veerappan. Hostage is a shield for him and he cannot afford to kill Nagappa. Both the states should act firmly and with caution to win the final battle on Veerappan. He is around the trap and both governments should tighten the noose around him. The gamble of extortion, ransom and treachery which is haunting the people of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu should be halted forever. The writer is former Chief Minister of Karnataka and Chairman, Revenue Reforms Commission, Bangalore.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
ICC seals Champions Trophy deal with Indians
LONDON (Reuters) - The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Friday it had resolved a sponsorship dispute with the Indian team which had been threatening their participation in this month's Champions Trophy. Malcolm Gray, president of the sport's world governing body, said that the meeting with the Indian players on Wednesday had led to a compromise. "The situation today is that following discussions between the ICC and the Indian players there is now an agreement that is acceptable to both," he said. There are, however, a few loose ends to tie up, with one ICC tournament sponsor still to rubber-stamp the agreement while the Indian board has yet to officially select their top players for the one-day tournament in Sri Lanka. India's players, including Sachin Tendulkar and skipper Saurav Ganguly, had refused to sign their playing contracts for the September 12-29 event, disputing a clause preventing them from endorsing products of rival companies to official sponsors 30 days either side of ICC events. Fearing they could endanger their existing lucrative personal sponsorships, they also opposed official tournament sponsors being allowed to use images of them for up to six months. Gray said: "There have been compromises on both sides." ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said the tournament sponsors did not intend to use players' images for six months, adding: "The 30 day exclusion period after the tournament has been reduced to 16 days. "It is longer than the players wanted but shorter than the ICC and its sponsors were seeking. It is a pragmatic solution to a difficult issue." He added it was now up to the Indian board, which has named a provisional 25-man rather than 14-man squad for the event following the row, to select its top players. Earlier on Friday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah said he expected the country's players to go to Colombo for the Champions Trophy. The prestigious 12-nation event is the biggest one-day tournament outside the World Cup. There had been fears of a mass player boycott at one stage over the issue, before players from such countries as Australia, England and South Africa agreed to play after being assured they would be consulted over future ICC sponsorship agreements which could affect their interests.
Saturday, September 7, 2002
I am not here to clone Govinda: Krishna
New Delhi, Sep 7 His mannerisms, smile and tilt of the head may remind one of film star Govinda, but debutant actor Krishna insists he is not entering the film world as a clone of his uncle. The tall, well-built Krishna, who makes his debut in Dinkar Kapoor's "Yeh Kaisi Mohabbat", admits that people might want to watch the film to see if he measures up to his ace dancer-comic star uncle. "Expectations naturally increase when the audience learns that the actor is related to a big actor. They then search for similarities between the newcomer and the established star," Krishna told in an interview. "In most cases it is detrimental to the newcomer. Hrithik (Roshan) and Abhishek (Bachchan) are classic examples." He said as Hrithik's father Rakesh Roshan was an "average actor at best, the public welcomed him with open arms when he danced to 'Ek Pal Ka Jeena' in his debut. "On the other hand, Abhishek is Amitabh Bachchan's son. Expectations were sky high as Amitabh is a legend and one of Bollywood's best, and people thought he must have taught his son how to act or dance. "I have consciously tried not to ape Govinda. I can't do anything about the family resemblance. But I must say if people want to see Govinda, they should see his film and not go into another actor's film looking for a copy." About "Yeh Kaisi..." that is to be released on September 13, he said he was thrilled to get a movie in which he could showcase his talents. "I get to do dance, romance, action, drama and comedy. What more can a newcomer ask for except that his film runs?" Krishna, whose real name is Abhishek, says he changed his name because he used to get extremely angry when he would be mistaken for Abhishek Bachchan or Abhishek Kapoor while seeking work in Bollywood. He says after his father re-christened him Krishna he went to his uncle for approval. "He just said 'I am Govinda and you are Krishna, that's just fine.'" Govinda is one of Hindu god Krishna's many names. Asked how he expected to fare at the box-office when the film "Aamdani Athani Kharcha Rupaiya" did nothing for his elder brother Vinay, Krishna said his sibling's film was not a loss-making enterprise. "The problem with Vinay is he is short and looks just like Govinda," he said. Krishna, who has already made his Tamil debut with "Enge Enathu Kavithai", is also working on three other films, two of which are under production. One of the films, a comic thriller, is with uncle Govinda. The second film, "Dhuan", is a supernatural murder mystery. He has also been finalised for Vimal Kumar's romance "Jab Dil Mein Mohabbat Hoti Hai" with Amrita Rao.
Friday, September 6, 2002
Shah, Bhat put under house arrest
A day after Kashmiri separatist leader Shabir Shah's party decided to boycott Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, the authorities today placed him and some leaders of Hurriyat Conference, including its Chairman Abdul Gani Bhat, under house arrest. Official sources said separatist leader Maulana Ahmed Ansari was also put under house arrest. The sources said police arrived at the residences of separatist leaders asking them not to leave their premises. Shah told a police party arrived at his Rawalpura residence on the outskirts of the city in the wee hours and "ordered me not to leave the premises". Ansari also confirmed he had been barred by police from leaving his residence. A delegation of Hurriyat Conference, led by Bhat, is likely to arrive in New Delhi soon to hold talks with Ram Jethmalani-led Kashmir Committee. The sources said the leaders would be allowed to leave for Delhi.
Friday, September 6, 2002
Indo-US Naval exercise in September
India and the US will undertake their largest ever naval exercise from September 22 and it will be "warfare-oriented", according to Naval Chief Admiral Madhvendera Singh. The US Seventh fleet would be fielding a Ticonderoga and Spurance class destroyers, a SSN submarine and long range maritime aircraft in the two-weeks exercise in the Indian ocean. Indian Navy would field its latest and largest warship the Delhi class destroyer, a Godavari class frigate, a Shishumar class submarine and TU-124 surveillance aircraft. The exercises are being held after almost a gap of six years. The Indian warships are also likely to visit for the first time the US Naval base at Deigo Garcia on completion of the exercises. "The exercise would be tactical in nature and will cover all dimensions of Naval warfare, surface, sub surface and air", the Naval Chief said. The exercises would also see the US warships visiting ports on the west coast prior to the commencement of the exercises. "The resumption of Malabar series of exercises serve as a platform for professional interaction. this interaction has become all the more important as the two navies are cooperating in the Global war against Terrorism", a Naval spokesman said.
Friday, September 6, 2002
Pak role in Kashmir violence to feature in Vajpayee-Bush talks
Pakistan's failure to honour its pledge to end cross-border terrorism and its dubious role in the run-up to elections in Jammu and Kashmir are among the issues expected to figure when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee meets U S President George Bush in New York on September 12. India's case for permanent membership in the Un security council will also come up for discussions between the two. Besides meeting Bush on the sidelines of the U N General Assembly session, Vajpayee, who is leaving for New York on September nine, will have bilateral talks with leaders of a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Japan and Mauritius but any meeting with Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is ruled out, official sources here said today. During his parleys with them, Vajpayee will reinforce India's concerns on the continuing cross-border terrorism and Pakistan's attempts to disrupt the ensuing polls in J and K. Vajpayee will address the U N General Assembly a day after meeting Bush. New Delhi's concerns over the cross border terrorism will find place in his address to the world body. The Prime Minister, who reaches New York on September 10, will attend the commemorative function organised there on September 11 in memory of those who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre on this day last year. Along with other special invitees, Vajpayee will light a candle at a memorial for the victims. He is also expected to meet a number of relatives of Indians who died in the attack.
Friday, September 6, 2002
Manisha absent from NCW meeting; Commission demands amendement
New Delhi,Friday, September 06, 2002: A day after obtaining a stay on the release of her film 'Ek Chhoti Si Love Story', actress Manisha Koirala did not show up for a consultative meeting convened by the National Commission for Women (NCW) which called for changes in laws depicting portrayal of women in media. Observing that the provisions of the laws specially the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act (IRWPA) were "non-observant and non-implemented," NCW Chairperson Purnima Advani sought mandatory reference to the Commission from censor boards on films that protrayed women in poor light in case of lack of consensus among the members. Describing Koirala's case as a "point case", Advani said the Commission wants to discuss the larger issue involved in the matter and said it would soon file a comprehensive petition in the Supreme Court pertaining to negative portrayal of women. NCW will also constitute a media watch group to keep a check on indecent representation of women through advertisements, writings, figures or in any other manner, she said. During the meeting another aspect of "cheating and breach of trust" was also discussed, Advani said, adding that the Commision also looked into the possiblity of summoning film producer Shashlal Nair. Manisha on September 4 had approached the NCW seeking its intervention to stop the screening of the film which she alleged "has used a body double to depict me in an obscene and indecent manner". She got a stay on the movie from Mumbai High Court on Thursday.
Friday, September 6, 2002
England 336/2 at stumps in 4th Test
NEW DELHI: Michael Vaughan`s splendid 182 not out powered England to 336/2 at stumps on day one, of the fourth and final Test against India, at The Oval on Thursday. This is Vaughan`s third century against India in the series. He hit 100 in the second innings at Lord`s and followed it up with 197 in the 3rd Test at Nottingham. England scored at a run rate of 3.73 on the first day and will be aiming to repeat what they did in the Headingley Test - pile up 600 plus in the first innings and then put India under pressure to save the game. Earlier, Nasser Hussain won the toss and elected to bat first. The English openers immediately put the Indian new ball attack to the sword. Marcus Trescothick, who had missed out on the first three Tests because of injury looked in great touch and Vaughan the most prolific batsmen in the ongoing series for England, took the Indian attack by the scruff of the neck. In the first 10 overs England raced to 51/0. Agarkar bowled far too short and wide, giving the batsmen the opportunity to free their arms. With the track looking docile, Zaheer and Bangar also failed to stop the run riot. Trescothick raced to 52 off 67 balls with 8 hits to the fence. With runs flowing from the willow of Trescothick and the bowlers getting obliterated, Ganguly was forced to introduce the spinners a lot sooner. Ironically, it was the seamer Zaheer Khan, who got the breakthrough when he had Trescothick pulling at a short delivery only to be caught by Bangar. Trescothick made 57 from 76 balls. At lunch England were 113/1 with Vaughan on 42 and Butcher on 2. A total of 15 boundaries were hit in the first session with the England run rate reading a very healthy 3.90. The post lunch session saw little respite for the Indian bowlers. Harbhajan and Kumble struggled to make any impression on the batsmen. Vaughan and Butcher kept the scoreboard ticking and at tea England were cruising at 201/1. For the Indians it was yet another gruelling session in the field after tea. On a flat batting track with the ball doing little and the bowlers lacking imagination, Vaughan reached his fifth Test hundred off 195 balls with 13 boundaries. Soon after Butcher reached his 50 and India were already looking harried and hapless. Harbhajan Singh who got some bounce and turn achieved the much-needed second breakthrough for India when he found the inside edge of Butcher`s bat as the batsman went for a sweep. The ball lobbed in the air off the pads and Dravid took the catch at slips. Butcher`s patient 54 came from 145 deliveries. If the first new ball had been severely punished by the English openers, the second new ball was summarily dispatched to the fence by the well-set Vaughan and Crawley promoted in the batting order ahead of skipper Hussain. Vaughan who missed out on a double hundred at Nottingham looks determined to achieve the landmark this time round. At stumps Crawley was undefeated on 16 along with Vaughan going great guns on 182. India`s chance of registering a Test series overseas after a gap of 16 years now seems remote. The Indian spin duo of Kumble, the `Smiling Assassin, and Harbhajan Singh, the `Turbanator`, were expected to do the trick for India on a track that has in the past assisted spinners. There is no other way that the Indian bowling attack can dismiss the opposition twice in five days. The spinners took 11 of the 20 English wickets at Headingley with Kumble accounting for seven and Harbhajan taking four.
Friday, September 6, 2002
Sachin youngest cricketer to play 100 Tests
LONDON: Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday became the youngest cricketer in the world to play 100 Test matches, when he took the field in the series-deciding final Test between India and England at the Oval here. The 29-year-old batting genius, a bowler`s nightmare the world over, joins an elite club of 25 cricketers who have achieved the milestone. Tendulkar reached his `centenary Test` at the age of 29 years and 134 days, eclipsing the previous record of former Indian captain Kapil Dev, who achieved the landmark at the age of 30 years and 313 days in 1989 which incidently was the maestro`s first year in Test cricket. He also became the fourth Indian to play 100 Test matches after Sunil Gavaskar (125), Kapil Dev (131) and Dilip Vengsarakar (116). Australian Allan Border (156), has played the maximum number of Test matches followed by fellow Australian Steve Waugh with 148 so far. Considering his phenomenal track record in a game which has made him a cult figure, Tendulkar will certainly re-write many more records having shown a bigger appetite for runs in every passing year. Tendulkar has never really looked back ever since making his debut as a 16-year-old lad against Pakistan at Karachi in 1989, having accumulated as many as 8351 Test runs at a robust average of 57.99 before the start of the Oval Test. It speaks volumes of his dominance at the highest level of the game and 16 of his 30 centuries so far have come overseas where the Indian batsmen are believed to be far more vulnerable. Playing 100 Test matches for India has always been a dream for Tendulkar as he himself acknowledged two days ahead of the crucial Oval Test and preferred to keep the momentous occasion a low-keyed one. And despite all his heroics during a remarkable 13-year- career so far, the little master has the desire to keep learning much to the discomfort of rival bowlers who have tried every trick under the hat to scuffle the Tendulkar onslaught. ``Reaching 100 Tests is special, Not many have done it in India... I have learnt a lot in the last 13 years and there is still a lot more to learn,`` he says. With a growing fan following all over the world, Tendulkar, however, would have loved if his late father could have been around to witness the moment. ``He would have been proud``, he says. Besides his extraordinary talent, courage and consistency, Tendulkar has made batting entertaining without sacrificing solidity and there is not a single stroke that he has not mastered. His batting style reminded the legendary Donald Bradman of himself during his playing days. It is the biggest tribute to his batting class. And the modest Tendulkar has never been distracted or for that matter carried away by the tendency to compare him to the Don. The comparisons came again immediately after Tendulkar overtook Bradman`s record in the list of century makers during the last Test at Headingley by notching up his 30th ton. More ``To score a century in every third innings is something one can only dream of - so I am not comparing myself with Sir Donald Bradman``, he says. ``I may have statistically surpassed Bradman but I don`t think anyone should even be compared to him,`` Tendulkar had remarked after overtaking the Australian legend. Tendulkar, who just needs 144 runs to become the first cricketer in history to aggregate 20,000 international runs, has his own way of silencing critics who made a big issue of a string of failures in the Carribean and the early stages of this English summer. Unperturbed by talks of his `poor` form, Tendulkar went about his task and his stupendous 193 in the Headindley Test which played a big part in India levelling the series 1-1 sent his critics scampering for cover. Not the kind to invite controversies, the maestro has always allowed his bat to speak. And his gift of timing goes beyond the cricket field as well. His father had been a teacher and his 100th Test co-incides with Teachers Day.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Sachin hopes for series win
London, Sep 4: Sachin Tendulkar hoped India could mark his 100th Test by clinching a series victory over England. India have not won a Test series outside of the sub-continent in 16 years and Tendulkar, 29, said, ``It is so important because that`s what we`ve been trying to do for so many years. ``Now the time has come when we stand a chance, a fair chance. But we don`t want to put ourselves under pressure, we just want to go out and play. ``Earlier we haven`t won outside of India for quite some time and we`ve been doing that regularly now so this is another hurdle.`` Tendulkar, whose 193 at Headingley helped India win the third Test and square the series, has accumulated numerous statistical achievements since making his Test debut against Pakistan as a 16-year-old. But he said this latest landmark had particular significance. ``Reaching a hundred Test matches is always going to be special for anyone because not many players have done that. I`m only the fourth Indian(after Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Dilip Vengsarkar). It is a proud moment for me.`` ``Having played for 13 years I have learnt a lot and there are still more things to be learnt.`` ``Each and every moment I`ve enjoyed and cherished. This was one of my dreams, to play a hundred Test matches for India.`` ``That`s when a player feels you`ve achieved something in life and you`ve contributed to the best of your ability.`` But he admitted the huge fame he enjoyed in India had its price. ``It is not going to be a normal life because cricket is so popular back home. I can`t go out with my family but there are plusses as well as minuses.`` He said the Test innings that had given him the most pleasure was a hundred he made against Australia at Perth in 1992. ``They had a very good attack,`` explained Tendulkar who added that India`s come-from-behind series victory over Steve Waugh`s side at home during 2000-01 has been his most memorable campaign. ``They had won 15 matches in a row so to come back and win the series after losing the first match by 10 wickets was something special.`` Tendulkar added that he had no idea when he started how many Tests he would play but said the advice he had received from his coach and brother had been invaulable. ``I just wanted to go out and enjoy every moment, face every challenge, that`s what my coach and elder brother taught me. They also told me there were no short cuts in the game and that if you looked for short cuts that would be the end of your career.`` And Tendulkar admitted he was a worried teenager when he made his debut. ``I was in terrible shape, I was only 16. We were playing Pakistan, my feet were not moving.`` ``I thought I was a bit out of my depth but things got better from the next Test.`` They certainly did. Tendulkar has now scored 8,351 runs to lie seventh in the list of all-time Test run scorers. At Headingley he surpassed his hero and Australia great Don Bradman`s mark of 29 Test hundreds. Now only another of his idols, Gavaskar, with 34 Test centuries, stands ahead of him in the list of leading centurions. But he said comparisons were unfair. ``Your heroes will always be your heroes whatever happens. When you make comparisons you can end up degrading the other guy.`` ``I just wanted to be regarded as one of the best players in the world. It is up to the spectators and cricket followers to decide who ranks where.`` Reuters
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Dravid, a true professional
Regardless of what happens at the Oval, the Man of The Tour is Rahul Dravid, Indian cricket's only genuine allrounder since Paaji. He has batted from No.1 to 6, kept wickets and dismissed Saeed Anwar once with some kind of an off break. Before England he was a battler, a sound technician who defended stoutly and made runs abroad when others collapsed. Now he is a pro who takes control and wins matches. Descriptions such as 'the wall' or 'rock' could be flattering to some but not Dravid. On the contrary, the Rahul (also Shahrukh Khan's popular screen name) cringes with embarrassment when excited copywriters create such adjectives. Actually, junk these fancy titles. Dravid is a professional in the true sense of the word --- the best namoona of a committed khiladi. Some stars (manufactured by the media, dependent on hype and hangama) shamelessly thrust themselves into every frame of every camera lens. But Indian cricket's No.3 is shy, introverted, low key and private. Unlike contemporaries who are in-your-face, Dravid leads a sprint without participating in it! He derives strength from performance. Who can argue with stats that say only five Indians have made more Test runs and only one has a better average. But this vast experience sits lightly on him and teammates are still on first name basis. Dravid has not yet acquired Rahul bhai status in the dressing room! Players admire him as an up-front senior who sets a fine example. Typical of this do-it-yourself philosophy is his attitude towards fitness. Dravid spends hours training because he understands the demands of cricket, not because Adrian LeRoux is closely monitoring his gym sessions. "This is something one must do," he says with conviction. "When faced with a chocolate cake at the dinner table you have to decide what is good for you." Dravid is self driven, nobody tells him what to do; others dread pressure but Dravid thinks positively and talks about surmounting fresh challenges. Such toughness is part of Dravid's cricket and his personality. Not one to be blown away by short-pitched bowling, he values his wicket and refuses to make a gift to the bowlers. His personality reflects similar traits, he is correct and measured -- no false strokes, no crude heaves, no flirting outside off stump. Quite simply Dravid isn't the type to commit even a traffic offence! Strangely, for all these modern traits, Dravid is traditional in many ways. In an era when players don't read newspapers (or contracts, or any kind of literature) he pours carefully over editorials on wildlife/environment/pollution and carries books in his bag. Team-mates struggle to place Farokh Engineer (India ke liye khela kya?), but Dravid has a sense of history and a curiosity, which explain visits to Westminster, Wimbledon and Westend musicals. Interestingly, Dravid is focussed yet composed, connected and contemporary but sensitive to the past. He upholds old-fashioned values but sports the trendiest Oakleys, fights hard but won't utter gaalis, is gentle but won't take rubbish. Sport is about performance, personality, pride and passion,
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Terrorists warn J&K people against collecting voter ID cards
Militants in their attempt to disrupt the coming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir have warned the people against collecting voter identity cards and threatened to take it away from those who have already collected it. Coded messages between two militants of Jaish-e-Mohammad have revealed that the ultras plan to disrupt the assembly elections in the state, a spokesman of the Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur said today. One of the messages said "we have already told the people through posters not to collect the voter ID cards. Despite this, they may have collected it. So wherever you get an opportunity, you must search the people and if they are in possession of such cards snatch them and also threaten them." Nominations filed Housing and Urban Development Minister Ghulam Mohiuddin Shah was among five candidates who filed their nominations today for the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections slated for September 24. Shah and four others filed their nominations from Srinagar and Badgam districts taking the total number of nominations from the two districts so far to 10. A senior National Conference leader, Shah is seeking re-election from Batmaloo constituency of Srinagar. Another NC leader Sadiq Ali filed his nomination from Zadibal constituency, they said. The remaining three candidates - Qazi Afzal, Ghulam Mohammad Dar and Syed Abdul Rashid - who filed their nominations today belonged to the People's Democratic Party. Afzal filed his papers from Ganderbal, Dar from Kangan and Rashid from Chadoora. The last date of filing nominations for the second phase is September five. Scrutiny would be held on September six and the last date for withdrawal of nomination would be September nine. Srinagar (10), Budgam (five) and Jammu (13) comprise the 28 assembly segments going to polls in this phase on September 24.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
BJP's Gujarat Gaurav Yatra postponed further
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday postponed the Gujarat Gaurav Yatra by a day to September 8. "The launch of the yatra has been put off by one day because September 7 falls on shravani amavas," BJP state unit general secretary Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said. "On shravani amavas temples in the state are thronged by people and in the vicinity of many of them [temples], fairs are organised. Therefore, BJP decided to postpone the launch of the yatra," he added. On Sunday, the BJP had postponed the yatra from September 3 to September 7 to avoid a showdown with the Congress, which has planned a parallel function at the very point of its launch in Phagvel village, Kheda district, on that day. BJP would launch its yatra from Kheda district's Phagvel village, BJP state unit chief Rajendrasingh Rana said. Rana said, "Discussions were on in this regard since Monday night. But the decision to change the programme was taken today." To a question whether Chief Minister Narendra Modi too was privy to the decision, Rana said, "Yes." The yatra is scheduled to transverse all the 25 districts of the state, covering 182 assembly constituencies before October. As per the earlier plan, the yatra, to be led by Modi and Rana, was to have been flagged off from the Ambaji Temple in north Gujarat on July four, but had to be postponed following severe opposition from the National Human Rights Commission and the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, which led to the intervention of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Manisha takes grievance to Thackeray
MUMBAI: Upset with the Mumbai high court’s verdict allowing filmmaker Shashilal Nair to release his controversial film Ek Chotisi Love Story’ without any cuts last Friday, actress Manisha Koirala has taken her grievance to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray. The actress reportedly met Mr Thackeray at his residence ‘Matoshree’ in Bandra a couple of days ago. Manisha is believed to have apprised him of the HC judgment and sought his intervention in her dispute with the filmmaker since it concerned ‘dignity of women’. Mr Thackeray apparently assured her that he would take ‘necessary’ action. Mr Nair told TNN that Mr Thackeray has not spoken to him yet. I don’t think Mr Thackeray will intervene when the so-called controversial scenes constitute only 30 seconds in a two-hour film. In any case, as a friend I have tried to persuade Manisha to withdraw her objection. Several other friends also approached her, but in vain. Finally, she moved the HC and the judge ruled in my favour after watching the film,’’ Mr Nair said. Manisha is also expected to meet the chairperson of the National Commission for Women, Poornima Advani, in New Delhi on Wednesday, sources said. Meanwhile, Manisha’s lawyers plan to appeal to a division bench of the Mumbai HC, after they receive a certified copy of Friday’s judgment.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Govt to keep interest in US-64 alive
NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday spelt out steps it would take to benefit investors in Unit Trust of India’s flagship US-64 if they choose to continue with their investment beyond May 2003, when the assured redemption price gets frozen at Rs 12 for units up to 5,000 and Rs 10 for units above that limit. It also announced that UTI would not be allowed to sell its equity holding in bluechip companies like ITC, which UTI was earlier forced to consider for raising funds to meet its redemption obligations. There is no need for UTI to indulge in such ‘‘asset bleeding’’ since the government now stands committed to meet all shortfalls in the redemption of its US-64 and other assured return schemes. Finance secretary S Narayan made these announcements at a news briefing here aimed at sending out the right signals to investors and clarifying certain ‘‘misgivings in the media’’. ‘‘Any dividend received by the UTI-I (which will comprise assets of US-64 and other assured return schemes) from the corporates in which the assets of UTI-I are invested will be passed on to the investors by the UTI-I. It will not be retained to improve the net asset value (NAV) of its schemes as at present,’’ Narayan said. ‘‘Moreover, this dividend will not be taxable in the hands of the investor,’’ he added. US-64 units will be allowed to be traded in the market and exemption from capital gains tax will be available to those who sell the units. ‘‘It is expected that those investors or fund managers who are willing to take a long-term view on the stocks of US-64 will find it attractive to take advantage of the exemption from capital gains tax,’’ Narayan said. Fresh units of US-64 in its present form will not be issued by UTI-I, he said, adding that any US-64 unit offered to UTI for redemption will be extinguished. UTI-l would be the sick box of UTI after the mutual fund splits into two. The government would also come out with tax-free certificates, mainly for large institutional investors in US-64 as an alternative to cash redemption of units. The government had on Saturday announced the decision to split UTI into two. All assets of US-64 and assured return schemes valued at over Rs 24,000 will be transferred to UTI-l and the remaining Rs 17,800 crore in UTI’s NAV-based schemes will go to UTI-II, which would be the fund’s healthy part.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Hurriyat launches anti-poll campaign
A day after averting a possible split over "proxy" candidates of Peoples Conference being in the fray, Hurriyat Conference today launched anti-election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir asking the people to reject the poll process and continue their struggle for right of self-determination. "The so-called elections cannot be an alternative to the right of self-determination and the people should reject the frivilous elections, aimed at formation of a government, and remove all impediments in the way of the ongoing struggle for the cause of their future," senior Hurriyat executive member Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari told a public meeting at Nabadnara in Budgam district. This was the first public meeting of the conglomerate of 23 separatist parties in the recent past. Ansari asked people to remain united and strong and thwart any attempt to weaken and malign the Hurriyat which he said was their representative body. He urged all peace loving countries to ask India to initiate a dialogue to resolve the Kashmir issue.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Ash ousts Kareena
She is basking in the glory of her reign over Bollywood. And why shouldn't she? She has virtually devoured every competition that could come her way, bagged some of the best roles and stormed into the hearts of some of the Hollywood agents who want to cast her as the "current flavour of the season." Shahrukh Khan wants her to be paired with him in three of the four films he's doing. But the one actress who is frowning is Kareena Kapoor. Ms. Rai has replaced the Kapoor girl in not one but three of the films she was the original choice for. And all of them have the Khan in the lead, including his home production. Bebo's marketability has taken a beating while Ash's stocks are on the rise. With international recognition coming her way compliments galore. Even the world's highest paid actress, Julia Roberts found Ash, "unassumingly beautiful."
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Govinda refuses to reinvent
Time and again Bollywood actors have realized their follies and regretted. The latest to join the remorse club is Govinda. The guy has been offered roles by the likes of Shashilal Nair, Shyam Benegal and Subhash Ghai to name just a few, but the actor declined them without giving them a second thought. He is full of regret now that the films have become mega hits. When Sanjay Leela Bhansali conceived Chunilal's character in his version of the Sarat Chandra classic, he couldn't imagine anyone other than Chi Chi playing the pivotal role. But Govinda refused to play second fiddle to Shahrukh. Now that the film has turned into a huge classic, the actor is repenting the most. "I regret not being a part of such a big film," says the actor ruefully. And what does his wife have to say? "I loved the film though he (Govinda) would have not added to the film," knocking down her spouse's inflated ego in one sweep.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Bipasha refuses to bare her Jism
Bipasha Basu, who sizzled the screen in Ajnabee, has decided that it's time to focus on acting. The sultry Bipasha Basu has walked out of Pooja Bhatt's Jism, leaving the poor lady stranded at the last moment. Bipasha apparently had second thoughts about exposing for the film which is being termed 'an erotic thriller'. The film has several scenes which require the leading lady to expose. Bipasha told CelebnCeleb, 'I would rather concentrate on my acting abilities, than draw attention to the way I look.' Meanwhile, Bhatt is scouting for another heroine to play the central role of a lady hooker. She is considering former Miss World Diana Hayden. Not a bad choice. But Diana clearly lacks the oomph that Bipasha possesses. (Source: www.Hindstantimes.com)
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Bobby Deol
Being a Deol isn't a small thing in Bollywood. But making a mark is something that no tag can assure. And Bobby Deol surely knows this. Small wonder then he, like many second generation stars, is trying hard to not to get typecast. After playing Bhagat Singh with some success in his home production earlier this year, Bobby now tries his hand at comedy in his new film, Chor Machaye Shor. What's Chor Machaye Shor (CMS) about? Are you playing a double role in the film? No. It's double identity. I play a robber who gets caught, so he changes his identity. Why didn't you attempt comedy before? I wanted to. Although I did Kundan Shah's Hum To Mohabbat Karega, the experience turned out to be bad. It was more of a tragedy. I wanted to work with Kundan so badly that I was very disappointed at the at the film's failure. I used to admire the David Dhawan-Govinda combination - I think they are a great team - and had made up my mind to do such a film some day. Is the film a typical David Dhawan film? Essentially yes, it has all the ingredients that any David Dhawan film would have. All the fun elements, the fast pace and the comical situations have been incorporated. The film has David's signature style. Why aren't you doing roles with negative shades? I know a lot of people have asked me this. I wouldn't just do it to follow a trend. Abbas-Mustan had offered me the other role (which Akshaye Khanna played) in Humraaz but I didn't feel up to it then. Later they did concede that the other role didn't suit me. Personally, I want to play different people, not necessarily negative men. What are your other roles in forthcoming films? I play an interesting character in Vikram Bhatt's next. Another very interesting story is Abbas-Mustan's next which is yet untitled. One doesn't always get opportunities to play different roles. I have been fortunate to have played Bhagat Singh in Shaheed and then in CMS, a wacky kind of a person who is funny without getting slapstick. Is image very important for an actor? Yes it is. Without one, one can't go far. It is only later that one can experiment and look for newer and challenging roles. But I have had my share of romantic, criminal, and now comic roles. I am not complaining. It was announced some time back that the three Deols (Sunny, your dad and you) are going to do a film? Yes, we are looking for a suitable subject to start with. All of us are looking forward to such a script. It's going to be fun. But good stories are hard to come by. Are you too the sporty type in real life? Very much. I play all the games though for a year. I haven't done much. One needs to work out regularly, follow a strict regimen and keep fit. The body would not be able to take all the hard work otherwise. I am into all sports though I can't claim to be good at anything .I love reading too but not the mushy romantic novels, please. I love thrillers, just as much as I love watching thrillers and action movies. I must tell you that the book The Bridges of Madison County really moved me. I fell in love with the story, which is a rarity for me. Do you have any other favourite activity? Spending time with my son. Do you know "Papa" was the first word he uttered? I have a great bonding with him. After Shaheed, CMS and Humraaz, this is the first time I am on holiday with him. It's been after a long time that I got quality time to spend with him. Henceforth, I have decided to do just two or three film at a time and concentrate more on family and travel. (Source: www.Hindstantimes.com)
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Husain revisists old muse
Old love like old habits is difficult to overcome. Painter M.F. Husain just cannot overcome his obsession for the Ek do teen girl Madhuri Dixit. This despite the fact that he may have been fascinated by Tabu and Sushmita Sen of late. It is legendary how Husain watched Hum Aapke Hain Kaun 69 times and threw innumerable paint-brushes on the screen, while the film was being screened. His ultimate tribute to Madhuri, Gaja Gamini, failed to attract critics and crowds. But the adamant fan, wishing to rekindle his fascination and give it epic undertones, has gone ahead and written a book titled M2 V= GG (Madhuri-McBull Vision=Gaja Gamini). The book, which is to be released in Paris in September 2002, says Husain, is a reinvented digital presentation to make the readers aware of 'varied nuances of art'. Apart from the art of painting, Husain is also known for the art of staying in media limelight. Whether it is through films, paintings or infatuations, Husain not only makes a good canvas but also a good copy. This also could be a subtle way of telling the US-based Ms Nene, Kahin Na is missing you.
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
There's No Veerappan, says Intelligence Official
The Veerappan drama has taken an extraordinary turn, with revelations by a retired intelligence official that the infamous bandit does not exist at all! The official (call him K), who served for over thirty-five years in various intelligence services including RAW, Aviation Research Centre (ARC) and the little-known Department for Upkeep of Natural and Groundwater Resources (DUNG-R), was closely associated with several counter-intelligence operations (CI-ops) involving India's missile defence and nuclear programs. But with the kidnapping of Karnataka minister Nagappa by the forest brigand, he has decided that the time has come for the nation to be told the truth. "I know I risk being hauled up under provisions of the Official Secrets Act," he told this correspondent in his modest two-room flat in a certain small town in Tamil Nadu. "But in my mind no damage will be caused to national interest by speaking the truth. On the contrary, Operation Veerappan has outlived its utility; the time has come to scrap it and move on to other initiatives!" Indeed, the 'facts' revealed by K add up to a veritable web of intrigue spanning a decade; a carefully constructed, incredibly complex web, strewn with red herrings and false reports, that constitutes one of the most sensational 'and successful' covert operations ever conducted anywhere in the world, barring perhaps the Manhattan Project of the US in the 1940s. This can be gauged from the fact that Indus Inquirer's interviews with K spanned seventeen days, and the conversations and miscellaneous data gathered required over a dozen audiotapes and five diskettes for storage. What follows is a thumbnail sketch of the Veerappan Project, starting with a brief summary of the facts. In 1993, the Special Task Force was set up under Walter Dewaram to nab Veerappan; at that point of time Veerappan certainly existed, as a forest bandit with a long record of poaching elephants and smuggling sandalwood. His gang comprised around 150 persons from villages of the MM Hills-Kollegal region. By 1996, the STF had reduced Veerappan's gang to just eight members! The bandit was on the run, the general feeling was that it was only a matter of time before he fell into the STF's hands. But in 1996, STF Chief Dewaram retired; and here is where the story takes a curious turn. Between 1996 and today, not only has Veerappan remained at large; he has grown from strength to strength, with his greatest success coming in the year 2000 when he kidnapped Kannada actor Rajkumar and later released him for a ransom running into crores of rupees. His gang has an estimated 120 members today! In August 2002, he kidnaps Nagappa and sends an audio-cassette whose contents do not include any specific ransom demand. On August 28-29, reports of a second cassette sent by him are hotly denied by the Karnataka Home Minister Mallikarjun Kharge. These are the facts presented to the public. But now, K reveals that Veerappan was in fact captured by the STF in early 1994, and, in his words, "removed from the scene permanently" in order to facilitate a CI-op called 'Chandanam Project'. The rationale for the project is best described in K's own words: "Right from the early '80s, the Indian security establishment had been looking for a place where they could conduct ultra-secret operations such as N-weapons assembly, testing of subcritical fissile masses, development of various missile delivery systems, certain tests affiliated with the LCA, and so on. The problem was: in a country with such a huge population, and with such an inquisitive citizenry, where on Earth could they possibly find an area of a hundred thousand hectares in which to work in peace and in secret?" "The answer came in 1994, with the seizure of Veerappan! The entire MM Hills belt, an area greater than the whole Jaffna peninsula had been vacated of people for sheer terror of Veerappan; it was thickly forested, there was plenty of water; in short, it was the ideal site in which to set up a gigantic complex of military-intelligence-scientific undertakings. But what about secrecy and security?" "Simple! Veerappan would live on! As long as the bandit remained alive, we had the opportunity to deploy thousands of armed personnel (BSF and others) in the area without any questions being asked. Besides, by doing so we could keep out the police forces of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu from the area; after all, police forces are notorious for security lapses! In effect, therefore, our secret projects were set up in 'Veerappan country' in 1994 and were thereafter guarded by the best of our troopers and commandos, no questions asked! No doubt the state and central governments have had to take considerable flak for the lack of progress in nabbing Veerappan, but that was a minor price to pay for such a vital undertaking." K went on to explain that, in order to add credibility to Veerappan's continued existence in MM Hills, periodic 'sightings' of the bandit were essential. "So we found an amazing look-alike of the man; an Assam Rifles jawan, who made sporadic appearances over the years," he laughed. "But in early- 2000 the poor fellow fell ill and had to be flown out for treatment; after proper shaving, of course. The problem then was, how were we to find a substitute? The real Veerappan was no longer available for study! So we hit upon the idea of 'kidnapping' Rajkumar, whom we knew had made a very close study of the bandit in his younger days. While with us, Rajkumar helped in identifying a suitable substitute for Veerappan from among the jawans; and he trained him to walk, talk and behave like the original article. After all, who better than an accomplished actor to do the job! Finishing touches were provided by Rajnikant, and so the crisis of 2000 was weathered." According to K, the false Veerappan's appearances always coincided with major tests and events connected with the dozens of secret projects under way in the region. "Such sightings were enough to scare away even the most daring reporter or curious citizen who might otherwise have infiltrated our security barriers," he said. He feels Nagappa's abduction might have something to do with the Brahmos cruise-missile project, part of which is centred around Kollegal. "But I personally feel this charade has run its course, " he muttered. "India doesn't need Veerappan any more." And what happened to the original Veerappan, who was captured in 1994 by the STF? After much hesitation, K revealed that he underwent plastic surgery and thereafter happily settled down in Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) where he runs a grocery store and a small restaurant. "He was even offered a ticket by Mulayam Singh Yadav during the last assembly elections," said K, "but he refused. " A wistful expression came over his face. "Who knows," he murmured, "he might have made a wonderful Forest Minister." By : Ghatotkacha
Wednesday, September 4, 2002
Sush's Favorite role
Actress and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen votes motherhood as her most interesting role till date. The spunky Ms Sen may not have much to do these days. But that doesn't bother her a wee bit. The former Miss Universe who said that a woman was all about 'loving and giving', has actualised her philosophy in real life. Having adopted Renee as daughter, the actress seems to be enjoying the joys of motherhood minus the cribbing. From attending her school functions to spending quality time with her, Sush is enjoying her mommy role to the hilt. Apart from tentative projects with Farah Khan and Pankaj Parasher, the actress is slated to do Manisha Koirala's home production Paisa Vasool. With restaurateur Sanjay Narang also reportedly out of her life, Sushmita seems to have nothing cooking in her life, except perhaps baby meals.
Monday, September 2, 2002
Bodies of 8 Orissa boat mishap victims retrieved
The search operation for bodies in the Jajpur boat tragedy in Orissa continues. As many as 47 people, including 9 children, were drowned on Saturday when a boat carrying nearly 70 passengers across Baitarani river capsized. There's grief in every village that has lost a person in the tragedy. In Maninathpur village in Bhadrak district, at least 14 people have died in the tragedy, most of them between the age group of 25 to 35. We have lost 14 people from this village. Several families have been wiped out and people who were sole bread winners have died, said Adikand Sethi, a resident of Maninathpur. Boats are the lifeline for the 25,000 people who live on the other side of the river and need to go to Jajpur everyday. Since there was just one boat to ferry people across, overcrowding has been a regular feature. People say a bridge is the only way to prevent future tragedies. "Jajpur is the business centre and our people earn their livelihood here. Everyday 2,000-3,000 people cross the river and every 20 minutes you have 100 passengers. But the old demand for a bridge has not been taken seriously," said Paramanand Nayak, a resident of Solampur. The divers and the much-publicised special teams to retrieve bodies from the river are yet to arrive and so far only eight bodies have been recovered.
Monday, September 2, 2002
Chandrababu completes seven years in office
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naravaripalli Chandrababu Naidu completed seven years in office on Sunday, becoming only the second chief minister after Kasu Brahmananda Reddy to cross this threshold in the state's 46-year history. "A clear-cut rational approach to issues and hard work, coupled with people's faith in me and my work, have enabled me to head the state in the last seven consecutive years," Naidu said in a series of media interviews on the occasion. Taking a tough stand on the Naxalite menace, Naidu said his government was in no mood to take any fresh initiative to resume the dialogue with the outlawed People's War group of the Communist Party of India, Marxist-Leninist, which had pulled out of the peace talks in July. Firmly rejecting the demand for declaring a ceasefire as a pre-condition to resuming talks, he asked the banned outfit to first lay down its arms and join the social mainstream. "The people are so vexed with meaningless acts of violence that they are preparing to revolt against Naxalites in villages," he claimed. Naidu said the state had overcome problems caused by drought, floods, cyclones, and other natural calamities and made considerable progress over the last seven years. His Telugu Desam Party government, he said, had not only steered the state from financial crisis to the path of progress, but also stepped up allocations for welfare of different sectors and the development of the state. As a result, the state had moved to fifth place in the country in gross state domestic product and per capita income. Stating that reforms were synonymous with development and better standards of living, Naidu said he was determined to forge ahead with second-generation reforms in power and fiscal sectors and the privatization of public-sector undertakings without bothering about their impact on his party's electoral prospects. "We have laid strong foundations for all-round development of the state and I expect results to flow in soon," the chief minister said. "We have now entered the phase of achieving the 'Vision for the State for the Year 2020' with the goal of improving the overall living standards of the people and transforming the state into a role model for the entire country." While admitting that the pace of reforms had been somewhat slow, mainly owing to "roadblocks" created by the opposition in the state, Naidu said there had been significant improvement in several sectors. But it would be too much to expect quick results from reforms, he said. "Already, the reforms we are pursuing have been acknowledged and appreciated by one and all, including chief ministers of other states." (Additional reportage by the Press Trust of India)
Monday, September 2, 2002
BJP puts off Gaurav Yatra till Sep 7
AHMEDABAD: In the ongoing starring match with the Congress, the BJP has blinked. To avoid a possible confrontation with supporters of GPCC president Shankarsinh Vaghela at Phagvel during the launch of the Gujarat Gaurav yatra on Tuesday, the BJP has now postponed the yatra to Saturday. Talking to TNN, state BJP chief Rajendrasinh Rana said the party had taken the decision following appeals made by religious leaders including Pramukh Swami, Acharya Mahapragyaji, Swami Sachidanand and some non-governmental organisations like Gujarat Lok Sanghrash Samiti. In a statement Chief Minister Narendra Modi said the opposition Congress wished to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere. "The parallel programme of Vaghela could have created a law and order problem and, therefore, the decision to postpone the yatra has been taken in the larger interests of the state." This is the second time that the BJP has been forced to postpone the launch of the yatra. Earlier, it was put off after strong representations by the National Human Rights Commission and the Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who feared that the yatra would trigger violence in the state. The state BJP chief hastened to add that there would be no other changes effected to the yatra except that it would commence on Saturday. After prayers at the Bhathiji Maharaj temple the yatra will be flagged off by BJP national general secretary Rajnath Singh around 1.30 p.m. Before that Chief Minister Modi will address a public meeting near the temple. The saints and representatives of NGOs had urged Modi and state BJP leaders to temporarily postpone the launch of the yatra in the larger interest of the state, which is limping back to normalcy after four months of communal riots. Despite the change in the BJP's plans, Vaghela decided to go on a 24-hour fast to protest against the misuse of government machinery by the BJP for the Phagvel event, now scheduled for August 7. In a letter to Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi, despatched on Saturday night, Vaghela demanded security for himself and his supporters. The letter to Joshi states: "The state caretaker government is misusing the official machinery to prevent me and my supporters. I, therefore, request you to take necessary steps for my security... to protect my rights as a member of the Lok Sabha to participate in a religious programme in my constituency". Vaghela attached a copy of the letter written by the sarpanch of Phagvel village, dated July 21, which contained an invitation to him for hoisting the flag of Bhathiji Maharaj, to prove that his event was scheduled long before the BJP's. As things stand now, Vaghela will descend on Phagvel in a decorated rath in a procession from Singarva village, on the Odhav-Kathlal road outside Ahmedabad, and reach Phagvel at 12.39 pm to begin the fast. The following day, at the same time, he will break the fast and join in ceremonies hosted by local supporters. Vaghela sounded his battlecry on Friday when he dared the BJP to call off the Gaurav yatra or choose another religious place for its launch. Adamant about not calling of his programme at Phagvel, Vaghela told a press conference, "It is not my programme, I'm only a third party and the local people have arranged it." He also claimed the Congress had no role in it, accusing the BJP of turning Phagvel into a "war camp".
Monday, September 2, 2002
9 killed in J&K
Srinagar Sept. 1. Three Jaish-e-Mohammad militants and two Army personnel were among nine killed in a blast triggered by the ultras outside a police camp in Jammu and Kashmir since last night, an official spokesperson said today. Militants also killed two children in Surankote area of Poonch district today, he added.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Road-Music Review
Ramgopal Varma's Latest flick featuring his latest finds Antara Maali and Vivek Oberoi with Manoj Bajpai. Road is directed by Rajat Mukherjee who got acclaimed with his debut 'Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya'. Sandesh Shandilya of the K3G fame composes the music. Khilesh Sharma, Jaideep Sahni, Nitin Raikwar, Makrand Deshpande and Taabish Romani pen the lyrics, whereas the songs rendered by popular names like Sonu Nigam, Vinod Rathod, Sunidhi Chauhan, K K, Sanjeevani with new additions in the form of Mohit Chouhan, Amar Mohile Tannishtha and Gary Lawyer. The album begins with a very sensous number 'Makhmali Ye Badan', which is already making waves over the satellite channels, thanks to the hot new find Antara Maali. Well, the music composition is as smooth as 'Makhmal' silk complimented with good lyrics. It definitely is a youth, romantic and a sensuous number. It did easily fit in the top 10's from day one. Sonu Nigam and Sanjeevani have rendered their voice for the song and have done a good job. Khilesh Sharma pens the lyric. The same song is later repeated again in the album. 'Raste Raste' is the next number rendered by the all rounder Sunidhi Chauhan and Vinod Rathod. The music is good and quite different. It's good to hear such experimental compositions, which is much required today. The lyric for the number is by Jaideep Sahni. This is a fast-slow number and neatly executed. A rap kinda song is followed in the form of 'Khullam Khulla Pyar'. The lyric has to be very situational and will be definitely a hit for people on 'ROAD', i.e. while driving. The song has voices by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. The lyric is by Khilesh Sharma. The music is at par with the tempo of the song and interestingly different. The next number starts with a 'Toofan' with a very western music. 'Toofan Sa' is rendered by K K and Sunidhi Chauhan. Nitin Raikwar has composed the music for this number penned by him. The music is definitely different and gels well with the lyrics. Makrand Deshpande pens 'Pehli Nazar Mein'. The song has voices by Mohit Chouhan and Sunidhi Chauhan. The music is unique with no particular direction. This song has some good pieces of Indian classical music. Sunidhi Chauhan has done a marvelous job. 'Road Rage' has voice by Amar Mohile and Tannishtha for music composed by Amar Mohile himself. The music is definitely is not for Bollywood. It is surprisingly so good that it might appear to be a foreign song. 'Road Ke Har Mod Pe' appears to be the title song rendered by Gary Lawyer and Tannishtha. Gary's rendition and the music composition are worth a special mention. The lyirc is special for the situation. All an all 'Road' is value for money for real music lovers and that too specifically for people who like different kinds of music. It will be incomplete without given due credits to the producer and the director to try such music.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Road
Ramgopal Varma's Latest flick featuring his latest finds Antara Maali and Vivek Oberoi with Manoj Bajpai. Road is directed by Rajat Mukherjee who got acclaimed with his debut 'Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya'. Sandesh Shandilya of the K3G fame composes the music. Khilesh Sharma, Jaideep Sahni, Nitin Raikwar, Makrand Deshpande and Taabish Romani pen the lyrics, whereas the songs rendered by popular names like Sonu Nigam, Vinod Rathod, Sunidhi Chauhan, K K, Sanjeevani with new additions in the form of Mohit Chouhan, Amar Mohile Tannishtha and Gary Lawyer. The album begins with a very sensous number 'Makhmali Ye Badan', which is already making waves over the satellite channels, thanks to the hot new find Antara Maali. Well, the music composition is as smooth as 'Makhmal' silk complimented with good lyrics. It definitely is a youth, romantic and a sensuous number. It did easily fit in the top 10's from day one. Sonu Nigam and Sanjeevani have rendered their voice for the song and have done a good job. Khilesh Sharma pens the lyric. The same song is later repeated again in the album. 'Raste Raste' is the next number rendered by the all rounder Sunidhi Chauhan and Vinod Rathod. The music is good and quite different. It's good to hear such experimental compositions, which is much required today. The lyric for the number is by Jaideep Sahni. This is a fast-slow number and neatly executed. A rap kinda song is followed in the form of 'Khullam Khulla Pyar'. The lyric has to be very situational and will be definitely a hit for people on 'ROAD', i.e. while driving. The song has voices by Sonu Nigam and Sunidhi Chauhan. The lyric is by Khilesh Sharma. The music is at par with the tempo of the song and interestingly different. The next number starts with a 'Toofan' with a very western music. 'Toofan Sa' is rendered by K K and Sunidhi Chauhan. Nitin Raikwar has composed the music for this number penned by him. The music is definitely different and gels well with the lyrics. Makrand Deshpande pens 'Pehli Nazar Mein'. The song has voices by Mohit Chouhan and Sunidhi Chauhan. The music is unique with no particular direction. This song has some good pieces of Indian classical music. Sunidhi Chauhan has done a marvelous job. 'Road Rage' has voice by Amar Mohile and Tannishtha for music composed by Amar Mohile himself. The music is definitely is not for Bollywood. It is surprisingly so good that it might appear to be a foreign song. 'Road Ke Har Mod Pe' appears to be the title song rendered by Gary Lawyer and Tannishtha. Gary's rendition and the music composition are worth a special mention. The lyirc is special for the situation. All an all 'Road' is value for money for real music lovers and that too specifically for people who like different kinds of music. It will be incomplete without given due credits to the producer and the director to try such music.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Chor Machaaye Shor
Foreword to Chor Machaye Shor: "Any resemblance to any intelligent life form - dead or alive - or any sensible idea - original or copied - is purely coincidental. My sincere thanks to the directors of Golmaal, Angoor and Blue Streak for their contribution to my cinema. Sincerely, Director No 1, David Dhawan." Dhawan deftly conveys the aforementioned using the first 21 reels of Chor Machaye Shor. He starts with the goal of making another Golmaal, but the result seems more like goal-maul. Watching Dhawan's version of Angoor-remixed is then about as exciting as watching a comatose langoor. The director's attempts fall flat, but his hero and two-bit thief Sham (Bobby Deol) hits jackpot when he lays his hands on a 30 crore diamond. Before he can celebrate his success, however, the cops come marching down. But the smartass hides his booty at a vacant site so he can come back after two years and reclaim it. After the sentence, a shipshape Sham ambles down to the diamond spot only to have his senses socked. The vacant spot now houses the police headquarters. The only way out is in. So he dons the khaki and impersonates Inspector Ram. Smart cop Ajita (Bipasha) finds out the truth, but she won't say a word because she has a crush on Shamu. Meanwhile, the chor's boss and DCP (Paresh Rawal) is so impressed with the new and handsome recruit, he even offers his daughter Kajol (Shilpa Shetty) to the eligible inspector. The only intelligent soul here is constable Pandey (Om Puri), who gets a whiff of the Ram-Sham scam and tries to blurt the truth out. Ram concocts the story of having an evil twin brother Sham in order to save his face (literally too). So he seeks the help of a fake moustache. Hee haw, and all the schmucks around believe him. On the other side of the story are his three accomplices in the theft who are after him and their share of the booty. Now, Sham's to-do list runs thus: Get diamond, marry DCP's beti, romance fellow colleague (Bipasha). From here it's a comedy of errors. Actually, more errors than comedy. Comedy includes Bobby trying to dance, Bipasha being a cop, Shekhar Suman as a transvestite and Shilpa sporting a weird wedge blunt hair-do (yikes!). Bobby's go at the Govinda act goes for a toss. Since this is not an action film, Bobby sticks to inaction all the while. I can't comment on Bipasha and Shilpa because I yawned and I missed them. It's Om Puri who takes the cake. As the smart cop, with his Bhojpuri accent, deadpan delivery and spot-on comedy timing, he simply rocks. Shekhar Suman, as Bobby's pal, appears in seven roles, but thankfully disappears before you can utter 'obnoxious'. Except for the catchy Ishqan Ishqan number, the rest of the music is so awful that even the tinny version of Om Jai Jagadish Hare of car backing in the parking lot of the theater sounds like music to the ears. David Dhawan hits rock bottom with Chor Macheye Shor. But then, as Garfield says: cheer up... it can't get worse than this. The only way his movies can go now is up.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Agnivarsha
It seems that more and more filmmakers are harking back to times and climes past for their inspiration, and in the case of some, this is paying rich dividends. Recall the success last year of 'Lagaan' and 'Gadar-Ek Prem Katha', set in the time of British rule in India and its eventide. And now there is Arjun Sajnani's 'Agnivarsha', which is set in the time of the Mahabharat. Shot in the exotic locales of Hampi in Karnataka, 'Agnivarsha' boasts of some of the best special effects in Indian cinema in the recent past. The film, as is known, was the opening film at the Commonwealth Film Festival in Manchester in June this year. It has been released simultaneously in 22 countries, including the US, the UK, Canada and South Africa. The film, however, seems to be targeted chiefly at metro audiences and it remains to be seen how it will fare in the hinterland. 'Agnivarsha' is based on Girish Karnad's play 'The Fire and The Rain', which Sajnani has staged on countless occasions and one of the film's features is that in its production it bridges three main film making centres, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad. The film tells the story of a land in the grip of a 7-year drought, with the residents of a village willing to appease the rain gods in any manner possible. Jackie Shroff is Paravisu, the Chief Priest, who has sacrificed everything for the last seven years, devoting his time solely to religion. Raveena Tandon is his frustrated wife Vishakha. She has a love story to hide from his husband and society. She is enamoured of her husband's cousin, Yavakri (Nagarjuna). Even though she is married and they have not met for 10 years, Yavakri cannot keep her out of his thoughts. Paravisu's younger brother, Aravisu (Milind Soman) and his girlfriend Nittalai (Sonali Kulkarni), for their part, are worried about how they should go about convincing their parents to let them get married, as they hail from different castes. The story hardly makes a contribution to the film's movement. Rather, it is the beautifully created scenes---with every frame looking like a painting---that contribute to the film's surge. As Arjun seems to be focussing his creativity on the visuals, it is but understandable that he misses out to some extent on the narration. And, perhaps, it is due to this that the film starts flagging a little as it approaches the finish line. The storyline, a trifle confusing to start out with, sorts itself out as the film progresses and is able to hold the audience's attention. But in the end, it is the presentation that mesmerises. Jackie Shroff, without his trademark moustache for only the second time in his film career (he appeared clean-shaven for the first time in Mahesh Bhatt's 'Kaash'), shows that his shift to playing a character role from his usual 'hero' takes, can bear rich fruit. He reveals that given the right role, he can put his histrionic talent to best display. The other male artistes, Nagarjuna, Milind Soman and Prabhudeva, also display a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Amitabh Bachchan's 'special appearance' is more a favour to his friend Sajnani. The film boasts of a mellifluous background score by Taufiq Kureshi and equally melodious songs composed by Sandesh Shandilya. Javed Akhtar's lyrics are in sync with the history of the period. Anil Mehta's cinematography deserves a mention and Leena Singh and Rukmini Krishnan have done wonders with the costume design.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Oil companies again hike petrol, diesel prices
PTI NEW DELHI: Oil companies on Saturday announced up to 22-34 paise per litre increase in the retail selling price of petrol and diesel. While petrol prices have been hiked by upto 22 paise per litre, diesel prices would go up in the range of 29 to 34 paise per litre. Petrol would cost Rs 29.20 a litre in Delhi from midnight as against the prevailing rate of Rs 29.00 per litre, while diesel prices will increase to Rs 18.34 per litre from Rs 18.05, a spokesperson of Indian Oil Corporation said. In Kolkatta, petrol prices have been hike by 20 paise to Rs 30.64 per litre while in Mumbai petrol prices would go up from Rs 33.44 per litre to Rs 33.65 a litre. Chennai would see a hike of 22 paise in petrol selling price to Rs 31.66 a litre. Similarly, diesel prices in Kolkatta have been increased by 29 paise per litre to Rs 19.72 a litre, 34 paise in Mumbai to Rs 23.29 and by 32 paise in Chennai to Rs 20.18 per litre.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Militants say Kashmir incursions continue
REUTERS MUZAFARRABAD: A Pakistan-based militant group said on Saturday it was still sending fighters into Jammu and Kashmir in defiance of President Pervez Musharraf's attempts to stem cross-border infiltration. "The ban on the cross-border activity by the President of Pakistan has certainly affected our movement across the LoC, but our mujahideen are still crossing it," Abd-ur-Rafia, a senior commander of the Jamiat-ul-Mujahideen group said. "Our movement across the Line of Control has declined following the ban, but it is not possible for India and Pakistan to completely seal it off given the nature of its difficult terrain," said Rafia, almost echoing recent statements from Islamabad. Sheikh Jameel-ur-Rehman, commander of another militant group, Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen, said earlier this week that no amount of troops could stop the movement of guerrillas into Kashmir. Both groups are part of the United Jihad Council, an alliance of several Kashmiri militant groups active the state. Rafia's group has threatened to kill anyone taking part in coming Assembly elections. On Friday, even the All Parties Hurriyat Conference urged the people of the state to stay away from the elections. India accuses Pakistan of arming, training and sending militants into Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistan denies the charge but says it provides moral, diplomatic and political support to what it calls Kashmiri freedom fighters. Since becoming a key ally of the US-led war against terror after the September 11 attacks, Pakistan vowed to halt cross-border incursions into Kashmir. But it has said it was impossible to completely seal the Line of Control given the difficult Himalayan terrain. During a visit to Islamabad last week, US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said obvious infiltration by guerrillas was continuing across the Line of Control, but Pakistan assured him that it was not responsible for the crossings.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
I did not support Sonia: Jaya
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday denied having supported Sonia Gandhi's candidature for Prime Ministership and yet again reiterated that Sonia Gandhi, being a foreigner, would never be acceptable to her as the prime minister of the country. Seeking to explain her letter of support to the Congress she sent to the President in 1999 general elections, she said she was not extending her support to a government ``to be formed by Sonia Gandhi'' but merely to a government to be formed by the Congress led by her. ``Support to any of the groups by a political party cannot be read as being synonymous with accepting the leader as the Prime Ministerial candidate,'' Jayalalithaa noted. ``In fact at no point of time have I said anywhere that I will support Sonia's candidature as Prime Minister,'' she said. She added that she had proposed Jyoti Basu's name for the prime ministership. The comments of Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy that her statement had been made in order to free herself from all cases was obnoxious. It amounted to contempt of court and denigration of the judiciary as it implied that the Supreme Court was amenable to pressure from the ruling party, she said. Surely, this great nation of ours deserves better than the likes of Sonia Gandhi to lead it as Prime Minister, she said.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
50 feared drowned in Orissa boat capsize
At least 50 people were feared drowned when a country boat, carrying a number of school children, capsized midstream in River Baitarani near Nahanga village in Bhadrak district on Saturday morning, according to an official report reaching Bhubaneswar. Boat carrying about seventy people capsized in strong currents after it hit a mound in the river, report said. So far the body of an old woman had been recovered and three persons in serious condition had been rescued and hospitalised, report said adding rest were still missing. Orissa government has requested the naval training school, INS Chilka, to help district administration in rescue work. State Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has announced an ex-gratia of Rs.50,000 to the next of kin of the drowned. Government would bear the medical expenses of those admitted to hospital, he said. According to a report, the boat carrying a number of school children, was on its way from Maninathpur Ghat in Bhadrak district to Devigada Ghat in Jajpur district. Senior police and district administration officials and fire brigade personnel are on the spot supervising rescue operations.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
UTI to be split, privatised
Government on Saturday decided to split country's largest mutual fund, Unit Trust of India, into two parts and announced a bail-out package of Rs 14,561 crore to enable it to meet commitments for US-64 and Assured Return Schemes. Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, at its meeting chaired by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, decided that all Net Asset Value (NAV) based schemes will be transferred to UTI 11, which will be professionally managed and will be subsequently privatised. Finance Minister Jaswant Singh told newspersons that Government has decided that the earlier commitments regarding US-64 will be extended beyond May 2003 and the redmeption, as already approved by CCEA on December 27, 2001 for the unit holders, will be honoured. Government estimated the shortfall of Rs 8,561 crore for 21 assured return schemes and Rs 6,000 crore for US 64. Briefing newspersons, Finance Secertary S Narayan, however, did not indicate time frame in which the UTI 11 would be privatised. For the purpose government will issue an Ordinance to repeal UTI Act and both UTI 1 and UTI 11 would be structured as per SEBI Regulations. Only US-64 and Assured Return schemes will remain with UTI 1, which will be managed by government-appointed Administrator and a team of advisers nominated by the government. Government will consider certain tax concessions on US-64 with a view to provide an incentive to unit holders to remain invested with the scheme. While assets at market value on June 30, 2002 worth Rs 17,784 crore will be with UTI 1, the figure in this regard with UTI 11 will be about Rs 25,000 crore, Narayan said. UTI, which is the largest mutual fund in country, froze redemptions from its flagship scheme, US-64, for the rest of 2001. It partly withdrew the freeze later. Fund has been hit by redmeption pressure and the state-run fund manager faces liquidity problems in several assured return schemes hit by bad debt and volatile stock markets. The NAV-based schemes have been performing staisfactorily.
Sunday, September 1, 2002
Another Congress leader killed
New Delhi, Aug 31 A Congress party leader who was shot dead in a crowded restaurant in the Indian capital Friday could have been murdered for stopping the sale of illicit liquor in his neighbourhood, police said. Anil Khanduri, 29, general secretary of the Congress unit in east Delhi for the past two years, was killed by one of the people he was dining with Friday night, police said Saturday. Khanduri had gone for dinner to a restaurant called Chicken Cottage in Laxmi Nagar, east Delhi, with five people. The alleged killer, a youth identified as Abid, was arrested along with an associate, Manoj, an instructor at a local health club, Friday night. Khanduri was rushed to hospital, where he succumbed to his bullet injuries. This was the third murder of a Delhi Congress politician in a week. "We are not able to reach any conclusion as Abid is giving contradictory statements," Deputy Commissioner of Police Arvind Deep told . "But we feel there is a possibility that he (Khanduri) was killed because he had a quarrel with bootleggers a few months ago." Police said Khanduri had tried to stop the sale of illicit liquor in the shantytowns of Laxmi Nagar and had even confronted a woman bootlegger. "The woman and the Congress leader had a fight and Khanduri was later threatened by some of the bootleggers," Deep said. He said police are still questioning Abid and believe he was hiding something crucial as he was frequently changing his statements. "We are still looking for the three others (at the restaurant with Khanduri)," said Deep, adding that the murder weapon had been recovered. Khanduri's killing had sent shockwaves through the Congress party, which is still reeling from the murder of its Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) councillor Atma Ram Gupta. Police Tuesday arrested a Congress party woman councillor, Sharda Jain, who reportedly confessed that she had hired killers to eliminate Gupta as she was jealous of his growing attachment to another woman councillor. Gupta's body was found in a canal in Ghaziabad, an Uttar Pradesh town neighbouring Delhi, Saturday, a week after his August 24 killing. Another Congress leader was found murdered in Vasant Kunj in south Delhi on August 28. The killers of Ram Singh Sharma, 43, are still at large. Sharma had gone missing on the night of August 27 and his body was found the next day.
