PERFECT SCENE in the COLONY:TERRORISM and its BYPRODUCT, the BLIND NATIONALISM have created very interesting equations to sustain the WASHINGTON PLANTED UPA PRIME MINISTER in Power! Anti Pakistani WARRING pose might complicate the Ethnic problems, I have been writing since MUMBAI ATTACKS. It may not be the CONCERN of the Ruling hegemony at all. The SHOPPING LIST for the WESTERN WEAPON MARKET has been Finalised in India as well as Pakistan. DEPLOYMENT for Real WAR needs a little bit STREAMLINING after all. THE CORPORATE World, MNCs and India INCs consisted Greedy KILLER Money Machine banks on WAR PROSPECT to get out of RECESSION. AS LOKSABHA POLLS Ahead on sharp TURN, Every ingredient of the RULING BRAHAMINICAL Hegemony UPA, NDA, RSS, MARXISTS, REGIONAL Forces Have Taken Opportunistic STANCE on ANTULAY and ATS in accordance with SUITABILITY to respective VOTE BANK. nationalism has TRANSFORMED into Vote bank in India whereas DEMOCRACY in Pakistan ENDANGERED with FRESH Flare UP of murderous Infighting and MILITARY HEGEMONY remains ABSOLUTE. The LEGACY of FOREIGN RULE and GENOCIDE Culture Remain INTACT!
I must CONGRATULATE MD. SALIM as I had been insisting that the MARXISTS should take a STANCE regarding KARKARE issue. I am PLEASED to see that the Marxists have taken the stance. Then, it remains a PUZZLE for me that Neither the POLIT Buroue nor the CPIM GENERAL SECRETARY did take a STANCE but it is MD. SALIM, incidentally a MUSLIM. Antulay is also a MUSLIM. It is quite interesting that the HINDUTVA RSS led BJP and SHIVSENA do oppose Antulay EPISODE which CONGRESS inserted STRATEGICALLY as an APPEASEMENT for the Annoyed MUSLIM VOTE BANK. But the SECULAR MARXISTS have also FIELDED a MUSLIM! In Nuclear DEBATE CPIM used the MUSLIM FACE. Again the MARXISTS BLUNDER to project a MUSLIM FACE in Resistance of HINDUTVA, FASCISM, War against Terrorism and BLIND NATIONALISM! Why? After NANDIGARM Insurrection, Muslim VOTE BANK happens not that a SURE MARXIST BASE as it had been. Is it the REAL CAUSE to ELEVATE MD. SALIM? I personally LOVE SALIM and Respect his commitment and intelligence. I am not questioning SALIM`s Integrity. But thsi development shows how far goes our parliamentary POLITICS. NO ONE is interested to recognise NATIONALITIES and ETHNIC Identities. Rather they do EVERYTHING to Complicate the ETHNIC DIVIDES to SUSTAIN the AGE OLD COLONY!
Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams: Chapter 131
Palash Biswas
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Look up Votebank in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
A Votebank (also spelled vote-bank or vote bank) is a loyal bloc of voters from a single community, who consistently back a certain candidate or political formation in democratic elections. Such behaviour is often the result of an expectation of real or imagined benefits from the political formations, often at the cost of other communities.
Votebank politics is the practice of creating and maintaining votebanks through divisive policies. As this brand of politics encourages voters to vote on the basis of narrow communal considerations, often against their better judgement, it is considered inimical to democracy.
The term was coined in India, where the practice of votebank politics is rampant. Since then, it has gained currency in other Asian countries with a significant English-speaking population
Origins
The term vote-bank was first used by noted Indian sociologist, M. N. Srinivas[1] (who also coined the terms Sanskritisation and dominant caste), in his 1955 paper entitled The Social System of a Mysore Village[2]. He used it in the context of political influence exerted by a patron over a client. Later, the expression was used by F. G. Bailey, a professor of anthropology at the University of California, San Diego, in his 1959 book Politics and Social Change[3], to refer to the electoral influence of the caste leader. This is the usage that has since become popular.
Thought the term originally referred to voting along caste lines, it was soon expanded to describe votebanks based on other community characteristics, such as religion and language.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Votebank
ASK PRABHU
India TodayStory
When will this politics of vote bank die in the country? Why can't we get rid of the politicians who can do anything to save their chairs?
December 22, 2008
Prabhu Chawla Answers...Vote bank politics will die only if the cheques written by such politicians finally bounce. If the banks refuse to honour such cheques, the politicians will become bankrupt and vanish from public life.
-Asked by Gaurav
gsharma_82@hotmail.com
http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&issueid=36&id=23315&Itemid=1§ionid=62
Evidence sharing depends on Pak behaviour: India
New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) As Pakistan continues to harp on "proof" of Lashkar-e-Taiba being involved in Mumbai attacks, India today said it will share evidence after the probe is completed but it would depend on how Islamabad acts on the details provided about earlier terror acts in concrete terms.
India sees "very little credibility" in Pakistan's "fragmented system" and wants Islamabad to show "sincerity" about cooperation in ending terrorism emanating from its soil by handing over the terrorists demanded by New Delhi.
Considering the denial mode of Pakistani government and existence of multiple forces in that country, India feels that sharing of evidence would serve no purpose and rather could be detrimental to its interests.
Citing the case of Ajmal Amin Iman 'Kasab', the lone terrorist arrested during the Mumbai attacks, sources here point out that Islamabad continues to be in denial mode even though there is ample evidence about his origin which even former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has confirmed.
Evidence regarding the Mumbai attacks will be made available to Pakistan after investigation is complete, the sources said here.
However, sharing of evidence and the kind of evidence depends on Pakistan's behaviour with respect to the proof given about earlier incidents, the sources said.
Talking about Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar who was released in exchange of hostages in the 1999 hijack, the sources said Pakistan should have no problem in handing him over as his crime is of international nature, involving India, Nepal and Afghanistan.
There are interpol notices against him also, they pointed out while questioning Pakistan's refusal to hand him over. PTI
Defiant Pakistan says prepared to fight war
Zeenews Bureau
Islamabad, Dec 22: Reacting to the two-day high level meet held in India on Monday to discuss on the steps taken by Pakistan against the Mumbai terror attack, distressed Pak Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “Pakistan defence forces and armed forces are ready to face any challenge as Pak has the full right to defend itself”.
“Pakistan Air Force has increased its vigilance,” he added further.
On the other hand an embattled Pakistan PM Yousuf Raza Gilani said, “Pakistan remains united and is ready to fight anyone to defend itself”.
By approaching a defensive stand, which Pakistan is now taking, after pressure from the international community to crack down on terror he said, "we will fight back any country’s attempt to encroach upon our rights”.
“We have support from all parties and also from those who are out of the party. All the parties have backed the Pakistan government in this tough time,” he said.
Pakistan is trying hard to show unity among its people and forces but still it seems this time India’s strong steps against terrorism has shocked Pakistan from roots.
http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2008-12-22/493105news.html
India hands over Kasab’s letter to Pak High Commissioner
Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi, Dec 22: India summons Pakistan's acting High Commissioner Afrasiab and hands over letter written by Mumbai terror attack accused Ajmal Amir Iman 'Kasab' to Pakistan government.
In what seems to be another embarrassment to the Pakistani authorities the lone arrested terrorist in Mumbai terror attack has confessed that he and all other terrorists in the attack were Pakistanis.
Earlier, Kasab had sought a meeting with the Pakistan High Commissioner to get legal assistance in the case and to ensure that his family gets security in his Faridkot village.
Kasab's letter was handed over by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) which they had received from Maharashtra government.
Meanwhile, Pakistan High Commissioner has acknowledged to have received letter from Indian authorities and has been checking its facts and details.
http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2008-12-23/493110news.html
PERFECT SCENE in the COLONY:TERRORISM and its BYPRODUCT, the BLIND NATIONALISM have created very interesting equations to sustain the WASHINGTON PLANTED UPA PRIME MINISTER in Power! Anti Pakistani WARRING pose might complicate the Ethnic problems, I have been writing since MUMBAI ATTACKS. It may not be the CONCERN of the Ruling hegemony at all. The SHOPPING LIST for the WESTERN WEAPON MARKET has been Finalised in India as well as Pakistan. DEPLOYMENT for Real WAR needs a little bit STREAMLINING after all. THE CORPORATE World, MNCs and India INCs consisted Greedy KILLER Money Machine banks on WAR PROSPECT to get out of RECESSION. AS LOKSABHA POLLS Ahead on sharp TURN, Every ingredient of the RULING BRAHAMINICAL Hegemony UPA, NDA, RSS, MARXISTS, REGIONAL Forces Have Taken Opportunistic STANCE on ANTULAY and ATS in accordance with SUITABILITY to respective VOTE BANK. nationalism has TRANSFORMED into Vote bank in India whereas DEMOCRACY in Pakistan ENDANGERED with FRESH Flare UP of murderous Infighting and MILITARY HEGEMONY remains ABSOLUTE. The LEGACY of FOREIGN RULE and GENOCIDE Culture Remain INTACT!
NDTV reports:As the Malegaon investigation reaches its final stages are more Army links coming to the surface? The focus is now on serving Army personnel who worked with Lt Col Purohit, one of the main accused in the blast case.
The global economic crisis will push up unemployment by up to 25 million by 2010, the OECD head forecast on Monday, saying there had been a Global stimulus package.
'truly scandalous failure' of regulatory supervision.
"We're heading for a loss of between eight and 10 million jobs in the OECD area... and 20 to 25 million in the world as a whole between now and 2010," Angel Gurria said on France's BFM radio.
The International Labour Organisation earlier forecast that the number of global unemployed could go up by 20 million to reach a record high point of 210 million people by the end of 2009.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in Paris brings together 30 countries, including all the world's industrialised economies. The group conducts research and publishes economic forecasts.
Gurria also said that European countries should spend more in stimulus plans to kickstart their economies and suggested that the European Central Bank should lower interest rates because of falling inflation.
A top US Intelligence official on Monday held series of meetings with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram and senior officials during when the progress in investigations into the Mumbai terror attacks was reviewed.
Director of National Intelligence John Michel McConnell, who flew into the Capital, is also believed to have met National Security Advisor M K Narayanan and discussed issues relating to evidence gathered so far in the probe in the 26/11 terror strikes, official sources said.
The sources said McConnell had a 30-minute long meeting with Chidambaram during which the two sides touched upon the progress in the probe into the terror strikes at the country's financial capital. US Ambassador David C Mulford was also present at the meeting.
NEW DELHI: Foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday criticised the international reaction to last month's attacks on Mumbai, saying pressure put
on Pakistan by world leaders was inadequate.
Pranab Mukherjee said that he wanted to see more results from US-led attempts to force Pakistan to co-operate with the probe into the attacks, which India blames on Pakistan-based militants.
MARXIST MP MD. SALIM projected as CPIM Spokesman during Parliamentary NUCLEAR SOAP OPERA last time has sided with AR ANTULAY and HE insisted that the NATION has EVERY RIGHT to know the TRUTH how KARKARE and ATS TEAM had been killed!
Amid the escalating tension with Pakistan and ongoing furore over Union Minister A R Antulay's controversial remarks about the death of ATS chief Hemant Karkare, constituents of the United Progressive Alliance met at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official residence here for a dinner on Monday.UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and several Union ministers including Lalu Prasad, Ram Vilas Paswan, Pranab Mukherjee and P Chidambaram attended the dinner. This was the second UPA dinner after the one hosted by the PM in May on the completion of the government's four years in office.
The government is likely to affect the second round of reduction petrol, diesel and cooking prices just before the Lok Sabha elections
are announced in February, sources said. Earlier this month, the government reduced petrol price by Rs 5 a litre and diesel by Rs 2 per litre as international crude dipped from an all-time high of $147 a barrel in July to under $45 a barrel.
"This period (till February) will be used to monitor the movements in international prices. There is no point in cutting fuel prices just now and then having to raise them again if oil makes a retreat," an oil ministry official said.
The government will make a statement in Parliament on Tuesday on the Antulay controversy which showed no signs of easing as Opposition rocked both the Houses of Parliament demanding his removal leading to early adjournments.
Though Antulay, who created a political storm with remarks raising doubts over the circumstances surrounding the killing of Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare, received the backing of Congress leader Digvijay Singh and Muslim leaders from outside, the party and the government have not not done so.
With an unrelenting BJP and Shiv Sena MPs baying for Antulay's ouster indulging in slogan shouting and rushing to the well of both the Houses, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said in the Rajya Sabha the government will make a statement on Tuesday, the last day of the current session.
It is unclear whether Mukherjee or Home Minister P Chidambaram will make a statement. There is speculation that the government will also distance itself from Antulay's controversial statement like the Congress party did earlier.
The opposition has been demanding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should make the government's position clear as it contended that Antulay had compromised the country's position in the war against terrorism and given a handle to Pakistan by his remarks.
Last week Antulay kicked up dust by demanding an inquiry into the killing of Karkare by asking who sent him and his other officer colleagues in the "wrong direction" of Cama hospital instead of Taj and Trident which were "on fire".
The Minority Affairs Minister suggested a link between Karkare's death and the fact that he was investigating the Malegaon blasts in which Hindus have been arrested.
Meanwhile as parliament was in SESSION addressing Nationality ISSUE as far as Pakistan is Concerned. The WARMONGER TV CHANNELS which remain TRP HUNGRY after LIVE TELECAST MILAGE from MUMBAI Carnage created SENSATION with BREAKING NEWS of ANOTHER TERRORIST ATTACK Foiled! it simply happened like that in Jammu, A Harkat-ul Jehad-e-Islami militant accused in Faizabad and Varanasi blasts and three suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militants have been arrested, officials said on Monday.Fazial Sohail Ahmed, a self-styled HuJI commander, who was arrested in Jammu on Sunday evening, is a suspect in Faizabad and Varanasi blasts in Uttar Pradesh and killing of five Border Road Organisation officials including commandant Lt Col Ajay Verma in Kishtwar in June, police said. Sohail was arrested in a police raid carried out on information provided by the Intelligence Bureau (IB), they said, adding that a pistol and two grenades were recovered from him. The HuJI operative was arrested soon after he survived an encounter at Kapran in Kokernag area, police said. Police also arrested three suspected militants of LeT during a raid in a hotel in the city on Sunday night, they said.
I am AFRAID that the FDI fed MEDIA, PRINT as well as ELECTRONIC, happen to be ENGAGED in Nationalism and WAR HYPE sidelining all other issues ac cross the LOC! I wonder what MRS Indira Gandhi, who declared EMERGENCY in the face of a PRO US JP Movement in 1975, would have DONE in these Circumstance provided if SHE could Survive the PLOT within around her!
I must CONGRATULATE MD. SALIM as I had been insisting that the MARXISTS should take a STANCE regarding KARKARE issue. I am PLEASED to see that the Marxists have taken the stance. Then, it remains a PUZZLE for me that Neither the POLIT Buroue nor the CPIM GENERAL SECRETARY did take a STANCE but it is MD. SALIM, incidentally a MUSLIM. Antulay is also a MUSLIM. It is quite interesting that the HINDUTVA RSS led BJP and SHIVSENA do oppose Antulay EPISODE which CONGRESS inserted STRATEGICALLY as an APPEASEMENT for the Annoyed MUSLIM VOTE BANK. But the SECULAR MARXISTS have also FIELDED a MUSLIM! In Nuclear DEBATE CPIM used the MUSLIM FACE. Again the MARXISTS BLUNDER to project a MUSLIM FACE in Resistance of HINDUTVA, FASCISM, War against Terrorism and BLIND NATIONALISM! Why? After NANDIGARM Insurrection, Muslim VOTE BANK happens not that a SURE MARXIST BASE as it had been. Is it the REAL CAUSE to ELEVATE MD. SALIM? I personally LOVE SALIM and Respect his commitment and intelligence. I am not questioning SALIM`s Integrity. But this development shows how far goes our parliamentary POLITICS. NO ONE is interested to recognise NATIONALITIES and ETHNIC Identities. Rather they do EVERYTHING to Complicate the ETHNIC DIVIDES to SUSTAIN the AGE OLD COLONY!
We all have witnessed.After Gujarat riots, the Marxist Government of West Bengal went out of the way to give asylum and rehabilitation to a harassed Qutbuddin Ansari, victim of Gujarat riots-- whose face adorned the covers of leading magazines--to prove their secular credentials! By sending away Tasleema Nazreen, who sought asylum in Bengal unceremoniously from Kolkatta at the first signs of trouble from fundamental Muslims has exposed the communist "secular" hypocrisy for ever!
For instance, the Marxist HEGEMONY in West Bengal tried its SECULAR MUSLIM Politics in nandigram but failed to apply it successfully due to its general genocide Culture and uncontrolled GESTAPO. Thus, despite withdrawing the Controversial Chemical Hub from nandigram CPIM could never address the Ethnic problem there. Contrarily, EX NDA ally and never known as a FIGHTER against either Imperialism or Fascism Mamata Bannerjee succeeded to incarnate herself as the Goddess of Minorities and SC as well as ST. The Marxists failed to address properly the problems originated fro indiscriminate development and quite unpopular SEZ drive.Neither they could address Pure nationality questions relating Gorkhaland or Lalgargh Insurrection. Singur and nandigram destroyed their all achievements of Land reforms and rural development during Jyoti Basu tenure. Mamata suddenly became the FACE of the Resistance and the CIVIL society consisting of Kolkata Intelligentsia, hitherto staunch Leftist, sided with the Fire Brand girlie! The Marxist base is now limited into Urban and suburban caste Hindu White Color bases. Meanwhile, Sidicullah Chowdhuri and the MAOISTS also snatched away the Marxist bases in West Bengal.
Salim Stance may be well defined with the Marxist Back tracks!With the government due to make a statement in Parliament on the Antulay controversy, the Left on Sunday backed the minister by claiming
that the circumstances of ATS chief Hemant Karkare’s death and the terror attacks on Mumbai were two entirely different issues.
“Clubbing the two things would be wrong; Antulay has not denied the Pakistani role in the Mumbai attacks,” CPI leader D Raja told TOI.
Striking a similar note, CPM leader Mohammed Salim pointed out that neither the government nor the Congress party was able to answer the questions raised by Antulay. Salim, however, agreed that with the Mumbai terror strikes posing a major diplomatic challenge for India in exposing Pakistan to the world, there was a need both for restraint and speaking in one voice.
What remains a VERY INTERESTING POLL Concerned situation of Indian Power Politics within the Ruling Brahaminical Hegemony, is the DIFFERENCE of STANCE amongst the so called SECULAR and Progressive forces claiming to be in Continuous RESISTANCE against Fascism as well as Imperialism and United States of America as well!
CPI and CPI(M) on Monday differed in their approach towards Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay's remarks on circumstances surrounding Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare's killing.
Terming it "unnecessary", CPI(M) politburo member Brinda Karat said that Antulay should not have made the statements. "As a minister in cabinet, it was unnecessary for him to make these statements... He should not have made the statements," Karat told reporters outside the parliament.
CPI leader D Raja, however, said "If a senior minister raises any issue, the government cannot brush away it. The government must come out clear on these issues."
"He (Antulay) has raised some issues. He is a senior minister and handling a very sensitive portfolio. It is for the government to explain...Why Congress is speaking in different voices?" Raja asked.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar, on being repeatedly asked to explain his stand on the issue, said: "When investigation is already on into the issue, why should any one say something on it. I do not think anybody should speak in between."
Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan meanwhile sought to caution against raking up the issue further.
Meanwhile, Congress Masterminded to jstify the ANTULAY dilemma in DISSENT Democratic defeating the ENTIRE OPPOSITION in ELECTION STRATEGY!Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh charged on Saturday that BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani had ‘laid the foundation stone of terrorism’ in the country by taking out Rath Yatras. Returning from 'Sadbhavna rally' at Azamgarh, Singh said that ‘terrorism spread in the country because of the politics of hate by BJP and specially its Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani's Rathyatras.’
Mind you, thsi GS of CONGRESS party has sided with Antulay so that no disciplinary action against Antulay initiated. congress plays well the DOUBLE Game of Blind Nationalism of WAR CRY against pakistan as well as Surgically Perfect APPEASEMENT of MUSLIM VOTE BANK pushing Antulay forward! Oppositionfailed in MASTERY over VOTE POLITICS face to face CONGRESS!
In Fact, CONGRESS has SUCEEDED in HIJACKING the BLIND NATIONALISM issue from RSS decidedly. Just after Mumabi carnage, POLLING was on in the Indian Capital, where the CONGRESS Veteran SHEELA DEXIT made a HAT RIC to sustain congress rule as VOTERS had been MOBILISED by the STIFF ANTI PAKISTAN, ANTI TERROR and ANTI MUSLIM stance of Congress. RSS had been DUPED for lifetime. They allied with Sonia Brigade to stop Mayawati and the INDO US Deal discussion was a GOT UP GAME in the Parliament. Now the MONEY Machine is CAPTURED by the Congress and it has PROVED itself a BETTER AGENT of corporate US Imperialism as well as Hindutava and rightist Fascism as well. The Left despite the PULL OUT from UPA could not prevent either Indo US Nuclear deal or Strategic Realliance in US UK Israel Lead! Indian Ocean Peace zone being a WAR Zone and the Nations around a CLUSTER of Colonies as KILLING FIELDS, HUNTING remains the Previlege of Manmohan, PRANAB , Chettiar Chidambaram, ahloowalia and the World Bank Gangster! RSS as well as THE Marxists could not stop US SUPER SLAVES. They may not STOP either!
"Politics on terrorism is not good for the country and the BJP must understand this", he added.
He accused Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati of playing with the sentiments of Dalits ‘as their exploitation crossed all the limits during the one and half year period of her government.’
"The exploitation of Dalits during the one and half year period of Mayawati's regime has crossed all limits", Singh, in charge of party affairs in UP, alleged.
Proceedings in both Houses of Parliament were stalled on Monday as main Opposition BJP mounted pressure on the government to sack Minority Affairs Minister A R Antulay while the Left parties opposed bills for reforms in the insurance sector, including hiking of FDI. On the other hand,Terming terror infrastructure in Pakistan as the "greatest danger" to the entire world, India on Monday said the efforts made by the international community to deal with the situation are "not enough" and New Delhi will use "all measures" necessary to tackle the problem.
Slamming Pakistan for not keeping its promise of ending cross-border terrorism, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India is "not closing any options". Mukherjee said the Mumbai strikes and the attack on Kabul Embassy show that terrorism emanating from Pakistan is "acquiring an increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and stability in this region and beyond."
On the other hand , the ITALIAN Supremo of UPA, Mrs Sonia Gandhi projects herself as the WAR GODDESS DURGA Incarnation as her Mother in Law, Mrs Indira Gandhi had been during Bangladesh liberation war in 1971 against Pakistan!
Thus, Sonia warns countries abetting terrorism!
Jammu Congress President Sonia Gandhi has warned neighbouring countries against encouraging terrorism. She was addressing an election rally in Dableer village near Jammu ahead of the final seventh phase of the assembly elections.
Sonia said India's desire for peace should not be taken as a sign of weakness.
"We have always tried to maintain brotherly relationship with our neighbouring countries. The sad part is that our emotions have never been respected. I want to make one thing very clear that our wish or having peace and harmony should not be misunderstood as our weakness. People who are continuously encouraging terrorism from their soil, we want to tell them that we are competent of giving a befitting reply to them," she said.
Sonia Gandhi''s comment comes in the backdrop of the ongoing investigations against Pakistan-based outlawed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant group blamed for the recent rampage of Mumbai.
India, the United States and Britain have blamed LeT and other affiliated groups for the Mumbai attacks, saying Pakistan must do more to stamp out militants.
UPA Chairperson congratulated people of Jammu and Kashmir for participating in large numbers in the ongoing assembly elections.
Gujarat Chief Minister, one time Hindutva face for next prime Minister and the Master Mind of Gujarat Genocide and ethnic Cleansing, Narendra Modi had alleged that the Congress has committed the heinous crime of shielding terrorism in India for the sake of vote- bank politics. In his speeches at the BJP rallies for the Rajasthan Assembly elections, Modi said the Congress cannot be expected to provide security to the common man. The Congress has no leaders, no policies and neither the good intentions. India needs to do a total rethink on its ties with Pakistan, he said. He also questioned the need to continue the ceasefire with Pakistan as well as run the Samjhauta Express. Modi, who had been on a five-day trip to Rajasthan, questioned why the Indian Government is keeping quiet when Pakistan is sending terrorists to the country. He said India needs to send strong signals to the world by responding to Pakistan’s hard line attitude in equal measure. Stepping up his rhetoric in Rajasthan, Modi said the UPA government is keeping quiet by misleading the country with the resignation of Shivraj Patil as the Home Minister.
against jihadi terrorists behind 26/11 and other terror attacks, saying that it would be forced to disregard the call for restraint if Islamabad was not made to behave.
22 Dec 2008, 1803
MUMBAI: Describing the present regime at the helm of affairs in the country as "impotent", Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Monday stressed the need
for imposition of emergency.
PTI
22 Dec 2008, 2300 hrs IST, Rajeev Deshpande, TNN
NEW DELHI: The BJP MPs who called him a "Pakistani agent" in Lok Sabha weren't all unreasonable people, minority affairs minister A R Antulay said.
Some "BJP friends" assured him that if he "clarified" not having ever doubted the Mumbai assassins were Pakistanis, the matter would be settled.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Wary_Antulay_hunts_for_options/articleshow/3876112.cms
22 Dec 2008, 2300 hrs IST, TNN
NEW DELHI: In the season of conspiracy theories, there is another one that is gaining ground. A demand for the probe of Mossad and CIA's role
behind the Mumbai terror attacks has been made by Roznama, Rashtriya Sahara's Urdu daily.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Urdu_daily_claims_Mossad_CIA_behind_Mumbai_attacks/articleshow/3876111.cms
22 Dec 2008, 2300 hrs IST, TNN
NEW DELHI: In the backdrop of Washington's offer to share information and collaborate with New Delhi post-26/11, US ambassador David C Mulford and a
top US intelligence official met home minister P Chidambaram on Monday and are learnt to have discussed progress in investigation into the Mumbai terror attacks.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Chidambaram_Mulford_discuss_Mumbai_attacks_probe/articleshow/3876097.cms
London (PTI): The Tata Group is strumming on the terror strikes on its Indian hotel property to get British government assistance to run Jaguar Land Rover, although it is believed to have already secured bank loans for the purpose, the British media reported.
WASHINGTON (AP): It's something any bank would demand to know before handing out a loan: Where's the money going?
But after receiving billions in aid from U.S. taxpayers, the nation's largest banks say they either can't track exactly how they're spending the money or they simply refuse to discuss it.
``We've lent some of it. We've not lent some of it. We've not given any accounting of, 'Here's how we're doing it,''' said Thomas Kelly, a spokesman for JPMorgan Chase, which received $25 billion in emergency bailout money. ``We have not disclosed that to the public. We're declining to.''
The Associated Press contacted 21 banks that received at least $1 billion in government money and asked four questions: How much has been spent? What was it spent on? How much is being held in savings, and what's the plan for the rest?
None of the banks provided specific answers.
``We're not providing dollar-in, dollar-out tracking,'' said Barry Koling, a spokesman for Atlanta, Georgia-based SunTrust Banks Inc., which got $3.5 billion in taxpayer dollars.
Some banks said they simply didn't know where the money was going.
``We manage our capital in its aggregate,'' said Regions Financial Corp. spokesman Tim Deighton, who said the Birmingham, Alabama-based company is not tracking how it is spending the $3.5 billion it received as part of the financial bailout.
The answers highlight the secrecy surrounding the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which earmarked $700 billion _ about the size of the Netherlands' economy _ to help rescue the financial industry. The Treasury Department has been using the money to buy stock in U.S. banks, hoping that the sudden inflow of cash will get banks to start lending money.
There has been no accounting of how banks spend that money. Lawmakers summoned bank executives to Capitol Hill last month and implored them to lend the money _ not to hoard it or spend it on corporate bonuses, junkets or to buy other banks. But there is no process in place to make sure that's happening and there are no consequences for banks who don't comply.
``It is entirely appropriate for the American people to know how their taxpayer dollars are being spent in private industry,'' said Elizabeth Warren, the top congressional watchdog overseeing the financial bailout.
But, at least for now, there's no way for taxpayers to find that out.
Pressured by the Bush administration to approve the money quickly, Congress attached nearly no strings on the $700 billion bailout in October. And the Treasury Department, which doles out the money, never asked banks how it would be spent.
``Those are legitimate questions that should have been asked on Day One,'' said Rep. Scott Garrett, a Republican House Financial Services Committee member who opposed the bailout as it was rushed through Congress. ``Where is the money going to go to? How is it going to be spent? When are we going to get a record on it?''
Nearly every bank AP questioned _ including Citibank and Bank of America, two of the largest recipients of bailout money _ responded with generic public relations statements explaining that the money was being used to strengthen balance sheets and continue making loans to ease the credit crisis.
A few banks described company-specific programs, such as JPMorgan Chase's plan to lend $5 billion to nonprofit and health care companies next year. Richard Becker, senior vice president of Wisconsin-based Marshall & Ilsley Corp., said the $1.75 billion in bailout money allowed the bank to temporarily stop foreclosing on homes.
But no bank provided even the most basic accounting for the federal money.
``We're choosing not to disclose that,'' said Kevin Heine, spokesman for Bank of New York Mellon, which received about $3 billion.
Others said the money couldn't be tracked. Bob Denham, a spokesman for North Carolina-based BB&T Corp., said the bailout money ``doesn't have its own bucket.'' But he said taxpayer money wasn't used in the bank's recent purchase of a Florida insurance company. Asked how he could be sure, since the money wasn't being tracked, Denham said the bank would have made that deal regardless.
Others, such as Morgan Stanley spokeswoman Carissa Ramirez, offered to discuss the matter with reporters on condition of anonymity. When AP refused, Ramirez sent an e-mail saying: ``We are going to decline to comment on your story.''
Most banks wouldn't say why they were keeping the details secret.
``We're not sharing any other details. We're just not at this time,'' said Wendy Walker, a spokeswoman for Dallas-based Comerica Inc., which received $2.25 billion from the government.
Heine, the New York Mellon Corp. spokesman, said he wouldn't discuss spending details, but added: ``I just would prefer if you wouldn't say that we're not going to discuss those details.''
The banks which came closest to answering the questions were those, such as U.S. Bancorp and Huntington Bancshares Inc., that only recently received the money and have yet to spend it. But neither provided anything more than a generic summary of how the money would be spent.
Lawmakers say they want to tighten restrictions on the remaining, yet-to-be-released $350 billion block of bailout money before any more cash is handed out. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said the department is trying to step up its monitoring of bank spending.
``What we've been doing here is moving, I think, with lightning speed to put necessary programs in place, to develop them, implement them, and then we need to monitor them while we're doing this,'' Paulson said at a recent forum in New York. ``So we're building this organization as we're going.''
Warren, the congressional watchdog appointed by Democrats, said her oversight panel will try to force the banks to say where they've spent the money.
``It would take a lot of nerve not to give answers,'' she said.
But Warren said she's surprised she even has to ask.
``If the appropriate restrictions were put on the money to begin with, if the appropriate transparency was in place, then we wouldn't be in a position where you're trying to call every recipient and get the basic information that should already be in public documents,'' she said.
Garrett, the New Jersey congressman, said the nation might never get a clear answer on where hundreds of billions of dollars went.
``A year or two ago, when we talked about spending $100 million for a bridge to nowhere, that was considered a scandal,'' he said.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi blamed for Marriott hotel blast
Islamabad (PTI): Pakistan on Monday blamed outlawed terror group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi for the deadly suicide attack on Marriott Hotel that killed nearly 60 people.
"Lashkar-e-Jhangvi was behind the suicide truck bombing," Interior ministry chief Rehman Malik told the parliament.
Malik said the explosive-laden truck used in the attack was brought to Islamabad from Jhang city in Punjab province. Two persons, who facilitated the attack were arrested from Toba Tek Singh city in Punjab, he said.
A hitherto unheard of group called the Fidayeen-e-Islam had claimed responsibility for the attack on the Marriott in September and warned of more such attacks on foreigners.
Around 60 people, including Czech ambassador, two US Marines and several other foreigners, were killed and more than 260 injured when a suicide bomber rammed a truck packed with 600 kg of explosives into the hotel's gate.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, a Sunni Muslim extremist group, has been accused of killing hundreds of Shiite Muslims.
Authorities in Pakistan recently claimed to have cracked a clandestine terror network set up under which Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operatives had been directed by Ahmad Omar Saeed Sheikh, the jailed killer of American journalist Daniel Pearl, to assassinate former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf either in Rawalpindi or in Karachi.
Sheikh was released by India along with Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and another terrorist in exchange for passengers on an Indian Airlines flight hijacked in 1999.
Attaur Rehman alias Naeem Bukhari, who was arrested in Karachi in June 2007 in connection with Pearl's murder in 2002 is also a key Lashkar-e-Jhangvi militant.
We won't allow Pak artistes to perform in Maharashtra: Raj
Mumbai (PTI): Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray on Monday said that his party would not allow Pakistani artistes to perform in the state.
"We won't allow Pakistani artistes to perform here. Nor will we allow anyone to sell cassettes, DVDs featuring their work," Thackeray said on Monday.
He said that no film starring Pakistani artistes would be allowed to be screened anywhere in the state.
"Why should we patronise Pakistani artistes when terrorists come from their country and kill our countrymen?" Raj said.
"Do not force us to make you pull out cassettes of Pakistani artistes," he warned music retailers.
Shiv Sena's students wing Bhartiya Vidyarthi Sena had yesterday issued a similar statement.
Pak must stop denying truth, making excuses: US daily
Washington (PTI): Terming as "overwhelmingly" evident, the involvement of Pakistan-based elements in the Nov 26 attacks on Mumbai, a leading US daily has said Islamabad must acknowledge the truth and stop making "excuses" if the war on terror is to be won.
"By now the evidence that the terrorist assault on Mumbai was planned and directed from Pakistan is overwhelming... Stunningly, however, Pakistan's civilian government is refusing to acknowledge the truth," an editorial in The Washington Post said.
Describing the crackdown initiated by Pakistan following the UN Security Council's ban on Jamaat-ud-Dawa as "unconvincing," the edit pointed out that similar actions taken after the 2002 attack on India's Parliament could not prevent the Lashkar-e-Taiba from re-emerging under a new name.
"This unconvincing sweep looks bad in the light of history: After a Lashkar-sponsored assault on India's Parliament in 2002, the government arrested many of the same people and formally banned the group.
"Later the suspects were quietly released, and the organisation re-emerged under the name Jamaat-ud-Dawa," The Post said, pointing out that under heavy pressure from Bush administration, President Asif Ali Zardari's government has placed the LeT leader under a loose "house arrest" and rounded up several dozen of its militants, including the man India has identified as the chief planner of the attacks.
The Post said that apologists for Zardari's civilian government point out that the president's bluster probably covers his lack of authority to crack down on LeT or its allies in Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency.
"If the war on terrorism is to be won, the excuses for Pakistan must end," it said.
was shocked at Antulay's remarks: Shabana Azmi
Nashik (PTI): Noted actress and former MP Shabana Azmi said Union Minister Abdul Rehman Antulay's remarks about the death of ATS chief Hemant Karkare might cause damage to the country's integrity.
Shabana, who was here yesterday to visit Dadasaheb Phalke Memorial, said, "I was surprised on hearing Antulay's remark regarding the death of Karkare."
"Instead of political leader I have faith in people of my country," she said.
Earlier she released a book 'Kaify and me' written by her mother Shoukat Azmi and translated in Marathi.
Indian Americans ask UN to declare Pak terrorist state
New York (PTI): Braving sub zero temperature and cold wind, more than 200 supporters and workers of dozens of Indian American organisation held a demonstration outside the UN, seeking the world body declare Pakistan a terrorist state.
The demonstrators, from New York and adjoining New Jersey and Connecticut states spearheaded by Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) and Indian American Intellectual Forum, demanded that the international community take action against Saudi Arabia also as groups based there had been funding the terror operations which are planned and executed from Pakistan.
The international community, they said, need impose economic sanction against Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and force Islamabad to rein in its "infamous" Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) which, they alleged, provides logistic and other support to terrorists.
If Pakistan does not hand over the suspects that India has demanded, they should be tried by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, they said.
The demonstrators carried pictures of Jewish couple Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and wife Rivka, who were murdered by the terrorists during Mumbai attacks, with caption: "It is a crime to be a Jew?"
The demonstration began with a silence observed for one minute to pay homage to the victims of Mumbai attacks and the police officers who were killed in the action.
Gaurang Vaishnav, a spokesperson of the Tristate Indians under whose banner the demonstration was organized, said that it was important that countries such as US, Britain, Israel and India come together to evolve a strategy to root out the terrorism.
Saffron brigade’s chakka jam throws life out of gear!
Indian Express reports:
Surat, August 13 People witnessed a verbal row between two senior police officers
Over 150 workers of the BJP and the VHP were detained at 12 different places in Surat by the police while observing chakka jam on Wednesday. The detainees included presidents of local units of the BJP, VHP and RSS.
As part of the protest over the Amarnath Shrine Board land row, several activists of the VHP, BJP, RSS and other allied groups gathered at places decided by their leaders and observed the jam for sometime before they were detained.
The situation near the Surat railway station was critical.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Saffron-brigades-chakka-jam-throws-life-out-of-gear/348723/
New Delhi: By forcing repeated adjournments in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, BJP pressed for immediate removal of Antulay for raising doubts over the circumstances that led to the killing of former Maharashtra ATS chief Hemant Karkare by Pakistani terrorists in Mumbai attacks.
In the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the government will make a statement on the issue on Tuesday before Parliament adjourns.
Describing Antulay's statement as "anti-national" and "ridiculous", M Venkaiah Naidu (BJP) said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should have "fired" him.
Both the Houses saw three adjournments during the day before the presiding officers called it a day sensing the mood of the opposition as slogan-shouting BJP and Shiv Sena members stormed the well in both Houses.
Antulay, who was present in the Lok Sabha, was seen smiling at the opposition members, gesturing them to continue with their protest. At one point, he even displayed the 'thumbs up' sign.
This is for the third consecutive day that the issue rocked Parliament.
The Left on its part lodged strong protest against the government for bringing bills that seek to hike foreign direct investment from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in the insurance sector and raise the capital of state-owned LIC.
ISLAMABAD:Pakistan on Monday scrambled fighter jets over several major cities, including the federal capital, as it said it had stepped up "vigilance" in view of the "current environment". The fighter aircrafts roared over Islamabad, the nearby garrison city of Rawalpindi and other cities this afternoon as Air Force spokesman Air Commodore Humayun Viqar Zephyr said in a statement: "in view of the current environment, PAF has enhanced its vigilance."
The brief statement from the air force did not give any more details.
Residents in the capital made panic calls to media stations to ask about the low-flying aircrafts. The air sorties by the PAF came a day after External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said India is keeping "all options open" to deal with the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks. India has blamed Pakistan-based elements, including the Lashker-e-Taiba terror group, for the attacks and asked Pakistan to take action against them.
Ruling Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi too has said that India could give a "befitting reply" to those involved in the Mumbai attacks.
The two countries were involved in a spat last week over alleged violations of Pakistani airspace by Indian warplanes. Pakistan lodged a formal protest that Indian jets had violated an agreement on airspace violations in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Lahore sectors, a charge flatly denied by India.
Indian High Commissioner Satyabrata Pal is in Delhi to attend a meeting of all Indian envoys and Pakistani High Commissioner Shahid Malik is in Islamabad for consultations.
NEW DELHI:Addressing a conference of Indian Ambassadors and High Commissioners in New DELHI, the ELITE BRAHMIN from KIRNAHAR, Mukherjee said India has sought the support of the international community to put pressure on Pakistan to "deal effectively" with terrorism.
India has highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan has to be dismantled permanently, he told the first-of-its-kind conclave being held in the backdrop of a fresh chill in relations between New Delhi and Islamabad.
"We are not saying this because we are affected but because we believe that it will be good for the entire world and also for Pakistani people and society," he underlined.
Describing the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan as the "greatest terrorist danger to peace and security of the entire civilised world," Mukherjee said "there has been some effort so far by the international community but this is not enough."
"Much more needs to be done (by the international community) and the actions should be pursued to their logical conclusion," Mukherjee said, adding India needs "effective steps" not only to bring to justice those responsible for Mumbai attacks but also to ensure that such acts of terrorism do not recur.
"Unfortunately, Pakistan's response so far has demonstrated their earlier tendency to resort to a policy of denial and to seek to deflect and shift the blame and responsibility," the External Affairs Minister said.
He said India expects the "civilian government" of Pakistan to take effective steps to deal with elements within that country "who still continue the use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy."
Mukherjee said India has "so far acted with utmost restraint" and is hopeful that the international community will use its influence to urge Pakistani government to take effective action.
"While we continue to persuade the international community and Pakistan, we are also clear that ultimately it is we who have to deal with this problem," he said, adding "we will take all measures necessary as we deem fit to deal with the situation."
Later talking to reporters, Mukherjee said Pakistan cannot "shirk" its responsibility of fulfilling its "promises" and "commitments" given to India on ending cross-border terrorism.
"In pursuit of our objectives, we are not closing any option. We will explore all options because we are obliged as our people were killed and properties destroyed," he said.
Nothing is in anyone's hand, quips Antulay
New Delhi "Nothing is in anyone's hand", Union Minister A R Antulay on Monday said when asked whether his party was contemplating action against him on his remarks over ATS chief Hemant Kakare's killing in Mumbai.
The Minority Affairs Minister, who has received support from a good number of politicians including Muslim MPs from the NDA camp, parried a volley of questions while entering Parliament House.
Asked whether Monday could be his last day in the House, Antulay just pointed his fingers towards the sky. "Nothing is in anyone's hand," he quipped.
He also declined to comment on the diverging views in the Congress on possible action against him. "I am going inside the house. Let me see there," was his only reply when pressed. He maintained silence on repeated queries whether he stuck to his earlier statement.
Earlier, the Rajya Sabha on Monday saw two adjournments after BJP members stormed the well of the House demanding sacking of Antulay for his controversial remarks on the circumstances leading to killing of Karkare.
Lashkar was operating as Dawa, Pak Minister says!
Lahore Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Hamid Saeed Kazmi has said that Lashkar-e-Taiba had been operating on the pretext of Jamaat-ud-Dawa in Pakistan and the country would have been isolated if it was not banned.
“Pakistan would have been isolated in the world if the group had not been banned and Jamaat-ud-Dawa was banned under pressure from the United Nations," Hamid Saeed Kazmi was quoted by a private TV channel, as saying.
The minister also denied reports of government sending people to Haj on its own expense.
Kazmi clarified that some United Arab Emirates-based philanthropists had deposited money in Pakistan and the returns on it had been used to facilitate people who wanted to perform Haj.
Crude reasonable at $75 per barrel: ONGC
New Delhi Oil and Natural Gas Corporation on Monday said the current crude oil prices has put its margins under pressure and oil price of USD 75 a barrel were reasonable levels for upstream companies to keep investing.
"Today's prices are not comfortable for us. Margins are under severe pressure," ONGC Chairman R S Sharma said in New Delhi.
He said the company was constantly reviewing investments but has not put any of its spending on hold.
"If the current level of prices continue, for the next four-five months we will not have to put investments on hold, but if they stay at these level for longer we will review," Sharma said.
Sharma said the current international crude oil prices were not good for new investments being made in the upstream exploration and production.
"USD 75 a barrel is a reasonable price for upstream companies to keep investing," he said.
'Hand over fugitives, even if they are your citizens'
Express news service
Posted: Dec 21, 2008 at 0905 hrs IST
Kolkata, Jammu A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, senior ministers and service chiefs discussed the security scenario and defence preparedness, India bluntly told Pakistan to act on evidence, hand over fugitives even if they are Pakistani citizens and keep its word on not allowing its territory to be used by terrorists.
“Not once, twice or thrice but as many as 10 times we have given evidence. Pakistan must cooperate. No question of mere denial. You will be caught in your denial then,” External Affair Minister Pranab Mukherjee told a seminar organised by the Bengal Chamber of Commerce in Kolkata.
And addressing a rally near the international border in Jammu, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi warned Pakistan that India was “capable of giving a befitting reply”.
“Pakistan continues to support terrorism from its soil despite our overtures of peace and dialogue. We are capable of giving a
befitting reply, our sentiments of brotherhood and friendship should not be construed as our weakness,” Gandhi said at Dablehar in R S Pura.
In Kolkata, Mukherjee said Pakistan has to abide by its commitments given first by former president Pervez Musharraf and then by Asif Ali Zardari.
He said Pakistan has to arrest the fugitives who have taken shelter in that country. “Those who are Indian citizens, hand them over to us. And those who are required for investigations, may be your citizens, also hand them over to us,” he said.
He took strong exception to contradictory statements from Pakistan about the presence of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar in that country. “Masood Azhar was under house arrest was the observation of the Pakistan Defence Minister (Chowdhury Mukthar Ahmed). But after that contradictory statements are emanating from the country. Sometimes it is said he (Azhar) is not seen. Sometimes it is said that he is not available in Pakistan,” he said.
“We can deal only with the government of the day. Therefore, all arguments which are coming from the other side (Pakistan) are not really convincing... We have the evidence, including intercepts of the conversation via satellite. Yesterday I described the conversation as a chilling account. The captured living terrorist (Ajmal Ameer Kasab) gave the chilling account of what transpired between him and the controller from that side. They were monitoring Indian television. We have this type of information,” he said.
Pakistan must pursue these evidence and take action, he said, noting that “words must be followed up by action”.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Hand-over-fugitives-even-if-they-are-your-citizens/401119/
VHP publishes report on humanitarian activities
New Delhi, Dec 22: For the first time, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has released an annual report of its humanitarian activities to convey that its "efforts are as large as Christians missionaries across the country".
The report include efforts to consolidate 198 Hindu charitable trusts from 41 prants (region) for which VHP's sewa vibhag (social work division) will now act as the apex body.
The trusts run tribal hostels, orphanages, education activities, disaster relief and adoption centres among others.
"We are identifying all trusts that are Hindu-sponsored and carry out Hindu-centric social activities," sewa vibhag secretary, Madhukar Rao, said.
"We had never believed in publishing annual reports, but we had it published this time to convey the message that our consolidated efforts are as large as the missionaries across the country," he said.
The annual turnover for various activities run under the sewa vibhag had risen from Rs 75 crore in the last two years and it crossed the Rs 77-crore mark this year, Rao added.
VHP General Secretary and fire brand Hindu leader Pravin Togadia calls the initiative an effort to counter "the imperialist mission of Christian conversion".
"Christians and Muslims introduced welfare activities to carry out conversions and jihad. Christians propagate evangelism which means conversion and Muslims divert a part of their charity for jihad," Togadia told a gathering of representatives from several Hindu charitable trusts here on Sunday.
Bureau Report
Lok Sabha passes bill to update Information Technology Act
New Delhi, Dec 22: Lok Sabha on Monday passed a bill to update the law related to information technology to tackle cyber crimes and e-commerce frauds.
The Information Technology (Amendment) Bill, 2006 seeks addition of various provisions to the existing Act to deal with new forms of cyber crimes like publicising sexually explicit materials in electronic form, video voyeurism and breach of confidentiality and leakage of data by intermediary and e-commerce frauds.
It is proposed in the bill to set up a Cyber Appellate Tribunal. According to the bill, the Central government has to decide the number of the members of the tribunal later.
The bill, which amends the Information Technology Act, 2000, proposes to enable authentication of electronic records by any electronic signature technique.
Bureau Report
Rahul speaks of the plight of yet another woman
Gauriganj (Amethi), Dec 22: AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, who drew the nation's attention to the plight of a woman called Kalawati recounting her tale in Parliament, on Tuesday shared with the people of his constituency the abject poverty of yet another woman named Sunita from Amethi.
Recalling how several members of the woman's family, including children, shivered with cold as she could not afford giving warm clothes to all of them, the scion of the Gandhi family said he dreams of a world which did not have a home as poor as Sunita's.
"During one of the tours I visited the house of Sunita and was surprised to see that while the elders of the family were properly clad in warm clothes, the young ones comprising even a seven-year-old girl were bereft of clothing that could keep the cold away", Rahul said at the launch of the Priyadarshini pilot project here.
"I was surprised when told that the elders could provide warm clothes to either themselves or the children. And since elders had to earn a living and provide food to the young ones they were wearing warm clothes", the young Congress leader, who has been touring the country extensively to get the pulse of the people, added.
Recounting how Aman, Sunita's seven-year-old daughter, feared that she was afraid of policemen beating up her father unnecessarily, Rahul said his dream is not to come across any house like that of Sunita where the young ones are afraid of policemen and elders unable to provide warm clothes to the entire family.
This, he said, is the dream of lakhs and crores of Indians.
Bureau Report
Mumbai, Hyd to get new NSG hubs along with Chennai, Kolkata
New Delhi, Dec 22: Mumbai, IT city Hyderabad and two other metro cities will now have bases of elite counter-terror force NSG.
"Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai are the four places that have been identified to establish the new NSG hubs. These hubs will be manned by the existing force of NSG as of now," Director General of National Security Guards (NSG) J K Dutt told reporters here after meeting Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta here today.
The strength of the force will also be enhanced, Dutt said but did not specify the number of new recruitments or when it will take place.
Following the Mumbai terror attacks, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had announced that the government would set up four NSG hubs in different parts of the country and several states were keen on having a base of the elite force.
The DG also said that steps are being taken to speed up procurement of new arms and ammunition for the force, which successfully tackled the three-day-long terror siege in Mumbai after killing nine terrorists.
"The procurements of arms and ammunition will be speeded up to meet the requirements and challenges of the force," Dutt said.
Dutt also said that the decision to provide security to VIPs and VVIPs, in which the NSG specialises, is for the government to decide.
The NSG is a premier agency set up by the government to deal with national security. It comprises some of the best in-service officers from the Army and the paramilitary forces.
Questions were raised on the delay in the arrival of NSG commandos in Mumbai from Delhi on the night of November 26 when the city was struck by terrorists.
Various measures were mooted by the government after the Mumbai terror incident which included implementation of the 'Coastal Security Scheme', setting up of Marine Commando Unit at each port along with new Bomb Detection and Disposal Squads for various security agencies in the country.
Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh are some of the states that had evinced interest in the having the NSG hubs.
Among its duties, the commando force has to respond to calls pertaining to anti-terrorist operations or operations that are of national security interest.
It is mandated to participate in anti-terror, assault, anti-hijack and hostage rescue operations.
Bureau Report
http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2008-12-22/493135news.html
Mumbai Bomb Blasts and 'vote bank politics'
To: PRESIDENT OF INDIA
Mumbai Bomb Blasts and 'vote bank politics'
Just like any other True Indian out there my heart also ripped off after looking at images of Mumbai Train Blasts.
Mumbai has always been victim of such violence as we know.
When union home minister Shivraj Patil can say that 'we knew this was going to happen but not sure in which state' - what do we answer. This is a 'stupid' statement.
Maharashtra chief minister vilasrao deshmukh does and knows nothing other than giving 'standard statements' like 'situation is under control'.
When all over Maharashtra explosives are being found.
Age old monuments/temples like the 'ellora one' are being targetted.
Law and Order - Police themselves are being killed.
Drug Mafias are working in hand with someone like 'Narayan Rane'.
What the F* is situation under control?
These are only 'vote bank' politicians who only wait for elections and throw money earned from all the kinds of illegal means.
This is time to react.
This is time to act.
This is time to say no to them.
This is concern of our security.
This is concern of our national security.
THROW THE GOVERNMENT OUT AND EVERY POLITICIAL - MINISTER WHO IS AS INCOMPETENT AS A 'DONKEY' AND GARBAGE WRECKING 'PIGS'.
Sign this petition and pass on to every patriot INDIAN.
Let them know that we can also do something about it if not dirty our hands.
KIRAN PANDE
LONDON
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
http://www.petitiononline.com/mum0711/petition.html
Summary post and blog loveDecember 22, 2008...8:55 am
Antulay’s vote bank politics
Abdul Rehman Antulay, the Union Minister for Minorities, thought that by saying that the death of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare in the recent terror attacks was suspicious, he could be a hero to Indian Muslims . However, I rather doubt that Antulay has impressed his vote bank. For one thing he has not done much for Indian Muslims despite being the Minorities Minister. Perhaps it was to cover up his dismal track record that he went out of his way to say that he wondered why the ATS Chief went in the direction of CST station and then Cama hospital (where the terrorists ran) instead of the Taj and Trident where a major attack was on. On the face of it, a rather dense statement by Antulay considering that the Taj and the Trident were attacked a good half an hour after CST station. And even Leopold Cafe was attacked about 15 minutes after CST. In the CST massacre, around 60 people were randomly gunned down and then the terrorists ran away. It was most logical for Karkare to rushto the spot to follow them! But like MJ Akbar says, Antulay was not interested in the truth or saying anything intelligent. He wanted to please his vote bank.
The Congress is Maharashtra is in deep trouble and in the coming elections it is thought that the Congress will crash out - after a decade long rule in the state. Antulay was trying to keep his seat hot…no matter if his statement flew in the face of logic, no matter if it was a slap in the face of his own government. At least now (he thought) he could a hero to his community.
It would be indeed a cause for worry if Antulay really pleased his vote bank by talking like this. If some sections of the Muslim community actually believed that some Hindus opposed to Karkare decided to take this opportunity to lure him into the lion’s den. But it’s a ridiculous premise (that Karkare’s enemies lured him) because Karkare wanted to follow the terrorists, that was his very aim! In any case, no one knew exactly where the terrorists were. So, if Antulay was trying to say that elements in the radical Hindu parties who would have liked to see the end of Karkare were in cahoots with the Pakistanis (perhaps in wireless touch with them?), this is the joke of the year. Well, Antulay’s remarks may be stupid, but some sections of the Urdu press are supporting him. But only some sections. The Urdu press is divided on the issue and in fact many have also called Antulay’s statement “irresponsible.” The Urdu daily Inquilab slammed Antulay in it’s 19th December editorial titled `Ek bayan do nuksaan (One statement, two losses),’ said:
…by raising doubts over the circumstances of Hemant Karkare’s death, Antulay not only unwittingly rejuvenated the Sangh Parivar who were on the defensive but also harmed the Muslim cause. “After the massacre in Mumbai, Muslims had joined the country in denouncing terrorism. They justifiably received wide acclaim from the national media. It was a positive wave of national solidarity against terrorism which Antulay tried to spoil with his irresponsible statement…
Yes, the Sangh Parivar (Shiv Sena and co.) has always cast aspersions on the patriotism of Muslims, and now Antulay has given them fodder. So not only did Antulay not think of his party, his government, or his country, he also failed his fellow Muslims in his desperate bid to save himself in the next general election. This is the stuff of communal riots.
I personally have no respect for Antulay. Way back in 1982 when he was chief minister of Maharashtra he was convicted of extortion. In fact it is well known that he is corrupt - he had collected Rs 30 crore from businesses (by exhortion) dependent on state resources like cement and kept the money in a private trust! However this man was taken back in the Congress party after some years and even made a Union Minister!
And funnily this happened even though Antulay was known to have a good relationship with Balasaheb Thackeray of the Shiv Sena and had almost joined the party once!
And as mentioned earlier, Antulay has also been accused of not doing much for his own community, always more interested in his own perks and position rather than improving the welfare of his community. He has faced criticism for delaying important projects.
While everyone is free to give his views in a democracy, telling deliberate lies to create a communal divide is not acceptable. But in India this happens all the time. And playing vote bank politics and using religion to garner votes also happens in India all the time. One would have hoped that the Congress party would have desisted from playing vote bank politics at a time when the nation is at threat.
The Antulay crises may have blown over but communal tensions have been stoked. It’s not the international community that we need worry about because everyone knows the truth. What we need to worry about is about relationships between communities in this country.
(Photo is from Telegraph India)
Related Reading: Political interference in the Malegaon blasts investigation
Other posts on Indian Politics.
Antulay is the Simi Garewal of Indian politics
21 Dec 2008, 0005 hrs IST, M J Akbar
There is, or should be, a well-defined line in media between the liberty of impression and the freedom of expression. Both are privileges of
democracy. Liberty of impression is the exhilarating-frightening roller coaster on which public discourse rides. Freedom of expression is cooled by the sprinkle of judgment, a mind that sieves speculation, allegation and accusation from the end-product that appears in print or on air.
‘I urged Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to open cross-border routes’
Rising Kashmir News
Srinagar, Dec 21: National Conference Patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah Sunday said his 1974 Pakistan visit had brought New Delhi and Islamabad closer and claimed he had urged the then Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto to throw open cross-border and cross-LoC routes.
He said only NC could bring the leadership of India and Pakistan closer and assist both in creating a congenial atmosphere for better bilateral relationship.
Expressing happiness over peace on borders, Abdullah said: “I hope peace continues to prevail so that people on both sides flourish and prosper.”
He said his party played a pivotal role in fostering better relations between New Delhi and Islamabad and would continue to do so in future in the interest of the two countries and for the welfare of the people of Jammu Kashmir.
Abdullah said that during the recent All Parties Meeting at New Delhi, he pleaded for accelerating the dialogue process and forbade India against a war with Pakistan, which political parties like the pro-Hindutva Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) were favouring.
“I stressed that dialogue is the only process which can facilitate return of peace in the subcontinent,” Abdullah said.
Asserting that cordial bilateral relations between New Delhi and Islamabad were the basic essence for lasting peace in the subcontinent Abdullah said peace in subcontinent is not possible until relations between India and Pakistan are strengthened and developed.
He said both India and Pakistan should work for creating an atmosphere of understanding and confidence among each other so that both countries and the State flourish.
He said people of Jammu Kashmir want peace and it was only possible when the mistrust between the two counties was removed and cordial relations strengthened.
Coming down heavily on PDP for ignoring the general plight of the people of the State and bringing destruction and bloodshed to the peaceful state, Abdullah said Mufti Muhammad Sayeed's anti-people polices had added miseries to the people of the state. “They (PDP) indulged in divisive politics and tried to divide the people of the state on regional, religious, caste and ethnic basis for vote bank politics thereby destroying the traditional secular fabric of the State,” he said.
The NC patron said PDP's ministers during six years of coalition rule swindled public money through all the wrong means and methods and built their own houses and bartered the interests of common people for their personal interests.
Abdullah said PDP-Congress coalition government swindled away huge financial grants received form the Government of India for reviving the economy and providing basic amenities to the people of the State.
Abdullah said if voted to power NC would probe all embezzlements and wrongdoing of the coalition ministers.
"Fortunately now people of Jammu Kashmir have seen through their manipulative, self-centered politics and would defeat PDP and remove it form the political landscape of the state," Abdullah said.
He said: “If voted to power, NC will take the State out from the morass created by the PDP-Congress coalition during their six years of unfortunate rule.”
He said that the "vision" which the party had outlined for the people of the State which is a roadmap for development would be implemented in letter and spirit and added that the roadmap was backed by a competent delivery mechanism.
Abdullah said, immediately after coming to power, NC would come out with a special package for employment of youth and open new avenues for young unemployed and ensure that every household of the State has at least one earning hand.
He also promised that NC government would provide stipend to the unemployed till they are suitably employed and lower the cost of LPG cylinder by Rs 50 and lower electricity. “Besides the cost of essential commodities would be reduced by 25 to 30 per cent,” Abdullah said.
Abdullah was accompanied by senior NC leader Mehboob Beg, Chaudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Mir Saifullah, Muhammad Yaseen Shah, Aga Sayeed Rahoola and Shehnaz Ganai.
http://www.risingkashmir.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=9217&Itemid=1
R Dutta Choudhury
GUWAHATI, Dec 13 – Vote bank politics and wrong policies of the Government posed a grave threat to the security of not only Assam but of the entire nation, observed former Governor of Assam and Jammu and Kashmir, Lt Gen (Retd) SK Sinha. He also expressed the view that the party in power must put national interest above the interest of the party for improving the situation.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=dec1408/at01
Aroon Purie
December 19, 2008
There are 83 million people in India who are 33 years old. With this issue, which is our 1,119th, we join their ranks. I believe we are the only English newsmagazine of that age in India.
10th anniversary issueAs a human being, 33 years is considered an ideal age, when energy, ambition and maturity combine to elevate men, and women, to the prime of their life.
15th anniversary issueThe dramatic growth in readership we have experienced over the last three decades suggests we have maintained our credibility and relevance, and there is immense satisfaction in that achievement.
20th anniversary issueFrom a poverty-stricken Third World country happy with a Hindu rate of growth to rampant consumerism and a booming economy that is the envy of the world is perhaps the biggest story of the 33 years we have reported on India.
25th anniversary issueThat’s the good news. While the economy has revolutionised our lives, what has not changed is our politics and governance. That’s the paradox.
30th anniversary issueThis issue is a record of all this done in the form of lists. It has been put together by Executive Editor Kaveree Bamzai and her young team relying on the able research skills of Chief Information Manager Rajesh Sharma who sifted through over 1,000 issues of the magazine.
http://indiatoday.digitaltoday.in/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&&issueid=85&id=23057§ionid=3&Itemid=1&page=in&latn=2
By Neeta Lal
OffStumped For All Things Right of Center, Bringing a Right of Centre Reality Check to Indian Politics, News Media Reporting and Opinion now in Hindi ?? ?? ?? ???? ????? ??.
—
The Nation would do well to pay attention to an instructive case study on how Muslim Vote Bank Politics can hurt the nation. Loook at what the illigeal immigration from Bangladesh into Assam and West Bengal is doing to our democracy. By cultivating the migrants muslims from Bangladesh as a captive vote bank and by refusing to act tough on the illilegality of their migration, the Congress in Assam sowed the seeds for perennial strife in that state. The Communists in neighbouring West Bengal who paid further lip service to secularism while exploiting these immigrant votes, and doing little to improve their lot. Now you have a situation where the proliferation of Islamic Terror from Bangladesh is on the upswing. And this proliferation has ample safe havens to thrive with the rise of Islamic a concerted movement by Muslim bodies to consolidate a Islamic Vote Bank which in Assam saw the Badruddin Ajmal AUDF bag 10 seats while polling just a mere 24% of the votes in an election that saw 70-80% turnout. The lesson from Assam was that despite a fragmented polity, there was sufficient consolidation of Muslim votes behind an upapologetically Muslim Political Outfit to ensure electoral victory despite very high overall voter turnouts and a very low vote share to the Muslim outfit. The twin effect of Muslim Vote Bank Politics is that it will not only promote unapologetically religious politics but will also further polarize the society as the vote consolidation in favor of one religion is bound to provoke a similar vote polarization in favor of the other religion.
Offstumped Bottomline: For all the spin from the communists and the congress, the message from the Sachar Report is loud and clear - Muslim Vote Bank Politics have lead to Minority Appeasement not Minority Empowerment. Any talk of Reservations or that fancy american catch phrase Affirmative Action is nothing but Muslim Vote Bank Politics and must be rejected wholesale. Recognizing Madrassas as a formal education centers is dangerous and retrograde step. The Government would do well to focus its attention on access to education and opportunities rather than dole out State Sponsored Entitlements.
http://www.bloggernews.net/12582
Indo-US nuclear deal and Muslims
Aijaz Zaka Syed | Arab News
As the debate over India’s nuclear deal with the United States heats up, a totally new angle has been added to the controversy: Whether the deal is “anti-Muslim” and if the Muslims, India’s largest minority and the world’s largest Muslim population, support or oppose the accord with the US. So the poor Indian Muslim, who keeps his head down and is ever grateful for the empty rhetoric and promises of calculating politicians, finds himself yet again at the heart of petty vote bank politics.
Frankly speaking, who gives a damn what Indian Muslim thinks? But many in the Muslim community have been alarmed by the Indian media’s dangerous attempts to give a religious spin to the issue. The other day NDTV hosted a lively debate on the US deal and how Muslims look at the whole business. And everyone involved obsessed over the so-called Muslim stance on the issue as if it was crucial to the success or failure of nuclear arrangement with the US. No wonder the Muslims are concerned. Given the long history of such innocuous issues turning into explosives in the hands of militant anti-Muslim organizations such as Shiv Sena and RSS-VHP-BJP combine, their concern is not unjustified.
Alarmed by the dangerous direction the whole debate has taken, and even as the Congress-led government fights for survival, Muslim organizations and groups are trying hard to distance themselves from the issue. Jamiat-e-Ulema Hind, a staunch Congress ally, has passed a resolution dissociating the Muslim community from the controversy. The organization, which played a leading role in the independence struggle, has condemned politicians for using the issue for Muslim vote bank.
What has a nuclear agreement between India and the US got to do with the Muslims and their religious convictions? And why those opposed to the deal are doing so in the name of Muslims? That said, I believe the Muslims as well as other communities in India must oppose this unholy nuclear alliance with the neocons. Not because this accord is against the Muslims, as some of our politician friends in their excessive enthusiasm seem to suggest, but because this is against India’s long-term interests. I am no expert on nuclear energy or finer points of strategic cooperation between the two nuclear weapons states like India and US. I don’t know if this will help India meet its growing energy needs, as some enthusiastic supporters of the arrangement claim. All I know is this is a well-calibrated plot by big powers to ensnare and use the world’s largest democracy to promote their own agenda.
The enterprising Muslim community does not have to withdraw itself into its defensive shell if it is being dragged into this debate. Indian Muslim does not have to be apologetic in opposing this deal because this country belongs to him as much as it does to the next Indian. In fact, anyone who cares for this great country should and would oppose this dubious deal. We must oppose this arrangement for two reasons:
First and foremost, this deal will undermine and compromise India’s historical independence and political sovereignty. I am not suggesting that by inking this pact, India will become a US colony and White House will station its viceroy in Delhi. But by offering this carrot, the reigning superpower is seeking to enlist Gandhi’s nation as a client state and as a junior cop to police this part of the world.
Having given up on an increasingly unpredictable Pakistan, the US badly needs India to contain emerging China on the one hand and the Islamists of Iran and Central Asia on the other. More importantly, there’s now evidence to suggest that the US neocons and the Zionists are trying to form an axis of the US, Israel and India to check the rising force of Islam.
It’s a grand conspiracy against the Muslim world as well as India. I call it a conspiracy because India and Muslim world have been historically close allies and friends. These are ties that are as old as Islam. In fact, they go way back in time — long before the advent of Islam. And India has been a home of Islam and Muslims for more than a millennium. This is why the inimitable Iqbal called India “saare jahaan se achha” (best in the whole world). And the neocons and Zionists want to sabotage this historical relationship.
Secondly, this opportunistic alliance goes against everything that secular and democratic India has believed in and championed — ideals like peace, nonviolence, nonalignment and always, always standing with the disadvantaged, oppressed and the vulnerable people everywhere. This is why the world looked to India for leadership even when it was not a nuclear power and half of its population lived below the poverty line. Which is why it’s a tragic irony that the party that once led the independence struggle should now be seeking to enslave this great land once again. It is time for the Indians to decide whether they want to continue leading the world as a peaceful and progressive nation of Gandhi and Nehru or want to end up as yet another Third World colony of Pax Americana.
— Aijaz Zaka Syed is a Dubai-based commentator. Write to him at aijazzsyed@aol.com
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=111695&d=11&m=7&y=2008
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