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Arms,
explosives haul in Poonch Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Oct 13: Troops of Ace of Spades Division (ASD) today foiled an attack by Pak army on a forward Indian post in Lam area of Nowshera sector killing two enemy soldiers and wounding another. Army also effected recovery of a large arms and explosives consignment from Chakli and Nograin villages. According to Defence sources, a group of Pak army commandos accompanied by militants raided army’s Kanchi post, located close on the Line of Control (LoC) in Lam area of Nowshera sector in the wee hours of this morning. Alert troops of Sikh battalion of Nowshera Brigade, part of ASD, became alert but allowed enemy troops to come well within their firing range. A fierce exchange of gun-fight followed. After about an hour long exchange of firing, Sikh battalion gunned down two Pak army commandos and wounded another. The injured jawan alongwith his other associates retrieved back to Pakistan failing badly in their attempt to raid a forward Indian post and inflict casualties on army. Indian side suffered no loss in the cross-firing. Sources said bodies of both slain Pak commandos have been recovered from the scene of encounter but not identified as they weren’t carrying any weapon with them. From their possession, army recovered two AK-47 rifles, four grenades, one wireless set and one set antenna. Meanwhile, Pakistan army continued heavy firing and shelling at several forward posts and civilian locations near the LoC in the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri. Army retaliated firing at all the places. In forward village of Kalas in Gountrian area of Poonch, a civilian was seriously injured in Pakistani shelling. He has been identified as Shah Mohammed son of Faqir Mohammed, a resident of Kalas. He was evacuated from the firing site by security jawans and shifted to a hospital in critical condition. Other places where Indo-Pak troops exchange firing and shelling included Kalaal, Bhawani in Nowshera sector and Nakerkot in Poonch sector. Troops of Bhimber Gali (BG) Brigade, also part of ASD, carried out searches in Chakli and Nograin village in Poonch. Searches were carried out on the basis of specific information about militants’ movement in the area. Troops effected recovery of a huge consignment of arms and explosive material from both the places which include three AK-56 rifles, their seven magazines, one Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL), one Kenwood wireless set with 11 antennas, 83 grenades of UBGL, 10 hand grenades, two rifle grenades, two anti-tank rifle grenades, 33 detonators, eight remote control devices and 15 kg explosive material. |
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RSS disapproves performance of BJP-led NDA Govt AGRA, Oct 13: The three-day rss conclave got underway here today with the fountainhead of the Sangh Parivar virtually disapproving the performance of the BJP-led NDA Government saying change of Government, leaders, parties and slogans have not brought about the desired result. Without directly naming any leader or party, RSS general secretary Mohan Rao Bhagwat said "Government has some good people, but still they are forced to make compromises. We have changed Government, leaders, parties, policies and slogans, but they have not brought about the desired result". Bhagwat was inaugurating the ‘national security’ camp of the RSS to commemorate 75 years of its existence, which also coincided with the completion of one year of the Vajpayee Government. Expressing concern over the "deteriorating situation" in the country, he regretted that the leaders were engaged in a power struggle, states were fighting against each other for river water and a "cultural onslaught" was on through Doordarshan. "There is a visible decline in all walks of national life". The veteran RSS leader said the country was in a debt trap and was forced to make compromises against national interest. Bhagwat also said RSS was not engaged in promoting or strengthening any particular party. "We are concerned about national security". Launching a broadside against conversion allegedly being carried out by the church, he told the largest congretaion of the organisation that separatism in Nagaland, Mizoram and other North Eastern states was a fall out of conversion. Referring to national security, Bhagwat said there was a need for instilling confidence and courage among the people as "possession of nuclear bomb is not enough to defend the country". BJP leaders were conspicuous by their absence at the meeting, attended among others by Sangh Parivar top brass including RSS chief K S Sudarshan, VHP leader Ashok Singhal besides Zee TV’s Subhas Goel, who chaired the function. The RSS leaders also sought to play the dalit card to the hilt not only by paying tribute to the sage Valmiki on his birthday today but also invoking the name of Dr B R Ambedkar. Param Vir Chakra Awardee Colonel Dhan Singh Thapa, former Naval Vice Chief Admiral K K Nayyar and Air Marshal (retd) Tarlochan Singh were honoured by the RSS chief on the occasion. An estimated 75,000 RSS cadres are attending the three-day meet called to deliberate on sensitive issues including the "role" of the church in North East and Islamic fundamentalism. Later, addressing the media, RSS joint general secretary Madan Das said India should take the lead in re-negotiating the terms of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). He also opposed any autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir. Bhagwat’s speech, Das said, was a reflection of people’s "sense of alienation" due to their "overdependence" on politicians. On the Ram temple issue, he said it would be constructed within six months "once the Government grants permission for it". (PTI) |
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Duty cut on IT products
deferred Excelsior Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Public Sector Banks will not be permitted to deviate from the basic structure of the model Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) while framing their own bank-specific schemes. The Finance Ministry has, in fact, ruled out major changes in bank VRS scheme. The Ministry has argued that banks, which are facing problems in adopting the scheme, fearing mass exodus, should make use of the ‘right of refusal’ clause incorporated in the scheme, which allows the bank managements to selectively reject applications for VRS depending on the staff requirement of the individual bank. The model scheme, prepared by the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) and later approved by the Government, has been circulated among banks for adoption. It is said that several banks are in an advanced stage of adoption of their own scheme by their boards. According to officials of the Banking Division of the Finance Ministry, the model scheme is in the nature of a directive from the Government. Major deviations by the banks may defeat the very purpose of the scheme by bringing in unwanted confusion within the industry, they have stated. The Finance Ministry officials have pointed out that allowing such deviation by any bank would set a precedent for other banks which might have similar problems on some other criterion proposed under the scheme. In fact, these officials have suggested that if any bank has a problem on any count after the scheme becomes operational, they should immediately take advantage of the ‘right of refusal’ clause. The issue of deviation from the scheme cropped up when the management of the Mangalore-based Corporation Bank found that the minimum age criterion of 40 years proposed by the model scheme for availing of VRS would make nearly 60 per cent of its staff eligible, thereby adversely disturbing the overall staff position in the bank. The bank management has toyed with the idea of scaling up the minimum age criterion from 40 years to 50 and simultaneously raising the criterion on minimum years of service from 15 to 25 for availing of benefits under the scheme. The bank had said that it would make a representation to the Government and the IBA to appraise them of the bank’s constraints in introducing the scheme, as proposed by the Association. The IBA scheme bars banks from making any fresh recruitment in the place of persons availing of the golden hand-shake. Under the VRS package, public sector undertaking banks have to attempt to shed their excess staff by the end of the current fiscal year after which the VRS offer would be withdrawn. The Finance Ministry has, on the other hand, decided to defer the proposed across-the-board excise duty reduction on IT products and telecom equipment, including computer systems, to the next financial year. A series of proposals on customs duty cuts-complete exemption on inputs used in the manufacture of optical fibre cable, on parts of automatic teller machines-too will be considered in the ensuing 2001-2002 budget. The Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, is said to have taken the view that the duty changes, including the proposed across-the-board reduction in excise duties from 16 per cent to 8 per cent, on IT products will be examined as part of next year’s Central budget proposals. The list also includes IT hardware, other Internet devices and set top boxes, TV for distance education, where an in-principle decision was taken to cut duties at the IT Ministers’ conference. The Finance Ministry, which has worked out the revenue implications of these proposals, has now deferred the move, mainly due to the ‘below-the-target’ performance on the customs front. The problem has been compounded with the recent mid-course reduction in duties on crude and petro-products to reduce the oil pool deficit. The Revenue Department is now considering scaling down budgeted indirect collection target by at least Rs 6,000 crores. Of this, the revenue forgone on account of the duty reduction on crude and petro-products would account for Rs 4,000 crores. Sops granted to the SSI and telecom sectors would account for roughly the remaining amount. |
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Hindu Don-Muslim Don
phenomenon From B L Kak NEW DELHI, Oct 13: Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is said to have involved itself in the closely contested battle for supremacy in underworld. And the battle is now spread across India, Pakistan, Middle East, South East Asia and even parts of South Africa. Reports about the ISI’s new role, furnished to the Government of India by various sources, point out that after the two hit-men shot at and injured underworld don, Chhota Rajan, and killed his associate in Bangkok last month, some evidence has revealed that "India’s most wanted" Dawood Ibrahim, currently based in Pakistan, entertained fear of losing "business" to the Hindu don, Chhota Rajan. Hence, the battle has been initiated. It is said that the assailants, who started out from Karachi and Dubai, were provided arms through the Pakistani ISI. Rajan, after having accepted Dawood Ibrahim’s challenge, has advanced his brand of "patriotic" reasoning on trying to gun down Dawood. Whatever the motive behind the Bangkok shoot-out, there is no doubt that Chhota Rajan’s efforts were basically to ensure his supremacy and that of the Hindu don angle into the battle for supremacy in underworld. That the Pakistani ISI is with the Karachi-based Dawood Ibrahim has also been borne out by the dramatic event: Prompt passage of a Pakistani lawyer to Bangkok to represent the two hit-men who attempted to eliminate Chhota Rajan. The Government of India has been informed by a foreign intelligence agency that ISI, apart from fomenting terrorism, is also getting closely involved in the underworld. While Chotta Rajan’s present status in Bangkok remains unclear, the foreign intelligence agency is said to have confirmed that the ISI’s "special emissary" in shape of a top criminal lawyer was specially flown across to defend the hit squad. According to the agency, Bangkok courts had little to pin Rajan down, while the two hit-men were eligible for capital punishment under Thailand laws, especially since their attack had left one person dead and three injured. To make their own case even weaker, the two had boasted that it was they who had attacked and would do so again since those were the instructions of Dawood Ibrahim. The two have since then been instructed by the Pakistani lawyer to keep quiet. The lawyer’s efforts are said to have paid dividends in ensuring that Rajan’s passport was seized. A set of ‘specific’ intelligence inputs have revealed that the cheap restaurants and guest houses around Bangkok’s General Post Office have for years been popular hang-outs of people from the Indian subcontinent, mainly Muslims. And these inputs insist that Dawood Ibrahim, who is the arch rival of Chhota Rajan, has his "main power base" in Bangkok around the General Post Office area. Dawood’s other base in Bangkok is the Nana area near the Pakistani Embassy. Intelligence inputs have also confirmed that Dawood’s men have for years had a presence in Bangkok, where they are involved in drug smuggling and the procurement of arms from the black market in Thailand and the Rhai-Cambodian border. The Indian Home Ministry has, in fact, been informed about the Pakistani "involvement" for these activities. The close relationship between Dawood’s gang and the ISI is also reported to have facilitated Pakistan’s protection of these activities. A message officially communicated to New Delhi from Bangkok has stated that the captured persons, after the abortive attempt on Chhota Rajan’s life, have confessed to the police that Dawood Ibrahim’s most trusted lieutenant, Chhota Shakeel, based in Karachi, offered to pay them one million dollars to kill Rajan. Shakeel wanted to take revenge on Rajan because he killed Shakeel’s 17 associates. According to the message, Rajan was in Bangkok to finalise a "dubious" business deal involving the sale of a ship. Rajan was operating from a ship in the international waters off the Malaysian coast after fleeing Mumbai following his split with Dawood. Chhota Rajan managed to endear himself to the Hindu fundamentalists after the 1993 Mumbai blasts by alleging that Dawood Ibrahim was an ISI agent. Rajan, according to a document made available by the Mumbai police, had vowed in a 1996 interview to kill Dawood. And Dawood then made three unsuccessful attempts on Rajan-the last being in Bangkok. And Bangkok, it has already been established even by America’s CIA, is an ideal hide-out for criminals and political extremists as long as they do not settle their internal disputes in Thailand. The LTTE, Sikh militants, Thuingaleng Muivah’s National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) and the Russian mafia as well as various European and North American terrorist organisations are known to have been using Thailand for years as a base for rest and recreation. |
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IED defused, civilian shot
dead Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Oct 13: Romeo Force last night eliminated two militants of Al Badar outfit at village Malhan in Surankote tehsil and neutralised a powerful RDX-filled IED planted by the militants on Sangla-Nandiyali track. In another incident, a civilian was gunned down by unidentified militants in Hari Budha village of same Surankote tehsil. Defence sources said troops of Rashtriya Rifles of Surankote Sector, part of Romeo Force, launched a search operation in village Malhan near Surankote after getting an information from local people that two militants had taken shelter in an isolated house of the village. Army immediately planned an operation and cordoned off the village by blocking all exit routes of the militants. As militants opened heavy firing on the approaching troops from inside the house, army personnel took positions and retaliated. In the exchange of firing in which both the sides used heavy fire arms, army personnel succeeded in eliminating two dreaded militants inside the house, which was damaged. No casualty was reported on army side in the gun-battle that lasted about 40 minutes. Bodies of both the slain militants were recovered from the scene of encounter this morning. One of them was identified as Fazal-ud-Din of Al Badar outfit while identity of his second associate couldn’t be gathered. Two AK-56 rifles, seven magazines, three hand grenades, two rifle grenades and 121 round of AK ammunition were recovered from the possession of slain militants. Some of the arms and ammunition were damaged in the house, which partially caught fire during the encounter. Meanwhile, Rashtriya Rifles personnel of Surankote Sector detected an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by the militants on main road at Sangla-Nandiyali track near Surankote at 0600 hours today. The IED had been fitted with a timed device and was found containing three kg of deadly RDX. A Bomb Disposal Squad of army immediately sealed the area and neutralised the IED on the spot during half an hour long operation. A major tragedy which could have been caused by the IED was averted by army personnel. In another incident, a group of unidentified militants gunned down a civilian Abdul Aziz son of Mohd Din at his house in village Hari Budha in Surankote tehsil on the intervening night of October 12 and 13. Sources said the militants attacked the house of Abdul Aziz, dragged him out and rained bullet on him killing him on the spot. Army have launched an operation in the areas around Hari Budha to eliminate the militants involved in the killing. However, no arrest has been made so far. |
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BANGALORE, Oct 13: Karnataka Government today said no minutes had been kept of the three separate meetings Chief Minister S M Krishna held with his Tamil Nadu counterpart M Karunanidhi to discuss ways to end the Rajkumar hostage crisis which the Supreme Court has asked the two State Governments to furnish by October 17. Karnataka Law Minister D B Chandregowda said this would be conveyed to the Surpeme Court when hearing resumes on the Public Interest Litigation challenging the release of 51 TADA detenus, who are associates of Veerappan, to help secure the release of Kannada film icon Rajkumar and two others from the captivity of the forest brigand. "The Government would inform the court that no minutes had been drafted when Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu met on three occasions to discuss the hostage crisis," he told reporters here after a high-power committee meeting which discussed observations made by the Apex Court on October 11. The Law Minister’s remarks assume significance in the light of the Supreme Court’s directive issued on Oct 11 to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Governments to place by Oct 17 details of meetings between Chief Ministers before they agreed to release 51 associates of the bandit. Gowda said the Government would submit a comprehensive report on the three issues raised by the Apex Court. The Apex Court had wanted to know from Karnataka whether withdrawal of TADA cases against the 51 people would be in public interest, what was the basis of fears of clashes between Kannadigas and Tamilians in Karnataka if anything happens to Rajkumar and explain why Veerappan had not been nabbed so far. In Chennai, Karunanidhi told reporters emissaries R R Gopal and others, on a mission to secure the release of the hostages, had received ‘signals’ from Veerappan and they were now on their way to meet the outlaw. Aiadmk supremo J Jayalalitha attacked the Tamil Nadu Government for enlisting Tamil nationalist leader P Nedumaran, known for his pro-LTTE stance, as an emissary saying this showed the State administration had "surrenedered" to separatist forces. Defending the Government action, Karunanidhi said Nedumaran was running a movement in Tamil Nadu and his party was not a banned organisation. (PTI) |
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Top criminal escapes from Kishtwar jail Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Oct 13: An under-trial involved in two murder and some other criminal activities today escaped from sub jail in Kishtwar tehsil of Doda district giving a dodge to jail security. An inquiry has been ordered into the escape of top criminal from the jail and action was likely to be taken against the erring security guards, official sources said. The escapee has been identified as Aksar Ahmed, a resident of village Naika in Doda. A senior district police officer tonight confirmed the incident, which occurred around 1600 hours. He said Aksar Mohd, who was facing trial in two murder cases besides other criminal activities, was being used by the jail authorities for cooking food. Aksar was reportedly preparing tea for some jail officials all alone when he saw a window of the kitchen, leading to a road, open. He reportedly managed to break the iron rods of the window and fled from the jail. His absence was detected by a security guard, who had earlier seen him while making tea. An alarm was immediately sounded by Jail authorities and police informed. All nakas of police and security forces besides police stations and posts were put on high alert by the authorities and asked to track down the escaped criminal. Till the reports last came in tonight, the criminal remained untraced though a hunt was on to re-arrest him. Meanwhile, authorities have ordered an inquiry into the negligence of security guards and other staff of the jail which resulted into escape of an under-trial. Action was expected to be taken against the negligent officials tomorrow, the sources said. Aksar was involved in the murder of a woman and a shopkeeper. |
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Hizb militant killed, wife hurt in Banihal Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Oct 13: An ‘area commander’ of Hizbul Mujahideen was killed and his wife was seriously injured in an encounter with troops of Rashtriya Rifles at the militant’s house in village Dulligam of Banihal tehsil in Doda district. Slain Hizbul commander has been identified as Mushtaq Ahmed, a local resident of Dulligam and the injured was his wife Saleema Bano. She has been hospitalised in a critical condition. Giving details of the encounter, official sources said troops of 12 Rashtriya Rifles got an information through its own sources that Hizbul Mujahideen’s ‘area commander’ Mushtaq Ahmed alias Mushi will be visiting his house to meet his family at Dulligam. Accordingly, troops strengthened their positions in Dulligam and maintained a secret vigil around the house of Mushtaq Ahmed. In the early hours of this morning, troops came to know that militants has reached his house. Army jawans surrounded the house and asked the militant to come out and surrender. However, the ultra refused to lay down his arms and instead opened firing on jawans from inside the house. As despite repeated appeals, the militant didn’t surrender, troops opened firing killing the militant on the spot. However, in the process, slain militant’s wife Saleema Bano also sustained a gun shot and got injured. Securitymen immediately eva- cuated the injured woman to hospital. Body of the militant was recovered from inside the house. One AK-47 rifle, its magazines and ammunition besides a couple of hand grenades were also recovered from his possession. Sources said Mushtaq Ahmed was a front ranking militant of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and was active in Banihal tehsil for the last about two years. He had his involvement in a series of militant activities. |
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Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Oct 13: The autumn session of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, which was scheduled to end on October 14, has been extended by two days. The decision to extend the session till October 18 was taken at a meeting of the Business Advisory Committee of the House under the chairmanship of the Speaker, Abdul Ahad Vakil. As per the revised calendar issued by the Assembly Secretariat, there would be Government business for three days (October 13, 14 and 18) while the private members bills would be taken up on October 17. The sittings of the House on October 14 and 18 shall begin with Question Hour and the sitting of the House scheduled for October 17 shall begin at 1500 hours without holding Question Hour. |
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MiG-21 crashes near Bikaner, two killed JAIPUR, Oct 13: An Indian Air Force MiG-21 aircraft crashed on a cluster of houses at a village in Bikaner district of Rajasthan today killing its pilot and a woman on the ground, police sources here said. The plane was on a regular training sortie when it crashed around 0915 hours and fell on a cluster of houses near village Dingsari, damaging at least 18 houses,the sources said. The pilot Sq Leader Mohan Kumar died on the spot while 18-year-old woman, Chotu Kanwar, was killed when the plane fell on her house. Two others on the ground also suffered injuries, police said. Four of the 18 houses were damaged completely as the debris of the plane fell on them. The injured have been rushed to Bikaner for treatment. Senior airforce and police officials from Bikaner have rushed to the accident site. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Oct 13: The three new states of Chattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand will be created on November one, nine and fifteen respectively, Home Minister L K Advani announced today. The dates for the new states to come into being have been conveyed by the Governments of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar to the Centre, Advani told newspersons here. Asked whether new Governors would be appointed for the three states, Advani said that there was a possibility of new appointments but the Governors of the MP, UP and Bihar could also be given additional charge for the time being. The provincial capitals of the three states will be Raipur, Dehradun and Ranchi as per the proposals sent by the respective State Governments, a Home Ministry spokesman said. The states have been asked to expedite the process of identification and renovation of building for offices and residential purposes of constitutional and adminitionaries of the new states before appointed dates. The Law Ministry is taking steps for fixation of the strength of the judges and their transfer and appointment to new High Courts and consultation at the appropriate levels are on, the spokesman said. Bilaspur will be the principal seat of the High Court of Chattisgarh while Ranchi will house the High Court of Jharkhand. The location of the principal seat of High Court of Uttaranchal will be notified shortly, he said. The spokesman said an advisory committee has been constituted to decide the strength and composition of All India Service (AIS) cadres — IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service, besides suggesting guidelines for allocation of members to the successor states. The committee has already submitted its interim report on the strength and composition of ais cadres in the successor states. The allocation of officers is likely to be decided soon, he said. The Personnel Ministry has issued guidelines to Chief Secretaries of the three states for provisional allocation of the officers of State services cadres and other staff to the new states within a specified timeframe, he said, adding Union Ministries have been advised to segregate the allocations for centrally-sponsored schemes for the new states. The Planning Commission has also been asked to desegregate the plan ceilings between the parent and the new states. The Finance Ministry is working on the division of cash balances, opening of new accounts for the new states and ‘ways and means’ advanced to the successsor states beyond the prevailing norms for sometime and bifurcation of devolution under the award of the 11th Finance Commission between the successor states appropriately, the spokesman said. The spokesman said Law and Tribal Affairs Ministries have been asked to take necessary measures for amending article 164 and fifth schedule of the Constitution keeping in view the tribal population and scheduled areas of Chattisgarh and Jharkhand. He said the UP Government has sanctioned Rs 39 crore and the MP Government Rs 12 crore for creation of infrastructure for provincial capitals of Uttaranchal and Chattisgarh. Bihar Government has not made any sanction since Ranchi, the provincial capital of Jharkhand, already has insfrastructure facilities. Uttaranchal, which will comprise 55845 sq. kms, will occupy roughly 21 per cent of the area of UP, Jharkhand with 79714 sq. Kms, will take away 46 per cent of Bihar and Chattisgarh with 135100 sq. Kms will consist of 30.47 per cent area of MP. Uttaranchal will have five Lok Sabha and three Rajya Sabha seats, Jharkhand 14 Lok Sabha and six Rajya Sabha seats and Chattisgarh 11 Lok Sabha and five Rajya Sabha seats. The Legislatives Assemblies of Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Chattisgarh will have 70, 81 and 90 seats respectively. (PTI) |
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Winter session of Parliament from Nov 20 NEW DELHI, Oct 13: The winter session of Parliament is likely to be convened from November 20, Home Minister L K Advani said today. The session is expected to continue till December 22, Advani told reporters here. (PTI) |
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India’s Kashmir stand gains acceptability NEW DELHI, Oct 13: India’s stand on the Kashmir issue was being increasingly accepted by the world community and New Delhi would continue to fight terrorism till the end, Prime Minister Atal Behai Vajpayee said today. "The circle of international support for our stand on Kashmir is expanding rapidly. Our fight against terrorism continues - and shall continue till the terrorist’s gun fall silent," he said in a statement from Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on the completion of one-year of his Government. The situation in Jammu and Kashmir and in the North-East was "improving steadily", he said expressing confidence that it would "improve further in the coming months". (PTI) |
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GUWAHATI, Oct 13: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Mukut Mithi today said China was "unknowningly" violating the Line of Actual Control (LAC) along the country for the last decade and urged the Centre to take steps to prevent such incursions. "China has been making frequent forays inside the Indian territory in the Arunchal Pradesh sector not knowing that they had actually violated the Actual Line of Control", Mithi told PTI over phone from Alang in Arunachal Pradesh. "They (the Chinese) have been making these forays since the last decade may be due to hunting purposes or regular security excercise but this was a cause for concern", the Chief Minister said. Mithi urged the Centre to take note of the fact and ensure that such incursions were not repeated. The Chief Minister hoped that the matter would be amicably settled between the two countries very soon. (PTI) |
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