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Fierce
encounters in Kupwara, Baramulla, Srinagar From Ahmed Ali Fayaz SRINAGAR, Apr 14: In sudden escalation of violence, militants clashed with security forces in Kupwara, Baramulla and Srinagar districts and a total of seventeen persons — ten security forces and Police personnel, four militants and three civilians — got killed in different incidents since last evening. A large number of people blocked Srinagar-Baramulla highway in protest against the killing of two civilians during last night in Kreeri area in north Kashmir. Informed sources told EXCELSIOR that at least six soldiers have got killed and seven more injured in Lashkar-e-Toiba’s suicidal attack on headquarters of Rashtriya Rifles 32 Bn, at Lassipora, in Lolab valley of Kupwara district. As already reported in this newspaper, two Fidayeen of the militant organisation had sneaked into the formation at 2100 hours last night and launched an attack. Islamabad-based spokesman of Lashkar-e-Toiba, Abu Usama, had informed EXCELSIOR at midnight last that both the Fidayeen returned to their camp while causing nine casualties to the Army. He even claimed that the militants decamped with a slain soldier’s gun and reached the hide-out unhurt. Police sources today said four soldiers, including a Captain, died on spot while as nine personnel, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, sustained injuries. Later, two more soldiers succumbed to injuries. Those who died on spot were identified as Captain Mukesh Rathore, S Vijayan, Lance Naik Shelendar Bahadur Kanwar and Rifleman Kshetan. While as Army maintained total silence and did not share anything with media, the afternoon bulletin of Zonal Police Headquarters said that three personnel got killed and six others injured. As the attack came in close vicinity of the Army’s Divisional Headquarters, troops laid siege to a vast area and conducted a search operation today. The operation was without any progress till late this afternoon. Reports from Kupwara today added that early this morning, militants ambushed a party of Special Operations Group (SOG) Kupwara at Dedikot, in Vilgam area. Militants used grenades and light automatic weapons. Nine SOG personnel sustained injuries. Some of them were identified as Inspector P N Tikoo, ASI Krishen Lal Khajuria, constables Satish Kumar, Mohammad Hussain, Fazil Khan, Shakil Ahmed and SPO Mushtaq Ahmed. Troops launched a search operation but failed to get any clue about the militants responsible for the attack. 3 militants, soldier killed Sources said that on the basis of a specific information, troops of Rashtriya Rifles 28 Bn and SOG Baramulla launched a search operation at Binner, in outskirts of Baramulla town this afternoon. According to the tip off, a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba’s Pakistani militants were present at the house of a fruit dealer, namely Ghulam Rasool Bhat S/o Ghulam Qadir Bhat. As soon as the troops laid a cordon, militants came out and engaged them in a face-to-face gunbattle. Subedar Ramesh Chand got killed while as Naik Ajit Singh, Rifleman Rakesh Kumar and Rifleman Badan Singh sustained injuries. In retaliation, troops eliminated all the three militants. Three AK-56 rifles, one UBGL, four hand grenades, two rifle grenades and a quantity of ammunition was recovered from the spot. One camera and one wire-cutter were also recovered from the belongings of the militants killed which suggested that it was a Fidayeen group of the organisation. The group had also prepared a sketch of a military formation of north Kashmir which was also recovered. According to the diaries recovered from the spot, the militants killed were Mohammad Riyaz alias Abu Huraira R/o Shahdara Chowk, near Masjid, Bahawalpur Pakistan, Abu Zaffar or Abu Zarara of Pakistan and Abu Abdullah alias Omar R/o Multan Pakistan. Two civilians, namely 60-year-old Abdur Rehman Ganai S/o Ghulam Rasool Ganai and 16-year-old Imtiyaz Ahmed Lone S/o Mohammad Ramzan Lone of Janbazpora sustained injuries in the encounter. They were rushed to hospital. Reports from Baramulla said that late last night, militants launched a rocket attack on a camp of SOG at Town Hall building of Pattan. Rockets fell close to the campany headquarters of BSF 54 Bn. Troops and SOG sentries retaliated the fire. However, militants escaped and there was no damage from either side. 4 killed at Lalchowk This evening at 1745 hours, militants launched an attack on a picket of BSF 127 Bn, in front of Paladium Cinema, at Lalchowk. In heavy exchange of fire, one BSF soldier, namely Shashi Raj, one constable of Kralkhud Police Station, namely Manzoor Ahmed, an unidentified civilian and a militant got killed. Three Police personnel and one BSF soldier sustained injuries. One AK-56 rifle was recovered from the possession of the militant killed in retaliation. A Lashkar-e-Toiba spokesman said that two militants of his group attacked the BSF formation and caused several casualties. He identified the two militants as Abu Abdul Aleem and Abu Abdul Mateen of Pakistan. He said that the former achieved martyrdom while as the latter managed to return to his hideout. On the other hand, IGP Kashmir Dr Ashok Bhan maintained that one BSF soldier, one militant and one civilian died in the attack. He did not mention anything about the constable but said that three Policemen had sustained injuries. Reports from south Kashmir said that militants fired upon a constable of SOG Kulgam, namely Nisar Ahmed Shah S/O Nazir Ahmed Shah of Bugam, at the main bus-stand at Kulgam town. He died on spot. One civilian, namely Ghulam Mohammad Hajam of Kujar, sustained injuries in the shootout. 2 civilians killed in Kreeri Reports from Baramulla said that over 5,000 people gathered at Kreeri and blocked Srinagar-Baramulla highway while shouting anti-India and pro-Pakistan slogans for five hours today. They alleged that army had opened indiscriminate fire at the house of a civilian, Ghulam Hassan Allai of Waripora Payeen, "without any reason or provocation" killing two persons and causing gunshot wounds to two more inmates. Sixty-year-old Ghulam Hassan Allai S/O Abdul Kareem and Mohammad Sultan Allai S/O Abdul Aziz got killed while as Nisar Ahmed Allai S/O Ab Rasheed and Hajira widow of Abdul Kareem Allai sustained injuries. While as some people claimed that Army opened fire as Mohammad Sultan Allai had gone out of his house to attend to the nature’s call, others insisted that troops had "bad intentions" about some girls of the family. SSP Baramulla Abdul Qayoom Manhas told EXCELSIOR that FIRs had been registered on two different versions of army and the residents. According to the army’s statement, three militants ran away, in an Army ambush, and went inside the Allai’s house. As soon as the troops chased them, they opened fire and both the civilians died in militants’ firing. Mr Manhas said that both the versions of the controversial incident were being examined thoroughly. He said that an inquiry by an executive magistrate had been ordered. The angry demonstrators shouted pro-Azadi and pro-Pakistan slogans while blocking the highway and the Hurriyat leaders — Abdul Gani Lone, Ghulam Nabi Zaki and Ghulam Nabi Sumji — were quick to reach the spot. They addressed the gathering and told their audiences that Kashmir’s freedom was well round the corner. On one occasion, Police opened fire and used tear-smoke to disperse the mob. In the evening, the dead bodies were buried at Waripora. |
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Bid to disrupt
Baisakhi Mela foiled Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 14: Police and Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu today gunned down a suicide squad of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit in Tawian area on the outskirts of the City and thwarted a Pakistani plot to disrupt three-day Baisakhi Mela in the temple City. Another militant was injured in the operation but he managed to escape. Police sources said they had received an information yesterday that Pakistan-backed militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit were planning to disturb the Baisakhi Mela and, for the purpose, will push suicide squads into this side. Special police and SOG teams led by SP City (North) Sheetal Singh had laid nakas on all suspected infiltration routes of the militants, the sources said, adding two naka parties in Karnail Chak village of Tawian, about two kms from Mohinder Nagar noticed two militants moving towards Jammu. Police and SOG personnel challenged the militants and asked them to surrender. Both the militants, who were well built, opened firing on cops with a rifle and a pistol and tried to escape back. Police jawans retaliated and gunned down one of the militant. Another militant was seriously injured in the operation but he managed to escape back to Pakistan. Police didn’t suffer any casualty in the operation. Police said the slain militant, whose body has been recovered, was identified with the help of an identity card recovered from his possession as Manzoor Ahmed son of Badar Din, a resident of Neelam Hotel, Muzafarrabad in Pakistan. One AK rifle with two magazines and two grenades were recovered from the possession of slain militant. Police said blood stains were seen upto one km area leading toward border village of Kukrian, which indicated that the injured militant had managed to escape towards Pakistan. Police said both the militants were members of Lashkar-e-Toiba’s suicide squads and had been dispatched to Jammu by Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan to sabotage Baisakhi Mela. A major tragedy has been averted with the killing of the militant, they added. |
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Two injured in IED blast Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Apr 14: After a brief lull, the militants struck again in a remote village of Mahore tehsil late last night and gunned down five members of a family including a couple and their two minor children. In another incident, two civilian were injured in a powerful landmine explosion in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district this morning. Official reports reaching at the district headquarters said that a group of unidentified militants stormed the house of Ghulam Hassan son of Shah Din at village Sawal Bathal late last night and opened indiscriminate firing. The militants even didn’t spare infants of Ghulam Hassan and pumped bullets on them killing his two sons instantly. A relative of Ghulam Hassan, who had come to his house also perished in militants’ firing. Deceased have been identified as Ghulam Hassan, his wife Shamima Akhter, two sons Altaf, 5 and Niaz 2 and a relative Mohd Shaffi, 25, son of Bashir Ahmed. All of them had died on the spot. The militants escaped from the house firing few shots in air. They were stated to be four in number. Local people gathered in the house and sounded security forces. However, by the time, the victims could be shifted to hospital, they had breathed their last. Bodies of the victims were handed over to their family members for burial after post-mortem. Army and security forces have launched a massive search operation in Sawal Bathal and adjoining villages of Mahore to eliminate the militants involved in the carnage. However, no success had been made till the reports last came in tonight. Official sources said the militants were activists of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and atleast three of them were believed to be locals. Only one militant was a foreign mercenary. All of them were equipped with assault rifles. There was strong resentment among the local people of the village against brutal massacre of five family members especially two infants. "What could be the fault of two minor children, who were gunned down by the militants before they could see the light of the world", they said. Our Rajouri correspondent adds: Two youths sustained serious injuries when they walked over an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), planted by the militants, in a field in Faisalabad area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district. The explosion occurred at 1130 hours today. The injured boys have been identified as Nakhraj Ahmed son of Lal Din and Kafeel Ahmed son of Mohd Din, both residents of Surankote. They have been admitted in a hospital in serious condition. Army jawans rushed to the spot immediately after the explosion and sealed the area. They carried out searches in the village but the ultras involved in planting the IED remained untraced. |
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Govt sleuths uncover
ominous plan From B L Kak Jammu, Apr 14: India's premier intelligence agency, Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), is learnt to have cautioned the Government against what has been termed as "invading thought and trend" from West Asia. In an obvious reference to the re-structured strategy of the Islamic Solidarity Foundation (ISF), the RAW has hinted at the possibility of additional difficulties for the powers that be in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days and weeks. The ISF, which is known for its substantial strength and clout in West Asia, has planned to render ineffective the Government of India's programme to strengthen secular character and progressive forces and formations across Jammu Kashmir. The RAW has received highly significant inputs, bringing to the fore the ISF's Kashmir agenda. And if these inputs were to be believed, Islamic Solidarity Foundation has earmarked about 50,000 dollars to be sent for "religious purpose in Kashmir". The ISF has described Kashmir as the "land of Islam". If some Islamic outfits in West Asia managed to send nearly Rs 15 crores in 1999 and 2000, the amount made available by the Islamic Solidarity Foundation alone during the two years was of the order of 40,000 dollars. A top intelligence source told EXCELSIOR that New Delhi had been informed that such type of overground hard currency donations were in addition to huge sums of money clandestinely pumped into Jammu and Kashmir by Pakistan. The RAW is also said to have informed the Government that anti-India individual and agencies as well as the powerful Islamic fundamentalist lobby in Pakistan have experienced little difficulty in maintaining the "higher" level of "Kashmir Fund". The Cabinet Secretariat, which has administrative control over the RAW, as well as the Ministry for Home Affairs, the source said, had, once again, been equipped with "irrefutable" evidence, suggesting the use of a sizeable portion of money from the Pakistan narcotic trade. Pakistan narcotics trade, it has been calculated, generates a revenue of more than Rs 6,000 crores annually. Pakistan, though currently facing acute financial difficulties, seems to have plenty of money to burn in Kashmir. At the same time, however, a measure of hostility is reported to have been aroused within the power corridors in Islamabad against the misuse, misappropriation and embezzlement of Pakistani funds in Kashmir. Allegations, in this regard, have been levelled against a set of Kashmiri secessionist leaders and organisations. It is, apparently, in this context that Pakistan has altered its plan to fund the Islamic and secessionist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. A nodal agency has been set up in Pakistan to monitor cash transactions. The agency has been set up at the reported instance of the ISI. The ISI, which has been reported to be directly pumping into J&K more than Rs 5 crores each month, does not want "unscrupulous" elements to be encouraged by the secessionist lobby in the Valley. |
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Govt fails to get
assurance NEW DELHI, Apr 14 : The Government today failed to get a ‘clear cut’ assurance from the opposition parties for their cooperation for smooth functioning of Parliament, even as the Congress boycotted the all party meeting convened by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for the purpose. After the two hour meeting, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs O. Rajgopal however claimed that the meeting which was attended by almost all political parties, barring the Congress, Trinamool Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal, arrived at a consensus that Parliament would be allowed to function normally to discuss grave issues such as WTO, the Railway and General Budgets and the securities scam. But on the question of a debate on the tehelka.com issue, which had marred the pre-recess budget session, leaders of the opposition parties said they would decide among themselves in what manner they would like to discuss the issue of corruption. The meeting received a setback before it began with the Congress announcing its boycott to protest against the Government’s reported decision to ask the CBI to inquire into charges against its leadership. Taking the opposition leaders into confidence on this issue, Prime Minister said there seemed to be some misunderstanding and he had spoken to the leader of the opposition. He was expecting that they would attend the meeting. However, Mr Rajgopal said a letter was received by the Government from Dr Subramanian Swamy which as a routine was forwarded to the Department of Personnel in which CBI also fell. "There is nothing more than it. No inquiry has been ordered." Mr Vajpayee expressed the hope that the Congress would have no misunderstanding about the whole issue and cooperate in the functioning of the session, beginning on Monday. Mr Rajgopal said the parties agreed with the Government’s proposal that the Tehelka issue should not be seen as one belonging to an individual but as a bigger issue of corruption. CPM leader Somnath Chatterjee said the Government instead of taking the opposition parties into confidence was going public on the Tehelka issue, saying it was a conspiracy hatched by the opposition. "What kind of a consensus we can have when the Prime Minister had not said a single word about corruption or inquiry into the Tehelka issue and instead was exonerating the Defence Minister," he asked. Mr Chatterjee said they knew their responsibilities of allowing Parliament to function. Earlier, conveying its decision to stay away from the all party meeting, the Congress took exception to the manner in which a letter making frivolous and baseless allegations against its leadership had been sent to the CBI. It charged the NDA Government with indulging in "witch-hunting" and using the CBI to promote its partisan objectives. The party said though it favoured any attempt at evolving a consensus on vital national issues it had decided not to cooperate with the Government. According to Mr Rajgopal, the meeting was informed that there were only 16 days left with the Government and a lot of important business was yet to be discussed in Parliament. There will be no work on the first day because of the death of former Prime Minister Devi Lal. It was decided that there should be optimal use of time available and both the ruling and the opposition parties should cooperate. (UNI) |
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Indian High Commission lodges
complaint ISLAMABAD, Apr 14: The Indian High Commission here has lodged a complaint to the Pakistan Government over the encroachment of the Indian Consulate General’s residence in Karachi, which has remained closed since 1995. In its complaint to the Foreign Office here lodged yesterday, the Indian High Commission said it had been brought to its notice that a person, illegally claiming that he had obtained the authorisation from the High Commission, had rented out the house of the ICG to another local resident. It has been learnt that the tenant had broken into the premises, cut down trees and even begun alterations, the complaint said, adding no authorisation had been given by the High Commission to any person to rent out the properties of the Indian Government at Karachi. "The aforementioned are therefore criminal activities being carried out illegally and in an unauthorised manner at this Government of India property. "Accordingly the High Commission requests the esteemed ministry to kindly have the matter urgently looked into to secure immediate evacuation of the present encroachment under intimation to the High Commission and to ensure that no encroachment takes place in the future at any of the Government of India properties in Karachi," it said. The High Commission has also asked the Pakistan Government to institute criminal cases of fraud and trespass against the encroachers and arrest them before initiating appropriate legal action. The Indian High Commission also asked the Pakistan Government to ensure the safety and security of Indian Government properties in Karachi, under the Vienna convention on consular relations of 1963. "It would also be appreciated if necessary security arrangements are made at all the said properties to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future," the complaint said. High Commission officials said that a similar complaint had been lodged with the Karachi Police. When contacted an official spokesman of the Pakistan Government said that he was not aware of the incident. The ICG has remained closed since 1995 at the request of Pakistan. In all the Indian Government has six properties including the office and residences of the staff at prime locations in Karachi which have remained shut. High Commission officials said that the properties were found to be intact during the visit of Indian High Commissioner Vijay Nambiar to the port city last month. The encroachments were however brought to the notice of High Commission by the officials of Indian Airlines, who in turn were flooded with inquiries whether the ICG was being reopened. During his visit to Karachi, Nambiar had made a request to the Pakistan Government to permit India to reopen the consulate office in view of heavy demand for Indian visas from Karachi businessmen. (PTI) |
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Infiltration bid foiled Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Apr 14: Two Pakistani militants were gunned down by army on the Line of Control (LoC) in Nowshera sector late last night. An infiltration attempt was foiled by troops with the killing of two militants. One of the slain militant has been identified as Abu Jindal alias Aruf Bedar R/o Gujranwala, Pakistan. He was a ‘senior commander’ of Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit. Defence sources said an alert security forces ambush noticed a group of infiltrator moving from Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) to Indian territory through Nowshera sector taking advantage of darkness and inclement weather. On being challenged by troops and asked to surrender, the militants responded with a heavy volume of firing. Troops retaliated and gunned down two militants of the group in a fierce fire-fight, which lasted more than two hours. Other foreign mercenaries managed to run back to Pakistan occupied Kashmir. There were no casualties on army side in the exchange of firing, the sources said. Army jawans recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition from the site of encounter which included two AK rifles, four magazines, eight hand grenades, six RPG rockets and 550 rounds of AK ammunition. Identity of only one of the militant was established as Abu Jindal, a ‘senior commander’ of Azhar Masood’s Jaish-e-Mohammed. Second militant remained unidentified but he was suspected to be a foreign mercenary, probably a Pakistani. Sources said the militants, who fled back to Pakistan during the encounter, were also activists of Jaish-e-Mohammed and numbered between three to five. Killing of Abu Jindal was a major setback to Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit, they added. |
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Jaya decides to contest two Assembly seats CHENNAI, Apr 14: Brushing aside the possibility of disqualification, AIADMK supremo Jayalalitha today decided to contest from two seats and finalised seat allocation with TMC-Congress combine for the Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu but detached herself from these two parties in neighbouring Pondicherry. She chose Andipatti in Southern Tamil Nadu and Krishnagiri in the Northern part to contest the elections even as the threat of disqualification loomed large in view of her conviction in two Tansi land deal cases. Andipatti had returned late M G Ramachandran in the past. Jayalalitha also decided to field former Union Minister Dalit Ezhilmalai, who left PMK to join the party on the eve of 1999 Parliamentary elections, as AIADMK candidate in the Lok Sabha by-election from Tiruchirapalli constituency. For the election to 30-member Pondicherry Assembly, Jayalalitha announced that her party would contest 20 seats with the rest 10 being given to new ally PMK. The Congress which has reservations over reported dominance being given to pmk in the union territory has vitually been now forced to go with tmc there. Prominent among those whose names figure in the list of 141 AIADMK contestants in Tamil Nadu are party’s chairman K Kalimuthu in Tirumangalam, former minister C Ponnaiyan (Tiruchengode), former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Thambidurai (Bargur) and E V K Sulochana Sampat, mother of TNCC president Elangovan, (T. Nagar). After days of hard bargaining the AIADMK also finalised seat allocation with TMC-Congress combine giving it 47 seats in Tamil Nadu. Tmc will contest 30, Congress 15 and allies two. TMC has been given only 19 of the 39 seats it held in the current Assembly. (PTI) |
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Excelsior Correspondent UDHAMPUR, Apr 14: An indefinite bandh and dharna in Basantgarh entered into eighth day today with people insisting on a visit to the town by a senior police officer. People were sitting on an indefinite dharna in the town demanding action against police personnel allegedly involved in committing excesses on local people during a search operation. However, no police officer has visited Basantgarh so far to pacify the people. A bandh was also observed in Majori village today demanding opening of a Government school. |
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Pak diplomat found with explosives leaves Nepal KATHMANDU, Apr 14 : A Pakistani diplomat expelled from Nepal after being found in possession of powerful explosives left here for home today, officials said. The Pakistani Embassy’s First Secretary, Mohammad Arshad Cheema, and his wife Rubina Cheema were detained late Thursday at a rented house in Kathmandu. Cheema was arrested for possessing 16 kilogrammes of explosives. "Cheema and his wife left for Pakistan today late afternoon onboard the Pakistan International Airlines," a Home Ministry official said. He was escorted to the Airport by policemen. The Nepalese Government expelled the Pakistani First Secretary last evening. "As it is incompatible with his diplomatic duties and inconsistent with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the Nepalese Government has decided that the Pakistani diplomat, Cheema, should leave the country within 24 hours," a Foreign Ministry statement said. Cheema had denied the explosives belonged to him. According to neighbours, the downstairs flat of Cheema’s house was used as the offices of a highway construction firm Sachel Engineering. Police Chief Madhav Thapa said it was the first time such a large quantity of powerful explosives — enough to destroy the entire Kathmandu valley — had been recovered.(AFP) |
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NEW DELHI, Apr 14 : Conceding that stockbroker Ketan Parekh had invested money in Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited (ABCL), Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh has said that the same broker had also put funds in a company owned by Shiv Sena member of parliament Pritish Nandy. However, Mr Singh has denied allegations reportedly made by Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Maneka Gandhi that he was closely associated with Parekh. In an interview on the Janata Ki Adalat programme of Star Plus to be aired tomorrow, Mr Singh said his only association came by way of the fact that he was a Director of ABCL in which Parekh had ‘come forward’ when the Corporation was going through ‘bad times’. But he said that verification had been done about Parekh’s investments with actor Jeetendra’s Balaji Telefilms, Subhash Ghai’s Mukta Arts, and Tahir Ansari’s Midday. He also said out that the money was received by cheque. With the success of Kaun Banega Crorepati , the megastar had begun clearing all his dues with Doordarshan, the Government, Income Tax and others, Mr Singh added. He denied that his party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav had any links with Bhavana Pandey who is reported to be an associate of B. P. Verma, the disgraced former Chairman of the Central Board of Excise and Customs who has been arrested. He said it appeared that the ruling party was trying to project everyone as thief after the exposure of alleged involvement of Mr Bangaru Laxman in shady defence deals. He warned the Government against tapping phones of political leaders, as this could result in serious consequences. Describing this as the first sign of fascism, he said opposition leaders could not be invited to attend meetings and sit with the Government on the one hand and have their phones tapped on the other.(UNI) |
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Netaji died in Russian cell, says Bodyguard VIJAYAWADA, Apr 14: The bodyguard of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Shobharam Dokas, today claimed that the great patriot had died in a Russian Cell and not in an air crash as has been talked about. Dokas, who was here to attend the All India Freedom Fighers National General Council, told reporters that "Netaji is not alive. Even if he is alive, his age would be 104 and chances for his survival are very rare." "Bose, who recruited Indian Prisoners of War in the Azad Hind Sena, was a great leader, who believed in sacrificing everything for the freedom of the nation," Dokas said. He said "during the course of freedom struggle, he left from Bangkok to Russia via Mangolia and was later went missing. Though I was his bodyguard, due to certain reasons I could not accompany him as I was made incharge of an area during the freedom struggle." "We, as freedom fighters, are vexed with the present murky politics. Corruption has raised its head in every sphere. We have decided to create awareness among the people about the present political, economic and social scenario," he added.(PTI) |
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TC should n’t have pulled out of NDA: Panja KOLKATA, Apr 14: Trinamool Congress (TC) MP Ranjit Kumar Panja today said the TC-BJP alliance would have had a smooth sailing in the coming West Bengal Assembly polls had TC persisted with the NDA. Describing the decision of TC chief Mamata Banerjee to pull out of the NDA as ‘abrupt’, Panja said it would now be ‘difficult’ to convince voters of the new TC-Congress alliance in the elections. "As we had been opposing the Congress all along it may be difficult for us to convince the ordinary voters, if not the enlightened ones, about the alliance," he told PTI here. Panja said he also had reservations about selection of party candidates for the coming polls in his Barasat Lok Sabha constituency. "I had indicated my preferences, based on the prospects of each nominee. But in most seats those ranked lower in the order have been given tickets". However, Panja scotched speculation about his joining the BJP, saying "such theories have no substance".. Panja, a noted dermatologist who had been elected twice consecutively from the north 24 Pargans, constituency, said "I am not out and out a politician. If I have ideological differences with my party, I have the option of quitting politics’’. However, Panja hastened to add that in such a scenario he would first hold discussions with Banerjee. Meanwhile, the Left Front today alleged that Trinamool Congress (TC) was still keeping its contact with the BJP led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and was keeping its option open. "Even though two of the TC Ministers have tendered their resignation from the NDA Government, the party has not yet informed the President if they had withdrawn their support to NDA," State CPI(M) secretary Anil Biswas told reporters here. Biswas said Trinamool Congress had not written to the President any letter in this regard as it wanted to keep their options open to take a step suitable to them after the assembly elections in West Bengal was over. He further alleged that TC is taking funds from corporates and business houses for electioneering. "The way Trinamool has embarked on huge spending on cutouts and posters is quite amazing," he said. "We would like to know from them the sources of their funds. Where from are they getting such huge funds to spend on cutout and banners?" Biswas said. Explaining CPI(M)’s position, Biswas said, "our members contribute to party fund and even now a fund collection drive was going on. Only last week we had organised a mass collection drive in districts and more such drives would be undertaken before the coming elections." The Left Front today released a joint appeal by Jyoti Basu, the WB Chief Minister, Buddhadev Bhattacharya, and leaders of other front constituents, asking the electorate to vote for the front candidates in the assembly election in the State. (PTI) |
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MALDA, Apr 14 : Veteran Congress leader A B A Ghani Khan Chowdhury today reiterated his stand that his party would never concede the two contentious seats of Englishbazar and and Harishchandrapur to its new poll ally Trinamool Congress. Ruling out any such concession to the Trinamool, the MP from Malda told newsmen that Gautam Chakraborty would be fielded as his party’s nominee from Englishbazar and Mostaq Alam from Harishchandrapur. The Trinamool Congress, which released its list of contestants yesterday, has claimed that it would put up its candidates from both the seats falling within Chaudhary’s native Malda district, but has not announced the names of party candidates so far. Chowdhury, however, struck a conciliatory tone on old Malda, saying discussions were being held with the party high command on the Trinamool’s request for the seat. The senior Congress leader refused to attach any importance to the Congress Bachao Committee floated by three dissident party MLAs, and claimed that they did not have the ability to weaken the party.(PTI) |
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