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Lashkar’s ‘Mission Kashmir’ will be deadlier: Hafiz From B L Kak JAMMU, Apr 20: Hafiz Mohammed Saeed, chief of the dreaded terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba, has warned India to be ready for a new offensive in Kashmir which, he has divulged, will be "deadlier than ever before.'' The Lashkar chief has also warned that the jihadis have already earmarked areas in certain "important'' places in India for their operations against the "enemies of Islam.'' His ultimatium, according to latest media reports from Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), surfaced during his fiery speech at a gathering of new recruits for Kashmir-specific subversive training. The gathering, organised at Muridke near Lahore, witnessed a good deal of anti-India expression and noises, reports said. The Lashkar chief, a veteran of the Afghan wars, believes every word he spews. So do the hundreds of others he leads, men who are based at the Markaz-al-Dawa-ul-Arshad, the headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Toiba. While admitting that Fidayeen in Jammu and Kashmir and in other places of India getting killed, Saeed told the gathering. "But there is fresh blood all the time.'' The stress, according to him, is on causing maximum damage and getting out alive. But still a dead Fidayeen, Saeed has asserted, sends out clear messages to the Indian securitymen. "Such attacks would catch them by surprise every now and then.'' Significantly, the rise of Lashkar has been reckoned by both India and Pakistan. Indeed, the Lashkar storm-troopers intensified their activity following India's announcement of unilateral cease-fire in Jammu and Kashmir on November 19 last. Pakistan, too, is alarmed by the surprising response to New Delhi's peace offensive in Kashmir. Intelligence inputs suggest Pakistan has begun using the Lashkar-e-Toiba as its spearhead to dent Delhi's initiative and regain its hold over the militants. These inputs confirm that motivation is the key to the Lashkar's success. That is why it has recruited more people in the past one and a half years than ever before in its 7-year-history. The Lashkar's cadre that one sees today is ferociously dedicated to the Jihadi cause. Its members, Saeed has emphasized, would rather die in encounters than be arrested by Indian security forces. The Lashkar-e-Toiba, when it started out in 1994, was fully a Pakistani outfit. But of late there has been a dilution in the homogenous composition. Indian Intelligence reports have assessed that 60 to 70 per cent cadre presently is made up of Pakistani and Afghan nationals, while the rest are Kashmiris. The Lashkar chief has set out a signficant piece of information: "Without the support of the locals in Jammu and Kashmir, we would have been wiped out of Kashmir.'' Can this claim be taken seriously? "Why not,'' posed a senior official of a Government intelligence agency. He told EXCELSIOR. "A highly important change has been allowed in recent weeks in J&K, particularly in the Valley. The LeT cadres have been told by their directors in Pakistan not to extort from the local Kashmiris or do anything that amounts to being un-Islamic.'' The official had equally significant information: Rations bought from villages by the Lashkar men are paid for. This is, to say the least, a U-turn from the past when Jihadis in Army uniform would forcibly extort money and rape Kashmiri women. The official said in reply to a question: "There is enough evidence to suggest that the Jihadis' means of attack and communication are now more sophisticated. Satellite phones help 'commanders' in Srinagar to touch base with counterparts in Muridke and elsewhere.' |
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Seven civilians
injured in grenade blast Excelsior Special Correspondent SRINAGAR, Apr 20: Militants today eliminated the prominant counter-insurgent and National Conference activist, Sareer Khan, alongwith his body-guard at Jamia Masjid of Chandusa in Baramulla district. Seven civilians were left injured in a grenade blast at Baramulla and a newly-elected Sarpanch was slaughtered to death in Bandipora. Official sources told EXCELSIOR that a couple of militants appeared at Jamia Masjid, at Chandoosa village, in Baramulla district and fired upon the prominant counter-insurgent, Sareer Khan, who was a resident of the same village and was returning to his home after performing his Friday prayers. He died on spot. His PSO, Showkat Ali of Khadpara Lateefabad, sustained critical injuries. He breathed his last while being rushed to District Hospital of Baramulla. A school-teacher, Mohammad Saleem Beg, sustained injuries in the shootout which is being rated as the militants’ most remarkable achievement of the year in north Kashmir. A former militant, Sareer Khan was one among the first batch of surrenderees who laid down their arms and became the darlings of Congress leaders Rajesh Pilot and Ghulam Nabi Azad in 1993-94. Khan joined Congress and later contested Assembly elections of 1996 from Baramulla segment. He was, however, defeated by NC’s Mohammad Abdullah Mujahid. After emerging as a prominant activist of Congress and other mainstream parties and leaders, Khan had finally joined the ruling NC. However, he had not been given any key assignments. Sareer Khan had the distinction of organising the decade’s first ever pro-India rally which was attended by thousands of Kashmiri people at Chandoosa and addressed by senior Congress leaders in 1994. Reports from Baramulla said that during last night, an unidentified person assaulted the 70-year-old Sarpanch Lala Wani at Sonarwani village with a knife and slit his throat. He was left critically injured. He is reported to have died at Soura Medical Institute. In a mysterious shootout at 1800 hours last evening, 55-year-old Suby wife of Mohammad Sultan Bhat got killed in a forest area close to her village Sudal, Handwara. Dead body of one Mohammad Amin Khan S/o Ghulam Qadir Khan R/o Kellar has been recovered from nearby Nowgam jungle. Reports from Baramulla said that militants lobbed a grenade on an Army vehicle at Noorbagh, Baramulla, which missed the target and exploded on road, causing injuries to seven civilians. Three of the critically injured were rushed to a Srinagar hospital. |
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NEW DELHI, Apr 20: The two decade old Samba spy case was revived today in the Supreme Court, which stayed the Delhi High Court order exonerating the accused in the infamous case on a petition filed by the Union Government. A bench comprising Justice S P Bharucha and Justice Doraiswamy Raju admitted the Centre’s petition challenging the order on the ground that the High Court erred in appreciating the evidence. The Government said that the High Court should not have entertained the petitions of the dismissed Army officers as their petitions were dismissed repeatedly in three rounds of litigation earlier by High Court as well as the Supreme Court. Thus, the matter has attained finality and the High Court should not have interfered in the findings of the court martial proceedings, the Government said in its petition. Moreover, the Government complained that the judgement of the High Court came two years and four months after the judgement was reserved by it. The Government said the observation of the High Court that it was not given all the documents pertaining to the court martial proceedings, was totally false as in an earlier order the High Court itself had said that all documents pertaining to the case had been filed. The High Court in December last year in its 111-page judgement had exonerated two former captains R S Rathaur and A K Rana, who had been court martialled by the Army and quashed the Army orders dismissing seven other officers. The High Court had ruled that all these nine officers who had been detained for years on the charge of spying for Pakistan were now entitled to all the "consequential benefits" since the action taken by the army against each of them was "void in law". Severely criticising the army, the High Court had said Rathaur and Rana had been convicted in the court martial proceedings "without a shred of evidence". The court had said that the military intelligence directorate, which had initiated the action against the officers, could not "assume the role of a prosecutor and a judge in its own cause". (PTI) |
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OBC status for Pahari people soon: CM Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 20: Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah favoured OBC status for Pahari speaking people of Jammu and Kashmir and said the State Government would take a final decision on it soon. Addressing 5th meeting of State Advisory Board for development of Pahari speaking people here this morning, the Chief Minister allayed the fears in some quarters and said that grant of OBC status to them would not be at the cost of any other community having the similar status. He referred to the recommendations made to the Centre for granting Scheduled Tribe status to Pahari people of the state some time back and said that a few vested interests launched a sustained propaganda, misleading other communities that this would slash their share in reservations. But, the sagacious people did not allow themselves to swayed awayby such malicious campaign, as the Government wants under privileged sections of society including gujjars to flourish and grow. The people living on mountains irrespective of their sect are leading a very difficult life, he said, asserting that their miseries have to be minimized. Responding to the demand for declaring Pahari speaking people as ST as promised by successive Prime Ministers, Dr Abdullah said that this would again be taken up with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister. He said the queries raised on this issue would be soon replied for consideration of the Centre. He decried attempts of dividing people on various issues and hoped that the divergent sections of society would continue to maintain unity for the overall interest of the welfare and development of the State. The Vice Chairman of the Board and its members reminded the Chief Minister about the commitment made by Prime Minister Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee during his public address at Tanghdar on granting ST status to Pahri people and said that they would visit New Delhi to seek fulfillment of the promise. The Chief Minister gave directions for considering a sub-plan for development of Pahari speaking areas and release of Rs 50 lakhs for hostels at Srinagar and Jammu. He said necessary instructions should be conveyed to all district development boards for inviting the Vice Chairman of the board in all their meetings as ex-officio member. While appreciating the offer of Pahari speaking legislators and MPs for contributing towards fund for formulating Pahari dictionary out of their constituency development fund, the Chief Minister hoped that preliminary work in this regard would be initiated soon. The experts on the language should be involved in it so that the publication is brought out by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages as early as possible, he added. Giving the resume of activities of the board, its Vice Chairman Mr Kafil-ul-Rehman said that currently two Pahari hostels are operational in Poonch and Rajouri. He said Union Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Mr Omar Abdullah has released Rs 10 lakhs for hostels at Srinagar and Jammu subject to the condition of release by proportionate grant by the State Government. He sought establishment of Pahari wing of the Cultural Academy in Kupwara district and stressed the need for having a separate sub plan for development of Pahari areas. The Vice Chairman expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for taking various measures about the uplift of Pahari speaking population of the State. Among those present in the meeting were Minister for Social Welfare Mr Bashir Ahmed Kitchloo, Mirza Abdul Rashid, member Rajya Sabha, the members of the board including several legislators including Mr Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, Mr Mohammed Sharief Tariq, Mr Ashok Sharma, Mr Abdul Rehman Badana and the former Vice Chairman of the board Mr M D Bandey. Financial Commissioner Finance Mr Jalil Ahmed Khan, Financial Commissioner Planning Mr K B Pillai, Principal Secretary Social Welfare Mr N R Gupta, Commissioner/Secretary General Administrartion Department Mr R K Jeerath and Secretary Cultural Academy Mr Balwant Thakur also attended the meeting. The board discussed various issues, which inter alia included construction of office complex cum Pahari Bhavan at Jammu and Srinagar, providing manpower in Pahari hostels at Rajouri and Poonch, grant of pre matric scholarships to the Pahari speaking students of Srinagar, Budgam and Anantnag districts etc. |
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Uneasy calm prevails on Indo-Bangla border MANKACHAR, Apr 20: An uneasy calm prevailed today on the India-Bangladesh border, a day after para-military border forces of the two countries agreed to a ceasefire in the wake of two days of heavy exchange of fire that left 16 BSF personnel killed. There had been no exchange of fire between Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) and the BSF after midnight in Boraibari, Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri Gayatri Baruah said adding residents of nearly 20 villages who had fled, however, had not returned so far. The two sides remained engaged in sporadic exchange of fire along the border in Boraibari area till midnight even after an agreement was reached at the flag meeting of BSF and BDR to stop the hostility and maintain status quo, sources here said. The border at Boraibari in Assam and Pyrdiwah in Meghalaya has been quiet today, BSF Additional Director General M K Singh told PTI in New Delhi. In Pyrdiwah, where BSF men retook possession of their observatory post from BDR after three days of occupation of the village, panic-stricken villagers have not yet returned. BSF Director General Gurbachan Jagat flew to the border areas for an on-the-spot study of the situation. Jagat, who is expected to return to New Delhi tomorrow, will submit a report to the Government analysing the events that led to worst-ever border clashes between the two neighbours in the last three decades. Reports from Dhaka said of the 11 bodies of BSF personnel which BDR claims to have collected on Wednesday after the fierce fighting, postmortem of only five had been done and these would be handed over to Indian side today. Bodies of six other BSF personnel would be handed over later after the postmortem. Two injured BSF personnel were being treated in hospital in Dhaka. Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Syed Moazzem Ali said BDR withdrew from Pyrdiwah and called off extra troops from the border after the Indian side dismantled the nearby road being built in a disputed area. Official sources said exodus from from Mankachar in Assam still continued with people taking shelter in West Garo hills district where the local authorities have set up three camps at Sulguri, Jholgaon and Monabari. Altogether 30 villages in Dhubri district had been affected due to the BDR shelling with the worst-hit being Shahapara, Thakurianbari, Boraibari and Karipara. Baruah said the villagers were terrified of returning to their homes and were flocking in large numbers to the nearby towns in Assam and Meghalaya. Sahapara village, which bore the brunt of the BDR offensive, presented a scene of destruction as rockets launched by BDR carved out craters in paddy fields forcing residents to flee. Besides Sahapara, inhabitants of nearly 30 other villages also fled in panic and took shelter at Sulguri and Jhalgaon in neighbouring Meghalaya. Twelve-year-old Riaz Ahmad who fled Sahapara was spotted in Dhubri and had little time to spare for a group of newsmen who approached him for an apprisal of the situation in the village. "I have to first reach a safe place," he said. Ahmad is among hundreds of children who had fled from Shahpara and nearby villages out of panic following the firing. Recounting the traumatic experience, Ahmad said he woke up to heavy sounds of firing and every member of his family was curious to know what had happened. "My father did not dare to take the cattle for grazing as we thought something worse has taken place," he said. Later in the day, there was a huge sound and cries and then my father knew that there was firing on the border. "The villagers all left in a hurry as there was sound of more firing and after that we do not know what happened," Ahmed said with tears in his eyes. Similar is the story of Syeda Khatun, 20, who was in Dhubri after fleeing from Mankachar following the firing. "All my family members did not take any chance and took a boat to cross the Brahmaputra and reach Dhubri," she said. (PTI) |
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India accepts BSF jawan’s bodies MANKACHAR (ASSAM), Apr 20: After hours of controversy, India late tonight accepted "highly mutilated" bodies of 15 BSF men killed by Bangladesh Rifles in border clashes even as New Delhi virtually absolved Dhaka of being behind the skirmishes. "Almost all the bodies brought by Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) were highly mutilated and beyond recognition. We have now accepted them," a senior BSF officer said after Indian authorities had refused to accept them initially. When the bodies were brought by Col Sadiqul Islam of 8th BDR battalion at a check post near here after darkness, they were refused on the ground that they were in a "very bad shape and in a state of decomposition", the officer said. India accepted the bodies after a flag meeting between BSF and BDR commanders at Kamalpur in Bangladesh held in the night after an earlier meeting at Kakrepara on the Indian side had failed to resolve the issue. The bodies were handed over without the weapons carried by the killed soldiers and the issue would have to be sorted out with BDR, the officer said. Official sources said the bodies bore marks of torture and strangulation. Even as an uneasy calm prevailed on the Indo-Bangla border following the clashes since April 16, a spokesman of the External Affairs Ministry in New Delhi indicated that the "unfortunate developments" could be the result of "local adventurism", thereby virtually absolving Bangladesh Government of any planned hostility. "Local adventurism can lead to unfortunate developments like the unwarranted and unprovoked action by BDR," he said. BDR claimed that one of bodies was that of B R Mandal, who was Deputy Commandant of the 118 BSF battalion deployed in the area, the sources said. BSF Director General Gurbachan Jagat, who flew to the border areas for an on the spot inquiry, was present at the check post when the bodies were brought. According to BDR, two injured BSF personnel were in its custody and were being treated at a hospital. Meanwhile, there has been no exchange of fire between BDR and BSF after midnight last night in Boraibari, Deputy Commissioner of Dhubri Gayatri Baruah, said adding residents of nearly 20 villages, who had fled, had however, not returned so far. The two sides remained engaged in sporadic exchange of fire along the Boraibari border till midnight even after the border forces yesterday reached an agreement at a flag meeting to halt hostility and maintain status quo. In Meghalaya’s Pyrdiwah village, where BSF men retook possession of their observatory post from BDR after three days of occupation of the village, panic-stricken villagers have not yet returned to their homes. (PTI) |
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Militant shot, arms haul in Rajouri Excelsior Correspondent RAJOURI, Apr 20: Army gunned down a militant and effected recovery of a large quantity of arms and ammunition in two separate incidents in Poonch and Rajouri districts overnight. Defence sources said security forces carried out a search operation in Jharan Wali Gali (JWG) area at 1145 hours today. The operation was carried out on the basis of a specific information given by local people regarding the militants’ hideout. The hideout was smashed by army personnel and a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from it. The recovery made from the hideout included 46 electronic detonators, 23 detonators (of Mark No 27), two anti-personnel mines, seven rucksacks, 12 blankets, 13 kg of explosives, one 82 mm rocket, two rocket boosters, one dicta phone, 78 rounds of Pika grenades, one torpedo and 10 meters of cordex. This was the second hideout busted by army in Jharan Wali Gali area in less than a week. Both the hideouts have been smashed with active assistance of local people, the sources said and added that local population has now started openly supporting the security forces to rid their area of militancy. "This was a clear indication that people have started supporting the cease-fire and want peace to return soon", they said. Meanwhile, a foreign mercenary was eliminated by security forces in village Khablan under the jurisdiction of Thanna Mandi police station late last night. The militant had managed to escape during an encounter early this week. He was trapped by a patrolling party of security forces in the forests of Khablan and gunned down after an hour long gun-battle. Slain militant was a Hizbul Mujahideen activist but his identity couldn’t be established immediately. |
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Businessman robbed of Rs 4 lakh in SMGS Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 20: A businessman was robbed off Rs four lakh cash in the premises of SMGS hospital late last night. The cash was stolen by some unidentified miscreants after breaking the screens of a car parked in the hospital. Police sources said Narinder Kumar Gupta, proprietor of Narinder Book Depot, Pacca Danga had parked his Maruti Zen car No. 5655 JK02L in the premises of SMGS hospital. A brief-case carrying an approximated cash of Rs four lakh was kept on the back seat of car by the businessman. As Mr Gupta went inside the hospital, the unidentified thieves broke the wind screen of the car and decamped with the brief-case containing the cash, the sources said, adding the businessman noted the theft on his return from inside the hospital. Finding the screens broken and the brief-case carrying Rs four lakh cash missing, the book depot owner informed City police. Police parties from City police station led by DySP City Ashok Sharma and SHO B M Sharma rushed to the hospital for investigations. Police said searches were carried out in the SMGS hospital and other areas but the thieves remained untraced. Police couldn’t say as to whether the theft was handiwork of one or more thieves. "We can’t say anything now as investigations were still at a preliminary stage", a City police officer said, adding ‘some clues had been gathered during day long investigations today, which were being pursued’. He said there was a possibility that the thieves might have been following the car from City and got an opportunity to strike when it was parked in the SMGS hospital. The thieves might be aware of the cash lying inside the car as screens of only one car were broken and not the other vehicles parked at the same place. City police have registered a case in this connection and started further investigations. No formal arrest has been made so far. |
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ISLAMABAD, Apr 20: A senior Hurriyat Conference leader today held talks with Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar on the Kashmir issue during his "private" visit to Islamabad and thanked the military regime’s support for the liberation movement in Kashmir. Sheikh Aziz, who arrived here few days ago to attend the wedding of his brother, welcomed the steps taken by Pakistan for commencement of a peace process to settle the Kashmir issue in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people, an official release said. Aziz, a member of the Hurriyat Conference executive council, lauded Pakistan’s support for the participation of Hurriyat Conference in talks between Pakistan and India. The Foreign Minister, on his part, reiterated Pakistan’s firm support to the Kashmir cause and opposition to Indian attempts to impose a military solution in Kashmir, a Foreign Office statement said. Aziz is likely to meet military ruler General Pervez Musharraf, Foreign Office sources said. (PTI) |
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BATALA, Apr 20: Pakistan’s ISI agency has suffered a major setback following the recent arrest of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) chief Wassan Singh Zaffarwal from Amritsar, Punjab Police said today. ISI was also unhappy with other top militants, including Wadhawa Singh Babbar, Menal Singh and Ranjit Singh Neeta, as they had failed to recruit fresh hands from Punjab and send the trained ultras with arms and explosive back to the State, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Border Range A P Pandey told reporters here. Pandey said though ISI was handling the training camps in Pakistan, it had failed to send arms, explosive and militants to Punjab due to fencing on the border and alertness exhibited by the State police. On the arrest of Wassan Singh Zaffarwal, he said he had left Pakistan following a quarrel with ISI and taken asylum in Switzerland in 1998. He said a total of seven cases were pending against him which included 10 murders and two cases of sedition at different places. He ruled out giving any general amensity to the Punjab militants. (PTI) |
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NEW DELHI, Apr 20: Hours after the Supreme Court declined to clarify its guidelines on appointment of CBI Director, the race for the post gathered momentum as the present incumbent R K Raghavan is to retire on April 30. The selection committee headed by Central Vigilance Commissioner N Vittal submitted a panel of three seniormost IPS officers to the Government. The Government was likely to decide on its choice in the next few days even as the names of Andhra Pradesh Director General H J Dora, Director General of Gujarat Police K Chakravarty, Delhi Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma and Special Director in CBI P C Sharma were doing rounds for the key post. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court stuck to its 1998 order laying down guidelines for the selection of the CBI Director and refused to provide the clarification sought by the Union Government whether it could consider those officers having less than two years service for the post. "Yes, the selection committee met on April 17 and three names had been passed on to the Government for consideration," Vittal told PTI. He, however, refused to divulge the names. Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Supreme Court today issued notice to Dora prima facie finding that he had granted sanction for prosecution of a large number of persons in TADA cases "in a very casual manner". (PTI) |
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Panja to continue support to NDA KOLKATA, Apr 20: Dissident Trinamool Congress (TC) leader Ajit Panja today said he would continue to support the ruling NDA despite party chief Mamata Banerjee snapping ties and expressed strong opposition to the TC-Congress alliance for the May 10 assembly elections in West Bengal. "I am still maintaining my support to NDA from outside except on the tehelka issue, where I shall abstain (from voting on the floor of Parliament), as per the unanimous decision taken at the TC Parliamentary Party meeting," Panja told PTI in an interview here. The state TC chairman, who has revolted against Banerjee alleging "autocracy" in Trinamool, expressed himself against the TC-Congress poll alliance saying there was still time to consider "going it alone and redress the wrong". "There is still time. Trinamool should declare that it will fight alone and see the result ... We will form the Government and I take that responsibility," the former Union Minister said. "I have a feeling that Banerjee will come out of the alliance," he said. On the poll prospects of the TC-Congress alliance, Panja said Congress stood "no chance" of winning, but the people would vote for the Trinamool, though "with anguish". Continuing his allegation regarding lack of democracy in the party, he said "even if we suppose that Trinamool has become the private property of Banerjee, she has failed to take care of that property. She has shown callous indifference towards it." Dismissing a need for change in the party leadership, Panja said he had also not thought of separating himself from Trinamool. "It (TC) is my child, how can I divide it ?" I don’t think we need a change in leadership if she (Banerjee) corrects herself, we only need a change in attitude," he said. Asked if his allegations against Banerjee just prior to the polls would mar Trinamool’s poll prospects, the former Minister of State for External Affairs said he had not "timed" his outburst just as Banerjee had not timed the "insult and humiliation" on him. "After the parliamentary party meeting on March 16, I knew I was not needed by the party anymore. Secondly, I did not want to be stamped as an opportunist by opening my mouth only after the polls," he said. Blaming Congress president Pranab Mukherjee, CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet and a "coterie in the party which followed Banerjee blindly for her "altered way of functioning", he said," Banerjee is being eclipsed by these villains." Panja said Banerjee had not yet talked to him to sort out thorny issues. "But I’m ready to talk, if she comes forward." On veteran Congress leader A B A Ghani Khan Choudhury’s strong reservation on the seat-sharing formula with Trinamool in Malda district, Panja said,"I extend open support to him. He knows the pulse of his people and protects his constituency." (PTI) |
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Mamata plays down Panja’s dissension KOLKATA, Apr 20: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee today sought to play down the dissension of senior leader Ajit Panja saying the matter should not be played up, even as Panja said he would continue to support the NDA. Banerjee, contradicting Panja’s statement, told newsmen that the decision to withdraw support to the ruling NDA was taken unanimously at a meeting in which party MPs were present. Panja had said that the TC Parliamentary Party had unanimously decided that party ministers would resign from the Government and abstain from voting in Parliament on the tehelka issue. But the party would continue to support the NDA from outside. "I am continuing my support (to NDA) according to the party decision", he said. TC chief whip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay said as his party was busy with the state assembly elections it would write to Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi for changing the seating arrangement of party MPs in the House after the poll. Meanwhile, BJP said that its door was open to Panja if he wanted to join the party. State BJP vice-president Muzaffar Khan said, "Ajitda, one of the founders of TC said there is no democracy in that party. If he feels there is discipline and democracy in BJP, he is welcome. Our door is open for him". (PTI) |
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