Attack on JK Assembly condemned
War against terrorism on all fronts: Blair

LONDON, Oct 4: Declaring that the war against terrorism will be fought on all fronts and all territories, British Prime Minister Tony Blair said this commitment is reinforced by the car bomb attack on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly which left at least 38 people dead and scores injured.

Addressing a special session of Parliament, Blair said an unprecedented level of solidarity and commitment to work together against terrorism is being undertaken by the international community.

"This is a commitment that spans all continents, cultures and religions, reinforced by attacks like the one on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly in Srinagar which killed over 30 innocent people."

Blair, who had a ten-minute telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee yesterday, said over the past three weeks Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and he had been in intensive contact with foreign leaders from every part of the world.

Blair had a 30-minute meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday. After the talks, Singh said that Britain had pledged full cooperation in fighting terrorism in Kashmir and would not allow its soil to be used as a base for raising funds to fuel terrorism in the Valley. Vowing to eliminate the threat Osama bin Laden and his terrorist network represented, Blair told the House that there was no doubt that he and his international network were behind the attacks in the US.

"It was Osama bin Laden and Al Qaeda, the terrorist network which he heads, that planned and carried out the atrocities on September 11".

Blair’s statement in Parliament came a day ahead of his planned visit to Islamabad for talks with President General Pervez Musharraf on the global fight against terrorism.

The House was told intensive efforts made here and elsewhere to investigate and find those responsible for the attacks clearly points to bin Laden’s involvement.

The Prime Minister indicated military action was likely but gave no indication when it would happen.

"We have absolutely no doubt that bin Laden and his network were responsible for the attacks on September 11", he told the hushed session.

Referring to the Taliban, Blair said it must "cease to harbour and sustain international terrorism" and served a warning again to give up bin Laden and his network "or become our enemy also".

"If the Taliban regime will not comply with that objective, we must bring about change in that regime to ensure that Afghanistan’s links to international terrorism are broken."

Blair warned that all Western nations faced a threat of terrorist attacks and must unite to form a common defence. Blair said the international community was already working in close cooperation with people inside and outside Afghanistan to build an alternative regime which would be as broad-based as possible, and would unite the ethnic groupings and give people the chance of some stable Government there.

The Prime Minister said his Government was also looking closely at its national legislation and in the next few weeks the Home Secretary would introduce a package of legislation to supplement existing legal powers in a number of areas.

"It will be a carefully-appraised set of measures: tough, but balanced and proportionate to the risk we face. It will cover the funding of terrorism. It will increase our ability to exclude and remove those whom we suspect of terrorism and who are seeking to abuse our asylum procedures. It will widen the law on incitement to include religious hatred. We will bring forward a bill to modernise our extradition law," he said.

Blair also spoke about the "humanitarian coalition to help the people of Afghanistan" and said the country was in the grip of a humanitarian crisis even before the events following the September 11 attacks.

"Four years of drought, on top of over two decades of conflict, have forced millions of people to leave the country and have left millions more dependent on international humanitarian aid," he said.

He said President George W Bush would shortly announce details of major US programme of aid.

On the discussions he had with US about a range of military capabilities, Blair said they were consistent with "our shared objectives". (PTI)

Youth shot dead; brother, father injured
Havildar's son among 3 militants gunned down

Excelsior Correspondent

UDHAMPUR, Oct 4: Rashtriya Rifles and Special Task Force (STF) early today gunned down three local militants including son of a Jammu and Kashmir Armed Police (JKAP) Havildar at village Chak Narwa in Neel area of Banihal tehsil in Doda district.

In another incident, the militants gunned down a youth and wounded his brother and father in their house at Nishala Bajarni in Doda late last night.

Official reports said troops of 12 Rashtriya Riles, assisted by STF Banihal and police, carried out a search operation at village Chak Narwa in Neel area last mid-night after developing an information that three to five militants were holding a ‘strategy session’ in a house to step-up militant activities across Banihal tehsil.

As security personnel were surrounding an identified hideout, they were fired upon by the militants. Troops fired back. Exchange of firing between the two sides continued for one and a half hour in which three militants were killed. Security jawans didn’t suffer any casualty in the operation.

Reports indicated that two militants might have escaped from the house during exchange of firing. Though there was no confirmation of the report, security personnel continued searches in Chak Narwa and surrounding villages.

Slain militants have been identified as Aijaz-ul-Naik son of Abdul Rashid Naik, a Havildar in JKAP, posted in JKAP 6th bn of Anantnag, a resident of Senigam, Abdul Rashid alias Saddam Hussain of Chak Narwa and Shabnam (code name), a resident of Khari, Banihal. They were activists of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and were operating in Banihal for last more than one year.

Recovery made from the encounter site included one AK-47 rifle, one AK-56 rifle, six magazines, six hand grenades, 10 rifle grenades, a wireless set and 200 AK rounds.

Naik was a hardcore militant and was involved in a series of killings and burning of house in Neel area.

Meanwhile, three militants entered into the house of Abdul Rashid son of Ahmedu Lone at village Nishala Bajarni in Doda last mid-night. After about 15 minutes scuffle inside the house, the militants opened firing causing serious injuries to Abdul Rashid and his two sons Kifayat Ullah and Farooq Ahmed.

The militants escaped from the village. One of the injured Kifayat Ullah later succumbed to his injuries before being shifted to hospital.

A police party reached the spot after the incident. Two injured were shifted to hospital with bullet injuries. They were responding to treatment.

Police started searches in the village but couldn’t trace the militants, who were three in number and were suspected to be local activists of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. Reports said that Kifayat Ullah was a former Special Police Officer (SPO) with Doda police but left the job about two years back.

SIMI activists sneak into J&K

From B L Kak

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: The Government of India has, in a message to the Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security agencies, called for a massive hunt to track down dozens of wanted activists of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), who have, in the past some days, managed to sneak into Kashmir valley and Poonch and Rajouri sectors of Jammu region.

The message was, obviously, prompted by reports from intelligence agencies regarding the undetected entry into Jammu and Kashmir of scores of SIMI activists from Delhi,UP and Madhya Pradesh after the police and crack detectives were pressed into service to nab "trouble-makers" belonging to the banned organisation.

A top intelligence source described as "startling" the report received from a border district of Jammu region, which touched upon the secret link a group of non-Kashmiri members of the SIMI had developed with a set of J&K Government employees and three legislators prior to the ban clamped on the outfit.

And another report, the source divulged, had identified half a dozen Kashmiri secessionist leaders as well as three functionaries of Kashmir’s All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC), who had been in touch with some SIMI leaders from Lucknow and Kanpur since the middle of the year 2000.

That the ban on the SIMI across the country has not led to a total stoppage of the outfit’s activity is borne out by the mysterious circulation of provocative posters by the SIMI, inciting Muslims to avenge for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya near a decade ago. In some localities of Kanpur, Lucknow and Delhi, unidentified supporters of the banned organisation also successfully manipulated, in the past some days, the distribution of posters in support of Osama bin Laden.

The Delhi Police are considering freezing the accounts of SIMI, the Islamic outfit that has been denouncing the American crackdown against Osama bin Laden through its activists and magazines. Plans are also afoot to close down its portal to prevent its misuse. The portal and various magazines seized during the recent police raids at its head office in Zakir Nagar reflect the anti-national sentiment of the SIMI.

The move to freeze accounts is part of the Government order, which, on present indications, will be carried out across the country where the outfit has its bank accounts. In Delhi, the SIMI has its account in two banks, including that in Zakir Nagar, where its three-storeyed office is located.

For years, SIMI had been under close surveillance over its activities and the way it was expanding its network in the country. Also its radical stand like the one on democracy and Kashmir and more lately on Osama bin Laden had raised many eyebrows. But its alleged involvement with many dubious outfits and its subsequent role in many of the activities had ultimately forced the Government to clamp down the ban on the organisation.

More than the issues concerning the students the SIMI was engrossed in other activities using religion at its base, according to the UP Government. The SIMI’s sense of history is anachronistic. At its regional conference in Kanpur in 1999, SIMI openly came out in support of Osama bin Laden.

That SIMI continued its activities with impunity without any control from the Government agencies is a matter of concern. The way it was allowed to flourish so freely despite its objectionable approach and inflammatory speeches deserves to be delved upon.

Russian plane with 77 people crashes. Hit by a missile?

MOSCOW, Oct 4: In a suspected terrorist attack, a Russian airliner with at least 77 people on board, mostly Israelis, heading from Tel Aviv to Siberia today crashed into the Black Sea after a mid-air explosion even as a Russian television channel said the aircraft may have brought down by a missile fired during a military exercise in Ukraine.

However, a spokesman of Ukrainian Defence Minister Alexander Kuzmuk denied that its surface-to-air missile had hit the plane as the airspace in the area of air defence exercise was closed for flights and no plane had entered it, according to Tiara-Tass news agency despatch from Kiev.

The plane, a Tupolev TU-154, belonging to Sibir Airlines was headed for the Siberian city of Novosibirsk when it disappeared from the radar screens, 180 km south of the Russian Black Sea resort of Adler, Itar-Tass reported.

Rescuers have fished out six bodies from the sea. Russian authorities have mobilised all available resources including military aircraft and naval vessels to search for the possible survivors from among the passengers and 12 crew members.

An Armenian official quoted a pilot flying alongside the doomed TU-154 Sibir Airlines jet, heading from Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion airport to the Siberian town of Novosibirsk, as saying he saw flames, a blast, then fragments falling into the sea.

Against a background of international tension after the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, Putin told a meeting of European Justice Ministers: "a civilian aircraft crashed today and it is possible that it was the result of a terrorist act."

Nikolai Patrushev, the head of Russia’s domestic FSB Security Service, earlier told Putin he had heard from Armenian officials of the report of the mid-air blast.

"They saw the plane blow up in the air," Patrushev told a solemn-looking Putin during a crisis meeting in the Kremlin, also attended by Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov.

If it turns out the plane was blown up it would be the first such disaster since the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon in which thousands were killed.

Patrushev told the Kremlin meeting, clips of which were aired by NTV television, that a rescue ship and a plane had been dispatched to the area, some 185 km (110 miles) off Russia’s coast.

Official accounts of the number of people on board varied between 74 and 78.

Two bodies were found on the surface of the sea, the Emergencies Ministry said.

In the Armenian capital Yerevan, the Flight Director of Armenian Airlines said he had heard the pilot of a plane which was flying alongside the Sibir jet describing what he had seen.

"The pilot said that out of the corner of his eye he saw flames," Flight Director Garik Ovanesyan told Reuters.

"The commander of the plane contacted ground control to find out if there were any (military) exercises. Then there was an explosion and fragments falling to the sea," he said, citing the pilot.

The disaster provided a grim background for a meeting scheduled later on Thursday between the Kremlin leader and British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was flying to Moscow to discuss the international crisis.

The US attacks have led Washington to declare a "war on terrorism" and prepare military action against "terrorist" bases in Afghanistan.

Russian security services were quoted as saying they were probing the possibility of a "terrorist act".

"TZe information coming from the scene is being investigated now," Interfax quoted the FSB as saying. "Taking into account the latest events in the world, the theory of a terrorist act is being investigated first of all."

An official of Sibir Airlines in Novosibirsk told Reuters that the plane, which was on a regular today flight today from Tel Aviv, was off course when the disaster occurred.

"Why the Black Sea? Why should they have been given such an air corridor," she asked. Normally the flight from the Israeli capital to Novosibirsk does not pass over the sea.

Interfax news agency said the crashed plane had been in service for 10 years.

An Emergencies Ministry official reached by telephone in Novosibirsk told Reuters that the crew were all Russian but that most of the passengers were Israeli citizens.

The ministry spokeswoman said the sea was 1,000 metres (3,000 feet) deep where the plane went down.

Sibir Airlines, which is privately owned and has a high standing in the aviation industry in Russia, has a fleet of about 30. (Agencies)

Seoz valley turns into militants' hub

From Dinesh Manhotra

GUHA-MARMAT (DODA), Oct 4: Situated amidst thick coniferous forest and snow capped mountain peaks, the bewitching rolling meadows of Seoj Valley, bordering Kathua, Udhampur and Doda districts, has turned into an ‘operational hub’ for militants particularly for those expert in triggering blasts through Improvised Explosive Devises (IEDs).

Located at meeting point of three districts, this Valley has become ‘base camp’ for militants to carry out their ‘actions’ in the these districts. Most of militants camping in this ‘base camp’ usually return to this ‘safe heaven’ after executing their nefarious designs in area bordering this Valley.

Notwithstanding claims of the authorities, far-flung hamlets of this area, particularly Marmat belt, comprising population of more than 60,000, is a ‘fertile ground’ for the recruitment of militants. Survival of the inhabitants largely depends upon desires of militants, whose activities have been going on unchecked in many areas.

As this belt remained unattended for years together, militants’ writ was prevailing in Marmat and other areas. Dwellers of this belt, both Hindus and Muslims, had to bow before the diktats of terrorists.

"Selective killings, looting, rapes and kidnaping were routine affairs in the area", said a fear stricken resident and added that those who dared to refuse directions of militants had faced their wraths.

With fear lurking on his face, Rashid, a resident, recalled how terrorist shot dead son-in-law of Asadullah before his daughter and later fired shot on his knee-cap thereby rendering him handicapped permanently.

Situation has improved in some areas after deployment of a full battalion of Army but militants’ writ is still prevailing in large chunk of Marmat belt.

"Our life is on razor’s edge", feel residents and said that situation has improved but not to such an extend that they can live their own lives. Fear, visible on the faces of inhabitants and miseries being faced by the denizens is a clear indication that survival is not easy in this area.

"Army posts have been established at Muthi, Labbar, Behote, Mehote and some other areas still most villages of Marmat belt remained unattended", said a resident, adding, " neither there is any army post nor picket of Special Task Force". Ahead of Guha there are villages namely Behote, Mehote, Parbal, Mangola, Mandol, Beri, Gund, Loga, Bnan, Fantiana, Sanikunt, Jagote, Khatriyar, Dhranga, Batungla, Rta Pani, Batote, Chalot Gigar De Talian. Most of these villages except three or four are without any security cover and dwellers of these hamlets living at the mercy of the militants.

"As there is no post of security forces ahead of Guha, entire belt is a safe heaven for militants", admitted an Army officer and informed that large area of this belt is still unattended. Deputy Commissioner of Doda, Mr Shailender Kumar, too admitted that it was not feasible to provide picket at every village. "We have established pickets at some strategic points to keep check on the activities of militants", said Mr Kumar.

As this large area is unattended, militants have been using this belt as their operational hub. Defence sources informed that from this ‘base camp’ militants enter Sudhmahadev, Mantalai, Lattiduna and Ramnagar areas and successfully manage to escape back after executing their nefarious task in these areas. "Taking advantage of non-deployment of forces and coniferous forests militants never find any difficulty to return to Marmat area after accomplishing their evil tasks in some areas of Udhampur and Kathua", said defence sources and added that most of IED blasts at Sudhmahadev, Mantalai, Lattiduna and Chenani areas were triggered off by the militants of Marmat area. Militants, camping at Marmat areas, manage to infiltrate into Udhampur district through Shali Kund and Sidhani area which is considered as safe route for them.

Militants even enter Bani-Basoli area of Kathua district from this ‘operational hub’ through Usla-Jhopher and usually make good escape after conducting their ‘actions’ in some areas of Kathua district.

As the area is considered as safest place, militants also use this Valley as ‘transit camp’. "As Marmat area enroutes Doda, Udhampur and Kathua districts, militants make easy escape into this area in case pressure of forces increases", said sources.

This belt is dominated by the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen out-fit. Though there are some foreign mercenaries but most of militants operating in Marmat and adjoining belt are local. "Ansari brothers (Farooq Ansari and Shakeel Ansari) had let loose a reign of terror in the area", sources said and admitted that there was no down fall in the activities of militants even after elimination of Farooq Ansari.

Defence sources informed that two years back militants of Hizbul Mujahideens had been only active in this area but now there are reports said that some pan-Islamic militants out-fits like Al-Bader and Lashkar-e-Toiba have also shifted their base to Marmat area.

Defence sources disclosed that most of Hizbul Mujahideen militants operating from this area are expert in triggering blasts with IEDs. "Most of the blasts which took place in Udhampur area are executed by HM militants of Marmat belt", said sources.

Gwalior bids adieu to its popular Prince

GWALIOR, Oct 4 : The dark clouds dispersed and the sun shone brightly as Gwalior’s Suryavanshi ‘Maharaj’ Madhavrao Scindia set out on his ‘Mahaprasthana’, the eternal journey, today.

Madhavrao’s son Jyotiraditya bent down and touched his father’s feet one last time, before setting light to the funeral pyre amid the chant of vedic mantras.

Thousands of mourners wept openly for their beloved leader and slogans in his praise rent the air at the royal cremation ground ‘Amma Maharaj ki Chhatri’.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Lok Sabha Speaker G M C Balayogi, Home Minister L K Advani, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pramod Mahajan, Railway Minister Nitish Kumar and other cabinet ministers, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and almost the entire Party leadership, State Governors and Chief Ministers, former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar and Pradesh Congress chiefs were among those present on the occasion.

Armymen placed a wreath on behalf of President K R Narayanan, the Supreme Commander of the defence forces. A wreath was also placed on behalf of Vice-President Krishan Kant. The Prime Minister, Mrs Gandhi, Mr Advani and the Cabinet ministers were the next to pay floral tributes. The rest of the gathering followed.

Scindia’s grandson Mahanaryaman, son-in-law Vikramaditya, Jyotiraditya’s father-in-law Sangram Singh Gaekwad and his personal secretary Mahendra Pratap Singh stood beside Jyotiraditya.

Gwalior, in mourning since Sunday when the popular prince and Congress Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha was killed in a plane crash, witnessed unprecedented crowds turning up at such an event here to pay last respects to the leader who was in his ninth term in Parliament.

The cremation rites started with the ‘mundan’ (shaving his head) of Jyotiraditya around 1230 hrs. Guns boomed 21 times and an army band played the last post as he lit the pyre around 1405 hrs. By the time the pyre was lit, almost every eye was moist.

Scindia’s wife Madhvi Raje, daughter Chitrangada, daughter-in-law Priyadarshini Raje, sisters Vasundhara Raje, Yashodhara Raje and Usha Raje were not present at the cremation ground as they bid farewell to the King at the Jai Vilas Palace itself. Hindu women are traditionally barred from coming to the cremation ground.

The mortal remains of the Gwalior Maharaj was brought to the cremation ground in the traditional royal ‘Palki’ as the city, which had been experiencing rains since Sunday, saw bright Sunshine today.

A barefooted Jyotiraditya led the procession, which started around 1045 hrs. Behind him moved the personnel of the 18th Kumaon Regiment and 436 Air Defence Artillary Regiment with inverted arms and the army band.

Relatives and friends of Madhavrao shouldered the sandalwood ‘palki’ (palanquin) as the procession moved from the Rani Mahal to Amma Maharaj Ki Chhatri through various roads in the city.

A sea of people joined the procession which took about 150 minutes for its three km journey. The procession had come down the Mahadji Scindia Marg to the main gate of the palace.

The rituals were conducted in accordance with the royal tradition and the decision of the ‘Raj Purohit’ (chief priest) Upadhya Bua. The Upadhyas have been the family priests of the Scindias for generations and their say in these matters are final.

The ‘Palki’ (similar to one used for the sending off of a daughter to her in-laws house after marriage) left the Rani Mahal (Queen’s Palace) inside the 1874-built Jai Vilas Palace around 1030 hours.

Gwalior is witnessing the second royal cremation within nine months. In January, Madhavrao had lit the pyre of his mother Vijayraje at Amma Maharaj Ki Chhatri. The cremation ground also has the Chhatris’ of Scindia’s father Jiwajirao and grandfather Madhorao.

An all-religion prayer meeting was held at the Queen’s Palace before the body left for the cremation ground. Vedic hymns were constantly chanted near the body of the departed leader, in keeping with Hindu traditions.

The city saw unprecedented security arrangements for the VVIPs and the largest ever gathering of people in such an event in the State. Comparatively lesser security was seen during the cremation of Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia this January. Madhavrao was cremated next to his mother.

The Administration used the services of the entire district police force, special police force and para-military forces to ensure proper security during the ceremony. The entire area was barricaded to keep a check on the movement of the general people inside the ground.

Also present at the occasion were Union Law Minister Arun Jaitley, Minister of State for Railways Digvijay Singh, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Chhatisgarh Chief Minister Ajit Jogi, Rajasthan PCC president Girija Vyas, former Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Telegu Desam Party leader Yerran Naidu.

Among the senior Congress leaders present were former Speaker Shivraj Patil, Manmohan Singh, Karan Singh, Gulam Nabi Azad, Kamal Nath, Motila Lal Vora, V C Shukla, Shyama Charan Shukla, Priyaranjan Das Munshi, P M Sayeed, Kapil Sibal and newly-appointed party spokesman Abhijit Manu Singhvi.

The state administration, however, had a tough time ensuring a smooth conduct of the function. Massive security bandobust was put up for the cremation in view of the presence of the distinguished guests.

Minutes before the funeral pyre was lit, Jyotiaditya was asked by the priests to bid the final farewell to his father and take his blessings by touching his feet. The Prince went on his kees to touch his feet and broke down.

The priests had to forcibly lift him asking him to cool down.

During the last four days after Mr Scindia’s death, Jyotiraditya had emerged as a composed personality — whether it was at the Palam Airport, or at the official 27, Safdarjung Residence of Scindia, AICC, Gwalior Airport or the Royal Palace. All along he kept his emotions under control.

Even as the gathering started moving out after the cremation, Jyotiraditya stood on the platform till the body was completely consigned to flames. He constantly stared at the pyre, barring on a few occasions when he looked at the sky and at the people who were leaving by then.

Clad in white dhoti, Jyotiraditya arrived at the cremation ground with the body of his father and after the initial rituals, went inside a makeshift room to tonsure his hair, take a bath and change the clothes.

As he emerged out of the room, the entire ground shouted "Jyotiraditya sanghasrsh karo hum tumhare saath hai". They continued for the next fifteen minutes shouting slogans like "Madhavrao scindia amar rahe’, "Jab tak suraj chaand rahega, Madhav tera naam rahega’ and ‘Aaandhi nahin tufaan tha, Gwalior ki shaan tha." (UNI)

Modi invited to form Govt

GANDHINAGAR, Oct 4: BJP general secretary Narendra Modi was today invited to form the new Government in Gujarat replacing the one led by Keshubhai Patel after he was elected leader of the BJP Legislature Party unanimously.

Fifty-one-year old Modi will be sworn-in as Chief Minister on Sunday.

Governor Sundar Singh Bhandari, in a letter to Modi, invited Modi to form Government, according to Raj Bhavan sources.

The Governor’s invitation came after state BJP president Rajendrasinh Rana, accompanied among others by the Chief Minister-designate Modi, central party observer Madan Lal Khurana and party chief whip Vadibhai Patel met Bhandari and handed over a letter from the party MLAs, informing about the unanimous election of Modi as the legislature party chief this morning.

Bhandari also congratulated Modi, who will be the state’s 19th Chief Minister, on his election as leader of the legislature party.

Meanwhile, central party president Jana Krishnamurthy thanked Keshu-bhai Patel, the outgoing Chief Minister for stepping down after agreeing to the decision of the central leadership. He also thanked the party MLAs for electing Modi unanimously.

Modi’s name for the post was proposed by outgoing Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel and seconded by Suresh Mehta.

In all 109 MLAs of the party were present at the meeting.

State general secretary Gordhan Zadapia told reporters that Union Home Minister L K Advani would be present here at the swearing-in ceremony of Modi on Sunday.

Chief Minister designate Modi has replaced Patel following the decision of the central party leaders for the change of leadership after the party’s debacle in the recent by-elections in the State for Sabarmati Assembly seat and Sabarkantha Lok Sabha seat.

Patel had submitted his resignation to Bhandari yesterday.

After his election to the new post, Modi, in his first address to party MLAs, made a resolve for the development of Gujarat.

He later said that in consultation with senior party leaders he would decide the matter of induction of other ministers. (PTI)

US evidence to indict Laden sufficient: Pak

ISLAMABAD, Oct 4: In significant remarks, Pakistan today said the evidence given by US against terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaida network provided "sufficient" basis for his indictment in a court of law.

"We have seen the material provided to us by the American side yesterday. This material certainly provided sufficient basis for indictment in a court of law", Pakistan’s Foreign Office spokesman Riaz Mohammad Khan told newspersons.

The remarks are significant because no other Muslim country has taken such an unequivocal stand on bin Laden’s role in the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.

Khan said the material forwarded by the US to the Pakistan Government related to bin Laden’s involvement in terrorist incidents before and after September 11 attacks.

He, however, declined to comment whether the evidence indicted Taliban leadership which provided shelter to bin Laden or whether it was sufficient to justify a military strike on Afghanistan and bin Laden’s terrorist network in that country.

Khan pointed out that the UN resolutions have already asked Taliban to hand over bin Laden for a trial.

Asked whether Pakistan planned to share the evidence with the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) or Taliban, he said it was for the US to exercise its judgement about sharing the evidence with other countries.

"In our view there is need to share the evidence with international community.... Of course there are sensitivities involved regarding the confidentiality of the material. It is for the US to decide whether they want to publicise it or not", he said. (PTI)

JD-U threatens BJP, hails PM

GHAZIABAD, Oct 4: Janata Dal (United), a constitutent of the National Democratic Alliance today launched an indirect attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party and cautioned that any effort to establish ideological superiority could weaken the alliance and called for a ‘better coordination’ among the NDA onstituents.

The resolution adopted at the two day national executive held here yesterday and today said that the era of single party majority had become a things of the past and all parties would have to accept this.

The resolution praised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s leadership and the party said it extended support to the principle of collective discussions among smaller and major partners for in strengthening the collective decision making process. The BJP, the resolution recalled, had to cope with its internal ideological conflicts despite the presence of Mr Vajpayee as a strong personality. Barring a few exceptions, the tenure of last two years had been successful but ‘challenging’ and there was a need for ‘better coordination’ among the constituents.

The JD(U) might appear numerically weak but its commitment and aims of bringing radical changes in the system and its pro-poor policy were still headed its agenda. The last September Lucknow rally and the agenda set up by JD (U) president and Union Labour Minister Sharad Yadav had been adopted by number of political parties as their main programme, the resolution said. "We are confident that craving for development will replace narrow minded politics based on caste and religious considerations," JD(U) spokesman Mohan Prakash said.

Talking to newspersons after the executive, Mr Sharad Yadav said that the JD(U) would want to fight elections under the NDA umbrella and the situation in UP had changed for better after Mr Rajnath Singh tookover as Chief Minister. "People of UP should give another chance to Mr Singh to develop the State fully," he said.

He said his party was fighting to create a new political atmosphere and relieve the polity from the clutches of mafia, contractors and corporate sectors and the rich. The agenda of these interests was to caputure power and arrange wealth, prosperity and luxury for themesleve and their families. "These heartless people are least bothered about welfare of the poor," Mr Yadav said.

The JD(U), Mr Yadav said had the dual responsibility of maintaining the identity and salvaging the derailed politics of the State. The party had a band of ‘wise, thoughtful and dedicated workers’ who were willing to protect the values evolved by the country under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia and Jaya Prakash Narain.

The party, he said would whole heartedly participate in the celebrations of J P centenary as these programmes strengthened its ideological base as it was the ‘proud and true inheritor’ of J P’s ‘total revolution’.

Among those who participated in the two day national executive included former Karnataka Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde, Bihar JD(U) chief Ramjeevan Singh, UP unit chief Suresh Niranjan Bhaiya, Karnataka unit president C Byre Gowda besides party general secretaries Mohan Prakash, K C Tyagi and Naval Kishore Rai, MP.

The party also passed a resolution urging the Government to protect the interests of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from the piquant situation created by lack of job opportunities and exit policy, which allow the employers to pick and choose their personnel. The Government of India should take all steps necessary to extend the reservation for SC, ST and backward classes in all the sectors of industries including public and private and joint sectors. (UNI)

Srinagar blast handiwork of Laden: Straw

LONDON, Oct 4: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw today said terrorism continued to take an ugly toll on human life in India and condemned the recent bomb blast outside the Jammu and Kashmir assembly as "utterly unjustified" saying its perpetrators were linked to Osama bin Laden.

"Let us not forget that just this week, terrorism has continued to take an ugly toll of innocent human life, in India. In Srinagar, the capital of Jammu and Kashmir, a suicide bomber struck literally at the heart of their democracy by detonating a bomb in the State Assembly, killing 38 and injuring many more," Straw, who opened a debate on international response to terrorism, said.

"The terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad, which I proscribed when Home Secretary, has claimed responsibility for this outrage. Its leader is linked to (Saudi fugitive) Osama bin Laden," he said.

"I know that I speak for the whole House in condemning this utterly unjustified attack, and expressing my condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of India," the Foreign Secretary, who had a luncheon meeting with External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh yesterday, said.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has taken a lead role in bringing about an international coalition to fight the menace of terrorism, has vowed to eliminate the menace.

The British Government released a 21-page document based on intelligence reports and investigations warning that bin Laden has the "will and resources" to carry out further atrocities on the scale of the Sept 11 terror attacks. (PTI)

Our stand is vindicated: RSS

NEW DELHI, Oct 4: RSS today said the Government’s demand to Pakistan to hand over Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azar to India for trial vindicated its stand that the Centre had not done the right thing by releasing key terrorists during the Kandahar hijack in December 1999.

"Our stand is vindicated. It was strategically wrong to release key terrorists, including Masood, in exchange for the safe return of passengers of the Indian Airlines plane hijacked from Kathmandu to Kandhar," RSS spokesman M G Vaidya told reporters.

Vaidya said the Government should not have released Masood, whose Jaish-e-Mohammad has claimed responsibility for this week’s car bomb attack on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly resulting in heavy loss of life.

He said it was high time India launched an attack in the PoK region to demolish terrorist camps. "When it should be done, it is for the Government to decide," he said when asked by when New Delhi should act.

To a question, Vaidya said Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s letter to US President George Bush in the wake of the attack on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly did not amount to inviting US mediation in Jammu and Kashmir.

The purpose of the letter is to seek US intervention to eliminate terrorism, he said adding that the US should use its influence on Pakistan to put an end to cross-border terrorism. "We are not viewing the letter as an invitation to the US to solve Kashmir problem," he said. (PTI)

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