Warm reception at Royal Spring Golf Course
Pak scribes land in their dream land

From Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

SRINAGAR, Oct 5: The 16-member delegation of the Pakistani journalists reached here this evening to a rousing reception at the picturesque Royal Spring Golf Course. For the next three days, members of the delegation are tightly scheduled to meet leaders of almost all the mainstream and separatist political parties, Kashmir-based media fraternity, academics and social activists. They are also going to meet senior government functionaries, legislators and Army authorities to know the "ground situation" in the embattled Kashmir valley.

After a chain of interaction with political leaders and mediapersons, besides visiting camps of the displaced Kashmiri Pandits for two days in Jammu, the Pakistani journalists today left for their dreamland of Kashmir valley. They were accompanied by three senior Indian journalists — Dilip Padgaonkar, M K Dhar and Pushp Saraf —-on behalf of the Indian chapter of the South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA).

Even as ordinary people and schoolchildren had not lined up on the 294-Km-long Jammu-Srinagar highway to receive the Pakistani journalists, their travel became momentous at Anantnag when president of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti, received them too warmly at the Dak Bungalow. A number of the PDP’s MLAs and Ministers were vying with one another in presenting bouquets and garlands to the Valley’s extra-ordinary guests. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s brother-in-law, Sartaj Madni, who is MLA from Devsar constituency, arranged a tea party in honour of the Pakistani journalists.

The ultimate destination, Srinagar, turned hot well around the arrival of the Pakistani journalists—not with firecrackers but with the gunfire. At Lawaypora, on Srinagar-Baramulla road, at least three militants and an equal number of troopers got killed in a fierce gunbattle. Late night reports said that three more militants were holed up at a hideout but explosions and gunshots fell short of the Royal Spring Golf Course. OB vans of television news channels, which usually reach such spots at lightning speed, ignored the gunbattle completely as each of them was focused on the Pakistani media glitterati.

Kashmiri journalists, including the Directors of Doordarshan Kendra Srinagar and Radio Kashmir Srinagar, garlanded the delegation members and presented to them bouquets. "I feel I’m in a dreamland" was invariably the answer to every local journalist’s question: "How do you feel at arriving in Srinagar?". One of the female guest journalists could not control her emotions when she found herself in the midst of an enthused brigade of Kashmiri mediapersons.

Director of Information, Farooq Reenzu, and editor of Srinagar Times, Sofi Ghulam Mohammad, welcomed the Pakistani delegation on behalf of the fraternity of mediapersons in Jammu and Kashmir. Special Correspondent of The Hindu, Shujat Bukhari, made a dig on the organisers, lamenting that non-Kashmiri journalists were managing the show on behalf of Kashmiri journalists who had not been taken into confidence. "Nobody told us that you are visiting Kashmir. We learned it through newspapers. Had we been informed, we would have organised a grand reception", he told the Pakistani delegation over public address system.

Leader of the Pakistani media troupe, Imtiyaz Alam, described the SAFMA initiative as historic. He emphasised that there should be no borders or barriers in the flow of information and movement of journalists in any part of the South Asia, particularly in India and Pakistan. He said that with their arrival in Jammu and Srinagar, a dream had come true for the member of his delegation. "It was a very difficult task. We have made it, at last", he remarked. He acknowledged that the visit of Pakistani journalists to Jammu & Kashmir was a result of the composite dialogue between India and Pakistan.

Imtiyaz Alam stressed on the need to open all communication links between the two parts of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that it would rejoin the divided families and mitigate their suffering. "We journalists are professionally bound to see both sides of the situation. We can’t rely on half-truths. Presently, we know only half of the truth. We are here to see the other side of the truth. I assure you all that we will observe the highest professional standards (in reporting Jammu and Kashmir)", he added. Alam said that SAFMA would soon invite a delegation of the Indian and Kashmiri journalists to Pakistan and the other side of the border.

Geo TV’s famous anchorperson and News Editor, Nasir Beg Chugtai, who has earlier worked as Deputy Editor with Pakistan’s largest circulated newspaper, The Jung, expressed optimism that the Government of Pakistan would soon withdraw ban on watching of Indian television channels. A resident of Karachi, who is now more stationed in Dubai, Nasir told The EXCELSIOR that Pakistani government was also considering permission of unlinking to Pakistan’s private television channels. He said that presently both, Geo TV as well as ARY TV, were operating from Dubai.

When this writer asked Nasir how the sponsors and managers of his visit, who were almost all beneficiaries of the disturbed situation, would allow the members of his delegation to reach out to the victims of the disturbed situation, he said: "If we are denied the chance of observing the ground realities freely and objectively, it will be unfortunate".

Sensing that managers of the visit have not involved Srinagar-based mediapersons with the historic initiative, SAFMA rescheduled Wednesday’s itinerary of the Pakistani journalists and invited the local journalists for an exhaustive interaction with the delegation at Broadway Hotel from 1300 to 1500 hours tomorrow. On Wednesday itself, Pakistani journalists are scheduled to meet Vice Chancellor and faculty members at the University of Kashmir besides separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mohammad Yaseen Malik and Shabir Ahmed Shah.

Slain ultras were carrying Pak newspaper cuttings
Terrorists find mobile phones as safest
communication mode

From Gopal Sharma

SURANKOT, Oct 5: Terrorists from Pakistan and Pak occupied Kashmir (PoK) operating in Poonch and Rajouri sectors of Jammu division are well equipped with mobile phones, finding it most safest and quickest mode of communication. High-frequency wireless sets turn to be the second choice for them now.

Though mobile phones are also serving for them as devices for activating explosions, yet the newspaper cuttings from a few Pak based papers carrying anti-India propaganda material is serving them a big weapon for launching so called ‘Jehad’ in Jammu and Kashmir.

Six terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen and HMPPR ( Hizbul Mujahideen Pir Panjal Range), who were gunned down by the security agencies on Ranjat hills of Surankot adjoining Kaka Hills and Hari Budha on Monday, were carrying news cuttings of a Pakistan based Urdu newspaper ‘Nai Dunia’. The newspaper carried photograph of Saddam in chains being dragged by an American soldier, with heading— " Gaddaron Ne Kaise Becha Saddam Ko America Ke hanthon", " Akhari Jung", ...Red and green chillis like cross swords, signifying Congress and BJP with Party symbols and captions...." Dekhen Kis ki Mirchi Mein Kitna Hai Dam....," appeals to the terrorist groups for Jehad and many other anti-India and anti-security forces propaganda material. Nai Dunia, an Urdu weekly is said to be a Muzaffarabad based coloured newspaper and it was an issue of January 23-29, 2004 recovered from the possession of killed terrorists, costing Rs 10 per issue.

The recovery from the militants displayed before the media persons by troops at Surankot also drew attention of media-persons towards the increasing use of mobile phones and coded log-sheets with daily based details filled duly by the ultras. Code names of places, locations and their names against numbers and digits were indicated in Urdu language in the log sheets. It shows the kind of training and skills to handle equipment imparted to these terrorists before launching from that side of the Line of control.

A senior Army officer disclosed that militant groups eliminated in last two to three months in Poonch and Rajouri sector were found equipped with mobile phones with international roaming. They select this mode of communication while transmitting a message or talking to their leaders and field commanders because there is no threat of interception of their secret messages by Indian agencies and this is the fastest and most advanced mode of communication for them. They are also light in weight. There has been a good mobile network on that side of the Line of Control and their sets are easily connecting them with their bosses on that side. Most of the mobile sets seized are found to be of high quality with many functions. And even after coming to this side they have started managing local companies Simcards on fake names and fake addresses or even on the names of some local contacts. Quoting communication engineers, he said the mobile phones emit ultra violet rays which even help in activating explosive devices. The misuse of this advanced technology is proving counter-productive and security threat in this part of the region.

Sector Commander of Romeo Force in Surankot, Brig M K Khushwah disclosed that this group of six terrorists was eliminated on the basis of intelligence inputs of police and other agencies working together. The chase of this group of six started after Lance Naik Lal Din was beheaded by LeT area commander Abu Salma near Chamrer Gali on Sept 29. On Oct 2, a masive operation was launched jointly by jawans of Romeo Force, Para Commandos and police under the supervision of Maj Gaurav and Commanding Officer, Sanjay Thakur. Three crack teams of special forces comprising 15 jawans each, started from different locations to trap the hiding ultras. The first contact was established at 8.30 AM on Monday. Two ultras were killed in very first contact while other four were eliminated during day long gun battle. The operation was over by 4.30 pm without any casualty on troops side.

The slain terrorists include four foreigners of HMPPR namely—Sayed Khalid Pathan, Shahabudin Gauri, Abdul Rehman and Saifullah. The two local from HM are identified as Zafar Iqbal and Mohd Asan Azad. Two natural and two man made hideouts were also busted in Kali Ban area at the height of about 10,000 ft. The recovery included four Ak-47, 2 Ak-56 rifles, one pistol, four wireless sets, three mobile phones, a mortar sight, ten grenades, large quantity of ammunition, IED accessories, dry fruit, medicines, propaganda material, diaries, winter clothings, wind sheeters etc.

The area is not far off from Doba Gali at the height of over 11,000 ft where five foreign terrorists were eliminated by special forces on Sept 11, 2004. Two mobile phones were also recovered from this group besides arms, ammunition and propaganda material. The GOC, of Romeo Force Maj Gen G D Bakshi had given two months target to the troops to eliminated all the terrorists in his area of operation.

Two Jaish ‘commanders’ killed in Doda, 5 held

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 5: Two commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), both Pakistanis, were killed and two local militants were captured by police and security forces in an encounter at village Sungri in Chatru area of Kishtwar tehsil in Doda district this afternoon.

In another operation, security forces arrested three suspected militants in Kishtwar.

Official sources said police and security forces launched a joint search operation at Sungri early this morning after receiving a message from the people that four militants had sneaked into the village last night with a reported plan to strike against the civilians.

The people, who were suspected to be target of the militants, managed to flee to an adjoining village after observing movement of the militants. Some of them sounded the local police and security forces pickets in the area.

A contact with the militants was established at 10.30 am. However, security forces had to exercise restraint in view of civilians presence in the village. At about 12 noon, the civilians were evacuated.

In heavy exchange of firing for next 40 minutes, the security personnel gunned down two militants and apprehended two others. While the sources maintained that two local militants were overpowered during the gun-battle, another report said the militants surrendered finding themselves trapped by police and security forces.

No casualties were reported on police and security forces in the encounter.

Slain militants have been identified as Abu Sufiyaan , a ‘district commander’ and Saidullah, a ‘tehsil commander’ (code names), of Jaish-e-Mohammed outfit. Both of them was Pakistan nationals.

Recoveries made from their possession include two AK rifles with four magazines, 33 rounds, two 12 bore guns with four rounds, one binocular and three grenades.

Two militants, who were arrested from the scene of encounter, are Mohd Yusuf son of Abdul Rashid and Abdul Majeed son of Ghulam Mohd, both residents of Philgam, Chatroo.

Slain militants were involved in a series of militant activities in Kishtwar, the sources said.

In another search operation, security forces arrested three suspected militants from village Sarwanwa in Kishtwar. Their identity was not disclosed by the security agencies on the ground that some more arrests and recoveries were likely to be effected during their interrogation.

From their possession, security forces recovered one 12 bore gun with 55 cartridges, three muzzle loaded guns, 50 explosive sticks, 13 detonators, one electric detonator and three meter safety fuse. With recovery of explosive material, the militants’ plot to fabricate a large number of IEDs has been foiled, the sources said.

In another search operation at Malhutta in Kandi area of Rajouri district, security forces recovered one Chinese pistol with one magazine and three rounds, seven UBGL grenades, one UBGL thrower, three hand grenades, five antennas of wireless set, one AK magazine and 518 rounds.

‘Dhruv’ to be star of air during IAF Day

NEW DELHI, Oct 5: The IAF’s newly-inducted ‘Dhruv’ Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH), participating in the Air Force day flypast for the first time, seem certain to give the ‘Surya Kirans’ — the IAF aerobatics team — tough competition.

The "Sarang" display team comprising three ALHs will be exhibiting a spot of formation flying during the flypast on October 8. Performing today in the dress rehearsal, they indulged in the most intricate and daring aerial manoeuvres, often with inches to spare, that made viewers temporarily forget that they were helicopters, not jet aircraft.

The team, led by Wing Commander Hari Nair, ably showcase the flexibility and precision flying the ALH is capable of, an ability that would be the envy of Jet-engined fighters.

"A prime reason behind setting up this unit was to demonstrate the capabilities of the ALH," the senior Air Staff Officer of the IAF’s Western Air Command (WAC) Air Marshal A K Singh today said after the rehearsal.

"It also seeks to demonstrate that the country is capable of designing and manufacturing world-class aircraft," he observed, adding that the versatile multi-role and multi-mission ALH has proved itself to be a reliable performer in varied terrains, and has been inducted in the service of all the three wings of the armed forces.

Air Marshal Singh, who was earlier the IAF’s Inspector General (flight inspection safety) before taking over as the SASO at WAC, said there was no doubt about these helicopter manoeuvres being safe.

"There is no chance of any unfortunate eventuality ocurring during the ALH’s manoeuvres," he averred, pointing out that apart from meticulous training, the ‘Sarang’ team prepares computer simulations of their intended manoeuvres to study all aspects.

Speaking about further attractions of the coming event, which marks the IAF’s 72nd anniversary as well the golden jubilee of taking-over by the first Indian Chief of Air Staff — Air Marshal Subroto Mukherjee, Air Marshal Singh said it would mark the first appearance of IAF’s elite ‘Garud’ commando force, raised last year. Their effectiveness can be gauged from the fact that barely six months after the first batch passed out early this year, these were selected to form part of the IAF contingent forming part of the peacekeeping force in Congo.

The flypast, comprising over 50 aircraft, will be led by the Jaguars, which have earned accolades for their participation in the recently-held multinational air exercise "co-operative cope thunder" in Alaska, and include other top-of-the-line aircraft including Su-30, MiG-29, MiG-23, Mirage, Mi-35, Mi-17 and even the much-pilloried MiG-21. (UNI)

PM for review of media policy

NEW DELHI, Oct 5: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today sought a review of the media policy in the context of the information revolution and liberalisation in order to ensure a suitable framework for "freedom of competition" in the media sector.

"We need to ensure that there is a suitable framework for freedom of competition to be meaningful for all players in the media sector," he said at the tenth anniversary celebrations of the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC) here.

The Prime Minister said "a review of our media policy is therefore necessary, both in the context of changes consequent to the information revolution and in light of the incremental process of opening of the Indian economy".

Observing that a group of ministers had been constituted on the media policy to advise Government on how to create "a fair and balanced policy framework", Singh said "our Government welcomes the possibility of discussing the policy towards investment in our media" with representative bodies like the Women’s Press Corps.

Lamenting that the Indian media "still has some distance to traverse to ensure genuine gender equality", the Prime Minister made a strong plea for creating "a congenial, safe and equitable working environment" in the media sector.

"I would also include the goal of ensuring that there is adequate space for the representation of women’s views by the media. Ensuring a balanced and non-stereotyped portrayal of women is one of the strategic objectives of women participating in the media sector," he said.

Since the eventual role was to create a "fair society, free of biases on the basis of gender", the Prime Minister said the Government had a "broader" and "substantial" role in this regard—from ensuring that women were equipped with basic ability to compete as equals in the job market to ensuring that rules to prevent offensive portrayals of women were enforced.

Asserting that his Government was committed to realise these fundamental objectives, he, however, said in a democratic society, Government should not arrogate to itself the right to dictate values. "These must be evolved consensually, along with social and political education".

Singh also stressed that the media should seriously address the "questions of professionalism, of objectivity and balance in reportage and in commentary".

He asked media bodies like the IWPC to "monitor how our press balances, in its day-to-day reportage, the rights it enjoys through the freedom of the press and the duties that are implicit in the principles of fair play and objectivity, professional integrity and excellence."

The Prime Minister said he had little doubt that greater professionalism could be ensured "by allowing the winds of competition to blow freely across all sectors of the media".

Maintaining that the years ahead would be "an exciting time" to be in India, he said "we have never before been better posed to take advantage of our potential as a people and as a nation".

Singh said in the process of creating a modern, progressive and dynamic society built on a rapidly growing economy, the media had a crucial role in tracking this process "through your reportage and your criticisms".

"While politicians do not necessarily relish the latter, since we cannot do without the former, we look forward to the continued interaction between Government and media," he quipped provoking laughter among the audience.

The Prime Minister, accompanied by his wife Gursharan Kaur, also witnessed a short satirical skit on journalism and women in the profession. Several senior politicians, top officials and media personalities were present on the occasion. (PTI)

Shells with Iraq markings found in Ghaziabad scrap

NEW DELHI, Oct 5: Army has recovered explosives with Iraq markings from the iron scrap in Ghaziabad, adding a new twist to the mystery of the deadly import from Iran.

"Some of the shells recovered from the scrap bore markings showing that they originated in Iraq," Army sources said today.

A few other shells had markings of Iran, they added.

The sources said it was difficult to determine the age of the shells as they had become rusted.

The consignment of high melting scrap was imported from Dubai and the country of origin declared was Iran.

Bomb disposal teams from Army and National Security Guard today continued sifting through the scrap meant for a factory of Bhusan Steel and Strip Limited in Ghaziabad where a live rocket shell had exploded last Thursday killing 10 labourers.

They have so far checked two trucks out of nine which had been taken to a secluded place on the banks of the Hindon River near Ghaziabad, the sources said.

While 48 live shells were found in the first truck, the second contained only normal scrap, they said.

The bomb disposal units were burying the munition in pits that had been dug up for the purpose and they would be detonated soon, the sources added.

Meanwhile, Delhi Police today detained nine trucks carrying iron scrap on suspicion that these may contain explosives.

The trucks have been taken to an isolated area in Okhla Area of South Delhi and explosive experts from Army and National Security Guard (NSG) have been called for examination of the scrap, police sources said.

The trucks were destined for the Bhushan Steel Factory.

The consignment had left from Container Corporation of India (CCI) depot near Okhla when police intercepted these, the sources said.

Government had yesterday suspended two customs officials posted at Tughlaqabad Inland container depot in Delhi who had cleared the consignment which had come from Iran.

Central Board of Excise and Customs had also ordered an inquiry to ascertain the role of the customs officers who examined the consigment containing the scrap and action would be taken if lapses were on their part. (PTI)

3 jawans, 3 ultras killed

Excelsior Special Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 5: Three Army soldiers and three militants were killed in an encounter at Iqbalabad Zainakote, about 10 km from here tonight.

Official sources said that troops, acting on a tip off, conducted a search operation at Iqbalabad near Lawaypora. When the forces were about to storm a particular hideout they came under heavy fire from militants who were hiding inside.

Sources said security forces retaliated and in the encounter three soldiers and three militants were killed.

The operation was still going, when reports last came in.

Border Security Force (BSF) today averted a tragedy when they defused a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted near the crowded bus stand here today.

Panic gripped the Badshah Chowk area, the nerve centre of the Summer Capital, when an unidentified object was found near the KMDA bus stand today.

Police immediately cordoned off the entire area and suspended traffic on one side of the road, going to the Civil Secretariat, seat of the Government. A BSF spokesman said troops from the 43rd batallion defused the IED which was fitted in a wooden structure near the bus stand which always remains crowded.

Had it not been detected and defused, it would have caused much damage to life and property, he said.

Meanwhile, police recovered a human skelton during combing operations at Bonar forest in Bandipora area of Baramulla district today.

The skeleton was later identified as that of Manzoor Ahmad Khan who had been abducted by militants from his house at village Onagam on June 29, the sources said. Khan was working as a porter with security forces and had been killed by militants and his body thrown in the forest, they added.

3 Americans share Nobel

STOCKHOLM, Oct 5: Americans David J Gross, H. David Politzer and Frank Wilczeck today won the 2004 Nobel prize in Physics for their work in the discovery and exploration of strong force and quarks.

The research has helped the science of Physics get one stop closer to the development of the grand unified theory, the foundation said.

The trio - researchers at the university of California, Santa Barbara, the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - were cited for their important theoretical discoveries "concerning the strong force, or the `color force’ as it is also called," the foundation said in its citation.

"The strong force is the one that is dominant in the atomic nucleus, acting between the quarks inside the proton and the neutron."

Their discoveries, made public in 1973, led to the theory of quantum chromodynamics, or QCD.

"This theory was an important contribution to the standard model, the theory that describes all physics connected with the electromagnetic force (which acts between charged particles), the weak force (which is important for the Sun’s energy production) and the strong force (which acts between quarks)," the foundation said.

Their work, members added, have helped bring the science of Physics a step closer to "fulfilling a grand dream, to formulate a unified theory comprising gravity as well - a theory for everything."

Alfred Nobel, the wealthy Swedish industrialist and inventor of dynamite who endowed the prizes, left only vague guidelines for the selection committee.

In his will, he said the prize should be given to those who "shall have conferred the greatest benefit on mankind" and "shall have made the most important discovery or invention within the field of Physics."

The academy, which also chooses the Chemistry and Economics winners, invited nominations from previous recipients and experts in the fields before cutting down its choices.

Last year Physicists Vitaly L Ginzburg of Russia and Americans A Abrikosov and Anthony J Leggett were honoured for their work on superconductivity and superfluidity, the motion of a fluid without internal friction. (AP)

NDFB massacres 10 more in Assam

GUWAHATI, Oct 5: The National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) struck once again killing 10 people and injuring 18 near Bogribari in Dhubri district today .

According to police, about 14 Bodo militants surrounded the Joljoli daily market this evening near the Bogribari police station and fired more than 300 rounds, for about 15 minutes, besides blowing off at least three grenades, killing ten people on the spot. The injured were later shifted to Dhubri civil hospital.

The incident comes barely a day after when six people were killed in Sonitpur district in Assam.

Senior police officials have rushed to the spot.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi told newspersons earlier in the day that strategies were being drawn to counter the successive militant attacks in the State.

Since October 2, about 90 people had been killed and 200 injured in the unabated violence in the northeast. (UNI)

NDA Govt did nothing for Maharashtra: Sonia, Pawar

NASIK, Oct 5: Sharing platform, both Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar today launched a bitter attack on the Shiv Sena-BJP combine and the previous NDA Government saying they did nothing for Maharasthra.

"Maharasthra would have seen development if we had a Government at the Centre," Gandhi said addressing a joint rally for the Assembly elections here on the second day of campaign.

Lashing out at the NDA rule, Gandhi said the BJP-led Government sought to distort history, "their politics was not clean, the rule was riddled with corruption and the confidence of the nation was in tatters."

"The people of the country taught a lesson to the Shiv Sena-BJP and their allies at the Centre. They thought they could fool the countrymen by issuing advertisements but were defeated," Gandhi said.

She said the Congress emerged as the single largest party after the Lok Sabha polls and the BJP was yet to come to terms with their loss.

She said the UPA Government was formed on specific issue and work on a Common Minimum Programme.

Earlier, NCP chief Pawar criticised the NDA Government saying the previous Government did not do anything for the farmers.

"Even when the Shiv Sena-BJP was in power in the State for four-and-a-half years they did nothing to benefit the peasant community," Pawar claimed.

"They (SS-BJP) did nothing when they were in power in the State and failed to do anything when in power in the Centre," Pawar said. Gandhi assured that if the Congress-NCP combine is voted to power in the State it will address several issues faced by the people of the State.

"We have tied up with the NCP for the state polls and also released a joint manifesto. If we are voted to power, our Government will function on the basis of the manifesto," she said.

"There are many problems faced by the people in Maharashtra. There is the farmers issue, there are many who are unemployed, the socially backward classes need suuport," the Congress president said.

She said if voted to power, the Congress-NCP Government would address these problems. (PTI)

LF criticises UPA Govt

KOLKATA, Oct 5: Continuing its tirade against the UPA Government, West Bengal’s ruling Left Front today accused the Centre of failing to change the ‘anti-people’ policies of the BJP and take meaningful steps in the interest of the people even four months after assuming power.

"Even after four months in power, the Congress-led UPA Government is yet to make its policies and programmes people-oriented," Front leaders including Jyoti Basu, Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee and CPI-M politburo member Biman Bose said in a leaflet urging the people to vote for the LF candidates in the by-election to three assembly seats in the city scheduled on October 9.

They said the Left parties extended their support to the Congress-led UPA Government from outside on the basis of the Common Minimum Programme. "Although some people-oriented programmes suggested by the Left were included in the CMP, the UPA Government’s policies were not conducive to the interests of the people".

The leaders alleged there was no difference in economic policies of Congress and BJP.

The Left parties, they said, had already initiated their move demanding immediate implementation of the programmes for the benefit of poeple.

They said the Left Front leadership was well aware of the class character of Congress. The ‘grand alliance’ between Congress, Trinamool Congress and BJP in Panchayat, civic bodies and Kolkata Municipal Corporation had demonstrated their political "bankruptcy," the Front leaders charged. (PTI)
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

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