BJP steers clear of Vajpayee blessings to Advani

LUCKNOW, Dec 24: The BJP today sought to steer clear of the raging controversy over Prime Minister candidacy in the party with one leader scoffing of at the media for "indulging in mere entertainment".

"Do’nt misinterpret things...It is not serious reporting...It is mere entertainment," BJP national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told reporters when asked to comment on former Prime Minister A B Vajpayee’s reported blessings to L K Advani for the top job.

Vajpayee had in reply to a question last evening said that his blessings were with Advani for the top job. ‘poora’ (fully)," Vajpayee had said when asked whether his blessings were with Advani.

Another senior BJP leader and former Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh, however, said he supported what Vajpayee has said. "We all support what Vajpayee has said," he said.

Former BJP president Venkaiah Naidu, however, sought to brush aside the remark saying that "we are not here to discuss the issue of Prime Minister but to discuss the failures of the Centre and the State Governments".

"Do you expect me to comment on what Atalji has said," he said.

Naidu, however, said that no elections were slated in the near future and therefore it was not an issue for the party at this juncture.

"The issue of Prime Minister will be decided at the appropriate time," naidu said.

"You (media) are putting questions and seek answers to make your news...You are at liberty to do so but we are not discussing this issue here," he said.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi also sought to duck the issue. "Have you taken breakfast?" Modi said when reporters sought for a reaction on the issue.

Newly re-elected BJP chief Rajnath Singh had also, in a subtle move, sought to drop hints that he was also in the race for the top job likening himself to the ‘bridegroom’ and the guests at the National Council Meeting as members of a ‘wedding party’.

"I am the bridegroom and will take the bride (power) from here and instal her in Delhi," Singh had said in his presidential address yesterday. (PTI)

IRTC planning to set up call centres

KOLKATA, Dec 24: In a bid to attract more tourists, the Indian Railways is planning to set up call centres across all the four zones in the country.

The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) would be setting up the call centres which would handle 20 million calls each day.

IRTC sources said the call centres would impart information on train arrivals and departures, facilitate ticket and hotel reservations, tour maps and guides and even a complete travelogue-in gist a packaged tour complete with hotel and cab reservations.

IRTC sources said it would outsource the manning and functioning of these call centres to a consortium comprising Spanco Telesystems, Stracon Backoffice Solutions Limited and BSNL. The centre would go live in March 2007. The project is estimated to cost Rs 80 crore.

The call centre would have value added services such as fare inquiries, Tatkaal Booking, SMS Services, etc. IRCTC has tied up with the hotels, and the call centre will act as the window for execution. (UNI)

Drug abuse, security breach, protests,
blast: Delhi had it all

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: The dramatic Rahul Mahajan drug abuse saga and the violent anti-sealing and quota protests hogged the crime scene this year in the national capital which continued to remain high on the terror radar.

The year bygone also saw three youths gatecrashing into the heavily-guarded Prime Minister’s residence, a fun ride that sent the entire security establishment into a tizzy, and two ‘mysterious’ low-intensity explosions at the Jama Masjid.

Emerging from the impact of the pre-Diwali blasts, 2006 began on a controversial note with Samajwadi Party strongman Amar Singh levelling allegations against the Delhi Police of tapping his phone at the behest of the Central Government.

The accusation, having strong political overtones, sent the City’s Police Department into the backfoot and triggered a nationwide debate on regulating tapping of phones and framing of more effective laws to check misuse.

But, it soon came to light that the letters purportedly written by the Chief Secretary of Delhi and Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) asking a private telecom operator to keep the phones of Singh under surveillance were forged.

Police arrested four persons including the owners of two private detective agencies and claimed that they did it for monetary gains, bringing curtains down on the tapping episode which had taken the political centrestage.

Another story that hit the headlines was the late-night hospitalisation of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan’s son Rahul in a critical condition and death of his aide Vivek Moitra due to alleged drug overdose.

Mahajan junior was arrested and charged under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Phychotrophic Substances (NDPS) Act pertaining to personal consumption of drugs and indulging in illicit trade of drugs.

Police also chargesheeted six doctors of Apollo Hospital who attended on Rahul for "deliberately misleading the probe" and for knowingly hiding information regarding the treatment of Mahajan.

A serious breach in security took place when three youths drove up to one of the inner gates of the Prime Minister’s 7, Race Course Road residence on July 28 when a cabinet meeting chaired by Manmohan Singh was on.

The gatecrashers — two airhostesses and a mechanic —who left the PM’s house smiling and waving at mediapersons were chased and arrested late in the night for criminal trespassing and impersonation.

The high-profile Jessica Lall murder returned to haunt the Delhi Police with a local court acquitting the accused and the City Police Commissioner setting up a special team to probe whether there were any lapses in the investigation.

The Special Investigation Team questioned senior police officers who were in key posts when the Jessica was murdered in 1999, but had not taken action against any of the officers so far.

It also arrested prime witness Bina Ramani on a cheating and forgery case for allegedly furnishing false documents claiming the ownership of her restaurant in south Delhi where the ramp model was killed.

The city witnessed violent protests and police action in April and may after medical students hit the streets opposing the Government decision to provide reservation for OBCs in higher and elite educational institutions.

The medicos clashed with police on several occasions as the agitation spread with students from other streams joining the protests, which primarily centered around the AIIMS and the Jantar Mantar.

Another wave of protests rocked the capital when the MCD began sealing of shops and offices operating in residential premises and demolition of illegal extensions in houses on the orders of the court.

Traders took to the streets in large numbers against the sealing drive and called for back-to-back bandhs that affected normal life in the capital for several days. They clashed with police, damaged buses and other public property.

One such anti-sealing traders’ bandh on September 21 saw an unruly crowd going on a rampage in Seelampur locality of north-east Delhi and Police resorting to firing killing four persons including two teenagers.

Though there were no terror attacks in 2006, two blasts at the Jama Masjid shook the capital but who carried out the april 14 explosions remained a mystery even as the year drew to a close.

Thirteen people were injured in the low-intensity blasts, suspected to be triggered by pottasium chloride and sulphuric acid. While police collected samples from the blast site and questioned several persons, they are yet to work out the case.

The elite special cell of the Delhi Police arrested as many as 33 militants, mostly of Pakistan-based terror outfits, with huge quantities of deadly RDX and claimed to have foiled several plots to carry out strikes in the capital. (PTI)

Kalam, Shekhawat, Manmohan wish people on Christmas

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: President, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today greeted people on the eve of Christmas wishing that peace and goodwill prevail in the country.

In a message, the President said, "as we celebrate Christmas this year, may the spirit and message of this beautiful festival flow into our hearts and minds so that the lamp of love, kindness and compassion glow in every person and peace and goodwill prevail in our midst.

"On this occasion, let us recall the life of Lord Jesus Christ with reverence", he said.

Mr Shekhawat, in his message, said Jesus Christ showed people the path of love, compassion and tolerance, peace and righteousness, and his teachings have the power to provide answers to the problems faced by mankind.

Dr Manmohan Singh also extended warm greetings to the people, saying Christmas, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, was an extremely joyous occasion not only for Christians, but the people of all faiths.

Exchange of gifts, greetings and other festivities not only reinforces the bonds within one’s immediate family but also in the community at large, he said.

"May the Christmas this year usher in peace, happiness and joy for all, the Prime Minister added. (UNI)

Three 700-year-old idols of Lord Mahavira
recovered; one held

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Police today said they have recovered three 700-year-old idols of Lord Mahavira in northwest Delhi and arrested one person.

Police said as per Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) the three statues are worth Rs 13 crore in the international market.

One Narendra has been arrested from Pitampura area, northwest Delhi, they said.

"We had received information that a deal of old statues was being struck in the area and a raid was conducted," said Manish Agarwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (northwest district).

The raid was conducted in Shalimar Bagh area yesterday and Narendra was apprehended. Three antique idols of Lord Mahavira were found in his possession.

During interrogation, he disclosed that these idols were given to him by Dhruv Kumar Gupta of Bareilly and than Singh and Ranjeet Singh of Etah in Uttar Pradesh, and asked him to dispose off at a high price in Delhi.

Agrawal said in the past one month, the police have recovered six idols of Gods and Goddesses from the area. (PTI)

Tihar Jail authorities wake up after bitty’s parole jump

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: After a hibernation of almost nine years, the Tihar Jail authorities have sought help from the Delhi Police in tracing convicts who have jumped parole.

Tihar jail authority’s desperation came in the wake of Bitty Mohanty grabbing the headlines by jumping parole in Rajasthan following his conviction for raping a German tourist this year.

The jail authorities also wrote letters and sought help from Deputy Secretary (Home) Jails, Additional Secretary (Home) Jails, DCP West Delhi, Superintendent Central Jail and Registrar General of Delhi High Court in tracing those missing convicted persons, who were sentenced to life imprisonment in murder cases.

Till now, at least 44 prisoners of Tihar Jail here have gone missing in similar circumstances, according to an official in Tihar Jail.

Citing some cases in the application, the Tihar Jail authorities stated the prisoners, Rajinder Singh, Ashok and Pankaj were all sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi Court in 1992.

While ordering them to surrender in Tihar Jail in 1998, the Delhi High Court granted them parole in 1997. But they allegedly did not surrender before it and are still absconding.

With 44 convicts having jumped parole during the last nine years and are still missing, the jail has brought the issue to the notice of a Delhi Court through an application filed before it.

The jail authorities also on December 16, filed an application before the Delhi High Court, requesting it to interfere in this case by directing the police forces to help them in getting back the convicts.

These missing prisoners are all convicts in murder cases and had gone on parole at various occassions duing the last nine years giving some reason or the other, the authorities said in the application.

"All the concerned authorities are thereby requested to apprehend all the convicts and produce them in Tihar Jail premises," it added. (PTI)

Dalai Lama says Tibet’s interest is to remain with China

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today said Tibet’s interest is to remain as a part of China and asked India to play a role in achieving the goal to make the region a "zone of peace".

Seeking "political freedom", he asked beijing to stop "cultural genocide" in Tibet and adopt "compassionate approach" and conciliatory measure for the resolution of Tibet issue.

"To remain with the Peoples Republic of China is in our interest," the Buddhist spiritual head said delivering M L Sondhi Memorial Lecture here.

"But we are seeking political freedom to preserve our culture and environment and are opposed to cultural genocide being promoted by China due to increasing influx of the Han people and spread of Chinese language in Tibet," he said.

Describing the increasing Chinese Han population and deployment of Peoples Liberation Army in Tibet as main "hindrance towards attaining political autonomy of Tibet", the Dalai Lama asked Bejing to downsize military and stop shifting mainland Han Chinese to Tibet.

"This will help achieve our goal to make Tibet a `zone of peace’ free from nuclear weapon", he said and asked India to play its role to help realize this goal.

"This zone of peace can very well serve as a buffer zone between India and China. Once this buffer zone is established you (India) can reduce jawans deployed at this side (Indo-Tibet) of border and can save not only money but life of jawans as well because they face very harsh situation in this difficult tarain," the Dalai Lama said.

When pointed out to him that despite Tibet’s repeated requests, the west has not intervened to seek resolution of Tibet’s problem, the Dalai Lama quipped: "We do not have oil reserves." (PTI)

MEA bows to CBI:provisional request to
arrest Shankaran issued

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Reversing its earlier stand after opposition from the CBI, the External Affairs Ministry has issued a request to Britain for the provisional arrest of Ravi Shankaran, one of the main accused in the Naval War Room leak case and kin of former Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash.

After the CBI’s initial request in may to seek Shankaran’s arrest was turned down by the ministry, the agency again approached the ministry to ask Britain for his provisional arrest, CBI sources said.

The legal and treaties division of the ministry had come out with a "vague explanation" and asked the CBI to provide more proof about Shankaran’s presence in Britain, the sources said.

A court here has already declared Shankaran a proclaimed offender and issued a non-bailable warrant against him. This led to the issuance of a red corner notice against him by interpol.

The sources said proof of Shankaran’s presence in Britain had been submitted to the ministry but it had earlier refused to issue the request for his provisional arrest, saying it was too "premature".

However, after the CBI submitted the same facts to the Delhi High Court and the External Affairs Ministry’s stand became public, the ministry quickly got into a damage control mode. It accepted the CBI’s second request of October 27 this year and issued a request to Britain this month, asking authorities there to carry out the provisional arrest of Shankaran if he is found in London.

India’s request for the provisional arrest of 41-year-old Shankaran, believed to be currently living in Britain, was made under the provisions of Article 12 of the extradition treaty between the two countries.

The request states that "if apprehended, the Government of India undertakes to present a formal extradition request for Ravi Shankaran to the Government of the UK and northern Ireland not later than two months from such date of apprehension..."

The CBI had on September 12 attached Shankaran’s property and bank accounts after he failed to appear before the agency for questioning.

The CBI registered a case on March 20 against former IAF Wing Commander Sambhaji Rao Surve, Shankaran, former Navy Commanders Vinod Kumar Jha and Vinod Rana, Raj Rani Jaiswal, who allegedly acted as a honey trap for defence personnel, Mukesh Bajaj, retired Wing Commander S K Kohli and former Naval Commander Kulbushan Parashar in connection with the leak of sensitive information from the war room or Directorate of Naval Operations.

Surve, Jha, Rana, Parashar, Jaiswal and Bajaj were arrested, while Kohli and Parashar are cooperating with the CBI.

The cases against all nine persons were registered under various sections of the Official Secrets Act and Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code. (PTI)

Tougher negotiations ahead on nuke deal: Scientists

MUMBAI, Dec 24: India’s nuclear scientists played a key role in shaping the Government’s approach to the proposed civil nuclear deal with the US by voicing concerns on issues that could affect the strategic programme, but tougher negotiations on a bilateral agreement are still ahead.

The advocacy by the scientific leaders made India’s position in negotiations stronger than before in putting forth its views and reservations on the ongoing process of reaching full cooperation on civil nuclear issues with the US.

Top scientists like former Atomic Energy Commission Chairmen P K Iyengar and Homi Sethna — with memories fresh in their minds of the Tarapur Project, for which the US cut off fuel supplies after the reactor was built — pressured the Government to ensure that deal did not in any way compromise the country’s strategic programme.

The scientists and officials have pointed out that the 123 agreement to be negotiated with the US would be the crucial next stage in the nuclear deal.

Pointing out that US laws could supercede commitments under any bilateral agreement, they said tougher negotiations on the 123 agreement are still ahead even after the 18 months of hard work that led to the signing into law of a bill by US President George W Bush to implement the deal.

"Even if any bilateral agreement is negotiated with the absence of offending clauses, US law can always be invoked in the form of the Hyde Act of 2006 which will supercede any bilateral agreement," said an official.

Drawing a parallel in the Indian context, External Affairs Ministry officials said the country had the option to withdraw in future if the terms of the bilateral agreement and its governing laws remain divergent as is currently the case.

The 123 agreement, so called because it is a prerequisite under section 123 of the US Atomic Energy Act, will facilitate the supply of nuclear fuel and technology to India.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s assurances to the scientific community, his firm stand in Parliament on December 18 and his strong message to Bush on December 21 showed he would stick to the joint statement of July 18, 2005 in the interest of the country’s security and sovereignty.

The scientists have been backed in their quest for a fair deal by Parliamentarians from all parties, who also mounted pressure on the Government not to accept any provisions that would affect the strategic nuclear programme.

Although a similar pact was made with the US in the 1960s, when India’s first nuclear power plants were bought, negotiations for the current deal have sparked a widespread debate on the process.

Parliamentarians supported the scientists in voicing concerns that the Indo-US deal was moving away from the original statement of July 18, 2005. The scientists have urged the Government to ensure that India is not forced into a non-proliferation treaty on US terms while it seeks to engage the country in civil nuclear cooperation.

India has consistently insisted on continuous fuel supply and freedom to reprocess spent fuel to retain its tradition of following a complete fuel cycle to maximise energy production and minimise long-term storage of highly radioactive waste.

The year also saw the American Business Community interacting with India’s nuclear industry to explore business opportunities in the sector. India intends to ramp up nuclear power generation and major us firms like westinghouse and ge have indicated their interest in setting up plants.

India also began engaging key members of the nuclear suppliers group to adjust its guidelines for the supply of fuel, equipment and reactors.

US nuclear suppliers had close interaction with top officials of the nuclear power corporation and in November, a large contingent of nuclear business houses including westinghouse and ge led by the US Under Secretary F L Lavin met their Indian counterparts.

The delegation also held discussions with Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Anil Kakodkar to work out possibilities of cooperatation. But Kakodar made it clear that unless India’s concerns were addressed by Washington, the country may not be able to do business with US in the nuclear field.

India also began talks with the international atomic energy agency on the issue of India-specific safeguards and additional protocols.

A Japanese delegation that visited the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre this month also indicated Tokyo would support India on the peaceful uses of atomic energy.

Australia showed interest in supplying uranium to India for reactors once the Indo-US deal is completed. (PTI)

Govt woos left for pension reforms

NEW DELHI, Dec 24: Bowing to the Left pressure, Government is understood to have accepted certain proposals of its outside supporters to amend the pension bill including having public sector fund managers and the option of 100 per cent investment in government securities.

However, the Left parties insistence that the employees on retirement should get 50 per cent of the average of previous three years’ monthly pay as pension, has not been accepted by the Government, sources said.

The Left parties have also been demanding that the Government should fill the shortfall if the pensioner fails to get this return from investment of the pension funds.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is understood to have conveyed this to top left leaders at a dinner meeting two days ago that as many as 17 states have already implemented the new pension system (nps).

Meeting of chief ministers has also been convened by the centre to discuss available option for investing funds from the nps.

Left leaders were told by the prime minister that the chief ministers of 17 states have been seeking central intervention to settle the problem of parking the huge pension funds.

The Left leaders, particularly CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, were understood to have suggested that a national infrastructure fund be created to park these funds.

In keeping with the Left demand, Government is likely to propose certain amendments to the existing pension bill.

In keeping with the Left demand, Government is likely to propose certain amendments to the existing pension bill.

These include establishment of the Tier-II account, option of 100 per cent investment of fund in Government securities for group D employees for three years, public sector fund managers, limiting aggregate holding of equity share by a foreign company to 26 per cent of the paid up capital and barring investment of subscribers funds overseas.

In its response to the Left parties, which had submitted a note on the issue, Government has pointed out that only 12 per cent of country’s workforce were covered by any pension plan and an estimated 1/8th world’s elderly population lived in India.

The Government also said that the pension liability would account for around 2 per cent of the GDP, which it could "ill afford to discharge when there are competing social and developmental outlays to be met." (PTI)

Two get 10 years RI for raping employee

MUMBAI, Dec 24: A local court has sentenced two men to 10 years rigorous imprisonment each for raping a woman, who worked in the cleaning company run by one of them, four years back.

Sessions Judge S S Joshi last week sentenced Llewellyn Netto and his friend Shivcharan Singh and imposed a fine of Rs 7,000 each, for raping the mother of two.

The victim was working as a maid-servant at the firm and stated Netto had threatened her saying she would lose her job if she complained against him. She, however, decided to testify against him after learning that he had been harassing other women working at the same workplace.

The sole breadwinner of her family, the victim said netto took her to Singh’s Kanjur Marg Residence in north-central Mumbai on October 21, 2002, where they raped her.

Public Prosecutor Usha Kiran Makasare examined 12 witnesses during the trial, including doctors, police and witnesses who supported the prosecution’s claim.

However, the clinching evidence proved to be the victim’s testimony. (PTI)

Hundred feet long Santa Claus on Puri Beach

PURI, Dec 24: A hundred feet long sand sculpture of Santa Claus has been created on a sea beach here to attract the holiday crowds.

"We thought of making Santa Claus for Christmas this year in Puri," internationally acclaimed Sand Sculptor Sudarshan Pattnaik told .

Pattnaik said that about 1000 tonne of sand was used for the sculpture — 100 feet long, 30 feet wide and 15 feet high — which took 40 hours of nonstop work to create.

"We set out yesterday with the aim of completing the sculpture in 50 hours, but we have been able to nearly complete it in 40 hours," Pattnaik said.

Tourists, including foreigners, flocked to the beach when the work was on.

"It’s fantastic, fabulous ..... We didn’t expect to meet Santa in Puri when we came here," Jim Prankton, a tourist from Britain, holidaying here with his wife, said.

Supported by about 100 labourers, 17 Budding artistes —seven of them girls - all students of the sand art school run by him, Pattnaik made the sculpture which is expected to last for a couple of days.

The Limca Book of World Records authorities were also monitoring the work and "I am sure that this must be the longest sand sculpture to have been made in India," Pattnaik said.

Pattnaik, who has represented the country in many international sand art competitions and festivals winning laurels, has been periodically creating sand sculptures on the Puri sea beach making it a tourist attraction.

Most of his sculptures were on contemporary subjects like the 9/11 terrorist strike on USA, the impact of the Tsunami on the people, the capture of Saddam Hussain by US troops in Iraq, killing of Olive Ridley sea turtles on the Orissa coast and dangers of HIV/AIDS.

The artiste’s creation of a Taj Mahal with black sand at Agra had also hogged the spotlight.

"We have been making our sculptures on the Puri Beach because this city has a history of sand art sculpture dating back to the 14th century, he said. (PTI)