Sharing same frame with Bipasha a dream
come true: Minnisha Lamba

NEW DELHI, June 25: She wowed audiences and critics alike with her strong and effective portrayal of an innocent but bold Kashmiri girl in Shoojit Sarkar's 'Yahan' who stands up for her love amid fierce opposition from the army and society.

Yahaan may not have made much of a splash at the box office it nevertheless established the beautiful Minnisha Lamba as an actress who is "more than just a pretty face".

Just one film old and Minnisha is already working with a two time National award winning director like Madhur Bhandarkar and sharing the same frame with establish actors like Bipasha and Kay Kay in her forthcoming film 'Corporate', something not many newcomers can lay claim to. Naturally, as 'Corporate' nears its release on July 7, 'Minnisha' is quite excited about it.

"Working alongside actors like Bipasha, Kay Kay and Raj Babbar, whose films I have grown up watching, is a dream come true for me,"Minnisha told UNI in an

interview on the eve of release of her film. According to this immensely talented actress, who earned rave reviews for her 'mature' performance in 'Yahaan', sharing the same frame with Bipasha and Kay Kay has proved to be a learning experience as an actor.

"Working with such senior actors only helps to enhance your performance and poses a challenge to you as an actor,"Minnisha said. She is equally effusive in her praise for Madhur Bhandarkar.

"Working with Madhurji has been a pleasurable experience. I have been an admirer of his films and have always cherished a desire to work with him,"Minnisha said.

"Madhur is an extremely generous director who gives a lot of space to his actors. For example, while on the sets, he just used to explain to me the scene and let me do it my own way,"she said.

About her role in the film, she said,''in 'Corporate', I play a Maharastrian girl who joins a multinational corporation full of idealism. It's about how in course of the film, revelations are made and the character discovers how the world around her really is."

Coming close on the heels of release of 'Corporate' are two more films starring Minnisha. Suresh Krishna's 'Rocky', which releases on July 21, and Raj Kaushal's 'Anthony Kaun hai', which releases on July 28. While in 'Rocky', she is paired opposite the current teenage heartthrob Zayed Khan, in 'Anthony Kaun Hai' she features alongside Arshad Warsi and Sanjay Dutt.

Also on the anvil is Farhan Akhtar's 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd' where Minnisha is paired opposite newcomer Abhay Deol, younger brother of Sunny Deol. She may be among the fortunate few to bag such meaty projects in the initial phase of her career but for Minnisha, it has been hard work in the last one year since she made her debut in 'Yahaan' in July last year.

Simultaneusly with her film assignments, Minnisha has also been appearing in brand endorsements. Further, she has also appeared in a music video of a song by current musical sensation Himmesh Reshammiya.

"I have been working hard throughout the year. In fact, I was recently signed on by D'damas for endorsing their brand of jewellery,"she said.

Asked about her criteria for taking up a film project, Minnisha said, ''I believe in doing work where I can put my 100 per cent energy. Also, I like to play characters which I think I can completely justify."

Asked as to which filmmaker she would like to work with, Minnisha said,"I would love to work with Mani Ratham and Yash Chopra in the near future."

For Minnisha, acting in films happened just by chance. The beautiful actor, who was modeling while studying in a college in Delhi, was noticed by Shoojit Sircar who offered her a role in 'Yahaan'.

However, now that she has acted in films, Minnisha is in love with acting.

"I love acting and emoting before the camera. As long as I get roles which provide me scope as an actor, I will continue doing films,"she says. (UNI)

Naval war room leak case and Scorpene
deal interconnected: BJP

NEW DELHI, June 25: Alleging that the naval warm room leak case was linked to the Scorpene submarine deal, Oppositon BJP today asked the Government to explain the "delay" in ordering CBI raids in connection with the case.

"We have been continuously saying that the naval war room leak case and the Scorpene deal are interconnected but the Government had maintained that there was no foul play. If that was the case why did the CBI conduct raids a few days ago at places including those of people whose names have also been linked to the scam?" senior BJP leader L K Advani said here.

He was speaking at a party function organised to observe the 31st anniversary of the Emergency as "Save Democracy Day."

The CBI had on Friday conducted searches at 19 places in four cities against retired and serving defence officials, businessman Abhishek Verma and a chartered account in connection with the Naval war room leak case.

Advani demanded that the Prime Minister reply to his question that if there was no foul play, why had the government ordered the raids three months after the case was registered.

"Why this delayed action? Was it an effort to give time to the accused to destroy evidence? After the raids, the CBI had said that the war room leak case was part of a larger conspiracy. I demand that the Prime Minister explain what that larger conspiracy is," he said.

Advani alleged that the naval warm room leak would not have occured without the "blessings of top ruling political leaders" and asked the Government to find out who they were.

He said that the Navy, in an affidavit before the Delhi High Court had said that some foreigners were involved in the war room leak case.

"Who are these foreigners. What do they have to do with the case? The Government should come up with an explanation," he demanded. (PTI)

Madhuri fan asks for Bollywood train

JAMSHEDPUR, June 25: Pappu Sardar, a die-hard fan of screen diva Madhuri Dixit who has been celebrating her birthday in a big way here for the past one decade, has appealed to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to introduce a 'Bollywood Express' in recognition of the film industry's contribution to the country's economic growth.

Pappu distributes sweets among 3000 people on his favourite actor's birthday on May 15 every year and this time to stress his point had a 30-pound cake in the shape of a train made.

"In my letter to Laluji I have pointed out that Bollywood, the biggest film industry in Asia, has been playing a major role in the country's economic growth by generating revenue and providing employment to hundreds of families but has not been given its due recognition.

Bollywood has also earned the country many accolades in the international level and the train would be a tribute to legendary like Dada Saheb Phalke," he told PTI.

Prasad, he said, is not only famous in the political circles of the country but is like a Bollywood 'superstar.'

Asked why he was for a Tata-Mumbai train when there were already several which link the two, he said he had made the demand as several present-day actors like Priyanka Chopra, R Madhavan and Tanushree Dutta hail from this city.

"But I have no problems if the train starts from elsewhere so long it is called Bollywood Express and goes to Mumbai," he said.

Pappu's adulation of the screen goddess has led him to do more than merely distribute sweets on her birthday from his chaat shop here at Sakchi.

Last year he gifted the Cheshire Home branch here a 'Madhuri Park' in its premises. This year he gifted four air coolers for its orphanage and old age home.

This year's celebrations also saw the release of a special calendar which began the year on Dixit's birthday - May 15 and ended on May 14.

Needless to say 37 year-old Pappu is a popular figure here. He promoted 'Devdas', in which Dixit played one of the lead roles, in Ranchi and had even taken the inmates of the orphanage at Cheshire Homes here to shows of films in which the actor featured.

His name has spread to realms beyond the steel city and Jharkhand. People seek his help from as far off as Gorakhpur, where he helped a family to marry off their daughter.

He has no regrets that he has never met Dixit or received any letter or acknowledgement from her. "Madhuriji is my goddess and I have pictures of her in my house and shop.

"I only pray she is happy. I will be happier when she returns to films, which I am sure she will," Pappu said. (PTI)

Zail Singh had offered Prime Ministership to V P Singh

NEW DELHI, June 25: At the height of his differences with late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the then President late Giani Zail Singh had offered V P Singh the Prime Ministership.

V P Singh, however, felt it was wrong to think this way.

In his just-published book "Manjil Se Zyada Safar (Travel Beyond Destination)", Singh says Zail Singh had sent him feelers through those who met him that he was ready to make him Prime Minister.

"But I refused. Then he called me over and I went to see the President. Fearing bugging inside Rashtrapati Bhawan, the President took me to the Mughal Gardens and told me that he would like to give me oath as Prime Minister," he said in the 550-page book comprising interviews conducted over a period of time.

"I will give you oath as Prime Minister. I am told 150 Congress MPs will be with you and you may get majority," Singh quoted the then President as saying.

The former Prime Minster then told Zail Singh "it is wrong to think this way." But he did not say what was Zail Singh's reaction to his refusal.

Singh, 75, also claimed that the Congress has been collecting funds for elections through defence deals right from the days of Indira Gandhi.

"I believe every party has to generate resources. Previously funds were procured from corporate houses. But a time came when funds began to be collected through defence deals abroad," he said.

Singh recalled when Indira Gandhi found herself in the eye of a political storm, she made the arrangement of procuring funds from defence deals abroad. Later this became a practice, he said.

He gave a detailed account of the beginning of his differences with the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi because of which he had to resign from the post of Defence Minister. The first direct tiff with Rajiv Gandhi was over the HDW submarine deal.

Singh said when Rajiv Gandhi took over as Prime Minister, he had said there would be no middlemen in defence deals.

"I received a telegram from our Ambassador in Germany which mentioned that a senior officer of that country told him the rate of the submarine could not be lowered as an Indian agent had to be paid seven per cent commission," he said in the book.

Singh said he took up the matter with Rajiv Gandhi the same day at a Cabinet Meeting, but he did not say anything. Singh then ordered an inquiry into the matter.

Singh said the then Defence Secretary told him that in the earlier submarine deal during the prime ministership of Indira Gandhi, an Indian agent was involved.

Singh recollected in the book that Rajiv Gandhi was very unhappy over the inquiry ordered by him. He was "red with anger and asked many questions".

It was then that he decided to resign as Defence Minister, Singh said.

Asked about the practice of middlemen in defence deals, Singh said that there used to be middlemen before Rajiv Gandhi and they used to take commission.

Singh denied that he had to quit the Government in the wake of the controversy over the Bofors gun deal. "This is absolutely wrong. The Bofors charge was levelled after I had resigned from the Defence Ministry," he said.

He said the Bofors deal took place when he was the Finance Minister.

Singh said when he received the Bofors file, the instruction was to act fast as the army needed the weapon urgently.

He said that the Finance Ministry gave the clearance with some conditions but it was not known whether those conditions were met.

Singh said after this controversy, Rajiv Gandhi's emissary kept coming to him repeatedly, urging him that "I stay put at home and avoid going to any public function." (PTI)

Amendment to Bihar Shops and Establishment
Act proposed

NEW DELHI, June 25: Bihar Government has proposed an amendment to the Bihar Shops and Establishment Act to ban children below the age of 14 from working in shops and other such establishments in the state.

Responding to Supreme Court notice on a PIL seeking ban on all forms of child labour, Bihar Government said this was being done to achieve the goals set out in Article 21 A of the Constitution which provided for compulsory education to children in the age group of six to 14 years and complete eradication of child labour in the state.

In an affidavit filed through the state's Deputy Labour Secretary Chandra Nath Jha, the State Government, however, admitted that the implementation of Article 21 A was slow and tardy due to poverty, lack of awareness, illiteracy and prevailing social customs.

It also suggested an amendment in the provison to Section 3 of Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act 1986 to enlarge the Prohibition clause and ban children from working with their parents in beedi and brick kiln industries.

Maintaining that the State Governement was doing its best to check employment of child labour, the affidavit said that in the last five years 1493 prosecutions were launched against employers of child labour and 438 bonded labourers were rehabilitated under the centrally-sponsored schemes.

On a PIL filed by Social Jurist and two other organisations, the apex court had on February 1 last issued notices to the Centre and all states and Union Territories seeking complete prohibition of child labour in all its forms across the country. (PTI)

Expensive elections in the world's biggest democracy

NEW DELHI, June 25: Winning candidates on an average spent over 30 times the stipulated amount for a Lok Sahba seat in the 1999 general election in India, says a World Bank report.

While the campaign ceiling for a Lok Sabha seat has been re-pegged at Rs 2,50,000, the average winner spent about Rs 83,00,000 in the 1999 parliamentary election, said the report "Reforming Public Services in India - Drawing Lessons from Success".

Given that the figures quoted from a study by the World Bank are for the 1999 polls, experts believe that the candidates must have spent much more in the last Lok Sabha polls.

The report attributed the staggering expenses to the growth of the multi-party system in India. "The growth of multi party competition in tight races has encouraged a free-for-all to outspend opponents to win," it said.

The unregulated cost of elections has created incentives for some politicians to extract rents from public administration or service delivery, to fund campaign expenses or pay back contributions, according to the report.

Though the Government allowed tax-deductible company donations in 2003 to encourage payments by cheque, many donors avoided doing so for fear of losing anonymity, the report said

The report suggested that the Government can consider clubbing party and candidate expenses on a campaign under a single and realistic ceiling or create separate ceilings for both categories to restrain the cost of campaigns. Currently, party expenses are uncapped.

The World Bank report said choking off the supply of money unaccounted for in the economy through measures such as simplification of income tax, dismantling of unnecessary regulatory controls and enforcement of anti-corruption laws will make it easier to reform the electoral funding system.

The report pointed towards another adverse repercussion of the growth of the multi-party system in India. It said many Indian states will be prone to spending less on development and more on salaries as they move towards multi-party system.

"As several Indian states move towards multi-party systems, the challenge will be to ensure that service delivery does not suffer," the report said.

In two party systems, the winning threshold is significantly higher than in multi-party systems.

As a result, two-party systems put a premium on interest aggregation cutting across segmented identities of race, caste or class. In multi-party systems, however, winning thresholds are much lower and smaller parties have to cling more faithfully to their traditional basis, the report said.

This, in turn, increases the significance of narrow groupings, the World Bank said.

"Multi-party systems are thus more likely to deliver club goods to their followers in the form of patronage involving jobs, contracts or schemes targeted at particular groups. Two- party systems on the other hand are more likely to focus on providing genuine public goods to a large cross section of groups," it said.

When multi-party systems produce fragile coalitions, alliance partners may jostle for the spoils of office. The longevity of the government may be in doubt and create uncertainty and politicians may be more concerned with survival rather than long-term improvements, It said. (PTI)

Indians in Afghanistan asked to be in touch with Embassy

NEW DELHI, June 25: India has asked all its nationals working in Afghanistan to be in constant touch with the Indian embassy in Kabul and also demand security from the private enterprises they are employed with.

This was necessitated following danger to the lives, abductions and subsequent killings of Indian engineers and technical staff working on various projects--both government and private--in the war-torn country.

There have also been intelligence reports that Al-Badr, a pro-Pakistan terrorist group, had been asked to target Indians working on various developmental projects in Afghanistan, sources said.

Some parts of the country have recently witnessed a spurt in violence and increased Taliban activities and fresh infighting between US-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Taliban.

There are about 2000 Indian nationals working on various projects in Afghanistan.

The Government is also in constant touch with the Hamid Karzai administration to ensure the safety of Indians in Afghanistan.

Minister of State for External Affair E Ahamed said the Indian embassy in Kabul also issues updated advisories to Indians on the security situation and the need to take appropriate precautionary measures.

"All Indian nationals in Afghanistan have been advised to be in constant touch with our embassy and consulates in Afghanistan. In addition, on our embassy's insistence, the Government of Afghanistan has deployed local police guards at the sites of Indian projects in Afghanistan," he said.

Mr Ahamed said the Indian embassy had also advised Indian nationals working with private companies, international organisations and the Government of Afghanistan to ask their employers to provide them adequate security.

The Sources said there were reliable intelligence reports that Al-Badr, a Kashmiri terrorist group, had been asked to target Indians in Afghanistan. The terrorist outfit had set up small training camps along the Pak-Afghan border.

The sources said Indian security agencies had stepped up intelligence in areas, particularly Southern Afghanistan, where Indians are engaged in infrastructure development or humanitarian assistance.

Maniappan Raman Kutty, an employee of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), was abducted and killed by the Taliban in November last years.

The BRO is involved in the construction of a road in Afghanistan that will help boost its trade with Central Asia. The Taliban wanted the BRO to stop work on the project.

Another Indian, K Suryanarayana, a telecom engineer, was abducted and killed early this year by the Taliban in Southern Afghanistan. The Taliban were demanding that all Indians leave Afganistan.

Meanwhile, in renewed fighting between the ISAF and the Taliban yesterday, more than 60 Taliban terrorists were killed in two separate incidents in southern Afghanistan. While 40 were killed in Uruzgan province, another 20 were killed in Kandahar.

In a related development, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai asked the ISAF to "reassess the manner in which the war on terror is conducted" as the death toll in Afghanistan rose to 600 in four weeks.

"It is not acceptable to us that in all this fighting, Afghans are dying...In the last three to four weeks, 500 to 600 Afghans have been killed. Even if they are Taliban, they are sons of this land," he told reporters at a press conference.

The situation in Afghanistan threatens to worsen as Al-Qaeda Deputy Ayman-al-Zawahiri asked Afghans to rise in revolt and fight the foreign forces in the country.

"Muslim brothers in Kabul in particular and Afghanistan in general: Stand as one with the mujahideen until the invading forces are expelled and Afghanistan is liberated," Zawahiri was quoted as having said. (UNI)

Hasina wants stronger ties between India and Bangladesh

KOLKATA, June 25: Wrapping up her five-day visit to India, former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina today called for cementing trust and friendship between the two countries to strengthen bilateral relations clouded by differences on a host of issues.

"If there is mutual trust and friendship, bilateral relations between the two countries are bound to improve," Hasina said on the sidelines of an award function here.

In this context, she cited the successful conclusion of the 30-year Ganga water sharing treaty that was signed during her tenure as prime minister.

To a question if her Awami League party would put emphasis on strengthening relations with India if it was voted back to power in next year's election, she said, "The Awami League will give importance to better relations with all neighbouring countries as it is our party's principle."

In support of her contention, she said the Ganga water pact with India was signed without any third party intervention.

Asked about India's concerns over the presence of camps of Indian insurgent groups in Bangladesh, Hasina said, "Terrorism is a global phenomenon and Bangladesh is no exception.

"Terrorsim is there in Bangladesh," she said adding that she was also a victim of a terrorist attack in August 2005.

After intensive talks with top Indian leaders including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechuri, Hasina had a 40-minute meeting with former West Bengal chief minister Jyoti Basu during which a gamut of bilateral issues came up for discussion. (PTI)

Police to file chargesheet on June 28 against
Praveen Mahajan

MUMBAI, June 25: Police is likely to file on June 28 a comprehensive chargesheet against Praveen Mahajan who has been arrested on the charge of killing his elder brother and BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan.

On June 28, Praveen would be produced before a Magistrate for remand and the police is likely to file chargesheet, sources told PTI.

On last occasion, the investigating officer had indicated that he was giving finishing touches to the chargesheet and was likely to file it on the next date.

Meanwhile, Pravin would file an appeal next week in a sessions court against the order of magistrate rejecting his plea for psychiatric tests and supervision of probe, his lawyer Nandkumar Rajurkar told PTI.

"We shall file an appeal next week and I am going to meet Praveen in jail on Monday to discuss with him the details," Rajurkar said.

On June 14, a local court had rejected Praveen's plea to undergo psychiatric tests to ascertain his mental state when he had allegedly killed his elder brother. Twice earlier, the court had rejected a similar plea.

The magistrate noted that there were no grounds to show that he was mentally unstable and therefore rejected the petition.

The Magistrate also rejected Praveen's plea that the court should supervise the investigation as it was 'one-sided'. The court observed that the investigation was properly done and appeared to be fair and there was no reason to believe that 'pressure tactics' were followed by the investigating agency. (PTI)

Alchi monastery to be nominated for World
Heritage Site status

NEW DELHI, June 25: Alchi monastery, one of the most important Buddhist cultural sites nestled in the scenic Himalayan region of Ladakh, has made it to the shortlist of Indian locations vying for World Heritage Site status.

The World Heritage Committee has approved the monastery for nomination by India, a Culture Ministry official said.

Alchi has been included in India's list of sites to be taken up for nomination with UNESCO for conferring the heritage site status, the official said.

Union Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni, during her recent tour of Ladakh, gave an assurance that the nomination of Alchi for World Heritage Site status will be taken up by the Archaeological Survey of India, he said.

As one country can give only one nomination for a cultural site in a year and India has already proposed the nomination of Delhi's Red Fort in the year 2007, the Buddhist monastery will be taken up by ASI thereafter, she said.

Also known as the Ajanta of the Himalayas, the Alchi complex is one of the most important cultural sites in the Himalayan region.

The ASI, under the Ministry of Culture, protects 69 monuments in Jammu and Kashmir, of which 11 are in the Leh district.

The allocation of funds for 2006-07 for conservation works by ASI in the state is Rs 282 lakh and for other regional works Rs 40 lakh. (PTI)

Raj Bhavan-HC spat to be taken up with Kalam

LUCKNOW, June 25: The stand-off between the Uttar Pradesh Governor and the Allahabad High Court over the suspension and subsequent transfer of the Governor's Additional Legal Advisor is likely to reach President A P J Abdul Kalam, informed sources said here today.

Governor T V Rrajeswar, who has not yet relieved the law officer P K Dubey and also stayed his suspension, is likely to meet the President in New Delhi shortly to apprise him of the developments, the sources said.

The face off began when the High Court ordered transfer of Dubey and made him the Additional District Judge, Lucknow but he failed to comply with the order.

Following the non-compliance of its direction, the court suspended Dubey and attached him to the Judgeship in Ballia district.

The Raj Bhavan however stayed the suspension by an order on June 12 last and refused to relieve him.

Taking a serious view of the flouting of its orders, a full bench of the High Court on Friday canceled all orders of the Raj Bhavan pertaining to Dubey and directed Governor's principal secretary Luv Verma to appear before it on July 4.

It also issued notices to the Union Home Secretary, Chief Secretary of the state and the Principal Law secretary. (PTI)

Govt considering expanding definition of rape

NEW DELHI, June 25: In a bid to deter sexual assault against women, Government is considering expanding the definition of rape to include certain objectionable acts within its purview.

Another new provision in the Bill for this purpose, to be introduced during the monsoon session of Parliament, will be to make sexual assault "gender neutral" - meaning that men and women could be punished for such an offence, a senior official said today.

The Bill will amend Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code, dealing with the definition of rape, and Section 376, which prescribes punishment, to include offenses like forced oral sex, insertion of an artificial object without consent and touching a woman's private parts against her wishes.

At present, penetration against will constitutes sexual intercourse amounting to rape.

"The draft Bill is almost ready and will be taken to the Union Cabinet for its approval before introduction in Parliament," the official said.

These moves to reform the criminal justice system have been initiated by Home Minister Shivraj Patil, "who is keen to tone up the investigating machinery, strengthening the prosecution system and safeguard the interests of women", he said.

The official, however, said that punishment for rape, which now varies from a seven-year jail term to life imprisonment, is unlikely to be changed.

He said several suggestions to prevent sexual assaults on women have been given by the Law Commission and the National Commission for Women and many of them have been incorporated in the draft Bill.

Under the new provision, separate clauses were being introduced to deal with sexual offences committed by security force personnel, including the armed forces, as also those deputed in hospitals and educational institutions, besides assaults on children.

A fresh look is also being taken at the issue of "consent" of a woman, a provision which has been used often by the defence in a case of sexual assault in an attempt to get an accused absolved.

"The Bill is aimed at clearly defining various forms of sexual assault and widening the ambit of the offence of rape to ensure that an accused does not go scot free," the official said, observing that the issue of age of consent is also been looked into.

As part of the Government's efforts to tone up the criminal justice system and provide protection to women, amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code, which were passed by Parliament last year, have become law.

Now a woman cannot be arrested after sunset and before sunrise except under exceptional circumstances.

The new statute allows use of DNA and other modern scientific techniques during medical examination and an accused in a rape case can been compelled to give blood samples for DNA testing. (PTI)