No post poll alliance with Congress: Karat

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi, July 31: Maintaining his tirade against Congress, Communist Party of India (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Thursday reiterated that his party will not be a part of UPA even after next general polls. The firebrand Marxist leader said this in an interview to a private television channel, where he blamed the Congress-led UPA government for failing on serious issues of concerns to the common man. “It is all over with the Congress. We will not go with the Congress-led UPA even after next polls,” Karat reportedly said. The relation between Congress and Left parties has soured after the latter withdrew its support to the UPA government citing their opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal. Subsequently, the Left parties along with the BJP initiated a no-trust motion, which the UPA government survived with a convincing margin. The General Elections to the 15th Lok Sabha are schedule for May 2009.

This is just a pose to shore up the 3rd front before elections. After elections the Leftists would support UPA in the name of communalism, if that can keep the BJP from coming to power. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

`Ram Setu doesn`t fulfil criteria of national monument`

New Delhi, July 29:

The Centre on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it had already come to a conclusion that Ram Setu does not fulfil the criteria for being declared a national monument. "As far as we are concerned, the stand of the government is very clear that Ram Setu could not fulfil the criteria of national monument," senior advocate Fali S Nariman, appearing for the Centre, told a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan. Further, on the issue of alternative alignment to avoid destruction of Rama Setu for the Sethusamudram project, he said, so far, he has not received any instruction from the Government. Nariman said that would, most probably by evening or tomorrow, receive some instructions. A day after making a strident argument that Rama Setu was destroyed by Lord Rama himself, the Centre had on July 24 changed tack and said that the viability of going ahead with the Sethusamudram project through an alternative alignment has been taken up at the "highest level". "The suggestion for alternative alignment to avoid Rama Setu route has been taken as a special case. I have personally taken it at the highest level. It is being scientifically examined. I will come back to you by Tuesday or Wednesday," Nariman had told the Bench. Bureau Report

The only criteria for national monument that would pass master without argument by the UPA government is that the honoured should belong to the Nehru-Sonia family. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Ram Sethu: Centre walks on tightrope

Sam Daniel
Tuesday, July 29, 2008, (Chennai)

The Union government is now considering the Supreme Court's advice to choose a different route for Sethusamudram project in a bid to save the Ram Sethu. And the environmentalists say that this may spell disaster.The Ram the bridge is believed to have been built by Lord Ram's vanar sena on the Bay of Bengal. If the centre has its way, the stretch behind will be cut across to allow ships to sail through.Devotees call it an outrage on their faith. They want the government to choose another route that will leave the bridge of faith intact. In fact, five of the six original proposals have left this bridge intact.The devotees visiting Danushkodi are hopeful that Ram Sethu would be saved. The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to consider a new route, between the fourth and fifth alignments for the Sethusamudram channel.According to the plan, the channel will be cut across the land near the famous Kodandaramar temple, leaving Ram Sethu intact. The Centre is expected to give its reply in a few days."Destroying Ram Sethu is like piercing the hearts of Ram devotees. Even if the project is economically profitable, the right thing is to take the other route," said a devotee.It was the Ram Sethu that saved us from the tsunami.Devotees believe that the chain of limestone shoals was built by Ram's army of monkeys to rescue his wife Sita from Ravana in Sri Lanka.The Sethusamudram channel is worth Rs 2400 crore. It aims to connect the east and west coast of India for ships that go around Sri Lanka.But environmentalists are up in arms. They say the route will be an ecological disaster due to its proximity to the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park.This national biosphere is home to over 3000 marine species including corals and is just 10 km away from the new alignment. Activists say this would threaten the very survival of this reserve."Corals are schedule one. It means that they have the same status as that of a tiger," said Sudarshan Rodriguez, an environmentalist.With the ruling DMK determined to see the project through, if accepted the proposed change in alignment, may almost double the cost and delay it by a few years. For the Centre, it is a tightrope walk.

Between Karunanidhi's "Which College of Engineering did Rama study in" and UPA Government's "No Rama", "Yes Rama" and "No Ram Sethu", it is the Hindus who are walking on a tightrope - worrying to no end about the fate of their religious symbols.

Indian Mujahideen a cover for international groups

New Delhi: November 23, 2007: Serial blasts in Varanasi, Faizabad and Lucknow killed 13 people. A mail was sent from the email ID guru_alhindi@yahoo.fr indicating the involvement of an unknown terror group called the Indian Mujhaideen. The email was sent to a private news channel just minutes before the blast.
May 8, 2008: Serial bombing in Jaipur City killed 63 people. A day after, an email was recieved from guru_alhindi_jaipur@yahoo.co.uk which too pointed to the involvement of Indian Mujhaideen.
July 26, 2008: 18 serial blasts in Ahmedabad killed 46 people and once again, a familiar name is doing the rounds through an email sent minutes before the blasts from the email ID, alarbi_gujarat@yahoo.com.
The Indian Mujhaideen has also claimed responsiblity for the Ahmedabad blasts, but is it a real organisation or just a name being used to deflect attention from internation terrror outfits?
Union Home Minister Sri Prakash Jaiswal says, "The idea is to disturb peace. The name of Indian Mujhaideen has cropped up earlier too, but it's just a cover organisation."
Intelligence officials say that the Indian Mujhaideen is just a front to deflect attention from international terror groups as well as an effort to show that terrorism in India is now home grown and localised.
Former RAW Official Colonel RSN Singh says, "Be it HUJI, or the HUm or the Indian Mujhaideen, they are all the same. There is a lot of coordination between them and they work with the help of local people."
According to intelligence sources different sleeper cells are doing different tasks. One purchases materials required in making explosives, while the other manufactures the bombs and a third group is involved in doing a recce of the location and placing the bombs in pre-determined locations.
Intelligence sources have informed CNN-IBN that the 408 Detachment of ISI based in Karachi - which oversees terror operations in Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat - is behind the floating of Indian Mujhaideen.
So, while local terror agents did the job, the planning and nerve control may have happened from the 408 Detachment of ISI in Karachi.

It would have been more correct to say Indian Mujahideen and all the other sundry terrorist organisations are a cover for Islam.

Speaker replies to Advani`s demand for making sting CDs public

New Delhi, July 28: In his reply to LK Advani's letter demanding that the cash-for-votes scam sting operation CDs be made public, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has said that it is upto the newly formed committee of Lok Sabha MPs to take the decision, BJP said on Monday. "The Speaker has replied to the letter written to him by Advaniji. He has said that the committee should decide whether the CDs should be made public," senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said to the reporters here. Swaraj said Chatterjee's letter also informed Advani that the news channel which carried out the sting has copies of the CDs. She said as per the Speaker's letter, the channel has also claimed that it has a right to telecast the CDs whenever it wants. Advani had written a letter to the Speaker on Sunday demanding that the CDs showing a close aide of Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh delivering Rs one crore in cash to three BJP MPs should be made public. Swaraj also took a dig at Congress general secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh for alleging that the cash given to the three MPs was withdrawn from State Bank of Indore, New Market branch of Bhopal. Singh had also alleged that the money was arranged by the BJP government in the state. "Digvijay Singh should reveal the source of his information. Else he should be interrogated. This information (about the cash) is either known to the three MPs who got the cash or the staff of the Lok Sabha secretariat," she said. Bureau Report

Your comment(s) on this article

The trust vote in the Parliament is not over yet. It will be only when the inquiry into cashgate is complete and the CDs released for public viewing. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Blasts a conspiracy to divert from cash-for-votes scam: BJP

New Delhi, July 28: The BJP on Monday made a surprise allegation that the weekend blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad were a conspiracy to divert attention from the cash-for-votes scam and sought to suggest UPA's hand in it. The Congress, however, rubbished the allegation saying the BJP has lost its "mental balance". "What they said was "shameful", Congress spokesman Manish Tiwari said adding "first they lowered the dignity of the House by bringing in cash and now now they are making noise". Addressing a press conference after a meeting of NDA leaders "I see a conspiracy to divert attention from the cash- for-votes scam. The Muslim votes got scattered from them (apparently the UPA) because of friendship with the US....to scare the Muslims by raising the bogey of BJP to bring them back into their camp." However, she did not name anyone directly as being responsible for the blasts. Swaraj said she was sure the "conspiracy" would be exposed and added that so far it had not happened that within 24 hours two-BJP ruled states had been targeted. "These are not off-the-cuff remarks. I mean what I say," she said further. When asked if she was pointing towards the Centre and alleging that the Congress-led UPA government had a role in the blasts, she said, "I have said what I wanted, it is for you all to interpret the rest." Swaraj claimed that the blasts and its locations had enough "circumstantial evidence" to support her charge. Swaraj said "The attacks in two BJP-ruled states in a span of two days and within four days of the UPA government winning the confidence vote has some meaning and what I am saying is proved by enough circumstantial evidence." She said absence of an anti-terror law like that of the POTA was the prime reason for the increased terrorist activity in the country. "Let them replace the name and not call it POTA, but the country today badly needs an anti-terror law. There is this misconception that POTA is against the Muslims, it is in fact against the Mujrims (culprits)," Swaraj said. She also promised "all support" to the government if it attempts to bring in a federal law to investigate terrorist cases. Bureau Report

Your comment(s) on this article

If there was a clue in what Sushma Swaraj said, it is that the bomb blasts had the blessings of Mulayam Singh Yadav. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Kerala on terror radar?

NDTV Correspondent
Monday, July 28, 2008, (Thiruvananthapuram)
After blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad, all states are on alert. A journalist in Bangalore has received a phone call saying Kerala would be the next target.Major commercial centres, IT parks, important places of worship, bus stands, railway stations and airports are under close observation of security and intelligence personnel.With a security alert having been sounded across Kerala as well after a television channel claimed it had received an email saying Kerala could be the next target of terrorists, the Kerala Directorate General of Police Raman Srivastav said that there was no need to panic as security had been stepped up.PTI adds:"I have been informed by the DGP of Karnataka about the terror threat to Kerala. We spoke to the journalist concerned who said he had received two calls today -- one at one pm and another at 3.30 pm," Kerala Police chief Raman Srivastava said.The DGP convened a high-level meeting to review the security arrangements in the state."All my boys are out on the streets. All bus stations and public places are being closely monitored," Srivastava said, adding Bomb Disposal Squad and Rapid Action Force have also been pressed into service.Meanwhile, Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said there was no need to panic and the state police was in touch with their counterparts in Karnataka.He urged people to refrain from spreading rumours.


The sooner it is realised that more than Kerala being on terror radar, Kerala is the terror base of India - the better it would be for India.

IBN's intrepid journalists.

Is Manmohan Singh the big winner at the end of the Trust Vote? On Weekend Edition, Rajdeep Sardesai will answer whether Singh is King. Come, blog your thoughts.

Thanks to your intrepid journalists, I think the real result of the trust vote is not out yet. That will be out only when the CD is thoroughly gone through by the Parliamentary committee.

http://www.ibnlive.com/blogs/contest_blogs/blog_form_thanks.php?author_id=1971

15 dead, 140 injured in Istanbul blasts

Istanbul, July 28: Bombs killed 15 people and wounded around 140 in Istanbul late on Sunday, just hours ahead of a court case over banning the governing party that has plunged Turkey into political turmoil. Officials said one loud blast brought people into the streets of a busy shopping and eating area, then a larger bomb hidden in a rubbish bin exploded 10 minutes and 50 meters away, tearing through the crowds. "This is a terror attack," city Governor Muammer Guler told reporters at the scene, in a pedestrianized street where families gather in the evenings to dine, sip tea and stroll, well away from the city's tourist sites. No one immediately claimed responsibility for the blasts, the deadliest attack in Turkey since 2003. Television showed ambulances taking away the wounded in the middle-class Gungoren district of Turkey's biggest city, near the main airport. Among the rubble and glass of broken shop windows, men carried away the wounded and children cried. "First a percussion bomb exploded and then a bomb in a garbage container," Deputy Prime Minister Hayati Yazici told reporters. One witness said: "Tens of people were scattered around. People's heads, arms, were flying in the air." "I condemn those who carried out this bombing, which shows us terrorism's inhumane desire for cruelty and violence without discriminating between men and women, young, old and children," President Abdullah Gul said in a statement. An official at the Istanbul Governor's crisis centre said the death toll had now reached 15 and 137 people were injured, some seriously. Television stations put the injuries as high as 150. Interior Minister Besir Atalay said that 15 people died and 15 were in critical condition. Detentions Reported Turkish newspaper Zaman reported on its website that three people had been detained in connection with the blasts. Forensic teams were examining the scene of the blasts and police were now investigating the security cameras in the area. "I heard the blast and I came running, people were running the other way to get away. As I approached I saw a huge black cloud coming out of the street. I saw about 10 bodies lying down on the ground," Ercan Usta, who owns a cafe nearby, said. Kurdish separatists, far-left groups and Islamists have all carried out bombings in Istanbul in the past. Turkey, which is seeking European Union membership, has been plunged into political and economic uncertainty by a court case over banning the ruling party that begins on Monday. The Constitutional Court, Turkey's highest judicial body, will deliberate on whether the AK Party has engaged in Islamist activities and should be closed. The party denies the charges. A ruling is expected in early August. Tensions have also been rising over a widening police investigation into a suspected ultra-nationalist group accused of seeking to overthrow the AK Party government. So far 86 people have been arrested, including well-known critics of the government. Governor Guler said the "heinous attack" in Istanbul, which straddles Europe and Asia, was not a suicide bombing. In Gungoren, on the European side, residents hung the red and white Turkish flag out of their homes after the bombs. Earlier this month three Turkish police and three gunmen were killed in an attack on the US consulate in Istanbul. The most serious attacks in recent years were in 2003, when 62 people were killed by Islamist militants targeting two synagogues, a bank and the British consulate in Istanbul. State news agency Anatolian reported a failed suicide attack on a police station in Bingol province in southeast Turkey. One of the attackers was killed, one wounded and one escaped. Bureau Report

Your comment(s) on this article
Bomb in garbage container in Turkey? Bomb in garbage container in Gujarat? Jihadis certainly think alike. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Amarnath land transfer: Agitators, police clash in Jammu

Zeenews Bureau Jammu, July 26:

In fresh incidents of violence in Jammu city, protestors hurled petrol bomb on patrolling security personals on Saturday. In response, the police fired tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. Violence erupted soon after the authorities relaxed the curfew in the town. The protestors are demanding the restoration of forest land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and the removal of state Governor N N Vohra. On Friday, protesters burnt police vehicles and attacked the police control room here, leaving 21 persons including seven cops injured during a bandh called by Shri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti in Jammu and adjoining areas. Agitators have so far refused to initiate talks with the authorities despite attempts from state authorities to have some sort of dialogue with them. The situation turned worse after a youth named Kuldip allegedly committed suicide to protest against the government's decision to revoke the transfer of forest land to SASB.

The brave Hindu agitators of Jammu, who are fighting for the cause all Hindus when most of us in the rest of India appear indifferent, deserve kudos. Wake up, Hindus. Do not let the Jammu Hindus' voice be a voice in the wilderness of our indifference. Let the agitation to protect Ram Sethu and the agitation to protect Amarnath pilgrimage be joined together to mark the beginning of a Hindu backlash – from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari.

Vohra appeals people of Jammu for talks on Amarnath issue

Jammu, July 26:

Following rejection by SASS to sit for talks with Jammu and Kashmir government on Amarnath issue till their demand is met, Governor N N Vohra on Saturday renewed his appeal to the people of Jammu to solve the issue amicably through a dialogue process.

"...I sincerely feel that there is no issue which cannot be resolved amicably through a process of dialogue. I, therefore renew my appeal to people of Jammu to come forward and help in restoring normalcy through dialogue," the governor said in an appeal for peace circulated through local papers here today.

"Let us work together towards this goal," he said.

The Shri Amarnath Sangarsh Samiti, the nodal agency for Amarnath agitation in Jammu region, had earlier rejected to have any dialogue with the Governor till their demand of cancellation of revoked order on land transfer is not met.

"The situation in the region is causing inconvenience to thousands of Amarnath and Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrims who have come here from across the country," Vohra said adding, common people are also facing problems due to continuous closure of markets, educational institutions, offices, courts and lack of transport facilities.

Vohra also conveyed his heart-felt condolences to the bereaved family of Kuldeep Kumar Dogra, a SASS activist, who allegedly committed suicide on July 23 on Amarnath land row .

Bureau Report

A pilgrimage to Amarnath represents the religious aspirations of Hindus and there should be no belittling of it in the name of Muslim appeasement. Whether in the North at Amarnath or in the South at Ram Sethu, Hindus are being insulted without fear of reprisals. Hindus are allowing everyone to ride roughshod over them. Unless the situation changes, even the Gods will forsake Hindus. Hindus, stand up and fight! - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Yechury denies linking Speaker`s office to bribery scam

New Delhi, July 26: Senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Saturday strongly rebutted a report quoting him as saying that the Speaker's office was involved in the alleged cash-for-vote scam. "This is a complete distortion of what I had said," Yechury said from Bangalore over phone. Yechury had actually said, "We understand the tapes on the allurements offered to the MPs have been sent to the Speaker's office.” "The truth should be out and only then will the credibility of the system be restored. Investigations if any, should be done at the earliest.” He said he had not at all mentioned anything about the involvement of the Speaker's office. Bureau Report

Your comment(s) on this article

Enquiry into "cashgate" should be completed at the earliest, the whole story told to the nation and the guilty should be given exemplary punishment. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Ram Sethu doesn’t exist, Centre tells SC

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi, July 23:

The Central government on Wednesday informed the Supreme Court that it is going ahead with the contentious Sethusamudram Project. In an affidavit filed before the SC, the Centre said that it was not destroying the ‘Ram Sethu’ as no such bridge existed. Lord Ram himself had destroyed the bridge with a magical bow, the Centre said in the affidavit, quoting from the Tamil ‘Kamban Ramayan’. The government is only trying to build a channel through the Palk Bay to allow the direct passage of ships from the West Coast to the East Coast without going around Sri Lanka, the Centre added. The Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, once complete, will translate into a saving of upto 424 nautical miles and upto 30 hours in ships’ sailing time. The project, which started in July 2004, ran into troubled waters when Hindu groups began protesting against the dredging across the Sethusamudram Canal, saying it would destroy the Ram Sethu, or Adam’s Bridge, believed to be the passage created by Lord Rama to rescue his wife from the hands of demon King Ravana in Sri Lanka. Environmentalists also opposed the project saying it would destroy the biosphere reserve in the area laden with coral reefs. BJP objects to Centre's affidavitBJP took strong exception to the Centre's affidavit on Sethusamudram project which objects to religious grounds being raked up for blocking the venture, claiming the UPA was "paying a price" for the support it received from the DMK during the trust vote. "The UPA is paying for the support it got from the DMK during the trust vote. The affidavit is another blow on the sentiments of millions of Hindus in the country," senior BJP leader V K Malhotra told agencies. The saffron party also decided to launch a countrywide agitation against the UPA Government on the issue, the details of which would be worked out soon. The party would launch a nationwide agitation soon to protest the new move by the Government to go ahead with the controversial project, he said.


Your comment(s) on this article
According to UPA, Ram does not exist. So how could a non-existent Ram destroy a non-existent Ram Sethu? - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

why you people are giving issue to BJP. - sumon dutta - Dhaka

The First Gift to "DMK" to support UPA in the TRUST Vote in Parliament - Pervez - madurai

McCain backer riles Muslims with comment

Agence France-Presse
Saturday, July 19, 2008 9:56 AM (Washington)
A supporter of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said that Muslims wanted to kill Americans, provoking anger among Muslims and a hasty clarification from the campaign."The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us," former prisoner of Vietnam War, Bud Day, said on a conference call with reporters organised by the Floridan Republican party."I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel," he said.Day was a prisoner of war at the same time as McCain, and was a member in 2004 of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" group that sought to discredit then Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's statements about his own service in the Vietnam War.McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb sought to clarify Day's remarks on Friday after the conference call saying, "The threat we face is from radical Islamic extremism."However, Day's words prompted a quick reply from US-based Muslim groups."Mr Day's distorted view dismisses the vast majority of Muslims who stand with our nation to fight extremists and anti-American forces," said Council on American-Islamic Relations legislative director Corey Saylor."Senator McCain needs to make it clear that he does not support such a divisive position and that his campaign respects all Americans," Saylor said.


Muslims say Islam is for peace. Yet Islam's model is Mohammad who started his career by destroying the idols of Mecca, unmindful it was worshipped by non-Muslims. Islam justifies it because Mecca mosque was built by Abraham who did not believe in idols. Sure, he in turn started off his religious life by destroying the idols his own father worshipped. Such is the lineage of Islam - another name for intolerance. So what peace is Islam talking about?

CPI(M) not averse to supporting UPA after next elections

Zee News

New Delhi, July 13: The Left parties may have snapped ties with the UPA over nuclear deal on an acrimonious note, but the CPI(M) is not averse to supporting the Congress-led coalition after the next elections provided ''that they do not betray it like this time''. Senior CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said the present ''experience will be a shadow'' in the ties but did not rule out Left extending support to Congress based on the ''circumstances and policies'' it follows. ''It (support) depends on the policies they follow. If they follow a CMP without betraying like now,'' Yechury said in an interview to a news channel. ''This experience (government going to IAEA) will (however) be a shadow,'' he said, adding that the Left extended support to the UPA four years ago based on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP), which ''did not include the nuclear deal''. CPI general secretary A B Bardhan had, three days ago said, the Left parties will not be averse to supporting Congress in the bigger fight against communal forces in future but indicated that it would not support a government led by Manmohan Singh. He said there would be ''occasions'' in the future when the Left parties will have to fight against communal forces together with Congress and similar ''secular'' parties. ''He (Singh) will not always be the Prime Minister. I am talking about the Congress as an institution. I am talking of secular parties. We will have to deal with them,'' Bardhan said. Bureau Report


Your comment(s) on this article

This has let the cat out of the bag. The left is against the nuclear deal but not against UPA. Therefore it has arranged for SP to support the UP and get the numbers. It will now form a third front with BSP, TDP and maybe even AIADMK - all in order to fight against their greatest enemy, the BJP. In short, CPI(M) has most ingeniously allowed the nuclear deal to go through, created a third front and prepared for once again supporting the UPA. In splendid isolation - the BJP. Except that the electorate will this time isolate the grand alliance against nationalist BJP. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Prepare for attack on Iran: Bush to Israel

Press Trust of India
Sunday, July 13, 2008 (London)
US President George W Bush has given Israel a go-ahead to begin preparations for a military attack on Iran, in case talks over the country's controversial nuclear programme fail to yield results, a media report has said.The Bush administration is said to have informed Jerusalem that he would back an Israeli plan to strike Iran's main nuclear sites with long-range aerial weapons if diplomatic talks over Tehran's nuclear programme broke down, the Sunday Times said quoting a Pentagon official.The US President has given Israel an ''amber light'' to start preparing for a possible offensive, the official told the Sunday Times.''Amber means get on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us when you're ready,'' the official was quoted as saying to Sunday Times.The US President's voice of support comes despite his military officials' opposition to an attack on Iran, given the risks of an aerial strike.However, the US would not deploy American forces for such a strike nor would Israel be able to depend on its military bases in Iraq for logistical support, the official said.Washington would also not give a ''green light'' to the attack without unquestionable proof that the Islamic Republic is involved in military preparations of its own, the report said.Iran last week test launched a series of medium-range ballistic missiles it claimed were capable of striking Israel.The tests prompted a threatening message from Israel Defence Minister Ehud Barak, who said that the Jewish state would not hesitate from taking military action against Tehran.


Israel should not wait for Iran to actually strike Israel. Iran's leaders have already declared that its nuclear weapons are meant to strike Israel. Israel must therefore destroy Iran's nuclear weapons programme before they become operational. Otherwise, many millions would die. Minimal harm now rather than horrendous harm later.

Non-bailable warrant against Raj Thackeray over ‘Chhat Puja’

Jamshedpur, July 11: A court here on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for failing to appear before it in a case regarding his alleged derogatory remarks on 'Chat festival'. Hearing a petition, filed by a local lawyer Hameed Raza Khan, the court of First Class Judicial Magistrate AK Tiwari issued the non-bailable warrant against Thackeray for failing to appear in the court on Friday. Earlier, the court had issued a bailable warrant in connection with the case on June 19. Khan had filed the petition in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate PK Moitra against MNS chief in February in which he had alleged that Thackeray had made the remarks while addressing a public meeting at Mumbai on January 31. Thackeray had described 'chat festival', observed by the people of Bihar in Mumbai, as farce, which led to a wide-spread agitation in the country including, Jharkhand and Bihar. Accusing Thackeray of hurting the religious sentiments of a section of the society, Khan had filed the case under section 153 (rioting), 295A (a non-bailable section for hurting the religious sentiments) and 298 IPC. Khan had further alleged that the MNS stand on North Indians as well as the 'chat festival' was a deliberate attempt to promote feelings of regionalism in the country. The complainant had also produced newspaper clippings with regard to Thackeray's statement to substantiate his charges. Earlier, the court of First Class Judicial Magistrate(II) Anil Kumar had also issued a bailable warrant against the MNS chief in connection with a case lodged by another lawyer Sudhir Kumar Pappu for Thackeray's alleged objectionable remark against the Hindi speaking people, including Biharis. The court had issued the warrant after Thackeray failed to appear in the court on June 12 last. Bureau Report


Your comment(s) on this article

What Raj Thackeray said about Chat Pooja was bad enough. But a Muslim lawyer has filed a case against Raj Thackeray to exploit the situation and bring about a Hindu vs. Hindu situation. Beware Hindus, not only is there infighting amongst you, but you are allowing outsiders to come within and aggravate the trouble. VHP should advise the Muslim advocate to withdraw the case and take up the matter with Raj Thackeray for an amicable solution, otherwise VHP should itself file a case against Raj Thackeray. –
K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Pope Said "Convert India Next " Should Conversions be BANNED by Law ?

Tanjore_Skanda

Message #2 07/06/08 12:19 PM
In kalahasti, a major Hindu Piligrimage Center, the christians are bold enough to send a 60 year old man inside the temple to distribute pamplets on christianity and the benefits of converting to christianity.

In the same Kalahasti, a member of the family of the temple priest was paid 10 lakhs in cash and he converted to christianity.

Is this an agenda of the christians and the Pope through Sonia Gandhi ?

In christian schools there is a rule for the dress code of girl students that the frock must be of a size 2 inches above the knees. Are they educating OR filling England Value system ?

Are we seeing Invasion from other religion people, silently and cleverly ?
Is Secularism Only meant to target Hinduism ?

Message #3 07/06/08 12:55 PM
Also, in christian hospitals and orphanages, the weak and truly orphaned are identified and forcibly converted to christianity. People who are not happy and want to return to their earlier faith, are being harassed by Goondaas and Church Fathers and Bishops

Message #4 07/06/08 03:30 PM
Also, the so called Secular Christian Community spares no chance in buying huge land on the outskirts and then convert the adjoining belts / villages to christianity.

So, what do we need ? Secularism OR Basic Humanitarian Ethics ?

K.Venugopal
Message #507/09/08 02:29 PM
Conversions are pernicious and based on the principle of "My religion alone is right, yours wrong". As for freedom of choice, such freedom should be based on the culture of acceptance of all choices as valid - choice being just a matter of individual preference. However, Semitic religions preach that the question of choice does not arise - God or Allah has already chosen the perfect religion for you. Yours is only to convert or be damned in hell for eternity. Religions which adopt such approach to conversions should be banned from carrying out conversions in the name of freedom of religious choice.

Is Congress better off without Left?

MSN News

Message
P. Venugopal
Message #107/09/08 11:51 AM
Even since the Congress formed a government at the Centre with outside support from the Left, it had to shelve many economic reforms proposals under pressure from the Left. Do you think Congress will implement its unfinished economic agenda, now that the Left has withdrawn its support to the UPA govt?

Janta Jam
Message #207/09/08 01:15 PM
No. The power hungry congress will go in to poll mode and offer all kinds of soaps to gullible public.

K.Venugopal
Message #307/09/08 02:13 PM
The left withdrawing support is only a charade. They have arranged to have the government survive by secretly prompting the SP to support in its place. Once the government survives, the UPA will face the next elections by nominating a Muslim for PM (Salman Khurshid?) and the Leftists will also support in the name of opposing BJP communalism.

Govt to seek confidence vote before approaching IAEA: Pranab

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi, July 08: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday announced that the UPA government will convene a special session of Parliament soon to seek vote of confidence, after its Left partners decided to withdraw support earlier in the day. He added that the government will move to the IAEA to finalise the safeguards agreement required for the Indo-US nuclear deal only after it wins the trust vote. Mukherjee told a press conference that the government will seek vote of confidence as soon as it receives a formal communication from President Pratibha Patil. He made the announcement after holding talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is in Japan to attend the G8 meet. Mukherjee further informed that normal Monsoon Session of Parliament will be convened from August 11. ‘Govt not hiding IAEA text’ Earlier, while replying to CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat's letter, which he had sent earlier this morning on behalf of the Left parties after announcing the withdrawal of support, Mukherjee said the government was not hiding the draft text of the safeguards agreement with the IAEA. The minister said that the summary of the safeguards agreement had already been given to the Communists. Full text of the safeguards agreement could not be shared with Left partners as it is a "privileged" confidential document between the Indian government and the IAEA, Mukherjee said in his response to Karat’s letter. Those wanting full text of the safeguards agreement would have had to join the government to have access to it, Mukherjee added. He went on to say further that full text of the safeguards agreement could be shared with “third parties” only after going through laid down procedures of the IAEA. He also clarified that outcome of talks with IAEA had been circulated among all members of the UPA-Left co-ordination committee as agreed in the November 16, 2007 meeting.

The whole thing is a charade. UPA wants nuclear deal. Leftists can't go with UPA on this. But they want government to survive otherwise the BJP will harvest the benefit of a government fall. Therefore leftists secretly permit the nuclear deal and arrange for the numbers with SP. The UPA will announce a Muslim as the next Prime Minister (probably Salman Kurshid) and the Left will be back to supporting them to fight communalism!

Left withdraws support; PM says won’t affect govt stability

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi, July 08: The Left parties on Tuesday announced that they are withdrawing support to the UPA government on the issue of Indo-US nuclear deal. Briefing the press in New Delhi after a meeting of Left parties, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said that they will meet President Pratibha Patil tomorrow to formally hand over the letter of withdrawal of support. Left leaders have been given an appointment for 12:00 noon by the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The four Left parties – CPI(M), CPI, Forward Bloc and RSP, which have a total of 59 MPs – have sent a letter to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, informing him of their decision, Karat said. Reacting to the Left parties’ decision, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the move will not affect the stability of the UPA government. He added that his government will go to the IAEA as soon as possible to finalise the safeguards agreement. The Left decision came a day after Dr Singh made a statement in Japan, saying his government will go to the IAEA soon to finalise the safeguards agreement required for the nuclear deal. Dr Singh is in Japan to attend the G8 meeting, and according to Pranab Mukherjee, the PM will go ahead with his visit as scheduled. He is slated to return on Thursday. The Prime Minister meanwhile received support on the nuke deal from unlikely quarters. Foreign Secretary said China has expressed its willingness to support the nuclear deal. The development came after Dr Singh met Chinese President Hu Jintao in Japan this morning. ‘Seek trust vote’ The Left has asked the PM to immediately convene a Parliament session and seek confidence vote. CPI leader D Raja said the Left would vote against the government in the trust vote. BJP president Rajnath Singh has also asked the PM to seek trust vote in the Parliament, in view of the Left’s pullout. Rajnath also attacked the Left parties, saying if they knew all along that the deal was not in national interest, why did they wait till today to withdraw support. BJP leaders will meet later in the evening to review the fast-changing situation, while a meeting of all NDA allies has been called tomorrow. Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh meanwhile said his party would support the UPA government in confidence vote. Mulayam denied reports there was a split in the SP on the nuke deal issue. However, reports suggested Samajwadi Party MP Jai Prakash has decided to quit the party and join Mayawati’s BSP. Samajwadi Party presently has 39 members in the Lok Sabha. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which recently quit the Congress-led Jammu and Kashmir bringing about its fall over the Amarnath land transfer issue, has decided to back the UPA in trust vote in Parliament. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said the deal was not anti-Muslim, as claimed by many, adding her party would support it in the nation’s interest. Another J&K party, National Conference’s Omar Abdullah declined to rule out support to the nuke deal, saying if they are convinced it was in the nation’s interest, they would back it. Govt stable: Cong In view of the Left withdrawing support, Congress president Sonia Gandhi held a high-level meeting of party leaders at her house. Also, the Cabinet Committee on Political Affairs is slated to meet in the evening, where a decision on when to convene a special session of the Parliament could be taken. It is likely that the Parliament session would be convened after the PM returns from Japan. Congress spokesperson Jayanti Natarajan said if the Samajwadi Party supports the UPA in Parliament, the government will win the trust vote. Railway Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav also said the UPA has the numbers as well as the majority. "The Left has its own ideological compulsion and that is why they have decided to withdraw support. But it will not affect the government as we have numbers to prove majority," Lalu Yadav told reporters. About the fate of the nuclear deal, he said, "N-deal is very much on. The deal is essential for the government as we need energy." The Congress also attacked the Communists for the timing of their decision. "When the entire nation is mourning those killed in the Kabul (Indian Embassy) blast, the Left has chosen to make the announcement. It is most unfortunate. They think their prestige is more important than the nation's prestige," AICC media department chairman Veerappa Moily said. Time had come: Left Karat, while revealing the text of the letter sent to Mukherjee, said: “The government had told us on November 16, 2007 at the UPA-Left co-ordination committee meeting that the government would provide the Left with the text of the draft IAEA safeguards agreement before finalizing it. However, the text has not been provided so far.” “Pranab Mukherjee’s proposal on July 7 to call a meeting of the UPA-Left co-ordination committee on July 10 has been rendered meaningless after Prime Minister’s statement in Japan that his government will go to the IAEA soon,” the letter goes on, adding “the Left had told the government that if the PM goes to the IAEA Board of Governors, we will withdraw support.” “The PM has said he is going to IAEA, so the time has come for the Left to withdraw support,” the letter concludes, according to Karat. Earlier this morning, Karat said that the PM’s statement in Japan was humiliating for the Left. He caustically remarked that the Prime Minister could have communicated his decision to go ahead with the deal to the Left parties rather than announce it outside the country. Dr Singh said yesterday that India will "very soon" approach the IAEA for a safeguards agreement for the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal where the "process will move very fast". On Singh's statement that he was ready to face Parliament for a trial of strength, CPI national secretary D Raja had said yesterday, "If PM thinks he can manipulate the numbers, let him prove it on the floor of the House. What sort of ethics is he trying to project?" Support from ‘others’ Meanwhile, Deve Gowda-led JD(S) and Ajit Singh’s RLD have hinted that they would support the government if things come down to a trust vote. TRS, which recently parted ways with the UPA, said it would support the nuclear deal if their demand for a separate Telangana state is met. Even BJP ally Shiromani Akali Dal, which has eight MPs, has said it will consider supporting the nuke deal, when it meets on July 14. SAD leader Prakash Singh Badal however made it clear that his party would continue to be a part of the NDA. However, another BJP ally Shiv Sena, which recently backed the N-deal in principle, has made it clear it wouldn’t support the UPA in case of a trust vote

We are now eagerly awaiting (say after 1-2 decade) when the LEFT will issue a statement that they had committed a blunder by withdrawing from UPA government. Remember they had regretted in Past over Subhash Chandra Bose, Vivekanand, not supporting Congress in 1942, Jyoti basu refusing PM post and so on. the LEFT on one hand turns blind eye on atrocities of MAOISTS, NAXALITIES shows Blind anti-US, anti-BJP, anti-Hindu stand and Blindly support anything that is Pro-Muslim, Pro-Bangladeshi Inflitration, Pro-Chinese. This blind LOVE and HATE game with the cover of good Logics, Good coined phrases like Secularism etc proves just one thing that LEFT has permanent list of LOVE & HATE and it cannot see anything good in one it hates and anything wrong in which it LOVES. Had anyone seen any single word from LEFT on Chinese Inflitration. No - Pritam Ghosh - Midnapore
well done sp. they have stoped blakmail tactics of left parties.next election left will loose more seats. - lawrence - dubai
The communists cannot afford the Congress government to fall at this stage while at the same time it is unable to support the nuclear deal. The communists can never countenance any advantage for the BJP. Thus, SP supporting the Congress must have been first proposed by the Communists themselves. If they are sure the Congress has the numbers, it will vote against the confidence vote. Otherwise it will abstain on one pretext or the other. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai
The earlier these sewer rats of communists get out of the government the better for the nation. Sewer rats are sewer rats and that is it. The Western countries and the middle east should vet the visa application forms of people coming from communist controlled states very carefully and not give a visa to anyone from these states who have voted for the communists Farhang - Farhang - UAE

We should come forward for National Interest - R S Vig - Khanna
Left will understand their blunder after 25 years as is its history. - sk roy - Kolkata
they have their own interest nothing else - manoj sarangi - bhubaneswar
Finally it looks like Left parties have consulted all the astrologers and soothsayers and decided to pull out today.Well it looks like nuclear energy is the answer to petrol,diesel and the subsequent price rise of essential food grains as per our honourable PM.He embodies and reconfirms the very fact that a learned economists like him along with our FM and Mr.Montek Singh Ahluwakla cannot be good administrators. - Rahul - Pune
Bye-Bye, Okay to all HEADLESS CHICKEND. Good relief! These JOKERS want to make INDIA a part of CHINA. Nice day & Bye-Bye to all -ves & odds. - HeadlessChickens - WB
MANGALMANGALMANGALMANGALMANGALHO!!!!GREAT NEWS!!!THESE COMUNISTS HAVE WASTED PRECIOUS TIME OF THE NATION BY DELAYING THE WITHDRAWAL.THEY ARE NO DIFFERENT FROM TRAITORS LIKE PDP IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR WHO HAVE WITHDRAWN SUPPORT FROM THE GOVT THERE FOR TRANSFER OF LAND TO SHRINE TRUST.BOTH THESE PARTIES SHOULD BE WIPED OFF FROM INDIAN POLITICAL SCENE IN NEXT ELECTION BY PEOPLE OF INDIA.THIS HAS COME ON TUESDAY WHICH IS SUPOSE TO BE AUSPICIOUS DAY ,GOOD IS GOING TO HAPPEN VERY SOONGOOD FOR INDIA!!!DOWN WITH CHINESE AND LEFT AND RIGHT!!!RIGHT. - SYED ARSHAD MOQUIM - UAE
THis is right decision in right time.THe present Gogernment is not bothering for price rise and othe difficuties faced by the common people but only bothering for - DR.Y.N.TIWARI - SHILLONG
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH THESE COMRADES MAKE JOKE OF COUNTRY FOR LAST SOME YEARS TAKE ENOUGH PUBLICITY. THEY WANT ANY BUSSINESS CAN ONLY BE DONE WITH CHINA IS RIGHT. ANYWAY MEDIA ALSO SEND THEM BEHIND CURTAIN FOR SOME TIME PEOPLE R SICK AND TIRED OF THEIR FOOLISH POLITICS AND IF ANY TIME CHINA ATTACK AGAIN THEN SEND THEM AT BORDERS WHOLE WORLD CAN SEE HOW MUCH PATRIOTIC R THEY? - K DEOL - VANCOUVER CANADA
WHAT A RELIEF. FINALLY THE JOKERS ARE OUT OF THE GOVT. HAPPY TUESDAY TO ALL. - DANIS - MUMBAI
WELL DONE CPM.AT LEAST THE COUNTRY CAN SLEEP IN PEACE.WHOLE COUNTRY SHOULD FEEL THAT THEY ARE SAVED BY THE SKIN OF THE TEETH. WE HAVE BEEN SAVED VITUALLY BEING THE SLAVE OF THE CHINESE.I WOULD REQUEST ELECTION COMMISIONER TO SCRAP SUCH PARTIES WHO ARE UNPATRIOTIC TO THE COUNTRY. KINDLY TAKE SERIOUS NOTE.THIS WILL BOOMERANG IN YEARS TO COME.WE ARE DEMOCRATIC PARTY -WE DONT REQUIRE COMMUNIST IN THE COUNTRY. - SUNIL DUGAR - KOLKATA

Left parties has been paid money heavily from China so they always spaek againest the intrest of country such party people should be thrown out of country. india will develop when president rule will be imposed than democratic and also rather than dividing country on Reservation factor give reservation on economic basis. Arjun singh also be thrown outside country - yogesh - Mumbai
CPI(M)will support the deal if it is like Indo-China nuclear deal. They dont care the Nations interest. - Ikramuddin - Hyderabad
Communisit people should be tried for treason. These people are advocating the cause of China and are not for the growth , recognition of India. - Kuldeep - punjab
They have no other option but to withdraw support. Left can not ignore the deal as they just oppose America. Congress should have been done much before. - Pankaj - UAE
its always the case, whenever India tries to take one step forward there is some one who pulls us two steps back. When will we forget our personal issues and make progress of India as our mutaul issue. - Akash Kanwani - Dubai,U.A.E
Left nukes upa, withdraws support - Surjit Singh Bhela - Canada
Left are servants of China - Sudha - Bhubaneswar
The left parties had done this at very wrong time. They even not consider that our pm is on tour. - vijayant - Noida
First it is clarified that What is national interest? Does alligning with USA and Israel is national interest is formost question? Does that mean that Policies of Nehruji and Indira Gandhi are wrong. The decision of Left is in national interest. And USA and their allies are not Indias national interest it is the interest of few rich capitalist people. Left is doing it in national interest and Mulayam and JDS should think that Muslim will not support them. - ZIA AHMED - KUWAIT
The left parties are not guided by any principles or ideologies, they are following what China tells them to do and we all know that China does not want India to progress industrially and commercially and go back to the old times. - Munir Memon - Dubai

EVERYBODY KNOWS about former president Mr.Kalam and Manmohan Singh about their vision and honesty as compare to the BJP AND LEFT.AS we all heard how both the parties are playing backdoor politics todisturb the progress of india(N-deal issue)If both think why cannot they come with the details on N-DEAL TELL THE NATION THESE POINTS ARE NOT GOING TO BENEFIT THE INDIA IN THE FUTURE.ONLY DOING THE OPPOSITION LIKE ENEMY OF THE COUNTRY DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE JUST THE CHEAP POLITICS.This time people of India must teach the lesson to the BJP AND THE LEFT. - Manmohan Singh - USA
"China supported party- Left" never think about INDIA and againt china context. Left is diverted from his AIM-Progress of INDIA & Indians. - sunny - Dubai
left has ideology only in pen and paper. But in ground we did not any progress made by them at any period in hisory on the planet which is mostly appreciable. - rahman - ksa
So at last the left could manage SP vote for the Govt and become confident of avoiding poll in near future.Joyti Basu is the mastermind behind this. Cong should prove the majority in parlament and then should go for mid term vote immidiately. They should not give much time to communal-communist combination to jeopardise the country. - partha - kolkata
Every Indian knows about Bengal and Babus contribution in the last 60 years! They hardly have a vision and driven by communist mission! - M V Chilukuri - Kuala Lumpur
Left is neither driven by ideology nor by any plausible and sensible cause but merely by petty narrow politics. - Sanjib Chowdhury - Kolkata
Thank God, Left "LEFT" the Governament actually they are preparing for Next Parlament Election, I think This deal is Necessary for our Country to Generate the power and Energy in Future. I want to ask Left Parties "IN FUTURE HOW WILL THEY PROVIDE ENERGY AND POWER TO THE CONSUMERS" Will they stop LIVING? - Faraz - Dubai
lage raho bhai log - avk - bhilai
Believe me or not but the fact is that, that No princiles, no idiology, no national interest, only vested interest of their own is the motive force behind any action of politicians.you have freedom to agree or disagree with me my dear READERS. - Navinchandra - Bharuch-Gujarat
LEFT is the worst Party in India. They are the enimy of Progress. We have seen them before also, when there was a big demand for Information Technology(IT), LEFT was the first Party against IT. I remember the day when I received the Mark Sheet with highest marks in our College in 10+2 in 1997. Some CPM leaders came to my house to congratulate me. When I expressed my interrest to study in Computer Science, they immediately discouraged me providing points agains IT. One best example I remember They said "Suppose to handle one computer one person is required and one computer can do job of 1000 people, then think that 999 people will become jobless". Basically I hate most of the left leaders except few. - Monoranjan Gorai - Bangalore

N-Deal: Left to decide on withdrawal of support

Zeenews Bureau New Delhi, July 08: CPM’s General Secretary, Prakash Karat, today said that the PM’s statement is a de facto assertion that the government has decided to go ahead with the Nuke deal. Karat is to meet with the other Left leaders to decide on the withdrawal of support to the Centre over the Nuke deal today. The Left parties are scheduled to meet today to decide on its withdrawal of support from the government over the nuke deal. Karat caustically remarked that the PM could have decided to communicate his decision to go ahead with the deal with the Left parties rather than announce it outside. The Left parties would also frame a reply to Pranab Mukherjee’s letter of yesterday in which he had asked for one more meeting of the Left – UPA coordination committee meeting on the 10th of July. Prime Minister had said on Monday that India will "very soon" approach the IAEA for a safeguards agreement for the controversial Indo-US nuclear deal where the "process will move very fast". Reacting to the Prime Minister’s statement Forward Bloc leader Debabrata Biswas had yesterday said the Left parties would withdraw support to the UPA Government on July 10, the day when a meeting of the UPA-Left Committee has been convened. While CPI-M General Secretary Prakash Karat had declined to make any immediate comment on Singh's statement, CPI National Secretary D Raja commented that External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's suggestion for a UPA-Left meeting and the Prime Minister's statements were "contradictory". "The Prime Minister has put Mukherjee and the UPA-Left panel in a ridiculous position. The (UPA-Left) meeting has become meaningless now. Mukherjee should explain why he invited the Left parties for the meeting to finalise the Committee's findings if the government has already decided to move the IAEA. The Prime Minister should have some respect for the Committee." On Singh's statement that he was ready to face Parliament for a trial of strength, Raja said "If PM thinks he can manipulate the numbers, let him prove it on the floor of the House. What sort of ethics is he trying to project?" Asked to comment on Singh's statements on his way to the G-8 Summit, Karat told a news agency "We will reply to (Mukherjee's) letter tomorrow (Tuesday) and decide our future course of action." The SP is also meeting today to chart its future course of action. It had announced on that it would back the UPA over the N deal. Meanwhile the Deve Gowda led JD(S) and the RLD has hinted that they would support the govt if things come down to a trust vote.

The communists cannot afford the Congress government to fall at this stage while at the same time it is unable to support the nuclear deal. The communists can never countenance any advantage for the BJP. Thus, SP supporting the Congress must have been first proposed by the Communists themselves. If they are sure the Congress has the numbers, they will vote against the confidence vote. Otherwise they will abstain on one pretext or the other. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

The earlier these sewer rats of communists get out of the government the better for the nation. Sewer rats are sewer rats and that is it. The Western countries and the middle east should vet the visa application forms of people coming from communist controlled states very carefully and not give a visa to anyone from these states who have voted for the communists Farhang - Farhang - UAE

Indian Embassy attack: Defence Attache, 40 others killed

Zeenews Bureau Kabul, July 07: A suicide bomber rammed an explosives-laden car into the gates of the Indian Embassy in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Monday, killing at least 41 people and wounding 141 others. Four Indian nationals – a Defence Attache in the rank of Brigadier, an Indian Foreign Service officer and two paramilitary troopers guarding the Embassy – were killed in the suicide attack. The Indian Ambassador and other senior officials were not harmed, officials said. Among the other dead were Afghan civilians waiting to collect visas. Jayan Prasad, the Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan, confirmed that four Indians had been killed in the attack. "Yes, I can confirm that," Prasad said. "Our information says two personnel of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police have been killed in the attack," an official said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, one of the deadliest since the Taliban insurgency began. The Afghan Interior Ministry confirmed only that the explosion had been caused by a car bomb. "Initial reports indicate that about 41 people, mostly civilians who had come here for visas, have been killed," Interior Ministry spokesman Najib Nikzad told reporters near the scene. The blast destroyed about four cars outside the Embassy in the heart of the city, and flesh and broken limbs were scattered at the scene, an afghan witness said. The bomber hit the thick Embassy gate, he said. "It was a suicide car bomb in front of the Indian Embassy," Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary said. The Indian Ambassador and his deputy were not inside the Embassy at the time of the blast, Afghan officials said. The bomb that went off in a car just after 8:30 am sent plumes of brown smoke into the air and was heard across the central city. It shattered the windows of shops several hundred metres away, an eyewitness said. Police immediately sealed off the scene and kept people away as ambulance crews carried away several wounded. US troops were also at the scene. Embassy officials said it was an emergency situation for them. Eighty percent of the Embassy system has been shut down, they added. "The Embassy has been attacked," an official said. "We are walking on rubble. The Embassy has been blown up badly," he added Afghan Foreign Minister Rangeen Dadfar Spanta visited the Embassy soon after the attack to show support, his spokesman Sultan Ahmad Baheen said. "The enemies of Afghanistan and India's relationship cannot hamper our relationship by conducting such attacks," Baheen said. External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee held an emergency meeting with Defence Minister A K Antony, Defence Secretary and MEA officials to review the situation following the deadly attack. Taliban insurgents have vowed to step up their campaign of suicide bombings this year to overthrow the pro-Western Afghan government and drive out foreign forces. The Indian Embassy is directly opposite the Interior Ministry, but the bomber struck the embassy side of the street where dozens of people were waiting in line for visas. India has close relations with the Afghan government and is funding a number of large infrastructure projects to restore order after the ouster of the Islamic extremist Taliban movement, which seized power in 1996 until they were pushed out.

Your comment(s) on this article

India should send its army to support the pro-India regime in Afghanistan. If we are helping in the reconstruction of the country, we should ensure that a reconstructed Afghanistan does not turn out to be an anti-India bastion. Otherwise we should pull out all our construction workers and leave Afghanistan to its fate. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Shadow War: the untold story of Jihad in Kashmir ===================================== Is it a religion? 1. Most uncivilized community, always ready to fight(Whole world Islamic terrorism affected). 2. Most unreliable(Remember Kargil), You cant believe even doctors,engineers and proffesors(Sabeel, Kafeel, prof gilani). 3. Most uneducated community(Pakistan is most educated muslim country, you can imagine others....). 4. Most backward community(Only few muslim country are Ok just because of natural oil, where no brain is required). 5. Most intolerent, no muslim is allowed to abuse islam(See Taslima Nasreen) 6. Jehad...jewel of this religion(no need to explain). 7. Population like cockroaches(21% of world population). 8. Religious places(madarsas, mosques) are used to hide terrorists, weapons.(Lal masjid just one for examples). 9. Religious people (kaji, moulvi, imam) teach violence and hatred. Guess which drama not a religion is this? - TI - Panipat

Congress Govt falls in J&K

Zeenews Bureau Srinagar, July 07: The Congress government in J&K fell down on Monday as an embarrassed Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad told the Speaker to withdraw the Confidence Motion in the face of imminent defeat. Azad is currently on his way to the Raj Bhawan to submit his papers to Governor N N Vohra. 59-year-old Azad's announcement to step down from the top post came after an emotionally-charged speech in the House during which he gave indications that it was his farewell address to the legislators. As he ended his 130-minute-long speech, Azad told a packed state Assembly that he has requested Speaker Tara Chand to withdraw the confidence motion moved by him at the beginning of his speech. "I do not wish to put my friends in trouble whose heart is somewhere else and their party whip is somewhere else," Azad said. "I am satisfied with my work. The motive I came with, I have largely achieved it. I don't care who will be the chief minister. I don't care whether the government survives or falls... I have shown the way," Azad said in his speech which highlighted his government's achievements during the last two- and-a-half years. Meanwhile, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah while talking to a news channel, said that his party will not stake claim to form a government. He also completely ruled out any sort of a pre-poll alliance with the BJP in view of the forthcoming assembly elections in the restive valley. PDP, led by former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, had on June 28 withdrawn support to the Azad-led government on the Amarnath land transfer issue. Speculations are rife that President's rule might be clamped on the state for sometime.

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this day was due. it was Nabi Azad commonly known as Nabi Tulip who showed his shameless face by not resigning the day he was cought in land transfer issue. any government is fale in J&K state till the dispute will not is resolved. so they so called democratic governments in our state are pupets of indian government. LET KASHMIRI TO GIVE VIEW: 20-39% VOTE TUNOUT DOES NOT MEAN MAJORITY OF PEOPLE LIKE government while as 60-65% did not even like to vote under such governence in our state. - M.Mudasir - srinagar

kashmiris are least bothered about the person who heads the government. For them every body is a traitor. They are least bothered about the elections and want Government of India to fulfil the promise of holding plebicite in the entire state. - majid - kashmir

Kashmiris as a principal least bother about who will will be in chair. However, they would like have their rights, individuality, culture and secularism protected which is being eroded by every mainstream party whether national or regional in the name of security of nation thus alienating the Kashmiris further from India. Can Congress+ allies and Snagh Parivar have instrospection and look into genuine demands of Kashmiris for their own benefit. - Marshall - Kashmir

Whosoever comes into power the fact remains that the common masses of the state have to bear the brunt sitting at home during curfew and wasting their valuable time.Who will think of human resources and time management? - Kavita - Kolkata

It is a well deserved ending of the govt as congress govt tried to impose the hindutva agenda in kashmir by alloting the land to non kashmiri body.The fact that Kashmiris did not hurt even a single yatri during protests prove that kashmiri are non voilent and peaceful. The only demand of kashmiris is that the status quo should not be changed unless the dispute of Kashmiri is resolved as per the wishes of the poeple of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir. - Ajaz Ahmed Kashmiri - Kashmir

Good riddance of a government that insulted the Hindus by first transferring land to facilitate their pilgrimage and then rescinding that order to appease Muslim fanatics. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

Madrasa degree valid for railway jobs: Lalu

Indo-Asian News Service
Sunday, July 6, 2008 (Patna)
The Indian Railways have decided to accept Madrasa (Islamic seminary) degrees as valid for its job requirement, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad said in Patna on Sunday.''Now students of Madrasa, like any educational institution, will be able apply for jobs in the railways,'' Lalu Prasad said. ''All the necessary official formalities in this regard will be finalised soon by the railways,'' Lalu Prasad said.The move is seen as part of Lalu Prasad's political strategy ahead of the parliamentary elections to woo Muslim voters. Early this year, the minister promised to increase the percentage of Muslim employees in the railways. But a latest report of a review meeting of the group of secretaries of central government last month found the railways were still lagging in recruitment of Muslims.Last year acting on the Rajinder Sachar Committee recommendations, the government issued directives to all ministries to improve participation of minorities in government jobs.Till February 2008, of the 67 departments and ministries under the central government, the railways had nearly three percent Muslim employees, which is well below the average five per cent mark.


I do not think Laloo Prasad Yadav can peremptorily decide that Madarssa degrees are valid for railway jobs. I hope this decision of his is tried in the courts of law as to consider its legal merits.

One more Congress MLA joins BJP in Karnataka

Bangalore, July 06: The Congress in Karnataka on Sunday suffered another jolt when party MLA J Narasimhaswamy resigned his Doddaballapur Assembly seat and joined BJP, a development that indicated continued desertion from opposition parties into the ruling side. Narasimhaswamy is the son of senior Congress leader and former Union Minister R L Jalappa, who had been sulking against the party leadership for sometime now. Narasimhaswamy is the fourth MLA from opposition ranks to walk into the fold of the saffron party since yesterday and second from Congress. In a sudden political development yesterday, Asnotikar Anand Vasant of Congress, elected from Karwar seat, resigned his Assembly membership and joined BJP along with two JDS members -- Balachandra L Jarakhiholi and K Shivanagouda Naik. Narasimhaswamy, defending his decision to bid adieu to Congress said: "I had to take the decision keeping in mind the development of my constituency.” He said he met Assembly Speaker Jagadish Shettar this morning and submitted resignation from his post. The development has shaken Congress and JDS, as it comes less than two months after the Assembly polls in the state. Karnataka went to the polls in three phases in May. With the resignation of Narasimhaswamy from his Assembly membership, the strength in the 224-member House has been reduced to 220. Bureau Report


Your comment(s) on this article
BJP should be vary of taking these opportunists into its fold. I hope the electorate would teach these opportunists a lesson when they stand for by-elections and all parties should understand that men of integrity would be more valuable for the polity, whichever party they are. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

This is cheap way of politics from BJP to remain in power. Hail yeddy & reddy bros. So how are these people different from congress or JDS? a burden on the economy for by-election...these 3 MLAs need to be taught a lesson when they go for votes - Venkat - UK

BJP against revoking land transfer order

Press Trust of India
Saturday, July 5, 2008 (Jammu)
Demanding that the Jammu and Kashmir government cancel the revoked order on land transfer to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), the BJP today asked Muslim organisations across the country to support the cause.''The revoking of land transfer order to SASB by the government is unfortunate and shameful,'' BJP President Rajnath Singh told reporters here.Alleging that the government had succumbed to the separatist forces on the issue, Singh said the state government and the Centre were equally responsible for the situation arising out of the cancellation of land to the shrine board.The BJP President said the decision to transfer land to SASB was taken with a view to providing facilities to the pilgrims through the board. But the state and central government yielded to separatists' pressure after they launched agitation in the valley and revoked the order.''Since the minority government in the state has no moral authority to cancel the order, the BJP demands the cancellation of the order immediately,'' Singh said.While welcoming the Muslim organizations, which supported the issue, the BJP president appealed to the community to come forward and fight against the decision.Rajnath vowed to cancel the order, if the people of Jammu and Kashmir helped BJP come to power in the state.

J&K Government must reinstate the order taking over 100 acres of land for the Amarnath Temple. While the Muslims in Kashmir are against the order in the name of Kashmiris vs. outsiders, what reason has the Muslims of the rest of India got to oppose the order? If they oppose the order it is clear that Muslims do not want Hindu temples to prosper. Since this is a Hindu majority country, Islam should be banned in India if Muslims are opposed to Hinduism.

Cong-Left playing game to divert attention from inflation: BJP

Jaipur, July 04: The BJP on Friday accused the Congress and Left parties of playing a 'game' on the Indo-US nuclear deal to divert public attention from price rise and inflation that has touched a 13-year high. Coming up with the allegation at a press conference here today BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy charged the Left parties with behaving like 'pranksters' with the Congress-led UPA on all issues. "Be it price rise, nuclear deal or development, the Left parties have been behaving like pranksters with the UPA, an alliance they supported at the Centre to serve their own interests," he said. Spelling the BJP'S stand on the Indo-US nuclear deal, Rudy said, the party believes that the country's nuclear programme should not be hampered and it should be ready to go for a Pokharan-III whenever required. He said the BJP would not object to such an agreement with the US. Claiming that the BJP had emerged as the political alternative at the national level after a series of electoral wins in states, Rudy said the party would contest the next general and Assembly polls on the issues of inflation, terrorism, Congress' appeasement policy, farmers' distress, and the Ramsethu project. On Amarnath land transfer row, the BJP leader said, the issue had exposed the Congress' non-secular credentials. Noting that inflation is constantly on the rise, the former Union Minister held the UPA responsible for "economic lawlessness" and demanded a white paper from the Centre on inflation and the anarchic conditions of the country's economy. "Inflation has become a death warrant against the common man which the UPA government has signed", he remarked. Bureau Report

The leftists are the biggest frauds. Their only objective is to keep BJP out of power. Since it has got to save its face and can't be seen supporting a Nuclear deal after having opposed it from the beginning, it is they who must have influenced SP to support Congress so that elections, which would favour BJP at this stage, could be avoided.

History will not forgive us if we don’t have N-deal: Kakodkar

Bangalore, July 05: Making a strong pitch again for operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal, Atomic Energy Commission Chief Anil Kakodkar on Friday said "history will not forgive us" if it is not clinched. Kakodkar's strong statement came on a day when Left parties said they would vote against the UPA government in Parliament in case of a confidence motion if it took the next step to operationalise the deal. "Here is a chance ... without compromising on our principles, we can bridge energy security for the future," Kakodkar said in a public lecture on "Evolving Indian nuclear programme: Rationale and perspectives", organised by the Indian Academy of Sciences. Without mentioning the deal but giving enough indications that he exactly meant that, he said: "If we don't do now, history will not forgive us". He termed it (the deal) one of the most promising and viable way of bridging energy security for the future. Later, responding to reporters' queries on time-line for approaching the IAEA for a safeguards agreement and if the deal can be wrapped up year-end, Kakodkar said: "Sooner the better. But everything is not in my hands, know ?. But things are not in my hands". Earlier, he declined to comment on the raging political debate over the nuclear deal when an audience member posed a question. "That's part of politics; I don't get into politics". Bureau Report

But what about our right to conduct nuclear-tests? Can Mr. Kakodkar give an assurance that our rights won't be comprised by the Hyde Act?

Congress demands judicial probe in MP violence

Bhopal, July 05: Madhya Pradesh's opposition Congress today demanded a judicial probe into the violent incidents during VHP-sponsored shutdown in the BJP-ruled state, alleging the violence was sponsored by the state government. The bandh called yesterday to protest revocation of transfer of land to the Amarnath Shrine Board in Jammu and Kashmir was supported by BJP. "The violence was sponsored by the state government as police force was a mute spectator during the clashes in Indore where six people have been killed so far," state Congress President Suresh Pachouri told reporters here. "We demand from the Governor to institute a probe by a sitting judge of the High Court into the violent incidents", he said. He said the bandh supporters had "forced" a jeweller to immolate himself as he was protesting forced closure of shops by activists of saffron outfits. "We demand from the Governor to take constitutional actions (like invoking Article 356) in the state as the law and order situation was out of control. Even top officials in Indore have admitted that situation was not under control in the city," the Congress leader said. "Due to pressure from the government, the (Indore) administration failed in executing its constitutional duties", Pachauri alleged. Pachouri said Chouhan does not have any moral right to remain in power and should immediately step down. State Congress Campaign Committee Chairman Ajay Singh said the party will raise the issue in the assembly's monsoon session to corner the BJP government over the death of innocent persons. The Leader of the Opposition Jamuna Devi demanded a murder case be registered against those organisations which had called the shutdown. Meanwhile, CPI(M), in a statement here, demanded deployment of army in violence-hit Indore to prevent further flare-up. Bureau Report

Your comment(s) on this article

Any probe would trace the cause of the riots to the issue of Amarnath land transfer and would point to Congress handling of the issue as at the root of it all. - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

True, we need a Judicial probe into the incident ASAP along with a probe into the K and J violence. PDP,NC,ISI, INC and Hurriyat leaders needs to be first probed. For impartial probe, MP probe must be done in UP or Maharastra and J and K probe must be done in neighboring HP or Gujarat. All the Presidents of the parties must be summoned for their part, be it BJP, INC,PDP,NC...still better arrest the Party Presidents and suspected functionaries, so that they dont tamper with evidence. - Gurunath Prakash - Hyderabad

PDP unit resigns over Amarnath row

Jammu, July 05: Lambasting their own leadership for allegedly triggering a row over the allotment of land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), all the office bearers of the PDP's Udhampur district unit resigned from the party on Friday. "I have resigned along with over 23 office bearers and over 500 workers over PDP leadership's role over Amarnath land transfer issue. They have worked against the interests of Hindus and turned communal", PDP's Udhampur district president Surinder Singh told reporters. PDP's provincial secretary and spokesperson, Jammu region Renu Azad had resigned from the party over the same issue yesterday. Bureau Report

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Who is communal? Those who refuse land to the shrine to improve its pilgrimage facilities or those who protest against this unfairness? - K.Venugopal - Mumbai

The Amarnath land transfer issue is here to stay. BJP and other communal parties have found an issue which can help them win a majority in the parliament in the next election. This issue is stronger and longer lasting than the Ram Mandir issue at the demolished Barbari Masjid in Ayodhia. - Ahmad Raza - USA

We will vote against confidence motion: Left

July 04, 2008 20:42 IST
Virtually reaching a point of no return on the nuclear deal, the Left parties on Friday said they would vote against the United Progressive Alliance government in Parliament in case of a confidence motion if it took the next step to operationalise the agreement.
Congress rejects deadline set by Left parties
"If there is a vote of confidence in Parliament on the issue, the Left will vote against the government. But we will do so only after the Government formally conveys its decision to proceed with the deal," CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat told the Outlook magazine.
His CPI counterpart A B Bardhan, in an interview to Times Now television channel, however, did not say whether they would join hands with BJP to bring down the government in case of a confidence vote but made it clear that they would pull out if it went to the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Mulayam meets PM, Sonia, to back N-deal
Karat said the Left would also launch a nationwide campaign against the Congress asking people to defeat the party in the next elections for compromising with national interests. "We will link this to inflation and rising prices."
Bardhan, on the other hand, said, 'we have sent them a letter on Friday and given them three days time that you tell us by the 7th (July). We will meet on the 8th or 9th. We will withdraw support if they give us a reply that they are going ahead, because every step is in that direction.'
Why PM and Karat should read this
The CPI leader said then the Left parties would go to the President and 'give her the letter withdrawing support. It will bring them down to a minority.'In the interview, Karat said his party never expected to break with the UPA on a foreign policy issue. 'We had not thought the break would come on a foreign policy issue and American imperialism at that. We thought it would be on domestic policy. But since July 2005, when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [Images] went to Washington, it (nuclear deal) has been running thread of the conflict. Two years ago, we knew this was an issue on which we would not compromise,' Karat said.
View: Dr Singh, lead or leave
When asked whether the Left now stands politically-isolated with the Samajwadi Party moving closer to Congress, he said they had not expected Mulayam Singh Yadav to cross over, noting that the UNPA will now disintegrate.
'We don't like to lose allies, but we cannot be opportunistic on policy issues,' Karat asserted.
'We were never part of the UNPA. We merely cooperated with it on issues. With SP taking the position it has, the UNPA will now disintegrate,' he said.
The CPI-M leader noted that a third alternative can only emerge through agreement on a common policy framework and not through electoral compulsions or exigencies.


The communists are the biggest frauds in the political arena. They are ready for anything except the BJP coming to power. Why don't they pass a no-confidence motion if they want to bring down the government? They know the Congress is under no obligation to take up a confidence motion. In fact, it must have been Karat himself who must have told Mulayam Singh to support the government. It is all a plot by the Muslim-vote-bank parties and it includes most of the political parties in India except the BJP.

Amarnath row: SC refuses to interfere

Zeenews BureauNew Delhi, July 04: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere in the Amaranth land transfer issue, while giving judgment on a PIL filed in the apex court urging it to intervene in the land transfer controversy. The SC however said that it is the responsibility of the government to take care of the pilgrims’ safety and there should be no hindrance in the free movement of the devotees to the holy shrine. A bench headed by Justice Altamas Kabir said the authorities must provide medical facilities, including medicines and ambulance to pilgrims who need medical attention. The Court passed the order on a PIL filed by Bhim Singh, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party. Meanwhile the issue continues to simmer as the VHP on Thursday extended its protests for a week claiming that its daylong nation-wide bandh was a "success". The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) on Thursday said it will continue its protests until the Jammu and Kashmir government withdraws its decision to revoke the land transfer to Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB). The curfew in Jammu continued for the third day, adding to the woes of the common man. "We will continue our protest against the anti-Hindu move of the state government until it withdraws its decision," VHP general secretary Praveen Togadia told reporters here. He also said his organisation will not hesitate to adopt a violent path if the government fails to accept their demand. The VHP-BJP 'Bharat Bandh' on the Amarnath issue got a mixed response as normal life was hit in several parts of the country with their activists stopping trains, blocking roads and forcing closure of shops. "We will observe 'Amarnath Pilgrimage Week' from July 5 to July 12 and hold peaceful demonstrations across the country," said Togadia. The VHP alleged that the Congress-led state government has "hurt" the sentiments of crores of Hindus in the country by revoking the decision to transfer land. The Hindu outfit has also decided to continue its bandh in Jammu and blockade of Jammu-Srinagar Highway in cooperation with state Sangarsh Samiti, a conglomerate of several political, social and religious organisations. The VHP vowed to carry out its campaign in the line of the Gujjar agitation, which caused disruption of train services for days. Asked about violent incidents in parts of Madhya Pradesh and clamping of curfew in some areas of Indore, Togadia said his outfit was not responsible for the violence.

One day india has to leave J&K. Sooner the batter. We respect civil society in india & want to have a very cordial realtionship with them.Thanks - Irfan - Srinagar

THE WHOLE SEEN SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE OF HINDUS AND MUSLIMS MUSLIMS USE PEACEFUL PROTESTS AND HELPED THE YATRIS WHILE AS THE HINDUS ROLE WAS TOTALLY DIFFERENT. IT IS BETTER TO GIVE FREEDOM TO J&K SO THAT THE MATTER IS SOLVED FOR EVER. THANKS - MANZOOR - KASHMIR

Kashmiri Muslims' secessionist designs will never succeed. The partition of India occurred because the British were manipulating matters. Now the Government of India, of whichever party, is committed to Indian nationalism. Pakistan broke up within 25 years and today both Pakistan and Bangaladesh are considered failed states. Eventually they will opt for a federation status with India. That will be the end of Islamic designs on India.

N-deal: Cong thanks SP for suuport

Press Trust of India
Friday, July 4, 2008 (New Delhi)
Claiming that Samajwadi Party had conveyed its support to the nuclear deal, Congress on Friday expressed gratitude to it.But Congress was non-committal on the issue of inclusion of the Mulayam Singh Yadav-led party in the government.''We thank Samajwadi Party for supporting the deal,'' Congress spokesman Shakeel Ahmed told reporters here after SP leaders Yadav and Amar Singh met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.Congress leader Veerappa Moily also insisted that Yadav and Amar Singh ''expressed support to the nuclear deal'' and ''reiterated the support'' during their meeting with Gandhi.The Congress' claim about SP conveying support to the deal came even though Yadav and Singh maintained that they had not given any ''commitment so far'' and would decide on it only after talking to other UNPA constituents.The Congress, however, was non-committal on the possibility of SP being included in the Council of Ministers in case they join the government.''It is a matter for the UPA, Prime Minister and Samajwadi Party to decide,'' Ahmed said.

If the Congress succeeds in maintaining its Government after going ahead on the nuclear deal, it would be the tightest slap on the face of the Communists who had been thinking all along "after us the deluge". And the communists would deserve it. Of course, they will all reunite. They have a common bonding - that of love for Muslims (or their votes) and the magic mantra of "defeating communalism".

Online Petition to President of India - Secularism and Civility under threat in J&K

The petition
To, The President of India, Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001 5 Respected President, Decision to revoke the allotment of 40-hectare forestland to the Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for development of facilities for pilgrims is a complete surrender to the fundamentalist and separatist forces. By revoking the allotment of this land, the Congress party has demonstrated that it is one with the fundamentalists in creating a theocratic environment in the Kashmir valley. Our petition to Your Excellency with great concern at the fast deteriorating socio-political situation of the state. Of particular concern is the rabidly communal stance and statements of the frontline political parties like PDP, the National conference, the CPI (M), in tango with separatists parties and the militant groups, has caused stern alarm to Crores of Hindus across country. An innocuous activity like Shri Amarnath Yatra has been mired into controversies and in effect hurdles are being created in its smooth conductance. Shri Amarnath is one of the most sacred pilgrimage centers of Hindus since times immortal. In the past since the eruption of militancy in the state hundreds of Yatris have sacrificed their lives and have fallen to terrorist bullets if that has not deterred the determination of Yatris to visit Shri Amarnath, now it is in the from of ideological opposition to the yatra been seen. The protagonists of this vicious tirade dub the holy Amarnath Yatra as a cultural invasion of Kashmir affecting its ecology, cultural identity and demography. To this effect these people have been issuing highly inflammatory communal statements causing hurt and anguish to a billion Hindus world over. Ecological damage Kashmir has suffered is as a result of illegal felling of trees by land mafia in connivance with corrupt administration over the years. The systematic reclamation of water bodies and continuous flow of waste materials into lakes like the famous Dal Lake and uncontrolled construction activity rather than the Amarnath Yatya. The much touted Kashmiriyat stands thoroughly exposed which is nothing but a smokescreen to camouflage the communal fangs. In so far as the so called demographic change of Kashmir is concerned, yes it has taken place; the entire population of Kashmiri Hindus was driven out on the basis of faith making them refugees in their own country. Your Excellency Congress is the ruling party it has remained mute spectator to the happenings around. The gains of our valiant security forces are being frittered away at the cost of political pragmatism. Your Excellency in this hour of crisis your personal intervention alone would save the democracy, secularism and civility are under serious threat in Jammu and Kashmir. Yours Truly Kalhan Pandit

Neelam Razdan Wali
Shame on Congress Party?
352
Ayush
The surrender of GOI to fascist Islamic forces exposes that Hindus are taken for granted in their own country. When thousands of acres of land can be given to churches and Mosques, why are only the rights of temples targetted ? this is a wakeup call to all Hindus.
353
Dinesh Kumar Gupta

354
Anonymous

355
Vijay Konnanath

356
Rishabh Kaushal
Abject surrender to anti-Indian and separatist forces in J&K ....
357
Sanjila Dhar
Its high time now to change the step motherly treatment towards Hindus in their own country.
358
Vijay Kaul
I am deeply disappointed with J&K Govt. and the Govt. Of India for siding with the separatists, communalists and the terrorists of J&K who first ethnically cleansed the Kashmiri Pandits (Hindus) from Kashmir in 1990 and now have denied facilities for a Hindu Yatra to Amar Nath. Govt. Of India creates facilities for Haj pilgrims and Hindus don't protest. Are Muslims of Kashmir so intolerants to a faith that belongs to Indians for last 5000 years and conversion to Islam should not mean disrespect to faith of ancestors?
359
Rahul Razdan
Kashmiri Muslims in particular have always been fundamentalists. The unfortunate part is that whole Indian country is keeping a blind eye to it. Amarnath is one of the most sacred worship places for hindus. It is our right to have some land around the path for building facilities for the yatris (worshippers to undertake the journey to reach the sacred cave and pray). The fact that local muslims oppose this, clearly shows thier scant respect for anything non-muslim. And, we thought India was a secular country. Kashmiri Muslims always argue that the religious character of Kashmir should not change, which in other words means - muslims should grow and all other religions should diminish in Kashmir. In India, the rate of growth of Muslims has been many times the rate of growth of all other religions. Should the hindu majority states in india follow suit and stop muslim growth and take back all land given to muslim instituitions? This is a very sad state. India is playing into the hands of separatists. This should not be tolerated. Let India continue to be secular and give rights to Hindus also. Such irony - Hindus in india have to beg for basic rights!!!
360
Anonymous
Save Kashmir From Militants....
361
Eshan Dhar
I thought India was secular but maybe the definition of secular has changed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
362
Pratima Joshi

363
Ashok Chowgule

364
D.C. Nath
The Patriots' Forum would like to urge the President of India for early intervention so as to restore faith in India's secular identities and age-old tradition of tolerance of all faiths and religion.
365
Anonymous
Please raise your concern and forward it to as many people as possible.
366
Ravi Mathur
India is paying for development of J&K, & even for Haj pilgrimage etc. for Muslim pilgrims.This 40 hectare land is nothing compared to the goodwill that India is doing. Please take some action and stop this one sided "India -only for privileged treatment for a certain set of people" attitude! Thanks
367
Dr Chaitanya.S.Gulvady
My blood boils at the action of the Kashmir Govt succumbing to the fanatically communal Islamic Kashmiri parties demand for revoking of the land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.How were facilities at Amarnath going to change the demography of Kashmir? At the cost of a temporary peace,the hands of these elements have been strengthened.These very separatist elements were responsible for the flight of the Pandits from Kashmir valley and their sorry plight today.Why are we Hindus so adept at hitting the axe on our own feet.Don't we realise that this is all going to harm our very own Hinduism in the long run.These Islamic terrorists will not stop till the reign of Nizam e Mustafa is established in India and all the vestiges of Sanatana Dharma are wiped off the face of this land.Can't we see what has happened to our people and shrines in Pakistan,Bangladesh & Afghanistan.Are we to be wiped out like the Parsis? Add to this the electronic media is blaming the Hindu Right for communalising the issue,instead of castigating the Islamic parties of Kashmir.The Hindus in the NC,PDP and the Congress should desert these parties en masse and join the Hindu parties which will safeguard Hindu interests.
368
chaitanya aggarwal
I fully endorse the contents of the above write-up. I look forward to the establishement of a true rule of law in our country based on equality as enshrined in the constitution.
369
G.D.Prasad
I strongly protest, unfortunately India has declared itself secular, this is the only reason muslims are making thier way and taking full advantage. we Hindus are so weak that we cannot even unite for the cause like this where muslims unite and they will get full support from their leaders to protest like any thing. We have to feel shame on our part being a Hindu majority country, we can't even practice our religious rights completely or full fledged. It is the failure of the leaders who are there at the time of Independence, where Pakistan has declared it as Msulim country why cant we are not able to declare our country India as Hindu country. We have to think about this and make efforts to declare, so that other religious people wouldnt dare enough to do or participate against Shree Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) for development of facilities for pilgrims. or any religious activities.
370
n.srinivasan
once upon a time kashmimiriat was synonymous with seculaism. it is a sad day that so many years of association with india has resulted in kashmiri people becoming communal. certainly the politicians and not the people of india or kashmir have to be blamed. i hope that the next general elections to the union will mend the matters before permanent damage to the relations between the two countries. jai hind. n s
371
Radha Vijaykumar

372
M.N.S.Nampoothiripad
Seculariam cannot mean heads we win and tail you when it concerns muslim vote bank.
373
mn.srinivasan
it is distressing to note that party (ies) in or sharing power at the center and the state are more interested in loaves of office than true national interest. let us hope that these parties and their leaders will bite dust in the ensuing elections so that the secularism and nationalism that pervaded (when 1n 1946 nehru courted arrest in srinigar ro get sheikh abdullah released) returns to bharath which includes kashmir. n.s
374
Vikram
For Hindus, it is high time to start the second war of Independence. India is the only country where the majority community is suppressed and even denied the basic rights. If the government continues to do the same, we the Hindus will be forced to take the arms again to eliminate the evils who stand against Hinduism.
375
Anonymous

376
lakshmi.p.k.
complaining abt the situation in kashmir has nothing to do with parties including bjp ,( since bjp was not among the accused , i assume that the sender has a affinity or membership in bjp. ), as everyone knows kashmir is not a region exclusively meant for a religion, cast or party. the history and the people of india, including nri s give unnecessary importance to such issues as religion and ethnic culture. the truth is that v r not ready to share food , education , shelter and the basic human needs to our own people - and that is not just in kashmir , but everywhere , be it kollangode or kashmir. well ,indeed , it is way beyond the commonsense of any citizen of india , that when some religions or casts get special packages and discounts for their religious purposes - pilgrimage or celebration - most of the others , who r silent tax payers , do not get any such privileges. and why is that the churches and mosques dont open their bhandars and accounts to the bank personnels , where as the income in temples r headlines of newspapers - and that too , the churches and mosques get hundreds of crores every year? let us work towards a cultural identity of our own - time and /people - that is, let us concentrate on humanitarian approach - god is nothing but goodness personified. and v r facing a crisis of cultural identity. the only way is to accept and act towards a better india - v r indians , not christians , muslims and hindus. first of all major religions should work towards betterment of their individual issues among themselves - of equal status , education and helping themselves become proud of being good in everyway. and there is no god without happy and contended people. there is no short cut to happiness than to accept people as they r , develop love and respect among ourselves and do not indulge in anything which wld make ourselves ashamed , in the future. jaihind. thank u.
377
Anonymous

378
nandhitha
the pilgrims must be provided with needed facilities. are we not giving hajj concessions even though the mecca had declared fatwa statingaccepting haj concession is prohibited
379
Anoop Mantoo

380
MOHAN SETHI
IS THIS THE COUNTRY WHAT WE CALL OUR BHARAT OR OUR HINDUSTAN? WE DO NOT EXPECT OUR POLITICIANS TO RAISE A VOICE AGAINST THIS INJUSTICE BECAUSE IT HURTS THEIR VOTE BANK MANEOURING....OUR SUPREME COURT IS THE ONLY RESORT TO BEHOLD THE IRONY OF OUR TIMES.
381
amit kothari
Pratibha Patil will not listen dis..c is slave of roman catholic sonia..so they will not do anything..and signing petiosn will not help..this is time..for picking up weapons..and slaughtering the muslims..for whatever they hav done to hindus in last 1200 years.
382
ashok pandit
Protest
383
Mohan Kunnath
I fully support the pettition and urge The President to act in haste.
384
Prakash Nair
I fully agree to the petition
385
nandhitha
the pilgrims must be provided with all required facilities
386
narendran

387
Anonymous
Muslems enjoy benefits, Sikhs enjoy so many benefits. But questions always arise in India regarding Hindus, as they are tolerant always. I guess, political parties in India are not secular in anyway. CPIM is a fundamentalist force as they put importance on muslems (specially those who come illegally from Bangladesh)!!
388
N.Y.Choudhary
The similar thing started right from when Mahatma Gandhi came on national scene. During Tilak era and before that such attitude of political party was unheard off. We all are being mis lead by the biased, insufficient and improper documentation of Indian Freedom Struggle. The existing propoganda is much similar to that of made by Dr.Gobbles during Nazi regime. It is irony that our educated classalso falls prey to such propoganda. We all must stand together to confront such situation of national importance. The present stand taken by the democratic government is the perfect reflection of such attitude which requires refinement by removing such people from the seat of power through the most powerful wepon of election till then right, appropriate, truth etc. such words will remain in dictionary only
389
Anonymous
Check this out: Click Here and face the Facts Haj Pligrims Vs Amarnath Pligrims http://thekashmir.wordpress.com/2008/07/03/haj-pilgrims-vs-amarnath-pilgrims/
390
b.godhania

391
Anonymous

392
K.Venugopal
Muslims grudging improvement of facilities for Amarnath Yatra is in keeping with the intolerant nature of Islam. Their claim of having supported the Yatra for the last 150 years is misleading because they were actually enthralled only by the economic benefits it brought them. If the Shrine Board acquires 100 acres of land, the economic benefits accruing to the Muslims would diminish. Hence, Muslims opposition - both for religious and economic reasons.
393
R.Hariharan
This is a country where majority lives like a minority The interest of the minority Hindus in Kashmir is ignored while the minority Muslims in other parts of India are pampered.!! What a paradox ?? 80% of Hindus of India have less voice than the 14 % Muslims in a Secular India. Is this real secularism ?? Muslims going on Haj pilgrimage to Soudhi Arabia are given subsidy & speacial plane to go and come, but Hindus' security to Amarnath Yatra is taken lightly, inspite of earlier attacks by the militants.!! What a tragedy in Hindu India??