Manmohan tells Gilani to rein in Hafiz Saeed

29/04/2010
Thimphu: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today asked his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani to rein in 26/11 mastermind and Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, saying his free movement was not conducive to the atmosphere of peace and stability in the region.

Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) mentioned "deep concern about Hafiz Saeed and the way he is allowed to roam free and engage in communication not conducive (to the relationship between India and Pakistan)," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao told reporters here.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting between two Prime Ministers, Ms. Rao said Prime Minister Singh emphatically told Pakistan that it has to act on the issue of terrorism and that the "terror machine" in that country needs to be eliminated.
Mr. Gilani assured Singh that his government was making all efforts to bring to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and not to allow Pakistani soil to be used for terrorism against India.

Last week, Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik said that the authorities are keeping a close watch on Saeed and the JuD but ruled out any action till they could build a solid case against the founder of the LeT.
India blames that Saeed had personally coordinated training for the Mumbai attacks and gave Ajmal Kasab, the lone attacker captured by police, the new name of Abu Mujahid.
Saeed-led Jamaat-ud-Dawah is the front organisation of Lashkar-e-Taiba, which is accused by India of executing the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people, including foreigners.

Saeed, who remained out of the public eye for over a year following the 2008 Mumbai attacks carried out by the LeT, recently called on the people of Pakistan to stand united against India.
The Jud chief was placed under house arrest in Lahore in December 2008 after his group was declared a front for the LeT by the UN Security Council in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks.
He was freed after about six months on the orders of the Lahore High Court.
Source: PTI

K.Venugopal
#1
Friday, 30 April 2010 10:10:47
Just rein him? What about handing him over?

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3872736&page=0

Access to Headley may come as early as next week

New Delhi: After five hours of talks between U S Attorney General Eric Holder and Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam in Washington on Tuesday, India has been assured direct access to question Lashkar operative David Coleman Headley as early as next week.

Speaking to The Indian Express, the Solicitor General said he will brief Home Minister P Chidambaram after which a lot of preparatory work has to be done on a "high-level" interrogation team and the structure and range of questions to be covered.
Subramaniam said: "All roadblocks have been overcome and no more paperwork needs to be done. Our team will need to have one round of preliminary discussions, maybe in Washington, and after that they will simply go across (to question Headley)."
He said that, ideally, a senior law officer will accompany the investigation team to the US. He said that he had carried with him the bulk of the investigation on the case done by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
"What I think impressed them was that we had a complete understanding of US laws and all the parameters which mutual legal cooperation could cover...Given the mindset of David Headley and the fact that he has a known aversion to being put through an Indian investigation, the issue of direct access has to be handled with utmost sensitivity and secrecy."
Source: Indian Express

K.Venugopal
#1
Thursday, 29 April 2010 19:12:01
Why is America playing hard-to-catch in the matter of access to David Headley? My hunch is that Headley was originally an agent of America and America had used him for operations about which they do not want India to know. Hence, access to Headley has been made subject to India agreeing not to ask questions pertaining to, say, before a certain point of time or Headley's movements in certain regions. I think Headley will take cover under these restrictions and end up without revealing much to India. India should insist on unconditional access to Headley or not at all.

http://news.in.msn.com/internalsecurity/news/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3871015&pgnew=true&_p=7bdc03d9-0110-497b-90b0-21f8110af471&_nwpt=1#uc2Lst7bdc03d9-0110-497b-90b0-21f8110af471

Thackeray wants Mumbai lobby to control IPL

Mumbai: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on Wednesday asked the BCCI as to why cricketers like Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri or Ajit Wadekar, all Mumbaikars, were not considered to replace ousted IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.

He also questioned the logic behind his old friend Sharad Pawar making Modi IPL chief despite his "shady past."
'Modi has been replaced by another big shot industrialist....(BCCI chief Shashank) Manohar should be asked why names of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri or Ajit Wadekar were not considered for the post,' he said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamna'.
Thackeray also asked as to why "Pawar and others handed over IPL reins to Modi despite his shady past."
"Pawar is a minister in the Union cabinet and his party rules Maharashtra. Despite having police and intelligence agencies at their disposal, did they fail to know the shady past of Modi?" Thackeray said.
"The decision to hand over reins of IPL, which rakes in thousands of crores, to such a person is dubious," he alleged.
He said Manohar could have suspended Modi much earlier. "Manohar says the whole world knew about IPL dealings but the Governing Council was kept in the dark," he said.

MNS carbon copy of Shiv Sena: Thackeray
Mumbai: Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray has equated nephew Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena with a carbon copy of the outfit he founded in 1966.
"A lot of duplicates have come up...maybe with my blessings. They copy whatever I say. That is their agenda. They look like carbon copy of Shiv Sena before people," Thackeray said, without naming MNS or Raj Thackeray.
"I had said in my speech at the first public meeting of Sena on October 22, 1966 that there should be a permit system to stop the hordes of migrants to Mumbai," Thackeray said, in an interview published in party mouthpiece 'Saamana' today.
Thackeray said Marathi people should not refer to Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus as CST. "Call the station by its full name," he said. Mumbai belongs to Marathi people and will continue to remain a part of Maharashtra, the Sena Chief said.

Thackeray flayed late Morarji Desai for ordering firing on agitators demanding a samyukta (united) Maharashtra. It was Gandhiji's fortune that he did not meet Desai, or else he would have committed suicide before Godse killed him, Thackeray said.
Source: Agencies


K.Venugopal
#1
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 19:18:01
Why just a Mumbai lobby, Thackeray Saab? Why not have the Shiv Sena control IPL and have Aditya Thackeray as IPL Commissioner?

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3867352

Betrayed BJP makes Soren pay for his mistake

28/04/2010

New Delhi/Jharkhand: A wounded on Wednesday BJP decided to punish JMM chief Shibu Soren for his act of betrayal. At a parliamentary board meeting in New Delhi, the saffron party decided to pull the plug on its coalition partner in Jharkhand.
Soren's vote an act of betrayal, says BJP
Calling Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren's action of voting with the government in Lok Sabha an "act of betrayal", BJP on Wednesday convened a parliamentary board meeting to discuss the future of ties with JMM in Jharkhand where the two parties run a coalition government.
Senior party leaders said that BJP has taken very serious note of Soren's action and is not buying the explanation given by Soren's son Hemant that it has happened by mistake even as the Chief Minister wondered "what difference will it (his vote) make".
"The voting in favour of UPA by Soren is an act of betrayal. The manner in which he has voted is a betrayal of coalition dharma. We have taken it very seriously. Senior party leaders will take a call on it," senior BJP leader Prakash Javdekar said.
Another party leader Venkaiah Naidu echoed similar views saying "it's a clear betrayal". "You can't be heading a government with the support of BJP, be in opposition and at the same time, support the ruling party at the Centre. It is not acceptable. On what to do the party will meet and discuss. It is a serious issue," he said.
Naidu also refused to buy the explanation given by Hemant Soren on the issue that his father voted for UPA in a mistake. Senior party leader from Jharkhand Yashwant Sinha said, "He (Soren) is there (on the Chief Minister's chair) in Jharkhand with our support. Therefore, the least that was expected of him that he would not go to this stage. He could have stayed neutral."
Asked whether the BJP would take any action into the matter, Sinha said, "We will sit down and take stock of the situation." Sinha said Soren's action showed "perhaps, he has some plans up his sleeve."
Sources said that after Soren sprung a surprise yesterday by voting with the government on the cut motions moved by BJP and the Left, the BJP top brass was livid and held discussions with the JMM chief.
Soren had a meeting with BJP president Nitin Gadkari last night where his decision not to vote with the BJP came up for discussion. Gadkari has called a meeting of the BJP parliamentary board, the highest decision making body of the party, to deliberate on the issue.
With Soren voting along with the UPA government, speculation is rife that he may have struck a deal with the Congress-led government. Sources said he may bargain for a berth in the Union Cabinet and make his son Hemant the deputy chief minister in Jharkhand.
Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik Chief Babulal Marandi may then become the Chief Minister in a coalition government of the Congress, JMM and JVN. In the 81-member Jharkhand Assembly, Congress has 14 MLAs, JMM has 18 and JVM(P) has 11 MLAs.
Asked about JMM's sudden support on the cut motions, Hemant Soren, today claimed that it happened by "mistake" and made it clear there was no move to form a government in Jharkhand with Congress backing.
Soren's deal with Cong: Making son deputy CM?
Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren voted for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government in the cut motion on Tuesday. It has set off speculation that there may be new power equation in the state and alter his relation with the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), his coalition partner.
A shocked BJP said after the vote that it has taken note of Soren's act in the Parliament. Soren, still a member of the Lok Sabha, made a rare appearance to spring a surprise on the BJP.
"We have taken note of it," a senior BJP leader said outside the Parliament, indicating that Soren could face trouble in the state.
"Soren has clearly ditched us. Now we are going to review our stand to support the government led by him," said BJP's state unit spokesperson Sanjay Seth.
BJP sources said Soren may have struck a deal with the Congress under which he may move to the Centre and make his son Hemant the Deputy Chief Minister of Jharkhand.
JMM says voting in cut motion a 'mistake'
In a damage control exercise after BJP's ally JMM supported the government in the cut motions in Lok Sabha, its MP Hemant Soren on Wednesday claimed that it happened by "mistake" and made it clear there was no move to form a government in Jharkhand with Congress backing.
"It has happened by mistake. It is a human error which happens due to confusion during voting. We met BJP President Nitin Gadkari last night and explained to him the real position," Hemant, Rajya Sabha MP and son of Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren said.
JMM's sudden support to the UPA on the cut motions had yesterday set off speculation that new power equations may emerge in the tribal state and alter the party's ties with coalition partner BJP.
A shocked BJP had said after the vote that it has taken note of Shibu Soren's act in Lok Sabha of "ditching" the coalition partner. Soren, still a member of the House, had made a rare appearance to spring the surprise on BJP.
Dismissing the speculation that there was any move to form a government in Jharkhand with Congress support, Hemant said, "It is all rumour. There is no truth in it."
BJP had earlier claimed that Soren and another JMM MP Kameshwar Baitha would vote with the NDA. Baitha, who is in jail, did not turn up.
For BJP, Soren gave them the unkindest cut
New Delhi: With Mayawati's support and helped by the SP-RJD walkout, the UPA breezed through the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha today but what added insult to the BJP's injury was the fact that Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, propped up by the NDA, voted for the UPA.
Having served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand for around four months now, Soren technically continues to be a member of Lok Sabha.
The BJP was incensed. "He (Soren) has clearly ditched us. Now we are going to review our stand to support the government led by him," said BJP's state unit spokesperson Sanjay Seth.
After having serious differences with Soren on ways to tackle Maoists, the CM's decision today could lead to eventual parting of ways of two uneasy allies in the state, said a senior BJP leader.
Party leaders were not willing to say much on record, though. Most of them said the party had "taken note of the development" and "some action would definitely be taken against Soren".
Soren, who quietly slipped out of Parliament after the vote, made vague statements on his decision. "Jo kiya, so kiya (whatever had to be done, was done)," he said.
Soren's act, in a way, became the highlight of an evening when the vote on the cut motion got reduced to an academic exercise after the BSP, SP and the RJD didn't join the Opposition.
A cut motion moved by CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta was defeated by a margin of 88 votes (201-289), while another cut motion moved by Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj was defeated by a 162-246 division.
Soren, next to Trinamool's Sudeep Bandopadhyay and DMK's TKS Elangovan, had earlier hit the red button when the first motion was put to vote implying he was opposing the BJP's motion.
BJP Deputy Leader Gopinath Munde walked up to him to check if something was amiss but Soren was again seen filling up the red slip, supporting the UPA.
JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asked Soren about his support to UPA and Dubey was then seen apprising senior leaders Advani, Sushma and Yashwant Sinha about Soren's vote.
A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, reflected the wider mood in the party, and said that most MPs "were uniformly incensed" by Soren's action and many had called for "withdrawal of party support" to the Soren-led government. Some BJP leaders felt Soren "may have cut a deal with the Congress, with a key role for his son Hemant Soren and Babulal Marandi in the state".
A visibly happy Hemant, however, refused to comment, when contacted by The Indian Express, at Parliament House premises.
BJP general secretary and former Jharkhand BJP chief Arjun Munda told The Indian Express that "the party would each a definitive decision in a day or two, even when they had taken the issue very seriously".
A BJP leader also claimed that Soren's action was a "result of CBI pressure on Soren". On Monday, however, the BJP Parliamentary Party spokesperson had said that Soren, as also another JMM MP, Kameshwar Baitha (who's in jail), "would vote along with the NDA and the non-Congress bloc" on cut motions.
The Congress sought to downplay Soren's vote maintaining that the JMM continued to be with the UPA at the Centre notwithstanding its alliance with the BJP in the state. Congress sources said the "party was still open to the idea of forming a Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand if, "at any point of time, Shibu gives up his claim for the CM's post".
AICC in-charge of Jharkhand K Keshava Rao told The Indian Express that he was "constantly in touch" with the JMM chief to "ensure" that he supported the UPA government when it came to cut motions.
"He (Soren) is with the UPA. His support to the government at the Centre and his alliance with the BJP in the state are entirely different issues. I did ask him that he must vote for the government in Parliament. Frankly, we are not taking his vote that seriously."
Asked about the party's stance if Soren were to seek Congress's support in future to form the government in the state, Rao said, "It is true that we did not want him as Chief Minister. There is not much to talk about it right now."
Soren's move comes at a time when he has failed to persuade any one of his party's 18 MLAs -- including his son Hemant and daughter-in-law Sita -- to quit an Assembly seat to help him win before June 30 to stay in power.
Also, on July 20, the apex court is slated to hear the kidnapping and murder case of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha dating back to 1994. Jha's brother Vijaynath, daughter Preeti and friend and co-petitioner Mukesh Baba had appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to get them justice.
His allies suspect that Soren, who lost the Tamar bypoll only to quit as the CM leading to imposition of President's rule in Jharkhand on January 19 last year, may not contest polls and, instead, enter into a bargain with the UPA partners to instal son Hemant as CM.
Said Deepak Kumar, JD(U)'s district unit secretary: "Everybody knows Guruji (Soren) does not do anything without weighing its pros and cons."
The JMM in the state declined to comment but its senor leader Suraj Mandal sought to play it down: "As far as I know, he voted for the UPA by sheer mistake...he pressed the wrong button."

For BJP, Soren gave them the unkindest cut
New Delhi: With Mayawati's support and helped by the SP-RJD walkout, the UPA breezed through the trial of strength in the Lok Sabha today but what added insult to the BJP's injury was the fact that Jharkhand Chief Minister Shibu Soren, propped up by the NDA, voted for the UPA.
Having served as Chief Minister of Jharkhand for around four months now, Soren technically continues to be a member of Lok Sabha.
The BJP was incensed. "He (Soren) has clearly ditched us. Now we are going to review our stand to support the government led by him," said BJP's state unit spokesperson Sanjay Seth.
After having serious differences with Soren on ways to tackle Maoists, the CM's decision today could lead to eventual parting of ways of two uneasy allies in the state, said a senior BJP leader.
Party leaders were not willing to say much on record, though. Most of them said the party had "taken note of the development" and "some action would definitely be taken against Soren".
Soren, who quietly slipped out of Parliament after the vote, made vague statements on his decision. "Jo kiya, so kiya (whatever had to be done, was done)," he said.
Soren's act, in a way, became the highlight of an evening when the vote on the cut motion got reduced to an academic exercise after the BSP, SP and the RJD didn't join the Opposition.
A cut motion moved by CPI's Gurudas Dasgupta was defeated by a margin of 88 votes (201-289), while another cut motion moved by Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj was defeated by a 162-246 division.
Soren, next to Trinamool's Sudeep Bandopadhyay and DMK's TKS Elangovan, had earlier hit the red button when the first motion was put to vote implying he was opposing the BJP's motion.
BJP Deputy Leader Gopinath Munde walked up to him to check if something was amiss but Soren was again seen filling up the red slip, supporting the UPA.

JD (U) leader Sharad Yadav and BJP MP Nishikant Dubey asked Soren about his support to UPA and Dubey was then seen apprising senior leaders Advani, Sushma and Yashwant Sinha about Soren's vote.
A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, reflected the wider mood in the party, and said that most MPs "were uniformly incensed" by Soren's action and many had called for "withdrawal of party support" to the Soren-led government. Some BJP leaders felt Soren "may have cut a deal with the Congress, with a key role for his son Hemant Soren and Babulal Marandi in the state".
A visibly happy Hemant, however, refused to comment, when contacted by The Indian Express, at Parliament House premises.
BJP general secretary and former Jharkhand BJP chief Arjun Munda told The Indian Express that "the party would each a definitive decision in a day or two, even when they had taken the issue very seriously".
A BJP leader also claimed that Soren's action was a "result of CBI pressure on Soren". On Monday, however, the BJP Parliamentary Party spokesperson had said that Soren, as also another JMM MP, Kameshwar Baitha (who's in jail), "would vote along with the NDA and the non-Congress bloc" on cut motions.
The Congress sought to downplay Soren's vote maintaining that the JMM continued to be with the UPA at the Centre notwithstanding its alliance with the BJP in the state. Congress sources said the "party was still open to the idea of forming a Congress-JMM government in Jharkhand if, "at any point of time, Shibu gives up his claim for the CM's post".
AICC in-charge of Jharkhand K Keshava Rao told The Indian Express that he was "constantly in touch" with the JMM chief to "ensure" that he supported the UPA government when it came to cut motions.

"He (Soren) is with the UPA. His support to the government at the Centre and his alliance with the BJP in the state are entirely different issues. I did ask him that he must vote for the government in Parliament. Frankly, we are not taking his vote that seriously."
Asked about the party's stance if Soren were to seek Congress's support in future to form the government in the state, Rao said, "It is true that we did not want him as Chief Minister. There is not much to talk about it right now."
Soren's move comes at a time when he has failed to persuade any one of his party's 18 MLAs -- including his son Hemant and daughter-in-law Sita -- to quit an Assembly seat to help him win before June 30 to stay in power.
Also, on July 20, the apex court is slated to hear the kidnapping and murder case of his private secretary Shashi Nath Jha dating back to 1994. Jha's brother Vijaynath, daughter Preeti and friend and co-petitioner Mukesh Baba had appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to get them justice.

His allies suspect that Soren, who lost the Tamar bypoll only to quit as the CM leading to imposition of President's rule in Jharkhand on January 19 last year, may not contest polls and, instead, enter into a bargain with the UPA partners to instal son Hemant as CM.
Said Deepak Kumar, JD(U)'s district unit secretary: "Everybody knows Guruji (Soren) does not do anything without weighing its pros and cons."
The JMM in the state declined to comment but its senor leader Suraj Mandal sought to play it down: "As far as I know, he voted for the UPA by sheer mistake...he pressed the wrong button."
Source: The Indian Express

K.Venugopal
#2
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 14:21:35
The BJP should not in the first place have supported Shibu Soren for the CM's post. When will the BJP understand that more important than tasting power in bits and pieces and in second-fiddle positions would be to build up credibility? In Karnataka, the BJP would one day pay a heavy price for keeping the company of the notorious blackmailers the Reddy brothers.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3863396&page=0

`Glycodin' effect: No IPL nights, cheerleaders may go

28/04/2010
Vadodara: Chirayu Amin, the interim chief of the Indian Premier League (and CMD of Amlembic Chemicals, the makers of the popular cough syrup Glycodin) on Tuesday promised a “bigger, better and transparent” tournament next year, but without the glitzy — and controversial — post-match parties introduced by suspended commissioner Lalit Modi.

The fate of the cheerleaders, an integral part of IPL's glamour but sometimes criticised for being against "Indian culture" was, however, still undecided. "I am not sure about the cheerleaders but one thing I can surely say is that from next season there won't be any IPL nights," Amin told a news conference here on Tuesday.
The "clean up" of the IPL had started, and the "small storm" would pass, Amin said. The present crisis would not be able to dent the brand image of one of the most expensive sporting affairs in the world, he said.
"We have started the investigation in right earnest. We will make IPL bigger than what it is. Cricket is a religion in the country and it would continue to be so. My job as the chairman IPL is to manage the affairs and bring it up to the Governing Council, deliberate with them, and to take decision with consensus", Amin said.

"The job has just started and I am getting involved in it. We have a great team in the management and we are confident that the cricket-loving people of India and the world will not be disappointed.
"The show will go on. The game of cricket is important and that's a fact no one can deny. Our job is to nurse it and bring it to people. Our job is to manage the IPL in a transparent manner and make sure that we have clarity, transparency, and take care of the people at large, take care of the players and franchisees as well."
The "IPL management" is "under the scanner", Amin said, but "cricketing aspects are not under any questions". The new chairman said he was "not ready to accept this job but it was thrust on" him. "Ultimately I was prevailed upon and I took it up."

On his style of working, Amin said, "You can manage business in different styles, every one has their own style, flamboyance has nothing to do with cricket. Cricket is leisure if you present it in right spirit."
'Flamboyance' is a word that has been repeatedly used in the context of Modi's style of running the IPL, and was considered his trademark manner.
Source: The Indian Express

K.Venugopal
#1
Wednesday, 28 April 2010 10:33:31
The whole thing is a farce - making just one man, Lalit Modi, the fall guy. If IPL is only a sub-committee of the BCCI, as reiterated by the BCCI President, then the entire BCCI should have faced the sack. But the BCCI was prepared to carry out the Congress one-point agenda - to get rid of Lalit Modi for exposing Sonia Gandhi's blue eyed boy Shashi Tharoor. It is shameless that the BCCI President gives a clean chit to Sharad Pawer at his very first interview after sacking Lalit Modi. Who is he to give clean chits and on what basis has he done that? I think the whole lot should be sacked and an adhoc BCCI should be formed under someone neutral and yet well known, like Rajdeep Sardesai, who has both knowledge of cricket and proven administrative abilities. Unless something like this is done, it will be game as usual with everything swept under the carpet and Lalit Modi the scapegoat.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3864168&page=0

Indian diplomat arrested for spying for Pakistan

Updated on Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 15:59 IST
Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: In a sensational revelation, an Indian woman diplomat posted in Islamabad has been arrested here on charges of spying for Pakistan.

Simultaneously, the station head of Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Islamabad R K Sharma has also come under the scanner, official sources said Tuesday.

A promotee officer (belonged to the lower cadre known as IFS-B) of Ministry of External Affairs, 53-year-old Madhuri Gupta, was arrested from her East Delhi home four days back, after she was summoned to Delhi on the pretext of discussions on the current SAARC summit meeting held in Thimpu, Bhutan.

The officer, a Second Secretary working in the Indian Mission in Islamabad for nearly three years, is alleged to have been passing on extremely sensitive information to her contacts in ISI till her movements came under surveillance of Intelligence Bureau sleuths.


Home Secretary G K Pillai said Gupta had been passing information to Pakistani agencies. "She has been arrested," he said.

The sources said Gupta, a spinster, is alleged to have been taking information from the RAW station head in Islamabad, which was passed to the Pakistani spy agencies.

The sources said that the role of Sharma had also come under scanner for allegedly abusing his position and passing information to Gupta. However, it was not clear whether he knew the woman officer's real designs, the sources said.

Gupta, who was arrested upon her arrival four days ago, was produced again before a court yesterday which has remanded her to further police custody of another five days..

She has been charged under Official Secrets Act.

Reports claim that she is being put through intensive interrogation by a joint team of the Research & Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB)

Reacting to the shocking expose, former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal told a news channel: “It is very very shocking. It is the first time such an incidence has taken place.”

PTI


With traitors like her, the ISI would not need to recruit Kasabs to inflict injury on India. She should be hanged alongwith Kasab.

http://www.zeenews.com/news622268.html

Chennai `Superking' played key role in stumping Modi

New Delhi: For N Srinivasan, Sunday night was about the tough toggle between his two roles of BCCI Secretary and owner of Chennai Super Kings. His position in the Board meant he had to stay away from Indian Premier League Chairman Lalit Modi’s show, the final at the D Y Patil Stadium. But that also meant that Srinivasan was conspicuous by his absence in the VIP gallery when M S Dhoni lifted the trophy.

As the game reached its final stages, cameras at the stadium repeatedly captured the tension on Mumbai Indians owner Mukesh Ambani's face. But there were no pictures of an elated Srinivasan.
As the Men in Yellow inched closer to triumph -- and unconfirmed reports that Modi would be suspended immediately after the game fuelled the buzz in the stadium -- Srinivasan was a 90-minute drive away from Navi Mumbai, in a room on one of the upper floors of the towering ITC Grand Central Hotel in Parel.
As he watched the game on TV, he had for company, among others, BCCI president Shashank Manohar and IPL co-chairman Niranjan Shah.
All their mobile phones were switched off.

As the final got over, the phones came to life. That's when Governing Council member Rajiv Shukla called to say that Modi had invited him to be on the dais at the stadium. Shukla was asked to stay away.
At around the same time, in another part of the city, at the BCCI headquarters in Churchgate, a few men waited for a certain green signal. A couple of days back, in one of the early meetings between Manohar and Srinivasan, it had been decided that Modi would get the suspension letter after the final awards ceremony.
The email from the BCCI office was sent as planned. It was conveyed to Modi that he was no longer IPL Chairman. The graveyard shift at the BCCI headquarters was over.

A top BCCI source explained the importance of the timing: "Manohar was of the view that a suspended Chairman giving the Cup after the final would have looked out of place. Modi knew about this and thus he gave a farewell kind of speech," he said.
The source added that that the suspension wasn't a knee-jerk reaction to Modi's Sunday afternoon U-turn over attending Monday's Governing Council meeting. "Modi's press release where he set the agenda didn't hasten the suspension, it was planned long back," he said.

It was only in the wee hours, when the triumphant Chennai Super Kings returned to the team hotel, that Srinivasan got to play the franchise-owner. He welcomed Dhoni and his men with a cake, which was to be followed by a wild party.
But Srinivasan couldn't be with his team for long. The Governing Council meeting was to start in a few hours, and he had to be BCCI Secretary once again.
Source: The Indian Express

K.Venugopal
#1
Tuesday, 27 April 2010 10:44:51
If Lalit Modi has shares in any franchise and BCCI finds it illegal, it has to explain how its Vice President Sreenivasan owns Chennai Super Kings.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3859604&page=0

BCCI: Pawar family not involved

NDTV Correspondent, Monday April 26, 2010, Mumbai

Shashank Manohar, president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said the IPL bidding process was not influenced by any politicians.

"I don't think there is any political pressure. I can assure you as far as I am concerned. Nobody can change my decision. Modi stands suspended from all posts -- as the BCCI vice president, member of the marketing committee, fixture committee and all the board activities," he said.

"There is no involvement of any member of the family of former BCCI president Sharad Pawar. The bid documents have been seen by the Income-tax departments officials. Media is entitled to speculation," he added.

(With PTI inputs)

Shameless Shashank, who should have resigned before ousting Modi as the buck stops with him, has hurriedly given Pawar family a clean chit. This proves that he is only carrying out the Congress agenda in his crusade against Modi. Congress would have decided to leave Sharad Pawar alone in some quid pro quo deal, which Sharad Pawar is good at making.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bcci-pawar-family-not-involved-20939.php?page=1#postcommentarea

BCCI names Chirayu Amin interim IPL commissioner

MUMBAI: Baroda Cricket Association President Chirayu Amin was appointed the interim Chairman of the Indian Premier League in place of the high-flying Lalit Modi, who came in for a scathing attack from BCCI President Shashank Manohar on Monday.

The decision to appoint Amin was taken at the crucial meeting of the IPL Governing Council, which lasted close to one and a half hour.

Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Manohar said Modi would be charged on five counts -- shady initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, a suspect broadcast deal with Sony, bid rigging of two new franchises this year and his behavioral pattern.

"The chargesheet was discussed and the Committee also appointed Chirayu Amin as the interim chairman. BCCI CAO Ratnakar Shetty will look into all the records," Manohar said.

Manohar also said that some important documents were missing from the Board and IPL offices.

"Many documents are missing from the IPL and BCCI offices. Income Tax department has been asking for them but we don't have them. Like the papers of the broadcast deal with Sony are not with us. IT department is asking for these documents but we can't give them because they are not with us," Manohar said.

Manohar said the next IPL's planning would be taken care of by former India captains and Governing Council members Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and M A K Pataudi.

"With regards to the 2011 IPL, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and M A K Pataudi will decide the modalities of holding three foreign and four Indian players after discussing with the franchises," he said.

For all the allegations against Modi, Manohar said if he manages to convince the Board of his innocence in his reply, the inquiry proceedings against him would be dropped.

"It is the duty of the Board to look into the allegations and to have an inquiry it is important to suspend the person concerned. It's not punishment. The person has to be kept out of the Board's functioning to ensure a free and fair inquiry.

"The Board would hold an inquiry and if Modi's reply convinces the members, proceedings would be dropped," he said.

Manohar, insisting that the Governing Council was not even aware of Modi's modus operandi, claimed that the most public faces of Rajasthan Royals, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra, don't even figure in the shareholding papers.

"We are asking Modi, how can he sign an agreement with A when the bid came from B. Modi made a statement that the entire world knows who the shareholders are but the fact is that not even the Governing Council members know about Rajasthan Royals. I did not find the names of Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra in the papers and they claim to be stakeholders," he revealed.

Asked whether the Board was worried about Modi's threats of exposing other BCCI office-bearers, Manohar said there was no concern.

"The BCCI is not worried. If there are other others guilty, we will sack them and take the same action," he said.

On whether he would share the blame for the scandal, Manohar said the whole system worked on faith and he could not be held responsible for entrusting Modi with the job.

"We are ex-officio members of the Governing Council and institutions work on trust. If I were take care of everything, why would I need a secretary? There is no question of failure of Governing Council. There is a totally professional set up to run IPL," he asserted.

"When I don't have the documents about the benami funds in Rajasthan Royals, how can I say anything? If the funds come from say Virgin Island or Mauritius, I don't have the documents to probe. In fact I got to know of all this only after getting the Income Tax notices," he added.

Clearing the air over other media speculation on Modi and the IPL, Manohar said the chargesheet against Modi does not have any allegations of betting and match fixing and also denied the formation of an inquiry committee to look into the accusations.

"No inquiry committee has been formed since no committee is required. All decisions have to be taken by the Governing Council and that is the committee. If people are guilty we will sack them," he said.

Manohar also denied being under political pressure given the revelations of some politicians' involvement in the bidding process.

"I don't think there is any political pressure. I can assure you as far as I am concerned. Nobody can change my decision. Modi stands suspended from all posts -- as the BCCI vice president, member of the marketing committee, fixture committee and all the board activities," he said.

"There is no involvement of the any members of the (former BCCI President Sharad) Pawar. The bid documents have been seen by the Income-tax departments officials. Media is entitled to speculation," he added.

On the future of the TV rights deal with the Sony network, in which Modi is alleged to have got kickbacks to the tune USD 80 million, Manohar remained non-committal.

"I am not an astrologer, I can't say about something that will happen in the future. I cannot suspend a deal until I get the details, which I don't have currently," he said.

"Board doesn't have any knowledge about the facilitation fee (the alleged kickback that Modi got) as we don't have the documents of the deal. Only one person used to make plans," he said.

Suspension of Lalit Modi is the most disgraceful act of sycophancy since the emergency when people, asked to bend, were only too pleased to crawl. Modi is a courageous person who exposed the corruption of Shashi Tharoor. The old men in BCCI are seeking to please Congress to save their own skins.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/iplarticleshow/5858910.cms

Chirayu Amin replaces Modi as IPL chairman

Monday , Apr 26, 2010 at 0949 hrs Mumbai:

Baroda Cricket Association President Chirayu Amin was appointed the interim Chairman of the Indian Premier League in place of the high-flying Lalit Modi, who came in for a scathing attack from BCCI President Shashank Manohar said in Mumbai on Monday.
The decision to appoint Amin was taken at the crucial meeting of the IPL Governing Council, which lasted close to one and a half hour.
Addressing a press conference after the meeting, Manohar said Modi would be charged on five counts - shady initial bids of Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab, a suspect broadcast deal with Sony, bid rigging of two new franchises this year and his behavioural pattern.
"The chargesheet was discussed and the Committee also appointed Chirayu Amin as the interim chairman. BCCI CAO Ratnakar Shetty will look into all the records," Manohar said.
Manohar also said that some important documents were missing from the Board and IPL offices.
"Many documents are missing from the IPL and BCCI offices. Income Tax department has been asking for them but we don't have them. Like the papers of the broadcast deal with Sony are not with us. IT department is asking for these documents but we can't give them because they are not with us," Manohar said.
Manohar said the next IPL's planning would be taken care of by former India captains and Governing Council members Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and M A K Pataudi.
"With regards to the 2011 IPL, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and M A K Pataudi will decide the modalities of holding three foreign and four Indian players after discussing with the franchises," he said.
For all the allegations against Modi, Manohar said if he manages to convince the Board of his innocence in his reply, the inquiry proceedings against him would be dropped.
"It is the duty of the Board to look into the allegations and to have an inquiry it is important to suspend the person concerned. It's not punishment. The person has to be kept out of the Board's functioning to ensure a free and fair inquiry.
"The Board would hold an inquiry and if Modi's reply convinces the members, proceedings would be dropped," he said.
Manohar, insisting that the Governing Council was not even aware of Modi's modus operandi, claimed that the most public faces of Rajasthan Royals, Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and her businessman husband Raj Kundra, don't even figure in the shareholding papers.
"We are asking Modi, how can he sign an agreement with A when the bid came from B. Modi made a statement that the entire world knows who the shareholders are but the fact is that not even the Governing Council members know about Rajasthan Royals. I did not find the names of Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra in the papers and they claim to be stakeholders," he revealed.
Asked whether the Board was worried about Modi's threats of exposing other BCCI office-bearers, Manohar said there was no concern.
"The BCCI is not worried. If there are other others guilty, we will sack them and take the same action," he said.
On whether he would share the blame for the scandal, Manohar said the whole system worked on faith and he could not be held responsible for entrusting Modi with the job.
"We are ex-officio members of the Governing Council and institutions work on trust. If I were take care of everything, why would I need a secretary? There is no question of failure of Governing Council. There is a totally professional set up to run IPL," he asserted.
"When I don't have the documents about the benami funds in Rajasthan Royals, how can I say anything? If the funds come from say Virgin Island or Mauritius, I don't have the documents to probe. In fact I got to know of all this only after getting the Income Tax notices," he added.
Clearing the air over other media speculation on Modi and the IPL, Manohar said the chargesheet against Modi does not have any allegations of betting and match fixing and also denied the formation of an inquiry committee to look into the accusations.
"No inquiry committee has been formed since no committee is required. All decisions have to be taken by the Governing Council and that is the committee. If people are guilty we will sack them," he said.
Manohar also denied being under political pressure given the revelations of some politicians' involvement in the bidding process.
"I don't think there is any political pressure. I can assure you as far as I am concerned. Nobody can change my decision. Modi stands suspended from all posts - as the BCCI vice president, member of the marketing committee, fixture committee and all the board activities," he said.
"There is no involvement of the any members of the (former BCCI President Sharad) Pawar. The bid documents have been seen by the Income-tax departments officials. Media is entitled to speculation," he added.
On the future of the TV rights deal with the Sony network, in which Modi is alleged to have got kickbacks to the tune USD 80 million, Manohar remained non-committal.
"I am not an astrologer, I can't say about something that will happen in the future. I cannot suspend a deal until I get the details, which I don't have currently," he said.
"Board doesn't have any knowledge about the facilitation fee (the alleged kickback that Modi got) as we don't have the documents of the deal. Only one person used to make plans," he said.


BCCI is only singing the Congress tune in suspending courageous Lalit Modi who exposed a Congress minister. They cannot single out Modi to face the music as IPL is only a sub-committee of BCCI. Either they should all resign or stand together and answer the charges. With Modi out of the way, they hope every thing will go on as normal and BCCI will in season 4 fatten on the IPL milch cow created by Modi.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/chirayu-amin-replaces-modi-as-ipl-chairman/611397/0

Phone-tapping: Opposition wants JPC probe

NDTV Correspondent, Monday April 26, 2010, New Delhi

A belligerent and united Opposition is demanding answers to the phone-tapping scandal that came to light last week, and BJP leader LK Advani made clear in the Lok Sabha today that nothing short of an explanation from the Prime Minister would do.

This after the government promised that Home Minister P Chidambaram would make a statement on the issue at noon.

Advani said "the House won't be satisfied till the PM comes and explains." He harked back to the days of Emergency and said this situation was something akin and against the fabric of democracy. He demanded a new law to stop "the government from abusing its power."

On his blog yesterday, K Advani posted: Is the Emergency back? (Read: Advani's blog on phone taps)

Immediately after Advani's statement, the Lok Sabha was adjourned till noon with the Opposition demanding suspension of Question Hour on the phone-tapping issue. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon earlier.
The Opposition is attacking the government in Parliament over a report in the latest issue of the weekly news magazine Outlook that the phones of several political leaders have been tapped.

Once again speaking on the same side of an argument, the Left parties, the BJP are demanding a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to investigate the matter.

The Outlook report has claimed that the phones of some prominent political leaders including Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Congress
leader Digvijay Singh, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat have been tapped by the National Technical Research Organisation, an intelligence agency created after the Kargil War to cover all aspects of technical intelligence gathering.

The report alleged that while the phones of Singh and Kumar were tapped in 2007 and that of Karat in 2008 at the height of his opposition to the Indo-US nuclear deal leading to the no-confidence motion against the UPA government, Pawar's phone was tapped and taped last fortnight in the wake of the IPL controversy.

The Opposition is up in arms and asks: Are ministers and chief ministers and other political leaders a threat to the nation?

"If the government is tapping the phones of terrorists, or tax evaders or secessionists, then it is understandable as national interest and national security are involved. But tapping phones of politicians and ministers is condemnable," BJP Deputy Leader in Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia said.

Congress leaders have alluded to how it could have been a mistake. "It is entirely possible that legitimate national security activity could have had an unintended inclusion of snatches of conversation by inadvertance and not by design. But these are explanations for which the government will come up. Till then let us not give advance threats of disruption," was the response of Congress spokesman Abhishek Manu Singhvi.

The fact that a Congressman - Digvijay Singh - figures in the list of politicians whose phones were allegedly tapped is now laughed off by the man himself. "Should there be an investigation? I don't have a problem either ways. If someone wants to tap my phone they are most welcome to do it," Singh said.

Digvijay Singh had earlier sought an investigation if this was true.

The fact that there is no BJP leader among the politicians whose phones the report has said were allegedly tapped has also raised some eyebrows.

"It baffles me that there is no one from the BJP and some of the names are indeed surprising," said senior journalist Chandan Mitra.

PHONE-TAPPING DETAILS IN OUTLOOK REPORT:

* Sharad Pawar's phone tapped this month and conversations with Lalit Modi on IPL bidding deals recorded.
* Prakash Karat's phone tapped in July 2008; conversations on Left strategy on Nuclear Deal tapped.
* Nitish Kumar's phone tapped in October 2007
* Digvijay Singh's phone tapped in 2007; conversation on CWC elections tapped

This government seems to have lost it sense of priorities. Instead of going after terrorists, it is spying on legitimate political opponents and using all its power to get even with a Lalit Modi who uncovered the corruption of one of its ministers. The leadership of a single family has caused the Government of India to loose its sense of proportion. Democracy and security of the nation is at peril in the hands of the UPA government.

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/phone-tapping-opposition-wants-jpc-probe-20928.php?page=1

Ravi Shastri to replace Modi as IPL commissioner?

Updated on Saturday, April 24, 2010, 17:38 IST Zeecric Bureau

New Delhi: With Lalit Modi’s ouster as IPL Chairman all but certain, Ravi Shastri has emerged as a strong contender for the post of Commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Sources close to Zeecric.com confirmed that Ravi Shastri’s name was doing the rounds after it was reported that Modi had agreed to step down from his post.

It was learnt that sixty percent of the BCCI top brass is in favour of appointing Ravi Shastri, who is presently a governing council member. Even BCCI president Shashank Manohar wants Shastri to take over as the new IPL Commissioner.

In what could be a path-breaking move in the entire IPL controversy that has been raging over the past few days now, Lalit Modi might voluntarily quit the post of IPL chairman and commissioner at the governing council meeting on April 26.

According to reports, Modi might quit his post of IPL chairman, a decision which is believed to have been taken after a telephonic conversation with BCCI president Shashank Manohar.


Sources claim that it was former BCCI chief Sharad Pawar who initiated the telephone chat between Manohar and Modi. It is understood that Modi will now attend the IPL governing council meet on April 26 in Mumbai; a meeting which will predominantly decide Modi’s fate.

Reports earlier in the day claimed that Pawar had asked Modi to submit his resignation without messing up the issue further.

My prediction is that the name that will be proposed to replace Lalit Modi would be Pataudi's. But we will have to wait and watch whether that will come to a pass. If Lalit Modi has to go, then the whole governing council will have to go. Whatever wrong doings have been there, the BCCI cannot absolve itself from it as the IPL and BCCI are all in the same boat.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621786.html

Lalit Modi to chair IPL Governing Council meeting

New Delhi: Lalit Modi, chairman and commissioner of the Indian Premier League (IPL), will attend and chair Monday's Governing Council (GC) meeting with a single-point agenda of hearing charges against him and any other GC member, Modi's office said.

The move has taken the influential GC members by surprise as they had readied plans to sack Modi on charges of alleged fiscal and other organisational irregularities in running the affairs of the IPL whose brand is valued at Rs.18,000 crore ($4.13 billion.).

Knives are out for Modi and the IPL Governing Council is set to sack him as chairman in a potentially volatile meeting on Monday after being rattled by Indian cricket's biggest financial scandal in recent memory. The battle lines between Modi and his detractors within the BCCI have been drawn and the beleaguered IPL chairman has decided to skip the meeting, according to sources.

The nationwide tax raids have allegedly unearthed financial bunglings and at the centre of the controversy is Modi, who has been accused of having silent stakes in at least three IPL franchises.

With BCCI's own image also taking a hit due to the IPL row, miffed Board bigwigs boycotted the IPL awards.

Board president Shashank Manohar, secretary N Srinivasan and IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah are expected to give the Twenty20 League's final at the D Y Patil Stadium this evening a miss as well due the current imbroglio.

Incidentally, Srinivasan is the MD and vice-chairman of India Cements which owns the Chennai Super Kings who will be seen in action in the summit clash against Mumbai Indians.

The trio, along with BCCI CAO Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, reached the Board's headquarters inside the Wankhede Stadium this morning presumably to finalise details about Monday's meeting convened at 10 am by Srinivasan at Manohar's behest.

Modi has taken a defiant stand and refused to quit the IPL chairman's post even though the dice looks heavily loaded against him at the meeting with only former BCCI chief Inderjit Singh Bindra likely to back him.


While Modi has been making his views public through twitter, the BCCI officials have been engaged in closed-door meetings, albeit informally, to work out their plan of action for Monday's meeting.

His support base in the BCCI might be non-exsistent but Modi has found the backing of IPL franchise owners, who feel the league's conceptualiser has become the victim of a media trial and deserves a chance to explain himself.

Modi had, infact, requested that the meeting be deferred by five days to allow him to prepare his case but the BCCI was having none of it.

The extent to which the Modi has been marginalised can be gauged from the fact that the Champions League Twenty20, of which Modi is the chairman, held a meeting without him.

The Board's constitution empowers its Disciplinary Committee "to inquire into and deal with the matters relating to any act of indiscipline or misconduct or violation of any of the Rules and Regulations of any player, umpire, team official, administrator, selector or any other person appointed or employed by the BCCI."

The constitution says that a Disciplinary Committee shall be appointed at every AGM, and it will consist of three persons, one of who shall be the president.

The members of this powerful committee are not known as after the last AGM in Mumbai the Board revealed the names of other committees' members barring this one.

Section 32 (i) of the BCCI constitution also empowers the Board "to frame bye-laws regarding the discipline and conduct of the players, umpires, team officials, administrators, referees and selectors and shall have a power to amend the same from time to time."

Subsection iv of the BCCI Memorandum and Rules and Regulations deals with the act of indiscipline or misconduct by an administrator of the Board.

It says that "if any administrator of the BCCI commits any act of indiscipline or misconduct or acts in any manner which may or likely to be detrimental to the interest of the Board or the game of cricket or endanger the harmony or affect the reputation or interest of the Board or refuses or neglects to comply with any of the provisions of the Memorandum and/or the Rules of conduct framed by the Board, the secretary, in consultation with the president, issue a show cause notice to that person asking for explanation."

The matter is then referred to the Disciplinary Committee which conducts a hearing and submits its findings to the BCCI which would in turn call for a SGM to "take appropriate decision by majority of 3/4th members present and voting".

If an administrator is found guilty and expelled consequent to this, he or she cannot hold any position or office or be admitted in any committee or any member or associate member of the Board.

The expelled person can make a comeback after three years provided his or her readmission is voted in by 3/4th at a general body meeting.

Pending such inquiry, the person would be suspended by the president from "participating in any of the affairs of the Board until final adjudication". The adjudication should be completed within six months.

Bravo Lalit Modi! The BCCI has ganged up against you because the Congress has threatened them that it will let loose the hounds of the Income Tax Department against them if they don’t sack you to get even with your causing Shashi Tharoor to get caught. It is shocking that there is no one with spine in the BCCI to stand up to the blackmail of the Congress. Better was expected of Arun Jaitley, who has been very quite on the whole thing. It appears that Lalit Modi is the only opposition party in the country today – standing as a rock in defiance to the dictatorial ways of the Congress. The saddest part is the entire press has missed the current IPL ‘corruption’ saga for what it is – the using of a sledgehammer by the Congress to get even with one courageous individual.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621967.html

Sri Sri's take on IPL: Needs more cleaning than Yamuna

Updated on Sunday, April 25, 2010, 17:51 IST
New Delhi: The raging IPL scandal, with its unlikely cocktail of cricket, money, glamour and politics, has saddened spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. As more skeletons tumble out of the IPL closet, he says sports need more cleaning up than the filth-clogged Yamuna.

Anguished by the headline-hogging row over the Indian Premier League cricket that involves top politicians, businessmen, Bollywood stars and sports administrators, Ravi Shankar, the founder of The Art of Living Foundation, says the soul of sports gets destroyed when business enters it.

"Sports should simply bring lightness, laughter and entertainment. When business enters it, its very soul is destroyed," Sri Sri, as he is called fondly by his worldwide devotees, said in a statement here Sunday.

"Unfortunately so much dirt has corrupted sports. It needs cleaning up more than the Yamuna!" said Ravi Shankar whose courses in meditation and harmonious living have created a global following.

IANS

Reading your news report, it is clear that your heading, "Sri Sri's take on IPL: Needs more cleaning than Yamuna" is misleading. What he actually said was, "Unfortunately so much dirt has corrupted sports. It needs cleaning up more than the Yamuna!" He was talking about commercialization of sports in general.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621972.html

‘India, Pak were close to resolving Kashmir’

Updated on Saturday, April 24, 2010, 15:10 IST Islamabad:

Pakistan and India were close to resolving the Kashmir issue in 2006 and both countries had even agreed that neither would claim victory if the dragging dispute was resolved, former foreign minister Khurshid Mehmood Kasuri has said.

Both countries were so close to a solution that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was expected to visit Pakistan in 2006 to settle the dispute, Kasuri said, during an event organised in Lahore by a leading Pakistani media group. "Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was to visit Pakistan in late 2006 but elections in some Indian states and the judicial crisis in Pakistan upset all the efforts," he said.

He was referring to a political crisis triggered by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf's decision to remove Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry from his post in 2007. The two countries had also decided that neither would claim victory if their efforts resulted in the resolution of the Kashmir dispute, Kasuri said.


However, domestic problems in both the countries paid to the efforts to settle the Kashmir issue, he added. The progress made by Pakistan and India in talks on the Kashmir dispute could serve as a starting point in fresh negotiations by both sides on the issue, he said. Pakistan and India had agreed on a "joint mechanism" to settle the Kashmir issue, he said, giving details of the talks.

"The Kashmiris demanded the right of self-determination and withdrawal of all Indian forces from occupied territory," Kasuri added. Pakistan, India and the Kashmiri leadership were involved in the discussions. "Pakistan wanted the solution as per the wishes of the Kashmiri people," Kasuri said.

Several leading Indian and Pakistani personalities, including Mubashir Hassan, businessman Amin Hashwani, I A Rahman, Shafqat Mehmood, Amitabh Matto, Prem Shankar Jha, Admiral L Ramdas and former foreign secretary Salman Haider, participated in the event.

PTI


When it is claimed that “Kashmiris demanded the right of self-determination and withdrawal of all Indian forces from occupied territory" it has to be clear that only the Muslims in the Kashimir valley make such demands. The only solution possible is for Pakistan to hand back "Azad" Kashmir which it had illegally occupied and the state of Jammu & Kashmir being integrated with the rest of India by the abolition of article 370.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621761.html

Modi to step down as IPL chief? Reports say yes

Updated on Saturday, April 24, 2010, 13:15 IST Tags:IPL, Lalit Modi, Cricket

Zeecric Bureau

Mumbai: In what could be a path-breaking move in the entire IPL controversy that has been raging over the past few days now, Lalit Modi might voluntarily quit the post of IPL chairman and commissioner at the governing council meeting on April 26.

According to reports, Modi might quit his post of IPL chairman, a decision which is believed to have been taken after a telephonic conversation with BCCI president Shashank Manohar.

Sources claim that it was former BCCI chief Sharad Pawar who initiated the telephone chat between Manohar and Modi. It is understood that Modi will now attend the IPL governing council meet on April 26 in Mumbai; a meeting which will predominantly decide Modi’s fate.


Reports earlier in the day claimed that Pawar had asked Modi to submit his resignation without messing up the issue further.

Meanwhile, reports of Ravi Shastri being elected as the next IPL chief after Modi’s farewell are also doing the rounds.

Modi should attend the IPL Governing Council meeting ask precisely what the charges against him are that he should step down. Chances are they would not be able to provide any charges except those based on hearsay.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621745.html

Tharoor tweets, seeks inquiry into IPL

Updated on Saturday, April 24, 2010, 11:35 IST Tags:Shashi Tharoor, IPL controversy

New Delhi: Shashi Tharoor, who quit as minister of state for external affairs over his alleged links to the Kochi Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, says in his latest tweet that he looks forward to a "thorough inquiry" into the Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Tharoor, who was very active on social networking site Twitter before the IPL controversy unfolded, tweeted late Friday: "Looking forward to a thorough inquiry into the IPL. If my resignation leads to real reform, it will be worthwhile. Our cricket should be clean."


He added that he now looks forward to going back to his constituency in Kerala and working there.

"It's been a rough week but am looking forward to returning to Thiruvananthapuram. Lots of work needs to be done in the constituency."

He also replied to queries on Twitter.

To one who wanted to know 'how much money he had made from IPL', Tharoor said: "None, not one paisa. That's the point. Just wanted a team for Kerala."

The IPL row erupted after its chairman Lalit Modi revealed that Tharoor had allegedly misused his office to help his close friend Sunanda Pushkar get Rs.70 crore sweat equity in the IPL Kochi franchise.

The row is refusing to die down, bringing Modi also under the scanner. Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate officials have been carrying out searches at the offices of IPL franchises across the country.

IANS

Having got caught red-handed in a dubious IPL financial deal, Tharoor is now hoping that the muck that may eventually fly off IPL would make him look like an innocent fellow. You would have no such luck, Mr. Tharoor. You would always be seen as the tip of the corruption iceberg. Even if the whole iceberg is revealed, the tip would be remembered as that which led to the iceberg.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621715.html

'Naxalism not terrorism is result of a failing state'

New Delhi, Apr 22 (PTI) Raising questions on the government's policy on tackling Naxalism, Hindutva ideologue K N Govindacharya today said violence by the ultra-Leftists was "no terrorism" but a result of a "failing state".

The former BJP leader alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and members of National Security Council were "solely responsible for the massacre of 76 security personnel in Dantewada recently.

"This act of ambush is no terrorism, it must be understood that of the nearly 1,000 locals who were involved in the ambush, most of them were common poor citizens of the locality," Govindacharya told reporters here.

Attributing the failure of the state and political system for the rise of Naxal movement, he said, "the constitutionally acknowledged system of state is not helping the common man. It is perceived to be working for the privileged few at the cost of deprived masses.

It is amazing that anyone can say the ambush of India's paramilitary forces is not an act of terrorism. Naxalites and Maoists are exploiting the deprivation of the tribals. Tribals in India have lived since time immemorial with the mainstream without any violence. If the Naxal violence is not crushed, they will move from the jungles to the towns to exploit more deprived sections of society to take to arms. This will spell the end of India as a nation.

http://www.ptinews.com/news/621329_-Naxalism-not-terrorism-is-result-of-a-failing-state-

Naxalism not terrorism, result of failing state: Govindacharya

Updated on Thursday, April 22, 2010, 19:13 IST Tags:Naxalism, terrorism, Govindacharya

New Delhi: Raising questions on the government's policy on tackling Naxalism, Hindutva ideologue K N Govindacharya today said violence by the ultra-Leftists was "no terrorism" but a result of a "failing state".


The former BJP leader alleged that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P Chidambaram and members of National Security Council were "solely responsible for the massacre of 76 security personnel in Dantewada recently.

"This act of ambush is no terrorism, it must be understood that of the nearly 1,000 locals who were involved in the ambush, most of them were common poor citizens of the locality," Govindacharya told reporters here.

Attributing the failure of the state and political system for the rise of Naxal movement, he said, "the constitutionally acknowledged system of state is not helping the common man. It is perceived to be working for the privileged few at the cost of deprived masses.

"This kind of socio-economic orientation of the state is strengthening the Naxal movement," he said. Praising Congress leader Digvijay Singh for his opposition to Chidambaram's approach in solving Naxal problem, he said Singh could not have expressed his resentment in a better way and that his statement should be read in a wider context and not as part of competitive politics.

"The outlook towards development must transcend the age-old stereotype parameters of development like GDP and growth rate. Policies for development must be based on people's ownership and decentralisation of governance," he said.

Govindacharya, the patron of the Rashtriya Swabhiman Aandolan (RSA), said the electoral victory of candidates in several Naxal-infested states was the result of an "undeclared coalition" with the ultras for mutual benefits. "For about last 40 years, Naxalites have used the petty partisan politics prevailing in the country," he said.

Asking Naxalites to abjure violence, he said they should understand that incidents like the Dantewada tragedy will only invite "crass state violence" rather than social transformation conducive to Maoist ideology.

PTI


If the ambush of India's para-military forces is not terrorism, what would constitute terrorism? Tribals have lived without violence in Indian society since times immemorial. True, they would have grievances against society at large, but which section of society does not have grievances? The Maoists, instead of serving the Tribals, are exploiting them to fulfill the communist dream of armed revolution against the state. Maoists must be crushed with the might of the state. There should be no two opinions about it.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621264.html

Nityananda’s disciples signed sex contracts’

Updated on Friday, April 23, 2010, 13:38 IST Zeenews Bureau

Bangalore: CID probe into controversial godman Swami Nityananda’s Dhyanapeetam Ashram near Bangalore has revealed that his disciples practiced sexual acts as part of ‘learning and practice of ancient tantrik secrets’.

As per reports published in a leading daily on Friday, various items including computer hard disks, laptops and mobiles phones and controversial documents seized during raids by the CID has exposed the sexual activities inside Nityanada’s Ashram.

The CID investigation has also revealed that Nityanada’s trusted followers were required to sign an agreement prohibiting them from revealing any details or taking any legal action against the ashram after practising “ancient tantrik secrets’’.

The alleged programme under which Nityananada’s followers were trained in ancient tantrik secrets was called ‘Learning from the Master Program’.

The report also quoted a CID official saying “Most of those who enrolled for this programme were women, and 90% were from Tamil Nadu.”

CID sleuths had also got access to a CD with more than 35 video clippings of Nityananda in compromising positions with at least five women.


Self-styled godman Nityananda Swami was Thursday remanded in four-day police custody by a local Bangalore court, a day after he was arrested in Himachal Pradesh in connection with criminal cases, including rape.

Shortly after Nityananda was flown in here from Himachal Pradesh, he was produced before Judicial Magistrate Pushpavati at a special sitting at her residence at Ramanagara, near here.


Nityananda was brought here along with close aide Nitya Bhaktananda alias Seelam Reddy late in the evening and taken to Ramanagaram Government Hospital for check-up before being produced before the court.


It is imperative that the Court establishes whether Swami Nithyananda was teaching his disciples secrets of “kundalini” - the mysterious “serpent” said to be lying coiled up at the base of the human spinal cord. A reference on this matter by the Court to well-known practitioners of Tantra would clarify whether Swami Nithyananda is a genuine teacher or not. If he is, he can then be said to be authorized by ancient Hindu traditions to teach this science. Modern society’s “values” and taboos about sex do not invalidate the value of tantric teachings. The modern world may yet wake up to the spiritual possibilities of sex if the Swami Nithyananda case is approached from a broader perspective. Of course, the Court would also have to draw the line between genuine spiritual practice based on sex and sexual exploitation. Sexual exploitation, by whomsoever, cannot be permitted or condoned under any circumstance.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621470.html

BCCI officials to boycott IPL awards function tonight?

NDTV Correspondent, Friday April 23, 2010, Mumbai

The star-studded Indian Premier League awards ceremony in Mumbai tonight is set to be the next big battleground in the raging cricket war.

Sources have told NDTV that most officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are planning to boycott the awards function, to be held at a five-star hotel this evening.

Many of these officials are in Mumbai already to attend the IPL finals on Sunday, but may avoid attending the function as a show of solidarity with BCCI chief Shashank Manohar and as a move against Lalit Modi.

IPL team-owners are also believed to be undecided on whether to send their players, though several celebrity owners are also slated to perform at the function.

According to sources, the franchises are upset about the Income Tax raids and the gala awards night going on side by side.

The Income Tax Department will be keeping a close watch on the show to monitor how the money has been spent. It will also look into the contracts for event management and telecast.

Director Karan Johar will host tonight's show and IPL team owners Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta, actress Priyanka Chopra and some top cricketers are expected to perform.

It is boorish on the part of BCCI to want to boycott the IPL party. Is their quarrel with IPL or with Lalit Modi? I think they are all running scared to the Government and want to tell the Government in all ways possible that they have nothing to do with Lalit Modi. Truly, when asked to bend they are crawling!

http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/bcci-officials-to-boycott-ipl-awards-function-tonight-20697.php?page=1#postcommentarea

Did Nityananda use sexual energy to arouse spirituality?

23/04/2010

Bangalore: Was Swamy Nithyananda’s Dhyanapeetam at Bidadi near Bangalore a `sex ashram’ where disciples learnt spiritual ecstasy and bliss through methods depicted in Kama Sutra? New information emerging from the ashram, following the arrest of Nityananda, shows ample evidence that the godman had used sex, sexual energy and tantra to send disciples into a spiritual spin and trance.

In fact, it may be recalled that when the tapes showing Nityananda in bed with an actress was aired, the godman had put out a feeble defence saying that he was in a `spiritual trance' at that time and was going through a subconscious mental tornado.
The new evidence on sex, spirituality and tantra has come to the fore with the investigating team laying their hands on a controversial non-disclosure agreement that volunteers had to sign while undergoing a course ironically called 'Learning with the Master.'

The controversial agreement has graphic details of some 'tantric secrets' that a volunteer could learn from the Master (Nithyananda). And sex formed the core and integral part of the tantric secrets.
The agreement, now reportedly with the Karnataka CID, states: "...the master programme may involve the learning and practice of ancient tantric secrets associated with male and female ecstasy, including the use of sexual energy for increased intimacy/spiritual connection, pleasure, harmony and freedom".
The agreement also has a warning - that the course may be "mentally and physically challenging" and goes on to state that "... these activities may involve nudity, access to visual images, graphic visual depictions, and descriptions of nudity and sexual activity, close physical proximity and intimacy, verbal and written descriptions and audio sounds of sexually oriented and erotic nature, etc.''

The police are now trying to find out if the agreement was used by Nithyananda to "cheat female devotees".
The police claim that they have received a few emails from female inmates of the ashram who claimed that they were sexually exploited by the godman. But these email could not be independently verified as the police claimed that they were private in nature.
According to the investigating team, most volunteers were women a substantial number were from Tamil Nadu, the home state of Nityananda.
But what has added a new spin to the whole episode is that many VIPs used to visit the ashram. The question now being asked (and probably probed) is did these VIPs too `learn from the Master' the intricacies of kickstarting spirituality through sexual energy.
The agreement, which could be legally binding, absolves the Dhyanpeetam of all liabilities. It says, "The volunteer clearly understands and accepts full responsibility for all his/her actions... Volunteer also waives any and all rights that he/she may have to bring any law suit or claims against the leader or foundation and anyone else not specifically mentioned here but directly or indirectly involved in the organization, management or conduct of any such programs from any liability, direct or indirect, arising from such activities."
The "non-disclosure agreements" were part of the documents seized by CID during raids on the Dhyanapeetam at Bidadi. Several computer hard disks, laptops and mobiles.

Meanwhile, Nityananda was produced before a judicial magistrate here who remanded him police custody for four days. A large number of people had crowded the Bangalore International Airport at Devanhalli to catch a glimpse of the godman. However, he was whisked away by the police. He was taken to Ramanagara on the outskirts of Bangalore where people shouted slogans against him.
Nityananda, who hails from Tamil Nadu, shot to dubious limelight when he was caught having sex with women in his ashram. The tapes were first aired by a Tamil Nadu-based TV channel.
It was Lenin Karuppan, alias Nithya Dharmananda, who had claimed to have secretly filmed Nithyananda in the company of some Tamil actresses at the godman's Kallugopahalli ashram.
Nityananda immediately fled from Bangalore and was seen at the Kumbh in Allaahabad. But with the heat of the sex scandal chasing him, he fled from there too.

After dilly-dallying, the Karnataka government gave a nod to the state police to file criminal cases against him.
Following government orders, the Ramanagara police immediately slapped five criminal cases against the godman and the activities in his ashram came to a standstill. Subsequently, Nityananda gave up his spiritual seat and his ashram in the US too was closed down.
The cases filed against him at the Bidadi police station include hurting the religious sentiments of the people, rape, performing unnatural sex, cheating and criminal intimidation. Some of the cases are non-bailable.
Source: India Syndicate

K.Venugopal
Friday, 23 April 2010 10:48:26
Tantra as practiced by the Shakti tradition is an age old spiritual system where a denomination called the Vama Marga uses sex prominently for spiritual attainments. If Swami Nithyananda was practicing and introducing his disciples to this science, he is well within his rights to do so as have been done so by the gurus of the tantra school since time immemorial. However, this tradition must not be misused as cover for sexual rackets. The courts have to draw the fine line between legitimate scientific spiritual tradition and exploitation. If they do so, then it is likely that Swami Nithyanand would come out unscathed from charges of sexual exploitation against him. The 'non-disclosure agreement' is very significant. Meanwhile, charges of invading the privacy of Swami Nithyananda should be brought against Lenin Karuppan and others who videographed the Swamiji.

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?page=4&ucpg=3&cp-documentid=3849712#uc2Lst

Praful Patel involved in IPL? PM seeks details

Updated on Thursday, April 22, 2010, 13:51 IST
Zeecric Bureau

New Delhi: After Shashi Tharoor, it is now the turn of the Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel to feel the heat as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has sought details about his involvement in the dealings of the billion dollar Indian Premier League

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee met the Prime Minster with details about Praful and his daughter Poorna’s alleged role helping Tharoor with the IPL Kochi franchise’s evaluation two days before they were made public.

Pranab is also understood to have given details to the Premier about a leading newspaper’s claims that NCP president Sharad Pawar’s son-in-law Sadanand Sule has a 10% share in Mulit Screen Media, which holds the broadcasting rights of the IPL and whose offices were raided yesterday by the Income Tax officials.

Sule’s wife Supriya has already denied any role of her husband in the IPL other than being an avid cricket follower. She also has washed her hands off Patel saying, “Our family has nothing to do with Praful Patel.”

This despite Praful Patel constantly refuting claims of any involvement with the Kochi franchisee valuation.


A financial daily had revealed that Patel, through his personal secretary Champa Bhardwaj, had sent a mail to former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor with details about the projected valuations of new IPL franchisees.

“I have never ever been part of the bidding process, in round one or two. The allegations are completely baseless,” Patel had said, adding that he had simply sent the information requested by his ‘good friend’ Shashi Tharoor.

“Shashi and I have been good friends. Since he was putting together a team from Kochi, he asked me for some help. I spoke to Lalit and told him that Shashi wants some information. I do not have anything to do with it beyond that,” he said.

Importantly, Patel’s daughter Poorna, who is also the IPL hospitality manager, had received the mail from IPL CEO Sundar Raman, she in-turn, forwarded it to her father’s secretary.

It was sent by Patel’s secretary to Tharoor on March 19, two days before the opening of the bid, which was won by the Kochi consortium.

In a turn of events, Sundar Raman has completely denied having asked Poorna to forward him that mail. Poorna is cuurently at the BCCI headquarters to explain her case to the apex cricket body.

Clearly, the IPL controversy is far from over and there is more than what meets the eye even as IPL chief Lalit Modi remains defiant despite odds stacking against him.


It was circumstantial evidence that made clear Shashi Tharoor's financial involvement with IPL. With Praful Patel conceding that he was involved with valuation of the Cochin franchise, he has also been implicated by circumstantial evidence. Valuation reports are always paid for. Therefore Praful Patel was in line for monetary gain from the Cochin franchise. Hence, the Prime Minister must sack him from the cabinet.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621163.html

War out in open: BCCI raps Modi for confidentiality breach

Zeecric Bureau

Mumbai: Taking Lalit Modi head on for his defiance, BCCI chief Shashank Manohar on Thursday slammed him for leaking confidential information to the media and said that the board will meet on April 26 as scheduled.

“By leaking an internal communication of the cricket board to the media, Lalit Modi has breached all propriety and hence I’m forced to break my silence,” Manohar said.

“The governing council meeting will go on with or without Lalit Modi,” he added.


A defiant Modi had earlier made it clear that he will not attend the April 26 meeting convened apparently to decide his fate, saying he considered it "unauthorised".

"If the meeting does go ahead on 26th April instead of 1st of May as I have asked it will deem to be unofficial...I do not propose to attend any unauthorised meeting," said the IPL chief.

Questioning Modi’s intentions on leaking information about ownership of franchisees, Manohar said, “The original contract was signed in January 2008. Then for the first time on April 11, Modi leaks information about ownership of Kochi franchisee.”

“Venugopal (co-owner of Kochi IPL) called me up and claimed that there was a breach of confidentiality clause and threatened to take legal action. Then I sent a message to Modi asking him to explain why he took such a step.”

Sequencing the events as they unfolded, Manohar said, “Then on April 14 wisdom dawned on Modi that details be disclosed; to that I told him to hold on, in view of Venugopal’s mail and wanting to decide on the matter in the governing council meeting.”

The BCCI chief added, “Modi replied saying that he will do accordingly.” Modi has claimed that he was told to keep quite after he asked BCCI to reveal the details of all IPL teams.

Manohar, however, alleged that Modi disclosed the details as he was being continuously hounded by the media, he quipped, “Suddenly three days after he violated the norms, he wanted to disclose.”

“He had marked the email to some 70 people who had nothing to do with decision-making in the IPL or the BCCI. I replied to him copying only the members of the governing council,” he pointed out.

Questioning Modi’s intentions, Manohar said, “It’s fine for him to leak the mail but if it (details about ownership) was held for 2 years, 10 more days wouldn’t have made a difference.”.

Yesterday evening, media reports cited a few e-mails sent by Lalit Modi to the governing Council members suggesting that he was in favour of disclosing the shareholding patterns of various IPL franchisees.

“Propriety and fair play demand that we should disclose details of IPL franchises. Let’s disclose ownership details along with names of all directors once again. If everyone is okay with this we will issue the details right away. This way all doubts and aspersions being cast against IPL will be rebutted,” Modi wrote in the e-mail.

Manohar also rubbished charges of impropriety by its secretary N. Srinivasan, whose India Cements owns the Chennai franchisee.

He said that Srinivasan's role in securing the franchise for Chennai Super Kings was above board.

Maintaining that then BCCI president and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar had given an okay to India Cements to bid for IPL, Manohar also slammed the IPL commissioner for not declaring to the governing council that his own relatives were part owners of IPL teams.

"It is not that Mr. Srinivasan is bidding. It is India Cements company which is bidding and it is a public limited company. It is most unfair to say Mr. Srinivasan was a declared bidder. If Mr. Modi and his other relatives had a share in any of the franchises, he ought to have declared it at the meeting," the BCCI chief maintained.

Referring to the meeting of the governing council of IPL scheduled April 26 in the wake of charges of financial irregularities by the league and its franchises, Manohar said there was no misconduct on the part of Srinivasan in convening it.

"He (Srinivasan) is not calling the meeting as the owner of a team. Under the board constitution, the secretary is the convenor of all meetings. Even today I don't convene a meeting, being the board president," he said.

"Whether he (Srinivasan) has a conflict of interest is not an issue because Srinivasan, when the issue came up, had sought permission from Mr. Pawar who was then president of this board. Mr. Pawar granted him permission to bid."

The BCCI President is singing the tune that Congress wants him to sing and is going after Lalit Modi. All facts regarding IPL would be well known to both the BCCI President and Lalit Modi. Now the BCCI President is pretending as if there is much that he does not know. If the BCCI wishes to bend before Congress blackmail, it is better that they forthwith dissolve the BCCI and ask the government to take over. Thereby IPL also, being a sub-committee of the BCCI, would automatically stand dissolved. They would thereby have got the machocist pleasure of surrendering completely to the Congress. If nobody wants to dissolve the BCCI, then it is time for the BCCI President to stand by Lalit Modi and call the Congress bluff.

http://www.zeenews.com/news621117.html#

Six Indians to attend Presidential Summit in US next week

Updated on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 22:15 IST

Mumbai: Six Indian entrepreneurs have been selected to attend the two-day Presidential Summit on entrepreneurship starting April 26 in Washington, which will be hosted by US President Barack Obama.

The summit -- A New Beginning: The Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship -- will highlight the increasing role of entrepreneurs in job creation and social upgradation, a statement issued by the local American Centre said here.


The six Indians, who have been invited for the summit are Irfan Alam, Shahnaz Husain, Ramachandra Kavil, Shaffi Mather, Shaheen Mistri and Sirajuddin Qureshi.

The delegates were selected considering their innovative ideas and ability to promote entrepreneurship, commitment to community service amongst other parameters, the American Centre said.

Nearly 250 delegates of various religious backgrounds from more than 50 countries are expected to participate in the global summit.

Last year, during his speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, Obama had highlighted the need for improving the life standards of Muslims across the world through tapping the global opportunities through creating more jobs.

The Summit will work towards deepening the ties between business leaders, foundations and social entrepreneurs in the US and Muslim communities around the world, the Centre said.

The gathering is expected to help create new partnerships, business relationships among the emerging entrepreneurs from across the world, encouraging them start new ventures, it said.

-PTI


Obama is definitely trying to win over the Muslims. Of the six Indian entrepreneurs selected, five are Muslims!

http://www.blogger.com/publish-confirmation.g?blogID=3297802886486820015&postID=6595273723121650973×tamp=1271869635888&javascriptEnabled=true

Fight against Maoists not law & order problem: CPM

Updated on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 21:42 IST

Kochi: The government should fight the Maoist militancy "politically" and "ideologically" instead of treating the problem purely as law and order situation, CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said here today.

He was speaking on the recent Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh which claimed the lives of 76 CRPF personnel.


Maoists are operating predominantly in the tribal areas, which are remote and mountainous regions and these are areas where tribals are the most exploited and deprived socially and economically, he said.

The biggest assets for the tribal people is their land, he said.

"But now there is displacement from that. If you allow mining companies to come to indiscriminately in Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa... That is what is happening today. Government has allowed hundred per cent FDI in mining."

On the April 27 opposition hartal against price rise of essential commodities, he said "We are not for toppling or destabilising the government."

Food inflation has touched over 17 per cent, the 'highest' in the world. Petrol and diesel prices have been hiked and excise and customs duties gone up. Government should scrap the increase in excise and customs duty which has a cascading effect, he said.

On PSUs' disinvestment, he said all trade unions should take up the entire question of disinvestment and launch a united struggle.

"BSNL employees went on strike yesterday. Sail, Coal India... a series of disinvestment are being planned," he said.

Referring to S N C Lavalin case in which CBI has chargesheeted CPI(M) Kerala secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, he said "we have always maintained that the case was politically motivated. We will fight it politically and legally".

-PTI

Prakash Karat's statement that the Maoist problem is not a law and order problem must surely rank as the most idiotic statement of the year. Dear Mr. Karat, how do you talk politics with people armed to their teeth and determined to fight against the state? If tribals are being displaced by mining, what are the Maoists doing to them - aren't they putting them into the line of fire by making them the frontline of the Maoist game-plan of warfare against the state? Would they rather not be displaced and with hope than in the midst of war and with fear? The Maoist and Marxists - both of them named after foreign Communist titans. You can certainly expect camaraderie between them. Prakash Karat is a crypto Maoist - however sophisticated he may seem.

http://www.zeenews.com/news620986.html

Swami Nityananda arrested in Himachal Pradesh

Updated on Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 16:29 IST

Solan/Bangalore: Controversial self-styled godman Nityananda Swami, who was absconding for over a month in the wake of an alleged sex scandal, was Wednesday arrested in Solan in Himachal Pradesh.

Nityananda and four of his associates were arrested from a house in Mamlig village under Akri police station area in Solan District in a joint operation by policemen from Bangalore and Himachal Pradesh, Deputy Commissioner, Solan, Amar Singh Rathore said.

He said Nityananda, who is believed to have been living in the Solan village for the last one month, and his associates have been taken to Arki police station.

Bangalore Criminal Investigation Department, probing cases filed against Nityananda, said it had recently seized some documents and articles during a raid on his ashram at Bidadi, about 35 km from here.


During the raid by a 15-member CID team, some documents pertaining to the ashram, computers and its hardware had been taken away by police, which had also questioned several ashramites, including Nityananda's brother Nityeshwara.

Police were on the look out for Nityananda who had allegedly indulged in sleazy activities and a purported video footage, aired by regional TV channels, had showed him in a compromising position with a Tamil actress.

Tamil Nadu police had registered cases against Nityananda for various offences under IPC including rape. The cases are under investigation by Karnataka police, to whom they were transferred to.


Nityananda had announced that he had quit as the head of his ashram in Karnataka and associated trusts to lead a life of 'spiritual seclusion'.

PTI

It is good that the disgraced thug and a self-styled godman, swami Nityananda who has been hiding in a village in Solan (HP) to evade his arrest in Bangalore, Karnataka has finally been arrested by the joint efforts of Karnataka and HP police. Such swamis are a shame for the nation. No mercy should be shown to Nitayananda who should be put behind the bars immediately. All his ill-gotten wealth and other assets should be confiscated by the government to teach lesson to other self-styled godmann duping innocent people, especially the women. -PP TALWAR - India

Dear Talwar, Can you tell me what crime Swami Nithyananda has committed? Is there any law in India that says sanyasis should not have sex? Maybe it is there in Manusmriti. But are we following Manusmriti? Of course, it is generally understood by Hindus since time immemorial that sanyasis should not have sex. But it is not a tradition that if perchance a sanyasin has sex that sanyasi is punished by being arrested or jailed. The sanyasi may be disrobed and disgraced and no longer recognized as a sanyasi. But can you point out to me any law, modern or ancient, which says that a Sanyasi should be punished by being arrested and jailed for having sex? All the other charges against Swami Nithyanand will not stand up in a court of law - they are mere prejudiced allegations.

Venugopal, Sanyasi having sex is not illegal, but if the allegation is that the sex was done with out full concert or out of forced obligation on woman then its illegal. I think we need to wait and see what court would decide. All cases are filed according to the IPC. If they are proved then there are illegal. -Jeevan - Tirupati

Venugopal is right. Swami has not committed any crime. -dara singh - shimla


http://www.zeenews.com/news620859.html