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Jaiswal accuses Sangh Parivar of fuelling communal riots Talking to newsmen, Jaiswal said that it was now realised by leaders of the Sangh Parivar that till the time communal violence was not instigated in the country BJP will not gain in terms of votes. "The BJP defeat in elections recently held in various states had demoralised the BJP leadership which was behind the communal riots in Gujarat, Maharashtra and now in UP", explained Jaiswal. The UPCC President said that Samajwdi Party had not asked for support from Congress to form government in UP, adding that his party wanted a popular government installed in the state. Elaborating his viewpoint Jaiswal said that Congress would help in the installation of a secular government in a democratic manner. The UPCC President demanded of Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to remove the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat for its complicity in recent communal riots. "The Prime Minister should take steps to sack the Modi government to instil confidence in the minorities of the country". Terming the BJP defeat in the Delhi Municipal Corporation polls as historic, Jaiswal said that through its mandate, Delhi electorate had not only defended secularism,democracy and freedom in the country but also paved the way for the final burial of BJP in future. Condemning POTO recently adopted at the joint sitting of Parliament, Jaiswal said that it would help the police force to misuse it against political opponents of the ruling party. In reply to a question Jaiswal said that the party high command had already said that there was no use for POTO in Congress- ruled states which already had other measures to deal with terrorists.(ANI) Musharraf's referendum plan unconstitutional: PPP
Commenting on the remarks of President Musharraf made at a meeting with editors and senior columnists here on Saturday, a party spokesman said: "The PPP also dismisses General Musharraf contention that Benazir Bhutto would not be allowed to return or to take part in election and termed it as 'wishful thinking'." There is, he added, clearly laid-down procedure in the Constitution for the election of the President and referendum was not at all conceived for it. "There was no other way for Musharraf to become the President except by contesting for the office in accordance with the Constitution and for which he has to offer himself as a candidate and seek the support of political parties in Parliament." "Be it also known", the spokesman added, "that Benazir Bhutto will return to the country, take part in the elections and lead the people of Pakistan in their democratic struggle whether it pleases or annoys the dictators."(ANI) 16 Al Qaeda suspects released
Blindfolded, they were dropped outside their houses by their escorts, stated to be commandos. When they were picked up along with 16 foreigners, mostly Arabs, they were blindfolded and driven to Lahore on way to an unknown destination for interrogation. Among those released on Sunday were Prof Mohammad Akram Niazi of Government College, Faisalabad, his sons Zia Ikram Niazi, Rizwan Niazi, nephew Hamad Niazi and brother Hameedullah Niazi, also a teacher. They were rounded up from their two-storey house in Muslim Town. Rizwan Niazi who was married about a fortnight ago was stated to be an activist of Lashkar-i-Tayyaba. Prof Akram Niazi's tenants housed in the upper-storey were also freed. They were identified as Abdul Majeed (45), Tayyab (20), Bilal (18), Shahid (18) and Jamal Ahmed (16). Engineer Mohammad Sohail, Niazi's neighbour, was also dropped outside his house. He was arrested when he came out with a gun after hearing alarms during Thursday's operation. Talking to Dawn on condition of anonymity, some of the released persons said the raiding teams shifted them to some unknown place immediately after their arrest. Kept separately, they were interrogated by police and some foreigners assisted by interpreters. They were extensively asked questions about any information or link with any person in connection with the Sept 11 attacks, kidnapping and killing of Daniel Pearl, Al Qaeda members, training in Afghanistan at Taliban centres, collection of funds for Taliban and Al Qaeda fighters, supply of arms, providing shelter to Jihadis. Their statements were recorded a number of times by various teams. They were also shown a number of photographs of various persons, including some Arabs, and asked questions. They said none of the interrogators tortured them. Their belongings, including passports, mobile phones, family albums seized on Thursday were not returned.(ANI) Pakistan frees India's wanted militant LeT was recently banned by Pakistan under international pressure on the military government to curb Islamic militancy. Saeed's release followed a Lahore High Court verdict which rejected the government appeal to extend his detention. Saeed had quit the Lashkar outfit shortly after India blamed it and the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) for the December 13 attack on Parliament. Pakistani authorities had detained Saeed and JeM leader Maulana Azhar Masood in December. Masood is still in detention. (ANI) Israeli tanks enter Bethlehem Tanks and armored vehicles were seen approaching Bethlehem from the south, witnesses said, stopping about 500 meters from the Church of the Nativity, marking the traditional birthplace of Jesus. In a statement, the Israeli military said its forces took control of Qalqiliya and were conducting searches for suspected militants and weapons, "to destroy the terrorist infrastructure" in the town The moves into the two towns followed a speech by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to his nation, in which he pledged, "We will clean out the terrorist infrastructure from the foundations." He spoke after two Palestinian suicide bombers struck, killing 15 Israelis. On Sunday, suicide bombers struck twice. In Haifa, a bomber blew up a restaurant, killing himself and 15 Israelis. The militant group Hamas claimed responsibility for the attacks. Several of the suicide bombers plaguing Israel have come from the northern West Bank, and a female bomber who hit Jerusalem on Friday came from the Bethlehem area. The Israeli military said on Monday that soldiers had seized positions overlooking the West Bank town of Tulkarem, near Qalqiliya, tightening the closure of the town. Shortly afterwards, another bomber set off explosives at the Jewish settlement of Efrat south of Jerusalem in the West Bank, killing himself and gravely wounding a paramedic who stopped him from entering the centre of the settlement. While tanks and troops trapped Arafat in his office, a delegation of international peace activists, their arms raised and holding white flags, marched past bewildered Israeli soldiers and walked into the building, leading Israel to declare Ramallah off limits to all foreigners, including reporters. The Foreign Press Association protested the ban. Thirteen of the peace activists were arrested after they left Arafat's office, the military said. (ANI) APHC expects 'new initiative' from PM, not orders Go
to top However, the APHC also observed that there should be "flexibility" on the part of all the three parties involved in the issue to ensure "consensual" resolution. Welcoming Vajpayee's proposed visit to the Valley, senior Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said on Monday that this would be "an opportunity for the Prime Minister to understand the problems at the ground level." The Prime Minister, according to him, must take "a new initiative" and "not dictate terms." He added that the Centre has all along suppressed the Kashmiris and inflicted injuries on them. Now is the time for applying the soothing "marham." About an amicable political settlement in Kashmir, none of the three sides, India, Pakistan and Kashmiris, are in a "win-win situation." The matter is far too complicated to allow such neat divisions. "So there is need for flexibility on part of all the three parties to allow a consensual solution to the dispute," Farooq affirmed. The coming two years could be crucial for Kashmir and there were "indications of reconciliation and reconstruction," the APHC leader further observed, adding that "there is a need to move ahead." (ANI) |