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Ayodhya Row Can Be Resolved Through Talks: PM NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Tuesday the Government hoped to resolve through talks the Hindu-Muslim row over the construction of a controversial temple in Ayodhya. Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati of Kanchi Mutt, a respected seer trying to bring about a settlement to the Hindu-Muslim dispute over the site, arrived in New Delhi on Monday and was expected to hold talks with Vajpayee later on Tuesday. "The Shankaracharya is arriving, talks will take place. All issues have to be resolved through talks, including the Ayodhya issue which will also be solved the same way. Let us see what is the result of these talks," Vajpayee told reporters after addressing a function in New Delhi. Hindus want to build the temple on the ruins of the 16th-century Babri mosque which they say was built on the site of an ancient temple to Lord Ram. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), spearheading the temple construction movement, set a February 22 deadline to the Government to hand over the disputed land. The Shankaracharya, who mediated last year between Hindu and Muslim leaders, said the vexed issue can be resolved bilaterally or by making certain modifications in the layout of the temple but maintained that both sides will have to abide by the court's verdict. "I have not given any hints. Whatever the court has said remains the same. On the undisputed land both the sides can sit together and decide over constructing the temple. Attempts made to resolve the issue were fruitful but were hampered due to certain reasons. Now the status quo remains. We have to do the same work, temple's layout can change. We change the map of our house also. So temple's layout can also be changed. So when the court decide, then we will see. You have to agree to the court's decision," he said. Hindu fundamentalist organisations say they would not accept a court verdict on the temple dispute if it went against them. Last year in March, the apex court banned the VHP from carrying out a scheduled religious ritual at the controversial site. The disputed site had been taken over by the federal Government which barred any religious activity on the land till a lower court decided on its ownership. Ten years ago, a frenzied Hindu mob demolished the 16th century mosque, triggering riots across the country in which 3,000 people died. The VHP that belongs to the same ideological family as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has repeatedly threatened to storm the site. Dawood's Brother, Five Others Detained in Dubai (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: The authorities in Dubai have reportedly detained Dawood Ibrahim's btother Noora and five other close aides, indicating that the Pakistan-based underworld don's tentacles are more widespread in that country than originally presumed. Among those detained are, as is believed, Mohammed Dossa, wanted in connection with the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, and Aftab Batki, whom New Delhi wants for his involvement in various cases of counterfeiting currency. Noora has no case pending against him but he is allegedly the man behind various extortion rackets in India. These five were part of the list that was handed over to the authorities in the United Arab Emirates during the deportation of Aftab Ansari, the main accused in the shooting incident at the American Centre at Kolkata in January last year. Four Congress Rebels out of Eight Join Mayawati Cabinet (Go To Top) LUCKNOW: Four rebel Congress MLAs were sworn in as UP Cabinet ministers on Tuesday. They, along with four other legislators, had left the parent party and formed Akhil Bharatiya Congrss Dal, but later quit the new outfit to join the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party. Earlier, chief minister Mayawati made 13 BSP ministers resign to make way for the Cabinet expansion. The new-comers, it is learnt, will be given independent charge of portfolios. The ABCD apparently is now in too weak a position to negotiate with Mayawati who would insist that the remaining MLAs too join the BSP. The Assembly session will meet in about a month's time. Officials Interrogating US Plane Crew (Go To Top) MUMBAI: Airport authorities were on Tuesday interrogating the 11 crew members of a US plane that was forced to land after straying into Indian airspace without clearance, an official said. The Boeing 757 registered in the name of Conco Corporation of the United States was forced to land in Mumbai late Monday as it did not have the mandatory air defence certificate, the official said. The plane was en route to Maldives from Karachi when it entered Indian airspace. "Initially the crew was told not to enter Indian airspace. However, they did and we had to advise them to land at the city airport," airport director Sudhir Kumar said. He said the crew of the plane was being asked why they entered Indian airspace. There were no passengers on board the plane, which according to media reports was on a surveying mission as its owners are planning to start a Karachi-Male air service. The incident was the second in a week involving a US plane violating Indian airspace. On Friday, a plane believed to be from the US military flew over Chennai for more than three hours and did not respond to radio signals from air traffic control, officials said. The plane lingered around 170 nautical miles east of Chennai and did not identify itself or respond to air traffic control order to establish radio contact. India Reiterates Stand on Iraq (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday urged the United States not to go to war against the oil-rich Iraq. Without naming US, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said "a good sense must prevail over their minds." "We still believe Iraq will not be attacked. Good sense will prevail on the (United States) ... What India did last time is committed to that only....I don't think it (exile of Saddam Hussain) is required," Vajpayee told reporters on the sidelines of a function. Vajpayee's appeal came ahead of US President George Bush's meeting with his main ally British Prime Minister Tony Blair at Camp David, where the two leaders issued a statement saying that Iraqi President Saddam Hussain should be disarmed. India, along with Security Council heavyweights France and Russia, is opposed to any unilateral action against Baghdad outside the Security Council mandate. New Delhi complements an UN-supervised "Oil-for-food" deal with Iraq. India also imports a huge portion of its oil from the Middle East, including Iraq. Bahrain Stands by US on Iraq, Says Bush (Go To Top) WASHINGTON: US President George W Bush welcomed King Hamad of Bahrain to the White House and said the monarch was a "great friend" who agrees that Iraq must be disarmed by force if it flouts a UN ultimatum, sources said on Tuesday. "His majesty ... like me, hopes that we're able to resolve this issue peacefully in Iraq," Bush said during a joint appearance in the Oval Office ahead of their meeting and a subsequent dinner. Bahrain is the home base of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet which oversees the application of the international embargo imposed on Iraq in 1990 following its invasion of Kuwait. Some 5,000 Americans, mostly military, live in the kingdom. "I came here all the way from Bahrain to show this warm relationship and to support the President in what he's doing for our stability and progress," the monarch said. African Union Opposed to US War on Iraq (Go To Top) HARARE: African States on Tuesday called for a peaceful resolution of the Iraqi crisis and insisted that any US decision to go to war there must be made through the UN Security Council. "We should avoid the use of force," African Union Chairman and South African President Thabo Mbeki told reporters a day after the fledgling organization held its first summit meeting in Addis Ababa. "We are certainly against going to war," he said. Himachal Poll Scene Hots Up (Go To Top) SHIMLA: Political atmosphere is hotting up in Himachal Pradesh as election dates are coming nearer. Anand Sharma, Congress spokesman, has accused chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal of amassing undeclared wealth and property. In a statement, the spokesman gave details about the wealth and property which the chief minister has amassed during the five years of his tenusre. "Looking at the list and his background from a humble beginning to a mighty empire, raises a needle of suspicion. As a chief minister he must come clean", said Anand Sharma. Sharma alleged, "Dhumal was employed in the LIC. He left the LIC and became a lecturer in Boaba college at Jalandhar." The properties he acquired include 10 industries, one public school, two petrol pumps, one restaurant and four houses out of which two are situated in New Delhi's Greater Kailash". He further said, "Two houses are under construction in Greater Kailash. The total value of these properties is Rs 41 crore but the declared value is Rs 25.80 crore." Meanwhile, Himachal Vikas Congress president Sukh Ram, while presenting his party's menifesto, said that his party will forge no alliance with any political outfit for the 68-member Assembly. He said the HVC will not give support to any party but will be taking the support of the Congress after the elections. Advani Call to Ostracise Pakistan (Go To Top) SINGAPORE: India on Tuesday lashed out at Pakistan and urged the world community to "ostracise" countries violating the United Nations resolutions on tackling terrorism. Addressing a seminar after holding a series of meetings with Singapore's political leadership, Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani urged the international community to isolate countries violating UN resolutions on terrorism. Resolution 1373 of the UN Security Council passed after terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001 makes it mandatory for member-countries to extend their help in the ongoing war against terrorism. Addressing a meeting here, Advani launched a scathing attack on Pakistan, accusing it of being at the core of what he branded "jihadi terrorism". In a veiled criticism of the United States, Advani also asked it to put pressure on Pakistan and voiced his opposition to any unilateral action against countries suspected of producing weapons of mass destruction. 25 Killed in Sialkot Blast (Go To Top) SIALKOT: At least 25 people were killed and 35 injured on Tuesday in a blast in Pakistani city of Sialkot, police said. A container loaded with explosives for making fire crackers blew up. School-children are believed to be among those killed. Fire-fighters are battling to bring the flames under control. Officials have ruled out sabotage as a possible cause of the blast. An emergency has been declared at Sialkot's main hospital. Most of the vicitims are thought to be workers at the dry port where the explosives were being stored. Police said the fireworks were being placed in two containers for shipment to Lahore, 100 km away. Burning debris from the blast set fire to a nearby school roof. -ANI |