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Ayodhya solution in three months: Sankaracharya

          Kancheepuram, June 13: Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Mutt Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal has said that a solution to the vexed Ayodhya land dispute could be found within three months provided there is no interference in the ongoing dialogue among various parties. Those participating in the current talks are the Central Government, the Muslim bodies and the Swamigal himself. He returned to the mutt after a fortnight-long visit to the north, including places like Leh in Ladakh to participate in the Sindhu festival, Kedarnath shrine, Ranchi to lay the foundation stone for a Kamakshi Devi temple and Delhi.

          Meanwhile, All-India Muslim Personal Law Board vice-president Kalbe Sadiq resigned from his post and claimed that he was not involved in the Ayodhya negotiations. Board chairman Maulana Syed Mohammed Rabe Hasani Naqvi who had met the Sankaracharya during his visit said the talks have not made any headway. The special court in Rae Bareili will hear arguments on the charges against eight accused in the case of mosque demolition on June 19. The accused are: LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Vinay Katiyar, Uma Bharati, Ashok Singhal, Giriraj Kishore and Sadhvi Rithambara.

Musharraf to shed uniform and presidency at "proper time"

          Islamabad, June 13: Apparently buoyed by the recent Lahore High Court judgement that there was nothing unconstitutional in the President wearing military uniform, Pervez Musharraf has once again stated that he would quit the office of Chief of the Army Staff at an "appropriate time". He said he would also quit presidency when he considered it was in the "country's interest". The Online news agency reported on Friday that Musharraf, on a state visit to Saudi Arabia, said he was committed to leave the uniform and the presidency keeping in view the national requirements.

          Musharraf was quoted as saying: "I am committed to leaving my military uniform as well as presidency the moment I feel my uniform is against the interests of the country and its people. I will stay in uniform till the strengthening of democracy in keeping with the requirements of the country. Let an appropriate time come and I will leave the Chief of the Army Staff office in the best interest of the country." About the recent thaw in Indo-Pak ties, he said, "we welcome the latest initiatives for the talks with India. It is a positive development after nearly 17 months of high tension with our neighbours." The President added that, "his country wanted a resolution to the Kashmir dispute which is in accordance with the wishes of the people of the Valley as mandated in the UN Security Council resolutions". Terming the happenings in Jammu and Kashmir as "freedom struggle", he said, "the Kashmiris took to arms in their legitimate struggle for their right of self-determination."

Pak govt. orders provinces to ensure Sikh devotees' safety (Go To Top)

          Lahore, June 13: In the wake of intelligence reports that terrorists might attack the Indian Sikh devotees visiting NWFP and Punjab provinces for the `Jorr Mela' ceremony, Pakistan's Federal Home Ministry has directed the two provincial governments to take every possible step and ensure their safety, Online news agency reported on Friday. Around 200 Sikhs are likely to visit Pakistan today to participate in the ritual of their religion's fifth Guru Guruwarjin Dev's 397th death anniversary. The devotees are expected to stay in Pakistan for ten days. While the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi had issued visas to around 1200 Sikh devotees, the Indian government allowed only 200 Sikhs to attend the ritual. According to reliable sources, instructions have been issued in the wake of reports of secret agencies, which expressed apprehension that terrorists could attack the visiting Sikh devotees.

Vohra meets J and K-based Sena, RSS chiefs (Go To Top)

          Jammu, June 13: The government's interlocutor on Jammu and Kashmir, NN Vohra, held talks with members of right-wing Hindu groups here on Friday. Vohra separately met delegations of Shiv Sena and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Rajesh Gupta, state president of Shiv Sena, demanded a free hand for security forces to eliminate militancy from the troubled state. "Pakistan-sponsored militancy which is active in one part of Kashmir (Valley) should be dealt with as law and order problem. Security forces should be given free hand so that they can deal with militants. No political interference should be there and no party should try to take political mileage out of the issue," Gupta emphasised. Ramakant Dubey, state chief of the RSS, said the Centre should be more serious about tackling the Kashmir issue. "For the solution of Kashmir problem, there has never been a serious initiative taken by the government. No policy has been directed ever. That is why we think, instead of improving, the situation will furthur deteriorate," said Dubey. Vohra, who is accompanied by an eight-member team, is holding meetings with prominent political and social organisations and a few Kashmiri Hindu (Pandit) organisations. After his stay in Jammu, Vohra would visit Leh and Kargil.

US forces kill 27 "attackers" in Iraq (Go To Top)

          Baghdad, June 13: American soldiers killed 27 people after coming under attack in Balad, north-east of Baghdad, on Friday, a foreign news agency reported citing US Central Command statement, according to the News. An organized group of attackers fired rocket-propelled grenades at a 4th Infantry Division tank patrol. The tanks returned the fire, killing four of the attackers, and forcing the remainder to flee. However, tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles, reinforced with AH-64 Apache helicopters, pursued the attackers and killed another 23 of them, it was reported.

Prayer meeting in memory of Uphaar victims (Go To Top)

          New Delhi, June 13: Six years after a fire in a cinema hall in New Delhi killed 59 people, the bereaved families and survivors organised a prayer meeting at a memorial set up near Uphaar theatre on Friday. It was on this day in 1997 that 23 men, 17 women and 29 children were burnt or choked to death in the worst ever cinema disaster in the country. In April this year, the Delhi High Court ordered a payment of Rs 1.5 million each to relatives of the victims who were less than 20 years old at the time of tragedy and Rs 1.8 million to those who were above 20. The court also ordered compensation of Rs 100,000 each to be paid to those injured in the flames.

          Naveen Sahani, whose 21-year old daughter was killed, could not control his emotions. "Every year on June 13 we conduct a fire ritual for those who died in the tragedy. We always want to remember them and their memories are always fresh in our minds. And as far as the judgement is concerned, it is very historic, and we hail that," said Sahani. The compensation would go for construction of a centralised accident trauma centre in the Capital's main hospital, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, located just 100 metres from the now defunct cinema hall, owned by Ansals, a leading construction group in the country.

          Neelam Krishnamoorthy, who lost her children in the fire, blamed the authorities for the delay in delivery of justice. "See, it has been six years since the tragedy took place and it's a matter of great regret that there is no accountability in this country. We have had more than 300 hearings at the criminal trial and 30 hearings for just the case to be committed to session (court) for trial which should not take more than three to four hearings," said Krishnamurthy. The relatives of the victims have not received the compensation ordered by the court due to a legal wrangle over the responsibility of various civic bodies indicted by the court.