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New Delhi, June 23 (ANI): Delhi Police Commissioner Ajai Raj Sharma has alerted the security forces in the capital to the possibility of strikes by terrorist groups, including the Al Qaida. "There is information that suggests the likelihood of attacks by terrorists such as hijacking, targeting some VIPs or attacking some important installations," the Police Commissioner said. Stating that Al Qaida presence has not been found in Delhi so far, he did not rule out the probability of the outfit using terrorist groups present here to carry out attacks. Sharma said the security at the embassies had been "reviewed" and "tightened" after the recent car bomb blast at the US Consulate in Karachi "as we thought such an attack could take place here also." He said a two-pronged strategy had been evolved to prevent any terrorist group to succeed in their nefarious designs. "The focus is on preventing entry of such unwanted persons into Delhi. If they succeed (in entering Delhi), detect them at the earliest at the rented houses or other places of stay such as guest houses and hotels," Sharma said. The Delhi Police had already succeeded in scuttling many major strikes planned by the terrorists, including the one at the US Embassy here, he said. A foreigner, staying as a student in Udaipur in Rajasthan, had in association with a fundamentalist from Bihar planned to ram an explosive-laden car into the US Embassy but was arrested before it could be translated into action. The foreigner, suspected to be working for Osama bin Laden, was also on the lookout for a scientist from India to work for the outfit, he said, adding, however, that the Laden link could not be established. A module of the Lashker-e-Taiba terrorist outfit, which was planning to target oil installations, was also neutralized recently with the killing of its two members, he said. Criminals from outside Delhi had planned to kill Tehelka.com chief Tarun Tejpal after the exposi on arms deals possibly so that the Government could get into problems but the plan was thwarted, Sharma said. He said during the last two years about seven dozen modules of various terrorist groups, including Lashker-e-Taiba, Jaish-e- Mohammad and Harkat-ul Mujahideen, had been neutralised in the capital. (ANI) Al-Qaeda followers in Pakistan, aim to topple Musharraf: Report
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to top London, June 23 (ANI): Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) believes that Osama Bin Laden is alive and well in Afghanistan with 20 or 30 diehard supporters, according to a report in the Sunday Times. Marie Colvin, filing from Islamabad, also quotes ISI sources as sayng that Bin Laden followers have formed alliances with small groups of fundamentalists in Pakistan intent on toppling the government of President Pervez Musharraf. Her report speaks of ISI "concern" about cash arriving from Britain to fund these alliances. It says a bearded British Muslim, wearing shalwar kameez and speaking with "a northern English accent", claimed last week to have smuggled thousands of pounds into Pakistan for this purpose. The man, who refused to reveal his identity, said some of the cash had gone to a training camp in a border tribal area where Al-Qaeda fugitives were hiding. Colvin reports him as saying that he delivered cash, in dollars, to the remote base two weeks ago. It would be used to fund weapons training for scores of Muslims recruited in Britain, Germany, America and Bangladesh. He said he had made several trips bringing cash from wealthy Asian businessmen in Britain. He is quoted as saying: "The focus of the fighters is on hitting the Pakistani government as hard as possible, because they feel this government has betrayed jihad, and on driving the US and UK presence from Muslim lands. Imagine what we could do if we controlled the Pakistani army, an organised 600,000 soldiers and nuclear weapons. We could implement Islam without compromise." The report says that "officials close to Pakistani intelligence" confirmed the broad outlines of the claims about an underground network of radicals, including Arabs from Al-Qaeda and Britons of Pakistani origin, who often appeared the most radical. The officials say the ISI does not have the resources to fight this new threat from such a diffuse infrastructure of small cells. One official is quoted as saying: "How can you spot a man who is wearing your clothes, looks like you and speaks your language ? They are invading the community. Pakistan is in a critical situation." (ANI)
Harkat "commander" among four killed in Valley Go to top Jammu, June 23 (ANI): Four people, including a district commander of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM), were killed in separate encounters with security forces in Doda and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Three rockets were recovered from a militant hideout, official sources said here on Sunday. A foreign mercenary designated as HuM district commander for Doda was shot dead at Bisminah village of Doda on Saturday evening. The militant belonged to Afghanistan, sources said, adding one AK56 rifle and two magazines were recovered from the site of the encounter. A militant was killed in Poonch district. An AK-47 magazine, 15 rounds, two electronic gadgets and a pair of binoculars were recovered from him. Police recovered the bullet-riddled body of one Nazir Ahmed in the forest area near Charote village in Doda on Saturday. The deceased had been kidnapped by militants from his house in the village on June 20, sources said. A Village Defence Committee member who was injured in a militant attack on a procession of pilgrims in Khora-Kanthwara area of Doda district on June 15, succumbed to his injuries in a hospital here on Sunday morning.(ANI)
Omar takes over as National Conference chief
Go to top Srinagar, June 23 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah's son and Minister of State for External Affairs Omar Abdullah was on Sunday handed over the reigns of the ruling National Conference at a heavily guarded function in the Sonawar area of the city. Omar Abdullah was elected unopposed. His election came ahead of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir scheduled for October. Many militant groups have urged people to boycott the polls. The pro-India National Conference party has ruled Kashmir for more than 35 years. More than 10,000 activists of National Conference attended the colourful ceremony. At the function, Farooq Abdullah said the federal government would have to consider the autonomy issue as it provided the key to peace in the state. The autonomy issue has led to a lot of acrimony between the federal and the Jammu and Kashmir governments after the state legislature passed a resolution demanding autonomy in June 2000. New Delhi rejected the proposal but agreed to hold discussions on it. The autonomy plan seeks to limit federal government's powers to defence, foreign affairs and communications. Jammu and Kashmir, India's only Moslem-majority state, enjoyed autonomy untill 1953. Abdullah's National Conference says greater autonomy is the only solution to the strife which has plagued the Himalayan region for the past 12 years. "You (federal government) keep on suppressing this demand. But there will not be peace in the state till you (federal government) do not give autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh," said Farooq Abdullah . Abdullah also attacked Vishwa Hindu Parishad for inciting communal tension in the country. Abdullah said communal harmony is the need of the hour, he said. "If you want to keep India alive and want that Kashmir remains with India then the unity and fraternity between Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs should remain. On the one hand you demolish Babri mosque and at the same time you want to win the trust of Muslims, this will not do. Is (Lord) Ram only yours. I keep on saying this to Hindus and their leaders," said Abdullah. 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 wants to build the temple on the site of the 16th-century Babri mosque which they say was built on the site of an ancient temple of Lord Ram. The hardline Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Saturday said the federal government should enact a law to construct a controversial temple on the ruins of a razed 16th century mosque in Ayodhya. The VHP that belongs to the same ideological family as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has repeatedly threatened to storm the site.(ANI)
Kamakhya festival of Assam begins
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An estimaed 200,000 devotees are expected to visit the temple during the four-day fair which began on Sunday. Nepal King Gyanendra, who is arriving in New Delhi on Sunday for a five-day visit, is also scheduled to visit the temple on June 27. Holy men and widows observe fast and refrain from eating non- vegetarian food during the Ambubachi fair. The temple, atop a hill on the banks of the Brahmaputra, is dedicated to goddess Kamakhya, consort of Lord Shiva. The idol of goddess Kamakhya inside the temple is represented by a female fertility symbol. It is believed that prayers made during this time please the goddess and is an auspicious time to attain spiritual well-being. "The reverance of Goddess Kamakhya brings wish fulfilment. During this time when she menstruates we hold prayers," said a holy man visiting the temple. Legend has it that the body of goddess Shakti was divided into 51 pieces and that the temple is the "yoni peeth" (seat of female fertility). The festival is attended by both Vaishnavites as well as Shivaites. Vaishnavites are vegetarians while Shivaites eat meat and indulge in smoking and drinking. Members of both the sects do not communicate with anyone during the fasting period. After the fourth day when they break their fast, the holy men as well as devotees mingle freely and celebrate by smearing colours on each other. They mostly dress up in red which is considered sacred. The Ambubachi fair concludes on June 26.(ANI)
Fashion show for a cause
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Bangalore, June 23 (ANI): An unusal fashion show was held recently in Bangalore when as many as 32 women achievers walked on the ramp to generate funds for cancer patients. The Fem Women Achievers Show was organised jointly by the Cancer Patients Aid Association and Fem Care Pharma India ltd, a pharmaceutical company. "We don't just go for beauty pageants and women achievers. We go for cancer patients. We find even if it is a little bit of glamour, it should be with a cause like cancer patients. Many women today are suffering from cancer and we want to do something in our own way to help them", said Sunitha Ramnathlar, Joint Managing Director, Fem Care Pharma India Limited. For the curious audience which included Ramakrishna Hegde, Margaret Alva and Karnataka Chief Minister S.M Krishna, it was an occasion to see not just new designs, but also some new faces. Amidst the shimmer, glamour and pumping music were the most unlikely models, amongst them theatre actress Judith Bidappa, dancer Vani Ganpathy and journalist Nupur Basu, familiar faces in their own professions, but relative novices on the ramp. "Actually none of it looked at it as a walk on the ramp, you know. I think the reason we put this time aside because of cancer, a whole lot of women are joining the ranks... I mean, a large number of women are getting cancer and we just felt that yes, it's a good cause and we gave our time," Basu said. While fashion shows in aid of cancer patients are becoming increasingly common in India, the organisers of this show have come up with a novel idea of making women of substance walk on the ramp. Every year about 700,000 new cancer cases are registered and 350,000 cancer-related deaths are reported in the country. Of the six million cases of oral cancer registered in the world 2.5 million are in India. There is a growing incidence of breast cancer, which is the second biggest category, amongst Indian women.(ANI)
Sanjay Gandhi remembered
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New Delhi, June 23 (ANI): India on Sunday paid tributes to Sanjay Gandhi, one of the country's most dynamic leaders. Sanjay, grandson of Jawaharlal Nehru and son of Indira Gandhi, made a deep impact on the country's politics during his brief political career. His extremely promising career was cut short by his untimely death in an air crash on June 23, 1980. He was 32. Several functions were organised in the capital to pay homage to Sanjay Gandhi, also one of the most controverisal political figures of his times. His wife Maneka Gandhi, a central minister, alongwith several other leaders paid tributs to him. Among them was Sonia Gandhi, Congress president. "Twenty-two years have passed by and if I have received any internal force to face hard times and work with people then it all has happened because he (Sanjay Gandhi) has been with me all the time. He has been the source of inspiration for me," Maneka Gandhi said after a prayer meeting. Though his candid approach towards politics made him popular among the masses, he was also criticised for some of his what his detractors say anti-people policies. Eldest of Indira Gandhi's two sons, the other being former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, Sanjay was criticised for forced sterilization aimed at country's growing population.(ANI)
Bamboo blossoms in Tripura after four decades Go to top
Tripura is home to various species of bamboo, but the most commonly found variety is `Mooli,' which has now blossomed. The state's chief conservator of forests, M.A. Khan says that the last time `Mooli" bloomed was in 1958-59. "Mooli bamboo is the main species that grows naturally in Tripura. It has a special nature of flowering, that is, two types. Sporadic flowering takes place year after year but gregarious flowering takes place once after a long period. The moooli bamboo generally flowers after 40 to 45 years. The last flowering took place as per our records in 1958-59," Khan said. In Tripura the skill of working with bamboo is extremely widespread, with large percentage of the ethnic population capable of refined craftsmanship. The fairly well established industry, employing nearly 500,000 people, supplies finished products to handicraft emporia in the metropolitan cities. Around 2,397 square kilometres of the state is under bamboo plantation. (ANI, JUNE 23, 2002)
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Guwahati, June 23 (ANI): Thousands of devotees and holy men from
across the country have assembled at a temple in Guwahati
to hold special prayers to please Goddess Kamakhya.
The festival is celebrated to mark menstruation period of the
goddess during which the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine remains
closed to worshippers.
(TRIPURA--ANI, JUNE 23, 2002) Bamboo groves in Tripura have
blossomed after more than four decades, raising hopes of increase
in plantation.