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Govt had failed to anticipate the scale of violence: PM New Delhi, May 1 (ANI): The NDA government, led by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee survived a censure motion on Wednesday over the ruling coalition's handling of the worst religious violence in a decade but took some blame for not anticipating the bloodshed. The Centre was expected to survive the vote, which followed a marathon 16-hour debate in Parliament. Speaking at the end of the debate, Vajpayee said that the government had misjudged the situation when the violence began. "Somehow we felt that the reaction to the Godhra incident would not be so gruesome. We realised the seriousness of the situation later. When I spoke earlier, I had said that violence could not be justified. Both the Godhra incident and later violence should be condemned", Vajpayee told the House. After the Prime Minister's reply, members voted on the motion, which received 182 votes in favour and 276 against it in the 545- member House. "Subject to correction, the result of the division is Ayes - 182, Noes - 276. The Noes have it. The motion is negative", said PM Sayeed, Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha. Outside Parliament, BJP spokesman Vijay Kumar Malhotra stated that the voting result meant a "clean chit" for the Central and Gujarat government. "The Opposition stalled the proceedings in the House for six days and brought this censure motion under Rule 184. Now it was defeated. With this, a clean chit was given to what the government did", Malhotra told reporters. Somnath Chatterjee, senior leader of the CPI (M), however, said the government has not replied to the questions raised by them. "It is very clear that the government has no answer to serious incidents that have happened. Today secularism is under threat. And those issues have not been answered at all", he concluded. Referring to Vajpayee's fresh relief package of 1.5 billion rupees, which he announced in the Lok Sabha, Congress spokesman Jaipal Reddy said that the Modi government could not implement it without bias. "I don't think Narendra Modi's government is capable of implementing any package without discrimination", Reddy said. In a blistering attack on the government, Sonia Gandhi, Congress leader, said the violence in Gujarat and the government's failure to contain it threatened India's secular society. (ANI) Relief for sufferers urgent task and I'm not chair-hungry: ModiGo to top Ahmedabad, May 1 (ANI): Chief Minister Narendra Modi claimed on Wednesday that right now what lay uppermost in his mind was provision of relief for people in the riot-ravaged state and it would be wrong to allege he was greedy for the chair he is currently occupying. "No, we need not worry...we have not committed any sin. The government has arrested 31,000 people. Still some say that the government has not declared the correct data. If you want me to step down, I will. I am not just bothered about the chair. I have never been bothered about the Chief Minister's chair. But please don't injustice to the people of Gujarat," Modi said while speaking at a rally organised to commemorate the 43rd Gujarat Day. The state government, he added, was open to any suggestion from the Opposition for the welfare of the state. "You just find out any objective suggestion from yesterday's parliamentary discussion. If there is any, even from the Opposition side, in good faith, we would heartily welcome it. If anybody have found any suggestion after analysing the situation of Gujarat, please let me know about it," he elaborated. Modi also appealed to all parties to join hands in mitigating the sufferings of the people in Gujarat, adding that the situation should not be politicised. Lashing out at Sonia Gandhi, leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, he stated that "if she has received any complaint regarding rape cases, she can file FIRs against those responsible. We will punish the criminals. No rapist should be forgiven." He expressed the wish that she did it before leaving Gujarat." The state Ministry of Food and Civil Supplies had also organised a programme to distribute free food to the people belonging to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) families on this occasion.. Modi faced the ire of the Opposition and some NDA allies during the discussion in Parliament on Tuesday and Wednesday morning for his handling of the communal violence in the state. But he remarked that he has no problem if the Opposition guns for him and "goes after his chair" later, but relief and rehabilitation work was more urgent at the moment. (ANI)
Sonia calls for final war on communalism
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top Porbandar, May 1 (ANI): Congress president and leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday attended a prayer meeting in Porbandar in the riot-hit Gujarat. The all-religion prayer meeting was held at "Kirti Mandir", the residence of the apostle of peace and non-violence Mahatma Gandhi. The meeting was organised in protest against the ongoing religious violence which has claimed more than 850 lives since a Muslim mob firebombed a train killing 59 Hindus in February. Later addressing a public rally, Sonia Gandhi lashed out at the ruling federal coalition led by Bharatiya Janata Party for failing to control the nation's worst bloodshed in a decade. "Time has come to wage a final war against corruption, communalism and misrule and we propose to start the fight from Gujarat," said Sonia Gandhi. Her visit to the riot-hit state comes hours after the Lok Sabha rejected a censure motion moved by the Opposition against the federal government. Opposition parties and some of the coalition allies have been pressing for the dismissal of BJP's Narendra Modi who heads the Gujarat government for his inability to contain the carnage. Later, she led a women's march in Ahmedabad for restoring peace and communal harmony in the violence-ravaged state. A large number of women, carrying placards appealing for communal harmony, joined the march from the Vivekanand Statue in Ellis Bridge area to Sardar Gardan in Laldarwaja area. She was accompanied by AICC General Secretary incharge of Gujarat Kamalnath, Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit, senior party leaders Ahmed Patel, Ambika Soni, Kumari Shailja, GPCC president Amarsinh Choudhari and leader of opposition in the state assembly Naresh Rawal.(ANI) UP Opposition to boycott Mayawati swearing-in
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to top Lucknow, May 1 (ANI): Terming the BJP-BSP alliance as "against the mandate of the electorate", opposition parties in Uttar Pradesh have decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of BSP general secretary Mayawati as the next chief minister of the state. Both Samajwadi Party and the Congress on Wednesday said they would boycott the oath-taking ceremony. The SP had emerged as the single largest party after the Assembly elections held in February. SP state general secretary Shivpal Singh Yadav said the BJP-BSP coalition was an "opportunist and selfish alliance". He said his party would stay away from the ceremony as both the coalition partners have "ignored the mandate of the electorate for their selfish interests". Congress Legislature Party leader Pramod Tewari said his party would start opposing the coalition government from the very first day with the boycott of the oath-taking function. Taking part in the ceremony would be like agreeing to the opportunistic alliance, he added. Expressing similar views, Rashtriya Kranti Party president Kalyan Singh said he would not take part in the swearing-in ceremony to "uphold the people's wishes who had given their mandate against both the BSP and the BJP". The Nationalist Congress Party said it would observe May 3 as "black day" in protest against the swearing-in of Mayawati. The CPM also aired similar views. Meanwhile, BSP leader Mayawati arrived here on Wednesday for consultations with her legislators before the party holds its Legislature Party meeting here on Thursday. (ANI)
Blast in Ahmedabad templeGo
to top Ahmedabad, May 1 (ANI): An explosion rocked a temple in the Khamasa area of Ahmedabad on Wednesday morning. According to eye witnesses, the explosive was in the shape of a plastic ball. The blast that took place at around 7 am, shattered glass panes and damaged parts of the Keval Gyan Mandir. On hearing the blast, many people in the neighbouring localities panicked and ran for cover, but no casualties were reported. (ANI)
Irregularities, rigging mar Pak poll: HRCP Go to top Islamabad, May 1 (ANI): General Pervez Musharraf's referendum to extend his tenure as President was marred on Tuesday by blatant ballot rigging and generally low turnout, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). Gross irregularities, including physical abuse and intimidation, exceeded the worst fears, HRCP chairman Afrasiab Khattak said in a statement on Wednesday. Polling staff, municipal councillors and the electoral commission's so-called neutral observers were reported to have stamped ballots themselves in some polling stations. "Voters marshalled by local councillors enjoyed the freedom to vote as many times as they wished," Khattack said, quoting reports from HRCP volunteers who monitored the referendum. Journalists who visited the polling stations on Tuesday reported similar incidents, although the military regime has dismissed all claims of irregularities. The opposition claimed the turnout had been so low that it proved President Musharraf has lost all legitimacy. They boycotted the poll, saying that it was unconstitutional. Gen Musharraf seized power in a coup in 1999. He called parliamentary elections for October as part of his roadmap for the restoration of democracy. Under the constitution, the president should be chosen by the members of the national and provincial assemblies and the senate. However, the supreme court rejected an opposition attempt to halt the referendum, upholding Gen Musharraf's argument that the constitution also justifies referendums on matters of national importance. Musharraf has argued that it is vital for him to stay in power to fulfil his vision of turning Pakistan into a modern, democratic, Islamic state. The military, a key component of Pakistan politics, has been fully supportive of the referendum.(ANI)
Two bomb blasts rock Karachi
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to top Karachi, May 1 (ANI): Two bomb blasts rocked the port city of Karachi on Wednesday, injuring 16 people on the eve of a general strike called by Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), police said. They said one bomb exploded near a roadside stall in the Saddar area, wounding a dozen people. Four people were injured in the other blast in the Nursery commercial area. There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but a police official called the blasts "acts of terrorism". The Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) has called a general strike on Thursday throughout the Sindh province to protest against the killing last Saturday of two of its former parliamentarians by unknown gunmen. The MQM said on Tuesday it was calling the strike because the government had failed to arrest those responsible for the killings. The MQM blamed the intelligence agencies for the deaths of former National Assembly member Nishat Malik and former senator Kamal Mustafa.(ANI) |