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Bajrang Dal protests Muslim ownership claim on Taj Mahal

     Agra (Uttar Pradesh): The right-wing Bajrang Dal took to the streets on Friday, protesting the ownership claims on the Taj Mahal by a Muslim religious body. The Sunni Waqf (Trust) Board had earlier this week said it owned the Taj Mahal after a court asked it to settle the question of ownership of the 17th century monument. Mughal ruler Shahjahan had built the marble tomb for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, in Agra, 200 km south of New Delhi. Shouting slogans and denouncing the Allahabad High Court's order, the Bajrang Dal activists said that the court should not have asked the Wakf board to settle the claim. "The court's order was out of its jurisdiction. We condemn this order," said Ram Kumar, one of the activists. The government-run Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) that has maintained the building since the late 19th century immediately contested the claim by the Waqf Board. The Waqf Board had earlier asked the government and the High Court to give it ownership of the 350-year-old Taj and seven percent of the takings from the more than 20,000 people who visit it each day. Like other state Sunni Waqfs, the Uttar Pradesh body was granted ownership of Sunni graves in the state and also claims the Taj as a grave under its care. It insists the emperor and his wife were Sunni Muslims. But some leaders of the state's Shia Waqf Board say the mausoleum was built under the supervision of an Iranian Shia architect and that Shahjahan was in fact a Shia. So the Shia Waqf should own it. Hindu groups in the past have also staked claim to the Taj saying it was built on a centuries-old Hindu temple.

Leftists talk tough on US ties ahead of PM's US visit (Go To Top)

     Kolkata: India's Communists, key allies of the Congress-led federal government have warned New Delhi not to bow down to the US in its pursuit of a UN Security Council seat. Speaking ahead of Singh's three-day state visit to Washington, starting July 18, Communist leaders Sitaram Yechuri said "On the question of the UN security council membership, we said that the United States has taken a hostile position now and given this hostile position they must to be told and we must be clear that we cannot enter the Security Council only on their support. So this also the government is conscious of." Much however hinges on whether the two nations can resolve differences over Iran. India is pushing for a four billion dollar plan to build a gas pipeline from Iran through Pakistan, brushing aside U.S. concerns over the project as Washington pressures Tehran over what it says is a secret nuclear weapons program. Given India's soaring energy needs, some say Washington might find it hard to block the pipeline deal -- unless it is prepared to extend a helping hand to India's attempts to develop alternative, nuclear sources of energy. Relations between India and the United States have come a long way from the days of the Cold War when the two countries were on opposite sides. India's economic reform program, its huge market, a booming information technology industry, its military might and potential as a counterweight to China have all combined to bring New Delhi closer to Washington.

     Yechuri said for all the newfound bonhomie with Washington, the government has assured them that no new economic deals will be inked particularly for opening up of the vast Asian market. "They have assured us that there are not going to be any agreements on economic matters and we told them that we are apprehensive about retail trade being opened up etc so these also they have assured us that they are not going to undertake," he said. Besides business, today the two capitals are talking also about India buying U.S. F-16 fighter jets and nuclear reactors -- a far cry from the days when Washington imposed sanctions on New Delhi after it conducted nuclear tests in 1998. In a key area, India, which has refused to sign most global non- proliferation regimes saying they are discriminatory, has been looking to develop its civilian nuclear industry with Russian and US help. At present, a measly three percent of India's total power requirement is met by nuclear energy, a proportion New Delhi aims to increase to around 25 percent by 2050. Foreign Secretary Saran has said India wanted to move from talks to action when it comes to accessing U.S. civilian nuclear technology. But any deal would have to reckon with a U.S. bureaucracy and Congress still upset over India's nuclear weapons.

Gunbattle rages in Kashmir, seven militants killed (Go To Top)

     Gurez Sector (Jammu and Kashmir): Even as an encounter between Indian security forces and suspected militants rages on in Jammu and Kashmir's Gurez Sector, the Indian Army on Friday said that so far seven militants had been killed. The encounter began on Tuesday evening after a large group of guerrillas from Pakistan sneaked into the snow-covered and forested Gurez sector. "On 12 July, army spotted movement of group of terrorists through the LoC in Gurez sector. Following immediately we launched a major operation and because of the inaccessible terrain and mountain heights ranging from 14,000-16,000 feet and inclement weather, the operation got prolonged. The nullahs (streams) were in spate and all the wooden bridges which were constructed were washed away. Army had to reconstruct some bridges to cross. That is why the whole operation got prolonged. So far we have been able to recover seven bodies of terrorists with some of them we found flowing in the Kishenganga river," army spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel V.K. Batra said on Friday (July 15). The Army has recovered arms and ammunitions, apart from radio sets, maps and some Urdu literature from the bodies of the dead militants. India says there has been a rise in incursions by militants from across the border in the past few months, warning it had the potential to undermine peace initiatives with Pakistan. Despite improving bilateral ties, it says, Islamabad has not stopped militants operating from its soil or crossing into Indian Kashmir. More than 45,000 people have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir, mainly Hindu India's only Muslim-majority state, since a separatist revolt started in 1989.

Junior doctors, nurses strike in Patna (Go To Top)

     Patna: Junior doctors of the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) struck work from Thursday evening after the district administration evicted them from the nurses' hostel following a Patna High Court directive to drive away illegal occupants. No emergency patients were being attended upon at the PMCH's outdoor ward late on Thursday evening as both the junior doctors and the nurses stayed off their work. "We have been taken out forcefully. Our luggage was also chucked out. Now that we have to look after our luggage how can we work. We are demanding that the government should provide accommodation to all 500 doctors" said, Dr. Ghuhar Alam, Secretary, Junior Doctors Association. The striking junior doctors pulled out their cots and chairs on the main entrance road of the hospital which is now serving and blocked the way. However, some of the doctors said that they are not on strike and that any patient who needs their assistance is welcome in their makeshift camp. The Doctors said that they would abstain from their work until the authorities concerned made any alternative arrangement for their accommodation or enhanced their allowance so that they could live on their own outside the hospital campus. Interestingly, the nurses, too, stayed off their work even though the district administration evicted the illegal occupants from their hostel. "It is very hard for us to stay idle for so many days. We have been requesting the government that investigations should be carried out on all those found guilty, the Doctors and the students, so that we can get back to work and look after our patients." said, K.D Vidyarthi, Staff Nurse, PMCH, Patna. The Patna High Court had on Wednesday directed the district administration to evict the nurses' hostels from unauthorised occupants following a PIL filed in this connection. With both the junior doctors and nurses going on strike, the patients have been left to fend for themselves. "There is nobody here, no Doctors or Nurses. There is nobody to look after the Patients. The patients are in pain but nobody is bothered." said, Mohammad Sherel, an attendant, at the PMCH The relatives of most of the patients are now taking their patients to other Private Nursing Homes, for better treatment. But those poor patients who cannot afford to undergo treatment at other private hospital, are forced to stay back in PMCH as they have no other option.

Lashkar-e-Toiba behind Ayodhya attack (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Police today said that Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba was behind the July 5 attack on Ramjanambhoomi complex at Ayodhya and some persons from Jammu and Kashmir have been arrested in connection with the case. According to police sources, it has also been confirmed that the five terrorists, who were killed in the encounter, while trying to attack the makeshift Ram temple inside the Ramjanambhoomi complex, were all foreign nationals. They were speaking Sindhi or Baloch dialects. Uttar Pradesh DGP Yashpal Singh had on Thursday said a breakthrough was expected in a day or two. "The special task force has conducted a very good investigation and a breakthrough is expected to be made in a day or two," Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Yashpal Singh said without elaborating. A Special Task Force team from Uttar Pradesh nabbed nearly four to five people, including three from Mendhar area of Jammu division on the charges of helping the attackers with logistical support. The arrested militants are Naseem Ahmad, Farooq, Abdulo Aziz, Mushtaq and Shakeel Ahmad who reportedly helped the attackers to hire vehicles and smuggle arms. Five heavily-armed militants had managed to reach within striking distance of the makeshift temple on July 5 before being shot dead. Earlier, on Thursday, a hi-level meeting of Central and State officials at the national capital decided that more land should be acquired around the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya to strengthen security in order to reduce the chances of a repeat of the July 5 attack. At present there is a three-tier security set-up mounted on 68 acres around the makeshift temple. The land was acquired by the Centre after the December 1992 demolition of the disputed Babri Masjid. There is a move afoot now to acquire some houses near the disputed site and land adjacent to it in order to beef up security.

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