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One held for email threat to President

      Indore: The Madhya Pradesh Police on Wednesday arrested a person here in connection with the threatening e-mail that was sent to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam last week. The accused, Shulabh Goyal, had sent the mail from an Internet cafe named "Cyber fun" on July 19, and had used a false Yahoo e- mail ID (dinesh_ask@yahoo.co.in). Earlier, police had detained four persons, including the Internet cafe owner, Wahab Baig, but failed to nab the person who actually wrote and sent the e-mail. However, the actual motive behind Goyal's act was still to be ascertained.

Three killed in Assam grenade attack (Go To Top)

     Guwahati: At least three persons were killed on Wednesday in a powerful hand grenade explosion in the North Cachar Hills district in Assam. According to police sources, the incident occurred when a suspected militant of "Dima Haolam Daoga," hurled a grenade at Maibang Railway Station. The blast also injured several others, including two women and a child. Sources said that the militant involved in the grenade attack could be a cadre of "The Black Widows," which is separate faction of DHD and is active in Dimasa tribes dominated areas of the North Cachar Hills and Karbi Anglong districts, situated at southern part of the State and parts of Dimapur district in Nagaland. Injured have been admitted to Maibang Civil Hospital and police have launched a massive search operation to nab the culprit, but no arrest was made yet.

Govt told to accept panel report on Netaji  (Go To Top)
By Aparna Parekh

      New Delhi: The All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) today organised a rally to pressurise the government to accept the report submitted by the Mukherjee Commission over the mysterious death of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. Despite a heavy downpour, about 800 AIFB activists gathered from all over the country at the Ram Leela Maidan, from where the rally began at 11:30 a.m. The protesters, clad red caps, reached the Parliament Street, shouting slogans like "Mukherjee Commission ki baat sunni hogi, nahi to Manmohan ko gaddi chodni hogi." Debabrata Biswas, General Secretary, AIFB said, "The mystery surrounding the death of Netaji should be investigated. The Mukherjee Commission, after thorough research found that Netaji's death on August 18, 1945, did not take place because of an aircraft crash and the ashes in the Renkoji temple are not his". "The ashes preserved in Renkoji should be thrown", insisted Biswas. Reacting to the British government announcement that in 2020, it would release certain documents, which would clarify the mystery behind Bose's death, Biswas, "We will not wait till 2020 to find out what happened to our leader". Reiterating what had happened during the freedom struggle, the party General Secretary blamed the Congress and Jawahar Lal Nehru for being unfair to Bose. The government recently rejected the findings of Justice Manoj Mukherjee, who claimed that the freedom fighter did not die in an airplane crash on August 18, 1945.

Bhutan King arrives in Delhi (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuck arrived here this morning on a six-day visit during which he is expected to renew commerce and hydropower cooperation agreements with India. The 50-year-old monarch and crown prince Trongsa Penlop Dasho Wangchuk were received by Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here. The Bhutan King is expected to call on President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam this evening. He is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi during his stay here. The visit assumes significance as Prince Namgyel Wangchuck is set to take over the monarchy in 2008. Also accompanying the King and the Prince will be Bhutan's Minister of Trade and Industry, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

Nation remembers Kargil martyrs (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: The nation today celebrated the seventh anniversary of Kargil victory and at the same time, remembered the martyrs, who helped India retain its positions in the hostile terrain by sacrificing their lives. All-religion prayers were held in different parts of the country where people from different walks of life prayed for the 527 martyrs who had to lay their lives for the success of "Operation Vijay" after the three-month long conflict in 1999. Indian forces had foiled Pakistan's politico-strategic motives to internationalise Kashmir and to alter the Line of Control (LoC). In the garb of 'jehadis', Pakistani personnel had captured un- held areas in Kargil so as to achieve a better bargaining position for a possible trade off against the positions held by India in Siachen Glacier. The Pakistani personnel also planned to interdict the Srinagar- Leh road by disrupting the vital NH-1A. But the brave and exemplary deeds shown by the soldiers from the Jat Regiment, Rajputana Rifles, the Grenadiers, Madras Regiment, Sikh Regiment and Mahar Regiment at the icy heights of Kargil mountains overwhelmed the intruders. The 'Artillery Regiments' that helped bombing the enemy hideouts by continuously barraging fire from 155 mm Bofors howitzers and 130 mm field guns helped the army to make its way at the top. Pakistan earlier denied any involvement in the intrusion saying Kashmiri militants had occupied the heights, however, documents left behind by casualties and later statements by Pakistan's Prime Minister and Army Chief showed the involvement of Pakistani Army regulars.

Wounded soldiers demand equality (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: On the seventh anniversary of the Kargil Operation celebrated as Vijay Diwas every year, soldiers of the Indian Army wounded in various operations today demanded an equal criterion for all those wounded in various wars and military operations. The war veterans demanded an equal criterion in terms of compensation, pension, benefits and treatment for all irrespective of ranks. "We want that there should be one criterion for any operation, whether you're fighting your own war or somebody else's war, like we were fighting somebody else's war in Sri Lanka, but we did what we were ordered to do. There should be one criterion irrespective of rank. This is not some pay commission, where every time you give 10 percent or 12 percent. This is loss of limbs, can any money return my eye, and can any money return my left hand? No it cannot. What about rehabilitation? Why should we go around looking for jobs?" said Col. Anil Kaul, a war wounded soldier in Operation Pawan.

Shiva Lingam tampering case tomorrow (Go To Top)

     Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir High court will on Thursday hear a petition filed by a resident of Kistwar town against the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) for hurting the sentiments of Hindu devotees by allegedly establishing fake Shiva Lingam inside the Amarnath cave shrine. Besides shrine board, the petitioner has also named State Government, Chief Secretary, Tourism Department Commissioner- Secretary and the Director of Tourism as respondents in the case. A one-man committee appointed by Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt- General (retired) S.K. Sinha is probing the allegation. Retired High Court Justice K.K. Gupta is expected to submit his report in the second week of August. The investigation was ordered after Hindu community leaders said there sentiments had been trampled upon by establishing an artificially created ice Lingam in the cave shrine. The cave shrine of Amarnath is situated on the narrow openings between the mountains of Lidder valley at a height of 3,888 metres in southern part of Kashmir.

VP supports reservation for women  (Go To Top)
by Aparna Parekh

      New Delhi: Former Prime Minister and Jan Morcha leader VP Singh today came out in full support of the controversial women's reservation Bill, which has been stalled by the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW) continued its dharna at the Jantar Mantar today to demand thirty-three per cent reservations for women in Parliament and the Assemblies. The protest, which began on July 24, will continue till August 9. About 250 women, representing women organisations from all over the country, protested courageously despite the downpour. "The cause for which the National Federation of Indian Women is fighting, is a genuine one. Unless we involve women, our country will not progress...I have given my full support to them," said former Prime Minister, V.P.Singh. Singh also asserted that reservation was the "right of women" as they had little representation when compared to their large number." Without criticising the government and its policies, Singh said that the "UPA government should fulfill its promise". However, the women's organisation was much more aggressive in its demand and warned to go much beyond mere dharnas, if the UPA did not listen to its claims". Nisha siddhu, National Secretary of NIFW threatened," Either give us reservation or vacate your posts. We are determined to fight and win". The Left has also thrown its support behind them and the protestors were optimistic of it. "They have promised to raise the issue in the UPA Coordination Committee," said an activist. NIFW General Secretary, Annie Raja said that women could not come into the mainstream without reservation. "It is important for women to get reservation in a decision making body," she said.

Govt defends RTI Act amendment (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: The Government on Wednesday said that the Union Cabinet's move to bring about some changes in the Right to Information Act was a positive step, as the proposed amendment allows disclosure of file notings on the most important and vast bulk of government activities, which was not possible before. Though the RTI Act did not include any provision for full disclosure of "file notings" by officials, the Union Cabinet had in fact approved last week an amendment to section 2 (i) (a) of the Act that specifically provides that file notings of all plans, schemes and programmes of the Government that relate to development and social issues shall be disclosed, an official release here said. It clarified that only a small portion of file notings now remain exempted from disclosure. "This is related to subjects that are already exempted under sub-Section (1) of Section 8 of the Act and to personnel-related matters like examination, assessment and evaluation for recruitment, disciplinary proceedings," it said. Referring to a sharp criticism from some sections of the Press and civil society over Centre's move, the statement further said that the criticism was largely misplaced since it was based on an incomplete knowledge of facts. The amendments recently approved by the Union Cabinet also vastly increases the role and responsibility of the Central and State Information Commissions which are independent authorities. So far, under the existing Right to Information Act, the main role of the Central and State Information Commissions has been to hear appeals.

     The proposed amendments will also enhance the independence, autonomy and authority of the Commissions. These amendments include: (a) Powers to the Commissions to take all necessary measures to promote the use of electronic record keeping and to facilitate effective disclosure of information as well as information management. (b) Powers to make recommendations regarding effective implementation and monitoring mechanisms. (c) Powers to make recommendations regarding systems and tools that need to be developed and deployed. (d) Powers to make recommendations for development of guidelines, minimum requirements, proactive disclosure of information, methods of publication.

Arrested jawans not armymen: Patil (Go To Top)

      New Delhi: Dismissing media reports that the two persons detained from Jammu and Kashmir for their alleged contact with Pakistan based militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were army personnel, Home Minister Shivraj Patil today said the two belonged to the para-military force, the Rashtriya Rifles. Patil said this while making a statement in Rajya Sabha regarding the Mumbai blasts and Naxal attacks in different parts of the country. The soldiers, picked up by Military Intelligence (MI) last week, are being interrogated for their alleged links with terrorists. Two Jammu and Kashmir policemen were also detained for alleged terror links. Meanwhile, SP Vaid, Inspector General of Jammu, said that names of all four had figured during interrogation of a terrorist who was recently arrested. "They mostly played the roles of over-ground workers like providing sim cards, carrying stuff from one place to another and so on. But as I said, this is what a terrorist has told. We need to verify this on ground. For that we are questioning the policemen and in respect of the army - the concerned unit must be looking on their role, whether this thing has actually happened," said Vaid. "ISI (Pakistan's intelligence agency Inter Service Intelligence) keeps on telling their cadres to harass our forces but so far they haven't succeed," he added. Patil further denied reports of troops' reduction in sensitive areas of the State. Even soldiers initially withdrawn, were replaced by the India Reserve Forces, he said. The Home Minister said, the security forces were facing problems of occasional disruption of the power system in electrified border areas in the State even though incidents of infiltration from these areas had come down significantly. He said the earthquake last year had contributed to the problem and back up generators were maintaining supplies during power breakdown. Patil admitted occasional failure of the generators but said these were repaired soon. The Home Minister said heavy snow in the areas also contributed to power supply problems. He also informed the Rajya Sabha that incidents of infiltration had come down to 910 so far during the year as compared to 1085 during the same period last year. He said infiltrators had now devised new methods of crossing the electrified borders, adding this included use of plastic ladders, wearing of rubber clothes and use of wooden equipment.

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