Signficantly, on a day when Parliament was rocked on the issue, it was disclosed that President A P J Abdul Kalam has sent to the Election Commission the petitions seeking disqualification of Gandhi as Lok Sabha member and some other MPs on the ground they held offices of profit.

Meanwhile, the government would promulgate an ordinance on Friday to identify some posts as office of non profit, a move the opposition alleged is a ploy to "bail out" Congress chief Sonia Gandhi from a "certain disqualification" as MP, sources said here late Wednesday night.

This was understood to have been decided at a meeting at the official residence of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh which ended at the stroke of midnight.

The President was last week petitioned by TDP against Gandhi's continuance in Lok Sabha on the ground that she holds an office of profit as Chairperson of National Advisory Council on the CMP to the UPA government . The issue created uproar in both Houses of Parliament with the Opposition attacking the government on reports that it was bringing an Ordinance to exempt the posts held by Gandhi, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee and some Congress leaders from office of profit to stave off disqualification. The Speaker did not attend the House on Wednesdayand later told reporters that as a matter of propriety he kept away because some members had raised the issue of his holding an office of profit--an apprent reference to his being the Chairman of Sriniketan-Shantiniketan Development Authority. (PTI)

Zia, on a three-day India visit, expressed concern over the wide trade gap between India and Bangladesh. "It's not a matter of concern that India is a gainer, but under such circumstances it becomes unsustainable for the other partner," Zia said, adding there was a need to boost exports from Bangladesh to India. (IANS)

New Delhi: Bailable warrants for all nine accused in the 1999 murder of model Jessica Lall were issued Wednesday by the Delhi High Court after it admitted a police appeal against their acquittal. Judge Manmohan Sarin set Rs.100,000 as bail for Manu Sharma, the Haryana minister’s son who is the prime accused, and Rs.50,000 for each of the other accused.

The appeal filed by Delhi Police against the acquittal of the accused by a lower court will come up for hearing in the high court April 18. The appeal was filed following public protests and intense media scrutiny of the acquittal. The lower court’s decision Feb 21 was based on police’s failure to produce any evidence linking the accused to the crime. Reacting to the high court order, Delhi Police Commissioner K.K. Paul told reporters that the direction would help speed up the fresh investigation into the case.

Paul assured that strict action would be taken against those found guilty of tampering and destroying evidence. Police had registered a case March 6 to investigate the destruction, tampering and fabrication of evidence in the case. "We have made satisfactory progress in the case," Paul said. "Action will be taken against every person found guilty, even against those in uniform."

Delhi Police had Tuesday questioned 12 people in connection with Lall’s murder, including entrepreneur Bina Ramani and her fashion designer daughter Malini as well as a few senior police officers. Manu Sharma is the son of Haryana Excise Minister Venod Sharma. Amongst the other accused is Vikas Yadav, the son of former Rajya Sabha MP D.P. Yadav, who is also accused of murdering business executive Nitish Katara.

Their acquittal triggered universal outrage, with civil society groups staging protests and the media giving prominent coverage to demands that the guilty be brought to book. Police officials said six senior Delhi Police officers had attended the party at Tamrind Court April 29, 1999 when Manu Sharma allegedly shot Lall.

Meanwhile, R.K. Naseem, Manu Sharma’s lawyer, said Delhi Police did not have any fresh evidence against his client. "The police does not have any new evidence and they cannot do anything substantial in the case," he said. Apart from other lacunae in their probe into the murder, Delhi Police have not been able to recover the weapon used to kill Lall.

According to the prosecution, Manu Sharma shot Lall when she refused to serve him a drink during a party at Tamrind Court restaurant in south Delhi where she was filling in as a bartender. The restaurant owned by Bina Ramani did not have a liquor licence. The Delhi Police appeal says the acquittal of the accused was based on conjectures and surmises and was in total disregard of sufficient circumstantial evidence on record for their conviction. (IANS)

New Delhi: Investigating agencies of India and Pakistan, in a rare meeting Wednesday, announced the setting up of a joint study group for cooperation in tackling human trafficking, counterfeit currency and illegal immigration. The decision was made when India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) met here after a gap of almost 17 years for two days of discussions. The talks ended Wednesday.

It was yet another instance of confidence-building between the countries since the thaw began in their frosty relationship two years ago. Officials say human trafficking and the smuggling of goods, narcotics and counterfeit currency routinely takes place along the India-Pakistan border.

According to a joint statement, the two sides also decided to designate officers for better cooperation between the CBI and FIA. "These officers would be posted in Islamabad and New Delhi and steps would be taken for expeditious disposal of pending Interpol references," the statement said.

The talks, headed by CBI Director Vijay Shanker and FIA Director General Tariq Parvez, were part of confidence building measures between the two countries. "The talks were constructive and carried out in a professional manner between the two sides," Shanker told reporters at the end of the talks.

CBI officials said the issue of coordinating police work along the border and setting up a South Asian police agency, along the lines of Europe’s Europol that fights trans-border crime, was still at a "conceptual stage". "When we meet the next time, we can possibly take this idea forward and see if it can be implemented," said a senior CBI official.

It was visualised that the agency called SAARCPOL would fight crime in the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) that groups India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and the Maldives.

Shanker sidestepped a question on the deportation of the 1993 Mumbai terror blasts accused Dawood Ibrahim, who is widely believed to be in Pakistan, and said the two sides had discussed all matters of crime and criminals. "Since this was the first meeting after so many years we did not want to get on controversial issues. But it was agreed that we will have commonality in this approach," said a CBI official. (IANS)

"All persons to be released are local residents of Jammu and Kashmir and they are not involved in any serious crime," an official spokesman said. The prisoners are expected to be set free Thursday. A panel of officers of the state government and the central home ministry reviewed the cases of 403 prisoners and found 40 people met the criteria for release as they were not linked to serious charges.

The spokesman said the detenues were being set free in keeping with Manmohan Singh’s assurance at the first round table on Kashmir in Delhi last month.

The prime minister had said all cases of detention would be scrutinised to see whether it was possible to release those against whom there were no serious cases and that the process would be completed before the end of March.(IANS)

"A short survey conducted by CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) Delhi on the branding of the city revealed the topmost negative factor that people mentioned about Delhi was the lack of safety of women. Hence the initiative," said the lobby’s Delhi state council chief A.K. Kaul. He was speaking at CII Delhi’s annual session here.

The initiative, launched in partnership with the Delhi government and the NGO Jagori, will have three elements in its first phase. Firstly, improving lighting in poorly lit commercial and public places. Jagori has conducted a safety audit at 22 locations and found the single most significant factor that compromises women’s safety is poorly lit areas. Jagori will conduct more safety audits through the year and CII has pledged to light such identified areas.(IANS)

Linking Jaipur to Pipavav Port in Gujarat, the first of its kind freight train in the subcontinent will "help to reduce carrying cost with its payload capacity of 2,500 tonnes as against the carrying capacity of 1,500 tonnes in a single stack train", railway ministry officials said.

"In effect, this means the requirement of trains will be reduced by 48 percent for the same throughput and this is expected to result in faster evacuation of containers from ports and inland container depots," an official told IANS.

While India has a double-decker passenger train operating between Mumbai and Pune, this will be the first of many double-stacked freight trains to be made operational under plans being floated to make Indian Railways, the second largest network under a single management, more efficient and remunerative. (IANS)

Speaking at the event to mark World Water Day, organized jointly by the NGO FORCE in partnership with Coca-Cola India, Soz, said that fresh water is a global challenge and needs the urgent attention of all stakeholders.

Jal Tarang seeks to revive the respect and love for water amongst communities and more than 100 Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) and a large number of residents are participating in the festival. (IANS)

Mr Chaudhuri, who moved a call attention motion based on a news item published in The Shillong Times said though the state government issued clichéd statement that its "doors are open" for dialogue, proper invitation to begin the peace process was lacking. He also wanted to know whether the dialogue process would be properly monitored since the church leaders were appointed for the same.

Quoting reports, Mr Chaudhuri said that though on March 8, Rev PBM Basaiawmoit said that the ball was in the government's court, for the last fifteen days, there was no response from the government in this regard. He said the expectation was that when the Chief Minister went to Delhi, he would raise the issue with the Union Government. "We have not heard anything, there is no news that the Chief Minister met anybody and he was quoted in the media as saying that ball was in the Centre's court," Mr Chaudhuri pointed out.

Highlighting that there was official confirmation of new recruits joining HNCL, Mr Chaudhuri asked the government whether it was serious to end the militancy in the state.

Lapang's reply:: In his reply, the Chief Minister said that the state government has clear policy and open mind to negotiate with the militants. He said the offer of government was not an empty slogan. "We have initiated the ceasefire with ANVC in Garo Hills and with this, there is over all improvement of law and order situation in Garo Hills," Mr Lapang said.

The Chief Minister said that the usual formality and procedure is that the militants prefer the Home Ministry to initiate the peace talks. "We have also extended help to the Church leaders to see how we can facilitate talks", Mr Lapang said.

According to Mr Lapang, the HNLC formally wrote to the Home Ministry to and recently Rev. PBM Basaiawmoit approached the government to begin the peace talks with the militant outfit. He said the government has also offered surrender package for those who wanted to come overground.

As a confidence building measure by the government, which is trying to build a bridge between the two sides, the administration has decided not to impose Section 144 of the CrPC in the run up to the procession. The ghost of September 30th firing incident in which the then administration of Tura and Williamnagar had withdrawn the permission at the eleventh hour is apparently in the mind of the government and fears of a repeat of the incident continues to haunt the D D Lapang-led government.

The public rally cum procession is to take place at Tura, Williamnagar, Baghmara and the sub-divisions of Ampati, Dadenggre, Resubelpara and elsewhere simultaneously. The GSU will submit a memorandum.

NEW DELHI: Rajya Sabha member from Meghalaya Mr Robert Kharshiing, who has been suffering from diabetes, is presently undergoing treatment at Applo Hospital here.

"I am recovering and would be discharged in a day or two," Mr Kharshiing said. Doctors attending him said that the NCP leader was fast improving and would take some time to recover fully.

Mr Kharshiing, who is also Chief Whip of the party in the Upper House, could not attend the Budget session of the Parliament due to ill health.

Taxation Minister said the State government has suspended the online lottery operation on December 1 last year, as the money collected by MS Associates did not tally with the amount paid.The matter of re-starting the suspended online lottery is under examination of the government, he added.

Raising a question, Mr Manas Chaudhuri (Ind) wanted to know on what provisions the State government paid advance to the construction group. The GAD Minister, Mr HDR Lyngdoh, in his reply, said the advance payment of Rs 4.42 crore was made as per the agreement arrived at between the AHCL and the State government.

Mr Chaudhuri asked as to why the State government allotted Rs 22 crore for the construction, which is almost double than the prevailing rate. The building of 1.29 lakh sq ft area is being constructed at a total cost of Rs 22 crore, which comes to Rs 1705 per sq ft and this is definitely much higher than the present rate.

Continuing with volley of questions, Mr Chaudhuri wanted to know from the government as "how can it lay foundation stone of a building for which the procedure for construction was not complete".

The Independent MLA expressed serious doubts over the credibility of the Asian Housing Construction Limited saying that the company did not have a good record of accomplishment.

However, the GAD Minister claimed that the company had a good reputation with a turn over of Rs 12 crore for 2005-06. In a supplementary question, Congress legislator RG Lyngdoh wanted the State government to enlighten the House about its logic of giving advance to the AHCL despite the fact that Kolkata Municipal Corporation was yet to give its nod for the construction of the building.

Answering this, Chief Minister DD Lapang said to avoid further delay, the State government went ahead with the laying of foundation as it was of the opinion that in the event of further delay, there would be price escalation and the AHCL could even move the court.

To supplementary questions raised by Mr PT Sawkmie (MDP) and Mr PM Syiem (Ind), Mr Lapang said the land in Kolkata would remain with the State government and the AHCL would only execute the construction works merely as a contractor.

The Chief Minister said had the government decided to call an open tender, it would have ended up in paying much higher amount for the construction. "There will not be any more revision of work and the building will be completed within two years", he said. 

The GAD Minister further admitted that the quality of food served at Meghalaya Houses in Delhi and Kolkata was not up to the mark. Replying to question by Mr Chaudhuri, Mr Lyngdoh said after receiving complaints from various quarters including MLAs and officers, fresh tenders were called from established caterers for supplying quality food. To a suggestion by ED Marak (Cong), the GAD Minister said the idea of serving Khasi and Garo dishes in Meghalaya Houses would also be examined.

However, a section of the SSLC students in extreme revelry infringed into public tranquility which landed them in lock up. Altogether, 39 students were arrested on Wednesday at 5 pm from Wards Lake, police said, adding that the youth were creating problems at Wards Lake under inebriated condition. Students were released after medical check up.

Praising all the 'stake holders' for the smooth conduct of this year's examination, Deputy Chief Minister in charge of Education Dr Donkupar Roy said that 'human error' created all the problems in the past and added that "if human errors are minimised there would not be any problem".

This time all those involved in the examination process -- form the chairman to the teachers, invigilators and officials -- "were doubly alert", he said.

According to Dr Roy, the alertness was "partially due to MBOSE issue and partially due to the sincerity and efforts of all stake holders to make the board efficient".

"Though the ANVC has designated camps in Chokpot and Samanda, there are reports that they are engaged in extortion, I urge the government to take steps to contain the same", Mr Marak said. He said that the government should make initiative to have some sort of settlement once and for all with the ANVC and HNLC so that there will be over all peace and development in the state. He also stressed the need for improvement in the field of education, road sector and health care.

Mr P M Syiem (Ind) pointed out that the officers should not delay in clearing the projects, which have already been cleared by the Chief Minister, Cabinet ministers and the MDA. He also urged the government to give priority to agriculture to improve the state economy.

Participating in the discussion Dr F A Khonglam (HSPDP) said that with the constant  changes of syllabus, the students especially the poor find it very difficult to purchase text books, which are anything but economical. He also urged the government to take suggestions from all quarters to come to any conclusion on the pending MBOSE issue. He wanted the government to focus its attention on better health facilities in the rural areas. Moreover construction of roads and bridges will provide better communication links, he pointed out.

Dr Khonglam also opposed the move to set up a Mawmluh Cherra Cement Unit in Garo Hills using the same name. He also wanted to know from the government whether Upper Shillong will be suitable for the construction of Assembly buildings as earlier the state government had proposed the construction of helipad at the same site. K K Dkhar (Cong) also urged the state government to initiate measures to open up border haats which had once promoted economic growth of the people in the border areas.

Quoting news reports regarding the desire of First Secretary (Commercial) Bangladesh Deputy High Commission, Kolkata Mr Shaik Qamrul Hasan, Mr Dkhar said that the issue of opening of border haats has not found any place in the Governor's address. He further urged the government to treat the people in the border areas at par with the rest of the state. "The people in the border areas are not in the children of a lesser God," he said..

T D Shira (NCP) highlighted the need of transparency and accountability while implementing the employment assurance scheme in Garo Hills so that no one can misuse the fund under the scheme. He said the state police force should be fully equipped with modern facilities as at present the police personnel who guard the State Secretariat has no proper upgraded weapons in their possession. Implementation of hydro power projects in Garo Hills, afforestation and more water supply schemes were other points raised by Mr Shira.

Mr Suchiang (UDP) pointed out that the state government can introduce Kerala model of development pattern for the over all development of the state. Recalling the Assembly committee's visit to Kerala, Mr Suchaing said that Meghalaya can learn many things from that state. He also favoured the idea of having an inter-state border development fund to improve the plight of the people living in the border areas of the state.

Tarun Bhartiya of Freedom Project, one of the constituents of the movement, on Wednesday said for some of the government agencies, the Khyndai Lad Beautification Project was a platform for misusing public money to its highest level.

During a public presentation on the Khyndai Lad Beautification Project organised by the Movement at the State Central Library Conference Hall, Mr Bhartiya alleged that a total of Rs 1.63 crore, which was incurred by the MeSEB and the PWD department, was sheer wastage of public money.

"The documents provided by the two concerned departments show that only Rs 3.09 crore was spent for the project, while the total cost of the project was pegged at Rs 5.42 crore", adding that total wastage of public money was almost 52.75 per cent of the total project cost.

He even expressed doubt on the process of calling tender by the PWD on this project. "Surprisingly for a tender on this project estimated at Rs 1.50 crore, forms were available for one day, whereas for a bid more than Rs 50,000, the documents are available for a week".

Questioning the action of the government for paying the contractor beyond the tender value, Mr Bharatiya said, "The government was legally bound to advertise tenders or renegotiable the contract if the value of the work goes up substantially, so why most of the contractors have been paid up to 140 per cent beyond the tender value?"

"Such payment to the contractors beyond the tender value is a clear case of corruption", he said.

"We are shocked to find that the earthwork, free cutting or in other words destruction of the old Assembly site began in August 2004 itself, when no contracts had been given for the work to begin".

Mr Bhartiya alleged that retired Chief Secretary PJ Bazeley had directed the demolition of the old Assembly building to continue without official clearance from the Secretariat. Mr Bhartiya said not only the fountain that was not part of the plan, but as per the PWD estimate and plan, even the high mast was never part of the plan.

Maitshaphrang Movement chairman Michael Syiem said that the report would be submitted to the State Vigilance Commission and a copy of this report would be sent to the National Vigilance Commission. Mr Syiem called upon the people of the State to use the Right to Information Act if they had any doubt with regard to any project of the government and not to wait for anyone to do things on their behalf.

PWD Chief Engineer (NH), Mr PK Bhaiyya, who was present on the occasion, said his department was not involved in any corruption and he would take action against anyone found guilty.Mr Bhaiyya said total amount spent on this project was as per the information mentioned in the report given by the Public Information Officer and the remaining amount was pending with the State government.

In the Khasi and Jaintia Hills sector, fencing has been completed from Kaitakona to Rajapara and from Patharghat to Bholaganj.

"In respect of other areas, it was decided that areas under adverse possession, fencing works will be kept in abeyance till the matter is sorted out with the Government of India," Mr Lapang said. In areas where fencing lies beyond 150 yards, a fresh survey will be conducted and a map prepared showing the actual position of the fencing, he added.

Instructions have been issued to the concerned authorities to conduct the survey on the border lines and submit a report to the government immediatedly. 

Replying to supplementary questions by K K Dkhar (Congress), R G Lyngdoh (Congress) and P M Syiem (Ind), Mr Lapang said that in the last meeting held by the Chief Secretary NBCC, BSF, there was a discussion that the controversial areas will not be fenced and instructions given to stop fencing in disputed areas. He said the state government cannot decide on erecting border fencing at Zero line as the matter lies with the Union Home Ministry.

Justifying border fencing, the Chief Minister said that the fencing was to prevent the constant criminal activities of Bangladeshi miscreants who loot cattle and betel nuts. The fencing is for the state and it will also prevent smuggling. Replying to a supplementary question, Mr Lapang said that the disputed areas in the border is from border pillar 1363 Tukya to 1272 pillar at Umkrem in Khasi Hills. In Jaintia Hills, the areas are from 1278 border pillar to Jalaikhola.

Stating that the government was serious to tackle the problem, Mr Lapang said that the matter was earlier taken up with the President of India, Prime Minister and Home Minister. He said arrangements for the resurvey of the boundary will be undertaken and the sentiments of the people affected will be respected.

The Chief Minister also said the headmen and sirdars were urged to bring to the notice of the government their grievances. The Chief Minister reiterated that so far no land has gone to Bnagladesh due to border fencing.

(8yrs to 15 yrs)-Ist Kiram Shah, 2nd B S Pde, 3rd Ricky Suchiang;

(16 yrs and above)- Ist Berisa Pyngrope, 2nd Next Star Dkhar, 3rd Sriti Das;

Group Dance-Ist Pace Makers & Group, 2nd Shiv Star Dance, 3rd Matri Maya Maya Mawroh & Group.

The prizes were distributed by Sri Nantra Biswas Social Workers from Pynthorumkhrah.

Replying to a question by Mr PT Sawkmie (MDP), Dr Roy told the House that Dr Khonsam joined the course in May 2005 at RIMS in Imphal and the duration of the course was of two years. There was a hue and cry over the selection of Dr Khonsam for the RIMS seat spearheaded by Meghalaya Medical Services Association, which ultimately forced the State government to have a Core Committee headed by Mr RG Lyngdoh as its chairman to look into the matters related to her sponsorship.

Dr Roy said that the matter had even been referred to the Additional Advocate General for his views to identify criteria for sponsoring of in-service doctors for Post Graduate Courses in the future and the ways and means to prevent doctors from getting appointment in the State solely for the purpose of seeking admission for post-graduate courses.

The Additional Advocate General in his report recommended cancellation of Dr Khonsam's sponsorship to the RIMS, and in the event of Dr.Khonsam approaching the court for redress, the Additional Advocate General felt that the State government should file a caveat in the Principal Seat of Gauhati High Court, Shillong Bench or Imphal Bench.

However, the Deputy Chief Minister said as the primary fault of selecting Dr Khonsam was with RIMS, the State government felt the need for having a second legal opinion in the case and sought the opinion of the Advocate General in the event of a legal battle arising out of the cancellation of Dr Khonsam's candidature.

The Advocate General advised the State not to cancel Dr Khonsam's candidature "as the grounds highlighted by the Core Committee or the Additional Advocate General would not stand scrutiny of the court".

Answering to supplementary questions raised by Mr. Paul Lyngdoh (KHNAM) and Mr. PM Syiem (Ind), Dr Roy said the MMSA opposed the seat allotment to Dr Khonsam on argument that Dr Khonsam was not a Meghalaya government stipendiary for the MBBS degree.

The MMSA pointed out that Dr Khonsam was an OBC from Manipur and not from Meghalaya and that she did not hold any entitlement under the State Reservation Policy as followed by the Meghalaya government. According to Dr Roy, the MMSA had alleged that the Permanent Resident Certificate (PRC) was issued by the Jaintia Hills district Deputy Commissioner wrongly.

"However, after confirmation that no such PRC was issued, MMSA changed its complaint saying that Dr Khonsam was sponsored in spite of not having the PRC from the State", Dr Roy added.

Entwined in complications, the State government chose to follow the advice of the Advocate General and on the basis of his argument, "the government decided to maintain a status quo and not to cancel the seat", Dr Roy said.

On the demand of the MMSA for instituting a judicial inquiry, Dr Roy said that a meeting was held between the Chief Minister and the MMSA members on November 18 last year where the latter had agreed to refer the case to a one-man judicial commission.

The government decided to institute an enquiry to be presided over by a sitting judge of Gauhati High Court. The matter has been taken up with the Chief Justice of the High Court, who had replied that a sitting judge was not available for this purpose.

The Deputy Chief Minister informed that the Chief Minister in a letter on January 18 urged the Chief Justice to suggest a panel of retired judges for this purpose. "A reminder to this effect has also been issued and a reply is still awaited", Dr Roy said.

The executive members are: Mr Omprakash Agarwala, Mr Santosh Kumar Chachan, Mr Raj Kumar Jalewa, Mr Bhagwati Prasad Goenka, Mr Mahvir Prasad Chachan, Mr Murarilal Chokhani, Mr Pradip Kumar Jain, Mr Ramesh Kumar Pipelwa, Mr Dewki Nandan Jalewa, Mr Sushil Kumar Banka, Mr Dinesh Kumar Choudhury and Mr Sarwan Kumar Goenka.

India’s Muslim community has been suddenly inundated with unsolicited advice from all kinds of quarters. Its "moderate" elements are being exhorted to stand up against extremists such as Uttar Pradesh Minister Haji Yaqoob Qureshi. Or, they are told, there’ll be a Shah Banu-style "Hindu backlash" against what’s perceived as "growing intolerance" among Muslims. The exhortations to "moderate Muslims" have become especially loud after the Varanasi bomb blasts, which themselves followed President Bush’s India visit during which spirited protests took place in Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow and Hyderabad. Strangely, the outpouring of such advice coincides with the revival of extremism in the opposite camp: that of Hindutva. The Bharatiya Janata Party is launching the thoroughly misconceived "National Integration Twin Yatra" against "minorityism" and "appeasement of Muslims" by the United Progressive Alliance and against "terrorism", allegedly Islamist.

In Varanasi, the exhortation to combat "terrorism" is particularly misplaced. Nothing shows that there’s a link between the bombings and Varanasi’s Muslims. Similar events have occurred at other temples (e.g. Ayodhya, Akshardham and Raghunath), and were attributed to Pakistan-sponsored groups. In Varanasi, ordinary Muslims, including burqa-clad women, impressively demonstrated against the bombings. Since then, Muslim clerics there and in many other cities have taken strong exception to terrorist groups using Islamic-sounding names (e.g. Jaish-e-Mohammed) and issued religious opinions against mindless violence.

Varanasi has responded to the bombings with an exemplary affirmation of its "Ganga-Jamuni" (Hindu-Muslim) composite culture. Every public figure in Varanasi, Hindu or Muslim, condemned the bombings unambiguously. So many Muslims came forward to donate blood for the injured victims of the bombings that the city’s blood-banks were filled to the brim. No fewer than 50 inter-religious rallies were held within days of the blasts. The BJP-VHP’s attempts to polarise Varanasi communally resoundingly failed.

Leading those who resisted these attempts include religious figures like Professor Veer Bhadra Mishra, chief mahant of the Sankat Mochan temple and a highly regarded engineer. Prof Mishra has sharply attacked Hindutva for its failure to "recognise the elasticity and assimilative character" of Hinduism and aggressive politicisation of religion. He warns that whoever becomes "aggressive" and intolerant cannot survive in Varanasi. Varanasi indeed has a centuries-old tradition of peaceful Hindu-Muslim coexistence. This is not a case of two communities "living together separately", but of actively participating in each other’s religious festivals and social events, and enriching each other’s lives. I recall from my several visits to Varanasi since the 1970s that most religious Hindus are extremely proud of the fact that a great artiste like Bismillah Khan (aptly honoured with a Bharat Ratna) has played the shehnai at Varanasi’s greatest temples all his life.

In recent years, Hindu-Muslim bonds have been further strengthened by common interests in running the city’s famous saree-weaving industry (in which both communities work the handloom), and keeping tourism going. Tourism is Varanasi’s biggest income-earner. All citizens have a stake on preserving it by preventing strife and violence.

The charge of growing Muslim "intolerance" is based upon the recent protests against the Danish newspaper cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in appallingly bad light, big demonstrations against Mr Bush’s visit, and opposition to the UPA’s capitulation to US pressure on Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency, as well as Mr Qureshi’s disgraceful offer of Rs 51 crores for anyone who kills the Danish cartoonists. Mr Qureshi, incidentally, campaigned for Mr Narendra Modi after the Gujarat pogrom!

Mr Qureshi’s blatant incitement to murder has been roundly condemned by any number of Muslim leaders, intellectuals and organisations, including the normally conservative All-India Muslim Personal Law Board. There were scores of demonstrations against him in different cities. He must be sacked from the Ministry and prosecuted. This hasn’t happened. Nor has the Congress condemned him. But Muslims cannot be blamed for that. The other accusations too don’t carry weight. The UPA’s position on Iran and its strategic alignment with the US have been opposed by large numbers of people of different faiths and political persuasion. The Left parties, themselves consistently secular, were in the forefront of that opposition. To attribute it solely or primarily to religious affiliation is irrational, indeed tendentious. Recent opinion polls by Outlook and The Hindustan Times show that a majority of respondents, cutting across religious lines, believe that the Singh government has moved India too close to the US and compromised its sovereignty.

It should be noteworthy and heartening that Muslims have taken to the streets in much larger numbers on secular political or foreign policy issues than on highly charged religion-related issues such as the Babri demolition or the Gujarat carnage. This is not a sign of "intolerance", but shows political maturity. Those who hold that opponents of the UPA’s foreign policy are trying to "communalise" it by linking India’s Iran vote with "Shia sentiment" are prisoners of a stereotype, which holds that Muslims can only relate to and mobilise around "identity" issues, not geopolitical considerations. The protests against Mr Bush and India’s Iran policy were broad-based, and barring two, led by rainbow coalitions. The truth is, large numbers of Indians, across the religious divide, oppose India’s about-turn on Iran and its cosying up to the US -- for entirely secular political, strategic and economic reasons. Strangely, the UPA’s position on this widely diverges from theirs and is close to the BJP’s.

The protests against the Danish cartoons do involve a religious angle. The cartoons are truly obscene, tasteless, without humour or wit, and calculated to malign Islam. Involved here is not the issue of freedom of _expression vs. intolerance, but outright hate speech. Hate speech must be demarcated from poetic licence, literary liberty, even blasphemy. It is a crime and deserves to be punished as such.

Those who superciliously accuse Muslims of "intolerance" because they protest the cartoons or question the "right" of some people to offend some others forget something simple. In a democracy, those offended have an equal right to peacefully express their anger or disgust. Most such protests the world over have been peaceful. (Lebanon and Syria seem the only exception). This is true with a vengeance of India. Those who defend the protests aren’t apologists for intolerance, but defenders of the democratic right of peaceful protest.

Some of those who see mere fanaticism in the anti-cartoon protests are themselves guilty of double standards. Hindu bigots routinely burn books, attack exhibitions, and assault people on the flimsiest of excuses -- that latest instance being a plagiarised version of an old M.F. Husain painting which shows Saraswati in the nude without the slightest hint of vulgarity. The hearts of Hindutva apologists rarely bleed for artistic freedom or right of dissent when Shiv Sena or VHP-Bajrang Dal goons commit acts of vandalism.

Hindutva’s proponents think they have been gifted the "Muslim appeasement" plank with the restoration of the Illegal Migrants (Determination by Tribunals) Act in Assam, the Sachar Committee’s now-scuttled proposal to survey the status of Muslims in the armed forces, steps to preserve the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University, reserving 5 percent of government jobs for Muslims in Andhra, and the release of the Banerjee Commission report on the Godhra train tragedy of 2002. The Hindutva brigade is dangerously mistaken.

Consider the merits of the issue. The IMDT Act is the sole protection that Assam’s minorities have against collusive attempts by a deeply hostile bureaucracy, police and influential sections of the Assamese elite who are paranoid about the state being "overrun" by Bangladeshis. In the Act’s absence, the onus of proof that you are not a foreigner would be on you. There’d no appeal against summary deportation. The Sachar Committee, as this Column argued three weeks ago, was right to survey the Defence forces. The Banerjee report reiterates what is long known and accepted by forensic experts and railway officials. The fire in Coach S-6 was accidental. The AP reservation issue is controversial even amongst Muslims. Many oppose reservations. This can’t make the "appeasement" charge stick.

The BJP has chosen not just a bad issue, but third-rate tactics too. Instead of helping unite the nation against the Varanasi bombings, it played a disruptive and divisive role. (IPA Service)

Dear friends, Indians, Red Indians (communists, I mean). Just back in the White House and trying to influence my friends to stick to the promises I made. I know you feel we have let you down on a few occasions in the past. I had come with the task of settling n number of things, the nth being the foremost on my mind. I was delighted to see prime minister Singh on the tarmac to receive me. Sorry to have landed in the middle of the night.

Somehow, Air Force One continued to show me Eastern Standard Time. I also got delayed at Kabul. Bin laden once again failed to turn up, and sent me a video cassette instead. He is enforcing a digital correspondence with me. That calls for a rap on the knuckles for someone. I initially talked about smoking him out of his hole. The problem is that our bombers have created more holes on the terrain than were originally present.

So there is a problem to find out which one. Please don't misunderstand my visit to Pakistan. I finally have to discuss all this with our ally Mush still can't comprehend why every time an American president lands, they plant bombs in front of our consulate and burn KFC and McDonald's. You are our friends, and they our allies. Don't ask me the difference.

It's got something to do with diplomacy, as Dick explained it to me. Nice bloke. The only blot on his performance is this letter I received from a marine that stated that he would never have opted for a posting in Iraq, if he knew that he was to take orders from a man who did not know how to shoot a quail.

A disillusioned youth but I wish he understands that we are working in the larger interest of world oil reserves, and of course, peace. Finally, my admiration for your PM once again to carry out a capitalist agenda, keeping the Left on his side. Had we known this we would not have destabilised the Soviet Union, and ruled the world with them as our closest allies. Like my predecessor Bill, I'd like to visit you even after I give up my seat. Jai Hind! (By arranegement with The Times of India)

Sir,

The wide road from Dhankheti point to Don Bosco Square is always congested due to vehicular parking especially during of school hours. What is more surprising is that despite this congestion, army school buses are seen parking in that area for several hours. For that matter this road was widened not for such parking but to ease flow of traffic in both the points and not for stoppage of these heavy vehicles. We feel that it is high time for the traffic authority to band parking of these giant buses to ease vehicular flow. Further, we would also like to suggest the Dorbar Shnong of Laitumkhrah to take up the matter with the concerned department to immediately stop such parking for the interest of the residents of Laitumkhrah in particular and the general commuters at large.

Yours etc.,
M R Lyngdoh
Shillong-3

Sir,

Through your esteemed daily we would like to express our frustration and deep anger at the BSNL office Shillong for the way its mobile network service is running now a days. It is a common experience faced by all of us especially at night that when we ring up someone, the response would always be "Network Busy", even if the same number were dialled for one hour. It's worse when we try to SMS. In this case the response will be "Message sending failed". We don't know what ails BSNL, but what we understand is that if any repair work or so has to be carried out, it must be notified beforehand in the newspaper as usually practiced by MeSEB, etc. This will save our time and we can handle the situation better without wasting our time in pressing mobile buttons especially when we have to make emergency calls.

Through this letter, we therefore request BSNL not to betray the trust of its customers and we hope that BSNL will change from "Bad service and Network limited" to the "Best service, Network unlimited."

Yours etc.,
M. Lyndem
Shillong

The BJP leader who is campaigning for the party in Asom attacked the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre for formulating the Foreigners (Tribunals of Asom) Order, 2006 in the Foreigners’ Act to replace the scrapped IMDT Act, 1983 with an eye to protect ‘vote bank’ among illegal Bangladeshi immigrants. He criticised the Congress for trying to incorporate certain provisions of the scrapped IMDT Act in the Foreigners Act to protect illegal Bangladeshi immigrants.

in Asom.

The BJP leader also attacked the Government for trying to formulate a fresh definition of the ‘office of profit’ to protect Mrs Sonia Gandhi, the chairperson of the National Advisory Council (NAC) only after getting Samajwadi Party MP, Mrs Jaya Bachhan sacked from Rajya Sabha.

Asom minister fined :The Election Commission (EC) has imposed a fine on Asom secondary Education Minister Hem Prakash Narayan for violating the model code of conduct., UNI adds.

Disclosing this at a press meet here, state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) J P Prakash said Mr Narayan had been fined for using government vehicles for campaigning purpose.

Agartala: The Tripura assembly Wednesday accepted a no-confidence motion against the speaker on charges of being partisan in conducting the legislature proceedings. The no-confidence motion against Speaker Ramendra Chandra Debnath was jointly moved by the Congress and the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura. Discussion and voting on the motion is fixed for April 6.

The opposition had charged the speaker with playing a partisan role in the assembly and violating democratic norms and procedures in conducting the proceedings. "The speaker had been curbing the democratic rights of the opposition members and violating the parliamentary practice and procedures," Leader of Opposition Ratan Lal Nath said.

This is for the first time in 15 years that the opposition members have brought a no-confidence motion against the speaker in Tripura. The opposition leaders had earlier met Governor Dinesh Nandan Sahaya and complained about the alleged partisan role of the speaker.

The immediate provocation for the opposition to bring in the no-confidence motion was the decision by the speaker Monday to suspend Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman for rushing near the podium to prevent Rural Development Minister Jitendra Chowdhury from delivering his speech. He had also tried to hurl a chair at the speaker. (IANS)

Kohima: Cutting across party lines, members of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly has decided to form a Joint Consultative Committee for Peace (JCCP). This was stated by Nagaland Home Minister Thenucho during the question hour on Tuesday. Mr Thenucho informed the house that Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and the leader of Opposition I Imkong had discussed the matter on the floor of the house on Saturday last.

Both the sides agreed that there has to be a joint effort by all political parties to resolve the Naga issue. Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie has also given his consent to constitute the JCCP, he informed. The Neiphiu Rio led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government, after coming to power in the state, had constituted a Consultative Committee for Peace (CCP) and a sub-committee.

The Opposition Congress had alleged that these committees failed to bring either peace or reconciliation between the different groups of warring Naga rebel. Mr Rio maintained that the committee has done well by talking to all the underground factions and working for reconciliation with the help of the NGOs like the Naga Hoho and Naga.

The Home Minister said the state government was not aware of any suggestions put forward by NGOs and civil societies to the Union government on arriving at a political settlement.(UNI)