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Blast in car at NGO office near Jalalabad, 26 killed
Islamabad, Aug 9 (ANI): At least 26 people were killed and many 80 injured near the Afghan city of Jalalabad on Friday in an explosion in a car parked in the compound of the office of a non-governmental organisation, said a military commander in the city. The blast took place at the office of the Afghan Construction and Logistics Unit near Darunta Dam, about 10 km west of the eastern city. The NGO was involved in road construction, Cmdr. Hazrat Ali told the Defence Ministry in Kabul. The injured were taken to hospitals in Jalalabad. But Afghan Islamic Press said that the explosion could have been caused by the detonation of explosives stored in the unit for use in road construction. An Afghan defence ministry official in Kabul said the explosion was massive and several houses were badly damaged or destroyed. No one has claimed responsibility for the blast. Jalalabad is about a six-hour drive east from Kabul. Taliban and Al-Qaeda fighters are said to be active in the area.(ANI) 3718 petrol pumps and gas agencies to be cancelled
New Delhi, Aug 9 (ANI): A total of 3718 petrol pumps, gas agencies and kerosene dealerships, and not 3158 as announced earlier, will be cancelled, for which oil companies are likely to issue termination notices from early next week. "The previous announcements cancelling 3158 petrol pump and gas agency allotments following allegations of favouritism had taken into account only the allotments done by Dealer Selection Boards constituted by Petroleum Minister Ram Naik in June 2000. But since the Prime Minister's order explicitly said cancellations from January 2000, the total number has now gone up to over 3700," government sources said. After three rounds of secretary-level discussions between Petroleum and Law ministries, a legally acceptable methodology of terminating the dealerships, which minimises scope for arbitration, has been firmed up. State-owned oil companies will start issuing termination notices to all allottees and holders of Letter of Intents (LoIs) for petrol pumps, gas agencies and kerosene dealerships (issued since January 2000) from next week. The process would take upto 20 days to complete, the sources added.(ANI) Sonia regrets bid to weaken secular values
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to top New Delhi, Aug 9 ANI): Attempts are being made to weaken the country's democratic ethos for political gains, Sonia Gandhi said here on Friday. She made the comment at a function to mark the 60th anniversary of Quit India movement against British colonial rule. "After independence we set democracy, secularism and equality as mileposts for ourselves. We got success to a certain extent in this direction but it is very disheartening that some forces are working in the direction to weaken our values and principles of democracy and secularism and are dividing them on the basis of majority and minority and trying to destroy them. Some people are trying all this for their personal political gains," said the Congress president without quoting any party or group. Mahatma Gandhi flagged off the historic Quit India movement on August 9, 1942 from the August Kranti Maidan (August Revolution Ground) in Bombay, now called Mumbai. A manwho had preached non-violence all his life asked his countrymen to "do or die" to throw out the British imperialists. On August 8, 1942, a resolution was passed at the All India Congress Committee session which sanctioned the start of a mass struggle on non-violent lines. Remembering the sacrifices made by country's freedom fighters, Ms Gandhi said the country will have to meet the high standards set by them. "We have to link ourselves to our rich traditions and link them to values of our freedom struggle. We have to keep ourselves upto the rich heritage of freedom struggle and carry forward this heritage to coming generations," she added. Several functions were held across the country to commemorate the day.(ANI)
CBI connected to four metros via satellite Go to top New Delhi, Aug 9 (ANI): The Central Bureau of Investigation on Friday got connected to the metropolitan cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai through video conferencing. The V-Sat Communication was inaugurated by Pramod Mahajan, Union Minister for Telecommunications, here today. Talking to reporters he said that this facility would help the investigating agency to solve various cases faster. "I feel that today when the metropolitan cities of Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi and also Ghaziabad has been connected through video conferencing, it will not only save money and solve various other problems but the major advantage is that there will be a major saving on time, and that is what I feel is the biggest advantage", the minister observed. Mahajan added that the country solely depends on CBI which is the major and most sought after investigating agency. He added: "We are country with 100 crores of people and naturally there will be a number of cases related to crimes that come up. And if there is any kind of investigating agency that the country can solely depend upon , it is the CBI. Because any kind of agency has to work swiftly and until and unless it does that, it will not be able to prove its efficiency" He further assured that he will extend all help needed to set up a laboratory for carrying out different matters related to cyber crimes.(ANI)
No foreign observers for J and K polls: Fernandes
Go to top New Delhi, Aug 9 (ANI):Defence Minister George Fernandes on Friday ruled out monitoring of elections in Jammu and Kashmir by foreign observers. The state goes to polls in late September and early October despite Kashmiri separatists' refusal to take part. Fernandes said foreign diplomats in India were free to visit the state during the elections but without the tag of monitors as sought by the USA. "We have made our point very clear in so far as the elections (in Jammu and Kashmir) and who will be observing those elections is concerned. The Election Commission will observe them. Anyone from any embassy, whether the embassy ambassador, defence attache, or any other political attache and the entire foregin media can come over on their own," Fernandes told reporters here after releasing a book. Election Commission, while announcing the poll dates had said only "tough" civil servants would be handpicked to oversee the exercise. India has flatly rejected demand of allowing foreign observers for polls but says all steps would be taken to hold "free and fair" elections in the state. The elections would be held in four stages on September 16 and 24 and on October 1 and 8.(ANI)
Lyngdoh, ECs on a "poll or not" survey trip in Gujarat
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to top Ahmedabad, Aug 9 ANI): Chief Election Commissioner J M Lyngdoh began his three-day tour of Gujarat on Friday to decide when the ruling party can hold elections in a state convulsed by religious rioting. Lyngdoh, accompanied by other two Commissioners, T.S. Krishanmurthy and B.V. Tandon, visited various relief camps in Ahmedabad, the state's main city which bore the brunt of the riots. This is the first time that all the members of the EC are visiting a state before taking a decision on holding polls. Earlier in the week, a nine-member Commission team visited the state to assess the situation. According to some Indian newspapers, the report said that the situation is not conducive for people of the minority community to vote fearlessly. Thousands of Muslims, who account for nine percent of state's 50 million population, one still in relief camps. Muslims say they are too scared to return to their homes and are totally against the idea of holding the elections at this time. "Holding elections at this time looks as though it is being done to favour one single party. Unless the voters feel safe that they can go to the voting place by themselves, there is no need for elections in the state. First of all we need peace to be established in the state," said Muhammad Khan, who has been living in a camp since the riots broke out this February. At least 1,000 people, mainly Muslims, were killed during March- April in Gujarat. "We want justice for the wrong that has been committed on us. Then only will we decide to cast our votes. After winning elections, they will sit on powerful seats. What will we gain in return?," asked Rehmat Bi. Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, whose government is accused of turning a blind eye when Hindu mobs were on the rampage, dissolved the state Assembly on July 19 and called elections that were not due until early next year. Opposition parties have said the vote should be delayed to give Gujarat time to recover from the violence. Critics accuse the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of calling snap elections to exploit a deep religious divide created by the violence. Under the Constitution, the Election Commission has the power to decide when polls can be held. Some legal experts say an election may be delayed latest by March 2003, when the House dissolution becomes due. Political analysts say the BJP is counting on a wave of Hindu support in the wake of the violence to help it retain power in Gujarat. The Gujarat poll could also be a test case for the BJP-led NDA, which faces national elections in 2004.(ANI) |