 |
|
Back to Today's Headlines Autonomy to Ladakh Region in J-K JAMMU: As a major step towards meeting the regional aspirations in Jammu and Kashmir, Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Sunday announced devolution of powers to Ladakh region. Ladakhis have long complained that the region has been neglected by the Central and State Governments. In 1989, the Ladakh Buddhist Association launched an agitation for an autonomous hill development council and New Delhi acceded to the demand in 1993. Talking to reporters in Jammu, Sayeed said the decision has been guided by the coalition Government's Common Minimum Programme (CMP) which pledged justice to all the three regions of the State. The move which comes barely two months after the formation of the new Government in the State would provide additional administrative powers to Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) to govern the region. The Chief Executive Councillor of LAHDC would now have the status of a Cabinet minister while the executive councillors would enjoy the status of junior ministers in the region. Chhewing Phupfal, Chief Executive of LAHDC, said measures like this could ultimately lead to the resolution of vexed Kashmir issue. New Delhi is battling a 13-year old rebellion in the State which India says is backed by Pakistan.
The Ladakh region, about 11,000 feet about sea level, is India's highest
inhabited area. When the then Hindu ruler of Jammu and Kashmir Maharaja
Hari Singh signed the State's accession to India after India's independence,
Ladakh alongwith Jammu and Kashmir automatically became part of the
Indian Union. Ladakh is home to about 120,000 people, 80 per cent of
whom are Buddhists.
This
baby elephant of Chandaka reserve in Orissa died in an accident while
crossing a railway line on Thursday (See Friday's report). A herd of
elephants had sneaked out from the sanctuary in search of food in the
nearby paddy fields.The villagers found the elephant dead when they
came to their fields in the morning. In the last four years, elephants
have killed six people. Move to Screen Pakistanis Visiting India (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: Concerned over the Pakistanis overstaying or going underground in India, Minister of State for Home Vidyasagar Rao has empowered the State Governments to identify, nab and deport those staying in the country beyond the time permitted in their visas or have gone missing. However, the Government also contemplates granting citizenship on humanitarian grounds to aged persons who have their kins here or those women who got married to Indian nationals. Of the 11,208 Pakistanis who entered India legally but were overstaying or had gone underground, as many as 2,324 persons among them had gone missing without trace. "You need only one Osama Bin Laden to cause a disaster," he said. Besides, the ministry is also going to install computer software at points of entry and exit in different parts of the country so that information about foreigners entering or going out of the country are made available all over the country. Sehwag's Ton Fails to Rescue India in Second ODI (Go To Top) SYDNEY: New Zealand defeated India by 35 runs in the second one-day international at Napier on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead in the seven-match series. India required 255 to win after the hosts scored 254 for nine in their stipulated 50 overs. They could manage just 219 in 43.4 overs. A brilliant century from Virender Sehwag (108) was wasted on a team that lost wickets at vital points. Earlier, New Zealand's batsmen broke a run drought with a respectable 254 for nine. Nathan Astle and Mathew Sinclair added 136 runs for the second wicket to set up the home side's total on a flat McLean Park pitch. (Details) Jamali Confident of Winning Trust Vote Tomorrow (Go To Top) ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali has expressed optimism of winning the vote of confidence "as there are no cracks in the ruling coalition," reports the News. The vote of confidence will be decided on December 30 in a special National Assembly session. Each parliamentary leader of the coalition Government would move a resolution in the National Assembly for the vote of confidence. Meanwhile, Jamali has asked the three provincial chief ministers to extend their stay in Islamabad till Monday and try to win the sympathies of maximum parliamentarians from their respective provinces to enable the federal Government to secure a vote of confidence from the House, sources confirmed. Christians Protest Against Church Killings in Multan (Go To Top) MULTAN: More than three hundred Christians gathered here on Saturday to protest against Wednesday's Church attack in which three girls were killed and 13 others injured. The incident, which took place in a remote village near the industrial town of Daska, sparked protest from Christians in Punjab province, accusing President Pervez Musharraf's regime of providing them inadequate security. The protestors carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans condemning the attack and urging the government to provide them enough security. Shiv Sena Raising 'Commandos' to Take on Jehadis (Go To Top) MUMBAI:: With the aim of training youngsters to "take on the jehadis", the Shiv Sena recently held a "commando camp" in Vasai here. Held for the eighth successive year, the focus was now on teenagers. The training included martial arts and a traditional Maharashtrian art-form called "malkhamb". The standard eighth and ninth boys spent seven days of their Christmas vacation beginning with the 'Surya Namaskar' at 7 am, followed by a daily 12-hour regimen packed with classes for judo, karate, boxing, rifle shooting, malkhamb, fire safety drills and lectures on Indian culture. According to Ravinder Dhuri, Sena pramukh for Navghar Manikpur, the camp is meant for inculcating discipline in children. "We do not have any political agenda behind organizing this camp. The camp has the blessing of Balasaheb Thackeray. This is the age of terrorism and bomb blasts and we require such camps to fight terrorists and save our country. We need citizens who are capable of defending the country and themselves," he added. Two Dreaded Lashkar Militants Gunned Down (Go To Top) BARAMULLAH: Security forces said on Sunday they shot dead two militants in a fierce encounter in Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. They said the two dreaded militants belonged to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba group and were identified as Abu Yasir and Chhota Maaz. Abu Yasir was the newly appointed operational commander of north Kashmir. "The killings will be a great setback for Lashkar-e-Taiba which is operating here," said Vivek Mehta, Commander of Rashtriya Rifles. India accuses Pakistan of fomenting the rebellion in Kashmir by arming and sending militants to fight New Delhi's rule in the State, where more than 35,000 people have died since the revolt began in 1989. Separatists put the number of dead at more than 80,000. Pakistan denies being behind the rebellion, saying, it provides only moral and diplomatic support to what it calls a Kashmiri freedom struggle. Singhal Defends Babri Demolition (Go To Top) PUNE : The Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Sunday defended the 1992 demolition of a 16th century mosque by Hindu zealots saying the mosque was a symbol of Islamic militancy. Hindu zealots razed the Babri mosque in Ayodhya town triggering the country's worst religious riots in which 3,000 people were killed. Many Hindus are of the opinion that the mosque was built by Mughal ruler Babar on the birth place of Lord Rama. VHP international working president Ashok Singhal said the temple issue was a matter directly linked to terrorism adding that over the years people had come to understand the implications of it. Singhal said that last year's attack on the United States and the demolition of the Bamiyan Buddha statues in Afghanistan by the Taliban regime further put forth the dangers Islamic militancy posed to the world. "What Gazni (Mughal ruler) did is being repeated. Women Stage Demonstration Against Dowry-seekers (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: Members belonging to a Women Welfare and Self-Employment Society organised a demonstration in East Delhi on Sunday. The demonstrators were supporting the case of one Neetu Vohra, who was allegedly thrown out from her in-laws' house after the girl's family failed to meet their dowry demands. Amid the presence of police, the women protestors hurled stones and broke window panes of Vohra's house. The agitated women also shouted slogans against Neetu's in-laws and abused them publicly. Relating her woes, Neetu Vohra said, "They kept me without food for three days. The police had to come and they told my in-laws to provide me a separate kitchen. But they (in-laws) threw me out on 29th of October". The President of the Women's Welfare and Self-Employment Society Motia Garg said that they will continue with the agitation. "Until and unless there is some social awareness created on the atrocities on women, nothing will change". Abu Salem to Remain in Custody (Go To Top) NEW DELHI: Portuguese authorities are considering the CBI request for extradition of underworld don Abu Salem, wanted in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts. "We handed over the extradition request to the Portuguese authorities and they have also confirmed to us in writing that his judicial remand had been extended by another 90 days," according to CBI Director P C Sharma. Sharma said Lisbon authorities had told "our officer that they would examine our request and also in the meantime extend the judicial remand of the accused to evade fears of his disappearance from the country." The CBI Director said Portuguese authorities would also be carrying out a probe against the accused after which a decision would be taken for his extradition. -ANI |
