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Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service dry run cancelled

     Jammu: Due to security concerns, the second dry run of the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus slated for today has been cancelled. The reason cited by the police authorities for the cancellation is that they have not been able to conduct a security check on the bus. A 19-seater bus was to leave Srinagar at around 11 am this morning for a dry run ahead of the April 7 bus service. The first dry run was conducted on March 18. The bus was to leave Srinagar this morning for Kaman bridge, which is the last Indian border post in Uri sector. On the other hand, another bus of the Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation was to leave the Kaman bridge, on its onward journey to Srinagar. Starting from April 7, the bus would drop passengers from Srinagar to Muzaffarabad at Kaman bridge. Earlier, on Sunday, the Jammu and Kashmir, Road and Building Minister, Gulam Ahmed Mir has said that a dry run of the 19- seater Srinagar-Uri-Muzaffarabad bus would be conducted today under tight security arrangements. "The 19-seater stag model of Ashoka Leyland bus would leave Srinagar for Kaman bridge, the last Indian border post in Uri sector, at 0800 hours," Mir was quoted as saying. Although the first dry run of the bus service was conducted on March 18, Monday's run carried a significance, as was to be the first such exercise after the threat issued by militants warning passengers against undertaking the bus journey. There is immense pressure on the security forces to ensure the safe passage of the bus after threats from militants. The threat by militants to 'turn the bus into a coffin' has forced many people to go into hiding.

97 Chhattisgarh `Christian' tribals reconvert to Hinduism (Go To Top)

     Gopalpuri (Chhattisgarh): At least 97 tribals who had embraced Christianity, have converted back to Hinduism at a conclave organized by Dharm Jagaran Manch in Gopalpuri village of Dhamtari district in Chhattisgarh. Dilip Singh Judev of the Bharatiya Janata Party, who was a witness to the reconversion, played down the party's role in the event, but said that the BJP's main motive was to make the people of the village feel secure. "BJP has nothing to do with it (the conversion). What BJP wants is that the people should feel secure and happy. There should be overall development in the area," Judev said. Kul Mani, a tribal, who embraced Hinduism, said: "I did not have any children and they said praying to God will definitely help me have a child, so I had converted to Christianity. Now I have realized that I made a mistake. So I am embracing Hinduism again," said Kaushalya Sahu, a tribal who turned Hindu. "More than 90 percent of the people have converted back to Hinduism," said Puneet Ram Sahu, another tribal who turned Hindu. Conversion is a sensitive issue in the country Hindu groups accuse Christian missionaries of using lures such as schools and healthcare -- which they call "forced conversions" -- to get poor people to join their faith. Christian activists deny accusations of using inducements such as education to get people to convert and say they only provide charity.

Sanjay Nirupam meets Sonia, expresses willingness to join Congress (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: Sanjay Nirupam, who recently left the Shiv Sena, this evening met Congress president and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi at the latter's residence and expressed his willingness to join her party. After meeting Sonia, Sanjay said, "I met Sonia ji and conveyed my willingness to join the Congress. Her response was positive." He further said, "I had a very satisfactory conversation with Sonia ji." But, the leader didn't say anything about when he would be formally joining the party. Nor was there any word from the party regarding his joining.

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