Gowda defends son Kumaraswamy
by KG Vasuki

     Bangalore: Defending his son H D Kumaraswamy over his action taken against the Congress-led government in Karnataka, Janata Dal-Secular supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda said on Monday that what Kumaraswamy did was to save the party. Gowda, who met his son apparently to find a solution to the ongoing political crisis in the State, told reporters that he believed what his son did was '100 per cent to save the party. Otherwise, they (Congress) would have split it". Gowda went on to say that the Congress leaders have humiliated him and his party men in the last 18 months. On being asked whether he had received any formal invitation from Congress party president Sonia Gandhi for talks in this regard, the former Prime Minister replied in the negative, adding that he would meet her whenever he gets the offer. On January 18, JD (S) rebels under the leadership of Kumaraswamy, had 'split' his party, and called on Governor T N Chaturvedi and submitted a letter withdrawing support to the coalition government with the support from the BJP Hours after that, Gowda wrote to the Governor not to give credence to Kumaraswamy`s letter, saying his son was neither authorised by the party nor was he the leader of the legislature group. Gowda said M.P. Prakash continued to be the leader of the JDS legislature group. The Speaker has recognised Prakash as the JDSLP leader after the party sacked former Deputy Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from the post, following his revolt against Gowda last year. With 79 MLAs of BJP and 46 MLAs of JD(S) supporting him, Kumaraswamy was all set to become the next CM. The Governor of Karnataka T.N. Chaturvedi, however, later gave incumbent CM Dharma Singh a week's time to prove his majority, a move vehemently opposed by the BJP.

Quattrocchi withdrew his money (Go To Top)
by Chandrika Jain

     New Delhi: The Central Government on Monday confirmed that Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi has withdrawn his money from two London bank accounts, which were defrozen recently. Responding to a Supreme Court query on the issue, the Government said Quattrocchi's accounts could not be refrozen under British law. Monday's response was connected to a petition filed by advocate Ajay Agarwal. The Supreme Court had earlier directed both the Centre and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take steps to prevent Quattrocchi from withdrawing his money from the two accounts that were frozen in July 2003. The CBI is expected to inform the court about the amount of money that exists in Quattrocchi's two bank accounts currently. Earlier, a TV news channel had reported that Quattrocchi had already withdrawn nearly 200 million rupees (4.51 million dollars) from his accounts in London. The issue had caused a massive furore in the country with the opposition parties accusing the Congress of trying to shield Quattrocchi, but it got some reprieve after the CBI said the government had no role in the entire matter. According to Bharatiya Janta Party General Secretary Arun Jaitley, the Gandhi family has always had links with Quattrocchi. Quattrocchi, who has nearly 5.7 million dollars in the account kept frozen since 2001, said that he was innocent and was being made a victim of politics against India's Gandhi family.

    The Rs.64 crore Bofors gun kickback scam is said to be one of India's biggest arms scandal ever, and played a major role in former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi losing elections in 1989. Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated in 1991, was cleared posthumously of any involvement in the 1.2 billion-dollar deal which was signed when he was the Prime Minister. The Delhi Court had in 2004 also acquitted the London- based Hinduja Brothers of all charges in the 1986 sale of 155-mm howitzers to the Indian Army by the over 300-year-old Swedish firm.

Pardon for Naushad awaited  (Go To Top)

    New Delhi: India is waiting for an official announcement from Saudi Arabia for calling off the 'eye-for-an- eye' punishment of Abdul Lateef Naushad, an Indian citizen, who has been reportedly given a royal pardon by Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz. There are speculations that the King Abdullah may make a formal announcement in this regard before his departure to New Delhi or after arriving in the Capital for the Republic Day celebrations. Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed said that the Saudi Arab Government is sympathetically considering Naushad's case. "Saudi Government is very much sympathetic. After the matter has been brought to the notice of the ambassador of Saudi Arabia and through him to the Saudi Government, it is under their active consideration and I would say the sympathetic consideration. But at the same time they have to follow their procedure. We have been assured by the Ambassador that 'Insha Allah' It will come out successfullly," said He said that this is not only the matter of concern for an individual but for the whole nation as well. "This is a matter of concern, not only for individual but the whole country takes it with anxiety," he said, adding, "even Supreme Court judge in Riyadh told and observes, this is too much of punishment or conviction given. Saudi Arabia people are very much concern about all such humanitarian problems because they have their own shariyat laws and the procedure, we also appreciate. We have very efficiently taken up the matter, and also pleaded mercy with his Excellency and people also even to the victim".

    Meanwhile, Naushad's wife Suhaila is camping in New Delhi with her daughter and other relatives to meet Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who will arrive here on Tuesday on a four-day visit. "We have no information (about commuting the sentence of Naushad) from either the Indian government or the Saudi Government," said Suhaila as he arrived by train in New Delhi to seek an audience with Saudi King. Naushad has been lodged in a Saudi jail for the past three years after a Shariat court gave an 'eye-for-an-eye' verdict, after convicting him of damaging the eye of a Saudi national in an altercation. A local court in Saudi Arabia's Dammam had ordered that an eye of Naushad be given to the victim as a punishment. According to a law in the country, one of Naushad's eyes could be gouged out for 'justice'. But if Naushad does not agree then he will have to remain imprisoned for the rest of his life. After the matter came in to light last year, the Kerala government and the MPs from the state had sought the Centre's intervention to save Naushad. Earlier, the Centre also had dispatched a mercy petition to the Governor of Dammam and the Governor of Riyadh for looking into the matter. The Saudi King will be the chief guest at the Republic Day Parade on January 26.

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