 |
|
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): The ten-day long festival of "Dussehra" came to an end on Tuesday evening with the burning of effigies of demon king Ravana. "Dussehra" festival also called "Vijay Dashmi" is celebrated on the tenth day after the conclusion of the "navratras" dedicated to Goddess Durga. It marks the triumph of good over evil. According to Hindu mythology, on this day Lord Rama beheaded demon king Ravana, who had abducted his wife. "Ramlila" or dramas depicting the life of Lord Rama are staged throughout the nine days of "navratras". They end with the defeat of Ravana on "Dusshera". Religious processions are taken out before the effigies of Ravana, his brother Kumbhkaran and his son Meghnad are set aflame. In the capital, thousands of devotees participated in the procession which passed through main thoroughfares. The Ramayana is the story of Lord Rama. Legend has it that Rama's consort Sita was abducted by Ravana. Rama went in war with Ravana to release his wife from captivity. Rama's victory over Ravana is described as the triumph of good over evil and is celebrated every year as Dussehra. Dussehra is also interpreted as "Dasa-Hara", which means the cutting of the ten heads of Ravana. On this day, people resolve to cut ten heads -- passion, pride, anger, greed, infatuation, lust, hatred, jealousy, selfishness and crookedness.(ANI) Gopalaswamy takes over as new Home Secretary
New Delhi, Oct 15 (ANI): N Gopalaswamy, who was the Cultural Secretary, took over as the new Home Secretary on Tuesday. He succeeded Kamal Pande who has been promoted to the post of Cabinet Secretary. Pande, a 1965 IAS officer, was also present on the occasion, besides other senior officers of the Union Home Ministry. (ANI) No end yet to PDP-Congress stalemate
Go
to top
Srinagar, Oct 15 (ANI): The stalemate between the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the Congress over chief ministership continued on Tuesday with the PDP sticking to its demand of heading the coalition in Jammu and Kashmir. Both parties have said they are keeping their options open to form a coalition government. The Congress and the PDP, with a combined strength of 36 seats in the 87-member House, are trying to form a coalition government with the help of independents. But their talks have hit a roadblock over the post of chief minister. Talking to reporters PDP president Mufti Mohammad Sayeed said the people of the state have given a verdict in favour of their party and it only should lead any coalition. "I just say this that PDP should lead the coalition because it is a regional party. People in Kashmir have faith in them and it has a base here and people believe that this party will come and do something for the valley..... Chief Ministership is not an issue for me it is the backbone of the alliance. People have pledged their support to PDP in Kashmir," said Sayeed in Srinagar. Sayeed blamed Congress for indulging in the numbers game saying that his party did not believe in manipulative politics. PDP hardened its position on Monday saying her party could not strike an alliance with Congress party if it did not agree to the common minimum programme. "When once there has been an announcement that PDP and Congress have to formulate an alliance. Then I said that why is it said that five MLAs have joined only Congress. When we have to form a coalition then there will be 16 of ours and 20 Congress then why such numbers. It looks to me and they have created such an environment that they have a competition with PDP," said Sayeed. The People's Democratic Front, led by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, a former federal interior minister and his energetic daughter, has vowed to heal the wounds of the Kashmiri people and hold talks with all groups including the guerrillas. The ousted National Conference suffered a massive reversal in last week's elections, but remains the largest party in the assembly with 28 seats. The party could still stitch together an alternative alliance to retain power in the state, which is at the centre of a confrontation with nuclear neighbour Pakistan. Analysts say new faces in government in Kashmir might help steer the Himalayan region towards reconciliation. India has been hoping to use the election to start talks with the people of Kashmir on greater autonomy and defuse the insurgency. It has also seen a successful election as strengthening its hand in talks with Pakistan that wants Kashmiris to decide their future, with or without India, in a referendum. Mostly Hindu but secular India says Muslim Pakistan backs the rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir. Pakistan denies helping the guerrillas, saying it only offers political support to what it calls the freedom struggle of the Kashmiri people. The nuclear-armed neighbours, who have fought two of their three wars since 1947 over Kashmir, massed a million men on their border after an attack on parliament last December that New Delhi blamed on Pakistan-based Kashmiri separatists.(ANI) Seven militants killed in Valley encounters
Go
to top Jammu, Oct 15 (ANI): Seven militants were killed on Monday in a gunbattle with security forces in Mendhar in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said on Tuesday. An Army jawan was among the dead. Three AK-47 rifles, seven handgrenades and a wireless set were recovered from the militants. In Rajouri district two terrorists were shot dead by security forces at Behrot village of Thanamandi. Three security personnel and a civilian were injured. Security forces shot dead another militant at Manloo in Shopian area of Pulwama district on Monday night while militants opened fire and injured a woman near her house at Watnar in Kokernag area of Anantnag district. Militants lobbed a grenade on a security patrol at Bagunder- Wangam near Kokernag on Tuesday but no one was injured. (ANI)
Teenager stabbed to death in Ahmedabad Go to top Ahmedabad, Oct 15 (ANI): A teenager was stabbed to death late on Monday night by unidentified men in the communally sensitive Vezalpura area, of the city, police said on Tuesday. According to them, old enmity is the cause of the murder. Meanwhile, three persons, reportedly from Hindu community, have been arrested in this connection. (ANI) EME completes 59 glorious years of dedicated service Go to top New Delhi, Oct. 15 (ANI): The Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME), a wing of the Indian Army, has completed 59 years of service. Lieutenant-General S K Jain on Tuesday extended his warm wishes to the corps on the occasion. He said that even after 59 years the role of the corps remains same, as it was earlier, that is, to maintain operational fitness of all army equipment at all time. Speaking about the achievements, he added that even the original manufacturers are surprised by the tenacity of the corps. "We have made great strides in ensuring the diversity of the equipment inducted in the Indian army from various countries namely the western countries," he said. The role of the EME is to achieve and maintain operational fitness of electrical and mechanical, medical, aviation and optical equipment. The corps has the capability to repair all equipment needed for the army from the smallest binoculars to the heavy and large tanks. It also provides the latest techniques to the army. Besides, the EME has been performing equally well in the fields of sports and adventures. Sub Rajesh Choudhary and and Hav Jenil K have each won a bronze medal at the just concluded Busan Asian Games and added to the list of persons who have brought glory to the nation as well as the corps. The EME came into existence in the Indian army on May 1, 1943. On October 15 1964, the corps was honoured by being the first services of the army to receive the colours from the then President, Dr S Radhakrishnan. (ANI)
Qaeda hand in Bali blasts
Go to
top London, Oct 15 (ANI): A Muslim cleric suspected of links to al Qaeda said on Monday he believed the group played a role in the Bali bombings and would carry out similar attacks to combat what he called American arrogance, reports The News. Asked if he thought al Qaeda took part in the Bali bombings at the weekend that killed 181 people, mostly young Westerners, Abu Hamza al-Masri said: "Definitely". He declined to elaborate on the basis for his comments but said the Bali bombings were part of a new al Qaeda strategy of hitting a wider range of targets in response to the possibility of the United States attacking Iraq. "There will be more attacks like this because of American arrogance and Iraq and Palestine," he said. "The attack was a message for the Indonesian government about tourism on Bali, which Islam refers to as prostitution and a message for the United States to stop its anti-Islamic action." The London-based cleric is wanted on terrorism charges in Yemen and is suspected by the United States of links to al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. He is also suspected of helping to try and set up an al Qaeda training camp in the United States. Masri denies links to al Qaeda but has expressed admiration for bin Laden. The Egyptian-born cleric said he believed Islamic militant groups were now joining forces with al Qaeda members to carry out attacks against the United States and Western interests. "Some of the people who carry out these attacks were trained in al Qaeda camps or are guided by al Qaeda. This is a new phenomenon. Al Qaeda may not always play a direct role but many of these are followers of al Qaeda," he said. Masri said on Sunday he and other Islamists had received a message from al Qaeda through an Internet site praising last week's attacks on US soldiers in Kuwait and an explosion on a French-flagged oil tanker off Yemen. (ANI)
|