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Pakistan becoming increasingly desperate: Vajpayee
New Delhi, Sept 30 (ANI): Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Monday that Islamabad was becoming increasingly desperate in its proxy war against India. Vajpayee said that last week's raid on a temple in which Muslim gunmen shot dead 28 worshippers was a sign of this desperation. "The past year has seen India making steady advances in all these fronts. This has made our adversary grow desperate and desperation is leading to become more and more dastardly in losing war of terrorism against India," Vajpayee told a three- day annual conference of senior police officials from across the country in New Delhi. "The terrorist attack on Parliament preceded by an attack on the Jammu and Kashmir assembly building in Srinagar, the carnage of innocent men, women and children in Kaluchak, Qasimnagar and most recently the bloody sacrilege at the Akshardham temple in Gandhinagar, all these are signs of our enemy's desperation," he added. "Needless to say, a good part of this desperation goes to the growing successes of our security forces to turning the heat on terrorist outfits and infiltration from across the border," said Vajpayee. India and Pakistan massed a million men along their border after the December raid on parliament and came close to war after the Kaluchak army camp raid in Kashmir by suspected Pakistan-based militants in May. New Delhi says it will not pull back its troops until Pakistan stops militants crossing into its part of the Himalayan region. Vajpayee also asked police officers to ensure acts of terrorism do not vitiate the peace among disparate communities. "Now, the main threat to our internal security, namely cross- border terrorism fuelled by religious extremism, draws its ideological sustenance, organisational patronage and operational support from outside our borders. To overcome this challenge, we have to fight our battle at various levels and with multiple means, diplomatically, politically, ideologically and of course, on the ground with intelligence and firepower," said Vajpayee. The Prime Minister called for increased vigilance as security forces get the better of terrorism. "It is in this sense that I had remarked that terrorism is breathing its last breath. Of course, before it actually dies and disappears from the world as a political instrument, it will continue to commit many more depradations. Therefore, we have to become more vigilant against this menace and more determined to stamp it out," Vajpayee said. India has been battling a revolt in Jammu and Kashmir where more than 35,000 people have been killed since late 1989. New Delhi has repeatedly said that the rebellion is stoked by nuclear arch-rival Pakistan whom it blames for sending trained militant across the tense border to cause havoc in the Himalayan region. Islamabad denies the charge and says it only provides moral, political and diplomatic support to the legitimate freedom struggle of the Kashmiris. New Delhi says most terrorist attacks on its territory are carried out by these Pakistan-based militant groups.(ANI) All set for third round of J-K polls
Udhampur, Sept 30 (ANI): With just a day left for the third round of polls in the Jammu and Kashmir, candidates are busy with the last minute door-to-door campaigning. Electronic Voting Machines were handed over to polling officers on Monday in all the 27 constituencies going to polls on Tuesday. Nearly two million voters from four districts of the volatile southern Kashmir - Udhampur, Anantnag, Pulwama and Kathua- go to polls in the third round of the four phased state assembly elections. Polling arrangements have been made in several migration camps all across the state. Addressing a camp of Hindu migrants from Anantnag district in Udhampur,Shaukat Ahmed, candidate of the Bhartiya Janata Party, said that this is a golden opportunity to set things right in the state. "This time people are looking happy as they have hopes. Even though elections have been held in the state since 1947, this time they see a ray of hope. For one, the elections are being held in a free and fair manner, and even the Prime Minister had given assurances to that effect in his Independence Day speech," said Ahmed. Security arrangements have been tightened as the officials fear an escalation of violence with several sensitive areas going to polls. More than 570 people have died in poll related violence since the elections were announced in the state in August. After Tuesday's vote, six assembly constituencies of Doda district would go to polls in the fourth phase on October 8. Votes will be counted on October 10. These elections have become a key test for India's huge military and paramilitary forces struggling to quell a nearly 13-year revolt in the Himalayan region which has claimed more than 35,000 lives. The separatist groups in the state have called for a boycott of the elections, and militants have vowed to target anyone taking part in the polls. However, India hopes that unexpectexdly high turnout in the first two phases - 47 percent and 42 percent respectively- will establish its legitimacy in the state which has been at the heart of the dispute between India and Pakistan.(ANI) Army captain, four militants killed in Valley
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Srinagar, Sept 30 (ANI): An Army captain and four militants, including two foreign mercenaries, have been killed in separate encounters in Rajouri, Poonch and Doda districts in Jammu during the last 24 hours. The captain was killed in a joint army and police operation in the Surankote area of Poonch to flush out militants. Three AK-47 rifles, eight magazines, two hand grenades, one damaged wireless set and a map were recovered from the slain militants. Another militant was killed in Rajouri district Monday morning. Meanwhile, Defence Minister George Fernandes has arrived in Doda to ensure security for the third phase of polling. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah also visited sensitive constituencies that are going to the polls on Tuesday. All the 606 polling stations in the 16 constituencies have been declared sensitive because of stepped up violence.(ANI) Nagappa's wife vents her anger on authorities
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to top Kamagere (Karnataka), Sept 30 (ANI): The wife of a kidnapped ex- minister of Karnataka, who was kidnapped by forest brigand Veerappan, has asked the government to send a negotiator to secure her husband's release. Veerappan, wanted by police for 120 murders and the smuggling of sandalwood and ivory worth millions of dollars, abducted former state minister H. Nagappa from his farmhouse at Kamagere, some 110 miles south of Bangalore, on August 25. The bandit had sought the release of his jailed friends and had threatened to behead his hostage if his demands were not met. Parimala Nagappa charged that nothing had been done so far to secure the release of her husband Nagappa as his supporters sat on a day-long protest. "I sincerely feel that only Kolathur Mani who is in jail will help us. Veerapan has asked for him. The government must send Mani as an emissary to safely secure the release of my husband," she told reporters at her residence in village Kamagere in Karnataka. Parimala Nagappa sought the intervention of Defence Minister George Fernandes and also hoped that Veerappan would not harm her husband who does not keep good health. She said the authorities should suspend all police operations and try negotiating with the brigand who had kidnapped movie icon Rajkumar two years ago. "When Rajkumar was kidnapped, there were hardly any command in the forest. So the villagers never really came to know what the operations were. Now everybody knows the details of the combing operations going on," she said adding she would soon meet chief minister J Jayalalitha of Tamil Nadu in this connection. Karnataka had earlier in the month asked the Special Task Force (STF) combing the forests for Koose Munniswamy Veerappan to suspend its operations. It had also withdrawn a large contingent of federal commandos sent to hunt the brigand, who has links with Tamil extremists. Authorities in Tamil Nadu, however, said the STF in that state would continue to hunt for Veerappan in the forests on its side of the state border. Karnataka has so far maintained a flexible stand on how to rescue Nagappa, but Tamil Nadu has clearly ruled out negotiations.(ANI)
Panel monitoring Cauvery water to visit Tamil Nadu Go to top New Delhi, Sept 30 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday directed a committee monitoring the water level of Cauvery river to re- assess the water situation in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and file the report by October 3. Earlier, the 10-member committee was directed by the Cauvery River Authority (CRA) to make an on-the-spot assessment of the flow of water in the two warring states and submit its report by September 27. Though the committee completed the survey in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu refused to co-operate saying the matter was subjudice. Robson Paul, a Supreme Court lawyer, said that the court would take a decision only after the comparative analysis of water availability and standing crop situation in the two states is complete. "The monitoring committee reported to the court that there was non-cooperation from the Tamil Nadu government. But it was found that there was no physical non-cooperation by Tamil Nadu. But without going into details, the court directed the monitoring committee to assess the ground realities that is happening in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka area and the monitoring committee shall file a report on 3.10.2002," said Paul. Karnataka, which had stopped the flow of stipulated 80,000 cusecs of water into Tamil Nadu, has promised to abide by the committee's decision. "The Supreme Court has decided the Cauvery monitoring committee might complete its field visit by visiting the rest of the area, that is, by going to Mettur and other parts of Tamil Nadu to complete the visit. It will be possible for the Cauvery Monitoring Committee to hold a worthwhile meeting only after the visit is complete," said A.K.Goswami, secretary, ministry of water resources. Karnataka had stopped the flow of water into the lower Tamil Nadu following a suicide by a farmer early this month. Tamil Nadu filed a contempt petition in the apex court in protest. According to an interim order by the Supreme Court, Karnataka should release 1.25 billion cubic feet of water every day into lower basin Tamil Nadu from its reservoirs. The federally administered Cauvery River Authority headed by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee later lowered the amount of water to be released to 0.8 billion cubic feet a day. But Karnataka says its reservoirs will dry up even if it abides by the authority's decision. The Cauvery river waters row has been one of the long standing disputes between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Pondicherry but the latter two are not significantly affected. A shortfall in monsoon rains this year has worsened the dispute.(ANI) Commonwealth action plan to reduce global poverty Go to top London, Sept 26 (ANI): Finance Ministers from 52 Commonwealth countries, meeting in London, have drawn up an action plan to help deliver "The Monterrey Consensus" - the blueprint for encouraging economic growth and reducing global poverty, which emanated from the United Nations Conference in Monterrey, Mexico, last March and was endorsed by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August. Britain's Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, who chaired the meeting, declared that the "call to action" meant that "the era of resolution is to be moved forward to an era of implementation". "What we are talking about," he explained, "is a new development compact, which will allow all countries across the Commonwealth, as well as across the world, to have a fair share of the benefits of global prosperity." The importance to the Commonwealth lies in the fact that 665 million of its citizens live on less than a dollar a day, thus making it home for more than half the world's poorest people. The seven countries most affected by HIV/AIDS are in the Commonwealth, and in some Commonwealth countries less than 35 per cent of children complete primary school. The Action Plan sets out separate commitments for governments of developing countries and advanced and high income countries. Developing countries are committed to devising and implementing poverty reduction strategies and promoting stability and liberalisation. They are to reform and strengthen processes for public expenditure and finacial management to ensure that expenditure is effectively directed at key priorities; and to develop policy frameworks that encourage domestic and foreign private sector investment. Advanced countries will open their markets to exports from developing countries, and enhance their official development assistance (ODA) in support of effective national development and poverty reduction strategies. In particular, donor countries are committed to progressing towards the United Nations ODA target of 0.7 per cent of GNP, and focusing aid "where it will do most good, in support of countries with the greatest level of poverty, and which are building sound governance, policies and institutions, and implementing credible strategies for development and poverty reduction". The plan emphasises that by forging consensus across its diverse membership, Commonwealth countries can have more impact in global fora than by acting separately. Thus, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other donors are to be urged to provide simplified and streamlined support for financial management in developing countries. As the London meeting precedes the annual meetings of both the IMF and the World Bank, there will be an early opportunity for Commonwealth ministers to make their point. Chancellor Brown said the United Kingdom would press for a further stage of debt relief amounting to one billion dollars and would contribute towards the cost. But debt relief and increased aid would not be enough to meet agreed goals, and it was his belief that consideration should be given to setting up a new international financing facility to meet the demands of the future. (ANI)
16 die as Quetta train derails
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to top Islamabad, Sept 26 (ANI): At least sixteen people were killed and many more injured as Quetta Express derailed near Sibi in Balochistan. According to details, the train was going from Rawalpindi to Quetta and the accident occurred when the train was crossing a bridge.(ANI)
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