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Sonia Gandhi cancels poll rallies in Tamil south

Lalit — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:14:29 +0000

The head of India’s ruling Congress party, Sonia Gandhi, cancelled two planned election rallies Wednesday in the country’s ethnic Tamil-dominated south, officials said.

Party officials, however, denied the decision was sparked by security fears linked to the war on Tamil Tiger rebels in nearby Sri Lanka, which has prompted furious protests in India’s Tamil Nadu state.

Sonia Gandhi’s presence in the area is particularly sensitive because her late husband, former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was killed in a Tamil Tiger suicide attack in Tamil Nadu in 1991.

Last month Indian security officials reportedly warned that Sonia and her two children could be targeted by Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tigers — currently facing a massive Sri Lankan military onslaught — and ordered security be stepped up.

Nepal head tells general to stay

Lalit — Mon, 04 May 2009 05:49:04 +0000

The President of Nepal, Ram Baran Yadav, has ordered the head of the army to remain in office despite his dismissal by the prime minister.

President Yadav said the sacking of General Rookmangud Katawal, who refused to integrate former rebel fighters into the army, was unconstitutional.

The Communist UML party pulled out of the government saying the majority Maoists acted unilaterally.

The withdrawal leaves the Maoists with only a slender parliamentary majority.

Court: set up six fast track courts to try Godhra riot cases

Lalit — Sat, 02 May 2009 11:43:55 +0000

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the setting up of six fast track courts (FTCs) to try the 2002 Godhra and post-Godhra riot cases in Gujarat and vacated its 2003 order staying the trial.

A Bench of Justices Arijit Pasayat, P. Sathasivam and Aftab Alam requested the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court to set up these FTCs in the districts of Ahmedabad (four cases — Naroda Patiya, Naroda Gam, Gulberg and Godhra train at the Sabarmati jail); Mehsana (two cases); Saabarkantha (British national case) and Anand.

US created Taliban and abandoned Pakistan: Clinton

Lalit — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 05:25:59 +0000

Two days of continuous congressional hearings on the Obama administration’s foreign policy brought a rare concession from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who acknowledged that the United States too had a share in creating the problem that plagues Pakistan today.

In an appearance before a subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday, Mrs Clinton explained how the militancy in Pakistan was linked to the US-backed proxy war against the Soviets in Afghanistan.

BJP will have newer allies after polls, says Advani

Lalit — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:47:55 +0000

NDA Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani has said the BJP is confident of getting newer allies after the elections. “I will not like to name any particular party, but while I’m broadly satisfied with the number of parties having joined the alliance, I do think that there are other parties which might be willing to come along after the elections.”

In an interview to The Indian Express, Advani also disclosed he had requested former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to enter Rajya Sabha after the latter decided not to contest for Lok Sabha but he declined.

Election candidate found dead amid fight for untouchable votes

Lalit — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:19:05 +0000

His supporters said he had been killed by criminal supporters of a rival “dalit” party who feared he would split their vote.

The body of Bahadur Sonkar, a candidate for the minor Indian Justice Party, was found hanging from a banyan tree in Jaunpur constituency close to the Hindu pilgrimage city, Varanasi.

First phase of polling begins at slow pace

Lalit — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 07:12:55 +0000

The biggest festival of Indian democracy began at a slower pace than expected. Polling in the first phase of LS polls began Thursday morning with not much turnout at the polling booths.

However, the scene is expected to change as the day grows further.

The first phase of polling will decide fates of some bigger names like RJD chief Lalu Prasad, BJP’s Murli Manohar Joshi and Yashwant Sinha and TRS president K Chandrasekar Rao. As many as 1,715 candidates are contesting for 124 constituencies spread across 15 states and two union territories.

It’s a threeway contest: Karat

Lalit — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:46:52 +0000

KOLKATA: Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Prakash Karat on Tuesday ruled out any political understanding with the Congress, while expressing confidence that the Third Front would emerge as the largest combination after the elections.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme here, he said there would be a re-alignment of political forces after the elections, and that the Third Front was working towards a non-Congress, non-BJP government.

“With the campaign over for the first phase of elections today, it has now become clear that this election will see a three-way contest and not a two-way contest. The Congress and the BJP now faced a serious challenge,” he said. “By themselves, they will be nowhere near forming a government. We will be in a position [to do so].”

Dhoni gets extortion call from Mumbai's D gang

Lalit — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:15:37 +0000

The family of Indian team skipper Mahender singh Dhoni reportedly received an extortion call of Rs 50 lakh.The demand was made through a letter posted at Dhoni’s Ranchi residence and it was made by a Mumbai based shooter of the D...

NDTV.com: India skeptic over Paks action against terrorists

Lalit — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 06:52:53 +0000

Voicing skepticism over Pakistan acting decisively against terrorists operating from its soil, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said such elements have...