BJP demands revival of POTA
BANGALORE, Sept 14: The serial blasts in Delhi provided a fresh grist to the BJP mill to demand revival of tough anti-terror law POTA at the national executive meet, which provided a larger than life image for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi who is campaigning for a similar law in his State.
However, at the end of the three-day conclave of top leaders, concerns over discipline in the party came to the fore, especially against the backdrop of leaders speaking against possible alliances in the coming elections.
The meet finalized the election strategy with Advani asking the party to immediately come into a “must win mode with unity in thought, strategy and action”.
It wanted the party to take the lead in strengthening the NDA, and also “expanding it in the coming days.”
Advani, who strongly backs Modi on the tough State law which is pending with the Centre, said in his valedictory address: “If the people give us the mandate to form the next Government in New Delhi, we shall bring back POTA, recommend Presidential assent for State-specific anti-terror laws and take other tough laws within the first 100 days”.
A highlight of the deliberations was the growing profile of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who appeared to be projected as someone more than a Party Chief Minister, and even Advani praising his administrative skills in the matter of development as also in tackling terrorism.
Ahead of the elections, the party appeared worried over dissenting remarks made by leaders over alliances. The BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate said he was “deeply upset” over the tendency exhibited by some people to speak out of turn and even make public statements about prospective alliances and other aspects of the party’s election strategy.
Dropping clear hints that indiscipline won’t be tolerated, Advani said these and ‘other negative’ trends that give rise to perception of disunity in the party must be firmly curbed. “Internal democracy in the BJP is our strength. It should not be allowed to become a handicap”.
On scouting for new allies, Advani said: “It is the need of the hour, especially in those States where the BJP is yet to grow into a formidable force.”
Seeking to disapprove certain leaders in States like Uttar Pradesh and Haryana who have spoken against alliances, he said: “Sound alliance politics requires a proper mindset, which is sometimes lacking.”
The saffron party is in keen on securing allies to recapture power at the Centre and are in talks with INLD, AGP, Haryana Janhit Congress, and is also looking for partners in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and some other States where it has a weak presence.
The way the BJP lost its allies ahead of the 2004 elections apparently weighed heavily on Advani’s mind when he told the senior leaders, “Let us remember that the BJP’s front-runner position in the coming Parliamentary elections will be greatly strengthened by our alliance-building capabilities.”
The BJP veteran also sought to remind the Party leaders about the need to maintain ideological cohesion with the Sangh Parivar.
While he did not refer to the RSS or Sangh Parivar, his remark that “the costly mistakes we committed earlier, especially at the time of the NDA government, must not be repeated” was an indication enough.
Slamming the Congress-led coalition as the most corrupt Government in New Delhi since independence, Advani said that the “spineless” UPA has become a curse for the country and should quit immediately. “I hold the Prime Minister principally responsible for the mega failure (in the fight against terrorism), mega scandal (the recent “cash-for-votes” scandal which was a crime on India’s Parliament) and mega fraud (the Indo-US nuclear deal).”
At the same time, the 81-year-old leader, known as a hardliner and a Hindutva icon, sought to reach out to the Muslim community saying that those who propagate that the fight against terrorism is fight against Islam and the Muslim community were doing “grave disservice” both to the nation and the Indian Muslim community.
“The BJP respects all faiths. We are totally against equating terrorism with any religion or community. We are also against subjecting innocent persons of any community to suspicion or persecution,” he said.
Seeking to strike an emotional chord, Advani said he missed the presence of Atal Behari Vajpayee. “I miss his guidance and his companionship. Today, I sometimes feel lonely in the discharge of responsibility that you have entrusted to me”.
Among the five tasks before the party highlighted by Advani included “team effort”. He told the BJP leaders: “Our conduct must reflect what party workers and party supporters expect of us.”
Advani also wanted intensification of the party’s exercise to reach out to the young first-time voters who would form a decisive segment of the electorate.
Turning to the Assembly elections, he said the political map of the country has radically changed since 2004. “Before we rout the Congress at the Centre, we have to ensure it tastes defeat with States that are scheduled to elect new Assemblies in November this year.”
In this context, he suggested change of party candidates in certain constituencies to avoid local anti-incumbency.
Besides that, Advani made it clear that the supremacy of Chief Ministerial candidates under whose leadership the party is contesting the elections must be maintained. “Voters do not like any inner-party bickering on this score.”
He said his party opposes postponing of elections in Jammu and Kashmir, saying it would send a wrong signal to the international community. “I learn that elections may be held before the year-end. We must resolve to ensure good governance by the BJP.”
Another highlight of the conclave was the party seeking to take the lead on the Telangana issue. Advani said BJP was the first party to adopt a specific resolution in support of the demand.
“The time has come for the BJP to take a lead in this matter by quickly taking some concrete steps that can endear us to the people of Telangana,” he said, accusing the UPA Government of betraying the cause of the separate Telangana.
In the backdrop of the Kosi floods and the havoc caused by that, he said that if returned to power, the Government would revive the ambitious river-linking project which the UPA Government has “callously abandoned.” PTI
Indian Mujahideen warns of terror attacks in Mumbai
NEW DELHI, Sept 14: The Indian Mujahideen, which has claimed responsibility for the serial terror blasts in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore and Jaipur, killing at least 130 people in a span of four months, has now threatened to carry out attacks in India’s financial capital — Mumbai.
Accusing Mumbai Police’s Anti-Terrorism Squad of harassing Muslims, the Indian Mujahideen, believed to be a front strike unit of the banned Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), said in its e-mail that it was closely watching the ATS. “You should know that your acts are not at all left unnoticed; rather we are closely keeping an eye on you and just waiting for the proper time to execute your bloodshed. We are aware of your recent night raids at Ansarnagar, Mograpada in Andheri and the harassment and trouble you created there for the Muslims,” the group said in an e-mail.
IANS has a copy of the e-mail sent to various media houses on Saturday evening when five synchronized explosions at popular markets and business hubs in New Delhi claimed 21 lives.
“You threatened to murder them and your mischief went to such an extent that you even dared to abuse and insult Maulana Mahmood-ul-Hasan Qasmi, and even misbehaved with the Muslim women and children there,” the e-mail said.
It further said, “If this is the degree to which your arrogance has reached, and if you think that by these stunts you can scare us, then let the Indian Mujahideen warn all the people of Mumbai that whatever deadly attacks you will face in future, the only responsible elements for it will be the Mumbai ATS and their guardians: Vilasrao Deshmukh and RR Patil.”
“You are already on our hit-list and this time very seriously,” the e-mail stated.
The terror outfit also threatened to target a senior Rajasthan Police official.
“Let us notify you, as we did to the Gujarat Police that all the Mujahideen who shook Jaipur are absolutely safe and secure, and are heavily preparing for our next targets, one of which is AK Jain –– the DIG (Deputy Inspector General) of Rajasthan.
Jain has been instrumental in arresting several SIMI members in Rajasthan in connection with the May 13 serial blasts in Jaipur.
The mail bears two signatures at the end, GuruAlhindi and Al-Arbi. (IANS)
88 killed in Russian plane crash
MOSCOW, Sept 14: A Russian passenger jet crashed today near the Ural Mountains in the western Perm city after one of its engines apparently caught fire as it attempted to land, killing all 88 people on board, including 21 foreigners. All 88 people aboard — 82 passengers and six crew members — died in the crash. Among those killed were 21 foreigners and seven children, the reports said. The dead included nine from Azerbaijan, five from Ukraine and one each from France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Switzerland, and Turkey. One passenger was also said to be an American but it was not officially confirmed, they said. PTI n See page 5
KOLKATA: At least 50 percent of Indians do not wash their hands after coughing and sneezing, a joint study by Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited, the makers of Dettol liquid antiseptic, and Global Hygiene Council (GHC) has revealed. According to the study’s findings, which were released here Friday, about 78 percent of the surfaces in the Indian homes were found to be unsatisfactory in terms of the level of bacterial contamination.
“Ninety percent of kitchen cooking surfaces, 83 percent of kitchen sinks and 85 percent of the kitchen taps in India have a high level of bacteria. The results are worrying, especially when the highest risk of infection comes from the toilet and kitchen surfaces which are not even seen as threats,” the survey said.
“Only six percent of Indians feel kitchen taps could be a source of germs,” it added.
The joint study, launched in 2006, was conducted in three different levels across six metropolitan cities in India. It was targeted to reach out to the vulnerable sections.
“The study, Dettol Surakshit Parivar Programme, was carried out among more than one million young mothers and 400,000 children in India. Now we are trying to reach out to smaller towns across the country also,” Reckitt Benckiser (India) Limited chairman and managing director Chander Mohan Sethi said.
“It is estimated that the risk of diarrhoea can be reduced by half, while the risk of respiratory problem, cough and cold can be reduced at least by 16 percent, through proper hand washing practices. About 1.8 million people every year die of diarrhoea globally,” he added.
The GHC is an independent body of global experts, formed in 2006. Its aim is to monitor current hygiene practices in order to offer realistic recommendations to the public on the importance of hygiene in the home and community.
“Globally, toys come out as relatively the most hygienic item (only nine percent contaminated). But, in India this figure stands at 37 percent,” the survey said.
The study also pointed out that Indian homes are quite high in bacterial contamination, compared to other countries. Malaysia is the only other country with an equally high level of bacterial contamination on in-home surfaces.
126 years late, church sorry to Darwin
LONDON, Sept 14: Charles Darwin will receive an apology from the Church of England 126 years after vilifying his theory that man descended from the apes. His descendents say the apology is meaningless now.
The move comes after Rev Professor Michael Reiss, a biologist director of education at the Royal Society, provoked a furore last week when he called for creationism –– the Biblical theory of evolution –– to be treated in school science lessons as a legitimate world view.
Darwin’s theory scandalized the Victorian society in 1859. One of the most venomous clashes over his ideas took place in 1860 during a debate at Oxford University. The Bishop of Oxford, Samuel Wilberforce, asked Darwin supporter Thomas Huxley, whether it was through his grandfather or his grandmother that he claimed to be descended from a monkey. Huxley replied that he would not be ashamed to have an ape for his ancestor but he would be ashamed to be connected with a man who used his gifts to obscure the truth.
The Church of England will post an article on its website later on Monday that will address the apology to Darwin directly: “Charles Darwin, 200 years from your birth (in 1809), the Church of England owes you an apology for misunderstanding you and, by getting our first reaction wrong, encouraging others to misunderstand you still.
The article has been written by the Rev Dr Malcolm Brown, the director of mission and public affairs of the Archbishops’ Council, the Church’s managing body, which is headed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
The article will compare the apology to the one Pope John Paul II rendered for the Vatican’s trial of Galileo in 1663 for saying that the earth revolves around the sun. Two years ago, the Church of England had apologized for its role in the slave trade.
Andrew Darwin, a great-great grandson of the eminent scientist, tells the Daily Mail the apology is pointless: “Why bother? When an apology is made after 200 years, it’s not so much to right a wrong, but to make the person or organization making the apology feel better.” Horace Barlow, 87, who is Darwin’s great-grandson strikes a less critical note: “They buried him in Westminster Abbey, which I suppose was an apology of sorts.” Critics say the Church’s apology only shows how anxious it is to distance itself from fundamentalist Christians and to counter the view that its teaching is incompatible with science.(IANS)
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