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Saturday, January 17, 2009

National News

Three Indians taken hostage by pirates off Kenyan coast

: New Delhi, Jan 16: With the Stolt Valor hostage drama involving Indians still fresh, another ship with three Indians on board has been hijacked by pirates off the coast of Kenya and the Navy said it will take “all action” to secure their release. The Kenyan fishing vessel M V Alpha Manyara has an Indian captain and an engineer besides another Indian crew on board and was hijacked on January 9, according to relatives of the sailors taken hostage.

“I am not aware if there were any Kenyans on board but according to the reports, which I have seen, the boat had an Indian captain, an engineer and one more person and there may be some other fishermen,” the navy chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta told reporters here.

Giving details, he said the incident took place “well outside the Gulf... It is fishing boat, which has been operating as a Kenyan fishing boat for many months.” He said Indian ships deployed in the Gulf of Aden did not go for patrolling near the Kenyan coast. “There is no patrolling that goes so far south and Kenya has always been well out of the Arabian gulf region,” Mehta said during his visit to the annual NCC Republic Day Camp.

George, brother of one of the hostage Palaswamy Sarvanan, who hails from Tamil Nadu, said the pirates were holding three Indians hostage after setting free eight Kenyan sailors. “We were informed about the incident a day after the vessel was hijacked. After that, we have not heard from the company or the government. The company has declined to pay any ransom,” he claimed.

Stolt Valor, owned by a Japanese company and carrying 18 Indian sailors, was released on November 16 by the Somalian pirates after a huge ransom was paid by the owners.“We will take whatever action is required to see that they get released,” the navy chief told reporters here.
A brother-in-law of Sarvanan said in Visakhapatnam that the last call they got from the sailor was on December 18. Benoji, a family friend of Sebasitan Antony, one of the captives from Kerala’s Kottayam district, said Antony’s family came to know about the hijacking two days back from a Keralite working in a shipping firm. The third hostage is Thresia Fernando who hails from Dindigul in Tamil Nadu.

Though Antony’s relations contacted company authorities, they were reluctant to provide the exact details, Benoji said.

According to Sebastian’s relatives, the pirates have demanded a huge sum as ransom for the Indians’ release.

Sebastian’s brother, Bobby, said that he had sought urgent intervention of the Indian Government for release of the three captives. He had faxed the request to the offices of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Defence Minister A K Antony, he said in Thiruvananthapuram.
Sebastian has been working as a plant engineer with Alfa Group in Kenya, which owns the vessel, for the last nine years, according to Benoji.His wife Tessy and two daughters are now home at Changanassery in Kerala. (PTI)


CBI defends Abu Salem’s extradition instead of deportation

: New Delhi, Jan 16: The CBI today told a court here that it had no option but to agree to Portugal’s insistence for extradition of underworld don Abu Salem instead of his deportation, which put restrictions on the number of cases in which he could be tried and the quantum of sentence.

“The Centre had tried to get Abu Salem Ansari, who was found carrying fake travel documents there, deported but the Portuguese authorities declined making it clear that he could only and only be extradited,” A K Vali, appearing for the CBI Director, submitted before Additional Sessions Judge Pinky. Taking note of the Delhi Police arguments that the CBI’s action to extradite Salem forced them to approach the court for dropping the MCOCA charges against him, the court on July five had issued notice to the CBI director to clarify the stand of the probe agency.

“Salem, who was holding a Pakistani passport, could have been deported to any country (either to Pakistan or the nation from where he illegally entered Portugal) after his arrest. The intention was to ensure that he should not escape our law,” said Vali, justifying the Centre’s move. The then NDA government had given an executive assurance to Portugal that after Salem’s extradition he would be tried only in nine cases and will not be awarded imprisonment exceeding 25 years.

In Portugal there is no death penalty and hence, it ensures that the persons detained there should not be deported to a country having provisions to award the extreme penalty, the CBI counsel said. The CBI, which coordinates with the Interpol here, was intimated about the detention of Salem and Monica Bedi in 2005 and it immediately swung into action and attempted to get them deported, he said.

Countering the CBI’s argument, former Additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh said that the reply of the probe agency was vague and it did not deal with the circumstances under which Salem was extradited. “Had we been able to avoid such a small mistake, we (Delhi Police) could not be in situation seeking dropping of MCOCA charges against the gangster,” Singh submitted. The issues of deportation and extradition are dealt with diplomatically and an agency like CBI, which handles interpol related matter, does not take all the decisions, CBI’s counsel countered. The court, which heard the arguments, fixed the matter for further proceedings on February 5. Salem is facing MCOCA charges in connection with an extortion call made to city-based businessman Ashok Gupta in 2002 demanding Rs five crore as protection money.

He was extradited from Portugal in 2005 in three cases of CBI probing the Mumbai blasts, passport cases of Lucknow and Hyderabad, three extortion cases and a conspiracy to murder case in Delhi and Pradip Jain and Ajit Dewani murder cases in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, another court issued a production warrant against gangster Salem for February 24 in the case for making threat calls to Rajat Nagrath, owner of Allied Communication of East of Kailash here, demanding Rs one crore in 2002. Three other accused C P Rai, Sadiq Ali and Istiyaq Ahmed were however present before the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja, who asked the Mumbai jail authorities to produce the gangster on the next date of hearing. (PTI)

SC-appointed panels for action against vandalism

: New Delhi, Jan 16: The committees appointed by the Supreme Court to examine the modalities for making effective the law to prevent vandalism and damage to public property during strikes and political rallies have suggested stringent action against the organisers of such events.

The two committees headed by a former apex court judge K T Thomas and another by senior advocate Fali S Nariman submitted their detailed reports before a Bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat. Two proposals — one for strengthening the provisions of Pervention of Damage to Public Properties Act, 1984 and the other making the leaders accountable for acts of vandalism during agitation — are the focal points of the reports of the two committees, a senior advocate associated with the committee said.

The committees were formed in the wake of destruction of public property during the agitation by the Gujjars demanding Scheduled Tribes status in 2007. While the Justice Thomas Committee has suggested measures on the strict compliance of the Act, the Nariman Committee has dealt with the issue of media coverage on bandhs and strikes with specific reference to the TV coverage focusing on the agitators indulging in vandalism.

Nariman Committee has suggested that leaders of the agitation should be made absolutely liable for the destruction of properties by their supporters and there should be self-regulation on the part of the media on covering to such events. Taking on record the two reports, the Bench, also comprising A K Ganguly, said “very important suggestions have been given by the two committees which need to be seriously deliberated upon as public property in large scale is damaged in agitations and strikes.” It asked all the state governments and Union Territories to respond or give suggestions to the reports by February and posted the matter for further hearing on March 17. Justice Thomas Committee included Solicitor General G E Vahanvati, former CBI director R K Raghavan, senior advocate K Parasaran and officers of the Ministries of Home Affairs and Law and Justice, not below the rank of additional secretaries.

The Nariman Committee included Editors-in-Chief of Times of India, Indian Express and Pranoy Roy of NDTV, besides additional secretary level officers of the I&B Ministry and Home Affairs. Vahanvati and senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan, who is assisting the court as amicus curiae in the matter, was also in the Committee. Delhi, UP, Haryana and Rajasthan were severely affected by the Gujjar agitation in which several lives were lost.

Noting that though the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (DPPA) was enacted in 1984, the apex court said hardly 24 cases have been registered in the country during its existence which indicated that it was not being enforced strictly by the government. (PTI)


BJP targets young voters with ‘Brand Advani’

: New Delhi, Jan 16: When he launched his own blog a week ago, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani was making a point few could miss - that even at 81 he was trying to be in tune with India’s young.

The BJP - faced with a large number of young voters as the country prepares to pick a new parliament - is pulling out all stops to popularise its prime ministerial candidate among those in the 18-35 age group. From the blog to a website to planned visits in colleges, the BJP is doing all it can to project ‘Brand Advani’.

“His campaign is not exclusively based on youth, but a major part is focused on the youth,” Sudheendra Kulkarni, who has put together Advani’s website (www.lkadvani.in) and is known to be a think tank for the BJP leader, told IANS. “Advaniji is also encouraging volunteerism among youth and recently coined a slogan, ‘ek kaam desh ke naam’ (one work for nation) for them,” Kulkarni added. The party is also trying to attract tech savvy youngsters through social networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut and also through www.youtube.com (more than 200 videos). It has printed millions of stickers that state, ‘Advani for PM’.

“Besides all this, the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha will also go to colleges to meet students where he will talk to them in their own language,” Kulkarni said. There has been a tectonic shift in his campaign since the BJP started projecting Advani as its prime ministerial candidate last year. The campaigners are also advertising heavily on the internet to reach the e-generation. Advani himself had called the internet the third big invention of his time. Often seen as a rightwing hardliner in the past, Advani has been trying to adopt a moderate face similar to that of his colleague and former prime minister A.B. Vajpayee to become more acceptable, say party leaders. “No one can ignore youth. We are planning to organise youth conferences and we are also trying to reach out to youth through Advaniji’s website,” Amit Thakkar, president of the BJP’s Yuva Morcha, or youth wing, told IANS.

The BJP’s thrust on youth is also seen as an effort not to lose out to the youth brigade of the rival Congress party, which has leaders like Rahul Gandhi. Political analysts also feel the BJP cannot afford to ignore youth. “Appealing to youth is today’s requirement. Currently, nearly 40 percent of the population consists of people below 30 years of age and if you do not appeal to them, it would be difficult for anyone in politics. It is imperative for every political party to attract youth,” political analyst G.V.L. Narasimha Rao told IANS.(IANS)


None can match Hrithik shaking a leg: Isha Sharvani

: New Delhi, Jan 16: She is known as the diva of the dancing world; the other rules the beat. But prolific dancer Isha Sharvani thinks no one can match actor Hrithik Roshan when it comes to shaking a leg. Isha waltzed with the actor in Parle’s Hide and Seek biscuit ad and she once again teams up with the actor in the forthcoming film Luck By Chance.

“It was such an amazing experience to perform with Hrithik again. He’s such a great performer. I remember, for the ‘Hide and Seek’ ad, our practice session lasted for three days and one should see him practise. No one can match his steps. He is so full of energy and is so much fun to work with,” Isha told IANS over phone from Mumbai. Apart from Hrithik, Isha assures that “people will get to see a little bit of dancing” from her too in the film. Directed by debutante Zoya Akhtar, Luck By Chance is a menagerie of characters and activities about making it big in Bollywood. Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, the film is releasing Jan 30. Farhan plays the main lead and the cast also has Konkona Sen Sharma, Dimple Kapadia, Rishi Kapoor, Juhi Chawla and an ensemble of almost everyone in Bollywood in walk-on parts. Throwing light on her character in the film, the 23-year-old said: “This is a whole film about making it big in Bollywood and I am a part of that struggle. I play the daughter of a diva played by Dimple Kapadia.” Rumours are also rife that Luck By Chance is Bollywood’s next Om Shanti Om, considering its behind the scenes portrayal of the film industry.

But Isha slammed all such speculations and said: “The film is very different from Om Shanti Om. The plots of both the movies are very different. Om Shanti Om was much more of a musical. While ‘Luck By...’ has a different take on Bollywood. It’s much more real. “I think Zoya has really put together a fantastic script and characters in the movie. The film is unique in its approach.”

Isha considers her getting a role in Luck By Chance as a matter of “luck”. “My getting this film is totally a matter of luck. I had no idea that Zoya would sign me for the film. I feel so lucky that I got to work with her in her maiden venture,” she said. However, the actress also had some sore moments while shooting for the film. “When I was doing a ring sequence in the film, I was suspended from a hook in the air and the costume I was wearing had a lot of diamonds on it. As a result, I ended up being completely scratched because of the diamonds but I am glad the sequence came out really lovely,” she said. Isha forayed into Bollywood with Subhash Ghai’s dud Kisna in 2005 and has since been seen in lesser-known and back to back flops like Darwaza Bandh Rakho, Rocky: The Rebel and Good Boy, Bad Boy in 2006.

In 2008, she featured in Ajay Devgan’s directorial debut U, Me Aur Hum. She doesn’t have any other films in her kitty at present, but is concentrating on a new dance show for smal screen with her mother, renowned dancer and choreographer Daksha Seth. “It’s based on martial arts. We are thinking about a name right now for the show as we haven’t zeroed in on anything yet. However, the show will be aired from April 3 onwards,” she said. On being asked if she has any plans of stepping into her mother’s footsteps - that is, choreography - she said: “I am not interested in any activity other than dancing and acting. So, no choreography or anything else for me in the future too.”(IANS)

BJP warns against agreeing to trial of accused in Pakistan

: Pune, Jan 16: Claiming that a trial in Pakistan of the Mumbai terror attack accused will only be a “farce”, the BJP today warned the government against buckling under international pressure on the issue .

“The nation is shocked and astonished to hear from External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that India is ready for the trial in Pakistan, knowing well that it will be a farce,” party spokesman Prakash Jawdekar told reporters here.

Mukherjee had in a TV interview said that India will have no objection if those behind terror acts here are put to “fair trial” in Pakistan itself but he today issued a “clarification” that “there is no question of dilution of our demand of extradition (of those responsible for terror acts in India).” Demanding that those accused in the Nov 26 attacks face trial in India, the BJP said any shift in this stand would amount to “betrayal of the victims and martyrs of the Mumbai terror attacks”.
Jawdekar alleged that the government had “buckled under international pressure to bail out Pakistan and lost the political will to fight terrorism”.

Asking for an all-party meeting to be convened on the issue, Jawdekar claimed that it was ironical that just a few days back Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had made a statement to the effect that India would come around to accept Pakistan viewpoint on the trial of terror suspects. (PTI)

‘SP will support if Cong ready to field Sanjay Dutt’

: New Delhi, Jan 16: Seeking to turn the tables on the Sanjay Dutt issue, Amar Singh today said that if Congress was ready to field the actor on its symbol, the Samajwadi party would support him.He told reporters here that a section of Congress leaders have accused him of “poaching on Sanjay Dutt to tease that party”. “Let me make it clear that if Congress is ready to field Sanjay on their party’s symbol, SP would support him,” he said. Singh was reacting to a question on Congress’ claim that it would field some candidates in UP without consulting SP. SP and Congress are engaged in seat sharing talks for Lok Sabha polls in UP.

“Congress leaders will have to understand that once we have extended support to the secular alliance led by Soniaji, any division of secular votes will only benefit Bahujan Samaj Party...The candidates should be decided on the basis of their winnability,” Singh said to a poser on Congress’ request of a ‘friendly fight’ on some Lok Sabha seats. He said division of secular votes “would mean that the treatment meted out to Soniaji in Rae Bareli, Rahul Gandhi in Kanpur and Amar Singh in Gorakhpur yesterday will continue.” He said the SP and Congress were no more rivals. “We extended them support in the most crucial time when it was losing assembly elections.”(PTI)


NDTV’s nominations for ‘Indian of the Year’ award

New Delhi, Jan 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, actor Naseeruddin Shah, Olympic Gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair have been nominated in various categories for NDTV’s “Indian of the Year” award for 2008. The English news channel announced nominees in six categories for the award, which would be given away on January 21 in the presence of Home Minister P Chidambaram. Besides the Prime Minister, the other nominees in the politics category are BJP leader L K Advani, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and MP Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan. In Cinema category, the nominees apart from Shah are Aamir Khan, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif and lyricist Prasoon Joshi. In Sports section, Golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, Chess champion V Anand, Indian cricket team captain M S Dhoni, Badminton player Saina Nehwal and Olympic Bronze medal Vijender Singh. Industrialists Ratan Tata and Mukesh Ambani and bankers Deepak Parekh and K V Kamath have been nominated in the Business section. The Arts and Culture section is led by famed painter M F Hussain, artist Subodh Gupta, Kiran Setha and writer Arvind Adiga as nominees. In the Unsung Heroes category, the channel has nominated Jean Dreze, Magsaysay award winner couple Prakash and Mandakini Amte and G Madhavan Nair and his ISRO team. The jury for selecting winners includes Shashi Tharoor, Harsha Bhogle, Fali S Nariman, Anu Aga, Rahul Bajaj and William Dalrymple. (PTI)

Reducing inequity, inequality a challenge, says PM

New Delhi, Jan 16: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today described the challenge of reducing inequity and inequality as the most important issues before the country and said focus should be given on meeting core development needs. “To my mind, the most important issues before us are to meet the challenge of reducing inequity and inequality. We should focus on meeting core development needs essential for human growth,” he said. Singh was inaugurating the first conference of chairpersons of District Planning Committees here. He said areas that need attention include combating of disease, eliminating malnutrition, providing safe drinking water, good quality universal education, providing people with skills and job opportunities and preserving environment. Singh said programmes like Rural Water Supply should be planned and implemented at the district level and medium term development plans in urban areas should be continued. Describing local governments as “unsung heroes” of the nation’s march forward, he said though the progress on genuine empowerment of panchayats might have been “uneven”, remarkable success has been achieved in deepening democratic practice by holding regular elections to local governments. (PTI)

Fifteen murders in Delhi in first two weeks of 2009

New Delhi, Jan 16: On an average, one person was murdered daily in the national capital in the first fifteen days of this year. Delhi Police Commissioner Y S Dadwal on Friday said 10 cases have already been solved and the overall crime situation in the capital city is under control. “We have already solved 10 cases with 66 percent solving rate. Five cases are blind in nature. I can say that the over all crime situation in the capital is under control," Dadwal told reporters here. He said most murders committed in the city were due to sudden provocation based on trivial issues. An example was an unemployed man killing a 10-year-old boy in south Delhi to protect his identity after stealing a mobile phone and Rs.50 from the child. (IANS)

Mumbai Police file case against terror ‘witness’

Mumbai, Jan 16: Mumbai Police’s crime branch has registered an offence against Colaba Fishermen Colony resident Anita R. Uddaiya for attempting to mislead investigators in the November 26 terror attacks, a senior official said here on Friday. Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria told reporters that Uddaiya had been changing her statements about her alleged disappearance for three days. He rubbished her claims that she had was taken to the US by investigators from that country last week. Maria said that Uddaiya has not been listed as a witness as claimed by her to the media in the past few days. “She has never been called to Arthur Road prison for the identification parade of Mohammed Ajmal Amir, alias Kasab, nor was she ever taken to the Sir J J Hospital to identify the bodies of the nine terrorists killed in the anti-terror operatons,” he said. The Cuffe Parade police station lodged a complaint against Uddaiya and her daughter Seema under section 182 of the Indian Penal Code for misleading investigators. The mother-daughter duo, if found guilty, could face imprisonment of six months plus a fine. Uddaiya (47) was reported missing by her family members last Sunday (Jan 11), sending the police in a tiizzy. Suddenly, as mysteriously as she had disappeared, she resurfaced Wednesday morning at her home and said she had gone to visit her brother in Satara district. However, Uddaiya on Thursday made the sensational claim that she had actually been taken to the US by investigators from that country. At her home in Mahatma Phule Nagar in the fishermen’s colony, she also “confessed” she had told a lie about going to Satara. (IANS)

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