Thursday, 27 October 2011

Remove AFSPA No Reflection On The Army, Says Omar


The proposal to remove the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Isolate) from few parts of the state is not a reflection of the role of the military or an attempt to undermine it, Chief Minisiter of Jammu and Kashmir; Omar Abdullah said.

In an attempt to translate his statement on October 21 Isolate the withdrawal of certain sectors of the state in a few days in reality, Abdullah said in a statement Wednesday, "no reflection on the role of the army in Jammu and Kashmir .

He said he was "in no way an attempt to undermine the role of the army, which plays a major role mainly in anti-militant operations in the State of Jammu and Kashmir."

AFSPA, which gives broad powers to the armed forces, was due to the valley in 1990 and in Jammu in 2001.

Abdullah began to prepare the ground for the revocation of the AFSPA at least four districts - Srinagar, Budgam in central Kashmir and Jammu and Samba, in the plains of the Jammu region - before the crucial cabinet meeting in Srinagar Friday , the last before the government offices and close to the transition to the winter capital Jammu.

He shows the hand of friendship extended to the army, who was angry with a statement of Sheikh Mustafa Kamal spokesman for the conference, suggesting that the grenade attacks in the Valley on Tuesday, could have been triggered by the army.

Chief Minister, the government has not only distanced State in determining the NC leader, who is also his uncle, but also praised the army for the role it had played in the fight against insurrection.

Government sources told IANS that Abdullah may have to speak with military commanders on Thursday the state, especially commanders Corp based in Srinagar and Jammu to figure things out and resolve the details of the removal of AFSPA.

It also seeks to open new channels of communication with his fellow party members on the subject.

We surveyed? Range from the Chief Minister would bring political dividends to the party and so we were invited to support the interests of the party? a minister told IANS.

The perception is that since the abolition of the isolate has broad support among the people of the valley, as formulated by many political groups, especially the main opposition Democratic Decision CN extract political mileage.

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

Did not discuss filling up cabinet posts: Karunanidhi


Chennai, Oct 25 (IANS) DMK president and former Tamil Nadu chief minister M. KarunanidhiTuesday said that he did not discuss the subject of providing replacements in the cabinet for A. Raja and Dayanidhi Maran with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.
Speaking to reporters here Karunanidhi said neither he nor the prime minister spoke on the subject.
Karunanidhi had met the prime minister and United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi and his jailed daughter Kanimozhi Oct 22.
Karnanidhi said he discussed the issue of setting free the three convicts on death row for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination - Murugan alias Sriharan, T. Suthendraraja alias Santhan and A.G. Perarivalan alias Arivu - even though the Tamil Nadu cabinet has not passed any resolution on that.
On the CBI special court reserving its bail order for his daughter, Karunanidhi remarked that the CBI itself has told the court that bail could be given to Kanimozhi and he did not see any political design in delaying her coming out on bail.
He said Kanimozhi is mentally strong, though she has lost weight.
Karunanidhi said Congress president Gandhi had enquired about Kanimozhi's health.
Kanimozhi is in Tihar jail charged by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as co-conspirator in the 2G spectrum scam.
Meanwhile, party officials told IANS that Karunanidhi does not celebrate Diwali and even comes to the party office on that day.
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http://in.news.yahoo.com/did-not-discuss-filling-cabinet-posts-karunanidhi-173505542.html
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Congress condemns Anna's tirade against the Govt.


New Delhi, Oct 25 (ANI): Congress Party on Tuesday strongly condemned veteran social activistAnna Hazare's recent tirade against the government.
Hazare had on Monday night hit out against a 'gang of four' in the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government, which he said was opposed to the Jan Lokpal bill and was carrying out a systematic 'character assassination' of his team members.
"To accuse and humiliate seems to be the mantra of these few. I do not blame all the ministers in the Congress party or the government as a whole. There are some righteous and committed people in the government but they cannot raise their voice because of this gang of four," said Hazare in his latest blog posted on Monday night.
Taking strong objection to Hazare's remarks, Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi maintained the government was not fuelling the infighting within the anti-graft activists of the civil society.
"The word gang is very objectionable. We have respect for Mr. Anna Hazare, but we do not expect that he would use such kind of words for honourable ministers. No minister is behind Kiran Bedi, no minister is behind Mr. Kejriwal, it is infighting of civil society, The Congress party and government of India have nothing to do with that," he added.
Rashid Alvi also slammed the civil society activists over alleged financial impropriety in their own playfield.
Alvi's comments came days after Team Anna member and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi was embroiled in a simmering controversy, following a scathing report published in a leading national daily.
"If she (Kiran Bedi) travelled in the economy class of an airline but claimed a higher amount for the same, Anna Hazare should realise that no government minister can be blamed for this. Only Kiran Bedi is responsible for this. If she is returning the amount, it means she accepts what she did was wrong and unethical," said Alvi.
The report accused Bedi of travelling in economy class and charging the host non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other institutions that invite her for seminars and talks, with bills of business or executive class.
The daily claimed to have 12-recorded examples of irregularities, some of which date back to 2006, when Bedi was serving as an Indian Police Services (IPS) officer.
The newspaper also published the details of the total bills and the invoice generated for each of her flights, one of them with a difference as huge as rupees 55, 983.

Govt. will take balanced view on AFSPA withdrawal in Kashmir: Pallam Raju


Kolkata, Oct 25 (ANI): Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju on Tuesday said the Central Government will take a balanced view on the need for withdrawing or not withdrawing the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from specific areas of the Kashmir Valley.
"I think we are examining their demands, and you know, it is being looked at a very high level because I think the AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act) is needed for the forces to function in some very very difficult times. What the Chief Minister (Omar Abdullah) is asking for is lifting of AFSPA in some areas where there is more peaceful conditions, but I am sure the government and the ministry will take a balanced view on that," Pallam Raju told mediapersons on the sidelines of a function to mark the launch of the second anti-submarine warfare corvette at Kolkata.
Named Kadmatt, the ship has been built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited, a state-owned shipyard on the outskirts of Kolkata. After rigorous sea trails, she would be commissioned in the Indian Navy.
To a poser about a chopper of Indian Army straying into Pakistan airspace, Pallam Raju termed it an isolated incident.
"This is an isolated incident where a helicopter had strayed because of weather conditions, but I thinkPakistan has to do much more to demonstrate that they are a friendly neighbour because terrorism today is affecting Pakistan as much as it is affecting India and we sincerely hope that they will take measures to contain this terrorism," he said.
Four army officers onboard were detained by Pakistan's military after the helicopter was forced to land for violating Pakistani airspace on Sunday.
The helicopter was released by Pakistan just hours after it strayed across the tense border between the two countries, officials said. (ANI)

News source- http://in.news.yahoo.com/govt-balanced-view-afspa-withdrawal-kashmir-pallam-raju-145240810.html;_ylt=AiY2VLUgfSO1JKk2bYBrVPbBscB_;_ylu=X3oDMTN1ZG40NjV2BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBOYXRpb25hbFNGBHBrZwNhYjlkZmJlMC05NzYyLTNiN2ItYTUyNS1hZDc5MTdhZTk2YjgEcG9zAzEwBHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyAzkwZWZlMTIwLWZmMTktMTFlMC04ZDdlLWQyZWM1ZTJmZWY0Nw--;_ylg=X3oDMTFtOHZrYWEyBGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANuYXRpb25hbARwdANzZWN0aW9ucw--;_ylv=3
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