Respect Peace or Face Consequences, Sonia Tells Pak

Warning Pakistan against misconstruing India’s peace moves as a sign of weakness, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday asked Islamabad to crack down on terror elements using its soil to launch attacks against India or face our “capacity to give befitting reply.”

Addressing an election rally at Dabhler in RS Pura, a few miles from the Border with Pakistan, Gandhi said it had been India’s endeavour to have good relations with neighbours. “But our desire for peace should not be treated as our weakness.”

She urged Islamabad to weed out those responsible for attacking India. “If that does not happen, we have the capability to give a befitting reply,” she said amid a thunderous applause from the gathering.

Gandhi said the coalition government did a tremendous job in Jammu and Kashmir and it was backed by the strong initiatives taken by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the shape of three round table conferences. Five working groups were formed and four had given their reports and the process of implementation was on.

Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz asked the people to reject the negative politics of those who intended to divide the people.

The former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, said his government had the record of eliminating militancy from the State.

The Congress faces a tough contest in 13 Assembly segments, which go to polls on December 24.

US Raps Shifty Pak on Mumbai Terror

With New Delhi fast running out of patience over Pakistan’s repeated refusals to act against terror groups operating from its territory, the US told Pakistani National Security Adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani that Islamabad was “shifty and shifting position on the Mumbai attacks” was unacceptable.

Wasahington summoned Durrani, who was told by his hosts that the administration was “getting increasingly frustrated with Islamabad’s repeated somersaults on the u\issue.

Durrani concluded his three-day US visit on Saturday, during which he met secretary of state Condoleezza Rice, US Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Pentagon officials.

Earlier in the week, Rice had said that what Pakistan had done so far to catch those responsible for the Mumbai attacks was not enough. She said her message to the Pakistani leadership was “...you need to deal with the terrorism problem. And it’s not enough to say these are non-state actors. If they’re operating from Pakistan, then they have to be dealt with.”

A “much stronger message” was conveyed by Rice during her meeting with Durrani. The Pakistani team, which included ambassador Hussain Haqqani, learnt from Rice and Hadley that the US was not satisfied with what Pakistan “had done so far for eradicating terrorism from its soil”.

The US officials insisted that they have enough evidence to prove that Lashkar-e-Tayeba and Jamaat-ud-Dawa were involved in the Mumbai attacks. “They told the Pakistanis to understand the gravity of the situation and the seriousness of the evidence that exists to Pakistan’s links to this event”.

Taj, Trident Banish Memories, Reopen Doors

In a fine reflection of the never-say-die spirit of Mumbai, the Trident and Taj hotels reopened their doors to public on Sunday barely twenty five days after being targeted by terrorists in the worst ever militant strike in urban India. City residents turned up to witness the event and pay homage to those killed in the ghastly attack.

"We wanted to just express our solidarity and support," said one resident of Mumbai present at the reopening.

"The fear won't go away so soon but it feels good that the hotels have reopened so soon," said another resident.

The scene at the Taj Mahal hotel were equally emotional. Guests and well-wishers gathered as the Tower wing opened for the first time in three weeks.

"It's a very fitting and a moving image for all of us to remember," said author Shobhaa De present at the reopening of the Taj.

"If I was free and I wasn't shooting I would be here at the Trident with my sister and my niece. I'm not making a huge statement by coming here, the statement has been made by the hotel," said actor Rahul Bose.

For the staff of both hotels, preparing for the re-launch was a Herculean task, and one wrought with grit as it required them to banish memories of the terrible carnage and overcome the obvious paranoia to re-enter the Hotels.

And no one represents their grit and determination like Taj General Manager Karambir Kang. He lost his family in the siege, but that did not deter him from taking part in rescue efforts. And now he is back at work.

"My family are a part of the hotel now. They are there. That was my real strength. I need to be involved and will be in restoring it better than what it was," said Kang.

"The opening of this hotel will send a message that we will come back, the city of Mumbai will come back. The opening of old wing of hotel Taj will send the message that we can be hurt, but we can't be knocked down," said Taj hotels chairman, Ratan Tata.

(IBN inputs)

Congress Divided over Sacking Unrepentant Antulay

Preferring a political death to dishonor, Union Minister for Minority Affairs AR Antulay is nonchalant as the Congress continues to mull the embarrassment of a probe, into the killing of Hemant Katkare - undoubtedly the country’s most respected anti-terror official, sought by the former Maharashtra chief minister.

On Wednesday, Antulay had cast aspersions over the killing of Karkare during the Mumbai terror attack, calling for a probe into the possible link between the top anti-terror official’s killing and the Malegaon blasts being investigated by him.
With the right wing seeking his scalp and the Congress in no mood to equip the BJP with a ‘minority appeasement’ stick to whack it with –Antulay submitted his resignation to the PMO on Friday – after he was given the choice to retract his statement or quit.

As first reported in an editorial on this website - substantiated by editorials in the national media a day later - Antulay’s remarks have found ‘many takers’ in the minority community, and his growing following has forced the Congress to rethink its decision to sack him as it may result in an electoral backlash for the party in 2009 General Elections.

The Congress set to be divided over the acceptance of Antulay’s resignation, in face of his growing popularity amongst the minority voters.

The Congress core group met in New Delhi on Saturday and purportedly, discussed the issue even as former Madhya Pradesh chief minister and AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh came to his rescue saying he found nothing objectionable in Antulay’s remark.

Singh’s comment, however, failed to impress party bosses and he is reported to have been issued a party gag order on the issue.

In its official statement on Friday the Congress had said that it did not endorse the views expressed by Antulay.

On Saturday a nonchalant Antulay continued to discharge parliamentary work and attended a conference on the recommendations of Joint Parliamentary Committee on Wakfs.

Speaking to CNN-IBN Antulay said: “I am proud of what I have said and done. I have no regrets whatsoever.”

Responding to Opposition claims of playing into the hands of Pakistan with his remarks, Antulay iterated that he had never said that Karkare was not killed by a Pakistani terrorist.

“All I am saying is that why should a brave and outstanding officer like Karkare have gone to Cama Hospital instead of going to the Taj or Trident. How is asking a question like this playing into Pakistani hands? Why should Pakistan come into this debate at all?”Rejects criticism

Negating charges of embarrassing the Congress leadership, Antulay simply questioned: “I have said what I believe, how is that embarrassing anyone?”

A Congress old timer Antulay has no background of indulging in minority politics, in fact many in the country did not even know him as a Muslim – due to his last name – till he made the now infamous remarks outside the Paliament on Wednesday, which have resulted in a huge minority tide turning in his favour.

With the Congress in no position to sack the minister at this juncture and the BJP seething with rage over his remarks, the controversy surrounding Antulay is not likely to subside over the next few days.

Fibbies Grill Kasab over Terror Attack, Handlers

Attempting to ascertain his role in the 26/11 terror strikes and the identities of his handlers, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) sleuths grilled for over nine hours Mohammad Ajmal Amir ‘Kasab,’ the lone surviving Lashkar-e-Tayeba militant involved in the terror attack that killed over 170 people.

The Federal agents have been camping in Mumbai for over three weeks.

They asked the arrested Lashkar terrorist minute details of his native place. Ajmal hails from the Ukkad area of Faridkot district in Pakistan. He was also asked to describe the area where his training took place, besides the people who had trained him in arms as well as those who indoctrinated him, the sources said.

The sleuths then prepared some sketches of Ajmal’s mentors and trainers, the sources said.

(PTI Inputs)

Kalka-Shimla Heritage Train Derails, One Dead

Two bogies of a holiday special Kalka Shimla train carrying some 30 passengers derailed and got stuck between a hill gully, killing one person on the spot and injuring three others on the UNESCO World Heritage Track between the two Himalayan cities at about 0830 hours on Sunday.

“The accident occurred at Sanawara, near Dharampur,” Jagdish Kanwar, station house officer Dharampur police station told reporters.

A Mohali resident, Surinder Singh, died on the spot after he was trapped between the bogey and the hillside on which the train rested after running off the track.

Preliminary investigations have pointed towards over-speeding as a possible reason behind the accident.

Railway authorities inquiring into the accident say a mechanical failure on century old track could not be ruled out at this stage.

Providing the passengers with the proverbial hair’s breadth for survival, the train go stuck in a hill gully which prevented it from rolling into the valley.

The Shimla-Kalka track laid out to military specifications began operations in November 1903 and was declared by UNESCO a world heritage track earlier this year.

Minor Fire at Amritsar Airport

Timely action by the security personnel manning the Amritsar Rajasansi Airport prevented a major tragedy on Sunday, after a stray welding spark, in the under construction arrival terminal, started a minor fire. The flames were soon brought under control, say police officials.

Sabotage was ruled out by police officials, who said the fire erupted after welding sparks fell onto the floor and caused the fire.

Security personnel posted at the Airport were prompt in their response and the fire was doused immediately.

No causality or any loss to building of the airport was reported, but fire tenders were pressed into service as a precautionary measure.

Airport sources said the fire could have caused extensive damage, but for the timely action of the of security personnel and add that the fire was the result of gross negligence on part of those working in the construction area.
The terminal was evacuated as a preventative measure as the smoke made it virtually impossible for people to breathe inside the terminal.

Afghan Blast Kills British Marine

Taking the total number of British casualties in the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan to 135, a royal marine was killed on Sunday in an explosion in Helmand, the ministry of defence in London said. The marine is the seventh member of British forces in Afghanistan to be killed in the past eight days.

The ministry said the marine was killed by an explosion on Sunday morning in an area to the north west of Lashkar Gah, in Helmand province.

Britain has around 8,000 troops in Afghanistan, largely based in Helmand, where they are battling Taliban insurgents.

360 Congmen in TN Dock

Tamil Nadu state Congress chief KV Thangkabalu and 360 Congress workers were taken into custody at Theni, when they staged a road block to protest pelting of stones at the TNCC office in Chennai, allegedly by supporters of a pro-LTTE party. Those arrested included, Periyamkulam MP, Aroon.

The Congress, a key ally of the ruling DMK, is extends outside support to the Karunanidhi Government.

Thangkabalu, who went to Theni to address a meeting, cancelled it after hearing about the "attack" on Satyamurthy Bhavan, the TNCC office and staged a protest by blocking the road along with Congress workers.

Police said in Chennai that some "supporters" of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), a pro-LTTE party and an ally of ruling DMK, pelted stones at the party office.

Thangkabalu and Congress leaders have been demanding stern action against film director Seeman and other LTTE sympathisers for making speeches in support of the banned Tamil group and its leader V Prabhakaran.

Seeman and Kolathur Mani, leader of Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (PDK), were arrested yesterday and lodged in Coimbatore Central jail.

In Chennai, 50 PDK workers were taken into custody when they tried to burn the effigy of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to protest their leader's arrest.

Later talking to newsmen, Thangkabalu charged that the police did not take any action against those who tried to burn the effigy of Gandhi, but arrested Congress workers.

"Chennai Police arrested one or two VCK men for the sake of arrest," he said and sarcastically "Thanked" the government for following "Kootani Dharma" (Alliance Dharma) by arresting him.

Fight Will Go On: Tigers

Amid reports of fierce fighting surrounding their de-facto capital Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger rebels claim to have killed 75 government soldiers in recent clashes and said they will continue to fight even if they fail to defend their political headquarters town of Kilinochchi.

The head of the rebels' political wing told the BBC he rejected the government's offer of talks if the Tigers disarmed first.

The Tigers say they killed 75 soldiers in the latest clashes. The army has put its losses at 12 dead and 12 missing.

The rival claims cannot be independently verified because journalists are barred from the conflict area.

The battle for Kilinochchi in northern Sri Lanka is getting increasingly bloody. Both sides claim to be inflicting heavy casualties.

Kilinochchi is a hugely symbolic target of the government's offensive to crush the rebels.

In the town, the Tigers have assembled the trappings of the independent state they want for the ethnic Tamil minority, including political offices, courts and a police force.

Government ministers have been predicting the town's imminent capture for months, but the rebels are holding out.

A military spokesman said the people of Sri Lanka wanted the LTTE to be eliminated.

"The military also wanted the same thing and they are doing their level best to capture the rest of the areas" under Tamil Tiger control, said Brigadier Uday Ananaykara.

Sri Lanka's government says it is on track to win the war but heavy battles are likely to still lie ahead and there is concern about the fate of the large number of civilians in the Tiger-controlled north.

The rebels deny using them as human shields and reject allegations they are forcing people into their ranks to fight.

(Excerpted from the BBC)