Top Headlines

SIMI, Bajrang Dal are dangerous, says NSA

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 22:56:35 GMT

New Delhi: Terming SIMI and Bajrang Dal as dangerous, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan has said they are not two sides of the same coin. The NSA said there was a need to effectively deal with organisations like SIMI and Bajrang Dal "because then there are many copycat organisations ..

INLD rejoins NDA; to contest LS polls together

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:14:51 GMT

New Delhi: The Indian National Lok Dal today rejoined the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance and announced that it will contest the coming Lok Sabha elections in Haryana in alliance with the party. INLD, the principal Opposition party in Haryana, had snapped ties with NDA in February 2004. Announcing the tie-up, BJP president Rajnath Singh, senior BJP leader L K Advani and INLD supremo Om Prakash Chautala said the main objective of the alliance was to push the Congress-led UPA out of power.

Kashmir trade pact will have a far-reaching impact: Pak

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 23:15:44 GMT

Islamabad: The Kashmir trade pact finalised by Pakistan and India is a "big achievement" that will have a "far-reaching" effect on improving bilateral ties, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said today. "One should not underestimate this development as it will have a far-reaching impact as far as economic integration to facilitate the Kashmiri people is concerned," Qureshi told reporters in the eastern city of Multan. The composite dialogue between Pakistan and India had entered its fifth round and the intra-Kashmir trade pact was a big achievement on the path to improving ties with India, he said.

Sister Alphonsa is now India's first woman saint

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:32:47 GMT

Vatican City: Sister Alphonsa, who belonged to Kottayam in Kerala, has become the first woman from India and second from Indian Roman Catholic church to get canonised, elevating her to sainthood. The canonisation proceedings were conducted at the St Peters Square at the Vatican before the Pope. The only other woman from India on the path to sainthood is Mother Teresa who was beatified five years ago.

NHRC: Godhra probe commissions' findings partial

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 15:20:20 GMT

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission today termed the diametrically opposite findings of two inquiry commissions on Godhra train carnage as "partial reports" and claimed such government-constituted probe panels had no "independence". Referring to the reports of Nanavati and Banerjee Commissions, NHRC chairperson Justice S Rajendra Babu said it was not appropriate for any inquiry commission to submit a partial report considering its wide ramifications. "One thing is normally not done is partial report.

RBI may delay liberalisation policy for foreign banks

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:24:30 GMT

New Delhi: The global financial crisis may force the Reserve Bank to delay the road-map for further liberalising the banking sector by six to eight months from the scheduled date of April, 2009, a Finance Ministry official said. "Opening of the banking sector to foreign players could be delayed by 6-8 months due to present uncertain global times," the official on the condition of anonymity said. The RBI is slated to review its policy on the foreign banks in April, 2009, which now could be delayed.

National Integration Council meets on Monday

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 20:33:17 GMT

New Delhi: The National Integration Council (NIC) Meet scheduled for Monday in the national capital is all set to be a hot a fiery political affair in the backdrop of the recent incidents of terror strikes and communal violence in different part of the country. The political parties at the moment clearly look to have been divided into two blocks, one accusing the government of being soft on terror whereas the other is clamouring for a ban on Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh.

The meeting that has on its agenda the issues of communal violence in Orissa and Karnataka, and terrorism and internal security, will be chaired by Prime Minister, who is ex-officio chairman of the Council.

ULFA wants ouster of Bangladeshis from Assam

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 16:56:09 GMT

New Delhi: Insurgent group ULFA has sought expulsion of Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam, a demand which is significant as most of the top leaders of the outfit are believed to be sheltered in the neighbouring country. ULFA Chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, who made it clear that his outfit will not tolerate any kind of "intrusion" in Assam, also sought ouster of Nepali migrants from the state.

"ULFA opposes any kind of intrusion in Assam.

Modi targets Cong for disputing Nanavati panel's report

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 05:24:00 GMT

New Delhi: Days after being given a clean chit by the Nanavati Commission, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked the Congress, saying that the party had accepted the report of the same panel on Delhi's anti-Sikh riots earlier but is disputing its report now on the Gujarat riots. Speaking to private news channel in an interview, Modi alleged that the formation of Banerjee Commission was planned by railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav with political motive.

He said that questions had been raised on Banerjee Commission's expenditures during its one and a half year tenure, whereas Nanavati Commission submitted its initial report in six years at much lesser expenditure.

Reining in inflation, a challenge: Chidambaram

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 11:40:33 GMT

Washington: India's Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Saturday said that the present challenge for his country is to arrest inflation without hampering economic growth and to maintain financial stability. "Our current challenges are to rein in inflation without hurting the growth momentum, preserve financial stability and move more vigorously on fiscal consolidation," said a statement by Chidambaram to International Monetary and Financial Committee( IMFC) in Washington.

Chidambaram is not attending this year's Annual Meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group to make himself available for tackling any situation arising out of the spreading global financial crisis and its ripple effect on India.

Narayanan criticises doubt raiser's on Jamia encounter

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 00:18:26 GMT

New Delhi: Amid doubts being raised about Jamia Nagar encounter being fake, National Security Advisor M K Narayanan on Saturday said it was a "travesty" to say that the police officer killed in it was shot by "his own kind". "I don't want to use the word..

India asks IMF to take lead role in tackling crisis

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 06:37:05 GMT

Washington: India today asked the International Monetary Fund to be prepared to meet the borrowing needs of countries engulfed by the global financial crisis, warning that failure to address liquidity concerns may further risk the financial system's stability. "The financial institution (IMF) should have the mending instruments and the financing capacity to address potential borrowing needs," according to Finance Minister P Chidambaram, whose speech was read out in absentia by Reserve Bank of India Governor D Subbarao at the International Monetary and Finance Committee's meeting in Washington.

Subbarao was representing Chidambaram, who cancelled his visit to assuage fears at home about the global financial storm hitting the Indian shores.

Vijay Mandal molested Aarushi before murder

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:12:14 GMT

New Delhi: Aarushi Talwar, the deceased teenager in the infamous Noida double murder case, was allegedly molested by Vijay Mandal before being murdered, highly placed sources in FSL told Headlines India exclusively. Vijay Mandal is one of the three prime suspects of the twin murders that shocked the entire country a few months back.

"Vijay Mandal is the prime eyewitness of Aarushi's murder as he was there when the crime was committed by Krishna and Rajkumar Sharma.

Big B complains abdominal pain, rushed to hospital

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 17:12:51 GMT

New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan is reported to have developed abdominal pain and has been rushed to Nanavati hospital in Mumbai for check up. This has come as a big shock to his fan all over the country as they were celebrating Bachchan's birthday today. Amitabh is reported to be suffering from stomach cramp and pain for a long time and since last night he was feeling unwell.

Ganguly denies giving any interview critical of selectors

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 14:54:32 GMT

Bangalore: Sourav Ganguly chose to play down the controversy raked by an interview in a Bengali daily in which he had lashed out at the Dilip Vengsarkar-chaired selection committee and questioned the selection of other players, who had been struggling for runs over the last two seasons. Subsequently, Vengsarkar had reacted to the statement saying that he would answer Ganguly's tirade after the four-match Test series against Australia.

In a statement issued today morning, the former Indian skipper said, "The reports of an interview from a Bengali daily published in various newspapers are false.

India bound only by 123: Pranab Mukherjee

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 19:36:07 GMT

Washington: India has declared that it is bound by only the bilateral 123 Agreement sealing its civil nuclear deal with the US and expressed confidence that Washington too will implement it "in good faith" under international law. "The Agreement reflects a careful balance of rights and obligations for both parties, India's External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said at a press conference in the Capital on Friday after signing the agreement with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

"We intend to implement this Agreement in good faith and in accordance with the principles of international law and I am confident that the US will also do the same," he said, asserting "its provisions are now legally binding on both sides once the Agreement enters into force".