Subramanian Swamy files petition in SC against Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy today moved the Supreme Court challenging the trial court order which had held that home minister P Chidmbaram did not indulge in any criminal conspiracy in the 2G case and refused to make him an accused in it.

Swamy has alleged that Chidambaram was equally culpable like former telecom minister A Raja as he also had a role in deciding the spectrum pricing and allowing telecom companies to off-load shares to foreign firms.

He had said that the evidence brought before the trial court was sufficient to show that Chidambaram, as the then finance minister, had prima facie committed offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act and other criminal laws.

Swamy's plea was, however, rejected on February 4, by the Special CBI Court, trying the 2G case, which had said Chidambaram did not indulge in any criminal conspiracy or derived any pecuniary advantage in the decisions taken with Raja.

The trail court had said that Chidambaram, the finance minister at the time of controversial allocation of 2G spectrum in 2008, was only party to two decisions--keeping spectrum prices at 2001 level and dilution of equity by two companies--which was "not per se criminal".

The Supreme Court had on February 2 left on the special court to decide the plea to try Chidambaram in the case.

The trial court had rejected the private criminal complaint filed by Swamy, saying it was without merits.

It said Swamy could not bring evidence on record to show that Chidambaram was acting with "corrupt" and "illegal" motive and the case against him was distinguishable from other accused who are facing trial in the 2G case.

SC: Link Between Home Ministry, Delhi Police in Ramlila Crackdown

New Delhi : In its verdict on Ramlila crackdown, the Supreme Court has categorically stated that there exists a link between UnionHome Ministry and delhi  Police on the nightof 4 June, 2011. The Supreme Court has held the Delhi Police guilty of using excess force on Ramdev’s followers. The SC referred to the police action on Baba Ramdev as ‘arbitrary’, and has directed criminal prosecution against police personnel of Delhi, who were involved in the crackdown. “Delhi Police should have thought before it acted”, said Supreme Court.

On the case of Rajbala, who lost her life after being caught in the stampede that followed the crackdown, the SC ordered Delhi Police to pay 75% of the compensation. They are also to pay the same to those who have been injured in the stampede. Bharat Swabhiman trust has been asked to pay 25%.

However, Bharat Swabhiman Trust belonging to Baba Ramdev has also been charged along with the Delhi Police, on grounds of negligence.The judgment says that Ramdev and his group of protesters should have vacated the premises of Ramlila Maidan after being directed to do so. Ramdev should also have taken care to control his supporters. Criminal prosecution has also been directed against the followers of Ramdev who behaved in an unruly manner on the night of crackdown.

The Big Secret : What’s really there in Sonia’s tax returns?

What does Sonia Gandhi have in her income tax returns that she doesn’t reveal?


That question arises after she airily brushed off an application from a Right to Information activist who sought details of her income-tax returns for 10 years from 2000-01 to 2010-11.

The Times of India reports that V Gopalakrishnan, a Chennai-based RTI activist, filed an RTI application with the Income Tax Department seeking details of Sonia Gandhi’s tax returns from 2000-01 to 2010-11.

The Assistant Commissioner of Income Tax, New Delhi, who is also the chief public information officer (CPIO) wrote to Sonia Gandhi in January to seek her response to the request for release of information pertaining to her tax records.

But Sonia Gandhi declined permission for the release of the information, saying that disclosure of such private information to a third party, even if ostensibly made under the guise of transparency in public life, amounted to unwarranted invasion in the privacy of the individual.

The information that an assessee submits to the Income Tax department was confidential and private in nature and could not be disclosed as per Section 138 of the Income Tax Act, 1961, she is reported to have said.

The report notes that Sonia Gandhi also cited “security risk” as a consideration behind her reluctance to disclose the information – and added that there was “no public interest” involved in disclosing such information.

The Times of India adds that this was the second time that the CPIO had rejected such a petition from Gopalakrishnan for information on Sonia Gandhi’s income tax returns. On an earlier occasion, a similar application had been rejected even without seeking Sonia Gandhi’s response. After Gopalakrishnan went in appeal, the appellate authority said that by not seeking out a response from Sonia Gandhi, the CPIO had ignored the possibility that she might be willing to disclose her personal income-tax information.

So, let’s get this straight. Even the Prime Minister discloses his assets every year, but Sonia Gandhi, the real power behind the throne, will not?

And, Mrs Gandhi, you’re so wrong that there isn’t any public interest in knowing details of how well you’re doing. There palpably is.

Of course, in normal circumstances, such details come under the realm of confidential information. But in a democracy such as ours, in the interests  of transparency of government, there ought not to be high walls surrounding the personal assets of our elected leaders. Even if they are only puppeters who pull the strings.

So, Mrs Gandhi, will you please go public with the details now? And also let us know what “security risks” are involved in making such information public.

Bangalore : Church Priest Sentenced to 7 Years Jail for Rape

Bangalore(Karnataka) : A fast-track court in Bangalore has sentenced a church priest from Metagalli, Mysore to 7 years imprisonment for kidnapping and raping a 15-year old girl. The incident happened in 2009.
 
The priest, Padre Shyam abducted the girl from Metagalli on 21^st April, 2009. he brought her to the Central Silk Board quarters at Vanivilas Road near Basavanagudi, Bangalore. The heinous crime was committed there. Later he took her to Perumpudur near Chennai and from there. went to Solurpet, Andhra Pradesh. The crime was repeated there.
 
Basavanagudi police registered a case against him following a complaint filed by the victims mother. Padre Shyam was arrested on 16 May, 2009.
 
Special public prosecutor MR Bannihatti, who has been in charge of the case said that a fine of Rs 4,000 or imprisonment by default has been slapped on the accused by the 46^th FTC judge GK Gokhale, who delivered the verdict. The court ordered the priest to pay Rs 5,000 to the victim’s mother, besides the bearing of court expenses

Source: indiawires.com

Togadia condemns Khurshid: Says 'I am with Jehadis and NOT with India' gang is breaking India again

Gwalior, February 13: Criticising Salman Khursheed's remarks about Batla House encounter, Dr Pravin Togadia, International Working President of VHP said, "Salman Khursheed claims that the encounter was fake, the govt was going to take action against it but kept quiet due to election and Sonia Gandhi's eyes were full of tears seeing the photographs of the encounter.
In an election public meeting in Azamgad- Uttar Pradesh, the Union Minister of Law Salman Khursheed has crossed all limits in his constant endeavour to offend the majority of India.
Togadia has commented that, to win Azamgad seat and dreaming of winning Uttar Pradesh election to save Rahul Gandhi's image, people like Salman Khursheed are going to the extent of offending India, our brave Army and Police. The VHP president said that the PM cries seeing pregnant wife of Dr Haneef who was caught by Australia, PM also cries and begs to Kuwait when a Muslim man is punished with removal of his eyes per their own law, now Khursheed claims that Sonia Gandhi cried seeing dead Jehadis in Batla House encounter!
“Tears of the Govt representatives flow freely only for Muslims and never for Sanaatani Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Tribals, OBCs, SCs and others! Neither PM, nor Soniaji nor Salman Khursheed or anyone ever cried for the thousands of army men and  police killed at the hands of Jehadis in Kashmir, Assam, Mumbai, Delhi or at the hands of Naxals!” alleged Togadia.
VHP has appealed Citizen of India saying that the time has now came for all patriotic and  truly nationalist citizens of India to democratically stand up against such anti-national remarks and  actions - be it elections or by democratic agitations.
The same Salman Khursheed - India's sitting Law minister promised in his wife's election campaign 9% snatching from OBC quota for Muslims and now like a serial offender he again insults India and the late police officer who was rewarded for his bravery in Batla house for the same encounter, says Togadia. He added that if Salman Khursheed, as a Law Minister is against his own Govt's decision that the Batla House encounter was a brave deed by the police, then he has no right to be in the govt neither as a Law Minister nor even as an M.P. of India.
VHP’s International Working President says that those who have any sympathy towards Jehadis have no place in the democracy. Thousands of innocent Indians were brutally killed and maimed by Jehadi attacks from Delhi to Mumbai and Bengaluru to many places. But neither Salman Khursheed nor his superiors shown any sympathy for the victims, instead, they are siding with the Jehadis!
Togadia harped on the Congress Party and elements like Khursheed saying that, after a conspiracy to snatch all castes' Hindus' Roti, Education, Employment, Bank Loans to be given to Muslims, now the govt is systematically moving towards persecuting majority of India to appease Muslims.
VHP has condemned all these efforts and appeals all to protest against this behavior, saying that democratically Muslim League did the same at the independence time and India was forced into partition and now this entire 'I am with Jehadis; NOT with India' gang is breaking India again.

To fortify ties with China, Pak to lease Gilgit-Baltistan to Beijing

Washington (USA) : Seeking to fortify its strategic ties with China amid strains in relations with US, Pakistan is considering a proposal to lease the disputed Gilgit-Baltistan region to Beijing for 50 years, an eminent US-based think tank has claimed, citing local media.

The Pakistani move is aimed at cementing its all-weather relations with China amid the irreparable rupture in US-Pak ties over the past year, said Middle East Media Research Institute in a report released yesterday, which was based on news reports in this regard in local Urdu newspapers. The decision to launch the Pakistan-China Strategic Programme for Gilgit-Baltistan was probably taken during army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s visit to China in January 2012, it said.

A report, titled “Pakistan’s Deteriorating Situation, Strained Relations with America : Deliberation on Leasing Gilgit Baltistan to China for 50 years”, which was published in the Urdu daily ‘Roznama Bang-e-Sahar’, had said: “In the backdrop of the deteriorating situation in Pakistan and strained relations with America, deliberations have begun (on a proposal) to hand over Gilgit-Baltistan to China on a 50-year lease”.

“A Chinese think tank has also given the green light for this move,” said the Urdu daily, which was distributed in Gilgit Baltistan on December 13, 2011, less than three weeks after the November 26, 2011 NATO raid on a Pakistani border post that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, according to the US think tank, which is headed by a former FBI official.

The Urdu daily said the think tanks of China and Pakistan have begun discussions to hand over Gilgit-Baltistan region to the control of China on lease. “In the first stage of this plan, China will formulate a strategy for development projects and in the name of working on them will gradually take over the control of this region. In the next stage, China will take over Gilgit-Baltistan under its total control for 50 years and deploy its troops there,” it said.

The Roznama Bang-e-Sahar report acquires importance in view of the five-day visit of China by Pakistan army chief General Ashfaq Kayani on January 4-8, 2012, the US think tank said. During a meeting with Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao in Beijing, General Kayani had said that development of ChinaPakistan strategic partnership is the “cornerstone of the two countries’ policies.”

In his remarks, the Chinese Premier had said that “the Chinese government and the PLA (People’s Liberation Army) would continue to strengthen defence cooperation between the two countries and more frequent military-to-military exchanges.”

Based on news reports published in the local Urdu press, the Washington-based think tank said that Pakistani and Chinese militaries are moving in the direction of a joint military management of Gilgit Baltistan. The two militaries will cooperate under a specific plan designated by Pakistan as the Pak-China Strategic Programme for Gilgit Baltistan, it said.

As part of this plan, officials from Pakistan’s Northern Light Infantry (NLI) and People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China would “undergo joint trainings and exchange of expertise.” According to a Pakistani newspaper, the Pak-China Strategic Programme for Gilgit-Baltistan will come into force in June 2012, the think tank said.

Hindu Kashmiri writer refuses to accept State award from Omar

Dr Agnishekhar

An appalled said, “We are in exile and how can I accept an award from a government, which has not shown any seriousness in healing our wounds and which is responsible for exodus of my community.” He made this revelation while addressing a press conference in Jammu. “My conscience would not allow me to receive award from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah,” he said. “I reject the best book award carrying a cash reward of Rs 51,000, a memento and a shawl,” he added.

Dr Agnishekhar said, though this award is being given by the State Academy, and the Chief Minister of the state happens to be its President, therefore, it will be unethical for me to receive this literary award from the hands of Omar Abdullah.

He said, “I hold all the successive state governments responsible for continued policy of neglect and apathy towards the victims of Jehadi terrorism in the Valley. It is my responsibility as a writer to register my protest against this worst ever forced exodus and holocaust.” Reacting to one of the questions on why he is refusing to accept the award from the hands of Chief Minister, Dr Agnishekhar said, “I refuse to accept this award because the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is  seen inclined towards fundamentalists, who have rejected secularism and cultural co-existence in the Valley. So far as the issue of displaced Kashmiri Pandits is concerned Omar Abdullah, right from beginning, adopted a rigid stand towards them.

Magnificent Hindu temple opens in Melbourne area

Melbourne (Australia) : Shree Swaminarayan Temple has been inaugurated in Boronia suburb of Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) after elaborate festivities lasting seven days.Its Murti Pratishtha Mahotsav included Pothiyatra, Janmotsav, Shobhayatra, Vishnuyag, Maha Abhishek, Ankututsav, Prabhat Feri, Dhun, Rang Utsav, Raas Utsav, Mahapooja, etc. There was even a suggested dress code for men and women participating in the celebrations: mostly Kurta for men and Saree (different color everyday) for women.

Meanwhile, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, applauded efforts of temple-project leaders and Melbourne and surrounding area community to realize this wonderful Hindu temple.

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that it was important to pass on Hindu spirituality, concepts and traditions to coming generations amidst so many distractions in the consumerist society and hoped that this new temple complex would focus in this direction. Zed stressed that instead of running after materialism; we should focus on inner search and realization of Self and work towards achieving moksh (liberation), which was the goal of Hinduism.

History of this Temple goes back to February 13, 2005, when three area Satsangi families held Satsang at one of their homes. Besides daily morning and evening Arti and Thaal Seva, this Temple also conducts weekly Gujarati language and Sadhna classes. It also has its own Yuvak Mandal, Yuvika Mandal, Bal Mandal, lazium and band groups. It will be celebrating Vijya Ekadashi on February 18. People associated with this Temple include Manoj Varsani, Deepak Raghvani, Prakash Hirani, etc.

Boronia in the City of Knox is a suburb of Melbourne (about 29 kilometers from its center) originally occupied by the Wurundjeri indigenous Australians. Its Templer Community Church Hall, first in Australia, is on the Register of Heritage Victoria. Notable people associated with it include filmmaker Timothy Spanos, television personality Ian Turpie, comedian Shane Bourne and guitarist Davey Lane. Residents of leafy green City of Knox, settled in 1840s, come from 130 different countries and speak 54 languages. Adam Gill is the Mayor.

Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents.

Rise of Islamism in Maldives a cause of worry for India

New Delhi : On May 27, 2009, a suicide attack on the ISI headquarters in Lahore had a relatively unknown bomber, Ali Jaleel, a Maldivian terrorist, who had joined al-Qaida some time earlier.
 
It sent a chill through the Indian establishment, and India's fears of rising Islamism in the Maldives increased in 2010, when it was revealed that nine Maldivian terrorists had been arrested in Pakistan's South Waziristan agency, where they were training with Al-Qaida and Taliban elements. Mohamed Nasheed, the deposed Maldives president, too, had gone on record in a TV interview to caution India that radicalized Maldivian youths were being indoctrinated and trained by Pakistan-based terror groups.
 
In fact, some of the demonstrations before Mohamed Nasheed was overthrown were against the monuments donated by Saarc countries during the November summit, dubbing them "Un-Islamic". In the chaos of the past week, radicals plundered through Maldives national museum, destroying rare ancient Buddhist statues.
 
The threat of Islamist extremism in India's periphery has been growing, particularly in the past few years and more discernibly since 2008. For India, trying to restore peace and stability in Maldives, the events of the past week cannot be seen in the perspective of a mere internal political crisis.
 
The new Maldivian President, Mohamed Waheed, on Sunday inducted seven new faces into his cabinet, including the first woman attorney-general Azima Shakoor. Most of the new faces belong to different parties, but all of them have a history of having been close to former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. Gayoom, who many said was orchestrating the political crisis, is also expected to return to Maldives soon. Waheed has also appointed a couple of Islamist-leaning members, notably home minister Jaleel Ahmed.
 
For the time being, India is urging a peaceful transition and restoration of stability before elections. This seems to be echoed by both the Waheed government as well as the US. But Nasheed has been pushing for snap elections and promises to keep the streets alive with his demonstrations.
 
While India is fighting shy of appearing to intervene openly in Maldives, there is a debate on whether to let the Maldivians take the next steps themselves, or be "helped" by India. Proponents of a more hands-on Indian policy in Maldives argue that the current "vacuum" could only help the Islamists consolidate their position.
 
The growth of Islamic radicalism in Maldives can be traced to the beginning of the last decade. Like in Bangladesh, Pakistani jihadi groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba have been making inroads to indoctrinate young men in a conservative Sunni society, that has been bogged down with slow growth, political authoritarianism (until 2008, certainly) and mushrooming madrassas with Arab funds.
 
None of this is good news for India. Intelligence circles believe this is part of Pakistan's strategic outreach, to penetrate Islamic jihadism in India's periphery, which could be a constraining factor on India's own development.
 
In an analysis, the US-based Jamestown Foundation wrote, "The infiltration of Pakistani militants in the Maldives goes back to the post-tsunami period. The Pakistan-based Idara Khidmat-e-Khalq (IKK), a charitable front of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), reached the Maldives in the wake of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami under the guise of providing humanitarian services... According to intelligence sources, the IKK spearheaded LeT's activities in the Maldives, which focused on drawing youths into its fold. The IKK reported spending $282,000 in the Maldives, although the Maldivian government says the organization was never registered as a charitable group providing post-tsunami relief."
 
Most of the Islamic ideology in Maldives is Ahle-Hadith, which is also the school followed by LeT. But Salafist ideologies are now also evident. Nasheed tried to make a deal with them and even had the Adhaalat Party, the Islamist party, as part of his coalition. In his interview with TOI, the new president Mohamed Waheed said, "Our view is the best way of dealing with Islamist ideology is to engage with them and work with them. That, we believe is the right and democratic way to go about it."
 
Maldives is particularly crucial because its geographical position situates it right in the middle of major sea routes in the Indian Ocean. But equally, a radicalized section of the tiny population of Maldives could make it so much easier for the ISI-Lashkar combine to use them as a staging ground for terror attacks against India.

Hindu Temples, shops attacked in Bangladesh by Jamaat-e-Islami

Chittagong (Bangladesh) : Authorities clamped Section 144 banning public gathering at Hathazari on Friday amid mounting tensions after several Hindu temples were vandalised and torched there.

Local people claimed religious bigots of Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Chhatra Shibir incited the vandalism and arson of the temples from Thursday evening to Friday noon.

Tensions that boiled over into violence originated Thursday morning following rumours that a mosque had been attacked. Allegations have it that houses of Hindus in the area were also attacked. The leaders of the Hindu minority there blamed the 'indifference' of the administration for the situation.

Another group of people took to the Chittagong-Rangamati road blocking traffic from Nandirhat to Hathazari Sadar upazila around 11am Friday. They also said their Friday prayers on the road.

They alleged a mosque had allegedly been hurled with brick bats from a procession of Loknath Sebashram Thursday morning. The blockaders demanded arrest of those linked with 'hurling brick bats on the mosque'.

After simmering tensions through the day, primary and mass education minister Afsarul Ameen, city Awami League president A B M Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Chittagong Development Board chairman Abdus Salam and city Awami League's joint secretary Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul went to the area and calmed the agitated locals in the afternoon.

"Tensions mounted following a misunderstanding. Security in temples and mosques in the area has been strengthened and the law enforcers have been alerted," Ameen said.

Chittagong district deputy commissioner Faiz Ahmed told reporters about the ban on public assembly through the imposition of Section 144.

"Police will take action if they see any gathering," he said.

Tit For Tat : The Origin 

According to the local people, Hindus in the area took out a procession to celebrate the founding anniversary of Loknath Sebasram Thursday morning.

They used microphone and drums in the procession.

When the procession was passing a mosque, Muslims in the mosque forbade them to drums. At one stage, someone hurled a brick bat on the procession.

An altercation took place at once which turned into chase and counter-chase when someone from the procession responded by throwing a brick bat.

Police organised a meeting between the two parties which was allegedly delayed with ill-intention. A group of Muslims said that the meeting will be held in the mosque and the Hindus agreed.

The meeting started in the evening. Requesting anonymity, several of those who attended the meeting told bdnews24.com that a handful of miscreants vandalised a temple on the Loknath Sebasram premises when the meeting was underway.

They also vandalised seven to eight cars of the temple's visitors.

Puja Udjapon Committee convenor Ashok Kumar Deb told bdnews24.com that someone broke a windowpane of the mosque after the incident in the morning and a rumour that Hindus vandalised the mosque spread in the area.

On Friday morning, temples in the area were vandalised and shops owned by Hindus were torched and looted after madrasa students in the area gathered following an announcement through a PA system.

A bdnews24.com correspondent in Chittagong said he saw tell-tale signs of vandalism in three other temples in the area. They are the Sri Sri Jagadeshwari Ma Temple and Jagannath Bigroho Temple at Nandirhat and Kalibari Temple at Sadar upazila.

The Sri Sri Jagadeshwari Maa Temple was burnt, too.

Jamaat-e-shibir blammed 

Many of the people in the area said a quarter is provoking the incident and Zila Parishad administrator M A Salam pointed the finger at Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.

As the area is only three kilometres away from the Chittagong University (CU), many of the leaders and activists of Chhatra Shibir's CU unit live there.

Moreover, the largest madrasa of the country is located in the area and Shibir allegedly controls it.

Zila Parishad administrator Salam said adequate police were not deployed in the area to tackle the situation after Thursday's incident.

Salam, an Awami League leader, said Jamaat and Shibir leaders were fuelling the tension to destabilise the situation after CU was ordered shut on Wednesday following deaths of two Shibir men in clashes with activists of pro-government students.

Hathazari Thana BNP chief S M Fazlul Haque blamed the administration for the unpleasant events.

"The situation would not have been like this in the first place had the administration been on alert at the beginning," he said.

Haque added that all local supporters and activists of BNP were asked to work together to protect communal harmony in the locality.

Local MP and Jatiya Party presidium member Anisul Islam Mahmud went to the area in the morning but failed to get the situation any better.

The disturbing developments prevented the annual festival of the Loknath Temple to begin Friday morning. A large number of Rapid Action Battalion members and police have been deployed there.

Punjabi Taliban announces jihad in Kashmir

The Punjabi Taliban or Tehrik-e-Taliban Punjab, after organising its men in the lawless tribal areas of Pakistan, has announced a new phase of jihad inside Jammu and Kashmir to liberate it from 'Indian occupation'.

The Punjabi Taliban consists of individuals who were once part of agencies sponsored by jihadi organisations active in Kashmir. These militants, after parting ways with their mother jihadi organisations, have moved to the tribal areas of Pakistan and joined hands with the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in its war against the Pakistani security forces and United States-led North Atlantic Treaty Organisation troops across the border in Afghanistan.

After spending some time with TTP they are now ready to move into Kashmir. But this time they claim to fight 'independently' and not under the control of Pakistani agencies.

Former JeM leader Muawiyab now top leader of Punjabi Taliban

The Tehrik-e-Taliban Punjab is a mixture of old Kashmiri jihadi organisations like Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami of Ilyas Kashmiri, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, while some people from Lashkar-e-Jhangvi and Lashkar-e-Tayiba have also joined the Punjabi Taliban.

The Red Mosque (Lal Masjid) operation in Islamabad in 2007 -- during the military regime of Pervez Musharraf -- made a number of Inter Services Intelligence trained jihadists to turn their back on old masters and join TTP. When their numbers increased, the Punjabi Taliban came into being. 

Maulana Asmatullah Muawiya, who once served as leader of the Jaish-e-Muhammad, and was known for his activities inside Kashmir, is now the central leader of the Punjabi Taliban.

"After the Lal Masjid tragedy I came to Baitullah Mehsud Shaheed (then TTP head) controlled area in South Waziristan along with some friends. When we formed the Punjabi Taliban we were few in numbers, but today we have hundreds of fighters in all the five provinces of the country and inside Kashmir as well. Our organisation operates under TTP and we are loyal to its leaderships," said Maulana Asmatullah Muawiya while giving reasons for parting ways with the Jaish-e-Muhammad.

Talks with Taliban could reduce militancy in tribal areas of Pak

Hakimullah Mehsud with TTP leaders

The Hakimullah Mehsud-led TTP and other militant groups operating in the tribal areas of Pakistan, having strong ties with the Afghan Taliban, have shown some indications for talks with the United States. This would strongly affect militancy in Pakistani tribal areas; peace in Afghanistan would reduce militancy in the tribal areas of Pakistan.

The US plans to end its mission inside Afghanistan in 2013 and shift to a training role one year before most US troops are due to withdraw. "Hopefully by the mid-to-latter part of 2013 we'll be able to make a transition from a combat role to a train, advice and assist role. Everybody assumed that there would come a time, as we move towards the end of 2014, that we would be transitioning that role. And that's basically what we did in Iraq. And it's what we're going to try to do in Afghanistan," Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan will -- to some extent – reduce the extent of insurgency inside Pakistani tribal areas. If Mullah Omer-led Taliban forms a coalition government or establishes their sway inside Taliban dominated provinces, the Pakistani Taliban would shift from tribal areas to Afghanistan. During the Mullah Omer government, before 9/11, militants from different tribal agencies of Pakistan were posted at key positions. These militants will once again be given authority in Afghanistan.

RAW and ISI are two sides of the same coin

The Punjabi militants are mixed with the Pashtun dominated TTP, which may be the need of the hour, because Punjabis and Pathans have not been able to live side-by-side for a long time due to their antagonistic approach towards each other's cultures and traditions.

Under the present circumstances, the best battlefield would be Kashmir and the Punjabi Taliban's sour relations with the Kashmir jihadi organisation would once again turn friendly due to their common enemy, India. 

Despite their differences with the ISI and Military Intelligence, the TTP has never uttered a single word against Pakistan. However, the Punjabi Taliban has demanded that Pakistan shun military operation against homegrown Taliban and the jihadists should be supported to carry out their activities inside Kashmir and Afghanistan.

"Research and Analysis Wing and ISI are two sides of the same coin," says Maulana Asmatullah. "Our war and all forms of sacrifice are for Pakistan and the glory of Islam that would continue forever," he adds.

Apart from it almost all the militant factions agree that fighting inside Kashmir (Hindustan) is the holiest jihad. Commander Azam Tariq of TTP had earlier claimed that his group has organised 3,000 fighters for battle in Kashmir and the Taliban would fight a "decisive battle" in India before proceeding towards the Middle East, presumably to evict Israel from the region.

In the last four to five years, after Punjabi militants had shifted to tribal areas, they never talked about jihad in Kashmir and it had almost become an old topic. They operated under TTP command and obeyed -- whether they were asked to fight across the border in Afghanistan or inside Pakistan. But recently when Pakistan observed Kashmir solidarity day on February 5, the Punjabi Taliban once again vowed to fight jihad in Kashmir.

Trade with India is a sin

The spokesperson for the Punjabi Taliban Dr Khalid told rediff.com, "The only way for the freedom of Kashmir is jihad. Just resolution, rallies, forming human chains cannot ensure freedom of Kashmiris. On one hand Pakistan observes Kashmir Solidarity Day while on the other hand Bharat is bestowed with the status of most favoured nation, which is betrayal of the movement of freedom."

The Punjabi Taliban is against any trade with the India and it terms such activities as injustice with the blood of Kashmiri martyrs. They think the last eleven years has been bad, as Pakistan deviated from its stance over jihad and started talks with India. "Trade with India is a sin; what about the blood of those who sacrificed their lives for the freedom. The last eleven years did something very bad for jihadi Kashmir when Islamabad initiated talks with New Delhi and stopped supporting Kashmiri mujahideen."

He further said, "Pakistan could not free Kashmir while the armies carried out operations inside tribal areas and the Swat valley that resulted in the killing of its own innocent people. The use of power against the tribal people should be stopped and the guns should be directed towards India."

Announcing jihad, Dr Khalid said, "Tehrik Taliban Punjab announces jihad in Kashmir; we will stand side by side with Kashmiris in their struggle until the valley is freed from the clutches of Hindus. We will revenge the brutalities of Indian forces inside Kashmir."

When he was asked about the difference between previous version of jihad under state agencies and the current form of jihad he said, "Earlier we were sent to Kashmir by government agencies, but now we will fight on own against the Indian forces in Kashmir. It is the beginning of Punjabi Taliban jihad inside Kashmir."

Will ensure rights of Muslims even if EC hangs me : Khurshid

Sticking to his stand on minorities, Congress leader Salman Khurshid has said he would ensure the rights of Pasmanda Muslim community even if the Election Commission “hangs” him.

Addressing an election rally in Khatakpur locality on Friday night, the Law Minister said that EC had censured him, but even if the “Commission hangs him or does anything else”, he would ensure that people of Pasmanda community get their rights.

“Can’t I even say that Pasmanda Muslims would get their due?” he said, adding that Congress was set to hoist the tricolour in the state Assembly after 22 years.

The Commission had censured Mr. Khurshid for his remarks on sub-quota for minorities, finding them to be a violation of the model code of conduct for elections.

Mr. Khurshid, while campaigning for his wife Louise, a Congress candidate from Farrukhabad Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh, had promised the electorate last month that the party would increase the sub-quota for minorities to nine per cent, out of the 27 per cent Other Backward Classes (OBC) reservation.

The EC order had come on BJP’s complaint about Mr. Khurshid’s remarks, asking the Commission to take action against him for violation of model code of conduct.

Catholic Bishop Council's PIL Against Bhagavad Geetha in Schools Rejected by MP HC

The petition filed by Catholic Bishop’s Council against introduction of ‘Geeta Sar’ or Essence of Bhagavad Geetha in school curriculum, has been dismissed by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday. The petition was filed in August 2011. The petition was filed by the Council spokesman Fr Anand Muttungal.

The court upheld the fact that Bhagavad Geeta contained no religious teachings, but contained only the philosophy of life. Earlier, the court had given the petitioner’s counsel a time limit of 2 months to study the holy text in entirety and then come to any decision. According to Additional Advocate General Prashant Singh, the Division Bench comprising of Justice Ajit Singh and Justice Sanjay Yadav asked the petitioner a few questions. Not satisfied with the answers given, the court declared that the Bhagavad Geeta was Indian Philosophy and not a religious text. The petition was dismissed thereafter.

Without directly opposing the teaching of Bhagavad Geeta, the petition said that the state government of Madhya Pradesh should include teaching of an outline of all religions, without focusing on one particular religion alone. The petitioner stated that the council was to take a resolution on challenging the court order after they read the complete order.

Another matter cited in the PIL were the names used by the state government of Madhya Pradesh for their various schemes. According to the petitioner, names like Ladli Laxmi, Balram Tal, Kapil Dhara etc and practices like ‘Bhoomi Pujan’ at government functions promoted a single religion. The names, which were drawn from Hindu mythology, did not convey a secular image.

Hubli: North Karnataka Januray 27: Hindu Shakti Sangam-2012 jointly inaugurated by RSS General Secretary Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Sri Rajayogeendra Swamiji.

Hubli: North Karnataka Januray 27: The 3 day mammoth convention of RSS Swayamsevaks, Hindu Shakti Sangama-2012 was jointly inaugurated by RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi and Sri Rajayogeendra Swamiji of 3-thousand Mutt -Hubli, this morning.

Delivering his inaugural address RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi said ‘Whenever our society witnessed attacks from foreign invaders and imbroglio within the country, the Hindu society has shown its potentiality to digest such challenges. The Hindu Shakti Sangama reminds us the potentiality of Hindu Society.’

‘The sangh has grown facing all challenges, now has reached across the country from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and deserts of  Rajasthan to the hills Manipur. The society has accepted Sangh work and supported us whenever the situation demanded. The swayamsevaks are building a strong nation through the basic Sangh ideology’ said Bhaiyyaji Joshi.

Dressed in full RSS uniform, around 25,000 swayamsevaks from 13 districts of North Karnataka are participating in this mega convention.

The 3 day convention will be concluded on Sunday with the valedictory of RSS Sarasanghachalak Mohan Bhagwat.

During the ceremony D V Sadananda Gowda, Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri Rajayogeendra Swamiji of 3-thousand Mutt -Hubli, RSS Joint General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, Akhila Bharatiya Boudhik Pramukh Bhagayyaiah, Akhil Bharatiya Karyakarini members Mai Cha Jayadev, Senior RSS Pracharaks N Krishnappa, S Ramanna, Mangesh Bhende, DM Raveendra, RSS Ideologue V Nagaraj, Dr Prabhakar Bhat, Kajampady Subramanya Bhat, Tippeswamy, Aravinda Deshapande,  Dr Khagesshan Pattana Shetty and several other socio-religious leaders were present.

The convention of this kind is organised for the first time in Karnataka North Pranth. Over 2000 swayamsevaks are working dan and night for the success of the mega event.

A exhibition “Yugadrushti”, is arranged for the public which symbolises achievements of India, Culture and growth of Sangh in Karnataka, India.

The 3 day RSS convention is being held at Hubli outskirts in an articficailly built area, near Tarihar bypass off Gokul Road named ‘Vijayanagar’, remembering the glorious legacy of Vijayanagar Dynasty Kingdom of Hampi.