Dantewada Maoist attack case: CRPF to appeal against acquittal

NEW DELHI: The CRPF has decided to contest the acquittal of 10 arrested accused in the 2010 Tadmetla Maoist attack case in which 76 security personnel were killed in Chhattisgarh'sDantewada district.

Three years after the central paramilitary lost 75 of its men, the force has written to the Chhattisgarh government with a request to appeal against the January 7 verdict of a local court. A Chhattisgarh policeman was also killed in the attack.

"We have written to the state government. We certainly want the verdict to be challenged and see that the perpetrators are brought to justice," CRPF chief Pranay Sahay told PTI here.

Senior officials in Raipur said the CRPF has also approached local police, probing the case, and offered them help in gathering evidence and bringing on record witnesses for the incident that occurred in the wee hours of April 6.

Ten accused were recently acquitted by the court of additional district judge Anita Dahariya at Dantewada citing lack of evidence against these people.

The CRPF, the mainstay for anti-Naxal operations in the country with more than 80,000 personnel deployed for the task, suffered a huge setback in the deadly Maoist ambush.

The court acquitted the suspects, arrested from nearby areas of Chintalnar in Dantewada within a month of the Naxal attack, as there was no evidence against them.

The force has decided to fight the case and help police in preparing a better and water-tight case, a senior official in Raipur said.

During the case hearing, 43 witnesses of the Chhattisgarh government turned hostile and no witness was presented by the defence side.

Some CRPF jawans, who had sustained bullet injuries in the ambush, were not of much help to the prosecution as they could not re-count much about the incident.

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Lawyer accuses Pak of 'blocking' book on Sarabjit

MUMBAI: Pakistani lawyer-activist Awais Sheikh has accused the authorities of stalling the release of his book on Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh.

Sheikh wrote an email to say, "At 3pm on Friday my guests and I arrived at Lahore Press Club for the launch ceremony and were shocked to see the doors locked. The administration informed us that they were unable to allow the function owing to a security threat."

Invitees including Hamid Khan, former president of Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association and I A Rehman, director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and other guests were reportedly displeased with the authorities for "blocking" the function.

Sheikh alleged that those who "feared that the facts of Sarabjit Singh's matter would be revealed through the book were responsible for this unlawful and unfair act".

He claimed his writings would make the people of Pakistan "aware of the gross injustice done to Sarabjit".

He also claimed that an anonymous letter addressed to his wife was delivered at his residence Friday morning by an "unknown person". The writer allegedly threatened to harm his family if he went ahead with the press conference on Sarabjit. Sheikh is yet to approach the police in this matter.

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BJP national executive to meet today

NEW DELHI: BJP will chalk out a road-map for evolving its strategy to project itself as an alternative in the next general elections, at the meeting of its national executive and national council starting on Friday.

While the BJP national executive will hold a closed-door meeting on Friday, its national council, a broader body having members from across the country, will hold its two-day meeting on Saturday and Sunday.

The conclave is crucial as it will be the first such meeting after the election of Rajnath Singh as party chief.

During the next three days, the party leadership will discuss a host of issues including the internal security situation in the wake of Hyderabad blasts, scams including the VVIP chopper deal, economic slowdown and Indo-Pak ties.

The BJP national executive and council will also examine details of how to take on the UPA government by highlighting its "failures" on the economic and security front.

Sources said significant decisions like appointment of the new team of central office-bearers and elevation of Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and his Madhya Pradesh counterpart Shivraj Singh Chouhan to the central parliamentary board are likely to take place after the conclave.

These issues are likely to come up for discussion informally during the meet, sources said.

BJP vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the meeting will start with the address of party president Rajnath Singh and will discuss the economic, social and political issues of the country.

Naqvi said the national executive and nation council meetings will have four and nine sessions, respectively. "In three days of the meeting we will discuss the strategy for upcoming elections with the motto 'Sushasan sankalp BJP vikalp' (BJP is promise to good governance).

Naqvi said the economic, social, political situation and challenges before the country will be discussed in the council and executive meeting.

Issues like graft, inflation, internal and national security will also be discussed along with "antyodaya and good governance", he added.

The national council, will pass two resolutions. There will be a resolution on the political situation prevailing in the country and will deal with the "policy paralysis" within the UPA government and the "grim" internal security scenario.

It will mainly focus on terrorism in the wake of the Hyderabad blasts. The government's allegations of BJP and RSS sponsoring terrorism, and the Ram Settu issue are also likely to figure in the discussions.

All members of the national council and executive, MPs and MLAs in state assemblies, state office bearers, national co-ordinators of morchas, co-coordinators, all district presidents and general secretaries among others will participate in the council meeting.

The national executive meeting, with about 200 members, will be held in NDMC convention centre and the national council comprising of over 2,000 leaders will be held in Talkatora Indoor stadium.

The economic resolution will point out the "wrong economic policies" of the UPA government which has led to price rise, fall in GDP growth to 5 per cent, plight of farmers, lack of foreign investment in multi-brand retail sector among other issues.

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Assembly polls: Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura to get new govts today

NEW DELHI/KOHIMA/AGARTALA/ SHILLONG: Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura will get new governments today. Counting of votes began at 8am in all the three northeast states.

Tight security for Nagaland assembly poll counting

PARTY	LEADS	WINS
CONGRESS	4	0
UNDP	1	0
NPF	15	0
OTHERS	2	0

Adequate security arrangements have been made for the counting of votes to the 59 assembly seats of the 60-member House in Nagaland today.

Peaceful elections were held in the state on February 23 while re-polling was done in nine polling stations at eight assembly constituencies spread over seven districts on Wednesday.

Among those whose electoral fortunes will be decided today are chief minister Neiphiu Rio, Speaker Kiyanilie Peseyie, opposition leader Tokheho Yepthomi, state Congress president S I Jamir and former home minister Imkong L Imchen.

A total of 59 halls have been provided in the districts with three-tier security layers created in each counting hall.

Over 10,000 counting personnel including counting supervisors and counting assistants are engaged in the counting process along with micro observers and Election Commission appointed observers.

In consonance with an Election Commission directive, the international border has been sealed so that no unwanted elements can enter into the state during the counting of votes.

The entire process will be videographed, he said.

Meghalaya: Amid split verdict fears, Congress dreams victory

PARTY	LEADS	WINS
CONGRESS	12	0
UDP	6	0
NCP	1	0
OTHERS	6	0
Hill state People's Democratic party	2	2

With counting of votes underway in Meghalaya, both the ruling Congress and non-Congress parties are confident of winning the elections.

A whopping 88 percent of the 1.5 million voters exercised their franchise Feb 16 to pick a new 60-member house in the state bordering Bangladesh.

There were 345 candidates, including 25 women and 122 independents.

But some experts fear that Meghalaya may be headed for a fractured mandate.

"I have always believed that Meghalaya will never get a clear mandate since elections here are conducted based on the personality of the candidate and trivial issues," AK Baruah, a retired professor of political science who taught at the North Eastern Hill University said.

Carved out of Assam in 1972, Meghalaya has seen 23 chief ministers in a span of 41 years.

Captain Williamson Sangma, who led the government for the first time, was the only one to ever lead a single-party government in the state.

Since then, Meghalaya has seen fractured mandates, leading to volatile coalition governments.

However, outgoing chief minster Mukul Sangma, 47, hopes to return to the assembly for a fifth consecutive time from Ampati constituency.

"We are close to half-way mark and we are hoping to get more," the Congress leader said.

The Congress fielded candidates in all 60 constituencies while the United Democratic Party (UDP) contested 50 seats.

The Purno Sangma-led Nationalist People's Party (NPP) had 32 candidates, and the Nationalist Congress Party 21.

The UDP is confident of ousting the Congress.

"We will cross 15 seats and if luck favours we might even cross 20," UDP leader Bindo M Lanong said.

Lanong said UDP was in touch with "like-minded parties" for post-poll alliances.

Predicting a Congress failure, Purno Sangma's son Conrad, leader of the opposition in the assembly, claimed that Chief Minister Mukul Sangma would bite the dust.

"We are hopeful of increasing our tally," Conrad said.

Counting begins in Tripura

PARTY	LEADS	WINS
CONGRESS	4	0
CPM	32	0
CPI	1	0
OTHERS	2	0

Counting of votes for the 60 assembly seats in Tripura began at 8am on Thursday morning amidst tight security.

The counting began at 17 venues in eight districts of the state with three-tier security in each counting hall, sources in the office of chief electoral officer said.

Among prominent candidates whose electoral fates would be decided are chief minister Manik Sarkar from Dhanpur, finance minister Badal Chowdhury from Hrishyamukh, higher education minister Anil Sarkar from Pratapgarh, industries and commerce minister Jitendra Chowdhury from Manu (ST).

The electoral fortunes of TPCC President Sudip Ray Barman from Agartala, leader of the opposition Ratan Lal Nath of Congress from Mohanpur and president of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura Bijay Hrankhwal from Ambassa would also be decided.

Around 2,500 employees, including counting supervisors and counting assistants, have been engaged together with micro observers and Election Commission appointed observers.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed within 100 meter of each counting hall where CCTV have been installed.

The 856 km border with neighbouring Bangladesh has been sealed since Wednesday.

The elections were held on February 14.

(With inputs from agencies)

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No need to be ashamed of House attack: Afzal Guru's letter

NEW DELHI: Parliament attack convict Mohammad Afzal Guru had in a letter purportedly written by him over four years ago said that there was no need to be ashamed of the December 13 attack on Parliament, but had stopped short of owning any responsibility for it.

In the letter written to editor of a local Urdu weekly, Guru, asked Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin not to be "ashamed of December 13" and stop terming the attack as a "conspiracy".

Editor of the Urdu weekly Shabnum Qayoom said that he has been receiving Guru's letters and articles and is sure that this letter was written by him. "I used to receive his (Guru's) letters and articles, so this was nothing new. The handwriting is the same as the previous letters and articles" he said.

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Isro does it again, 7 SATS in orbit

A five-minute delay to pre-empt an encounter withdebrisdid not dampen the spirit at Sriharikota on Monday as the satellite launch vehicle PSLV-C20 took to the skies to catapult seven satellites into orbit,including Indo-Frenchsatellite SARAL.

While initially the control room at Sriharikota was bristling with activity, a deadsilence prevailed as launch time drew close. While initially the launch time was slated for 5.56pm, the PSLV, dubbed workhorse of the Indian Space Research Organisation, took off at 6.01pm after Isro officials got wind of some debris, close to three hours before the scheduled lift-off time.

Five minutes is a significant amountof timeduring a launch since any object in space at above 500km moves at 8km per second. The delay ensured that the rocket reached the altitude after thedebrishad moved away.

Besides the Indo-French satellite with ARgos and ALtika (SARAL), India's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C20), on its 23rd flight, also launched six commercial payloads from Austria, Britain, Canada and Denmark into a 785km polar sun synchronous orbit.

With seven satellites in total, this is the second highest number of satellites to be flown on a PSLV. In April 2008, it put in orbit 10 satellites, including the national Cartosat-2A, on the PSLV-C9 rocket.

The 668.5kg 44.4-metre tall rocket, with a lift-off mass of 229.7 tonnes, has been configured in a 'core-alone' format without solid strap-on motors. According to officials this is the ninthcore-aloneflightof a PSLV.

The PSLV put the 407-kg Indo-French satellite with ARgos and ALtika (SARAL) into orbit in 1077-72 seconds. SARAL will help study ocean surface and the environment using the two devices — ARgos and the ALtika. The French ALtika altimeter works on the principle of RADAR,emitting microwave pulse and picking up signals that bounce back. The time taken for the signal to return provides the distance between satellite and the sea. "This way we'll be able to measure the height of the waves and assess changes in the ocean,"said an Isro official.

Of the six smaller satellites, two each are from Canada and Austria and one each from the U K and Denmark. This includes NEOSSAT from Canada which will detect and track either near-earth asteroids or satellites in geostationary orbit.

President Pranab Mukherjee, who witnessed the launch, hailed Isro for its track record and wished the team success in its future ventures.

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Hyderabad blasts could be a reaction to Kasab, Afzal execution: Shinde

KOLKATA: Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the twin blasts in Hyderabad could be a "reaction" to the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru and Mumbai attack convict Ajmal Kasab.

Shinde said the government was apprehending some sort of reaction from terror groups following execution of the lone surviving Pakistani gunman in the 2008 Mumbai attack and Afzal and it had been issuing alerts in this regard.

"We were expecting that after the two executions, some reaction had to come," Shinde said on Sunday, referring to the executions of Kasab and Afzal.

"We had been giving alerts throughout the country," he told reporters. Kasab was hanged in a Pune jail in November last year while Afzal was hanged in Tihar jail early this month.

Shinde said the culprits involved in the Hyderabad blast last Thursday which killed 16 persons and left over 100 injured would be booked soon.

"We have got some materials there (at the blast site) and tests are being done in the forensic laboratory. Soon we will get the results and the culprits will be booked," he added.

Asked whether the Centre would push for setting up of National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) following the Hyderabad blast, he said, "I have told the Rajya Sabha that we will pursue the NCTC. Many states are still opposing. We have to do it."

On whether he will take up the NCTC issue with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee during their meeting on Monday, he said, "I have already taken up this with the CM. Mamataji is very cooperative on this issue and others like Unlawful Activities Prevention Act."

"Whenever the country faces difficulty, the CM is very cooperative," Shinde said.

The West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee (WBPCC) gave a memorandum to Shinde alleging deterioration of law and order in the state and harassment of Congress workers by the ruling Trinamool Congress.

Asked to comment on this, the home minister said, "I explained to them there are issues of Centre-State relations. However, I will take this up with the CM."

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300% rise in suspicious terror financing cases: Report

NEW DELHI: Over 1,400 instances of terror financing in country's economic channels were red-flagged by intelligence and security agencies last year, a latest report of the finance ministry says, marking a 300% jump in such suspicious transactions.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), which functions under the ministry, has reported that it had received 1,444 reports during 2011-12 from agencies like the intelligence bureau, the Research and Analysis Wing and those in the economic domain and affiliated to the Income Tax and Customs departments.

The figure of such reports from these agencies stood at 428 during 2010-11, the agency says.

"The FIU also supports the efforts of domestic intelligence and law enforcement agencies against terror financing by providing information specifically requested by them, either by searching its database or by calling specific information from the reporting entities," the report says.

The FIU is the national agency responsible for receiving, analyzing and disseminating suspicious transaction reports (STRs) to security and anti-money laundering and tax evasion departments of the country.

The agency also reported a more than 100 per cent rise in the number of STRs received during 2011-12 as it collected a total of 69,224 such reports during this period as compared to 20,698 STRs during 2010-11.

The instances of reportage of fake currency in Indian banking channels are also on the rise, the FIU says.

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Polling begins in Meghalaya

SHILLONG: Polling began to elect 60 members to the ninth Meghalaya Assembly from among 345 candidates today with an electorate of 15.3 lakh.

Banned Khasi organisation, Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council, has called a 36-hour bandh from 6 PM yesterday till today in the seven districts of Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.

Prominent candidates in the fray are Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, Home Minister H D R Lyngdoh, Education Minister R C Laloo, Congress president D D Lapang, UDP president Don Kupar Roy, former Leader of Opposition and son of P A Sangma Conrad K Sangma and his brother James Sangma.

The Congress has put up candidates in all 60 seats, and ally United Democratic Party in 50.

Of the 15 parties in the fray, the P A Sangma-led National Peoples' Party is contesting at 32 seats, the NCP at 21 and the BJP in 13.

Among the candidates are 25 women. Of the 2,845 polling stations, 900 have been declared 'hyper-sensitive'.

Booths along the international border and the inter-state border with Assam have also been categorised as 'hyper-sensitive'.

The BSF, which has been put on maximum alert along the 498-km border, has deployed 10,000 personnel.

Ninety-one companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state to maintain law and order and 44 companies in the militant-hit Garo Hills region.

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BJP calls for shutdown in Andhra Pradesh

HYDERABAD: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has called for a shutdown in Andhra Pradesh on Friday to condemn the twin bomb blasts, which killed 14 people and injured over 100.

The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded the suspension of question hour and said that in the wake of the Hyderabad blasts there should be a discussion the the Parliament over terror.

BJP state president G Kishan Reddy appealed to all people to voluntarily observe the shutdown to protest the blasts and show their sympathies with the victims' families.

Talking to reporters, he said the state government failed to take steps to prevent the blasts despite warnings from the intelligence agencies. He demanded the government to act firmly against terrorists.

Police have stepped up security in the city and other major towns in view of the shutdown call and Friday prayers.

The Bharatiya Janata Party today demanded the suspension of question hour and said that in the wake of the Hyderabad blasts there should be a discussion the the Parliament over terror.

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Day 2 of nationwide strike: Cops on alert in Noida; UP govt forms panel to probe violence

NEW DELHI: Normal life in several parts of the country continued to remain affected on Day 2 of the nationwide strike called by the trade unions.

Cops in Noida are on high alert, after widespread violence on the first day of the strike. According to TV reports, several schools and offices in Noida have been closed.

The UP government has formed a two-member panel to probe the violence in Noida on the first day of the two-day nationwide shutdown.

The state government late on Wednesday named additional director general of police (Law and Order) Arun Kumar and home secretary Rakesh as members of the probe committee and asked them to submit a fact finding report within three days.

Principal secretary (Home) RM Srivastava told IANS that "toughest action" would be taken against those found guilty of violence.

The committee has been asked to look into the state of preparedness of the Noida police to handle the shutdown and identify district officials guilty of dereliction of duty.

"The government has taken a serious note of the whole episode, wherein properties were gutted, people were beaten up and several vehicles were set on fire. There should be no doubt that the government would crack down on all found guilty," Srivastava said.

Violence erupted on Wednesday in Noida and Greater Noida where factories were targeted and set on fire. Violent clashes took place and several vehicles were set afire.

Officials have started screening the video footage of the violence in order to identify and book the perpetrators.

"We are also exploring possibilities of slapping the National Security Act (NSA) on the rioters," a senior official said.

State government sources said chief minister Akhilesh Yadav was particularly miffed at the Noida violence as he views it as a big blow to his efforts to create a pro-investment climate in Uttar Pradesh.

"The chief minister has taken a serious note of the clashes as it could send a wrong signal that industries are not safe in UP," an official said.

In Kerala, workers from most sectors ranging from transport to banking keeping away from work.

Reports from across the state said buses and taxis were off the roads and markets remained shut. Train and air services were not affected.

Attendance in government offices was thin and educational institutions remained closed as pro-Left service and teachers unions joined the strike. Universities have cancelled examinations scheduled for the last two days.

Barring stray incidents of minor violence, the state has remained peaceful since Wednesday.

Police in their vehicles facilitated the short-distance travels of train and air passengers, who arrived in the state unaware of the hartal atmosphere.

Emergency services like healthcare, milk supply and media have been exempted from the strike.

In Mangalore, however, there has been no effect of strike on Day 2. The buses are plying normally and the schools are functioning as usual.

(With inputs from PTI, IANS)

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Hold panchayat polls as per existing quota: SC to Andhra Pradesh

NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday cleared the decks for elections to the panchayati raj (PR) institutions in the state and an upbeat chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy wants to hold the polls at the earliest. With state election commissioner P Ramakanth Reddy stating that his department is fully prepared, the PR polls, touted as an acid test for the chief minister as well as new entrant YS Jaganmohan Reddy, could be held as early as April this year.

In its judgment on Monday, the SC bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Justice J S Khehar directed the state to conduct the polls on the basis of the existing 60.5% reservation for BCs (34%), SCs (18.25%) and STs (8.25%). Following a petition challenging the quota as exceeding the limit fixed by the apex court, the AP High Court had directed the state to hold the PR polls by fixing 50% as upper limit of the quota for the BCs, SC-STs . Monday's decision of the Supreme Court was on the basis of an appeal filed by the state government against the HC order.

Kiran Kumar Reddy's optimism of the Congress putting up a good performance is based on the public assurance given by Union panchayat raj minister Kishore Chandra Deo in Delhi soon after the SC verdict on Monday that Rs 2,400 crore that was held up for the last two years for providing drinking water and sanitation in rural areas will be released as soon as the local bodies are in place. "Assured of the funds, the CM can sway the voters in Congress' favour by announcing several welfare schemes," averred political analysts.

The term of the panchayati raj institutions, namely 1,094 zilla parishad territorial constituency (ZPTC) members , 14,591 mandal parishad territorial constituency members (MPTC), and 21,843 sarpanches , ended in July 2011 and since then, they have been under the control of special officers in the absence of elected councils. The PR polls could not be held till now as the issue was pending in the court.

Confident that he will be flush with funds, the chief minister has directed the concerned departments to be ready for the polls at the earliest . "Jagan is in jail. Telangana is calm. The state government is politically stable. And summer is far away. All this should work in Congress favour ," said a senior Congress leader.

Deo promises to release blocked funds

Although the recently held primary agricultural cooperative societies polls were not party-based , the Congress has claimed that it won a majority. In fact, the Congress claims that candidates owing allegiance to it won the elections even in Telangana, much to the chagrin of TRS and other parties .

The PR polls will be party based and the opposition parties, including the YSR Congress, TDP, TRS, BJP, Left parties and Lok Satta welcomed the SC order and wanted the state to hold the local body elections immediately. Jagan is confident that the polls will prove that he has mass following, while the TDP believes that the elections will pave the way for its leader Chandrababu Naidu's return to power. Panchayat raj department officials said they would initiate the process of delimitation of the constituencies and fixing quota in a week. State election chief Ramakanth Reddy told the media in Delhi that the commission would launch its process once it receives the data from the government.

Welcoming the SC decision, Union panchayat raj minister Kishore Chandra Deo announced that he would release the amount withheld as per the Constitution. "We have withheld Rs 2400 crore in the past two years, meant for providing drinking water and sanitation for rural areas, as there were no local governing bodies. We will release the amount once the local bodies are in place," Deo told media in Delhi.

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British PM David Cameron arrives in Mumbai on three-day India visit

MUMBAI: British Prime Minister David Cameron arrived here on Monday morning on a three-day India visit during which will he meet captains of industry and hold talks with top leaders who are likely to seek more information on the VVIP helicopters scam involving an Anglo-Italian firm.

Cameron is likely to be pressed for more information on the Rs 3,600 crore helicopter scam involving AgustaWestland during his meetings with the leadership on Tuesday. The helicopters, three of which have already been delivered, were manufactured in southwest England.

The visit also comes in the wake of India taking steps to scrap the contract after Italian investigators probed allegations that aerospace group Finmeccanica, the parent company of AgustaWestland, had broken the law by paying bribes to foreign officials.

Cameron landed here at around 8.30am and was received at the airport by minister of protocol Suresh Shetty and senior Maharashtra government officials.

He is accompanied by a large delegation which includes CEO of top British corporates, vice-chancellors of reputed universities and senior Government officials, among others.

"In Mumbai, Cameron's programmes include visit to Hindustan Unilever headquarters, a luncheon meeting with business leaders, a visit to St Xavier's School and laying a wreath at the Police Memorial," an MEA statement said.

The premier will leave for New Delhi in the evening. Cameron is also expected to attend a private function being hosted by a large conglomerate before leaving for the national capital, according to industry sources.

This would be his second visit to the country since he took over the mantle, with the first being soon after assuming office in May 2010.

In Delhi, Cameron will hold comprehensive talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on a wide range of bilateral, regional and international issues.

Besides the defence deal, other major issues expected to figure during Cameron's visit would include the Rs 12,000- crore Vodafone tax matter and the UK hosting a meeting between the Pakistan and Afghanistan presidents.

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Malik aimed to boost his relevance at home, Pak?

NEW DELHI: The Indian security agencies suspect that JKLF chief Yasin Malik may have secretly met 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed during his stay in Pakistan, apart from sharing the dais with him at a protest in Islamabad. Even as his alleged one-on-one meeting with the LeT boss is kept carefully under wraps, Malik, intelligence officials say, ensured a photo opportunity alongside Saeed to "score" over moderate Hurriyat's "secret" meeting with him last December.

Till now sidelined in Kashmir's separatist politics and desperate to win over the support of Pakistani agencies, Malik possibly saw his appearance with Saeed as a last-ditch bid to boost his relevance at home and across the border.

The intelligence agencies have already rejected Malik's defence that his sharing the stage with Saeed was co-incidental. "I was on a hunger strike for 24 hours near Islamabad Press Club. Thousands of people came there including Hafiz Saeed, who came there for 15 minutes...where did the meeting take place?" the JKLF leader had argued after his public appearance with Saeed sparked an outrage here.

Agencies, however, feel Malik's photo-opportunity with the LeT boss was intentional. "It is virtually impossible for Malik to not have known the list of big leaders who he would be sharing the stage with, particularly those with a profile as daunting as Saeed's," an official pointed out.

"Considering the interest generated by moderate Hurriyat leaders' 'secret' meeting with Saeed in December, Malik possibly thought that a public appearance with the LeT founder in Islamabad would help him score over them. His real meeting with Saeed, however, may have happened away from the public eye to ensure deniability," the official added.

Saeed's active interest in Kashmir is public knowledge. In fact, at a recent rally in Lahore to mark the Kashmir solidarity day, the LeT founder and Jamaat ud Dawah boss urged India to "leave Kashmir", warning that Indian Army would be defeated and Kashmir would get independence. He pledged support to all Kashmiri leaders and hoped for their unity.

According to an intelligence assessment, Malik, who has lately been overshadowed by Kashmiri separatist leaders of the Tehreek-e-Hurriyat like hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the moderate Hurriyat under Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, may have sensed an opportunity to bounce back to the centrestage just by being seen with Saeed. His fast in Islamabad against the hanging of Afzal Guru provided him the right setting to pull off the photo-opportunity.

Intelligence officials point out that just like leaders of the two Hurriyat factions, which are dependent on ideological and logistical support from Pakistan to further their campaign in the Valley, the JKLF leader too has shed his hardened pro-azaadi stand and is looking for support from across the border.

Though Malik may be questioned upon his return from Pakistan on his "encounter" with Saeed, the agencies believe there the Centre can do little beyond either revoking his passport or denying its extension beyond March 31, when it is due to expire anyway. "Arresting him will only help him play the victim," an official has warned.

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Snowfall closes Srinagar-Jammu highway

SRINAGAR: The Srinagar-Jammu highway remained closed due to fresh snowfall in the Bannihal sector of the over 300-kilometre road Saturday, an official here said.

Snowfall in the Bannihal sector and landslides in Seri area of Ramban district in the Jammu region have forced closure of the Srinagar-Jammu highway, a traffic official told IANS.

"The highway has been closed for vehicular traffic today (Saturday). Those intending to undertake the journey are advised to contact the traffic control rooms in Srinagar and Jammu for an update on the highway status," the official said.

The Srinagar-Jammu highway is the landlocked Valley's only road link to the rest of the country. All essential supplies are routed to Kashmir through this highway.

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Indian universities crying for better leadership, say 90% academics

NEW DELHI: A global survey of the academic community on the leadership challenges faced by the Indian higher education system has revealed that the sector is facing shortage of capable leaders with 92% of the respondents saying that this trend is expected to continue until 2020. Just 5% of the respondents said that there was no paucity of leaders.

The results of the survey were unveiled at the Education Promotion Society for India (EPSI), a national body of over 500 higher education institutions, summit on developing transformational leaders for Indian higher education on Thursday.

Nearly 81% of the respondents pointed to a serious gap between the existing pool and the requirement of academic leaders to meet 12th Five Year Plan and India Vision 2020 for Higher Education sector. Only 18% respondents said that there is moderate gap between the expected demand and the available pool.

When asked about "the critically important traits of a transformational leader in Indian Higher Education", 80% of the respondents cited "Futuristic Approach to Development" as the most important trait of the transformational leader, followed by " Understanding of Higher Education Ecosystem" by 57% of the respondents.

"Exceptional academic record and research orientation", as well as "strong administrative ability and relationship orientation" were seen as equally essential traits with half the respondents voting for these.

Academics also felt that high professional integrity, ethical standards, global exposure and ability to change were some of the other requisite qualities of a transformational leader.

More than one-third of the respondents felt that being an academician was not a popular career choice as it lacked adequate mentoring. Lack of academic leadership, guidance and training (60%) and low salary (50%) were the other reasons why the education sector failed to attract promising academics.

The survey conducted in early February 2013, received 111 responses from thought leaders, chancellors, vice chancellors, directors, deans, principals and professors located in 37 locations globally, including USA, UK, Dubai, Germany, Australia, France and Hungary. In India, the respondents came from 22 Indian cities including Delhi-NCR, Pune, Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Manipal.

The survey examined why Indian higher education institutes are unable to attract overseas Indians with exceptional academic background and proven leadership skills. Three-fourths of the respondents cited highly bureaucratic Indian systems and siloed approach of stakeholders as the key reason. Poor appreciation of academics and perception that academicians in the higher education system have low integrity were other reasons why the reverse brain drain wasn't taking place.

"The results of the survey on leadership challenges in the higher education system are alarming and demand a serious attention by political leadership, policy makers, chancellors and vice chancellors," said Dr G Vishwanathan, president, EPSI and chancellor of Vellore institute of Technology University.

The respondents added that low brand-value of India, low or superficial orientation to research and development, poor compensation and incentives, high levels of corruption in institutions and society, and management myopia were reasons why well-known academicians did not consider India as a potential destination.

To bridge the gaps for leadership challenge in higher education systems the questionnaire proposed to the respondents if experienced corporate sector, civil and defence services professionals could fill the leadership gap in the higher education institutions. Eight out of 10% felt that managing knowledge-based institutions is different from other organisations, even though 20% of the respondents commended them for their superior ability to manage the institutions.

On the formal mechanisms needed to bridge the gap and initiatives, about 79% of the respondents voted for initiating transformational leadership programmes for founders of academic institutes and academic leaders, which will mentor potential candidates for bigger roles. Creating a group of academic leaders, both Indian and foreign, for grooming potential leaders annually was favoured by 51% of the respondents, with less than 10% voting for setting up a separate institution for this purpose.

Minister of state for HRD, Shashi Tharoor in his address said that the Indian higher education system needs to step up credible standards of higher education. Towards this end, the government has initiated 11 bills on Higher Education in the Parliament.

Tharoor admitted that India has not addressed the issue of equity as well it has attempted to address the issues of enrolment, excellence and employability. The minister welcomed the growth of the private sector education institutions that make up for 64% of the total institutions in India and contribute to 57% of total enrolment.

In the EPSI survey, policy and regulatory issues covered included the latest Bill being discussed in the Parliament allows police, under certain conditions, to arrest the top leaders. The respondents feared that this Bill once enacted could be misused by the system for personal and other obvious benefits. When asked whether "the Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Higher Education Institutions Bill 2011 that provides provision for arresting and imprisonment of chancellors, vice-chancellors, Deans or head of institutions, help to curb malpractices in higher education?" only 20% of the respondents felt that it will put an end to the malpractices in higher education while an overwhelming majority of 80% said that this will lead to wrong precedents in higher education systems which is already over stressed with several constraints and challenges.

Responding to this fear, the Minister said, "The purpose of this Bill (Prohibition of Unfair Practices in Higher Education Institutions Bill 2011) is not to 'harass' the educationists but to make all of them 'honest'," while alluding to unfair practices like capitation fee, multiple fee structures and differential salaries to teachers prevalent in the education system.

Arun Nigavekar, former chairman of University Grants Commission, defined the traits of transformational leaders needed for India. He said their task is to impart 21st century Learning skills to tech savvy youth like--how to learn; make critical judgments; differentiate between good, bad and indifferent; communicate Intelligently and be flexible, adaptable and tolerant to other creeds and cultures.

K B Powar, chancellor, D Y Patil University, Pune debunked the claims of education administrators claiming increased gross enrolment ratio (GER) in the higher education sector by pointing out that GER also includes enrolments in distance learning mode which has a poor pass percentage of 15%.

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Hyderabad is the world’s second most affordable office market: Survey

BANGALORE: Hyderabad is the world's second most affordable office market after Surabaya in Indonesia, according to a survey, while Chennai and Pune are at fifth and sixth positions, reinforcing India's reputation as among the cheapest destinations for foreign firms to set up operations.

"Tier II cities in China and India continue to dominate the list of top-10 most affordable markets globally," said a survey by consultancy firm DTZ, which measured occupancy costs per workstation in 126 business districts across 49 countries in 2012.

"2012 has seen office space absorption rates across Indian cities drop by a fifth. We expect the office space absorption to be stable in the current year, driven by signs of overall improvement in global and domestic economies. Rentals are also expected to appreciate across the country," said Rohit Kumar, head of research at DTZ India.

According to the survey, it costs companies between $2,620 (about Rs 1.41 lakh) and $9,810 (Rs 5.27 lakh) per annum per employee in the top six Indian cities to set up operations, compared with $23,500 (Rs 12.63 lakh) per workstation in London West End.

China's Chongqing and Nanjing, followed by Cancun in Mexico, also figure among the ten most affordable markets. As per the report, a majority of markets in North Asia and India saw a 2-10 per cent rise in occupancy costs. This has forced occupiers in many markets to increasingly consider secondary space, particularly where prime space is limited to cut cost.

The total commercial office space absorption for the quarter ended December 2012 was 6.8 million sq ft, a decrease of 19 per cent compared with the previous year. Vacancies across cities are expected to rise in 2013, except Bangalore, a recent report by DTZ India said.

"Companies continue to consolidate and relocate to less premium locations. Many firms are now looking to cut real estate costs, which comprises 22-27 per cent of the total operational expenditure, the second biggest component after human resource," said Sridhar Raghavendra, founder of FM Zone India, a real estate and facility management firm.

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Battle lines drawn up in Tripura

AGARTALA: Battle lines have been drawn up for Thursday's polls to the 60-member Tripura assembly where heavyweights chief minister Manik Sarkar, TPCC president Sudip Ray Barman and president of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura Bijay Hrankhwal are among 249 candidates in the fray.

The Left Front is hoping to script history by returning to power for a fifth consecutive time.

The main contest will be between the Left Front and its allies and the Congress and its partners.

The CPM, the dominant partner in the Left Front, is contesting 56 seats, RSP two and CPI and Forward Block one each.

The Congress is contesting 48 seats and its alliance partners INPT in 11 and National Conference of Tripura in one.

The candidates include 14 women, who are four less than those who had contested in the 2008 elections.

An electorate of 23,52,505 including 11,64,656 women are expected to exercise their franchise in the election contested by a total of 16 political parties and independents.

The CPM, which has taken credit for ending the four-decade-old insurgency in the state and ensuring peace and communal harmony, is projecting Tripura as a model state in terms of good governance having topped the list in the implementation of MNREGA.

The CPM has also highlighted the 15 awards it received from the Centre for successful implementation of various schemes.

The Congress-INPT-NCT alliance has made "bad governance" of the Manik Sarkar-led government a poll issue, alleging that despite availability of central funds, employees, unemployed and farmers remained deprived during the 20-year LF regime.

Corruption and nepotism by party leaders and partisan behaviour of the government are also important issues for the alliance.

Prominent leaders who campaigned in the run-up to the election include Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, Union minister Deepa Das Munshi, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki, Union finance minister P Chidambaram, CPM leaders Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury, Surya Kanta Mishra and Brinda Karat.

Of the 3,041 booths, 409 have been identified as very sensitive (A+), 535 booths as very sensitive (A) and 726 booths as sensitive.

Altogether 250 companies of central paramilitary forces have been deployed in the state to maintain law and order.

The Border Security Force has sealed the 856 km border with Bangladesh and deployed additional forces to prevent infiltration.

The Election Commission has formed flying squads and Static Surveillance Teams to combat the menace of cash doles and bribes and carrying of illegal arms.

Static Surveillance Teams and Flying squads have been set up in all 60 constituencies with police and government officials headed by a magistrate.

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Afzal Guru hanging: Fourth day of curfew in tension torn Kashmir

SRINAGAR: Uninterrupted curfew restrictions continued for the fourth day on Tuesday in Kashmir Valley to prevent violence in the wake of Afzal Guru's hanging in New Delhi's Tihar jail. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said he would help arrange a visit to the parliament attack convict's family to offer prayers at his grave.

While speaking to a radio channel on Monday evening, Omar said that if Afzal Guru's family approached him, he would do everything possible to help.

Three people have died so far during protests in the Kashmir Valley after news of December 2001 Parliament attack plotter's hanging spread in Srinagar.

Residents in Batwina village of north Kashmir's Ganderbal district said two youths were drowned after they were chased by the security forces during protests, while police said the deaths had occurred because of a boat capsize in the Jhelum river.

A teenaged boy belonging to Watergam (Rafiabad) area of Baramulla district succumbed to critical injuries in a city hospital on Monday morning.

He had reportedly sustained a bullet injury from the security forces during protests in the village.

Another injured youth is battling for life in Srinagar's super specialty Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences Soura.

The state government has ordered a magisterial probe into both these incidents and an ex-gratia relief to the next of kin of the deceased person.

Strict orders has been given to exercise maximum restraint while handling the law and order situation in the valley, the chief minister said.

Reports indicate 14 companies of border security force (BSF) and 10 additional companies of central reserve police force (CRPF) have been rushed to assist the state administration in maintaining law and order.

For the third day on Tuesday Kashmir went without any print editions of the local newspapers.

Local editors said they had been unofficially told by the authorities to suspend publications of their newspapers till Friday.

"If this has been done to check the spread of wild rumours then it is a very bad decision," said Bashir Manzar, editor of daily 'Kashmir Images'.

Cable television operations and Internet facilities also remained shut in the summer capital Srinagar, although BSNL broadband users said their facility was still working.

Those using dongle appliances and mobile phones to access the Internet have been unable to do so for the last four days.

A senior police officer said curfew imposed on Saturday would remain in place till further orders.

Asked whether the authorities were planning some relaxation in the imposed curfew, the officer said the situation was being monitored on a regular basis.

Authorities have made announcements through the local radio and television broadcasts that additional round-the-clock ambulances have been made available to ferry sick people to hospitals from areas under curfew.

Security forces have been advised to treat the identity cards of those maintaining essential services like healthcare, water supplies and electricity as curfew passes and allow their movements through those areas.

Separatist Hurriyat group headed by Syed Ali Geelani has asked people to continue the protest shutdown till Friday when a march to the Eidgah grounds has been announced.

"We will demand that the mortal remains of Afzal Guru be returned to his family," a spokesman of the group told media here.

All examinations and interviews scheduled to be held up to Februay 17 have been postponed by the authorities.

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Reeling under Qaida attacks, Mali to get Indian support

NEW DELHI: India gathered with European and African nations in Brussels this week to commit itself to stabilizing Mali which is reeling under al-Qaida attacks. It's the first time India will be involving itself in the political process as well as reconstruction of a country so far from its immediate sphere of influence. The move displays a growing confidence within the Indian foreign policy system.

India had promised to be part of the Support and Follow-Up Group (SFG) for Mali at last week's conference in Addis Ababa, headquarters of the African Union (AU). India has committed to giving $1 million for the upgrade of the Malian army with a pledge to ramp up contribution for reconstruction to $100 million after the situation stabilizes. The Malian army, which will remain in the frontlines after the French intervention is over, is poorly equipped and trained, and markedly different from the fighters of al-Qaida in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM).

After the meeting in Brussels, India, in a statement, said, "India strongly supports ongoing efforts aimed at restoring constitutional order in Mali and re-establishing a fully sovereign democratic government. We also believe that the fight against the scourge of terrorism must be unrelenting."

India's involvement in Mali is interesting given New Delhi's aversion to external intervention in foreign conflicts, like Syria or Libya, where it abstained on a crucial UN Security Council resolution authorizing the "no-fly" zone. The conflict in Mali evokes a very different reaction from India.

There appear to be three broad reasons. First, Indian support to the French operation in Mali is predicated on it being a primarily counter-terror operation. Syed Akbaruddin, MEA's spokesperson, said, "We unequivocally condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. Wherever and by whosoever committed, regardless of their motivation, we consider it criminal and unjustifiable. We also believe that the fight against the scourge of terrorism must be unrelenting."

India's commitment to a continued fight against extremist terrorism would ring hollow if New Delhi shied away from taking responsibility in emerging conflicts. In Mali, the al-Qaida fighters teamed up with the Tuaregs to carve out a territory that could be under the control of Islamist extremists. From the Indian point of view, this would be profoundly dangerous.

Second, India's impetus to rush to the aid of Mali was also influenced by reports from the UN that some of the al-Qaida fighters may be from the Af-Pak region. In the Algerian hostage crisis at In Amenas recently, a number of fighters were found to be from different countries, including Canada.

Third, the lead role in the Mali intervention has been played by France. Indian officials said they have been "kept in the loop" by Paris from the beginning. In December 2012, during its last month at the UN Security Council, India co-sponsored a French resolution UNSCR 2085 that supported an African Union-ECOWAS military force in Mali. The French military intervention in Mali has not prompted the expected negative reaction from New Delhi.

And, the target this time around is al-Qaida and its affiliated groups in that region, where India, like others, is developing economic interests. India's reaction to the France-led operation in Libya in 2011 was much more negative. In fact, many in the Indian government believe that the Mali crisis was a natural blowback of the Libya conflict.

Off the record, Indian officials express fears that al-Qaida-fuelled unrest could spread in those difficult regions, because of what they believe is a deadly cocktail of Islamist extremist ideology, widespread poverty, lack of governance and vast amounts of arms and weapons. Most of these weapons were taken out of Libya after the fall of the Gaddafi regime.

This reinforces the support group's importance. India is expected to support a political process in Mali with elections in July, a goal already adopted by its national assembly, but questions have to be answered whether the country would be ready for elections by that time.

In its commitment to Mali, India said, "We have already implemented five projects in Mali, in diverse sectors such as agriculture, power and food processing through a concessional credit of over $150 million. We would be funding execution of another major power project in Mali through a line of credit of $100 million. We will strengthen our involvement in various capacity building activities in Mali through setting up of institutions, training of Malian nationals and economic support for infrastructural projects."

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