India Says

The ongoing face-off between the Sikhs and followers of the Dera Sacha Sauda has disturbed the religious harmony in Punjab. Now, the leaders from both sides are trying to establish peace and harmony in state. Dera spokesperson Aditya Arora has urged the Punjab government to bring back peace in the state. However, the Dera spokesman did not say anything on the issue of apology from his side.

Earlier on Saturday, the Dera had issued a statement and expressed regret on the whole issue. On the other hand, the Sikh clergy has issued an ultimatum to the Dera. It has said Dera to shut down all its units in the state by May 27. On the other hand, Aditya Arora said that that it was the government, which would decide whether, the Dera should shut down all its units or not.

The Sikh groups have called for a statewide bandh on Tuesday. The Akal Takht has given a warning that it would take action against Dera chief Baba Gurmeet Singh Ram Rahim.

In the meantime, an FIR has been lodged against Baba Ram Rahim under the charge for offending Sikh religious sentiments. Baba Ram Rahim had given an ad by posing as the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh and distributing holy water. The FIR says that the Baba’s act was deliberate, malicious and intended to hurt religious sentiments. He has been charged under Section 295-A of IPC.

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Pakistan is using the funds, which come from the United States as assistance to fight with terrorist activities, against India. The New York Times has published the research done by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

According to the research, Pakistan receives funds in the name of fighting and eliminating Al Qaida and Taliban from its territory. The research revealed further that Pakistan received $1.8 billion from the US to keep their fight on against the Al Qaida and Taliban terrorists and used the weapons financed from the US against India.

The New York Times has published the statement and research conducted by authors of the study, Craig Cohen and Derek Chollet. According to them, President Musharraf had promised to slash patrols through the area where Al Qaida and Taliban fighters are in active status. The US administration reimburses Pakistan’s military for the cost of the operations that was actually being used against India.

A senior military official in US, who was in touch with Pakistani President Musharraf in recent days revealed in the study by stating in the report that Pakistan sends us a bill, and the US administration just pay the bill. There is nobody who can really explain what the US is getting for this money or even where the funds are going.

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The public sector and private sector banks would grant the loan on the basis of people’s religion as the UPA government has asked the RBI to induct minorities in the list of weaker section. Both public and private sector banks lend 10% of the total loans to ‘weaker sections’ as per the RBI regulations. Now, they will have to find the details of customers’ relious background when they will get any application for the loan.

However, there is also a clause that the banks would decide the qualification of minority loan receivers on the basis of their demographic status in the state. Sikhs in Punjab, Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir and Christians in Mizoram, Sikkim and Nagaland would not be able to get such facilities from banks.

According to the RBI regulation, scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, small farmers, artisans and urban poor come in the list of weaker sections. Since now, minorities would be listed in the weaker section list.

Earlier in January, the government had asked RBI to think over the proposal regarding granting loan to minorities. However, the RBI and IBA were disagree on this proposal but the government of India clearly showed the determination to uplift the social status of minorities by granting them loans on the priority basis.

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If you think that country like India believes in paying tribute only to freedom–fighters who helped us in making our nation independent, then I think you need a brainwash.
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As Indians do pay tribute to the people who lost their lives because of HIV/ AIDS.
Since 1983, every third Sunday of May is celebrated as the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Day to commemorate their souls by lightning candles.
This year also on 21 May 2007, representatives from various organizations lighted candles as they participate in the 24th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial, in New Delhi, India.

Via Global Health

The blast in Mecca mosque rocked Hyderabad city on Friday. As many as 13 people were killed and more than 40 people were injured in the single blast as three other bombs were diffused by the anti-bomb squads later. The investigation has been started probing who was behind the blast. In the prima facia report, the Andhra Police have claimed that the Friday blast was a terrorist attack and planned to disturb the secular harmony of the city.

According to the police, the Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami or HUJI and the Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) may be the guiding forces behind the Friday blast at Hyderabad. Balwinder Singh, the Police Commissioner of Hyderabad said that in the first look, the blast and the way in which the bombs were placed inside the mosque, it becomes clear that some terrorist organizations were well behind the attack. The police are not ruling out of the possibility of Jehadi involvement in this blast.

The report says that police have found some sophisticated devices and 6030 Nokia phone with a Hutch SIM card from the blast sites. Some other reports are saying that the bombs were sophisticatedly made with RDX, TNT, IEDs and locally available materials.

After the blast the city went on rampage and people showed their anger on police forces. They even pelted stones on the security people. In the retaliation act, police also used force to disperse the mob from the disturbed areas. Later, City Police Commissioner Balwinder Singh told that situation is now under total control as the state administration had deployed other police forces and four companies of Rapid Action Force in the city to bring back the situation to normalcy.

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External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has opted not to talk about his candidature for the post of President that is being reported in media for some times. The report said that PM himself had sent three names to UPA allies as the men fit for the top job. However, the PMO had denied about sending such letters to any party.
By keeping himself far away from all the developments regarding the selection of the name for president post, Pranab clearly told media that he is a party man. What the Party high command would decide will be fine for him. On the other hand, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on this matter that it was too premature to comment anything. While, Left parties have given positive indication for Pranab Mukherjee.
Pranab told mediaperson: I would like to state that I am a Congressman. The Congress leadership decides my role in the party and in the Government. Whatever responsibilities are assigned to me, I try to discharge those to the best of my capabilities.
But, the problem is different here. Pranab Mukherjee is heading an important ministry that was actually vacant for months after the resignation of Natwar Singh. Further, Pranab is currently working as the head of more than 50 Group of Ministers. He enjoys the status of number three in UPA.
Now, the biggest question is that Could the Manmohan Singh government afford to lose a administrator like him from cabinet. Even for Sonia Gandhi, it will be tough to decide to depart Pranab Mukherjee from North block to Rashtrapati Bhawan.
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You are expected to make a choice here….Choice of having sex or staying within the virgin boundaries of your Indian culture. Ooops, I think I am escalating the issue but I think I have every right to do this.

Sex education, which can be a tool to fight against the AIDS, is misassumed by the authority figures as an encouragement for the same. Well, I think even they need to be taught.

Facts claim that there exist around 165,000 AIDS cases, out of which around 50,000 are in the age group of 15-29 years. As against banning sex education in six Indian states thinking it offends Indian sensibilities, the right move could be spreading the word around to make preventions against AIDS.Â

As per the website

“We are not giving ideas to young people,” National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) chief Sujatha Rao said. “They are already there,” she added.

Rao’s comments are followed by the anti-AIDS plans asking $2 billion finds from government. This plan (2007-12) needs a cabinet approval and focuses upon prevention and increasing the number of people on first-line AIDS drugs. As a result of this ban, the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka are now devoid of sex education in their curriculum introduced last year.
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Talking about sex is considered as a sin in the democratic country like India, which has the world’s highest caseload for HIV/AIDS with 5.7 million HIV-positive people, according to the United Nations.

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India has strongly criticized the comment on Kashmir issue came from the Organization of Islamic Conference that was organized in Islamabad. The government of India has rejected all references on Kashmir issue referred by OIC during the meet.

Navtej Sarna, external affairs ministry spokesperson, said that the government of India has taken it with regret that the Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers (ICFM) has commented on Kashmir. He clearly said that this is a matter of interference in India’s internal affairs.
He said: Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the OIC has no locus standi in matters concerning India’s internal affairs.
The OIC meeting was held on May 16-17 in Islamabad during the 34th session of the ICFM. During the conference, OIC secretary–general, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu had referred Kashmir with Iraq, Palestine and Somalia. He demanded that organization should work to defend Muslims in these regions or anywhere in the world. Later, the OIC also stated that the organization would give its complete support to the Kashmiri people for their right to self-determination.

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The Royal Time Machine (TRTM) is the name of a luxury bus invented by The Royal Time Machine Tourism Private Limited to promote cultural heritage of India.

This ultra-luxurious armada of specifically tailored vehicles for intra-city tour will ship tourists to admired historical destinations in Delhi.

This design of the bus offers a feel of itinerant majestic palaces, like Palace-on-Wheels Trains to invite more foreign tourists. This state-of-the-art creation is a blend of the regal ambience of the ancient days with hi-tech amenities.

Cost:
Morning tours: $ 160 (Rs6,880)
Evening tours: $165 (Rs 7,095)
(Including entry fee to the monuments, snacks, drinks and meals on board and applicable taxes)

Few More Pics to make you feel the experience in it.

Via Dehi HeadlinesIndia

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Is the compensation of Rs5 lakh to the kin of dead and Rs20, 000 rupees for the injured justified? The question needs a consideration as Andhra Pradesh chief minister, YSR Reddy has declared this amount for the fatalities caused in Hyderabad Mosque (Mecca Masjiid) as a result of a bomb-blast.

The target was about 10,000 people who were attending Friday prayers at the mosque. But fate seems to work here as Bomb ripped through the historic religious place, killing at least seven people and wounding 35. Also, two other unexploded bombs were identified but fortunately they were defused by police on time.

This invited Muslims’ anger, as they started throwing stones on the police blaming them for their inefficient protection. Calling this as an act of “intentional sabotage on the peace and tranquility in the country,” Reddy appealed for the peace between Hindus and Muslims.

The colossal vociferous blast sending bodies into the air created chaos all over. The bombing act is suspected as the revenge by Muslims for the devastation of a 16th century mosque by Hindu nationalists in northern India in 1992.

Chronology of Bomb attacks in last year

March 7, 2006 - Three bombs ripped through the holy city of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, killing at least 28 people and injuring 62 others in a crowded temple and a railway station. The first blast occurred inside Sankat Mochan temple adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Minutes later, another bomb went off in the Cantonment railway station, followed by the third in a crowded coach of the Shiv Ganga Express train.

April 14, 2006 - Fourteen people, including a woman and a girl, were injured in two explosions inside the Jama Masjid in the old quarters of Delhi after friday prayers.Â

July 11, 2006 - Seven bomb blasts occurred in a period of 11 minutes on Mumbai’s Suburban Railway. A total of 209 people lost their lives and over 700 got injured.Â

September 8, 2006 - Around 38 people were killed and over 100 injured in three nearly simultaneous blasts, including one in a mosque, in communally sensitive Malegaon town of Maharashtra.

February 19, 2007 - Sixty-eight people were killed and dozens were injured after explosions triggered a major fire on the Samjhauta Express, the train connecting Delhi and Lahore.

Via News Track India