02 December 2006
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) A number of books have been written on Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan but Susmita Dasgupta's "Amitabh - The Making of a Superstar" is probably the first to analyse the sociological impact of his popularity.
"It's a work that investigates the sociological causes of Amitabh Bachchan's popular appeal - how Bachchan is related to the history of the period of his times and what the sociological dynamics were behind the growth of his image," Susmita told IANS.
Susmita is a deputy chief economist with the economic research unit of the ministry of steel. The author spent almost 16 years researching on Bachchan but she is not happy with the actor's current image.
Said Susmita: "I find Amitabh Bachchan very disappointing because he is now compromising on his image. Amitabh seems to be very eager to disassociate himself with his previous image. He makes statements that are self-destroying."
She is also upset with her favourite star for not acknowledging her invite.
"He knows about the book and I sent him an invite. I am very unhappy he didn't acknowledge it."
Susmita's book, formally introduced Thursday, has been on the shelf for two months and has sold about 2,200 copies without any publicity.
"I wrote this book because of two reasons. First, I was a huge fan of Amitabh Bachchan and this was the subject in my command. The other was that while I was doing my Ph.D in sociology, I wanted to do work on living realities.
"I was familiar with Amitabh as a cine-goer, so I chose him. Had I been a cricket fan, I would probably have done something on Sunil Gavaskar. The idea was to do a work on living history."
Susmita started research on this book in 1977.
"I was writing notes on the subject since 1977 - the year I watched 'Sholay' and became an Amitabh fan. But formally I started writing it in 1991."
Susmita is one of the lucky ones to have enjoyed Bachchan's hospitality.
"After I finished my M. Phil, he invited me to his house and hosted me for seven days. During that time he introduced me to the film world, the inside of the film world and that is how I got inputs for my Ph.D."
Sharing one of the anecdotes, Susmita said: "One day Amitabh Bachchan told me, 'Do you know why these youngsters can't beat me? Because they don't have command over language! In films, command over language is not about delivering dialogues. Even when you sit still, command over the language should show'."
According to Susmita, there's a clever trick behind his popularity.
"The trick is that he played the roles of huge individuals. If you see, Anil Kapoor is equally suited in his times but he appears as an insignificant actor because he played insignificant roles in his films."
Sushmita feels that another notable quality in Bachchan is that he is a big star but hugely interested in common people.
"When I stayed with him I realised he was as much a fan of me as I was of him. When he used to sit in the 'Kaun Banega Crorepati' chair and when a common man would come and sit across him ... the way he interacted with them showed that he was extremely intrigued by them. That is his USP. He is our fan in a greater manner than we are of him. It's a reciprocal relationship.
"When I met him in Pratiksha, I found that he is a grand person because his house was so simple, so sparse in décor and he was so simple. He was grand in his simplicity. That huge sparseness, the huge economy of his lifestyle was absolutely grand in its own way.
"But today his spectacles are worth Rs.200,000 and he flashes Reid & Taylor, which he never used to wear in those days - he wore khadi (hand spun cotton). I think these are important changes, which can be a foundation for the future research into a man who just decided to survive. It is very disappointing."
Patna, Dec 2 (IANS) Twelve people were killed when a 150-year-old bridge collapsed on an overcrowded Howrah-Jamalpur Superfast train in Bihar's Bhagalpur district early Saturday in a tragedy waiting to happen.
Mammoth slabs of metal, cement and mortar thundered over a sleeper class of the train coming from Howrah in West Bengal and on its way to Jamalpur in Bihar, barely 50 km from its destination.
The disaster simply crushed many passengers, many of whom were travelling illegally on the roof of the coaches and hanging on the doors, and seriously wounding many.
S. Majumdar, chief spokesman of Eastern Railways, told IANS that at least 12 deaths had been reported. He said the toll might go up, with rescue workers still struggling to extricate bodies from the mangled coach.
"Initially we thought there was only one casualty, because only the toilet part of the S-8 coach was crushed. Now it seems people were sitting on the train roof and also hanging to its sides," he said on telephone from Kolkata.
Six of the bodies were in the Bhagalpur Government Hospital and three at the Bhagalpur railway station, a district official said.
People at the accident site, where hundreds of villagers were among the first to come to the rescue of the groaning and bleeding passengers, insisted that 24 people were killed. This figure could not be independently confirmed.
The villagers said they rescued over 30 people before official help arrived.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad ordered a probe into the accident and announced a compensation of Rs.100,000 to families of the dead besides promising a job in the government.
The aged bridge, 'Ulta Pul', was being dismantled when it suddenly came down on the train.
According to villagers, a portion of the damaged bridge was hanging loosely but trains continued to run underneath, unaware of the danger lurking overhead.
On Saturday, reverberations from the plying of the train apparently caused the bridge to simply come apart.
Lalu Prasad, campaigning for the Congress in a byelection in Bihar's Katihar district, vowed to crack down on errant railway engineers who allowed a tragedy of this kind to take place.
He said he had sought the suspension of errant officials. "I have ordered that harsh action be taken against the guilty."
Thousands of people have crowded around the accident site, hampering rescue operations. By late afternoon railway officials had pressed giant cranes to take out the crushed rail carriage and resume rail traffic on the section.
Ranchi, Dec 2 (IANS) At least 14 security personnel belonging to the Special Task Force (STF) were killed in a landmine blast suspected to have been triggered by Maoist rebels in Jharkhand's Bokaro district Saturday.
"The 16-member security team was on a routine long range patrolling when the blast took place at around 3 p.m. Twelve died on the spot while two died in course of treatment," Gauri Shankar Rath, additional director general of police told IANS.
The landmine was planted at a culvert.
The two injured personnel are undergoing treatment at the Bokaro hospital.
Thirteen security personnel were killed in October last year in a landmine blast in Chatra.
Maoist rebels are active in 16 of the state's 22 districts. Nearly 550 people, including 245 security personnel, have been killed in past five years.
Doha, Dec 2 (Xinhua) Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, declared open the 15th Asian Games at the Khalifa Stadium here Friday, after rains had delayed the start of the spectacular opening ceremony.
Thousands of athletes celebrated the opening of the games, the first in an Arab country. Athletes, escorted by women in traditional long robes and headscarves, streamed into the stadium with Afghanistan first appearing, followed by countries and regions in English alphabetical order.
China, which fielded the largest delegation with 647 athletes, received huge applause as the next Asian Games host country came in with 300 representatives with badminton player Bao Chunlai as the flag bearer.
The southern Chinese city of Guangzhou will host the 16th Asian Games in 2010.
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and South Korea marched in together under a blue and white unification flag showing the Korean Peninsula, which is the eighth time that two sides have paraded together in an international sports meet.
Qatar's march-in wrapped up the parade, winning over a standing ovation from the spectators.
The ceremony started with hundreds of men in white 'thobes' and white 'gutrahs' forming the phrase "peace be upon you" with sparkling fireworks in hands.
Capacity spectators of 40,000 were then entertained by a performance using cutting-edge technology, telling a story about how an Ancient Qatari, named the Seeker, searched for treasures and found other parts of Asia with the help of an astrolabe. He returned with richness and handed down not only the astrolabe, but also his respect for knowledge and their own culture.
The arch-shaped huge LED screen in the stadium interacted with the performance while changing lights helped transform the field of play into ocean, desert or a world map.
For the first time in 55 years, the games has been held in an Arab country. And for the first time in its history, organisers have inked as a huge budget as $2.8 billion to stage the largest ever Asian Games, which has brought in more than 10,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions all over Asia.
Even before the official opening of the games, started fading away the doubts on whether a country of 11,000 square kilometres and with a population of 840,000 can make the games a success.
Not only did the organisers comfortably house as a large number of athletes and officials as those of a modern Olympic Games as well as over 4,000 journalists from all over the world, but also impressed the visitors with the 21 state-of-art venues, redeveloped or purpose-built, for the 39 sports, 424 events, 11 more sports than the Olympic Games.
It ought to be the most mixed-cultured organising committee in all the games as the Qataris invited experts from at least 15 countries and regions, including Australia, Greece and Italy which all have been recent hosts to either summer Olympics or the winter versions.
Among the 3,465 organising committee staff, about 85 percent came out of the country, including the 2000 Sydney Olympics opening ceremony artistic director David Atkins.
Atkins had promised an Olympic class opening ceremony for Doha and delivered.
"This ceremony is far more ambitious and greater in scale and scope than the Sydney ceremony," he said.
"This is the most multi-cultural team I have ever assembled. There are performers from more countries than are in the games."
For most of the spectators who witnessed the flamboyant celebration, it's a time deeply rooted in mind and a time worthy of long time memory.
For natives like Reem Al Lanjawi who had flown back from England, this is the time for life.
"This is a big event in my country and I want to be part of it. Now I am so proud of being here as a staff to witness the great opening ceremony.
"I just can not control my enthusiasm in the stadium although I am feeling a little shivering in the rain," said the engineering student in her third year of telecommunications at the University of Essex in England.
Lanjawi said that the segment Sea of Life reminded her of old stories from my.
"And the scenario of Arabic history is very well showcased in a penetrating and gallant way both on the ground and on the big screen. It's not only a retroversion of the Arabic provenance, but a selection of Arabic culture and historic heritage," she said.
"I am very proud of the opening ceremony and proud of the mastermind of those programs, and I think it's really fantastic and unforgettable."
For horse owner Kuo Chih Hui from Chinese Taipei equestrian team, the opening ceremony is a vivid picture of Qatari history.
"I just enjoy the strong flavour of Arabic culture in the opening ceremony. It tells you what's the background culture and historic origin in the gulf country, so it's a time to learn the history, to learn the country rather than a get-together only," said Kuo.
"It's a prolific lesson, for you can learn different things from different segments all through the ceremony. The Journey Begins and Sea of Life tell you the origin of Qatar; Wonders of Asia indicates the exchange between Asian countries, so I take it as a time to study and to remember."
Maxwell Silva, the head of Sri Lanka delegation, gave his credit to the design and creativity.
"The design of Islamic and Arabic culture is great. Respect for Qatari culture and the Islamic religion underpinned the design approach, so it's a very successful opening ceremony for Asiad and for the viewers," he said.
"The colours, symbols and clothes have cultural and religious significance and implications. I think it's a typical ceremony of setting out cultures through outstanding imagination and high technology. It's a ceremony worth your value and your long memory."
Patna, Dec 2 (IANS) Thirty-three people were killed when a 150-year-old bridge collapsed on an overcrowded Howrah-Jamalpur Superfast train in Bihar's Bhagalpur district early Saturday in a tragedy waiting to happen.
Mammoth slabs of metal, cement and mortar thundered over a sleeper class of the Howrah-Jamalpur train coming from Howrah in West Bengal and on its way to Jamalpur in Bihar, barely 50 km from its destination.
The disaster simply crushed many passengers, many of whom were travelling illegally on the roof of the coaches and hanging on the doors, and seriously wounding many.
S. Majumdar, chief spokesman of Eastern Railways confirmed the deaths. "Thirty-three people, including 12 women, were killed and 18 injured," Majumdar told IANS over phone.
He said rescue operation was over and the railway officials were busy to remove debris from the tracks so that normal traffic resumes as earliest as possible.
However, unconfirmed reports have put the death toll at 36.
The aged bridge, 'Ulta Pul', was being dismantled when it suddenly came down on the train. According to villagers, a portion of the damaged bridge was hanging loosely but trains continued to run underneath, unaware of the danger lurking overhead.
On Saturday, reverberations from the plying of the train apparently caused the bridge to simply come apart.
Railway Minister Lalu Prasad ordered a probe into the accident and announced a compensation of Rs.100,000 to families of the dead besides promising a job in the government.
Lalu Prasad, campaigning for the Congress in a by-election in Bihar's Katihar district, vowed to crack down on errant railway engineers who allowed a tragedy of this kind to take place.
He said he had sought the suspension of errant officials. "I have ordered that harsh action be taken against the guilty."
Thousands of people crowded around the accident site, hampering rescue operations. By late afternoon railway officials had pressed giant cranes to take out the crushed rail carriage and resume rail traffic on the section.
Tehran, Dec 2 (NNN-IRNA) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah held talks in Doha, Qatar on Friday.
According to the Media Department of the Presidential Office, President Ahmadinejad, in the meeting, said: "As everybody knows, the Zionist regime was created to establish dominion of arrogant states over the region and to enable the enemy to penetrate the heart Muslim land."
Saying the Israeli regime was inherently a "threat," he said it was established in the region to create tensions and impose the arrogant policies of the US and UK on regional states.
"Under no circumstances can it contribute to peace and security." Premier Haniyah, for his part, praised the support of the Iranian government and nation for the cause of the Palestinian nation, saying "the Iranian nation's brilliant stand in the rightful battles of the Palestinians encourages them and signifies their deep understanding of Islamic principles."
"The Intifada (uprising) of the Palestinian nation will continue until the cause of the Palestines is materialized and Al-Qods Al-Sharif is liberated," he added.
Referring to the decline of the Zionist regime and success of the freedom struggle of the Palestinians, President Ahmadinejad said: "Today scores of Western politicians are in doubt as to the future of this illegitimate regime and its existence has come under question."
He further said that it is the religious duty of all Muslims to support the Palestinian nation.
"There is no doubt the Palestinian nation and Muslims as a whole will emerge victorious," the president told the Palestinian prime minister.
"The continued commission of crimes by the Zionist regime will speed up the collapse of this fictitious regime."
Baghdad, Dec 2 (ZEENEWS.COM) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki faced a widening revolt within his divided government as two senior Sunni politicians joined prominent Shiite lawmakers and Cabinet members in criticizing his policies.
Vice President Tariq al-Hashemi said he wanted to see al-Maliki's government gone and another "understanding" for a new coalition put in place with guarantees that ensure collective decision making.
"There is a clear deterioration in security and everything is moving in the wrong direction," the Sunni leader told reporters. "This situation must be redressed as soon as possible. If they continue, the country will plunge into civil war."
Al-Maliki's No. 2, Deputy Prime Minister Salam Zikam Ali al-Zubaie, also a Sunni, argued that the president's government failed to curb the spread of sectarian politics.
A boycott by 30 lawmakers and five Cabinet ministers loyal to anti-American Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr was in protest of al-Maliki's meeting with President Bush in Jordan on Thursday. The Sadrists said the meeting amounted to an affront to the Iraqi people.
Al-Maliki appealed to the Sadrists to end their boycott and admonished them for an action that he said violated the commitment expected from partners in his 6-month-old coalition government.
"I hope they reconsider their decision because it doesn't constitute a positive development in the political process," al-Maliki said at a news conference on his return to Baghdad. "Political partnership means commitment."
Meanwhile, in an interview with ABC, al-Maliki confidently claimed that his forces would be ready to take over responsibility for security in Iraq by June, a timeline that is about 12 months shorter than what has been floated by top US military commanders.
"We and the President (Bush) agreed to keep the same (U.S.) forces on the ground but to train more Iraqi forces," he said, according to excerpts from the interview to be aired later Thursday.
"We did not talk about any timetables and agenda for the withdrawal but now we are focusing on training Iraqi forces and then we will talk about reducing the number of multinationals," he said, alluding to the US-led, 150,000-strong multinational force in Iraq.
He said he had no objection to any timetable for a U.S. troop withdrawal, but cautioned that such action should be put off until Iraqi forces were ready to stand on their own.
On Thursday, Bush said he would speed a turnover of security responsibility to Iraqi forces and assured al-Maliki that Washington was not looking for a "graceful exit" from a war well into its fourth year.
"So, we'll be in Iraq until the job is complete," Bush said.
Saleh al-Ojeili, a Sadrist legislator, said only a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq would persuade him and fellow Sadrists to resume participation in the parliament and government.
"It is the minimum we can ask for," al-Ojeili said.
A special commission on US policy in Iraq will urge a pullback of some US troops but will not recommend a timetable for withdrawing all US forces, an official familiar with the panel's deliberations said Thursday.
The Iraq Study Group's report, to be released next Wednesday, will press for a greater shift in responsibility for the country's security from American to Iraqi forces. It will also indicate that the presence of US troops is part of the problem in Iraq, said the official, who requested anonymity because the panel's recommendations have not been made public.
Bush has steadfastly refused to announce a timeline for a troop pullout, saying that such a move would play into the hands of insurgents.
In violence on Thursday, the US military reported the deaths of two soldiers, and Iraqi officials said 47 people had been killed, including 37 bodies found dumped in various regions of the country.
The Ambedkar Day observations in Kerala
will held in 5 places in kerala on Dec.6 th,2006.
Karunagappally- Kollam District
Vypin - Ernakulam District
Thakazhy- Aleppey District
Arttupuzha - Aleppey District
Programme
Ambedkar Observation
INAUGURATION
Mr.Kodikkunnil Suresh,Ex.M.P
(General Secreatry,KPCC)
Speaches by - Mr.K.K.kochu ,Noted writer
Mr.M.Geethanadan,
(General Secretary,Rastreeya Mahasabha and Noted Activist)
Release of - SC/ST Atrocties(PoA) Act- in Malayalam
Discussion about - Dalits and SC / ST Acts in Present situation.
Panel-Dy. Supdt. of Police,Kollam
Adv.Vincent(Noted lawyer from High Court,Cochin)
R.Prakash(Chair Person ,IDADS)
And Exhbition of Ambedkar -Film
Organized by- IDADS,Kerala.
Everyone will invited for the Ambedkar observation Programme in kerala
JAI BHIM
R.Prakash,
Chairpaerson,IDADS
Dhaka, Dec 2 (NNN-BSS) President and Chief Adviser of the Caretaker Government Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed will invite two top leaders of the Awami League led 14-party combine and the BNP led 4-party alliance for talks at "Bangabhaban",the presidential house.
"The President will invite the two top leaders over a cup of tea to find a way out of the current political standoff," Information Adviser Mahbubul Alam told waiting newsmen at the Bangabhaban gate today.
He said this after emerging from a meeting of the Council of
Advisers with the President and Chief Adviser Professor Dr Iajuddin Ahmed in the chair.
The Adviser said the meeting also discussed rescheduling of the election and decided to seek Election Commission's position in this regard. The decision for poll rescheduling, he said, would be taken after getting the Election Commission's view.
"Our responsibility is to hold a free and fair election but we are in an adverse situation not seen ever in the past," Alam said.
He, however, termed the leave of absence of the Chief Election Commissioner Justice M A Aziz as an achievement of the Caretaker Government
Beirut, Dec 2 (DPA) Pro-Syrian opposition demonstrators have blocked roads in downtown Beirut leading to Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora's offices after massive protests calling for his resignation.
Protesters said late Friday they were beginning an all-night vigil. Tents were set up on roads leading to the government palace where Seniora and ministers backing him were in effect besieged.
"Our followers will stay here until the fall of the Seniora government," Ghassan Darwish, a Hezbollah organiser, told DPA. "We can say the government is besieged. Let them resign."
However, a government source in the palace said that contacts between Defence Minister Elias al-Murr and the Shia House speaker Nabih Berri had led the organisers to ease the blockade and open at least three roads.
During the siege Hezbollah men clad in their distinctive beige or black and carrying walkie-talkies were clearly seen getting orders to set up at least 12 tents around the palace.
Most anti-Syrian ministers have been sleeping in the governmental palace since Tuesday, fearing more assassinations after Christian anti-Syrian minister Pierre Gemayel was gunned down in a Christian neighbourhood.
Hundreds of thousands of pro-Syrian followers had gathered earlier around the governmental palace, calling on Seniora to step down.
In Washington, the US State Department said the demonstrations were aimed at toppling a democratically elected government with the support of Iran and Syria.
Seniora the previous evening had defied his pro-Syrian opponents, calling on all Lebanese in a television address "not to be scared and not to be desperate".
By Sujeet Kumar
Kota (Chhattisgarh), Dec 2 (IANS) Chhattisgarh's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is locked in a do-or-die battle to win the Kota assembly constituency and to teach a lesson to its long-time foe and Congress veteran Ajit Jogi.
Chief Minister Raman Singh and his entire 13 ministers along with key figures of its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) are camping there to ensure that the BJP comes on top.
Jogi is equally determined to see that his wife Renu overcomes the BJP in a contest dubbed here as "a battle of dignity for Jogi as well as the Raman Singh government".
Since 1952, the Congress has never lost the Kota seat but the BJP came close to victory in the December 2003 election.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Jogi managed to launch his wife's political career from Kota with the Congress allotting the ticket to her hours before the filing of nominations closed.
The BJP has fielded Bhupendra Singh Thakur, who has been trying his luck for the third time in a row from the constituency.
The election was necessitated after Kota legislator Rajendra Prasad Shukla, who was also Chhattisgarh's first assembly speaker, died after a prolonged illness.
The counting will take place Dec 7, when the BJP government completes three years in office.
"The Kota poll is not just an election, it's a litmus test for the BJP government's capability. A victory for Jogi's wife will create an impression across the state that the BJP can never compete with Jogi," said Amar Agrawal, a BJP minister and in-charge of the Kota battle.
"We have to win Kota by any means. The loss will not only dent the confidence of our workers but also allow Jogi to emerge stronger. It will create hurdles for the smooth running of the BJP government," a RSS leader told IANS.
The BJP has brought over 6,000 party cadres from various parts of the state to Kota to work with the ministers and RSS leaders to help bag the seat.
The BJP ministry has literally deserted capital Raipur and is parked at four key locations - Kota, Ratanpur, Gorela, Pendra - in the Kota segment to block Jogi's chances.
"The whole BJP government has shifted to Kota. They are creating pressure on voters and terrorising Congress workers," Jogi told IANS during his campaign in Belgehna village.
"Let them do what they can. I will get through with a comfortable victory and the government's capability and strength will be exposed," Jogi stated.
During a two-day visit to Kota areas, this correspondent saw that while BJP cadres were scattered in the urban and semi-urban areas, Jogi had brought his trusted supporters into the highly populated interior villages and Gond tribal-dominated areas to spoil the government's third anniversary party.
By Arpana
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) The influx of big corporate houses into Bollywood has made high-profile deals between top actors, directors and production houses a common practice.
The latest firm to join the trend is Percept Picture Company, which has signed on 12 directors. Last month, business tycoon Anil Ambani's entertainment company Adlabs signed a three-film deal with superstar Hrithik Roshan for approximately Rs.350 million.
So, what is the driving force behind these deals?
"The fact of the matter is that good talent is scarce in Bollywood. There are limited stars who are saleable. There are also very few skilled directors. So corporate houses are entering into such deals to block the dates of talented people," Sandeep Bhargava of Studio 18 told IANS.
Mahesh Ramanathan of Percept Picture Company rules out competition and insecurity as reasons for this increasing trend.
"There is no competition in the film industry unless my film is releasing on the same day as another. We are not looking for market shares. It's a creative field and if I have good ideas, I can survive," said Ramanathan.
"I think insecurity would be the last thing. If we were insecure, we wouldn't make more films, we would make less films," he explained.
In Hollywood many of the superstars are hooked by big studios. For instance, Brad Pitt signed a deal with Paramount. So is Bollywood following the footsteps of its Western counterpart?
"No, not all. We are doing something that existed here 40 years ago. We had studios like Bombay Talkies and Filmalaya," said Amit Khanna of Adlabs.
Talking about multi-project deals, Khanna said: "The trend is catching up fast. Earlier, corporate houses were not into film business. We didn't have enough money to pay for more than one film. I think this is how a classic system works."
But there is one similarity between the working style of Hollywood and Bollywood.
"Hollywood first finds a good script, then scouts for a suitable director and in the end they start casting - they look for actors who would fit the role. We are also doing the same," said Bhargava.
Bhargava has tied up with directors Anurag Basu and Amrit Sagar. Studio 18 will produce Sagar's directorial debut "1971".
Percept Picture Company is expected to churn out 22 films by 2008. It has roped in 12 directors including Nagesh Kukunoor and Madhur Bhandarkar.
Some of the prestigious projects of Percept Picture Company are Bhandarkar's "Traffic Signal", which is ready for release, and "Hanuman 2" that is set for a Diwali release in 2007. Filming has already started of Priyadarshan's movie "Dhol" starring Kunal Khemmu, Tusshar Joshi, Sharman Joshi.
The films going on floor immediately include Shoojit Sircar's Amitabh Bachchan-starrer "Johnny Walker" for which shooting will start in April 2007 and Nagesh Kukunoor's "Tasveer". Akshay Kumar plays an important role in Kukunoor's film, will go on floor in May 2007.
Other upcoming ventures of Percept Picture Company are "RubaRu", "50 Lac" "Kabootar", "Forest", "Malamaal Weekly 2" and Kukunoor's "Aashayein".
All these films will be made at the budget of Rs.50 million to Rs.200 million.
The money being invested in Bollywood by corporate big wigs is expected to improve the quality of cinema.
Said Ramanathan: "We have a team of talented writers. I think we are the first one to have them on our pay roll. In other companies they are hired on a project basis. We employ them and give them a platform to show their talent. Two of our films are based on Indian literature - 'Hanuman 2' and 'Johnny Walker'."
Apart from Adlabs and Percept Picture Company, Tata Infomedia Ltd, A.V. Birla group, A.B. Corp, Sahara India, Oswal group's Lucky Star Entertainment Ltd and Cutting Edge Entertainment are some of the corporate houses that are actively working in filmdom, trying to edge out traditional financers.
This corporatisation of Bollywood is expected to make the industry more organised and disciplined. "Anything that is commercial is bound to work," said Bhargava.
Aligarh, Prof. M. Saleemuddin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, AMU, recently formally released the book "The Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Marketing" co-authored by Prof. Kaleem Mohammed Khan and Dr. Mohammed Naved Khan. The authors are faculty members of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Management Studies & Research, Aligarh Muslim University.
The Encyclopaedic Dictionary has been published by SAGE Publications (ISBN: 0761935010; 352pp, Price: $29.95, 2006). SAGE Publications is an independent international publisher of books, journals (more than 400) and electronic media. The SAGE group of companies consist of SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, USA; SAGE Publications London, Oliver's Yard, London and SAGE, New Delhi, India. In India, the book is published by Response Books, an imprint of SAGE. The book has already been launched in USA, Europe, Middle-East, South-Asia and Australia.
The Financial Express has termed it as 'The Lexicon of Marketing' while Pakistan's most widely read English newspaper Dawn has referred to it as 'The Bible of Marketing Literature'. The book has also received very good response from Malaysia while the feedback from the rest of the world is awaited.
This dictionary serves as a comprehensive guide to understanding marketing, its lexicon, and their usage. Marketing is discussed in all its dimensions, going beyond just the meaning of words to their etymology, nuances, and current significance. This invaluable reference tool covers more than 5,000 terms, concepts, theories, methods and techniques from the fields of General Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Advertising, Sales Promotion, Sales Management, Retailing, International Marketing, E-marketing and Services Marketing. Examples, illustrations, figures, and charts have been provided in order to better explain some of the terms. Lucidly written, this encyclopaedic dictionary will serve as a source of ready reference for all those in the area of marketing including students, research scholars, teachers, managers and marketing consultants. This is the second book by the authors, their first book titled "Facets of Indian Advertising and Consumer Behavior: An Empirical Approach" ( ISBN: 81-7391-447-8) was published in 2002.
Arusha, Tanzania Dec 2 (NNN-KBC)The Eight Summit of the East African Community Heads of State under the chairmanship of President Mwai Kibaki has granted full East African Community membership to Burundi and Rwanda.
The summit directed the East African Community Secretariat to work out with the two new member states the smooth transition of its membership accession noting that the admission will be effective from July 1, 2007.
Welcoming the member states to the community, President Kibaki said the historic decision to admit the two countries marks the birth of a wider East African Community.
"With regard to the accession of Rwanda and Burundi to the East African Community, for instance, the two countries have satisfied the necessary requirements, and we will now be formalising their participation as full members." President Kibaki noted.
At the same time President Kibaki observed that the fundamental principle of the East African Community Treaty is that of Sovereign equality.
Commenting on the recent ruling by the East African Court of Justice regarding Kenya 's representatives to the East African Legislative Assembly, President Kibaki said the development of the community has not reached a stage where national sovereignty has been ceded to regional institutions.
"While recognising and upholding the decision of the court, I nevertheless wish to observe that a fundamental principle of the East African Community Treaty is that of sovereign equality," President Kibaki said.
President Kibaki was addressing the Eight Summit of Heads of State of the EAC at Arusha International Conference Centre.
The President, however, pointed out that the Treaty envisages the growth of greater economic, social and political integration.
In this respect, President Kibaki said each stage in this process will be agreed upon by the Partner States by way of conclusion of relevant protocols.
Accordingly, the President said it is critical that the organs and institutions of the community perform their functions and act within the limits of the powers conferred upon them under the Treaty.
"Doing so, will ensure harmony in the functions and operations of the national and community institutions," the Head of State said.
On the other hand, President Kibaki said any attempt by an institution to exceed the powers granted to it will amount to gross violation of the letter and spirit of the Treaty and serve to undermine the vision of the people of East Africa and the progress being achieved towards full integration.
Stressing the importance of regional integration, President Mwai Kibaki said the East African Community (EAC) should bolster economic growth and raises the standards of living of the East African people.
He welcomed the launching of the Third EAC Development Strategy for the period 2006 to 2010, noting that the strategy envisages the consolidation of the EAC Customs Union as well as the process of establishing the Common Market by the target date of 2010.
"As we launch this Strategy, it is necessary to recognize that the establishment of a Customs Union or a Common Market are not ends in themselves," the President said.
The President said the real deliverables within the ThirdDevelopment Strategy relate to the specific regional projects and programmes that will facilitate social, economic and political development.
He said there is need to ensure that all the identified projects are backed up with adequate and reliable funding, adding that the recent launching of the East African Community Partnership Fund provides a suitable avenue for mobilizing resources to underwrite priority regional projects and programmes.
In this regard, President Kibaki said the participation of the private sector in the implementation of the priority projects, especially those involving public-private partnership is most crucial.
"Accordingly, no efforts should be spared in the development of a truly regional market that warmly welcomes cross-border investments and capital movements," President Kibaki said.
He observed that the proposed East African Community Development Fund and the strengthening of the East African Development Bank will further bolster internal capacity for sustainable financing of regional priority projects.
Saying the broad participation of the East African people in decisions relating to the implementation of the EAC Treaty objectives is a critical factor in the success of regional integration, President Kibaki said the East African Community should focus on creating deeper awareness and understanding of the strategic issues involved in East African regional integration.
He, therefore, called the strengthening of the East African Community's marketing function to reach out to the people with clear messages about the East African Community project and the benefits that will accrue to the people.
Noting that last October, the three East African countries simultaneously launched the process of seeking the views of the people of East Africa on political federation, the President said that event marked another important step in democratizing the decision-making process of the East African Community.
"The launch of the process takes the issue of political federation to the people in order to seek their views on the way forward. This is crucial because the people are the owners of the integration process," the President said.
Noting that the East African Community integration process is continuing to gather momentum, President Kibaki said the vibrancy and growth of the community has reached the levels originally envisaged by the founding fathers of the community.
He commended the East African Legislative Assembly for effectively guiding the community in the last five years, saying through a series of innovative measures the first Assembly established effective structures and procedures.
Indeed, President Kibaki said, the Assembly has left a rich legacy which the successor Assembly will find handy in further strengthening the role of the regional Legislature.
"On behalf of the Summit, I wish to commend the Members of the first East African Legislative Assembly for laying a solid foundation for the Community," President Kibaki said.
Similarly, the Head of State noted that the East African Court of Justice has spent the past five years laying down the foundations for its operations as well as capacity building for the Court's judges and staff.
He observed that the East African Court of Justice faces an enormous challenge in entrenching the rule of law and good governance, which were important pillars for the success of our Community.
On its part, President Kibaki added, the East African Community Secretariat has continued to play a central role in managing the transition to a more robust action and results-oriented Community.
"I commend the Secretariat for the emphasis it is currently placing on wide collaboration among the institutions of the Community and the broad spectrum of stakeholders," President Kibaki said.
He expressed confidence that the ongoing review of the Secretariat's operations will go a long way in streamlining internal management structures and controls, improving monitoring and evaluation systems and ensuring wider application of a results-oriented management system in the East African Community.
The President further observed that EAC also witnessed much progress at the programme implementation level, saying the most significant is the Customs Union, which iwas now almost two years old.
"While we face a few teething challenges in the implementation of the Customs Union, our resolve to consolidate the Union and make it a firm building block for a common market remains steadfast," the President said.
Jaipur, Dec 2 (IANS) Rajasthan, one of India's biggest tourist draws, is setting up a 24-hour call centre to help tourists seeking information.
"We are in the process to set up the call centre," said Urmila Rajoria, additional director in the Rajasthan tourism department.
"It will first start operations in Hindi and English. Later it will also provide services in other major foreign languages," she said.
Rajasthan is also one of the few Indian states to have "Electronic Tourist Information Kiosks" (E-Tec).
Three such kiosks, opened in Jaipur Oct 27, have become hugely popular, both among foreign and domestic tourists. The kiosks every day get over 100 tourism related queries.
The kiosks provide online information on tours, travels and hotels among other things. Tourists seek information about monuments, forts, palaces and museums.
Rajasthan drew over one million foreign and 20 million domestic tourists last year.
Thiruvambady (Kerala), Dec 2 (IANS) After more than two weeks of hectic campaigning, rival fronts ended up their campaign Saturday in Kerala's Thiruvambady assembly constituency that goes to the polls Dec 4.
The election was necessitated after Communist Party of India-Marxist's (CPI-M) Mathai Chacko died in October.
The main candidates are George M. Thomas of CPI-M and V.M. Ummer Master of the Indian Union Muslim League, an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Also in the fray are Bharatiya Janata Party's Gireesh Thevally and three independents.
The ruling CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is determined to retain the seat it surprisingly won in May this year, for the first time since the constituency was formed in 1977.
The LDF has never lost a by-poll while in power. On the other hand, Defence Minister A.K. Antony was engaged in a daylong campaign for the UDF here Friday.
"A victory for the LDF means recognition for its wrong policies and its arrogance will only increase," said Antony.
Knowing very well that the outcome would be seen as a verdict on his six-month-old government, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan also spent a considerable time in the constituency, so did his minister's.
Thiruvambady has been a traditional UDF stronghold since its formation in 1977 and was lost to LDF only in the May 2006 assembly polls. May saw a LDF sweep, the front winning 98 of the 140 assembly seats.
The counting of votes would take place Dec 7.
By Sanjay Sharma
Bhopal, Dec 2 (IANS) Medical research is desperately needed, especially into the possible genetic and reproductive after effects, of the lethal gas leak in Bhopal exactly 22 years ago that killed more than 3,000 people instantly and thousands more in subsequent years.
Despite the neurological, hormonal and mental health problems that the survivors are facing besides the genetic damage to the children born to survivors, these crucial areas have been severely under-studied, allege rights activists, who say, "This has lead to unsystematic treatment of gas victims."
"Lack of research into the possible genetic and reproductive ramifications of gas exposure, and now of exposure to contaminated water, have seriously marred efforts to respond to the effects of poisonous gases on the next generation in those affected by the gas leak," said activist Rashida Bi who is a gas victim herself and associated with the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB).
On Dec 2-3 night in 1984, 40 tonnes of lethal Methyl-Iso-Cyanate gas spewed out of the Union Carbide Corporation's pesticide plant here. The tragedy also left thousands maimed for life from inhaling the poisonous gas.
Women who were pregnant during or following the disaster had extremely high rates of spontaneous abortion. A 1985 study by Medico Friends Circle (MFC) found that in addition to spontaneous abortion and stillbirths, pregnant women exhibited diminished foetal movements and menstrual disturbances. Foetuses that survived the gas disaster suffered from severe malformations. Birth defects continue to occur among families affected by the gas leak and contamination of water at a higher-than-average rate even now.
Union Carbide allegedly constructed the factory knowing that the storage and treatment methods for waste were likely to fail and contaminate ground water. According to local groups monitoring the water quality, contamination from the factory has now spread to 16 wards and affects an estimated 16,000-20,000 people.
A study carried out by Sambhavna Trust Clinic showed that children conceived and born after the disaster to affected parents were significantly different from children of the same age born to unexposed parents. The children were shorter, thinner, lighter, and had smaller heads, said activist Satinath Sarangi, who runs Sambhavna Clinic that treats the affected in the gas-hit areas.
Also, children of exposed parents showed abnormal growth in their upper bodies that were disproportionately smaller than their lower bodies.
"The problem in the second generation due to gas exposure is one that will affect tens of thousands, and potentially many more in the future, and it needs to be addressed immediately. Yet the government has only very scanty information on this matter and no plans for the health or special assistance needed for them," said Champa Devi another activist. She is the recipient of the American Public Health Association's Goldman Environmental Award for her work among gas victims over the years.
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated 18 studies in the aftermath of the Bhopal disaster. However, despite findings of long-term damage, these studies were all prematurely ended within 10 years just as conclusive evidence of damage was beginning to show on the offspring of survivors.
"Most studies done by ICMR were terminated as early as 1989 and the rest by 1994 without reviewing the collected data and pleas for continuing the studies were ignored. The ICMR's full report on Bhopal too has not been released till date," said Sarangi.
"Research done in the past is insufficient and key aspects of the disaster and its aftermath have been ignored in research projects. Now, new issues have arisen necessitating fresh research. This includes exposure to water contamination among those living in the vicinity of the factory site," Sarangi told IANS.
The Fact Finding Mission on Bhopal found high levels of chemicals in the breast milk of women affected by water contamination. Studies conducted by the Sambhavna Trust Clinic indicated that about half of the people living in the contaminated area were suffering from multiple symptoms.
ICMR studies, although prematurely terminated, did show that children of exposed mothers had delayed physical and mental development and lower values for anthropometric parameters such as height and mid-arm circumference.
Beijing, Dec 2 (Xinhua) China is set to launch its second geo-stationary orbit meteorological satellite Fengyun-2 D Dec 8, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA).
Yang Jun, director of the National Satellite Meteorological Centre, said the Fengyun-2 D would form a twin-star observation system with Fengyun-2 C, China's first geo-stationary orbit weather satellite launched in October 2004.
The two satellites have their own observation tasks but can stand by each other in case of a malfunction in either of them, Yang said.
The Fengyun-2 D will also enlarge the geo-stationary weather observation range and improve weather forecasting and monitoring.
China will launch the second-generation Fengyun-3 meteorological satellite in the second half of 2007, said Yang.
Cuddalore (Tamil Nadu), Dec 2 (IANS) Former US president Bill Clinton Friday hailed India's tsunami relief and rehabilitation programme, saying UN agencies would replicate it.
During a visit to Cuddalore, a seaside town 300 km south of Tamil Nadu capita Chennai, Clinton said: "India must be proud of what has been done here to alleviate the sufferings of the tsunami victims."
"I am trying to learn a lot about what was done here because I want to see this model copied not only in the tsunami areas but also around the world, and then figure out how to make it part of the UN strategy for future disasters," the former president said.
Clinton was here to study UN-supported reconstruction efforts as the world body's special ambassador.
At least 700 people died in the Dec 2004 tsunami in Cuddalore alone, of whom 214 were children.
Over 2,300 houses and 5,000 fishing boats were also destroyed.
"The Indian government has begun a process of floating buoys in the sea for an early warning system for a tsunami or the next bad storm. But to make it work, the authorities should see to it that reached the people at ground level, the last mile," Clinton said.
He also suggested that Sri Lanka should find an Ireland-like solution to its ethnic problem.
"It's not difficult to find honourable resolution in Sri Lanka. We found one in Bosnia, we found it in Northern Ireland. The same sort of problems exist in other parts of the world as well," Clinton maintained.
Clinton had, last year, visited Nagapattinam in the state to study UN-supported rehabilitation efforts there.
Indian Muslim Staff Reporter
New Delhi, Dec 2: Human Resource Development minister Arjun Singh will inaugurate a conference on how to modernise Madrasa education system here on Sunday.
The National Commission for Minority Educational Institution in consultation with Muslim religious leaders and academicians is organising this conference.
Eminent scholars and educationists associated with Madarsa education have been invited to participate in addition to the Chairmen & Vice Chairmen of the State Minority Commissions & Madarsa Boards, and honorary coordinators of this Commission all over India.
The conference would try to find how best modern education could be introduced in Madrasas. It will discuss the need for equipping the Madrasa students with knowledge and power in areas of science and technology for their social and economic betterment and evolve a broad consensus on this issue.
The Commission will submit its report based on the decisions arrived at the conference later to the government.
"The religious institutions like Maktabs and Madrasas have been playing an important role for centuries in preserving Arabic and Persian languages and Islamic cultural heritage. They can play a useful role in imparting general and technical education to their students," a HRD ministry official said talking about the Sunday conference.
“The educational backwardness of Muslims has become a matter of unprecedented national concern and the HRD ministry concedes that modernisation of Madarsas is arguably the most critical task,� he added.
"The idea is to introduce teaching of subjects like mathematics, science, computer education and also vocational education along with theological studies, without diluting the religious studies," he further said.
By Syed Zarir Hussain
Dimapur (Nagaland), Dec 2 (IANS) Government negotiators are beginning fresh talks Monday in Amsterdam with Nagaland's dominant separatist group aimed at ending nearly six-decades of insurgency.
Officials led by Labour Minister Oscar Fernandes and New Delhi's main peace interlocutor K. Padmanabhaiah will meet leaders of the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-IM).
"The talks are expected to continue for at least two days. The agenda is being worked out in consultation with NSCN-IM," a home ministry official said by telephone from New Delhi.
The NSCN-IM and the government entered into a ceasefire in August 1997. This has been renewed regularly. The present ceasefire expires in June 2007.
During talks in October, the rebels had proposed "a special federal arrangement" to enable the Nagas self-governance but the negotiations ended inconclusively.
"It was agreed in the last meeting to explore and discuss our demand for a special federal relationship between India and Nagalim (Greater Nagaland) that allows us self-governance," NSCN-IM leader R.H. Raising told IANS.
"The parameters for the Amsterdam talks would be confined to this core issue of a special federal arrangement."
The NSCN-IM is seeking a separate Naga constitution under the special federal relationship that it has proposed.
"We would, however, allow the international borders to be jointly guarded by Indian security forces and Naga soldiers so as not to jeopardise the security interests of India," another rebel leader said.
The NSCN-IM has been struggling for nearly six decades to create a "Greater Nagaland" by slicing off parts of three neighbouring states to unite 1.2 million Nagas. The demand is opposed by Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh.
The rebel leadership blamed New Delhi for failing to meet their demands nine years after the ceasefire.
"The progress of the talks is very slow paced. We cannot be patient always as there is a limit to everything though we believe in a political solution to our problem rather than a military one," Raising said.
India and NSCN-IM have held more than 50 rounds of peace talks in the past nine years to end one of South Asia's longest-running insurgencies that has claimed around 25,000 lives since 1947.
Srinagar, Dec 2 (IANS) The Indian Army Friday claimed to have gunned down a key accused in the serial blasts in the national capital on Diwali eve last year that killed nearly 60 people.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. A.K. Mathur told IANS that security forces gunned down Ali Baba alias Abu Huzefa, deputy commander of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in an operation at Kreeri in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, 40 km from here.
"On specific information provided by locals about the presence of Ali Baba in fields in Kreeri, troops of Rashtriya Rifles launched an operation when the rebel was trapped in a gorge and engaged in a gunfight before being gunned down," Mathur said.
Several arms, ammunition and documents were recovered from the slain guerrilla.
"He was involved in the pre-Diwali serial blasts in New Delhi and also in atrocities on locals here. He was a resident of Pakistan's Sindh province and was active in Pattan Sopore area for the past two years," Mathur said.
Amsterdam, Dec 2 (DPA) Aerospace company European Aeronautic Defence and Space (EADS) has given the go ahead for its Airbus subsidiary to produce the long-range A350 aircraft to compete with rival Boeing.
A meeting of the supervisory board Friday approved 10 billion euros ($13 billion) in development costs for the extra wide-bodied aircraft, which can accommodate 270-350 passengers.
The first A350 is due to be delivered in 2013, five years after competitor Boeing's 787 Dreamliner hits the market.
The fate of the long-haul A350XWB had been in the balance because of a dispute over state subsidies for the concern, which has been in turmoil after failing to meet delivery dates for its prestigious A380 jumbo.
A statement released after the board meeting in Amsterdam said: "The A350XWB will be financed mainly out of the concern's capital flow."
Contributions would come from the recently introduced Power8 restructuring programme for Airbus as well as partners involved in the development and construction of the aircraft.
Development costs would be spread over 2007-2014, with the bulk of the money flowing from 2010-13, EADS said. State subsidies could flow at a later date if this becomes politically feasible, aviation experts said.
Airbus first proposed the idea of the A350 as a replacement for the ageing A330/A34 models two years ago.
Three different passenger models and a transport version are planned for the new aircraft. Airbus anticipates a demand for 5,700 planes in this range over the coming 20 years.
By F. Ahmed
Srinagar, Dec 2 (IANS) Geese pickles, smoked fish, duck delicacies and dried vegetables are back on the menu as Jammu and Kashmir prepares for a long and bitter winter ahead.
Night temperatures have plummeted to below freezing point in the valley even though the four-month-long winter season has just started. "Warm clothes are not enough to brave the sub-zero temperatures. We also need the right food during the winter months," said Parvaiz Koul, a doctor.
Traditionally, Kashmiris have always turned to a rich repast to escape the climatic harshness.
Vegetables are dried and preserved for the winter months since snow often clogs the Jammu-Srinagar highway, the supply lifeline of the valley.
Dried tomatoes, brinjals, pumpkins and even dried fish are some of the choice winter fare.
A specialty like the 'Shabdeg' - duck and turnip cooked in an earthen vessel over the simmering heat of the hearth - is a famous grandma recipe the locals relish.
"As nights are long in the winter, the duck and turnip dish is allowed to simmer in a vessel whose mouth is sealed with dough. When the vessel is opened the next day, the appetising fragrance of the spices used in the dish permeates the entire home.
"In our childhood, the privilege to serve the dish belonged to the eldest lady of the family. All of us looked forward to the occasion when we sat around in a group to be served our share of the dish," said nostalgic housewife Fahmida Akhter, 47.
Locals also keep handy 'fari gard' (smoked fish) during the winter.
"The fish is cooked with dried tomatoes and 'nadru' (lotus stems from Kashmir lakes). They make a wonderful serving," said Ghulam Nabi, a chef.
'Harisa' - a boneless mutton preparation sold during the winter in downtown Srinagar city - is another major attraction.
"This dish is so tasty that one Afghan governor, who came here during the Afghan rule, is believed to have over-eaten himself to death. He perhaps did not know how to stop," said Sajad Ahmad, a history teacher.
Kashmiris prepare some of the best local cuisine, other than the traditional feast called the 'Wazwan', only during the winter.
The local consumption of fish also goes up during the cold months.
The fish is cooked differently in winter. Deep-fried in mustard oil, it is cooked with lotus stems, radish and a lavish use of spices and condiments like chillies, turmeric and cloves.
"Kashmiri Pandits prepared special fish dishes for Muslim guests during Shivratri festival. They also used tomatoes and radish in the dishes. Fish at the Pandit neighbour's home used to be something I always looked forward to," recalled Bashir Ahmad, 49, a forest officer.
Another winter specialty is the waterfowl - a migratory species that fly here in thousands each winter from Russian Siberia, China and Eastern Europe.
The greylag geese, mallards, teals, shovellers, gadwalls, pintails and widgeons are some species of migratory waterfowl used to prepare special winter dishes by the locals.
"In affluent families, geese pickles would also be made and kept aside for winter use," said Habibullah, 65, an ardent bird watcher who lives in Chanduna village, 28 km north of Srinagar city.
By Chitra Prakash
Chennai, Dec 2 (IANS) The makers of Tamil film "Kutrapathrikai" (Charge sheet)', which has late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's assassination and Sri Lankan civil war as its backdrop, have won a major battle with the censors.
In a landmark judgement, the Madras High Court has dismissed a petition filed on behalf of the Central Board of Censors against an earlier verdict by the court, allowing the screening of the film with an 'A' certificate after certain cuts.
The film's director, R.K. Selvamani hailed the judgement as a successful "end to a struggle of 13 years".
According to Selvamani, the film will be released as soon as the certificate is issued.
The court has directed the board to award the 'A' certificate within four weeks.
The petition had alleged that the film supported the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Sections of the Tamil Nadu Congress had also taken exception to some scenes in the film.
Chief Justice of Madras High Court A.P. Shah and Justice K. Chandru viewed the film and found nothing objectionable in it.
According to Selvamani the court has actually said there is no need to delete the portions, which the earlier verdict wanted to be cut.
The scenes, which the censors wanted to cut, included Tigers' training and police officers fleeing the venue, where Gandhi was assassinated.
This is the second Tamil film, dealing with the Sri Lankan civil war, to win a battle against the censors.
"Katrukku Enna Vaeli" was the first film of the same theme, directed by Pugazhendhi Thangaraj and featuring Khushboo, which was released in November 2001 after an 18-month struggle with the censors.
The release of "Katrukku Enna Vaeli" came after a Madras High Court verdict.
The next year witnessed the release of another Tamil film titled "Kannathil Mutthamittal" which also had a Sri Lankan theme.
It featured R. Madhavan, Simran and Nandita Das and won a National Award for director Mani Ratnam.
Ahmedabad, Dec 2 (ZEENEWS.COM) Attacking the BJP government in Gujarat for "failing" to rehabilitate post-Godhra riot victims, a team of visiting MPs today alleged there were several basic lapses in rehabilitation of families displaced during 2002 communal riots in state.
"Narendra Modi government has failed to do its duty. There is a complete lack of basic infrastructure at these rehabilitation sites," said Congress MP Rashid Alvi who was part of a nine-member team of MPs who visited about eight rehabilitation sites in Ahmedabad and Sabarkanta districts of the state.
He said these sites did not have approach roads and lacked facilities like sanitation, drinking water, education and basic health facilities.
Another Congress MP Madhusudhan Mistry said "the Central government had given Gujarat Rs 150 crores for rehabilitating victims of 2002 communal riots in the state".
"However, Modi government returned Rs 19.10 crores," Mistry alleged adding this money could have been used to build basic infrastructure at these sites.
CPI MP C K Chandrapan was equally critical of the Modi government. "Modi government has failed to fulfill its primary responsibility of treating all its citizens equally."
"This is a deliberate attempt being made by the Modi government to liquidate democratic traditions of the country," Chandrapan said adding no attempts have been made by the state government to properly rehabilitate the riot victims.
The MPs told reporters that they took the initative to visit these rehablitation sites on their own after they received several complaints.
They will submit a report in Parliament and also raise this issues as the nation should know about it, CPI-M MP Basudev Acharya said.
Acharya alleged that the state government has not paid proper compensation to the riot victims. "Riot victims have received cheques of Rs 1,000 to Rs 7,000 as compansation and we have collected copies of such cheques," he added.
Acharya said instead of the state government, NGOs and social organisation had done a good job to rebuild houses for those who became homeless in the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Alvi alleged that the intention of the government becomes clear by the way it has treated members of the minority community who were at the receiving end during the riots.
"Most of the sites are like garbage dumps. This is an attempt to kill them by giving slow poison," he alleged.
To a question regarding Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's objection to the Centre's recent decision to pay compenstation to post-Godhra riot victims on par with the victim of anti-Sikh riots, CPI-M MP Mohammad Salim said Modi survies on reactionary politics. "We would not like to react to what Modi has said," he added.
"Our visit has no political motive. We are not here before the UP elections," Salim said replying to a question regarding the timing of their visit.
London, Dec 2 (IANS) Veteran actor Dustin Hoffman has slammed US President George W. Bush for exploiting the 9/11 attacks to invade and occupy Iraq.
Hoffman says he feels 'self-conscious' about being American because he understands why the US has become the object of hate, reports contactmusic.com.
He says: "I think that the administration manipulated the grief of 9/11. They did it then and they do it now. Everybody knows why they wanted to go into Iraq and it had nothing to do with weapons of mass destruction.
"I'm an American and it's not a good feeling. When Americans say, 'I don't know why they hate us so much,' that's an uneducated response. There are lots of reasons why we're hated."
Doha, Dec 2 (Xinhua) The Indian team won the bronze in the 10 metre air rifle shooting event on the second day of the 15th Asian Games here Saturday.
The team, comprising Gagan Narang, junior world champion Navanath Farathate and Thermad Raghunath, shot a total of 1,776 points and missed the gold by 10 points at the Lussail Shooting Range.
China won the gold and South Korea bagged the silver. The Chinese team of Liu Tianyou, Zhu Qinan and Li Jie shot 1,786 points. The South Korean team (Yu Jae Chul, Kim Hye Sung and Chae Kean Baey) shot 1,777.
China took its tally of gold medals to three when they won the women's trap team event with a total of 195 points and Chen Li won the gold in the individual category in the same event. North Korea settled for the second place with 186 hits with South Korea in third at 174.
The Chinese team comprising Chen, Wang Yujin and Zhu Mei shot a total of 195 points
Chen also won the individual gold in the trap event when she shot a total of 89. Her compatriot Zhu won the silver and Lin Yi Chun of Chinese Taipei got the bronze.
Both Zhu and Lin were tied at 80 points after the final round but the Chinese edged Lin by 1-0 in the shoot off to take the silver.
China's medal prospect in badminton also brightened when they sailed into the women's semi-finals. China also became the first team to book a berth in the final four.
Olympic champion Zhang Ning of China defeated Ratnasari Fransiska of Indonesia 21-13, 21-14 in the singles match. Zhu Lin defeated Bernadet Pia 21-15, 21-18 to give China a comfortable lead.
The Chinese also dominated the doubles as the pair of Yang Wei and Zhang Jiewen defeated Liliyana and Nurita Lita 21-15, 21-18.
By Fakir Balaji
Mangalore (Karnataka), Dec 2 (IANS) The first shipment of crude oil from the Sakhalin oil fields in Russia was received here Saturday by Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Murali Deora.
The consignment of 92,055 tonnes (672,000 barrels) of Sokol crude oil sailed from Dekastri port in Russia Nov 14 on board M K Viktortinov, the oil tanker of Primorsk Shipping Co., and reached the New Mangalore Port Trust Friday.
The crude oil will be processed at the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemical Ltd (MRPL) facility here, which is a subsidiary of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC).
Russian Ambassador to India Vyacheslav Ivanovich Trubnikov, Administrative Reforms Commission chairman Veerappa Moily and top officials of ONGC and its sister concern ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) were present on the occasion.
OVL had taken 20 percent equity stake in Sakhlain-1 project at $1.7 billion in 2001 from the two subsidiaries of Russian state-owned oil firm Rosneft - SMNG-S and Rsoneft-S. Subsequently, OVL invested $2.5 billion in the project.
The Sakhalin-1 project consists of three offshore fields - Chayvo, Odoptu and Arkutun-Dagi off the northeast coast of Sakhalin Island in Russian Far East.
Receiving the cargo, Deora said the shipment signalled the opening of a new Silk Route between Russia and India, spanning 5,700 nautical miles.
"As the largest owner and producer of oil and gas reserves, Russia will be playing a major role in balancing the energy axis in the globe. The multi-polar energy supply chain, which Russia is capable of creating, will help us to diversify our resources," Deora said.
Deora also hinted India would participate in the bidding for a strategic stake in the Sakhalin-3 project.
"We have faith in Russia's ability to maintain and expand its capacity to produce and export energy even in difficult times. We look forward to partner with Russia in these endeavours," Deora stated.
OVL managing director R.S. Butola said the second cargo of crude oil amounting to 100,000 tonnes would reach the Mangalore port by this month-end.
"As an integrated project, Sakhalin-1 is being executed in phases. In the first phase, the Chayva field was developed and production commenced from Oct 2005. The initial output of 50,000 barrels per day was sold to domestic consumers in Russia," Butola pointed out.
Natural gas production averaging 60 million cubic feet (1.7 million cubic metres) per day is also being marketed to Russian customers.
Going forward, The Chayva processing facility will produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day (12 million tonnes per year) and 800 million cubic feet of gas per day.
"In the second and third phases, development of Chayvo gas reserves for export and that of Odoptu and Arkutun-Dagi fields will be taken up," Butola added.
Johannesburg, Dec 2 (IANS) India registered their maiden win of the tour as they defeated South Africa by six wickets in their first ever Twenty20 International here Friday.
India, who have already lost the one-day series, successfully chased South Africa's 127 for nine wickets in 20 overs. The visitors made 127 for four wickets in 19.5 overs in a match in which each side bowls a maximum of 20 overs.
The Virender Sehwag-led side won with one ball to spare, and with it the smiles were back on the faces of the Indian players under bright floodlights of the Wanderers Stadium.
Dinesh Mongia (38), stand-in captain Sehwag (34) and Dinesh Karthik (31 not out) were the stars of the chase, even as Charl Langeveldt took two wickets. Karthik was adjudged the Man of the Match.
When South Africa batted after captain Graeme Smith won the toss, pacers Zaheer Khan and Ajit Agarkar took two wickets apiece to restrict them to a reasonable total despite being new to this format of the game.
For South Africa, 25-year-old left-handed Albie Morkel top scored with 27 off 18 balls.
India and South Africa will play their fifth and final one-day international in Centurion Sunday.
This match will, however, be of academic interest as South Africa have won the series 3-0. Rains here washed the first match here Nov 19.
The two teams will also play a three-match Test series starting at this ground Dec 15.
Brief scores:
Twenty20 International, India vs. South Africa, Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
South Africa: 126 for nine wickets in 20 overs (Albie Morkel 27, Justin Kemp 22, J. van der Wath 21, Ajit Agarkar 2/10, Zaheer Khan 2/15) India: 127 for four wickets in 19.5 overs (Dinesh Mongia 38, Virender Sehwag 34, Dinesh Karthik 31 not out).
Result: India won by six wickets
Man of the Match: Dinesh Karthik
New York, Dec 2 (IANS) With cell phone companies embracing the idea of a "Television in the Pocket" and media firms like CBS investing in a branded channel on YouTube.com, marketing gurus from South Asia put the phenomenon under scanner here Dec 4.
Leading lights of the new media are gathering here for a panel on "New Media Revolution: How Media and Mobile is Changing the Game of Advertising" under the auspices of SAMMA (South Asians in Media and Marketing), a national trade association for South Asian and Indian Executives in US marketing and media companies.
Panelists include Manish Jha (SVP, ESPN Mobile), Nick Pahade (President, Denou Group), Deepak Srinivasan (Vice President of Product Management, 24/7 Real Media) and Nihal Mehta (CEO, Ipsh! Mobile Marketing).
"South Asians are now extending their dominance in software technology to the consumer marketing arena," says SAMMA co-founder Bhavesh Patel, Director, Digital Media, NBA (National Basketball Association).
"SAMMA is proud to be bringing attention to this growing trend of South Asians in marketing and helping network this rapidly growing community of leading media and marketing executives."
Among other leading South Asian executives in US marketing and media companies are:
* Bina Brianca, Executive Director, Global Consumer Marketing, Clinique
* Nusrat Durrani, SVP and General Manager for MTV World
* Indra Nooyi, President and CEO, Pepsico
* Ivan Menezes, President, Global North America, Diageo (marketers of Smirnoff & Guinness)
* Vivek Shah, President, Digital Publishing, Fortune/Money Group
* Rishad Tobacowalla, Chief Innovations Officer, Publicis and Founder,
Denuo
SAMMA aims to promote and connect the growing numbers of South Asian professionals working in the media and marketing industries - across industries that include CPG, advertising, new media, entertainment, fashion/retail.
Founded in 2006, SAMMA with a membership of 550 provides a platform for linking South Asians in media and marketing to one another and providing networking, professional development, and business development opportunities to them.
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IRNA) Allegations on Indian Muslims for having more children are to be negated according to the Sachar Committee report which says the Muslim population growth has slowed down and that less than four percent of children from the community take madares (Muslim religious schools) education.
It says there is "substantial demand" from the community for fertility regulation and for modern contraceptives.
"Muslim population growth has slowed down as fertility has declined substantially, clearly showing that Muslims are well into demographic transition. In the future, growth is bound to be slower and eventually population is bound to reach replacement level," the the report says, PTI reported.
It notes that religion is an important element that influences the lifestyle of sizeable segments of citizens, but its impact on regulating human fertility of Muslims is "not strong".
Over 20 million Muslim couples currently use modern contraceptives and this number will grow if quality choice based reproductive healthcare services are made available to the community, the report by the seven-member committee headed by former Delhi High Court Chief Justice Rajinder Sachar says.
"However, the relatively higher incidence of poverty and the idening gap in literacy between the Muslims and other women at young ages, could in fact impede the decline in Muslim fertility," it added.
"The growth rate for Muslims, as for the total population, is bound to fall further and eventually reach a zero growth stage. There are strong indications that this could occur before the end of the century," the report said.
On the other hand the report insists that 'Madares' have also provided mainstream education in many cases and several of them are in the process of modernizing their curriculum.
The report further says that "it is important to take note of the fact that less than four percent of the Muslim children in the school-going age actually attend full time regular madares."
Jakarta, Dec 2 (NNN-ANTARA) Indonesia state-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) plans to operate bio-fuel-fired power plants next year with a combined capacity of 58 megawatts, an energy development official said.
The power plants to be located in several regions such as Lampung, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara and South Kalimantan would use palmoil as their main energy source, Alhilal Hamdi, chairman of the National Biofuel Development Team, told newsmen after launching a Banda Aceh-Jakarta Palm Oil Expedition here on Friday.
Alhilal who is also president of PT PLN`s board of commissioners said the plan was part of the company`s efforts to maximize the use of alternative energy sources in its operations.
"PLN will reduce its dependence on oil in stages," he said.
PLN had been cooperating with the Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT) since May this year to operate an 11 MW bio-fuel-fired power plant in Lampung.
The project had yielded encouraging results as it was established that operating biofuel-fired plants was less costly than plants running on diesel fuel.
"The price of palmo il is only around Rp4,300 per litre while the price of diesel fuel for industry is around Rp6,000 per litre," he said.
He said the plant still used diesel fuel mixed with bio-fuel because palmoil was thick. The mixture`s composition was 50:50 but sometimes also 60 percent bio-fuel and 20 percent diesel fuel.
The PLN management was expected to increase the number of plants running on bio fuel, he added.
Due to the high price of oil, biofuel and other alternative energy sources would be the main alternative to support national industries and the economy in general.
He said the use of bio fuel would also help improve the economy of farmers producing palm oil, cassava and sugarcane.
Mumbai, Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer was awarded Muhammed Abdu Rahiman Sahib Foundation National Award, Kodungallur, Kerala on 23rd November 2006.
Muhammed Abdu Rahiman was great freedom fighter and Gandhian from Kerala in whose memory this award is given.
This award is given for excellent services in the cause of interfaith harmony, human rights and courageous stand for reform and social change.
The citation for the award says Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer, a pioneer in the field of secularism and religious practice in India and a Beacon of hopes who leads an uncompromising struggle against the clerical interpretation of religious texts and contexts and their impacts on socio-cultural fabrics of human life, needs no introduction to the secular intelligentsia in India.
He is multilingual expert and has authored 40 books on the Theory and Practice of Islam, Problems of Muslim Women Rights, Communal and Ethnic Problems in India and Asia which testify his erudite scholarship, profundity of thoughts, clarity of ideas and Precision of Analysis.
As a committed writer and dedicated activist Dr. Asghar Ali Engineer infuses self-confidence among the people who work for the cause of secular and welfare society.
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF), a trust set up by the government to build and promote Brand India overseas, will have a new chief executive officer (CEO) in Jayant Bhuyan.
Bhuyan, deputy director general of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and who has been handling its international division, takes over the reins from incumbent Ajay Khanna, sources said.
The board of trustees of IBEF is chaired by commerce secretary G.K. Pillai and includes the secretary of tourism Ashok Kumar Misra and N. Ravi, secretary (east) in the ministry of external affairs.
The other trustees include Infosys chief executive Nandan Nilekani, CII chief mentor Tarun Das, Boston Consulting Group chairman Arun Moira and Tata Tea vice chairman R.K. Krishna Kumar.
Khanna reverts back to the chamber and would handle its infrastructure division and the activities of the Switzerland-based World Economic Forum (WEF) in India among other portfolios, the sources said.
Supriya Banerji, the present policy division head of the chamber after serving at its London office, will now handle the international division. Amitabh Khosla of CII's eastern region takes charge of the Federation of Indian Airlines as executive director on deputation.
New Delhi, Dec 2 (ZEENEWS.COM) Eminent lawyer and parliamentarian Ram Jethmalani has rubbished the idea of having a uniform civil code in the country, as well as any attempt at providing reservations to uplift Muslims, after the Sachar Committee's report on their status was tabled in Parliament.
"I don't know what the constitution makers were thinking (while proposing a uniform civil code). I feel this is where they went wrong. It will do nobody any good," he said while speaking at a discussion on constitutional provisions for minorities organised by the Center for Peace and Progress last evening.
"For most things, it is uniform for Hindus and Muslims. Only marriage and inheritance are two issues where there is some difference. You can't evolve a uniform civil code just for the sake of these," he added.
Coming out against reservation for Muslims, the former Law Minister said, "We must realise that every case for reservation creates a case of reverse discrimination."
Holding Muslims responsible for their own backwardness, Jethmalani said that most of the problems the community faced were "self-inflicted injuries."
Identifying "education" as the best means to "harness the vast potential community possessed", Jethmalani said, "Open thousands of schools and colleges and you won't need reservations."
Syed Shahabuddin, president of all the India Muslim Mushawarat, said, according to Article 15 of the constitution, caste and religion stood next to each other.
"So why can't reservations be provided for a religious community identified as backward when we already provide reservations for castes identified as backward."
Doha, Dec 2 (IANS) The Chairman of the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games Organising Committee Suresh Kalmadi presented an update on New Delhi's bid to host the 2014 Asian Games to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) here Saturday.
"Our bid is clean, friendly, experienced and heavily supported," said Kalmadi, who stressed Indian hospitality in particular, adding: "We want visitors to arrive in Delhi and India as a guest, but return home as family."
With almost all members of the OCA represented in Doha due to the current Asian Games, he was able to outline New Delhi's key and unique advantages.
Commenting on the benefits of hosting a major Games event such as the Commonwealth Games only four years in advance of 2014, he said: "It is not just Delhi, but all of India that is firmly behind this bid for the 2014 Asian Games. We have unqualified support from all levels of Indian government, and will be in the very fortunate position of having hosted the 2010 Commonwealth Games, which will lend a invaluable level of infrastructure and Games experience."
India's young were also highlighted, and with over 70 percent of India's population fitting the description "youth", the bid is full of energy and optimism, that is reflected among many Indian sports lovers, who want to bring the Asian Games back to India for the first time in 30 years.
Kalmadi also highlighted the environmental friendliness that is critical to both the Games period, and its lasting legacy.
Delhi has the world's largest eco-friendly bus fleet and expects that its status as one of the world's greenest capitals would be a significant positive for the event.
Delhi and India are also confident that the communications infrastructure set up for the Delhi 2010 Commonwealth Games will see a co-ordinated logistical approach second to none, aided by Indian ability in the English language, which will only enhance communication across the board.
With the OCA to decide on the host in Kuwait in April 2007, Indian hopes are high that the ancient concept of "Athithi Devo Bhave" ("The Guest is God") will be one enjoyed by many visitors to the 2014 Asian Games.
Beirut, Dec 2 (IRNA) Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese participating in the Friday's demonstration opposing Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government shouted "We want a clean government."
The slogan reflected a message by Hizbollah Secretary General Seyed Hassan Nasrollah, who said, "The current government is illegal and illegitimate and we promise that a clean government will be established in future."
Many of demonstrators, who gathered in the "Riyadh al-Solh" Square had come from other cities, towns and even villages to Beirut.
Lebanese military and police units have stationed in the entrances of the Beirut city and in different streets and roads in the route of demonstrators.
The center of demonstration, Riyadh al-Solh Square, is the seat of Lebanese government, parliament and a number of governmental institutes.
Demonstrators are carrying Lebanon national flag and placards with unified slogans to prevent any abuse. They also avoided carrying the pictures of their parties' leaders to illustrate their unity.
The organizing groups have set up tents since Thursday night to prepare some facilities for marchers.
Many of demonstrators spent the night before in the Riyadh al-Solh and Shohada (Martyrs) Squares.
Kuala Lumpur, Dec 2 (Xinhua) Malaysian snake king Ali Khan Samsuddin, who had performed snake shows for 25 years, died after being bitten by a king cobra.
Ali Khan died Friday morning, three days after being attacked by a six-metre king cobra during a snake show, the media reported Saturday.
The 48-year-old was bitten on his hand and received outpatient treatment at a hospital because his condition seemed not serious.
On Thursday night, the snake charmer complained of weakness, with swellings on his body and his arm turning black.
His son Amjad Khan, 21, said Ali Khan created the Guinness World Records in 1998 after living with 6,000 scorpions for 21 days. Seven years ago, he wrote off another record, staying with 400 cobras for 40 days.
This is the fourth time Ali Khan had been bitten by a king cobra, said media reports. He survived for the first three times, thanks to his own recipe and timely medical treatment.
Amjad Khan, who was allowed to do snake charming solo shows barely a year ago, said he plans to carry on his father's legacy.
Kathmandu, Dec 2 (IANS) Nepal's army, under heavy criticism for gross rights violations under King Gyanendra, had its image tarnished further with a probe finding a senior officer guilty of masterminding the abduction and killing of a parliamentarian.
Hem Narayan Yadav, from the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, the country's second largest political grouping, had a strong base of supporters in the southeastern Siraha district. He was abducted in February 2004.
A day later, his body was found buried near a river, draped in a flag of the Maoist party. However, the Maoists denied involvement in the killing.
The probe report, tabled in parliament Friday, said Col. Babu Krishna Karki of the Indradhoj battalion was the mastermind behind the murder and asked the government to suspend him, arrest him and slap him with a murder charge.
Following the murder, Amnesty International had voiced suspicions about the involvement of the army, pointing out that the abduction occurred close to an army barracks.
After a new government came to power this year, a committee of MPs was formed to look into the murder.
According to the investigators, Karki had roped in a man in Siraha, Jaya Prasad Upadhyay, to spy on Yadav and keep the army informed about his movements.
On the fateful day, after the spy informed the army that the legislator was going to attend a party meeting and would pass close to the barracks, Karki and his accomplices swung into action.
The MPs have also asked the government to arrest Upadhyay and punish him.
A number of investigations found several army personnel, including the former and present army chief, guilty of human rights abuse. However, none of them were ever tried in a civilian court.
The army says it conducts its own court martial, which takes place behind closed doors, and the sentences, according to rights groups, are ridiculously low, fostering a culture of impunity.
Though after the fall of the royal regime the army said it was ready to serve the country and the new government and has been keeping a low profile, it is uncertain whether soldiers found guilty of abuses have been brought to task.
By Kul Bhushan
Sensing India's high performance and huge potential, an NRI business consultant wants to set up an office to earn big money. He wants to know what his options are to establish his company's presence in India.
A corporate lawyer who is also a qualified chartered accountant can best shed light in the murky legal tangles governing company formation in India. Such a professional, Rajan D. Gupta, a partner with a reputed law firm, Khaitan & Co., outlined three run-of-the-mill options and came up with an innovative one.
A branch of a foreign company has less legal formalities in setting up; a lawyer or a practising accountant can register the company name and other particulars. Companies selling 'services' are permitted to operate in India through a branch office. Indians cannot become partners in these ventures but can be employees or consultants. The foreign company must remit the full cost of establishing the operations and running costs to India. Later, running costs are paid from income and profits remitted abroad. Income is taxed at 41.82 percent (including education cess of 2 percent).
Partnership with an Indian requires a Partnership Deed setting out the terms and conditions of partnership including capital contribution, duties and responsibilities of the partners and how the partnership can be dissolved or exit route. Foreigners are normally not permitted to hold more than 50 percent shareholding. The partners share both profits and losses, as their liability is not limited. The taxable income of a partnership firm is at 33.66 percent.
Engaging an independent consultant in India provides a viable take off during initial period of operations. The foreign company employs a suitable person to act as a sub-contractor or consultant in India on a non-exclusive basis. The consultancy fees include a retainer ship and reimbursement of expenses incurred on behalf of the foreign company on travel, entertainment and sundries.
To top it, an agreed 'Success Fee' or a commission is payable for the business secured. The amount of both fees depends upon the business opportunities and potential in India for that particular sector and can be re-negotiated after the start-up period. All terms and conditions are agreed upon and included in a Consultancy Agreement signed before the start of the venture. The foreign company pays a Service Tax of 12.24 percent on the consultancy fees but this is waived if it is proved that the consultancy services are 'exported' as per Indian service tax laws.
The foreign company has a major benefit: whatever is earned from India is income tax free in the absence of its business presence in India.
A Private Limited Company is suitable for large-scale enterprises in business, commerce, services and industry with a huge potential for growth. It enables new directors to be included on the board of directors to bring in additional venture capital or other inputs. The banks favour these companies for loans. However, the Indian Companies Act and the Registrar of Companies have laid down strict compliance procedures. These include procedures for Board Meetings, recording of minutes, accounting systems, filing of detailed annual returns and any changes in company organisation among other regulations.
In addition to this massive red tape, a major problem arises when the company is closed down. In India, this procedure can take up to 10 years as the high court has to give permission in many cases. In the case of foreign shareholding, the Reserve Bank of India has also to give its approval for remittances abroad. The income of a company in India is liable to 33.66 percent income tax. In addition, the company has to pay 14.025 percent tax on amount of dividend distributed by it. However, the dividends are then tax-free for shareholders.
Before a limited liability company is registered in partnership with Indians, the promoters agree and sign a Joint Venture Agreement. This agreement details the shareholding, capital contribution, duties and responsibilities of the directors in the conduct of business and how the company can be dissolved or Exit Route. Based on this agreement, a legally binding Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association for the proposed company is drawn up. After an approval is obtained for its name from the Registrar of Companies, it is incorporated or registered with the Registrar. All this takes a good two or three months.
Since foreign companies usually establish offices in rented premises, they need a permanent address in India. In many cases, these companies give the address of their corporate lawyers for registering their business. Of paramount importance in any business organisation, the Exit Route must be worked out and included in any agreement between partners, consultants and the company or directors.
Top rank lawyers do not come cheap anywhere including in India. Company or partnership registration can cost anything up to $1,000-1,500 while registering a Private Limited Company can cost anything up to $4,000 or more depending on the paid-up capital and other particulars. So depending on one's needs and investment, an NRI can select any one of the four options for entering the Indian market.
(A media consultant to a UN Agency, Kul Bhushan previously worked abroad as a newspaper editor and has travelled to over 55 countries. He lives in New Delhi and can be contacted at: kulbhushan2038@gmail.com)
Cotabato City, Dec. 2 (NNN-PNA) Members of Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) negotiating panel flew early this week to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in preparation for the resumption of their stalled talks on Dec. 4 with Government of the Republic of the Philippines (GRP) counterparts.
The GRP-MILF negotiations recently hit a snag over the aspect of ancestral domains claim by the MILF rebel group in Mindanao.
MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said that MILF peace brokers led by MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal left for Malaysia on Nov. 29 to iron out issues on territory with government counterparts.
The government peace panel is set to open a proposal deemed as “fair� for the MILF on the ancestral domain issue.
"The proposal is worth negotiating. There are points that need to be clarified by returning to the negotiating table to break the talk’s impasse," Kabalu said.
Both government and MILF have declared over the past six months as being very close in striking a peace deal.
Recently, however, the GRP-MILF negotiation bogged down due to the ancestral domains claim by the rebel group that demanded the inclusion of 1,000 villages under their provisional Bangsamoro Juridical Entity (BJE) sans the conduct of a referendum as required under the Philippine Constitution.
The government peace panel rejected the demand, insisting that any negotiations initiated with rebel groups should be done within the framework of the Constitution.
Kabalu said the upcoming GRP-MILF peace meeting would center on the BJE territorial issue in Mindanao which details he refused to divulge.
The MILF, a breakaway faction of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) that sealed a final peace accord with the Philippine government on Sept. 2, 1996, has been continuing a three-decade Moro rebellion for self-determination in Mindanao.
Cotabato City, Dec. 2 (NNN-PNA) - The Philippines Senate approved on Nov 28 a bill declaring as national shrine the Sheikh Karimul Makhdum Mosque, the oldest Muslim worship place in Mindanao situated in Tubig Indangan, Simunul Island, Zamboanga Peninsula.
In a statement, Senator Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, emphasized Friday that declaring the six-centuries-old mosque as part of national heritage could help pave the way for Filipino-Muslims in the South to take the path of peace.
"It is a most opportune gesture of friendship to our Muslim brothers. Declaring it as national shrine is of far reaching significance because it celebrates the construction of the first Muslim mosque in our country, built two centuries ahead of the Spanish colonization," Angara said.
"In the same manner that the Roman Coliseum is celebrated and revered up to this day, so should we honour and protect one of our country's most important historical structures," he added.
The bill is set for submission to the Office of the President for final approval and enactment into law.
Arab missionary Sheikh Karimul Makhdum constructed the mosque 615 years ago, some 140 years before the arrival of Magellan in the Philippines.
Makhdum is recognised to have introduced Islamic civilisation in the country. His mosque is held with great esteem and emulation by the Muslims; and even non-Muslims and is considered sacred.
Some 5,000 domestic and foreign tourists frequently visit the shrine annually.
Maguindanao Islamic theologian Abdulkadir Abdullah expressed joy over the development saying "Such is a welcome development for us as we also want our cultural legacy protected."
Angara's son, Rep. Juan Edgardo Angara, earlier filed the bill before the House of Representatives for the mosque's recognition as national shrine.
Imphal, Dec 2 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced here Saturday that changes would be made to a tough law that gives sweeping powers to security forces and has come under attack from rights activists.
"I believe we need to consider some amendments to the (Armed Forces Special Powers) Act by modifying existing provisions or inserting new provisions whereby it would be made more humane giving due regards to the protection of basic human and civil rights," Manmohan Singh said here.
He added that home ministry officials were working on the matter.
The prime minister was greeted on his arrival from New Delhi by a general strike called by two separatist groups.
Manmohan Singh, who visited Manipur two years ago, also announced sops to the state, which elects a new assembly early next year.
By Murali Krishnan
Imphal, Dec 2 (IANS) Announcing a string of sops for Manipur that goes in for elections next year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday promised changes in a tough law that gives sweeping powers to the security forces.
The prime minister was in the Manipur capital on a two-hour visit to lay the foundation stone for the Manipur Institute of Technology, a sports academy, and a convention-cum-cultural centre.
Addressing a gathering at the Kangla Fort, the same venue where he handed over its keys to the state government two years back, Manmohan Singh in a politically significant pronouncement said time had come to consider amendments to the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act that has come under attack from rights activists.
"I believe we need to consider some amendments to the (Armed Forces Special Powers) act by modifying existing provisions or inserting new provisions whereby it would be made more humane giving due regards to the protection of basic human and civil rights," Manmohan Singh said.
"The people of Manipur are entitled to the same privileges and protections of law as the citizens of the rest of the country. Once these amendments are in place, I am hopeful that many of your grievances would be addressed."
Though not spelling out the revisions to this act, sources in the government told IANS the changes will not give soldiers above a certain rank the immunity to shoot and kill. Another important improvement will be modifying detention orders.
A high-level official panel tasked with reviewing the provisions of the AFSPA by the Manmohan Singh government last year had unambiguously recommended the repeal of the controversial law against which people in Manipur and elsewhere in the northeast have been agitating for several years.
Considering that the AFSPA is applicable around the country, both defence and home ministry officials, sources said, were still thrashing out the provisions to be amended.
The prime minister also pointed out that the existence of the AFSPA would become a redundant issue if peace returned and urged people to work towards a peaceful and progressive Manipur.
Greeted on his arrival from New Delhi by a general strike called by two separatist groups, Manmohan Singh announced that two hydroelectric projects at Tipaimukh and the Loktak Downstream would get a kick-start before Christmas after requisite environmental clearances.
The Tipaimukh dam on the Barak river is a joint venture of the Manipur, Assam and Mizoram governments. However, it is believed that Cachar in south Assam will benefit the most from the project.
The anti-dam lobby's main concern is that a large tract of farmland and a vast stretch of forest in Tamenglong on the border with Mizoram will be submerged if the dam comes up.
The prime minister also declared that the Manipur Institute of Technology would be given the deemed status of a national institute of technology and said the regional institute of medical sciences in Imphal, provided with a sanction of Rs.2.1 billion, would be given facilities on par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
Upgrading the National Highway (NH-39) from Dimapur to Imphal and night landing facilities to improve air traffic in the state capital were some of the other announcements.
Two years back, Manmohan Singh visited the state after a month-long agitation by rights activists that began in the wake of alleged torture, arrest, rape and killing of a 32-year-old woman Manorama Devi by personnel of the 17th Assam Rifles.
It was then that he set up a panel under Justice Jeevan Reddy to study the provisions of the AFSPA and come up with its findings.
Imphal, Dec 2 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrives here Saturday on a whirlwind visit amid a total shutdown enforced by two organisations, including an influential separatist group.
Shops, businesses and educational institutions remained closed, while private and public transport remained off the roads following a 12-hour general strike called by the outlawed Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) to protest Manmohan Singh's visit, said a police spokesperson.
A 24-hour general strike has been called by the Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Project to coincide with his visit. This is a group spearheading a movement against the construction of the Tipaimukh dam on Barak river.
The prime minister is to reach the Manipur capital at 1.30 p.m. to lay the foundation stone for the Manipur Institute of Technology, a sports academy, and a convention-cum-cultural centre.
"The prime minister will not go to the actual sites for the foundation laying ceremonies and instead take part in a symbolic function at the Kangla Fort ground," said a state government spokesperson.
Manmohan Singh was earlier scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the controversial Tipaimukh multipurpose dam too but it was shelved following protests by locals opposed to the construction.
The RPF had called the shutdown to protest the continuance of the controversial Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) - a legislation that provides unlimited powers to the security forces to shoot or arrest anybody without a warrant.
Manipur in recent years witnessed mass protests over the act and activists have been demanding its withdrawal saying the legislation was "draconian" and allege human rights violations by security forces in the name of countering insurgency.
"Let us hope the prime minister makes some bold announcement today about repealing the act as people are being killed and raped with impunity by security forces taking advantage of the AFSPA," said T. Singh, a civil rights campaigner.
Singh leaves for New Delhi later Saturday.
Washington, Dec 2 (ZEENEWS.COM) US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has cautioned lawmakers in her country that Indo-US relations could suffer if problem areas in the civilian nuclear deal between the two countries are not addressed.
In a letter to senior lawmakers, including Chairman and Ranking Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee as well of the House International Relations Committee, Rice pointed out that concerns expressed by India pertained especially to Sections 106 and 107 of the draft bill passed by the House, which deals with prohibitions on certain exports and re-exports and end-use monitoring.
Additionally there have been concerns expressed on section 115 dealing with the risk reduction cooperation project that would entail joint research by the US National Nuclear Security Administration and agencies in India dealing with non-proliferation and nuclear safety, she said.
Rice has also touched on the Senate version of the legislation that has called for a Presidential determination that India is "fully and actively" cooperating with the United States in confronting Iran`s nuclear weapons programme.
That, in her view, will not only be seen as adding "additional conditions" but also "reopen the terms of the initiative to renegotiating."
According to a source who has seen the letter, Rice cautioned lawmakers that relations with India could suffer if the problem areas in the two Bills passed by the Senate and the House are not addressed.
Rice has also apparently referred to a section in the Senate Bill that would ban the transfer of nuclear enrichment and reprocessing equipment or facilities to India.
"It is not appropriate to single out India, which has been a responsible steward of its nuclear technology," the Secretary of State told the lawmakers.
The Senate and the House are set to begin a Conference to reconcile the two versions and to put a single final version to vote again before the legislation proceeding to the White House for the President`s signature.
The selection of the conference is said to be in the final stages with the Senate and the House due to be back to their formal legislative session on December five.
There is new concern that lawmakers who were originally scheduled to have the Lame Duck session through the middle of December could now be inclined to wrap it up by December 8 in effect leaving only four days for the deal to be formalised.
Karachi, Dec 2 (IANS) Pakistan batsman Mohammed Yousuf's record-breaking performance in the Test series against the West Indies has won him a prize of Rs 5.6 million ($92,100) and a Honda City car worth Rs 900,000 ($14,800).
And this is not to count the match fee that he would get from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
Yousuf, the 32-year-old batsman, became the highest run scorer in a calendar year erasing Viv Richards' 30-year-old record and helping his team to win the three-match series 2-0 Friday.
The Lahore-based Yousuf also hit the maximum number of centuries, nine, in a year, breaking the joint record of eight centuries by Richards and Sri Lanka's Aravinda de Silva's.
The Pakistani amassed 1,788 runs at an average of 99.33 in 11 Tests in 2006. In 1976, Richards had scored 1,710 runs at 90.00, also in 11 matches.
Yousuf tallied 665 runs at 133.00, with four centuries and one half-century, in the series. His highest was 192 in the first Test in Lahore.
Yousuf's effort helped Pakistan win the first Test by nine wickets in Lahore last month.
After the West Indies drew the second Test in Multan, the home side defeated the Brian Lara-led West Indies by 199 runs in Karachi Friday to pocket the series 2-0.
At the end of the series, Yousuf has a career aggregate of 6,402 at 56.65 in 73 Tests. He has also hit 23 centuries and 26 half-centuries.
President Pervez Musharaf, who is also the PCB patron-in-chief, presented Yousuf Rs 1 million on behalf of the board ($16,440), while ARY television, TEN Sports channel and Fortune Group each presented him a matching amount, PCB said in a statement.
United Mobile, Governor of Sindh and Sarbuland Khan, a cricket fan from Rawalpindi, gave Yousuf Rs 500,000 ($820) and one Shahid Tahir presented Rs 100,000 ($1,640).
Pepsi Cola presented him the Honda City car.
By Uma Nair
Mumbai, Dec 2 (IANS) Saffronart's winter online auction of modern Indian art works Dec 6-7 will feature 160 works by 43 artists including Tyeb Mehta and F.N. Souza.
The auction is the 15th in the series by Saffronart and will take place exclusively on www.saffronart.com.
The structure of the auction and its time span allows serious collectors as well as first-time buyers worldwide to place their bids over a period of two days, as opposed to a period of a few hours in a live auction.
On top of the lots is Tyeb Mehta's Lot 16 - a brilliantly evocative untitled acrylic on canvas in shades of moss green and mahogany - a metaphor for the rickshaw puller of Shantiniketan.
This work with its iconic gravity and its cosmic echo is bound to set bidders across the globe in a frenzy. It is estimated at a hefty $697,680-930,240 (Rs.30 million-40 million).
Lot 68 belongs to an abstract by V.S. Gaitonde. An untitled work belonging to 1969, it is an oil-on- canvas in an extremely darkened tenor and is estimated at $418,610-511,630.
Lot 72 is of late Jagdish Swaminathan whose untitled 1974 oil- on-canvas from his "Tree Mountain and Bird" series is estimated at $250,000-300,000. Equally enticing is Lot 92 - also belonging to Swaminathan. An untitled work in the same series is done as far back as 1986 and is estimated at $180,000-220,000.
Paris-based Syed Haider Raza's "Climat", a vermilion-toned geometrically poignant work is Lot 84. Done in 1974, this acrylic on canvas is estimated at $813,960-1.04 million.
Then comes the inimitable Souza, who is well attended in this auction with a number of works. Among his best are Lot 9 called "Man in a Red Coat" - a work that was done in 1956. This oil on board rendered in his darkened tonalities is estimated at $180,000-220,000.
Souza's Lot 10 is an irresistible "Still Life with Fruit" belonging to 1961. An unusual oil on patterned fabric, this is estimated at $180,000-220,000. Lot 11 is Souza's too - an untitled work from 1962. It is an oil-on-canvas estimated at $150,000-200,000.
Of great interest are a number of works by Jogen Chowdhury, the new star on the art horizon, whose Lot 23 is an impassioned work of a seated woman in a flowered sari. This untitled work done in 1988 is an oil-on-canvas, estimated at $75,000-85,000.
But the beauty of Chowdhury's artistic delight is Lot 129 called "The Lonely Moon". Signed and dated in English (upper right) and signed in Bengali (upper left) and dated in Bengali (lower left), this work belonging to 1999 is actually an exciting work, which is a simple articulation of mixed media on paper. It is estimated at a humble $41,860-51,170.
It will be intriguing to see the figures rise knowing that Japanese fish baron Masanori Fukuoka is Chowdhury's passionate collector, who willingly waits for the bids to rise to a feverish pitch and then settles his claim with the final paddle.
Among women artists, it is Arpita Singh who will fetch high bids for her watercolours and oils. Singh's watercolours sold for Rs.2.7 million at her last show in New Delhi. Lot 20 is an enigmatic work titled "31 Days of December" done in 1998. It is an oil-on-canvas and estimated at $90,000-120,000.
The auction has lots to look out for, including a number of M.F. Husain's too but the market is rife with rumour that Husain's prices have fallen and collectors are not keen to pay high prices for his works any more.
London, Dec 2 (IRNA) The removal of Christian symbolism from this year's Christmas festivities could provoke a backlash on Britain's 1.8 million Muslim community, according to the Bishop of Bolton, the Rt Rev. David Gillett, who co-chairs the Christian Muslim Forum.
Any repetition by public bodies to rename Christmas, so as not to offend other faith communities, will "backfire badly on the Muslim community in particular," the bishop warned in an open joint letter ith his fellow forum co-chair Ayatollah Siddiqui.
"Sadly we have seen that it is they who get the blame - and for something they are not saying!," said the letter to all local authorities in England.
The warning comes after the dropping of Christian religious symbolism on Christmas postage stamps and official government cards making no mention about the religious festival at a time of a virtual witchhunt against Muslims in the wake of the war on terror.
Birmingham City Council in central England was reported to have gone as far as renaming the seasonal celebrations as 'Winterval,' while there was an attempt in Luton, north of London, to change it into a Harry Potter festival of lights, entitled 'Luminos.' Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme Friday, the bishop said that people were "upset by the secularisation" of Christmas and some falsely laid the blame with Muslims.
"Our Muslim colleagues have said very definitely it does not offend them and, in fact, they find it causes a backlash on their community if they are thought to be saying something they are not saying," he said.
The Christian Muslim Forum, which was set up by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Prime Minister Tony Blair this year to help encourage the faiths to live together, issued an earlier statement warning that far-right extremism could be fanned.
"Those who use the fact of religious pluralism as an excuse to de-Christianise British society unthinkingly become recruiting agents for the extreme right," the statement said.
"They provoke antagonism towards Muslims and others by foisting on them an anti-Christian agenda which they do not hold," the forum warned.
TRANSPARENCY SEEKERS
(UPSC and RTI)
invites you
for a seminar on
“TRANSPARENCY IN EXAMINATION PROCESS�
Chaired by
Prof. Arun Kumar,
CESP, SSS, JNU
Speakers
Shri Wajahat Habibullah “Transparency In Examination and RTI� (Chief Information Commissioner, CIC)
Shri Arvind Kejriwal “Transparency In Examination and Public view� (Raman Magsaysay Award Winner-2005)
Shri Aman Lekhi “Transparency In Examination a legal perspective� (Senior Advocate, Supreme Court)
Venue: Committee Room, SSS-I
Date and Time: 3rd December 2006, Sunday
At 2:30 PM
Please join the seminar for expert opinions and open debate on transparency in all exams like UGC, CSIR, UPSC, PSCs, Banks, Medical, Engg. etc.
TRANSPARENCY SEEKERS JNU, NEW DELHI
PH-9968173306
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, convicted in a 1988 road rage death, Saturday sent a fresh resignation as MP to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee after the first was not accepted due to its faulty format.
Sidhu's letter was rejected Friday by Chatterjee, said officials in the Lok Sabha secretariat.
The Amritsar MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had said in his letter that he was resigning on "moral grounds" after he was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder for causing the death of a Patiala resident, Gurnam Singh, during a street scuffle in 1988.
In the new letter sent to the speaker's office Saturday, Sidhu did not mention the reason for his resignation.
Under the rules of the house, a member has to write his resignation in a prescribed format that does not allow him to give any reason for his resignation.
"Without resorting to technical arguments with regard to what the quantum of punishment will be and my right to challenge the judgement in appeal, I tender my resignation as member of Lok Sabha. I've always stood for truth and moral grounds and these principles are above any office or power that I hold," he had said in his letter given to the speaker Friday.
Kolkata, Dec 2 (IANS) Singur, the proposed site for Tata Motors' small car project, reached a flashpoint Saturday as farmers clashed with police during fencing of acquired land even as West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya vowed to facilitate the unit in the disputed farmland despite protests.
Social activist Medha Patkar, who suddenly appeared on the scene, was arrested by police along with her associates and sent back towards Kolkata even as Trinamool Congress supporters blocked road and rail after news spread that police had unleashed terror on women and children in the villages.
Farmers fought pitched battles with police in the fields of Singur in Hooghly district, about 45 km from here as the administration sent a huge police force there to take possession of the land and fence it for a proposed Tata Motors small car project.
Women and children in Beraberi, Khaserbheri, Gopalnagar and Singerbheri villages were beaten up by the advancing policemen, alleged farmers' organisations. The adult males of the villages had fled their homes Friday night itself fearing arrest. However, police claimed the aggressive villagers attacked them with acid bulbs and arrows.
At least 5,000 police and paramilitary forces - sent to take possession of the land - used tear gas on the villagers and fired rubber bullets. A huge pile of harvested paddy caught fire in the clashes.
Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Raj Kanojia said: "The police were attacked with acid bombs and arrows and many of us, including women cops, were injured.
"The police had to chase the villagers and arrested a few. The crowd was aggressive," Kanojia told IANS.
Saturday is the second day of land acquisition.
Narmada Bachao Andolan leader Patkar, who was intercepted on her way to Singur, managed to reach the area by dodging the police but was stopped when she tried to enter a village at Khaserbheri where women and children were allegedly tortured by policemen.
"When I visited a village at Beraberi I found women crying. Police unleashed a havoc in the village and the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) cadres were there too. Women were molested and handled by men police," Medha alleged.
"They arrested us without even telling on what ground we were arrested. I was not there to incite people," said Medha.
Trinamool Congress legislator Rabindranath Bhattacharya said about 1,000 policemen swooped down on the villagers. Many women were beaten and many others seriously injured.
"This is the second phase of our agitation that began seven months ago. Now they are trying to take possession of our land. I am sure this agitation will not be restricted to Singur alone but will spread all over," he said.
Singur Krishijami Bachao Committee (Save Singur Farmland Committee) convenor Becharam Manna told IANS: "It is a shame to democracy. Our women were assaulted and children beaten up by the cops. Everyone was hit with batons."
Manna denied that the villagers attacked the policemen with acid bulbs or arrows.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya said the car project would continue despite all opposition and claimed that the police were attacked with knives and provoked leading to the action.
Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee, who was forcibly stopped on her way to Singur for a rally Thursday, asked her party MLAs to head for Singur.
"We will not allow fencing by force. The chief minister unleashed his goons in the garb of policemen," she said later.
Banerjee, who was in Islampur in north Bengal for an election campaign, rushed back to the city even as life was disrupted by the Trinamool activists who blocked road and rail, including the city's lifeline Howrah Bridge.
Several Maoists, including students from the Jadavpur University, and Socialist Unity Centre of India (SUCI) party workers also were arrested in Singur while in Kolkata students of the prestigious Presidency College took to streets and courted arrest.
Footage captured by Bengali news channel Kolkata TV showed policemen used teargas and beat up villagers. It also showed women and children breaking into tears and in anger as police took possession of their villages. Section 144 of the Indian penal code has been imposed in the area.
The farmlands owners, who mostly live in the city, have sold the land to the government for the Tata Motors small car project. The protesting villagers are the tillers or sharecroppers, especially the unrecorded tillers, who work on the land and have a close association with it. They stand to lose their livelihood and homes with the land acquisition.
Buddhadeb Bhattacharya claimed that 927 of the 993 acres needed for the Tata Motors plant has been acquired, but Mamata Banerjee said at least 531 acres are with the farmers.
"There was no need to send so many policemen if the land was in the possession of the government," Mamata told IANS earlier.
By M.R. Narayan Swamy
New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Norwegian minister Erik Solheim, the architect of Sri Lanka's barely alive 2002 truce, Saturday denied as "complete lies" allegations that he had been financed by the Tamil Tigers or that he had given them money.
"These are all lies. Everything is a lie," an indignant Solheim said in a telephonic interview from Burundi.
"It is a lie that I took any money from LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam). It is a lie that I gave a TV to Prabhakaran. It is a lie that I gave even a cent to (LTTE ideologue Anton) Balasingham.
"These are lies, these are complete lies," Solheim told IANS.
Solheim's comments were the first public reaction by the Norwegian minister of international development to allegations by Vinayagamurthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, the LTTE's former regional commander who broke away from the Tigers in 2004.
Karuna told Sri Lanka's main state-run newspaper Daily News that Solheim bought a house in Norway with money provided to him by the LTTE, that he gifted a six-foot television to LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran and that he also gave away 16 million kroners (2.5 million dollars) to Balasingham.
In a statement, the Norwegian foreign ministry said Karuna's statements contained "many incorrect and false claims about Norway and Solheim" and accused the newspaper of spreading lies.
Karuna, who was one of the most senior commanders of LTTE and a confidant of Prabhakaran before he walked out of the group with his supporters, later told the Asian Tribune website that he stood by what he had said to the Daily News.
"I think Erik Solheim might not have disclosed the details about the purchase of the 6' TV to the (Norwegian) foreign ministry as it happened especially in Bangkok," he said.
Solheim told IANS: "I am very surprised that Sri Lanka's main government newspaper has published these lies."
Karuna, who was also a member of LTTE delegations during peace talks with Colombo in foreign countries, has today turned bitterly against Prabhakaran and formed a rival Tamil group that is opposed to Sri Lanka's breakup.
Asked if Karuna was present when Solheim met the LTTE leader during his missions to Sri Lanka's north, the Norwegian minister replied: "He may have been ... once or twice. I hardly remember. I don't think he was there. He was mostly in Batticaloa. Even if he was, I can't remember."
Solheim scoffed at claims that he advised Prabhakaran how to run the LTTE.
"I have of course told Prabhakaran about the importance of human rights and what the international community expects (of LTTE)," he said.
Asked if the allegations would affect Norway's role as a peace facilitator in the unending ethnic conflict, Solheim replied: "Both Norway and myself are committed to the peace process as long as both parties (LTTE and Colombo) want us and we have the full support of the international community including India."
Solheim said "the same circles" had earlier accused Oslo of providing military training to the Tigers but Norway did not come out with immediate denials unlike now because "we thought no one would be that stupid to believe all that".
Asked if he or Norway had any time provided any aid to the LTTE in any form, Solheim answered: "It is well known that we have provided support to the LTTE Peace Secretariat and also the Sri Lankan government Peace Secretariat. But nothing has been done outside the knowledge of the Sri Lankan government."
Solheim has been a special envoy to Sri Lanka since Norway was asked by Colombo to play the role of a facilitator to help end a conflict that has claimed over 65,000 lives since 1983.
He oversaw the signing of a ceasefire agreement between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government in February 2002.
After he became a minister in the Norwegian government, Solheim's colleague Jon Hanssen-Bauer has taken over the role of special envoy although Solheim oversees the developments in the now tattered peace process.
Srinagar, Dec 2 (ZEENEWS.COM) Union Water Resources Minister Saifuddin Soz today described as "highly deplorable" the criticism of Sachar committee report on status of minorities by BJP president Rajnath Singh, saying the remarks needed to be rejected with "deepest condemnation".
"The statement issued by the BJP president describing Sachar Committee report as shameful and a communal award, needs to be rejected with deepest condemnation", he said in a statement here.
Soz said it was "highly deplorable" that the BJP leader should react to the report in the "most sectarian and communal way".
"It is yet another proof that BJP will ever remain a sectarian, communal and reactionary organisation in the country", Soz alleged.
"It is an extremely deplorable statement of an organisation that does not accept the fact of Muslim community being educationally, economically and socially backward as proved by facts and figures made public" by the committee on the basis of a scientific criteria, the minister said.
Hyderabad, Dec 2 (IANS) The stage is set for by-elections on Monday for the Karimnagar and Bobbili Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh.`
All the major political parties made last-minute efforts to woo voters in both the constituencies Saturday - the last day of campaigning.
While the by-election in Karimnagar was necessitated by the resignation of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) president K. Chandrasekhara Rao following a war of words with the ruling Congress, in Bobbili it follows the death of a sitting member of the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The Karimnagar constituency in the backward Telangana region is witnessing a multi-cornered contest while the fight in Bobbili, in Vijiyanagaram district in north coastal Andhra, is between the Congress and TDP.
In Karimnagar, it is a do-or-die battle for K. Chandrasekhara Rao, popularly known as KCR as he has termed the by-election a referendum on separate statehood for Telangana.
KCR, who along with party colleague Narendra resigned from the central cabinet in August to protest the delay in the formation of a separate state, resigned while accepting a challenge thrown by Congress leader and state minister M. Satyanarayana Rao to face the people.
The future of the movement for a separate state hinges on the result of this election, which is the first direct fight between the TRS and Congress after they snapped their ties.
The ruling party, which claims to be working for a consensus on a separate state, is eyeing to cement its position further and deal a blow to its former ally. It has fielded legislator Jeevan Reddy.
The TDP, which is against bifurcation of the state, is aiming to make inroads in the TRS stronghold while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which recently announced its support for a separate Telangana, is also hopeful of winning the confidence of voters. Former union minister Vidyasagar Rao is the BJP candidate in Karimnagar.
Since beedi workers constitute a sizeable part of 1.4 million voters in Karimnagar, the controversy over a danger mark of bones and skull on beedi bundles became a big issue. The workers are urging the government to scrap an order that makes it compulsory to publish the danger mark prominently on the bundles.
On Saturday, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and his arch-rival and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu held road shows in Bobbili.
In Bobbili, it is a direct fight between the two main political parties. While the TDP has fielded Kondapalli Appala Naidu, son of sitting member Pydithalli Naidu, who died recently, the Congress has fielded Minister for Marketing Botsa Satyanarayana's wife Jhansi.
The TDP is making every effort to retain Bobbili, which was one of the only five Lok Sabha seats won by it in 2004 elections.
Naidu, during the campaign, attacked the ruling party over corruption. At every election meeting he blamed Satyanarayana for German car major Volkswagen's decision to drop its plans to set up a unit in the state and instead move to Maharashtra.
Satyanarayana was holding the industries portfolio when the Volkswagen corruption scandal rocked the government last year. While ordering a probe, the chief minister had shifted him to marketing department.
Thimphu, Dec 2 (IANS) At least four people, including three Indians, were injured Saturday in a powerful bomb blast in Bhutan, officials said.
An official of the Royal Bhutan Police said the explosion occurred near a fuel filling station at the Bhutanese town of Phuntsholing, about 180 km from capital Thimphu. Phuntsholing is close to the Indian border town of Joygaon in Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal.
"Initial reports suggest the bomb was concealed in a sack and kept near a garbage bin at a petrol pump," the police official, who did not wished to be identified, told IANS over phone.
The Indians were all reported to be on a business trip to the Bhutanese town.
"The injured were shifted to an army hospital nearby and were being treated for multiple injuries," the official said.
No rebel group has claimed responsibility for the attack, although Bhutanese officials suspect it to be the handiwork of some Indian separatist group.
"The modus operandi seems to be like that of some separatist group and not ordinary criminals and hence the role of some Indian rebel outfit is not ruled out," the official said.
"Bhutan is a peaceful nation and seldom do we hear about explosions and so we are taking the matter very seriously."
Bhutanese army has sealed all entry and exit routes to the nation with their Indian counterparts equally stepping up vigil along the border after the blast.
"Security has been beefed up in the entire border area," the official said.
The Kamatapuri Liberation Organisation (KLO), a separatist group active in the bordering areas of West Bengal and Bhutan, had earlier set up well-entrenched bases in Bhutan along with the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB).
The ULFA and the NDFB are both militant groups seeking separate independent homelands in the northeastern state of Assam that borders Bhutan.
In 2003, the Bhutanese military launched a crackdown on the three Indian rebel groups and uprooted them, killing about 30 guerrillas.
Manila, Dec 2 (DPA) More rescuers rushed Saturday to an eastern Philippine province devastated by a typhoon that killed at least 406 people, despite waning hopes of recovering more survivors.
Most victims died in mudslides triggered by typhoon Durian, which buried at least eight villages at the foot of Mayon Volcano in Albay province, 330 km southeast of Manila, according to Philippine National Red Cross and relief officials.
Dozens of bodies were laid in front of the town hall in Daraga, one of the villages buried by a wall of volcanic debris and boulders, as grieving relatives wailed while hoping to see whatever remained of their missing kin.
Apolinario Mabini, 35, a resident of Daraga, sat in quiet disbelief in front of the town hall. He lost his eight-year-old daughter when the mudslides came Thursday.
"I was not able to hold on to her when the mudslide swept away our house," he said.
Legazpi city mayor Noel Rosal, whose area was also badly hit by Durian, said so far only body parts were being recovered.
"The chance of recovering more survivors is dim," he told a radio station. "We can only hope to retrieve bodies of those missing."
Rosal said that in the village of Padang, covered by several metres of volcanic debris, at least 141 people were still missing.
"Residents no longer expect to recover their missing relatives alive," he said. "It's hard to accept but we presumed that the missing were already dead."
Soldiers who were the first teams to launch rescue missions at the devastated villages said all that they recovered were body parts.
Philippine Red Cross said at least 388 people were killed in Albay province, while the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said 10 people were killed in nearby Camarines Sur province, five in Catanduanes province, two in Mindoro Oriental province and one in Quezon province.
Renato Solidum, chief of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said Durian's heavy rains loosened the volcanic debris at the upper slopes of Mayon, causing the deadly mudflows that buried the communities living around it.
While there is a six-kilometre permanent danger zone from Mayon's summit, many people, especially farmers, still reside in the area because the land there is fertile.
More than 20,000 families have been displaced by typhoon Durian, which pummelled more than 20 provinces in the eastern and central Philippines.
Aside from Albay and Camarines Sur, the other badly hit areas were Catanduanes province and Mindoro Island.
Relief officials said they have not yet received any report from Catanduanes, where power and communication have been knocked out by the typhoon.
Durian slammed into the eastern provinces with maximum sustained winds of 190 km an hour and gusts of up to 225 km an hour.
The typhoon has weakened as it left the country, packing sustained winds of 130 km per hour and gusts of up to 160 km per hour.
Durian was the fourth powerful typhoon to batter the Philippines since late September. More than 250 people were killed in the three previous typhoons.
Islamabad, Dec 2 (IANS) South Asian women writers are "brutally scrutinised" and face resistance if they take up bold issues, says Indian novelist Shobhaa De.
In such cases, support from the writer's family is crucial, De said at a launch in Karachi of "Kolachi Dreams", the second novel by Pakistani woman writer Nadya A.R.
De said she was "deeply grateful" to her husband Dilip for standing by her side. Her husband was also at the function.
De said she saw much similarity between India and Pakistan, between Mumbai, her city, and the port city of Karachi, and the family support Nadya was receiving, just as she had received.
De called for making cultural exchanges an integral part of India-Pakistan relations. That would help in making the two countries realise that they really weren't "all that different once they embrace each other wholeheartedly".
De said she was in Karachi "to prove that we, the people of the two countries, should live the lives that we want rather than the ones that have been thrust upon us."
Nadya's protagonist B.K. turns into a terrorist to avenge his sister's rape and murder by the landlord of his village. It is the story of B.K.'s escapades with political leaders, spiritual healers, clairvoyants and comrades in Karachi in a thorny journey for justice.
According to De, writing on such a theme was bold, considering the situation in South Asia.
She congratulated Nadya for writing such a vibrant novel. "I found this book emotionally charged and a combination of factors that can make any book a wonderful read.
"I read the first few chapters of the book when I received the manuscript, I didn't even have to complete it and I knew she had done it. When I talked to Nadya about her book, I told her that each book has its own 'taqdir' (fate) and I am sure 'Kolachi Dreams' will find its readership both within Pakistan and worldwide."
Talking about how she felt about being in Pakistan, De said: "It seems to me that Mumbai and Karachi are twin cities in terms of people, culture and environment! I wish we lived in a borderless world.
"I can't believe that Nadya and I had never met before because she seems like a younger sister to me. This is how much at home I feel here."