'India is transit hub for human trafficking'

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) India has become a key destination and transit hub for human trafficking from East Europe and other places, says a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) sponsored study released here Thursday.

Delhi and Mumbai are the favourite destinations for human trafficking from various regions, says the study conducted by NGO Shakti Vahini as part of its project on prevention of Trafficking, HIV and AIDS (TAHA) in women and girls. The NGO works under UNDP India.

"Trafficking occurs from Egypt, Brazil, Azerbaijan, Russia and several other Eastern European countries," said the TAHA study. Lots of women are brought from these places to India from where they are trafficked to other places, it said.

Shakti Vahini director Ravi Kant painted a gloomy picture of human trafficking in the country.

The study said 72 percent of human trafficking is for commercial sex, 80.26 percent of trafficking of women takes place in Bihar - most of it happening during migration for labour - and 12.36 percent of the total trafficking is due to family traditions.

"Madhya Pradesh is prominent among the states where women get into sex work and thus get trafficked because of family traditions. Ninety five percent of the women in Madhya Pradesh in commercial sex are due to family traditions. So are 51.79 percent in Bihar," said the study.

"Although Mumbai and Goa are the favourite destinations for paedophilic activity, where children are trafficked, tourist destinations in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Orissa are also not far behind," Kant said.

Out of the 593 districts in India, 378 or 62.5 percent are affected by human trafficking. The study found that domestic violence, illiteracy, unemployment, poverty, unsafe migration and child marriage are the major reasons for the increasing rate of illegal human trafficking.

While 43 percent of the total women trafficked are minors, 44 percent of the women are into flesh trade due to poverty.

Interestingly, in Kerala, which claims the highest rate of literacy and has a matriarchal tradition, violence is often used to push women into flesh trade.

Of the total women who are into sex work in the country, 60 percent are from the lower and backward class, which indicates the pathetic living condition of the communities. In Madhya Pradesh, 96.7 percent of the women sex workers are from the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

Although the rate of increase in human trafficking is alarming, Kant said only 7.7 percent of police officials in the country consider it an issue of high priority. "More than half (54.8 percent) of police officials think that it is not an issue at all," he said.

While Kant pointed out that the country did not have any effective legislation in place on human trafficking, Manjula Krishnan, economic advisor to the women and child development ministry, said the government would focus on prevention, rescue, rehabilitation and sensitisation to fight the menace.

Sensing the seriousness of the issue, Femina Miss India World Natasha Suri and Femina Miss India Earth Amruta Patki, who attended the function, said they would make efforts to create awareness about the issue.

"I can represent the youth," Suri said.

TAHA has initiated efforts with local communities in 300 districts across 11 states to create awareness among the people that trafficking is closely linked to the spread of HIV and AIDS.

15 percent indemnity proposed for Bahrain expatriate workers

Dubai, June 22 (IANS) A draft law proposing a 15 percent indemnity for expatriate workers in the public sector here has been referred to the legislature.

The government bill recommends that 15 percent of the last salary for each working year be paid to workers when they leave their jobs, says a report in the Bahrain Tribune newspaper.

Workers will have to contribute eight percent of their salary to be eligible for the proposed scheme, with the government contributing 10 percent, according to the report.

Expatriates who have worked in the country for over a year will be entitled to join the scheme.

The bill is aimed at protecting the interests of expatriate workers in the public sector and treating them on par with private sector employees.

Sections of the government have, however, opposed several articles of the draft bill, saying it would be a drain on the Kingdom's resources.

Under the draft law, unpaid leave will not be considered while computing the indemnity and five years would be added to the years of service if a worker dies before 55, the report said.

In the event of death by a work-related accident, the next of kin of the employee will receive a year's wages and the indemnity.

Those injured during work would receive three to nine months' wages, over and above any government ordered compensation.

However, the indemnity will be cut by 25 percent if a worker quits the job before five years, 20 percent if the worker leaves before 10 years and 15 percent if he or she resigns before 15 years

408 foreigners still in Pakistan madrassas

Islamabad, June 22 (IANS) There are 408 foreign students studying in Pakistani madrassas despite orders to leave, the government has informed the National Assembly.

The students belonged to Afghanistan, Cambodia, China, Finland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives, Niger, Nigeria, Portugal, Qatar, Russia, Sudan, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkey, Uganda and the US, reported the Daily Times.

The students were staying on despite orders to leave the country by December last year, Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq said in a written statement.

The minister admitted that there was no code or rules prescribed for the education of foreign students studying in Pakistani seminaries.

He said the government had passed orders to deport them following the July 7 bombings in London.

Most Islamic seminaries, which have mushroomed in Pakistan in the last decade, teach only religious theology, excluding contemporary subjects. They are the main source of education and training for Afghan refugee youths who joined the Taliban.

The Pervez Musharraf regime, under constant pressure from the US and other donor nations, has sought to induct modern-day education in the seminaries and weed out militant elements, but with little success, say media reports and security experts.

5 Muslims in Indian Football team

New Delhi, June 22 (IndianMuslims.info)Muslims of India were jubiliant when 4 Muslims were part of the team vising West Indies. Sania Mirza in Tennis and Riyazuddin Qureshi in Basketball are representing India. Soccer or Football have a fair Muslim representation too. In the 34 probables announced for the upcoming qualifying matches of AFC Asian Cup 2006-07, there are 5 Muslims.

Habibur Rehman Mondal, Syed Rahim Nabi, & Mushtaq Ahmed of East Bengal, Mehrajuddin Wadoo of Mohun Began, and MA Abdul Hakkim of State Bank of Travancore team find a place as the probables announced by the All Indian Football Federation. Players are undergoing training in Goa under the new coach Bob Houghton. Team will be selected among the probables to face Saudi Arabia on 16th August at Calcutta and again on 6th September in Jeddah.

Team that played in Japan in February had 5 Muslims : Israt Kamal, Mehraduddin Waddoo, Mehtab Hussain, Syed Rahim Nabi, and Abdul Hakkim.

India historically have been poor in Football, according to the latest ranking men's team is ranked 117 in the world and 22 in Asia. Indian Women are much better at 55 in the world and 10 in Asia.

[photo: Mehtab Hussain in action against Japan in AFC Asian Cup 2007 qualifiers, indianfootball.com]

Air Sahara may seek damages from Jet Airways

Mumbai, June 22 (IANS) Subrata Roy's Sahara Pariwar group resumed control of Air Sahara Thursday after the expiry of the midnight deadline to sell the carrier to rival Jet Airways even as parallel parleys began on damage control.

Both carriers had already filed lawsuits against each other Wednesday - each seeking to restrain the other from withdrawing the monies deposited in a common bank account as guarantees and advance for the Rs.23 billion ($550 million) deal.

"With Sahara deciding to resume independent operations, the acquisition deal is all but over. Sahara Pariwar is looking at the possibilities of claiming damages from Jet for the loss of business," an aviation industry official said Thursday.

"Air Sahara was being virtually run by Jet Airways for the past few months and is now pointing accusatory finger at Jet Airways for the loss of business, money and goodwill because of the failed merger issue," the analyst told IANS.

"The issue now has gone to court. We are in no position to comment on it at this juncture. Please wait for further developments," a Jet official said here, adding that a series of internal meetings were on to discuss the developments.

The developments were also closely watched by the aviation industry, especially since the management and control of Air Sahara - which was with Jet since April - has come back to the parent group.

"What is crucial is the question of Air Sahara being able to pull through and regain its market position that it enjoyed before the merger," a senior official of a rival airline said.

Jet has been saying that it failed to get a seat for its chairman Naresh Goyal on the board of Air Sahara since regulatory clearances were not coming by and that was one of the preconditions of the takeover.

But Air Sahara officials had a different story to tell. "Do you think one needs to be on the board of a company to run it? The names of four Jet nominees were already cleared. The issue was of valuation," an official said.

Air Sahara, meanwhile, was also looking at other options such as raising money for immediate operations, even as Vijay Mallya, the flamboyant boss of low-cost carrier Kingfisher Airlines, once again entered the fray to acquire the carrier.

"We are looking at around $100 million," Air Sahara president Aloke Sharma said, as executives of Mallya's Bangalore-based UB group were asked to renegotiate with the Sahara group after a failed attempt last year.

Al-Zawahiri rallies Afghans in new video

Washington, June 22 (DPA) A new videotape of Al Qaeda's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, calls on Muslims in Kabul and elsewhere in Afghanistan to work with Al Qaeda against the Americans, a news report said.

Al-Zawahiri addresses Afghans in the nearly-four-minute videotape released Wednesday on Islamist websites, according to CNN.

He refers to "crimes against the Afghan people by the Americans" and calls on young men in Kabul's universities to defend their homeland against what he called invaders.

Speaking in Arabic, he claims to have recorded the message the day after deadly riots in Kabul on May 29 triggered by a traffic accident between a US military convoy and civilian motorists. Al-Zawahiri's message is translated on the websites into Pashto and Farsi, two other languages widely spoken in Afghanistan.

Al-Zawahiri does not mention the death of Iraqi Al Qaeda leader Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in a US airstrike on June 7.

Al-Zawahiri makes references to what he calls desecration of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, at Bagram, a US base in Afghanistan, and the Guantanamo Bay terrorist detention facility in Cuba. It also refers to perceived insults against Muslims in Denmark, France and Italy.

Al-Zawahiri also mentions former US president Bill Clinton, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher and writer Salman Rushdie, who was condemned to death by Iranian clerics in 1988.

A Pentagon spokeswoman said Wednesday night that the Pentagon was not aware of the videotape and said US intelligence organisations would be responsible for determining its authenticity. The duty officer for the secretary of defence could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday night.

Allianz to cut 7,500 jobs

Munich, June 22 (DPA) German-based insurer Allianz plans to cut about 7,500 jobs, including 7,000 in Germany, as part of a radical restructuring of its insurance and banking operations, the company announced Thursday.

More than 5,000 jobs will be cut from Allianz's insurance section and 2,480 jobs will be eliminated within its Dresdner Bank unit.

The number of company locations worldwide will also be cut - from 21 to 10 - as part of a new business model to be implemented by 2008.

The expected results of the restructuring, which is designed to position the company for further profitable growth in Germany, had already been taken into account in the company's outlook for 2006-2008, Allianz said.

An egg a day could protect against heart disease, cancer

London, June 22 (IANS) Eggs could protect against heart disease, cancer and eye problems, says a new study disapproving the assumption that eggs were bad for cholesterol levels.

Bruce Griffin of the University of Surrey analysed 30 egg studies and found that people who consumed one or more eggs a day were at no more risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease than non-egg eaters, reported the online edition of Daily Mail.

Egg yolks contain cholesterol, but nutritionists now know it is the saturated fats in food, not dietary cholesterol, that raises blood cholesterol levels, a risk factor for heart attacks.

"To view eggs solely in terms of their dietary cholesterol content is to ignore the potential benefits of eggs on coronary risk factors, including obesity and diabetes," Griffin says, describing eggs as super food.

One egg provides 13 essential nutrients, all in the yolks. It contains the nutrients lutein and zeaxanthin, which could help to prevent or even reverse the age-related eye problem macular degeneration (MD).

Egg whites contain albumen, an important source of protein, and no fat, the researchers say.

Eggs are an excellent source of B vitamins, which are needed for vital functions in the body, and also provide good quantities of vitamin A, essential for normal growth and development, the researchers said.

An egg's vitamin E content protects against heart disease and some cancers; there's also vitamin D, which promotes mineral absorption and good bone health.

Eggs are rich in iodine, for making thyroid hormones, and phosphorus, essential for healthy bones and teeth.

Girls who eat an egg a day in their teens may give themselves additional protection against breast cancer in later life.

It is the essential nutrients in eggs, such as amino acids, vitamins and minerals that may be responsible for this protection.

Eggs are also low in calories - a large egg contains only 75 calories and 5 grams of fat - and other research suggests they can help you lose weight.

Health experts used to recommend a maximum egg consumption of three a week to avoid a rise in blood cholesterol levels. But since evidence has shown that it is saturated fat intake that affects cholesterol, advice has changed.

Now Britain's government's Foods Standards Agency (FSA) says there is no limit as long as they form part of a healthy, balanced diet.

Arab League meeting to show solidarity for Somaila

CAIRO, June 22 (NNN-KUNA) Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa says the Arab-Somali committee meeting in Sudan is to support the Somali government and to exhibit the Arab League's stepping up to the plate to take part in resolving regional crises.

Moussa was speaking to reporters here Wednesday before heading for Khartoum to attend the committee meetings which start Thursday headed by Sudanese President Omar Baashir and Somalia President along with high ranking officials from Somalia.

Moussa indicated that the committee will look into the deteriorating situation in Somalia and ways to entice various parties to return to dialogue. The committee will also seek ways to support the Somali government.

Samir Hosni, a member of Moussa's delegation and the director of African affairs at the Arab League, said the meeting will be attended by 11 Arab countries which will be discussing Arab response to the Somali situation and ways of achieving security and stability in the country.

Argentina top group C after goalless draw with Dutch

By Jens Marx, Frankfurt, June 22 (DPA) Argentina and the Netherlands played to an ultimately disappointing goalless draw in Frankfurt Wednesday in a match dominated by the South Americans over long stretches.

Argentina finished top of Group C by virtue of their superior goal average and now face Group D runners-up Mexico Saturday while the Dutch Sunday face Portugal, who ended top of that group earlier.

The Argentine side produced flashes of the flowing passes that lit up the World Cup in their 6-0 demolition of Serbia and Montenegro but there were few real goal chances from either side.

Argentine coach Jose Pekerman called the match "balanced" and insisted they were not aiming for a draw: "We had at least five chances. Both sides wanted to play well and it was competitive."

He added that there were worries about an injury to defender Nicola Burdisso, who was pulled off early, because "he's a very important player for us. We hope it's not too serious".

Dutch coach Marco van Basten said: "Argentina are top of the pops - but we got a draw and could have even have won it - so it was quite a good performance."

The side was not his best because he did not want to risk those on yellow card, but "we wanted to win this game and show good soccer".

One thing high on his list, he said, was practising penalties.

"It was a difficult match," said key Argentine defender Roberto Ayala, "but we achieved our goal of winning the group. We should always be a candidate for the title, it's been our aim right from the start."

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, whom Alaya did not allow to get a look-in and who was substituted early in the second half, said the single point "was the most we could have got out of the game".

He added: "They had the best of it, and we had to defend a lot. They're a good side and deserve respect."

The Argentine midfield around the creative Juan Riquelme gradually subdued the Dutch in the first half, relying on quick interceptions and fast off-the-ball movement.

The match for a prestige win of Group C - the so-called Group of Death which both ended dominating - began amid a tremendous atmosphere, the Dutch fans their usual sea of orange among the 48,000 crowd, with Argentine fans numbering some 10,000.

Both teams began with two wins apiece already secure - Serbia Montenegro and Ivory Coast having been quelled. Argentina, with their superior goal difference, needed only a draw to top the group while the Netherlands needed a win.

Argentine coach Jose Pekerman fielded Barcelona teenager Lionel Messi, making his first World Cup start, alongside Carlos Tevez, with Hernan Crespo and Javier Saviola on the bench.

Dutch coach Marco van Basten, with John Heitinga injured and yellow card worries over Mark van Bommel, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Arjen Robben, and Joris Mathijsen, fielded Kew Jaliens, Tim de Cler, Khalid Boulahrouz, Rafael van der Vaart and Dirk Kuyt.

It was the Dutch who had the first real chance, when Dirk Kuyt found his way in from the left with a fierce shot that tested Roberto Abbondanzieri in the 17th minute.

But then it was another Dutchman - Khalid Boulsahrouz - who 10 minutes later produced Argentina's best first half chance when he hit his own post defending a hard, low cross from the left by Riquelme.

Riquelme had by then just fired in a series of curling corners, one forcing a good save from keeper Edwin van der Sar. The goalkeeper was making his 112th appearance for the Netherlands, equalling Frank de Boer's all-time record.

A Maxi Rodriguez shot on the half hour zipped past the Dutch post, and more danger came just before the break when Messi charged through the middle only to fire straight at van der Sar.

Riquelme hit just wide in the 52nd minute off a Messi pass as the Argentines continued their pressure and shortly afterwards van Basten brought on Ryan Babel for van Nistelrooy.

With the game threatening to simmer down, Phillip Cocu - in his 100th game for the Dutch - almost put them ahead in the 67th minute, producing a frantic close-range save from Abbondanzieri.

Five minutes later Tevez again tested van der Saar after dancing round Andre Ooijer. The last 20 minutes saw the game wind down, and symptomatic was the substitution of Riquelme in the 80th minute.

The Dutch fans woke up in the final minutes and their side responded with a series of corners all of which came to nothing, while Tevez had the last chance of the match, firing over the bar in injury time.

Teams:

Netherlands: Edwin van der Sar, Kew Jaliens, Khalid Boulahrouz, Andre Ooijer, Tim de Cler, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder, Hedwiges Maduro, Phillip Cocu, Robin van Persie, Danny Landzaat, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ryan Babel and Dirk Kuyt

Argentina: Roberto Abbondanzieri, Nicolas Burdisso, Fabricio Coloccini, Roberto Ayala, Gabriel Milito, Leondro Cufré, Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Alejandro Mascherano, Maxi Rodriguez, Juan Riquelme, Pablo Aimar, Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi and Julio Cruz

Referee: Luis Medina Cantalejo (Spain)

Asian nations cooperate on fighting maritime piracy

Singapore, June 22 (DPA) An anti-piracy plan bringing together 16 Asian countries, including India, is to take off on Sept 4 followed by the opening
of an Information Sharing Centre (ISC) to alert ships on possible pirate attacks, officials said Thursday.

The Japanese-initiated Regional Cooperation Agreement on Anti-Piracy (Recaap) is aimed at enhancing multilateral cooperation among the 10 members of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus Japan, India, China, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Of the 16 countries, 11 have ratified the agreement. Among those absent are the two key Malacca Straits littoral states of Malaysia and Indonesia. Both have stated their commitment to joining Recaap.

ASEAN groups Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and Myanmar (Burma).

The ISC, based in Singapore, expected to be operational before the end of the year, will collect and distribute information relayed to it by participating countries that receive reports from affected vessels or non-government agencies.

It will also analyse patterns of attack.

The London-based International Maritime Bureau's (IMB's) Piracy Reporting Centre in Kuala Lumpur has been the most active agency in monitoring piracy attacks in the region.

In elaborating on the multi-government effort, the ministry said that the ISC will be set up as an independent international organisation with about 15 staff drawn from member countries and an executive director.

"The government can provide more accurate and more reliable reports on the situation in the region," The Business Times quoted Singapore Shipping Association executive director Daniel Tan as saying.

The number of attacks in the Strait fell from 38 in 2004 to 12 in 2005, according to the IMB's Piracy Reporting Centre.

Total attacks around the world last year dropped to 276, compared with 329 in 2004. There were no reported attacks in the Malacca Strait in the first quarter of this year.

The agreement was first proposed by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2001. Pirate attacks, numbering 335 that year, were at their height amid mounting fears that terrorists could sabotage shipping lanes.

Bihar seeks special package

Patna, June 22 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Wednesday demanded of the central government a special package for the state on the line of those given to Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal and the northeastern states.

Nitish Kumar submitted a seven-page memorandum to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, who visited his official residence at 1 Anne Marg here after attending a state-level bankers' conference.

Chidambaram, who arrived here Wednesday afternoon on a brief visit, told newspersons after that he would look into the matter.

The memorandum, apart from seeking payment of dues as per the Bihar Reorganisation Act, 2000, sought Chidambaram's intervention to avail debt relief facility, steps for increasing credit-deposit ratio and coverage of all the 38 districts under backward districts initiative programme of the Rashtriya Samvikas Yojana.

Bihar has an estimated debt of over Rs.440 billion. The state's credit deposit ratio stands at 32 percent against the national average of 57.5 percent.

Chidambaram asks Bihar banks to achieve credit targets

Patna, June 22 (IANS) Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday asked banks in Bihar to achieve this year's lending target of Rs.100 billion in the agriculture sector without making any "excuses".

"We have set the agenda for banks under the Kisan Agriculture Credit Cards scheme. I will not listen to any excuse this time," Chidambaram told reporters soon after addressing a bankers' conference here.

He said lending to the agriculture sector was a profitable business. "We will fix a high lending target in this sector for the next year."

The minister added that banks should also give credit for the Million Shallow Tubewells Programme in rural areas. "We will ensure that the programme is implemented across the state," he said.

He said banks should come forward to ensure more credit flow in other areas like weaving, handicrafts, fisheries, food processing and dairy. "I am hopeful that the state government will identify some clusters where people engaged in specific activities will get credit from banks," he said.

"If agriculture picks up in Bihar, everything else will pick up," he told the banker's conference, which was also attended by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

He said if Bihar remained backward, even India's growth rate would not rise.

According to official reports, 37 blocks in Bihar's 38 districts have no branches of any commercial bank at all. Besides, 800 bank branches in Bihar have just one officer each.

Bihar has an estimated debt of over Rs.440 billion. Nitish Kumar has repeatedly expressed concern over state's poor credit deposit ratio as compared to other states.

Eighty Iraqi workers kidnapped in Baghdad

Baghdad, June 22 (DPA) Eighty Iraqi workers were abducted by gunmen in a city north of Baghdad, officials said.

The men were abducted from Taji, 25 km north of Baghdad, by a group of armed men who boarded the buses of the state workers employed by the Iraqi ministry of industry Wednesday evening.

Al-Arabiya reported that the men are now being held in a factory - likely to be the Great Victory Factory at which they are employed.

The al Jazeera satellite channel, which initially announced that 100 or more workers were abducted, later said that at least 80 workers had been kidnapped by gunmen.

The incident occurred as the workers finished work for the evening. Further details were not immediately available.

In Washington, the US Senate began to discuss whether to withdraw troops from Iraq, but the debate centred on politics more than policy as the major parties sought to position themselves ahead of the November congressional elections.

The US military also on Wednesday charged seven US Marines and a Navy corpsman with the murder of a 54-year-old Iraqi civilian in the town of Hamdaniya. The eight soldiers also face charges of kidnapping, conspiracy, larceny and false statement, said Colonel Stewart Navarre at Camp Pendleton, California.

The soldiers allegedly took the victim, Hasham Ibrahim Awad, from his home in April before fatally shooting him. They reportedly placed shovels near the man to give the appearance he was planting a roadside bomb. The US military is holding the prisoners at the base in southern California.

Election Commission notices to Madhya Pradesh ministers

Bhopal, June 22 (IANS) The Election Commission has served notices on several Madhya Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, including Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, and asked them to furnish replies on a plea for their disqualification over holding offices of profit.

Chouhan, nine ministerial colleagues, three MLAs and one MP, Krishnamurari Moghe, have been served with the notice on a plea by Leader of Opposition Jamuna Devi. The deadline to reply is June 28, officials said.

The ministers on whom notices have been served include Himmat Singh Kothari, Babulal Gaur, Gopal Bhargava, Yashodhara Raje Scindia, Jagdish Deora, Ramakant Tiwari, Rustam Singh, Chandrabhan Singh Chouhan, Vijay Shah and Tukojirao Panwar. The three MLAs are Laxman Singh Gaur, Lal Singh Arya and Shivraj Shah.

The Election Commission warned the ministers and MLAs that "if no reply is received by the said date (June 28), it will be presumed that you have nothing to say in the matter".

Though the ministers are learnt to be seeking legal advice on the issue, they are confident that a state law - the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Mandal Sadasyata Nirharta Nivaran Adhiniyam 1967 - will bail them out. It allows ministers in the state to keep more than one office, officials said.

The office of profit controversy - over allegations that MPs were simultaneously holding offices of profit - resulted in Congress President resigning as chairperson National Advisory Council and as MP in March. She later got re-elected from Rae Bareli with a thumping majority.

Ghana beat US, enter knockout stage

Nuremberg, June 22 (DPA) Ghana defeated US 2-1 in a World Cup Group E match here Thursday to qualify for the knockout phase.

--DPA

Government eases import norms to curb price rise

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) To curb the galloping prices of essential commodities, the government Thursday allowed the private sector to import wheat and sugar while ordering an immediate ban on the export of pulses.

"These decisions were taken by the cabinet committee on prices which discussed the issue of price rise for about one-and-a-half hours today," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters at a press conference.

"The government is confident that inflationary expectations will be dampened in the economy after today's decision which aims at handling the supply side constraint," the finance minister added.

The finance minister said wheat, sugar and pulses were the three prime articles showing a rising price trend and driving the price rise. "As far as the prices of vegetables and fruits are concerned, there are always seasonal fluctuations."

He did not rule out the possibility of hoarding by private traders in some states. "I urge the state governments to deal with this problem urgently".

The finance minister said the cabinet secretary has been directed to suggest ways to regulate the commodity market as a bill aimed at providing a regulatory mechanism for the commodity market is still pending in parliament.

"The cabinet secretary would give his report in the next few days," the finance minister said.

Chidambaram said after Thursday's decision by the cabinet committee on prices, the private sector, especially flour mill owners producing wheat products, could import wheat from the international market.

"The output of wheat has been stagnating at a particular level for the last seven or eight years whereas the demand is rising. A technological breakthrough is needed to increase the output further," Chidambaram said.

"The import of sugar by the private sector will be allowed till Sep 30 when the current season ends," he said.

"The government is expecting sufficient sugar production in the next season," the finance minister said.

"There has always been a gap between domestic demand and production of pulses and for the last many years we have filled this gap by imports. Now the government has decided to halt the export of pulses immediately to augment its supply in the domestic market," he added.

India resumes divestment in state-run firms

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) In a bid to push economic reforms forward, the Indian government Thursday approved the partial sale of equity in two state-owned firms to revive a scheme that was on the backburner due to protests by some allies.

"The cabinet has approved the sale of 10 percent equity each in Neyveli Lignite Corp and National Aluminium Company," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram said here after a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The proceeds from the divestment by way of book building will go to the National Investment Fund that finances social sector projects and helps revive state-run enterprises.

The government currently holds 93.56 percent stake in Neyveli Lignite, which is listed on stock exchanges in India, and the rest is with financial institutions and the public.

In case of National Aluminium Company, the government stake stands at 87.15 percent and the shares will be split at a rate to be decided before the proposed sale of the 10 percent stake, an official statement added.

"The Department of Divestment will be authorised to take a decision on the issue of bonus shares in consultation with the ministry of mines, the Department of Expenditure and the Department of Public Enterprises," the statement added.

The Left parties that support the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government from outside oppose any sale of equity in the profit-making units and want complete managerial and commercial autonomy extended to these companies.

They quote the Common Minimum Programme for governance agreed by the coalition partners that says: "Generally, profit-making companies will not be privatised."

India seeks Japan's assistance to finance power plants

Tokyo, June 22 (DPA) India's Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde Thursday sought investment from the Japanese government to build seven 4,000-megawatt power plants, according to a media report.

Shinde met Japan's Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai and requested financial aid to expand India's power supply.

In its efforts to help stabilise power supplies in Asia, the Japanese government provides support to India through yen loans. In March, Tokyo extended loans worth 155,458 million yen to India, up 15.6 percent from the previous year.

India was asked to push new power projects before 10 other developmental projects that yen loans are aimed to help, such as the construction of water supply, sewerage and high-speed transportation systems.

India aims to secure a generation capacity of 125,000 megawatts by 2010 to supply electricity across the country, according to Kyodo News Agency.

Shinde was visiting Japan for talks on the power plant projects with local trading houses including Marubeni Corp and Sumitomo Corp.

Iran dash Angola's World Cup dreams

Leipzig, June 22 (DPA) Angola's hopes of World Cup glory were dashed when Iran rallied to draw 1-1 in their final Group D match Wednesday here.

With Mexico losing 2-1 to Portugal in the other group game, World Cup debutants Angola needed to win by two goals to qualify for the knockout stage.

Second-half substitute Amado Flavio headed Angola's first World Cup goal in the 60th minute but Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh headed a 75th minute equaliser for Iran.

Angola had lost 1-0 to Portugal and drawn 0-0 with Mexico and can return home with their heads held high from their first World Cup.

But they were lucky in the first half when Mendonca saved on the line from a Vahid Hashemian header and Rahman Rezaei slashed the rebound wide.

Angola coach Luis De Oliveira Goncalves, the only African in charge of an African side at this tournament, agreed the football had been below par.

"We were not intelligent enough to defend our 1-0 lead but I'm still proud of my players," he said.

"The football was not very good but in the end I think a draw was a fair result," he mentioned.

He said Angola had proved they were worth their place in the finals.

"People were saying we would let in a lot of goals but that didn't happen," he added.

Iran's Croatian coach Branko Ivankovic felt they could have won.

"We dominated the 90 minutes and perhaps deserved victory today," he said. "The conditions were very hard but the players put their heart and soul into the game."

The match took some time to come to life, and when it did both sides demonstrated some woeful finishing.

Ali Daei headed over from four metres for Iran while Akwa volleyed wildly over when through. Arsenio Love, on for Mateus who was stretchered off with an arm injury, shot straight at the Iran keeper Ebrahim Mirzapour.

Joao Ricardo was forced into a full length save from a low shot from outside the area by Andranik Teymourian and Iran keeper Mirzapour tipped a Mendonca shot over.

Mendonca went close again when the second half got underway with a rasping shot just past the post.

Angola needed to win by two goals to qualify but a draw looked the most likely outcome as Iran were determined to salvage some pride after losing to Mexico and Portugal.

Then Flavio, on for Akwa after 51 minutes, opened up the possibility of World Cup glory when he headed his 14th goal for Angola from Ze Kalanga's right-wing cross after great work from Figueiredo.

However, Bakhtiarizadeh rose unmarked at an Iranian corner to head into the unguarded far corner for an equaliser in the 75th minute.

Amado Love had gone close to making it 2-0 when he sneaked in at the back post to head straight at Ebrahim Mirzapour from another Ze Kalanga cross.

Angola replaced midfielder Figueiredo with Rui Marques as they stepped up the hunt for more goals. Iran stood firm, but Angola can only find pride in this World Cup debut.

Match statistics:

Iran - Angola 1-1 (0-0)

Iran: Ebrahim Mirzapour - Hossein Kaabi (67. Arash Borhani), Sohrab
Bakhtiarizadeh, Rahman Rezaei, Mohammad Nosrati (13. Masoud Shojaei)
- Andranik Teymourian, Ferydoon Zandi - Mehdi Mahdavikia, Mehrzad
Madanchi, Vahid Hashemian (39. Rasoul Khatibi) - Ali Daei

Angola: Joao Ricardo - Loco, Jamba, Kali, Delgado - Ze Kalanga,
Figueiredo (73. Rui Marques), Mateus (23. Love), Mendonca, Miloy -
Akwa (51. Flavio)

Referee: Mark Shield (Australia)

Goals: 0-1 Flavio (60), 1-1 Bakhtiarizadeh (75)

Attendance: 38,000

Yellow cards: Teymourian, Madanchi / Mendonca, Ze Kalanga, Loco

Best players: Bakhtiarizadeh, Taymoorian / Mendonca, Flavio, Ze
Kalanga

Italy beat Czech Republic, enter knockout round

Hamburg, June 22 (DPA) Italy defeated Czech Republic 2-0 in a World Cup Group E match here Thursday to qualify for the second stage.

--DPA

Ivory Coast win, curse defensive errors

Munich, June 22 (DPA) Ivory Coast players danced in joy Wednesday as they notched up their first ever World Cup victory beating Serbia and Montenegro 3-2.

But boss Michel Henri cursed the defensive errors they made throughout the tournament that cost them their place in the last 16.

The Africans' French boss said: "Conceding six goals in three games is too much. The team has to improve on that to become a really great side capable of progressing."

The Ivory Coast win leaves Serbia and Montenegro bottom of Group C and without a point but their coach Ilija Petkovic refused to be too despondent and praised the African tournament debutants.

He said: "Despite this World Cup I am proud of my team. We wanted to show today what we didn't show in the other games. But Ivory Coast are strong, with a bit of luck they would have finished second in the group."

Ivory Coast had their stroke of luck in this match when Serbia and Montenegro went down to 10 men just before half time when fussy Mexican referee Marco Rodriguez sent off Albert Nadj.

But by the time of the red card they were already 2-1 down thanks to goals from Nikola Zigic and Sasa Ilic and a solitary response from Aruna Dindane.

They took full advantage of the extra man to equalise through Aruna Dindane. Bonaventure Kalou scored a late winner and not even Cyril Doromaud's late dismissal could dampen the celebrations.

With only pride to play for and with suspensions hitting the two teams, both Ivory Coast and Serbia and Montenegro made changes to their starting line-ups.

Ivory Coast skipper Didier Drogba was suspended and only Arthur Boka, Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Zokora, Yaya Toure and Arouna Kone remained from the team that was beaten by Holland.

Serbia and Montenegro were without Mateja Kezman and Ognjen Koroman through suspension, had Albert Nadj out injured, and left out captain Savo Milosevic.

Ivory Coast made the early running in the first ever fixture between these sides with Arthur Boka firing a free kick into the wall but it was Serbia and Montenegro who made the breakthrough on 12 minutes.

Coach Petkovic had opted for a 4-5-1 formation with giant striker Nikola Zigic up front on his own. And it was the 202cm striker who found the net on 10 minutes.

The towering centre forward who plays his football for Red Star Belgrade ran onto to Dejan Stankovic's long pass, rounding Ivory Coast keeper Boubacar Barry with his first touch and scoring into an empty goal with his second.

Serbia and Montenegro's first goal of the tournament was quickly followed by their second on 20 minutes. Pedrag Djordevic's free kick hit Domoraud and ran to Sasa Ilic who smashed the loose ball into the Ivory Coast net.

On 35 minutes Ivory Coast were back in it when Milan Dudic handled Arthur Boka's cross and Dindane sent the keeper the wrong way. The referee had spotted an encroachment and ordered a re-take but Dindane was unfazed and rattled in the second kick with equal aplomb.

And on the stroke of half-time Ivory Coast received another boost when Serbian and Montenegro substitute Nadj was sent off, picking up his second booking for a challenge on Abdulkader Keita.

The mid-fielder had only been on the pitch half an hour after replacing Mladen Krstajic.

Ten-man Serbia and Montenegro were almost pegged back to 2-2 when a spectacular long-range drive by Kouassi smacked the crossbar on the hour.

But seven minutes later Dindane went one better scoring his and Ivory Coast's second of the game. The Lens player got on the end of Keita's cross to level the scores.

Dindane could have had a hat-trick when Milan Dudic again handled in the box but the forward let team-mate Bonaventure Kalou, whose shot had been blocked by the handball, score the penalty to seal the African's first-ever World Cup win.

Ivory Coast celebrated in the rain on the touchline with suspended striker Didier Drogba joining in the victory jig. There was still time for referee Rodriguez to add to his card tally by sending off Doromaud but nothing could take the shine off a famous victory.

Teams:

Ivory Coast: Barry, Boka, Kouassi, Domoraud, Eboue, Akale, B. Kone, Zokora, Keita, Kalou, Toure, Kone and Dindane

Serbia and Montenegro: D Jevric, Gavrancic, Djordjevic, Dudic, Krstajic, A Nadj, Ergic, Duljaj, Stankovic, Djordjevic, Ilic, N. Zigic, Milosevic

Referee: Marco Rodriguez (Mexico)

Attendance: 66,000

Ministers to study public sector autonomy

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) The Indian cabinet Thursday decided to refer a proposal to grant functional autonomy to public sector enterprises to a group of ministers.

"The (Arjun Sengupta) committee's report has been referred to a group of ministers (GoM) for further consideration," Finance Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters after a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

While the government has accepted the committee's earlier report on financial autonomy to the public sector units, the report referred to GoM relates to the functional autonomy of these companies, said an official in the Department Of Public Enterprises.

"The department had moved a note to the cabinet incorporating suggestions made by the committee," he added.

Mulayam on Muslim wooing spree

By Sharat Pradhan, Lucknow, June 22 (IANS) Worried by the formation of a new Muslim political outfit, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav has virtually embarked on a Muslim wooing spree.

Shortly after announcing a major power subsidy for weavers - who are largely Muslims - Yadav has now set up a three-member body to suggest ways of generating more employment opportunities for the minorities.

Local newspapers are already replete with advertisements about how Yadav's government has created 2,853 positions of Urdu teachers as a part of an exercise to create job opportunities for Muslims. The advertisements say 500 more Urdu teachers are to be appointed soon.

Chief Secretary N.C. Bajpai says the government will set up a commission for increasing the participation of the minority community in government jobs. This is to honour the commitment made by the chief minister in his budget speech.

The commission would submit its report within three months.

Political motives have linked the moves to the formation of the Progressive Democratic Front (PDF), the first Muslim political outfit in Uttar Pradesh, home to millions of Muslims.

Its president, Maulana Kalbe Jawaad, a renowned Shia cleric, has been very critical of the Mulayam government for providing only "lip service" to Muslims.

The chief minister's anxiety is naturally anxious because the Muslim vote has been a key factor in his rise to power in the state of 166 million people.

Yadav had swung the Muslim vote en bloc in his favour soon after he ordered the police to fire on mobs that tried to storm the Babri mosque in Ayodhya in 1990.

Two years later, when the mosque was demolished during Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) rule in the state, he found it easy to impress upon Muslims that if he had been in power, the mosque would not have met that fate.

Even as Yadav thrived for the first few years, Muslim support began to thin down with the realization dawning that he was in fact creating a fear psychosis among the minorities.

"You are safe only so long as the Samajwadi Party is in power. The day we go, you will not be able to breathe," was Yadav's buzzword for Muslims.

It worked like magic for almost a decade. But subsequently, Muslims began to ask whether he had done anything concrete for the larger good of Muslims.

It is to re-establish his credentials that Yadav has now redoubled his efforts to once again get into the good books of the Muslim community.

Jawaad sees the chief minister's moves as a "political stunt".

"What was he doing all these years? Why did he take Muslims for granted? It is evident that he is making all these announcements to win back the Muslim vote. But I wish to make it loud and clear that enough is enough."

New Zealand wakes up to India's potential

Wellington, June 22 (IANS) New Zealand's business community has woken up, though somewhat belatedly, to the fact that business with India is not only profitable but also inevitable.

An article in the latest issue of the Global Indian magazine that comes out of New Zealand cites a recent seminar in Auckland titled 'India Ascends' in which over 100 participants were apprised of the huge potential for business that New Delhi's booming economy offers.

"We (in New Zealand) were late off the mark in realising India's potential," the article quoted Paul Vaughan, New Zealand's Trade Commissioner to India, as saying in the seminar, organised by the India-New Zealand Business Council. "But in the last 10 months alone, the workload at my office has doubled."

The article listed out the reasons for the hype behind India.

For one, it is home to about 450 million middle-class people with growing purchasing power. India's return on investment is the highest in the world at 19 percent compared to China's (14 percent) because capital is efficiently used.

Sunil Ashra, area chairperson (Economics) and associate professor at the Management Development Institute, India, pointed out that the country records 7-8 percent growth despite attracting only a fraction of foreign direct investment compared to China last year.

Ashra also said that cost of doing business in India was also lower, with inexpensive labour and advanced telecommunications.

"The world's cheapest international call can be made from India," Ashra was quoted as saying.

Vaughan, on his part, also pointed out that India's world competitiveness ranking had improved to 29th this year from 55th two years ago.

On the question of what language is generally spoken in India, something potential businessmen in New Zealand are curious about, Vaughan said: "I haven't had to use any other language other than English in India. No other language is spoken across the country like English."

The trade commissioner told the author of the article that many New Zealand companies are already doing business in India.

"You name a sector, and I'll tell you a list of companies there," he said.

Among the sectors seen as offering huge opportunity to New Zealand business are IT, retail, health and biotechnology.

According to Malcolm Cone, senior lecturer, University of Otago, doing business in India was like a walk in the park.

"Business in China is dominated by state sector and overseas Chinese investors, where corporatist state prevails and network capitalism plays a vital role. India offers pluralist democracy," Cone was quoted as saying.

And the future looks even more promising for the $650 billion economy.

"By 2010, India will be the only country in the world where the number of people entering the workplace will be more than people retiring. Indians don't start to age until 2030," Vaughan asserted.

No narco-analysis test of Rahul Mahajan: police

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) Delhi Police Thursday withdrew their application for conducting a narco-analysis test on Rahul Mahajan and his co-accused Sahil Zarru who have been charged with drug abuse.

Chief Public Prosecutor B.S. Joon informed a special court here that the investigating agency would not like to press its request for the narco-analysis tests on the two accused at this stage, but submitted to judge S.N. Gupta it would ask for brain mapping tests on the duo.

The prosecution had earlier sought permission of the court to conduct narco-analysis and brain mapping tests on the two accused to get to the "truth" of the case.

Following the withdrawal of the plea, Gupta adjourned to June 24 the hearing on the police's application for brain mapping of the accused.

Seeking a modification in one of his bail conditions, Mahajan urged the court to allow him to stay in Mumbai as he had been asked to vacate his late father's 7 Safdarjung Road residence where he was staying at present.

He said he was required to stay in Mumbai to take care of his grandmother, who is a heart patient

Taking the application on record, Gupta directed the police to file a reply by June 24.

While granting Mahajan bail, Gupta had directed him not to leave Delhi without permission of the court till the filing of a charge sheet in the case.

Pakistan's ARD moots separate alliance with MMA

Islamabad, June 22 (IANS) Pakistan's Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy (ARD) is contemplating a separate alliance with the Islamist conglomerate Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) to consolidate the broad front against President Pervez Musharraf.

The ARD will not seek major changes in the Charter of Democracy (CoD), signed by former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto in London last month. Instead, it will strive to reach another agreement with the MMA on a "minimum common agenda", ARD Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra was quoted as saying in Daily Times.

The ARD leadership has finalised the agenda for its July 2 meeting in London with the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

The MMA wants that should the signatories of the CoD come to power, they should not legislate on existing laws, including the Hudood Ordinance, based on the Islamic sharia.

Jhagra said the ARD would ask the religious alliance, ruling in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), to sign another agreement with it in case it did not accept the charter.

"If the MMA doesn't sign the charter, it will still remain the main agenda or manifesto of the ARD and other signatories. And the ARD will cooperate with the MMA under another agreement," he said.

He said the "minimum agenda" with the MMA would include opposition to military rule in the future, the restoration of the 1973 constitution, the formation of an independent Election Commission and free and fair general elections.

The ARD secretary general noted that the PPP and the MMA could not develop a consensus on issues such as the Hudood Ordinance. However, such issues should not hinder cooperation between the two parties on other matters.

The two alliances had agreed to launch a campaign against Musharraf in September, he said, adding that the campaign would continue until their demands were met.

Pakistan, India begin talks on water dispute

Islamabad, June 22 (DPA) Pakistani and Indian officials began two-day talks Thursday to resolve water disputes over a barrage that India is constructing on river Jhelum in the Kashmir region.

The third round of talks on the Wullar Barrage, also known as Tulbul Navigation project, is being held under the ongoing composite dialogue process the two south Asian rival neighbours started in February 2004 to resolve their outstanding disputes.

India's Secretary Water J. Hari Narayan is leading the Indian side at the talks with his Pakistani counterpart Ashfaq Mehmood to discuss the issue that surfaced in 1984 after India began constructing the barrage in its part of Kashmir.

Pakistan lodged a strong protest over the project, saying it violated the Indus Water Treaty the two countries had signed in 1960 to resolve disputes over water sharing.

The treaty allocates waters of three western rivers of Indus, Jhelum and Chenab to Pakistan while India has rights over eastern rivers of Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.

However, the treaty allows India certain uses in the upper catchments of the three western rivers in its-administered Kashmir.

"We are satisfied with the progress in talks over the Wullar Barrage but such issues take time to be resolved," Mehmood told reporters ahead of the talks.

India halted construction work in 1987 after Pakistan raised objection to its design but it has not abandoned the project.

PM's 15-point minorities' welfare scheme approved

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) The cabinet Thursday approved the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's 15-point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities that addresses their concerns in critical areas like education, habitat and communal violence.

The cabinet also decided that 15 percent of the funds might be earmarked, wherever possible in relevant schemes, for minorities as Muslims, Christians, Jains and Parsis.

The programme was originally formulated by then prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1983 and sent to chief ministers two years later by then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi for state-level implementation.

The programme was later recast to focus action on issues intimately linked with social, educational and economic uplift of minorities and earmark outlays in schemes where progress can be monitored, an official statement said.

The decision to amend the programme was taken at a cabinet meeting chaired by the prime minister.

The points in the new programme include equitable availability of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), improving access to school education, greater resources for teaching Urdu language, modernising education in madrassas and extending scholarships to meritorious students.

It promises self-employment and wage employment for the poor, upgradation of skills through technical training, enhanced credit support for economic activities and recruitment to state and central government services.

The programme intends to improve the living conditions of minorities by giving them equitable share in rural housing and sprucing up shantytowns inhabited by them.

It also seeks to prevent communal riots, prosecute perpetrators of communal offences and rehabilitate victims of such violence in a more concerted way.

Portugal defeat Mexico, top Group D

Berlin, June 22 (DPA) Portugal defeated Mexico 2-1 Wednesday to take maximum points from Group D and set up a second round clash with the number two team in Group C.

Iran drew 1-1 with Angola in the other Group D game, leaving Mexico in second place with the prospect of meeting either Argentina or the Netherlands in the next round.

The Mexicans did their best to self-destruct - giving away a first-half penalty, missing a second-half spot kick and having Luis Perez sent off - but they qualified with four points.

Maniche put Portugal ahead and Simao made it two from the spot after Marquez had handled. Fonseca pulled one back for Mexico and Bravo missed a penalty after a handball from Miguel.

Portugal finished top in Group D with nine points, followed by Mexico (4), Angola (2) and Iran (1).

The pairings for the next round will be known after the Group C encounter between Argentina and the Netherlands in Frankfurt

Sheikh Hasina prays at Ajmer Sufi shrine

Ajmer (Rajasthan), June 22 (IANS) Bangladeshi opposition leader Sheikh Hasina, who is on a five-day tour of India, arrived here Thursday to offer prayers at the Sufi shrine of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

Hasina, chief of the Awami League, arrived at the shrine at 11.30 a.m. with a 15-member team, which included her political secretary Saber Hossain Chodhary.

Situated at the foot of the barren Taragarh hill in the old part of this town in central Rajasthan, the tomb of the Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti (1140-1235), popularly known as Dargah Sharief, is a famous pilgrimage centre in India.

During her hour-long stay, Hasina offered the customary velvet chadar (sheet) and prayed for peace and a good relationship between India and Bangladesh, a dargah official told IANS on telephone.

Hasina said she found great mental peace and solace there.

The shrine is considered a place of wish fulfilment for those who pray with a pure heart. Devotees offer flowers, velvet cloth, perfume and sandalwood at the dargah.

Unhappy NDA sends missive to president over n-deal

New Delhi, June 22 (IANS) The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has shot off a letter to President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam raising several objections over the proposed India-US nuclear deal and terming it detrimental to the country's interests.

The NDA leaders have accused Prime Minister Manmohan Singh of misleading the country on the issue.

"The prime minister has repeatedly misled the parliament and the people of India," said NDA leaders including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and NDA convenor George Fernandes in the letter.

"It is now clear from the statements made by the US officials before the US Congress that neither parity nor reciprocity will be made available to India under this deal.

"India will continue to be treated in a discriminatory manner, something we have been opposed to all along," the letter said.

"There is no consensus regarding the nuclear deal, nor is there any efforts on the part of the government to build such a consensus. We believe that an overwhelming majority of the MPs are against this deal," the NDA leaders said.